Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Egg Cartons & Bad Reductions

Wednesday, September 29, 2010


Eggs are pretty much a staple in every fridge. Right? They kind of go along the same lines as milk and bread. Whenever you go to the store, you pick some up. Week after week that carton gets tossed in the recycle bin. Last week I decided to cut the lid off of mine and use the very well spaced "bowls" to paint some Fall acorns. The project still sits on my dining room table just waiting to be completed. However, for once, I'm happy about my procrastination. The more I got to looking at the carton I began to think, "those divider thingies sticking up like little obelisks would be perfect for rings." Ta-da! Just like that I had a new jewelry holder. Check it.



It may not be the prettiest jewelry box, but it sure is convenient. No more mis-matched earrings - Wahoo!

A quick rant - which I have never done on this blog. Ramblings - yes. Rants - not likely.

I wanted to take a minute to talk about two reductions that are quite simply depressing.

1. Courtesy

2. Candy

#1 explained - When I go to SuperTarget it is generally NOT fun. I have two kiddos with me and it is all I can do to get everything I need and get out of the store before any melt-downs occur. It would be nice if once I finally make it to the check out line the check-out person were pleasant. They don't have to tell me any jokes or ask me about my day - a simple, "hello" or "did you find everything ok?" would make my day. Perhaps a smile, if it's not too much trouble. Seriously? Why is everyone that works at my SuperTarget so rude? It's gotten so bad that today I actually asked one of the girls if they worked them too hard. Her response was, "no. not at all." Then smile for peats sake!  You have a job with benefits in a very troubling economy. Smile! Please.

#2 explained - The other night my family and I made a brief stop at CVS to pick up a treat for the boys (long story). I grabbed two movie sized candies for everyone to share. Junior Mints and M&Ms. They were on sale: 2 for $3.00. "Good deal." I thought. That was until I got home and my husband opened the M&M box. Let me just preface this by saying again that it was a movie sized box. What we found inside was a baggie filled with about 50 candies. What? I get more than that with a king sized bag for $1.00. That was the first time EVER that M&Ms, or any candy for that matter, have made me sad. 

The conclusion - we need less waste, more courtesy and more candy in this world. Are there any reductions out there that make you sad? Or how about some that make you happy?! Thanks for letting me rant. xo



6 comments:

  1. Great idea! Tucked away in a drawer it wouldn't even matter what it looked like! We've used egg cartons for counting games...write a number in the bottom of each little cup and have kids count out beans, m&m's, whatever, to match the number in the bottom. You can then practice math facts by taking the beans out of the corresponding cup.

    And I've noticed the candy thing too. Actually I've noticed it with pasta and other packaged food. It seems like the box size has remained the same but the contents is less than normal. Maybe I'm just imagining it, but it sure seems like I don't get as much for my $ these days.

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  2. We made school busses out of our egg cartons. I just painted the tops yellow and then used the bottoms to cut out two wheels (colored them black w/ a sharpie) and glued them on. My boys are only two, so they think they are the best school busses ever! :) I'm going to attempt fire trucks next (though that involves painting on a ladder, so we'll see...)

    Sad about your Target. I love going to Target, but if they were rude, I'd have to find another store, because I hate that!

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  3. sooooo random! :) in a good way.

    i think autonomy for employees to treat people like PEOPLE instead of numbers, especially in the financial sector is soooo depressing. yes, i did just get finished buying a house...and it was the WORST process eh-ver.

    p.s.--i LOVE eggs. too bad Twig2 is allergic so we don't get to eat as may of them these days.

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  4. What a great idea! And the end result is awfully pretty.

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  5. What a great idea! I'm definately going to copy this although we have chickens so I don't actually have any egg cartons - I'll have to go and buy some eggs now so I can do this!

    I know what you mean about check out girls being miserable. I try to do as much shopping as possible at markets and small stores but there are always some things you can only get in a supermarket. It puts me in such a bad mood seeing their miserable faces. A smile doesn't cost anything.

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  6. ugh, #1 is so spot on.

    happened to me at the airport though. no eye contact, no hello, no nothing. just flashlight on ID, highlighter across boarding pass. good thing our terror threat level isn't at orange, or anything. RUDE.

    love your blog!

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