The Eco Dad

Well, I've been hit with a few clothing emergencies. Okay, so they aren't emergencies, but as life happens I'll need a couple things. I dodged a bullet with buying a suit because my son's daycare graduation was moved to a new date that clashed with a business outing. Given the choice I chose family. I always will. Yes, I know it's daycare and it's not a recognized diploma, but my son worked very hard on his Going to Kindergarten song and at four years old he knows if dad is, or isn't, there. Back to the suit though, this will likely require a consignment store. I don't see too many suits in a style I like on the thrift store racks. Consignment means paying more, but not everything second hand is going to be cheap or found in a store that relies solely on donations. It's sort of a negative connotation about second hand - that's it's cheap, beat up, useless stuff. Yes, you have to sift through the rough (and there's lots of rough), but you...

In an earlier post I discussed my internal debate between a home gym and a low-cost gym. I ultimately chose the low-cost gym for a variety of reasons, but as I sit here on weekends, with the low cost gym closed, I wish I had something more than running at my disposal. Now, I'm not going to invest in a home gym. I don't have the money or the space. With a little ingenuity though, I can create something that doesn't take up any floor space and still lends itself to working out. I'm not much of a handyman, but off the top of my head I can redneck something together. I don't normally workout in sandals.  What did I slap together? A pull up station! All this pull up apparatus took was 3 pieces of 1" pipe, 2 threaded elbows and 2 floor flanges. I'm actually a bit impressed at how easy this was to do. I'm already trying to draft a fold away dip station in this head of mine. If companies can create fold away tables and beds, surely I can create somewhe...

It's now May and I haven't blogged in a bit. I don't really have a valid reason for it. I missed Earth Day, which you figure any eco blog would recognize. I stand by my "irregularly updated" disclaimer. 😏  Besides, shouldn't Earth Day be every day? Is this blog really belated if I believe that? Well, it's not like I didn't do anything for Earth Day. I made a point of taking my boys out for a good old fashioned, unorganized, impromptu neighborhood makeover. We took out our garbage pickers, some garbage bags and had at 'er. It's like a game to them - see who can pick up the most trash. Their motives may be to win a competition, but the end result is a couple of garbage bags worth of litter off the street. It also gets them in the habit of looking after their environment. Hopefully seeing their dad do it too means they recognize you're never too old to clean your street. The family that picks together, sticks together? They genuine...

In the absence of purchasing anything new, I've found that thrift shopping or scouring used online ads has become a bit of a pastime, almost an addiction. There is something to be said about finding a great deal, but trying to keep in step with decluttering is becoming a bit of a battle. I've done well enough in terms of donating old clothes when I buy something 'new,' but I'm running out of clothes I'm willing to part with and I really enjoy finding something awesome at a second hand store. Just yesterday I found two used shirts I really liked, so I caved and purchased them. Coincidentally, it is Hockey Night in Canada! What else have I been scouring for? Well, I'd like a second iPad Mini 2 in order to minimize the fighting between my boys over the one iPad Mini 2 I have.  My Nexus 7, the one that allowed me to part ways with my Kobo in a previous post, is on it's last legs, so I started looking for a used Android tablet for me. Shoes. I ...

Temptation lurks all around us. We're inundated with the latest and greatest something or other. I got a phone for Christmas, liked the company's Instagram page and started following them. Problem with that is, aside from the cool pictures showcased by OnePlus owners, I've just recently been shown a really cool version of the phone I already have. The difference? It's limited edition black. Mine is charcoal. Now, I'm pretty cheap in the grand scheme of things, so I've never lined up for an iPhone when the latest one came out, but others do. I can almost guarantee that someone has gotten rid of their perfectly good charcoal OnePlus 3T in order to get the OnePlus 3T in Midnight Black. Just this week I've seen the same thing with the latest iPhone 7. Now there's a 'RED' version allegedly supporting a cause. Not satisfied with your black or silver Google Pixel? How about a 'Really Blue' Pixel? Companies don't even have to innovate anymore...

Kids grow up so fast - way too fast as it turns out. They outgrow their friggin' clothes and it's hard to keep up. If they aren't out growing the clothes, they are simply shredding them at the knees, elbows, collars, everywhere. The good thing is, in addition to my go to thrift store, there are kids only thrift stores called Once Upon a Child ! We managed a pretty sweet haul of clothes for the oldest boy. Unfortunately for the youngest, he will likely get second generation hand-me-downs that don't have holes in them. No one said life was fair. Green Lantern Meets Captain Thrift? My oldest son was pretty stoked about his new gear, as seen in the flexing pose above. You can't go wrong with a MEXX sweater for about $5.  We grabbed two other sweaters, three jeans and a pair of shorts. The Green Lantern glasses, pictured above, were already his from a Happy Meal.  Clothes aren't the most exciting thing for kids, but it seemed to make my little guy smile....

As I enter my third month of not buying anything new, I am amazed at some of the stuff people part with. I guess I shouldn't be, given what I parted with, in terms of clothes and items. Everything I donated, or sold as the case may be, was in perfect working/wearable condition. I don't know though, it still kinda floors me. I guess one man's junk really is another man's treasure. Regardless, I took my oldest son on a donation run to lessen the load of toys in our house. I managed an entire garbage bag, but still I barely see a difference. Even now, as I type this, my eyes wander over to a corner with 'stuffy' toys that neither of them has even looked at in over a year. Why is it still there? So. Much. Stuff. I guess it'd take a long time to empty the ocean one bucket at a time, and that's exactly how this feels. Oh well, I did get one bucket (or bag) out of the house. I should take some consolation in that. Wow, clutter really distracts me! Anyways, in...

I know I haven't been writing lately. That shouldn't come as much of a surprise, given the preamble of this site ... pretty sure I said it would be irregularly updated. I am trying, though, to avoid that irregularity. So, what's new? I've managed to find a used strop and honing stone for my straight razor! I'm actually really excited about that. I've been looking for a used strop, but everything I came across was new. Sharpening stones were uber expensive too. I guess I didn't really search too hard as I have a cartridge or two of disposable razor refills left. Just figured I'd use those before the switch. That sorta falls under the ol' saying "waste not, want not." Is it me, or did it just get manlier in here? As a bonus, the purchased lot came with three straight razors, so I'll practice my honing and stropping skills on those ones. I don't want to ruin my awesome vintage razor. I quite imagine there will be a lot of blo...

I got a new shirt today, but I didn't pay for it, so I'm not counting it as 'purchased.' The streak continues at 47 days ... or so ... I'm terrible at math when it comes to the days in the months. Either way, I don't think free stuff should count towards getting new stuff, although it goes against the accumulation of stuff. Shit! How do I rectify this? I guess I could do one of a few things. First option: I could donate an old shirt to keep the new shirt. Option two: I could donate the new shirt. Option three: I could keep all the shirts as a reward for all the purging I've already done. Free shirt and creatine when you buy giant bags of protein powder. 😕 So, it's not like I got my free shirt for nothing. I only had to buy close to a metric ton of powder, although, in my defense, it wasn't my intention to get a free shirt. I just wanted a good deal on, well, close to a metric ton of powder, which I will use. Damn it! Ultimately, there are ...

I found myself with a few minutes to spare today so I decided to try and go thrift shopping at the nearby Salvation Army. I'm particularly fussy with what I wear. I like slim fit shirts and boot-cut jeans. I've had zero luck at the last two thrift shops I checked out, but this challenge wouldn't be a challenge if it was easy, right? If everyone could do it, they would. Wait, that's not true. Everyone can do it. We just choose not to. We opt for the most recent trend/style/whatever and buy seasonally or annually or whatever it is, but it's unnecessary. We prefer convenience over the hunt for a good bargain at a thrift store. Maybe there's a stigma, albeit much undeserved. Luckily I'm quite fine with the timeless look of jeans and a t-shirt and I'll buy used 'cause I just don't care. Honestly, the pictures you see of me today versus five to six years ago are almost identical. I'd wager my look ten years ago would be identical. I even wear many ...

Despite the title of this blog post including the popular consumer term "BOGO," I haven't actually bought anything new. It's been well over a month and I'm still surviving. There are a few things I should probably start researching or asking around for. Not buying new isn't going to come easy without being prepared. Something you can't buy used are experiences. Those are always going to be new and hopefully you can indulge in time with family and friends more often as a result of not buying stuff.  What does that have to do with BOGO? Our family happened to have a coupon for an hour of free bowling because we held our oldest son's birthday at a bowling alley last year. Part of the birthday package included a free hour of bowling for a later date, hence "buy one, get one" free. Not everything you do, or everywhere you go will have a BOGO offer, but it's worth looking into. I know Medieval Times sometimes has BOGO free on admissions. Airl...

I bought something today, but it isn't new, so I'm still on course for my year long challenge. I picked up a vintage straight razor. I did a little research and scoured Kijiji with my one prerequisite being that it has to be used. The result is the $40 beauty you see below, but that's not the best part.  The best part of my purchase was the brief experience I had with the guy who sold it to me. He asked if I collected straight razors or wanted to use it. I said I'm planning on using it. He chuckled and asked why a straight razor in this day and age. So I told him what I'm doing here - that I've given up buying new stuff, including razors, so it was either grow a beard or find a way to shave that doesn't include disposables. He lit right up when I told him. He then asked if I was anti-consumerist and I said, not yet. Jokingly he asked if I buy food and I said it was the one thing I am allowed to buy new. He suggested, to keep in line with my challenge, that I...

With my last entry I gave a little spiel about giving back. I chose to support a friend of mine in her efforts to raise funds for the World Wildlife Foundation. Good friend. Good cause. Money well spent. I've donated a good amount of my clothes, my wife's clothes and, tomorrow, I'm donating my kids' old sleep sacks to a friend with a baby. These are actions I can feel good about. But rather than wait for the Karma express to come rolling my way, I'm being proactive and doing good by me as well. If I don't invest in me, who will?  I think I already made mention that I joined a gym that carries a minimal cost of $4.99/bi-weekly.  Not bad. I made the decision to join that gym rather than source out used gym equipment for a home gym, because a home gym is generally never used. I'd end up with an oversized, overpriced set of clothes racks. How do I know? I had a treadmill, but sold it for roughly $100 before I started this journey. I had adjustable barbells, a...

With all the cost cutting and selling stuff around the house, I've mentioned before about supporting a friend who has undertaken a charitable endeavour. The cause I've chosen to support is the World Wildlife Foundation, and the friend I'm supporting is Lindsay. She climbs the CN Tower every year to support this worthwhile initiative. And really, why wouldn't I support her? I like animals. I like Lindsay. It seems a no brainer. That said, I'm going to post the link to her fundraising efforts right here ,  Who knows, maybe I can push a couple extra bucks in her (WWF's) direction. I feel this shark would totally high five me for donating to Lindsay and the WWF! I once read that no one has ever gone poor by giving to charity. I believe it. Now, I'm not saying to throw all your money at a charitable cause, but try giving a bit if you haven't already. You'll feel better for it. If you do give, you know it's true. Know who else feels good? The fr...

I've sorta fallen off the blogging wagon, but I've had a pretty sweet weekend in terms of family, decluttering and continuing the 'not buying anything new' streak. The problem with the blogging wagon is that Blogger won't let me post pictures from my phone and if I try it just fails to post. I couldn't use my Chromebook either because, well, I left it at home while the family and I spent the weekend at the mountains. Decluttering, however, was pretty profitable. I just sold my old snowboard for $100 and used a gift card for booze. Scratch that, I used two gift cards for booze.  Now, I hadn't planned on buying any liquor until I drank what I have (and I have a small collection), but most of it wasn't even for me. I grabbed myself a couple ciders and a seasonal beer. Not exactly partying it up, but I suppose parenthood puts a bit of a damper on drinking like a freshman at a frat house. I'm surprised sometimes how many gift cards people carry a...

Not only have I refrained from purchasing stuff since I gave up stuff, I also sold my old Kobo eReader. That's $50 in my pocket and one more electronic device out of the house. I can comfortably sell my Kobo because all my Android devices (all two of them) have the Kobo app on them. I don't need a dedicated device when I have a Nexus 7" tablet (albeit, old and on it's last legs) that does the same thing, minus the amazing battery life. Looking around the house it's easy to start identifying duplicates. That little point and click camera? Easily replaced by my phone. My four spatulas? Who needs four spatulas? No really, I have four and each one seems to be specialized. I have one for eggs in the little pan, one for pancakes on the griddle ... I wish I was kidding. Sad as my spatula situation is, the point is that duplication exists and only adds to clutter. Perhaps it'd make a good starting point for someone who wants to start minimizing. I imagine it'd b...

I said I wasn't going to do second hand food, but I suppose if it's my second hand food, that's okay. Just before I started to try batch cooking / meal prepping I had some amazing (and healthy) taco bowls. The benefit of making taco bowls is the inevitable taco meat leftovers. Seriously, that shit is amazing! I thought I had a problem when I ran out of wraps and was low on toppings, but you know what doesn't require wraps and toppings? Scrambled eggs infused with leftover taco meat. Sweet Jesus they were delicious. I think I even threw in the last of the sliced jalapenos, you know the ones, the butts no one wants to eat. Diced those bad boys up and tossed them in too. Know what else I saw in the fridge? Half a sausage that no one was going to eat. Guess what happened to that? Diced, pan friend and added to my eggs-trodinary creation. What? You thought there'd be no lame ass dad puns? I'm a dad ... of two ... I'm surprised it's taken this long. I as...

I've been playing hockey as a goalie for, good Christ, going on 24 years. Man, that makes me feel old. Playing goalie has likely aged me prematurely, too. My knees. My back. I feel like I'm thirty-something going on eighty. Despite my love of the position, something I've always wanted to try was playing out of the net. The problem is I don't have any player equipment. I have my lacrosse helmet and gloves which can pull double duty, but I lack everything else. So, how am I to realize my dream at the weekly beer league shitshow? Borrow. Luckily I live in Canada. My brother-in-law had equipment to lend me for this week's game. Two of my co-workers are pitching in some used, beater equipment for me to continue pursuing my awesomeness in the weeks to come. I can finally play outside the crease and I don't have to buy a single piece of equipment. I also get an absolutely killer cardio workout at least once a week. Not sure how I feel about that with the whole feeling...

It's funny how walking about a mall when you're not allowed to buy anything new is, well, a bit of an eye opener. I might see something I want, but I immediately think a.) I don't need it or b.) I wonder where I can find it, or something like it, used. It's only been 8 days but I find my resolve has only gotten stronger. I'm also becoming less and less attached to the stuff I still own. I'm starting to see that I don't need all the t-shirts I have. I'm just not excited to wear them. I like them, but I'm not overly enthused when I pull a couple of them out. Okay, so not every piece of clothing I own is going to make me want to throw a celebration at the thought of putting it on, but I'm starting to lose that anxiety at the thought of donating shirts I previously would not have parted with. Same goes with what's left of my DVD collection. Too bad my local library isn't accepting donations. I think I could sleep a little more soundly knowin...

Rooting around I found a free eBook through Kobo  on building a backyard shed/studio. I haven't had a chance to go through it, but so far I think there are only 3 free plans, not the 50 the title would suggest. I'm also not sure of the sizes in the book, but I imagine a backyard studio can be built relatively inexpensively since free plans are just about everywhere and I also found excess/leftover building materials on Kijiji. I'm not ready to buy materials just yet, but the fact of the matter is you can probably find excess (read: heavily discounted) materials online or through Habitat For Humanity's ReStore if you are. I'm not saying I'm building a backyard studio. I certainly like the idea. My wife would appreciate somewhere other than our dining room to have an office. I'm just sharing awesome stuff I've come across. Besides, it's winter. No one is building backyard studios in the winter. Coco out