Do you know what to do with unused pills?

I know this sounds like such a random post, but I think people should know about this.

We all know (should know) that you are supposed to clean out your medicine cabinet every so often and get rid of expired things. In our case it is a medicine container in the pantry. So I went through it recently and I have a bag full of medicines to throw away. I have some pills that are hormone type pills from trying to make our adorable little Alligator.

Since I'm trying to be more green, I know that I didn't want to just throw them away and let them rot in a landfill and seep into our soil and water system. So what to do with them?

I had a funny conversation with my mom about this recently. I asked her what to do with them.
Mom said: "Oh, just put them in some old coffee grounds and throw them away"
Me: "Mom, that doens't mean that they aren't going into the soil and water system eventually"
Mom: "The water is treated for that stuff"
Me: "Um, not really, and why make them put more chemicals in our water?"
Mom: huffing, "Fine, green weirdo, do what you want" (or I think she said something huffy like that in a 'do what you want' kind of way)

So here is what you CAN do about old pills. I stole this post idea from The Eco Friendly Family Blog where she wrote about the National Take-Back Initiative that the DEA is doing.

Here are some details about this Take-Back program from the DEA site:

The program is anonymous. 

Prescription and over the counter solid dosage medications, i.e. tablets and capsules accepted.

Intra-venous solutions, injectables, and needles will not be accepted.

Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine are not a part of this initiative.  

You can find your closest turn in location here. The turn in times are from 10am-2pm on Saturday, September 25th (tomorrow). I've been told some cities have turn in a few times a year. Every pharmacist I asked what to do with my pills didn't know about it and told me to bring them to a hazordous waste collection facilty - sounds difficult right? I'm going to turn my stuff in tomorrow. =)

Just rememberd a Christmas Present Post

This is WAY over due...but I wanted to post a project I did for two of my very good friends for Christmas. I decided I'd like to go more of the handmade gifts from now on if possible. So I knew that two friends (one might read this, the other is sometimes afraid of the internet) would like this idea. (Or they would like at least part of the gift.)

They both know I'm doing more crafty stuff. They also both know I've been making my own laundry detergent for a while. So I wanted to share that with them. This is what they got: Laundry Detergent (one got Apple one got Cucumber Melon), 6 place mats, 6 napkins, and a jar of my homemade spice mix.

Bigger pictures are posted below....

Place mats...Khaki canvas on the back, lobsters in the middle piece, red with white polka dots on the sides.

Napkins...Lobsters on one side and red with white polka dots on the other side.
Group shot of the napkins and the place mats together.
This is how I rolled them up so it was a surprise when they opened it.
And the laundry detergent with a little scoop and instructions. This picture is the apple kind.

I didn't want to post this until I had talked to both of them to make sure they liked it and to give enough time for them to receive the gifts. So then I just kept forgetting to post it. So today, finally, I posted. Enjoy.

(PS - Yes I would like to make myself a set too but I am out of the lobster fabric. booo :-( )

Envirosax... (reusable - not plastic!)

Something not purses-I-made related. I just recently bought these neato envirosax bags to use instead of the plastic bags from the grocery store. I found them from a blog I've been watching for a couple years now (notmartha) and I went right out and ordered some.

They sold out pretty quickly from the Delight website, but you can preorder them.
After watching all the stuff on the news lately about global warming, I figure I have to start somewhere...while I can't trade in my car for a bike to ride 40 miles to work every day, at least I can stop using plastic grocery bags.

**Coupon/Promo code "Shelterrific" gets you 20% off Delight's website!
I LOVE coupon/promo codes...

UPDATE: If they're still sold out of these bags at Delight, you can buy them directly through the Envirosax website.