Make use of refuse. Lean into resourcefulness for a bit of support through the trying times ahead.
I love eggshells- everything about them. An eggshell protects the baby bird contained within, holding it in a perfect, liquid environment that doesn’t leak yet still breathes. Or, they may hold a delicious little protein-packed bit of yumminess. I feel much gratitude for the gift of an egg. But once the shell has completed its job, there is still more goodness to be had. And keeping food refuse out of our landfills is key.
For the creative
Eggshells make a great, quick, and easy mosaic material. I am an artist, and I work mostly with acrylics. As you’ve guessed by now, I abhor wasting, so I try to use up the paint from my no longer needed palettes on something. Eggshells make an excellent option. I brush the shells I’ve collected with a coat of paint. After a few paintings and a few breakfasts have gone by, I have a nice collection of multi-colored shells. Once dried and crumpled up, I get out my gel gloss medium and glue them to my chosen surface: wood, paper, or canvas, then apply an additional gel gloss coat for good measure. The gel gloss dries clear, providing you with a shiny surface for your lovely piece of art.
Here, I used my painted shells to create a decorative frame.
Another idea is to dress up a drab wooden shelf.
This process also makes a great, low-cost project to do with kids. If you don’t have paint, you could use them in their natural state. The beautiful, muted colors come in a variety of soft hues and are quite beautiful as they are.
For the garden
If crafting is not your thing, you can use them in the garden. Of course, they make great compost fodder, but if you simmer the shells in water for a couple of hours, adding more water as it evaporates, you can give your potted plants a nourishing sip of calcium once the water cools. Be sure to chunk the rest in your compost or strew then in the garden.
Or – For the household
Instead of chunking the spent shells, let them dry and blend them finely in a food processor to use as a pot-scrubbing resource. You’ll have some all-natural scouring material for stubborn, stuck-on food particles while you save a little money.
We know pulling out of the Paris Agreement, squashing wind energy efforts, and weakening environmental protections will impact the climate negatively, and mass deportations will cause shortages and high grocery prices. While we continue to make our voices heard, we can utilize what might be considered trash as a small way to help offset these short-sighted decisions.