sustainability

Hello everyone!

Today I’m going to go more into-depth on my experience with a product that I received as a Christmas gift and had been wanting for a while: the Rocketbook reusable notebook. I found out about this product from a Buzzfeed video and I knew I wanted to try it because of it’s eco-friendliness and convenience. I’m a big planner and I like to write out basically my whole life on paper, so it would be a way to continue doing this without as much waste, but still getting the feeling of actually writing and not having to go fully digital. If you’re interested in getting this product or something similar, keep on reading!

In case you’re confused on what the Rocketbook is, it’s a notebook where the ink can be erased from the pages. In order to preserve whatever writing you have, there’s a QR code on each page that you scan using the Rocketbook app, and the contents of the page will be sent to your online destination of choice as a PDF or JPEG file. Once you’ve digitally saved the file, you wet the microfiber cloth that comes with the notebook and use it to erase the special pen ink from the pages- and repeat!

For specifics, I received the Letter size Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook in Deep Space Gray, purchased off of Amazon for $34.00 (I picked it out so I know the details ;)). When you receive the notebook, it also comes with a little instruction manual, an erasable Pilot Frixon pen in black, and a towel that erases the pen ink from the pages when dampened. The notebook is thirty pages. The instruction manual tells you to download the Rocketbook app from the App Store, and things get exciting from there.

The app comes with how-to videos in case you get confused on anything, but it will start with having you make an account and link it to an email and/or some sort of cloud. I linked mine to my main email account (a Gmail account) and the Google Drive that goes with it. There are 7 categories that you can connect to different destinations so you can organize where your files are going if you’re using one notebook for different subjects/purposes. Your scans will also be preserved in the app to look back on in case you lose track of them in whatever online file storage you sent them to.

I’ve really enjoyed using it so far- I don’t waste paper on simple to-do lists, and I can keep a lot of thoughts in one place. I don’t love the dot-grid since I tend to write crooked without structured lines, but it’s not a deal-breaker since I only use it for planning and creative writing. It would be bother me more if I used it for school and note-taking though. It definitely feels different than writing with a normal pen and normal paper, but it’s not different enough to be weird. I don’t think there’s much more to say about using it, but I’ll include some pictures to give you more of an idea!

Here’s the overview of a page- the inside cover has the seven categories’ images.

A close-up to give you an idea of how the pen writes!

The scan history screen in all its glory.

I hope you enjoyed this review. Let me know if you end up getting a Rocketbook or similar product and how your experience goes 🙂

Brooke

Welcome back everyone!

As we all know, sustainable and environmentally-friendly products have become a lot more accessible recently. A lot of people, myself included, want to reduce their own contribution to pollution, waste, and all of the harm we are doing to this planet. I’ve really been trying to become more aware of my choices and the waste I create, and it’s important to know that there’s actually a lot of easy and affordable ways to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. If you’re looking to reduce your waste in 2020, keep on reading for five simple ways to do so!

Use reusable cups, straws, and utensils on the go – I know reusable water bottles like Hydro Flasks and metal straws have become super popular, but there’s even more you can do. Bring your own thermoses to coffee shops if they allow it, and keep a set of bamboo utensils in your car if you’re getting takeout or food where you would otherwise be using plastic cutlery.
Pack lunches and snacks in Tupperware or lunch boxes instead of Ziploc or paper bags – Similar to reusable utensils and cups, packing your lunch in a way that produces less waste can also help you cut down a lot on plastic. This is something I plan on doing more this year, since at the moment I bring a paper bag lunch and there’s usually a couple snacks in ziploc bags. It’s an easy way to limit your waste on a daily basis, and it’s probably cheaper in the long run since you only have to buy a lunch box or nice Tupperware set once.
Support sustainable companies and/or charitable companies with products related to the environment – Lots of these companies will be a lot pricier, but the products are often designed to last longer and in some cases they are more ethically made as well. For example, Reformation is known for their sustainable clothing, but it’s also very pricey. There are also companies that create their products on the basis of charity, such as 4ocean that takes a pound of plastic out of the ocean for each bracelet bought.
Buy thrifted/secondhand clothes – This is helpful because it’s also a cheaper shopping option. Sites like Poshmark, Depop, and even eBay (less people go on eBay to buy clothes so you can get great deals) have tons of clothes you can get for super cheap, and it prevents people from throwing out their clothes. Also, going to your local thrift shop is just a fun experience 🙂 Of course, make sure to sell or donate your own clothes when getting rid of them so they don’t get thrown out either!
Take notes / do schoolwork online – This is more about reducing paper than plastic, but I’ve seen that a lot of students have recently gone paperless. If you would rather take notes and complete all assignments online, it’s a great way to reduce waste- it does save some plastic in the long run as well because you won’t have to buy notebooks with the plastic covers, folders, or binders that have plastic in them. I know this doesn’t work for every person’s school and studying situation, but it’s something else to be mindful of. If some of your teachers have options to turn everything in online but some don’t, just take advantage of the opportunity for the ones who do.

Hopefully this inspired you to make a few swaps in your daily lifestyle. Remember that you really can have an impact and change starts with these small choices. On the other hand, remember no one is perfect; it’s difficult to completely shift your lifestyle and there will definitely be slip-ups or times when it’s not feasible to center your shopping around sustainability. The important thing is that you try your best and keep the earth’s best interest in mind. We’re all in this together 🙂

Brooke