Yesterday night, some of my girlfriends and I got together for a clothes swap. I hadn’t done one since junior high school and had totally forgotten how fun they can be! If you haven’t swapped, I highly recommend it. Swap clothes, tools, books, raw materials, or anything else that can be used for a little bit longer, and kept out of a landfill.

Picture this: it’s a Monday night and 10 sweaty women are in various stages of undress. A woman in her skivvies is trying on a skirt; a few other ladies are clickity-clacking their way up and down the hall – trying to determine if their new old shoes will fit. From various rooms, you can hear the “ooh” and “aww” of a chorus of women endorsing each other’s fashion choices. Good times!

I was able to score 3 pairs of shoes (hooray for vintage!), a scarf, some sunglasses, and a beige kimono. I also took home a few bottles of nail polish and a white ribbon that once belonged to a wedding dress. The cost for this bounty? I merely had to contribute some items that I no longer need. (OK, let’s face it: I never needed them at all!)

Swaps allow you to find one-of-a-kind, vintage, and just-plain-weird items. They’re also great opportunities to shop for upcoming Halloween costumes. Swaps are free, fun, and a great way to spend an evening. They’re also a perfect chance for you to think about what you have, need, and could stand to part with.

For more opportunities to swap, check out some of these websites:

Free Cycle Calgary http://groups.freecycle.org/freecyclecalgary/description

Calgary Bike Swap http://www.calgarybikeswap.ca/Bike_Swap.html

Calgary Seedy Saturday http://seedysaturdaycalgary.shawwebspace.ca/

Also, browse Facebook for a variety of seasonal and one-off swap events.

A final comment: I sometimes find it hard to part with old clothes, because in my mind, it’s like parting with cold hard cash. But this time I told myself: there will be women at the swap whom I may not already know. Swapping clothes will be an investment in new friendships, and therefore, worth it.

And, I was right! After the swap, I walked back to the C-Train with my new friend Angela – each of us carrying a bag of new duds.

Swap on!

My 12-year-old daughter just got her first pair of eyeglasses.

Memories of my own angst-ridden, pubescent experience with glasses came flooding back. Like many teens and pre-teens, I hated how I looked in my glasses. I found dealing with puberty (with its physical changes and skin problems), braces and bad perms was more than challenging enough without adding goofy eyewear to the mix.

Thankfully my daughter's glasses journey has been entirely painless; she found frames she loves and is thrilled to be able to see clearly again ("The world—it's so detailed!")

After coming across a few old pairs of frames recently, I did some research on how to recycle them. I also came across sites debating whether glasses or contact lenses are the “greener” choice. Some eyeglass manufacturers are making eyeglasses from recycled or environmentally friendly materials. Who knew?

So here are some links to sites with more information on seeing more green:

Two places that will recycle your old eyeglasses:

Third World Eye Care Society Canada

Canadian Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centre (CLERC)

Three sites that take an environmental look at glasses and contact lenses:

“Glasses vs. Contact Lenses: An ophthalmic guide to saving the planet” Slate.com

“What Is More Sustainable: Eyeglasses Or Contact Lenses?” Treehugger.com

“Can I wear glasses or contacts and be green?: From 3D glasses to eco-unfriendly frames to disposable contact lenses: keep the environment in your sights” Guardian.co.uk