As I wrote yesterday, I've been worried about the Earth for quite some time (around the time Han was born I began to really take notice--I want this place around for my grandchildren and great grands, you know?) and have been making the effort to be more user-friendly. I've been taking steps to reduce my carbon footprint and that of my family and trying to be wise about global warming and the like. Whether you think global warming is just a bunch of hooey, or whether you think it's true, the fact of the matter is, the steps I've been taking certainly don't hurt the Earth and may in some small way help.
Then, a few weeks ago, we watched Wall-E for the first time and I became truly frightened by the amount of trash and waste we (my family, my friends, my students, my world) produce. The fact of the matter is, land is a limited resource and we can only put our trash and waste so many places before we simply run out of room. Am I afraid this will happen in my lifetime? No. Am I afraid it is a possibility at some point in the future? Absolutely. This, in addition to the nastiness that is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch are things I ponder frequently.
I'm definitely not trying to be preachy or take such a tone, I just want to give you some insight into my mindset and how I have come to this place in my life. We have been switching out our incandescents for CFLs as they have burned out. I have joined a CSA in order to eat more locally grown foods and produce. I also frequent the Farmer's Market for the same reason. This reduces my food miles and the fact the foods taste better is an added bonus. :o) When I can't buy locally, I purchase organic and free-roaming foods with the knowledge there is less environmental impact than more commercially produced foods.
To reduce the amount of trash our house produces, we recycle and compost everything we can. I will even go so far as to bring recycling home from school or picnics. I have friends who live in apartments with no recycling services available and I'll have them bring their recyclables to me and I'll bring them home and put them in my bins. I make sure to bring my blue, sparkly reusable bags with me to stores so I can avoid the plastic bags and I don't use plastic bags for purchasing produce unless it's for items such as beans or Brussels' sprouts (and I'm sure there has to be a better method for procuring these items, but darned if I know what it is).
One of my January 1, 2008 New Year's resolutions was to give up plastic bottles when at all possible. No more bottled water for me. I LOVE the convenience of a cold bottle of water, but knew it wasn't that good for the Earth. If I do wind up with a bottle (and it does happen, more often than I would like), I make sure to hold on to it to recycle--even if it means lugging it around for a while. When I travel, I like to have a drink with me, which means I have to plan ahead a bit. I typically bring along a Nalgene bottle of iced tea or water with me and make sure I have a couple of sippy cups of water available for Lil. At work, to avoid the bottles, I have a 16 ounce cup that I fill with ice and water a few times a day.
When Han was little, I realized I was using items that utilized far more packaging than I needed. I loved the convenience of the single serving applesauce and cottage cheese containers. However I soon realized not only was I getting less food for my money, I sure was using a lot of plastic. By investing in some inexpensive toddler-friendly plastic ware (which I DON'T toss, no matter what the name may suggest), I was able to create my own single serving containers.
I'm also careful about my use of plastic zipper bags. I avoid and reuse where I can, but these guys are somewhat hard to give up. I carry a reusable lunch bag and use reusable containers when I can. Some things, though, seem to need their own zipper bag.
We don't use paper plates and disposable cups and plastic ware as much any more either and I've begun to use cloth napkins instead of paper. We use dishtowels (and ShamWows--they work really well, in case you were wondering) to clean up spills and such instead of paper towels.
When we moved into this house, we had to purchase a washer and dryer. I knew front loading washing machines are more expensive, but they are also more energy efficient. My front loader uses much less water than my old top loader. Additionally, it spins so much faster, the clothes are almost dry when the come out. This means less time spent in the dryer, saving more energy there. To that end, I am desperately wishing for a clothes line. Maybe now the office has been cleaned out I can string one up in there. ;o) okay, not practical, but it's the thought that counts, right?
And finally, just recently, I have begun to allow the amount of packaging an item contains to influence my purchasing decisions. I just can't believe how much plastic we use!! Wow! I've also begun looking at natural cleaners (white vinegar, baking soda, non-sudsy ammonia) to use where I can.
In spite of these endeavors, I know there is so much more I could be doing. I'd like to get some rain barrels to use to water my gardens. I'd like that clothes line. I'd like to have the fortitude and wherewithal to deal with the million degree summer temps and wacko humidity and be able to leave my windows open all summer or at least set the thermostat higher than the 74 I have to have in order to sleep. I'd like to change who I am and be less consumeristic. I LOVE to shop and buy "things", even if I don't need them--I can't pass up a "good deal" (I've got to work on that). :sigh: I need to use the library more and buy books less. I could get a much more fuel efficient car and ditch my mom-mobile (which I adore!). I could use Earth-friendly make-up and skin and body care products, but I like the ones I've got.
I find I do many things because they are more convenient for me but maybe they're not so good for the Earth. I'm trying to remember I'm sharing this place with all of you and I need to help keep it nice for you all and that maybe being a little inconvenienced isn't such a bad thing after all.
Like I've said, I'm only "light" green, but hey a little green is better than none at all, right? So, what have I forgotten or left out? What "green" things do you do?
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Today's Sparklies:
1. I'm having such fun with my students (even if they are beginning to show signs of end-0f-the-year fever).
2. It looks as if the "toenadoes" and basil took. Whooppee! Caprese salads this summer! :o)
3. May Crowning is tomorrow and I'm really looking forward to it. It's such a beautiful event.
4. I had a thoroughly enjoyable conversation with a young man from my class this afternoon. It's nice to know kids still play like I did, running around outside, squelching through the mud, exploring their world. :o)
5. Grilled cheeses sometimes make the best supper (we were thwarted on the chicken front by slow thawing).
6. We practiced our May Crowning hymns today and one of them is "Haily Holy Queen" which I have always loved. Well, this morning, as we were singing, all I could think about was this scene from "Sister Act". :o) Hee hee
No milestones but, I was thinking about what a little "green" girl Han was. She, like Lil, would pick up litter and it was she and Brien who built the compost bin. She became interested after watching a pumpkin decompose at school. Oh I miss the Monkey. The missing lingers even as the pain eases.
24 comments:
As soon as I read the words "Hail Holy Queen" I thought of Sister Act. I LOVE that scene! That song will be in my head for a while now.:)
I love your green ideas. I have recently given up water bottles recently. Every little bit helps right?
I think you are doing a great job being green. Maybe not perfect, but a lot more than many people would consider doing.
I am glad to hear the tomatoes and basil are looking good - yummy salad!
Don't have a clothesline in the house and can't have one in the yard (homeowner restrictions) but I do take my foldable drying rack out on the deck when the weather is warmer and in the winter, I hang clothes on hangers and then put the hangers in the bathroom on the shower curtain rod and let them dry there--works like a charm!
First, I think that I may have figured out a containment system for the brussels and beans-- what about a zipping lingerie bag? You can toss it in the wash, and it shouldn't be a big deal with weighing. Just a thought.
We're in a similar state as you. I'm doing better with fighting the urge to buy "good deals" and reusing bottles. I would love to get a Sigg metal water bottle. (Cheap metal water bottles are, well, cheap. The Sigg bottles are SOOO pretty!) Again with the buying thing . . . We're trying to be more environmental. We do reusable packaging more than Saran wrap or foil. We even do the reusable containers for snackies and try to ditch the baggies.
My tips? Multi-trips, reusable bags, CFL's and all that. You've got those covered. You are trying to think of a way to do that clothes line (minus the bumble bees) and you are doing the CSA, which my sister did north of Baltimore and LOVED! A step at a time!
I was just trying to talk my husband into an electric lawn mower (only when this one dies.) He thought I was crazy. He said that he'd run over the cord. I didn't think I was so nuts!
Yes, you don't need a clothes line and you don't even need to take your drying rack outside. We keep a drying rack in our (small) laundry room. The shirts we hang on hangers and the sheets we do dry, but we put everything else on the drying rack. Most things dry within 24 hours.
I would love to hear more about the uses of the "natural" cleaning supplies. I would love to know what specifically you use them for and if you water them down, and if so, what are the approximate ratios? Does the house then smell like vinegar? I am not being funny - this is a true concern of mine. Vinegar has an obvious (potent) smell.
Hi Rach, I rarely use my clothes dryer. I know we don't have the cold, snowy winters that you do. Why can't you have a clothesline that folds flat against the side of your house?? Everyone here has a clothesline of some sort. During winter I still hang the sheets and towels outside and finish them off in the dryer if I really need to. I also have a huge clothes rack that I put in the family room or dining room, that folds neatly away when not being used.
How about a clothesline bolted to the inside wall of your garage? Just fold it down against the wall when not needed??
Cheers
Jane
You've definitely been an inspiration to me to become more light green. I loved Wall-E-it is not subtle in it's messages. Our new Naglene BPA free water bottles just arrived in the mail. I'm so excited to give up water bottles! We don't have a clothes line, but I do have a collapsible drying rack in my laundry room that is perfect for the clothes I wash on the delicate cycle. I've just started looking into organic/natural skin care and I am planning to switch to a natural sunscreen to start. I think if everyone does just a little bit, it will add up over time. Are we chatting this weekend? Have a great day!
Amen sister!
I am so glad there are others that think like me!
Thats why I taught the class in Hawaii and made kids into "Earth Protection Agents"...
Hopefully we will make a difference!
LOVE your post!
Sure Miss Hannah!
Hugs.
We use drying racks to dry most of our cloths inside. My mother uses a drying umbrella outside that she sets up when she needs it and then takes it down.
http://www.amazon.com/Whitney-1600-12-line-Umbrella-Style-Aluminum/dp/B000BO96W8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1241179976&sr=8-1
Great ideas!
A couple more to add:
At www.flylady.net I purchased an awesome metal water bottle - two layers so NO sweating down the outside of the bottle. When loaded with ice and water at night, there have still been traces of ice some mornings!
Can also find some great reusable shopping bags there.
Last night we served dinner to the cast/crew/orchestra of the school spring musical. I could NOT bring myself to purchase cases and cases of water bottles. We rented (from Mickey D's) one of their giant coolers and we served ice water out of that. We did use paper cups - NOT plastic, NOT styrofoam. Kids could refill their own water bottles if they had them. Saved money and tons of garbage space from cases of water bottles! (yeah - so glad this one worked!)
We use a clothes line....in bad humidity sometimes the stuff still needs a quick tumble in the dryer. But on breezy days - the stuff is dry in an hour! LOVE my clothes line - keeps the house from overheating and it burns off a few more calories than tossing stuff in the dryer.
Also - heard about (and will try this) putting a bucket in the shower to catch the "warming up" water. That water can then be used to water house plants, flush the toilets or water outside plants. Some even leave the bucket in the shower while showering (plants may not like soapy water but you could use it for flushing).
35 pounds of manure incurred per pound of saleable beef.
and
The poultry-broiler industry consumed some 240 billion megajoules of energy in 2005, or the equivalent of 42 million barrels of crude oil. That’s more than the entire country of Sri Lanka consumed the same year—all to keep us well-stocked with wings and drumsticks.
and
The livestock industry as a whole consumes a whopping share of the world’s crops—at least 80 percent of all soybeans and more than half of all corn.
and
food writer Michael Pollan recently suggested that if Americans went meatless one night a week, it would be equivalent to taking “30 to 40 million cars off the road for a year.”
(copied from one of my favorite green bloggers)
Oh, yeah, we do meatless nights once a week too! Forgot that one! Thanks, Melissa. :o)
Thank you all SO much for your hints and tips! :o) I'm going to look into more folding racks for placement on the deck. :o)
Lynn, I'll get with you about the cleaners. Yes, the house reeks for a while afterward, it's just the way it is.
WOW great post, encouraging comments here too - you go, girl!
I loved the link - I watched the whole video - made my morning :)
Have a great weekend, Rach!
Rach,
I was born and raised in a different country where cloths lines were everywhere :o) When I moved to the states I immediately missed the good old drying in the sun. I recently received this drying rack http://direct.tesco.com/product/images/?R=200-2948 from my grandmother who have heard me complain for more than 10 years about how I miss clothes line. This is not as good as drying outside BUT it is a very good indoor drying rack! I love it and am so happy to have it! It hold about a load and a half. it is sturdy. It has wheels that allow for easy moving around the house and it can fold up pretty easily for storage (although I keep mine up all the time, as I am too lazy to actually fold the cloths... LOL!)
Anyways, I thought I'd mention it and maybe you'll find it useful.
Ta!
Ella
Rach, we also divert the grey water from our washing machine onto the garden.
We have such strict water usage rules here due to the drought that most people are putting in water tanks to catch water off their gutters, and rainwater.
Sprinklers are banned in my state. The kids have never run through one! We need to install underground drippers to replace our auto sprinklers too.
Cheers
Jane
Great post! We use cloth napkins. I even have a little one for my daughter's lunch box (I got them at the $ spot @ Target). I use reusable/cloth shopping bags. That has cut down on the plastic bag supply tremendously - When I started I forgot them alot but now it is 2nd nature. We use Aluminum bottles here.
I use vinegar for everything - someone asked about the smell - it is strong @ first but goes away quickly. It can be used full strength but I usually use it 2parts water/1 part vinegar and it works well.
I would love a clothes line, too. But I have a rolling clothes rack I got at Kmart to hang clothes - doesn't work great for sheets but it's great for clothing & like you said - every bit helps.
Being Dutchborn, we never knew the concept of a dryer. I don't have one at home, but a big clothesline. For the winter, I have strings in the furnaceroom. Although I might consider gettting one again for towels and sheets. Anja
Love this post. I did a similar one on Earth Day. I have become a recycle queen. We're building a new house and I will go to the construction site, get all the plastic bottles and cans and break down the cardboard boxes and take them to the recycle place. Hopefully we can make a difference!
So, I am not a green person. I admit it. I try but don't try hard. One thing though, I really don't like bottled water in plastic. So, I started saving glass bottles when I would have something in them - like my morning 'coffee' is really a starbucks bottled frappacino. I will wash the bottle and reuse it for water or ice tea and put it in the fridge. It is so cold when you drink it next.
Lemon juice is another great natural cleaner. It has many uses and I'm sure I'd forget some if I tried to list them all, but you should google it. The added bonus is that it smells so much better than vinegar!
Amber mentioned Lemon juice, but I clean my microwave and fridge with lime juice. It smells great! I was just reading this morning that cold liquid coffee or coffee grounds is a great plant and grass fertilizer.
Before you string that clothesline up in your office you should look into some of the clothes drying racks out there.
I don't much like the accordian type ones becuase the clothes on the upper rods hang down onto the clothes on the lower rods and then none of them dry very fast.
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