- Cloth diapers! You knew it was coming. We are saving landfill space, keeping human waste out of landfills (and from running off into our water... think about that!), and using less wood pulp and petroleum. Yes, energy is used to make and wash cloth diapers, too, but we'll use far less (and use them over & over.) We're also keeping chemicals off of our daughter's bottom, and we know exactly what materials are up against her skin.
- Reduce & Reuse: I try to buy almost all of the girls' clothes second-hand. We don't have a lot of new furniture, and we try to look for sustainably harvested wood when we do consider a purchase. I personally would rather slap some paint on an old piece anyway- more character! I belong to the local Freecycle group and Hubs just joined Swaptree, both to stop ourselves from keeping things that are just taking up extra space (and buying more) and to keep usable items from being thrown away. We have a ton of reusable shopping bags- we keep some in both of our cars in case we make an unplanned stop on the way home. A friend (the Brown-eyed Pea!) gave me some really cute Envirosax bags that fold up to fit in my purse or diaper bag. I use them in retail stores where I never remember to bring my canvas bags!
- Recycling: Our county does not have a curbside program, so we bought big plastic laundry hampers to keep in the garage- one for each type of recyclable. At first we were driving them to a nearby center, but then my hubby helped arrange for us to start collecting recycling at church. An organization for the disabled picks it up. We don't have to take it anywhere out of our way, and they keep the funds and are able to provide work for some of the people they service.
- Composting: We started small with this one. We just collect our coffee grounds, fruit peels, egg shells and other organic waste in old plastic salad containers. When they get full, we dump them in a pile in the wooded part of our yard beyond the fence. When Hubby mows or when I prune the roses or weed flowerbeds, that goes with it too. Hubs turns it frequently, and it becomes a nice rich fertilizer. We'd eventually like to get a fancy composter or a pretty canister for our counter, but it is possible to start composting without it!
- Speaking of yard work: last year I planted some perennials (most came from someone at church for free!) that were tough and needed less water. This year we are planning to mulch a larger portion of our yard because the mowing, watering, fertilizing and chemicals sometimes needed for lawn maintenance isn't very green (sidenote- cypress mulch is NOT made from sustainable forests, go with something else.) Trying to use native plants is another way to make your yard more earth friendly. National Wildlife Federation has some great resources on how to make your yard greener and friendlier for wildlife in your area.
- Using less water: We turn off our faucets when brushing our teeth. We try to water the flowers or fill up the pet water dishes using the water that is wasted when the shower or sink faucet is heating up (although this is a tough one to remember). We cram the dishwasher and the clothes washer full before running a cycle. Whenever possible, we bathe the girls together (that's just easier anyway!) We installed a low flow showerhead that has a "pause" feature for when you're lathering your shampoo or shaving your legs. (Here is a blog I found that is giving away one of these for free! Check it out!) And, although I have mixed feelings about admitting it, I do let it mellow if it's yellow. But only when it's just us at home. If you come over, we will flush. I promise.
- Using less energy: We tried to weather-seal our home, with mixed results. Our front door is still very drafty, so if anyone has any tips, let us know. Hubby is very good about turning out lights and such (I am a bit forgetful but getting better!), and we have solar lights for our front walk. We use our ceiling fans and are trying to wean ourselves off of the heat & a/c a bit at a time. Oh- and CFL light bulbs. There is no reason not to buy these- even if you're a global warming skeptic, they will save you money! We also try to use less gas when we can, but we do not live within walking distance of anything, so that is difficult.
- Use less paper (I guess this could have gone under "reduce" but I forgot: We use cloth napkins, cloth baby wipes, and keep our old towels for spills and such. We still use paper towels, but a roll lasts us a long time. We use scrap paper for everything we can, try to print on both sides, and sign up for e-statements, bills, catalogs, etc. I pay my bills online, and if I do get paper bills, I keep the envelopes for any snail mail I might need to send. I haven't bought a box of envelopes in years! We do still get a lot of magazines, though, so we need to work on that.
- Spending wisely: There are a lot of organizations that say they are doing things for the earth- it can be hard to discern where to contribute. We've given to Earthjustice, National Wildlife Federation, and the ASPCA (which is not really about environmental conservation, but is about taking care of creation.) We also broke our bank on one silly dog who came to live with us, in the name of compassion and caring for God's creatures. We try to buy recycled paper products and to support companies that try to offset their carbon footprints, avoid animal testing, etc. I use a lot of natural cleaners, baking soda, vinegar, borax, etc. We buy a lot of organic products, even though they are more expensive. If everyone did, the supply would eventually go up and the cost would go down! I've already seen this happen some in the last few years as being "green" has become more trendy. Another way we try to shop smart is to buy things that have less distance to travel- naturally local farmers' markets are best, but even just things from the same state or region is better than stuff flown in from Chile or wherever. Some people say that is better for the environment than purchasing organic! Also, we try to buy things with less packaging and that are more concentrated or lighter to ship. Did you know eco-friendly powdered detergent is better to buy because it weighs less for transport?
- Speaking up: My husband shared a very powerful sermon with our church last year about our responsibility to care for God's creation. He has also found some groups in our area who get together to share ideas, raise awareness, etc. for the cause. At our own church, we've started a group to help make things greener- we've already gotten the recycling and convinced the kitchen to stop using disposable dishes! Speaking up also means being informed, voting and voicing your opinion to our civil servants & politicians!!!
- Install rainbarrels to water our lawn & gardens, and use gray water more.
- Remember to change our air filters so our a/c and heat run more efficiently.
- Take shorter (or cooler, or both) showers.
- Put up a clothesline to dry things outside (we currently have a small drying rack for diapers, but I want a big one!)
- Use more power strips to completely turn off electronics with "stand-by" modes.
- Invest in CSA (community shared agriculture) by volunteering and purchasing produce.
- Be more discerning about more of the products we buy- especially toiletries & some cleaning products.
- Replace our existing appliances with more energy efficient ones.
- Install other sources of power at our home- solar panels, wind, etc.
- For our next vehicle, go hybrid or biodiesel.
And here is a link to part of the Earth Day special I watched in fifth grade. Thanks to Chad M. for sharing it. Bette Midler played Mother Earth. She was (who am I kidding, still is) one of my heroes, so I really paid attention to this one.
Also, I want to let you know about an offer from Reynolds Wrap for a FREE roll of their new recycled aluminum foil. It is only good TODAY, so click here to check it out!
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it." Psalm 24:1
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