Reduce my ecological footprint

This summer is the first one where I’ve made a real effort to use the clothesline more.

I’ve also been washing my laundry in cold water. The hot water pipe on the washing machine didn’t really “break”, I just disconnected it. Please don’t tell the tenant upstairs.

Before getting the container, I turned in cans and bottles for $$$. Found a center closer to home. Wednesday is the day for the recycling truck to come by. Yay!

I’ve chosen a new goal in its place; “stop being a consumer”. By fulfilling that goal, I can indirectly fulfill this one. :)

I think people are going about this the wrong way. Recycling and reducing electricity use and driving less are all fine and good, but I think a lot of people are overlooking all the products and consumer goods that are made and which use up tremendous amounts of natural resources and create a lot of pollution during their creation, that we actually do not need to survive. Such as, just about everything you’d find at a dollar-store or about half the stuff in a Wal-Mart. Why do we need to buy this stuff? Or another example, hybrid cars are awesome, but what sort of energy is used in the manufacturers? What materials are used in the engine parts, upholdstery, all the other parts? Are these cars truly that environmentally friendly? How about solar panels? They harvest solar energy, but what are they made out of? What are the storage batteries made out of? How much diesel is used in the garbage truck that collects all that recycling?

Know what I’m saying?

lord siva

- recycling nearly everything
– new fancy spiral lightbulbs
– eliminating all unnecessary driving
– unplugging electronics when not in use
– water conservation at home
– avoiding using the air conditioner (naked is more fun anyway)
– bought into the wind power option at the utility company
– buy local food
– write letters to representatives about protecting land and advocating renewable energy
– looking into buying a bike to replace most car trips
– reducing, reusing, and recycling
– switched to recyled grocery bags (no more plastic)

more to come :)

I’m regularly taking a trip to the recycling center, and I almost have completely stopped using paper towels (composting most of what I do use). My garden is starting to come in, and I canned some pickes last week. Going to do more canning which means less grocery shopping later.

I need to get a kleen kanteen as soon as I get paid and stop getting disposable water bottles. We need to get the house caulked up, but I’m not sure what else I can do on the cheap. There’s lots I will do once we get out of debt and have more money. I’m willing to take suggestions.

Good things:

I’ve been turning off my computer at work when the day is over.

I’ve unplugged my appliances when not using them. The only thing I sometimes forget to unplug is my cell phone charger.

I’ve been practicing “Shower Together,” ;0) but frankly, I only end up spending more time using water.

I wash my car extremely rarely.

I have 3 cloth bags now that I’ve been using while shopping, one of which is a permanent fixture in my car. Anytime I don’t have the bags with me while buying small purchases, I just pop my new items into my purse. I am now disgusted by plastic bags. Its a great feeling.

Every piece of furniture I own is recycled.

Everything on my walls is recycled.

I buy recycled clothing.

For the most part, I use non-toxic, environmentally friendly cleaning products, but sometimes its hard when you have a stuck on stain on a stove or a clogged drain.

I’m riding the bicycle again but not a ton. I should really bike to work, but in the end, I don’t find it really feasible because it adds A LOT of time to my commute. I’m already getting up super early and leaving late. Any free time I have is really important to me, and when I get off of work, all I really want to do is be by myself for a little while and go straight home.

For every 2 loads of laundry I wash, I only dry one load.

I’ve gotten off as many mailing lists as I can to reduce the amount of paper mail that is sent to me.

I’m buying checks again that give back a percentage of their proceeds to the charities of my choice.

I’m not running my air conditioner.

I have a recycle bin in my house that I use religiously.

My lights are always off when I leave rooms. I rely on as much natural sunlight as possible.

Areas to Improve: Go to the farmer’s market and buy locally grown produce, buy more organic items, clean car with non-toxic cleaners, bring Nalgene with me places so I don’t buy plastic containers for drinks, bring my own plates and utensils to work so I don’t use paper plates and plastic utensils, change the bulbs in my apartment, take the quiz at www.myfootprint.org to figure out how I’m doing.

Set up recycling service, the bright blue bin. My best neighbor recycles on his farm, but I’ll be the first one on this street to have the blue bin. Hoping it will catch on…two weeks ago I drove around for two hours to find a place that would accept all the plastic Woolite bottles. Ugh. The new container will be here in late July. I wish it could be today, especially after taking the quiz http://www.myfootprint.org
Yikes. I’m taking the quiz again in a few months to see if I’ve reduced my footprint, as well as forwarding this site info to everyone I know.

So, I need more clothespins, but I’m line drying 90% of my clothes. I only use the dryer one or two loads per week. Hopefully that will be even more reduced.

I need to focus more on buying local food. My garden is starting to produce, and I’ve gone on a banana strike. However, I still get tempted by certain fruits from far and away.

I now have a box to set my junk mail in for recycling, and I need to set out another bag for the few glass bottles that come in the house. So, that’s my real focus right now recycling/composting more and throwing away less. And, saying no to nonlocal produce.