by Holly
Well, today is Earth Day! That may mean a celebration to some of you, or a reminder of what you already do, or maybe nothing at all. To me, it is a new beginning. I know there has been a lot of hype about 'going green', but honestly, its taken that much to get me to sit up and take note of what I am or am not doing, to make our family healthier, our waste less, and the environment cleaner.
I have been reading "Green Housekeeping" by Ellen Sandbeck and am captivated by just how much we live our lives according to what is advertised on TV and by what is convenient. So, I am going to share a few tips that I am incorporating into my lifestyle for the betterment of my family and the earth. Some of these may seem like common sense, but trust me, these are huge changes for me, and hopefully the beginning of much more to come!
* Buy reusable shopping bags at your local grocer. One WalMart reusable bag saves 50 plastic bags.
* Check out alternative cleaning products, such as using spray bottles of distilled white vinegar and then hydrogen peroxide for cleaning your kitchen counter, appliances and even your fresh veggies and fruit.
* Think twice before reaching for that paper napkin or paper towel- could you use a cloth napkin instead and then throw a load of them in the wash at the end of the week? Or even use inexpensive dishcloths for this same purpose.
* Place a small glass dish of either baking soda or a cotton ball soaked in vanilla extract on your kitchen or bathroom counter for natural air freshener.
* Take your own coffee cup to work instead of getting the styrofoam one. I'm actually using the last of my WalMart plastic bags to bring home my rinsed recyclable items since my company does not have recycling programs.
Whatever you do, think about the impact you may be having on your family and the earth, and enjoy! Its fun to learn new ways to love the Earth!
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6 comments:
Please note that if you do use hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle, it must be opaque, and as dark as you can find, as light breaks it down into pure water.
Holly
Awesome green tips Holly! I can't wait to read that book!
Way to be green Holly!
I'm glad you are doing your part. Keep sharing the green love!
What a great post! I was very happy that my office building got aluminum/glass/plastic recycling just last week.
On the other comments...I've been taking my own cloth bags to the grocery store for about 10 years and I'm glad it's finally catching on. What's better, they hold a lot more!
On the coffee - if you don't make it yourself at home, some places will give you a slight discount for bringing your own mug. :-)
(sent here by Viki...)
Great tips, especially the cleaning ones!! How do they work, honestly? I always hear about them, but wonder how effective they are. I currently use "natural" but store-bought cleaners so it's not as harsh, but I wonder about the home-made versions....
yea! I'm all about the cloth bags, too - and for the same reasoning at Viki - they hold more and are sturdier. Plus, I use ones I got randomly - from going to conferences, winning a horse show, etc. I.e. they're FREE. Safeway has a coupon out now that if you spend $40 you can get their bag for free, too.
I'm SO GLAD to finally live someplace that picks up glass for recycling. I have to pay the bottle deposit but I'm horrible about returning them (b/c very few places actually take them back. It's not worth the nickel back if you can't return them easily!)
Another tip: those old Tshirts you're thinking of giving to Goodwill? Rip them up and use them as your cleaning rags - cutting back on paper towels.
And(this one is very common and a lot of noise is being made about it these days): drinking water is good for you. But use your own container to cut back on those plastic bottles. And save money!
I have heard, however, that biodegradable bags for picking up dog pooh disintigrate a tad TOO quickly. Not an item you want to reach for and have them crumble in your hands....
Great post. The best part is that you can do all of these WITHOUT THE GOVERNMENT MAKING "GREEN" LAWS! :-)
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