what are you all doing to help go greener? Of course recycle plastic, paper, cardboard, cans, etc. Unplugging things that arent used all day such as the toaster, hairdryer, iron, cell phone chargers, etc. I know there is more....but what other things are you all doing? Maybe i can pick up some more im not thinking of.
Thanks.

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Jaime

"Live each day like its your last"

I'm trying to teach myself not to be such a big consumer or at least be more aware of what I am buying. You know, if I need something, is there anyway I can re-use something else that I already have? Or can I get it second hand? I've started buying a lot of the kids clothing second hand. And when I get rid of something, what is the most environmentaly friendly way about doing that. Magazines, am I able to pass those along to someone else, since my husband has like a billion of them.

*Buying more locally produced goods
*Driving less (although going green isn't the primary incentive there)
*Hanging clothes outside
*Using (making) less toxic cleaners
*Washing only full loads (washing machine & dishwasher)
*Using smaller appliances instead of the range (microwave, roaster, crockpot)

I'm really bad about unplugging things when not in use. I'll have to work on that.

Ive just started my "go green" thing, but in the last 6 months or so I have switched to rags instead of paper towels, avoid using AC until necessary, only run appliances when they are full. We also never buy plastic cups or plates anymore. Im about to switch to resusable grocery bags.

Great suggestions already.

Think about the way it is often promoted Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Reducing (living smaller)has a larger impact on the big picture like landfills and fewer manufacturing resources. Personally, I am less concerned about that than some, but reducing also saves you lots of money for other priorities and saves on work and stress as well. That is huge for me.

Reusing is just plain efficient. If something can be used several times or in many ways, the bottom line effect is a reduction.

Recycling is the easiest way to go green and may be all some people are willing to do. It is not particularly efficient. Costs and resources used to recycle materials often are higher than new manufacturing. It does save on landfill.

Cathleen

Some things I do besides recycling...

Using rags instead of paper towels
Environmentally friendly cleaners (vinegar!) and beauty products
Dishwasher when full and the water saving setting
Laundry in cold water
Shopping local (and less often!), growing my own veggies
reusable shopping bags
reusable water bottles instead of disposable
We just put in a rain barrel and use that to water the garden

That's all I can think of at the moment.

I love the idea of a rain barrell! When we own a home again, I will be doing that as well as growing veggies.

We ...

• buy local (as much as possible)
• buy fair trade if available (fair trade coffee)
• are a one car family
• walk as much as we can (inlcuding the 1 mile back and forth to school every day)
• used cloth diapers when the kids were young
• use lunapads and the diva cup (well at least I do) haha
• buy quality over quantity (so we don't throw much out)
• recycle
• compost
• use some green cleaning supplies
• use a rain barrel for watering the lawn and outside flowers
• only grow annuals so we're not buying and throwing out flowers every season
• use reusable shopping bags (even for mall shopping)
• don't buy bottled water (we drink out of Kleen Kanteens)
• do laundry in cold water only (except when someone in the house is sick)
• carry a travel mug for when we're out and want a coffee
• live in a small house (250 sq feet per person)

What I would like to do more of...

• go all green in cleaning
• grow my own fruit and veggies
• buy only organic locally made clothes for our family
• go compltely vegetarian (we eat meat once or twice a week).
• use a clothes line

Where I'm not green at all (yet)

I love my weekend paper (Saturday and Sunday)
I usually buy cheap and internationally made clothes but I want to change.
I buy fruit in the winter (flown in from Chili and South Africa) .. I have to stop this and start freezing more when things are in season here.

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On the rain barrell, I would worry about getting mosquitos. Do you ever have that problem?

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Sarah

No, there is a mesh on the top of ours so no mosquitoes could get out if they did produce in there.

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