Earth Day has made it here already and I still have plenty of “green” tasks to complete this spring! Here’s what I’ve got done so far: I started a compost pile, cleaned up litter in the woods behind our house, set up a recycle pick-up from my home (so I don’t have to make separate driving trips to drop it off), switched to natural lawn care, and bought a couple of specific houseplants to start cleaning up the air in my home.
But, I still want to explore natural lawn care further (the service we have now is supposed to be organic and all natural) and see about doing the whole process myself. I also plan to get herbs planted, set up a system for collecting rain water, and configure a clothesline that is easy to put up and take down. Lastly, I want to figure out the best way to avoid using foam take out containers when I can’t finish my meal at restaurants.
Some improvements that I’ve made over the last year include switching completely over to natural cleaning products, buying more local and organic food than ever, and making a point of combining trips when I go out (something that I didn’t always think about much before).
Other goals that I have include shortening my shower times, preserving a TON of fresh, local food this summer, riding a bike instead of driving whenever possible, and buying used items instead of new at places like garage sales, auctions, and second hand stores.
So even though I’m not officially doing anything different today for Earth Day, reducing, reusing, and recycling is always in the back of my mind and I’m improving as much as I can. Realistically, every day should be celebrated like Earth Day because what we do all year matters an awful lot!
So let me know, are you doing anything to celebrate Earth Day and have you been meeting any “green” goals this spring?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
We’ve been able to lower our household waste (what goes into the landfill) considerably – about half to three-quarters of what it was last year. We also had a tankless water heater and new high efficiency furnace installed and switched over to green power. We’ve seen a HUGE decrease in our monthly utility bills as a result.
I also started bringing my own to-go containers when we eat in restaurants. While styrofoam is banned in Portland, I didn’t want the excess plastic or other containers (PLA, husks, etc. which have to be landfilled). So, I bought about three different sized glass containers (snap-lock) and now keep them in my car in a reusable bag. Anytime we eat out, I just grab the bag and I’m good to go. The containers are perfect because I don’t need to transfer the food (which I’d have to do if I were using plastic) and all our food fits perfectly without anything spilling. I’ve found, too, that it makes for great conversation. People wonder why and so it opens the door for talking about the importance of reducing.
Lane’, that is an amazing decrease in household waste! And how fantastic that you are switched over to green power and more efficient replacements- you so deserve that monthly decrease! :)
Yes, I feel terrible when I take home food in those types of containers- I will definitely get some glass containers to keep in the car. It’s a great idea to always have them when out, plus I can pop them right into my toaster oven to reheat later. Thanks for sharing this tip! :)