But I do get points for trying, yeah?
See this coffee grinder?
I’ve been on the lookout for a manual coffee grinder ever since Thanksgiving, when our neighbors had us over for dinner and used one to grind the beans for our after-dinner coffee. If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you probably know I have a bit of a coffee habit. I love, love, love coffee. I have a slightly unhealthy relationship to the stuff, truth be told, but I’m not looking to change it. I have precious few vices, and I’m hanging on to this one.
Anyway…the coffee grinder… I don’t have an electric bean grinder. I use the one at the grocery store (because in Utopia, we can buy our sweet, locally roasted ambrosia at the grocery store). Less than ideal, for a coffee lover, because the coffee does taste much better if you grind the beans right before brewing the coffee. Sure, an electric bean grinder uses a very small amount of electricity, but wouldn’t it be better to choose an option that uses no electricity at all? I’m a fan and avid reader of No Impact Man. Following his blog through his year of No Impact and beyond has gotten me thinking about the many ways, large and small, to reduce our family’s impact on the earth. So a manual coffee grinder! How sensible! How earthy! How charming!
(And now a big fat irony, which you may well have already spotted. I’m all self-congratulatory about the fact that I use a French press and so don’t use disposable filters, and am looking to save the electricity it takes to run a coffee grinder for a few moments, which would be used to grind beans that FLEW ON A GODDAMN PLANE from Sumatra. Organic and Fair Trade, but sure as hell not locally grown.)
Okay…the coffee grinder. I picked up this little beauty for two bucks at a rummage sale this weekend, and couldn’t wait to buy some whole beans and try it out. Well…I guess I was too busy being charmed by the sight of my neighbor grinding beans for our post-dinner coffee back in November to notice how long that charming act went on. It took me ten minutes to grind enough beans to make one large cup of coffee. TEN minutes. And that was a coarse grind for the French press. I have two cups of coffee in the morning, so we’d be looking at an investment of twenty minutes a morning. I have a nearly two-year-old. Which means I do NOT have an extra twenty minutes in the morning. The sweet little coffee grinder has now been assigned a place on the windowsill as decoration. And a small reminder that electricity does have its uses. It’s more a matter of choosing to conserve it when you can, and use it wisely when you must. Which means continuing to grind the beans at the store rather than in a grinder at home. It means a slight loss of flavor, but New Seasons uses only wind power for their electricity.
Am I deluded to think that choices as small as that add up to something? Should I just be on the lookout for a second-hand electric grinder now? I honestly don’t know. I’m terrified–absolutely paralyzed with fear when I really let myself wallow in it–about the state of the environment and where we’re headed. I want to do as much as I can–want to do more than I can. I want to wave my hands and plant my garden and walk instead of drive and fix it all. (But then, maybe I don’t really want to do as much as I can, because I still drink that coffee from Sumatra. And I moved 3,000 miles from my family, so that means getting on a plane to visit twice a year, and having them do the same.)
This started out as a light little post about the ten minutes it took me to grind beans for a single cup of coffee, but now I’ve gone and gotten myself good and depressed. Which means my afternoon cup of coffee has perhaps run out on me.
So let’s try to save this post from a simple wallowing in environmental angst and guilt, shall we? What are some of the ways, both large and small–even very very small–that you’ve found to reduce your impact? I’m betting each of us is doing something that hadn’t occurred to the others. Let’s put our heads together, yeah?
Here are some of the things our family is doing:
What is your family doing? I’m looking forward to hearing more ideas
Air dry laundry (we do own a dryer, but only use it a few times a year). Use cloth bags when shopping. Use a reel mower. Unplug electronic items when possible, e.g., microwave and toaster oven are only plugged in when in use. Use one-side-used paper in printer almost exclusively. Support and volunteer for local environmental non-profits.
Air dry laundry (we do own a dryer, but only use it a few times a year). Use cloth bags when shopping. Use a reel mower. Unplug electronic items when possible, e.g., microwave and toaster oven are only plugged in when in use. Use one-side-used paper in printer almost exclusively. Support and volunteer for local environmental non-profits.
Oh, and we subscribe to the “if it’s yellow, let it mellow,” philosophy!
Oh, and we subscribe to the “if it’s yellow, let it mellow,” philosophy!
We garden and preserve food by canning. I’ve been known to ride the bus to work. My husband telecommutes (works from home). I wish we did more!
Getting ready for a garage sale today, we found a hand grinder for corn/flour. I was incredibly charmed although we have no use for it.
If you want a slightly used electric bean grinder I will mail you mine 🙂 No charge…we don’t use it. I would rather see it get used.
We garden and preserve food by canning. I’ve been known to ride the bus to work. My husband telecommutes (works from home). I wish we did more!
Getting ready for a garage sale today, we found a hand grinder for corn/flour. I was incredibly charmed although we have no use for it.
If you want a slightly used electric bean grinder I will mail you mine 🙂 No charge…we don’t use it. I would rather see it get used.
We cloth diaper, breast feed, push mow, shop at new seasons. That’s all I got right now. We have a great yard/garden that helps keep the house cool.
We cloth diaper, breast feed, push mow, shop at new seasons. That’s all I got right now. We have a great yard/garden that helps keep the house cool.
I’m lame, but I do ride my bike whenever possible instead of taking the subway (more for me than for the environment, I must admit. I love that bike, and hate that subway). And I don’t have a daily commute. Also belong to a local community-supported agriculture group which brings fresh organic vegetables from not very far away (again more for me, but you know…). And I do the yogurt-containers and glass jars thing in lieu of buying Tupperware. I guess that’s it. I’ve been meaning to switch to a cloth grocery bag, so maybe that will be my pledge for the summer.
I’m lame, but I do ride my bike whenever possible instead of taking the subway (more for me than for the environment, I must admit. I love that bike, and hate that subway). And I don’t have a daily commute. Also belong to a local community-supported agriculture group which brings fresh organic vegetables from not very far away (again more for me, but you know…). And I do the yogurt-containers and glass jars thing in lieu of buying Tupperware. I guess that’s it. I’ve been meaning to switch to a cloth grocery bag, so maybe that will be my pledge for the summer.
Lessee…clothesline whenever feasible, instead of dryer (sometimes it’s just too moist out – they don’t dry, they just mildew on the line) (ew!)
SunOven (http://www.sunoven.com/) for things that aren’t super-sensitive to heat. For example, unless I’m sitting out there with it to tweak it (following the sun) every few minutes, my bread is better off in the oven. Pies, however, do just fine out there. Stews, roasts, casseroles, etc. Cool thing for kids, too – pricy, but cool.
Buy bulk, shop less often. No oftener than every other week; preferably every three weeks. Less gasoline used, and less temptation to spontaneously buy stuff we don’t need.
Telecommute. Both of us. When I have to go to a client site, I take the train instead of the car.
Instead of a long, luxurious shower every single day, we generally go every-other-day, sometimes even every third day. A sink of water can get the job done between showers, for a lot less energy use.
Unless they’re visibly dirty, I don’t just toss my jeans in the wash at the end of the day. They’re usually just fine for two or even three days. (Shirts and underwear, however, are another matter – I do have SOME standards!)
We’ve upgraded our appliances, from the dishwasher to the water heater to the HVAC system. We’ve also switched most of our bulbs to fluorescents. We use a lot less energy just by doing that.
We tore out our enormous back lawn; we’ll be putting *some* of it back, but most of the space is going to be devoted to fruit trees, small patios and a big old raised-bed vegetable garden. Beautiful AND functional – perfect blend!
Lessee…clothesline whenever feasible, instead of dryer (sometimes it’s just too moist out – they don’t dry, they just mildew on the line) (ew!)
SunOven (http://www.sunoven.com/) for things that aren’t super-sensitive to heat. For example, unless I’m sitting out there with it to tweak it (following the sun) every few minutes, my bread is better off in the oven. Pies, however, do just fine out there. Stews, roasts, casseroles, etc. Cool thing for kids, too – pricy, but cool.
Buy bulk, shop less often. No oftener than every other week; preferably every three weeks. Less gasoline used, and less temptation to spontaneously buy stuff we don’t need.
Telecommute. Both of us. When I have to go to a client site, I take the train instead of the car.
Instead of a long, luxurious shower every single day, we generally go every-other-day, sometimes even every third day. A sink of water can get the job done between showers, for a lot less energy use.
Unless they’re visibly dirty, I don’t just toss my jeans in the wash at the end of the day. They’re usually just fine for two or even three days. (Shirts and underwear, however, are another matter – I do have SOME standards!)
We’ve upgraded our appliances, from the dishwasher to the water heater to the HVAC system. We’ve also switched most of our bulbs to fluorescents. We use a lot less energy just by doing that.
We tore out our enormous back lawn; we’ll be putting *some* of it back, but most of the space is going to be devoted to fruit trees, small patios and a big old raised-bed vegetable garden. Beautiful AND functional – perfect blend!
Oh, and it just occurred to me that my stingyness about using a/c is probably environmentally sound. I try not to turn on that little window unit unless it’s nearing the triple digits.
Oh, and it just occurred to me that my stingyness about using a/c is probably environmentally sound. I try not to turn on that little window unit unless it’s nearing the triple digits.
I’ve been trying to be better about this stuff. Have been making an effort to keep lights off as much as possible (now that it is sunny more, that’s easier, and I love natural light). Trying to use reusable containers for food and leftovers instead of plastic bags/wrap. Just bought a set of cloth grocery bags to use when I shop. We have a vegetable garden and have for years, with varying success. This year we also bought a half share in a CSA to supplement what we do not grow (and to help out the farmer — a friend — who is just embarking on the adventure of starting an organic farm!). Also, I’ve really been making an effort to only run out and do errands once a week so I’m driving far less. That’s been nice just because I am a homebody at heart anyway. 🙂
I know there is so much more we could do, and so many things we do that we probably should not but I don’t foresee those things changing a lot for various reasons. So I guess I hope that the little things I CAN do make some difference.
I’ve been trying to be better about this stuff. Have been making an effort to keep lights off as much as possible (now that it is sunny more, that’s easier, and I love natural light). Trying to use reusable containers for food and leftovers instead of plastic bags/wrap. Just bought a set of cloth grocery bags to use when I shop. We have a vegetable garden and have for years, with varying success. This year we also bought a half share in a CSA to supplement what we do not grow (and to help out the farmer — a friend — who is just embarking on the adventure of starting an organic farm!). Also, I’ve really been making an effort to only run out and do errands once a week so I’m driving far less. That’s been nice just because I am a homebody at heart anyway. 🙂
I know there is so much more we could do, and so many things we do that we probably should not but I don’t foresee those things changing a lot for various reasons. So I guess I hope that the little things I CAN do make some difference.
we do the yellow/mellow at night, i unplug everything when we’re not using it (you would not BELIEVE how many appliances draw energy when they are OFF! ridiculous!), vegetarians, buy from the farmer’s market when we can, knit my own swiffer covers, waiting till the last minute to put in a/c units and then use them sparingly, take mass transit all the time, recycle all the takeout food containers. hhhmmmm.. i’m sure there’s more 🙂 but it’s time to eat dinner!
we do the yellow/mellow at night, i unplug everything when we’re not using it (you would not BELIEVE how many appliances draw energy when they are OFF! ridiculous!), vegetarians, buy from the farmer’s market when we can, knit my own swiffer covers, waiting till the last minute to put in a/c units and then use them sparingly, take mass transit all the time, recycle all the takeout food containers. hhhmmmm.. i’m sure there’s more 🙂 but it’s time to eat dinner!
oh! almost forgot about my envirosax. i love them so.
http://www.envirosax.com
oh! almost forgot about my envirosax. i love them so.
http://www.envirosax.com
We have a “Power Station” – a power strip with all the electronics chargers on it – Phones, video games, etc. We turn it off when not in use and I unplug it every chance I get (Drives Hubby batty).
Can’t do the “non-flush” toilet thing above – but when we replace we’ll do so with dual flush toilets.
We have a “Power Station” – a power strip with all the electronics chargers on it – Phones, video games, etc. We turn it off when not in use and I unplug it every chance I get (Drives Hubby batty).
Can’t do the “non-flush” toilet thing above – but when we replace we’ll do so with dual flush toilets.
reuse, reuse, reuse – i’ve had so much fun the last year or so recycling yarn and i have great plans for clothes sewing from fabric that is culled from op shop purchases.
reuse, reuse, reuse – i’ve had so much fun the last year or so recycling yarn and i have great plans for clothes sewing from fabric that is culled from op shop purchases.
How’s about…you teach the kid to turn the coffee grinder? He can be your little helper! 🙂
I switched to packing my lunch in tupperware and cloth napkins. And I hang pants over the shower curtain to dry instead of using the dryer.
How’s about…you teach the kid to turn the coffee grinder? He can be your little helper! 🙂
I switched to packing my lunch in tupperware and cloth napkins. And I hang pants over the shower curtain to dry instead of using the dryer.
Let’s see… I quit driving a car in 2002. I take the bus or walk everywhere I go. I carry a couple of canvas bags in my backpack so I’ll have them whenever I need them. I’ve been using cloth napkins for years. Vegetarian for 10 years, vegan diet since last fall except for honey in my tea. I only drink water and decaf tea, and occasionally juice if I’m out, but I don’t drink it at home since anything I buy, I have to carry home on the bus. Liquids are heavy. Healthier to just buy fruit. I don’t have to carry tap water home from the store. I’ve already got it. Oh, and I changed the way I dye yarn and fiber so I’m not using plastic anymore.
Probably more, but I’m just so used to it, a lot of it is just the way I live. I don’t even think about it anymore. It’s only when someone sees what I’m doing or I see what they’re doing and there’s a contrast that I’m reminded…oh, like at work, some people get icked out if there’s a spider in their office and want to kill it, and when I heard them I said “don’t kill it” so I became the designated spider rescuer. Only if I’m around though. If I’m not there, the poor thing gets smooshed.
Let’s see… I quit driving a car in 2002. I take the bus or walk everywhere I go. I carry a couple of canvas bags in my backpack so I’ll have them whenever I need them. I’ve been using cloth napkins for years. Vegetarian for 10 years, vegan diet since last fall except for honey in my tea. I only drink water and decaf tea, and occasionally juice if I’m out, but I don’t drink it at home since anything I buy, I have to carry home on the bus. Liquids are heavy. Healthier to just buy fruit. I don’t have to carry tap water home from the store. I’ve already got it. Oh, and I changed the way I dye yarn and fiber so I’m not using plastic anymore.
Probably more, but I’m just so used to it, a lot of it is just the way I live. I don’t even think about it anymore. It’s only when someone sees what I’m doing or I see what they’re doing and there’s a contrast that I’m reminded…oh, like at work, some people get icked out if there’s a spider in their office and want to kill it, and when I heard them I said “don’t kill it” so I became the designated spider rescuer. Only if I’m around though. If I’m not there, the poor thing gets smooshed.
Rather than be depressed, most of the time I’m amazed at how quickly people’s thinking about saving energy/gas has changed over the last year or so. However, my expectations were pretty low and perhaps were easily exceeded. YMMV.
Rather than be depressed, most of the time I’m amazed at how quickly people’s thinking about saving energy/gas has changed over the last year or so. However, my expectations were pretty low and perhaps were easily exceeded. YMMV.
Unplug everything at night, and make sure computer is off in the morning before we leave (it’s fired up first thing, habit!); fluorescent light bulbs (still have a few to change over); recycle our graywater from our washing machine (this is new, and cool!) to water our garden, and trying to use bathwater too (scoop it in a bucket and haul it outside); propagating plants (learning) and saving seed and starting from seed; just put in our first in-ground garden, raised beds – going for just summer crops right now; recycle everything possible; eat more leftovers (no more waste); compost; carpool whenever possible, but the amount of driving we do is ridiculous – we commute daily; I telecommute most of the summer, so it reduces our driving somewhat, and helps with the kids, although hubby commutes 60 miles every day; trip-chain so all my errands happen at once; use few if any herbicides in the garden (which is saying something given we had 80% evil vicious blackberries); use my own grocery bags and reuse plastic bags whenever possible (handy for dog and cat poop). Not vegetarian but we buy organic and humanely raised meat from local sources; try to buy organic if it makes sense (gauge how much it traveled, etc), but I admit Safeway is still the primary grocery store…Frugal and environmentally conscious don’t always go hand in hand, sadly – at least when it comes to food. Every time I buy reusable containers for packed lunch they end up in the bottom of my kids’ bags, left at school or their moms, or lost somewhere at my husband’s work. This annoys me every time we use a plastic sandwich bag – so I reuse them whenever possible. Gah. Working on buying more secondhand and just reducing our consumerism in general. Hard with a 13 yo girl, but she often buys secondhand clothes. This list was longer than I thought it would be, which makes me happy. But the driving would do – ah, that kills me. There’s no public transport from our town into Eugene. I miss riding my bike to the UO. But hey, hubby taught me to rescue spiders too! Ants, on the other hand…
Unplug everything at night, and make sure computer is off in the morning before we leave (it’s fired up first thing, habit!); fluorescent light bulbs (still have a few to change over); recycle our graywater from our washing machine (this is new, and cool!) to water our garden, and trying to use bathwater too (scoop it in a bucket and haul it outside); propagating plants (learning) and saving seed and starting from seed; just put in our first in-ground garden, raised beds – going for just summer crops right now; recycle everything possible; eat more leftovers (no more waste); compost; carpool whenever possible, but the amount of driving we do is ridiculous – we commute daily; I telecommute most of the summer, so it reduces our driving somewhat, and helps with the kids, although hubby commutes 60 miles every day; trip-chain so all my errands happen at once; use few if any herbicides in the garden (which is saying something given we had 80% evil vicious blackberries); use my own grocery bags and reuse plastic bags whenever possible (handy for dog and cat poop). Not vegetarian but we buy organic and humanely raised meat from local sources; try to buy organic if it makes sense (gauge how much it traveled, etc), but I admit Safeway is still the primary grocery store…Frugal and environmentally conscious don’t always go hand in hand, sadly – at least when it comes to food. Every time I buy reusable containers for packed lunch they end up in the bottom of my kids’ bags, left at school or their moms, or lost somewhere at my husband’s work. This annoys me every time we use a plastic sandwich bag – so I reuse them whenever possible. Gah. Working on buying more secondhand and just reducing our consumerism in general. Hard with a 13 yo girl, but she often buys secondhand clothes. This list was longer than I thought it would be, which makes me happy. But the driving would do – ah, that kills me. There’s no public transport from our town into Eugene. I miss riding my bike to the UO. But hey, hubby taught me to rescue spiders too! Ants, on the other hand…
We too are trying to save in little ways. My coffee grinder is on the shelf as well. Though now that my kids are older, I bet they’d love to work the grinder 🙂
We too are trying to save in little ways. My coffee grinder is on the shelf as well. Though now that my kids are older, I bet they’d love to work the grinder 🙂
Turn the computer(s) and printers and everything else off at night. Keep our thermostats at 62. Use cloth bags for all shopping.
I’ve been a failure at Claudia’s BAT/KAT thing. Not ONE trip. I’m appalled at myself about that. But I have my own garden and use cloth napkins (have always), we’ve changed all our light bulbs to more energy-efficient ones, and we never have lights on in a room we are not IN.
We almost never use the air conditioner (and with my job change it will really be REALLY almost NEVER — the only time I used it was when I was doing transcripts in the hottest of summer days, and transcripts are a thing of the past. )
I want to get a clothesline. We dry our clothes on racks in the winter, but ironically have had to use the dryer in the SUMMER, because things don’t dry fast enough and get sour-smelling with our humidity levels.
I’m going to trade in the Camry for a Prius, almost certainly, in the next few weeks. That’s a biggie. I’ve used the car air conditioner much less, too.
Turn the computer(s) and printers and everything else off at night. Keep our thermostats at 62. Use cloth bags for all shopping.
I’ve been a failure at Claudia’s BAT/KAT thing. Not ONE trip. I’m appalled at myself about that. But I have my own garden and use cloth napkins (have always), we’ve changed all our light bulbs to more energy-efficient ones, and we never have lights on in a room we are not IN.
We almost never use the air conditioner (and with my job change it will really be REALLY almost NEVER — the only time I used it was when I was doing transcripts in the hottest of summer days, and transcripts are a thing of the past. )
I want to get a clothesline. We dry our clothes on racks in the winter, but ironically have had to use the dryer in the SUMMER, because things don’t dry fast enough and get sour-smelling with our humidity levels.
I’m going to trade in the Camry for a Prius, almost certainly, in the next few weeks. That’s a biggie. I’ve used the car air conditioner much less, too.
I pack my kids’ lunches in re-usable containers (plastic o rmetal – I’m not going to put glass in my first grader’s backpack) so that we use fewer plastic baggies. I use the washer and dryer on low settings, air dry when I can. Occasionally we bike our daughter to school. I can’t use public transit to get to work, but I’d love to!
I pack my kids’ lunches in re-usable containers (plastic o rmetal – I’m not going to put glass in my first grader’s backpack) so that we use fewer plastic baggies. I use the washer and dryer on low settings, air dry when I can. Occasionally we bike our daughter to school. I can’t use public transit to get to work, but I’d love to!
You might ask your neighbor, but I don’t recall hand-grinding beans taking more than 30 seconds or so. There may be a reason the previous owner was getting rid of yours. You could always use it for grinding spices. According to Sweet Marias, it should take about a minute for fine grind if you use a quality mill:
http://www.sweetmarias.com/prod.zas.shtml
My philosophy is that it is okay to spend a bit of money on something new if it is high quality and you know that you will use it for years.
Random product endorsement for Cellar Door Coffee: They are as good, or better than Stumptown, depending on which one I’ve had most recently. Sort of like choosing between Elvis and the Beatles, the Clash or Nirvana, Ginger or MaryAnn.
Besides the usual attempts at reducing and recycling and such, I like to hope that I set a good example for my neighbors by replacing grass with native, edible and drought-tolerant plants and creating a habitat for birds and insects. I love the idea of refashioning and repurposing clothing, but haven’t had the time to really work with it.
You might ask your neighbor, but I don’t recall hand-grinding beans taking more than 30 seconds or so. There may be a reason the previous owner was getting rid of yours. You could always use it for grinding spices. According to Sweet Marias, it should take about a minute for fine grind if you use a quality mill:
http://www.sweetmarias.com/prod.zas.shtml
My philosophy is that it is okay to spend a bit of money on something new if it is high quality and you know that you will use it for years.
Random product endorsement for Cellar Door Coffee: They are as good, or better than Stumptown, depending on which one I’ve had most recently. Sort of like choosing between Elvis and the Beatles, the Clash or Nirvana, Ginger or MaryAnn.
Besides the usual attempts at reducing and recycling and such, I like to hope that I set a good example for my neighbors by replacing grass with native, edible and drought-tolerant plants and creating a habitat for birds and insects. I love the idea of refashioning and repurposing clothing, but haven’t had the time to really work with it.
The really unfortunate aspect of daily environmental mindfulness is that for each one of us that is paying attention, there are dozens who aren’t. Here in Austin and Texas there are [still] plenty of people who associate being green with being a dirty, liberal hippy whatever. One of the most important things we can do in the near term is to bring up our habits in casual conversation when it makes sense to in context. Express small changes (e.g., reusable water bottle), not large ones (AC is a de facto requirement in this climate) and discuss how they can have a positive impact on daily life. Emphasize the tangible benefits of environmentally mindful habits – less waste, clutter, personal pollution. Organic and local food tastes better.
Describe how costs can balance out – money saved with a reusable water bottle or making coffee at home or driving less (or or or) can offset the higher costs of, say, those local and organic foods. Energy costs will decrease with a few strategic power strips. Relate the ways in which you had to adjust to new habits, too, and offer to be a source of information and support.
Most people aren’t going to go green until they’re forced to by extreme world conditions or until they understand the tangible and psychic benefits and will *want* to do their part. All of our individuals efforts will help.
The really unfortunate aspect of daily environmental mindfulness is that for each one of us that is paying attention, there are dozens who aren’t. Here in Austin and Texas there are [still] plenty of people who associate being green with being a dirty, liberal hippy whatever. One of the most important things we can do in the near term is to bring up our habits in casual conversation when it makes sense to in context. Express small changes (e.g., reusable water bottle), not large ones (AC is a de facto requirement in this climate) and discuss how they can have a positive impact on daily life. Emphasize the tangible benefits of environmentally mindful habits – less waste, clutter, personal pollution. Organic and local food tastes better.
Describe how costs can balance out – money saved with a reusable water bottle or making coffee at home or driving less (or or or) can offset the higher costs of, say, those local and organic foods. Energy costs will decrease with a few strategic power strips. Relate the ways in which you had to adjust to new habits, too, and offer to be a source of information and support.
Most people aren’t going to go green until they’re forced to by extreme world conditions or until they understand the tangible and psychic benefits and will *want* to do their part. All of our individuals efforts will help.
I use cloth daipers, breastfeed, reusable shopping bags, low energy lightbulbs, take the bus or walk most of the time, recycle as much as possible, buy secondhand a lot.
My biggest environmental vice is living on the other side of the world to my family.
I use cloth daipers, breastfeed, reusable shopping bags, low energy lightbulbs, take the bus or walk most of the time, recycle as much as possible, buy secondhand a lot.
My biggest environmental vice is living on the other side of the world to my family.
I’m very curious about greywater recycling. Not feasible for us as we live in an attached townhouse in the middle of the city and there would be no way to hook up a greywater system, but it has really piqued my curiosity.
I think the coffee mill you bought might just be spent. My parents always used a manual grinder and it never took longer than a couple of minutes to grind coffee for a whole pot.
I’m very curious about greywater recycling. Not feasible for us as we live in an attached townhouse in the middle of the city and there would be no way to hook up a greywater system, but it has really piqued my curiosity.
I think the coffee mill you bought might just be spent. My parents always used a manual grinder and it never took longer than a couple of minutes to grind coffee for a whole pot.
In addition to many of the above suggestions, I use Preserve toothbrushes and return them to the company for recycling after I am done with them. I use vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and Dr. Bronner’s peppermint castille soap to clean my house. And I don’t use disposables for my period. I use a menstrual cup and flannel pads.
In addition to many of the above suggestions, I use Preserve toothbrushes and return them to the company for recycling after I am done with them. I use vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and Dr. Bronner’s peppermint castille soap to clean my house. And I don’t use disposables for my period. I use a menstrual cup and flannel pads.
My dream was to have a home off the grid but since building a new home to do that kind of defeated the purpose I thought I’ll take one of these common ranch, suburban homes and green it myself. So little by little I’ve been doing that. Starting as small as the paint I use.
I’ve been slowly replacing the yard and garden plants with natives that sustain the wildlife and that will be more healthy and drought resistant.
I do a lot of what others do with bulbs, unplug, etc. I can and preserve, shop local, stay seasonal, and am outfitting the garage to accommodate buying in bulk and less often.
And I have been using Freecycle as much as possible to pass on goods.
My dream was to have a home off the grid but since building a new home to do that kind of defeated the purpose I thought I’ll take one of these common ranch, suburban homes and green it myself. So little by little I’ve been doing that. Starting as small as the paint I use.
I’ve been slowly replacing the yard and garden plants with natives that sustain the wildlife and that will be more healthy and drought resistant.
I do a lot of what others do with bulbs, unplug, etc. I can and preserve, shop local, stay seasonal, and am outfitting the garage to accommodate buying in bulk and less often.
And I have been using Freecycle as much as possible to pass on goods.
Unfortunately, I have to drive to work, as does hubby, but he has transitioned to sticking close to the speed limit, as do I whenever I’m on the highway (my commute is entirely back country roads through two small towns).
Lots of recycling – everything we can.
We use reusable bags at the grocery store and if there is any reason we can’t, we ask for paper (which we use to collect our recycling). Entirely reusable containers for lunches and leftovers (with the rare sheet of plastic wrap to cover a casserole – I need to get those reusable bonnet things). Margarine, ricotta, sour cream, yogurt containers are all reused and when we accumulate too many are recycled.
We’re doing some container gardening on the patio of our apartment.
We are lucky that our apartment seems to keep itself warm in the winter and cool in the summer without much use of heat or A/C – only on extremely cold days or extremely hot ones do we turn it on and most days in the summer can get by with just having the doors and windows open and maybe a small desk fan.
I gave up bottled water quite a while ago and carry filtered water (a necessity with our public supply – tastes awful) everywhere, cutting out the need/urge to stop for a bottle of water or a drink from a take-out place. And even when I do end up ordering an iced coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts (a rare luxury having cut back from daily!), the cup is recyclable and always comes home with me. (I am a recylable rescuer, too – I will pick up plastic bottles and such that others have thrown into regular garbage or worse, littered.) I use my travel mug every morning and bring it with me to the local coffee shop for stitch-n-bitch, where they charge less if you do so – a double benefit!
I encourage students to email me their assignments and practice records as often as possible. I do still need to print some of that out to hand back with a grade, but I can choose to print it on recycled paper.
Oh, and I freecycle with a passion. Friends of our just moved and I took all their discarded items that they decided not to pack (and were going to toss if no one took them) and have been listing them with freecycle over the past few days. The summer is going to be a festival of freecycling since my plan is to spend most of it going through all the stuff my husband and I accumulated through our childhood-teenage-college years and ended up packing and dragging into this apartment.
Unfortunately, I have to drive to work, as does hubby, but he has transitioned to sticking close to the speed limit, as do I whenever I’m on the highway (my commute is entirely back country roads through two small towns).
Lots of recycling – everything we can.
We use reusable bags at the grocery store and if there is any reason we can’t, we ask for paper (which we use to collect our recycling). Entirely reusable containers for lunches and leftovers (with the rare sheet of plastic wrap to cover a casserole – I need to get those reusable bonnet things). Margarine, ricotta, sour cream, yogurt containers are all reused and when we accumulate too many are recycled.
We’re doing some container gardening on the patio of our apartment.
We are lucky that our apartment seems to keep itself warm in the winter and cool in the summer without much use of heat or A/C – only on extremely cold days or extremely hot ones do we turn it on and most days in the summer can get by with just having the doors and windows open and maybe a small desk fan.
I gave up bottled water quite a while ago and carry filtered water (a necessity with our public supply – tastes awful) everywhere, cutting out the need/urge to stop for a bottle of water or a drink from a take-out place. And even when I do end up ordering an iced coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts (a rare luxury having cut back from daily!), the cup is recyclable and always comes home with me. (I am a recylable rescuer, too – I will pick up plastic bottles and such that others have thrown into regular garbage or worse, littered.) I use my travel mug every morning and bring it with me to the local coffee shop for stitch-n-bitch, where they charge less if you do so – a double benefit!
I encourage students to email me their assignments and practice records as often as possible. I do still need to print some of that out to hand back with a grade, but I can choose to print it on recycled paper.
Oh, and I freecycle with a passion. Friends of our just moved and I took all their discarded items that they decided not to pack (and were going to toss if no one took them) and have been listing them with freecycle over the past few days. The summer is going to be a festival of freecycling since my plan is to spend most of it going through all the stuff my husband and I accumulated through our childhood-teenage-college years and ended up packing and dragging into this apartment.
I hang dry the majority of my clothing (unless my husband does the laundry…then I end up with tiny things).
We ride our bikes to work as often as we can (him every day, me many days).
We have our own garden (not planned for four seasons, but we will talk girlfriend!).
We keep the heat at 60 pretty much most of the time (except in the really cold of winter and have been known to take it as high as 67).
Try to do all our errands when out (even if there is a massive craving for mac-n-cheese and we don’t have a box of it…turned out better homemade, with Parmesan cheese anyway).
Compost (although we’re still learning the right mix).
French press coffee (although occasionally I get the craving for a homemade latte).
Cloth napkins (used to drive the husband crazy, now he embraces it).
That’s all I can think of. 🙂 I’m sure there is much more we could be doing, though…
I hang dry the majority of my clothing (unless my husband does the laundry…then I end up with tiny things).
We ride our bikes to work as often as we can (him every day, me many days).
We have our own garden (not planned for four seasons, but we will talk girlfriend!).
We keep the heat at 60 pretty much most of the time (except in the really cold of winter and have been known to take it as high as 67).
Try to do all our errands when out (even if there is a massive craving for mac-n-cheese and we don’t have a box of it…turned out better homemade, with Parmesan cheese anyway).
Compost (although we’re still learning the right mix).
French press coffee (although occasionally I get the craving for a homemade latte).
Cloth napkins (used to drive the husband crazy, now he embraces it).
That’s all I can think of. 🙂 I’m sure there is much more we could be doing, though…
Most likely your coffee from Sumatra came to North America via container ship, which emits far less pollution & carbon emissions than a jet.
I was horrified to learn that most California wine gets trucked over the Rockies to the East Coast. That means that the wine shipped (literally, sent by ship) from France is a greener option than wine from grapes grown 1,000 miles closer.
I also want to suggest that rather than berate yourself for perceived failings, you are still living responsibly. There is no way to eliminate your carbon emissions, just like there is no way to eliminate garbage. The only thing to do is mitigate, and that’s what you are doing–pretty well, as far as I’m concerned.
Most likely your coffee from Sumatra came to North America via container ship, which emits far less pollution & carbon emissions than a jet.
I was horrified to learn that most California wine gets trucked over the Rockies to the East Coast. That means that the wine shipped (literally, sent by ship) from France is a greener option than wine from grapes grown 1,000 miles closer.
I also want to suggest that rather than berate yourself for perceived failings, you are still living responsibly. There is no way to eliminate your carbon emissions, just like there is no way to eliminate garbage. The only thing to do is mitigate, and that’s what you are doing–pretty well, as far as I’m concerned.
My husband and I eat a lot of vegetables, and one day I was washing some dirt off of some home grown carrots when I had a brainstorm. I have a giant metal mixing bowl that is a great water holder, so now any time I wash veggies, the mixing bowl goes in the sink underneath, and I use it to water my patio containers. It takes almost no time and is cheaper than installing a grey-water system.
I understand about being depressed with the small actions of one compared to the irresponsible actions of many, but small actions add up. I’ve recently converted a friend to being a composter, when she used to tease me about being her green friend. Every little bit helps (or so I keep telling myself).
My husband and I eat a lot of vegetables, and one day I was washing some dirt off of some home grown carrots when I had a brainstorm. I have a giant metal mixing bowl that is a great water holder, so now any time I wash veggies, the mixing bowl goes in the sink underneath, and I use it to water my patio containers. It takes almost no time and is cheaper than installing a grey-water system.
I understand about being depressed with the small actions of one compared to the irresponsible actions of many, but small actions add up. I’ve recently converted a friend to being a composter, when she used to tease me about being her green friend. Every little bit helps (or so I keep telling myself).
Wow! Reading all these suggestions makes me feel a lot better about how my small actions are adding up. I hope you’re feeling better, too.
I started a container garden last year, when we moved in to an apartment with a terrace. And we switched all the light bulbs to CFLs, but I’m a little concerned about the mercury thing, so I’m open to alternatives. We turn off all the appliances when not in use – power strips are a beautiful thing! And use task lighting or natural light instead of lighting up a whole room. (I like lamps better, anyway.) Use cloth bags, recycle take-out containers, drip-dry a lot of our clothing, cook once/eat twice, eat locally and/or organically as much as possible. And I’ll be checking out FreeCycle for the stuff we’re trying to get rid of.
I think the most important thing is the change in our thinking. We’re mindful now – which is always a good thing!
Wow! Reading all these suggestions makes me feel a lot better about how my small actions are adding up. I hope you’re feeling better, too.
I started a container garden last year, when we moved in to an apartment with a terrace. And we switched all the light bulbs to CFLs, but I’m a little concerned about the mercury thing, so I’m open to alternatives. We turn off all the appliances when not in use – power strips are a beautiful thing! And use task lighting or natural light instead of lighting up a whole room. (I like lamps better, anyway.) Use cloth bags, recycle take-out containers, drip-dry a lot of our clothing, cook once/eat twice, eat locally and/or organically as much as possible. And I’ll be checking out FreeCycle for the stuff we’re trying to get rid of.
I think the most important thing is the change in our thinking. We’re mindful now – which is always a good thing!
Bikes for almost everything, trains for most of the rest. Um, that’s about it for us, I’m afraid.
So now I can switch the subject to saying that your coffee grinder brought back a lot of memories for me – my grandparents had one too, a lovely pale green model, and there was nothing better for me than sitting in their kitchen and being allowed to grind the coffee, at first with my grandfather’s assistance and later, when I was stronger, on my own. The scent, it was magnificent.
By the way, this leads me to also believe that your new machine may be broken – I can’t imagine I had to work that hard at it, I certainly never worked fourty minutes to make enough coffee for both grandparents.
We also ground chichory roots (? I think) when my grandmother was teaching me about some food substitutes they used during the War. That made a coffee substitute. O yeah, she also taught me that nettles make a pretty good spinach substitute – we used to gather it together, at the side of the road, and then steam or boil it. Not sure you’d want to eat that, I don’t think we gave much thought to the material the nettles had been growing on and what chemicals might have leaked into the plants. But the memories are lovely.
Bikes for almost everything, trains for most of the rest. Um, that’s about it for us, I’m afraid.
So now I can switch the subject to saying that your coffee grinder brought back a lot of memories for me – my grandparents had one too, a lovely pale green model, and there was nothing better for me than sitting in their kitchen and being allowed to grind the coffee, at first with my grandfather’s assistance and later, when I was stronger, on my own. The scent, it was magnificent.
By the way, this leads me to also believe that your new machine may be broken – I can’t imagine I had to work that hard at it, I certainly never worked fourty minutes to make enough coffee for both grandparents.
We also ground chichory roots (? I think) when my grandmother was teaching me about some food substitutes they used during the War. That made a coffee substitute. O yeah, she also taught me that nettles make a pretty good spinach substitute – we used to gather it together, at the side of the road, and then steam or boil it. Not sure you’d want to eat that, I don’t think we gave much thought to the material the nettles had been growing on and what chemicals might have leaked into the plants. But the memories are lovely.
we’re not veggie, but limit meat consumption to just once or twice a week – better for the environment, and the slightly higher cost of buying locally raised environmentally friendly meat is totally offset by how rarely we do it.
and we’ve been trying to air dry most of out laundry. but this cold wet spring is killing me – our entire upstairs is covered in laundry hannging to dry.
also – reusable hemp coffee filter for those of us who need to set the coffee maker timer in order to get out of bed in the morning. 🙂
hmmm, and if it’s yellow, we let it mellow. uh … is that too much info since we’re neighbors and all? 🙂
we’re not veggie, but limit meat consumption to just once or twice a week – better for the environment, and the slightly higher cost of buying locally raised environmentally friendly meat is totally offset by how rarely we do it.
and we’ve been trying to air dry most of out laundry. but this cold wet spring is killing me – our entire upstairs is covered in laundry hannging to dry.
also – reusable hemp coffee filter for those of us who need to set the coffee maker timer in order to get out of bed in the morning. 🙂
hmmm, and if it’s yellow, we let it mellow. uh … is that too much info since we’re neighbors and all? 🙂
We have a clothes line, on which I dry our clothes. This has become my favorite chore. Use a reel mower (even though our yard in a bit on the big side). We also don’t turn our a/c on until temps reach mid-90’s.
I’ve started composting this year. I have a slew of cloth bags – I just need to remember to get them to the grocery store. We have started to buy milk from the local dairy. I am growing some food. I do want to get to the local farmer’s market, but I have been unable to for various reasons so far this summer.
We have a clothes line, on which I dry our clothes. This has become my favorite chore. Use a reel mower (even though our yard in a bit on the big side). We also don’t turn our a/c on until temps reach mid-90’s.
I’ve started composting this year. I have a slew of cloth bags – I just need to remember to get them to the grocery store. We have started to buy milk from the local dairy. I am growing some food. I do want to get to the local farmer’s market, but I have been unable to for various reasons so far this summer.
We’ve given up bottled water, one of the most carbon-footprinty things you can buy, and have started asking local businesses we partronize (yoga, local restaurants) to do the same, since businesses can have a much bigger impact than one family. Also, less driving, more public transit and biking (and nagging the city to make better bikepaths – I don’t think that’s a problem in Utopia, though…)
We’ve given up bottled water, one of the most carbon-footprinty things you can buy, and have started asking local businesses we partronize (yoga, local restaurants) to do the same, since businesses can have a much bigger impact than one family. Also, less driving, more public transit and biking (and nagging the city to make better bikepaths – I don’t think that’s a problem in Utopia, though…)
My mother has a manual coffee grinder and as children we always used to fight for the privilege of grinding the coffee beans. Give him a few years and Thumper may be keen to do the same! Since you referenced the article “Why Bother” that appeared in the NY Times a few weeks ago, I’ve really been trying to find ways to make a difference, however slight, because I firmly believe that all those little steps are going to make a difference eventually. We used to drink lots of bottled water, my son plays on two soccer teams and we would buy cases of bottled water to take to games and practices. Now we each have a sports bottle that we refill – fewer plastic bottles to recycle. We use thermostats and timers on our heaters and air conditioning units so they’re not running 24/7. I’m knitting dishcloths that I can wash and reuse instead of disposable sponges. I refuse bags for items that I purchase, and I do look for items that have less packaging so that there’s less to go in the garbage or recycling. I’m looking forward to our local farmers’ market opening in July because we’ve also made a commitment to shop locally to reduce both emissions and fuel costs. It may seem a little, but it matters a lot. Don’t worry, just do what you can and encourage others by your example.
My mother has a manual coffee grinder and as children we always used to fight for the privilege of grinding the coffee beans. Give him a few years and Thumper may be keen to do the same! Since you referenced the article “Why Bother” that appeared in the NY Times a few weeks ago, I’ve really been trying to find ways to make a difference, however slight, because I firmly believe that all those little steps are going to make a difference eventually. We used to drink lots of bottled water, my son plays on two soccer teams and we would buy cases of bottled water to take to games and practices. Now we each have a sports bottle that we refill – fewer plastic bottles to recycle. We use thermostats and timers on our heaters and air conditioning units so they’re not running 24/7. I’m knitting dishcloths that I can wash and reuse instead of disposable sponges. I refuse bags for items that I purchase, and I do look for items that have less packaging so that there’s less to go in the garbage or recycling. I’m looking forward to our local farmers’ market opening in July because we’ve also made a commitment to shop locally to reduce both emissions and fuel costs. It may seem a little, but it matters a lot. Don’t worry, just do what you can and encourage others by your example.
Vegetarian
Recycle
Freecycle
Switched to the odd looking, new fangled, light bulbs(though in your comments someone mentioned them having mercury in them – I googled it – you can’t really throw them out because of the mercury – they’re(someone) is trying to work out and or legislate how they will be disposed of in an environmentally sound way(?). I think next time I’ll buy regular bulbs until they figure it out.
Recently started using biodegradable garbage bags from Greenfeet.com called Biobags.
Recently started using tote bags at the grocery store instead of the store’s plastic bags.
Use cloth washable sanitary napkins from lunapads.com
Clean only with white vinegar.
Wash all clothes by hand with Dr. Bonners and then hang them over shower railing to dry.
Transportation carbon footprint is negligible because I am an unemployed hermit. Though sometimes, I take the Acela, somewhere.
I’m Tempi challenge -heat needs to be at 71 in Winter and I need air conditioning in the Summer.
I’m going to purchase cloth napkins – the checkered kinds that you put over bread dough when you’re leaving it in the corner to rise, instead of paper napkins.
Vegetarian
Recycle
Freecycle
Switched to the odd looking, new fangled, light bulbs(though in your comments someone mentioned them having mercury in them – I googled it – you can’t really throw them out because of the mercury – they’re(someone) is trying to work out and or legislate how they will be disposed of in an environmentally sound way(?). I think next time I’ll buy regular bulbs until they figure it out.
Recently started using biodegradable garbage bags from Greenfeet.com called Biobags.
Recently started using tote bags at the grocery store instead of the store’s plastic bags.
Use cloth washable sanitary napkins from lunapads.com
Clean only with white vinegar.
Wash all clothes by hand with Dr. Bonners and then hang them over shower railing to dry.
Transportation carbon footprint is negligible because I am an unemployed hermit. Though sometimes, I take the Acela, somewhere.
I’m Tempi challenge -heat needs to be at 71 in Winter and I need air conditioning in the Summer.
I’m going to purchase cloth napkins – the checkered kinds that you put over bread dough when you’re leaving it in the corner to rise, instead of paper napkins.
Also, sorry, two more things:
Gave up buying water and canned foods because of PBA or (BPA?) – inadvertantly helping the environment, at least with the bottles of water – according to a comment on your list – they are environmentally unsound. I thought that they got recycled, but maybe not?
Reuse WF’s Almond butter jars for food storage in the refrigerator and for soaking beans overnight in the refrigerator.
Also, sorry, two more things:
Gave up buying water and canned foods because of PBA or (BPA?) – inadvertantly helping the environment, at least with the bottles of water – according to a comment on your list – they are environmentally unsound. I thought that they got recycled, but maybe not?
Reuse WF’s Almond butter jars for food storage in the refrigerator and for soaking beans overnight in the refrigerator.
Well, my husband has done something. He started this company, tappening.com, to educate people on the impact of drinking bottled water and to urge them to drink tap water instead. We also drive one car. He walks to the train. I always use cloth bags at the market (that I made from thrifted fabric). I try to make zero waste lunches (the packaging, that is) for my kids to take to school. I buy local and organic as much as I can. I’ve started making my own cleaning solutions for our home and have been experimenting with homemade toners, facial masks and soaps. My skin is really breaking out though… giving up some chemicals is harder than I thought.
Thanks for this post. I’ve gotten lots of good ideas from other commenters. Also, I love your blog. Thanks for sharing so much of yourself.
Well, my husband has done something. He started this company, tappening.com, to educate people on the impact of drinking bottled water and to urge them to drink tap water instead. We also drive one car. He walks to the train. I always use cloth bags at the market (that I made from thrifted fabric). I try to make zero waste lunches (the packaging, that is) for my kids to take to school. I buy local and organic as much as I can. I’ve started making my own cleaning solutions for our home and have been experimenting with homemade toners, facial masks and soaps. My skin is really breaking out though… giving up some chemicals is harder than I thought.
Thanks for this post. I’ve gotten lots of good ideas from other commenters. Also, I love your blog. Thanks for sharing so much of yourself.
Hi,
Don’t know if anyone’s mentioned it yet but we love our sun oven!
http://www.sunoven.com/
It really works! (Sun required) This past Saturday we roasted a chicken, some beats and made bread in ours. No turning on of oven and no heating of house (thus requiring less of the AC….it was in the mid 90’s in my neck of the woods this weekend.)
Hi,
Don’t know if anyone’s mentioned it yet but we love our sun oven!
http://www.sunoven.com/
It really works! (Sun required) This past Saturday we roasted a chicken, some beats and made bread in ours. No turning on of oven and no heating of house (thus requiring less of the AC….it was in the mid 90’s in my neck of the woods this weekend.)
I think global warming is a far-from-settled issue, as is humanity’s effect on it. I am old enough to recall the 70s dire predictions of the Club of Rome Report and the highly-publicized fears of a coming ice age and believe the question is still open.
But for all my adult life I have been mindful of simplicity and frugality. We waste so much, we crave so much, we litter and spoil our surroundings. When did recreational shopping become our most frequent pastime? The Tightwad Gazette is a wonderful basic resource, a real hands-on, this-is-how-to-do-it primer about the best traditions of thrift. I refer to it still — it’s fun to read. I give it as a wedding present. A lot of you already are doing many of the things mentioned in the book — it’s great for young mothers — but I am surprised that nobody’s mentioned it yet. Here’s the Amazon link:
Tightwad Gazette: http://tinyurl.com/3qvjne
I think global warming is a far-from-settled issue, as is humanity’s effect on it. I am old enough to recall the 70s dire predictions of the Club of Rome Report and the highly-publicized fears of a coming ice age and believe the question is still open.
But for all my adult life I have been mindful of simplicity and frugality. We waste so much, we crave so much, we litter and spoil our surroundings. When did recreational shopping become our most frequent pastime? The Tightwad Gazette is a wonderful basic resource, a real hands-on, this-is-how-to-do-it primer about the best traditions of thrift. I refer to it still — it’s fun to read. I give it as a wedding present. A lot of you already are doing many of the things mentioned in the book — it’s great for young mothers — but I am surprised that nobody’s mentioned it yet. Here’s the Amazon link:
Tightwad Gazette: http://tinyurl.com/3qvjne
So here’s a question: what do you all use for garbage bags (like in the kitchen and bathroom)? I’d like to use cloth grocery bags, but I use the grocery bags for garbage bags. It seems silly to buy garbage bags, but it also seems wasteful to use grocery bags instead of cloth bags.
So here’s a question: what do you all use for garbage bags (like in the kitchen and bathroom)? I’d like to use cloth grocery bags, but I use the grocery bags for garbage bags. It seems silly to buy garbage bags, but it also seems wasteful to use grocery bags instead of cloth bags.
We line dry everything – we don’t own a dryer. We use natural ventilation in the house – we don’t have air conditioning. By opening and closing appropriate windows we can cool the house in the heat, and keep warmth in when cold. We only heat one room in the house in winter – the living area. We may occasionally take the chill off the children’s rooms when it gets really cold, and if I am working in another room. We don’t buy a lot of processed/packaged foods, but we could cut down. We don’t leave appliances on stand by. We have a water efficient garden, that requires very little watering by us, and when we do water it’s usually recycled from something else. We use the water of a 1 person household, and we have 4 people. We don’t drink bottled water, it’s all tap water. The carry all in the bottom of the stroller is as good a grocery bag as any. We catch buses unless it’s just not practical, and the car gets used only about once a week – we walk most places. Just to name a few.
It is now law that if you do renovations over a certain amount you install a rainwater tank which is subsidised by local councils, as are the purchase of energy efficient appliances.
From a design point of view, more people now are installing grey water systems/converting to grey water (and we will use this at our beach house), water tanks, and utilising natural ventilation – all points which are endorsed and actively sort through design codes and required for construction certificates. Buildings here have ‘energy ratings’, and it is great that our clients are actively seeking higher rating buildings, even when the initial outlay is more costly. We have one of the few office tower buildings in the world with a 6star energy rating here, and the possibilities for the future of architecture are amazing. Most of our suppliers are also more tuned in to the needs and requirements of complying with these design codes, and are changing their practises, production and products along that line. I like to think I can make a difference at this end as well as in the home.
We line dry everything – we don’t own a dryer. We use natural ventilation in the house – we don’t have air conditioning. By opening and closing appropriate windows we can cool the house in the heat, and keep warmth in when cold. We only heat one room in the house in winter – the living area. We may occasionally take the chill off the children’s rooms when it gets really cold, and if I am working in another room. We don’t buy a lot of processed/packaged foods, but we could cut down. We don’t leave appliances on stand by. We have a water efficient garden, that requires very little watering by us, and when we do water it’s usually recycled from something else. We use the water of a 1 person household, and we have 4 people. We don’t drink bottled water, it’s all tap water. The carry all in the bottom of the stroller is as good a grocery bag as any. We catch buses unless it’s just not practical, and the car gets used only about once a week – we walk most places. Just to name a few.
It is now law that if you do renovations over a certain amount you install a rainwater tank which is subsidised by local councils, as are the purchase of energy efficient appliances.
From a design point of view, more people now are installing grey water systems/converting to grey water (and we will use this at our beach house), water tanks, and utilising natural ventilation – all points which are endorsed and actively sort through design codes and required for construction certificates. Buildings here have ‘energy ratings’, and it is great that our clients are actively seeking higher rating buildings, even when the initial outlay is more costly. We have one of the few office tower buildings in the world with a 6star energy rating here, and the possibilities for the future of architecture are amazing. Most of our suppliers are also more tuned in to the needs and requirements of complying with these design codes, and are changing their practises, production and products along that line. I like to think I can make a difference at this end as well as in the home.
cloth diapers, breastfeeding, bake our own bread (not as often as i’d like, tbh), very little car use, if it’s yellow etc., no disposable paper products except tp, wash dishes by hand, turn off the breaker that powers the baseboard heaters, unplug chargers when not in use, eat at home as much as possible, 90% of books come from the library, e-mail photos instead of getting & mailing prints, organic as much as the budget allows
cloth diapers, breastfeeding, bake our own bread (not as often as i’d like, tbh), very little car use, if it’s yellow etc., no disposable paper products except tp, wash dishes by hand, turn off the breaker that powers the baseboard heaters, unplug chargers when not in use, eat at home as much as possible, 90% of books come from the library, e-mail photos instead of getting & mailing prints, organic as much as the budget allows
They are recycling the new light bulbs at Home Depot.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/06/cfl-recycling-home-depot.php
They are recycling the new light bulbs at Home Depot.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/06/cfl-recycling-home-depot.php
Hello! Just wanted to say your coffe grinder is beautiful. Good luck with the novel!
Hello! Just wanted to say your coffe grinder is beautiful. Good luck with the novel!
I meant “coffee” of course.
I meant “coffee” of course.
@ Ellen
I use cloth bags for those shops which don’t give useful plastic bags – I only really like the supermarket bags for the bin, the rest don’t fit and it gets all messy.
Thank you for this post – it’s been really interesting reading all the little things, and I think I’ve got some good ideas to try. Here are mine:
I’ve been collecting the “grey” water wasted while the shower heats up in a bucket to water the plants with; signed up to an organic box scheme; started making smoothies at home – great way to use up fruit & veg that are starting to go soft; Ecover for cleaning, Ecotricity for electricity; pledged to shop second hand or ethical if I want new clothes (mmm, clothes…); get shoes repaired, even if it’s more expensive; share a bin and a paper recycling box with a colleague, instead of having two bins in our small space; bookcross read books (visit Bookcrossing.com for info); trying to sort a holiday by train (Paris + Eurostar = win); got my parents to try veggie food – and now they eat it regularly… it’s all good 🙂
@ Ellen
I use cloth bags for those shops which don’t give useful plastic bags – I only really like the supermarket bags for the bin, the rest don’t fit and it gets all messy.
Thank you for this post – it’s been really interesting reading all the little things, and I think I’ve got some good ideas to try. Here are mine:
I’ve been collecting the “grey” water wasted while the shower heats up in a bucket to water the plants with; signed up to an organic box scheme; started making smoothies at home – great way to use up fruit & veg that are starting to go soft; Ecover for cleaning, Ecotricity for electricity; pledged to shop second hand or ethical if I want new clothes (mmm, clothes…); get shoes repaired, even if it’s more expensive; share a bin and a paper recycling box with a colleague, instead of having two bins in our small space; bookcross read books (visit Bookcrossing.com for info); trying to sort a holiday by train (Paris + Eurostar = win); got my parents to try veggie food – and now they eat it regularly… it’s all good 🙂