PSBN Update
When I started this whole PSBN thing, I was really revved up about making changes in my family’s lifestyle that would result in a better outcome for the earth we live on. We made the decision to “Go Green(er)” in small steps, consistently, over time.
Some changes require no more than a re-ordering of the way you do things and a little conscious effort.
Other changes require a bit of financial investment.
We’ve done some of each of those kinds of things. I have, in fact, planned quite a lot of changes for us over the months to come. The only reason why we have to spread them out instead of doing them all at once is the cost factor of many of them.
I thought I’d give a running list of some of the changes we’ve made so far.
So far we:
- Went on a Trash Cleanup Walk in our old neighborhood. I plan on doing this again in our new neighborhood. Probably in the Fall, when we won’t die of a heatstroke.
- Started recycling our garbage at the curb again. (This was easy for us. Just one call and a Recycle Dumpster was delivered to us free of charge. Check with your local trash association to see what you can do. It never hurts to look into it!)
- Separate out all glass, since they won’t accept it at the curb, and save it to take to the Recycling Center ourselves. We’ll be making our first trip with a glass load this week.
- Switched from disposable to cloth diapers. Our only regret has been that we didn’t do cloth from the very beginning. (We’ve also started hanging these out to dry in the back yard instead of using the machine to dry them. Woot!)
- Conserve previously wasted shower water (cold water at the start goes in a bucket).
- Have gotten back to using more eco-friendly cleaners in our home.
- Started using rechargeable batteries. (haven’t posted about it yet, stayed tuned for future posts!)
- Bring reusable bags with us to the grocery store. (haven’t posted about it yet, stayed tuned for future posts!)
- Have become Energy Misers. Thermostat, lights, appliance, plugs, you name it!
- Switched over almost 100% of our incandescents for CFLs. Ongoing project since before PSBN, actually.
- Eat organic when we can… cost influences this greatly. We mind the list of things that are most important to buy organic. (haven’t posted about it yet, stayed tuned for future posts!)
- Plan all our errands in groups whenever we can, since we have to drive and burn fuel. With the price of gas lately, this is a huge money saver now, as well. I have always really wanted to get a bike with a kiddo seat, but it is really not safe to ride that way around here.
Future endeavors:
- Install a clothesline and procure a clothes wringer.
- Purchase and install rain collection barrells. (I want this so badly RIGHT NOW, it makes me twitch, but they’re expensive.)
- Finally purchase one-string produce bags (see where I mentioned them here) to take along with the reusable grocery bags.
- Start composting
There’s always more, of course, but those are the big ones I have in mind. John and I have agreed, it’s like a game now, almost. It’s fun to think up what we can do next and then meet the challenge.
Currently, we’re working on reducing the amount of toilet paper we use. We’re in Phase Two of the TP Challenge. By next month’s PSBN Scheduled Posting on August 11th, I’ll have some results for you and let you know how the whole thing went around here. I hope some of you are still taking this challenge with us! It really is a challenge. Who knew how mindless TP Grabbing on the crapper was?
As always, please link to your green articles here today. (Click through to see Mr. Linky.) And remember, there’s always more you can do, and it’s always worth it.
28 comments
Leave a comment
Show Sponsors
The Awesome
river
Why would you need a clothes wringer? Your washing machine has a spin cycle that takes out most of the moisture from the clothes. Then the damp clothes just need to be hung on the clothesline.
Athena
Opps – can you take my name out of the linky thing? I wanted to leave a comment and my exhausted, box unpacking self mindlessly put my name and email there instead of here… duh
Anyway……
Yay Green!
We’re doing all the things on your list too, excepting the water collection and composting. Had to give those up when we moved into the condo.
I seriously miss the compost and the neighbors dog who loved our kitchen scraps.
One thing not on your list that we do is bio rubbish bags. Can you get those there? They tear a little more easily, but I like knowing they will degrade.
They love styrofoam here; I hate it. So I bring my own stuff when I can at markets or restaurants. Also you can push your grocery store to switch to bio containers and move away from styrofoam too. Ours in Thailand switched this year.
Veronica
You’re doing so much!
Veronica’s last blog post..Articulation
Jacki
I will admit that reading your green blogs has prompted me to be more eco-friendly and I really enjoy it. I’m gonna have to do another post soon, taking pictures of our basement which looks like a recycling center!
Jacki’s last blog post..We went to the county fair….
feener
i have a giveaway of a reusable bag on my site – check it out…http://mommyvents.blogspot.com
feener’s last blog post..Amanda vs. Jenny & a little GREEN giveaway
Colleen
I’m counting our recent vacation as supporting beauty in nature…after all, we did see lots of beauty up in the northwoods of WI. (Check my post for a great shot of deer in the field neer Dad’s house.)
What a simple idea – a drawstring bag for produce. I shopped yesterday and felt so bad for using the plastic produce bags since I don’t tend to recycle them. I actually have some mesh drawstring bags I could use for just such a purpose – got ‘em at Target – they’re supposed to be for organizing your car, but eh, they’ll work! (Blink’s tidy totes – http://blinkanditsdone.com/)
Colleen’s last blog post..A visit to the Northwoods
Twitter: mommy_wins
Mary Beth
Why is it when you try to eat better/greener, it’s more expensive? You’d think the man would want to reward you for doing the right thing.
We recycle bottles and cans (luckily, they can be mixed here). We got large plastic buckets which hold a lot of stuff. I was wondering if they could be used for temporary rain barrels too? They’re not that expensive and they get you started on your project.
Mary Beth’s last blog post..WHAT DO YOU DO ON THE WEEKENDS?
A Whole Lot of Nothing
I’m trying, I’m really trying. Baby steps, right?
A Whole Lot of Nothing’s last blog post..Stank?
Alison
We’ve been using the reusable bags and making a greater effort in recycling.
Question, what do you do with that water you collect before your shower turns hot? I think it’s a great idea! Our shower takes FOREVER to get hot and I would love to try something like that!!
Alison’s last blog post..Saturday Sundries
Josh
Lotus-
You can make your own rain barrell if you are really excited about it. The big challenge is finding the barrell. I am told that you can get one on the free from local businesses that use them. Look for places that use high fructose corn syrup for manufacturing things…. that’s right, who doesn’t use HFCS?
Nashville has many soft drink manufactures that are rumored to give them away or sell them cheap. Here is a how-to link:
http://green.thefuntimesguide.com/2007/02/rain_barrel_construction.php
Compost is an unnecessarily daunting task that scares people. It is so easy to do. A pile of food will turn into dirt no matter how “healthy” your pile is (eventually). The better you get at composting the faster it breaks down and the less that the pile smells.
A suggestion: local is new organic… locally grown produce it more friendly to planet earth than organically grown produce! Visit your local farmer’s market and ask the farmer’s about a CSA program… (the nashville farmer’s market near the capital sells very little local or organic, so look for a different one.) Among others… the East Nashville Farmers Market and the Franklin Farmer’s Market are both great.
Josh’s last blog post..The Boy Visits the Homeland
pam
If you don’t read ‘Woulda Coulda Shoulda’ check out this link where Mir’s husband makes an inexpensive rain barrel: http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/07/03/you-cant-hurry-love/#more-1918
Christy
I love the suggestions! We’re doing a lot of this now too, but there’s always more to learn and more that can be done. Thanks especially for the info on the produce bags! I always wondered how we could eliminate the plastic ones.
Christy’s last blog post..The Real Me?
katia
I wrote something about this a few weeks back —
the post was On being a role model. [sorry, I feel kinda weird putting this link in. edit out if not appropriate]
It feels good to know that everyone is making an effort! After I wrote that post I went out and bought a set of Envirosax — love ‘em. I use them for everything from groceries to hauling stuff back and forth from the pool.
katia’s last blog post..new home
Marilyn
There’s a LOT more that we could be doing (you’re totally kicking our patooties in that department!), but I have to wholeheartedly agree about cloth diapering. It is SO EASY. And actually kinda fun. Who knew being green could be FUN?
On my list to do: start recycling (we have schedule it with the city, they don’t do it automatically) and get a clothesline. Among many, many other things. I love the idea of your Trash Cleanup Walks.
Marilyn’s last blog post..Excitement and Dread, BlogHer Style!
Debbie
I have been wanting to “Go Green” for some time now. I just didn’t know where to start. Thanks so much for the ideas !!
Debbie’s last blog post..The Life Of The Party !!
Mad Squirrel
You are doing a fab job! WTG!
I am focusing more on going green diet wise now and recipes!
Mad Squirrel’s last blog post..Green Squirrel
manager mom
Oh, man, cloth diapers? you are a true eco-warrior. my kids have left diapers far behind, but the thought of dealing with washing those just squicks me out.
On behalf of Mother Earth, I thank you.
manager mom’s last blog post..Suck On This, Dilbert
A Jill of All Trades
As you know, we’ve been doing more stuff in going greener, including using reuasable grocery bags. Did you start using the ones I talked about from Wal-Mart?
A Jill of All Trades’s last blog post..I’ve lain with the devil…
Melizzard
File this under “setting a good example” and hoping that my traipsing around with my bags yesterda paid as forward as much as the dude in the blue scion’s did …
http://www.melizzard.com/2008/07/to-the-dude-in.html
Melizzard’s last blog post..To the Dude in the Blue Scion – I say Thank You
Susan
Wow, good for you! Every little bit helps the environment, that’s for sure.
I just read somewhere about making produce bags from old shear curtains (as in, buy a panel from Goodwill and use that) which I think is a fantastic idea. I’m going to whip some of them babies up, and then I’ve killed 2 birds with one stone: re-purposing something as well as reducing my dependence on plastic produce bags. Lookit me go.
Susan’s last blog post..Monday.
Rachael
Wow, I am impressed. You are doing a lot, and every little bit helps! We’re moving along with things (cloth grocery bags, of course recycling, buying organic/local foods), but at a slower pace. You inspire me though! Good job, greenie.
Rachael’s last blog post..Mammary Monday
Twitter: rachael1013
John
“Purchase and install rain collection barrells”
Sounds nice, but watch out, they can be pricey.
BTW, haven’t seen you in my neck of the woods in forever. You doing okay?
John’s last blog post..Thanks For all the Visits: We Set a Record!
dysfunctional mom
I’m looking forward to your post about which foods are most important to buy organic. The cost is the only thing that hinders us from eating more organic foods; we do eat it as much as we can.
dysfunctional mom’s last blog post..Monday Mantras ~ How to Stay Young
sara thats me.
I love cloth diaper makes enjoy wash.
oh those produce bags are cute. I will have to get some I love using my reusable bags. that and stores give bag credit.
Tanya
Living out in the country helps a lot for us.
We have a rainwater tank and nothing else.
we have a treatment system which treats our black and grey water and filters it into clean water which comes out of sprinklers on our garden.
we also have downlights which are smaller and you only turn on the ones you are using in each room as they are connected seperately.
we also have pay as you go power and a heat pump.
and we dont own a dryer, only the washing line outside and an airer inside for cold days.
So I feel good.
We also are going to put in a vegetable garden soon!
Yay!
The only thing is I have to drive 50 minutes to work and 50 back as there is no bus here…
VDog
Ooh, looky at VDog with her first PSBN post! hoodeehoo!!
You go, gurl. I am SO proud of you. Change is hard, y’all.
VDog’s last blog post..Before the Cut…
Twitter: VDog
missy wiggins
My post was late but better late than NEVER!
I think in a few months I will make a list of Earth Loving changes my family has made too!
Cheers to you and your family!
missy wiggins’s last blog post..Reminders, we all need them.
Twitter: molassa
Elizabeth
I really liked the way they came off