Had I but known...
My newest obsession...being green. But not going all crazy-like by hugging trees and splashing red paint on fur coats...well not yet, at least. I just want to make those "little" changes that the greenies tell us to do. Those small alterations to our daily life that can make a great impact to our earth. I figure, God tells me to be a good steward of what He has given me, right?
So I started recycling again (green idea #1). It's not so easy for me to do. I know all of you are gasping in horror at the fact that I'm so behind the times...well SHUT IT! I hardly have time to brush my teeth in the morning and now I'm expected to rinse, de-label and sort my trash into bags that I have to tie up, drag to the van, and transport to a recycling center?!? (PS I still don't know where to take them, and my van's back seat is quickly filling up!)
Green idea #2: shop thrifty. I have been going to all the thrift/antique/consignment stores FIRST when I need "
new" items for my family and home. Once again, time is my enemy. It takes so much patience to sort through shelves of dusty knicknacks in order to find that serving dish. It's so tiring to slide hundreds of moth-eaten sweaters on a rack just to find that one perfect cardigan with only a single missing button. But I'm doing it. So YAY for me.Green idea #3: EDUCATE myself. I'm so stinkin' clueless about the ins and outs of living green. There are so many easy things I can do but they aren't on a list. I need a list, a how-to, a "become a tree-hugger-wannabe for dummies". So I started today by obsessing over cool green websites and I'm stuck on one about having healthier kids by reducing exposure to harmful chemicals in your own home! Who knew? Jamie has asthma and I thought I was doing all I could to help him and here I'm missing out on some seemingly obvious and simple things to do just b/c I was uninformed. So I clicked on every link on healthychild.org in hopes of changing that...which leads me to my brilliant green idea #3:
Blog about it. This is my journey. And as any good journey, there will be ups and downs...so why not chronicle it? I'm a skeptic. I don't believe I can be green and keep true to my budget, family living style, and personal expectations.
Along the way, I'll ask for your help and tips. I expect you'll laugh at me along the way too...just make sure you share you joy at my expense. I asked for it! :0)
Question #1 for YOU: What's your position on bottled water? I can't STAND the taste of water from reusable plastic or aluminum bottles...so what's an avid water-drinker supposed to do? Here's a link for an article that talks about the dangers of bottled water. What do you think?
6 comments:
I drink tons of water as well. Here's what I use: stainless steel water bottle (Klean Kanteen), bpa-free plastic water bottle (KOR One) and I reuse my glass bottles that juice comes in.
Changing from bottled water to tap or filtered tap was my first steps in going slightly green. The next was getting a set of reusable bags that fold up small to take to the stores with me. I use Envirosaxs and Flip and Tumbles.
Good luck with all your changes. I'll happily follow along.
Good luck - it's a slippery slope! (And alot of green living cannot be done on tight budgets...I've tried). Don't go to any websites about FOOD - you WILL be sorry. I am LOL
I don't worry to much about water that is bottled (thank you for mentioning it by the way *sigh*) :) But I try to stay away from it because using so many actual plastic bottles (when I'm not recycling) is a waste. Recycling is on my list now that Olivet has opened up a center.
Unfortunately there really isn't a list for going green, but what I've done is read info up the wazoo and then I slowly change what I can afford to. Normally I pick the things that will make the most difference in my life.
I talked the office manager into switching from bottled water to a water cooler from a company like Absopure at work, because it's far more economical, well that was my selling point...there was a guy in our office going through like 6-8 bottles a day and it was soo wasteful I wanted to strangle him! At home I say screw it and drink water from the tap in a glass with ice. As far as on the go, I haven't found a solution. I'm totally with you on the aluminum and plastic bottles, I have many issues with aluminum to begin with. I've been thinking about prototyping a high strength glass or ceramic travel water bottle because my options are so limited. Frankly I think those two materials are the only ones that don't off-gas or contaminate your water. Haha, when I have time I'll do it :) (so never).
I shall have to try those ideas, Lacey! I hope something works...right now I use bottled water and reuse the bottle a couple times (after so long, they start to break-down and emit harmful chemicals) and then recycle it.
Allie, they need to make a list for us! And maybe organize it according to income levels!
Sara, my FIL has a college at Mississippi State U that is big on glass water bottles...she even bought all her professor-friends one so they would use it in place of plastic.
Take Battlefield east, make a right on Lone Pine, and the recycling center is on your left about half a block! I recently heard something weird about them not taking glass anymore, but for now just ignore that and bring your glass.
Annnd, I barely use any plastic water bottles anymore. I am a HUGE FREAK about the way water tastes from those reusable bottles, but I just deal with it. I can't stand tap water either and I have to drink that, so I figure it's just a battle I can't win.
i have these bottles from walmart that i love and i take them almost everywhere i go instead of using bottled water. i hate the taste of water from the bottle. we have well water and it's so much more pure tasting than any bottle.
we recycle as much as we can, but sometimes it piles up in the garage when we get lazy and don't take it to the recycling center for a few weeks.
i'm also getting ready to switch all my cleaners (laundry/dish soap, glass, all-purpose) to natural cleaners. i have recipes if you are interested. i'm finishing up what i've got and when that's all gone i'm not buying any more, i'm just going to make my own now.
we try to eat organic where we can afford it, but that's pretty pricy. milk is one worst for chemicals (it's estrogen packed), but organic milk is like liquid gold...it's so expensive! but we just do what we can where we can.
good luck on going green!!
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