When I was there, my life changed: I got bangs! (But that isn't what this is about) Courtesy of the fabulous Ethiopifinn. And with me, to my appointment, came a fly on the wall that could hardly get a word in edgewise. One of the things she was able to get in was the idea of a word instead of a New Year's resolution. I don't remember what hers was. It was brilliant for her, I do remember that. And after a lot of thought, I came up with: Healthier. All year, I need to make healthier choices. And it affects all facets of my life: relationships, money, food, exercise, etc. You can apply it to just about anything.
Fast forward two days: I am sitting in the surgery waiting room, (with my new bangs) waiting to hear news about my little man. I was reading one of the many magazines they had laid out and in it was an article about a family who was able to reduce their garbage to one quart size mason jar per year. One per year! I can't fathom it. And quite frankly, doubt it. Regardless, even if you could reduce it to one per week, imagine the impact that could make on what ends up in our landfills! Even if you could only reduce your waste by one garbage bag per week, it would help. (If you remember, I had really purged my home before Christmas and the amount of stuff I threw out still bothers me.)
The friends that we shared Christmas lunch with only fill one bag of garbage per week. That's what my goal is. I need to learn to live with less. A healthier choice. : ) Since coming home, I've definitely made an effort. This is where I need your help. What am I missing? What can I do? Here's what I have come up with and even implemented:
*recycling seriously, not just when convenient
*burn things that cannot be recycled (Where do I find a burning barrel for the days mother nature doesn't want to cooperate?)
*"slop bucket" for food scraps
*potty train K. No more diapers!
*bake from scratch, especially bread (less packaging)
*do you know I actually washed out and reused a ziploc bag?! I swore I'd never do that.
While I am not a tree hugger, I don't think there is anything wrong with making better choices that will affect the next generation. (Ahem, government officials) Truth be told, with just a few minor adjustments, you can make better choices that also lead you to other healthier choices. For example: if you start making more things from scratch, you will have more control over the ingredients that you are filling your kids bellies with. Win, win.
Tell me how you live healthier and greener. I'd love to hear it.
BTW: I searched through my pictures to come up with a beautiful picture of our wonderful world for this post. And while the trip down memory lane was priceless, I realized that my camera did not do justice to the sights that we have seen. My next major purchase is definitely a camera. That is not a place where less is more.
14 comments:
Amazing that we were planning our "word" at the same time. I don't recycle, but I'm impressed with your efforts. We use a burning can, though...sometimes. I do have a big aversion to waste.
I haven't read the article that you mentioned, but I heard a little backlash about it on some message boards I frequent. Their opinion is that, of all the families they could have focused on, they focused on a family that gives their garbage to someone else to throw out. (An example they shared what that they send the netflix peel strip back in the envelope with a complaint that they should do different packaging - but this wasn't the only example, it was one of many) So basically - it sounded like they gave their trash to other people to throw out. LOL
I believe it can be done to some extent, (I also think it would help to have a wood burning stove) but the mention of that particular article caught my eye just because I heard about it in a different context.
First, burning garbage in your own yard isn't such a good option. Here in our county they are illegal. Because the temp that a barrel burns at is much lower than an incinerator- thousands of degrees lower, and newspaper, business paper, etc, all have coatings on the paper that give off dangerous fumes when burned at low temps. Same with disposable diapers, etc.
You don't want to pollute the air you breathe, right there in your own yard.
I heard of a college project once, where students had to carry their own garbage around in their backpack for a week. Soon they were reusing their paper cups, Kleenex, etc. That idea has fascinated me since I heard it.
Do you compost?
I have lots to say about this topic...I have thought about it quite a bit.
It's another reason I like to shop at thrift stores. No packaging. Salvaging other's waste. And usually the thrift stores benefit a cause or such.
Interesting post!
"A quart size jar of waste a year?" I'm not familiar with that news story at all but it does sound far-fetched.
I love recycling. In fact, i'd love to go to a recycling plant to see the process done. I don't understand it at all.
i've been recycling for many years. I got into it when my older ones were in elementary school and there was a collection at their school for the purpose of having a
bench[es] made out of the recycled items.
Waste Management makes it easier today, with curb bins, to recyle.I don't have the garage space anymore to store recycables, so i'd probably quit if i had to store them and then bring them to a drop-off site.
It's kind of fun to look at the bottom of items and see the triangle and what # is in it. I'm not sure what they all mean so i basically recycle anything with a triangle on it.
Maybe i'm an irresponsible recycler, i better look more in depth on that.
The one thing i don't recylce is tuna cans if i have them. i like tuna but not the smell.
It comes naturally now, without even thinking too much about it.
Its neat that some items i purchase can be re-used and made into something else.
I know this old world isn't meant to last forever and that isn't the reason i recyle. I just think it is so cool to be able make something new out of something old. And really garage saleing and thrifting is a form of recylcing too.
We can't have burn barrels where we live now but we did go through a couple of them when we lived in Michigan.
I'd say we have one big bag of recyclables a week anyway and maybe 2 garbage bags. But i don't do it to keep count or compare myself with others. Otherwise i'd probably go on a tangent and get all extreme and things. LOL
My brain is now all scrambled and jumbled up -- spelling that word is a challenge for me. It messes up my brain for some reason...
Have a good weekend.
Gram- :) Told ya! I like the word goal.
Sharyn- I'm sure they do stuff like that. How else is it possible?
Jan- Interesting tidbit on burning. Didn't realize that. Maybe I'll nix that idea. And I'm not burning the glossy paper or diapers. I'd love to hear more about what you know. Maybe you should send me an email. And, yes, we are starting to seriously compost again. I think that's a huge one.
Yvonne- That's true- you can easily go extreme/overboard on anything. I promise I won't go to that extreme. I just want to make minor adjustments.
And you are right, thrifting/ garage saling is a great suggestion. I definitely need to do more of this, including the items we are done with.
Mindi-
Here is our county's info on burn barrels: http://www.co.becker.mn.us/dept/environmental_services/forms/Burn%20Barrel%20Brochure.pdf
I guy who works at the recycling center in a different county told me that business paper and newspapers are some of the worst to burn nowadays, for the toxins they give off.
I will just recycle them, then. Thx! I didn't really realize all the things that CAN be recycled. I didn't grow up in a recycling household and I'm pretty new at this. I recycle here and there. But now I will do it more often.
I'm digging your background and the font color. Fun!
I am a bit of a tree hugger. I've finally admitted it and decided my inner hippy is nothing to be afraid of. We do recycle and I think the green/thrifty/healthy lifestyle has come more by necessity for us and I've since decided it's the way to go. As far as green: you can make your own cleaner with a concentrated natural product (we us Citra Solv and it smells amazing), buying organic or local when it's possible or affordable is better for the environment (and local economy), the farmer's market has yummy in-season produce... yeah. Wow. That's all my brain can process at the moment. I love that you went with the 'word' idea! Maybe you can keep me on task. Heh.
-a fly
geez-oh!-man does that mean all of that burning i did back in Michigan cancels out what i've done here? i just can't win...
hahah lol
and um, well at least i didn't burn any bridges back there -- that i know of anyway.
Yvonne- Haha! Bridges. Good one! That IS the most important.
The instructions that come with outdoor wood stoves also warn against buring paper/ magazines. It is awful for the stove not only the environment...my husband will not allow garbage anywhere near his stove! Another thing, be careful not to throw glass bottles into the recycling... I've heard that if glass is broken in the container they dump the whole works in a landfill rather than sort it. Makes the recycling worthless. Grr
we need to start recycling too. we did for a while and every other week drove the stuff to the recycling center...it got to be too much when i was in school. maybe we should start that again, i always feel better when we do!
I reuse ziplocs, but I think it's more to save me the money than to be green! I always store waffles (moneysavingmom's ww recipe) and bread in the freezer. My sister Heidi taught me to leave the empty ziploc in the freezer door until I need it again. That way, you reuse it and it's not just hanging out on the counter collecting mold!
And on a side note, I wish I had more glass containers to use instead of ziplocs.
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