Monday, August 6, 2012
Another Giveaway! This is a Sweet Surprise!
In
2009, during my sustainability class @ CCV, I decided to try to come up with 100 ways to be more sustainable.
What exactly does that mean....sustainability? I came up with my own definition: Ways I
can improve the environment & leave the least impact, try to reduce our trash,
and our use of fossil fuels. Buy local food, grow or raise food for my family,
organic as much as I can, and hopefully increase the health & happiness of my
family.
Easier said than done..Try looking at all aspect of food. Is it organic?
Is it locally grown or raised? How about how much packaging or waste is there?
Oh, and is it affordable? As you can see grocery shopping is not an easy task
for me anymore.
While I feel we have done so much and come a long way ....I am far
from my goal of 100.
Here's my list:
1. Use cloth grocery bags. (I always have some in my car but...) The
other day Mark & I had the truck and we ran in to get a few things, he
checked out the groceries. Out of the store he comes with no bags and all the
items were just in the cart. I had to laugh! I love him for being such a
awesome partner in my cause!
2. We gave up paper napkins (we have a colorful basket of cloth ones on
the table).
3. We reuse our towels after a shower. This has been really hard for the
K's. I even put hooks on their doors so they have a place to hang them. This is
a work in progress.
4. We put our TV's, appliances, and cell phone chargers on power strips
that we turn off when they are not in use.
5. Compost! Most gets fed to the chickens. Our compost bin is primarily
egg shells & coffee grounds.
6. We traded in my van (in 2009) for a more gas efficient car. I love my
Fusion, although I wish we could have afforded a hybrid.
7.We started maple sugaring.
8.We have layer hens.
9. We planted blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, and blackberry plants.
10. We made an asparagus bed. Mark & I had a spring full of asparagus
pee!!
11.We dry our clothes outside & on a rack....trying to use the dryer
as little as possible.
12. No baggies...only glassware for lunches.
13. Reusable water bottles.
14. Energy efficient light bulbs.
15. We heat our water with wood heat even in the summer. We use as many
construction scrapes as possible, but no pressure treated boards or plywood.
16. We spray foamed our basement sill & our roof for a much more
energy efficient house.
17. I gave up Pam cooking spray
& use a reusable olive oil sprayer.
18. Greatly reduced our takeout pizza, I often make my own.
19. No Microwave popcorn we have a popcorn maker.
20. I buy in bulk as often as I can.
21. Re-use paper for notes.
22. Think of creative & reusable alternatives to wrapping paper such
as towels & scarves.
23. Rags instead of paper towels. ( I must confess...I do use paper
towels for cat puke, puppy pee, and washing mirrors/windows)
24. We don't use garbage bags inside the house. We have a big one outside
that we dump into, so we only use one large bag every 2 weeks.
25. Online banking & bill paying.
26. We gave up cable.
27. I grow my own herbs & dried them.
28. Make our own ice cream.
29. Can & freeze a year worth of vegetables,
30. Make our own salsa & spaghetti sauce.
31. Jelly from our berries.
32. Switched to all natural cleaners & detergents.
33. Make all our own hay for our animals.
34. Planted 3 apple trees ( my goal is to plant at least one tree a
year).
35. Raise our own beef.
36. Raise our own roasting chickens.
37. Raise lamb.
38. Raise pork.
39. We have greatly reduced the
amount of lawn that we mow, with portable fencing we pasture animals on it instead.
40. After we split wood we gather all the scrapes & bark in paper grain
bags that we then use for kindling. We waste nothing.
41. Most recently, we started buying raw milk. We skim off the cream for
ice cream. We use glass reusable jars, it's local, and all natural...perfect!!
I
am asking for any ideas from people to help me reach my goal of 100!
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Well you have mine from before,
ReplyDeletecloth/reusable feminine products (ewww)
make your own bread (yum!!)
grow grapes to make your own wine (fun) I want in!
Gotta say no to reusable feminine products. We watched a movie called No Impact man that used rags for toilet paper than washed them by hand in the tub. We teased the K's for quite a while that we were going to do that... I'm not quite that hard core. Do wanna learn to make bread. Thinking I should ask Grandma Claire for a lesson. Want in? I should try to grow grapes, as inspiration I think we should visit the local wineries. Thanks for the good tips CQL!
DeleteKatrina e-mailed me the idea of catching & using rain water, and baking my own bread.
ReplyDeleteI get my dog food from a local slaughterhouse. They give me beef hearts and bones.
ReplyDeleteI grow most everything we eat here.
I make our soap. I have goats for milk. Chickens for meat and eggs. Sheep for wool and meat.
I'll think of more things later.
Our oldest granddaughter just turned 13 in May. She's weird now. Just another teenager. But I love her! You will sure be a busy momma now.