We are not the "greenest" family. We have two cars, we are (currently) using disposable diapers, we fertilize our yard with bagged fertilizer. I'm trying to reduce our carbon footprint without out growing our budget. I'm sorry, but some things are just too expensive. Sure there are easy and cheap ways to reduce, but we just can't afford to do every thing.
What we currently do: we've always recycled. Luckily our recycle company recently changed and they accept everything but pizza boxes, styrofoam, and plastic bags. I recently made my own dishwashing detergent (recipe here), and I plan to make my own laundry detergent once we run out of the store bought kind. I try to use things to very end. I tend to be the type to not use my shampoo, lotion, etc to the end just because I have a *new* one sitting in the cabinet. We've been using green bags for a while, although I need to reduce our produce bag usage. (anyone know if I can take reusable bag to HEB, fill it with produce and take that to the register?). We can't go down to one care, but I started using the hub's car to drive to work because it is more fuel efficient.
What I'm planning to do: Start composting, as soon as I get a compost bin. Collect rain water to water our yard/plants (although it's so dry here there's not much point). Buy a few thing in bulk that I will use/eat, namely: almonds, oatmeal, and maybe rice. Making and using my own detergents and cleaners. If I can get our cloth diaper stash to start working for Sofia again we'll do that, but that's a work in progress.
Sigh, I feel like I should do more, but am not sure what else we're capable of. Anyone reading having any easy and cost effective ideas?
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4 comments:
Yes, HEB doesnt have a prob with reusable produce bags. I got mine off Amazon.
Am I suppose to use a separate bag for each different item? Or do I pile all the veggies in a bag and all the fruits in another?
Collecting rain water in certain places is illegal, like Boulder. Why? Probably because Boulder owns that rain and we would be stealing it. No, I don't have an answer, but it's a dumb rule.
Have you changed out all your lightbulbs to fluorescents? Unplugged appliances when not in use? Avoiding products with extra packaging? Checked the pressure in your tires? Buying concentrated cleaning products that are refillables? Use rags to clean instead of paper towels?
Okay, I'm out of ideas ... and no, I don't do half of those things.
That's ridiculous! Maybe it has to do with bug infestation. How would the know though? I plan to collect in my back yard (it runs off the house and actually ruins the grass). They would never know.
We're slowly transitioning to energy efficient bulbs. I didn't want to replace perfectly good bulbs. We do not unplug unused items. I forget. :/ I'm working on transitioning to natural cleaning products. The only thing I think will have to stay is the toilet bowl cleaner, we have such hard water here that I don't think a natural cleaner would do thing. We use paper towels, but not very often. We're a sponge family here. :)
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