Hi All! I would have posted this on Earth Day last week, but I had a headache and then my grandscallywags came for the week-end. I am sharing a few thoughts here on what we can all do for the planet. Every little bit helps. Whether you believe in global warming or not, the fact of the matter is that 1/3 of our petroleum comes from countries where women are not allowed to drive, go to school, leave the house unescorted by a family member and are bought and sold like cattle. Not to mention executed and maimed. This is a human rights issue, really.
Here is what I am doing to reduce my carbon footprint and reduce my own personal dependence on this foreign oil.
1. Recycle everything I can possibly recycle
2. Although my tap water comes from a lovely mountain spring, I have bought my kids a Brita filter so they can filter their tap water and not drink bottled water, hence saving the gas to ship it and the plastic (made from petroleum) to store it. Even if you recycle the bottles it costs gas to ship the stuff.
3. Use powdered laundry soap. The liquid stuff is mostly water (more shipping) and comes in non biodegradable containers which I cannot recycle in my area. Don't buy anything in a spray bottle--Windex and the Green Works cleaners (Walmart) both come in bulk that you can refill those spray bottles with. Better yet are the new cleaners that come as powders that you mix with tap water.
4. Replace your lightbulbs with the long life bulbs. This is pretty pricey to do all at once, but every time one burns out, I am forking out the 4 bucks for one that will last for 5 years and use 1/10th of the electricity.
5. Compost all your vegetable and fruit peelings. I got a bunch of hog wire and made 2 3-foot diameter circles and put them in a corner of my yard. I raked all my leaves last fall and put them in one. I put my vegetable peelings (no meat products) into a compost bin with a lid on my counter top and empty it every few days into the other one. Once I get a good layer of scraps, I cover it with the composted leaves, then more scraps, making layers. Honest to gosh, it doesn't smell and the critters can't get in it. Once fall starts I fill up the leaf bin and start another scrap bin and let the old one sit over the winter and voila, in the spring it will turn into some really good dirt I can use in my garden.
6. Grow some food. Anyone can grow some food. Our grandparents had "Victory Gardens" during WWII. We are at war, too. You can put pots of herbs, tomatoes, lettuce, or peppers on your porch. I was in Florida last winter and saw a house that had put raised veggie beds in their front yard. They were beautiful!
7. Don't use any more plastic bags from the grocery store. Even if you recycle them, they are made from petroleum and cost gas to ship. Invest $5.00 in 5 of those 99 cent reusable bags you can buy from any grocery store. Or shove a wad of old bags in your purse and use those.
8. Buy your veggies at a Saturday Farmer's Market. These are everywhere, you just have to find one. The veggies are better, fresher, for the most part organic and are grown by local farmers, again saving on shipping. Our Farmers Market is usually cheaper than the grocery store.
I know these tips have nothing to do with AN's or anything, but I just thought I'd share them in honor of Earth Day.
* Steps off the soap box*
Regards,
Capt Deb