"Going Green" is a process. I've been working on it for the last 4 years, But I am still learning and making simple adjustments to my lifestyle that will improve my health, lesses my impact on the environment, and still be the funloving, stylish woman that I want to be.
I recently read 3 books by Sophie Uliano in the "Gorgeously Green" series. They've inspired me to set some Green Goals for myself, even though this month is a crazy-hectic one for me.
My goal within the next 4 weeks is to implement the following changes:
1. Reduce or eliminate my use of paper towels.
I'm going to make cloth napkins with fabric remnants I have left over from sewing projects, or repurpose pretty-but-old household items. I'm going to get or make a basket/container to hold clean ones by my sink (where the paper towels sit) and a can/container to hold dirty ones under the sink until laundry day. I've been buying recylced paper towels (and TP) for a long time, and I'll still use them for a few purposes. But my day-to-day use will be drastically reduced. And maybe I'll finally have a use for all those napkin rings I've never known what to do with!
Here is a tutorial you might find useful, were you to decide to try this too: http://chezbeeperbebe.blogspot.com/2009/09/tutorial-and-pattern-cloth-napkins-5.html
2. Eliminate use of plastic ware.
I'm an office girl, and for the last 4 years have endeavored to take a healthy, homemade lunch with me to work. It saves money and time, and since I'm vegetarian in a not-so-veg-aware community, it allows me to have a nice lunch with variety every day. However, I admit, plastic utensils have been a part of my lunch bag. I bought biodegradable ones from Whole Foods, after I realized what I was using wasn't recyclable. But my goal now is to visit a local thrift store and purchase a "lunch set" of real utensils (a knife, fork, and spoon, minimum) and take it to work to store in my desk. I'm going to commit to making a trip to the office kitchen after each lunch, wash them, and return them to my desk for the next day's lunch.
3. Use less plastic baggies (ziploc style), and wash/reuse the ones I do find necessary
I love my plastic ziploc baggies. I store everything in them, partial vegetables, open bags of rice/quinoa, trailmix in single serving sizes, etc. But I'm going to make an effort to cut my use at least in half - by keeping those things in reusable containers instead of baggies. I also read somewhere that you can wash and reuse these bags - take 2 of them, turn them inside out, place your hands inside, and by using your dish detergent, wash the insides of the bag (by going through the action of washing your hands while they're inside). Then you place them over a tall bottle or glass to dry. Sounds reasonable.
4. Get a Yogurt Maker
Until I read the Gorgeously Green books, I had no idea you could make yogurt at home. This was fascinating to learn, because I eat yogurt (specifically greek yogurt) everyday for the protien and health benefits, and use it in recipes for both foods and beauty treatments. But I do cringe at all the tiny single-serving plastic containers this adds to my "footprint" on the earth, whether they get recycled or not. So this month, I am going to research and purchase a yogurt maker, and commit to making yogurt at home (at least once a month to start). I will do a seperate blog on my experience with that.
5. Research and Get a Bread Maker
I have several friends who own breadmakers and use them regularly. They have large families, and so I never thought it would be economical for me, as I already have to keep my single loaf of bread in the fridge so it doesn't go bad before I eat it. I also only eat 100% whole wheat bread, and recently have been buying the Ezekial 4:9 sprouted bread. Then I realized that bread makers come in different sizes!! I can get one that will make a loaf smaller than the one I already get at the store. And I can only put ingredients in it that I want. And they have timers, so theoretically I can set it for the bread to be ready when I want it! I'm going to research brands and options, and commit to purchasing a bread machine (and using it) by the middle of April.
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