Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Happy Earth Day!

I really try to do my part to help the environment. What are some of the great strides I have taken?
  • Out of the 5 times I go to the bathroom in the middle of the night I probably only flush once.
  • I try to use as few wipes as possible when I change my child's diaper. This is becoming more and more difficult as her poops are becoming "Man Poos" but back in the day when she didn't eat solids I prided myself on being a one wiper.
  • I always reuse my grocery bags. They make for great poopy diaper holders, bathroom trash bags, lunch sack for the hubbie, and laundry bag when on vacation.
  • I don't use very many paper towels. In fact my husband bought some when we first moved in 10 months ago and I haven't had to purchase any since. Mind you he bought a ton at an Albertson's 8 hour sale and they are a kind I hate.
  • I have only gone through one of the Costco disinfectant wipes since we moved in.
  • I reuse my Gladware far longer than I should.
  • I make Emery color on paper that is printed on the other side .
  • I reuse swim diapers if they haven't been pooped in (many think this is disgusting but do you honestly think that the pee stayed in the diaper?).
  • I wait as long as possible to do the laundry or run the dishwasher. Might as well wait for a full load, right?
What? That just means I am cheap and lazy? No, I think I am about as GREEN as they come. Oh, and I have one more big one to add to my list.
  • I finally signed up for recycling in my area.
Sure, I recycled like a champ in Eugene where they basically force it upon you - but when I moved to Las Vegas I wasn't given any bins so I gave up. Well, no more being lazy, people. My bins will be delivered soon and may the separating of paper and plastic begin. I feel really good right now.

12 comments:

Cassey said...

Hooray for recycling! Good for you, you'll feel great doing it. A little extra effort but well worth it!

Kara said...

Good for you! I'm impressed. I am feeling very wasteful right now. I have recycle bins, but I am not sure what can and can't be recycled. You might have to give me some pointers.

Lizzy said...

Yay for being green! I'm pretty killer at recycling but I've got a long way to go on reducing my use of wipes and paper towels. I go through a roll of paper towels a week, same with wipes. I need to improve my green skills.

Tara said...

I'm with Liz I am horrible with paper towels! I use them way too much. What do you use in place of them?

Well good for you signing up for recycling. does it cost extra? Seriously I never really recycled until I moved to Eugene. Every city should be like this hippie city in that way!

Emily said...

Yea, I too am a little skeptical of what you clean with if you don't use clorox wipes OR paper towels.

I didn't even KNOW we could sign up for recycling...how great!!

Brianne said...

I don't think any of that is being lazy. Maybe it's because I do most of the same, but it's SO not lazy. You're just being smart and re-using things that aren't garbage! So Green of you!!

{lizzythebotanist} said...

very funny! didn't they give you like a gallon-sized trash can in oregon to force you to use the recycling bin? i have to admit that a lot of my motivation for recycling is to see my recycling bin more full than my trash bin-just a weird obsession i have.

Ilene said...

I miss Eugene recycling. It was great because you could pay for the smaller trash bin because half of all trash went into the recycling.

I read Kristine's blog last night and started to feel guilty... I do reuse the plastic bags as diaper containers or when feeling ambitious (and I remember), I will take excess bags back to the store to be recycled.

Now I feel better about myself.

Alifinale said...

People, you missed the joke - I am so not that good at being environmentally friendly. I just like to pretend that the little things that I would do anyway are good enough. But thanks for making me feel good (and dirty because I don't use as many wipes as you do)

Chante said...

What, swim diapers? I have never heard of such of thing to save them! I think you're crazy! I know the pee may not stay in them, but the yucky chlorine water in them and all. Whatever, I've never tried it so I do not know how they save and what they look like so I guess I shouldn't be talking......and I use like a role of paper towels a week. What is wrong with me? You need to show me how to do things so I can save more!

Lima Bean said...

(Ilene, I totally didn't mean to make you feel guilty.:-) I got the joke Alison, but, actually I kept getting more and more impressed with everything you included on your list. Once I watched my brother-in-law change his son's diaper and use like nine wipes, so hey, if you've gotten it down to one, I'm very, very impressed.

McCall said...

yea, i think i could work on my benig a little more "greenish". i go through way too many paper towels and disinfectant wipes. and i could be much better at recycling. i usually think its just too big of a pain to deal with. but really - you ahve inspired me, i should get my act together.