Here is a great few ideas for "Going Green" . This was on Kris Carr's blog- Crazysexycancer- I am inserting some of the ways I am going to contribute to going green....
Go Green!
There are so many dynamite ways to get the green glow. Here are just a few breezy solutions.
1. Go Veg! Today it’s nearly impossible to be an environmentalist and still chow tushie (aka carcass, aka meat). Animal agribusiness is the one of the biggest contributors to green house gas, water pollution, ocean acidification, deforestation, fossil fuel depletion, political strife, poverty AND rising disease rates! Be a part of the sexy solution. The rivers will thank you. The oceans, trees, soil, and air will bow to you. Sentient beings will hug you with grateful tears in their eyes. Say goodbye to morbidly expanding waste lines, high cholesterol, artery and colon stuffies, zoomin’ insulin and the increased risk of developing cancer and other annoying diseases. Prevention is HOT, sickness sucks - GO VEG! I am eating more veggies and fruit. Just the way God intended them to be eaten.
2. Eat local and organic. Though it’s always summer somewhere, do we really need a jet flown peach from Chile? When possible shop local, buy organic, and support CSA’s. If cost is an issue buy conventional, but stay away from the 12 most sprayed. Check out my blog SimplySoil, Doug and I will be doubling the size of our garden and being more proactive with canning so we can benefit from our labors year round. Veggies anyone?
3. Dump junk mail and catalogs. Each year over 100 million trees are massacred and turned into junk mail. Consequently, paper makes up 1/3 of the trash mountains in our bloated landfills. I don’t know about you, but I value oxygen (a trees main job) more than a Pottery Barn catalog or Sweepstake teaser. JunkBusters.com GreenDimes.com I DO love my magazines. I will only keep a few of the really good ones and utilize the worldwide web for all my others! I am no longer receiving or buying the paper. Columbus Dispatch .com has all the news I need including the obituiaries ( I am weird I know).
4. Boycott plastic bags! They’re a petroleum nightmare with an eternal impact. Out planet wilts under the weigh of plastic. Countless land and sea creatures die every year as a result of mistaking plastic bags for food or getting tangled in their wicked web. Sassy Chico Bags and Biobags are just a few of the many solutions. Use the reusables. Everyone has them. Check out the Container Store for some really cool ones too.
5. Go paperless by paying bills online. It’s quicker and saves sexy resources. Just imagine the fuel it takes to deliver your AT&T bill! Have gone paperless. I hate mail anyways.
6. Cloth napkins rule, they’re funky and environmentally friendly. Not quite there yet....with kids, paper towels, wipes and especially clorox wipes are the best.
7. Bring your own reusable sippers! The average coffee or tea to-go cup takes about 100 years to breakdown. Styrofoam is FOREVER. Plastic bottles? Thumbs down! They leach destructive chemicals into our delicate internal eco-systems. Ever stop and think about all that take-out silverware we mindlessly discard? Why not bring your own travel mug, Klean Kanteen, or To-go ware to your favorite take-out joint? SEXY! Love my camelback water bottles.
8. Use natural household cleaners. Toxic household spray & scrubs should come with hazmat suits. Protect yourself and your family by moving to natural cleaners. They smell great and are safe and savy! Remember, you absorb what you put on your skin AND what you use in your house.
9. Use a green “dry” cleaner. Dry cleaning agents are dangerous for you and for the planet. When possible use green cleaners or buy clothes that don’t require acid bath professional dip & drys. Dry cleaner? Ha Ha. This is a once a year splurge for us!
10. Use natural skincare products. Your skin is your largest organ, so if you wouldn’t drink a cup of Jergen’s (for example) for goddess sake, don’t put it on your skin! Choose yummy, safe alternatives. Clueless about what brands are safe? Go to Skindeep.org I love Aveda!
11. Switch your bulbs. You’ve heard this a millions times before but compact fluorescent bulbs really do make a difference. Yes, they’re still kinda ugly, but you can always install dimmers! On board with this one too. Not sure I am saving money yet....
12. Change the AC Filter. In the summer, I personally prefer fans and an open window to AC, less stuffy, more better air circulation. Optimize your energy use (and bill) by cleaning or replacing dirty air conditioner filters. Doug and I were forced to not use our AC (needs looked at) and we survived.
13. Air Dry Your Clothes. Line-dry your clothes in the spring and summer instead of using the dryer, how retro Grannie chic! One of my projects for summer is build a clothsline. Had one growing up and remember running through the sheets as they dried.
14. As my dad used to say: “Turn off the damn lights” and “Do we really need to heat the entire neighborhood?” Thanks Dad! Though I thought he was a real pain-in-the-ass when I was a teen, turns out he was right! Turning off the lights is an obvious solution. But did you know that by adjusting your heater thermostat down two degrees in winter and up two degrees in the summer you can save BIG BUCKS?
15. Optimize the energy you use by installing storm windows. Caulk and weather strip your doorways and windows. Safecoat caulking is a nontoxic option. Add natural insulation, especially in the attic.
16. Inflate Your Tires. Keep the tires on your car adequately inflated. Check them monthly and save around 250 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $840 per year.
17. Use power strips and unplug appliances when not in use! Even when electronic devices are turned off, they still suck loads of energy. We unplugged the fridge in the garage...hardly used it anyways.
18. Compost! Since we started composting we have drastically reduced the amount of garbage we generate. Buying minimally packaged goods help too. Less packaging can reduce your garbage by about 10%. My "official compost is a corner of the garden. Still getting the hang of truly composting.
19. Do you really need to let the water run when you’re brushing AND flossing your choppers? Nope.
20. Have sex by candlelight! Preferably with a non-toxic, eco-friendly mood setter. Why do you even need a candle?
Go Green!
There are so many dynamite ways to get the green glow. Here are just a few breezy solutions.
1. Go Veg! Today it’s nearly impossible to be an environmentalist and still chow tushie (aka carcass, aka meat). Animal agribusiness is the one of the biggest contributors to green house gas, water pollution, ocean acidification, deforestation, fossil fuel depletion, political strife, poverty AND rising disease rates! Be a part of the sexy solution. The rivers will thank you. The oceans, trees, soil, and air will bow to you. Sentient beings will hug you with grateful tears in their eyes. Say goodbye to morbidly expanding waste lines, high cholesterol, artery and colon stuffies, zoomin’ insulin and the increased risk of developing cancer and other annoying diseases. Prevention is HOT, sickness sucks - GO VEG! I am eating more veggies and fruit. Just the way God intended them to be eaten.
2. Eat local and organic. Though it’s always summer somewhere, do we really need a jet flown peach from Chile? When possible shop local, buy organic, and support CSA’s. If cost is an issue buy conventional, but stay away from the 12 most sprayed. Check out my blog SimplySoil, Doug and I will be doubling the size of our garden and being more proactive with canning so we can benefit from our labors year round. Veggies anyone?
3. Dump junk mail and catalogs. Each year over 100 million trees are massacred and turned into junk mail. Consequently, paper makes up 1/3 of the trash mountains in our bloated landfills. I don’t know about you, but I value oxygen (a trees main job) more than a Pottery Barn catalog or Sweepstake teaser. JunkBusters.com GreenDimes.com I DO love my magazines. I will only keep a few of the really good ones and utilize the worldwide web for all my others! I am no longer receiving or buying the paper. Columbus Dispatch .com has all the news I need including the obituiaries ( I am weird I know).
4. Boycott plastic bags! They’re a petroleum nightmare with an eternal impact. Out planet wilts under the weigh of plastic. Countless land and sea creatures die every year as a result of mistaking plastic bags for food or getting tangled in their wicked web. Sassy Chico Bags and Biobags are just a few of the many solutions. Use the reusables. Everyone has them. Check out the Container Store for some really cool ones too.
5. Go paperless by paying bills online. It’s quicker and saves sexy resources. Just imagine the fuel it takes to deliver your AT&T bill! Have gone paperless. I hate mail anyways.
6. Cloth napkins rule, they’re funky and environmentally friendly. Not quite there yet....with kids, paper towels, wipes and especially clorox wipes are the best.
7. Bring your own reusable sippers! The average coffee or tea to-go cup takes about 100 years to breakdown. Styrofoam is FOREVER. Plastic bottles? Thumbs down! They leach destructive chemicals into our delicate internal eco-systems. Ever stop and think about all that take-out silverware we mindlessly discard? Why not bring your own travel mug, Klean Kanteen, or To-go ware to your favorite take-out joint? SEXY! Love my camelback water bottles.
8. Use natural household cleaners. Toxic household spray & scrubs should come with hazmat suits. Protect yourself and your family by moving to natural cleaners. They smell great and are safe and savy! Remember, you absorb what you put on your skin AND what you use in your house.
9. Use a green “dry” cleaner. Dry cleaning agents are dangerous for you and for the planet. When possible use green cleaners or buy clothes that don’t require acid bath professional dip & drys. Dry cleaner? Ha Ha. This is a once a year splurge for us!
10. Use natural skincare products. Your skin is your largest organ, so if you wouldn’t drink a cup of Jergen’s (for example) for goddess sake, don’t put it on your skin! Choose yummy, safe alternatives. Clueless about what brands are safe? Go to Skindeep.org I love Aveda!
11. Switch your bulbs. You’ve heard this a millions times before but compact fluorescent bulbs really do make a difference. Yes, they’re still kinda ugly, but you can always install dimmers! On board with this one too. Not sure I am saving money yet....
12. Change the AC Filter. In the summer, I personally prefer fans and an open window to AC, less stuffy, more better air circulation. Optimize your energy use (and bill) by cleaning or replacing dirty air conditioner filters. Doug and I were forced to not use our AC (needs looked at) and we survived.
13. Air Dry Your Clothes. Line-dry your clothes in the spring and summer instead of using the dryer, how retro Grannie chic! One of my projects for summer is build a clothsline. Had one growing up and remember running through the sheets as they dried.
14. As my dad used to say: “Turn off the damn lights” and “Do we really need to heat the entire neighborhood?” Thanks Dad! Though I thought he was a real pain-in-the-ass when I was a teen, turns out he was right! Turning off the lights is an obvious solution. But did you know that by adjusting your heater thermostat down two degrees in winter and up two degrees in the summer you can save BIG BUCKS?
15. Optimize the energy you use by installing storm windows. Caulk and weather strip your doorways and windows. Safecoat caulking is a nontoxic option. Add natural insulation, especially in the attic.
16. Inflate Your Tires. Keep the tires on your car adequately inflated. Check them monthly and save around 250 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $840 per year.
17. Use power strips and unplug appliances when not in use! Even when electronic devices are turned off, they still suck loads of energy. We unplugged the fridge in the garage...hardly used it anyways.
18. Compost! Since we started composting we have drastically reduced the amount of garbage we generate. Buying minimally packaged goods help too. Less packaging can reduce your garbage by about 10%. My "official compost is a corner of the garden. Still getting the hang of truly composting.
19. Do you really need to let the water run when you’re brushing AND flossing your choppers? Nope.
20. Have sex by candlelight! Preferably with a non-toxic, eco-friendly mood setter. Why do you even need a candle?
I would love for you to share with me the ways you are "going green", this is a work in progress for me.
2 comments:
I love this post, Alexa! I am doing a few of the ones you mentioned, but sadly so many more could I do!! Thanks for opening my eyes to more!
Love that you are back in the blogging world and glad you are sharing your fun life with us!
Good luck with the RA diet- if I could eat skittles all day, I would! Today it's starburst jelly beans that I bought at the new Target with Bonnie- honestly, the first bag is nearly gone!
Sad, I know!
Way to "GO GREEN"! It's always great to read what we can all be doing to help out. Even though I do most of these already, It's good to get a "refresher" in my head. Can't wait to start my garden. Went and bought my seeds yesterday!
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