Going Green

[sass_in_the_pants]

I realized today that Guy and I do quite that helps the environment without even thinking about it. And really all of these things that I do, I do because I'm cheap and lazy. It doesn't even have one thing to do with helping the planet.

Cloth diapers, for instance. When we told people we were going to use cloth diapers on the babies, they looked at us like we were from outer space. But you know what? With two little babies and both of us working, what's harder, packing up two babies into their carseats, driving to the grocery store, getting the diapers and driving home, or just going into my basement and doing a load of laundry? For us, the laundry was the easier option. Not to mention WAY cheaper. Everyone made this HUGE deal about how difficult cloth diapers were going to be, and they really aren't at all.

We use reuseable canvas grocery bags. The plastic bags made my hands itchy. I think I was allergic or something.

I freecyle whenever possible. I'm just too lazy to go through the trouble of getting rid of stuff, so I have other people come to my house and take it away for me.

I bring my own plate and silverware to work, because trying to cut your leftover pot roast with a plastic knife on a paper plate just plain sucks. As a matter of fact, I am VERY opposed to plastic servingware for any occasion. You only have to have ONE chicken breast with tomato sauce fly off the plate onto your dress before you swear off plasticware forever.

So, really, I do all of this because it helps ME. Can you imagine what an impact I could make if I actually took the trouble to care?

Okay, your turn. What do you do?

[creatureofthenyte]

I ate a green pepper.

[ttogreh]

I drive a 75 MPG + motor scooter. I recycle all of my paper, HDPE, LDPE, aluminum, steel, and glass waste. I compost instead of using the garbage disposal. Instead of burning leaves, I compost them. I am taking care of four young trees that I planted. I use solar panels to charge batteries for indoor lighting with LEDs. I have replaced all of my incandescent lights with either LEDs or compact fluorescents. I write to my congress people about green issues. That is what I am doing.

I am going to figure out how to reuses my laundry water for my garden and other things. I am going to collect the rain water off of my house to use for my garden. I am figuring out how to build an electric windmill, and I am going to buy more batteries, and build more LED lighting.

Are there some more ideas?

[Lillylu29]

heres some helpful ways to do cleaning products:

Make Your Own Household Cleaners

By Linda Mason Hunter

Cleaning your house with low-toxic cleansers you make yourself is an excellent way to start your green home-maintenance program. Not only are these cleansers healthy and effective, they smell good, cost less than commercial products, don't pollute indoor air, and only take a minute to make.

Begin by sorting out the area where you keep your cleaning products. Box up all commercial cleansers - ammonia, oven cleaners, furniture polish, disinfectant, toilet cleaner. Tighten the lids and store the cleansers in the garage until your community's next hazardous-waste collection day.

Now you're ready to replace those synthetic chemicals with natural products you make yourself using ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

The most common ingredients are:

Borax

Distilled white vinegar

Baking soda

Salt

Washing soda

Cooking oil

Lemons

Although you may use these recipes to stock your green cleaning cupboard, most work best when freshly mixed.

General Cleaner and Disinfectant

Dissolve 1 cup borax in a gallon of warm water

Scouring Powder

Sprinkle borax, baking powder or dry table salt on a damp sponge; scour and rinse. Or rub the area to be cleaned with half a lemon dipped in borax.

Rinse and dry with a soft cloth.

Dishwasher Soap

Most automatic dishwashing detergents contain phosphates that pollute waterways. An environmentally preferred alternative is one part borax and one part washing soda. If you live in a hard-water area, you may have to adjust the proportions to avoid scum forming on dishes.

Laundry Soap

Detergents were designed to clean synthetic fibers. Natural fibers can be adequately cleaned with natural substances. Use a mixture of half borax and half washing soda (the same mixture can be used in the dishwasher). To keep colors from fading, add a drop or two of vinegar in the laundry water.

Drain Opener

Dissolve 1 cup baking soda and one cup vinegar in boiling water and pour down the drain. Continue to flush with hot tap water until the clog breaks.

Oven Cleaner

Let the oven cool, then sprinkle salt on the spill right away. Let it cool for a few minutes, then scrape the spill away and wash the area clean. Use baking soda for scouring.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Use a solution of baking soda and water or vinegar for the bowl. Sprinkle baking soda around the rim. Scrub with toilet brush as needed. This solution will clean and deodorize.

Furniture Polish

Mix two parts cooking oil with one part lemon juice. Apply to furniture with a soft cloth and wipe it dry.

Ceramic Tile Cleaner

UA mixture of 1/4-cup vinegar to one gallon of water removes most dirt without scrubbing and doesn't leave a film.

I also Hate using paper plater and plastic utencils.... If I hapen to buy my lunch at work I save my plastic containers that they come in and reuse them to store my leftovers in or take lunch to work in. I also freecycle (LOVE this site). i recently also replaced all my light bulbs with LED's and had my house weatherized(i.e had my heater cleaned, house insulated, ect..).

[ttogreh]

Lilylu29, you replaced all of your lights with LEDs? Where did you get them? All I can find in stores are compact fluorescents. The LED lighting I have in my house, are home made rigs, soldered together and wired in to the battery myself...

[Lillylu29]

I had a home weatherization company come in and see what i needed to do more to help conserve more and they gave me 6. and i must appoligise their not the led's their the fluorescents(The twisted bulbs), I must of had led stuck in my head.... Iv seen them somewhere and now cant remember where......I'll keep an eye out again for them thoe Im positive iv seen them....

[Destroit]

My computer is powered by hamsters. Don't think I'm selfish and starting some slave labor hamster movement, they're hamsters in need of exercise because they're type two diabetic and have high cholesterol.

I give back what I can.

[ttogreh]

A three hundred watt power supply through Hamsters? They might be fat, but they would also have to be on meth.