- The thermostat is set at 64 this year. We wear sweatshirts.
And have no whining offspring around these days to complain. - We turned down the hot water heater.
- I traded in my SUV for an energy-efficient sedan.
- When I forget my cloth grocery bags, which I do with frightening regularity, I recycle the plastic bags.
- I recycle everything I can. Did you know Staples takes used ink cartridges and gives you a refund?!
- We use vinegar to clean a large portion of the house. It sometimes smells like a big salad in here.
- We have a salt generator on the pool so we don't use chlorine.
- I rarely buy water bottles.
- I "buy local" as much as possible.
What do you do? I want more ideas, please.
19 comments:
I recycle my old cell phones (when upgrading) by giving them to charities and the Cell Phones for Soldiers program.
I also make sure to throw any and all batteries -- that haven't yet been replaced by rechargeable ones -- in the recycle bin. It's usually so easy to forget those AAs should be recycled, not thrown in the garbage.
Instead of buying individual packs of yogurt, I buy the big jug and divide it into one cup glass containers. They don't recycle yogurt cups around here, so it helps with the amount of waste.
We use a plastic sandwich container for sandwiches every day instead of plastic bags. JBM insists on it. Also replaced lunch box with small bags made of recycled paper.
I am constantly turning off lights. And I'm trying to give up my deep and long-abiding addiction to paper towels...so far it hasn't worked.
I feel like such a big earth-resource-sucking loser with my 68 degrees...
Stainless steel water bottles for each family member instead of plastic
Cloth grocery bags
Fill containers with cold water while you are waiting for the hot water to kick-in. Water plants and animals with it.
I have one better on the cartridges. Cartiridge World will refill your cartridges at half the price of new ones. I used to recycle at Staples, but this place provides a bigger savings plus, they have over 300 inks to blend.
I no longer purchase bottles water either, but purchased a water bottle for everyone and refil.
My SUV is bye bye and now I drive a very economy friendly car.
While shopping at Whole Foods, I always look for the veggies and meat from the local producers. It really saves!
I went to whole foods 365 laundry detergent.
I've lowered the thermostat too, but cannot quite drop it as low as you because of Jack and MIL.
So, you and i are on the same page...
I'm considering going to one ply tp...but that may be one step too far!
Cloth napkins.
And a night time set-back on the thermostat, to 55.
Last time I was in BB&B I found this pack with cloths that sop up wet and work on dust and included was a chamois for cleaning my glasses ... cost of $9.99 and now I dont use paper towels ... I also steal recycled hand towels from the office to use when Gus recycles his breakfast
I have a cloth tote in my shoulder bag all the time so I never need to get a paper or plastic sack when I food shop... which also earns me ten cents off my purchase at Zabars
When we enclosed our garage this year, we went ahead and had a propane tank installed. Now, we have an instant hot water system, which has already saved us quite a bit of $.
We, too, have the salt system for our pool, so NO chemicals.
Unfortunately, we choose to burn our paper trash. It helps us save on trash bags, and trips to the dump. This, I believe, cancels out any effort I may make to go green! Something about emissions...
We recycle everything at the Little House. Cardboard,paper, and all the aluminum we sell and give the money to our chuch. With the help of others we have raised about 5 thousand dollars in the last 5-6 years. I use alot of Vinegar too. We put in a geothermal heat system last year and our power bill is down about 100.00 a month. And we use those new light bulbs. I am still getting used to them.
The times that I forget my cloth bags for the store, I always get paper. Then I use those as trash bags (remember, like we used to do before plastic was invented?).
I refuse to buy bottled water or any sort of bottled beverages that come in a million small plastic containers. We will fill a thermos with tap water if we need to, and I'm going back to making orange juice, etc. from concentrate and storing it in glass pitchers in the icebox. (YOu know, like we used to before plastic was invented.)
I also minimize use of paper towels by using more cloth napkins and cloth kitchen towels to mop up mess in the kitchen. Just rinse and toss in the wash with the rest of the dirty laundry, it's no big deal.
I have four thousand cats and u sed to buy those four packs of wet food. Now I will buy the larger single cans. It's not only less waste from a can perspective, it's cheaper.
Glad to hear you like a cold house - you can see your breath here! Bundle up.
We've been recycling and going to the dump with all our trash. We go once a month because it's just the two of us.
My husband line dries all of our laundry to save energy. It's cut our electric bill in half.
We keep the place fairly cool and wear sweaters. Saves a lot on fuel costs.
I recycle everything I can but I suspect that there is nothing additional to your list except that when we aren't using certain appliances, we unplug them.
Also, one thing that has helped me to remember my cloth bags: I went online to dogeared dot com and bought their fun, heavy-duty canvas bags. I'm so proud of them that I seldom forget them & no one else has them, so the bags always get lots of stares!
OMG My thermo is at 73!
I am planting a sustainable vineyard!
I buy local as much as possible too.
I use cloth grocery bags until I run out of kitchen trash bags. Then I buy the plastic bags provided at the cash register for those bad people who don't use reusable cloth bags to pack their groceries.
I do this until I get enough plastic bags to last a while to use as kitchen trash bags. Then I go back to using the cloth bags. The plastic grocery bags cost less and are larger than the ones actually meant for kitchen trash.
I wonder how many other people do this. I still get nasty stares by people for "forgetting" my cloth bags.
I wish we could set our thermostat....we are still at 95.....so sick of the heat!!!!! Good for you....it has to start with each one of us.....
I do many of the things you do. We also use energy efficient lighting. In fact we are considering getting LED lights for christmas decorating this year. Every little bit helps!
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