Green Living Challenge: April 2008

[snozzberry]

: : : : : : : : : :

We use this thread to post the things we are working on each month to live a greener lifestyle. Feel free to post what you're working on, what you've already mastered, or even the things you're just thinking about working on!

I'll try to keep our roll call in the next post up-to-date but please PM me if I mix something up or miss something entirely.

If you want more green living talk, check out the Living Green forum or the Green Living Tribe.

A special thanks to rainbowmoon for starting the first ever Green Living Challenge!

Challenge History:
2007: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, December
2008: January

[snozzberry]

Challenge Roll Call!

Note: I try to group similar goals, so just let me know if I misinterpret anything!

Updated through post 2

Green Mamas
~*Jaime; 2babybees; 2Sweeties1Angel; AaronsMommy; abharrington; Aguazul; aidanmom; aircantu1; almadianna; AlwaysByMySide; Ambrose; Amoreena; amydawnsmommy; AngelBee; anniebee; arwenevenstar; AuntLavender; AuntRayRay; Awaken; babymakesthree; Beachlivnmom; Benji'sMom; berkeleyp; Berty; Bex80; blizzard_babe; boigrrrlwonder; boobybunny; BornInSeptember; brittneyscott; cafechi; calicocj; cam&kat's_mom; captivatedlife; chloeM; cilantromapuche; cking; cloudswinger; counterGOPI; Crunchie; Crunchy Doula; dbsam; delfuego; Deva33mommy; Eaglevoice; Earth Angel; earthmama369; Earthy Mama; eco_mama; eden/averymum; edensmama; eirual; emski4379; ErikaLeigh; Fiestabeth; flapjack; flatheadjane; frogguruami; G-love; GenB; goddessgold1; granola_mom; greenmansions; Gumby; heathenmom; heatherdeg; helen_emily; hibana; hlkm2e; Inquiringmind; ItyBty; Jay'smom; Jenlaana; JenLove; Jennisee; jillibug; katheek77; Keeta; kellid; kellybelly; kellykins; kimberlychapman; KKmama; krabigirl; ktog29; Lady of Z Lake; LeighB; leomom; lexapurple; Leylla; lilsishomemade; lioralourie; Livi's Mama; Lohagrace; lumott; lurable; madskye; mama_bee; mama kate; mamaley; MamaRabbit; Mamatohaleybug; maxsmum; maybemom05; mchalehm; mean_jeannie; MelanieMC; melissa17s; mightymoo; moderngal; momaste; MonkeyPrincess; MorganRiley; mousemadeslings; mrsalf97; MrsMike; MrsMiller; mudmama; mugglemom; MyLittleWarrior; mystic~mama; nathansmum; Naturecraft; Neth Naneth; New Mama; Nico DeMouse; nina_yyc; norcalmommy; normajean; oceane; olliepop; papschmitty; PixelDust; pixiesmommy; pixiewytch; QDB; rachiem; Radish4ever; rainbowmoon; razbrue; roostery; saratc; scbegonias; ~Shanna~; simonboy'smommy; Slabobbin; SneakyPie; snowbunny; snozzberry; sophi4ka; StormySar; straighthaircurly; stretchmark; streuselmama; sunanthem; sunflwrmoonbeam; superstella; SusanInItaly; sweetirishCT; swimswamswum; talia rose; thomlynn; triscuitsmom; turnipmama; utopia760; Valkyrie9; vannienicole; VeganCupcake; VeganLove; velochic; vermontgirl; wateraddict; whitedoyle; xekomaya; zenenlightened

Ideas for Goals

Reduce

• Teach DC what wasting energy means
• Remind family to not open the fridge, turn lights off when not in use, etc
• Reduce junk mail
• Get off credit card offer lists
• Use less paper products
• Decrease garbage
• Have 2 trash cans (one for paper and one for plastics)
  
• AC/Heat
• Keep the thermostat set low or turn it way down at night/when gone
• Adjust the thermostat one degree up/down each day, week, or month
• Use a geothermal heat pump
• Use a wood-burning furnace
• Use cheap/free sources of firewood or trees that have been felled by natural forces
• Hang curtains with thick liners to keep out drafts
• Use an attic fan instead of AC when possible
• Clean air filter monthly
• Add weather stripping around doors and windows
• Close vents upstairs during the day
  
• Electronics/Appliances
• Put appliances on a power strip for easy on/off or unplug when not in use
• Shut down/unplug appliances when not in use
• Configure automatic sleep/hibernation settings for the computer
• Turn computer off when not in use
• Use rechargable batteries for everything that takes batteries
• Watch less TV
• Use energy-efficient appliances
• Microwave instead of starting the oven/stove to warm things up
• Don't use the microwave or don't own one
• Sweep and/or dust daily so vacuuming isn't as necessary
• Use a clean-burning wood stove
• Turn off freezer during spring/summer
• Have a no-TV/computer week
• Use a Kill-A-Watt meter to track energy use
• Proofread documents on the computer to avoid printing several drafts
  
• Home Improvement
• Get an energy audit
• Insulate the attic
• Add UV film to windows to cut down on sun exposure
• Install low-e windows with fiberglass frames
• Install a photovoltaic/solar panel system
• Build a greenhouse off the house to help heat with solar
  
• Laundry
• Use clothesline/hang clothes for drying
• Reuse/rewear linens/clothes that aren't dirty
• Spin laundry again before moving to the dryer to save on dry time
• Do only full loads of laundry
• Wash with cold water
• Hook up dryer vent to vent into the basement to provide moisture and heat for the house
  
• Lighting
• Use natural light as much as possible
• Turn lights off when leaving a room, even if it's for just a few minutes
• Install a motion sensor light in areas where the lights usually get left on
• Switch lightbulbs to compact fluorescent/energy efficient as they burn out
• Replace inefficient track lighting
  
• Water
• Use aerators
• Turn water off while brushing teeth
• Use a cup for toothbrushing instead of running the tap
• Rinse dishes immediately after using them
• Handwash dishes when possible
• Be mindful of how much water we're using
• Put a half-gallon jug of water in the toilet
• If it's yellow, let it mellow
• Use an energy-efficient or solar hot water heater
• Fix water leaks
• Encourage family to take shorter showers
• Take fewer baths
• Use a water-saving showerhead
• Replace main bathtub faucet/spigot with a water-saving showerhead to ease shallow baths
• Use a spray bottle to wet baby wipes
• Make sure sprinkler system has a rain indicator so it doesn't run after it's been raining

Reuse

• Find new ways to reuse what we have
• Reuse grey water
• Search for items around the house that can be gardening containers instead of buying new items
• Reuse old windows
• Use the library
• Convert old trash cans into compost bins instead of buying new bins
• Use a reusable Teflon-coated paint roller pan
• Use the back side of paper as scratch paper or printer/fax paper at home and work
• Install a reusable air filter for AC/heating system
  
• Bags
• Use canvas bags or basket when shopping
• Keep an extra bag in the car for unplanned errands
• Reuse produce bags or use cloth produce bags
• Take in no new plastic bags
• Rinse/reuse plastic bags for food storage/freezing
• Buy recycled garbage bags
• Collect plastic grocery bags from friends and cut into strips to weave into reusable bags
  
• Cleaning
• Stop using and/or hide paper towels and switch to reusable linens
• Cut up rags for daily sink and toilet wipe down (no more clorox wipes)
• Use paper bags for trashing kitty litter
• Take plastic bags from the recycle bin at the grocery store to use as poop bags for dog walks
  
• Food/Eating
• Eliminate all disposable plates, cups, and silverware
• Use cloth napkins
• Make own wine and reuse wine bottles
• Buy milk in returnable bottles
• Pack lunches with reusable materials and water bottles
• Bring coffee/tea from home in reusable mugs
  
• Hygiene Products
• Use cloth hankies not tissues or increase hankie use
• Use cloth mama pads
• Sew mama cloths with old towels/pajamas
• Use a diva cup/keeper
• Use cloth tp/family cloth
• Cut down on or set a limit for tp usage
• Buy only recycled tp for non-cloth tp family or visitors
• Use cloth diapers
• Use cloth wipes
• Sew cloth training pants

Recycle

• Recycle at home
• Recycle at work
• Take plastic bags to store for recycling
• Pick up recyclables on the ground
• Sort/store trash for recycling
• Set up an organization system for recycling
• Use recycled paper goods
• Use freecycle when possible

Simplify

• Simplify, declutter, sell, donate, repurpose
• Don't buy anything new unless absolutely necessary/only buy necessities
• Think before buying (Do I really need this? Can I make it? How will I have to dispose of it some day?)
• Buy all clothes secondhand or make them
• Have a no-buy week
• Shop at thrift stores more often
• Buy items to make from scratch rather than premade
• Buy in bulk when possible
• Make more purchases locally, from small stores and/or avoid big box stores
• Buy fair-trade when possible
• Buy products from companies that are environmentally conscious
• For parties, decorate with items from nature

Safe Home and Body Care

• Use non-toxic cat litter
• Rid home of all chemicals possible
• Rid home of all plastics possible (storage bins, kitchen items, plastic packaging, etc)
• Have wooden/natural toys
• Use reusable, non-plastic water bottles and take them when eating out
• Buy only natural fiber clothes and other items when possible
• Install a shower filter to get rid of chlorine and other toxins
• Install a water filter to get rid of toxins
  
• Body Care
• Use all natural and/or homemade body care products
• Wash face with honey
• No-poo (use alternatives to shampoo and less frequently)
  
• Cleaning
• Use all natural and/or homemade cleaners
• Cut down on bleach use
• Use all natural air fresheners
• Use wicker laundry basket/hamper instead of plastic
• Use soapnuts/washnuts for laundry
  
• Food/Cooking
• Replace all Teflon pots and pans with stainless and cast iron
• Replace plastic tupperware with glass storage containers
• Avoid using plastic wrap for leftovers
• Use butcher paper and tape, unbleached parchment paper, or unbleached waxed paper bags instead of plastic bags
• Use wooden plates and utensils for DC instead of plastic
  
• Health
• Use homeopathic remedies
• Make Kombucha to stay healthy
  
• Home Improvement/Furnishings
• Buy houseplants to help clean the inside air (see book How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office)
• Use low/no-VOC eco-friendly paint
• Use more green/recycled building materials and furnishings
• Replace mattress with natural latex mattress
• Get rid of particleboard furniture in the house
• Test furnishings for lead
• Use pillows filled with natural fibers
• Use rugs made of natural fibers
• Replace carpet with non-toxic flooring, such as bamboo, cork, or mud
• Use mud plaster on walls
• Replace furniture that contains foam cushioning (treated with flame retardants) with furniture that does not
• Replace bed and bedding with non-toxic versions (cotton/wool or latex mattresses, organic bedding, non-synthetic pillows, etc)

Food/Gardening

• Food/Cooking
• Eat more (or all) organic/natural
• Budget to afford more organic
• Eat more raw
• Buy produce at farmer's markets
• Buy local foods when it's an option
• Buy whole foods with minimal and/or recyclable packaging
• Buy more fresh produce
• Buy more in bulk
• Plan meals before shopping to avoid wasting unused food
• Keep foods with additives out of the house
• Don't eat foods with high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils
• Eat at home more/eat out less
• Cook from scratch as much as possible
• Learn about eating in a way that's good for the environment
• Reduce grocery spending
• Reduce amount of junk/highly processed foods bought
• Eat vegetarian/vegan more often
• Become vegetarian/vegan
• Join a CSA (community-supported agriculture)
• Join a co-op and shop there
• Can, jar, dry, and freeze food
• Avoid canned products that contain lead and bisphenol-A (BPA)
• Make own food when possible (jelly, relish, mustard, etc)
• Make homemade pizza
• Make own bread products
• Make homemade yogurt
• Drink raw milk
• Keep goats for milk
• Keep hens for eggs or get eggs locally
• Switch pets to better food
• Breastfeed
• For parties, serve local and/or in-season food
  
• Gardening
• Compost, compost more, or improve composting setup
• Build a worm bin
• Start or expand a garden
• Start an herb garden
• Practice native gardening and limit watering
• Practice organic gardening
• Plant fruit trees or trees for shade
• Limit water used for gardening (use rain barrels, bath water, etc)
• Practice green lawn care (use reel mower, pull weeds manually, no herbicides or weed 'n feed)
• Come up with a green solution for fire ants

Transportation

• Walk more, drive less
• Carpool when it's an option
• Start a carpooling group at eRideShare
• Take the bus/train more instead of driving
• Ride bike more often/use trailer for packages and kids
• Have no-drive days every month
• Drive easier
• Check tire pressure monthly to improve mileage
• Combine errands and drive less
• Plan grocery trips so going less times a month
• Use a personal grocery cart to walk instead of drive
• Take a train trip instead of driving
• Track mileage in preparation for reducing driving
• Convert diesel vehicle to run on used vegetable oil
• Drive a small, fuel-efficient, and/or used car
• Drive a hybrid

Etc

• Go to a Sierra Club meeting
• Write to representatives about green issues (for example, cut tax breaks for the oil companies and use the money to fund alternative energy and tax credits for people and businesses that install energy upgrades, buy efficient cars, etc)
• Write one letter a week to an elected official
• Be greener for birthdays and holidays (use LED lights; give homemade gifts or buy locally made or with minimal packaging; reused or recycled wrapping paper, cloth wrapping paper, or gift boxes; shred junk mail to use to pack gifts; no plastic presents; buy less stuff; request less stuff)
• Participate in utility company's green energy program or powersave program
• Get children's books to encourage DC to follow in footsteps
• Offset family's carbon footprint
• Write a Green Living article for work, neighborhood, or church newsletters
• Donate subscriptions/books for green-minded materials to local library (such as Mothering and An Inconvenient Truth)
• Write a letter to grocery store asking them to charge for disposable bags and/or offer a credit for bringing reusable bags
• Move closer to workplace

[Carlyn]

These goals are important to our family. I'm working on trying to find green/healthier shampoos. We just moved closer to my husband's job, so we're getting to know how things work in our new community. I hang laundry, cook from scratch, breastfeed, cloth diaper, use reusable bags/bins, buy bulk, garden, can...but there are always things to improve and learn. We're hoping to produce our own biodiesel this year. Can I join you?

[snozzberry]

Originally Posted by Carlyn

These goals are important to our family. I'm working on trying to find green/healthier shampoos. We just moved closer to my husband's job, so we're getting to know how things work in our new community. I hang laundry, cook from scratch, breastfeed, cloth diaper, use reusable bags/bins, buy bulk, garden, can...but there are always things to improve and learn. We're hoping to produce our own biodiesel this year. Can I join you?

Please do join us!

[snozzberry]

btw...is anyone planning anything special to celebrate Earth Day this month?

[counterGOPI]

thank you kelly for the invite! i always forget otherwise!! bbl with my info for the month!

[Awaken]

Hi! I haven't posted in a while, but I'm back.

Thanks for all those ideas listed above- we are doing a lot of them, but as spring and summer come I hope to look through the list again and see what else we can implement.

My main things right now are reducing plastic bag use, not taking in any more if at all possible.

Locally produced food has been my biggie this past year. So as the growing season ramps up I am really looking forward to eating even more fresh, local, seasonal food than last year! I loved Barbara Kingsolver's book- it was a big help to me in solidifying my commitment to eating local!

[velochic]

So glad to see this back. I have some good things to post regarding this past winter. Will be back.

[TinyFrog]

Thank you Kelly for the reminder.



When is Earth Day this year?

[mumkenna&lucas]

Originally Posted by wateraddict

When is Earth Day this year?

I "think" it is April 22nd??

I have been trying to think of things to do with my children for Earth Day, so I would love to hear about what everyone else is planning to do!!

[utopia760]

my green goals for this month-

make more grocery bags

make cloth napkins and get rid of papertowels

make more cloth wipes

buy reuseable takeout containers for when i go out to est

cook more homemade meals

this and my yearly goals will be posted in my blog http://mylovleycrunchylife.blogspot.com/

[hibana]

This month, I am going to start composting. (finally)

[straighthaircurly]

This month:

plan an expanded garden and start seeds (because this year I WILL learn how to can food)

build bike "paniers" from old cat litter tubs so that I can start hauling groceries on my bike easier...I went to a seminar last summer but never made them because I don't buy cat litter in tubs (since I buy Sweat Scoop), but now I am cleaning out a friend's basement and she has a dozen empties.

start training our cats to use the toilet...yes, seriously... check it out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I79-B...eature=related

[BellaLuna Rayne]

I haven't posted in awhile.

I have to rethink my goals, since we moved back into an apartment and NONE of the applainces are energy star Also, our apartment faces north, so I don't know how I am gonna grow anything when we don't get really any light.

[VeganCupcake]

snozzberry, congratulations on your babe's birth! Thanks for setting up the thread again.

I'm going to have to do some thinking about this month, but I do know one thing I'm working on:

1. knit 3 pairs of soakers/longies for my baby to use with CDs

[jadekat]

This is a great thread! I'm still new to going green but I'm enjoying it so far.
What I do:
-Use cloth bags at the store.
-Use rags for cleaning and hankies.
-Turn off lights more.
-Recycle more.
-Use cloth diapers for DS.
-Switched to natural bath products for DC. Working on it for me.
-Use green cleaners.

[JenLove]

Subbing for now. Thanks for the PM that it was back up and runnin'!

[mrsalf97]

subbing

[JenLove]

This winter we have turned down the thermostat to about 66* during the day and 62*-64* at night and we just use extra covers.
I started using the library more and buying books from Goodwill, St. Vinnies, and a second hand bookstore that gives credit for bringing in books for trade.
I switched over to vinegar, water, and baking soda to clean.
We set up bins in the garage for recycling, and we take them to the recycling center when they are all full.
We signed up for a CSA for this summer.


This month:
Put bags in my car to reuse at stores.
Use paperbags for kitty litter cleaning.
Use less tp per use and if it's yellow - let it mellow.
Clean and reuse plastic sandwhich bags.
Buy more second hand and really think about purchases - (Do I really need this? Can I make it? How will I have to dispose of it some day?)
Eat in more.
Plant seeds for herb garden.

[flapjack]

I'm back- with a moral conundrum. My boys go to school, and we're already the oddball family because there's 4 of us, we're downwardly mobile, I walk or use public transport rather than drive on the school run, etc. Well, my oldest brought home his homework six days late last week, which drove me nuts- and it was the old "check your family's water usage for a week and turn it into a bar chart" conundrum. Including how many times a week the toilet is flushed.
SO, do you admit to mellowing in an atmosphere like that? Or do you lie? Seeing as you're lying anyhow because the homework only got brought home 12 hours before it was due in...
I answered 125, btw. It was a guess :
My big goals at the moment are taking cloth bags shopping with me every single time. We had been reusing store carrier bags for my FIL's pads, but we have a different setup now and no longer need them. The other big one is cloth napkins.