Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Happy Earth Day!

I hope everyone is having a nice Earth Day!

I've been thinking about the changes I've made and the little things I do to make our earth a better place and thought I'd share them here.

::I try to use my own bags every time I buy something, whether it's at the grocery store, hardware store or fabric store.

::Reusing packing supplies as often as possible. I recently discovered a local source for used packing envelopes, they're just 25 cents each!

::One of the things I get most excited about is when I can use the back of a letter or junk mail to print shipping labels. I have also configured my printer so that I can print 4 labels per sheet instead of 2 (very exciting)

::We recently started composting all of our food and vegetable scraps, I'm amazed at how much room that took up in the trash can

::Purchasing recycled paper for printing

::Using vintage and reclaimed fabrics and craft supplies

::One of the hardest things for me is trying to drive less and consolidate my errands but I am working on that

::And of one of greatest things ever is paying bills online! I think there are only two that I don't pay online because of the fees.

::Buying local whenever possible

::Using cloth instead of paper towels

::making products that are sustainable and helpful like recycled sweater cup cozies and cloth gift bags.

::Using natural and earth friendly cleaning products and laundry soap, still have a few to get rid of and add in this category

There is still much room for improvement, for example, I'm am planning to switch to using eco friendly fiberfill for my softies as soon as I can find a cost effective substitute, I am working on finding a good replacement hair conditioner for the Pantene I've been using for years, I'd like to have a more productive garden this year and water it with rain from a rain barrel.

What about you? What things do you do to make a difference?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

we do a LOT of these, also i only use homemade make up, sounds scray, but i actually like most of it better then the clinique and bobby brown i had been using for more then 10 years. we do the rain barrells, plant our own veggies, but meat from the local butcher instead of a grocery store. and the biggest one...i ride my bike, with a trailer on the back for my twins to ride in, almost everywhere. we live in a cluster of medium sized towns, so we also drive, but mostly we bike it. thanks for some of the extra pointers! love your blogs and creations

Ivey Handcrafted said...

wow....this really inspires me! Thanks!!! I am trying to be better - but you take it to the next level!!! XOXO

Mytutorlist.com said...

You do a lot! That is really impressive. I do composting, recycling, online banking, and I take the bus to work. That's about it.

I really enjoy composting. I think my family finds it a hassle, but I find it really fun. It makes sense for my garden too because it cuts down on my need to buy more soil (which I have to do every year unless I compost). I notice more earthworms in my garden now too. That's a good sign.

christina said...

I actually ordered some shampoo and conditioner (and deodorant) from an Etsy shop on a whim... and I LOVE it.
The shop was GudonyaToo.Etsy.com.
Dare I say it has been a worthy replacement for Pantene!

Anonymous said...

I use Burt's Bees Green Tea and Fennel conditioner and it works great! (Plus it smells really nice.) And instead of body wash (which can be really pricey when you buy organic) try Kiss My Face soaps--the block soaps. It's terrific stuff.