With Earth Day coming up this week, I have been thinking about how I can have a more positive impact on this planet, and a less negative one. And one way is to stop putting so much stuff in the garbage and down the drain that is harmful to our environment, and then to encourage others to join me! Here are 10 ways to do just that:
1. Re-cycle -- I have printed out and put a list of items that can be recycled in my community on my refrigerator and try to be as faithful at separating my garbage as possible. I often fill up my recycle bin faster than my garbage can, even though its bigger!
2. Re-use -- Instead of throwing away, or even recycling cups, bottles, cans, grocery bags, ziplock bags, copy paper , etc., I re-use them as many times as possible, THEN I recycle it if possible. Plastic drink cups from 7-11 can be re-used indefinitely, but can usually also be recycled. Copy paper and be flipped over and printed on the other side, and water bottles can be refilled using tap water (which is often as good as bottled water--and better if you use a filter on your tap.)
3. Re-purpose – When I need something—a bookshelf, a container for storage, padding for a bed—instead of running to the store to buy what I need, I first look around the house to see if I already own something that will work. For example: two clay pots can be inverted to become a base for an old piece of lumber from the garage to make a low shoe or bookshelf. If it needs to be higher, than put it on a desk or dresser and use the space under and on top of the shelf for books, etc. I recently pulled an old queen-size down comforter out of my linen closet, folded it in half, put it on my son’s twin bed and covered it with a sheet to make a very comfortable padded bed for him to sleep on.
4. Rejuvenate -- When something I love wears out or becomes broken, I try to rejuvenate it or repair it before throwing it away and getting something to replace it. Recently, I lost two rubber pad inserts in my favorite water sandals. When trying to replace them, I discovered that I couldn’t find anything that I liked as much, so I bought a package of shoe pads and a bottle of waterproof shoe glue from my local drugstore and repaired them. Cost $10 (good water sandals are upwards of $70.) Just yesterday I was wearing a skirt and wishing I had a cropped white jacket to go with it when I realized that I already own a denim one that I never wear. I am going to try bleaching it with hydrogen peroxide, which is not only economical, its not harmful to the environment!
5. Re-make -- When I was growing up, every time we expressed a desire to have something, my mom would say, “I can make that!” and often she would. I learned that I can make a lot of things easily, by using a little creativity, some things I already own and a little time. Pillow covers can be sewn from old sheets or table cloths, picture frames can be painted with leftover wall paint, coat hooks for the entry can be crafted from old wall shelves and various knobs and hooks that are no longer used elsewhere, and furniture can be painted, chairs recovered with fabric from old curtains, bedding or even woven rugs! Try looking in Second-hand stores if you don’t have any at home. The list is endless. It only requires imagination and elbow grease. If you can’t come up with your own ideas, just google the internet and you will find more ideas than you know what to do with!
6. Clean using non-toxic household items -- There are loads of internet websites and YouTube videos giving information about how to make your own cleaning products from ingredients that you have right in your kitchen. I have written about baking soda and vinegar as being cleaning staples at my house, but there are loads of other ideas and most are completely non-toxic, biodegradable and won’t damage the environment. THey also cost a LOT less than store-bought cleaners, which are mostly water plus a lot of nasty chemicals probably from petroleum. Yuck.
7. Compost organic matter – I keep a bowl next to my kitchen sink that I put all of our kitchen scraps into and dump onto our compost pile each evening. I also add these things to it: egg shells, shredded newspapers, leaves, yard waste (pulled weeds, grass clippings, small branches, etc.) along with anything else that is biodegradable that I can find. Occasionally I use a hoe or shovel to chop of the larger pieces of fruits or vegetables (its even better to do this before putting it in there!) and turn the pile so that it can breathe and compost. Then in the spring I rake off the top and use the stuff at the bottom in my flower beds. It makes a great natural fertilizer.
8. Borrow or rent instead of buy -- We try to borrow or rent everything that we don’t use often. We borrow books and movies from the library, rent movies for $1 from Redbox or Blockbuster and return them on time, rent carpet steam cleaners from the grocery store and use only water to clean the carpets (and spot clean with non-toxic, biodegradable ingredients), a neighbor’s chainsaw, another neighbor’s tall ladder, etc. We also offer to loan neighbors, friends and family things they may only need to use occasionally.
9. Swap services -- We don’t take advantage of this as much as we would like to, but my husband, being a computer consultant, sometimes has the opportunity to swap services for goods or other services with others. Likewise sometimes I will do things for friends or family that involve my area of expertise, anything hands-on that needs an artistic touch. I find that when I am willing to help people, people are willing to help me! And this “swapping” isn’t always a direct swap--it may be a neighbor helping me to start my car when the battery dies, or cutting down an overgrown bush in my yard with his chain-saw, and my knitting a scarf for a friend who can’t knit. The correlation isn’t a direct one, but an indirect one. Just by giving, I am being blessed, as are all who give.
10. Declutter -- My home needs a serious overhaul. But until I can get to that, I declutter as I go and store items in the garage until I can take them to a local charity drop-off. Larger items I sell using Craig’s List (www.craigslist.com) which is free. I can only imagine how much time and money I will save when I get rid of all the clutter. My home will be easier to maintain, require less time to clean, and have fewer spills and accidents because there will be less stuff cluttering up and obstructing the otherwise abundant space we have.
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