Happy Earth Day!
The husband and I both work in the environmental field and fancy ourselves as greenies, but the fact of the matter is that we can always stand to improve our ways and reduce our footprint. As we find ourselves on the cusp of settling into a new home (hopefully soon), I thought the best way to celebrate Earth Day would be to spend some time thinking about how to be greener in a new home in a new city. I have these Green Resolutions to offer:
1) Park the car! Some say the greenest way to live is in the city. The sprawl in the suburbs and rural areas means you're constantly driving too and from somewhere. I can't wait to go down to one car: our clean diesel VW. I hope to take it out once a week to the grocery store (because you've seen my work, and unless I hire a sherpa, there is no carrying my groceries home on foot), and then leave it parked the rest of the time unless we're getting away somewhere for a weekend. How cool would it be to use one tank of gas or less a month?
2) Compost. This was actually one of my New Year's Resolutions, but little did I know we were about to become gypsies for several months...gypsies who can't really roll with a compost pile. Still, I feel awful about the amount of organic waste we create that goes out in the trash. Once we're settled into our new home, the hub and I are putting our head's together and coming up with a workable, non-stinky compost plan. He's been wanting to do this forever, so this one goes out to you, B! I'm on it!
3) Remember my re-usable mug every time, or suffer a no-latte penalty. I mean, honestly... this shouldn't be so hard. Grow up, SMJ, and throw the mug in the car/stroller/bag... every time.
4) Find a CSA in the city. Community Supported Agriculture is where it's at. In Vermont, we knew our farmers by name. I hope to be able to approximate this in some way in the city, even though it surely won't be the same. A CSA will be the best way to seek out and support our new local growers and make sure we eat local food as much as we can.
5) Eat less meat. Meat should be a treat, not a meal you repeat... it's better for your wallet, and better for your seat. Like that one? I just made it up.
6) To quote one of my favorite mamas, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." I'm talking yard sales, not catalogs. Repurposing, reusing and getting crafty. I'm all about it. And there are so many great role models to learn from in this arena... the internet abounds.
This is just the tip of the iceberg, really, but some good food for though on this fine Earth Day.
How will you be greener in 2010?
I'm with you on city living...I love "living up". It means I can walk to work, do all my shopping for the week on foot or bike at neighborhood farmer's markets, hop on a bus-bike to concerts, museums, yoga class, brunch with the gals. I only get in our car about once a month! City living isn't perfect...but all these perks help to balance out the noise, pollution, and belligerent crazy man on the bus who keeps a rat in his front pocket.
ReplyDeleteSMJ,
ReplyDeleteI enjoy finding new ways to cut back on my waste....
check out these recyclable toothbrushes. I found then at target, use it for 3 months and send it back to them in the mail (package it comes in). Here you can subscribe and get a new one every 3 months....they even had ones for the lil guy.
I love it!
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http://www.preserveproducts.com/products/personalcare/toothbrush-subscription.html
It is a well-known tenet that living smaller, living closer, and driving less are the keys to sustainability. Way to go SMJ! I think you should buy a cruiser bike with a seat for Baby J and a trailer for your groceries. How much fun would that be!! I can't believe you might get rid of the Subie.... :(
ReplyDeleteI've started taking public transit to and from work EVERY DAY. Not only do I feel ethically good about it, but I get the chance to read, sleep, work, or play on my computer in place of the white-knuckled road rage I usually experience in Atlanta!