It's Earth Day, so I thought I'd talk about some of the things we do at our house to keep our use of resources/pollutants low.I have a clothesline. I lurve my clothesline. I'd use it even if it wasn't eco-friendly. I also wash with cold water a lot.
My husband uses a push mower for the lawn. And it's not a small lawn. Not only that, the man actually jogs as he does it. Win-win!
Speaking of exercise and eco-goodness, now that I'm walking, I do a lot of my errands on foot.
We have a second fridge downstairs. We use it for pop and juice, and we use the freezer. We've contemplated getting rid of it, but there are times we need more fridge room, like when we're hosting Christmas or Thanksgiving. The hubby came up with a good plan - once the freezer is empty, we're going to unplug it and only plug it in when we really need it.
I make a lot of hard copies of my manuscripts. I know this isn't good and I'm trying to cut down. However, when I'm done with the drafts, I cut the paper in half and use the backs for lists and notes. I make a lot of lists and notes. I admit, though, that I don't use the more, ahem, intimate scene pages, because sometimes I drop or lose my lists in the store and I have this vision of somebody picking it up, turning it over and what the -!!
I'm really trying to base my use of electricity on off-peak times. For instance, I wash and dry the towels on the weekend (I don't put those on the line - too stiff when dry). I confess this isn't completely altruistic. Our rates are now time-based (cheaper during off-peak times). And we're very fortunate that I work at home, so I can postpone doing chores, or do them at the best time, rate-wise. Folks who work 9 - 5? Pretty much doomed to pay more.
I've got a lot of plastic containers. Not the best, of course, but it saves using plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
There are many more things we can do, though. I'm trying to use more natural products for cleaning (vinegar and baking soda, for instance). We could be more diligent turning off lights, etc. And as I said, I'm trying not to make so many hard copies. It'd be even better if I could write without having to revise so much, but that ain't gonna happen any time soon!
So, happy earth day, everybody! If we all do a little bit, it will make a difference!
(The picture was taken from the battlements of San Marino, Italy.)
3 comments:
Hi. I wish that I could say that I also use a "solar powered apparel dehydrator" (as my mother used to call it), but with almost 100 percent humidity year round, and all the petrochemical plants in the area, the clothes would never get dry and would also stink.
I can't really do errands on my walks because of the dog, and the fact that there is only one small grocery store within walking distance. When I shop, I do try to make a big circle to maximize efficiency and save on gas.
We try to recycle as much as we can, but we have to take it to the recycle center ourselves. We used to have weekly curbside recycling, but it was discontinued due to cost and lack of participation. The city recently sent a survey with the water bills about bringing the program back, and only 3 percent of people responded, and they didn't want to pay more than $5 a month for it.
The one thing I really do is use my shopping bags. I have about twenty of the things. I've used them for years, and I still get dirty looks from sackers when I tell them to use my bags, and not plastic. One of the main reasons I use them is not so much to be earth friendly, but to keep my cat Boeing from eating them. For some reason, he loves the things, and I have to be carefull to keep them away from him.
Dare I admit that I usually leave the TV on when I leave to keep the dog and cats company? Lucky suffers from separation anxiety, and it helps to keep him calm. He likes QVC because someone is always talking. Just as long as he doesn't get ahold of the phone and my credit card we'll be fine.
Rosemary
Hi. Me again on a completely unrelated subject. I just heard an interview with a hockey player (my husband was watching the playoffs), and he did one of things that irritates me the most. Every other sentance began with the words "you know". It always makes me want to say "no, I don't know, thats why I asked" Am I the only one that it annoys?
Rosemary
Like, no, Rosemary, you know, eh? :-)
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