Among the 1.2 million other goals I've set for myself in 2009, I've made a firm commitment to the environment. Just like any good hippie who owns five pairs of Birkenstocks and shops excessively at Victoria's Secret, I feel it's my duty to spread the word about the easy ways to consume less and reuse more. Really though I've noticed it isn't a liberal or conservative issue any more. We're all in this together as human beings wanting to preserve our home. And for the record...I prefer the name "hipster" to "hippie."
This wouldn't be a Becky appropriate post without bragging a little about my own accomplishments in this area...My family has really been on the cutting edge of helping the environment for the past few years and I couldn't be more proud! We have a compost pile and have more recyclables than regular garbage. In college I was the Evian queen and only drank bottled water. Now I filter water, drink from the tap and use an aluminum bottle.
Each quarter, preferably around solstices and equinoxes, I will have a new list for seasonal ideas. A lot of them save you money too. Here are some easy ways you can help this season, and every day to preserve this magnificent home we call earth:
-Say no to ATM receipts and save paper (who wants to see the balance anyway?).
-Put car on cruise control to get better mileage and save wear and tear on the car.
-In winter warm up car only as long as recommended...usually only 30 seconds to a minute.
-Drink beer on tap, it saves the bottle and cuts back on packaging materials.
-Put a bottle of water into toilet tank to reduce water used during flushing (after you've used it of course...if you're really creative you can close the drain during a shower and recycle the water for plants and this sort of purpose).
-Don't every throw away shoes, clothes, or old bridesmaid dresses - they can be recycled at Goodwill or Nike. Cotton doesn't biodegrade and will stay in a landfill from high school until the time you retire!
-Once the gas pump stops pumping, don't top off the tank, releases chemicals into the air...that you breath too!
-Print on both sides of paper, don't print at all, or recycle!
-If you have cats use eco-friendly or biodegradeable litter. Regular litter is made with clay and other substances that can pollute landfills with toxins.
Finally, use companies, products and make suggestions to others on how to be more green...it is the new black, you know!
Today I'm grateful for my organic pumpkin muffins, sleeping in, and matinees.
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