What are you doing to go "Green"?

[erinlovesmarc]

I’ve always been environmentally conscious but lately DH and I have been trying to do more…I’m wondering what others are doing and/or planning to do to give us more ideas on how we can make our lives more “Green”…Here’s what we have done and what we’re planning to do when we restart our renovations in April…obviously realistically we wouldn’t have made these changes had we not been planning to do renovations but since we are we are, we're going to try as much as possible (and budget permitting) to choose materials that are better for the environment…

Doing

• Recycle, recycle, recycle
• Wash our clothes in cold water only and wait for big loads before doing laundry
• Using all-natural cleaning products
• Use vinegar instead of fabric softener and to replace some cleaning products such as Windex and Hertel, etc.
• Use washable cloths for dusting and cleaning (you’d be surprised how many paper towels we use!)
• Bought Energy Star appliances
• Replace all the lights in our house with energy efficient ones
• Use reusable fabric bags for groceries
• Turn down the heat when we aren’t home
• Use public transportation to get to work

Planning

• Change our windows
• Replace our thermostats for programmable electronic ones
• Change our heaters for convection ones
• Looking into a Hybrid car

[SDMomChef]

Wow! I never thought of some of the things that you are doing!

Doing:

Recycle - cans, glass, newspapers, plastic
Washing in cold water
Use newspapers for cleaning windows (it really does work!)
Ride my bike to work during the spring/summer/fall
Always use the ethanol based gasoline

Planning:

We are going to replace both of our cars in the next two to three years with hybrid vehicles.

[SheRa]

we're pretty into not wasting electricity, gas, etc. and do recycle, but our most recent "investment" was buying reusable grocery bags. they're GREAT! the store we frequent the most had them, and they have huge handles so you can put them up over your shoulders and get everything in the house in one trip. i think it saves a LOT of waste!

i wash almost everything in cold water, and only once per week, and technically our heat is saving energy because it doesn't work right and half the time it's freezing when it's all the way up! haha!

we also want to get a hybrid after our current car goes caput (which i'm hoping isn't before our wedding, but small things keep going wrong...).

ETA: i also FINALLY got the newspaper to stop coming to my house because it wasted SO much paper. we only wanted the weekend edition but they'd send free "bonus" issues that never got read. i had to get a little nasty on the phone to get them to quit.

[erinlovesmarc]

[QUOTE=SheRa;1169225]

we also want to get a hybrid after our current car goes caput (which i'm hoping isn't before our wedding, but small things keep going wrong...).
[QUOTE]

I know it's hard but you have to try not to think about all the things that could/will go wrong...I had so many issues with this, being a perfectionist myself! It was only on the day of the wedding that I forced myself to just let go...I probably would have had a better time if I hadn't let my in-laws and own family get to me with their meddling...it took about a month to destress and I still have some resentment issues...one little piece of advice for the Big Day that was given to us and I totally appreciated - every 30 minutes or hour take a step back from whatever you are doing and absorb what's going on around you...alot of people who got married before us don't remember half their wedding and wished that they would have done just that...we're so glad we did it since, except for those moments, I barely remember anything!

[SheRa]

[QUOTE=erinlovesmarc;1169251]

I know it's hard but you have to try not to think about all the things that could/will go wrong...I had so many issues with this, being a perfectionist myself! It was only on the day of the wedding that I forced myself to just let go...I probably would have had a better time if I hadn't let my in-laws and own family get to me with their meddling...it took about a month to destress and I still have some resentment issues...one little piece of advice for the Big Day that was given to us and I totally appreciated - every 30 minutes or hour take a step back from whatever you are doing and absorb what's going on around you...alot of people who got married before us don't remember half their wedding and wished that they would have done just that...we're so glad we did it since, except for those moments, I barely remember anything!

i just meant that we don't have the money to get a new car before the wedding because we're paying for the whole thing. but thanks for the tips - we're pretty laid back and i think we'll enjoy it even if things do go wrong

[tamawrite]

I wouldn't consider myself an environmentalist by any stretch, but I do try to balance "green" living with economical practicality. A few things that come to mind:

Carpool with DH most days, which is fairly significant because we have a 35 mile commute.

Reuse plastic grocery bags, usually for carrying lunches to work.

Use only natural fertilizers on our property. (This is easy, since we have eight horses! )

Use washable cloths (from the dollar store) for housekeeping tasks, and keep chemicals to a minimum where practical.

Grow/raise as much of our own food as possible. This one is actually in the planning stages right now -- we'll be getting a herd of sheep in a couple weeks, and putting in a huge garden and fruit trees, berry vines, etc.

Also, our house is very energy efficient, as it is a geodesic dome with a Water Furnace for heating and cooling.

[AndreaU]

Everything Erin is doing AND planning to do except public transportation as it's not an option for us. (Plus, we only work 10 miles from work)

We are also pursuing switching to green energy. Need to do some more research and find out what it entails.

[erinlovesmarc]

Everything Erin is doing AND planning to do except public transportation as it's not an option for us. (Plus, we only work 10 miles from work)

We are also pursuing switching to green energy. Need to do some more research and find out what it entails.

We did some research on this too...we were looking at Geothermal but it's too $$$ for us right now...maybe our next house!

[jmarie]

I keep my school bus at home, rather than drive it back to the compound only to drive it back to my neighborhood the next day.

I purchased a weed burner torch kit for my friend who owns a small farm and doesn't prescribe to using pesticides.


Use a lot of vinegar and water in household chores rather than buying commercial chemicals.

I ask for paper instead of plastic.

Hopefully, all of this equals the Suburban I hope to purchase next year.

[bugzey]

Own a hybrid car (but use public transportation)
Own a relatively small house to minimize impact
Use compact fluorescent bulbs
Purchase carbon offsets

Also obvious things like recycling, reducing consumption and using Earth-friendly products for cleaning and gardening

[hlao23]

We're pretty much where you are Erin but I'd add that we compost and have a worm bin. Love the worm bin...so much faster than regular composting plus we keep it inside in the winter so we don't have to trek to the composter when it's totally aweful outside.

[kima]

I ask for paper instead of plastic.

Hopefully, all of this equals the Suburban I hope to purchase next year.

Ummm.....No.

[Canice]

Nothing innovative here:

Recycle everything possible
Use cloth/reusable grocery bags
Replaced all the windows
Replaced refrigerator w/energy star
Use natural laundry soap and personal care products
Eat mostly "natural" foods and support local farmers/restaurateurs
Getting estimates on having solar panels installed

Oh, and as stated on another thread, hope to return to composting now that our garbage collectors have provided in-kitchen bins.

[alicerh]

My suburb has started doing something I am really proud of. We can now recycle all magazines, junk mail and other paper in the newspaper recycle bin. I can't believe how much less my garbage can has now that all paper has been removed. They also hired a company to weekly pick up all yard waste including cut down trees ( they come around with a huge claw to pick stuff up) It is all chipped, composted and then given back to residents.

[rosen]

give us more ideas on how we can make our lives more “Green”

You are on the right track w/ what you are doing & planning on doing. Here are a few additional things to ponder:

Limit gagets that use batteries
Limit products that use ubber packaging
Limit buying clothing & household things that must be drycleaned
Use 1 bag for all purchases when you visit multiple stores (think Mall)
Limit trips & errands
Use the library instead of buying new books & magazines
Compost, compost, compost
Use shredded leaves as mulch instead of buying bags of it
Give up having a "perfect" lawn & go for more natural areas
Learn how to conserve water for lawns & plantings
Educate youself on how to control pests & diseases w/out chemicals
Use a rain barrel

Think about all the things you have plugged in all the time that drain energy constantly: IPods, recharging phones, computers, digital everythings, etc.... There have been studies done that prove that all these "things" use more energy than people are aware of. An energy efficient house isn't one if the lights are all on in empty rooms & gagets are always recharging or on.

Does your area have an enviormental agency? They are a good resource for further ideas.

[hlao23]

I forgot about the rain barrel thing...I so want one!

[stacy7272]

Use vinegar instead of fabric softener and to replace some cleaning products such as Windex and Hertel, etc.

I want to start using vinegar for cleaning too. I bought a big jug of vinegar and as I use up my current cleaning products I'm going to replace them with a vinegar solution.

My question is what is the formula for specific cleaning products? The one I'm going to need very soon is the stuff I spray onto the shower when I'm done to delay mildew growth (like Clean Shower). My friend said she uses vinegar for this and I was wondering what the ratio of vinegar is to water.

Also, what is the ratio for mirror/window cleaning?

[hlao23]

This website has some info http://www.guvswd.org/recipes

[erinlovesmarc]

I want to start using vinegar for cleaning too. I bought a big jug of vinegar and as I use up my current cleaning products I'm going to replace them with a vinegar solution.

My question is what is the formula for specific cleaning products? The one I'm going to need very soon is the stuff I spray onto the shower when I'm done to delay mildew growth (like Clean Shower). My friend said she uses vinegar for this and I was wondering what the ratio of vinegar is to water.

Also, what is the ratio for mirror/window cleaning?

What I usually do is fill up an empty Windex bottle with 1/5 vinegar and the rest water for window/mirrors...

What I do in the bathroom is use undiluted vinegar and then rinse with water....same for the kitchen counters/sink etc...

[beacooker]

Something I haven't seen mentioned yet:

Don't drink bottled water

[erinlovesmarc]

I want to start using vinegar for cleaning too. I bought a big jug of vinegar and as I use up my current cleaning products I'm going to replace them with a vinegar solution.

My question is what is the formula for specific cleaning products? The one I'm going to need very soon is the stuff I spray onto the shower when I'm done to delay mildew growth (like Clean Shower). My friend said she uses vinegar for this and I was wondering what the ratio of vinegar is to water.

Also, what is the ratio for mirror/window cleaning?

More uses for Vinegar...

http://frugalliving.about.com/cs/tips/a/vinegar.htm

What amazed me the most is how it works for laundry...after a tip I read somewhere, I started add vinegar directly in the wash when washing new dark jeans (and all the time now)...I've had the same pair for 6 months now and no fading yet...of course, I also turn them inside out, use dark soap, use the hand wash function, and air dry...It also works as a fabric softener in the wash...in the dryer I soak face clothes in vinegar and throw in (I also have one of those reusable anti-static cloths that I throw in too)...I was very skeptical at first but Vinegar rocks!

[wallingjan1]

We do lots of the things mentioned, but one I haven't seen mentioned is our clothes dryer. We've started hanging clothes on a rack inside (instant humidifier). I would love tips on how to reduce the little things that drain energy (phone, computer, etc.) Our electricity bill is ridiculous.

Pam

[donleyk]

I'm not having good results with the vinegar for cleaning the mirrors so I'm going back to windex.

Other than that I do a lot of what everyone else has mentioned. We installed a programable thermostat, we recycle, compost. I haven't yet forked over the $99 for a rain barrel but will. I do try to use cloth bags for grocery but if we do use plastic then we reuse and recycle.

I do drink bottled water. We have a 5 gallon dispenser and they reuse them so I'm okay with this. We also get the 20 oz bottles. We can not drink our water even after it's filtered. Nasty well water.

I try to drive as slow as I can on the freeway without getting mowed down. Driving 55 is better than 65-70. Sometimes it's not really an option. I won't risk getting killed for it but if traffic is light I try to go 55.

[muriel3002]

Doing:

• Recycling
• Changing over to Seventh Generation products (non-petroleum based)
• Don't have a hybrid, but bought a "regular" Civic (I could not justify the price for the hybrid to my DH, although I really really wanted a Prius!)
• Requesting paper instead of plastic as I figure paper is recyclable and I haven't found a place that takes plastic bags to recycle in Michigan (Zehrs used to in Ontario)
• Only get the Sunday paper, and recycle that
• Have been requesting newsletters that publish in cyberspace not to send me hardcopies any more.
• Have gone paperless on many bills, and pay via automatic deductions.

Planning:

• Composting more in the summer (DH kept filling up the composter with cr@p, and the bin is too far from the hose, so the whole thing has got to be emptied and re-started)
• Look into worm composting - who knows
• Change over to environmentally friendly kitty litter

Unfortunately public transit is out of the question as I live in the Motor City where the car is glorified, and the transit system is the worst.

[colleency]

I was thinking about having one green "resolution" a month, but I haven't started it yet.

Doing:
Always use canvas bags
Use cloths rather than paper towels
trying to recycle
don't take newspapers
Use "green" cleaners
wash in cold
drive high mpg cars (not hybrids)

thinking about:
getting silverware for my lunchbox to stop using plastic at work
using eco-friendly feminine hygiene monthly product
going back to cloth napkins
beating DH with a stick for leaving lights on (but then, I appear to be turning into my father )
composting-it's hard *said in a whiny voice*
replacing more of our light bulbs (cf seem to take so long to come on-grr)
looking into that vinegar as a cleaner link
be better at recycling
accepting a friends offer of a solar panel to generate power for the pump in my pond (only if I can relocate pond)

[Miss_Liss]

We do a lot of the things mentioned too but a big thing for me is disposing of plastics very carefully, in order to save animals from potential harm. We live in a very urban area now so there is less risk of wildlife getting into the trash, but it all eventually ends up somewhere.

I rinse all containers very carefully before putting in the trash and cut all plastic rings from plastic milk/juice bottles and six-pack packaging. I'm also extra careful disposing of plastic wrappers and containers, especially when outdoors.

When I was young, I would lecture my dad about disposing of fishing lines etc too. He was a big animal lover so was always careful but I'd seen documentaries on the harm it could do (and was a bossy-boots too)

[erinlovesmarc]

I was thinking about having one green "resolution" a month, but I haven't started it yet.

Doing:
Always use canvas bags
Use cloths rather than paper towels
trying to recycle
don't take newspapers
Use "green" cleaners
wash in cold
drive high mpg cars (not hybrids)

thinking about:
getting silverware for my lunchbox to stop using plastic at work
using eco-friendly feminine hygiene monthly product
going back to cloth napkins
beating DH with a stick for leaving lights on (but then, I appear to be turning into my father )
composting-it's hard *said in a whiny voice*
replacing more of our light bulbs (cf seem to take so long to come on-grr)
looking into that vinegar as a cleaner link
be better at recycling
accepting a friends offer of a solar panel to generate power for the pump in my pond (only if I can relocate pond)

Here's another link...

http://www.angelfire.com/cantina/hom...g/vinegar.html

[erinlovesmarc]

Another one...

http://www.vinegartips.com/

[stacy7272]

Thanks hlao23 and Erin for the tips/links! Those are very helpful.

I love the idea about the vinegar soaked wash cloth in the dryer. I use community washers/dryers in my condo complex so I don't use liquid fabric softner (treking out to the laundry 3 times per load is enough) but this gives me a way to not use the dryer sheets! I'll have to look into the reuseable static sheets because the static would be out of control otherwise.

[erinlovesmarc]

Thanks hlao23 and Erin for the tips/links! Those are very helpful.

I love the idea about the vinegar soaked wash cloth in the dryer. I use community washers/dryers in my condo complex so I don't use liquid fabric softner (treking out to the laundry 3 times per load is enough) but this gives me a way to not use the dryer sheets! I'll have to look into the reuseable static sheets because the static would be out of control otherwise.

These are the static sheets I bought...I bought at an organic grocery store but I saw them recently at a local hardware store too...

https://shop.sixwise.com/index.asp?P...ROD&ProdID=142