Anyone Going Green? Ideas please...

[loveabargin]

Okay, I'm a bit of a closet hippy...but I'm trying to "go green" anyway that I can. Here's what I've done so far, maybe you can add your ideas:

I bought cloth bags to take the the grocery store (found a great deal on ebay...now if I can just remember to bring them in with me!

(If I forget bags) and I'm only getting a few items (like at the drug store or gas station) I just put the items in my purse and tell the cashier to save the bag.

We are recycling all we can (in our area), so I have a sign on the trash can lid in the kitchen reminding everyone what we can recycle and bins set up in the garage (I labeled them and everything so it's a no-brainer for my family!)

I'm even recycling things we can't recycle like jar lids, plastic coffee containers, etc. by starting a misc. bin for "art projects"...no telling what we can use that stuff for!

I'm pouring my coffee grounds in my garden every morning (I'd like to start a compose pile...maybe that can be a new project!)

I'd love to hear your ideas!

 

[formernyer]

Bad example here...I do absolutely nothing. We're not required to recycle here, so I don't.

I've been replacing the light bulbs in my house whenever they die with the 7-year bulbs, but I have to admit it's only because it'll save me on my electric bill in the long run. My decision had nothing to do with the environment.

 

[Earstou]

My dh and I have been recycling for about 28 years! But we do recycle more now than we used to.
Just started replacing our light bulbs, and unplugging our rechargers when they aren't being used.
Heard that the trend to drink bottled water has overloaded some landfills with all the plastic bottles, so we rarely buy bottled water. We fill containers we already have when we need to take water somewhere.
Always try to combine errands, rarely do we drive somewhere for just one thing.
I plan to make some shopping bags so we aren't using plastic bags, but haven't gotten it done yet.

 

[loveabargin]

I remember reading a post around Christmas about making Christmas bags for gifts (or I guess any time of year)...instead of all that paper you see on Christmas morning! We don't wrap our kids gifts, Santa just leaves them all out,but it is a good idea for everyone else's gifts.

I do recycle gift bags...when it's our kids bdays, I always get the motherload of free gift bags! Too bad we have two girls...I always get lots of girly bags and always have to buy the "boy" ones.

Oh, I read somewhere that a plastic bag takes 1,000 years to decompose...makes you think twice about all those bags they give you at the grocery store...I mean seriously, they put one thing in a bag and hand it to you!

 

[brightspark]

Switching appliances at the wall when not in use is a good way to 'go green' and save money! Chargers etc use electricity whether they are plugged into an appliance or not! So switch off all your pc, tv, dvd, kettles etc at the wall, at night before you go to bed!

 

[graygables]

Please don't pass out, but have you looked into vermicomposting? It's composting with worms and very fun and educational for kids. Here's where we got ours: http://www.kidsgardeningstore.com/wormfactory.html

The worm castings are PHENOMENAL in the garden and DDs are always amazed at what those little wigglers can do.

As for the bags, as soon as you unpack them, fold them into a single bag and hang them on the doorknob (or hook by the door) where you'll remember to put them in your car the next trip out.

We switched to flourescent bulbs, keep the house cooler in the winter, warmer in the summer. We also try to use natural cleaners as much as possible...lots of vinegar at our house!

 

[rparmfamily]

All the above!! Part of the motivation is to save money, not just to be "green", lol!!

 

[hiddenj]

I no longer use paper products (except writing paper). Everything is now cloth.

 

[formernyer]

I no longer use paper products (except writing paper). Everything is now cloth.

Woo Hoo! Reusable toilet cloths!!!

 

[mickeyfan2]

Woo Hoo! Reusable toilet cloths!!!

 

[Rhia]

This guy is pretty interesting. If he were any greener, he would be Kermit!
http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/

 

[bearzabout]

We use geothermal heating and cooling. The waste heat from the process heats our hot water. Our hot water is stored in state of the art Marathon plastic hot water tanks. When everyone else complains about their natural gas bill, I just smile.

My car is 15 years old. Every year I say I will drive it another 5 years.

We have 40 acres and left 38 in its natural state for wildlife.

We won't buy a second home that uses energy when vacant most of the year.

We covered our driveway in recycled asphalt (the #1 recycled product in the country).

We do recycle, but I'm not sure how well our township does with reusing the recycled products. We do our part, but with the popluation doubling every 40years or so and the rest of the world wanting to be like us, I'm afraid it really doesn't matter much.

 

[mickeyfan2]

We use geothermal heating and cooling.

We have this too. But we only use it to cool with. I hate forced air heat.

 

[Stein]

I am a bit of a convert, I used to not care a bit. I found that doing the right thing makes my life easier and costs less in the long run. Here is the list:

Replaced nearly every light with CFL. Huge sale at drugstore and coupon from power company.

Added window film to reduce heat loss and reflect 70% of summer heat.

Recycle

Turn off both computers every night

Turn off gas fireplace in summer

Drive less and use Civic whenever possible

Mulch lawn to reduce fertilizer need

Turn down water heater



To do list:

Add solar attic fan

Look into solar water heating

Finish replacing a few incandescent bulbs

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Slightly O/T, but DD just did her 8th grade Exit Project on building green and I was surprised to learn old blue jeans can be turned into wall insulation!!!

Also, they have dual flush toilets now where you can lift the handle one direction for liquid waste, and the other direction for solid waste...this really cuts down on water consumption. I don't know if any toilet can be converted, but I would assume so.

Another biggie was Energy Star compliant appliances. So try to buy them when building a new home or replacing those old energy-hog washers/dryers/refrigerators.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Just thought of another...using ceiling fans to cool/heat rooms instead of running the heater or AC. I know you're still using electricity -- but less of it.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Just thought of another...using ceiling fans to cool/heat rooms instead of running the heater or AC. I know you're still using electricity -- but less of it.

Ceiling fans do not cool or heat the air. They only circulate the air. Hot air rises and cold air falls. The fan is set to push the hot air down and bring the cool air up.

 

[mjbaby]

My husband is totally into the idea of the geothermal - totally geeking out over it.


One of the things we've done - and I saw it mentioned on the tightwad thread, too -is to stop shopping because we can't think of anything else to do or it just kind of happens without us thinking about it. When we *do* head out for something, we try to buy used whenever possible (there's so much excess in our society) or at least purchase something made as close to home as possible. I hate buying brand new stuff shipped over from China - nothing against the Chinese, it's just SUCH a waste of resources when I can very often find exactly what I want that is made on this continent (for just a bit more money) or used and in good condition (for the same or even less money).

Another key for me in being as "green" and financially responsible as possible is to be organized - being able to find the stuff I already own goes a long way to being able to reduce my outings and purchases both.

 

[formernyer]

Ceiling fans do not cool or heat the air. They only circulate the air. Hot air rises and cold air falls. The fan is set to push the hot air down and bring the cool air up.

I'm sure the previous poster knew this. The fact still remains that circulating the air makes you FEEL cooler.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I'm sure the previous poster knew this. The fact still remains that circulating the air makes you FEEL cooler.

Thanks, that is the point I was trying to make. All I know is that we can raise the thermostat on the AC when we've got the ceiling fans on.

So to me, that's kind of the same thing!