My "Green" Failures

I've been doing my best to incorporate eco friendly ideas into my household and a lot of them work...but some of them don't.  For example-we thought it would be great to grow an herb garden.  It saves money, you can taste the difference between fresh and dried herbs, and it gives anyone who doesn't have a green thumb, a sense of accomplishment each time you use something from your garden.  I've had parsley, rosemary, and spicy basil going strong since the spring, and I don't know why, but the basil has yucky brown spots all over it.  It started off on just a few leaves...and now it's all over.  We decided to chuck the basil and keep the parsley and rosemary, which is still flourishing.  But it leads me to the question of why?  Why the basil and not all of the plants?  Mind you this isn't the first time we've tried to grow basil, and I'm sure it won't be the last, but gosh darnit-it's always the basil!

Notice the gaping space where the basil used  to be

My next idea was to line dry laundry instead of using the dryer.  We have a small drying rack on our wall and it gets filled with as much as I can load on there and the rest goes into the dryer, but the majority of the clothes that get line dried end up in the dryer anyways because they are so wrinkle ridden.  I know this completely goes against the reason for line drying in the first place-to save energy.  I've ended up only hanging underthings and sweaters and tops that clearly state "lie flat to dry" or what-have-you, but it disappoints me and my willingness to try to be more energy conscious, that this isn't working out for me.

I will say we're pretty good at recycling-paper, aluminum, cardboard, but I've gone into crazy "recycler" mode and almost feel like I'm becoming a hoarder.  "No you can't throw that away!  It can be recycled!  But not in our curbside pickup, it has to go to the recycling center.  We have to drive there and drop it off."

Things to be recycled OR things I think can be recycled (still doing some research)

My husband just looks at me like I'm crazy.  And 1/2 of our garage has items large and small that need to be driven over to the recycling center.  Which we'll eventually get to...one day :)

Old hood range that our county recycling center will accept.  Some old wooden pieces that I figure can be reused or recycled...I won't throw them away and they've been in our garage for eek!...almost a year :(

With all that being said-sure you're likely to have a failure or two or even slip up-yes you threw some junk mail away in the trashcan instead of the recycling bin.  The point is you're trying.  And yes, you ARE making a difference.

Did you know:

Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours -- or the equivalent of a half a gallon of gasoline.

Recycling a single run of the Sunday New York Times would save 75,000 trees.

A single quart of motor oil, if disposed of improperly, can contaminate up to 2,000,000 gallons of fresh water.

Source-http://www.recycling-revolution.com/recycling-facts.html (Check out this website for more great tips)

So think about starting small.  Even if you start off only doing it half the time, maybe you can make it into a habit...and maybe you can teach your family...and then you'll be doing your part to make the world a little better one green step at a time.

Earth Day

April 22nd is Earth Day and we're bringing you 22 eco friendly tips that are simple, effective, and can even earn you money.  Now who doesn't like that?

1. Stop buying bottle water and instead invest in a water filter and use a reusable bottle. 

2. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.

3. Buy or sell clothes/toys at consignment stores.  This is especially helpful for kids who seem to grow out of clothes every time you look!  If you don't have or don't plan on having another little one that could use the hand me downs-why not try to make a few bucks?

4. Switch from toxic cleaners to natural ones.  Our post, "Spring Has Sprung," on the 2nd of this month talks about wonderful, non toxic cleaners, that you already have in your pantry.

5. Wash full loads of laundry and dishes.

6. Choose paperless billing.  It's eco friendly and keeps paper clutter in your house at bay!

7. Use reusable grocery bags.

 



8. Use rags or towels instead of paper towels.

9. Participate in your community's recycling program.
10. Use tupperware or reusable containers instead of plastic bags.
11. Unplug electronics that are not being used.
12.  Collect rainwater from your downspouts to water your garden.

13. Opt out of receiving catalogs and junk mail.

14. Try composting.

15. Line dry your clothes.

16. Shop at the local farmer's market.

17. Try going meatless for one meal a week.

18. Bring plants indoors to help purify the air.

19. Use your own coffee mug at the office instead of a paper or styrofoam one.

20. Add rocks to your toilet's tank to help displace the water and save on your water bill!

21.Use energy star products for major household appliances.

Happy Earth Day!



pictures are from the following sources (in order of appearance): clipartsmart.com, care2.com, frjamescoles.wordpress.com, washingtongardener.blogspot.com, apartmenttherapy.com, zerowasteblog.recyclematch.com

Keeping It Clean And Green

Now that the clutter has been cleared, let's keep it that way by using some eco-friendly products and ideas. 

Starting in the kitchen...

Use drawer organizers to keep utensils in the correct spot with an expandable bamboo tray found at Bed Bath and Beyond.

Store your bulk food items in glass containers, like these ones from Oggi, found at Macy's.

Keep counter tops clutter free by a creating mail organizer or message center. 




http://fromthetortoiseandthehare.blogspot.com/2010/01/window-shutter-wall-display.html

  

http://www.noodle-head.com/2010/05/mail-organizer-tutorial.html

http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/message-center-674324/

Moving into the closet...

Keep dirty clothes at bay with a colorful and collapsible hamper.  Now should you ever be able to collapse it because you have no dirty clothes...then we applaud and envy you!  This cute one from The Container Store is offered in several colors.

Keep your shoes, sweaters, and t-shirts organized with a hanging shelf.  Canvas and bamboo are a great eco friendly choice.

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=112412&RN=302&

Finally, let's move to the garage...

Use mesh bags to round up the kids' equipment.  You can keep everything they need for their sport together and the mesh fabric allows cleats and pads to breathe.

Also try to create an organized recycling solution by using colored bins.  If you're waste management company collects everything in one bin, make sure you know exactly what they accept, so as not to contaminate the load.

Now that everything is clean and put in place...sit back, relax, and enjoy your green and clutter free home.