Yvonne got the brain ball rolling with her Are You Earthy? post about the upcoming Earth Day.
Even if we don’t care one jot about the planet (“Who cares? I’ll be dead by the time NYC is underwater…”) we can save time, money and aggravation by going at least a little green. As Yvonne notes, “turn off the lights.” Sure, one family doing this isn’t going to save the polar bears, but it’s a start…and it’s also the start of taking some more responsibility…AND it’ll save you some dinero.
As regular readers know, I’m a bit of a liberal progressive (Back, back, Ann Coulter, I have a cross!) tree-hugger type. Albeit, an imperfect one…I sometimes dump things in the trash instead of recycling…and I actually agree with my sane, intelligent Republican friends on many issues. I’m weird; I like things to make sense and I’m a big fan of personal accountability…;-)
So, here are a few things I’ve done/been doing over the past couple of years to get more “earthy.” Painless (really) and saved me both money and aggravation.
1. Xeriscaped my front yard. Note I did NOT say “Zero scaped.” I’ve not paid a city water/garbage bill in over two years (Albuquerque has a great rebate program.) And when I do water (a lot less), it’s with the push of a button. I also don’t have to mow grass. I’ve already got the plan approved for my back yard…and have been doing a lot of the work myself, with old-fashioned hand tools. It’s amazing what you can accomplish with a hoe, a rake and some patience. Good for the planet. Good for me.
2. Cut back on paper products. I now have ONE roll of paper towels for the truly icky clean-ups. That lasts me a good six months. Saves money. Reduces my garbage. Good for the planet. Good for me.
3. Turned up/turned down the thermostat. (I can hear you yawning from here…;-) I lived in Dallas for 13 years, was addicted to frigid air. Now, when I visit the city, I nearly freeze to death and long for a breath of real air. A little sweat doesn’t kill me and I love the breezes. I put on another layer of fleece in the winter; and there’s nothing better than a warm bed in a cool room. Good for the planet. Good for me.
4. I buy local (You knew that one was coming, didn’t ya?) That includes locally produced food. A friend and I have started splitting my bi-weekly delivery from Los Poblanos Organics. Sure, it’s a little more expensive than “regular” produce, but I don’t use that much produce and it’s also gotten me to eat better, since I paid premium…don’t want to waste the money. (An orange for a snack versus a cookie.) Good for the planet, good for us.
5. Use It Up/Use It Differently. I’m a veteran putterer and home nester. I love the challenge of coming up with new uses for old things. (Hey! I’m not cheap. I’m frugal. But, trust me, when I want to, I can spend money. Drunken sailor on shore leave? That’s me on vacation. I don’t budget, I enjoy.)
Instead of buying a television cabinet for example, I figured out how to use a table I already had…with video components nicely stacked and easily accessible. I don’t redecorate, I move some art around (and buy many of the frames at the Salvation Army and Goodwill.) The rug in the bedroom moves to the den, etc. My kitchen, which drove me crazy when I first moved in, is now one of my favorite rooms. I’ll eventually remodel it but granite countertops won’t be involved…;-)
6. I walk more. So, it takes me longer to get to the library? I’ve got the time. My neighborhood is shaping up nicely (Trader Joes is building a mile from my house and I’m already surrounded by many local businesses, from bakeries to spas.). Soon I could leave the car in the garage for weeks, if I wanted. (I already leave it there three or four days a week.)
If you don’t live in a walkable neighborhood, you can still walk more…drive downtown, park and walk the rest of the day. My friends and I used to do this all the time, back east. Drive from Philly to Manhattan (or Baltimore, or DC.) Park. Walk blocks and blocks and blocks…and enjoy the life and scenery along the way. These days, when I go to Santa Fe - I either take the train or drive and park…and walk, walk, walk.
Now, I’m going to go dig in some (real) dirt…and maybe even hug one of my trees, if nobody is looking…Happy Friday!
Related Posts:
Martini Musing: Being Green Is Exhausting!
Earth Day & Why Bother?
Martini Musing: We’ve Always Been Changing The Climate
Tags: Mary Schmidt, Earth Day, going green