We have done many things to make a smaller footprint & live healthier. Here is a list of things we still need to work on:
1. Put stove & microwave on power strips.
2. Put bedroom TV on power strip.
3. Eat more raw "living" foods.
4. Buy more bulk foods & eliminate plastic packaging.
5. Learn to sew insulated window quilts.
6. Grow micro greens indoors in the cold months.
7. Change all bathroom lights to compact flourescents.
8. Learn to make soap.
9. Learn to make shaving cream.
10. Cancel the cable & use internet TV like Hulu.com
Things we have already implemented:
1. Most lights have compact flourescents.
2. We recycle everything we possibly can.
3. Use battery alarm clocks in bedroom.
4. No cordless phones or cell phones in the bedroom.(the last two are to eliminate low-level electromagnetic waves)
5. Hang clothes to dry.
6. Shop at thrift stores for clothes.
7. Vegetarian diet.
8. Grow much of our food.
9. Instead of throwing away things we've printed & are done with, use the back side of the paper.
10. Refill ink cartridges. (black seems to work better than the color cartridges)
11. Freecycle to give & receive, Craigslist to buy used items.
12. Put in a low-flow shower head. At the farm we have one that you can turn off the flow while soaping up for even more savings.
13. Unplug the electric toothbrush until it needs charging. It only takes an hour to charge. Why waste electricity having it plugged in all the time.
14. Make our own toothpaste, deodorant, laundry detergent, shampoo.
These are just partial lists. I'm sure I'll think of more later!
4 comments:
Great ideas!
We already have most things on power strips, like the tv, stereo, dvd, and the desk. We're slowly converting to cfl's, but we also only keep lights on in a room when we're in it..at night the only light on is usually one or 2 lamps in the living room. We grow greens in the winter already, as well as green onions. (my addiction lol) We're working on soap soon too, it's just finding the time now. As far as shaving cream, why not just use a mug and brush? The small round shaving soap bars are cheap. ($2-3) I use this with an old safety razor and love it. I like the method, and I like not having the empty cans going in the garbage from regular shaving cream. Our cable is going bye-bye at the end of the month along with the broadband internet. It's too easy to waste time staring at it, and the bill went up last month. Cable and internet-$115 a month! I have a wireless card now for $30 a month, and we'll get the converter box and rabbit ears for the tv sometime down the road. For now, we'll just watch movies we have or rent from the 99 cent bin on occasion. I went one step further on the alarm clocks and found 2 old wind-up's. Those things are hard to find now! All of my work clothes come from Goodwill already. I refuse to buy new jeans and have them totaled in a month with pipe dope, grease and cutting oil. 4 bucks a pair beats 12+ for new.
Keep up the good work!!! Great blog btw, I look forward to your new posts.
Thanks for the encouragement! Good idea about the shaving. Steve has talked about shaving that way but we haven't done anything about it yet. The wind-up alarm clock is a great idea. I'll have to check the thrift stores & garage sales in the spring. We are still investigating the internet TV. How does it work with getting a wireless card? Don't you still have to have internet access?
I enjoy reading your blog too. It's great to exchange ideas on subjects we all are interested in.
Barb
He'll love shaving with a safety razor, I sure do. It took some time to get used to, but when I did, it was one of the best decicions I have made. In an odd way, it's made shaving a whole new experience. Swishing the brush in the mug to get lather, brushing it on your face, taking even strokes with the razor....it's relaxing. Shaving before with a disposable and shaving cream was always a "hurry and get it done" kinda thing, and now it's something compeletly different.
The wireless card I have plugs right into the USB port of either this desktop, or Lisa's laptop. It's nearly as fast as the cable broadband too. I've had no problems watching video's at all with it.
Best of luck on finding wind up alarm clocks. Even a few people at Lehman's didn't have a clue where to look! I'm hoping that this summer I can find another one or two at yard sales or flea markets.
We are doing a a lot of what you do but I did learn some from your list. We are not vegetarian but raise most of what we eat for animals.
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