As proud Nottington residents, there are many things that we stand for and believe. The latest manifestation of our commitment to our ideals is the Vandalism is Violence ~ our response to the new MML features that allow things like egging someone’s house.
But the sad fact is that the very way we live is vandalism, and thus violence ~ against Mother Earth. We may not be able to change all that needs to be changed, the governments need to do that, but there are many things we can do and do quite easily. And the beauty is that once you get used to making small changes, they get easier to make and become a habit in no time.
Recycling is great ~ we do it as much as we can where I live. But we were shocked to discover that many items we thought were recyclable actually weren’t. At least not in our area. So think back to the first of the R’s ~ reduce. Now that I know what plastics can and can’t be recycled, I check items before I buy them. I would rather pay slightly more for peanut butter that comes in a recyclable container than less for peanut butter that comes in a container that can’t be recycled. I’ll be honest, I don’t always have the money to do that, but I do when I can. And the containers that can’t be recycled? They can often be re-used ~ the second of the three R’s. A lot of my crafting supplies are in old peanut butter containers, empty Pounce Treats containers ~ anything that can’t be recycled but can be reused is as much as possible in my house.
Another way to reduce is to buy in bulk. Where I live, the Bulk Barn prices are largely comparable to grocery store prices. Yes, you place the product in a plastic bag, but with a good shaking out and some care, you can reuse those bags quite a lot. When the time comes that they have served as much purpose as they can, then you can recycle the bags themselves. And with all your empty peanut butter jars etc, you already have lots of containers to put your bulk food in!
We have also installed those coiled energy efficient light bulbs in every socket. We’ve had them for almost 2 years now and I think that only 1 has needed to be replaced ~ the one in the living room that got used the most. And yes they are more expensive ~ but only in a penny wise pound foolish type of way. You can pay less for the bulb, more for your electricity and more vandalism against Mother Earth. You don’t need to replace them all at once ~ as light bulbs need to be replaced, purchase them. Tom and I also got some at a “Green on the Green” gathering last summer in Fredericton where one booth was giving them away.
We have also started unplugging appliances not in use ~ coffee maker, microwave, lights and so on. And unless you are actually recharging something, there is no sense in leaving the recharger plugged in ~ but people do it all the time. We also have digital cable and the box uses a lot of power when the TV isn’t even being used. So now that gets unplugged as well. So it might take 5-10 minutes when it’s plugged back in before you get the tv guide channel or any other info, but weigh that against what’s being done to the planet……… At night when we go to bed, pretty much the only electrical appliances left plugged in are the fridge and stove ~ and if they didn’t share a breaker, the stove would be disconnected that way at night as well. It’s estimated that 20% of your power bill comes from appliances simply being plugged in ~ not being used, just plugged in. It took awhile to get used to, but now it’s automatic ~ pour the last cup of coffee and unplug the pot. Right now I’m working on one of my worse habits ~ being online and watching TV at the same time………..
But it’s not just electricity that we need to reduce. We also need to get serious about our water supply. Unfortunately our water flow is too poor to place a brick in the toilet tank ~ it barely flushes now ~ but if you can, that’s an excellent way to reduce your water usage. Ever heard the saying if it’s yellow let it mellow if it’s brown flush it down? You may need to clean the toilet a bit more often, but do you really need to flush every pee singly? Especially if it’s just pee that needs to go?
So, there’s a lot we can do and should do. Above are a few of the things that we do in my house. What are your tips?????
liz said,
May 28, 2008 at 9:38 am
Great advice, I put food waste out to compost and at the college where I work, we have a wormery, and the worms eat most of the left overs.
mskittie said,
May 28, 2008 at 12:25 pm
wow what great information.this is really informative my friend.thanks for caring and sharing.
love mskittie
Sha said,
June 1, 2008 at 2:23 am
Great tips! Like you, I can’t afford pay more for “green” products always, and to tell you the truth, this is a habit I’m still trying to acquire… But, my mother, who is living with me nowadays, and I, are reusing most of the plastic stuff we buy (jam cans for example). And I keep my old batteries with me untill I can dispose them in a local disposal place for them (usually there are special places for it in supermakets here).
The most important thing is that I’m learning a lot with you guys from NV, reading, more and now, I’m really INTERESTED in doing more!