Green SAHM

Yesterday I wrote about what I see as some of the simpler ways to go green. They still take commitment, but don’t really take a lot of extra effort.

Today I’m covering some still fairly simple things that do take a bit more effort.

1. Drive less.

This is a tough one for many families. Then again, my family has made it about one year on just one car. I work at home, which makes that much more possible. But it was Christmastime last year that my car died and we decided that replacing it was not in the budget and not necessary at this time. It has meant some sacrifices, since that makes it too hard to do many activities with the kids, but it has overall been worth it.

Look at what you do. Can riding a bike, walking or taking public transportation replace the use of your car at times? Google has a service in beta that includes transit itineraries for many areas. It’s pretty interesting and a great resource if you aren’t yet familiar with what’s in your area. Not all areas are covered yet, but they’re working on it.

This one is not possible for a lot of people, but if you can do telecommute, consider yourself lucky and take advantage! You waste less time on the road and save the money you would have spent on gas.

2. Compost.

This can be a bit tougher if you live in an apartment, but there are indoor composting systems that are reported to control the odors. Composting means that food scraps don’t rot in the landfill. They make great natural fertilizer, even if all you ever do is plant an indoor herb garden.

3. Garden.

Anything from a little herb garden on a kitchen counter to a serious backyard garden can be a wonderful idea. It means you can get fresh produce that you know has been grown the way you like it.

Take the time to learn about natural pest control. For example, ladybugs are pretty easily available at many garden centers, and are quite good at controlling certain pests.

And of course the aforementioned compost means you don’t have to spend money on chemical fertilizers.

Alternatively or along with this, join a food co-op. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is very popular right now. It’s a wonderful way to get local produce more easily. Local Harvest has some good resources to help you find a CSA in your area.

4. Decrease your energy consumption.

Changing light bulbs to CFLs works, although there are concerns about the mercury in the bulbs. But there’s more you can do.

Consider plugging your television, stereo and such into a power strip, so that you can shut them down completely when you turn them off. These can use a significant amount of “ghost power”. But you will want to consider, if you have TiVo or a similar service, finding a way to allow that to have a different power strip so you can leave it on if it is going to be recording while you aren’t watching television.

Also be sure to unplug chargers when not in use. Cell phone chargers are often left plugged in, and they don’t stop using power just because you take your cell phone with you.

Similarly, unplug electric toothbrushes and the like. My electric toothbrush is plugged in about one day a week and holds a good charge that long easily.

5. Install a clothesline.

Putting in a clothesline takes some effort, as does hanging the laundry out on it when the weather is warm enough to dry your clothes quickly. Clothes dryers use a significant amount of energy. But even beyond that, there are few things like clothes dried outdoors. Some people give their towels a quick turn through the dryer at the end so that they don’t feel stiff.

6. Get an energy audit.

Many local power companies offer these for free or at a discount, or you can hire a company to do one for you.

An energy audit tests your home, to see where energy is being wasted and how you can solve the problem. Little things like leaks under a door or through a window can cause significant heat loss in winter, for example. Just be sure you take action on the recommendations.

Technorati Tags: new year, environment, saving energy, drive less, garden, compost

This is a popular time to rethink old habits, so why not rethink some of those habits you have that aren’t so good for the environment? Today I’d like to present a list of reasonably simple things you can do to have less of an impact and live greener.

1. Buy less.

And when you have to buy, try to buy green. This can mean buying local, organic or fair trade when possible. It can also mean checking out resale shops and thrift stores. You might be amazed at the quality of things you can buy that aren’t even new.

2. Reuse.

So much of what we buy can be reused. But even if you can’t come up with a use for it, someone else might. When it’s reasonable, remember to list items on Freecycle or give to thrift shops.

3. Recycle.

Yes, the third part of the usual reduce, reuse, recycle routine.

Most areas have made recycling easier. You may or may not have to split your recyclables into separate bins for each type these days. Where I live, all recyclables go into one bin, making it as easy as throwing them in the trash.

Also try to find reputable places to dispose of old electronics. When it comes time to get rid of that old computer, television or whatever it may be, do not throw it in the trash. Earth 911 has resources for recycling electronics.

4. Switch to natural and/or nontoxic cleansers.

Method and Seventh Generation are two popular brands that you can often find locally. I see Method regularly at Target, and Seventh Generation at my local Henry’s (recently purchased by Whole Foods, who should also carry such brands).

You can also make your own cleansers. Baking soda and white vinegar work for an amazing range of cleaning needs.

5. Buy rechargeable batteries.

A good battery recharging system means you will go through fewer batteries and save money in the long run. Figure out how many batteries of each type you will need and get a system that can cope with your needs. Amazon.com and GreenBatteries.com each have a decent selection.

6. Warm your body, not your house when possible.

Rather than turning the thermostat up to 70 degrees F or more, remember what your parents used to say and put on a sweater. Maybe even some socks or slippers if you’ve been running around the house barefoot. You can keep the thermostat at a much lower temperature this way, saving on heating oil or electricity in the process.

If a day is sunny but cold, opening the blinds may help to heat your home. I do this only on the side of the house that gets direct sunlight in winter.

The reverse can be more challenging in summer. Keeping your thermostat to a higher temperature to avoid using the air conditioner is not easy for many people. It’s not too impossible for me since I work at home and don’t often go into air conditioned buildings. It takes just a couple weeks to get used to being warmer, along with figuring out how to block the worst of the heat.

If you don’t mind the look, folded cardboard boxes in windows really do help, as do sheets or blankets covering the windows. Anything that keeps the heat out means you’ll use the air conditioner less.

Don’t forget to check and replace filters regularly!

7. Wash your clothes in cold water.

Most of the time cold water does quite well. A warm wash rarely improves your results in any significant way.

8. Drink more water.

But don’t buy bottled water. Buy a nice reusable bottle either from a local store or through ReusableBags.com. You’ll save money as you do something good for yourself and the environment.

9. Use less water.

This is not in contradiction to #10. You should drink more water, but people tend to waste a lot of water. Take shorter showers and rethink how much you water your lawn. Deeper waterings are more effective than more frequent waterings, for example. But you should also be looking at your overall landscaping and figuring out how to make it more suited to your local climate.

Whatever lawn you do keep, allow to grow taller. If it’s at least 2-1/2 inches tall it will need less watering and be more resistant to weeds.

10. Do full loads.

Don’t run half full washing machines or dishwashers. While the occasional smaller load may be necessary, most of the time you can wait a little and build up a full load.

I can manage this even when my son wets his bed several days in a row. With 4 people in the house it’s easy to come up with enough things that need to be washed.

But by the same token, think about how fast things really get dirty. Kids can be great for wearing an outfit for a half hour, then throwing them in the clothes hamper to be washed. Similarly, many people find it simple to use a towel more than once for drying off.

11. Stop using disposable dishes.

These are easiest when you’re entertaining, but a lot of people use them fairly frequently just because they feel like it. Whenever possible, even when you have company, don’t use disposable dishes or plasticware.

This goes for lunchtime too. Many people bring or buy lunch at school or work. But if you bring leftovers from home in reusable containers you won’t be throwing out so many disposable containers. Once again, find something in your area or delight in the selection at ReusableBags.com. There are many reasons why I adore their Laptop Lunches box. Flexibility is a big one.

12. Get off junk mail lists.

This one should be an absolute pleasure!

You can get off many credit card mailing lists by contacting the credit bureaus. You can further decrease your junk mail by asking the DMA to take your name off mailing lists.

13. Go flexitarian.

That is, eat at least one vegetarian meal a week. Eating less meat can be good for you, and there are many delightful vegetarian recipes you can try. Even if you love your meat, this one should be possible.

14. Have the kids help.

The younger kids learn to respect the environment, the more of a habit it can become. Don’t give them all the toys they want, just because they saw them on television. Think about how much they have and how much easier it is to appreciate what you have when there’s less of it.

15. Bring your own bag.

Reusable bags are appearing in most grocery stores in my area. These are a wonderful substitute for the plastic bags that are otherwise often a single use item. ReusableBags.com has a delightful section of more stylish bags if the plainer ones with store logos that the grocery stores carry don’t appeal to you.

16. Don’t fall for green consumerism.

While buying green products is a good idea, it’s not green if you’re overdoing it. Think about what you really need before you shop. Buying lunch boxes and shopping bags makes sense because you’re going to be using fewer one-use items. Buying an entire new wardrobe of clothing so you can get it all organic or fair trade does not.

I’ll be posting in the next day or so on some of the more challenging things you can do to go greener. Nothing too hard, just things that might take a bit more commitment, without requiring a complete change of lifestyle.

Technorati Tags: new years resolutions, environment, reduce, reuse, recycle, limiting waste

Technorati Tags: wordless wednesday

With Christmas nearly here it’s a good time to really focus on what really matters to kids at this time of year. All the gifts they beg for are just the things they think they want. Most of them probably won’t be remembered. But other things will be far more memorable.

1. Time spent as a family.

Kids aren’t too prone to asking for this one, although my daughter loves to beg for family adventures. That generally means going someplace she thinks are exciting.

But not everything must be an adventure. We spent a long time yesterday and today making a graham cracker house (my kids don’t like gingerbread). They were utterly delighted, and may well remember it for a long time. It’s incredibly sticky work, and not a particularly healthy thing to do, but such fun!

We also read together every night. It’s the little things you do as a family that really help children to feel loved and secure.

2. Keep the stress level down.

This can be a very stressful time, as any parent knows. Kids don’t always realize when they’re stressed as such. Don’t overschedule your holidays, even if there’s a lot of pressure to see everyone and participate in every family activity. Sometimes it’s best to ease up a little.

We keep Christmas morning as our time. No running around visiting people, although if someone wants to come by we would probably welcome them. This took some time to build, as my husband wanted to keep going to his parents first thing. But I pointed out that they didn’t go running around visiting first thing when he was a kid, and it’s more fun for kids to come running out of their rooms first thing to see their presents and have leisure to open them.

Make it fun!

3. Be honest about what they can expect as gifts.

Don’t tell them what they’re getting, but do talk honestly about the possibilities. High expectations can lead to big disappointment. And if you can’t afford the dream gift, just say so.

“Sorry honey, no pony!”

4. Build traditions.

I suspect the graham cracker house thing may end up as a tradition. We did a gingerbread house last year, and that’s how I know that they don’t like gingerbread.

But we also have a family gathering with my husband’s side of the family on Christmas Eve night. He really, really looks forward to it. It’s an extended family thing, so lots of relatives he sees only at times like that. My daughter loves it too, since one cousin on that side is just a month older than she is. And of course Santa makes an appearance.

5. Make it about more than the presents.

Pretty much along the lines of the rest of this post. Kids love presents. I won’t pretend otherwise. But they really want to do things that they will remember. Playing with family members, doing fun things will mean a lot more in the long run.

Technorati Tags: kids, christmas, holidays, christmas meaning, christmas fun

Christmas generates a horrendous amount of garbage. It’s not just the wrapping paper. It’s the packaging. The excess food. The greeting cards.

All of this goes into making for a fun holiday, but it can also be horrendously wasteful. What can you do to get things under control?

Gift Wrap

While you can’t control how people wrap gifts to you, you can control how you wrap gifts. I already have a post on greening your gift wrap if you need ideas for this.

You may not be able to stop people from using wrapping paper and such for your gifts, but you can keep it from being entirely wasted. Kids can get very creative with wrapping paper, and I don’t mean just balling it up and having a wrapping paper ball fight.

If it doesn’t have plastic or metallic prints it can often be recycled. This depends on your area, so check on it. Many recycling companies have websites now, so this can be pretty easy to research.

And of course, if it’s not too badly damaged you can save it for future wrapping purposes. It may drive some people nuts (my inlaws, for example), but where is the actual harm?

This is also why I love gift bags. I think I’ve pretty much broken my husband’s idea that they should be tied shut. Both gift bags and decorative tissue paper can be reused, often repeatedly. I’ve never understood people who throw these out after just one use.

Packaging

This is the stuff that can really, really drive you nuts. Goes double if you have kids. It can take a ridiculously long time to get all their toys freed from the overenthusiastic packages. Plastic, wires, strings and cardboard are often combined to hold the toy completely immobile and all but inaccessible.

The first step is to think about what you ask for. When people want ideas from you, think about whether you need it and how bad the packaging is. With some things there is not a whole lot you can do about it.

Check all packaging for recycleability. Unfortunately, most plastic that toys and electronics are wrapped in is not clearly labeled for recycling. And if you live in an area, as I do, where only #1 and #2 can be recycled, and only in bottle form, you’re pretty much sunk for recycling any of this.

Don’t forget about shipped packages when thinking about packaging. If you’re going to come up with a use for it, save it! So much is highly reusable, while many kinds of shipping peanuts don’t break down that well in landfills, so far as I know. Shipping peanuts can also make interesting craft supplies for kids. There’s a quick guide on recycling shipping supplies on eHow that you may enjoy.

Food

Mmm… holiday meals can be so decadent. Then there are the leftovers.

Buying organic and/or local is of course a good start. Don’t stop there. Think about how much you’re making. Think about what you’re going to do with the leftovers.

This year I get to cook and I’m making lasagna. One reason is that it freezes well. Great way to handle leftovers when it works. Others are bringing the side dishes. They get to handle their own leftovers, although if my mother has more than she can handle, I’ll no doubt be keeping some of them.

Holiday Cards

Just as with gift wrap, I like to hand these over to the kids at the end of the season. Free craft supplies!

The occasional particularly good photo card I do keep, but for the most part I am really not into just storing the Christmas cards. I knkow people who keep all of them, every year.

<>Kids, on the other hand, love getting their hands on these. They can cut out pictures and just have fun. It’s nice to have something unsual for them to work with.

In case you hadn’t guessed, I love reusing things as craft supplies for my kids. It means I don’t have to buy supplies for them. That means saving money, consuming less, recycling and still letting my kids be creative, as children should be.

There’s going to be a lot of trash generated this time of year by most households. Any steps you can take to control what you do will help.

Technorati Tags: christmas trash, holiday waste, reuse, recycle, kids crafts