Monday, March 24, 2008

Midwestern Confession

I am going to admit something to you that is an area of shame. I am not very green. Actually, I am not green at all. It's not that I drive a huge Hummer or leave all of my lights on, but we do not recycle.

This is so embarrassing to admit. But, I hide no more. I am not sure what took me so long, but we have decided to get green like the rest of the world. Like most of our bad choices, it comes from shear laziness.

Isn't it strange how this happens. The moment when your eyes are opened. I was walking out of the grocery store with bags of groceries, plastic, of course. I walked by the recycling box for these plastic bags. Huh? I had no idea it was that easy. So, I decided that I would start to do that. During my car ride home, I asked myself what else I could do. This is what I came up with...

So, our first green step will be to use the blue tub to recycle aluminum, steel, and bimetallic food and beverage cans. We will also recycle newspapers and paper products. I have printed off the recycling schedule to be placed on the refrigerator.

I will have to gather some containers to organize our bottles. We'll have to bring our bottles to a drop off area.

Along with these baby steps to a greener family, I have purchased ten reusable grocery sacks.

This is a start. Go ahead and shame me, but I would rather you give me some ideas, hints, or suggestions for the new greener us.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Way to go! Ten reusable bags is plenty. Leave some in each car so you will always have them for every kind of store. If you forget to bring them in ask for paper sacks. Then put your recycle newpapers in those.
I have a huge purse and have been known to bring tupperware in them when we eat out. That way we don't have to ask for non decompose styrofoam contatiners.

Sara Hondl said...

We have recycled for awhile, but we just started recycling paper, cardboard, etc... and our garbage has gone down by half. I was amazed.

Anonymous said...

I think I've heard you say you're a germaphobe.

Harsh chemical cleaners are doing terrible things to our water supply, anti-bacterial soap included. People think water is a never ending renewable resource, but it is not.

Go green with your cleaning supplies. Method and Seventh Generation are two good brands.

I'll admit I still struggle with this, but I try.

Carm said...

We are blessed at my building. I don't have to SORT my recyclables. I just throw them all into one bin and that makes it SOOO much easier. I, too, went far too long before getting serious about a year ago. I agree my garbage is so much less once I weed out all the recyclable items. Don't be hard on yourself. Just start. One thing at a time. Though you sound like you are already jumping in with both feet. You go girl! :)

Anonymous said...

Sorry to double comment, but I thought of an easy one. Turn your thermostat up a few degrees in the summer & down a few in the winter. Saves energy and also saves you money.

Anonymous said...

Better late than never! You go girl! I have got lots of green baby tips too, if/when the time comes...

Political Muse said...

I heard Global Warming is a myth...

So I stopped recycling