His quest was obviously extreme, but it got me thinking -- what would I be willing to give up in the name of responsible living? Would I sacrifice electricity or give up driving my car? Raising a family in Southern California, those are both impossibilities.
I decided one thing I could do was stop buying disposable K-Cups for my single-cup coffee brewer. I was throwing away one, two or three of those little plastic coffee shots every day.
Instead, I have committed to using the washable, re-fillable version. I fill it each time with new coffee, and it only adds another minute or so to the coffee-making process. It is also cheaper. One great thing about being environmentally friendly is that it usually costs less!
That's only a small change, but I will find more ways to reduce my environmental impact. Hitting the local farmers' market is definitely on my list of priorities.
Now I'd like to hear from you. What change -- big or small -- are you willing to make in the interest of sustainable living? Let us know, and inspire us to follow in your shoes!
Here are a few of my favorite changes we've made in the last few years: 1. using tupperware or plastic containers instead of saran wrap or foil. This is a very conscious thing that I have to constantly remind myself. It may take a few moments longer to locate a perfect sized container, but I just remind myself that nothing goes in a landfill if I make this choice. 2. Fabric, nylon lined sandwich bags (great for all kinds of non-liquid treats), 3. Reusable thermoses in lieu of water bottles, 4.We save and wash heavy duty plastic ware from dining out, and the most impactful one is that 5. I try really hard not to purchase any "single serving" types of food (like 100 calorie packs). What I'd really like to do? Commit to not purchasing any food that comes in a box. I think that could make a significant impact to the environment, but also our personal health. I can't imagine giving up cereal though! I can't wait to see what others have done...
ReplyDeleteAs you know, I'm repurposing clothes and all sorts of things I've hoarded over the years. Like you, I want less so I have less to clean, store, clutter my mind with, etc. Since I'm not buying clothes and, instead, am transforming them into new articles of clothing and other things, I get to do something that balances me (sewing). I'm just generally de-cluttering my house and mind. Since I have less laundry to do, I will commit to using only cloth napkins at home. We still have a lot of paper towels and napkins left, but we can use those when we have a party. The challenge will be what to do at a large party when we have used all the paper goods up!
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