So how is my green “experiment” going?  I thought it was only fair to share with you from time to time my progress in creating a more sustainable life.  I hope you will share your successes as well.  Through expressing our thoughts and actions on this blog, we can become an environment to inspire others.

Week 1: How I Started Thinking Green.

In the past three months I have noticed a heightened awareness of my choices and how they effect the environment.  Some actions, such as turning off power strips, or my microwave when not in use, have become automatic.  I’ve still a long way to go, but it’s clear as long as I keep my awareness in gear and continue to challenge my thinking, there is no way I will go back to how I was before.

Week 2:  Start Where You Are.

This was the easiest action to implement.  Every summer we plant a small vegetable garden.  The harvest has begun, though we’ve had some disappointments.  Normally, awash with fresh tomatoes, this summer we’ve lost nearly all of our tomato plants to late blight.  We are not alone, as my gardening friends have also lost theirs.  Ah well, as one said recently “That’s gardening.”  Indeed it is.  Every year is different.  This year, for the first time, I discovered the tops of my beets had been eaten. (Rabbits?)  One year we had deer dining in our backyard, and another year raccoons.  Yes, in the city.  Hope springs eternal and next spring we will be back at it.  Gardeners are natural optimists.

Week 3:  Support Local Food Producers:

Because we have our own garden, I only shop for produce I don’t grow myself – or have lost!  This year it was maple syrup, eggs, and strawberries.  I’m still looking for a source of Oswego peaches, as last year’s supplier isn’t doing it this year.  Obviously, I will be buying local tomatoes and apples.  Currently, I’m researching local grass fed beef and organic chicken.  Also, we try to buy locally produced milk and dairy products.  Each milk carton has a source code for state and county of origin.  Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County has a sheet showing all the codes for New York.

Week 4:  Bringing Home the Goods.

I began buying re-useable bags from local grocery and drug stores.  As these have deteriorated, I have replaced them with a five pack of nylon bags from reusablebags.com.  They come in a pouch, which makes them easy to carry in your car and in the store.  Additionally, I carry two polyester bags in my purse for shopping in other stores, like Borders.  Bless, Borders, by the way – they’ve begun asking “Do you need a bag.”  It’s a great reminder to pull the bag out of my purse.  I also carry cotton mesh bags for buying produce either in the store or at the farmer’s market.  My plastic bag consumption is down 75 – 80%.  Those I still get, I recycle into trash bags, or packing material when mailing something.  Finally, I have two heavy-duty bags, one canvas and the other a jute bag with heavy straps that I bought about thirty years ago.

Week 5:  Leftovers

It’s hard now to pick up anything in excess packaging and purchase it.  I look for alternatives.  Plastic food bags are washed and reused multiple times, and I’ve cut my purchase of them in half.  We buy milk in waxed cartons rather than plastic jugs.  We’ve started using cloth napkins, though I still use paper for messy foods like barbeque.   I use paper towels, though purchase those that are 100% recycled post consumer waste and try to limit their use to mopping up spills on the floor.  Fruit and vegetable trimmings, eggshells (washed), coffee and tea grounds go into the compost pile.  We’ve cut our trash bags from two 33 gallon bags per week to two 13 gallon bags per week.

Week 6:  Right Brain Math – Reusing Things More Than Once.

Yes, I still buy blueberries, and occasionally raspberries, in plastic cartons.  These are recycled into mini greenhouses for starting seeds.  Newspapers have become mulch in the garden.  Plastic juice bottles make great cloches over small plants.  Plastic mesh bags have been turned into scrubbers for the kitchen sink.  I recently gave a going away present wrapped in a piece of bright fabric for someone who sews.  I look forward to doing more creative gift-wrapping at Christmas.  

Still there are lots of possibilities for this week’s challenge.  It requires awareness, slowing down, and opening myself to think of other possibilities.  This is where your responses can be inspiring.  Those of you who craft regularly or have children can probably outshine me in this one.

Week 7:  Clean and Green.

Slowly, as I use up what’s on hand, I’m replacing cleaning products with more environmentally friendly ones.  Also, I’ve begun looking for labels that indicate a product is truly green or sustainable.

I incorporate many more natural ingredients in cleaning, such as vinegar, lemon juice, borax and baking soda.  I’m still circling washing soda, as I’ve never used it, and it’s a bit more caustic than the other ingredients.

Week 8:  10% Solution.

-I try to limit my driving to no more than every other day. 

-“No buy July” was fairly successful, though I admit I failed once, when I got a 25% off Borders’ coupon.  I track my daily expenses in a spiral notebook and it was clear by the end of the month that I bought less in July.

-I saved 10% of my income in July.  (The reverse effect of buying less).

-By eating 10% less (when I remember), I’ve lost three pounds.  I admit this is easier to do in the summer.

-Exercising 10% more was easy, since other than gardening, I wasn’t doing any exercise.

-I donated 10% more in July to non-profit organizations.  (Also, a corollary of spending less).

-I am more aware of reusing items, and have reused at least 10% more.

-We’ve cut our garbage in half.

-I’ve reduced my use of toxic cleaners by at least 10%.

-I read a book or article on green, sustainable living every week.

Week 9:  Use What’s on Hand.

One of the joys of gardening is that you learn to create meals based on what’s fresh and available.  Combining fresh fruits and vegetables with leftovers has produced some interesting meals and there is little or no waste. 

Other than cooking I think the benefit of this challenge has been to raise my awareness and to stop myself from buying something new.  This is a work in progress.

Week 10:  Paper, Paper, Everywhere.

-I continue to get off of catalog mailing lists.  Sometimes they ignore your first request.

-I’ve set up online bill paying and electronic folders for filing receipts.

-I use up both sides of any printer paper.  I wrote the rough draft for this on the clean side of printed paper.

-I’ve reduced the amount of paper household items, like napkins and towels.  I could do better here.

-I’m learning to borrow books from the library.  Books and magazines are a big part of my reading life.  I need to reduce the number of magazine subscriptions and purchases.

-Week 11:  Greenwashing.

I’m much more skeptical about green advertising claims, particularly from large corporations.  This requires more research and is also a work in progress.

Week 12:  Green Remodeling.

We have our energy saving windows and are waiting for them to be installed.  I’m still researching green insulation for this climate.    As we look to repaint and redo our bathroom, I continue to search for greener solutions.

There it is, a summary of small changes I’ve made so far toward a more sustainable life.  This is not a brag sheet – I’ve been more successful in some areas than others.  I’m sure some of you are doing much better.  I couldn’t have gotten this far without you.  Having to create a blog entry each week, and report back to you on my progress has kept me focused and honest.  Thank you for this opportunity.

Your turn:  Here is your chance to share what you’ve accomplished – big or small, it all matters.

Resources and inspirations:

“You are Here:  Exposing the Vital Link Between What We Do and What That Does to Our Planet,” by Thomas M. Kostigen.

Next week:  Fish: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.