Simply Green
What does this mean? …..thoughts of a cleaning product to mind? No this is not what I mean by simply green. Stripping ourselves down, to simplify- reduce use of resources. Walk lightly upon this Earth. This is what I am referring to when I use the term simply green.
For some it has been a choice to live this way for some time now. It is now far from a choice. It is a necessity.
Below are some examples on how you can be simply green everyday!
I work once a week at a shop that sells, amongst other things, freshly brewed chai tea (some say the best in town). I chance to say that the better part of the customer base that comes in for chai, is well educated in what is going on with our environment. Last week two people brought their own reusable containers. And we serve a fair amount of tea here. This saddens me to no end, to witness this. It is not difficult to carry a cup.
1. If you are one who regularly seeks beverages to go- please begin to think about the huge difference you can make by carrying a reusable cup.
With all the information out on plastic bottles, and the amount of money Americans spend on bottled water, I find it hard to believe that so many people continue to purchase bottled water. Two big problems that encouraged me to commit to reduce my consumption of bottled water are the toxins that leach into the water once air hits the internal plastic, so every time you ‘reuse’ that bottle, thinking you are being a conscious consumer, you are exposing yourself to toxic chemicals. The other major factor for me was when I found out that ‘recycling’ the plastic meant it was being shipped to Indonesia to be processed, with women and children working to ‘recycle’ in very unsafe conditions. I do not want to contribute to that!
http://www.healthobservatory.org/library.cfm?RefID=77083
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy- Smart Plastics guide- guide to safe use of plastic with food, especially where children are concerned.
2. If you consume water outside your home or work, it is easy to carry a refillable metal or safe plastic bottle. Refill as you need to, and drinks lots of water!
3. If you like to bring your lunch to work, a snappy stackable metal lunch box is the key! The best lunch boxes come out of India! Or try glass containers that have sealing lids. You don’t need Tupperware anymore! The guide above may mention the risks of warming food in plastic in the microwave. Oh dear- it isn’t good.
4. If you order your lunch togo- ask the restaurant if you can bring in your own container. It is possible, but some restaurants set different policies. Just Say NO to Styrofoam!!!
5. When shopping for groceries, check out all of the packaging. What are you paying for? How far has it been shipped for your consumption? Read- how much energy was used in the production and transport to your hand? Is it really worth all the energy used to buy this product? Please begin asking these questions, it’s not just a novel idea- it matters. Oh, and please don’t forget that fashion-able reusable grocery bag!
6. We can all work toward buying LOCAL, supporting local economies is smart in so many ways. Not only are you lessening the overall burden on the earth, you just may be supporting your neighbor, instead of some fancy suit-wearing CEO!
7. Start cleaning out your closets- anything you haven’t used in two years? Share it with someone who may need it. Haven’t used it in a year? Make a mental note, if you are not willing to let it go just yet. Old books gathering dust? Now, I know we all LOVE books, but they can also be a major cause of stagnant energy, Books to Prisoners is a great non-profit, or your local library….hey, maybe then someone could actually read it! Bring your library down to your favorites, and a few reference books are helpful at times. You’ll start to feel an incredible lightness in your surrounds.
8. Compost your food waste!!! Now, I realize this could have been at the top of the list. If you are an apartment dweller, there are ways you can get creative. Just google ‘compost’ and see what comes up!
9. Now this is a big one, and I’m sure not going to be a popular one but…here it goes- return to a cash based system. Yes, you can do it and it feels SO free! I found out a few years ago how much money my local Co-op spent on processing credit card sales each month….WoW, it’s a wad-o-cash! Something like $10,000, and this is a small, local business. They at the time were trying to get their feet on the ground, so they asked the member owners to shop with cash, whenever possible. It started the process for me to work toward a cash based system. I am close, as I still find myself using my debit card from time to time, but no credit cards for this girl, anymore! Sad thing is, you end up paying for it, in the cost of goods, and then pay for it with interest, all for convenience? Do you know why they (corporate banks) want us to use them- because someone out there is making a whole lot of money. And all these gimmicks to use your debit card as a credit card, don’t fall for it, the stores end up paying more. So, you can cut up your credit cards, and now go simply green from here on out. You can do it!
With wildsynergy!
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