Saturday, December 5, 2009

Green Giveaway!

Hey, there's a new green giveaway from The MotherLoad.  I thought I'd play along!  Go check out her site.  It's great.
OK, so the question is, what are we doing to be more green.  Well, actually, I've been trying to be green for quite a while.  Here's what I/we do:
  • I bring my own bags to the grocery store (most of the time).  I think they are better anyway.  They are easier to carry and hold more than bags the stores offer.
  • I try to buy locally produced products.  This is both in the grocery store and at the local farmer's market.  Next year we may even be part of a garden co-op.  I've got to send in my application.
  • We have a compost bin in the back yard.  We put vegetable and fruit scraps, used coffee grounds, egg shells, etc. into a cute little container on the counter.  When it's full, out to the compost bin it goes.
  • We have a vermicomposter as well.  Yup.  Worms.  We started it when we were at the botanical garden at the university.  We put veggies and fruit in there with the red wiggler worms.  They eat the scraps and produce worm castings (aka: worm poop) that are good for the house plants and garden.  We've only had it a few weeks, so I've yet to harvest the castings.  Should be fun.
  • I make my own card stock from the paper in the shredder, then make greeting cards from it.  It's a fun little hobby.
  • The kids bring home lots of papers with writing only on one side.  That paper goes into the printer, is saved for grocery lists, etc.  
  • We have 3 recycle bins we fill up every week.
  • I shop thrift stores.
  • I've gotten stuff from freecycle.
  • We turn our thermostat down in the winter and up in the summer.
  • We turn off lights and watch our water consumption.
I guess that's it for this list.  We may do something else, but I'm not thinking of it at the time being.
Thanks for reading. Be sure to check out the green giveaway at the Mother Load (above). 

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Barb--

What a great post!

I do a lot of this, too, but I've not done the compost thing (yet), only because I need to learn about how to do it and buy a bin first. I need to get on the ball!

I'm following you now and am so glad you posted about this! Your entries have been added!

Brian Miller said...

wow..you are talented making your won paper...we try, no plastics, home grown food, local produce, recycle...great stuff here though.

happy saturday!

Anonymous said...

I take my lunch to work and we recycle a lot. But YOU do a lot more....

rxBambi said...

You are the Green Queen. Seriously. I don't do nearly as much as you. But I'd give you paper to make me paper. Know what I'm saying? I want some darn cards!

Little Ms Blogger said...

The worm compost fascinates me. I have 2 compost bins (one turns and I got it as a wedding gift last year - probably my favorite gift).

I have a veggie garden.

Bring cloth bags to grocery store.

Recycle soda cans.

Have a wood burning stove (only source of heat - don't use the oil anymore)

I've heard great things about freecycle.com, but I'd first have to clean out my house. yuck.

Mike said...

Barb, this was one of Rx Bambi's first appearances on my blog. She was rather confrontational! LOL

http://wizardofotin.blogspot.com/2009/05/random-tuesday-thoughts-7.html

Mike said...

OH I am not very good at the Green Thing. I am just being honest!