Most of the following isn't what I would call recycling. Instead, its doing familiar things in a slightly different way. I would, again, insist that you do not listen to the rich fear mongers who want everyone else to live in the Middle Ages, without the benefit of modern luxuries,while, they, themselves live like queens and kings. Instead, integrate these suggestions into your everyday life as the "new normal way of life" and don't live in fear. Whatever happens in the future, live with courage and do your best. Don't make environmentalism a religion, make it a deep down way of life that encourages simplicity, frugality and wisdom. I do not belong to any environmental organization and I have been running my house like this for decades. I dislike the modern tendency to hate mankind and thinking of ourselves as a blight on the land. AT the very least, mankind is the universe's mind made manifest, we are the universe reflecting back and thinking about what it means to BE , to exist ----
-I believe that we are the children of God and have potential for great goodness, wisdom and mercy and the earth was not better before mankind evolved - it was a planet without a mind and heart, a planet that was, itself,solely, an animal. We have given the earth its soul.
1. Use paper bags or cloth bags when shopping. This will get you a lot of odd looks for awhile but people will get used to you. It is very hard to convince people they don't need to give you a plastic bag, but do your best. Recycle the plastic bags at the local grocery store or with your recyclers, if they accept them. Some stores even offer cloth bags with their logo.
(Don't worry about the odd looks - life isn't a popularity contest!)
2. Use the new florescent bulbs. They have their problems but the technology is improving and the shapes now fit into most outlets. I don't seem to notice some of the early annoyances like the buzz I heard with the first ones. OTT lights are a subset of this suggestion... very good for people who need to do detailed work or work with variations of colors. Ask for the OTT lights at your local needlework store or shop on line. Joanne Fabrics carries them.
3.Do research on LED light bulbs. They are extremely costly but are slowly becoming cheaper and more popular. I actually saw some at the local grocery store last Christmas. Flash lights with LEDS are now available. This one isn't just good, its cheaper. .. they last longer and are cheaper to use. (I am not totally enamored of the Christmas application and I am tending towards using a mixture of the two kinds.) OH> its better, strangely to leave them ON. ( I don't!)
4. Use your power-down switch on your computer at night. Turn off your monitor before you go to bed. Turn off lights you are not using.
Do energy intensive jobs, like the dishwasher and drying clothes, during the late night and early morning when use is at a minium.
3. don't use a lot of fertilizer or any other chemical on your lawn, don't over water the lawn. I let mine die back during our few weeks of dry summer weather - its less work for me. Check with local experts about how to water efficiently.
4. Use a paper shredder for your bills and anything with personal information. The shredded paper is a natural for recycling. (This suggestion has a lot to do with security)
5. Eat less meat. (this one's good on several levels, particularly, if you are over 50!) The list of why this is environmentally sound is long but I wouldn't carry it too far. We eat less meat because my husband has gout. Gout is caused by the breakdown of proteins into purines in the blood. Long story, there. My suggestion is make a few days a week "meat free" and add a few meatless favorites to your list of dishes. Our favorite is Pasta with my homemade tomato sauce, bean enchiladas and my vegetable stew. (I may post some of these someday.)
6. Don't insist on new things - ignore fashions - both house fashions or clothing fashions. Instead, make or buy things that are classics and will last a lifetime. Don't fall for the 'Martha Steward' mindset. We are not as rich as she is and we can't afford to change our living room to suit her expectations.
I only break the Classics rule when there is no other choice and I can't afford better. Plastic containers seem to last a longer time than I originally thought, I have some from the 80's.
7. Be practical about things and don't buy fads that will end up at Good Will once you or the person you give them to tire of them. Fads are silly, expensive and environmentally unsound. .. pet rocks, Chia pets & Talking Elmo dolls are both silly and useless. Buy or make gifts of real worth.
8. This one I don't really do ... sorry --- but its on the list. Don't buy fancy Christmas gift wrapping paper. Instead, sew bags in colorful colors, decorate them and use them year after year. For friends, make bags for their gifts that are part gift, themselves. (something they might use as a purse, or to store things.) Don't buy paper that is metallic, it can't be truly recycled. (I admit it - I have never been able to resist handsome fancy papers !)
9. I save any packing materials - like the peanuts and plastic bags full of air and reuse them when I mail away Christmas gifts.
10. Think about reusing, making due, second and third uses for things. Think like they did back in the 18o0's out here in the West when things were expensive and everything had to come either by boat or over land and long distances made nice things rare and expensive.
Questions like: Can I reuse this?
Do I really need all my towels to match?
If I wash out this bottle could I use it for storing herbs?
If I cut this up could I make 6 kitchen rags with it?
Note : you can buy cork or rubber stoppers at the local hardware store.
11. Buy large amounts of every day practical things ... soap, frying oil, olive oil - all those thousand and one things that are used every day and then fill smaller containers for use. I do this will all hand soaps, oils for cooking, dish washing liquid - the idea is that you are putting one large plastic container in the land fill or recycling instead of 20 small ones - it is, also, far cheaper to buy large. (Costco, even Wal Mart (only the rich can be proud enough not to shop where the prices are the best!) are good places to look.
12. Use paper toweling sparingly. Use cloth for most things. I use Paper toweling for Hair Balls and for dealing with oil spills in the kitchen and not much else. I tend to 'fudge' on this rule, sometimes.
Well, life goes on. I read a sad & funny article on the net... some crazy NY family isn't using toilet paper because it is' bad for the environment'. OK Guys, you have just gone off the deep end. I will not go back the unsanitary Middle Ages and I am not washing my butt every time I go to the bathroom! Don't go crazy, dear people, just get smart and enjoy life ... Please?! God save us, what a crazy time this is!
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