Lean Green Machine

Is it July already? WOW!! Where does the time go? I wanted to get a post in before July flies by on me.

My Dad, bless his heart, has always taught me by example how to reduce my ‘carbon footprint.’ Now I’m pretty sure if I got the definition right- it means to reduce how much I consume/throw away etc.

Of course back then my Dad didn’t know about a carbon footprint – but he always had a sense about being responsible in taking care of the Earth while we are here. That pretty much sums up what I am talking about right there.

When I was a kid my Dad and I went on long walks around the neighborhood and we made a sport out of collecting cans to recycle. It was fun to see who would come home with the most. Gross you say? Well maybe. But my Dad was instilling in me a big green monster- recycling monster that is (usually recycling containers are green)!  I owe it to him and Mom too for teaching me that value. Today I have an extra garbage can inside the house that is for recycling whatever is allowed to be recycled at the recycling center in my town. Paper, plastic, glass. Etc.

My hubby and I have even taught our daughter to recycle by having her put plastic containers or cans into the special recycling garbage can.  And she's only 2 1/2! ;-)

Other ways I like to try to GO GREEN:

• Use hard plastic or metal water bottles instead of disposable plastic water bottles
• Wash my clothes in cold water (I read that someone didn't use their dryer for 1 yr! WOW!) :-0
• Turn off lights in any room in my house not being occupied
• Use a cloth grocery bag – I found a really triple large one at Aldi’s for only $1.99
– and I use it over and over again.
• I sometimes forget that cloth bag because I’m new to that one- so always reuse any plastic grocery bags by
using them as small garbage can liners, to dispose of diapers
• Okay you got me there- I haven’t gone to cloth diapers – but that is a good one to do!
• Reuse and re-purpose items as often as you can
• Donate instead of throwing away household items that can be used by someone less fortunate than you are. You
may not consider yourself rich with many worldly possessions, but hey one man’s trash is another man’s
treasures.  You never know who might be able to use that old bookcase in your garage or that old night
stand in your basement.  So long as it’s not moldy or broken beyond use


What are some ways that you like to Go Green? Please share by adding comments! Thanks!