This was a big social/environmental crisis awareness weekend for us.
On Friday night we watched Maxed Out, a film about credit cards and consumer debt. Then caught a little of Live Earth online on Saturday, and finally saw Sicko on Saturday night (which I'd highly recommend).
I've written before about the environmental benefits of breastfeeding, something that never occurred to me while I was nursing but now seems really clear.
But I have to say that when I had my son I took a few giant steps backward in my efforts to live in an more environmentally responsible way. I stopped composting, started buying more prepared and packaged foods, and while we used cloth diapers, we accumulated a horrendous amount of plastic baby stuff.
I recently saw the movie Who Killed the Electric Car? (which I'd also recommend) and the urge to make some changes kicked in again. I've tacked a checklist to our fridge and am starting to work down it. Here is a list of the things we've done in the last couple of months:
1. We bought a used Prius (hybrid) to replace our Corolla, which was totaled in an accident a few months ago. No big sacrifice there - I've been wanting one of these cars since they came out. It's so fun to drive.
2. I started composting again. Finally realized that our complex has a big compost pile which people use for the community garden, shown above. This has been easy and has cut down on our garbage significantly.
3. I started picking more produce at our wonderful CSA (community supported agriculture) farm. We joined last year because people raved about it, but I don't think I really got how to make the most of it until this summer. I feel like my understanding of it is just catching up with the decision to do it. So, we've been picking strawberries and sugar snap peas like they're going out of style, and our snacks are now much more local and healthy. I still need more recipes for zucchini, though - help!
4. We bought no-VOC paint for an interior painting job. The person who is doing the painting for us says that she feels much better (no headache, less fatigue) after a day of painting than before, and that terrible paint smell is all but gone. The paint itself seems just as good as regular paint. It was more expensive but we lucked out and bought it during a sale, so it cost about the same.
5. We bought some of those window fans that have automatic settings, and have used the AC only a few times. And I'm a huge heat wimp. Thanks to a prior owner our house is really well insulated, so if we blow cool air in at night and and early morning and then close up the house, it stays really cool for much of the day. I'd say that we've cut down on the AC by at least half.
6. I'm trying to start buying more environmentally friendly household products, like laundry detergent, toilet paper, dishwashing soap, etc. When the new co-op opens up this will be much easier. I'm also trying to, duh, turn off the lights when I leave a room. Replacing light bulbs should happen soon, though I do love incandescent lighting.
7. I got out the drying rack and even got the materials to make a clothes line on our porch. This doesn't work as well here because of the humidity. Wish I'd done this when we were in hot and bone-dry Davis, CA.
So, those are the steps we've taken recently. I have a long way to go, but it's a start. I'm kind of amazed at how far we strayed from this stuff when my son was born. That happen to any of you?
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