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Green Living
Posted under Being RSG, Sustainable Living by Recovering Straight GirlIt’s easy to be “green” in the Northwest, we’re set up for it around here, what with all of the tree hugging environmentalists all about. HG and I do our best to do our part, but of course it’s always lacking, because there is always more that we can do.
Sometimes I have a little fantasy about buying a few acres west of the Scary Suburbs, having a little farm where we can grow vegetables, raise chickens (for eggs,) have a goat (to keep the grass low,) grow lavender (because we’re lesbians,) maybe make some wine and beer, (because we’re lushes.) Live sustainably, be kind to the earth, you know.
As much as I love this idea, this fantasy is in direct violation of our Five Year Plan, and our Ten Year Plan; the plans that will ultimately take us to living on our sailboat in South America after the children leave home.
So I can’t have my farm where I grow organic vegetables, so we must settle for some other kind of Green Living.
Let’s take a gander of how far we have come:
- We recycle, (of course we recycle, we live in Portland, if we didn’t recycle we could possibly be taken out by a firing squad.)
- I pack the girls lunches every day in a lunch box with re-usable containers and re-usable water bottles., (except for DD#1, who is high maintenance and obviously doesn’t care about the earth, she must have a brown paper bag!)
- We don’t use the store’s shopping bags anymore, or get boxes from Costco. We bring our own bags, and only request a paper bag if we must have one for our recycling. We have trained the girls to do the same.
- We try to combine our trips and make DD#1 walk to and from school unless we’re going that way or coming back home at the time she’s walking. This saves an incredible amount of gas.
- I carpool with the neighbors to take the other girls to school or they take the bus, (most of the time.)
- We don’t eat fast food.
- I buy a lot of groceries in bulk to cut down on packaging.
- We only use natural cleaning products that do not contain any chemicals harmful to the environment.
- We keep our thermostat set to 66 degrees (F) during the day and 61 degrees (F) at night. If I’m cold during the day I put on more clothes or turn a small portable electric heater on in my office, which Ginger loves to sit in front of.
- Since Christmas I’ve been on a “spending diet” and really scrutinizing every thing I buy. I want to cut down on “stuff” in our lives.
- I buy natural and organic foods when ever I can. I do not purchase any pre-packaged foods and make all of our meals from scratch. We eat at home as a family almost every night that the girls are with us and are now trying to eat at home when we’re here alone. This cuts down on money and resource waste.
- We replaced all of our light bulbs, except for the dimmer bulbs in our dining room, with Compact Fluorescent bulbs. The initial cost was high (about $100.00 or so,) but by replacing just 5 bulbs with CF bulbs you save on average $50.00 per year. We replaced many more than 5!
- We try to be conscience of unplugging our electrical appliances when not in use. The toaster, the coffee maker, lamps, television, cell phone chargers, camera chargers etc. These items are called “vampire electronics” because they continue to use electricity even if they are not turned on.
Many of these changes I have made have not come easily. I happen to love cleaning products, especially bleach. I love shopping, I love consumerism, and I love traveling and dining out. I have been resistant, yet willing to move forward.
On Friday we watched, Who Killed the Electric Car, (a must see,) and debated how are we supposed to make a difference, when most of the rest of the country is setting us up to fail? In the movie, they speak of the concept of a non-gas running/polluting engine as a carrot being dangled in front of our eyes, never to really be achieved. Corporations and oil companies are controlling what we as consumers are wanting, advertisers are dictating what we “need,” and the world is suffering because of it. HG is hell bent on purchasing an Electric Vehicle, but the prices are astounding despite the fact that the technology for zero emissions electric cars has been around for over a decade. We want a world without pollution, but no one makes any money on a clean earth. Money is made is destroying and then attempting to repair it. Is this what humanity is about? I like to think not, but I know that the realities of our world are much different than my logic or even my naivety.
Yesterday I was looking into purchasing a Worm Composting Bin and a Rain Catching barrel. These two items, despite their initial cost will help to cut down on contributing to land fills, eliminate the need for purchasing fertilizers, and re-use the rainwater we get so abundantly in Oregon for the dry times during the summer.
But despite all of our strides, our willingness to do our part, paired with the powers of resistance, I do realize that I (we) aren’t there yet and have a long way to go to live the way we can and should be living. One day at a time on the journey of Being Green, I guess. A journey that begins with small steps.
As I have been sitting here writing this, my beautiful “Greener Than Me” wife has announced to me her plan for an activity for us tomorrow.
We will WALK to the bus stop, and take the BUS from the scary suburbs to down town Portland where we will peruse used books at Powell’s and see a movie at a theatre that projects digitally (more environmentally friendly than film.)
All of this sounds great except for the walking and the bus part. That idea causes me to look for my non-environmentally friendly hand sanitizer and long for my internal-combusting-fossil-fuel burning polluter of an SUV for heat.
I will do it, I’ll be a trooper and I’ll even have a smile on my face, (I will, I will, I will.) It’s just one step. Just one small step. If I can do it, anyone can!
I am glad you and your family are going GREEN…however I must tell you I’m not and hopefuly don’t have to for a long time….I know I am bad however I DON’T want to do all of that stuff you and your family have been doing.I know I’m bad…..I throw everything out and don’t think about it again..I know I am bad……
I love this post, RSG, and the thoughtful reflection into choices and actions. The truth is, we can’t NOT deal with”all of that stuff” anymore. That just isn’t an option, and moreso, it doesn’t have to be an option anymore. Mindless consumerism and waste does not have to be the mainstay, and while all levels of it are not for everyone, everyone can make simple choices and decisions, all on different levels of what’s right for them. But to just say what the hell and not think about it, what kind of example is that to your kids? I’d sure rather be thoughtful of my choices and not have to tell myself “I’m bad” all the time.
Let me know what you find out about the worm composting bin, RSG: I love that idea, and it’s such clean way to create great compost for your garden. I’ve set up a little system for re-using plastic bags, and have put chopsticks in a jar, where I can hang the bags to dry once I’ve washed them out. I love learning little things you can do to re use, reduce and recycle. I’ve been reading a lot lately about the constant drain of electronics that are always plugged in: I think we’re going to concentrate on that one next.
RSG- Talk to me about the rain barrel before you buy one of the expensive versions. I am working on a cost effective and beautiful rain barrel solution that you can do yourself.
One icky part of going green that I must confess I am having trouble with- compact florescent bulbs- I didn’t have wrinkles until I put them in the bathroom!
ugh
Lelo and Beecharmer: You both just mentioned two things I forgot to add to my list!!
I must edit.
I hear you about the light bulbs, and I would love to hear more about the rain barrel.
I love this post. My sunday school class is watching ” an inconvenient truth” as part of our duty as christians. (see all christians are not like jerry falwell) I believe we are the stewards of the earth, but it is hard, because you feel like anything you do is such a microscopic drop in a very large bucket of problems. We all agreed this morning that the core problem we have is over consumption. Using/buying/taking more than we need. We have become such a throw away society. And all of that is based on greed, don’t you think? We as a culture have made greed such a part of our economy and lifestyle that we don’t even recognize it anymore. I am just as guilty as anyone. But I guess the most we can do is to make changes in our own little corner… and hope that is spreads around. It can make me very depressed if I dwell on it too long. Very thoughtful post. I posted myself today about faith and this topic is closely related in my mind.
You might be interested in checking out the following site:
http://www.users.on.net/~arachne/Me2007.html
This is a friend of mine, in her 70’s, living in Australia (which really IS running out of water!). Her lifestyle is extreme, but she manages to be almost completely self-supporting in a tiny house on a tiny piece of land in public housing in Adalaide. She has a lot of tips for going green on the rest of her site, too. She’s an amazing woman, is Margaret!
Happy Greening!
GG
I totally agree with you! Since I moved to Germany I was forced to be green in many aspects, like bringing my bags to the market, because otherwise they sell the bags, for 10 cents the smallest of them.
I go everywhere on a bike if it’s not raining or snowing, and it is perfect! Of course Berlin is very plane and easy to go around that way. But then I went further investigating and found this site about Earthships that is definitely the ideal house for your farm! I want to do something like that, some day… Here’s the link:
http://www.earthship.net/
check out their image gallery and let me know what you think!
I love your post and I think you are doing a great job. I have a composter. However, I am very lazy about turning it! I think Organic Gardening did a great piece about what type composter are you. I need to be a tube in mine to aerate it. I fell in the lazy composter category. I have a little compost bucket in my kitchen with biobags and empty it constantly.
When I find worms, I put them in the composter. I also put Starbucks left over coffee grounds or our own in the composter. (You can get them for free at any Starbucks.) Worm need their caffefine too you know… Actually they love the coffee grounds.
As for the drain in electronics, take a look at the smart strip which reduces your phathom load without the constant bending to shut off the electronics. You can also get refurnished ones on their site as well which are cheaper.
Linda, I love the idea of the 70 year old in Australia! Anna http://www.green-talk.com
Great post. It is good to hear about the efforts fo others. Sometimes it does get overwhelming. We do all that you do and, like you, feel like we could do more. My girlfriend wants and electric car, I want a solar house.
We have a worm composter. We love it. The house plants love it, the garden loves it. Nothing perks up a plant like a bit of worm compost. It is a good science lesson for the kid too.
My 12 year old has bought into the lunch box thing and, just this year, wax bags instead of plastic (she can’t do containers). She even stuffs them empty back into her lunch box to reuse them. How great is that?
Anyone who’s naiive enough to swallow the BS in “Who Killed the Electric Car?” should be forced to drive one (and pay for it, unlike those subsidized morons who were dumb enough to lease the
c rappy EV-1 in the first place.). How in the world is it possible for someone who supposedly knows what functions an automobile provides to believe the silly lies in that film? A complete mystery.
Do you really believe that the electricity that powers that car was created without any emissions? Do you really believe that people should pay three times as much for their cars , cars that can’t even go to the next county and back? Do yuo have the foggiest idea , after seeing the film, what the EV-1 cost to build, or what thebattery pack costs? That pack needs replacement about every 5 years. It cost well over $20,000. Still think the movie told you the truth about the EV1? Do you really believe that cities removed their trolley cars because they were electric? How about the fact that they were, in the words of transportation experts, the most inefficient, obsolete 19th century technology that only survived until the 1950’s because it cost a fortune to remove all those tracks.
The trolleys were stuck in the city - the population after WWII moved out of the city to the subsurbs.
Wow Kerry, I don’t think I ever mentioned that I suddenly became an expert on electric vehicles after watching the film. I can honestly say that I am not.
What I said in passing was that the film caused my wife and I to debate over the greed of corporations and oil companies, and how the “powers that be” set us up for failure in order for those companies to continue making money. I believe that any intelligent person can look at a stock report and see the record profits made by oil companies while consumers are paying record high prices for that oil.
Occam’s Razor.
I happen to have an above average IQ Kerry and although I am naive about the intentions of people sometime, I feel I look at all sides of most issues before forming an opinion. Once I form that opinion, I certainly don’t go around attacking others.
Wipe your feet before coming into my home Kerry, and do the same with others in the Blogosphere. It’s the polite thing to do.
Um…the person above me is an idiot.
Having said that I think what you are doing is great, we are trying to do the same thing, and at the moment I am looking into composting and water tanks.
There have been many options for cleaner cars and more efficient engines, most of them bought by the big petroleum and car manufacturers and shelved, throughout the history of the automobile. Here in Oz the price of LPG gas for cars skyrocketed as more people converted their cars to gas, if the petrol companies weren’t going to make money on petrol, they are sure as hell going to make it on gas! Same for diesel, which has always been a traditional alternative to petrol here, as manufacturers started making cleaner diesel engines and fuel, the price has skyrocketed.
My feeling is, if we make the effort after a while it will seem like nothing at all, like we have always been this way.
…not you RSG…that Kerry person.
We have been trying to unplug stuff in our house lately too. It’s amazing how hard of an adjustment it is. Why do I get annoyed that I have to take a second and plug something back in everyday? Must look into one of those smart strips I saw on Oprah.
We haven’t switched to the cf bulbs yet. I was wondering…are you able to recycle the old bulbs you replaced them with? I assume you just did it in one swoop and didn’t wait for the conventional bulbs to burn out?
I’m glad to see more people using re-usable grocery bags now. On our holiday in Ireland a few years ago we were really impressed that the stores charged you for using plastic bags, so everyone used the kind that are sold in Fred Meyer etc. now.
Oh gawd, welcome to my world! I have the added treat of being married to the Energy Manager for a local school district. It’s never freakin’ ending over here.
hey RSG .. have you seen the show Living With Ed? It is awesome, google it!
If you’re trying to make me feel bad about running small animals over in my Hummer just for fun, it’s not working.
Get a multiple socket outlet that you can turn on and off. I use it for both my tv area (tv, dvd recorder etc.) and my computer. Works like a charm. One click and it’s all turned off. Well, except for when I want to record something… and I guess a tivo wouldn’t really like being disconnected either.
Kitchen appliances etc. are only plugged in when I need them.
Way to go RGS! We too do what we can and coincidentally have “Who killed the electric car” checked out from the library to watch this week!
We completely heart the bus system up here in Seattle, but we choose less living space so we could live in Metro Seattle where mass transit is more accessible. Its not as convienent in the scarey suburbs… I empathize.
Check out the water company for a rain barrel too, at least in WA they will subsidize or give them out on occasion.
AND one last item…The Ominvores Dilemma” A must read! Micheal Pollan does an excellent job of outlining why ‘local vs organic’ is a bit of a false choice and how the effort should be made to do both…and he manages to give facts without laying blame.
Recycle on sistah!
Oh…and I have my own soapbox issue…no more plastic bags! I saw someone mentioned wax paper. Some plastic bags are coated with a thin layer of chemical (to prevent the the plastic from sticking together) which can act as an endocrine disrupter (interfere with hormones). Plastic bottles will start to leach similar chemicals if washed or exposed to UV as will tupperware/plastic containers for food storage. Plastics may be a small contribution to health issues, but it was easy to get a stainless waterbottle, and travel mug, switch to wax paper bags and use canning jars or other glass for hot food storage.
and a link:
National Geographic has a Green Guide that covers some good info and gives a good place to start. And its SO ‘mainstream’…who can argue with National Geographic??? Didn’t we all at least scan the pics for boobie shots?
http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/114/bpa
^5 JMc - I have been trying to get everyone I know to read “The Omnivore’s Dilemma”. Great book. Read it RSG!
Hey Kerry- want a xanax?
sorry RSG, I couldn’t resist.
Good for you and your family, I’m amazed and inspired by all that you’ve done! Question about the bulbs… Does it seem like everything is just brighter and harsher now? We were at someone’s house recently who’d replaced the bulb in a lamp I was near, it was so strong that it just hurt my eyes. It makes me hesitant to replace any in our house.
All the things, large and small, that people do to be greener do have a long-term impact. We’ve been doing several of the same things as your family, and are looking for more we can do.
Thanks for this long and thoughtful post. I hope it can also come in useful sometime in a freelance article or at the very least a school assignment!
yay Green.
we just had another Green discussion last evening after watching a special on the History channel about what the earth would be like if humans dissapeared (looked like a nice place to me).
I am interested in the worm composting thing - must do some research. I just hate throwing biodegradable stuff away in plastic bags. we are going to slowly work on changing that.
About the bulbs(sassy) almost all of ours are flourescent. you can get ones with warm light - rather than cool, which makes you look sorta gastly. Knocked our electric bill down by 30 bucks. We also put everything on power strips - so that its really easy to switch things off (because of course actually unplugging things is so much like work :))
Thanks everyone for all of your thoughtful commentary and contributions! (Except Kerry.)
The only thing I wanted to add, which I also e-mailed to Sassy is regarding the light bulbs. There are different brightnesses. (I don’t think that’s a word!) Check Homo Depot for their selection, that’s where we got ours, I haven’t noticed any difference except they take a minute or so to “warm up.”
And we did not recycle our old bulbs (unfortunately.) I’m not aware of a way to do this, we got rid of them all in one swoop and replaced them, I guess we could have donated them somewhere but we didn’t think about it at the time. Perhaps if you all replace yours you can donate your old bulbs to a shelter or something?
Blogging: Passing on ideas!
This is awesome, RSG! It’s inspired me to get back on the right track.
I got these, called Envirosax, for Christmas: http://usa.envirosax.com/pages/products.php?icat=1.
They are awesome so far and I highly recommend them. I got the flora pouch and they are nice looking. They are also very compact when folded (I carry a relatively small purse and can throw a couple of them in it with no problem), but they carry a lot of goods, at least two regular plastic bags worth per bag. They also seem to be very sturdy so far.
Make maraccas for the kids using the old bulb. Paper mache them, let them dry and paint them pretty. Then whack them on the counter and wala- maraccas. Fun family art project.
Then….. start a band.
I read almost every day, but do not always leave a comment. I really just wanted to say that I enjoy this blog; that you are a very good writier, and have much insight to various topics.
We have been replacing the light bulbs here with the more energy efficiant ones for a while now. I am not a fan of the ‘blue flourescent’ colour, am trying to locate the more ‘old fashioned 40 watt brightness that I am used to.
We keep our heat set at 15C, and that seems to be warm enough, sometimes we will “touch the thermostat until it clicks higher” when the temperature outside is like -25C with strong winds. Otherwise, as you said, we haul out a sweater.
We have been saving the refundables for years, and take all the cardboard to the Blue Boxes.
I never even thought about those small appliances that draw electricity even though they are off….thanks for that tip.
Take care and enjoy your week. Have a good day!
poet.
i have also noticed that my outdoor lights take a reeeeally long time to brighten up when its say - 2 degrees out.
so if your visiting me at night this winter - you may wanna bring a flashlight.
Nice post, RSG. Here’s something you might enjoy watching (with your kids + everyone ). Ta.
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