# Green Living Challenge-January! come join us!



## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

There has been some interest in creating a "Green Living Challenge". A spinoff to this thread (come join us there too!)
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=573209

so here it is!!









This thread is where you can post the things you are working on each month to live a more green lifetstyle.

here's me;

-install clothesline
-order hankies and not buy any more kleenex
-recycle more diligently
-trying to teach my almost 3yo what wasting energy means (I can only try







) he like to turn every light on in the house at night! drives me nuts!


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## kimberlychapman (Jul 26, 2006)

January's project for me has been to train myself and my husband to turn lights off when we leave the room, even if it's for just a few minutes.

We had thought that because we use fluoros, we weren't supposed to turn them off for just a few minutes because we'd always been told that the startup energy for a fluoro makes it more energy efficient to not shut them off and on too much.

But then a recent Mythbusters episode showed that with ANY kind of bulb, if you're going to be out of the room for more than something like 23 seconds, you save more energy turning it off.

They also tested to see if repeated switching on and off reduces the life of the bulb, and the answer was effectively no...not unless you're flashing the thing hundreds and hundreds of times per day.

So far I'm doing pretty good, but my husband, not so much...not out of lack of desire to do right, simply out of forgetfulness.


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## MyLittleWarrior (Dec 19, 2006)

I'm in!!
Here are the the things that I am currently working on

Using canvas bags at the grocery
swiching to cloth mama pads
keeping lights off when room not in use
not buying anything new
decluttering while respecting the earth (donate what ever possible)


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## streuselmama (Jul 26, 2005)

Hooray - I'm in!!

I'm trying to live greener and more frugally, so this is a multi-faceted thing for me. As I'm decluttering, my DH is seeing that maybe we don't need a bigger house. Smaller house=smaller footprint!

I walk for most of our errands, but it is SO COLD some days and I feel like crap dragging the kids along in the wagon with the wind whipping at them. Still, we live close to town, so I make the best of it and make some hot cocoa when we get home. If I do have to drive, I bundle up errands - good for the earth and my wallet.

One other thing I've started this month is keep the thermostat set low. At night it goes down to 60 (I think we could go lower) and during the day I try to keep it at 63-66. It's been working well so far, and we're getting good use of our sweaters!









Does buying used count? I try to get most of the kids clothes secondhand, and generally not buy so much.

Not sure how much of this counts as "green," "frugal," or "decluttering/simplifying"... but I figure it's all good!


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## eco_mama (Feb 10, 2006)

- Switching to cloth grocery bags. (Bought them already, just waiting to arrive.)

- FINALLY taking my 3 boxes to Goodwill?!!

- Switching to mama cloth and cloth napkins. (Actually, we already switched the napkins.)

- Always reminding dd to not open the fridge and turn lights off when not in use.

- Looking into areators.

- BUYING ALL ORGANIC. (We've kinda been struggling with this since our biggest HFS is a bit over priced but, we've decided to just 'bite the bullet' and make ourselves afford it all. Which, I'm soo happy about.)

- Taking less baths. (Dd usually takes baths but we're stopping that for a few reasons. A) because I think it's making her skin really dry --city water--and B) it wastes more water. SO, quick showers it is and maybe once a month she can have a bath or something.

- Eating more raw! (This is one of our main resolutions)

- Walking more, driving less.

OK- I think that's my list....for now.


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## SweetAfton (Sep 23, 2006)

January Goals

* Eliminate all plastic and disposable plates, cups, and silverwear.
* Take the bus instead of driving
* Use cloth napkins
* Open my blinds and use natural light as much as possible
* Give away all my cleaning products and just use vinegar and baking soda for everything
* Reduce junk mail
* Buy a more natural soap for hand washing


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## scbegonias (Aug 15, 2003)

Joining in (thanks Rainbowmoon!).

My January goals from my blog...
1. Declutter 400 items (mostly donate)
2. Switch to cloth tp
3. Change out lightbulbs to cf (we already have them)
4. Use cloth bags for shopping
5. Use paper bags (from work) for trashing kitty litter
6. Switch cats to Innova Evo catfood (from Trader Joe's small bags and Science Diet C/D...not great in terms of waste and what's going into their bodies)
7. Make more purchases locally,from small stores
8. Ride bike to work more often


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## snozzberry (Jul 29, 2005)

Oops! I didn't catch it fast enough to create the 2nd post for our running list of changes we're making/have made! So I'll just post it here tonight when I get a chance.









rainbowmoon, can you create a link in the first post to this one once I get a list running?

ETA: Alright, here's our list! I tried to group similar goals. Let me know if I missed anything or got anything wrong!









_Updated through post 75_








*Working on...*

*Reduce*

Use clothesline/hang clothes for drying: rainbowmoon, swimswamswum, velochic, mystic~mama, thomlynn
Teach DC what wasting energy means: rainbowmoon
Remind family to not open the fridge, turn lights off when not in use, etc: mousemadeslings
Turn lights off when leaving a room, even if it's for just a few minutes: kimberlychapman, MyLittleWarrior, hlkm2e, vannienicole, Earth Angel, mousemadeslings, thomlynn
Keep the thermostat set low: streuselmama, Mamatohaleybug
Look into aerators: EcoMama7
Open blinds and use natural light as much as possible: SweetAfton
Reduce junk mail: SweetAfton, Earth Angel, greenmansions
Change out lightbulbs to compact fluorescent/energy efficient: hlkm2e, Crunchie, doulalove, mousemadeslings, Shanna4000
Turn water off while brushing teeth: hlkm2e
Use less paper products: Crunchie
Read more, less TV: vannienicole
Rinse dishes immediately after using them: vannienicole
Reuse/rewear linens/clothes that aren't dirty: Earth Angel, Mamatohaleybug
If it's yellow, let it mellow: Mamatohaleybug
Decrease garbage: mugglemom, doulalove, thomlynn
Be more mindful of how much water we're using: mystic~mama
Handwash dishes: thomlynn
Sweep daily so vacuuming isn't as necessary: thomlynn
*Reuse*

Use canvas bags at the grocery store: MyLittleWarrior, G-love, vannienicole, ItyBty, mugglemom, greenmansions
Eliminate all disposable plates, cups, and silverware: SweetAfton, ItyBty
Use cloth hankies and not buy any more kleenex: rainbowmoon, Earth Angel
Use cloth napkins: SweetAfton, calicocj, snozzberry, ItyBty, MrsMike
Use cloth towels for cleaning: velochic
Switch to cloth mama pads: MyLittleWarrior, anniebee, ItyBty, MrsMike, Shanna4000
Switch to cloth tp/family cloth: frogguruami, greenmansions
Cut down on tp usage: mystic~mama
Switch to cloth diapers/increase their use: Pyratekk, hlkm2e, Crunchie, MrsMike, greenmansions
Switch to a diva cup/keeper: Pyratekk
Switch to cloth wipes: greenmansions, mystic~mama
Stop using paper towels/switch to reusable linens: G-love, calicocj, MrsMike
Rinse/reuse plastic bags for food storage/freezing: whitedoyle
Find new ways to reuse what we have: mystic~mama
Reuse grey water: thomlynn
*Recycle*

Recycle more diligently: rainbowmoon
Pick up recyclables on the ground: mystic~mama
Sort/store trash for recycling: melissa17s
Buy milk in returnable bottles: whitedoyle
*Simplify*

Simplify, declutter, donate: MyLittleWarrior, Crunchie, vannienicole, Earth Angel, anniebee, mousemadeslings, MrsMike, melissa17s, mystic~mama, thomlynn
Don't buy anything new unless absolutely necessary/only buy necessities: MyLittleWarrior, vannienicole, Mamatohaleybug, whitedoyle
Have a no-buy week once a month: doulalove
Take donations to Goodwill: EcoMama7
Shop at thrift stores more often: Crunchie
Buy items to make from scratch rather than premade: whitedoyle
Buy more in bulk: doulalove
*Safe Home and Body Care*

Buy a more natural soap for hand washing: SweetAfton
Switch to all natural body care products: Pyratekk, mousemadeslings, ItyBty
Switch to earth-friendly/homemade cleaners: doulalove, G-love, mousemadeslings, SweetAfton, ItyBty, greenmansions
Get rid of particleboard furniture in the house: snozzberry
Replace all Teflon pots and pans with stainless and cast iron: ItyBty
Replace plastic tupperware with glass storage containers: whitedoyle
*Food/Gardening*

Compost (or compost more): frogguruami, calicocj, Mamatohaleybug, snozzberry, ItyBty, Shanna4000, velochic
Eat more (or all) organic/natural: Pyratekk, mousemadeslings
Budget to afford more organic: thomlynn
Eat more raw: mousemadeslings
Buy local foods when it's an option: greenmansions
Switch pets to better food: MrsMike
Research a CSA and join: hlkm2e, calicocj
Make homemade yogurt: G-love
Breastfeed: Crunchie
Can and freeze: Crunchie
Get ready for/research/start gardening: frogguruami, hlkm2e, Crunchie, swimswamswum
Make garden bigger to grow more veggies: ItyBty
Make homemade pizza: thomlynn
*Transportation*

Walk more, drive less: ItyBty, mugglemom, whitedoyle
Take the bus more instead of driving: SweetAfton, vannienicole
Ride bike more often: swimswamswum
Check tire pressure monthly to improve mileage: mugglemom








: *Mulling over for the Future*

*Reduce*

Change out lightbulbs to compact fluorescent: Pyratekk
*Reuse*

Start using only reusable bags for groceries and other places: Pyratekk
Consider hankies: doulalove
Switch to a diva cup/keeper: doulalove
*Safe Home and Body Care*

Use more green/recycled building materials and furnishings: greenmansions
*Food/Gardening*

Practice native gardening and limit watering: doulalove
Increase size of organic veggie garden & plant some fruit trees: doulalove
Plant a few flowering trees: doulalove
Become a vegetarian: Pyratekk
Cut other ickies out of food besides HFCS and (P)HO: Pyratekk
Grow a couple of things: Pyratekk
*Transportation*

Replace old car with a hybrid: greenmansions
*Etc*

Write a Living Green article for the internal weekly newsletter at work: snozzberry








*Check!*

*Reduce*

Switched lightbulbs to compact fluorescent/efficient: swimswamswum, whitedoyle, scbegonias
Put microwave on a power strip for easy on/off: doulalove
Reducing junk mail (a lifetime process): doulalove
Got off credit card offer lists: greenmansions
Using a wood-burning furnace with trees that have been felled by natural forces: Crunchie
Microwaving instead of starting the oven/stove to warm things up: swimswamswum
Turning lights off when leaving a room: swimswamswum
Turning thermostat way down at night/when gone: swimswamswum, whitedoyle
Unplugging unused appliances: swimswamswum
Turning off computer overnight: whitedoyle
Reuse/rewear linens/clothes that aren't dirty: swimswamswum
Using indoor drying rack: swimswamswum
Replaced furnace/appliances: greenmansions
Installed low-e windows with fiberglass frames: greenmansions
Reminding family to not open the fridge, turn lights off when not in use, etc: EcoMama7
Taking fewer baths: EcoMama7
Developed a routine for shutting down electronics at night: mousemadeslings
If it's yellow, letting it mellow: scbegonias
*Reuse*

Switched to cloth napkins/towels: EcoMama7, doulalove, swimswamswum, whitedoyle, greenmansions, thomlynn
Switched to cloth hankies: swimswamswum, whitedoyle, thomlynn
Switched to cloth tp/family cloth: doulalove, anniebee, mousemadeslings, scbegonias
Using canvas bags at the grocery store: doulalove, Crunchie, swimswamswum, snozzberry, EcoMama7, whitedoyle, mousemadeslings, Shanna4000, scbegonias
Using canvas bags at the farmer's market: greenmansions
Reusing produce bags: greenmansions
Packing lunches with re-usable materials and water bottles: swimswamswum
Bringing coffee/tea from home in reusable mugs: swimswamswum
Switched to diva cup/cloth mama pads: Crunchie, swimswamswum, whitedoyle, greenmansions, EcoMama7
Switched to cloth diapers/increased their use: whitedoyle
Switched to cloth wipes: anniebee
Using the library more: Shanna4000, snozzberry
Using paper bags for trashing kitty litter: scbegonias
*Recycle*

Recycling anything possible: Crunchie, snozzberry, whitedoyle
Using recycled paper goods: snozzberry
*Simplify*

Simplifying, decluttering, donating: scbegonias
Buying used/secondhand: streuselmama
Not buying too much: streuselmama
Making more purchases locally, from small stores: scbegonias, whitedoyle
*Safe Home and Body Care*

Used low/no-VOC eco-friendly paint: doulalove, snozzberry
Using natural cleaning products: Crunchie, snozzberry, thomlynn
Replaced Teflon pots and pans with cast iron or stainless steel pots and pans: snozzberry, greenmansions
Replaced plastic tupperware with glass storage containers: snozzberry, greenmansions
Washing face with honey: snozzberry
Replaced mattress with natural latex mattress: snozzberry
Switched to non-plastic water bottles: snozzberry
Switched to all natural body care products: snozzberry
Reduced overall use of plastic: greenmansions
*Food/Gardening*

Composting: doulalove, Crunchie, swimswamswum, whitedoyle, greenmansions, thomlynn
Gardening: thomlynn
Eating vegetarian/vegan: Crunchie, snozzberry, vannienicole
Eating vegetarian some of the time: swimswamswum
Eating a lot of organic: Crunchie, snozzberry, EcoMama7, thomlynn
Eating more raw: EcoMama7
Eating out only once in a while: snozzberry
Cooking from scratch as much as possible: Crunchie
Keeping goats for milk: Crunchie
Keeping hens for eggs: Crunchie
Buying local when it's an option: swimswamswum, thomlynn
Switched pets to better food: snozzberry, scbegonias
*Transportation*

Walking for most errands or combining errands if driving: streuselmama, whitedoyle
Offset car's carbon footprint: doulalove
Driving a small/fuel-efficient car: Crunchie, snozzberry
Walking/carpooling when it's an option: swimswamswum, EcoMama7
Driving as little as possible: vannienicole
Started a carpooling group at eRideShare: snozzberry
Take the bus more instead of driving: greenmansions
Riding bike more often: scbegonias
*Etc*

Participating in utility company's green energy program: snozzberry
Got children's books to encourage DC to follow in footsteps: doulalove
Offset family's carbon footprint: snozzberry


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## Mamma Christi (Dec 15, 2006)

This is what I am in the middle of changing and hope to change as soon as I can:

Things "in progress":
~ Switching over to eating all organic/natural. This is just being held up by Alex getting or not getting this new job. Because if he gets it we won't be able to afford it in the beginning. I'll still eat that way, but we won't be able to afford it for both of us - and he doesn't care either way.
~ Switching over to cloth diapers. I still use disposables at night, and I'm waiting until I get more diapers because right now I don't have enough to last more than a half day or so. And I can't wash them twice a day lol.
~ Switching over to all natural bodycare products. Already am almost done with this, just waiting on the order I made for the stuff from BB, KMF, JNP, and 7G to come in.
~ I have a divacup in the mail, just waiting for it to arrive Smile

In the future:
~ I may become a vegetarian again, not sure about this one yet.
~ Hope to switch to CFL bulbs.
~ Want to cut other ickies out of our food besides HFCS and (P)HO.
~ Hope to start using only reusable bags for groceries and other places.
~ Even if we stay in the apartment I want to grow a couple of things. I'm thinking of buying the planters and putting them in the big window of my living room.


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## koru (Sep 7, 2006)

this morning i made out a list of what green things i was already doing, what i've done since the Green Living Tribe started & what i plan on doing. it was a great little exercise. my "green goals" list is on the fridge so i can constantly keep tabs on my next step. anyway....

*what i've changed :*
* cloth TP/napkins
* canvas shopping bags
* composting in winter, not just in good weather
* continued the switch to CFL's
* put microwave on a power strip for easy on/off
* off-set car's co2
* used my first gallon of eco-paint
* still working on decreasing junk mail (a lifetime process)
* got a few children's books to encourage my girls to follow in my footsteps

*what i plan on doing:*
* homemade cleaners when current ones run out (i tried this in the past but got lazy...ready to recommit!)
* native gardening (and taking the hose away from my husband in the summer because "watering" is therapeutic to him...drives me batty!)
* increase size of organic veggie garden & plant some fruit trees
* plant a few flowering trees, too!
* consciously work on decreasing garbage (i was inspired by someone's post on the teeny tiny amount of garbage they have! we recycle everything possible but why do we still have so much garbage?)
* consider hankies!







but y'all know my struggle with snot....
* diva cup when i start menstruating again...i've been pregnant & breastfeeding for almost 4 years.


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *snozzberry* 
Oops! I didn't catch it fast enough to create the 2nd post for our running list of changes we're making/have made! So I'll just post it here tonight when I get a chance.









rainbowmoon, can you create a link in the first post to this one once I get a list running?

sure! or PM it and I can c + p it!


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## memory maker (Dec 11, 2003)

subbing, will be back later to talk


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## frogguruami (Sep 21, 2004)

ok here are mine.

Family cloth - I am the only one using it but I did start. Is working great.

Start composting - That will be completed this weekend

Get area ready for gardening - starting to work on that also.

That is what I have for this month.


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## hlkm2e (Aug 24, 2004)

I'll join!

Here are my January Challenge's. Most of these are things I have been working on since joining the Green Tribe.

turn out lights EVERYTIME I leave a room
Replace bightbulbs with CFL's
Stop using sposie's when I feel lazy, I have a cupboard full of CD's
finish researching a CSA for the spring and sign up
finish research on having a garden
And finally, work on turning the water off while I brush my teeth. I know it sounds simple, but you know how some of you have a snot thing, well to me the sound of brushing teeth is like fingernails on a chalkboard and I've always used the sound of the water to drown it out.


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## G-love (Oct 8, 2002)

Count me in! I love that it's just for January, so I don't have to overhaul everything all at once.
I've been working on:
*no more paper towels (using rags/ old cloth wipes)
*earth-friendly cleaning products (ideally homemade)
*homemade yogurt (less cartons to recycle, tho the machine is a new purchase, which maybe isn't so eco-friendly with packing and shipping...)
*using canvas totes for grocery shopping (it's still hard to remember them every time)


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## Crunchie (Jan 9, 2007)

Ooohhh can I join?? I'm brand new here!! But I'm good and crunchy (see, my screen name even says so!!)!!

I love living green, but there's a lot more I could do. So far, my husband and I:

*Have been veg for 10 years
*Eat a lot of organic, and cook from scratch as much as possible (have a microwave, but maybe use it once a month, if that)
*Compost (from our horses. lots and lots of manure)
*Have goats for milk (ok, this one is only half there, no milk yet)
*Keep our own hens for eggs (fed organically)
*Use cloth bags (when I remember them...)
*Use cloth pads (tried a diva cup--not to be too graphic, but it, ummm, got lost? kind of scary!)
*Drive a small car (we have a pickup for farm stuff, but only use it when necessary. we live in too rural of an area to bike anywhere)
*Recycle. a lot.
*Use a wood-burning furnace with wood from our own farm, and only from trees that have been felled by natural forces (I don't think burning wood is exactly eco-friendly as far as emissions go, but I think it's better than oil?)
*Use natural cleaning products

Things I need to work on or things I intend to do:

*When our first child is born (June 2007!) I plan to cloth diaper and breastfeed
*Get my garden going again, and can and freeze
*Shop at thrift stores more often
*Use less paper products
*Simplify and de-clutter! Stuff happens, and rarely by accident--I need to reduce my "consumerism"! Not bad now, but could be better for sure.
*Switch all light bulbs to energy-efficient types

So my challenge to myself for January, since some of the above can't happen for a while (gardening, for instance!) would be to start stashing my cloth diapers, use less paper products, look for baby clothes at thrift stores first, and start switching my light bulbs and de-cluttering.

I'm sure there's more that I can't think of right now. Great thread! I love reading everyone's ideas to be more green. It's inspiring!


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## calicocj (Oct 27, 2005)

Thanks for starting us up Rainbowmoon!

Here are my big 3 for January:
1. start composting
2. cloth napkins and no more paper towels
3. find CSA to join

we'll see how those go!

Good luck everyone!


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## swimswamswum (Oct 26, 2005)

We're doing these things:
cloth pads (and diva cup)/ hankies/ towels/ napkins
buying local foods (our co-op is doing the "100 mile challenge") when it's an option
eating veg for 1/2 the time
cloth shopping bags
microwaving instead of starting the oven/stove to warm things up
turning off lights
turning thermostat way down at night/ when we're gone
composting
unplug unused appliances
walking/carpooling when it's an option
re-wearing clothes that aren't dirty
packing lunches with re-usable materials and water bottles
bringing coffee/tea from home in reusable mugs
use indoor drying rack
efficient lightbulbs

When it gets warmer, we will:
bike
garden
hang clothes outside


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## Earth Angel (Dec 13, 2004)

Thanks rainbowmoon and snozberry for starting this and compiling the info in the beginning









Just subbing for now, supposed to be cooking dinner


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## koru (Sep 7, 2006)

oops! i misunderstood the "january challenge" part of it. this is only my goals for the month of january?

i guess my goals are:

finish switching over to CFL's
homemade cleaning products


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## vannienicole (Nov 2, 2006)

My goals for Jaunary (probably will just continue into each month through the year, but may change)...

1. Declutter 750 items (almost halfway there) and donate whenever possible
2. Read 2 books a month on top of my school books (less TV!)
3. Rinse dishes immediately after using them (no soaking needed...less water)
4. Not buying anything new (unless absolutely necessary)
5. Turning off lights when I leave a room (I am terrible at this)
6. Use canvas bags at the commissary (I used to do this everytime







)
7. Driving less and taking the bus more (hard with my sciatic pain, but I am trying)

There I go...now to follow through!


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## Earth Angel (Dec 13, 2004)

OK, I have a bit more time now









For Jan I am working on:

~ Switching to cloth hankies (gonna make some real nice, special fleece ones for the boys out of some leftover material....Dh and I get old bandanas







)

~ Running through my house crazily turning off lights as my 2 yr old is experimenting with light switches right now....and DH and oldest DS are "forgetful"







. It has become an obsession since I really, consciously, watched and saw how often we leave a room with the light on.









~ And, re-using my cloth rags, napkins and even our clothes as much as possible and not washing till I really need to, not just cause the item was worn/used. Am watching my laundry loads, and am hoping this reduces my work load, as well as the energy and water I'm using each week to do laundry.

ETA ~ Oh, and almost forgot, I'm going down into our basement and clearing out!!!! There are boxes down there that haven't been opened since our move......8mo ago. We can't possibly need that stuff anymore, and I'm sure there is someone out there that could put it to good use. I've been procrastinating on this though....not sure why??? This MUST get done!!


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## anniebee (Oct 13, 2006)

I'm signing up!

For January, I'm going to...
-switch to cloth wipes for my babe... I've been trying to use up the disposable kind, and I have one left! I'm making the solution tonight!
-switch to cloth mama pads (I ordered some, but if they don't get here in another week or so, I'm breaking out the sewing machine... yikes...)
-switch to family cloth (or, rather, anne cloth, since dh says, "ick." I'm gonna try it out and see if he'll join me after he sees how great it is)
-declutter 200 items from my way-too-big home (I'm 47 items in! hoorah!)

So glad we're journeying together!


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## mousemadeslings (Jul 4, 2005)

For this month we've:

Started the switch to cloth tp - well, dd and I, don't think I can get DH to!
Changing over to CF bulbs as old ones burn out
Going around and shutting down electronics at night
Working on making sure those lights are off when the room is empty! (dd!!!!!)
Getting better about remember to use the cloth bags!
Eating more raw and, when possible, organic foods
Using more natural cleaning products - household and personal!
Oh yeah - I'm trying to declutter - not even counting items, just the space I can free up!!

I have such lofty long term goals, but these little step-by-step things are making it easier to work in that direction!


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## Mamatohaleybug (Sep 3, 2004)

For January:

Only buy necessities (milk, eggs, etc)

Keep the thermostat turned down to 62 during the day and down to 53 at night

If it's yellow, let it mellow

Wear clothing more than once when possible

Compost more


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## snozzberry (Jul 29, 2005)

Alrighty, please check out post 8 to make sure I didn't mess anything up! I tried to group similar goals so lemme know what you think!


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## snozzberry (Jul 29, 2005)

Okay, now it's time for me.









What we're already doing good at:

Driving a small/fuel-efficient car
Replaced Teflon pots and pans with cast iron pots and pans
Replaced plastic tupperware with glass storage containers
Using cloth grocery bags
I'm using honey as face wash
Replaced our mattress with a natural latex mattress
Using recycled toilet paper, paper towels, and napkins
Recycling anything possible
Switched to stainless steel water bottles (to avoid leaching of plastic into water)
We're using low-VOC paint and stain for all new painting/staining projects
Using natural cleaning products
Eating vegetarian
Eating organic whenever possible
Eating out only once a week or so
Switched to all natural body care products (no parabens, sodium laurel sulfate, etc)
Feeding dogs grain-free food
For January, we will try to:

Get rid of particleboard furniture in the house (offgasses formaldehyde)
Stop using paper napkins and buy cloth napkins
Start composting


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## Mamatohaleybug (Sep 3, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *snozzberry* 
Oops! I didn't catch it fast enough to create the 2nd post for our running list of changes we're making/have made! So I'll just post it here tonight when I get a chance.









rainbowmoon, can you create a link in the first post to this one once I get a list running?

ETA: Alright, here's our list, updated to post 27! I tried to group similar goals. Let me know if I missed anything or got anything wrong!
















*Working on...*
*Reduce*

Use clothesline/hang clothes outside: rainbowmoon, swimswamswum
Teach DC what wasting energy means: rainbowmoon
Remind family to not open the fridge, turn lights off when not in use, etc: EcoMama7, mousemadeslings
Turn lights off when leaving a room, even if it's for just a few minutes: kimberlychapman, MyLittleWarrior, hlkm2e, vannienicole, Earth Angel, mousemadeslings
Keep the thermostat set low: streuselmama, Mamatohaleybug
Look into aerators: EcoMama7
Take less baths: EcoMama7
Open blinds and use natural light as much as possible: SweetAfton
Reduce junk mail: SweetAfton
Change out lightbulbs to compact fluorescent/energy efficient: scbegonias, hlkm2e, Crunchie, doulalove, mousemadeslings
Turn water off while brushing teeth: hlkm2e
Use less paper products: Crunchie
Read more, less TV: vannienicole
Rinse dishes immediately after using them: vannienicole
Reuse/rewear linens/clothes that aren't dirty: Earth Angel, Mamatohaleybug
Go around and shut down electronics at night: mousemadeslings
If it's yellow, let it mellow: Mamatohaleybug
*Reuse*

Use hankies and not buy any more kleenex: rainbowmoon, Earth Angel
Use canvas bags at the grocery store: MyLittleWarrior, EcoMama7, scbegonias, G-love, vannienicole, mousemadeslings
Switch to cloth mama pads: MyLittleWarrior, EcoMama7, anniebee
Eliminate all plastic and disposable plates, cups, and silverware: SweetAfton
Use cloth napkins: SweetAfton, calicocj, snozzberry
Switch to cloth tp/family cloth: scbegonias, frogguruami, anniebee, mousemadeslings
Use paper bags for trashing kitty litter: scbegonias
Switch to cloth diapers/increase their use: Pyratekk, hlkm2e, Crunchie
Switch to a diva cup/keeper: Pyratekk
Stop using paper towels/switch to reusable linens: G-love, calicocj
Switch to cloth wipes: anniebee
*Recycle*

Recycle more diligently: rainbowmoon
Compost: frogguruami, calicocj, Mamatohaleybug, snozzberry
*Simplify*

Simplify, declutter, donate: MyLittleWarrior, scbegonias, Crunchie, vannienicole, Earth Angel, anniebee, mousemadeslings
Don't buy anything new unless absolutely necessary/only buy necessities: MyLittleWarrior, vannienicole, Mamatohaleybug
Take donations to Goodwill: EcoMama7
Make more purchases locally, from small stores: scbegonias
Shop at thrift stores more often: Crunchie
*Safe Home and Body Care*

Buy a more natural soap for hand washing: SweetAfton
Switch to all natural body care products: Pyratekk, mousemadeslings
Switch to earth-friendly/homemade cleaners: doulalove, G-love, mousemadeslings, SweetAfton
Get rid of particleboard furniture in the house: snozzberry
*Food/Gardening*

Eat more (or all) organic/natural: EcoMama7, Pyratekk, mousemadeslings
Eat more raw: EcoMama7, mousemadeslings
Switch pets to better food: scbegonias
Research a CSA and join: hlkm2e, calicocj
Make homemade yogurt: G-love
Breastfeed: Crunchie
Can and freeze: Crunchie
Get ready for/research/start gardening: frogguruami, hlkm2e, Crunchie, swimswamswum
*Transportation*

Walk more, drive less: EcoMama7
Take the bus more instead of driving: SweetAfton, vannienicole
Ride bike more often: scbegonias, swimswamswum








: *Mulling over for the Future*
*Reduce*

Decrease garbage: doulalove
Change out lightbulbs to compact fluorescent: Pyratekk
*Reuse*

Start using only reusable bags for groceries and other places: Pyratekk
Consider hankies: doulalove
Switch to a diva cup/keeper: doulalove
*Food/Gardening*

Practice native gardening and limit watering: doulalove
Increase size of organic veggie garden & plant some fruit trees: doulalove
Plant a few flowering trees: doulalove
Become a vegetarian: Pyratekk
Cut other ickies out of food besides HFCS and (P)HO: Pyratekk
Grow a couple of things: Pyratekk








*Check!*
*Reduce*

Switched lightbulbs to compact fluorescent/efficient: swimswamswum
Put microwave on a power strip for easy on/off: doulalove
Reducing junk mail (a lifetime process): doulalove
Using a wood-burning furnace with trees that have been felled by natural forces: Crunchie
Microwaving instead of starting the oven/stove to warm things up: swimswamswum
Turning lights off when leaving a room: swimswamswum
Turning thermostat way down at night/when gone: swimswamswum
Unplugging unused appliances: swimswamswum
Reuse/rewear linens/clothes that aren't dirty: swimswamswum
Using indoor drying rack: swimswamswum
*Reuse*

Switched to cloth napkins/towels: EcoMama7, doulalove, swimswamswum
Switched to cloth hankies: swimswamswum
Switched to cloth tp/family cloth: doulalove
Using canvas bags at the grocery store: doulalove, Crunchie, swimswamswum, snozzberry
Using cloth pads/diva cup: Crunchie, swimswamswum
Packing lunches with re-usable materials and water bottles: swimswamswum
Bringing coffee/tea from home in reusable mugs: swimswamswum
*Recycle*

Recycling anything possible: Crunchie, snozzberry
Composting: doulalove, Crunchie, swimswamswum
Using recycled paper goods: snozzberry
*Simplify*

Buying used/secondhand: streuselmama
Not buying too much: streuselmama
*Safe Home and Body Care*

Used low/no-VOC eco-friendly paint: doulalove, snozzberry
Using natural cleaning products: Crunchie, snozzberry
Replaced Teflon pots and pans with cast iron pots and pans: snozzberry
Replaced plastic tupperware with glass storage containers: snozzberry
Washing face with honey: snozzberry
Replaced mattress with natural latex mattress: snozzberry
Switched to non-plastic water bottles: snozzberry
Switched to all natural body care products: snozzberry
*Food/Gardening*

Eating vegetarian/vegan: Crunchie, snozzberry
Eating vegetarian some of the time: swimswamswum
Eating a lot of organic: Crunchie, snozzberry
Eating out only once in a while: snozzberry
Cooking from scratch as much as possible: Crunchie
Keeping goats for milk: Crunchie
Keeping hens for eggs: Crunchie
Buying local foods when it's an option: swimswamswum
Switched pets to better food: snozzberry
*Transportation*

Walking for most errands or combining errands if driving: streuselmama
Offset car's CO2: doulalove
Driving a small/fuel-efficient car: Crunchie, snozzberry
Walking/carpooling when it's an option: swimswamswum
*Etc*

Got children's books to encourage DC to follow in footsteps: doulalove



WOW!







Amazing. Thanks for doing that!


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## ItyBty (Jan 3, 2006)

OK - I'm in. Here's what I'm working on this year:

-No plastic shopping bags. I have canvas, just have to remember to use them.
-Replace all teflon with stainless and cast iron
-No more paper plates, napkins, etc.
-As things run out, switching to natural soaps, shampoos, deodorants, etc
-Also as things run out, switching to natural cleaners, laundry soaps, etc.
-Completely switch to cloth momma pads (about halfway there, need some more though)
-Drive less, walk more
-Compost pile for the garden this year, plus making the garden bigger to grown more veggies

I'll come up with more as the year progresses, some of this I started this past fall, but my goal is to make them all standard issue things that DH and I will do.


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## vannienicole (Nov 2, 2006)

Ooo...I forgot to add. I am a vegetarian and drive maybe 15 km a week (trying to get it lower














.


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## MrsMike (Aug 4, 2006)

Count me in.

My goals:

Get cloth napkins and stop using so many paper napkins and towels.
CD ds more frequently.
Find a much better alternative to the special diet my cat needs to be on.
Get mama cloths.
Declutter and give things to St. Vincent De Paul/other charities.


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## Earth Angel (Dec 13, 2004)

So being a "challenge" newbie







Do ya'll want to know what we are doing now, and our goals for Jan, or just our goals for Jan....or our goals for Jan, and the future???......not sure what info you need from all of us.

Snozzberry, you made such a fantastic list







....that musta taken forever!!


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## eco_mama (Feb 10, 2006)

OK so mark me off the list for changing to cloth bags cuz, i got them in the mail yesterday







so i guess add me to "switched" and we also switched cloth napkins

Oh and I'm wondering the same w/ Earth Angel. Should I add my future challenges??


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## scbegonias (Aug 15, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MrsMike* 
Count me in.

My goals:

Get cloth napkins and stop using so many paper napkins and towels.
CD ds more frequently.
Find a much better alternative to the special diet my cat needs to be on.
Get mama cloths.
Declutter and give things to St. Vincent De Paul/other charities.

Jenn, what special diet is your cat on? I'm finding that my hesitation to switching our cat (we have four cats who can eat anything and one cat on Hills Science Diet C/D for UIT/crystal stuff) is a fear that he'll end up sick and I won't notice. I did go out and buy the most recommended food for the switch (Innova Evo)...but haven't made it yet. I'm thinking I'll do half old/half new for a while. And have a better outlook.

I guess this is why it is a challenge for me!


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## ItyBty (Jan 3, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *scbegonias* 
Jenn, what special diet is your cat on? I'm finding that my hesitation to switching our cat (we have four cats who can eat anything and one cat on Hills Science Diet C/D for UIT/crystal stuff) is a fear that he'll end up sick and I won't notice. I did go out and buy the most recommended food for the switch (Innova Evo)...but haven't made it yet. I'm thinking I'll do half old/half new for a while. And have a better outlook.

I guess this is why it is a challenge for me!

SCbegonias - I had crystal issues with our male kitty, and switching him to Innova Evo made them go away and stay away. As an added bonus, his fur has never been shinier, and the 2 girl kitties are soft and shiny and healthy too. The vet has even commented on how healthy their skin and fur is. Just be aware that Innova is highly concentrated, and you only have to give them about half as much food. Mine get about 2-3 tablespoons per day, per cat.


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## scbegonias (Aug 15, 2003)

Awesome, Barbara! That's just the kind of reassurance that I need. I think I'll start next week when our current supply runs out!


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## AngelBee (Sep 8, 2004)

:


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## AngelBee (Sep 8, 2004)

Ok....questions:

1. How do I go about reducing junk mail?

2. Composting: mice freak me out







If you compost do you have mice? Is there a method that reduces mice.....like using a worm box?


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## rainbowmoon (Oct 17, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AngelBee* 
Ok....questions:
If you compost do you have mice? Is there a method that reduces mice.....like using a worm box?

a cat!









seriously though, I have a plastic composter now and it's enclosed so no problems so far.. I used to have one made out of chicken wire for a long time. Maybe I am just lucky but I have never noticed mice. (I do have several cats though!)


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## mugglemom (Aug 5, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AngelBee* 
2. Composting: mice freak me out







If you compost do you have mice? Is there a method that reduces mice.....like using a worm box?

In many years of composting outside, I've only found mice once in the bin. That was a mama with babies that DH found when turning the pile. If you're worried about them, you could definitely do a closed worm bin inside. I put screening over the airholes to keep the wormies in, but it also keeps everything else (mice, centipedes) out.


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## mugglemom (Aug 5, 2006)

Here are my January challenges:

1. Using my cloth bags at the store -- going to put them in the car right now!

2. Decreasing miles driven. Along with this, I'm trying to check the air in the tires monthly to improve the mileage.

3. Continuing to look for creative ways to reduce garbage, especially packaging. I'm buying more bulk items from our buying club this month.


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## melissa17s (Aug 3, 2004)

Ok, I really have not decided on a specific goal for the January challenge, but one of my on going goals is to declutter. Having just got past the holiday season, I feel like we have too much stuff, and this seems to happen every year. I am trying to find different avenues for donating to people that need things we do not.

Another thing I would like to work on is a better trash sorting system. Currently, we are trying to sort out glass and aluminium for recycling. We could also get a service to pick up paper, but we still do not have a good method of sorting and storing, yet.


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## AngelBee (Sep 8, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *rainbowmoon* 
a cat!









seriously though, I have a plastic composter now and it's enclosed so no problems so far.. I used to have one made out of chicken wire for a long time. Maybe I am just lucky but I have never noticed mice. (I do have several cats though!)

I have an indoor cat














She probably won't help much.


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## AngelBee (Sep 8, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mugglemom* 
In many years of composting outside, I've only found mice once in the bin. That was a mama with babies that DH found when turning the pile. If you're worried about them, you could definitely do a closed worm bin inside. I put screening over the airholes to keep the wormies in, but it also keeps everything else (mice, centipedes) out.

I will look into it more...thanks


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## snozzberry (Jul 29, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AngelBee* 
How do I go about reducing junk mail?

New American Dream has a page with how to get off junk mail lists.

(It's a great organization. They also have a Living Green Below Your Means column.)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Earth Angel* 
Snozzberry, you made such a fantastic list







....that musta taken forever!!









Thanks! Please PM me if I get anything wrong for your challenge items!


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## whitedoyle (May 19, 2006)

subbing


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## ~Shanna~ (Nov 17, 2005)

Goals for January:
-Committed to buy compact fluorescents when we need new lightbulbs.
-Just bought more cloth pads for post-partum
-Working on remembering to use the canvas bags at the store
-Will put together the new compost bin - we can't fit any more in the old one

I could still improve on these, since it's so heavy on things that I bought that I could have made. They were mindful purchases though.

Next month, I'm going to focus on lobbying my representatives about a No-Junk mail list - this HAS to happen







:


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## whitedoyle (May 19, 2006)

Do Usually:
recycle
compost
as old bulbs burn out replace with CF's where possible-15 or so thus far
canvas bags
cloth diapers, napkins, mamma cloth, and hankies--DH drew line in sand at TP
shut down computer overnight
Thermostat, winter 58/66, and 68/70 summer
combine errands
buy local

Trying to incorporate:
buying items that start out less--e.g. making oatmeal rather than buying the packets, and more scratch cooking
choosing glass containers and using them as plastic tupperware type stuff bites dust--not for freezing
buying milk in returnable bottles
just plain not shopping
walk to preschool--pretty nippy right now, but when above freezing
rinsing out plastic ziplocks and reusing(not for meat) using bread bags etc for repackaging and freezing meat.

Off the top of my head that is all I can think of.

http://www.earthday.net/footprint/index.asp#

This website let's you calculate your ecological foot print. It also suggests ways to reduce it. You have to work your way to the take action part. It seemed like the most impact can be made in the food department just by eating local and unprocessed. That is where I am concentrating my efforts.

Namaste


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## snozzberry (Jul 29, 2005)

This wasn't part of my original January list, but...

DH and I just watched _An Inconvenient Truth_ tonight. So afterwards, we decided to offset our carbon emissions. After looking at what Grist and Environmental Defense recommend, we decided to go with the nonprofit CarbonFund.

It felt really good to calculate our emissions and to see it's lower than the average, but it felt even better to donate to offset our impact!


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## Earth Angel (Dec 13, 2004)

So I'm sittin' here working on this junk mail thing....and I get all done printing my letters from Center for a New American Dream....and I get to the last one, getting my name of Lexius Nexius' lists. For this I need to go to a website. Once I get there....I read that they will only get our names off with proof that we are either a Law Enforcement Officer, A Victim of Identify Theft, or At Risk of Physical Harm.....and Get this, they want proof!!!
http://www.lexisnexis.com/terms/privacy/data/remove.asp

That just really got me.







:

Gotta run and go do Dh's name.

Oh, but also wanted to give this link (can't remember if anyone else did or not) to send a letter to your reps and governor to get a national "do not junk" registry.
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia...&t=default.dwt

ETA Oops...thougth I was at the GL tribe....this wasn't one of my Jan goals....might as well add it though







And, I guess this info is still helpful here.
http://www.newdream.org/junkmail/
also added the original link to New American Dream's site to begin the process of getting yourself off the junk mail lists.


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## snozzberry (Jul 29, 2005)

Something extra for January that I hadn't planned on...

I just set up a new group at eRideShare for people at my company interested in carpooling! It was really easy (and free!). Then I posted a message on the internal company bulletin board and emailed a bunch of people I thought would be interested.

So right now I'm the only listing in the new group but hopefully by the end of next week there will be many more!


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## zavierchick (May 12, 2005)

subbing for now, will be back with my goals after DH and I have a chance to work on them together (um, yes, I know it is pretty much all the way through January- so much for "new year's" resolutions







)


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## koru (Sep 7, 2006)

i'm adding one to my already running list....

REDUCE TRASH!

we already compost & recycle but dh & i have decided to have a "no-buy" week once a month. we'll see if this helps. i'm also going to start scrounging around for places i can buy in bulk (without packaging!). i suppose buying in bulk _with_ packaging is better than nothing, though, huh? i've already started making my own bread & i'd like to get huge bags of flour.


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## mugglemom (Aug 5, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *doulalove* 
i'm also going to start scrounging around for places i can buy in bulk (without packaging!). i suppose buying in bulk _with_ packaging is better than nothing, though, huh? i've already started making my own bread & i'd like to get huge bags of flour.

Do you know of any buying clubs in your area? I'm in one that gets deliveries from United Buying Clubs (www.unitedbuyingclubs.com) once a month. I buy 25 lb. bags of organic flour and sugar, bulk boxes of pasta, etc. We split cases of things like eggs. I've cut down on both my shopping and garbage this way.


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## mugglemom (Aug 5, 2006)

So how is everybody doing on their challenges? I got some great canvas bags at the thrift store for $0.88 each and actually remembered to bring them with me to the supermarket!

I'm not doing as well with reducing my driving. The kids' friends and activities are scattered all over the place, and I'm having a hard time limiting my trips for them. I have cut down on shopping trips (because I'm trying not to shop). But with the snow and cold we can't ride our bikes at all right now. I'm keeping track of my car miles; it will be interesting to see how they vary over the course of the year with the weather.


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## calicocj (Oct 27, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mugglemom* 
So how is everybody doing on their challenges? I got some great canvas bags at the thrift store for $0.88 each and actually remembered to bring them with me to the supermarket!

Way to go!!

We're moving along slowly here - got cool compost bucket for kitchen and made a place out in the yard to start the composting... now just to help DH remember to put stuff in the bucket...

Dug out all the cloth napkins we got as wedding gifts and have them all around the kitchen, and am trying to remind DH (there is a theme here...) to grab one instead of paper towels (which I plan not to replace when these are gone).

no luck on the CSA, other than being added to a waiting list...

keep up the good work everybody!


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## greenmansions (Feb 16, 2005)

subbing...

We have been looking for ways to be more "green" too, so I was very glad to stumble across this challenge thread. I don't have many friends IRL who would ever consider these things, and my family thinks I'm going too far and they think I'm criticizing their way of doing things when I tell them what we're up to. (hmm same problem with parenting choices, etc.)

In the past year or so, we:

- switched entirely to mama cloth
- switched to cloth napkins & washcloths & towels in the kitchen - I only use paper napkins when we have guests which is rare and only use paper towel to drain bacon on or wipe up messes that are too icky
- replaced "shot" tupperware with pyrex
- replaced "shot" teflon with stainless steel
- looked for ways to reduce use of plastic in general - for example I won't buy honey in plastic anymore - but this is a tough one as so many things only come in plastic (mayo, ketchup, yogurt, etc)
- carry our own canvas bag to the farmer's market and reuse the plastic produce bags they give us there (and refuse them for bulky/wet items)
- DH takes the bus to work now
- got off credit card offer lists
- our city now accepts kitchen waste in the yard waste bins, so now everything is composted that possibly can be including many types of paper not accepted in recycling
- We replaced our furnace and got new low-e windows with fiberglass frames

What I want to do in the next 1-6 months:
- Eat/buy more local products
- Take canvas bags to the grocery store - a hard thing to remember to do - half the time i forget my grocery list! I need to get a couple more bags for this to work, too.
- get off junk mail lists
- switch to family cloth for myself for "#1"
- get back in the habit of using cloth dipes and wipes for DD - she should be fitting in DS's old ones soon. (she outgrew what I bought for her and so we've been slacking off for the time being.)
- replace cleaning supplies as I run out with more eco friendly ones

Longer term, we plan to replace our old car with a hybrid and we are going to refinish our basement and want to use more green/recycled building materials and furnishings. I need to do more research on that because lots has changed since our last big remodeling project 4 years ago.

Whew, nice to write it all out! We've already done more than I realized.


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## Earth Angel (Dec 13, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mugglemom* 
So how is everybody doing on their challenges? I got some great canvas bags at the thrift store for $0.88 each and actually remembered to bring them with me to the supermarket!


Thats a great score!!









As far as our challenge items.....Weellll....

I'm still avoiding the basement....like the plague.







And I had a setback. Ds (6) got into a certain subject over the weekend, and I thought I had some old books on it.....but, apparently, I gave them away on my last "clearing out". This is what feeds the packrat in me....the thought of, "well, I might use that again SOME day".







So, I think I gotta get over that









But, I was realizing that I only had 3 loads of laundry this week!!! (and no, it isn't all backedup waiting to be done, the hampers are pretty empty). Which is great for a family of 4. And, 1 load was our regular weekly load of towels, rags, napkins, etc. So, that means that we (2 adults and 2 kids) only made 2 loads of clothing laundry!!! that is probably down by 1/2 of what we were putting out before I really decided to inspect the clothes before they went into the hamper.

Cloth hankies are in the works. I was going to let the boys use their red bandanas they have for dress up, but then they were playing with them, so, we will have to wait til mamma makes some nice fleecy ones.....so I'll get on that in the next week or so....before Feb


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## greenmansions (Feb 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Earth Angel* 
But, I was realizing that I only had 3 loads of laundry this week!!! (and no, it isn't all backedup waiting to be done, the hampers are pretty empty). Which is great for a family of 4. And, 1 load was our regular weekly load of towels, rags, napkins, etc. So, that means that we (2 adults and 2 kids) only made 2 loads of clothing laundry!!! that is probably down by 1/2 of what we were putting out before I really decided to inspect the clothes before they went into the hamper.


How do you manage this when switching everything that was once paper to cloth? My DD is a very messy eater, and I will scrounge around for other stuff to wash just to get DD's laundry done, I can't stand the clothes with food all over them sitting around for days. I guess we don't have enough of cloth napkins etc either. I end up doing at least one load a week of napkins and towels/rags for the kitchen. Once the dipes start up again, that's 2-3 loads a week minimum as well.


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## Manonash (Jun 2, 2006)

G-love, you can make your own yogurt w/o a yogurt maker. All you need is a stainless saucepan, a thermometer, some foil, and a heating pad. The instructions are here: http://http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/beginners_guide/yoghurt/heating_pad_yoghurt.htm I always set mine on a glass cutting board because the heating pad on my countertop made me nervous. Also, if you don't have a problem with lactose, you don't have to ferment it for 24hrs like the instructions on that site. You can use the same method with the heating pad but only ferment it 6hrs or so.

Love this thread! Much inspiration!


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## Earth Angel (Dec 13, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *greenmansions* 
How do you manage this when switching everything that was once paper to cloth? My DD is a very messy eater, and I will scrounge around for other stuff to wash just to get DD's laundry done, I can't stand the clothes with food all over them sitting around for days. I guess we don't have enough of cloth napkins etc either. I end up doing at least one load a week of napkins and towels/rags for the kitchen. Once the dipes start up again, that's 2-3 loads a week minimum as well.


I've been doing all cloth rags and napkins for awhile (**** working on the switch to hankies, and exploring family cloth, although not sure it is better or worse than 100% recycled TP.....any thoughts??) so that, coupled with my towels makes one load. I did get a bit of good advice from, someone on the green living tribe, and that was to refold and reuse the cloth napkins (as long as no company, they get fresh







) until they are dirty everywhere. We had been washing napkins that maybe had been used to wipe someones mouth and hands once. So, that has saved a bit of space. But, I think I'd have that load regardless simply cause you can only let dirty rags sit so long.

The thing that has saved me on the loads per week, that I have been working pretty diligently on, is saving my clothes to wear again. I still have some room for improvement as I'm putting my PJ's/workout clothes (one in the same) in the hamper each day. I'm figuring if I separate them and just have 1 pair of pants and shirt each week for exercising, Then I can also wear my Pjs for a few nights too. I think doing this would actually decrease the clothing used though I'm increasing outfits. (yes, it has become a bit of an obsession







)

The boys also (I have 2 ages 6 and 2.5), though they do get kinda messy, have some clothing that was just going into the wash, that could have been worn a second or third time.....especially PJs. For whatever reason, I have 2 fashionistas for sons







They change their clothes at least twice a day, maybe more!! So, making sure that all the clothes that went into the hamper actually needed to be there has made a big difference.

I think the big people are most important. Our clothes are just bigger and therefore take up more space. But, Dh is also a contractor, and rewears his clothes pretty much all week, unless he gets REALLY messy. He has always done this though with all clothing. So, he saves me tons already, but I really wasn't paying attention to the rest of us.

For the food stains, I pre-treat them with laundry soap, or at least keep them wet till I can get to them. They do usually come out....but I have also been known to resort to Stain Stick







: Not very green (but the rest of my laundry regimine is







), but neither is getting rid of clothing cause it has a stain on it that could have been washed out with a little help, or washing things that don't really need washing to fill out a load, or worse, running an unfull load. I haven't found anything that works for us nearly as well (has gotten out things like grape juice) cause I can treat the stain right away but still let it sit for up to 7 days (I sound like a dang advertisement for them) till I have a full load to do with the very dirty piece(s) of clothing.

HTH, it has been really satisfying to not have so much laundry, and to know that I'm using less water and energy as well









ETA, and both my boys are out of diapers, so that isn't a factor in my total # of loads per week.


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## greenmansions (Feb 16, 2005)

Thanks for the tips, earth angel.

We use napkins several days, since right now it's just me and DH using them with any regularity. With houseguestguests, we find that we can't keep straight whose is whose and I use paper then. We don't have guests very often. With dinner guests I will use cloth because they'll only get used once anyway.

The clothing thing I guess I need to work on. I started yesterday and checked over DS's clothes and put the pants back in the drawer. If it hasn't been a rough play day or he hasn't had a major poo (TMI, but funny how his pants will smell even tho there's nothing actually on them) then we can reuse. DH's clothes I run 2 loads just of his every 2 weeks. He wears his pants twice, his shirts once, and his sleeping clothes for probably 5 days. I change my pjs every 2 nights because they get wet and drooled on while dd nurses. I also take a clean bra every day because it helps keep the yeasties away, and have to take a clean shirt daily too because the kids get me dirty. After we stop nursing and the kids are eating more normally I think it will be easier to wear clothes longer, like I used to.


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## snozzberry (Jul 29, 2005)

I'm adding one to my "after January" list: Write a Living Green article for the internal weekly newsletter at work. I'm excited!


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## velochic (May 13, 2002)

I'm joining in here. Most of what we are working on has been mentioned. I have to say that we used to live in Germany, and it was a great influence on me. I learned a lot about how to be more eco-friendly when we lived there. For the record... I'm often dismayed that the US seriously impedes us when it comes to being green... there needs to be an overhaul of the infrastructure to make it easier for people to be economical.

I've enjoyed reading the thread. Thanks for the ideas.

Our biggies that we need to work on:

- using cloth for cleaning

- using line drying in winter instead of dryer

- composting


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## eco_mama (Feb 10, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *EcoMama7* 
- Switching to cloth grocery bags. (Bought them already, just waiting to arrive.)

- FINALLY taking my 3 boxes to Goodwill?!!

- Switching to mama cloth and cloth napkins. (Actually, we already switched the napkins.)

- Always reminding dd to not open the fridge and turn lights off when not in use.

- Looking into areators.

- BUYING ALL ORGANIC. (We've kinda been struggling with this since our biggest HFS is a bit over priced but, we've decided to just 'bite the bullet' and make ourselves afford it all. Which, I'm soo happy about.)

- Taking less baths. (Dd usually takes baths but we're stopping that for a few reasons. A) because I think it's making her skin really dry --city water--and B) it wastes more water. SO, quick showers it is and maybe once a month she can have a bath or something.

- Eating more raw! (This is one of our main resolutions)

- Walking more, driving less.

OK- I think that's my list....for now.









ok, ive acheived everything so far except areators and goodwill. goodwill trip is tomorrow.







yay! now i need to make my feb. list...


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## snozzberry (Jul 29, 2005)

Good job, EcoMama!


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## anniebee (Oct 13, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *anniebee* 
I'm signing up!

For January, I'm going to...
-switch to cloth wipes for my babe... I've been trying to use up the disposable kind, and I have one left! I'm making the solution tonight!
-switch to cloth mama pads (I ordered some, but if they don't get here in another week or so, I'm breaking out the sewing machine... yikes...)
-switch to family cloth (or, rather, anne cloth, since dh says, "ick." I'm gonna try it out and see if he'll join me after he sees how great it is)
-declutter 200 items from my way-too-big home (I'm 47 items in! hoorah!)

So glad we're journeying together!

My update, with one week to go...

I have switched to cloth wipes. I lovelovelove it. Love. Soooo much better!

My mama pads are still not here, so this weekend I'm going to try to venture into making my own. I have a waterproof baby pad and some flannel receiving blankets I'm planning to convert. We'll see how it goes...

I switched officially to family/anne cloth today! I finally got a receptacle for the used ones. That was my last step. It seems to be a good thing, but I need to give it a few days.

I have 19 more items to declutter to get to my goal.

Thanks, ladies. I would've never done these things without this thread as motiviation. I'm starting to think of February's challenge now...


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## mystic~mama (Apr 27, 2004)

Hi mamas,,,I would love to challenge myself to be more green.

I am going to~

use cloth wipes and cut way down on T.P usage

pick up more recyclables I see on the ground

find new ways to reuse what we have and declutter more

be more mindful of the amount of water I am using

air dry laundry as much as possible.

blessings~


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## Astrid (Aug 9, 2002)

:


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## mousemadeslings (Jul 4, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mousemadeslings* 
For this month we've:

Started the switch to cloth tp - well, dd and I, don't think I can get DH to!
Changing over to CF bulbs as old ones burn out
Going around and shutting down electronics at night
Working on making sure those lights are off when the room is empty! (dd!!!!!)
Getting better about remember to use the cloth bags!
Eating more raw and, when possible, organic foods
Using more natural cleaning products - household and personal!
Oh yeah - I'm trying to declutter - not even counting items, just the space I can free up!!

I have such lofty long term goals, but these little step-by-step things are making it easier to work in that direction!


Update - dd and I are strictly on family cloth now! yipee!

We've changed out a few bulb to CF, waiting for the rest to burn out

I have a routine for going around and shutting everything down at night now!

Still working on dd turning off lights when she leaves a room, or if she just finds one randomly left on (DH....)

I've gotten good about the cloth bags at the grocery store - need to remember to take them other places too..

Still working on the food thing - baby steps - I have a lot stocked up in my house to use up first...

I'm down to all natural body care, ds is set, and will have dd and DH on organically produced stuff as soon as the rest of their supplies run out

I'm still working on the declutter - I think I need a U-Haul....

Gotta start getting geared up for new projects in February!!


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## snozzberry (Jul 29, 2005)

Yay us!

btw, would y'all mind if I created the February thread on Wednesday morning? I'm leaving for vacation that day and I've really enjoyed keeping our running list so I don't want to miss out for February.







:

My January update:

Use cloth napkins--We're almost out of paper napkins but we haven't bought our cloth napkins yet! Is there a good place to get them, maybe even organic cotton?
Get rid of particleboard furniture in the house--We ordered some unfinished furniture for our home office and we should receive it in a couple weeks. Then we can Craigslist our particleboard office furniture.
Compost--We started researching composters but haven't taken the plunge yet. We're thinking about the EnviroCycler but I want to confirm that it's a safe plastic.


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## calicocj (Oct 27, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *snozzberry* 
Yay us!

btw, would y'all mind if I created the February thread on Wednesday morning? I'm leaving for vacation that day and I've really enjoyed keeping our running list so I don't want to miss out for February.







:

My January update:

Use cloth napkins--We're almost out of paper napkins but we haven't bought our cloth napkins yet! Is there a good place to get them, maybe even organic cotton?
Get rid of particleboard furniture in the house--We ordered some unfinished furniture for our home office and we should receive it in a couple weeks. Then we can Craigslist our particleboard office furniture.
Compost--We started researching composters but haven't taken the plunge yet. We're thinking about the EnviroCycler but I want to confirm that it's a safe plastic.

Yay! Definitely create the Feb thread, this has been really fun and motivational!

Also, re: the cloth napkins, some folks on here have had good luck with local Goodwills and Thrift shops, that may be a good place to start...


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## thomlynn (Apr 20, 2006)

What a great thread!!! I'm in.

You all have inspired me to get busy and stop making excuses. Today I went out and hung all the laundry that would fit on my line. I had a couple things left I had to throw in the dryer but every little bit helps right!?!?

Can someone tell me about the indoor drying racks?? Which kind works best and anything else I need to know. I'm thinking about looking for one.

We are doing a major declutter and selling tons of stuff this weekend.

The other things we already do are:
cloth for everything
gentle cleansers
organic as much as we can afford
local shopping as much as we can afford
composting and gardening and hopefully canning our bounty in the spring and summer!!!

We need to work on:
the amount of trash we have
turning off lights
hanging the clothes to dry more often
budgeting our money better so we can afford more organic stuff
stop buying pizza and make our own!!!








ETA: get back in the habit of handwashing dishes and recycling grey water (we've slacked since the Holidays)
sweeping the floor daily so I don't have to vacuum as often

Keep inspiring me to change, I love it!!!


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## ~Shanna~ (Nov 17, 2005)

My update:

Family cloth is going okay, though my set-up is much better in one bathroom over the other. I find I'm not doing as well when I use the other bathroom. Still working on that system.

I just put my composter together last night, and will have it outside hopefully by tomorrow. It needs to get done soon, because my kitchen compost canister is full and I know I'll start to get lazy if I don't have a place to empty it.

Junk mail appears to have slowed down, though I still have some things to do (places to call to get off their lists, placing a sign on my mailbox requesting no bulk mailings, etc.).

I've managed to bring my canvas bags to the grocery store since I made the goal! And our stack of plastic bags is dwindling, which is more of a clutter victory.......

Finally got my library card, which has saved me from buying a couple of books already.


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## scbegonias (Aug 15, 2003)

My update...

Quote:


Originally Posted by *scbegonias* 
Joining in (thanks Rainbowmoon!).

My January goals from my blog...
1. Declutter 400 items (mostly donate)
*Done!*
2. Switch to cloth tp
*Done...for me and DD!*
3. Change out lightbulbs to cf (we already have them)
*Done!*
4. Use cloth bags for shopping
*Done!*
5. Use paper bags (from work) for trashing kitty litter
*When we've got them...flushing more in the meantime (with a mellow-yellowed toilet).*
6. Switch cats to Innova Evo catfood (from Trader Joe's small bags and Science Diet C/D...not great in terms of waste and what's going into their bodies)
*Done!*
7. Make more purchases locally,from small stores
*Done...and we're having fun doing it!*
8. Ride bike to work more often
*Done!*

Great thread...can't wait for my next challenge!


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## snozzberry (Jul 29, 2005)

I went ahead and created our February thread! Please jump over whenever you want!


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## greenmansions (Feb 16, 2005)

So what do you all use to line your garbage cans with? We typically use plastic grocery bags, but with a switch to canvas I don't know what we'll do then... DH does the trash around here and he wants some sort of bag. I do not want to rock the boat to the point where garbage becomes my job!


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## snozzberry (Jul 29, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *greenmansions* 
So what do you all use to line your garbage cans with? We typically use plastic grocery bags, but with a switch to canvas I don't know what we'll do then... DH does the trash around here and he wants some sort of bag. I do not want to rock the boat to the point where garbage becomes my job!









Do your local grocery stores have plastic bag recycling bins up front? When we're low on doggy doo bags, we grab a few from the recycling bin at our local grocery store.


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## MelanieMC (Jul 7, 2005)

I haven't read all of the posts yet, but I wanted to join in! I just discovered the Green Living tribe, and I really hope that we get a forum soon!

Anyway, since Jan. is about over I won't post any of my goals until the feb. thread starts. I'm very excited about finding these threads and about doing more to live a green lifestyle.

btw, i edited my siggy to include a link to the tribe! I hope many more will join!









eta: I just saw that a feb. thread was started, so I guess I'll go post there now!


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## greenmansions (Feb 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *snozzberry* 
Do your local grocery stores have plastic bag recycling bins up front? When we're low on doggy doo bags, we grab a few from the recycling bin at our local grocery store.

Hmmm or maybe I should just accept plastic bags at the store when we are running low, and use canvas the rest of the time.

Any other suggestions welcome.


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## snozzberry (Jul 29, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *greenmansions* 
Hmmm or maybe I should just accept plastic bags at the store when we are running low, and use canvas the rest of the time.

That would work. Somehow, it would feel better to me to not accept new bags but to reuse bags that someone else was already going to use anyway. That way I wouldn't be supporting new bag production in any way. But I don't know if that's logical







that's just my gut feeling!


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## Nitenites (Jan 23, 2003)

Hey girls - what is your best source for CF bulbs? Anyone have any luck finding some that give a "softer" light?


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## greenmansions (Feb 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *snozzberry* 
That would work. Somehow, it would feel better to me to not accept new bags but to reuse bags that someone else was already going to use anyway. That way I wouldn't be supporting new bag production in any way. But I don't know if that's logical







that's just my gut feeling!

That's a very good point. We grab a bag from the drawer sometimes tho to wrap vegies or whatever in, so I wonder how clean the ones in the bins are. Have you found them to be pretty clean generally?


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## mugglemom (Aug 5, 2006)

I did pretty well for January:

- Bought some canvas bags at the thrift store and remembered to use them at the grocery store every time.

- Drove 50 miles less than my monthly average for next year.

Off to think about February!


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## MrsMike (Aug 4, 2006)

Here's a re-cap of my January goals and what I accomplished:

*Get cloth napkins and stop using so many paper napkins and towels.* - We didn't get cloth napkins, yet. However, I did buy some handi-wipes (I'm cheap) and have been using them for cleaning in place of paper towels.

*CD ds more frequently.* - Yep! We've been CD'ing him more. Even my dh (Snappi's make him cry







) is starting to get the hang of it.

*Find a much better alternative to the special diet my cat needs to be on.* - We're getting there. I haven't had a ton of time to do thorough research. I've talked with a veterinarian that I work with about starting accupuncture. Also, I'm starting him (and my other cats) on Cosequin, which helps maintain bladder health, in addition to joint health.

*Get mama cloths.* - I haven't done this, yet, but we haven't had a ton of money to spare.

*Declutter and give things to St. Vincent De Paul/other charities.* - yup. We got rid of a few bags of clothes. We're still working on this and will for the next few months.

Off to the February challenge!


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## whitedoyle (May 19, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *greenmansions* 
So what do you all use to line your garbage cans with? We typically use plastic grocery bags, but with a switch to canvas I don't know what we'll do then... DH does the trash around here and he wants some sort of bag. I do not want to rock the boat to the point where garbage becomes my job!









This reminds me--

When we moved in to our old house(11 years ago) there was a trash can there that used plastic shopping bags. It attached to the cabinet door under the sink. It was sort of a rectangular wire hoop that had spots to hook the bag handles on and there was a lid. We had gotten rid of it because it was too small and we were "too busy" to recycle. When we moved into our new house we got a larger can and right now I find it goes 3-4 days before getting changed and we have to buy larger bags to use in it. To make a long story short--I would love to locate something similar to the plastic bag can.

Any ideas?


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## whitedoyle (May 19, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Nitenites* 
Hey girls - what is your best source for CF bulbs? Anyone have any luck finding some that give a "softer" light?

Home Depot has CF's sometimes at 5/$10 or so. I have gotten 3-way there and have seen dimmables there.


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## melissa17s (Aug 3, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *whitedoyle* 
This reminds me--

When we moved in to our old house(11 years ago) there was a trash can there that used plastic shopping bags. It attached to the cabinet door under the sink. It was sort of a rectangular wire hoop that had spots to hook the bag handles on and there was a lid. We had gotten rid of it because it was too small and we were "too busy" to recycle. When we moved into our new house we got a larger can and right now I find it goes 3-4 days before getting changed and we have to buy larger bags to use in it. To make a long story short--I would love to locate something similar to the plastic bag can.

Any ideas?

My inlaws had these at their home in Singapore... We tried to get one, but we just did not have enough time to find the little store they bought it at... the store was called Howards. My fil thought Ikea had something similar. I will let you know if I find any online, and if you do, please share your source.


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## kimberlychapman (Jul 26, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *melissa17s* 
My inlaws had these at their home in Singapore... We tried to get one, but we just did not have enough time to find the little store they bought it at... the store was called Howards. My fil thought Ikea had something similar. I will let you know if I find any online, and if you do, please share your source.


I have one, although it's currently not in use because our cupboard doors in this house are too thin to support the hardware needed for mounting.

I bought mine in Canada, either at Zellers (Target analogue) or K-Mart. Probably Zellers. It was in the late 1990s when I got it, and it wasn't the first one I had (I left the old one with my ex). They weren't hard to find up there.

Being unable to use it here sucks. I tried double-sided-taping it to the inside of the undersink door but it kept falling off. So instead, right now we use a small plastic bin like you can find at any Target-like store, and we put used grocery bags in that. I have never purchased kitchen garbage bags in my entire life.

In re-using grocery bags, check the bottoms for holes, especially at the seams. You don't have to discard ones with holes, though...you can use them as doublers inside of ones that don't look like they have holes, because sometimes you'll find they actually do and leaks are a pain.

Wild Oats has the best bags in our area. We alternate between paper and plastic, so we can re-use the plastic for garbage (and it's what they need to wrap meat in anyway) and we re-use the paper to hold recycling, or to wrap postal packages when re-using Amazon and other corporate boxes for mailing. Trader Joe paper bags are also good for this, but their plastic bags aren't very good and almost always have holes, so we always get paper from them.

And Vons of course doesn't even have a paper option. So we re-use their bags in garbage bins that don't hold much wet stuff, such as bathrooms where it's mostly tissues and hairballs (we're long-haired hippie freaks and make good use of a hair trap over the shower drain!). Or we triple them up in the kitchen if needed.


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