Happy Earth Day
It seems so small, but we celebrated today by going for a walk with Briony to pick up FREE Starbucks coffee (all you need to do is bring in your travel mug today).I didn't plan this as an 'earth day' activity, but I have an appointment for a pedicure at Tiber River tonight - they make all their own natural products and use nail polish that's free of nasty toxins. That's my kind of Earth Day! hehe. I'll be walking there because it's just a few blocks from our house. I'd hoped to walk or ride my bike to my massage appointment today (I was really trying to not use my car at all today), but I'm too flared up. That sucks. I hope that Mother Earth understands.
I have to say, one of the best things about the neighbourhood we moved to is how little we actually need to drive our car. We regularly keep it parked for days at a time, relying on our feet and Geoff's scooter for transportation. It's been such a learning curve and an adjustment to think of walking first and driving last. Growing up in the country, it wasn't an option to walk or take public transportation. I'm happy that Briony will have a chance to grow up with a slightly different perspective.
So what else is on our Earth Day agenda? I'm currently researching and planning the logistics of my very first organic vegetable garden that I hope to plant when we return at the end of May.
If you have a few spare minutes today, check out one of the many quizzes available online to estimate that ecological footprint your lifestyle is leaving on our planet. There's a very simple one here. It's not a guilt thing... Just some food for thought.
What small things do you do at home or at work to help be a little kinder to the planet?
Labels: Adventures in Greenishness...ity, Current Events
posted by Lindsay @ 11:04 AM
3 Comments:
Since today is Earth day, not only did I walk to the mall and bring my travel mug to get my free coffee from Starbucks, but I even brought a reusable bag to put my purchases in! I've been trying lately too to remember to bring my grocery bins with me when I shop at Superstore and to switch my cleaners and laundry detergent to natural, earth friendly ones. Every little bit helps!
Oh how I wish I was in the city to get a free Starbucks! But I'm not sure if Mother Earth would agree that driving my car 35 minutes (one way) for free coffee was my little way of giving her a hug today. Tee hee.
I have *almost* entirely switched over to Norwex cleaning stuff (whcih actually cleans BETTER than the chemical stuff, go figure). I have a bottle or two of other stuff to use up, and while I know they are full of nasty chemicals, I also don't think it's Earth-friendly to toss it out unused.
I'm also back composting. Kris keeps telling me I'm inviting the rats in from the fields... I will say that if they show up I'm done. :) My garden plans are in full swing for '09 (has to be better than the '08 fiasco, which mostly was ruined by a baby girl born on May 15 :).
And, best of all, I did the Eco-energy home check this week, and if we implement all the plans it gave us, we'd reduce our energy use by 5 tonnes. Crazy, eh? Not sure it's all in the budget for '09, but it is surprising how much government programming is out right now - some of the changes actually become virtually free after rebates!
Funny... I was just thinking I wasn't super earth-friendly (you know, living in the sticks and all), but when you start to put even a couple things on paper you realize how little things really add up!
Oh, this is making me happy. I don't consider myself to be an environmentalist by any means, but I'm trying to pay more attention to these little choices and make small changes and improvements all the time. It doesn't take long for some of those things to become habit.
This past year, I read a couple of great books that helped to educate me a little more about the choices we have and what it all means. It's been an interesting journey so far, and I know I have *so* much more to learn.
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