In an online discussion group of which I am a member, the challenge this week was to make some changes in your routine to make your life a little greener. It was noted that actions that are good for the environment can also be beneficial to your purse.
When I stopped and thought about this, I realised that most of how I choose to live is a result of making the best choice I can in the prevailing circumstances. Some of these things are what I have always done and others are changes I have made but it is so long ago that I do not even consider them as particularly green.
Here are some of our household patterns.
Use locally-made, environmentally-friendly washing liquid, laundry soaker, dishwashing liquid and dishwasher powder from Kin Kin Naturals.
Make my own wool wash and cream cleanser.
Use bicarb and vinegar to clean most surfaces.
Hang clothes outdoors to dry or in front of the fire. Use clothes dryer rarely.
Run our home on tank water, grid-connected solar power and solar hot water service.
Grow some of our own fruit and vegetables. This week I have picked lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, pak choy, lemons, oranges, mandarins. grapefruit and avocadoes.
Compost all our scraps or feed them to the chickens.
Keep chickens for our own supply of eggs.
Catch public transport to work.
Complete multiple errands when making a trip in the car.
Re-use as many resources as possible.
Avoid processed foods.
Make choices when shopping to avoid packaging – buy bulk/loose goods.
Use my own bags/containers when shopping.
Heating from a slow-combustion heater fuelled by wood collected from our property.
Give away items no longer needed via Freecycle or op shop.
Buy only what we need.
Repair things that we already own.
This is not a complete list but is an indication of what we do every day to lighten our footprint on the planet.
What choices have you made that could be viewed as ‘green’?
What do you think?
organised castle 