Going Green

You know, the only bad thing about going green is the guilt. Could I be doing more? Once your eyes are open to analyze everything you do, you start to ask, is there another way to do this? Can it be composted, recycled, done differently to reduce energy or water? I find myself getting anxious sometimes. So for all my green buddies, here is a list of some little (and weird) things I to save the world a little bit at a time.

1. You know you have gone green when you and a few of your green friends dig trash out of a public park trashcan so you can take it home to recycle it. The same goes for when you are traveling and you save your trash so you can recycle it when you get home.

2. You know you have gone green when you take home rotten veggies, etc. from a friends house to compost at yours because they were going to throw it out anyway.

3. You know you have gone green when you convince, is subtle and not so subtle ways, your friends to compost and grow a garden.

4. You know you have gone green when you buy tons or reusable cloth bags from Fry's and take them to whatever store you go to.

5. You know you have gone green when you recycle the plastic bags you do get (when you rush and forget the cloth ones in the trunk). I may be green, but I am definitely not perfect. LOL

6. You know you have gone green when you hang dry almost all of your clothes from a shower rod put up between your laundry room and your house. (I need a clothes line.)

7. You know you have gone green when you only wash laundry before 12 and after 7, even though you are not on the peak plan, to save energy.

8. You know you have gone green when you buy a majority of big purchases and clothes second hand.

9. You know you have gone green when you cloth diaper.

10. You know you have gone green when you use plastic containers for veggies (and other stuff) in the fridge instead of baggies.

11. You know you have gone green when you use real plates for 99% of your meals instead of the good 'ol paper ones.

12. You know you have gone green when you compose your hair.

13. You know you have gone green when you take cups of water left over the night and pour them on houseplants, in the compost bin, in the garden, and sometimes drink it (eww, definitely a last resort) instead of pouring it down the drain.

14. You know you have gone green when you catch yourself hunched over in the shower to washer your hair in the cold water that most people let go down the drain while they wait for it to heat up. You also turn the water on to get wet, turn it off while you get all soapy, and then turn it on to rinse...taking you approximately 5 miuntes.

15. You know you have gone green when you use the backside of paper before throwing it away. As well as make your children draw on both sides of the paper before getting a new one.

16. You know you have gone green when you freeze leftovers instead of letting them rot away in the fridge.

17. You know you have gone green when you put your son's diaper liners (rice paper ones) in the compost after washing them in fragrance and color free detergent (with vinegar, of course!)

18. You know you have gone green when you compost your shredded bills, etc.

19. You know you have gone green when you save sunflower seed shells in a cup as you eat them and then take them out and dump them in your compost.

20. You know you have gone green when you teach your kids to wash their hands by: a) adding soap to hands, b) turning the water on to get their hands wet, c) turning the water off, d) wash hands, e) then turing on the water to rinse. You realize you did a good job when you watch other little kids wash their hands with the water on the whole time.

21. You know you have gone green when you can't stop thinking of other things to add to your list.

There *sigh*. Making a list eases the guilt. Feel free to share the little and weird things you do to help conserve. It will make you feel good, and give me more ideas!