Thinking Green
Why should I worry about the planet? I'm a senior citizen. By the time things get really serious, I'll have moved on. Or, maybe, I'm a busy mom. I'm not going to wash diapers the way my mother did. What, are you crazy? Recycle? Reuse? Repurpose? Reduce? Not me.
We have been spoiled by the convenience decades. Buy it, use it, toss it, buy a new one. So, as we, you and I, indulge ourselves, the planet gasps, chokes and heaves up another pile of the debris we fed it. We need to start thinking and stop polluting right now; time is running out.
I have compiled a few easy ways to help you start thinking green. Try it. It's fun, it saves money, lots of money. Trust me, you will enjoy the added benefit of self-respect when you respect your planet. Start with plastics.
Plastics are born of dangerous polluters. Even recycling them creates another round of manufactured pollutants, and those plastic bags hanging in your trees after a windstorm? Yuk. Think fabric. Fabric bags are beautiful and strong. They don't rip open, exposing your purchases to the public. They're not just for groceries. They are great for transporting anything anywhere. I once received a big thank you at Goodwill for bringing my own bags. I have a thermal bag that protects my chilled items. Put your purse in one, so you'll remember to take them into the store, and maybe you'll light a candle for another unenlightened consumer.
Kitchen towels live long and we prosper. Set aside a few pretty dish cloths to use for napkins. They don't need ironing, and they last forever. Your ratty dish towels can have a second life under your Swiffer mop, instead of using a throwaway. You will be spraying with your own mix of white vinegar and water instead of purchasing the expensive cleaner, and there will be no batteries to replace. If you don't like the smell of vinegar, add a few drops of your favorite scented oil. Dampen the towel before you use it. It will stick to the underside of the mop just fine.
For dishcloths, really cheap bath wash cloths are available in pretty colors to match your decor. They can be washed in hot water, and will keep on serving. No more replacement of bacteria laden sponges. Keep a stack of older towels under the sink for quick wipe-ups. These would be on their second life, before they move to your mop. You don't need paper towels, except, perhaps, one roll for things like hairballs and puppy accidents. You save money, trees and landfills.
PLANT A TREE.
Trees are carbon sinks.This means they collect carbon and release oxygen back into the air for us to breathe. A single mature tree can absorb 48 lbs. of Co2 in one year and release back enough oxygen into the air to support two human beings. An acre of trees absorbs enough carbon in one year to offset a car driven 26,000 miles. Their leaves absorb pollutants in rainwater, their roots help filter pollutants from ground water, and all this quietly occurs as they cool your home and enhance your real estate. Look at trees in a whole new way. They're not just beautiful; they are your hard working friends of the earth.
Microfiber is the best thing since throwaways. Attach one to your floor duster, or wrap it on your broom, secured with a strong rubber band. It collects everything on the floor, then you shake it out, turn it over and use it again on the clean side. No more throwaway replacements.
I tried this recipe for a forever dust cloth. I like it. It's convenient. The recipe depends a bit on the size of your cloth. Put 6 tablespoons olive oil. 1 tablespoon white vinegar and a few drops of your favorite scented oil in a fruit jar and shake it up. Stuff a microfiber cloth in the jar and shake again until the cloth absorbs the oil. You may need to dry the furniture after the first use, but after that just take out the cloth and wipe a nice healthy glow onto your wood furniture. No need to dry, nothing to buy, no spray cans in the landfill.
Try making your own window cleaner of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water with about part rubbing alcohol. You can add a few drops of dish soap if you like, but it is not necessary. It's fast and streak free when dried with a microfiber cloth. This works on counter tops and appliances too.
ELECTRICITY
The U.S. electrical system consists of about 10,000 power plants, the majority of them 30 or more years old, and operating on fossil fuels. The grid, which is the distributor of electricity, is also old and over-burdened. We need, now, upgrades and new sources of energy. While we wait for them, we can help lighten the load. We can wash clothes in cold water. I resisted this for so long, but now I do it, and I really can't see any difference in my clothes. Try it, and save the hot water for sanitizing. To help the overworked grid, use the machine between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. when stress on the grid is lighter. The dishwasher conserves water as long as you run it full. Save the grid. Run it at night.
These are small steps that can be implemented painlessly. I hope that everybody who reads this will have ideas of their own. As far as we know now, Earth is the only home we'll ever have. Children, animals and vegetation are innocent victims of the ignorance and greed that has driven the economy and stressed our planet. One by one, we can join a green grass roots movement to build a better home for the children; a home with clean air to breathe and clean water to drink. Isn't that worth taking a few small steps in a new direction?