Reducing Our Carbon Footprint

While vacationing, I have had some time to read and reflect.  We have tried fairly hard to reduce our carbon footprint at home by recycling, driving less, growing our own food, etc.  I realize, however, that there is so much more that we could be doing for our environment.  It seems that each year while on vacation, I make some personal resolutions to begin when I get home.  This year is no exception.  In fact, perhaps this year has been the most productive.  With our upcoming plans for living full time on the farm, hubby and I have had many discussions about energy efficiency, consumption, etc in planning to build our log home.

I have made a resolution to drive less and ride a bike more for daily errands.  Presently, we live close enough to the grocery store, post office, and bank for me to use a bike for those destinations.  While on vacation, we found a tiny bike shop with the best selection of old fashioned cruisers.  I picked up this adorable pink cruiser outfitted with the most perfect baskets.  It will serve me well for errands around town.  Eventually, when we move to the farm full time, it will be quite handy for trips between the house and barn and garden....with more than enough basket room for transporting produce. My first project when we return home from vacation will be to sew a basket liner in pink fabric for the front basket.

Other ideas percolating in my brain are:

Recycling large canning jars or spaghetti jars for water vessels...just fill with ice, water, a citrus slice and go.  No more buying plastic water bottles.  What could be cuter for a picnic than an old canning jar with a colorful fabric bow tied around it!  Did you know that it takes several times the amount of water in a plastic bottle to actually produce the bottle.  What a terrible waste.

I truly need to choose items with friendlier packaging.  I will be searching for vegetable based laundry detergents in recycled paper packaging from now on.

Recently, we have made a homemade rain collection system from recycled 50 gallon plastic drums that our farm neighbor brings home for us from his bakery job.  This water will be used to water our blueberries, grapes and fruit trees during times of drought.  I plan to add a rain barrel to our home, when built, and use that water for watering houseplants.

I carry my own fabric bags to the grocery store instead of using all of those plastic bags.  Eventually, I would love to live a plastic-free life.  

I have decided to stop using disposable razors and use an old refillable razor....once again no plastic to add to our landfills.

The list goes on and on......