Going Green

So...you all know by now that we switched to cloth diapers last fall. So this year when making a "resolution" I decided I would try to find simple and easy ways to cut back on waste and become a better steward of our Earth. While I have never actually made a resolution that I worked on past Jan. 2nd, this one is not one I am going to give up on! So far I have noticed a huge decrease in our waste (judging by the trash we set to curb each week) with just a few simple changes. So here are a few things we have done to cut back (which is also helped our budget much more than I thought!)

1. No more napkins! We switched to cloth napkins for our use at home. We wont save a ton of money doing this...but it will hopefully make an impact environmentally.

2. Flannel baby wipes. Last week I made some baby wipes to use with our kids (I still use disposable with the day care kids) and last night I bought another dozen and our cloth diaper store's big diaper sale. So far...it cuts back about 3 dollars a week which isn't a ton...but will add up!

3. Trying to avoid paper towels. I love paper towels, which sounds really silly, but I do. They are so easy and make messes less messy! But I am trying to not even have them out on the counter. I keep them in the pantry for the really icky messes or when all the dish towels are in the laundry. Again, paper towels aren't that expensive...but we were going through a roll a week so over time we will save money and cut back on a lot of waste! (think 52 rolls added to the landfill every year from just our family! Yikes!)

4. Recycle! I know this is the simplest thing for anyone to do...but we hadn't had recycling bins since moving here and had been throwing away a lot that could just be recycled...which I felt really guilty about! So I finally contacted the city about getting bins and we have been recycling all things paper/plastic/metal. I didn't realize just how much I was throwing away that could be recycled until we got the bins and started using them. Our trash can is never overflowing now, and our 2 recycling bins (one for paper, one for everything else) are always both full to the top! I hate that it took me so long to get this simple thing done.

5. This one doesn't really cut back on physical waste, but I have been trying to line dry clothes. Brandon hates the feel and smell of line dried clothes so his will always be machine dried, and since it's winter and cold a lot of our clothes/towels/sheets/etc are still machine dried, but I got a few drying racks (mainly for the diapers) and have been using them on the kids clothes. This spring I will (well, I will make Brandon) put up a clothesline outside for mine and the kids clothes and our towels, sheets etc.

So...that is what we are up to. I know they are all really small and simple changes, but I'm trying, and feel really good about them!