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My big contribution to The Cause of green living: I've never owned a car. And I'm big on pushing public transit to anyone who'll listen to me. Got my driving licence at 16, but as an adult, I've never bothered getting myself a car. Now I'm past 40 and still almost always taking public transit or walking. I've resisted the temptation to get a car many times... but experience has taught me that it isn't necessarily more convenient than taking public transit.
I try to reduce the disposable elements in my life as much as I can... it's a challenge, because the first thing that attracts me to modern conveniences is... the convenience factor! Of course... It's just that after taking a closer look at convenience foods, convenience consumer goods, etc., that I've realized they're usually convenient because of disposable packaging or very wasteful production methods. Reduce, reuse, repurpose... turn it into a mantra, and over time, it becomes easier to question the true longterm value of some of these so-called "conveniences"... alternatives are always available. Just look for them.
Example of the week: Started making coffee at home in the morning, instead of grabbing a cup at work. How many disposable cups will be kept out of landfills over the course of the year just because of that one change of routine? How many over 10 years? Oh, and I save money too. So... bwahaha.
Been riding a motor cycle most of my life,
built/use my own solar and wind generation,
I recycle often as possible,
throw little away.
Water from the kitchen sink drains into the garden,
then into the fish tank, then back into the garden.
I collect and use rain water when I get it, for gardening.
I buy food in bulk and use long term storage techniques.
Fix build and repair my own equipment .
raise chickens for food
feed the wild birds (deliberately) they keep the insect population in check.
Have 2 other people that would otherwise be homeless living with me.
I use alternative medicine and preventive medicine ,avoid doctor visits.
I bring my lunch every day to work. I use reusable containers. I made small little cloth placemats and smaller cloth napkins to use everyday with my lunch.
i always hang my clothes to dry outside, and with all this hot hot hot weather i have been doing wash like crazy, all caught up now....i think anyone with a back yard should be hanging clothes outside to dry especially in climates of 90 degrees or more....it just sounds logical...
I bought a metal tiffin at a flea market for $3. I now make sure to take it empty with us when we go to a restaurant to eat, for leftovers, so that they don't give us plastic or styrofoam clam shell one-time use containers.
Before the tiffin, I would clean the clear clamshells and use them to keep art/craft supplies in.
I keep silverware wrapped in a napkin and tied with twine in each car, so that we don't have to use plastic spoons/forks at fast food.
I refuse straws (you HAVE to say, no straw, when you order your drink - some places put them in the drink for you) and have a stainless straw I take with me or just sip out of the glass (you can also get bamboo or glass reusable straws, and a small cleaning brush).
I keep sudsy water in a mason jar, and dry washcloths, in the car for cleaning my hands, instead of "baby wipes."
We bring insulated mugs with us for hot to-go coffee/tea drinks, as well as insulated sports bottles for cold drinks.
i always hang my clothes to dry outside, and with all this hot hot hot weather i have been doing wash like crazy, all caught up now....i think anyone with a back yard should be hanging clothes outside to dry especially in climates of 90 degrees or more....it just sounds logical...
Nothing compares to truly clean air dried clothing and naturally fresh smelling sheets and towels. In the worst of winter I will use the dryer but otherwise, no.
I still wash plastic "silverware" and carry some in the car so I don't need more when I eat at a drive through fast food place. Still take something to drink in a thermos on car trips or I'll just take my cup of coffee that I made at home, tall glass with ice in the summer.
My mother used to take a jar of soapy water with a washcloth in it for car trips--no store bought wipes to dispose of.
If everyone stopped running water in the sink when they brushed their teeth or otherwise 'washed up' at the sink, it would save lots of water.
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