I'm not able (ready?) to move to an adobe house which is 100% solar-powered, grow all my own food...so what can I do? The earth-situation gets scarier and scarier the more I learn and become aware. I know I cannot make too much difference (just lil' old me), but maybe this will eventually lead to something greater.
Here's my 15 point starter-list:
1. Stop eating meat. (about a week in...I had been cutting down to about once a week for a bunch of weeks, so we'll see how meatlessness goes from here - wish me luck!).
2. Take shorter showers. (I think I average about 7 minutes, but I can probably cut back to about five mins).
3. Make my own cleaning products. (we have started...all-purpose, disinfect't already. I just got some recipes for laundry-detergent & dish-soap, so that'll be this wkend, I hope).
4. Recycle. Duh. who doesn't recycle...but we can try to recycle things that are a little more difficult (like hedge-clippings, britta filters, light-bulbs)...
5. Compost. We are just waiting until we are back from our trip. Research is done. I guess we'll keep it in the basement (ah, city life).
6. Write and organize. I hate this part, but I am told this is really how you make a difference. I will have to start writing to companies, to my congressmen/women, and encouraging others to do so.
7. Stop using new plastics. This will be hard. We already use cloth bags for groceries, but packaging (for food or new items) will be tough.
8. Pay the difference for paper rather than styrofoam cups at work. This just bugs the sh*t out of me. I think it is dangerous for the environment & dangerous to drink out of. It is also LAME for an art school to have anything styrofoam.
9. Get involved. "Remedy" - does it still exist?
10. Buy organic.
11. Eat less dairy. Whew. This is hard. We've switched to soy milk (it's good!), and me to soy yogurt. Cheese will stay. I can't give it up, I don't think...
12. Pack lunch, bring silverware, bring mug. I am at about 80% here. I forget sometimes :(
13. Powerstrips & unplug. Turn them off at night, when not using. We have done this for the computer & for our t.v./entertainment stuff. Maybe there are other things too. Try to remember to unplug toaster-oven...can probably unplug microwave too...hmmm....
14.a. I'd say drive less, but come on, I hardly ever drive!...so doesn't count.
14.b. Educate myself.
15. Buy only used clothing & books (except for undergarments, of course). Just spent the $50 store-credit I had at Urban...this is going to be TOUGH. Here goes...
*Bonus* 16. Stop using paper plates, paper napkins, paper checks?.
