There's a lot of great information in this post and I encourage you to read through it ... however, if you don't have the time right now, you might find the following quick links helpful:
Last week's activity was quite interesting ... rather than investigating ways to drive less and asking that we walk, ride a bike, etc., we simply tracked the miles we didn't drive ... the trips we decided not to take or the ones which we took using other Eco-friendly means. I found the challenge to be a lot of fun and realized that by changing my focus, just that slightly, I started to think about how I could avoid driving trips altogether. For example, on one day I decided to cook a dish which I didn't have the ingredients for. The store is only a quick drive away so it's real easy to pop over and buy what I need. But then, I thought about being able to put those miles on the spreadsheet and decided to change my menu plan and use ingredients I already had on-hand. My mindset became one of actively looking for ways to save miles. It was fun to track them and watch the numbers go up. Of course, adding in the gas prices (aka money saved) just sweetened the pot.
By the way, we work from home and live in a small town. Conservative calculations are that we saved 76 miles of driving last week. Working from home has it's perks.
The Honor Society are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments. Here's what they had to say:
CelloMom shared the challenge with her readers HERE and gave us the following update: "So my savings were pretty anemic: I avoided 35 miles of driving this week. I did this mainly by convincing my children that yes, they could walk/bike to the pool or library themselves (or else by arranging rides for them with a friend). I biked some. I saved $5.50 in my 40mpg car. I still clocked 190 miles this week: the reality of living in suburbia, plus the summer vacation effect. Plus my very picky habits about where I get my food. The challenge did make me a lot more mindful about planning my trips. I think I will continue to keep track of miles, even after this week. But the one who really saves miles in our house is CelloDad. Working from home means he doesn't drive 50 mi/week to the train station, or else a staggering 500 mi/week to the office. Which also would have required a second car: ugh." Wow, CelloMom ... you, and your husband, did great!!
EcoWarriorMe accepted the challenge ... here's what she had to say about the week: "Things were up in the air a bit this week. A day off work saved a commute but visiting family canceled it out. I also worked for a couple of days in London but I took the train and used public transport there so I left a smaller carbon footprint than if I'd flown or driven."
Kristina gave us an update on the plastic bag challenge. She shares this: "I regularly use reusable produce bags. I bought 4 for $1 a few years ago that the Dollar Store - they were meant for toys and other small items, but they are mesh, drawstring and perfect for produce. So I tried to refuse plastic. Boy, this didn't go very well. After about a day I decided to just record everything that I used in plastic and figure out how to get around it later. There were too many! The plastic tag on my ORGANIC broccolini, plastic container of raspberries, bag the bread came in, the stickers on all the fruit! I'm not quite ready to give up some of my favorite foods."
Kim accepted this challenge with enthusiasm. Here's what she had to say: "I love this challenge! Especially because I have a pedometer I've been using for the past week (and need to write a review for it). I'm getting ready to take a weekend trip to a serious walking city (Savannah GA) and I'm up for the challenge!" So how did she do? She gives us an update HERE. Nicely done, Kim!
Alicia lives quite a ways from the city so it isn't feasible for her to walk or ride a bike but she shares that the challenge can make a big difference quickly.
Jennifer says "I'm excited about this challenge and think it will help me be more conscious about the car trips I take. I do find myself wondering if I should cut out extra trips that are basically philanthropic (I was planning to volunteer for my local cat rescue this week) -- can't decide which is more important, philanthropy or reduced impact!" So Jennifer ... which won out ... the philanthropy or reduced impact?
Argentum Vulargis (AV) doesn't drive so, at first, he thought he couldn't participate in this challenge. Instead, he wrote about what he sees in Brazil and offered his thoughts on driving "addiction". Then, AV took a look at the spreadsheet and decided he could participate. Check out his post and the comments HERE. Hope you'll update us on the miles you didn't drive, AV ... I'm guessing that you saved tons!
Pat accepted the challenge and was able to log in some miles right away ... she and her husband made podiatrist appointments for the same time ... one trip, two appointments. Very nice!
Clare Marie has been participating in our challenges and gave us a very nice mention HERE. Check out the photo ... that's just one of the dishes which she made during the "Use It Up" challenge. Hey Clare ... how about posting a photo of your handmade produce bags? :-)
Our Twitter friends shared their thoughts:
From @pinkladyapril
- I do a 20 minute walk to & from work - I'm part time so 3x per week. Walk to a lot of activities also as I don't drive.
From @givetreegifts
- Use your car less http://www.livinggreener.gov.au/travel/motor-transport/use-your-car-less
- Use Your Car Less and Save Money and Be Healthier http://beyondburnoutblog.com/use-car-less/
- Using the car less http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Transport/Consumer/Using-the-car-less
- Cheap and healthy: forget the car! http://www.euronews.com/2011/07/07/cheap-and-healthy-forget-the-car
From @gwened02
- good #CTWW this week. Though I don't think i'll do very well at 40 weeks pregnant I'm struggling to not use the car!
- but the homebirth planned should save on potential hospital trips that could have been!
From @anitaadamsnc
- I love these challenges.My husband & I recycle rainwater w/gutters, gutter helmet,& rain barrels for our garden & pond
The #CTWW Gang are those folks who share our challenges on twitter using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I highly recommend following them ... they have a lot of great things to say. Let's meet them:
My Final Thoughts:
In an architecture class the professor told students who were struggling with a drawing to turn the model upside down ... to see it from a different angle. We are all motivated by different things and when it comes to green living, motivation is a key factor to success. Search the internet about protecting the environment and you'll find a lot of the same advice ... drive less, walk more, etc. It's great advice but ... we're human and we get bored. Focusing on a different aspect of the same activity can breathe life into it ... it can give us something new to aim for. In this case, rather than reduce the amount of miles that we drive ... we increased the amount that we don't drive. Yes, it's the cup half full/half empty scenario ... but sometimes that's all it takes to motivate us. Just turn it upside down!
Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I have Stumbled, Tweeted, Facebooked and posted it on Google +. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share feature at the bottom of this post.
This Week's Challenge:
Since next week is a holiday in the US, I'm going to take Wednesday off. So, this challenge will last for two weeks, which will make it even more challenging. It is suggested by Art Ist and is similar to a challenge we did in 2009. I think it's a good one to revisit ...
For the next two weeks refuse to use (or buy) paper towels. Yep, 14 days ... no paper towels. And ... to make things just a bit more interesting ... let's include paper plates and single-use utensils, cups, etc.
Or ...
If you never use paper towels or single-use utensils, please share how you avoid them. We'd like to know how you handle "messy" messes (like pet "accidents", cooking oil splatters & spills, etc.) ... and what you use instead of single-use products for picnics, entertaining, etc. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to come up with tips and ideas to help us all live without these products and reduce waste.
If you never use paper towels or single-use utensils, please share how you avoid them. We'd like to know how you handle "messy" messes (like pet "accidents", cooking oil splatters & spills, etc.) ... and what you use instead of single-use products for picnics, entertaining, etc. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to come up with tips and ideas to help us all live without these products and reduce waste.
What do you think ... are you up for this one?
Change The World Wednesday will be back in two weeks ... see you then!
WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!
This is going to be interesting with a holiday, where we tend to go for disposable clean up.
ReplyDeleteI've actually addressed this in the past, one of my very first posts. (http://ourdailygreenlife.blogspot.com/2009/07/celebration-green.html) I think the key is to make a one time investment in reusable dishes, flatware, napkins, etc. Think of going to a restaurant supply and getting bulk or ... a THRIFT store. Some white plates will work for all occasions. Plus, if you've ever tried to eat something with a plastic fork, you know how much nicer metal utensils are.
As to the paper challenge, just move a hamper to your laundry area and wipe up every spill with cloth rag. Okay, now you've sparked another post!
I might not have been able to participate in this past weeks challenge but I sure can on this one!! I hadn't bought a roll of paper towels in about four years until recently my husband needed me to buy him a roll for something that he was working on. We use kitchen size cotton towels for cleaning and drying our dishes and hands. Several years ago I bought reusable plates, cups, bowls and utensils to take on picnics and cookouts.They are so much sturdier than any paper plates and you can use them for years. I always tuck in lots of cloth napkins as well. Anytime I see cloth napkins marked down at a really good price I will buy them because we use them all of the time instead of paper napkins. You will be amazed at how Eco Friendly cloth napkins are. You will feel so good about all of the trees you will be saving and all of the paper you will be keeping out of the landfills by just simply using cloth napkins. It is so true we can all make such a huge difference by just starting with small things that we use everyday! Great Challenge!!
ReplyDeleteI'm in! We are already using less of these items, so going without should be doable! Thanks for coming up with great challenges!
ReplyDeleteHuge green hugs,
Pat
P.S. Do we really need the capcha on the comments? I can hardly read these things...it is so frustrating with my ol' eyes. Thx.
Hi Pat - sorry about the Capcha on comments but yeah, we need them. I took them off for awhile and was hit with a ton of spam comments ... and some were really offensive. So I went back to capcha codes. Sorry for the inconvenience! :-(
ReplyDeleteUp and running on:
ReplyDeletehttp://ecocrap.wordpress.com/2012/06/27/change-the-world-wednesday-27th-june/
Not driving and dead rats as well.
AV
we use people towels instead of single use paper towels in the uk you can get them from www.onyabags.co.uk or US peopletowel.com Cheers Dan
ReplyDeleteThis is a good one. We already use cloth napkins and I haven't bought paper plates or plastic utensils in the longest time. The paper towels are a bit tougher. I don't use them all the time, but still have them sitting on the counter. They ran out last week and I haven't replaced the roll. Only once did my daughter ask for them and I handed her a sponge to use instead - which was fine for what she needed. Doing without the paper plates and plastic utensils will be a challenge as we are going on vacation with another family and tend to use them. I will try thought!
ReplyDeleteLove the challenge...especially over 4th July weekend! My husband would go into shock and fall to the ground trembling if I took away the paper towels for 2 weeks. I will share more via my blog post. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a very tough challenge for me. When you don't have a convenient to launder re-usable cloths or napkins to use instead of paper, it's a bit more 'challenging'. Yesterday we did have a small BBQ and only used conventional plates and then used washed them afterwards. I do sometimes replace paper tower with biodegradable bamboo cloths that can be used several times and then composted after they start disintegrated so I hope that counts! You can find these here: http://www.gogreenbamboo.com/product/10400 Have a great and green holiday everyone!
ReplyDeleteI've not used paper towels for several years and haven't missed them at all. Dish towels and sponges pick up everything, plain and simple. Everything washes out. Newspaper btw is great to pick up messes, and with an advanced age Rottweiler who occasionally poops in her sleep (sad face), toilet paper works for her just like for people...
ReplyDeleteNo way using disposable silverware. I have a bamboo spork in my purse for emergencies but I rarely need it as I just don't find myself at many places where there's not a real eating utensil to use.
When presented with a "single-use" utinsle (e.g. plastic fork) I try to remember to give it a quick clean and stash it in my jacket pocket. At home, it gets washed with the other dishes and then popped into the party box. We haven't had to buy such things for years, because a typical "single-use" fork will last for years! Even plastic cups can be washed and reused until they crack, saving the planet and your pocketbook - what a combo!
ReplyDelete---
Also, for Independence Day, we flew a flag I got at a thrift store. It had been made relatively locally too.
Buying 2ndhand goods is environmentally responsible, and what could be more patriotic than that?
Happy holiday!
Here is my post on the topic. http://thegreeningofwestford.blogspot.com/2012/07/single-use-society.html
ReplyDelete