The Green 10

Because I recently read this book and have green living on the mind, today's Tuesday 10 is about being green. If you know me at all, you know I'm pretty fanatical about chemical free stuff and I'm pretty conscious of living green. Here are some of my favorite green life style choices.

1. stainless steel water bottles and filtered tap water-plastic water bottles are made of petroleum (not a renewable resource) and they leach chemicals. not good.

2. all natural cleaning products-better for the environment (this stuff goes down the drain and into the ground), better for your household air quality, better for your skin (which has to touch the stuff). I use method of seventh generation products. I also use a lot of vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda.

3. all natural, paraben free, sodium lauryl sulfate free bath and beauty products-I could really go on and on about the issues with the chemicals in your common bath and beauty products. I'm sure some of you are already saying, please don't get her started...so rather than drone on and on about the scary things you are putting on your body (which don't get filtered through your liver if they're coming in through the skin), I will allow you to do your own reading and research. Here are a few links:
The Good Human
Environmental Working Group
Breast Cancer Fund

4. reusable bags-I keep four in my car and two in my purse and I actually use them. All the time.

5. glass food storage containers-again, I'm not a fan of plastic. I have very little of it in my kitchen.

6. eat, buy local-I've been trying more and more to buy from local business and to support local agriculture. I've had a hard time finding a CSA here that works for me, but I'd love to be a part of one. There are plenty of farmers markets I can choose around here. Unfortunately, none that are too close by (being green means not driving all over town for stuff you know) or operate on days I'm able to attend. My favorite restaurants are local restaurants that use organic products and local goods and produce. I'd much rather eat at one of these restaurants than a big chain restaurant.

7. buy organic-organic is more expensive and not always easy to find. I don't buy everything organic and I don't always buy organic, but when I have a choice and I can afford to do so, I choose organic. When I don't buy organic, I use a natural fruit and vegetable cleaner to wash my produce. After reading the above book, I'm going to make more effort to buy organic cotton, silk and wool. I was shocked to discover that cotton is one of the worlds most heavily pesticide covered products. I pretty much live in cotton, from clothes to sheets to towels, its what I buy most. Gross. When I need new sheets and towels, I am certainly going to buy organic.

8. be a veggie-ok, here's where most of you say, whatever Erin. I know. It takes a lot of energy, space, synthetic hormones, byproducts, transportation costs, etc. to make our world's meat and chicken. Cows and feed lots produce tons of methane gas. It's easy for me. I DO NOT like the taste of meat or poultry. If its not so easy for you, try to eat less meat. Eat a vegetarian meal once and awhile and if you are buying meat, buy grass fed beef, free range chickens, sustainable fish and hormone free dairy.

9. reduce, reuse, recycle-you know the song...I'm big on recycling. We usually fill our recycle bin every week and the garbage bin every couple. Anything that can be recycled, I do it. I'm also a big fan of reusing things when you can. Rinse out jars, reuse plastic zip bags, use back sides of paper, etc. I know I'm a scrapbooker and therefore consume more paper than I should, so I make a conscious effort to use less of it elsewhere. I'm also a big fan of buying recycled products. In fact today I restocked our TP and paper towels, both with 100% recycled products. I'm also trying to be much better at thinking about purchases before I make them and not buy things that I don't need or love. We all make little silly purchases here and there and many times its just wasteful. Make more conscious decisions.

10. buy sustainable products-like bamboo floors, which I will have someday, when we can afford and have the time to pull out this chemical ridden, disgusting carpet. If you have the choice between two products, opt for the one that's made of natural, sustainable products versus the manufactured, plastic crap, I mean product.

Happy Green Tuesday!