Autumn Asks: How Earth Friendly Are You?

So its Earth Day. I notice in our town there are several places that are giving away free reusable shopping bags. One store has the newer type light bulbs on sale for a killer price (yet they are full of mercury so how earth friendly are they really???). The retailers are really jumping on this bandwagon this year.

And its a good thing.

I think the whole economy mess and most people living on less has made this a little more important in the eyes of the masses. Not that we didn't care before...but when you start to simplify more you become more aware of the damages you are doing...to more than just your credit.

Earth Day has never been a huge deal to us. Okay...and it still isn't. It is important, but I get turned off pretty easy by the people screaming about how we are killing mother earth. You know, the ones having a naked protest down by the courthouse?
I do believe we are suposed to be good stewards of our planet. I think more of us are becoming aware of the fact that we can ignore the radicals that tell you all the things we need to do. Like live in mud huts...or caves.
Eat only sprouts and beans.
Use hay for toilet paper.
Because if we aren't doing all of these things...well, we are just the devil.

I hope we are becoming more aware that we can make one change. And that is good. We aren't terrible if we only made ONE change. The mother earth police might come after us and tell us how bad we are....but hey, we made ONE change.

And one normally leads to another.

Then, before you know it, you are doing all kinds of little things that are adding up. And this is GOOD. Even if we still use airplanes.

And eat meat.
And don't have a brick in our toilet tank.

And wear leather and fur.

And own a SUV.

So, for this year, I decided to take a look at our family and see what kinds of changes we have made to be better stewards of our planet. I'm sure they are not extra extensive. And I'm not interested in the mother earth police critisim on all that I'm not doing. Because I am doing SOMETHING. Next year, I will be something else also.

But just to be clear. I DO NOT hug trees. Not even during hide-and-seek.

Our changes:

1. Making our laundry soap. Leaving the chemical overload behind. Much cheaper. To date I am happy with the cleaning power....but I reserve the right to change my mind on that in 6 months. Less pollution of water sources.

2. The expensive light bulbs. But I read they have mercury so I'm really not sure if this is better. My light bill is better...but where are we supposed to dispose of the burn-outs???

3. Plant a few veggies or other food. Cuts down on our grocery bill AND we aren't adding to the burning of fossil fuels that transport food. I never though of this before reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.

4. Reusable grocery bags. Wait - big fail on this one. I have them. I forget to put them in the car. Or, if I carry them in the car I forget to take them into the store. And I'm telling you, in this town I get dirty looks for throwing them up there for the baggers. Why is that?

5. We use cloth napkins instead of paper.


It's not much. But it is something.

How about you? Have you made changes due to the economy that have in turn benefited our planet?