Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Progress on the list...

Here's how we're doing two years after the last update: (the yellow ones are things done since the last time)
  1. Stop using paper towel: use reusable cloths to deal with spills, cat barf, etc.
  2. Use up my disposable antibacterial wipes & don't buy any more!
  3. Stop using disposable duster & sweeper cloths.
  4. Get a clothesline in the back yard & drying rack for the house so I can stop drying virtually all my clothes in the dryer.
  5. Install CFLs & LED lighting in all fixtures in the house as the incandescents & halogens burn out. (We've only got the halogen fixtures left--everything else is CFL)
  6. Stop drafts in the house with weatherstripping & sealing up holes in the siding before winter.
  7. Get more sweaters & woolly slippers & keep the heat down during the winter.
  8. Replace the crap single-pane windows downstairs with energy efficient ones. 
  9. Look into adding insulation to the external walls upstairs.
  10. Get my plastic bag usage down to zero. (We almost never get them when shopping & recycle them with SPUD, however, we've started using ziplocs again...)
  11. Eat less meat & choose organic/free range when I eat it.
  12. Grow more food. (We've got compost & are ordering delivery of a couple of yards of soil to build a raised bed the whole length of the back yard)
  13. Make more of our own beer & wine.
  14. Sell the car & go back to using Cooperative Auto Network vehicles exclusively.
  15. Try to buy local more often.
  16. Buy products with less packaging.
  17. Try to buy clothing made with greener fabrics.
  18. Start carrying a good travel mug so I can stop using disposable cups when I buy hot drinks out.
  19. Bring my lunch to work at least four times a week to avoid the packaging that eating out always entails.
  20. Cut my shower time down to 5 minutes a day. (Kinda gave upon this one because my shower time is my break time away from the sprog. I feel like I need 15 minutes)