going green

I was really inspired by this article I read in Ladies Home Journal (my mom sends them to me once she's done). Here are some easy changes that I think are helping reduce garbage and save the earth: Re-examine lunch:

I bought one of these bad boys for about two bucks at the grocery store. Not only does it keep Isaac's sandwich from getting smooshed, it saves me from using a sandwich bag every single time. BONUS: apparently several of his friends have them and they are the cool thing to bring your sandwich in. He brings his lunch to school in an awesome old school metal lunchbox too, so I am not wasting a paper bag everytime.

I used to buy bottles of water in bulk. Then I came to realize how irresponsible I was being using single use plastics (for more info look here, here and here). My friend Jami converted me to being a water bottle carrier and educated me a lot about the importance of using a metal one instead of a plastic one. I keep it with me at work and in the car, take it with me to the gym for yoga, and it fits in my bike cage.

I used to grab a spork packet from the cafeteria each day to eat my lunch with. I always discarded the straw immediately, used the napkin and the spork and then tossed the whole package into the trash. Now I just bring my own silverware back and forth from home.

Recycle obsessively: Where my parents live they can only recycle newspaper, not regular old paper. This would drive me crazy. I have a big bag on the floor or my pantry where I dump all the junk mail, toilet paper rolls, cardboard packaging from food items, Isaac's old school papers, etc. etc. I can leave it on the curb with my garbage, but now the elementary school where I work collects paper to be recycled as a fundraiser. Their other fundraiser is recycling juice pouches like these:

So, I'm making some good strides, but there is definitely room for improvement. I own a ton of those cloth grocery bags but I never, and I mean never, remember to take them with me to the grocery store. I still would really like to give composting a try.

What works for you? Would love to know.