Earth Day Checkup

Since yesterday was Earth Day (and it was a lovely afternoon) I went outside and started some of the spring yard-cleanup. It felt wonderful to get out in the fresh air and start making the place look tidy again, and the occasional clumps of crocuses and other green things starting to poke up out of the ground were delightful and encouraging.

Today, though, I thought I'd check in with myself and see if I've made any improvements since I did that Green Meme back in January.

1. What do you for the birds and the bees? I did feed the birds through the winter and have seeds started and ordered that should make our backyard a haven for birds and pollinators again this year

2. Household products. Chemical or organic? I've begun checking all cleaning products for phosphates and other undesirable ingredients--if they have them, I don't buy them.

3. Do you junk? Since January I have had our names taken off several junk mailing lists and continue to whittle down the pile as I can.

4. Air-dry or tumble-dry? I hang about one-quarter to one-half of our clothes to dry inside the house, and we've discussed putting up an outside line this spring.

5. Old gadgets. Recycle or toss ‘em? Still recycling this stuff.

6. Lightbulbs - incandescent or fluorescent? Okay, we haven't started to change the bulbs yet but plan to. We also started making a nightly ritual of ensuring that all computers in the house are turned off overnight. I think we've made a big difference that way.

7. Meat or veg? I try to have two meatless nights a week now, and recently invested in cloth grocery bags. I take them into most stores now, not just the grocery.

8. Loo paper. Virgin or recycled? Switched to 100% post-consumer waste recycled toilet paper and paper towel. I have a beef that the paper towel is not well-perforated and doesn't tear off well, but I might write a letter about that...

9. Tap or bottled water? Haven't bought any bottled water lately, just using the filter jug.

10. Dating - metrosexual or ecosexual? Hubby is becoming "greener" all the time at my...persuading.

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Also still composting, and I've begun to take more notice about water use in the house--filling the kettle only to the level needed, re-using water for plants, etc.

I'm pleased to see big improvements in our household's environmental footprint since January!