When I was a Junior at Northridge High School, I got to write a research paper for my English class. I still have it in all it's dot-matrix printed glory. My chosen topic was on Recycling. It was as though it was meant for me! I was completely amazed that recycling wasn't more popular. There was only one recycling center (30 minutes away), but my mom and I would wash our tin cans, remove all the paper and put them in bags and take them to the recycling center along with our newspapers. I don't think this lasted for more than 1 year, though. What a tedious process. I learned that SLC had a curb side recycling program and I wanted to know why my city (8th largest in Utah, at the time) didn't have one. It still doesn't, by the way.Upon moving to Boise, we discovered that we had curb side recycling, and they paid us $1 per month to use it! Now they've upped the discount given to $2.30 per month. I'm still amazed at how many people (in my neighborhood) don't. Used motor oil, paper, plastic and cans all recycled at the curb. At the fire station a few miles from my house, they have a glass-recycling dumpster. When I ask people why they don't participate, they use the same excuse. It's not convenient enough. What?!?!? But, I digress.
Last summer I was reading on Nisa's blog when she was writing about going green. She mentioned "The Simple Living Guide" by Janet Luhrs. I was intrigued, so I researched it on Amazon.com and then put it on hold at the library and checked it out a few weeks later. I read a part of it, but I just couldn't get into it. She was talking about such things to live simply like using time wisely, getting out of debt, nurturing relationships with family members. There was nothing earth shattering, just common sense stuff that I've been doing all along. So I stopped reading it.
I think Nisa also linked to another website with tips on how to be "greener" that included purchasing these designer bags to take to the grocery store. There is no way I'm going to pay big bucks on a grocery bag, but it got me to thinking that I could make my own bags and then I remembered the bags Ryan and I bought at the rinik (outdoor market) in Ukraine in 1998. I had been using them as swimming pool paraphernalia bags. Now they get used double duty. I discovered that the grocery stores I frequent (Winco, Fred Meyer and Albertson's) all offer a discount on using your own bags, then Freddie's had a 2 for $1 sale on their reusable bags. I figured soon the bags would pay for themselves so I bought a couple. I've had trouble remembering to take them each time I shop, but I'm doing better. I can put my whole 2 weeks worth of groceries in 5 bags! I'm sold.
This summer I've been doing a lot of swimming laundry. With Ryan's nieces and nephews here for a week, then Roderic and Sabrina taking swimming lessons through Boise Parks and Rec. for the past 2 weeks. A lot. Love the pool, need towels to dry off, but come on. I had had enough. So, I bought a retractable clothes line, installed it on our shed and put the hook on our house. After seeing how easy (and quickly) it was to hang out the swim suits, I decided I wanted to dry more outside. The retractable clothes line is up to 40' and I was using maybe 10', so I put another hook on the shed. It fit a whole load of towels. And I rediscovered that it is relaxing to hang laundry out to dry. I've done it before. My grandmother had a clothes line at her house in Aurora, New York that I got to use the summer I stayed with her. Hanging laundry was not an optional chore then (the clothes dryer was only to be used on rainy days). I remember running outside with Aunt Rachelle to get the clothes off the line fast before the rain picked up. I'm not sure that I'll hang my clothes out to dry every time, but I'm glad I have the option. Especially for my big blankets. And all of those towels.
And now for some cute kids:
Sabrina doing the back stroke and Roderic showing off his 'superman' hands.
5 comments:
Try sheets outside. I haven't done it for years since I don't have a line, but they smell fantastic. And it really is a great way to dry huge blankets.
Hanging laundry outside is a good way to watch the kids while they are playing outside or to drag them out of the house.
I'm with you on the recycling. Can you believe they don't recycle here in Texas. I was so ticked. So I started organizing my glass and cans, paper, cardboard, etc. and it was taking over the garage so I looked it up and we have to drive it to a special dump, but oh well. We'll live.
And I'm with you on the grocery bags too. I bought several $1 canvas bags at the craft store and I keep forgetting to take them into the store. So I finally put them in the stroller and now I do better. I love not having to find a million uses for a million plastic bags that kept accumulating in the house.
My kids are even learning to potty in the "dark" during the day. They are so terrible about turning lights off that I make them do it without lights during the day. They think they are being SO picked on. haha.
I didn't know there were places left in the country where they didn't have curbside recycling. Every town around here has it, paper, cardboard, plastic, cans, glass, everything. I believe there is even a law (they don't enforce it) that makes recycling manditory. The shopping bags are a good idea. I guess I should invest in some. I pay a nickel for every bag, every time at the grocery store that I frequent. They would eventually pay themselves off. A clothesline would be nice too.
Our swim stuff is draped over our outside table and chairs right now. That reminded me I need to get it in! Thanks!
Cute swimming pictures!
Hey Malauna, I love all of your great going green ideas! I wish our town paid us to recycle. As of now, once every other week we put out plastic and paper for our town to pick up. That's about the extent of our recycling program.
There is a tv channel called Planet Green. It has a lot of great ideas too. Have you seen it?
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