Going green?

[beantrees]

So I'm going to try to make more of an effort to be enviormentally friendly. We barely use paper towels or paper plates, CD part-time, try not to waste food, and other small things like that.

I have a large water bottle I use all day but I'm going to switch my coffee to a thermos as well. I'm going to buy some cloth napkins instead of paper. I want to start recycling but I'm not sure where to start.

I know it is baby steps but are there any other suggestions to get started? Small changes or big changes? What do you do?

[dizzycooks]

You don't recycle? Don't you get a bin from the city? Everyone has to do it different here. In my city it's single sort so almost all plastic, paper and glass can go together in one bin.

Previously we had to separate plastic, glass and paper. It still wasn't hard.

As for what we do, I do most of what you described. CD, cloth napkins, cold water for most of my wash, we have two rain barrels that I use to water my flowers instead of tap water, I repurpose glass jars to hold small grains and seeds.

I want to make my own "paper" towels. Has anyone done this?

[scattered]

Recycling isn't available in my city and it always bothers me that if I chose to, I'd have to drive a carload of crap out of town and then pay to recycle.

[lala]

We most of what dizzy does. The only disposable things I buy is toilet paper.

I've been recycling since I was 7, so not doing it is foreign to me. It's also illegal here.

I'd check to see if any recycling is collected by your town and go from there. Public works should be able to point you in the right direction.

Also, using a programable thermostat, try it lower initially. Don't buy single serve items. Call your power supplier to see about renewable energy - we use wind energy. Also check your hot water heater, see if you can knock it down a degree or 2.

Why can't you cd full time?

[lala]

Oct 21, 2014 13:29:40 GMT -5 scattered said:

Recycling isn't available in my city and it always bothers me that if I chose to, I'd have to drive a carload of crap out of town and then pay to recycle.

I agree that I'd hate having to drive to do it, but it's not like it's free for any of us, it's just part of my taxes.

[lala]

dizzycooks - I didn't make paper towels, but I just have several dozen dish towels that we use as such. I try to keep a few nice for putting on the oven handle, the rest can get gross over time.

[dizzycooks]

Oct 21, 2014 13:29:40 GMT -5 scattered said:

Recycling isn't available in my city and it always bothers me that if I chose to, I'd have to drive a carload of crap out of town and then pay to recycle.

See and that's just wrong.  You should not have to do that.  If anything people should have to haul their garbage across the city.  I bet people would figure out how to recycle/reuse if that were the case.

[scattered]

Oct 21, 2014 13:30:30 GMT -5 lala said:

Oct 21, 2014 13:29:40 GMT -5 scattered said:

Recycling isn't available in my city and it always bothers me that if I chose to, I'd have to drive a carload of crap out of town and then pay to recycle.

I agree that I'd hate having to drive to do it, but it's not like it's free for any of us, it's just part of my taxes.

Last I heard its $20/load. That seems like more than taxes. Especially if you go weekly.

[lala]

Yea, that is a lot weekly. I can't imagine ours is much more than that a month including trash. But I've never looked for a breakdown of ours. I do wish every town had mandatory recycling w/ pick up included. Single stream also makes it much easier.

We were not nearly as good at recycling the 2 years we lived on Virginia & had to drive. It was free, though.

[scattered]

Beantrees, what about composting?

[.]

It's so bizarre to me that cities don't have recycling programs. We live out in the sticks and pay a private company to pick up our trash and even they pick up the recycling too. And holy freakin cow that it's $20 a load to take your recycling to the dump?!?!?! That's insane! Our dump has a free recycling center so if I have big loads (like after the holidays or whatever) I'll just take it down there instead of trying to contain it all at our road.

But for OP, recycling is the easiest - check with your town. We don't CD but I use washable towels/dish clothes/rags/etc most of the time. We keep our thermostat programmed low and during the bulk of the winter we use our pellet stove to heat the house. I buy food in bulk when we can and reuse a lot of containers/jars/tupperwares as much as possible. I think it's just an easy habit to get into to reuse as much as you can

[beantrees]

Oh these are some good ideas.

No I don't recycle. I *think* there is a recycling center in the next town over but I will have to call to be sure. I guess I just need to figure out what they will take and get different bins for it?

I don't CD full time because I work PT and my son goes to daycare. I've never asked if they will CD but I guess I can ask. My sister used to keep him and I bought disposables then so I just continued with that.

I like the rain barrel idea. I've heard of it beforehut kind of fforgotten about it. What about composting? Does anyone do that? We grow a garden in the summer and I would love the soil.

I'm also thinking about switching to a diva cup...hmm

[beantrees]

Ok I just called the city the next town over and found out that they drop off an enclosed trailer every other Thurs & Fri to pick up paper, cardboard, aluminum and plastic. It is on a road I never drive past so that's why I've never seen it, but it's not much out of the way at all.

So that should be pretty easy!! Now just to get in the habit of separating.

[diapersnwipes]

It's lame that so many people don't have curbside recycling. Our trash is like $50 a month. Recycling is $3.25 per quarter. They make it so easy here you have no reason not to recycle.

[jnksmom]

Oct 21, 2014 14:08:48 GMT -5 diapersnwipes said:

It's lame that so many people don't have curbside recycling. Our trash is like $50 a month. Recycling is $3.25 per quarter. They make it so easy here you have no reason not to recycle.

Wow, I wish ours was only $3.25. We pay $45 per quarter for trash and $30 for recycling per quarter. It drives me crazy because they pick up trash weekly but recycling is only bi-weekly. Our recycling can fills way faster than our trash. 

[ashaw512]

I live in a small town, you have to pay for a recycle can for a ridiculous monthly fee. Or drive 45 minutes to the next town to the landfill to dump it, they separate and recycle it there.

[diapersnwipes]

Oct 21, 2014 14:28:21 GMT -5 jnksmom said:

Oct 21, 2014 14:08:48 GMT -5 diapersnwipes said:

It's lame that so many people don't have curbside recycling. Our trash is like $50 a month. Recycling is $3.25 per quarter. They make it so easy here you have no reason not to recycle.

Wow, I wish ours was only $3.25. We pay $45 per quarter for trash and $30 for recycling per quarter. It drives me crazy because they pick up trash weekly but recycling is only bi-weekly. Our recycling can fills way faster than our trash. 

I need to edit. Trash is per quarter too. It's still way more expensive than recycling.

[vlagrl]

we didn't have curbside recycling until about 8-ish years ago. I'm so glad that we have it now. We collect aluminum in a separate bag so we can take it to a recycling center and get cash for it.

[ashaw512]

Oct 21, 2014 14:38:21 GMT -5 diapersnwipes said:

Oct 21, 2014 14:28:21 GMT -5 jnksmom said:

Wow, I wish ours was only $3.25. We pay $45 per quarter for trash and $30 for recycling per quarter. It drives me crazy because they pick up trash weekly but recycling is only bi-weekly. Our recycling can fills way faster than our trash. 

I need to edit. Trash is per quarter too. It's still way more expensive than recycling.

The monthly fee is $80 here. And it's picked up every Thursday.

[lattelady5]

Recycling is including in our water/trash/sewer at a monthly amount. I'm not sure how much it is but the most I've paid for all of them was about $90 a month and that was with a leaky toilet. It's normally around $70. Recycling is picked up ever other week here and the only thing we have to sort is glass. They won't take glass curbside but it can be dropped off at the station for free. So many people in my area don't recycle, even though they're paying for it.

I made "unpaper towels" that snap together (with KAM snaps like what are on CD)but I just fold them and put them in the drawer with out other napkins now. It's just easier. I do buy paper towels but only because anytime I don't have them on hand it seems one of the animals vomits on the floor...seriously, yuck.

We use cloth diapers full time and after switching, we've never looked back. The main difference between cloth and disposable is laundry and adding two extra loads a week was no big deal.

I also use environmentally friendly cleaning products. I mostly clean with vinegar and baking soda. I switched my hair products and kids hair products to things with minimal chemicals. I tried no-poo and it was awesome until I got pregnant with DS, then the hormones dried out my hair.

The kiddos and I walk around our neighborhood and try to pick up trash a few times a month. I keep saying it's going to be a weekly thing but haven't quite got there yet. Instead of always driving to the park, we walk. I have DD color on both sides of her papers and give her junk mail to use for her artistic creations.

I wouldn't say we are exceptionally eco-friendly, but much more than years past. Baby steps

[aussie45]

This reminds me, I need to start recycling stuff. We live in an apartment and we have dumpsters for our main trash disposal. However, there is a gas station a block from us that has 3 separate bins for cardboard, plastic, and something else. We use CD and use cloth wipes full time, but will probably have to switch to disposables for daycare because it's a law here (supposedly? I haven't been able to confirm not deny this) that centers and liscensed daycares cannot CD. Why the fuck not is beyond me. It's easier than disposables and if every cd family provided a wet bag then it would be super easy. Since we CD, I got some wipes for me when I pee and throw them in with the cloth diapers. So toilet paper only gets used for number 2. I use a reusable water bottle as does A. DH drinks stuff at home or out when we're eating somewhere so we don't use any water bottles.

We're definitely not as 'green' as I'd like us to be, but we try to be conscious about it.

[cna]

You guise! We FINALLY got recycle bins! They aren't the fancy pants kind you keep at your house, but I have no problem going to the Target parking lot to recycle.

[lala]

Oct 21, 2014 15:19:51 GMT -5 aussie45 said:

This reminds me, I need to start recycling stuff. We live in an apartment and we have dumpsters for our main trash disposal. However, there is a gas station a block from us that has 3 separate bins for cardboard, plastic, and something else. We use CD and use cloth wipes full time, but will probably have to switch to disposables for daycare because it's a law here (supposedly? I haven't been able to confirm not deny this) that centers and liscensed daycares cannot CD. Why the fuck not is beyond me. It's easier than disposables and if every cd family provided a wet bag then it would be super easy. Since we CD, I got some wipes for me when I pee and throw them in with the cloth diapers. So toilet paper only gets used for number 2. I use a reusable water bottle as does A. DH drinks stuff at home or out when we're eating somewhere so we don't use any water bottles.

We're definitely not as 'green' as I'd like us to be, but we try to be conscious about it.

IIRC, the only state that has a legitimate statute/rule that can be read as CDs being "illegal" is Virginia. Even then, it's a stretch. But, it's been awhile since I read about it.

[broccolisgirl]

Fwiw, calling your utility company about getting renewable energy doesn't mean anything except your bill might go up. My b.s. is in electrical engineering with a concentration in power systems. I don't know how many utility companies came and told us that when customers request getting alternative energy, they say sure, and raise their rates. Problem is, they have no way of channeling, specifically, green energy to you. You're just paying more. If you really want to go green, you could see if solar panels or a backyard wind turbine is a worthy investment. Your power company charges you about 8 cents/kWh. Any surplus energy, they will buy from you for 3 cents/kWh.

[aussie45]

Oct 21, 2014 16:05:36 GMT -5 lala said:

IIRC, the only state that has a legitimate statute/rule that can be read as CDs being "illegal" is Virginia. Even then, it's a stretch. But, it's been awhile since I read about it.

Do you have a link where I could find more information? We live in ND and I tried looking up day care laws a couple months back, but I had trouble finding anything. I'd love to be able to keep using cloth so we don't have to waste money on disposables.

[lala]

Oct 21, 2014 16:10:16 GMT -5 broccolisgirl said:

Fwiw, calling your utility company about getting renewable energy doesn't mean anything except your bill might go up. My b.s. is in electrical engineering with a concentration in power systems. I don't know how many utility companies came and told us that when customers request getting alternative energy, they say sure, and raise their rates. Problem is, they have no way of channeling, specifically, green energy to you. You're just paying more. If you really want to go green, you could see if solar panels or a backyard wind turbine is a worthy investment. Your power company charges you about 8 cents/kWh. Any surplus energy, they will buy from you for 3 cents/kWh.

Well, if you have energy choice, it might not even go up. And it does make a difference in where they buy their energy from, correct? But if me paying more money for my energy bill means they buy more from renewable energy sources, isn't that the point?

[lala]

Oct 21, 2014 16:31:18 GMT -5 aussie45 said:

Oct 21, 2014 16:05:36 GMT -5 lala said:

IIRC, the only state that has a legitimate statute/rule that can be read as CDs being "illegal" is Virginia. Even then, it's a stretch. But, it's been awhile since I read about it.

Do you have a link where I could find more information? We live in ND and I tried looking up day care laws a couple months back, but I had trouble finding anything. I'd love to be able to keep using cloth so we don't have to waste money on disposables.

I'll look. I think lots of places say it's a law/reg because families are less likely to argue/push the issue. Of course, they could have their own policy against it

[lala]

I found this: www.diaperjunction.com/Cloth-Diapers-in-Daycare-Do-you-know-your-states-regulations_b_330.html

This looks better though: diaperwrecker.com/2013/09/cloth-diapers-in-daycare/

[broccolisgirl]

Oct 21, 2014 17:24:23 GMT -5 lala said:

Oct 21, 2014 16:10:16 GMT -5 broccolisgirl said:

Fwiw, calling your utility company about getting renewable energy doesn't mean anything except your bill might go up. My b.s. is in electrical engineering with a concentration in power systems. I don't know how many utility companies came and told us that when customers request getting alternative energy, they say sure, and raise their rates. Problem is, they have no way of channeling, specifically, green energy to you. You're just paying more. If you really want to go green, you could see if solar panels or a backyard wind turbine is a worthy investment. Your power company charges you about 8 cents/kWh. Any surplus energy, they will buy from you for 3 cents/kWh.

Well, if you have energy choice, it might not even go up. And it does make a difference in where they buy their energy from, correct? But if me paying more money for my energy bill means they buy more from renewable energy sources, isn't that the point?

I don't know what the generating capacity of your power company is, but our local companies don't have to buy much. If they have alternative sources, they still have to have traditional sources to cover that amount if the wind doesn't blow or the sun doesn't shine. Maybe the wind starts to blow, but the coal plant is already filling the need, so they leave the turbines off. Just because they have the capacity to produce green energy doesn't mean they are able or willing to use it when you turn the light on. 

Also, if your power company's generation capacity is 20% green, that doesn't mean 20% of what they're generating is green.

[legitsince86]

Is my city weird that we don't have a separate recycling bin? Everything goes into the trash bins and they sort out the recycling. We do turn in our bottles/cans to a recycling center.

We clean with vinegar. I can't get DH on board with CD and I just started making paper towels/rags.