Giving Back More Than We Take From Our Planet
Living in the foothills above a major Northern California city provides a stark reminder of the damage we humans inflict on our planet every day. As I drive down the hill, I see a layer of pollution hovering over the skyscrapers, and the resulting air quality warnings drive people inside to their poor indoor air quality, but welcomed air conditioning.
Our last week-long heat wave of 106 degree + temperatures got me thinking. (Scary, I know.)
If only half of us changed at least one thing in our daily routine to minimize our lasting effect on our environment and planet, how much easier would life be for our great grandchildren?
Sustainable living…is it just a trend?
- We have never used pesticides or herbicides in our household
- I just started a compost pile
- We just upgraded our heat pump/air conditioner to a more efficient model
What else can I do to give back more to my amazing planet home than I take from it?
I switched to “green” cleaning products over a year ago, but can I go further?
Yes! I’m now cleaning with homemade vinegar solutions, and looking for recipes for homemade laundry detergent! My U.C. Berkeley peers would be proud!
Please share…what are you doing to decrease your carbon footprint and leave a better planet for future generations than you inherited from the past?
We are big believers in eating well, not to make less of an impact on the environment, but to fuel our bodies with the highest possible quality of food.Meat isn’t good for your body or for the planet. It’s one of the biggest wastes of land and energy.
Yes, Erica ~ eating sparingly also reduces our impact on our planet and resources…and it tastes great!
Thanks for visiting and sharing!
I am a vegetarian but I have also been a meat producer and long time farmer. Farming the land well requires a mix of grass and grain and without meat production there is no grass cycle. Instead economics force one to plant more grain without the renewal of grass. If you think you can plant grass purely for the love of the planet, you have never farmed.
I did not know that Christina ~ We raised beef, pork and chicken on our ranch when I was young. My grandfather planted alfalfa specifically for the beef, and for sale on his 27 acres of land. I’m not a vegetarian, but I only eat red meat a few times a year. Balance is the key to our survival and the survival of our planet.
Thanks for visiting and providing your expertise, Christina!
drive easy and not sporty like on a circuit (i know… its hard 😉 ). try to shift gears up between 2000 and 2500 rpm and maintain that amount of rpm. will save you a lot of fuel. imagine: here in the NL 1 Liter (yes, is really states Liter NOT Gallon) is around 1.70 Euro (!!!). saving some fuel is definately worth it!
Bernardo, I was accused of having a “lead foot” in my youth, but with two young sons riding in the car with me, and the impact on the environment (and my wallet) I have slowed down quite a bit!
Thanks for the comment, and the visit!
I’ve changed to cloth diapering. It’s been over a year. It’s good for the environment and good for my pocket too.
Great, BeeRay!
I used cloth diapers on both my sons, and saved lots of money. I’m sure they were much more comfortable, too!
It’s doubtful that this news will prompt Angelenos to stop driving. We all know that cars pollute the air and we still drive. But it’s amazing to see just how much of an impact not driving can have on air quality. Or, more likely than giving up driving, this is the future that Angelenos can look forward to when electric cars and other low-emissions vehicles rule the road.
I stumbled upon this book when I was searching for recipes for homemade cleansers that were also inexpensive. Truthfully, the whole toxicity issue didn’t even cross my mind until I took a closer look at the book and reviews. I don’t have children, but I do have a very curious dog who tracks in all sorts of dirt and loves to smell and (usually) lick everything he explores. It’s very comforting to know that the cleaners I am now using are non-toxic. I also often wondered, “if *I* think this stuff smells strong and nasty, imagine what my dog and his superior sense of smell thinks of it!”The book was fun and interesting to read. It’s amazing that commercial cleansers don’t have to list all of their ingredients. I also appreciated the author’s honesty–pointing out things that are suspected and not proven, and even rating how well her cleaners work when compared to those you buy at the store. I agree with other reviewers that the recipes could have been laid out differently and can be hard to go back and find.The recipes are very easy to put together and use ingredients that are easy to find. They also work!! Who knew that vinegar and water in a spray bottle would make cleaning the bathroom floors a million times easier and more pleasant. Or that baking soda would make my sinks sparkle. I’ve truly enjoyed reading the book and using the author’s recipes.Update (1/28/07): It’s been nearly two years since I wrote my original review and I wanted to add that I’m still using the recipies, and love them more than ever!