Slow & Steady

I've decided that "slow & steady, steady & slow" is the way to approach most things, including our "better world" impacts. If I go in with guns blazing, I tend to burn myself out fairly quickly, then go on hiatus, then go back in (whether or not I learned anything, and go back in "steady & slow" varies greatly). Vanessa, over at Green as a Thistle, knows this; it's the whole premise of her blog!

I've covered some of my S&S actions in posts already, but most of these are things I've not talked about or I've just done this week, and I feel great about them!

1. I used some old pillowcases to sew cloth napkins this week. None of them are the same size, mind you, but at least the seams are pretty straight and the thread matched. I'm now contemplating how to use the sheets to make some sort of shopping bags, unless someone has another suggestion for their use. I could give them to Goodwill, I suppose, as it was only the pillowcases that had an unrepairable hole.
2. I pitched all my mop water yesterday out on the hostas and the jasmine plants. (I use safe Method products, so I'm not trying to kill them with Lysol or bleach.)
3. I gave my Better World Shopping Guide to my mother. I know I am buying another copy, but I knew she probably would never get around to it. I do have her word, though, that she will use it to make her purchasing decisions.
4. I found & ordered some environmentally friendly nail polish and remover from a company called Acquarella. It is water-based, non-toxic, and phthalate & formaldehyde-free.
5. I'm saving all my MAC cosmetic containers. I'm almost up to the six required for their "Back to MAC" recycling program. In order to encourage recycling, MAC takes back all of their containers, and when you bring in six of them, you get a free lipstick (not including the Viva Glam line, since 100% of those profits go to AIDS relief, and they won't cut into those profits)! How cool is that?!?
6. I always have a box by the front door somewhere, designated for Goodwill stuff. Once every blue moon or so, we will have a yard sale (okay,only twice ever). Even though the last one made us over $700, I would mostly rather send my stuff to Goodwill to free my space up a little more; yesterday, two boxes went.
7. I inspired my mom & sister to try reusable bags (she now has five from One Bag at a Time) and all-natural pet food. Telling them about the pet foods that use euthanized pound animals as protein sources, plus the recent pet food nightmares, did the trick.
8. I was thrilled to discover that Performance Bicycle, where my hubby buys all of his cycling gear and supplies, uses CornCard  gift cards instead of plastic, and they use 100% renewable energy.
9. I have my own personal boycotts that I am fairly rigid about. I need to post about them, like Shawn over at Kowai, and I still need to write to them & let them know why I won't buy anything from them, but the boycott is a start, right?

Making the world a little better place is not that hard. Especially if you take it "slow & steady."

NOTE: I've neglected my Better World Handbook Quote of the Day. A new one is up.

Comments

[vanessa]

Good on ya, Lori! No point going too extreme too quickly... you'll just end up getting sick of all things green and give up (or at least I would).

Keep up the great work.

[Chile]

If the sheets are flannel, they'd make good cloth TP wipes. If not, you could make reusable bags for lightweight groceries and bulk items like oats and nuts. And we always need more cloth napkins and rags. I'm off the rest of this week to MIL's to learn to sew hankies and wipes myself.

[Shawn]

Gah, you had to get all inspirational when I had been thinking "lazy day today" all morning! I broke down and just now ordered that handbook that you love so much =)

If your husband does any of his own bike maintenance sheet pieces make good rags for that. Just because their thinner and a little easier to use with the smaller parts.

[homemade dog food recipes]

My hubby and I watched the Global warming DVD the other day and was amazed how our planet has changed these years.

It is scary to see what we have damaged our planet through the technology which we have created to "improve" our world...

Love the ideas of reusing old materials to create new things. We use our old toothbrushs for cleaning the bathroom and kitchen (although it takes longer than using a profession tools, but it ends up to be another good way to exercise!)

Cheers to all green supporters!