I was just reading Green Daily using my new love - Google Reader (more about that later). This post, The Unknown Environmentalist, made me feel pretty good about my “green” habits and also made me think about how I could do better. I am certainly not a super environmentalist but I’m trying to do small things. After reading the article, I realized that a lot of the things my mom and my husband’s mom taught us both growing up were “green”. They taught us both not to be “wasteful”. I remember discussions about turning lights off when not in use, using towels instead of paper towels/conserving paper towels, conserving toilet paper, taking shorter colder showers, reusing and handing down clothes. They were ahead of their time. Now there is mass awareness that doing these type of things will save you money and also help protect the environment.

Good Things

  • I try not to waste food - if someone gives me something I can’t or don’t want to eat, I bring it in to work and leave it in the break room.
  • I Freecycle.
  • I just started using a Nalgene water bottle that Steph gave me for Christmas so I no longer waste plastic water bottles. (Thanks Steph!)
  • I use a reusable bag for my groceries instead of plastic or paper - and at Whole Foods I get 5% off every purchase for doing that.
  • I’ve recently started using dish towels for more and more things in the kitchen to cut down on my paper towel usage.
  • I stopped using little plastic bags to individually wrap my produce items at the store…now I just put all the veggies and fruits in my basket or cart. Unless they’re wet (like cilantro) and then I use a bag.

Things I could do better

  • I take long hot showers. It is a bad habit and I am trying to work on this one.
  • I use a lot of napkins. For those of you who eat with me regularly - you know I somehow manage to spill on myself at every meal.
  • I could probably ride my bike to work when the weather gets warm. This is something I want to try this year…once I get a bike.
  • I usually wrap presents and then throw away the perfectly good wrapping paper after the gift is unwrapped. (I am going to try to save used wrapping paper from now on).

Well, like Kermie says, “It’s Not Easy Bein’ Green”, but I think it is cool that Green Daily supports everyone - even the people who do small things.

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