Changing how we do things - even just a little bit - can make a huge impact on our environment and the sustainability of this planet.
Photo: butkaj.com
Changing how we do things - even just a little bit - can make a huge impact on our environment and the sustainability of this planet.
If you’re still using paper towels to clean your windows, it’s time to make a switch. One solution is to use crumpled newspaper instead, but it does tend to leave your hands black and inky. I prefer to use cotton rags. My system is two-handed: squirt homemade window cleaner on the window, then use one rag to wipe most of the grime and cleaner away (right hand). Follow this with final wipe-down with a dry rag (left hand). Photo: Flickr user D’Arcy Norman
With gas up well over $4 a gallon (here, a brief pause while you all gasp) I’ve been limiting my own gasoline usage for quite awhile. I’m fortunate that we live within walking distance to town and both of my boys can walk to work. Since I work from home, I generally only drive the car once or twice a week. Certainly I drive it little enough that I’ve wondered if we truly need it. This month, as school gets into full swing, many families may see a surge in their fuel usage – but I’m challenging you to cut it. Inspired by this post over at Living Large in Our Little House, join me during the month of September as I work to cut my driving down even more. As Living Large asks: Do you really need to take the kids to school and pick them up, idling your car in those long lines in front of the school? Here’s the challenge: Eliminate ONE car trip from your weekly travels. Ask yourself if you really need to drive to the post office, the bank, the store. Could you save that trip and do it on the day you...
Welcome to the Patchwork Living Blogging Bee, our Internet version of a quilting bee. Each of our lives is a patchwork of what was passed down to us, what we find around us, and what people share with us. Hosted by myself and Frugal Kiwi, we hope that you’ll join us by adding a virtual “patch.” Each week we feature our favorite submissions from the previous blog hop. Mine are listed below; you can see Melanie’s favorites at Frugal Kiwi. 1. Amy at Backyard Bounty writes about cover crops, something I have very little experience with, making me curious about whether or not a cover crop would be valuable in a region like mine with no cold winter. Something else to look into! 2. Remember old-fashioned handkerchiefs? NZ Ecochick writes about switching over to cloth for tissues and other household duties. Smart! 3. I enjoyed reading The Backyard Pioneer’s thoughts on a simple potato masher. Whatever did happen to items that last? Authors of featured posts are invited to display our special “Featured on Patchwork Living Blogging Bee” Badge. If you choose to display it, please link back to the post in which you were featured. Time to add...
Welcome to the Patchwork Living Blogging Bee, our Internet version of a quilting bee. Each of our lives is a patchwork of what was passed down to us, what we find around us, and what people share with us. Hosted by myself and Frugal Kiwi, we hope that you’ll join us by adding a virtual “patch.” Each week we feature our favorite submissions from the previous blog hop. Mine are listed below; you can see Melanie’s favorites at Frugal Kiwi. 1. After my own experience butchering a chicken, I was particularly fond of the Pocket Farmer’s post about culling and processing the roosters from her flock. 2. Living from Scratch tackles the topic of feminine hygiene, offering a couple of more sustainable options. 3. It seems like everyone is “staycationing” this year, but I appreciated reading the advice from A Mother’s Calling, especially the part about preparing food in advance to eliminate the need for take out. Authors of featured posts are invited to display our special “Featured on Patchwork Living Blogging Bee” Badge. If you choose to display it, please link back to the post in which you were featured. Time to add your piece to the quilt....
If you’re a part of the Attainable Sustainable Facebook group, you’ve seen me mention Frugal Kiwi more than once. I’m a bit of a fan, see, so I’m thrilled to announce a new feature in collaboration with Melanie McMinn, the mastermind behind the New Zealand based Frugal Kiwi. Together, we will be hosting a weekly blog hop – let’s call it midweek. Since Melanie and I are in quite different time zones, it will run on NZ Wednesday/USA Tuesday. When you post your link here at Attainable Sustainable, it automatically shows up over on Frugal Kiwi, too. Or vice versa. A two for one deal. We’re calling our blog hop the Patchwork Living Blogging Bee because when Melanie and I were talking about starting this we remembered when people used to (and still do!) get together as a group to make a quilt. We feel like each of our lives is a patchwork of what was passed down to us, what we find around us, and what people share with us. Each week we’ll choose a few links from the previous blog hop to feature. This week, we chose our favorites from the recent Show and Tell link post...
While I grew up with dogs, sustainably housing, feeding, and caring for a dog is not in my current realm. (Cats, yes. Dog? No.) Happily, Roxanne Hawn, who blogs at Champion of my Heart, agreed to share her thoughts on raising a dog in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. Welcome, Roxanne! ### A couple of years ago many media outlets flocked to this report that pets have the same environmental impact as an SUV. Primarily to blame? Their meat-based diets. And, while you might think switching a dog or cat to a vegetarian or vegan diet sounds swell, veterinarian nutritionists warn against the practice of feeding pet carnivores a meat-free diet. The bottom line is this: If you want to feed your pet a plant-based diet, then get a pet that is naturally a herbivore … like a rabbit or goat. If you choose to share your life with a dog, these decisions and product choices make your furry friend’s life a bit more sustainable: Homemade pet food: By serving either home-cooked or raw pet foods, many consumers exercise more control over food sources and quality. Personally, I don’t choose this option, but I know many people...
Next time you need a shower curtain, choose fabric rather than plastic. Fabric shower curtains are easier to wash and reuse, and don’t emit toxic fumes like PVC curtains do. Photo: Flickr user kissyface under Creative Commons
With the encouragement of my son, I finally did something I’ve been meaning to do for a long time: I gave up my kitchen sponge. That may seem like no big deal, but breaking lifetime habits is hard. I’ve been listening to all the talk about just how scungy sponges are and how they harbor germs, but instead of giving up my favored method of dish washing, I just replaced my sponges regularly. Yeah. Not exactly environmentally friendly. Not only do kitchen sponges come wrapped in plastic, but the process of making a synthetic sponge requires the use of chemical softeners and bleaching agents. I suppose I could have switched over to a natural sponge, but those seemed clunky to me. We’re now using dishcloths. It’s taken some getting used to, but I like that I can wash the dishcloths regularly without wearing them out. Plus, dishcloths generally come with less packaging than sponges and there are even organic cotton options available. And someday, I may even take up crocheting again so I can make my own. What long-time habit are you having trouble breaking? Does it impact your ability to live a more sustainable life? Photo: Flickr user...
I heard lots of success stories from the people who tackled the no drinking straw challenge. And the one local food a day challenge seemed to go well. But now I’m really going to ask you to stretch a bit! Throughout the month of July I invite you to go plastic bottle free. Yes, in the middle of the heat of summer! It is pure craziness that Americans consume two million plastic bottles every five minutes. Pure craziness. I know this is a tough challenge, but will you join me? Just think of the waste we could eliminate! This means you’ll have to plan ahead a bit; no quick stops to grab a bottle of water or a soda when you’re hot and thirsty. Invest in a reusable bottle or travel mug to take drinks along with you. We have one for every member of the family (and then some) and my kids rarely leave home without filling their own bottle. If you’re a fan of sodas and juices, find a couple of juice recipes that you can make at home to take with you. Liliko‘i gingerade is very refreshing and if you don’t have passion fruit growing in...
