Among the many many things I write about and are swirling around my brain, lowering my carbon footprint is another daily thought. Every time I wash a dish, take a shower, use deodorant, leave home for an extended amount of time, use cleaners, put my medicine bottles in the recycle, etc., etc., etc.
First is water use. My husband does the dishes. They say you save more water using the dishwasher. He doesn’t want to. We both let the water in the shower run too long before we get in. I am always thinking how many people can take a shower, that don’t have access to clean water, in the time it takes me to get in. Using paper plates instead of dishes. Is that laziness? Yes in part it is, then again, paper plates break down. By using a dinner plate, I have to use water to wash it, so which is the better choice.
Next is recyclables: I am a die hard, no matter how small of a piece of paper, price tag, beer bottle cap, plastic from a price tag, I put it in the recycle. Food boxes flattened. I clean all plastic bottles to recycle. When the county sent around notices of expanding which plastics they now accept, I posted it on the Nextdoor app. We recycle grocery bags, or for that matter any bags, even though we religiously take our own bags to the grocery store and that includes every other store too, (Wal-Mart, Kohls, the mall, etc.). It amazes me that we still accumulate those plastic bags.
I am adamant about others recycling habits too, (my kids, family). I get so aggravated if I go to Wal-Mart and they put 3 things in a bag and start another one. I fantasize about sitting outside and handing out reusable bags for people to use, ( what a thing to fantasize about?) I feel it is such an easy thing to do and people don’t do it. In NY I went into Kohl’s and they’re not using plastic bags anymore. Here in VA they still are.
I do not spend the money to buy cleaning products, hair products in packaging that is refillable. I still use disposable razors, we buy mulch in bags as opposed to getting it delivered in bulk, and we don’t have a compost pile.. The last two I blame my husband because he is the one who would have to participate and he’s not into it. If I was physically able I would have a compost pile in the back. With all the gardening I do, it makes perfect sense. Lastly I don’t throw away anything that somebody may be able to use.
In the end I could do better and that is the guilty thought , of many, that circulates in my boomer mind. I wanted to name this blog, Fullmind, but it was already taken.