Thursday is Earth Day. Now, around here we try our best to make environmentally conscious decisions every day, but there is something to be said for observing our yearly reminder to step it up a notch. This week I'll be sharing tips, crafts and ideas inspired by my own thoughts about what it means to live green. I'm also excited to use this opportunity to host an amazing give away sponsored by the very local, Aurora Shoe Company.
Aurora Shoes are an excellent model for environmentally responsible consumerism. Aurora Shoes are made with pride in Upstate New York using only American sourced materials. This means a lot in an age where most products are assembled under sub-standard or unregulated working conditions using materials that are often produced in even less desirable conditions. All of these materials and products travel great distances to finally make it onto the shelves of American shops where the shipping, import taxes and marketing costs result in products whose pricing does not reflect their quality.
At Aurora Shoe you pay for what you get: high quality materials, superior craftsmanship, serious comfort and a solid guarantee. You can see the Aurora Shoe production process for yourself by watching this video, filmed by a local newspaper about a year ago.
Not only are Aurora Shoes an ethical purchase, they're also a renewable one. Many of us walk in a way that causes the soles of our shoes to wear unevenly. Aurora Shoe is one of the only companies I know that encourages customers to not buy new, but to re-sole instead. This simple act gives new life to each well loved pair and saves materials, energy and a trip to the landfill.
In honor of Earth Day, the Aurora Shoe Company has generously donated one pair of shoes (any color, any style) for the very first Keep it Real give away. To enter, leave a comment on this blog between now and 6pm on Thursday, April 22nd. Comments should answer the following question:
What is one long-term change you can make today to contribute to a healthier planet?
The emphasis is on making a change today that you'll carry into the future. I'll give you one entry per commitment to change and certainly encourage you to come up with several. Bonus points and one additional entry per person if you share a website, blog or article that offers eco-friendly inspiration. On Thursday I'll collect all comments and will randomly select one winner to post on Friday.
If you read this blog or know me personally, then you already know that I have a family connection with the Aurora Shoe Company and that I write for their company blog. This does nothing to change the fact that I have owned and loved these great shoes for more than a decade before my family had anything to do with them!
This give away is now closed, but we welcome you to keep up with the Aurora Shoe Company by visiting their website and blog.
yay! give-aways = awesome! obviously my tip is shopping at thrift stores and/or the Goodwill to deal with materials that already exist rather than contributing to the abundance of stuff. (Especially in light of the fact that stores like H&M and Forever 21 BURN their excess stock.) I also gave up purchasing bottled water and use a stainless steel water bottle now.
ReplyDeletei think this is great...not only a chance at free shoes but a chance to see other people's tips so you can perhaps make a change in your own life. I think my biggest tip is to bring your own grocery bags! There is rarely a time that we forget our bags and I feel so much better knowing I'm not contributing to the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Pacific_Garbage_Patch).
ReplyDeleteI also ride my bike (found on side of road for $15) or walk to work every day. It ends up being about 4 miles (w/coming home from lunch).
As for an inspirational place...I watched this show on Netflix, "The Lazy Environmentalist" and think it is great (plus the website/blog is chock full of tips and resources)http://www.lazyenvironmentalist.com/
Sorry do I seem to eager?!
Thanks, Lindsay. I'll give you one entry for the inspiration category if you give us a link to your $30 project. The other 2 don't count because you already do them :) I want you to make a commitment to a NEW change for a chance to win. I'm sure you can come up with something!
ReplyDeleteOk, so I edited my post to clarify - I LOVE what you are already doing and agree with Megan that it's great inspiration for other people.
ReplyDeleteI'll give ONE entry if you share what you do or what inspires you and then ONE MORE PER CHANGE that you commit to make starting today.
You know what's really funny? The current trend towards environmentally responsible living is in most cases just a return to older ways of doing things. Which is why so much of our lifestyle is "green"--because things haven't changed much at Blackrock in the last hundred years or so.
ReplyDeleteAnyway. What I really need to do (any men reading this, you can stop now) is find some reusable nursing pads. I hate throwing out the disposable ones, but I HAVE to have something really absorbent. And I can't make them myself, because I am Not Crafty. To Etsy I go, to do my green thing and support a cottage industry . . .
Kristin -thanks for the comment and for sharing what I was trying to go for (but not saying clearly enough) - a new change.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that most of the ways we can help the earth are just returns to older and better ways of doing things. They do take more time, but almost always cost less and bring better results. Your blog could definitely serve as inspiration. You should also check out progressivepioneer.com. Same idea - many of the methods we're "discovering" now were just common sense for our ancestors.
Oh, and I meant to say if you haven't been to Chiot's Run yet, you should check that out. Susy's blog is mostly about her garden, but there's a lot of sustainable living stuff on there too--http://chiotsrun.com/
ReplyDeleteI try to reuse things that I no longer need and could easily throw out...or give to someone who can use them...The landfill is a one-way trip!
ReplyDeleteKent.
I went to Wells College and love these shoes very excited! Well this year my fiance and I have committed to not buying disposable plates, plastic ware etc. instead if we have to we will only buy the 100% biodegradable products from places like http://www.letsgogreen.biz they have "plastic" ware that is made from corn! We are also saving up to by a composter for our garden.
ReplyDeleteI would like to eat less sugar, and while that may have some small direct impact on the health of the planet, replacing the sugary, processed food with local food would have a bigger impact.
ReplyDeletePlus, Aurora shoes are awesome! I live in North Brookfield, home of Quaboag rubber which manufactures soles for Vibram.
OK so here is my next step...1) i would like to start a composte (my dog loves veggies scraps but she can't eat them all!) and 2) i would like to learn and become better at eating seasonally. i printed out a little calendar of seasonal foods to help!
ReplyDeletesorry need to share the calendars:
ReplyDelete1) http://www.goodfriendsco.com/seasonal_food_calendar.htm
2)http://eatseasonably.co.uk/what-to-eat-now/calendar/
I was thinking about this the other day. I am not going to buy any new clothes. I am going to remake what I have or go to goodwill and get what I need (except underwear).
ReplyDeleteThere is a web site that is very inspirational on this topic. The Thrifty Garde Robe. Where they remake old clothes into new looks. Anyone can contribute ideas so it is very varied. :) I also am not going to make a trip to town without having a list of several things I can do in one trip. 14 miles round trip...it will add up..now if I can talk my mother-in-law not to go to town every day, I AM going to talk to her about it...tell her she can spend the gas money on more stuff she wants. AND offer to pick things up for her when I DO go in. AND I have some elderly neighbors that I could pick things up for , so they don't have to make the trip. I will call them . Take my own reusable bags to the farmers market . Go through the clothes I don't wear and won't wear anymore and give them to the local charity shop that gives clothes to folks who need them. There are a lot of changes I can make and am going to do. Guess you can tell I have been thinking about this for awhile now. Guess it's time to stop thinking and start doing. Here I go.
I love the shoes by the way ...just my style. Beth
I am going to start cleaning my house with non-toxic homemade cleaners (lemon juice, vinegar, and baking soda are all key). Here are some suggestions for what to use to clean what: http://www.eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm
ReplyDelete(Just fyi, DO NOT use the silver recipe to clean brushed silver. One thing you can use to clean silver, believe it or not, is toothpaste and a toothbrush--that's straight from a jeweler.)
Today I am going to make a sunblock cream and salve for gardening, that way I will spend more time out in the herb garden and less time watching TV. I hope to eventually make all my own bath/body products as I figure out usable recipes so that they contain only natural scents and no icky petroleum products. Here is an easy recipe for lip balm for inspiration -
ReplyDelete2 Teaspoons Olive or Apricot Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Grated Beeswax or Beeswax Pellets
1/2 Teaspoon Shea Butter or Cocoa Butter
1 Vitamin E Capsule(as a preservative, optional)
1-2 drops of Essential oil per tube/tin favorites include mints and citruses
Just melt everything, except the Essential oils, together in a double boiler over low heat until melted and then pour into plastic tubes or tins containing a few drops of EO, wait until cool and enjoy. Add 1/2 teaspoon of Castor oil to make it glossier.
Also tonight I plan to turn a bunch of of tee shirts into yarn to knit a new skirt after being inspired by this video yesterday. http://www.knittingdaily.com/blogs/daily/archive/2010/04/19/join-us-for-the-knitting-green-challenge.aspx#video
My other big goal for the year is to cook more whole foods to be more healthy, but also to reduce/eliminate packaging waste. Go read Animal, vegetable, miracle- by Barbara Kingsolver for inspiration. http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/
I also need to bring my shoes in the next time I am home to Sherwood to get them resoled, after 10+ years they are finally getting worn down enough to be slick when it rains, which is often out here in Seattle.
Love this idea! I also agree that going "green" usually just means that you need to start doing things and eating things that your grandmother (or great grandmother depending on your age!) did. I grew up with my grandparents and they have been "green" since I was little! This year I am determined to use a clothesline. Those of you up in upstate NY might think that sounds crazy because everybody had one, but when I moved here to Gold country, California there were none to be seen! I couldn't believe it considering it is so hot from April to October, that putting your clothes out would dry them in mere minutes! My husband is from California and has been very anti-clothesline because he doesn't like how the clothes feel??? so this year I am not going to even give him a choice...sick of using the dryer when it is 90 degrees and dry as a bone outside. (I have been using one of those hanging racks, but need more space!) Also now that we have diapers to dry it really seems much more appropriate!
ReplyDeleteI am also planning on making a sun drying rack for fruits and veggies...
I also have started making grocery bags from old tee-shirts...so easy! here are the directions
http://www.marthastewart.com/article/good-thing-t-shirt-bag?autonomy_kw=t%20shirt%20bag
P.S. I also went to Wells College and have always loved the Aurora Shoe Co. and their practices!
I'm going to start making all of my family's t-shirts after finally learning to sew knits. May not end up saving us any money, but will save us some conscience! Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I are in the process of buying a house..a fixer upper. We have been shopping on craigslist for repurposed supplies and shopping at Habitat for Humanity for building supplies. This way here we are buying things such as kitchen cabinets that people have used before and are tired of and the money goes to a great cause rather than large building supply stores
ReplyDeletewhat a wonderful challenge, and giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI WILL make changes!
Today I am starting a new cleaning job, I WILL take newly homemade cleaning products with me, rather than the harsh chemicals I've used in the past. This is a change that I WILL also make in my own home this week. I've been working towards using up the chemicals so that I can completely CHANGE my way of cleaning. I WILL start today.
I WILL make my own produce bags for the market. I have a few yards of fabric just waiting for a use. I will make my own bags so I can reduce the use of plastic! I already use my own market bags, but I have still been relying on plastic for the produce I purchase. NOT anymore! I WILL start this week.
I WILL recycle more. We recycle most everything, but burn most of our paper products. We use a lot of the paper to start bonfires in the summer. I WILL focus on recycling more of our paper. We burn a lot of cardboard that would be much better if it were recycled. I WILL make that change and start a new box in the garage for PAPER recycling.
Thank you for the challenge. You've made me think about what I need to do to make some more positive changes.
Hannah
hhalleck@gmail.com
I became a vegetarian a little over a year ago to help reduce my carbon footprint. And I have just been researching seasonal eating, which I am very excited about. I love reading through everyone's green changes. I will have to try the lip balm recipe.
ReplyDeleteLove my Aurora Shoes, I've always owned a pair! I think it's time for my daughter to have a pair so I decided to ask her what she thought:
ReplyDelete1. Wear more sweaters and TURN DOWN the heat!
2. Turn off the lights everytime you leave a room!
3. COMPOST!
4. Bring water from home instead of buying bottled water!
5. Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do, or Do Without!
Have a small scale farm to supply us with the most healthy, organic foods. We live in a rural area and organic is hard to get by. We already have the organic vegetable garden but we want to add the farm to make it complete and not have to travel miles and miles to buy our produce, meat, eggs and milk.
ReplyDeleteUse my bicycle for traveling to work. I estimate it's about 30 minutes one way, which is not bad considering all the fumes from my car I will stop from going up in the air.
what a great giveaway, and such awesome ideas from everyone.
ReplyDeleteIve already begun making baby steps towards a more sustinable lifestyle - we use re usable grocery bags (everyone here does, the plastic ones were banned last year), Ive switched from throw away dishcloths to reusable ones, I used cloth nappies and wipes with my DD, I use grey water friendly washing detergent and pump the water on to the lawn over summer, I try to buy most of the kids clothes preloved, Ive swapped to using natural soaps produced locally, and am trying to reduce, reuse and recycle where I can.
Im planning on making my own goats milk soap, so that will be one thing I WILL actually do instead of just talking about it, and I will make some bags for my fruit and veg rather than use the plastic ones. A couple more baby steps in the right direction.
Nic xxx
I like to go to thrift stores for clothes. I am going to stop buying paper towels. We always take our water with us in a reusable bottle. I am going to buy reusable containers for my kids lunchboxes this year. Check out my friend Sara's blog. WalkSlowlyLiveWildly they are all about sustainable living. Thanks for the giveaway. Kate
ReplyDeletewow!! i used to wear auroras. wore them into the ground actually. replaced soles and kept wearing. they were such a favorite. i would love to have another pair.
ReplyDeletesustainable- last night we watched "no impact man" and when i read or watch something on the subject i first think about how much i already do. we've made a lot of sustainable choices already. but there is always more. so about a month ago i decided to review my eating habits and focus again on a plant based local diet. we are also getting another flock of layer hens in a week and eating their eggs will replace some of the meat-based protein we have been eating.
thanks for the giveaway!
My long-term change is to be constantly aware of the many different ways I can contribute to a healthier environment. I want myself and my family to continue to challenge ourselves to do the right things and find even more ways to protect where we all live.
ReplyDeleteYears ago, I would always forget to bring in my cloth bags to the market - I've got that down now. But now I need to remember to take reusable bags for my bulk bin buying - I'm ALWAYS getting oats, ww pastry flour, beans, etc.
ReplyDeleteWe're getting chickens this spring. I've never had chickens before, but I'm looking forward to seeing the my children make the connection between our garden, the chickens, and how it all comes together to make eggs (hopefully) for our family. ~H
There are so many great ideas here! It's going to take me a little while, but I plan to check out each of the websites, blogs and links that are being shared and will most definitely be pulling from them in addition to your comments for inspiriation in future posts.
ReplyDeleteThanks to everyone who has already commented and keep them coming!
One long term change we are working on is to buy things with less packaging. We are good at using our recycle bin, but fill it up far too quickly. If we buy things with less packaging, that will help.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to have a pair of shoes I can re-sole! We do that with my husband's shoes.
ReplyDeleteI think the big change I can make, would be to get a double-flush toilet. I'd also like to get chickens for the backyard.
I love your giveaway, thanks to Mayamade for sending me over...
ReplyDeleteI currently do too many things to list, and the challenge was to find a new idea. We have a goal on our farm to be able to reuse and source sustainable products rather than buying new..(ie, we took down a century church to rebuild as a barn, straw bale home in the future). We have one bag of garbage every 3 weeks for our family of three. I know I am extremist, and I am okay with that.
So I decided that I would commit to the 100 mile diet, and also the shampoo free change. I already use baking soda for most of our cleaning, so I have lots. I had considered making shampoo as I already make our soap, but no shampoo would be much better!!
I will repurpose more items instead of collecting then with the intention of doing something with it eventually. I would like to start riding my bike to work. When school is over and the kids will be going to the same place in the morning biking is the first thing we'll do. I want to also start a worm box for composting, I just have to talk the husband into it.
ReplyDeleteI am making several changes in my personal life and professional for eco-friendly reasons. First, I purchased a reusable water bottle not made from plastic so that I can keep hydrated and not add the to the craziness of bottled water.
ReplyDeleteSecond, for my business I have purchased compostable packaging in addition to the recycable/reusuable packaging that we currently use for our hand crafted artisan chocolates and classic candies. Since day one Life's So Sweet Chocolates (www.LifesSoSweet.com) has been dedicated to using recycled/recycable/reusable packaging and now with compostable food grade bags available, we're getting even closer to our goal of 100% green.
Hi! Great giveaway. One sustainable change I can make is trying to grow our own vegetables. I'm starting this year with a small garden. What better way to go local?!
ReplyDeleteI also want a worm compost box. That would be so much fun for my little guys to watch.
Becca
Hi, I try to teach my children all I know about recycling,taking care of nature and so on. They are the next generation and they can make changes when they grow up.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Spain!
I'm trying to figure out how to use walking/riding the bus for more of my outings instead of the van/car.
ReplyDeleteWhen we moved into our house 10 years ago, we were completely enamored by the lush tropical gardens. Planted originally by a horticulturalist for the San Diego Zoo, we have orchids growing in our tree tops, an actual rainforest, an Australian succulent garden, and several exotic fruit trees. It seems every year, we get less and less rain - it is a little drier - the California Santa Ana winds can kick pretty hard. So, as everyone is clearing their grass and shrubs to make way for native Californian plants, it breaks my heart to get rid of any of these plants. Many of them have grown from seed, fought a battle to survive, and are flourishing. So, this summer, we are going to create a grey water system by which the water from our washing machine will irrigate our plants. I am also going to install a couple of rain barrels under our gutters - we can use that water as irrigation for the yard as well. My goal - to cut out using the traditional sprinkler system by 90%. This is a goal that I think is quite attainable, given the amount of laundry we do!! We will save the plants, save the water, SAVE THE EARTH! So excited to start this project! I have posted some earth friendly blogs on my blog site if you would like to check it out:http://montessori-parent.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteTHANKS FOR YOUR BLOG!! LOVE IT!!
what a wonderful giveaway! thank you for the chance to win.
ReplyDeletewe are currently building a second raised garden bed to double our vegetable garden space in the backyard. we also just got two rain barrels so that we can conserve water while growing all of our yummy organic veggies this summer!
Thank you for the giveaway. I have been composting all of my food scraps for 4 years. It's great, but I keep wondering how I can cut down on the amount of food purchased and then wasted because it seems like I throw away a lot of slimy produce and moldy bread. My goal for this summer is to buy fewer perishables with each grocery trip and to use my bicycle for at least 1 weekly trip to the grocery.
ReplyDeleteThose shoes are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteSome changes we have made/are making: cloth napkins and dish towels--no more paper products in the kitchen, no more bottled water--we use stainless steel water bottles, we are very careful about cleaning products--we use very few and choose responsibly for the ones we do use, we also stay home more and do things as a family--no running the roads burning up gallons of gas for us. :-)
There are some great ideas on here! I think I'm going to be better about recycling. I grew up with the recycling getting picked up with the trash on the curb, but I have since moved to a place where we have to sort it and take it to the big bins ourselves. I guess I got spoiled and now I find it harder to recycle than it really should be. I'm going to plan my grocery trips to include a drop off at the recycling bins.
ReplyDeleteI have become very focused on how much trash our family generates. I have started looking for products that either limit their packaging or have easily recyclable packaging. We try to reuse and repurpose packaging and recycle as much as possible. We have also started composting. My goal is to have as little trash going out of our house as possible!!!
ReplyDelete-Amy
Crafting by Candlelight
Thanks for the great shoe give-a-way.
ReplyDeleteI have been committed to going from "medium green" to "dark green" this year. Walking riding bike, combining errands when driving. Worm compost, and doing more pre-cycling.
What a great giveaway! I haven't heard about aurora shoes before, but love what I have read on their site and will be buying a pair if I don't win :)
ReplyDeleteI am going to continue decluttering my house and sending stuff to goodwill. I am also going to switch to family cloth. We already use cloth for dishes and dining, and handkerchiefs, all that's left is tp! We will keep a roll out for guests, but I will keep a basket for fresh cloths and a bag for used ones, and just throw them in the wash!
Thanks for the great giveaway!
Having seen and read various books and blogs, I want to re-make my clothes with embellishments or turn them into practical household items.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I have started to bring reusable containers for leftovers whenever we eat at a restaurant. We're really committed to never being a consumer of anything styrofoam ever again! We also do small things like turn down straws (who needs them?!) and pack reusable cutlery. The best part about the reusable containers is that lunch is already ready for the next day.
ReplyDeleteI am really thinking about doing more sustainable living lately, and only wish I could do all the things I think of. One thing I am working on now is making repurposed and recycled packaging for my etsy shop. And sometimes using repurposed materials for my products themselves. Still working on that. I wish I was able to grow my own cottage garden, but I don't have the land for that... yet.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of these shoes before but they look lovely! At any rate, the post is timely. Today I am making old-fashioned oilcloth to finally replace the plastic baggies I've allowed myself to use long after every other disposable thing has been removed from my household!
ReplyDeleteAs for things we do that might inspire others: we've replaced all our household cleaners with non-toxic cleaners such as vinegar and baking soda.
I plan on using more glass and getting rid of even more plastic in my kitchen. I also saw a homemade deodorant that I plan on making.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm posting again, because I really have been thinking about this. I am trying to use my kids outworn and outgrown old clothes to turn them into toys and decorations. Banners, stuffed animals, even scarves for me. And most clothes we get? Hand me downs or from the thrift store. The bounties of the thrift store (or yard sale or consignment shop) are lovely.
ReplyDeleteI just found out about your blog and love it already. You have great posts and truly my style!
ReplyDeleteNow, back to browsing more of your posts!
Ride my cargo bike more and drive less!
ReplyDeleteSave all of the worn-out/outgrown clothes in the house and repurpose them into new clothes, hand towels, rugs, and toilet wipes. Try to cut down on the amount of new clothing we're buying.
ReplyDeleteMy goals are to plant a on-the-deck-garden and to try to create less garbage each day. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteandreafriis@yahoo.com
My goal is to make my first foray into canning this year. We grow lots of fruit and vegetables and have increased our crops this year. So I'll need to preserve all that beautiful food for the long winter. Fewer food miles. Fewer trips to the store. Less impact on the planet
ReplyDeleteToday I will begin using cloth napkins every day. I have a drawer full of them somewhere-why keep them for "good" when we can do good by using them every day? I already made the switch away from paper towel. I just keep a little ceramic pitcher near where the paper towel holder used to be. I have rinseable, washable towels and now we grab those instead of paper. After rinsing, I just plop them over the rim of the pitcher to dry. Rinsing them out, I find I only use about one a day then toss it in the wash bin. I also got my clothesline back out today. Yay!
ReplyDeleteOops! I fogot to mention this blog which I read every day:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dailydanny.com/
The fabulous Danny Seo!
I am really trying to lessen my family's carbon footprint and have been inspired by many folks and implemented many things into our lives. Your challenge has inspired me to commit to starting my own Vermiculture, or worm composting. I will check out how to books from my local library, research info on the web and start my challenge.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try keeping my A/C off as long as I can this summer. And I'm currently working on a DIY audit of my home so I can improve the energy efficiency.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI am in the process of restructuring how we live, and one thing I'm focusing on is refusing to consume plastic - especially disposable plastic.
So my next change on the list is homemade cleaners.
My husband and I are also disconnecting the tv for the summer, and if I can convince him, the year!
I will encourage my nieces and nephews to love vegetable growing as they are the seeds of the future.
ReplyDeletephiliypage@yahoo.co.uk
Great shoes! I am doing laundry ONLY when I can hang it out on the line. Tricky stuff with cloth diapers that need washing as well as the regular family laundry thrown in the mix. Come on good weather and windy days!
ReplyDeleteI am planting my own vegetable garden this summer at the neighborhood community garden. Also, I am trying to live by the old saying: Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without. rachel g christensen at gmail
ReplyDeleteI am no longer using plastic bags,saran wrap,etc. I will onl use small containers for lunches.
ReplyDeleteI have an eco-friendly blog to share-
ReplyDeletehttp://www.greenyourdecor.com/
I just remembered about this blog,too:
ReplyDeletehttp://tinychoices.com/
Today I am planting some veggies that just arrived today so that I know what my kids are eating and so we don't have to drive all the way to the farmers market every weekend.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if we are supposed to make a separate post for each commitment so I hope I am doing it the right way. Anyways,I have a pile of old clothes that are no longer wearable but I just got the idea that maybe my kids and I can make some skirts and pillows out of them...maybe even some ipod covers...hmm...fun and environmentally friendly. :)
ReplyDeleteI will no longer go to the department stores every weekend b/c I always wind up buying something I really didn't need-stuff is taking over my life and eventually the landfill if I don't use it,sell it or recycle it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrific post and giveaway. Here's one thing I already do: I cloth diaper. My almost 18-month old son hasn't worn a disposable diaper since he was 7 days old (when they released him from the hospital.) And in the summer, I line dry them as much as possible. I've already hung them out twice this spring.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for changes I have yet to make: I just got a tumbling composter in the mail a week or so ago. So my commitment is to get that set up so I can start composting TODAY. My garden will be happier for it, and I'll be glad not to send so much waste down the disposal or into the trash.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I'm posting earth-friendly projects for kids and adults all week in my blog:
ReplyDeletehttp://web.me.com/redshoearts/Redshoearts/Blog/Blog.html
well am working on getting my toddler out of the last diaper (nightttime diaper). we haven't been able to find compostable pullups for nighttime use (have been using g-diapers at night)! so am feeling the dispoable diaper guilt with nighttime pullups. hope to have her totaly diaper free soon!
ReplyDeleteMOTTAINAI in my mind all the time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mottainai
ReplyDeleteUse less disposal products, love and take care my belongings so that hey last longer.
I have lots of things I got from my parents and grand parents. and they are still in good condition.
These shoes are so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI came here through Maya's blog.
I started (and won't come back) to through our vegetable waste and other into a compost pile. So much less garbage now! Also, making compost for our starting garden... So, there are two changes, because we plan to feed our family mostly from our garden, in the vegetable front.
We use cloth napkins and handkerchiefs, this reduces so much waste!
ReplyDeleteWe plan to ride our bikes whenever we can. Getting from point A to point B without starting that car, not only saves money, it also decreases our impact!
I use our recycling bins that my city collects each week to recycle everything I can possibly recycle: soup cans, plastic containers, paper, and boxes. I also save all of my plastic grocery bags and bring them back to my grocery store to be recycled.
ReplyDeleteI plan on bringing my own bags to the grocery store. I also want to try to make my own homemade cleaning products.
Well, I live in the countryside in cold Sweden and this is what we do to live life a little bit greener:
ReplyDelete- We use a geothermal heating system to heat up our house.
- I use public transportations to get to work, hubby work from home. We do not even own a car, we borrow when needed.
- We grow some of our vegetables, organic of course.
- We have started to change our kitchen appliances to new, energy saving ones.
- All light bulbs are low energy versions.
- We compost. This also gives good soil for the vegetables.
I just remembered to post my NEWEST green tip for Earth Day, which is sort of a no-brainer but... I am making the switch from plastic reusable containers to GLASS reusable containers. Healthier for me and the environment!
ReplyDeleteWe do a lot of green things already, but am always challenging our family to do better. I would like to buy more local food now and get back on track with my meatless weekly meals.
ReplyDeleteWe are working on returning to our home gardening so that we can have REALLY locally grown food all summer, and hopefully be able to freeze/can items for the winter. And as part of this local food focus, I am also purchasing more food goods from local merchants at Farmer's Markets.
ReplyDeleteFor Earth Day, I decided to set up a little "re-use" corner at our school. A place where we can leave off outgrown uniforms and other things like books and gently used toys.
ReplyDeleteThe kids recycle and compost, have classroom gardens so this is a great way to keep the greening going!
This year we've got a community garden plot, and can't wait to eat all the produce we grow ourselves. Also recently got a baby seat for my bike, and now my daughter and I are biking all over the city!
ReplyDeleteoh and here's a wonderful eco-friendly company that sells wonderful toys: www.naturalpod.com
ReplyDeleteI have recently fell off the vegan bandwagon (for baked good of all things!) and am trying to get back to that healthy way of living! In addition I have slowly been doing more and more shopping at thrift stores for the things I need in order to give new life to something tossed aside! In other words, I'm trying to get away from the consumerist culture that rules my generation! When I do buy new I try to buy good quality things in lieu of cheap ones.
ReplyDeleteLong-term change, and can't believe I am saying this in a giveaway for "new" shoes, is to buy secondhand. Today everything I am wearing is from an op shop. The information is online, but the savings in green houses gases, landfill and water are massive. Now, I could say don't drive a car, or go solar, but we all need practical ways to do our bit and it's impractical to say everyone can walk or ride a bike or buy into solar power. But everyone can shop secondhand. Everyone.
ReplyDeleteI have always tried to be "green" with my home-life and running my business but I aim to not buy any new clothes, shoes or furniture for the next 12 months. I plan to thrift shop and to swap with friends for the above items.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great give-away. I love it. As for me going green, I think I've done it all my life. My favorite store for shopping has always been the "thrift shops". I do all my shopping there. Clothes for the kids growing up and now for my grandbabies, plus that's where I go for my crafting. Plus all the yard saleing. Thanks for sharing. eskimobookworm@gci.net
ReplyDeleteA great long term change for me that I can do today would be avoiding the use of little plastic ziplock bags. I'm going to start using reusable containers instead.
ReplyDeleteI recently bought some reusable sandwich bags made from recycled cloth on etsy...they work great and I am not using plastic sandwich bags each day. I also bring coffee in a thermos each day to work (rather than buying one in a styrofoam cup each day). Thanks for the giveaway...ladubois@comcast.net
ReplyDeleteLong-term changes I will make starting today is to use cloth napkins instead of paper on a daily basis and to use my clothesline and get a new drying rack for our laundry. Thanks...ladubois@comcast.net
ReplyDeleteOh, I have always loved those shoes and have wanted a pair, so thanks for the giveaway! I've decided recently to eat more greens and less of other things (meat mostly). Also, using my clothesline every day instead of the dryer. For a second try at those shoes, I'll share a blog that inspires me - Walk Slowly Live Wildly.
ReplyDeleteDorothy
I recently decided (and posted about my plan) to no longer use plastic silverware at work :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway. The change that my family is making is growing more of our own food and composting. Composting has been an on again, off again thing for us, but we have made the committment and have devised several new strategies to keep us "on" all the time....and the compost will be useful for our veg garden!
ReplyDeleteDeidre -- jbirse(at)shaw(dot)ca
What a great giveaway, thanks for the chance! My change is to add recycling cans in all of my rooms, not just in the kitchen. My family is good at recycling in the kitchen, but we forget and get lazy when its not immediately convenient. Our county recycles everything so its really easy and silly that we don't do better. Thanks for the impetus! For the second chance, I really like http://consciousshopper.blogspot.com/ Erin is really inspirational because she's just a normal person trying to make positive change. She makes it seem so doable.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway. I try to recycle and reduce the amount of garbage our family produces. I am very strict about recycling and I try to look for products that have eco-friendly packaging as often as I can. It's great that I ran into your blog - you're so inspirational.
ReplyDeleteWe will continue to recycle and try to remember the reusable shopping bags when I go to the store.
ReplyDeletewe are going to be cloth diapering in the next few weeks! i cannot wait to get away from the chemic stink of disposables. and the cloth are so cute, so that doesn't hurt :)
ReplyDeletepulchrabliss(at)hotmail(dot)com
Compost. So easy & so great to visualize the cycle of nature.
ReplyDeleteIt's always hard for me to come up with things I can do today...I'm struggling alot lately with how to further my committment to living a sustainable life - mostly because I've done the easy things! But, the thing I really really want to get on is to purchase only things with no/very little packaging. Packaging is one of our major waste sources and I want to lessen it!
ReplyDeleteoh! and more..
ReplyDeletewe are going to begin to use natural cleaners.
begin composting and growing tasty veg on our little balcony.
put up a clothesline to air dry our cloth diapers!
focus on buying recycled (pre loved) clothing, etc.
try to create a paperless kitchen
and to end, the most planet earth savin' act? breastfeeding my daughter for as long as she wants! :) no waste, packaging, unnatural add-ins, and i get to cuddle my sweet babe!
i am constantly inspired by http://simplemom.net/
pulchrabliss(at)hotmail(dot)com
Our dryer gave up the ghost last week and you've inspired us to not replace it. Or at least to not replace it with another machine. Built and installed a great new clothesline setup today! Also collecting recipes for home made cleaning/laundry products and will begin using those this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI've been making lots of eco-friendly changes over the past few years ... less driving, more biking ... cloth shopping bags ... composting ... vegetable gardening ... reuseable food containers ... energy efficient appliances ... and so much more.
ReplyDeleteI'm making a bigger effort now to acquiring "less stuff". Simpler living. Not getting sucked into commercialism and the pressure to "buy buy buy". And when I buy, I'm trying to avoid over-packaged items. It breaks my heart to throw all that packaging away if it something that can't be recylcled or reused.
How I would love a pair of those shoes!
Compost! Now that we've moved into an actual house (with a yard and everything) instead of an apartment in a complex, composting can happen in addition to some of the other things I've begun changing including making our own deodorants and laundry detergents.
ReplyDeleteHi there! Greetings from Scotland !Great shoes.
ReplyDeleteThis year, I am trying to hold on to more stuff and find a new purpose for it instead of being so quick to throw things out. Especially along the crafting lines, where I might have put a pair of trousers into goodwill when they didn't fit, I am now cutting then up and making something out of the fabric - of course the goodwill shops are great too!
we already do quite a bit: recycle plastic, newspaper, and glass; compost; grow our own herbs and veggies; bring reusable bags to the store. but the one thing i've had a hard time giving up are plastic water bottles. so, i pledge to STOP buying/using plastic water bottles.
ReplyDeletelove the shoes!
We have a compost pile that has been languishing in the backyard for quite a while, as I've been unable to locate the will to figure out how to leave my small monstrous children unattended in order to navigate the rocky terrain of our backyard to get to the long lost pile. Now that spring has sprung, finally, though -- composting is becoming a group effort! (Possibly prompted by our teenager's comment, "Um, dude? Why do we even compost? It just sits here." Total side note: Thank you, New Roots, for teaching teens about composting so it's not just coming from their "tree-hugger" moms.)
ReplyDeleteANYWAY, as of yesterday, the path to the pile has been cleared, and today, our 3-year-old will take his inaugural walk to the compost, trailing bits of spillage and his 21-month-old sister behind him.
For one mama's ideas on sustainable change that works for her family, visit today's Earth Day post at the Mama Goose blog:
ReplyDeletehttp://mamagooseithaca.wordpress.com/2010/04/21/earth-day-one-mamas-way/
The birth of my children of course made me start thinking about the future - their future. We repair, recycle, reuse, and reduce our consumption of land fillers as a religion. We compost and have an urban garden and this year I will be canning (if all goes well). We shop thrift and the roadsides. My goal now is to start repurposing as much as possible, to force my hand at thinking outside the box more than I do already. I think it will be fun, educational, and will certainly help us all be more aware of our resources. Thanks for the challenge! Susan supdike122@aol.com
ReplyDeleteAs I went to throw away the cereal box I decided to keep it and use it for scrapbooking.I also had a glass jar (from spaghetti sauce) in the trash,so I took it out to wash and reuse.I love earth day!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to start using mostly cloth towels instead of paper towels. With a little one, there are always so many messes to clean up, this would greatly reduce waste!!
ReplyDeleteWhatever your family connection is, I commend you on the beautiful shoes! I've been pinching pennies to buy a pair. Crossing my fingers for a win...
ReplyDelete1. I pledge to ditch my cleaning supplies, and use only lemon juice, vinegar and baking soda for house-cleaning.
2. All gifts to family and friends this year will be earth-friendly and handmade (already started on this one).
-Joanna Orobello
choosejo@yahoo.com
Hope I'm not too late--love those shoes. We
ReplyDeleteare trying to make long term change by instilling earth-friendly values in our children, with they hope that they will pass them on to theirs. This week my teenage daughter was choosing yogurts at the store based on whether the packaging could go into our recycling bin.
Use mostly recycled craft supplies for my kids and I!!
ReplyDeleteThis is so cool, I especially love the posts from mother's who are jumping on the re-usable diapers band wagon. I am not a mom but really feel that disposable diapers and the number of them are a huge issue to hit landfills. The fact that insanely harried and busy mom's can make this commitment is huge, that is so awesome, WAY TO GO MOMS!!
ReplyDeleteI really live very simply and think green on every aspect of mylife but you can always do more so I have been reading through the comments to get ideas of "what next" and taking a good look at my habits. I work at home now, which is great, no commuting and no temptation to buy, buy, buy. BUT, my once Target runs have now turned into Amazon hits. I really could curb my conspicuous consumption a lot more. I don't have to have my WANTS, I have to have my NEEDS. So I am committing to fine tune my WANTS and NEEDS and weed out those WANTS from my internet shopping.....I really don't need that new McKibben book, my library will have it, sorry Bill.
Oh, and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these shoes, but shoes are a NEED, right!
Today I'll be sewing a stack of cloth napkins and a bunch of kitchen towels. My mom always brings me a huge bag of paper towels when she visits, and while I appreciate the gesture I can't stand the waste. For the second entry how about this blog:
ReplyDeletehttp://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/
One of the biggest changes we have made is buying whatever we can in bulk at our local co-op. Using reusable bulk bags...this keeps the amount of plastic that enters our home down to a bare minimum. We are lucky to live in an area that offers this choice and have finally embraced it wholeheartedly. I love these shoes...thanks for the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteOne thing my family and I don't do is recycle (paper, cans, plastic). We've talked about it, but never started. I definitely want to start doing that this year!
ReplyDeleteFor my second entry, check out this website!
eco-gardeners.com
Oh yes! For my "bonus points and one additional entry", I LOVE this podcast featuring the Beerhorst family. They make SO much with repurposed materials etc. http://craftsanity.com/2009/08/craftsanity-episode-102-meet-the-beerhorst-family/
ReplyDeleteI am already pretty good about bringing my own bags to the grocery store, so we even ran out of plastics grocery bags at home at one point (we use them as garbage bags), but now I need to either buy or sew the produce bags - we still get plenty of those.
ReplyDeletePlus, I have tried to do a community garden for the last couple years, somewhat successfully, but it is across town. This year I will make my best attempt to make raised beds at home and grow some of our own food more locally than across town. - Dana
at the library, for an earth day commitment, we are only using previously used paper for our crafting. our crafts will be made from our archived magazines, fliers for previous events, junk faxes, anything we can do to NOT use a new sheet of paper. good for the earth, and good for my dwindling library children's services budget!
ReplyDeleteWe grow our favorite vegetables to eat during summer and compost a lot to support them, makes for a nice circle of life!
ReplyDeleteTo eat more real food.
ReplyDeleteGrow more than just herbs.
Replace all our battery operated gizmos with rechargeables.
Replace our Sigg bottles with new ones that do not contain BPA.(:()
Spend more time out of doors with my little one.
Turn off the TV more.
Support a local CSA.
Start a meat-free supper club.
Use my bike or walk more places.
We are planting seeds and growing our own veggies this year.
ReplyDeleteWe're going to try to go meatless twice a week or more.
And we're going to try to bring mesh bags to the store for our produce that we do purchase.
We're also going to remember our reusable bags ALL of the time instead of 75% or so.
TV-free days sound like a good idea to me as well.
I just discovered your blog and look forward to reading the rest of what you've already posted. Thanks for the opportunity to win great shoes!
We have slowly begun to make nearly all our food from scratch, no small feat for a girl who grew up on Kraft Mac and no cooking lessons! We have also just bought a second composter, twice the size of our first. Can't wait to get those veggies in the ground! Thanks for the chance to win a pair of your lovely shoes, I have a friend with a pair I have ceveted for YEARS! Leslie
ReplyDelete1) I want to start eating more local and organic food.
ReplyDelete2) I just had hip surgery but once I'm a little more healed I really want to be able to get to the store on my bike.
3) I want to shop more at the food co-ops in Portland and less at the chain stores.
Today I will buy "green" grocery bags and start using them. I've wanted to do it for awhile but haven't! No excuses anymore.
ReplyDeleteAlso, something I've already started but will continue to implement is to plant an edible landscape in my suburban tiny lot. My front flowerbed is now full of blueberry bushes and strawberries. I also have fresh herbs in the front garden. I plan on planting a fruit tree soon!
amanda from txtwins.blogspot.com
Continually strive to consume less.
ReplyDeleteMy change: adapt my way of thinking about purchasing, throwing away, consuming and giving. Use what I have.
ReplyDeleteOoh lovely shoes. We're growing our food, composting, fixing what we have, using freecycle to take discards from others.
ReplyDeleteFor me: Having handmade/homemade birthdays for my family of 9. Each year birthdays seem to be a time of great waste with paper wrappings and plastic packaging, not to mention store bought toys that are pretty disposable and unfriendly to the environment. From this point forward I have decided to make everything from cards, decorations and gifts using creativity and imagination rather than buying stuff!
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely giveaway! I have always wanted a pair of these (I am from Ithaca and now in Maine so need to show a little Finger Lakes pride)! We have given up paper towels for Earth Day - and forever this year. I am always striving to give handmade as gifts and love finding ways to live with less! Thanks for the opportunity!
ReplyDelete