(I need to justify owning this van. I will hug more trees.)Mike and I had a quick trip down to Montana and a couple of nights we got takeout or we had a leftovers from a restaurant. We don't do this very often now that we live out of town, but it's incredible to see the amount of waste produced from eating out. The tiny little garbage cans in the hotel room were beyond full and I automatically thought, "They need bigger garbage cans in here." Wait...what?
Last year I was all determined to decrease the amount of waste I created. I love making these big bold commitments and setting myself up for failure because all I have done is move out to Mike's farm where we burn our garbage. That is a reduction because it isn't going to a landfill, but we are still burning it, and that has it's own problems. I barely used the cloth diapers I got. Big failure.
Then, Mike tells me last week that the fleece from our clothing is sloughing off in the wash and contaminating the oceans. You can't even safely recycle plastic into fleece. Sometimes you just can't win in life.
This morning I was again inspired by the Zero Waste Home. Not only have they cut their waste, but supposedly 40% of their costs as well.
First resolution of the year, start cutting back on waste. Again.
4 comments:
Oh my goodness Patti! Craig and I had a van just like that when the kids were little. We called it Jessie. With a 2 yr old and 4 old at the time we never did get a family photo of the short adventure. The van cost us $200 everytime we took it on a trip - AND I'm sure the kids weren't safely locked in. Yours looks much better.
With respect to the environment, sounds like you are more aware and doing more than most.
Great post. Thanks.
Kimberley
Oh yeah, I am lovin' your van! My kids and I spent one Thanksgiving in the 90s down at Zion Park in just such a van my parents owned. We ate in courses as dad cooked one thing at a time on the little stove; he didn't want anyone else in there messing things up! We also didn't have any meat that year since we had left the already cooked meat outside overnight (it was really cold) and awoke to find only greasy wrappers. The bunnies had a great Thanksgiving that year!
Patti, I miss you! I'm glad to see you are happy and well. I love the van - so cool.
Don't beat yourself up too much on the resolution thing. I just got a lecture from a co-worker the other day about my aluminum cans in the trash. Talk about shame!
All the best to you and the family.
Hi Patti, I am equally inspired by 0 waste, and on the blog 9 out of 10 crafts I do / promote are at least makeable from recycled materials. Yeahh!! It's a big commitment on my part. Once you are firmly on that path towards NO-waste, there is no going back. It is also incredible how at first everyone arounds you first objects and then admires you and then either supports you / joins you...
KEEP IT UP!!!
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