Sustainability

Remember when sustainability meant no paper bags? They kill trees! Use plastic, they said.

Have we come a long way since then!

I try to think about sustainability when I can in my house. We recycle. I'm actually a little bit psycho when it comes to recycling, and I love that my kids know what is supposed to go in the recycle bin versus the garbage. I don't feel as bad getting rid of 99% of the work that Lori brings home because I'm recycling it.

I love reusable bags. I also love that they "pay" you to use them. Hey, 5 cents is 5 cents, and it adds up after many Stop and Shop and Target trips.  I still put my meat in plastic bags, though. We reuse them in our garbage bags--I know, that isn't great, but I haven't figured out another solution.

We compost in the spring/summer/fall. Our compost bin is in the back of our yard, so we don't do it during the winter months. My kids are great about sorting their food. I worked at an arts/earth studies camp at Cuyahoga National park one summer, and the kids had to work every day to have only compostable waste at the end of their meals. It was a fun goal to work toward, and really made me think about the amount of waste we generate. It is cool to see how much less garbage we have by recycling and composting. Our recycling bin is almost always fuller than our garbage can.

I am a little nutty when it comes to packing lunches as well. I don't remember the last time I bought plastic snack bags. We use washable snack bags and plastic sandwich and snack containers. I also got a set of cheapo silverware to pack. If it gets mistakenly thrown out, it is no big deal.

I went to electronic Christmas cards except for relatives who don't have internet access a few years ago. Not only is it sustainable, it is cost-saving and time-saving. I don't send out birthday invites/thank you notes in the mail for the same reason--I'm sure I've saved at least $150 on postage this year alone between Christmas and birthdays.

These are little things our family is trying to do--I really believe that it makes a difference, even if it is a small one. Maybe one of these ideas will inspire you!