Good things
After yesterday's post and a talk with the sassiest boy i know, I realized I had not yet posted on here what I am doing to help the environment, political activism, and other good things. This isn't to brag. This is helping ME organize ME. And if it inspires any of you to do something similar, or give me ideas of other things I can do, than please, PLEASE tell me.
1. Cutting down on paper products
-call/email companies to stop getting junk mail delivered to my house
-pay bills online if possible, and see if I can stop getting paper bills sent to me for these.
-attempting to buy products that have less waste (plastic around a cardboard box with another box or plastic on the inside seems a bit TOO much.) The biggest thing I cut down on was lean cuisines and other frozen foods. The packaging was really poorly designed. I've started buying Trader Joe's frozen meals, and they have about half as much packaging, and its usually recycled materials, albeit slightly more expensive food. sigh.
-buying used books/cds/dvds as opposed to new. Why do I need the original packaging on a movie i'm going to watch over and over again, or an album that I'm just going to put on my computer to listen to?
-Recycling! I've always been a recycler, but I've now got my roommate in on it, and we've cut down on a lot of trash in the house. Plus, we make a little money taking stuff to the recycling center! Also recycling in my office, but harder to convince other people who are more pessimistic about recycling, and tell me that it all ends up in the dump anyway. I have to do some research on this one, but i'm not sure how to begin. Any ideas?
2. Supporting Organic, Fair Trade, Hormone Free foods .. when possible.
-Trader Joe's has some great stuff, but again, its usually at least a little more expensive than my wallet can handle. I've started with the basics for now: eggs, milk, and frozen foods when I can.
-cutting the starbucks habit. There are plenty more coffee houses I can go to that are better for the environment, the community, and towards the coffee growers themselves. I'm still looking for a new coffee house between my house and my office, but so far not so good. Again, hard to do on a budget.
-Attempting to get to a farmers market to buy fresh local foods. Hard to do when working all day, but hopefully i'll make it there soon.
3. Walking in LA (or just driving less)
-Its impossible to not have a car here, and I'm sure you already know I hate that about LA. I've attempted the bus, but I don't really like leaving the office after dark and waiting for the bus, and then walking home alone in the dark with my laptop. I must say i'm a bit more nervous about this after two co-workers were held up less than a mile from my office. Two guys together, held up at gunpoint by two other guys doesn't make a single female feel comfortable about walking alone.
-I really really really really want to get a Vespa. They get about 60 miles to the gallon, and would be awesome for just around town, to and from the office stuff. Hopefully I'm going to take the motorcycle class in January or February. You're welcome to join me. But please don't be my mom, I've had enough people tell me that riding a scooter or motorcycle in LA is a death wish. I'm still trying to decide on this one. But spending less than $5 on gas a week, and not having any parking problems is looking really good right now.
4. Political Activism
-I did the MoveOn calling party thing before the election and it went really well ... plus the Democrats won in both of the states that we were calling, so that made me feel like it was a success, despite the low turnout.
-looking for other ideas for Political activism ... I think most activists are worn out after the past few months, so I think this may be shelved for a while until there's other things to do.
-For what its worth, I'm also reading Barak Obama's book, "The Audacity of Hope" and its really good. If you're in LA, you're welcome to borrow it if you want when I'm done. The next book I want to read is The Omnivore's Dilemma.
Please let me know if you have any other ideas of stuff I can do, or things you want to do. I'll let you know how things are going with this afer a couple of months.
Boston kids: see you in less than 2 weeks!
Ithaca etc kids: I want to see you for New Years, you should come party with me whereever I am on the east coast :)
xo
Butto
1. Cutting down on paper products
-call/email companies to stop getting junk mail delivered to my house
-pay bills online if possible, and see if I can stop getting paper bills sent to me for these.
-attempting to buy products that have less waste (plastic around a cardboard box with another box or plastic on the inside seems a bit TOO much.) The biggest thing I cut down on was lean cuisines and other frozen foods. The packaging was really poorly designed. I've started buying Trader Joe's frozen meals, and they have about half as much packaging, and its usually recycled materials, albeit slightly more expensive food. sigh.
-buying used books/cds/dvds as opposed to new. Why do I need the original packaging on a movie i'm going to watch over and over again, or an album that I'm just going to put on my computer to listen to?
-Recycling! I've always been a recycler, but I've now got my roommate in on it, and we've cut down on a lot of trash in the house. Plus, we make a little money taking stuff to the recycling center! Also recycling in my office, but harder to convince other people who are more pessimistic about recycling, and tell me that it all ends up in the dump anyway. I have to do some research on this one, but i'm not sure how to begin. Any ideas?
2. Supporting Organic, Fair Trade, Hormone Free foods .. when possible.
-Trader Joe's has some great stuff, but again, its usually at least a little more expensive than my wallet can handle. I've started with the basics for now: eggs, milk, and frozen foods when I can.
-cutting the starbucks habit. There are plenty more coffee houses I can go to that are better for the environment, the community, and towards the coffee growers themselves. I'm still looking for a new coffee house between my house and my office, but so far not so good. Again, hard to do on a budget.
-Attempting to get to a farmers market to buy fresh local foods. Hard to do when working all day, but hopefully i'll make it there soon.
3. Walking in LA (or just driving less)
-Its impossible to not have a car here, and I'm sure you already know I hate that about LA. I've attempted the bus, but I don't really like leaving the office after dark and waiting for the bus, and then walking home alone in the dark with my laptop. I must say i'm a bit more nervous about this after two co-workers were held up less than a mile from my office. Two guys together, held up at gunpoint by two other guys doesn't make a single female feel comfortable about walking alone.
-I really really really really want to get a Vespa. They get about 60 miles to the gallon, and would be awesome for just around town, to and from the office stuff. Hopefully I'm going to take the motorcycle class in January or February. You're welcome to join me. But please don't be my mom, I've had enough people tell me that riding a scooter or motorcycle in LA is a death wish. I'm still trying to decide on this one. But spending less than $5 on gas a week, and not having any parking problems is looking really good right now.
4. Political Activism
-I did the MoveOn calling party thing before the election and it went really well ... plus the Democrats won in both of the states that we were calling, so that made me feel like it was a success, despite the low turnout.
-looking for other ideas for Political activism ... I think most activists are worn out after the past few months, so I think this may be shelved for a while until there's other things to do.
-For what its worth, I'm also reading Barak Obama's book, "The Audacity of Hope" and its really good. If you're in LA, you're welcome to borrow it if you want when I'm done. The next book I want to read is The Omnivore's Dilemma.
Please let me know if you have any other ideas of stuff I can do, or things you want to do. I'll let you know how things are going with this afer a couple of months.
Boston kids: see you in less than 2 weeks!
Ithaca etc kids: I want to see you for New Years, you should come party with me whereever I am on the east coast :)
xo
Butto