"Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish caught will we realize we cannot eat money."--Cree proverb
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90% of our grocery shopping is done at farmer's markets. For all grocery and errand running, I bring my own bag. My do-everything cleaning spray is water with white vinegar and a few drops each of tea tree and lemon oil, when I need to scrub something I'll sprinkle baking soda on it. When I've had to use water for something, like when I clean my fishtank, I use the waste water to water my plants - they *love* it, they also love the water you use to rinse off dirty dishes.
I'm also passionate about worker's rights. All my coffee is generally organic, but *always* fair trade, same for my teas. I buy locally as much as I can, but also make sure to research the labels, so as to not support sweatshop-labor practices.
Oh, wait - there's more. Long life light bulbs, particularly natural spectrum - good for the environment, and you! (I have SAD, and can't live without them in NY winters). Using non-petroleum based laundry detergent and body products (most of which I make myself, simpler, greener, and *hella* cheaper):)
I doubt I can offer you anything you don't already know. Just wanted to say that 6 yo you sounds a lot like my 6 yo, who constantly worries about poverty and people being unfairly treated - she makes lists all the time of her complicated plans to save the world.
Aww, good for her! That fills me with joy knowing there is always a future generation willing and able to change the world. Don't let her get jaded as she grows up! Remind her every chance you get that she has the power to change things!
I have no advice. I'm going to see what others say and take their advice myself.
I'm with you, in a way. We lived in the suburbs, but my parents both came from farms. We didn't compost or anything, but - lyzosy wrote about this - we never had paper towels or cotton balls or disposable things like that in the house. When L. and I moved out we reveled in disposable things. I felt terribly decadent the first time I bought Q-tips, and it still seems a little bit sinful to me. I find myself reverting to plain old sponges and washcloths now, but I have to admit it's more out of frugality than environmental conscience.
I just saw an add for cleansing wipes that shows a woman mopping her counters with a raw chicken. The add compares the raw meat to a used sponge, and goes on about how sponges carry germs. This really bugs me - keep buying our disposable product or your children will get sick. You can wash out a sponge, you know
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My gal & I just joined a farmshare - we'll be getting locally grown organic produce once a week. Doesn't actually start until the end of the month, so I can't give a report on it quite yet...
Farmer's Markets, reusing what you can, and long-lasting bulbs seem like the easiest things for me to do. I try not to club any baby seals that I happen to come across, too. Well, unless they really deserve it.
For me, recycling has stopped becoming a cause and started being just a thing I do. It's not part of an ideological system or political leanings, but just something I do. I'll never get into composting...grosses me out...but I do the things I can do, and if we all did just those things, life would be a lot better. So, Adam and I toss our aluminum cans and plastic and papers into a recycle container and trudge out to the Dekalb Farmer's Market once a month or so to toss all the stuff in. It's so gratifying to hear the glass cracking against each other. And to see how many fewer bags we toss out than our neighbors on trash day
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I'm also passionate about worker's rights. All my coffee is generally organic, but *always* fair trade, same for my teas. I buy locally as much as I can, but also make sure to research the labels, so as to not support sweatshop-labor practices.
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*grins*
The power of little girls and their dreams...
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I'm with you, in a way. We lived in the suburbs, but my parents both came from farms. We didn't compost or anything, but - lyzosy wrote about this - we never had paper towels or cotton balls or disposable things like that in the house. When L. and I moved out we reveled in disposable things. I felt terribly decadent the first time I bought Q-tips, and it still seems a little bit sinful to me. I find myself reverting to plain old sponges and washcloths now, but I have to admit it's more out of frugality than environmental conscience.
I just saw an add for cleansing wipes that shows a woman mopping her counters with a raw chicken. The add compares the raw meat to a used sponge, and goes on about how sponges carry germs. This really bugs me - keep buying our disposable product or your children will get sick. You can wash out a sponge, you know ( ... )
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And why just settle for regular germs when you can used anti-bacterial agents and breed resistant strains...?
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Farmer's Markets, reusing what you can, and long-lasting bulbs seem like the easiest things for me to do. I try not to club any baby seals that I happen to come across, too. Well, unless they really deserve it.
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I think there's a lot more of these over in your direction - take a look: http://www.localharvest.org/
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