I've decided to watch one documentary each month and to read at least six green books in 2009. Changes follow education, so if I focus on educating myself then I know my choices will improve. Also, my husband and I might agree on more if we watch the documentaries together. Currently, I just ramble to him about something I read on an eco-blog and want to try. He's supportive but not excited about the changes.
My thanks to Green Bean for her post, "Meaningful Movies," and to everyone who posts at The Blogging Bookworm as I looked here for inspiration!
Education-focused resolutions:
- Watch King Corn.
- Watch Affluenza.
- Watch Supersize Me.
- Watch Blue Vinyl.
- Watch All in this Tea.
- Watch The 11th Hour.
- Watch Wal-Mart: The High Cost of a Low Price.
- Watch Who Killed the Electric Car?
- Watch Six Degrees Could Change the World.
- Watch Too Hot Not to Handle.
- Watch The Future of Food.
- Watch Harvest of Fear.
- Read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.
- Read Serve God, Save the Nation.
- Read Radical Simplicity.
- Read The Omnivore's Dilemma.
- Read A Year Without "Made in China".
- Read How to Grow Fresh Air.
- Read Food, Not Lawns.
- Plant blueberry bushes.
- Plant strawberries on my back deck.
- Plant an apple tree.
- Plant a summer garden: tomatoes, sweet potatoes, okra, squash, cantaloupe, peas, beans, watermelon.
- Add to my herb garden.
- Start composting.
- Install rain barrels.
- Research local green energy options.
- I will learn to can tomatoes.
- We will add insulation in the ceiling above our family room.
- I will put up a clothes line in my backyard (if allowed by local ordinances?) or in my basement.
- I will buy a battery charger and rechargeable batteries.
- I will participate in at least three green challenges issued by eco-bloggers in 2009 to stretch my green-ness to new limits.
- I will learn to knit.
- I will bring some non-toxic houseplants into my house to improve air quality.
- Join Riot for Austerity.
- I will focus on the priorities that led me to start on this green journey: the health of my family; better choices for the environment; a frugal lifestyle that encourages me to spend more time my family.
- Switch to natural bar soap (with little packaging and preferably local) at bathroom sink.
- Make it a habit to ALWAYS unplug laptop charger, cell phone charger and the Roomba when not in use. ALWAYS!
- I will check the water meter once every three months for leaks. (Check the meter before leaving the house empty for 2 hours. Check it again when I get back to make sure it hasn't changed.)
- I will make it a habit to take my own to-go containers when eating out.
- I will reduce food waste in my household.
- I will make my own bread at least once each month.
- I will be more vigilant about declining catalogs through www.CatalogChoice.org AND I will buy from merchants who support CatalogChoice and honor opt-out requests.
- ... um.... diva cup.... I can't talk about these things online....
- I will push my comfort level with the thermostat, even if it is just one degree each month.
- I will research every health and beauty product I buy on the EWG's Skin Deep database.
- I will conserve water by catching water used to wash veggies to reuse it for watering house plants or garden plants and by catching warming-up shower water to water house plants.
- I will take my own cup when I visit my husband at his new restaurant, and I'll ask him to keep some plastic containers in his office so I can use those to bring my leftovers home.
- Each month, I will support and blog about at least one company that is making eco-friendly choices.
- I will track energy consumption at my house, striving to reduce numbers compared to the same period last year.
- I will track water consumption at my house, endeavoring to reduce numbers each month.
- I will check my tire pressure quarterly to ensure proper inflation, which affect fuel efficiency.
7 comments:
What a list! Good for you! I hope you don't get discouraged if you don't do everything on it -- just 20% would be admirable.
BTW, plant the blueberries in full sun or they won't produce. Our wonderful blueberry bushes stopped giving us berries when our beautiful trees got to be too tall. Sigh.
Great list. I like a lot of your ideas, and will have to try those for 2009, too!
This is a fantastic list of resolutions. It's something I can really get behind.
Thanks for this list! I used some of the suggestions to help build my own list. Resolutions for a Sustainable 2009.
Lindsay
Great blog- I was very energized this year to shake up my life in the following areas: health, fiscal, professional and other. Consequently I started making a list and since it went on for several pages figured one a week would be doable (or at least chronicling). Little did I know that in the world of writing most every angle has been covered, disected and banged around.
No matter I'll persevere and fill the other columnn with green living stuff.
THANKS FOR pointing me in the right direction!
Wizard
Great list. I especially like the books and movies you've listed. I'm working my way through many of those at the moment.
see
goseberry bushes might be better
cause they can deal with the cold
and dnt need to much sunlight
but need wind protection
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