Keeping the Pet Of The Day world a green place?

[RICHARD]

What are you doing to keep the planet green?

I am not a tree hugger or activist. I am concerned about where the planet is heading and what we are going to leave for the people that follow us.

I know that simple things done by many are more productive than many complicated things done by one person are.

I have gone ahead and really stepped up my 'greening' and have seen some positive things come out of my efforts.

------
I get two regular waste cans, one recycle can and one green/veggie trash can to put out for the weekly garbage pickup.

I have a compost heap that has reduced my 'Green Waste" output to less than one can a month. It's so good I already have plants growing out of the pile!

I have my steel "compost bowl" in the kitchen that I fill with the stuff that I have left over from cooking-no meat products! - and it's making me walk to the back yard and has opened my eyes to some of the projects I can start. I look at the place where I can grow some veggies and trees that need to be pruned so I can build the comnpost pile up!

My waste can output has gone from 2 - 60 gallon cans to 1 per week and my
Blue recycle can has threatened to pull my groin muscles!

All aluminum and plastics are taken to the recycle center and traded in for cash!

I flatten all my cardboard and try to rinse out all the food cans.

--------------

I have changed to some flourescent lights-the output sucks on them and I still need a regular bulb to read by!

It's not a whole bunch that I have done but I was wondering what are some of the things that you have done to try and go green?

Hybrid cars don't count-that's not working to clean things up. Driving is not work!

[Sevaede]

We have the energy saver bulbs throughout the house (and in the outside lights). We, also, have a compost pile.

There is an organization here called "The Mission". It is run by a church, I believe, and they have built big red boxes all around town. Put in your paper and cardboard and they come pick it up for free!

I try not to throw anything away, at all. I usually always find a way to reuse things. Old, lumpy pillows? Sew up a pillow case, stuff the pillow inside, and sew it shut for a pet bed. Etc.

[shepgirl]

We have cut our garbage in half, use the recycling boxes and never use pesticides, for myself and my dogs as well as the environment. I clean out the closets 2X/yr or more and donate everything to charitable organizations instead of just garbaging it. We use washable dustcloths and cloth napkins instead of paper ones to limit the amount of garbage. All cleaners are environmently friendly. We compost everything instead of garbaging it, except meat products, and dairy. All bath and shampoos are natural and biodegradable. So much more that I can't think of off hand but our lifestyle has taken a real turnaround. The only thing we haven't switched to are the energy saving bulbs and that was because they exacerbated a health condition I have.

[Freedom]

We have the energy saved bulbs all over the house.
Use the recycle bins - blue one is for plastic, glass, metal; green one is for paper, cardboard etc.

We have a compost pile, that serves the veggie garden. Even the clippings from mowing the lawn go in that pile. (We mulch in the heat of summer, bag the clippings Spring and Fall and empty the mower bag to the compost.)

Avoid chemical fertilizers on the lawn and veggie garden. Marigolds go around the tomato plants as those keep the aphids away, and other things like that.

I never used paper towels or paper napkins until Dad moved in with me, almost 8 years ago. Now, between him and 14 pets, it seems inevitable.

[Karen]

We recycle paper, as well as cardboard, glass and plastic. Our city is very big on that, and if you you have cardboard boxes - say, for example, 50-year-old ones from your basement that might disintegrate if flattened, you can bring them to the recycle depot and there's a dumpster with a compacter attached.

I also direct Freecyclers there who wants books - there's a bring-a-book/take-a-book shed, and no one polices you, so you can either just leave a few books and abscond with taking any away, or vice versa!

We don't mow the lawn too short, so it conserves water better, and builds better roots.

[kitten645]

I do most of these things however living in an apartment is an additional challenge as there is no composting/gardening options. I'm also in a confined space to have more than one garbage can so I make lots of smaller trips to the recycling bin down by the dumpster.
I'm continually appalled at what is left at the dumpster. Perfectly good furniture, books, bikes etc. I try not to be a packrat so I virtually never take home anything I won't use. I LOVE Freecycle! There's NOTHING that SOMEBODY can't use! I went thru all my cleansers and switched to natural ones (white vinegar, lemon juice for spiders etc) I freecycled the things I won't be using anymore. I know it technically means someone else will do the polluting but I figure they'd buy the stuff anyway and my changing my ways helps. I've freecycled a bunch of broken appliances that "fix it' type's could use. It's great! Try it out!