It's been about 6 months since I wrote a post. I haven't forgotten about saving the world, but I've been too busy to write about it. Here is an update on our efforts to live better lives:
1. We have invested in to-goware. We both now have a bamboo utensil set and a 3-tiered tiffin. I keep my utensil set in my purse all the time so I never have to use plastic utensils. I also got a Sigg bottle and a really great stainless steel coffee mug so I am plastic free during the week, at least relating to the food I eat and fluids I drink.
2. I have rearranged the electronics in my room so that many of the things I don't use all the time are plugged into a surge protector. Now I can just switch off the surge protector and avoid the electricity drain. The only problem is that I always forget to turn it off.
3. I started using agave and stevia to sweeten everything that needs to be sweetened. When I get my morning coffee, I wait until I get to work to add agave from a bottle I keep on my desk. If only it weren't plastic.
4. Experimented with military showers. I turn the water on enough to wet my hair, then turn it off while I put the shampoo in and suds up. Turn it back on long enough to rinse then turn off again to put conditioner in my hair and wash the rest of my body. Turn the water back on and wash my face, then rinse off. I'm not crazy about the feeling of soap starting to dry on my skin, but I'm willing to make sacrifices. I wasn't too eager to stand in the cold bathroom with the hot water off so I will be making more showers of this type now that it's warming up.
5. Ordered samples of eyeshadow and lipstick from
honeybee gardens. It was a lot of plastic, but I at least know what looks good on me and I just placed an order for some talc free eyeshadow and petroleum free lipstick, as well as new mascara. The mascara isn't as thick as I am used to, but putting 2 coats on suffices and actually looks more natural than one coat of drugstore brand.
6. Cut back drastically on the shows I watch. Still addicted to Law and Order and Heroes, but I got fed up when Dan and Serena broke up AGAIN on Gossip Girl and deleted it from my TiVo. Also, a bunch of shows I liked got canceled. Much more free time now that I don't have to watch ER and Life on Mars every week. Books and music have taken the place of these in my life and my wallet and brain thank me.
Pandora is the greatest website ever. All the music I want for free.
7. My face wash and moisturizer were running out so I switched to
Burt's Bees Ageless line: Naturally Ageless Line Diminishing Day Lotion, Naturally Ageless Skin Firming Night Creme, Naturally Ageless Line Smoothing Eye Creme and
Naturally Ageless Intensive Repairing Serum. I've also switched to
Yes to Tomatoes Face Wash which I think is only available at Walgreens. I hate shopping at corporate pharmacies, but I love this face wash and is the perfect balance of cleansing without drying my skin out. I was using
Yes to Carrots Exfoliating Cleanser but I didn't like the way my skin looked, sort of dull. My routine involves more products but my skin looks great and a waitress thought I was 21 last night so I'll deal.
8. We joined a local organic CSA called
Earthen Harvest. They will deliver our share starting May 10th. At first I was unsure about a share being delivered but then I realized it makes more eco-sense for them to deliver, since they will map out a route which will inevitably use less gas than every member driving to the farm weekly to pick up their share. The couple that runs it is young and super nice, and the husband has his marine biology degree, too, and he does as much with it as I do. I can't wait to get our first delivery. We are trying to save money because our dog needs surgery, so I'm excited to start using fresh vegetables in our meal plan. I want to learn how to can things as well, so if anyone has a good reference they can point me towards I'd appreciate it.
I'm making an effort to write more to keep my brain stimulated so stay tuned for more posts in the coming days.
