What small things did you do today to reduce your environmental impact?

[HappierAtHome]

Had a hot date with some local mum friends this morning, so I walked to the cafe and brought my keepcup for my coffee (we like to shift to the park with our coffees so the bubs can play in the grass, but I don't want to use a disposable cup!).

[HappierAtHome]

Using up veges that were going to go bad in savoury muffins and pasta sauce.

Paid a little extra for carbon offset for freight.

[frooglepoodle]

Had a nearly vegetarian dinner last night, though I used (homemade) chicken broth in place of vegetable since that’s what I had. I’m trying to build up a repertoire of vegetarian recipes my husband actually enjoys!

We’ve continued composting in our bokashi bucket. It’s a little bit more work than a simple compost pile, but makes a lot of sense as renters and helps food scraps break down faster in the winter.

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

Hey, can I join in?

I wrapped my apple in a cloth napkin so it wouldn't get bruised. Now I can use the cloth napkin instead of a paper towel at work!

[PermaculturePumpkin]

Ooh, I love this thread!

Today I walked about 20 minutes to get some small groceries I needed. Mostly for fitness reasons but also environmental (two birds with one stone). And rather than buy my mixed greens all ready to go in the big plastic container which then has to be recycled, I bought a few different heads of lettuce, then cleaned them in the salad spinner and mixed them at home myself. I need to find a local farmers' market as my next step, but I just moved to a new city and am still feeling my way around so just doing the best I can at the moment.

But my "sin" for the day is I did buy a coffee today in a to-go cup because I forgot my reusable one at home.

[southern granny]

We had a no meat day.  Cereal and almond milk for breakfast, veggie salad for lunch, and chickpea curry and brocolli with garlic sauce for dinner. 

[Astatine]

I did meal planning for this week (haven't done this for months and months) which hopefully will minimise any food waste.

[frooglepoodle]

I saved the oil from a jar of stuffed peppers and the vinegar from a jar of marinated artichokes and mixed them (with a bit of extra seasoning) to make a salad dressing. It was delicious and so much better than pouring the liquid down the drain.

I chopped up some baby potatoes that were starting to sprout and some wrinkly sweet potatoes and roasted them for dinner last night.

Bought discounted bananas and potatoes from the scratch-and-dent bin.

Our main entertainment for this weekend was walking, since the weather was quite a bit warmer than it has been for most of the past month.

[Teachstache]

Saturday we drove the electric car to the playground for an unseasonably warm Saturday afternoon playdate with our almost 3 year old son. Came home & made homemade macaroni and cheese in the instant pot. Washed 2 full loads of laundry & hung dried them (bonus: extra humidity for our dry air in the house). Put kid in homemade reusable training pants this weekend (plastic pants with prefold inserts to catch the wetness).

[Linea_Norway]

Walked to work again (7,5 km) and will walk back in the afternoon.

[aetherie]

I have a question.   How do I avoid plastic bags at the fruit and vegetable store?  I save and wash them and I guess I could take them back with me and re-use them.  I typically use them about 3 or 4 times until they fall apart or I store meat in them.  But I would like to try to cut most of them out.  So what do you use to carry and store your vegetables?

I have a set of reusable produce bags, similar to these: https://smile.amazon.com/Natural-Home-Reuseable-Produce-Bags/dp/B004XIBKB8/

[PermaculturePumpkin]

I have a question.   How do I avoid plastic bags at the fruit and vegetable store?  I save and wash them and I guess I could take them back with me and re-use them.  I typically use them about 3 or 4 times until they fall apart or I store meat in them.  But I would like to try to cut most of them out.  So what do you use to carry and store your vegetables?

I bought reusable green net bags with drawstrings (got them at Whole Foods. $$$ but a good investment) and we bring them with our reusable grocery bags. They work great when I remember them. When I don't, we just put the fruit or veggies directly in the basket and don't use anything. I don't find that the cashiers really mind. These aren't the bags we have, but are similar: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Simple-Ecology-Organic-Cotton-Mesh-Reusable-Produce-Bags-/111157877031

[PermaculturePumpkin]

Last week I introduced in-house composting at our tiny little office (there are only about 5 or 6 of us there on a day-to-day basis; others come and go). Our cleaners are not very good so one staffer already takes home all the recycling, but I noticed we were throwing out a lot of coffee grounds, tea bags, fruit peels and paper towel. I befriended another lady who is a composting nut, and next thing you know, we had started it. The plan is that I will bring the compost home on Friday and put it in my backyard bin (a win for my garden as well!). The only thing is I am currently bringing in my own composting bags and I need to get the regional manager on board so that he lets me expense the bags as they are a tiny bit costly. He has been away a lot, so that is my task for the upcoming week. :-)

[Tyson]

I've been better learning how to separate and pack meat for storage in our extra freezer.  This cuts down a lot on waste due to meat going bad, and it cuts down on # of trips to the grocery store.  Now that I feel like our meat buying/consumption is getting closer to optimized, I'm going to start working on doing the same thing with veggies and starches.  We're "OK" at it right now, but I think we could be even better. 

[Hirondelle]

Just talked to my flatmates and realized how little I use my heating. I never heat my room in the morning and only use it for a short time span after work. And even then, I put it on 1-2 out of 5 levels, while my flatmate apparently regularly uses 5 and and leaves in on if he's away for sports or so (I'm really wondering how he isn't just cooking himself in that room).

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

I have a question.   How do I avoid plastic bags at the fruit and vegetable store?  I save and wash them and I guess I could take them back with me and re-use them.  I typically use them about 3 or 4 times until they fall apart or I store meat in them.  But I would like to try to cut most of them out.  So what do you use to carry and store your vegetables?

I bought reusable green net bags with drawstrings (got them at Whole Foods. $$$ but a good investment) and we bring them with our reusable grocery bags. They work great when I remember them. When I don't, we just put the fruit or veggies directly in the basket and don't use anything. I don't find that the cashiers really mind. These aren't the bags we have, but are similar: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Simple-Ecology-Organic-Cotton-Mesh-Reusable-Produce-Bags-/111157877031

I just reuse the plastic bags but last time I forgot, and I just put my veggies right in my reusable grocery bag gently. The Boy said I made him think of, like, grocery shopping in Old Europe or something :-).

Today I thought of a more efficient route for running my errands/grocery shopping.

[HappierAtHome]

If you're reducing your use of disposable plastic, you may find this thread inspiring: Plastic Free February :-)

[Fresh Bread]

If you're reducing your use of disposable plastic, you may find this thread inspiring: Plastic Free February :-)

Oh yeah, good idea HaH, I did mean to put that here. My mind is a sieve.

[HappierAtHome]

If you're reducing your use of disposable plastic, you may find this thread inspiring: Plastic Free February :-)

Oh yeah, good idea HaH, I did mean to put that here. My mind is a sieve.

Clearly a BIFL metal sieve, not a crappy plastic one :-P

[frooglepoodle]

I made a key lime pie this afternoon, and used the zested and juiced limes to make a lime syrup following these instructions before composting the limes.

[Astatine]

I used up a bunch of food that was about to go off in a fried rice meal for lunch.

I would have liked to have said I mended a work cardigan but it's beyond my skills to fix. Cardigan is now in my bag of clothes waiting for the next clothes swap.

I would have also have liked to have said I finally took up the sleeves of a work jacket that I got in a clothes swap last year but again it was  beyond my sewing skills. I hemmed one sleeve (by folding it back and using a basic hemming hand stitch) but it looked like shit so I unpicked my stitches. Work jackets should look neat, not bodgy. But, I marked the length with a safety pin and if I feel up to it tomorrow, we'll go to a mall where there is a tailor and pay to have the sleeves taken up properly. Then I will actually have a jacket (not just cardigans) to wear to work. It's unusual for me to find a jacket that fits my upper arms but isn't too big elsewhere. Plus, it's secondhand not new. So, a tiny partial win.

[Imma]

- I took in the waist of a skirt so it fits me again. I lost a bit of weight around the stomach so it was sagging, and this is a high waist skirt.
- Dried laundry on a drying rack
- Didn't turn on the heating at all last night (it was 16,5 C indoors, no problem if you're wearing proper clothes)
- Cut up some old pairs of jeans that people gifted to me. I'm working on a quilt made of recycled denim.
- Reduced someone else environmental impact: my brother moved and needs a few more hand towels for the bathroom. I have promised to give him 4 of mine. I have 8 of them because they came in a pack of 8. I only use 2 of them because they are only used by guests. We let our towels dry on a rack in the bathroom after showering and we dry our hands with them too. I think I have owned those hand towels for almost 10 years, I'm happy to give them away to somone who's actually going to use them.

[Tyson]

With Xcel Energy (our local electricity provider), there's the option to switch to renewable based energy.  Its slightly more expensive, but worth it IMO.  I switched us over to 100% renewables for the energy we use.  Feels good.

[jengod]

Spread five gallons of beautiful homemade chocolate-cake-crumb worm compost on our raspberry beds.

[Anatidae V]

I worked out how to get cloth nappies onto my son while he's standing up so we can keep using the ones we have and don't need to buy pull-ups yet (he's all of 9 months). Bonus, they're easier to get on him than disposable nappies now.

Also had a go at meal planning and grocery shopping only from a list. I'm hoping to make all his baby food this week, except his special snack biscuits for biting/chewing practice.

[bacchi]

Anyone have experience with stuff wilting in the refrigerator?  I bought a more expensive bunch of carrots and just threw them in the crisper.  I forgot about them for a while and found them all wilted.  The huge bag left open lasts for months??

Celery can go in water in a container. Carrots can go in a closed container with a little water. If I have both, I'll lay the celery in water and put the carrots on top, out of the water.

[Hirondelle]

Had to buy new shoes so went to a second hand charity store, where I found a perfect pair at the children's department of the store :D

[jengod]

Refuse
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
Repair: Had a high-quality purse restored after 15 years of use (I bought it used). Got it back today with new straps and braces. Hope it will last another 15 years.
Rot

[Fresh Bread]

I realised today that I haven't taken a flight in 2 years. That probably blows everything else I've done out of the water.

Meat free meal tonight. Did some rescheduling of clients to save about 50km of travel by combining trips. Rescued someone else's stuff that they were sending to landfill and rehomed it.

[Linea_Norway]

I realised today that I haven't taken a flight in 2 years. That probably blows everything else I've done out of the water.

Well done. I find it difficult to avoid flying, if you really want to visit the other place. Driving to the same location is often more time consuming. What is easier, that is planning your holidays closer to home instead of in abroadistan.

[Fresh Bread]

I realised today that I haven't taken a flight in 2 years. That probably blows everything else I've done out of the water.

Well done. I find it difficult to avoid flying, if you really want to visit the other place. Driving to the same location is often more time consuming. What is easier, that is planning your holidays closer to home instead of in abroadistan.

Unfortunately everywhere abroadistan is over the water from here... But there are loads of nice places to holiday within 5 hrs drive and where I live is pretty idyllic if you like beaches.

[frooglepoodle]

I find it difficult to avoid flying, since we live on the opposite coast from our families. That offsets most, if not all of the good we are able to do elsewhere in our lives. :-/

Last night I made a vegan lentil and walnut chili for dinner. The cornbread I served with it was not vegan, but it used up ingredients that would otherwise have gone to waste (bacon drippings and whey strained from yogurt in place of buttermilk - both from local sustainable farms).

[Hirondelle]

I really wish there would be a more sustainable way to fly (e.g. huge improvements in "mileage" for planes). I love to travel and have many friends abroad so even though I could avoid it, I really don't want to.

[Linea_Norway]

I really wish there would be a more sustainable way to fly (e.g. huge improvements in "mileage" for planes). I love to travel and have many friends abroad so even though I could avoid it, I really don't want to.

After FIRE you could perhaps stay longer in the same region and with that fly less frequent.

They are experimenting with electric planes, but for the moment only for short stretches.

[Hirondelle]

I really wish there would be a more sustainable way to fly (e.g. huge improvements in "mileage" for planes). I love to travel and have many friends abroad so even though I could avoid it, I really don't want to.

After FIRE you could perhaps stay longer in the same region and with that fly less frequent.

They are experimenting with electric planes, but for the moment only for short stretches.

I did slow travel for a couple months last year and that was indeed perfect. Won't wait till I'm fully FIRE. If I have no obligations after finishing my PhD I'll be on the road again ;)

Electric planes would be great for short/domestic flights! Hope that technology will mature soon.

[Poundwise]

Carpool: Reached out to an additional family and reorganized so that the carpool is more efficient in terms of fewer trips made. Saves everyone time, too!

[Linea_Norway]

Walked to work today and will walk back again in the afternoon. 7,5 km each way.

[Astatine]

Walked to work today and will walk back again in the afternoon. 7,5 km each way.

Wow!!


I don't think I have anything to report today. We've got all the doors and windows open to cool our house down, but that's something we always do.

[Imma]

I really wish there would be a more sustainable way to fly (e.g. huge improvements in "mileage" for planes). I love to travel and have many friends abroad so even though I could avoid it, I really don't want to.

After FIRE you could perhaps stay longer in the same region and with that fly less frequent.

They are experimenting with electric planes, but for the moment only for short stretches.

I love travelling by train, but of course that more or less requires you stay in the same continent. I have taken the train to and in many countries in Europe. It takes more time, but the scenery is often very beautiful and you meet loads of locals.

[Poundwise]

Tried cooking a new vegetarian dish yesterday... was trying to replicate a Vietnamese noodle stirfry that my new sister-in-law made for us last year.  I didn't get it quite right, but to my surprise the kids yummed it up and even complimented me!

[Linea_Norway]

I can always write this in both this thread and in the "what small things did you save money on today", because saving environment goes often hand in hand with saving money.

Walked to work today and will walk back again in the afternoon.

[mustachepungoeshere]

In addition to the usual text, this week I also got a letter from the library saying that my reservation was in.

Noooooooooo.

A text is fine. Don't kill a tree, too!

I opted out this morning.

[HappierAtHome]

Bought locally caught fish with minimal packaging.
Making zero waste baby food (baby approved!).
Set the air con a few degrees higher. It's still plenty cold!
Sorted through hand-me-downs to work out what we can use and what we should pass on.
Had to buy petrol today (that's has to the Americans) - first time since November!!
Making (hopefully delicious) vegan chickpea "meatballs" for dinner.

Plus normal things - cloth nappies, line drying washing, etc.

[Linea_Norway]

I went to town to pick up one of our cars after it's EU control. DH offered to drive me to the train station in the morning. I thought it was a stupid idea that he had to get up early in the morning and let the car drive 2 km downhill and then 2 km back uphill meeting all the downhill-sliding other cars. So I walked down. And then I took the train to town.

[jengod]

Replaced the ink cartridges in my reusable fountain pens rather than buying new plastic pens.

Line drying laundry

[Mele]

Used my diva cup instead of buying tampons. 

Hung laundry.

Made pinto beans in the instapot. 

Gathered eggs from our backyard, put chicken poop from coop into an unused corner of the garden to "cool" and eventually go into garden soil.  Not the garbage can like I used to do.

[Fresh Bread]

Used my diva cup instead of buying tampons. 

Hung laundry.

Made pinto beans in the instapot. 

Gathered eggs from our backyard, put chicken poop from coop into an unused corner of the garden to "cool" and eventually go into garden soil.  Not the garbage can like I used to do.

Ok this might sound weird, but in my area chicken owners give away or swap their chicken poo for garden produce. It's good stuff. Likewise worm castings. Might be an option if you have more than you can deal with?

[Astatine]

As always, laundry gets hung on the line to dry, or if it is more delicate clothing (eg bras), it gets hung up inside on clothes racks in the living room so the UV and heat doesn't destroy the fabric.

Dinner last night (and leftovers tonight) was vegan. Chickpea salad (tinned chickpeas) with red onion, lemon juice and olive oil, plus cherry tomatoes and parsley from my garden plus a big handful of mint from my friend's garden (getting mint from her garden also pruned the mint so she was happy, I was happy).

I caught the bus home from work, even though it was horribly hot in the sun walking home from the bus stop.

Used my diva cup instead of buying tampons. 

Hung laundry.

Made pinto beans in the instapot. 

Gathered eggs from our backyard, put chicken poop from coop into an unused corner of the garden to "cool" and eventually go into garden soil.  Not the garbage can like I used to do.

Ok this might sound weird, but in my area chicken owners give away or swap their chicken poo for garden produce. It's good stuff. Likewise worm castings. Might be an option if you have more than you can deal with?

Oh yeah, I'd be happy to chuck some chicken poo in my compost! When I first got my compost bin, a colleague gave me a bucket of straw bedding/chicken poo from her chooks to get my compost bin started. I was pretty happy with that :)

[Fresh Bread]

..Chickpea salad (tinned chickpeas) with red onion, lemon juice and olive oil, plus cherry tomatoes and parsley from my garden plus a big handful of mint...

Yum, this sounds like a salad my dad used to make. He added boiled egg tho.

[Linea_Norway]

Used my diva cup instead of buying tampons. 

Hung laundry.

Made pinto beans in the instapot. 

Gathered eggs from our backyard, put chicken poop from coop into an unused corner of the garden to "cool" and eventually go into garden soil.  Not the garbage can like I used to do.

Ok this might sound weird, but in my area chicken owners give away or swap their chicken poo for garden produce. It's good stuff. Likewise worm castings. Might be an option if you have more than you can deal with?

Oh yeah, I'd be happy to chuck some chicken poo in my compost! When I first got my compost bin, a colleague gave me a bucket of straw bedding/chicken poo from her chooks to get my compost bin started. I was pretty happy with that :)

DH bought chicken poo fertilizer and put it in our flower garden. After that there grew an awful lot of weeds in that garden. You might want to be careful with that product. Maybe boil it first before use.