Using Solar and Wind Power

Sounds like it could be expensive, huh? Think again. Buying some clothesline or an umbrella clothesline (like I did) is using solar and wind power to dry your clothes. Nothing could be easier. And the smell of clothes that have been line-dried is unbeatable. Downsides - spiders and other insects. Just shake your clothing out well before folding! I'm dying to see how much electricity I save!

Reduce

So once you start recycling and reusing things, the next step for me was to start reducing. I had to start thinking about whether or not I really needed the things I was buying. I had to start looking at packaging and buying the items with the least packaging. I bought cloth bags so that I didn't need to use those plastic bags from the grocery store or any other store. I think we forget sometimes and think that they are only for groceries! And, if I'm buying something small I ask the cashier to please skip the bagging. These small things do add up and make a difference. Think about how many bags would not go into a landfill or into a recycling bin if everyone in the US just skipped the bagging once a week! Wow! Now that's a small, painless step for everyone to make a difference.

I also started to really thing about my trips into Concord and tried to make sure it was only once a week rather than nightly.

Reuse

This part, because of financial constraints, I have always been pretty good at. But since there is always room for improvement, I have been looking for ways to do more. I also think a little more before buying something. My town transfer station has a "Treasure Hut" where you can put things that you don't want anymore but that others might be able to use. You can also take things that you need. I have brought many things there: books, kids toys, clothing. But I have also picked up a lot of things that I needed: a high chair, crib, books, and toys and even a chair and bureau. It's a good feeling knowing that I'm doing my part to help others as well as the environment.

When you start to reuse you start to look at things differently. Should I put this cardboard box in the recycling bin or let my grandson play with it for a while, then I could use it for storing my Christmas ornaments. These are questions you can ask yourself about just about anything.

Recycling

The first thing I decided to do was recycle. I figured how hard could that be. Instead of throwing something in one trash can, I would throw it into a different bin. So, I began with cans - my transfer station lets you put tin as well as aluminum in the same recycling bin. I then moved on to recycling glass, paper, cardboard and plastic.

Easy - and my total trash going into the incinerator went from 8 bags a week to 1!!