Fifty-two green. August 22, 2008

“It’s not easy being green…” Sorry Kermit, but I’m out to prove you wrong. I’m making an effort to change my habits to be more planet-friendly. It’s been a process, one that began several years ago and seems to have grown exponentially in the past few months. Inspired by a blog I saw called “365 Green,” in which the author records one green change she makes each day, I’m trying “Fifty-two Green.” I hereby resolve to make one green change each week – either for my body or for the planet. I’ll start with a list of green things I already do. You won’t find these in future weeks’ reports – no fair unless it’s an actual change!

• Bring my own cloth bags to the commissary
• Use environmentally-friendly (Seventh Generation) dish washing detergent and household cleaner
• Buy organic dairy products (& various others)
• Use energy-efficient washing machine & dryer; run full loads only
• Buy items with smaller/recyclable packaging
• Recycle all plastic, metal, glass, and paper products
• Turn off air conditioning whenever possible & open windows
• Use organic shampoo, conditioner, & body wash
• Use compact fluorescent bulbs in all fixtures

These are good starts, but I could do a lot more. I’ll post my new week’s resolution every Saturday. Oh, and it’s list I’m adding to – when I make a change, it’s not just for a week. The changes are here to stay. Please feel free to leave comments with ideas for what I can do each week!