Bear With Me!

Having extra time on my hands because I am recently unemployed has been both a blessing and a curse. Blessing:  I have the time to finally carry out principles  that are important to me.
Curse: I also have the time to TELL everyone about the ideals that are important to me. (My poor friends and family!)

Since I've been dedicating so much of my time to living more sustainably, I thought I might share some of the ways I have been able to do this. My hope is that I don't sound "preachy." I am really hoping to be a resource for those of you who would also like to join the "crusade." Almost all of the ideas came from my sixth grade class last year. Those eleven and twelve year-olds were just as concerned about our planet as I was and they were determined to make a difference in their households. I am still amazed at all of the options they brainstormed to lighten a family's carbon footprint. Take a look at the list below and choose a couple of simple ones to try with your family. Let me know what works for you or share some ideas of your own!

Here's the Room 208 list of 
"TopTwenty-Five Things You Can Do to Green Your Lifestyle:"

1. Change your incandescent lightbulbs to CFL's (compact flourescent) You will save lots of money and energy. Make sure you dispose of them properly, they cannot be thrown in the regular garbage.Go to http://www.energystar.gov/ to get directions for disposal.
2. Recycle everything you can!! This seems like a no-brainer for people who live near me because our waste management company takes plastic, paper, glass and aluminum and we don't even have to sort it. We are lucky. To find a recycling center near you and read guidelines about what can be recycled go to http://www.earth911.com/
3. Reuse as much as possible. Use a real lunch box and tupperware containers to pack your lunch. Avoid paper plates. Consider whether you REALLY need that new ___________ (whatever it is!) Can you reuse the one you already have? Go to http://www.wastefreelunches.org/ to find out more information.
4. Donate, don't throw away! Our landfills are quickly overflowing. If you can't reuse it, maybe someone else can. Donate old clothes, household items and sporting equipment to local charities. Nowadays you can find large metal containers strategically placed in parking lots of grocery stores and churches specifically for this purpose. You can also call The Salvation Army and Purple Heart. Go to http://www.charityguide.org/ to find local donation sites.
5. Buy USED! Many people already do this when they move into a house or buy a used car. It's okay to do the same with clothes, shoes and other items. Just check to be sure they are clean and functional and be grateful for the bargain you are receiving. Go to http://www.thethriftshopper.com/ to find local second-hand shops near you. For more specifice purchases, try "Craigslist." I have had lots of luck with it. We have purchased a bike, a breadmaker and plants through http://www.craigslist.com/. Just make sure you meet at a public place and don't give out any personal information.
6. Grow something. Whether you start a garden, some patio sized tomato plants or a grow herbs on your kitchen windowsill; knowing that your food is fresh and free of pesticides and other toxic chemicals is the best feeling in the world.

7. Go on a family "Staycation" Think of how much fuel and money you will save if you drive to the water park in the next state, or camp in the national park. For that matter, you could camp in your own backyard! For more ideas visit http://www.familyeducation.com/ and type "staycation ideas" into the search box.
8. Consolidate your errands Make a list of all the places you need to go over the next few days. Now, try to go to as many of them as you can in one trip, choosing the places which are closest together first. You will save time and gasoline.
9. Carpool Is there somebody in your neighborhood who works near you and can split the driving each week? Maybe you and another mom can switch off carpooling to dance classes and little league. Moms have been doing this way before it was "green."
10. Use Public Transportation I live near Chicago and I love going into the city but the hassle of traffic and nonexistent parking spots puts a damper on my excursions. Lucky for me there are two train routes that will drop me off right in the middle of the city. My kids would much rather take the train anyway, they think it's a lot "cooler" than driving.  For Illinois, go to http://www.metrarail.com/ To find more information about the types of public transport available near you, try http://www.publictransportation.org/
11. Bike/Walk/Skate This idea was by far the sixth-graders most popular. They were eager to bike and walk to school or a friend's house or football practice. This was one they felt they could do without needing parents to help out. There is a website called http://www.mapmyride.com/ It will take your starting and final destinations and map out the safest route for you via bicycle. Very cool!

12. Insulate your house Believe it or not, this really does make a huge difference. Even if you can't afford to have more insulation put in your attic or walls, at least caulk your windows and doors. Use those little dorky snake-like stuffed animal things to block cold air from leaking in under your outer doors and put plastic sealer over your windows on the inside. Go to http://www.makeyourhomeenergyefficient.com/
13. Close the blinds Okay....during the summer when the sun shines in and sets your front room ablaze, shut the curtains! This is fairly common sense and it really does help keep the room cooler. You will save on cooling costs.
14. Open the blinds Obviously, you should OPEN the curtains in the winter, when it is cold so you can ALLOW the sun to heat up the room. You will save on heating costs.
15. Use Fans Don't need to say much here. You can set the A/C temp. higher and use fans to help save money.
16. Bundle Up! Duh. Lower your thermostat in the winter and wear layers. At night, lower it even more and invest in some good quality comforters and wool socks!!
17. Eat Less Meat It takes lots of energy and land to raise livestock and you don't even want to know what they add to your meat. Try to cut back to eating meat only a few nights per week and you'll save on groceries while helping the environment. Check out http://www.foodincmovie.com/
18. Buy Local  Did you know that most of our food has traveled at least 1200 miles before it gets to our plates? Take advantage of Farmer's Markets in the summer. Go to "U-Pick" farms and pick your own fruits and vegetables. Again, it's about knowing where your food comes from. It's also about supporting your local communities. http://www.pickyourown.org/ and http://www.localharvest.org/

19. Take Shorter Showers My students had fun setting a timer and trying to beat their fastest showering time each morning. We talked a lot about where their water comes from and how many people in poor countries must walk for hours to get water, let alone clean water. This was surprising for them. To find out more about how you can help provide water to third world countries see http://www.waterforpeople.org/
20. Use a Compost Bin One of my students' fathers came in and demonstrated how to start a worm compost bin. (vermicomposting) Most of the class wanted to try this at home. If you aren't into worms, you can still make a compost bin or pile in your backyard using landscaping waste and kitchen scraps. Find out how at http://www.howtocompost.org/
21. Hang up your Clothes to Dry Obviously this saves the energy your dryer would normally be using. You have to use a bit of trial and error, however. Certain things get "crusty" when hung up to line dry outside. However, I have found that throwing those items in the dryer for just five minutes and then hanging them out solves that problem. By the way, you can still do this in the winter....just use drying racks!

22. Get a Rain Barrel I love my rain barrel. It was extremely easy to hook up and simple to use. I always have enough water for my garden and don't have to lug the hose around from the front of the house. Saving money on my water bill was a good incentive also. Many communities offer special prices on rain barrels. Check with your local public works department. Some examples: http://www.simplyrainbarrels.com/

23. Visit Nature Stressed? Worried about work or your kids? Take some time to just sit quietly in a natural setting. Go to a Forest Preserve or Nature Sanctuary. Watch the birds and listen to the crickets. Feel your heart rate slow down and your outlook change. Don't let yourself forget WHY we are making all of these sustainable changes in our lives. http://www.stateparks.com/                                     
24. Unplug!!!! Many people don't realize that even when that TV or that Laptop is turned off, it is still draining electricity from the outlet. Unplug what you don't use often (toaster, coffeemaker) and use a power strip for electronics frequently utilized. When you are done with the computer, just turn the power off on the power strip and don't worry about unplugging anything. It WILL save you money. http://www.nrdc.org/
25. Spread the Word Let others know what you are doing to live more gently on this earth. Have your kids talk about it at school, show your neighbors how to hook up their rain barrel, forward this blog on to your friends. Be vocal. If you really want things to change, write to the people in charge: the mayor, the governor, your representatives, senators, even Obama. Make your voice be heard. www.usa.gov/contact

It's pretty amazing to see what twenty-seven sixth graders can do with their passion and voices.