Did you ever think of plastic grocery bags as the main component in art making?
I tutor students in creating with recycled cast-offs, watching them become enthusiastic green artists, using plastic grocery bags and other recyclables to make delightful sculpture.
I challenge kids to discover the world of form and design through direct contact with nature. Together we become a band of explorers, discoverers, and detectives. As they learn about the environment and biodiversity they create what they would like to protect: hermit crab, otter, sea horse, egret, starfish and much more, all made with recycled plastic bags,newspaper and cereal box cardboard.
We experiment with whatever materials are collected and donated to our art center,utilizing items that would otherwise end up in landfills.
We find ways to use things that are safe and free but which our culture discards.
This post was submitted by Donna Iona Drozda.
We moved from our 4 bedroom home to a 550 sq. foot condo walking distance from work.
We sold our 1996 4 cylinder car and bought a Honda Civic hybrid.
We became vegan after watching the movie “Meat the Truth”. We have both lost weight and feel great.
We disabled our 10 mpg motorhome and permanently parked it and use it as a cottage 15 miles from town. This is saving us lots of money in insurance and gasoline.
We are avoiding plastic where possible in packaging and purchases. This is difficult.
We eat local organic when available.
We shop at the farmers market.
We shop for clothes at second hand shops first and buy new only if we can’t find what we want second hand. This does not include underwear.
We plan to only buy fabrics that will compost. Organic cotton still uses lots of water so hemp is the first choice.
We carefully buy shampoo, laundry detergent and cleaning products that do not contain phosphates or petrochemical products.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7530701744597358451#
We travel more by train and less by plane. Trains are much nicer than airports and planes but don’t go everywhere we need to go.
This has improved our marriage and our quality of life. It is fun to be a team and work towards a goal of leaving a good space for the children of the planet to grow and thrive. It has also been good for our finances and we have made very good like minded friends.
This post was submitted by Erin and Bill.
I am 31 years old and have never nor ever aspire to drive a vehicle, I have no intention of ever obtaining a drivers license. I use my own two legs, like a natural human.
This post was submitted by Rebecca.
The polar caps are melting away and the decrease in the albedo effect could be compensated for by governments and individuals by inverting the tarmac/asphalt colouring system. Thus, instead of using black top layers and white carriageway markings as is presently done, an opposite white-black application would increase the albedo effect the world over with a high average output of reflected rays which would not only compensate for the loss caused by the melting polar caps but also, generally, by making up for carbon emission increases into the atmosphere.
This post was submitted by Victor Cauchi.
buying brand new cloth diapers is not bad; but how about buying second hand cloth diapers? after use, from your baby or someone else’s, these diapers are ‘used’ – with a good wash (in a washing machine, with hot water!), they come out perfectly clean and sanitary.
This post was submitted by Anne.
I have started the first green newspaper in South Africa – featuring great examples of folk living and working greener with tips, solutions, inspiration and motivation for change. Have just joined your initiative and our family will do the no carbon week as soon as I’ve figured out how. Thank you for your great work – I would love to blog about my week, but suppose we’ll need a solar charger for a laptop or how else do I get the news out? We still use filthy coal fired electricity in our country…
greenings
Elma
This post was submitted by Elma.
Hi! I just wanted to say WOW – I am super inspired but what you have done and are continuing to do. I recently embarked on a 365-Day ‘Living With Less’ Challenge and I am also blogging about it. I can totally identify with all of the changes that you have identified as being side ‘benefits’ from such an undertaking. I am going to try to ‘rally’ some of my followers to subscribe to your one-week challenge and post their entries on my blog as well. BRAVO and keep up the amazing work!
This post was submitted by Maren Hasse.
Besides the elimination of all the toxic chemicals required of a swimming pool, there is also the lowering of electric bills where the constant running of the filters and auto-vacuums are concerned. I turned the gas-heated spa into a bio-filter and disconnected the gas line.
Not only has this saved time, effort and money, it has created a wonderful backyard habitat! The owls, herons, hawks, multiple small birds, raccoons, frogs, possum and other visitors (even a duck once!) are all so much happier with my pond that the chlorinated toxic dump we used to call a swimming pool.
One benefit I was surprised by was/is the more moderate temperatures in the back yard. On those 90+ degree FL days, my back yard is 5 degrees cool than the street! And when we get our rare freezes (as we will tonight) my yard will most likely remain warmer.
In short, more wildlife, no chemicals, more fun just watching the antics of birds and frogs, less money spent on electrical, gas heating and chemicals and way less back-breaking work! And yes, the water is crystal clear and safe for swimming!
This post was submitted by Heidi Marsh.
I’ve come up with for the year, laying out exactly when I’m going to examine various parts of our impact to see if we can improve. It probably looks a little ambitious written out like this, but I’m hoping it will actually help me to relax because I won’t feel like I have to do everything at once. Since I’ve already started experimenting in many of these areas, I’ll probably end up doing a few things out of order. But this will help me to feel like I am accomplishing more by checking things off a list.
http://underthewildroseasweasels.com/2010/01/02/a-road-map/
This post was submitted by Nina Interlandi Bell.
I have used public transportation, by varying degree, for nearly 15 years, and when I started, I enjoyed the luxury of living close enough to the best job I ever had so that I could walk, bike, or ride to work rather than driving.
Times have changed, employers have changed, and my current employer moved 6 miles further from my home a year ago. They used to provide half-price monthly passes, and now offer free monthly passes, on multiple public municipal transportation systems. Nonetheless, I have reduced my dependency on these modes by riding my bicycle for as much of my 44-mile round trip commute as possible.
Last Fall, I was riding 24 of those miles daily, down to 162 pounds, BP was 117/75, and for the first time in my 59 years, my good cholesterol was well into the desired range, and all the ratios were favorable. This year, I hope to get below 160, and walk/pedal 30 or more of those miles.
This post was submitted by Brett Hawks.