Collectively, small lifestyle changes can make a huge impact on the environment-and your life. Looking for happiness and health? What’s good for the environment is also, it turns out, great for you. Here’s a collection of tips from the No Impact community.
Some one may have already posted this hint since it is getting popular. The women in a few congregations call one another and announce a swap. We all go through our closets and homes for things that either no longer fit, or just aren’t serving us any longer. Like, you meant to use that rice cooker you got at a yard sale, but just never did, or don’t anymore. Nothing is off limits except underthings. One friend once brought canned deer stew that they wouldn’t be using that year.
Once the date and place is set we womenfolk bring our things and sort them out. Skirts in one room, knick knacks in another, coats aside from the dresses, pants in another room with tops nearby.
The marvelous thing about a swap is that you get together with your friends and start putting outfits together. The reason you never wore that skirt is because it just didn’t go with what you had; but at the swap someone will put it with the jacket they never wore for the same reason and TADA-OUTFIT. Then you just have to decide who gets to keep the peices. In extreme cases we draw lots (numbers from a hat).
What is really fun is that we will see our stuff worn by someone at a conference and just wink and say “swap”. The best outfits I ever got were at a “swap”. I also have towels, lamps, games, pictures and frames, all from swaps.
The things that no one can use are packed up and sent to charity shops, so we don’t bring the extras back into our house.
This post was submitted by Michelle Chamberlin.
Over the years, we’ve become more and more low-impact but, like others of you have said, we could do such more. We live in a small house (880 sq.ft), only have one car (and it’s 10-years-old, gets good gas mileage), walk when we can. Our local store is a health food store that only carries organic, mostly local, and no meat-1.5 blocks away-lucky, aren’t we?
My partner is the head of an electronics recycling facility-they recycle almost everything. Again, this is lucky because there’s very little we can’t recycle. And we buy almost all of our electronics used, including computers. I eat almost no meat, and only a smidgen of dairy.
We always use reusable mugs, we buy local whenever we can.
Still, when I take the footprint quiz I find it would take 4 planets to sustain this lifestyle-amazing.
Clearly the culture itself will have to change in order for us to scale down further.
I’m so looking forward to learning more from all of you.
This post was submitted by Isbel Ingham.
My boyfriend Miguel grew up in Ecuador and his grandmother used to use lemon as a deodorant. At first I was skeptical but I didn’t want to keep using my herbal deodorant which didn’t work, and which was contained in plastic- so I tried it. And lo and behold it totally works! Even after a long sweaty run or after I introduced Miguel to my parents for the first time (I was very nervous!) I did not smell one bit! All you do is wash your armpits in the shower (in a very BRIEF shower to save water) and take a lemon wedge and glide the wet part over your armpit. You can even reuse the same wedge the next day (keep it in the fridge.) Saving money, using less plastic and smelling lemony fresh, it ROCKS!
This post was submitted by princess superstar.
For about 8 years now I’ve been using a programmable thermostat for my heating system. It has made a huge difference and I’ve learned a few things. The best part is that you don’t have to think about it all the time.
I set the temperature lower for nights and for weekdays when no one is at home. So it’s only set for a normal temperature about 1,5 hours in the morning and 4 hours at night. I also found I sleep better at a lower temperature.
It takes time for the apartment to cool down, so in the evening it is set to low about 1,5 hours before I go to sleep. During the day when no one is home the temperature can be even lower.
If we take trips, even just for a day, I set it to low. The savings have been great and I know I’m not heating unnecessarily, so it feels good. I’m betting the same results can be achieved for an A/C, but I don’t need one where I live.
This post was submitted by Cristina Sann.
Go Solar - install solar panels on your house (especially if you live somewhere like California), will pay for itself over 10 years, and then you get 10+ additional years free (with 20 years warranty)
Get rid of your TV but still watch whatever you want - Get netflix ($8/ month), and watch thousands of movies/tv shows on your computer without commercials. You will spend less time and waste less electricity by flipping through channels, only watching what you really want to, and not watching commercials. Plus it’s cheaper than a cable/satellite plan!
Start a compost - you’ll reduce your garbage by a lot, and get great healthy soil by composting your veggie scraps, egg shells, drier lint, certain papers, leaves, lawn clippings, etc.
Let the sun cut your lawn - if you have the cash, this neat little guy will get the job done with no work and no emissions ( http://gizmodo.com/364924/husqvarnas-autonomous-solar-powered-lawnmower-never-mow-again ). Another good idea is just the old push mower, which is also great exercise! Or get rid of the grass all together.
Don’t go vegan or even vegetarian - there is no need to cut out meat completely, if everyone just cut down on their meat consumption by even half, it would do a world of good. I currently only eat chicken and a little fish, but I mostly cook with only vegetables & grains.
Cook! - don’t eat out, don’t get fast food, just cook. If everyone cooked their own meals they’d be healthier, save on packaging, and know exactly what they’re putting into their bodies.
Let there be fruit - plant fruit trees (climate permitting), good for the environment in that you’re adding trees, but you’ll also save money and get great organic fruit right from your yard. (planting veggies is a great idea too) - great use for all that soil from your compost!
Get an ebook reader
Wear your clothes more than once (as long as they’re not too stinky!)
Shower with your significant other
Walk, bike & take the train as often as you can
Re-use any plastic bags you acquire to line garbage’s
Don’t wash your hair everyday (cuts down on shower time, and shampoo/conditioner - plus it’s good for your hair!)
These are just some of the changes I’ve made It really isn’t that hard to live greener - just put some thought into it. You don’t need to make extreme changes to affect the world positively. Baby steps
This post was submitted by Natalie.