Tips for environmentally-friendly living?

PrincessLyra

PrincessLyra

Smarter than the average Care Bear
Joined
Jan 24, 2012
Messages
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Hey everyone, a very Happy New Year to all of you! :coolpony:

One of my New Year's resolutions is to finally beat my anxiety issues, which I found out might have a lot to do with my feelings of powerlessness. Actually it's more complex than that, but that's not the main point, so I won't dwell on it.

Long story short, I want to start doing more for the environment. That way I'll contribute to a better world, while fighting my aforementioned feelings of powerlessness; everyone wins!

However I'm at a loss as to what I can do exactly. I could do some research online, but I risk exposing myself to facts and/or factoids about the whole thing and relapsing badly because of it (this is also one of the reasons why looking for vegetarian/vegan recipes and tips is a major pain in the butt. I eventually gave up all together). And that is the last thing I need right now: If I want to start making a positive, healthy difference in the world, I can't be all negative about it!

So I ask you, the fine ponyfolk of the TP: what do you do to protect the environment? Do you have any tips for living in the greenest way as possible (or to work towards it)?
Thank you all so much! :fizzy:



P.S.: You'll notice I'm not addressing any particular environmental issues by name, or going into detail about anything relating to them. This is intentional, as I'm keeping my anxiety triggers to a minimum. :unsure: Please take this into account when responding!
 
There are a few small simple things you can do. First that comes to mind is walk or ride bike when ever feasible as opposed to driving. In the winter I'm not so good at it (I live in the northern part of the USA, so it gets cold!) but come summer, if I can walk somewhere, I'm walking.
Secondly, recycle! Aluminum cans, plastic bags/bottles, glass, paper, cardboard! It all goes in the recycle bin. Or I try to find second uses for the items.
Thirdly, compost. Any food scraps left over can be composted, especially veggie stuff. And yard waste as well, grass clippings or leaves. We have a small area in the back of the yard, just four posts in the ground with chicken wire around it to make sort of a cage. Just dump it all in there, nothing fancy. Even if you don't garden or use it you're keeping all that stuff from going into a landfill. And after a while (if you're just starting it can take a year or so) you have loverly dirt that is full of nutrients for your garden or houseplants.
Those are some of the things I do. Hope that helps give you some ideas. And don't worry if you are unable to do any of them, or already do them. There is a multitude of things you can do to help the environment and I'm sure there will be plenty of ideas to choose from!
 
lev has some great suggestions! We recycle as much as we can, living on a farm. Anything that can be reused or repurposed is put to good use.

Here are some simple things, so you can start small.

Reuse paper that has been printed on only one side. If you have things printed out and are through with the item, cut each page into quarters, stack and staple on one corner. Note pad!
Vegetable tins make excellent little pots to start seeds in. Poke holes in the bottom with a screwdriver and you have a wonderful little planter! Coffee cans are good for larger plants. Plastic milk jugs are great to cut in half and plant in as well. The handle part of the milk jug can even be used as a scoop for cat food or something.
I use old tooth brushes (once I bleach them clean) for painting or scrubbing.
When an extension cord burns out, I cut off the ends and use it as rope to lash fences and such.
Old socks can be used to dust. They can be stuffed and sewn shut at the top for dog or kitty toys!
Paint cans are great buckets for storage.
Broken plate pieces or busted tile is beautiful for mosaics!

Look at your trash and think, can I use it? I bet you could come up with all sorts of ideas. The possibilities are endless. But don't feel guilty about throwing things away either. It's okay to generate some trash. We all do it.

I admit, we go to extreme lengths that would not be suitable for those in the city. I replumbed the house to use our 'grey water' (water from showers, baths or the laundry) to go onto our garden. We don't flush when we tinkle, only when we poop. Unless company is over, of course, because some people are shocked by this, so we try to be gentle with them! Don't think you have to do anything so drastic though. If everyone did just one or two little things, the world would benefit!

Every little bit helps.

(One of my goals is love eventually use glass bottles to make a retaining wall such as this:
Deep%20Ellum%20Dallas.jpg

This is in the Arts District in Dallas, TX). It's so beautiful! I really wanna do something like this one day, so I amass bottles in bins behind my shed. LOL)
 
Hi! I have recently converted to being fully vegan and also have a lot of trouble with anxiety. I absolutely hate running into information about the industries I already know when I just want to make food so I totally understand you there. I really recommend Pinterest when it comes to vegetarian and vegan recipe boards that don't mention or ever show the industry. Also some tumblr blogs and other sites that only post the food, so let me know if you'd like me to link those! Also in food: bulk is always best. Bulk spices, bulk grains, nuts, snacks. The less processed food is, the better, etc. I'm not going to try and say everyone needs to do their part by eating all vegan unprocessed healthy food or something. But if you are looking to help the environment, switching a few snacks out for these options really goes a long way:)

Another is trying not too buy too many new from store things. This sounded so hard to me, but it's been going great! I try to center my collecting habits around older toys, so I can't go out and buy a bunch new, and frequent eBay and forums for used listings if it's a newer toy. Also, by buying secondhand when it comes to dishes, furniture, or clothes, I save the money to buy more eco-friendly versions of products that have to be new, like toothpaste, soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, house cleaners. ePantry is a really great site to check out; it has many more eco-friendly house and body products available often with very good prices and with free shipping when you sign up.

Reusable water bottles, lunch bags, anything like that. Opt for the twice as expensive item that will last you twice as long when it comes to shoes or a computer or something.

Sorry if this was really wordy! Too long; don't read version: try to get in some unprocessed meals, by bulk and used, buy things that will last you, use eco friendly house products. Good luck!! Living more in line with my beliefs and with concern for the environment has really helped my helplessness a lot and I hope it's the same for you. How has it been going so far? :rolleyespony:
 
And remember some of the things already in your home will serve you better than things you can buy like household cleaners! So much can be cleaned with just vinegar or baking soda (or a fun, fizzy combo of both!). No need to purchase many of the dangerous chemical combos when you can use safe, environment friendly items.
 
Thank you so much for all your ideas!

I do already recycle, and reuse things that I see could serve other purposes. I'd like to walk more, especially to go shopping, but I usually go with my Mom, who despite getting home late *has* to go out every single day, and shopping for everyday needs provides an excellent excuse for that, and she usually drives. I've told her time and time again that I can go in her stead, but it seems to work for 1-2 days and then she feels she's got to go again because we need to get water, or beer, or potatoes, or something too heavy for a single person to carry and back to ye old routine we go. :(
BTW, yes, I live in my parent's home. Among other things, I don't have a job, and if I may be honest... I get lonely and sad extremely easily when I have to be alone for long, so until I have a soulmate or something I don't think I'll be moving out that soon.

@evilbunnyfoofoo Haha! You know what? There was a time I DID do that with the toilet! I don't remember how old I was, though. All I know is I was young enough that my parents scolded me because of it. A few years later I tried flushing less water. And then they started telling me I didn't flush altogether. At that point I gave up. :/
Oh, and speaking of natural cleaners, I hear there's some kind of nuts that you can use to clean all sorts of stuff, soapwort nuts, was it? Either way, I definitely have to tell my Mom about the vinegar! ...Hmm, maybe I can use baking muffins as an excuse to actually buy baking soda. X) Just because it's something we don't usually have in the pantry.

@SoSoftMagicStar Eh, it's been going... Kind of bumpy, actually. Well, my mood has certainly seen an improvement since I had this resolution (when there are not other concerns in my stupid overthinking head), but I haven't been able to put as many measures in progress as I'd like. All in due time, I guess...
Oh, wow, I'd love it if you sent me those links! Anything to be able to just cook a nice vegan dinner in peace without being hammered by "lookit all the awful awful things the industry does" and "all the sandwiches your omnivore friends and family members eat are CRUELTY INCARNATE" (honestly I understand the idea behind this, but no one is going to become vegan by being told they're an ugly filthy monster because they like ham sandwiches).
As I said, I'd actually like to become vegan, or at least the closest I can get. My biggest problem in regards to that right now (other than not knowing much about nutrition, which I hear helps a lot. I do know about the B12 thing) is that again, I live with my 'rents, and while my Mom is pretty open to new ideas (she's the one who keeps telling me I should do yoga or learn reiki), my Dad... Not so much. Basically if I go vegan, at best we'll have a secondary menu at meals, at worst he'll start mocking me for being picky, or get angry at me for compromising my health, depending on his mood. Meh.
Oh, fun fact: I haven't drunk milk since I was six, but since I started this whole vegan kick and started experimenting, I drink (soy, coconut, almond or rice) milk every day!

Buying things used doesn't faze me much, except maybe in regards to clothes. I'm a very hands-on-approach person when it comes to those. I need to feel the fabric, see how it fits, all that good stuff, and we don't really have used stores around here where I can do that. But I love vintage clothing, and am no stranger to hand-me-downs from my Mom and her sisters. I once saw this really pretty dress my grandma made when she was 15 in her attic (we're talking mid-late 50s here), buuuut she was much skinnier at the waist than me, not to mention younger, so it doesn't fit. Bummer.

By the way, does ePantry work internationally? I'm guessing not... Though there is at least one website here in Portugal that sells eco and vegan products, so I could probably do it manually, so to speak. They have some cork-based boots there that are to DIE for. VERY expensive, though. Here they are, if you're curious. *-*

Oh, and don't worry about the wordiness. You're not the only one, as you can see. ;)
 
You could always plant some saplings. Trees are so wonderful. Planting is good for the mind and healing for the soul. I know here we have community gardens and if you go and plant or help pick, you can take a basket of organic produce home for your efforts.
 
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