Questions Answered: Part 1

One of the questions asked in my 'ask me anything post' was about how we are making our lives "greener." I can honestly say that the transition into a green household is about 60% complete. We will never be a 100% green household but I definitely try to do my best to make a small difference.

Here is what we've done so far to make our home greener:

1. Making my own cleaning supplies. This was something that intimidated me but in reality wasn't all that difficult. It took a lot of trial and error but I love that we are no longer using chemicals to clean the dishes we eat on, the counter top we prepare food on and the detergent we clean our clothes with. The laundry detergent was definitely the hardest product to recreate because I found you need to use more than store bought detergent and I was having to mix up the solution every other week. During a busy week we purchased a small bottle of Tide or something and my skin literally broke out...bumps everywhere! I couldn't believe what a difference my home made solution made!
2. Requesting a second recycling bin from our trash collecting service. It's amazing how we didn't realize we need a second bin until we go it. We are literally recycling everything we possibly can and I'm proud to say our trash is down and our recycling is up.
3. Thermostat. We keep our house cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer. Also, during the day, we have our thermostat programmed to be cooler during the days when we're not home (and warmer in the summer). I read somewhere that each degree below 68°F during colder weather saves something like 3%-5% more heating energy and keeping your thermostat at 78°F in warmer weather will save you energy and money. Wow! Also, changing your air filters more often makes them run more efficiently and last longer.
4. Paperless billing. Lots of places offer paperless billing, you just have to ask. I think it's a lot more convenient because everything gets sent to my email and I file it in a folder for that category...home bills, credit card statements, etc.
5. Camelbak BPA free water bottles. We are using less and less plastic water bottles and filling up these nice bottles instead. They are BPA free so they can go in the dishwasher. We have a few in rotation so they are always clean.
6. Steam Mop. Buying a steam mop instead of mopping floors by hand saves my arms from scrubbing by hand when our regular Target brand mop doesn't work to my standards. This is going to save us time and money because we wont be buying replace sponges (which are disgusting and a breeding ground for bacteria..ick!) or make cleaning solution. We used a cleaning solution that is safe for children and animals because I am paranoid about using anything that will harm my precious pup. The steam mop is awesome because it sanitizes and it's chemical free...I see that as a win win! I did a lot of research on these and the Haan FS20 is the best buy for what I wanted.

And things that are still in process:

1. Planting Our Garden [which my husband has agreed on since I am allowing him to go to the US Open in NYC...I'm such a sucker but hey marriage is about compromise right?]
2. Joining a local CSA. I've currently been wait listed but hopefully by the end of March I will be picking up organic treats every week. I honestly could not be more excited about this!

Areas I'd like to change but haven't yet:

1. Paper Towels. I feel like we use a ton but can't find a good alternative. We have cheesecloth towels we use to dry dishes and wipe down the counter but I feel like I'm constantly washing them. Not sure what to do with this so far!
2. Garbage Disposal. This summer, I want to start composting. I'm not 100% sure how this will work considering I need to put the remnants somewhere in our yard and we have a nosey dog. We are going this weekend to William Sonoma to pick up a few things and this is on my list:

Well this is my first attempt at answering your questions. There will be more to come! You can still ask me more questions by commenting on any posts or emailing me at lmholo[at]gmail[dot]com. Next up, my fitness regime.

Cheers,

LT