It's Earth Day Again

Let us pray that all living beings realize they are nourished from the same source of life. --Thich Nhat Hanh

No matter what we are already doing for the Earth, we could be doing more. Now that we're all broke, it's a great time to get back to the basics of making our own food, buying less processed and packaged things, recycling old things and making them last a little longer, eating less meat, etc. We are in a great position to change the way we live and redirect the marketplace. If this recession has shown us anything, it's that the choices made by individuals do matter to the world. Let's make better ones.

This year, my two commitments are to make my own yogurt (thanks, Michele!) and can/freeze tomatoes and fruit this summer. Both things take little time, don't require special equipment, and keep me from buying a whole lot of processed food. What can you do differently this year? Here are some very simple ideas, but if you already do all of these things, free free to share some new ideas in the comments.

1. Buy bar soap, not bottled.
2. Buy used books, CDs, and DVDs or go to the library.
3. Recycle. (I can't believe there are still people not doing this!)
4. Have clothing repaired when possible (or do it yourself).
5. Rather than buying processed snacks and soda, eat nuts and fresh fruit/veg, and drink more water.
6. When you do buy processed stuff, look for things produced in your state or region.
7. Eat less meat and more fresh, local veggies.
8. Buy fewer cleaners in plastic bottles. Pick one cleaner (like Simple Green, awesome on everything, or Seventh Generation) for the whole house and/or make your own.
9. Spend your money on experiences (movies, travel, dinner) rather than stuff.
10. Take shorter showers, especially if you live in an area affected by drought. If you're in a warm climate, turn off the water while you soap up and wash your hair.

All of the ten things above you can do really easily, but if you feel overwhelmed then start with just a few. I now bake bread, make granola, and make most of the sweets and snacks we consume, but I didn't do it all at once. It's really easy once you know how, but it takes time to get going. Do what feels manageable, then add something else once you get the hang of it. I've said this before, but it has taken us years to get where we are. And it will be several more years before we are where we want to be. But we're working on it. I'm sure there will be some backsliding once we have two babies in the house, but when they are a little older, teaching them to do things like make yogurt and bread is going to be magical. I can't wait.