Project number one- Reduce Garbage!

I think perhaps the most obvious destructive thing that we do to the environment is the amount of garbage we produce weekly. We are a family of four and typically put out three bags (overflowing) on garbage day.

A couple years a go be we recycling regularly and composting and we were producing less then a bag of garbage a week. It's time to make that happen again. My recycle bins are covered in ice and snow. Today I'm cleaning them off and finding a home for them inside for the winter. We will need to commit to a daily walk to the manure pile to dump the compost bucket, but that shouldn't be too hard.

I'm interested to see how easy it will be to teach my three and a half year old to sort his garbage. I have a feeling I will be resorting things for the first few weeks!

Okay, I'm off to get the "recycling center" all set up. I wonder how much garbage we will contribute next garbage day? I'll let you all know!

And so we begin...sort of.

For the last few years our New Years resolutions have included a couple "earth friendly" changes. We now use mostly Eco friendly cleaners and we recycle... but only in the summer. We cop out in the winter saying it's too hard what with the snow and all. We cloth diaper our newest addition and I'm breastfeeding her. We use one car and my husband car pools to work.

We are on the right track, but I think it's high time we get our butts in gear and make ALL the changes. I figure a year is enough time to chip away at making the changes to lead not only a more earth friendly lifestyle, but also a simpler one.

I feel this is the year to make things happen since our oldest child is turning four. He is forming habits that will follow him for his whole life. I feel teaching him to be earth friendly and to value a simpler lifestyle is just as important for us to teach him as the difference between right and wrong etc. It's amazing to see how aware of television adds he is becoming already. Scary too.

With the birth of our second child we have also decided it's important for me to remain at home with our children as much as possible, instead of being out in the work force. We feel having a parent with them at all times will benefit them. So learning to live simple is a must for us this year for yet another reason. One income to live on means cutting out the things we don't really need. Sounds easy but I'm a woman... I specialize in emotional shopping and finding a good sale.....generally on things we don't really need!

My other challenge is going to be learning to be Eco friendly on a budget. I'm not sure about you all but every time I try to make the earth friendly choice it seems to come with a higher price tag. I think it's because I'm looking for the quick and easy way to be earth friendly. This year is all about getting our hands dirty and putting in a little extra work for the good of our planet and our wallets.

So here we go, we are off on our journey! Advice and input are welcome. I hope this inspires someone else to makes some changes too.