There are a list of things I would like to change to start saving money and reducing my environmental footprint. Some are already in effect, some are coming down the road. These are the initial steps in my eco-frugal mothering journey.
Water conservation: Water is a precious resource, as well as a utility for which I pay dearly. I need to find ways to conserve water. One way is to stop taking extremely long tub baths that require refilling the tub with hot water. I can't guarantee that I'll never take another one of those, but I have cut back substantially, although it is something V loves, because she loves to float in the water and splash. What I do most of the time is use her tub to collect water while I am waiting for the temp to come up to were I like it for my shower. Her tub gets a mix of cold and hot water and doesn't get too hot for her and I put her in the baby tub, in the tub while I take a quick shower. Then I bathe her, and we're done!
Another method I'm using to conserve water is a pitcher on the kitchen counter. When I need hot water from the tap I use the pitcher to catch the cold water and then use that to fill the cats' water bowls or my water bottle or glass. I also use a glass in the bathroom which I fill with water and use that to take my nightly vitamins, dampen my toothbrush and rinse my mouth after brushing.
Shaving: I know this doesn't seem like a big deal, but cartridge razors are expensive and loaded with plastic and excessive packaging. I was in my grocery store a few weeks ago looking at Mach 3 cartridges and couldn't believe $18.00 for a package of eight! Right below that were double edge razors 50 for $4.50. So I started researched double edged safety razors and the classic art of "wet shaving." This is a change I've convinced my husband we are going to make. The initial investment is a bit more than that $18.00, but then it's pennies a week for our shaving needs. I am going to invest in a butterfly style double edged razor with 15 sample blades for approximately $26.00, a cruelty-free shaving brush from Urban Cowboy for $7.00, and I'll have to get a puck of shaving soap and a mug or bowl to keep that in. And according to my research this will give me a shave like nothing I've ever experienced. And if you are concerned about safety, as one blogger stated, "they are called safety razors for a reason." I'll let you know how it goes.
Grocery Shopping: I am a fan of organic food options. I believe they are better for the environment and my health. I know I tend to pay more for organic than non-organic options and I am trying to figure out ways to save money. I am looking into online coupon sites, but having difficulty with my dial-up internet connection. Mainly I am instituting a "no grocery shopping without a list" policy in our house. We are notorious for going food shopping as a night out. We are blessed to have a lovely grocery store, Wegman's, with a ton of luxurious organic options, soothing music and lighting and pleasant atmosphere. It is very easy to spend way more than we intended. I also plan on buying more house brand products. Currently I am making sure things get eaten before they go bad and I even shared food with a friend to make sure it wasn't wasted. I have a lot to learn and a lot of bad habits to break here. This is going to be an ongoing project.
Electricity: Turn the lights out! My husband is the worst with this. We don't have working lights in our hallway so he leaves a light on in the bedroom to see his way. This light might stay on for 5 hours or more. This drives me crazy! He also turns on lights for the plants in the basement and in our guest room where the cactus reside and forgets about them. My feeling is the plant lights can stay on as long as the sun does. If the sun sets at 5pm, the lights go out at 5pm. I think I will get an efficient LED candle style light to put on my jewelry armoire in the hallway to light the hubby's way so he stops leaving lights on in the bedroom. Eventually I hope to break him of the habit of sleeping with the television on.
Oil: Our furnace is set at 64〫F during the day and 60〫F at night. I hadn't turned it on until the weather was to hit freezing at night and not get above 50〫F during the day. We have forced hot water heat so we do not have a water heater, our furnace heats our water. So the same ways I conserve water, help to conserve oil as well. We also have a wood pellet stove. Pellets are made from lumber saw dust, so are a recycled product. My pellet stove tends to be set at 66〫F when I am home during the day, 64〫F when I'm not and I turn it off before I go to bed. We burn less than 40lbs of pellets a day.
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