Going Green in Comfort

( Adamophoto / FreeRangeStock.com ) I wish my home community allowed for more walking. It would, of course, cut down on the amount of gas I use driving, but it would also be great for improving my fitness level. About eight years ago, my husband and I visited his sister in Rochester, N.Y. She used a mix of public transportation and her own two feet to get back and forth to work. She lived within walking distance of a convenience store, a restaurant, an arts festival, a farmers market, a bead shop, etc. Except for the occasional trip to Wegman's Grocery, she didn't need a vehicle. I remember feeling a little envious, wishing there was more to do within walking distance of my own front door. My job is eight miles away, the nearest store is a little over a mile, the only available public transportation is a taxi cab. As much as I love my home community, I do wish it was a little more walk-friendly.

Can we make the world cool back down? ( Geoffrey Whiteway / FreeRangeStock.com ) On Monday evening, my husband headed out for an exercise walk just as the sun was going down. When he came back home some 45 minutes later, I asked how his walk went. It was fine, he said, except for the damn heat and humidity. I started to tell him that it will get better once the majority of the planet gets on board with greener living, but then I wondered, is that true? If everyone on earth quit burning fossil fuels, began planting more trees than were cut down every year, and halted every other environmentally unfriendly practice, would Earth's temperature begin to cool back down, or would they just stop rising? A web search gave me some insight, but not a lot. According to an undated post on the MIT School of Engineering website, through which visitors are invited to "Ask an Engineer" states that studies have focused more on mitigating the problem than on reversing it. (Re...

Eating less meat can benefit the environment, according to U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization article. ( Chance Agrella / FreeRangeStock.com ) Ah, veggies. I love them. They're so tasty, crisp, nutritious and so colorful and pretty. Not to mention that eating them regularly would set an excellent example for my five-year-old. So why do I have such a hard time making them a part of my regular diet? For me, it's simple math. My desire to be a healthy role model was not greater than the scent of a grilled cheeseburger. It probably should be, but it wasn't. But an article I read recently may have finally made the first part of that equation bigger than the last: Eating less meat can help our environment. According to a 2006 article on the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization website, raising livestock creates "more greenhouse gas emissions ... than transport." First there's the methane emissions from the animals themselves. Then there's the cl...

For Mother's Day, I took my grandma out to eat at the restaurant of her choice. We talked about what family members we had seen lately, what new body aches we've each begun suffering from and her roommate's TV viewing habits, which drive my grandma nuts. "She has that TV on from the time she gets up until the time she goes to bed," Grandma said. "Sometimes, I just go sit on the porch so I can get some quiet." "Yeah," I said, "I can see how that can get on your nerves." And it's true. I really can see that. However, I am just as guilty of having the TV on more than I should. The only difference is that Grandma's roommate is actually watching it when she turns it on. I often have it on "for noise." No more TV "just for noise." ( Adamophoto / FreeRangeStock.com ) My grandma grew up without TV, and didn't have one in her home until after she and my grandpa married. In those early years, sta...

Our clothesline, circa fall 2011. For the fourteen years that we've been married, my husband has done the laundry, from sorting to folding and putting the clothes away. I don't mind other indoor chores — dishes, cleaning the bathroom, vacuuming, dusting, etc. — but I've never liked laundry. I'm thankful he has always been willing to do it. That's why I felt a little guilty suggesting we get a clothesline years ago. It's more work, for him . At the time, I wasn't thinking about reducing our carbon footprint. I'm not even sure I was aware of climate change at the time. My goal was simply to reduce our electricity bill, especially during the hot months when the air-conditioner is in constant use. But my husband was up for the challenge. We bought a pop-up clothesline, which can be seen in the background in the photo above, that he can haul out to the yard when needed and put away when the laundry is done. I don't know how long ago...

Going greener when grocery shopping. (Photo by Geoffrey Whiteway / FreeRangeStock.com ) I recently came across an article on OneGreenPlanet.org that outlines seven ways that we can be "greener" when shopping for groceries . Among the recommendations: Reusable shopping bags. This is something I've done for years ... but only when I shop at Aldi, which operates under the assumption that customers will bring their own bags. They have plastic bags (and paper, if you prefer) in stock, but they cost extra. That means my grocery bill goes up if I buy them. It's not much, but it feels like money I didn't need to spend. The story is different at other grocers near my home. They assume I want their bags. They never ask if I've brought my own; they just scan the item and drop it into a sack and move onto the next item on the conveyor belt. It's so convenient. And apparently practically every other shopper in the store feels the same way, because I rarel...

What do you do with plastic Easter eggs once Easter is over? Easter is over, but the 30 or so plastic eggs my daughter collected this year are still littering my kitchen table. Some are empty, others still contain prizes that my daughter didn't want. I don't like the clutter, but I've held on to them because I feel a little guilty when I think about tossing them all in the trash. I did a Google search to see if someone had come up with a practical use for them once Easter has passed, and I didn't have much luck. There were ideas, plenty of them, such as long filling them with necklaces to keep the chains from getting tangled . Or using them in crafts like adorable animals . Or using them to make learning games for your children . All excellent ideas, though none fit my lifestyle. I don't have many necklaces, and while the crafts and games are adorable, I'd rather just get the clutter out of my house. I was kind of hoping I could find an upcycle that w...