That's right, reduce, reuse, and recycle! How do you help to minimize your ecological footprint?

Here's a cool link, it really puts what you do into perspective:
[www.earthday.net]

Some small things I do to shrink my footprint (and I know some of them sound small and silly, but they add up!)
-reuse food containers as much as possible (jars, etc)
-reuse bags for garbage
-reuse scraps of paper
-keep socks, underwear, etc as long as I can
-donate unwanted clothing
-use as many earth friendly products as I can (and I know I need to work on this more)
-make sure all my laundry loads are full
-turn off lights/tv when not in room
-recycle bottles, cans, paper
-limit paper use in bathrooms


I might do more but those were a few things that came to mind.

Some things I would like to start doing:
-compost and other green recycling
-get better at sewing
-get a more earth friendly car


What about you guys? Tips, tricks, thoughts? (wait, is that the 3 T's? lol)

My contribution, and I KNOW I could do more, I am working on it.

Recycle EVERYTHING (I am a fiend for re-cycling - fortunately my son is as well now)
Reuse jars, containers, bags
Compost
Don't own a car - walk or cycle everywhere
Turn lights and electrical appliances off when not in use
Don't leave taps running
If it's yellow let it mellow.............
Mooncup
Home made cleaning products
Buy vegetables from local farmers market (though it does involve a lift in BF's car!!)

It might be easier to list the things that I DON'T do and that I plan on changing.
Living in Spain it is IMPOSSIBLE to buy green cleaning products and things like biodegradable bin bags. I can get things like Ecover washing-up liquid and Ecover laundry detergent when the health food shop has it in stock!!!, and I've been meaning to buy eco balls for the past year - but I still haven't got round to doing it!!
*blush
I WILL BUY ECO BALLS THIS MONTH!!
AND get biodegradable bin bags shipped over from UK. I could justify getting a load sent over in one go as I don't throw much out - it either gets composted, recycled or fed to my friends

GAH!
I'm sue there's loads more things I just can't think of them now. I will add to this later.
Tatiana - it doesn't matter how small and significant our acts are - when we all pull together and each do our own little bit - on a global scale it's quite huge.
Think globally, act locally.

Three T's - I like it.

I've just had a light bulb moment!! (an eco friendly light bulb moment!!)

I don't buy reusable batteries!!!
How bad is that!
I only use batteries for my clock and camera and re-cycle them at the eco park BUT EVEN SO!!!

I can't believe I've not bought reusable batteries.
This is on my list of things to buy this week.

I am planning to move into a new place soon and I'm thinking I'd like to find a place with wood floors instead of carpet. They are much easier to clean. You can sweep them regularly and do a weekly mop, which uses no electricity, hooray! Saves time, money, and energy instead of vacuuming and having the occasional carpet shampoo.

I have tiled floors in every room and I still find it necessary to hoover them before I mop!!
I've tried sweeping and it doesn't work - bits of dust bunnies fly everywhere. But then I do have 5 cats so I'm well aware of the fact that my house has more dust than you'd ever imagine possible!

Haha, yes, with cats I think you'll need to vacuum! I was unable to find a place with wood floors that would allow my dog that wasn't super expensive, however, I found a great apartment community that is green certified, so I'm pretty happy about that.

I also recently got some of those super long lasting light bulbs.

I'm delighted you found somewhere!!!
Green cert too!!
Go you!!

Hey everyone. I would LOVE to be green (apart from being Vegan) but unfortuantly it's really difficult at the moment. I live in a city of over priced products or just not so green or even suitable for Vegans.
I also live with my mum, and she just doesn't even care, its quite sad really. I think she is in many ways (and not just about being green), shallow. I always say turn the light off at nights (she leaves the toilet light on for some reason and go's mad if I turn it off and she thinks its ok just because it's a lower energy bulb!...But it still uses energy AND our electricity).

Well anyway I would love to live more simple (but I need a computer thats all is that a bad sin? hehehehee). But apart from that, how u handle rubbish and gardening, gas, electricity, etc, is easier..... Is it any cheaper or easier in a country or is it because my mum kinda doesn't want to help me out a little here???
(please don't mention moving out, it's not that simple right now, but I would like to, I need a job and more money, but I am working on that at this moment in my life...).

Anyway hi u lot!

You may find this very interesting Darky:

[www.recycleforgreatermanchester.com]

Hey Darky dark
It's really the small things that can have as much an impact as the big things. Even you turning the lights off after your mum is still doing your bit.

If you use public transport then you're doing your bit there too. If you go to the supermarket take your own carrier bags, fabric shopping bags even better.

Be a bit more aware of the products you buy from the supermarket...local produce is better by far because it hasn't had to travel half way round the world (and it supports our local farmers).
Try only buying fruit and veggies that are from your local farmers (markets are ace....and cheaper AND you don't get all that silly packaging).
The produce is fresher, tastier and if it's organic even better but don't beat yourself up if it's not.

Oooh - just had a thought....check out your local freecycle. Great place to recycle unwanted items. One man's junk is another man's teasure....