The Three R's

I would like to apologize in advance for this post. I hope I'm not complaining too much and that I get my point across. I'm becoming more and more passionate about this subject every day and frankly, I'm fed up.

I have slowly become a huge "Save the Earth" advocate. I'm not really sure what started my awareness. I never saw that Al Gore documentary about global warming. I think over the past few years, I've read many articles about recycling and what will happen if people don't start taking care of our planet. Each article leads me to researching about ways to save the earth. I didn't begin my quest to save the earth all at once. I read somewhere that people should start gradually and that's what I did.

It started when I moved in to my condo two years ago. I didn't have a lot of money and I was trying to cut back. Well, I started the energy bill game. Now, I'm not the super competitive, have to win type of person. However, for me it's how you play the game. I have to beat myself or be better than my last performance. The energy bill game is easy to start playing. Basically you have to see how low you can get the bill. In the past two years my lowest was $45 for a 1 bedroom 970sq.' condo. I was so pleased with that. It took a lot of research to figure out how to REDUCE my energy usage. I've changed my light bulbs to the CFLs. I don't keep my cell phone charger plugged in all day long. I have my computer and TVs on a power strip and turn them off when they are not in use. I make sure that I wash full loads in the dishwasher and washer and dryer. I'm fortunate that I'm on the 2nd floor and have south facing windows because in the winter I never have to turn the heat on. Every little bit helped me beat my previous score (bill). I still play that game.

When Ferdinand moved in, we decided to figure out how we can RECYCLE. We have three trash cans; 2 for recycling and 1 for trash. We also have a brown paper bag for the cardboard and paper recycling. We take out the trash once a week (sometimes it can last 10 days depending on the smell). We take all of the recycling once a week. That means we recycle triple the amount of garbage. We don't have a recycling pick up at our condo complex. We have to take it to bins located around the city. Yes, it can be a pain in the rear. But everytime we take it we know that every little bit counts and it is worth the hassle.

At the beginning of this school year my friend Megan and I started a recycling club. We have about 12 student members and we are educating them on the three R's and they help us with the recycling at our school. It is so sad to me that school districts do not put emphasis on this type of awareness. Jeffco does not have a district wide recycling program. Recycling companies were in a bidding war to pick up Jeffco as a client but that all went south when the ballot measures didn't pass. The kids in this club are awesome. They give up a part of their recess each week to go around the school and empty the recycling bins into boxes for Megan and I to take to the recycling. Let me tell you this is no easy or small task. We take the recycling 3 times a week and it is full loads each time. Again, it can be a huge pain and some days I really don't want to make an extra stop on my way home. However, to me, it is worth it. Every little bit counts. Today is Earth Day and the recycling club organized a school wide trash clean up outside. We also sent home a pledge worksheet. Each student and teacher was given the chance to write a pledge for what they are going to start doing to help make the earth a better place. Sadly, I found many of the teacher pledge sheets in the recycling boxes today. I guess I should be glad that they recycled the paper instead of throwing it away. I was disappointed as to how many I found, it made me so sad.

Lately I've been working at getting better at REUSE. I have canvas grocery bags that I use religiously. If I forget them or don't have enough, I make sure I get paper. Sure it is not easy to carry, but it sure does help to recycle paper and cardboard. The paper bags are also better because they can be recycled easier than the plastic bags. I've also been trying to make sure I take my lunch in tupperware containers instead of plastic baggies. I'm going to try to work on reusing more. I need to research a little more to see how I can become better. When we finally have a house and a yard, we will be composting. It will help our organic vegetable garden grow!

I'm not telling you all of this so I can brag about myself. I'm writing because I hope to show you how easy it is to REDUCE, REUSE and RECYCLE. I'm not talking about global warming. I'm not considered a democrat or a repulican. It has nothing to do with a trend. It is worth $15 for you to pay to have a company come and pick it up at your house. If I can take our household recycling and an entire school's recycling, I think you can too. I'm scared for this earth. I'm scared for the place that we are leaving our children. It is not just about the three R's either. We use way too much water and that is a limited resource. We use too much oil - limited resource. We use too much energy - limited resource. I want to make this earth last for my grand-children, don't you?

Check out this website http://www.carbonfootprint.com/ and you can see your carbon footprint. Your carbon footprint is the measure of the impact your daily activities have on the earth. It will tell you how many earths we would need if everyone lived the way you do.

Here is another website to stop junk mail http://www.41pounds.org

I'm not saying do everything now. Take baby steps. Do what you can do, every little bit counts. If even one person recycles, it is helping. But, just think of the result if we all recycled and reduced our consumptions.

Here are some suggestions:
1. Change your light bulbs. The CFLs won't need to be changed again for at least 8 years. When they do burn out, they aren't hard to get rid of - just take them to Home Depot to be recycled and then you can buy some new ones!
2. Play the energy bill game. Unplug everything unless you are using it. Please make sure you never keep your cell phone charger plugged in all the time - they are the biggest energy suckers and wasters in your home. Did you know that electronics and appliances are using energy when they are plugged in - even if they are not in use or turned on?
3. Recycle what you can. Start with bottles, or tin cans. If they don't pick it up where you are, find out where your nearest drop off bin is located. Just think, you'll only have to take it once a week - that's nothing!
4. Turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth, washing dishes etc. Take shorter showers. Make sure your water heater isn't turned up too high. Make sure you wash full loads in the dishwasher and washer/dryer.
5. Change your cleaning products to earth friendly products. They are not more expensive and they are everywhere on the shelves at stores. Cleaning products have a ton of chemicals that just go into the earth because they are in the water you use to clean. Vinegar and baking soda work wonders on the shower - and that is cheap!
6. Plan ahead before running errands. Drive the least amount you can. Carpool.
7. Buy recycled products.
8. Use reusable items such as containers and bags.
9. Buy in bulk. Did you know that buying in bulk and buying locally grown produce helps reduce your carbon footprint. By buying in bulk you are not wasting as much packaging as smaller items and you won't have to drive back to the store to buy more. When you buy produce that comes from California, for example, think of all that the produce has to go through....well, 4 states at least on a semi-truck. Yikes! I love farmer's markets in the summer. They also tend to have organic produce - again, good for the earth.

These are just a few ideas. I know there are a ton more. I encourage you to pick one today, on Earth Day, to begin. I'm so tired of people saying that we don't need to recycle or that it doesn't make a difference. I haven't come across any research that claims that recycling is a waste of time. I get very frustrated when I see people that are very blessed in this life, taking this planet for granted. It makes me angry. Are you really that lazy? If I can do it, you can do it. Why don't more people care? I always have to remind myself that I'm only one person and I can only be in charge of myself and my actions. I know that I'm doing my part. Are you?