Blog Action Day: 10.15.07

In honor of Blog Action Day, here is MBB’s attempt in making the world a greener place.

A recent radio broadcast on NPR posed a question to it’s listeners: “What would the world be like if everyone consumed to the same extent as you do?”

Yikes! That one really socks me in the stomach. I think about all the things that end up in my garbage can every week. I think about having a family with 5 children, and how much we consume. What environmental issues their generation will face, and their grandchildren? The environmental footprint that I will be leaving is much larger than I would like to admit. If you have time, you can read or listen to this report called, “What Can One Family Do?”

Here are some goals I have made, and hopefully can make my impact a little smaller:

• Being more selective about what I purchase, and use what I buy
• Avoid purchasing products that use excessive packaging
• Recycling plastic, paper, glass and metal
• Reduce my electricity use, by changing my thermostat by two degrees
• Reduce my water use by getting rid of some grass in my yard, and creating a rock garden in its place
• Switch over my light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs
• Plan out car trips to make my outings more gas and time efficient
• Talk about these strategies with my family, and increase our awareness by discussing my goals with them.

The great thing about an event like this, is that the cumulative effect of several of us making small changes can be quite significant. Share with me any of your ideas, I am always looking for new ways to conserve.

**Here are a couple of environmentally savvy “SHOUT OUTs:”

• Ethically Green in Deutschland, who is incredibly resourceful and makes her own homemade toothpaste.
• Jen at Lords of the Manor and Mommy What’s for Dinner? She recently posted how to save money and the planet by shopping at thrift stores, yard, and consignment sales. On her recipe blog, she has 100’s of fabulous yummy meal ideas to help our families eat better and save money as well.

Have a great Blog Action Day!