Connecticut Nesties
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
How are you going "green"
I have those green reusable bags from S&S. I bought microfiber cloths today so I can cut back n my paper towel usage. Also, I have a big bottle of vinegar and a squirt bottle that I'm going to use as a daily cleaner. How about you?
Re: How are you going "green"
we have reusable shopping bags, too. we are replacing our lightbulbs slowly but surely with energy efficient ones. we eat mostly organic. we are going to use cloth diapers for DC.
I did buy microfiber cloths, too, but I am having a hard time cutting down on paper towels (I think I have an unnatural addiction to them...lol) but I'm trying
Oh I love this post! I'm all about environmental awareness - always been a bit of a "green" gal.
We pushed for a green wedding, actually. We used soy candles in all of our decors, all paper products were made using recycled and post-consumer papers, and some of our vases were recycled glass.
I also have those reusable shopping bags, they're great!
Other things:
- We recycle everything!
- I unplug all of the appliances I can before we leave the house
- We use those special light bulbs (can't even think of what they're called?)
- I take short showers (water overuse makes me feel so guilty!)
- We've started using "green" household cleaners
- I commute by train
- We use lots of Bamboo in decor - shelving, sheets, etc.
Also, I LOOOVE this online store called Viva Terra - it's beautiful home decor and almost everything is made from recycled or reclaimed substances. I definitely recommend them if you like eco-decor!
We're using the energy efficient bulbs in our new house as we replace light fixtures. I really like the new ones that look more like real bulbs.
I really only use rags when cleaning. Paper towels only get used for picking up puppy poop in the house.
We're also planning on planting a veggie garden in the new yard. I'm not sure if it'll happen this year because of all the work that needs to be done, but I'm hopeful. We also grow our own catnip for Jack.
All of the meat/animal products we buy are hormone free/anti-biotic free/free range. I'm not big on more chemicals in my meat. I'm trying to convince DH to get a couple of chickens at the new house. Free eggs! You can't go wrong with that!
Oh yeah - steel or those Nalgene-type bottles are a great idea. We stopped buying bottled water altogether. I read that water bottles are one of the worst things for the environment right now - not because they can't be recycled, but that they can't be recycled fast enough for the demand. They're producing way more water bottles than the recycling companies can handle!
{My Connecticut Wedding Photography Site}
Good post!
Last year we had an energy efficiency specialist (DH's cousin, it's his business) inspect our house. We did a number of things they suggested: using energy efficient bulbs, except in places where they don't give enough light - our house is kind of dark; reinsulating the attic with enviro-friendly materials; installing a digital thermostat that we program to change the temp when we're out of the house (down in winter, up in summer); can't remember what else off the top of my head but a few other things.
Also, we use canvas bags for groceries; we both use Nalgenes out of the house and a Brita pitcher in the house; always turn things off when not in use (to the extent it's reasonable); I have a Prius; DH has an Altima, which isn't too bad.
We use reuseable bags to grocery shop, or ONLY paper. We don't take a bag if we don't need one. We use CF lightbulbs, we compost our food scraps, plant a garden, hang clothes out to dry in the summer, have a energy efficient/gas washer/dryer, we unplug any appliance we aren't using, we are replacing our toilet (as we speak) with a dual flush toilet that uses less water for liquid waste, we keep out thermostat down in the winter/up in the summer. We NEVER drink bottled water and use Nalgenes instead. DH carpools with a co-worker. We recycle our butts off and often only have two bags of "trash" a week. We started using DHs laptop at home more instead of the desktop.
Basically, we make a conscious effort to do whatever we can do support the environment.
BTW... There was an article about how you can make your home more "green" in the Courant today.
1. New Energy Efficient Water Heater
2. Energy Efficient Light Bulbs
3. Recycling
4. Reusing grocery bags for doggie poo bags (best I can do right now)
5. Commitment to buying only Energy Star appliances
6. Driving smaller car to and from work
7. Not using pesticides on lawn or garden
8. Feeding dogs holistic food (now to work on humans)
9. Using a vinegar and water mixture to clean the kitchen and tile floors and surface areas.
A few other things too..that's all I can think of right now.
Let's see..
I use cloth diapers.
We have EF lightbulbs and unplug everything while we're gone.
We have reusable cloth shopping bags.
I use old t-shirts for cleaning and paper towels only for windows on occasion, with a vinegar & water cleaner.
Energy efficient appliances, especially our new front loader GE washer & dryer.
I'd like to start a garden soon too.
I save the environment in CT for a living. LMAO!
We recycle alot more than we used to, reuse bags, etc. Alot of things ppl think are better for the environment, actually aren't in different ways, so I try and educate myself. I have to find balances between our environment and business every day.
Great post!
I use the cloth bags for shopping also. I am finally getting better at taking them to other stores aside from just the grocery store.
Working on unpluging appliances
Use microfiber cloths and green cleaners. I also have a huge bottle of vinegar and a large box of baking soda
try not to drive as much
I don't buy coffee or a drink at work. Use only my reusable coffee mug and water bottle.
May use cloth diapers(still negotiating with DH)
Recycle all we can
We are looking into bamboo flooring and are hoping to build a "green" home soon
I am sure there is more, but that is all I can think of off the top of my head.
Great post!
I actually read all of the above posts, here is what we do:
1. Canvas bags for all shopping - not just grocery store
2. Comapct florecents AND if we break one we put it in a bin and when that bin fills some day we will bring it to the correct recycling place (they can not go in the trash due to the mercury!)
3. we compost all veggies, eggs, and bread scraps.
4. we pick up coffee grinds from Starbuck 3+ times a week to compost - yep we are addicted.
5. We "steal" our neighbors leaves and grass clipping and compost THEIR yard waste
6. We heavily insulated our house to R39!
7. We are slowly installing thermal liners to all drapes in the house. helps with heating AND cooling!!
8.We use Nalgene bottles and coffee mugs never paper - and use silverware in cafetiras when availble.
9. we have an extensive garden!!! 43 varites of veggies - plus we have brambles, and lots of native perennials for the birds and the bees. alllll on our little half acre.
10 we Drive a PRIUS
and a ford focus which is good on gas.
11. We passively cool our house in the summer. we bought a new AC unit that is energy star on the RARE occasions we need it.
12. we have or are replacing all existing appliance with Energy star ones (which save our $$$ too!)
13. we power strip our appliances so we do not have "hantom" voltages.
14. we turn off our PCs when they are not in use.
15. We have 3 programable thermostats and never heat higher than 60 degrees.
16. We use old T-shirts as rags.
17. We recycle everything!
18. We use sustainable agriculture practises and and pest management. some times I work with the UCONN extensions to help me with specific "buggies"
19. we try to buy sustanable wood and other natural resources when we can
There is probalby more - we are "tree hugging Hippies"
I recycle
I don't take bags when I don't need them and will start to reuse them at stores by bringing them back.
I've cut back on buying plastic bottle drinks.
I try to buy eco friendly cleaning supplies when I can
I don't let the water run or leave appliances going when I don't need them.
oh, man, this is huge to me, so sorry for the long post
washable towels instead of paper for everyday cleaning/dusting
not using chemical-laden cleansers unless absolutely necessary
using less than required amount of detergent in loads of laundry; washing everything in cold water
we bought an energy-star compliant HVAC last year (and got a sweet tax credit for it
)
we are super paranoid about combining trips and stuff to save on gas. we also both drive four cylinder cars.
we got an LCD tv instead of the DLP dh wanted b/c it uses less energy lol
we use compact fluorescent lights in every fixture in the house
we recycle like mad and are constantly re-purposing things - if we can't use them in their current state, see if someone else can, or if we can take it apart... h is always ripping wires and stuff out of things to reuse