Earth Day 2013

Yes, today is Earth Day. I'm already doing the recycle/reuse thing here at home. In fact, it's my mantra and has been for years now. David and I barely have any trash for the garbage men to pick up on Thursdays because I recycle all paper, plastic, aluminum, glass, and I compost all veggie food scraps, grass clippings,dead leaves, and even get horse manure from the horse stables down the street when they have their shows here in town.

I also have three water barrels for rain water for watering the plants. I got David to only use natural pest control, meaning ladybugs, lace wings, etc... and I make my own weed control with vinegar and a little soap. Vinegar also controls red ants. Buggers bite like hell out here.

We have a Point Of Use hot water heater in our house that only heats the water when we need it. No water tank to waste gas reheating over and over again. We have a low water use toilet and shower head and sink heads. I make my own laundry detergent and use a dryer rag for permanent press clothes in the dryer. Otherwise everything else gets hung out to dry.

David and I insulated the house because there was none when we renovated it. I love the pollution free fresh air out here so I never use the AC in the summer unless the temperature goes above 95. It's not the heat that kills you here, it's the humidity. We are also looking into getting solar panels installed. We are currently checking on the prices and installation, and how much off the grid we would be. I want to be so far off the grid that we have the electric company buying energy from us.

So that's the Earth Day poop on how I'm trying to make my carbon print as small as possible. I wish people would continue doing more everyday and not just for today. Our mother can't do it alone.