Treading lightly on the earth

[JavaMama]

my kids are going through a lot of paper too. :huhn We do have some dry erase boards for practicing letters, numbers, addition etc but they still use coloring books and such.

I'm pretty sure these companies have to remove you from their mailing list if you request it. I did that with Capitol One (and I included some cookie crumbs because I was ) and I NEVER get CC offers from them anymore.

so you just return to sender or something?

[Mothering by Heart]

Our PO recycles it all. I just rip them up really well

I have heard of people stuffing all the contents of the offers back in to the envelope and sending it back to them

[Punkie]

You can also put yourself on the do-not-mail list for junk mail senders. At least it takes care of the reputable ones who keep up with the "do not mail" lists It cut our junk down considerably.

[JavaMama]

Amanda- how did I miss that you're preggers? Congrats!

We put ourselves on the do not mail list a long time ago, do you have to do it again do you know? Our junk mail is almost exclusively credit card offers, with the occasional car insurance offer.

[Punkie]

Aww, thanks My announcement post was kind of tucked away in the Cradled forum

I'm not sure if your information expires on the do-not-mail list. We just moved and so for a while we were getting tons of new junk plus all of the junk from the previous owners. Luckily junk mail is recyclable.

yeah and you can make paper with it with the kiddos...

But yeah I agree it is very bothersome and not just for the earth but for me too! I am on a no tele-marketers list and I can finally go on about my day without anybody trying to convince me to buy something...all day long!

Originally Posted by blossomnatalia

yeah and you can make paper with it with the kiddos...

Tell me more!

My recent adjustments have been switching to CFLs (found them 6 for $10!) and using cloths instead of paper towels. I found cloths for $3 for 15 and I am using those for floor spills, ds spills, counter wipe ups, and what not. I catch myself reaching for a paper towel and have to remind myself to go for the cloth! I mean, for goodness' sake, paper towels are at the *cheapest* 89 cents a roll, and then they are cruddy and you have to use so many to do the job. 15 cloths for $3 is a good deal and it won't cost any more to wash them; they hardly take up any space.

[jghomeschooler]

I bought a bunch of terry towels at Wal-Mart, I think they were $5 for a bunch (10?). I bought some cute oval baskets at the $1 store and keep some of the towels in a basket on my counter so they're easy to grab for spills and so they also have a "home" LOL.
I bought a Divacup and LOVE it! I also bought some lunapanties- I honestly don't really need them with the cup, but wear them just in case. I am SO happy not to have to buy pads or tampons any more, ick. And the cup is so much cleaner than even tampons, seriously.
Now I am also switching us to a vegan/whole foods diet- trying to stay away from as much processed/packaged foods as possible. Great idea for making paper with junk mail, my kids will love that. I bet my hs buddy will love to do it too.

-We sort/recycle our garbage We started with a FULL garbage can and now only have one bag a week in the can
-We have almost stopped using paper towels and use terry washclosth or knitted dish cloths
-We are avid (organic) gardeners and are SO close to haveing produce year round
-We switched to energy efficiant washer/dryer and hang dry most clothes during the summer (too damp here in the winter)
-We keep our house set at 65 during winter and do not use A/C (not that we really need it)
-We compost kitchen scraps and yard clippings (we have almost convirted all of our grass to garden)
-We use a push mower instead of a gas powered mower
-We hardly ever use packaged meals and really only eat out at places that share our efforts to protect the environment.
-We collect our rain (and our neighbors rain)
-We have switched to flourescents
-I try to use recycled fabric for many sewing projest
-We use paperless billing
I will keep thinking because there is more and dh just go home

What I am dreaming of doing,,,
I want a SMART car. / which I will power w/ bio diesel
(I am on the waiting list #6000 in fact...so I am saving but it will most likely be 2+ years)
We also are in the process of buying a home and are feeling very lead that we do not need a huge home. So much is wasted in large homes so we are looking to buy a house that is just our size and no bigger (or as dh says...with room for one more junt incase we are so blessed)

ETA: some more things we do

[Mothering by Heart]

I would love to hang dry our clothes but living in a national forest... pine needles and dirt everywhere I wish though *sigh*

I have switched almost all of our bills to paperless billing and I pay our bills all on line

yeah our clothes wouldnt dry, they would just freeze I dont have enough space in the house to hang things, I hang some, but certainly not all.

I keep forgetting to go paperless billing. I do have most of my bills auto pay or online. I only write one or two checks a month! Its so nice.

I need to figure out how to compost in the winter

what are CFLs

[Mothering by Heart]

compact fluorescent lightbulbs

oh right

Ok..this might be a VERY DUMB question.....but why would it be harder to compost in the winter??
Is there something I am missing?



To make paper you need a couple frames that you can either make or buy in a "make your own paper" kit. the more frames you have ..the more you can make at a time. Although shiny paper is not the best for making paper because but used sparingly with others (newspaper and other non shiny paper)...it can make very attractive splashes of color here and there.
I also have added, paprika, curry or chili flakes for color and fun.....you can add leaves, flowers, petals...anything you want....
I am sure there is something online about how to make your own paper that you can follow....