Spring Greening
I’m late to post… again. Sorry for the delay.
In lieu of Sarcastic Mom’s Project Support Beauty in Nature, here is an update on how we’re doing with our greener lifestyle. Feel free to read my original post here, filled with tips from a more eco-friendly moving to how to to have greener sex. Also, if you plan on switching to cloth diapers, be sure to read which brand I discovered to be the worst.
Since my last update, here are some more changes we’ve made to our lifestyle.
1) Now that we are homeowners, we actually have a yard. A rather large one (well at least for us it is). Sadly the previous homeowners did not take care of the landscaping so all of our grass is d.e.a.d. Since the price of sod here in New England is ridiculously expensive, a few weeks ago we dug up the yard, and planted some grass seed. Here’s a shot of our little sprouts in the front yard.
We’ll also be planting some new bushes, trees and flowers this weekend throughout the yard. I don’t mind getting a little dirty, but I do not like the enormous earthworms we have in our dirt (I heard they’re a good thing, but ewww!).
2) In recent weeks I’ve finally purchased reusable grocery bags AND remembered to put them in my car, AND bring them into the store. Can I please tell you how many times I’ve left them in the car, or in the house? Just about everywhere is selling reusable grocery bags, but Whole Foods is the first place I found them made from recycled material. Plus, they cost the same as most stores, $1/each.
3) Anyone else running out of gas…money? Fuel prices are just insane. I can’t think of any other word to describe it. The last time I filled up my tank it cost me $58.00. All I could think about when I saw my receipt was, “That could have paid for groceries for an entire week,” or “We should just stop leaving the house.”
Thankfully Dadisodes and I share 1 car, and we only fill up about once every 2 weeks. The town we live in also has decent public transportation. Rather than driving to the library, a restaurant, or a shopping center, we now walk. And if the walk is too long, we’ll walk to a bus stop or train station. Since the weather has warmed up, I’ve also invested in this…
Say hello to my new vehicle. No A/C. No radio. No power anything. It seats two and serves us well in getting around without wasting gas. However, come winter, I will have to find another solution. Biking in snow cannot be fun.
Have you done any spring greening? Share them in the comments below.
Don’t forget to check out other PBSN participants over at Sarcastic Mom.
Stumble It!
May 17th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
Just tonight I was out planting flowers after my vegetable and herb planting of a few weeks ago! IT’s so exciting to see something YOU’VE planted grow, isn’t it? DH put in some grass seed, too and we’re watching it grow a little. It’s very exciting
My PSBN post is at my new blog
Sarah’s last blog post..I threw my baby on the floor*
May 18th, 2008 at 12:08 am
Sandy,
Thanks for stopping by today, and for the comment! I’ve added you to the blogroll. And what do you mean no AC on the bike? The faster you pedal, the more air you’ll get! Take a spray bottle with you, and your in business!
NukeDad’s last blog post..My 15 Minutes Should Last All Weekend
May 18th, 2008 at 12:09 am
I meant: you’re in business. I hate typo’s!
NukeDad’s last blog post..My 15 Minutes Should Last All Weekend
May 18th, 2008 at 12:27 am
It seems like I plant new flowers several times a week - it just makes you feel better when you walk up to a house that has a nice garden or flowerbed. We’ve also been trying to walk more and drive less. Good stuff Sandy!
Jeremy (Discovering Dad)’s last blog post..What Dads Really Think About - Moms Want to Know - Series Announcement
May 18th, 2008 at 12:34 am
I used to do some gardening in my balcony, but it has been some years now.. and I need to revive my bicycle too..
*watches out for more fresh brownies*
LB’s last blog post..Heart 2 Heart Hug 2 Hug
May 18th, 2008 at 12:36 am
Me too with the shopping bags–I got Eco Bags–they are mesh and they are awesome for everything!!!
I am planting container fruit . . . my next step. If I can keep it alive it’ll be a miracle . . .
LaskiGal’s last blog post..I am not a thief . . . not on purpose anyway
May 18th, 2008 at 12:41 am
If we lived in a more “air quality friendly” city I would do the bike thing, especially since we live downtown and are sort of near everything.
Great post!
missy wiggins’s last blog post..Planting more than a tree…
May 18th, 2008 at 12:55 am
Rock on! I caved and bought Kroger bags (not recycled material!), but I console myself with the fact that at least I’m not using plastic anymore!
I LOVE your Whole Foods ones, though! I wish there was a WF around here. Totally miss them.
Also, I am jealous of your bike! I’ve been wanting one of those like crazy!
You must make Dadisodes take pics of you guys on it!
Sarcastic Mom’s last blog post..If I can’t get enough sleep, I can at least conserve energy elsewhere…
May 18th, 2008 at 12:57 am
I need to buy some reusable grocery bags. Aside from being a bad for the environment, they are such a pain in the rear to deal with.
Amanda (Shamelessly Sassy)’s last blog post..80’s Lady Saga: The Redneck Bridal Shower
May 18th, 2008 at 12:58 am
Crap.
By they, i mean regular grocery bags are a bad for the enviro and pain in the rear.
Amanda (Shamelessly Sassy)’s last blog post..80’s Lady Saga: The Redneck Bridal Shower
May 18th, 2008 at 1:09 am
I love those bags! I haven’t found any pretty ones yet, but making do with the plain coloured ones I have. We have also replaced all the globes in the house and reduced the number of down lights. Oh and we are coming up to winter here, so I have turned down the thermostat a few degrees. Told the family that if they are cold, put a jumper on!
Kelley’s last blog post..Dunno what to call this, what about Kelley loses her shit again..
May 18th, 2008 at 7:52 am
you are kicking my arse in the greening.
Im proud when I recycle.
(oooh though I do bring my own bag to grocery. accidentally
mu diaperbagpurse is so freakin BIG :))
MizFit’s last blog post..Team MizFit (and everyone else who is playing along at home):
May 18th, 2008 at 8:11 am
I wish that my bike was in working order. It was a yard sale bike and needed a LOT of repairs. While my husband was deployed, I purchased it with high hopes of getting it fixed and being “gorgeous” when he came back home.
Sorry… I’m laughing.
Blessings!
Lacy
May 18th, 2008 at 9:28 am
This is what I’ve been working on for months now. The grocery bag thing will come naturally, eventually. I did the same thing at first.
We’re going fewer places and parking at the nearest point from our house and walking. We don’t have good public transport from where we live.
I’m shopping as locally as possible and trying not to buy items/foodstuffs that will leave a large transportation imprint.
We’re changing our well system so our water is more drinkable and we won’t have to rely on outside water.
We’re recycling things we don’t use and not bringing new items into the house. When we do need something new, we look on freecycle/used boards.
Probably other stuff, but that’s what I’m coming up with right now.
Jen of a2eatwrite’s last blog post..Farmers Market Saturday - May 17, 2008
May 18th, 2008 at 9:29 am
oops… we’re trying to buy items that will NOT leave a large transportation imprint!
Jen of a2eatwrite’s last blog post..Farmers Market Saturday - May 17, 2008
May 18th, 2008 at 10:16 am
Green sex?
::: perk :::
I’m sorry. I got distracted.
Rebecca’s last blog post..Weekly Winners: May 10-May 17
May 18th, 2008 at 10:36 am
I’m jealous! Your reusable grocery bags are way cuter than the green and black ones I have. I don’t envy you when it comes to the yard work. Our yard was beautiful and then our house got moved across the road… in the middle of fields… with no trees. I miss our trees and the lilac bushes they promised to move with us (but didn’t).
It took over a year to get rid of the mud and finally have grass!
Jeanne’s last blog post..Weekly Winners: May 11-18
May 18th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
I love those Whole Foods bags you got. Ours ran out, so I had to buy the canvas ones. I also got some insulated ones from Trader Joe’s that are very nice.
Asianmommy’s last blog post..China Earthquake Relief
May 18th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Here in the Phoenix area, we blasted right past spring and are now experiencing summer temps. I saw that it might reach 107 tomorrow. And it’s not even the end of May.
It does not feel the least bit like spring, so I’m living through the rest of you, especially the Northerners like you!
This week, I put $104 (total) in gas in two vehicles. My car, and my husband’s. I don’t drive a lot, and usually only fill up every two weeks, but he has to drive a lot and it’s a huge bite out of the budget.
I might resort to more walking, but not when it’s 107 degrees.
Jennifer H’s last blog post..The backseat diaries
May 18th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
I hear you on the gas prices! Unfortunately we live in the middle of nowhere and it’s already 100 degrees(ditto Jennifer!) I usually send my husband to the store on his way home from work to get groceries so I don’t have to leave at all. I really need to buy some reusable bags, the five of us go through lots of food around here!
kspin’s last blog post..Somewhat Of A Creep…
May 18th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
I’m glad I’m not the only one who forgets to take their reusable bags into the store!
And gas IS insane! For the first time ever we’re wishing we lived closer town. Filling the van is $70, and we’re reduced to eating bread and water. It’s so sad. I can’t wait until my garden starts producing!
Karen’s last blog post..Well, That Sucks
May 18th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
I am NOT going to make any jokes about you
peddlin’pedalling your tushi all over town. No ma’am. Not me.lceel’s last blog post..Where did the day go?
May 18th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
I can’t even begin to type what I pay in gas a month. It kills me.. and I have been dying to get a bicycly seat for the boys but I can barely walk straight ..haha
Great post Sandy..
Kim’s last blog post..Sunday Snapshots
May 19th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Oh yes…gas price is just ridiculous, and it’s still going up. One of my co-workers drive an Expedition, and he needs gas once a week because he lives 20 minutes away from work (but that’s really like 50 minutes with traffic in So Cal). The last time he got gas it was $90. Insane!
Linda’s last blog post..Blogiversary Giveaway at Lady Language