My paper towel challenge
It officially feels like spring has sprung. We’ve been spending so much time outdoors, our flowers are miraculously still alive (!! It’s amazing what water and sunshine will do), and we’ve been hanging out with lots of great friends now that Liv is 100% better from the famous San Diego virus ick of 2013.
Liv knows that we have to wear shoes outside (too many pointy little rocks), so she’ll bring me her shoes and say, “Please.” It makes me happy that she’d rather be outdoors than indoors, so we play outside most days. We’ll blow bubbles, draw with chalk, water the flowers, and play fetch with the dogs.
We don’t have a pool, but I’d love to get a little kiddie splash pool, especially for later this summer.
I was trying to think of a good personal challenge for April and then remembered that Earth Day is this month. I’m always looking for ways to be more green in areas that are appropriate for our family, and when I thought of Earth Day, my mind flashed to paper towels.
Mountains upon mountains of paper towels.
One of my vices:
I use WAY too many paper towels. I don’t use them as often for cleaning (I like to clean with cloths and rags), but for food: all the time. It’s so easy to just put a tortilla on a paper towel and microwave it, chop an apple on a paper towel (we have granite, so it doesn’t scratch the counters), etc. I’ve always thought I could cut back, but it was the convenience factor that kept it going. Here’s the thing, though: cloth is also super convenient. I ordered a 24-pack of cloths to use for cleaning, and to remind myself that I’m going to drastically cut back on paper towel use. It feels wasteful when I can put food on a plate to heat up, chop on a cutting board, and continue to clean with cloth.
So that’s my challenge for the month! I’m a firm believer that every little bit counts, especially when I think about the amount of paper towels I use over the course of a year. This is a challenge I hope to become a habit and eventual longterm change for me.
What’s something you’re going to do to be more green this month?
Some ideas:
-Carpool, ride your bike, walk, or take public transportation to work
–Make your own cleaning products
-Recycle plastic bags or bring your own cloth bags
-Turn off electric appliances when not in use
-Turn the water off while you brush
-Donate items instead of throwing them away
-Stop paper bank statements and pay bills online
Here’s to a lean, clean, and green month <3
xoxo
Gina
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OMG I use sooooo many paper towels at home. I don’t know if it has anything to do with working in the restaurant biz for so many years and cleaning up stuff. but I can go through ROLLS of paper towel in no time. What a great challenge! thanks!
We have a acquired a ton of cloth napkins, I always look for cool ones on sale and love to use bandannas as cloth napkins. They are inexpensive enough to stock up and then I use them in place of paper towels for many/most food activities. (Not cleaning)
Great challenge. I’m going to join you in this one. We have friends that don’t buy paper towel at all. I’m not ready to go that far yet but I am going to make a conscious effort to use much less.
When I was a kid we had a red plastic thing that we used as a sandbox in the fall and spring, and a little pool in the summer. We live in Boston and tend to have long winters, so my brothers and I would use it as a barrier for our snowball fights. I highly recommend a sturdy plastic one (like this: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2313577). It has multiple uses and Livi and your future children will make so many memories.