This weeks challenge is a really appropriate challenge for me. Zero Waste Week 2011 started September 5th and the goal over at http://myzerowaste.com/ is how can I reduce my waste away from from home. This challenge is really appropriate since I have been rediculously horrible about eating out, wasting food, and buying coffee/tea out. When I look in my recycling bin, and the fact that I recycle is the only saving grace for me, I cringe when I see how many plastic cups are in there. That means I have wasted a ton of money by buying coffee/tea out instead of making it at home and I am using way too many plastic containers. I have tried to make this change earlier in the summer, but I haven't really succeeded. My new goal is to either make my drinks at home or at least being a reusable mug with me instead of using a "disposable" cup/mug. I have also been buying too much soda and since I want not only reduce my soda intake, but actually eliminate it, I will make sure that I bring at least one of my many water bottles that I fill at home from our filtered water system. I will also make sure that I continue to buy healthy frozen juice concentrate for the kids to help reduce plastic waste. I have been horrible about eating out also. This means that I use disposable products more than someone who eats home more often. I will be planning better so that I don't feel like I have to eat out because I don't have a meal planned, there by reducing my waste and saving money.
Since the above goals will take some planning on my part, I will be forced, in a good way, to plan my meals and my liquids so that I don't feel the need to stop at a store/take out place to get either food or drink. I will be forced to plan my grocery list there by saving money, eating healthier, and hopefully reducing my food waste. I am totally guilty of buying food that I forget about and then have to throw it away because it has gone bad.
I am hoping that these zero waste week 2011 goals will not only help reduce waste, but increase my wallet and help to make me healthier. Hopefully is will also help with my stress since i will have my meal planning done and I will be saving money as well as helping the earth!
Amy
Showing posts with label CTWW. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CTWW. Show all posts
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
CTWW:Review of Goals From Last Week
Unfortunately, I am not going to participate in CTWW this week. I'm sure that I am looking at activism in too intense of a way, but I just don't think I have time right now to commit. I have a social work background and when I return to work full time, I would love to work in an eco-friendly activism area (which is why I am probably thinking too big with this challenge. I may look more into doing it, but right now I'm not going to commit for this week.)
As for last week, my goal was to get coffee out, but to make it at home or just drink tea. I didn't quite meet my goal. For some reason, iced coffee just kept calling my name and I tried to avoid and ignore it, but I didn't plan well enough to have cream in the house for coffee, so what did I do? Did I go out and buy the cream? No, I went out and bought iced coffee at local coffee places (and by local coffee places I don't mean small shops, I mean chains). So my new goal is to stop buying coffee out and if I can't stop actually drinking the coffee, I will by the creamer at the grocery store, not the coffee at my local Dunkin Dounuts or similar places. In general, I am going to try to stop buying processed pre-made foods, but make my own. A big part of this is due to some food intolerances of me and my children as well as my husband. I am wondering if there are hidden foods that we are eliminating that maybe causing at least one of my sons to have an issue. Also this will greatly reduce waste and be better all around!
Where I did meet my goal or at least come close to my goal was in the area of driving for no reason. I made sure that when I went out in the car, I had a reason to drive, not just to go for a ride. I made sure that I knew what errands needed to be completed and where and tried to make it so that it was more economic and environmentally conscious to drive. If I had a better grocery store closer, I would walk with the kids and get what I needed daily or close to daily so that I could get in my exercise, get the kids outside, and not use my car as much.
After sitting here writing this post, I think I am going to re-look at the CTWW challenge and see f it is something I can do. I may have to think outside the box, but I really want to try to do this challenge and the challenges that get presented every week.
Amy
As for last week, my goal was to get coffee out, but to make it at home or just drink tea. I didn't quite meet my goal. For some reason, iced coffee just kept calling my name and I tried to avoid and ignore it, but I didn't plan well enough to have cream in the house for coffee, so what did I do? Did I go out and buy the cream? No, I went out and bought iced coffee at local coffee places (and by local coffee places I don't mean small shops, I mean chains). So my new goal is to stop buying coffee out and if I can't stop actually drinking the coffee, I will by the creamer at the grocery store, not the coffee at my local Dunkin Dounuts or similar places. In general, I am going to try to stop buying processed pre-made foods, but make my own. A big part of this is due to some food intolerances of me and my children as well as my husband. I am wondering if there are hidden foods that we are eliminating that maybe causing at least one of my sons to have an issue. Also this will greatly reduce waste and be better all around!
Where I did meet my goal or at least come close to my goal was in the area of driving for no reason. I made sure that when I went out in the car, I had a reason to drive, not just to go for a ride. I made sure that I knew what errands needed to be completed and where and tried to make it so that it was more economic and environmentally conscious to drive. If I had a better grocery store closer, I would walk with the kids and get what I needed daily or close to daily so that I could get in my exercise, get the kids outside, and not use my car as much.
After sitting here writing this post, I think I am going to re-look at the CTWW challenge and see f it is something I can do. I may have to think outside the box, but I really want to try to do this challenge and the challenges that get presented every week.
Amy
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Change The World Wednesday
It's been a while since I wrote anything for CTWW, but here I am this week.
This week, make your coffee or tea at home. Getting coffee/tea out every day not only costs a lot but also generates a lot of waste. Make it at home instead. And don't forget ... both coffee grounds and tea leaves are great in the compost bin.
Or ...
If you don't drink these beverages or always drink them at home, choose one other food or beverage, which you typically buy at either a restaurant or grocery store, and make it yourself at home. And, of course, we'd like to hear all about it!
My husband and I stopped drinking coffee just after Christmas 2009. We started buying loose tea at Teavana and started making tea at home instead of buying coffee at those big expensive coffee houses. My husband has done great with this change. Me, not so good. I tend to be fine during the cold months since I really don't enjoy hot coffee that much, but once spring comes, I love my iced coffee. My older son started preschool this March and to get out of the house with my 2 year old twins, I started getting bagels and coffee out. This has been an expense that my family really doesn't need, never mind the crazy amount of plastic coffee cups in my recycling bin. Not only that, but I am trying to get dairy out of my diet, and having coffee every day at my local coffee shop means that I am having cream everyday. This is not good for my digestive system. I am also getting other foods that I am trying to eliminate from our diet. The other issue is that I am trying to eat whole foods that aren't processed. I am way too tempted to eat foods that I don't consider healthy and I end up getting unhealthy foods for my twins even though my goal is to get them to eat healthy foods. This challenge is confirming that I really need to stop going to coffee shops and getting my iced coffee. If I really desire ice coffee, I can make a cup at home and then I can use my own homemade almond milk and I can have healthy snacks for me and my kids. My real goal though, is to get away from coffee all together and go back to only drinking tea! Oh and we definitely compost our spent tea after making sure that we re-brew to get the most out of our tea leaves. I never thought that I would re-brew tea, and my grandmother must be looking down from heaven saying, "I told you you can re-use tea!"
And even though this is not part of this weeks challenge, I plan to stop taking car trips with no purpose other than to get out of the house. I will start taking the kids for a walk or once my older son is in school full time, I will start actually going places with the twins and make sure that every time I get in my car there is a purpose and that there isn't a better way to get my errands done.
Amy
This week, make your coffee or tea at home. Getting coffee/tea out every day not only costs a lot but also generates a lot of waste. Make it at home instead. And don't forget ... both coffee grounds and tea leaves are great in the compost bin.
Or ...
If you don't drink these beverages or always drink them at home, choose one other food or beverage, which you typically buy at either a restaurant or grocery store, and make it yourself at home. And, of course, we'd like to hear all about it!
My husband and I stopped drinking coffee just after Christmas 2009. We started buying loose tea at Teavana and started making tea at home instead of buying coffee at those big expensive coffee houses. My husband has done great with this change. Me, not so good. I tend to be fine during the cold months since I really don't enjoy hot coffee that much, but once spring comes, I love my iced coffee. My older son started preschool this March and to get out of the house with my 2 year old twins, I started getting bagels and coffee out. This has been an expense that my family really doesn't need, never mind the crazy amount of plastic coffee cups in my recycling bin. Not only that, but I am trying to get dairy out of my diet, and having coffee every day at my local coffee shop means that I am having cream everyday. This is not good for my digestive system. I am also getting other foods that I am trying to eliminate from our diet. The other issue is that I am trying to eat whole foods that aren't processed. I am way too tempted to eat foods that I don't consider healthy and I end up getting unhealthy foods for my twins even though my goal is to get them to eat healthy foods. This challenge is confirming that I really need to stop going to coffee shops and getting my iced coffee. If I really desire ice coffee, I can make a cup at home and then I can use my own homemade almond milk and I can have healthy snacks for me and my kids. My real goal though, is to get away from coffee all together and go back to only drinking tea! Oh and we definitely compost our spent tea after making sure that we re-brew to get the most out of our tea leaves. I never thought that I would re-brew tea, and my grandmother must be looking down from heaven saying, "I told you you can re-use tea!"
And even though this is not part of this weeks challenge, I plan to stop taking car trips with no purpose other than to get out of the house. I will start taking the kids for a walk or once my older son is in school full time, I will start actually going places with the twins and make sure that every time I get in my car there is a purpose and that there isn't a better way to get my errands done.
Amy
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