Happy Earth Day!
It’s been so inspiring to see all the posts today honouring our beautiful home and planet.
People really are becoming conscious and taking steps both individually and collectively to do their part. It’s so, so nice and encouraging to see and our future generations will thank us for it.
It’s only been in the last two years or so that I have been really very vigilant about my carbon footprint and have taken multiple approaches to try and minimize or improve my contribution to this mess. Some have stuck and been more successful than others, and some need improvement and more learning on my part (when we know better, we can do better!) so that’s what I’ll commit to today.
As someone who is also passionate about design, I have re-examined how I can really improve in that area and where I can learn more. There is plenty we can do to still meet our design goals without being wasteful and naive throughout the process, and I look forward to sharing more as I learn more.
Here are a few ways I have tried to improve my individual and our household footprint:
- coffee cup/water bottle/straws – this was my first real attempt at going out of my way to bring my own, reuse what I had, or go without (which was also nice on my bank account!). Now, I rarely leave the house without my glass water bottle or coffee mug. I am still getting used to no straws but in desperate times, I am grateful for the compostable ones being offered now in a lot of local spaces.
- on that same note, grocery bags – both the large plastic ones and the produce ones. Not a ground-breaking secret here but definitely one that took a bit of habit building for me. The big ones I was able to master quickly as I kept them in the vehicle, but the produce ones I would tend to forget so have gotten much better at bringing both along with me and now feels like just part of the routine. In one of many stops this weekend to the store, I left mine behind and it bugged me all the way home!
- recycle – again nothing new here but I was sure able to fill that recycling bin once I really became conscious of what goes where. And maybe digging stuff out of other people’s trash to recycle is going a bit far but I was really starting to pay attention. The cities that I visit most are improving the recycling systems but we still have a way to go. I try to bring my own containers, however, if I can’t find a recycling receptacle around, I’ll take it with me in my bag or car and recycle it at home.
- running water – also something that I noticed when I started paying more attention. I would leave the water running while doing dishes or brushing my teeth and that is wasteful and not necessary. Use it when I need it and shut it off when not. My girlfriend and I were even semi-joking about not flushing the toilet when peeing at night as no one is even around (she lives alone!), brilliant!
- lights – does more than I thought. When we moved into our home two years ago, we switched out the old lighting for more efficient ones which makes a difference both for the environment and our utility bill (and I was told will actually give you a tax rebate). Also, turning off lights in rooms we don’t occupy. We have a running joke now that we turn our outside lights off before it’s even dark!
So, I’m feeling pretty good about our above changes and commitment to being conscious and doing better however we can always do more.
This year, I would like to focus on:
- purchasing less stuff – I have everything I need and although it’s tempting to tell myself that is not the case, want the latest and greatest, or to fill a void, I am going to be conscious to make the choice to not purchase what I don’t need. This is tough for me which is why it’s at the top of the list. For example, we are refreshing our guest room for our visitors this summer and it does require me to purchase some items. However, it does not mean that I need new sheets, new blankets, new curtains, new lamps and new throw pillows. As a designer, I have these things and do not need to purchase anything new to ensure the room has everything it needs to be complete and guests to feel comfortable. Did I mention this will be tough for me?!
- laundry detergent– I am still guilty of purchasing detergent in the big, ugly, plastic bottles and up until today (thank you Earth Day posts!), didn’t know you could buy compostable alternatives. So now I know and have made an order. Bye, bye ugly bottle that ends up in the landfill.
- shampoos/conditioner – along the same lines, in plastic bottles of course, is our favourite shampoo and conditioner that we have been using for years. Once our current bottles are out, I will replace them with a bar option that has way less packaging. We will see how this goes and report back.
- chemical free cleaners – a fan of Young Living over here. And am doing my best to replace all our household chemical cleaners with natural options. It’s incredible (slash disturbing) where the chemicals are hiding when you really look. I also appreciate the app’s that you can download to really see what ingredients are in the make-up and self-care products that we use.
- food – this is one I am very ashamed of and desperately need to work on. As a married couple with no kids, we spend way too much money on food and throw way too much of it away. I am embarrassed to admit that on Earth Day I threw away at least a ½ bag of food waste from the weekend and it broke my heart. So, we are committed to doing our meals in a very different way to avoid both food waste and wasting money. Also cutting way back on meat and animal product which is having us revamp how we eat and cook. I am trying out a couple of options such as Hello Fresh and meal preparation options to support us through this transition and so far, I am saving money, not tossing food, and eating way healthier. Sometimes the solution to one problem also solves another and I am all for efficiency!
- last but not least – reusing and refurbishing when it comes to design. As I mentioned, we are doing a refresh of the guest room so I will be reusing all the old furniture and bedding and updating it all the best I can to fit the new design. I will be replacing the light fixture but will attempt to resell it on Craiglist, Facebook Marketplace, etc. with some of the other items that won’t go back in. No need to throw these out or have them take up necessary space, just pass them on to the next person who can use them. The lights would look great in a cabin or cottage! As a conscious designer, I have and will always opt for reusing and recreating the pieces clients already own. Those possessions have stories and memories that cannot be bought and replaced. So this year, I am committed to finding additional ways to get creative with clients and put to stylish use items they already have. As well as learning more about my local companies that also support this environmental mission; places like Rehabit and The Thrift Store who are great alternatives to the landfill. I have so much more to say and learn on this particular topic so stay tuned for more info specific to design and how we can do better there.
This morning on my grateful list, Mother Earth was number one. Followed by fresh air to breathe, clean, running water, and resources to make my life easier. I hope these things for all our babies one day too, so will continue to do my part to learn and be inspired by others doing their part too. The changes may seem small, but they all add up.
Happy Earth Day beautiful people. Thank you, Mother Nature.
Live well,
Cher
PS: for fun, I took this quiz from the New York Times just to see how smart I actually thought I was when it came to this stuff. Turns out, I learnt a lot. The link below if you are interested in testing yourself!
https://www.nytimes.com/paidpost/love-beauty-and-planet/it-all-adds-up.html
