I had planned on making a great big update to our blog featuring pictures and everything from our Spring Clean--Go Green event we had at our house yesterday but I got so wrapped up in what we were doing that I actually forgot to take very many pictures and now...well, I'm just too tired! We accomplished a LOT but we're still not done.
I've been reading Sara Snow's Living Fresh. I first heard about her on Jon & Kate plus 8 but just happened to come across her book at the library last week and it has already changed my life! I am thoroughly convinced that all the hormones and pesticides and preservatives and addititives and things in our food is causing a lot of our problems! Sara has also reinforced my initial belief that living green IS Christian! God gave us a wonderful gift of His creation. We should WANT to take as good care of it as possible and leave it for future generations. It isn't "worshiping" the Earth or anything like that. It's about being good stewards of God's world.
I'm on day 3 and I can already tell a difference. I feel better (except for being tired from all that we did yesterday and having this nagging cough!), I have more energy and a clearer mind. I actually WANT to get up and exercise and do something productive. When I need to rest, I rest with purpose and not just to veg out in front of the tv (though that's not all that bad! lol)
And it isn't as expensive as you might think, which is one reason I have resisted all this until now. I am still getting used to the new meal planning and trying to find the various ingredients and I've had to make more trips to more places than I'm used to but I think once I get a handle on everything that won't always happen. And yes, I can actually TASTE a difference in the food and it doesn't take as much to satisfy me either. Guess it gives credit to the old saying "quality and not quantity".
Another thing I love about Sara is that she doesn't advocate an "all or nothing" philosophy to greener living. You can do what's easiest for your family to do and it still makes a difference. You don't have to rush out and install solar panels or buy a hybrid (though I do wish that I could!)
So here's what the Quick family is doing to live greener:
1) recycling--I've made several attempts at trying to do this and we always tend to get lax with it. But this time I set up a "recycling station" in the garage where we can put our plastics, paper/cardboard and glass/aluminum. Looks like we have a LOT of plastics! And thankfully, the City of Clay has a recycling bin we can conveniently drop these items off at that is not too far from where we live. (before I had to drive it all downtown!)
2) energy-efficient light bulbs--I began installing these yesterday in the rooms of the house that are most often lit. I can already tell a difference in the temperatures of the rooms and I can't wait to see a difference on my power bill. As all my old bulbs in other places burn out, I will replace those with these and recycle.
3) No more harsh chemical cleaners. I spent part of yesterday making my own cleaning supplies, naturally. For window cleaner I use a mix of water and lemon juice, for all purpose disinfectant--water and vinegar. I use baking soda as a deodorizer and an abrasive cleanser and we made our own laundry detergent. I've actually done that before (thank you, Duggars!). It's easy and very inexpensive, I just got out of the habit.
4) No more styrofoam plates. Paper or real dishes only!
5) We now have a compost bin underneath the kitchen sink for food scraps. When it's full, it will be taken to the compost heap in the backyard.
It may not sound like a lot, but we're working baby steps here! I have plans to do much more as soon as we're able and it's practical.
I will not buy anymore meat or produce from Walmart--local farmers markets and organic farmers only and if I can't get there, Publix carries a pretty good selection of these items.
I am going to learn to can fruits and vegetables.
Jeff is growing tomatoes and I plan to grow herbs and start learning about using herbs medicinally.
As for getting more exercise, Kayti is my inspiration. That girl loves to run and is constantly asking if I can take her to the track! When I take her, I usually walk, too. If I can't, she's content to walk around the neighborhood and take everything in. I hope soon that we can join the Y.
I'm doing a total body cleanse and it feels great. I'm ridding my body of toxins and pollutants and ridding my mind and soul of busy-ness and time wasters (and things that are not...well, I won't say "trash" but definitely not good to feed your mind and soul with.)
As for our spring cleaning yesterday, I got rid of a LOT of junk. I'd been saving it to have a yard sale but the city wide yard sale I was supposed to participate in yesterday was cancelled because of the weather. And I'm sick of looking at all this junk piled up in the garage. I may lose out on making a few bucks but it really wasn't enough to mess with anyway and I feel better when I purge!
We reorganized our laundry room, kitchen cabinets, bathroom cabinets, scrubbed our walls & baseboards, washed all linens (including curtains) and windows and much more.
Someone else bought the house we were wanting so it looks like we may be here a while longer. Sometimes I get discouraged about this but then I think back to how wonderfully God provided for us the last time we needed to move and I know He has some place special picked out just for us. It's all on His timing and I just have to keep reminding myself that.
The job hunt is still on also. Please pray for God to reveal to me where to I'm supposed to be. I'm so thankful to have finally found my calling, I just need to know where God wants me to serve Him.
Pray for Jeff to get some more overtime. We are not back where we started (yet) but we have some financial obligations that we have to meet in the next few months that will be difficult without the extra income. But I know from watching my friends live by faith in this area that God is a gracious provider.
I'm gonna relax and enjoy the rest of the day hopefully getting to see my baby Cooper later.
Be blessed!
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