Less trash

In an effort to live a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle, I've started finding ways to cut how much trash I generate. Here are some of the things I've done...

The first was to switch to reusable grocery bags. That has gotten a lot easier since I started this last year now that all the big stores are selling bags at very reasonable prices. I just leave the bags in the back of my car so that I have them when I get to the store. After a couple trips, it became second-nature to grab them.

More recently, I've tried to eliminate my use of ziploc bags. I found that I was taking at least two baggies every day for my lunch and it seemed like such a waste. So I've mostly switched to putting the food in reusable containers (such as old margarine or cottage cheese containers). For the bags that I do use, I just purchased a "Bag-E-Wash" -- invented by a fellow Minnesotan! -- that allows you to wash baggies in the dishwasher. How cool is that?!

When I was a kid, we used to make fun of my Grandmother for washing and re-using plastic silverware, cups and plates. She was excessively frugal, having come of age during the Great Depression. When she died in 1983, we even found washed plastic cups from my parents wedding reception back in 1969. Now it seems we're coming full circle!

I also bought some cheap cloth napkins to use at home, rather than paper napkins. I found some basic white ones on clearance at JCPenney.

I've been trying -- although this one is harder -- to use the hand air dryers in public restrooms (including at work) rather than the paper towels whenever possible. At work we have both, but the dryers are old and not very fast. But I'm trying!

I've been recycling for years, but I started putting more paper products in the recycle bin, particularly all that junk mail. Speaking of which....one of the next things I want to do is to go to those websites where you can get your address removed from junk mail lists.

We've switched almost all of our bills to electronic -- so we don't even get a paper bill in the mail. All our bills are paid through online banking. Amazing how much money that saves, especially now that stamps have gone up in price again.

If you've got any ideas for other steps I can take, send them along!