New Beginnings

I'm slowly working towards making a few new changes - primarily working on the 'stuff' that has accumulated in our lives, but also looking for some alternatives. We had our home energy audit done - but I'll discuss that in another posting. Lots to consider there.

I have been letting go of some more things - and had a few things break down. Both of which have left me trying to figure out what to do with the old stuff. I cleaned out our bed linens - and freecycled what I didn't need. I also managed to freecycle an IKEA lamp that we didn't want - it needed a little tlc as it didn`t screw together properly, and our vacuum that died on me. I bought a new vacuum, but didn`t want to send the old one to landfill. Happily someone took it to hopefully fix it. And it was a hand me down to us, so that`s pretty green, I think.

I also took back a couple of packages of disposable diapers I had been given and traded them in for a pack of cloth diapers. I`m actually still using disposables, though, as my cloth ones are too big for the baby, but very very soon he`ll fit them. It`s a bit more awkward to use them - especially since I can`t flush the liners (septic tank) but I`m going to use them as much as possible. I`m also using the larger size ones on my son at night. He is a super soaker and a disposable holds more liquid, but short of doubling them up with two different sizes, they can`t hold it all in. So now I put one on him over his disposable and it works. I`m hoping we can get him interested in the potty soon. So far he thinks its neat, but not for him. I just keep telling him how cool it is. That would be the greenest alternative, I think - getting him out of diapers! And as soon as I`ve got baby in the cloth, I`ll use the cloth on the toddler more, too as it's more economical to wash it all together. (and hang them to dry in the laundry room overnight which I think will work out ok for me until spring)

I`ve been doing my best to not throw things away - but after Christmas we had so much garbage. It all added up, as we didn`t get full pick up for a few weeks due to snow. But we still generate way too much garbage - and a big chunk of it is diapers. My recycling has taken 3 weeks to get rid of as I couldn`t get it all in the bags and bins. I'm trying, but still have a long way to go with the garbage. Kid's stuff is especially bad as it's all packaged in plastic and with my son's birthday, new baby and Christmas, we ended up with a lot of plastic. And people wonder why I prefer second hand toys.

I'm also donating clothes we don't need and will hopefully send some decorative stuff to the consignment shop.

Soon I'll be feeling well enough to walk further - which means I can walk down to our local neighbourhood centre and do some of our shopping there. That will keep me out of our car and healthier - both good things. I'm also weighing the idea of organic delivery vs. shopping at the local produce market for locally grown stuff ( and some organic).

It's been a slower start to my year - but I do have lots of ambition for making change. Much of it will revolve around my home and what I can do while I'm at home with the kids. We shall see!