Going Green

Yes that's right.  I've been reading a fabulous book that popped out at my when I was at the library the other week called 'Confessions of an Eco-shopper' by Kate Lock (her blog here) and her website for updates since the book was published www.ecosmartshopper.co.uk

So anyway, I always thought I was doing a pretty good job in doing my part for the environment.  I don't buy new clothes (except bras and undies), I rarely buy new shoes for myself and I always try and find any other item that i'm after from an op shop, flea market or the lovely handmade markets and online stores (etsy, madeit) before I venture into the 'new product' shops.  I use Earth Choice dishwashing liquid and laundry detergent (when I'm not making my own fro Soak flakes and Washing soda), I also recycle everything I can and try and buy items with minimal packaging.  With this in mind I thought I was doing a pretty good job, but after reading this book I realise I'm barely scratching the surface!  Am I down in the dumps about this realisation?  NO WAY, I'm totally, TOTALLY excited about all the changes I plan on making to REALLY make a big fat effort to reduce my environmental footprint.  And the beauty of reducing your environmental footprint is it not only helps the planet but it will also help my hip pocket...eventually.  Granted, there will be a few cost increases like my new Organics Fruit and Veg box I'm having delivered, and the Bokashi bin I plan on purchasing, but in the long run, I'll be reducing the amount of products I need to buy so it'll all work out.
And it's going to be a heap of fun (and at some stages really hard I'm sure) figuring out how to do everything and find all the good stuff out there that is actually contributing in a positive way to the state of the earth instead of a negative way.

So if you're up for it, I'd love to have you come along for the ride...or just watch me and have a laugh and hopefully learn a thing or two along the way.

STEP 1 to greener living:


Find good food to buy and grow my own
GROWING:
I'm so NOT a green thumb but after Lilly (my 4yr old) came home from kindy a few weeks ago with a tomato plant seedling in celebration of earth day, I rolled my eyes and promised her teacher I'd do my best to keep it alive...but warned her it would be unlikely since I can't even keep parsley or basil alive for craps sake! 
BUT 3 weeks on and it's still flourishing (so is my most recently purchased basil seedling shock horror).  So there is hope, and being inspired by the continued life of the plants we went out and got ourselves some seeds last week.  So far only the broccoli has germinated (is that the right word? maybe it's sprouted??) so I'd love to know any tips on getting the beetroot, spinach and lettuce to sprout/germinate/whatever.  We are talking nice to them everyday because I told my girls that will help them grow...fingers crossed.

BUYING:
I've bitten the bullet and ordered my very first organic fruit and veg box.  They also do meat so I got some drumsticks and kababs (about all my children will eat apart from sausages and chicken nuggets when it comes to meat).  The cost is obviously higher than green grocers or supermarket but how wonderful it will be to not need to block out of my brain the whole pesticide concern, which let's face it, we all do block it out of our brains don't we?  It's not something you really want to be thinking about when you're dishing up dinner..just one more thing to add to the list of maternal guilt. The other bonus is that it's delivered.  Delivered groceries = not having to take children out to supermarket where they turn into horrible little monsters and make all those 'too old to remember that their kids were naughty too' shoppers and the 'I don't have children but I will NEVER let my kids behave like yours' shoppers give me all their loving, understanding, 'we know how hard it is', community spirited death glares!  Ahhh, I'll sleep well tonight :)

Sunday Flea Market Finds

Well I actually held a stall at the local flea market today and although I was very well behaved and didn't spend all my profits I did pick up this little cutie

It's a lovely old ceramic butter dish from Norway.  I stumbled across this at just the right time because I've recently decided not to have margarine in my house any more after watching a story on the destruction of natural forests in Borneo to make way for Palm Oil plantations (palm oil is widely used in margarine and many other food and household products) and is greatly threatening the Orangutan population.  Check out the story here   So I'll need to have a fresh supply of butter softened in the mornings for breaky...don't you just hate rock hard butter!


My other two magnificent finds for the weekend were from a little garage sale just around the corner from my place.  I could not believe my luck when I stumbled upon these two glorious finds!

Gorgeous full length mirror $5!!!

 

Equally gorgeous buffet (to match my other two hehe) $10!!!

I can't believe how lucky I was to pick these up and in fabbo condition as well.  Gotta love a good garage sale.

For more great flea market finds visit Her Library Adventures