give a little take a lot...

Cathy - posted on 02/15/2011

I walk an average of 8 miles a day. Sometimes more sometimes less. But of a normal school week I'm walking 2-3 hours a day. So I don't feel guilty eating the can of Pringles when I'm hungry or drinking real Coke with real sugar!

My water is heated by solar panels. I use no gas for central heating or heating water in the summer. So I don't feel guilty for turning my thermostat up a bit in winter when I'm cold.

I have short washes or showers during the week so I can enjoy one long shower or a deep bath at the weekend.

I cloth diaper, I will line dry in summer but in winter I use the tumble dryer regardless because it's too cold to stand outside hanging up laundry that probably still won't be dry after a whole day.

Melissa - posted on 02/14/2011

I do know people who drink a bottle of coke and a big block of chocolate for breakfast and are so pro breast feeding breast feeding or pregnant for the past 7 yrs breast feeds her older and newborns and I know her thorugh another friend who told her that her babies would be better off formula fed. I feel guilty if I miss my vitamin pills while breast feeding t doesnt happen often but I cant think of anything personally just thought Id mention that one

Johnny - posted on 02/14/2011

Of course a lot of the links are to cloth diaper retailers, so here's an independent academic report:

http://www.dy-dee.com/html/Lify_Cycle/Li...

One thing to keep in mind is that disposable diapers contain paper and other products that must be manufactured and grown using large amounts of water.

This link is from the diaper service I used when Michaela was a newborn:

http://www.happynappy.ca/Politics-of-Dia...

Good Day! - posted on 02/14/2011

I'd be interested to see that, thank you!

Johnny - posted on 02/14/2011

If it makes you feel better Sara, I've seen quite a few reports that suggest that the manufacturing of disposables uses so much water that it actually evens out. I'll look for the link for you.

Good Day! - posted on 02/14/2011

Hmmm...when I eat fast food, I EAT fast food...fries, real coke and all. Sometimes even an ice cream. I've actually cut WAY back recently (today was the first time this year I've eaten fast food, and it was only because my MIL paid after I picked her up from the airport) so I didn't feel too bad about indulging.



I use plastic bags at the grocery store, but I save them and bring them back to the store to recycle. Eventually I'll get around to buying some reusable bags. I don't recycle otherwise. Along with buying the re-usable bags...it's on the to-do list.



We recently switched to cloth diapers...but I've discovered it uses a lot of water. But that's still better than filling the landfills right? That wasn't my main motivation for cloth anyway. I wanted to save some money and save my baby's hiney from diaper rash.

Johnny - posted on 02/14/2011

My big cheats are paper plates for parties, paper napkins everyday (I just can't imagine how many cloth napkins I'd need for a week of meals, yikes!), and coffee out. I usually have a reusable mug, but sometimes I don't and it doesn't stop me. Also, occasionally I'm too lazy to take out the compost so bits here and there go in the garbage.

Holly - posted on 02/14/2011

My two younger ones (ages 3 and 2) take showers with me and I use that to justify taking longer showers.

We get paper bags at the store and reuse them to collect recycling (so we can just toss everything in the bin without having to emptying bag after bag or making a million trips to the recycling bin), and when we do get plastic bags I use them as liners for the bathroom trash cans or I take them back to the store for their recycling program (I get coupons for taking them in). I use these habits as an excuse for using extra electricity for our hydroponic winter veggie garden in our garage :)

Kelly - posted on 02/13/2011

I always use reusable shopping totes, so I tend to slack on recycling. It's a pain to recycle in my area, so I only do cans :P
Also, water saving shower head justifies my longer showers.
I send an insulated water bottle and soup thermos to school with J everyday, so that justifies the individually packed cup of apple sauce and snack.

Krissy - posted on 02/13/2011

I always use plastic bags... but then give them away to a local free thrift or other people who can use them. The only time they get tossed is if they get really ripped up.

Jodi - posted on 02/13/2011

There is one thing I always do and feel I have to justify. We use cloth diapers, use a clothes line to dry clothing, grill out a LOT, walk to most places we need or want to go, recycle, use natural household cleaners etc etc etc. So I buy juice boxes and individual snacks instead of sippy cups and reuseable baggies for snacks. (At home we use sippies and dole out snacks on plates or bowls, this is just for out and about...but we're out and about a lot!). I feel like, in all of the other ways that we're saving...using these things, I'm still waay under average from the traditional american. A horrible way of thinking if you ask me, but hey, I'm human!

Stifler's - posted on 02/13/2011

I always used to have orange juice at KFC instead of Pepsi not that that's any less calories LOL probably just better for me.

Charlie - posted on 02/13/2011

When it comes to being environmental sound I find a lot of people who are conscious about their habits are usually the same across the board now when it comes to food habits I think it is better to skimp on some so you can indulge in other things I will occasionally go to Macca's ( McDonald's ) and buy a grand angus burger but have it a bottle of water .

Tara - posted on 02/13/2011

I don't really have a trade off like those posted already.
I have a water saving shower head, it has a water stop feature, so when I"m shaving my legs etc. I will turn it off so that I can have an extra five minutes of hot bliss after I'm all clean and smooth.
Oh and sometimes I will buy paper plates in the summer when we're eating outside. (I figure we're saving electricity by using the BBQ instead of the oven and stove top so a couple of paper plates that can be recycled isn't too bad)

Stifler's - posted on 02/13/2011

i always have diet coke when i have mcdonalds. it saves me 300 calories i don't see how it's a stupid thing to do!

Lady Heather - posted on 02/13/2011

Non-fat hot chocolate...with whip. HA.

I don't drive so I feel like I can afford to use a plastic bag here or there. They always get reused for something else anyways.

Shannen - posted on 02/13/2011

I do the diet drink thing with FF..... At least i'm not having all those extras as well.

Lacye - posted on 02/13/2011

The only thing I can think of is when I was breast feeding and I did smoke a little bit. I don't go for the whole organic thing because I look at it as a way for corporations to make more money off of people. I drive a Ford so not too environmentally helpful there. I don't take long showers, even though that would be totally awesome, because I have a stupid water heater that I would love to chunk out the nearest window!

Deanna - posted on 02/13/2011

Jenn - Normally I do. It is very seldom that I don't just do it in the morning or even through the day. I can actually count on one hand how many times I have just thrown them out and usually it is because my smoker of a husband won't toss them in the bin himself while he is out there smoking. After a stressful day that can set me off if there is a bit that needs to go out. lol However, I do leave stuff by the back door and take it out off and on through the day. :)

Bonnie - posted on 02/13/2011

That's what I do Jenn. I either leave the items on the counter or put them in a plastic bag and then in the morning I sort them out.

Jenn - posted on 02/13/2011

Deanna - why not just leave the recyclable items on the counter until morning? That's what I do sometimes. Anyway, just a thought.

I don't know if there are things that I do in exchange for other things..........at least not consciously. I'll have to think more about this and come back.

Sharon - posted on 02/13/2011

I don't feel morally superior. Its more like an exchange. I do this good thing in exchange for indulging myself this other way.

Deanna - posted on 02/13/2011

I don't always recycle. We have recycle bins just outside the door but late at night in this freezing weather I just don't feel like opening the back door all the time. (to cold) So if my kids aren't up I will throw it away instead of in the recycle bin. We eat organically, we take short showers, etc. We do what we can where we can so even though I feel bad, when there is a foot of snow on the ground, about throwing away a few things we can recycle. I still do it. Thankfully winter is just about over. :)

Alyssa - posted on 02/13/2011

Water saving shower head = longer showers for me! (when the kids aren't fighting or shoving something in the DVD player....