In an effort to reduce my paper consumption, I've started to use a web-based calendar for our household scheduling. It's great for several reasons. 1) It reduces my paper consumption (no more paper calendars). 2) I can access it from anywhere, using either my smart phone, a computer or a tablet. 3) No more phone calls from DH wondering what's going on at night, and confirming what time he needs to be home. He can check for himself from work. 4) I can colour-code events, so I can quickly see who has what when.
I'm still using my paper calendar for 2012, but am gradually transitioning it out. I find that as I add things to the web calendar, I keep forgetting to add to the paper one. I'm no longer 100% certain the paper one is accurate, and am always cross-referencing with the web-based one. As I more forward into 2013 and beyond, and become more comfortable with using the web calendar, I think I'll be able to wave goodbye to paper scheduling.
Showing posts with label recycling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recycling. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Eco-Friendly Disney - Part 3
I've talked a lot about the negative things, environmentally-speaking, about our trip to Disney. The lack of recycling. The lack of availability of recycled products for purchase. The need to purchase consumable items (napkins, condiments, cereal) that end up in the waste stream when half-used.
But there were a lot of things that were really great, environmentally, about our trip. You can read the details in Disney's 2010 Corporate Citizenship Report (http://corporate.disney.go.com/citizenship2010/environment/overview/ourapproach/). It provides a fascinating look at a large corporation and its efforts to reduce its negative impact on the environment and increase its positive impact on the community.
One of the things that struck me most was the use of real cutlery, glasses and plates in almost all of the eating areas we visited. I'm used to seeing my food served disposable plates and cutlery - I was pleasantly surprised to have my food served on plates with stainless steel forks and knives.
Another interesting point was the number of recycling and garbage bins. The park was spotless. Staff were constantly picking up garbage left behind, and placing it in the appropriate receptacle. Garbage cans and recycling bins were constantly emptied, so visitors to the park never had the excuse of "the bin was too full".
Greenhouses on Disney property are using innovate techniques to grow food - vertical agriculture, aquaponics, and xeriscaping are a few examples. Disney also grows a lot of the food served at resort hotels.
Public transportation is the only choice for getting around the resort. You can take the monorail, the steam train or the ferry, to and from various locations in the park. Of course, you can also walk.
But what impressed me the most is Disney's commitment to nature conservation and consumer education. I'll expand on this in another post.
But there were a lot of things that were really great, environmentally, about our trip. You can read the details in Disney's 2010 Corporate Citizenship Report (http://corporate.disney.go.com/citizenship2010/environment/overview/ourapproach/). It provides a fascinating look at a large corporation and its efforts to reduce its negative impact on the environment and increase its positive impact on the community.
One of the things that struck me most was the use of real cutlery, glasses and plates in almost all of the eating areas we visited. I'm used to seeing my food served disposable plates and cutlery - I was pleasantly surprised to have my food served on plates with stainless steel forks and knives.
Another interesting point was the number of recycling and garbage bins. The park was spotless. Staff were constantly picking up garbage left behind, and placing it in the appropriate receptacle. Garbage cans and recycling bins were constantly emptied, so visitors to the park never had the excuse of "the bin was too full".
Greenhouses on Disney property are using innovate techniques to grow food - vertical agriculture, aquaponics, and xeriscaping are a few examples. Disney also grows a lot of the food served at resort hotels.
Public transportation is the only choice for getting around the resort. You can take the monorail, the steam train or the ferry, to and from various locations in the park. Of course, you can also walk.
But what impressed me the most is Disney's commitment to nature conservation and consumer education. I'll expand on this in another post.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Eco-Friendly Disney - Part 2
Renting a home while we were in Orlando was the most logical thing to do, from a convenience, monetary and personal standpoint. To try and get hotel rooms for 9 people, plus meals, plus transportation (even if those were included in a package) was far more expensive than the house option. As well, with DD1's food allergy and my current food challenges, it also made eating more enjoyable for everyone.
The drawback of renting a house is that it doesn't come with a lot of the of built-in environmentally-friendly things we're used to at home in Canada. For instance - recycling. Yes, Orlando does recycle. You can find garbage/recycling bins at all major malls, fast food restaurants, etc.
However, we were renting in a gated community. The gated community does not provide recycling services to its residents. If we wanted to recycle, we had to package up our goods, and search the city for someone who already had their bins out for pick-up. We were on vacation, so traipsing around the city to look for someone's garbage day was not going to happen. We did not recycle for the ENTIRE week.
It was so weird. I felt horribly guilty about throwing out perfectly good and recyclable glass bottles, plastic bottles, paper, cardboard and cans. At the end of the week, we had two large garbage bins FULL to the brim with garbage, of which, at least half was recyclables.
Then there was the type of garbage we threw out. I'll detail that in my next post.
The drawback of renting a house is that it doesn't come with a lot of the of built-in environmentally-friendly things we're used to at home in Canada. For instance - recycling. Yes, Orlando does recycle. You can find garbage/recycling bins at all major malls, fast food restaurants, etc.
However, we were renting in a gated community. The gated community does not provide recycling services to its residents. If we wanted to recycle, we had to package up our goods, and search the city for someone who already had their bins out for pick-up. We were on vacation, so traipsing around the city to look for someone's garbage day was not going to happen. We did not recycle for the ENTIRE week.
It was so weird. I felt horribly guilty about throwing out perfectly good and recyclable glass bottles, plastic bottles, paper, cardboard and cans. At the end of the week, we had two large garbage bins FULL to the brim with garbage, of which, at least half was recyclables.
Then there was the type of garbage we threw out. I'll detail that in my next post.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Remove plastic liner from window envelopes (Change 112)
OK - I admit it. I'm grasping for straws on this one.
It seems rather small and petty - remove the plastic liner from the inside of window envelopes, before putting the envelopes in the recycle bin. This change, however, prevents A LOT of paper from going into the landfill. (Yes, I know, I am still getting paper mail.....)
Like many people, I'm sure, I assumed that all paper put in the recycle bin was, well, recycled. Apparently, that is not true. I spoke with someone at our local garbage collection place, and ANY paper with plastic on it is relegated to the garbage and NOT recycled. Huh. So much for being "environmentally-friendly".
It's weird, because I always remove the plastic windows from pasta boxes, etc., but it never occurred to me to do the same with window envelopes. It even states on the city website that NO plastic is allowed in the paper recycling. I guess I just assumed that whatever process was used to break down the paper automatically got rid of the plastic.
I'll take a few minutes to open my envelopes, remove the liner and recycle. Another small change that will help counter the growing landfill outside my door.
It seems rather small and petty - remove the plastic liner from the inside of window envelopes, before putting the envelopes in the recycle bin. This change, however, prevents A LOT of paper from going into the landfill. (Yes, I know, I am still getting paper mail.....)
Like many people, I'm sure, I assumed that all paper put in the recycle bin was, well, recycled. Apparently, that is not true. I spoke with someone at our local garbage collection place, and ANY paper with plastic on it is relegated to the garbage and NOT recycled. Huh. So much for being "environmentally-friendly".
It's weird, because I always remove the plastic windows from pasta boxes, etc., but it never occurred to me to do the same with window envelopes. It even states on the city website that NO plastic is allowed in the paper recycling. I guess I just assumed that whatever process was used to break down the paper automatically got rid of the plastic.
I'll take a few minutes to open my envelopes, remove the liner and recycle. Another small change that will help counter the growing landfill outside my door.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Help Clean the Capital (Day 51)
For the next month, the City of Ottawa is sponsoring "Fall Cleaning in the Capital". (http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/environment/community/capitalcleaning/index_en.html ) This event runs from September 15 to October 15. The idea is to have teams of volunteers pick a public space and clean it up - throw out the garbage, recycle or compost as appropriate. 87, 409 people participated in the program in 2009 (both spring and fall campaigns), and the city is aiming to surpass last year's record.
I've decided to do my own little part, by picking up litter whenever or wherever I see it. I won't be joining a team and doing a one-time cleaning blitz of one area. I plan to make this a year-long endeavour, in any location I happen to be. It's a small simple step, leading to a cleaner living space for everyone.
I've decided to do my own little part, by picking up litter whenever or wherever I see it. I won't be joining a team and doing a one-time cleaning blitz of one area. I plan to make this a year-long endeavour, in any location I happen to be. It's a small simple step, leading to a cleaner living space for everyone.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Re-use dinnerware (Day 47)
My mom and I share the same taste in many things. Our selection of dinnerware is one of them. Actually, I picked it years ago when I was engaged, to put on our bridal registry. About 8 years ago, my mom decided that she wanted new dishes, and came home with the same set we had.
Life has taken its toll on both of our sets. Neither are complete anymore, and we often scramble to use other dishes if we entertain more than about 7 people. I've borrowed her lunch plates many times, so I had enough plates to serve dessert on to my guests!
With the decision to go plastic free in our house, I needed to obtain some more or new dinnerware. I mentioned to my mom that I was thinking about getting new dinnerware, and giving her the incomplete set I had. She offered to do the exact opposite - she'd buy the new dinnerware, and give us her set. She's wanted a new set for a while, but couldn't justify buying it when she had a serviceable set at home.
It's a win-win situation for everyone. She gets to freshen up her decor, and we can complete the set we've loved for years.
Life has taken its toll on both of our sets. Neither are complete anymore, and we often scramble to use other dishes if we entertain more than about 7 people. I've borrowed her lunch plates many times, so I had enough plates to serve dessert on to my guests!
With the decision to go plastic free in our house, I needed to obtain some more or new dinnerware. I mentioned to my mom that I was thinking about getting new dinnerware, and giving her the incomplete set I had. She offered to do the exact opposite - she'd buy the new dinnerware, and give us her set. She's wanted a new set for a while, but couldn't justify buying it when she had a serviceable set at home.
It's a win-win situation for everyone. She gets to freshen up her decor, and we can complete the set we've loved for years.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Re-gift baby items (Day 44)
Part of the purging process is getting rid of things that aren't useful anymore. Like the university text books, files from 1998 (or earlier!), old equipment, and the broken statuary. As I mentioned a few days ago, when you live in one place for a long time, you tend to accumulate a LOT of stuff.
When you have children, you accumulate a lot more.
Take my house. After three kids, I think I have every conceivable baby item you could want - clothes (both genders and all seasons), toys, high chair, crib, exersaucer, Jolly Jumper - the list goes on. And it's all really good quality stuff. Most of it was purchased as gifts for us, by family, so holds quite a bit of sentimental value for that reason alone. The items are the kinds of things I don't really want to give to a stranger - they are too personal to put on Freecycle.
But we're done having children. DH and I decided shortly after the birth of our 3rd child, that our family was complete. Now our youngest is turning 3 in two weeks. She no longer needs a bassinet, crib, baby bathtub or 0-6 month clothes. I need to move these things out of my space and into someone else's.
Enter my friend, J. She is pregnant with her first child, due mid-October. I ran into her earlier in the summer and found out the delightful news. Naturally, when I decided that the baby stuff had to go, I thought of her. I invited her over yesterday to go "shopping" in our basement and see if there was anything that was of use to her.
After two hours, and lunch, her truck was full to the brim. And my basement was that much emptier.
I'm a little sad that my baby days are over. But I'm happy that my things can go to someone who needs them. And J says that I can come over and visit the baby (and my stuff) anytime I want.
When you have children, you accumulate a lot more.
Take my house. After three kids, I think I have every conceivable baby item you could want - clothes (both genders and all seasons), toys, high chair, crib, exersaucer, Jolly Jumper - the list goes on. And it's all really good quality stuff. Most of it was purchased as gifts for us, by family, so holds quite a bit of sentimental value for that reason alone. The items are the kinds of things I don't really want to give to a stranger - they are too personal to put on Freecycle.
But we're done having children. DH and I decided shortly after the birth of our 3rd child, that our family was complete. Now our youngest is turning 3 in two weeks. She no longer needs a bassinet, crib, baby bathtub or 0-6 month clothes. I need to move these things out of my space and into someone else's.
Enter my friend, J. She is pregnant with her first child, due mid-October. I ran into her earlier in the summer and found out the delightful news. Naturally, when I decided that the baby stuff had to go, I thought of her. I invited her over yesterday to go "shopping" in our basement and see if there was anything that was of use to her.
After two hours, and lunch, her truck was full to the brim. And my basement was that much emptier.
I'm a little sad that my baby days are over. But I'm happy that my things can go to someone who needs them. And J says that I can come over and visit the baby (and my stuff) anytime I want.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Use Freecycle at least twice a month (Day 39)
As mentioned in early postings, I belong to the Freecycle network here in Ottawa. I love looking at all the things people give away. It's great to belong to a community that strives to keep things out of the landfill.
I don't often participate, though. Most people post things that I am not interested in, and until recently, I haven't really had anything to give away. That's all changed. I'm on a mission - get rid of all the excess clutter in our house.
7 years of living in the same place allows you to accumulate a lot of things. Most good, some ugly, and some you wonder why on earth you ever took it in. Painting our office last weekend forced me to tackle the sanctioned "drop zone" in our house. Anything that didn't have a home went in the office, "to look at later". Well, we've reconfigured the office furniture, and a lot of things that were in the office won't fit any more. It's time to purge.
It's been a very cleansing process. I've shredded probably 1 1/2 yard waste bags of old paper, recycled about a dozen boxes, donated at least that many books to the library, and finally organized my kids' school memory books.
But there are some items I just don't want anymore. So I offered them on Freecycle. To my amazement, almost everything went. It feels really good. I like the fact that I can offer something to someone who really wants it, and keep my "trash" out of the landfill.
I like it so much, that I'm setting a goal of getting rid of all the other clutter in our house. I hope to post items on Freecycle at least twice a month. As the old saying goes "One man's trash is another man's treasure". Amen to that.
I don't often participate, though. Most people post things that I am not interested in, and until recently, I haven't really had anything to give away. That's all changed. I'm on a mission - get rid of all the excess clutter in our house.
7 years of living in the same place allows you to accumulate a lot of things. Most good, some ugly, and some you wonder why on earth you ever took it in. Painting our office last weekend forced me to tackle the sanctioned "drop zone" in our house. Anything that didn't have a home went in the office, "to look at later". Well, we've reconfigured the office furniture, and a lot of things that were in the office won't fit any more. It's time to purge.
It's been a very cleansing process. I've shredded probably 1 1/2 yard waste bags of old paper, recycled about a dozen boxes, donated at least that many books to the library, and finally organized my kids' school memory books.
But there are some items I just don't want anymore. So I offered them on Freecycle. To my amazement, almost everything went. It feels really good. I like the fact that I can offer something to someone who really wants it, and keep my "trash" out of the landfill.
I like it so much, that I'm setting a goal of getting rid of all the other clutter in our house. I hope to post items on Freecycle at least twice a month. As the old saying goes "One man's trash is another man's treasure". Amen to that.
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