How Enviromental are you...

Hazel_B

Since dating my BF I have noticed a huge difference in our environmental awareness levels.

As I sit here and try to get my plans together to build a rain barrel I can't help but wonder if I'm the oddity in our relationship.

So, how environmental are you?

PaigeMcC

We have rain barrels at our farmhouse!!

I dunno how environmental we are.  We try to conserve power/water/etc. We don't use a dyer- things get hung to dry.   I have a small garden that we get some of our food/herbs from.  We compost (everyone here does).  

katanne9

I would say I'm pretty environmental.

I recycle EVERYTHING possible.

I take all our recycling for our entire office home bc our corporate park doesn't offer it.

I did compost for a while and am trying to figure out how I can start doing it again at our new home.

It's largely also a state of mind in how you use things, purchases you make, etc.

Hazel_B

I didn't want to chop our differences up to him being American and me being Canadian. However, everyone I know conserves, recycles, reduces, composts and it is totally different when I've gone to CA to visit his family.

I think he will come around as he constantly complains about how expensive it is here compared to the US. For example, my town just reno'd it's water facility so our water isn't cheap, we pay per garbage can (not part of property taxes) and Ontario just got the effing HST so our electricity/gas/natural gas prices are going up 8% as of this month.

PaigeMcC

In my city it is the LAW that you recycle and compost.  My aunt likes to tease that we "gift wrap our garbage".  Compost in the green bin, recycling in the blue bin, garbage in the black bin.

But we've always recycled and composted...since I can remember...

PaigeMcC

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_enviromental?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:dc45256d-3141-4115-9b8e-1f1b2f0c643fPost:e88961b6-2436-47c0-b22e-eafab23c291f">Re: How Enviromental are you...</a>:
[QUOTE]I didn't want to chop our differences up to him being American and me being Canadian. However, everyone I know conserves, recycles, reduces, composts and it is totally different when I've gone to CA to visit his family. I think he will come around as he constantly complains about how expensive it is here compared to the US. For example, my town just reno'd it's water facility so our water isn't cheap, we pay per garbage can (not part of property taxes) and Ontario just got the effing HST so our electricity/gas/natural gas prices are going up 8% as of this month.
Posted by Hazel_B[/QUOTE]

<div>Is your HST at 15%, now?  Ours was 13% but it's back up to 15% as of Canada Day.</div>

katanne9

Paige - that is awesome. Hardly anyone here composts.

Hazel_B

Katanne - I'm the same way with recycling. When I visited his aunt and uncle they were having a huge party and everything was just getting thrown in the garbage, I almost had a mini heart attack...I can't help but not look for blue bins.

katanne9

Hazel - I know. Seeing things not recycled makes me really sad. I secretly pick things out of the garbage all the time.

PaigeMcC

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_enviromental?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:dc45256d-3141-4115-9b8e-1f1b2f0c643fPost:f0d017eb-59c9-421d-8ae3-5a5dc24d53e6">Re: How Enviromental are you...</a>:
[QUOTE]Paige - that is awesome. Hardly anyone here composts.
Posted by katanne9[/QUOTE]

<div>I lurves to compost! When we were kids (before it was mandatory) Dad and I built a compost bin out-back.  It was great b/c we always had good soil for the garden and as a kid it was fun.  lol</div><div>
</div><div>The city also has a thing once a year where you can go and get soil from the compost site...it's wicked.</div>

Hazel_B

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_enviromental?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:dc45256d-3141-4115-9b8e-1f1b2f0c643fPost:f8417de3-f062-485d-89fa-c44d56434067">Re: How Enviromental are you...</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: How Enviromental are you... : Is your HST at 15%, now?  Ours was 13% but it's back up to 15% as of Canada Day.
Posted by PaigeMcC[/QUOTE]

Sorry, it is 13%. I just hadn't realized so much stuff didn't have both on it, so prices are a little shocking here these days...gas went up almost 10 cents overnight. ugh

The government totally lied and no one here fought it really, atleast not like they tried in British Columbia.

Oh and we got an environmental disposal fee on July 1st too that no one knew about.

Goldlie11

I went to the Liberty Science center a while back and they had an exhibit that helped you determine your carbon footprint.  Mine was very small.  I use energy efficient light bulbs.  I use natural cleaners.  By law, I recycle.  The biggest reason that my footprint is so low is that I don't have a car.  Yes, I take environmentally friendly trains and buses to travel around.  I also, walk to many places.  

Narwhal

BF wants to compost when we move in together. He also wants to only eat what he can grow/catch/hunt. But he is for more health reasons than enviormental.  He just has a huge thing against preservatives and chemicals being ingested.

I really like farmers markets and we're joining the co-op that's opening up in our city.  I just like natural things.  And I'm more of a humanitarian than he is.  I'll go out of my way to buy something knowing that it's fair trade.

Hazel_B

Paige - I can ask you composting questions in the future then? I grew up being able to compost on 200 acres, these black composting bins are new to me

PaigeMcC

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_enviromental?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:dc45256d-3141-4115-9b8e-1f1b2f0c643fPost:d92aff06-64ca-46bb-aa61-39f327f0e790">Re: How Enviromental are you...</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: How Enviromental are you... : Sorry, it is 13%. I just hadn't realized so much stuff didn't have both on it, so prices are a little shocking here these days...gas went up almost 10 cents overnight. ugh The government totally lied and no one here fought it really, atleast not like they tried in British Columbia. Oh and we got an environmental disposal fee on July 1st too that no one knew about.
Posted by Hazel_B[/QUOTE]

<div>Bah! 13%! Gas is a killer, eh?  We're regulated here too so it SUCKS.  Just wait til you purchase a car or house...big items kill.  I'm not looking forward to the price jump on the house we were looking at...ugh</div>

Narwhal

Hehe. Eh.

PaigeMcC

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_enviromental?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:dc45256d-3141-4115-9b8e-1f1b2f0c643fPost:38c64253-b314-46bb-9b12-fc951a1739bf">Re: How Enviromental are you...</a>:
[QUOTE]Paige - I can ask you composting questions in the future then? I grew up being able to compost on 200 acres, these black composting bins are new to me :)
Posted by Hazel_B[/QUOTE]

<div>You can! I'll do my best to answer but I'm not an expert by any means.  haha</div>

loopy82

Here is something that will make some of you sad. No one in our townhouse development recycled until we were able to do co-mingled/single stream recycling. Now that people have bins (that we got within the past year) that you can throw all your recyclables together most people have their recycling bin out on the curb too. Before, when everything had to be sorted and bagged just so, there was maybe 1 or 2 houses that would set out recycling.

We recycle a lot of stuff and have maybe 1 bag of garbage from the house for the week. A lot of times that bag isn't even full, but I still throw it out to keep the house from stinking. Our recycling bin is stuffed every recycling day.

Hazel_B

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_enviromental?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:dc45256d-3141-4115-9b8e-1f1b2f0c643fPost:acbc1ac5-1f01-4d8c-a75d-fcd5087a5b50">Re: How Enviromental are you...</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: How Enviromental are you... : You can! I'll do my best to answer but I'm not an expert by any means.  haha
Posted by PaigeMcC[/QUOTE]

So, worms or no worms? I didn't think it mattered but a friend keeps telling me different.

Also, I bought a house 2 months before it came in so I was fortunate enough to save on some things. However, I did get dinged with the plumber on July 2nd.

Narwhal

www.weddingcans.com

thoughts?

Ana_2985

We recycle everything - both at my home and where I live with FI.  With the single-stream recycling, it's just so easy there's no reason not to do it.  In my sister's township, they get points based on how much they recycle and they can trade in their points for gift cards.  That's pretty cool too.

I've never thought about composting, but I think I might bring it up to FI.  He eats so much fruits and vegetables and he has a few fruit trees in his yard, so it's probably a good idea for him.

We also have the energy star appliances and light bulbs and when we got hardwood floors we used bamboo since it's a renewable wood.

Hazel_B

Also, I desperately want to put up a clothesline....sigh It's my current dream for the new house a clothesline and a rain barrel.

hetshup

Kat have you seen these?

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=202072720&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_sku=202072720&ci_src=14110944&cm_mmc=shopping-_-googlebase-_-D28X-_-202072720&locStoreNum=581&marketID=40-- We may or may not be registered for one, mostly b\c FI and I are awesome nerds like that.

I have a garden, I personally have 1.5 bags that go into the trash a week, but my recycle bin is full. I used to ride my bike to work, but I almost died one day, so there's that. I wouldn't say I'm incredibly green, I try, but I also chose which areas that I would like to focus on. Such as, I try to buy only locally sourced and seasonal produce. We will can tomatoes etc etc to use later on.

I also have nothing in my house that is anti bacterial.

roma125

Since I moved to Rome, my life has become much more environmental. We compost, recycle, and conserve water like nobody's business. For the water we basically have to, since water here is so freaking expensive it's like showering with Evian. There's no dryer in the house (I think most houses here don't have one) so I'm learning the fine art of hanging clothes out to dry. I actually find it relaxing... sometimes...
I always tried to be environmentally conscious, but over here it's a whole different ballgame. It's actually expected and sometimes required by law.

PaigeMcC

It depends.  

If you just want to go the regular route and compost outside you'll get worms in it when the weather is right but they will leave when it's too hot.  The idea with a compost bin is to get the contents up to a certain temperature where they heat up, bacteria is killed and things breakdown.  Then you'll flip/turn/mix layers and allow it to do this process again.  It will breakdown whether it gets hot enough or not (natural processes) but the heat helps to kill harmful bacteria.

In worm composting you actually make a bed for the little guys, add them, and then add compost on top.  This method won't let the compost get as hot and the worms will eat everything and leave behind the good stuff.  The pros are that you'll have more bacteria in this type so you'll get some good stuff when you're done.  This is the method most people use if they're doing it indoors...it's easier and less smelly.

As to which is better...I can't really tell you.  It's personal preference.  We always used the hot backyard method (first one) but we have friends that swore by worm composting. I'd suggest googling them and seeing what appeals more to you.

PaigeMcC

Hetshup those composters are WICKED!  So much better than the old wood one I built with my dad. lol

katanne9

Ohhh Heshup that's a great idea. The women who shares our yard has an existing garden as well.  Maybe she would want to use it too!

I'm going to show this to Brian.

I also used to walk/bike to work. Unfort. bc of Boston weather I could only do it half of the year. Now from my new house I have to drive. I take comfort that my car is really gas friendly. Our next car will be diesel.

Hazel_B

I think I'm just going to go with the regular hot method. However, I desperately need to add more composters, one isn't enough. Someone a couple blocks away has this beautiful garden with atleast 6 visible composters...it is basically a wall.

PaigeMcC

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_enviromental?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:dc45256d-3141-4115-9b8e-1f1b2f0c643fPost:bb7391f8-4fba-4470-842d-91bbda7e2087">Re: How Enviromental are you...</a>:
[QUOTE]I think I'm just going to go with the regular hot method. However, I desperately need to add more composters, one isn't enough. Someone a couple blocks away has this beautiful garden with atleast 6 visible composters...it is basically a wall.
Posted by Hazel_B[/QUOTE]

<div>FYI, you can get stackable ones!
<div>
</div><div>Another thing you can do, with yard waste anyways, is to gather it in the fall (leaves, grass clippings, etc), shred it (with a mower is easy) and then spread it over whatever garden you have. By the spring it should be composted and it will have protected your beds:)</div></div>

Hazel_B

Thanks Paige!

PaigeMcC

No prob!!