The Earthcare Committee has compiled a list of ideas about how we can be better stewards of the Earth. In our continuing series, here’s this month’s list:

HOW WE REUSE/RECYCLE:

• Think about everything before throwing it away. Could I do something else with it?
• Reuse everything. I never recycle a piece of paper until I’ve used every blank space on the front and back. I keep lists and notes on scrap sheets and junk mail envelopes. Then, after I can’t use it anymore, I recycle it.

• Recycle everything permitted. Our curbside program takes most everything, but we take our glass in ourselves; look for the purple Ripple Glass containers
• Place the goal of REDUCING far above the goal of recycling. Creating a ton of recyclables isn’t the best choice. It takes energy to create each plastic bottle, energy to recycle it, energy to turn it into something new, etc.
• Wrap packages in leftover stuff like maps, funnies, calendars etc.
• Carry out the communal recycling bins for my apartment complex.
• Empty the aluminum/plastic recycling bin for my department at work.
• Pay my bills online.
• Use rechargeable NiMH batteries for portable devices lean with non-toxic materials
• Use bar soap bought from a farmers market or natural grocery store instead of liquid soap in the bathroom, kitchen, etc., since liquid soap comes in plastic.
• Make my own laundry soap so that I don’t create new packaging and so I know there are no chemicals in it (we want to know how she does it!)
• Use cloth diapers and wipes
• Cloth towels not paper
• Use cloth napkins. While this seems natural at home, I also make sure to bring cloth napkins are real silverware with me when I pack my lunch for work every day. No waste!
• Never run things when they’re not as full as possible (e.g. the dishwasher and washing machine).
• Use a manual (hand crank) coffee grinder