I recently finished a book called "Serve God, Save the Planet" by Matthew Sleeth, M.D. If you are a Christian or hold similar beliefs, it's worth a read. His premise is that we are called not only to look out for God's creation (i.e. the natural world) but for the people on it. Ultimately, his book might be summed up with the phrase, "Live simply, so others can simply live." Some of what he does is beyond me right now, but I think small steps are important!
We finally broke down and subscribed to our local garbage hauling service's recycling. We had good intentions to buy our own bins and haul it to the recycling station, but after almost 5 years, we never had done it. Already in four days, we've only emptied the kitchen trash twice, instead of nightly. I'm still looking for ways to reduce our trash, but it's a good start. (We also compost all food, and I'm starting to compost certain paper and cloth products.)
I've also started putting up all our dry goods in canning jars rather than leaving them in bags and boxes. An Epic Ant Invasion that only ended when the ants went underground to hibernate, despite my best attempts to eradicate the nest, meant a constant struggle to keep them out of the food. Hopefully the jars will slow them down!
The labels are from Bright Swan Creations in Ontario, and are super simple. I used a chalk paint pen and it wipes off with water. You just let the "paint" dry for a few minutes and you no longer have to worry about smudging. (Though if you look closely, my "ancho" chiles look like "ancha" thanks to a husband impatient to clear the countertop!) The labels are basically strong vinyl stickers, so they peel and stick perfectly.
Finally, I wanted to share this article, which goes back to the "Live Simply so others can Simply Live" principle: Life in a Degrowth Economy. Even our governments around the world are starting to see we need to change our consumption, which is good news as long as it helps the individuals in those countries become more aware and desire to change!
