My Present Level of "Green Living".

1) Air dry all laundry- had a put a lock on the dryer cord to convince my daughters I was serious- they had to learn to plan ahead!   I wash all laundry in cold water, always wash full loads, and use a drying rack inside if it is raining. I use soapnuts for laundry- see http://www.zamuta.com/

2) Buy all organic food, make my own stocks, coconut milk yogurt, Kombucha tea, sauces, bake completely from scratch, buy no convenience foods, very little canned goods.

3) Buy all organic non-toxic beauty care products and make-up. I make my own skin care cleanser and moisturizers. I make my own soap.  I use Jane Iredale cosmetics.

4) Use baking soda and vinegar for cleaning the bathroom. I use Ms. Meyer Clean Day for dishes, Citri-Clean for counters and general purpose cleaning. I use a loofah for scrubbing dishes (I am growing my own right now so I won’t have to buy them anymore!) 

5) Take cloth bags to store for groceries and all other purchases. Take muslin bags I made to grocery store for produce.  

6) Recycle, re-use, make my own and have stopped buying anything I don’t really need.

7) Don’t use paper towels, never have.  Used cloth diapers for all 5 kids.

8) Don’t buy stuff in plastic, I try to buy all glass. Store all food in glass.  Re-use glass jars. I mostly buy real food (meat, produce) try to not buy anything that needs a label, so no packaging. 

9) Have been using recycled toilet paper for years but am considering switching to cloth at home. (don’t freak, we all used that same choice when we used cloth diapers and wash clothes on our baby’s tushes!)

10) Avoid buying anything in plastic, buy food if needed in glass. I do npt store food in plastic nor cook in it.  I use stainless steel pots and cast iron cookware.  No non-stick pans. 

11)    I practice high heat composting so have not had to buy potting soil or any type of organic fertilizers. All kitchen scraps, fat, bones, liquid, goes in the compost.  I have a Holland lop rabbit that contributes along with night soil and all yard clipping and leaves. 

12) Use very low flow shower heads. Ace Hardware has a 1.5 GPM with a shut-off valve.

13) I built a solar shower outdoors by coiling black garden hose on roof.  Gives a great fairly long very hot shower on most days here in Florida.  In fact, 6 months out of the year I cannot use it early afternoon because the water is scalding.  I haven’t put in a valve to mix in cold water.  mainly because I usually use the shower after yard work or on weekends. 

14) Use all CF light bulbs…and use them as little as possible. I have one evening a week that I use no lights..on Shabbat!  Dinner by candlelight!

15) Use grey water from shower (I keep a 5 gallon bucket in shower and use it throughout the day to flush the toilet, take what’s left to the flower beds.

17) Use water from rinsing dishes to water flower beds.

18) Use a broom on all my wooden floors instead of using vacuum cleaner.

19) Run as few errands as possible, car pool and combine trips.

20) Use micro-cloths to clean with, even on glass you do not need cleaning products!

21) NEVER buy bottled water.  I bought a Kleen Kanteen for each person in the family, we refill and take with us.  I’ve had mine for 4 years.

22) Go paperless or CD-less as much as possible.  I provide my clients with emails of my book, but still put cookbook software on Thumb drives.  My new book, coming soon, is in eBook form.

23) I have most things in the house on power strips, a lot on timers; the grow lights, the computers, all the chargers.  The hot water heaters gets run about every two or three days for about an hour. 

24) Use only a hurricane lamp when we sit outside at night.  It gives enough light to read by…but is perfect turned low …for just hanging out. Very romantic, too!

25) Use candlelight at dinner, not just on Shabbat!

26) I grow lettuce, tomatoes, Swiss chard, Beets (especially for greens), garlic, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, Malabar spinach, herbs.

28) I use a non-disposable razor, an old-fashioned stainless steel, very high quality razor that uses double edged blades. It was 24.00 from ClassicShaving.com.  The blades are 10 for 5.99, and they are double edged!  They give the closest, smoothest shave you can imagine!  No disposable blade can compare.

29) I hand grind my coffee beans each morning in a wonderful Zazzenhaus grinder from Sweet Maria’s along with an Ibriki that I make Turkish coffee in.  I use a non-plastic coffee travel mug from Elements made from stainless steel, ceramic and a lid of silicone.  It’s non-toxic and beautiful also.