our next GREEN step

Its been a little over a year since our family gave up paper towels. In there place, we use rags that can be washed and reused. Our next GREEN step is going to be giving up paper napkins. That mardi gras 500 pack is just so convenient, but I am going to switch to cloth or knit. Hey, mac-n-cheese night just got fancy! :)

Several years ago I was given a book by my friend Wendy whom I had worked at the zoo with. Since reading Serve God Save the Planet by Matthew Sleeth, we've incorporated the following into our life.

• Buy shade grown coffee
• Eliminate paper towel usage
• Recycle (We've always done that.)
• Use reusable shopping bags (When I remember to bring them with me!)
• Look first to craigslist or a yard sale for a need versus buying new - I've learned to LOVE the hunt!
• Use reusable water bottles versus regularly buying bottled water
• Dry clothes on a clothes line (I used this maybe a dozen times this year, but it was a dozen times I didn't run the dryer.)
• Energy efficient bulbs outside and in the garage

If you haven't read the book, I would recommend it. The foundation of the book is that God tells us to love our neighbor and that has a lot to do with how we consume. Your thinking, "what?" read the book...