first step.

reduce, reuse. then, recycle.

it's important to remember the two "r"s that come first. reducing waste is key to lowering your environmental impact. there are lots of ways to do this.

1. buy in bulk. this saves on packaging. better yet, bring your own containers to fill. more about this in another entry...
2. buy what you need. we're all guilty of impulse buys. or at least i am. but it's important to consider, before you bring something home, if you really need it. like, need it. this includes grocery shopping. start considering the enormous disparity of wealth in this world and consider whether you are helping or hurting the situation by accumulating more. trust me, the less you allow into your home, the less you will struggle with clutter.
3. waste not, want not. pay attention to how much you use. for example, do you whack a huge hunk off the end of a carrot before cutting it? do you really need to take that much off? do you throw away your shampoo even when there's a little bit left? using up everything you have before you throw something away actually reduces waste. i'm always shocked by how long my hair conditioner will last if i just mix in a little water. sure, it makes it runny, but that makes it easier to get the last little bit. try it out!

as far as reusing goes, i could really go on all day. but here are some things to consider:

1. the bag lady. the eco-craze has brought miss canvas bag into the startlingly bright spotlight, and she's still trying to recover. it is totally en vogue to have your sassy "i'm greener than you" bag with you as you buy bottled water at the mega-mart. but what about all those plastic ones you had saved over all these years? what do you do with those? use them! i sometimes take my own plastic bags to the grocery store, since they're less bulky and easier to stuff in my saddlebags of my bike. use them for a lunch bag, bringing a change of clothes, or for separating your produce when you go to the public market. whatever you do, don't think you have to buy that $15 canvas bag from the health food store. remember, the first step is reducing, and you don't really need that extra bag...
2. upcycle! turn things you already have into fabulous things. i usually use this term to refer to clothes, but you can really upcycle anything. i cut off awesome slogans from not-so-flattering t-shirts and sew them onto t-shirts that i like to wear. (use the rest of the old t-shirt for rags!)
3. share and share alike. one way that my friends and i like to be good friends is to share clothes. doing a clothing swap is an excellent way to acquire awesome, free clothes and to get rid of those things in your closet that you never wear. this really applies to anything. use craigslist. find people who want your stuff. be generous. give things away instead of selling them. you'll be freeing yourself and helping someone out. that equals goooood karma, folks :)

so i think we've addressed the main points about reducing and reusing. i will go into much more detail about all of these tips later in the blog. for now, let me know if you have any other tips to following the first two "r"s. what were some of your "first steps"?

peace and love,
emily

welcome!

i started this blog because i realized there were so many small steps that i had taken toward a more eco-ncious lifestyle, and i thought it might be useful to share with those who are starting their journey. i welcome any comments, and hope that you find these useful and doable. thanks for stopping by!