ED 6 & 7

So I fell behind, but I was catching up on poems, so that's something, isn't it?
Like Hightouch, I try to make dinner at home. This week it was all about leftovers. We ate Sunday's meal Monday AND last night. So that was Earth Day 6: eating what you have on hand. (I know I'm copying Hightouch, but copying is a form of reusing, and it's not wasteful!)
And for Earth Day 7: stop unnecessary trips in the car. As the owners of only one car, MB and I rationalize a good deal of our travel. But sometimes it's not necessary for him to drive me all the way to campus, etc etc. So when only one of us goes to campus, we will take public transportation. If it's the campus near our house, MB walks. I sometimes ride my bike. If it's the campus farther away, we can take a bus/train/bus combination. Or, at the very least, someone can drop someone else at the train, thus eliminating the longest part of the drive.
Also, I have convinced MB not to buy a new vehicle (because I don't want to invest in obsolete technology), but instead I think we're going to get a rack for the top of the car we do have so that if we ever do go camping, poor Son won't be crammed in the backseat with a million things. And we have the dog now, so there's that.
Thanks for the Earth Day Challenge! I'm looking forward to composting and attempting another garden this summer.

ED 4 & 5

So I slacked yesterday and did not post. But it was because I was cleaning my house and nursing sick Son.
But, I didn't use a bag at REI and I reused a box from Christmas for my gift. So, for yesterday the theme was REUSE.
I'm about to go to Whole Foods, and I'll bring my own bags. And I try not to use those little plastic bags, but sometimes I do.
My other goal for today: get a new gold filter for our new coffeemaker. Our old gold filter has holes in it, and we have been using paper filters (which we can compost, but still). So that's for today: gold filter replaces paper filter and paper filter waste.
Don't get blown away in all this wind! Batten the hatches!

ED 3

I'm not sure I can take credit for this, but I will, given the Earth Day Challenge. MB bought a composter today at CostCo (of all places! So ecologically incorrect!). It is made of 90% recycled materials and it will help us recycle our materials (so many coffee grounds!!) into compost for the as of yet non-existent garden that may, one day (the distant future), grace our yard.
So that's today. Tomorrow we begin composting. Let's hear it for composting!
Hurray!

ED 2

Today I'm going to try not to take 2 showers. This sometimes happens if I have to go teach and then I work out or swim later and have to shower again. Today I am just not showering in the morning. I don't actually have to meet with students today, instead I'm sitting in my office while they drop off essays and then meet in their workshop groups. So I'm hoping no one will notice that my hair is in a ponytail, and that I smell slightly of french fries.
After this, I'll workout at the gym and shower there.
My other promise is to take shorter showers at home. I think I need a timer with an alarm. Or a shower that just turns off in protest.
I am a super long showerer and I admit that. But I'm trying to change my ways.

Earth Day Challenge

So I agreed to be more Earth Friendly, in general, but at least for the next 7 days. I heard a guy talking about biking, especially to places less than 2 miles away. So I probably could bike to the grocery store, etc. But not until it stops being freezing and snowing just because it feels like it.
Today, I tried to not use plastic bags to bring my lunch. First of all, bringing my lunch is much more Earth Friendly than buying it at school, because of the packaging and napkins and whatnot. But I always bring at least three things for lunch. So today I brought my carrots in a small container instead of a plastic bag. That's good, right?
And I promise not to write a bad poem today, which will cut down on the much-complained-about poetry pollution.
That's day 1.