Green Goals

I'm gonna try to eat less meat.  And more pasta!

Oh man, nitedreamer, are you in for a treat.  farmers' markets are so cool!  you get amazing produce at a comparable (or, often, less!) cost to traditional grocery stores where you otherwise get mealy tomatoes, etc.  there are obvious benefits to shopping at farmers' markets: supporting local growers and leaving a smaller carbon footprint, versus consuming oft-imported produce from conventional grocery stores.  you also get better-tasting, less-expensive (esp when the fruit/veggies are in season) food!  and they're just fun to hang out around... 

Nitedreamer and I were discussing the other day that another thing we want to start doing this year is taking our own containers for left overs if we eat out. I hadn't seen Styrofoam in 10 years before I moved here.... I thought it disappeared back in the 90's - but it seems to be everywhere in the US.

So we are trying to remember to take our Pyrex dishes with us whenever we eat out.

My other goal for the year is to get our cleaning people at work to recycle. They are meant to do it (Every office has a huge recycling bin, and most people seem to use it) but the cleaning staff just dump it all into the one bin when they collect it. I've tried raising the issue with our environmental officer (I work for a City) but when he tries to do anything about it they recycle for a week, and then go back to dumping it all.

Great thread Nitedreamer!

The big plunge I'm making this year is selling my car. All public transit and occassional Zip car and that's it. I haven't driven much in the past year anyway, but still I think it will be an adjustment. I will keep you posted...

I would love to be able to sell my car. We don't have public transportation, and there are no biofuel stations around here either (( tearing hair out)).

I live in the country, but have to go to work 3 days one week, and 4 days the next. round trip is 70 miles. I try to do my shopping after work, while I am in town, so I don't have to make a special trip.

I think that is my biggest goal- to not have to drive so much.

I would like to be able to recycle as well. The only thing that this area likes to recyle is metal because there is money to be made with it. I feel like I am living in the stone ages!

I also store nitedreamer's goal and started to go to the farmer's market again.  I got some really tasty cherries today (and lots of other good stuff too).

 Me too!  Bounty from Farmers' Market trip today included fresh, organic goat cheese...yum...and locally produced!

Really good idea, kiwi, about taking pyrex to restaurants instead of styrofoam...I always cringe when I take home food in those types of containers!

Oh yeah, I stole that one too.  It's something I've been meaning to do for a while.  Finally remembered to bring a tupperware when we went out to dinner Friday night, and put my wife's ceasar salad leftovers in it.

Update on my goals

• Used tupperware instead of disposable take-out container at a restaurant last Friday
• Went to the farmer's market Sunday
• Had pasta last night ;-)

Farmer's Markets rule, there is one in a park near where I live that starts in July I think. We always take the dog for a walk to the market and buy our fruits and veggies for the week in the summer, it's really nice.

Hmm, what is my green goal...?

...can't think of anything that's simple/easy anymore, I'm doing most of them already.
Here are some long term bigger goals:

• I'd like to figure out a way to use my rain barrel to fill my toilet tank
• Get a tankless water heater for my home
• get a two seater moped for summer commutes (electric perhaps?)

I like that one!  On Friday I should be receiving my R Martin EVD, which I think may be the best electric moped on the market for the price.  Supposedly it can go 50 mph and 50 miles per charge for $3600 (and shipping is free through June from their website).  I'll be testing it out this weekend to see if those speed and range claims are true, and will write a review once I've tested it out.  Something to keep in mind.

awesome, I'm looking forward to your review!

Oh man, you guys have some awesome goals! 

Dana1981 - You'll definitely have to keep us posted on the EVD.  That's really exciting that it's arriving so soon.

Kiwi and Nitedreamer - Like Lola, I too am a big fan of farmer's markets.  There's one every Wednesday morning on my way to work but the last two weeks (since Huddler moved offices), I've forgotten!  But now that I'm writing my response...I'll make sure to remember to head to work a little early so I can pick up some stuff on my way.  And way to go with the Pyrex containers!  My mom gave me a nice set of those nesting ones from Bed, Bath, and Beyond which I'm loving.

Mattress - Any thoughts on what kind of moped you'll get?  I would love one, but I can't really justify it right now since I can pretty much take public transportation everywhere.

As for my goals...hm....

• Start cooking in the seasons (i.e. use local, organic goodness - I just picked up JZ Cool's Simply Organic cookbook so I'm pretty excited to start that up)
• Get smartstrips for the whole vampire power stuff.
• Get some Pioneer Days going in my house (more concretely, convincing my roommates to do it at least once this summer)

I'll have to think of some more!

I'm not sure yet what kind of moped I want, I know I'd like to be able to take it on the interstate since that's the shortest way to work, so I need to be able to go 55mph.

I know metaefficient recently did a round up on a bunch of electric mopeds. I'll probably start there, but this probably won't happen for a while. Our funds have been depleted since we're remodelling our kitchen at the moment.

Further and even more ambitious green goals include solar PV panels on the roof and grow more of our own food (currently we have peas, beans, carrots , spinach, tomatos, rhubarb, and herbs).

I want to start using our greywater more or build a system for it.  RIght now we are using the bucket to the garden method and its a pain in the rumpus!  I would love for us to have a barrel with a spiget on it.

We went to the local Farmers Market last weekend and it wasnt any good.  What a said disappoinment.  On the bright side, working in retail, I never turn down offers from others gardens which is FREE! :)

Just as an update, I'm having some issues with the shipping company.  They were supposed to deliver my EVD yesterday, but apparently forgot.  Now it's scheduled for delivery tomorrow afternoon.

Bummer, I hope it isn't delayed again!

Got the EVD yesterday, took my first ride on it this morning for the commute to work, and updated my review.   I'll try to give it a more thorough test ride tomorrow to check how good the range is and then update the review further.

One thing to bear in mind if considering purchasing the EVD - shipping ($300-500 cost) from the R Martin website is free through June, which means it ends on Monday!