Thursday, December 3, 2009

Oh to "Be Green" in Todays World

This morning on my way to work I took a peek at the front page of NY Metro to find that Columbia's students have started a program called Greenborough's where a certain amount of students live in a "greenborough" dorm. At first this sounds very cool, who wouldn't want to lessen the carbon footprint, especially in a way too overcrowded city like NY? Then I opened the article. Along with limiting showers to 5 minutes (yes thats only 5 MINUTES!), all furniture is made of cardboard and next to their bed (I assume this only because they live in dorms and if they were in an apt, this would be different) is a worm bin! Yes! filled with worms! that they sleep next to! My first thoughts are, worms and food that the worms are fed to create compost, attract bugs, which attract spiders, so they are sleeping next to some pretty crazy stuff over at Columbia. So in reading more, I learned that there was a cover, which is a good thing because them, I'm hoping anyways, that the smell won't attract bugs, or thank God, spiders. Doesn't seem so bad now. I'm actually thinking about getting one but I wonder if they are allowed to be kept outside? I'd feel much better about that.

I guess this is a green issue paper cause as I keep reading, I come across an article by a woman who has a blog and who has gone green by making 366 green changes to her life. She sold her car and rides a bike everywhere, she brings a water bottle everywhere she goes, and she uses a cotton cloth to wipe herself after she goes to the bathroom....ummm I'm all for cotton diapers, but cotton toilet paper just sounds like so much work! That would create loads of extra laundry for me, and I'd have to do laundry practically every day. Not to mention what happens with #2???? There's something else too...she uses something called a Diva Cup during menstruation instead of tampons. I didn't know what this was, so I looked it up...its a cup thats inserted internally into the vagina canal, it lasts up to 12 hours before its full, and then it must be taken out, emptied, cleaned and reinserted. I don't really know how I feel about this...pads, sure no big deal, tampons can get annoying, but taking out a cup full of blood every 12 hours? just alittle much for me! Her blog is: Compulsive Overreader

What do you think about what it means to "Be Green" in todays world? Would you or do you practice being green in any of these ways?

6 comments:

  1. Hey Nikki, thanks for stopping by my blog!
    Okay, I'm all for doing what you can for the environment, but a Diva Cup? I think I just threw up. That's just NASTY. And, (oh the shock and horror!) I even use disposable diapers! However, my husband and I planted about 200 trees on our property during the last 5 years, so I call it even.

    NO WAY I'm sleeping anywhere NEAR worms. I don't even like to camp! : )
    Have a good one!

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  2. I am head of the Green Team of our school, and always trying to find ways to conserve energy and reduce waste at home and at school. I want to read more of this blog now!

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  3. Thanks Nikki for your kind comments.
    I'm so envitonmental concious!
    Love your post!
    love and hugs

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  4. I do little things to be green but not major sacrifices like 5 minute showers. (!) And no thanks on the Diva Cup. I have heard lots of blog talk about that in the past. Blech.

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  5. I keep my showers short, use those swirly light bulbs, turn the heat down at night, turn lights out if I'm not in the room, but this diva would never use that cup! I'm post menopausal and don't need to, but even if I weren't--that sounds too gross to me!

    Just stopped by from SITS to say hi: hope you'll do the same. I like your blog!

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  6. This covers all the bases = saves you money, helps the environment, helps your health, makes you feel better, it's so easy to do and it costs less than $50.00; Save money and the Earth and be clean at the same time! Add Bathroom Bidet Sprayers to all your bathrooms. I think Dr. Oz on Oprah said it best: "if you had pee or poop on your hand, you wouldn't wipe it off with paper, would you? You'd wash it off” Available at www.bathroomsprayers.com with these you won't even need toilet paper any more, just a towel to dry off! Don’t worry, you can still leave some out for guests and can even make it the soft stuff without feeling guilty. It's cheap and can be installed without a plumber; and runs off the same water line to your toilet. You'll probably pay for it in a few months of toilet paper savings. As for water use a drought is always a concern and must be dealt with prudently but remember the water use of industrial users far exceeds the water use of household users and in the case of toilet paper manufacture it is huge. The pollution and significant power use from that manufacturing process also contributes to global warming so switching to a hand bidet sprayer and lowering your toilet paper use is very green in multiple ways.

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