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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: The Gray Way.

 
 
 
Since Hasting was born, I'm all about crunchiness and bringing the hippie out in me. Just the other week, our town dropped of new recycling bins for us. I got so excited I called my husband while he was at work jus to tell him we had received new recycling bins! It wasn't just NEW ones, they were BIGGER. We used to have to use the smaller boxed crates for our recycling. Talk about weekly overload of recycling! THEN, we got actual CANS, BIG TRASH CANS for our recycling. I swear I was jumpong for joy, I couldn't contain my excitment haha.
 
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
 
We could do more, but we are getting better!
 
Here are some things we do in each of these areas in our family:

Reduce
  • paper towel use (we limit our use and go weeks without them if we run out) I am currently in the process of learning to make un-paper towels!
  • make own cleaning solutions, laundry detergent, multi-purpose cleaners, etc. I am in the process of making a few other household things, as well as personal products! Face wash, veggie & fruits wash, floor cleaner, etc.
  • soaps, shampoos, conditioners (we have started using less, especially when washing hands and dishes). Now that I have dreads we use FAR LESS shampoo/conditioner. I use Dr. Bonner's diluted with added tea tree. For our soap we only buy Goats Milk at our Local farmer's Market every 2 weeks.
  • toothpaste. I use baking soda occasionally. I plan on making my own soon to use!
  • plastic bags for produce in grocery stores (we don't use them on things like bananas, cucumbers, and other foods that are easily washed)
  • diapers & wipes. We cloth diaper and use cloth wipes.
  • Toilet paper. Chad uses toilet paper still, but I use family cloth/wipes and wash them with Hasting's diapers. For now I just cut up old receiving blankets, but once I get a new needle I will get some new fabric and make some awesome ones :)
  • open the blinds instead of turning on the lights!
  • water usage (never leave it running while shaving, brushing teeth, etc.)
  • carpool. We always drive together as a family. We carpool with friends as well if we will all fit!
Reuse
  • glass containers (can be reused for any homemade cleaners or homemade foods such as yogurt, soups, and sauces)
  • boxes (can be reused to ship or store things)
  • printer paper
  • plastic bags from stores (we give most of them to someone who uses them often, and use the ones we keep for various things)
  • Plastic Food Containers. We use these to store food in, pack lunches, etc)
  • Old clothing. Use to make cloth wipes, dust rags, family cloth, etc
  • Old Receicing blankets. To make diaper Inserts for Hasting's diapers
 
 
Recycle
 
  • Our recycling comes once a week for now until mid- January. We then switch to bi-weekly, because we got a bigger can :) We recycle on an everyday basis!
 
 
 
This is just a little of how we RRR. How do you do it within your family?
 
 

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