Now, I personally have quite a list of resolutions this year. I also have a rather good track record with my resolutions. So far, in the last 20 years of making them, I have a little better then a 75% record of meeting my goals. This might have more to do with the fact my resolutions tend towards the highly attainable and desperately desired more then the guilty conscious driven “I really want a few weeks of feeling virtuous before falling back into my old ways” resolutions that seem to be the fad. If it makes the list, its because I have already started the planning to make it work. Seems a bit of a cheat... but what the heck. Most of those resolutions aren't going to make it onto the site as they are of the personal variety but I do have plans/resolutions for the site, so I figure it counts.
With no further ado....
New Years Resolutions for 2008 for Naturally Nerds and my reach for the Green
1) As of Monday, Naturally Nerds is becoming a 6 days a week updated blog. Some of the new features that will be appearing are environmentally friendly (and those that join the evil-doers list) product reviews, reuse/remake projects for around the house to skip that trip to the store, and a once a week guest spot from the Prime Geek covering some of the tec-tricks the greening geek can embrace.
2) This year the Prime Geek and myself are trying a rather ambitious project or two. The first is garden-centric. We'll be planning and planting 4 separate gardens -backyard, container, a larger one in the back of his families land, and finally we're stepping into the world of hydroponics. All in our attempts to reach
3) A biggie for us at the Nerdly Nest – with all the concerns and terror pieces in the news regarding the dangers inherent in our food supply, we are going to be attempting to grow at least 50% (or more) of our veggies. Anything we can't buy will be sourced locally and put up for the winter. We'll be canning, freezing, and drying as much as we can to reach our goal in
4) By the end of the fall, I want to be in a position of only having to purchase fresh items (milk, eggs, etc), meats, non-local items (oil, spices, etc) and grains. Hopefully I can slash my grocery budget by at least half of the $45 we spend a week now. We'll see how that goes.
5) To help us reach that goal we need more compost and better soil. The little composter we made was a start, but this nerd will be expanding her decaying deeds and upping her rubbish reuse. How? I'm eyeing the plans for a little farm of my own, just me and my couple of hundred wormy friends. Toss in a few more composter plans... and we'll have soil good enough to eat from, if not off.
6) I'm reinstating a goal from last year. No new clothing purchases for the next year for this nerd. The only exceptions will be underwear and shoes. Anything that is needed will be either made or sourced out at thrift shops. Heck, I'm a seamstress. This one should be cake.
7) Both the PG and myself need to get better at our trash output. To this end we are aiming for the goal of only placing our trash bin (the large green jobbie handed out by the city) once a month. The recycling bin can be used weekly, but we need to cut down on our waste. We have several plans in the works to reach this... we'll see how we do.
8) I have a confession to make... the whole complete avoidance of plastic grocery bags? Hasn't worked out so well. I still seem to have them copulating like spring fever fueled bunnies in my cupboards. For every time I bring my own... there is a time where when my back is turned the well meaning high schooler double bags me “just to be safe”. To that end, I have four new net knit bags on my needles, and a new fervor filling my soul. No more looking away, no more being quiet when I get ignored the first bag. A plastic bag avoiding banshee I will be!
9) Now this... this is a scary one for this nerd. A few years ago my well meaning husband bought me a scooter. A nice little green frog of a ride (seriously folks. Its bright green and the headlight configuration looks like Kermit!) and I have dragged my feet about getting my motorcycle license. I had my permit, but I let it lapse... something to do with the first time I rode it I rolled it. Right in front of a minivan. Yeah. Not fun. But it requires only a few gallons in the tank every OTHER week, so the responsible thing to do is use it around town for my errands. The small fact we are down to one vehicle at the time also plays a small part in this.
10) I love to give presents. I get this from my mother. Christmas and birthdays, weddings and “just cause”. I usually have to buy two or three times, as I always crack and give the first gift LONG before the day. This year? If I give it, its gonna be handmade or a book. That's it. Nothing else. Sorry. Hope you like it, cause it can't be exchanged. Here's hoping people are fine with this one.
Got any other suggestions for me? There are quite a few other plans in the works, but these are most of the big goals I'm aiming to hit. How are YOU planning on greening up your year?
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6 comments:
using ye ole plastic bottles for Roan, instead of using all the plastic inserts that would be needed for the drop-in bottles, not taking that plastic bags for my Lunch meals that the cashiers keep tryin to give me, completing the change to all low energy light bulbs, more home cooked meals, Would like to get back to my sewing....Roan permitting...
My parents once tried the whole "backyard garden" thing. The only thing I can remember them growing is corn and then sunflowers.
I'm not sure if they intended to eat the corn or just needed something in the backyard instead of weeds.
They even had one of those vegetable bin/tumbler things (I can't remember what they are called: spinning cylinder for vegetables). I don't even know what it was for.
the only other thing i can think of that you might like to try.. you've talked about canning and preserving foods, but what about making things like yoghurt, butter and cheese at home? Also things like wine or beer - if not the alcoholic versions, then things like ginger beer. Breadmaking is another one. I know you aren't always in a position (healthwise) to be doing this kind of thing, but the thought is there :) if you want some how-to links, yell, i can provide you with a few. :D
keth
xx
Great list! We have a huge compost area on the edge of the yard; it holds enough compost for the summer garden, and for the feasting deer in winter.
Good luck Goth, I know you can make the changes you want (I know few people who can be as studiously intense when needed!).
Oddly enough Kethry, the PG and myself were discussing just those things the other night.... in fact, I do believe the easiest way to answer is with a full post. (Now see what you did! lol)
O, and all those plastic grocery bags you get can be tuned in to stores, like I know that Wal-mart will take them as they currently have a recycling program in place for all of their plastics.
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