Food for Thought (4/26/16)

The school year is winding down which means summer is almost here!

It’s fairly easy to be sustainable at school. We have water fountains and recycling bins everywhere, our food is prepared for us so we don’t have the opportunity to buy local/organic, and we don’t have much control of the heating/cooling in the buildings. Once we go home, these things are in our hands and it’s up to us to make good decisions regarding sustainability.

So, how can you make smart choices at home?

  1. Start by being aware of the choices you’re making. Do you really need the air conditioner on or will an open window and a fan work just as well? Personally, we don’t have AC in my house so we keep the windows open at night to let the cool air in and close them during the day to keep the cool air in. Fans work well to circulate air while you’re in the room, but make sure to turn them off when you leave. This is a simple way to save energy and some money.
  2. Start a compost pile at your house! Compost makes for some really great fertilizer for your yard and it’s not as hard to maintain as you might think. My family started a compost pile last year and we are very happy with the results. We keep a bucket with a lid in our house, next to the garbage can, and we put in fruit and vegetable peels and leftovers. Egg shells are okay, just make sure no meat or dairy goes in the compost. Once your bucket is full you can take it out to your pile, leaves and grass clippings are also great for composting. Make sure to turn your pile! Here is an example of a common composter… you can find this one online at www.peoplepoweredmachines.com

3. Know your produce! Build a rapport with your local farmer, it’s good way to build community and it’s a smart way to know where your food is coming from. A relationship with your farmer              holds you accountable to each other. Your farmer wants you to buy directly from them so they can set their own prices and you want to know what pesticides they do or do not use; it’s a                      relationship you won’t regret!

This list could go on and on, but start with those 3 easy things you can do this summer! Save energy, save money, save the planet… what could be better?!

 

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