If it seems like this Seven Project is lasting forever, well, that would be because…
it is.
Seriously, last month was Media, and I still haven’t caught up on all the things I missed. Of course, it’s possible that if I am trying to cram all the information back into my life after the screen time break, I might have missed the point of the pause.
However, I can say this with confidence:
All the things people say about fasting from media are true.
You have more time for people and things that really matter.
Less distractions = more productivity.
No one emailed me wondering where I was or why my clever tweets/pretty pictures were absent from their feeds.
In other words, if I drop my phone in the pool tomorrow and go back to filling up notebooks instead of internet feeds, the only thing that would suffer is my Klout score.
Who cares, right? Apparently, I do, because I’m back.
Moving forward.
Month 5 is Waste.
Waste involves being friendlier to the planet. Trying to steward instead of consume.
Of all of the seven months, this one might be the one with which I am already the most on board. We already love the earth a LOT!
Even so, it was not that difficult to come up with seven new ways we can be wasting less at the Chino House.
So here they are, the seven habits beyond the recycling, composting and cloth napkin folding we already do:
1. Walk to church/work. We live close. We go there a lot. We’re trying to walk it. But it’s hot y’all!
2. Walk to walk. Almost every day, I drive to a lake that is about a mile from my house to go for a walk. For this month, I am leaving my car parked and walking to walk. (Mind blowing, eh?) It’s not as pretty, I have to go through a major intersection and someone usually tries to pick me up (Need a lift, Sweetie?), but I’m getting extra exercise and using my car less.
3. Pick up trash. I live on the trashy side of the river. You would not believe the junk people throw on the ground. Seriously, I can fill a bag of trash on my walk to the lake. So now I look like a bag lady! Extra points for people thinking you are crazy!
4. Recycle MORE! That little, empty toilet paper roll that you want to toss in the bathroom trash? Take it to the cans.
5. Community Garden. Work in somebody else’s garden because we don’t have one. It’s just not happening in our backyard this year, but I can pull weeds in a friend’s yard!
6. Zero paper products. Take our own everywhere. Coffee cups, water bottles, to go containers.
7. Use a clothesline. Hang dry our clothes and save on our dryer use. Every summer I try to do this with varying levels of success. Here we go again!
I’m enjoying this month already and it feels more fun to be doing NEW things instead of NOT doing Media.
What are some of the little extra things you do to be a better steward of our earth’s precious resources? I would love to know!
Seven continues with WASTE! Saving the earth at the Chino House, friends! http://wp.me/p2DMSG-34V #7FN
I love the community garden idea. I see so many areas around town that could be a public park (even an empty house lot is big enough for a community park) that aren’t being used for anything. I love seeing stories about stuff like that happening.
I love stuff like this too! There are lots of community gardens popping up around town! So fun!
I have never considered myself very environmentally friendly. Not that I am opposed to it, I just don’t think about it much. Oh, I recycle some, but one thing made me think something little we have always done and I will thank my husband’s parents for this, is we try to rest on Sundays. The way this is a steward of resources is Sunday after church we always have left-overs. I would sit everything out on the counter from what I had cooked during the week and everybody could fill their plate up with what they wanted. It was a great way to accomplish three things; everyone could get what they wanted to eat, I used up my left-overs and I never had to cook lunch on Sundays. Sometimes I had enough left for Sunday dinner also. It isn’t much and I still probably throw too much food away, but it is a start.
I love this idea, Barb! Making time for REST is definitely part of using less energy!
So this made me think…toilet paper rolls need to be recycled and the paper products. I am so quick to grab these for summertime b/c it is so much easier, but I will think twice about throwing these in the cart next time. Love reading your blog 🙂
Thanks Dena!! Yes, I think I’ve walked a mile this month taking little pieces of paper to the bins! 🙂
I am laughing my way thru the 7 book-so funny yet convicting. Thinking a multiple of 7 for me-like maybe 14, or even 21. Not sure if that will work on the giveaway month. Praying for you &ALL your family with your move.
Every time we get to a new month, I re-read the chapter and laugh all over again. She is hysterical!
Thank you so much for your prayers! We need them for sure! XOXO