Green!

I just watched Food, Inc. and although I will not become a vegetarian, I will become more interested and responsible for the foods I purchase and consume. I appreciate documentary's like this that make industry secrets available to the public. The truth is, we are supremely uneducated about so much of what we do on a daily basis and it's important that we know that something has to give and that it starts with me.

My list of sins:

-I have not recycled in a year and a half.

-I generally do not check to see if I'm buying local, organic, grass fed or cage free.

-I use more than my fair share of water and electricity.

-I create a lot of trash.

-I purchase produce from a grocery store year round and don't pay attention to what is in season.

My list of vows:

+I will use less water when washing dishes, washing my face, brushing my teeth, taking a shower, doing laundry and running the dishwasher.

+I will check for and purchase more local, organic, grass fed and cage free products, including products not tested on animals.

+I will contact my apartment complex manager and push the issue of making recycle available to residents of the complex.

+I will be more conscious of my electricity consumption. I am currently a Greenergy member of SMUD, where 100% of my electric bill comes from renewable energy resources such as sun, wind and water.

+I will consider creating my own urban compost or at the very least, use my garbage disposal for food scraps rather than my garbage in an effort to keep food out of the landfill.

+I will use and recommend cloth diapers for my family and for my future client's families as diapers make up the 3rd largest waste product in landfills.

+I will save my pennies for a bicylce and ride to the grocery store and library instead of driving.

I already use reusable water bottles; buy recycled products when possible; am a Greenergy member of SMUD, where 100% of my electric bill comes from renewable energy resources such as sun, wind and water; cook my own food and use reusable containers, thanks to my apartment complex I have energy star appliances and a water saving washing machine; I don't consume dairy products or wheat products which lessens the demand of land and resources to supply or transport those products (however, I do eat meat and they are fed grain which is transported); and I use the train when traveling instead of plane or car.

I did do a very basic calculation of my carbon footprint and I emit 22 tons of carbon dioxide every year. It is below the U.S. national average, but I will see what I can do to lower this.

How big is your carbon footprint: http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/calculator