Every New Year’s toast, comes a few new resolutions – here at Recycle Your Day, I like to call them “Green Visions” because the word resolution is too formal. Usually, when I resolve to do something it seems like so much more of a commitment. A vision of an idea seems so much more motivating and inspiring. Just my opinion, anyway.  

 Here are my Green Visions for 09′

• Eco Drive: Since learning a few things about Eco-Driving…I’m enthusiastic about keeping it a goal to reduce carbon emissions, save gas, and a little green (no pun intended).
• Green Up My Cooking: I want to quit using my microwave all together and use my new toaster oven I received from my parents as a gift for X-Mas. I’m also going to start pressure cooking more often. I’m tired of worrying about what the microwave does to my food – I’d rather eat food that was not radiated. As far as pressure cooking goes I’d like my food to cook faster while keeping all the necessary vitamins and minerals into place. Energy output on using a pressure cooker is really low! AND- I want to use my slow cooker more often which is also another appliance that doesn’t use much energy.
• Eat Less Meat (maybe become a Vegetarian again):  Did you know that Methane gas is 24 times more potent than CO2 emissions (greenhouse gas)?!!? According to E, Environmental Magazine, Animal factory farms pollute U.S. waterways more than all other industrial sources combined. And you’d save more water by refraining from eating a pound of beef than you would by not showering for an entire year. I’d like to start small and then maybe go full force and become a Vegetarian like I was once before. Do it right, this time! Definitely, going back to Meatless Mondays and maybe even more than just once a week. Whenever I can. I’ve got a ton of veggie books so I’m ready to start cooking healthy too!
• Get Involved Locally:I already write for the local paper and have my own environmental column but I’d like to take that to the next level and get more involved with environmental politics in my hometown. Maybe, start getting more schools and restaurants to recycle and starting a non-profit organization…etc. It saddens me to see all the waste and recyclables the restaurant industry throws away each day! I’m also planning to have my first Eco-Mom meeting this month- wish me luck! Being an Eco Mom community leader should help me open more doors. I signed up last year but have not had the opportunity to get it started. I have although, been on many of the conference calls they’ve had and they’re very informative and motivating.
• Become A Freegan:When I saw the show about Freegans on Oprah last year, it really resonated with me! This year I’m going to give it a try. I’m going to find out the laws about dumpster diving in my town and also find out what the local grocery stores are doing with all there waste. They should be giving it to the homeless or to those with low incomes! I’m determined to find out how much waste is going to the dumpster rather than using it for the greater good. My idea of Freeganism last year was Freecycle or Zwaggle (without the dumpster part)- but I want to take that a step further! I’ve been following a Freegan on Twitterand I’m convinced that it’s not gross and can save a ton of money and possibly someone’s life. 
• Save $$Green$$, Stop Impulse Buying- Stop Contributing to Consumerism: Have you seen the movie The Story of Stuff? You should. We Americans spend, spend, spend- therefore adding up the amount of STUFF that can potentially/ultimately make it’s way to a landfill. All the extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal- it’s all an environmental nightmare. I’d like to limit my impact in several ways (as you can see) but I’d also like to stop living by the fact that I NEED or HAVE TO have something. I’ve been following a great blog A Year Without Stuff founded by Shari Shapiro who is a Green Building Attorney to keep me motivated. Shari is also attempting a “no new stuff diet” with the exception of necessities like medicine, underwear, and food.

Some of my visions coincide with each other which I think will help make it easier to keep them in my minds eye!

 As always I will continue to REDUCE – REUSE & RECYCLE and limit my impact on the planet. A plastic free household and using cloth rather than paper towels are a couple of my green visions I made for myself last year. They both seem to be going well.

On a funny note, I will also stick to picking up trash while on my outings with the little man- mainly recyclables but if I see trash I pick that up too. I also get super excited when I see people using their recycling bins for more than just the standard- cans, plastic, cardboard etc.!

Every little action adds up to a big action.

What are your Green Visions for 2009?