Well, we finished our month on waste and from the reviews I am seeing from our little group, everyone made some changes.  Cloth napkins were purchased, recycling was amped up, we are learning to use more of what we already have rather than spending more on something new and this month definitely made us all stop and think about how the things we purchase at the grocery are packaged.  It has left us looking for greener options.  I mean, what good is your reusable bag if you fill it with a bunch of plastic boxes?  

I think that this month certainly gave us all pause in the ways in which we do things.  We paused before we made any purchases, we paused before we threw things in the trash and we looked at our little gardens before going to buy herbs and veggies.  Just kidding, I can’t speak for anyone else, but I am still waiting for my tomatoes and peppers to actually grow into edible little vegetables.  I always hope they get to the point in which I can harvest them before a cold snap kills them.  Usually, by mid-September I get a small bowl of cherry tomatoes and peppers.  You know, enough to actually make two salads.  Totally worth the cost of the plants!  NOT! Maybe I should rethink planting any kind of veggie boxes at all.  I mean if I am truly concerned about waste, then perhaps I shouldn’t waste my money on something that really doesn’t yield enough to make it worth it.  This is a discussion for another day.

I think most of us have also made the switch to reusable glass containers and silicone bags.  I know that I have greatly reduced the use of any kind of plastic baggie and have purchased a few Stasher bags instead. This weekend we grilled out with some friends and my first thought was that I didn’t have any paper plates.  Andy offered to run to the store and get some at the last minute.  I declined and pulled out all of our dishes, utensils and cloth napkins and yes, I had one extra load of dishes, and a little more laundry, but otherwise I felt good about it.  It really is the small decisions that we make every day that add up to big changes.

I can’t speak for everyone, but I think that as the months progress they are beginning to accumulate into something that equates to real change.  I am thinking about everything I purchase, wear, reuse, giveaway and eat.  No, I’m not giving everything away, but I am still slowly getting rid of things I don’t need.  While I am indulging in more than 7 foods, I am being sure to only purchase what we can eat.  I don’t have a gaggle of kids at home anymore and my refrigerator and freezer should reflect that. 

I could see this experiment lasting way beyond the 7 months it takes us to complete which I assume was the original intent all along.  Either way, I know we will all be glad when it’s over. Sorry, not sorry, Jen Hatmaker. I know you didn’t promise that change would be easy, but this is definitely taking some serious endurance.

So, what’s next? For September we will be watching our spending. This means we will be looking at where we are spending our money and how much. The goal, of course, will be to curtail our spending this month. This could be interesting. I hope none of our wedding vendors want money before October!

Sunshine & Sarcasm,
Lowi & G