No Impact Week: Day Two (Tuesday)

Today was day two of No Impact Week. The challenge was to make no trash. This was difficult. I am pleased that we have so little food with packages, but there are still some. I had to remember my challenge and figure out how to not make trash. It was extremely difficult when I went over to my mom's today, packaged food heaven, and had to keep the boys away from things. Of course, when I wasn't looking they were given little boxes of raisins, etc. Oh well. By the end of the day I ended up with only a few things in the trash. Said raisin box, a straw from Will's drink, and some plastic wrapping from a string cheese package. That's pretty good I think. Well, up until we ate dinner at a mexican restaurant and was served paper napkins with a styrofoam cup for Will! AAAHHH! On to day 3 tomorrow! :)

No Impact Week: Day One (Monday)

Hello everyone! Yesterday Nate and I began an experiment called "No Impact Week" This week there is a national challenge to live for one week without making any environmental impact, easing into it gradually of course. The event actually started Sunday, but we didn't find out until Sunday afternoon, so we started yesterday.

Yesterday's challenge was to stop consuming new things. Being on a tight budget has made this a little easier than it is with most people, especially since we already did our grocery shopping. However, we are in the market for a new table, so instead of going to the furniture store we began browsing Cragslist to see if there were any cool used tables. Uhm, a plethora! I am very excited to try and get a neat vintage table. I think my biggest problem living in the greater Des Moines Area will be to find out where I can buy things without packaging.. There are a few stores that make it easier, but nothing that has say, pasta, without packaging that I know of. Hmm.

Nate and I have gradually been "going green" for a while now, so some of this will just be a little push farther past what we are already doing. I'm very excited for this big change! We're talking about how to extend this experiment past a week and see what happens. :) Another step we made in our quest to make our life about family and not about things was to move our television out of the living room and into the closet, unplugged, facing the wall for the summer. If there are a few shows we are desperate to watch *cough* LOST *Cough* we can watch them on my laptop. Long post, I know, but that's all for now. Stay tuned for the response to today's challenge. :)