Wondering how to live greener? You've come to the right place. Each week we challenge ourselves to try a new task ... or "amp up" something we're already doing. We raise our awareness, learn from each other and develop Eco-friendly skills which will improve our lives and protect our planet. Doing so together gives us power ... the power to Change The World!
If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.
This post contains great information and I encourage you to read through it at your leisure ... however, if you are short on time, you might find the following quick links helpful:
Last week we stepped out of our comfort zones. The idea was to experience something new and, perhaps, learn a bit about living green. My challenge was precipitated by the weather. Late last week our forecast changed and snow was predicted for the weekend ... 3-6 inches of snow. We live in the mountains so it was likely that the roads would be icy. We were also likely to be without power, which would mean living without water since we have a well which is operated by an electric pump. I grew up in a family that always had enough food. In fact, we always had more than enough. A full pantry makes me feel good. So my natural inclination, when the weather reports said "SNOW", was to head for the store and stock up. I thought I'd buy extra food and even bottled water. And then, I thought about our challenge and realized that "panic buying" didn't really fit into a green lifestyle. So I didn't go to the store, I didn't buy more food, I didn't buy water. I stayed home and waited for the storm. In reality, I had more than enough food to carry us through the weekend. Rather than buy bottled water, I filled reusable water bottles and mason jars ... just in case. Stepping out of my comfort zone saved us money, reduced the use of our car, and reduced waste. It also taught me that while being prepared can be good, panicking is not.
The Honor Society are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments.
Alicia accept the challenge and shared this: "Just recently we turned off the A/C for several days and did really well! To really get out of my comfort zone would be to go without using the computer for a day! I love the idea of going shopping and only buying organic. I am going to go an extra day without taking a shower this week also. I hope my comment goes through. I had such a challenge with the word verification."
Can you believe that Argentum Vulgaris was up at 2:30 am, reading our challenge, and that 20 minutes later he had his post published? Wow! So what took him out of his comfort zone? Here's a hint ... it involves raw fish. Curious? Head over to Change the World Wednesday – 29th Oct to read all about his efforts.
Cinella joined us and said, "Ohhhh, good one. A lot of people aren't more green because it can be uncomfortable, we are set in our ways. I HATE the heat, it's bad. As soon as we turn on our car, I turn on the A/C.... so that will be our challenge this weekend.... A/C free!! I CAN DO IT!!" She wrote Change the Wolrd Wednesday: Comfort Zone where she talks about her plan and she also includes a link to her YouTube channel where she promises us a vlog update on her efforts to reduce energy use.
Deborah stopped by and had this to say: "Hi Cindy,
Thank you for encouraging us to step out of our comfort zones and try something new. I am going to embrace the challenge this week. Thank you so much for sharing Change the World Wednesday with us at the Healthy, Happy, Green and Natural Party Blog Hop. We appreciate it!"
For Laurel's CTWW contribution, she wrote a wonderful post on kids and energy. Small Things Count: Kids and Energy discusses teaching kids to minimize energy consumption. You might be surprised to learn that her ideas involve adult actions.
Green Girl accepted the challenge and offered a suggestion: "All great ideas! I think you should add going 'car-free' for a day or a week. I particularly am big on not over-using the A/C and heat. I feel that acclimating to heat causes natural appetite control and I warm up in the winter by moving around more and doing pushups instead of just sitting on the couch. Little things like this has allowed me to lose weight, while saving money and reducing my environmental impact. win-win-win!" Thanks for joining us, Green Girl!
Lois is a dedicated "greenie". So I was curious about her comfort zone and what she might consider difficult. Here's her comment: "What great timing you have. With my move I reverted back to the closet environmentalist. Living as true to my values as possible but hiding these things from the people I have met. I am now going to challenge myself to open up more to these people who have welcomed me to their community." In Change the World Wednesday, And an Apology you'll learn a bit about her neighbors. Do you think they'll be receptive to green living?
Mrs. Green, another true-blue "greenie", stepped out of her comfort zone. Her efforts had her spending the day with a towel tucked into her belt. Fascinated? Oh I know that you are. Check out How a holey tea towel took me outside my comfort zone. But helped me save the planet. You did great, Mrs. Green!
Our Twitter friend, @GiveTreeGifts , joined the conversation and shared the following:
- Ditch the Disposables: ow.ly/DvTcV
- Eliminating Vending Machines Could Help Campus Go Green ow.ly/DvSEf
- 10 ways to live better electrically ow.ly/DvT0Q
- Disposable items you can dispose of and eliminate for good ow.ly/DvSSiÂ
The #CTWW Gang are those folks who tweet our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I recommend following them ... they share great things. Let's meet them:
My Final Thoughts:
A comfort zone is a behavioral space where one functions with ease and familiarity. There are few, if any, risks and no stress. It's a state of mental security. Being in a cocoon of routine may sound lovely but it isn't a place to grow and learn. That comes from challenging ourselves ... from taking a chance and learning from the outcome. The area outside of our comfort zone offers excitement, creativity, and an opportunity to expand our limits. Taking that one step will help us grow and become people who will not only care about the earth, but will be able to make positive changes which will help the earth, as well.
Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I Stumbled, Tweeted, Facebooked and posted it on Google +. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share features located below this post.
This Week's Challenge:
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| Does your laundry detergent clean your clothes without hurting the environment? |
Some contain Eco-friendly, safe ingredients while others are a blend of toxic chemicals.
Where does yours fall into that spectrum?
Here's your challenge ...
This week, please do an honest review of the laundry detergent that you are currently using. Do a little research on the list of ingredients to find out which are safe and which are not. Talk about how the product performs, especially in cold water. What kind of packaging does it come in. How does the price rank compared to other brands. If you'd like to mention the brand, please do so. The idea this week is to share information on laundry detergents so that we all benefit.
Are you ready to analyze your detergent? I know that you are!
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Until next time ...
WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!