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Changing Colors with Post-it Notes

By
Home Stager with California Moods Inc

I am glued to the TV this weekend watching "Planet Earth" and other shows celebrating Green Day. Our beloved planed is in trouble because of us and we are the only ones who can do anything about it. I have Tivo'd everything I could find. The red light was on last night when I went to bed and on this morning when I woke up. We have come a long way since the first economy car was introduced way back when. 

I am also overwhelmed at how stuck I am to old patterns. I cannot believe that I went to the supermarket yesterday and came home with my groceries in plastic bags again. We have been posting all week here in the rain about what changes to make and bringing my own bags to the market was going to be my big new contribution to my color green. I am stunned how thick headed I am! I completely forgot until I was setting the new plastic bags full of food onto the table.

So...what is it going to take for me? I am posting, commenting, watching, reading, and thinking as green as I can  yet my patterns are still red!

psdt its

Just like turning negative thoughts into positive living, I am going to have to employ the same techniques...post-it notes everywhere...on the mirror, on the fridge, on the microwave, on the trash cans, on my car dash, on my computer, and so on...

What I didn't know until this weekend is

  • 20% of carbons released into the atmosphere come from our homes
  • A gallon of gas weighs 3 pounds but turns into 21 pounds of carbon gas when used (3 of those pounds are used to create it and get it into your car)
  • Laptops use 50% less energy than PC's
  • Cutting out eating red meat just once a week will save 840 gallons of water
  • Each American contributes 4.5 pounds of trash per day
  • You cannot recycle paper that is coated with plastic like wax paper, yogurt containers, etc.
  • Junk mail produces 100,000,000 pounds of carbon gas and you can stop them from coming by logging onto greendimes.com
  • The average person uses 2200 napkins a year producing 1 billion pounds of paper waste. (Excluding Jeff Turners kids which use that many a month)
  • Cleaning solutions around the house can kill you. I keep buying them yet I have a complete section dedicated to safe cleaning solutions to make from ordinary products on my web site.
There is so much more to learn and do. I know I am not alone in this rut but for us baby boomers it is going to take a little more effort to change our ways. Post-it until you've done it.
Posted by

Namaste

Comments(27)

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Sue Argue
Staged First Impressions - Hampton, NH
NH Home Stager
Sheron, I use all of my grocery bags as my future kitchen garbage bags, I figure this is recycling...or is it just being cheap?!
Apr 22, 2007 01:54 PM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"
Speaking of Post-It notes, is there a more environmentally-friendly substitute out there?
Apr 23, 2007 07:53 AM
Sheron Cardin
California Moods Inc - Selma, CA
ARTIST - A Home Stager/Sellers Best Friend!

John - me too!

Sue - I just learned that plastic bags do not go into the recycle bin. Gads! And then how responsible it is to put our wet garbage into a plastic bag? There has got to be a better way!  I am serious about starting a compost pile. I have to find that beautiful copper urn that sits on the counter top. If you have seen something like that, let me know.

Maureen - really good question. Maybe use pencil and re-use? I will give that a try first. Sound good?

Gary - Thanks for the back up plan. 

 

Apr 24, 2007 02:34 AM
Lori Hakeem Oxley
Charles Rutenberg Realty, Inc. - Tampa, FL

Sheron-

 My grocery store here in Tampa DOES recycle their plastic bags (Publix). They have bins at the front of the store to collect them.  Maybe you could mention that to your store to see if they would consider implementing that where you are. 

 

May 02, 2007 08:55 AM
Sheron Cardin
California Moods Inc - Selma, CA
ARTIST - A Home Stager/Sellers Best Friend!

Lori - I am ashamed to say they do and I have been walking right past it for years. I have bags in my car now. I am my own worst enemy...

boy with knife

May 02, 2007 09:25 AM
Phyllis Pafumi
ReStyled to Sell Home Staging New Jersey - Old Bridge, NJ
ReStyled to Sell Staging Homes NJ

I don't think that you cn get paper bags any longer. A few years back you had a choice, but today they only offer plastic, at least in my neck of the woods.

Phyllis Pafumi 

May 02, 2007 02:29 PM
Sheron Cardin
California Moods Inc - Selma, CA
ARTIST - A Home Stager/Sellers Best Friend!
my market is still passing out Christmas printed bags with handles. thanks for stopping by Phyllis...I see you have hit a few of my posts...like the serial commenter. I am tracking you!
May 02, 2007 03:47 PM
Sheron Cardin
California Moods Inc - Selma, CA
ARTIST - A Home Stager/Sellers Best Friend!

Dan - that is so true! My garbage can used to fill up and spill over until we got the 3 bin system...now it is just the recycle bin that is spilling over and just 2 bags a week in the garbage bin. I am going to solve that problem soon with a compost pile and a really good looking copper can for my kitchen.

Copper indoor compost bin

Pretty cool, huh! 

May 06, 2007 08:25 AM
Eric Carlsen
The Scene Lab - New York, NY
Sheron,
Some fantastic points here. Some I am doing, some I need to start. On a side note, Planet Earth is some of the most riveting television ever created.
May 06, 2007 09:33 AM
Sheron Cardin
California Moods Inc - Selma, CA
ARTIST - A Home Stager/Sellers Best Friend!
Eric - I Tivo'd Planet Earth and get so overwhelmed I can only watch it in bits and pieces. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
May 06, 2007 12:18 PM
Eric Carlsen
The Scene Lab - New York, NY
Sheron,
Sorry to take up all your commenting space...but in response to your last comment, Tivo has been a real time saver for our family.  Set it up and watch when you have the time, what's not to love?

Take Care,

Eric
May 06, 2007 12:49 PM
Sheron Cardin
California Moods Inc - Selma, CA
ARTIST - A Home Stager/Sellers Best Friend!
Eric - all I have is time and space so don't let that stop you and as far as Tivo goes...I don't know if I ever lived without it! NO MORE COMMERCIALS :)
May 07, 2007 02:24 AM
Lori Hakeem Oxley
Charles Rutenberg Realty, Inc. - Tampa, FL

Sheron,  I think we are all guilty of not seeing the bins at the store.

 Phyllis, I was at the grocery store and asked about the paper bags...they have them "stashed" where you don't really see them.  I don't like them because many times they come with "bug eggs" - YUCK!!

Has anyone used "Method" brand cleaners?  I purchased some yesterday at Target - supposed to be good for the environment.  A little more expensive than the popular brands, but "green" and little or no fumes!  Yeah!!

 

May 07, 2007 03:14 AM
Sheron Cardin
California Moods Inc - Selma, CA
ARTIST - A Home Stager/Sellers Best Friend!
Hi Lori - BUGS? So not going to go there...I trust you...now the old paper bags are going into the compost pile. As far a cleaning solutions, I am using the items I listed above from now on just because they work and they are cheap and have multiple uses but thanks for the info on Method. Shaklee is another.
May 07, 2007 04:56 AM
Kathleen Lordbock
Keller Williams Realty Professionals - Baxter, MN
Keller Williams Realty Professionals
Method works great & my compost pile is about 20 feet long- 10 feet tall and 15 feet wide. Gotta love those horses ( hopefully Terry isn't reading this)
May 07, 2007 12:35 PM
Sheron Cardin
California Moods Inc - Selma, CA
ARTIST - A Home Stager/Sellers Best Friend!
Kathleen - you are my idol! I have never heard of a pile that large...I don't know anyone who has a compost pile for that matter...I am a city girl, but someone has to be the first in my sphere. Don't have horses anymore and don't have any flies either...yippee! So now I know who to go to when I get confused...do you mind?
May 07, 2007 01:01 PM
Lori Hakeem Oxley
Charles Rutenberg Realty, Inc. - Tampa, FL
Silverfish LOVE paper, so it makes sense that they would be in paper bags.  I've also heard of roach eggs.  YUCK!
May 07, 2007 01:59 PM
Sheron Cardin
California Moods Inc - Selma, CA
ARTIST - A Home Stager/Sellers Best Friend!

Hey Kevin - you didn't sign in. I will look for you in Search to see where you live. I sounds wonderful. You really need to LOVE the one you are with to enjoy that lifestyle. Sometimes my only time getting out of the house is to go to the market so don't want to give that one up yet. Glad you stopped by.

Lori - I am really grossed out too. 

May 08, 2007 04:34 AM
Frank Rubi
Frank Rubi Real Estate, LLC - Metairie, LA
FrankRubiRealEstate.com
Yes, I agree with green. It can only help our world. We need more awareness. Great Post.
May 08, 2007 06:07 AM
Sheron Cardin
California Moods Inc - Selma, CA
ARTIST - A Home Stager/Sellers Best Friend!
Whoa, kinda dropped the ball here Frank...sorry about that. I appreciate you stopping by and commenting. I was disappointed with the Live Earth concert...I agree with some of the critics that the money used to put the concert on could have been put to better use. 
Jul 19, 2007 09:46 AM