Saturday, December 26, 2009

Good Quickies

I'll bet you can think of a gazillion things to do in the coming year that could make the world a better place. Here are 17 quickies to get you started.

1) Look in the mirror and say nice things to yourself. It's tough to be nice to others if you aren't nice to yourself.

2) Use small gasoline operated machines less. Gas lawn mowers, snow-blowers, leaf-blowers, etc. are big polluters of sound and air. Electric or manual grass cutters and rakes are kinder and you can skip a trip to the gym.

3) Share food. Choose a day of the week to eat simply and use the money you save to donate food to a local pantry. If your school or place of work doesn't collect food for a local pantry, perhaps your grocery store does.

4) Recycle everything possible. It's amazing how little actually has to go to a landfill if you reuse, donate, and recycle carefully.

5) Make GoodWill, St. Vinny, or other thrift stores your first choice when shopping. Not only will you save major bucks and support a good cause, but you'll keep stuff out of the "stuff stream."

6) Compost. Your kitchen scraps and garden clippings transform magically into super soil for your flower or veggie garden and keep stuff out of landfills.

7) Grow your own. You can grow some of your own food, even if you only have a little patio and a flower pot. How fun is that! It is good for your soul as well as your body.

8) Don't panic, go organic. Ok, so I didn't make up that phrase. But every chemical you keep out of your body is one that won't make you sick.

9) Smile. It's healthy to smile. It might be catching. At the very least it will piss off people who are trying to bring you down.

10) Remain grateful for every breath you take and remember that right now, in this very second, you have everything you need.

11) Practice acts of random reckless kindness. Hold a door for someone, let someone into traffic, put a quarter in a stranger's meter, hold your tongue, give sincere compliments, feed the birds, pick up litter, forgive with abandon.

12) Use Earth-friendly cleaning supplies. Vinegar, borax, baking soda, and lemon oil are wonderful at cleaning most things you have and they are inexpensive to buy. Check out Seventh Generation if you prefer ready made stuff.

13) Check the air pressure in your tires. Proper pressure improves gas mileage.

14) Consider vegetarian Tuesdays. (Or Wednesdays or April, etc.) Healthy for you and the rest of the planet - especially the animal you don't eat.

15) As much as possible, surround yourself with peace. Don't watch violent tv or movies or read violent books or play at killing and maiming.

16) Cry when you feel like it. It's good for your sinuses as well as your heart.

17) Wash your clothes in cold water.

3 comments:

  1. All 17 of your quickies are excellent, Fay, but recycling really hits home with us. Luckily, our city takes a ton of recyclable items--we have a magnetized list on the fridge--and we send very little to the landfill. With a compost pile, it would be almost nil . . .

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  2. Mind if I add one? Look people in the eye when you mean what you say. Like, when you give them a compliment. On Christmas Eve day I had some last minute errands to do before stores closed for the holiday. I thanked each person who waited on me at the stores I went to for working on that day. I did so while looking them in the eye so they knew I meant what I said. Each one smiled with their response, no matter what mood they may have been in before my comment.

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  3. Add more than one! Terry that's a good 'un. I try to remember to do that.

    Charlie, composting is addictive. Give it a try!

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