All Roads Lead to the Mall: Rules of the Game

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Rules of the Game

As I stated before, we're trying to get 100 suburban families to participate in our "thoughtful consumer" challenge this summer, between June 1 and September 9.

If you and your family are interested in taking the challenge for a week or more, please email me at MallMom@live.com with your family name (or nickname, if you prefer to remain anonymous), so I can keep track of everyone.

Email me, also, if you're interested in being a guest-blogger for a day (or more), and I'll set you up. You can leave comments and tips on reducing consumer waste in the comments section, as well.

We're really hoping to generate some discussion on what it means to be a conscious consumer in the suburbs, and how we can all make a difference in reducing waste in our community. We'd love to hear from you!

As promised, here are the rules my family and I decided on. I'm sure we will add to these as the project goes on, but for now, this our jumping-off point. These will be posted next to our family diary:

OUR RULES OF THE GAME

1. STORE PURCHASES
No store purchases unless they are ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. Food, medications, gas—no brainers. But can you do without those individually packaged snacks? The bottles of iced tea? The gum? Every single purchase has an impact. Think it over before you buy. And if you absolutely need something, try to find it used first.

2. ONLINE PURCHASES
No online purchases. The packaging is too wasteful.

3. ENTERTAINMENT
Seek entertainment with minimal environmental impact. Miniature golf requires no electricity. The public pool is there whether we swim in it or not. A walk in the woods or a visit to an art gallery is a great way to spend the day together. Rethink “fun.”

4. TRANSPORTATION
Drive only when absolutely necessary, and try to combine several errands in one trip. Plan your route carefully. Carpool, walk, or take public transportation whenever possible.

5. REDUCE WASTE
Try to figure out ways to reduce our trash output. Look for new uses for things we would typically throw away. Choose products with no packaging, less packaging, or recyclable packaging.

There they are! Wish us luck. (Deep, deep breath...)

No comments:

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Tips

Tip 49 – Use natural fertilizers such as bone meal, peat or compost in your garden and on your lawn whenever possible.
Tip 48 – Mix one part water and one part white vinegar in a spray bottle to clean and disinfect to clean bathroom fixtures, tub and toilets.
Tip 47 – Don’t accept the status quo. Look for greener options whenever you make home improvements.
Tip 46 – Take a weekly walk through your neighborhood to pick up trash.
Tip 45 – Turn off your car when waiting to pick up your kids at school.
Tip 44 – Rent glassware and china for parties instead of using disposable stuff.
Tip 42 - Explore natural remedies to "green" your medicine cabinet.
Tip 42 – Shorten shower time and save hundreds of gallons of water per month.
Tip 41 - White vinegar makes an excellent, non-toxic kitchen cleaner.
Tip 40 – Dispose of household hazardous waste properly.
Tip 39 – Keep a waste diary for one week to find areas where you need to improve most.
Tip 38 - Research ways to recycle for charity.
Tip 37 – Old habits are hard to break. Find something that motivates you and inspires you to change your wasteful ways.
Tip 36 – Reward your kids with a fun outdoor activity rather than a trip to the mall.
Tip 35 – Carry a mug in your car for fill-ups at your favorite café.
Tip 34 – Get children involved in environmental efforts to create habits that will last a lifetime.
Tip 33 - Search out environmentally responsible hotels on your next vacation.
Tip 32 - Don't throw it away until you're sure nobody else wants it.
Tip 31 - Give plastic food storage bags a second life by washing and reusing them.
Tip 30 - Limit shopping excursions to reduce temptation.
Tip 29 - Just say "no" to the little plastic toys in fast food kids' meals.
Tip 28 - Buy snacks in bulk and package them yourself in reusable containers.
Tip 27 - Choose eco friendly clothing and donating old clothes to a good cause.
Tip 26 - Replace part of your resource-sucking lawn with low-maintenance ground cover.
Tip 25 - Make a list of the small changes you can make, and try to implement one a week.
Tip 24 - Write to your members of Congress and the Senate and urge them to pass enviromental protection policies.
Tip 23 - Look for durable, locally-made toys with less packaging.
Tip 22 - Plant local flora around your home to attract native animals and insects.
Tip 21 - Check to see if the wood products you're buying are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
Tip 17 - Unplug appliances when they aren't in use.
Tip 20 - Check out eco-friendly pet supplies to reduce your pet's carbon pawprint.
Tip 19 - Be creative! Find a second life for items you'd normally throw away.
Tip 16 - Drive the speed limit (or slower) to save gas.
Tip 15 - Cut unwearable garments into strips with fabric scissors to use as gift wrapping ribbon.
Tip 14 - Use diapers containing recycled materials if you're going the disposable route.
Tip 13 - Commit to just one small, but permanent, change today.
Tip 12 - To save energy, wash your laundry in cold water whenever possible.
Tip 9- Get a water filter and save water bottles for when you're on the move.
Tip 8 - Switch to rechargeable batteries.
Tip 7 - Put air conditioners on timers and don't cool unused spaces.
Tip 6 - Purchase unbleached paper products, and those made from recycled post-consumer waste whenever possible.
Tip 4 - Put a stop to unwanted junk mail and catalogs.
Tip 3 - Find a friend to exchange magazines with, and cut your subscriptions in half.
Tip 2 - Contact the Plastic Loose Fill Council Peanut Hotline at (800) 828-2214 to find out where to dispose of pesky packing peanuts.
Tip 1 - Go to the store with a list, and don't deviate from it.