It seems our board needs an EFF kick in the Tushy

Lady Galadriel

How about we make a list of challenges to do starting in the new year. Anything from hang a load of wash, to try out a local grower?

Any and all suggestions would be fantastic. Even if its that this is a lame idea.

pixy_stix

How about:

Fill only one small wastebasket full of trash (week)

Find and unplug all unused appliances

Clean the coils of your refrigerator

Sapphyr

I'd like to try to find a local farmer's market here of sorts.  It shouldn't be hard but surprisingly it is without knowing who to ask.  And I need a kick in the pants to hang my laundry out now when the weather is windy enough to dry things.

papagena

I'd be up for some!  Although the food thing would be hard for us until it gets warmer. 

Perhaps try a new EF/homemade cleaning item?  No disposable items for a certain amount of time (no paper towels, etc).  A week of no/minimally processed foods (don't know where we'll fall with the pasta deal).  A week where you carry around your garbage with you. 

Sapphyr

pixy_stix:

How about:

Fill only one small wastebasket full of trash (week)

Find and unplug all unused appliances

Clean the coils of your refrigerator

That's a good one!

pixy_stix

A week of no HFCS (dear gawd, I'll try my best on this one, but last time I tried I gave up).

Use alternative transportation for one day

hrmmm... still thinking of more...

Lady Galadriel

Hang a load of wash

 Find local protein, meat/eggs/cheese?

How many things in your house can you clean with vinegar in a week?

Not bring home a plastic or paper bag for a week

 Start a seeds for a garden

Start a garden

Buy something from a bulk bin, preferably into a reusable container

Make/buy a birthday gift 

visit your local thrift(s) stores to see what there is

Find your local farmers markets

List your favorite websites for being EFF

Exchange something tossable with something reusable

Plan a trip using your feet or local transit of some sort for part or all of it.

CABunny

No suggestions, but this is a fantastic idea and I'm game. 

Lady Galadriel

Try a meatless meal, before hand we can post all of our favorites before hand.

 

aspade

pixy_stix:

A week of no HFCS (dear gawd, I'll try my best on this one, but last time I tried I gave up).

You can do it, Pixy!

 

I love this.  Excellent post!

It's a big goal of mine to end our dependence on sponges.  They're evil, as far as I'm concerned.  I just bought 8 on sale from Williams Sonoma to match the kitchen, and my plan is to take a new one out every morning and wash with the rest of my kitchen cloth.  (I hated my unpaper towels, BTW, and use rags (i.e. washcloths from IKEA) instead.)

I want to start my garden this year!

And, this is a big one for me, because I'm a hoarder of all things kitchen: use all the items that have never been used, this year, or give them away.

I also need a kick in the pants about hanging laundry. 

aspade

aspade:

It's a big goal of mine to end our dependence on sponges.  They're evil, as far as I'm concerned.  I just bought 8 on sale from Williams Sonoma to match the kitchen, and my plan is to take a new one out every morning and wash with the rest of my kitchen cloth.  (I hated my unpaper towels, BTW, and use rags (i.e. washcloths from IKEA) instead.)

Oops.  I meant to say that we're making the switch to dishcloths.  Tres old fashioned! 

Dobie_Mama

CABunny:

No suggestions, but this is a fantastic idea and I'm game. 

This!

triumphantreturnofplanningbug

I love this idea!

Question: why are sponges evil? They annoy me because I hate the way they feel, but that's not enough to convince MH to kick the habit. What else is wrong with them?

pixy_stix

triumphantreturnofplanningbug:

Question: why are sponges evil? They annoy me because I hate the way they feel, but that's not enough to convince MH to kick the habit. What else is wrong with them?

They're bacteria magnets.  eeeeeewwww.... 

pixy_stix

More (I couldn't stop thinking about this!  So much I need to do this year):

Turn the water heater down

Check weather stripping on all doors and replace if necessary

Replace furnace filter

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Lotte134

Love this post!  Someone should keep the list and post a new one each week and then we can all try to accomplish it and post about how we went about it.

thejennigirl

pixy_stix:

How about:

Fill only one small wastebasket full of trash (week)

Find and unplug all unused appliances

Clean the coils of your refrigerator

That's part of my after Christmas list.  You know, move the fridge, sweep and scrub where it goes, find 100 missing hot wheels, clean the coils, and throw my back out wedging it back into the cubby hole.