Another Update from Life Less Plastic
Here's a quick update on my life these days. I still haven't gone back to living plastic-free, but I'm proud of some of the environmentally-friendly parts of my lifestyle.
- I'm still living in Yosemite, and my apartment is only a few minutes by foot from my office so I walk (or bike) to work everyday. Not only is this good for the environment, but it is also good for my soul. I know it's hard, but I hope more people can figure out ways to live closer to where they work. - - Because my employer provides composting throughout Yosemite, I'm able to compost all of my food waste, which is amazing.
- I live in a very small studio apartment so heating is less energy-intensive, and I don't use an air conditioner.
- Because my apartment is tiny (and because I know it's bad for the environment), I also don't buy much in the way of material possessions.
- I have a small refrigerator that requires less energy to run and also prevents me from wasting food (I have limited space and need to use that space for food I'm actually going to eat).
- I still eat meat, but I've recently started eating beans made in the slow cooker several times a week. It's hard to admit, but since raising animals for meat is so bad for the environment, this has probably reduced my environmental impact more than cutting out plastic ever did. I should cut back even more.
- I'm still living in Yosemite, and my apartment is only a few minutes by foot from my office so I walk (or bike) to work everyday. Not only is this good for the environment, but it is also good for my soul. I know it's hard, but I hope more people can figure out ways to live closer to where they work. - - Because my employer provides composting throughout Yosemite, I'm able to compost all of my food waste, which is amazing.
- I live in a very small studio apartment so heating is less energy-intensive, and I don't use an air conditioner.
- Because my apartment is tiny (and because I know it's bad for the environment), I also don't buy much in the way of material possessions.
- I have a small refrigerator that requires less energy to run and also prevents me from wasting food (I have limited space and need to use that space for food I'm actually going to eat).
- I still eat meat, but I've recently started eating beans made in the slow cooker several times a week. It's hard to admit, but since raising animals for meat is so bad for the environment, this has probably reduced my environmental impact more than cutting out plastic ever did. I should cut back even more.
Anyways, I just wanted to share a little bit about what's been going on with me lately. Thanks for reading!
Comments
It has been proven that raising meat in a natural environment [like permaculture] does not produce the methane [this comes from the GMO grains fed as main diet causing intestinal distress] and it actually builds the soil from the return of nutrients to the biome. Cows,goats,sheep are ruminants ; meant to eat GRASSES not grain. They can also be raised on land that is unsuitable for crops[ like rolling hills or prairie]. Chickens & pigs are omnivores so an "all vegetarian diet " [grains] is not what they were meant to eat either. Pigs can be raised in a wood lot eating acorns & recycling kitchen & garden waste; making great compost. Same goes for poultry; they thrive on grasses, bugs & scraps and scratch it into the soil for you. Turning bugs into eggs& meat & keeping the ticks, fleas, termites, flies & slugs out of my yard & garden.
Keep in mind that we are also omnivores [biting & grinding teeth] & too many grains are not good for us either. Read "Nutrition & Physical Degeneration" by Dr. Weston A Price who traveled the world for decades in the early 20th century studying indigenous tribes. His pictures & text documented the fact that they all had wide jaws, straight teeth & no cavities because they ate the ancient diets. [ no toothbrushes or fluoride either]. NONE of them were vegan & even the more vegetarian tribes still ate milk,eggs, & fish or bugs. Eskimoes were very healthy yet ate few fruits or veggies; mostly fatty meats & fish. There was always a "sacred " food for the chief & the pregnant & nursing mothers to insure that the next generation would be healthy. This was always high fat part of the animal like the liver. When the tribes were exposed to the western diets [grains & sugars] their faces narrowed within one generation,teeth became crooked, cavities ensued along with poor health. Took two generations back on native diet to revert to the wider jaw.
I agree that there are many ways to improve one's "footprint", not just reducing plastic.
Education, and access to education, especially for women, is one of the best ways, afaik, to slow overpopulation, and increase quality of life.
I'm curious about your take on this.
oh and, representative government, as a means to get there, in theory at least.
Anyhow,
Keep on keeping on!