Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Project Genesis 7/1/10


I am thrilled that you are here today.
My goal is simple. For at least one day a month I want us all to
learn something new about our environment, and
educate ourselves to conserve our natural resources, restrict fossil fuels,
protect our food sources and consciously make change.

This will be a learning process for all of us, and I plan to be surprised by the ideas
put forth and the wisdom shared.


If you missed the rules, here they are again:

Project Genesis will link visitors back to your blog; however,

this is NOT the forum to exploit for give-away promotions,

to garner Followers or to link to your commercial enterprises.

The link should be DIRECTLY to your post contributing

to Project Genesis, not just to your blog.

There are numerous blogs and TV programs that show how to

recycle furniture and garage/thrift sale finds, so we'll leave that to them.


Not your original idea or photos? Provide credit where credit is due.

I reserve the right to edit ANY participants.

In other words play nice, please.


What are we looking for? Here are some jumping off points; but they

are by no means an indication of what is expected. Surprise me.

***************************


To get us started, I am linking to some videos that I think

should be required viewing for all consumers.

Click here:

The Story of Stuff Project


Four fabulous videos for you, your family, friends and students.

They're simple, short, easy to understand and very informative.

Please give them a look see.


Because I do not wish to influence the direction

Project Genesis may take, for this first post

I will simply share some changes I have recently made.


Darling Daughter has been after me for years to turn off the water while brushing my teeth. I knew I was wasting water but...but nothing.

No excuse acceptable. How much was I wasting?

The EPA estimates the average US citizen wastes

2 gallons daily on oral hygiene.

14 gallons per week - 730 gallons per year.

A family of four? 2,920 gallons per year.

When viewed that way, of course I would stop. I have.


Within 2 weeks I have reduced the amount of

my weekly garbage footprint from this:


to this half of a bag. Actually this is 3 pick up days.

I skipped two of them.


I did it by consciously recycling everything allowable,

(I started by checking here, then checked my local service)

and paying attention to the packaging of products I purchased.

It was so easy. I have always recycled, at least

three bins bi-weekly, but not religiously, if you get my drift.


My next step, will be finding quality biodegradable bags.

I can now afford to spend more, because I will use fewer.

I'm also considering ways for improved pet refuse disposal.

(Yes, I mean doggie doo. Currently it goes into recycled plastic bags,

then into the trash, I want a better solution)


So what can you tell us about what you know, what you are doing,

and what we should learn?

I truly am grateful for you being here.


Suzan


Be sure and check out all the comments after each blogger's post.
There are fabulous ideas in there too!
Linky will be up for several days, so join us.
Don't forget to click on the link for The Story of Stuff.
You'll love it!













29 comments:

Nice and Easy Antiques said...

Hi Suzan! Happy to be here!!

joanne said...

can't wait to see this totally take off! I'm sure I will learn much~~I already have. Be back soon to check out more...;p

Ro said...

Hi Suzan, thanks for stopping by my blog yesterday for White Wednesday. This is really an interesting blog. My husband and I have really focused on reducing our garbage this last year too and I'm very pleased with the result. Fortunately we have a very aggressive recycling plan in our region so that helps us a lot.

I'm still trying to figure out a better way to deal with cat litter too. With my dogs, I actually compost but we have a very large property so we can tuck it away a couple of acres away and not worry about the smell. But I'm not willing to have cat litter all over the farm! So I have switched to a pine litter that is completely biodegradable but still, I end up having to put it to the curb. For now, it's the best thing I can figure out.

Anyway, I'm following you now and look forward to seeing the innovative ways you continue with your Project Genesis. :)

Heather at Dusty Bay said...

Great project Suzan - I'm looking forward to reading about the ideas.

Anonymous said...

I am so excited about Project Genesis, Suzan!!! I just posted my idea & look forward to doing more for our planet - together! :)

Here's an idea for doggie doo - http://www.plantea.com/dog-waste-compost.htm

And thanks for the links - I'll check them out!

Hugs,
Zuzu

Julie@beingRUBY said...

HI Suzan
thanks for hosting and encouraging us to make changes that will benefit dear old mother earth!! xx Julie

erin's art and gardens said...

thanks so much for hosting suzan!! i have seen disposable doggie bags. can't remember where...but i know they are out there. it might have been at our "bark park". you are doing good work by hosting "project genesis"!!
erin

Tammy@T's Daily Treasures said...

Hi Suzan, this is my first post since leaving Kuwait to the States. So happy to be able to join you for such a worthy cause. Best wishes, Tammy

Anne Marie said...

Hi Suzan.........first time here via Carole's blog - and I'm so glad to see you doing something like this....

does locally bought cotton from the supplier that was once a Patisserie canopy I made for my sale where I showcased local antique dealers and artists and is now re-purposed as a tablecloth count?

hope so!!

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

I admire your idea to promote 'Project Genesis' and agree that we have to really look at how we live our lives.
The doggy doo bothers me too that it goes out in the regular trash.
Our community started the green bin composting program last year which gives each household a small bin for the kitchen and a large one for curbside pickup.
Our trash is about half a bag now and consists of packaging from the grocery store which needs to be addressed by the stores.
All my baking supplies and other items can be purchased at a Bulk Barn (don't know if you have them in the US) where there is no waste and the savings is great because you don't have to pay for the packaging.

Tanya said...

This is a pretty great post...and idea! Thanks for getting me thinking!

Sea Witch said...

Just added my link. Really excited about this marvelous project you have begun. It's like love our earth tag. You tag me with an idea and I tag someone else and so on and so on. Sea Witch

Boxwood Cottage said...

Fantastic idea Suzan!

Go you for bringing it to life!
And your waste reducing is really a great start!

Well while recycling everything possible for us here in Germany is the most normal thing - I even bring my garden plants waste to the recycling center and they make beautiful compost from it for me - I'm thinking of something else, I think "everyone" should try to start in their own garden (if you have one) by not using any chemicals, because they all go into the ground water, by catching rain water to water your plants and flowers whenever possible and by planting bird and bee friendly plants, bushes, trees and flowers.
I also love Carole's (Maynard Greenhouse) idea of bringing your own basket or whatever when you buy plants for your garden and try to avoid those plastic trays. And wouldn't it be fabulous if someone would invent a plant pot that is made from some kind of biological product that can be made to compost too, so the plants don't need to be sold in plastic pots anymore?

Carola xoxo~

Anonymous said...

I have looked into a way to greenly clean up the dog do, and I think that I am going to go with this...looks very clean and safe

http://www.petstreetmall.com/Doggy-Dooley-Complete-Waste-Systems/644.html

Shellbelle said...

I found out about your brilliant project via Julie @ Being Ruby and am so excited! I posted today about Project Genesis and put a button in my sidebar. My goal for the month is to get my readers excited and participating next month.

Kudos to you Susan!

Sherry Blue Sky said...

Wonderful project and idea! Way to go! My somewhat-behind-the-times town finally started a recycling program last year THANK GAIA!!!! but have been recycling for a decade at least (not long enough).

All of the obvious things everyone already knows about, replacing lightbulbs with the more energy-efficient ones, solar porch lighting, asking stores to use biodegradable bags, or, better, religiously using your cloth bags. Planting trees, planting trees, planting trees!

The excessive use of styrofoam and wrapping of products drives me crazy. Maybe we could start leaving the wrappings at the store and making them deal with it? (though they likely wouldnt recycle, maybe that's a bad idea.) Is there a governing body we could bombard with customer demands for less packaging?

I am worrying a lot about environmental damage to the ocean AND fresh water supplies. Any ideas out there on what concerned citizens can do to bring this to the forefront and get some action?

Will keep following this discussion. I LOVE Project Genesis! Brilliant!

Carole said...

Suzan you are such a positive force for all of us. I'ved been dying to get to my computer all day to read your post and everyone elses.
I laughed about keeping the water running while brushing your teeth. George does that all the time and I was always yelling at him but now I take the soft approach and just remind him nicely how much he's wasting. Much better results!
Wish I had an answer to the dog doodoo. We're lucky and have lots of places to dispose of our kitty litter.
Thanks again for the great post...and happy to have participated.
xxx

June said...

Ok Suzan, How did I miss your first post on this? This is great and I will be doing a post soon. I have already learned so much by reading yours and Carole and Julie's posts. Project Genesis is genius girl!!!!
hugs

PASSIONEDECO FRANCESCA said...

Oh wow! I've just come here through your blog thanks to Sharon at My French Country Home. I love this Genesis project. I will partecipate next Thursday maybe with our "rain water tank" system that makes water flow directly in our WC.
I'm thrilled!
Francesca

Kom Achterom said...

OOh what a beautiful site you have!!
I love the wood en al the old and nice decorations you have
I wil folow your blog
i wish you a very nice and sunny
weekend
Yolanda

Kom Achterom said...

OOh what a beautiful site you have!!
I love the wood en al the old and nice decorations you have
I wil folow your blog
i wish you a very nice and sunny
weekend
Yolanda

Marguerite (Tina) Smith Hart said...

Suzan this is just the best idea and I am glad I have the opportunity to participate.
I have to leave for the day soon to paint for a friend so I can't check out all the great posts but later this evening and tomorrow I will be reading all the great info you're all sharing!
Tina xo

sharon santoni at my french country home said...

Hi Susan, I linked up yesterday, but forgot to leave a comment. Well done for your first genesis edition, there are some great ideas. I really enjoyed this. Now we've just got to get our thinking caps on to prepare for the 1 August.
Sharon

oldgreymare said...

So we are one day into the Genesis Project - (Thank you Julie again for the name and button photo)

I am thrilled to see all the comments on everyone's blog and I am so pleased that we have 12 entries so far. The Linky stays up till Sunday, so we may get a few more.

My most heartfelt thanks to all who linked and all who supported this first effort.

See you back here on August 1st?

Suzan

Sherry Blue Sky said...

This is all SO COOL! And is taking on a life of its own. I love it!

oldgreymare said...

Sherry,

Me too!

rjerdee said...

An admirable endeavor and I plan to participate...I'm new to blogging and unsure about how links work...but will work at figuring it out.

Seawashed said...

I will try to join in next month since I missed it for July.

Yarni Gras! said...

I just found out about this and will be back!