Self-Sufficiency

When I was young, my sisters and I spent the majority of our time outside. My momma had a small farm consisting of chickens, ducks, horses, and a number of rescue dogs and cats. She also kept up a garden every year. She passed down the care of chickens for food, and canning, and chopping wood for the winter. I learned a lot from her, and continue her legacy for self-sufficient living. I believe this is the key to saving our planet from carbon waste.

Cut Back on using Electricity

Growing up we used very little electricity in our home. Most of this was due to us being outside for the majority of the day. We would work from sun-up, to sun-down. Then we would go inside and clean up for supper. We used a wood stove for warmth in the winter, and opened windows during the summer. Because of the way I was raised, I carried many of these traditions with me as I grew. Now in my home, I spend most of my time outdoors hunting, chopping wood, working in my garden or caring for my ducks and rabbits. Therefore, very little electricity is used. I do use electricity for writing, and research, but as for daily use the only electricity being used is for a hot shower and laundry. I don’t have a dryer, so I hang my laundry out on a line. Creating small changes to your routine every day will help you cut your electricity use in half. Even if all you can do is turn your heating or air off while you are gone, you will be making great strides to reducing your carbon footprint.

Stop Using Plastic

This one is easy to do. I grew up eating off of glass plates, using glass cups, and eating with silverware. I also grew up standing at a sink for thirty minutes washing dishes. My mom taught me to wash dishes with vinegar, and I still use this technique today. I also now buy homemade soaps from my local farmers market. By using homemade soaps, you cut back on plastic waste.

Growing up my momma didn’t buy plastic bottles of water, juice, or milk. Milk was delivered to our door in glass bottles, and we drank water from a garden hose most of the time. You don’t have to be quite so drastic, but by drinking water from a glass bottle or cup, you are reducing the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills. Another new market thing is plastic bags. They are now making it easier to reduce the use of plastic bags, by buying reusable ones. Trust me, this is an easy way to reduce your carbon footprint, and you can even make your own trendy bags by learning to sew.

Use Less

As an American, I see a lot of wastefulness. People don’t like to cook anymore, so they go out to eat. This wastes gas. We as Americans have, for the most part, grown up lazy and with a sense of entitlement. If all you can do to reduce is recycle, that’s great. However, there is more we can do. We can buy only what we need for the week, and buy local, in season food. This way you are using less gas, and you won’t waste your money on food that your kids (or you), suddenly decided you didn’t want. If you are close to a grocery store, try walking instead of taking your car. This will benefit your health as well.

Conserve water. Do you really need to take a forty-five minute shower? Could you have put a few more items in the washer instead of doing another load? These are easy changes to make. Changes I strive to make everyday, and you can too.

Thank you for reading my story, and I hope it helps you strive to be cleaner, healthier, and wiser as we go on this journey to reducing our carbon footprint.