Feeling Green...

No, not green with envy. I feel very blessed for all I have. I was just saying to Steve last night how fortunate we are to have all we have, including all the wonderful people in our lives, especially each other!

Nope, I've been on a "Go Green" mission since moving to Melbourne. I have to be honest, I was pretty slack at it in Brisbane and made it my goal to make this fresh start a little more earth friendly. I think seeing Kristi's photos of this made me realize how important it is that we recycle and do our part if we are able, because there are definitely places around the world that aren't doing theirs!

And because when I decide to do anything, I feel the need to give it 120% (which could most definitely be why I am either tired all the time or bummed out because I haven't finished stuff I started!), I am on a mission indeed! On top of the obvious recycling of stuff, I've also started ;

~ replacing my cleaning products with these earth friendly ones and I really like them! I thought they might not clean to suit me but they're awesome and smell so nice. The floor cleaner smells like pure eucalyptus! Good for clearing your head as you clean too!

~ making a conscious effort to always bring my green bags with me when I go shopping , except when I actually need plastic bags for puppy poo, but then I'm reusing, right?

~ trying to find craft and sewing ideas that will reuse materials I already have, instead of spending money to buy more (another thing I haven't been so good at in the past!) I also find myself thinking of crafty creative ideas to make with stuff I would rather not just biff out.

~ but, mostly I've just been trying really, really hard to not waste food and I am proud to say we pretty much haven't thrown out any food since we got here! This is big for us! I'm trying to plan meals around what's in the fridge and go to the market a few times a week for fresh fruits and veggies, so I don't buy more than I need and then it ends up going bad. Plus, this is just saving us heaps of money, which is an added bonus right now! I kind of think it must be a small taste of what it would have been like for my grandmothers during war time.

~ And lastly, not sure if this counts but I am shopping more at thrifts shops! A new love of mine. Well, I have always liked second hand shopping...Wait. No, that's a fib. I found it pretty embarrassing as a kid, but I have always enjoyed it as an adult. I started getting into it in Brisbane, because I was so missing Frenchy's Used Clothing store at home. I'm already planning major Frenchy shopping sprees when I finally get home to visit! Anyhoo, Melbourne has some awesome thrift shops or "op shops" (stands for opportunity shops), as they call them here. I went to one just a 15 minute walk from my house the other day and got a dress, a sweater, kitchen glasses, a jar for my cotton balls, a beautiful glass pasta jar and a jewelery dish for my stud earrings, all for just 24 bucks! And, that was all stuff that was on my list to get anyway, so no clutter! Score! There's just something special about finding a treasure that's perfect for you and doesn't have 10 of the same thing sitting beside it on the shelf that gives me a thrill! I guess I'm my mother's daughter! I sure do come by it honestly:)

So, what are you doing to reduce, reuse and recycle? Share your ideas, send me a little inspiration...