In our area we have what’s called Combined Sewer Outfalls. This is a system where stormwater-runoff  along with wastewater and sewage from industry, domestic, and commercial sources goes into a tunnel that dumps into another tunnel that is supposed to take the collection back to a sewage treatment facility to be processed by the public works. The problem is that these tunnels also lead to our waterways in the opposite direction, so that in wet weather when the receptor tunnel fills, the back-up dumps directly into local bodies of water. So yes, raw sewage, trash in the sewers, oil and grease from the street- all of it- goes right into rivers, streams, and oceans. Sigh

Today on my walk I saw the sewers were not overflowing with trash as much as they were last week, and my heart sank as I realized it’s been raining so heavily that all the garbage has been washed down the drains and into our waterways. This is how our water supplies become as polluted as sewers (or one of the ways) and the massive plastic islands out at sea are formed, and how the petro-chemicals that comprise all that plastic gets released into our water and builds up in sea life.

You might think: Well, I don’t litter, so this isn’t my trash. But I am afraid it very well may be. Trash gets out of hand easily—you may accidentally leave a water bottle at a park, or it may blow out of your recycling bin when it’s on the curb. As long as we use as much plastic as we as a society do, it will be hard to contain the debris. So I propose a plan to stop this madness. Stop using unnecessary plastic (I call this stupid-plastic) like throwaway beverage bottles, utensils, straws, and plates, shopping bags, overly-packaged products like Lunchables, and an overabundance of household and personal care products. And the second thing I propose is adopting a sewer.

Pick a sewer grate near your home—maybe there is even one right outside your door. Check on that sewer grate frequently and pick up any trash that accumulates. We know it’s not your job, and it certainly may not be your trash, but it is your river and ocean. And it should not be treated like a sewer.

The next thing I envision is bundles of panty-hose filled with hair trimmings (like they used in the Gulf Oil Spill)  to collect the motor oil and greasy runoff from automobiles from getting into the sewers….but baby steps I guess.

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At Go Lightly I sell individual packets for every use in your home: all-purpose, bathroom, glass and window, stainless steel, fruit and vegetable wash, degreaser, and baby product and toy sanitizer. And they now come in kits of 9 packets of 3 each of all-purpose, bathroom, and glass and window cleaner and 3 refillable 32 ounce industrial-quality trigger bottles for $39.99. If you do the math, that’s less than $4.50 a packet with the bottles thrown in for free. This is what the future of cleaning products needs to look like and Bio-Green Crystals are leading the way.

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But this challenge has been about more than just sharing specific tips. It has been about changing consciousness. Once you become aware of some things you can do better, the sentiment spreads through more areas of your life. You started composting, and using the back of paper and it feels good. Now maybe you will decide you don’t need new shoes, or that a veggie meal is better than an energy-intensive meat meal. Who knows? The point is, it is more than just adopting tips. It is a holistic change that takes place- and before you know it- you are moving up the scale to a darker shade of Green!

No matter where you are on the green-scale, there is always room to grow. Like a seed. So go, be a good seed and grow!… and spread… and nurture! And that is how change is made!

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Standing in a room filled knee-deep with paper, this man picked up a handful of used sheets of paper and, as if he was discovering a rare flower, he showed that if you simply turn the paper over, you will see a perfectly usable blank side that can be made into notebooks for school children. He said this is such an incredulous way, as if we silly Americans are so naively giving them our perfectly good paper that is only half-used up, when little do we know that we can get more use out of this blessed sheet of paper!

Humbling to say the least.

Now, it is without fear that I say, if we actually appreciate paper more and put into practice using both sides of it when printing from our computers or choosing to not print at all when possible, that this collective in India will still have plenty of recycling-trash to make into notebooks. So get a nice little box and keep it next to your printer to keep a stack of perfectly good, half-used-up paper to use the back of when printing things for personal use. I use paper that inevitably comes my way through work, or my daughter’s school, and I asked the local printer if he had any misprinted paper I could have and he gave me a box. I put an X through the old side so I don’t get confused. And if you take this habit to work and print everything double-sided, well just imagine the paper you will save: Half.

Also, instead of buying notepads for lists and such, I keep a stack of paper cut into fours for when I need to scribble something down.

Paper is the number one source of trash in this country. I did an experiment where I did not take my trash or recycling out for a month to see what added up the most. The compost pile did it’s job for the organic matter, I had half a milk crate of commingled containers (I buy in bulk as often as possible), and the trash can was half full of the usual big bag of used kitty litter and small bread bag of used tissues and twist ties and the like. But I had three bags full of paper (and this still added up even though I rarely get mail after getting my name off many junk mail lists.) If we can cut this down to half by reusing paper as much as possible, why wouldn’t we?

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Or maybe this trash was always there and I never noticed it much. But after learning about Captain Charles Moore and the Great Pacific Garbage patch, and about what plastic is doing to our ocean, marine life, and birds, I cannot walk by a piece of plastic garbage near a sewer without picking it up. Please watch this video and you will see what I mean. It’s only 7 minutes.

Ok, so, now that you know..on to the challenge: get a bag or box or bin, step outside your house, walk up and down the street and pick up any trash you see that is in the street. You might even feel so good about this, that you decide to be like Claire and walk further and pick up more trash. And you might then feel so grossed out that you will avoid plastic as much as you possibly can. And that’s what they mean when they say “one good turn deserves another.” And I know it’s not your garbage, so why should you pick it up. Well, it wasn’t Claire’s either, but come on…if a four year old can do it!

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You might say “I hate clutter,” “I don’t buy stuff I don’t need,” or “I really don’t buy junk,” but you might be surprised how this stuff seeps into your life anyway. So the next time you see what you think to be a great deal, consider what the true price of that item is: the natural resources taken from the planet, the toxins released into the atmosphere and water to make (and eventually dispose of) the item, and the underpaid people who lost their land and are forced to work in factories.

Instead of a closet-full of marked-down clothes that you never wear, how about several high-quality basics that you will get a lot of use out of. Instead of a plastic toy or novelty item, how about treating yourself or your child to special edible treat like a lollipop or ice pop (sure it’s sugary, but it will biodegrade!).

And the reward for this consideration will be a less-cluttered life and a fatter wallet- full of money which you can use in sync with your values!

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• Lotion bars! I saw asked a friend who has a handmade soap and lotion company if she could make solid lotion bars and she came up with a blend of shea and cocoa butters, and natural oils in the shape of a massage bar. I think of them as big chapsticks that you apply all over. And they are much easier to use than traditional lotion because you rub them on and you’re done- no dispensing and applying. It’s just one step. (In stock at Go Lightly.)
• Soap for Teeth! I found this product made from olive oil and it is like shaved little pieces of soap you put in your mouth and as you brush it foams.* Or you can make your own toothpaste with this recipe**:  2 oz. calcium-carbonate (available at hardware stores), 1 oz. baking soda, pinch of stevia (for sweetness), vegetable glycerin, 5-6 drops peppermint, cinnamon, lemon or clove oil. Combine dry ingredients and oils in a jar with enough glycerin to make a paste. Put on brush with a little spoon or spatula.
• DIY Deodorant! Commercial anti-perspirants are not good for you or the planet. They are very heavily packaged and put heavy metals into your body. Plus, perspiring is a natural way your body rids itself of toxins- it’s a good thing, you should not fight it. I use this way of managing odors while allowing my body to sweat as need be: I keep baking soda in a small dish and scent it with essential oils. I use a damp deodorant crystal to apply the baking soda to my underarms. This works!
• Shampoo bars! It’s soap for you hair. My favorites are J.R. Liggetts*, and Lush.
• DIY Hand Sanitizer! A batch of cinnamon, clove, lemon, clary sage, and rosemary oil in a base of aloe gel will keep those germs away.
• Essential Oils! I use these for just about everything. I am always adding to my collection and use them in various ways: gentian violet for cuts, eucalyptus in a vaporizer for colds, lemon oil for cleaning, peppermint oil for pest control**. With a pantry full of essential oils, it is endless what you can do with them- and the packaging (and money) you will save from buying commercial products will be significantly less! I also revel in the fact that I am not supporting drug or chemical companies. Plus I feel like an apothecary, and I find that very cool.

* If you are interested in this product, please contact us, and we can order it for you.

** Recipes are from “Make Your Place: Affordable, Sustainable Nesting Skills” by Raleigh Briggs. Available at Go Lightly. This is the bible of DIY home remedies, cosmetics, and household potions.

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