Going Green Efforts

I previously mentioned efforts the hubby and I are doing to try and be a little more green and save a little money in the process. Things like using vinegar, borax and other natural cleaners instead of harsh chemicals, and using rags and washcloths instead of paper towels. Really easy things that can make a huge difference! It's been really fun for me, especially all the learning that has conme along with all of it.

So, the vinegar and water for cleaning countertops has been the easiest change of all. I just reused an old surface cleaner bottle (it was a green one) and filled it partly wiht vinegar and then the rest with water according to the proportions I found everywhere online. Usually about 1 part vinegar to every 4 parts water - although I'm personally not too stingy on the vinegar. I'd rather have a little too much rather than too little. But since it's all nice and neat in a spray bottle it was definitely the easiest switch to make.

The next change involves stopping all paper towel usage. I've been getting much better at this, and it really isnt as hard to do as I though. I am a bit worried about how to clean up kitty messes without paper, so I'm thinking I need to find a solution for that. Especially when they have hairballs. Definitely dont want to toss that in the wash, and I dont want to throw out a washcloth because of it. Our older cat, Athena, also has a very sensitive tummy and throws up her food quite a bit. Not the sort of thing you really want to be touching. So, with the exception of kitty messes, it's been rather easy to get used to the idea of just rags. At least for me. I'm not so sure it's been as easy for my husband. :-/ Too bad he really doesn't talk to me about it. Although he tells me one of the reasons he is a Democrat is because of his environmental stands, and wanting things to be more green. So he has to be into it. Right? :-P

I'm really excited right now to try out a Borax cleaner I found a recipe for online. It's a recipe you can put inside of a spray bottle which is perfect for me and just the kind of recipe I like. I'm really excited to try this new recipe out, but I don't know when I will be able to. I still have a bunch of cleaner left (no its not green but I can't seem to let myself waste all the money I spent on it just to go green... because then I'd be losing a lot of another type of green.)

In short, the green movement has been going pretty strong in our house. Hopefully we can get this trend to continue! Now, what other green practices can I adopt?