Even though I have been an environmentalist since I was 12 (wow - over 20 years!), I was in the environmental club in high, school, I have a degree in environmental studies and I work for an environmental organization, I'm finding that there are some definite holes as I work to create a sustainable home. At work right now I spend a lot of time thinking about elements of sustainability. Tonight over dinner Scott and I went through each element and decided where our strengths and weaknesses lie. So I share with you now what's green (Eco Chic), and what's not-so-green (Eco Weak) in our world.
Eco Weak: On the other hand, the trees in our yard are notorious for being annoying to our neighbors, a nuisance to the electric company due to their tendency to tangle in power lines, and generally neglected. We inherited a really neglected yard and several of the trees need some real care.
Verdict: We need to take better care of our trees and make sure that they are as healthy as possible.
Eco Weak: We actually get really good marks on this one. We don't use fertilizers or herbicides and we take good care of our yard. We could use some more mulch and we missed getting it done before the rainy season. We are in need of a large amount of mulch to do the whole yard. We should also start vermicomposting
Verdict: We're better get to mulching to hold on to our good green grade in this area.
Eco Weak: Even though we own a rain barrel, we haven't installed it yet because our house did not have rain gutters when we bought it. And we need a new kitchen faucet in order to install our aerator which will help us to save water on that end. Having a passive greywater system is cool, but we would be better served installing a "real" greywater system.
Verdict: I'm very proud of the work we've done on the water front, but we have a long way to go.
Element ~ Trees - Healthy & Well Cared For
Eco Chic: If you've seen our yard you know that we have a TON of trees. And we've been lucky enough to get some free trees from work that we've added to the yard. In the past 9 months that we've lived here, we've planted 4 new trees. Yay us!Eco Weak: On the other hand, the trees in our yard are notorious for being annoying to our neighbors, a nuisance to the electric company due to their tendency to tangle in power lines, and generally neglected. We inherited a really neglected yard and several of the trees need some real care.
Verdict: We need to take better care of our trees and make sure that they are as healthy as possible.
Element ~ Soil - A Healthy Foundation
Eco Chic: We definitely care for our soil and it's super healthy as a result. We are also avid mulchers and we have a thriving compost system. We even have a new compost bin!Eco Weak: We actually get really good marks on this one. We don't use fertilizers or herbicides and we take good care of our yard. We could use some more mulch and we missed getting it done before the rainy season. We are in need of a large amount of mulch to do the whole yard. We should also start vermicomposting
Verdict: We're better get to mulching to hold on to our good green grade in this area.
Element ~ Water - Clean, Managed, Abundant
Eco Chic: I am most proud of many of the water related things we've done around the house. We have low flow faucets, a dual flush toilet, the absolutely most water conserving washing machine available. We also have an amazing greywater system in that our bathroom sink, tub and washing machine all drain out to the yard.Eco Weak: Even though we own a rain barrel, we haven't installed it yet because our house did not have rain gutters when we bought it. And we need a new kitchen faucet in order to install our aerator which will help us to save water on that end. Having a passive greywater system is cool, but we would be better served installing a "real" greywater system.
Verdict: I'm very proud of the work we've done on the water front, but we have a long way to go.
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