Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle...it was a mantra that I learned while siting cross legged on the floor of my first grade class room. It is a daily physical activity that lends itself to the spiritual notion that we are the caretakers of the earth. Every day I get out of the company vehicle I take out my plastic water bottles, my aluminum soda cans and my glass juice bottles, placing them in our recycling bin.

Reusing is a practice I cherish. Every small trashcan in my house is lined with a grocery bag, the yarn I found discarded places in my yarn bag and awaiting the day I use it to crochet something lovely. I constantly reuse water bottles to carry water with me where ever I roam.

Reducing is hard in a family of seven folks but we do our part by feeding all the cat and dog the same protein rich, corn, soy and wheat free food. We wear our shoes until they fall apart on us; loathe is this Clan to buy something new unless absolutely needful. Clothing that my daughter grows out of is given to family members with younger children or donated the local shelter. Left overs are always eaten in this house, what humans can not eat goes to the dog or cat, what they cannot eat goes into our compost heap.

We do what we can to ensure we have a planet to give to our children. I think of my children's children and the children to come after them. I want them to know a world rich in trees, animals and humans that actually care. Little things make the start to a change big enough to affect our entire world. Next time you are in the park and see a piece of paper on the ground, place it in a near by recycling bin or if nothing else, a trash can. Take your plastic bags with you the next time you go to Aldi's or reuse those empty Aldi's boxes you brought your groceries home with as a handy place to put your cook books. That is what I did with one of those giant Taco Bell promotion boxes!

Do what you can, when you can and be grateful for the time you have been given.