Green, crunchy and altogether earthy

At least that is what I would like to be. I love to read blogs like No Impact Man or Crunchy Chicken. To see what all the earthy crunchy, tree huggers are up to. And truth be told I am one - just in the closet. How far in the closet? Well you would never know if you came to my house but let me give you a few examples. Please keep in mind that there are 10 people living in my house. And a husband who makes a living recycling concrete but doesn't have another tree huggin' bone in his body.
1. We use plates. Real plates - maybe 3x a year I buy paper for daily use. Oh, and real cups that are used more than once.
2. I do not buy bottled water. We refill other containers with water from the tap and keep them in the fridge.
3. I cook with beans - dried beans several times a month.
4. I recycle gift bags over and over and over.
5. I buy with packaging in mind whenever possible.
6. I keep our house cold as I dare - I turn it down and someone who will not 'fess up turns it up. Not as cold as others do but definatly nippy.
7. Shop the Thrift stores and garage sales -
8. Clothing - those of us who can or are willing - myself, the littles boys, dd#4 and #5 wear our clothing over and over until it is dirty. I change my uw daily but who knows about the 10 and 11 yearold boys???
9. Towels - same one all week.
There are more but you get the idea.

Things I plan on doing or would like to do if the ick factor wasn't there.
1. I would love to use the Keeper and just might someday.
2. Keeping the temp lower - 65 in the day and 60 at night - but "I" am not the only one who lives here - just ask around .
3. Cloth wipes - for all. This has an incredible ick factor with 10 people but maybe I could myself. Hmmm.
4. Reusable grocery bags. This would be possible, just annoying as I buy lots of groceries because I only go ever 2.5 or 3 weeks.
5. Low water showers and washer etc.
6. I would love to hang my wash on the line but most of us have enviromental allergies and this just aggrevates them to no end.
7. Be a vegetarian - more because I don't really care for meat than because of its earthy crunchyness but that has some merit.
8. oh, and freecycle I would love to do this.

Just a few of my earthy crunchy hopes and dreams. I know that I cannot "save our planet" alone but do feel that being wasteful is a sin. I love it when earthy crunchy crosses with frugal living - it makes me so happy all over!

Here's to all the Republican earthy crunchy, in the closet, conservatives that I know are out there!!