What a lovely post! It brought a huge smile to my face ... so happy that that YOU are so proud of yourself.

I admit, as I read it, I thought you were going to say that you added those hydrangeas to your compost pile! I guess those were your reward. They will live on to process carbon dioxide into oxygen for you and your family.

Congratulations ... and here's to many more!

Another huge smile from Sugar Hill. The influence this will have on your children is incredible. Thanks so much for sharing with us.

Rosie

I think gardening in general is so good for the kids to see. When we rescued the hydrangeas, I got to talk to my 3 year old about how sometimes things that don't look great at the moment are very valuable. I pointed out that the big leaves were brown and draggly because the plant was going dormant, but then we looked closely and saw the healthy young buds waiting to shoot out in the spring. He also loves to check the progress of our "worm farms" (the compost pile, mulch, etc- anywhere where the worms like to live underneath). Gardening with mommy teaches him to look closely at the little things and think long-term.

I'm sorry for being annoying, please understand that as much as I tried to just post a compliment, I could not prevent myself from asking the following questions.

--Did you post to freecycle or garden forums to see if someone was getting rid of or had an extra compost bin before building/buying parts for yours?

--Was the gray water from a bath or from appliances? Because gray water is not advised on new transplants. Not that we have a lot of options but you can collect water from the sink or shower while it is preheating. That frigid ice water that comes out of sink first thing in the morning before the hot water reaches you can be collected and used legally.

-- What means of transportation did you use to get to starbucks? It would be a shame if the good you were intending to do was cancelled out by some pesky greenhouse gas emissions.

-- Was the "big bag of coffee grounds" a bag that you brought from home to re-use or was it one that starbucks supplied you with like the plastic or paper ones they supply everyone with? If it's the latter, what happened to the bag?

-- You mentioned that you composted "a few of the million paper towels we go through every day." I'm curious, were you able to first reduce the amount of paper towels used down to say a few hundred thousand? Were you able to reuse any of the paper towels prior to composting them?

I can't just let you enjoy your green day because I can't help it and I'm sorry.

Devil's advocate for quirky:

a) how do you not know she did not use her own recycled goods for the compost bin? If she's got the stuff on hand, why does she need to scrounge for more?

b)"Because gray water is not advised on new transplants". Read this over again 20 times and THINK about this comment. Think about how in other lands/places not so blessed with chemically laden waters that grow plants with new transplants?

c) the person who picks up the coffee grounds can not control the behavior of Starbucks. Talk to them about the bags they use.

I think she did an awesome job today. Way better than 90% of people are doing. Better than I am at the moment.
It is a good idea to continue thinking about more ways in which we can continue to improve yourself. First you do a few things and realize it isn't hard, you can fit them into your schedule and way of life, so you continue to do more. But as soon as it seems overwhelming and out of your control, most people stop.

girlgroupgirl

I can't help but reply to QQ's post. Someone else can probably put my thoughts better than I can, but here goes.

1- Even if it were me buying the parts or an already built compost bin, I would feel that I was contributing money to the welfare of a person- like their being able to buy food and clothes for themselves or their families.

2- I can't say much about this one. I have not yet tried to collect grey water or water as we wait for the hot water to come up. But I plan to.

3- Coffee grounds from Starbucks. I had never thought of that. We pass a Starbuck's often when we go see our little grandaughter. If the grounds are given to me in a plastic bag then that bag will go in our recycle bin. Rosiew has given me a great idea. I can thank her for that.

4- We also use a lot of paper towels and I often think of the trees that are cut down just so we can have the convenience of the use of them. But usually, I use one twice to dry my hands (they are clean, after all) and then I will often use the same one to clean up a mess on the counter before throwing it away. But here again, I had never thought of composting them- something I will try to do in the future.

Thanks to Rosiew for some ideas that never occurred to me.

I'm sorry- it was esthermgr, not rosiew, who my reply was about.

Gmom wrote: "Even if it were me buying the parts or an already built compost bin, I would feel that I was contributing money to the welfare of a person- like their being able to buy food and clothes for themselves or their families."

What ecological benefit does enabling consumerism have?

GroupGirl..... before I posted I read the link below. I know you're building your own eco-friendly place but maybe you can also learn something new from it as did I.
And I don't know if she did or didn't reuse bags, that is why I asked. I'm just giving food for thought, not trying to start an argument.

Here is a link that might be useful: Safe Use of Household Greywater

Ah, QQ. Do you scrounge around for used supplies for your garden? (Nothing wrong with that- we have done that ourselves). And where do the people you have gotten used things from get THEIR replacements? Are you not enabling consumerism on down the line by reusing used goods? We are all consumers, one way or another and maybe the things that are bought have been manufactured in a way that doesn't exactly help the environment. Ecologically speaking, what about all the paper products that are available. Take paper plates, which we use. We COULD eat with our hands out of a common pot and save even those. If you want to look at it this way, we are saving water not having to wash dishes, either in a dishwasher or by hand. When we empty our waste baskets twice a week, it is mostly paper that is being thrown away. No, I don't try to compost it all. We'd look like a land fill in no time. There are so many ifs, ands, and buts about saving the environment these days-

Esther, thank you for your post. I find it inspiring too.

Sharing information and suggestions in a constructive manner between the original poster and her responders is a great way to learn new things and communicate ideas. However, creating a laundry list of things they may have done wrong in the responder's eyes seems a little counter productive and an all-around kill-joy. I think she did fantastic.

First off, not that it's wrong in anyway to buy a new compost bin, but I know the compost bins I am about to build are from many scrounged items that would otherwise end up in landfills like pallets, wire, etc...Buying some screws or new hardware to complete them is not a sin. Her bin may be similarly constructed.

Secondly, in this time of drought gray water may be all that is available to water these plants that were otherwise doomed anyway. So what has she got to lose there? Granted if it's true that grey water isn't good for transplants then that's useful info to know in the future if the rains ever return and provide us with more watering options.

You assumed she drove to Starbucks solely for the coffee grounds. Maybe she did, maybe she didn't. I know when I make my runs to Starbucks for grounds I combine it with other trips like grocery shopping, etc...places I was going anyway. Either way she spent quality time with the kids, showed them something new and maybe had a latte and a snack.

As someone else already pointed out, it's Starbuck's corporate policy to bag those grounds even though I think it's a waste. I'd gladly provide my local Starbucks with a re-usable container I could pick up, wash and return every few days if they would let me but they won't do that. I too think it's a waste of a bag but they're going to bag them no matter what you do....may as well make use of what's inside.

Esther has kids, and I think MOST people who have kids know paper towels are usually a must. Granted there may be some perfect soul out there who never uses paper towels at home or napkins at restaurants and carries around a rag or two in their purse. I too have recently begun composting my paper towels instead of throwing them away which is a much better alternative than the trash. I'm sorry, they are much more convenient than anything else not to mention typically more sanitary than re-using cloth napkins or rags which must in turn be washed which does not help our drought/well situation. I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed that I don't go to the hell they send tree-killers to when I die lol.

Danielle

I hope QQ was being sarcastic...but really, this is what continually hurts the green movement. It's never enough. Unless you live in a dark cave with found dead animal skins for clothes eating found plants, you're 'DESTROYING THE ENVIRONMENT'.

Just think 20-30 years ago. Who recycled? Who (except a few) composted? Who drove cars that got over 20 mpg?

If the 'green' movement is going to be successful, it has to fit into people's life style, not completely depress and overwhelm them.

I was on another talkboard on a similar discussion, where someone actually proposed that there be legislation to limit the number and days you can have Christmas lights on! When someone pointed out that the lights we have now use much less electricity, all the other person said is 'well we could save MORE'.

I've become more 'green' myself. I am composting all my yard waste and most kitchen garbage. I am using only organic fertilizer on my roses. And I've added rain barrels to collect run off and using that in my yard. I'm also working from home 2 days a week so I don't have to commute.

As with gardening, 'organic' has better results. If people come to a greener lifestyle on their own, it's better than dragging them kicking and screaming.

In an ideal world we would all be 'green'. People who make the effort to do something 'green' should be proud of their efforts. Let's face it, in our society its much easier to not be 'green'. So quit griping - there will always be a 'better' way to be green, and to do more. Buford is absolutely right. So Happy Holidays to one and all .........

I'm thankful for anyone trying to be greener and teaching their kids to be aware of the environment.

I have a few points
1) If you have to use paper plates (and why would you?) there are compostable paper plates available. If you are using paper plates for the kids why not just buy dishwasher safe plastic - you can use them for years!
2) A sponge works very well to clean up a spill.
3) If you must use 'a million paper towels a day' please at the very least you could buy towels made from recycled paper.

See now ilikemud is going to get away with making suggestions where I get attacked. :-)

gmom wrote:
"Ah, QQ. Do you scrounge around for used supplies for your garden? "

No but I don't post to forums about how green I am because I'm not. Sorry but lets just be honest.

"Are you not enabling consumerism on down the line by reusing used goods?"

Darlin, I enable consumerism in ways you cannot even begin to imagine. My business is dependent on about a ton of virgin plastics a month and cheap Chinese imports, hardly anything I sell is likely to be in use in 10 years.

Although I truly hate waste and taken a lot of steps to minimize it as best I can, I make a living off a wasteful society. But like I said I don't go around talking about about being green. I'm just as big of a pig as anyone else when it comes to cheap crap and disposable table settings. I go through a lot of paper towels too. I use a lot of toxic cleaning supplies. I live in a disposable house lined with PVC, 34 miles from the urban core, filled with imported home furnishings and stuff that is assured to end up in a landfill, I have two vehicles ranked poorly by the EPA for emissions and I use a lot of electricity simply for comfort reasons. I'm not indifferent from most people in our country . I live this way because it's convenient and comfortable and because the alternative is costly, impractical or not forced on us by legislation.

And being green for merely "a day" isn't much to brag about. Changing your entire lifestyle to be green every day and cut down on consumption and things that aren't good for society on the other hand is something that is worthy of some kudos.

I may be a lot of things you don't like, but you have to give me credit for being honest.

Ohhhh. And yes, happy holidays.
Seldom a better time to observe our wasteful society than now. The wonderful holidays has people waiting in lines at the mall to buy, buy, buy stuff that is going to be in a landfill sooner rather than later. Buying trees that were cut down and transported hundreds of miles merely for decoration only to burn through megawatts of electricity lighting them up then we get to throw them away. Yeah. What a great time to be green.

A reinterpretation of Quirky's original comments:

Dear esthermgr:

Thanks for posting and congratulations on your green efforts thus far. May I suggest these ideas to take you to the next level of "green living." (See previous remarks)

Good luck and have a happy and safe holiday.

Perception is everything.

QQ, I promise I am not attacking you, but I just have to ask....By any chance, are you Neal Boortz?

No one should feel guilty about Xmas lights. They are about 70% more efficient than they were years ago. And if you do buy a 'real' Christmas tree, dispose of it at Home Depot. They chip up all the dead trees and give away mulch. It smells great if you happen to be in the parking lot the day they do that.

We have a 'fake' tree. I love it because I put the lights on it and I don't have to do that every year now. I would like to find a place to recycle old lights. We have a few strings that don't work and I don't want to just toss them.

Pam thanks for not getting the wrong idea.

I wasn't trying to start a fight and be nasty or critize esthermgr. Even the smallest alteration of a daily activity to be more green is a step in the right direction and I didn't mean to come across as though that isn't appreciated.

I think this topic hits home for me because I understand there are serious problems and I feel helpless to do much about them. I feel like I can't make a dent in improving these problems.

Wildflower, no I am not neil boortz. To tell you the truth I'm not even all that certain about who he is but I've heard the name. Google says he takes libertarian stances on issues where I infact am actually in favor of more government intervention on issues such as the trade deficit, environmental regulation, and improving the standards for household products including chemicals and also food. Especially food. Especially food!
Our current system of government makes regulation that favors large corporations more than the citizens.

Many thanks to all the people who are friendly, supportive, and fun to garden alongside. And, to the people who have enough of a sense of humor to get that "million paper towels" is a hyperbolic expression. There are so many wonderful, compassionate people on this site who understand that sometimes someone shares her day with people on a website not because she is trying to make a big political statement but because she has decided to count her blessings in the middle of a week when the kids have been sick, the baby's been teething, and the hubbie's been traveling. That's why I love GardenWeb. If any of those people want some fencing wire for their composting or landscaping needs, I've got some left over. And if anybody wants to share more cute things they got to teach their kids in the garden, I've got a few more stories like that to share, too.

esthermgr:

I think that the most important thing that you have done in "your green day" is to be a good example for your kids. The paper towels and the grey water will not even be remembered by the soil that they have improved when your kids remember them and serve as an example for theirs. Kudos, kids are like sponges and one never knows what will strile their fancy. Your worm farms may be the beginning of something very importantand rewarding in their lives.

I love the chance that having the compost bin gives me to teach my son about what is biodegradable and what isn't, and why apple cores are natural but water bottles aren't. We had a funny water moment the other day- my husband was taking too long washing his hands and my 3-yr old ran in the bathroom and turned off the water and said, "We're in a drought- don't leave the water running!" I guess carrying all those buckets from the bathtub and shower is paying off.

I grew up on a farm, and I love the way that taught me to look closely at nature and know where food came from, etc. I'm learning that I can cultivate that in my city kids as well by keeping them out in the garden.