The eco-sin list

I have been keeping this blog for almost 4 months now. My mission: to become a more considerate, educated environmental citizen including using earth-friendly products, reducing my greenhouse emissions, buying locally and becoming more proactive. Well, it's time for my self-assessment. First, the bad news:

After months of using Ecover products only, I gave in and bleached the kitchen sink and bathroom last week. It was just getting too grotty with the lack killer toxins. Is that shallow of me? I've gone back to Ecover but I have to confess, the power of bleach felt good. I'm sorry fish! 

My husband has been giving me rides to work. It's 3 miles there and back. I usually take the bus home. It's been so hot in London and the tube in unbarable (and unreliable) and the bus in the morning is so hot and slow and uncomfortable. I do walk home about once a week, though the pollution caused by selfish people like me ruins the healthy effects of said walk. 

I've slipped backwards on plastic bag usage and forgotten my canvas bag on a number of occasions in the past week and have used plastic bags. I blame it on the heat - the London heatwave has turned me into an idiot.

Haven't found apartment living compost solution. But working on it. 

The worst sin yet: We flew to NYC and California. That's about 1,000,000 air miles. And when our hybrid car that we reserved fell through because of an admin hitch, I gave into my husband's dream of renting a red Mustang. And then we drove it over 1,000 miles in a week. I should be excommunicated and barred from my own blog. I vow, as Tara is my witness, that this muscle car folly will never happen again. Grade: F. 

And the good news:

Our household recycling is in full swing. We are prolific. And the waste I can't recycle at work (plastics, namely) I rinse out and carry home to recycle here. Feeling quite smug about this. 

My push for recycling my new company helped raise the issue at the office and a huge dialogue was opened up with the result being more green measures there. 

We took the train to France instead of flying and rented a teeny C1 Citroen on the other end. And we recycled all of our waste there, too. The French have recycling containers everywhere which helped. 

I have become a recycling cop. (Is this good or bad?) Our friends now make sure they have recycling bins in full view when we come over. I'm still working on a few recycling cynics. 

My husband has become eco-minded as well. 

Have started reading The Ecologist. A bit slanted and preachy, but some interesting info. So, all in, OK progress. Lots of room for improvement. **I will try to be less snobby and lazy and start taking bus to work again instead of being driven. And I will hide the bleach again.