green goals - april update

As the first quarter of the year closes, I am reviewing the goals I set for myself at the beginning of the year.  The goals are based on my word for the year, sustainable. 
As I think more about the word 'sustainable' I am realising that all these things I want to do to live more sustainably also need to be sustainable. 
I need to be able to keep doing these things or there is no sustainability about it.
ie. It is all well and good to bake my own bread, but unless I am able to commit to baking bread regularly in the long term, the change is not sustainable.

These are the things I have started to make changes with.


Kitchen
- make my own bread, certainly not regularly but I have baked more than last year
- use slow cooker more, it sits on my counter top now and have used it heaps
- use less plastic in lunch bags, have been trialing wrapping lunches with paper
- reduce reliance on supermarket products; I now use reusable cloth kitchen wipes, surface spray & laundry soap.
- pack a lunch bag for everybody (including me!) every week day
- preserve (bottle, freeze, dehydrate) excess garden produce and low cost local foods in season
- menu plan through the holidays as well as through the school terms

Garden
- finish chicken shed and enclosure, almost done!!
- develop our edible garden; increase varieties grown, expand land area, improve set out, have worked a bit on the design and will be starting digging very soon!

General
- try using a shampoo bar for family hair cleansing, have tried several shampoo recipes (post coming soon)
- make own soap, deodorant and shampoo bars, done and love them
- stop chemical colouring my hair and investigate alternatives to cover? the greys, have just stopped cold turkey!
- install double glazing and reclad house for thermal and sound insulation, all new windows are in.
- purchase another menstrual cup, bought a cup and love it


So, if you have taken a look at the original list, you will notice that there are still heaps of things I have not even looked at yet.  But we are only in April and I have to start somewhere!

So I am looking forward to addressing some other areas in the next quarter.



Do you set goals for yourself?  How are you going with them?

Sharing at

Homestead Revival Barn Hop ~ Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways