Pledges, Nudges, And Friends Who Inhabit My Mind
A friend of mine inhabits my mind and provides a mental nudge any time I leave water running for even a heartbeat longer than necessary. She is an energy and water conservation expert.
Now along comes another friend, Kathryn Hall, who proposes to inhabit my mind as well with seven pledges that she has made. Here is a summary of the pledges:
1. Pledging to USE those Portable Shopping Bags.
2. I will be even more diligent about turning off the lights.
3. I pledge to buy more things locally.
4. I pledge to unplug my cellphone charger.
5. Car stuff: I pledge to drive more slowly, drive more evenly, keep tires at correct air pressure.
6. I pledge to get off catalogue lists that have no interest to me.
7. I pledge to dry even more of my clean washed clothes out of doors.
It seems Kathryn will now be providing mental nudges when I shop, charge my cellphone, drive, collect the mail, and do laundry.
I pledge to continue listening to the mental nudges of friends such as these two.
You can read a full explanation of Kathryn’s pledges at her blog, Plant Whatever Brings You Joy.
Tags: conservation, energy, Kathryn Hall, water
Awww.Thanks,Dick, for the kind recycling of my humble (but important) list!
Appreciated! Kathryn xoxo
Fantastic list!!! Very inspiring, indeed!
Blessings,
Antonia
Yes! A very good list. I smile though because much of what you have on your list is pretty common practise here in my corner of the world.
Aussies in my corner are now reasonably adept at taking their own re-usable bags when they go shopping.
The lights are only on in my house when absolutely necessary.
We are hyper water conscious these days. Although I will say that my kids and I DO need to get much more efficient in the shower! We are aiming for 4 minute showers (should be 3 min…but that’s really hard to do!)
Phone chargers in my house have their own drawer to live in and don’t generally living in symbiosis with the power outlet unless they’re actually required.
We aren’t on very many catalogue lists at all and all our “junk” mail gets put in the recycling for regular fortnightly collection by our local council.
I don’t own a clothes dryer currently and its summer here. Ironically, I’ve taken to hanging most of our laundered clothing inside with this intense heat we’re having – that sun surely must be ruining our clothes in such weather!
My list therefore extends to the following
1. gradually replacing incandescent light globes over to Compact Fluroescent Lightglobes.
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2. being concientious about air conditioning in this heat.
3. only buying what I need and not what I desire.
4. using my car less for trips around town (its quite insane taking my car to work when its only a 20 minute walk etc. it’s easier to walk when the weather is warm though… it will be tough when its freezing cold and howling a gale
I do think we’re moving into a more conscientious age as human society makes the leap from self-centredness to other-awareness and subsequently modifies behaviours to benefit everyone. Live simply so that others might simply live etc.
Kathryn would be proud of me: I’ve been doing what she suggests practically all my life! But even so, it doesn’t hurt to be reminded of the important things again.
Thank you, dick. Thank you, Kathryn.
You know the one I like the best? Hanging your clothes outdoors. My ex-husbands mother was a farm girl and had a dryer but hardly ever used it. I loved getting into bed at her house because the sheets smelled like the outdoors and also like when I was a kid. Another thing is towels. They are scratchey as h*** but really dry and exfoliate your body! I have been seriously thinking about a clothesline but have to be careful with Homeowners Assoc. I wish I could tell you it was because of my love for the earth but truth be told it is entirely selfish.
Interesting. Kathryn, Antonia, Geetali, Sue, Michelle, and the friend who nudges me about water use. All women. In this game it is 6-0. Well…maybe I should count me, so 6-1. Still, is preserving the earth falling on the shoulders of women? Or is this a statistical anomoly based on small sample size and the nature of this blog? Or am I about to make a mountain out of a molehill?