Ever since I posted about the Story of Stuff, and the impact watching the movie had on me, I have been thinking about what kinds of goals I want to set for myself.  It has been very tempting to just list a myriad of lofty ideals…but I really wanted to be realistic in my goal-setting.  So, over the last few nights of 3am nursing sessions, rather than coming up with witty posts (which I inevitably forget by morning) I have been brainstorming.  Brainstorming for reasonably attainable goals that will have a positive impact on our planet without negatively impacting my family and our life.

In order to set goals, I figured I also needed to look at what I already do that is good for humankind and our planet.  The sad part was, although I think of myself as being fairly environmentally conscious, when I counted them up, the list was way shorter than I thought!  If I counted the things that I do some of the time, it’s a little better.  And although some is certainly better than nothing, The Story of Stuff makes it quite clear that we really need to do more.  This is what I have some up with so far:

1. Try to purchase baby/kids clothes used.  Although the lure of adorable little boy outfits on the racks at Walmart and Superstore are calling my name…I am resolving to avoid them.   Not only will I be reusing, but I’ll also be saving money
2. Switch to environmentally friendly, biodegradable cleaning and laundry products.  We already use natural laundry soap for our diapers, so switching the other products is an easy step;
3. Purchase organic products whenever possible, preferably products made locally;
4. Switch from kleenex and paper towels to handkerchiefs and dish towels;
5. Choose to purchase animal food products that come from animals raised in humane conditions (i.e., free run poultry and eggs);
6. Purchase fair trade, organic coffee;
7. Use up my stash of scraps for scrapbooking before I purchase more patterned paper (this one is going to be painful, I’m telling ya, pain-ful!);
8. Join a local Freecycle group (I already did this part!) so that I can offer things I no longer need to other people who can use them, and hopefully find items that I need that have already been previously loved;
9. Generally (I know, I know, I’m supposed to be specific…but this one is tough for me) try to buy less “stuff’.  I think the best way for me to go about this is to avoid spontaneous purchases.  From now on, if I see something I want to buy that I wasn’t planning on purchasing, I am going to make a commitment to think about the purchase overnight.  I know that this will be a real challenge…but I think it will make a huge difference in terms of only bringing things into our home that I really need, since I tend to be an impulse buyer.

So that’s my list.  I think 10 is a nice round number to start with.  I would love to hear what other ideas any of you have, though.  I know that only some of them have to do with “stuff”, but I think overall making these changes will have an impact on our lives and on the planet.  I challenge each of you to look at my list, watch the video, and then come up with a list of your own.  Remember, make it specific and realistic – that way you’ll be more likely to stick to it!  And once you’ve come up with your list, be sure to let me know so I can check it out.  I also think that sharing our lists will help provide some accountability.

Happy List Making!