Groxie

For some, the end of October marks the beginning of a new year. Many neo—pagans celebrate Samhain, looking back on the year that was and on those who have passed on, and looking forward the the year that is beginning. I love the idea of taking a serious account of what has happened in the last year—it’s a good reminder of how much I can accomplish even when I feel like the days are shooting by.

Even if today doesn’t mark a religious holiday for you, you can still use it as a trial beginning. I make promises to myself now, and when January 1st rolls around, I revisit my goals to see how I’m doing. For me, it works much better than developing some great life plan in the middle of the winter holiday craziness.

Looking back at this last year, I discovered that there are many things I take for granted now that once were difficult for me. Over the last year I (with help from John):

• Pretty much eliminated high fructose corn syrup from our diet.
• Made almost all of our meals at home from scratch, often with lots of local and organic ingredients.
• Stopped taking plastic bags from stores.
• Started using my bike as my primary mode of transport.
• Learned to grow a great herb garden (vegetables here we come!).
• Purchased mostly sustainable seafood.
• Learned the incredible value of water and started conserving more.
• Purchased fewer products with excess or non-recyclable packaging (I am very sad that yogurt falls into this category).
• Bought everything I could in bulk.
• Sold my car and our television.
• Joined a CSA and worked at the farm each week.
• Used the clothes dryer infrequently, instead hanging the clothes out to dry.
• Stopped microwaving food in plastic.
• Started using homemade cleaners.
• Quit my job in the wasteful restaurant industry.
• Started Groxie!
• Started Green Drinks in Charlottesville (although technically the first meeting is in November).

Next year’s list isn’t too big yet, but I can always add on more as changes become habit:

• Eat less dairy products (cheese is my downfall).
• Use the bikes even more once we get trailers for them.
• Find a job that fits in with my principles.
• Make our own yogurt.
• Figure out a less toxic flea solution for my kitties.
• Choose my knitting fibers more carefully.
• Join a new CSA and use even more local food.
• Try to buy mostly local goods and beer.

I’l be working on the list all day, but these are the big ones I came up with. This list, combined with all of the non-green acheivements of the year, motivates and inspires me to tackle even more next year!

What changes have you made lately? What is on your list of to—dos?