The 50% Plan

Over the next 12 months:

Drive your car 50% less
Consume 50% more local goods
Eat 50% more local foods
Reduce household waste by 50%
Replace 50% of your lawn with fruits and vegetables
Use 50% less water
Increase you community participation by 50%
Consume 50% less
Work 50% less
Produce 50% less
Enjoy life 100% more

This is a plan that Daniel read in his Adbusters magazine, and that he/we are trying to follow. This is what we have been doing/contemplating.

Drive your car 50% less - We definitely have this down since moving to P-town. Working from home for me and living in a walking neighborhood and a biking town. To reduce it 50% more...hmmm that might be tough. The only place I drive regularly is the gym, and yes, the irony of that is not lost on me.

Consume 50% more local goods - I have always enjoyed buying from the local artisans and local shops. I make it a habit to visit all the street fairs in the summer to buy local goods...now I just have an excuse to do what I already love doing.

Eat 50% more local foods - We are trying not to buy produce from far away places like Mexico or Chile, not because we don't like Mexico and Chile, but because that food is being transported so far. It's been awhile since I had a fresh tomato (at home). I did break down yesterday and buy some grapes (from Chile). I was in a bad mood and the grapes were going to make it better...and they did. We are also in the process of buying a large quantity of local, happy, grass fed beef with our neighbors (to split the large amount and reduce cost). And we frequently buy produce at local farmers markets and co-ops.

Reduce household waste by 50% - Still trying to figure this one out... of course we recycle, and compost in the city container. I guess I need to finally build a compost bin for us. Buy things with less packaging? or don't buy things at all...that's right, consume 50% less.

Replace 50% of your lawn with fruits and vegetables - Daniel is planning the placement of his apple tree already and planning more garden space. I am trying to remind him we need some grass for our little guy to play in one day soon. I have been trying to convince Daniel to stop trying to get grass to grow on the side of the house (where is just dies), so now we are planning for a rock and fern/scrub garden there.

Use 50% less water - Working from home...I gave up frequent showering long ago! And we have been talking about rain barrels for awhile, and are getting closer to getting a few of those.

Increase you community participation by 50% - More regular attendance at church. The thought of a child in our home also brought this on.

Consume 50% less - A constant struggle. We are always reminding ourselves of this, and it's hard in a world that seems to be all about the newest and the best.

Work 50% less - I wish!!

Produce 50% less - This one we aren't really sure about. What does this mean?

Enjoy life 100% more - We can only hope....