Firstly, I will reduce my impact by using less resources. The cabin is heated only by wood stove. Using fires for heat was not plausible in Clifton Heights (a college town). Additionally, poor installation and windows that weren't properly sealed in previous apartments I have rented made me a slave to my heat bill. Jacob and I are learning about the proper way to use of wood stove to effectively heat our home.
We will keep our use of electric to a minimum by continuing to unplug what is not in use. The cabin was designed with natural light in mind, so during the day we will not need artificial lights. We are replacing all the bulbs in the cabin with CFL's (complements of our energy company).
We are going to reduce the amount of water we use by collecting rain to water our garden.
Secondly, I will buy less. Being secluded on the farm will eliminate the impulsive consumer decisions; specifically, opting for take-out instead of cooking at home.
We are going to start growing herbs and food. Our location is ideal for this, as there is a grow room in the cabin, a greenhouse on the property, and a massive lawn for planting when spring arrives. I have registered for courses at the Civic Garden Center in Cincinnati to learn about gardening vegetables and raising chickens for eggs. Jacob recently was hired at Farm Fresh Deliveries, a company that delivers local and organic produce to homes and business. He is entitled to a free basket of groceries each week! A perk of my job is weekly coffee and tea. We will purchase supplementary groceries in bulk to avoid wasteful packaging. Since we will not be walking distance from take-out, we're going to start cooking everyday. This is not only a positive choice for the environment, but also for our health and relationship.
Thirdly, I am going to strive to produce no waste (or as little as possible). Our goal is to compost or reuse all our waste. We are even looking into home-brewing or buying small kegs to reduce the amount of glass bottles in our recycling bin. Because, admittedly, we drink a lot of beer!
Fourthly, I am adapting the DIY approach in practice, not simply theory. It's time to quit talking and start walking.
Moving to the cabin has encouraged me take the DIY approach rather than being dependent on the market. I've always had this mentality, but living in a city makes it easy to be lazy and hit up the store. I have picked up some books (Radical Homemaking and Make Your Place) about making my own cleaning products, health remedies, and other household concoctions.
Transportation is going to be my biggest obstacle. Currently I live walking distance from nearly everything I need. I can ride my bicycle anywhere and I live right on the city busline. The farm is just far enough outside of the city that even bicycling is not a feasible method of transportation for 6 AM mornings at the coffee shop. To counter this I am looking to purchase a gas efficient vehicle - such a motorcycle - to use as my primary mode of transportation. Jacob and I are considering purchasing a Jeep Cherokee Sport or a similar 4x4 vehicle to share for bad weather or in case we need to transport passengers or items. We are working out ways to eliminate unnecessary car trips by carpooling and running all our errands in one swoop.
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