My green home

Since this is Earth Day, I decided to show you some of the ways in my home in which I try to help our beloved Mother Earth. We only have one home and we have to do our best to keep her healthy.

(click to enlarge)

Starting at the top left, and going clockwise:

1. Our barn is made from recycled vintage barn wood.
2. I keep a roll of paper towels in my kitchen, but I rarely use them. I have stacks and stacks of these white cotton towels that I use instead.
3. We raise some of our own food in the late spring and summer. The older raised beds are made from a recycled wooden fence. We use horse and chicken manure and finished compost as fertilizer and we use organic methods to control pests.
4. I try to dry as much of my laundry as I can on the clothesline.
5. A few of my many reusable shopping bags, and I really do use them.
6. Cardboard that I'm getting ready to take to the recycling center, along with anything else that can be recycled. We don't have curbside recycling out here in the country, so it's up to each individual.
7. The rain barrel at the corner of the barn catches water to be used on the veggie garden. I hope soon to install one at the corner of the house for my flowers.
8. My chickens recycle lots of vegetable and fruit scraps, even stale bread and spaghetti noodles. This watermelon was forgotten in the back of the fridge and got a little too soft.
9. The items that my chickens can't eat go into the compost heap in the corner of the vegetable garden. I include coffee grounds with the unbleached filters and tea bags, too. This little bucket sits right beside my sink.
10. We only use cloth napkins. I made a lot of these and I also buy them at thrift stores when I can find them.

These are but a few of the many things that I do in my home and outside to help preserve our precious gift. Do you love Mother Earth as I do?