Taking Green To An Extreme

My husband is a man of many layers. When busy at work, our household runs very smoothly. I am in charge of things at home and he focuses on what he needs to do. However, with the downturn in the economy, my man seems to have a bit more time on his hands than usual.

This is rarely a good thing.

Last weekend, my husband announced that our household was going to become a bit more environmental...more green, if you will. I nodded and didn't give the proclamation much thought. However, while taking out the trash yesterday, I noticed these in our backyard:

Kidding! Actually, ours are much more fashionable and modern. The latest in barrel design, really. See for yourself...

Yes, it seems that we are now collecting rainwater. At first, I was concerned that my husband wanted me to use the water inside our home. However, he assured me that the water will only be used in our yard.

I remain suspect, though. As a guy who feverently believes that bigger is better, I am sure it won't be long before he is trying to convince me of the benefits to changing our lifestyle so that we can be more like Colin Beavan and his family, a threesome who are trying to live for a year without creating any waste. What does this mean for the Beavan family exactly? For starters, no electricity, no transportation (including even public transportation), and no food that does not come from within a 250 mile radius of their hut, I mean home.

Actually, the Beavan family hasn't changed their residence since they embarked on their little journey. They are still living in New York, as opposed to the "earthship" made of tires that I am sure my family and I will be moving to in Taos, New Mexico before too long.

I wonder how much rainwater we would be able to collect in our barrels there?

I was also happy to read on Colin's blog that he and his family have not become part of the freeganism movement. Have you heard of this? Freeganism is an off-shoot of veganism, meaning that most followers avoid all products made from animals. What's more, the “free” part of their descriptor refers to how freegans get their victuals. What is the preferred method for finding free food you might ask? The answer to that question is simple: digging through the dumpster.

On the upside, dumpster diving is not as bad as you might imagine. Those that partake aren’t homeless, and many of them have 9-to-5 jobs. Freegans eat pretty well too, chowing down on practically fresh veggies, day-old bread, and canned goods.

They even have cool tee-shirts.

-Francesca