Karen's Low Impact Goals, Day 6

My four goals are:
1. I want to use my paper recycle more effectively, and keep old paper to use later.
2. I want to reduce the amount of pages that I print and that I use for homework.
3. I will try to put my computer in sleep mode whenever I am not using it.
4. I will try to work a little in the garden daily, and move towards leftovers or unprocessed foods rather than things from a box for snacks.

Today I have not needed to use printed paper for anything yet, so I have not used my reused printer paper pile. I have tried to reduce the amount of pages I need to take notes, but have come across a few difficulties. In Math class, since I am trying to use only sheets of paper I have already taken notes on, my new notes are not in the same place, and are rather separated and confusing. My one major error in all of my challenges today was using a new piece of paper for my math take home quiz. I am not sure how I would have gotten around that since I was using graph paper from Mr. Hornick. My notes are also in very bad shape in spanish, and because of the disparate papers are very disorganized and not cohesive. I did make the choice not to print out a new draft of my spanish story the other night, and instead to save the story to my thumb drive. Normally I print out a new draft of work every night.

The computer goal has been successful except that I do not really know how much energy my computer is saving, since it refuses to go into standby. Another way to approach the goal is to use the computer less, but since I usually blog around fifteen minutes after I get home, I cannot keep the computer off until I really need it. It only saves energy to turn my computer off if I am going to do it for awhile, which might work sometime later tonight.

As far as eating leftovers, last night I ate white bread that we had in the fridge, with butter, instead of Cheezits or fishy crackers. However, even though this is a leftover, it is probably equally bad for me as any of these snacks. My garden goal moves towards something better, which is to eat healthier by practicing sustainability and helping the earth. Today I planted beans around the marigolds in the marigold beds, and planted a parsley plant in the herb bed. I am really enjoying the garden more and more, except for the bugs!

I have been trying to turn off all the lights, but I only do this when I remember, so sometimes lights get left on. There are also lights I do not notice, like the light which is constantly kept on in my sisters room. Even more dissappointingly, I realized that I do not unplug the nightlights I use at night all day, so I am wondering if I am actually wasting more energy than I am saving.