For the past four weeks, I have been working on decreasing the waste and toxicity in my life. I followed through on all of the goals I set out for the past four weeks. On week one I began buying items in bulk supply to reduce packaging waste. On week two I brought a reusable thermos and water bottle with me instead of plastic or paper cups. For week three I started using non toxic laundry detergent and dryer sheets. For week four I used non toxic dish soap. Overall I became more aware of how many routine decisions I make can affect the environment over time. Closely related to that, I also realized how many small changes can be made in my life to decrease the negative impact I have on the environment. The four changes I made were simple, but over time they can show a difference in my life. I definitely think I will keep up with the new challenges until they become routine for me.

As I was studying the reduction of waste I decided to learn more about recycling also. I knew I was constantly asking if something was recyclable and recycling can be a main way to reduce waste in the landfill. The most important thing I learned about recycling is that if a batch is very contaminated with non-recyclables then it may not be sorted through to save what little is recyclable. Instead it will all go to the landfill. At this I searched to fully know what was recyclable in Columbus and what was not. Even though recycling was not a part of my challenge for the month, it is definitely something that became better over the span of this month.

After realizing how easy it was to make these changes in my life, I began reading the posters of the other girls in my room with their challenges. Many of those challenges were easy changes that I could make as well. I am definitely interested in changing other aspects of my life to further decrease my carbon footprint. For example, this weekend I bought organic fruit instead of store brand. It was a little ore expensive but I know that it has less chemicals and is more natural for me. I have also become more aware of my water use. Do my showers need to be as long as they are now? Am I turning off the sink in between dish washes or do I let it run? Even though I came into this semester with little knowledge of my impact on the environment, my knowledge of my impact and my desire to change it has increased.

As stated in a previous post, I explored a few parks in and around Columbus this academic semester. I was drawn to parks because I love to spend time outdoors, and in a big city like Columbus sometimes it’s nice to get away from the high population density and enjoy nature.

The Olentangy Trail

The Olentangy is very convenient since I live in Morrill Tower. I frequently run the trails which are paved closely follow the direction of the river. After a few runs I discovered a side trail that also leads to Ohio State’s wetland project. On foot, I have yet to find the end of the trail going north or south, but I hope to explore on bike in the future.

Goodale Park

I wrote about Goodale park in my first post about my to-do list. It is located in the short north which makes it a short bus ride from campus. This park is located in a more residential area but is right off of high street as well. My favorite spot was the one captured in this photo. People were sitting on benches around the pond and a fountain with elephants was in the middle.

The Scioto Mile

The Scioto Mile might have been my favorite on the list but it is very difficult to choose. I love how close it was to downtown yet it was very open with lots of natural aspects to the trail. One of my biggest fears coming to campus was being in such a high population density area. When I was at the Scioto Mile, there were people around but it was not overly crowded because the area was spacious and the whole thing was very peaceful. I loved being able to see the skyline of Columbus, the river and natural open space in one view.

Columbus Commons

I had been to the Columbus Commons once in the fall to watch a play for a class I was taking. I did not know at the time, but the entire space is laid out on top of a parking garage. I thought this was an excellent use of space in the city. There was a merry-go-round at one end of the park and many flowers planted around it. There was also an interactive space for kids (and adults) to play games. Jeni’s ice cream and Tortilla also had locations in the Commons.

Battelle Darby

Battelle Darby is actually not in Columbus but it is just outside in Galloway. I grew up in Grove City which is very close. Battelle Darby is most well known for their bison. The fence shown in the picture is part of the enclosure. Unfortunately the bison were not out when I was there last. The Darby Creek runs through the park as well and the park includes woods, prairie and wetlands. It is definitely a trip that requires a car if the route started from campus like I did, but it is well worth the commute.

I would highly recommend any of the spots on my to-do list. If I have learned anything from this experience it is that even the big cities have a little bit of nature escape if you look for them. I would love to take more time to explore the different parks around Columbus over the summer and throughout my college experience here.

For week two of Earth month I eliminated plastic bottles or paper cups from my daily use. I took a reusable water bottle with me around campus and used a reusable thermos at coffee shops. I was successful in not using either of these waste products although I came close to falling short. I had just left to go get coffee when I realized I had forgotten a thermos. This forgetfulness was something I had predicted would be a struggle. Luckily, I was not too far when I realized I had forgotten and I went back to grab my thermos. Week one technically carried over to week two as well; however I only purchased laundry detergent this week because all of my other usual products were still in supply from my first grocery trip last week. This seems to tell me that I have not only reduced my overall waste but as saved a little bit by buying in bulk.

For this upcoming week, I had originally planned to make my own laundry detergent that had no toxins. Unfortunately I could not find all the ingredients I needed for this recipe so I could not follow through. Instead, I am going to switch to an environmentally friendly detergent and fabric softener sheets by The Honest Company. These products promise to be free of harsh chemicals that negatively affect skin, clothes and the environment. I have already used them once over the past weekend and I was satisfied with the outcome of my clothes. I expect that this will be another successful contribution to reducing my carbon foot print.