I don't like the use of plastic bottles for cleaning supplies and all the packaging that goes into our products. I started making my own clothes washing detergent (some good recipes on the web), and I love that I don't have tons of detergent bottles to recycle anymore. I can see where bottled water or distilled water is a necessary thing for some folks with bad water (although, I think the majority of people in our country probably have good drinking water). I know of a person who drank well water on a property of his and is now seeing specialists in a large major hospital, because it made him sick due to some bacteria, parasite or chemical in the water. The last I heard they had yet to identify what was in the water that made him sick. They are doing testing, and despite different treatment approaches, he was still sick, unable to eat and losing weight quickly. We drank well water growing up and are fine, but it would not hurt to get well water tested. I think our local water companies and/or health departments will do these tests for free. One of my largest pet peaves is people getting their lawns sprayed with herbicides/fertilizers. They make claims that they are "all natural", but lots of things occur naturally that you would'nt want on your lawn. I guess some of it is ignorance (and I don't mean as in stupid; I mean as in "lack of knowledge"). Those products (chemicals) seep into the ground, into underground streams and eventually make it into our drinking water. We don't "eat" off our lawns, why put that amount of money into it, where it could be better used. Too many are concerned about appearances, which leads to another pet peeve: restrictions in neighborhoods. We are not supposed to put up clothes lines. ARE you kidding me!!! I've heard that dryers use up to fourty per cent of our energy usage in the home! I feel as though we bought this property, we should have some rights to do with as we please, as long as we are not hurting anyone. I also think steps should be taken to do away with "urban sprawl". Whatever happened to tearing down old buildings or using land that has already been developed, instead of tearing down trees and taking up valuable farm land for more houses and shopping strips? It makes me sick to watch a show on television where they pull out perfectly good appliances, cabinets, fixtures, countertops, just because they are not granite, stainless steel or the newest fashion. It does'nt bother me if they carefully remove them and make sure they get reused, but I have my doubts. When did it become necessary for everything to be perfect? I think if it is working, and you are satisfied with it, it does'nt matter what the newest trend is. I agree with the previous poster about all the t.v.s that are going to end up in landfills.

Thank you Brandon7 and others for commenting on this subject. Speaking of "black plastic", Oregonwoodsmoke, it is even worse material to use, in my opinion. Over years, it tends to become semi-disintegrated, so if you pull it, it falls into pieces. Oh, it was such a mess, such un-sighting! We gardeners like to dig around, try around, move things around from time to time, and it was such a sinking feeling to put a forceful dig into the ground and felt a sturdy fabric underneath it. Basically, we are tangling the unnutrual material with the natural soil, and that makes it very un-natural to gardening with it even if it works somewhat. But I think I had said enough on this point.

Happy December 23 Festivus Day I thought all along that I was standing alone at this holiday cross roads but you all have with great humor and hysterical examples really helped to take the edge off holiday decorating for meÂthanks. Well as always truth is much stranger than fiction, I canÂt believe I spent time fretting over the issue of having to un decorate our tree. How could it not have dawned on me when I was hanging little Lady Apples on the tree that Basil our 100 lb lab with a big appetite and the uncanny ability to spring jump 6-7 feet high from a standing position would be more than happy to undecorated for us. The funny thing was we found all of the ornament hooks that I had used to hang the apples lined up all in a row on his bed in the same fashion a party guest would line up appetizer tooth picks on their plate. The tree is now looking dry, sparse, and tired I have replaced the apples with millet and as long as the dog doesnÂt develop a taste for bird food we might have something to gather around on Christmas morning. My sister the tropical lurker came across this link and wanted me to share it with you all. Now a Festivus Pole/ De Lighter marketed together could make for one great holiday combo package. Here is a link that might be useful: 'Seinfeld' Spurs Festivus Pole Sales

I have 4 kids so we do try to be frugal whenever possible! We save printer paper that is only printed on one side for scratch paper. We save school notes that are one sided so my kids can draw or do math problems on the other. We save big plastic yogurt containers and such for leftovers. Why buy tupperware?? And with these containers I can sent leftovers home with family when they come over for a big meal. I also save grocery store bags and pack my kids school lunches in them instead of buying those small paper bags. We save napkins from the bags of fast food restaurants. We also save the condiment packets and use them when needed or to pack in school lunches. I save some sales flyers for my kids to do crafts with. I also save some egg containers and some cereal boxes for the same thing. Sometimes we stuff newspaper inside some food boxes and tape the top shut. Then my kids play store with those items till they are falling apart and we then recycle them in our recycling bin. When a board game is missing too many pieces to use anymore we still save the pieces and my kids use them for crafts or to invent new games. I save all gift bags we receive presents in and most of the tissue paper. We then reuse them to give gifts. If my kids get a present they don't really like or my dh or I get a present I don't really need (and we have no gift receipt) they go on a closet shelf and are re-gifted to someone different for a birthday or holiday. If my kids tear out the knees of a pair of pants then I cut and sew to make them shorts or capris for that spring and summer. If my kids get a stain on anywhere but the sleeve of one of those long sleeve t-shirts then they wear it under a regular t-shirt for a new winter shirt. When I get address labels in the mail from one of those places that try to get you to donate money I save them and actually use them! I have never paid to get address labels made. When we are expecting rain we put a few buckets outside to catch the rain and then use that water later to water plants. Speaking of water we have all made a conscious effort to save on our water bill by turning off the water when brushing our teeth and only turn it on to rinse our toothbrush instead of leaving it on the whole time. We also all try to turn the shower off as we lather up with soap and shampoo and then turn it back on to rinse off. If we have pencils that are too small to write with anymore, but have good erasers left we save them so we can still use the eraser.