July 20th

After some weeks back in consumerland, I have to say that I regret leaving so quickly. However, I've been working on some projects here at home that have made me feel a bit better.
First of all, I made a vow not to buy any new clothing. I have, in fact, done just the opposite- four large trash bags of clothing made their way to the Goodwill. Why I still had leotards from when I was ten, I do not know.
Removing superfluous stuff from my life has become a serious priority. Somehow, even after donating bags and bags of clutter, my room still feels too crowded.
To anyone watching, my donation process would have looked a lot more like a crime than an offering. I showed up at the back door to the Goodwill at midnight, left my car running, dumped my bags, and drove away as quickly as possible. I did the same thing at the used bookstore, and again at the recycling bins by my local grade school. The reason I was sneaking around like a ninja: I've heard of people being fined for littering when their donations are not properly processed. When I checked back at the Goodwill and the bookstore the next day, my bags were gone, so I know that somebody is making use of them. I don't really care who it is.
I also bought this book on foraging, and this hand drill. Why am I buying things when I'm so big on reducing consumption? I'll tell you- both of these things will outlast any search engine and any power tool. They are also small and easy to transport.
I'm thinking that this book is next on my buy list. It appears to have everything I need to know about vertical gardening. I was considering gardening vertically in my room- however, preliminary research revealed that this is hard to do without grow lights and strong walls. Thus, I will probably have to grow outside in the abundant grassy area behind my house. I intend to ask my fellow eco-enthusiast Eli Colasante about how to get permission to do this. He has a blog about the composting project at SLC that I am soon to be a part of- check him out here.
I've also made two eco-bricks and will be sending them up to Beth's ranch ASAP.
I am really looking forward to gardening at SLC, as well as foraging for edible and medicinal plants. By second semester, I would love to be able to reduce my meal plan.
Hope you're still reading!