Pre-Cycling

Beef vs. Veggie Protein
I know the resources that it takes to produce one pound of beef far exceeds that of an equivalent amount of vegetable protein.

The trouble is, I really like beef and I don’t care for soy. I lack the motivation to say give up red meat. I have switched to non-dairy milk, though the credit goes to my delicate constitution rather than my resolve to reduce my carbon footprint.

Water Resources
To produce one pound of beef it takes:

• 1,799 gallons of water
• 6.6 pounds of grain  (plus irrigation)
• 36.2 pounds of roughage or grass feed (plus irrigation)
• 18.6 gallons of water for processing

Source: http://www.waterfootprint.org

How do I assuage my meat eater guilt? I take small steps to cut what I use and do my best to recycle as much as I can.

Reduce
I can take credit for reducing the things that I buy. The cure? Watching Hoarders on A&E. Now I practice “pre-cycling.” When shopping for the sake of shopping, I practice visualization.  I see the item in my home then I imagine it in a box marked "Goodwill." Most of the time that is enough to keep my credit card in my pocket.

My husband's job provides a great opportunity to learn to divest ourselves of the things we don't use. In three years we moved from Florida to Alabama to South Carolina. I've learned to live like I am getting ready to move. The goal is to to get rid of everything that we don't expect to need.

I have also learned to reduce what I already have by boxing it up to take it to Habitat for Humanity ReStore.  My donations escape the landfill and enable someone else to purchase affordable goods. The ReStore’s proceeds are used to build simple, affordable homes in my county.
Coming from the “green” Pacific Northwest, I have been frustrated by the lack of curb side recycling and the lack of electronic waste restrictions. The satisfaction of doing the right thing is enough to motivate me to take my paper, plastic, electronics and aluminum to recycling drop sites.

Find Recycling Opportunities your community.

Want to know about about the water foot print of foods? Try this National Geographic Change the Course Tool:  How Much H2O is Embedded in Every Day Life?