What will you do to preserve the environment? Can you stop watching your flat screen TV? Give up your car? Eat only sustainable organic food? In honor of Mother Earth, we are giving away a Matt & Nat Tundra bag, worth $208, gorgeous, trendy and socially responsible. No, this will not reverse any damage we have caused (actually, it does a tiny bit, recycled plastic water bottles were used to make this bag), but the only goal here is acknowledgment and a dialogue about the problem.
To win, write in comments the most ecologically irresponsible thing you do. And on Earth Day, try to not do it (second part not necessary to win!). I’ll start first. I drive a giant SUV gas guzzler. But I bring reusable bags to the market so I’m offsetting it, right? Make sure to include a working email in the designated email box on form or login with your Facebook account. Make sure to leave your comment to enter by April 21, 11:59pm EST. We will select one winner via a random drawing on Earth Day, April 22, 2010.
Thank you Pure Addiction for sponsoring this giveaway. Follow them on Twitter.
I feel no guilt in having a 30 minute shower, I love water therapy.
I leave all the lights on in my house all the time!! I’m working on shutting things off though!
I have loved Matt & Nat since my sister got me a keychain/wallet in high school!
I am currently pursuing a career in environmental law, and am constantly striving to further my conservation oriented goals…. but it’s better when I can look good doing it!
I already use reusable bags at market, don’t drink bottled water, and create as little waste as possible, along with many other things. Thanks for such an amazing give-away!
Never recycle garbage…shame on me
I think the worst thing that I do is not recycle all my tin cans. we are so careful about so many things, even gone vegetarian but somehow I can’t bring myself to rinse out (or put in dishwasher) the really messy cans like cat food.
hey! nice color!
I drive an SUV, but I recycle and bring my reusable bags everytime I go to the market.
I work for a legislator and my job is to cover & represent his district…so I have to drive everywhere for my job…we’re talking 75miles (roundtrip) once in a while. It varies from roundtrip miles of 4-75. I drive a 10-year old small car, that honestly has pretty good gas mileage. However, I do use tote bags in my grocery shopping & bring the plastic bags to the grocery store & to Target where they have bins to collect & recycle the plastic bags. I’ve limited my plastic bottle intake, but when on the road so much- it gets difficult to keep refilling, but I have every intention to keep using my water bottle often.
Would love the bag!
dbautista1@gmail.com
My showers are probably longer than they could be. I also like to turn on all the lights in a room when I’m in it and leave lights on in other rooms, especially in the evenings when it’s dark outside. I need lots of light in my life!
I leave my laptop on and plugged in at all times, even though I know it sucks power even when it’s hibernating. I also never remember to unplug things like phone chargers, my flat iron, etc. I will try to do better!
I drive a Mini, I use cloth shopping bags.All of my lights are compact florescents, I turn off the water while I shave… but….. I use mostly pre packaged quick meals. I should do more fresh food and a lot less of the instant dinners.
I also leave both of my computers on and plugged in always.. but I work from home and don’t commute in my car, so I hope it balances out a bit.
I still take plastic water bottles to the gym! But…I just ordered a Sigg water bottle and will stop buying the plastic bottles! I love Matt & Nat bags
I use reusable market bags and take transit into work, as well as reusuable mugs/water bottles all the time! Every little bit helps right?
Thanks for the awesome giveaway
i’m really bad about spending lots of time in the shower and leaving electronics turned on…i def need to start turning things off and unplugging them when not in use.
I LOVE PERRIER WATER!!! I can’t stop buying their water bottles and I’m not giving them up but I will give them up for earth day..
While I can think of several obvious ways I am eco- irresponsible (running my air conditioning too high, sometimes forgetting my reusable bags at the grocery, driving to work too often when I could technically walk….etc.), I think the one I was most surprised to realize is the high carbon footprint my “excessive” wine drinking has on the environment…especially when I drink imported wines as it turns out that the biggest source of greenhouse gasses from wine is actually in transporting wine to the consumer.
So, in recognition of the upcoming earth day, I am making a point to seek out some local wines (Dallas has quite a few)! Plus, its a great excuse to visit our local wineries for a little tasting…thanks for sponsoring this great giveaway!
Matt and Nat have the best quality faux leather! Truly innovative and company that has substantial value in quality and price!
I leave on lots of lights in the house…I need to open up those blinds and try use more natural light.
I don’t recycle my batteries. Eeeeek!
I waste oodles of electricity (that’s the technical term) by leaving my laptop plugged in all the time. I don’t own a car, but I think all of my traveling leaves a pretty bad carbon footprint: my work at the university has sent me to 4 countries in the past year. It’s an amazing opportunity for me, but not so sustainable for the earth. Also, I buy way more shoes than I should. Chen ba’ale’ jach ki’imak in wool tulaakal le ba’alo’ob’o! (But they all make my heart happy, in Maya.)
I drive a gas guzzing SUV and I only drink bottled water. I do use eco friendly grocery bags and use the recycle bin
I leave my laptop plugged in, but turn it off. I should unplug things when not in use, but always forget.
BUT!!! and here’s a Big One -
I recycle EVERYTHING! I turn off lights, use cold water wash, take short showers, reuse regift reissue recycle everything! NOTHING GOES TO WASTE! I am very conscientious and even recycle other peoples’ stuff and make them feel guilty for NOT recycling!
chichijunk at cs dot com
fan on facebook
chichijunk at cs dot com
i take long showers, and leave lights on for no reason :-/
but i use reusable grocery bags, recycle and compost, and only use my nalgene water bottle
I have cloth tote bags I should bring around when grocery shopping, but I always forget them.
I turn off & unplug all electronics when I’m not using them. I bring my own tote bags to the grocery store, I eat locally grown produce, and I recycle everything possible!
I bring my lunch in those little reusable plastic containers, and sometimes I just throw the containers aways because they are so cheap and I don’t feel like washing them out.
Probably one of the most harmful things I do is fly to other cities for shopping with my girlfriends who are also traveling to meet me! … at least once a season…. Its so much more fun when you can say “oh I bought that dress on my trip to ______”
can’t imagine how badly we hurt the environment with these “necessary” plane rides
I don’t recycle at all because my building doesn’t have recycling bins
But I don’t have a car, so I walk everywhere!
I tend to use paper towels when wiping down messy counters. I’ll try to reuse my old discarded tee shirts as rags.
I still drink bottles of aquafina and use plastic bags.
I leave the water running in the shower for a long time before I get in… mostly because these apartment pipes are old and take forever to bring me warm water… but still!
Hmmm, long showers, drive a big SUV (3 kids…its a necessity), and I have the recycled bags for grocery shopping, but I ALWAYS forget them.
I take outrageously long showers. My landlord, who is easily the most immoral, slimy person I have ever met, pays for the water in my building, and I take full advantage of that. With the help of my excellent hot water heater, I often take hour-long showers.
I fly too much!! But I like visiting home (its a nice break from college academics), and there are so many cheap fares.
I use paper plates when I am too lazy to wash dishes.
I drink bottled water, I recycle the bottles, but it would be better to just get a nice reusable bottle and a filter.
I buy water bottles (and reuse them once or twice) but I have a metal bottle at home. I think off set my bad habits by having solar panels on my house.
I love Matt & Nat. I cannot stop buying their bags.
I use air conditioner too much in the summer and take very long showers in the winter time. But, I do not eat meat or dairy products which helps the environment! I am so happy you are having an environmentally friendly giveaway!
I run the dishwasher…for everything. I hate washing dishes! but like you, I used cute reusable bags–so that’s good, right?? lol!
i drink bottled water more than i should! sometimes just too lazy to clean and fill up the sigg.
I always fall asleep with my t.v. I find the noise very comforting and I always leave the charger to my laptop plugged in even though my laptop isn’t plugged in.
I sometimes forget to carry my own shopping bag
I turn on the a/c almost 24 hours when i’m back in malaysia :S but i keep every single shopping bag given to me and reuse it!
water bottles (and reuse them once or twice) but I have a metal bottle at home. I think off set my bad habits by having solar panels damier pochette
It was because that I turned on the computer and happened to see these two types damier pochette which I found classic.
damier pochette
It was because that I turned on the computer and happened to see these two types damier pochette which I found classic.
I set aside my used plastic to bring to the recycling center “when i have the time.” In reality, it just keeps piling up in the bin. I offset this by telling everyone else to recycle, which is pretty hypocritical of me
I forget reusable grocery bags when I go to the store. I will put them in my car. I do recycle, even though it means hauling it all to town.
I drive a pretty large SUV and I have to admit, I DO love it. If I had a small car, where would I put all of my shopping bags?
The worst thing I do is take a very hot shower for a bit too long when I am sick or have bad allergies!!! However I usually try to be really fast other times!! I also recycle everything from cardboard to batteries! xo
kimberly.long at gmail dot com
I drive a big, hulking 13 year old Land Rover. It has a big engine. It sounds like an 18 wheeler, It has the worst gas mileage ever. Everytime it breaks down, I pay big bucks to have it fixed. and, I LOVE IT! Wouldn’t trade it for the world.
I drive a big, hulking 13 year old Land Rover. It has a big engine. It sounds like an 18 wheeler, It has the worst gas mileage ever. Everytime it breaks down, I pay big bucks to have it fixed. and, I LOVE IT! Wouldn’t trade it for the world.
I leave on lights ALLLLL the time. :/ Bad habit! but I’m not a fan of the dark haha.
I drink a lot of bottled water and sodas but if I can’t find a recycling bin I just toss them in the trash. I tried holding out for a recycling bin once and it was too ridiculous walking around with an empty bottle in my hand.
I am eco-friendly in many ways: vegan & mostly organic diet, reusable water bottle, recycle compulsively, don’t own a car and almost always take the subway instead of cabs, run outside instead of on a treadmill…the list goes on.
But there is one non-eco-friendly habit I can’t shake: my massive collection of luxury designer shoes and bags made from skins of animals that were not raised sustainably, dyed using environmentally toxic chemicals, shipped using fossil fuels, packaged using non-recyclable materials, etc.
Please jump start the eco-friendly portion of my fashion collection with this bag!
I have to say, I drink too much bottled water, instead of getting it from the tap, and don’t recycle the bottle. I always feel guilty! But I recycle newspaper, alum cans, and plastic bags. Good luck everyone!
(Hmmm, my first comment didn’t work). I feel so guilty when I drink bottled water instead of getting a glass from the tap. Surely I can give that up for Earth Day! Good luck everyone!
I take loooong hot showers – it’s my “thinking” time! But I’ll be happy to give up “thinking” on Earth Day
I don’t recycle or compost my trash… but living in New Orleans, where there’s nearly NO recycling options, that’s not my fault, right? I also drink bottled water, because I’m too lazy to go in to the next building to refill my water bottle. I figure keeping myself hydrated is important, right?!
I let the water run while I wash my face and I leave my laptop plugged in overnight. But I do recycle everything and I am attempting to compost.
I don’t recycle as much as I can plus we still don’t use reusable bags! I know, very very bad.
I take reeeeally long showers (and love it)! I’ll try not to on earth day.
The most irresponsible thing I do is to drive to the grocery store. it’s less than 1/2 mile away, so I could ride my bike, but honestly I am way too lazy to do that!
I use my heaters (I live in Tokyo, so no central heating) excessively in the winter. Boo me.
I love fragrance candles. When guest stop over for a visits, they are always amazed by the aroma that circulate throughout my home. So, I have started to recycle all the glass jars container they come in.
I don’t recycle. But, the county I live in has voted to offer an extra curbside can this spring for those who want to start and I signed up! Gosh, I feel so much better!
Beautiful handbag…gorgeous color…fantastic giveaway! Thank you.
I indulge in the king of all college foods – cup noodles! So tasty, but they have so much packaging to throw away…
This Earth Day, I’ll try to eat only foods that don’t come wrapped in plastic.
It’s quite difficult to pick out a single irresponsible act – but, if i had to choose, it would be how lazy I get sometimes in doing my recycling. Although I have a recycle bin next to my trash bin, if it gets full and I am tired from a long day at work, I often will toss out the recycling with the regular trash. This does make me feel incredibly guilty because it really would not be a huge amount of effort to avoid this behavior!
The list of things I do or don’t do to be responsible is quite long. I have a degree in environmental education and have to be congruent…walk the talk.
Most impressive would be having spent 12 years without a car.
I buy most of my clothes and stuff from second hand stores, you wouldn’t believe some of the finds (found a Matt & Nat bag one).
Presently I’m learning to make handbags reusing materials.
Cheers,
Diane
I have a million things plugged in that I never use or could unplug (several chargers, lamps, appliances, electronics, etc.) and I know they are just sucking the power out…
but i don’t buy bottled water, use plastic bags if i can help it and carpool!
What a cute bag. If it were real leather, I would buy it. Ha. Does that make me ecologically irresponsible? I don’t think so.
I am a horrible offender of taking long showers.
I also sometimes run on treadmills instead of running outside when I could…
And now I just feel guilty!
http://www.dragerfashion.blogspot.com
We call that “bag-nesia” when you can’t remember your reusable bag. Luckily we’ve come up with a solution for it- the Reusable Bag Solution Kit is available at http://www.grabyourbags.com. It comes with two handy reminders- one for home and one for car as well as a compact bag and two reusable produce bags. You can use the kit with the bags that you already own and use the compact bag that comes with it for unexpected shopping trips to the drug store or mall!
Sadly I am a huge water waster when I do the dishes. SOMething I really need to work on.
I am never at my apartment because I am always driving everywhere…but I leave everything plugged in even when I’m not there for weeks at a time. I’m going to try and start unplugging everything before I leave!
I STILL do not have a reusable water bottle! The main problem is getting a filter or a pitcher so I can filter my water…definitely something to do in the near future.
I think the worse thing I do is purchase coffee without using my own tumbler. On Earth Day I will definitel be bringing my own tumbler in without wasting any more paper cups!
I take 10 – 30 minute showers in the morning with scalding hot water.
I take irresponsibly long showers. I don’t turn the water off when I shave my legs (and I’m 5’10″ tall, so that’s a LOT of leg!). But I DO turn the water off when I brush my teeth! (and I’m teaching my family to do that, too)
i take super long showers….yikes right? i’ll try to cut it down, i promise!
DolphinV27@aol.com
I sometimes put stuff in the garbage when it really belongs in recycling…oh the shame
On the day before Earth Day, I could break into LAX with big oil tanker trucks, siphon all the airplane fuel from every single airplane, drive to the LA river, and dump it in, possibly polluting our oceans and killing millions of fish as well making the water extremely hazardous to surfers and swimmers.
I don’t turn off the bathroom light before I go to bed, but when there’s four people sharing a bathroom, someone always wants it on at night in case they need to go.
I have four cats and I’m buying lots of “bad for the environment” flushable cat litter!!!
I leave my laptop on all of the time. I also leave all of my appliances plugged in. I am planning on investing in a power strip that will help with that.
I fly a lot. I need to offset my carbon footprint but I need to fly home to see family, right?
My hubby insists on leaving the TV on… something about it’s bad for the screen to turn it on and off? Whatever, Earth Day I’m in charge! TVs OFF!
lazergir1{at}hotmail{dot}com
I leave all of my appliances plugged up, and my pc on at all times! We will be purchasing power strips and shutting them down when not in use to correct the problem.
Thanks for the giveaway- this bag is HAWT!
I’m a college student so I spend a lot of time printing out papers for essays. Sometimes I’ll end up not using what I printed(A total waste!). I pledge to check my work and make sure I print out as little as possible, salvaging some trees!
I am the Earth
And the Earth is me.
Each blade of grass,
Each honey tree,
Each bit of mud,
And stick and stone
Is blood and muscle,
Skin and bone.
And just as I
Need every bit
Of me to make
My body fit,
So Earth needs
Grass and stone and tree
And things that grow here
Naturally.
That’s why we
Celebrate this day.
That’s why across
The world we say:
As long as life,
As dear, as free,
I am the Earth
And the Earth is me.
A few years ago I have up my SUV for a compact, more fuel-efficient car. I also use reusable bags when grocery shopping. But one thing that I am guilty of is leaving the lights on when I leave my apartment. Most times it’s by accident so I am going to leave a note at my door as reminder. I have also just invested in auto-timers so that the lights turn off when I am not there via the timer. Hopefully this will help my electric bill and cut down on wasted energy!
I drive a gas-guzzler. I limit my driving as much as possible, but I need the large space in the back for upholstery work and vending events. I dream of a hybrid SUV or truck. I also love a long shower.
Otherwise, I recycle like crazy, reuse grocery bags (even the produce ones), limit my paper product usage, turn off lights, unplug electronics, use windows with breezes to cool off the house, use natural cleaning products, and even reuse and recycle materials used for my jewelry and upholstery businesses as much a possible.
I spend lots of money on bottled water and expensive handbags – but I recycle the bottles by donating them for art projects. And I recycle the bags by donating to pro-choice organizations (for resale) when I tire of them.
The most irresponsible thing I do is purchase those horrible plastic bottles of water. I’ve been trying to remember to take water with me when I leave the house, but if I forget I HAVE to have water available for our Guide Dog puppy we are training. So, they are only a back-up plan.
I do some things right! I have the correct bulbs in my lights, use reusable bags at the grocery store, raise and lower the blinds in my house to optimize their effectiveness in keeping the heat out, (something most people don’t think about), any plastic bags are used at least once for the doggie doo…
(And, one of my pet peeves…MANY sedans and other cars are not any better in gas milage than some SUV’s!)
After reading this I see how truely bad I am… wow, I need to make more changes. I guess the worst thing I do is drive an SUV, but hey, I have 3 children under 5 (need room for 3 carseats) and am not the minivan type of momma. I am really good about turning off the lights, turning off the water when I brush my teeth and I never litter. Does that counter my SUV?? Maybe next I’ll tackle that bottled water habit of mine.
The most irresponsible thing I do is purchase those horrible plastic bottles of water. I’ve been trying to remember to take water with me when I leave the house, but if I forget I HAVE to have water available for our Guide Dog puppy we are training. So, they are only a back-up plan.
I do some things right! I have the correct bulbs in my lights, use reusable bags at the grocery store, raise and lower the blinds in my house to optimize their effectiveness in keeping the heat out, (something most people don’t think about), any plastic bags are used at least once for the doggie doo…
(And, one of my pet peeves…MANY sedans and other cars are not any better in gas milage than some SUV’s!)
I use too much electricity – especially leaving electric heaters on all the time when I’m called.
long showers and long plane flights – I love to travel internationally
I take REALLY long showers and don’t currently recycle where I live. However, I bike to class, turn off my power strip every time I leave my room, and drive a small car when I do drive. I also buy organic milk and cage-free eggs, so I don’t feel too bad about it…
Sometimes in the hot summer months, I take two (short) showers a day. Its very difficult not to when I am sticky and sweaty from being out all day.
I always bring reuseable bags to the store with me and I try to use as little plastic in my daily life as possible.
One of the worst anti-eco things I do is run the water when I’m not using it…not just when brushing my teeth, but I’ll turn on the water to do dishes or something & then just walk away. It’s just become a baaddd habit that I will certainly work on stopping. Love this bag!
jewelz4208@hotmail.com
I take ungodly long hot baths and showers, sometimes three times a day, not because I feel dirty, just because it’s nice and warm and it helps me relax. The local lake water level is at an all time low. On Earth Day, I will strive to limit myself to one 15 minute shower. That seems extremely reasonable.
i only drink from water bottles, even when im at home
I use plastic forks and spoons to eat my lunch every day and throw them away. Such a waste, should bring utensils from home!
I have trouble falling asleep at night so I watch TV, but to make sure I don’t leave it on all night, I make sure I turn the “sleep” feature on so it shuts off shortly after I fall asleep!
I leave the air conditioner and tv on lots because I like the noise.
However, I have stopped using paper towels by about 90%.
I leave my TV on all night. It helps me get to sleep.
Most irresponsible thing I do? I think it’s my trash bags, really. I have to use something to take out the non-recycle-able trash. But what to use?
outofthemist @ gmail .com (remove spaces)
The most ecologically irresponsible thing I do is to use paper plates, cups, forks, spoons and knives because I’m too lazy to wash dishes.
Cynthia.Richardson@azbar.org
I have never littered, but I have done so many other ecologically irresponsible things…
I still leave the tap on while brushing my teeth. A hard habit to break. I have used phosphate laden detergent to wash my car in the driveway before and that algae promoter then all goes right into the freshwater lake I live on. I even once put non-native fish and snails into the lake in my backyard.
I often take cabs when I can walk in only double time… I also use plastic cups a lot.
I order food to be delivered a lot when I can cook or just go the restaurant — thus get a whole ton packaging and sorts.
I buy pre-made food too much. It’s so silly to fill my reusable bags at the grocery store with frozen food and plastic containers, but I just don’t cook!
The most ecologically irresponsible thing I do is probably taking 45 mins -1 hr long showers. When I take showers, I like to take my time to exfoliate & shave. Maybe I should turn the water off when I’m shaving or exfoliating. I’m so guilty of that.
I also drink alot of soda, so I end up disposing lots of soda cans.
I constantly buy cases of bottled water and drink it constantly, even at home. On Earth Day I will drink tap water from a glass that I will then wash with biodegradable soap!
My boyfriend and I drive when we could walk.
I have a water filter on my tap and the most awesome collection of Sigg bottles in the world, but I constantly forget to fill them and take them with me which leaves me with two choices at work: buy a bottle of water from the vending machine or get water from the tap and put it into a Styrofoam (ick!) cup.
I need to start recycling cardboard cereal boxes.
I camp all summer and use way too much styrofoam. Will purchase real plates & cups to replace the styrofoam!
I leave my tv on all night. I’ll try to stop doing it on Earth Day and after. I also drink tons of water in plastic bottles! I’ve been thinking about buying a water cleaner thing so I can drink tap water and use a refillable water bottle instead of plastic bottles.
I am not aware of letting the water run a long time as I wash the dishes.
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
I leave the water running and take long, hot showers way too often — but, I use a titanium water bottle instead of constantly using store-bought waters.
mallory(dot)hatcher(at)gmail(dot)com
I let the water run wile I brush my teeth, take shower or wash dishes. I leave lights and TV on for a long time. I never recycle my trash…
queen-of-pain at yandex dot com
I tried very hard to stop using plastic water bottles, but that resolution didn’t last. Unfortunately, the only good water we have at work is bottled, so I’m forced to use it.
Just for good measure, the second is that I love Styrofoam cups! They are the perfect insulated cups for those to-go drinks.
I have a long drive to work everyday, about 50 miles. When I can’t carpool I listen to books to help the time go by. My bad habit is staying in the car while its running to continue to listen to the book.
lauren.penrod@gmail.com
I have a long drive to work everyday, about 50 miles. When I can’t carpool I listen to books to help the time go by. My bad habit is staying in the car while its running to continue to listen to the book.
lauren.penrod@gmail.com
I teach an 8th grade Environmental Issues courses that teaches students how to investigate local environmental issues and what they can do to help the health of our planet. I drive a Honda Pilot, use hairspray out of aresol can, and do insist on using plastic grocery bags so my I can put my cats’ dirty kitty litter in it. Not a good combination!
I tend to leave all sorts of things plugged in and the lights on quite a bit, which of course leads to a big bill. I definitely need to work on lowering my usage . Also I need to work on recycling a bit more and not wasting so much gas driving around needlessly-I should plan my trips all in the same area, and rather than driving 10x to the same place or close by, do it all in one day!
I don’t recycle cardboard, paper, containers, cartons, etc… the only thing I recycle (and still, not even all the time) is bottles/cans. shameful!
I plan on just getting in and out of the shower but it never turns out that way. Taking long showers is my weakness.
I buy bottled water instead of simply filling my reusable bottle because I’m too lazy to wash it out every night. I’m really ashamed of this, especially since I do other things that are eco-friendly (follow a vegan diet, carpool to work, and recycle). I will definitely resolve to quit this lazy habit!
I have an hour commute to my university everyday, not to mention public transit, i also like to keep the lights on in the house a lot. lol i’m really embarrassed of this but i like to keep the television on and put it on mute just so it seems like i’m not alone at home, as well, the tele is on for the majority of the evening, not to mention my computers . oh dear i must fix this problem know that i write about it aha
We have renovated our main floor bath room with low water use commode and shower head, used recycled glass tile through out. We also donated our old fixtures to those in need, we are all about recycling in our house!
One of the more irresponsible things I do would have to be my use of paper towels. Thank you for hosting this fabulous giveaway – I would be SO thrilled to win!
Hi,
really great idea for a giveaway! LOved the bag!
Well i guess the most ecologically irresponsible things i do, is using too many plastic bags, sometimes when there is no need to, and leaving my pc pluged in even when i’m not using it! Those things i really try not to do using alternatives!
Thanx!
Big kisses from Greece
I was mad at my friend (who is obsessed with making her hair look perfect) so I sprayed all of her hairspray out. Yup. All three cans of it.
The most irresponsible thing I do is, sometimes I leave my laptop on aaaaaall day =S
I left my light on when I sleep.
I constantly buy cases of bottled water and drink it constantly, even at home. On Earth Day I will drink tap water from a glass that I will then wash with biodegradable soap!
Wow, where to begin…I start my morning by taking a steaming hot shower for about 30 minutes, I leave the faucet on while I brush my teeth, I can’t for the life of me remember to turn off lights when no one is in that room, I am notorious for throwing in a couple of items in the wash instead of waiting for a full load, I subscribe to almost every fashion magazine and my local newspaper and don’t recycle, I live off diet coke in cans and Starbucks-also don’t recycle those, I have road rage and weave in and out of traffic just to be 2 seconds ahead of the person I just cut off (who is now cursing my name) and when I am home I like to have the TV AND radio on while I am on my iMac. It definitely sounds like I DONT deserve to win this contest!
Wow, where do I begin…I start my day with a 35 minute shower in steaming hot water, I leave the water running while I brush my teeth, I have a terrible case of road rage and weave in and out of traffic so I can be 2 seconds ahead of the person I just cut off (who is now cursing my name), I can’t for the life of me remember to turn off the lights when not in use, I live off canned diet cokes and Starbucks and don’t recycle, I subscribe to almost every fashion magazine as well as Chicago Magazine, Time Out Chicago and the Chicago Trib and don’t recycle those either, I am notorious for throwing a couple items in the washer/dryer instead of waiting for a full load, I leave all my appliances and technology plugged in all the time and I like to have my TV (muted) and radio on while I am on my iMac I totally DON’T deserve to win this bag!
I waste water terribly! I always take long showers, I leave the tap on while I brush my teeth, the list goes on…
Well seeing as I’m the poster child for destroying the earth…something I’m neither bragging about or proud of…my list could start an entire other website…I leave the water running while brushing my teeth and doing dishes-but have been trying to stop (old habits…), I take a 30 min shower daily, I smoke cigarettes and throw the butts out the window of my gas guzzling SUV, I buy 2 newspapers daily-and throw them away…
In all fairness tho, my 1st grader is learning about conservation so starting Monday our family decided to assign points whenever someone starts doing something to conserve the planet. The winner at the end of a month will get to buy an entire head to toe outfit complete with accessories (I’m a single mother of two girls!)…
I take hot showers and baths even in the dead of summer.
But I hope to start using a timer for my showers so that I can at least limit my water usage.
I take too long a shower and leave my computer on all day. I don’t consolidate my errands very well so I end up making unnecessary trips. I drive a compact car which gets 35mpg, but my husband drives a big gas guzzler SUV, so I guess we cancel each other out. We do recycle and try to keep our heat down and lights off when we aren’t using them.
Daily tons and tons of small styrafoam bowls to feed stay cats. I’m looking for eco-friendly bowls that don’t blow away in the wind and are biodegradable. Ideas?
I would have to go with taking long showers,leaving the computer on all the time and I drive an old pickup truck. I do multi errands at a time though. We do use paper plates a lot.
I have made many changes in my life to help the environment, but there are a few issues that I feel are too difficult to sustain on a daily basis. One of those is carpooling – but I will try to carpool on Earth Day!
I walk everywhere I can and leave the car parked.
While I get filtered water in reusable large bottles, my boyfriend and I still use and drink out of disposable water bottles for the convenience. We do recycle them though! Although it would be best to reduce the use of plastic overall. How apropos if I were to win this Matt & Nat Tundra bag made of plastic bottles! A great reminder to reduce and recycle plastics.
To this day, I still ask bags from the grocery because I’m lazy to bring my own bag.
SO shameful!
I recycle magazines and bottles and make sure to donate clothes to the Salvation Army.
My husband and I own an 8 miles to the gallon old Chevy truck. Yes, 8. I practically hear the earth sobbing when we start it up!
But when it was hit by a drunk driver last year and we needed to replace the truck bed, we sourced the new one ourselves from a junk yard AND kept the old one and turned it into a bed for a vegetable garden!
There are so many things I do to help save our environment. Yet I own a 4 bedroom/3.5 bath home and only 2 prople live in it. The other thing I’m guilty of is putting my bike in my car and driving to a starting point for my bike rides.
I’m most guilty of having super long and super hot showers. I must change that!
I take bags with me to the grocery store, I turn off the water while I’m brushing my teeth, I pour unused water into plants and I avoid buying water in plastic bottles. And I LOVE that bag!
Probably the most irresponsible thing I do is having lights, TV, radio & computer on at the same time. I really have to conserve energy more. I’m good at recycling, and conserving water etc…..but, I just don’t like a quiet dark house…lol
The worst thing I do is waste food. Even though I know the food that I waste can help a lot of people, sometimes I am just too full to eat it and saving it for dinner or lunch the next day makes it taste bad.
I drive an suv and usually take multiple trips out. On earth day I will try not to use my vehicle at all!
I DO drive a big vehicle that does not get the greatest gas mileage but am a relentless recycler at home and the office; also radical about unplugging things I am not using! Great giveaway!!!
I take a big, long bath at least once daily. It’s just so relaxing and I can’t stand feeling “dirty”. On earth day I think I might try one of those dry shampoos so I don’t have to bathe!
I leave my lights on all the time. I take SUPER long showers. I’m also horrible about recycling.
♥ SailorWifey
Two things:
1. Showers…. oh they feel so good… but I take one almost every day since I work out 4 day in a row and sweat on my eczema exacerbates it … I feel so guilty
2. Buying new clothes! “It takes roughly 20 gallons of water to make a pint of beer, as much as 132 gallons of water to make a 2-liter bottle of soda, and about 500 gallons, including water used to grow, dye and process the cotton, to make a pair of Levi’s stonewashed jeans.” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123483638138996305.html
500 gallons for a pair of jeans!! I wonder how much water was wasted for my entire wardrobe! I feel sooooooo guilty but I can’t stop buying new things
I leave all my electronics plugged in all the time even when
I am not home for days
Well for one, I buy bottled water instead of using a filter. Horrible, I know. I also hardly recycle [it just never works in my house] & I never unplug ANYTHING. I feel disconnected when i notice something is unplugged. ugh! but my friends are trying to get me to better. Hopefully, I can become more eco-friendly. I do understand that nothing will last forever on this planet.
I do buy bottled water and use plastic bags but we make sure we don’t leave the water running, turn out the lights whenever we leave a room and recycle.
I don’t compost in my garden
I drive my teenagers to school instead of making them ride the bus.
paper towels, loads of them when cooking/cleaning–going to recycled paper towels, then try to find some classic cotton (organic and chic!) dishtowels and cloth napkins.
I recycle everything, except when I clean out my fridge. Some of those containers I toss in the garbage instead of cleaning & then recycling them.
I’m attending a Green Event for Earth Day and would love to have this bag to show everyone at the event how they can be fashionable and eco-friendly!
I strive to be greener every day and that is the great thing about being green is there is always more you can do to improve your carbon footprint in this world.
It pains me that I work for a company that does not recycle anything! I am forced to throw out paper, cups, and anything I might use during the day that has a chance to be recycled. I also hate when I forget my resuable coffee mug when I go to Starbucks and they do not have an option to recycle. That baffles me when they could make a huge difference (watch this video! (http://www.starbucks.com/responsibility) just by encouraging customers to recycle their coffee cups daily.
Thanks for the opportunity to share!
The most ecologically irresponsible thing I did was buying food which are packed in Polystyrene containers. Even though I know that these things cannot be recycled, I still cannot resist buying the food I loved to eat!
It’s a toss up, really. I drink a lot of pop, which means I waste a LOT of plastic bottles. I also take long showers. I’ve been trying to cut down on both, but haven’t been too successful.
I shop at Walmart & inevitably forget to bring reusable bags.
I buy bottled water for my workouts. I should find a carafe that I like instead.
Hello everyone,
Well, even if I separate & recycle my waste… I drink way too many cans of diet coke… I should drink less or buy bigger containers rather than cans…
I feel pretty bad… I am more self-conscious about the water I use… and call the plumber as soon as I notice a leak…
Take care of yourself. & Happy Earth Day!
I leave my laptop and phone plugged in all night even though I know it sucks power and that they don’t need to be charging for that long. I also don’t compost but would really like to start.
I subscribe to too many magazines. I’m letting some of them go! I compensate by blogging about going green and hopefully helping out some of you guilty souls.
Thanks for the giveaway.
I love my showers to be as hot and as long as possible. However, I only take them every other day and my husband and I often double up to save water. On the upside, I don’t drive, we just bought a 100 year old house in the middle of the city, I own a bus pass, and my husband carpools to work. I’m also trying to figure out how this whole gardening concept…
I’m going to plant a fruit and veggie garden
every day I have a 30 minutes shower…
we already do a lot (recycling, cloth shopping bags, cloth diapers for our daughter, walk and cycle instead of drive, try to conserve water etc).
I think my worst thing would be I use my laptop a lot and often leave it plugged in and turned on when I am not on it. So for earth day the laptop will be staying off the charger.
I can’t really think of anything specific that I do that affects the environment around me. I recycle often, the CRV incentive is nice. You pay for it at the store, why not get some of it back? I reuse plastic grocery bags for trash. I don’t wash my hair everyday to save water. But when I think hard enough…
I leave the lamps on in rooms of my house almost every night so when I walk in them, its not dark. I always freak out when I stumble for the light switch in the dark because I think somethings going to come out and grab me. I put my safety (from imaginary monsters and ghosts in my house) before conserving energy… but they are CFLs. (:
I throw away the glass bottles more often than not because my apartment complex doesn’t recycle them and I don’t like lugging them all the way to the grocery store.
I have been known to accidentally fall asleep with the lights on. Ooops!
I have tons of reusable shopping bags at home but always forget to bring them to the store 75% off the time. Plus, I don’t always recycle. Even when it’s easy and I should. Gotta work on this!
The most ecologically irresponsible thing I do is take too many long showers! I get so much good thinking done in there. At the very least, I need to invest in a new water-conserving shower head very soon!
Thanks for this great giveaway! That bag makes me heart go all fluttery.
Even though I was a committed Girl Scout for 13 years, I admit there are still some things I can change to help the environment. Recently I have been receiving catalogs in the mail from several different companies that I would probably never purchase from but have been putting off unsubscribing to them. To offset that, I use reusable bags when I go to the grocery store, recycle and turn off the faucet when I brush my teeth. So on Earth Day I will try my best to cancel all of the catalogs I have been receiving.
ohhh good question.
i’m pretty green, but i dont buy organic produce. Its so pricey!!
Ugh My showers are too long, i leave the water run while i do dishes I don’t buy organic anything, and have 3 external HD’s and my laptop plugged in all the time.
Ouch.
I use way too many paper towels, especially for someone who lives alone. And I leave my hair dryer plugged up 24/7. Sorry Earth
I try to save newspapers for recycling, but then when the pile gets too big and heavy I just get tired of looking at them and throw them away. (Bad bad bad.)
The most ecologically irresponsible thing I do is i do not always seperate my garbage .
I love long hot showers especially when i give myself a mini spa day. Very bad and a water waster. Will NOT be doing that this Earth Day
I keep my computer on almost 24 hours a day. Yikes! So, on that day I will skip the computer and read a book instead. Wouldn’t that be better? Saving electricity while doing something good.
I try to be really good about everything and have found that recycling is not only good for the environment but also good for my single-mommy pocketbook
). I think my weakness is my daughter and when its really hot in the summer and she puts her little hands together and says “peas peas petty peas” I can’t say no and I let her run through the sprinklers…for as long as she wants. I know I’m completely wasting water (and money!) but I can’t say no to her…and I remember my childhood days…before we knew how bad what we were doing was…and we were allowed to play with water hoses and sprinklers…so for just a few moments I slip back into naive nostalgia and convince myself its ok. 
)
I try to be really good (green) about everything I do, I’ve found that recycling is not only good for the environment but for my single-mommy pocketbook too! My weakness is my daughter…when it’s really hot in the summer and she clasps her little hands together and begs “peas peas petty peas” I can’t say no to her and I let her turn on the sprinkler and run through it for AS LONG AS SHE WANTS. I know its a complete waste of water (and expensive!) but I remember when I was a little girl…before we knew how bad what we were doing to the environment was, and how we could play with water hoses and sprinklers, so for a moment I close my eyes and slip into naive nostalgia and justify that its ok.
i drive everywhere! even to the mailbox
this must change aha
I sometimes am TOO lazy to recycle! bad me
I am still driving a large SUV only because it is paid for and I can not afford to buy a new car. I recycle and I even use the back side of paper in imy printer at home and at work. I have my class bring bottles and cans in for recycling. I made most of my Christmas gifts our of Caprisun pouches. They make the cutest bags.
I need to improve by taking my own bags to the market instead of “paper or plastic.”
I keep a stash of recyclable grocery bags in my house, but almost always forget to bring them with me to the sore. So I end up using more plastic bags. I’ll try to be more ecologically responsible from now on.
I’m pretty good about recycling almost everything that can be recycled but the one think that I still need to work on is water conservation. Long showers make my joints feel better so I take long showers even though I know I shouldn’t.
I leave my computer on overnight more than I should and I probably have a ton of “phantom electrical drain” items plugged in all the time
but I try to work at home as much as possible to avoid commuting and when I do go to work I ride the train!
I throw away newspaper and recyclables BUT only because my apartment complex doesn’t let us recycle. If I can, I try to save recyclables to take somewhere I can find that takes them.
On the good side, I use cloth and reusable bags for groceries and almost anything else I need to carry. I turn off lights that others leave on!
I am an American currently living in China…what could be more ecologically irresponsible?
…but I am trying to introduce the idea of “going green,” among other ecologically sound practices, to my students.
-Erin
The most irresponsible thing I have done is not to recycle when recycling was available. I have corrected that by switching trash pickup services to one that provides a recycling bin!!
Aside from littering all the time years ago, recycling nothing, leaving lights on, running water longer than needed, and driving EVERYWHERE. Two years ago, I had a huge pile of debris that had built up from over 10 years of open burning of trash or whatever would burn (and some stuff that wouldn’t). I needed to get rid of it and it would have cost over $900 to have it hauled away because of the weight, so I rented a backhoe and buried it. It took 3 HUGE holes and I put everything else in the holes that I had been wanting to get rid of too.
( I didn’t realize just how bad what I had done was until I took an environmental science class last year. I was too ashamed to admit that in class though!
As a kid growing up in the country, we used to burn our trash. Not only was it illegal, but it was horrible for the environment. Worse than that, one time, the trash fire got out of control and ignited the ridge around our house! Ironically, I now work for the local fire department and no, I do not still burn the trash.
I leave my computer on “sleep mode” most of the time and have the TV on for hours while nursing my baby…and haven’t made the transition to cloth diapers yet…but we are using 7th generation biodegradable diapers and feeding him breastmilk instead of formula.
I throw my garbage without sorting it and in a normal bin not a recycle bin and I dont use trash bags..
I can’t seem to remember to bring my FREE LA Galaxy Tote bag into any stores!! But, I end up just using my handbag… so i guess that works!
i always have my TV on for hours just as the background.
but i use reusable shopping bag when i go for shopping.
We live outside of city limits so we are NOT required to recycle – so we don’t. I NEED to redo my roof and insulation on my house.
I do however use recycled bags where ever I shop – and NEVER purchase bottled water
Thank you
I love my electric blanket! It is so warm and cozy at night, but uses tons of electricity.
I LOVE paper products!!!!!!!!!!!! I am slightly addicted to paper towels, napkins, don’t get me started on napkins, post it notes OMG, how many fabulous shapes & colors can they make those things?? Oh and while not a paper product I can not live without straws, I know really not a sophisticated way to drink something, but I NEED one in my drink (no, not coffee). Oh and bottled water (sorry but it really does taste better) although I have recently bought a Brita pitcher so I am curbing that behavior………………
Is this the most earth unfriendly behavior, maybe not, but it is mine, I can see where changes can be made, and for the earth on earth day I can do it!!
I LOVE paper products!!!!!!!!!!!! I am slightly addicted to paper towels, napkins, don’t get me started on napkins, post it notes OMG, how many fabulous shapes & colors can they make those things?? Oh and while not a paper product I can not live without straws, I know really not a sophisticated way to drink something, but I NEED one in my drink (no, not coffee). Oh and bottled water (sorry but it really does taste better) although I have recently bought a Brita pitcher so I am curbing that behavior………………
Is this the most earth unfriendly behavior, maybe not, but it is mine, I can see where changes can be made, and for the earth on earth day I can do it!!
I LOVE paper products!!!!!!!!!!!! I am slightly addicted to paper towels, napkins, don’t get me started on napkins, post it notes OMG, how many fabulous shapes & colors can they make those things?? Oh and while not a paper product I can not live without straws, I know really not a sophisticated way to drink something, but I NEED one in my drink (no, not coffee). Oh and bottled water (sorry but it really does taste better) although I have recently bought a Brita pitcher so I am curbing that behavior………………
Is this the most earth unfriendly behavior, maybe not, but it is mine, I can see where changes can be made, and for the earth on earth day I can do it!!
I leave the A/C on from late Spring through Mid-Autumn, even when it is chilly outside or below 65 degrees. I have itchy eyes in response to pollen and other outdoor allergens, but I resolve to rely more on my ceiling fans instead of A/C.
I drive a HEMI V8 Jeep Grand Cherokee BUT I telecommute as often as possible!