Our Last Living, Lean & Green Class and Chimney Swifts

The Living Lean & Green Class I've been taking every Wednesday for the last month came to a close last night. We spent the last class having a pitch-in, a green elephant gift exchange (I somehow wound up with Bath & Body Works products - go figure) and summing up what we've learned and the pounds we've shaved off our footprints.

It was very rewarding to hear every one's story about changing their daily habits - taking shorter showers, recycling, turn off lights, unplugging electrical cords, turning the thermostat up a few degrees, driving less, etc.

I managed to take an additional 2,400 lbs of our carbon footprint with installing our new Energy Star washing machine (-500lbs), washing more dishes by hand instead of using the dish washer (-125lbs), planting a tree in our front yard (-25) - we haven't done this yet but we are going to before winter, getting a tune-up on my car (-1,500) and installing another low flow shower head (-250).



While chatting with my friend, Jessie, after our green class - we spotted a flock of chimney swifts turning in for the evening in a nearby building. I had never seen anything like it before. They were all swarming in the sky and just dropping into the chimney - it was crazy and there were so many!