That’s the question? If hope is never finished, am I comforted by this or challenged? For me,  at this time in my life, I’m looking for comfort, rather than challenge, although there is something satisfactory about a familiar challenge that I can engage in where I can draw on past experiences to accomplish something. But I also recognize that accomplishing something really is not the end of it, for the most part. I can earn enough money to purchase something but after the purchase, I still need to care for it, find a place for it, not forget where I stored it, and when the end of the use of it comes around, well, there’s finding what to do with it in the most sustainable way.

It’s great, though, that I can really ask myself this question for all things…is this a hopeful comforting situation or one that is a challenge. And if it’s a challenge, do I really want to spend the time taking it on?

So here are some little things that I do or will do that at first glance seem pretty small in the big scheme of things, but they are still worthwhile. The little spot I claim on this earth is affected positively by these things and that can make a little difference, and that’s better than nothing:

1. I live next door to the laundry room and when I walk by it, if the light is on with no one in the room. I turn it off.
2. Something I learned from my grandchildren…when I brush my teeth, I don’t let the water run continuously while I’m in the process of it. Rather, just for the rinse off.
3. I still can’t not flush the toilet even while living alone but I am aware when I visit public restrooms if they are equipped with those fancy flushers that ask you to pick how much water you’ll need to discard of the waste.
4. Recently with my daughter MaryAnn using a compost for kitchen waste, at least the vegetable and fruit kind, I’ve started composting as well and when my compost bag is full, I walk over and “feed” Juno my scraps.
5. I’m very stingy with printing from my computer. For the most part, I like little notes with steps for my newest knitting project. I’ll break down the project into steps that can fit on a note card that I already have obtained from junk mail or even at times will write the steps on the back of an envelope that will be discarded when I’m finished with those instructions.
6. I continue to dislike summertime and probably one of the reasons why is that I keep my A/C at a sometimes uncomfortable 78 degrees. But I can always have a fan using less electricity aimed my way and the high temp becomes tolerable.
7. I’m committed to not owning another car the rest of my life and will walk or take public transit if available, or at the very least, a ride share.
8. I’m not fussy about expiration dates on food, except for dairy items. This keeps me motivated to not buy more than I can eat, most days.
9. I love mint, and mint plants are easy to grow. Big bang for your buck.
10. With my love of wool and knitted items, I can’t remember when I last had to turn on my heater in winter. Just bundle up.
11. I’m saving the tail end of candles and will make my own with cheap wick string from the bits and pieces that are left in the candle holder. Oh, and it’s really hard for me to throw away or recycle glass. I use glass for other things like candles, or holding small items that I have plenty of, since knitting and weaving have tools and accessories and fun little things like stitch markers, pins and needles.
12. I buy the type of toilet paper that one would use if they had a septic tank and use as little as I can when needed.
13. I wear items way more than once before I decide they need washing.
14. I sometimes save candy wrappers to put gum that I’m done chewing in for disposal.
15. I care for my 2 rescued kitties and give them a nice home.
16. The housecleaner at work throws away the tail end of paper towels at work and I grab them to clean my desk and computer screen.
17. I use the plastic wrapper from my newspaper deliveries for all kinds of things, leaving me with little  need to ever buy plastic bags again.
18. I save big envelopes that I get in the mail, and the bubble wrap also, so I can use both when I mail something to someone.
19. I use direct deposit and pay my bills via computer.
20. If I see a piece of litter on the metro or the ground when I’m walking and I can easilyl pick it up and discard it without picking up germs, I always do it.

Little things. I won’t win any medals for saving the world but as they say on money making drives on PBS, “do (give) what you can and if everyone does that, it becomes a really big deal.” And that is a challenge that is comforting.