A Cool [Free] Way to Recycle Items You Normally Can't

Somehow I stumbled onto the TerraCycle website today; and frankly I've been obsessed ever since!

I signed up for a few of their "Brigades" which means that I can collect items you can't normally recycle, send the items to TerraCycle (at no cost to me), and they will upcycle them into items they sell.

Good for the Environment: Easy for Me.

And there's an extra perk. For most items sent in, they donate a few cents to the charity of your choice. I selected the Nature Conservancy which helps rebuild the Gulf Coast (but I can choose a local charity if anyone has info and a tax ID number) :)

I can't wait to start this. AND of course (if you live locally) I'd love your help. Below is a list of items I'll be collecting to send in. If you have any of these items and would like to rinse them out and bag them up for me, I'd be glad to collect them from you whenever I see you!

Items I'm Collecting:

Scotch Clear Tape Dispensers and/or Cores

Wine Corks (not plastic)

Kraft Cheese Packaging: Kraft Singles, Kraft String Cheese, Polly-O String Cheese, Philadelphia Cream Cheese (tubs), Kraft Natural Cheese, Cracker Barrel Cheese, Velveeta, Kraft Grated Parmesan, Athenos, Breakstone's, Knudsen Cheese, and all other delicious Kraft Cheese products.

Mission Brand Tortilla Plastic Bag/Packaging

*the items do have to be these specific brands, not any others or they won't be used.

So what you think, do you want to save a few more items from the landfills with me?!

Virgin or...

Recycled? That is the question I ask you to think about today.

I mentioned last night that I'm reading Annie Leonard's The Story of Stuff. I am thoroughly enjoying this book even though I've read about a number of these issues before. As usual, I find that when I am reading books about the impact each of us has on this earth, I become more conscious about my daily, even hourly actions. It is very easy to get caught up in a busy day and not even think as you pull into Papa Gino's to grab a slice of pizza on the way home to avoid having to do more thing after you pull into the driveway... but being more thoughtful and present in my day because of this kind of reading ultimately leads me to better decisions. It makes me happier. Now I just need to find a way to keep this on my radar all the time... perhaps its time to resort to sticking (recycled) post it notes all over my house and my car!

But enough of my ramblings. Here's something you may find interesting:

Reasons to Buy, Use & Reuse Recycled Paper

• Cutting down trees leads to
• extinction of as many as 100 species per day in the rainforest
• mudslides, erosion and major flooding since the trees roots are no longer there absorbing water
• the devastation of many people’s lives: 300 million people in the world live in forests and 60 million are almost entirely dependent on forests for food, fodder, fiber and fuel.
• Nearly 1/2 of the trees cut down in North America are used for paper making
• Trees naturally filter the air we need to breathe.
• Plants and trees cut down to make paper rarely profit the poor people from the region that is affected.
• You already use more paper than you realize (think: books, magazines, posters, food packaging, take-out containers, inserts in new shoes etc), so please choose recycled paper when you can.

So what's the best approach?

• Look for recycled paper, books, notebooks, copy paper etc.
• Look for paper with the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Logo/stamp on it. This reputable organization ensures that trees used in your paper were harvested in a ecologically reasonable way and ensures a certain social/ethic standard was maintained in the process.
• Look for books/notebooks/calendars printed with soy based inks instead of toxic chemicals (about 1/3 of US printers are using these now- look for this on the label)

Organic Housekeeping

Organic Housekeeping by Ellen Sandbeck

Another of my library finds, a book recommended to me by my friend Kim from work. I'm actually picking up another green cleaning book tomorrow so maybe I'll have some more tips to add after I read that, but I really did learn a lot.

For those of you not all that interested in the topic- please at least read this- you don't need all those ridiculous chemicals nor do you need a specific cleaner for every feature in your home (its REALLY expensive to do it that way, so even if you have NO interest in being green- think with your wallet). You can clean most things with white vinegar, which is a disinfectant. It was used as far back as the 1300's during the Black Plague when people washed their hands in it and helped stop the spread of disease. It works. I've been using only green cleaners for over a year and Dan and I have not been getting sick any more than usual... and I don't have a thousand bottles under my sink. It makes life easier. And so do these tips. Enjoy!

------------------------------------

Organizing Tips:

• label each organizational space with a number. Then label the shelves/sections with letters.
• When you place items in the spaces, make an index/rolodex with a list
• Label the shelves/spaces where each item goes so you know what goes back there.

General Cleaning

• Vinegar can be made from petroleum (instead of grain) so read the label (fortunately the giant 3 1/2 gallon jug I buy from BJs which is Heinz bran is made from grain. phew)
• Soot Stains- dry clean (something like a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser). Use something wet as a last resort. Try an art gum eraser or rubber dry sponge.
• Windows- if you use traditional cleaners you'll need to get the waxy build up off first- use 2 cups of water and a half a cup of white vinegar with 1/2 tsp of dish liquid. Thereafter, the vinegar/water will work just fine.
• Screens- uses a soft dushbrush attachment from your vacuum.
• Wood- make your own oil- 1 part lemon juice, 2 parts olive oil or 1 part vinegar and 3 parts olive oil (I use something closer to the second one, with some essential oils dropped in)
• Water rings on wood (in case you have a little Monica Gellar in your)- 1 tbsp white vinegar and 1 cup of olive oil- ue a clean cloth to apply. rub dry then oil the rest of the wood to blend.

Floor

• a dutch rubber brook (euroshine.net) can be used as a broom-then attach cloths to make it a mop.
  put rags/cloths in bin with water and vinegar, wring them out and have ready to mop
  

Bathroom

• castile soap does not produce soap scum
• clean existing soap scum with hot vinegar and a stiff brush
• mineralized deposits in toilet bowl -- use plunger to force out most of the water, add 1-1 1/2 gallons vinegar
  let sit overnight or while at work , scrub then flush. might take a few tries. (I did it once. No luck yet).
• fiberglass sinks/bathtub- clean with heated murphy's oil soap to get rid of soap scum (be careful because it can get slippery- don't use on the floor). this should prevent soap scum for about 3 weeks
• deposits on shower heads- soak in a quart of vinegar for at least 1 hour
• mildew- scrub with vinegar. if that doesn't get it- rub with hydrogen peroxide (but test out first- it can bleach out color)

Recommendations for routine bathroom cleaning

• sweep
• wipe hair out of sinks
• clean toilet inside and out with vinegar
• spray the sink and mirror- clean those. dry with the slightly used towel (on mirror first then sink)
• spray the floor and mop
• get in the shower, clean the shower with vinegar
• dry off- then use your towel to dry off the towel (then put it in the laundry)

Kitchen

• unbleached wax paper can be composted (better to use this than plastic)
• to disinfect raw produce or meat- spray with vinegar, then spray with 3% hydrogen peroxide until the bubbles stop. there is no need to rinse. the hydrogen peroxide leaves no taste or smell.
• do not use vinegar on marble. it dissolves it. peroxide may also damage marble.
• Stainless cookware should be 18/10 (% of chromium and nickel)
• avoid buying oil in plastic bottles
• to moisturize hands while cooking- use leftover oil or avocados

Dishes ----do NOT use sponges

• I feel like everyone should know this, and yet there are some (ah hem- Dan) who don't believe it. A study of sponges from 1000 kitchens in 5 cities found e. coli, salmonella, pseudonmonas and staph on at least 2/3 of sponges. ICK! A damp sponge can harbor bacteria for up to 2 weeks where as bacteria survives only a few hours on a dry surface.
• putting sponges in the dishwasher doesn't work either. the dishwasher doesn't get hot enough AND it spreads all those germies to everything else in the dishwasher. bad idea.
  you can put a sponge in the microwave for 30-90 seconds however it has to reach boiling temperature which is almost impossible to know for sure.
• best bet- use a dishcloth. wash the dishes. wash the counter. do a spot clean of the floor near the sink or stove. then toss it in to be washed. get a new one next time.
• Use the mesh 'bag' that onions come in to wash dishes- it will give you some extra scrubbing power. you can put the dishrag right inside it.
  

Dishwashers

• most dishwasher detergent contains enzymes which react with and break down organic matter (aka food). if the dishes are too clean beforehand there is nothing for those enzymes to stick to, so they fly around… effectively sandblasting the dishes. lesson- don't really need to rinse (with the exception of cheese which will just melt to the plates).
• dishwashers can dull sharp knives. better off washing those by hand
• this book recommends:
  use a rubber spatula to remove large chunks , remove all cheese, don't pre-rinse, use as little detergent as possible (to clean the dishwasher- put 2 cups of vinegar in a bowl on the bottome rack and run it. it will come out sparkling clean.)

Electronics

• Dell recycles computers -- even ones that aren't their own
• Computer- use water on a cloth- no alcohol or ammonia-based cleaners

Pests

• for ant problems- add a pinch of borax into mop water and do not rinse
  

Bedroom (kids/pets)

• Urine on mattress: dampen with water, then sprinkle with borax (or baking soda), rub it, let dry then vaccuum up.

Laundry

• Tip: an extra spin cycle will dry out clothes using less energy than extra time in the dryer.
• Borax- use an equal amount to your detergent
• Vinegar will help get smells out- put it in the fabric softener compartment of the washer
• Stains- if protein based(meats, milk, mud, vomit, blood): use detergent not soap with cold water and soak; if sweat: spray with vinegar after wearing, or soak with water and 1 cup of vinegar, you can also rub with ammonia. 3% hydrogen peroxide works too.
• Use distilled water in your iron. Otherwise the minerals from regular water can build up and clog the holes.

Car

• Bug guts on the window- baking soda and water mixture will take it off (and will not scratch your paint)
• Propylene glycol antifreeze is less toxic than traditional antifreeze

Lawns/Outdoors

• If you're planting a new lawn, use a mix of tough grasses like White Dutch Clover (trifolium repens) and low growing ground covers (chamomile, creeping thyme, english daisy, Irish and Scotch moss, creeping speedwell)
• Mowing- set blades as high as possible. Longer grass makes it harder for weed seeds to hit soil, and conserves moistures.
• Leave 1" of less clippings on the lawn
• Fill bare spots with grass/clover seed and cover with compost or grass clippings to prevent weeds
• Avoid PVC hoses, many contain lead-- which makes it very dangerous to drink out of. ALWAYS buy a "drink-safe" hose.
• Cooking oil can be put into standing water to keep away mosquitos
• DEET is especially harmful to kids with effects ranging from agitation, weakness, disorientation, seizures, coma and death.
• Plant based Bite Blocker is smade from soybean, geranium and coconut oils and its 97% effective over a 3 hour period (which DEET is only 86% effective for the same time period).

My first CSA Farm Share Pick-up!!

Wednesday June 17, 2009

Wednesday was my first pick-up of fresh, local organic produce that I get from Heaven's Harvest Farms. I was sooo ridiculously excited. It really was like Christmas for me! I rushed home from work. Did my walk, then flew out of the house to find the pick-up spot.

I used my handy GPS (a smart birthday gift from Dan)

I was feeling awfully green- with my car on battery mode, going to pick up my produce! I'm a serious dork, I admit that. But I was seriously almost high! LOL!!

See how happy?! Sun roof open (one of the FEW sunny days we've had this month)

Of course I still managed to get myself a little turned around... not that it was really Garmin's fault- I was too excited to pay attention I think! Oops!

This is my bundle. Its called a half-share. Supposed to feed 2 people. A full share is for a family of 4. But I figure since I eat enough veggies for two, and Dan will rarely eat any of them, this would be perfect.





I knew it would take some creative planning to find recipes for these veggies. Many of which I had never tried-- but then that's part of my reason for wanting to do this. I really am ENJOYING being a vegetarian (still fairly new- started Sept '08), but I think I needed this push to try vegetables I wouldn't normally buy.

Wednesday night I made stir fry with the summer squash and bok choy from the CSA. And used up peppers, carrots, mushrooms and ginger that I had.

I also made a cold Cucumber Couscous Salad which came out great! Recipe can be found here.

Then Thursday I invited Kris and the kids over for dinner at my house, instead of going to hers. She was glad to come, and as it turned out Matt came too- and Dan didn't have cards that night, so we had a big family dinner.

Results: I thought it was a little oily but the flavor was good. Kris liked it.

Results: I thought they were undercooked, even though I cooked them longer than the recipe called for. The flavor was just ok. Kris said, and Matt & I subsequently agreed, that they "taste good for you." It wasn't a bad flavor and the ginger/butter helped... but it wasn't something any of us will be craving in the near future.

collard greens- washed and ready to go

Results: The salad ended up being room-temp instead of warm because we were running a little behind. Dan thought he'd have liked it better warm and with a little less mustard. I thought it needed less Vinegar. Matt doesn't like sweet potatoes but he liked 'em. Kris and Matt loved the salad.

I ended up buying chicken legs and breasts, marinated them in olive oil and lemon balm and Dan cooked them on the grill.

Results: They all said the flavor was good. That's all I have to go on ;)

We also grilled some portabella mushrooms and summer squash on the grill. mmmm

I still need to experiment with the turnips, and I've got another sweet potato to enjoy this week. I'm thinking I'll indulge on a sweet potato with sour cream and the rest of the fresh chives! mmm.

Hope you've enjoyed hearing about my cooking adventures. I'll try to post some new ones each week as the produce comes in!

Countdown to Fresh, Local, Organic Produce

I am so amazingly excited about this (if you're not interested in my eco-nerddom you might want to skip this post). I mentioned before that I signed up for share in a local organic farm for the summer. It's one main farm with some support from other local farms in western MA, that has a drop off spot in Scituate (right near the library, my other new and nerdy hang out).

I just got the list of fruits, veggies and herbs that will be waiting for me on Wednesday 6/17.

Cucumbers
Hakurei Turnips
Summer Squash
Sweet Potatoes
Red Chard
Romaine Lettuce
Baby Bok Choi
Collards
Scallions
Lemon Balm
Chives
Strawberries

I am very much looking forward to tasting my old favorites in their new form (extremely fresh and completely pesticide free), and looking up recipes and uses for things I haven't tried before.

While some question how I can still be a vegetarian, I sometimes wonder "how can you not?" there are so many other great tasting things out there, that there really isn't any room left on the plate now is there? And while Dan contends, somewhat legitimately (given the menus of so many Americanized restaurants these days), that I barely eat anything- I'd say that the opposite is really true now. I eat so many more things that I simply didn't eat before because, let's face it, I didn't have to.

I can tell you honestly that before last September I would have turned my nose up to:

Hakurei Turnips, Red Chard, Baby Bok Choi, Collards, Scallions, Lemon Balm and Chives

Which, out of this list would have left me with: Cucumbers, Summer Squash, Sweet Potatoes & Strawberries.

And of course I probably won't like every new fruit or veggie I try, but I'm looking forward to the experience. If you have any recipes featuring these items, feel free to drop me a note!

Real Simple

i've always been fascinated by Real Simple magazine

the clean lines

the gorgeous photographs and imagery

and yet there's not always a ton of content in the magazine itself

so that coupled with not wanting even more paper to make its way

into my house

has prevented me from subscribing

but the beauty of this technological age

is that you can find a lot of cool content online

my friend kim sent me a Real Simple email update she'd received

which had some cool green ideas

with ideas on...

how to recycle anything (well almost)

28 uses for everyday items <- got lots of rubber bands lying around? see how to use them instead of tossing them.

10 expected natural cleansers (this list includes ketchup! i kid you not. check it out)

and there are lots more ideas here too....

another really cool, customizable green idea for you-- check these out:

Customizable SIGG bottles!

i'm trying to think of something really ingenious to put on one

but inspiration has yet to strike.

any suggestions for me?!

what's new?

Cooking

It's been a busy couple weeks around here.
Last weekend I did a little cooking.
Saturday morning and I was totally in love with the beauty of this squash
I know. Commit me! I'm crazy.
But the contrast of colors on my kitchen counter was making me so happy.
I had to take a few pictures. Shiny granite! I love this different perspective.

What was the squash for? A tomato sauce recipe that Kris usually makes to have on hand for Willy. It has all sorts of veggies in it, and some ground beef too. So it makes for a well balanced, easy, healthy meal for him. I knew she was out of sauce, and up to her ears with beautiful baby Aila at home, so I offered to fire up my crockpot and make some. I'll post the recipe another time. It smelled really great, though I didn't get to taste it because since I ended up doing it in the crockpot I put it all in together early in the process.

Visiting

I visited Kris, Matt, Willy and Aila on Saturday afternoon.

Watching Willy with his baby sister is almost breath-taking. He's a very sweet, loving boy anyways but you can just see how much he loves her. Sweet boy! {and she's just sleeping right through it... but at least we show her when she's bigger how much her brother loved her right from the beginning}

its hard to see from this angle, but Aila was smiling so big!
so many connections. mom. big brother. baby sister. touching eachother. loving eachother. smiling at eachother. i love this family! :)

the rest of saturday was a little more stressful.

marilyn was taken to the hospital battling a fever and flu-like symptoms and a lot of pain and trouble moving after a fall. she's been in the hospital ever since... not making a lot of progress and not, in our opinion, getting very good care where she was. after pulling some strings yesterday we got her accepted at MGH and are waiting for a bed to become available so she can be transferred. hoping things will start looking up for her soon.

Cleaning
still, saturday night we managed to finish cleaning the house.

no small feat since i was away the previous 2 weekends and there was a LOT to be done.

we also ticked another thing off the to-do list. (see photo below)

i bought these frames from IKEA and picked out some of our favorite vacation photos.

i put them all together and Dan hung them up Saturday afternoon.

i love the look.

it adds so much color to the room.

and i love remembering the wonderful memories of our 2 trips to Jamaica where these photos were taken.

{kind of blurry, but you get the idea}

Fundraising
Thanks to the kindness of so many people I know and love (and some I've never met before) I have now officially raised $1905 for the Susan G. Komen & National Philathropic Trust for the 3Day, 60 mile walk I am participating in this October.

I am so inspired by your generosity and during this first week of training with all of the other stress and sleepiness that threatens to interfere, it is this sacrafice and sense of community that keeps me motivated.

So thank you! And let's keep raising that number. I raised my goal to $3500 but I'd ultimately like to aim for $5000. We can totally do this!

Scrapbooking

This week I took a little time to scrapbook. My weekend in Philly got the creative juices flowing again and I realized how much I missed it. I only posted a few photos online but you can check them out here- My Lifetime Moments Gallery.

I still have half- completed pages scattered on the kitchen table with intentions of doing a little more this week. We'll see. Fingers crossed.

CSA

I am 99% sure I'm going to buy a half share in a Massachusetts CSA (Consumer Supported Agriculture) that has a new pick up spot in Scituate for this summer!

The gist is that you choose a half or a full share (a half share would be more than plenty for me) and every Wednesday for 15 weeks beginning at the end of June you pick up a box of fresh organic produce from a house in Scituate. The produce is all farmed in Western MA, (Heaven's Harvest Farm) picked freshed and delivered to the drop-off spot the same day.

It comes out to $25/week for the half share. I figure I spend that much on produce anyways and the grocery store stuff is definitely not as fresh... plus this will force me to try some new things. And what's really cool is that their website offers recipes that contain the ingredients you get, so if you're at a loss for what to do with them, you've got some options right at your fingertips.

As the lady said to me: "It really is a great program - you eat better, support local farms, reduce the carbon footprint, etc... and it's kind of fun to get a big box of fresh fruits and veggies each week that you didn't have think about buying."

Some more information about CSAs from their website:
"The concept of CSA membership began more than thirty years ago as organic family-run farms realized that a new local delivery system was necessary. This new system of operation would greatly enhance the consumer understanding and appreciation for the process of growing and harvesting high quality organic foods. The immediate concern was always price, which was hard to overcome when marketed through other distributors. As a result, some courageous and bright farmers decided to eliminate the costly middle-man and bring the savings direct to the consumer.

This Community Supported Agriculture concept has enabled many locally operated farms throughout the U.S. to stay in operation in order to provide the highest quality local, sustainable, and certified organic produce for the discriminating consumer. The model that we have embraced involves a set fee for the growing season in exchange for a weekly delivery of organic vegetables and small fruit."

Well that's enough for today!
Have a good day everyone!

a few useful links

A couple articles from Real Simple, sent to me by my good friend Kim.

How to Recycle Anything

Donate or Ditch it?

28 Uses for Everyday Items

50 ways

50 very simple things you can do. Want to start thinking about going green?
this is a great place to start

stuff i like

a few sites i like to browse...

A Year of Crockpotting
This blog is so cool! I'd be talking all summer about getting a crockpot and kept putting it off. And then Aunt Milly gave Dan and I a gift card for Kohls so I knew it was time to spring for one. Brought it home. All shiny and new.............. fast forward to January. Still haven't used it. What a shame. But finding vegetarian crockpot recipes is not easy. Until now.

This blog has TONS of crockpot recipes (and yes, most of them have meat in them, for you mainsream folks). Apparently you can make almost anything in a crockpot and that idea intrigues me, especially as I try to cook more on Sunday to have on hand for the week. And if I can toss stuff in the crockpot and cook it, it probably means less veggies rotting in the bin which will make Dan a very happy camper.


3191
a great blog if you like photography.
two women. they live 3191 miles apart. they take a photo every evening (it started a few years back with mornings).
they take beautiful photographs and its amazing to see how different and yet how alike they are.

Dr. Bronner's Magic Shaving Soap Gel {green}
the idea of switching off traditional shaving cream scared me but i figured i'd take a shot. this is the first kind i've tried and i love it. it lathers up so well (and smells delicious). plus its all natural, no aerosol involved... and its lasts for months! love it. we also use their soap

Ali Edwards
still my absolute favorite blog

first work week of 2009

and its not easy getting back into the swing of things

especially when my to-do list is still fairly short which makes me highly unmotivated

add in the fact that this is my first 5 day week in what feels like a very long time

and its just not easy

but its already thursday

and with our flight to jamaica on the calendar for 2 weeks from saturday

there is a hot sunny light

at the end of this cold, windy, wintery tunnel

progress report- cultivating for the week

fitness: workouts have been going really well this week

mon: legs tues: zumba & abs wed: zumba & abs thurs: break fri: arms

need to keep on point with eating a little better, more variety of veggies

but i am eating more whole foods, more veggies and less processed stuff this week

so i am on track just want to push a little harder before bikini week

photography: i haven't taken a single photo this week, but i have used my internet skills

to find a photography workshop at the New England Institute for Photography

the classes are full for the winter, but the next sessions starts in March

so Mom and I are going to look into that when the time comes

relationships: krissy and willy are coming over for dinner tonight

our usual thursday night thing so its not like i had to go too far out of my way

but there are always reasons why its just too much or too hard to get together

so i'm especially glad they're coming over

green tip of the day: reuse

today i wanted to package up a little bag of kettlecorn to bring to work for my snack

i was out of ziploc baggies and i seem to have given away all of my small tupperware

type containers which i'd prefer to use since you can wash and reuse

but i found a better alternative that worked for me today

i'd been saving the bags that my english muffins come in

a quick rinse, or if you're lazy like me, just flip them inside out

fill with the snack of your choice

and they're plenty long enough to tie in a knot

one more use for that plastic bag makes me feel better :)

green product review

the winter seems to be particularly harsh on my skin. I'm constantly dry. itchy. its disgusting. by I've been tryiing to keep green and not revert back to my old thick, lavish skin cremes but hadn't found anything that really kept my skin well moisturized.

taking another chance with a company I am growing to love, I bought Yes to Carrot's Deliciously Rich Body Butter at Target on Saturday.

i used it for the first time this morning and i totally love it! i wasn't dry and itchy within a hour, which unfortunately seems to be the case when I use their Hand & Elbow Cream on my legs, although that product does work well for its intended purpose.

here's the Ingredient List:
Water (Aqua), Dead Sea Water (Maris Aqua), Caprylic / Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Algae Extracts (Rhodella, Dunaliella , Spirulina), Daucus Carota (Carrot) Juice, Daucus Carota (Carrot) Seed Oil, Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin) Juice, Silt (Maris Limus), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Cucumis Melo (Melon) Juice, Ipomoera Batatas (Sweet Potato) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Juice, Fragrance (Parfum), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Niacin, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Peel Extract.
*the fragrance is a no-no, but it doesn't have any of the other Level 1 and Level 2 ingredients (per Gorgeously Green) that I try to avoid.

two thumbs up from me! I think it cost about $14, but a little went a very long way and with a tube of eucerin for the same price its not exactly outrageous as far as green products go.

eco tip of the day

reuse


buying coffee that's sold in disposable cups pains me. every morning. but the kind of coffee i really enjoy isn't easily made at home... and so at least i'm comforted by the fact that the plastic cups are recyclable. and i ALWAYS recycle them (even if it means taking it home with me)

so now that winter's almost upon us, and i've been getting a hot latte in the morning. the paper cup doesn't sport the recycling arrow (though I'm wondering if it could be burnt).... nonetheless it occured to me last week that i could

reuse the cardboard hand warmer

• There's no reason you can't use this more than once
• I used mine 3 times last week
• Just slip it into the pocket of your winter coat (you can make room, they are not that big)
• The Dunkin Donuts employees will likely smile at you and thank you for using it! Mine said "I wish everyone would do this" so let's start. What do you think? So easy to do. Use a little less, throw away a little less.
• Every bit counts, and you know it :)

Skinny Bitch- Book Review & Interesting Facts

Skinny Bitch is a no-nonsense look at eating (and going green). While I didn’t realize that intent was to persuade readers to not only become vegetarian but also vegan, I must say I am impressed with how persuasive the book is.

I have never once heard a vegetarian articulate why they eat the way they do in a manner that made me think even for a second that it really was in any way worthwhile. This book did that for me. Don’t get me wrong, I am not rushing out to become a vegan or vegetarian but I am mulling over this information and trying to be thoughtful about what I put into my body. That feels good. And I think I’m probably in a better position to make healthier decisions now than in any other point in my life. I really enjoy going to the gym and working out 4+ days a week, so in keeping with that I’m also trying to fuel my body with the healthy things it needs.

This book made me realize that much of what we consider healthy also has a lot of unhealthy that goes along with it. Its appalling. Its ridiculous that companies and governments can get away with this. But they can. And the bottom line is, we have to think for ourselves and choose for ourselves.

I think for so long we do what we do because that was the way it was always done (cleaning the counter with chemicals, buying the baby shampoo our parents did). We think ‘these products must be good because these people are allowed to sell them here right?’ Not necessarily. This book points out how incestuous the relationship between government agencies and these large companies are. With all of these chemicals, hormones and other toxic substances we put on/into our bodies, it really is no surprise that cancer and other diseases are rampant in our society...

Here are some things I learned.

Be Forewarned! Some of this stuff is gross!

Coffee

• the body produces fat cells to protect its organs from the acid in coffee
• coffee is most often grown with pesticides
• caffeine affects every organ of the body

Sugar
The best alternative available in the US is agave nectar.

Stevia is not approved in the US but has been used in Japan and S. America for centuries even though it has antimicrobial properties, has no calories, no glycemic index and is safe for diabetics

Aspartame

• turns to formaldehyde in the body
• when paired with carbs it causes the brain to slow down production of seratonin (which makes you happy and balanced when at normal levels)

Aspartame (in NutraSweet & Equal)

• Approval was denied 8 times in 1973
• Despite misgivings of scientists at FDA it was approved in 1974
• Asked to undergo review process before aspartame was allowed into dry foods
• In 1977 FDA asked US attorney general to take G.D. Searle to court for misrepresenting research on aspartame. US Attorney General left his post, statue of limitations ran out—and he went to work for Searle’s law firm
• 1981 a new FDA Commissioner was appointed and 3 out of 6 scientists voted against approval the Commissioner overruled and allowed aspartame into limited number of dry goods then in 83 into beverages even when National Soft Drink Association asked for more research. Hayes, the Commissioner, left “amid charges of impropriety” and he to went to work as a consultant for Searle.

Aspartame turns to formaldehyde when digested.

Saccharin (in Sweet & Low) contains a coal-tar compound
Splenda is made by chlorinating sugar. While 98% of it is “natural” the 2% is made up of heavy metals including methanol and arsenic
Research shows that sugar substitutes may actually stimulate appetites

Protein & Meat

The body needs whole grains, fruits & veggies (fiber) to bind toxins and fat from meat together to rid them from the body. High protein diets force the kidneys to work overtime.

• Breaking down meat is more suited to carnivores who have acid in their saliva (ours is more alkaline).
• We also have very little hydrochloric acid in our stomach which is needed to break down meat. Our digestive track (kidneys, colon and liver) all ill-equipped to break down meat. Our intestines are too long which means that meat rots, decomposes and ferments in our intestinal track.
• ½ of all antibiotics made in the US each year are administered to animals, causing antibiotic resistance in the humans who eat those animals.
• Of all the toxic chemicals found in food, 95-99% come from meat, fish, dairy and eggs.
• Meat contains 14 times more pesticides than plant food
• Dairy contains 5 times more pesticides than plant food
• We need 18-60 grams of protein per day
• People in other cultures consume half the amount of protein yet they live longer, healthier lives.

Milk
Cow’s milk turns a 90lb calf into a 2,000 pound cow in 2 years!
The body needs the enzyme lactase to digest lactose in dairy. Between the age of 18 months and 4 years old, humans lose 90-95% of this enzyme.
Undigested lactose and the acidic nature of pasteurized milk encourage bacterial growth in intestines which increases the risk of cancers (which thrive in acidic conditions)
Humans are the only species who drink milk as adults.

The USDA was started in 1862 by Abraham Lincoln to help farmers organize and share ideas. Now many high rank officials are affiliated with the meat and dairy industries and the scope has changed (a major conflict of interest).

In 2003 only 20,000 cows were tested for Mad-Cow disease out of the 35 million.
NAIS is a system to identify animal’s origins (to help track down if there were issues with the meat) but participation in the program is optional.

EPA & Cows

Cows are allowed to eat corn that is modified so that it is unsafe for humans, and yet humans are allowed to eat the cows.
Rocket fuel (ammonium perchorate) ends up in water which is sucked up by crops, fed to the cows which ends up in the milk. Milk is allowed to have an amount of rocket fuel in it as along as it is within the “provisional daily dose.” Studies in Texas found that every month studied were found to be contaminated. In California, the CA Food and Agriculture Administration found that milk had 5 times the safe amount of rocket fuel.

Factory farmers only have to volunteer for EPA monitoring programs (yet they are the biggest polluters of waterways). Milk and dairy industry contributes $3.46 million in campaign contributions (mostly to Republicans).

Milk contains casein, a protein that breaks apart and releases opiates (which is why babies have that milk haze after feeding). It is found in all dairy products, but moreso in cheese, which means we can be chemically addicted to cheese.

Fats

Good fats we can’t make ourselves are Omega-3 and Omega-6. They are found in olive, sesame, canola, flaxseed and primrose oils and avocados.

Fiber

Found in whole grains (cereal, bread), brown rice, corn, barley, rye, buck wheat, millet, oats, fruit, veggies, beans and seeds

Organic Produce

In April 2004 the USDA made radical changes to National Organic Program (NOP) standards, which made it less strict. And they did so without waiting for the required waiting period for public comment, but rather announced the changes after they were made.

Organic industry is an $11 billion industry that farmers are trying to get a piece of and therefore are trying to get the USDA to change the rules.

The USDA reversed the changes in May 2004 but even when non-profit groups investigated and questioned if produce was organic, the USDA would not reveal public records even though they should have been public per the Freedom of Information Act.

What to look for in buying Organic Produce:
Do not look for organic certified by USDA
Look for Oregon Tilth, California Certified Organic Farmers, Marin Organic Certifying Agency and Demeter Certified Biodynamics

FDA

FDA approved Posilac, bovine growth hormone in 1990, never even having reviewed the findings of the drug company’s test (which linked it to prostate and thyroid cancer). Later link to insulin growth factor, which is a cancer promoter. It is banned in the EU, Canada, Japan and all the rest of the industrialized world.

Ice cream can contain up to 25 more additives than listed without even having to list them (per the FDA)

be busy --> be fit and be green

this week is exactly the opposite of what i thought it would be.
working til 6p every night i thought i would be

--over stressed
--over tired
--over worked
--under worked-out
--unhappy
--unorganized

and yet the opposite is mostly true.
don't get me wrong, i wouldn't want to do this every week, but for this week, i can't complain.

the run-down

i'm back on track with working out and it feels great!
monday: shoulders & cardio
tuesday: cardio
wednesday: biceps and triceps & 1 hour zumba class with becky at night
thursday: day off
friday: legs

i also read the book Skinny Bitch this week
its a non-fiction book written by these women who are, little did i know,
trying to get others to become vegan.
i am going to do a whole post about the amazing things i learned from that book
for now, suffice it to say. i'm being extremely conscious about what i eat
{{{with a few minor slip-ups...}}}
but being conscious about what i put into my body is good.
i feel SO much better than i did even a week ago.

back into a good rhythm and that feels great.

i'm also trying to get back on track with my Green efforts
which of course goes hand in hand with eating well :)
i found a brand of conditioner that I really like so far
i got this one
$6.99 at target
not much more than i usually spend!
and my hair is manageable and shiny! works for me.

i was also in need of some new make-up as my old Avon stuff ran out
i opted for some Physician's Formula all natural make up
and I'm really impressed with that too.

still struggling with toothpaste, deoderant, the rest of my make-up and hair products. but slowly but surely i'm getting there and i'm happy with my progress.

work
it has been a bit of a crazy week there
but
i haven't had as many meetings as i usually do
george has been confined to his office
interviewing candidate after candidate
for these new positions that will fit into
the restructured version of nursing non-clinical leadership
so he stops in every once in awhile
we get to touch base
and he answers my questions
and i can update him on stuff real time
which has worked nicely

other stuff

• got to have lunch with my friend katie who celebrated her 30th birthday today! happy birthday!
• mom sprained her ankle and fractured her left foot last saturday :( still waiting to hear what they need to do. if she tore a ligament that will mean surgery! :( poor mumma.
• talked to kris today and she has bronchitis and willy's got a fever

ok i guess that's enough for now.

tootles! adeu!

Your Green Education for the Day

care of Seventh Generation...

got this from their latest newsletter
(I bolded some of the especially eye-opening ones)

• Average number of pounds of paper used annually by every American: 680
• Number of trees required by every American to meet their yearly demand for paper and wood products: 7
• Percent of the U.S. waste stream composed of paper (by weight): 35
• Gallons of petroleum saved by recycling one ton of paper: 380
• Number of trees saved by recycling one ton of household printing paper: 24
• Number of annual pounds of carbon dioxide absorbed by those 24 trees: 353
• Cost equivalent of flood protection provided by U.S. coastal wetlands: $23 billion
• Medium estimate of the annual value of all the goods and services provided by nature: $33 trillion
• Annual output of the total world economy: $44 trillion
• Percent increase in U.S. socially responsible investment funds from 1995-2005: 300
• Value of all socially responsible investments in the U.S.: $2.29 trillion
• Reduction in the estimated value of a single human life by the current EPA administration: $820,000
• Percent increase in the incidence of cancer, adjusted for median age, from 1972 to 1999: 24
• Percentage of American women who will face cancer at some point in their lifetime: 39
• Percentage of American men who will face cancer at some point in their lifetime: 44
• Estimated number of synthetic chemicals currently in production: 80,000
• Approximate number of approval applications for new chemicals received by the EPA each year: 2,000
• Percent of all chemicals for which human and environmental safety tests have yet to be performed: 90
• Amount of equivalent human energy contained in 10-1/2 gallons of petroleum: 4 years of hard labor
• Approximate total amount of wind energy released by a typical hurricane: 1.5 x 10^12 watts
• Approximate total amount of current global electrical generating capacity: 3 x 10^12 watts
• Estimated amount of global ocean wave energy recoverable using current technologies: 7.5 x 10^14 watts
• Percent of total world energy output consumed in the United States: 26
  Percent U.S. energy demand grows each year: 3
• Approximate percent of additional energy needed to wash clothes in 140° water vs. 104° water: 100
• Percent increase in U.S. water use per person since 1950: 127
• Number of gallons of water wasted by a leaky faucet dripping once per second: 2,700

life is busy

but good busy

my day yesterday
up at 5:30a
train to work
work until 3:45p
gym
10 minutes on the elliptical
biceps and triceps (owie! but effective)
train home, reading my new book
stop & shop for groceries
home
put groceries away
clean out fridge
old lettuce, carrots, taco salad, oranges into strainer and into the woods
(no composting method yet- so we let the animals enjoy our leftovers)
ate dinner with dan
rotisserie chicken (easy!) and rice
chopped up my fruit for snacks at work
while dan fixed the lazy susan
amy, ray, ben and bella came by to say hello
they're here visiting for the week because ray was supposed to be away on business
so nice to see them! the kids are getting SO big. ray ray's voice is changing! AHH!
finished the veggies
made my salad for work
took a shower
tidied up the laundry room
packed my gym bag
uploaded and edited pictures of riley from sunday
went to bed around 9:30p

phew! what a day. busy busy
still no time for scrapping
which is driving me slightly crazy
but it was a good, productive day
with a nice, unexpected visit
and i've been sleeping like a baby... think its the
back-to-the-gym effect.
either way, i'm loving it.

Today will be more low-key.
Post office after work.
then.......
out to dinner {Girls Night Style} for
Grammy's Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR GRAMMY!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

a little goes a long way

When I got on the plane to Florida this past April, I was pleasantly surprised to have some decent in-flight reading material (supplied by Delta).

Somehow I hadn't heard about this "Earth Hour" on March 29th (which at that point I'd already missed), but the article had some great, eye-opening facts about how a little goes a long way.

To give proper credit this article is by Jim Hackler in the March 2008 edition of Sky [by Delta]

If you think changing small things in your own life won't make a difference. Think again.

• If the thermostats in every house in America were lowered 1 degree Fahrenheit during the winter, the nation would save 230 million barrels of crude oil- enough to fill an oil taker 400 times. (That's the amount of oil being imported into the United States from Iraq each year).
• If every American switched to receiving just one bill as an electronic statement instead of a paper one, the one-time savings would be 217,800,000 sheets- enough to completely blanket the island of Key West in a single layer of paper.
• If 1 quart of leftover paint was recycled from every renovation project in America this year (10 percent of all the house paint purchased in the United States is typically thrown out), it would reclaim 2.5 million gallons- enough to paint the White House every year for the next 43 centuries, or to paint San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge 250 times.
• One out of every 3 pounds of the waste that Americans generate is just for the packaging, which each year adds up to 77 million tons- enough to fill the Lousiana Superdome in New Orleans 37 times.
• If every newspaper reader in the United States recycled just one typical Sunday paper, he or she could help create 212 million pounds of cellulous insulation- enough to insulate 118,767 Habitat for Humanity houses. That's nearly twice as many houses as all the Habitat homes built in America so far.
• If every American collected 1 gallon of water once a week while waiting for the shower or bathwater to get hot (and use it to water your houseplants!), the total saved would be 15.8 billion gallons of water a year- enough to fill the Reflecting Pool at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., 2,338 times.
• One hour of using a gas-operated leaf blower produces the same amount of greenhouses gases as a car driving 4,400 miles- that's a round trip from Salt Lake City to New York City.
• One soft drink recycled by each elementary school student in America would save 24.8 million cans. That would be enough aluminum to create 21 Boeing 737 airplanes.
• Replacing just one 500-sheet roll of virgin toilet paper a year with one 500-sheet roll of 100 percent recycled toilet paper in every American household would leave 424,000 trees standing- 16 times as many trees as in New York City's Central Park.

jinxed myself

wow, just looking back to see when i last blogged
10 days ago
welcoming august
talking about how normal things were
and how absolutely happy i was with that

and that was the jinx
within 12 hours of that post
i was coughing
thought it was a tickle
an allergy
but nope
but sunday (@ work- even better) i sounded like a smoker
with the hack i'd developed
went home to rest and that was the end of it

i spent the entire week in a fog of nyquil=
the nighttime, sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, fever,
best-sleep-you-ever-got-with-a-cold medicine
and sure the sleep was good, but that's about all i did

that and watch tv
which is soo horribly boring
and would have been even more so if not for a few decent movies
and the new Planet Green network

love Emeril's new show and how he makes healthy meals quickly, all while showing me how to use some of the products i'm intrigued by at Whole Foods {but have no idea how to use}

G Word is pretty cool too despite its corny hosts. some of the features are downright fascinating-- like the one about how human hair is being donated to make into hair mats to clean up after oil spills. what a great idea that is! and what's better? it works!! AND instead of burning the oil and releasing the gases into the air after its sucked up--- with this way, the hair mats can actually be composted and organisms actually metabolize the oil and turn into mushrooms which (they're still testing to be sure) can be eaten!!! talk about simple, back to basics thinking.

well now i'm back at work
starting another week
not making any comments on how i think it will go
we'll just wait and see.

on the docket:

• dan's brother dave's 22nd birthday is today. happy birthday dave! see you guys for pizza tonight
• tomorrow's my last tuesday of babysitting will. summer classes are ending for kris and the fall will bring a new schedule. but we're already cooking up another fun weekly date-- and this time i should get to see krissy as well! hooray.
• another busy weekend ahead. uncle nicky's mass, michelle's baby shower {TWINS!} and joannie and joe's anniversary party!

other fun stuff:

• megg, tom and oisin are HOME (emelyn has been here for a few weeks already)!!! i got to meet sweet little (not so little at almost 13 lbs) Oisin. he's such a boy. already. barely looking like a baby. he's so strong, already holding his head up. good natured and ready to smile. and handsome. he looks a lot like emelyn but with more of tom's looks mixed in. he's gorgeous. got to see them at their welcome home party on saturday and again at mom's pool on sunday [what a prize i was, still sick and trying to avoid the babies as much as possible so as not to pass on my germs, but still socialize. yeah. fun]
• i have some pics from yesterday (you know i was sick when i didn't even bring my camera to megg's welcome home party!!!)

ok i'm the only one manning the fort at work today. and i need to go take advantage of the peace and quiet to get the mounds of work i have waiting for me done.

so have a good day.... hopefully more posts this week!

saturday simplicity

After the commuting woes of the work week, Saturday morning was ready to greet me and treat me to a little extra happiness. I awoke around 8am and cuddled with Dan for a little bit before easing out of the most comfortable bed ever created. I ate my cereal, banana and juice with my feet up on the recliner catching up on the week’s events and then nuzzling with Stinger before putting her outside. It was a beautiful morning still cool but sunny. I sat on the front steps still in my nightgown, finishing my banana and breathing the fresh air. Stinger ran off to play and I walked towards the woods to our unofficial compost bin (nature’s best). As I looked to my left I saw a huge, gorgeous doe staring at me, not moving a muscle. Just watching me as intently as I was watching her. She was so peaceful and calm, not in any hurry to jet off. In fact, it wasn’t until I continued my slow walk towards the woods about a minute later that she finally dashed away.

I came back inside excited to start the day. After all the commotion of moving and the ins and outs, the house needed a good cleaning. I swept the floors, cleaned the counters, the stove and the fridge- and then it was time for the exciting part- making my own cleaners for the first time. I've been taking baby steps in this whole green process and after at least a month of hemming and hawing i finally bought this kit. The bottles have fill-lines that make it easy to mix. You supply baking soda, vinegar, water and olive oil and they give you the rest. I used the all-purpose cleaner in the fridge and the bathroom and it worked great (and smelled great too).

[eco tip of the day: use vinegar to clean the toilet. pour it in (about a half cup) let it sit for about 10 minutes. spritz in your all-purpose cleaner, scrub-a-dub-dub and flush. say goodbye to odors!!!]

Ater cleaning, I showered and set out to Holly Hill Farm on Jeruselem Road in Cohasset (I scoped it out on fri and got lost! oops). A local, organic farm just a few minutes away? Yes, it was definitely on list of places to visit. I arrived shortly after they open at 11am hoping to get a good selection. As it turns out, their regular customers all seem to arrive slightly before 11a, so I missed out on some snap peas and blueberries I spied in other shoppers' bags.

I browsed through the flowers and herbs, picked out some fresh salad greens, zucchini and summer squash and a cucumber, chatted with the kind lady in the flower shop part of the barn, and eventually made my way to the cashier. He put my veggies on an old-fashioned scale, got the approximate weight and added the prices aloud until he arrived at my total. I hanged him my cash and we exchanged pleasantries before I headed out into the sunny yard (to peek at the chickens before I headed home). There were kids and moms putting on their helmets, ready to ride their bikes home, children chasing the farm dogs around the yard, adults talking about their own gardens, new recipes and summer plans. Needless to say, Holly Hill Farms is one of my new favorite places. Locally grown organic food, friendly faces and a real community of people with common interests and ideals.

I drove away happier with the course of events in my life that brought me to this place, to this day. I wound slowly through the winding streets, car on battery as I slowerd to let bikers wind their way through town. No one in any particular rush to move beyond the trees, the ocean, the sand that ambled by us........ and what's better- I didn't get lost on the way home! :)