Change The World Wednesday

Welcome! If you're new to our challenges, please click HERE for the rules and a few tips & ideas.

I loved last week's challenge ... collecting our garbage for a week was a great way to measure our progress. Now that we're aware of how much we toss ... maybe we can find ways to reduce it.

Let's see how our Honor Society did:

EcoGrrl is way ahead of most with reducing garbage ... in her area trash is picked up once a month.

Brian's local landfill takes garbage for free on the last Thursday of the month. So he and his family try to reduce their trash.

Gigi joined our challenge and, in her article, she talked about last week's challenge to twist off light bulbs.

John at Cell Phone Recycling dropped by and offered his support to educating our youth to the impact our actions have on the earth.

Ange came by and talked about all kinds of ways to reduce ... not just trash but food and electricity, as well. She also wrote a very positive article called To Change One's Life ...

Green Colored Glasses, from Through Green Colored Glasses, stopped in and reminded us that little steps add up.

Kelli dropped in. Her family has reduced their trash to fill only 1/2 of a bag a week. Way to go, Kelli!

Argentum Vulgaris shared a fun "tangent" with us in his Change The World Wednesday post. AV always brings joy and laughter to our lives.

Le-Chat has cut her trash down ... in fact, she sees most garbage as usable material. Take a look at her creative use of "trash" in an article entitled "Free Yarn".

Mrs. Green accepted the challenge but she's way ahead of the game. She and her family decided not to use curbside pickup in 2009 and have yet to fill an entire trash bin. Wow! She points out, in her Change The World Wednesday post that paying attention to purchases is the place to start.

Elizabeth Barrette stopped in and in her post called "So Much Garbage" she asks us to consider all the aspects of garbage, including what happens to it. She offers us a calculator so that we can determine if we're walking gently on the earth or tromping around in clown shoes.

Rewinn took a hard look at his garbage and the very clever result is Growing Mr. Scrubby.

Ann, from My Thoughts and Photos, came by ... her post included some wonderful photos of Paradise Ducks.

As always, our Honor Society adds so much to our challenges.

Are you ready for more? I know that you are! Here we go:

Since this is such a busy time of year for many of us, I've decided to temporarily discontinue our weekly challenges ... actually, I'm going to take a break from regular blogging as well. Instead, today starts a much longer challenge ... it begins today and will run until the first Wednesday in January, when we'll pick things back up. Are you intrigued?

In the next week, take a look at your energy use. You can do this by looking at your last bill or going to your provider's website and looking at your usage history. Make a note of how many kilowatt-hours (kWh) you used in the last billing cycle. Then, between now and January 6th, put all of our energy saving ideas into play and reduce that number. In January, our first challenge will be about how much we were able to save and how we did it.

There is no second level to this challenge because, even for those who have reduced their usage as far as they believe they can go, I think we can search hard and save just a bit more. It's worth a try, right?

Okay ... that's it for this time ... I've Stumbled and Tweeted your articles about last week's challenge. And I'd like to invite you all to come back on November 27th for the unveiling of our Winter Shopping Extravaganza ... a directory of handmade shops.

WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!

We're heading into the kitchen ...

With Thanksgiving later this week, many people are getting ready to cook a family feast. If your celebration is anything like mine, the meal will be abundant ... and that means using practically every pot and pan in the house.

Before we start stirring, simmering and baking ... let's talk about our cookware and find out which options are safe and Eco-friendly.

Non-Stick Pans (Teflon & Silverstone)

You've heard me say this before ... whenever a product offers "convenience", it bears further investigation. In this case, non-stick pans are definitely convenient ... less fat is required to cook most foods and the clean-up is easy. But, the synthetic coating used to create that slick surface (PFOA) is a known toxin and carcinogen in animals. In some studies, it has been linked to birth defects, cancer and infertility in humans. Most experts will say that, when used properly, there's no danger. So ... how many of us know what "used properly" means? I sure didn't. It means never scratching the surface because that releases the PFOA into the food. It also means never using higher than a medium heat because at higher temperatures, the PFOA releases gases into the air which causes flu-like symptoms called polymer-fume fever. My conclusion on non-stick pans is that, if possible, replace them. If you have them, be sure to read the manufacturers recommendations for use and use them properly.

Aluminum Cookware

Aluminum pans are usually inexpensive and lightweight. They are thermal responsive, meaning that they heat up fast. The problem with these pans is that they react with acidic and/or salty foods (tomatoes, sauerkraut, etc.) causing the formation of aluminum salts which get into the food (and our bodies). These salts have been associated with impaired visual motor coordination and Alzheimer’s disease (although that hasn't been definitively proven). As with non-stick pans, I would pass on these. If one wishes to use them, however, be sure that there aren't any dings or nicks in them ... the more beat up these pans are, the more chance of aluminum contamination. Don't cook acidic or highly salted foods in them and never use them as storage devices.

Anodized Aluminum

The surface coating of these pans (aluminum oxide) is very hard and non-reactive. Basically the aluminum is sealed, preventing any exposure to food. It doesn't react with acidic and/or salty foods so is considered safe to use. Calphalon is probably the best known of these pans. But, when buying them, be sure they are, indeed, anodized aluminum and not one of their non-stick varieties.

Stainless Steel

These pans are created by mixing steel, chromium and nickel. The result is a tough, corrosion resistant pan that is easy to clean. It is considered safe, however, one should not use abrasive materials to clean these pans because doing so may loosen and release small amounts of metals. While a bit of nickel is not poisonous, it can cause allergic reactions in some people.

Cast Iron

Most chefs, who have learned to cook with Cast Iron, swear by it. It holds the heat well, cooks evenly and, if cared for properly, is easy to clean. It also has an added benefit by providing us with an important nutrient ... iron. The only caution with cast iron cookware is that, if not maintained properly, rust can accumulate ... and rust is not something we want in our food. So, proper maintenance is important with these pans.

Glass and Ceramic Cookware

Glass cookware doesn't react to food and is considered safe to use. Ceramic cookware is also a good option provided that lead wasn't used in the glaze.


The general rule for most cookware is to use it according to the manufacturers directions and keep it in good shape. Doing so will provide us with cookware that lasts a long time and is safe to use!

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

A Joyous Diversion ...

Celebration ... a joyous diversion!

Isn't that a wonderful definition? People, throughout time, have taken brief respites from their lives to celebrate ... to come together and observe something bigger than themselves. We focus on special foods and spending time with friends and family. Often there are traditional ceremonies to observe and sometimes gifts are exchanged. Typically, to further divert our attention to the joyous ... we decorate our homes.

Seasonal decorating is big business. Turn on the television and you're bound to see advertisements for holiday adornments. Walk into any store and you'll be greeted with decorations of all sorts. The trouble is, most of those things aren't very earth friendly. The unfortunate truth is that celebrations, of any kind, typically generate a lot of waste.

So, in preparation for the the upcoming holidays, here are a few ideas for decorating ... in an Eco-friendly way:

• Use cornstalks, pumpkins and bales of hay to create a fall scene.
  
  
• Make a scarecrow (use burlap, straw, old hats and clothes) and let him greet visitors to your home.
  
  
• Collect colorful fall leaves to decorate a table or fill a vase.
  
  
• Display gourds of all sizes, shapes and colors.
  
  
• Use baskets ... fill them or simply display them at odd angles.
  
  
• Make a cornucopia.
  
  
• Use bunches of deep red grapes to decorate a table or place them around bottles of wine on the bar.
  
  
• Pick beautiful apples, arrange them in your nicest bowl and use them as a centerpiece for meals with friends and family.
  
  
• Bring colorful container plants indoors or arrange them around an entry (chrysanthemums, flowering cactus, ornamental kale, flowering cabbage, dusty miller, etc.).
  
  
• Make a wreath from natural products (pine cones, Rosemary, thyme, sage and berries).
  
  
• Decorate a mantle with a natural garland made from evergreens.
  
  
• Don't forget our feathered friends ... fill the nooks and crannies of pine cones with peanut butter, press in bird seed, and hang in a tree. It'll not only make the birds happy, it'll make any tree look festive.
  
  
• Use fresh produce from the farmer's market as decoration. Pomegranates, oranges and walnuts make lovely center pieces.
  
  
• Does Holly grow in your area? Snip a little for mantles or to place around candles.
  
  
• Speaking of candles, opt for soy candles which are much better for the earth.
  
  
• For those who decorate a tree, use strings of popcorn, small pine cones and cranberries for natural beauty.
  
  
• Make a Gingerbread House.
  
  
• Does it snow in your area? Build a snowman.
  
  
• Are holiday lights a must? Use LED lights. And rather than stringing lights, of any kind, on the outside of your house, string them on the inside, around windows. Any heat created by the bulbs won't be lost.
  
  
• Let food be a decoration. Cookies, candies and holiday breads, displayed in festive dishes, add warmth to any celebration.

Being kind to the earth ... now that's truly part of a joyous diversion!

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

Change The World Wednesday

How did you do on last week's challenge to twist off light bulbs? Hopefully we raised our awareness and learned that we don't really need all that light.

Speaking of raising our awareness, this week's challenge is about exactly that. It comes from one of our newest readers, River221, a 13-year old whose Geography teacher asked the class to try this out. Here's how it goes:

This week, collect your garbage rather than toss it out. Continue to compost and recycle, but rather than take your bag of "real" garbage to the dumpster or put it out for collection ... keep it. At the end of the week, take a look at how much you've collected and consider ways to reduce it. This should truly open our eyes to the amount of waste in our lives.

Since this is something which we all can do, there won't be a second half to this challenge. But ... if you write about it, be sure to let me know and I'll Stumble and Tweet it. And by the way, if you'd like to Tweet about this challenge, please use the hashtag #ctww.

Let's take a look at our Honor Society:

Brian, from The New Author, stopped by and shared how he not only twists off bulbs but actually changes fixtures in his house to use less.

EcoGrrl from EcoGrrl Speaks reminded us to use daylight when it's available and to resist the automatic reflex to turn on a light when entering the room. Good tip, EcoGrrl!

Elizabeth Barrette wrote Choosing the Right Light. And from our Zero Food Waste challenge she wrote, Avoid Wasting Food. Both articles are well worth the read.

Kate from The Holdfast Seeker dropped in. She simply doesn't replace burnt out bulbs in her bathroom and has found she can live with only two.

Ange came by and offered us some great ideas (LEDs and candles) and offered to send Elizabeth Barrette (and I suppose anyone) instructions on how to fix a light socket. She also wrote Fill your paper.

Our friend, John, from I have dreams came by. He shared that he has twisted off bulbs and reminded us to simply turn lights off when they aren't needed.

Better Man from Becoming a Better Person stopped in. Thanks, Better Man, for the award!

Mrs. Green wrote about our challenge at Little Green Blog. She also told us that she couldn't participate in this challenge because, in her house, they only use solar powered LEDs. Way to go, Mrs. Green!

Rewinn joined in and said that the "simple act of looking over the fixtures while unscrewing a bulb suggested other ideas" which he wrote about in Dusting Lightbulbs for Fun and Profit.

Eemilla was here and wrote How Many Light Bulbs Do You Need.

River221 joined us for the first time and offered us this week's challenge. Thanks, River221 ... and by the way, if you leave a link to your blog, we'll stop by and give it a read.

From Ann we got this Save The World Wednesday post.

Le-Chat came by and wrote My Seventies Bathroom.

As always ... our Honor Society did a brilliant job.

That's it for this week!

Are you ready? All together now ...

WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!

Field Trip ...

I woke up this morning to beautiful blue skies. The sun is shining and the birds are singing. It's a perfect day ... a perfect day for a field trip.

Would you like to go with me? I promise it will be fun!! I've even arranged for an Eco-friendly bus ... so you won't need to worry about driving.

Want to join me? Okay ... let's go!

Bring your things because we won't be coming back here today. And then, when you're ready, climb aboard.

We're off (click on the bus):

America Recycles Day - November 15th

November 15th is "America Recycles Day". According to the National Recycling Coalition, it "is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products". While their focus is on recycling in the U.S., we at Reduce Footprints open it up and encourage everyone, worldwide, to participate.

So, to get started I have two easy tasks for you:

First, watch the video entitled "The Story of Stuff". It's a brilliant video about the lifespan of ... well ... stuff. In a very entertaining way, the video will open your eyes about how stuff is produced, how it affects the earth and what we can do. Sit back, relax and when you're ready ... click on this picture:





Wasn't that great!

Okay, on to #2:

Visit the "America Recycles Day" site and browse around. You'll find good information on recycling and there is a page where you can step up your efforts in a more formal way. Are you ready? Here you go:





Recycling is one of the cornerstones of living a green life. It saves money, it's easy ... and it's really good for the earth.

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

Change The World Wednesday

Welcome to another episode of Change The World Wednesday! This week we're going to experiment with lighting and discover another way to cut back on our energy use. Here's the challenge:

In most homes there are multiple light bulbs used to light a single area. For example, bathrooms usually have a row of vanity lights ... ceiling fans often have three or more light bulbs ... and kitchens typically have quite a few lights (over the sink, over the table, over the center of the room, etc.). So, this week, twist off all but one bulb in each area and see if it works for you. If one bulb isn't enough light, twist on a second ... or a third. The idea, here, is to experiment a little, use only the amount of light that is truly necessary, and save a lot. So, twist them off!

OR ...

If you've already twisted off as many light bulbs as possible, then please write a post about all the easy ways that we can reduce our energy use.

I think this challenge will be enlightening.

Last week we focused on eliminating food waste. So ... how did you do? Let's see how our Honor Society did:

Waylandcook, from The Wayland Springs Cook, shared that food not eaten by her family gets "composted, fed to the dogs, or to the hogs and chickens".

Tito Dutta, of Songs and Poetries, offered support and kind words.

EcoGrrl from EcoGrrl Speaks stopped by with some great suggestions.

Mrs. Green wrote a wonderful article about how NOT to waste food. Read her article HERE.

Kathryn Magendie of Virginia Kate Sagas stopped by and shared how GMR has gotten better about reducing perishable waste.

Eemilla stopped by and shared a "triple dose" with us.

Our bloggy friend, Alyona K., shared some wonderful ideas with us.

Plainolebob, from Just kicken it around, dropped by.

Le-Chat shared one of her favorite ways to reduce food waste in an article entitled "Look What I Found: My Frying Pan (including recipe)".

Envirovet stopped by with some very nice comments.

Argentum Vulgaris dropped in and gave us a Progress Report. Nice tomatoes, AV!

Ann came by and shared how she uses a bit of psychology to get kids to eat up.

Thanks to everyone who stopped in and participated!

Just a reminder ... everyone who leaves a comment will be included in the Honor Society. In addition, if you write an article (and let me know that you did), I'll Stumble it and Tweet about it ... hopefully we can spread the word and bring traffic to your site.

That's it for this week ... thanks for stopping by! And remember:

WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!

How To End Food Waste ...

Our current Change The World Wednesday challenge, which is still in effect and can be viewed HERE, asks us NOT to waste food. It seems easy enough but, as some of you may have already found out, we sometimes toss bits and bites of food without even thinking about it. There's the bit of food left on plates or the few leftover bites of last night's dinner ... or maybe there's the trimmed pieces of fruits and vegetables that we don't want included in the dish. They seem insignificant but ... if tossed, they add up to a lot of waste ... unnecessary waste because they can be used.

Today, as I was wandering around the Internet, I came across 50 Ways to Never Waste Food Again by Planet Green. They list some wonderful ways to eliminate food waste. For example, number 19 suggests that, rather than toss out watermelon rinds, we pickle them. Number 24 talks about the broken pieces of pasta in the bottom of the box and asks that we "collect them and mix with rice and veggies for a simple side dish". And number 41 offers a great way to freeze herbs for future use.

So my tip for today is easy ... head over to Planet Green and take a look at their suggestions. I'm sure you'll find some interesting ideas and additional ways to end food waste!

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

Vegan Recipe - Curried Lentils

Several years ago, we discovered Udipi cuisine which is vegetarian food from the Udipi (or Udupi) District in the Indian state of Karnataka. The food is spicy and delicious. Inspired by the exotic flavors, I created this lentil dish which is wonderful on cool fall evenings. I hope you and your family will enjoy it as much as we do.



Curried Lentils


Ingredients

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 Onion, diced
2 Large Garlic Cloves, diced
1/2 Jalapeno Pepper, diced (remove seeds for less heat)
1/4 Green Pepper, diced
2 teaspoons Curry Powder
1/2 teaspoon Ginger
1 cup Brown Lentils (rinsed)
1/2 cup chopped Cilantro
1 can diced Tomatoes
3 cups Water
Salt & Pepper (to taste)


Method

1. Sauté the onion, garlic, Jalapeno and green pepper in the olive oil until vegetables are translucent (about 10 minutes).
   
   
2. Add the curry and ginger and cook for another minute (to bring out the flavors).
   
   
3. Add all remaining ingredients, except salt and pepper, and simmer (covered) for 30-45 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
   
   
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

• To create a lentil soup, just add more water.
• Fresh mint works as a wonderful garnish on this dish.
• Serve with fresh Naan Bread

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

Change The World Wednesday

Welcome to Change The World Wednesday! If you're new here, please check out the idea behind these challenges and the "rules" HERE.

Last week we challenged ourselves to fix and/or maintain our cars because a properly running vehicle is one that minimizes it's environmental impact. Our Honor Society took the challenge to heart ... take a look:

Art Ist at One A Day took our car out for a little TLC.

Mrs. Green joined in and wrote Change The World Wednesday - Week 8. As I browsed her site, I saw that she wrote another article which I think fits in nicely: Debate about public transport versus private. And she sent an update from the previous challenge on buying recycled products here: Update on Change The World Wednesday.

Sinclair was here and wrote Change The World Wednesday.

Argentum Vulgaris joined us and wrote Change The World Wednesday.

Ange from Signed by Ange participated.

Better Man from Becoming the best person I can be stopped by.

Barry dropped in. He's from An Explorer's View of Life.

Kobus1, from Look What I Found, gave her bike a little TLC. Now that's green transportation!

Kate joined us and wrote Drive Smart = save gas = save planet.

Great job everyone! I've Stumbled and Tweeted your articles. And, I hope you'll click on the Stumble button at the end of this post and tweet about this challenge using the hashtag #ctww ... it will help us spread the word.

Okay ... on to a brand new challenge. This one came from our bloggy friend, Ange, who writes a wonderful blog called Signed by Ange. In a note she said "A tip for next week (one that is close to my heart): ZERO food wastage! Get into creative cooking with left overs and only buying what we need to feed the family. Often we have more in the pantry than we realize! And for Mums - that doesn't mean we have to eat the kids' leftovers off their plates ;-)".

So let's take her up on that challenge:

This week, don't waste any food. Buy only what is needed for your family. If you cook more than what's necessary, get creative with left-overs. If left-overs don't appeal to your family, cook only enough for one meal. Don't toss out any food ... and don't let it spoil in the refrigerator. Zero Food Waste!

OR ..

If you're already a zero food waste chef, then share some of your more creative meals in a post.

Thanks, Ange, for this challenge ... I think it's going to be fun!

That's it for this week. And remember ...

WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!