Change The World Wednesday

Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW). If you're new, please click HERE to read all about this weekly activity.

Last week our friend Kris, of Outwardly Pleasant, suggested that we share information about composting. I really liked this challenge because it gave those of us who compost an opportunity to talk about it (and learn from each other), and gave those who don't compost plenty of information to get started. Let's see how our Honor Society did:

EcoGrrl gave us a lot of great information about composting. Did you know that butter cube paper and small amounts of oil are compostable? I didn't! And, she shares that the composted soil doesn't have to be completely "done" ... a few bits and pieces of decomposing matter around your plants will be okay. Thanks, EcoGrrl!! By the way, EcoGrrl recently posted a great picture diary of her year ... it is fun and joyful ... and you can read it HERE.

In this POST, Kris talks about the pros and cons of several composting bins including trash cans on wheels and paint buckets. Can you guess what she finally decided on? No ... I'm not telling ... but she says she's giddy about getting started.

Our friend, Maurie, dropped in. From a previous challenge about gifts from the closet, she offers Giving in a Different Light. It is a wonderful piece which suggests, among other things, that we give from a place of peace ... isn't that lovely? Thanks, Maurie ... and your new blog is just great!

In How To Make Dirt, Inge' offers a lot of information about bins and composting. She uses both a hand-built bin and a commercial bin ... and reveals which she likes better and why. She also talks about composting various items which I hadn't thought about ... so be sure to head over and give her article a read.

Coffee Table Poetry (@coffeetablepoet) gave us a nice spot in her publication called Coffee Table Poetry Musings. In addition to our challenge, she features pieces on Festivus (a secular holiday celebrated on December 23), the most engaging books of 2010, and a piece on a plush blue Dachshund named Eliza. Thanks, CTP!

Cinella wants to start composting and has everything she needs to get started. However, she's wondering if she can do it all by herself. I'd say ... sure thing, Cinella ... you can do it! She also posted a video update of our challenge about gifts from the closet HERE. Sometimes our challenges have amazing results ... and that's how I feel about this video. Thanks, Cinella, for letting us join you as you gave your daughter a most precious gift from your closet.

T.Rusk4u stopped by. She and her husband tried composting but a huge nest of wasps decided to make the compost pile their home. Unfortunately, when her husband went to turn the contents of the bin, he got stung multiple times. Has anyone else had problems like this and/or suggestions for preventing unwanted insects? Thanks, TR, for sharing your story ... sorry that it didn't work out for you!

Mrs. Green shared Six things you never knew you could compost. I have to admit that she includes a couple of items that I never considered. Here's a hint ... one item accumulates in a bag ... another item accumulates in a brush. Thanks Mrs. Green!

From our challenge to gift from the closet, Ann suggests that a gift can "change the world". For example, her church offers handmade items, helping the small business person ... and her friend asks that her children give her a goat which will be given to a family in Africa. It's a great reminder that gifts can do more than please the receiver ... they can truly change the world. In this POST, Ann once again offers her readers a link to our challenge and she talks about fishing and depleting the oceans. Thanks, Ann!

Have you ever heard of "poo" smelling earthy and rich? Jenni, from Domestic Efforts, talks about worm composting (vermiculture) in this POST ... and she not only says that worm "poo" smells good ... she says it is gorgeous! It's fascinating and encourages me to give it a try. Thanks, Jenni!

ReWinn gives us an update on his Lazy Efficient Man's Compost Heap HERE. He brings up a good point ... the exact balance of green and brown materials isn't vital. He simply gives his compost a toss, now and then, and adds whatever is needed. Hey ReWinn ... I think it's a great idea to suggest composting at your next block party. A whole neighborhood composting ... imagine indeed!

Thanks to everyone who contributed information this week ... I learned a lot! If you wrote a post, I've Stumbled, Tweeted and Facebooked it.

Our #CTWW Gang was busy this week, tweeting about our challenge using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're on twitter, these are great folks to follow:

@learnfromnature
@myzerowaste
@cjrthemommyblog
@dpixel
@accessorygal
@recyclecraft
@gardengurlie86
@traffordeco
@johnthurm
@foodlinknw
@coffeetablepoet
@reneeandsharon
@waylandcook

Wow ... that's a lot of chatter about Change The World Wednesday! And once again you prove that small efforts can make a difference!

Okay ... ready for something new? Since everyone is busy with the holidays, and because I'll be spending time with my family in the Pacific Northwest, this week's challenge will begin today and end on January 12th. With the cold temperatures that many of us are experiencing, I'm guessing that this challenge will, indeed, be a challenge. Here you go:

This month, find and enjoy local foods. Research what items are local in your area and then incorporate them into your family meals. Let us know (through a post or comments on this challenge) how you found local foods, which items are available in your area, and how you used them.

I'm not including a part two to this challenge because ... this is something we can all do. Are you up for the challenge?? If you need a bit of help, and live in the USA, check my side bar for links to Sustainable Table. And here's a hint to help you along ... local does not necessarily mean fresh.

I wish you all a wonderful holiday season ...
and a very Happy New Year!!

For the last time this year .... please join me in our mantra ....

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

"See" you all in 2011!

Making Dirt is Easy ...

Our current challenge is about composting, specifically the "how-to" of composting, so I thought I'd share my experiences and thoughts on the process with you. As some of you know, I live in an apartment and have a small patio where I grow herbs and vegetables each summer. After several years of spending money on potting soil, seeds and plant food ... and not really getting a bumper crop ... I decided it was time to try my hand at composting. I was hesitant because I thought that composting was messy and smelled ... two things which wouldn't be convenient during the summer when the patio door is left open. But ... I write a blog about green living so ... how could I NOT give it a try.

As with everything I try out, I started with a bit of research. That, in itself, was daunting because the information I found suggested that creating the perfect balance of dry matter to wet matter, and providing the perfect environment for microbial activity, took careful planning and precise action. Some articles said that I'd need to sprinkle certain compounds on the pile ... some said that I'd need to carefully measure the temperature so as not to cook the microbial "critters". The more that I read, the more disheartened I became ... it seemed that composting was a lot of work!

In reality, composting is easy! I started with a 10-gallon plastic planter ... you know the ones ... they are the containers which trees and bushes are planted in at nurseries. I tossed in a few inches of soil. The veggie bits and scraps came next covered by a couple of inches of dry matter (dried leaves, shredded newspaper, etc.). Another couple of inches of soil on top finished the bin. I covered the bin with a plastic bag (Eco-friendly, of course) and let it sit. When I had a container full of veggie scraps to take out, I stirred the bin, layered the scraps, dry matter and another couple of inches of soil ... and, again, let it sit. When one bin was full, we started another.

In the spring, a rather amazing thing happened ... all of the veggie scraps had disappeared and in their place ... rich, dark soil. I didn't need to buy soil ... didn't need to buy fertilizer ... and that year, we had the best tomatoes ever.

I've been composting ever since. Here are a few tips and thoughts:

• Covering the compost bin is important if it is near your patio or an area which is frequently used. Composting materials do smell and bugs, an important element to decomposition, can be annoying.
  
  
• Shredded toilet paper rolls make excellent dry material. They are made from trees (carbohydrates) and microbial critters, bugs, etc. love them.
  
  
• During rainy days, worms find their way to our patio and walkway. Typically, they crawl to a dry space and die. So ... we save their lives. We wrangle them up and place them in the compost bin. They get a dry environment with three "squares" a day ... and we get compost. By the way, when I recently opened my original bin, nice fat worms were munching on a sweet potato.
  
  
• It isn't necessary to sort out any "left-over" veggie matter when using the newly composted soil ... think of it as added nutrition for your plants. They will continue to benefit as the items decompose.
  
  
• While composting in the winter is a slower process (those critters prefer to be warm and cozy), it does continue. So compost all year long.
  
  
• When planting, add some dry matter to the planter. I add a layer of leaves to the bottom half of the planting area, top with soil and then add seeds or plants. The dry matter keeps young plants warm and, once they are established, provides nutrients.
  
  
• Many things are compostable. We prefer plant matter and never compost cooked items. In my opinion, composting animal products and/or cooked foods invites bad smells and undesirable animals.
  
  
• Composted soil can be used for planting container gardens, mixing into larger, outdoor gardens, sprinkling around existing plants and trees, planting indoor plants and sprinkling over lawns.

Composting is truly turning trash into treasure. It doesn't take precise actions or day-to-day monitoring ... it basically works on it's own. The results are Eco-friendly, frugal and ensure that you'll grow healthy, happy plants. Who knew we could make our own dirt? I hope you'll give it a try!

As always, I would love to hear from you!

Change The World Wednesday

Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) ... our effort to positively impact the environment through small actions.

Last week, Aunt Sugar asked us to gift from our closets. Did you figure out whose aunt she is? Her nephew-in-law is none other than our own Rewinn, a "regular" here on CTWW. I loved this challenge! Several years ago, I decided to start collecting gifts throughout the year so that when the holidays arrived, my shopping would be done. I picked up items here and there and put them away ... in a spot which wouldn't be seen by others and which, I was sure, would be easy to remember. Well ... Christmas came and ... I couldn't remember where I had hid them. Several years after that, we moved and guess what I found? Yep ... all those stashed away gifts. So browsing closets is a great idea ... one never knows what they'll find.

Let's see what our Honor Society had to say about this challenge:

Little Bambino Children's Wear stopped in. She and her family are packing up clothes and toys to donate. That brings up a good point ... when searching closets for gifts, remember to "gift" items to local charities in addition to friends and family. Thanks, LBCW!

Our friend, EcoGrrl, joined the challenge all the way from London. Wow! She doesn't give gifts at the holidays but rather, invites all of her friends over for a winter solstice party where she gives them the gift of her hospitality and cooking. Wouldn't we all love to be included in her circle of friends. By the way, EcoGrrl has posted about her trip to Scotland ... she includes great photos and beautiful words. Be sure to pop over and take a look ... it sounds like she had a wonderful trip!

In searching her closets, Cinella found something special from her childhood which she plans to give to her daughter. I can't wait to hear about it. And in this POST, she gives us an update on the previous week's challenge and shares how she spent some very special time with loved ones.

Brian and his family stay true to the real reason for Christmas ... and it is reflected in their gift giving throughout the year. One of the activities they participate in is donating coats to a local coat drive. As Brian says "It is amazing what a warm coat can do for someone that didn't have one before you gave it." Thanks, Brian!

Mrs. Green is in the habit of sorting through her closets for "UnBirthday" gifts. Here's a hint about them ... a friend has admired one, another friend wants to read, and some decorate a local nursing home. Intrigued? Go HERE to read all about it.

The Accessory Lady took the challenge. She says "Often there are new items that are just sitting and perhaps they would make the perfect gift for someone." If some of those new items include her fabulous creations, then I'm guessing that we'd all love to be on her gift list. Thanks, AL!

Smiling Green Mom calls gifts from the closet "little treasures from someones life". If you're wondering how a recipient of a "closet" gift feels about getting it, well .. SGM received candle sticks with candles last year and says they are wonderful. By the way ... SGM is hosting a whole bunch of "green" giveaways on her site so ... head on over and maybe you'll win some Eco-friendly products.

The Coffee Table Poet (@coffeetablepoet) talked about our challenge in her paper, Coffee Table Poetry Musings. WhooHoo - thanks, CTP!

Argentum Vulgaris (@whopaysthepiper) also wrote about us in The Argentum Vulgaris Daily. Yay - thanks, AV!

In this POST, Kris talks about something which goes hand-in-hand with gifts from the closet. Here's a riddle - what is outwardly flamboyant and is involved in secrecy and deception? Oh you know I'm not giving away the answer ... but read Kris' article and I'll bet you'll find it.

Shopping Charity (@ShoppingCharity) included our challenge in The Shopping charity paper. Thanks so much, SC!

Our friend Ann mentioned our challenge in this ARTICLE. She also shares an initiative, in her area, to clean up the beaches ... it's a great idea and something we could all do in our own neighborhoods. Thanks, Ann!

Aunt Sugar's nephew wrote this POST. Thanks, Rewinn, for passing along this challenge and getting us digging deep into our closets.

We have a new participant this week. Mr. Kate joined the challenge and created this VIDEO. All I can say is ... WOW! It is a do-it-yourself type video and gave me a ton of great ideas. Thanks, so much, Mr. Kate ... glad to have you with us!

In addition to blog posts, papers and videos, we also had a bunch of people talking about our challenge on Twitter using the hashtag #CTWW. We lovingly refer to them as our #CTWW Gang. If you're on twitter, you couldn't find a better group of people to follow:

@coffeetablepoet
@recyclecraft
@waylandcook
@accessorygal
@gingerlyspice
@dpixel
@shoppingcharity
@cjrthemommyblog
@rewinn
@myzerowaste

Great job, everyone! As always, if you wrote a post (or a paper or a video), I've Stumbled, Tweeted and posted to my Facebook wall.

Ready to switch gears? Our bloggy friend, Kris, suggested this week's challenge. It focuses on composting, which is a great activity in the winter months (think ... gardens not in use so make them work through composting). Here's the challenge:

If you compost, we'd like to know all about it ... in detail. Please give us directions on how to build a bin (if you did so), how to set up a bin and any tips/advice you may have for beginners. We're looking for "how to" information on this challenge.

Or ...

If you don't compost, please do some research about composting in your particular situation (apartment, farm, city neighborhood, etc.). Share what you learn and let us know if the information encourages you and, if so, when you might try it out. Of course, we'd also love it if you would actually start composting this week.

Great suggestion, Kris ... hopefully we'll all learn a lot this week!

Are you ready? Altogether now ...

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

Five Free Apps Interviews ... Me!

Happy Monday, Everyone!

Today I'd like to invite you to head over to Five Free Apps. My bloggy buddy, Brian, recently interviewed me and wow ... he asks such thoughtful (and tough) questions. It was a fun interview! So if you have a moment, head on over and check it out ... who knows what you'll learn about yours truly!

INTERVIEW ON FIVE FREE APPS

After you've read the interview, be sure to look around. Five Free Apps is an amazing resource of information. Brian not only presents us with the best of the best on the Internet, he checks out each link so if he recommends it, we can trust it.

Thanks, so much, to Brian for having me over!

Vegan Recipe - Baked Apple Raisin Oatmeal

It's the first Friday of the month and that means another delicious, vegan recipe. Why? Because meatless meals are one of the easiest ways to walk gently on the earth. Recipes like this one, or the ones found on our recipe page, are guaranteed to please even the most devout carnivore.

This month's recipe comes from The Knowlton Nest. It's easy to put together and delicious. I think it would be perfect for a holiday brunch or for a yummy family breakfast. Thanks to Shonda who graciously agreed to share it with us!



Baked Apple Raisin Oatmeal

2 2/3 c. old fashioned oatmeal
1/2 c. raisins
1/4 c. maple syrup
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 t. cinnamon
4 c. soymilk
2 unpeeled chopped apples
walnuts for topping

Mix altogether. Put in greased 9x13 in pan. Bake at 350 for 45-50 min.


Doesn't that make your mouth water? Thanks, again, to Shonda for sharing this recipe with us.

If you have a vegan recipe to share, we'd love to try it. Just Email Me.

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

Change The World Wednesday

Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW). If you are new to our challenges, please click HERE.

Last week our challenge was all about spending time with those we care about. Whether you enjoyed a Thanksgiving dinner with friends and family or spent quality time with loved ones ... I hope you enjoyed the challenge. Let's check in with our Honor Society:

EcoGrrl had a great suggestion for us. She said, "TELL the people you love why you are thankful for them....it will make their day." I tried that, EcoGrrl ... and you are right ... there were smiles all around!

CJR also had a good suggestion for spending time with loved ones ... she said, "One thing I always try to implement at family gatherings is to play outside." Thanks, CJR - that's a wonderful idea!

Argentum Vulgaris lives in Brazil and doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving ... so he opted for the second part of the challenge. In this POST, he talks about who he visited and how he made the trip "green". Here's a hint ... it involves papaya trees. Hope you had a wonderful time, AV!

Every day I wander the Internet reading what people have to say. One of the most touching and poignant posts, this week, comes from our friend Mrs. Green. In Reclaiming Our Creative Selves, she talks honestly about how our lives can get too busy and how that can affect the people we care about. She also shares how one simple act can mend hurt feelings and bring people closer together. Her post put a lump in my throat ... it's truly a "must read". Thanks, Mrs. Green!

Our "CTWW Gang" talked about our challenge on twitter using the hashtag #CTWW. If you are on twitter, be sure to follow them:

@waylandcook
@recyclecraft
@thenewauthor
@shoppingcharity
@eazycheezy
@cjrTheMommyBlog

Thanks to everyone who participated. If you wrote an article, I've Stumbled, Tweeted and posted it on my Facebook Wall. If I have missed your effort, please let me know and I'll be sure to include you next week.

Okay ... now that we've re-centered ourselves, are you ready for a new challenge? I know that you are!!

This week's challenge comes from "Aunt Sugar" who proposes that we "Gift From The Closet" this year. Can you guess whose sweet Auntie she is? No, not mine. Here's a hint ... she's the aunt-in-law of one of our regular CTWW participants. Here's the challenge:

This week, rather than shop in stores for new holiday gifts, shop in your "closets". Open up boxes of stored items, check jewelry boxes and dresser drawers ... venture into the basement and up into the attic. Look for special items to give this year. This can be something fun and silly ... or something meaningful, like an heirloom.

Or ...

If this is something you regularly do, we'd love to hear about some of the special gifts you've given.

Thanks to Aunt Sugar for this fun challenge ... it's repurposing with heart!

That's it for this week!

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