Change The World Wednesday

Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW). If you are new to our challenges, please click HERE for more information and a complete list of the tasks we've accomplished so far. You're also more than welcome to grab our banner (below) for your site. If you link it to our CTWW page, you'll always have easy access to the most current challenge:


Before we talk about last week's challenge, just a reminder ... we have a month long challenge in play. Here it is:

February Challenge - February is being chosen by snack food manufacturers as "National Snack Food Month". That means that unhealthy snacks will be unusually promoted and consumers will be encouraged to buy them. Processed foods, especially snacks, are bad for us and bad for the planet. So, let's reclaim February for the good food cause. First, visit #28ate to get the facts and then, participate by taking at least one of the actions they suggest. Come back here and tell us what actions you're taking to support healthy food.

Last week's task was a tough one. We challenged ourselves to give back rather than simply reduce our impact. For some it was overwhelming ... some people didn't know where to begin ... and still others embraced it, trying things which they normally wouldn't have attempted. I liked this challenge because it prompted me to think of my actions in a new way. Hopefully, in the weeks to come, we'll all keep this challenge in mind and think of new ways to give back to the environment.

Let's check in with the Honor Society:

Noteasytobegreen, who inspired this challenge, pushed the limits of her comfort zone to accomplish this challenge. How did she do it? In this POST she took up Guerilla Gardening and in this ARTICLE she talks about getting her hands dirty. She also accepted the month-long challenge and says that she's a fan of stovetop popcorn, kale chips and apple sauce.

Frugal Invitation dropped in - she's the host of the Wednesday Blog Hop which you'll find in the side bar.

Sarah found us through the Blog Hop. Nice to "see" you Sarah ... hope you'll stop in again.

Our challenge got picked up in The On Fire For Handmade Daily. Other articles included Cold and Flu Remedies, the Vancouver Island Estuary and Old Fashioned Barber Shoppe Soap. Be sure to check it out!

From a previous challenge, Mysticle shares that she is going to try to make laundry detergent. She's also looking for a recipe for fabric softener ... not the dryer sheet variety but something to add to the rinse cycle. Kris has a suggestion for you, Mysticle ... read it below. Anyone else have a recipe or idea?

Mysticle also commented on the challenge about efficient cooking and shares that she's a fan of crock-pots and outdoor cooking using a propane fueled grill.

Kris wrote this POST in support of our Eco-friendly cleanser challenge. She talks about all that she's doing now and shares some ideas which she has for improving the process. She's also asking for ideas and suggestions for washing sports clothing ... most Eco-friendly laundry detergents don't address the smell of work-out clothes. Anyone have an idea?

From last week's challenge, Kris wrote about snack food HERE and about giving back HERE. She accepts the "giving back" challenge but is asking for ideas ... so if you have an idea, please share it here or on her blog.

Our bloggy friend, Brian, joined the challenge. He suggests that an easy way to give back is to plant something and offers this great tip: The Arbor Day Foundation website sells very affordable trees. He's already ordered some and plans to get his Cub Scout Troop involved in planting as a conservation project. Brilliant!! This simple step gives back to nature and encourages the next generation to give back as well!

Freebiesanddeals found us through a blog hop. She accepts the challenges and says she is going to contemplate actions which will give back. Yay!

Penny is another new follower. Nice to "see" you Penny ... hope you'll stop in again!

Mandy also found us through the Wednesday Blog Hop. Great to have you with us, Mandy!

Mountain Mama has our CTWW Banner posted in her side bar. Thanks so much, MM! She also is taking on our challenges ... she prefers cleaning with vinegar and hates the smell that commercial cleansers give off ... she avoids commercial snack foods sharing that it's not only earth un-friendly but it's expensive .. and she tries to "give back" by composting.

Mrs. Green initially felt overwhelmed and while she had some ideas of what to do, she also felt that they weren't good enough ... that the problem was just too big. It's something that I believe we all feel at times ... that our small actions don't really matter. But, when I read her post HERE, I felt that her actions matter a lot. Check it out and tell me if you agree.

Shopping Charity, a wonderful publication, picked up our challenge this week. They also had pieces on the situation in Egypt, the Humane Society and how to get a job with the government. Be sure to check it out!

Our friend, Argentum Vulgaris, says that Brazil is "snack food crazy". He writes about what he sees children eating on their way to school and how he plans to meet the "snack food" challenge this month. You can read all about it HERE.

Ann gave our challenge a nice mention in this POST which is about educating festival-goers in reducing/eliminating waste.

My friend, and brilliant author, Kathryn (Kat) Magendie stopped in. If you've never been to her site, you're really missing out. So go ... go now ... here the LINK.

Oh Rewinn ... while I do consider you a friend ... I really felt that this POST was just a little too personal. I mean ... do you really want to make us privy to your breakup and new relationship ... even going as far as writing a second POST about the merits of your "new love"? Well ... so be it!

Our friend, Jen, took the Eco-friendly cleanser challenge by giving vinegar a workout. She posts the results HERE. So what do you think ... is she a vinegar "devotee" or is it strictly for cooking?

A long-time friend, Kate of The Holdfast Seeker, stopped in. It's so nice to "see" you Kate ... we look forward to your return to blogging but totally understand that your children take center stage right now.

Our twitter friends, lovingly referred to as the #CTWW Gang, got busy and talked about our challenge using the hashtag #CTWW. These are great folks to follow and get acquainted with:

@cjrthemommyblog
@givetreegifts
@OnFire4Handmade
@waylandcook
@littlegreenblog
@mysticle
@shoppingcharity
@escapingjourney
@jnjgogreen
@sprout5
@devilgrrl

Thanks to everyone who participated this week. If you wrote a post or put our banner on your site, I've Stumbled, Tweeted and Facebooked it.

Okay ... ready for a new challenge? Are you sure??

One of the concerns that I have about writing a "green" blog is that it is somewhat like "preaching to the choir" ... everyone here is of like mind. That is fabulous but I think we can do better. So ... here's the challenge:

This week promote "green" in a manner other than (or in addition to) writing in an Eco-friendly blog. Some suggestions might be to post green-living tips on a public bulletin board, offer to speak to a group about recycling (perhaps at a school or library), enter your green blog into a non-green blog hop, join a non-green forum where you might have the opportunity to introduce green living tips, etc. The idea, here, is to reach people who may not already be part of the "choir". Get creative and let us know what actions you are taking ... and how they work out.

So what do you think ... sound like fun? Yep ... I think so!

Until next time ...

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