#CTWW - Daily Challenge for 3/31/11

Today's challenge is up:

Reduce your use of household cleaning products, soaps, shampoos, hair care products and other items which contain chemicals. Replace them with products which are biodegradable. Carcinogenic chemicals in deodorants, soaps, shampoos, and body sprays persist in the environment, build up in the food chain and return to haunt us long after they've gone down the drain. See http://www.greenlisted.org/personal-care.htm, www.originalmoxie.com and http://www.greenlisted.org/cleaning-products.htm to learn about eco-friendly products.


See you tomorrow ...

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

Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)

Welcome! If this is your first visit, please click HERE for more information.

We are currently participating in daily challenges and have completed our third week (they began on Wednesday, March 9th, and will continue through April 24th). You'll find additional information by clicking HERE (information is located towards the bottom of the article).

Can you believe that we've completed three weeks of daily challenges? Wow!! I'd like to congratulate all of you ... you've stepped up and taken on these challenges with enthusiasm. As in the previous weeks, your comments and posts have kicked these activities "up a notch" and offered us such wonderful insight. I don't know about you ... but I've learned a lot!

Let's check in with the Honor Society:

From last week:

• Mrs. Green wrote this POST in support of Day 13's challenge and asks if readers could really take a Military Shower. Do you think Mrs. Green takes them?
• Ann commented on Day 14's challenge regarding setting our thermostats to a more efficient level. She shares that in many areas, commercial buildings overcompensate for temperatures outside, causing people to bundle up on hot days and "dress down" on cold days.
• What a Card comments on Day 14's challenge, as well. She keeps her home cool and dislikes malls and stores that keep their temperatures so high. As she points out, all the customers come in with heavy coats and then are way too hot. She also points out that schools are guilty of overheating, as well. So nice to see you, WAC!
  
• In this ARTICLE, Mrs. Green wonders if there is a point where being "green" becomes martyrdom. It's an interesting take on the possibility that we can go too far when it comes to Eco-friendly lifestyles. Check it out and weigh in!
  

Day 15 asked us to lower the thermostat on our hot water heater.

• EcoGrrl shared that if your water heater is in an insulated part of your home, it isn't necessary to wrap it for efficiency.
• Jennifer has her thermostat set to warm ... not hot. When hot water is required (ie when her husband shaves), she simply heats it up in an electric kettle which is fast and allows her to warm up a small amount rather than heat the entire water tank. Great tip!
• Andrew joined our challenge. He is the husband of one of our "regulars" ... here's a hint: his wife goes by Peaceful Mamma. Do you know her name? Here's one more hint ... she left a comment on Day 16's challenge. If you can't guess, check out Andrew's photography blog and you'll find his wife's blog in the side bar.
• Nicole B. has replaced her traditional water heater with an "on demand", natural gas version and shares that she noticed a significant drop in her utility bill. Nice! As Nicole points out, the new heater is a bit expensive but, depending on how many years one stays in a home, it might just pay for itself. By the way, Nicole is going to be hosting some baby-related giveaways on her site so, if you're a mom or dad, swing on over and check out the fun!
• Melanie was on the Honor Society for the first time last week and says that our daily challenges are inspiring her and her husband to take a closer look at their environmental impact. Yay ... my little green heart is happy!!
• Here's a riddle ... what is smaller than a breadbox, heats enough water for a shower and doesn't involve a water tank? Argentum Vulgaris gives us the answer in this POST and shares that this device is typical in Brazil.
• Mrs. Green uses an immersion water heater which she discusses HERE. In the winter, she heats her water using a wood burner. Mrs. Green mentioned one of our regular participants in her post ... was is you?
• What A Card points out that 120 degrees is a safe temperature for children. In fact, it isn't recommended that children come in contact to water which is any hotter because of the possibility of scalding. So, as WAC points out ... it's Eco-friendly and safe!
  

Day 16 challenges us to use a cloths line instead of a dryer.

• Even though Mrs. Green lives in an area that is often rainy, she's perfected drying clothes on a line. Find out how she does it in this POST.
• London Lake Pickett likes this idea and says that she can imagine her dogs running through the yard with clean laundry in their mouths. LOL! As she points out ... it is called a "challenge". By the way, London is one of my artisan friends ... she makes fabulous jewelry! Drop by and check out her lovely creations.
• EcoGrrl had a tree which she used to run a clothes line. Now that the tree is gone, she's stumped (pun intended) as to how to put up another and wonders if anyone has a suggestion for her. Kris does ... read it HERE.
• Kris can't dry her clothes outside due to allergies but she's come up with a clever way to dry them indoors. Read about it HERE (and be sure to click through to her first post on the subject which includes pictures). Thanks, Kris!
• Alyson grew up line-drying and continues the practice as an adult. In the winter, she moves her laundry from the line outside to a metal clothes hanger inside. Brilliant!
• Argentum Vulgaris line dries his clothes ... even during the rainy season in Brazil. In this POST, he gives us a recipe for fabric softener using all Eco-friendly ingredients. Thanks, AV!
• This isn't much of a challenge for Cinella who already does it. She tells new moms to line dry diapers and ... she's planning to step it up a notch and hand-wash those diapers as well.
• What A Card brought up an interesting problem. She lives in wooded area, not far from a swamp, and has to contend with mosquitoes and ticks. So she's uncomfortable with hanging clothes outside. Does anyone else have this problem ... or a solution to it?
• Jen says that she line dries about 75% of her laundry ... and hopes to make it 100%. And get this ... she does it indoors. Wow! I asked her if she did small loads but nope ... full loads. I am impressed!
  

Day 17 challenged us to employ several water-saving techniques.

• EcoGrrl loves her Toto dual flush toilet. She also suggests shaving in the shower using the extra shampoo suds instead of shaving cream. As she points out, shaving cream is loaded with chemicals and not using it will make one's razor last longer. Wonderful tip, EcoGrrl!
• Le-Chat has been using rainwater, shower water and dishwater for flushing, cleaning and plant watering. She also only flushes when necessary. By making these changes, she was able to cut her water bill in half. Wow! Great job, Le-Chat! Now you might think that she went out and bought a lot of expensive equipment to help her make these changes but ... such is not the case. Le-Chat re-uses and re-purposes things she finds on "the curb". Check out this POST for pictures of her rain barrel. Fabulous!
• @waylandcook has 5 rain barrels and says that after a recent rain, they are full. She uses the water in her garden.
• Kris didn't buy a dual-flush toilet but when she and her husband remodeled their bathrooms recently, they installed new low-flow toilets and are saving water.
• Mrs. Green shares 7 tips for saving water in this POST. Which one is your favorite? Mine involves the cooking water. Thanks, Mrs. Green!
  

Day 18 asked us to observe Earth Hour.

• In our house, we lit candles and enjoyed an hour of quiet. It's amazing how loud electricity is ... without the lights, computers, etc., it was like sitting around a campfire in the forest ... peaceful and relaxing.
• EcoGrrl had plans for the evening so her house was dark. Hey EcoGrrl - did you ask the bartender to turn out the lights for an hour. That would be awesome!
• Jen lights candles, makes a yummy dessert and just chills out for Earth Hour. She says, however, that she has a Love/Hate relationship with this event ... read this POST to find out why.
  
• Le-Chat didn't observe Earth Hour at 8:30 pm but, instead, shut everything off in the afternoon and worked in her backyard. And yep ... that counts, Le-Chat!
• Ann accepted this challenge and wrote about it HERE. As she says, "Teaching kids at a young age, " Don't forget to turn off the light" is very important." I agree, Ann - thanks!

Day 19 suggested that we think about government and big business ... and how they might make positive moves, now, to cut emissions.

• Rewinn wrote this POST which I hope you'll all take a moment to read. He talks about responsibility. I especially like this line in that article "But today, what passes as national pride seems to be mere vainglory: a celebration of strength, and an allergy to responsibility." In this PIECE, he talks about one communities efforts to help Japan and suggests that it's an example we could all follow. Imagine ... what if we adopted that attitude and worked together to help the planet. Wow! Thanks, Rewinn!
• Cinella says that maybe the big guys just need some sense knocked into them. But, as she points out, it's politics ... so she's sending good vibes their way and hoping they make the right decision. By the way, Cinella was kind enough to honor Reduce Footprints with the Stylish Blogger Award, which you'll find in our side bar. She won it, as well, so Congratulations to The Mommy Blog ... and thank you for passing it on to us!

Day 20 challenged us to observe a meat-free day.

• EcoGrrl says that her problem is not so much eating at home, but rather when she eats out and views the meal as a treat. She brings up an interesting thought that when we eat out, we tend to not think about where the food is coming from ... and definitely should.
• Linda Strother says that she's happy she made a Lentil Stew today. Sounds yummy, Linda!
• Melanie took the challenge and says that while she and her husband don't eat a lot of meat, they'll make sure to give it up totally one day a week ... and maybe that'll turn into more days. By the way, Melanie was out cleaning up the beach and learned, first hand, how much plastic is making it's way to the ocean. Her post, "I beg of you to think twice when using plastic bags & bottles..." includes pictures of the cleanup. Thanks, Melanie!
• Kris says that while she doesn't set aside a particular day to go meat-free, at least one day a week is a meatless day in her house. While she'd love to become vegetarian, she says she's a picky eater and finds it hard to venture into vegetarian recipes.
  
• What A Card made my day because she said that she has become more interested in vegan meals since reading Reduce Footprints. Yay! While she and her family do eat some meat, it is never the focus of a meal but rather small amounts as an addition to the meal.
• Alyson and her husband don't eat meat ... because of the planet and the treatment of animals. She does eat sustainably caught fish and, in this POST, shares web sites that will help one to choose wisely. She also includes a recipe in that post so ... if you eat fish, check it out! Alyson also suggests reading the book "Diet for a Small Planet?" I haven't read it ... yet! For any moms-to-be out there, check out this ARTICLE where Alyson talks about her "pescatarian" diet while being pregnant. Thanks, so much, Alyson!
  

Day 21 challenged us to save paper.

• Alyson shares that she and her family don't print anything unless absolutely necessary. Every bit of paper that comes into her home gets reused and recycled. When her son wants to draw, she gives him the back of already used paper. And, Alyson's husband has found a "green" printer in their town which he uses in his business. Fabulous!
• EcoGrrl got rid of her printer some time ago and hasn't missed it at all. She shares that at work, while others use a filing cabinet (and print things out to put in it), she uses electronic filing. Her tip for saving paper is to buy the largest container of toilet paper possible, which saves on packaging. Thanks, EcoGrrl!
• Rewinn overs us several paper saving tips in this POST. My favorite has to do with silly feet. Oh ... you'll just have to go and read it!
  

We had a bunch of people tweeting about our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW ... we lovingly refer to them as our #CTWW Gang. If you are on twitter, be sure to follow these great folks ... they have a lot to say:

@noteasy2begreen
@skipbang
@thenewauthor
@cjrthemommyblog
@waylandcook
@dpixel
@jnjgogreen
@atcampbell
@whopaysthepiper
@groovygreenlivi

Thanks to everyone who participated this week. If you wrote an article, I've Stumbled, Tweeted and Facebooked it.

Okay ... ready for more? I know that you are! Here it is:

Defrost your freezer to reduce ice buildup and maintain efficiency. Allowing space for air to circulate will also help it run more efficiently. Place jugs of water in your fridge to help retain cold temperatures and scrub down the coils on the back of your fridge for higher efficiency.

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

#CTWW - Daily Challenge for 3/29/11

Here's today's challenge:

Save paper today. Don't print unless you need to and when you do, print double-sided onto recycled paper. Use paper, tissue, toilet paper and wood that is recycled or has been accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council. This ensures it has come from responsibly managed sustainable forests or confirms that it is recycled.

Until tomorrow ...

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

#CTWW - Daily Challenge for 3/28/11

Welcome to a new week ... and a new daily challenge:

Don't eat any meat today, and see if you can cut down on the amount of meat you eat each week. Meat production has a large carbon footprint, with 2.2 pounds of beef producing the equivalent amount of CO2 as an average European car driving 155 miles. It takes 2500 gallons of water and many pounds of grain to make one pound of beef for your table. It's been estimated that if Americans were to reduce our meat consumption by 20%, it would be the equivalent of all Americans switching from a standard sedan to a Prius. (See "Re-Thinking the Meat Guzzler" by Mark Bittman, New York Times, 1/27/08.) For hundreds of free vegetarian recipes, visit http://www.bestveg.com/. Also, see Anna Lappé's Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork and What You Can Do about It.


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

#CTWW - Daily Challenge for 3/27/11

Here's today's challenge:

Think about how all countries can commit to tackling climate change and how richer, developed countries can take responsibility and cut emissions quickly. Think about how governments and world leaders can seek climate change agreements.

Until tomorrow ...

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

#CTWW - Daily Challenge for 3/26/11

Here's today's challenge:

Celebrate Earth Hour TODAY with millions of people around the globe by turning off your lights for one hour, beginning at 8:30 pm. For more information, see www.earthhour.org/.

Until tomorrow ...

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

#CTWW - Daily Challenge for 3/25/11

Ready for a new challenge? Here you go:

Reduce water usage in your home by fixing leaky faucets, which can waste up to 50 gallons a day. Turn the tap off and on during shaving, washing hands and brushing teeth. (You can save a gallon of water while washing hands, 9 ½ gallons brushing teeth, and up to 19 while shaving by turning the water on and off.) Only flush the toilet when absolutely necessary. Most toilets use about 5 to 8 liters of water every time you flush. You can reduce this by placing a milk jug filled with water inside the tank. If you need to replace your toilet, buy an energy efficient model that uses less than two gallons of water and consider purchasing dual flush toilet

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

#CTWW - Daily Challenge for 3/24/11

Here's today's challenge:

Dry your clothes on a clothes line instead of in an electric drier. Electric driers use up to 10% of residential electricity in the United States. The average household can save more than $100 a year by forgoing the electric clothes dryer and using a clothesline. Clothes dried in the fresh air smell better, too! Some say that you can soften your towels and prevent them from drying stiff on the line by adding a ½ cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle.

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

Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)

Welcome! If this is your first visit, please click HERE for more information.

We are currently participating in daily challenges and have completed our second week (they began on Wednesday, March 9th, and will continue through April 24th). You'll find additional information by clicking HERE (information is located towards the bottom of the article).

Week #2 was another amazing, interesting week. We took on a variety of challenges ... everything from reducing packaging waste to thinking about green burials to saving water. Once again, the discussions that took place were brilliant. I hope that you've been enjoying these daily exercises as much as I have!

Let's check in with the Honor Society and see how they did this week:

Day 8 asked us to save energy in the kitchen.

• EcoGrrl loves her microwave ... it even has a toaster feature.
• Nicole B. was surprised at how much more efficient a microwave is versus a conventional oven. She had questions about microwaves vs. gas oven ... and about composting. You can find my "2 cents" HERE. Marcy also left a comment with some interesting information HERE (ever notice that stoves/ovens don't have energy star ratings?). By the way, Nicole, check out the challenge for Day 9 ... it speaks directly to composting and includes a link to a "how-to" site.
• Mrs. Green wrote this POST which includes some great suggestions for energy-efficient cooking.
  
• Marcy took the challenge. Thanks, Marcy!
  
• Frenchy plans to look into cooking with lids and using the microwave.
• Did you know that Argentum Vulgaris is a Chef? Yes indeedy! In this POST he gives us his opinions on microwaves, defrosting and cooking with the lid on.

Day 9 gave us a shocking statistic: the average US household produces approximately 4.5 pounds of solid waste per day. So, the challenge asked us to reuse, recycle and compost.

• In this POST, Mrs. Green reminds us that reducing is the most important part of the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and suggests that a good start to the process is to determine the difference between "wants" and "needs".
• EcoGrrl keeps a bowl on her kitchen counter for food scraps ... then the contents are taken out to her compost bin. While this POST wasn't necessarily intended for our challenges, it really speaks to taking action and what one can expect when getting started. Thanks, EcoGrrl!!
• The Coffee Table Poetry Musings Daily gave this challenge a spot on the front page. Yay!
• Rewinn has a great idea which involves his neighborhood ... want a hint? Think community potlucks, meetings, etc. Can you guess? Read his idea HERE.
• Brian gave us some wonderful information about what's happening in landfills ... it's not all bad as you'll read HERE. Thanks, Brian!
  

Day 10 asked us to consider packaging when making our purchases.

• EcoGrrl points out that no packaging is the best and shares that it's not just natural/health food stores that offer bulk products these days ... many mainstream grocery stores now have a bulk foods section. She's challenging herself to go without foods that can't be found in anything other than plastic (like cottage cheese and yogurt) ... or, at the very least, viewing those foods in the same way that she views tropical fruits, like bananas ... a "once in awhile" treat. By the way, EcoGrrl, Kris has a suggestion for you regarding yogurt (read it HERE).
  
• Brian buys in bulk and has another great suggestion ... for things like cleaning products, dish detergents, soaps, etc., buy the largest container possible and then refill a smaller, more handy container. Wonderful idea, Brian!
• Which product had the motto "Nothing is better for thee than me"? If you know, then you've guessed the identity of one of Rewinn's favorite bulk purchases. If you don't know, you'll find out HERE. Rewinn also gives us a great idea ... if your local grocery store doesn't have a bulk foods isle, suggest that they get one. Stores typically like to hear what customers want and will often try to accommodate them. Thanks, Rewinn!
• Mrs. Green is getting naked for the environment. With a lead in like that ... you just have to go read the article (and can do so HERE).
• In this POST, Kris gives us a ton of ideas and tips. For example, she buys nuts in the bulk isle and makes her own trail mix. She also uses a battery operated toothbrush to cut down on waste. In her post, she asks a question about dish detergent and which, of two options, is better. Head over there and give your opinion.
• After living in a third floor apartment, Linda became very conscious of packaging ... after all, that packaging had to be carried up and then back down. For those times when packaging is unavoidable, she suggests smashing cans and plastic milk jugs, etc., to make them easier to haul off to the recycling center.
• Alyson and her husband have worked hard to reduce packaging waste, especially plastic packaging. They shop the bulk isles and Alyson even makes her own bulk/produce bags. Check out her "DIY" tutorial HERE. Thanks, Alyson!
• Annette joined our challenge. She and her friends have joined together to split the cost of buying bulk ... they buy large, bulk quantities and then share it, splitting the cost and significantly reducing package waste. Brilliant, Annette!
  

Day 11 asked us to think about greening our "final arrangements".

I have to take a moment here ... the people who visit this blog on a regular basis become a family of sorts. Sometimes very personal things are shared. Such is the case with our friend Ann. Ann left a comment on this challenge saying that she was going to write a post about green burials but is currently writing a book about the loss of her child. Dear Ann, please accept my deepest sympathy. I hope that writing the book will bring you peace.

• This is a tough subject to consider for many people, but not for EcoGrrl. Here's her thoughtful take on the subject: "... green burial (especially in a shroud, with no coffin) is something so lovely and respectful both to complete, and continue, the cycle of life." She shares that both traditional burial in a coffin and cremation are not environmentally sound.
• A tree as a headstone ... ashes turned into sketch pencils. Hmmm ... this could only be a post by our very own Rewinn. Go read it HERE.
• Kathryn Magendie says that if they did green burials in her area, she wouldn't have to be cremated. But she absolutely doesn't want to be "pickled" and placed in a box.
• Mrs. Green wrote this POST about green burials. In it she brings up an interesting problem ... having a truly green burial (simply being buried in the ground or laid to rest on top of the ground) isn't legal in many places. She offers several alternatives and ideas.
• Cinella found this challenge to be interesting.
  

Day 12 asked us to turn off, unplug, sit in silence and consider our impact on the environment.

• Melanie shares that she and her husband are in the habit of unplugging things such as the toaster, coffee maker, etc. And, more and more, she turns off her cell phone. She shares that there is a "great feeling about being able to disconnect from technology". I love that! By the way, be sure to check out Melanie's blog (you'll find it HERE). It's all about giving back and making a difference.
• EcoGrrl tries to disconnect from technology when she gets home from work ... well, for the most part (she says she can't turn off the phone). And, as the weather gets nicer, she turns off her furnace.
• In this POST, Rewinn talks about gardening, technology that helps the environment and how the disaster in Japan reminds us that electricity has to come from somewhere.

Day 13 challenged us to take a shower instead of a bath ... and a short shower at that.

• No baths for our EcoGrrl, who uses a water saving showerhead and only showers twice a week. Great job saving water, EcoGrrl!!
• Project Savior had a great suggestion for us: "... use soap without moisturizer. You spend twice as long trying to wash the moisturizer off your body as you would if you used a pure soap." Excellent tip, PS!
• Brian's son has mastered the 2-minute shower but ... Brian says he needs to work on using soap. LOL! Thanks, Brian!
• I knew that someone would come up with this particular water-saving shower technique and sure enough, our own Rewinn wrote about it HERE. Want a hint? In addition to saving water and saving money, this technique can be considered vital to one's health. Thanks, Rewinn!
• Cinella says that this will, indeed, be a challenge and will save water. She could relate to Brian's comment (she has a short-shower-no-soap child, too) and, like EcoGrrl, she takes fewer showers ... but her hubby is an "every night" kinda shower person.

Day 14 asked us to adjust our thermostats to a more Eco-friendly setting.

• EcoGrrl brought up an interesting point. She said that when she lowered her thermostat and got used to the new setting, the higher temperature felt way too warm. I've noticed that, too, EcoGrrl ... perhaps adjusting the thermostat to make ourselves too comfortable prevents our bodies from regulating themselves. Interesting thought!
• Cinella lives in south Texas (think ... WARM) so she keeps her A/C set to 78 during the day and 75 at night. Cinella wrote about our challenges in this POST. In it she shares her favorite challenge so far. Can you guess which one it is?

From previous challenges:

• This POST, from Mrs. Green, supports Day 7's challenge about reusable bags ... be sure to watch the video ... you'll see Mrs. Green herself and learn a clever way to never forget your reusable bags and containers. In this POST, she gives us the first of 4 reviews she'll be doing on her energy monitor. It's good stuff! Thanks, Mrs. Green!
  
• Smiling Green Mom took our Day 6 challenge. She and her family eat leftovers but she admits that sometimes they have too many leftovers. So, she's working to find a solution to that.
• Kris wrote this POST in which she talks about many of the challenges and her progress on them. She shares something new she's doing ... here's a hint: it has to do with a suggestion that Nicole B. had for us. Kris also talks about what motivated her to live without a light in one room. Thanks, Kris!

Our #CTWW Gang was out in force, talking about these challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. Be sure to follow these folks if you are on twitter:

@thenewauthor
@skipbang
@waylandcook
@ribloodcenter
@dpixel
@coffeetablepoet
@mbfromhb
@tif_hamilton
@noteasy2begreen
@beadzandmore
@rewinn
@cjrthemommyblog

Fabulous job everyone! Throughout the week, as I received your posts, I Stumbled, Tweeted and Facebooked them.

If you've ever wondered whether or not we make a difference, just read back through this post ... thanks to all of you, I believe we're making a huge difference.

Okay ... are you ready for another week of challenges? I know that you are. Here's today's:

Your hot water heater represents about 20-30% of the carbon emissions of your home, the biggest user of energy in your house. Consider setting your hot water thermostat to 120 degrees F. Insulate your hot water tank with an insulation jacket if available for your system. Arrange for your boiler to be serviced so it runs more efficiently. When you next replace your boiler, get a condensing boiler - they use less fuel than conventional boilers to produce the same amount of heat and can save 32% on fuel bills.

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

#CTWW - Daily Challenge for 3/22/11

Here's today's challenge:

Put on a sweater and turn down your thermostat to 65°- 68° when people are home and active and 55°- 58° at night as well as when no one is home. In warm climates, raise your air-conditioner thermostat 4° or up one setting. Home heating and air-conditioning are responsible for a large portion of our carbon footprint.

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

#CTWW - Daily Challenge for 3/21/11

Here it is ... your daily challenge:

Take a shower instead of a bath, and try to limit your shower to less than 5 minutes. If you already shower, consider taking a "military shower" - turn the water on only to rinse. Look into getting a more efficient shower with a "low-flow" showerhead. An average bath uses 40-60 gallons of water; an average shower 17 gallons; a military shower less than 5 gallons.

Until tomorrow ...

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

#CTWW - Daily Challenge for 3/20/11

Happy first day of spring, everyone! Here's your challenge:

Turn off all of your electronic devices and unplug them. Turn your cell phone off. Sit in silence. Consider your day to day choices which affect the environment and climate change.

Until tomorrow ...

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

#CTWW - Daily Challenge for 3/19/11

Here's our daily challenge:

Though it may be challenging to contemplate, think about greening your "final arrangements." Visit http://www.greenamerica.org or http://www.greenburials.org for more information.

See you tomorrow ...

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

#CTWW - Daily Challenge for 3/18/11

Here's today's challenges:

Avoid buying products that have lots of packaging. About a third of the waste we generate is from packaging to get items to our homes. Choose loose products and buy refillable containers when possible (food co-ops and health food stores usually offer these options.)

Until tomorrow ...

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

#CTWW - Daily Challenge for 3/17/11

Happy St. Patrick's Day ... here's today's challenge:

Reuse and recycle waste, and compost food waste to reduce the rubbish destined for landfill sites. If you don't have one, consider buying or making a composter. The average US household produces about 4.5 pounds of solid waste per day. Landfill sites are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, with every pound of solid waste generating 2 pounds of greenhouse gases. Composting is methane-free and does not produce carbon. For information about composting and buying composters, see http://www.composting101.com/.

Until tomorrow ...

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

Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)

Welcome! If you are new to our challenges, please click HERE for information and a complete list of the activities we've accomplished so far.

We are currently participating in daily challenges and have completed the first week (they began on Wednesday, March 9th, and will continue through April 24th). You'll find additional information by clicking HERE (information is located towards the bottom).

It's been an interesting week with a variety of activities. Some were thought-provoking, some easy to accomplish and still others weren't really for everyone. More important than the exercises themselves, in my opinion, were the discussions that they generated. I learned so much from all of you. For example, one person shared his thoughts on what the future holds, and I found it strangely hopeful. From another person I learned that transformers in light fixtures can draw energy even if a light bulb is turned off, burnt out or missing. Another person shared that the color of our walls can contribute to our energy use.

Let's do a recap of the week:

Day 1 asked us to consider the big picture and discuss how our actions today affect future generations.

• Mrs. Green wrote this POST. She'll be monitoring her energy use and discovering exactly how small changes affect overall consumption.
• EcoGrrl talks about plastic and it's affect on the earth is this ARTICLE.
• Kelly L's 9th grade daughter wrote a 1000 word essay on the subject. I'm hoping that Kelly and her daughter will agree to share the paper with us.
• Kris accepts the challenge and plans to write about it.
• Cinella wrote this POST about our challenge and gave us an update on her disposal non-use.
• Argentum Vulgaris gave us a very thoughtful (and thought provoking) discussion HERE. It might surprise you!
• Nicole B. gave our challenges a lovely write-up HERE. In that post she says, I always leave the Reduce Footprints blog thinking, “I can do this!”. Wow, that makes my "green" heart so happy! Thank you, Nicole!
• The Shopping Charity Daily gave our challenges a mention in this EDITION.
• ...M... stopped in and offered her support.
  

Day 2 will save 55 lbs. of CO2 ... it asks us to remove one light bulb from our homes and to turn off lights, etc. when not in use.

• Mrs. Green discovered that there was a phantom, drawing energy, even when the light was burnt out. And, the energy being drawn was more than the light (when working) used. Read about this amazing discovery HERE.
• Cosmic forces are working in Argentum Vulgaris' home ... his kitchen light blew out on Saturday. So, he'll leave it be for awhile.
• Cinella already had two lights twisted off (one in the hallway and one in the laundry room) and decided, for fun, to twist off another ... in her closet.
• Rewinn discovered something interesting ... here's a hint: paint. Hm ... curious? Find out about this tricky idea HERE.
• Ann says that her family has already done this. In fact, her husband removed the bath room light bulbs so that people don't spend too much time looking at the mirror.

Day 3 suggested that 8% of electricity consumed at home is from "vampire" draws. So, we were asked to unplug any unused appliances as well as mobile phone chargers, etc.

• Monica found us through the Think Green Hop Along (which you'll find in my side bar). She has a great blog, with a lot of green tips, which you'll find HERE.
• Argentum Vulgaris has no vampire appliances. There, there, AV ... don't feel bad ... it's actually a very good thing. And yes, sir ... that counts as participating. :-)
• Mrs. Green is waving "bye bye" to standby in this POST.
• Rewinn "unplugs" a number of gadgets all at once using an item he finds, used, for about a dollar. Find out what he does HERE.
• Stacy is a new follower and says she's definitely taking this challenge ... especially when it comes to the phone charger which she tends to forget. Yay, Stacy ... that one simple change will save a lot!
  

Day 4 asked us to get a home energy audit and find out how we can save resources and money through small improvements to our homes.

• EcoGrrl had an audit done of her home when she first moved in. In addition to learning about areas which could be improved, she learned about the rebates that she could get for each energy saving measure. In her area, she is allowed one free audit ... after that, she'll have to pay for them. And, the audit company doesn't hang on to the home's score so ... if you have an audit done, be sure to keep the paperwork for future reference. Hey EcoGrrl ... did you read Cinella's suggestion HERE?
  
• Argentum Vulgaris couldn't take this challenge ... he says that, in Brazil, the term "energy audit" doesn't exist. AV and Rewinn have had a nice dialogue going about energy audits in Brazil. You can read the thread HERE.
  
• In this POST, Mrs. Green says that she is a "woman of self empowerment" (I love that). She doesn't need a utility company to tell her what she already knows and has taken it upon herself to discover where improvements could be made ... and how much energy she'll save in making them. In her article she mentions Sherry’s ‘light rule’ ... another simple idea with a huge impact.
• For Rewinn, an "energy audit" came in the form of less-than-efficient appliances breaking down soon after moving into his home. He talks about that HERE. Hey Rewinn, AV responded to your suggestion HERE.
  
• Cinella is going to look into energy monitors this week. Hopefully, she'll come back and let us know what she found out.

Day 5 challenged us to think about how we are depleting resources at an unsustainable rate.

• Ann brought a lot of insight to this challenge. She says, "We can still consume, but we can waste less, and recycle more. I know (growing up in a third world), it is a big ask for the rich country to cut their consumption, but if they waste less, it is a big step forward. May I quote two examples: 1) In Singapore, it is hot as it is in the tropics. In the modern buildings, they keep the temperature a freezing 22 degrees, and people have to wear cardigans. What a waste. 2) In freezing countries, they keep the central heating so high, that people wear shorts and thin tee shirts."
• In this POST, Rewinn gives us a realistic appraisal of what we have to do. He says it's not about guilt, it's about doing the right thing.
  

Day 6 encourages us to reduce our food waste by a third.

• Ann gives us her take for the week: share what you cannot consume (it's what her students did).
• Argentum Vulgaris takes a very direct, simple approach to this challenge. He rarely cooks more than he can eat. On those few occasions when he does have a bit more than he can consume, he has a live-in garbage disposal called "da Meow".
• Mrs. Green offers us several methods to eliminate food waste in this POST. She says that the typical person in the UK wastes one third of their food and describes it as buying 6 bags of groceries and promptly tossing 2 bags into the garbage bin. Wow!
• After Jennifer cleans out her refrigerator, she's going to try labeling leftover food containers to help her use up items before they go bad. Great idea!
• Annalene ensures that she doesn't waste food by buying smaller amounts, in minimal packaging ... things like fruits and veggies.
• Brian has outlawed food waste in his house. He buys in bulk and then freezes meal size portions for ready use. When cooking, he and his wife prepare only enough for one meal and perhaps enough for lunch the next day.
• Rewinn loves leftovers but, in this POST, admits that they get lost in the refrigerator. Anyone have ideas for him on how to use the leftovers rather than forget about them?
• EcoGrrl says that she and her dog are efficient eaters. What EcoGrrl doesn't eat, her dog eats ... and what's left when they are both done, which is very little, gets composted.
• Cinella tries not to throw away food. She and her family usually eat them the next day. By the way, in this POST, guess which blog got a nice mention? Oh no, I'm not saying ... but ... thanks, Cinella! :-)
• I was busy tweeting your articles and one of them got picked up on the On Fire For Handmade Daily. Whose article do you think it was?

Day 7 asked us to reduce the number of plastic bags we use and suggested a very cool alternative if one lives near a brewery.

• EcoGrrl realized how far she's come in eliminating plastic bag use when she noticed how many plastic bags (and other plastic waste) her new tenant generates. Hopefully EcoGrrl's fine example will get her tenant on board.
• My friend, İlhami Uyar, offered his support in eliminating plastic bags. As a beekeeper, he knows just how important the environment is to the balance of life. By the way, if you are interested in bees or beekeeping, check out his blog. İlhami offers a lot of wonderful information and he's always willing to help anyone wishing to raise bees.
• In this POST, Rewinn will be making a "spiritual" trip this Sunday to ... well ... you'll have to read the post to find out. And check out the video ... just a little scary (in a fun way).
• Frenchy joined us and appreciated the reminder. Thanks, Frenchy!
• Ellie dropped in ... hope to see you again, Ellie!
• Ann offers us this POST which highlights a beautiful alternative to plastic bags.
  

We had a whole bunch of people tweeting this week using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're on twitter, give them a follow:

@dpixel
@shoppingcharity
@ribloodcenter
@waylandcook
@skipbang
@myzerowaste
@cjrthemommyblog
@whopaysthepiper
@noteasy2begreen
@rewinn
@tif_hamilton
@onfire4handmade

Wow ... this first week of our daily challenges was amazing! Thanks to everyone who participated. As always, if you wrote an article, I tweeted, stumbled and facebooked it.

Many of the themes, last week, centered around energy use ... so, I thought I'd leave you with one last thought ... well, actually, one last picture:


Data Source: Latest Energy Surveys, IEA, DOD. Updated monthly or when new figures are released.

Okay ... let's get started with our next daily challenge:

Save energy in the kitchen. Cook food in a microwave, which uses 50-70% less energy than a conventional oven. When you need to cook in a pan on the stove, use a lid to preserve heat, which will also cook your food faster. Cook double portions and freeze what you don't eat.

See you tomorrow ...

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

#CTWW - Daily Challenge for 3/15/11

It's Day 7 of our challenges ... here's today's activity:

Reduce the number of plastic bags you use by getting a fabric or reusable bag for shopping. Although plastic bags use 70% less plastic than they did 20 years ago, most are still made from polyethylene, a non-degradable plastic. If you live near a brewery, you can obtain 15-20 gallon durable, synthetic grain bags which breweries usually throw away. These can either be used as garbage bags or rinsed out and re-used to take trash to the dump.

See you tomorrow ...

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

#CTWW - Daily Challenge for 3/14/11

Welcome to Monday ... and our next daily challenge:

Notice what food you throw away this week. See if you can reduce it by a third. Eat leftovers and shop more carefully using a list and planning your meals. The amount of food thrown away by an average household adds the equivalent CO2 emissions of 1-5 cars.

Until tomorrow ...

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

#CTWW - Daily Challenge for 3/13/11

Today's challenge is up:

Think about how we are depleting our resources at an unsustainable rate. Reflect on the facts that the richest 20% of the world's population consumes 80% of the world's resources, and those who contribute least to the causes suffer most from the effects of climate change.

Until tomorrow ...

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

#CTWW - Daily Challenge for 3/12/11

Here is our daily challenge:

Get a home energy audit from your local utility company. Find out how you can save resources and money by making small, inexpensive improvements to your home. Find out more from NSTAR and Energy Star.

See you tomorrow ...

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

#CTWW - Daily Challenge for 3/11/11

Here's today's challenge:

Address your "standby" habits. Unplug mobile phone chargers and any unused appliances. 8% of electricity consumed at home is from "vampire" appliances that we aren't even using.

Until tomorrow ...

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

#CTWW - Daily Challenge

Here is today's challenge:

Remove one light bulb from your home. Live without it for the rest of this "carbon fast". This will decrease energy use and act as a reminder of why we are doing this. In addition, make a point of turning off lights when you leave a room or that you don't really need to have on. This simple act could save 55 lbs of CO2 emissions a year.


"See" you tomorrow!

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

Change The World Wednesday

Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW). If you're new to our challenges, please click HERE for more information.

Last week our challenge asked us to save water by not using the garbage disposal. To meet this challenge, it was necessary to reduce food waste and find alternate, Eco-friendly ways to "dispose" of food scraps. In our house, clean veggie peelings and scraps are saved in the freezer for use later to make vegetable stock. For those bits and pieces not appropriate for stock, the compost bin turns them into rich, nutritious soil. That leaves food waste ... which, when we have it, gets tossed into the garbage. However, we try to minimize the amount of trash that will be sent to the landfill so we are very conscious of food waste and plan meals so that we only make what we'll actually eat.

This challenge affects more than saving water ... it reduces stress on overburdened water treatment plants and helps to reduce the occurrence of algae blooms in waterways. It also benefits us on a purely financial level because food tossed down the disposal is money wasted. Let's check in with our Honor Society and see how they tackled this activity:

Mrs. Green not only doesn't use a disposal, she's passionate about eliminating food waste ... actually, she's passionate about eliminating all waste. So much so that she has an entire blog dedicated to exactly that (check it out HERE). In this POST, Mrs. Green offers a very creative idea for saving water. It's one of those things that will have you slapping your forehead and saying "Why didn't I think of that??".

Argentum Vulgaris took the challenge. In this POST he lists all kinds of ways to save water. Here's a riddle ... what does having little or no hair have to do with water conservation? You'll have to head over to "his place" to find the answer. AV also gave us another great driving tip (from a previous challenge). He shares that we can save gas by not breaking too hard or accelerating too fast. Great tip!

From our challenge on driving, Denise Nicole wrote this POST. Her article starts off with one of her original illustrations (she's so talented) ... it jumps right to the heart of her preferred method of transportation.

Our friend, EcoGrrl, suggested that we head over to a fine blog called "Pays To Live Green" and check out this POST. It's an excellent article on what happens to the food that gets sent down the drain. EcoGrrl doesn't use her disposal ... and while she says it's because she accidentally ran a quarter through it ... and the disposal broke ... I have a feeling that her "green" conscience wouldn't let her use it too much anyway. So, how's EcoGrrl savings water? Well ... she says that she's excited to receive her tax refund this year because she's giving herself a gift ... a super sexy, 500 gallon, water cistern. Sexy? Hehe ... you go girl!

Jenn left us a comment saying she has no food waste. Wow!! How does she accomplish that? She has pigs, chickens and a hungry guard dog. Oh ... and she also has worms (vermicomposting) and a composting bin. Nothing goes to waste at Jenn's place! Great job, Jenn!!

Kristina found us through the Wednesday Blog Hop which is in the side bar. She doesn't have a disposal and shares that her city has a great composting program. She has two bins ... one takes recyclables and the other takes food scraps, coffee grounds and even pet waste. Thanks for joining us, Kristina ... hope to see you again!

Sim Only Contracts says that disposals aren't the "norm" in the UK. So "Sim" plans to share a top tip for creative reuse of water. Thanks, "Sim" ... be sure to come back and let us know where to find your tip, okay?

...M... (from Require Life) found us through the Think Green Blog Hop (you'll find that one is in the side bar). She doesn't use a disposal ... instead she uses meat & veggie scraps to make broth/stock. She also composts. Yay! ...M... suggests saving water by running a dishwasher efficiently. For example, rather than pre-rinse, she saves water by simply scrapping off any food and then letting the dishwasher work. By the way, ...M... is hosting a wonderful blog hop for the month of March. It's called Spring Green and is a link-up of green tips, ideas, crafts and, of course, blogs. So ... if you have anything green to share, or if you're interested in finding new articles/blogs on green living ... check it out. You'll find the link in my side bar or ... click HERE.

NotEasyToBeGreen took the challenge. She's using veggie scraps to make stock and shares that the homemade version is much richer than the store-bought variety. She also shares a clever water saving tip: "Put an empty bucket in the shower and let it catch some of the cold and gray water from your shower. Then use it to flush the toilet as needed." And if that water contains a little soap/shampoo ... well maybe it'll help clean the toilet. Did you happen to read the wonderful post that Jennifer shared with us on Monday? If not, don't miss it ... it's thought provoking (read it HERE).

My favorite publication, The Shopping Charity, mentioned our challenge HERE. Other topics covered include A Green Wedding Guide, using coupons & gift codes to support your favorite charitable cause, the estimated dollar value of volunteering, and the recall of the Baby Jogger Jump Seat. Lots of up-to-the-minute news ... check it out!

Nicole B. doesn't use a garbage disposal so she shared a very clever water saving tip with us: "I keep one or two empty milk jugs under my sink and when I need to let the water run for any reason (waiting for it to heat up, etc.) I fill the milk jugs instead of wasting the water. I use the saved water to give to my dogs and water my plants." Great idea, Nicole! Nicole also tweeted our challenge so stay tuned for the #CTWW Gang ... she's listed there, too! Can you guess which twitter ID is hers?

Eemilla doesn't use a disposal so she shared a bunch of water saving tips in this POST. Of her tips, my favorites are #4 and #9. Which is your favorite?

Once again our friend, Rewinn, gets the award for creativity. In this POST he shares his water saving idea ... Water Farming. No, he's not talking about growing water or even implementing a large-scale water management system. He's suggesting something easy to do ... something with a huge impact. So go check it out. It's brilliant!

Jen accepted the challenge and in this POST, she talks about the ways in which her family conserves water. Topics include rain barrels, washing cars, water filters & using a steam mop. Oh ... and Jen doesn't have a garbage disposal. WhooHoo!

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

@cjrthemommyblog
@waylandcook
@whopaysthepiper
@ribloodcenter
@pennyritson
@myzerowaste
@shoppingcharity
@skipbang
@rewinn
@jnjgogreen

Thanks to everyone who participated this week. If you wrote an article, I've STUMBLED, TWEETED and FACEBOOKED it.

Okay ... as promised, we're going to begin daily challenges today. Our friend, Rewinn, suggested that we participate in the Ecumenical Lenten Carbon Fast which is an initiative of the New England Regional Environmental Ministries of the United Church of Christ. Even though many of us are not Christian and don't observe Lent, we are interested in living a "green" life so ... I thought it might be fun to post their daily challenges and see if we can accomplish them. So here's how it'll work. Every day, I'll post the challenge. On Wednesdays, throughout this event which ends on Easter, I'll do a little recap of our efforts in accomplishing the various tasks. The same rules will apply, here, as with our weekly challenges ... if you write a post about the challenges, or tweet about them, you'll be listed in our Honor Society or #CTWW Gang accordingly.

So what do you think ... ready to be challenged on a daily basis? Here's our first challenge:

Consider and discuss the actions we might undertake to lessen the impact of Global Warming and learn about the impact our life choices have on the lives of future generations. Find out what we can do to ensure a sustainable and healthy future for generations to come.

Until tomorrow ...

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

What’s stopping us from being greener?

Writing a blog about green living is hard! Let's face it, while the message is worthwhile, it's tough to talk about environmental issues without sounding like a "broken record". So, when I found It's Not Easy To Be Green, I was thrilled. Jennifer, the creative force behind the blog, brings a fresh new voice to Eco-living. She speaks with an incredible honesty, sharing her views in posts such as Can Good Intentions Save the Planet and the delightfully inquisitive Does Going Veg Make Your Tastebuds Mutate. Sometimes Jennifer's articles make me a little uncomfortable because they push me look deeper into my own heart and help expose those areas where I could do better. She tackles every subject head on ... and in the process she opens her readers' eyes.

I'd like to thank Jennifer for stopping by, today, and sharing some of her thoughts with us. And now ... Jennifer:


What’s stopping us from being greener?

When it comes to greening our lives, we are highly selective. We accept some of the suggestions we come across and reject plenty of others. I was perfectly happy to embrace cloth dish rags instead of paper towels, but the idea of cloth toilet paper continues to gross me out. It was this inconsistency that made me think: what's stopping me from doing other things I know I could be doing to reduce my impact? Where am I drawing the line, and more importantly, why am I drawing it there?

From the comments on a recent post I wrote about bulk bins and how to use your own containers, I've begun to suspect that the barriers that keep us from being greener are sometimes very small. It's true that we do have real limits on our time, energy, and resources, but in the case of the bulk bins, it was my dislike of having to ask questions that kept me from bringing my own jars instead of taking plastic bags. For a blog friend, it was a single awkward encounter with a checkout clerk. After taking a long look at all the things I know I could do but choose not to (ride a bike, compost indoors, join local green committees, etc.), I came up with the following list of lame hang-ups that derail my greenest intentions.

• Squeamishness. Not so much a fear of germs as a dislike of dirt under nails, creepy crawly things, and my own identity as a biological being.
  
  
• Hating to talk to strangers. I am more introverted than some of the kids with Asperger's that I've worked with. Enough said.
  
  
• Hating to ask stupid questions. I ended up tweeting Whole Foods about how to use my own containers, and they were kind enough to reply. (It's very simple, actually. Ask customer service to give you a tare weight for your empty jars before filling them up. You're welcome.)
  
  
• Dislike of changes to routine / inconvenience. I finally figured out why I don't like loose tea, which I can get packaging-free from the bulk bins: my tea ball is fiddly and difficult to use, especially in the early morning when hand-eye coordination is proving elusive.
  
  
• Kneejerk reaction. Like the one I had when someone first mentioned composting toilets. (I believe my exact reply was, "You can take my flush toilet from my cold, dead hands.") I have since realized that composting toilets are essentially litter boxes, one of which I clean every day and have no major issues with.

Of course, being able to identify a hang-up isn't the same thing as doing something about it. But seeing the things you choose not to do as a problem means that you can start looking for solutions or alternatives. At the tutoring center where I work, we teach a ridiculously simple problem solving strategy that goes: 1) identify the problem, 2) brainstorm possible solutions, 3) pick one to try, 4) evaluate how well it worked, and 5) try another solution if necessary. It seems totally obvious, but I've found that it really does help me wrap my head around things, from cloth pads to reusable produce bags.

It's easy to think, "I'm already doing so much for the environment, I don't need to do everything," but that shouldn't keep us from pushing ourselves to keep making more changes. It's not easy to be green, after all.

What are your green hang-ups? How could you get around them?

Vegan Recipe - Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

It's the first Friday of the month and that means it's time for a delicious vegan recipe. Are you surprised to find a vegan recipe on a "Green" site? Well, consider this statement which I recently read on Wikipedia in an article entitled Environmeantal Effects of Meat Production: "According to a 2006 report by the Livestock, Environment And Development Initiative, the livestock industry is one of the largest contributors to environmental degradation worldwide, and modern practices of raising animals for food contributes on a "massive scale" to air and water pollution, land degradation, climate change, and loss of biodiversity." Simply put ... it takes less natural resources to produce plant-based foods than it does animal-based foods.

This month's recipe comes from one of my all-time favorite sites, Cooking Rut. You might be surprised to learn that Cooking Rut isn't a vegan/vegetarian blog ... it's a cooking site which includes something for everyone. The owner and "top chef", Marcy, offers delicious recipes like Falafel and Chile Relleno. In a series of posts called Culinary School Friday, you'll find very informative articles, such as All About Flour. In another post (and one of my personal favorites), Potatoes, Explained, you learn all about the different varieties of potatoes and how to use them. But that's not all ... in every post you'll find Marcy's unique sense of humor and joy in cooking.

Marcy kindly agreed to share one of her recipes with us. It looks so good ... I hope you'll give it a try. And if you have a few minutes, be sure to visit Cooking Rut ... I just know you'll love it! And now ... here's Marcy:


Greetings from a faraway land called Montana. Small Footprints asked me to provide a vegan recipe. I have many recipes, most of which are not vegan. I’m what you call a “flexitarian.” You know… one of those people who eat vegetarian on cool days of the week like Meatless Mondays or Tofu Tuesdays. But this brings up a question (I have many)… why doesn’t every day have a cool “veggie” name? I can come up with a few: “Sans meat Saturdays,” Salad Sundays,” or “Fennel Fridays.” And why are flexitarians only supposed to eat vegetarian meals on Mondays and Tuesdays? I tend to plan meatless meals during the week and not necessarily on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Anyway… Here is a simple, vegan recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. It’s one of those simple soups with just a few ingredients. It’s important to note that when making recipes with a small list of ingredients, that you pay attention to quality. For instance, you want a good vegetable stock (homemade preferably), freshly ground black pepper, and sea salt (or Kosher… but definitely not iodized). Also, if you can, be sure to buy locally/organically/sustainably grown vegetables. Using high quality ingredients will set your cooking apart from the rest.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

1-2 carrots, peeled, sliced
1 butternut squash, peeled, diced into ½-inch cubes
3 leeks, washed thoroughly and sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt – pinch or so
Freshly ground black pepper
2-3 cups vegetable stock
Cayenne pepper – to taste (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Place the carrots and squash on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Toss together to distribute the oil and seasonings. Bake in the hot oven for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and toss in the leeks and garlic. Roast for another 15 minutes or so or until the carrots and squash are tender.

In the meantime, heat the stock on the stove. When the vegetables are done, puree them in a blender or food processor. If using a blender, you will need to add some of the stock to the vegetables and you will probably need to work in batches. The amount of stock used depends on how thick you want the soup. I like thick, hearty soups, so I add around 2 cups of stock. Others may like it thinner… it’s up to you.

Adjust the seasonings with the salt and pepper. Add a pinch of ground cayenne pepper (or ground ancho pepper) for a little heat and to counteract the sweetness of the squash.
If you want a super-smooth soup, push the pureed soup through a strainer to remove the solids.

Serve with crusty bread or croutons.

Enjoy!

Doesn't that sound yummy? I'd like to thank Marcy for sharing this delicious recipe with us. If you have a vegan recipe which you'd like to share, please send it to me HERE.

Hungry for more? Check out all of our vegan recipes HERE.

Change The World Wednesday

Welcome to another edition of Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW). If you're new here, please take a look at this PAGE for more information and a full list of the challenges we've taken so far.

Last week we ended two challenges ... a month-long challenge which asked us to avoid processed, commercial snack food and our weekly challenge which asked us to reduce our driving speed. The snack activity was great for several reasons ... most snack food contains unhealthy ingredients like high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils, it typically comes in single serving packages, it is rarely produced locally, and it isn't whole food. So, it's bad for us and bad for the earth. Throughout the month, we saw several posts and comments from our Honor Society about how they met this challenge ... some simply refused to buy "junk food" and others created their own, healthy snacks. Hopefully we all considered the impact of this simple change.

Lowering our driving speed saves gas. Of course, not driving saves even more. As usual with our challenges, many of you went above and beyond ... sharing a multitude of gas-saving ideas. Here's our Honor Society:

EcoGrrl is an earth-friendly Super-Star in the "low impact transportation" arena. She gave up her car 3 years ago and commutes, daily, using a mountain bike. I asked those who don't drive to give us the real details about making this option work ... and EcoGrrl did. Check out her comments, HERE, about how she deals with rain, snow and hauling yard supplies. She really proves that it's all about our willingness to make it work!

Mountain Mama lives a little too far from the nearest store to walk or bike ... but she employs a few other gas-saving strategies. She makes a weekly shopping trip and tries to do without if she runs out of something between trips. MM notes that switching from paper towels to washable cloths has helped in that regard because she no longer needs to buy them and never runs out. In fact, employing many of the Eco-friendly activities we've talked about on this blog have helped her to reduce gas consumption. For example, buying in bulk means she has enough to last between shopping trips. She also shares that slowing down not only saves gas but it is a safer way to drive. As she says "Seems like good common sense to me." MM also left a comment about our challenge to re-use. She had a bunch of suggestions which you can read HERE.

Our friend, Argentum Vulgaris, wrote this POST on our re-using challenge. When he shops he considers the packaging and how he can reuse it. For example, he buys a cream cheese which often comes in a plastic jar. Rather than choose that option, he searches out a brand which comes in a reusable glass jar. And how does he reuse his glass jars? Well ... you'll have to go read his post. And to further entice you to do so, he's posted a picture ... so go look.

We have a new friend, Erin Wallace, who found us through the Wednesday Blog Hop.

Our friend, Kate, traded in an older car for a new Honda Fit. The Fit comes with a MPG gauge which let's one know exactly how much fuel is being used. She shares that it has created competition between her and her husband to see who can get the best gas mileage per trip. Congrats, Kate, on being the current winner in your house!

Tawna and Kortney found us through a blog hop. Thanks for stopping by!

Kris wrote this POST and talks about some of the challenges she faces in finding an Eco-friendly, safe method of transportation to and from work. While she searches for something that works, she has committed to slowing down ... even though she's in a hurry to get home after a long day at work. For non-work trips, she employs a few other strategies to cut down on gas. Can you guess what they are? Nope, I'm not telling ... head over and read her post to find out.

NotEasyToBeGreen took a dramatic step to reduce her gas consumption ... she quit her job. Okay, she probably didn't really quit her job to save gas ... did you NETBG? And ... she works for the same company from home. But it brings up a good point ... if there's an option to work from home, it definitely reduces commute times and cost. By the way ... I don't want to say "for sure", but ... NotEasyToBeGreen may be a guest, right here on Reduce Footprints. So stay tuned for that treat!!

Kelly used to buy used books from Amazon and felt that she was doing her part. Then she got an iPad with a kindle and Nook application allowing her to download books. That's "reuse" kicked up a notch!

Nicole is another new friend who found us through the blog hop. She shares that this challenge is "in the bag" because she drives slowly and less than 5 miles a day. Yay! Nicole writes a blog called Mom Always Finds Out where she hosts several Eco-friendly giveaways.

The Shopping Charity Daily gave us a nice write-up. In addition to #CTWW, you'll find articles on Lung Cancer Surgery, "Green" Wedding Favors and how hospitals in St. Louis cope with an outbreak of RSV (a kid's respiratory virus).

Bertina Makayla stopped by and had some very nice words about our blog.

There are a group of people, lovingly referred to as our #CTWW Gang, who were lighting up the Internet with their Tweets. They talked about our challenge using the hashtag #CTWW ... all in 140 characters or less. If you're on Twitter, be sure to stop by and check them out:

@cjrthemommyblog
@whopaysthepiper
@ribloodcenter
@noteasy2begreen
@fancyscrubs
@waylandcook
@littlthon
@shoppingcharity
@rewinn

Thanks to everyone who participated this week! If you wrote an article, I've Stumbled, Tweeted and Facebooked it.

A couple of "program notes" before we get to this week's challenge ... this Friday is the first Friday of the month and that means another vegan recipe. This month we have a guest chef ... and the recipe looks fabulous. So be sure to come back for that. And next Wednesday, we're going to begin something exciting ... a daily challenge which will begin on the 9th and run until Easter (which is, by the way, your hint for what we'll be doing). Need one more hint? The daily challenges will be appropriate for both Christians and non-Christians alike. Stay tuned ...

Okay ... this week we're going to save a little water. Ready? Here you go:

This week do not use your garbage disposal (and save a bunch of water). Instead, find ways to reduce food waste, reuse veggie scraps (ie make stock with them), or compost items normally sent down the drain. If you MUST use the disposal, use minimal water, and consider if there are other options available for "next time".

Or ...

If you never use a disposal, please share your most creative water saving idea.

That's it for this week ... see you next time!!

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