Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)

Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)! If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.

There's a lot of great information in this post and I encourage you to read through it ... however, if you'd rather jump straight to the current challenge, you can do so by clicking here: This Week's Challenge

Last week we got busy and started preparing for fall by cleaning our furnaces. I quickly learned that many of you don't use a furnace to heat your homes ... folks in the UK typically use water boilers, people in the warmer climates don't need to heat their homes, some of you stay warm using radiant heat in the floor and still others use wood heat. And ... some of you are moving into spring instead of fall. So, many of you took on the second part of the challenge to come up with Eco-friendly tips for the coming months.

Our Honor Society (those folks who wrote articles and/or left comments) had a lot to say this week. Let's check in with them:

Good Girl Gone Green doesn't use a furnace ... her heat comes from the floors (fascinating). So, she offers us 5 Tips to Prepare for the Fall/Winter Months. My favorite tip is the first one ... something that many people don't think about but which will definitely make heating more efficient. Which tip is your favorite?

Amy heats her home with wood which they cut from fallen trees. She shares that to ensure efficient burning, one needs to clean the chimney several times a year. And for those folks who have heating ducts throughout their home, they need to be cleaned as well.

EcoGrrl decommissioned an oil tank when she bought her home and installed a new, efficient gas furnace. She lives in Oregon and only uses it during a couple of months each year. She makes sure to change the filter as required.

Mrs. Green shares that in her area, a furnace is something which reaches 2000 degrees and is used for smelting metal ... and she doesn't think she has one in her home. Probably not, Mrs. Green. (lol) In Preparing for autumn the green way, she shares her plan for the coming months. It might surprise you!

Rachel lives in the UK and says that most homes in her area are heated with a boiler. In her words "Here, the usual central heating system is water-based. A boiler (usually burning gas) heats water that is then circulated round radiators in the rooms. There are other systems that use air ducts and other methods, but they are much less common." While having the boiler regularly serviced is recommended, Rachel isn't sure whether that's for efficiency sake or just to keep engineers in business. She was curious about how we, in the US, heat our homes and offers this ARTICLE for anyone curious about the history of heating and cooling in America. Thanks, Rachel ... that was interesting!

Ann shares our banner on two posts this week ... one is about the SS Toroa and the other is about how she recently accomplished something on her bucket list (you can read that one HERE). WhooHoo Ann ... you're a brave girl!

The Organic Blonde lives in a warmer climate so rarely needs heat. She shares that it's important to keep A/C units clean so that they run efficiently. Even though she doesn't get a cool fall/winter, she does make it a point to check for insulation issues so that her family will stay warm during the few chilly days they get. By the way, if you've never visited The Organic Blonde, please do ... her site is filled with great information.

Kelleigh burns wood to heat her home and she shares that it's necessary to make sure the stove pipe is good and clean. Great tip! She's going to think about some other tips for us ... can't wait, Kelleigh!

Why should you care about your furnace? Our Funtastically Green Girl, Lynn, answers that question HERE.

Argentum Vulgaris has given up on blogger and now has a blog on wordpress. In this POST he talks about the challenge and since his area is moving into spring, he shares a great tip that I'm betting most people don't think about. Here's a riddle: if you don't look up, you'll never know ... collecting dust makes it run slow. Know what AV's tip is about?

I'm guessing that Rewinn turns every chore into a fun activity. For example ... look how he handled this challenge at REWinn Scrapbook. Thanks, Rewinn ... love your happy attitude!

Tina (aka The Book Lady) joined us for the first time. So nice to "see" you, Tina! She writes two wonderful blogs: Family Literacy and You and Giving N Sharing. She's asking for our help and would like ideas for conserving heat in a drafty old basement apartment with windows. Anyone have any ideas for her?

Alicia had a bunch of great ideas for us including cleaning filters monthly. But that's not all ... check HERE for more wonderful tips. Thanks, Alicia!

Thanks to the Honor Society for those wonderful posts and comments. If you wrote an article, I have stumbled, tweeted and facebooked it.

There are a group of people who hit the twitter airwaves each week and talk about our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. We lovingly refer to them as our #CTWW Gang. Joining the gang is easy ... just tweet about our challenges. Ready to meet this week's Gang? Here you go:

@waylandcook @ggirlggreen @mycraftcorner @groovygreenlivi @tiffanystoybox @dpixel @whopaysthepiper @theorganicblond @lynn_stone @oneadayart @EnviroFusion

@nurturedbeauty @accessorygal @ecobears @peopletowels @waxelene @geopalooza @nonmom @robineaston @skipbang @noteasy2begreen @littlegreenblog

@gogreenbeans @gwened02 @givetreegifts @justaddcloth @hshawjr @pinkladyapril @PFWoman @rewinn @greenereveryday @AmbianceEco

If you are on Twitter ... those are great folks to follow and get to know.

Are you ready for more?

This Week's Challenge:

Our challenges are based on the idea that if a lot of us do the same activity at the same time, we'll have a positive impact. So this week we're going to join forces with Mrs. Green for the fourth National Zero Waste Week. The theme is "Reducing waste away from home". Joining this challenge will make Zero Waste Week an international effort. Here you go:

This week, head over to Zero Waste Week 2011 and commit to at least one activity which will reduce waste away from home. Be sure to come back here and share your commitment. The same rules will apply as always ... if you write about it and/or tweet about, you'll be honored next week. After committing to an activity, keep track of your progress because we'll be talking about our successes next week.

So let's join forces with our neighbors "across the pond" and make this a huge, world-wide event! Are you with me??

Until next time ...

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

Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)

Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)! If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: I'm adding a new feature to our challenges. Currently if you write an article in support of our challenge, it is shared on the social networks on Tuesday. Last week I decided to share them an additional time. So, from here on, if you get your article written early (and please be sure to let me know you did), there's a chance it will be promoted more than once. This will be a random thing ... some weeks I'll promote them once, other weeks more than once. What do you think ... worth your effort?

There's a lot of great information in this post and I encourage you to read through it ... however, if you'd rather jump straight to the current challenge, you can do so by clicking here: This Week's Challenge

Last week we headed outside for a walk ... not just any walk but a walk to pick up litter. Argentum Vulgaris upped the ante by challenging us to actually say something to people who litter (suggesting that they use a trash bin) ... and Harold Shaw raised the ante by asking that we take pictures of the trash we collect and post it for the world to see. So how did you do with this activity?

We lovingly refer to them as our #CTWW Gang. They are people who tweet about our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're on twitter, these are great folks to follow. Let's meet them:

@robineaston @nurturedbeauty @justaddcloth @nonmom @oneadayart @gwened02 @gogreenbeans @nurturedbeauty @theorganicblond

@groovygreenlivi @ecobears @greengiftsguide @ggirlggreen @givetreegifts @noteasy2begreen @tiffanystoybox @waylandcook

@whopaysthepiper @ambianceeco @kidzinky @hshawjr @lynn_stone @littlegreenblog @greenereveryday @waxelene

Our fabulous Honor Society is comprised of folks who write articles and/or leave comments. Here's what they had to say this week:

Sarah spent a long weekend in a National Park and made it her goal to pick up trash. How did it go Sarah? The idea of cleaning the park so that others will it enjoy it more is lovely and generous! Thank you, Sarah!

For our previous challenge, Brenna wrote an article entitled "Is Electricity Natural". In it, she talks about a discussion she overheard ... you won't believe who was having the discussion. The article also contains some facts about how electricity is generated and how much comes from wind, water, etc. Brenna follows all of this up with some great ideas for getting kids to care about reducing their energy use. For this week's challenge she brings up an interesting thought ... from a parent's perspective, picking up litter can be dangerous for children. She recently found hypodermic needles on a recent walk. So parents ... how do you deal with this kind of thing?

Rachel is lucky ... in her area one doesn't find much litter. But she says that she'll keep her eyes peeled when she's out for her walk. So ... the second half of the challenge, to enjoy nature, was more for her. In this POST, she shares something she discovered while out walking.

Argentum Vulgaris lives in an area where people are not so conscientious about litter. In fact, in the post you'll find HERE, you'll see that even the government doesn't especially care about trash and public bins are left overflowing. AV doesn't give up, though ... when he sees someone litter, he says something to them.

Jennifer feels a bit squeamish about picking up other people's trash. To solve the problem, she suggests carrying gloves and a bag. Here's an interesting question to ask ourselves ... how much responsibility do we feel in picking up other people's trash? As always, Jennifer, you make me think!

Amy is another lucky person who lives in an area with very few litter bugs. She and her family, however, have made it their mission to clean up in another way. Here's a hint ... she says that they leave this area better than they found it. Can you guess where they collect litter? You'll find out HERE.

Good Girl Gone Green is actually way ahead of us and started picking up litter a few weeks ago. In this POST, she shares pictures of what she's collected ... and it seems that her activity has been noticed ... you won't believe what one man asked her while she was cleaning up.

In Have a Trashy Time Kelleigh shares a fun video. She also offers a wonderful idea about finding trash inside your home ... and reusing it. While most of us find plastic and paper on a walk, Kalleigh finds semi tires, coolant containers, food wrappers, etc.

You will not believe what kind of litter Lynn found at the beach. One word ... Eeeeuuuuuwwwwww! But like a trooper, she picked it up. You can read about it HERE. And yep, Lynn ... changing the world with our challenges is good on any day!

Harold Shaw has a cute little Jack Russell named Bennie who gets him out and about so Harold decided to carry a bag on their walks. In this POST you'll learn about another incentive to collect litter ... think "retirement fund".

Kelly L. has been busy traveling but she took the time to drop in and accept the challenge. Thanks, Kelly ... hope you enjoyed your vacation!

Jen is training for the "Weekend to End Women's Cancers Walk" ... so while she's out, she's going to pick up litter. Wow Jen ... what a great cause to participate in. Let us know how it goes!

In Dawn Patrol for Trash, Rewinn talks about some unexpected benefits to walking and picking up litter ... some that have nothing to do with trash ... and some that have to do with reusing. Can you guess what they are?

Alicia shares that it's very easy to carry a bag in one's pocket and pick up litter while walking. She finds mostly paper and plastic which she drops in the recycle bin at the end of her walk. Very nice!

Awhile back, on our challenge to give up paper towels, Mrs. Green broached the subject of "wee towels". Wowee ... that got some attention! She's given us an update on that idea HERE. By the way, be sure to check out the posts which Mrs. Green has written for her "happiness" series. So many great posts including one about trees and one about a spider web. Mrs. Green ... I've headed out to get "Autumn Rush" just because of your recommendation!

Great job everyone! If you wrote an article, I have Stumbled, Tweeted and Facebooked it.

Are you ready for something new? I know that you are!!

This Week's Challenge:

Have you felt the change in the climate? Yep, fall is just around the corner. So, let's get started on some activities which will help us head into the cooler months in an Eco-friendly, efficient way. Here you go:

This week clean and test the furnace. Did you know that your furnace needs cleaning? Yep ... it collects all kinds of dust and debris which not only affects it's performance but could cause a fire. Before you really need the heat, get out your owner's manual for instructions on how to clean it. No manual? Check here or call a furnace maintenance company. If you have a gas furnace, have it professionally inspected once a year.

Or ...

Have you already accomplished this task ... or don't use a furnace? Then we'd like to hear another Eco-tip or idea for the coming months.

Ready for our mantra? All together now ...

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

Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)

Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)! If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.

Before we get started with this week's activity, I have a favor to ask. I've entered a contest and my submission has been posted. To win the contest I need comments. They can be left anonymously and without your email address. So if you have a minute, click HERE and leave me your thoughts. The contest runs through September 12th. Thanks so much!

There's a lot of great information in this post and I encourage you to read through it ... however, if you'd rather jump straight to the current challenge, you can do so by clicking here: This Week's Challenge

Last week most of us thought that the challenge, to turn off our A/C units, would be difficult if not impossible. But then, Mother Nature took pity on us ... or perhaps she chose to reward us for our hard Eco-work ... and the temperatures dropped. Cooler breezes meant that we were comfortable with the doors and windows open ... and without using air conditioning units.

This challenge, for me, was a reminder about "balance". Sometimes it's not practical or safe to take an action, no matter how Eco-friendly it is. In those situations we can still be as efficient as possible and minimize our impact. Living "green" isn't always about living without ... sometimes it's finding a balance between what we need and protecting the earth.

Our CTWW Gang talked about our challenge on Twitter using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're on twitter, these are great folks to follow:

@mcbridesorganic @celebrategreen @gwened02 @nonmom @skipbang @noteasy2begreen @gogreenbeans @tiffanystoybox @lynn_stone @littlegreenblog @waylandcook

@waxelene @andrealearned @charlesredell @greenfabmedia @almosttruth @tmuffindotcom @eco_energize @groovygreenlivi @alwayswellwithn @jenniesmells

@greenereveryday @givetreegifts @villagescanada @greengiftsguide @whopaysthepiper @ambianceeco @clothmamajess @ecobears @rewinn @JustAddCloth

Our Honor Society wrote wonderful posts and left meaningful comments:

Mrs. Green took a good, hard look at her energy use. If you've followed her for long, then you know that she has been whittling away at Chez Green's use for awhile now ... so much so that they have reduced it to the bare basics. But Mrs. Green is an Eco-warrior and was able to find one thing to give up for a day. Can you guess what it is? It's a small thing ... something that I'm betting many of you do on a daily basis ... something that we don't give much thought to. Guesses? Find the answer HERE. And thank you, Mrs. Green ... your opening comments totally made my day! :-)

Ann gave up using her oven and instead used the top plate to cook. She also used a crock-pot ... another energy saving device. In her weekly Save Our World post, where she includes our banner and a link to our challenges, she talks about how a favorite river from her childhood bled.

Argentum Vulgaris uses so little electricity that he's practically off the grid. In this POST he talks about what he does use and about why he doesn't use energy-efficient light bulbs.

Alicia lives in Tennessee and temperatures topped 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Wowee! So living without air conditioning wasn't practical or safe. Instead, she chose a few other energy saving methods: she used a laptop instead of a desktop computer, she prepared raw food instead of using the oven and she didn't use the washer/dryer for a day. In addition, she set her A/C high so that it wasn't coming on often. Great job, Alicia!!

Our friend Lynn took advantage of cooler temperatures to open up doors and windows. In this ARTICLE she talks about indoor air quality and includes a link with great information. Check it out ... I'm sure you'll learn a lot ... I did!

During the summer, Brian turns the A/C up (so that it rarely comes on), uses ceiling fans, and keeps lights off during the day. He's already planning for winter and thinking about ways to keep energy costs (and usage) down. One idea he has is to pull out more blankets for those chilly evenings.

Amy also lives in an area that got hit with severely hot temperatures this year so, for health reasons, they installed a window A/C unit. She's making it as efficient as possible, though, by setting it high and cleaning the unit often so that it works efficiently. She also sets a bucks under the backside of the unit (the end that is outside the window) to collect any water. She then uses that water on her plants.

Tiffany took full advantage of some cooler nights and left the A/C off. As with many of you, she worries about health issues associated with the heat so, if it gets too hot, she uses the A/C.

Last week, after heading into the dark recesses of his pantry, Rewinn seemed to disappear. We were concerned because his last words, before heading in, were to call "911" if he didn't come out in a reasonable time. I'm happy to say that he is fine. He actually didn't go into the dreaded pantry. Why? Here's a two word hint: Guinea Pig. So, are you curious? Read all about it HERE. Be sure to read "Let's Hang Out" where Rewinn shares one of his favorite ways to reduce energy use.

Marcy lives in Montana and they've had an unusually cool summer. But she shares that even on hot days they don't use air conditioning. She and her family save energy by not turning the lights on during the day, and often leave them off at night as well. She believes that there is more they can do, however, so plans to brainstorm ideas. Thanks, Marcy!

Mandi has been on vacation ... welcome back, Mandi! On our challenge to take short showers, she shares that she managed to take a 3-minute shower, only turning the water on to rinse. I loved her comment "I'm so excited that I can do this!" Me, too, Mandi. Check out her post entitled "No Electricity Day". She shares what she won't be turning on and offers a ton of great ideas for ways to spend the day.

I'd like to welcome Kelleigh to our challenges. Kelleigh lives in Alaska and lives off the grid. Wow! In her words "We live off the grid and use pretty much 100% solar most of the year. Because we live in the northern latitudes, we have to run a generator to charge batteries in the winter. But, we are very conscious of using energy efficient light bulbs making sure "ghost power loads" are always turned off. Also, we heat water for showers using wood heat in the winter. Pretty backwoodsy, but it works!" She doesn't stop there and says "For this challenge, I want to be more conscious of when I use the stove and do more baking/cooking at once to reduce propane usage." Check out this POST where she offers ways to stay cool which also make a difference ... it's a totally inspiring idea! Thanks, Kelleigh ... so glad to have you with us!

Shane lives in Florida and it's been hotter than usual this year so ... she's been using the A/C. However, she keeps the setting high and "tries" to get her kids to keep the doors closed.

I'm guessing that Rachel doesn't need A/C in Wales ... it took her awhile to read the second part of the challenge because she was laughing so hard. :-) But yep, we have something for you, too, Rachel. In looking around at her energy use, she found one item which she could (and did) convert from electricity to ... "people power". Oh you know you want to read about this clever conversion. Click HERE to read all about it including pictures and instructions. Thanks, Rachel!

McBride's Organic Farm Daily picked up one of your challenge articles. Was it yours? In addition to CTWW, the publication included pieces on weeds, honey and "Tomatoland".

Jessica said that this challenge was easy because she was on vacation in Santa Cruz and California has had relatively cool weather this year. Nice to have you back, Jessica ... hope you enjoyed your vacation!!

Wow ... as always your efforts are so impressive! If you wrote an article, I have Stumbled, Tweeted and Facebooked it! If you'd like to help spread the word, please use the share buttons at the bottom of this post!

So ... what shall we do this week? How about this ...

This Week's Challenge:

Let's tackle litter this week. Litter is not only unsightly and bad for the environment, it's dangerous for wildlife who mistake it for food or get caught in containers trying to get at food. So let's get rid of it.

This week go for a walk and pick up litter as you go. If you don't find any litter on your walk, then just enjoy being outside and "communing" with nature. By the way, this is a great activity for kids so don't forget to include them.

Or ...

If going for a walk is not doable for you, please write a post about why litter is a problem in the environment and how we can prevent it.

UP THE ANTE: Argentum Vulgaris is raising the ante on this challenge. Here it is: "Next time you see a person drop some trash, take them to task in a friendly way. If everybody did this just once, the world would stay a little cleaner, a little longer." Who's taking him up on this challenge?

RAISE THE ANTE: Harold Shaw has a great idea for us. After picking up the trash, take a picture of all the stuff collected and post it online. Let's show the world how bad litter is. Anyone up for this challenge?

So what do you think ... are you up for it?

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

Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)

Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)! If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.

There's a lot of great information in this post and I encourage you to read through it ... however, if you'd rather jump straight to the current challenge, you can do so by clicking here: This Week's Challenge

Last week we bravely explored the recesses of our freezers, cupboards and pantries vowing to use what we have before buying more. Harold Shaw upped the ante by suggesting that we inventory, in written form, the items we have on hand. And Bekka raised the ante by challenging us to use leftovers in a new dish. It was all designed to reduce food waste ... and was great fun!

We have a whole bunch of people who use Twitter to pass the word about our challenges. They tweet using the hashtag #CTWW ... and we lovingly refer to them as our #CTWW Gang. Let's meet them:

@greenlegume
@waylandcook
@alwayswellwithn
@groovygreenlivi
@noteasy2begreen
@greenereveryday
@waxelene
@tiffanystoybox
@lynn_stone
@dpixel
@almosttruth
@clothmamajess
@anthropologistm
@aapremlall
@gwened02
@hshawjr
@accessorygal
@mycraftcorner
@flatlinered
@skipbang
@greenereveryday
@peopletowels
@ambianceeco
@mhatched
@martinimom
@jnjgogreen
@givetreegifts
@justaddcloth
@gogreenbeans
@coffeetablepoet
@ecoliciousmama
@becomingcrunchy
@jennymacant
@littlegreenblog
@ecobears
@greenbabydiaper
@judysdesigns
@quashme
@McBridesOrganic
@villagescanada
@villageshouston
@Tmuffindotcom

Our Honor Society is comprised of people who write posts and/or leave comments in support of our challenges. They have a lot of great things to say so ... let's check in with them now:

EcoGrrl gave us an update on a previous challenge where we asked everyone to give up paper towels. The only thing she used them for was buttering a dish. She reports that she is now using a cloth ... or sometimes her hands. For this week she shares that meeting this challenge also saves one money ... and she reminds us that food that does go to waste can be composted.

I love how honest and forthcoming the Honor Society is. For example, Jessica not only shares how she's using up the items in her refrigerator and pantry (complete with recipes), she takes pictures of her food "stash" (check them out HERE). So let me ask you ... how does your food supply compare to hers? Thanks, Jessica ... and have a wonderful "green" vacation!

Amy, who suggested this challenge and who has taken it on for the past month, says that she's only had to buy a few things each week. She's using veggies from their garden and food from her freezer. If you visit her blog, you'll find several posts where she talks about how she's using up her food "stash". One in particular that I liked was this POST about how she used the grill to make several meals at once. Not only did she reduce food waste, she saved energy. Yay! Thanks, Amy!

Dear Ann, your mind works in a lovely way! From our challenge about food waste, she thought about ... are you ready for it ... our colons ... yep, waste removal. In this POST you'll find out about colon health and how eating fruits & veggies helps your digestive system. If you're eating lunch/dinner, you might want to reserve this post for later reading. :-)

Here's a puzzle to solve ... what do green smoothies, an Ozonator and thoughtfulness have to do with this challenge? Brenna tells us in this POST. It's a wonderful piece so be sure to head over and read it.

Fake Lasagna Bake, BBQ Chicken Pizza and Overnight French Toast ... these are a few of the dishes that Kristina made this week with items from her food "stash". While using up what we have on hand is good, she recommends going a step further and planning out meals so that there won't be extra items sitting around and/or leftovers (which account for a lot of food waste). In this POST she offers some great tips and ideas. Thanks, Kristina!

Tiffany shares that she has continued our paper towel challenge. Yay, Tiffany!! That is what we ultimately hope for ... new habits formed. The only area that she has trouble with is cleaning windows ... towels don't do well. She asks if anyone has an idea for something else that works. Have you tried newspaper & vinegar? It works well. I have a reusable "Mystic Maid" towel ... I've literally had it for years and it works great on mirrors and windows. Anyone else have ideas?

Jennifer took the challenge. Yay! She says that her cupboards are probably a little too well stocked and that this challenge will be great on her food budget. Jennifer recently wrote a terrific article (read it HERE) which ties in nicely with our challenge ... it's about having enough ... not just food but everything. Check it out ... it makes one think about what we value in life.

Brian accomplished this challenge right before it was posted ... it's something that he and his family do on a regular basis. He shares that food is rotated through the freezer and doesn't linger, there, long. At this time of year, using up what's in the freezer is necessary because he needs to make room for vegetables from their garden. Mmm ... bet those veggies taste good in the winter months!

Lynn says that one of the problems with forgetting about those hidden containers of food ... and then finding them only to realize that they are indistinguishable ... is that it creates a chain of buy-toss-buy again. In a post entitled "That moldy thing at the back of your fridge" she shares why it's a problem for the planet. She also shares a recipe for Hod-Podge stew (her "go-to" recipe for using up pantry items).

Green Legume participated in our paper towel challenge. She did a great job and only used two paper towels that week. Can you guess what she used them for? Find out HERE. And if you have any tips about how she could do that particular job without them, be sure to leave her a comment ... in fact, come back here and leave it for us, too, because it's usually the biggest obstacle to giving up paper towels. For this week's challenge she shares that, to prevent food waste, she uses a whiteboard in the kitchen. In her words "I keep a running list of things I need to use, much like most people keep a grocery list. It lists thing like the dill I bought earlier this week. I only needed a tablespoon, so I have a TON left over. When I think about what to make for dinner on any given night, I start by reviewing the whiteboard to see what ingredients I already have that I need to try to use up. We just used up our remaining mozzarella, basil, and red pepper tonight thanks to the whiteboard. I would've completely forgotten those were in the fridge otherwise!" What a great idea!

Lori accepted the challenge and says that her freezer is packed with food and that it would be nice to use it up. By the way, she attended BlogHer recently and wrote about it on her blog. Check it out ... there are some great photos of her experience.

This challenge is a way of life for Shane who has been doing it since 2008 when the economy took a nose dive. Wowee! In her words "the important thing about this challenge is to just be conscious of what you are consuming. Again, it is going back to the ways of our grandparents, or great grandparents, for some of you youngsters out there. Using only what you need." Excellent point, Shane. As a "side note" ... Shane is an environmental powerhouse!! Seriously! Her site contains such great information ... if you've never visited, I strongly encourage you to do so. And ... she has a great community on Facebook.

I'd like to welcome Sylvia to our #CTWW family. She is in the habit of using what she buys. The only exception to this is when her husband finds a new item at the grocery store and wants to try it out. It often gets stashed away and forgotten. Sylvia's solution to the problem? She "tries" to keep him from shopping. :-) Glad to have you with us, Sylvia ... hope to see you again!

Kath joined the fun ... nice to have you with us, Kath! She was doubly motivated to make this challenge work because she donated her grocery money to Unicef and their efforts to help the people of Somalia who are suffering through a severe famine. That certainly puts a different slant on this challenge, doesn't it? Yes, we want to save the planet but what if we took the money we saved by not over-consuming and helped people who have nothing. Wow! Your generosity, Kath, is inspiring!

In this POST, Rachel gives us an update on a couple of previous challenges. As many of you noted, paper towels are easy to avoid except when it comes to cat vomit. Rachel has come up with a very unique alternative to paper towels for cat messes ... definitely something that I've never thought about. Can you guess what it is? For this week's challenge she shares that some items in the pantry, which are beyond the pull date, are still quite usable (like baking soda) ... one just needs to know which items are safe and which are not. She's busy filling up her freezer with veggies from her garden. Hey Rachel ... what did you ever do with that green pepper?

A member of the #CTWW Gang, @greenereveryday (aka Rachel White), wrote this POST about composting ... which is another way to avoid food waste. She offers quick and easy ways to set up and maintain a compost bin at home. Thanks, Rachel!

Jen took the challenge and wrote this POST. In it she talks about keeping an organized pantry which helps her to see what she has and what she needs. She also offered another excellent idea ... if we've purchased too much and won't be able to use some items before their "pull" date, donate them to a local food bank. Great idea, Jen!!

Harold Shaw, who upped the ante on this challenge, had some great ideas. He wrote this ARTICLE where he suggests that we not only browse through our pantries but that we look through our camping/backpacking provisions and emergency stores as well. Did anyone accept his challenge to make a written list of everything currently on hand? Come on ... it was a "double dog dare" after all! :-)

For as long as I've known Mrs. Green, she has been passionate about eliminating food waste. In fact, she has worked towards, and accomplished, ZERO food waste. Wow! In this POST she talks about how easy it is to "back slide" when it comes to the diligence required to achieve zero food waste. She also talks about UFOs. UFOs??? Yep! You know you want to see how they tie in with this challenge so ... go ... read!

Check out this LIST of fabulous environmental articles. Our challenge got mentioned on August 4th. I'll warn you, though ... when you head to this site, be prepared to spend some time ... there are so many wonderful posts to read. Thanks to Brian Joseph Ranum for including us!

Our friend Argentum Vulgaris has created an entire page on his new blog for all things Eco ... or as he puts it "Eco-Crap". On this PAGE you'll find his response to our challenge. He has a totally unique view of why we should clear out our pantries. It has to do with the economy and what he believes to be a sure eventuality. What do you think? Do you agree with him?

Has anyone heard form Rewinn? I'm a bit worried! In this POST, which was written on Sunday, he cleaned out the veggie drawer in the refrigerator and learned that plastic speeds up food waste. He promised that on the next day, Monday, he'd tackle the pantry and asked us to call the police if he wasn't heard from again. I haven't seen him "around" or heard from him ... perhaps he's lost in the recesses of the pantry or worse ... the freezer. Stay tuned ... the drama continues!

Alicia checks the refrigerator often and pulls older items to the front to be used. She also prepares a menu plan before shopping so that leftovers can be incorporated into meals. Not only has this reduced food waste but it has saved her nearly $600.00 per year. Wow! Protects the earth and our wallets ... brilliant!

Our challenge got a center page write-up in McBride's Organic Farm Daily. WhooHoo! This edition includes articles on "Market Scene: La Boqueria in Barcelona", "The Most Nutritionally Complete Food Source In The World!" and "Dark Chocolate for Hypertension Support and Possible Cholesterol Improvement".

Wow ... fabulous job everyone! Thanks to all of you, these challenges have become a forum to share ideas and information. As always, if you wrote an article, I have Stumbled, Tweeted and Facebooked it.

This Week's Challenge:

This week we're going to attack energy use. Are you ready? Here you go:

This week, for one entire day, do not use Air Conditioning in your home. Instead, employ other ways to stay cool (ceiling fans, adjusting curtains, swimming, etc.).

Or ...

If you live in a cooler climate, or simply choose not to use A/C ever, please look around your home at all the ways you use electricity. Choose one and don't use it for one entire day. Some ideas might be lights, the computer, TV, the stove, the hot water heater, or the radio. The idea is to NOT use the electricity which you typically use in a day.

Or ...

If the only electricity you use is for the refrigerator, we'd like to know how you've managed to live off the grid.

Who's up for this challenge??

Until next time ...

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

Vegan Recipe - Quick & Easy "Cheeseburger" Mac

My favorite day of each month is the first Friday ... that's the day I get to share a fabulous meatless recipe with you ... usually from a fantastic guest chef. So why does a green living blog post recipes? That's easy ... eating meatless meals is one of the easiest ways to walk a little gentler on the earth because, simply put, it takes less resources to produce one pound of plant-based food as opposed to one pound of animal-based food.

This month I'd like to introduce you to Nicki. Some of you might already know her as Nicki Woo - The Home Guru. She has been a #CTWW participant and supporter for quite some time. Visiting Nicki's site is pure pleasure. She posts a ton of recipes and each one comes with a delightful story. For example, in this POST you'll find a fabulous recipe for Lemon-Mint Slush along with a great story about a sick child, special "sick" treats and how mom's slushes are more special than McDonald's. Recipes aren't her only "thing" though ... you'll find posts on crafts, like this ONE on how to make an autumn wreath ... or this POST where she makes a buried witch topiary (oh you gotta see it). Sprinkled liberally throughout her blog, one will find photos of her beautiful family.

But we're here to talk about recipes, right? Nicki shares her culinary expertise with recipes such as Chicken Lo Mein, Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry and Alligator Gar Balls. WAIT A MINUTE!!! THESE AREN'T VEGAN!!! Nope ... Nicki is a "sometimes vegan", proving once again that one can make a difference with occasional meatless meals.

She has graciously agreed to share one of her vegan dishes with us. She chose this recipe because, in her words, "... in a few short weeks, summer will be ending and we all could use some good weeknight recipes that satisfy and are quick to make from pantry items". So ... check out this recipe and then head on over to Nicki's place and browse around ... I know you'll love it there!


Quick and Easy Vegan "Cheeseburger" Mac

Ingredients:

14-16 oz. of Macaroni (I like 100% Whole Wheat or Barilla Plus)
12 oz. of Vegetarian "Beef" Crumbles
1 14 oz. can Crushed Tomatoes
1 TB olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 TB Chili Powder
1 cup Soy Milk
2 TB Vegan Margarine
2 TB flour
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Prepare Macaroni according to package directions. Be sure to salt the water.
2. In a large skillet, over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add "Beef" crumbles and onion and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add Chili powder, stir, and then add the crushed tomatoes. Cover and continue to simmer on low while you make the "cheese" sauce.
3. To make the "cheese" sauce, place another pan on low heat. Add margarine and allow to melt. In a separate bowl, add the flour to the cold soy milk and whisk to combine. Slowly pour the milk mixture into the pan with the butter, while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Sprinkle in garlic powder, continue to whisk allowing the sauce to thicken. Remove from heat.
4. Combine macaroni, "cheese sauce" and "beef" tomato mixture. Season with salt and pepper and serve!

Also great warmed in the oven at 350 F for 15-20 minutes, and then sprinkled with Vegan Cheese. Total Comfort Food!

I'd like to thank Nicki for sharing that delicious recipe with us.

If you have a vegan recipe that you'd like to share, please email it to me HERE. And for all the recipes we've shared on this site, please click the tab at the top of this blog.

Happy eating everyone ...

Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)

Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)! If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.

There's a lot of great information in this post and I encourage you to read through it ... however, if you'd rather jump straight to the current challenge, you can do so by clicking here: This Week's Challenge

Last week the challenge asked us to give up paper towels. Argentum Vulgaris upped the ante by asking us to give up paper napkins, as well. Liz & Gaby challenged us further by asking that we make our own cloth towels/napkins using old T-shirts, sheets, etc. Ecolicious Mama raised the ante again by suggesting that we carry a cloth napkin with us rather than use paper versions when we're away from home. And then ... Mrs. Green topped all the challenges by suggesting that we use "wee" cloths rather than toilet paper. Wow!

Our #CTWW Gang was busy spreading the word this week on twitter. Do you want to be a member of the now famous "gang"? It's easy ... just share our challenge on twitter using the hashtag #CTWW. This week a record number of people joined the gang. Let's meet them:

@waylandcook
@clothmamajess
@mhatched
@greenlegume
@twinvisionameri
@lizzieault
@whopaysthepiper
@lynn_stone
@gogreenbeans
@simpleisworking
@aapremlall
@tiffanystoybox
@givetreegifts
@groovygreenlivi
@skipbang
@peopletowels
@flatlinered
@envirofusion
@ambianceeco
@waxelene
@cheffelisha
@martinimom
@greenlegume
@yan_tougas
@tmuffindotcom
@mycraftcorner
@be_sirius
@homeopath2stars
@littlegreenblog
@noteasy2begreen
@gwened02
@becomingcrunchy
@greenereveryday
@coffeetablepoet
@ReneeANDSharon
@ecobears
@eco_footprint_1
@rework_create
@jnjgogreen
@greenbabydiaper
@RobinEaston
@lorialper
@jeneddinger
@alwayswellwithn
@wokaili

Our Honor Society (people who wrote articles and/or left comments) had wonderful information to share. Check it out:

EcoGrrl gave up paper towels several years ago and uses cloth napkins, dishtowels and sponges instead. She occasionally 'misses' them for buttering a dish. So EcoGrrl ... what do you now use to butter a dish?

Our friend, Argentum Vulgaris wrote a wonderful post. However ... that post along with all of his blogs have been removed from the Internet. Why? No one seems to know. While he resolves the issue, he has started a new blog called "Life is a Labyrinth". So, head on over, follow his new blog, bookmark it, add it to your blog roll, etc. Hopefully his other blogs, and a LOT of work will be restored.

Lynn, one of our favorite "Funtastically" Green Girls, gave up paper towels nearly three years ago. WhooHoo! So ... what clever item does she use instead? Here's a hint ... those "darn" holes make mismatches out of matches. Did you guess it? If not, find out HERE.

Nicole B. uses cloth rags, made from worn-out towels and socks, instead of paper towels. She's recently discovered that cloth diapers make great "rags". Brilliant idea, Nicole!

Rachel does keep a roll of paper towels in her kitchen ... made from recycled paper products and which, after use, are put into her compost pile. She uses them for one thing only ... cleaning up after her cat has been sick. It's a clean-up job that she just can't face with cloth towels. I can relate, Rachel ... it's the "ICK" factor.

Alicia uses cloth napkins, dish towels and sponges. She had a great tip for us ... when she washes these items, she hangs them out to dry saving electricity as well as trees. Thanks, Alicia!

From our previous challenge to take short showers, Chef Felisha says that it may be tough because she has an ultra low flow shower head and an "on-demand" water heater. So, to meet the challenge she planned to turn off the water while lathering. How did it go, Chef?

Liz & Gaby are also affected by the "ick" factor associated with cat puke vomit. On the other hand, they wash their kid's dirty cloth diapers and use cloth towels to wipe their babies' little bottoms. So ... they decided to hide the paper towels and use cloth for everything. It seemed to be going very well until ... something unusual happened. Here's a riddle ... as cute as can be, with an angel's face but like a tornado sending glass every place. Figured it out? Read Liz & Gaby's discussion HERE.

Ecolicious Mama not only uses cloth napkins at home, she carries them with her for those times when she and her family eat out. She also packs them in lunches and uses them for quick hand drying in the bathroom. By the way ... have you visited her blog, My Sustainable Stories? It's a great site full of wonderful information. Check out the "Quick Green Tips" tab where you'll learn about the 4th "R" (something in addition to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle).

Have you ever wondered how your Eco-commitment compares to other people's? While each and every effort is important, I often wonder if I'm doing enough. That's why I love Mrs. Green's blog ... she and her family have "raised the bar" on green living. For example, since they don't use paper towels Mrs. Green decided to reduce paper use in another, creative way. She's using "wee" towels. Wow! Curious? Find out about them HERE. How did it go, Mrs. Green? Are wee towels a workable alternative to toilet paper?

Tiffany says that she ran out of paper towels a couple of weeks ago and has had to use cloth rags. So, she's going to keep it up in support of our challenge. WhooHoo ... don't you just love how the cosmos comes together to nudge us in the right direction? By the way ... check out what Tristin and Tyler (my two favorite green guys) are talking about this week HERE ... and grab your kids ... their show is "PG" and green!

Jessica doesn't use paper towels and prepared a video to show us how she uses cloth. The video is great and gets my award for "Cutest Baby Actor". See if you don't agree HERE.

Inspector Clouseau dropped in ... nice to see you, Inspector. If you enjoy intelligent, thought-provoking posts, you'll love the Inspector's blog "The View From Outside My Tiny Window".

Shana found us in Blog Frog (welcome, Shana!). She has a terrific blog entitled "Prowling Books in the Lair".

The ReWorked Creations Chronicle picked up our challenge ... specifically they picked up one of your articles. Was it yours?

Rewinn is living "The Repurpose-Driven Life". So what, exactly does that mean? You'll have to run over and read his post!

Jennifer is also affected by the "ick" factor of cleaning up cat vomit and that's her only use of paper towels. As I was browsing her blog recently, I noted a post about how she's switched over to a reusable version of a common disposable item (well, common for most women). You can read about that HERE. While that post isn't in support of our challenge, I bring it up because it taught me something about the "ick" factor. I, too, was thinking that reusable cloth for kitty vomit is rather disgusting but ... Jennifer's post made me realize that "ick" is all in the eyes of the beholder. Thanks, Jennifer!

Many of you know her as @groovygreenlivi - one of our most dedicated "greenie" supporters. Now Lori Popkewitz Alper has joined the Honor Society by writing this brilliant ARTICLE. She includes a lot of information in this post, including Trash Facts (you will be shocked) and Tips on how to switch from paper towels to reusable towels. Thanks so much, Lori!

Kristina joined the fun! She shares that she first made the switch from paper napkins to the cloth version. It was so easy that she moved on to using cloth rags instead of paper towels. Her favorite repurposing project is a set of lovely napkins made out of tie-died shirts which she made for her children. The kids have outgrown them so now they dress up Kristina's table. What a great idea!!

From a challenge we did in April, Kelly Crawford says that she uses a water filter for drinking water. In her area filtered water is safer than tap water. Thanks for your comments, Kelly.

Great job, everyone! I hope you're feeling proud of the work you do. As I traveled around and enjoyed your posts, especially reading the comments to your posts, I realized that your efforts are teaching and encouraging others. You are making a difference!!

As always, if you wrote a post I have Stumbled, Tweeted and Facebooked them. I would be so grateful if you'd use the share buttons at the end of this post to help pass the word ... and check out the new "Google +1" button. Just click it to recommend this post to all your friends. Thanks!

One small programming note ... I so appreciate everyone's comments and posts and want to include everything in the Wednesday "wrap-up". To ensure that I have time to get everything in, please submit your posts & comments before 6:00 pm EST on Tuesdays. I'll try my best to include anything that comes in after that time but can't guarantee it. I will guarantee, however, that if it doesn't make it into the current week's post, it'll be in the next week's update.

This Week's Challenge:

Okay ... let's do something different. Have you ever purchased food, perhaps some specialty item or something on sale, that got put away and then ... forgotten? Months (or even years) later you find it in the recesses of the freezer or in a far corner of the cupboard but ... it's so old that it's no longer safe to eat. My friend Amy (twitter personality @Waylandcook and author of Creative Country Cooking) recently challenged herself and her readers to use up everything in the pantry, refrigerator, freezer, etc. before buying more food. It's a brilliant idea because it will reduce food waste and will reduce packaging since we aren't buying new items. So ... that's the inspiration of this week's challenge. Here you go:

This week, use what is in your cupboards, pantry, freezers, etc. before buying new food items.

(A few people have asked for a little clarification on this challenge so here's my view of it - ideally one wouldn't need to shop at all and would make do with what's in the cupboard. However, if that doesn't work for you, then using what you have and buying a little something to go with it would be fine. If you do buy something, be sure that it isn't stashed away and forgotten but rather used up this week. I hope that helps!)

Or ...

If you regularly do this, tell us about some of your more creative dishes using just what was "on hand".

UP THE ANTE: Harold Shaw is stepping up this challenge. In his words "I would like to challenge the #CTWW group to take the time (I know that this is a busy time of year - most of us are harvesting some sort of crop or other) to do a written/computer inventory of the food stuffs you have, which will force you to actually look at what you have and then use up the stuff that should be used up this next week or soon, but if you discover food that is bad dispose of it properly before you buy new food. Remember the food you have designated for emergencies, doesn't count in this challenge. To make it a little more interesting - that includes buying food to eat out for the next week". WhooHoo ... who's going to take him up on this challenge?

Raise the Ante: Bekka, who is Amy's (the Wayland Springs Cook) daughter decided to up this challenge again. Her idea is to further reduce food waste by taking left-overs and turning then into a brand new dish the next day. Wowee ... who's gonna take her up on the challenge?

Thanks, Amy ... I think this is going to be a fun challenge.

Until next time ...

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