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 tackled water waste. I really liked this challenge because it made me stop and think about my actions. So many times those little bits of water (ie the ice-melt in the bottom of a glass, leftover steaming water, pet bowl water, etc.) gets tossed down the drain without any thought. What a waste! Using them helps us conserve this precious resource. Throughout the week I couldn't help but think that living "green" is often about being aware and living in the moment.

The #CTWW Gang got busy this week and tweeted about our challenge using the hashtag #CTWW (which is, by the way, the requirement for membership into this exclusive club). Let's meet them:

@AlwaysWellWithn @dpixel @Tif_Hamilton @nemecene @tiffanystoybox @cjrthemamiblog @whopaysthepiper @littlegreenblog @lynn_stone @accessorygal @0wastenorthants @superwaterman

@nonmom @givetreegifts @envirobooty @greengiftsguide @waylandcook @peopletowels @greencrescentae @skipbang @oneadayart @gwened02 @waxelene

@noteasy2begreen @groovygreenlivi @vapur @hshawjr @shoppingcharity @handhmomma @yan_tougas @GreenCartoons @catcanpaint @LongpointEscape @AlmostTruth

Our Honor Society is made up of people who write posts and/or leave comments about our challenges. Let's see what they had to say about conserving water:

EcoGrrl has been canning lately and shares that she boils several loads of jars before tossing the water into the garden. Yay! She also has a rain barrel which provided water for her front yard plants (roses, herbs, berries, etc).

In this POST, Mrs. Green offers us 8 tiny tips for reducing water waste. One of her suggestions involves fish. Fish?? Yes, indeedy! Head on over to "her place" and check it out ... it's brilliant!

Argentum Vulgaris has been using bits of water for a long time. One of his saving techniques results in curry-flavored tomatoes. :-) If that wasn't enough to peak your interest, his suggestion for a new challenge just might ... it involves the BBQ. Check out his post HERE

Jen stopped by. She suggested a bunch of challenge ideas which we'll be seeing in the coming weeks.

Joanne Wotherspoon (aka @givetreegifts) tweeted a whole bunch of water saving tips. Here they are: 1) Pre-1990 toilets install water displacement device in the tank. 2) Turn off the tap while brushing teeth & save 95 litres a month. 3) Put food coloring in toilet tank. If it seeps into bowl without flushing you have a leak. Fix the leak & save over 4000 litres/month. 4) Showers use 1/2 the water of a bath. 5) Shorten showers by 1 to 2 minutes & save 500 litres/month. 6) Reuse water used for rinsing veggies to water plants. 7) Install water efficient showerhead. WhooHoo ... thanks, Joanne!

@nonmom had a great suggestion ... instead of printing paperwork, save the files electronically (print to a file, save on an ipod or phone, etc.). If you're wondering how this reduces water waste, consider this ... it takes a LOT of water to produce paper so if we reduce paper use, we reduce water use. Yay!

Tristin and Tyler always turn off the water while they are brushing their teeth. Mom, Tiffany, shares that her biggest problem is letting the water run while she mops and scrubs the toilets/tub. So, she's going to get a bucket and fill it with water when she cleans. Yay! Thanks, Tiffany!

Our very own Good Girl Gone Green, aka Stephanie, wrote Use It Responsibly and shares a number of tips. My favorite is #2 under the heading of "Reuse". Want a hint? Okay ... hanging plants.

Amy has a unique water waste situation ... she has farm animals that seem to enjoy knocking over their water containers ... just for fun. So, she is trying to tie their buckets to a solid object. She uses rain water to water both the animals and her garden. And, as if that wasn't enough, Amy and her husband are planning to install a grey water system for outside and a rain water collection system for use inside. Wow!

We have a new Honor Society member ... Joe Mohr (aka @GreenCartoons on twitter). Welcome Joe! He shares that he's a fellow water conservationist and offers us this POST which includes a whole bunch of water saving ideas. One of the most interesting is the Slingshot. Have you heard of it? It has a bit of an "eeeuuuwwww" factor but it's really quite brilliant. Check it out! Joe also shares this "FUNNY" about "green" snot. He said that in preparing that cartoon he "learned that If every household in the US replaced just one box of 175-count virgin fiber facial tissue with a 100% recycled version we could save 140 million gallons of water, a year's supply for over 1,100 families of four. Buy recycled paper products (if u have to buy any). It's a big way to save water beyond what everyone is already doing." Thanks, Joe!

CC in Canada has a couple of great water-saving tips for us. In her words, "I offer these 2 ideas that save literally GALLONS of water every day: 1) I keep empty 2-liter plastic beverage bottles (from cranberry juice, V8, etc.) in the bathroom. Before having a shower, I catch the still-cold running water from the bathtub faucet into these bottles. Sometimes it seems to take forever for the water to become hot; catching the "waiting water" and using it to water plants later saves at least 2 liters of water per shower. When the water from the tap turns hot enough for the shower, I flick the switch to divert the water from "tub" to "shower". 2) During the non-winter months, I keep a plastic dishpan (or bucket, depending on the depth of the sink and the configuration of the taps) in the kitchen sink. We catch all the water we use from rinsing vegetables, washing hands, running a glass of drinking water---basically everything not involving dishwashing, fats/oils, or meats (we're veggies, so this isn't an issue in our house). We also empty leftover tea and coffee into this bucket. We then dump the collected water onto outdoor plants: flowerboxes, junipers, rosebushes, evergreen trees---anything in the yard. We live on the Canadian prairies, so we don't do this in the winter, as we fear that pouring warm water onto "hibernating" plants at extreme temperatures would result in plant damage. On an average day with 2 adults in the house, we save at least 15 gallons of water this way! We did not have to use the hose to water our plants all summer long. Thanks, CC!

In this POST Lynn says that change is "brewing" ... and she includes visuals. Head on over because you don't want to miss that article! It'll make you smile!

The Shopping Charity picked up a tweet about a #CTWW post ... was it yours? There are a bunch of wonderful articles in this edition of The Shopping Charity, including one about the prevention and treatment of child abuse. Worthwhile reading ... I hope you'll check it out!

Jennifer says that most of her water waste comes from the kitchen (rinsing, washing, etc.). She's going to reduce it and she shares that she'll be taking her cat's water and using it on houseplants. She's going to be taking a break from blogging for awhile. Enjoy your time away, Jennifer ... we'll miss you and will look forward to your return.

Cinella wrote this POST and shares some clever ideas, including one about taking baths. If you're like me, you're thinking that a bath is not a way to reduce water use ... but check out Cinella's idea for baths ... it might change your mind. And later in the post, she takes on City Hall ... well ... maybe not City Hall but taking her suggested action is probably just as tough. Check it out!

When you think about reusable containers, does beer come to mind? Well, it does to Rewinn who is fortunate enough to live close to a brewery. He picked up a "growler" in a thrift store and carries it to the brewery. He gets a little exercise by walking, drinks a freshly brewed beer and reuses a container. Brilliant! In this POST you'll read about another way he uses his "growler" ... his neighbors might be talking but he's living "green".

Brenna says "I think our biggest waste is when waiting for the water to get hold (or cold) and letting it run. I have been trying to capture the water as it gets hotter to water my plants. I am going to start keeping water in my fridge for drinking so I don't have to waste any waiting for the tap to get cold enough."

The Green House used waste water this week to water the lawn. They've been suffering through a drought and that means that their yard has gone without ... so using waste water, including water from their fish tank, they gave it a much-needed drink. While this POST wasn't written specifically for #CTWW, it really speaks to our challenges and what we're trying to do. Be sure to head over and give it a read ... it's wonderful!

Rachel has rain barrels for watering the plants and washing cars. She also shares another, very clever idea ... she uses the still-warm water from her hot water bottle (which I'm assuming she takes to bed with her) to wash in the morning. Fabulous idea! After reading AV's post, she did a little investigative work to learn where her water comes from. She found out that, in Wales, only 5% of water supplies are groundwater and the majority comes from reservoirs. Interesting! How many of you know where your water comes from?

Thanks to everyone for such great ideas and a marvelous effort! 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 feature at the bottom of this post.

This Week's Challenge:

Many of you accepted the second part of last week's #CTWW activity and offered up wonderful ideas for new challenges. So, in the coming weeks we'll get to each of them, starting with this one from EcoGrrl:

This week replace at least one car trip with a bicycle or walking trip.

OR ...

If you never use a car, please write a post about how you make a "no car" life work.

Until next time ...

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

29 Tips for Fall

Welcome to the first day of Autumn. As we move into the cooler months, we have the perfect opportunity to "green" up our routine. We've been compiling this list of ideas over the past several years ... they are tried and true. If you're moving into spring instead of fall, click HERE for some ways to get ready for the warmer months. Here are your fall tips:

1. Check the air pressure in your tires. Cooler temperatures lower tire pressure and that, in turn, lowers fuel efficiency. So check your tires and make sure that they are properly inflated.
2. If you have a garage, park the car in it. As the weather gets colder, using a garage will alleviate the need to warm up the car before driving ... and will save fuel.
3. 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.
4. Move furniture or any obstructions from vents, baseboard heaters, registers on the floor or radiators so that air moves freely. This is also a good time to vacuum these areas to remove any dust or debris. And here's a tip if you have a radiator ... place a reflecting panel behind it ... you can purchase one at a home center or make one yourself with a plywood panel and aluminum foil.
5. Remove window air conditioners for the winter. If they can't be removed, seal them with caulking or tape and cover them with an airtight, insulated jacket.
6. Vacuum the refrigerator coils to keep the compressor running efficiently. It's also a good time to check that the refrigerator is level ... the door should automatically swing shut instead of staying open. Check the seal on the door ... try closing it on a piece of paper. If you can pull the paper out easily, it's time to replace the gaskets. Repeat this process at several spots along the door to ensure that the entire seal is working. Here's another tip for running the refrigerator efficiently ... don't over fill it. Allowing room for cool air to circulate will keep everything at the right temperature. And how about another tip ... plan ahead and defrost frozen items in the refrigerator instead of on the counter top ... the frozen items will help keep your refrigerator cool thus making it run less.
7. Clean the ducts and area behind the dryer. And don't forget, clean the filter after every use and every once in awhile, give it a good wash.
8. Check windows for proper caulking. If you have single-pane windows, add storm windows. Even a plastic film over windows will reduce heat loss.
9. Check doors for weather stripping and replace as necessary. If drafts sneak in under exterior doors, replace the threshold or block the drafts with a rolled-up towel or blanket.
10. Check your roof for any missing or damaged tiles or shingles.
11. Clean the roof gutters and make sure downspouts are pointed away from the house. Now would also be a good time to install a rain barrel ... rather than allow water to drain into one spot, a rain barrel would allow you to direct the water to where it's most needed.
12. Electrical outlets, especially on outside walls, and light fixtures are prime places for cold air to leak into your home. Add foam gaskets behind covers and switch plates, and use safety plugs in unused outlets. Be sure to shut off the power at the fuse box or circuit panel before doing this.
13. Install foam covers over outside water spigots to prevent freezing.
14. Check for water leaks both inside and outside.
15. Wrap the water heater in an insulating blanket.
16. If you have a ceiling fan, reverse the direction ... the fan should be run in a clockwise direction (stand under the fan and if you feel a breeze, reverse the direction so that air is being drawn upwards). This pushes the air up against the ceiling and down the walls, to gently re-circulate the warm air without creating a cooling "wind chill effect."
17. Do you have a fireplace? This is a good time to have the chimney cleaned and get vent systems checked.
18. If your home has no sidewall insulation, place heavy furniture like bookshelves, armoires and sofas along exterior walls, and use decorative quilts as wall hangings. This will help block cold air.
19. Hang a thick curtain in front of the door to block cold air from entering the house.  Use a shower curtain rod and loop hangers so that the curtain can be easily pushed to the side to open the door. 
20. Bring in any houseplants that have spent the summer outdoors. They'll help clean the air. Hint ... for about a week, bring them in at night and then put them out during the day. This will ensure that they aren't "shocked".
21. Do a little outdoor landscaping. Trees and bushes, planted in the fall, have ample time to develop strong, deep root systems before the heat of the next summer. This increases their chances of surviving and typically means less watering during hot months. For a discussion on fall gardening, click HERE.
22. As the autumn leaves begin to fall, consider raking them up rather than using a "blower" (it's great exercise). Once raked up, use them as mulch to protect plants throughout the winter or add them to a compost pile.
23. Even though fresh, local produce isn't as abundant during this season, there are still many options available. Visit local farms or farmer's markets and find out what's available and then, eat locally and in season. Visit Sustainable Table to learn which crops are growing in your area.
24. Before packing away those summer clothes, go through them and determine which items to keep, which items to repurpose into something else (cleaning rags, craft projects, etc.) and which to donate.
25. Bring out all those warm sweaters, socks, slippers and blankets so that when the temperature falls you'll be ready to bundle up instead of raising the thermostat.
26. Are your kids returning to school? Consider buying clothes, backpacks, etc. from second hand stores and/or thrift shops. If you're buying new items at a store, opt for earth-friendly products and don't forget to pay attention to packaging. Also consider investing in reusable lunch items (beverage bottles, utensils, napkins, etc.) to further minimize your child's impact on the planet.
27. Do your kids ride the bus to school? Often buses sit in front of a school, idling while they wait for kids to climb aboard. Suggest, to your school or the bus company, that bus drivers turn off the engine when waiting for their passengers. And, of course, if it's possible for your kids to walk to school ... all the better (for them and the earth).
28. Speaking of school buses, as the weather gets cooler, there's a tendency to drive kids to the bus stop. To save that fuel, bundle up and walk your kids to the bus stop instead.
29. In the fall entertaining moves indoors. There are football parties, cozy dinner parties and later events like Halloween and Thanksgiving. When planning your fall event, consider reusable plates, napkins and utensils, decorations from nature, clean burning soy candles and plenty of plant-based foods on your menu.

Do you have any fall tips that we haven't covered? We'd love to hear them!

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, I'd like to thank all of you who graciously took the time to vote for my article in the Vegan Coach's contest. I so appreciate your support. The contest ends today and the winner will be announced in a couple of weeks. I'm keeping my fingers crossed but either way, your friendship and support has meant the world to me. Thank you!

Okay ... let's get started on this week's Change The World Wednesday activities!

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 did a little maintenance on our refrigerators. We checked the seals, vacuumed the coils and made sure that we were neither over filling or under filling them. It wasn't a huge activity and didn't take more than a few minutes but keeping it maintained ensures that it runs as efficiently as possible.

We lovingly refer to them at the #CTWW Gang. They hit the Twitter waves each week and spread the word using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're on Twitter, these are great folks to follow. Let's meet them:

@envirobooty @pfwoman @nurturedbeauty @theorganicblond @whopaysthepiper @lynn_stone @gogreenbeans @ggirlggreen @ReneeANDSharon

@almosttruth @gwened02 @hshawjr @noteasy2begreen @waylandcook @groovygreenlivi @yan_tougas @rewinn @dpixel

@alwayswellwithn @greenbacksgal @cjrthemamiblog @peopletowels @givetreegifts @emevocative @oneadayart @mycraftcorner

Our Honor Society is made up of people who write posts and/or leave comments about our challenges. Let's check in with them:

Brenna was in the emergency room, last week, with her daughter. We hope your daughter is okay, Brenna!! She didn't think she'd have time for a post about this week's challenge but ... she made time. In this ARTICLE she talks about her efforts and offers us some additional information. For example, did you know that cleaning around the refrigerator (coils, vents, etc.) can improve efficiency by 30 percent? And how cold should our refrigerators be? Brenna tells us. It's a wonderful, informative post! Thanks, Brenna!

Amy wrote a lovely post called Wishcasting Wednesday and CTWW ... doesn't that sound intriguing? She shares a sentiment that it so important ... in her words: "One of the things that I have to remember in my life is that I can take small steps to get to the large goal I have, I don't have to leap to the large goal right away." How true!

Argentum Vulgaris says that his fridge is his nemesis. Hm ... what do you think he means by that? Are you curious? Head over and read this POST.

Sometimes a picture ... or in this case a video ... is worth a thousand words. That's certainly the case with THIS VIDEO from Cinella. In it she shows us how she checked her refrigerator including checking the seal at various spots on the door. Brilliant!

Stephanie took the challenge and promised to do a little refrigerator maintenance this week. By the way, she's completed her second week of Project Green Foot. Each week she lists her purchases, the miles she and her husband drive, etc., with the goal being to reduce their carbon footprint over a year's time. Be sure to check it out and follow their progress.

Our Funtastically Green Girl, Lynn, met this challenge by potty training her fridge. Oh you know you want to read this one ... and you can do so HERE.

Ann asked a very good question ... should the refrigerator be kept full or not. As I understand it, the refrigerator shouldn't be too full because it operates most efficiently when cool air can circulate around the food. On the other hand, it shouldn't be too empty because cold food helps keep the temperature low. In this POST Ann shares our banner and she talks about teaching children to "save".

Jen was planning on cleaning out her refrigerator so to meet this challenge she decided to do a real "spring" cleaning on it as well. Yay! Recently, on her blog, she did a great piece on junk mail ... check it out HERE and find out what weird mail she received.

Jennifer has a new, Energy Star refrigerator so she's in fine shape. She offers us a good tip on another energy drain ... the stove. She shares that to maximize efficiency, try to match the pot size to the burner size so that no heat is wasted. Brilliant! Have you ever thought about the reasons one might NOT go green? Jennifer has given it a lot of thought as you'll see in this POST.

How did Mrs. Green score on this challenge? She's always very honest with us so do you think her refrigerator is in tip-top condition ... or does it need work? Find out HERE. In the comments section of that post she said something very interesting. When she and her family went on holiday, only three things were left on ... the refrigerator, the freezer and one small LED light. Now remember, The Greens were on holiday so that means that the refrigerator wasn't opened and closed ... neither was the freezer. So how much electricity was used while they were gone for a week? 3 kwh! Wow! It is definitely worth our while to operate all of our appliances as efficiently as possible.

Alicia keeps her refrigerator maintained so she shared a tip on how to keep another energy hog running efficiently ... the clothes dryer. She suggests making sure that the dryer is vented properly and that the lint screen is cleaned after every use. Here's a surprise ... a dirty lint screen can make your dryer use up to 30% more energy. Wow! I'll add a tip to Alicia's ... if you use fabric softener sheets in the dryer (which, by the way, aren't Eco-friendly), the lint screen may become clogged. How can you tell? Take the lint screen and run water through it ... if the screen holds water, it's clogged. Give it a good wash with dish soap to remove the obstructions. Speaking of Eco-friendly, if you're looking for natural soaps, balms and lotions ... check out Alicia's shop HERE.

Mat stopped in. I'm hoping he'll swing back by and give me some hints on how to recover "lost" work from blogger ... last week's post was lost but according to Mat, I might have been able to recover it from somewhere deep in the recesses of my computer. Thanks for coming by, Mat!

Rewinn had his shop vac out a few weeks ago and vacuumed all the coils on his refrigerator. This week he checked the seal and made sure the unit is level. He's in fine shape! So he wrote this POST which made me go "Ahhhhhh". Thank you, my friend ... it was so kind of you! :-)

We talk about cleaning the coils on the refrigerator but do you know why that keeps things efficient? In this POST Rachel gives us a great explanation. She shares before and after pictures of her refrigerator and talks about the "tool" she used to do the cleaning. Rachel offers us another energy-saving tip ... take foods out of the freezer a day before you need them and let them defrost in the refrigerator. That lowers the temperature in the refrigerator so that it doesn't have to work so hard. Great idea, Rachel!

Great job everyone!! 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 feature at the bottom of this post.

Okay ... onward ...

This Week's Challenge:

We've done several challenges designed to reduce water in a big way. For example, we've taken fewer showers, shorter showers and only washed clothes when they were truly dirty. This week we're going to again reduce water use by wasting less. Here you go:

This week pay close attention to the water which gets tossed down the drain and reduce it. For example, if you put ice in your drink, toss the ice in a planter rather than toss it in the drain. Is there a small amount of coffee left in the pot? Try freezing it for use in iced coffees or to flavor cake. How about the water left in a pot after steaming vegetables? Mrs. Green taught me to save that water & use it for making rice, pasta, etc. The idea, here, is to pay attention to those small amounts of water which usually get tossed down the drain and find more Eco-efficient uses for them ... and thereby reduce waste.

AND ...

In addition to reducing water waste, I'd like your help on future challenges. Please leave a comment with ideas for new activities. These can be something your passionate about ... something that you struggle with ... or perhaps something you'd like to use as a way to increase our awareness. If your idea is used (which is almost 100% certain), I'll give you credit and link back to your blog.

Are you up for this challenge? I know that you are!

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.

Due to a computer glitch (and Blogger's AutoSave feature) the Change The World Wednesday post, which I spent several hours writing, has disappeared. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to recreate it so we won't be doing a recap this week. I do apologize!

Let's jump right into this weeks challenge:

Refrigerators use a lot of energy. We can minimize their impact by making sure they operate efficiently. So this week let's do a little refrigerator maintenance. Here you go:

Check that your refrigerator is level ... the door should automatically swing shut instead of staying open. Check the seal on the door ... try closing it on a piece of paper. If you can pull the paper out easily, it's time to replace the gaskets. Check the back of your refrigerator to be sure that it's clean ... vacuum coils if you have them to ensure that the compressor runs efficiently. How full is your refrigerator? Be sure that it isn't too full ... allow room for cool air to circulate which will keep everything at the right temperature.

Or ...

If you are already diligent at keeping your refrigerator in tip-top condition, please tell us about another electrical device that could run more efficiently with a little "TLC".

Until next time (complete with the week's recap of your posts, tweets & comments) ...

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 joined Mrs. Green for the first phase of National Zero Waste Week (#NZWW). When I last visited the page, there were 50 comments about actions being taken to reduce waste while away from home. Mrs. Green says that, in addition to the #NZWW web site, there were a bunch of people committing to the event on the Facebook page which means that over 300 people are participating. Add them to the fabulous efforts by our own Reduce Footprints' readers and wow ... it's a tremendous effort. I think, however, that Mrs. Green is going to have to rename her yearly event ... it's no longer a "national" effort ... thanks to all of you, it's now an "international" effort.

We call them the #CTWW Gang ... they are folks who tweet about our challenges on Twitter using the hashtag #CTWW. They are an elite group of "greenies" ... passing the word and encouraging others to join in. If you are on Twitter, these are wonderful people to follow. Let's meet them now:

@yan_tougas @clothmamajess @ecobears @whopaysthepiper @rubbishgeek @waylandcook @dpixel @nonmom @givetreegifts @pinkladyapril @rewinn

@peopletowels @jnjgogreen @pfwoman @lynn_stone @russechd @hshawjr @noteasy2begreen @gogreenbeans @theorganicblond @ambianceeco @ggirlggreen

@nurturedbeauty @waxelene @littlegreenblog @gwened02 @skipbang @oneadayart @groovygreenlivi @envirofusion @tiffanystoybox @longpointescape

Our Honor Society is made up of people who write articles and/or post comments about our challenge. Let's see what they had to say:

EcoGrrl committed to carrying a "Spork" while away from home. Nice!

In this POST, Rachel says that she spends most of her time at home so reducing waste away from home is a challenge. But she did find one item which she can improve upon ... something she carries in her purse ... something which is a single-use item ... something which comes in plastic containers. Can you guess what it is?

Argentum Vulgaris has a tough time with waste in Brazil ... the country seems, at times, determined to create it. For example, in this POST you'll learn that salt/pepper shakers and condiment bottles are replaced with small packets in restaurants ... and it's mandated by law. But AV finds a way to meet the challenge away from home. Check out his post to find out how.

Alicia has some great ideas for reducing waste away from home. She suggests taking your own cloth napkins to avoid using paper ones in restaurants. She also suggests bringing along your own "doggie bag" containers for leftover food. Both Alicia and her husband carry their own reusable mugs to work, reducing even more waste. Great job, Alicia!

Jessica is back from vacation ... welcome "home" Jessica! She says that she is jumping right back into our challenges.

Nonmom commits to bringing reusable bags to the grocery store and buying local. If you've noticed how many plastic bags a person uses in one trip to the grocery store, then you know that Nonmom's efforts will reduce a lot of waste. Whoot! She is also committing to carrying her own reusable mug. Yay!

Tanya is focusing her efforts towards all the disposable items one receives in a restaurant: straws and their wrappers, coasters for drinks, to-go boxes, napkins, paper menus, etc. Some of the items she simply refuses ... like straws. With other items, she brings her own ... for example, cloth napkins. She also shared an idea from the #NZWW site ... a mobile compost container. Now that sounds interesting!

Lynn Stone is doing many of the same things mentioned by others. She's kicking it up a notch, however, and doing something which I believe will have an even greater impact. Here's a hint ... she'll be doing it at work with her co-workers. Can you guess what it is? Click HERE to find out!

@envirofusion left a great comment: "BYOR - Bring your own Reusables. Every day and everywhere, even when you travel. Let your lifestyle be infectious and share the zero waste concept with family and friends." I love that!!

Amy and her family are very conscientious when they go out to restaurants. They search out restaurants that use straws, utensils, etc. made from recycled products. They have also found a great use for those large plastic cups that many establishments use for drinks. Read about all of their efforts HERE. Amy has another suggestion which I think is wonderful ... she suggests that we share the following link with restaurant owners: http://letsgogreen.biz/pages/utensils/PET_cups.html. It's a page where they can get Eco-friendly service items. Thanks, Amy!

Tiffany and the boys (Tristin and Tyler) were going to a BBQ and they planned to refuse disposable utensils. In addition, the boys will be carrying reusable water bottles ... click HERE to see them talk about it.

Kristina reduces waste by sending her child to school with a cloth napkin and reusable utensils. And, in this POST, she talks about all of the ways one can reduce waste while on vacation. It's full of great ideas! For example ... do you recycle when you're staying in a hotel? She does!!

Stephanie (aka Good Girl Gone Green) has taken this challenge to a new level. She and her husband have committed to not only reducing their waste (both at home and away) but they have started Project Green Foot where they will attempt to calculate their carbon footprint over the next year. Wow! So, how will they do it? One of the most important ways to succeed, according to Stephanie, is preparation. She has a great idea in this POST ... “Zero Waste” goodie bags.

Rewinn is going to reduce waste by carrying his own reusable coffee mug. He's going to further reduce waste by purchasing that mug at a thrift/second hand store. WhooHoo! He calls it Coffee Cup Love!

If you are away from home, and generate compostable waste, but there isn't a composter available, what do you do? Find out what Jen does HERE. Wow! And be sure to read through the entire post, she offers all kinds of ways to reduce waste. Thanks, Jen!

Great job everyone. As always, if you wrote a post I have Stumbled, Tweeted and Facebooked it. You, too, can help spread the word by using the share features at the end of this post.

Are you ready for more?

This Week's Challenge:

The second phase of National Zero Waste Week is all about updating everyone on how the commitment we made last week is working out. Here you go:

This week we want to know how it's going. Please visit the National Zero Waste Week site HERE and leave a comment about how your committed efforts have worked out. If you write an article about it, be sure to leave the link. Once you're done, come back here and tell us as well. The idea, here, is to talk about what worked, what didn't, etc. so that everyone can learn the most effective ways to reduce waste away from home.

And if you missed last week's challenge ... it isn't too late to participate. Click HERE and make a commitment!

Until next time ...

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

Vegan Recipe - Blueberry Crepes “Raw Fusion”

Welcome to the first Friday Monday of the month and another delicious recipe.

This month we have a real treat ... a recipe from Patty "Sassy" Knutson - the brilliance behind Vegan Coach. When I became vegan, I had so many questions ... about nutrition ... about recipes that were easy to make and tasted good ... about how to make a vegan diet work. So I searched ... and quite frankly the majority of sites that I found talked about animal cruelty and a vegan lifestyle. While the information was important, it was way too much for me. I just wanted to know what to cook, how to cook it and how to get the best nutrition possible. I wish I would have found Sassy back then ... it would have saved me a lot of time!

Sassy seems to understand what people, like me, are looking for. The Vegan Coach is a wonderful resource. The recipes are delicious, easy to make and don't require one to search the markets for strange ingredients. But the site is so much more than just recipes ... one will learn about vegan nutrition ... there's information about kitchen tools that will help get a meal on the table easily ... and the site includes something unique called Flavor Matches. Flavor Matches? Yes, Indeedy! Sassy has put together a list of foods that go well together. So, when you're planning a meal or are just tired of the "same old, same old" recipe, check for a flavor match and create something spectacular.

The most amazing thing, to me, is that Sassy is involved with her readers. If one has a question, she'll answer it. She interacts through emails and reader participation. One definitely gets the sense that Sassy is a friend.

Sassy has graciously offered to share a recipe with us. It looks so yummy ... I can't wait to try it. I hope that you and your family will enjoy it!

Blueberry Crepes

“Raw Fusion”

This is a fun recipe for a lovely brunch or dessert. It combines a cooked vegan crepe with a delicious raw vegan cashew sauce. Yummmmy.

Plan ahead! Cashews must soak for 2 hours, crepe batter for 1. Use a crepe pan or a good non-stick frying pan.

Crepes can be tricky. If you have never made them before, you might find it helpful to double the crepe recipe below so you have a few crepes you can “practice” on. Don’t give up – you’ll get the hang of it. :-)


CREPES
2 flax eggs
1 cup non-dairy milk
1/3 cup water
1 cup flour of choice
2 Tablespoons Sucanat (or other granulated sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons non-dairy butter (I like Earth Balance)

VANILLA CREAM SAUCE
1 cup cashews, soaked in 2 cups water for 2 hours
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. water
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup or raw honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

OTHER YUMMY INGREDIENTS:
1 cup organic frozen blueberries (thawed) – or use fresh blueberries when in season
1/2 cup raw organic pecans, chopped
organic powdered sugar

METHOD:

1. Soak cashews for 2 hours. After 1 hour, prepare crepe batter.
2. In a blender or food processor, combine all crepe ingredients. Blend for 20 seconds. Do not over process. Allow crepe batter to sit for 1 hour.
3. Heat oven on the lowest temperature. Then turn oven off (we just want to keep the food warm, not cook it in any way). Chop pecans and set aside. Warm blueberries in the oven while you prepare the rest of the dish.
4. When both the cashews and crepe batter are ready, prepare the Vanilla Cream Sauce. Place in an oven-proof bowl and set in the oven to keep the blueberries company.
5. Portion out 2-3 Tbsp. of the batter onto a hot non-stick lightly-oiled pan over medium high heat. Lift and rotate the pan so the batter evenly coats the bottom. Cook until almost dry on top and lightly browned on edges. Loosen the edges with a thin spatula and flip crepe over with your fingers, cooking for an additional 15 seconds. Adjust the heat as necessary. Place a rack on a cookie sheet and place it in the oven where the blueberries and cream sauce are having a party. As you complete each crepe, place on the rack in the oven to keep warm.
6. When all the crepes are prepared, fill each crepe with 2 large Tbsp. Vanilla Cream Sauce and 1 Tbsp. blueberries. Roll up, sprinkle with pecans and dust with powdered sugar.
7. Serve 2 crepes per plate.

Makes 8 crepes.

I'd like to thank Sassy for sharing this recipe with us ... and I encourage you to visit her at Vegan Coach.

If you have a vegan recipe which you'd like to share, please email it to me HERE. Find the entire list of all the recipes we've shared by clicking the tab at the top of the page or clicking HERE.

Review - Thrive Foods by Brendan Brazier

I was recently invited to review the new book, Thrive Foods, by Brendan Brazier. If you've followed my blog for any length of time then you know that I've never done a review and I don't typically promote products or services. But when I learned that Thrive Foods is about nutrient-rich foods which promote health and environmental sustainability ... well, I couldn't resist.

Let me first give you a little background on the author of this book. Brendan Brazier is a professional Ironman triathlete and a two-time Canadian 50km Ultra Marathon Champion. He is the creator of VEGA (an award-winning line of whole food nutritional products) and is recognized as one of the world's foremost authorities on plant-based nutrition.

Thrive Foods begins with a wonderful discussion about nutrition and the environmental toll of food production. One will find out what nutrient density is and why it matters as well as learn how food production affects the environment.

Later in the book, the author talks about the key components of good nutrition and which foods will give us those elements. He uses icons to help us easily identify such things as calcium, iron and essential fats. Brendan shares 200 delicious recipes using the most nutrient-rich foods we can eat. We tried the recipe for Eggplant Rollatini ... it was easy to make and tasted wonderful!

But it is Chapter 3 that I found most interesting. It is entitled "An Appetite For Change: Environmental and Health Solutions Through Food". In this section, Brendan shares a unique concept in how we look at food and how we measure it's value ... the Nutrient-To-Resource Ratio. In other words, he's measuring how much nutrient gain we receive from a food versus the resources spent to produce it. He looks at resources such as arable land (land fit for the growing of food and which is in a climate conducive for agriculture with soil containing sufficient nutrients to sustain crops), water, fossil fuel and emissions. All of his calculations are presented for the reader to check and double check. You might be surprised to learn how some of your favorite foods fare in this scenario. For example, in the nutient-to-arable-land ratio he compares kale and beef. Remember, this ratio only takes into consideration the arable land and doesn't consider water, emissions, etc. From the book "To gain an equal amount of micronutrients from beef as from kale, 2900 times more arable land would be needed." Wow! Factor in the other natural resources and you'll see that the cost of beef, in natural resources, is huge!

So why are hamburgers, meat products and processed foods so cheap in the store if they take so many resources to produce? Brendan explains it to us and talks about government subsidies and how the price of food in the grocery store doesn't really reflect it's value ... if it did, most of us probably couldn't afford those items. In fact, if the grocery store reflected the true cost of a food, we'd probably all eat healthier. I quickly realized that there are hidden costs to food ... costs which affect our taxes, our health and the environment. The chapter finishes up with a chart ... it shows how many equivalent miles driven one would save by switching to a whole-food, plant-based, nutrient-rich diet. If you thought driving less was good for the environment, you'll be amazed at how much good you'll do by changing your diet.

Thrive Foods is sure to be a great resource for anyone who cares about their health and about the environment. I know that I'll be referring to it often!

I'd like to thank Brendan Brazier and Sequel Naturals for giving me the opportunity to review this book. You can pre-order Thrive Foods (sales begin on September 6th), as well as order Brendan's other books, from his site HERE.

Now for some exciting news: Would you like a chance to win a trip for two to meet Brendan at the Alive! Green Expo Lounge, surrounding the 63 Annual Emmy's? Just click on Brendan's Facebook Fan page for your chance to win an amazing trip. And while you're there, sign up for a free PDF download of the intro and 3 recipes from Thrive Foods.

Brendan Brazier Facebook Fan Page

You can learn more about Brendan Brazier and VEGA using the following links:
MyVega.com
Vega Facebook Fan Page
Vega Twitter

I received a copy of "Thrive Foods" in order to write this review. I received no other compensation. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone and reflect my honest opinion of the material reviewed.

Vegan Recipe - Programming Note

Welcome to the first Friday on the month. Typically you'd see a recipe in this spot but ... today I have something exciting to share with you ... my first-ever review. It's going to post in a little while so come back in about 30 minutes for that event.

And ... if that weren't exciting enough ... here's some more exciting news. I will be posting a recipe on Monday morning. Our guest chef will be none other than Patty "Sassy" Knutson, Vegan Coach/Author/Nutritional Consultant. I've seen the recipe and Mmmmm ... it'll make your mouth water and is sure to become a family favorite.

Okay ... stay tuned .... it's going to be fun!!