Please join us when we return mid-January.
In the meantime,
check out the wonderful sites who've linked up in previous
Thank you all for your support in 2012.
And wishing you the very best in the new year!
Monday, November 26, 2012
Reduce Footprints is on Hiatus (#CTWW #MtaGt)
Please join us when we return mid-January.
In the meantime,
check out the wonderful sites who've linked up in previous
Thank you all for your support in 2012.
And wishing you the very best in the new year!
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
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 don't have the time right now, you might find the following quick links helpful:
Last week we focused on reducing. What I found interesting about this challenge is that no matter what we chose to reduce, the activity lightened the load placed on the earth and natural resources. For some things we can see it clearly ... reduce shower time and we save water. Turn off lights, the TV & Computers and adjust the thermostat to minimize the need to manufacture energy. There are other things that might not seem so obvious ... for example, reducing the amount we eat. If we eat less, less food needs to be produced. So, less grain must be grown for animals ... less land used for crops ... less pollution from farmed fish. What about reducing waste? Waste burdens our landfills and often means that we buy more, more often, than we would if we didn't waste. Every time that we do less of almost anything, we relieve a bit of the stress on our planet. Interesting thought, isn't it?
The Honor Society are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments. Here's what they had to say:
In this ARTICLE Clare talks about one of the easiest ways to reduce ... it doesn't take any special skills or knowledge ... can be done with very little physical effort ... and has a huge, positive impact on the earth. Curious? Head over to check it out!
Katie decided to reduce the amount of toxins in her home by doing a Toxic Body Product Clean-Out. She asks a question at the end of the post which is something that many of us face when getting rid of the "bad" ... how to dispose of toxins safely. I was also struck by the concern of increasing the amount of trash & recycling in order to reduce the amount of toxins. What are your feelings on the subject?
CelloMom wrote an excellent article about reducing our carbon footprint. I especially like the idea that it isn't necessary to wait for our politicians to take action ... there's plenty that we can do right now. She goes on to share some ideas ... actions we can take that, quite frankly, are painless. Here's a question for you ... do you think that a homeless person in the US has much of a carbon footprint? You might be surprised at the answer. Check it all out HERE.
Ann stopped in ... always nice to see you, Ann!
Fiona accepted the challenge and shared this, "I'm currently staring at my washing pile and wishing it would reduce itself! I'm going to try reduce this, without, you know, becoming stinky! Extra care at kids mealtimes, better bibs, making sure I cover my shoulder when cuddling the baby, and making sure clothes that can be worn again don't accidentally end up in the laundry basket in the hurried tidy up after the scrum that is bath time. Basic stuff, I know, but I've taken my eye off the ball a bit. Need to come up with a better way of spot cleaning too - quick internet search tonight I think! Am still working through ideas from my october packaging challenge:
http://bikelightsinthefruitbowl.typepad.com/blog/this-month/.
I'm not normally fast enough to respond to your challenges by writing a timely blog, but they still provide inspiration. Am plotting a 'plan ahead for a green christmas' theme for November including lots of local shopping...once I have sleep deprivation under control!" Thanks, Fiona ... and don't worry about being fast enough to respond to challenges ... we might post them weekly but they are worthwhile activities at any time!
Lois joined us and shared this, " Thank you for the welcome and mentioning my blog. This weeks challenge was perfect for me as I just made a purchase to reduce my energy use further. My son called me from a store in his area that had LED light bulbs 4 for $5 and CFLs for .39 cents each. I'm not a fan of the CFLs as they bother my eyes and aren't really good for the environment, but at those prices it was worth it to finally change out the remaining fixtures in my apartment which were installed with incandescent bulbs. I am challenging myself to reduce the amount of recycling I have and began crafting with toilet paper rolls with the grand kids by not only saving mine but also from friends and family to have enough for the little ones to have a good time." Thanks, Lois!
Kerry stopped in and has this to say, " Great Challenge! One of the ways that I'm reducing this week is by not eating any meat until Thanksgiving Day! I don't typically eat a lot of meat to begin with, so I figure I can easily go a week with out it:)" Excellent, Kerry!
Scarlet accepted the challenge and said, " I tweeted and stumbled. YOu had so much good green info in that post. My main tip for reducing is reducing trash. We do this by only having a tiny bathroom trash can in our kitchen. It helps remind us to recycle, reuse, and buy stuff with less packaging. Every week my family has about one or two tiny shopping bags full of trash. I don't even buy trash bags. I just reuse the shopping bags my husband brings home." Great tips, Scarlet ... thank you!
What is Argentum Vulgaris' (AV) worst enemy in this challenge? And how did Sushi play into the theme? All will be answered when you read Change the World Wednesday – 14th Nov. And thank you, AV, for your kind comments ... while I benefit from a break, I'll miss CTWW and this fabulous, green community! I'll still be around, though, visiting everyone's blog. So keep a candle lit ...
Our Twitter friend, @givetreegifts, had some great tips for us this week:
- Button Up Your Home ow.ly/fgJsP
- Give the Gift of Green ow.ly/fgJx1
- Green Living Tips | greennature.ca ow.ly/fgJMK
- Buy Local, local food is sustainable - The Issues - Sustainable Table ow.ly/fgKaf
- Infographic: Why Buy Local & Ten Reasons to Shop Local First - PSFK ow.ly/fgKcg
- Why Buy Locally ow.ly/fgKej
- Why Buy Local ? | We Look For Local ow.ly/fgKhS
- Why Buy Locally Grown? | Do Something ow.ly/fgKk4
The #CTWW Gang are those folks who share our challenges on twitter using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I highly recommend following them ... they have a lot of great things to say. Let's meet them:
My Final Thoughts:
A friend of mine, who grew up in Hungary, told me that after living in the US for several years she went back to visit her family. They took one look at her trim body and asked her if things were bad in America ... if she was poor. To them, America was the land of plenty ... a land where everyone drove a big car, owned a big home, had lots of stuff ... and, enough food to get fat on. Every nation on earth wanted the same ... to have more ... to be wealthy. It certainly has been at the heart of every ad campaign ... we "need" more and we can "have it all". Conversely, the concept of "less" is looked down upon ... it's for people who can't afford more and is somehow indicative of a life left wanting. If we are to make an environmental difference, then we need to reverse our thinking. We need to embrace the concept of reducing. It's the only way to realize true wealth ... wealth measured in clean air, pure water and a life lived in harmony with nature.
Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I have Stumbled, Tweeted, Facebooked and posted it on Google +. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share feature at the bottom of this post.
A question rather than a challenge:
2012 has been an amazing year ... our green community has grown, we've shared the Eco-message and we've made a difference. I thank you for your support and your incredible dedication to making this world a better place. See you in 2013!
There's a lot of great information in this post and I encourage you to read through it ... however, if you don't have the time right now, you might find the following quick links helpful:
- The #CTWW Gang
- The Honor Society
- My Final Thoughts on Our Last Challenge
- A question rather than a challenge
Last week we focused on reducing. What I found interesting about this challenge is that no matter what we chose to reduce, the activity lightened the load placed on the earth and natural resources. For some things we can see it clearly ... reduce shower time and we save water. Turn off lights, the TV & Computers and adjust the thermostat to minimize the need to manufacture energy. There are other things that might not seem so obvious ... for example, reducing the amount we eat. If we eat less, less food needs to be produced. So, less grain must be grown for animals ... less land used for crops ... less pollution from farmed fish. What about reducing waste? Waste burdens our landfills and often means that we buy more, more often, than we would if we didn't waste. Every time that we do less of almost anything, we relieve a bit of the stress on our planet. Interesting thought, isn't it?
The Honor Society are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments. Here's what they had to say:
In this ARTICLE Clare talks about one of the easiest ways to reduce ... it doesn't take any special skills or knowledge ... can be done with very little physical effort ... and has a huge, positive impact on the earth. Curious? Head over to check it out!
Katie decided to reduce the amount of toxins in her home by doing a Toxic Body Product Clean-Out. She asks a question at the end of the post which is something that many of us face when getting rid of the "bad" ... how to dispose of toxins safely. I was also struck by the concern of increasing the amount of trash & recycling in order to reduce the amount of toxins. What are your feelings on the subject?
CelloMom wrote an excellent article about reducing our carbon footprint. I especially like the idea that it isn't necessary to wait for our politicians to take action ... there's plenty that we can do right now. She goes on to share some ideas ... actions we can take that, quite frankly, are painless. Here's a question for you ... do you think that a homeless person in the US has much of a carbon footprint? You might be surprised at the answer. Check it all out HERE.
Ann stopped in ... always nice to see you, Ann!
Fiona accepted the challenge and shared this, "I'm currently staring at my washing pile and wishing it would reduce itself! I'm going to try reduce this, without, you know, becoming stinky! Extra care at kids mealtimes, better bibs, making sure I cover my shoulder when cuddling the baby, and making sure clothes that can be worn again don't accidentally end up in the laundry basket in the hurried tidy up after the scrum that is bath time. Basic stuff, I know, but I've taken my eye off the ball a bit. Need to come up with a better way of spot cleaning too - quick internet search tonight I think! Am still working through ideas from my october packaging challenge:
http://bikelightsinthefruitbowl.typepad.com/blog/this-month/.
I'm not normally fast enough to respond to your challenges by writing a timely blog, but they still provide inspiration. Am plotting a 'plan ahead for a green christmas' theme for November including lots of local shopping...once I have sleep deprivation under control!" Thanks, Fiona ... and don't worry about being fast enough to respond to challenges ... we might post them weekly but they are worthwhile activities at any time!
Lois joined us and shared this, " Thank you for the welcome and mentioning my blog. This weeks challenge was perfect for me as I just made a purchase to reduce my energy use further. My son called me from a store in his area that had LED light bulbs 4 for $5 and CFLs for .39 cents each. I'm not a fan of the CFLs as they bother my eyes and aren't really good for the environment, but at those prices it was worth it to finally change out the remaining fixtures in my apartment which were installed with incandescent bulbs. I am challenging myself to reduce the amount of recycling I have and began crafting with toilet paper rolls with the grand kids by not only saving mine but also from friends and family to have enough for the little ones to have a good time." Thanks, Lois!
Kerry stopped in and has this to say, " Great Challenge! One of the ways that I'm reducing this week is by not eating any meat until Thanksgiving Day! I don't typically eat a lot of meat to begin with, so I figure I can easily go a week with out it:)" Excellent, Kerry!
Scarlet accepted the challenge and said, " I tweeted and stumbled. YOu had so much good green info in that post. My main tip for reducing is reducing trash. We do this by only having a tiny bathroom trash can in our kitchen. It helps remind us to recycle, reuse, and buy stuff with less packaging. Every week my family has about one or two tiny shopping bags full of trash. I don't even buy trash bags. I just reuse the shopping bags my husband brings home." Great tips, Scarlet ... thank you!
What is Argentum Vulgaris' (AV) worst enemy in this challenge? And how did Sushi play into the theme? All will be answered when you read Change the World Wednesday – 14th Nov. And thank you, AV, for your kind comments ... while I benefit from a break, I'll miss CTWW and this fabulous, green community! I'll still be around, though, visiting everyone's blog. So keep a candle lit ...
Our Twitter friend, @givetreegifts, had some great tips for us this week:
- Button Up Your Home ow.ly/fgJsP
- Give the Gift of Green ow.ly/fgJx1
- Green Living Tips | greennature.ca ow.ly/fgJMK
- Buy Local, local food is sustainable - The Issues - Sustainable Table ow.ly/fgKaf
- Infographic: Why Buy Local & Ten Reasons to Shop Local First - PSFK ow.ly/fgKcg
- Why Buy Locally ow.ly/fgKej
- Why Buy Local ? | We Look For Local ow.ly/fgKhS
- Why Buy Locally Grown? | Do Something ow.ly/fgKk4
The #CTWW Gang are those folks who share our challenges on twitter using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I highly recommend following them ... they have a lot of great things to say. Let's meet them:
My Final Thoughts:
A friend of mine, who grew up in Hungary, told me that after living in the US for several years she went back to visit her family. They took one look at her trim body and asked her if things were bad in America ... if she was poor. To them, America was the land of plenty ... a land where everyone drove a big car, owned a big home, had lots of stuff ... and, enough food to get fat on. Every nation on earth wanted the same ... to have more ... to be wealthy. It certainly has been at the heart of every ad campaign ... we "need" more and we can "have it all". Conversely, the concept of "less" is looked down upon ... it's for people who can't afford more and is somehow indicative of a life left wanting. If we are to make an environmental difference, then we need to reverse our thinking. We need to embrace the concept of reducing. It's the only way to realize true wealth ... wealth measured in clean air, pure water and a life lived in harmony with nature.
Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I have Stumbled, Tweeted, Facebooked and posted it on Google +. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share feature at the bottom of this post.
A question rather than a challenge:
This week I don't have a challenge for you ... but I do have a question:
What would you like to see on this blog in 2013?
Get creative and leave us a comment with your thoughts and ideas.
What would you like to see on this blog in 2013?
Get creative and leave us a comment with your thoughts and ideas.
2012 has been an amazing year ... our green community has grown, we've shared the Eco-message and we've made a difference. I thank you for your support and your incredible dedication to making this world a better place. See you in 2013!
Monday, November 19, 2012
Meet & Greet Monday (#MtaGt)
Welcome to Meet & Greet Monday!
Grab our banner for your site:
SPECIAL NOTE:
This will be our last Meet & Greet of the year.
We'll return mid-January.
Do you have an Eco-friendly blog or site? Do you occasionally write about the environment or ways to live green? If you answered yes to any, you're invited to link up. Here are the rules:
1. If you have a green-living blog, site and/or write about the environment, sustainability, etc., please use the "linky" below to list your site.
2. If you only occasionally write about green living, please use tags such as "green", "Eco", "Environment", etc. and then link to that collection of posts so that visitors will be directed to pertinent articles.
3. Visit at least one other site (and while not required, it would be nice if you told them that you found them here).
4. The linky will stay active until Thursday at 6:00 pm (EST).
Our featured site this week is ... Factory Direct Promos (FDP) Green Biz Blog. One of the things that makes our Meet & Greet a bit different from others is that we encourage green businesses to link up. In my opinion, it helps us find companies which operate in an environmentally-friendly, socially-conscious way. Of course, it's always up to the individual to do their own research to determine if a business is worthy of our dollar. FDP is a Silver Green America Certified Business. They sell reusable bags, stainless steel water bottles, etc. to companies to help them become greener. So, at this point you might be thinking ... I don't own a business & I'm not in the market for Eco-friendly promotional items. Well, check out FDP's blog and you'll see why I like this site. You'll find some wonderful articles about how cities all over the world are banning plastic ... including one post about the Pros & Cons of banning them (bet you didn't think there were any cons on the subject). Keep forgetting your reusable bags when you head for the market? Check out "5 Ways to Remember Your Reusable Bags" for some tips. I found a post entitled "Student Art Centered on Zero Waste" and another about how a piece of litter shut down a street in Brooklyn. There's information about how plastic harms our oceans and how carbon offsets can help an office go green. Factory Direct Promos (FDP) Green Biz Blog is worth a visit. Check it out and see for yourself.
This week's linky is now live so ... list your site, visit and have fun:
This will be our last Meet & Greet of the year.
We'll return mid-January.
Do you have an Eco-friendly blog or site? Do you occasionally write about the environment or ways to live green? If you answered yes to any, you're invited to link up. Here are the rules:
1. If you have a green-living blog, site and/or write about the environment, sustainability, etc., please use the "linky" below to list your site.
2. If you only occasionally write about green living, please use tags such as "green", "Eco", "Environment", etc. and then link to that collection of posts so that visitors will be directed to pertinent articles.
3. Visit at least one other site (and while not required, it would be nice if you told them that you found them here).
4. The linky will stay active until Thursday at 6:00 pm (EST).
Our featured site this week is ... Factory Direct Promos (FDP) Green Biz Blog. One of the things that makes our Meet & Greet a bit different from others is that we encourage green businesses to link up. In my opinion, it helps us find companies which operate in an environmentally-friendly, socially-conscious way. Of course, it's always up to the individual to do their own research to determine if a business is worthy of our dollar. FDP is a Silver Green America Certified Business. They sell reusable bags, stainless steel water bottles, etc. to companies to help them become greener. So, at this point you might be thinking ... I don't own a business & I'm not in the market for Eco-friendly promotional items. Well, check out FDP's blog and you'll see why I like this site. You'll find some wonderful articles about how cities all over the world are banning plastic ... including one post about the Pros & Cons of banning them (bet you didn't think there were any cons on the subject). Keep forgetting your reusable bags when you head for the market? Check out "5 Ways to Remember Your Reusable Bags" for some tips. I found a post entitled "Student Art Centered on Zero Waste" and another about how a piece of litter shut down a street in Brooklyn. There's information about how plastic harms our oceans and how carbon offsets can help an office go green. Factory Direct Promos (FDP) Green Biz Blog is worth a visit. Check it out and see for yourself.
This week's linky is now live so ... list your site, visit and have fun:
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
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 don't have the time right now, you might find the following quick links helpful:
Last week we investigated local shopping. Rather than shop at one of the big "box" stores, we searched out neighborhood merchants for our purchases. In my area, small businesses have suffered in recent years ... it's sad to see these establishments close their doors ... sadder still to see large, national "chains" move in. Frequenting independent merchants helps our economy by keeping the money in our community. It also helps the environment because the items we purchase don't travel long distances to get to our homes. I should say, however, that not all independent shops are created equal ... if a small business imports all of it's merchandise from the other side of the world, then is it really local? In my opinion, it isn't. So along with searching out local merchants, we must also learn about the products they sell. Ideally we'll find people who sell items which were produced nearby.
The Honor Society are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments. Here's what they had to say:
CelloMom stopped in and shared this, " I have a suspicion (or maybe wishful thinking) that the era of the chain is ending. The reason we like chains is that even though we're far from home, we know exactly what to expect when we pull into a McDonald's or a Wendy's - even if the expectation may be low. But with the advent of review sites like yelp, and the rise of mobile connectivity, we can look up what restaurants people are enthousiastic about, even when we're travelling. So we don't have to rely on the chains any more. There's nothing more satisfying than discovering a gem of an eatery, no matter where you are! Same for hardware stores, clothing stores, and all the rest!" Totally agree, CelloMom!
Mrs. Green had fun with this challenge. And she has quite a few local opportunities. Check out Supporting local business to read all about it!
Alicia accepted the challenge and had this to say, "We just had new tires put on our car at a local shop, I got some beautiful jewelry from a local shop in Nashville this past week.When we eat out we like to find good local restaurants to go to and we get our hair cut at local salons.I love buying veggies at the local Farmers markets and produce stores.Whats great is we save money as well. A good example is that I got some beautiful Kale this week at the local produce market for only 99 cents a bunch. I had seen it a few days earlier at the grocery for $1.89 a bunch and it was really limp looking! Cheaper and fresher from the local market! There is a local company making and selling fresh tortilla chips that I just found out about so I will be checking them out soon." Alicia also wrote a wonderful article entitled I Have A Challenge For You! Check it out ... she even includes pictures of some her local favorites.
EcoGrrl joined in the fun and had this to say, "Love this - almost think this should be a once-a-month challenge! Local is soooo important!! Today I had breakfast at a local coffeehouse where all of the furnishing came from salvaged wood and found objects & they use local CSAs for their produce and organic, locally-roasted coffees & ingredients in their baked goods. For lunch with a client I walked across the street to my local cafe who serves locally roasted coffee that's delivered by bike (Trailhead Roasters) and has a beautiful garden out front for customers to sit in (yes it's actually still in the 50's here, gorgeous fall day!). A tidbit I also learned, speaking of local and repurposing, is that my client, who heats her home with wood and is always searching for salvage wood to use for this, found that the local port will sell the equivalent of a cord of wood for about $50 - they use this beautiful, untreated wood on cargo ships and then dump it, and PDX'ers got wise and they now sell it to them for next to nothing! Cool huh."
Rewinn lives in the Seattle area ... a large metropolitan city. It is, like many large cities, full of national chains conveniently located in most neighborhoods. So how easy was it for Rewinn to shop local? Find out in White Center Home of Local Independent Food! #CTWW.
In Footprints, Cleaner Planet Soap Nuts talks about local products with high environmental impacts versus low-impact products which come from across the world. It's an interesting discussion ... how do you feel about it?
As it happened, Argentum Vulgaris (AV) planned to make a big purchase this week ... a digital camera. So ... was he able to keep it local? Find out HERE. AV also upped the anti on this challenge and asked us to not only shop local but avoid all franchises (there goes that Starbucks latte).
I'd like to welcome Lois to our challenges! Here's what she had to say, " I am new here, but love this challenge. I buy local quite a bit, although this week there is nothing I need. I live in a small town where I shop at a local consignment store, thrift store which is run by a church and proceeds go to buy school supplies and socks and underwear for low income families each fall. There is a farming community around as well, so all my eggs, cheese, honey, bison meat (for family get togethers) is bought locally. We also have two local potters, jewelry artisans, and alpaca farm where I can buy the wool or already made clothing items. When we aren't getting all our books from the library we use the locally owned book store, when we want a treat we head to the bagel shop for a bagel and bowl of soup. There is so much here to allow me to live locally that the only time I stop at a chain store it is my grocery store, which is a locally owned franchise, but still a chain." By the way, Living Simply Free is a fascinating blog ... Lois talks about living in a small space (300 square feet). Check it out!
Clare accepted the challenge and shared this, "I love this week's challenge! I rarely eat in chains as I don't buy fast food, and there aren't very many chains where I live, luckily. However, remember that some franchises are owned by local people, running a business just like other local people. Of course a chunk of the profit goes to the multi-national so I agree with the challenge, but I'm just saying there is a local element too - well, there is on my little tropical island at least. My article this week covers last week's AND this week's challenge - how to make your holiday travel eco friendly, and what to eat when you get there. http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/ecofriendlytravel. Thanks for another great challenge!"
Fat hairy imps, Chinese made televisions and draft dodging multi-billionaires. Ahh ... you know you want to read No Box Stores For Me, Thank You by Scott.
Our Twitter friends joined the conversation this week:
From @pinkladyapril
- The same local hairdresser has done my hair for years! I Use a fab local butcher & try to use market for fruit & veg
From @givetreegifts
- 10 Reasons to Shop Local: http://localfoods.about.com/od/finduselocalfoods/u/BuyLocal.htm
- How Cash Mobs Can Teach People to Shop Local: http://ruraltourismmarketing.com/2012/07/how-cash-mobs-can-teach-people-to-shop-local/
- Buy Local | Shop Local | Independent We Stand
- The Different Ways to Shop on Etsy...Shop Locally: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/the-different-ways-to-shop-on-etsy.html
From @bylittlenea
- This weeks #CTWW is to buy local! I know I can do better! Planning a visit to the local farmers market this saturday
From @rulesofgreen
- I shopped a blender second hand online this week @ blocket.se, also stopped by at a small independent café
The #CTWW Gang are those folks who share our challenges on twitter using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I highly recommend following them ... they have a lot of great things to say. Let's meet them:
My Final Thoughts:
One of my favorite activities when traveling is to search out small, independent merchants. Meeting the people of the area and browsing locally produced items is a great way to get a sense of the culture ... to learn about the people and their history. And, of course, it's always been fun to bring back a special, unique item which can't be found "at home". In recent years, though, we've noticed a change ... the world is becoming homogenized. These days, no matter where you go in the world, you're likely to find the same stores and the same products. Unfortunately, large franchises and "chain stores" squeeze out independent merchants because, let's face it, they can make a lot of stuff cheaply at a centralized location. We know that this is bad for the environment and bad for the economy. But here's another thought ... when the demand for local goods disappears, so does cultural heritage. When we opt for the convenience of a "box store" we lose something ... we lose the unique skills and abilities which make us who we are. I think that it's too high of a price to pay.
Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I have Stumbled, Tweeted, Facebooked and posted it on Google +. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share feature at the bottom of this post.
This Week's Challenge:
SPECIAL NOTE: This will be our last challenge of the year. Next week we'll do a wrap up and then Reduce Footprints will be on hiatus until mid-January. WhooHoo!
Let's get back to basics and focus on reducing, which is the first rule in the "Reduce, Reuse & Recycle" trio. Here you go ...
What do you think ... can you do one less thing to help the earth?
Until next time ...
WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!
There's a lot of great information in this post and I encourage you to read through it ... however, if you don't have the time right now, you might find the following quick links helpful:
Last week we investigated local shopping. Rather than shop at one of the big "box" stores, we searched out neighborhood merchants for our purchases. In my area, small businesses have suffered in recent years ... it's sad to see these establishments close their doors ... sadder still to see large, national "chains" move in. Frequenting independent merchants helps our economy by keeping the money in our community. It also helps the environment because the items we purchase don't travel long distances to get to our homes. I should say, however, that not all independent shops are created equal ... if a small business imports all of it's merchandise from the other side of the world, then is it really local? In my opinion, it isn't. So along with searching out local merchants, we must also learn about the products they sell. Ideally we'll find people who sell items which were produced nearby.
The Honor Society are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments. Here's what they had to say:
CelloMom stopped in and shared this, " I have a suspicion (or maybe wishful thinking) that the era of the chain is ending. The reason we like chains is that even though we're far from home, we know exactly what to expect when we pull into a McDonald's or a Wendy's - even if the expectation may be low. But with the advent of review sites like yelp, and the rise of mobile connectivity, we can look up what restaurants people are enthousiastic about, even when we're travelling. So we don't have to rely on the chains any more. There's nothing more satisfying than discovering a gem of an eatery, no matter where you are! Same for hardware stores, clothing stores, and all the rest!" Totally agree, CelloMom!
Mrs. Green had fun with this challenge. And she has quite a few local opportunities. Check out Supporting local business to read all about it!
Alicia accepted the challenge and had this to say, "We just had new tires put on our car at a local shop, I got some beautiful jewelry from a local shop in Nashville this past week.When we eat out we like to find good local restaurants to go to and we get our hair cut at local salons.I love buying veggies at the local Farmers markets and produce stores.Whats great is we save money as well. A good example is that I got some beautiful Kale this week at the local produce market for only 99 cents a bunch. I had seen it a few days earlier at the grocery for $1.89 a bunch and it was really limp looking! Cheaper and fresher from the local market! There is a local company making and selling fresh tortilla chips that I just found out about so I will be checking them out soon." Alicia also wrote a wonderful article entitled I Have A Challenge For You! Check it out ... she even includes pictures of some her local favorites.
EcoGrrl joined in the fun and had this to say, "Love this - almost think this should be a once-a-month challenge! Local is soooo important!! Today I had breakfast at a local coffeehouse where all of the furnishing came from salvaged wood and found objects & they use local CSAs for their produce and organic, locally-roasted coffees & ingredients in their baked goods. For lunch with a client I walked across the street to my local cafe who serves locally roasted coffee that's delivered by bike (Trailhead Roasters) and has a beautiful garden out front for customers to sit in (yes it's actually still in the 50's here, gorgeous fall day!). A tidbit I also learned, speaking of local and repurposing, is that my client, who heats her home with wood and is always searching for salvage wood to use for this, found that the local port will sell the equivalent of a cord of wood for about $50 - they use this beautiful, untreated wood on cargo ships and then dump it, and PDX'ers got wise and they now sell it to them for next to nothing! Cool huh."
Rewinn lives in the Seattle area ... a large metropolitan city. It is, like many large cities, full of national chains conveniently located in most neighborhoods. So how easy was it for Rewinn to shop local? Find out in White Center Home of Local Independent Food! #CTWW.
In Footprints, Cleaner Planet Soap Nuts talks about local products with high environmental impacts versus low-impact products which come from across the world. It's an interesting discussion ... how do you feel about it?
As it happened, Argentum Vulgaris (AV) planned to make a big purchase this week ... a digital camera. So ... was he able to keep it local? Find out HERE. AV also upped the anti on this challenge and asked us to not only shop local but avoid all franchises (there goes that Starbucks latte).
I'd like to welcome Lois to our challenges! Here's what she had to say, " I am new here, but love this challenge. I buy local quite a bit, although this week there is nothing I need. I live in a small town where I shop at a local consignment store, thrift store which is run by a church and proceeds go to buy school supplies and socks and underwear for low income families each fall. There is a farming community around as well, so all my eggs, cheese, honey, bison meat (for family get togethers) is bought locally. We also have two local potters, jewelry artisans, and alpaca farm where I can buy the wool or already made clothing items. When we aren't getting all our books from the library we use the locally owned book store, when we want a treat we head to the bagel shop for a bagel and bowl of soup. There is so much here to allow me to live locally that the only time I stop at a chain store it is my grocery store, which is a locally owned franchise, but still a chain." By the way, Living Simply Free is a fascinating blog ... Lois talks about living in a small space (300 square feet). Check it out!
Clare accepted the challenge and shared this, "I love this week's challenge! I rarely eat in chains as I don't buy fast food, and there aren't very many chains where I live, luckily. However, remember that some franchises are owned by local people, running a business just like other local people. Of course a chunk of the profit goes to the multi-national so I agree with the challenge, but I'm just saying there is a local element too - well, there is on my little tropical island at least. My article this week covers last week's AND this week's challenge - how to make your holiday travel eco friendly, and what to eat when you get there. http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/ecofriendlytravel. Thanks for another great challenge!"
Fat hairy imps, Chinese made televisions and draft dodging multi-billionaires. Ahh ... you know you want to read No Box Stores For Me, Thank You by Scott.
Our Twitter friends joined the conversation this week:
From @pinkladyapril
- The same local hairdresser has done my hair for years! I Use a fab local butcher & try to use market for fruit & veg
From @givetreegifts
- 10 Reasons to Shop Local: http://localfoods.about.com/od/finduselocalfoods/u/BuyLocal.htm
- How Cash Mobs Can Teach People to Shop Local: http://ruraltourismmarketing.com/2012/07/how-cash-mobs-can-teach-people-to-shop-local/
- Buy Local | Shop Local | Independent We Stand
- The Different Ways to Shop on Etsy...Shop Locally: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/the-different-ways-to-shop-on-etsy.html
From @bylittlenea
- This weeks #CTWW is to buy local! I know I can do better! Planning a visit to the local farmers market this saturday
From @rulesofgreen
- I shopped a blender second hand online this week @ blocket.se, also stopped by at a small independent café
The #CTWW Gang are those folks who share our challenges on twitter using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I highly recommend following them ... they have a lot of great things to say. Let's meet them:
My Final Thoughts:
One of my favorite activities when traveling is to search out small, independent merchants. Meeting the people of the area and browsing locally produced items is a great way to get a sense of the culture ... to learn about the people and their history. And, of course, it's always been fun to bring back a special, unique item which can't be found "at home". In recent years, though, we've noticed a change ... the world is becoming homogenized. These days, no matter where you go in the world, you're likely to find the same stores and the same products. Unfortunately, large franchises and "chain stores" squeeze out independent merchants because, let's face it, they can make a lot of stuff cheaply at a centralized location. We know that this is bad for the environment and bad for the economy. But here's another thought ... when the demand for local goods disappears, so does cultural heritage. When we opt for the convenience of a "box store" we lose something ... we lose the unique skills and abilities which make us who we are. I think that it's too high of a price to pay.
Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I have Stumbled, Tweeted, Facebooked and posted it on Google +. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share feature at the bottom of this post.
This Week's Challenge:
SPECIAL NOTE: This will be our last challenge of the year. Next week we'll do a wrap up and then Reduce Footprints will be on hiatus until mid-January. WhooHoo!
Let's get back to basics and focus on reducing, which is the first rule in the "Reduce, Reuse & Recycle" trio. Here you go ...
This week reduce! For example, reduce the length of your showers or the amount of time the TV or computers are on. Reduce the amount of food you cook (and eat) or reduce the energy used to cook food (try raw foods or energy-efficient counter-top cooking devices). Perhaps you can reduce the amount of garbage your family generates ... and even reduce the need to recycle. Reduce the number of miles you drive or the number of trips you typically make in a week. Try turning off the lights for an extra hour this week or adjusting the thermostat by a degree. The idea with this challenge is to take at least one activity and make it more Eco-friendly by reducing.
Or ...
Since we all have an impact and can do a little something to reduce, we don't have a second level.
Since we all have an impact and can do a little something to reduce, we don't have a second level.
What do you think ... can you do one less thing to help the earth?
Until next time ...
WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!
Monday, November 12, 2012
Meet & Greet Monday (#MtaGt)
Welcome to Meet & Greet Monday!
Grab our banner for your site:
Do you have an Eco-friendly blog or site? Do you occasionally write about the environment or ways to live green? If you answered yes to any, you're invited to link up. Here are the rules:
1. If you have a green-living blog, site and/or write about the environment, sustainability, etc., please use the "linky" below to list your site.
2. If you only occasionally write about green living, please use tags such as "green", "Eco", "Environment", etc. and then link to that collection of posts so that visitors will be directed to pertinent articles.
3. Visit at least one other site (and while not required, it would be nice if you told them that you found them here).
4. The linky will stay active until Thursday at 6:00 pm (EST).
5. Using Random.org, I will choose one of the sites listed and feature it next week.
Our featured site this week is ... Family Focus Blog by Scarlet. In last week's Meet & Greet, Scarlet's article, Teaching Your Children to Leave No Trace, was linked up. It's an excellent article about how to teach children to enjoy nature without hurting it. That, however, isn't the only Eco-post you'll find on this terrific blog ... just click on the tab entitled "Eco Tips" and you'll find articles like "Green Pet Care Tips To Protect Your Pets", "How to be More Energy Efficient at Home" and "3 Green Outdoor Ideas for Every Home". Maybe you're interested in Eco-friendly products and giveaways ... Scarlet reviews items and hosts giveaways. Looking for recipes? No problem ... click on the tab entitled "Food" and find delicious recipes ... even some vegan offerings. Family Focus Blog does exactly what the name implies ... it focuses on family ... our own, small families and our greater earth family. I'm positive that you'll find something of interest and value on Family Focus Blog ... check it out and see for yourself.
This week's linky is now live so ... list your site, visit and have fun:
Do you have an Eco-friendly blog or site? Do you occasionally write about the environment or ways to live green? If you answered yes to any, you're invited to link up. Here are the rules:
1. If you have a green-living blog, site and/or write about the environment, sustainability, etc., please use the "linky" below to list your site.
2. If you only occasionally write about green living, please use tags such as "green", "Eco", "Environment", etc. and then link to that collection of posts so that visitors will be directed to pertinent articles.
3. Visit at least one other site (and while not required, it would be nice if you told them that you found them here).
4. The linky will stay active until Thursday at 6:00 pm (EST).
5. Using Random.org, I will choose one of the sites listed and feature it next week.
Our featured site this week is ... Family Focus Blog by Scarlet. In last week's Meet & Greet, Scarlet's article, Teaching Your Children to Leave No Trace, was linked up. It's an excellent article about how to teach children to enjoy nature without hurting it. That, however, isn't the only Eco-post you'll find on this terrific blog ... just click on the tab entitled "Eco Tips" and you'll find articles like "Green Pet Care Tips To Protect Your Pets", "How to be More Energy Efficient at Home" and "3 Green Outdoor Ideas for Every Home". Maybe you're interested in Eco-friendly products and giveaways ... Scarlet reviews items and hosts giveaways. Looking for recipes? No problem ... click on the tab entitled "Food" and find delicious recipes ... even some vegan offerings. Family Focus Blog does exactly what the name implies ... it focuses on family ... our own, small families and our greater earth family. I'm positive that you'll find something of interest and value on Family Focus Blog ... check it out and see for yourself.
This week's linky is now live so ... list your site, visit and have fun:
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
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 don't have the time right now, you might find the following quick links helpful:
Last week we focused on the holidays and Eco-friendly giving. While it may seem a bit early to be thinking about it, preparation is the key to any "green" activity.
The Honor Society are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments. Here's what they had to say:
Anita shared this " I love this idea. I've been making Christmas gifts since I was a child - paper weights from River Stones (painting them) - handmade notecards from scrap paper & old Holiday cards & misc. jewelry, ribbon, buttons...whatever. This year - I'm giving cards again..however, these are cards I photographed and assemble...tie them with raffia and give a set of 3 away to family & a few close friends. It's so much fun to make something from my surplus. Enjoy!"
I really enjoyed this POST by Argentum Vulgaris. Contrary to what he might have you believe, he's a very nice person who cares about others. Check out his article to read about his holiday traditions ... they are thoughtful and kind.
Cat talks about a very unique, and lovely, gift idea in this ARTICLE. Here's a hint ... it is "one of a kind", it involves ears and will last a lifetime. Curious? Check it out!
Mrs. Green wrote A meaningful Christmas where she talks about celebrating Yule and connecting to the earth. She also shares that the holidays, for her, are about compromise. But ahh ... in her "perfect world" celebrations would be earth-friendly and very meaningful. No, Mrs. Green, you are not a "party pooper" ... you are a caring person with a worthwhile dream.
Fiona stopped in and had this to say, " Reluctant though I am to start thinking about Christmas so early I know it makes sense not to be last minute - that's when the tat creeps in. Present wise I've suggested to my sister that we could do a bit of a toy swap with her kids - variety is the spice of life and all that. Am going to involve my 3 yr old in this - good to dilute her mine, mine, mine tendencies! I'll give other things some thought once we've figured out the social arrangements! The way the holidays fall this year mean we would in theory be able to travel by train to visit relatives - we usually hire a car as railways shut down. Tricky thing is we get given so much stuff it is impossible to contemplate the train. Bit of a conundrum. For some top tips for a ethical Christmas you can join Extra Ethical at http://extraethical.com/referral/65787496 where you can win FREE prizes throughout advent! Looks intriguing." Extra Ethical looks fascinating, Fiona! While it's for folks in the UK, it has some great ideas for gifts which anyone can use.
CelloMom shared this, " I am a serious contender for World's Grinchiest Mom. I deeply believe that it is actually a disservice to our children to load them with presents at the end of each year. After all, the Child of Light himself received just three gifts. Those three gifts were fittingly royal, but most of our children are happiest with the simplest toys. Here is my all-time favourite toy review (from Wired magazine's GeekDad!) - try it, it's hilarious, and puts toys in a really nice perspective (that of the child): http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/01/the-5-best-toys-of-all-time/ ." Oh my goodness, CelloMom ... that was the funniest toy review ... loved it!
Alicia has some nice ideas for us. Here they are: " Oh another great challenge! I am putting together a blog post about this very subject. I love making holiday decorations with things from our yard like pine cones, pine and cedar branches and beautiful red nandina berries. We made some adorable tree ornaments this past year using shells from the beach. I also love using different size boxes and covering them with recycled paper or material and then filling them with lots of homemade goodies to give as gifts. I also like using old Christmas cards to make new package tags." Thanks, Alicia ... can't wait to read your post!
Katie came by and had this to say, " I like the challenge this year. I did some of it last year and plan on kicking it up a notch this year. For Halloween, I bought some more mum plants for the front porch (these will get planted in the ground this weekend) and pumpkins (I plan to cook with them)." By the way, Katie has been working on her own challenge this week ... she's been eating out of the freezer. Click HERE to read about Day 7 and at the top of the post, you'll find links to each day's progress. Nicely done, Katie!
For a previous challenge on food waste, Clare wrote this interesting ARTICLE where you'll find out which supermarket saved $100 million because of bread pudding and challenged corporate thinking on waste.
Our Twitter friends joined the conversation this week:
From @pinkladyapril
- I'm doing a lot of home made Christmas gifts this year - including food gifts. Also making cards & gift tags.
From @givetreegifts
- I save bits, pieces & scraps of yarn, twine, paper (especially from scrapbooking) ...anything to embellish...& make handmade cards
- One of my favorite handmade gift ideas is "Gift in a Jar". It's so easy, you can get the kids involved, & you can recycle those jars!
- Mason Jar Recipes: Holiday Ideas for Gifts In A Jar: http://christmas.organizedhome.com/crafts/gifts-in-a-jar/recipe-index
- 48 Homemade Gifts in a Jar: http://www.tipjunkie.com/homemade-gifts/jar-homemade-gifts/
- Gifts in a Jar: Bath Snowballs in a Jar: http://www.marthastewart.com/277236/gifts-in-a-jar/@center/307035/santas-workshop
- Here are some images of gifts in a jar to inspire you: http://www.google.ca/search?q=gifts+in+a+jar&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=5xuRULzLIojaygGTzoGgBw&ved=0CB0QsAQ&biw=1024&bih=677
- I save gift baskets & interesting containers, fill them with baking at Christmas & give them as gifts.Use a festive towel to wrap it.
From @earthyurban
- Im down and out about my home state, it's seems mother earth has Performed it's own change for #CTWW but i want to be there to help
From @themac533
- Save old business cards to write/stick on as gift tags. Wine for the host can go wrapped in a new festive tea-towel for safe transport
The #CTWW Gang are those folks who share our challenges on twitter using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I highly recommend following them ... they have a lot of great things to say. Let's meet them:
My Final Thoughts:
This is a difficult challenge which is probably why it comes up every year. It makes us take a hard look at our environmental ethics. For some, giving up the commercial (and usually wasteful) aspect of any celebration is an easy option ... they simply make the decision to do so and that's that. For the majority of us, however, it's not so easy because drawing a hard line could mean offending the people we love ... after all, we're dealing with expectations and traditions. So ... does that mean that we simply give up and stop trying? Of course not! We approach it in the same manner that we approach everything on this blog ... one small step at a time. We continue to educate ourselves (and those around us) and look for ways to honor our traditions without hurting the earth. We take one little step after another until one day we achieve our goal ... a meaningful event which makes everyone happy, including Mother Earth.
Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I have Stumbled, Tweeted, Facebooked and posted it on Google +. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share feature at the bottom of this post.
This Week's Challenge:
This week's challenge comes from Kim who says "I've always been a huge advocate of local shopping." Here it is:
So what do you think ... can you do it? Yeah ... I know that you can!
Want an easy way to keep up with our challenges?
Just add the banner below to your blog by
copying the code & pasting it into your site!
WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!
There's a lot of great information in this post and I encourage you to read through it ... however, if you don't have the time right now, you might find the following quick links helpful:
Last week we focused on the holidays and Eco-friendly giving. While it may seem a bit early to be thinking about it, preparation is the key to any "green" activity.
The Honor Society are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments. Here's what they had to say:
Anita shared this " I love this idea. I've been making Christmas gifts since I was a child - paper weights from River Stones (painting them) - handmade notecards from scrap paper & old Holiday cards & misc. jewelry, ribbon, buttons...whatever. This year - I'm giving cards again..however, these are cards I photographed and assemble...tie them with raffia and give a set of 3 away to family & a few close friends. It's so much fun to make something from my surplus. Enjoy!"
I really enjoyed this POST by Argentum Vulgaris. Contrary to what he might have you believe, he's a very nice person who cares about others. Check out his article to read about his holiday traditions ... they are thoughtful and kind.
Cat talks about a very unique, and lovely, gift idea in this ARTICLE. Here's a hint ... it is "one of a kind", it involves ears and will last a lifetime. Curious? Check it out!
Mrs. Green wrote A meaningful Christmas where she talks about celebrating Yule and connecting to the earth. She also shares that the holidays, for her, are about compromise. But ahh ... in her "perfect world" celebrations would be earth-friendly and very meaningful. No, Mrs. Green, you are not a "party pooper" ... you are a caring person with a worthwhile dream.
Fiona stopped in and had this to say, " Reluctant though I am to start thinking about Christmas so early I know it makes sense not to be last minute - that's when the tat creeps in. Present wise I've suggested to my sister that we could do a bit of a toy swap with her kids - variety is the spice of life and all that. Am going to involve my 3 yr old in this - good to dilute her mine, mine, mine tendencies! I'll give other things some thought once we've figured out the social arrangements! The way the holidays fall this year mean we would in theory be able to travel by train to visit relatives - we usually hire a car as railways shut down. Tricky thing is we get given so much stuff it is impossible to contemplate the train. Bit of a conundrum. For some top tips for a ethical Christmas you can join Extra Ethical at http://extraethical.com/referral/65787496 where you can win FREE prizes throughout advent! Looks intriguing." Extra Ethical looks fascinating, Fiona! While it's for folks in the UK, it has some great ideas for gifts which anyone can use.
CelloMom shared this, " I am a serious contender for World's Grinchiest Mom. I deeply believe that it is actually a disservice to our children to load them with presents at the end of each year. After all, the Child of Light himself received just three gifts. Those three gifts were fittingly royal, but most of our children are happiest with the simplest toys. Here is my all-time favourite toy review (from Wired magazine's GeekDad!) - try it, it's hilarious, and puts toys in a really nice perspective (that of the child): http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/01/the-5-best-toys-of-all-time/ ." Oh my goodness, CelloMom ... that was the funniest toy review ... loved it!
Alicia has some nice ideas for us. Here they are: " Oh another great challenge! I am putting together a blog post about this very subject. I love making holiday decorations with things from our yard like pine cones, pine and cedar branches and beautiful red nandina berries. We made some adorable tree ornaments this past year using shells from the beach. I also love using different size boxes and covering them with recycled paper or material and then filling them with lots of homemade goodies to give as gifts. I also like using old Christmas cards to make new package tags." Thanks, Alicia ... can't wait to read your post!
Katie came by and had this to say, " I like the challenge this year. I did some of it last year and plan on kicking it up a notch this year. For Halloween, I bought some more mum plants for the front porch (these will get planted in the ground this weekend) and pumpkins (I plan to cook with them)." By the way, Katie has been working on her own challenge this week ... she's been eating out of the freezer. Click HERE to read about Day 7 and at the top of the post, you'll find links to each day's progress. Nicely done, Katie!
For a previous challenge on food waste, Clare wrote this interesting ARTICLE where you'll find out which supermarket saved $100 million because of bread pudding and challenged corporate thinking on waste.
Our Twitter friends joined the conversation this week:
From @pinkladyapril
- I'm doing a lot of home made Christmas gifts this year - including food gifts. Also making cards & gift tags.
From @givetreegifts
- I save bits, pieces & scraps of yarn, twine, paper (especially from scrapbooking) ...anything to embellish...& make handmade cards
- One of my favorite handmade gift ideas is "Gift in a Jar". It's so easy, you can get the kids involved, & you can recycle those jars!
- Mason Jar Recipes: Holiday Ideas for Gifts In A Jar: http://christmas.organizedhome.com/crafts/gifts-in-a-jar/recipe-index
- 48 Homemade Gifts in a Jar: http://www.tipjunkie.com/homemade-gifts/jar-homemade-gifts/
- Gifts in a Jar: Bath Snowballs in a Jar: http://www.marthastewart.com/277236/gifts-in-a-jar/@center/307035/santas-workshop
- Here are some images of gifts in a jar to inspire you: http://www.google.ca/search?q=gifts+in+a+jar&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=5xuRULzLIojaygGTzoGgBw&ved=0CB0QsAQ&biw=1024&bih=677
- I save gift baskets & interesting containers, fill them with baking at Christmas & give them as gifts.Use a festive towel to wrap it.
From @earthyurban
- Im down and out about my home state, it's seems mother earth has Performed it's own change for #CTWW but i want to be there to help
From @themac533
- Save old business cards to write/stick on as gift tags. Wine for the host can go wrapped in a new festive tea-towel for safe transport
The #CTWW Gang are those folks who share our challenges on twitter using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I highly recommend following them ... they have a lot of great things to say. Let's meet them:
My Final Thoughts:
This is a difficult challenge which is probably why it comes up every year. It makes us take a hard look at our environmental ethics. For some, giving up the commercial (and usually wasteful) aspect of any celebration is an easy option ... they simply make the decision to do so and that's that. For the majority of us, however, it's not so easy because drawing a hard line could mean offending the people we love ... after all, we're dealing with expectations and traditions. So ... does that mean that we simply give up and stop trying? Of course not! We approach it in the same manner that we approach everything on this blog ... one small step at a time. We continue to educate ourselves (and those around us) and look for ways to honor our traditions without hurting the earth. We take one little step after another until one day we achieve our goal ... a meaningful event which makes everyone happy, including Mother Earth.
Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I have Stumbled, Tweeted, Facebooked and posted it on Google +. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share feature at the bottom of this post.
This Week's Challenge:
This week's challenge comes from Kim who says "I've always been a huge advocate of local shopping." Here it is:
This week shop local by making at least one purchase from a local independent business. In other words, pass right by the big chain stores and search out a local merchant. Need some ideas? Have your hair cut by an independent salon ... buy food from a farmer's market or a local grocer ... get your car maintenanced by the neighborhood mechanic ... buy lunch from a "mom & pop" restaurant ... get your cup of coffee from the neighborhood barista. Want to shop online? No problem ... shop at a local Etsy shop (find one HERE), via a site such as GROUPON, using CRAIGSLIST or do an Internet search for local businesses in your area to find their website (if available). As always, we'd like to know all about it ... where you shopped, any problems with shopping local, etc.
Or ...
Not planning to make any purchases this week? Then your challenge is to do a little "homework" and come up with a plan for shopping local when you do need to shop. We'd like to know what kinds of purchases you can make locally and any problems you'll need to overcome (along with solutions if you come up with them).
Not planning to make any purchases this week? Then your challenge is to do a little "homework" and come up with a plan for shopping local when you do need to shop. We'd like to know what kinds of purchases you can make locally and any problems you'll need to overcome (along with solutions if you come up with them).
UP THE ANTE (From Argentum Vulgaris): Not only is this CTWW a message to shop and buy local, I want to take it a step further. Don't buy anything at a franchise. By that I mean don't even buy a coffee at Starbucks. McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, nothing of that kind. Make your coffee at home, or go to a little coffee shop. These franchise places are stealing from your community and stopping the little people making a living.
So what do you think ... can you do it? Yeah ... I know that you can!
Just add the banner below to your blog by
copying the code & pasting it into your site!
WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!
Monday, November 5, 2012
Meet & Greet Monday (#MtaGt)
Welcome to Meet & Greet Monday!
Before we get started, I've made a change to the comments form. It is now embedded in each post and can be found at the bottom (after the last comment). I've also removed the word verification feature which some readers have had a problem with. Hopefully this will make commenting easier. Let me know what you think!
We now return to our regularly scheduled program ...
Grab our banner for your site:
Our featured site this week is ... The Detox Diva by Jacqueline. Jacqueline is a Holistic Nutritionist and Health Coach. She's also a "greenie". With "The Detox Diva" she brings it all together. For example, click on the link entitled "Juices and Recipes" and you'll find dishes made with whole foods ... recipes like Artichoke Pesto, Mediterranean Baked White Beans and a delicious-looking Vegan Chocolate Pie (oh yum). You'll even find a recipe for a Homemade Coconut Milk Shampoo & Body Wash. There are several interesting tabs on this site ... one which particularly interests me is the "Detox Your Life" section. Here you'll find a wealth of information like how to detox a refrigerator, how packaged foods are bad for us and how to argue. The focus of The Detox Diva is to cleanse, detox and balance our lives. But here's a secret ... each of Jacqueline's suggestions also helps the earth. Check it out and see if you don't agree!
This week's linky is now live so ... list an article, visit and have fun:
Before we get started, I've made a change to the comments form. It is now embedded in each post and can be found at the bottom (after the last comment). I've also removed the word verification feature which some readers have had a problem with. Hopefully this will make commenting easier. Let me know what you think!
We now return to our regularly scheduled program ...
We're changing the rules this week ... read on:
Are you interested in living green? Have you written or read a post that is especially meaningful to you? Then this linky is for you! Here are the rules:
1. Please link up one (1) Eco-friendly post which you feel is pertinent to living a green life. This can be one which you've written or one from another site.
2. Click on at least one other entry, or a post found on the featured blog, and leave a comment. And while not required, it would be nice if you told them that you found the post via this Meet & Greet.
3. The linky will stay active until Thursday at 6:00 pm (EST).
4. Using Random.org, I will choose one post and feature that site/blog next week.
1. Please link up one (1) Eco-friendly post which you feel is pertinent to living a green life. This can be one which you've written or one from another site.
2. Click on at least one other entry, or a post found on the featured blog, and leave a comment. And while not required, it would be nice if you told them that you found the post via this Meet & Greet.
3. The linky will stay active until Thursday at 6:00 pm (EST).
4. Using Random.org, I will choose one post and feature that site/blog next week.
Our featured site this week is ... The Detox Diva by Jacqueline. Jacqueline is a Holistic Nutritionist and Health Coach. She's also a "greenie". With "The Detox Diva" she brings it all together. For example, click on the link entitled "Juices and Recipes" and you'll find dishes made with whole foods ... recipes like Artichoke Pesto, Mediterranean Baked White Beans and a delicious-looking Vegan Chocolate Pie (oh yum). You'll even find a recipe for a Homemade Coconut Milk Shampoo & Body Wash. There are several interesting tabs on this site ... one which particularly interests me is the "Detox Your Life" section. Here you'll find a wealth of information like how to detox a refrigerator, how packaged foods are bad for us and how to argue. The focus of The Detox Diva is to cleanse, detox and balance our lives. But here's a secret ... each of Jacqueline's suggestions also helps the earth. Check it out and see if you don't agree!
This week's linky is now live so ... list an article, visit and have fun:
Friday, November 2, 2012
Vegan Recipe - Chili (sin carne)
Welcome to the first Friday of the month. Once a month we share a vegan recipe. Why? Because meatless meals are good for the planet (check out an early post on the subject HERE).
This month I'm sharing one of my own creations ... Chili. It features dried beans which are very wallet-friendly, easy to cook, healthy and delicious. The recipe calls for stove-top cooking but would easily work in a crock-pot. I hope you and your family enjoy it!
Cyndi's Chili (sin carne)
Servings: 2-3 adult portions
Ingredients
1/2 cup dried black beans - sorted & rinsed
1/2 cup dried pinto beans - sorted & rinsed
1/2 cup dried chick peas (garbanzo beans) - sorted & rinsed
1 Bay Leaf
3 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning
1 can (16 oz) tomatoes (approximately 2 cups)
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small dried chili pepper, soaked then chopped (can also use fresh peppers or pepper flakes, as hot or mild as you like)
Water (enough to cover beans by about 1 inch ... add more if you like your chili more soup-like)
Optional Toppings:
Sliced green onions
Vegan cheddar "cheese"
Vegan "sour cream"
Method
Soak beans overnight or quick soak them (cover with water, bring to a boil and let sit for an hour). Rinse beans after soaking.
Place everything into a heavy pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 hours, checking occasionally that the water level is appropriate.
During the last 1/2 hour of cooking, adjust salt/pepper and taco seasoning to your taste.
Serve with toppings of your choice.
We like to enjoy this chili with Vegan Cornbread.
If you have a vegan recipe which you'd like to share, please send it to me HERE. And for all the recipes we've shared so far, be sure to visit our recipe page using the tabs at the top of this blog ... or by clicking HERE.
This month I'm sharing one of my own creations ... Chili. It features dried beans which are very wallet-friendly, easy to cook, healthy and delicious. The recipe calls for stove-top cooking but would easily work in a crock-pot. I hope you and your family enjoy it!
Cyndi's Chili (sin carne)
Servings: 2-3 adult portions
Ingredients
1/2 cup dried black beans - sorted & rinsed
1/2 cup dried pinto beans - sorted & rinsed
1/2 cup dried chick peas (garbanzo beans) - sorted & rinsed
1 Bay Leaf
3 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning
1 can (16 oz) tomatoes (approximately 2 cups)
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small dried chili pepper, soaked then chopped (can also use fresh peppers or pepper flakes, as hot or mild as you like)
Water (enough to cover beans by about 1 inch ... add more if you like your chili more soup-like)
Optional Toppings:
Sliced green onions
Vegan cheddar "cheese"
Vegan "sour cream"
Method
Soak beans overnight or quick soak them (cover with water, bring to a boil and let sit for an hour). Rinse beans after soaking.
Place everything into a heavy pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 hours, checking occasionally that the water level is appropriate.
During the last 1/2 hour of cooking, adjust salt/pepper and taco seasoning to your taste.
Serve with toppings of your choice.
We like to enjoy this chili with Vegan Cornbread.
If you have a vegan recipe which you'd like to share, please send it to me HERE. And for all the recipes we've shared so far, be sure to visit our recipe page using the tabs at the top of this blog ... or by clicking HERE.
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