Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Portion Control

Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)!

Wondering how to live greener? You've come to the right place. Each week we challenge ourselves to try a new task ... or "amp up" something we're already doing. We raise our awareness, learn from each other and develop Eco-friendly skills which will improve our lives and protect our planet. Doing so together gives us power ... the power to Change The World!

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.

This post contains great information and I encourage you to read through it at your leisure ... however, if you are short on time, you might find the following quick links helpful:

• The #CTWW Gang
• The Honor Society
• My Final Thoughts on Our Last Challenge
• This Week's Challenge

Last week we adjusted our thermostats by 1-2 degrees. In my area of "the woods" it was cold so turning the temperature down was, indeed, a challenge. To meet it, we put on extra layers of clothing and closed off all but the living area of our home. In the evening, we cuddled up under blankets. I also found that eating certain foods helped keep us warm. Indian food, with its use of spices like cumin, ginger, cinnamon, etc., actually seemed to raise our body temperature. It was an interesting week and hopefully we all learned some new strategies for staying warm (or cool) without the use of extra energy.

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.

Lois has some unusual health issues which make her more susceptible to hypothermia. Ever the "green" trouper, though, she has taken preventative measures which don't impact the environment. Find out how she deals with cold weather in Change the World Wednesday, Baby it’s Cold.

Mrs. Green, a Super Star in the green world, refused the challenge. Oh my!! Didn't she agree with reducing energy use? Didn't she want to join us and help the planet? Couldn't she turn down the heat??? All will be answered in Six ways to keep warm without turning up the thermostat.

From our challenge on GMO foods, Mrs. Green did some research about policies in the UK. In UK laws regarding GM foods and labeling she talks about what's allowed, what isn't, importing foods, and labeling. Her research points out just how pervasive genetically modified ingredients are in the world.

CelloMom brought up an excellent point about adjusting the heat and health. She says, "Alas! CelloDad has a cold this week, and is shivering even layered in wool plus one outdoor jacket; I don't have the heart to turn down the thermostat below 60F right now: I'll do this challenge later, when he's better. Even so, our house is the only one of its kind on the street that still has the snow cover intact on the roof: Either our attic insulation is great (which I know it's not), or we keep it cool enough inside that the heat rising through the attic is not enough to melt the rooftop snow. This means we have an extra layer of insulation for the cold nights. But I have resorted to my last line of defense: the angora-merino blend base layers. I sing the praises of itchless warm washable wool here: http://www.cellomomcars.com/2013/01/mom-in-sheeps-clothing.html"

While we, in the US, are shivering and wishing for a sign of spring, Argentum Vulgaris is celebrating the first guava on his tree. He shares a picture of his treasure in Change the World Wednesday – 29th Jan and talks about how he stays comfortable without a thermostat.

Alicia accepted the challenge and shares this, " We have been having really cold weather here in Tennessee, the third coldest on record. We had turned the thermostat up a few degrees to be warmer.We make a real effort in the Fall to get the house ready for the Winter months and think we do a pretty good job. Well with all of the gusty winds we had a few weeks ago we realized that their were quite a few places in our home that cold air was coming in. We got to work immediately to fix these areas. Oh what a difference it made!! We were able to turn the thermostat down even more than we had turned it up! Also a few years ago I bought us a twin size insulated comforter for us to use when we are watching television. It keeps us so warm and that helps us be able to keep the house cooler in the Winter. Our house is two stories and we are not using one of the extra bedrooms or the bonus room right now so we closed the vents and the doors to these rooms and that has helped make a big difference also. I am so looking forward to Spring and warmer weather!" By the way, if you haven't visited Alicia's blog lately, hop over and check it out ... she's sharing a bunch of recipes this year ... yummy recipes.

James Paulson dropped by and says, "The Second Polar Vortex has just passed by us here in Chicago and I'm learning that turning down the thermostat to at least 60 while at work is excellent at keeping the heating bill in check!"

Melanie G. accepted the challenge and shares this, "Great challenge! During the daytime in the winter our thermostat is set at 65F, and 67F at night. If we get cold we cuddle under blankets or put on a hoodie. It saves energy & our electric bill! In addition, my husband has done a great job of insulating the house, so the heater runs even less."

The Green Verbs Eco Daily gave CTWW a nice mention. I also found articles about upcycled jewelry and green buildings.

CTWW also got a nice mention in Greening it Forward ‘Daily’. One of your articles, from the previous challenge on GMO foods, was picked up as well. Was it yours?

Katie joined the fun and shares this, "Yes! Great challenge and indeed, is a challenge for me. The low thermostat settings during the winter increased to ensure the baby does not get cold. Now that the baby is getting older, I will start to turn the thermostat down during the day and dress the baby in more layers if he's cold. I turned down 1 degree today! As long as the Polar Vortex isn't around, I don't mind turning it down 1-2 degrees."

Our Twitter friends joined the conversation and shared the following:

From @KrmbalClothing
- We've turned down the thermostat twice already, but I've been wanting to do it even lower during the day. #CTWW just reminded me!

From @GiveTreeGifts
- Reduce home heating and electricity use by 10% ow.ly/t4ZDM via @DavidSuzuki @DavidSuzukiFDN #CTWW
- How to Program a Digital Thermostat to Save Money on Utility Bills | Gaiam Life life.gaiam.com/article/how-pr… #CTWW
- 10 Tips for the Thermostat: Your Key to Savings care2.com/greenliving/10… #CTWW

From @rulesofgreen
- Yey! Did this week's #CTWW challenge already in the morning because I was so warm in the apartment. All without even knowing the challenge:)

From @VioletsBuds
- Live greener by adjusting your thermostat reducefootprints.blogspot.com/2014/01/change… #CTWW @smallftprints We leave ours at 65F during the day all winter long

The #CTWW Gang are those folks who tweet our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I recommend following them ... they share great things. Let's meet them:

@2kidsandacoupon	@89linz	@allnaturalkatie
@biculturalmama	@biggreenpen	@bstoneblog
@ciaraballintyne	@collegegogreen	@commplacegr
@como_water	@crazedkitchen	@crazykids6
@dcccd	@dieselelephants	@eco_novice
@ecoexpert1	@ecofriendlyfurn	@elizabethalextv
@gastarbooks	@givetreegifts	@groovygreenlivi
@guayaba	@herbgir1972	@jamiewauthor
@jnjgogreen	@johncbader	@justanotherhat
@kayelleallen	@kirschan	@krmbalclothing
@laalicia	@lady_bren	@leslieveg
@lorcadamon	@mamapoolecooks	@marjoriemcatee
@momfindsout	@myzerowaste	@mzazeela
@ourfavadventure	@pinkladyapril	@rckweddings
@realityarts	@rulesofgreen	@sayhaytomeg
@shannongrissom	@treesgroup	@violetsbuds
@wencdj	@whopaysthepiper	@zenfarmz

My Final Thoughts:

Adjusting our thermostats by 1 or 2 degrees seems easy enough. At the worst, it's a bit inconvenient and we might feel a little uncomfortable. But saving energy has bigger implications. Coal generates electricity for much of the world. You may have seen the news, recently, about the problems Virginia is having. Approximately 300,000 residents have been banned from using water because of contamination via the mining process. Hydroelectric power, another large source of electricity worldwide, appears to be Eco-friendly until we take a look at the amount of greenhouse gases produced by rotting vegetation, in the water, as a result of man-made reservoirs. The CO2 produced by hydroelectric power is roughly equivalent to that of power supplied via fossil fuels. The point is that regardless of where our energy comes from, there is an environmental cost. Reducing our use by a small amount can have a huge impact.

Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I Stumbled, Tweeted, Facebooked and posted it on Google +. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share features located below this post.

This Week's Challenge:

We all love our indulgences, right?

But, have you ever been the victim of "your eyes are bigger than your stomach"? Buying and cooking too much food often causes food waste.

Here's your challenge:

This week, monitor food portion sizes and cook accordingly. Even if you are cooking once for more than one meal, pay attention to portions and resist cooking more than necessary, which often leads to waste. Need help determining portion size? This SITE will give you a general discussion on the topic with some clever ideas on how to determine a proper portion. The CALORIE COUNTER is a search tool. Type in the food you want to make and it'll bring up calories associated with various servings sizes ... the first listing is typically considered a proper serving. The idea, here, is not to restrict calories or in any way "diet". Instead, we are educating ourselves on portion sizes and then cooking just enough so that we eliminate food waste.

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

Sneak Peek: Tomorrow I'm reviewing an Eco-friendly body care product ... if you're lucky, you might win some for yourself.

Until then ...

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

Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Zero Waste Week

Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)!

Wondering how to live greener? You've come to the right place. Each week we challenge ourselves to try a new task ... or "amp up" something we're already doing. We raise our awareness, learn from each other and develop Eco-friendly skills which will improve our lives and protect our planet. Doing so together gives us power ... the power to Change The World!

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.

This post contains great information and I encourage you to read through it at your leisure ... however, if you are short on time, you might find the following quick links helpful:

• The #CTWW Gang
• The Honor Society
• My Final Thoughts on Our Last Challenge
• This Week's Challenge

How did you do with last week's food waste audit? I, like a lot of people, would have said that we don't waste food. But the audit opened my eyes and I learned that it's the little things that offer us an opportunity to do better. For example, when I'm in a hurry preparing a meal, I don't pay attention to the amount of "trim" that I'm taking off veggies. Last week I noticed that perfectly edible pieces were being cut off and sent to the compost. Yes, compost is certainly better than the landfill but still, wouldn't it be even better if those pieces were on our plate rather than in the compost bin? I think so! Bread is also a challenge, especially those end pieces. We reduce waste by making our own loaves and only making enough for a day or two. Those ends are run through the food processor, dried, toasted and frozen for use later as tasty crumbs. The real challenge with bread is "just doing it" ... it's very easy to put things off. Procrastination, however, is rewarded with blue mold. As with most of our challenges, the key is in planning, thinking and acting.

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.

We have a brand new Honor Society member! WhooHoo and Welcome to Amber. Amber wanted to do more than just accept the challenge ... she wanted to share it, along with her tips & ideas, with her readers. She wrote Food Waste Challenge with #CTWW. One of her ideas concerns the amount of food children eat and how to ensure that there's no waste at the end of a meal. Great to have you with us, Amber ... I'm looking forward to your future CTWW posts!

Betty Taylor stopped by and says, " This is a great cause! We really need to take care of our environment. We recycle, but I'm sure we could do better."

Ann shares a unique use for Orange Peels in Letter O for orange peel. If you're a gardener, you'll find it very interesting!

Zoe has been an active participant in Zero Waste Week ... she's done a daily audit and not only shares her "trash" but offers ideas for reducing waste. She's continued on this week with great articles like What does it really mean to waste food? where she suggests that it is much more than just using food by it's expiration date. Check out all of her Zero Waste posts HERE (really great stuff).

CelloMom offers us a unique way to meet this challenge: " Since we've just returned from our summer holidays, there's no fresh food in the house. I do need to go grocery shopping, but will do so sparingly. What I've learned from the summer, when I did the groceries on bike and there's only so much I can carry: if you don't have too much food in the house, your food waste goes down. Simply because you look around and eat what there is. If the choice is between leftovers, running to the store, or going hungry, you eat the leftovers. And we had a few rather creative meals, of what there is in the house. We had very little waste." Love that, CM!

Argentum Vulgaris accepted the challenge and will give us an update on his efforts in a future post. In the meantime, he has great news about recycling in Brazil. Read Change the World Wednesday – 28th Aug to find out what's going on over there ... and meet his newest family member!

The Flora Foster Daily gave CTWW a headline spot. Whoot! There are a ton of other fun and interesting stories including this one: An Ode To The Funniest Signs We've Seen At Airports.

Lois accepted the challenge and, in Food Waste and Exhaustion, talks about how she manages to toss out very little food (her method might surprise you). For the small amounts not eaten, she avoids the trash bin in other ways. How? Here's a hint ... she put an item in this spot one evening and by morning it was claimed.

Mrs. Green wrote How to do a food waste audit #ctww where she offers three methods to accommodate any time constraints. She also suggests how we might use the audit once it's complete.

Do you consider composted food a waste? Here's what EcoGrrl says on the subject: "Interesting, as I don't consider any of the food that goes in my compost to be waste, because it will be nurturing the soil in the garden and therefore is useful. I don't throw food in the trash. Looking at what's in my compost bowl in the kitchen now (I don't have a cute little bin, just a stainless bowl that gets dumped in the compost bin when it's full) and it's got eggshells, cut-outs from the tomatoes I canned, stems, and a can of pears that went oddly funky and fizzy after canning last week that I don't trust to eat. All stuff that my compost pile will love!"

Welcome to Westywrites, another new CTWW Honoree! She thought that she and her family were waste-free. But then, she did an audit: Zero Waste Week: Revved up & raring to go!. From there she took action ... read about her plans in Zero Waste Week: Day 1 – what a lot of food!

Lisa decided that she needs a compost bin to rescue any food waste from her home. But as she read information about starting one, the many options seemed to make the process difficult. In Making A Compost Bin she came up with a brilliant, inexpensive plan. Nicely done, Lisa ... I hope you'll update us on your composting adventures!

Alicia offers us a great strategy for eliminating waste. She says, "For the past several years this has been a top priority for me. I try to make sure that the older produce is moved to the front of the fridge so I will use it next. Any leftovers that I see we are not going to use in the next few days gets put in the freezer to be used in soups and stews. We like EcoGrrl never throw food in the garbage, it is composted. We waste very little if any food but it took us a while to get to this point. I make a weeks worth of menus each week and then make my grocery list according to the items I need for the menus. This really helps to not have a lot of waste. Surveying your fridge every few days helps a lot also. Sometimes food gets pushed to the back and then it is discovered after it has gone bad. If you make a habit of checking every few days this pretty much eliminates this from happening. Great challenge!" I love your organization, Alicia!!

Our Twitter friends joined the conversation and shared the following:

From @givetreegifts
- Things like kiwi skins would normally go in our compost but I bought a Nutribullet & can now drink things that are unpalatable alone
- Not that composting is a waste; but if we can take advantage of those nutrients... Leaves, trimmings, etc are still composted
- Used to put egg shells in compost as well but I learned that when pulverized finely they're a valuable supplement for our dog

From @jnaquins
- Absolutely!! I just made the best hash browns with left over tater tots from last night!!

From @counselorholley
- I agree with you- it's always good to be conscious of our purchases & then our waste!

From @nebulousmooch
- Food waste tip: When cutting up veggies for a meal freeze the scraps to use later for making stock.
- Make a weekly meal plan and grocery list before heading out to the shops.

From @officialcwerner
- My #CTWW for today...Maple Walnut Bread Pudding, made with the French Bread I had made...in oven now :-)

From @soulfullab (when asked for tips to reduce food waste)
- Adding juicer pulp to sauces.
- Meal planning!

The #CTWW Gang are those folks who tweet our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I recommend following them ... they share great things. Let's meet them:

@89linz	@_lyal_	@a_kiasi
@aleamilham	@allnaturalkatie	@anitaadamsnc
@beatepdx	@beckymcneer	@bestrawesome
@biculturalmama	@biggreenpen	@bobbiskozyktchn
@bstoneblog	@cdnmomscook	@chinahutch82718
@cleansediva	@clothaddicts	@conservationm
@counselorholley	@craftgal	@defendressofsan
@diethood	@dusdifissette	@eco_novice
@ecoexpert1	@ecoharmony	@ecothrifty
@ecowarriorme	@energysherlock	@evelynmccpeters
@familyfocusblog	@fey1isleofskye	@foodiearmywife
@foodiestuntman	@geec0	@ginavalley
@givetreegifts	@gottagetbaked	@gr8fulgirl11
@greenforu	@groovygreenlivi	@guayaba
@happywholeness	@herbgir1972	@hismerecry
@inthekitchenkp	@jaemacjustsayin	@jenosaurus
@jnaquins	@jnjgogreen	@juanitascocina
@julialittlebit	@katemanchester	@kayelleallen
@laalicia	@lady_bren	@ladyjcmuses
@ladyladuke	@leighanneramsey	@leslie_limon
@lifelovemusic1	@lorcadamon	@mamapoolecooks
@manusmenucom	@marjoriemcatee	@martindredmond
@messybakerblog	@momaical	@momgamerwriter
@mommasmeals	@mrtweetecho	@mygreenboston
@myzerowaste	@neat_os	@nebulousmooch
@nicolehcook	@officialcwerner	@rckweddings
@realityarts	@redkathy	@reneedobbs
@rulesofgreen	@ruralmoms	@sammyobeid
@seetfei	@shannongrissom	@sonisfood
@soulfullab	@soundless2	@sowhatirun
@spafloating	@srushton1	@ssunithi
@supperforasteal	@taranoland	@treesgroup
@useventphotos	@villagegirlblog	@wallet_appetite
@webicurean	@wencdj	@writelane
@yfnjman	@zenfarmz

My Final Thoughts:

The beauty of doing a food waste audit is that it replaces our perceptions with truth. It allows us to become informed and that information helps us make better choices. I recently read an interesting article on the Food Waste/Obesity connection. Obesity? Yes! Many people want to eat healthy so use their grocery budget to buy fruits, veggies and whole foods. They stalk their shelves with good intentions. But then, life gets busy and time is short ... and all those healthy foods simply sit because there isn't "enough" time (or inclination) to fix a good meal. Processed "fast" foods become the "norm" and those healthy foods go to waste. At this point, the thought of shopping again seems expensive, especially when one can pick up a quick, inexpensive meal from the local fast-food joint ... which opens the doors to obesity. Part of doing an audit is the honest appraisal of our eating habits and using that information to spend our food dollar wisely and eat what we buy. Planning, thinking and acting make eliminating food waste possible. It just might improve our health, as well!

Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I Stumbled, Tweeted, Facebooked and posted it on Google +. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share features located below this post.

This Week's Challenge:

Zero Waste Week has begun. If you haven't signed up, there's still time and I encourage you to do so. It is simply a way to declare your commitment to eliminate food waste. It also shows the world that there are a whole bunch of us, worldwide, who are interested in protecting the planet.

Ready to get busy? Here you go ...

Our challenge is twofold:

1. Check out the fruit bowl and come up with an idea for using bananas (which is the 3rd most wasted food according to Mrs. Green's "Zero Heroes"). 
2. Clean out your fridge and check the temperature (to ensure proper food storage). When cleaning the refrigerator, move items around so that the oldest (and still usable) foods are front and center ... and make plans to use those things up this week.

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


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Until next time ...

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

Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Food Waste Audit

Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)!

Wondering how to live greener? You've come to the right place. Each week we challenge ourselves to try a new task ... or "amp up" something we're already doing. We raise our awareness, learn from each other and develop Eco-friendly skills which will improve our lives and protect our planet. Doing so together gives us power ... the power to Change The World!

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.

This post contains great information and I encourage you to read through it at your leisure ... however, if you are short on time, you might find the following quick links helpful:

• The #CTWW Gang
• The Honor Society
• My Final Thoughts on Our Last Challenge
• This Week's Challenge

Last week we cancelled magazine subscriptions and took our names off junk mail lists. This kind of challenge needs revisiting from time to time, especially when it comes to junk mail which seems to sneak its way into our lives. The online services have helped us reduce most of the junk arriving in our mailbox ... contacting companies directly has also been effective. I've also noticed that one must be careful when buying things online or signing up for services ... there is often a pre-checked box that entitles companies to send you material. Diligence is key to managing this 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.

Mrs. Green says that she's passionate about eliminating junk mail (and no, Mrs. G, that doesn't sound strange at all). In How to stop junk mail in 5 steps she offers some wonderful tips. Those of you who live in the UK will find them especially helpful as she includes links and information specific to your area.

Argentum Vulgaris shares a few photos of his garden in Change the World Wednesday – 21st Aug ... amazing what he grows in a small space. He also talks about junk mail in Brazil. The amount he receives might surprise you.

Lisa wrote Growing and Buying Local Pays in support of a previous challenge. She talks about why it's so important to support local farmers and/or grow your own food. She also addresses the biggest downside to families and offers possible solutions.

Kristina has written two wonderful articles on eliminating junk mail: No More Junk in Your Mail and More Ways to Reduce Your Junk Mail (And Stress). Both of these posts offer tips and ideas. She even includes ways to stop phone books from landing at our doors.

This was an easy challenge for Alicia who says, "We also have pretty much done this. We order no magazines or other subscriptions and recycle any other junk mail that comes to our box. This includes local grocery ads, furniture ads and coupons. We used to get the Sunday paper for the coupons but haven't done that for several years now since we don't buy any processed food. Just another good thing that has come from buying fresh and local." By the way, Alicia is hosting a giveaway for a beautiful piece of jewelry ... I'm not sure how long the giveaway runs so if you're interested, head over now and enter.

We got a headline spot in this edition of the Shopping Charity. Other great articles include Treasure Hunter: Thrifter turns castoffs into trendy boutique goods - Toledo Blade, Lung cancer pathology pattern may predict cancer recurrence after surgery - ONA and Oshawa family receives hate-filled letter directed at autistic son.

McBride’s Organic Farm Daily gave CTWW a headline spot, as well. This edition includes other interesting content like What if Food Labels Served as Warning Signs?, Upgrade Your Food Choices and Four Lessons from the U.S. for Countries About to Be Fracked.

The Flora Foster Daily included CTWW this week. Other informative articles include Best of the World Weekly -- National Geographic, Domains 101: Exploring the Domain Name System — Blog — WordPress.com and More Than 70 Percent of Undergraduates Get Financial Aid.

CTWW got a nice mention in the Sustainable Education Initiative. This editions also includes How To Grow A Salad Garden For The Whole Family | REALfarmacy.com, Message in a bottle: 8 striking stories of letters sent to sea and 7 creative ways to reuse golf balls.

Lois shares that, a couple of years ago, it was difficult to cancel subscriptions to magazines and newspapers. Why? It has to do with the way she was raised. Read more about that in Change the World, Thursday?? where you'll also discover some startling facts about junk mail and the environment.

Sometimes living green (and well) is about balance. EcoGrrl shares this, "I admit, I'm a sucker for magazines, and have had hills and valleys with the number of subscriptions I've carried. Seems as soon as I get rid of them, I find a new publication that is fantabulous (and these are mags that are not at the library) like Origin and Yes! and Utne Reader. Honestly, I refuse to read books/magazines online, so that's not gonna happen (it's a tactile and stay-offline thing as I'm online most of the day for my work), but what I've done is count how long it takes me to read the magazine and if I've actually cut anything out of it (I'm a clipper). If it's taken me (less than) 15 minutes to read, or I've not cut out an article/recipe/garden tip, I don't renew the subscription. It's the only thing I get in the mail as I'm off the junk mail and my bills are all on auto-pay :) "

Our Twitter friends joined the conversation and shared the following:

From @iamagoodsteward
- It's Wednesday -- you know what that means! #CTWW We support fossil fuel divestment and values based investing!

From @dusdifissette
- Last week's #green challenge = fantastic, grew sprouts & made Kombucha & bottled for winter! This weeks Challenge accepted!

From @HerbGir1972
- celebrating right now calmly crocheting hats for my #CapsForCancer 2013 Event. #MagazinesCancelled
- How much Mail Waste do you pile up each week...? Month...? Year...? It does add up. Do you receive magazines you rarely get to read? Are they worth your hard earned money just to trash/recycle them? Cancel 1/2 of your subscriptions and you'll be Reducing waste in your home by a great margin.
Go paperless on some bills or even catalogs, You'll be helping to Save the Trees and in return Saving the Earth.

From @GiveTreeGifts
- Treasure Hunter: Thrifter turns castoffs into trendy boutique goods http://t.co/YwHscCGkA9
- 10 tips for helping the ocean at home http://t.co/4zp2qo3zCN #CTWW
- Can Plants Produce Polymers for Plastic Cheaply? http://t.co/HPcdryGYtk #CTWW
- 5 Surprising Products That Are Tested On Animals http://t.co/WtKnw5NChw #CTWW

The #CTWW Gang are those folks who tweet our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I recommend following them ... they share great things. Let's meet them:

@_lyal_	@altcon	@amotherlife
@beatepdx	@beckymcneer	@bestrawesome
@biculturalmama	@bstoneblog	@cfmommies
@changes4charlie	@chrysalisdesign	@cleansediva
@clothaddicts	@counselorholley	@craftgal
@crazedkitchen	@dehelen	@dusdifissette
@earths_choice	@eco_novice	@ecothrifty
@energysherlock	@evelynmccpeters	@events4bloggers
@factsabouttrees	@familyfocusblog	@fey1isleofskye
@florafoster2	@gigivaneyck	@ginavalley
@givetreegifts	@gr8fulgirl11	@greeneral
@greenglobaltrvl	@greeningwestfor	@groovygreenlivi
@guayaba	@herbgir1972	@hismerecry
@iamagoodsteward	@insignifblog	@jbjourneys
@jenniharris4	@julialittlebit	@kayelleallen
@laalicia	@lady_bren	@ladyjcmuses
@lorcadamon	@mamapoolecooks	@marjoriemcatee
@mcbridesorganic	@mom2tle	@mombloggerplr
@momgamerwriter	@mommykoggiboo	@mommyladyclub
@mygreenboston	@myzerowaste	@nebulousmooch
@notasupermom	@rckweddings	@realityarts
@rulesofgreen	@s_m_johnston	@sammyobeid
@sgenziuk	@shannongrissom	@shoppingcharity
@soulfullab	@soundless2	@tammycurry
@treesgroup	@wencdj	@whopaysthepiper
@whywelovegreen	@yfnjman	@zenfarmz

My Final Thoughts:

How many magazines do you save and read over and over? Do you treasure junk mail, saving it for years? Are there piles of newspapers on your shelf for future reference? Of course not! The fact is, most paper products are briefly used (if at all) and then tossed out. Waste of any kind is bad. Wasting paper products seems especially terrible when we consider the many environmental benefits of living trees. Here's a question to ask ourselves when we feel the lure of a magazine, newspaper or yes, even local ads: Which is more important ... that paper product or reducing CO2 in our atmosphere? That is the bottom line ... and our choice!

Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I Stumbled, Tweeted, Facebooked and posted it on Google +. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share features located below this post.

This Week's Challenge:

Zero Waste Week is less than a week away (September 2nd thru September 8th). Mrs. Green has a pre-event challenge for us designed to raise our awareness. Here you go ...

This week conduct a daily food waste audit. Pay attention to what is being tossed out, how much is thrown away, where it's ending up (compost, city compost, trash bin, etc.) and why it's being tossed out. You might find this Food Waste Diary helpful. If you're feeling truly ambitious, sort out the food waste and weigh it. This challenge is all about realizing just how much food we waste.

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

Until next time ...

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

Posted at Small Footprint Fridays

How To End Food Waste ...

Our current Change The World Wednesday challenge, which is still in effect and can be viewed HERE, asks us NOT to waste food. It seems easy enough but, as some of you may have already found out, we sometimes toss bits and bites of food without even thinking about it. There's the bit of food left on plates or the few leftover bites of last night's dinner ... or maybe there's the trimmed pieces of fruits and vegetables that we don't want included in the dish. They seem insignificant but ... if tossed, they add up to a lot of waste ... unnecessary waste because they can be used.

Today, as I was wandering around the Internet, I came across 50 Ways to Never Waste Food Again by Planet Green. They list some wonderful ways to eliminate food waste. For example, number 19 suggests that, rather than toss out watermelon rinds, we pickle them. Number 24 talks about the broken pieces of pasta in the bottom of the box and asks that we "collect them and mix with rice and veggies for a simple side dish". And number 41 offers a great way to freeze herbs for future use.

So my tip for today is easy ... head over to Planet Green and take a look at their suggestions. I'm sure you'll find some interesting ideas and additional ways to end food waste!

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

Waste-Free Lunch

If you've read this blog for any amount of time, you know that we're all about easy ways to live a greener life ... to walk a little gentler on the earth. One of our bloggy friends, Wendy from Like sand in an hourglass, has come up with a very creative way to minimize waste. It's a brilliant idea and one that can also be a lot of fun.

Like sand in an hourglass is a wonderful blog. Wendy writes about all kinds of things, including a regular feature called "Going Green" where she talks about her green living efforts and the new things she's doing to save the planet.

A big THANK YOU to Wendy for this brilliant idea. Are you ready? Here we go:

The Birth of a Waste-Free Lunch

As I do periodically, I sat with my 6-year-old son in his school cafeteria for lunch one day last week. Because I am bored with the lunches I pack for him – the “same old, same old” day after day - I paid attention to what the other children were eating with the hope of getting some ideas for different things to pack in my son’s lunch. I got some ideas, sure, but what I really got was a fire in my belly about the amount of waste I saw. Most of the children sitting in my immediate vicinity had reusable lunchboxes and bags, but inside those reusable containers were individually-wrapped foods in disposable packaging. You know what I mean: juice boxes, yogurt tubes, individually-wrapped snack foods, single serving applesauce, Lunchables (gasp!), etc. I did not think too much about it until I watched the kids – my son included! – gather up their trash and take it to the bin. My son, for example, tossed the remains of two individually-wrapped foods, two plastic baggies, orange rinds and a paper napkin!

When I got home, I took stock of the reusable containers in my cupboard and made a list of what I needed to purchase to reduce the need for plastic baggies. Then I went online to start shopping, and while I was browsing, I stumbled on this “culture” of waste-free lunches. My journey started with bento – the Japanese art of packing compact, balanced, visually appealing meals in a box - and moved into what appears to be a green movement occurring all over the country.

Just The Facts, Ma’am

Did you know that the average school-aged child who takes a disposable and pre-packaged lunch to school each day generates about 67 pounds of garbage per school year? That equals approximately 18,760 pounds of lunch waste in a single school year for the average-sized elementary school. It is about 40,000 pounds of garbage for an average middle school. Lunchtime trash is second only to office paper as the leading source of school waste.

We cannot blame all of the lunchtime waste on the children bringing lunches from home. Approximately 12% of food served as part of the National School Lunch Program is wasted (resulting in an estimated direct economic loss of $600 million). Putting good usable food into landfills costs Americans about $50 million per year.

Packing a disposable and prepackaged lunch is also more expensive than the greener waste-free version. The average disposable lunch for a school-aged child is $4.02 per day – more than it costs to purchase a school lunch at my son’s school - which translates to $20.10 per week or $723.60 for a school year. Compare that with the average cost of a waste-free lunch: $ 2.65 per day, $13.25 per week or $477.00 per school year. In addition to helping the environment by reducing trash, packing a waste-free school lunch will save you $246.60 per year!

Just Do It

Bento – as the Japanese do it – strives for a 3:1:2 ratio of food (3 parts carbohydrates, 1 part protein, 2 parts fruits and vegetables) with no candy, junk or oily foods. The size of your bento container depends upon your age and gender. The size of the container often coincides with the amount of calories that fit inside. (For example, a 600ml box holds a 600-calorie meal, which is way too much for a school-aged child.) To help plan your traditional balanced bento, consider the bento planner developed by Makiko Ito at http://justbento.com/handbook/downloads/weekly-bento-planner.

Nothing says you have to follow the traditional Japanese guidelines for packing a bento. In fact, the American version of bento is more relaxed and really just encourages packing healthy food in a way that creates no waste. In my case, though the majority of my son’s lunch is healthy, he is allowed one “junky” treat in his lunch as long as he is behaving in school and doing his work.

To get started, find a shallow reusable container that has an airtight lid. I am currently experimenting with Sterilite Ultra Seal containers, but other popular ones include Lock and Lock and Snaplock. You may want to purchase smaller containers to put inside the larger container, either to separate foods or to hold sauces. You can purchase a full kit designed for waste-free packing at www.laptoplunches.com. If the idea of a bunch of small containers and lids is enough to make you crazy, consider using edible dividers like lettuce, or use silicone baking cups, which are great because they are flexible and can be manipulated to use up the available space inside the large container.

The possibilities of what to pack are (almost) endless. Use up some of last night’s leftovers. Pack a deconstructed sandwich if it will fit in the container better. Be mindful of food safety and avoid foods that will spoil if they are in the lunchbox for more than two yours. (Yogurt, for instance, is not a great bento option unless you include an ice pack to keep it cold.) Search the internet for bento and waste-free lunch blogs to find recipes. Use finger foods like cherry tomatoes, grapes and olives to fill gaps. Using all of the available space in your container stabilizes the food, making it less likely to shift during transport. Place the container into an insulated reusable bag, toss in an ice pack if needed, and do not forget about the waste-free accessories; a fabric napkin, stainless steel utensils, and a drink in a reusable sipper.

Tales of a Novice

After a bit of research, a purchase or two, and some planning, I packed my son’s first waste-free lunch today. I tend to pack on the heavy side in case he needs a bit more fuel as the day wears on. Overall I would say it was a good effort, but I definitely need some practice.
Total containers used: 3 (2 smaller containers inside 1 larger container)
Proteins: Turkey and cheese in sandwich, cheese stick
Carbohydrates: Bread for sandwich
Fruits/vegetables: cucumber slices, carrots sticks, mandarin orange
Other: soft mini cookies, water
Room for Improvement:
Color: Too much orange, not enough of anything else
Space: I had some space leftover
Amount of waste: I packed a paper napkin!!

Take It To the Next Level

If you develop a passion for waste-free lunches, why not start a Waste-Free Lunch Program at your child’s school? Go to www.wastefreelunches.org for ideas or get a copy of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Waste Reduction Guide for schools and offices at www.epa.gov/epawaste/education/pdfs/school.pdf. Start planning now for your Waste-Free Lunch Day during Earth week in April.

© Wendy A. Taylor, 2009

Another big THANK YOU to Wendy for this wonderful article. And as always ... I would love to hear from you!

Food ... Glorious Food

Recently, to kick off the holiday season, we watched "A Christmas Carol". I love the scene where Scrooge comes out of his bedroom to find the Ghost of Christmas Present sitting atop a bountiful table of delicious food. This scene seems to represent everything we hold dear ... a table with plenty ... a generous and happy spirit ... the very essence of human kindness. In homes around the world, we try to recreate that opulence and generosity ... offering our guests much more than they could ever consume. And what is left over often becomes landfill waste.

As landfill contributions go, I've always thought that food would be less imposing than other items. After all, it will compost down and ultimately enrich the soil, right? Unfortunately ... there are problems with this thinking. To maximize the space used for landfills, the trash is compacted before being buried in the soil. These tidy bricks of garbage are air tight ... preventing decomposition. Simply put, the process of composting requires air. No air ... no compost. For landfills which allow organic materials to compost, there's another problem. We simply have too much waste. According to the EPA, methane (the gas produced by food waste) traps 23 times as much heat in the atmosphere as the same amount of CO2. Landfills account for 34 percent of all methane emissions in the U.S.

So ... how do we prevent food waste? I'm glad you asked. Here are some ideas:

• Planning a party? When entertaining, consider sending leftovers home with guests.
  

• Plan ahead ... twice. When I shop, I have an idea of what I'd like to cook during the week. This ensures that I have a use for everything ... and if I stick to my plan, everything gets used. But what happens when that dish that sounded oh so great at the beginning of the week, sounds less than appetizing today? That's where planning ahead twice comes in. Be sure that for every item purchased, an alternate dish is considered.

• Don't shop hungry ... and bring a list. Grocery stores are in the business of selling. They plan out their displays to entice us. And who can resist that box of donuts when their stomach is growling. So eat before shopping and make up a list ... it'll help avoid any impulse buying.

• Buy local produce. Have you ever purchased a bag of produce at a supermarket chain, just to get it home and find that there are rotten items at the bottom of the bag? Or how about those lovely tomatoes ... grown halfway around the world ... that are black inside? Produce in big chain supermarkets is older and typically isn't handled with care, causing many items to become bruised or broken which speeds up the decaying process. Buying produce locally ensures that the item is fresh ... which means less waste.

• Buying in bulk saves money and lessens the amount of packaging that gets sent to the landfill. However, one must use caution when buying large quantities. Ensure that the item being purchased has an adequate "use by" date. Also, make sure that the item is something you'll actually use. Most items, regardless of their shelf life, will get tossed out if, after a year or so, they haven't been used up.

• Store foods properly. If the food you purchase doesn't come with storage instructions, check out the Internet. Storing food properly will ensure it's maximum shelf life and safety ... not to mention it's taste.

• Check your refrigerator ... and your pantry. Adopt the grocer's strategy and rotate. Foods that are out of sight, usually get forgotten. Browse the contents of your food storage areas often ... at least once a week. You'll remind yourself what's there and you can move forgotten items to the front where they'll get used instead of turning into fuzzy, green stuff.

• Use what you have before shopping for more. In our house, we have fun with this. We try to use almost everything before making another shopping trip and this has generated some very creative meals.

• Cook only what is needed. If you're cooking for two and the recipe is for eight ... cut it down. Even if your family adores leftovers, there comes a point when everyone is tired of the same old thing.

• Don't toss out bits and pieces. You know the ones ... that last piece of bread in the package ... the crumpled chips at the bottom of the bag ... the peelings from the carrot you had at lunch. These things can be re-purposed. Save pieces of bread to make your own bread crumbs or take them to a park and feed the ducks. Crushed chips are great for topping a casserole or use them as coating for your favorite fried food. Vegetable peelings can be saved and turned into a natural, additive free, broth.

With a little effort, we can reduce ... if not eliminate ... food waste. And that ought to make the Ghost of Christmas Present joyous indeed.

As always ... I would love to hear from you!