Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Reusable Batteries

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

For the past two weeks, we've been eliminating plastic bags from our lives. I found that avoiding them isn't as easy as it sounds. In some stores, items are placed into a plastic bag before one has a chance to tell the cashier "no". The interesting part about that is when the cashier learns that we don't want plastic, items are removed from the bag and then, the bag is tossed into the trash bin. Yep, you heard that right! I've gotten in the habit of telling them, before they even flip the switch on the conveyor belt, that we have our own bags. The trick is to tell them before they touch a single item.

On a side note, "Art" and I have moved out of our apartment and now live on our beautiful, forested property. We are thrilled to be homeowners.

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.

Argentum Vulgaris (AV) wasn't able to ban the bag from his life but he did use the challenge as a means of raising awareness in Brazil. In Change the World Wednesday – 16th Jul he shares his one-man education system. During week #2 of the challenge, AV's cell phone died. Since most everything comes wrapped in plastic (and is made of plastic), he went on a search for a new phone without plastic. How did he do? Find out in Change the World Wednesday – 23rd Jul.

A few challenges back, we greened up our kitchens. My bloggy friend, Robert, wrote a terrific article on this very topic: How To Make Your Kitchen More Eco-Friendly. Check it out!

Alicia joined us and shared this: "We use reusable bags and love them. I have made almost all of the bags we use by recycling tee shirts and other fabrics.We don't buy many products that come in plastic but I have to admit that I am still buying our organic spring mix in plastic containers. I can buy it loose at places like Whole Foods but there is not one really close to us.Our regular grocery stores and places like Sam's Club all carry it in either plastic bags or those thick plastic containers. Since the Farmers Markets are open now I can find it at some of them. We plan on planting a Fall crop of the Spring mix varieties. I think I may look for some smaller produce markets that might sell things like this that are not prepackaged or just wait and only buy it when I am in the area where there is a Whole Foods."

In Change the World Wednesday, Plastic, Lois shares a conversation she recently overheard at the checkout stand. It was interesting ... and sad. She goes on to talk about her plastic-free July and how that's been working out. She's still searching for appropriate freezer containers. A good alternative to plastic turned out to be coated in plastic. Ugh!

Mary stopped by and left this comment: "Crazy stats! This is always a good idea because it's easy to switch to reusable bags. Many stores make them very affordable and sometimes even give you discounts for bringing your bags. They're useful beyond carrying groceries too for many purposes!"

This edition of The #Green Daily included my retweet of one of your tweets. Was it yours?

Vicki accepted our challenge on greening the kitchen. Here are her comments: "... This is a great challenge - I need to remember to put away the laundry on time so I always have dishtowels and washcloths available and dont resort to paper towels!"

Katie's comment shows just how hard it is to avoid plastic when preparing a meal: "I went to the grocery yesterday to buy ingredients for a meal I am making for a family that was in a car accident. Between the salad, the main dish ingredients and the fruit for dessert, I think I ended up with at least 5 plastic containers. Yes, they can all be recycled, but still! That is a lot of waste. I don't even know how you can get things like ricotta cheese not in a plastic container. Maybe I can find a local dairy farm. :) "

Lisa wrote a fabulous post, entitled The Sustainability R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and More. In it, she talks about 6 R's and then goes on to list all the R's she's found on various sites. The result is a much more holistic view of living green. One of the R's directly affects our "ban plastic bag" challenge ... can you guess which one it is?

Our Twitter friends joined the conversation and shared the following:

Please note: I was offline for the majority of the last two weeks so I was only able to gather a few tweets. I apologize if I missed anyone's contribution!

From @GiveTreeGifts
- Ocean Plastic — SEE Turtles ow.ly/zeKSp
- Pollution from Plastics-Videos on Plastic Pollution ow.ly/zeKZn
- Plastic Bags Pollution – Effects and Solutions ow.ly/zeKtT
- Environmental Pollution: The Harmful Effects of Plastic Bags ow.ly/zeKwR
- 22 Facts About Plastic Pollution (And 10 Things We Can Do About It) ow.ly/zeKA2
- 10 Reasons Why Single-Use Plastic Bags Blow | Plastic Pollution Coalition ow.ly/zeKFG
- Plastic Bag Pollution ow.ly/zeKJ3

From @AndreaPtak
- Ban #Plastic Bags from your life, ow.ly/zeqPJ then work to have it made law. #Seattle did! #Reduce pic.twitter.com/x7nZfN78Cj

From @GreenQueenofMod
- Ban Plastic Bags New maps reveal extent of ocean #plastic, Florida Keys #turtle cam. ow.ly/zehOn @Oceana #environment

From @KrmbalClothing
- If you have any #microbead cleansers you want to get rid of, did you know you can donate them for research? #CTWW grist.org/living/ask-umb…

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:

As I mentioned above, I have been offline, so there won't be a list of gang members this week. We'll be back to normal next week! Thanks for your patience!

My Final Thoughts:

Plastic bags seem innocent enough. They are useful and can be recycled. So what's the problem? Here's the thing, the majority of bags are not recycled. That means that most of them end up in landfills. Plastics do not biodegrade. They photodegrade. That means that they break down into smaller and smaller fragments of plastic. These small bits and pieces soak up toxins. They then contaminate the soil and waterways. Considering their impact on the earth and all life, they are anything but innocent!

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:

According to Earth 911,
3 billion single-use batteries
are sold each year

Did you know that rechargeable batteries can reduce your carbon footprint by up to 1,000 pounds over the life of the batteries?

Here's another fact: most single-use batteries are tossed into the trash bin and end up in a landfill where they leach out toxins.

Here's your challenge ...

If you are not using rechargeable batteries, please make plans to buy them when you next need batteries. As you replace single-use versions, be sure to recycle them rather than toss them into the trash bin.

OR ...

If you have already made the switch to rechargeable batteries, please find one single-use item in your home and replace it with a reusable version.

OR ...

If you've banned single-use items from your life, please share one of your favorite "upgrades" to reusable.

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

Until next time ...

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

Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Ban single use items

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's challenge was a fun one ... we headed outside and spent some time with nature. I loved hearing about all the ways others got cozy with the natural world. I've always enjoyed being outside, listening to creature sounds, watching their interactions with us and each other, and learning about plants. It reminds me how closely we are related to all things on earth ... we breathe the same air, drink the same water ... it's a beautiful thing!

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 how EcoGrrl did this week: "My husband and I make it a habit to walk out into our garden as soon as we get out of bed in the morning and enjoy the stillness in the air and absorb our garden's beauty. It always helps me breathe better to just pad around out there barefoot in the early mornings and around dusk when I'm harvesting food from it. You might like this link, it came from my yoga teacher this morning about mindfulness and reminds me of why getting quiet time in nature is so important: http://www.buddhist-canon.com/PUBLIC/XIUZHENG/eat.htm "

In Change the World Wednesday – 25th Jun, Argentum Vulgaris reveals how not having a smartphone helps him to notice the natural world. He also shares an added bonus of spending time outside ... de-stressing. Be sure to take a look at the graphic towards the bottom of the post ... it says it all!

Airings on Design gave CTWW a nice, headline spot. The rest of that edition includes some great articles on home design. If you're thinking of changing the look and feel of your home, check it out ... there are some interesting ideas.

Welcome to Joanna, who joins us this week. She shares this: "I do a fair amount of walking but don't often take the opportunity to just amble along and enjoy nature. I'll take a wander through my local park this weekend, without headphones. Nature walks always make me feel calmer, so this is something I should do more often!" By the way, if you haven't checked out Joanna's blog, please do so ... she's on a journey to live greener and shares some wonderful thoughts and ideas with readers. Her approach is fresh and interesting. So stop by ... and say hello!

Vanessa joined us. She left this comment: "That's a great idea to try to change the world with one challenge at a time! I'll take yours to heart because I've been caught up in work and haven't been able to go outside and enjoy a peaceful morning with birds. Thanks for the reminder!"

Alicia didn't have any trouble accepting this challenge. Here are her comments: "My husband and I also go out in the early morning and check our garden. For the past several weeks I have been taking a good walk every morning before it starts to get hot. I have really been enjoying all the beautiful flowers that I have been seeing. Some of our neighbors have horses and some have cows and I love seeing them out in the pastures.I also spot a lot of different species of birds, lots of squirrels and some rabbits. Walks can be so peaceful and it is so nice to enjoy all of these wonderful things the Lord has put here for us."

Lois stopped by and shared this: "Now that winter is over, the last thing I want to do is be stuck indoors. I am outside the majority of the day even taking meals out in the field. My furniture projects get dragged outside where I work on them surrounded by bird song and visits by my other wild neighbors."

Clare accepted the challenge and offered us this: " It's so lovely to read the comments on this blog - I think you've built up a wonderful community of like-minded people who truly love being outdoors! I go and feed the birds first thing and then sit and watch them and enjoy the peace of my garden before the heat and the madness of the day! You could combine your time outdoors with another activity, which will keep you in even closer touch with nature - read about it here: http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/forageforfood. and of course if you're appreciating nature, you'll probably want some Zen too - quick read here: http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/zensavetheworld. Thanks Small for a most pleasurable CTWW task this week!"

Deborah joined in the fun and shared this: "Re: Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Discovering Nature When it comes to nature, the best things in life are free! Spending time outside in the fresh air and natural environment really lifts me. And it doesn't have to cost a dime. Whether walking, running, biking, hiking or swimming, being out in nature is one of the best remedies for the "blues". I also talked about the therapeutic benefits of spending time among trees on my blog in the following post: http://urbannaturale.com/now-i-know-why-i-feel-calmer-around-trees-british-study-confirms-it/. I am so glad you shared this thought-provoking post at the Healthy Happy Green and Natural Party Blog Hop! I appreciate it!"

LadyJC accepted our challenge. She said: "I took a nature moment this week when I sat down under the pine tree in the backyard and looked up at the branches. The tree is magnificent and very tall, although a few branches short from the Winter storms. It's quite meditative and I could tell my dog was enjoying the quiet moment too because she sat on my lap and fell asleep! :) Here's a photo of it if you'd like to take a glimpse as well http://buff.ly/1iRSHHz. My more active commune with nature came in the form of foraging for mulberries. It was my first experience foraging in the city and I really enjoyed it. http://buff.ly/1iRTdoO Thank you so much for this challenge. Aside from my regular yard work I will try to add a calm moment with nature several times a week. It makes a huge difference, especially living in the big city! Off to read Clare's entry about foraging for food!"

Our Twitter friends joined the conversation and shared the following:

From @GiveTreeGifts
- Since we're blessed with a life in the country, we're able to take some time out for ourselves each day to enjoy nature
- 5 Reasons to Slow Down Your Life Today, and How to Do It bit.ly/1o2XIf2
- 21 Simple Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy Life ow.ly/yqY4W
- The 10 Essential Rules for Slowing Down and Enjoying Life More ow.ly/yqY8s
- "In all of living, have much fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured." ... Gordon B. Hinckley
- "We're so busy watching out for what's just ahead of us that we don't take time to enjoy where we are." ... Bill Watterson
- "Stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight." ... Gordon B. Hinckley
- "Enjoy life. There's plenty of time to be dead." ... Hans Christian Andersen
- "I finally figured out the only reason to be alive is to enjoy it." ... Rita Mae Brown
- "Life isn't just to be endured, it's to be enjoyed." ... Gordon B.Hinckley
- Enjoying Life in the Slow Lane ow.ly/yqYNW
- Slowing Down the Pace of Life ow.ly/yqYSh

From @GreenQueenofMod
- Bring #nature to your own yard; create a #wildlifehabitat. #gardenchat #birds #wildlife pic.twitter.com/Ox7wPA0zsx ow.ly/yrGVG
- Loving the joy of #birdsong in my own backyard. You can too! #nature #birds #habitatgarden pic.twitter.com/nqSK7bxE9N

From @FreshGriller
- Even though we may all be busy at times, it's nice to take a moment to step outside and notice just how beautiful nature can be

From @BG_garden
- I love bird watching in my garden! #CTWW #gardenchat

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:

@71s9	@a_kiasi	@andreaptak
@apoenagi	@bethsegreen	@bg_garden
@bike2power	@catertomyman	@collegegogreen
@compingcrazzy	@crazykids6	@debsmikdav1
@eco_novice	@ecoexpert1	@freshcleanersaz
@freshgriller	@garry_rogers	@ginavalley
@givetreegifts	@greenglobaltrvl	@greenqueenofmod
@groovygreenlivi	@herbgir1972	@jadekerrion
@julienowell	@kaitlingarder	@laalicia
@ladyjcmuses	@leslieveg	@marjoriemcatee
@mizmeliz	@momfindsout	@nebulousmooch
@nicmanuel	@pberk	@realityarts
@shannongrissom	@spafloating	@superbsolutions
@susanheaney	@teco_batc	@theworld4realz
@thispeg	@treesgroup	@vanbordelon
@wencdj	@whopaysthepiper	@zenfarmz

My Final Thoughts:

There are so many benefits to spending time in nature. On a personal level, it helps us to relax and relieve the stress of our busy lives. On a global level, it gives us an appreciation for the world which we live in. We tend to protect what we love. And getting to know the world around us is one way to develop love.

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:

Outdoor meals usually mean
a lot of waste

During this time of year, many people enjoy picnics, outdoor parties, and camping trips. Unfortunately, those activities typically generate a lot of waste.

Plastic cups are convenient
but end up in landfills

While disposable items are convenient when we are away from home, they are a big problem for the environment!

Here's your challenge ...

This week, avoid the use of any single-use or disposable items. This includes paper towels, paper plates & cups, plastic utensils, plastic water bottles, aluminum cooking trays, etc. Instead, make the effort to use real plates, towels, etc. The idea is to eliminate waste.

OR ...

If you've already eliminated ALL single-use and disposable items, please reduce other waste. For example, plan meals this week so that no food is wasted. Before tossing an item out, try reusing it or offer it on Freecycle. The goal is to achieve zero waste this week.

SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ZERO WASTE ...

Mrs. Green has revealed the theme of this year's National Zero Waste week 2014, which begins on September 1, 2014. Head over, check it out, and then join in the fun. Don't wait until September, though ... there will be tons of great zero waste tips and ideas between now and the actual event (some you might be able to use this week).

Are you up for reducing eliminating waste this week? I know that you are!


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!

<br /> <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/change-world-wednesday-ctww.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img alt="Change The World Wednesday on Reduce Footprints" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJS8XLt55nZPJjkT0QME1YmU2hvd_ASaJDg03fW0NoYBcclCzkgCSbU1czatVGm73bcO3ox4QNXH_JN-pTiGX0iJ3fLX4UMpDHjjmzI_1ftBLn84UNbotteiHJstShUzdjeQwh6xvdc2A/s220/CTWW1Graphic1.jpg"/></a><br />
Until next time ...

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

Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Reuse

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

The start of our garden

How did you do with last week's challenge to grow some food?

We have always grown food, usually in containers on our patio. Some years, we've simply grown a few herbs for cooking. Other years, we've had a variety of veggies & fruits including tomatoes, peppers and figs.

This year we have a huge space in which to grow food. The image to the right shows our tomatoes. We've since added hot peppers, eggplants, soybeans, potatoes, zucchini, green beans and cantaloupe. In another area, we've planted filbert trees and blackberry bushes.

I can't wait to see how our new garden space develops. And, of course, harvesting our treasures will be very exciting!

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.

Katie stopped by and shared this comment about our Monarch Butterfly challenge: " I have been buying flowering plants, as I love flowers, in all different sizes to attracts bees and butterflies of all sizes. Just today, my husband snapped a photo of a hummingbird at the lamb's ear plant. I will look for milkweed to plant in the front since it is specifically for the monarchs." Later in the week, she wrote Garden: Lots of Rain, Lots of Growth [#CTWW]. In that article she includes photos of her garden and an interesting tip about Black Walnut trees. Thanks, Katie!

This edition of Change The World Paper #ecotalk includes a nice CTWW mention and articles which were tweeted by the CTWW Gang. Thanks, Brenna!

Lillian accepted our challenge and shared this: "We planted food (tomato, squash, pepper, basil, etc.) and some fruit trees this week. We are really excited. Thank you for the links to milkweed seed. I have been looking for it and haven't found any. We want to plant some too." Hope you have a great harvest, Lillian! By the way ... were you able to get some milkweed seeds?

Lady JC joined us. Here's what she had to say: "I'm always thrilled when a CTWW is already part of my weekly plan. :) Yesterday I planted some Bok Choy in a container and in the last couple of days I also put in tomato plants and a couple of green peppers. Next step is to some heat friendly leafy greens. I'm excited to see what everyone else is growing. Happy planting!" Mmm ... Bok Choy ... hope you'll share photos of them, JC!

Alicia stopped in and said this: "Oh how I love this challenge! The weather has been warm then cold then wet and cold again It looks like the warmer weather is here for a while now so we were able to plant part of our garden this past week. Squash, peppers, tomatoes and lots of herbs have been planted with more on the way this week. We so love planting time because you know it won't be to long until it will be picking time!! Planting your own food not only allows you to know how it's been raised but is such a great way to save money and be able to enjoy ripe delicious fruits and veggies!" I've seen photos of your herbs, Alicia, and all I can say is ... I want to graze in your garden! :-)

Have you ever grown asparagus? That's just one of the many foods in Teri's garden. Take a look at How Does Your (Herb) Garden Grow? ... even with having to replant because of an unexpected freeze, her garden is looking good! Thanks, Teri!

Argentum Vulgaris wrote Change the World Wednesday – 4th Jun where he gives us an update on junk mail, milkweed, and shares photos of his healthy fruits and veggies. As I remember, AV, you mentioned, awhile back, that you couldn't get parsley in your local markets. So happy to see that you are growing your own!

EcoGrrl joined us and shared this: "A couple of our 18 tomato plants grown from seed did not fare well in the wildly changing weather here in Oregon, so we bought a few replacement heirlooms at the nursery. We're already harvesting greens and peas, and the first crop of potatoes should be ready in a couple weeks, but as the peas finish up we have nitrogen-rich soil, perfect for the next planting of 30 pepper plants - it's going to be pepper-o-rama for us this year!!" By the way, please join me in offering EcoGrrl a huge CONGRATULATIONS on her recent wedding. We wish you and your husband all the best, EcoGrrl! And for those of you who are curious about how a true "greenie" makes her wedding meaningful and earth-friendly, hop over to her site and browse the Green Wedding Chronicles series (includes some fabulous wedding photos).

Lisa accepted the challenge and wrote Harvesting and planting more. What I found particularly exciting is that most of what she harvested this week was from perennials, planted in previous years, or from volunteer plants. And she's harvesting a lot! It's so exciting and I'll be thinking more about perennial food plants for next year. Check out her post to find out what's been on her table this week. Thanks, Lisa!

Our Twitter friends joined the conversation and shared the following:

From @acuriousgal1
- Planted a zucchini plant, love to eat raw with dip. Also planted Cilantro, perfect in all my fave dishes. Anyone else?

From @Terraccordpdx
- Happy to see this symbol of #organic integrity in my neighborhood nursery. #pdx instagram.com/p/o1C2LlnCxT/

From @GiveTreeGifts
- The wood on our compost bins has deteriorated so I'm currently working on new compost bins. Great & inexpensive way to amend soil #CTWW
- How Is Growing a Veggie Garden Eco-Friendly? ow.ly/xD0gA #CTWW
- Top Ten Tips for Eco-Friendly Gardening #HGTV shar.es/P1HOl via @ShareThis #CTWW
- Vegetable Gardening 101 ow.ly/xD0zc #CTWW
- How To Plant A Vegetable Garden In Your Front Lawn ow.ly/xD1TN #CTWW
- Planting an Eco-Friendly Garden | Vegetarian Times ow.ly/xD27X #CTWW
- Eco-Friendly Cardboard Weed Barrier for Your Garden ow.ly/xD2mT #CTWW
- Veg Week 2014: How to Start Growing Vegetables the Eco-friendly Way | The Tofu Diaries ow.ly/xD2ta #CTWW
- How to Garden With Vinegar: 11 Steps (with Pictures) - ow.ly/xD2BC #CTWW
- Organic Garden Pest Control ow.ly/xD2Fs #CTWW

From @JNaquins
- Planted carrots and a variety of lettuce over the winter. Love eating the carrots with ranch dressing and salad

From @S_Possibilities
- Plant some food! #CTWW I've been harvesting lettuce, asparagus, kale, chives & strawberries. Planted squash and beans today. How about you?

From @FreshGriller
- It's #CTWW! Start growing your own food for fresher items at a lower cost.


I'd like to share a special tweet from @KrmbalClothing ... it's a great idea and I hope you'll sign the petition: "Sign & help conservation efforts along our highways for wildlife & especially pollinators pollinator.org/BEEAct.htm #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:

@12tmimi	@a_kiasi	@acuriousgal1
@allnaturalkatie	@almosttruth	@andreaptak
@anne_brennan	@aqua8co	@becks543
@bigbadflower	@bstoneblog	@cannyhighlander
@compingcrazzy	@cookingnook	@counselorholley
@crazykids6	@deancmoore	@dehelen
@dmilly1234	@dshojinakamoto	@ecocountrytable
@ecoexpert1	@ecofriendlyfurn	@ecothrifty
@erbaviva	@estefaniacrespo	@factorydpromos
@floralplantgrow	@foodretro	@freshgriller
@gensgarden	@ginavalley	@gioassassin
@givetreegifts	@grailville	@green_vibes
@greenqueenofmod	@greensoil	@groovygreenlivi
@hashtracking	@healthyvoyager	@herbgir1972
@hismerecry	@hobbyberries	@imgreenareyou
@isf_fl	@jadekerrion	@janmoran
@jnaquins	@justanotherhat	@kayelleallen
@kiser_krafts	@krmbalclothing	@laalicia
@ladyjcmuses	@legsetobicoke	@leslieveg
@linxcoach	@lovecanal2020	@marbaird
@marikokoloco	@marjoriemcatee	@momgamerwriter
@nonhomogenized	@officialcwerner	@paige989
@pamela_o_plays	@pberk	@petsadoption738
@rckweddings	@realityarts	@revolutionyfarm
@roundtreeland	@rulesofgreen	@s_possibilities
@sensuouspromos	@sfcouncil	@shannongrissom
@socialavenues	@soniatbrock	@spafloating
@star_shine22	@superbsolutions	@tammycurry
@terraccordpdx	@theworld4realz	@thispeg
@treesgroup	@vegtoday	@violetsbuds
@wencdj	@whopaysthepiper	@wikihow
@women4earth

My Final Thoughts:

At a grocery store, recently, we noticed a man picking fruit from beautiful trees placed within the parking lot. He called them "Serviceberries" and said that they produce delicious fruit. I did a little research and found that this native plant produces beautiful white flowers in the spring, followed by edible berries (similar to blueberries) in late May, and then, for its final "hoorah", the foliage turns a brilliant red in the autumn. What more could we want from a tree? It made me wonder, not for the first time, why we (society) choose ornamental plants and trees over varieties which provide food. Aside from the obvious nutritional benefits of growing food, there's also a benefit to the earth. Did you know that many varieties of food-bearing plants & trees actually add nutrients to the soil? It's a brilliant system. And for those who think that fruit and vegetable plants aren't pretty enough for the yard, consider these:

Cabbage

Peppers

Passion Fruit

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:

Scraps of material can be reused
to make a beautiful quilt

Have you ever gone to toss out an item (or recycle it) and thought, "there must be something I can do with this"?

Reusing items has the potential of diverting a lot of stuff from landfills. So, let's get creative this week.

Here's your challenge ...

This week, before placing items in either the recycle or trash bin, see if you can find new uses for them. For example, an empty ketchup bottle could be used to dispense pancake batter onto the griddle. An old cooking pot or tea kettle could become your newest planter. Got some empty medicine bottles? Fill them with coins and keep in your car for toll booths or times when you need a few pennies. The idea, this week, is to find a use for things which might otherwise be thrown away.

Are you ready to let your creative genius shine? I know that you are!

Until next time ...

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

Getting ready for Halloween

It's that time of year again ... when the veil between the living and the dead becomes thin and spirits can be seen walking the earth. Shadows come alive and threaten to grab us ... witches fly and ghosts materialize before our very eyes.


In other words ... it's almost Halloween and time for our annual "Spooky" post!

Question: What's the ratio of a pumpkin's circumference to its diameter?

Answer: Pumpkin Pi

It's almost Halloween ... that creepy night of ghosts and ghouls. Little goblins everywhere are getting ready. Can Moms and Dads make it green? Well sure!! Here are some tricks and treats ... I mean tips:

-Are you going to carve a pumpkin ... or decorate one?

• If you haven't grown your own, buy one from a local farm or farmer's market.
• Use every part of the pumpkin. The seeds can be toasted and eaten as snacks ... they are healthy and taste great. One can toast them in the oven or in a dry frying pan on the stove. When they are brown, carefully remove them (they are very hot at this stage) and immediately sprinkle your favorite seasoning on them (mine is creole seasoning but kids might prefer something less spicy ... like a little salt). Not in the mood for toasting seeds? Try tossing them, either wet or dry, into the yard for birds ... they love them.
  
• Use the flesh of the pumpkin to make a pie, soup, cookies or flan ... it might require a bit more sugar than the smaller, pie pumpkins.
• After Halloween ... compost the shell instead of sending it to the landfill.

Question: How do you mend a broken Jack-O-Lantern?

Answer: With a pumpkin patch

-Are you planning a party for your little ones?

• Send email invitations rather than the "snail mail" variety. There are a lot of seriously spooky e-cards on the Internet.
  
• Use re-usable plates, cups, utensils, napkins and tablecloths. Paper party goods can be expensive and just add more clutter to our nation's landfills.
• Serve some healthy, fun treats that aren't individually wrapped ... popcorn, apples, fruit leather (in the shape of worms and snakes) and ghostly cookie skeletons.

-Get creative with costumes.

• Make costumes from old clothes (downsize adult suits, dresses, etc.)
• Check your closets for "retro" clothing (got any old "hippie" duds? Cool, dude!).
• Pull out costume jewelry ... little princesses, gypsies and pirates love "bling".
• Hats of any kind can "top off" an outfit.
  
• Shop at Goodwill ... they have not only organized merchandise into a special Halloween section but also offer some creative costumes ideas made from second-hand garb.

These are just a few ideas. I'm sure that with a little thought ... you can conjure up a few of your own.

OK ... one more ... then I'll stop ... I promise!

Question: What is a pumpkin's favorite sport?

Answer: Squash

OK ... I'm done!

It's All In Our Head ...

Here's a question to ponder ...

If you were having a house built or remodeling your current home, would you feel you were getting your money's worth if the contractor used salvaged building materials to construct your project?

Unfortunately, many people would answer that question with "NO". In our society, we seem to believe that the only quality products are brand new and that something salvaged, used, pre-owned or repurposed isn't the "best". I suspect that we can thank advertisers for that thinking ... after all, they are in the business of keeping companies afloat and that means making consumers believe that they need the newest items on the market.

In truth, "New" isn't always better. For example, salvaged construction materials, like lumber, are often sturdier and less expensive than new items purchased from a lumber yard. Pre-owned vehicles are often a much better value than brand new cars (if the brakes give out on your new car, it isn't good).

And what about the environment? When one considers the impact of new items ... the natural resources required and energy used to fabricate them ... new isn't really better. When we see landfills being swamped with last year's "New" items ... well, that isn't better either.

Imagine what would happen if our collective thinking changed ... if we viewed "New" as bad and "Used" as best. Imagine a world where landfills weren't filled with usable items. It could happen ... after all ... it's all in our heads.

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

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle - Part 3

Here it is ... the post you've been waiting for. This is the final post in our three part series on the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle). If you missed the first two "episodes" ... or if you'd just like to revisit these articles ... click on the following links:

Part 1 (Reduce)

Part 2 (Reuse)

OK ... so ... now that we have reduced our consumption of everything and have reused what we do have, what's next? Recycle! This is the part of the process that we're probably the most familiar with. Since I've talked a lot, in other articles, about the "why" of our efforts ... I'm not going to discuss it this time ... I'm mostly going to talk about just doing it.

Many communities in our country encourage recycling and have made it relatively easy for us to do so. Some cities offer curb side pickup ... homeowners, or those living in homes, can set out their sorted recyclables and they are hauled away to become new products. Some areas don't even ask that the recyclables be sorted ... they do it for you. For those that don't have curb side pickup, there may be a recycling center close by. Check with your City Hall or waste management company to find out what your recycling options are ... as well as information on what can be recycled.

As I've mentioned before, I live in an apartment. We have a recycle bin for cardboard but nothing else. Our recyclables must be hauled to one of the centers in our city. While I've wanted to recycle and do my part, the truth is that I've found it difficult to accomplish in a small space. There's the space required for containers ... there's the potential smell ... there's driving to a center ... simply put, there's the EFFORT. But how can I write a blog about being kinder to the environment and not do everything that I can possibly do to reduce my footprint? Good question! So, I made up my mind to find a way to accomplish this task without making myself crazy. You know the old saying ... "where there's a will, there's a way". We began to look around for a space that would be convenient and ... out of sight (one of my personal criteria). With a little rearranging, we were able to put recycle containers in our laundry room. We have room for two containers ... not enough to sort out everything but we can toss everything into those two containers and do the sorting at the recycle center. We've also converted the garbage can in our office to a paper-only can. When our containers are full, we load them into the car and head out to the center. Once there, we each grab a container and start sorting and tossing. We have fun with it ... seeing who is the best "tosser" ... who is the fastest. And in the end ... we've not only had fun with the task, we leave feeling pretty good about our efforts.

Here are a few helpful hints to make recycling successful:

• Rinse out plastic, glass and metal containers so that there is no smell (nothing will end your recycling efforts faster than smelly containers in your home).
• Place your containers somewhere convenient ... usually close to the kitchen. Make it as easy as possible to toss things into them.
• Remove paper labels from containers ... this helps companies use the materials.

So give it a try. I suggest starting out with the easy stuff ... paper, plastic, metal and glass. If you're not sure about what can be recycled, just check the Internet ... there are all kinds of sites with helpful information.

I can now proudly say that I reduce, reuse ... and recycle.

As always, I'd love to hear from you. Let me know what you think of this site ... what suggestions you might have for improving it ... and any ideas that you have for reducing our footprint on the earth.

A quick Monday tip ...

Yesterday we visited the recycling center. As I was tossing items into the "Mixed Paper" bin I noticed magazines ... lots of magazines ... magazines in great shape ... magazines on fitness, the home and cars. And I thought ... even though they are being recycled, what a waste that they were being taken out of circulation when they are in such good condition.

So, today's tip is quick and easy:

If you buy magazines (or books for that matter), pass them on to another before sending them to the recycle bin. And ask the lucky recipient to do the same.

Easy, right?

Yes, reading magazines and books online is more Eco-friendly than buying them but ... sometimes there's nothing better than settling in with a good "read" and relaxing.

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

Repurposeful Crafting

This week's challenge (which you can read HERE) asked us to get creative using repurposed items. It's something that we, in my family, do all the time. So ... in keeping with the challenge, I'm going to do a photo essay of some of our projects. I hope you enjoy them!

A wine box gets a paint job and becomes a unique planter.

A piece of scrap wallpaper is the canvas for this beautiful painting.

Found some broken jewelry and made new earrings.

It once held juice ... then, in the winter, it became a terrarium ... home for a small cutting of Creeping Jenny which travelled, in my pocket, from Chicago. In the summer, we opened the side ... and Jenny "creeped" out.

Coffee cans are now a home for Habanero peppers.

The pages of a recovered book became the canvas for this delicious strawberry.

And Mona was painted on a homemade sketch book using a recycled cover from an old book and recovered blueprint paper. Isn't she lovely?

I hope that these creations inspire you to look at common items, destined for a landfill, in a new way ... and possibly give them a new, interesting life.

As always, I would love to hear from you!

Comments of Note

This month's comments were wonderful ... readers offered pertinent thoughts and ideas. In fact, the comments were so good that it was a challenge to keep the list down to ten for publication here. I'd like to say "thank you" to everyone who took the time to write!

Okay ... here we go:


From Let's get started ...

MRoth said...

Hooray! It's such a great idea to shut everything down off a power strip when it's not needed - especially kitchen appliances. Phantom loads can really take a toll on energy consumption...

I try to keep everything in the apartment hooked to a power strip. This makes it especially easy to flip it off during hours of non-use.

Alternatively, in a place like the bathroom where there is only one tiny plug, sometimes it's better NOT to have a power strip...this keeps me from plugging in anything that isn't immediately needed.

Thanks for the amazing blog! You're making green living so accessible!

-Megan

From I can see the light (a recycled article) ...

Dafthermit said...

Hi Sf

just a wee visit to say good morning

as for lights as you know i live on a bus and we use the solar lights most people use to light the garden up with and apart from the odd candle our lighting is free music to an old dafthermit

all the best from the highlands and thanks for popping over to my blogs


Andy & Mel x

From Splish Splash I was taking a bath (a recycled article) ...

Hans said...

Saving water is one of the things I really learned when living in Australia. Taking short showers and having water in the fridge are my favourites. And then of course never pour water down the zink. It can always be used for something - watering a plant for example.

Great blog!

From Mmm ... Mmm ... Good (a recycled article) ...

Yanic said...

Wonderful post! I try to make as much as possible from scratch all the time. It's my slight OCD : The lack of control in what goes into my food gets the better of me.

The great thing about freezing in small quantities is that there is no waste.

One of my favorite ways to use home made stock is when cooking rice. Instead of buying all those artificially flavored rices, you can create your own!

Another great way to make tons of it without breaking the bank is to go to your local farmer's market and buy (for a fraction of the price) veggies that have gotten bruised or wilted. They will gladly sell them for pennies and you have all the stock making materials you need!

Chourou said...

Hi,SF. Your posting this time reminds me of the way of taking broth(bouillon in French) which has been traditional and popular in Japan. It is very simple. All you have to do is that you pick up Konbu, or kelp, a sort of seaweeds, and put it into a pan filled with water and leave it. After a day, you put aside the water of the pan and keep in a bottle or whatever. When you cook miso soup, you can use this liquid as a very good basis. We call this liquid “dashi”.

Anyway, your suggestion this time is wonderful. Thank you for sharing your eco-friendly tips again!

GreenWorks said...

Great post and homemade stock is much better than the bought stuff.

On a similar note vegetables left over from a meal added to stock and blitzed to puree makes a tasty and easy meal for the next evening.

From It's a Balancing Act (a recycled article with new comments) ...

Yanic said...

I completely agree. One of the main reasons why I started my own blog was to inspire to take steps towards a greener life and that every little one of those steps count for something. If everyone would take a few steps, then the world would be a much better place. I think the problem is right now that we are at a cross-roads and the ones that are putting forth the effort feel like they have to make up for the ones that don't. Hopefully, that will soon not be such a reality.

Ways I reduce, reuse and recycle...

Recycle : Everything I possibly can! So that point is mute. Although we did build our first compost bin this year so all our compostables will soon be recycled into yummy fertilizer!

Reduce : Between the recycling and the compost bin, we have recently realized that a box of 36 biodegrable trash bags (21 in. X 26 in.) lasts us over 9 months! That is about 1 bag a week and we could not be more pleased!

Reuse : LOL! They call me the garbage lady at work! I bring all my lunch in reused yogourt containers and Mason jars.

Great tip : Reuse all your glas jars for storage! I keep all my discarded pasta sauce, condiment jars, glass bottles to store my grains, pastas, dried goods, spices, maple si=yrup, honey... They are wonderful because they fit very thightly on a shelf, are transparent and stackable!

Nana Net said...

Guilt comes in some many ways, shape, and so on. Still though I agree we all must do our part to help save this world of ours!
As for me I try to do as much as I can. Mostly by trying to becoming more aware of what I am doing wrong! Some examples that I have tried to help in saving our planet is by recycling.
That I reuse the butter containers that the butter comes in. As well as all other plastic containers that I am able to. Especially after a good washing of them first!
Another way is that I try to do large loads of laundry instead of small loads. That way I only have to do less instead of more. If that makes sense to you all. To me it saves on the amount of laundry detergent I have to use! Plus I hang my clothes out on the clothes line instead of using the clothes dryer. Nothing like fresh air to dry your clothes!
I also wash my dishes by hand and let them air dry too. I really do not like having a dishwasher.
Oh well, another thing that comes to mind is that I love watching HGTV. Now that is where I do get alot of neat ides from on "Going Green" too. Still though your blog helps me by far the most!!!!
Have a blessed day.

From A Quick Tip (a recycled article) ...

Mysticle said...

What a great idea, that I had never thought of before. Stumbled!

In our home, we reuse water bottles and plastic bags. Take our green bags shopping. Always Always Recycle.

I like to reuse the cardboard sleeves from my local coffee shop ... just carry in my purse, no need for a new one every day.

TY, Mysticle

From Vacations ... The Eco Friendly Way ...

Mukund said...

Hey one more thing, carry a disposable bag of some sort in the back of your car to throw what you eat or drink (cans, chips wrappers etc.), just in case there are no dustbins around...
I don't about the world outside but lack of dustbins is a major problem in India...
Great to have you back small... :)

May I offer a suggestion? If you have a bit of time and would like to investigate some new sites, click on one of the people listed above ... not only have they left meaningful comments here, they write brilliant blogs.

As always ... I'd love to hear from you!

Napkins ... (a recycled article)

For years I used paper napkins … they were convenient and inexpensive. But one day I noticed that, even though we barely dirtied them, they got tossed into the trash can after every meal. What a waste.

We decided to make the switch to cloth napkins. I didn’t want to get brand new ones … they are expensive and I just felt that there must be a better, earth friendly way to stock my linen drawer. Great news … there is.

First, look around the house. Old t-shirts, table clothes and even towels make great napkins. Just cut them to size and … there you go.

Next, check out the thrift stores in your area. I’ve found countless sets of brand new napkins for amazingly low prices (like 8-12 napkins for a dollar).

Whether you make them yourself or buy them, you’ll want to get a bunch so that you have plenty on hand between washings. I have between 20-30 napkins in various colors and fabrics. Look them over before tossing them in the laundry basket … we’ve found that they don’t get dirty after just one … or even two uses. We use them for a few days before tossing them in the washer.

Dazzle your family at your next meal with beautiful, colorful napkins. What’s the old saying? “Treat your family like honored guests”.

As always, I would love to hear your ideas for reducing, reusing and recycling. Just click on the comments link, located at the bottom of each post, and let me know what you think and how you conserve.

Mmm ... Mmm ... Good! (a recycled article)

No, I’m not talking about Campbell’s Chicken Soup … I’m talking about delicious vegetable stock … not from a can or box … not from a cube … not from powder … I’m talking about wonderful, nutritious stock made from scratch … and it just happens to be earth friendly.

You know all those bits and pieces of veggies that you trim away and usually toss out? Well, they deserve a closer look. The skin of vegetables and the area closest to the root are just powerhouses of vitamins and minerals. One word of caution: if you’re not using organic vegetables, they can also be loaded with chemicals and pesticides so be sure you know where your veggies came from before using them in this way (we’ll talk more about organic produce in a future post). The trouble with the bits and pieces is that they aren’t usually pretty enough to be included on our plates. You could toss them into the compost bin but … why not reap the nutritional benefits instead.

It’s easy … when you trim veggies, make sure that you’re trimming a clean vegetable. Then, save all those clean bits and pieces in your freezer. When you have enough, toss them into a pot with enough water to cover them. You can add a bay leaf, herbs or any other flavorings that you like. Don’t add salt and pepper … you can add them when you decide how to use your stock. Now cook the broth, covered, until the veggies are pretty well used up … which means that all their nutritional content is now in the water. Strain out the veggies, put the pot back on the stove and reduce it until the flavor is intense … for me, that’s usually when the stock has been reduced by half.

Now that you have this wonderful stock, freeze it in one cup portions. Whenever you make a recipe which calls for stock, whip out a “block” and … you’re set. This is the time to season with salt and pepper (isn’t it nice to control the sodium in your stock and forego the preservatives.) By the way, did you know that kosher salt has less sodium than regular table salt? Yes indeedy!

So … how is this earth friendly? Well … anything which you buy in a store, especially items which are processed, use up a lot of energy to transform them from raw materials into the products you take off the shelf. Huge factories run day and night so that we never run out of these convenience items. And once the item is packaged and ready to go, it normally travels across country to our local supermarket. Most products also have way more packaging than is needed. For example, there is one brand of bouillon that comes in cubes … each cube is individually wrapped, the cubes are then placed in a plastic bag and the bag is placed in a box. Whew!

Sure … this takes a little effort … a little time … but … it’s so worth it!

As always, I would love to hear your ideas for reducing, reusing and recycling. Just click on the comments link, located at the bottom of each post, and let me know what you think and how you conserve. Maybe you'll see your ideas in an upcoming post.

One of my favorite things ... (a recycled article plus an update)

Today’s tip is one of my favorites because it is simple, it reuses an item that we typically toss out and it really works.

I use sponges to wash my dishes. I’m not sure whether using a sponge is environmentally correct or not. The verdict is still out on that one. However, I prefer sponges over dish rags.

Now here’s the cool part … you know those mesh bags that onions come in? Well, the next time you get a bag of onions, carefully clip off one of the metal ends and then, slide your sponge inside (after removing all the onions and their skins, that is). Then, use one of those little twisty things that seem to come in, and on, everything to secure the other end. You might have to trim some of the excess mesh bag away. And make sure that the metal end and your twisty end are truly at the ends of your sponge so that when you use it, it won’t scratch anything.

Now you have a super sponge with terrific scrubbing abilities. And, you’ve accomplished a few things:

• Those mesh bags get a second life before finding their way to a landfill.



• Your sponge will last longer and work better.



• Those little twisty things won’t junk up your drawers.



• And it meets one of my “saving the planet” rules: reuse before tossing whenever possible.

Here's a picture of how it turns out:

Update ... Since first writing this post, I've refined the tip a bit. The little twisty things at the ends work but ... I have to admit that one must be very careful not to scratch non-stick pans or other "fragile" surfaces with them. The same thing is true for the metal clips at the ends of the mesh bags. So now, I clip off any metal pieces. And instead of using those twisty things, I use rubber bands. I seem to have a lot of those little rubber bands around ... I don't buy them and I'm not real sure how they end up in my home (I don't get a newspaper or anything like that) ... but they are here. So instead of using the twisty things, I now use rubber bands, tightly wound around the ends ... it works great and doesn't scratch a thing.

As always, I would love to hear your ideas for reducing, reusing and recycling. Just click on the comments link, located at the bottom of each post, and let me know what you think and how you conserve. Maybe you'll see your ideas in an upcoming post.

What is happening ... by Argentum Vulgaris

One of the very first people to follow Reduce Footprints was my "bloggy" friend Argentum Vulgaris of Tomus Arcanum. Many of you know AV ... he is a generous blogger who seems to always have time to reply to comments and promote other blogs. He's a frequent visitor here and typically leaves thought-provoking remarks on the "subject du jour".

If you've never been to Tomus Arcanum (or the nine other blogs AV owns), you're missing out. When you arrive at his blog, the first thing you'll notice are these fun little figures that pop up on the screen. As the page loads, you'll find gadgets of every kind ... all interesting and fun to browse. Finally, you'll see the day's post. Here's where it gets real interesting ... his posts range from the beautiful ... to the funny ... to the shocking ... and sometimes to the disturbing, like when he talked about child brides in Yemen or about the slaughter of whales in Japan. He pulls no punches and tells it like he sees it. He is one of the most honest and direct bloggers you'll ever find. That being said ... there's one other thing that is absolutely true ... you'll always be entertained at his site.

AV has graciously agreed to write for us today. So ... sit back ... relax ... and enjoy:



I have been invited as a guest blogger, my immediate reaction was “great!”, but then the sobering thought, what’s a guest blogger arose.

Well, I soon discovered that a guest blogger is one elected who does a lot of work in a short space of time, considered a labour of love, and I am honoured to be considered worthy of performing such a task.

I have burbled for sometime about environmental issues on my various blogs. Ranted about how we, as a race, don’t care for our backyards and continue not to care ignoring all that is before us, telling us in no uncertain terms that we should be caring; and caring a lot. I am not the greatest environmentalist, rather just a man who has lived 57 years, I do a small bit in my own way at home; one to reduce costs and two, make use of things that I have already used. In the case of one, I am a spendthrift, I hate being conned out of one cent change and demand the letter of the law, then give me five cents; and in the case of two, I can’t see the use of buying tupperware when I have perfectly good margarine containers and jam jars to use; and as for buying dirt to go in my pot plants, I compost and make my own. So it all goes back to number one really, money!

Hence, I read Small Footprints, indeed, I even go back and re-read some parts. It is people like Small Footprints, who will eventually be the saviours of the planet; not individually (SF put your Spider Woman suit away – you’re not a super heroine yet), but you and those like you are all super people. I find some of the issues tackled by SF to be somewhat sobering, things we take for granted, things we throw away (and millions of others throw away too) that make it a problem a million times bigger than if it were just me.

Small footprints has given me the chance to write as a guest blogger, I am honoured that my past ranting has been read by at least one other person apart from myself. Thank you SF, so less ado and more do.


What is happening?

We are literally pissing on the planet and we have to stop!

Our planet, the little mudball we call home, is becoming untenable. We, us humans, have already used, destroyed and polluted most of it, the land, oceans, rivers and air; and we are not satisfied, now (and have been for years) we are even polluting space.

It has been common knowledge for years that we are damaging the place. If we were tennants in a building and treated it this way we would have been evicted years ago. Our God is a very tolerant landlord.

The story starts at the beginning. It is evident from paeleontological sites that early man was not a tidy beast, and we have continued to soil our environment ever since with due disregard for nature.


The major change came with the industrial revolution. The introduction of steam, to produce steam you burnt coal, burning coal produces smoke, a lot of smoke and a lot of waste. Money was the driving force, capitalism advanced shame-facedly, to the point where we are today. No heed was given to the tons of pollutants that we threw into the air at this time.


So with all that untidy history we have become a devil-may-care “throw-away” society. We use, we throw away and all this throwing-away accumulates. Not only accumulates, but accumulates exponentially, remember, with each passing year the Earth’s population increases, each year there are more people to throw stuff away. We are turning the Earth into a giant garbage dump. We are fast running out of space.

It doesn’t matter if we are talking plastic bags, disposable razors or toothbrushes (all of which SF has alluded to in past posts), we are throwing more and more stuff away. We have to seriously STOP and take stock of ourselves. It doesn’t matter if I am talking to you, your family, your community, suburb, city, country, or some giant global conglomerate. We have to STOP; and unless we do, we’ll be living in that garbage dump, and living in it very soon; perhaps within some of your lifetimes.

Everybody can start and contribute, yes, even YOU! We must start at the bottom, the top will always ignore the problem as long as money is involved. Education must start at home and the schools, for it is the new generation that will take the issue to the top. Only then will we begin to see the huge corporations sit up and take notice and we will see governments begin to accept their responsibilities, responsibilities shirked for so long.



Each of us must take time out and sit on the beach of life and look at the world and wonder. We had a beautiful planet, we can have that again, but it won’t happen by magic, it won’t happen by leaving it to the other person. We all need to take a personal responsibility, be we are all the owners of this world.

Would you let your child throw chicken bones on the lounge floor?

Because that’s what we are doing to the planet!


I'd like to give a big THANK YOU to AV for that wonderful post. And ... I'd like to suggest that each of you hop over to his site(s) and browse around.

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