Mindful Momma

Composting for All

I can see why the idea of composting could be intimidating.  Especially when you have small kids, no time, a tight budget, little or no yard...the excuses could go on and on.  Does knowing that food scraps and yard trimmings make up about 1/6th of what the average household throws in the garbage make you think again??  If so, read on...composting might not be as hard as you imagine.

Truth is, there are many ways to "do" compost.  Big space or small, permanent bin or a big old heap...if there's a will there's a way to make it happen.  Heck, you can even make compost completely indoors out of kitchen scraps alone!

If you have:

No outdoor space:  Try a kitchen composter like this one.  It uses a product called Bokashi that activates anaerobic fermentation.  You sprinkle the Bokashi in with your food scraps and they basically ferment in the bucket - no leaves or grass clippings needed!  Put it under your sink or even out on the back porch.  Whatever works for you.  At about $70 this isn't a huge investment.

A little outdoor space:  Try a completely contained unit like this compost tumbler.  Use kitchen scraps and lawn & garden clippings to produce compost in as little as 3 weeks!  Tumblers come in different shapes and sizes and seem to range in price from $140 on up.  A Google search will bring you lots of choices.

Or try a worm factory.  Worms do the work for you by digesting your scraps and leaving nutrient rich castings behind.  They also produce liquid waste that makes an excellent fertilizer.  I'm on the fence about this one...I don't mind finding worms in the garden, but the idea of a whole box full of them gives me the eeby jeebies.   

A moderate amount of space:  Try making your own compost bin.  You can use something as simple as chicken wire or create a wooden bin from old scrap wood.  Nothing fancy - it's just for dirt, right? 

If you'd rather just buy a bin there are many options, ranging from this inexpensive black hoop bin made from recycled plastic ($24.95) to a natural cedar bin for just over $150. 

A large amount of space:  You could go for a really nice looking cedar double bin, but it will set you back over $300. 

Or, if you're like us and you have a big old tree in the back corner of your yard, you can start a big old compost heap behind it, with no enclosure whatsoever!  It's mostly out of sight, accommodates a huge amount of compost and is very low maintenance.

The basic 'recipe' for compost is simple and very flexible:

3 parts Browns (or dry ingredients)  Examples are:  dried leaves, twigs, dried grass, straw, shredded newspaper.  These carbon rich ingredients provide energy for the microbes, which move around in the pile and decompose the materials.

1 - 2 parts Greens (or wet/fresh ingredients)  Examples are:  fruit & vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, fresh grass clippings, plant clippings, egg shells, tea bags.  These nitrogen rich ingredients provide protein for the microbes.

Water - make sure your compost stays moist so the microbes can grow and do their stuff.

Air - turning the pile helps with decomposition and controls the odors.  Who wants a stinky compost heap?

For more info, check out the Compost Guide website or this article called How to Compost, by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (click on by composting on the left hand side of the page to get to the article.)

Do you compost or would you like to start?  What method do you use?  How does it work for you?  Any helpful hints or tips?

Mindful Momma Giveaway: ECO-Green Nikon COOLPIX Camera

Whoa - this is a big one!  The biggest yet.  I've got a digital camera to give away!  But it's not just any digital camera, it's an ECO-green Nikon COOLPIX S52 and it's part of the Buy Green, Be Green promotion put on by Ritz Camera.    

You see, Ritz Camera has partnered with Carbonfund.org, a non-profit organization working to fight global warming.  Each time someone purchases an ECO-green color Nikon COOLPIX S52 camera, Ritz Camera will make a donation to Carbonfund.org in an amount that offsets the customer's carbon footprint for approximately one month.  That means almost 2 tons of carbon dioxide will be offset per camera sold!  The donation will go specifically to fund reforestation activities.

So, if you happen to be in the market for a digital camera, this would be a great way to use your purchase power to help make the world a little greener.

Would you like to win???  Sure you would!  Just comment on this post with an answer to this question:  What is one thing you personally are doing to help fight global warming?  Or more than one thing if you feel like really getting into it. 

The contest will run through Wednesday, May 21st at midnight central time. (only one comment per person please and you must have a U.S. shipping address)  I will email the winner myself but the winner will also be announced on Prizey.Fetch. 

(Need a little background info on carbon offsets?  Here's a post I did awhile back with a little more info on how they work.)

Ready, Set, Garden!

The plants are here.  Let the gardening begin!!!

Power Up with Green Power

I decided to put my money where my mouth is this weekend.  I signed up to buy green power through my local electric utility - Xcel Energy. 

It's a program called Windsource and now a percentage of the electricity that we use in our home will come from wind power instead of from burning dirty coal.  The energy that supplies Windsource is 100 percent wind energy generated or purchased from Minnesota wind farms.  You can sign up for a fixed number of Windsource blocks (100 kWh each) or choose the 100% Windsource option.  There is an small upcharge to switch to wind power but I only expect it to be a few bucks each month.

Why should you care about switching to green power?  Because it's good for our environment and our health.  Green power:

• reduces carbon dioxide in the environment
• helps prevent acid rain by reducing sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions
• reduces mercury emissions (which means the fish we eat is safer)
• keeps the air we breathe cleaner by reducing small particulates and other bad emissions.

(facts and photo from Minnesota Pollution Control Agency)

Wondering if you can do this in your state?  Check out the green power network, provided by the US Dept. of Energy.  Just click on your state to get a listing of green power options near you! 

Rain Barrel

We bought a rain barrel!!  To catch rainwater in.  To water our garden with. 

(now we just have to figure out how to rig it up...)

 

Savvy Source Guest Post

I've got a guest post up today over at Savvy Source.  They're kicking off their new blog with a 2 week emphasis on teaching kids to be green.  So I wrote up a few tips and called it How to Raise Eco-Friendly Kids, One Day at a Time.  Check it out if you have a minute...

Savvy Source is a terrific resource for parents looking for preschools and other educational opportunities for their kids.  It was started by a Mom who was frustrated by the lack of good, comparable information and feedback about preschools when she was out looking.  Eventually, she and some other parents created a website that filled the gap.  Just click on your state, browse the choices and compare teaching philosophies, curriculums, schedules and tuition information.  Then read parent reviews to get the real scoop about the schools. 

I recently ran across the spreadsheet that I put together when I was looking for preschools for my oldest son.  It was crazy how difficult it was to make a decision!!  A resource like Savvy Source makes good sense to me!       

Book Review: Big Green Purse

According to Diane MacEachern, author of the book Big Green Purse, the most effective way to protect the planet is to mobilize the most powerful consumers in the world...WOMEN!!  Our daily decisions to buy green or even to not buy at all are a powerful force - enough to make a big impact on the environment and also to get manufacturers to listen and respond to our needs.

Big Green Purse is quite a powerhouse of a book!  In its 12 chapters and 400+ pages it covers just about every green buying decision you could ever think of...and then some.  The second chapter, Cutting Through the Confusion is really the cornerstone of the book.  It showcases 7 simple, green shopping strategies and walks you through how to 'use your purse' to protect the environment no matter what you buy. 

What I appreciate is how complicated subjects are broken down into easy to understand tidbits.  It makes for easy reading and easy action!  The section on buying cars for instance, is approachable and interesting even for a person like me who knows nothing about cars.  And the chapter on appliances and electronics is filled with helpful 'in my house' tips describing the author's own experiences trying these things out.

There are plenty of green shopping resources too - everything from eco-friendly clothing companies to home furnishings to baby gear and much, much more.  Be sure to look for the ecocheap tips throughout the book - they help make going eco-friendly a little more wallet friendly!

Diane's Big Green Purse blog is also worth a look.  And sign up for her periodic Purse Alerts emails for the latest in green shopping tips and trends. 

Garbage Duty

If you ask me, the #1 thing you can do for Earth Day is to get outside and pick up garbage with your kids.  We do it here in our big-city neighborhood where littering is (unfortunately) a fairly common occurrence.  If you live in a more suburban or rural setting where litter might not be as close to home, you can always head to a public park for your pick-up party.

Action speaks louder than words, right?

If you're looking for a more organized event to take the kiddos to, check out Earthday Network where they list Earth Day events by location.

Goods 4 Girls

Smart-thinking, environmental blogger, Crunchy Chicken has done it again.  Known for coming up with some slightly wacky initiatives like Freeze Yer Buns and project nowaste, her latest campaign steps things up a notch by getting us to look outside of the comfort of our own homes and to help the environment on a global scale.

Goods 4 Girls was started to help young women in Africa gain access to reliable menstrual products.  Apparently, many girls stay home from school when they have their periods and miss out on valuable education time. 

Although efforts were already underway by Proctor & Gamble to send Tampax and Allways pads to help keep girls in school, Deanna of Crunchy Chicken fame was concerned about the environmental impact of all those products.  She started Goods 4 Girls as a way to distribute reusable menstrual pads to those in need. 

There are 2 ways to donate:

• Sew your own reusable pads.  Pick a pad tutorial and let your sewing machine rip!
• Buy pads for donation.  There are a whole slew of web-based businesses that make them. 

Although I've been on a sewing kick lately, I've got too many other projects going to realistically make any pads, so I ordered some from Mama Cloth on Etsy.  For every 4 pads ordered she throws in a 5th for free! 

I have to laugh because my dear, earth-mama sister gave me some cloth menstrual pads back in the 80's.  I did use them, really I did. 

Creative Recycling

The creative bug hit me yesterday.   Sitting at my computer, researching and writing just wasn't doing it for me.  I needed to get my hands on something!  Luckily I had a quick little project that I could whip up while the boys were out ice skating...

I got this adorable toddler shirt at a garage sale, way back - it was handmade, but not by me. 

I could have sent it off as a donation but I loved the fabric too much...so yesterday I made it into a hat!  What do you think?

This was clearly a 'wing it' kind of project with no set directions.  If you're interested in trying something like this but need a little more help, I found a good baby hat tutorial on Radical Cross Stitch.

I'm dying to do something with the sleeves - a bottle cosy for glass baby bottles?  an ipod cover?  baby legwarmers?  Maybe a little cell phone/mad money purse?

If you like the idea of recycled hats but don't think you'll be making one yourself, check out Faith's Hats available at TillyJane.  They're handmade in Portland, OR from recycled sweaters!

Clean Sweep Part Two: Getting Set-up to Buy in Bulk

If I were designing a new kitchen, I would create a set of built-in bulk bins - just like they have in the store - only smaller.  They would be nice looking, super clean and top-load/bottom-out.  That way I wouldn't have to worry about using up the older food before putting more in.  Brilliant!

But I'm not.  Not even close.  Instead, I've been trying desperately to clean up my cupboard space to make room for more containers and to organize all the little bags of this and that.  In the process, I've put together a few tips for buying in bulk:

• Don't be intimidated by bringing your own containers to the store.  All you need to do is weigh the empty container and write down the weight (that's called the tare weight) and the bin number on the label or twist tie.  It's that easy!
• Shop garage sales and resale shops for old spice jars, canning jars and other glass or plastic containers.

• Reuse glass pasta sauce or mayonnaise jars - anything with a wide mouth and an airtight lid.

• Save your cardboard Quaker Oats container to hold your bulk oats.

• Organize smaller bags in plastic bins - I have one bin for dried fruits and one bin for nuts.

• Don't forget about liquid or refrigerated items like peanut butter, soy sauce and oil.  Save original containers for refill at the store.

  If you're a bulk buying newbie and are wondering why you should even bother, consider the benefits:

• Reduced packaging - especially if you bring your own containers or plastic bags but even if you don't.
• Less expensive - On a recent shopping trip, prepackaged Jasmine rice was almost double the cost of bulk rice and a bottle of Italian seasoning was almost 4x the price of bulk!
• Buy what you need - the other day I bought a tiny amount of nutritional yeast to sprinkle on popcorn.  Never in a million years would I use up a whole jar of the stuff!
• More organic options - You'll find a much broader selection of organic foods in the bulk bins than you will on the shelves.  I buy organic oats, brown basmati rice, dried figs....and lots of other good stuff.

My kitchen is more organized than it was before, but it sure won't win any awards.  If I win the lottery, I'll be ordering those custom bulk bins I was talking about...

(This Clean Sweep series is part of my New Year's effort to get organized for a greener & healthier year.  Read Clean Sweep Part One to learn about getting a handle on shipping and gift wrapping supplies...and look for Part Three - about giving stuff away - coming soon!)

Wanna Go Hypermiling With Me?

Hypermiling.  Sounds like some kind of extreme sport - like zip lining or bungee jumping.  Some would argue that it IS an extreme sport and is a dangerous way to try to save on gas.  But many think it's a smart way to increase fuel efficiency and lower emissions.

It's a whole new way to drive, that's for sure.  And you can learn all about it at Hypermiling.com.  At its most basic, the premise seems to be that LESS acceleration = LESS braking = LESS time stopped at stoplights = LESS gas consumed.  If you are mildly interested in increasing your MPG, keep these tips in mind :

• Drive the speed limit or less.
• Lay off the brakes!
• Coast whenever possible. 
• Minimize the amount of time your car is not moving.

For those who are into making this an extreme sport:

• Use cruise control to accelerate and decelerate very slowly (using the accel and decel or cancel buttons).
• Coast to a stop in neutral.
• Use the 'pulse and glide' technique to minimize use of the internal combustion engine.
• Coast through stop signs without really stopping.
• Draft behind a semi.

I'm know for a fact that I will never be an expert hypermiler, but I can see the benefit of paying attention to my driving a little more.  My typical 'hurry up and wait' attitude could certainly use some improvement and saving on gas is a big incentive! 

Are there any hypermilers out there?  Please report!

(thanks to sister Julie for turning me on to this eco-friendly but bizarre driving phenomenon!)

Clean Sweep Part One: Organizing Shipping Materials

Geez, I could run a packing and shipping business out of my home, I've got SO many supplies.  Most of it salvaged from things that we received in the mail or gifts that we've been given over many years.  And until last weekend, it was all a colossal mess!  I hardly knew what I had because it was all stuffed into a closet without much care. 

In keeping with my New Year's resolution to get organized and GET RID OF IT if it's not being used - I did a complete closet makeover - moving the wrapping and shipping department to a place where I can actually use it!  (and I now have an empty closet to boot!)

This isn't a Martha Stewart moment or anything so I'm not going to show you a picture of the completed space but I will share some handy reuse and organization tips:

• Get a big box or better yet a garbage bag and fill it up with packing peanuts whenever you get them.  Styrofoam packing peanuts are one of the worst things to dump in the garbage because they aren't biodegradable.
• Keep a separate bag full or bubble wrap. (if you've got more bubble wrap and peanuts than you can handle, I've been told you can donate them to shipping stores for reuse)
• Break down cardboard boxes for easier storage - I always keep Priority Mail boxes because you need them to ship Priority Mail.
• Save the clear plastic bags that so many products come in these days - and reuse them for wrapping paper or ribbon. (I also use them for toy storage!)
• Keep gift boxes flat if possible, otherwise in a larger box or bag.  Be creative and cover up store logos with stickers or paper if the gift is from a different store.
• Keep wrapping paper scraps for projects - like custom decorated boxes and homemade gift cards.
• Be sure to recycle anything that you can't use!

Another tip:  save yourself a trip to the post office and use Click 'n Ship - I can't imagine life without it!

How Low Do You Go?

Turn down the thermostat to save energy and money - we've all had that crammed down our throats for as long as we can remember - but how low do you actually go? 

I thought I was doing OK with my programmable thermostat set for 68 during the day and 63 at night.  But then I discovered the Freeze Yer Buns Challenge on a blog called Crunchy Chicken (a cleverly written eco-blog complete with a book club and many entertaining ideas).  Scroll down and look on the right to find a list of well over 100 people who have signed up to confess their day and night temps.  Whoa, Bessy!  Some of these people really are freezing their buns - 62 day, 54 night, 55 day and night??? 

Not me!  I'm one of those people who's always cold, and I live in a drafty old house.  We've done what we can to save energy - new furnace, programmable thermostat, many new windows - but when the thermostat says 68, it can be as low as 58 in the basement playroom.  And at night, one thermometer says we go as low as 53, even though the program is set for 63.  I think some insulation is in order for 2008. 

If you're looking for some additional encouragement to knock the temp down a degree or two, consider these tips (taken from an article on Care2.com):

• Household plants thrive in cooler air.
• Cooler air is healthier for you.
• Your body will burn a few extra calories keeping you warm.
• Your refrigerator and freezer won't have to work so hard to keep cool.
• You can safely set the temp down to 55 degrees without risk of freezing the pipes (unless you live in my house where the pipes spontaneously freeze when the temps go sub-zero)

Meanwhile, I think I'll put on a sweater and experiment with turning down the temp a degree or two...

Give Some Green to Green Nonprofits

There's more to giving than buying a bunch of stuff.  And there's more to living green than the daily decisions that we make for ourselves and our family.  There are a lot of people working hard behind the scenes to make sure that we can live the green & healthy lives that we want to live. That's why I thought it would be helpful to highlight some of the tremendous non-profit organizations that do the important leg work - like performing research, developing standards and lobbying legislature to bring about change!

These are all organizations that I use to gather information about the environmental and health issues that I report on in this blog.  They are invaluable to me!  So, if you have some extra funds for a donation this holiday season, consider contributing to one of these great groups:

Organic Consumers Association -  The OCA is a grass-roots non-profit that campaigns for health, justice and sustainability.  Their central focus is building a healthy, equitable, and sustainable system of food production and consumption but in broader terms they promote the views and interests of the nation's estimated 50 million organic and socially responsible consumers.  They've got a lot of really important campaigns including: 

• SOS (Safeguard Organic Standards) - mobilizes consumers to pressure the USDA and organic companies to preserve strict organic standards.
• Breaking the Chains - challenges industrial agriculture, corporate globalization, and the Wal-Martization of the economy, and inspires consumers to "Buy Local, Organic, and Fair Made."
• Appetite for a Change - lobbys to reduce children's exposure to pesticides, toxins and junk food - with a focus on school lunch programs.
• Coming Clean - striving for organic integrity in body care products.
• Clothes for a Change - working with farmers, consumers, and companies to promote organics and Fair Trade in the clothing sector.
• Click here to donate to the OCA

Environmental Working Group - The EWG is a non-profit environmental research organization based in Washington, DC.  They lobby heavily on Capital Hill to protect our health and that of the environment.  They also provide some really great consumer resources - I use these all the time!

• Skin Deep Cosmetic Database - a safety guide for cosmetics and personal care products.
• Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce - a ranking of fruits and vegetables from highest to lowest levels of pesticides.
• Tuna Calculator - calculates the maximum amount of tuna you can safely eat based on your weight.
• Click here to donate to the EWG

 

Co-op America - a nonprofit consumer organization, promoting environmental sustainability, social justice, and economic justice.  Their strength is in mobilizing people - consumers, workers, business leaders and investors - to take personal and collective action.  Here are just a few of the important campaigns and valuable resources they provide:

• The National Green Pages - a directory of screened and approved green businesses.
• The Climate Action Campaign - pressures major polluters in the utility, automotive, and oil and gas industries to take climate change seriously.
• Fair Trade Alliance and Guide to Fair Trade - promoting economic justice for farmers and artisans.
• A Guide to Ending Sweatshops - sweatshop-free resources and information.
• Click here to donate to Co-op America

 

Center for Health, Environment and Justice - The CHEJ helps protect us from environmental hazards - they do things like clean up toxic waste sites, lobby for corporate   They are especially passionate about working for kids and for communities at risk.  Just a few of the things the CHEJ has done for us:

• PVC:  The Poison Plastic - a campaign working to phase out PVC, the most dangerous plastic to our health and environment.  You may have seen the excellent Sam Suds video - warning about the dangers of PVC in bath toys.
• Green Flag Schools - a program for environmental leadership where students learn environmental concepts, investigate their schools, and advocate for school-wide reforms to make their schools safer and healthier.
• Childproofing Our Communities - CPOC educates and empowers communities to protect children from toxic exposures in the places where they play, pray, learn and grow.
• Click here to donate to the CHEJ 

String Up the LED Lights

Just about every year it seems that one of my strings of holiday lights goes kaput.  Foolishly, I spend at least 10 minutes trying to get it to work again by testing and switching the bulbs....but it never works.  Then the whole tangled mass goes in the - ouch, I hate to say it - garbage. 

This year I'm going to get myself some energy saving LED holiday lights.  Here's what I've heard about how they compare to conventional holiday lights:

• Use 75% less energy
• Last 25 times longer
• Are more durable
• Are safer because they do not get hot

I sure hope the part about being more durable is true.  I would buy them on that benefit alone!  They're quite a bit more expensive than your typical twinkle lights - $8 to $12 per strand of about 35 vs. a few bucks for the regular kind.  But they should pay off in the long run - if they really do hold up.  I wouldn't run out and replace every strand that you already have.  But as your conventional strings burn out, think about replacing them with energy-saving LED's.

The Ultimate 'Green' Sippy Cup

Just had to pass this one on....

If you're ever in a pinch for a sippy cup - or just looking for something to do with all those yogurt cups - here's your solution!

(brought to you by Zakka Life - a crafty gal in Kawaii)

As long as we're on the subject of new uses for old packaging....it strikes me that there are a lot of good things going to waste out there.  Things that could have a new life somewhere else in your home.

Here are a few ideas:

• Use glass jars from pasta sauce, mayo or peanut butter to hold foods that you buy in bulk - like nuts, beans, or grains.  Why buy new when you've got perfectly good jars for free?
• Re-use the big, round cardboard box of Quaker Oats for more oats purchased in bulk.
• Yogurt tubs are perfect for nails, screws and other supplies in the workroom or basement.
• Any plastic containers can be fun for the sandbox or other outdoor play.
• Make junk sculptures out of recycled containers like we did for Drew's last birthday!
• Create a solar oven out of an old pizza box to cook s'mores.

Got more ideas?  Please share! 

Waste-Free Snacks

Let's say you're heading out the door with the kids and you remember you should probably bring a snack (or risk having them beg you to get something out of a vending machine somewhere).  What do you grab?  Individually wrapped granola bars, a plastic baggie filled with goldfish?  Maybe it's time to rethink your snack-packing habits and try to be a little more eco-friendly about it all.

For me, it took some time to break the plastic bag habit - because it was just that - a habit.  But once I started packing snacks in small reusable containers it quickly became second nature.  And while I do still buy individually wrapped things every once in awhile, my snack-induced-waste-production has gone way down.

When I found this divided snack box by Lock & Lock at Target the other day, I thought it would be perfect for Drew's lunch and for other times when a variety of snacks are in order.  (Even though I've written about the fun trend of bento-box lunches, I have not yet gone down that path myself.  Drew's lunches are really like snacks - a little of this and a little of that.) 

It's got 4 removable trays inside and the top locks down nice and tight.  It won't work for something wet like applesauce because the sections are not completely sealed off, but it works great for dry snacks!  Yes, it's plastic - I know some people don't like that - but first of all it's #5 polypropylene plastic which I've heard is one of the safest food-grade plastics (chemical leaching is not a problem).  Also, I've got to believe that one piece of reuseable plastic is better than years worth of disposables.  If you're interested in buying one and can't find it at Target, Amazon's got them for $6.99.

The Snack Sack is another genius waste-free snack product - and if you're plastic-averse you'll like it even more.  (I just read about it on Nature Moms - thanks for the tip Tiffany!)  It's a handmade cloth sack with a drawstring closure and you can buy it with or without a stainless steel bowl. 

Put snacks directly inside (it's machine washable!) or in the stainless steel bowl.  It comes with a carabiner so you can clip it on to your diaper bag or purse strap.  A set of 2 snack sacks and 1 stainless steel bowl costs $13 or buy just the bag alone for $6.50.  Like I said - Genius!!   

Homemade Cleaning Products - A Baby Step

I've been wanting to start making some of my own household cleaning products for some time now.  It looks so easy, saves money, a no brainer, huh? 

Thing is, a person like me is always thinking way too big - as in 'I need to buy every possible ingredient, read every source of information and experiment like crazy before I write a post about this topic.'  Aaaah, but I caught myself - and this time I'm taking baby steps. 

No, I don't have the borax or the soap flakes or the washing soda yet.  But I do have ingredients that I already have in my house:  baking soda, vinegar and some essential oils.

I whipped up a simple sink scrub that made my stainless steel kitchen sink shine and left the whole kitchen smelling fresh.  Oh, and the 'volcano' action you get when you mix the baking soda and vinegar is a fun little science experiment for the kiddos - so get them in on the action!

1/4 cup baking soda

1/4 cup white vinegar

3-5 drops of essential oil (those with antibacterial properties include lavender, lemon, lime, orange, sandalwood, cypress, chamomile, rosemary, thyme, lemongrass and others)

I used an essential oil blend from Aura Cacia.  I love their Essential Solutions blends because I don't have to buy a bunch of individual oils.  They create the blends for various effects:  Creative Juice is energizing, Pep Talk is refreshing, Chill Pill is soothing and Mellow Mix (the one that I use) is calming with lavender, lemon, sandalwood, roman chamomile, petitgrain and neroli oils.  It smells SO good! 

I also made a garbage pail freshener using the same essential oil blend.  Just fill a spray bottle with water, add 8-12 drops of essential oil and viola - you're armed and ready to overcome the stench of a stinky pail - without filling the air with toxic chemicals.

Watch out, I just might try some more!  I'll keep you posted as I work my way through the book The Naturally Clean Home by Karyn Siegel-Maier.  It's got some great tips and over 100 recipes for anyone inclined to DIY.

It's Not Easy Being Green

Life's full of contradictions - we all know that.  Still, I've been struck lately with some of the little contradictions going on everyday as I try to do my part and make the right environmental choices.  Here are just a few:

Lightbulbs - I just picked up a nice new CFL spotlight for my kitchen.  I couldn't help but compare the packaging to that of a regular spot - a honkin' big plastic clamshell for the eco-friendly bulb and a simple recyclable cardboard box for the standard bulb.  And the plastic bit isn't recyclable, at least not in my town. 

I suppose the plastic helps minimize breakage - which is especially important with CFL's because they contain mercury.  It's a bit freaky to have an environmentally friendly light bulb filled with a really toxic chemical, huh?

And to add insult to injury, the base of the CFL is made from a big hunk of plastic as well.  EnviroWoman, who is Living Plastic Free in 2007, wrote a witty post about CFL's that is worth a read.

Milk - Paper or plastic?  That question is not just for paper bags.  It's a choice to be made in the dairy aisle as well.  There are pros and cons to each.  Paperboard milk cartons can be recycled in some communities (not in mine however).  But since paperboard is a mixed material (paper injected with a synthetic material to keep it from disintegrating when wet), it is typically downcycled which is a step below recycling.  It's made into a material of a lower quality such as tissue paper. (thank you to Enviromom for providing these details)

Plastic jugs are, well, plastic.  Landfills, hazardous chemical leaching - there's a lot of good reasons to skip the plastic.  BUT - buying milk in the standard plastic jug is cheaper, easier and the plastic can be recycled here...and made into cool things like building materials and furniture. 

I know, I know, don't forget the glass option.  But it's more expensive (at least where I shop) and it's a hassle.  Sorry.  Bottom line is I usually buy plastic but it feels like the wrong choice sometimes.

Grocery Bags - I've been so proud of myself for using reusable bags (and simply re-using paper bags) at the grocery for a long time now.  Problem is, my huge stock of paper bags that I use for my bi-weekly recycling has dwindled down to almost nothing.  Now I've got to start collecting them again.  How ironic!

Does anyone have any other green contradictions to share?    

You Can Recycle That!

I just finished reading an article from Co-op America Quarterly called "21 Things You Didn't Know You Can Recycle".  There's no shortage of info about recycling out there in the world but this article has some ideas and good links that are worth noting.  Here are a few that jumped out at me:

• Donate wearable women’s business clothing to Dress for Success.  It goes to low-income women who are searching for jobs.
• Unwearable clothes and old towels can be donated to your local animal shelter.  Use Pets911 to find the closest one.
• Find responsible recyclers for computers and other electronics through Basel Action Network (BAN).  I learned that I might have to pay about $10 to recycle a medium sized computer at my local recycler but it's the right thing to do - don't you think?
• Drop off your old eyeglasses at The Lion's Club, LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Sears, Target, or BJ's Optical store to donate to the Give The Gift of Sight Program.
• Buy Preserve brand toothbrushes and razors from Recycline.  They're made from used Stonyfield Farms’ yogurt cups.  When you're done, get a postage-paid envelope from the company and send the products back to be recycled into plastic lumber!

The Eco-Experience

It's nice to know that the State Fair isn't ALL about gorging yourself on sugar and fatty foods (as my last post might have lead you to believe.)

For the past two years the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has put on The Eco-Experience at the Minnesota State Fair.  It claims to be "the largest and most-attended educational exhibit of green technologies, products and practices in the country".  (and some of you thought this was 'fly-over' country!)

What I like best is how family-focused it is. 

• Making solar-powered boats was by far the coolest activity at the fair.  When they were done making them, the boys got to race them outside!
• Trash Mountain was an exhibit (made of trash of course) that included learning about recycling through a goofy game-show style video.
• Drew always digs the interactive computer game where he can figure out his family's carbon "footprint".
• Liam liked the healthy food samples from Organic Valley Family of Farms - especially the cheese!

Wouldn't the solar-powered boats be an awesome birthday party activity?  It'd be a bummer if it was cloudy though.  Anyway, I found a build-your-own solar boat kit online.  I can't vouch for it myself but it looks pretty good.  The same website also offers a solar energy project kit that includes a motor - so you can build anything you want!

Happy Blogiversary!

I started this blog one year ago with a burst of creative energy, a mind full of interesting and sometimes wacky information, an big desire to learn more and very little in the way of expectations.  Would anyone read my blog?  I had no idea.

I'll never forget my first comment from a complete stranger - Wow! - someone out there liked my stuff!  And as my readership grew, the comments and emails became more frequent, giving me the encouragement I needed to keep researching and writing about all things green & healthy.

My only regret is that I do not have enough time to post more often.  At any given time, I've got a million possible topics running around in my head...and when I read my blogroll, I come up with a million more.  But just like I limit my kids' screen time, I limit mine as well.  Instead I spend time playing with my kids, tending to our garden and cooking delicious, healhty food for my family.  You can only do so much, right?

Just for kicks, here is a rerun of my very first post - which is still a good reflection on what this blog is all about....

Have you ever heard someone say “I only buy organic”? I haven’t heard it very often, but when I do, I really have to bite my tongue. Not many of us have the luxury of an open-ended grocery budget or the time to shop around for organic everything. The same thing goes for being environmentally responsible. Most of the people I know care a lot about protecting the earth and make a concerted effort to do their part. However, as our families have become bigger and our free time becomes almost nonexistent, it seems that our old college-inspired activism gets put on the back burner.

So, I find that I am often conflicted and a bit confused about what products to buy for my family. I’d love to buy organic food all the time, but I simply can’t afford to. I’d love to buy only naturally-based body products and environmentally friendly household cleansers. Fair trade clothing, shade grown coffee, energy-star appliances, …the list goes on and on.

Sound familiar? Ever had a moment of hesitation as you put a box of Kraft mac and cheese in the shopping cart next to the $6 gallon of organic milk? I have. I'm sure I’m not the only one who struggles with wanting to buy environmentally sound, sustainable and healthy products for my family but can’t afford to do it all the time.

So that’s why I started this blog. I thought it would be fun to share some of my crazy thoughts as I go about buying seemingly mundane things like laundry detergent, light bulbs or milk. And as I make decisions about bigger things too…like the new washing machine that’s on the horizon. I’ll probably talk about food a lot because I love cooking and I’m always interested in trying new food products! And whenever I find a great product that doesn't cost a fortune, I'll be sure to let you know!

(If you want to know a little more about me and why I started this blog, see the About link at the top of my page)

Photo credit:  Betz White

The Organic Mom

   

For those of you interested in organic living - there's a new magazine to check out - it's called The Organic Mom.   

It was started by a clinical psychologist - Dr. Heidi Douglass - who's goal is to help people feel a connection between their choices and the earth that they live on.  She strives to help people learn "in an unsensational way" - a refreshing break from the alarmist-style news we often hear.

It's a non-profit magazine with no advertising.  Net proceeds go toward environmental education and initiatives to help stop hunger.  Subscribe or buy one copy to check it out.  Both hard copies or downloads are available.

Eight Things...

I have to admit that this blogger tagging thing is not really my thing...but in the spirit of the blog community (which I think is a great thing!) I'm going to give it a whirl....

I was 'tagged' recently by 2 different bloggers (Gift of Green and Nature Moms) for the Meme of Eight Random Things.  What exactly does this meme mean? - is the first question I asked myself.  A meme appears to be an evolving idea that gets passed around the web - usually in the form of a question.  I guess.  This one involves naming 8 things about yourself that most other people (at least those in your blogging circles) don't know about you.  So here goes...

1. I have an MBA and used to work in corporate food marketing.   The products I marketed were not exactly healthy.  Or green for that matter.
2. I was a pretty darn good violin player in high school.  Unfortunately I totally dropped it when I went off to college.  Now I really wish I had kept it up.
3. I have plenty of NON-green & healthy (otherwise known as bad) habits like taking long showers and drinking Diet Coke. 
4. I am a volunteer with Resolve National Infertility Association.  We received a lot of valuable help and support from them during our long infertility journey (we now have Liam to show for it!) and now I love to help others through their journeys.
5. I come from a family of 3 girls, so having 2 boys was a little freaky at first.  But I got used to it quick.
6. My 25th high school reunion is this summer.  I'm not sure if I'm going.
7. I'm a design junkie of sorts - everything from housewares, to fashion, to architecture - I just LOVE well-designed/cool/hip/funky things.  This is a bit of a conflict with the green, simple living side of me.  I have tons of design and craft sites bookmarked - but I tend to browse more than I buy!
8. In another life I might have been a crafter...or maybe a baker...or maybe a family practice doctor...

Enough about me.  Now, I'm supposed to tag more unsuspecting bloggers who might (or might not) be reading my site.  If anything, it's a way to share a few of my fav blog reads with the rest of you!  So, whether you're into it or not, you are tagged:

The Not Quite Crunchy Parent - Very insightful blog about parenting with a healthy outlook on many interesting topics.

Fabulously Green - Eco-fashion blending style, sustainability and social responsibility.

The Grocery Explorer - Digging around for healthy and unusual products in the grocery store.

Eco-Chick - Eco-everything - from a woman's perspective.

Albion Cooks - I just discovered this wonderful vegetarian cooking site and I'm inspired!

A Light Green Birthday

At first glance there wasn't much that was green OR healthy about Drew's 7th birthday party this past weekend.  The S'mores, the pinata, the disposable paper products.  Clearly I give in to a lot of the traditional birthday party fun!  But hidden in the agenda, there actually were a few 'green' elements and a healthy snack to make me feel better about the whole thing.

Creating 'junk sculptures' was the main activity.  I gathered together lots of miscellaneous 'junk' like plastic plant pots, old gift boxes, yogurt containers, ribbon and felt scraps and of course paper rolls and egg cartons.  I also had some fun stuff like colored glass stones and pipe cleaners.  And glue guns - a bit dangerous but highly supervised. 

The kids had a blast with it!  It was fun to see all of the different creations that evolved.   Plant pots became towers and hats, old jewelry boxes became treasure boxes and race cars, egg cartons became baskets....

   

Some other green & healthy party ideas:

• Homemade invitations, delivered by hand to avoid envelopes.
• Minimal decorations - setting up our big tent in the middle of the yard was the main attraction.  An old sheet painted with fish was used for the 'fishing' game.
• Instead of goodie bags filled with junk, Drew created CD's with his favorite tunes.  We reused old CD cases (who doesn't have a few of those laying around?) instead of buying new ones.
• S'mores instead of cake (the only disposables needed were a few plates and plenty of wet naps!)
• A big bowl of homemade trail mix for snacks.
• Water was the only beverage served.

The birthday boy had lots of fun (shown here on his actual B-day) and his brother clearly loved his first S'more experience!

Living Green

We had a great time exploring the Living Green Expo here in Minneapolis the other weekend.  It's an annual eco-expo with tons of exhibitors and workshops on lots of different sustainable and green living topics. 

It's a fun event, but as seems to happen every year, I walked away wishing I had had more time to really learn about something new or come away with a Big New Green idea.  Thing is, we always go with our kids and so most of our time is spent catering to their needs (what else is new?)  This year we spent a LOT of time sitting on the hybrid Metro bus that was on exhibit.  We could hardly drag Liam off of the thing.

One of the smart things they do at the Expo is they encourage people to pledge to make changes in their lives no matter how small.  When you fill out their survey (also a chance to win cool prizes) they explicitly ask you to check off what green & sustainable things you are either already doing or you pledge to do in the future.  Smart.  It made me stop and think - what exactly am I going to change this year?  Kinda like a New Year's resolution only at a better time of the year in my opinion.

So instead of the Big New Green Idea, I spent some time thinking about all the little things that I could do better.  And there's certainly a lot of room for improvement around here....Here's what I came up with - above and beyond the things that I do already. 

I, Micaela, self-proclaimed Mindful Momma, who tries hard but doesn't always live green, pledge to:

• Find a source for CFL's for my dimmer switches. We have lots of dimmers and most CFL's don't work for them.  I learned at the Expo that they are available - in fact I just discovered a local lighting store that carries them!
• Buy more refillable products and actually refill them. I used to do this more often (pre-kids) and I've just gotten lazy.  Our local coop carries quite a few body care products (Nature's Gate, Kiss My Face and more), they have a refill station for Restore cleaning products and of course there's the peanut butter, veg. oils, soy sauce and other food products.
• Use my dryer less.  Put up a clothes line in the laundry room (I just can't bring myself to hang clothes outside - but what am I afraid of?)  Air dry the jeans and other heavy stuff.
• Buy mostly local produce this summer.  Between the farmer's markets, my brother-in-law's farm and our own home-grown veggies, I should be able to do a better job of sticking with locally grown goods.
• Make more vegetarian meals.  I already do this frequently but I'm going to aim for twice a week.
• Build a better compost pile. Our compost pile is a gigantic mess!  Sure, we turn our food waste into dirt, but a little bit of clean up and organization would go a long way.  I'll probably do a post about composting sometime soon.

Wondering what else you can do to live green?  Check out a local 'green' festival or expo if you're near one. (I've heard that Green Festivals in DC, San Fran, Chicago and Seattle are great!)   Or just think about all those 'little' things you could change - they can add up to make a BIG difference!