Happy Valentine's day to one and all (all 2 of you)!
Let's talk about making this traditionally pink and red holiday a GREEN one!
Why buy cards, nick nacks and stuffed animals that will soon only serve as space takers, dust collecters and landfill-fillers? Don't tell me you can't be more creative! We passed the same guy selling those on the corner that you did - so why would we be impressed that you stopped? As for those giant hearts filled with chocolate? Sure, we gals love them in theory, but if your special someone is watching their sugar, salt or pounds (even if you love them just the way they are) it can lead to a worse reaction than an honest answer to "Do I look fat in this?" Here's my top 5 list for green Valentines gifts that mean oh so much more than the latest magnetic or animated stuffed animal Hallmark is pushing this year.
1) Do something that they would normally have to do. This year, I'm broke as a joke as I don't have a job. (Yea, still - more on that later.) But the one thing I do have is time. So, after my interview today (woo hoo!) I'm cleaning the bathroom. She normally cleans it, though I know she has no special love for it. Is it romantic? Well, it can be if after cleaning it you light a few special candles around the tub and prepare some options for a lovely bath that night. What you do after that is ALLLL up to you.....
2) Cook something. Sure, a romantic dinner or something sweet is the standard here. Both are generally appreciated of course unless you screw up the recipe, so plan a back up just in case. There are so many other options though. What about this option - make up one of his/her favorite dishes in a huge portion, divide it up into individual serving plastic containers and freeze them. Instead of just one romantc dinner for 2 you're saving them from drive through or boring Lean Cuisine. Those re-usable containers have saved some waste and with your carefully watched home cooking it could also save his/her waist. And every day they take it to work - who will they be thinking of? You of course! Ka-ching!
3) Create something. Sure, if you're they poetry kinda person, you know that nothing drops pants (or panties) faster than a beautiful personally written love poem. A bad love poem will make them laugh, then drop them - so even that isn't usually a bad idea. But say you're more of a "work with your hands" kind of person? The sky is still the limit. Make a desk organizer so she doesn't keep forgetting where she puts her keys (cough, "The Girlfriend", cough, cough...). Make a special frame for a picture of the two of you. Or if you want to get really creative, draw or paint a picture - but special note here, unless your are a formally recognized artistic genius and he/she has loved everything you've ever created, keep it under 11x18, so if he/she loves the thought but the picture is as ugly as sin, it will hide nicely behind her bathroom door. And please - no nudes. Ick.
4) Fix something. Here's where you work with your hands types have a distinct advantage. We all have stuff. And stuff often breaks. If you can fix stuff, you are worth your weight in gold. Or cupcakes or truffles, or whatever else one values at this time of year. New brakes on the car to show how much you care about the saftey of the one you love. A new waist and hem on those pants because all this healthy living means the old clothes were just too darned baggy. Installing a new software program that he/she has always wanted, but could never understand without your big brainy self. You gots skills. We loves skills. But again, a warning, don't try to do something you shouldn't really be doing. 20 years later it might be a funny memory that you burnt down the kitchen on Valentines day when you were trying to re-wire the Mr. Coffee, but you would have to be a lucky, lucky person to make it to the next Valentimes day - much less 20 more...
5) Give something. Ah, giving of yourself is always what people want the most. It means you cared enough to take time to think about the other person's wants and needs when they weren't actively in the room. Everything listed above means you've given something - your time, your talents. This is all about giving that something special that only someone so intimate with their life would know that they really wanted - perhaps before they did themselves. And isn't that what it's really all about? That museum that you hate, but they adore? Take them, act interested (even if you are thinking about something else most of the time), and care about what they have to say. Give some time to a cause they love - give blankets to the homeless, play board games with teens at the after school program, sign up for a walk benefiting their charity, bring flowers to church that week in his/her name. Investing time and interest in something that they love is a gift that will go on far longer than those $9.99 corner roses. Healthier relationship - healthier planet.
Here's wishing you a happy and all-around-healthy Valentine's day!
Showing posts with label ecological footprint. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ecological footprint. Show all posts
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Friday, February 8, 2008
When one door closes...
One week minus 14 hours ago, I was let go. Laid off. No longer need my services. Basically fired as gently as possible. The prior carrot holder had a good enough reason - the group that paid 50% of his income stopped paying. Hard to pay for me when his income drops in half. I get that.
For the last week I've been attempting to balance a healthy attitude in looking for a new job, a healthy food intake (though I'm wanting bad food like no body's business), and making my smallest (earth healthy) dent in extra electricity usage during the day. I stare at the computer. My cat stares at me. I don't put the heat on when I'm cold, I grab a sweater. If the cat is cold she lays in the window to soak up some rays.
So far I'm balancing everything pretty well. Not that I don't fantasize about red velvet cake, Chimichangas, baked macaroni and cheese, fried pork chops, meat loaf, chocolate fountains and other assorted comfort food delights on a regular basis. I just choose to eat an apple instead.
Fingers crossed that I meet my career's Mr. Right.
Soon.
For the last week I've been attempting to balance a healthy attitude in looking for a new job, a healthy food intake (though I'm wanting bad food like no body's business), and making my smallest (earth healthy) dent in extra electricity usage during the day. I stare at the computer. My cat stares at me. I don't put the heat on when I'm cold, I grab a sweater. If the cat is cold she lays in the window to soak up some rays.
So far I'm balancing everything pretty well. Not that I don't fantasize about red velvet cake, Chimichangas, baked macaroni and cheese, fried pork chops, meat loaf, chocolate fountains and other assorted comfort food delights on a regular basis. I just choose to eat an apple instead.
Fingers crossed that I meet my career's Mr. Right.
Soon.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
The other white drink
When I was about 6 years old, I had a book called "All about me". It's a 1/2 written book with blanks and open spaces for you to tell all about who you are at the time. You trace your hand. You draw an imaginary city. You say things you've learned about the world. And of course the basics - favorite color, favorite food, favorite songs. My favorite food? Cheese.
That's never really changed. As a snack? Sure - string or slice? As an appetizer? Bring it on - fancy in wedges or fried up in a basket while watching the game. Breakfast? Cottage cheese with fruit. Lunch - the reason for eating most sandwiches, or in the simple purity of an insanely grilled cheese sandwich. Dinner? Roll cheese in corn tortillas, add cheese to the top and I'm good to go. Dessert? How about paired with pears and wine? [And yes, these were all just off the top of my head in less than 30 seconds. Imagine what I could do if given time...]
I've always felt that way about the whole darn dairy section. But as the healthier-me cut back on fat and calories, I saw less and less of my friend cheese. I miss it, but I appreciate those few moments when a bit of feta takes a salad to a new level. Or that one slice of real Swiss helps me forget that I'm eating diet bread and counting the calories of every piece of shredded carrot on the sandwich. I don't think I'll ever completely let it go.
But, healthier-world me has been getting a bit concerned. How many of our natural resources go into creating a gallon of milk? And while I may be keeping mine organic and non-fat, is there something else I could do to make an even better choice? To put less pressure on our farmers to make cow food and encourage them to make more people food?
It was a hard decision, but I decided to buy Soy Milk. I'm not saying it's the beginning of a long and beautiful relationship or anything. I will be trying a few brands to decide which one is the right one for me. I may slide back a bit but I really think I might make this one stick. Some reasons why?
- A cow needs to drink 2 gallons of water for every gallon of milk she'll make that day. Add to that the water used to raise the crops just so she could eat them and you have a TON of water going into dairy production. Sure, soy has to be grown, just like the cow's food, but that still means I can save 2 gallons of water for every gallon of soy milk produced.
- A dairy cow creates 120 pounds of "waste" each day. Ick. Now sure, some of this will get turned around into good things. I watch dirty jobs. I know. BUT - according to a Senate report on animal waste, a small farm of just 200 cows will create as much nitrogen in the sewage as a community of 5,000 to 10,000 people.
- Finally, let's look at the numbers:
- Organic Skim Milk, 1 Cup - 90 Calories, 0 Fat, 130g Sodium, 13g Carbs (0 Fiber, 12g Sugar), 9g Protien, 10% Vit A, 2% Vit C, 30% Calcium. (From my common brand)
- 8th Continent Light Soy Milk, 1 Cup - 50 Calories, 2g Fat, 115g Sodium, 2g Carbs (0 Fiber, 2g Sugar), 6g Protein, 10% Vit A, 30% Calcium, 6% Iron, 25% Vit D, 25% B2, 15% B12
- So, less calories, less sodium and less sugar in Soy milk. Skim milk has less fat and more protein.
Is there a trade off? Sure. But for now, I'm going to give it a shot. I'm hoping that both healthier-me and healthier-earth are better for it.
That's never really changed. As a snack? Sure - string or slice? As an appetizer? Bring it on - fancy in wedges or fried up in a basket while watching the game. Breakfast? Cottage cheese with fruit. Lunch - the reason for eating most sandwiches, or in the simple purity of an insanely grilled cheese sandwich. Dinner? Roll cheese in corn tortillas, add cheese to the top and I'm good to go. Dessert? How about paired with pears and wine? [And yes, these were all just off the top of my head in less than 30 seconds. Imagine what I could do if given time...]
I've always felt that way about the whole darn dairy section. But as the healthier-me cut back on fat and calories, I saw less and less of my friend cheese. I miss it, but I appreciate those few moments when a bit of feta takes a salad to a new level. Or that one slice of real Swiss helps me forget that I'm eating diet bread and counting the calories of every piece of shredded carrot on the sandwich. I don't think I'll ever completely let it go.
But, healthier-world me has been getting a bit concerned. How many of our natural resources go into creating a gallon of milk? And while I may be keeping mine organic and non-fat, is there something else I could do to make an even better choice? To put less pressure on our farmers to make cow food and encourage them to make more people food?
It was a hard decision, but I decided to buy Soy Milk. I'm not saying it's the beginning of a long and beautiful relationship or anything. I will be trying a few brands to decide which one is the right one for me. I may slide back a bit but I really think I might make this one stick. Some reasons why?
- A cow needs to drink 2 gallons of water for every gallon of milk she'll make that day. Add to that the water used to raise the crops just so she could eat them and you have a TON of water going into dairy production. Sure, soy has to be grown, just like the cow's food, but that still means I can save 2 gallons of water for every gallon of soy milk produced.
- A dairy cow creates 120 pounds of "waste" each day. Ick. Now sure, some of this will get turned around into good things. I watch dirty jobs. I know. BUT - according to a Senate report on animal waste, a small farm of just 200 cows will create as much nitrogen in the sewage as a community of 5,000 to 10,000 people.
- Finally, let's look at the numbers:
- Organic Skim Milk, 1 Cup - 90 Calories, 0 Fat, 130g Sodium, 13g Carbs (0 Fiber, 12g Sugar), 9g Protien, 10% Vit A, 2% Vit C, 30% Calcium. (From my common brand)
- 8th Continent Light Soy Milk, 1 Cup - 50 Calories, 2g Fat, 115g Sodium, 2g Carbs (0 Fiber, 2g Sugar), 6g Protein, 10% Vit A, 30% Calcium, 6% Iron, 25% Vit D, 25% B2, 15% B12
- So, less calories, less sodium and less sugar in Soy milk. Skim milk has less fat and more protein.
Is there a trade off? Sure. But for now, I'm going to give it a shot. I'm hoping that both healthier-me and healthier-earth are better for it.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Micro-eco steps
Lately I'm obsessing over little things.
Example One: Which is better - a small paper towel, a paper plate, or wasting water to wash a dish when in a drought. Answer - I go dish, unless I'm feeling unbelievably lazy - which happens. Then paper towel.
Example Two: Is it ecologically better to drive to the music store to purchase a new CD or to download the album - when I know I'll end up burning it to a CD anyhow. I mean, the energy to Internet search and burn + disc (and possibly trashed disc if first one doesn't work perfectly as happens sometimes) + Jewel case I'll end up using + paper I'll end up writing names of songs on or using the gas to buy something that already exists? Answer. I buy the cd. From a local independently owned music store like Stinkweeds. I feel like that somehow balances things. Though considering the nearest one to me is 20 min away, I'm not sure it's quite an even trade.
Example Three: I start debating about which way to drive to work in the morning. Fairly straight path on regular surface roads (lots of lights) that gets me here in about 25-30 min, 45MPH with exception of 4 school zones that take it to 15. OR do I take the freeway which is actually a farther in miles driven, takes 20-25 min on a good day, 30-35 on a bad day - but is almost completely non-stop so I'm theoretically using less gas. But then you have to factor in that you use more gas going faster. Answer - I take the streets. But I wrestle with this one often. [And yes - I know it would be better to take the bus, and I would LOVE to do it, but that just doesn't work well in my city. Not would I have to walk more than a mile each way to and from the stops, but also it would take an hour an a half of just driving time. So, that plus 20 min of walking on each side would make for an approximate 2 hour and 15 minute commute. And no one wants to be walking 40 minutes in Phoenix heat before walking into a professional office. Just doesn't work.]
Yes - these are helplessly small things. But if I put a nickel a day in a piggy bank from the time I was 5 until now it would be almost $550. Is that huge? No. But it adds up. And it wouldn't have hurt much to give it either. Just like these little things I do, or try to do. They may be small decisions, but if each one of those were an ecological "nickel", and I found 10 of those tiny things to do, then 25 years from now I will have added almost $2300 to the ecological economy. Not too bad.... not bad at all.
Besides, wouldn't you rather be paying INTO it, than to get that as a bill in a few years?
Example One: Which is better - a small paper towel, a paper plate, or wasting water to wash a dish when in a drought. Answer - I go dish, unless I'm feeling unbelievably lazy - which happens. Then paper towel.
Example Two: Is it ecologically better to drive to the music store to purchase a new CD or to download the album - when I know I'll end up burning it to a CD anyhow. I mean, the energy to Internet search and burn + disc (and possibly trashed disc if first one doesn't work perfectly as happens sometimes) + Jewel case I'll end up using + paper I'll end up writing names of songs on or using the gas to buy something that already exists? Answer. I buy the cd. From a local independently owned music store like Stinkweeds. I feel like that somehow balances things. Though considering the nearest one to me is 20 min away, I'm not sure it's quite an even trade.
Example Three: I start debating about which way to drive to work in the morning. Fairly straight path on regular surface roads (lots of lights) that gets me here in about 25-30 min, 45MPH with exception of 4 school zones that take it to 15. OR do I take the freeway which is actually a farther in miles driven, takes 20-25 min on a good day, 30-35 on a bad day - but is almost completely non-stop so I'm theoretically using less gas. But then you have to factor in that you use more gas going faster. Answer - I take the streets. But I wrestle with this one often. [And yes - I know it would be better to take the bus, and I would LOVE to do it, but that just doesn't work well in my city. Not would I have to walk more than a mile each way to and from the stops, but also it would take an hour an a half of just driving time. So, that plus 20 min of walking on each side would make for an approximate 2 hour and 15 minute commute. And no one wants to be walking 40 minutes in Phoenix heat before walking into a professional office. Just doesn't work.]
Yes - these are helplessly small things. But if I put a nickel a day in a piggy bank from the time I was 5 until now it would be almost $550. Is that huge? No. But it adds up. And it wouldn't have hurt much to give it either. Just like these little things I do, or try to do. They may be small decisions, but if each one of those were an ecological "nickel", and I found 10 of those tiny things to do, then 25 years from now I will have added almost $2300 to the ecological economy. Not too bad.... not bad at all.
Besides, wouldn't you rather be paying INTO it, than to get that as a bill in a few years?
Friday, July 20, 2007
Healthy Kitty, Healthy world
That part of my brain that justifies bad decisions has just come up with a good "reason" why eating fast food isn't such a bad thing. Ready for this? Paper bags.
Funny huh? I know, I know - why would a recycler like myself like getting paper bags. I can answer that it 2 words - Kitty Poop. Yes, Kitty Poop.
You see, I recently learned about how general scoopable cat litter was bad. Bad, bad bad actually. Where to begin.
- Most have dust containing an agent that causes cancer. And when that dust on our kitties feet gets put on our sofas, pillows and hands guess who breathes it all in? The one who bought the kitty liter and all their friends and family. Nice.
- The clay that makes it "clump" was strip-mined from the ground. Yes I said strip-mined. To the tune of 2 million tons a year. Have your attention yet?
- Once the clay has been processed - it's not bio degradable. Can't be flushed. So tons and tons of kitty poop are sitting in landfills.
- Most folks use plastic bags (as they are in such abundance) to throw away their kitty poop.
So, we've got stinky cancer causing chemicals in a non-bio degradable format in a non-bio degradable bag. Oh how non-green it is!!!
I'm currently working to transfer my lovely and picky kitty over to Swheat Scoop Wheat Litter. Thought about doing the pine, but I know our kitty would hate the smell. Swheat scoop is bio degradable. But how to dispose of it..... Supposedly if you're willing to wait 20 minutes for it to dissolve a bit first, you can flush it down the toilet. Not a horrible idea, but I'm not willing to waste 12-15 gallons of water per Kitty cleaning flush every day when my city is in a drought. We often put the poop in plastic bags still around the house. (Who thinks shoe shopping = plastic bags? One day I'll learn...) But of course then it's not bio-degradable.
And now we are full circle. Fast food bags. Small. Free (with purchase). Completely bio-degradable. If my whole household goes even 3 times a week (that would be once a week for each of us) we'd have enough bags. And while I'd like to dramatically reduce my numbers there, I think there are other folks in the house who would more than make up for me. So, thanks to McDonald's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Popeye's, Jack in the Box, Sonic, Burger King and many others not listed here - I'll be able to dramatically reduce our Kitty Poop ecological footprint. I'm not sure our Kitty cares, but I'm quite excited.
Funny huh? I know, I know - why would a recycler like myself like getting paper bags. I can answer that it 2 words - Kitty Poop. Yes, Kitty Poop.
You see, I recently learned about how general scoopable cat litter was bad. Bad, bad bad actually. Where to begin.
- Most have dust containing an agent that causes cancer. And when that dust on our kitties feet gets put on our sofas, pillows and hands guess who breathes it all in? The one who bought the kitty liter and all their friends and family. Nice.
- The clay that makes it "clump" was strip-mined from the ground. Yes I said strip-mined. To the tune of 2 million tons a year. Have your attention yet?
- Once the clay has been processed - it's not bio degradable. Can't be flushed. So tons and tons of kitty poop are sitting in landfills.
- Most folks use plastic bags (as they are in such abundance) to throw away their kitty poop.
So, we've got stinky cancer causing chemicals in a non-bio degradable format in a non-bio degradable bag. Oh how non-green it is!!!
I'm currently working to transfer my lovely and picky kitty over to Swheat Scoop Wheat Litter. Thought about doing the pine, but I know our kitty would hate the smell. Swheat scoop is bio degradable. But how to dispose of it..... Supposedly if you're willing to wait 20 minutes for it to dissolve a bit first, you can flush it down the toilet. Not a horrible idea, but I'm not willing to waste 12-15 gallons of water per Kitty cleaning flush every day when my city is in a drought. We often put the poop in plastic bags still around the house. (Who thinks shoe shopping = plastic bags? One day I'll learn...) But of course then it's not bio-degradable.
And now we are full circle. Fast food bags. Small. Free (with purchase). Completely bio-degradable. If my whole household goes even 3 times a week (that would be once a week for each of us) we'd have enough bags. And while I'd like to dramatically reduce my numbers there, I think there are other folks in the house who would more than make up for me. So, thanks to McDonald's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Popeye's, Jack in the Box, Sonic, Burger King and many others not listed here - I'll be able to dramatically reduce our Kitty Poop ecological footprint. I'm not sure our Kitty cares, but I'm quite excited.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
My ecological footprint as of today
I knew this wasn't going to be good, but it still stung a bit to see it.
CATEGORY - ACRES
FOOD - 6.9
MOBILITY - 1.5
SHELTER - 8.6
GOODS/SERVICES - 9.1
TOTAL FOOTPRINT - 26
IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 24 ACRES PER PERSON. WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 4.5 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE ACRES PER PERSON.
IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 5.9 PLANETS.
Ouch huh? It's not a pretty picture. For a question about flying I there were two options - about 3 hours a year or No flying at all. Well, I'd love to fly more honestly - but I never go on vacation! Unfortunately I can't blame it all on that. Feel free to go here to check out your own footprint. There are no bonuses for recycling (which I do), wearing hemp (ok, only have one shirt) or organic cotton (not like I have any yet) or buying organic produce (which I do all the time). And what about not using plastic bags! Ok, I'm still using them, but I'm buying canvas bags shortly and there wasn't even a question about it! I'm guessing that's because those are the little things we do to make ourselves feel better - like we're making an impact. And while there certainly is some impact there, it's not quite the same impact as riding a bike to work. Or driving a Prius. Dang I want a Prius. Sigh...
CATEGORY - ACRES
FOOD - 6.9
MOBILITY - 1.5
SHELTER - 8.6
GOODS/SERVICES - 9.1
TOTAL FOOTPRINT - 26
IN COMPARISON, THE AVERAGE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN YOUR COUNTRY IS 24 ACRES PER PERSON. WORLDWIDE, THERE EXIST 4.5 BIOLOGICALLY PRODUCTIVE ACRES PER PERSON.
IF EVERYONE LIVED LIKE YOU, WE WOULD NEED 5.9 PLANETS.
Ouch huh? It's not a pretty picture. For a question about flying I there were two options - about 3 hours a year or No flying at all. Well, I'd love to fly more honestly - but I never go on vacation! Unfortunately I can't blame it all on that. Feel free to go here to check out your own footprint. There are no bonuses for recycling (which I do), wearing hemp (ok, only have one shirt) or organic cotton (not like I have any yet) or buying organic produce (which I do all the time). And what about not using plastic bags! Ok, I'm still using them, but I'm buying canvas bags shortly and there wasn't even a question about it! I'm guessing that's because those are the little things we do to make ourselves feel better - like we're making an impact. And while there certainly is some impact there, it's not quite the same impact as riding a bike to work. Or driving a Prius. Dang I want a Prius. Sigh...
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