The Story of Bottled Water

World Water Week has officially begun... start the week by watching this video and then-- if you haven't done so already-- sign the pledge and "Take Back the Tap"!

"There is enough water for human need, but not for human greed."

-- Mahatma Gandhi

Unglued

At some point last year, I began thinking about how bored I was with TV and how I was "so over" everything I watched... except for LOST ;) I just kept thinking how after a week or in a month... in a year... in several years... I wouldn't remember anything I watched. I was tired of spending my evenings glued to a box. I voiced my thoughts to my husband... who was quick to say, "I like TV... besides... look at all the shows you have recording." I did. And then I deleted every show-- even cooking shows-- that I had set up to record on our Tivo. It was then that I realized that I didn't really watch most of the shows that I had set up to record. The only shows that I watched were a handful of our shared shows and what I liked to call "support" shows-- those are shows that I absolutely LOATHED, but my hubbie was addicted to... so I would sit with him as he watched.

Then I saw the trailer for "No Impact Man"... and I was intrigued as movers (?) carried their TV out of their home.... I SO wanted that for us.

Over the year, I kept voicing my opinion about my lack of desire to watch TV and for all I cared... we could get rid of it. Gasp! Then I made the comment that I thought that the DVR is like a double-edged sword. It's great because you don't have to think about when the shows you watch are on... but then it sucks because the convenience of it all makes it so that you watch more TV than you would have ever watched without it in the first place. This all coming from the girl that told her Mom that she just had to get a DVR because it would make her life SO much easier. (Hindsight is definitely 20/20)

So... a little over a month ago... we finally rented "No Impact Man." If you haven't yet seen the film... I highly recommend it :) After watching it, I said to my husband, "See... she [Colin's wife] was addicted to TV." I don't know if that film (along with all my reasonings for wanting to rid our lives of TV) is what made this happen... BUT... not a week after... my husband cancelled cable and Tivo service. Needless to say, I was ecstatic...

He, on the other-hand, will admit that at first he was nervous about living without TV. When I went on my trip to LA... he said, "Great... we get rid of cable then you go out of town. What the heck am I going to do??" Here's what he did: Cleaned the entire house and played with our kids. He played more games-- UNO, Guess Who?, Checkers, Memory Match, Go Fish, etc-- than he can even count... didn't watch any TV and because of it had so much fun-- not to mention the memories he made with our 3 children :)

After 2 weeks... he was bragging about how cutting cable "was the best thing that we have done in years" and telling all his friends that they should do the same.

It's been a month of having no cable. It's been a month of not sitting on the couch in front of the TV... ok... we do still watch LOST for 45 minutes one night a week. Though, never on TV because we always forget it's on. We have absolutely no idea what is on TV... and it's great.

We have family time instead of TV time... and we're LOVING it.

Wondering what this has to do with the environment?? Simple, we're using less. Besides not turning the TV on, we no longer have a cable box, or tivo plugged in. Ahhh... two forms of vampire (or phantom) power removed.

Learn about stand-by mode (aka phantoms or vampires)

Check this chart to see how many watts your appliances are using in "stand-by" mode

Did I mention that by not having cable or Tivo, we save about $1500 a year?!

Hmmm...now what to do with that?? :)

Read this: No Impact Man: Who Needs Appliances Anyway?

How to Feed the World Video

How to feed the world ? from Denis van Waerebeke on Vimeo.

a film directed by Denis van Waerebeke for the « Bon appétit » exhibition,

aimed mainly at the kids aged 9 to 14.

Make It: Granola Bars

As usual, I'm always trying to figure out ways to eliminate the amount of trash we send to the landfill.  I find that-- with 3 kids-- a lot of our waste is in the form of individual "snack" wrappers.

Recently, I've been on a kick about granola bars.  I love them... my kids love them... they're a fast and an easily portable snack.  BUT... what makes them so easily portable... is the fact that they are individually wrapped. :(  SO.. in an effort to curb the wrappers... I started buying (and making) granola instead of granola bars.  Loose granola is great... but has one problem-- it's not car friendly.  Unless I want my floor boards and all the crevices in my car to have a layer of granola.... I leave the granola at home. ;)  SO, much to the dismay of my 3 kids... I haven't been buying granola bars... unless, of course, we're going on a road trip.  And, sure, I've also tried my hand at making some... which I haven't had the best of luck.  Most are too healthy tasting... too boring... too not what my kids (or I) want to eat... UNTIL... I came across a  Chewy Chocolate Granola Bar recipe from Happy Vegan Yogini!! ***

After holding on to the recipe for awhile now... today, I finally made them!!  Let me be probably one of many to say... that these granola bars are amazing!!  They're chocolatey... they're chewy... they are everything I've always wanted in a homemade granola bar.  I should also mention that my husband and kids have devoured half of the batch in less than 24 hours!!  Forget the store bought bars that are loaded with unpronounceable ingredients... lose the packaging and MAKE something that you know every ingredient... is actually good for you (don't ask me to define good) BUT tastes SO bad for you.

I'm envisioning so many different versions of this granola bar.  Thoughts that immediately come to mind are coconut and banana chips.  MMMM...



***I followed the directions to a "T".  Except, I didn't use the wax paper.  I just used the back side of a metal spatula and pressed until even.  Cooled to room temperature, then cut into individual bars which I have stored in a big glass jar.  Since I'm all about reducing waste... I don't think it's necessary to individually wrap each bar.  

Travel Light(er)

Traveling and being environmentally conscious aren't two things that readily go together.  When planning for my recent trip to LA, I started to "freak-out."  It's been a couple of years since I've flown... and this trip was a short one, so the plan was to pack light and not check a bag.  (I've never not checked a bag!)  Now with all of the rules about what can and can't be brought through a TSA checkpoint, I felt that I was going to have to bend a little and "give-up" some of my ways... I proved to myself that with a little planning and thinking outside the usual... that I didn't have to change my ways ;)

The 3 oz Rule

I, seriously, was not going out to buy little individual 3 oz (crap... I mean paraben-laden) products.  So my mind immediately thought about Reusablebags.com-- they seriously have everything.  About as quickly as I thought it... I went to their site and searched "shampoo".  Up popped GoToobs.  "I knew it!!!"  I hesitated for a moment about whether or not to buy them... they are a bit pricey... but then I thought to myself... I'll have these for years to come... and in the long run... it's better for my wallet and the environment.  So I, obviously, bought them.  AND they are quite handy... because they're made from silicone the product (in my case shampoo and conditioner) doesn't stick to the inside of the tube toob.  (On a side note, I didn't want to put my facial cleanser in one of the Toobs... the shortness of the trip didn't warrant it... SO... I packed a bar of my favorite Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps.)  


The Zip-Lock Bag (Suggestion)


Another thing that I didn't want to buy into was a zip-lock bag.  Online it's stated that all liquids should be placed in a quart sized zip-lock bag.  Sure I have some saved from whenever my kids bring them home from school... but I really didn't want to support the practice of using a disposable product.  Years ago, I received a lotion set that came in a small clear bag complete with a zipper.  Knowing that I didn't have much room, I packed only what I needed...my 2 GoTubes, contact solution, mascara, toothpaste, and shay butter (btw... it can be used for everything!).  Put it in my carry-on bag... and sailed through the TSA screening without a zip-lock bag :)

NO Bottles of Water (or soda, vitamin water, gatorade... pick your favorite)

Not that I buy bottled water, of course!  But, with all these rules...I feared I would be without a reusable water bottle for my whole trip.  Having made the commitment to not buy bottled water... I was a little panicked  about the thought of not having my Sigg to refill.  I searched all over USAirways' website... where I read that waterbottles were prohibited... WHAT???  I then went to the TSA website... where I couldn't find anything about reusable waterbottles... HMMM.  So, I picked up the phone and called TSA.... AND... YES!!  Reusable waterbottles are permitted!!  Woohoo... can't tell you how excited I was to learn that!  So I packed my small (empty) Sigg in my carry-on bag.  I refilled it countless times... water fountains in Wilmington, Charlotte and LA... and then again with water from a soda fountain in Charlotte.... not to mention all of the times I refilled it during my stay in LA.

Did I mention that water fountains are free??  (Free of charge AND Free of plastic) 

Also, I'll admit that as I saw people watch me refilling my Sigg...  I wondered if they thought, "Hey!  That's a good idea!  Why didn't I think of that??"  :)


MY Rule

Before my flight boarded in Wilmington, I made a quick trip to the restroom... no in-flight bathroom breaks for me.  Even with only 8 minutes to spare before I got on the Charlotte flight to LAX, I headed to the restroom.  During the 5 hour (?) flight to LA, the girls next to me kept saying "Are you sure you don't have to go??"  Nope.  Here's why:  Using the in-flight restroom requires energy for powering the toilet.  AND... every flush on an airplane requires about the same energy as is required to propel a vehicle about 6 miles!!  Ahh... another commitment.  The tight spaces of the airplane restrooms are-- in my opinion-- for emergency (and little kids) only ;)


SO... going through the TSA checkpoint was a breeze.  My bag wasn't searched... I wasn't questioned about anything.  I made it through 4 flights not once using the in-flight lavatory ;)  I did, however, make a decision about something that I can be prepared for next time.  I brought snacks to eat on the plane, but... I hadn't thought about buying food at the airport (or on the plane).  The packaging and price is absolutely ridiculous.  So next time I will pack my own** waste-free lunch (or dinner) to eat on the plane.  **This idea was made possible because I saw someone do it.  Thanks to the "Navy Boy" who sat next to me for 4 1/2 hours.... who made and brought his own lunch :)

My advice: Don't know what you can and can't take through a TSA checkpoint??  Don't make assumptions... find out for yourself.  Go to their website... research...and if you can't find what you're looking for??  Pick up the phone and call them.  They were super nice and in my case very helpful!

Hangin' Out

A couple of weeks ago, I had a thought: Can I use my clothesline in the winter??

I posed the question to my Mom and husband, who said, "Why couldn't you??"

I don't know why I didn't think about it sooner... our winters (for the most part) are mild...

So... over the weekend I decided to hang my freshly washed (and detergent-free!) sheets out on the clothesline. The weather was cool with a nice breeze... mid-50's... hmmm... saying that I'm thinking that my family in Iowa would think that's a heatwave ;) Anyway, the sheets were dry in no time!! Sheets are by far my most favorite thing to hang out on the line... the feeling (and, of course, the scent) they get from blowing in the wind, can't possibly be replicated by the dryer. Usually one to procrastinate in making my bed, I actually made my bed right away... and was happy to do it. The sheets were crisp and cool... AND... I just couldn't get over the smell...ahhhh..... the scent of fresh air... seriously, companies try to bottle this scent... and people pay $$ for it!!

After the reminder of how great it is to use the clothesline...yesterday, I decided to keep it up. The weather was absolutely beautiful... low 60's with a nice breeze. It was hard to believe that only a week ago we had snow on the ground. Now, we had a Spring teaser... and I loved every second of it. Needless to say, it only made sense to hang out ALL of my laundry. By the time one load of laundry had dried on the line, another was ready

to be hung up. At the end of the day, I did four loads of laundry and had every bit folded an put away!

Besides the scent of fresh air on my laundry, I find that I'm more apt to fold laundry from the clothesline. Why? Well, with the dryer I pull everything out and put it in a basket to be carried to another room to be folded... which more often than not gets put off because something else has come up. BUT outside, as I take a clothespin off, I fold the laundry straight in

to the basket. I've often thought to myself, "Why don't I do this with clothes from the dryer?" Plain and simple, on the line... I hang the clothes up in order (of where they'll go), they're already laid out for me...no digging for matching anything... and let's be realistic... it's a lot nicer standing outside folding laundry than it is sitting in a laundry room:)

So... from this point forward, I'm making the commitment to use my clothesline as my main source for drying our clothes. The dryer will be used only when it's: freezing cold, too humid, or raining.

Wondering about what impact not using a dryer has?

BENEFITS for the Environment: Clothes dryers use an average of nearly 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually. When you consider that a typical household in the United States consumes a total of about 11,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year; your clothes dryer could be accounting for ten percent of your total electricity use! Not to mention the fact that the majority of the electricity in the United States is generated by burning fossil fuels. Obviously, the burning of fossil fuels is associated with many harmful environmental effects, such as global warming, air pollution, water and land pollution. BENEFITS for Your Wallet: Each year, it costs about $130 just to run a clothes dryer. Energy from the wind and sun... now that's FREE! BENEFITS for Your Clothes: The dryer can wear down the material of your clothes, especially undergarments, clothing with elastic, sweaters, and other delicates. Line-drying your clothes helps make your clothes last longer. Hmmm... longer lasting clothes? That saves resources too :)

Reduce Reuse Reduce Video

Here's a video submission for the EPA video contest: Our Planet, Our Stuff, Our Choice. I absolutely LOVE this video. Sure, I may be a little biased since my superhero friend Jennifer is involved, not to mention Bonnie (she, too, is amazing) and the talented work of J Sun Productions.

Aside from all the amazing people involved...I love this video because the concept of REDUCING and REUSING MORE to Reduce our waste is so simple and so easy... it's perfect.

Detergent-Free Laundry!!!

Back in December, a friend sent me something about magnets that clean your laundry and while I was completely baffled... I was also intrigued by the idea... AND...I SO wanted to believe in it.  I sent the info onto my husband who quickly told me "no way."  I pressed the subject...because I thought it would be SO amazing to not have to use laundry detergent... but he stood strong.  Then... as if by fate... I was reading the reusablebags blog, where the opening sentence was:

"When I told my husband we were considering adding a product to use instead of chemical-laden laundry detergent packaged in wasteful plastic containers he said, "This might be where I draw the line on your hippy environmental stuff." I laughed, but I understood where he was coming from."

I was immediately sucked in... I could hear all of the words coming out of my mouth.  It was "so" me.  I read the entire blog post and sent it onto my husband (and Mom).  I waited for a response from my husband... knowing full and well that he was going to tell me "no way" or laugh at me being SO naive.  BUT, much to my surprise, he came home at lunch and asked me when I was going to order the laundry stuff???!!!  I honestly thought that he was joking or testing me.  BUT... he said, "If it works then great, if it doesn't... you can send it back, right?"

So, on my last drops of detergent and fabric softener, I immediately placed my order through reusablebags.com for the chemical-free laundry ball and a set of dryer balls with a jar of fragrance sticks.  (I also ordered some other reusable products including new water bottle lids, and 3 oz airline approved tubes for my upcoming trip to LA.)  So... when my package arrived... I was so excited!!  I can honestly say that I really dislike doing laundry... with a family of five... it's never ending... but for the first time... I kid you not... I was so excited to get a load going!!

I waited... a little excited and nervous... for the first load to finish washing.  And when it did, I pulled out the wet clothes and smelled them.  AND... they smelled CLEAN!!  Of course, that's what I was hoping for... but I kept telling myself that it just might not.  Then after I dried the clothes, I smelled them again.  I just want to make sure that my desire to use less resources... isn't clouding my judgement ;) Needless to say, my nose has smelled A LOT of laundry these past 2 weeks!!  The good news is that after 2 weeks of using NO laundry detergent or fabric softener... everything smells SO clean (and static free)!!  Even though I totally wanted to believe in it... I'm honestly really amazed that it actually works!!  AND it lasts 700 washes!!  For real.

Obviously, I'm completely ecstatic about this for a number of reasons.  No products going into the water... no plastic bottles... no truck to deliver the plastic bottles filled with soaps to the store... no driving to the store to get more!!

So the other night, my Mom told me that she ordered her reusable laundry products!!!  And told me that she was going to get her neighbor to buy them too... create a "ripple" of her own!!  YAY!!

We Make It: Popsicles

Whenever I look at my trash, I'm overwhelmed with the fact that all I throw away are plastic type wrappers and bags that cannot be reused or recycled. In an effort to throw away as little as possible, I'm always trying to think of ways that I can eliminate waste and reduce the amount of trash we send to the landfill.

Like all kids, my kids are crazy about popsicles. Doesn't matter if it's winter or summer... they practically devour a box of popsicles before I can get the groceries put away.  Awhile back, my mom gave me some popsicle molds (double pop and push pop), which I've used sporadically over the past 7 years.  I've mostly used the push-pops molds and made creations such as blueberry cream, vanilla orange yogurt, and chocomole.

A few months ago, I thought about not buying popsicles anymore.  I got to thinking about how I don't buy a lot of things because they're individually wrapped and full of nastiness (e.g Fruit snacks)... so I thought... why am I buying popsicles??

I figure that there is no better time to try something new than during the slow season ;)  So... last month, as the kids finished their last box of popsicles, I told them that we weren't buying popsicles anymore. If they wanted popsicles... we would make popsicles.  Now, they still ask for them at the store... at this point it's still habit.  I just have to remind them and let them know that we can make popsicles when we get home.  Also, we've saved nearly all of our popsicle sticks and run them through the dishwasher to be used in our double pop molds. So they'll still get to read funny jokes on their popsicle sticks such as:

"What did the girl melon say to the boy melon when he asked her to run away with him?"

"We're too young, we canteloup." (Can't elope)

And, of course, the kids are on board.  Popsicles are popsicles, right?  And now, flavors are only limited by their imaginations... I have a feeling I'm gonna need some more popsicle molds come this summer. ;)

Valentine Cards

So the other day, my girl Jennifer and I were talking about Valentines. She was telling me how every year she spends hours making Valentines and is wondering why not just buy them? They don't really cost much... and there really isn't that much packaging. I, of course, got on a tangent about how much more meaning a homemade card has vs. a store bought card. Not to mention, the plastic wrap surrounding a box of store bought Valentines. I'm not sure why I kept talking because talking to Jennifer (my super hero friend) is like preaching to the choir. ;)

From the moment my kids had their first Valentine's party in preschool, I made the decision that we would always make Valentine's cards. Not because it was the environmentally responsible thing to do. But, more so because it would be a good learning activity for my kids. Cards made by my kids (and not from a box) are individual, creative and offer a well-rounded learning experience. Sure if we get a box of "character" valentines they can write their names and the names of their friends. BUT, if they make valentines then they get to create and design by cutting, coloring, writing, and sometimes gluing.

They also learn that gifts (and tokens of appreciation) don't have to come from a store.