365 Days, 365 Ways...To Go Green

Yesterday I was searching out some credit card info on Coop America and came across something that I found very enlightening but had never thought about. My bank has a political affiliation! So, if I'm a Democrat and my bank is Republican I am supporting the Republican party through my bank. Wow, that got my attention.

This has been an amazing political year. People who have normally not been politically minded are aligning themselves with Barack or Hillary, if they are Democrat, and wondering who will eventually go head to head with John McCain. It's been fun listening to young people discuss the electoral college and other issues. What my accidental research uncovered is that banks affect more than just my bottom line.

Check out Coop America to see who you are supporting through your financial institution as well as some other amazing facts about the banks we do business with. It might be time to cast your vote for another bank.

and in with the new. I woke up on New Years day and decided it was time for a serious declutter. A bold move delcutter. I knew I had to give away the pink fuzzy socks I hadn't worn in 5 years and all 5 pedometers because they annoy me and it was time to admit it. I piled up clothes that I have always hated, magazine articles that I was waiting to read or file, t-shirts that I was saving for dirty work but did I need 20 of them? My only rules were that if it didn't fit, if it didn't work or if I hated it, it was out. I did not follow the rule that if you haven't used it in a year toss it. If I had I would only own one pair of sweats:-)

I am not finished. There is still the garage to deal with but this is a New Year and I want a new lean and mean start. Oh, yes, what was the 'new' I replaced everything with? Space - wide open breathable space thanks to a little bit of boldness and Freecycle!

It rained in Phoenix today - Ok if you're from Phoenix that's a BIG eco-deal. I had purchased 10 boxes of organic broth, on sale, over the holidays so I knew it was going to be a soup day and it was going to take all of 15 minutes to make - including doing the dishes!

Into the pot went 1 box of broth, all the leftover veggies I could find - broccoli, carrots, green beans, and corn, a bag of frozen veggies and some onions and celery. I added a can of organic white beans and a handful of brown rice for fiber and additional protein. Can't forget a pinch of salt and pepper and chicken bouillon to taste. In 10 minutes I was enjoying the sweet smell of homemade organic soup faster than I could have picked up fast food. Or maybe it's s-l-o-w food simmering on the stove all day.......

I also have an even faster organic onion soup recipe.

Pour a box of organic onion soup broth in a soup pot, add 3 onions sliced and simmer....5 minutes to make and it is delicious serve with mozarella cheese and a loaf of multigrained bread. I add beef bouillon if I want it to be really flavorful.

Both of these recipes are not only organic and fast they are cheap. About $4.00 for the pot of veggie soup and $3.00 for the onion soup.

Let's not waste a minute and get started with some FUN green changes for 2008

The first my popcorn dilemma. I got rid of my microwave (more on that in another blog) so how do you make good popcorn without a microwave and popcorn in a bag where you only have to worry about which side goes up? I experimented and discovered:

1. Pan on the stove, hot oil method - popcorn was tough not fluffy like the microwaved version
2. Buying organic already popped corn from Whole Foods - too costly
3. Airpopped popcorn (my daughter bought me an airpopper for Christmas) - salt doesn't stick - no taste
4. Airpopped popcorn with spray butter so the salt will stick - couldn't find an organic spray butter

Finally I stumbled on a great, healthy solution. As the popcorn is popping into the bowl I spray it with olive oil spray followed by a sprinkle of sea salt. Repeat and mix until all of the popcorn is popped. The olive oil gives the popcorn a light earthy taste and the salt now sticks to the popcorn. It was a hit and no one is whining any more that we don't have a micorwave.

Another great popcorn recipe - instead of salt sprinkle the popcorn with cinnamon sugar.....yummm! We like the canola spray for this recipe.

P.S. Be sure to use organic popcorn

Thanksgiving is just a few days away and that means for many families the time for holiday baking has begun. Most of those delicious cookies, cakes and bars need baking soda to make them nice and soft. Did you know that most baking soda contains aluminum? There is some controversy about whether aluminum can be absorbed by our bodies but I figure if there is a controversy I will stay on the safe side especially if it just means buying another brand of baking soda! Yep, it's that easy. Rumsford baking soda does not contain aluminum and as an added bonus the cornstarch in their baking soda is not genetically modified. Here is some more infomation about Rumsford baking soda http://waltonfeed.com/rumford.htmlto ensure that everything you bake this holiday season is simply scrumptious.

My computer and I have been out of commission to many weeks so today it's back to blogging - hurray!

I am in the crazy stages of transforming my home, house and soul to eco, green, sustainable and whatever else living healthier and happier might be called. Stage I is always tearing everything out and apart. I have torn out the carpeting in my kitchen and am now - slowly - taking out the tile, carefully so I can recycle it.

I spent time with family over the past few weeks and, in particular, my parents, who have always been friends of the environment not because it was a movement but because it was the only way they knew how to live. It gave me a moment to reflect on the 'city' life I'm living. I am not sure if living a sustainable lifestyle is the perscription for a healthy life or not but it sure has worked for my parents. My dad, at 85 years of age is difficult to keep up with. Most kids notice that their parents get smarter as they get older. I, on the other hand, was a much slower learner - like decades slower! Here are the top ten lessons that I wish I had picked up earlier.

1. open you windows - ALL of them
2. take off your shoes before you come in the house - EVERY time
3. dispose of veggies and fruit in your compost pile or bin - FIGURE out a way
4. recycle, recycle, recycle - EVERYTHING that you can
5. buy local - WHENEVER possibe
6. connect with nature - OFTEN
5. build community - EVERY day
8. take your vitamins - ALL of them (without complaining, Dad!)
9. give back - WHENEVER you can and as OFTEN as you can
10. inspire the Joneses and live true to yourself!

On a closing note I want to share a small town story with you. On the last day of my visit I went to church with 60+ members of my family at the small church across from the house I grew up in. Did I mention that I was home for a family reunion? Normally 60 members of my family are never in one place at one time - but I digress.

My cousin was the minister, my aunt and cousins the choir, and various family members took on other assorted duties. It was the same way when I grew up only I was the one singing with my aunt in the choir. For a small town to work everyone has to pitch in.

After services were were asked to step outside of the church to cheer on a local soldier returning from Iraq, who would be driving by. Soon the whole congregation was standing along the narrow country road (sidewalks are unheard of) and within minutes we caught a glimpse of the local volunteer fire truck soon to be followed by a procession of family cars and last but not least the Harley Davidson team who volunteer to welcome home those who serve. Every vehicle was decked out in American flags and as they drove by all 75 parishoners hollered and clapped for one soldier, one community, one nation. Step aside Disney you have nothing on Flat Rock, Michigan!

Maybe it's time to inject a little small town America into our own communities. I am going to give it a try!

CBS News just alerted me about my dirtier than my toilet cell phone. OK, I'm over the 'why didn't I think of that' to what's the solution.

According to Information Week cell phones can cause pimples, boils, pneumonia and meningitis from bacteria such as "Staphylococcus aureus which is a close relative of the superbug MRSA. OK I'm listening!

The first line of defense for all bacteria is to wash you hands. It can be as simple as that. But if you are lazy in that department and you don't want to replace germs with toxins by using antibacterial wipes (sorry ABC) there is a solution.

This article was the motivation for me to finally make a cheap, easy and green spray to keep that cellphone and other gadgets clean. Here's what I did
- found one small, clean spray bottle (recyclable)
- bought one bottle of lavendar essential oil (or tea tree oil will do)
- filled the bottle with 1 cup of water, added 20 drops of oil and shook well
- sprayed the solution on a microfiber cloth and wipe off my cell phone
- while I was at it I wiped off my home phone, my office phone, iPod, computer keyboard,
sprayed the kichen counters and, of course, I did not forget the toilet seat, just in case!

Caution: Don't put essential oils near your eyes and check for allergic reactions. My mom is allergic to tea tree oil so she only uses the lavendar oil.

HMM what else can I use this for?

Green is IN! Live Earth is one of the most popular tags on Technorati today. Who wouldn't want to part of the biggest rock concert ever and it's happening in 7 continents for 24 hours. Amazing. Plus it's 7.7.07 today! Is it Mother Earth's luck day? It can be if we all make a commitment to change because a healthy planet means we are healthier as well.

Global warming is the main reason for the Live Earth concert but a healthy planet goes beyond that. Pollution, pesticides, genetically modified foods, factory farming -- the list goes on. It's hitting our pocket book as well as our health and well being. Are we up to the change we need to be in this world to make it better? That we Save Our Selves (SOS)! Spend the night with Bon Jovi, Kelly Clarkston, Keith Urban, Alicia Keys.....and it gets better. Just check this site out. While you are watching make a commitment. Make this not only the biggest rock concert ever but the biggest commitment humanity has ever made to change our home for the better. Put on your thinking caps and dig DEEP -- what can you do to SOS!

My commitment is to vote with my dollars even more than I do today, to buy local whenever possible, to educate others and not harm others by the way I live my life. Not sure what to do?
Submit a pledge on this Live Earth site and have a great 7.7.07!

I was watching Jay Leno's Jaywalking a few days ago and he was asking people 'who did we gain independence from and when was the first Independence Day'? So to assist the Jay Walkers who didn't have a clue (including a college teacher), we gained independence from the British in 1776 and the first Independence Day was in 1777.

Being an independent nation gives us freedoms many people in other countries envy, it gives us a voice and it gives us choices. We have a voice at the polls during elections to ensure our elected officials are environmental stewards for example but we also vote daily with our choices, our dollars. For every item we purchase there is a green choice...choices that do not harm our environment, our families or other people. Choices that ensure our future.

We have fought for generations to keep our freedoms but everyday we make personal choices that may not be the best for the earth we are so preciously protecting with our greatest resources our sons and daughters. May we make our own personal commitment this July 4th to protect our Earth everyday by the way we live our lives everyday!

OK, my buying spree is almost over, but when I was at Target they had an outdoor shower on sale for much cheaper than I could ever make one. We have a pool and after a swim everyone takes a shower and that's water down the drain. I have always wanted an outdoor shower and this was a cheap way to see if we would use one as well as try my first attempt at greywater collection. Greywater collection is utilizing the water we use to shower and wash our clothes to water plants and trees in our yards. For our family especially in the summer that can be a substantial amount of water.

The clincher was that the wood portion of the shower was made from FSC wood. YES! The FSC is the Forest Stewardship Council and they are the greenest solution when it comes to buying any wood products.

When I finally get my shower hooked up I will use the greywater to water my apple tree and whatever else I plan to plant in the area.

I soon found that buying my outdoor shower was just the beginning to my attempt at greywater collection. My shower will simply hook up to a garden hose but how will I filter out the chlorine? What types of soap and shampoo can I use? How will the water drain to the apple tree? How else can I use the water? How do I insure there is no standing water to attract mosquitos? How will I protect the wood with a product that is safe for my plants? Is there anything I haven't considered?

Stay tuned as I unravel to answers to my first attempt at greywater collection!