My Green Friday

I woke this morning to the heat. It is suppose to be 97 degrees outside today. Ohhhhh. And I am trying desperately not to turn on the A/C. So far so good at noon. But the heat really comes around 3 pm. But at that time, I am so excited, I am going on a farm tour sponsored by Contra Costa Resource Conservation District (RCD).

The tour's main focus is to educate children on where our food comes from, what it takes to produce it and what is done with it once it is processed. I am so excited to have this resource available. The kids will learn about soil, organics, seasons, food, farm machinery and storage of food. We will be visiting 2 farms, Simmoni-Massoni and Farmer's Daughter, for you bay area dwellers to come and visit our little u-pick and farm heaven.

But back to this morning. I actually did some gardening! (Now everything will die by the touch of my brown thumb.) I am on a green bean quest! I need green beans. They are the only thing out there I can grow from seed (organic of course) and, damn it, I will grow more! So I moved the watermelon plants we thought were not going to make it but are, to the back of the yard. And replaced them with green bean seeds. Then I decided to give up on growing NATURAL CALIFORNIA WILDFLOWERS (ya, I can't even grow native stuff!) and replace those with, drum roll, green beans. If everything goes as planned I will have 11 green bean plants, hopefully enough for freezing. I don't know, this is my first time growing veggies. Technically it is my husband's garden, I just water it. And now fertilize it. I use Dr. Earth and so far so good. But if you have a dog beware, they like to eat it and dig for it in your garden.

Watermelon

Cantaloupe

Our zucchini is coming along splendidly! The top picture (below) is from June 9th and below it from June 19th. They grow really fast. This city girl had no clue to this phenomenon. But I like it because the veggie grows fast also. (My husband's size 10's are hidden in the 2nd picture.) The 3rd picture is our little baby zucchini. (Can you tell this fascinates me?)

Baby Zucchini

And we finally gave up on 1 of our 3 tomato plants. It just looks ill. No water starting today. And I may replace him with.......a green bean seed!

Pathetic tomato plant

Have a green weekend.

P.S. Mama and daddy mocking bird are still keeping their chicks safe. Yesterday my neighbor found out that there are 2 chicks. Those birds are working hard.

Good Green Food Advocate

I was reading a post at Arduous blog called "What the Eff is Going On With Our God Damned Food?" And I wondered if there is a Organic and/or Local Food Advocate? The United States has the USDA and the FDA. But that is not the type of organization I am refering to. I'm talking grass roots. For the people. A group like Sierra Club who lobbies for our environment. Or Greenpeace who uses dingies to save whales. (Those guys are crazy but they helped save thousands of whales form going extinct.)

Does it exist? If it does, where is it? And if it does exist then should it advertise a little girl spraying pesticides directly into her mouth to get the point across? Should there be commercials of dying children that can't breathe because their asthma is so severe? Scenes like that worked to get money to starving Africans during drought times. Can an organization actually get their point across to Twinkie-eaters? What would it take to wake people up and realize that what you put in your mouth-food, water, drinks, air, toys (for children)-is killing you? Oh ya, Hostess and McDonalds are United States, no, World institutions that can't be touched.

I do know that it is going to have to be BIG. Bigger than Discovery Green Channel. Bigger than Ed Begley or Leo DiCaprio. Bigger than local farmer's markets. Bigger than the Environmental Working Group.

It will take a lot of money, education, people power, media releases, product placement, a little brainwashing (hey, we have to play like the big boys) and good old fashion word of mouth.

Who is going to do this?

Organic Farming Research Foundation?

Slow Food USA?

SARE?

Organic Consumers Association?

Can it be done? Will people ignore the messages? Is there too much going on in the world (Iraq, the upcoming election, Brangelina) to pay attention?

Birds and the Bee

This morning I went outside for my daily "water my garden but still kill it" ritual. (I have a brown thumb, everything I have been growing seems to be dying. Or just not growing from seed.) And I was in for a small treat.

As I watered the watermelon plants I noticed a bee still in the flower. Cool! What a great photo opportunity! I haven't been catching the pollination in action this year. But then I noticed the bee was not moving. He was slowly dying. How sad. Well, he died doing what he loves.

Then I noticed my dog, Maggy, watching a mockingbird. The bird was yapping and squawking so much I had to see what the issue was. I looked into my neighbor's yard and there it was-a baby mocking bird. And as I did that my neighbor's dog, Ty, attacked it. My neighbor was outside also so we stopped him and checked on the little fellow. (The picture is to the left.) I will get an update later from my neighbor if the chick is fine.

Last year at this time, my dog was next door visiting her buddy, Ty, when she found and proceeded to half mutilate a baby mocking bird. My neighbor had to place it in a plastic zip look to put it out of its misery. So this year we have been on high alert for mockingbird chicks. Apparently, the mockingbird chicks fall out of the nest when they are ready to fly making it so much easier for ground predators, i.e. Ty and Maggy, to catch the babies. The perps are seen in a picture to the left. They look innocent but they true deviants when it comes to chicks.

On another note. Back on Earth Day I wrote about the city of San Jose, CA welcoming 3 peregrine falcons chicks to their city hall roof. Sadly on June 17th one of the falcon chicks, Cielo, was found dead. Apparently the bird ran into a building. There are still 2 other falcon chicks, Meyye and Mercury, that seem to be doing well and ready to leave the nest some time this summer.

Papertowels Update

Robin,

My paper towels are still hiding in the laundry room. When I do laundry I almost feel bad for them, all alone. I bet they miss the banana holder (which I have given up also because of food miles) and the fruit basket. They sat there for years. Now I have exiled them to the laundry table next to perpetually unfolded clothes. They look lonely. No more juice spills or messy faces.

I know the June Eco Challenge has been over for a week now but I don't want to stop. I will try my hardest to not use paper towels but when friends come over and eat ribs what do I do? I don't think they will understand my greener ways and want a paper towel for the sauce on their faces.

Thanks for the challenge and the great blog.

Allison

Funny Video

(I really need to get my butt off this chair and do laundry or something productive. But I need to catch up on all my favorite blogs first.)

I was at Green and Clean Mom and she diverted me to DesignHER Momma who had the FUNNIEST video. I hope I never become this dad, poor Atticus, but I do catch myself thinking this way.

Now wasn't that much better than my dry post on CFL's?

CFL's: Good or Bad?

My friend (who is a democrat but not eco-minded) just sent me this video and it got me wondering if Compact Florescent Light Bulbs or CFL's are worth the effort. I am not saying I agree or disagree with the congressman. He just got my brain cranking. But I can say, I rarely trust republicans in matters of the environment.

We all agree CFL's save us money because over its life time it is more energy efficient than its counterpart, the incandescent bulb. We can also agree that in being more efficient they save greenhouse gas emissions from being emitted to our air. And not to mention, they are less effort to have in your house because you replace them less frequently. Therefore less driving to the store to buy them, thus even more saved greenhouse emissions.

BUT, they are made with mercury. If the bulb is broken it can leak mercury. Do you know what mercury does to a human if exposed? It is a neurotoxin that can affect babies and young children's memory, language and attention. (Not to mention what it can do to animals.) The glass that encompassed that mercury can have lead in it. Do you know what lead does to humans? It also can also cause neurological problems. That is why, when a CFL breaks, you MUST take special precautions to dispose of it.

And when the light burns out are you able to recycle it? Some locations do not offer this service or worse yet there are many people who don't care to recycle so that lead and mercury ends up in our land fills. And then into our soil, our air and waterways. Yummy, I didn't know mercury was a seasoning for fish. This is a HUGE concern of mine. Most people I know do not recycle CFL's, they don't care to or don't know how. (Yes, I let them know how, but that is all I can do.) What scares me also is the U.S. is looking to ban incandescent bulbs like Australia and Canada have already done. I am ok with that so long as EVERYONE recycles them. Oh, I forgot, most people don't do that.

So what do us Greenies and health conscience people do?

• Education. Do your homework. I know everyone reading eco-blogs, eco-websites, eco-books and eco-mags are doing their part. We need to help spread the word to recycle the bulbs the best way you know how.


• Buy the bulbs that boast less mercury and lead. Turolight and Philips both boast less mercury in their CFL's.


• Recycle them. Earth911.org can help you.


• Start a recycle drive. At school. At work. With your non-profit. Any group can help collect and recycle.


• Take them to IKEA.


• Contact your local government to find out if they are recycling. Call, email or look in yellow pages. If they don't recycle CFL's try to change their mind.


• You can also keep them until there is a hazardous drop off in your area or until better recycling of CFL is available.

Oh, did I mention most CLF's are made in China? The same country that poisoned our pets with contaminated pet food. The same country that makes most of our toys, made with lead. And then , of course, there was the toothpaste dilemma. Does China follow good human and environmental policies? We all know the answer to that. Is it worth it to contaminate China (and us for that matter) with coal (in manufacturing the bulbs), lead and mercury?

Just wondering....

What is your take?

Other Sources:

• Energy Star mercury fact sheet


• EPA- Basic Info on Mercury


• Lighter Footstep: 5 Ways to Recycle CFL's


• Global Alerts
  

One Local Summer: Week #2

I managed to stay away from eggs for dinner, barely. I found pork sausage from Lodi at the Thursday Antioch Farmer's Market. I emailed the most local ranch that sells beef and they have not returned the gesture. I will not give up my search for local meat.

My meals are simple, I usually don't like to cook and frankly I would eat cereal and local fruit all day if I lived alone. (I have a hubby and 2 kids.) This challenge is not only for the earth, it is for my health. It keeps me cookin'.

We had:

-Grilled Five Pepper Pork Sausage-Lodi, 44 miles
-Slightly steamed corn-Brentwood, 1 mile

-Slightly steamed broccoli and zuchini-farmers market, not sure how far but no more than 50 miles

The meal was perfect because we are now easily hitting over 85-90 degrees outside everyday. Gotta keep meals light and short for our summers.

Green Toons

Over at BurbanMom she is featuring an eco friendly cartoon called Heartwood USA. The kids are gonna love it! (There's a farting cow.) Now we can get them more involved without "nagging" them to do the right green thing.

Natural Facial Soap

I finally ran out of Noxzema. It was a little bitter sweet because I have been washing my face with it it for over 20 years, since I was a tween, you do the math. But my new found green calling has lead me to try more natural personal products. I was at the farmer's market yesterday and found Delta Moon Soapworks. The bar is made with the "Cold Press Method" with Aloe and Oatmeal and says it is "great as a facial bar." The woman selling the bath bars claims that everything is natural with no artificial colors, no phthalates and no parabens. I asked her if the soap was organic. Her answer perplexed me. She said, "There is organic and then there is natural. My bars are natural. I can't afford to make them organic. The bars would be $10." Isn't organic also natural? She made it sound like you had to choose one or the other.

Anyway, I did buy the bar because it is better than Noxzema, natural and local. Here is what's in it:

• Olive Oil


• Coconut Oil


• Goat Milk


• Glycerine (also spelled Glycerin)


• Aloe


• Ground Oatmeal


• Vitamin E

The only ingredient I questioned was glycerine. Off to Google I went. Google did not help. Wikipedia justs gives the facts, not if it is good or bad. (Unless you are a chemical scientist of some sort you can understand all the scientific names.) Treehugger, Alternative Consumer and The Environmental Working Group barely had anything to mention about glycerine. Does that mean if it is in my soap glycerine is ok? I also checked Burt's Bees and Kiss My Face to see if they noticeably excluded it as an ingredient, they did not. And lastly, I did google "organic, natural soap" to see if organic natural soaps exclude it. I stopped at 3 sites and none of them excluded glycerine. But they did boast their bath bars were "cold pressed" which made me feel better about how my bath bar is made.

So I will start tonight to wash my face with it. I will give it, say, a week to report back my findings.

I'm Like Bono

This post is only 20% green but I found it funny.

I have a Dogster page for my dog. Yes, for my dog. It is cute. I love animals and she is my favorite one. Anyway, I took a "test" about what kind of dog are you and I am a Golden Retriever. They are great dogs and I couldn't be more proud to be called Golden Retriever.

But, guess who else is a Golden Retriever? Joe Montana (my all time fav football player!), Julia Roberts (great actres), Robert Redford (Sundance Film and environmentalist) and Bono (do I even need to tell you his accomplishments?). I am in awesome company!! Can you tell I am excited?

So the only green part of my post was mentioning Redford and Bono. I think it could still qualify as green.

Frugality Keeps Me From Going Green

My green quest is in full swing now and I still have non-green STUFF IN MY HOUSE! Why? I can't waste it! Things like canned chili, Tide, paper towels, Teflon pans, my scrubby gloves for the shower, nail polish, Pantene, regular sugar, my carpet (which I want to change for other than green reasons), and so much more, you get the picture. Someone told me to freecycle or just give away the toxic cleaners but I can't because I know I will use them and dispose of them in a more earth friendly way. Some things are still good like my scrubby gloves. Oh, how I want to buy a natural loofah. I know I can give away the canned goods to a food bank but then what if there is an earthquake and I need food, I do live in the Bay Area and earthquakes happen here. The Tide is easy, I'll just replace that out whe it is gone. But I bought it at Costco so it takes literally 6 months to get through the huge amount.

This has become frustrating to me. I have made huge strides by buying used books, taking my own shopping bags, buying Sigg bottles, no phosphate dish soap in a recyclable container, buying local and organic foods, riding my bike more. I read other blogs and get jealous that they get to make their own shampoo, I am still waiting to use the rest of mine because somewhere in the green blogosphere someone said it is greener to wash your hair less often, so I do! Now I have this shampoo I don't want to use!

I can still do more. I will make my own bread. Yes, bread. That has been my goal for a while but I have been lazy, busy and a little scared. But I will go for it. Then I know I can get rid of more plastic from my life.

Nectarines Don't Belong In Your Backpack

I rode my bike with the kids today to u-pick nectarines. The trees were overflowing with fruit so much I wanted to grab all of them and take them home. But we only took 5 pounds worth because they were going in my backpack, I was riding my bike home and we were stopping for u-pick cherries next.

These very sweet, perfectly soft nectarines DON'T BELONG IN A BACKPACK. Withing 2 minutes they were leaking through my Acme Bag into my backpack. Now I know why they are called NECTARines. Luckly I bought a really good backpack so my shirt and back never got sticky and wet. Next time we will bring a hard plastic container.

That's not the end, but it is the worst. We get to the cherry stand and no more cherries for the season. WHAT? They just came into season, like, 3 weeks ago! What is with that? Or better yet WTF?

Get out there and get your fresh food. You never know when Mother Nature will turn on you. Ha Ha.

(The picture above is not mine, I forgot my camera today. Bummer.)

The Local Short List

'Tis the season to eat local. Summer is the easiest time to start eating local. What does eating local mean? There are many variations but generally to eat the food grown in your community.

And why eat local? Here is an abbreviated list to help you start. And below the list are the resources you can reference for more details.

1. More nutritious


2. Tastes better


3. Saves the earth


4. Keeps family farms in business


5. Preserves open space


6. Keeps money local


7. Supports good old fashion pride in your community


8. Teaches where food comes from


9. It is fun
   

Sustainable Table-Buy Local

Locavores

Guideline to Buying Local Foods

Buy Fresh, Buy Local

Carbon Free Dad's Day

When I made a search for "Green Father's Day" I found the results a little disturbing. Even the greenest sites were getting you to buy something for dad. Though be it an eco-kayak or solar powered charger for his cell phone, it is still a purchase of something that might have taken non-renewable materials and energy to make. And may not be recyclable or reusable. I am not saying don't buy anything for dad, if he needs it, get it. What I am saying is do your homework before you buy. Be sure the product is earth friendly. Renewable, Reusable, Recyclable. Remember: being green is about being frugal too. The less you buy, the less ends up in the garbage heaps.

Here are some alternatives:

• Donate to his favorite non-profit


• Plant a tree in his name


• Name a star after him


• Check his tire pressure, oil and fluids for him


• Give him a neck massage


• Send him to cooking or bar-b-q classes


• Make him a locally grown meal


• Go on a bike ride with him


• Do what he says-from turning off the lights to emptying the dishwasher


• If you must buy, buy vintage. Golfer? Find some old wooden golf clubs. Sports fan? Find old memorabilia.


• LOVE him. Show him you love him, that is the best gift.

Happy Green Father's Day!

Update on Challenges

I have 2 challenges this summer, no paper towels and eat one meal local every week.

I have been doing excellent at keeping the paper towels at bay. But my family is going through withdrawals. My husband asked where the paper towels were the other day and I told him flat out that I hid them. He just sat there quiet thinking, "well give them to me." I happily showed him the stack of rags he can use instead. He did and went on his merry way. My daughter actually started to grab a napkin (I can't break them of wiping their mouths with napkins or shirts for that matter) to clean her milk spill. And I directed her to the dish rag. I think I can get through eventually.

And I am finally mentioned in someone else's blog!!! But it wasn't for my witty writing or my outrageously interesting blog (ha ha), it was for a challenge. I am on the Farm to Philly blog under California for the One Local Summer Challenge. Scroll down and you will find me under California then Allison. Anyway, since then I realized that the meal does not need to be dinner, it can be lunch or breakfast. So yesterday I had scrambled eggs from Shelly's Garden with just salt and pepper for breakfast. (Sorry no picture of that meal, ya all know what scrambled eggs look like.)

So there, I am satisfied with meeting my challenges! Happy Green Day!

One Local Summer Week #1

This summer I took on the "One Local Summer Challenge" at Farm To Philly's blog. I assumed it would be easy here where much of the land surrounding my town is still farmed. And it would be. Except my husband put a wrench in my efforts. He didn't do it on purpose, he doesn't even know that I am in the challenge.

What happen was he wanted meat this weekend. And to top it off he was willing to cook it. How could I not accept his offer? So Saturday we had steak and tonight we are having chicken, both on the grill. Well, I still have not been able to find a local meat producer. I found veggies, fruits, nuts, honey olive oil and eggs but no meat. I have to confess, the meat is from the supermarket. But it was on sale, I couldn't resist that either.

Yet all is not lost on our meals with non-local meat. The sides and marinades are mostly local, right down to the olive oil used to baste the bird. The chicken was grilled with a marinade of olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, basil, parsley, and oregano (the last 3 from our garden.) And we are having baked potatoes from the farmer's market. Yesterday our grilled veggies were corn, zuchini, onion, garlic and herbs all locally grown. I did buy the red bell pepper from the market. It was left over from this week and I needed to eat it. And may I add (just so I don't get in trouble too much by breaking Farm to Philly's rules) the cherries, oranges and nectarines my daughter and I have been munching on today for snacks are all local, I even rode my bike to get the cherries.

My daughter enjoying her cherries just a little too much.

So I am sorry that the whole meal is not local. I do plan on making more than one meal a week local. I just had to learn a hard lesson-don't make the meal on the weekend when my husband wants meat.

Old Plastic Bag

My friend sells nutritional suppliments. Not long ago I bought some from her and she gave me some plastic bags with my order inside. At the time I was just starting to rid my life of plastic and/or not throwing it away. So I kept the plastic bag with all the others I don't want to throw away waiting for the day I may need them. That day came yesterday.

Summer is here and we camp. Which means we use coolers. Everytime we leave for the campground we have to make a last minute stop for ice at the convenience store. I hate this. Why pay for ice when I can make it at home for cheap and we have an outside freezer. (I know, very ungreen. But this year it will be full of frozen local fruits and veggies.) So I am starting to stockpile it. And in all those darn plastic bags I have left over. Hence the picture above.

I honestly can't think of any other way to store small ice except for in plastic. If there was no plastic I guess we would have to buy large blocks of ice and break it down. Great when you need to let off steam but bad when you are tired or in a hurry.

How do you "recycle" your old plastic bags?

Tomatoes

Right now I am happy to be growing my own tomatoes, even though I am only getting 1 or 2 a day. The Center for Disease Control has found Salmonella in some varieties of raw tomatoes in as many as 11 states. When last year's outbreak occurred I just didn't eat any leafy greens. But this time around I am so happy to have my own supply!

Above is a picture of my overgrown cherry tomatoes. I like to grow cherry tomatoes so I can just rinse and pop them in my mouth. When we bought this variety, the "Husky Cherry", I didn't realize they were a HUGE cherry tomato. I would say their diameter is about 1.5 inches. They are good to eat but a little messier because I have to bite them like fruit. And you know, I love the smell of the tomato leaves on my hands after I pick the fruit.

One Green Person

Yesterday my girl scouts and I planted terrarium gardens. I had the girls bring in clean jars and I supplied the rest. I wanted them to grow herbs and then after the summer break hopefully use the herbs to make a meal, maybe using veggies from local farmers will be used. I'll try. Here is my daughter's terrarium of chives. We planted the simpliest herbs-chives, basil, parsley and oregano. Now the girls are only in 2nd grade so I hope they remember to water their mini gardens. I am hopeful.

At the same meeting we finished using our cookie money. This last Sunday we celebrated our earnings at a place called Libby Lu's where the girls get all dressed up and have a fashion show, it was quite cute. Well, we still had some left over money so I suggested we adopt an animal from the Lindsey Wildlife Museum. They were very excited about it. We voted on the Great Horned Owl. We will have to visit our buddy next year.

I am not telling my Girl Scout story to pat myself on the back. I am telling my story because I want people to know that one person can make a difference. I hear a lot of people say that what could one person going green possibly help? Well, you can be an example, especially to the next generation. I don't force my green ways onto the girls or their parents. I teach a little about respect and conservation of nature and hopefully they can take this knowledge with them in life.

Hopefully growing basil from seed will want her to grow a garden. Or adopting and visiting an owl will make her think twice about littering where that animal lives.

Green Pot

I bought green pot! Get your mind out of your crazy teenage years. It was for my flowers. We recently bought a gazebo cover for our back patio and to liven up the patio with color I bought some pretty pink flowers (I couldn't find organic ones). So when searching for pots to put them in I wanted the most environmentally friendly. Earlier this spring we went with wood for our tomatoes and orange tree. But this time I was thinking more on the terms of recycled plastic or clay. I don't know much about clay except for the ones made in Mexico start to dissolve after a couple of years and leave rings on the surface beneath it. I have to admit I did not do my green research before I shopped so unfortunately I was ready to go home with whatever I found. But lucky for me I ran into this great sale! And better yet the pots were from Terracycle. But unfortunately the remaining pots were greatly discounted meaning Home Depot might stop carrying them. The pots are pretty and they look like the painted ceramic pots but when you pick them up they are a fraction of the weight. They are made from the plastic of computers and other business equipment. And hand painted by urban artists.

Email and IM with a heart

If you have Windows Live Hotmail or Windows Live Messenger you can make a difference by just communicating with your friends. A program run by Windows Live called the "IM Initiative" will donate a portion of its advertising revenue to a social cause of your choice off their list everytime you send an email or IM your friend. On the list are great organizations like Sierra Club, Unicef, American Red Cross and Ninemillion.org. Check it out. It is free and takes just seconds to join.

My personal email is through Hotmail. It literally took me 3 seconds to sign up. The hardest part was choosing the cause. I ended up choicing the Sierra Club but I felt like I was denying every other organization free money. To make up for it I'll go donate blood.

Mixed Greens

I had a good eco day today.

My Acme Workhorse 1500 bags came, don't you love the name? I love them already and haven't even used them. I should go grocery shopping to break them in! And my daughter got a Hello Kitty Sigg bottle, she thinks she is so cool now.

I finally listened to "More Hip than Hippie" with Val and Dori. I first heard of them on Green and Clean Mom's blog. I happily uploaded the last few days worth on my ipod, headed off to the gym and got a longer workout just so I could finish the segment. These gals are funny and informative. And they are out of Sacramento, I will have to meet these ladies some day.

I haven't killed my veggie garden. Actually my husband planted everything-tomatoes, beans, peppers, zuchini, cucumber, and watermelon-I just water them. But I can try to not kill an herb, Trader Joe's has these awesome basil plants for cheap right now, I may head over there to snag one. MMM...fresh pesto!

I picked, with very minimal help from my children, 5 pounds of boysenberries. MMM...they are going to taste great on top of French Vanilla Ice Cream!

I also ordered from Amazon three books. Silent Spring by Carson, The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Pollan and Organic Body Care Recipes by Tourles. I did order them used, one is even coming from the San Francisco Good Will. I am so excited to read Silent Spring and Omnivore's Dilemma, they come highly recommended.

One Local Summer

Green Bean is at it again. She inspires me to do things I have never done and maybe never would have thought of. First I am buying hemp flip-flops and now I am taking on the "One Local Summer" challenge over at Farm To Philly. The challenge is to make one meal a week from local produce from June 1 to August 31. Head over to Farm to Philly and sign up.
I have to admit eating local is a breeze for me. My community here, within 5 miles of my house, produces tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, nuts, corn, potatoes, plums, strawberries, plums, cherries, asparagus, olive oil, wine, fresh eggs, and the list can go on. I am very lucky! My biggest dilemna would be finding meat. But now that I know I can get eggs I guess frittata will be on the menu. AND there is always fishing in the Delta and lakes. My husband and I are also growing our own very small garden, hopefully we will get produce.
I know that I am boasting but I love living where I live. And I am thankful my community will still support the local farmers. Please bear with me while I get over my excitement.
So go sign up, you have until Sunday, May 25th! See you at the farmers markets!

I Had A Bad Eco Day

Yesterday was a bad eco day for me. No I didn't throw trash out the car window, let the water run all day or even let the A/C run all day. I went to Target with my friend AND took their plastic bags!!! Could I feel more guilty? (You have to know me, I was raised Catholic and guilt plays a big part in me being a good human.) Oh, the guilt as I walked out. I bought food like cereal, bread and whole wheat pasta, so that was not so bad. Oh, get this! They had a shirt that says "Go Green", so I went over to check it out. Made in Bangladesh, not organic, not recycled material and most likely made by a 10 year old. I am over it now and learned from my mistake. Two days ago I did order the Acme Workhorse ultra light bag from Reusablebags.com so I won't have any excuses when I shop.
If that wasn't bad enough I bought new books. My new philosophy is to avoid buying new books because of the natural resources that go into making a book. Buying used uses no new resources. I bought the books at my kids' school so it was for a fundraiser. I felt obligated to help the school.
On that same day I sent my son to school with lunch in a paper bag and non-recyclable plastic bags. By now I am feeling like this anti-environmental mom. BUT I had to send him with everything he can throw away because he was on a field trip.
THEN, to top it all off, my husband shows me his unrecyclable plastic fence to put around our organic veggies so the dog won't destroy them. And a new leaf blower! He was in a bad mood so I didn't want to even ask him why he can't just sweep up the leaves. I'll pick my battles.
I'm trying but some days just go downhill.

Republican and Global Warming????

I tend to keep politics out of my blogging but this site's supporter blew me away.

I was shopping on Simple Shoes thanks to Green Bean Dreams post. I wanted to read a little about the sites collaborations and they have one with StopGlobalWarming.org. I ventured to that site to find out that John McCain, let me repeat, John McCain is a supporter of StopGlobalWarming.org. Check it out! I know McCain has acknowledged global warming as fact but I never imagined him aligning himself with an environmental site. Or is he greenwashing? I know his environmental strategies are not as stringent as his democratic counterparts. But I can say it is nice to see a republican coming on board-somewhat.

This just proves that "green" can infiltrate anyone. And as I have been reading on other blogs, we all need to try our best to be green. Is this McCain's best?

Green Family

I've been noticing lately that my family is supporting my green efforts.

We are growing a small garden in the backyard and my husband noticed that some snails were eating our precious leaves. Before he grabbed the toxic powder he asked me if I had a non toxic alternative. I went to the internet for help and all I found was the beer trick and some copper band. Well, we didn't have any on hand. I did read that coffee grounds made good compost. AND snails don't like to crawl across textured surfaces. So hence, I thought I would try coffee grounds. They worked! It has been over 3 weeks and no snails. I was so happy he stopped to ask me first.

Today my son was given a plastic bag at his school book fair for 1 book. (I was not present or I would have said no plastic bag. Actually I would have tried to get the book used somewhere but it is a very new book and he gets so excited about reading I couldn't say no. It is very hard to tell your child no when the object will help him.) We got in the car and he apologized for getting the plastic bag. I was so proud that he knew that plastic bags are bad for the environment and that my actions are getting through to him.

I was so worried about my decision to green our lives that I would get rebellion from my family, especially my husband, but they seem to be embracing it. I am so proud. Actually, my husband has gotten more homemade meals lately because I try to eliminate most processed foods from our diets and I think he likes that. I am home more because I don't shop to buy anything we don't need so I have more time for family.

Falcon Follow-Up and Animal Advocacy

On Earth Day this year baby Peregrine Falcons were born San Jose, CA. The picture above is the most recent picture posted. (Courtesy of the Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group.) Aren't they cute? I prefer kittens and puppies but they grow up to be awesome birds. You can also watch them here. Maybe you can catch them having a rodent snack. (Hey, it's nature.)

These cute little guys remind me of a museum we just visited with my Girl Scout Troop named the Lindsey Wildlife Museum. If you live in the Bay Area this should be a place you take your little ones. It's a small museum and wildlife hospital. The birds and animals housed there cannot be put back into the wild for various reasons. It is a wonderful place to see predatory birds, small canines, other animals and, if you are lucky, a cougar! It was exciting to watch the cougar they had there. Unfortunately, her story is a very sad one. She was rescued from a horrible human who thought it would be fun to keep a wild cougar as a pet but when she got too big to handle the horrible human just chained her up. She was rescued years ago but is sentenced to a life of pens and boredom. The museum does their best to keep her healthy and busy. Most of her time is spent off grounds outside in a larger pen but they bring her in periodically for viewing. I feel bad for her but she is a great ambassador for her species. She is a magnificent animal and she reminded me to be vigilant when hiking.

I have always been a wildlife explorer. Wanting to save even the ground squirrel that everyone seems to ignore. Or the great whales that live in our oceans. The plight of the wolves in Montana I have followed. And now the polar bears and buffalo are having their day in the news. Going green was to next step to help our environment. I not only go green for my health and local economy but for the animals and plants that cannot speak.

More on Local Produce

Again, I am so excited to be moving forward on the green road. Yesterday I went to a local farmer that just opened their season recently called Tachella Farms. They carry some of their own veggies and fruits and local produce also. I was proud of myself for asking where her products came from. (I am a pretty quiet person and only talk when necessary, but my husband would say otherwise, ha ha.) I bought red potatoes from Stockton, oranges from Watsonville and honey from "somewhere off the 5 highway". I can accept Stockton and Watsonville, I have been to both towns, but "somewhere off the 5 freeway", I am not sure if I like that answer. I still bought the honey because the family I bought from is local and I wanted to support them but I will be on a quest to find a more personal and local bee keeper/honey maker. The woman behind the counter caught on that I was looking for local and firmly assured me, in a motherly way, that all she sells is local and wouldn't expect her customers to eat anything but local. I felt so comfortable with her that I asked her where I can get local meat. She mentioned a guy from Orland, CA (about 160 miles away from me) that sells his beef at our farmer's market so I will try him next time I hit the farmer's market.
I know that I never mention organic. I am working on that. I think I am a little scared to find out that I am going to have to work harder and maybe travel further to get it. I work in steps. Local first and if I have to buy from the grocery store then I buy organic.
Well, I gotta go pick strawberries. The first crop at Chan's will be coming to an end soon and want to pick a few pounds to last me through the summer. Hopefully, if weather permits, Chan's will have a late summer crop also. And I can go pick again!
Happy Eating Locavores!

Longs-Recycling

We went into Long's Drugs the other day to buy shoelaces. (Actually that doesn't matter.) Anyway, I noticed they had a battery and plastic bag recycle collection located just inside the doors. I thought I would just share this tidbit of knowledge. So if you live near a Long's Drug store you too can recycle those nasty batteries and plastic bags in one place.
I also noticed they had a huge section of organic beauty protucts like Kiss My Face and Burt's Bees. So when your not making it yourself, check out Long's.

My Farmer's Market is Open!

I went to the Brentwood Farmer's Market on Saturday. I was so excited to see it open. I have been on a quest to see if I could find a lot of my food locally. And I scored at the farmer's market.

• Fresh eggs from Shelly's Garden in Brentwood-my hometown
• Zuchini and cucumbers from Arata in Byron-next town over
• Lettuce, broccoli, carrots and potatoes from Garcia Farm in Hollister-about 111 miles away but still considered close to me
• Blueberries from Alpine Blue in Vacaville-56 miles north of me
• And sweet potato pie from Gran'ma Lillie's in downtown Brentwood

I also bought oranges which I forgot exactly where they came from. I believe they were from Allard farms in Westley, which is 45 miles southwest of me. Oh, the asparagus is of unknown origin to me also, but looking at the list of farmers on the market's website it was local also.

I am blessed to live here in the far East County of the Bay Area because we are very close to the main farming belt of California in the Central Valley. And Brentwood is known in the Bay Area as a farming community (well, after the SF Chronicle this weekend, we will be known as foreclosure central. I don't care, I enjoy raising my children here.) In July we will be up to our "ears" in corn and we will get a huge influx of Bay Area people coming for u-pick cherries, apricots, peaches and nectarines. Besides the heat, and I mean hot dry heat, I believe I live in a great place.

I am still looking for local cheese and meats. I will ask around to see if those exist within my area. But I live about 1 1/2 hours from Sonoma and Napa areas. I am going to look there for cheese. Where else would I look but in wine country for cheese. Actually Brentwood has a couple of wineries now. Come to think of it, we also have our own olive oil. Am I set or what? Now where can I find grain? I may have to just resort to the bulk section at Raley's.

Granola Bar Follow-Up

There's my first attempt at homemade granola bars. They were pretty yummy. I topped them with a little milk chocolate so the kids would want to eat them. And we ate all of them within 3 days. We did share them with my daughter's Brownie troop and I am proud to say they liked them too! They didn't even know they were getting wheat germ, almonds, oatmeal and sesame seeds. They just saw the chocolate and ate them up.
So now that I know the basic recipe I will attempt to add some peanut butter next time. Or maybe dried fruit.
Anyone that knows me knows I don't like to cook. I will try to get out of it anytime I can. For instance, last night I had a bowling alley hamburger because I was just lazy. With my new found knowledge (from books, websites and bloggers) I have been eating so much less processed, fried, genetically-inhanced, and toxic food that for one, the hamburger had almost no taste. Two, it had no nutritional value (well some). Three, I knew better. And, four, I am suffering for it today. So for me to be cooking my own food this often and putting this much effort into planning and making it, you can say this is a HUGE step for me. I am excited to say tonight's dinner is free range chicken kabobs with roasted organic potatoes and zuchini.
Thank you Robin for suggesting to read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. My eyes are opening to the beautiful bounty the seasons have to offer. (I know potatoes and zuchini are not in season but I bought them before I started the book so I have to eat them.)

Granola Bars

I am very slowly trying to eliminate plastic from my life. It is very hard. Here are my dilemmas:

• Deli meats and cheeses for our sandwiches come in plastic bags
• The kids' snacks come in plastic-no matter if I buy larger boxes with plastic liners or individually wrapped when I get lazy
• Bread comes in plastic bags
• Fresh fruit and veggies can come in plastic. When I pick out fruit or veggies I avoid the plastic bag but there are times it comes prepackaged like a 5 lb bag of potatoes or 3 lb bag of apples

There are other dillemmas but these are my most pressing. So in order to do my share for the environment I am trying to make my own food from scratch.

Hence, the title above "Granola Bars". I got the easiest recipe at Mother Earth News. I went to the local supermarket and bought the ingredients for granola bars. And they are smelling really good in the oven right now. The kids are hovering but I told them they have to cool.

But buying the ingredients, even in bulk, posed an issue. I still had to put the oats, sesame seeds and wheat germ in plastic bags. I will wash out those plastic bags and use them again for the next bulk purchase. Some of the other ingredients came in plastic bags that I really don't know how to reuse. Sometimes I wonder if it is worth it. Will making more from home help the environment?

Putting the environment aside I do know exactly what went into my granola bars. I also know that they surpass the store bought ones in nutritional value. My kids are going to get a healthy dose of fiber and other great vitamins and minerals. I would say that it was worth making them. And my house smells so good!

Later or tomorrow I will let you know how they taste. (I cheated a bit and bought some chocolate chips to melt and drizzle over the top.)

As for my other dillemmas. I am working on making my own bread. I am looking for a higher fiber recipe. And I would like to start the bread in the breadmaker and finish it in the oven. (So I'm lazy, this eco-friendly living can get tough.) I have also made my own tortilla chips, they were good. I want to try to make crackers like Cheez-its or Gold Fish. But I just don't know how to cut down on the deli meat and cheese issue. I can't grow my own chickens and turkeys.

If you have any solutions or suggestions feel free to leave them.

Mother Nature Must Be Angry with Me!

I love Mother Earth but she has been so mean to me for 3 weeks now! She keeps the pollen coming! Flowers and trees are pretty but doesn't she ever think about the poor souls who can't handle the allergens in the air? And then she adds the wind! Thanks MOM!

I thought we made trade-you stop polluting me with grass pollen and I stop polluting with you plastics and pesticides. What happen? She is not keeping up her end of the bargain!

I haven't been "normal" for 3 weeks and in the last week I have been suffering the worst. I am severely allergic to grass pollens and they grow, literally, like weeds where I live. I have taken everything OTC and they have stopped working. I have to lock myself up in the house and have missed my son's baseball games.

Stuffy nose, watery eyes, itchy throat and too much sneezing. I have always lived with pollen allergies but I haven't had severe symptoms like these for 7 years. I have on my team Benedryl, Sudafed, Visine AC, Saline Nasal Spray, Claritin, 4 Way Nasal Spray, Afrin, 4 boxes of Kleenex (Sorry, I won't use rags or hankies for this job. There is just too much snot.), and a shower every night.

I am looking to my organic and natural friends in the blogosphere to help me. What works? Is there anything natural that I can try to help alleviate my allergy symptoms? I tried to search but I didn't find much. I heard accupuncture helps. I have never done it but I am willing to try.

So thanks mom. But this only hurts you because I can't hang my clothes out to dry. Ha Ha!

Baking Soda Can Do What?

Sodium Bicarbinate. It almost sounds like a chemical we want to avoid. But if you are trying to be green and eco-friendly this is your best friend. It is baking soda. And with a little research, I mean barely any research, I found out that you can do everything but fuel your car with this stuff!
We all know you can deoderize your refrigerator and help bake your holiday cookies. But did you know it can also keep weeds out of cracks? Treat dandruff? Ward off diaper rash? Boost laundry power? Scrub away dead skin cells, even on your face?
Head over to the Arm and Hammer website to find out more and to signup for free e-newsletter and promotions. Reader's Digest has a list of things baking soda can do. And then I found a free web book that I have yet to explore more!
Oh, the things you can find in that little orange box!

Earth Day Gifts from Jose and Clara

Who are Jose and Clara? They are Peregrine Falcons that are new parents this morning! The pair has nested on the San Jose, CA city hall roof! The Santa Clara Predatory Research Group placed a nesting box on the roof for them and this morning 3 baby falcons were hatched! Watch them live here. (I am watching them eat right now, 10:28 am.)

Happy Earth Day!

Live In California? Sign This Petition

This August the residents in the San Francisco Bay Area will be aerial sprayed fumigating against the Light Brown Apple Moth. The chemicals in this spray are known to be toxic to humans. Please sign the petition to stop the spraying. And find more info at StopTheSpray.org.

Thanks,
Allison

My Book Dilemma

So I joined a book club. (I mean a wine drinking club.) And I love it! I don't read very quickly. Actually, let me say I never sit down to read a book and when I do it puts me to sleep. BUT I love to read. So our next book is Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time and I am so excited to read it! This is where my green journey begins...

I head over to FreeCycle, one woman has it but is reading it and no one else answers my request. I try Paperback Swap, nope not there. I try Swaptree, not to be found. Half Price Books (used book store near me), nada. I break down and look at Amazon and Target. Now, do I buy it used and worry about the waste in packing, money (about $10 with shipping) and gas to get it to me. Or do I shop Target and buy it for $8.25 new? I would drive there but I would also buy some necessities while there. Argh! Sometimes being green is complicated. Or should I even worry?

And then I forgot...I took a vow to buy nothing this month!

Maybe I will just wait until May.

Saturday Wrap-Up

Good Stuff I did:
-I joined GreenDimes.com mostly because I hate junk mail but I want to save trees also. And they will plant trees too!
-I put a link to my blog as a signiture on my email. I want people to see my blog and maybe travel around reading my favorites and hopefully they will begin thinking (and acting) green.
-I joined Sierra Club. I generally don't join organizations just because I am greedy with my $25 but they are a great organization. Thank you John Muir and Ansel Adams.
-I started to request my bills sent to me electronically.
-I continue to try to buy local and/or organic. Try Koala Krisp for the kids. My kids think they are getting the sugary cereal.
-I only bought toilet paper at Target. (I vowed to buy only what I need.) Oh, I'm a liar, I bought the kids some clogs I promised them I would next time in Target. Sorry environment, right now I can't let my kids down. But I did buy them slightly big so they will wear them longer.
-We started a garden of veggies.
-I used freecycle to give away some books and receive a book.
-I tried to hang more laundry to dry. But, wow, do those shirts get stiff!
-I carpooled the kids friends.

Bad stuff I did:
-I ate out with my friends and wasted plastic wraps and cups. I did use the plastic cups over and over but I am still leaving a bad enviro-footprint.
-I ate raisenettes. This is more of a health thing for me. But it was bad.

Basically I kept busy at home and didn't need to shop as much as I used to.

Buy Nothing (at the movies)

Over on Crunchy Chicken's blog she has challenged us to buy nothing for the month of April. And I am doing well. Target can live without me. BUT I went to the movies yesterday. Is that considered buying something? AND I bought Raisenettes. Will I be kicked out of my eco-circles for this?

I am a SAHM so I get "me" time during the week with my friends. We like to go to lunch or movies. If I don't do this I will go crazy on the weekends with my family. I try to stay green while I see my friends.

I have 3 vices, which at this time I will not give up but plan to in the future sometime. They are diet soda, Raisenettes (only at movies) and Ben & Jerry's Cookie Dough Frozen Yogurt. But I am even drinking soy milk. That is huge for me because I am a milk and cereal fan. And I have my kids trained to seek out the "O" for organic. They even read labels to look for sugar and fiber content. And we recycle.

So I am hoping that I can slip by the green police and go to the movies and enjoy my snuck in popcorn and raisenettes.

Organic and Plastics

Why are organic foods put in plastic wrap? I know that plastic keeps it clean and germ free but that plastic might end up back in the soil as a toxin which is exactly what organic is avoiding.

The more I try to be a green, eco-friendly mom the harder it seems to be on my brain!!! Argh!

Funny Farmer

I have quite a few farmers in the area but most have their stands closed until May, maybe late April. But one farmer sells starwberries early in the season and he also sells late in the season. Well, I heard he was open! The pleasure of buying local strawberries, and good ones at that, elated me. I was off to Chan's.

I arrive and the lady behind the counter has strawberries and to my surprise asparagus! I said one bunch of asparagus and one basket of strawberries. She proceeds to get the plastic bag. I said no to it that I live close so the produce will make it home. She grunts and knodds. I ask her if she grew the asparagus because I don't see it on the farm. She says, "no, but local". She knows the routine. And then she adds, "strawberry local". I soon figure out that she doesn't not speak english, just some broken farm lingo that gets the strawberries sold. I am laughing to myself now because I so badly wanted to ask if they are organic but figure I will save that for the next time.

Moral of the story: buy local, it's more fun.

My Follow Up with Plastic Bubble Wrap

In my previous post I mentioned I bought green items in the mail that were wrapped in non-green bubble wrap. I wrote to the company, ReusableBags.com.

Hello Reusable Bags,
I am a first time buyer of your site and I am very pleased with my items-3 Sigg bottles and "Plastic Bags Blow" bag. BUT I was concerned to see that you wrapped the bottles in bubble wrap before sending them off to me. I am fairly new to to recycling so please tell me that the bubble wrap you used is 100% recyclable. Your site teaches to stop using plastic bags yet you are shipping your items in plastic bubble wrap. This confused me. I thought for sure the packaging would be made of recycled paper. I can say that I am very disappointed in the fact you used plastic. I may think twice about purchasing from your site again unless I know for sure I can recycle the bubble wrap.
Thank You, Allison

Their response:

Allison,
Please realize that we are on the same page and as concerned about this issue as you are. We strive as a company to continually reduce our ecoimpact. We try to use minimal packaging, reuse packaging whenever possible, and research other alternatives, such as biodegradable packing peanuts. We've passed along your feedback will continue to work with our suppliers and fulfillment house to identify and use more eco-friendly packaging whenever possible.
Feel free to contact us with any other questions or concern. We really appreciate your feedback and are open to hearing any suggestions you may have for suitable packaging alternatives.
Sincerely,

This response does not help my situation. I don't think I will order from them again. I mean honestly, as a "green" company shouldn't they already have a eco impact plan set in motion and use biodegradable?
On a positive note, they responded within a day. I have dealt with companies that NEVER respond.
A+ Customer service
F Packaging

BYOB

"Bring your own bag" or "bring your own bottle", it doesn't matter. I have been bringing my own bags to shop for a while now but I just received my Sigg drink bottles that are 100% reusable and 100% recyclable. I am so excited to have them. No more plastic bottles!! And the Sigg bottles keep my drink cold longer. You can see the kids have their own also.



On a sad note, when I received my shipment the bottles were wrapped in PLASTIC BUBBLE WRAP! The site I purchased the items from is an advocate for ridding our world of plastic bags. Now tell me that I can at least recycle the bubble wrap! I don't know. I expect a site that is earth friendly to pack there items in recycled paper, not plastic.


I have emailed the company and hopefully they can redeem themselves to me. At this time I will wait to see if I hear from them to reveal the name of the site. But I can say they really disappointed me, I may not shop there again.



ly

Aaaah, Spring!

My orange tree is starting to bloom!

We have the typical small California backyard, but we like to garden a little. Some of our veggies and fruits need to be kept in containers like our orange tree we just bought over the winter. We planted it in a large half barrel that in its past life was a wine storage container. (Maybe our oranges will have a "oak taste with a touch of plum". Ha ha.) I have been watching the tree and it has had buds for at least a week so I have been waiting for it to bloom. This morning I walked past the tree and the aroma was heavenly!! The tree is in bloom and it is right underneath my kitchen window! I am so excited! If you can I highly suggest having an orange tree, the fruit is great and the aroma from the flowers is even better! It is my favorite.

This will be my first attempt at any vegetable gardening. I grew up in Los Angeles with a tiny backyard. My mom had a very small garden of roses and random plants. But nothing edible. My husband grew up in Michigan on 2 acres and anticipated spring for more reason than I can list but I know he looked forward to the planting of veggies. He loved to plant cucumber, tomatoes, zuchini and peppers. I never had the interest. But this year is different, I decided to go green. So now after all these years my husband will be happy I am joining in on his quest for fresh and pesticide free veggies and fruit.

I am thinking of trying the organic fertilizer and composting. But I know almost nothing of growing plants except to water them. Wish me luck. I will need it.

A Greener Walmart?

OK, I am not the biggest advocate for Walmart. Personally I feel their stuff if cheap in every sense of the word. And there is a list as long as my arm of reasons why NOT to shop at Walmart. But are they trying to go green? I know it is the "almighty dollar" pushing their reasons for carrying green items but at least they are doing the right thing-finally. Check it out here. I may go get myself a free bag, as long as it doesn't say Walmart on it. Most likely it does.

The one good thing about this campaign is that Walmart does reach millions of people, maybe more people will get the green message and try to help our planet.

Happy April Fools Day

My blog post today has nothing to do with April Fool's Day but I thought I would wish everyone Happy April Fools Day anyway. But today is my dog Maggy's birthday, she is 3 today! And she has pledged to go organic, ha ha. She eats organic food now too! She is trying out Natural Balance Organic. And actually I think she likes it more than her old dog food. She is actually better than I am. I still cheat and go to Starbuck's every so often.

I am starting to get frustrated, though. I am in the bathroom this morning and I want so desperately to get rid of the shampoo, lotions, make-up and cleansers I have there but so many are near full because I not only want to be organic but I want to be frugal. I can't just pour the shower cleaner down the drain. I guess I will wait and finish it off, which may take me a year, and then clean the bottle out really well and replace the cleanser with vinegar and water.

And the same goes for my personal hygiene products. The shampoo is new and full because I don't wash my hair everyday and I use a very small quantity. I am dying to try Burt's Bees or other organic brands but it will be a while. I wonder if I can convince my hairdresser to switch?

Oh! I just want to feel good about what I use and I can't yet! I can replace my feminine products (sorry for being so personal with this subject). That is one product I have no control over the quantity I use. I was reading Allie's Green Answers (not me) this morning and I am glad because that time will be approaching soon. Her subject was which tampons were the safest. I will try her suggestions.

The Story of Stuff

I was just thinking that today would be a day I just don't feel like writing. I am not in the mood. But I came across a great website called "The Story of Stuff". Now I am assuming that most of you have read it but I just found it and I am new to being green. But it's always good to recycle, even if it is just a website. Check it out.

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

Thinking Green?

There are so many resources out there to help me go green, from books to websites to blogs to magazines. I loose track of some of the basics at times. So I created a sister site that does one thing, it lists all the ideas I have compiled that are simple and easy to follow and make your world a little greener.
Check it out at Thinking Green Ways. Feel free to leave your own tips in the comment section.

Plastic Bags Blow!

FreeCycle It!

Don't just recycle or donate, FREECYCLE your things! This is so neat! This is how it works:

1. Say you have an old DVD player that you don't want anymore. You go to the FreeCycle Website and look for a freecycle group in your area.

2. Sign up for the group.

3. List your item for free and if someone wants it you give it to them. For free!

Ok, I know you say, "well, I can just give it the Salvation Army". Yes, you can but the beauty of these groups is you get to GIVE directly to the recipient. And if you need something you can search or request it and get that item for free. The key if "free" and recycle of course.

I looked at my local FreeCycle group and there are things like moving boxes (do you know how expensive those are!), "an almost full 12 pack of Coke" (heh?) and supermarket coupons. Now, the Salvation Army won't take stuff like that. But if I was moving I would jump on the moving boxes.

Try it out.

RSS Feed?

Oh My Gosh. I finally know what RSS Feed is! And I have it on my blog. Now all I need are readers. Ha Ha. If you are one of my readers then please subscribe to me feed.

Thanks.

Plastic Bags Blow!

My Newest Purchases

Well, on my quest to be greener I not only purchase things I believe will help but I also try to consume less. I was walking through Target yesterday and the store has a $1 section. Well, I usually buy some little trinket from this section for my kids and surprise them when I pick them uo from school. BUT there goes my eco-conscience kicking in and said no because that plastic toy is not recyclable and it will just end up in a trash heap somewhere and poisen the ground. WOW! All those thoughts over a $1 toy! So my logic at that point was that the kids not only don't need the toy but I can save money this way! Cool! And turning off lights, unplugging electronics, taking shorter showers, planting drought resistant plants, no more zip locs, using the back of paper to write notes, take myself off bulk mailing lists and I have more to learn. Well, actually I am spending more on organic so hopefully this will all even out.

I am having fun doing this. Most people don't care, but I can tell you even over the last 4-5 days I have had more energy and I feel happier. When ever I feel like throwing in the towel I just picture Yosemite with plastic bags everywhere and I get steamed! So I go back to my eco-conscience.

Saturday

So I am reading some past posts from a family at Greener Beings and I don't think I can follow being as "green" as they are. I mean, at this point I can get rid of the plastic bags, buy local and organic, make my showers shorter, recycle my cell phone and ride my bike more. BUT I am not getting rid of my Diet Pepsi, that's just happiness sabotage!

Not to mention that family has young boys, like 5 or something. Wait until he gets to be 8 and wants toys that are not wooden any more. (They try to buy wooden toys for their boys.) I mean they can go to a thrift shop and buy a used bike or scooter but what about that toy that was just released in November and their son just has to have it?

I am not critisizing at all, I am questioning to be enlightened?

It was so funny. In one of the posts the mom says she goes to the supermarket and is shopping through "eco-eyes". It is true! I do that now. I went to buy cereal and not only do you want it organic but is it stored in recycled cardboard? Or is it in a large plastic bag that can't be recyled? When you buy anything now you look for "recycled", "organic", where it was made, does it have funny chemicals in it? When you start to challenge yourself to be greener it is truelly a challenge. Our lifestyles here in the US do not compliment nature.

Taco Bell

Crap! I ate Taco Bell today. Could it be more shameful? And I usually enjoy but today I did not enjoy it. I think this time it could have been mind over matter. My stomach said I was hungry, I was out shopping and BANG! the thought to go to Taco Bell was in my head! AND IT WOULD NOT LEAVE! I said I would try to be healthier. Can I be healthy 80% of the time?

I mean today I also bought lunch containers that are recyclible so I don't buy plastic bags over and over, I bought recycled paper towels and fish oil for the Omega-3. I also bought free range chicken and used my own bags at Trader Joe's. Now does that count me in as a partial Tree Hugger?

Black Beans for Dinner?

So on my quest to be healthier and more organic I need to rid my cupboard of old foods. I found a can (which I recycled) of black beans from Trader Joe's mixed it with diced tomatoes, basil, garlic salt, diced onions, salt and pepper. I would rather go more fresh with fresh garlic and onions but I am being lazy today. It tastes ok. But placed with steamed broccoli and yellow squash will it fill me up--no meat!

I am not as good as it seems. Last night I scarfed down delivery pizza and Dreyers Mint Chocolate Chip. I did have oatmeal for breakfast with limited sugar and a free range turkey with flour-free bread sandwich. BUT I finished off the last of the Honey Nut Cheerios while watching Oprah this afternoon.

I am trying. This is good for me. I usually eat a lot of sugar everyday, it is hard to come off that sugar need.

Wish me luck....

Motherhood

Oh My Gosh! You gotta see this! I discovered this website last year and it is so funny! But you have to be a mom to believe.

http://inthemotherhood.msn.com/

Why Organic?

Because my conscience tells me so. I was raised Catholic so my heart and mind run on guilt. (Ha Ha) But seriously, I do feel the need to eliminate most toxins, pesticides and chemicals out of MY body. The organic foods are available to me at my supermarket and I am very lucky to live in the Bay Area where organic is "the Thing" to do. I also live in a farming community outside of mainstream city life so I have excellent farmers I can buy crops from every spring an summer.

I gotta tell you though it is still hard to go organic. The prices cost more. I am already paying $3.59 for gas! ( I am working on getting a hybrid, but those cost more also) And in the Bay Area my mortgage is higher. And I am a stay at home mom (SAHM).

BUT I was just reading an article stating that in the long run you save money. Think about all those pesticides-THEY ARE USED TO KILL ANIMALS! What do you think it does to humans, we are animals. So later on when I have no breast cancer or brain disease I won't have to spen thousands on treatments and I will be free of disease.

So I am going to eat my organic oatmeal with my fair trae coffee, go to the gym, buy Klean Kanteens for everone in my family, take in some omega-3 and try my best to be organically healthy.

Tips for Helping the Environment and Me

*Fair Trade coffee-no pesticides and chemicals
*Eat locally- driving the food long distances causes more pollutants in the air
*Eat less meat and have it organic
*Eat as close to nature as possible: if you can't pronounce the ingredients, it can sit on a self for a long time or you don't know all the ingredients then avoid putting it in your mouth

I Can't Last!

OK, so I am hungry! Eating healthy is hard. What do I snack on? I guess I will have an organic orange, an organic brown rice cake with almond butter and a lime mineral water. Does that sound right?

I am confused about my drinking water, though. Do I drink the soft water from the sink? The bottled water? I have been reading a bit and what I am finding is to eliminate the soft water and drink from the tap. Oh, it is so horrible tasting! How do I get natural spring water with the appropriate minerals?

Turning Green?

Today I bought a magazine and 2 books about living better. Living better in a greener and less stressful way. I wonder if I can do it? I want to live a long happy life. Right now I am 36, married and have 2 kids. I live healthier than "normal" Americans, meaning I don't eat much fast food, I workout and I recycle. But I am 20 pounds overweight and I really like a good In-N-Out hamburger.

Can I eat more veggies or even cut out eating meat most days? Can I go green? Can I cut out plastics? Can I save more water? Can I really go organic? Can I afford to accomplish this?

I started here:
Secrets of Longevity by Dr. Maoshing
365 Ways to Live Green by Diane Gow Mcdilda
Natural Solutions Magazine
http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/
http://greenerbeings.blogspot.com/

Hopefully I can get off to a good start. I already decided to use and reuse my cloth grocery bags I bought and request no bags for small items.

But wow! Is organic milk really expensive!