Trash Round-Up Challenge

A great way to reduce your own personal trash is by keeping track of your trash, documenting it somehow, and looking at your list of sorts and deciding what/how you can reduce how much trash you throw out!

Many people on different green blogs do this - they document their weekly trash, share with readers, and it is a great way to just lay it out there. Actually seeing what you toss out really does help! And also take into account your food waste. The more we see how much food we toss out the more conscious we will be (hopefully) of only taking enough food so that you don't waste it.

If I am good about it, I will share my weekly trash with you every week or as much as I can.

And for more Wasted Food reading check out one of my favourite blogs "Wasted Food". Jonathan writes about wasted food in America and around the world! Definitely a great read.

Things You Should Avoid Buying

I found this list of "Things You Shouldn't Buy. EVER!"

Many of the things are no-brainers and I am already doing my best to avoid. Some things have accidentally slipped into my life here and there, and I 'repent' as much as I can when this happens. I'm trying to think of others things to add to it - there are lots but I am having a bit of a brain fart at the moment. One thing I will add in right now is SODA. Diminishing soda from your purchases is a great way to reduce your plastic and aluminum waste - and you get to lose weight from not having as much sugar in your diet!

Things on the list that may be a bit tough for me is hair conditioner. Still working on making my own shampoo and conditioner. I will keep you posted on that mission. Same with make-up.

And I bring you the list (slightly edited here and there)

Things that you shouldn't buy. Ever.

Styrofoam products - Styrofoam isn't biodegradable and will stay in that landfill forever! Opt for reusable, compostable, or recyclable products.

Paper Towels - A waste all over the map. It's money that you don't have to spend, and trees that don't have to be cut down. Buy reusable and washable hand and dish towels instead.

Incandescent light bulbs - They're inefficient and waste energy in the form of heat. Try buying compact fluorescent light bulbs, which might cost a little more upfront, but last longer and can end up saving you $30 to $36 over the life of each bulb.

Conventional Household Cleaners - These products can contain hazardous ingredients Instead, look for nontoxic, vegetable-based, biodegradable cleaners or make your own green cleaning products.

Plastic Utensils - They aren't biodegradable and not recyclable in most areas.
Instead try using compostable food service items. Or always have spare reusable utensils on you or at work to use instead.

Disposable Batteries - Batteries contain heavy metals that can leach into the environment. Instead invest in rechargeable batteries and an electric- or solar-powered battery charger.

Bleached Coffee Filters - Dioxins, chemicals formed during the chlorine bleaching process, contaminate groundwater and air and are linked to cancer in humans and animals. Look for unbleached paper filters or use reusable filters such as washable cloth filters.

Industrially Raised Beef - Industrial cattle operations are energy-intensive, rely on antibiotics and an unnatural corn diet, and generate polluted runoff and large quantities of methane, a greenhouse gas. Limit your intake of beef and choose meat from sustainably raised, grass-fed cows.

Hair Conditioner - Many hair conditioners contain ingredients like sodium benzoate, benzyl alcohol and tocopheryl acetate that can be toxic or potentially carcinogenic. Try using natural oils like olive, safflower or jojoba instead.

Chemical Pesticides and Herbicides - American households use 80 million pounds of pesticides each year. The EPA found at least one pesticide in almost every water and fish sample from streams and in more than one-half of shallow wells sampled in agricultural and urban areas. These chemicals pose threats to animals and people, especially children. Buy organic pest controllers such as diatomaceous earth.
Plant native plants and practice integrated pest management and plant flowers and herbs that act as natural pesticides.

Excessively Packaged Food and Other Products - Excess packaging wastes resources and costs you much more. Around 33% of trash in the average American household comes from packaging. Buy products with minimal or reusable packaging or buy in bulk and use your own containers when shopping.

Cling/Saran/ Plastic Wrap - Many people don't realize that cling wrap may be made with PVC. #3 PVC (polyvinyl chloride) leaches toxins when heated or microwaved and it is an environmental problem throughout its lifecycle. Instead store things in reusable containers.

Beauty/Body Care with Phthalates and Parabens - Phthalates are a group of industrial chemicals linked to birth defects that are used in many cosmetic products, from nail polish to deodorant. Parabens are preservatives used in many cosmetics that have been linked to breast cancer though more research is needed. Phthalates are not listed on product labels and can only be detected in laboratory tests. To be safe, choose products from companies that have signed on to the Compact for Safe Cosmetics.

High Octane Gas than You Need - Only one car in ten manufactured since 1982 requires high-octane gasoline. High-octane gas releases more hazardous pollutants into the air, and may be bad for your car. Instead, buy the lowest-octane gas your car requires as listed in your owner's manual. You can also try making your next car purchase a hybrid. Or ditch the car and take public transportation, ride a bike, or walk.

Teak and mahogany - Every year, 27 million acres of tropical rainforest (an area the size of Ohio) are destroyed. Rainforests cover 6% of Earth’s surface and are home to over half of the world’s wild plant, animal, and insect species. The Amazon rainforest produces 40 percent of the world’s oxygen.Look for Forest Stewardship Council certified wood. Try to reuse wood, and buy furniture and other products made from used or salvaged wood.

Farm Raised Salmon - Several studies, including one performed by researchers at Indiana University, have found that PCB's and other environmental toxins are present at higher levels in farm raised salmon than wild salmon. Pregnant women, women of child-bearing ages, and children should be very careful when choosing fish due to high levels of environmental toxins including mercury found in many fish.

Anything Made with PVC - Polyvinyl chloride, used in everything from shower curtains to residential siding to toys and upholstery, sometimes contains phthalates (to make the plastic softer) that act as endocrine disruptor's, which interfere with normal hormonal development. Buy products made with natural fabrics and sustainably harvested woods instead.

High VOC Paints and Finishes - Volatile organic compounds or VOCs can cause health problems from dizziness to lung and kidney damage and are infamous for polluting both indoor and outdoor air. VOCs are found in products including paints as well as finishes used for wood, such a stains or varnishes. There are now a wide array of low or no-VOC paints on the market. Look for paints certified by Green Seal, or look for natural paints made by green businesses.

Rayon - Developed and manufactured b y DuPont as the world's first synthetic fiber, it is made by from liquefied wood pulp. Unfortunately, turning wood into rayon is wasteful and dirty, because lots of water and chemicals are needed to extract usable fibers from trees. Only about a third of the pulp obtained from a tree will end up in finished rayon thread. The resulting fabrics usually require dry cleaning, which is an environmental concern as well as an added expense and inconvenience.

shut down

Many of us forget to turn off our computers after we use them but, just like turning off the lights when we leave a room or unplugging appliances that aren't being used, you should make turning off the comp second-nature! It's a very simple task that helps conserve energy, helping Mother Earth, and you can save a few bucks down the line through your energy bills!

I've been really good about shutting off my laptop, or putting it on standby, along with unplugging it when I am done fiddling around on the internets. My work computer on the other hand? I admit I sometimes leave it on because I sometimes log on to my work comp from home to finish a few things now and then. I know, I know! Leave work at home! Which I should keep telling myself so that I can also turn the work computer off when I leave. And co-workers, if you're reading this, I know many of you are guilty of this, too!

So everyone, turn off your work computers when you leave and do the same with your home computers.

And, as an added bonus...

My good friend, Jason Kaminsky (along with his group @ Stanford University) have started a group/project called TOT for tots. TOT (a.k.a Turn Off Tool) is a program you can download to your PC that helps remind you to turn off your computer when you're done using it! They have specially created this tool for kids so that they can learn the value of turning off the computer early on!

Just visit www.turnofftool.com and download the program. Once installed, simply click the picture of the sleeping moon and the computer hibernates or shuts down. See? Easy peasy.

Get 'em while they're young, I say! But really, it's important to get kids excited, informed, and interested about green living at an early age, and now with many kids using computers early on this simple add-on should be a no-brainer!

cotton-less

I ran out of cotton balls a couple months ago but have been wary to purchase a new batch. I mainly use the stuff to apply toner to my face so I had to stop using that for a bit, too. Then I decided to just use a washcloth as a cottonball substitute. I mean, it's made of cotton, too, so why not? Plus, this means less trash when it comes to my toiletries and I can just wash and re-use the rags. So far it's been working well. I dab some toner on the cloth and dab it on my face. Refreshing indeed. Yes, I know I probably shouldn't be using the toner but I am going to finish what I have and find a substitute of sorts when it's time to cross that bridge.

I've also given up painting my nails due to my lack of cottonball action but I may just go full out and say no to polish all together. A few less chemicals for me to deal with, right?

Happy Bike-To-Work Week!

May is National Bike Month and this week (May 12th to 16th) is National Bike to Work Week so saddle up and start peddlin', folks! Thankfully I bought my bike on time and have been riding to work as much as I can and I am loving every minute of it! I'm becoming an addict...5-6 miles each way...and I'm starting to brave traffic more and more. My co-worker has even started biking to work now, too! We should really start a bike gang now...him dressing in sharp riding knickers and shoes that click into his pedals; me with my matching bike helmet, stylish cape, and basket lined with flowers.

Reasons why you should bike to work this week (and everyday for that matter):

• It’s Healthy! Great exercise without setting foot in a gym! Think of all the calories you'll burn...and how much happier your heart will be.

• It’s Economical! With gas prices rising towards the $5 mark, think about the money you'll be saving.

• It’s Environmentally Friendly! Mounting your bicycle to work reduces your carbon emissions. Did you know that if you drove a Toyota Camry and lived 9 miles from work, you would reduce emissions pollutants by 908 lbs year by biking one day a week?

one lump or two?

I try to avoid the stirrers at coffee shops or my work kitchen at all costs so how to i get my sugar mix on? Ok, what I like to do at work when I want to drink tea is put the sugar into my cup and adding the water afterwards serves as an automatic mixer! Same with coffee...just add my sugar into my cup first then pour the coffee in! Instant mixing! Do the same with your cream.

And when you're heading into a Starbucks or Coffee bean? Add the sugar into your reusable cup before you hand it over to the barista (and alert them so that they don't rinse out your cup or dump it out). Saves you a wooden mixer stick use.

ice, ice baby

Before you toss out those leftover ice cubes from your glass, conserve water and put those cubes to good use. Rather than toss them in the sink put them into your planters. No water waste and you'll be a good plant parent! Do the same with the leftover water from your glasses. Just pour it all out into your potted plants or your garden.

Junk in the Trunk?

Got junk in the trunk? If so, start clearing out the non-essentials stat! The more unnecessary cargo you're hauling, the more gas your car consumes. Not very fun on your wallet especially with the skyrocketing fuel prices lately. So what are you waiting for? Unload the junk and reduce fuel consumption (along with keeping your bank account happy). All the more reason to finally tackle the trunk clutter, right?

The Push and Pull

Did you know that one gas powered lawn mower emits as much exhaust as 40 idling cars in traffic (in an hour time span?) That is pretty shocking if you ask me! Go back to basics and opt for a push lawn-mower for your grass trimming needs. Modern reel mowers are:

- easier to push now
- light
- dust and exhaust-free
- quieter (goodbye mower noise-pollution that has woken me up many mornings)
- a great way to recycling your lawn trimmings into automatic mulch
- maintenance free
- better for your grass (I read somewhere that rotary mowers tear your grass while reel mowers cut the grass like scissors)

Here are some reel mower strategies:
1. Walk at a nice, comfy, and steady pace (Steady....steady now)
2. Overlap your rows b/c this will make it easier to maneuver through the grass
3. Don't let the grass grow too tall, don't want to overwhelm your new toy
4. Mow your lawn earlier or later in the day during warmer temperatures.
5. If you're a hot boy, mow shirtless...the ladies will love it! (meow)

Be Green, Eat Better!

Along with being stricter with my shopping habits I'm excited to get back to being stricter with my diet! Think about it. Many processed foods and ready made meals come in so much packaging whether it be plastic, paper, Styrofoam, glass, etc. These foods are often wrought with preservatives, additives, salt/sodium, refined sugars, fats, and the list goes on. Plus, consider how much energy is going into processing these processed foods.

Cutting back on processed and packaged foods means less sodas and sugary juices, less boxed instant sodium-filled foods, less junk foods, less starches and bad carbs, and more fresh fruits and veggies, foods whose ingredients you can control by using sea salt, fresh herbs, grains, etc.

It's great because I am taking the time to prepare my own meals, experiment with recipes, and having fun making things from scratch. More time getting creative when I get home rather than wasting away in front of the TV (which means more time for it to remain unplugged!). And if I wanted to cut down my energy use even more, I make raw meals like salads and enjoy fruit as a dessert! Then I can sit at my dining table with my deelish dinner and catch up on my reading of the latest GOOD magazine I got in the mail!

So start small and think about your next grocery list. What can you cut back on? What fresh foods can you throw into the mix? How can you get creative with radishes? (I just bought a bunch and have no idea how to prepare them yet).

Less packaging! Less processed foods! Less weight! (Healthy, of course)


[Photo from healthline.com]

The Last Straw

Just say no to straws! Is it really necessary to sip your drink through a straw when it is perfectly fine to drink from the cup? Everytime I go to restaurants I see waiters and waitresses with apron pockets full of straws and I think of all those straws being used and then tossed into the garbage after every table is cleared. It's been easy so to refuse the straw altogether when my drink is brought over but it's tough when they already put the straw into the drink for you with the little bit of paper on the tip (you know what I'm talking about). So I think I just need to be better at letter them know right off the bat that I don't need straw once I give the waiter/waitress my drink order.

The coffee stirrers at work? I have my own spoon from home that I keep in my desk drawer that I use to stir in my sugars into my teas. Sometimes if I am in a bind I put my sugar into my ceramic cup first then I pour in the liquid. Instant mixing! Silly, I know, but hey, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, n'est pas?