Looking Back on 2008

As I look back over the past year, I am absolutely amazed by how far Ben and I have come on our quest toward sustainable living. Our lifestyle is much different than it was just a few months ago. This is inspiring to me as I look forward to a new year. Many steps toward sustainability seemed far out of my comfort zone when I started them. With practice, however, they've become normal.

In that vein, I think our three largest lifestyle changes this past year have been as follow:

1. Organics: We took the Mission Organic 2010 challenge and just kept going. Now we buy about 90% of our groceries organic. We've also made commitments to organic clothing, which greatly reduces our impulse purchases.

2. Plastics: We use cloth shopping bags almost exclusively now, and we've eliminated the vast majority of plastics in our kitchen, including plates, bowls, cups, spatulas, tupperware, etc. We're starting to eradicate the plastics in the rest of our house (BPA-laden toothbrush bristles will be the next to go!).

3. Driving: Our progress in this category is far from complete, but we are much better than last December. Ben carpools to work, I bike to my volunteer job, and we both really think before just getting in the car and going. We've cut down on our driving around town, and we've taken most of the excess weight out of our cars (car mats, CD cases, ice scrapers -- in FL). When we do drive, we've been learning to incorporate some of the basic tenets of hypermiling.

We still have plenty of room to grow in each of these categories and will actively work toward becoming better in these ways.

I issue you a challenge. If you are can only commit to a few new sustainable behaviors this coming year, I encourage you to consider one or more of those listed above. These are excellent beginning steps toward making your lifestyle more sustainable, happy, and healthy.

Eco Fashion Sale

Considering it's so soon after the holidays, most of us probably don't need anything right now. However, if you've been needing a new work outfit or if your jeans are getting kinda holey, now is a great time to look at what Green Loop has to offer. Through Jan. 11, they have a wide range of organic and otherwise eco-friendly clothing and accessories (including shoes) on sale 50-60% off.

If you need new clothing and consignment is not an option, the next most eco-conscious option is sustainably grown and manufactured items. Check them out.

Luggage

Traveling for the holidays? Remember to keep your vehicle as light as possible. The less weight your car/plane has to tow, the less gas it must burn. Take only as much luggage as you really need, down to the outfit. No one riding in your back seat? Leave your floor mats at home. In fact, your own weight greatly impacts your mileage. Just another reason to loose some weight!

So, empty out your car, and think before you pack!

Biking as Political Statement

Biking is a fun, healthy, and sustainable hobby that anybody in suburban, urban, or rural areas can enjoy. Perhaps more importantly, though, biking is a political act. Biking to go to a friend's house speaks to people in your neighborhood; biking to go to work speaks to people at your work site; biking to go to the grocery store sends a message to your community at large.

Biking is a political act in the US, and especially in suburbia, because of America's historical love-affair with the single-user, gas-based vehicle. Treating your bike as a means of transportation, not just a child's toy, provides lookers-on with an alternative to the system that brought us a system of sprawl, pollution, and loss of community. To many riders, bikes carry symbolism of the economic and lifestyle system we must create in the face of "peak everything."

You're right: riding your bike is not as fast or easy as driving your car on errands or to work. But try biking to the grocery store just once a month and see how it goes. Then bike to work with a friend once a week. You'll steadily get more in shape and gain confidence in your lifestyle choices. Biking will STILL not be as fast or as easy as driving, but it will be more satisfying than driving ever was. I promise you that.

Once you are more comfortable biking, you may wonder how you can make the transition to biking as transportation easier and more fun for those around you. Simple: ride more often, and ride with friends! Doing these simple things raises community awareness of alternatives to a system that doesn't really make anyone happy. If you live in or near a larger metropolitan area, consider joining a "Critical Mass" ride. These once a month group rides on major roads work to assert bikers' rights to the roadway. Remember, you have all the same rights to use the road as a car driver does. (Of course, all the same traffic laws apply to you, too.)

In fact, riding more often and with more people also helps in a very concrete and measurable manner. The more bicyclists on the road, the fewer injuries bikers incur. It's all a matter of raising awareness and teaching your community to watch for bicycles on the road, not just other cars. [Just for fun, check out these videos put out by Transport for London that illustrate this point about not noticing what you're not looking for.]

Remember, your personal lifestyle decisions effect much more than just your life. In transportation, as in so many arenas, "The personal is political."

Image from http://opensource.boxwith.com/archives/old%20bike.jpg

The Chemistry of Gift-Giving

Scientists doing MRI work on the human brain have found out some interesting things about the release of dopamine and oxytocin. What they've found, in short, is that adults get more pleasure from giving gifts than from receiving them. Children, on the other hand, get more pleasure from receiving gifts than giving them. Read more about the science and experiments here.

What does this have to do with sustainability? Knowing how to maximize pleasure from your holiday (or birthday) gift lists produces a more efficient use of material resources, thus making your gift-giving more sustainable. Why require the consumption of vast amounts of physical resources and energy production if your recipient isn't going to get a large amount of joy from your gift?

In that spirit, this Tree Hugger article lays down four suggestions for the most joyous use of gift resources.

1. "Children should never give gifts to adults - [K]ids get little joy from giving gifts, and adult receive little joy in receiving them. Why waste the planetary resources on creating the physical object? Forget these gifts." Instead, to incorporate a habit of giving rather than just greed and consumption in your children, consider asking them to volunteer with a charitable, educational, environmental, or non-profit organization for a few hours as their gift to you. In this way, children are learning to give back to the community and giving a gift that doesn't require any physical resources at all.

2. "Adults should always give gifts to children - Clearly, this is dopamine all around; adults enjoy giving, and kids enjoy receiving." This does not, of course, mean that you must give children store-bought or environmentally-damaging gifts. Hand-made, second-hand, or even temporary gifts work just as well to light up everyone's dopamine centers without harming the planet.

3. "Adults should give other adults gifts, that are in themselves gifts. This is a tricky one because adults like to give gifts but not receive them. Oftentimes, this one plays itself out as an agreement between parents and adult siblings that no gifts will be exchanged, then everyone goes ahead and buys something for everyone anyways because they want to make themselves feel good! In this case, the best course of action is to give nothing, which is ok and terrific for the environment, if you can deprive yourself of the joy. Another good idea is a donation to the charity of their choice." You don't have to deprive yourself of the joy that giving gives you. Instead of the usual physical gifts, however, choose charitable, service, or consumable (food) gifts. Or give the recipient something s/he really needs, like new underwear or next semester's textbooks. Don't worry if you don't think your recipient will be overwhelmed with child-like joy; according to the science, adult gift recipients rarely are. If you give them something they really need, you are making their lives easier, which is an enormous gift in and of itself.

4. "Children should share in gifts with other children, that have no giver. - This one is even more tricky - how does one enjoy a gift that isn't even given? Aha, this is the miracle of the season, the true Christmas spirit. Frankly, how to generate this type of atmosphere is unclear but when it happens it feels great and is pretty low-impact on the planet - happy thoughts cost the Earth nothing. For starters, I suggest getting the kids high on sugar and let them run around hogwild..." This humorous description is a way of saying 'let the kids enjoy being kids.' Let them give each other the gift of their companionship and fun.

For here or to go?

Let's face it. Sometimes we're all just too lazy or too tired to cook a legitimate meal for ourselves. Take-out, of course, is an excellent option. However, the waste that comes along with carrying out food is NOT such an excellent option. No Impact Man gives his advice on the take-out question. [Find the original article here.]

"Take out tubs, individual action, and changing minds"

Yesterday I posted about the trash I'd generated through eating takeout when I got too busy to cook for myself. Someone commented that eating takeout--in itself--is no problem. Cooking at scale may save energy. The problem is the plastic or cardboard containers that get generated.

Commenters left two suggestions behind for ways to get take-out without making trash. One is to take your own reusable containers to the take-out place yourself. I've done this before and the server liked it so much, he gave me extra food.

Another option is to ask the manager of your favorite food place if they would mind keeping a reusuable container belonging to you on hand. That way, they can deliver to you and you don't have to pick it up. When the delivery man drops off your food, you give him back a second, clean container to take back and store until next time.

Here's what's neat about this kind of idea. When you do it, it generates buzz, because other people are forced to get involved. It's like the glass jar I carry for coffee. Everyone wants to talk about it. Same with the reusable takeout tubs. Everyone will want to talk and it's chance to change a few more minds.

Image from reuseablebags.com

Holiday cards

Holiday cards have been sent and received for this season. They hang beautifully from our doors or refrigerators or bulletin boards. We enjoy them for a month or so, until the holiday spirit fades.

What do you do with old holiday cards? Keep them, of course! Almost every card you receive can make at least one really good gift tag. Some can make three or four! It's a great way to get more enjoyment from your beautiful cards. Once you've cut out some lovely gift tags, recycle with rest of the card. It's easy, cost-effective, and, best of all, green!

Maybe you'll want to send out more cards to your friends and family next year. Be careful, of course, when you're picking out next year's greetings that you don't buy cards that are made of first-use paper and unhealthy inks. Instead, look for cards made of recycled paper and soy- or vegetable-based inks.

Red Stamp, for example, offers over 100 different eco-friendly cards. They even offer photo cards, if that's your tradition, made from recycled paper and printed with soy-based inks. You can find a whole slew of cute holiday cards at Seltzer Goods. Their cards and envelops are made from 100% recycled paper and made in America. They're also printed with veggie-based inks.

Another great option is Etsy, which is an online resource for handmade items from across the nation. Some artists on Etsy use eco-friendly materials in their cards. (I love these, pictured above.) The holiday cards you'll find on Etsy don't cost any more than store-bought options, AND you'll be supporting individual artists, not corporations and sweatshops. It's quite easy to search the entire database on Etsy, so you don't have to look through each artist to find fun holiday cards.

Of course, more creative green card options exist, too. Zanisa, for instance, sells cards with Christmas tree ornaments made from handmade recycled paper embedded with seeds. These cool cards serve three purposes: you send them as holiday greetings, the ornaments decorate the receipients' trees, and, if the receipients throw the ornaments in some dirt after the holidays, the world is beautified -- and carbon sequestered -- by some pretty flowers. (Don't have any spare dirt? Consider guerilla gardening.)

Another option with auxiliary benefits: getting your holiday cards from a non-profit organization. The Sierra Club, for example, offers lovely card choices made from recycled paper and soy-based inks that feature nature photographs.

Remember, holiday cards typically go on deeply discounted sale right after Christmas. If you're the type to plan for next Christmas on Dec. 26, be sure to look for cards made from recycled paper and soy-based inks. And enjoy!

Holiday lights and trees

The holidays are close upon us now. If you're still thinking about getting some lights or a tree for this year, learn how to make your holiday more eco-friendly. Even if you're done decorating for the season, take note of these tips for next year. (Plus, the days after Christmas can be a great time to stock up on more sustainable holiday supplies for future years.)

Holiday lights: Look for LED light strings. All the arguments for LED lights over incandescent bulbs in your house still apply. They are cheaper to run, they use less energy, and they last practically forever. And year by year they are easier and easier to find in stores. Home Depot, for example, has a TON of options. So do Sears and Kmart.

Trees: This is a tough one. A really tough one. In fact, there are very few good options here. You could forgo the tree although, the best option, or you could decorate a tall potted plant instead. But if you must have an honest-to-goodness Christmas tree, there's a lot to consider.

First, consider an outdoor potted tree that you can bring in for the week before Christmas. Or planting your own Christmas trees. In six or so years, you'll be able to harvest your first one, and, so long as you plant one a year, you'll be set from then on out. Both of those options are realistic for the suburban or rural homeowner.

If you live in an urban area, an apartment, a rental property, or a condo, you have a different set of options. Some cities have Christmas tree rental programs where you can have a live potted tree in your home for the holidays, then send it back out to pasture, so to speak, for the rest of the year. This is a great program. Your next-best option after that is an organically-grown tree. These are getting easier to find.

If none of the above options work for you, you are now in a toss-up situation: conventionally-grown chopped down tree vs. artificial tree. Conventional tree farms use a ton of chemical pesticides and herbicides. Most conventional trees to reach your neighborhood also had to be shipped a long way, leaving a large carbon footprint behind. If you choose to go with this option, buy the most local tree you can, and research how to environmentally dispose of it (using a wood chipper to produce mulch is good, as are programs that use them for fish habitats in lakes -- see what's available in your area).

Artificial trees offer much more convenience and can be used year after year. However, most are made of unsustainable plastic, contain lead, and are produced in China. Again, the carbon footprint of that transportation is large. If you choose to go with this option, make sure you take good care of your tree so that you may use it for decades. Also, do not buy a new one. Look for one at thrift stores or through the classifieds (Craigslist counts too!). In this way, you are not adding to the ecological impact of your tree. In fcct, you are taking it out of the waste system, which is always a good thing.

For more of Christmas trees, check out this article from Green Promise.

For ideas on green tree-trimming and home decoration, see Crunchy Chicken's article Greening Your Holiday Decorations.

Image from http://www.thelasvegasadventurer.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/tree_recycle.jpg

Mission statement

I've recently gained a few new readers, so I'd like to extend another welcome to the site. I hope you find information on this blog that is relevant to your life. If there's a topic you'd like to know more about, please mention it in a comment to any one of my posts. A number of my past posts have been "by request," and I'm more than happy to oblige.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to reiterate to readers -- new and old -- the idea behind this blog. I want to make it easier for you to live a healthier, happier, more sustainable life. Sometimes I tell you about my personal experiences "going green." Other times I share the most interesting articles from the myriad of environmental blogs I read. Finally, some of my posts are meant to be reference sources for you. Don't worry about remembering all the details. Just head on back here when you're actually in need of the information, and the post will be right here, waiting for you.

Welcome everyone! Let me know what I can do to make your going green easier!

Cute kids!

I joke that Ben and I are gonna have the coolest kid on the block. I mean, just look at all the cute sustainable kids-wear that's already out today. Imagine what the selection will be in a few years!

UglyFish Organics has adorable music-themed tops made from organic cotton. Shirts say: "Listen," "Strum Something" (my favorite), "Old Soul," and "Find Your Bass Line." Perfect for your own little grunge star!

Under the Nile offers organic Egyptian cotton clothing, cloth diapers, toys, blankets, etc. Nothing too funky on this site. Just lots of healthy, organic choices in pastels.

Chapter One Organics has really fun, colorful clothes for infants and toddlers. It also offers blankets, bibs, and even a children's book about factory farming vs. organic farming. This brand is a member of Co-Op America, whose "mission is to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society."

Swell Foop also has organic, co-op cotton. They make clothes for infants, toddlers, and adults that feature adorable animals on 'em. Plus, they donate 10% of their proceeds to environmental organizations that can help you help them save the world.

Bebop Baby Shop features cute clothes in organic cotton, including the innovative kimono style onesie. Footwear, hats, leg warmers, too. Organic slings and baby carriers. Bamboo products and natural toys. Really, quite a selection to meet many of your baby needs.

Little Chickie Wear sells 100% organic cotton onesies, tops, and hats with cute, simple designs.

Shoes are no problem either! Check out Satch & Sol for some adorable, eco-friendly, fair trade shoes. Much, much better for humanity than the normal sweatshop-made varieties.

So, next time you go to a baby shower, or a little one's birthday comes around, think sustainable!

Emergency Ride Home

Check out the following article from No Impact Man on a growing solution to newly-converted greens who are hesitant to leave their car in the dust. Certainly not a complete solution, but one of many that are growing into viable realities. [Find the original article here.]

"If you'd like to ditch the car but worry about emergencies"

Suppose you'd like to commit to leaving your car in the driveway or getting rid of it altogether and instead making your commute by foot, bike, carpool or public transit.

You want to save the money, skip the traffic jams, get the exercise, cause fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and have less stress. It's just that you're worried about emergencies.

What if you're stuck at work without your car and your child has an emergency? Or your older parent? Or you got last minutes tickets to the game or even a voicemail from that hot wannabe date who finally said yes?

Well, suppose somebody promised they'd pay to get you home by taxi if that happened?

According to "Penny Nickel" at Money and Values, that's just what more than 50 cities and counties will do if you agree to leave your car it home:

"Guaranteed Ride Home (or Emergency Ride Home) programs are designed to get commuters off the road and onto public transit or another method of transportation, by helping assuage fears about how to get home in emergency circumstances. They are often sponsored by counties, cities, or transit agencies, but may also be sponsored by individual employers. If you enroll in such a program, then the sponsor will cover the costs of you getting home if unexpected circumstances interfere with your regular plans. Each program has its own rules, but typically "emergencies" are defined as unpredictable events like illness/injury of yourself or a family member, unscheduled overtime (verified by your employer), an emergency at your home (like a flood/break-in/fire/etc), or the early departure of your carpool driver. Covered events for bikers and walkers may also include severe weather.

"If you register for the program, you'll qualify for a set number of trips home per year (often two to six.) If an emergency arises, typically you call the Guaranteed Ride Home coordinator and they'll call you a cab, although in some programs you can skip that step and just call the cab yourself (either filing for reimbursement later or using some sort of voucher.) Some programs cover the tip, some don't. They may also cover the costs of a stop at your child's school or daycare on the way home."

Go here for Money and Values' excellent list of municipalities offering the scheme. And don't forget, if your local government isn't on board, to check and see if your employer offers the program.

GoodGuide

If you're looking for a quick and easy reference to the sustainability and eco-friendliness of your household products, consider GoodGuide.

The website says, "GoodGuide provides the world's largest and most reliable source of information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of the products in your home."

It also lists the following utilities:

• Find Safe, Healthy & Green Products that protect you and your family.
• Search or Browse over 60,000 Personal Care & Household Chemical Products, and see what’s really beneath the label.
• Get Expert Advice & Recommendations on products and quickly learn the impacts of what you buy.
• Find better products, and make purchasing decisions based on what’s important to you.
• Create a personalized Shopping List with the products that are right for you & your family.

Checking it out, I was pleasantly surprised by the details of analysis on each product. Because GoodGuide is only in its beta, not every product you may want info on will be on the site yet. But it's sure to get better and more comprehensive over time. Check it out!

"Eco-Pregnancy Makes for Healthy Babies"

Check out this article from Low Impact Living:

Many women discover the green lifestyle when they are expecting, or become moms. Wanting to do the best you can for your child includes considerations that you make before your baby is even born – after all, that’s why you’ve given up wine, right? Everyone knows that eating right and getting enough rest will help both mother and baby be healthy, but the green movement has opened our eyes to the effects that the world around us can have as well.

Back in 2005, a frightening study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found chemicals in the blood of the umbilical cords from 10 newborn babies. These chemicals were linked to cancer, birth defects, and hormone disruptions, and included lead, mercury and PCBs. Since then, moms-to-be have demanded more information about reducing the impact of the chemical soup that we all live in.

We Are What We Eat

According to most studies, it’s not clear whether organic food has higher nutritional value than its non-organic counterparts. Regardless, one thing is for sure: organic food contains fewer chemicals. Organic food is grown without artificial fertilizers, conventional pesticides, or sewage sludge, and processed without ionizing radiation and food additives. That stuff is gross, whether you’re pregnant or not. To label a food product organic, it must be certified by the National Organic Program, which is run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). A USDA Organic seal indicates that the product contains at least 95% organic ingredients, so look for this label.

Eating the fresh fruits and vegetables recommended for everyone, but particularly pregnant women, may also help you to avoid Bisphenol-A (BPA), a toxic chemical found in the linings of food cans. Most recently linked to plastic baby bottles, it can also be found in canned infant formula, as well as canned adult foods like soup, fruit and soda. BPA has been linked to breast cancer and infertility, and there is concern that exposure can affect fetal and infant brain development. Scary stuff, so try to avoid processed foods and stick to real, whole food whenever possible.

Once you have that food home, it’s important to prepare it carefully. Use cast iron or stainless steel cookware – Teflon and other non-stick surfaces have been shown to emit toxic chemicals when preheated to high temperatures, which can occur in just a few minutes. In fact, these chemicals are a known hazard to pet birds, causing lung hemorrhaging and death, so it can’t be good for us either. Particles of non-stick surfaces are also found in food itself.

Most pregnant women know to eat only low mercury fish, avoiding species like tuna and swordfish. For a complete list of sustainable and healthy seafood, download a Seafood Watch card from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. You should also filter your tap water, as pollutants may lurk there. Check out the EWG’s Tap Water Quality Database to see what your city’s water may include, then take a look at our recent post on water filters to help you decide on the one that’s right for you.

Personal Care and Cleaning Products

Without knowing it, we slather chemicals on ourselves in alarming quantities. Women, on average, use 12 personal care products per day. Look for better choices products in the EWG’s searchable Skin Deep Database. The database includes a rating for each product on its developmental/reproductive toxicity, which includes birth defects and developmental delays for children. Phthalates are particularly harmful for boys, while the EWG recommends that everyone avoid perfume, cologne, or products with added fragrance. The database also has a section for products just for kids.

Cleaning products are another key source of toxic chemicals in the home. Whatever you spray on your counters or floors makes its way into your system and thus into your baby. Check out our selection of eco-friendly cleaning supplies, use plants to clean the air, and open windows whenever possible.

Make Your Nursery a Safe Space

It’s just as important to provide a healthy nursery for your little one! Visit our post on green kids, including green furniture, bedding, low-VOC paints, plus the age-old debate over diapers: cloth or disposable? Be careful when painting or renovating while pregnant, as the chemicals can pass through to your baby.

Let’s Have a Baby Shower

OK, enough of the scary stuff, it’s time to celebrate! Turn your baby shower green by asking for pre-worn clothes and other used goods, or natural products. Check out environmentally-friendly invitations and favors, like those at ecoparti. Request non-plastic items and reusable packaging to inspire guests’ creativity. They can wrap used books in an organic cotton baby blanket, or give a bundle of healthy, eco-friendly baby skin-care products.

Now all that’s left is to actually have the baby!

Un-clog Your Drains

Don't you hate it when your sinks get clogged up? Drain cleaner is one of the worst substances environmentally that you could ask for. What are your other options?

For starters, you could do it manually. With a plunger. Preferably a different one than you use in the toilet. See here.

Or mix a couple of kitchen supplies: 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar. Leave it down there for 15 minutes, then rinse with boiling water. See here.

Finally, there are eco-friendly ready-made products available. Look for "enzymatic biological drain cleaners on the market today, such as Earth Friendly Products' Enzyme Drain Cleaner... These make use of a natural bacterial and enzyme mixture to open and keep drains clear. And unlike sodium hydroxide they are non-caustic and will not facilitate combustion." See this article for more info.

What works best for you?

Wrapping those holiday gifts

Choosing a method of wrapping gifts can be a challenge when you're learning to be green. Let's look at the options and figure out together, shall we?

Option 1: One certainly does not want to use traditional wrapping paper or gift bags. Full of chemicals, heavy metals, and synthetic inks, it is certainly the least green source. Plus, purchasing it means more trees must be harvested and processed, and more wrapping paper must be shipped out, all with a high carbon price tag.

[Do note that there are more eco-friendly wrapping papers and bags available out there, made of hemp, etc. These solve many of the problems with traditional wrapping papers. However, you are still wasting resources unnecessarily, even if those resources are renewable. Options 3 and 4, below, are better choices.]

Option 2: Last year, I hand-decorated a couple of brown paper grocery bags and used those to wrap my family's gifts. A much better option than traditional wrapping paper. Plus, the gifts I gave had extra value added because of the time and care I put into creating my own wrapping paper. This year, however, we bring reusable grocery bags into stores with us, so we only have one spare paper bag lying around to be used.

Intentionally getting paper bags at the grocery store in order to wrap with them is not appropriate. It requires the production of resources separate from those that would otherwise need to be made. Bring your cloth bags to the store. It doesn't count as "reusing" if you didn't have to use it in the first place. So, paper bags are a no-go.

Option 3: Found paper, on the other hand, is a good idea. If you get the newspaper, use pages of that to wrap gifts. But, again, do not buy a newspaper specifically for wrapping paper!

Try to use the wrapping paper from last year's gifts if you removed it carefully and kept it. And this Christmas try to save the wrapping paper that other people use on your gifts.

But after you open those gifts wrapped in traditional wrapping paper, consider asking the gift-giver to wrap your gifts using a no-waste method next year. My parents have been doing so for years and don't mind. They realize that opening gifts on Christmas morning would be less enjoyable for Ben and me if we were feeling guilty about the paper our gifts had required. Keep this in mind as you wrap gifts for others. You want them to feel happy, not guilt-ridden.

*Note: You can recycle paper with tape on it. Remember that over the holidays!

Option 4: Over the past year, I've been trying to wrap all the presents I give others in cloth. I get odd size measures of cloth from thrift store, thus taking the cloth out of the waste stream since it's too small to be used for large, grand projects. (It is really quite easy to find cloth in any thrift store. You typically have your choice of colors and patterns. It's not a sacrifice when it comes to style.) Cloth is a good choice because it is extremely apt for reuse, so it creates no waste.

For birthdays, etc. it has been possible for me to experiment with sewing the fabric into appropriately-sized sacks or draw-string bags. Again, I think this form of gift wrapping is more meaningful than using traditional wrapping paper because I am putting a large amount of time, thought, and effort into each gift. I hope this makes the recipients feel good about themselves because it is, in part, my way of expressing how special they are to me.

Christmas, however, is overwhelming. Gifts for all our parents and siblings equals a ton of sewing (and a ton of time for me, since I'm not too good with my sewing machine yet). It's possible to use cloth just like wrapping paper, except you use safety pins or just ribbons to hold it together instead of tape.

But there's a prettier way.

Furoshiki, the Japanese art of using cloth swatches to wrap and carry any- and everything, is an excellent idea for gift wrapping. The picture above shows just some of the shapes you can wrap and how your gifts will turn out looking. Check out this link for more information. Lots more info can be found by performing a simple Internet search for "furoshiki."

So, in conclusion:
-Traditional wrapping paper/gift bags = really bad
-Paper grocery bags = better, as long as you recycle it (but you're better off using cloth grocery bags exclusively when you go shopping and, thus, not procuring any of these bags to use)
-Reused paper (like newspaper or last year's gift wrapping) = good, as long as you recycle it (but these materials still have a limited life span)
-Cloth swatches or bags = really good

If you get stuck, just remember your three R's (recycle, reuse, reduce).

No, go enjoy the holidays!

Image found at http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/01/02/furoshiki-elegant-ja.html

Organic or not Organic -- That is the Question

Fairly frequently articles come up outlining how important it is to buy certain foods organic while other foods are less dangerous in their "traditional" form. Find a list you trust, memorize a few key foods that you often buy, and get shopping!

Here's the information from one such article:

Should Buy Organic
-Milk
-Meats
FRUITS:
-Peaches
-Apples
-Nectarines
-Strawberries
-Cherries
-Grapes
-Pears
-Raspberries
-Plums
-Oranges
-Tangerine
-Cantaloupe
-Lemon
-Honeydew
-Grapefruit
-Watermelon
-Blueberries
VEGETABLES:
-Sweet Bell Peppers
-Celery
-Lettuce
-Spinach
-Potatoes
-Carrots
-Green Beans
-Hot Peppers
-Cucumbers
-Cauliflower
-Mushrooms
-Winter Squash
-Tomatoes
-Sweet Potatoes

Don't Have to Buy Organic
-Avocado
-Banana
-Pineapple
-Kiwi
-Mango
-Papaya
-Asparagus
-Broccoli
-Cabbage
-Onions

Image from http://tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:RIA2pRwDp4HIpM:http://whatscookingamerica.net/Fruit/AvocadoPhoto.jpg

Square Foot Gardening

Some of you already know about "square foot gardening." Developed primarily by Mel Bartholomew in the 1980s and perhaps even more useful today than ever, square foot gardening is based on the concept of planting and growing only as much as you'll actually eat. It is a well-developed system that seems to have thoroughly covered its bases. I've slowly but surely been introducing its precepts into my own gardening experiments.

Wired gives us a pretty nice overview of the concepts of square foot gardening here. But it's easy to find more information about it online, and I really recommend Bartholomew's book. If you're interested in doing a little bit of gardening yourself, even if you live in an apartment or condo, consider reading up on square foot gardening. It's a really straight-forward and easy method that produces happy gardeners!

Image from http://howto.wired.com/mediawiki/images/thumb/Squarefootgarden1.jpg/300px-Squarefootgarden1.jpg