Fit.Green.Mommy

The Benefits of Walking to School

2014-05-04T13:20:00.001-04:00

Spring has finally sprung, and like dormant bulbs emerging victoriously from the soil, our neighborhoods are beginning to awaken from their winter slumbers. Neighbors whom we haven't seen since December are out and about bringing order back to their ravished yards. We all seek the same thing: sunshine and warmth to nourish our chilly, darkened souls! Pardon the drama, but it's been a long winter!

My son, Anders, and I have been walking the half mile to his elementary school together since September and are relishing the warming weather with no loss of love for the freezing days of deep winter. We walk in all kinds of conditions-- light rain, wind, cold and snow-- leading one of my son's friends to ask whether we even have a car! We do, but my son and I really enjoy those 20 minutes together in the morning and here is why:

1. It's great exercise! If I estimate that we have walked 150 of the 180 days of school at 1 mile round trip (for me), that totals 150 miles throughout the school year! And, that doesn't even factor in the times I walk to pick him up at the end of the day, which is often.

2. Not only does the exercise contribute to our overall health and fitness, it offers a chance for Anders, a very active 10-year old, to burn off some energy before having to sit all day and focus on his school work. There are countless studies supporting the connection between an increase in physical activity and an increase in cognitive performance. Some schools have even instituted mini exercise breaks throughout the day to capitalize on these benefits.

3. Similarly, walking home from school gives Anders a chance to decompress and burn off some pent up energy before having to dive into his homework once he gets home in the afternoon.

4. The dog gets exercise too!

5. We save on gas, which is both good for my wallet and the environment. If we use the estimate of 150 miles (see number 1) for just morning drop offs, and estimate an average car gets 20 miles/gallon, that's about half a tank of gas per school year. If you factor in afternoon pick-ups, the total jumps to about one full tank of gas per school year, or roughly $50.00!

6. But, perhaps the greatest, most rewarding part of walking with Anders is the time we get to spend together. In a house with 5 people and 4 animals, quality one-on-one time is regrettably scarce. The 15 minutes it takes to get to (and from) school gives us a chance to talk about all kinds of things, from the profound to the mundane. We talk about what's happening at school, concerns over family dynamics, when the next Wimpy Kid is coming out, crazy dreams and even how to tackle world peace! As Anders approaches adolescence, I am acutely aware of the big changes ahead. I know there may be a time in the not-so-distant future where I won't be the person he turns to first about the issues concerning him. It is my hope that the foundation of communication we are establishing now will see us through the middle and high school years.

Admittedly, walking to school does add a bit of extra time to our already hectic morning routine, but it has been incorporated into the timing of the daily schedule and therefore, just that, part of the daily schedule. I would strongly encourage anyone living in close proximity to their child's school to make the effort at least once a week to walk or bike the distance. The benefits are priceless!

Shopping Hangover

2013-09-12T12:08:00.001-04:00

I’ve done it once again. I went into a hereto unnamed big box store with the intent to by 3 items: orange juice, a drain catch for the kitchen sink, and tampons. I walked out with none of the above items and 100 dollars poorer! The moment I got into the car that icky, dirty, I-just-did-something-bad feeling washed over me--“shopping hangover!” I knew instantly that I didn’t need most, if not any, of the stuff in those bags: Halloween socks, um no; 2 more brightly colored camis, I have at least 10 already; 2 more boxes of cereal, we’ll eat them but not necessary; stocking stuffers for family members, probably not. Then why do I feel the need to purchase superfluous items, especially when I know it’s going to make me feel bad? Well, because I am there, the stuff is there, and it’s cute/yummy/irresistible.

A very wise friend of mine once offered a sage piece of advice when confronted with this dilemma: JUST DON’T GO IN! Meaning don’t even step foot or tire in the parking lot to begin with. If you know you are prone to buying unnecessary junk, limit the times you spend in tempting locales, especially if you are shopping because you are bored or killing time. I have heeded this advice many times and headed off the dreaded shopping hangover by going for a walk instead, or reading a book/magazine, cooking something (see below), writing poetry, meditating, etc. But, what about the times when you really must go in because you really do need something (like, ahem, toilet paper say)? Or, the times when your resolve fails you and you just need a shopping fix? I offer a mental checklist of questions to ask yourself as you hold that cute rubber ducky with a witches hat in your hand:

1. Do I really need this? Enough said!

2. Where will it ultimately end up in my house? For example, will it end up on the floor in one of my kids’ rooms, or in a bin of forgotten toys? Or, ultimately and more importantly, in a landfill?

3. Is there a ridiculous amount of packaging with said item? Again, which will end up in a landfill.

4. Could I make this item myself? Now, I realize that many people don’t think they have time to make granola bars or homemade lasagna, but you’d be surprised! Check out Michael Pollen’s new book, Cooked, for a really interesting, enlightening read. I’ve found becoming more self-sufficient is really gratifying, but more on that later!

5. Could I get this item or something like it at a second-hand store? Buying second-hand always makes me feel so much better about my purchasing power. I am saying NO to unnecessary packaging and consumerism, while at the same time giving perfectly good items a second life AND keeping them out of the landfill. And, if you buy on consignment or through a charitable foundation (e.g., Salvation Army or Goodwill), your money will go to someone who needs it instead of to large corporations, who do not!

Are there better uses for my money? Charity, vacation fund, education fund, etc. There are ALWAYS better uses for your money than cheap, plastic rubber duckies!

Now, we all slip from time to time, as I did today. Instead of beating yourself up for it, repeat the mantra “just don’t go in” next time. Maybe go through some of that extra stuff in your house that you wouldn’t mind giving away, thus giving someone else a chance to reuse your goods instead of buying new. And if you are really feeling remorse, find that receipt and return it!

Happy (Un) Shopping!

Seasons of Change

2012-10-25T09:12:00.002-04:00

This is the kind of day poems are made of
The verses all but write themselves:
The sapphire blue sky, cloudless
The trees a palette of crimson, flame and gold
The water sparkling a thousand diamonds
The autumn sun deliciously warm

As I stand at the river’s edge,
I am reminded—
I have never gazed upon these waters before
And I never shall again
Though this is a treasured place in my heart
And I visit often

There are stories in this river
This the great gurus knew
I listen
And somewhere deep inside
I hear
These waters flow through me
Mixing with my blood
Merging with my essence

Wisdom gazes lovingly at me from across the shore
And to her I bow
Buddha smiles at me from beneath the gentle current
And to him I bow
I bow to the tremor that joins me
With them
My words are an inadequate homage
But in this form it is all I have to offer
Let it be complete

Finding A Space of My Own

2012-07-10T21:29:00.001-04:00

I love my home. My family lives on a dead end street surrounded by woods in a close-knit, supportive neighborhood. My kids walk to school almost every day, and we are in walking/biking distance from swimming (in two of the city pools or the Merrimack River), a local ice cream shop, hiking trails, and many of our close friends. The one drawback is the house itself. While I absolutely adore our little bungalow with the big yard, our family of 8 (including the 2 dogs and a cat) is bursting its seams. As my mother never hesitates to remind me at each visit, we have way too much stuff in way too little space. In attempt to create more space, we’ve expanded in every direction possible: an addition added off the side for extra bedrooms, a deck out the back for warm weather enjoyment, and a partially finished basement for a playroom. Not another inch can be squeezed out of our poor old house, yet I am not willing to move from this place we’ve made our own.

So, what is a weary, privacy-starved mom to do when she needs to get away for a few minutes and breathe? And how is she supposed to establish the meditation practice she so desperately needs when there are children and animals to distract her around every corner? Enter what my kids affectionately call “mom’s nook”.

The second floor of our home is just one room, my bedroom. Ordinarily, I don’t spend a lot of time up there because of the constant clutter. It’s the only room in the house no one sees, thus it tends to accumulate a lot of “I’ll put it away later” piles and “the vacuum is too heavy to lift up the steep stairs” dust bunnies. Until recently. Several months ago, I transformed an unused corner of the spacious room into my own private sanctuary. A folding screen physically separates this oasis from the chaos of the rest of the room, allowing me to pretend it doesn’t exist (out of sight, out of mind!). Within, I’ve created an altar of sorts, which is bathed in natural light and adorned with greenery and sacred objects, there to remind me of my true path. Walking into this space quite literally feels like a warm embrace-- my breathing slows and my muscles relax. And, for those few stolen moments, I can let it all go. Bliss!

Having such an area to call my own has made committing to a meditation practice a little easier both logistically and mentally. I’ve created a space that I actually want to retreat to. My kids are drawn to my nook, as well. My oldest, an 8-year old boy in every sense, has actually tried sitting quietly with me there, a feat I don’t think I can quite make anyone who doesn’t know him truly appreciate. My daughter has begged me on several occasions to create a similar area in her room, and my youngest, a toddler in every sense, really likes to smell the incense! While I am happy to share my space with them, they know that when I am in there, it is my time for quiet reflection. And a peaceful, relaxed mom makes for a happier family!

A Precious Moment

2012-02-01T13:56:00.001-05:00

My to-do list hovers above like a thundercloud

Bulging, roiling, ready to burst its seams, releasing its flood of tedium:

Laundry, dishes, meal prep, housecleaning

But beneath the gathering storm, I sit with you, an oasis of peace

Your head is nestled in the crook between my neck and shoulder

At almost two, your body will soon outgrow this spot, but for now it’s a perfect fit

You’re having trouble falling asleep

Your toddler bones itching to move,

Your curiosity unquenchable

So we rock

Back and forth

Slowly

So slowly and rhythmically that my own eyes are growing heavy

To give in to the doze would be to sacrifice this rare, beautiful moment

Not yet

So we rock

Back and forth

Your limbs grow heavy, and in the end, mine too

As any mother knows, my job is never done

The chores are infinite and will be there when I wake

These moments, however, are fleeting and numbered

So for now, I have nothing to do but rock with you.

Greening Christmas: A Progress Report

2011-12-14T14:13:00.001-05:00

At the end of last year's Christmas season, I wrote a blog post (January 2011) lamenting the excess and waste that seems synonomous with the holidays and vowed that the next year would be different. Well, it's Christmas 2011 and I am proud to say that I wasn't just blowing smoke! Determined to cut down on the amount of paper I use to wrap our gifts, I saved a bunch of wrapping paper from last years gifts (my kids are surprisingly gentle unwrappers!) and upcycled my own paper from package "stuffing" we received throughout the year.

While I haven't tackled wrapping the kid's gifts yet, I have finished with my husband and extended family (sister, mother, grandmother, etc.), and can say that about 90% of their gifts were wrapped with reused/repurposed materials!

While making your own wrapping paper does take more time, it is certainly cheaper (I used stencils and paints I already had) both in the short and long term, because you can bet after all that work I am going to try my darndest to save every scrap for next year!

Keeping the Peace Through Humor

2011-10-20T20:50:00.001-04:00

I was really intrigued by an article written in our local newspaper by a fellow yogini proposing the adoption of a new hand gesture that would indicate, “Oops, my bad!” I would use this gesture daily! She proposes some way of indicating to an offended party when you know you messed up, like when you don’t stop for someone in a crosswalk, or cut ahead to a newly opened register in the supermarket when others have been waiting longer. I always feel so guilty when I realize what I have done, but have no way of rendering an apology aside from a sheepish look and embarrassed half-wave.

Well, I have determined another instance where I need some sort of code word or hand gesture to indicate feelings or reactions that I just can’t muster the energy to explain or rescind. Lately, my husband and I have been working really hard. He has been putting in really long hours between working at his day job, maintaining a very popular blog, and writing a book. His long hours and physical and mental absence trickles down to long days for me with the three kids and a home to manage basically on my own. Needless to say, we are both fried! As often happens when two adults are running on fumes, we bicker about really stupid things, but don’t have the time or energy to set things straight. What I propose is some sort of code word (preferably something ridiculous) or hand gesture (again, the sillier the better) to break the tension between us and show each other that we get it. We understand that we are being stupid because we are way overtired, feeling underappreciated, and craving intimacy by way of a decent conversation or heartfelt cuddle.

I recall a time in the car when my youngest was inconsolable and nothing any of us said seemed to make him feel better. Seemingly defeated, we all fell silent listening to his wails, when out of know where, my husband turned to Benjamin and blurted, “poop poopy do,” as if that were the hidden password to his happiness. You had to be there, but the kids and I started busting up at the inanity of it! And, I think our reactions finally calmed the baby. So for our family I propose “poop poopy do” as our code word, our “my bad” go-to statement. I am fairly certain that it will at least elicit a smile, if not a hearty snort. Because, laughter truly is the best medecine, and heck knows we could use more of that these days (laughter not medecine!).

Getting Kids to Eat Their Vegetables

2011-09-06T21:03:00.001-04:00

I was sure, after observing the eating habits of my firstborn, that the kids-hating- vegetables thing was a gross exaggeration. My son routinely eats all the fruits and vegetables on his plate before even touching his protein or carb. Much to my amazement, I often find myself saying, “no more [insert vegetable of choice] until you eat your sandwich or chicken (or whatever other main course I was serving).” And, he doesn’t discriminate; he loves it all—broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, carrots, lima beans, green beans…. Wow, how did I get so lucky?! I must just be an awesome mom, right? Well, then I had my daughter.

Emma is a carb queen! She is the flipside of her brother, devouring anything loaded with flour or sugar, or preferably, both. She could eat macaroni and cheese three times a day and would not shed a single tear if she never saw another vegetable again (or fruit for that matter). The only way we have been able to coax her to eat broccoli or green beans (the only 2 passable options) is to lather them with butter and salt, causing us to question whether it’s really worth it at that point? Maybe I wasn’t so awesome at this mothering thing after all (because, of course, her shunning of vegetables is a direct reflection of my parenting!). But, then, quite by chance, my passion became her salvation.

Within the last few years, the locavore movement has become something of an obsession of mine. I am determined to become more connected to the food we eat-- to know where it comes from and how it was grown or produced. And, I am determined that my kids know this, too. As a family, we have started visiting local farms to buy our meat and “meet” the animals; we have made shopping the local farmer’s market a Saturday morning ritual; we pick our own (http://www.pickyourown.org/) strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and apples in season; we have started a fairly respectable home garden, and we have joined our local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group (http://www.localharvest.org/csa/). As a result, the kids have a new appreciation for what’s on their plate and even enjoy their role in the food system. Dare I say fresh fruits and vegetables have become fun and desirable.

The girl who would once shun a salad will now happily race her brother to the snap peas and cherry tomatoes growing on the side of our house to make sure she gets her share. She will now pick a cucumber from the vine and eat it whole before it has a chance to be part of our dinner. The highlight of last year’s growing season was the long-awaited day in which she could dig up our potatoes, and she eagerly awaits the carrot-picking this year. How did such a drastic change come to pass? How is it that my veggie-phobic daughter will now greedily horde the vegetables we pick up from our CSA (she and her brother had an all-out war over cherry tomatoes during one recent car ride home ). I am not exactly sure, but I do know that fresh vegetables taste better, and growing or picking your own food is deeply satisfying on some primal level. Regardless of the cause, it’s working! Now, don’t get me wrong, Emma still prefers carbs and sweets to anything green, but getting her to eat her vegetables has gotten just a little bit easier.

Flip and Tumble Produce Bags: A Review

2011-05-18T21:42:00.002-04:00

I have a thing about plastic bags…I hate them! According to reuseit.com, 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used every year worldwide, where each bag can take up to 1,000 years to degrade. Their decomposition causes tiny toxic bits to seep into soils, lakes, rivers, and the oceans, and they are the second-most common type of ocean refuse (after cigarette butts), causing the death of countless marine animals every year. As far as I am concerned, there is nothing good about a plastic bag, and thus, I try my hardest to bring reusable bags along on all my shopping excursions. I even have portable, packable bags that fold into themselves and clip onto my purse for unforeseen shopping trips. One place I have trouble avoiding the use of plastic, however, is in the produce aisle of the supermarket. For the most part, I go sans bag (much to the cashier’s chagrin as he/she juggles my avocados and zucchinis), but for things like apples, where I purchase larger quantities, I am forced to use a plastic bag….until now!

I recently purchased a set of 5 produce bags from a company called Flip and Tumble (http://www.flipandtumble.com/shop.html) and I love them! They are roomy (I routinely buy 6-8 apples a trip) and durable and have kept my produce fresh for extended periods in the fridge thanks to the mesh design. I would recommend purchasing a carrying pouch (offered by the same company); however, to keep the bags neat and organized among your other reusable bags.

Active Indoor Activities for Kids: several ways for kids to stay active during the long, cold months of winter

2011-02-03T10:10:00.002-05:00

Winter in New England can be both magical (the beauty of new-fallen snow and glimmering icicles; the joy of making snowmen, snow angels and snow forts; hot cocoa!) and back-breaking (shoveling, shoveling, and more shoveling!). And, while there are plenty of outdoor activities unique to the winter months, like skiing, snowshoeing and sledding, many families find themselves spending more and more time indoors due to frigid temperatures and overwhelming amounts of snow and ice. This is especially true for families with very small children. The half-hour plus it takes to suit up squirmy, impatient (often whining) toddlers and preschoolers hardly seems worth the ten minutes they can tolerate being outdoors. So for my family, we’ve had to get creative in order to stay active (and sane!) during the long New Hampshire winters. Below are some of the inexpensive, yet highly effective and fun, ways we’ve found to burn off that ever-present kid energy when its just too darn cold to go outside!
1. Honeybee hop- Now when I purchased this toy for my kids one Christmas, I never dreamed of how much use it would get and how much fun they would have with it. The design is so simple, basically a revolving arm on a base, yet so brilliant! According to the package instructions, the kids are supposed to hop, skip, or jump over the arm as it comes towards them, but my kids have had far more fun chasing the stick in a circle for countless, dizzying hours. Frankly, I am still a little perplexed at the toy’s draw, but who am I to question pure genius, especially since it has stood the test of time with my kids (my 7-year old still plays with it!).

2. Ball, Bounce and Sport Hopper- These bounce balls are great for working on balance, as well as getting heart rates pumping. My kids use it with the Honeybee hop (see above) by trying to jump the revolving arm while perched on the ball. This usually ends up with said kids splayed out on the floor in stitches, as they inevitably fall off the ball. The one drawback with this toy is that it requires a relatively open space with few breakable items. Our finished basement works great!

3. Foam Alphabet Floor Puzzle- Now one would not typically consider a floor puzzle very activity inducing, but like I mentioned, you have to get creative when cooped up indoors all winter! We turned this old toy into both an educational and physical activity by jumping words (or at first, when they were younger, just letters). For example, I would say “jump winter",” and the kids would jump from letter to letter without touching any of the letters in between. Sometimes, to shake things up, we use the “Ball, Bounce and Sport Hopper” (see above) to bounce the letters instead. My kids like to challenge each other, too, on who can find the word with the greatest distance between jumps.

4. Mini Trampoline- I would consider our mini trampoline the best $100 I have ever spent. My oldest son is one of those kids who quite literally never stops moving (even in his sleep!). He cannot get from point A to point B without flipping, sliding, jumping, or running the distance in between. Movies are often watched on his head, as is book reading and other supposed “calm” activities. The trampoline is perfect in that it allows him to move constantly in a not-so-destructive manner and burn off some of that male energy. My daughter, who is the opposite of her brother (content to sit and color or play dolls all day), loves the trampoline, too, because it is just pure fun and taps into that kid instinct to jump and fly.

5. Active Indoor “Board” Games- Games like Twister, Hullabaloo, and Twister Hopscotch are great “board” games that get kids active indoors.

6. Couch Cushions- My kids put the couch cushions on the floor in various arrangements and flip, jump and somersault to their heart’s content. One of their favorite cushion games is called “jail break,” where they line up the large bottom cushions against the couch then fall from the couch forward onto the crashing cushions. Another favorite is “hurricane,” where they build a cave with all the cushions and then pretend a storm is coming and crash the cushions on top of themselves. Again, why this is fun only a kid would understand, but it never seems to lose its appeal. Admittedly, “playing cushions” is the activity that gives me the most anxiety as it seems that someone always ends up in tears. Because of this, we have had to set some strict ground rules, like only playing cushions in the basement where the floor is carpeted. And, my kids also know that the first shed tear signals the end of “playing cushions,” so they try to be more careful (sometimes!).
7. Obstacle Courses- My final suggestion is to combine all of the above activities to make really cool obstacle courses for the kids to navigate. Again, you need a fairly open space for this to work well, but the possibilities are endless.
Well, we just saw the passage of Groundhogs Day, and Punxsutawny Phil promises an early spring; however, here in New Hampshire, as I look out at over two feet of snow, this seems doubtful. We have already passed several snow days in our basement bouncing, jumping and running in circles with the above activities. I hope you find some of these suggestions helpful in your quest to cure cabin fever. Have faith, spring will come!

Ideas for making Christmas more green?

2011-01-06T21:04:00.001-05:00

I have a love-hate relationship with Christmas. I love Christmas for the lights, the decorations, the music. For the joy, peace, and goodwill towards men. And, I especially love Christmas as seen through the eyes of my children…the all-consuming, unabashed excitement, the complete and total faith in all things magical, and the infinite ability to consume copious amounts of festive treats!

While my kids truly are the reason for the season, they are also the reason why I have grown to dread it. For eleven months of the year, I am almost militant about excess. I loathe STUFF, by which I mean cheap, plastic junk (and all of its unnecessary packaging) that enters my house via birthday goody bags, Target dollar bins, etc. My hatred for stuff is borne from both my almost compulsive hatred of clutter and the knowledge of what impact said stuff has on the environment, both in its production and disposal. Why then, do I become a consummate consumer of it around the holidays? I stuff stockings with small novelties that will soon end up in a bin of miscellaneous, unused toys. I buy more Star Wars and Polly Pocket figures even though my kids already have dozens. I succumb to the latest, surely fleeting crazes of all school-aged children (um Zhu Zhu pets?). Then, I wrap every last present in festive paper and top it with a bow. And, why? Pure and simple…for my kids and their expectations about what a magical Christmas should be (the seed of which I admit to planting). Now, I know that I should be teaching them about greed and excess. About how to appreciate what they have, and how so many have so little. And, believe me I do. We donate our time to the regional food program and donate gifts to area toy drives. We also spend a lot of time talking about greed and excess, yet I still turn into a total hypocrite at Christmas. And, I hate myself for it!

Well, this year I vowed to do something about it. I swore that I wouldn’t go overboard with toys, and instead would cultivate their budding interest in drawing, art and science. And, for the most part, I think I did fairly well compared to previous years, but there was definitely room for improvement. Take for example the bags full of discarded wrapping paper and plastic packaging. Sure we recycle most of it, but wouldn’t it be better to eliminate it in the first place? I am desperately searching for new ideas on how to make our Christmas more green while still maintaining the magic. For example, next year I vow to use more gift bags, as they are both festive (which my daughter demands) and reusable. Also, one idea we did implement was to upcycle the Christmas cards we received from friends and family. Through a little cutting, pasting and creativity we turned them into unique Thank you cards and ornaments for next year’s tree.

Please share any ideas for greening the season, so that I may go back to loving Christmas unconditionally the way my children do!

2010-11-26T10:11:00.000-05:00

Lately I have been having an internal struggle regarding my age. I know to many 35 is considered young, and part of me understands this. However, I am also at the point in my life where I am hitting milestones, like almost 20 years (gulp) since graduating from high school and almost 15 from college. I have school-aged children that can have intelligent conversations with me, and it will not be long until they realize that I don't know everything, and, in fact, that I don't know anything. Don't get me wrong, I am extremely grateful for my health and my truly blessed life, I am just trying to work through the inevitable, timeless struggle with getting older. Below is my way of working through it with prose.

It cannot be

35!

What seemed so ancient in my youth

Now, just is

The PTO parents seem so mature, experienced

School-aged children, full-time jobs, houses to run

That can’t possibly be me

Can it?

Crow’s feet and laugh lines

Stretch marks and achy joints

Hallmarks of a much older woman

Aren’t they?

Why, then, do they color my reflection?

If you are as old as you feel

Call me Sybil

One day 25, another day 50

My children keep me young,

Yet age me beyond my years

Here is my wish:

May I be granted the grace

To accept the minor nuisances of aging

While embracing the wisdom each passing day affords

For, in the end, it is just a number

One I have to live with

And be grateful that I can

Walking in Gratitude

2010-11-23T10:45:00.000-05:00

I walk hard, relishing the brisk fresh air, the retiring woods, and the few stolen moments all to myself, my heavy breath keeping in time with the crunching of leaves beneath my feet.

The late November sun peeks through the bare trees causing me to remove my early morning layers, first gloves then coat. While my core is warming, my nose is cold, my cheeks red.

The oxbow, typically abuzz with activity during the warm season, lies still. The exception being the resident birds and squirrels making ready for the long winter, and my four-legged friend, outfitted in blaze orange, darting here and there among the underbrush after one scent or another.

While my surroundings go quietly to sleep, I am very much awake and alive, as if the energy of the trees, water and air are now coursing through me. I know I should stop and let the stillness settle me, but the movement itself is euphoric. This is joy, and for it, I am truly grateful.

Hang Your Laundry Out To Dry

2010-10-06T20:14:00.000-04:00

As much as I love autumn (and I really, really LOVE autumn), it’s biggest downfall is the inevitable cold, dark months of winter, which in New England can last for up to 6 months. In addition to bitter cold, mountains of snow, and shoveling (and more shoveling), winter means my clothesline goes into storage. I started hanging my laundry out to dry about three years ago, and became a complete convert. Not only do I find the act of pinning up my clothes sort of Zen, but it saves both energy and money. I have a hard time justifying running my dryer when it is 90 degrees outside or any degree of sunny or breezy. To be slightly dramatic, it seems almost criminal!

Imagine my surprise then when I discovered that there are actually laws all over the country against hanging out laundry. For example, thousands of condominium associations ban the practice claiming it is unsightly and likely to decrease property values. In response to such bans, a New Hampshire lawyer created Project Laundry List, a non-profit organization committed to making air-drying and cold-water washing laundry acceptable and desirable as simple and effective ways to save energy. Their website provides information on why we should line dry, including a cost calculator to help determine how much energy and money we can save by hanging our laundry.

According to Michael Bluejay a clothes dryer accounts for a whopping 12% of electricity use in a typical household. Assuming that the average household does 7.5 loads per week at a sample rate of $0.15/kWh (4.00 kWH/load), we could save $196 per year by line-drying instead of using an electric dryer. The environmental savings would be impressive as well, given that approximately 1.59lb of CO₂are emitted per kWH. (Project Laundry List estimates that if all Americans who currently do not use a clothesline started to use one for ten months of the year, we could avoid 12 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere annually.)

Two years ago, I started keeping track of the number of loads I line dried to get an idea of how much money and energy I was saving. In 2009, I hung out 30 loads, a number that would have been much higher if not for the near washout June that we had in New Hampshire. This year, I have hung out 31 loads so far, and feel that I could have done more early on if not for the demands of a new baby in the house. So, using the numbers from Michael Bluejay, I saved almost $37.00 and 388lb. of CO₂ over 2 years. These numbers are modest, yes, but in this economy and under current climate conditions, every penny and pound counts. Besides, I don’t use my clothesline primarily for the cost savings, but for the small opportunity to get off the grid for a while while being outdoors.

Dear Mother Earth-Cut Me Some Slack!

2010-09-26T12:07:00.002-04:00

Dear Mother Earth,

As one mother to another, I beg you to cut me a break. In addition to having a near-6-month old son, I am an extremely light sleeper with tendencies toward insomnia. Needless to say, sleep often eludes me. I don’t function well without sleep. I could be such a better mom to my three kids and wife to my tolerant husband if only I got a solid seven hours every night. You are not helping my case. I worship you in so many ways and wholly revere your awesome powers, but please cease with the nighttime theatrics.

It started a couple of weeks ago. After a particularly trying night, I finally dozed off around 4:00 am. No sooner were my eyelids closed, I was abruptly awoken to what felt like megavolts of electricity flowing through my body, not unlike grabbing hold of an electric fence. I was pinned to the bed, breathless and terrified! Thoughts of spectral possession passed through my stunned brain. After maybe 20 minutes, I heard thunder way off in the distance followed by flashes of lightning. It wasn’t until evidence of this approaching storm that my heart was able to beat normally again (a lightning strike being preferable to demonic possession).

Then just last night, after again having difficulty falling asleep (and mentally counting the hours until the baby was likely to wake up needing me), I was abruptly awoken by the house shaking and trembling. Were my demons back again ready to show me who’s boss? My heart beating hard and fast in my chest, I ran down the stairs to find my husband consoling my daughter who also woke to the raucous. A quick twitter search revealed the passing of a 3.2 earthquake in a nearby town. Really Mother, an earthquake in New Hampshire? How am I supposed to go back to sleep after that?

I know you’re mad, and with good reason. We don’t treat you well. We use you and pollute you, but please believe me, I am on your side. I drive a hybrid car. I compost, recycle, and conserve energy as much as I can. I teach my children to tread lightly and respect all your creatures. So, please go easy on me. I am a mother too, trying her best to live in balance. This would be so much easier with a good night’s sleep.

With love,

Erin

Stop Corn Sugar-Sign The Petition Now!

2010-09-23T09:01:00.003-04:00

Stop Corn Sugar

The Corn Refiners Association will have you believe that high fructose corn syrup (HFC) is no different than regular table sugar; however, this is not the case. Fructose and glucose molecules in HFC are “unbound” and highly reactive compared to the “bound” fructose and glucose in table sugar. This unbound version can cause all kinds of problems including kidney disease, fatty liver disease, diabetes, pancreatic cancer, obesity, and gout. In addition, HFC has been shown to contain trace amounts of mercury as a result of some manufacturing processes, and its consumption can also lead to zinc loss.

By changing the name of HFC to “corn sugar,” the industry believes that consumers will be fooled into thinking the highly processed, reactive sweetener is more natural. It appears to be yet another way for the industry to mislead the public as to what is in the food we eat. As one on-line writer put it, “[Industries] response: change the name, change public attitude, all without actually changing a thing.”

We should not be forced to purchase or consume HFC under a new name. I urge you to please sign the petition asking the FDA to block the relabeling of HFC to “corn syrup”. http://www.stopcornsugarnow.com/

About Me

2010-09-21T20:33:00.000-04:00

I am a thirty-something mother of three who is passionate about living in balance. What exactly does that mean? It means considering the health and happiness of all living things in everything we do. One of my favorite yogic chants says it best: "loka samasta sukhino bhavantu"- "may all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may my thoughts, words, and actions contribute in some way to that happiness and freedom for all."

I understand completely how difficult it is in today's overscheduled, super-sized world to find a balance that leaves us (and those around us) happy and healthy. That is why I created this blog. I hope to tackle issues like: children's health and fitness, the locavore movement (eating and buying local), reducing our environmental impact, healthy eating and staying active...all things I feel very strongly about. I welcome any suggestions and comments. Namaste.