Mother Earth 2.0

Ecofriendly - Limited Dryer Usage

2010-10-24T16:25:00.000-05:00

Today is my big laundry day of the week.

I made a commitment on BridgingtheGap.org yesterday to reduce my use of the clothes dryer.

Today was the big test.

I thought it would be uber time consuming, stressful and frustrating. It was none of those things. I think I ended up fully using the dryer to dry a load of towels and a half load of underwear and socks. I also used the dryer (with a timer) to get the main wrinkles out of my work clothes before hanging them to dry.

I liked this so much I might actually install a clothesline in the basement. My HOA won't allow an outdoor one, but that's no reason to stop me from trying indoors and the basement would be out of the way. Kind of defeats the purpose of having a main floor laundry room, but perhaps, for the benefit of the Earth (and my body), it wouldn't hurt me to traipse up and down the stairs a few times a day.

I also asked for a clothes drying rack on our Kansas City Freecycle Network.

I will say, though, that I'm glad it's a Sunday because our schedule is slow. That comes in handy because I have jeans hanging all over the kitchen chairs, blouses hanging on hangers from the handles of the kitchen cabinets, and pajama pants spread out on the kitchen table. If this were a typical weekday, it would be a little more challenging.

But, all in all, Dryer Reduction Day was a success!

Bridging the Gap

2010-10-23T15:10:00.000-05:00

As I was looking for ways to improve on my focus to be environmentally friendly, I happened on an organization called Bridging the Gap. One of the prominent sections of their website asks you to make a pledge to do five green things. Then, once you've registered for the site, you choose your five green things from a list of options. As you complete each green thing, your profile shows your achievements.

My five? Since I've already accomplished the first few on their list:

Stop drinking bottled water
Use compact fluorescent light bulbs
Wash laundry in cold water only
Keep thermostat set at 78 summer and 68 winter
Recycle plastic, glass and paper

I pledged to do the following:

Eat one less meat based meal per week
Reduce gasoline use by 1/4
Drive smoothly/make note on steering wheel
Use canvas bags instead of paper or plastic
Air dry laundry (I won't be able to air dry it all, but my goal to start will be to reduce our dryer load by at least half)

Bridging the Gap has many resources available on their web page. Throughout the week, I'll try to highlight these resources.

No more plastic baggies

2010-10-22T07:32:00.000-05:00

Today we used the last of a box of plastic baggies. I try to use them over and over again, but it's not convenient and makes me nervous that I don't get them clean enough to use a second time. But, I'm going to try to make it through the rest of the year using NO more plastic baggies.

So, then I'm faced with the dilemma of how to tote around portable foods for lunches, snacks and so forth. Guess I'll use the more easily reusable plastic storage boxes I have. The lunch meat I usually buy comes in these containers. We reuse them for a long time. And when we're done reusing them, we recycle them. I think it's the best we can do for this situation.

Unless you have a better suggestion....and if you do, I'd love to hear it.

Hoarders and Control

2010-10-21T07:22:00.001-05:00

As I watch the A&E Network show, Hoarders, I hear the people who are featured often say something about the fact that they'd get rid of something, but they didn't trust that the recipient would do the right thing with the item (recycle it, appreciate it, sell it for what it is allegedly worth, and so on). Therefore, they can't let go of the control of the item. They have to make sure it is not misappropriated.

No wonder they are in such a pickle!

When I get ready to send something to recycling, or to offer it on the Freecycle network, I occasionally hesitate. Will the person/corporation follow through with the recycling?

Someone once told me that the plastic bag recycling bin at a local grocery store was dumped into the dumpster each evening. I have no way of knowing whether that is true or false, but it gives me pause.

How do we really know if our recycling items make it through the recycling process?

The Great Furnace Hold Out

2010-10-20T07:55:00.000-05:00

Ok. I'll be the first to admit it. It's cold in my house this morning. This year, I decided to try to hold out on turning on the furnace. The goal is to not turn it on until November 1. After all, 65 degrees isn't THAT cold in the house. It's 45 outside and supposed to have a high today of 75, so it'll be warmer when we get home from school and work.

But then, I looked at the week long forecast. Friday and Saturday are supposed to be rainy with highs in the low to mid sixties. We'll see if I make it through the weekend without turning on the furnace.

For sure, we'll try all the tips and tricks for keeping our bodies warm in the winter (layers, extra socks, warm soup for lunch). But can I stick to my guns when it's cold and damp? I don't know. I'll keep you posted.

What's the latest date you've turned on a furnace?

Mood Boosters

2010-10-20T06:40:00.000-05:00

Recently read an article in the November 1, 2010 volume of Woman's Day magazine. The article author, Deb Wolf, mentioned that she's often grateful, but once in a while she gets stuck in negative thinking. When that happens, she uses the following five mood boosters to get her thinking in a more positive direction. Loved this idea because we're not always in a positive state of mind. We need an attitude adjustment! Ms. Wolf recommends the following:

Pause - Quieting myself and focusing on some small task, like listening to a song I love -- in effect, pushing the Pause button - helps me let go of negative feelings. By the time I'm done, my mind has moved on to more pleasant thoughts.
Appreciate - I take a moment to run through my list of blessings: my husband, my children, my good friends and my grandkids. It puts everything into perspective
Write - When I'm upset of angry I occasionally write about it to clarify my thinking. I just make sure to shred anything I want to keep personal.
Play - It's impossible for me to stay in a bad mood when I'm playing with my dog, Chloe. She always makes me laugh.
Pray - At times, I need to call on a more powerful source. That's when I rely on my faith and prayer. Trusting that God is greater than any problem I'm facing is reason enough to be to be positive.

Woman's Day magazine
November 1, 2010 issue, p. 37

The Green Connection to Gratitude

2010-10-19T06:08:00.003-05:00

I've been thinking deeply about how the topics of my blog really relate to each other. I stumbled on this idea:

If you're grateful for what you have, and it's enough, then rampant materialism (and over-consumption of goods) loses its power. When I'm grateful for the things I own, and I find ways to use them over and over, with gratitude, then I'm not adding more "stuff" to my life that will one day fester in a landfill.

It's a big idea. Powerful. And just the right idea to hold dear as I launch into the day.

Recycled Holiday Lights

2010-10-18T19:05:00.000-05:00

Love the idea of recycling holiday lights.

http://www.recycleminnesota.org/

Wonder what they do with them?

REFUSE plastic

2010-10-18T19:00:00.000-05:00

Something to think about:

http://plasticpollutioncoalition.org/2010/10/refuse-not-recycle/

One of my goals is to limit my packaging. In this modern day, that's not as easy as it sounds. I used to assuage my guilt with the idea that I'd recycle as much as possible of my packaging. Apparently that may not be enough.

Freecycle

2010-10-18T18:20:00.000-05:00

Freecycle.org became one of my favorite things about six years ago. At the time, I was newly divorced, on a strict budget, and environmentally conscious. When I first joined the Freecycle network in Kansas City, I did so to find clothing for my kids (without spending hours and hours scouring garage sales), and to have an outlet for those items I just didn't know what to do with (50 egg cartons, for example).

In those first few years, we were the recipients of numerous bags of boys' clothes, a woman's bicycle, a 4' deep 18' diameter swimming pool, and camping supplies. More recently, when our television croaked, the boys' first thought was, "Let's see if there's one on Freecycle," and there was!

Over the years, I have used Freecycle to give away far more than I've brought into my home, but using the network has become part of the culture of our house. When we clean out a room, organize the garage or end up with stuff we don't know what to do with...our first answer is, "Let's List it on Freecycle." Nine times out of ten, someone in our Kansas City Freecycle network will take and reuse the item that we're offering.

It's important to note that Freecycle is not a need based organization. No sob stories are required. Its primary purpose is to keep usable items out of landfills.

If we're going to save the Earth, then we must try to Reduce Reuse and Recycle.

Freecycle.org is an excellent source for reusing items.

Give it a try!

Ecycler.com

2010-10-18T17:06:00.023-05:00

Ecycler.com has the potential to bring recyclers and recyclables together.
What do you think? Would you use this kind of service?

From ecycler.com:

Ecycler has discarders and collectors. The discarders are those who give away recyclables and the collectors are those who pick them up from a business or house and then sell them to their local recyclable buyer.

If you have items to recycle (you are a discarder), follow these steps:

Fill up a can or bag with one type of recyclable
Go to ecycler.com and pick a collector
After establishing when they will pick up the recyclables, put them outside

If you'd like to collect recyclables:

Register at ecycler.com and wait for discarders to contact you or start advertising yourself locally
Check ecycler.com or your e-mail for requests to pick up recyclables and accept
Go to their house and pick up the recyclables
Take the recyclables to a recycling facility

Turning Problems into Gifts

2010-10-18T06:40:00.001-05:00

Final installment today on my personal reflection on the following quote:

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.

It turns what we have into enough, and more.

It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.

It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing.

~Melody Beattie

Gratitude turns problems into gifts. When you realize that all the things that happen in your life are leading you to where you are meant to be, the problems and obstacles that crop up seem like gifts that prevent you from landing in the wrong place and keep you on the track toward the life you were meant to have. It definitely takes hindsight to see the "gift" in the event, though.

Four years ago, I thought I had found the perfect job! Everything seemed to be lining up perfectly for that job to drop in my lap. Then, one single solitary event knocked that job out of reach. At first, I was devastated. My dream job had just evaporated. I was whining to a friend, and she said, "How do you know that was your dream job? Maybe there's something better that is just meant for you around the corner...." That very day, I applied for a similar job in a different location, and although it seemed that all the cards were stacked against me being the candidate selected, by the next week, I had been offered the job! Turns out, it was one of the best moves of my career.

When I think about viewing failures as success, I think of Thomas Edison's quote:

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.

Edison knew that each failure was like a successful elimination of an option. Life is like that too. When we fail, we have now narrowed down the options of what will work by one. When faced with an array of 100 options to solve a problem, and one option fails, we can celebrate and be grateful for the fact that now there are only 99 left to try!

And when I think of the unexpected leading to the perfect timing, I think of when I bought my current house. I had been offered the job (see above) and needed to move. My former house had an offer on it, but I needed a place to move to. The house I am in now had been listed $25,000 above my budget limit. I had glanced at it online but had eliminated it from my search. One Sunday morning, at a coffee shop with a friend, we decided to look to see if anything new had been listed. This house had come down in price by $25,000. I called my realtor and made an appointment to see the house. Within three weeks, I had viewed the house, made an offer, had an inspection, and settled on a closing date that worked with the closing date on the sale of my former home.

I love this house and even four years later, when I pull in the driveway, I'm so grateful that I was able to purchase it. All because of unexpected timing!

Missed opportunity

2010-10-18T06:19:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I had a missed opportunity....

Today, it's still bothering me.

I went to the gas station to buy a coffee to enjoy at the boys' karate promotion. Anyone who has been to a karate promotion knows that sometimes it's important to have something to drink as they can last a while!

The cashier started to ring me up...and asked, "For her, too?" and nodded at the girl behind me in line. And, I said, "No."

Wish I had said yes. The girl had a small soda. I could have easily paid for it in a "pay it forward" kind of way. Didn't. Wish I had. Would have been an easy way to make the world a better place.

In a neighboring town, each holiday season, there's a coffee shop that has customers that start paying it forward around Thanksgiving. They pay for their drink and the person behind them in the line (or the drive-thru). I'd like to see this kind of generosity in our lives throughout the year.

Hopefully, next time I'm in line, I can find a way to pay it forward.

Let it begin with me.

Homemade salsa

2010-10-17T12:43:00.000-05:00

When I started to winterize the garden today, I found a couple of surprises: a bunch of ripe tomatoes, a couple jalapenos (thought we had NONE, but found two today), and a couple more pumpkins that are still maturing.

So, the winterizing didn't happen, but homemade salsa will! I usually make chunky salsa, but the kids have requested salsa like they have at our neighborhood Mexican restaurant which is more like a smooth salsa. So...

I'm going to try this recipe from Allrecipes.com except that I will use fresh tomatoes from the garden and will definitely add some garlic.

Easy Blender Salsa

By: KELLYDP

"My family begs me to make this during football season, with or without company coming over. It's so easy to make, that I don't mind. Use caution with the jalapeno pepper, however. I recommend using kitchen or disposable gloves. These amounts are the flavor my family likes, but you can use less or more jalapeno pepper depending on your tastes."

Rate/Review | Read Reviews (20)

1,892 people have saved this | 3 custom versions

What to Drink?
	Sauvignon Blanc
	Cuervo Especial Oasis
	Beer

Prep Time:
15 Min

Ready In:
45 Min

Servings (Help)

USMetricCalculate

Original Recipe Yield 28 servings

Ingredients

2 (14.4 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 jalapeno chile, seeds and ribs removed
1/2 yellow onion, quartered
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
salt to taste

Directions

Pour 1 can of tomatoes into a blender, and add the jalapeno pepper, onion, cilantro leaves, lemon juice, and salt. Blend until fairly smooth. Pour in the second can of tomatoes and blend briefly. Adjust seasonings to taste by adding more lemon juice and salt. Let the salsa rest for 1/2 hour before serving to allow the flavors to blend.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 7 | Total Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 0mg

In the reviews of this recipe, some people have indicated that they have had success freezing salsa. I've never tried such a thing, but might do a small test batch with this recipe.

Have you ever frozen something like salsa?

Square foot gardening

2010-10-17T12:31:00.000-05:00

This year, we attempted our first raised bed garden. We had some definite successes and some colossal failures. One of my goals for the day is to get the garden winterized. I had intended to plant a fall crop of lettuce and spinach, but did not get it done this year. And it appears it's too late to plant anything else this year.

Successful crops this year included:

yellow squash and zucchini (froze bags and bags of shredded squash to make bread this fall/winter)
heirloom tomatoes (froze bags and bags of whole tomatoes for use in soups, stews, sauces this winter)
sweet corn (YUM!)
and pie pumpkins (we pureed and froze 11 bags of pumpkin)

Crops that I may not plant again:

green beans (they took over and tried to strangle everything in sight!)
onions (both green and yellow varieties)
watermelon & canteloupe (pretty sure that the incredibly strong pumpkin vine overshadowed both of these...may try them again next year with a different crop placement)
English peas (just failed to thrive)
and peppers (both jalapeno and bell)

10 steps to a more Earth friendly life

2010-10-17T06:00:00.003-05:00

Earth friendly living doesn't have to be complicated. You can make small changes starting right now. Here are ten easy ways to get started being more eco-friendly:

When you grab your mail, immediately drop the junk mail into a stack for recycling. We keep a paper grocery bag behind the kitchen counter next to the phone for easy paper recycling.
Turn off the water while you brush your teeth.
Turn your thermostat up (or down) just a couple of degrees.
Change a light bulb from the traditional type to a compact fluorescent.
Start recycling aluminum or plastic or glass (or all three!)
Run the dishwasher only when it is full.
Use a vinegar and water solution for general purpose cleaning. Vinegar does a fantastic job of cleaning counters, vanities and glass, and the odor dissipates quickly.
Keep your freezer full. Even adding large milk jugs full of water will help your freezer run more efficiently.
Turn of lights/televisions/radios when you leave a room.
Invest in a couple of reusable shopping bags. They are sturdy, hold quite a bit, and won't be immediately tossed in the landfill.

Do you have other easy tips for those just starting a more Earth friendly life?

Acceptance, Order and Clarity

2010-10-16T05:54:00.000-05:00

This week, I've been exploring and articulating my thoughts on the quote below:

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.

It turns what we have into enough, and more.

It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order,

confusion into clarity.

It turns problems into gifts, failures into success,

the unexpected into perfect timing.

~Melody Beattie

Today, I'd like to look at the third line. When I turn denial into acceptance I am stopping the fight against the negative. When the fight against the negative energy stops, the negative energy loses its power, and I find peace in accepting whatever the situation may be. At that point, I can be grateful for what I do have, for the lesson learned, for the moment -- even if it was painful.

Gratitude turns chaos into order in my life because when I am grateful for my things, I take care of them. When I am grateful for my children, I spend time with them. When I am grateful for my home, I take pride in it and keep it looking presentable.

And gratitude turns confusion into clarity by giving me a focal point for the most important things in my life. Work meetings, deadlines, bills and obligations are not the focal point of my life. My children are! When I am grateful for them, I know exactly what I should spend my time and energy on -- my kids and our life as a family. Once my focus is where it should be, my life has clarity of purpose.

What an amazing gift...and all from saying "Thank you!" for everything...small things, big things, good things, and not-so-good things.

What is enough?

2010-10-15T06:32:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I started thinking about gratitude in my suburban life. I don't want to get to the end of my life and think that all there was to it was carpools, laundry and the crock pot. But I also know that gratitude is what changes the ordinary into the extraordinary. I shared this quote and pondered the first line. Today, I'd like to explore the second line.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.

It turns what we have into enough, and more.

It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.

It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing.

~Melody Beattie

Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more.

We live in a world of "buy more" and "want more" and "deserve more." It's so easy to get sucked into what the advertisers want us to believe about consumption and retail therapy.

This past summer, the boys and I spent 12 days in Alaska and Canada. During that time, we visited several historic sites that showed how the original settlers lived. In their one room homes, they had a small bed, a few kitchen items, blankets, and some tools. They made a life for themselves with these things. They didn't have stainless steel refrigerators (I do)...or bookshelves with multiple titles sitting colorfully in a line (I do)...multiple lamps, artwork, comfortable seating, wine rack, framed photos...the list goes on and on. And sometimes, in my moments of self pity as I strive to be more frugal, I think while I'm pouting, "I don't live a life of luxury! It's unfair that I don't have ________ (fill in your latest WANT here)!"

But, if I'm truly honest with myself, in comparison to the pioneer people of the Alaskan and Canadian wilderness (and, in all honesty, most of the people of the world), I DO live in luxury.

Sure, I still have laminate countertops instead of quartz....but I have countertops!

I still have kitchen cabinets I hate because they show every fingerprint...but I have cabinets and plenty of stuff inside them.

I have a kitchen table that's falling apart...but I have a table around which my family gathers for meals.

Today, as I ponder the second line of that quote, I want to look at each and everything that I own, and find a reason to be grateful for its presence in my life. And I can realize that I have so much more than I need for survival. I can also state that I don't need more stuff to be happy. I have so much already and new and better and state of the art won't necessarily make me a happier or more grateful person.

What is "enough" for you?

Attitude of Gratitude

2010-10-14T16:42:00.004-05:00

One of the ideas that I think helps keep my life in balance is an attitude of gratitude. I've been trying to live by this quote:

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.

It turns what we have into enough, and more.

It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.

It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing.

~Melody Beattie

Today, I'd like to look at the first line and try to articulate what it means in a Mother Earth 2.0 kind of life. When I think about how gratitude unlocks the fullness of life, I think about the intense heart-bursting-with-pride-and-love feeling I get when I really stop in the midst of my crazy life and really take a look at and consciously treasure my children. Taking a few seconds to consciously FIND that feeling in myself can change a dull ordinary moment into one that makes the day completely worthwhile.

I also get that feeling sometimes when I have worked hard on a home improvement project and stand back to admire my handiwork. I can look at my property, knowing it's not the largest lot, not the most perfectly put-together home, but recognize that it's MINE and that I love it for what it is. At the same time I can know that although it's a work in progress, it's my home, my haven from the world, and I love it.

When I try to define a "full life" I think of a life in which I don't take anything for granted. Even the most mundane tasks can be a blessing for my family. When I drive the carpool to an after school activity, I know that I am making someone else's life a little easier, and that brings me happiness. When I fold laundry, I can be grateful for having clothes to wash. As I'm cooking dinner for my family, I can be grateful that we have fresh food. When joy and gratitude can be found in the everyday moments of our lives, I think that is the beginning of a consciously lived full life.

Each and every day, I am going to continue to strive to find that deeply grateful feeling. I'm going to try to conjure it up for simple things, precious moments and everything in between.

Lately, I've been trying to meditate in the afternoon for a few minutes. I tend to be a type A personality, constantly on the go, mind racing with the next item on the To Do list. I've tried to just lie down (with a fan blowing in the background for white noise to keep the distractions to a minimum), and I start with a few deep cleansing breaths, then begin concentrating on the things that I'm particularly grateful for during that particular day. Honestly, there are days that it's tricky to pull out items for which I am grateful, but I feel like on those days, it's even MORE important that I try to find something to treasure about the day and consciously attempt to feel the intense heart bursting gratitude in relationship to that event or person. I can't say that I'm successful every day, but I can say that I continue to try.

So, what are you grateful for today?

Packaging = trash

2010-10-13T19:48:00.003-05:00

As we have embarked on this quest to be more environmentally friendly while not quite losing track of our suburban lifestyle, it's become apparent that many of the convenience products we use have an overabundance of packaging. When I take my kids through the drive-thru after a busy day of school/work, guitar lessons, art club and tae kwon do, we end up with a bag, and inside the bag are individually wrapped sandwiches, pre-portioned fries, napkins and condiments, plus in the drink tray are paper cups, straws and straw wrappers. With over 1 billion served, can you imagine the kind of waste that just our fast food products produce?

In small ways, we're trying to do better. When we order, if we're going home to eat, I'll ask for NO condiments or napkins because we have those at home. We don't order drinks; the kids will drink soda, juice or water at home. I feel like at least I'm making an effort. I can't be a perfect environmentalist all the time with the kind of schedule we keep, but at least I'm aware...and making some modifications in our behavior.

But still, I struggle with whether I can put the paper bag from the meal in the paper recycling?

Recycling in Suburbia

2010-10-11T18:48:00.006-05:00

As I've mentioned, we are trying to recycle everything we can. The recycling bins in our garage are full about once a week to every ten days.

We do have curbside recycling in our town, but in order to be more frugal (and help with fundraising at our school), we deliver our recycling weekly to the receptacle at our school.

We're trying to reduce our trash to one bag or less per week. Ideally, we would like to only have to set out the trash once every two weeks. In order to do that, we'll have to make other changes in our purchasing habits. I'll be sharing those changes as we attempt them, and report about our successes and failures.

Items that are recyclable in our area include:

newspaper
catalogs
ad inserts
magazines
phone books
brochures
office paper
manila folders
junk mail
carrier stock (cardboard soft drink & beer cartons)
chipboard (cereal boxes, shoe and gift boxes, etc.)
aluminum cans
#1-#7 food and beverage containers (water bottles, yogurt tubs, and takeout containers)

In addition to these items, I can recycle glass at a special receptacle at the grocery store. We actually only empty that bin about once a month or so.

Recycling resources that may be helpful include:

http://earth911.com/

http://www.nrc-recycle.org

http://www.recyclespot.org/

Recycling Monday!

2010-10-11T18:03:00.002-05:00

One of the biggest changes in our family life in the last couple of years is our willingness to recycle everything we can. At one point, we had 3-4 bags of trash per week for our family of three. Now, we have two large recycling bins in the garage, plus another one for glass. Our paper recycling goes in paper grocery sacks for delivery to the recycling receptacle at our school. We're down to 1-2 bags of trash per week!

Still, recycling is only half the solution. We need to use less packaging too. More on that tomorrow!

Birth of a Blog

2010-10-10T21:13:00.004-05:00

As I drove home from visiting out of state family today, I had four hours of time to ponder the blessings in my life. The usually dull drive from Nebraska through Iowa to return to Missouri proved scenic today due to the fall foliage. As I admired the golden autumn sunshine, glorious color on the leaves and lakes as smooth as glass, I felt profound gratitude for my visit to see my only sister and her family...for the sheer joy and excitement of Pop Warner football games...and the luxury of safe transportation.

During this trip, I also began thinking about how to articulate my point of view for this blogging project. I consider myself an environmentalist, but a realist...a spiritual person, but one not entrenched in organized religion...and I am also a single parent who wants to give my boys a thorough education on being a good person and taking care of the earth we inhabit...and after four hours of deep thought (punctuated by a couple of rest stops and lunch in the drive thru), I decided that these views have no real outlet in my life. Hence...the birth of this blog.

Mother Earth 2.0

Ecofriendly - Limited Dryer Usage

Bridging the Gap

No more plastic baggies

Hoarders and Control

The Great Furnace Hold Out

Mood Boosters

The Green Connection to Gratitude

Recycled Holiday Lights

REFUSE plastic

Freecycle

Ecycler.com

Turning Problems into Gifts

Missed opportunity

Homemade salsa

Easy Blender Salsa

What to Drink?

Prep Time: 15 Min

Ready In: 45 Min

Servings (Help)

Ingredients

Directions

Nutritional Information

Square foot gardening

10 steps to a more Earth friendly life

Acceptance, Order and Clarity

What is enough?

Attitude of Gratitude

Packaging = trash

Recycling in Suburbia

Recycling Monday!

Birth of a Blog

Prep Time:
15 Min

Ready In:
45 Min