Caring for the Environment

During Earth week, I talked a lot about the importance of reducing household waste. During the week our household worked hard to reduce waste as well. Of course it is always much easier to say something than to do it, especially to do it consistently.

Over the week we stopped using disposable diapers and wipes, even for outings! We worked on reducing food waste and using reusable bags for purchasing food from the bulk bins (raisins, nuts, lentils, beans). A few people mentioned the challenge of food waste cause by little ones because they leave behind un-salvageable leftovers. We experience that same thing here. I've been trying to offer smaller amounts of food and waiting until it is eaten before giving more. This seems to help a little.

It was great to see all those participating in the challenge. These days more people are open to the idea of taking steps to protect and care for the environment. But there are still many others that aren't open or willing. Surprisingly, some of the biggest contesters I came across were conservative Christians. There is the thought among many conservative Christians that caring for the environment is too liberal and not worth our time or effort. I've heard things said like "why worry about saving trees? we should worry about saving babies!". I'm not saying that trees are more important than humans. I am saying, however, that there should be a natural outflow from the desire to protect and care for human life to protect and care for the environment.

Elizabeth Foss, author of Small Steps for Catholic Moms, recently wrote an article entitled For Catholic, every day is Earth Day. Catholic or non-Catholic, Christian or non-Christian, it's worth a read. Elizabeth reminds us that we "have a responsibility to think deeply about all of God’s creation, to teach our children to respect and protect it, and to remind our families, by the way we live, that for practicing Catholics, every day is Earth Day." Amen to that!

"The environment must be seen as God’s gift to all people, and the use we make of it entails a shared responsibility for all humanity, especially the poor and future generations." ~ Pope Benedict XVI from his massage If You Want To Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation (January 2010).

Yarn Along (no. 22): ATC Swap @ Cindy's Wobblog

After blogging every day for one week straight, I'm glad to be back to a casual blogging status again. The Household Waste Challenge was a lot of fun. There were some great comments and I met some lovely people. I think I'd like to do something similar next year.

On another note, my good friend Cindy, over at Cindy's Wobblog, is hosting a Spring ATC (Artist Trading Card) swap. ATC swaps are great fun for both adults and children. For this ATC to happen there needs to be a minimum of six participants! So if you are interested, or you think your children might be, go over and check out her post and leave a comment.

With everything happening I've still found a little bit of time to knit. I finished Sweetpea's Milo vest for this fall and I'm getting close to finishing a pair of longies for a friend who had a little girl on Easter Sunday! I'm using Kanoko Pants for the pattern and Ella Rae Camel Soft yarn - so soft! I haven't had the chance to start reading Reasons to Believe by Scott Hahn yet. Hopefully I'll make a dent in it this week.

To see what others are knitting and reading this week visit Ginny's blog.

Giveaway Winners!

Thanks again to everyone for participating this week. I hope that everyone is having a wonderful Easter. I've chosen the giveaway winners using random.org, and here are the lucky winners:

Day Two: Reusable cloth produce bags (Kootsacs)

#9 Yellow Finch Designs who said "I tweeted about this giveaway :)"

Day Three: Swimmi resuable swim diaper (CozyBums)

# 7 Caedmen who said "I would love to switch to cloth napkins."

Day Four: Hydrapak and Socks (Summerside)

#2 Rob who said "I would say that this week, I don't aim to get more exercise, but simply maintain my level. Given the weather forecast, I am looking forward to doing more outside though. Bring on summer!"

Day Five: Stainless steel food storage container (The Tickle Trunk)

#11 Tanya who said "We strive to reduce all plastics in our home-but it can be a hard thing to do! I use fabric snack bags and lined sandwhich wappers, re-useable drink containers and other reusable containers. With one child in school full time and a hubby who takes a lunch 5x week, our goal was to have both lunches be litterless. For the most part, we have been very sucessful. I find the hardest area to reduce plastic is at the grocery store-so much fruit seems to come in packaging. I no longer automatically place my potatoes etc into the plastic bags provided, I would never buy bagged bananas (really, why?!), but I have yet to find a source of berries that does not involve plastic packaging (except for at a u-pick farm, and that is seasonally limited). I would love anything on the website! ;)"

Day Six: Bib (Sew North Gifts)

#4 Anonymous who said "This reminds me of a project I'd like to do with a pair of old, worn jeans...make a bag out of the upper end by cutting off the legs and sewing it closed along the bottom; then make a carrying strap out of the leg pieces that are still intact! ~christine (you know who)"

Day Seven: Wool dryer balls (Thegreensheep.ca) and reusable snack baggies (kreenZart)

#3 Domestic Diva who said "The Green Sheep's wool mattress pad looks like a great way to keep baby dry and comfy"

Congratulations! I have sent each of you an email, if you did not receive it please let me know :)

Day Seven: Post Round-Up, Recycling + Two More Giveaways!

Today is the last day of the Household Waste Reduction Challenge. Thanks to everyone for participating! Now that it's over, take some time to have a discussion with your household members about ways to start or continue reducing household waste. I've gathered this week's posts below as a reference:

Day One: Reduce Household Consumption

Two: Food is for Eating  Giveaway: Kootsacs Butterfly Bags

Day Three: Dependent on Disposables Giveaway: Swimmi reusable swim diaper

Day Four: The Wheel of Life (guest post) Giveaway: Hydrapak + sport socks

Day Five: Plastic Packaging Waste Giveaway: stainless steel food storage container

Day Six: Re Use Giveaway: Ragamuffin bib

NB. All the giveaways this week will be open for entry until Sunday, April 24, 2011 at midnight.

                                                                     --- o O o ---

Before bidding you farewell for Easter celebrations, I want to put in a quick plug for recycling and offer two final giveaways.

Recycling is another step towards reducing household waste. As I mentioned earlier this week, recycling shouldn't be touted as the answer to our household waste problems. First, households need to reduce consumption and reuse stuff. People will find that if they work on reducing and reusing, recycling won't be as overwhelming.

Some people don't recycle because they honestly don't know how. If this is you, start by making a spot in your home solely for the purpose of recycling. A box in the corner, a bin under the kitchen sink or a garbage can in the carport all work well. It won't take long to figure out a system that works. Next find out what kind of recycling program your city offers. Use a search engine, like Google, and type in recycling and the name of your city (i.e. recycling Vancouver). The what-where-how? information for recycling in your area should pop up - easy-peasy!

If you are blessed with access to a great recycling program take advantage of it, if you aren't, recycle what you can and then focus on the reducing and reusing waste.

One more thing on about recycling. Sometimes we use recycling as an excuse for being wasteful. Recycling isn't magic. Resources and energy are needed to make recycled material into something useful. Try not to use the option to recycle as an excuse for purchasing wasteful products like flats of bottled water. Remember: Reduce, Reuse and then Recycle.

Final Giveaways

The first giveaway is from The Green Sheep a Canadian online store sells organic mattresses and bedding, natural baby products and stuff for mom and family. For Earth Week, until April 25th, all of their products are 20% off! Today I'm offering a pair of their wool dryer balls.

These felted wool dryer balls are to be used in place of fabric softener, and to shorten the time needed to dry your laundry. Their "not quite round" shape breaks through static better than a round ball does. They are handmade in BC and have a 100% wool exterior, with a core of terry towelling.

The second giveaway is made by kreenZart. kreenZart makes fun and good quality items from new and recycled material. K'reen makes funky training pants, bags, reusable lunch and snack baggies, hairclips and other things too. If you live locally you should definitely check out kreenZart at the Farmers' Market! Today I'm offering a set of three reusable baggies perfect for snacks and school lunches.

These cool baggies have a cotton exterior and a foodsafe PVC interior.

Enter the Giveaways:

1) Leave a comment about the Household Waste Reduction Challenge. Thoughts? Suggestions? Please leave an email address if you do not have a link on your name so I can contact you if you win.

2) Visit The Green Sheep or the kreenZart Facebook page and then come back here and comment by telling me that you checked it out.

3) Facebook, blog or tweet about this giveaway and link back to this blog. Leave a separate comment for each thing you've done telling me you've done so.

4) Become a follower of my blog.

So there are multiple ways of entering this giveaway with a potential of six entries per person!

All the giveaways this week will be open for entry until Sunday, April 24, 2011 at midnight. The winners will be announced on April 25, 2011.

Good Friday. Vendredi Saint.

Father into your hands I commit my spirit - Luke 23:46

"The Christ of Saint John of the Cross" by Salvador Dali

Day Six: Re Use

It's already day six of the Household Waste Challenge. I'm sure people are getting ready for Easter so I'll make today and tomorrow's post a little shorter. Don't forget to enter the giveaways from the last few days.
                                                                       --- o O o ---

In the past, reusing items was the norm and very little went to waste. Useless scraps of fabric were made into beautiful quilts and old clothes were sewed into new clothes. People saw worth in what would have probably appeared worthless to the most of us today.

Household Items

Before you throw anything ask the question: Can this be reused? Once a household items is no longer serving it's original purpose don't automatically trash it. First, consider any other functional uses it may have. If nothing comes to mind check the internet for suggestions. Here are a few ideas:

• Use old toothbrushes as (non-dental) cleaning tools.
• Make old towels into rags or even a toddler bib.
• Cut an old mouse pad into shapes for art stamps.
• Use toilet paper rolls for art projects or to start growing seeds.

If you can't find another way to use the item - don't throw it out! Perhaps someone else could use it. Clothes, shoes, furniture, toys, art supplies, books... can be donated to a thrift store. If you don't think the item is thrift store worthy bring it to a landfill swap shed. You'd be surprised what people are interested in taking home to use.

Get It Used

Before you buy something ask: Can this be bought used? Buying or getting free used items is a great thing! Think of all the planet's resources that are saved even by buying one used shirt. Don't be scared away by thrift stores and swap sheds. Be brave and step inside. You might be pleasantly surprised. I know that I was surprised when I made the effort to enter and browse our local swap shed for the first time.

Also, it's good to know that thrift store have sales, like Value Village's 50% of sales. This is great time to stock up for certain items like children's clothes. Freecycle.org is another great place to find used items.

Upcycle

Upcycling is taking something that's headed for the trash and making something functional or better out of it. I've seen some pretty amazing stuff made of out upcycled material. But upcycling can take time, energy and a little creativity. If you're curious Upcycle.ca has a few good upcycling suggestions.

In the spirit of reusing I have a lovely giveaway for today:

The giveaway item was hand made by Sew North Gifts. The creative Tamara used 27 different pieces of fabric, second hand thread, a remnant of upholstery and a reused button to make this one-of-a-kind ragamuffin bib. When I received the bib I wanted to keep it (it's so cute!) but of course that would be so unfair.

Thank you Tamara for creating this wonderful bib for today's giveaway!

Enter the Giveaway:

1) Leave a comment below about how things you reuse (or plan to reuse) in your household. Please leave an email address if you do not have a link on your name so I can contact you if you win.

2) Visit Sew North Gift then come back here and tell me that you did.

3) Facebook, blog or tweet about this giveaway and link back to this blog. Leave a separate comment for each thing you've done telling me you've done so.

4) Become a follower of my blog. Only if you want to of course :)

So there are multiple ways of entering this giveaway with a potential of six entries per person!

The giveaway ends Sunday, April 24, 2011 at midnight.

The winner will be announced on April 25, 2011.

Day Five: Plastic Packaging Waste

Over the last few days I've touched upon the topic of packaging, but today I'm diving into the topic of plastic packaging waste.

Stuff is packaged for containment, protection, transportation, storage and marketing. The idea of packaging goods to conserve and keep them safe is a wonderful idea and has been done for well over thousands of years. Over the centuries there have been many ways to package goods. There have been ceramics, boxes, barrels, crates, glass, metals, cloth and paper-like products. It wasn't until the twentieth century that packaging took on a radically different form: plastic packaging.

Plastics are so versatile. Imagine aeronotics, construction, medicine or electronics without plastics. It would not be the same. We have a love affair with plastics but we have become blinded by love. Plastics take tens to hundreds of years to decompose and are most often made out of petroleum, a non-renewable resource. The process of making plastics can also result in releasing tons of chemicals into the environment adversely affecting nature and our health.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Not all plastics are created equal. High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), and Polypropylene (PP) are considered to be safer plastics. You can identify them by their recycling codes: 2, 4, and 5. These are the plastics used for milk jugs, cereal box liners, squeezable bottles, and margarine containers.

Polythylene Terephthalate (PETE), Plyvinyl Chloride (V), Polystyrene (PS) and Others are ugly plastics and we come into contact with them frequently. You can identify them by their recycling codes: 1, 3, 6 and 7. Soda and water bottles, detergent bottles, take out container, plastic wrap, toys (yes toys!), meat trays, foam, the list goes on.

These plastics leach chemicals like phthlates, lead, dioxin, BPA, mercury, cadmium or other toxins into the food or product. As a result the food we ingest or the shampoo we slather all over our head could be laced in chemicals known to cause cancer, disrupt hormones and damage the brain and nervous system.

Toxic Nation has a very handy Guide to Plastics: Helping you Avoid Toxic Chemicals print out to help guide you through the. Alternatively, here is an adapted rhyme from Slow Death By A Rubber Duck:

"Four, five and two; all the rest are bad for you"

How to Avoid Plastic Packaging Waste

Once again I'm going to promote the first of the three Rs: Reduce. The best way to avoid plastic packaging waste is to reduce the amount of plastic packaging that comes into your home. It sounds so simple, but is it? Here are a few ways to start reducing plastic waste.

Don't buy bottled water.
Make your home a bottle water free zone  by using reusable bottles like Klean Kanteens instead.

In 2006, Canadians consumed 2.1 billion litres of bottled water, Americans 31 billion litres. The Pacific Institute in California estimates that the equivalent of more than 17 million barrels of oil were needed to produce these plastic bottles. Their manufacture created more than 2.5 million tons of CO2 and twice the amount of water in the bottle is required in the production process. More energy is needed to fill the bottles with water, move it by truck, train, ship or air to grocery stores and then recover for recycling. (CBC)

Unwrap That Plastic

Choose foods and other products that aren't packaged in plastics. Yes, for some items this cam be difficult but not impossible.

• Buy unpackaged fresh produce and food from the bulk bins and put it in a cloth bag.
• Go for glass or paper packaging instead of plastic. Try buying milk, juice and mustard in jars instead of a plastic bottles. 
• Purchase detergent in a box.
• Buy eggs in cardboard cartons.
• Order meat from a butcher and ask to have the meat wrapped in butcher's paper. 
• Ask the deli if they can put your cheese and lunch meat in a reusable container instead of wrapping it in plastic. While big supermarkets might not do this, smaller privately owned delis usually don't mind.
• Consume less products that are packaged in plastics especially highly processed foods.

Pay for the product, Not the packaging! (True Green)


What about Recycling?

Many, if not most, plastics are recyclable but not everyone has access to the appropriate recycling facilities. In our city the only recyclable plastic packaging is milk jugs. You can find ways around this by paying a private recycling company to pick up your stuff. But even with good recycling systems in place the majority of plastics end up in the landfill.

For instance, an average of 36% of plastic bottles (beverage and non-beverage) are recovered in Canada (EPIC, 2004). That means about 150 000 tonnes of recyclable plastic bottles (just bottles!) are ending up in the landfill each year.

Yes, we should recycle. There is no doubt in my mind that recycling is an important step to reducing household waste. But, recycling should not be touted at the magic carrot to our waste problems. Just because something is recycled that doesn't mean it actually gets recycled. It could just end up in the landfill. Surprised? I was.

Reusing Plastics 

Be careful about reusing plastics. Many plastic packagings are not intended to be reused for storing food. But you can reuse plastics for crafts or non-food storage. Of course plastic containers that are intended for reuse are usually safe but be careful about microwaving your food in them. The problem with reusing plastic containers is the don't last for a long time. So instead of going back to buy more plastic containers start looking for longer lasting alternatives: metal, glass and cloth. You'll save money in the long run.

This bring me to a very exciting giveaway! Today's giveaway is sponsored by The Tickle Trunk.

The Tickle Trunk is an online Canadian company that offers families an affordable alternative to plastics food storage containers. After seeing the need for safe, environmentally responsible and affordable non-plastic food containers, cups, plates The Tickle Trunk was brought to life. The products sold at the Tickle Trunk are made of high quality food grade stainless steal. There are a lot of options to choose from and there are even neat things like stainless steal straws and Popsicle molds (which is how I came across this great company).

Tickle Trunk is offering one 1.1L stainless steal food storage container. This beautiful (yes it's beautiful!) container is made out of #316 (18/10) food grade Stainless Steel, (the best of the best!) and the lid has a silicone seal.

Enter the Giveaway:

1) Leave a comment below about how your household plans to reduce plastic packaging waste this week. Please leave an email address if you do not have a link on your name so I can contact you if you win.

2) Visit The Tickle Trunk and then come back here and comment by telling me which item(s) interests you the most.

3) Facebook, blog or tweet about this giveaway and link back to this blog. Leave a separate comment for each thing you've done telling me you've done so.

So there are multiple ways of entering this giveaway with a potential of five entries per person!

The giveaway ends Sunday, April 24, 2011 at midnight.

The winner will be announced on April 25, 2011.

Day Four: The Wheel of Life - Guest post + Giveaway

Today is day four of the Household Waste Challenge. How does your Household Waste Challenge Chart look? You can still download the chart and use it for the rest of the week (pdf) (excel) (sample with instructions). Also, don't forget to enter the giveaways for Kootsacs and the reusable Swimmi swim diaper!

Today I'm switching things up (a little mid-week breather) with a guest post by Laurie. Laurie is an outdoor enthusiast and has a passion for the environment. He has started up a Facebook page called Environmental Morality and hopes to create more awareness around environmental issues and our role in them. He is also my dad :)

                                                                        --- o O o ---

How many bikes do you suppose are in China?

A) 25 million
B) 100 million
C) 250 million
D) A gazillion?

If you answered a gazillion you would be close. China had 500 million bicycles by 1987 so by now they must have a gazillion, at least you would think. It’s estimated that there is one bicycle per household and every two people own a bike. Unfortunately, bikes are slowly losing momentum and being replaced by motorized vehicles. The old saying, “the gas is always greener on the other side of the fence” comes to mind. Why would they follow in our footsteps? Don’t they watch the news? Don’t they see the traffic jams in all our major cities? Don’t they see the air quality issues, the health issues, the noise issues, I can go on with issues but I guess until they experience it for themselves it won’t hit home.

As for us folks with endless money, power and energy, why get on that dreadful two wheel devise? It is so dreadfully gauche! Most consider cycling a leisure, a pastime, a sport and perhaps a hobby of sorts. So for those of you that believe the above let me tell you of my experience with a bike.

When I was born my mama leaned a little bicycle beside my crib and said to me in a loving voice, “Laurie you see that little bike, well my turtle dove, that’s the only think you’ll be driving until you're 19 years old.” See, at the time I still couldn’t talk but I thought to myself, “Mama, why me? Everyone else has a car, would you and Dada buy one for me? Don’t you want me to keep out of the sun to protect my fair complexion? And think of my legs mama, there going to look like turkey drums?".  Well at the age of 18 I was riding all over hell’s half acres. I looked like Smokey Robinson from the sun and had the legs of Turkey Joe! Looking back on those years, I had very little expenses. No need for gas, oil and any major maintenance, it was the freest I ever was. Then I got a car….

First I had an old clunker, it cost me money. Then I bought another, it cost me money. Then I bought, you guess it. All these cars cost me more and more money! As they years literally rolled by I forgot about my meager beginnings as a bike road warrior until one day when my friend bought a road racing bike.

Now, most men drool over cars but when I saw that bike I had to get one. It was coooooool and sexy, oh ya mama. I’ll never forget the day my baby arrived so neatly packed, all new. I placed in the back and tied it down with loving care. I was wondering if I would be able to take care of such a fragile thing of beauty. How would I maintain it? What if it had a flat? Would I know what to do? Needless to say the first few weeks were stressful but as we grew more accustomed to each other we found our rhythm and life settle in and we began to ride! It's been 2 years and we're approaching 3000km.

So now that I am a more mature biker, what have I learned? What advise can I give to potential road warriors? Well to begin with, bikes are the following: cheap, fun, healthy for body, mind and spirit, and good for the environment. Biking gives you a sense of achievement, “I biked to work and back, my first time without the use of my training wheels!” Biking makes you aware of your surroundings. “Today I saw a beautiful deer….that got hit by a car.” Biking makes you aware of what people are doing to the environment. “When I bike along the road, I can see every fast food wrapper. It’s so colorful in the morning sunlight!” Biking make you appreciate clean air, “Hey buster get your car tuned!” Biking helps to focus your thoughts, “I find that counting cigarette butts along the road helps me to clear my mind of negative energy.”

There’s a gazillion things I can say about biking but I would recommend YOU experience them for yourselves.

The bicycle is the most civilized conveyance known to man. Other forms of transport grow daily more nightmarish. Only the bicycle remains pure in heart. ~Iris Murdoch, The Red and the Green

Going along with the biking theme... today's sponsor is Summerside Sport and Cycle, a local shop that carries the largest selection of bikes and bike part in the area and caters to all styles of biking. My Hubby and I have been costumers there in the past. We found that they were incredibly helpful and knowledgeable and they have excellent service. I would recommend checking them out if you live in the area.

So for all you road warriors or would-be road warriors this give away is for you:

An easyclean Hydrapak (reservoir is not included).

And two pairs of Feetures! white sport socks, size L (W 10-13, M 9-12.5)!

Thank you to Summerside for sponsoring this giveaway!

Enter the Giveaway:

Because of the physical size of this giveaway it is only open to Canadian residents (sorry!). The rest of the giveaways this week will be open to everyone. Thanks!

1) Leave a comment below about how your household plans to get more outdoor time and exercise this week. Please leave an email address if you do not have a link on your name so I can contact you if you win.

2) If you live in British Columbia Canada visit Bike To Work and then come back here and comment by telling me if you plan to bike to work this summer - why or why not?

3) Facebook, blog or tweet about this giveaway and link back to this blog. Leave a separate comment for each thing you've done telling me you've done so.

So there are multiple ways of entering this giveaway with a potential of five entries per person!

The giveaway ends Sunday, April 24, 2011 at midnight.

The winner will be announced on April 25, 2011.

Yarn Along (no. 21)

This week is the Household Waste Challenge. Between filling in the challenge chart (pdf) and teaching Monkey the difference between the compost bin and recycling box, its been a busy week. I've had a little bit of time to knit here and there. Sweetpea's Milo vest is coming along well and I've picked up some scrumptious Ella Rae Kamel Soft yarn to knit up a gift for a friend's soon-to-arrive baby. I devoured The Forgotten Garden and have that wistful yet tired feeling you get after finishing a good book too late at night. I'm not sure what to read next. Martha Stewart's Pie and Tarts sounds like a tasty (and fattening) read, but Reasons to Believe: How to Understand, Explain, and Defend the Catholic Faith has been calling my name for a while now. Maybe I'll read both!

Feel free to check out my posts over the last few days and enter the giveaways! I will continue posting about this challenge until the end of Earth Week (April 23rd) so make sure to check back and enter the upcoming giveaways.

Day one: Reduce Household Consumption
Day Two: Food is for Eating - Kootsacs giveaway
Day Three: Dependent on Disposables - Swimmi giveaway
Day Four: Wheel of Life - Hydrapak and Feetures socks giveaways

I hope everyone has a beautiful faith-filled holy week!

To see what others are knitting and crocheting this week visit Ginny's blog.

Day Three: Dependent on Disposables

Today is day three of the Household Waste Challenge. If you haven't already, there is still time to go and download the Household Waste Challenge Chart (pdf) (excel) (sample with instructions). If you aren't interested in participating I invite you to continue reading the posts this week and think about ways to reduce waste in your home. Also, don't forget to enter yesterday's Kootsacs giveaway!

--- o O o ---

Many of the things we buy are meant to be used once and then trashed. Disposable products have become the norm for most of us. Marketers have convinced us that these items are our best option because they are cleaner and more convenient. While these claims may be true in the short term, they conveniently (no pun intended) ignore the long term effects these products have on our bodies and the environment.

The thought of giving up disposable products makes many of us cringe. Could you imagine giving up toilet paper? I can't. How about light bulbs? Menstrual care products? Baby diapers? Marketers have us stuck in their purchasing program and most of the time we can't see a way out. We've become dependent on disposables.

Some disposable products pose more problems than others. Here is one kind of disposable product that I believe people should stop buying:

Paper Towels, Napkins and Facial Tissue

Canadians are one of the world's largest consumers of paper products. It's convenient to forget that paper comes from trees and that it takes 19 full grown trees to make 1000 kg of paper (Environment Canada). When trees are cut for making paper not only are the trees removed, the whole surrounding ecosystem can be adversely affected.

Paper towels, napkins and facial tissue are particularly wasteful because you can't recycle or reuse them once they are soiled. I have read, however, that you can compost them but there seems to be some debate about this. You wouldn't, for example, want to compost paper towel that was used to wipe up grease or chemicals. The reality is though that the majority of paper towels, napkins and facial tissues end up in the trash. So, the next time these paper products run out in your home I challenge you to resist buying more. Instead invest in some reusable products.

Paper towels can be replaced with dish or tea towels. Start with a half or a full dozen towels. Dish towels are inexpensive and do a better job then paper. When the towels start to look ratty use them as rags or donate them to a car shop or animal shelter.

Napkins and facial tissues can also be replaced with cloth. Buy some new napkins or find some nice second hand ones at the thrift store. If you can sew they're easy to make. The Purl Bee has a pretty spring napkin tutorial that's worth checking out.

Facial tissues or handkerchiefs can be a little more challenging to find. Using flannel or cotton wipes, like these, are a good option. Most cloth diapering companies sell similar wipes. To save on money I sewed receiving blankets that I got through Freecycle.org into 20cm squares. But sometimes when my little ones are really sick I simply use a whole receiving blanket as a snot rag.

Depending on your household there may be other disposable dependences that might be more difficult to overcome than paper towels and napkins. For these items the first step is to be aware then slowly start making a gradual switch to reusable products.

Plastic Wrap 

Our society has an unhealthy addiction to plastic food wrap and baggies. I've been going through my share withdrawal since the last roll of plastic wrap ran out in December. I still get urges to buy plastic wrap and baggies every time I see them. They are so handy and you can never have enough, right? Some types of plastic wraps are worse than others. Mindful Mommas has a great Plastics Wrap 101 post with more information about plastic wrap if you just can't do without it.

But it is possible to live without plastic wrap and baggies and it's better for your health, wallet and the environment. Initially I turned to wax paper to fill in the gap, but I'm slowly finding other ways. Try placing a plate on top of a bowl, or invert a bowl on top of a plate. I use this technique often for storing leftover in the fridge. Reusable containers are also great for storing food and stashing snacks. Cloth baggies are a creative way to pack snacks in diaper bags or school lunches. Etsy has some great reusable snack bags that are on sale right now for Earth Week check out WasteNotSaks and MojaCreations.

Diapers 

In Canada, over 4 million disposable diapers are trashed each day (Environment Canada). The debate over the merits of cloth diapers versus disposables is ongoing. Of course there are issues with both but disposables do create more waste. Making the switch from disposables to cloth can be daunting. There are so many different options, which to choose? It's good to compare options and ask around.

But maybe you've tried cloth diapering and came away feeling disappointed and frustrated. The diapers were smelly or you couldn't keep up on the laundry. Or maybe cloth diapering isn't an option because your community has water issues or your septic system can't handle diaper laundry. In these cases I encourage families to check into the cloth diapering options again. There are solutions to smell problems and even the new hybrid diapering systems (gDiapers, Flip) might be doable for families that thought cloth diapering wasn't an option for them. After all, there are many benefits to cloth diapering.

But whether or not you use cloth diapers, using cloth swim diapers is easy and a great way to help reduce waste. Which brings me to the giveaway...

The giveaway for day three of the Household Waste Challenge is sponsored by Cozy Bums. Cozy Bums is an earth friendly Canadian cloth diaper company that provides a wide range of cloth diapering options for families. The website is full of helpful information such as Why Use Cloth?, Choosing a Diaper Style and Diaper Care & Use Guides. The owner Katie is very helpful and offers Diaper Discovery Workshops for those that live in the area.

I am a big fan of Cozy Bums and have purchased diapers and accessories in the past. Their service is wonderful and the prices are very competitive.

Without further ado, the giveaway:

A reusable Swimmi swim diaper.

This swim diaper is a size large 10-13.5 kg (22-30 lbs) and comes in a clown fish pattern pictured above.

Thank you to Cozy Bums for today's giveaway!

Enter the Giveaway:

1) Leave a comment below about one disposable item that your household can do without. Please leave an email address if you do not have a link on your name so I can contact you if you win.

2) Visit Cozy Bums and then come back here and comment by telling me which cloth diapers or diapering accessory you already use or would like to try.

3) Facebook, blog or tweet about this giveaway and link back to this blog. Leave a separate comment for each thing you've done telling me you've done so.

So there are multiple ways of entering this giveaway!

The giveaway ends Sunday, April 24, 2011 at midnight.

The winner will be announced on April 25, 2011.

Day Two: Food is for Eating

About $27 billion worth of Canadian food ends up in our landfills each year. That's equivalent to 40% of all the food we produce in Canada. Food waste occurs all along the food chain, but we consumers are responsible for 50% of the $27B. That's right, Canadians throw away $13.5B worth of food each year and the majority of this waste can be avoided (Value Chain Management Centre, November 2010). What a waste!

The main reasons people throw away food is they've prepared too much, the food wasn't used in time or they didn't know what to do with the leftovers. But food waste is not as simple as some people believe. Here's how WRAP explains the overarching effect of food waste on lovefoodhatewaste.com:

"Cheese is a good example – feeding and milking the cows, cooling and transporting the milk, processing it in to cheese, packing it, getting it to the shops, keeping it at the right temperature all the time. If it then gets thrown away it will most likely end up in a landfill site, where, rather than harmlessly decomposing as many people think, it rots and actually releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas."

So, it's not just food that's wasted, but other people's hard work, time and our planet's valuable and limited resources. We need to make a serious effort at reducing food waste in our homes and here's how:

1) Enjoy eating your food.

We live busy lives and many of us have good intentions of making healthy meals for our families. We buy beautiful produce, expensive cuts of meat, lovely cheeses only to have them rot away in the fridge in exchange for a quick take out meal at the local fast food joint. If you notice that you're throwing unused food away each week buy less food, particularly if you have plans to eat out, and start taking the time to really enjoy the food you've spent your hard earned money on.

2) Get to know your fridge, freezer and cupboards.

Before you go grocery shopping look in your fridge and freezer to see what you have and what needs to be used up. Don't buy more of what you already have unless you need more. Make note of what food is approaching its expiration and plan meals to use up those ingredients right away. Also, having a well stocked pantry allows you to be more creative in using up food before it wastes without having to make extra shopping trips.

3) Make a menu and a shopping list.

Not only will a menu and shopping list save you time and money, it will prevent impulse buys and ultimately prevent food waste. I find weekly menus work well for our household, other families prefer biweekly or even monthly. There are many websites that offer practical suggestions for making menus. Feel free to browse through my weekly menus for inspiration too.

4) Store perishable foods properly.

WRAP offers tips for storing foods. Storing food properly will make it last longer resulting in less food and money waste. For example, freeze nuts to keep them fresh or if you only use half an avocado leave the stone in the other half to keep it fresh.

5) Prepare the right portions.

Do you always find extra pasta or rice hiding out in the fridge? WRAP has an online tool that allows you to figure out the perfect portions for your meal. Use WRAP's tool to calculate how much pasta you need to cook for a family of four or a family of ten. You can even use the tool to calculate vegetables, fruit, cereals, grains and pulses and meat and fish.

6) Use those leftovers.

Don't be afraid to use leftover food. Eat it the next day for lunch or dinner or use it to make another meal. Another option, depending on the leftover, is to freeze it. Soups and stews freeze exceptionally well. Check Love Food Hate Waste for great leftover and food rescuing recipes.

7) Compost or vermicompost food scraps.

A small amount of food waste in unavoidable. Peels, cores, egg shells, coffee grounds and teabags are a few examples. But don't send them to the trash! Composting food waste turns it into rich food for your plants and garden. Your city website should tell you where to buy a composter or make one yourself using free pallets (like this one). If you have no yard try vermicomposting. It doesn't take much space and when done right it doesn't smell. Trust me!

The Giveaway

Today’s giveaway is from Kootsacs. Kootsacs are made by a textile and clothing designer who saw a need for an alternative to plastic produce and bulk food bags. Kootsac bags are lightweight, strong, washable and reusable and are made from high quality ripstop nylon, 100% natural silk or 100% cotton. The bags come in various sizes to hold spices, herbs, grains, lentils, and produce both small and large. The bags weigh the same as plastics bags and have no drawstring for this reason.

A year ago I purchased a set of cotton and ripstop nylon produce bags from Kootsacs. They are fabulous and I recommend them to everyone. So naturally, I'm very excited about this giveaway. Without further ado, the giveaway:

Three beautiful Butterfly Bags.

These bags are made of 100% unbleached cotton and measures 25.4cm(10") by 43.2cm(17"). The bags are suitable for produce or large amounts of grains and pulses. Each bag has been screen printed by hand using non-toxic water based textile paint. An image of a butterfly's delicately folded wings reminds us that the earth is vulnerable and needs our care and attention (Kootsacs).

A big thank you to Kootsacs for sponsoring this giveaway!

Enter the Giveaway:

1) Leave a comment below about how your household plans to reduce food waste this week. Please leave an email address if you do not have a link on your name so I can contact you if you win.

2) Visit Kootsacs and then come back here and comment by telling me which bag you like the best.

3) Facebook, blog or tweet about this giveaway and link back to this blog. Leave a separate comment for each thing you've done telling me you've done so.

So there are multiple ways of entering this giveaway with a potential of five entries per person!

The giveaway ends Sunday, April 24, 2011 at midnight. 

The winner will be announced on April 25, 2011.

"The current practice of sending food to the landfill is the worst possible way of dealing with it and constitutes one of the clearest instances of our mismanagement of resources" 

p.202 Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal.

Day One: Reduce Household Consumption

Today is day one of the Household Waste Challenge. If you haven't already, go and download the Household Waste Challenge Chart (pdf) (excel) (sample with instructions). If you aren't interested in participating I invite you to read the posts during the next week and think about ways to reduce waste in your home.

The truth is most people ignore or dread the first of the 3Rs: Reduce. We live in a consumer culture. Stuff defines who we are, what we are worth and how to be fullfilled. Advertisements convince us that stuff gives confidence, popularity, beauty, and even love. Without stuff we may feel invalidated.

The habit of buying stuff is so ingrained. It's difficult to break. But reducing consumption is the key to reducing household waste. Less stuff means less waste, less pollution and money saved. I'm not saying don't buy stuff ever, I'm saying be a conscious shopper.

Be aware of marketing. Think of the purpose behind sales, flyers, and advertisements. Marketers rely heavily on our human emotions to sell things to us. When faced with an advertisement ask yourself "What are they trying to sell and why?".

Define need vs. want. Reflect on whether the household really needs certain things. Next time you go shopping ask yourself "Can I Live Without This?". Repeat this mantra often and notice how much stuff you can leave behind at the store.

I recently got a call from a telemarketer. He was trying to sell me a cell phone. When I politely told him that I didn't need a cell phone he reply assertively "everyone needs a cell phone, no one can live without one!". I've had a cell phone before, and yes it is handy. I won't deny that there have been times I've wished I had one again. I replied to the telemarketer by saying, "you know.. everyone needs air, clean water, food and shelter, no one needs a cell phone". The telemarketer didn't know how to reply and abruptly thanked me for my time.

Now you might be thinking "wait! I couldn't live without my cell phone!" the scary thing is... yes you can. Did you know that the average life span of a cell phone in Canada is 2 years and that 71% of Canadians have a cell phone or plan on getting one in the near future. That's a potential 1.2 million cell phones ending up in landfills every year in Canada alone. Some people do need a cell phone for work or otherwise. Just be sure to use the cell phone for as long as possible and then recycle it (www.recyclemycell.ca).

Make a list. Before you go shopping make a list of what you plan to buy. Stick to the list. It can be difficult at first but you'll get better the more you practice. This strategy helps prevent impulse buys of stuff that nobody needs. Also, don't accept freebies unless you believe them to be actually useful.

Go for quality not quantity. When the household needs something, buy a good quality item that will last many years. Sometimes this can be difficult. Many things today are made so cheaply that they will inevitably break, especially electronics. Do a little research up front. Find out which companies have the best quality items. Buy items made of durable materials that will last years. Children's toys are a good example. Investing in a few good quality, well made, non-toxic toys will provide your children with years of fun and safe play while keeping cheap plastic toys out of the landfill. We are a fan of wooden toys, they don't break easily and if they do you can fix them. 

Be creative. Don't assume that you must always by stuff new. Many things can be purchased second hand or borrowed. Books are a great example, you can borrow them from the library, a friend or buy them used from a thrift stores or second hand bookshops. Even small equipment like pressure washers, lawn aerators, staple guns can be rented or borrowed. We could save a lot of the planet's resources and our own money if we try to be more creative.

Be aware of packaging. When you buy something be aware of the packaging that it comes it. Packaging makes up a significant amount of household waste. Look for packaging that's minimal and recyclable or don't buy it in packaging at all. Like bananas, why on earth would you plastic wrap bananas?

In the spirit of reducing consumption I am not offering a giveaway today. There will be giveaways the rest of this week so makes sure to check back tomorrow. Instead I have a challenge:

Spend a whole day this week without buying something new.

Already doing that? How about going the whole week?

The Household Waste Challenge Begins Tomorrow (Sunday)

The Household Waste Challenge begins tomorrow, Sunday April 17, 2011! Be sure to download the chart and read the sample chart for instructions on filling it in. If there are any questions feel free to post below or contact me.

Household Waste Challenge Chart (pdf) (excel) (sample with instructions)

Make sure to check back daily for some tips on reducing household waste and some great giveaways.

Yarn Along (no. 20): Preparing for the Household Waste Challenge

I've been working hard at getting things in place for next week's Household Waste Challenge. The challenge goes from April 17th until the 23rd (Earth Week) and everyone is welcome to join. There will be some great posts on how to reduce household waste as well as some exciting giveaways. Make sure to come by and check it out.

The Sorello shirt is finished and I love it. Now that it's done I have so many things I'd like to knit but no yarn. I did find some yarn for another milo vest though, so that's what I'm working on right now. Both the shirt and the vest are too big for Sweetpea right now but I'm hoping that they'll fit her this coming fall. I've started reading The Forgotten Garden and I'm really enjoying it. It's mysterious, intriguing yet somewhat light.

To see what others are knitting this week visit Ginny's yarn along.

The Household Waste Reduction Challenge!

Each Canadian tosses about 2.7kg (5.95 lbs) of trash each day resulting in more than 31 million tonnes of garbage produced in Canada each year. Imagine about 15 million mini vans (2-3 tons per van) piled on top of each other. That's a lot of garbage!

A year ago my father and I challenged each other to reduce household waste for one week. We both learned a lot in the process. After the challenge our household made some changes to help reduce waste which allowed us to exchange our large city garbage bin for the smallest sized bin. But then winter came and our bin started suffering from overflowitis. It's time to take another look at reducing household waste!

For one week, from April 17 to April 23, 2011 [Earth Week], join me in making an effort to reduce household waste. During this week I will offers ways to help reduce waste as well as have some fun giveaways!

There are two ways you can get involved in this challenge:

Be a Participant

Track your waste output for the week using this downloadable Household Waste Challenge Chart (pdf version) (Excel version). At the end of the week come together as a household and make some decisions that will help reduce waste. Post about your results on Facebook, Twitter, your blog and/or comment on my blog.

Be an Observer

Does the idea of reducing waste seems insurmountable? Start by casually observing what your household throws away for one week. Read my blog posts from April 17 to April 23 and start thinking of ways for reduce waste. 

If you are interested in taking part in this challenge please submit a comment below or contact me.

From the Rabbitry: The Continuing Saga of Eye Infections

This is the first time we've had to deal with eye infections in our rabbit litters. I'm a little dumbfounded. I keep the nest boxes very clean as well as the cages.

I've been checking on the kits a few times a day and wiping any gooey eyes with a warm washcloth. Everything seemed fine until this morning when I found what I was hoping to avoid, pus in the eye of one of the kits. Pus in the eye is bad news. I called the vet but  they wouldn't recommend or prescribe anything unless I came for a pricey visit first. I can't justify paying that much to see a vet and then pay for the prescription. After all, this rabbit is going to be in my freezer in 8-10 weeks. Seeing the vet plus the prescription would make for one very expensive meal.

The baby rabbit.

I realize that I must sound harsh but please know that I don't like seeing this little rabbit suffer. I believe that the baby rabbit has already lost vision in its affected eye. Without the prescription I'm concerned the infection will spread and the kit will die.

I've been trying a range of things to help it beat this eye infection. I've been wiping its eye every few hours with a warm wet cloth. I also went to the local pharmacy and bought some sterile antibiotic (pink eye) drops that I've been putting in regularly. So short of milking the mama rabbit and using her milk to treat the eye infection (which does wonders for a human baby's eye infections - human breastmilk that is) I'm doing all that I can, but I keep on wondering (and hoping) that I've made the right decision.

This litter has no eye infections.

From the Rabbitry: Eyes Wide Open - Treating Baby Rabbit Eye Infections

Most of our kits are over two weeks old now. They've grown fur and have entered the cute phase. Around the ten day mark the kits open their eyes so for the last few days I've been making sure that this has happened. A couple kits in each litter have an eye (or two) that has been pasted shut. This indicates an eye infection which can lead to blindness if not properly treated.

The kits eye is pasted shut.

Treatment is simple. Take a soft cloth or cotton balls and soak it in warm water. Gently wipe the kits affected eye until the crust is removed and then carefully separate the eye. Some books suggest putting in a drop of over-the-counter human eyedrops, like Visine. Repeat this process each day until the kit recovers, most do. However, if there is pus in the kit's eye once if has been opened this can indicate a serious infection and may warrant antibiotic eyedrops. If the rabbit has cloudy eyes after a serious eye infection this means that the rabbit is partially or totally blind.

Checking the kits everyday will ensure that eye infections are detected early on.

So each day, sometimes more than once, I go out and check the kits eyes. The oldest litter has no more affected kits but two of 1AR's kits are still afflicted.

Back in the nest box, eyes wide open.

Yarn Along (no.19)

Yesterday I worked in a small patch of dirt that had managed to free itself from the piles of snow in my front yard. The smell of the moist dirt was refreshing and there were even a few brave tulips pushing through the soil. Then this morning I work up to a fresh blanket of snow on the ground. It looks like gardening is still on hold for a while. That doesn't mean I can't dream of it though. This year I'm planning to plant mostly herbs and some greens (spinach, swiss chard, kale, and lettuce). Our lot doesn't get much sun so I need to be creative with container gardening.

As I dream about Spring and gardening I'm making good progress on Sweetpea's Sorello shirt and reading The Dirty Life: A Memoir of Farming, Food, and Love. Now I have to add farming to my day dreaming. Spring. Gardening. Farming.

Livid

I thought he was past this phase. It hasn't happened for a long time (over a year). He's been acting out more lately. Is he bored? Going to achieve some developmental milestone? Coming down with a cold? I'm not sure...whatever is it his behaviour today made me livid:

This is a brand new library book. I know it's just stuff, but I cringe at how nonchalantly it was destroyed. All I heard from the kitchen was "rip... oops". He knows better. I've decided that after dinner tonight Monkey has a date with the librarian. He is going to apologize.

Lord I need patience! (and Spring)

Starting a New Project + Give Away @ Crunchy Catholic Mama

When trying something new, whether it's cooking a new recipe, learning to knit, planting a garden or raising animals, the ability to access the right tools and information has a huge impact on the success of the project. This is especially true when the project isn't a common affair, like tanning rabbit furs (I still haven't figured that one out...).

Over the last few years I've learned a few things about starting a new project.

Accessing Information

The first thing I do when I want to try something new is I learn about it. The library and the internet are great places to check for information. I'm a bookish person so I usually like to read first and have a basic understanding of the project before checking the internet.

I believe that learning from another person is ideal for many projects. Learning from another person makes the project more fun and interesting, plus you are more likely to complete the project. When we learn from other people we are also building connections within the community.

But we live at a time when most of us don't even know our neighbors so how do we find someone to teach and mentor us? Finding people with knowledge about your project of interest might be as simple as asking a friend, frequenting small shops (knitting) or farmers' markets (vermicomposting) or may be a little more complicated like joining a club, guild (quilting) or association (bee keepers).

At times there might be no one that can mentor you. Don't fear! With the resurgence of homemaking and homesteading (urban or otherwise) there is a plethora of DIY books that are being published. Just check your local library.

The Right Tools

Finding the right tools or supplies can be a challenge depending on where you live. Sometimes no matter how hard I look there isn't anywhere I can buy the supplies in town. If that happens to you, don't fret, there's always the internet. You can buy almost anything you need on the internet. The caveat? The shipping cost can be killer, especially for international shipping. So when you can't find it in town, you've haunted the thrift store and buying from the internet is not in your budget - what do you do?

Sometimes I write a list and the next time we go on holiday somewheres I make a point of finding it then.

But today Crunchy Catholic Mama has a wool felt giveaway. This is one of those items that I can't get in town and hadn't found an affordable place to buy from online. The supplier for her giveaway is Felt on the Fly and the shipping costs are quite reasonable. So, I may have found an affordable place to buy wool felt after all!