It’s the Little Things March 24, 2009

Image from Nikki McClure

A lot of things have changed in my life over the last couple of years. But, one thing I really feel like has become a theme in my life is being mindful.  Which basically would just be the opposite of mindlessness, I suppose, or perhaps ignorance is more accurate.  The more I learn, the more change I see in the way I think and operate and make decisions.  So many decisions in our everyday lives are made mindlessly, without knowledge or awareness of how they will affect the world around us, our (global) neighbor, and even ourselves.  Happily, in my life, it’s been changing.  It’s a response to the things I’m learning.  Questions pop into my mind like,

“Do I need to that?”

“Is there a better way that I could do this?”

“How is this affecting the…. planet, my health, my family, etc.”  

As I’m throwing something in the trash I’ll wonder if there’s a way to avoid that bit of waste the next time.  And it’s not taxing like you might think.  I’ve been making one change or so at a time and I don’t beat myself up over anything, so that when I do find a new, more mindful way to do something, it’s actually just a really nice feeling.  I like knowing that simple, mundane actions can be doing something good in the world.  So, in that spirit, here are some little changes I’ve been thinking of.  They are all small things.  Some I’ve already made and some just next up on the list.    

• Use bar soap for washing dishes.  I’ve actually been doing this for months and months, maybe a year…  Dr. Bronner’s soap comes wrapped in paper, so there’s no plastic waste, it’s vegan, and fair trade and there are a bunch of scents to choose from, all of which are quite nice.  It’s the perfect little change toward using less plastic and buying fair trade.  thanks to life less plastic, who thought of it first.  (we have started using Dr. Bronner’s bar soap in the shower and at the bathroom sink as well.  There are other natural soaps out there, but most are not fair trade or even organic and most are packaged in plastic.)
• Monitoring my use of water in the kitchen – not letting the tap run when I don’t need to.  This has proven to be a difficult habit to break…   
• Use a cup while brushing my teeth instead of letting the water run. (like No Impact Man)
• Draw more.  I tend to go through spurts.  I need to break out the sketchbook again.  It would be good for my soul to be more creative and turn off the electronics more often.
• Utilize the local library.  Oh my, I love the library.  I wish there were a library set-up for everything.  There are so many things that I could use, but don’t need to own.  And I love how relaxing it is to read a book, rather than doing reading and research in front of the computer screen.  Plus, it’s free and who doesn’t love that?!    
• Find a new place for my retractable clothesline and start using it again.  I haven’t put it up since we moved in September because I can’t decide where I should put it.  It’s quite small in here and our washer and dryer are outside.  I would really like to find a solution, though.  Hopefully it will get put up this week, as soon as I get over this cold! 
• Put a new rule into effect for myself: If I am going to leave a room for more than 60 seconds, I will turn off/unplug any and all electronics – lights, TV, laptop, music, whatever.  It’s so easy to leave things running, thinking “Oh I’ll be back in a minute anyway”.
• Paint on the canvases I got for Christmas last year. I can’t believe it’s been so long!  I really REALLY want to try my hand at painting something pretty for my walls and it goes along with one of my general goals to make more things by hand.
• Make more food-things myself… Start making my own baked tortilla chips.  It would be much healthier, cheaper and cut back on the plastic.  I’ve started making my own “plant” milk.  So far I’ve made hazelnut and almond and they were both really out-of this-world delicious (I already really like  packaged almond milk, but this was way better) and then I save the left over pulp and it’s great for getting extra protein and fat into Elena.  I pretty much went with these guidelines and I’m loving the blog where I found them.  I would also like to make lara type bars for Elena, which is something I occasionally buy and stick in my purse just in case she gets hungry/cranky.  I’m looking here and here for tips. One thing I have succeeded at is making desserts at home.  If I don’t do this, Brian and I will end up picking up a box of this or that at the store and it is less healthy and creates more waste.   (When I bake at home I use whole grain flours, unrefined sweeteners and sub out most or all of the butter/oil)
• Drink more water and less coffee.  I always need to drink more water.  (though not during mealtime as it interferes with digestion, did you know that?  Robyn’s Blog has taught me lots of things.)
• I’ve made a few little dish scrubbers from mesh produce bags.  they are the perfect little thing to use on cast-iron cookware.
• Find a good recipe for making my own whole grain bread (all whole grain, no all purpose flour).  Sprouted would be especially good, as I am always buying Ezekiel.  Any suggestions?
• I just bought a new stainless steel pan and I’m working on phasing out all non-stick (teflon) cookware as well as plastics from our kitchen…  no more off-gassing and leaching of chemicals, please!
• Get more sleep.  I’m a crazy night-owl and I always have been.  My husband goes to bed earlier than I do rather frequently, but then I end up staying up too late.  Getting more sleep would be better for my health, and allow me to turn the heater and lights and whatnot off at an earlier time.  
• I am considering ordering weekly deliveries from Dandelion Organic, a company that delivers fresh fruit and veg that is as local as possible – to your door.  What a wonderful thing!  I just need to be sure it’s not too expensive for us.

What things are on your mind to change?  Do tell!

Resolute. January 5, 2009

I believe the credit for the above photo goes to Herbivore Clothing Company, but I can’t seem to find where I got it from now…

 

As New Years was approaching, I began to think about the past year, as we all do, and of course, the year to come.  It seems a convenient time to me to make a resolution in my life to make a permanent change.  Something has been weighing on my heart and my mind a lot lately.  

I bought a sweater a few months ago and saw that the tag said “angora” and I bought it anyway because I loved the fit and styling so much, but the decision has weighed on me.  My dad took me shopping after Christmas and wanted to buy me warm socks at REI.  He loves the SmartWool brand and really wanted to get some for me.  I didn’t have the heart to have the “please no animal product” conversation with him.  He bought me four pair, two of which I’ll be taking back and two of which I’ve been wearing.  And it’s been weighing on me.  I’ve somewhat been in the market for a new pair of boots and can’t bring myself to buy leather ones, even though I love these, because it’s been weighing on me.  Every time I crack the eggs for some cornbread or put the cheese on top of my pizza, something just doesn’t feel right in my spirit.  

So, I’m making the change… toward the vegan way of life.  When I went vegetarian a year and a half ago, I cut out most dairy and eggs as well.  The only reason I’ve not gone vegan yet is because I haven’t wanted to deal with what others will say and I don’t want to inconvenience anyone (admittedly myself on occasion), but this is hardly a good reason to continue to make choices that don’t line up with my values.  Factory farming practices are shockingly horrifying.  Really.  I don’t want to be a part of it in any way, shape or form.  It is not good for anyone involved – not the animals, not the environment, surely, not the people perpetuating the violence and not for the health of those who consume those products.  It would be wrong for me to continue to support these practices, particularly against my own conscience.  At this point I plan to keep the things I already own that are not vegan, because I don’t think it would benefit anyone for me to just throw them out, but from here on out all purchases shall be cruelty free.  

While it may seem like an extreme choice to some, for me I think for the most part it will just be woven into the fabric of my life, as so many other changes have been.  I’ve learned that nothing is so difficult as it seems it will be, especially when motivated by something more important than any minor inconvenience.  This is not meant as a judgment upon anyone else, though sadly, I know some will perceive it that way.  It’s just another step toward becoming who I am.  Wish me luck!  I think it’s going to feel really good.  Happy New Year!

Silver Lining October 17, 2008

photo credit: mattyp/flickr.com

We are all feeling it.  I know it.  We all are.  Food prices have gone up.  Gas prices overall have gone up and as we enter into fall and winter weather, we are reminded that the cost of heating our homes has gone up as well.  Whether the effects have been big or small, I imagine some have come your way.  My prayer for this season of economic struggle in our nation is that we face it.  Let’s face it, we can’t afford our old ways of living.  We can’t afford to keep on with the same old habits of consumption.  We can’t afford to keep seeking out happiness and convenience in the same old ways.  I hope that in this time as we face the financial crisis, we will all admit that it’s not working.  We need to change.  

My prayer is that this season of economic struggle, a struggle that is being compared to the great depression, inspires us all to look to the generations before us and glean from their wisdom.  I pray this economy helps to teach us to slow down and make things ourselves.  I pray this season encourages mothers to stay committed to breast-feeding.  I pray people are inspired to take the time to enjoy walking or riding their bike to the store instead of driving.  Let it be a time where families enjoy more home cooked meals around the table and turn off the TV and various electronics and find ways to spend quality time together.  Let this be a time where we get to know our neighbors.  A time when we borrow from and share with each other instead of buying.  Let this holiday season be a time where we buy hand made or buy used as a way to support one another.  I hope it is a time when people slow down from this fast paced life and enjoy the meditative nature of things like hanging clothes on the line rather than throwing them in the dryer.  I pray it is a time where people enjoy better health as they eat more whole foods and less take-out and processed snacks, even if it is because they can’t afford it.  I pray that we will find joy in cuddling up in warm sweaters and heavy blankets as we turn down our heaters.  I pray that our hearts begin to swell with gratitude for things we used to take for granted.  I pray that we find our joy in simple everyday things. I pray that we will remember that our treasure is in heaven and in the things that are eternal: each other.  I pray that we will embrace the inspiration to change and let this become a time where we find ourselves happier and enriched by the sacrifices demanded by our shrinking pocket books.  Oh, I do pray that we can see the silver lining and make some lemonade in these sour times.  And let’s do it together, shall we.

Corners of Our Previous Home: A Farewell Tribute October 2, 2008

Dear little House on the corner of Ellis and Lakeway,

I will miss you.  So fresh and brightly painted, with your lovely chocolate brown moldings… you made me happy.  You brought me within walking distance to my favorite coffee shop and the loveliness that is downtown.  I loved watching the traffic out the front windows and watching Elena say hello to all the trucks and buses that she loves so.  Thank you for all the memories.  Here is a random sampling of my favorite corners of our home when you were ours:

P.S.  I will not miss the noisy upstairs neighbors, the parking lot next door, the huge heating bill or the lack of bathtub or backyard.  Oh, and i won’t miss the mouse we left behind that we couldn’t seem to catch!  Shhh… don’t tell the new tenants.

Duplicate June 23, 2008

photo credit:homardbleu/flickr.com

I desire to live a simple life.  This, I realize, is a vague statement.  But, that’s exactly it… I’ve been trying to figure out what it means to live simply.  I believe that it’s about being content with what I have, taking only what I need and being generous with myself and what I have to give.

 I’ve been meditating on this conversation:

A man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

 ”Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”

 ”Which ones?” the man inquired.

   Jesus replied, ” Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother and love your neighbor as yourself.”

 ”All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

-Matthew 19:16-22

and, also, these words from John the Baptist:

“The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.” -Luke 3:11

I think, first of all, what God desires is our hearts. What’s important is our love for other people and our willingness and desire to give.  The young rich man he was talking to wasn’t willing and I think that was the biggest issue.  I don’t know that this passage means that we must go and sell all of our possessions.  I think it means we must be generous and willing to give all we have with a happy heart.  That said, I like the seemingly practical instruction from John the Baptist.  It’s been on my mind.  As I go through my house throughout the day, I’ve been asking myself questions like:

“Why do I have 5 spatulas in the kitchen when I only ever use 2 at a time?” (same with pot-holders, strainers, other utensils, etc)

“Do I need 6 pairs of jeans (when I only wear 3)?”

“Why am I keeping this (thing that someone gave me that I don’t really love)?”

“How many pairs of pajamas do I really wear or really need?”

“When was the last time I used this?”

I think it’s important to be intentional about giving.  In our culture, it’s SO EASY to HOARD.  We are bombarded by messages everywhere that tell us that we NEED more STUFF and that our current state of being is not good enough.  We need to have things to make us happy, to give us status, to make life easier, to save us time (oh, TIME, why is it that we think we never have enough of you?).  In our culture it is so very common to live with so much extra stuff and extra space and to live with a continual desire for more. But, I want to duplicate things in my life that are not material.  It takes some reflection to realize what we really need and what is just extra, just duplicates.  Just because I don’t have a whole lot of excess cash flow doesn’t mean I don’t have excess.  

Now, I’m not saying that we necessarily ought to strip down our possessions to the absolute bare minimum (one pair of pants, one shirt, one pot, one fork, etc.).  I do think it’s valuable to realize that I could live that way and still be content, or could I?  This whole subject demands a lot of soul searching.  Which is interesting because it’s just stuff.  But what we look like, what our homes look like and what we do or don’t buy and give away says a lot about who we are and what our priorities are, I think.  I say this not to judge others, but to judge myself (in a good way ). 

We as a people are drowning under our consumption.  We clutter up our houses and our souls with it.  The environment is suffering under its weight.  The people across the globe paid awfully low wages to work long hours in poor conditions are suffering under its weight.  I was listening to the following song the other day as I was thinking about these things:

“We’re living the American dream.  The people highest up have got the lowest self esteem.  The prettiest people do the ugliest things for the road to riches and diamond rings…  We buy a lot of clothes, but we don’t really need ‘em – things we buy to cover up what’s inside.  Because they made us hate ourselves and love their wealth.” – Kanye West

His words ring true to me on large and small scales. (I know, who would have thought I would have quoted Kanye West in the middle of this discussion?  But I liked it)  Am I willing to change my way of life and not follow this crazy way of living called the American dream?  How much of what I desire, hold onto and purchase is born out of a desire to heal my broken self-esteem?  And at what cost?  Stuff won’t ever fix my distorted self-image, but getting my vision off of myself and onto the needs of others might.

It’s difficult and yet so simple.  Go to goodwill next time you need something.  Check freecycle.  Give away that thing that has been sitting in your closet for a year.  Have two?  Give one.

Get rid of your duplicate possessions and duplicate generosity instead.

Don’t Wait… Just Do It June 12, 2008

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”  So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.  After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.  - John 6:5-15

There’s a lesson I’ve been learning.  It’s come up a lot over the course of the last year or so.  It’s taken me a while to really get it.  

A few months ago, the pastor at Mosaic, Matt Atkins, was talking about the above passage from the book of John. He pointed out that our tendency is to wait for abundance in order to give.  But, this is not how God operates.  This is not how life operates.  If we wait until we have everything we think we need before we will act, how long will we sit on our butts and do nothing?

Poverty is not the state of not having, it is the fear of not getting that causes me to hold on to what I have. Think about that one for a minute…  Now, I’m not talking about poverty in the sense of those who truly have only the clothes on their backs.  I’m talking about this sense we all have that we are lacking or poor in some way.  Not necessarily poverty of money (although this certainly is the case sometimes) but poverty more often of time, energy, ability, etc.

This is definitely something I experience all the time.  I’ve been catching myself, and I think the Spirit is revealing to me, those times when I think things like:

“I don’t have time”

“I can’t”

“It’s too difficult”

“I don’t know how”

“Not right now”

“I don’t feel like it”

Then I remember that before I’m ready, I need to be prepared to act because the provision from God comes as I step out and trust Him, rather than waiting for him to give me “enough” of whatever it is that I think I need.  

Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust.So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can’t see what’s right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.  

So, friends, confirm God’s invitation to you, his choice of you. Don’t put it off; do it now. Do this, and you’ll have your life on a firm footing, the streets paved and the way wide open into the eternal kingdom of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ.  -2 Peter 1:3-9 (The Message)

  And, you know what?  It’s so true.  The provision comes in the obedience.  He has given us everything we need to live this life that He’s called us to.  So often I need listen to the Spirit within me and just do it, whatever it may be, and stop dwelling on my own inadequacies and insecurities or the seeming impracticalities.  What you believe and your attitude toward things is so powerful.  When I stop myself and decide to “just do it” most of the time I find that I did end up having the time, energy, ability, etc.  It’s transforming the way I look at things and it’s affecting all sorts of little things in my life.  My house is cleaner than it has been ages  I think this lesson is a lot bigger than having a clean house, though.  It’s about giving myself away.  today.  before I feel like I have it all together.  

  I’m finding that there’s so much more peace in my life when I’m not approaching everything with a fearful, defeated mentality.  Hallelujah.

Ideally Healthy June 10, 2008

So, this photo doesn’t totally relate to what I’m about to say… I just saw it and thought it was funny, anyway…

I’ve been on this journey toward a healthier lifestyle for a while now.  It’s something that’s been on my thoughts a lot.  I was raised with some awareness of nutrition, but it definitely wasn’t a huge focus.  We ate wheat bread and always had vegetables of some sort with dinner, but we also ate a lot of “low fat”, “lite”, and “diet” type processed foods.  We ate our fair share of sugar coated cereals, “fruit” snacks, chips and soda. When I was a teenager, my dad was diagnosed with type II diabetes. He decided to treat it with diet and exercise rather than medication.  I’m really proud of him for that.  He read a lot about nutrition and got into the Zone diet.  From there came a little more knowledge for me (like refined carbohydrates being a bad thing).  I’ve always considered myself to be a relatively healthy eater, but I’ve done quite a bit of reading over the past year and I’ve learned a lot.  I’ve realized that my previous habits really weren’t healthy at all.  

I’m so glad that this knowledge has come my way now, so that I can raise my daughter with the same knowledge and teach her from this young age to nourish her body well and avoid things that will make her sick.  I’m also glad that I’m changing these habits now because I want to be at my best for her.  I want to have energy and be well so that I am better able to give of myself.  

At this point I’m far from my ideal and that’s what this post is about.  The ideal.  I still eat dessert.  I still eat cheese.  I still don’t exercise like I ought to (ok, really, at all).  I probably drink too much coffee and not enough water.  But I’ve made some significant improvements over the last year and I don’t see myself going back, not at all.  I feel so much better!!  I can tell the difference in how I feel when I eat crappy food.  It makes me feel crappy.  I know that it was making me feel this way all along, I just never noticed before.  I have more energy than ever before and quite frankly I’m the thinnest I’ve been since early high school, which is a super nice added bonus  I’m looking forward to even more progress.  I hope that you’ll do your own research and take your own steps toward better health… join me, won’t you?  I could use some company!

 

Progress (I posted this recently, but I’m repeating it):

• I haven’t eaten meat since sometime in June 2007 (except for that one time at Mosaic when I didn’t notice the bacon in my broccoli salad until it was in my mouth.  that was pretty funny 
• I’ve cut way back on dairy (no cow milk, except in lattes, no yogurt, no creamy dressings and sauces and waay less cheese, if any, when I cook, etc.)
• I eat a salad and some green smoothie for lunch every day and I love love LOVE it! I also incorporate more raw food in general.
• Stopped eating processed packaged cereals and cut way back on packaged foods of all sorts.
• Stopped purchasing packaged drinks for myself and recently stopped drinking soda.
• Stopped chewing gum/mints.  Too much packaging and artificial sweeteners and I used to have it all the time.
• Switched to this bread.  
• Switched to natural cleaners, soaps, detergents, “shampoo” and deoderant
• Cut out bleached, refined grains (white bread, white rice, etc.)
• Avoid artificial colors, sweeteners, preservatives, additives.

 

Ideally Healthy:

• Green Smoothies
• (Sprouted) Whole Grains
• Almond (or other nut)/Rice Milk
• Healthy oils from raw: seeds, avocados, extra virgin coconut oil, nuts, flax seed, olive oil
• Vegetables (as much raw as possible)
• Raw, fresh fruits 
• Drink lots of water
• Get 6-9 hours of sleep daily
• Buy locally grown, organic goods, preferably in season, as often as you can. (CSA)
• Frequent exposure to natural sunlight often with no sunscreen (essential for mental health, bone density, vitamin D production, etc. – difficult for those of us in the Northwest!!)
• Don’t take prescription drugs or pharmaceuticals, I’m learning so much about the power of food/exercise/emotional health
• No following the USDA’s crazy Food Guide Pyramid
• No pills or supplements.  Get the nutrition you need from whole foods.
• No fad dieting.
• Exercise regularly.
• Meditate, Journal, Pray (deal with emotions and stress)

 

Avoid List

• Sodium nitrite (causes cancer)
• MSG / monosodium glutamate (causes obesity and nerve damage)
• Hydrogenated oils (causes heart disease)
• High-fructose corn syrup / sugar / sucrose (causes diabetes and obesity)
• Artificial colors (causes behavioral disorders)
• Artificial Sweeteners (causes brain damage, optic nerve damage)
• Homogenized milk fats (cause heart disease and cardiovascular disorders)
• Red meat (causes heart disease and cancer)
• Processed meats like hot dogs, salami, pepperoni, etc. (contain sodium nitrate=cancer causing)
• Animal Protein (excess protein, especially animal protein, is bad for your health and ability to absorb things like calcium)
• Cows’ milk, cheese and dairy products
• Soft drinks, junk foods, snack foods or fast foods
• Processed foods such as cookies, crackers, frozen dinners, etc.
• Fried foods
• White flour and enriched flours.
• Refined carbohydrates such as breads, cereals, pastries, etc.
• Fruit juice drinks
• Brand-name laundry detergents/dryer sheets (loaded with toxic fragrance chemicals)
• Popular deodorants (contain aluminum)
• Popular shampoos / soaps / conditioners (all contain harmful fragrance chemicals)

Recommended Reading:

• Diet for a New America by John Robbins
• Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman
• How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of your Doctor by Robert S. Mendelsohn, MD

Online Resources:

• Green Smoothie Girl: website and blog
• The World’s Healthiest Foods - I love looking up different foods on this website and checking out their nutrient content as well as ways to prepare them.
• Disease Proof blog

photo courtesy of dadadreams on flickr

One Year, One Step at a Time May 29, 2008

It’s been about a year now since I first started making changes in my life toward a “greener”, healthier and more mindful life.  While I often focus on how much more I could be doing differently, as this little milestone approaches, I’ve been thinking about how different things really are for me now.  It’s pretty crazy.  So, I figured I’d list out some of the changes I’ve made.  And who knows, maybe help someone else who’s looking to make changes as well. 

 

  At Home:        

• No more paper towels.  I think this was my first change, any easy one. I use old cotton dish towels for cleaning and cloth napkins for snacks.  It’s just as convenient and I feel much better about not being so wasteful and saving some money while I’m at it.
• Switched to natural “shampoo” and bar soap (wrapped in paper).  I really like it.  I think I’m getting really comfortable with the whole “unshampoo” thing.
• Switched to baking soda as a deoderant. 
• Switched to natural household cleaners and dish soap.  Here’s a recent post with recipes.
• I try to recycle everything I can.  (Look here for tips if you live in Whatcom County.)
• I’m constantly looking for ways to reuse - anything from produce and ziploc bags to applesauce jars.
• Switched to cloth diapering.  Now that I think about it, I can’t imagine going back.  
• Switched to natural baby wash
• Unplug things like phone/computer chargers, the coffee maker, etc.
• Only run full loads of laundry, wash on cold and use natural laundry detergent. 
• I definitely use the dryer way less.   There are some things that I still feel like need to go in the dryer or they don’t fit right/are too wrinkled.  and things take forever to dry here in Bellingham, especially in the summer when the heater isn’t on to help out. 
• I have fairly successfully weaned myself from my addiction to long showers and hot baths. I would like to work on taking shorter, cooler showers, though.  I like my showers abnormally scorchingly hot, so there’s plenty of room for improvement.
• I turn off the water when I brush my teeth, try to be mindful at the kitchen sink, etc.
• I’m much more mindful of what lights are on and turn them off when not in use. We do have lots of natural light in our apartment, so this is pretty easy.
• I reuse clothes that aren’t dirty, rather than throwing them in the laundry after wearing. 
• Bring my own bags to the grocery store (and other stores) or just say no if I don’t need a bag.

   When I’m out and about:

• Bring my own bags to the grocery store (and other stores) or just say no if I don’t need a bag.
• I carry a little cloth napkin with me so that I don’t use paper towels in public restrooms or paper napkins to clean up messes or my baby’s face.  When I forget, I wipe my hands on my pants
• I bring my own mug to coffee shops and I love my Sigg for drinking water (I haven’t bought bottled water in a year!) I bring my own plates and forks to Mosaic and other potluck, BBQ situations.
• Generally try to stay away from disposables.

Diet/Health:

• I haven’t eaten meat since sometime in June 2007 (except for that one time at Mosaic when I didn’t notice the bacon in my broccoli salad until it was in my mouth.  that was pretty funny
• I’ve cut way back on dairy (no cow milk, except in lattes, no yogurt, no creamy dressings and sauces and waay less cheese, if any, when I cook, etc.)
• I eat a salad for lunch every day and I love love LOVE it! I also incorporate more raw food in general.
• Stopped eating processed packaged cereals and cut way back on packaged foods of all sorts (I still have a way to go on this one)
• Stopped purchasing packaged drinks for myself and recently stopped drinking soda.
• Stopped chewing gum/mints.  Too much packaging and artificial sweeteners and I used to have it all the time.
• Switched to this bread.  

   Goals:        

• Compost!  I need to figure out a way to do this while living in an apartment and not having extra money…
• De-clutter and donate on a continual basis.
• Shop at thrift stores (more).
• Buy more in bulk to reduce packaging. (Note to self: buy loose-leaf tea and dry beans)
• Replace all Teflon and similar cookware with cast iron and stainless steel.
• Buy locally grown foods when possible.
• Walk more, drive less.
• Make progress in the living with less plastic category.
• Cut back/cut out refined sugar.  But, this is difficult.  it’s more addictive than cocaine.  

Overall, I think I’ve realized that the biggest change is not in all of my actions, it is the change in how I think about things.  I’m so much more aware of being wasteful and the implications of my actions. It changes the way I approach just about everything.  So, even though there’s so much more I could be doing, I know that I’ll get there eventually because the biggest change is the one IN me.  

photo credit: sabine butterblume/flickr

eating healthy isn’t just about you. April 7, 2008

     Eating Healthy is better for the environment, which means it’s better for other people. Well, I suppose that depends on your definition of eating healthy. I’m not talking about switching to a diet of frozen “healthy dinners” and overly packaged, chemical laden food bars and other not-so-good-for-you diet foods. I’m talking about the classic healthy whole foods diet. A diet composed primarily of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains. We all know that a vegetarian diet is better for the environment and a vegan diet perhaps even better still. Eating all things as locally produced as possible is very important for a healthy planet as well as purchasing organically grown foods. 

     Why does all of this matter? Well, there’s about a million reasons, really, but just think about it for a minute… fresh fruits and vegetables are not processed, therefore you skip all that extra waste that would be produced during the processing and extra transport (and hopefully you skip plastic packaging this way, unless you’re addicted to Trader Joe’s, like me… sigh). Eating foods as close to their natural state as possible is better for you and means using less heat. we all know that cooking uses energy, right? when you eat a whole foods diet, that means that when you do cook, you cook from scratch.  Cooking this way ensures that you skip all of those chemical additives and preservatives and extra packaging, which is so much better for you and the environment. These are just a few of the obvious reasons why our food choices matter.  

     Some of these issues are debatable, I suppose.  Some would say that the only important thing is to eat locally, sustainably produced organic food, while some would say eating raw food is most important to maintain personal health. I won’t get into those debates.  Overall, I’m just trying to say that any change we make that is a step toward a diet of whole foods that are minimally processed and cooked is a step toward healthier people and a healthier planet.  So, if you’re currently eating meat at every meal, consider trying to cut it back to just dinner, or just try a vegetarian meal once this week, or just cut back on red meat.  If you’ve never gone to the farmer’s market, go as soon as it opens this year (which was this last weekend if you live in Bellingham!) and check it out and/or consider joining a local CSA.  I’m not suggesting we all change everything about our diets and shopping habits overnight.  I’m just suggesting that we remain mindful in our eating and remember that what we choose to purchase and put in our bodies doesn’t just affect our own health, but also the health of the planet and all of us who live here.  So, take a baby step or two along with me because I’m on this journey to better, more mindful eating and shopping habits as well.  I’m nowhere near where I’d like to be.  Currently, I’m hoping that buying in bulk will help me shrink the grocery tabs and the contents of my garbage can!  Now I just need to re-train myself to buy dried beans instead of canned (apparently most cans contain BPA, ick. Why is plastic everywhere?) 

Here’s some further reading:

• A great, thought-provoking post on reconsidering your diet here.
• 100-Mile Diet
• Top 10 Reasons to Support Organic in the 21st Century
• Working conditions in American Slaughter Houses
  
• An article on the effects of cooking meat here: cooking meat dirties the air more than most people realize 
  
• Evidence Shows that Our Meat-Based Diet is Bad for the Environment, Aggravates Global Hunger, Brutalizes Animals and Compromises our Health

photo courtesy of ismon on flickr

Favorite March 30, 2008

I just wanted to post this link. This particular post is an older post that I bookmarked a long time ago because I just totally resonated with everything she said, so I thought I would post it here in case you might enjoy it too.