Tag: Lifestyle
Here’s my winter morning routine: Hat, coat, scarf – run outside…. start the car. Run back inside; have another cup of coffee while the car warms up. Sound familiar? I’ve been doing this for years. I learned it from my mom, who many years ago, would go out and warm my car up before I left for school. If you don’t have your car in a garage, it’s pretty darn chilling to hop in that little igloo on wheels. Way back when, I was taught that it was really better for the car to idle a bit to warm it up before jetting off into the arctic morning. Well, seems that while I thought I was doing my car a favor (not to mention my own warm self), I’ve been wasting lots, and lots of energy.
According to The Little Green Book, the best way to warm up your vehicle it to actually drive it. According to the authors, 30 seconds of idling is really all you need before you’re ready to drive. Your car uses 0.2 gallongs of fuel when idling. That’s enough gas for me to travel the 5 miles it takes to get to work. Not only are you wasting fuel, but, when you let your car idle you’re producing carbon dioxide, close to 20 pounds during that 10 minutes of toasty warm-up time. I really don’t know anything about the inner workings of a car. I just want it to go. But these guys claim that idling only warms your engine, not the other parts of the car that need to be warmed up.
So as nice as it is to slide across that warm leather seat on a winter morning, I’ll have to learn to layer more and idle less. I guess I’ll have that extra cup of coffee to go!
February 8, 2010
The holidays have come and gone (thank goodness), and as we all settle back into our usual routines, I’m actually putting some of my Christmas booty to use. So, I decided to scroll through a quick gift review. I was fortunate enough to receive many lovely gifts from people I care about this Christmas. Perhaps this shortlist of green gifts I received will give you some ideas for green gift-giving for the rest of the year!
My terrific sis gave me these beautiful glasses created from reclaimed wine bottles. They are softly etched with a dragonfly motif (the dragonfly is my totem, btw). The picture is terrible, but the glasses are beautiful, and actually clear rather than amber. I love these, because I love the way they feel, and they are the perfect size! What could be nicer than upcycled beauty with a practical use? I’m not sure where these little art pieces came from , but there are several sites online where you can pick up a set for yourself, or for your next gift to give. Check out Uncommon Goods for several items made from recycled wine bottles.
Don’t discount gifts that you may already have around your house. Items that have sentimental value, or are retro chic, may be just the right gift for the “hard-to-buy-for” person on your list. My darling mother passed along this wonderful yellow vase that belonged to my grandmother along with a set of her own linen napkins. This vase is the gift that brought tears of joy. (I am such a marshmallow). I love the shape, the color and even the aura of this sweet vase. Talk about passing on the love…
Check out this awesome bean pot. It’s La Chamba cookware, hand made in Columbia. You just want to touch it, and rub your hands over it’s smooth finish. It is burnished, not glazed and it’s inspiring to see the imprints artistic hands have left, as they turned and worked the piece. I have yet to cook in it, but I’ll be sure to post my first foray into cooking with this fab clay pot! Check out La Vida Verde, Inc. a Free Trade importer, for more info on how these lovely vessels are made. With many types of cookware to choose from, the eco-cook on your list would love any of these pieces!
Other great ideas that I either received, or gave (or both):
• Original artwork
• Handmade jewery
• Pottery
• Organic wine
• Free trade, shade-grown coffee
• Stainless steel or BPA-free water bottles
Thank you to everyone for the lovely gifts (mentioned and not mentioned here) and for friends and family who made the holidays endearing. Though the holidays are generally a time of frenzy and stress, when you finally slow down and look around, and look back, you realize the great good fortune that family and friends bring to the season. Love you all!
P.S. – Did you receive a particularly eco-friendly, or unusual gift this year? Have ideas for future, green gift-giving. Share it here, or shoot me an email with a photo and post it up for all to see!
January 18, 2010
Monday seems to come around quicker these days. Planning for a Meatless Monday has turned out to be a little harder than I expected. For something that looks pretty quick and VERY tasty, check out this recipe for Cornmeal Cinnamon Pancakes from Domestic Divas. I love breakfast foods for dinner on occasion. However, you’ll need to watch your portions if you’re watching your weight. These sweet pancakes pack a calorie punch of 500 calories per serving!
December 28, 2009
Each year, during the Christmas season, there is one morning where I walk into my office and find, instead of files and papers, a sweet little bag of goodies left by an anonymous donor. Of course, the donor isn’t really a mystery. The entire office knows that Pat leaves this special gift each year. It’s a small baggie filled with gift tags that she has lovingly worked on all year, creating each little gift tag from Christmas cards that she has received throughout the years. This is a tradition handed down from her mother. I love this gift of the heart.
Finding that little gift on my chair is such an uplifting experience, I wonder if she has any idea how much we all look forward to it. The tags are at once nostalgic and modern. I love putting them on my gifts, except it really slows down the wrapping process, as I have to inspect every tag. I try to imagine what the entire card looked like in its original form, and the joy that Pat felt as she received each one. This is a prime example of “passing it on”.
This year, save your Christmas cards. Or if you’re lucky, you may come across a boxful of vintage cards at a garage sale. Before you recycle these little treasures, you can REUSE them, and pass along some love as well.
Thank you, Pat, for passing along the love and the inspiration. Merry Christmas!
December 17, 2009
There is a tree in my kitchen. Finally.
The holiday season is here, and I finally came up for air this past weekend. Instead of working, I turned my sights towards making my home a little more, well… homey. My kids are pretty much grown, but fortunately they still love the tradition of piling in the car to fetch the Christmas tree and getting the house decked out in red, green and gold for the holidays.
Pine Hill Christmas Tree Farm
It was drizzly and soupy-gray this weekend, Alabama’s version of snow. In the past we have, without fail, purchased our live Christmas tree from the local Boy Scout troop. The trees there are beautiful, expensive and support a good cause. On top of that, they are shipped in from a tree farm in North Carolina, so at least they don’t travel all the way across the country to get here. It is a good choice. Still, this year, in an effort to reduce our carbon footprint, I decided to look for a tree farm and purchase my tree locally.
We had so much FUN!
In a section of town, where you would never expect to find a farm of ANY kind, we located Pine Hill Tree Farm. Sloping hills dotted with trees, a barn-like structure complete with complimentary hot chocolate, and a smelly, but clean shed for a couple of live reindeer made the trip to get this year’s tree an adventure. (No comment on the reindeer, that’s a whole separate post). We were the only customers, due to the heavy fog and rain… but there we were, traipsing around the hills to find just the right tree.
This family-owned farm has cut trees that have been shipped in from North Carolina, and as far away as Oregon. However, they also grow several varieties of Cedar trees such as Leland Cypress and Deodara Cypress. The well-known Frasier Fir doesn’t grow at elevations this low, so they ship those in pre-cut. We chose a beautiful Leland Cypress Cedar tree, which we have never had. At first I was hesitant, it seemed like something you get at the nursery to make a hedge between yourself and your neighbor. But, we love it! It is fragrant and the foliage is soft and not so prickly as a Frasier Fir tree. It has been lovingly shaped into the traditional teardrop expected of a Christmas tree, and it works perfectly in our space. The guys working the farm even cut the tree for us! What more could you ask for? Oh yes, did I mention it was very reasonably priced?
We have always been a live-tree family, even though I admit, I do have a small, silver tinsel tree in my front window. Straight from Target, it is retro and cute and I love it, but I will never purchase another artificial tree. Oh, let’s call them what they are, FAKE trees. I admit in the past, I’ve been tempted by the “ease” of owning a fake tree, but just couldn’t ever bring myself to go there. Something about decorating a plastic tree just didn’t seem, well… real.
Here are my reasons for loving a live tree:
• Live trees are grown on farms, not cut out of the forest. This is a fairly recent innovation; so many people still think trees are being ravished in the forest to supply the demand for Christmas trees. Instead, think of this: in the U.S. there are around a half billion trees growing on Christmas tree farms. On average, 2,000 Christmas trees are planted per acre.
• Growing Christmas trees provide a habitat for wildlife, plus an acre of Christmas trees provides for the daily oxygen requirements of 18 people.
• Live Christmas trees smell really good (unless you have allergies) and make your home feel festive and warm
• Artificial trees may be easy to set-up and may cost a little less in the long run. But, most artificial trees have a place in your home for an average of 6-8 years. At some point they ALL end up in the landfill, where they are not biodegradable and will last for eons!
• Artificial trees are mostly manufactured in China from recycled PVC plastic, and shipped to the U.S. Let me say that again, PVC plastic. (Think chemicals and petroleum based products)
Whatever your choice of tree this year, I do hope that you and your family have as much fun picking out your tree as we did picking out ours. I admit it’s easy for me to turn scrooge-ish this time of year, with all of the time constraints and pressures that are imposed on me. The choice to go out in the rain in search of a tree turned out to be great fun and went a long way toward reviving my own sense of wonder and holiday joy.
December 15, 2009
Tonight is Monday night.
To be precise, it is the Monday night after the big Thanksgiving holiday. Many of us know this day simply as Cyber Monday. I am particularly sensitive to Cyber Monday because my own business becomes a place of frenzied chaos on this day. Mayhem, defined as “a state of rowdy disorder” is indeed taking place in my little business. Black Friday and Cyber Monday marks the beginning of the crazy holiday season; the time of year when I work late every night, trying to make my whole year’s salary in 60 days, and kids and dogs are left to fend for themselves.
Yes, tonight is exactly one of those nights. Frozen pepperoni pizza for dinner is the ultimate in satisfaction and convenience. As I sit here with my pants feeling too tight, already regretting this food decision, it hits me…
Today is Meatless Monday!
Augh! I feel like a failure. Just one week after committing to Meatless Monday, I completely forgot all about it. I won’t lie and say I never eat frozen pizza, but normally it’s a spinach and mushroom or a veggie. What made me veer off of my chosen path tonight and opt for the sausage-pepperoni-supreme? I can’t say. But, I can see what this means. I can see that I will have to plan well for these next few weeks leading up to Christmas if I want to uphold this commitment during the crazy “this is America on Christmas speed” time of year!
November 30, 2009
Saturday, November 20th, I woke up with no particular plan in mind. The weather was predicted to be gloomy, cold with perhaps a drizzle of rain. Weathermen (should I say, meteorologists?) sometimes get it wrong, and that morning was a shining example of predictions not coming true. The sky was crystal clear, the temp cool, yet the day was promising to warm up nicely.
Remembering something I had read about, I tossed down the last drop of coffee, crawled into some work-jeans, found a small spade, my garden gloves and the camera, and headed out the door. It was Volunteer Day at the Ruffner Mountain Nature Center, and I wanted to join in.
Ruffner Mountain is a large nature preserve nestled right here, smack-dab in the middle of urban Birmingham. One of it’s greatest features is the close proximity to practically every side of the city. With over 1,000 acres, it boasts hiking trails, animals, city history, geology lessons and more. I had not been to the preserve since my children were in elementary school and although my sister and I frequently challenge each other to meet there, it never seems to happen.
One reason I’ve been wanting to visit the Ruffner Mountain trails is my desire to get exercise somewhere other than in the gym on a treadmill. I have to admit, however, that I am the ultimate weenie when it comes to braving inclement weather. Inclement in my world could mean anything below 50 degrees (hence the gym in the winter). However, this particular Saturday was perfect for hiking, and volunteering.
When I arrived, there were perhaps a dozen people industriously milling about with shovels and wheelbarrows. Small plastic grocery bags were strategically placed on the ground with twiggy plants jutting out of the tops. The goal was to help restore the landscape surrounding Ruffner Mountain’s new Treetop Visitors Center. Native plants had been snooped out and dug up for replanting, in hopes of recreating a natural habitat. The decision to get up and join this group was a good one. Aside from the obvious perks of a beautiful day and free exercise, I found that the friendliness and enthusiasm of the volunteers was contagious. Michelle Reynolds, a board member and the “woman in charge” for the day, greeted me warmly and promptly put me to work! OK, troops, lets go. On hand to supervise placement of plantings was the landscape designer responsible for the layout of the new landscape, Arnie Rutkis. I also had the pleasure of meeting Carol Hunt, a fellow volunteer, who happens to be a charter member of the Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve. Carol shared with me the story of how Ruffner Mountain was saved from development in the 1970′s by the neighborhoods surrounding the area. I enjoyed every minute!
Work continued from 8:30 am until around noon or a so. I couldn’t resist taking off up one of the many hiking trails before heading home. The preserve itself is made up of over 1,000 acres and 12 miles of well-marked trails, including an old quarry, a ridge trail, wetlands and old mining shafts. I took off up along the ridge. Before long I felt completely engulfed in forest, although eerily I never lost many of the city sounds. The freeway, and most aptly, for Birmingham the short blasts of train whistles permeated the treetops. I suppose since most of the leaves have fallen from the trees, there is less insulation from the noise. Looking around, however, you would never guess that you are, in fact, in the middle of the city.
If you are from Birmingham, and you’re looking for a convenient, temporary retreat from your busy day, I would encourage you to explore this natural treasure in our city. It is beautiful, convenient and safe. I love that this beautiful place is available to educate our children, many of whom may never have had a chance to go outside of a city and get into nature. I look forward to visiting this site often, when I feel I need a little “nature fix”. Many cities have surprising urban green spaces. If your city has a spectacular green space, please support it by visiting it, and talking it up! We’d love to hear about it.
November 30, 2009
Thanksgiving has come and gone again. My goal was to make this year’s Thanksgiving just a little greener, but I was really struggling with how to do it. I’m not sure how you would rate our green Thanksgiving, on a scale of 1 to 10, but I must say there was improvement over previous years. Here’s what we did and didn’t do.
On the greener side:
1. Purchased an organic, free-range chicken rather than a conventional turkey. How did it go over? If anyone missed the turkey they didn’t express it, and I thought the chicken and dressing was really delicious. This is a “do-again” in my book! If you remember from my earlier post, this was my grandmother’s recipe.
2. Saved, and froze all of the chicken broth from boiling the chickens to use in a recipe some other day this winter.
3. Purchased fresh sweet potatoes for the casserole, rather than canned. Using fresh ingredients didn’t seem to make much difference in flavor. (With all the butter and sugar in the recipe, who would know the difference?) Most of the other ingredients in the recipe were also organic, including the butter and the brown cane sugar. Additionally, the sugar came from Florida, which is not too bad in miles travelled to get here.
Ours is a small little gathering. Here's the table before the carnage began.
4. Decorated the table with items we already had, plants pulled from the yard and drawn “hand turkeys” like the kids made when they were little. I’ve never really been much of a planner when it comes to entertaining, so I’m often caught performing last minute miracles. Miracle may be too strong of a word, it’s probably more like last minute surprises! I pulled a basket from the basement, a particular favorite made from earthy sticks and moss. I purchased two small mums (which I’ll now enjoy on into the season), set them in the basket and filled in with fresh cut Nandina berries, pine cones and pine fronds from my backyard. The place settings were Depression glass water glasses, and mismatched Fiesta-ware garnered from many trips to flea markets and antique malls over the years. The table was simple, but not too shabby.
5. The kids and I played the board games Cranium and Trivial Pursuit and laughed until we hurt! (I’m using the term “kids” loosely, these kids are pretty well grown). You may not consider this eco-friendly, but I believe a large part of becoming conscious of our world is accomplished by just slowing down, living a little simpler and enjoying each other. With full tummies, overstuffed like your favorite chair, this love and laughter was without a doubt the very best part of the day!
Maybe, not so green:
1. We kept the fire roaring. (Gas logs.) We really didn’t need it for warmth, but the ambiance was too nice to resist. The day here was crystal clear, but blustery and cold. We felt so snuggly and cozy that I put my guilt aside about using all of that unnecessary energy, and just went with it. When my gas bill arrives, I’m sure the consequences of that cozy day will be clear.
2. Paper napkins. Yep, I bought ‘em, I used ‘em and I loved ‘em. Burgundy-colored dinner napkins were so pretty on the table. I have to say, however, that the only reason I used paper was because I don’t own cloth napkins. Cloth napkins top my Christmas wish list.
Green or not, the Thanksgiving holiday worked out just fine this year. By next year, hopefully I’ll have added composting,among other things, to my green quotient. The important thing was our little family coming together and honoring this day of gratitude. I hope you and your family also shared and enjoyed a blessed Thanksgiving Day.
November 27, 2009
Mmmmm. Veggie Burger!
I did it. I signed the Meatless Monday pledge.
Being from the South, it’s not unusual for me to throw dried white beans in a pot with a little onion, garlic and onions, partner it with some cornbread, and call it dinner! Eating meatless is not something I’m a stranger to. But, like most southerners from my generation (remember, I’m a boomer), sometimes I just naturally start thinking “meat” when it’s time to figure out the dinner menu. Discovering “Meatless Monday” has made it easier for me to literally “forget” the meat. Now, if your household includes a bunch of burly guys, going meatless may be a little more challenging than it is for me and my daughters. But, consider this: a meatless dinner every now and then usually means less time bent over the stove on a weeknight, it’s good for the earth, good for your health and its almost always cheaper! Personally, I love anything that’s a little more budget-friendly right now.
Here’s the part where you get to turn up your nose: for dinner this Monday night we had a veggie burger and a fresh salad. I first became aquainted with veggie burgers several years back when I was trying to drop some pounds with Weight Watchers. The rest of the family would be chowing down on grilled burgers, and I would stoically munch my veggie burgers. Veggie burgers are not bad, folks! Paired with a fresh salad, or some roasted potatoes they go a long way toward satisfying my occasional thirst for fast food burgers.
Regardless of whether you decide to brave the world of veggie meat substitutes, Meatless Monday is still a practice worth cultivating. Going meatless just one day a week has all kinds of benefits to you and the earth. Consider this for starters:
• Going meatless just one day a week may keep your body healthier, lower your weight, and possibly lower your cholesterol to reduce your risk of heart disease
• Reduce your carbon footprint. According to World Watch magazine, “recent analysis by Goodland and Anhang finds that livestock and their byproducts actually account for at least 32.6 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year, or 51 percent of annual worldwide GHG emissions.” Hmm. That’s a mouthful.
Meatless Monday is a non-profit initiative in association with the John Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Health. Their goal is to reduce meat consumption by 15% for healthier population and a healthier earth. Check out the Meatless Monday website for more information on the impact that going meatless may have, meatless recipes and related articles.
P. S. – The veggie burger made for a really QUICK meal, something I’m often in need of on a week-night. Next week perhaps I’ll be more creative with Meatless Monday. Stay tuned. Also, I had this idea brewing…. maybe a Meatless Monday supper group once a month? What do you think?
November 23, 2009
Can you “green-up Thanksgiving”, which in my opinion is one of our most over-indulgent holidays, and still have fun? That’s the topic of a post that I’ve been working on. I had several ideas on how to make Thanksgiving Day more green while preserving our tried and true traditions. I had some really good ideas.
But, as I thought about it, and researched heritage turkeys, organic turkeys and free-range turkeys, something occurred to me. The truth is this. I don’t want to cook a turkey at all. Oh, I want to eat a turkey. But, not being much of a cook, I really don’t want to go to all of the trouble of cooking a turkey. There are only 5 people in my little family, so while I really, really want that turkey, slaving away in the kitchen all day just isn’t what I want to do with one of my few days off work. You know? And, the fact that the more I thought about a sustainable Thanksgiving Day, the more overwhelming it seemed. It made me feel blue, that it seemed to be taking so much planning and researching and worrying, just to come up with a sustainable Thanksgiving meal.
Thinking about this blog, I brought myself back to the original premise of writing this, it’s about learning, and making conscious choices. And sometimes, we’re just not ready to take some of those steps. But, as long as we’re still taking steps forward to sustainability, it’ll be OK. Or, at least better. And better is good.
With those thoughts in mind, here’s how I plan to handle our Thanksgiving this year:
1. I’m buying a pre-prepared turkey like we always do. Whether its from Honey Baked or some other company, that’s just how its going to be. We buy one turkey per year. Maybe next year I’ll be more industrious.
2. We’ll serve our traditional foods, cooked in a better way. In order to keep peace with kids, we’ll be serving up our same old casseroles. (Probably pulled from “Holiday Ideas from Kraft” circa 1962). But, I’ll try to prepare them a little better. Organic cornmeal, free-range eggs and local sweet potatoes anyone?
3. Bring on the local fare. I’d like to introduce at least one (maybe two) new recipes that are completely local, and seasonal.
4. Drink Wine! We consume a lot of wine at Thanksgiving. It will be fun to find some new, organic brands.
5. Decorate Sustainably. Nice plates will be on the table, along with cloth napkins. No paper plates for us. Holidays have always been about nice china because my mother has been the hostess for at least 50 of the last 55 years, and she’s all about presentation. But, that is one tradition that is sustainable. Actually I’ve done away with paper plates altogether, and cloth napkins are on my Christmas wish list. (In case any one’s wondering, tee hee)
6. Of course, we’ll be recycling, that goes without saying.
Thanksgiving will be here soon, but our menu plans may definitely change or expand before the big day. I’ll be researching some local resources and recipes. If you have ideas or tips for a simple, green Thanksgiving celebration, I’d love to hear about them.
November 12, 2009
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