Following up with my last post, I'm going to share some of the ways that I save money every month. Some of them will be damn obvious, others maybe not so much. Either way, I invite anyone who reads these tips, tricks, and stories, to share their personal feelings and opinions about it. I love learning new things from different people, and saving money is something that we all have to do in life.
I was reading in the newspaper on the weekend that Canada's debt-to-income ratio is sitting around 150%. That means that people who are making 50,000$ a year owe (or add to their debt) approximately 75,000$ per year. (Correct me if my concept is wrong, please!). How on earth can we as a population be expected to contribute effectively to the economy if we owe more than we make? Ridiculous numbers, if you ask me.
Saving money and saving the environment absolutely go hand-in-hand. Buying less new both saves money and puts less strain on limited resources. Using homemade cleaners, same concept.
Today, I'm going to start with a task that takes me (on average) about an hour each week, and saves me close to 200-400$ per month. That is some sweet return for my investment if you ask me. It's like making 50-100$ per hour for those hours.
What could be so easy a way to save money for so little time?
Read Your Flyers!
Seriously. That's it! Check out your flyers, make a list of whats on sale, and buy from that list. For non-perishables, buy extra to last (ideally) at least until the next sale.
Doing this will also give you a good idea of what a "good sale" price is. For example, some people will go out and buy a brick of cheese whenever they need it. The going rate for a 500g brick of cheese right now is 8-10$. That's ridiculous. Cheese is something we eat A LOT of at my house. So when it goes on sale for less than $4.50 per brick, we buy at least 8 and freeze them. Currently, we have about 20-25 bricks of cheese in our freezer, none of which did we pay over $4.50 for.
Almond milk (since I don't make my own due to time/space constraints) is purchased in bulk when it's on for less than 2$ a carton (regular price is $3.99).
Small changes create big effects, and reading your sales flyers is just one small change that can really open your eyes into how much money and time you are wasting.
If you don't get the flyers delivered to you (like us), you can use websites that post them online (which saves paper too!) such as flyerland.ca.
Do you read flyers for your shopping (if you even shop at grocery stores)? How do you prepare your grocery/food list for the week? Share, share, share!
Much love,
Laura
Showing posts with label green. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green. Show all posts
Guest Post: How to Make Eco-Friendly Pest Repellents
Today we have a special treat to help prepare us all for spring. Insects are pesky creatures, but if you're like me you don't really want to go around squishing them and killing them all day. Insects do serve a purpose on this earth, so repeling them naturally with earth-friendly materials is healthy for both your body and the earth. Here are a few different ways to repels pests using environmentally friendly items, thanks to a guest post from Bailey Harris who typically writes for car insurance, but also cares about the earth and it's health. Take it away, Bailey!
Commercial pest repellants can work very well when it comes to keeping pests away. But if you would rather not spray toxins on your skin or release chemicals into the air, there are more eco-friendly ways of getting rid of pests inside and outside your home. With a few simple and inexpensive ingredients, you can create your own natural pest repellants.
Mosquito Repellants
One inexpensive way to keep mosquitoes away is to put vodka in a spray bottle and spritz your skin with it. If you don’t want to walk around smelling like alcohol--it will leave a slightly stale odor--you can cut the scent by adding a little essence of basil or some other scent you enjoy. The basil will enhance the repellent quality while improving the odor. You can also make a non-alcohol spray solution by steeping three teaspoons of dried feverfew in one cup of hot water. Allow the mixture to cool and spray it on your skin.
Burning a citronella candle also works well if you're outside. The pests will avoid the area as long as the candle continues to burn. Unfortunately, if you’re moving in and out of the area you won’t be protected, and applying citronella directly to the skin won’t keep mosquitoes away for long. You’ll have to reapply often. Some people consider citronella to be toxic. The EPA considers citronella safe, but if you have concerns you may opt for a citronella-free essential oil candle made from soy wax.
Moth Repellants
If moths are your concern, there are eco-friendly alternatives to chemical moth balls. The most common substitute is probably cedar chips. Cedar chests are used to store woolen clothing for a reason--cedar repels moths. Placing your cloths in a cedar chest or sprinkling cedar chips in the closet will keep moths at bay.
Rosemary, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorn, and thyme are herbs that not only add flavor to your meals but can do double duty as a control for pests. They can be combined and placed in a sachet, and then hung in the closet to keep pests away while making the room smell good
Lavender and mint are other eco-friendly ways to enhance the odor of a room while repelling moths. As with the cloves, cinnamon, peppercorn, rosemary, and thyme, lavender and mint are attractive odors and can be placed in a bag and hung in your closet to provide protection from moths.
General Pest Repellant
Basil is a natural repellent for bugs. If you sprinkle basil leaves around the bottom of the cupboard or put them in an open container inside the cupboard the scent will keep the pests like ants and roaches away. Basil also works to keep pests from entering a home. Try sprinkling basil leaves around the house and in cracks in the cement or wood. Fresh basil plants can have a similar effect if plants strategically around the house.
Guest post from Bailey Harris. Bailey writes on many topics, including car insurance for http://www.carinsurancequotes.net/.
Commercial pest repellants can work very well when it comes to keeping pests away. But if you would rather not spray toxins on your skin or release chemicals into the air, there are more eco-friendly ways of getting rid of pests inside and outside your home. With a few simple and inexpensive ingredients, you can create your own natural pest repellants.
Mosquito Repellants
One inexpensive way to keep mosquitoes away is to put vodka in a spray bottle and spritz your skin with it. If you don’t want to walk around smelling like alcohol--it will leave a slightly stale odor--you can cut the scent by adding a little essence of basil or some other scent you enjoy. The basil will enhance the repellent quality while improving the odor. You can also make a non-alcohol spray solution by steeping three teaspoons of dried feverfew in one cup of hot water. Allow the mixture to cool and spray it on your skin.
Burning a citronella candle also works well if you're outside. The pests will avoid the area as long as the candle continues to burn. Unfortunately, if you’re moving in and out of the area you won’t be protected, and applying citronella directly to the skin won’t keep mosquitoes away for long. You’ll have to reapply often. Some people consider citronella to be toxic. The EPA considers citronella safe, but if you have concerns you may opt for a citronella-free essential oil candle made from soy wax.
Moth Repellants
If moths are your concern, there are eco-friendly alternatives to chemical moth balls. The most common substitute is probably cedar chips. Cedar chests are used to store woolen clothing for a reason--cedar repels moths. Placing your cloths in a cedar chest or sprinkling cedar chips in the closet will keep moths at bay.
Rosemary, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorn, and thyme are herbs that not only add flavor to your meals but can do double duty as a control for pests. They can be combined and placed in a sachet, and then hung in the closet to keep pests away while making the room smell good
Lavender and mint are other eco-friendly ways to enhance the odor of a room while repelling moths. As with the cloves, cinnamon, peppercorn, rosemary, and thyme, lavender and mint are attractive odors and can be placed in a bag and hung in your closet to provide protection from moths.
General Pest Repellant
Basil is a natural repellent for bugs. If you sprinkle basil leaves around the bottom of the cupboard or put them in an open container inside the cupboard the scent will keep the pests like ants and roaches away. Basil also works to keep pests from entering a home. Try sprinkling basil leaves around the house and in cracks in the cement or wood. Fresh basil plants can have a similar effect if plants strategically around the house.
Guest post from Bailey Harris. Bailey writes on many topics, including car insurance for http://www.carinsurancequotes.net/.
4 easy ways your child can be eco-friendly too
Today's post is a guest post by Tara Miller, a fellow writer who enjoys writing on a variety of subjects, particularly on the subject of psychology. This post is about helping your kids to learn how to become earth-friendly in an age-appropriate way. If you enjoy what you read here, send her an email using her email address below or feel free to leave a comment! Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy!
Small children can't purchase organic foods or energy efficient appliances. They can't swap out the furnace filter or take a quick trip over to the recycling mill on their own. But they can do other simple eco-friendly tasks around the house and community that can help them sustain the environment. Instilling these following green practices at a very young age will undoubtedly help them on their way to becoming environmentally-conscious and energy conserving young adults.
Switch the Lights Off. As a parent, it's important that the first thing you teach your child is the importance of conserving electricity. Explain to them that leaving on a light when they are not in the room will not only drain your wallet, but it will also encourage the depletion of the earth's resources as well. It's equally important that you explain to your child that leaving appliances or cords plugged in an electrical outlet when it is not in use is also draining power—so unplugging video gaming systems, the computer and cell phone chargers when they are not using them is a must. To help get started them and to make this a habitual thing, why not turning it into some kind of game? Challenge your child to unplug all the appliances that are not being used and reward them with something small if they do a good job—just make sure you warn them to steer clear of the refrigerator and other appliances that need to be on at all times.
Conserving Water. Small children can also do wonders for the environment simply by decreasing their water usages. One of the more common things that children (and adults) do is let the water run while brushing their teeth or lather up soap to wash their face. Instead, encourage your child to only use the water to wet his or her tooth brush and then when he or she needs to rinse out his or her mouth.
To stress the importance, you could always explain that by letting the water run non-stop, an innocent fish or turtle may be drained of the water supply it needs to survive. Or, you can let them watch this short video named "Don't leave the water running". Equally important, you want to try and encourage your child to take showers rather than baths since showers use less water. But you might also want to tell them that singing in the shower and doing other activities in the shower while the water is running (playing with toys for example) is also wasting water.
Walk, Bike, Take the Bus or Carpool. How your child gets to school is usually up to the discretion of the parent, but if the school is close enough why don't you encourage your child to walk or take a bicycle to school? If your child is too young, you can make it a family ordeal and walk or ride your bike to school all together. Using this mode of transportation will heavily decrease the levels of carbon released into the atmosphere—even if your child walks to school only a few days out of the week. Taking the school bus or organizing a carpool can be equally as effective at reducing smog—it'll save you a bundle on gas money too.
Recycle Together. Lastly, if you recycle allow your child to participate. Small children love being included in everything from cooking, washing the car to yes, even recycling. Allow them to help by sorting the different materials and explaining why we recycle in the first place. This one should be a breeze since even someone as young as 5 years-old knows how to identify a can made for plastic bottles from the one made for paper.
This guest contribution was submitted by Tara Miller, who particularly enjoys writing about psychology degrees. She welcomes your comments and can be reached at: miller.tara23@gmail.com.
Small children can't purchase organic foods or energy efficient appliances. They can't swap out the furnace filter or take a quick trip over to the recycling mill on their own. But they can do other simple eco-friendly tasks around the house and community that can help them sustain the environment. Instilling these following green practices at a very young age will undoubtedly help them on their way to becoming environmentally-conscious and energy conserving young adults.
Switch the Lights Off. As a parent, it's important that the first thing you teach your child is the importance of conserving electricity. Explain to them that leaving on a light when they are not in the room will not only drain your wallet, but it will also encourage the depletion of the earth's resources as well. It's equally important that you explain to your child that leaving appliances or cords plugged in an electrical outlet when it is not in use is also draining power—so unplugging video gaming systems, the computer and cell phone chargers when they are not using them is a must. To help get started them and to make this a habitual thing, why not turning it into some kind of game? Challenge your child to unplug all the appliances that are not being used and reward them with something small if they do a good job—just make sure you warn them to steer clear of the refrigerator and other appliances that need to be on at all times.
Conserving Water. Small children can also do wonders for the environment simply by decreasing their water usages. One of the more common things that children (and adults) do is let the water run while brushing their teeth or lather up soap to wash their face. Instead, encourage your child to only use the water to wet his or her tooth brush and then when he or she needs to rinse out his or her mouth.
To stress the importance, you could always explain that by letting the water run non-stop, an innocent fish or turtle may be drained of the water supply it needs to survive. Or, you can let them watch this short video named "Don't leave the water running". Equally important, you want to try and encourage your child to take showers rather than baths since showers use less water. But you might also want to tell them that singing in the shower and doing other activities in the shower while the water is running (playing with toys for example) is also wasting water.
Walk, Bike, Take the Bus or Carpool. How your child gets to school is usually up to the discretion of the parent, but if the school is close enough why don't you encourage your child to walk or take a bicycle to school? If your child is too young, you can make it a family ordeal and walk or ride your bike to school all together. Using this mode of transportation will heavily decrease the levels of carbon released into the atmosphere—even if your child walks to school only a few days out of the week. Taking the school bus or organizing a carpool can be equally as effective at reducing smog—it'll save you a bundle on gas money too.
Recycle Together. Lastly, if you recycle allow your child to participate. Small children love being included in everything from cooking, washing the car to yes, even recycling. Allow them to help by sorting the different materials and explaining why we recycle in the first place. This one should be a breeze since even someone as young as 5 years-old knows how to identify a can made for plastic bottles from the one made for paper.
This guest contribution was submitted by Tara Miller, who particularly enjoys writing about psychology degrees. She welcomes your comments and can be reached at: miller.tara23@gmail.com.
The Three R's - Recycle
The third, and final, part of the ever-important 3 R’s of eco-friendly living, not to mention less stressed living and more frugal living, is recycling. Recycling is typically known as being those little blue and black boxes that you fill with your plastics, your metals, paper and glass that gets picked up every week (alternating weeks for us Ontarians) along with the garbage.
Trust others to deal with your trash?
Does that seem safe? As much as I would love to have trust in the government to keep us safe and properly process our garbage, I must admit that I just don’t. They are all-too-often only looking out for themselves, and they like to keep us little people in the dark. I’m sure they do take the blue and black boxes away, and maybe they do process them down and make something new with them. They must, for we see post-consumer recycled content in many things, from McDonald’s take out bags to toilet paper.
All too much I’ve noticed that the items containing recycled content are not things that you would hope to see. Recycled content seems to have become synonymous with down-cycled content. Why does our recycling turn into something less than it once was? Why can’t it become equivalent or even become something more?
Think outside the box
It can. It takes some effort, and it takes innovation, but it can. The process is called up-cycling, and personally I much prefer it. It may not always be feasible, but it is an option for many things. Taking something that you no longer have use for, maybe it’s even broken or its use has been erased. Turn it into something useful, or even decorative. Create beauty from refuse and trash, and showcase it.
Recycling plastics – hoax to make you feel better about consumption
In order to recycle plastics, they need to inject and release just as many toxic chemicals into it as there was originally placed into it upon production. The energy reduction (or amount of energy saved) by using recycled plastics as opposed to producing new plastic is around 5%. That hardly seems worth the chemicals and toxicity that it brings into the planet. It is for this reason that I completely advocate getting rid of unnecessary plastics. They are a detriment to the environment by every angle. Not only this, but when you recycle plastics, it loses quality. It can no longer become what it was recycled from. A plastic bottle from bottled water can not become a new plastic bottle, it is too low-quality. It will become plastic lumber, netting, etc. Then what? You cannot recycle a plastic once it has hit that low quality mark, it just becomes garbage.
Recycling other materials
Recycling should be promoted for things that can actually be recycled and maintain their current quality. Glass, metal, and paper can all maintain their quality once recycled. They can become what they once were. A glass bottle can be melted down and made into a new glass bottle. An aluminum tin can be melted down and made into a new aluminum tin. These items can go full circle and start again. They are worth the effort of recycling, because they save a considerable amount of energy by recycling them as opposed to creating new materials.
Last and definitely least
Remember that there is a reason that recycling is the third on the list. It should be your last option. Just because you have curbside recycling available doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to reduce and reuse first. The purpose of recycling is to catch the remainder of what cannot be reduced or reused, so use it as such. If you are buying things that you know are excessive, and validate it by saying “well, the container is recyclable” you are just doing yourself and the planet an injustice. Rely on yourself, don’t buy more than you need and can use, and the planet will be grateful.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
This post is part of a series. Part 1 - Reduce and Part 2 - Reuse
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
This post is part of a series. Part 1 - Reduce and Part 2 - Reuse
The Three R's - Reuse
The next item on the list of primary and essential ways to follow green living and lessen your footprint on the earth is also simple: Reuse.
By reusing things that have further use to you or someone you know, you pass on and increase that item’s value. Reusing your belongings, possessions, etc is very easy and does not have to take up a lot of time or space. It may actually save you both.
Examples of choosing to reuse
For example, instead of using single use paper towels, grab a cloth rag. You will be able to use that one rag infinite times more than you could dream of using a paper towel. They are not even comparable in cost, as you have to buy paper towel, but you can make a rag out of any piece of fabric. Another example, instead of buying the single serving size cups of yogurt for your lunch, invest a few dollars into small reusable containers (I’ll bet you can find some at your local second hand store!); this will allow you to spend less money on the larger tubs of yogurt (way cheaper by weight/volume) and you’ll get enough to last you longer.
There are a few other obvious examples of reuse, such as investing in a stainless steel water bottle and stop buying bottled water, or bring a set of utensils with you when you go out for lunch so that you don’t have to get the single use plastic utensils. Countless options for you to follow that will lower your impact on the environment exist, all you have to do is pick one and get started!
Find a way to take something that you were going to throw in the garbage to either make it into something new, or to reuse it. Challenge yourself a little bit every day. Don’t be afraid to try new things, you might find something that was more efficient than you imagined!
Good example of a chronic reuser
If you want some very fantastic and interesting ways to reuse objects, check out Rob’s World. Every few days he posts a new project that he’s just completed, and honestly it’s all pretty simple stuff. Not only that, but you can guarantee that no one else will have the exact same copy of what he has made.
Spend your shopping dollars where it counts
My favourite method of following reuse is by choosing where to shop. Whenever possible, I choose second-hand stores (such as Value Village
Continue the second-hand cycle by donating your goods that you no longer needs to your local second-hand store (again, try to avoid the Salvation Army) so that someone else may be able to make good use of your old treasures. When you are slowly decluttering your home and life of excess stuff, drop the items that are still good off there. Clothes that don’t fit anymore, or that you just don’t like, drop them off. Continue to fuel the circle, and it will continue to provide for you.
Peace and serenity,
The Three R's - Reduce
Maybe you’ve noticed, and maybe you haven’t, that I have kind of drifted away from the green living topics. It’s not that I have changed my lifestyle, if anything I’ve gotten a bit crunchier. Every day I look for opportunities to improve my life as well as lessen my impact on the world around me, and that will never change.
Most of the subjects that are very useful information related to green living have been pretty well done. I read enough different blogs, articles, websites, forums, etc to feel that anything I have to add would be fairly minimal on these subjects. Sure, I have my own opinion of things, but who wants to read the same thing said twenty different ways?
The true and simple concept behind any and all true green living practices (as opposed to green-washing, which just makes you think you’re benefiting the environment while lining the pockets of different corporations) can be summed up in three words.
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
First and foremost
Reduce is the first mentioned on the list, and for a very good reason. It is the first line of defence in protecting natural resources, time, and energy. By reducing, you are taking the time to consider the need of items, and making sure that you only take what you need. It is the easiest and most effective way to have a positive effect on the planet when used properly. Using less stuff will lower the demand for raw natural resources. With a lower demand on natural resources there will be less destruction of ecosystems and natural habitats. Less destruction of ecosystems will lead to the planet reaching it’s balance once more, as it will not be being actively torn apart by man’s constant want for new.
Reducing the amount of stuff you have in your home/office/life will also result in less stress. Stress about money or stress about where to keep all of the stuff, and how to keep it all clean and maintained. Stress that the body does not need or deserve. By having and wanting less stuff, you will not only save money by purchasing less, you will also save money by having better health due to lowered stress levels.
Start simple, think big
Reducing may seem intimidating at first, but don’t let it scare you. Starting simple is the easiest way to go about it, and starting with something small is a great way to tiptoe your way into the environments graces. Don’t take big leaps unless you think you can make it, and don’t try to push yourself too hard, because you will just increase the likelihood of burning out. If you’re looking for somewhere small to start, keep an eye on the small steps series I have been creating. Cut things out one at a time, and in time you won’t even miss them. You may even find life more enjoyable when you have less stuff to worry about.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
This post is part of a series. Part 2 - Reuse and Part 3 - Recycle
Most of the subjects that are very useful information related to green living have been pretty well done. I read enough different blogs, articles, websites, forums, etc to feel that anything I have to add would be fairly minimal on these subjects. Sure, I have my own opinion of things, but who wants to read the same thing said twenty different ways?
The true and simple concept behind any and all true green living practices (as opposed to green-washing, which just makes you think you’re benefiting the environment while lining the pockets of different corporations) can be summed up in three words.
Reduce
Reuse
Recycle
First and foremost
Reduce is the first mentioned on the list, and for a very good reason. It is the first line of defence in protecting natural resources, time, and energy. By reducing, you are taking the time to consider the need of items, and making sure that you only take what you need. It is the easiest and most effective way to have a positive effect on the planet when used properly. Using less stuff will lower the demand for raw natural resources. With a lower demand on natural resources there will be less destruction of ecosystems and natural habitats. Less destruction of ecosystems will lead to the planet reaching it’s balance once more, as it will not be being actively torn apart by man’s constant want for new.
Reducing the amount of stuff you have in your home/office/life will also result in less stress. Stress about money or stress about where to keep all of the stuff, and how to keep it all clean and maintained. Stress that the body does not need or deserve. By having and wanting less stuff, you will not only save money by purchasing less, you will also save money by having better health due to lowered stress levels.
Start simple, think big
Reducing may seem intimidating at first, but don’t let it scare you. Starting simple is the easiest way to go about it, and starting with something small is a great way to tiptoe your way into the environments graces. Don’t take big leaps unless you think you can make it, and don’t try to push yourself too hard, because you will just increase the likelihood of burning out. If you’re looking for somewhere small to start, keep an eye on the small steps series I have been creating. Cut things out one at a time, and in time you won’t even miss them. You may even find life more enjoyable when you have less stuff to worry about.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
This post is part of a series. Part 2 - Reuse and Part 3 - Recycle
Looking back on 2010
This past year has been an interesting one. Full of new knowledge, and new friends. Eye-opening things have happened, and I have been learning and adapting as best I can.
Accomplishments:
There have been a few things that did not go according to plan, but it turns out that they weren’t even that important. I look forward to the next year where I will be expanding on what I’ve learned and experienced, and becoming even more of an awakened person than this past year.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Accomplishments:
- Got married. August 31, 2010 was the first day of my married life, and despite having ups and downs things have been quite fantastic.
- Rediscovered my love of writing. As you can see by the fact that I have been writing regularly, and I’m writing longer and more in-depth pieces, this is very true. Not to mention that I have been dabbling slightly in creative and fictional writing.
- Began on the path of conscious living. Who knew that this would be a goal of mine? I guess you never know how unconsciously you’re living until your eyes are opened. No looking back now!
- Got a new job. Working at a desk has allowed me the financial freedom to relax about bills, and also to look deeper into what we’re paying for and why. It also provides me the time to do quite a bit of reading and writing, much to my benefit (and hopefully yours as well)
- Became vegetarian (again). Much to the majority of my family’s chagrin, I’ve gone back to eating vegetarian. Despite arguments that I don’t get enough protein (ha!) and that I have no energy, I feel fresh and energetic. I can also feel it immediately when I need to refuel with some real sources of energy.
- Discovered compassionate parenting and attachment parenting. If only I had found these sooner, perhaps some issues would not have escalated so much. Hindsight is 20/20, and I intend to look forward and make each day worth it for myself, my wife, and my daughter.
- Began forgiving those who have hurt me. It’s a hard path, but it’s worth it.
- Treat others, including my family, as real people who deserve to be treated as such. For many years, I treated most of the people around me how others were treating me, which usually wasn’t very well. I was mean to my mother, ignored my brother, was rude to my friends, the list goes on. Forgiveness goes both ways, and I have forgiven those who wronged me, as well as forgiven myself for acting like such a jerk. Moving forwards is the only way left.
- Gained more confidence in myself. I feel more empowered and that the words I say have real meaning. When I say no to someone, I really mean it. I am still occasionally bullied into doing things I don’t want to, but am becoming more aware of it each time.
- Relaxed. Life had been so stressful for so long and mostly because I let it be that way. I have learned to relax, and take things as they are. Learning that there are some things that I can not change has been helpful, as is learning that I don’t have to be in control of everything to enjoy life.
There have been a few things that did not go according to plan, but it turns out that they weren’t even that important. I look forward to the next year where I will be expanding on what I’ve learned and experienced, and becoming even more of an awakened person than this past year.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Guest Post: Greening Your Closet the Frugal Way
The following post is from a wonderful woman named Lisa Shoreland who offered to write this very detailed and in depth article about clothing. She is an experienced writer who recently had an epiphany on her consumer-based lifestyle and has begun looking at her life differently. Help me to support her in this, and share any other tips you may have regarding this subject.
Green is the new black on the runway, but most of us can’t afford what we see within ten miles of a fashion show. There are cheap ways you can make your closet more eco-conscious, however, and here’s why you should.
Cotton Is Deadly
Over 60% of the clothes we buy are made of it, but 150g of pesticides and fertilizers goes into cultivating enough cotton for just one adult-sized t-shirt. More than 8,000 chemicals bleach and dye the cotton after cultivation before it hits stores. By the way, just one drop of the pesticides used in making this t-shirt in your blood stream would kill you.
It ends up killing lots of people, in fact—and not the buyers. Over 75% of our cotton is cultivated in developing countries where workers can’t afford safety equipment, which means 20,000 workers die annually from pesticides used in cotton production alone.
Sweatshops Are No Secrets
After cultivation, 20 million people (most of them underprivileged women and children who earn as little as 8 cents USD an hour) work to manufacture the cotton into clothing, towels, underwear, and the like. They have no access to education, they have a family to send money to, and they work in unhealthy and horrendous environments that frequently cause complications leading to death.
Reports were leaked in 2008 that Victoria’s Secret subcontracts a sweatshop in Jordan whose Bangledeshi workers were “slapped and beaten, not paid their full overtime pay and labored from 7 a.m. to as late as 10 p.m., seven days a week with one day off every three of four months.”
Sadly, Victoria’s Secret isn’t alone; almost everything sold in stores today are made in sweatshops with little better conditions. The average short-sleeve t-shirt from American Apparel, a company which manufactures its products in downtown L.A. by fairly paid workers, will generally set you back anywhere between $10 and $20. You can get three t-shirts from WalMart for that price. Add “organic cotton” to that fair trade t-shirt and you’re looking at a price between $15 and $30 per shirt. Small wonder why: safety and dignity cost money.
Consuming, Polluting, Wasting
With all the suffering that goes into one t-shirt, you’d think we’d treat our closet like gold. Both in 2009 and 2010, however, the average American spent over $1,000 on clothing. The average American also throws away about 70 lbs of clothing and textiles away annually.
The question, then, is this: how much suffering is your money worth?
Alternatively, how much would you pay to destroy the ecosystem? By throwing away 70 lbs of non-organic fabric clothing in landfills annually, we are polluting the soil and our water systems with the very same toxins that go into them during the manufacturing process.
The Alternative
But enough with the drama. Many people simply don’t know about the chemical processes of the clothing industry and that children not much older than our own are working day and night so they can eat. Others don’t care.
I was such a person up until this year (really). I used to shrug and say, “If not them, then who? Somebody’s got to do it.”
That changed when I heard not long after New Year’s 2010 that my underwear and clothing godsend Victoria’s Secret was responsible for the abuse of hundreds of underprivileged workers. This was around the same time that I watched the BBC series “Blood, Sweat, and T-Shirts” on the Web. The two forces effectively K.O.-ed my spending habits. It dawned on me that my closet was full of biologically and ecologically harmful chemicals and the blood, sweat, and tears of disadvantaged people. I was a cog in the clothing industry’s machine, a useful tool in the perpetuation of profit and misery.
I was done. I am proud to say that I donated all clothes I would have otherwise thrown away and spent a total of $10 in 2010 on apparel (it was spent in a CVS of all places, when my two-year old pair of sandals finally broke and I was miles from home). Obviously, I can’t survive forever on the clothes I have now. I won’t be a size Small when I’m pregnant and I doubt I’ll be wearing sweater dresses and boots when I’m 80.
When I do get new clothes, however, I’ll be going down a different path this time.
Where Does the Frugal Part Come In?
Bio: Lisa Shoreland is currently a resident blogger at Go college, where recently she's been researching Nursing Scholarships and blogging about student life. In her spare time, she enjoys creative writing and hogging her boyfriend’s PlayStation 3. To keep her sanity she enjoys practicing martial arts and bringing home abandon animals.
Did you like what you read here? Let me know, and I will pass it on to Lisa. If you have any other comments about clothing and it's effect on the world, please share them below. A huge thank you to Lisa for writing this very well-paced and well-informed piece.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Green is the new black on the runway, but most of us can’t afford what we see within ten miles of a fashion show. There are cheap ways you can make your closet more eco-conscious, however, and here’s why you should.
Cotton Is Deadly
Over 60% of the clothes we buy are made of it, but 150g of pesticides and fertilizers goes into cultivating enough cotton for just one adult-sized t-shirt. More than 8,000 chemicals bleach and dye the cotton after cultivation before it hits stores. By the way, just one drop of the pesticides used in making this t-shirt in your blood stream would kill you.
It ends up killing lots of people, in fact—and not the buyers. Over 75% of our cotton is cultivated in developing countries where workers can’t afford safety equipment, which means 20,000 workers die annually from pesticides used in cotton production alone.
Sweatshops Are No Secrets
After cultivation, 20 million people (most of them underprivileged women and children who earn as little as 8 cents USD an hour) work to manufacture the cotton into clothing, towels, underwear, and the like. They have no access to education, they have a family to send money to, and they work in unhealthy and horrendous environments that frequently cause complications leading to death.
Reports were leaked in 2008 that Victoria’s Secret subcontracts a sweatshop in Jordan whose Bangledeshi workers were “slapped and beaten, not paid their full overtime pay and labored from 7 a.m. to as late as 10 p.m., seven days a week with one day off every three of four months.”
Sadly, Victoria’s Secret isn’t alone; almost everything sold in stores today are made in sweatshops with little better conditions. The average short-sleeve t-shirt from American Apparel, a company which manufactures its products in downtown L.A. by fairly paid workers, will generally set you back anywhere between $10 and $20. You can get three t-shirts from WalMart for that price. Add “organic cotton” to that fair trade t-shirt and you’re looking at a price between $15 and $30 per shirt. Small wonder why: safety and dignity cost money.
Consuming, Polluting, Wasting
With all the suffering that goes into one t-shirt, you’d think we’d treat our closet like gold. Both in 2009 and 2010, however, the average American spent over $1,000 on clothing. The average American also throws away about 70 lbs of clothing and textiles away annually.
The question, then, is this: how much suffering is your money worth?
Alternatively, how much would you pay to destroy the ecosystem? By throwing away 70 lbs of non-organic fabric clothing in landfills annually, we are polluting the soil and our water systems with the very same toxins that go into them during the manufacturing process.
The Alternative
But enough with the drama. Many people simply don’t know about the chemical processes of the clothing industry and that children not much older than our own are working day and night so they can eat. Others don’t care.
I was such a person up until this year (really). I used to shrug and say, “If not them, then who? Somebody’s got to do it.”
That changed when I heard not long after New Year’s 2010 that my underwear and clothing godsend Victoria’s Secret was responsible for the abuse of hundreds of underprivileged workers. This was around the same time that I watched the BBC series “Blood, Sweat, and T-Shirts” on the Web. The two forces effectively K.O.-ed my spending habits. It dawned on me that my closet was full of biologically and ecologically harmful chemicals and the blood, sweat, and tears of disadvantaged people. I was a cog in the clothing industry’s machine, a useful tool in the perpetuation of profit and misery.
I was done. I am proud to say that I donated all clothes I would have otherwise thrown away and spent a total of $10 in 2010 on apparel (it was spent in a CVS of all places, when my two-year old pair of sandals finally broke and I was miles from home). Obviously, I can’t survive forever on the clothes I have now. I won’t be a size Small when I’m pregnant and I doubt I’ll be wearing sweater dresses and boots when I’m 80.
When I do get new clothes, however, I’ll be going down a different path this time.
- Buy from secondhand stores like your local PTA Thrift Shop (but don’t support Salvation Army; see previous post for more). There’s no shame in going secondhand—it keeps old clothes in circulation, which means less chemicals in our earth. Plus, vintage is always in.
- If you must buy new, buy organic and fair trade. Look for the fair trade logo, and don’t cheap out on organic cotton if you've got a newborn baby in the house. A baby’s skin is much more sensitive than ours.
- Recycle old clothes or swap them with friends to add variety to your wardrobe. You can try your hand at DIY to remodel old clothes into new things, like a pair of underwear made out of your favorite old t-shirt , a cute bag made out of Dad’s old ties, or a reusable shopping bag made out of your hubby’s shirt. Remember, reuse, upcycle, and recycle are still keywords when it comes to your closet!
Where Does the Frugal Part Come In?
- Remember that if you document the prices clothing you donate, you can write it off your taxes.
- Buying vintage often means buying cheap.
- Swapping, recycling, and upcycling are free! These combined will more than make up for the monetary cost of buying organic.
Bio: Lisa Shoreland is currently a resident blogger at Go college, where recently she's been researching Nursing Scholarships and blogging about student life. In her spare time, she enjoys creative writing and hogging her boyfriend’s PlayStation 3. To keep her sanity she enjoys practicing martial arts and bringing home abandon animals.
Did you like what you read here? Let me know, and I will pass it on to Lisa. If you have any other comments about clothing and it's effect on the world, please share them below. A huge thank you to Lisa for writing this very well-paced and well-informed piece.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Things my kid says: Plastic is bad for the environment
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| Dressed up in hand-me-down clothes, so cute! |
To which she replied, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world,
"I do like dolls, but they're made of plastic and that's bad for the environment."
Powerful stuff, I'm very proud of her. I have never once told her that her dolls were cheap plastic from foreign countries, or that they were made of a material that takes tens of thousands of years to decompose.
She recently began learning about materials, and what things are made of. So we were talking about it at home about a week ago, and she asked what plastic was. I told her [paraphrased] that plastic was made of oil and is bad for the environment. I told her that it kills animals if they eat it and that it is taking over the ocean.
She thought on that for a few moments, somberly, and then looked at me and asked, "what is made of plastic?" I told her, many things are made of plastic, and M and I make the choice not to buy them as much as possible.
She seemed content with that.
She put together on her own that her dolls were made of plastic and that she didn't want any new ones.
I am so proud of her. She can form independant thought and deduct information from many sources. I have never lied to her about where things come from, and she understands as much as she can about where her food and clothing comes from. Each time she asks me a question, I provide her an honest, age-appropriate answer.
Some might think that my answers are not age-appropriate, but I think that I know my daughter and her level of understanding better than pretty much everyone else. I know I can be candid and honest with her, and I know that if I take my time to explain new things, she will understand them.
She knows that she can ask me just about anything and I will give her an answer.
That is something I am proud of, and will continue to be proud of.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Guest Post: Seven Steps toward Greener Pets
In a first for Simply Green, we have a wonderful guest post from Jean Dion, a wonderful pet and animal lover who cares about the environment and compassion towards other living things. She loves animals and writing (much like me!) and has offered very sweetly to contribute this very insightful piece to those of you who enjoy reading my posts. So enjoy, let me know what you think, and if you love animals pop on over to her site and read her very helpful and insightful posts.
Having companion animals can be hard on the environment. Taking a few simple steps can help you reduce the impact of your pets.
All of the topics above were covered in more detail on my blog: dionjean.blogspot.com
Please visit to learn more about how to green up your pets, and to read the day's musings.
A big thank you to Jean Dion for this post, and I hope that the pet owners out there find it helpful! I personally have two pets and they are very near and dear to my heart. I appreciate that each person's opinion and method of caring for their pets in a responsible manner is their own to make, and I hope that these tips are helpful to those who are looking for more information.
If you want more information on homemade pet food, check out Beth Terry's method of making her own cat food with barely any plastic waste.
Of course, reduction may be more important to you in the reference of poop bags. If this is the case, reuse the bags you have or that your family may have collected. You can be sure that people without pets tend to hoard produce bags, bread bags, etc simply because they feel bad throwing them out. If you ask for them for your dog, I would say at least 90% of them would give them to you without blinking.
If you are trying to cut down on your clay consumption (cat litter) and don't want to contribute to non-nutritious forms of corn consumption (corn based cat litter) you could always try potty training your cat, like Mark and Melanie of NoNewPlastic.com
Have any other tips, tricks or ideas on keeping the planet healthy while enjoying the company of pets? Feel free to share them here, or if you don't want your words made public send me an e-mail (or click the Contact Me tab).
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Having companion animals can be hard on the environment. Taking a few simple steps can help you reduce the impact of your pets.
- Reduce your passive energy consumption. Look around your home for items you keep plugged in for your animals. I have removed an automatic scooping litter box, a kitty water fountain and an automatic pet feeder from the grid at my house. This means I must wash the pet dishes and clean out the cat box every day, and remember to feed my pets at the same time each day, but I have also reduced my drain on the grid.
- Spay and neuter your pets. Consider the number of animals that are euthanized every day at animal shelters or given away on Craigslist, Kijiji or even local newspaper classifieds. Most of these animals are adults, thrown away when they were no longer cute and cuddly babies. You can reduce this waste and cut down on pet overpopulation by making sure your own pets do not reproduce.
- Purchase environmentally friendly cat litter. Many commercial cat litters are made with sodium bentonite, which is harvested in disastrous ways. You can read more here. I have recently switched my cats to World's Best Cat Litter, made of corn. My cats are still transitioning to this cat litter, and it is a bit of a struggle, but the benefits are well worth the work.
- Purchase biodegradable pickup bags for your dog. It's always bothered me to see people placing a biodegradable substance (poop) in a perfect, plastic coffin. Biodegradable bags solve that problem. You can buy them here.
- Put a bell on your cats, if they go outside. Cats left outside can decimate local bird populations, and cats will kill birds regardless of the food you leave out for them. If it is at all possible, leave your cats indoors. (I do not advocate a cat-inside-only existence only because doing so would be hypocritical. I have three feral outdoor-only cats.)
- Purchase durable dog toys. Most dogs, if given half the chance, will rip the heads and arms right off a toy in order to get to the poly filling. Many owners will then toss these toys right in the landfill. Before buying a toy, try to pull it apart yourself. If your dog is a power chewer, only allow him to play with the toy for a short period of time before you remove the toy. My pug, Liam, loves to destroy toys. I repair them. This explains why his toys all look like mutants.
- Research your pet food. Look for food produced locally, to help cut down on energy costs used in shipping food. If at all possible, make your own food using local, organic ingredients. Do your research and consult with your veterinarian before taking this course, naturally.
Please visit to learn more about how to green up your pets, and to read the day's musings.
A big thank you to Jean Dion for this post, and I hope that the pet owners out there find it helpful! I personally have two pets and they are very near and dear to my heart. I appreciate that each person's opinion and method of caring for their pets in a responsible manner is their own to make, and I hope that these tips are helpful to those who are looking for more information.
If you want more information on homemade pet food, check out Beth Terry's method of making her own cat food with barely any plastic waste.
Of course, reduction may be more important to you in the reference of poop bags. If this is the case, reuse the bags you have or that your family may have collected. You can be sure that people without pets tend to hoard produce bags, bread bags, etc simply because they feel bad throwing them out. If you ask for them for your dog, I would say at least 90% of them would give them to you without blinking.
If you are trying to cut down on your clay consumption (cat litter) and don't want to contribute to non-nutritious forms of corn consumption (corn based cat litter) you could always try potty training your cat, like Mark and Melanie of NoNewPlastic.com
Have any other tips, tricks or ideas on keeping the planet healthy while enjoying the company of pets? Feel free to share them here, or if you don't want your words made public send me an e-mail (or click the Contact Me tab).
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Wednesday's Small Step: Turn the lights out!
Small steps are small steps.
Maybe you already turn the lights out when you're not in a room, or maybe you don't. Either way, even if you use CFLs or halogens, you should try to avoid using electricity or energy to power something that's not in use.
I admit, even I leave lights on sometimes when I'm not in the room, and honestly my excuse is weak. I don't like the dark, so I'll leave the hallway light on if I'm home alone or just with my daughter. It makes me feel safer, even though it really doesn't change how safe I am.
But I try to ensure that I have the least amount of lights on as possible.
Also, due to my mood disorder, I have a hard time staying awake in the morning when there's no lights on. Which may be a slightly more realistic excuse, but it's still an excuse.
What about when you're watching a movie? Do you leave the lights on, or do you let the TV bask you in the special effects and acting wonder (or horror) that is in front of you?
What are your views on having lights on when you're not in the room?
Do you give yourself excuses sometimes, like I do? Or do you just suck it up and turn it out anyways?
Inquiring minds want to know!
Sidenote: great minds think alike! check out liverenewed.com 's article on shutting out your lights as well! just found it today. simple steps and small drops make big staircases conquered and buckets overflow. peace and love
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Enjoy the Small Steps series? Let me know what you think below.
Maybe you already turn the lights out when you're not in a room, or maybe you don't. Either way, even if you use CFLs or halogens, you should try to avoid using electricity or energy to power something that's not in use.
I admit, even I leave lights on sometimes when I'm not in the room, and honestly my excuse is weak. I don't like the dark, so I'll leave the hallway light on if I'm home alone or just with my daughter. It makes me feel safer, even though it really doesn't change how safe I am.
But I try to ensure that I have the least amount of lights on as possible.
Also, due to my mood disorder, I have a hard time staying awake in the morning when there's no lights on. Which may be a slightly more realistic excuse, but it's still an excuse.
What about when you're watching a movie? Do you leave the lights on, or do you let the TV bask you in the special effects and acting wonder (or horror) that is in front of you?
What are your views on having lights on when you're not in the room?
Do you give yourself excuses sometimes, like I do? Or do you just suck it up and turn it out anyways?
Inquiring minds want to know!
Sidenote: great minds think alike! check out liverenewed.com 's article on shutting out your lights as well! just found it today. simple steps and small drops make big staircases conquered and buckets overflow. peace and love
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Enjoy the Small Steps series? Let me know what you think below.
Happy Halloween!!
Halloween to me is a day to dress up in something you wouldn't normally wear. Now, I don't take it to the degree, and dress like a hooker or anything. I'll just throw together a really off the wall outfit.
It's fun, and it doesn't cost me anything because I just use whatever I already have in unusual combinations.
My daughter this year is going as a bride. She is wearing her flower girl dress (which was white or off-white, not sure which) and my veil from when I got married in August and a bundle of pink plastic flowers I got as a Christmas gift from her two years ago.
So cute! I can't wait to post a picture of it.
What are you doing for Halloween? Do you dress up? Do you go out, or do you stay in? Tell me all your gorey secrets (pun intentional).
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
It's fun, and it doesn't cost me anything because I just use whatever I already have in unusual combinations.
My daughter this year is going as a bride. She is wearing her flower girl dress (which was white or off-white, not sure which) and my veil from when I got married in August and a bundle of pink plastic flowers I got as a Christmas gift from her two years ago.
So cute! I can't wait to post a picture of it.
What are you doing for Halloween? Do you dress up? Do you go out, or do you stay in? Tell me all your gorey secrets (pun intentional).
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Monday Musing: Sustainable eating
Do you hunt your food, or forage it? Have you ever gone apple or berry picking?
It's hard! It's a lot of work, and a lot of time being put forth for your own sustenance when you have to gather your own.
But at the same time, it's very relaxing, and leaves you with a sense of accomplishment. Buying your food at the grocery store, you eat the food and that's it. But when you've put forward all that thought and energy towards your food, you enjoy it a little bit more. It tastes a little bit better.
I would love to have a garden. Even a few plants would be nice. Grow my own seasonal fruits and veggies. Put forward my energy for something more, my health, my family's health.
Those of you who read this, who don't have a garden or food plants, do you wish you did?
I dream of the day when I have a little house with a nice big yard, and I have a full garden and a few fruit trees. I am working to make my dream a reality.
What are you doing to reach and acheive your dreams? Have you started taking steps towards them? Why not start now?
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Enjoy the Monday Musing series? Here are the rest of the posts from this series:
Gardens
Happy thoughts
Automatic negative reactions
Thanksgiving
Contentment
Crutch or reason?
It's hard! It's a lot of work, and a lot of time being put forth for your own sustenance when you have to gather your own.
But at the same time, it's very relaxing, and leaves you with a sense of accomplishment. Buying your food at the grocery store, you eat the food and that's it. But when you've put forward all that thought and energy towards your food, you enjoy it a little bit more. It tastes a little bit better.
I would love to have a garden. Even a few plants would be nice. Grow my own seasonal fruits and veggies. Put forward my energy for something more, my health, my family's health.
Those of you who read this, who don't have a garden or food plants, do you wish you did?
I dream of the day when I have a little house with a nice big yard, and I have a full garden and a few fruit trees. I am working to make my dream a reality.
What are you doing to reach and acheive your dreams? Have you started taking steps towards them? Why not start now?
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Enjoy the Monday Musing series? Here are the rest of the posts from this series:
Gardens
Happy thoughts
Automatic negative reactions
Thanksgiving
Contentment
Crutch or reason?
Change starts from within
In a world full of opinions and differences, showing those around you the benefits of stepping lightly on the planet without coming across as pushy or over-bearing can be a challenge.
The first, and easiest, way to try to get friends and family to adopt your lifestyle, or one similarly eco-friendly, is to lead by example. If they see you acting one way, they will start thinking, even if it's only subconsciously.
Your friends and family will appreciate you more if you step back and let them come to their own conclusions about their actions. Let them see how you live and the alternatives you take, and they will see that you do not live a deprived lifestyle.
Because being conscious and proactive is not about going without. It's about enlightening your own life and taking the time to see what is around you. It's about deciding what's important to you, and reaching for it.
If you feel that you're better than others because of the choices you make, you may come across as self-important. I don't know about you, but I have a hard time paying attention to people who come across as high and mighty.
Your personal actions can speak volumes. Don't be ashamed of the choices you make, carry that stainless steel water bottle with pride. Bring out the beading/knitting/macrame project your working on into an easily viewed area. You might get some funny looks, but who cares? You should be proud of what you do.
Plus, maybe if you open the lines of communication, you'll find new information and learn new things. You may have a friend who was ashamed to show they're handiwork off until you showed your own pride. Be the change you want to see in the world.
Pride and peace,
Simply Me
The first, and easiest, way to try to get friends and family to adopt your lifestyle, or one similarly eco-friendly, is to lead by example. If they see you acting one way, they will start thinking, even if it's only subconsciously.
Your friends and family will appreciate you more if you step back and let them come to their own conclusions about their actions. Let them see how you live and the alternatives you take, and they will see that you do not live a deprived lifestyle.
Because being conscious and proactive is not about going without. It's about enlightening your own life and taking the time to see what is around you. It's about deciding what's important to you, and reaching for it.
If you feel that you're better than others because of the choices you make, you may come across as self-important. I don't know about you, but I have a hard time paying attention to people who come across as high and mighty.
Your personal actions can speak volumes. Don't be ashamed of the choices you make, carry that stainless steel water bottle with pride. Bring out the beading/knitting/macrame project your working on into an easily viewed area. You might get some funny looks, but who cares? You should be proud of what you do.
Plus, maybe if you open the lines of communication, you'll find new information and learn new things. You may have a friend who was ashamed to show they're handiwork off until you showed your own pride. Be the change you want to see in the world.
Pride and peace,
Simply Me
Wednesday's small step: Recipe sharing
Making your own food, as opposed to eating take-out, is not only better for your health, and your wallet. It's also better for the environment. But sometimes, you need something different. Checking recipe books can be helpful, but if you're just starting out, or you're not sure what to try next, ask a friend!
By asking a person, not only are you opening and improving that relationship, but you are also talking to a real person who has made whatever dish they're telling you about. You'll have someone you can ask questions to, or inquire about alternative ingredients. Portion sizes and what order to cook/prepare everything in.
So once a week, call up someone you have been meaning to get ahold of, and ask them what recipe they'd like to share. And don't make it a one-way street, offer to share your recipes as well.
Creating a network of people you can count on for advice, ideas, suggestions, is always a great way to lessen your footprint.
Friends make life more fun, as well.
So pick up that phone, and call.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Enjoy the Small Steps series? Let me know what you think below.
By asking a person, not only are you opening and improving that relationship, but you are also talking to a real person who has made whatever dish they're telling you about. You'll have someone you can ask questions to, or inquire about alternative ingredients. Portion sizes and what order to cook/prepare everything in.
So once a week, call up someone you have been meaning to get ahold of, and ask them what recipe they'd like to share. And don't make it a one-way street, offer to share your recipes as well.
Creating a network of people you can count on for advice, ideas, suggestions, is always a great way to lessen your footprint.
Friends make life more fun, as well.
So pick up that phone, and call.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Enjoy the Small Steps series? Let me know what you think below.
Brown-bag it!
So since I now have a desk job, and come home significantly less stressed every day, brown-bagging my lunch and snacks should be easy. It is a cheap way to eat, and it's also way healthier. Not to mention the fact that it's way easier to avoid as much waste as possible.
Except that I'm running low on ideas. We rarely have leftovers, since we make pretty much enough to feed everyone.
Right now, I take one container (cottage cheese size) of veggies, and one container (same size) of fruit. I have been bring along extra plums, since they're super ripe and we have a whole basket of them to eat. I bring a bagel, or bread, and put peanut butter on it.
It's kind of boring. I need ideas.
Anyone have any quick and easy ideas? I was thinking of possibly making a huge batch of pasta salad to keep in the fridge for quick lunches, since I love pasta salad, but I don't have any good sauce recipes.
Help me out here people! Please!
Thanks in advance!
Simply Me
Except that I'm running low on ideas. We rarely have leftovers, since we make pretty much enough to feed everyone.
Right now, I take one container (cottage cheese size) of veggies, and one container (same size) of fruit. I have been bring along extra plums, since they're super ripe and we have a whole basket of them to eat. I bring a bagel, or bread, and put peanut butter on it.
It's kind of boring. I need ideas.
Anyone have any quick and easy ideas? I was thinking of possibly making a huge batch of pasta salad to keep in the fridge for quick lunches, since I love pasta salad, but I don't have any good sauce recipes.
Help me out here people! Please!
Thanks in advance!
Simply Me
Day 24 — The person that gave me my favorite memory AND energy news
Well, favourite memory... This is going to get repetitive!! My favourite memory is of my wedding day! Haha, how lame am I, it was just 3 weeks ago (TODAY!! lol) and it's still my favourite, of all others.
Anywho, the person who gave me my favourite memory, obviously, would be my wife.
Yes, again. I know, she comes up a lot. Well, she is important!! Hehe
@WifeyLove You gave me the best day I ever could have asked for, and not only was it perfect... it was perfect! Love you forever and always
Anyways, enough sappy crap, you must be getting tired of this.
I have other news. Since our current provincial government is changing the rates and system for hydro and gas billing (as in, based on peak hours, not a flat rate of an average for the day) we were visited by the JustEnergy fairy, and got to sign a contract to keep a flat rate billing system.
The upside to this, aside from having a flat rate, is that I got the option to choose whether my energy was sourced from "brown" energy sources (oil, coal, etc), 60% green energy, or 100% green energy (for a slight increase in rate). Not only did I pick 100% (of course) but the location of the energy farms (wind, water, solar) is all in Canada! How awesome. Local energy, hehe. Not sure if that's normal, but I was happy about it.
So that's my ramble, maybe not so exciting but I felt like sharing it nonetheless.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Anywho, the person who gave me my favourite memory, obviously, would be my wife.
Yes, again. I know, she comes up a lot. Well, she is important!! Hehe
@WifeyLove You gave me the best day I ever could have asked for, and not only was it perfect... it was perfect! Love you forever and always
Anyways, enough sappy crap, you must be getting tired of this.
I have other news. Since our current provincial government is changing the rates and system for hydro and gas billing (as in, based on peak hours, not a flat rate of an average for the day) we were visited by the JustEnergy fairy, and got to sign a contract to keep a flat rate billing system.
The upside to this, aside from having a flat rate, is that I got the option to choose whether my energy was sourced from "brown" energy sources (oil, coal, etc), 60% green energy, or 100% green energy (for a slight increase in rate). Not only did I pick 100% (of course) but the location of the energy farms (wind, water, solar) is all in Canada! How awesome. Local energy, hehe. Not sure if that's normal, but I was happy about it.
So that's my ramble, maybe not so exciting but I felt like sharing it nonetheless.
Peace and serenity,
Simply Me
Saving the world during back to school? Why not?
Inspired by The EcoDiva's 16 green back to school tips, I am going to share the green back to school things I did this year for my daughter (who is starting grade 1 in September), as well as the things I plan to do throughout the school year.
Green things I did:
How about you, other lovely people? If you have children, what things have to done to lessen the impact of the dreaded back to school shopping without busting either your wallet or the environment?
And those of you without kids, do you take advantage of back to school shopping season to stock up while the awesome sales are going on? Buy up your favourite clothes, stationary, backpacks, etc?
Any new ways of taking advantage of the sales that are out there are always appreciated and will be spread to friends and family.
Love and serenity,
Simply Me
**Post Consumer Recycled Materials
Green things I did:
- Bought pencils in bulk
- Purchased a fabric pencil case, even though the list said to get a hard plastic one (no way!)
- Only got one box of freezer bags, and will send them as needed, instead of blinding sending 2 full boxes as requested
- Reusing previously purchased scissors/crayons/markers from her art collection and last year
- Picked the paper duotangs instead of plastic
- Got a paper 2-pocket folder, instead of plastic
- Avoided purchasing a pack of pencils wrapped in plastic, in favour of a box slightly more expensive packaged in cardboard with no plastic window
- Continuing to reuse her stainless steel water bottle, she loves it, it's covered in monkeys
- Not bought pre-cut tennis balls (turns out it was a waste of money, and they're useless for anything aside from putting on chair legs)
- Shopped around for PCRM** in her duotangs/folders/pencils/etc
- Not done any shopping at Walmart (damn the convenience of that hated store!)
- Look around for good deals on stationary and school supplies at all stores, including second hand stores
- Check the internet for any deals at any of my favourite green shopping websites, and look for new favourites
- When she needs clothes, head to the 2nd hand store up the street for clothes instead of Walmart/Childrens Place/etc
- Repurpose her smaller clothes with long sleeves/pants that still fit around into t-shirts/tank tops and shorts (done once already this year)
- Educate her on the perils and concerns with using hand sanitizer (especially since I'm sure the school has them ALL OVER THE PLACE!)
- Keep talking to her about advertising, since she seems to be a royal sucker for TV ads ("you need to get Bounce dryer bars, they're the best! The TV said so!" Oysh, thankfully we are watching more movies lately)
How about you, other lovely people? If you have children, what things have to done to lessen the impact of the dreaded back to school shopping without busting either your wallet or the environment?
And those of you without kids, do you take advantage of back to school shopping season to stock up while the awesome sales are going on? Buy up your favourite clothes, stationary, backpacks, etc?
Any new ways of taking advantage of the sales that are out there are always appreciated and will be spread to friends and family.
Love and serenity,
Simply Me
**Post Consumer Recycled Materials
7 different ways to use salt
So, like I said, I love finding fun new information on the internet.
Found on AboutMyPlanet.com, a list of new ways to use salt. Regular table salt.
Check out the full list here.
I love that these tips and ideas are actually practical, and use an everyday household item.
Let me know if you have tried any of these, and how they work! I am interested in seeing different peoples opinions of these uses.
Lots of love,
Simply Me
Found on AboutMyPlanet.com, a list of new ways to use salt. Regular table salt.
Fantastic!
Check out the full list here.
I love that these tips and ideas are actually practical, and use an everyday household item.
Let me know if you have tried any of these, and how they work! I am interested in seeing different peoples opinions of these uses.
Lots of love,
Simply Me
My camping experience
So, like I said, I hadn't been camping in somewhere around 10 years. But this weekend was AMAZING! I loved it, the freedom, the fresh air, the lack of time constraints. It was just wonderful.
Now, for my first picture heavy post, here are some shots of the drive up to the campsite:
And some shots of the campsite and the river, which had some GORGEOUS rapids right next to our site. It was fantastic:
And our glorious campfire that kept us warm and relatively bug free, unfortunately these shots are all after the sun has set, so they don't quite embody the awesome that was the fire:
All in all, had a fantastic time, swimming in the lake, up and down the river. I can't wait to do it again!
Now, for my first picture heavy post, here are some shots of the drive up to the campsite:
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| Driving in the countryside |
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| It's so beautiful |
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| On both sides :) |
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| Believe it or not, we're going around 80-90kph, and this is with a camera phone |
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| As you can see by the occasionally blurry spots |
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| But some are super clear :) |
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| So much green! Love it! |
And some shots of the campsite and the river, which had some GORGEOUS rapids right next to our site. It was fantastic:
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| Red flowers by the river |
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| Purple flowers on rocks in the middle of the river |
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| Red flowers on the other side of the river |
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| The tiny silver speck on that rock is a pretty little dragonfly, who (with his many kin) kept me mostly safe from those evil deerflies :) |
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| One of the many frogs I saw |
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| Just chillin in the river, keeping an eye |
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| One of the rapids, with a little bit of sea foam |
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| More purple flowers, so pretty |
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| Decent shot of the rapids |
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| Closer shot of the rapids |
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| Looking down the river from the middle of the rocks |
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| Sitting in these rapids was like sitting in a jacuzzi that only blows one way, soo cool |
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| Calm river shot as the sun begins to set |
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| Shot down the other way from the rapids as the sun sets |
All in all, had a fantastic time, swimming in the lake, up and down the river. I can't wait to do it again!
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