PlayHaven Farm & Green Building Project

Low or No-Cost Tip #1: Be Your Own Energy Efficiency Detective

2012-02-25T15:40:00.000-06:00

Do you pay the utility bills?

If you do, you are already aware how much of your money goesto keeping you cool or warm, clean and hydrated. Do you track this money? I'm talking about keeping a record so you can see the difference from month to month, yearto year.

If not, do you know who does pay the utility bills?

When I was a child, I lived in my parents’ house. In thisexample, my parents paid the utility bills.
Schools some times provide dormitories. Students areprovided housing for a set fee and there are rules about whether appliances areallowed in the rooms. In this case, the school pays the utility bills.
I once lived in an apartment where the utilities wereincluded in my rent. While it did not appear that I was paying for utilities, Iwas paying what the landlord considered to be adequate compensation so theycould pay the utilities without losing money on the deal. In this example, thelandlord pays the utility bills.
I don’t know if this still applies, but military housing wasanother example of a situation where the utilities were paid by someone else.In this example, every taxpayer paid the utility bills.
Companies sometimes provide housing for their employees aspart of their pay/salary. In this example, the company pays the utility bills.
Some people hire other people to do the mundane tasks sothey have more time for the things that are important to them. This includesbook-keepers and land management companies. In this example, the hired helppays the utility bills.

Unfortunately, many people take utilities for granted – itcould be because they simply accept the expense without question or becausethey have no direct contact with the expense – whatever the reason, it isharder to convince these people to reduce their consumption of what theseutilities provide.

Luckily for me, you are looking for ways to live moresustainably and that means I don’t have to worry about convincing you! Foranyone who has stumbled across this post and is interested in the ‘why’, Irecommend doing an internet search on ‘why should I care about energyefficiency’.

Now that I have your attention, here is the first tip: Do anEnergy Audit of your Residence.

Whether or not you own your residence is important in thatyou will need the assistance of whoever pays the utility bills. They haveinformation to which you do not otherwise have access. When you approach themfor this information, remember that this is a relationship you want to keeppositive. They may not be happy to think you are looking for problems for themto spend money solving.

It is a good idea to do some prep work and find lots ofreasons for doing this that will be beneficial to them. Make up your mindbeforehand that they may not be willing to put out any money to fix anyproblems. Think of ways you can work together on mutually beneficial terms. Forexample, offer to do specific work yourself and/or offer to share specificexpenses. The goal is for them to see more benefit from this project thanproblems.

When you have shown them that you are thinking ahead andhave options to provide, they are more likely to be amenable to the process…which is all you are trying to get them on board with at this point.

The basics of doing an energy audit are:

Find leaks
Evaluate equipment
Determine problems

Think like adetective!

A detective or private investigator (PI) must have nointerest in the outcome of the investigation. They must remain neutral bothduring the process and about the results. Otherwise the investigation is skewedand ineffective. When you are your own PI, you must double or triple orquadruple your efforts to remain objective. Now is not the time to worry oreven think about what it will cost to put right the things you might findwrong.

If you cannot be objective, this tip will not be aseffective for you… but try it anyway because what you learn will help youwhen/if you decide to have someone else be the PI.

It is OK to bring other people into the investigation. Noone is an expert at everything… asking for help is fine! For example, you maythink you need more insulation. Go ahead and have a few insulation companiescome out to give you free quotes. They will likely walk through the house withyou and point out problem areas in the process. They are providing facts ANDopinions. Don’t have them come at the same time. Be sure you write downeverything they point out and compare the lists to each other. This experiencewill also give you a chance to interview prospective renovation partners. Myexperience is that these companies will not want to give you a dollar amount immediately; but instead will go back to the shop and write up a quote tosend to you later.
Be considerate of their time, giving a free quote takes them away from workthat pays them.

Accumulate facts regardless of whether you think they areimportant or not. Opinions have their place and that is at the end of theinvestigation. Be sure you know the difference between a fact and an opinion…some people are very, VERY good at representing opinions as facts.

Know What Questionsto Ask

To really get a handle on how big the problems you find are,you need technical information about your residence. For example: the area(cubic feet) of the living space, the SEER of your HVAC system, etc. There areresources available free via the internet that tells you what those technicaldata is. For example, REScheck™ has software that you can use free on-line orvia a free download.

Since I’m not an expert in that technical stuff, I willleave it to them to guide you in that area.

I was, however, very fortunate to work for HathmoreTechnologies, LLC while they were developing their DYO®Basic Energy Audit Kit. I recommend it to help you step through youraudit and it includes tools. (FYI, I don’t get anything for recommending thisproduct or if you choose to purchase it.)

Tools You Will Use

1) Something to write with and on. You are going to bemaking a list as you walk and it doesn’t matter whether you use clipboard/paper/pencilor a digital tablet.

2) Diagram of your house. I like to make a diagram of myhouse before the walk through. I use it to indicate where an issue is (using areference number) and then I put what the issue is (using that number) on anothersheet of paper. You can use blue prints for this, but they tend to be big andhard to manipulate. Your blue prints will have measurements to use for thetechnical calculations. If you don’t have blue prints, some prep work to do istake room measurements… and don’t forget the ceiling heights in each room.

3) Measuring tape. This is a handy tool to have in the housefor many reasons. I like my 25 foot metal retractable best, but you can get bywith something shorter; although I think anything less than 10 feet would makemeasuring wall/ceiling heights difficult.

4) Ruler. In addition to measuring large areas, you willhave small things to measure… like a gap between an electrical wall box and thedrywall surrounding it. You can use the measuring tape to do that, but it’sawkward. A little 6-inch ruler will work for those small things.

5) Calculator. You probably won’t need this during the walkthrough, but you will need it for figuring the technical stuff.

6) A screwdriver. There are covers to take off and look behind(like the electrical wall boxes I mentioned above). I have a tool kit with ascrewdriver with interchangeable tips so I can have both a flat and Philipshead at my fingertips. (Another tool that is handy for many purposes in thehouse.)

7) An incense stick (lighted). They are not just for hippiesany more! This is an easy way to see how the air is moving… by watching the waythe smoke goes. You can get them pretty much anywhere these days in all kindsof scents. Look in the area of the store with the scented candles, airfresheners, etc. You can also use a fireworks ‘punk’; which is basically thesame thing without the scent. Be careful, it’s a tiny fire; but it’s still fireand you don’t want to make a big fire.

Walk Through

Perceiving problems is the hardest part of doing the walkthrough. When you live somewhere for a while, things tend to fade into thebackground; except, of course, for those problems that we focus and dwell on. Thetrick is to look at everything as if you have never been there before. It helpsto have someone with you who doesn’t know your house as intimately as you do topoint things out.

By the way, don’t think you have to check everything in onewalk through. For example, I would check for drafts with the lighted incensestick all by itself.

You will need to look at the outside of your residence aswell as the inside. If you are in a house, that is a no-brainer; but if you arein an apartment, you are pretty well restricted to what you can easily see fromthe ground or from a balcony (for example).

Figure on keeping your feet on the ground regardless. If yousee a potential problem higher than you can reach while standing on the ground,make a note of it and use the opportunity to have the experts come out and giveyou a quote. Let them get on the ladder and investigate the problem and reportback to you.

What Am I LookingFor?

Have you seen one of those drawings that can either be arabbit or a duck? You see one right away and can’t see the other until someoneelse points it out. This won’t be nearly as frustrating.

Holes and Gaps: I’m big on using visualization tools. Thefirst thing I do is try to think like a critter – say, a mouse – and I look atthe outside (and then the inside) for places in the walls, the foundation, etc.where I could scurry through. Then, I look for smaller and smaller entry points.It’s amazing how small a hole some critters can get through!

Are all penetrations sealed? If a hole has been cut into thewall for some reason, was the gap around the pipe (or whatever) sealed fully?

Here’s a test that’s not used much… if you darken a room(cover windows and doors, etc.) do you see any pinpricks of light?

Drafts: Light the incense stick and hold it still by windowtrim to see if wavers from a draft. Try this any where you think there might beair entering or escaping. (FYI: when a professional energy audit company does ablower door test, they are basically accentuating this effect.)

Prime suspects where drafts are concerned are electric wallboxes. It is too easy for busy workmen to forget to put the insulation inaround the box before sealing up the wall. Our house had an entire cavitywithout insulation after the previous home owner’s electrician had wired a newwall socket during a renovation and forgotten to put the insulation back in.The drywall guys aren’t supposed to check on that – it’s not their job.

Windows too are subject to draftiness. The window sellersare quick to tell you that you need different windows to fix the problem; butit is smart to find out if all you need do is to seal around the window. Ihappened to hear a conversation between a home owner and his contractor oneday. The home owner found out that the windows were fine but had not beensealed. The contractor told the home owner that he hadn’t said that he wantedthem sealed… the contractor would have sent out a different crew who knew howto do that if he had known. Now THAT was an eye-opener for me. Quick reminder:be sure to tell your contractor that you want your windows insulated andcaulked!

Don’t forget to check your ductwork! Supply AND return runsneed to fully sealed to be efficient.

Cobwebs are your friend! Spiders are on the look out forfood and tiny spiders eat tiny food. If you see cobwebs that means the locationis a good place to trap the food as it enters or leaves the area.

Water/Stains/Rust: If water got through, there’s a problem.Drywall, for example, that has been wet can breed mold even if it appears to bedry. A drip or a leak will only get worse.

Bugs and Bug Parts: Especially around windows this can tellyou that there is an entry point into the wall cavity. I had a bathroom windowunder which I would find, on a regular basis, bits of bugs. I never saw thespider, but there obviously had to be one in the wall and there was a holebehind the trim where the stuff that got pushed aside came out.

Bugs in the house or in a window can also be a goodindication that a window screen has a hole that needs repair.

Insulation: Like in the example of the electric wall boxpreviously… is there insulation where there is supposed to be insulation? Isthere enough insulation? Is the insulation dirty or moldy? Is it the appropriatetype of insulation for the location/job?

General Problems: Do all your electric wall sockets andswitches work? If not, there could be a short in the wiring and that is verydangerous.

Do your windows and doors open and close completely?

Is your hot water heater working the way you think itshould? (Don’t forget, water use is part of energy efficiency.)

This is a good time to jot down problems that may not berelated to energy efficiency but still need to be addressed.

Beyond the WalkThrough

Now you have a list. It might be long, it might be short.Time to prioritize what is on it.

Part of the technical aspect I talked about earlier consistsof figuring out what is(are) the most cost effective fix(es). To know that, youhave to start by knowing what it has been costing you the way things are andthat means compiling those utility bills for about a year (or more, if youcan).

The software will have you input all the technicalinformation it requires and then you can use your list to create scenarioswhere you fix something. It will calculate/predict what the effect will be onyour utility bills. That way you can make informed decisions.

Fixing the Stuff

Usually, there are lots of simple things to fix that you cando yourself. If you don’t mind getting dirty and you have old clothes that canget greasy, there’s no reason not to try a few things. Caulking, for example,is simple and if you do it wrong, you just do it over.

Mastic for ducting is messy but you don’t get extra pointsfor neatness.

You may have to remove trim around windows (for example) toget to the gaps, but you just need to be careful removing it so you can put itback. Unless, of course, you decide to take the opportunity to put on thatdifferent trim that you’ve wanted to do for so long.

Remember that windows require minimal or no expansion foam.Otherwise, you can void the warranty and make the windows stop opening andclosing smoothly (or at all).

Duck tape is NOT duct tape. There is metal ‘tape’ for ductsbut it is not the brightly colored and patterned stuff. Duck tape is NOTeffective on ductwork.

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I guess that just about does it for this first tip; exceptto remind you that you CAN hire someone to do a professional energy audit ofyour residence. Be sure they are certified to do an energy audit. There areseveral levels of certification out there. I know great people who do this andpeople who teach this. I also know of businesses that say they do it and saythey teach it. There is a difference and you need to do your homework; justlike you do for every contractor!

Many States have tax incentives to help reimburse you for aprofessional energy audit. Some utilities offer free professional energyaudits. Check with your utilities. Check with your State.

Do your own basic energy audit first even if you decide tohire someone. At least do the walk through and make your list. That way you cancompare what everyone else finds to what you found.

One last thought on this… (it applies to lots of things,come to think of it) once you have learned some of the language of energyefficiency, you will be better able to tell who knows what they are talkingabout and who is just feeding you a line to get your money.

Shop at the Thrift Store

2012-02-19T12:20:00.002-06:00

Recently I was telling my Mom about a great pair of slacks Ifound a thrift store that I had not been in before. Our conversation turned tohow great it is to get good deals and the sustainability of secondary markets.Then she told me something we both thought was rather sad…

Some people we know think it is wrong to shop at thriftstores because they can afford to buy retail.

Huh? What?... Why?

It seems there are people who think that thrift stores areonly for poor people; that for anyone else they are places to donate to…period.

On one hand, I can see some logic in this attitude. Probablyit has to do with making sure there are nice, inexpensive things for poorpeople to buy.

On the other hand, those thrift stores are also trying tomake money to support their particular organization. They want all thecustomers they can get!

There is nothing – I repeat, NOTHING – wrong with everyoneshopping at thrift stores. Goodness knows there is more than enough “stuff” outin the world to go around (and around and around). As long as I’m thinking aboutit, I highly recommend you visit www.storyofstuff.org/movies-all/story-of-stuff/and watch this entertaining and very informative presentation aboutconsumerism.

The sustainable thing is to use something as long aspossible; repairing it when it gets broken, patching it up to extend its life,etc. Purchasing used items is another way to extend the life of something thatwould otherwise get thrown away.

Hurray! for the heroes who choose to donate their unwanteditems to thrift stores!!

Hurray! for the heroes who buy the used items!!

Time for a little confession… I didn’t really enjoy shoppingat thrift stores when I was younger. It had to do with having to gothrough piles of stuff looking for something I liked.

What changed? Thrift stores became conscious of thisaversion (it must be a common one) and started putting clothes on racks; takingthem out of bins and hanging them by type, size, and even color.

Store space used to be more costly and the old stores werelittle and jam-packed. Newer thrift stores are movinginto strip malls that retail stores have abandoned in their move to the nextgreat, new shopping center. (I could go on a rant here about that, but I’llrestrain myself.) This gives the thrift store more space to put items ondisplay. Probably either on donated shelves or inexpensively acquired duringretail store closings or remodeling, etc.

I’m sure there are still small, cramped, bin-filled thriftstores around and people who enjoy that kind of experience. But I am thrilledto be able to shop in well-lighted, spacious versions that are easy to lookthrough without having to spend all day doing so.

I would not have known these new stores existed if I hadn’thad a crisis of conscience.

You see, I REALLY don’t like spending money on fossil fuelcreated products and I don’t like to wear plastic. Of course, I know I can’tget totally away from either of these, but I do the best I can.

Besides which I am a large woman. It is more expensive tobuy plus-size clothes regardless of what they are made of; and the naturalfiber plus-size clothes are not only especially expensive, they are also harderto find.

Once I made the commitment to only buy natural fiberclothing (preferably organic and fair-trade), my budget only allowed for a fewitems a year.

Now, I’m not a fashion plate so I do tend to get by with awardrobe that is smaller, made up of mix and match pieces rather than‘outfits’. Even so, it was getting tough to replace items that got worn out. Atabout that point, clothing became a bit of an obsession and a source ofdepression.

I already hated to shop for clothes because of the shape ofmy body. I always have to try things on because no two brands fit the same andsizing means little more than “in the general area”.

Years of buying something I liked but that did not fit quiteright – while saying to myself it would fit once I lost weight – taught me toSTOP doing that. (I, too, am a donating hero. LOL)

Anyway, I was going to a therapist and the problem ofclothing came up. My therapist suggested a solution: second-hand clothing.

1) itis ‘re-using’ (you know… reduce, re-use, recycle)

2) ifit doesn’t fit, I can use the money saved to have it altered so it does fit

3) thelower cost lets me buy more clothes

4) havingmore clothes keeps me from wearing them out so quickly

5) ifthey DO wear out it is not as big a deal since the cost was less

6) Imight find things I like (because I won’t be restricted to the fashion of themoment) and

7) Ican be creative about combining things to make/match my own style.

All those reasons prompted me to start thinking about thriftstores; and, at first, I was not excited about it. Then I discovered howdifferent they are from the ones I remembered. Even the well-lighted, airystores don’t all have a plus-size section; although more and more are addingthem… we are (unfortunately) a growing population (ha ha – pun intended).

In addition to thrift stores, I shop at consignment stores.The prices at consignment stores are higher than thrift stores and they arefor-profit businesses. That is OK with me. I like to support local businessesas much as I like to support non-profits.

So… do I buy anything retail? Yes, of course I do. There aresome things you just can’t buy at either thrift or consignment stores. But, Ilike to start with them and use the retail stores as the last resort. (This goes for items other than clothing, too.)

Of course, having said that, I have to say that there are acouple of retail stores in the Kansas City Metro area who sell natural fiber,organic, fair-trade clothing that I love to shop! Since they are so much moreexpensive I can usually only afford the sales and have to be careful of mybudget. Buying clothing is not a priority for me. There are too manyother things on which to spend my money.

In conclusion, I encourage EVERYONE to participate in thethrift store experience!! Donate AND shop! Help others and help yourself aswell.

My Philosophy in Life and as It Relates to Farming

2012-02-16T15:13:00.000-06:00

Well? Are you surprised? I am. Who would have thought I would ever be answering the question: What is your philosophy of living and especially how it relates to farming? Certainly, I would not have; but I did.
You don't have to agree or disagree with anything here... this is for me. I am sharing it because I thought it was a good exercise. I recommend you take some time and answer the question:

What is Your Philosophy of Living and
How Does it Relate to What You Want to Do in This Life?

_____________________________________

My Philosophy As ItRelates to Farming

I’mtaking time to put in writing what my philosophy of living is and how itrelates to farming as recommended by Joel Salatin in his book: You Can Farm, the Entrepreneur’s Guide toStart and Succeed in a Farming Enterprise.

If it’s not Fun, Why Do It?

Iknow that there are things I have to do that I don’t enjoy… or I have to find away to work it so that someone else does the things I don’t enjoy doing.

Iwas vaguely aware that I had an attitude of wanting to always enjoy myself inlife but it came alive, up close and personal suddenly. It was having a dogthat brought this point of view home for me. I was frightened by a dog as achild and so avoided them into adulthood. But the love of my life wanted a dog,had trained his bosses Rottweilers and they gave him a puppy from their firstlitter. I suddenly had a dog thrust into my life and it was a breed that peopleclaimed were vicious. I had to learn to be a dog owner and dog trainer veryquickly. I picked up a book at the library called Playtraining Your Dog (by Patricia Gail Burnham) because I wantedto be sure I finished what I started and how better to do that than to enjoythe whole process by playing.

Dogare simple creatures. When I put myself in the point of view of my dog, Irealized that humans are simple creatures that create complexity to feelimportant. What works for play training my dog works for training myself aswell.

Theidea is to break things down to fun jobs. Build up confidence by celebratingsuccess and don’t make a big deal about failure. Find what motivates you.Remove distractions while learning something new and then practice what you’velearned amid distractions to cement the knowledge and actions.

Ifyou cannot find the fun in a project or task, then it’s time to take a hardlook at why you think you need to be doing it in the first place. Are you doingit to please someone else? Will your world fall apart if you don’t do it? Canyou enlist the assistance of someone else to do it? Are you willing to not bein control of it?

Ienjoy playing in the dirt. I like the feel of it in my hands and the smell ofit. I enjoy planting seeds and watching them become plants. I love to eat foodthat I’ve grown myself.
What I don’t enjoy is the discomfort of kneeling and bending over; to which mysolution is raised beds. With raised beds, I can sit on a garden cart and tendto things without getting too much blood rushing to my head, my knees and backaching, and tiring myself out too quickly.

Ienjoy animals. I’ve always enjoyed the smell of a barnyard; rotting manure isnot unpleasant to me. And the warm scent of cows, sheep and horses is verypleasant. Pigs, on the other hand, I don’t like the smell of… but I’ve onlyexperienced them in large numbers in a feed lot situation. So I’m not sure howit would be with just a couple of pigs on pasture.
I fear birds and snakes. I’m willing to work on the fear of birds by gettingchicks to raise into laying hens. I am NOT willing to work on the fear ofsnakes.
I am a meat eater. But I’m not sure if I can actually kill the animals I raisefor food.

I’mexcited to grow my own food and willing to experience raising my own meatsources. I’ll probably have to find someone else to do the actual killing andeviscerating… but I think I’ll be able to handle the butchering. At least, I’mwilling to give it a try.

All Life is Sacred… It’s All aboutBalance.

Ibelieve that everything is part of the Golden Spiral. I believe that everythingis interconnected and that we affect each other no matter what we do.

Ido not adhere to any organized religion. I believe that humans create dogmabecause they come into this world as individuals frightened of being alone andneed a lifeline they can hold on to that connects them to others.
Since I believe in the interconnectedness of all things, I see and feel alifeline without the need for religious dogma.
I do not begrudge or deny anyone their need for organized religion. I simplyask that no one force their dogma upon me and that they afford me the samecourtesy I give to them.

Iwould like to see the words ‘tolerate’ and ‘tolerance’ replaced with the words ‘accept’,‘acceptance’ and ‘respect’. To tolerate infers that the person practicingtolerance is superior to the subject that is tolerated. Instead, since we areall interconnected, I believe we should accept and respect each other (even tothe smallest microorganism).

Ibelieve that there is an all-pervasive life force that we are each a piece of;therefore, I do not believe that ‘God’ is a separate entity. Instead, I believethat we are all god.

Ibelieve that everything eats something and that death is part of life.
Why is killing a human being worse than killing an animal? Why is killing ananimal worse than killing a plant? Why is one plant or insect or animalconsidered bad and another considered good? I have yet to hear an answer tothis question that satisfies me. Circumstances make different choicesnecessary.
When it is necessary to kill, I believe respect and gratitude should be accordedto the being whose life is being ended.

Balanceis not achieved in a mono-culture. Bio-diversity is necessary to life.

WhenI learned about no-till farming, it was like a light going on in my brain. Ididn’t understand it, but it resonated inside my being. I suppose it’s the samereason perennial plants make more sense to me than annuals; and permaculture aswell. Working with nature instead of battling against it to live makes so muchsense to me.

Environment is Key to Survival

Toput this VERY simplistically… This place where we live (that we call ‘earth’) isa really big rock with a really hot center surrounded by a thin layer of soil,water and air that hangs in a really cold vacuum (we call that ‘space’).

Theearth is going to go on whether there are humans, animals, plants, etc. on itor not.

Whetheranyone believes in evolution or intelligent design won’t change the situationthat life as we know it depends on the combination of air, water, soil andsolar energy that exists now; known as our environment.

Onething we have determined is that the earth has hot and cold cycles and itappears that we are close to the end of a hot cycle on the verge of a coldcycle.

Ibelieve that (unfortunately) most people alive today are expending too much energy trying to figure out who toblame or if there is even anyone to blame for the changes happening to ourenvironment. On that subject, I believe that our predecessors made choices andpassed down attitudes about choices that have greatly contributed to theinstabilities we are experiencing.

Insteadof figuring out who to blame, I believe that those of us alive on the earthtoday should scramble for answers to the question of how we can keep the hotcycle going long enough to figure out how to survive the next cold cycle. And,I believe we don’t have those answers; BUT, I do believe there is hope. And Ibelieve that all anyone can do is their best to make their spot on the earthand their existence in it better than they found it.

Formy part in making the environment better than I found it; I practice (andpropose others also practice) sustainable living. Sustainable living includesfarming that improves soil structure, permeability and nutritional content. Itincludes biodiversity and working with nature. It also includes eating locallyproduced foods and using locally produced products. On a larger scale, itincludes minimizing our carbon footprint through renewable energy productionvia a local distributed system rather than a regional or national grid system.Sustainable living includes building structures that are appropriate to thelocal climate and using local building materials.

Tobe clear, I understand that we earthlings have a global economy. Countries aredependent upon each other for products that come from somewhere else on theplanet. I am not suggesting that anyoneadopt an isolationist attitude. For goodness sake, I drive a Honda Insight thatwas made in Japanbecause we are able to get 70 mpg with it. What I believe is that we need tothink globally and act locally as much as possible; especially when it comes tofood.

In Government We Trust.

Ordo we? Government… it’s become a dirty word and I believe it is not a dirtyword. I live in the United States of America, which is a DemocraticRepublic. That means that we ARE the government. Government is not an externalentity to blame for our problems. It is a system of checks and balances put inplace in such a way as to make sure any one person or group does not takeadvantage of the rest of the people or groups. Unfortunately, it doesn’t alwaysseem to work that way. Right now, there is an imbalance of power among thethree branches of government that took decades to create. There is no quick fixto the imbalance and no one person or group is responsible for it. I believe that the root of the imbalance is amisplaced emphasis on power itself. Government is supposed to be a serviceindustry… that is why government employees are called ‘civil servants’.Somewhere along the way, being a politician stopped being about serving thepeople and became about having power. My opinion is that paid lobbyists have somethingto do with this problem; but I digress.

Ibelieve that programs were put in place to protect individuals from companiesand groups of people who put profit ahead of safety and make sure that our airand water are clean and safe to breathe and drink… such as the FDA (Food andDrug Administration) and EPA (Environmental ProtectionAgency). Other programs are there tohelp businesses (including farmers) and people. And, of course, we have amilitary to protect us from other people who disagree with the way we live tothe point of violence.

Everysingle aspect of government is supposed to be assisting the citizens of the

U.S.A.

in one way or another. Has there been corruption by greedy human beings? Howcan there not be considering the nature of humanity; but that does not make theentire system bad. There are laws in place to fix the problems in ourgovernment if only they would be enforced.

Havingstated my belief regarding the government, I do see things that need fixing andI don’t know how to fix them. But, that does not mean I will conduct mypersonal life or my business outside of the rules and regulations (laws) thathave been laid out by democratic agreement through our duly elected civilservants.

The Industry of Farming

Tocall farming an industry seems oxymoronic to me. I know the word ‘industrious’relates to hard work in the accomplishment of a task; but the word ‘industry’has come to mean manufacturing. Farming requires industrious people, but theyare not manufacturing food… they are nurturing plants and animals to feedthemselves and others.

Theconfusion, as I see it, is that a manufacturing industry was created to supportfarmers and somewhere along the line the farmers themselves were lumped intothat group. In this confusion, farms were able to be bigger and bigger and the‘close to nature’ aspect of the job became further and further removed.

Ibelieve that insecticides, pesticides, herbicides, etc. are useful in specificsituations and that they are currently overused and detrimental to the soilthat supports farming. Without healthy soil, there simply is no food.

Ibelieve we need to bring back the small farm attitude. Farmers should grow foodinstead of ‘crops’. It’s the word I object to: crops. The word itself might aswell refer to widgets in a factory: this year’s crop of widgets. And while I’mranting a bit, field corn and soybeans are not food; they are fuel. Massproduction of corn allowed feed lots of cattle to become normal… it is like‘turbo food’ to quickly get cattle to sellable weight regardless of the factthat cattle are designed to eat grass. Soybeans are primarily used for theproduction of plastic. Do you know anyone who sits down to a plate offield corn and soybeans? Mmm, doesn’t that sound yummy? And don’t get mestarted on growing corn and soybeans as a renewable fuel. Talk about anoxymoronic idea.

OK,off soap box, time to breathe.

Ibelieve that people should know where their food comes from… not just thelocation on the planet… the name of the farm. I believe that animals should be treated with respect and care. Thatthey should live their lives (albeit short lives) joyfully in the way eachspecies was designed to live.

Ibelieve that people who want to eat meat and/or wear fur have the right to doso; just like my belief in not having religious dogma forced upon others. Andthat the animals that are raised to support those desires must have the same joyfullives that I described previously.

Ibelieve that cities should have the same bountiful qualities of soil, water andair so that urban agriculture proliferates.
_____________________________________

Next time: Hmm, nothing comes to mind; so I guess I'll stop trying to pin myself down at the end of each post for the next one. But there WILL be a next one. Later gator.

Soil Health

2012-02-08T17:38:00.000-06:00

Sustainable Living is about balance. There are good aspectsto the advances humanity has made over the centuries and bad ones, too. I liketo think the good has been at least in balance with the bad… but (and therealways seems to be a “but” in my thinking, as I’ve noted in a previous post)when I look out my window at the acres of farm land across the road, I seeevidence that what humanity THOUGHT were beneficial advances in farmingpractices were, in fact, not.

I’ll be the first person to tell you that I am not an expertin agronomy or farming. And what I’d like you to take from that statement isthat even someone like me can see that turning soil into a manufacturingfactory is a bad idea. Farmers are trying to make a living and are doing thebest they know how. The problem is they were taught unprofitable anddetrimental (in the long run) practices; detrimental to themselves and the land they depend on.

Confession time: I know enough about soil health to have anopinion based in facts. In preparation for the move to our 20 acres, I’ve beentaking classes in farming through the Growing Growers (http://www.growinggrowers.com/) and University of Missouri Extension (http://extension.missouri.edu/index.aspx)in addition to attending various conferences, workshops, seminars, etc. for several years before we even moved.

Do you know the first thing I learned? You have tohave healthy soil to grow anything. That means MORE than the proper levels ofnitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous; it means tilth (structure) and a wholesub-aquatic world of organisms.

I hope you are interested in learning more about what goodsoil health is, but I’m not the person to explain it to you. There are lots oflong words that make my head spin after a while, so I’m going to send you tothe best teacher on the subject I have found to date: Ray Archuleta. Mr.Archuleta works for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and I wasthrilled to be able to attend one of his all-day seminars very recently. Hetakes all the scientific information and makes it understandable for normalbrains, too. You can find him by searching for “raythesoilguy” and I’m copyingthe link to his video presentation here: http://vimeo.com/channels/raythesoilguy.I believe that once you’ve seen his presentation, you too will agree that it’stime for a paradigm shift in the world of agriculture.

My point is that breaking up the soil year after year hascaused carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere, erosion of the landand dangerous chemicals to leach and run-off into our water supplies. Not tomention that it has left farmers fighting the wrong enemy. Strike that… itisn’t that farmers are fighting the wrong enemy; it’s that there isn’t an enemyto be fighting. There is an entire industry built up behind the idea that thereare mechanical solutions to an organic, biological system. They have gone downthe wrong path and, like Don Quixote, are fighting with windmills.

Sequestering carbon is a big topic in the environmentalworld these days. How do we pull the carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and putit away where it won’t do any harm is the question. There are many complicatedsuggestions floating around and a couple very simple ones.
Everyone knows that we need to plant trees because trees use carbon dioxide andemit oxygen in the photosynthesis process. Trees sequester carbon.

Soil sequesters carbon as well. As you will learn from Ray,that sub-aquatic world takes plants and animal waste and turns it into the gluethat holds soil together to make it porous. There is a symbiotic relationshipwith plants to keep the soil covered up (so the moisture is not lost to theatmosphere for one thing). When there is a balanced soil environment, there isno need for pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc.

Which brings up a stray thought… isn’t it funny how we usemassive death to extract life giving food? Those last four lettersare a dead give-away (pun intended): cide. When it is associated with humans wefind it deplorable: genocide, suicide.

The GOOD NEWS is that the Earth is designed to bounce backfrom catastrophe. And soil health can be improved if we work with the naturalprocesses to achieve it.

Farmers can improve soil health AND improve their yields. Insteadof just planting annuals (plants that grow in one season and die and have to bereplanted year after year) and leaving the ground bare until the next growingseason; incorporate cover crops that protect the soil and nourish it. Useno-till methods to plant the next crop into the cover crop which then becomes amulch to reduce or eliminate weeds and improve water filtration. Studies showthat cover crops increase the amount of water that is in the soil whereasconventional thinking was that there would be competition for the water.

This is all very well and good (I hear some of you saying),but what does it have to do with me?

Farmers aren’t the only ones who can improve soil health,increase carbon sequestering and benefit from it. Anyone who gardens can do thesame. It works on a small scale as well as it does on the large scale.

Plus, when we know where our food comes from, we can findout whether or not it is produced through improvement to the soil or not. Andif it is not, we can encourage the change.

Supply and demand… if we demand it, they will supply it.

As long as I’m on the subject of farming and have started a rant… do you know what the largest crop produced in the U.S.A. is? Grass in lawns, parks, etc. It feeds no one and we spend money and resources on keeping it cut, weed free, bug free, watered. If only each person with a yard would take out some of that grass and put in a garden and grow some vegetables, fruit, etc.

And do you know what the primary crops are for farmers these days? Corn and soybeans. Less and less are even growing wheat. Do you know what the number one food allergies are? Corn and Soy. This tells me that we need more diversity in our diets. It also tells me that we are killing ourselves slowly and with massive medical bills because farming has gone down the wrong path.

By the way, for all you meat-eaters (I happen to be one,myself)… soil health is directly related to animals through the plants theyeat. And the soil benefits from the waste the animals generate. You can feel OKabout eating meat that is pasture grazed. Humans cannot digest grasses, butcows, goats, sheep, rabbits, (etc.) CAN. When we let these animals live the waythey are intended to live and give them the respect they are due for allowingus to live by eating them, we put back some of THAT balance that has been lost.

One last and probably controversial point… I was on thephone the other day with a farming organization representative. I was trying tofind out what cover crops I should consider for my farm. During ourconversation, she said “the farmers of the U.S.A. need to feed the world” inregard to why everyone is pushing to increase yields and grow more and morecorn and soybeans.

What I think is that a BIG problem was created when peoplefrom the U.S.A.convinced people around the rest of the world that they could not feedthemselves. That the way we eat in the U.S.A. is the way everyone shouldeat. I’m sure it seemed like a good idea at the time and people who mightotherwise have died did not. Populations grew beyond what each land couldnormally support and those people became dependent upon food grown halfwayaround the world.

Over population is the biggest environmental problem we facebecause the Earth is a finite bio-system.

Now I am all for helping people in need… for the short termuntil they get back on their own feet.
I think we need another paradigm shift and stop insisting we have the answersto how and what other people should eat.

Next time: Not sure yet… I think I’ll let it be a surprise!

Investing

2012-02-01T12:42:00.000-06:00

What does investing have to do with sustainable living? It’sabout what you invest in.

To put it bluntly, sustainable living is the practice ofinvesting yourself and your resources in ideals and practices that make apositive impact on the beings around you and the planet we all share.

You can invest in yourself by practicing what you believe(and possibly preach).

I bring this up first because making the investment in mewas my toughest challenge. As such, I have invested a great deal of energyworking on my desire for approval… which is to say, not be overcome andsilenced by that desire. I used to need everyone to like me and accept me. Toachieve that acceptance I would become what I thought whoever I was with wantedme to be. I did not see this as being a phony, but that is certainly what otherpeople came to believe I was: a phony. I recognized it in other people, but notin myself. It was through counseling that I realized how I was projectinghypocrisy; and how I learned that the only solution is to stand up and presentwho I am to everyone regardless of whether that is accepted or not.

Being myself is still a challenge for me. I still getstomach aches when I am around people who I think will not be open to myopinions/beliefs. But the only way to get over the fear is to haveopportunities to practice. I have to go outside my comfort zone and project whoI am where ever I go.

Now, instead of being a phony, I can come across a bit pushyor obnoxious. OK, I’m a work in progress. It’s none of my business what otherpeople want to think of me… that is their business. The only opinion of me with which I need concern myself is my own. I’m worth the investment and so are you!

You have probably heard the saying: find a way to work atsomething you love, and you’ll never work another day in your life. That isbecause it won’t see like work because you enjoy it so much. Why would you everretire from something you love to do?

Invest in figuring out your life’s love and finding a way tomake a living at it (with harm to none and benefit to all, of course). You willprobably have to work your way up to it and that is OK, too. I am constantlyamazed at how experiences I’ve had in one job after another benefit what I amcurrently doing. And that gives me strength to continue knowing that what I’mdoing now will benefit something I do in the future. I’m still figuring out mylife’s love… I thought I knew what it was, but either it wasn’t, or it was andI’ve had a change of heart. And that is fine too.

You can invest in local agriculture by buying directly fromlocal growers (CSA=Community Supported Agriculture, Farmer’s Markets, etc.).

Whether you live in a huge city or a small town, I’m willingto bet there is a coop or CSA or neighborhood farmer’s market where you can buyfresh food and get to know the people who produce it.

Are you unsure about trusting that you will be able to judgegood produce from bad? local farmers from travelling food brokers? If so, youare not alone. It just takes practice.

If you don’t fail at something, you arenot trying enough new things. (I got that from Gabe Brown… a farmer in North Dakota when he wastalking about moving to alternative farming methods… I really like thatsaying.)

Talk to people who are involved in local food communities.The internet has been great for getting exposure for local groups. Word ofmouth has always been the best long term method of advertising.

If you can’t bring yourself to take this big step… shop atgrocery stores that purchase produce and items from local farmers. They do theleg-work for you and it is a nice intermediate step.

You can invest in energy-saving appliances, Fair-Tradeitems, green building practices, ecologically beneficial garden/lawn methods,etc.

As I’ve been saying in other posts… upgrade when you can.Choose to put in a small (or bigger) garden. Purchase things with an addedrequirement that they benefit humanity instead of degrade someone somewhere.Act locally while keeping in mind what impact will occur on our global familyand home.

You can invest in renewable energy both directly (keep yourmoney close to home) and indirectly (put your money out into the world).

An example of direct investment is to use the sun and windto dry your clothes. An extreme monetary direct investment is to buy, install,and use solar panels to reduce your need for fossil-fuel and nuclear generatedelectricity. You can make little monetary direct investments as well…insulation for your electric outlets, low-flow showerheads and faucets, etc.

I think that every time you conserve energy, you arepromoting renewable energy. I know most people will say: “Huh? They aren’t thesame thing.” But if I can’t afford to put up a solar panel or a wind turbine atthe moment, I can practice conservation for the time when I CAN install thoseitems. So, for me it is a step in that direction.

Indirectly, you can choose to buy shares in businesses thatproduce renewable energy products. Choose a mutual fund that focuses onenvironmental attitudes, social equality, etc. (They are out there… you mayhave to do some research, but they are out there. And, the return on investmentis probably close to any other fund… after all, a business is a business andthey all want to stay IN business and make profits.)

You can also purchase Renewable Energy Credits (REC) or‘Green Tags’. This is a way for a renewable energy producer to be paid for thevalue of NOT polluting to make electricity. An REC is a certificate thatrepresents the quality of non-pollution equal to the electricity produced. Perhapsyour utility has an arrangement with a renewable energy producer and so canoffer ‘Green Electricity’; which is the electricity plus its REC. A word ofcaution here… I have personally had experience as a victim of fraud involving RECs; andI learned SO much from that experience. Here is the warning: Whether you purchasejust the certificate (the REC) or Green Electricity, be sure they are certifiedby an independent third-party (such as Green-E, www.green-e.org). And also, you cannot buyand then sell or donate an REC, there is not a secondary market.

Invest in each other.

I am a citizen of the United States of America which is aDemocratic Republic. Because I have a voice and a vote to select (with myneighbors) someone to represent me, I am the Government. It is not a separateentity put there to keep me (or anyone else) down. When an elected official – acivil servant – becomes corrupt and/or no longer has the best interests of meand my neighbors in mind and in action; I (and my neighbors) have a right andduty to remove them from their appointment through the election process orlegal proceedings.

Unfortunately, the planet does not have a voice of its own;but it does have humans who band together to speak for it. Let your voice beheard in support of the planet through organizations such as the NaturalResource Defense Council.

Recently, we’ve seen the effectiveness of citizensdemonstrating to bring attention to problems that have been brewing unheeded formany years. Invest in the courage to stand up and be heard when problems arenot being resolved and when unwise actions are being considered/proposed.

Fairytales were created to teach us essential skills andmake the lessons easy to remember. One twig is easy to break, two twigstogether not so easy, three twigs together are stronger…

Next time: Soil Health

Upgrade Instead of Replace

2012-01-28T09:31:00.001-06:00

I’m not made of money. I don’t have a tree that grows money.These days, I hardly even have any income from my business. Luckily, my husbandhas a good job with a salary that pays the bills so long as we live within hismeans.

This means that when an appliance dies or a home repair hasto be done, I have a tiny panic attack worrying where the money will come from.But, it has happened often enough that I’ve learned to mentally step back…physically take a deep breath… and change the way I’m looking at the situation.Such as:

A problem is simply an opportunity.
Change is not bad… it isjust different.
How can I turn this to my advantage?

Once I have embraced this better attitude toward thesituation, I am able to think outside the box from a place of clarity.

And the first thing that usually pops into my head is: I canupgrade to a more energy efficient (and/or environmentally friendly) version!Followed by a great big smile (and very probably a smirk) as I startbrainstorming solutions and researching them.

Of course, I love to research!! I’ll guess that not everyonedoes, but I do. I like to learn about innovative technologies, ancientremedies, and forgotten lore. It probably won’t surprise you that when I needto look up a word in my dictionary (which is to say the book on my shelfinstead of a website on the internet) I usually end up reading the words aroundit and looking up other words that come to mind. I am that kind of geek.

I also L*O*V*E to tell people about the things thatfascinate me! And since I’ve devoted a blog to talking about sustainableliving… this probably comes as no surprise. What I find difficult is sellingsomething that benefits me personally. On the other hand, it’s very easy for meto expound the virtues of something to the benefit of someone else.

So, putting it all out there on the website and in this blogand rambling to everyone I know clinches the deal and suddenly what started outas a problem is now a full-blown opportunity!

I think the first upgrade I made was curtains for our little900 square foot house in 1990 when I was newly married. I had never, everbought curtains before. My mom was (and still is) a seamstress and she alwaysmade things like curtains. Therefore, it seemed only natural to get an extraflat sheet (or two) of our bed linens to make curtains to match. No big deal.

But what about the living room windows? As I researchedcurtains, I found out how very expensive they can be… how what is in fashiondictates what is available (regardless of whether or not I like it personally)…and (TA-DA) that there are thermal versions to reduce heat loss in the winterand heat gain in the summer.

That is when I found a ‘window treatment system’ that I’mnot even sure is still available. It was made up of cotton sheeting with somepoly-fiber over a reflective material, then some more poly-fiber over which yousewed on a layer of fabric which would be the side you see of your windowcovering. It was designed to be a roman shade rather than a curtain. And there weremagnetic strips that adhered to the window trim while the matching magneticstrip was attached to the window side of the roman shade.

When it was done, it helped to keep out the cold drafts fromthe single pane windows in that house in the winter and reduced the heat in thesummer.

And, it cost about the same as buying curtains. BUT, wesaved money on heating and cooling for the 17 years we lived there.

Point of order here: Yes, we had the same window coveringsfor 17 years. I used fabric that had lots of colors on it and a pattern thatwas very random. So it went well with everything we put in that room because Ichose something that I liked and knew I would be looking at it for a long time.I did not try to follow the fashion of the moment. (Hint hint, livingsustainably means thinking beyond fashion.)

Granted that I did not know we would be in that house for 17years. It was supposed to be the 5-year starter house… but life happens andthings change.

Which brings me to our next upgrade: we purchased 10 acresof rural land. You see, the reason we bought the tiny 900 square foot house wasso we would have tiny house payments and save money to buy land. Unfortunately,we did not save as much as we hoped in the first five years and decided to go ahead and buy unimprovedland and build up equity while still living in the tiny house with the tinyhouse payments until we could afford to build our dream home. And that is whythe 5-year starter house turned into a 17-year starter house. Living asustainable lifestyle means thinking and planning ahead; and then acting onthose thoughts and plans. (And that can also mean making sacrifices now so youwon’t have to later… hopefully.)

Did I tell you that we have a Honda Insight? It’s thetwo-seater that came out in 2000. We bought ours in 2001 after my SubaruOutback wagon was totaled by being rear-ended by a fellow who fell asleep going60 miles an hour. Luckily neither that driver nor I was badly injured; inhindsight, a happy accident. We had to finance the Insight with a 5-year loan,but we were able to pay it off early because we saved so much money on gas (wepaid the extra money we saved each month in addition to our monthly payment toHonda). My husband uses it primarily because he has to commute to work and heaverages about 70 miles per gallon. It has over 250,000 miles on it now. It’s agreat little car!

Our first appliance upgrade was the washing machine. Whichis not to say it was the first appliance to die… you have to do what you canwhen you can do it (as I’ve mentioned before). I wanted to upgrade to a directcurrent machine (runs on DC instead of AC current), but they were too expensivefor us. I found a combination washer/dryer (it both washed and dried in thesame opening) that qualified for Energy Star (which was very new at the time).So we sold the dryer (to help pay for the new combo unit) and freed up somespace in our laundry room (which was also my office). It cost about the same asbuying a new washer and dryer so we did spend a bit more than we really had to…but the benefit of having more space in the room was worth every penny! And we saved money on water and electricity because it was a super efficient machine. We also bought a clothes line 'umbrella' and I hung 90% of the laundry out to dry.

We have since moved to a larger house on 10 acres which isdirectly east of the 10 acres we had previously purchased. It is the PlayHaven Green Building Projectand this blog is a supplement to the www.playhavengreen.comwebsite. You can read all about the rest of the upgrades we’ve been doingthere.

I believe there will only be a couple more postsbefore I go on to writing about specific low and no-cost projects and tips.

Next time: Investing

Lending a Hand

2012-01-23T15:22:00.000-06:00

We are all in this together. I truly believe that statement.It is so easy to get bogged down in our own dramas… our own individual lives. Iam as guilty of this as anyone. BUT! There are ways to integrate ourindividuality with other individuals and make something greater than the sum ofall the parts.

It’s just like a story I remember from some fairytale … onetwig is easily broken, two twigs held together are harder to break, three twigsheld together resist breaking even more, and so on.

When we stand together, work together, dream together, praytogether… anything is possible.

The thing is: some one person has to share theirvision/dream/hope or even fear so that other people can stand with them.

(Yeah, yeah, yeah; blah, blah blah… getting allintellectual, spiritual in here… where are the hip-waders?)

My point is that being willing to ask and asking for help/assistanceis a sustainable living attitude… just as much as offering and givinghelp/assistance.

Volunteering takes you outside of yourself and shows youthings from a different perspective.

Giving of your time and/or talents is not only good for thepeople/organization that needs them; it is also beneficial to you.

If you don’t have the ability to devote a few hours of yourtime to help whatever cause you care about the most and do have the extra moneyto donate, by all means share the wealth! I’m sure it will be welcome.

I’m just saying that it is too easy to simply throw money ata problem. And while it’s true that money makes the world go round… do we wantto be on that particular merry-go-round?

As many have said before: the road to hell is paved withgood intentions.

My goodness… my thoughts on this subject are reallyfragmented today. I had better wrap it up …

We are all interconnected. Help out when you can… you’llfeel better and do some good work at the same time. Be sure you know who youare helping and why, so you don’t end up making a negative impact on the world.

Next time: Up-grade Instead of Replace

Reading Labels

2012-01-12T17:40:00.000-06:00

“How the heck is reading labels part of living a sustainablelifestyle?” a person may ask. And the answer is another question: How do weknow what is in something if we don’t take a moment to read the label?

Because part of living sustainably means not makingassumptions, not taking anything for granted.

Have you heard of The Land Institute in Kansas? (www.landinstitute.org) Talk about nottaking anything for granted! I’ve been lucky enough to have heard Wes Jacksonspeak and when it comes to taking everything into account; he set the bar veryhigh indeed!

From a sustainable building point of view, embodied energyis as important as renewable resources. For example, a poured concretefoundation is made up of rock (billions of years of earth-energy, hydro-energy,solar-energy), cement (manufacturing plant that combines minerals [that are also rock] using lots of fuel), water(hydro-energy) and the labor to put it into place (transportation, equipment,manual labor). The price of that foundation does not reflect the total amountof energy required to bring it into existence – the ‘natural capital’ – onlythe costs of manufacturing and installation. Sometimes it takes this kind ofextreme example to get the idea across. Everything is made up of naturalcapital and most of it is not accounted for in our consumer oriented society.

Is it overwhelming to think about caring what goes into aproduct to the extent of the concrete foundation example? Sure, of course itis! When I first became aware of the complexity of it all I certainly felt overwhelmed... it was too difficult to takeeverything into account on every decision of each and every aspect of my life!For me, being overwhelmed is equal to being paralyzed… afraid to make a move incase it is the wrong choice.

I don’t suppose I’ve mentioned that 30 years ago I decided Iwould sell Mary Kay cosmetics to make a little extra income. (WOW, that is outof left field, where could she POSSIBLY be going with this? Stick with me for a moment, all will be madeclear.) Unfortunately, it was a massive monetary failure for me and I lostquite a bit of money in the process. BUT, I attended all the weekly meetings,heard and absorbed the motivational propaganda… and came away with nuggets ofwisdom. Here is the one that stuck with me (I’m sure you’ve heard it somewhere):

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

No, I’m not advocating hunting and eating elephants… this isan adage used to remind us that even the biggest problem can be solved if youconsider it in small units. Reading labels = one bite.

When reading a label you are looking for clues about whetherthe supplier’s attitude toward sustainability is in line with your own.

For example, maybe you live in the USA and you don’t care how far the item has beentransported; so then you are OK that it was made in and shipped from

China

and are willing to buy the item.

Let’s suppose you DO care about the transport distance, butyou can’t afford the same item made in the USAor perhaps there isn’t one made in the USA and you must have the item.Should you beat yourself up about buying the item? No… you can only do what youcan do. So you do what you can, until you can do a little more. Guilt and regretare the result of knowingly NOT doing what you can do. If you have done yourbest… there’s no reason for guilt or regret.

Things to consider when reading labels include:

Do you know what those scientific words mean?
Do you have sensitivities to preservatives, dyes, perfumes,or natural ingredients?
Does it tell what the serving size is (i.e. food products) andhow many there are in the package? (so you can determine how much money you arespending per serving)
Is there information about recycled content, especiallypost-consumer content?
Is the product represented honestly? Has something been leftout? (half-truths are still lies)
Does it say where it is made? By whom? (e.g. union laborers)
Is there information about ‘Fair Trade’?
Is the company owned by a larger corporation?

There are many things to consider and some things are prettyobvious while others required a fair amount of research. In my experience, onceI started paying attention to the obvious I became increasingly interested indoing research. At that time, the hard part was finding companies and products thatcorresponded to my attitudes of sustainability. They were not readily available andusually cost more and I had to go to the ‘weird’ stores (translation: notmainstream) to find them. Now, ‘green’ is trendy… which is even worse than not beingreadily available because there are people and companies who want to cash in onthe trend without living the attitude. These ‘green-washers’ take products thatdo not meet the qualities of their truly sustainable competition and pass themoff as if they do at the premium prices of their competitors. That is anattitude of greed and greed is not a sustainable lifestyle ingredient.

Which brings me to prices… can you tell a sustainableproduct by the higher price alone? No… a big, fat, resounding NO!

Do sustainable products usually cost more than theirnon-sustainable competition? Generally speaking, yes, they do. But not always,the key word here is ‘usually’. I’m not an economist, so please forgivethe VERY simplified reason that follows: Market and Demand. The more people whodemand sustainable products, the more the market will produce them. The cost toproduce 1000 of something is often less costly than producing 10 of something.(Not always, but often.) So as the market makes more of the good stuff, theprice should (SHOULD) reflect those savings. The flip side of that is: theMarket will charge what the People with pay. So if people can be convinced topay higher prices for ‘green’ products (whether they truly are sustainable orjust the result of ‘green-washing’), higher prices will be charged.

Can you tell this is a pet peeve of mine; which is to say‘green-washing’ and ‘price gouging’? What happened to truth in advertising? Ithas gone the way of the dinosaurs. So, who do you trust to tell you the truth…the business selling the product? the company making the product? theadvertiser? Well, I think you can prettymuch rule out the advertiser. That leaves researching the seller and the maker.For that you need third-party independent sources… people/organizations thathave no stake in the success or failure of the company/business/person you areresearching. An example is United Laboratories (UL)… they test and certifyproducts for safety. Theirs is the sticker you see on an electric cordedappliance (for example). There are third-party sources for just about everyindustry (including the hoaxes that run rampant around the internet/email andalso for non-profit organizations). Find those sources and let them help youwith your research.

I think I’ve pretty much covered it now… it’s important toread labels and know where your items are coming from, what they are made of,and who is standing behind them.

Next time: Lending a Hand

Composting

2012-01-05T15:04:00.000-06:00

To compost or not to compost?... that IS the question.Whether ‘tis nobler to cut the grass tall and let the clippings fall or gatherthem in to put in the bin… sorry, that’s the extent of my Shakespeare parody.

Something you might be interested to know about me is that Ihave a hard time choosing a side. Seems like there is always a very convincingargument for the other side… regardless of which side one happens to be on atany given moment. This is not to be confused with the difference between whatis right and what is wrong; that is the domain of morality and religion towhich I gladly leave it.

When it comes to composting, the clear winner is YES (andno)! That’s about as clear as mud, eh? Let’s just agree that it depends on youand your lifestyle. It’s not easy to live in an apartment and compost yourkitchen waste… oops, my bad, it IS easy using a bokashi (Japanese fermentedcompost) system. Or you live in the suburbs and have picky neighbors… there Igo again, you can use fully contained bins or go the earthworm route. Hmmm, seewhat I mean about my little ‘taking sides’ problem?

Truly, there are many, many ways to add composting to yoursustainable lifestyle. The benefits so greatly outnumber the detriments; Idon’t understand why everyone doesn’t do something. No – I spoke too soonagain… I do understand; it’s all about being inconvenienced. It’s inconvenientto put aside our kitchen waste and not send it down the garbage disposal in thesink. It’s inconvenient to dedicate an area in our kitchen (or balcony orbackyard) to a composting system. It’s inconvenient to devote some of our timeto working the compost system. Goodness gracious… humankind must at all costsNOT be inconvenienced. Oh dear, I seem to have started a rant… must * get * off* soap * box.

Phew, that’s better, now where was I? Oh yes… benefits ofcomposting. First and foremost, composting means less organic matter inlandfills (where it turns into landfill gas, which is about half methane and abunch of other gases including, primarily, carbon dioxide). It also improvessoil structure as humus. (Not the garbanzo bean spread – that is hummus.) Thereare many more reasons… here is a link to a site I think describes them betterthan I can: http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/fundamentals/benefits_benefits.htm

At this point (which is to say you are still reading) you musthave decided that you have the desire, space and resources to add a compostingsystem to your lifestyle. I’ve listed a few systems already that you canresearch and decide which one (or combination) will work best for you.

When I was deciding whether or not to start composting, whatworried me most was how it would smell and would it attract flies, rodents,etc. The next thing I’m going to tell you may be a bit hard to believe soprepare yourself. I had to do research by (wait for it…) going to a library. Iknow, I know, it’s really hard to believe, but in the late 1980s and early1990s, you couldn’t find everything there is to know on the internet. At thelibrary, I found a great book that I highly recommend: “Let It Rot!: TheGardener’s Guide to Composting” by Stu Campbell. It was written in the 1970sand is still in print… a sure sign of a winner! There are also an overwhelmingnumber of websites devoted to composting that you can check out for yourself.

Basically, what I found out is that if I work my compostsystem correctly it will smell ‘earthy’, there will be lots of beneficialorganisms in it, and it will be too warm for most critters to want to spend anytime there.

That left me figuring out how to put aside my kitchen wasteuntil it could be added to the compost pile. Again, this was quite a while agoand it was not easy to find a big enough, air-tight container for the purpose. Ishould also admit that I am not much of a cook… so we don’t accumulate kitchenwaste very quickly and what we do accumulate is primarily coffee grounds, teabags, egg shells and produce that I buy intending to eat and don’t (which makesfor expensive compost material).

Enter the bokashi system: some people from the University of Missouriat Columbiawere promoting it at a tree planting event and the container meets my needsperfectly! It is quite large (fits on my countertop just fine), is airtight,and has a strainer and a spigot so you can remove the liquid that accumulates.That liquid is a big bonus… it is wonderful for pouring into drains so theenzymes can eat away at accumulated grease and other organic materials thatbuild up there.

Be forewarned though: it is the bokashi bran that turnsotherwise rotten food (and the smell that comes with it) into fermented compostand liquid. So if you want to use the liquid, be sure to add the bokashi branas instructed; because otherwise it will smell really, really bad.

Training myself and my husband to use the bokashi systemtook a bit of getting used to… mainly the trouble we still have is getting thelid on so it is completely sealed.

This is when the hubbie became interested in composting:figuring out where to put the fermented material after it’s been removed fromthe container. He read the book (“Let It Rot”) and decided that he wanted to dothe “hot” style of composting. That meant building a 2-bin compost area andhaving enough material at the correct ratio for it to heat up and then turningit from the first bin to the second bin and do that back and forth until itbecomes humus to put in the garden.

So we went from just composting kitchen scraps to baggingthe grass clippings and asking our friends for their fallen leaves. For severalyears, my hubbie was the king of compost! He loved the technical aspects ofgetting the right mix… checking for the correct temps at the center of the pile…turning the materials from one bin to the other… etc. etc. etc. And I ended upwith wonderful humus for my garden.

Time goes by and life changes; the hubby no longer has timeto devote to a “hot” compost system. So now our compost area is devoted toturning the dog poop into soil (and receiving the contents of the bokashicontainer); and that means the resulting humus DOES NOT go into the edible foodgardens… don’t ask me why, ask your local Master Gardener.

This reduced composting also means we are back to “cut ittall and let it fall” lawn mowing; which I personally prefer. Of course, oncewe start having livestock out here on our little farm, I’ll have to re-evaluateour composting options once again.

I guess that long post boils down to this… there is no bestway to compost. How much you compost, which method you use, everything dependson your lifestyle.

You can start right now even if you only have a houseplantand coffee (or tea) grounds… spread the used grounds on the soil of yourhouseplant and share the nutrients!

Next time: Reading Labels

Recycling, a Beginner’s Guide

2011-12-30T09:09:00.000-06:00

My first conscious effort to live a sustainable lifestylewas to recycle things and keep them from going into a landfill. Which brings tomind a couple of distinctions that might be helpful… to recycle something meansthat the material the thing is made from is broken down so that it can beremade into something else. Many people use the word ‘recycling’ when somethingis simply used again in its current form or altered for another purpose. A moreappropriate word for re-using something is ‘repurpose’. I bring this up becausecommunication causes so many problems between people and there are so many veryspecific words to use and avoid miscommunication… why not use them?

The other distinction that comes to mind is the differencebetween recycling and hoarding. Until just recently, I didn’t think anyonecould confuse the one for the other. I was wrong. To explain what I mean, Ihave to tell a story…

I was talking with a fellow who was doing some work on myhouse. He was surprised to hear me say that I have a recycling area in mygarage because he didn’t see piles of stuff waiting to be recycled. He thentold me about another person he had done some work for whose home was filledwith piles and piles of things… that home owner described what he was doing asrecycling. No, I said, that person was not recycling, that person was hoarding.I think most everyone has seen the television shows about people who hoard.But, to be completely clear, the basic difference between hoarding andrecycling is that stuff to be recycled is removed from the home and taken to afacility for recycling.

OK, so that being said, I can see where there can be a bitof confusion and overlap between recycling and hoarding if there is nocurb-side pick up of recyclables. Without a scheduled pick up service, a personhas to transport their recyclables to a local center themselves. I, for one,don’t want to make that trip every week with a small bundle of things. I wouldrather accumulate a full load and make the trip then; which means storing thoseitems until I get a full load. Hence the confusion: am I hoarding beforerecycling? Technically, yes, for short periods of time. But does that make me a‘hoarder’? No. If I intended to take in my recyclables and just never gotaround to it and they accumulated to the point of filling my home with pilesand piles… then I would have crossed the line from recycling to hoarding. Ihope that clears up the differences between recycling, repurposing andhoarding.

When I decided to recycle, there was no curb-side pick upservice in my community; there wasn’t even a local recycling center. I had todrive 20 miles to the closest recycling center. It was located in another cityand I was concerned they would not want me using their facility since I wasn’tpaying taxes there. So I called (because that is the kind of person I am) andasked if it would be OK for me to bring my recyclables to their facility. Yes,it was OK.

I’ve been recycling for 20+ years and have moved from thatsmall city to a farm five (5) miles from ANY city. I am still responsible forgetting my recyclables to a facility. Luckily for me, there are more recyclingcenters around and I only have to drive 10 miles to get to the nearest of them.

Whether you have curb-side pick up or you have to do thetransport yourself, recycling is a very easy thing to do. I started with four(4) baskets in the house; one each for glass, plastic, tin and aluminum. I soonfound out I could sell the aluminum and help to pay for my fuel consumption. SoI designated an old trash can for aluminum and decided to make my trip to the centercorrespond with my trip to the aluminum buyer. But that meant storing ALL myrecyclables until that trip. Luckily, we were buying 40 lb bags of dog food atthe time. Now, I don’t know if you’ve seen those bags, but if not… let me tellyou they work GREAT for storing and hauling recyclables because they havemultiple layers to seal in moisture. I set aside a space in the garage and whenmy little baskets in the house got filled up, I transferred the contents to adog food bag. This also meant I was saving dog food bags. In addition, I foundI could recycle corrugated cardboard and paperboard; so I was stacking that inthe garage as well.

Can you see where I’m going with this? It was amiscommunication between me and my husband. I could see the difference betweenthe recycling and the trash waiting to go out to the curb… he could not. Icouldn’t understand why he wasn’t putting all the trash out and he thoughtanything that wasn’t in trash cans was waiting to be recycled. We did notcommunicate … we made assumptions. It took a long time for us to figure out whywe argued so much about recycling. Please learn from my mistakes.

Now I keep a large woven basket (with handles) on top of therefrigerator and put all kinds of recyclables into it. Once it is full,I carry it out to the garage where my recycling center is. This is what my currentrecycling center looks like.

I have three (3) recycling bins that are perfect becausethey stack and are still accessible and hold a large amount. Two have a label,so it’s easy to know which one holds glass, tin/aluminum, or paperboard (the one without a label). I alsohave two (2) large trash cans for plastics. I flatten all paperboard andcorrugated cardboard and put the small pieces into a bin and the large piecesare wedged between the bins/cans and the stairwell. I also have a smallwastebasket by the bins for trash (tape, bottle caps, etc.). You might also seesome Styrofoam and there are plastic trash bags under the stairs with small piecesof Styrofoam in them. In my vicinity, there is only one center that takesclean Styrofoam, so that is a special trip all of its own.

You may have noticed that I don’t have a bin for officepaper or newspaper. We don’t accumulate very much of either product. What we doaccumulate is used for starting fires in the burn barrel or the wood-stoveinsert. (I recently bought a device to make ‘paper logs’… I’ll let you know howit works when I figure it out. LOL) I also don’t have a separate container foraluminum any more. We stopped buying soda/pop in cans and we like our beer frombottles… hardly anything else comes in it, so we just put it in with the tinand don’t sell it back any longer.

Anyway, now you know my experience with recycling. Exceptfor the trial and tribulations over the years with what the centers wouldaccept and what they wouldn’t. Times have changed and almost everything that isplastic, glass or paper can be recycled. What your center accepts is up to themand you should find out what they take. If they don’t take something, they mayknow a place that does. If you aren’t sure what I’m talking about here… thereare numbers inside the recycling triangle on plastics that designate what kindof plastic it is. Numbers 1 and 2 are food grade that everyone accepts. Thehigher numbers contain different chemicals that may or may not be toxic. Iwon’t get into the particulars of that here… the information is readilyavailable through internet searches. Also, some things simply are not accepted…e.g. motor oil containers (even if they show a recycling number on theplastic).

General rules of thumb are also common sense and courtesy.Rinse out your cans, bottles, etc. Nobody wants smelly, moldy, rodent bate! Iput my peanut butter jars through the dishwasher before leaving them in therecycling bin. Also, leave just your recyclables at the centers… don’t make thevolunteers who work there wade though the containers to remove your plastictrash bags and other trash.

Above all… take your recyclables in for recycling! Don’thoard them…. Yuck!

Oh, and one more thought about recycling: the only wayrecycling is really successful is if people buy the things made from therecyclables. The recycling triangle is one continuous line (made of arrowedsegments) for that very reason. So check the things you buy and think aboutchoosing the brand that advertises their container is made from recycled stock…especially, you want to look for a percentage (at least 35%) with the words“post-consumer”.

I’d love to hear about your personal recycling centers!

Next time: Composting

Making a Sustainable Lifestyle a Habit

2011-12-19T14:48:00.003-06:00

Adopting a new lifestyle can be overwhelming. My best adviceis to take things one step at a time and make that step a habit (the kind youdo without thinking about it) before you move on to another step.

There are different ways to go about choosing what yourfirst (or next) step will be.

You can pick something that you feel you will enjoy so it iseasy to continue doing it. After all, to quote a Zen koan: Beginning is Easy,Continuing is Hard.

On the other hand, sometimes it’s a good idea to start withsomething you aren’t sure you’ll like. This can be doubly satisfying since youwill feel especially proud of your accomplishment and you may actually find youlike it after all.

Personally, I’m a big fan of the movie “Mary Poppins” andespecially of the lesson to find the ‘element of fun’ in the job as anincentive. For example, I know I should meditate every day; but it’s too easyto let it get pushed aside. Recently I found a lovely singing bowl (when youstrike it with a soft mallet, it produces a glorious array of tones) that I nowuse as part of my meditation. Concentrating on the sound and the vibrationshelps me to meditate and I enjoy it so much I look forward to my dailymeditation and find it easier to include it in my busy day.

I’m going to assume that you read the last post and madeyour list of what you already do. If you haven’t done that, I recommend ithighly because finding out you are farther along than you thought is verymotivating (in my humble opinion).

I’ve compiled a detailed list of sustainable lifestyleactivities/choices grouped into categories. It’s quite a long list… you shouldfind something to start with.

And remember, do one thing until it becomes second natureand then add something else. (Some things can be done in groups, so I wouldprobably consider a group as ‘one thing’.)

Since I’m human (and therefore, fallible), I’m sure to havemissed some sustainable lifestyle activities/choices and welcome your comments/additions.

Oh yes, don’t forget that saving money is a VERY sustainablelifestyle choice… the trick is to save money without compromising other aspectsof a sustainable lifestyle.

Shopping

Use and re-use cloth bags for groceries. FYI: it’s OK totake them into other types of stores, too. Some stores may ask to inspect thembefore you go in.
Purchase items in returnable containers and return them whenempty. FYI: There may be a deposit required which you get back when the item isreturned.
Shop close to home and/or consolidate errands into a singletrip when driving.
Purchase clothing and other hard goods from thrift,second-hand and consignment stores whenever possible.
Use second-market services and sales (such as craigslist,freecycle.org, auctions, flea markets, etc.).
Purchase and use writing utensils that can be refilledinstead of being used up and thrown away.
Purchase and use a razor that accepts new blades insteadthrowing away the entire razor when the blade gets dull. (Dispose of the usedblades as hazardous waste.)
Purchase and use kitchen towels and cloth napkins that youcan launder and reuse instead of the paper versions, whenever possible.
Purchase (or make) and use handkerchiefs instead of facialtissues.
Don’t buy bottled water, but carry a non-toxic water bottlethat can be refilled instead (some are available with built-in filters).
Purchase products made locally (i.e. a 500 mile radius formanufactured goods).

Eating/Drinking

Drink tap water if possible. Use a filter if necessary.
Purchase food from farmers nearby through CommunitySupported Agriculture (CSA) programs, farmers markets, etc. whenever possible.
Purchase food that is “in season” in your region; saveexotic foods for special occasions (e.g. not in season, grown in anothercountry, etc.).
Support agricultural practices that leave the land, air, andwater in better condition than it was.
If you eat meat, choose grass-fed animal products ratherthan grain-fed. FYI: Grass is a perennial crop that benefits the land asopposed to annual grain crops which break down the structure of the soil (amongother issues).

Exercise

Use the stairs whenever possible.
Exercise by doing chores, walking, stairs, gardening,running, bicycling, playing games, etc. that don’t require a special trip tohealth club.

Transportation

Use public transportation whenever possible.
Carpool with other people going to the same place at thesame time.
Drive the most fuel-efficient vehicle that meets your needs.
Ride a bicycle instead of driving.
Use a super-efficient vehicle for commuting.
Consider whether travel is necessary (e.g. can thegoal/result be accomplished without travel?).
Use computer aided conference technology (video chat, etc.).
If possible, work from a home office.

Repurpose/Recycle

Donate your unwanted, but still usable clothing to charity.
Pass outgrown children’s clothing on to family and friendswho can use them.
Donate household goods, appliances, decorations, etc. tocharity.
Donate your old car, boat, etc. to charity. FYI: if you usea 3^rd party organization, be sure they send most of the money to thecharity you designate.
Recycle glass, plastic, paper, cardboard, tin, aluminum, andwhatever else your local recycler will take.
Save a small amount of newspapers(for packing or burning) and recycle the rest.
Save a few different sized boxes (store flattened) andrecycle the rest.
Save a small amount of packing peanuts and bubble wrap touse as cushioning and recycle the rest.
Save old towels for cleaning up big messes, sopping upleaks, drying the dog/cat, etc.
Find creative ways to re-use things that would otherwise goin the trash even though they still have some use left in them.
Use secondary markets to sell or give away unwanted items(such as craigslist, freecycle.org, auctions, pawn shops, etc.).

Cleaning

Choose cleaning products with ingredients you recognize andminimal chemicals to reduce your exposure to dangerous substances.
Remove dust at least weekly so that it does not becometoxic.
Use a vacuum with a hepa filter to reduce allergen and otherparticles in the air.
To make them last longer, steam clean rugs, carpets anddrapes (etc.).
Re-use old towels (that can get discolored) for cleaning.
Do not use vinegar products on wood (it will dry it out andvinegar is an acidic product).
To ‘soak’ the microwave interior: heat water in an openglass container to generate steam; then let it set for a few moments beforewiping out the interior.
Hire a cleaning service that does ‘green’ cleaning.

Lower Heating and Cooling Costs

Have an energy audit done of your residence (find out if youqualify for a tax credit, local utility company rebate, etc. to offset yourcost).
Do as many of the recommendations from your energy audit asyou can afford and schedule the rest for later.
Caulk around windows, pipes and other places where air isinfiltrating the building.
Seal holes in ductwork with mastic.
Replace fiberglass insulation with closed cell foam in thebasement and crawlspaces.
Be sure ductwork is located inside your building envelope(the insulated area). If it is not inside the building envelope, insulate yourductwork.
Find out if you have enough return air supply for your HVACand residence size.
Set your thermostat temperature higher in the summer (75 to80 degrees Fahrenheit) and wear light weight clothing.
Set your thermostat temperature lower in the winter (65 to70 degrees Fahrenheit) and wear heavier and/or more layers of clothing.

Reducing Electricity Usage

Turn off lights when you leave a room.
Use a motion sensor on exterior flood lights.
Use a timer for holiday lights and other decorations thatuse electricity.
Use a timer and insulate electric hot water heaters and setthe temperature at 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
Plug TVs, entertainment centers, dvd/blu-ray/vhs (etc.)players, stereos, computers, gaming systems, etc. into power strips so as toturn them off completely when not in use.
Monitor and limit use of TVs, entertainment centers,dvd/blu-ray/vhs (etc.) players, stereos, computers, gaming systems, etc.
Decide whether it is necessary to have TVs, entertainmentcenters, dvd/blu-ray/vhs (etc.) players, stereos, computers, gaming systems,etc. in multiple places in the residence.
Choose energy-efficient versions of TVs, entertainmentcenters, dvd/blu-ray/vhs (etc.) players, stereos, computers, gaming systems,etc.
Store (unplugged) kitchen appliances when not in use.
Use kitchen appliances conservatively (i.e. use a hand whiskinstead of a food processor for a small job).
Let your dishes air dry (or wipe them with a lint-free cloththat hangs to dry).
Avoid using a hair blow dryer, if possible.
Cover electric sockets with child proof plugs when not inuse.
Use LED lights inside and under cabinetry where lighting isneeded.
Use CFL (or LED) in recessed lighting.
Use CFL (or LED) light bulbs.
Use re-chargeable batteries where ever possible.

Conserving Water

Install water conserving faucets and attachments.
Turn off the water faucet while washing dishes by hand.
Soak dishes with dried on food particles in soapy wateruntil the particles come off easily.
Use the least amount of dish detergent possible to make suds(reduces rinse water).
Use a small trickle to rinse dishes washed by hand.
Rinse dishes before loading the dishwasher.
Wash full loads in your dishwasher.
Limit showers to 5 minutes. Use a bucket to catch the coldwater that comes out first and use it to water plants, etc.
Don’t let the water run while brushing your teeth.
Install low volume flush toilets or attachments to make yourcurrent toilet a low volume flush.
Shower every other day (unless you need to shower everyday).

Laundry

Use and re-use cloth diapers.
Choose low or no phosphate laundry detergents.
When you need to replace your washing machine, choose ahigh-efficiency model (front loaders are higher efficiency than top loaders).
Spin out as much moisture as possible from your laundry toreduce drying time.
Wash full loads of laundry (unless your washer adjusts itselfto load size to improve efficiency).
Hang your laundry to dry on a clothesline (use the wind andsun). Turn it inside out to reduce fading from sun exposure.
Clothing which is properly cared for lasts longer (e.g.folded and put into a drawer, hung in the closet, long-term storage in airtightcontainers, etc.).
Use dry cleaners that use ‘green’ techniques and productsthat are healthier for their employees and the environment.

Yard Work

If you must have a lawn, keep it as small an area as isneeded.
Use a push mower to cut the lawn (if possible); otherwiseuse the most fuel efficient lawn mower available.
Grow your own food in ‘edible’ gardens… fruit bearing bushesand trees, vegetables, root crops, etc.
Compost your kitchen scraps.
Plant low or no-maintenance, native, non-invasive decorativeplants in your yard.
Use non-toxic mulches.
Let leaves decompose in place to put nutrients back in theground. Compost leaves that land on concrete and drift into piles.
Prune bushes and trees by hand.

Communication

When possible, interact with people face to face. (Bodylanguage aids in reducing miscommunication.)
When communicating in writing, use full sentences andcorrect spelling to reduce miscommunication. Read through it before sending tobe sure it comes across the way you meant it.
When communicating verbally, practice focused listening andwait until the other person finishes speaking before replying.

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Next time: Recycling, a Beginner's Guide.

Getting Started Living a Sustainability Lifestyle

2011-12-08T13:13:00.001-06:00

Everyone has their own timetable ... I think I was around 10 years old when I had a feeling of seeing nature and thinking how very glorious themiracle of it was (that would be the early 1970s and I think it's weird to have happened so young, too). Before that I had seen it with my eyes, but not really withfull awareness of my mind. I think the difference is hard to comprehend if ithas not already been experienced.

Years later I read a comment about how most people gothrough their lives as if asleep and it’s those people who wake up that areable to achieve what appear to be miracles. Basically, it’s because they payattention and live in the now. If you've seen the movie "Joe vs. the Volcano", you might remember the same thing suggested in it as well.

That is how I can best describe my relationship with theenvironment of the Earth. I feel that I see clearly when it comes toenvironmentalism. I have a hard time understanding why other people cannot orwill not.

For a long time I thought in terms of “saving the Earth”…each of us needing to do our part to “save the planet”… then someone else(can’t quite recall who it was) commented during a discussion about the effectsof human abuse that the planet will still be here even if it won’t support lifeas we know it. WOW, talk about an "Ah-HA" moment! Maybe if we changed the focus from the planet to "life as we know it", more people would wake up sooner.

Everyone is on their own journey through life and thatjourney may take many different twists and turns… have unexpected delays… takedangerous shortcuts… no one on this planet can know what is best for any otherperson. Having had an “awakened” experience, I find I am able torecognize the experiences more and more when they occur to me. Some are small,otherwise unimportant, moments and some are epiphanies. But either way, theycause me to sit up and take notice and they become seared into my consciousness.

For example: I don’t remember what I was reading, where I was reading it,etc. but I had one of those moments while reading about the Earthship thatDennis Weaver built from dirt, recycled tires, rebar, recycled bottles, etc. I suddenly knew that when I could have a home of my own, itwould be a place where the earth is respected, and the building of it would bebeneficial (and not detrimental) to both the earth and society. I also had avision of a small house on a big lot where I could surround myself with gardensand trees.

My own journey has been filled with twists and turns. I wouldtry to follow a path of my choice only to find my way blocked until I finallygot tired of ramming myself into the wall and would allow myself to be guided.It is very frustrating at times to feel so out of control and it doesn’t seemto get any easier or take any less time for me to give up and be guided. Thatbeing said, I seem to be on the correct path when it comes to sustainablebuilding partly because I am more willing to be lead (than in other areas of my life, that is).

There are as many ways to start living a sustainable lifestyle asthere are people. I was doing it before I even knew what that meant because myparents grew up during the Great Depression and the shortages of World War II.They continued to live a life of frugality and common sense choices and passedthose attitudes on to their kids.

OK, so having heard my back story about how/why I got started living a sustainable life; you are obviously more interested in YOUR story (as well you should be). I'll bet that since you are interested, you have already started living sustainably (even if you are unaware of it).

Not long ago, I received one of those mass emails with acommentary about how the people of my parents’ generation have been “green”without the label. Unfortunately, it was very negative; so I altered the original so that it has a positive attitude. How many of the things in the commentary do you do that hasn't always been "the green thing"...?

*****************************

Somethingto think about. . .

In the line at the store, the cashier suggested to anolder woman that she bring her own bags because plastic bags aren't good forthe environment.

The woman thanked her and explained, "We didn't havethe green thing back in my day."

The clerk responded, "That's understandable, no onerealized the effect that humanity has on the environment and people STILLdon't agree about it."

Both ofthem are right... a couple of generations ago, they didn't have the greenthing in their day. They did not live in a "consumer" orientedsociety.

Back then, they returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beerbottles to the store. The store sent the bottles back to the plant tobe washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottlesover and over. So they really were recycled because it was more economical forthe manufacturer to pay a small amount to encourage people to return thebottles than processing additional raw materials.