Be a Hummingbird

This is a clip of Dr.Wangarai Maathai from the movie Dirt (which is good by the way!) It's simple and to the point.If you would like to read more about Dr. Maathai you can visit this site: http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/

Cloth Produce Bags

I bought these bags a couple months ago because I do not have a sewing machine. They work great! So adorable. They appear to wash well too, without any issues. I've also heard people walk by my cart and say "those are so cute". I figure if people think cloth produce bags are cute, they are more likely to use them. The more they use them, the less plastic we consume!

TrashN2Tees

The Joy of Less

This is our glorious pile of "stuff" to donate. You can't tell by the picture but it takes up almost half of a bedroom. Some of it's been moved out and given to friends. A big load was taken to a local charity and a few more items have made their way into my trunk. I am also working on starting another pile.

Why? Do we need so much stuff? Can we live without it? Will our lives be better without it? I've been pruning down our possessions since I moved into this house six years ago. You'd think I would be done by now but there are still many things we simply do not need. Every time I take a load to donate I feel cleaner, lighter and happy that I'm able to help out in a small way.

Have you heard the saying, the less you own, the less owns you? I think that's true. We have too many objects in our lives and it's distracting us from the things that we really value. We're paring down now to hopefully sell our house and move into a smaller apartment. We're not going to let everything go overnight. This has taken years and we're not done yet. There are things I am not willing to give up and many things my husband is not willing to give up. I'm embarrassed to say it but we might be one of those people who...well....uh....um.....rents a storage container. Yep. We've got a basement full of nice tools, camping gear and even a 14 foot kayak. We can't put those in an apartment. We're still not sure what we're going to do but right now we're not going to worry about it.

So, you don't have to suddenly get up one day and throw out everything you own. Start small. Pick a few items everyday or start by sorting out one small section of your house each day. That isn't the way I do it but you aren't me. You do whatever works for you. Just start somewhere and see where it takes you.

Homeopathy Pet Peeve

If you've ever searched for natural remedies to common health issues you've likely come across the word "homeopathic" or "homeopathy". I do quite often and I've got a little pet peeve when it comes to this topic. Using plant based remedies, herbs, oil and the like, is not necessarily homeopathy. Homeopathy is the idea that "like cures like". It involves giving a person highly diluted (as in, almost none) substance with the goal of triggering their bodies healing. It's proponents will throw out terms like "energy based" and "quantum theory" to make it sound like legitimate science.  However, as far as I have been able to tell there is zero scientific evidence that it works.

Using chamomile tea for sleep, marijuana for pain, coconut oil for constipation or even a barrel full of garlic for a cold is not homeopathy. When I come across a website for natural health that refers to these things "homepathy" I immediately disregard all of their information. A lot of them are using the term incorrectly which irks me. "Home remedy" and "homeopathy" may both have the word "home" but they aren't the same thing. I am not sure why they are used interchangeably?  I encourage people to seek out simple way to better health but be careful of where you get that information. Just because it wasn't created in a Pfizer lab doesn't mean it's useful.

Biodegradable Bags

 I admit, I've bought them. They seem like a good idea in theory. Less plastic going into the landfill. Here is the problem ~ they do not break down in the landfill. In order to break down they need air and landfills are not big on room to breath like a compost pile.

Also, I do not have research to show this is true but I have read that when they do breakdown they release a large amount of methane. If your city collects methane to generate power I suppose that's fine but if they do not, it could be an issue.

Of course, they are also made of starch (like corn) which has to be grown and harvested using fuel. They have to be shipped, again, using fuel. So in reality they aren't that fantastic. Now, if you are going to use them to line your compost bin and actually throw them in with the compost that's a different story, though we have to still keep in mind the resources that go into producing and shipping. Personally, I say go for it. Just use them multiple times before throwing them into the pile. Look on the bright side, you'll be saving water by not having to scrub down the compost bucket every couple days.

Super Easy Toothpaste

In a previous entry I mentioned making my own toothpaste. A google search or a trip around pinterest and you'll have a million and one recipes for making your own toothpaste. Some good, some bad and some down right disgusting. I've made it simple.

Baking Soda + Coconut Oil = Plastic Free Toothpaste

That's it! Now, you could add a little essential oil and stevia. You can also try adding some bentonite clay which I think I might do next. Mine came in a plastic bottle so I don't want to use much. I would give it up but seriously, that stuff is awesome for bug bites.

You Can Shine this Chanukah

The Maccabeats song for this Chanukah highlights bone marrow and blood donation. This is a cause that it especially important to me. I volunteer in a hospital that runs the only adult bone marrow donation in our area.

It's also personal. My uncle was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2006. He was given little to no chance of survival beyond a few months. With treatment he made it another 5 years! I miss him. I wish he were still here. But I know my family and especially my aunt are thankful for the time he was given due to treatment and the donation he received.

These people depend on others for their lives. I encourage anyone who his eligible to go to Be the Match and considering being tested as a donor. If like myself you are not eligible due to your own health issues, consider making a monetary donation...or host a donor drive in your area! You never know, it could be YOU who helps save a life.

A Little Light on Chanukah

I may have posted this in the past. It still sums up my feelings about Chanukah. 

Matisyahu Hanukkah 2012

This one doesn't have a cute video to go along with it but it's good. I like it.There is a video of his appearance on Jay Leno the other night which can also be found on YouTube.

Nut Free ~ Gluten Free ~ Dairy Free

Somehow I lived 30 years without knowing that those little peanut butter cookies with the hershey kiss on top can be made with only 3 ingredients. They are also gluten free (me too!). Know having this knolwdge that is sure to cause me to gain 5lbs I decided on a whim to try making them with sunbutter (it's made from sunflower seeds).

It works! Now, I still think the Jiff peanut butter version is better but I don't buy Jiff and haven't got any use for it. Plus these are nut free, gluten free, dairy free and vegetarian. They would be a good treat to take to social events where you aren't sure who has what allergy. They are "parve" (has to do with kashrut laws and means they contain neither milk nor dairy) so they would be appropriate for milk or dairy meals. They would also work during Pesach, as I believe sunflower seeds are permissible for everyone during Passover.

Unfortunately, this isn't a plastic free recipe since sunbutter comes in a plastic container. I wonder how these would taste made with almond butter? May not be sweet enough. 

One of them was ready for Chanukah. It didn't make it...

Homemade Lotion Bars

Thanks to my friend Tara, I found these lotion bars on the Mama Wellness site and thought I'd give them a try. She had good luck with them and another friend did too. I bought my supplies at Whole Foods rather than buying them online. This was not a plastic free project. The Cocoa butter came in a #2 plastic container. The store intended for customers to also put beeswax in the plastic but I found a paper bag and used it.

The recipe calls for 3 parts of coconut oil, your butter of choice and beeswax. I found it difficult to determine equal parts since the coconut oil was between solid and liquid and the beeswax was hard as a rock. I thought I would melt it first and measure it. Except, the jar decided to fall over in the water which resulted in me rushing to the sink to pour it out which resulted in it clogging the drain. About 30 minutes of poking, hot water and boiling water it was unclogged.

Since the wax wouldn't melt I decided to just put in an eyeball measurement of the two other ingredients and see if they would melt around it, helping it out. It worked. So I couldn't tell you what recipe I actually ended up using. I think it was less beeswax then called for but honestly, if it had more I suspect I wouldn't like it.

I didn't add any essential oils so mine smells faintly of honey which is just fine with me.

StandFour Hanukkah Mashup

The video is super cheesy but I do like the song. These guys are four of the original Maccabeats who have now graduated from Yeshiva University and started their another group.

The Not So Disposable Toothbrush

It has occurred to me that toothbrushes are prime example of our throw away culture. Super cheap, available everywhere, made of plastic and sometimes even conveniently marked to let you know when they need to be replaced. The problem here is that it's a marketing tool. There is absolutely no reason to throw away your toothbrush every month, three months, six months...whenever it is you think it should be done. Unless the bristles are falling out all over the place, it's fine.

I would also like to say that electric toothbrush are completely unnecessary. Regular brushing and flossing will protect your teeth. You do not need a hunk of plastic and disposable batteries to keep cavities at bay. Again, it's just marketing. They want you to think you can't possibly take care of your teeth "the old fashion way". They want your money. Your teeth are pretty much irrelevant so long as they don't start falling out of your head.

I have multiple toothbrushes for home and one for travel. I don't like germs. I get sick very easily and I stay sick for a long long long time. That doesn't mean I have to throw my toothbrush out every week.
 
I made my own toothpaste and put it in a small container that necessitates putting my brush inside to get the toothpaste (no squeezing option) so I think it's best to keep it clean. I clean mine with a little Dr. Bronner's Magic Castile soap. It's super easy, only takes about 30 seconds and only requires a little bit of soap. You could do this once a day, once a week or just once a month. Also, to really get rid of yucky bacteria just soak your toothbrush in a mix of vinegar and water. This also could be done once a week, once a month, whenever you think about it. Both items tend to come in plastic containers but you can buy Dr. Bronner's in bar form and vinegar in a glass bottle.

Between cleansing with a very mild soap (please don't use antibacterial soap and then stick the toothbrush in your mouth) and a vinegar soak you should be able to keep that toothbrush for a long time before sending off to it's forever home in a landfill.

Sixty Five Years Ago...

In 1947, Great Britain relinquished control to the UN to make decisions relating to the status of the Land of Israel. The General Assembly appointed a committee that collected evidence and decided unanimously that Israel should be granted independence. Most of the committee members favored partitioning the land into two states, a Jewish state and an Arab state, with Jerusalem under international supervision.

On this day in 1947 the UN General Assembly voted on the partition plan, and UNGA Resolution 181 was adopted by a vote of 33 to 13.

Those in favor were: Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Byelorussian S.S.R., Canada, Costa Rica, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Haiti, Iceland, Liberia, Luxemburg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Sweden, Ukrainian S.S.R., Union of South Africa, U.S.A., U.S.S.R., Uruguay, Venezuela.

Those opposed: Afghanistan, Cuba, Egypt, Greece, India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, Yemen. 

And ten abstained: Argentina, Chile, China, Colombia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Honduras, Mexico, United Kingdom, Yugoslavia. 

The Arab rejection came with much fighting and many lives lost. I'm not going to go into that right now. Suffice it to say things did not go well and 65 years later we're still dealing with the fallout of this disagreement. The UN will on this very day in NY are making decisions regarding the Palestinians and their status. I do not know what will happen in the upcoming day, weeks or months. For now, perhaps we should just celebrate that vote in 1947and look forward to the future of the Jewish State, the Jewish People and the Palestinian People.

If you would like to read more you can go here - Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Here is a 10 minute video including actual footage of that day - The Jewish Agency for Israel History

And here is more information - The Jewish Virtual Library

Mayim Bialik to Divorce

 Bummer. Mayim and her husband Michael Stone have decided to divorce. Because divorce is a sort of fresh start and new beginning, some say "mozel tov". Being the child of parents who divorced when I was an adult I have a difficult time with it. Divorce can be harsh and brutal. It can be very sad. It doesn't just affect two people, it affects entire families.

I realize my parents were different. It was an ugly, ugly divorce and left a lot of scars. Mayim and her husband made the decision together and will likely be just fine. Unfortunately, she's going to have to go through it in the eye of the public which I imagine is tremendously difficult. I've already seen rude posts on her facebook page questioning her as a wife, a parent and a human being. On second thought, maybe "mozel tov" is exactly the right thing to say.

My Thanksgiving Turkey

This is my Thanksgiving Turkey. Her name is Elizabeth. I am adopting her for the upcoming year. If you would like to adopt a turkey you can go to Farm Sanctuary and sponsor a turkey for $30. If you are a vegetarian with land, you can bring a turkey to your home to live out the rest of their life safe and happy.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Plastic Free Challenge November

There is an actual challenge you can find here. I may end up doing that but for now I am soon to be headed out of town and don't want to collect all of my recyclable plastic while I am away. So, for November I will start in three areas:

 1. Carry reusable bags

I have a bunch of bags I purchased second hand from various thrift stores but I tend to forget to use them. I need to be more consistent. I'm going to go off a bit of a tangent here. I don't understand why people buy new bags, made from new materials when there are perfectly  good tote bags at second hand shops? Remember the first two R's - Reduse and Reuse.

The area where I really need to improve is produce bags. You can often find good drawstrings bags at thrift shops and most grocery stores don't give you the option of paper. I've been checking out etsy and it looks like I can get some cute produce bags made from old t-shirts and shipped from the state next to mine. It would be even better if I made my own but I don't have a sewing machine or many sewing skills

2. Give up Bottled Water

I don't often use bottled water but it does happen on occasion, especially when traveling. I would like to say paper cups are the solution but they are likely lined with plastic. I need to make more use of my stainless steel bottle and remember to take it with me when traveling this weekend.

I should probably go ahead and invest in another bottle too. I've heard Klean Kanteen now makes one without a plastic lid. I did start a very bad habit of taking bottled water with me while kayaking. Terrible, terrible idea! I haven't lost a bottle yet while in the water but it's always possible. So, remembering to take my stainless steel bottle is a must.

3. Less Frozen Convenience Food

Notice I said less. I don't expect to give it up all together but I have plenty of room to reduce the amount of frozen foods I eat. I do stick to organic foods that contain mostly paper packaging but even the paper trays are likely lined with plastic and all of them are wrapped in plastic. It would be great if companies like Amy's Organic would discontinue this practice but so far they haven't. Therefore, I need to change my behavior.

Living a Plastic Free Life?

For a long time now I've tried to buy items in packaging that can be recycled. With only two people in the house we don't generate a tremendous amount of trash but we still generate a considerable amount of "recyclable trash".

It makes us feel better to throw our garbage in the recycle bin but the truth of the matter is that plastics don't necessarily get more than one more life and much of it may not be recycled at all. Hundreds if not thousands of tons of our plastic is ending up in our water sources, poisoning humans and literally choking the life of marine animals.

I'm starting a new project in our house - an attempt to use less plastic. I don't expect it to be easy. I'm sure this will be a lifelong task and I'll never attain perfection. I expect to have to give up things that I enjoy and to really go out of my way to avoid plastic, sometimes to the point that other people think of me as silly. That's fine. I bet she won't think it's silly.

The Day After the Election

My candidate lost last night. Actually, it appears every candidate I voted for lost (Libertarians and Greens aren't usually popular). There were things I would have liked to see on my ballot that were not there.  I will survive (unless I get hit by a truck  or something). For people who get so very upset over their candidate losing or the idea of their candidate losing I have to wonder...are you expecting the President to save us? He's one man.  He is a man with a lot of power but he's just one man.  And perhaps in the future, just one woman. 

If we want change we have to keep working on it. We can't expect a President  to do it for us just because we showed up and checked a little box. If you think we're spending too much money on welfare then help someone find their way to independence. If you think abortion is murder then volunteer at a women's pregnancy center and be a friend to a young, scared girl who has zero support. If you think gay marriage is wrong then don't have one. If you are concerned about your religious freedom in this society then focus more on your personal faith and less on everyone else's.  If you worry the current President doesn't support Israel then find out how you can support Israel in meaningful and appropriate ways.  If you think it's wrong or unhealthy to consume marijuana, then don't do it. If you think the education system is a joke the volunteer at your kid's school or tutor children at the library. If you are concerned about unemployment and you have a job, give a little more to those who do not.  

The world didn't end on November 6th, 2012. We have still have the freedom to make choices. We choose what to do with our time, our energy and to a point, our money. We choose what causes are important to us and which ones aren't worth the effort. We choose to write our Congressman when we think he's doing something wrong...or to get on facebook and just complain about it. We choose help out someone in need...or just rant about the President being a godless socialist. 

You can feel angry and defeated  or you can help change the world yourself and stop blaming others for what you perceive to be it's failures. It's your choice. 

We're all a Little Crazy on Election Day

Today we vote. Actually, I voted last week but today the country votes. Living in a swing state in the days of Facebook and other social media I have to say I've had it up to my eyeballs with this election. The phone calls. The bulk mail (I wonder if the Green party refrains from sending out so much junk?). The incessant mud slignging not only by the politicians themselves but also by their supporters. I will glad when it's over.

That being said, I don't understand those who either just don't bother to vote or who complain about it. I may be driven to the brink of insanity by all this hoopla but do not mistake that for being ungrateful. I am so happy to live in a country where I, a citizen have a voice. Where I as a woman, am not the property of a man who makes all my decisions for me. Where I, as a Jew, am a part of my country just like anyone else (that has not always been the case for Jews throughout history). I will drag myself on my elbows to get to my polling place if that is what I have to do. I will show up. I will let my voice be heard. 

This afternoon I'm hearing about long lines at the polls. I'm sure it's frustrating. I personally have never had to wait very long to vote but I know others are waiting a couple hours. Some have children with them. Some are probably ill or disabled. So, I understand it's a hassle and for many it's uncomfortable. But I don't want to hear you complain about it. It's a right, be glad you have it.

There are senior citizens sitting in their apartments right now without electricity, heat, food or clean water. It's been over a week since Hurricane Sandy tried to devour the eastern coast of the United States. Have you been sitting alone, scared, without basic necessities and the ability to care for yourself for two weeks? No? I'd bet they would love to be in your position right about now. Standing in line, getting ready to cast their vote for the next President of the United States.

Somewhere far far away, there is a father in Iraq. He was sent their do his duty to protect our citizens. He hasn't seen him family in months. He doesn't know what might happen from day to day. Most of the citizen of his country have problem forgotten he's even there. He may not agree with the US presence in Iraq but he's there, doing his job, for this country. All you're being asked to do (and you have a choice) it wait in line for a couple hours and mark a box with an ink pen. Think you can handle it?