#198 - Consuming - Goods or Bads?

Joining Another Crunchy Challenge

FACT: I have been trying to Compact since last fall.
FACT: I suck at it.
FACT: Nothing motivates me quite like a Blog Challenge

So thanks to Crunchy Chicken's Buy Nothing Challenge, I'm back on the bandwagon. For a full month. In April. When the tax refund will come in. What the hell am I thinking?

For those of you who aren't familiar with the concept of Compacting, here's the lowdown:

It started in San Fransisco when a small group of friends made an informal vow not to buy anything new in 2006, as a way to break from the consumerism of America. Since that time, The Compact has grown dramatically and includes "Compacters" from all over the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe and even as far as Australia and Hong Kong.

The credo of The Compact is based on the Mayflower Compact and is as follows:

1) to go beyond recycling in trying to counteract the negative global environmental and socioeconomic impacts of U.S. consumer culture, to resist global corporatism, and to support local businesses, farms, etc. -- a step, we hope, inherits the revolutionary impulse of the Mayflower Compact;
2) to reduce clutter and waste in our homes (as in trash Compact-er);
3) to simplify our lives (as in Calm-pact).

The rules for compacting are pretty simple:

#1 - No purchases of brand new stuff - save food, toiletries, medicines, underwear and work-required items
#2 - No, you can't cheat, See Rule #1

It's pretty simple. Don't buy shit. If you do need to buy something you have oodles of alternatives... you can hit the thrift store, check out craigslist, post on freecycle, cruise the garage sales, borrow from your neighbor, or, God forbid, dig through your own crap to see if you can cobble up something that will meet your needs. If all else fails, I do allow myself to purchase locally-produced, hand-crafted items, but that's probably cheating.


Savings:

It's difficult to calculate the savings on this, since it's hard to guesstimate what I might have spent. However, if I take the past 12 months' average consumer goods spending (which includes Christmas spending and several significant home improvement projects like replacing our leaking hot water tank), I can estimate it would be somewhere in the $975 range. Yikes. According to a Professor at Syracuse University, every consumer dollar we spend puts .5 lbs of carbon into the atmosphere. So my month of compacting will, theoretically, reduce my family's carbon footprint by nearly 500 pounds.


Difficulty Level: 4 out of 5

Ooooohhhh, it's so hard to get that refund in the mail and NOT go on a "buying green products spending spree"! But this is actually great timing for me. I have definitely drifted away from Compacting over the last couple months and have gone overboard on the buying. And now is a good a time as any to draw in the reins a bit.

I Compacted for a month before (July 2007) and I know that shopping, for me at least, is a simple addiction. One that is easily broken by staying out of the stores - both in person and online. Instead, I'll be heading to the library more often and getting my "fix" at garage sales and - in just two short weeks -- the farmer's market!

#171 - The Boob Tube

Shutting off the TV During the Day

I just finished reading "Consuming Kids, The Hostile Takeover of Childhood" by Susan Linn. It is an in-depth look at the advertising media, specifically, its questionable methodology of marketing to children.

Now, when I first started the book, Ms. Linn worked me up in to a nice indignant tizzy about the money-grubbing ad execs who would prostitute their own mothers for a few sheckles. However, the angry high wore off quickly and I soon found myself silently arguing with the deluded author.

Is it morally wrong for advertisers to tell kids to nag their parents? Sure.

Is it ethical to purposely target younger children with products that should be intended for a more mature audience? Prolly not.

Has advertising ever been the domain of the morally pure and ethically correct? Ummm, I don't think so.

It is, and always has been, my opinion that there are two people responsible for instilling basic moral concepts in my children. And neither one of them works in advertising. It is MY job to ensure that my children do not fall prey to the slick ad lines produces by marketers. It is MY job to ensure that my kids understand that family and friends are the most important assets in life - not gadgets and gizmos. It is MY job to teach them right from wrong, good from bad and even need from want.

Good God, these kids are screwed, aren't they?

I guess what I'm getting is that, while the book didn't exactly leave me feeling as outraged as its twitchy author, it DID open my eyes to the constant barrage of marketing I unwittingly foist upon my children each day through their television viewing habits.

Until I read that book, I'd considered myself a pretty decent mom. Not "great", but "good". Definitely a solid "OK" parent, at the least. Afterall, I never let my kids watch commercial television. It's either DVD's, PBS or a commercial-free children's station like Noggin or Boomerang. And I've already seen it payoff, because Ethan doesn't ask for any of the hyped-up, super-marketed crap the "real" tv channels advertise - even though I know kids his age that do.

But what I didn't even think about? What didn't even hit the radar? Was all the merchandising of the cartoons he does watch. Products like Tickle Me Elmo, Superman pajamas or Diego lunchboxes. All these Disney, Sesame Street, and Dora items that clog the shelves of the big box stores are the exact same shows I let my kids watch.

So what the hell am I supposed to do? Ban TV? NO WAY! Green and crazy are two different things. What I WILL do, though, is limit the amount they're watching. Often times, I turn the old boob-tube on just out of habit or to have background noise. Hell, sometimes the kids aren't even in the room!

So today's change will be to limit the tv. I'll allow a half hour in the morning (these kids are NOT morning people and I actually fear them when they first wake up. I mean, look at that:)

There will be the 2:00 pm "rest time" which I need (won't show you how I look by then). Although I'm going to try offering the option of playing quietly in their rooms for an hour and see how that goes.

Then there is the pre-bedtime half hour Tom and Jerry show. You know, cuz nothing calms a kid down for the night more than watching two cartoon animals pound the crap out of each other.

So that's it. Two hours of television per day. ugh. Even that sounds like too much, doesn't it? Hopefully they'll opt for playing in their rooms during rest. And if I juggle the day's schedule around a bit, I could move story time around and replace T&J with some good ol' book reading instead (I hear some parents read to their kids at bedtime - a novel idea, don'tcha think?).

Anyhow, I'm sure this post makes me sound like a HORRIBLE parent, but at least I'm a HORRIBLE parent taking a step in the right direction.

Savings:

The idea behind this change is to reduce the consumeristic attitudes of the kids. However, it will also reduce my electricity by about .2 kilowatts every hour the tv is shut off. Assuming I turn it off 2 hours each day, that's 2.8 kWh per week, 12 kWh per month, 145 kWh per year.

Difficulty Level: 2 out of 5

I really do like the background noise. I think to help compensate, I'll dig out an old radio from somewhere and turn that on instead. Honestly, I don't know if this will be an easy transition or a hard one. I think I'm more hooked on the tube than the kids are! I might miss my Dora.

Bad Idea #2 - Passing the 'Buck

Giving Up Starbucks in Favor of The Local Coffee Shop

You always hear people talk about how important it is to shop locally. They say it helps to build a sense of community. They say it improves the local economy. They say it is good for the environment. They even say it is good for the soul. I'm assuming "they" know more than "I" do, because social studies was my worst subject in high school whereas "they" always got straight A's.

And so, this week's posts are all about shopping locally. Unless I get distrac---- hey, what's that?

Anywhich, my first change of the week will be to buck the 'Bucks and head to my local coffee shop for my java fix. I'm not complaining about this change. The "local" shop has great coffee, a warm atmosphere and a liquor license -- in case I need a little something besides caffeine to keep me going. Also, they make THE BEST scones on the planet. The only downside is that there are THREE Starbucks that I pass on my way to and from preschool each day. The local coffee shop I like? Yeah, that's about six miles away.

**sigh**

And so, I guess I might as well add "limit the amount of coffee I drink" to my list. After all, it wouldn't be very green of me to drive six miles out of my way just for a cup of joe - even though I bring my own mug. Fortunately for me, I do have to head over that way once a week -- either to get fabric or passing through on my way to the fresh fish store.


So far this looks like a great post, doesn't it? Why is it, then being listed as a bad idea? Well, because after spending twenty minutes composing the damn thing, I started to search the internet for some factoids to toss in that would support my fabulous green idea. And you know what? I couldn't find a single freakin' one. Which is pretty amazing since I am NEVER wrong. Don't believe me? Ask my husband.

In fact, everything I found online talked about how wonderful Starbucks is; how they support fair trade coffee growers, donate their used grounds to garden clubs and swaddle orphaned penguins in handmade quilts and whatnot.

Another reason this is a bad idea? I like Starbucks. A lot. Nobody, but NOBODY makes a peppermint mocha the way they do and the kiddos love their nasty-ass, overpriced, stale donuts. Also? They're EVERYWHERE. You can't throw a dead cat without hitting a Starbucks, which makes them easy to find when you're traveling. A lot easier than wasting gas while searching high and low for a local coffee shop.

Lastly, you'll notice that I never ended up writing any other posts about shopping locally, so apparently something shiny really did distract me! That, or I got all hepped up on a caffeine buzz.

#152 - They Call Me Second-Hand Rose

And Not Just Because I'm An Overbearing Stage Mother Who Pushes Her Daughter into a Life of Debauchery

I've talked before about how buying used clothing is better for the environment. And I continue to buy a goodly portion of both mine and the kids' clothing from second-hand shops. However, to get even eco-friendlier I can take this concept a step further by cutting out the middleman: the store.

The store itself does serve a great purpose and provides a place for people to drop off their old and pick up their new. But in doing so, they consume a decent amount of electricity for lights and heat, as well as create a need for additional retail space. So whenever possible, I am going to graciously accept and happily pass along the kids' clothing.

I already have an AWESOME donor in my friend, Mary and her daughter Kayla. Every time I head north for a visit there is a huge bag of Kayla's outgrown but barely worn clothing for Daphne. Ethan's old clothes go to his little cousin Adam and Daphne's pre-worn items go to one of the moms in my playgroup. No wasted electricity, retail space, or trips to the consignment shop required.


Savings:

Cannot be quantified.


Difficulty Level: 1 out of 5

This is a super-easy change that I've actually been doing for a few months now, I just never got around to posting about it!

Day 137 - Not the Sharpest Tool In the Shed

Sharpening My Scissors, Instead of Buying New Ones

For those of you who don't know, I work from home, sewing renaissance garb for my sister's online store, The Very Merry Seamstress (shameless commerce plug - feel free to violate your compact and go buy stuff now, please). Anyhow, my busy season for VMS runs from March through October - the prime season for faires, weddings and Halloween parties.

During my slow months, I like to go through all my equipment and make sure I have everything I need and that it's all in good repair. I usually end up buying new scissors at this time, because worn, dull scissors are a seamstress's worst enemy. It's like an accountant having an adding machine with no "7" - not only will it slow you down, but odds are, it'll also make you f' a few things up. And since they're a relatively inexpensive business expense, it's always seemed easier to just buy new.

This year, however, I will be taking my shears over to Hancock Fabric and dropping them off for the guy who comes in and sharpens the scissors. He stops by once a month and sets up shop right in the middle of the store, where he spends the entire day honing and filing cutting tools for the old, the cheap, and the eco-friendly. Oh look -- I fall into all three categories now! :-)

Savings:

One pair of scissors and the packaging and shipping associated with buying new. Oh, and $12 - the cost difference between buying and sharpening.

Difficulty Level: 1 out of 5

I'll have to call the store to find out what day Mr. Sharpie will be there but that's the only additional step required. All in all, another very easy change to make.

Day 121 - Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad

Setting Rules for My Childrens' Presents

Yes, this is yet another post about how I plan on greening up the holiday season.

I'm almost finished planning my "Green Christmas". It is now time to set some ground rules for what I can or cannot purchase for my kids. I want their gifts to be fun and engaging, but they must also be relatively eco-friendly.

No, I won't be giving them biobags and recycled toilet paper, but I won't be getting them Transformers and TMX Elmos either. And, since I have already determined that I can give only twelve gifts to each child, I want to make sure that every present is a perfect fit.


Therefore, I have decided to set the following criteria for purchases and each gift must meet at least two out of these three standards. Because, as Meatloaf taught us, two out three ain't bad.

1. The gift must be made out of a renewable resource. (NO PLASTICRAP)
2. The gift must be made in the USA to avoid the whole shipping-pollution issue.
3. The gift must foster or otherwise promote good stewardship or love of the outdoors.

Of course, if I feel that Daphne just CANNOT be denied a Baby Alive, I can get her one -- as long as I buy it second-hand. That is my 'get out of jail free card'.

I've already started compiling a list, based, not on what Toys R Us has told me is "hot this season", but on my childs' actual interests. So far, I have:

For Ethan (4 years old):

• A Bicycle (#2 & #3)
• Piggy Bank (#1 & #2)
• Worm, Bug or Other Critter Habitat (#2 & #3)
• Seeds, Dirt & Terra Cotta Planters (#1, #2 & #3) -- Believe it or not, he's ASKED for this!
• Slippers (#2 & #3 -- I've reprogrammed the thermostat and it's really cold in the house!)
• Tom & Jerry DVD (Used)
• Memory Card Game (#1 & #2)

For Daphne (2 1/2 ):

• A Dollhouse (#1 & #2)
• Dollhouse Furniture (#1 & #2)
• Piggy Bank (#1 & #2)
• Slippers (#2 & #3 - BRRRRRR)
• Hello Kitty DVD (Used)
• Wooden Musical Instruments (#1 & #2) (yeah, I think I'll add "earplugs" to my wishlist)

So as you can see, it's really not that hard to pick environmentally friendly presents. I mean, really, plasticrap just entered the scene a generation or two ago and little children have been given toys for millenia! The trick is to make sure the presents you give won't last for a millenium in the landfill. Because the kids may want them, they may need them, but there ain't no way they're ever gonna compost them!

Day 120 - The 12 Gifts of Christmas

Limiting the Number of Gifts I Give My Kids

Continuing to plan my green holiday season....

Every parent wants to give their children a wonderful Christmas, full of family activities, good food and lots of great presents. Who doesn't love to see the wide-eyed look of a child as he comes down to see the bounty left under the tree by old Kris Kringle? It's one of the few times of the year when you feel like you can really make your child's wild little dreams come true.

But, have we gone overboard? Do we give our kids too much? Undoubtedly we do. All in the spirit of giving, but still, it's just too much stuff. Too much emphasis on consumerism and having all the latest plastic toys. I am hoping against hope that it is not too late to change the way we celebrate and I'm going to start by changing the sheer number of gifts we give. I will opt for quality over quantity and will not lead my children to believe the the number of gifts they receive in any way correlates to how much they are loved.

Plus it's less stuff I have to wrap.


Savings:

I'm trying to recollect how many presents each child received last year and I simply cannot. This fact alone tells me that they received more than they should have. This year, I will limit each child to a MAXIMUM of twelve gifts - and this includes the little toys stuck into stockings. That means six presents from Mommy & Daddy and six presents from the guy in the red suit. Twelve gifts is more than enough for any child. And it's much more than most other children in the world will recieve this year.


Difficulty Level: 5 out of 5

It is very difficult for me not to cast aside my eco-conscious when it comes to my children (Just look at how I fold like a house of cards every time we go to McDonald's). I love to feel like the fairy god mother who grants their wishes with a wave and a smile. However, I need to continually remind myself that denying them a Barbie or Transformer is not the same as withholding love.

Day 118 - Dear Santa

Creating an Eco-Friendly Wish List

This is yet another post about How I'm Planning to Green Up My Holiday Season.

We all know it's better to give than receive, but we're gonna talk about my wish list before we handle the gift list. After all, mine is relatively short and I already have it made out. (Trying my best to stick to The Compact has helped me to differentiate between items I truly want or need vs. the desires du jour.)

I have only one criteria for the items on my list. They must all, in one way or another, help me to further reduce my ecological footprint. I know, I know, it's an oxymoron to say I'm going to BUY things to REDUCE my footprint. I know this. I live this. I preach this. Hubby does not. If I tell him that I don't want anything for Christmas, he will go out and buy me something that eats baby seals, drinks petroleum and farts methane. It will be payback for not being more specific.

And speaking of specific, you should know that hubby and I don't beat around the bush when it comes to "wish lists". We know our spending caps and we each create our own List of Demands. Not only do we name names, but we give model numbers and manufactured suggested retail price. Should there be any error in our estimations, it is assumed that monetary surpluses will go towards chocolate or Starbucks gift cards. That's just how we roll.

So, back to me and my list:

1. An Oster Toaster Oven - Surprisingly eco-friendly -- Once you get over the fact that it's partially made of plastic. This little appliance, which draws only 1500 watts, will keep me from having to use the full size, energy-sucking 5,000 watt oven at least twice a week. Also, Oster manufactures in the USA so I don't have to worry about the import issue.

2. A Drying Rack - Did I tell you that I can't hang a clothesline here? HOA rules only allow us to put a clothesline in an area of our property where it would sit directly in the shade of the pine trees. It's not worth ruining all my clothes with pine sap, just to avoid the dryer use. However, with a small drying rack I could air-dry all my winter sweaters, thereby reducing my energy use AND making my sweaters last longer.

3. A Smart Strip - Have you heard about these? Ten outlets work together, autoswitching your devices on/off automatically, to save you money on your electric bills. I could plug our TV, DVD and cable box into this power strip. Then, whenever the TV is turned off, all the other items are automatically turned off too.

4. Slippers - Keep my tootsies warm while I've got the thermostat turned down.

5. A Big Cast Iron or Stainless Steel Skillet - I want to get rid of our jumbo-sized non-stick skillet before it starts to flake off teflon into our food. It may not be 100% about the environment, but it's definitely better for me and my family.


That's it folks. There is nothing else I really want and hubby should be able to get all this for under $200. He would actually move UP on my list if he could find all these items used, but I'm pretty sure he'll just head straight for Amazon. Especially if I email him the list and provide the links.


Savings:

Each of these items will help me to reduce my impact. I won't pretend that the initial purchase isn't damaging -- it sure is. Especially if it comes packaged in Styrofoam or plastic wrapping. But again, Hubby will not let me get escape the holiday season without presents, and, let's face it, I'm not that big of a martyr.


Difficulty Level: 1 out of 5

Nothing difficult about this at all. It's a freakin' list of gifts I'm requesting - How could that possibly be difficult? Now, if Hubby doesn't follow the list, then there'll be some difficulty!

Day 116 - The Sound of Music

Opting for Digital Downloads Instead of CDs

I'm only 35, but in my lifetime I've seen many different media used for music. When I was a kid we had a groovy Hi-Fi stereo that played LPs and 8-Tracks. When I was a teenager, I got a stylin' walkman that played all my favorite Duran Duran tapes. Then, sometime in my drunken twenties, they came out with CD's -- which looked like records, but were smaller, shinier and promised to be THE absolute pinnacle of music media.

Last June I got an iPod.

Now MP3 files are the only way to go -- for me, at least. I believe that this format actually will be the final form of music. Sure, the file type may change, but digital downloads won't. (OK, make a note of that prediction so you can fly back here in your space hovercraft in 2048 to tell me what a fool I was) I LOVE that I can buy just the single song that I want, as opposed to the whole damn album. But more important, I will never go back to the wasteful packaging, the shiny plastic disks, and the transportation required to get them to me.


Savings:

Before my iPod, I would have purchased or otherwise created about a dozen CDs per year. As we all know, I'm as average a person as you can get, so let's imagine that say, 25% of Americans out there do the same. What would happen if we all decided to stop building a huge, visible CD collection and opted for a small hard drive of music files instead? Why, we'd save over 900 MILLION discs per year.


Difficulty Level: 1 out of 5

It's easy to not buy the CDs, the hard part is to not go overboard shopping at iTunes. But knowing that I'm saving all that plastic and fuel? That's music to my ears.

Day Eighty-Six - Off To Market

Visit My Local Farmer's Market

OK, I've whined about this for months now and I have no excuses left for not going to the 17th Street Farmer's Market. I didn't want to drag the kids downtown before because, well, from what I see on the local news, downtown is a little on the violent side. But since nothing scary has yet happened at the Market, I've decided it's time for me to just nut up and do it. Besides, I've talked to my neighbor who is a State Police Officer and he has assured me that the market area is totally safe -- especially at 10 am on a Thursday. So, since the kids have preschool that morning, I'm going to head downtown after I drop them off and check out the market.

Of course, visiting my local farmer's market goes hand-in-hand with eating locally. One of my biggest challenges in going green is adhering as closely as possible to the 100-mile diet. As I've said before, the average American dinner travels over 1,500 miles to reach our plates and that uses up lots of fossil fuels. The more I can buy locally, whether it's produce, fish, chicken, or even desserts, the more I am helping the environment. It is a difficult task, and sometimes darn near impossible, but by hitting the farmers market, I will gain access to a greater variety of foods that are produced within the 100 mile radius of my home.

But it's not all about food. There is so much more at the market, including crafts, handmade candles and soaps, jewelry, handcrafted plates... the list goes on and on. I have made an adjustment to my compact, that allows me to purchase locally crafted items, so this will finally be a chance to shop guilt-free! WOOHOO!

Savings:

I don't have a specific estimate, but I'm basically hoping to shave a couple hundred food miles off our weekly menu.

Difficulty Level: 2 out of 5 (Fear Factor)

Just so you all know, I wasn't always a big fat chicken. I used to be brave, but then I had kids and now I worry like a..... well, like a Mom. I'm sure once I get there I'll have a great time :-) The real problem is that the Farmers Market runs from the beginning of May through the end of October, so I only get four trips down there before it closes. But I'll definitely head back there in May!

Day Eighty-Four - Where Am I?

Learn World Geography

Every day I learn something new. Some days, all I learn is just how ignorant I am. Like yesterday. And the day before that. And Tuesday. And last week....

One of the things I've always been bad at is world geography. I don't know why. I can put most of the states in their proper places on Ethan's United States Puzzle, but beyond that, I'm an absolute moron. I'm definitely not one of the 3% of Americans who can point to Kobul on a map. But what does any of this have to do with the environment? Lots.

According to American Economic Alert, the 2007 to-date national trade deficit is roughly $540 BILLION. That number increases approximately $60,000,000 per month. Americans buy tons and tons of imported goods every year - literally. I won't get into the effect this has on the economy (but did you check out the fun Jib-Jab cartoon I posted?) because I'm certainly no expert, besides, I'm here to focus on the environmental impact of it all. An article from Environmental Health Perspectives gives the following "standard distribution path" of a toy doll:

A $9.97 doll is made in Asia by low-wage workers under conditions that may
subject them to a myriad of unregulated hazards. This doll is packed with 10,000
others into a container and loaded onto a marine vessel holding 4,000 other
containers carrying dolls, shoes, and electronics. Fueled by low-quality bunker
fuel, the ship leaves one of the world’s largest ports in Asia, chugs across the
Pacific, discharging nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, particulates, and other
pollutants into the earth’s environment. Arriving at the Southern California
ports of Los Angeles or Long Beach (where 40% of all U.S. imports arrive), the
container is unloaded by longshore workers, who breathe exhaust from the
idling ship as well as emissions from a row of idling trucks with drivers
waiting for their loads. For the next leg of the trip, the doll may be placed on
a big-rig truck and sent for repackaging to a mega-warehouse 50 miles from the
ports, an area that was formerly all dairy lands that has now given way to
million-square-foot warehouses for consumer goods (drawing thousands of diesel
trucks a day into formerly rural communities). Finally, the doll is trucked to
her destination, a big-box retailer in suburban Chicago. By this time, she has
traveled more than 8,000 miles—on diesel-burning conveyances the whole way.

So you see, just like eating locally grown produce and buying local fish, it's important to buy consumer goods that are produced "locally" as well. Unfortunately, due to the nature of manufacturing, "local" consumer goods won't likely be found in a 100-mile radius. This is where my ignorance of geography becomes important. Case in point:

I had to go to Target a couple weeks ago to pick up some miscellaneous clothing items for the kids, that I wasn't able to find second-hand. (Have I mentioned just how hard Compacting is?!?!). Anyhow, my choices for Ethan's clothing included items made in: India, Egypt, Vietnam, Philippines, China or Indonesia. Now without peeking, which is closest to the US and therefore uses less fuel to get here? Am I the only one who has no idea? In my mind, this is what I came up with:

Anyone who wants to keep their image of me as a semi-intelligent human being, please stop reading here!

• I'm 99% sure India is in the Middle East.
• Egypt is somewhere in the top part of Africa (notice the word "northern" never came to mind...)
• Vietnam is in the Pacific, but not Hawaii-type Pacific, ya know?
• The Philippines, Hmm.... not really sure.. I think they were affected by that tsunami a few years ago... now where was that?
• China is what cartoon characters hit when they dig straight through the earth and come out the other side, so it's the farthest.
• Indonesia sounds a little like "India", but also has an Asian flair, so I'll go with "somewhere between India and Asia"... but I think they also got hit with that tsunami. Where was that damn thing?

Yes, folks, I am really that dumb. Sadly, I bet I'm STILL on par with your Average American in terms of geographical knowledge. So I've come to realize once again, that to make better decisions, I need to be a more knowledgeable consumer. MUCH more knowledgeable.

I know, I know -- I didn't even touch on the fact that I should also learn about each country's environmental laws, whether the employees are treated fairly, the country's stance on the Kyoto Treaty, and all sorts of other things, but my tiny brain can only work on one thing at a time, and honestly, geography actually seems like the least daunting of those tasks.


Savings:

Damn near unquantifiable. I guess that if nothing else, the thought of having to learn all that geography has strengthened my resolve to search for second-hand goods, thereby eliminating the need for thought entirely. :-) And pre-used goods are always a better choice for the environment.


Difficulty Level: 4 out of 5

Again, geography is NOT a strong suit of mine. My first choice will definitely be to buy second-hand so that I don't have to worry about determining the distance to the country of origin. My second choice, as the daughter of a card-carrying AFL-CIO member will, of course, be to look for the MADE IN THE USA tag. Regardless, before I buy anymore consumer goods, I'll pull up Google maps of each continent and see if I can figure out where the hell I am in relation to the rest of the world. And I'll definitely add "Used World Globe" to my Christmas Wish List. :-)

Day Eighty-One - The Lunch Box

Packing Snacks for Preschool

Well it's been three weeks now that the kids have been in preschool and we're all finally getting into the swing of things. Ethan likes his teacher (despite the fact that she asks him to pick up after himself) and Daphne has stopped trying to physically latch herself to me neck like a baby spider monkey when I drop her off (sort of). So now that I have some time to think about the morning snacks I throw in their bag, I realize I've got serious room for improvement.

Let's start with the fact that the school does not allow raisins, grapes, peanuts or anything that slightly resembles a circular or oval shape, due to choking concerns. Valid point. But, they also don't allow fresh fruit, unless it has been all peeled & cut up ahead of time. Yuck. Who wants brown apple slices for snack? So we're left with packaged foods.

Unfortunately, so many of these foods come in those oh-so-easy-to-buy-and-pack single servings, which really should be off limits to me, since I did my post on Size Really Does Matter. So that means no more over-packaged, single serve Goldfish, Cheese & Crackers, or Cheez-Its. (This is where we all feel bad for Ethan who loves ANYTHING that comes in a single serving bag. I swear the kid would eat dog crap if it was packaged in a small, shiny bag -- possibly two bags' worth if the bag featured Spiderman on the front.)

So then I'm left with the dilemma of whether or not I should pack the kids' snacks in Ziplocks or not. Sure, I'm able to buy the big box of Cheez-Its at Costco, but then I'm just re-packaging it in another plastic bag that, unfortunately, the teacher tosses in the trash after snack time. Just doesn't seem to make sense to me.

So, once again, I found myself needing a new solution to an old problem.


MUST..... FIGHT.... URGE.... TO... BUY.... NEW..... TUPPERWARE....


So, without breaking my compact, I rooted around in the cabinets and found a bunch of old Gerber baby-food bowls that have fitted lids. They are the perfect size for snacks! Also, since the tops are clear, I was able to write each of their names on the lids with a Sharpie, thus eliminating the need to put a name sticker on them each day. Super Score!


Savings:

Ethan goes 4 days per week and Daphne goes 2 days per week. Prior to this journey, I would totally have stocked up on single-serving packages of animal crackers, Cheez-Its, Goldfish and all those other toddler-friendly foods. Now I will be serving all bulk-packaged purchases (or brown fruit) in reusable containers. That's six snack food packages I'll be avoiding per week. The kids attend school 36 weeks per year, so I'm saving 216 plastic packages during that time. That's GOT TO be at least a couple chock-full grocery bags worth, don't you think?

Not to mention the fact that you definitely pay a premium to purchase that kind of convenience. I bet by cutting out the single servings, I'll be saving a few sheckles at the grocery store as well.


Difficulty Level: 1 out of 5

Just another habit that needs changing. It's funny, but I never noticed that an entire half aisle at the store is dedicated to "single serve" packaged foods. Wow. That doesn't even include all the breakfast items that are with cereals, or the pudding cups kept with the baking stuff. I don't deny that it is all very convenient to use, but it comes at quite a price, literally and figuratively.

Now if one of you could point me in the direction of a no-fail granola bar recipe, I'll be all set...

Supplemental Post - Buying Local

Someone on my Compact group posted this link as a reminder to us all that buying local goods is more than just eco-friendly, it's eco-nomy friendly.... enjoy

Day Seventy-Two - ReStore-ing Faith in Humanity

Donating to and Buying From The Habitat ReStore

Our home is definitely a "DIY" kind of household. Hubby is a PM with a good-sized construction company and I've always had a "well how hard can it be?" attitude when it comes to home improvements. We own every hand and power tool known to man, and have duplicates of most. In fact, we even built a house - literally - in 2001, when we didn't feel like getting "real jobs" and decided start a residential home design/build business. So, needless to say, when it comes to ripping out walls, replacing tiles or installing new flooring, we almost never call a professional.

When we relocated to Richmond two years ago, we were lucky to find an affordable lease on a large house in a newer subdivision. The housing market was ballooning so quickly, though, that we immediately started looking for a house to buy -- before we could no longer afford it. Coming from Upstate New York where your average house costs $125,000, we experienced quite a bit of sticker shock when we found that houses in our neighborhood were selling for over $400,000. There was no way we could afford that kind of a mortgage, so we looked for something smaller, with a much smaller price tag.

Within a few months we had settled on a particular development that we liked. Great schools, walking trails, playgrounds and a small lake. We looked at a number of houses and finally picked one in a great location, but small, and with the strangest floor plan you'd ever see. We bought the house knowing that we would completely gut the interior, move the kitchen, redesign the floor plan, replace all the flooring, and install a second floor sewing room in what had been a two-story living room.

Needless to say, there was quite a bit of demo to be done. Everything from appliances to cabinets, fixtures and doors were being removed. Rather than see it all go into a debris dumpster (and have to pay dumpster fees), we called our local Habitat for Humanity to find our nearest ReStore.

For those of you who've never heard about this, here's a blurb from their site:

Habitat ReStores are retail outlets where quality used and surplus building materials are sold at a fraction of normal prices. Proceeds from ReStores help local affiliates fund the construction of Habitat houses within the community. Many affiliates across the United States and Canada operate successful ReStores—some of which raise enough funds to build an additional 10 or more houses per year.

Materials sold by Habitat ReStores are usually donated from building supply stores, contractors, demolition crews or from individuals who wish to show their support for Habitat. In addition to raising funds, ReStores help the environment by rechanneling good, usable materials into use.

Of course, since it's a donation to a charity, you also get a tax deduction for your donation. Bonus.

You can either take your items to the local ReStore, or, if your donation is large, give them a call and schedule a time for a pickup. It's a great alternative to Freecycling, if you don't feel like listing items and dealing with all the emails. You can also poke around and see if someone else's discarded ceiling fan is just the right size for your place. Often times, you can find unique fixtures, sinks and whatnot there, all at a fraction of the price of retail.

Hubby and now are no longer in the demo phase, (we're currently in the procrastination phase of re-construction) so we're not contributing right at the moment. However, we will continue to re-purpose our salvaged materials while at the same time contributing to a great cause.


Savings:

Wow, at last count, one fridge, stove, dishwasher, washer, dryer, three doors, kitchen sink, disposal, fixtures, about half a dozen light fixtures and more stuff I probably can't remember. All saved from possible dumpster-death.


Difficulty Level: 2 out of 5

I gave this one a "2" only because I am afraid of driving downtown by myself (can you say "wuss"?). However, I am saving our salvaged items in a corner of the garage and hope to work up the courage someday soon to go downtown. I'm dying to visit the Farmer's Market and check out the local food scene anyhow and while I'm down there I could stop by our ReStore to make a donation. Maybe if I just apply my "well how hard can it be?" attitude to inner-city navigation, I'll be ok.

Day Sixty-Eight - YOP!

Speak Up and Tell Manufacturers What You Want

I am a firm believer that one of the best ways to elicit corporate change is to use your purchasing power. For example, when you buy something organic, you are sending a message to that manufacturer that you are willing to pay a little more for a greener, chemical-free product. That, in turn, provides incentive for the green manufacturer to continue his organic efforts, and induces other companies to join the green movement. This "Dollar Voting" is a great way to let manufacturers know what you think of their products.

All that being said, sometimes the easiest way to let manufacturers know how you feel is to tell them. Surprisingly enough, they listen!

Customer service experts know that for every complaint or comment they receive, there are hundreds or perhaps thousands of other consumers who share a similar view. They pay very close attention to the comments and concerns they receive via email, mail and their toll-free consumer hotlines. The information is gathered, tabulated and sent in weekly reports to various members of the organization -- to be used in modifying and improving the product and its packaging.

This week I have contacted both Skippy and Yoplait to let them know my concerns about their packaging. Here's what happened:

Skippy's new natural smooth peanut butter is a great product, but it appears to only be offered in a 12 oz package at Krogers. This violates my vow to Buy in Bulk. Fortunately, the great customer service rep I spoke with told me that I could find larger packages at my local Costco AND offered to send me two coupons for FREE jars of peanut butter. uh, SCORE!

Yoplait has some super yummy yogurt, but like most other yogurts, the containers are made of #5 Polypropylene, which is not widely recyclable. The lids, however, are made of an aluminum foil coated in plastic, that is recyclable in some areas -- but not mine. I was disappointed on both counts, since I try to faithfully recycle everything that can be recycled in my area. However, the fabulous customer service rep gladly took my comment requesting that new packaging be considered that utilizes the more universally recyclable #1 or #2 plastics. She also asked if I would be willing to be part of a consumer focus group that provides feedback to Yoplait about its products. I gladly accepted the invitation and look forward to sharing my views with them.

Savings:

Every time we let our voice be heard, we are one step closer to a greener environment. In our consumer-driven economy, we have great power to influence how heavily the corporate giants tread on our earth. And who knows? They may be waiting until they receive 50,000 complaints before they feel it is economically advantageous to change their packaging. So be like small JoJo in Dr. Suess' Horton Hears a Who and let out a small "YOP". That small "yop" might put it over.

Difficulty Level: 2 out of 5

Yeah, it's not fun spending your precious time waiting on hold for "the next available customer service representative" and hearing that "your call is important to us", but really, what is 5 minutes of your time? Besides, it's nice to bitch to someone about something and have them be paid to sound like they care. It's like free therapy.

Day Sixty-Six - Chicken of the Sea

Buying Local Seafood

I've posted about buying local produce and wrote about how much fresher the food tastes and how it's better for the environment. Well lately I've been looking at everything that lands on our plate and trying to find ways to decrease the number of miles our meals travel to reach us. Also, since I've ixnayed the beef from our diet, I'm adding in more fish and other seafood to our weekly menus.

Fortunately for us, we live about 60 miles from the great bounty of the Chesapeake Bay, which offers up such delectables as rockfish, mackerel, flounder, blue crab, clams and oysters. I assumed that much of this great bounty ended up at my local grocer, but much to my dismay, it does not. When questioned where the "Maryland Style Blue Crab" came from, a Kroger employee was quick to admit that it was imported from Malaysia. <>. They had NO LOCAL FISH.

Fortunately, clickety-click-click, I found online some information about a local seafood shop, Bon Air Seafood. On my first visit, I explained to Jeff, the owner, that I was trying to eat as much "local food" as I could and asked if he could tell me which items were from the Chesapeake. I'll be damned if he didn't go through every single fish and shellfish in that store and identify it's origin from memory. Not only that, he recommended some great local items for me to try and even wrote down a savory recipe for rockfish. He even let me sample of the most amazing seafood-macaroni salad I've ever had. Then he packaged me up -- put all my goodies in a cardboard box with a bag of ice to keep it all fresh on the drive home. Talk about service! That place is the BEST!

I now go to the seafood shop every other week to pick up the latest and greatest seafood for our meals. The difference in smell, texture and taste between this fresh fish and the frozen crap I used to get at the grocery store is unbelievable. (sorry, Kroger, you know I love you, but your seafood sucks...) It tastes like you're sitting at a seaside restaurant, getting your dinner right off the boat. I love it!

So, if you're lucky enough to have access to fresh fish where you live, please, seek out a local seafood store -- you won't be sorry! For those of you concerned about toxins in your fish, please refer to the Environmental Working Group's Safe Fish List. Remember too that if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, nursing or feeding the fish to little ones that you need to be extra cautious about the types and quantities of fish you consume.

Savings:

Not saving any coin on this one, but oooohhhh, the taste is SO worth it! Again, make sure the fish you are buying isn't "farmed" fish or imported. There is plenty of fresh, local fish and your fishmonger (isn't that a fun word?) will help you pick out the seafood that suits your tastes and environmental concerns!

Difficulty Level: 2 out of 5

No, it's not as easy as picking up the fish with the rest of my groceries at Kroger, but it's not difficult either. I only wish the store were closer so I could go weekly and avoid having to freeze some of the fish when I get home. All in all, it is DEFINITELY worth the added aggravation -- both to help me reduce my ecological footprint and to satisfy my tastebuds!

Day Forty-Four - The Compact

Don't Buy Anything New For A Year (or a Month ;-)

I don't know if you've heard of The Compact, but it's a group of people who have pledged not to buy any new consumer goods for an entire year. It started in San Fransisco when a small group of friends made an informal vow not to buy anything new in 2006, as a way to break from the consumerism of America. Since that time, The Compact has grown dramatically and includes "Compacters" from all over the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe and even as far as Australia and Hong Kong.

The credo of The Compact is based on the Mayflower Compact and is as follows:

1) to go beyond recycling in trying to counteract the negative global environmental and socioeconomic impacts of U.S. consumer culture, to resist global corporatism, and to support local businesses, farms, etc. -- a step, we hope, inherits the revolutionary impulse of the Mayflower Compact; 2) to reduce clutter and waste in our homes (as in trash Compact-er); 3) to simplify our lives (as in Calm-pact)

I gave compacting a try in July and was amazed at 1. how simple it was and 2. how much money I saved! I didn't buy one new thing for a whole month (just groceries, and some used clothing and used books). I did not step foot in a single Target or Walmart store. And I didn't shop online either. I was tempted at first, but I think shopping is like an addiction. Once you take a break from it, you actually crave it less. So as the month went on, it actually got easier.

Think about all the junk you accumulate (brand, spanking new, but junk, nonetheless) every time you step foot in Target. Things you don't need, or could easily pick up used at a garage sale or thrift store. Now think about all the energy and resources that go into making that product, packaging it and delivering it to you. Now imagine if you stopped buying all that crap for just one year. You would produce a LOT less packaging garbage, you'd have more space in your house and more cash in your wallet. It's a win-win-win situation!


Savings:

It's hard to say what I would have bought if I'd been going about my normal shopping routine, so calculating a trash and/or energy savings is difficult. So instead, I'll just give you the monthly percentage difference between January - June expenditures and the July expenditures (yes, I track it all, yes, I'm a geek, but you knew that, didn't you?) - 30%. That's right folks -- THIRTY PERCENT. That's the difference between living simply and buying a bunch of new crap that we probably don't even need. Frightening.


Difficulty Level: 4 out of 5

This is really hard at first, but like any bad habit, it gets easier to change the longer you work at it. I don't think I could go a whole year, but I think I'll definitely try again. I fell off the wagon last week when we got Daphne her "big girl bed" and I went nuts redecorating her room with girly flowery stuff. The interesting thing is that, before I'd heard of compacting, I would have taken pictures of her "new room" and bragged to the whole family about it. Now, with my new attitude, I'm actually embarrassed about the money I spent and even more so about the resources I devoured. Funny how changing my ways for just a month has changed my outlook forever.

Day Forty - Check It Out

Using A Library Card Instead of Buying New Books

It has been years (you know I mean a LOT of years if it's italicized AND underlined) since I've had a library card. I used to go a lot when I was a teenager and, of course, in college. Something happened, though, when I left the world of academia and joined the working forces. I forgot about the joy of the Dewey Decimal System and the feel of those protective plastic book covers. Last week, I rediscovered all the library system has to offer.

I packed the kids up and announced we would be hitting the library and getting a library card. My 4 year old son, Ethan, assumed that would be akin to a credit card, so he was happy to go. Daphne, 2 years old, however, is teething so she isn't really "happy" to do anything. I was feeling brave though, and hungry for something to read so we headed out.

I was pleased to find that my local library (about 2 miles down the road) has a very nice children's area, complete with legos, puppets, those abacus-looking toys, DVDs and, of course, books. We spent a good 45 minutes or so checking it all out and playing. Unfortunately, Daphne doesn't yet have a volume-control so I spent a lot of time uselessly "shushing" her. But other than that, it was great. The kids each got a library card and so did I. We also came home with five books to enjoy for the next two weeks.

But how does going to the library help the environment? Well, let me tell you. I checked our budget and it appears that we spend, on average, $75 per month on books and magazines, which I'm guesstimating to be four books and eight magazines per month. What's really bad is that we haven't even been shopping at the used book stores -- nearly all of the purchases are for brand new books and magazines. OK, so it's not like we're spending it on jet fuel or Styrofoam, but still, it's not the most eco-friendly way to read.

I don't think we'll give up new reading material cold turkey -- we'll still buy certain magazines and the occasional new book (hey, the library doesn't carry everything) but we'll definitely check the library out before we head for B&N. They make it so easy now. Our county has all of it's library "stock" online and searchable. You can even reserve a book online and request it be transferred to the library closest to your home! Neat stuff.

Savings:

I'm going to estimate that we will save two book purchases and four magazine purchases per month. Basically, cutting our current new book/magazine consumption in half. Good for the environment, good for the wallet!

Difficulty Level: 1 out of 5

I had a lot of fun with this activity and I got to introduce my kids to a whole new experience. We can't wait to go back!

Day Thirty-Six - A Corny Idea

Switch from Plastic Straws to Biodegradable Corn-Based Straws

OK, have I mentioned that I have two kids? Yeah, I do, if you don't believe me, come on over and babysit sometime. Anyhow, if you have kids, you use straws. Lots and lots of straws. You all know about my anti-plastic rants, so I won't even get into how harmful plastic is to the environment. Instead, I will just enlighten you about a whole new option for chocolate milk to mouth delivery.

Corn. Yup. Corn based plastics. 100% biodegradable. How can that be you ask? I have no friggin clue I say. But it's true. I bought a case of them. I also bought biodegradable coffee cups, two different sizes of biodegradable trash bags, and a sampler pack of biodegradable cutlery, napkins, plates and cold cups, just to see how they hold up. You know what? They all worked great! I never would have known they were biodegradable!

Unfortunately, you can't find this stuff in your average grocery store. But you can find it online quite easily by doing a Google (or Blackle?) search. It costs a little more than what you find at the grocery store but I feel it's worth it. Plus I'm a huge believer in voting with my dollar. That's what really brings about change -- profitability. If companies feel it's profitable to make biodegradable products, guess what, we'll be overrun with them.

So go ahead and splurge on things like phosphate-free laundry detergent, plant-based cleaning products and biodegradable picnic forks. You'll be doing a good thing while shopping and that's always fun.

Savings:

I used to go through a 100-pack of plastic straws every two weeks or so. That's 2,600 plastic straws a year that I'm trading in for an earth-friendly, biodegradable, plant-based product.

Difficulty Level: 1 out of 5

Easy peasy. clickety click click. Shipped to my home in a cardboard box, protected by corn-based biodegradable packing peanuts that dissolve in water (yes, I tested them!).

Day Twenty-Six - Nice Package

Make Smart Choices About Packaging

Have you noticed how much packaging goes into our products these days? Everything seems hermedically sealed, tied to a cardboard backdrop with plastic-coated wire, wrapped in hard plastic, or placed in a box with a plastic window. If you order online, it is then put into a box with styrofoam packing peanuts or those damn blow-up plastic arm-floaty-looking things before it's shipped. Grrr. Where does all this go? Do you recycle every bit of it? Odds are you can't and even if you could, most people don't.

Well it's time for me to start thinking about all that packaging and make smart consumer decisions. I'm going to go back to my REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE mantra and add another item to the list: DOWNCYCLE - Recycle inorganic materials in single-use applications (like recycled paper into tissue paper; recycled plastic shampoo bottles into park benches).

So the next time I go shopping I'm going to examine the products I buy and try to, in this order, look for products with packaging that I can: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle or Downcycle. Need examples? Me too.

• REDUCE - I'm thinking produce here. Do I really need to put my apples into a plastic bag just for the ride home where I'll take them out and put them in the fruit bowl? NO! Let those babies free range in the grocery cart! If you're afraid all your yummy produce will get squashed, then grab one of those carry-baskets they have (the ones you use when you're only getting a couple items) and put all your produce in there. Of course, this may be a bad example, if you're already following my previous post about buying local food :-)
• REUSE - Who doesn't love the bulk bins at the grocery store!?!?!?! Chocolate covered pretzels, are you kidding me?!?!? Trail mix? Peanuts? Yummy! All great stuff! Hard to let it free range though, cuz most of it tends to fall through the holes in your cart. No one says you can't bring your own containers or paper bags, though. Even if you have to use their plastic bags, just so long as you keep reusing the same ones! In fact, you can use a Sharpie Marker to label each one with the name and "code" of the store to make your shopping trip easier and quicker! Another great example of Reuse is milk containers. I recently switched to buying milk in the old glass containers because they are returned, sanitized and reused again, without even having to be melt down or anything.
• RECYCLE - Think ketchup here. or peanut butter. or jelly. These items are generally available in plastic or glass containers. The plastic ones are usually types 1 or 2, so, yes, they can most likely go in your recycle bin. HOWEVER, they are more likely going to be DOWNCYCLED into carpet, whereas the glass container can be turned into a brand new glass container with little or no virgin material added. That's much more effective and efficient and it is true recycling. So, when given an option like this, go for glass.
• DOWNCYCLE - OK, I'll admit, I'm no EnviroWoman, I'm your average American slob. I just can't seem to avoid plastic. I need shampoo. I need toothpaste. I need facewash and razors and applejuice and cremora and deodarant and, well, you get the idea. Here's where shopping gets tricky. First - know what your local recycling place will take. Then make your purchases based on that information. For example, my local recycling plant will take #1 & #2, but nothing else. So, if I have the choice between two products, one packaged in #2 plastic and one packaged in #5 plastic, I'm going to choose the #2.

Of course, if there's something that you LOVE that doesn't fit into any of these categories, contact the manufacuturer! They all have a number on the side of their packages for questions and comments -- use it! Tell the manufacturer you would like to keep purchasing their product, but their lack of environmentally-friendly packaging is really turning you off. I think I remember from marketing class that every comment/letter recieved by a company usually represents some crazy number of people (like 1,000) so they really do pay attention to what you say.

Savings

This is another one that is hard to quantify. I guess I'll need to keep an eye on the amount of trash I generate to see if it is reduced even further. I'm sure it will be. My goal is to eventually be down to only one 13 gallon trash bag per week and I know paying attention to packaging will help.

Difficulty Level - 3 out of 5

Not as hard as stopping junk mail (I'm thinking of reassigning that one a difficulty level 6 out of 5) but not easy either, especially when you have two little ones fighting in the cart while you're looking at the bottom of containers for plastic codes. If you can shop alone and plan on spending extra time at the store that would help a lot. Also, once I switch to a different product, I won't have to research that item again. So this won't have an ongoing difficulty level of 3 -- it'll drop to a 1 or 2 once all my household stuff is set.