photo credit: >>>WonderMike<<<

Or hold house was in the perfect location. Three blocks from the park and library, a couple more blocks to the shops downtown, and if I felt snackish a little further to a Subway. Only if the weather was bad, or we were going to the grocery store, did we need the car.

Here, we are not as lucky. Though the park is semi-close, it is still too far for the kids to make it. There is a Walmart almost walking distance, but A) again, the kids can’t make it, and B) it’s Walmart. All around us are fields and cows and wide open spaces. Cut through by a couple well-traveled mini-highways. Great for scenery, not so great when we need to go somewhere.

Since our move I’ve been thinking about getting a bike. I found a gorgeous retro bike, mint green with cream details, for a reasonable price. But that still leaves the kids. There is only 2 roads from my house to town, and both are heavily traveled sub-highways with no sidewalks. The 6 year-old is questionable, the 4 year-old is absolutely not mature enough to stay out of the middle of the road when cars are zooming past. And then there’s the baby, who thinks seats she has to be belted into are evil.

As it is now, Craig’s List has been a deadman’s land for bike trailers, and there isn’t a Freecycle here (I really need to apply to start one). I want to drive less, but most of the advice I find is geared towards family’s with 1 child and living in a suburban area. Riding through a deep ditch growing with cacti to avoid heavy traffic with three kids is not the peaceful car-free experience I keep reading about.

Whenever public transit and bicycles are proposed as solutions, a small but vocal group of naysayers argue that they cannot bicycle to the grocery store and carry groceries, or schlep their children to day care on buses. Some of these concerns are valid for some people, but most people are physically able and resourceful enough to manage. -The Moral Imperative of the BP Oil Spill: Drive 20 Percent Less

Where there’s a will, there’s a way. So I’m going to look for alternative ideas for getting out of the house. Maybe try solo-grocery shopping in the evenings, or attempt to carefully cut through a field.

As the cost of food continues to rise, many people find themselves needing to choose more carefully what they will buy. Buying organic foods is often the choice that we want to make, yet the higher costs make it seem impossible. However, with a willingness to make a few simple changes anyone on a tight budget can enjoy organic foods in their kitchen.

If you want to find organic foods at lower costs, the first step is to stop shopping at your local grocery stores. Many of the foods found grocery stores, even in the organic sections, have been imported from around the world. This is how they can offer fruits and vegetables out of season all year long. The cost of shipping and transporting adds to the cost that customers must pay. Instead, look for local producers who will more likely have a lower price.

Local farmers often sell fruits and vegetables at neighborhood farmer’s markets or in local food coops. You may even be able to buy fresh foods at the farms themselves, including meats and dairy products. Shopping this way means you will have access to organic foods at a much lower cost, while also supporting your local farmers to continue growing organically.

Buying organic foods in bulk is another great way to stay within your budget. Food is often cheaper when purchased in large quantities rather than individually amounts. Many fruits and vegetables can then be frozen to extend their use time. For those who are willing to learn, home-canning will also preserve foods for extended use. A jar of homemade salsa made from local organic vegetables will cost much less than buying a jar of commercial organic salsa in the store.

Those who have a very tight food budget may have to limit what organic foods they buy. Some foods have higher amounts of pesticides on them than others, making them the top priority when choosing organic. If you can only afford to buy some things organic, choose these fruits and vegetables first:

• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Apples
• Peaches
• Spinach
• Tomatoes
• Potatoes
• Squash
• Green Beans

If you are choosing organic foods to avoid chemicals, these are the top offenders you will find. For other produce, you can invest in a good vegetable brush and food-safe soap to wash fruits and vegetables before you eat them. This will remove much of the pesticides on the outside of your food.

Growing your own food will also help you stay in your budget while enjoying fresh, organic items daily. Even those with limited space can grow a few simple plants in containers or small beds. You can purchase seeds for only a few dollars, often in amounts far more than a hobby garden could grow in one season. You can also collect seeds from organic produce yo have already purchased to be certain that what you are growing had the best start. Place the plants in a sunny spot, give them water and care, and you can harvest a small bounty for practically free.

Though food costs continue to climb, even the tightest budget can afford to include a few organic staples in the kitchen. By avoiding the grocery store, buying in bulk, and growing your own, you can eat organic fruits and vegetables without spending a fortune.

photo credit: fairfaxcounty

Sometimes you just know something can be reused, even if you don’t just how yet.

We like green onions around here. They go in soups, in rice, in casseroles, and pretty much anything I think to toss a handful in. But silly me, I’ve always tossed the bulbs into the compost and bought a new bunch. Then yesterday, I stood holding the bulbs in my hand and had a thought. What is cutting them up isn’t killing them?

I know, some of you may be rolling your eyes at me now. How can something keep staring you in the face every day and not sink in? A quick Google search later confirmed it, I can replant those bulbs and get at least 3-4 more batches from them before they can’t take anymore.

So my sweet little bulbs went into a pot and joined the rest of my containers on the back patio. They’re in good company, as the peas are really coming up and the tomatoes and peppers are starting to peek through. Unfortunately, my herbs have yet to materialize. I’m afraid that all the rain we got may have drowned them.

So, how many of you have suddenly been hit by the realization that something could be reused in some way? Have you suddenly looked at something and saw it in a new light? Share what your green realizations have been in the comments!

Wow, has it been a long, strange several months! Things happened, like moving again. This time across the state, and into a much smaller townhouse. My big backyard has been replaced by a tiny patch of dirt that doesn’t seem fit to grow anything.

So as I waved my garden goodbye, I made plans to grow a new one. A greener, smaller one. OK, so I won’t be feeding my entire family on everything I’m growing (sorry Backyard Homestead), but I can at least make a mean salsa from the tomatoes, peppers, and herbs.

Since my actual plant pots are limited, and I’m trying not to buy any more, I went with what I had. Soda bottles. Yes, I know how bad soda is in so many ways. But at least I’m only polluting my body, since I can reuse the bottles for my herb garden.

This is just the beginning of it. As more bottles become available I’ll plant more. For these I cut them in half, poked holes in the bottom for drainage, and glued small screens to the top opening to keep the dirt in and allow drainage. I nailed them to my fence, and viola! Of course, you can make a cool rack for the bottles instead.

My next plan is to figure out carrots and onions. I can’t plant them in the ground, and I don’t want to stunt them with short containers. I could do one onion and maybe two carrots per bottle, but I’ll need a lot more bottles!

photo credit: tiffanywashko

Cloth diapers have been the only choice mothers have had for centuries. With the arrival of the disposable diaper in 1940, parenting was turned on its head. Parents were freed from the constant need to wash and dry diapers ever day, instead they could simply toss out a used diaper and put on a fresh cleaning one. However, many parents are now returning to cloth diapers for environmental and health issues. Are cloth diapers really better than the disposable ones?

The average child will go through almost 6,000 diapers in their lifetime. That is a lot of dirty diapers, all of which will eventually find their way into a landfill. These diapers can take up to 500 years to fully decompose, slowly leaking chemicals into the ground as they do so. Cloth diapers, however, are washed and reused several times before being retired. Less trash and fewer chemicals making their way into the world is always a good thing.

Many people who are against cloth diapers point out that the amount of water used to wash diapers could be harmful to the environment. This would be true, if it were not for the fact that disposable diapers also require large amounts of water in the manufacturing process. This water is also filled with bleach and excess chemicals that are used in turning wood pulp into a white, paper diaper. Many of the detergents used to wash cloth diapers are considered safe for the environment when they are washed out, the same cannot be said of the disposable manufacturing process.

Cloth diapers not only have a positive effect on the environment, they can also have a positive effect on children’s health. Each of those 6,000 diapers that a child wears contains significant amounts of harsh chemicals. These chemicals are against your child’s sensitive skin each day, and have been linked to cancers in some studies.

Dioxin, a chemical byproduct of the wood pulp bleaching process, can be found in disposable diapers and is considered a cancer causing agent by the Environmental Protection Agency. The chemicals used to increase absorbency have been known to cause skin irritation, rashes, and pinpricks of blood in the genital area. Cloth diapers contain none of these dangers.

Parents who choose cloth diapers are not facing the same concerns that older generations had. New diapers are available in a vast assortment of styles and options. Some have thin plastic layers to prevent leaks, others allow space for removable inserts that add absorbency and protection. Cloth diapers can be purchased with snaps, Velcro, and simple plastic fasteners. Modern cloth diapering parents have a world of options to choose from.

photo credit: kafka4prez

I have a small, ceramic, kitchen scrap bin that I use for collecting compost material. Normally I dump it out every evening and wash it out. This system has worked great, up until now. Suddenly there are gnats flying all over the kitchen.

Since the Mr. isn’t the compost and gardening type, he’s suggesting that i ditch the whole thing. He was willing to put up with it until now, but bugs in the house crosses a line for him. For me too, but I’m certain there is a way to keep kitchen compost scraps without gnats or other bugs. There has to be a way, because no one else is talking about the little flying things in their houses.

My plan right now is to dump and wash more often. I’m hoping this won’t be the long term solution. I hate thinking about washing the bucket after only a couple banana peels, it seems like such a waste of water. I’m also not too keen on heading out to the bin several times a day. I have to keep it far off to the back to keep the landlady happy, and I’d rather keep that trip down to 1.

Everything I’ve read so far talks about cleaning the entire house with bleach to get rid of the buggers, but I’d rather avoid the harsh chemicals. Of course getting rid of my kitchen scrap bin would work also. I wish I had a good lid for my pot, but when I bought it at the thrift shop there was no lid. I’ve been just draping a hand towel over the top instead. Clearly, that’s not working.

So, does anyone have any tips for clearing out gnats that doesn’t involve chemical cleaners? Or getting rid of my compost bucket?

photo credit: Fergus Randall

I missed posting my menu last Sunday, but that’s not something I plan to do this week. I’m looking forward to trying some new recipes this week, stepping out of my comfort zone to try some hopefully exciting flavors.

Vegetables are hard to come by cheap right now. I keep hoping to find a good greenhouse near me that is selling, but so far no luck. Instead I’m skipping some of my favorite outside treats to afford a few extra vegetables. I also skipped the fresh fruit for bags of frozen. Not as delicious, but much cheaper. Here’s what I’m making for dinner this week:

Sunday: Mashed potatoes, homemade chicken noodle soup. The man has been begging for some old fashioned chicken and noodles, so I’m obliging a small pot of it. I love mine poured over a heap of mashed potatoes with garlic and real butter. Yum!

Monday: Roasted green beans and peppers, homemade mac & cheese, veggie burgers

Tuesday: Sesame carrots, pasta with walnut-pesto, salad

Wednesday: Oven fries, roasted vegetables, pasta

Thursday: Roasted vegetable and feta sandwich,

Friday: Spaghetti, salad

Saturday: Caramelized Onion & White Bean Flatbread, homemade coleslaw

Check out the Mindful Menu at Chive Talkin’ and read the other menus people are sharing.

photo credit: Samuel Mann

What if everyone vowed to do just ten green things this year. Big or small, simple or hard, once or repeated. Just made a list of ten things and began checking them off. Even if it took all year, even if the list didn’t get finished, there would still be a lot of good done.

I keep thinking about the things that I’m doing, and the things that I want to do. I’ve given up store bought shampoo for the no-poo method, but I still buy soap from the store. What if I switched to buying handmade soap from someone locally? What if I learned to make it myself? I’m making my own bread, but there are still a lot of boxes of food in my shelves that I could be making at home. Sure I recycle, but what if I didn’t buy the stuff to begin with? It feels as if there’s always something more to do. And honestly, it’s that feeling that sometimes stops me in my tracks.

So ten. That’s a nice, round number. Give myself a year to finish the list, and an A for effort if I don’t get it all done. Would that prevent the paralyzing fear that there is too much that needs to be changed?

1. Stop buying soap in plastic packaging
2. Can and store homemade foods
3. Garden
4. Stop drinking soda in plastic bottles
5. Reduce our trash down to 1 bag per week
6. Have TV-free days each week
7. Cook from scratch more often
8. Hug a tree. Openly.
9. Use less paper/print off less things
10. Walk more often.

Honestly, the list doesn’t seem so hard. Sometimes, though, even the smallest change seems so hard in the face of how much more there is to do. I know, it sounds ridiculous. How could a person who gave up toilet paper find it hard to give up boxes of cake mix? I can’t explain it either.

So there is my list to work on for the year. It’s simple, and alone won’t mean much to the environment. But with others it becomes something larger than I’ll ever know. And I like that thought.

What are your ten green things for this year? Waht are you going to try to work on, no matter how small, to make a change?

photo credit: lululemon athletica

If I had a basic family goal, it would simply be to live greener. But what exactly does that mean? Breaking it down into chunks I want to live more naturally, to live simpler, to live more sustainable. Can I break those goals down even more? Sure. I want to garden, to have more homemade than store bought, to want less, to smile more, to be happier with what I have.

I could keep going, breaking it down smaller and smaller, crafting out a real agenda for what I want from this life. But I haven’t. Because for some reason, in my head just saying “greener” was good enough. It isn’t.

If you want to get something out of life you have to know what it is that you want, you have to set goals. Small goals and big goals, goals for today, goals for next year, goals for fifty years from now. I need to focus on my goals.

I am going to make an effort to revisit my short-term wants every month. Typing them out, seeing them on the screen and knowing that the world can see them helps me to stay focused.

photo credit: sciondriver

Imagine this scenario:

You are at the grocery store picking up something for dinner. Suddenly a store clerk comes along, empties the shelves of their food, and tosses the packages into the trash. Then proceeds to refill the shelves with new boxes and cans. You look over to see a huge garbage can filled with boxes, bags, and wrapped packages of food, food that is now going to rot in a dump somewhere.

What would you do?

If you are a Freegan you would gather all that food up and take it home to eat. It sounds disgusting to most, but there are some brave souls willing to dig out the slightly damaged packages and eat the food they find. In a country where so many go hungry, Freegans in the US reduce the amount of edible waste we create every day.

I found a documentary on Freeganism shared over at Wasted Food. The documentary is called Dive, and is about ordinary people working to reduce our culture of over-consumption and waste.

For me, an important first step to really caring about the issue of food waste was hopping in a dumpster, bringing home the food, and eating it. Eating trash is a subversive act. It goes against a culture of over-consumption and gratuitous wastefulness. Experience that initial rush, shame, fear, and exhilaration of “stealing” trash and eating it will change you in good ways.

I don’t know if I’m brave enough to eat food from a dumpster yet. I’ll pulled other things, clothes from behind the thrift shop and books with covers ripped off from behind the book stores. But food crosses a huge cultural line for me, one that eating trash will make you sick. Or could kill you. Logically I know that you can avoid this. Only get food that looks healthy, that is still in it’s packaging, and cook it completely. Yet there’s still something about know it was in a dumpster that bothers me. And I suppose the same thing bothers many others as well.

Yet the idea is still very attractive to me. Especially the idea of reducing waste. But would I feed my kids this? I just don’t know.