The Mega Eco Challenge

4/29/2008

In knowing my efforts to go green, one of my dear BFF's turned me onto a new "green" blog. Crunchy Chicken.  This is a great "go green" blog.  She has some really great challenges.  April was the buy nothing but what you need.  For the month of may she has a huge mega go green eco challenge.  All I have to say is Yikes!  In my heart I would love to be able to go full force with this challenge but realistically I just don't think it is possible.  Let me fill you in on the details and as my BFF put it... eee gad responses.  Remember this is all or nothing, no halvsies and as the numbers go up so does the difficulty of the challenges. My responses are in orange and I'm not whining I'm just tying to work through my own thoughts on how I could participate fully in this challenge.  I would love to know your thoughts on this and maybe some solutions as to how this could be done.

1.  No Plastic - Even if it is recyclable.  Don't buy or consume anything (purchases, food, etc.) that is encased in plastic. If you want to go all the way on this one that includes deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo.

Everything is plastic!  Even my toothbrush is plastic!  We are such a plastic nation it is amazing. Coming from California where there is an amazing array of fresh fruits and veggies and nothing is in plastic it was really hard to go shopping here where almost everything is shipped in and encased in plastic.  I would love to shop at Whole Foods on a regular basis but that just isn't in the budget.  Publix has a decent organic section, but sometimes the veggies don't look the greatest.  Don't get me wrong, there is a lot I can do here with this challenge.  I already use cloth bags when I shop and if I do need one more bag I ask for paper.  Then I cut the paper bags open for DD to use for her painting and coloring. Which I have been saving to use as wrapping paper at Christmas.  So, we'll see about this challenge I don't have a plan yet.  Any suggestions? 

2.  No Paper - this encompasses the obvious:  newspaper, toilet paper,paper towels, napkins, pad, tampons, paper or coffee cups etc.  

Ok, I can handle everything but the TP, and feminine products.  First off, I question if this is really effective since this would make more water consumption from having to wash the rags used or whatever.  I have done this once during a TP shortage for one day in college.  Not really pleasant.  Could we really watch how much we use?  Of course and we will, but unless your using a huge amount of fabric softener, rags are not conducive to comfort for this post-pregnancy hemmroidal woman.

3.  No Driving-this one is pretty straightforward.  Check out public transportation and bus routes.  Check out bus schedules and purchase a bus pass, get your bike tuned up or dust off those running/walking shoes.

This one is pretty self explanatory.  There is a bus line but I need to do some research on how convenient it is.  Would it be easier to just drive and cut back on where I drive to and how much gas is consumed then to take the bus?  Maybe?  I will keep you posted.  

4.  Local Food Only-depending on where you live, this may be fairly easy or quite difficult.  Local bakery items(unless Sara Lee is local to you), local organic or sustainable diary products, eggs, meats and wineries and breweries are all acceptable.

I know of one farmers market that is on Saturday's in Winter Park.  Are there any others?  Has anyone been to the Winter Park farmers market?  I just need to do some research on what is local for us.   I will keep you posted on what I find.  I just don't think this will be real easy.

5.  No Garbage Output-You should only be producing waste that is compostable and it should go into your compost pile or municipal food waste pick up.

6.  No Excessive Water Usage-Now I'm not expecting you to dehydrate yourself.  What this is about is conserving water.  Very little water for showering, bathing, washing.

This one I already do where showers are concerned.  Coming from California and having lived through droughts, I am really used to taking short, military style showers.  Not to mention all the summers I spent with Drum Corps and cold showers.  You get really fast or you freeze.  I think we do a pretty good job on our water consumption.  I think we can be even better where laundry is concerned. We have a lot of laundry but I know we can be better.  This challenge is on our list. 

7.  No Electricity-For some of you this may be easier if you rely on gas for heating and cooking, but for the most case, this will give you an idea what it will be like to not rely on power for a period of time.  If you only want to try this one out for a day or week, that's fine.

We don't have gas at our house.  I wish we did.  My mom had gas in California and it really is a better way to cook.  Now I don't think I can go without power or what I should say is AC.  Being pre-menopausal and add hot on top of that is not a pleasant combination.  Now, can we be better? Of course.  Changing light bulbs, unplugging things not in use, turning off lights, etc..

I would love to hear your thoughts!

Great Day!

4/29/2008

Today is a great day! The weather has been just perfect today. The sun has been shinning. It's not too hot or too cold but just right! Of course we haven't been able to be out in it too much since DD has an upper respiratory infection and pink eye, but we have had all the windows open and there is just a wonderful breeze. We have played on the back porch and just had a wonderful day. DD took a great quiet time and I was able to get some school work done. It has just been a day full of peace and I have to thank the angels for that today because I think they knew we needed it. Another amazing blessing is as of today we no longer have a car payment! I thought we had one more month to go but we received the letter today. I had to call because I was sure it was a mistake. I have never not had a car payment my whole life. I also think this is a blessing from the angels because they know how lean the summer months are and this will be a wonderful break. Although, I have decided to take that money and put it to paying off something else since it is already budgeted, but it does make us breathe a little easier for the summer. Again, the angels are working overtime for us today and I couldn't be more thankful!

Grace

Friday, April 18

I came across this on a shampoo bottle of all places and I just fell in love with it.  It makes so much sense to me.  I printed it out and now carry it with me in my day planner!  Enjoy.

Grace:

Philosophy:  Life is a classroom.  We are both student and teacher.  Each day is a test and each day we receive a passing or failing grade in one particular subject:  Grace.  Grace is compassion, gratitude, surrender, faith, forgiveness, good manners, reverence and the list goes on.  It's something money can't buy and credentials rarely produce.  Being the smartest, the prettiest, the most talented, the richest or even the poorest can't help.  Being a humble person can and being a helpful person can guide you through your days with Grace and Gratitude.

My Easter Experience

Hello Friend,

It has been a few days but I had wanted to gather my thoughts before putting them down on paper.  This was a tremendous Easter for me.  I went to my first Stations of the Cross.  It was actually done live with players and was incredibly powerful.  I always new the story of what happened, vaguely, but to see it enacted was at times very difficult to watch.  I just couldn't get past the pain.   It has compelled me to see the movie "The Passion of Christ."  I think one of the hardest things for me has been having faith.  What does that mean really?  I think over the past couple of years that has been a big question for me and the conclusion that I have found is that I'm not going to be given a magic formula for the answer.  The answer has to come from within and I have to relinquish the need to have total control!  Wow, that is hard!  I have friends that are just so amazing with their sense of faith and how it is such a big important part of their lives.  I look on them as my touchstones to really believing in faith and having it be important in my life.   Our Easter mass was amazing!  I left mass feeling so at peace, a peace I don't think I have every felt.  I guess you could say I had one of those "Aha" moments.  Now, I'm not silly to think there won't be ups and downs, but that is life!  Again, I'm such a work in progress.

My Brick Wall

Hello Friend,

I went to my first dance class in 4 years tonight! It was absolutely wonderful! It is a ballet/tap combo class for adults and there were 3 of us plus the teacher. It was great. I had boob sweat! I'm still in shock over the fact that I had boob sweat! I haven't had that in 4 years. It felt great. What wasn't so great was seeing myself in a leotard. That was definitely a low in the evening. I just wrote about it to my friends and that was tough. Finally admitting to myself that I need to get working. Hello my name is Kim and I'm a talker and not a doer about my health. Hello Kim! I just sat there staring, realizing that I have been in complete denial over how I felt about how I looked more importantly how I felt. Like I told my friends it wasn't all about how I looked but how I felt about my not being completely engaged in getting healthy and in shape. What was I thinking? We'll I can tell you..."it's not that bad." I have uttered that phrase to myself too many times. In dance class, you are always critiquing how you look during technique, choreography etc. You have to be honest with yourself and if something isn't working right you find a way to fix it. Why has it taken me so long to look in the mirror and be honest with myself that this isn't working and I have to fix my health? It was a good awakening in lighting the fire under my tush to be serious! I hope I didn't get too deep in relaying this story to my friends? I just hope I didn't get to heavy. I'm coming to realize that sometimes it isn't all you that get thoughts moving in the right direction. I know that the angels help point us in the right direction. Even though I have questioned my faith in the past I feel I have come full circle and am embracing my faith, knowing the Angels are talking! All I have to do is listen. I'm such a work in progress!! :-)

On the Mend In More Ways then One

Hello Friend,

We'll the entire house is on the way to getting back to some form of normalcy. The sickness is finally on the mend and DH is back from overseas. I'm also really looking forward to tomorrow nights "craft till you drop" night with friends. I really feel like I need a dose of friends and laughter. I'm in need of a good laugh. I have had a really hard time with lent this year. My Lenten promise this year was to give up negative thoughts for those that have hurt me, my family or my dear friends. This has been harder then I thought it would be. I have realized that forgiveness is a quality that I desperately need to incorporate into my soul. So, even though this has been hard I truly believe that this is what I am meant to be doing this Lenten season. Finding forgiveness. I know the angels are there to help.

Daily Gratitude's:

1. To god, for leading me down the path to forgiveness this Lenten season and every day.

2. To my DD, for just being in my life. I am so blessed with you in it.

3. To my DH, for getting home safely and cuddling with DD all day. She missed him so much and it warmed my heart!

Daily Gratitude

Hello Friend,

I have been really sick today so this is going to be short.

1. For my DD who was just wonderful today while I was sick. What a good listener today.

2. For my DM who was just amazingly helpful. It would have been so tough today without her help.

3. For god, I know he is watching over my family while we are spread out all over the world and keeping us safe.

Good Night!

Daily Gratitude

Hello Friend,

I didn't get in my daily gratitude's yesterday with trying to get DH ready for trip and studying for school. Making time for myself is something I really need to work on so here is today's.

1. For my DD who gently put her hands on either side of my face today and said "I love you mommy."

2. For the airlines for getting DH to destination safely.

3. For the wonderful wind and sun today on my lunch break from school. It blew away any negative thoughts I was having and gave me the breath of fresh air I so desperately needed at that time.

4. For my DM, who can always find a different color of grey in the grey areas and make them work.

5. For DH, for his unconditional love! Sappy I know, but so very true!

In The Beginning

So here I go. I have decided to give the blog thing a try. I'm excited, scared, nervous.... I guess you always feel that way when you tackle something new. I have decided to begin this blog as my daily gratitude journal. It is so easy to get caught up in the daily grind of life that we forget the positive, the good, the amazing. I'm also working on my 101 things in 1,001 days. One of my DF's is participating in this and I just love the idea. I'm such a list maker and this is just so much fun and inspiring. My goal is to finish my list it this weekend and get it up on my blog so I can see it and work on it every day. Lots to do, but if I don't do this for myself then who will?

Daily Gratitudes:

1. My DD, who amazes me, makes me laugh, tests my patience and who is the love and joy of my life every day! She made up her own song today for Chik-Fillet that included a dance! I have to look up theater classes for her. That may just need to be added to my 101 things list.

2. My DH, who works his tail off so I can be home with my DD. Who loves me on my good and bad days no matter what!

3. For the rain today so that all that needed to be washed away was washed away, to help the earth with its thirst, and for the fresh, crisp air that followed.

4. For my DF's. They always seem to be there for me before I realize I need them.

5. For my family. That is really all that needs to be said. I could probably do a whole blog on just my family.

Have a great night!