Poop Happens

Posted by Jen 1.29.2011 3 comments


I have always laughed when friends tell their stories of their kids shitting in the tub. B poops pretty much on schedule it seems so I always figured we were in the clear. I was wrong. Tonight B pooped in the tub. Thankfully we are a 2 tub family so I had another place to quickly give him his bath. But now that the laughing and swearing has stopped I have to think about how to clean his toys. Cleaning the tub was easy. I used my Method Tub and Tile cleaner and hot water. But the toys are different...some of them are squirt toys.  I have been doing some research on how to clean them properly and have come across some interesting answers. Of course a lot of people suggest bleach but that is a no go in our home so I looked at the next most popular idea. Believe it or not it was to put the toys in the dishwasher with an environmentally friendly soap. The next most popular suggestion was to soak them in vinegar.

I am doing a combination of both. I am soaking them in straight vinegar and then they are going in the dishwasher.

Let's hope this does not become a pattern because he sure seemed to think the whole thing was hilarious.

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Greenpeace

Posted by Jen 1.26.2011 1 comments


For years I have had to justify why I chose to work in industry instead of working for the government or a NGO. It was the Green Business class in 4th year at university that sealed the deal for me. I wanted to make change from within industry not by fighting against it. At that time I found myself saying that I would never be as "crazy" as those Greenpeace guys (and girls). My perception was that all they did was ride zodiac's in front of whalers and chain themselves to tree's.  And while they do do that what I came to realize is that it is not all they do. In fact in a lot of ways they approached things just how I have...from affecting change from within industry and government.

I picked up the book Greenpeace by Rex Weyler a few years ago and read it while on vacation. I could not put it down. Holy cow was I totally wrong. Yes there were zodiac's involved but more importantly there was passion and a desire to make change in a big way. This book was a huge eye opener for me. The sacrifices that were made to make my world a better place were immense. The founders shaped the environmental movement that I am today part of. I learned that in the early years Greenpeace did more than just demonstrating, they also talked to companies and government. They tried to make change in the same way that I try to in my career.

I have always been proud to be a Canadian and reading about Greenpeace being started in Canada has made me want to sew an even bigger Canada flag patch onto my backpack. COME ONE CANADIANS!!! You know you have one too!

What struck me the most about the story of Greenpeace is that the founders and their families were people like YOU and ME. I know a lot of people think that 1 person can not make a difference. But what about 1 person who finds someone else who also wants to make the same difference? And what if those 2 people find 5 other people? You know what happens.....from the warm glow of a light in someones small kitchen a fantastic organization like Greenpeace is born.

Have you ever had a book 'change' you? This book did that for me. I am sure that sounds silly to some people but it made me look at my life and what I want out of it. What would be my legacy? I know that at some point in my life I will work for a NGO. Funny how full circle that comes eh? I started out of school saying I needed to make change from within industry and then here I am feeling all crunchy and wanting to work for an organization that owns zodiac's, thick chains and repels tall buildings to hang signs!

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Green Tips Tuesday - Food

Posted by Jen 1.25.2011 1 comments

Eating local can be hard in the winter time if you live in a colder climate like we do. I tried canning a few years ago and well...it didn't work out too well. I must try it again though. Fruits I freeze and then use for smoothies throughout the winter.

What do you do to ensure you continue to eat local and organic food throughout the months where these foods are not readily available to you?  Add your tip or tips below!

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Disappointed

Posted by Jen 1.22.2011 2 comments


I hate our tile floor. It is in the kitchen, the powder room, the front hall and the hall back to the garage. Whoever picked it out when this house was build can seriously kiss my ass. It has that pitted kind of texture to it which I have determined means it is impossible to get clean. I have tried a steam mop and had no success at all. Today I finally gave in and used a mop with some old cleaner we had in the garage. I am disappointed in myself for using a cleaner but I feel like I had no other option. The floor needs to be clean and nothing works. And by nothing I mean even the cleaner didn't work. Le sigh. If it hadn't been nap time I would have taken a sledge hammer to the floor today.

Does anyone else have a tile floor that is similar? How on earth do you get it clean. And please don't tell me scrubbing on your hands and knees because there is just too much floor for that!

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Why I don't have a hybrid

Posted by Jen 1.19.2011 1 comments


I get asked all the time why I don't have a hybrid. Is it a common expectation for every environmentalist to have one? Hybrids are insanely expensive up here (more expensive than in the US) so I am sure that prevents a lot of people from buying one. For us it is simply because our current car works well. It is only 7 years old, has great fuel economy and purrs like a kitten. I have thought about trading it in and upgrading to a hybrid but that would actually create a bigger environmental burden. The additional materials to build a new car and then adding yet another car to the used vehicle market. It is better for us to continue to use this car and then in the future invest in a hybrid.

Perhaps by then Mazda will finally have a hybrid car. SERIOUSLY MAZDA GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME!!!

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A Change in Habits

Posted by Jen 1.16.2011 5 comments


At home we have many waste diversion options available. We have recycling, backyard composting and a curbside compost program. At work I have recycling only. Typically things that I would normally compost at home I throw in the trash at work because that is the only option available to me. Until I had a total 'WTH am I doing' moment. Why was I not bringing my compostables from work home with me to put into our composter? We aren't talking about a large amount of compostables here but every little bit adds up over time.

For the past two weeks I have been bringing my tea bags, kleenex, paper towel, banana peels, apple cores etc. home with me. I am sure people find it odd to see me keep these things and not throw them out. If anyone asks I will just explain what I am doing and why...and who knows maybe it will encourage others to do the same!

What do you have available to you at work? Do have to bringing your trash home with you to be able to divert it from the landfill?

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Bathroom Waste - NOT Poop Related

Posted by Jen 1.13.2011 5 comments


Right now in our bathrooms we have just one waste receptacle. So everything goes in there and then I have to sort it when it is time to empty it. Lately this has been annoying me. I would rather separate it right from the start but the idea of having 3 bins in each bathroom seems to be a bit overboard to me.  I have found one from simplehuman that has 2 divisions which could work if I can't find one with 3 but it is almost $200. That is just plain crazy.

What do you do? Do you just have one bin and sort later? Do you have multiple bins lined up side by side? Do you have bins inside your cabinets?


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Green Blog Hop!

Posted by Jen 1.12.2011 2 comments


If you are looking for some new Green blogs to follow check out this weekly blog hop. If you have a Green blog then just add your link at the bottom!


Each week, starting next week, there will be a fifth, Featured Blog to be followed as well. To qualify to be the Featured Blog, you will need to participate in all of the guidelines. I will pick one at random from all qualifiers. I will email you the Monday before the Hop, if you are chosen.


MANDATORY:
* Add your blog's home page to the Linky list! I will be monitoring the blogs to make sure we only have 'green', family-friendly blogs involved.
* Follow the 4 hosts and the blog ahead of yours. Make sure to leave comments on each of the blog so they can follow you back! The more you follow, the more will follow you back!

OPTIONAL: (You don't have to do these to enter the hop, but you must do both to qualify for the Featured Blog position)
* Grab the new Green Mama Blog Hop button and place it on your home page.
* Put the button into a post on your blog. Then leave a comment on this Hop post with the link.

This hop will open each Tuesday night and will be open all week. It will start over each week, so keep coming back each week to enter!

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Day 8 - No Impact Experiment

Posted by Jen 1.09.2011 3 comments

Well folks...we come to the last day of the No Impact Experiment. Today was the Eco-Sabbath. A day to reconnect with family and just plain old relax. So that is what I did. It also allowed me time to reflect on this past week and what impact it has made on our family. I want to say that by participating I came out of this feeling awesome about our efforts but that is not the reality. I know we have done a lot to reduce our impact but when it came down to trying to find new things to do each and every day...and have those be sustainable in our life...well that was hard. If I was to do this again I would prepare well in advance. I would calculate everything for each day so I know what a typical week is like for us and then I would go all out during the actual week. Try to live off the grid, only eat foods that are low on carbon footprint and water consumption, work from home....

There was some positive out of this week. I interacted with some fantastic people on twitter. I learned more about what they are doing in their lives and communities. I also came up with some plans for this year including making the switch to cloth diapers, not using the dryer and becoming more involved in our community.

I have also had some fantastic comments left here with words of encouragement and new ideas for us to try out. Keep those coming. I love hearing about what others are doing to reduce their impact!

So my final updates are as follows:

Day 1: Consumption Update - Did not buy anything today
Day 2: Trash Update - 3 diapers, 1 cereal bar wrapper, 1 cottage cheese seal
Day 3: Transportation Update - Did not drive anywhere
Day 4: Food Update - 2030 CO2e
Day 5: Energy Update - Line drying
Day 6: Water Update - Paid attention to how long I was in the shower

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Day 7 - No Impact Experiment

Posted by Jen 1.08.2011 4 comments

I thought I was good about giving back. But after some reflection today I have realized how much I really suck at it. I don't really do all that much at all and it has kind of made me a debbie downer today. In the fall I did the Weekend to End Womens Cancers walk and felt so awesome that I was doing something to help others. I love that feeling....it is like a rush. So why don't I do more? I just do not have the answer to that. I think it is hard to find local things that I can become involved in. Especially something that I will be passionate about. I know it needs to be something that is long term and not just a one day thing. When I was pregnant I would drive by the Rare project sites and tell myself I would become involved. I still haven't.

I don't want to make it seem like I do nothing at all. Because I do. But when I hear what others are doing I feel like my contribution is insignificant. I have always taken the approach of teaching others how to live a sustainable life. That is part of the reason I have this blog and it does reflect in some of the ways I have given back. I went to school for the environment and work in a field that has some focus on it...although not nearly as much as I would like.

I support local farmers, donate to charities and plant trees. Time to really examine what I can do to give back to our community.

Today we are going to go through all our clothing and determine what we can donate. There are people out there who can use what we are no longer using. We will do the same with our pantry.

What do you to give back either locally or globally? Inspire me, inspire others.

Plans
* Get involved with Rare
* Research local opportunities to get involved
* Stop being a debbie downer

Day 1: Consumption Update - Did not buy anything
Day 2: Trash Update - 3 diapers, 4 wipes, 1 cereal bar wrapper, 1 bag frozen peas, 1 piece plastic wrap, butchers paper and plastic from fish
Day 3: Transportation Update - Did not drive anywhere
Day 4: Food Update - 3117 CO2e
Day 5: Energy Update - Doing lots of line drying today
Day 6: Water Update - Need to get some more salt because have hard water spots on everything making it so I have to rewash dishes

Giving Back Updates
Day 8 - Did some work on The GreenPages

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Random Act of Kindness

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Day 6 - No Impact Experiment

Posted by Jen 1.07.2011 0 comments


Water is an easy one for me. I really do not use that much of it at all. Today I was to assess how much water I use, what I use it for and then do a few calculations. I think it is easy to focus on your own consumption in your home and work and find ways to reduce it. But where it gets hard is the water used to produce the food you eat or the products you buy.

The first calculation I had to do was about my water footprint which is the amount of water required to produce the goods and services I consume. One of the questions for the total side-eye from me. It was 'How long per week do you spend rinsing equipment, driveways, or sidewalks each week?' PEOPLE REALLY DO THIS? Shit I thought it was just in the movies!


Here were my results:


Water used to produce my food - 227 cubic meters/year
Water used within my home - 25 cubic meters/year
Industrial water used to produced goods/services for me - 1517 cubic meters/year


Total water is 1770 cubic meters.year. The average for Canada is 2049 which means I am well below that. Awesomesauce!  For comparison the average annual consumption for the US is 2483 and the UK is 1245.

Want to know how much water it takes to produce what you ate and drank today? Check out this calculation. Holy crapballs. An 8oz glass of wine uses 58 gallons of water to be produced. My favourites are taking a real hit this week. First cereal and now wine????

Plans
* Find out if a low flow toilet can be converted to a dual flush toilet
* Look for ways to reuse water - like from pasta or vegetables (I don't have plants because someone ::looks at cat:: would eat them)
* Dream about a grey water system in future awesome house
* Research which foods and products use the most water and adjust spending habits accordingly


Day 1: Consumption Update - did not buy anything today
Day 2: Trash Update - 3 diapers, 5 wipes, 1 cereal bar wrapper
Day 3: Transportation Update - Drove to and from work (with daycare drop off and pickup) ~30km
Day 4: Food Update - 1680 CO2e
Day 5: Energy Update - Same as yesterday 

Water Updates
Day 7 - Have to get some more salt because I am having to rewash things that are coming out with hard water spots.
Day 8 - Really paid attention to how long I was spending in the shower

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Day 5 - No Impact Experiment

Posted by Jen 0 comments

Today is hard. Actually this whole week is hard. I really struggle to find new ways to reduce our impact. I don't want to seem like I am bragging or anything like that but once you have already reduced your impact so much it is hard to do a week like this and come up with even more ways to cut back. And maybe I am just not feeling all that creative this week? Could I live without any energy? I really do not think I could. Can I cut back on what energy we are using? Yes. But I guess I am starting to feel like it is not enough. Joe and I have talked about building a house and taking it off the grid and yesterday I thought a lot about that and when it can become a reality. But right now it isn't our reality ::sad face::

Today I am supposed to inventory everything in the house that uses any form of energy. I thought my list would be bigger than it is...so I guess that is a good thing? I was then to indicate what I would normally use over the next 4 days and then what I could eliminate or mitigate the use of. Of the 55 things we have that use energy (electricity, batteries, gas etc) I would normally use 28 of them over the next 4 days (keep in mind I counted each light in the house in this total). Of that 28 I can mitigate my use of 16 of them, 1 I can eliminate and 11 I don't feel I can eliminate or mitigate the use of.

I really wish this theme had been on a weekend. I think I would have felt like I had more control over making changes that way. I mean really how much control do I  have over the energy usage in my work environment? I worked with less lighting and my laptop on just the battery (for 7 hours) but other than that it's not like I can control the temperature in here.

Plans
* Live without the dryer for 2 weeks. I will miss my nice warm sheets!!!
* Look into Bullfrog Power
* Determine if we can install more motion sensors on our lights

Day 1: Consumption Update - I didn't buy anything today
Day 2: Trash Update - 3 diaper, 5 wipes, plastic wrap from whole chicken, absorbent pad under whole chicken, cereal bar wrapper, Joe's gum, plastic bag from frozen corn.
Day 3: Transportation Update - Drove to and from work (with daycare drop off and pickup) ~ 30km
Day 4: Food Update - 1967 CO2e (damn you non seasonal vegetables!!!)

Energy Updates
Day 6: Same as Day 5
Day 7: Doing lots of line drying today
Day 8: Did lots of line drying

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Day 4 - No Impact Experiment

Posted by Jen 1.05.2011 4 comments

Are you sitting down? You should...I will wait while you do. Okay...cereal is bad for the environment. CEREAL! We eat a lot of cereal around here as it is the snack of choice (and before B sometimes the dinner of choice). I knew that some cereal were worse than others and that there was GMO's in some of them. But I was shocked when I entered my numbers into the 'foodprint' tool and saw just how bad it is.

First a bit of background. The units of measure are carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emission of greenhouse gases. 1 point = 0.035 oz of CO2e. Studies indicate that 4500 CO2e points would be a 'high carbon' diet and is the equivalent of 3 tons of CO2e a year...or 3 round trip 3 hour flights. Wowza.

Okay so what are the heavy hitters?  Meat and dairy are the highest...heck a 6oz steak (6oz) is 7189 CO2e! This is because the animals are naturally emitting methane.

What does all of this mean for us? We really try to eat local and organic. Neither of which can really be factored in when calculating your 'foodprint' so we get no credit for that in this game. What helps keep our numbers down is meat...or lack there of. No we are not veggies but we don't eat meat at every meal. And if we do eat meat 90% of the time it is local and 50% of the time it is organic, free range, antibiotic/hormone free. So I don't feel bad about eating meat.

My CO2e points for Tuesday were 2175 and today it was 1572. In actual CO2e that means yesterday my eating habits created 76.13oz  and today 55.02oz of greenhouse gas emissions. If we take those as an average that would mean over a course of a year I will have created 0.66 tons of greenhouse emissions.

I found today to be very eye opening. I also found it to be very tough because I love food and am a total snacker. I don't really eat lunch or breakfast I just eat small things all day long. So I eat a lot of yogurt, fruit and vegetables. In the summer it is way easier to eat locally but in the winter it is hard..actually it is virtually impossible unless I can/freeze/pickle summer produce.

Day 1: Consumption Update - Nothing purchased today.
Day 2: Trash Update - 3 diapers, 3 wipes, 1 cereal bar wrapper, 1 piece of plastic wrap
Day 3: Transportation Update - Drove to and from work (with daycare drop off and pickup) ~ 30km

Food Updates
Day 5: 1976 CO2e mainly from carrots and potatoes.
Day 6: 1680 CO2e
Day 7: 3117 CO2e - salmon and cereal in the same was not a good idea I guess
Day 8: 2030 CO2e

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Day 3 - No Impact Experiment

Posted by Jen 1.04.2011 1 comments


I thought today would be the hardest day because the focus was transportation and I have to drive to work. The mass transit here is okay but not the greatest from home to work. Plus I have to drop B off and pick him up from daycare so that complicates things. But then something outside of my control happened and I had to work from home. So no driving for this girl! You know I never thought about asking to work from home when I first read that today would be about reducing our transportation impact. I don't know why I didn't think about it but it is such an easy way to reduce your impact. If you have that option then that is awesome!

To reduce my impact on a regular basis I have carpooled with a coworker but we both have to do daycare drop off and pick up so it just doesn't work. So instead I make sure that my car is maintained so that it operates at peak efficiency.

Day 1: Consumption Update - Did not buy anything
Day 2: Trash Update - 3 diapers, 4 wipes, 1 cereal bar wrapper

Transportation Updates
Day 4: Drove to and from work (with daycare dropoff and pick up) ~30km
Day 5: Drove to and from work (with daycare dropoff and pick up) ~30km
Day 6: Drove to and from work (with daycare dropoff and pick up) ~30km
Day 7: Did not drive anywhere
Day 8: Did not drive anywhere


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Day 2 - No Impact Experiment

Posted by Jen 1.03.2011 0 comments


Day 2 focuses on trash. If you allow me to AW for a moment I have to say that today is easy for me. I don't have a big trash problem as I have worked hard over the last year to really cut it down. Right now our trash is diapers, wipes and plastic that I am unsure of what to do with.

In preparation for today I wrote out everything I put into the trash yesterday. I broke it out into 2 categories: things I used for more than 10 minutes and things I used for less than 10 minutes. It is crazy when you look at it this way and see just how much you throw away that you use for next to no time at all.

Here is what it looked like:
More than 10 minutes - diapers (5), cereal bag (2)
Less than 10 minutes - wipes (12), cereal bar wrapper, cookie wrapper, Q-tip (2)

I collected the trash today (so this means things that would end up in the landfill - not what is recycled or composted). Here is what we had:  More than 10 minutes - diapers (3). Less than 10 minutes - wipes (4), cottage cheese plastic seal (2), sticker around organic banana's, cereal bar wrapper.

Today I avoided generating trash by not using produce bags at the grocery store and by recycling or composting everything else that I generated except what was listed above.

Plans
* I am looking into cloth diapers as a transition to potty training.
* I am going to make my own cloth wipes
* Looking into Terra Cycle Canada and if they will take the cereal bar wrappers
* Am going to stop buying these organic baby cookies since I can't recycle the plastic they come in
* I already have a water bottle for work and use a mug for tea. I will be taking a spoon with me to stir my tea and I have handmade sandwich bags that I use for work.
* I will continue with my no-printing streak at work

Trash Updates
Day 3 - 3 diapes, 4 wipes, 1 cereal bar wrapper.
Day 4 - 3 diapers, 3 wipes, 1 cereal bar wrapper, 1 piece plastic wrap
Day 5 - 3 diapers, 5 wipes, 1 cereal bar wrapper, plastic from whole chicken, absorbent pad under whole chicken, 1 piece of gum, 1 plastic bag from frozen corn
Day 6 - 3 diapers, 5 wipes, 1 cereal bar wrapper
Day 7 - 3 diapers, 4 wipes, 1 cereal bar wrapper, 1 bag frozen peas, 1 piece plastic wrap, butchers paper and plastic from fish
Day 8: 3 diapers, 5 wipes, 1 cereeal bar wrapper, 1 cottage cheese seal






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Greening your Laundry Room

Posted by Jen 2 comments


Our laundry room is unfinished. Yes this annoys me greatly but it is what it is right now. I dream about what kind of laundry room I would want and what sustainable materials I would use. Hopefully in the near future the basement will get finished and I will be able to build it the way I want to!

In the meantime there are loads of things you can do to improve the environmental impact of your laundry room.

Selecting your machines
If your washer and dryer work well then it is worth it to keep it until it starts to get old and not work effectively. When it comes time to replace them look at the energy efficiency. You would be amazed at how little energy the new HE Energy Star one's use. Look for features like being able to do shorter cycles, less of a spin cycle, varying water/heat temperatures etc. When we were selecting our dryer we went with gas because it was more energy efficient then the electric version.

Laundry products
There are lots of options for detergent on the market. You can even make your own or buy homemade from Etsy. We use Ecos detergent as we like the liquid better than the powder. Joe likes to use it on his white's. but I refuse to use it on my clothes or B's clothes because of the toxins that chlorine bleach contains and releases during its use. There are several environmentally friendly alternatives that you can use from brands like Seventh Generation or Ecos or you can make your own by using products like vinegar, borax, washing soda or lemon juice.

If you like to use a fabric softener you can purchase an environmentally friendly version from Seventh Generation or use vinegar! We don't have to use fabric softener because the detergenct we use has it built in. In the dryer you can use wool dryer balls to help combat static. They are easy to make yourself or you can purchase them on Etsy. Yes you can buy PVC dryer balls easily in a store but come on...they are PVC!

If you have stains you can use a stain remover like Gloves Off or Oxi-Clean. I find the best way to get rid of them is to rinse and soak them right away if at all possible.

Doing your laundry
I use cold/cold water for all loads except towels and linens. For those I use hot/cold. Using cold water is going to save you on the energy (and associated emissions) from having to heat the water. And seriously contrary to what some detergent companies say I have never seen it affect the performance of my detergent.

I don't use the dryer for very many things. Again mostly towels and linens. Everything else I dry on my indoor clothes line. I sometimes throw things into the dryer for 10 minutes to soften it up a bit if required.

Do your laundry in off peak hours. It is going to save you money if your utility company has a scaled rate.

Maintenance
To ensure your machines operate at their top efficiency it is important that you maintain them. It takes simple things like removing lint from the lint drawer between each load. I know I have been guilty of forgetting to clean it out and then freaking out when my sheets aren't dry at 11PM when I want to go to bed. I save our lint and use it as fire starter when we go camping. You can also use it to make fake mice to freak people out or if you are boring you can compost it.

Lint is a fire hazard so it is also important for safety reasons that you clean out your vents and ducts. It is also going to improve the efficiency of your dryer, so win-win-win.

What have you done to green up your laundry room?

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Day 1 - No Impact Experiment

Posted by Jen 1.02.2011 4 comments


I started the No Impact Experiment today. Each day will have a specific focus and the goal is to reduce your overall footprint over the course of the week.

For Day 1 the focus is Consumption. The goal is to reduce the amount that you consume within the week. To look at what you want and need to purchase differently. So I made a list of everything I need and want to buy this week and then I cut that down to what I need to buy.

Here is my list:
- Banana's (organic, can compost peel)
- Avocado (organic, can compost rind, recycle bag?)
- Blueberries (can recycle container)
- Blackberries (WILL NOT BUY - already have some but was going to get more due to a sale)
- Bread (WILL NOT BUY - can do without)
- Razor blades
- Diapers (can I find someone who will let me borrow a few CD's for night time?)
- Wipes (WILL NOT BUY - going to make my own)
- Butt stuff  (natural and organic)
- Yogurt (organic, can recycle containers)
- Organic oats (WILL NOT BUY - already have some but was going to get more due to a sale)
- Whole chicken (will try to find free range antibiotic/hormone free)
- Roast (will try to find organic)
- Cereal bars (organic, recycle box, wrapper is trash though *I think*)
- Pop (WILL NOT BUY - don't need)
- Cottage cheese
- Cheese
- Cereal (WILL NOT BUY - don't need)
- Beans
- Alpha getti (WILL NOT BUY - don't need)
- Pasta sauce (find organic?)
- Green peppers
- Mushrooms
- Dishwasher detergent (biodegradable, phosphate free)
- Bra's (WILL NOT BUY - will get another time)
- Winter coat (WILL NOT BUY - Find one 2nd hand?)
- Winter boots (WILL NOT BUY - will get another time)

So my list has 27 things on it and of that 10 I am not going to buy, 6 are environmentally friendly, 5 I am going to look for an environmentally friendly alternative. Not too shabby.

Throughout the week I will report back daily on how I am doing with consumption. It is not too late to sign up if you are interested. Just head over to the No Impact Project and register.

Day 2 Update
Went to the store today and stuck to my list! Even with the tempting 'deep discount' Burts Bee's sale. Yes I would like to have some of their body scrub but I do not need it so it stayed on the shelf. They did not have any beef or pork that was free range and antibiotic/hormone free so I didn't buy any. The organic avocado's were rotten and I could  have bought the non organic one's but decided not to (and B hates the non organic one's anyways).

It was easy to not buy things when you ask yourself 'do I really need this?' Plus we were in and out of the grocery store in 30 minutes and spent under $100.

Consumption UpdatesDay 3 - Did not buy anything
Day 4 - Did not buy anything
Day 5 - Did not buy anything
Day 6 - Did not buy anything
Day 7 - Did not buy anything
Day 8 - Did not buy anything

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Green Cleaner Review - Earth Friendly Dishwasher Gel

Posted by Jen 2 comments






After trying another dishwasher gel and not being happy with the results I started looking for another product. I was really happy with the Ecos laundry detergent so I thought I would give their dishwasher gel a try. I am really happy that I did because it is awesome. Our dishes came out very clean even when I didn't rinse them all that well.

I use the free and clear variety and it is free from phosphates, dioxins, formaldehyde, ammonia, chlorine and caustics. It is also biodegradable because it is made from plant based materials that are digested by bacteria.

What don't I like? It is only available in a smaller bottle (40oz). I never remember to buy 2 when I go so I am always having to go get more. It isn't available at the grocery store..only Canadian Tire and I am not there that often so it is a special trip just for this.

If you are looking for an environmentally friendly dishwasher gel I would highly recommend this one! I promise you will not be disappointed.

*** I have not been paid to review this product nor was I given any of this product to review. I bought the product myself and am reviewing it on my own.

Related Posts - Check them Out
Green Cleaner Reviews
My Green To Do List

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No Impact Experiment

Posted by Jen 1.01.2011 0 comments


The No Impact Experiment is a week long challenge with a focus on reducing your personal impact on the environment as much as possible. This year I will be participating.

I will summarize my posts here each day.

Day 1 - Consumption
Day 2 - Trash
Day 3 - Transportation
Day 4 - Food
Day 5 - Energy
Day 6 - Water
Day 7 - Giving Back
Day 8 - Eco-Sabbath

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2011 - Oh how I will own you

Posted by Jen 2 comments


2011 is going to be a good year. There is no where to go but up from 2010. I have big plans for this year....and I am excited to share some of these moments with you. I don't do new years resolutions but rather I do the 101 in 1001. In April I will post the results of my current 101 in 1001 and then my new list. I have already started to draft it and I am excited about what I have come up with.

When it comes to this blog I plan on spending more time blogging and tweeting. So you will see more content from me. If there is anything you want me to talk about just let me know. I am always open to suggestions. I really do try to keep it personal to what we are doing to go green with a hint of WTF'ery when I see something that makes me laugh or scratch my chin (or throw stuff).

Do you have plans to become more green in 2011? I would love to hear them! It would be interesting to see how many of us are focusing on the same topics and if there is a way we can help each other.

2010 was the year of OH HELLZ NO. 2011 will be the year of - HELLZ YES!!!.

Related Posts - Check them Out
101 in 1001 Update
::Rolls Eyes Hard::
You Take the Good, You take the Bad

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