Happy Earth Day!

Today in honor of Earth Day my daughter and I cleaned up our road which we adopted through our city's Adopt-A-Road Program. Since we adopted our road 4 years ago we have noticed that our road has gotten much cleaner. The program coordinator mentioned that this often happens, when neighbors see others cleaning up the road it makes them more likely to pick up trash themselves.

We also did some spring cleaning of our closets and have many great items to donate to our local Goodwill store. I love Goodwill! They are great for helping people strive to reduce and reuse items. According to their website, Goodwill diverts more than two billion pounds of clothing and household goods every year from landfills. When you donate unwanted items to Goodwill you allow others to reduce their impact on the planet by purchasing used goods. When you shop at Goodwill you can not only reduce the amount of money you spend on items, you can reuse and recycle items that may otherwise end up in the landfill.

How did you celebrate Mother Earth today?

TV Turn Off Week Update

Well my family just completed a week without television and you know what it was no big deal! When I told people about it they couldn't believe we were going to go "a WHOLE week" without TV. It doesn't seem like we watch a lot of television around here - during the day when we are doing school it is off, then we head out for the afternoon activities, really it's just on in the evenings after dinner - so I was shocked when I saw our DVR recorded 25 hours of shows!! Could we possibly watch this much television a week? Well after I deleted the stuff I knew we wouldn't watch I was still left with 15 hours of television. I certainly am not going to watch all that this week, so it's time to evaluate which shows we really enjoy, which ones we watch just for background noise while doing other things, and which ones we watch just because they are there. If I survived last week without any television and actually accomplished more - read three books, organized my daughter's school portfolio, cleaned out some clutter, had my daughter help with cooking dinner, had some game nights, researched some really cool stuff for upcoming school projects, and had some fun family time - do I really want to go back to all that television? I am planning on pairing it down to 10 hours worth of shows, which is even less when you fast forward through the commercials. I am also going to edit how many shows we record a week and just record those we really enjoy. A week of no television every so often is a great way to keep your family's TV time under control. The next TV Turn Off Week is scheduled for September 20-26th.

10 Recycling Tips

So of course you are recycling, but there may be areas you can improve on. Check out this list of 10 great recycling tips:

1. Make sure you are recycling everything you can - contact your local recycling company for more information on what your community recycles.

2. Once you know what can be recycled, do your best to avoid items that can't be recycled.

3. Compost food scraps and yard waste.

4. Contact catalog companies to stop any catalogs you receive and choose to shop online instead.

5. Stop junk mail as much as you can by checking out the tips found at http://www.obviously.com/junkmail

6. Use the backs of any junk mail you receive for notes or shopping lists before putting them in the recycling bin.

7. Be sure to recycle your hazardous household waste properly, consult earth911.org for more info on how and where to recycle hazardous waste in your area.

8. Create an attractive and organized recycling center in your home so your family can easy help with your recycling efforts.

9. Create some recycling fun for your kids by making crafts with items that might typically end up in the trash. Need some inspiration, check your local library or bookstore for Laura C. Martin's book Recycled Crafts Box.

10. Try to find ways to recycle everything - donate used clothing to thrift stores, donate magazines, books, and movies to the library, donate cell phones to charitable organizations for recycling, donate old towels to the local animal shelter, donate craft supplies to local schools or nursing homes, offer items you no longer need on freecycle.org - the list goes on and on. Try to make the trash can the last choice for items you no longer need.

Disney's earth

If you didn't see Disney's new movie earth yet - you must! It is a wonderful film with phenomenal footage of some of the most amazing creatures on this planet. It is directed by Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield who also did the fantastic series Planet Earth. The main story focuses on a polar bear family, an elephant herd, and a humpback whale mother and calf, but the film will introduce you to never seen before animals like some of the captivating birds of paradise found in the rain forest. At the heart of the story is the perfect relationship between the Earth and the sun. The film reminds us of the fragile balance that our planet must maintain and how connected every organism is to others. The most amazing thing to me is the huge efforts some animals must undertake just to survive - long migrations for food and water, months without eating, and outmaneuvering hungry predators. After seeing the trials of these animals, is it really such an effort to remember your reusable bags as you head into the grocery store with its bounty of food or to to turn off the faucet while you brush your teeth? These simple actions are a small step in the direction of the efforts we need to take as a planet to help us keep these beautiful creatures around for future generations. As an added bonus, Disney will be planting a tree for every ticket sold during opening week of earth.

Happy Earth Day 2009!

Happy Earth Day! Earth Day was founded by Gaylord Nelson and was first celebrated on April 22, 1970 as a day to teach people about the environmental dangers facing our earth. Like most holidays, Earth Day is becoming commercialized and over-hyped. Thinking about the Earth and our impact on it one day a year is not enough. What can you do to celebrate Earth Day in a meaningful way? As a family pledge to make one small change that you can continue long term to make every day Earth Day. Remind your family of the beauty of our planet by spending time outdoors- go on a nature hike, a stroll on the beach, or stargazing.

Celebrating Earth Day

Wednesday, April 22nd is Earth Day, a day to reconnect with nature and to pledge to protect our environment. Looking for ways to celebrate Earth Day with your family?

1. Take a hike through nature and appreciate being outside.

2. Read Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, a wonderful story with a powerful message.

3. Participate in a beach clean-up.

4. Sign a family pledge to make every day Earth Day by recycling, conserving energy and saving water.

5. Educate your children about key environmental issues like global warming, water conservation, protecting endangered species, and pollution.

6. Host an Earth Dinner - where the focus is on local, sustainable, and organic food. It is a time to reflect on the food's journey to your table - where was it grown and by whom? For more information on hosting an Earth Dinner, visit www.earthdinner.org

Why go veg?

Choosing to eat vegetarian is not just an ethical decision it is an environmental one. Factory farms use extreme amounts of water and grains and produce tons of CO2 emissions. How much of a difference can a vegetarian diet make?

If everyone went vegetarian just for one day, the U.S. would save 100 billion gallons of water, 70 million gallons of gas and 3 million acres of land. We would also eliminate greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 1.2 million tons of CO2, as much as what all of France produces!

Not ready to go completely vegetarian - make a difference for your family's and the planet's health by choosing to serve at least once vegetarian meal a week. Will this make a difference - you bet! According to Environmental Defense, if every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetarian foods instead, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than half a million cars off of U.S. roads.

Celebrate Earth Day this week with a vegetarian meal. Looking for some great vegetarian recipes? Check out www.vegweb.com

TV Turn Off Week

April 20-26th is TV Turn Off Week. Why should you turn off your TV? Televisions, video games, and computers cut into family time, lead to a sedentary lifestyle, and use a lot of electricity. How big is the problem? We are currently a society of more televisions than people. On average, people watch 4 hours of television and then spend another 4 plus hours with computers, games, iPods and cell phones - this is just for recreational use and does not include work use of these devices. By turning off screens(television, computer, and games) you will gain time to think, read, create, and connect with family and friends. Learn more at www.screentime.org.
Need some ideas for how to spend your free time?

1. Visit the library for books you can read aloud as a family.
2. Attend events in the community - concerts, plays, school sporting events,etc.
3. Cook a meal together as a family.
4. Have a family game night.
5. Put a puzzle together.
6. Visit a zoo or museum.
7. Go on a bike ride, skateboarding, roller skating, or play a game outside.
8. Volunteer in the community.
9. Write letters to friends and relatives instead of emailing.
10. Plant a garden.
11. Go on a nature hike.
12. Clean out your closets and donate excess items to Goodwill.
13. Start a journal.
14. Work on your favorite craft or learn a new one.
15. Bake a batch of homemade cookies.
16. Check out the night sky for constellations and planets.
17. Go through old photo albums and share stories as a family.
18. Write a story.
19. Teach your pet a new trick.
20. Go for a walk around your neighborhood.

Earth Day 2009 Freebies

With Earth Day coming this Wednesday several companies are offering some earth-friendly freebies.

Home Depot
Starting April 19th Home Depot is giving away one million Ecosmart CFL lighbulbs and water-saving faucet aerator inserts in their stores. Home Depot is also offering a free Eco-Options workshop Saturday April 25th. Visit www.homedepot.com for more information and to find your local store.

Calypso Studios
Calypso Studios who make great reusable bags is giving away $10,000 worth of their Acts of Kindness bags. Visit their website and register before 12pm on April 22nd for your chance to win http://calypso.cameoez.com/catalog

Grist.org
Join grist.org by April 23rd and receive an exclusive free download of their award winning book, Wake Up and Smell the Planet and you will also be entered for a chance to win tickets and airfare for two to the 2009 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, TN June 11-14.

eco-officegals.com
The Eco-Office Gals are having a “Green My World” giveaway worth over $400! I love this site they have tons of great tips & green product info

Reynolds Wrap
This Earth Day, try Reynolds Wrap® Foil from 100% Recycled Aluminum Free with mail-in rebate (up to $3.99) Rebate available for download only on Earth starting at 4:22am at their website www.reynoldsrecycled.com

Target
On April 19th Target is giving away 1 million reusable bags with any purchase. Visit www.target.com for your local store.

Happy Earth Day 2008

Happy Earth Day! Earth Day was founded by Gaylord Nelson and was first celebrated on April 22, 1970 as a day to teach people about the environmental dangers facing our earth. Unfortunately this year Earth Day seems to have gone commercial - stores are using the day as a way to boost sales. While some of the products being sold are better for the environment than some conventional items - Earth Day is not about shopping. Use today as a way to reconnect with the Earth - wander in nature, perform a community service project that benefits the Earth or enjoy an organic meal with your family - check out www.earthdinner.org for some great ideas. Our family will celebrate the day by spending time in nature and my daughter and her friends are going to clean up a local beach. Today try to make at least one change that will impact the Earth - set up a recycling center, reuse a shopping bag, ride your bike for a local errand, take a shorter shower, or anything you can think of to let Mother Earth know you care.

Living with less

In honor of Earth Week, my family is taking Oprah's "Live with Less" challenge. The challenge is a great way to reduce your impact on the Earth and kick some bad habits. The key points of the challenge - no eating out, no bottled water, no disposable plates, cups, or napkins, no video games, only 1 hour of TV a night, computers for school work only, 8 minute showers, and most importantly no buying anything other than food for seven days. The no bottled water, no disposables, and no video games will be a piece of cake - we don't use any of those anyway. However for myself the challenge will be the computer - this blog I'm counting as my "schoolwork". For my daughter the challenge will be the 8 minute shower, sometimes she's in the shower so long I think she will grow gills. For my husband I think it will be the no eating out. Wish us luck, I'll keep you posted on how it is going. If you're interested in taking the challenge with your family, go to www.oprah.com for more info.

Earth Week

This week in honor of Earth Day - April 22nd - my family will be working to make the world a better place. Today my daughter and I cleaned up our road which we had previously adopted through our town's Adopt A Road program. It gave us an opportunity to get out in our community and visit with our neighbors while making our neighborhood a better place. When attempting to find a way to help Mother Earth remember - Think Globally, Act Locally.


* Sorry to disappoint anyone who was looking for this week's pancake recipe. My daughter spent the weekend with her grandparents and didn't come home today until after lunch, but don't worry her Grandma made her pancakes this morning :)