Kids At Play Table

I made my worm composter last January.  After many-a-google search I finally found the plans for a very cheap and easy to make stackable bin system.  (I added a lot more holes and my holes were smaller.  I was paranoid about the worms escaping, since my vermi-compost bin is mostly indoors.)

Once the vermi-compost bin was complete, I purchased 2,000 little “red wrigglers” here.  They arrived quickly and in good shape despite the Chicago winter weather.  I followed the instructions supplied with the little fella’s and started shredding junk mail and chopping food scraps.  The worms turned out to be surprisingly finicky, but once I figured out their likes (banana peals, carrots, parsley stems) and dislikes (onions, red cabbage, oranges) I had enough black gold (castings) to fertilize my entire garden!

Around the end of the fall I had WAY more than the 2,000 worms I had originally ordered.  I had also moved the bin outside since the weather was suitable for them.  What I forgot to do was drain the water that had collected in the bins after 3 days of rain.  :0  Once the rain stopped I figured the worms had all drowned, so I dumped the bin’s contents (bedding, castings, and carcasses) in an area of dirt near the house that never grew anything very well.  I hoped the castings left in the soggy bin would be enough to improve the soil there for the next spring.  As the ground absorbed the rain water I realized the little troopers were still alive!  I had no intentions of digging through goopy castings to keep the worms, so I said good-bye and hoped they’d find new homes.

Quickly approaching the next spring I am very curious as to the condition of that soil now.  It’s got to be the highest quality dirt my yard has to offer!  We shall see in the next few months.  {fingers crossed}  With the anticipation of spring and all kinds of plans for an edible garden floating around in my head I knew I need to restart my worm farm.  I ordered another 2,000 worms from the same place and they are making themselves right at home.  Bring on S-P-R-I-N-G!

Worm Composting Myths:

1. The compost bin smells- So not true!  As long as you don’t put food they aren’t suppose to eat (like:  meat, fish, oil, etc.) the bin should really be odor free.  AND make sure all scraps are buried (no exposure).
2. It attracts mice or rats-  Again, not true!  As long as you don’t put food they aren’t supposed to eat…….notice a pattern yet?
3. Composting Attracts House Flies-  Nope!  As long as you don’t put food they aren’t suppose to eat……..

Even with my bin outdoors not even a raccoon got into it.  Raccoons are very smart and if one really wanted to, I am sure it could have gotten in to my bin.  I do take pride however, in the fact that my bin doesn’t just have the snap on lid, it has hinged locks that close over the lid.  Fancy!

A few weeks ago I was watching Oprah.  (Yes, Oprah…so?!)  Her guest was Michael Pollan.  Michael Pollan is an author of many books about eating well.  Not dieting and not nutrition, but eating food.

“Now that I know how supermarket meat is made, I regard eating it as a somewhat risky proposition. I know how those animals live and what’s on their hides when they go to slaughter, so I don’t buy industrial meat.”  -  Michael Pollan

I have 3 of his books and love reading about where our food comes from, how it’s grown/raised, how it’s processed/manufactured/slaughtered, etc.  It’s a very interesting topic, and should be to everyone who…..well, EATS!  Michael Pollan was also featured in the incredible documentary:  Food, Inc.

“In Food, Inc. filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation’s food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that’s been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government’s regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation’s food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, insecticide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won’t go bad, but we also have new strains of e coli–the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually.  We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults.”  -  Food, Inc. synopsis

 I’ve got to tell you, too, after seeing this movie I look at the grocery store shelves very different and I also look in YOUR cart.  Then I silently judge you.  For being fat, for your kids being fat, and then seeing all of the nacho flavored chips, 2 liters of pop, buckets of ice cream, powdered flavor packets with pasta, sugary cereals, etc.  I do judge.  Maybe I’m horrible, but that’s how open my eyes are now and I’m grateful for it.  Don’t get me wrong, I love chocolate ice cream.  But now it’s a special treat for birthdays and I get the little tubs that cost more but only have like 5 ingredients on the label or organic.  Rather than the giant drum of ice cream for only $3 with the laundry list of shit in it that I can’t even pronounce.  It’s just so obvious.  The movie makers do NOT make a point of judging over weight people, please don’t get me wrong.  

My point is, we can’t keep eating all of this CRAP that isn’t really food.  Yes, it’s edible, but it’s not food.  All while wondering why diabetes, obesity, and heart disease are out of control in this country.

 I hope you do invest the 90 minutes (or however long it was) into this movie.  It is MORE than worth it.

However, January was off to a rough start.  I celebrated New Years two hours away with my carnivore mother-in-law.  (It was wonderful!)  I decided not to beat myself up for failing, but rather enjoy the red meat good-bye feast. 

Ever since I returned home from her house, it’s been easy breezy!  Sure, I’ve slipped up here and there with little bits of chicken (Chicken Fried Rice is a weakness of mine) but I doubt I’ve eaten enough chicken in the last 2 months to constitute one serving.

I started out with simple fare like salads and basic pasta dishes.  As I grew more comfortable with my new menu items I have been able to increase the difficulty in my meal preparations.  Lately, I’m LOVING Asian dishes.  Ginger, garlic, onion…..mmmmmm. 

The Best Part:

I’ve lost weight without exercise!!!!  Within the first two weeks of quitting red meat my pants fit well.  I no longer have those red imprints on my belly, left behind by my size 8 jeans that I refuse to replace with 10′s.  LOL  I am sure a good portion of my belly was bloating due to the hard to digest meat, but whatever….  I really don’t need size 10′s!  (Love that!)

My husband said he was on board with this vegetarian plan, but then later said his plan was to be a vegetarian Monday – Friday.  Saturday & Sunday were going to be his carnivorous days.  (Don’t ask me, that is just what he said.  It still is a tremendous effort on his part.  For those of you that aren’t sure if you can go vegetarian this might be a good start for you.)  Well, he ended up really giving up red meat – for all seven days.  He’s lost even more weight than I have (probably because he ate more meat than I did), has increased energy, and has lowered his cholesterol.  Yay! 

My favorite part about him going along with this vegetarian thing, is that I finally got him to try sushi.  Of course, he liked it…..it’s delicious!  In fact, just last night he mentioned he was craving it and couldn’t wait to go back!

Some Helpful Sites:

LiveStrong The Daily Plate

VegCooking

Food Network  (My FAVORITE!)

Knitter Critter-Zebra

“All products are made with home spun wool, dyed with natural plant dye, and knitted with love by a huge group of happy women in Kenya. Each piece is signed by the woman who knitted it.  

The Kenana Knitters group enables its workers to directly benefit from their efforts and create a self-sufficient community. With your purchases, we have been able to increase employment drastically in both Kenya and the United States, provide full physicals and ongoing medical treatment for each knitter and their families. We have even begun construction on a school located within the farm boundaries.  

Our products range from African animals to funky scarves and hats. We produce items to suit all occasions whether you need to find an original christening gift, or an accessory that will get you noticed on the top of Mount Kenya.” – Kenana Knitter Critters website  

If you follow the link on the picture you can order your own Knitter Critter from Starbucks for a special price or you may visit the Kenana USA web site for a variety of Critters, pillows, backpacks, dolls, and scarves.

Follow the link above to Global Girlfriend.  An online store that specializes in fairly traded apparel and accessories handmade by women and communities in need.  

 $4.95

Make a difference — even in your underwear! Sublimely soft, certified organic cotton is used to make these superbly comfortable panties, offered in three classic colors. Produced in the Tamil Nadu region of India by a cooperative of Franciscan nuns — pioneers in the manufacturing of organic cotton garments. Our purchase helped their co-op employ and care for 120 women who are either handicapped or economically disadvantaged. Aside from employment, the seamstresses receive training, support, meals, and housing.

Created to help women worldwide gain economic security for themselves and their families by earning fair wages for their handiwork, Global Girlfriend sources women-made, fair-trade imported, eco-friendly products. By supporting long-term partnerships with the artisans, it fosters equal employment opportunities, healthy and safe working conditions, technical assistance, and development strategies to help reduce poverty, one community at a time. Become a “Global Girlfriend” and help build a brighter future for girlfriends around the globe!

 BUT WAIT!  THERE’S MORE! 

With each pair of Organic Cotton Hip Hugger Panties purchased, Global Girlfriend will fund 1.0 percent of a microgrant for a woman in a rural community in Africa to launch a small business, through Camfed. 

I don’t normally share my undergarments with the general public, but you can bet I’ve got some on order right now!

So, get ready for more of “me”.  Hope that’s OK with everyone! 

I guess, before I can start on with my plans about how Green 2010 will be for myself and my family, it might be a good idea to reflect on our accomplishments in 2009.  I must say, I am quite proud of the changes we’ve all made so far and look forward to even more!  Without delay, here it goes:

1. Worm Composting-  This was one of the first major projects we attempted at the beginning of the year.  I drilled small holes in a Rubbermaid type storage box for water drainage and in the lid for air circulation.  This bin was then set inside a second bin without holes (to collect said moisture!)  I purchased 2,000 red wrigglers from Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm for $40.  My husband and I did a ton of research on indoor vermi-composting since we started this adventure in January (worms don’t like the Chicago winters).  We learned that bugs and odor are not an issue….when handled correctly.  With a few trials and errors we figured out how to keep our worms happy.  Surprisingly they are a little fickle with the foods they like/dislike, moisture levels, and bedding preferences.  However, once you figure it all out; happy worms make even more worms!  The more worms you have the more castings they create (aka worm poop).  The more castings you have to harvest the happier your garden is and so on!  It was a wonderful experience and the kids loved helping me feed the worms every Friday.  Sadly, I killed most of my worms this September when I moved the bin outdoors for the nicer weather months.  After 3 days of hard rain my worms were drowned in their bin.  (I know, I am a horrible person!)  But, I look forward to vermi-composting again this January!
2. Rechargeable Batteries- With two young kids in the house I can’t begin to estimate the number of batteries we have in use.  Yikes!  I hope we are all aware of the consequences when our batteries meet the landfill.  If not, please click here.  Using rechargeable batteries can greatly reduce the number of batteries your family goes through in a year.  Please remember though, they aren’t really any safer and do still need to be recycled responsibly when no longer useable.  Check with your local waste management company for ways to recycle your own batteries.
3. Water Conservation- We got a rain barrel!  While the barrel itself isn’t very pretty the idea is freaking awesome!  Water from our gutter is routed into the rain barrel.  The bottom of the barrel has a spout we can connect the hose to.  Then, we can water our garden with the stored rain water!  This entire idea rocks my world, I still get so excited about it!  Yay water conservation! 
4. Less Shopping- Seriously.  Here is what I do at the store when looking at non-essentials:  I ask myself do I NEED this?  If I do NEED it, then I ask:  Can I recycle this?  If either answer is “No.” then I don’t buy it.  (For the most part, this whole thing is still a process.)  I can’t begin to guess on how much money this has saved me.  I stopped buying paper towels and Ziploc type bags also, rather I use dish towels and storage containers.  (I’ve even washed and reused the Ziploc type bags.)
5. Less Waste- Obviously, the less I bought the less I wasted.  There is more to it than that, though.  From June-October ALL of my produce was purchased from my local farmer’s market.  They would really just dump whatever I bought into my own tote bag, no packaging….no waste!  (Don’t forget the reduced carbon footprint from buying local.)  If there were food scraps left over it went to my worms….no waste!  Junk mail?  Shredded and used as worm bedding.  Newspaper type mail fliers?  Look on the back page, you will find and 800 number to call and cancel your subscription.  Can you imaging how many trees this could save if we ALL did that?!  BYOB-Bring Your Own Bag. 
6. Made My Own- Talking about less waste, there is SO MUCH stuff you can make!  It’s super easy and kind of fun!  By making my own I was able to not only stop the amount of packaging that came into my home, but reuse a lot things, too.  The biggest one was laundry detergent!  I’d make my own batches and reuse old detergent bottles over and over.  This is the recipe I liked the best, although, the powder recipe is easiest.  I made:  counter cleaner, glass cleaner, toilet cleaner, wood polish, and various toiletries.  (Do I need to mention the money savings?!)
7. Sought Out Items Made From Recycled ____- Items from toilet paper to pencils for back-to-school.  If you look for it, it’s there, and it’s been recycled.  My stepping stones in front of the house were once plastic bags.  My daughter’s tea party set used to be milk jugs.  My business cards were at one time office paper.  Etc.
8. Then we also:  planted 4 trees (2 survived), organic backyard garden, switched to CFLs, recycled A LOT (seriously, we’d throw away 1 bag of actual garbage per week.  The rest was all recycled.), purchased an Energy Star water heater, joined and utilized Freecycle (for giving and receiving), and last but not least I created this blog! 

With 2009 ending very soon I’ve put a lot of thought into my goals for 2010.  Here they are:  (Maybe we can do some of these together?  I’d love to know what you are planning on!)

1. Going Vegan- Since labeling my faith as Buddhist this year, I am concentrating on not being the cause of suffering-a Buddhist Principle.  This will be very difficult for me and I know it will not be a flawless journey.  (I REALLY enjoy a thick medium rare filet mignon and leather shoes!)  But my husband is also on board and I have a good friend that is well on her way to achieving this.  My plan is to start out vegetarian so I can still eat eggs, milk, seafood, and cheese.  I will slowly phase out some of those items as I become more skilled at preparing their vegan counterparts.  Wish me luck!  How is this Green?  Click here to learn about he impact the meat industries have on the environment.
2. Doing More- My life isn’t glamorous or overflowing with “things” yet I don’t consider myself a minimalist, either.  That being said I know we have everything we need and more.  Yes, I get excited about cool shiney things that catch my eye, but eventually I get over it.  This year I am putting my focus on the grassroots social movement to empower the oppressed women of this world.  I won’t go into the travesties here, but if you are interested in learning more follow the links on the top right of this blog (Half The Sky, Global Girlfriend, Women for Women International, & Heifer).
3. Purchase Permanent Electro Static Air Filters- It’s a kind of big purchase (around $100 for our home).  But worth the savings in the end.  Right now we are spending $16-$20 every 3 months on disposable air filters (WASTEFUL).  After just over one year in use they will have paid for themselves in savings.
4. Buy More Trees and Plant A BIGGER Garden!

My very generous friends at New Wave Enviro have also allowed for me to review AND giveaway this Premium Shower Filter.  The filter is designed to remove the chlorine in our public water supplies.  Here is some more information taken from their web site:  (They can explain it much better than I can!)

What are the Effects of Chlorine in the Shower?

Chlorine is a toxic gas which attacks living cells. It was used during World War I as a chemical warfare agent. It is used today as a additive to drinking water to kill harmful micro-organisms. While this can be an important health benefit, chlorine itself is far from beneficial: it attacks organic material, such as the skin and skin oils, which dries out the skin and hair. Because chlorine vaporizes along with the hot water, it is inhaled into the lungs. It is also absorbed into the skin. According to some experts, five times more chlorine enters the body through the skin during a shower than enters through drinking 8 glasses of chlorinated tap water!

What are the Benefits of Using the Premium Shower Filter?

•  Moister, smoother skin, less itching which requires less moisturizer
•  Healthier hair – less brittle, fewer split ends, deeper, longer lasting color for dyed or highlighted hair
•  Eliminates chlorine odor from skin and hair
•  Prevents breathing chlorine gas or its absorption into skin
•  Stops burning around the eyes of chlorine-sensitive people

Right away (after my first shower with the filter) I noticed that my hair stayed clean longer.  Meaning, the next day my hair didn’t feel oily.  I am thinking this has to be due to the lack of chlorine drying my hair out, so my scalp didn’t need to over compensate by creating extra oil.  (Kind of like how it is more important for acne prone people to moisturize.  So their face doesn’t compensate for the dryness by creating more oil and more acne.)

I also noticed right away the increase in suds with my shampoo and soap.  Instead of the soap having to clean my water and myself, it actually preformed better!  Over time I can see how this will save me a ton of money!  Especially, with organic soaps and shampoos….I’ve noticed they don’t tend to lather so well in unfiltered water.

The filter is very easy to install, basically you just twist it into place and it even came with some plumbers tape.  You can tell from the picture that after installation your shower head will be a little lower, but it wasnt’ and issue for myself (5’7″) or my husband (6′).  The only criticism I have for this product is that it did slow down the water flow a little….this will take some time to get used to since I’ve grown accustomed to blasting the conditioner out of my hair but I’m guessing this too will save me money on my water bill.  It is not so much of an issue that I will remove the filter, though.

How to win:

1. Follow “NewWaveEnviro” on Twitter and comment back here with your Twitter name to verify.
2. Leave a comment on this post about your favorite New Wave Enviro products (yes, you must check their site and comment on something other than this giveaway item).

BONUS ENTRIES:  (1 & 2 need to be completed first before these will count.)

• Follow beGsaveG (me) on Twitter and comment here with your Twitter name so I can verify.
• Subscribe to my blog.
• Tweet this post (once daily) and be sure to add: @begsaveg when you do so I can verify.

Good luck!

Winner will be chosen at random, notified by email, and will have 48 hours to respond with shipping information.  Contest ends at 5:00pm-central time on Tuesday December 22.

A big huge thanks to everyone that entered to win!

-Steph

Thanks so much to my new friends at New Wave Enviro I’ve been able to review their (awesome) lunch kit and they have offered a giveaway for the Be Green & Save Green readers!

The Goods:

1 20 oz. Stainless Steel Water Bottle

Belt/Back Pack Clip

Durable, reusable, and recyclable

Easy to clean with a little baking soda and water or white vinegar.

1 Stainless Steel Food Container

6″ x 4.5″ x 2

Fits perfectly in Bamboo Lunch Bag.

 1 100% Bamboo Lunch Bag

Naturally Anti-bacterial/Hypoallergenic

Light as a feather.  Strong as steel.  Soft as silk.

Made from a very renewable resource.

The Review:

I’ve got to say, it is becoming a pet peeve of mine that eco companies use packing peanuts (styrofoam) for shipping.  However, in an industry that preaches reduce, reuse, and recycle I can not fault them for reusing.  The shame of it is, my village’s garbage service does not recycle styrofoam.    OK, so my vent aside I would also like to commend the folks at New Wave Enviro for using shredded paper to fill the rest of my package as the styrofoam didn’t fill it.  Paper I can certainly recycle…..actually, I reuse it for bedding for my worms!  (That’s another post!)

Now for my actual product review!  The bamboo bag is my favorite!  They aren’t kidding when they boast: “Light as a feather.  Strong as steel.  Soft as silk.”  That’s a perfect description.  Now, since I am lucky enough to work from my home my husband is the one actually testing it.  He said the bag is easy to handle thanks to the straps, has plenty of room, and he too loves that it’s made from bamboo (a totally renewable resource).

The stainless steel food container was a bit smaller than I had expected, although I don’t know why I thought it would be bigger.  It is however the perfect size for snacks like carrot sticks, cheese and crackers, a bagel and cheese, any cold side dish, etc.  The hinges hold tight.  It is very easy to clean.  And again, REUSABLE!  I have recently taken to washing Ziploc bags rather than throwing them away (yes, it’s a pain).  This food container is the solution for that!  No more plastic snack bags, yay!

Finally, the water bottle.  What can I say.  I think we all are aware (I hope) of the “disposable” plastic water bottle issue.  These stainless steel bottles are a perfect long-term solution.  This particular bottle has a slightly different neck/lip than that of some other bottles I’ve seen.  It makes it a bit easier to drink out of because you are not sipping off of the lid-twisty-lines.  (Did that make sense to anyone?!  It makes perfect sense in my head. LOL)

How to win:

1. Follow “NewWaveEnviro” on Twitter and comment back here with your Twitter name to verify.
2. Leave a comment on this post about your favorite New Wave Enviro products (yes, you must check their site and comment on something other than these giveaway items).

BONUS ENTRIES:  (1 & 2 need to be completed first before these will count.)

• Follow beGsaveG (me) on Twitter and comment here with your Twitter name so I can verify.
• Subscribe to my blog
• Tweet this post (once daily) and be sure to add: @begsaveg when you do so I can verify.

Good luck!

1. Epsom Salts- (Magnesium Sulfate)  Found in drug stores, generally on the bottom shelf.  Used widely for soaking feet in warm water to sooth “barking dogs”, it also can be absorbed by the skin reducing inflammation and puffiness(!).  I like to add a bit to my face wash to act partially as an exfoliater, too.  I also LOVE to get a handful of epsom salt and add some baby oil, then apply like a body scrub.  This is an awesome exfoliater and moisturizer all in one!
2. Witch Hazel- Can be found in any drug store just like epsom salt.  Used as a facial toner in the treatment of acne.  The drug store variety does contain around 14% alcohol, so don’t forget to moisturize (especially if you are acne prone)!  I also like to add a few drops of Tea Tree Oil to my Witch Hazel.
3. Tea Tree Oil- (Melaleuca Oil)  It’s a little harder to find, but I have gotten mine here in the past.  Tea Tree Oil is known to have antibiotic, antibacterial, and antiseptic properties.  It does have a “medicinal” scent, but it dissipates quickly (you won’t smell all day!).  We also keep a bottle in the first aid kit for treating scrapes, minor burns, and bug bites.
4. Sugar-  My husband on occasion will exfoliate with a handful of sugar.  With my skin type I am too chicken to try it (acne prone), but he seems to like it.
5. ReUse Old Green Tea Bags- Take your used tea bags (cool and damp) and gently place over your eyes for 10-20 minutes.  The caffeine and other stuff  ( )found in the green tea will reduce puffiness AND dark circles!  Plus, the antioxidants found in green tea can’t hurt either. 

Bonus Tip:  Epsom salt & green tea + the bags can be used to fertilize your house plants!