Add Just 1 More Organic Product

What  if each of us added just 1 more organic product to our shopping carts each week for a year?  We could make a huge difference! So much less demand for pesticides and chemical fertilizers!  Every time I think I'm buying as many organic items as possible, I think of something new.  The possibilities seem endless!  So, I'm going to try it - 1 new organic purchase (in place of non-organic) each week for a year.  Join me on the journey!  Here are some ideas to get you started.

1. Produce - fruit, veggies
2. Cereal
3. Canned goods - veggies, fruit, pumpkin
4. Jarred goods - pasta sauce, fruit, veggies, peanut butter
5. Pasta
6. Bread
7. Chips - tortilla, potato
8. Coffee
9. Tea
10. Baking Needs - flour, sugar, nuts, chocolate chips
11. Soy Dairy Alternative Products - soy milk, soy yogurt, soy cheese, soy butter, soy ice cream
12. Soy Meat Alternative Products
13. Cosmetics
14. Cotton products - clothing, bags, dog collars

I know there are so many more choices!  Share your ideas in the comments below.

Switch to Reusable Water Bottles Today!

Every day my two daughters each take a plastic water bottle with them to school.  My high schooler brings hers home for recycling. However, my middle schooler puts hers in the recycling bin at school.  The problem?  We recently found out that the school just throws them in the trash.  Heartbreaking and irreparable! So our family resolved to switch from single-use plastic water bottles to reusable drinking containers.  Now we needed to choose from the many available options, including BPA-free plastic, aluminum, and stainless steel.

After a little research, we decided on stainless steel.  Although BPA-free, the plastic bottles had higher recycling numbers (6,7, etc.), which might be hard to recycle in our area.  The aluminum bottles are generally lined with plastic to keep the aluminum from leaching into the drink, making those difficult to recycle too.  Thus, our choice of stainless steel.  Specifically, we chose the Klean Kanteen brand for their variety of size, color and cap styles, as well as for their commitment to the environment. But anything you do to reduce the number of plastic water bottles in our landfills is better than nothing.  So switch to the reusable water bottle of your choice! 

OMG! It's a Mouse!

OMG!  Is that a mouse?  The tell-tale droppings confirm the unmistakable truth.  A mouse, or as I later discover, three different mice, have taken up residence in the apparently mouse-cozy area surrounding our trash can and recycling center under the kitchen sink.  Now what?  I use a live trap.  It works for two of the mice, and I release them outside on our property.  But will they find their way back into our house?  Probably.  And what about the third mouse who has become wary of the "humane" trap?  The mouse is now boldly chewing the paper boxes in the recycling bin to use for nesting.  Despite my reservations, I am actually going to try an electronic repeller to see if, in fact, it makes the mouse uncomfortable enough to leave on its own.  Wishful thinking, right?  I'll let you know.

Am I wrong to be using the live trap?  Animal behaviorists point out that releasing a trapped mouse in a remote location, such as a field, subjects the mouse to stress and almost certain death anyway from predators like hawks or even other territorial mice already living there.  Many people think the instant kill snap traps are the most humane answer.  Maybe, but the instant kill part is not an option for me.  So, for now, I still have one mouse happily building its nest under the kitchen sink.  I need a solution fast, before it has babies!  Yikes!

Please let me know if you have a successful solution.  Clicking on "comments" below opens the comment box.

Update:  I have plugged in an electronic repeller and placed a different style live trap.  Wish me luck!

2nd Update:  Success and tragedy!  The third mouse entered the live trap but I didn't find it soon enough.  Even though I check the traps each morning, this mouse was nearly suffocated when I found it.  I took it outside, but the prognosis looked grim.  Humane trap?  Hardly.  The traps need air holes!

Who Is Your Eco-Hero?

Who is your eco-hero?  I have several. They are my mom friends doing little everyday things that really make a difference - like going to Target and taking the purchases home without using a bag.  I attended a swim meet where one mom put herself in charge of recycling all the empty Gatorade and plastic water bottles.  She actually collected them herself in a large box and took them home with her to rinse and recycle!  These examples show how easy it is to do something positive for the environment.  Here are a few more ideas:

1. Send your child to school with a reusable lunch box and stainless steel water bottle.
2. Shop with a reusable shopping bag every time.
3. If you are out and about, bring home your recyclable drink or food containers instead of throwing them in the trash.
4. Do the same with paper flyers.  If you receive paper items away from home, don't just throw them in the trash.  Take them home and recycle them.
5. Plan your errands to combine them into one efficient car trip.  Or, better yet, use a bicycle or walk whenever possible.
6. Use degradable plastic trash bags and sandwich/storage bags that are PVC and plasticizer-free.  One source is Natural Value, available at some Whole Foods stores and at http://www.letsgogreen.biz/.
7. Reduce your paper usage altogether and always use recycled paper products.  Refer to the "Be A Paper Frugalista" blog post on February 2nd for more ideas.
8. Lower your thermostat in winter and raise it in summer to reduce the demand for heat and air conditioning and benefit from lower utility bills, too.  Program your thermostat to use less energy when you are not home.
9. Reduce your plastic waste from daily use items like deodorant containers, razors and tooth brushes.  Buy the Tom's of Maine or Preserve brands, which you can recycle through Preserve's Gimme 5 program, or Dr. Du-More's Renew toothbrushes, made from plastic that, according to the packaging, "biodegrades without leaving any plastic residue in the soil."  Learn more at http://www.preserveproducts.com/ and at http://www.dumoreinc.com/.
10. Buy organic food products and organic cotton.
11. Unplug your appliances that glow and draw power even when turned off.  And just like your mama taught you, turn off the lights when you leave the room.
12. Is there anybody who hasn't switched out their incandescent light bulbs?  Compact fluorescents and halogens use a fraction of the energy.  So what are you waiting for?

You probably have your own fantastic ideas.  Click on the "comments" tab below to share them.

Vegan Pancakes

How about making pancakes for breakfast this morning?  It's easy to veganize your recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Cups flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/4 Cups soy milk
• Replacement for 1 egg ( I dissolve 1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch in 2 Tablespoons water.)
• 3 Tablespoons vegan butter alternative, just melted

Directions:

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.   Prepare the egg replacement separately.  Add the milk, melted butter and egg replacement to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth.  Gently fold in any add-ins.  My kids like vegan chocolate chips, but choose what you like.

Use cooking spray or vegetable oil to lightly oil your skillet or griddle.  Pour the batter into the pan and cook until brown on one side.  Flip and brown the other side. 

Serve with maple syrup, fruit jam or other toppings of your choice.  Enjoy!

Why Buy Organic Cotton?

If any of you follow me on Twitter (WabiSabiVegan), you know that I was excited to find a dog collar made of organic cotton and vegetable dye.  In all of our efforts to buy organic food products, we might overlook the need to buy organic cotton.  Why is this so important?  According to information at http://www.earthday.net/, 10% of the world's pesticides and 25% of its insecticides are used in the production of cotton.  These are huge numbers! 

By contrast, organic cotton is grown without pesticides, chemical fertilizers, insecticides or genetically-modified (GMO) seeds.  As explained at http://ezinearticles.com/, growing cotton organically requires extensive efforts by the farmers.  Crop rotation ensures that insects don't automatically find their favorite host crop.  Green cover crops, such as clover or beans, enrich the soil without the need for chemical fertilizers once they are plowed under.  Non-genetically modified seeds are also necessary to keep the cotton natural.  And if you buy a "certified organic" cotton product, you can be sure that it has been certified by an independent agency.  You guessed it! You need to be prepared to pay more for organic cotton.  But isn't it worth it?

"Ice Cream" Sundae Snack

Last night I got home craving a sweet snack.  I grabbed the quart of organic So Delicious vegan, dairy-free "ice cream" alternative in Chocolate Velvet.  I topped it with pecan bits and vegan chocolate chips. Yum!  You could choose lots of different toppings to make your own sundae!

• Sliced bananas, strawberries, etc.
• Vegan chocolate syrup
• Soy based, vegan whipped cream
• Cookie crumbs

Or how about making a cookie ice cream sandwich?  Anything (vegan) goes!  Click the comment tab and share your ideas!