What keeps your green-self inspired?

I was so excited to learn that Hobby Farms magazine is starting this new mag, Urban Farm. As a farmgirl whose acreage is a little closer to a large city lot than a rural country farm, I'm truly psyched to see the first issue when it comes out in August.

Reading the preview of Urban Farm in the current edition of Hobby Farms magazine got me all tingly. It also reminded me what an important role magazines play in keeping me inspired. In my younger years, these magazines consisted of thick fashion and home decorating magazines. Then I realized how crappy reading these made me feel--I always felt like I did after waking up from one of those dreams where you are so thirsty and you keep drinking and drinking and never feeling like your thirst is quenched.

Now though, I find magazines like Mother Earth News, Grit, Countryside, Mary Jane's Farm, Back Home, and a few others keep me motivated and inspired to try to live greener and do more for myself and my family.

Frugal Smugal

There was a time in my life when being frugal was a laughing matter. I used to babysit in my younger years, only to buy clothes, jewelry and makeup. I was a well-dressed teen and early 20-something with a very skinny bank account.

After reading the eye opening book, "Your Money or Your Life," I slowly changed my spendy ways and became something I thought I never would be.

A saver.

But slowly over time, spendthriftiness drifted back into my life. "It's so much easier to buy X," I would tell myself. "I'll never find another deal like this!"

And while my current budget doesn't allow for many extraneous purchases, that doesn't cut down on the "wants". It doesn't help to live in a culture which equates financial purchases with success.

Do you have family members or friends who seem to "have it all"? Trips all over the globe, in ground swimming pools and Jacuzzis, the latest model cars, new golf clubs and a clothes budget that would feed your family for a year? Spending time with these people can leave you with a feeling that whatever you have, isn't enough. Even if just that morning you were feeling oh-so grateful for your dishwasher and closet full of clothes, an afternoon spent with the Jones family can leave you feeling empty. "If only I had that," you muse. "Then I'd really be happy."

The truth is, if we got that we'd find something new to want within 24 hours. And let's remember that many of the things we see others enjoying are often things that they don't even own, but are purchased on credit. Who wants a big, fat credit card bill or bank loan hanging over their head?

One of my favorite places to visit when I'm in need of a little dose of financial reality, is The Simple Dollar. I've linked to one page in particular (Frugality) which has a great bunch of articles on the topic.

Now, enjoy your day and all the things that money can't buy: Love, family, peace, friendship, sunshine, green grass, laughter, health . . .

One plus in a downturned economy

I know the economy is bad. I know that a lot of really, really hard times have fallen on people who don't deserve it. A lot of people are losing their jobs. Some are losing their homes. And everyone I know is wishing and hoping that the economy will turn around soon. As a freelance copywriter and journalist, I'm wishing it too.

But there are a few upsides to the situation. One is that more and more people are staying home. Vacations closer to home, less meals out, more entertaining in the backyard. "Why is that a good thing?" you might ask. One, it means that less gas is being used which is good for the environment. Two, community is important and when people stay home more, they are able to become more a part of their community. This "stay at home" trend also reminds me of the time when my parents were young--a time when families spent more time together and weren't running off in 12 different directions every night of the week.

There is also a growing trend in bartering for goods among friends and family, rather than buying things outright. In the latest edition of Mary Jane's Farm (a great magazine) there is a short article on this topic. This is really good news for the environment! Trading goods means that less new things will end up in the landfill.

If you're interested in bartering or trading goods, check out Craigslist, Freecycle, Swap Tree, Swap Thing, and other bartering sites (try a search under Google for more ideas). Or try setting up an informal bartering/swapping system in your own family or community. It's amazing the great things that you can find for yourself and find new homes for if you get a little creative. If you're into travel, you might want to check out Home Exchange, where you can swap houses with someone in another area of the country or the world. A home exchange, whether here in the US or abroad, will make a very memorable summer vacation.

Alternative Gift Giving

Ahhh, spring. Time for enjoying all the beautiful green-ness around us, smelling the roses, and shopping for the 18 celebrations coming up.

Weddings. Baby and bridal showers. Graduations. Is there no end to the parties and festivities this time of year? And in times when more and more of us are watching every penny, all these celebrations and life-changing events can cause a pretty heavy toll on the ol' wallet.

So what's a kind hearted, generous person supposed to do?

First, don't panic. There are LOADS of great gifts available for every occasion, sometimes in the least likely of places. Check yard sales, Goodwill, craig's list, freecycle, the Salvation Army, and your own gift closet (more about this one later) for some great presents. You'd be surprised how many new and still in the package items you'll find in these places.

Are you crafty? Like to bake? Enjoy cleaning (just checking to make sure you're still awake!). Why not offer up your services as your gift? I can tell you honestly that having babysitting help, home cooked meals, and a clean house when I got home from the hospital after having my son last month were the best gifts I received.

If you are the person being honored with a celebration, why not give it a green spin? Check out the Alternative Gift Registry--it's a very cool, very green alternative to a traditional gift registry.

Most of all, be creative. I bet you can think of a gazillion things to make, bake, or buy (frugally) that will make the gift recipient very happy.

Cheap versus Responsible

As a self-professed cheapskate, I sometimes struggle to find a balance between being budget-friendly and being a responsible consumer.

I think this is an issue for a lot of people, and here's why.

Everyone likes to get a good deal. That's why coupons, sales and discounts are so popular. Stores realize this and offer things like frequent buyer programs, loyalty bonuses for customers and free gifts or discounts to keep consumers coming back.

I used to be the queen of discount shopping--if there was a good deal to be had, I could find it. I used coupons for groceries and only shopped at the double coupon places. I could find cute clothes and accessories at discount places and always had new outfits to wear because they were so CHEAP!

But several years ago, after starting to try to live more simply and frugally, I realized that buying things that are inexpensive isn't always the way to go. Cheap clothes wear out fast and more importantly I learned WHY they are so cheap in the first place (does the term 'slave labor' ring any bells?). Coupons that I had used weren't useful for me anymore once we started to shop for organic and local foods more, and traditional foods less. And all those sales on beauty products and accessories didn't do me much good, as I tried not to buy a lot of things I didn't really need, just for a "pick me up".

Still, even though I've heard other tightwads explain how it makes much more sense to buy really good quality clothes and not replace them for years, I couldn't get on that bandwagon either because:

A) I'm too cheap to spend the money on really good quality stuff and
B) My tastes change way too frequently to invest in things--I get bored often and want something new and different to spark my creativity.

So what's a tightwad to do?

My solution has pretty much been this: Shop at thrift or resale stores. You can find great quality merchandise at these places without breaking your budget. AND it's the ultimate form of recycling. I will often bring bags of clothes to the resale or thrift shop, and then do a little browsing while I'm there. Find a Goodwill in your area and check it out even if you're convinced you don't like used stuff. The one closest to me has TONS of brand new items, everything from nice bed sheet sets to new towels and cleaning products.

This doesn't solve all my problems of course. There are still things like fair trade chocolate to consider which is especially hard around holidays like Easter and Christmas. Still, I'm hopeful. It looks like Cadbury, the makers of the infamous Cadbury Creme Eggs (one of my favorites!) will be changing to Fair Trade.

Gotta love it

I just came across this great article on frugality and tightwadding on Yahoo news of all places. I couldn't help chuckling at the writer's slightly mystified sounding reference to making one's own laundry detergent--we've been doing this for almost a year now and love it.

Here's the link to the article. Enjoy!

Healthy Pregnancy

Being pregnant is sort of like climbing a mountain. You think you're prepared--Pregnancy books? Check. Many words of wisdom from everyone who has ever been pregnant or knows someone who has been pregnant? Check. Lots of water? Check. Exercise? Check. Healthy diet? Hmmmm . . .


There is SO much information out there about healthy diets and pregnancy, and much of it is conflicting. Some people believe that a meat-less diet is a no-no during pregnancy, others believe that vegan or raw food diets are the way to go. Protein--how much do you really need? Are you getting all the essential vitamins and nutrients your baby needs? Don't eat foods like eggs, sushi, or other dishes that might be dangerous to eat raw or undercooked. How much weight is okay to gain (some sources indicate less than 20 pounds, some say up to 35 or 40).


So, here you are, on this journey weighed down with this huge pack of information and on top of all these things running through your mind, your hormones are a little wacky, making you cry during a commercial your un-pregnant self would have found eye-rollingly stupid, and your body is doing strange and wacky things.


I'm now nearing my last month of pregnancy and though I'm no expert, here are some things I've learned and would like to pass on:


1) Do NOT read too much pregnancy info, whether in books, online or in magazines. Do NOT listen to all the advice everyone gives you. Be selective, do some research on the things that you are most interested/worried about, make a decision and let it go.


2) Eat healthy foods and don't stress out about counting every gram of protein or carbs. On the other hand, don't be so "free" with your diet that you are gaining gobs of weight and feeling like crap. Remember, what came on, must get off at some point. Moderation, moderation. (NOTE: Sometimes, no matter how healthfully you eat, you will gain more weight than you thought possible in a one week period. Try not to let it get you down.)


3) Remember that babies are hearty little creatures. As long as they have milk, clean, warm clothes, a place to sleep and your love, they will most likely be very content. You really do not need a whole slew of baby toys, matching bedding, an entire set of new nursery furniture or most of the other stuff that is advertised to new parents. Keep it simple.


4) Your body really can change so much that you don't recognize it anymore. Often when I catch a glimpse of myself (still!) in the mirror, my first thought is, "whose stomach is that?"


5) Ignore everyone who feels the need to comment on your body. Constantly. As though you weren't standing right there.


I'm really lucky that my pregnancy has been pretty easy. I'm very happy with my pregnancy overall and I'm so looking forward to meeting my new son or daughter!


Here are some great Web sites that I often visit for inspiration, both during my "normal" life and during my pregnancy. They will definitely make you want to put down the Taco Bell burrito and make a fruit smoothie!

Oh my Blog! a raw/vegan mama's journey to remain a raw food eating vegan during her pregnancy is really inspirational. And of course, Happy Foody is still one of my favorites, though not specific to pregnancy or babies. Also, check out We Like it Raw for inspirational stories and some great recipes. The notorious Vegan Lunchbox has a GREAT treasure trove of archived posts on the most creative lunches I've ever seen. Plus check out the adorable lunch kits in her most recent post--CUTE!

Love the Planet? Recycle.

It's very easy to get caught up sometimes in the "big picture" behind the environment and global warming. It's easy say, to blame people who drive gas guzzlers and live in McMansions (even though there are only two people in the family), or to blame the huge corporations that spew toxic chemicals into the air and water near them. The people who don't recycle. The organizations which make junky products that break and end up in the trash sooner than later.

But blaming never gets one very far.

Instead, let's focus on what we can do--each and every one of us. I've compiled a teeny list below, taken from a recent article in Real Simple magazine. For a comprehensive list, follow this link. The articles are called "How to Recycle Anything", and are written by Natalie Ermann Russell. She did a great job on them and offers a huge array of recycling tidbits.

• Sneakers: Nike offers a "Reuse a Shoe" program where they make courts for kids to play on. If shoes are still in good condition, consider donating to your local thrift shop.
• Packing peanuts: With the holiday season upon us, we'll more than likely end up with some boxes filled with the puffy peanuts. These can be brought to UPS or Mail Boxes, Etc. stores for re-use.
• Recreational equipment: Bring to Play it Again Sports, drop off at a local thrift shop, or offer it up on Craigslist or Freecycle.

And lastly, think about pre-cycling. Pre-cycling is trying to buy things with the absolute lowest amount of waste possible. Think bulk food bins at the grocery store, going without plastic carrier bags that we all get far too many of, and trying to buy things in their most natural, plastic free form.

Tightwaddery Gets a Bad Name

Frugal Frannie, Tightwad, Cheapskate, Penny Pincher. Most of these labels bring up feelings of unease. Who wants to be called one of those less than flattering names?

But what if tightwaddery was looked at in a positive light? Back in the day, people who managed their money well and were frugal were considered "good with their money", "careful" and "responsible". In today's society though, being careful with your money is more likely to get you laughed at than respected.

Enter the Tightwad Gazette. This book, and the ones that follow it, are written by the frugality queen, Amy Dacyczyn (pronounced "decision"). I have read them in the past but recently picked up a copy at a local used book store. I read it in three days and enjoyed it (again) immensely. Okay, some of the ideas are a little off the wall like the many uses of old juice can lids. But there are many, many good ideas that can save you money, and in many cases, time. I like how the book is organized. Someone said that it's formatted almost like a blog, broken down into small pieces. I think that's a great comparison.

Another thing I LOVE about the book is the fact (reminder) that many things we do to save money are also great for the environment. In fact, the author talks about these overlapping circles--living in a frugal manner is also good for the earth the majority (I think she says 90%?) of the time. And it's true~think about it. Drying clothes on the line instead of in the dryer--saves money and the environment. Making food from scratch--saves money and the environment (no wasteful paper wrappers and Styrofoam containers), even more so if you are eating local and/or organic foods. You get the idea.

Another important tip? This is actually the theme of the book, in my opinion. Prioritizing. For the author and her husband the priority was to have a big family and live in a big house in a rural area. They knew what they wanted and were able to make saving the money for this type of lifestyle a priority. They could have said that this is what they really wanted, but then blown money right and left on tropical vacations, evenings at the theater, dinners at expensive restaurants, etc., but because that wasn't their priority, they chose to pinch pennies and go after their dream. I think that without priorities, it would be very hard, maybe impossible, to stick with being frugal. You need the goal to spur you on to action.

I also came across this article on The Simple Dollar in which the web site owner interviews Mrs. Dacyczyn--it's a good one and I'd highly recommend it, especially if you are already a Tightwad fan.

What's Christmas all About?

Hard to believe (though easier for me as we now have snow on the ground!) but Christmas will be here soon. I thought it was the perfect time, now in October, to start thinking about what that means for me and my family. Last year, we talked my husband's family into exchanging names--one person to buy for rather than five. It worked surprisingly well and we had a fun time with it. This year, my family (there are 13 of us) is doing a Yankee Swap. So, that's 9 less adults to buy for. We're still buying presents for the three kids.

What will I do with all that extra time and money? Well, I definitely want to participate in Samaritan's Purse, Operation Christmas Child again. I think that was the most fun purchasing I did last holiday season. For those of you not familiar with the program, you fill a shoebox up with toys, non-melty candies or gum, and personal hygiene items like toothbrushes, etc., and drop the box off at a collection location near you. The boxes are combined at a central location and shipped around the world to children in need, who otherwise wouldn't have anything given to them. The organization asks for a $7 donation to help pay for the shipping and you choose the age group/sex of the child who you are buying for and label your box accordingly. It's so much fun to do and to imagine the child's face when they open their present.

Something else I want to do is sit down and decide what the most meaningful parts of the holiday season are for me. I want to do something in nature--decorate a tree in the middle of the woods with popcorn and cranberries and homemade edible bird feeders for the animals. I want to spend more time enjoying the sights and sounds and smells of the holiday. I want to make Christmas meaningful again, not just a slew of activities to get through until I collapse in the new year. And of course, I want to spend time focusing on the original, true meaning of Christmas for me, the birth of Jesus. Last year was the first in a very long time that I created an Advent wreath. Lighting the candles at each meal and reading a scripture verse was calming. I am considering no tree this year and very minimal, mostly natural decorations.

For a long time I thought, "Well, others will be disappointed if I don't do X, or if I don't volunteer with Y." But I have the entire rest of the year to volunteer my time for causes I believe in, it doesn't have to be just a one month/week/or day thing in December. And I'm sorry if I insult someone by not displaying the holiday decorations or ornaments they gave us--though in reality they've probably forgotten they ever even gave it in the first place!

So, here's my advice for you this season. First, read all you can about alternative/pared down holidays in books like the Tightwad Gazette, Unplug the Christmas Machine, and the One
Hundred Dollar Holiday.

And take some time now, before the rush begins, to determine what you do and don't like about the holidays. If you love giving gifts and can't imagine paring down, could you give gifts that have less of an impact on the earth and it's inhabitants? What about some consumable gifts like fair trade coffee and chocolates, or sweat shop free clothes or accessories? Want to spend more time in nature or creating new family traditions? Start talking to other family member now, don't wait until a week or two before Christmas. For many, many people the holidays are the most depressing time of the year. What could we do to help those who might be feeling down? Animal shelters struggle to pay their fuel bills as winter closes in. Can we help with that? Food shelves typically are bombarded (wonderfully) with food this one time of the year. Could we make a donation for future purchases when people aren't giving so much? Could we "adopt" a local family or elderly person and pledge to leave a box of food anonymously for them each month for the rest of the year?

Christmas is about giving: Giving hope, peace, warmth, food, love. It's not just about giving material gifts.

Fair Trade--Is it Really Too Expensive?

I just read an EXCELLENT article in Relevant Magazine, regarding fair trade items and why it costs more to buy them. A lot of times when people hear "fair trade" or "organic" they are immediately dismissive. "Oh, that's too expensive. It's just a lot of overpriced goods that aren't any better quality than any other products."

Weeeeellllllll, actually when one purchases organic or fair trade items, they usually are of better quality. More importantly, to me at least, is that I can buy these items with a clear conscience. Fair trade items guarantee that the folks making them get paid a fair wage and that they are working in decent conditions. Many, many times the reason we in the West are able to get such "cheap" items, be it food, textiles, or other merchandise, is because the people making the goods are are working basically as slaves.

As far as organics go, there is another two-fold benefit. Not only are you not putting potentially harmful chemicals into your body, but organic farming is much, much better for the earth and environment. Organic farmers also tend to treat their animals more humanely, and to take better care of their land and farms.

Sometimes in the U.S. I feel we have a "see no evil" mentality. Just because we can't SEE what people in under developed countries go through to produce us with our cheap goods, doesn't mean we shouldn't care about what's going on. It's our responsibility to find out where our goods are coming from and decide if we want to support a company that enslaves children or has horrible working conditions for its employees. I would bet you a million dollars that no company which utilizes these types of practices is going to stand up and tell you the truth about it for our convenience. We have to become socially responsible detectives and do a little digging on our own.

With that being said, there is a true and understandable concern regarding the price of some of these items. Believe me, I'm as cheap as the next tightwad. I rarely buy something if it's not on sale and more often try to make do with something else entirely if I'm in a very thrifty mood. I also buy a lot of used items. Thrift shops are some of my favorite haunts and a great place to get some of my favorite brands of clothes (Liz Claiborne, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic) for just a few bucks. I don't really "believe" in labels, but there is something to be said for the quality and fit of certain items. However, buying used is a fairly guilt-free indulgence.

The article in Relevant also quoted J. Matthew Sleeth, the author of my much loved, "Serve God, Save the Planet" book, who (I'm paraphrasing here) says that if cost is an issue, then we should consume less and still spend our money on the more expensive fair trade and organic items. Hmm.

Consume less. Imagine that.

I'm considering doing a fair trade/organic challenge for a period of time. I haven't worked out all the details yet, but I'll keep you posted.

Simple Living

Today I'm craving a little simplicity. Just a good, old-fashioned tea time with a slice of spice cake and a mug of something hot.

Sometimes it feels like living simply is an unattainable goal. I have been paring down, giving away, packing up things in the house on and off for the past couple of months. Now we are getting ready to do some room re-arranging and I feel that familiar sense of anxiousness and dread coming. Where will I put everything? Why can't our house be better organized? Why did the builder put that room there? And didn't he think we might like a closet here?

I love my house and I'm grateful for it, don't get me wrong. But sometimes it feels like a huge jigsaw puzzle to me. I have two file cabinets stashed in the closet of the exercise room, along with all our board games. The dining room closet has a big bureau in it, packed with candles and candle holders, gift wrap, and presents for upcoming holidays. The storage container stuffed under our bed has some of my old artwork in it; stuff I can't bear to throw away but don't want out on display.

No matter how well I think I de-clutter, there's always more.

Sometimes I think that this is the reason that vacations are so stress-free. You have a small bag of belongings. . . and that's it! No myriad of shoes to organize, no dozen family photo albums to find a new place for, no videos and DVDs to try to keep straight in the cabinet. Hopefully I will remember all of this the next time I'm at the store or at an online shop and see something that is just-so-great-I-have-to-have-it.

But unfortunately today there is no cake or hot mug of anything waiting for me. Just a large room with many windows which will, if all goes as planned, hold our dining room furniture, my home office, and craft/art supplies in a somewhat tidy manner by the end of this evening.

Wish me luck.

"That really gets my goat!" my mother would say. This is something that really "gets" me. Waste and the apparent disinterest on the lack of most Americans in making a difference for the environment. 'Scuse me while I hop up on my soapbox for a minute. . .

I understand that some people just don't care about nature. They maybe hate trees due to an unfortunate incident when they were small, or fear grass because of it's pointy-ness--I'm grasping here. So it sort of makes sense that they wouldn't give a hoot about nature or the environment. But what about the rest of us? Those who adore spending time hiking and gardening and playing in the dirt. The farmers who work the soil, the mothers that like bringing their children to the park and playing a game of pickup softball, the men who love extreme Frisbee and mountain biking? How does such a disconnect happen between us (humans) and the natural world? What allows us to shut off the voices that tell us that dumping chemicals into our gardens and rivers, and driving huge, gas-guzzling SUVs because they're "in"? How do we decide as a society that it doesn't matter if people in other countries don't have enough resources, as long as we Americans have all we need?

To me the lack of interest in, and worry over, the environment ties into our whole consumer culture. I like to call this the Christmas Tree Shop mentality. Have you ever seen commercials for this store? If not, consider yourself lucky. The commercials generally show women parading around the store, snatching things of the shelves and immediately turning them this way and that to find the price tag. "Oh, look Marge. Isn't this a cute potholder? And it's only $.99! I'm getting five!" Plunk, plunk, plunk as Alice throws handfuls of potholders, which she may or may not ever use into her hugely full, towering cart of crap.

But it's worse in real life as I would guess that 90% of the items in this store aren't necessary to daily living. This is not to say that I never shop there. Occasionally, I have found nice books, cards, or gift wrap for presents. And once in awhile I do pick something up there because it's inexpensive, like tea light candles or flower bulbs. But I can't help but notice that mentality more and more--not just in this one store either. It's like shopping and having more than everyone else has become some sort of national disease. And where are we putting all this stuff? Sometimes we store it in little extra "closets" a.k.a. storage units that we pay for each month. Sometimes we fill our houses with it to the point where it's not even comfortable getting around. But eventually most of it, nearly all I would guess, ends up in the landfill.

I guess I just wonder how we, as Americans, have turned from a country of do-it-yourselfers into a culture of wasters. I wonder what our grandparents would think, or the founding fathers of this country, if they saw where we are now. We're ruining the environment to make things "better" for ourselves. We've stopped questioning government policies that allow the total annihilation of once perfectly natural environments. We are addicted to oil and shopping, and having more, more, more. And all of this at our own expense, or at the expense or other people who we share the planet with who are less fortunate than ourselves.

I'm re-reading a wonderful book right now, called "Serve God, Save the Planet". It is in the Green Lending Library to be borrowed (or will be in a few days). It is written by J. Matthew Sleeth, M.D., a man who once "had it all". He worked as a bigwig doctor and had a huge house, a flashy sports car and everything else that the so-called American Dream tells us successful people have. He and his family, however, changed their ways after they realized how out of line their choices were compared to their values. Sleeth shares in his book how important that realization was to him.

"After I became a Christian, I went through a process of examining my life. It was filled with sin and hypocrisy. . . At the time, I considered myself an enlightened environmentalist. The United States uses more resources than any other country in history, and my crude audit showed that my family used slightly more energy than the average American household. Despite our modest recycling, carpooling, and electricity conservation efforts, we were living an unsustainable lifestyle. We were going about living our life as if we were the center of the universe, and there was no tomorrow to protect." --J. Matthew Sleeth, M.D. Serve God, Save the Planet

I am certainly not saying that I'm immune to the gimmees, that I never waste gas on unnecessary trips, that I always think first of other people and the environment when I'm shopping. But I do try, and I think it's important that we all try, to be more conscious of our choices. How does buying sweatshop made goods affect people? How does buying conventional versus organic products affect our planet and the workers who farm the fields their grown in? How does my deciding I need a big SUV for my safety affect the person whom I collide with and who is hurt in their modest sized or small car? How does adding chemical fertilizer to my garden affect my neighbor's children who's well is located near my yard?

Just being conscious is the difference. Can't sell your SUV? Maybe you could use it less or use public transportation more. Don't have the money to buy all organic foods? What about at least avoiding the foods with the highest amount of pesticides in them? Can't afford all sweat-shop free clothes? Try used. This saves money and resources as you're keeping one more thing out of the landfill.

Living Simply

"Live simply so that others may simply live." I love this quote though I can't remember at the moment who is famous for having said it.

Simple and frugal living have a rather bad rap if you ask me. So often they are thought of in the same vein as "deprivation" and "poverty". But that's not what it's about at all. Living simply and frugally is about taking into account what matters the most in your life and paring down the extras so that you can focus on what's most important to you. Let's say you absolutely adore sailing. You live far from the ocean and rarely get a chance to be on the water, between working full-time, keeping up your house and tracking your stock portfolio. But, wow. You really do love sailing and would like to make it a huge part of your life.

Someone who was dedicated to living more simply would take all these things into account and then start creatively brainstorming ways to add more of what he loves into their life. He might decide to pare down his belongings, sell his house and buy a sailboat big enough to live on. Doing this might mean that he needs less income, so he could work the summer months giving tours or sailing lessons with his boat in the US and then spend the winter off the coast of the Bahamas fishing and relaxing.

There are so many real life stories similar to this fictional story. So often when we are faced with a problem, we hurry and throw money at it. Something breaks in the house? Rush out and find a new one at the store. A family wants to start using cast iron pans and pots instead of their current non-stick cooking ware? Hurry, get to the store and buy a new set.

To me, living simply and frugally is really about being more creative. If something in your house breaks, pause for a few minutes before running to the store. Is there something else you could use instead? Does a family member or friend have an extra of these items gathering dust at their house? Could you buy it second hand? Thrift stores are much more than musty basement deals with shabby clothes. Our local Goodwill has a ton of great kitchen appliances and some brand new items like dish towels, curtains, rugs and more. The next time my coffee maker goes on the fritz or I am in need of something else for the house, I'll check there first.

It's not about deprivation, it's about looking at things another way. Taking the time to be creative saves you money, and it also saves resources. Every single "THING" that has to be made uses valuable resources. It also is one more thing that will eventually land in the trash one day. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle--and RE-THINK.

It's Easy to Forget

It's easy to forget in our day to day lives, that people elsewhere are dying of hunger. It's easy to forget when we have enough in our cupboards, that cupboards in other kitchens are bare. It's easy to take for granted the warm bed we slept in last night, hot shower we had this morning, the fresh cup of coffee, the relative safety of our homes.

When I stop and think about everything I take for granted in a day, everything I believe I'm "entitled" to, it's mind blowing. Things I don't think twice about (ibuprofen in the medicine cabinet, shoes on the closet floor, blankets if I'm cold, a fan when I'm too hot). These are things that I feel are a necessity (ok, I do realize and freely admit I have too many pairs of shoes on the closet floor), are things that people in other countries may have never had. Never. Had.

I am reading a great book which I'll tell you about later. The author, who worked for a summer in India with Mother Theresa, one of my heroes, spent time with the sick and dying, the poorest of the poor. And what he took from the experience was how lucky and fortunate he was to be there. Not because he realized all the stuff he had back home and felt grateful for it, but because the experience changed him. The sick and dying and people with leprosy gave him more than he had ever thought was possible.

One of my dreams has always been to do mission work. When I was young I wanted to go to Romania and work in an orphanage. I still do.

But what's the long-term solution? My volunteering for three weeks or three months will help, but it won't change anything really, in the long-term. What will? Donating money? Starting a new non-profit? Working with an existing non-profit? Selling all my possessions and giving money to a charity?

I don't know the answer. Do you?

Waste No Food Challenge

I just came across a great blog, by Katy. She has issued a "Waste no Food Challenge" which I quickly signed up for. The rules are simple: Don't waste any food for a 30-day period. I started yesterday when I polished off all my Taco Bell dinner instead of throwing the remains in the trash. I haven't had any TB in a loooong time and just when I thought I wouldn't be able to finish, I convinced my husband to eat the last piece of cheese quesadilla.

Despite my best intentions, we are a household of food wasters. (Dear Mother-in-Law, if you are reading this, please cover your eyes.) I have been seriously considering purchasing a small apartment sized fridge so I can keep better track of our food and leftovers. Did any of you see the Freegan-inspired Oprah? This cute couple was so inspiring. They dumpster dive even though they make plenty of money and they aren't ashamed of their less-than-traditional food foraging habits one bit.

Anyway, back to the food challenge. We are a household of two and I'm embarassed by how much food ends up spoiling in our fridge. And condiments? We had about 40 bottles when we did a "deep clean" on the fridge yesterday.

I try to console myself by the fact that we at least compost 90% of the food waste. But when I see the mushy vegetables in the compost bucket and the bits of meat going into the trash, I also see something else. Dollars. For every bit of food we waste, that's part of our grocery money going into the garbage.

How about you? Are you a food waster or a food user-upper? What are some of the common foods that find their way into your trash or compost?

Do you want to join Katy's Waste-No-Food challenge? Head over to her blog and sign up. Please?I need some moral support!

Free to buy a lot of crap we don't need

I would like to get this made into a bumper sticker. Stuff is starting to consume us. We want it. We "need" it. We feel it's our God-given right to have it. We're Americans damn it, and we're free to buy what we want.

The problem is, we aren't. Being able to do something doesn't make it right. Buying every little thing our heart desires isn't helping anyone. Not even ourselves.

I was out for my morning walk when I noticed a large dumpster behind our town office building. It was not one of the regular sized dumpsters, but a big, fat, jumbo-sized one. It was filled to overflowing with stuff. Scattered all around it was more stuff. Cabinets, a chair, a stereo, an electric fireplace, tables, and more. Take a wild guess where it was all headed. If you guessed "the local landfill" you're right!

I came home and called the town office who put me in touch with the guy in charge. Long story short: There is a dumpster this full or even more full every year after the annual Fireman's Auction on Memorial Day. My suggestions of having a "free sale" or people to come pick up useable items was met with a look of disinterest and a "yeah, whatever."

One of the men there preparing to take the furniture to the landfill commiserated with me. "Some of it could be recycled. Or there might be people in the area without much money who could use it."

Yeah.

But here's another thought. There might be crazy people like me who actually LIKE used things! There is a whole mentality here in my little county that "only poor people" would want "used" stuff.

If you are as fed up with America's obsession with stuff as I am, you have to watch Annie Leonard's free online video, "The Story of Stuff". This 20 minutes just might change your life. If nothing else it will give you a broader picture of where stuff comes from and where it ends up.

The Experiment Begins...

My experiment began on Sunday, August 26th and to be honest, I’m a little scared. I guess I never really sat and thought about how much my car means to me, and how much it gives me in terms of independence.

Saturday night I had these last minute panicky thoughts, “Well, maybe I shouldn’t start it this Sunday. I mean, that hardly gives me any time to plan ahead or work through my schedule.”

One of my duties at work is to collect the mail from the local PO. I told my boss about my experiment on Friday. She said she was ok with it but then looked at me rather quizzically and asked “Now, why are you doing this?” She also is not keen on my idea of combining my morning break time and my usual drive to the PO into one longer walk to collect the mail as “it might take you out of the office too long”, so I will either need to bring my bike to work or borrow someone’s car to collect the mail three days a week. Honestly, if it were my company and someone were doing this experiment I would be overjoyed that they were being proactive and that they cared about the planet. I would be trying to make things easier for them, not more difficult. But, this is not my company.

So the plan is this: I will carpool with Serge at 6:25 a.m. part of the way to work, then get on the bus at 6:42 a.m. and continue my commute, arriving at work around 7:00 a.m. Unfortunately, I’m not allowed to start work early, so I’ll either walk or bring something to read until 7:30 when I begin work. Serge gets done work at 3:30 and he will then continue on to pick me up around 4:00 when I am done. Initially I felt like I was the only one making a sacrifice here, (I’ll be losing my only alone time of the day and leaving about 35 minutes earlier) but I wouldn’t really feel like going 15 minutes out of my way after work to sit in a parking lot for another 15 minutes waiting for him to come out. I guess the bus ride and my early arrival cancels out his afternoon inconvenience afterall.

PS I should also note that I’ve decided to use my scooter during this experiment which I think will make it more bearable. I’m a little afraid this will not give me an accurate picture of living with one vehicle because using a scooter, and my bicycle for that matter, is not an option about 8 months out of the year. However, with bus fare at $4 per one-way trip, I think the scooter is a more affordable option. And a 150cc scooter is still much more environmentally friendly than a big truck with a V8 engine!

One Car, Two People, Three Weeks...

I’m starting an experiment (I love experiments!). My husband Serge and I have talked in the past about paring down to one car. We work nearly the same hours, in towns about 8 miles apart. We spend most of our free time together and aren’t usually running in different directions on the weekends (what can I say? We’re pretty contented homebodies!). We are both really interested in trying to lesson our carbon footprint. (Rate your carbon footprint HERE) Also, I’m very interested in working at home eventually, full or part-time and having one car at that point shouldn’t pose as much of a problem….but I’m getting ahead of myself.

The experiment consists of this: We will share our car for at least a three week period. No grabbing for the keys to Serge’s truck when things get rough-we have to pretend that we have just the one car, and one car only. Because we work about 9 and 18 miles respectively from home and have nearly no public transportation in our area, we will need to do some careful and creative planning. I see after work errands, lunch breaks at work, and getting to work too early to be my main obstacles. Also, as an introvert, I’m worried about having my alone time reduced from about ½ hour in the morning to zilch. On the positive side, the experiment will hopefully make us more aware of our driving habits, will save miles and gas for our car, and may save us some money.

I’m writing an article about our experience in the Nov/Dec issue of the Simple Living Network’s newsletter. Check out the network here. It’s a fabulous resource and there are tons of great people with helpful information on the message boards. I won’t be posting my actual article on this blog, but will keep you posted on the ups and downs of car sharing, and you can read the article on the Simple Living Network as soon as the newsletter is out.