The Big O

Honey Nut O's, that is. What did you think I was talking about?


This is some tasty cereal, and I'm not much of a cereal gal. If you're looking for an alternative to Cheerios, Cascadian Farms' Honey Nut O's are a good option. I actually like them better than the Honey Nut Cheerios I've been craving thanks to Rhonda.

I found this box at Raisin Rack for around $4.

Stalking Broccoli

For some reason, it never occurred to me that you can eat broccoli stalks just like you can eat the florets. But I read somewhere recently that you can boil them, puree them and use them for soup, so I thought I'd try it out and it worked!



Here's the recipe I made up:

Broccoli florets
Broccoli stalks
Baking potato
Water
Salt
Pepper
Half and Half
Cheddar cheese

I boiled the stalks and potato until soft, then used my new potato masher to puree them in a bowl. I used a little bit of the water from boiling to thin them out, then added half and half, broccoli florets, salt and pepper (to taste). Boiled until the florets were soft, then topped with cheddar cheese. Voila, an easy meal for the next four evenings!

Now I don't have to waste half of the broccoli that I bring home!

This Little Piggy Went to Market

Though the piggy that stayed home was definitely the greenest of the bunch, this little piggy often goes to market for her food.



It has become clear that eco-friendly shopping (especially when it comes to food) is not an exact science, but I try to keep the following things in mind when I go shopping, whether it be at the local farmer's market or the local Kroger.

• How far do I have to travel to get there? Is it worth the ten-mile trip to Whole Foods when a brisk two-minute walk will land me at Kroger?
  
• Is it organic? Though organic is not the only green factor, it is a major consideration, especially if you have health concerns.
• Was it made or produced locally? If the product was made close to home, than transportation is not as much of a consideration. Take a look to see if it was made in the same city or state.
• Does it come with a lot of excess packaging? Some prepared meals come with boxes, plastic containers, little packets of spices and more. Stay away from things like Lunchables!
  
• What is the packaging made out of? Glass can be recycled thousands of times, but weighs a lot, using more energy to transport it. Plastic can only be recycled a handful of times, if that, but requires less packaging to keep it in tact while transporting. Paper weighs less than plastic and glass, requires less packaging to transport, and can often be recycled or composted. Paper packaging made of already recycled materials is also a good option.
• How much does it weigh? Dehydrated and concentrated foods are often greener, because they require less energy to transport.
  
• How "processed" is it? This is another consideration for both environmental and health concerns. Try the guessing game if you're not sure. How many ingredients can you guess correctly? The fewer you get right, the less appealing the product is.
• Does it come in bulk? If you can buy the product in a 24oz container instead of a 16oz container, go for it! You'll save on packaging as well as on extra trips to the store.
  
• How does this product compare to similar products on the market? Yes, price and taste are major considerations. But if you find two very similar products, try to choose the one that fits the most eco-friendly criteria.
  
• How long will it last? Be sure not to buy anything that you won't eat before it expires. Wasting food is the least green thing you can do!
  
• How much energy will it take to store this item? If you have the choice of a pantry item, a freezer item and a refrigerator item, go for them in that order. Pantry items require no energy to store. However, it takes less energy to run your freezer if it's full (because of insulation). And the refrigerator shouldn't be over-stocked, because it will use more energy to keep things cool.

Obviously, very few items will meet all of the criteria above. And if you're a piggy like me, you won't be able to resist the modern evils of Fritos and Ding Dongs every time. But when you choose Newman-O's over Oreos and Cheddar Bunnies over Cheez-Its, you won't have to cry "Wee! Wee! Wee!" all the way home.

Royal Flush

Yes, I have decided to talk about the porcelain throne and all of the jewels that go with it.

So, here are a few tips for your next visit with Sir John:

• Be noble; if your toilet is leaking or dripping, get it fixed.
  
• Reign it in. Your toilet paper waste, that is. Though toilet paper does technically grow on trees, it is still a costly environmental luxury. So be sure to only use what's necessary to get the job done.
  
• Crown the trash can queen and avoid flushing things like tissues, condoms or tampons. These items have to be fished back out before the water can be released back into the wild and nobody wants that job.
• Go for gold: Buy toilet paper that's made from recycled content. I swear, it's not that bad. I disagree with Grist's rating of Whole Foods' 365 toilet paper, but you may find this article useful when searching for TP that's kind to your bum.
• Duke it out. Though you might not be ready to go with a dual-flush or composting toilet, be sure that when you replace an old toilet you buy one that meets the new standard of 1.6 gallons of water per flush.
  
• The jester's favorite: When it's yellow, let it mellow. When it's brown, flush it down. (Of course, this method works best for those of us who live alone.)

Moral of the story? Don't be a royal pain in the a** when it comes to eco-friendly excrement. It's not that hard to be kind to mankind and your behind.

Sew Green

Here are a few recent projects I've made with eco-friendly materials:



This desk organizer (or art room organizer, as I hope it will become) was made using an old Planters Peanuts tin, an upholstery fabric sample and a sewing machine.

I got the peanut tin from GFS. It took almost 9 months to eat that many peanuts, but they don't go bad, so it was a great deal at just $5. The upholstery fabric sample came in a huge batch from a friend's grandmother. I guess she had held on to them for years, thinking she would one day find a use for them. (The samples were victims of secondhand smoke, but I think some fresh air has cured them.)



This wall organizer was also made using the upholstery samples, as well as some scrap fabrics from other projects. (BTW, the dowel rod is not at all green. Just a simple wood rod from Jo-Ann's. I'm sure I could have found something else had I waited long enough. I'll be sure to keep my eye out for broken broom handles and the like.)

I guess the moral of this story is that if you hold on to random items long enough, you'll find a way to reuse them.

A Few of My Favorite Things

Along with raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, these are a few of my favorite things:

A programmable thermostat knows how to keep me warm at night. It was less than $100, took about 1/2 hour to install, and has saved me over $40 a month in winter heating costs. Plus, when I set it low for bedtime, it encourages the cats to come and cuddle with me! (Buy at Lowe's.)



These are my favorite bags, EVER. Though I have many reusable bags, including logo ones from Target and Whole Foods, sometimes it's nice to not be advertising for others as you're walking around town. I have carried whole Thanksgiving dinners, $70 worth of groceries, 20 library books and more in these bags.

Once they're loaded up, they don't weigh a ton, and keep their shape much better than cloth bags. Plus, if they get dirty from the week's CSA load, you can simply wipe them out with a damp cloth and they're good as new! (Buy at Mixed Bag Designs.)



This is a new one. I got this as a Christmas present. I love that it's so simple. Stacks of sheets framed with cardboard and a few thumbtacks, and you've got yourself a bulletin board.

I haven't tried hanging anything heavy on here, as I don't think it would stick, but it works perfectly for outgoing mail, coupons and other reminders as I'm heading out the door. (Buy at Uncommon Goods.)

Bulking Up

I am so excited, because I just learned that Raisin Rack lets you bring in your own containers for their extensive bulk bin food section.



I guess I have been trained to think that people aren't interested in slimming down when it comes to packaging waste. I was terrified to even ask, for fear of the usually ridicule I receive for trying to think "outside of the box." But there was no reason to be afraid; they were extremely pleasant and encouraging!



So I'm going to be sure to bulk up on yummy sesame sticks, red lentils for my Indian dal soup, fun granola mixes and slivered almonds, all without packaging! I'll probably just take a few old yogurt containers and start shoveling it in!

P.S. As far as the wallet goes, it got to keep a few pounds. The almonds, which usually cost $3 or more for a 6oz bag at Kroger, were only $5/lb!

Oh, What a Tangled Web We Weave

Since I've been working on so many crafting projects lately, I have been all tangled up in thread and fabric and other miscellaneous piles of unfinished projects.

Although I tend to use utilitarian containers that I already have lying around, such as plain cardboard boxes and food containers like the ones that spring lettuce mixes come in, I decided that I wanted something prettier and more stylish to help me untangle my life.

So, I bought some fun bins from the Container Store made out of old newspapers to store my pictures and crafty supplies.



I also found a fun use for this 24-case of Bud Light that wandered its way to my house over the holidays. Granted, this isn't going in a window display any time soon, but it works well with my laundry room decor! The cardboard dividers for the glass bottles help to organize small objects and would make a great container for Christmas ornaments.




And with a little more class, I was also able to repurpose this cigar box that a friend of mine found in a garage sale. It makes a wonderful and stylish jewelry box!




So it seems that Longaberger baskets aren't the only way to weave a new world. How have you recycled or reused old products to organize your life?

Selling Out

Part of being eco-friendly is selling out every once in a while.

That's why I've recently taken my books and CDs to various buy-back locations.

I took about 3/4ths of my book stash to Half Price Books on Shrock Rd and State St for resale. I was sad to see them go, but had not re-read one of them, ever. (Too many other fish in the sea.) Many of the books were relics from my college days, classics that I hope will find a good home with another college student looking to save money (and who will come to hate Blood Meridian as much as I did.)

A few weeks later, I went to Buybacks Entertainment on 161 and Cleveland Ave to sell back my CDs. Having migrated completely to MP3 format, these CDs were quickly expiring in a much-forgotten cabinet. (Poor Alanis' allergies started acting up from all the dust accumulating on her jewel case.)

I feel better knowing that my once-loved possessions will find new homes, and I can't complain about a little extra money in my pocket. If I weren't such a faithful library patron, I would consider buying some gently used books and CDs from these fine establishments.

Just "Concentrate"

Just concentrate. That's how those stupid 3-D Magic Eye pictures were supposed to work. (I never did see the dolphin.) But concentrating definitely works for the environment!

Next time you go to the store, consider buying your favorite products in concentrated form, such as juice, laundry detergent & household cleaners, dried cranberries, dehydrated veggies, etc.

Why, you ask? Consider that most of these products are simply taking H2O out of the equation. This means that you're making for a lighter load when hauling things across the country, buying less packaging AND saving space in your cupboards for all of those bulk items you want to buy.

Just be sure not to get a headache from concentrating too hard.