The goal of this article is to help you throw away less stuff. If you can get a better shave and enjoy the shaving experience more while you’re at it, so much the better. While there are energy efficient electric shavers on the market, we’ll only be looking at wet shaving methods. Read the rest of the article
taken from Democracy Now! Headline for 06.09.2009
“In environmental news, a top UN official is urging a global ban on plastic bags, in part because plastic is the most pervasive form of ocean litter. Achim Steiner, executive director of the UN Environment Program, said, “Single-use plastic bags, which choke marine life, should be banned or phased out rapidly everywhere. There is simply zero justification for manufacturing them anymore, anywhere.” The campaign to ban plastic bags is gaining steam internationally. China banned plastic bags last year, saving the country an estimated 40 billion plastic bags. Here in this country, San Francisco is the only large city to have banned plastic bags.”
I was reading a magazine today and there was a feature about doing good things for other people. A couple of the suggestions mentioned two organizations that I thought were doing exceptional work and were worth writing about.
CARE (www.care.org) is a humanitarian organization that assists poor women of the world so that they can become educated, economically sustainable and lead more meaningful lives. They also provide emergency aid to survivors of war and natural diasters, and help them rebuild their lives. You can read about their mission and you can also donate.
Soles 4 Souls (www.soles4souls.org) is dedicated to “changing the world one pair at a time.” This organization takes shoe donations (new and used) and gives them to people in need. Most recently the recipients have been survivors of natural diasters (i.e. the tsunami in Southeast Asia and Hurricane Katrina). I strongly encourage you to read more about them and their mission. If you are interested in donating a pair of shoes (and let’s be honest, we *all* have extra shoes lying around that we seldom, if ever, use), then click here.
I know that there are endless charities that help a wide range of people, but if you have a chance, at least read about what these two organizations are doing. It might inspire you to donate or help out in other ways that directly impact those in need in your area (such as taking magazines at home that you’ve already read to a women’s shelter). For ideas and tips on doing small things that make a big impact, you can also visit We Are What We Do. Pass it on!
(This is a little late. Apologies.)
I gladly ventured into the rain last Tuesday to attend the first day of the Krankies Local Market and was delighted to see it humming with vendors and patrons alike. All of the items that were listed were present and at the ready on various tables: pasture-raised lamb, free range eggs, starter plants for the garden, spinach, spring onions and Camino Bakery goodies (to name a few). I focused my efforts on starter plants for the garden and wound up purchasing Cherokee purple tomatoes, Carmen red peppers, dill, basil and a fuschia geranium. The geranium is solely for my viewing pleasure since I adore their delicate cluster blooms and their thick, furry, scalloped-edged leaves.
It is reassuring to have a local market that carries products you can feel good about purchasing, as well as one that supports local farms and businesses so that our money helps support our local economy. I keep remembering what the woman at the clothing swap said, “We have to take care of each other.” If you did not have a chance to go, then I implore you to make a trip and check it out. I can assure you that you will not walk away empty-handed (or displeased). See you at the market!
A local Girl Scout from Troop 213 is promoting her project of re-purposing an old t-shirt into a recycled tote. It’s easier than you think and a great way to hold onto that t-shirt that you can’t, yet can’t throw away.
Interested in trying this out? Download easy-to-make instructions here.
Give your food the cold shoulder!
Freezers are almost every household and while they are used, often times they are misused or underused. By realizing the full potential of what you can put in the freezer, you can not only save time and money, but you also reduce food waste. For all of the freezing novices out there, here is a great article from The New York Times by food expert Mark Bittman (click here to read) that explains how to properly utilize that arctic space in your fridge.
