Tao Of Craft

Earth Day 2010

I have loved being part of the One Small Change Project!

In case you have not been keeping up...

The challenge was to make one positive environmental change every month leading up to Earth Day. Suzy had asked us to blog about the planned change in the beginning of the month and then blog about the results at the end of each month. The idea is that if everyone who participates in the project makes 4 changes that the cumulative effect would be large.

Hundreds of bloggers participated and the project was in fact a success!

Thanks for the inspiratin Suzy!

I am going to continue to make a change each month! 

There are so many more things that concern me... Plastics, GMO, the Oil and Gas Industry, the billions of trash that are put into our oceans every year, where our food comes from, clean water issues...

It really does go ON and ON!

I have big plans for the future... Raising BEES, Building a chicken COOP, Starting our BIODYNAMIC garden... So stay tuned! 

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

 

Homemade Baby Wipe Tutorial

Here is my installment for the February One Small Change Project!

Disposable baby wipes are NOT biodegradable. Unlike toilet paper, wipes are non-flushable and do not disintegrate. They are made from a blend of non-woven fabrics like polyester,polypropylene,cotton,wood pulp, and rayon fibers. They are prepared with alcohol, artificial preservatives, and fragrance. THEN they are stored in plastic containers to prevent drying out!  

BAD for the baby BAD for the environment... instead.... make your own!

Homemade Baby Wipe Tutorial

Materials:

1 Roll Paper Towel (It must be the thick kind...unfortunately the recycled paper towel will not work...i tried):

2 1/2 Cups HOT water

2 TBL Olive Oil

2 TBL Organic Baby Wash

2 Containers with lid

This will make 2 - 1/2 rolls of wipes.

Step 1. Cut paper towel in half and take out inner tube...save tube for a future craft project

 

 Step 2. Combine Hot Water, Baby Wash, and Olive oil in a Pyrex Measure.  Mix well.

 

Step 3. Place paper towel into your new baby wipes container (or into a sided pan) and pour the solution down the center of the towel roll. Let this sit for 10-15 minutes and then turn the roll and let sit for another 10-15 minutes.

 

Step 4. Put the id on your container and voila!

  

  

Opt Out of The Phone Book!

 

 

Since I am in a 'green" state of mind I thought that I should share with you how to opt out of the Phone Book. 

Every year about this time the dreaded yellow pages arrive upon my doorstep...  We recieve three per year for single family house! 

I no longer have a land line (only cell) and I have a free directory assistance with my phone. Also I have free access to any phone number via the internet.

These HUGE phone books collect and eventually I recycle them... 

If 500 phone books are recycled, it saves:

7,000 gallons of water

3.3 cubic yards of landfill space

31 trees

4,100 kilowatts of electricity, enough to power a home for 6 months

I was  glad to eliminate it ll together!  Call 1-877-243-8339 to opt out of receiving the DEX phone books. Call 1-800-929-3556 to opt out of receiving the Yellow Book directories. It was very easy! 

HURRAY! No more phone book! 

Now I just need to eliminate the rest of the paper mail that I receive everyday!

January One Small Change

Here are the results of my January installment of the One Small Change Project...

I am happy to say that we went 100% for reusable shopping bags and produce bags. 

It was not that big of a change for me as I was mainly doing anyway but adding the "no exception" rule really helped turn my practice into a solid habit. The best part is that my kids do not  think that you can even get a bag at the store. When we were going into the grocery the other day my son reminded me to bring the cloth bags because he wanted apples and did not think that they would all fit into his pockets!

Also I LOVE my new produce bags. I did not make my own because I found these beauties!

 

Here is a tutorial if you want to make your own!

We have also revamped our waste free lunch system for the kids... more on this topic to come!

Thanks Suzy! I am loving the project and I am excited for next month's challenge!

 

One Small Change Project

 

 

Happy 2010! Each new year (and each new day for that matter) brings with it the opportunity to reflect.

My thoughts turn to where I have been and where I am going... ways to refine and evolve.

Most things spiritual some things physical. 

One of the items on my 2010 agenda is to refine my physical impact on the earth.

I think that it is important for many reasons. While i appreciate the environmental benefits of living a "green life", I also hold the values of sustainability, self reliance, and moderation. 

These are things that I strive to model for my children.

Suzy over at Hip Mountain Mama has proposed a challenge. 

She started the One Small Change Project. 

The challenge: Make one positive environmental change every month leading up to Earth Day. 

She has asked us to blog about the planned change in the beginning of the month and then blog about the results at the end of each month. 

The idea is that if everyone who participates in the project makes 4 changes that the cumulative effect would be large.

I already have the basics covered... I use cloth bags at the grocery, avoid plastic as much as I can, my kids go to school with waste free lunches, etc ..etc... but there is ALWAYS room for improvement right?

My One Small Change for the month of January is that I am going to go 100% on some of the things that I do at 75% right now. 

1. I use cloth bags at the grocery but I still use the plastic produce bags. I am going to make my own cloth produce bags and then I will be 100% in terms of eliminating wasteful grocery store bags.

I also commit to using my cloth bags at ALL stores not just the grocery. 

2.I am 75% with is eliminating wasteful  lunches for my kids. but alas, i can do better. I will make all of my own cloth snack  bags as well as no more small yogurt containers.

3. The elimination of plastic is a priority for me and while I am conscious of it (no plastic water bottles, BPA free items etc) I think that that is going to have be an entire month all to itself. 

So, I am starting small with the challenge but I am inspired by the project and have bigger plans for next month!

Thanks Suzy!