Happy Earth Day!

Today's day was meant for enjoying all of the colors of the season, all of the splendor of spring. We didn't do a lot of thinking/talking about the polar bears, or global warming, or plastics, or waste disposal. We noticed plants on our walk home from Norah's afternoon class, we picked some dandelions, and we talked about flowers. What colors we saw and loved! And then, well, Norah melted down and I spent the remainder of the 20-40 minute walk, policing the Harvey and Norah in the stroller in between her wails.

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about ways that we as a family can live lighter on this planet and here are some of the actions I have taken::

:: bring tupperware to use for a take out container. The amount of trash that we accumulate when we take out dinner is truly disturbing. Many places here in Portland offer compostable take-out "boxes" but most still offer the standard plastic. So I bring my own when we call in an order and arrive early. I am also trying to remember to keep a container in the car so that if/when we eat out and want to take food home, I will have something to use.

::actually use those reusable grocery bags of mine.

:: buy in bulk. I swore off singer serving containers a couple of years ago, but I still have loads of plastic that accumulates from condiments, yogurt containers, and snack foods. I am going to invest in a Costco membership when we get back east.

:: buy food from local farmers


And here are some ideas I have for our our new house::

:: start composting again. This time we will build a pile that is not the eye sore that our old pile was.

:: harvest our rain water to use for the garden.

:: replace our lawn with native plants and vegetables.

And so much more, but one step at a time...

Chickens!

I want them! I want them! I want them.

We went to a birthday party this weekend here in Portland and the hosting family was raising their own chickens in an incubator in their laundry room! The chickens are still very young so they send their time underneath a heat lamp warming and getting stronger by the day. Soon my friend will transfer them to the chicken coop that her husband built in their backyard, and then, in a few short months, they will have fresh eggs every morning!

To be leaving Portland is so sad for me and now I had one more reason to be sad. Montclair, New Jersey does not allow clotheslines in the backyards of its residents, so chickens are certainly a no-go. But THEN I found this! Residents can have up to 25 chickens?! Portland only allows three.

Now this is something to look forward to...

Sustainable Living

I attended a workshop on "sustainable" living on a budget this evening in Portland. Not sure what I thought it would entail exactly but I knew I would be interested in it. And I was. The workshop host covered a wide variety of topics--how to eliminate plastics in your kitchen, how and why to grind your own grains (and even how to make your own flour), why to avoid major box stores and chains (Starbucks, in particular, OUCH! hmmm.... I prefer to stay blissfully ignorant on that one), how to avoid packaging by buying bulk, etc... Much of it I was already familiar with--Nina Plank's book Real Food opened my eyes wide to these issues a year ago. But some of it was unfamiliar and some of it just needed to be reinforced in my brain.
I am still very new to this anti-consumerist world. After all, I was raised in Texas where my entire weekend entertainment consisted of consuming. We could hit three or four malls in a weekend and still have more to buy. And, I get some comfort (albeit short term) in retail therapy. So, I am trying to take things pretty gradually--so gradually that I will never get to that last item on the list--kicking my Starbucks habit. In all seriousness though, there are some things that I want to change (and need to change) like purifying our home, eliminating plastics, gardening, composting, etc.. and there are some things that I just do not want to change. Clothes, for instance. I love beautiful clothes and I get a tremendous amount of joy out of wearing them (of course, most of my life is lived in sweats these days, but STILL). And really, I am ok with this Brian, too, will never take public transportation. One of those things that won't change. We are on this journey together though, finding our way, fumbling around, deciding on what is right for us.

Another One of Those Days

1. Brian left for five days this morning.
2. He took his car to the shop
3. I took Norah to school.
4. My car overheated.
5. I had no car and a daughter who needed to be picked up in two hours.
6. I had two lovely friends who helped me get through the day.

In lighter news, Norah has announced the following regarding Harvey's illness, "Harvey has diarrhea in his butt. I don't like diarrhea." She also explained to me this evening that the heater is cold (we don't have the heat on anymore) and could I put a coat on it. Thank goodness she helped me laugh my way through this harrowing 10 hours.

Finally, I have signed the below petition to add our names taken off of the phone book distribution list. What a waste of paper.

I am in. I spent the month of February on my retail fast and I am going to spend the month of April doing as well. Mine is starting tomorrow and ending on May 5. There may be some exceptions this month (unlike February) as we are putting our house on the market and have to get a few things here and there to spruce up the place a bit more, but I am totally in. And I have added my own rule--no eating out either unless there was a previous engagement or we are forced to do so with family in Florida. I will keep you posted. Before the day is out today, I need to buy a birthday present, and then game on.