Eco-Resolution 2012

We're but hours away from ringing in the New Year. So, have you come up with your resolution yet?

Well, I have a challenge for you.

Despite the fact that the world is clearly going to end in December of 2012, we probably ought to plan as if it might not ;-) As each year has passed us by, global warming/climate change has been an increasing issue, oil has caused disasters and wars, species continue to be swept off the planet. What are you doing, in your daily life, to improve these situations?

So, I implore you.. if you're new to the 'environmentally friendly' game, start small with some of these ideas:

• Commit to only using cruelty-free cosmetics, such as Modern Minerals. And buying eco-concsious makeup brushes (made with no animal hair), like those from Eco-Tools.
• Commit to using a home water filter, instead of buying bottled water. (I recommend the documentary Tapped to learn about this issue)
• Sign up for an eco-friendly email listing that will expose you to new "green," organic, and free trade companies. My favorite is Pure Citizen. It's super easy to sign up, and they offer daily discounts on brands you'll love to discover. You even get to choose if you'd like to save the money from the sale, or pay full price and donate the difference to a featured charity.

Ready to go a little further?

• Try switching all your regular cleaning products to "green" ones; from brands like Seventh Generation and Method. Trust me, you'll feel better knowing that every surface in your home isn't covered with toxic chemicals. And be sure to dispose of your old products responsibly; so they don't end up in our water supply.
• Switch to solar. Don't worry, you don't have to cover your entire roof with solar panels just yet. You can start with solar chargers for electronic gadgets, solar lights for your lawn, or even solar christmas lights.
• Start a compost. You can even start with small counter-top compost, like those featured at Gaiam.com

Honestly, there are millions of ideas.. and they all make a difference. But the biggest part of any of them, is that you share what you're doing with those around you. Use the opportunity to explain why being 'greener' is so important; to you.. and the planet.

Let me know how you're going to do better this year, than last year. And share this blog with everyone you know.

Soap Hope - A Company You Should Know About

As you can guess by my product reviews, I'm always looking for the newest and cutest in eco-friendly products. Somehow, though, this company escaped my radar; until a couple months ago.. during a random Google search for Zum Soaps, up popped this website: SoapHope.com

I reluctantly clicked, and skeptically glanced at the site. It was simple. No flashy graphics. No sleek design. But, what it did have, was low prices.. and a cause.

I'm always wary of ordering from websites I don't know. I tend to stick with stores and brands that I'm familiar with, but on a whim.. I placed an order. And I'm so glad I did.

First, as an eco-conscious consumer, I look at the products. Soap Hope has a lineup of organic and natural products; including Indigo Wild/Zum Soap, Acure Organics, BioKleen, and others.

Then, I look at the philosophy of the company. Do they care about the environment? Or are they just following a fad? Do they support any causes? On this front, Soap Hope is a real winner. Soap Hope donates 100% of their profits to women. "Every time you shop at Soap Hope, all the profits from the sale go to help an aspiring woman become educated, obtain healthcare, and start her own trade so she can support her family."

You can read about their mission here: Soap Hope's Mission

Lastly, I pay attention to how the products are packaged for shipping; an often overlooked quality. It doesn't feel as positive to me, to buy ecological products, if they're sent to me in plastic bubble wrap and styrofoam peanuts. Again, Soap Hope gets an A++ on this one. They've cleverly implemented what they call "the Ugly Box" method of shipment.

As it says, they use scrap pieces of cardboard to tightly package your items. The only filler I've seen used was standard tissue paper. It makes for a compact, cheaper to ship, ugly.. and fabulous.. shipping container.

Obviously, this company has a lot going for it on the positive side. What about my orders?

I had nothing but positive experiences. My first order was all Indigo Wild/Zum products, which you've probably seen in my list of reviews. But that's when I got my first surprise. With each order, Soap Hope includes five sample items from the rest of their line-up. Due to that, I got to experience Acure Organics for the first time.. and am now waiting on that order to arrive. I realized later, that you can actually pick the five samples you want to try when you place your order. Awesome.

As for customer service, I can't provide too much input.. since I've had no problems to contact them about. But I can tell you that after my third or fourth order, they emailed me just to verify that everything was okay with my order. Nice and unexpected.

The last little tidbit I want to make sure to mention, is that feel-good feeling you get when you place your order. Not only do you know you're buying earth-friendly products, and that your money is going to a good cause. During checkout, the website specifically tells you how much your particular purchase has helped; as in, it tells you how many days it will sustain a woman's endeavors.

I truly can't recommend this website enough. I have yet to encounter one negative. So, should you find yourself reluctantly browsing their site; as I once did... go ahead and order. You won't regret it.

SoapHope.com

Sprout Watches: Time to Go Green

Yeah, watches made of corn. Well, sort of. But first, let's go to the beginning.

I stumbled upon the brand, "Sprout" while doing some xmas shopping, and browsing blogs and websites for eco-friendly gifts. I was immediately intrigued. I'd never heard of the brand, and most definitely had never heard of watches made from corn.

So, here's the deal. The company uses eco-friendly materials to make their watches. One of those materials is corn resin. It looks and feels like plastic; yet is bio-degradeable.

As I was perusing their website, though I liked how the organic cotton bands looked, I was most smitten with the corn resin. They were big and bold. That's my preference for a watch. But if you like things a little more dainty, fear not. Sprout carries watches made with Tyvek, organic cotton, or fish leather, too.

Me? I'm sticking with the corn. Love the size. Love the colors. Look at how boldly chic these babies are:

Since I had no experience with these watches; I headed to the "Sale" section of their website, where it was buy one, get one free (at the time). I opted to get a white band with green face (technically, the mineral lens was green), and a purple band with white (mother of pearl) face.

My first day wearing my white with green one, I got several compliments. Everyone seemed to notice it, and everyone was suprised that it was 'eco-friendly.'

The band is uber comfortable. No hairs getting yanked out (like sometimes happens with metal or elastic watches). No redness, itchiness, or sweating; like occurs with cheap metal watches.

So far, I've only had one problem. My favorite one (with green face) seems to be losing time; as in, over a period of two days, it'll fall back about 20 minutes. My guess is, the battery is draining. Bummer. (PS: both watches were 'running' when they arrived) So, I contacted customer service. They offered to replace the battery for free (if I ship it back). I'm always paranoid that things will get lost in the mail, so I'm still deciding if I'll take them up on that offer, or just take it to a local jeweller to replace the battery.

Speaking of the battery, that's another "green" step this company is taking. The batteries they use are mercury free. On top of that, the dials are mother of pearl, and the packaging is from recycled materials. You might notice, too, that each watch has a (or a few) small diamond. They are certified conflict free. Overall, the average Sprout watch is 80-86% eco-friendly. Not too shabby.

For more info on their materials, visit their Eco-Facts page.

Personally, I'm addicted to these watches. I love how they look on; and seem to go with anything. I never knew corn could look so good.

Sprout officially has a new fan.

As if that weren't enough, Sprout is involved with several philanthropy projects too, including 1% for The Planet; in which they donate 1% of their sales to environmental groups around the world.

Prices for their watches range from $30 to $75, and are availabe for both men and women.

For more information and to order, visit: SproutWatches.com

Frankincense & Myrrh - Not Just for Baby Saviors Anymore

Okay, okay. You've already read about my experience with Indigo Wild's Zum Bar Soap, in my blog, Zum, Zum, and Then Zum More. In there somewhere, I shared that I immediately fell in love with the Frankincense & Myrrh scent. And, I just received my follow-up shipment of Zum products. I am head over heels for this stuff.

First up, the Zum Body Lotion

I got the smaller size, to try it out.. and obviously, I chose frankincense & myrrh. Oh. My. Goodness. The smell is subtle, but warm and cozy.. like your favorite blanket.. or your boyfriends old sweatshirt (well, with a better smell.. I'm guessing).

And I've tried a LOT of natural body lotions in my day. My previous favorite was Burt's Bees Milk & Honey.. but at some point along the way, they seemed to have changed their formula.. and my skin started to feel waxy after using it; and the smell just isn't what it used to be. Still, a good lotion. But now.. there's no going back.

The Zum Body Lotion immediately absorbed into my skin.. and there was no waxy or greasy sensation afterwards. My skin feels extraordinarily soft; as if it were coated in baby powder.. but yet, super moisturized.

It also doesn't hurt that the ingredient list sounds like something I'd pop into the oven: Shea butter derived from certified organic nuts, aloe vera extract, certified organic jojoba oil, certified organic sunflower oil, extracts of carrot, sweet almond, avocado, sea kelp, ginseng, oat bran extract.. just to name a few. This stuff is AWESOME with a capital AWE! =)

And then.. to top it off, I sprayed on a little Zum Mist (frankincense & myrrh, of course). Smells better than any of my perfumes. This is going to be my go-to frangrance. It's that kind of smell that's subtle; but will linger for hours. Delicious.

I cannot speak highly enough of this brand. I love the natural ingredients. I love the "fun factor" of the company, the employees, and their packaging. I LOVE that it's made in the United States. Indigo Wild officially has a new lifelong customer.

And you can bet your booty that I'll be buying the larger size soon. The small one will go in my purse, so I can spread the joy to friends, coworkers, and perhaps a few friendly-looking strangers.

You can get these products (in different, nearly edible scents, too),

at great discounts through Drugstore.com

or SoapHope.com (that's where I purchased mine, proceeds go to a great cause)

and of course, visit IndigoWild.com for all the latest and greatest in their lineup

the Eco Cold Drink Cup

While perusing the internet for holiday gifts, (if you're like me, you find as much for yourself as you do for everyone else) I came across an insulated, reusable cup, called the Eco Cold Drink Cup. Though, I was on a site of random (fun) items and gag gifts, called PerpetualKid.com, I spotted this very functional item. It seemed to be just what I was looking for. Holds 16 oz. Keeps your drinks cold. Keeps you from using 'throw-away' cups. And it's BPA free.

As you can see, it also has fairly decent packaging; as in, no extra plastic or bubble packaging. The packaging states that it's 100% recycleable, and was made with 37% recycled content. Sure, no packaging would be ideal, but for shipping purposes, probably not really feasible.

The only downside that I've found is that this cup is made in China; something I try to avoid if possible. The company that sells/distributes it, just fyi, is Smart Planet, based in California. Explore their website at: http://www.smartplanethome.com/ Looks like they have loads of 'whimsical' and unique items that are far more environmentally friendly than throw away goods.

Are they perfect? No. But if having a unique and chic item, like a ceramic cup that looks like a red Solo cup, gets the average person to take one step in the right direction... I'll take it.

Personally, after just using the cup for two days, I've already saved the planet from at least three disposable cups. Every bit counts. I can only imagine how that will add up over the lifetime of the cup.

And most importantly, it worked. I put a cold drink in it, with just three ice cubes, at around 1pm. By 5pm, I could still see ice. No complaints here. And I must add, there was no plastic taste or smell, like I've noticed from some other cups on the market.

Do you have a reusable cup? How much do you think it saves you in drink-related trash?

PS: HUGE kudos to PerpetualKid.com for using potato starch packing peanuts instead of the environmental nightmare of styrofoam. These babies literally just dissolve away as soon as they hit water. LOVE!

Repurposed: The Jar Lid

So, as you might have caught from my previous post about Zum Soaps, I was in the market for a soap dish. But the more I thought about, the more I realized that I must own something that could work as a soap dish.

Enter the jar lid from a used candle.

If you're like me, you buy a lot of candles; some of which are jar candles. Personally, I've reused the jars for all sorts of things; to hold coins and knick-knacks, as a candy dish, etc. But, I still always have some around. So, it dawned on me, if you get the big ones, those lids are almost the exact size of a large bar of soap.

I decided to try it for my new Zum bars. Perfect fit. And if they happen to be the frosted glass, like mine was; it works even better since it's not as slippery. And they'll be super easy to clean soap residue off of.

I took a few more pictures for proof of my repurposing.

What else have you used old jars or jar lids for? Share your repurposing ideas.

Zum, Zum, and Then Zum More

If you're like me, you love the feeling you get when you discover a new "green" company to buy from. A few weeks ago, I received a catalog from Indigo Wild. I'd never heard of it, but I was immediately intrigued by the cover. With a subtitle of "Any more natural and you'd be naked.," how could I not look inside?

So, I browsed.. for a couple days. Trying to imagine what anise-lavendar and frankincense & myrrh would smell like in soap form. The bars themselves, with Ruffles-like ridges on both sides, and swirls of colors, combined with possibly the most unique assortment of scents.. drew my attention immediately. And then there was the off-beat humor of the writing and cartoony look of the mascot and graphics.

Yeah. I wanted some. What made it even better were all the natural ingredients, and completely minimalistic packaging. The bar soaps just come with a small cardboard sleeve around the middle; just enough to identify the scent and list the ingredients. My inner tree-hugger was smitten.

The irony is, I hate bar soaps. No really. I always imagine that crusty, cracking green and white soap from my youth; as it would waste away in the corner of the shower.. always with a hair stuck to it. Gah. I hate bar soaps. But something about these seemed different.

The fact that the ingredient list read like something I'd like to eat didn't hurt. The bar soaps are made from pure essential oils, vegetable based oils, herbs, goat's milk, etc. No random chemicals or artifical colors. So, I thought.. "Okay. These are worth investing in a soap dish."

 

So.. I ended up ordering a few... The frankincense and myrrh (my favorite smell of the ones I ordered), clove-mint, almond, sea salt, lime-basil, and then the holiday spiced almond. But who's counting?

As of late, I've also been trying to do more "natural" skin care; with the most recent being the Wonder Bar. My skin always felt clean enough; but I saw no real changes after months of use.. so I also started looking at Indigo Wild's skincare line. Hello, Zum Face. It runs for around $9.50 for a fairly large bar; as opposed to the Wonder Bar; which is $40 and maybe a quarter of the size. Not a hard decision to at least try Zum Face. So, I ordered that as well.

But wait, there's a pet soap too? Oh yes. It's called YUM Bar.

We feed our dog organic food and use an all natural flea repellant.. and yet, the most 'natural' dog shampoo I had found for her was still filled with chemicals. I struggled here, imagining my pup standing still while trying to use a bar soap on her. Indigo Wild does a version in a pump bottle.. but since the whole idea here was to minimize packaging, and especially plastics, I stuck with the bar. It's made with olive and coconut oils, along with goat's milk, aloe, and citronella. The company says that it calms your dog and helps to repel fleas. To add more "good" to the already good, the company donates $1.00 for every YUM bar purchased, to Kansas City Sheltie Rescue. I'll take one of those.

A couple weeks passed by when my order arrived. I immediately started using my new face bar. Though it's too soon to see any significant difference, I can tell you that my skin feels super clean when I use it. Like, squeaky clean.. but not in a 'stripped dry' and bad way. In fact, I feel myself needing less moisturizer at night. Time will tell.

Then, tonight, we decided to put Bristow's (our pup) new soap to the test. She was much more cooperative than usual. Due to the calming scent? No idea. But she calmly stood there as she was lathered up and rinsed off. And as she began to dry, she had a great, clean smell to her (no hint of wet dog). When she was completely dry, her hair was amazingly soft and shiny. I think we have a winner folks.

As for the standard bars? Well, I still haven't gotten that soap dish.. so I'll review those later. What I can tell you, is that I keep unwrapping them just to smell them. And I'm pretty sure I'm going to order everything possible in their frankincense & myrrh assortment.

I purchased my Zum from SoapHope.com

You can also get it from Drugstore.com, which tends to have good discounts and free shipping offers.

Or, lastly, you can go directly to the source, at IndigoWild.com

My overall review is this: The products are solid and functional; and still inviting. From my limited experience, they seem to deliver what they promise. And the fact that they do it with sustainable practices and the heart of hippie.. leaves me really grooving on this company.
Have any of you tried Zum? Or have opinions on the Indigo Wild brand? I'd love to hear your feedback too.

Eco Christmas

'Tis the season.. for thousands of wasteful cards, boxes, and wrapping paper... What's a semi-green person to do?

("carbon neutral" card from Bloomin.com)

Well, let's start with the holiday cards. Obviously, you could skip them altogether, but that defeats the point. You could send e-cards.. but they just don't have the same charm. So, how about finding some eco-friendly cards? These are some pretty great sites to find them, including the one pictured above:

Bloomin.com
BotanicalPaperworks.com
PearTreeGreetings.com
SierraClub.org

If you want to take it even further, opt for holiday postcards. Some of the sites above offer them.

Now, for the obvious steps...


Re-use gift boxes. If you must buy new, find recycled/post-consumer boxes. As for wrapping, use old magazines and newspapers. It really can look chic; and is super easy on the ol' wallet. Prefer the glossy and colorful stuff? The good news is that a lot of companies are now making vibrant, recycled wrapping papers for you to choose from, if you don't want your gifts to look outwardly "eco-friendly."

"What about gift bags?," you say. As you probably do already, re-use any gift bags you have. If you're shopping for new gift bags, consider using cotton/canvas/repurposed bags that the recipient can use for groceries or as a tote later on.

And for the ribbon, choose something like raffia or natural twine instead of plastic or foil.

Lastly, remember the holiday season is really about family, friends, and charity.. not possessions. Love and quality time never end up in landfills; so give them freely and abundantly.

Happy Holidays!

Thank You, and Sorry

This is the time of year when we are supposed to be most thankful for the things we have.. our family and friends, our jobs, the necessities. Then, a few weeks later (well, the day after, really), we go nuts trying to get as much as we can get. The latest and greatest. The doorbusting deals. Seems a little off.. doesn't it?

I'm guilty of it too. I'm an overspender; especially on gifts. I've tried to reign it in this year; since our finances are pretty shakey with medical bills and such (that you've read about in other blogs). And I've actually been feeling more like a purger than a consumer lately. We just sold one of our couches, and I literally just sold dozens of DVDs and my old N64 today.

You see, there was a time in my life that I really was precariously close to a 'hoarder.' No, not like the television show. lol I didn't have a thousand mice and dead cats under the garbage in my bedroom. But I certainly held onto things that I didn't need.. and bought things that I couldn't really afford. And then, I didn't want to get rid of anything that I perceived to have value.

Sure, I haven't mastered being clutter-free.. but it's because a little clutter just doesn't really bother me. But the bigger thing is I no longer feel a need to acquire and keep as much as I possibly can. I don't define myself by what I own anymore.

Just a few years ago, it's sad to say, I valued myself as a mere sum of my possessions. The more I had and owned, the more valuable I was. I knew it didn't make sense. I knew it was warped thought and wrong. But in all honesty, I was depressed and lonely.. so logic didn't matter. And my 'stuff' was what I had.

It was all nice stuff, too. I wasn't a hoarder of dumpster picking and hand-me-downs. It was stuff that actually looked nice all put together; if I took the time to de-clutter it. But I seldom had the motivation to. It was an empty, repetitive cycle.. of consumerism trying to fill an emotional gap. If I have this one thing, I'll be happier and better.. and gosh darn it.. people will like me. :-P

I think it was a mix of things. I had financially gone into the shitter when my mother got sick. I was unable to work on a regular basis for a couple months due to visiting the hospital and our childhood home, and paying to travel back and forth, really took its toll. Then I took a new job that promised to pay better and start my career, but they took advantage of me.. to a point that I was paying to work. It really put me in a hole. Thousands of dollars in the hole. But it was more than a financial hole. It was an emotional one. Instead of trying to work my way out of it, I gave up. I didn't give up on my finances or my family.. Not intentionally. I truly gave up on myself. I felt like my life wasn't really going anywhere. I didn't think I'd ever find someone and have a family. I didn't have any real career goals. I felt aimless, and just flat out depressed. Not suicidal depressed. Not 'in agony' depressed. Just 'why bother' depressed. And instead of working on that, I distracted myself with stuff. Outside, empty, useless stuff.

And the "sorry" comes in here, because instead of explaining to those around me, especially my family.. what I was feeling, I just shut myself off from everyone. Why bring others down? And it portrayed itself as a lack of caring, and disrespect, towards the people I loved the most. That, in turn, just perpetuated the problem. I 'gave up' and came across as uncaring.. which pushed people away.. which made me feel even more depressed and more shut down.

For that, I will always be sorry. I hope that maybe, now, they can start to understand it. When you feel no real value in yourself and your life; it's really hard to show any real affection for those around you. I know that I put some people in rough spots, where they didn't know how to handle the situation and felt disrespected and hurt. So, I also add a "thank you" for the fact that they're all still in my life.

But now, as I'm nearing my one year anniversary with my husband, there's no question that my life has changed a lot since then. I don't see myself the same way I did three years ago. I still like to have nice things, sure. But I still feel like me.. without them. I'm still valuable and worthwhile. I have no idea where my life is headed, but it doesn't depress me nearly like it used to. Nor do I cling to things. I can hold an item I own, and not feel an attachment to it. I can actually believe that I'm still deserving of people who care about me; even if I don't have the right things. I'm still a good friend, even if I can't buy others the best gifts. And now, instead of subconsciously asking myself "Is this going to impress my friends?" or "Is this going to make me happy today?" I can ask, "Is this going to make my life better, long-term?"

That is something I hope everyone takes the time to consider in this 'more, more, more' holiday shopping season. Most of us have plenty of 'stuff.' Too many knick-knacks, and enough electronics to keep us away from social interaction for years on end. Just way too many empty belongings.

But we do need more, more, more. More love for ourselves and those around us. More respect. More cherished time. More memories. More patience. More self-worth. More forgiveness. More compassion... More hope... More heart. <3

It's taken me a lot of years to accept and practice those most obvious of things. To remind myself of my own value. To realize that when I'm gone, nobody is going to care about all my useless stuff, or the gifts I got them throughout the years, that are long gone and forgotten. They're going to miss me. Their friend. Their sister. Their wife. Just me.

May this serve as your reminder, too.

Keurig - Convenient Coffee or Landfill Disaster?

For months now, I've been mesmorized every time I see a Keurig unit; most especially on one of the various home shopping channels. I watch in awe as they conveniently make cup after single cup. So simple. So clean. So fast. It'll even make my hot chocolate and teas (since personally, I hate the taste of coffee).

I debated back and forth with myself about getting one for my husband. Coffee is good for him, after all. But the more I watched, the more I could not ignore those little K-cups. Those plastic cups. One cup of coffee = one K-cup in the trash. Is this sustainable?

I went online to do a little research; hoping that I would find the cups were made of some eco-friendly materials.. or at the very least.. they were recycleable.

Guess what? They're not.

You can read all about it on the company's own website: http://www.keurig.com/social-responsibility

Here's the good news. They've at least made the components BPA free.. which was another thing I was wondering about. The company uses biodeisel and solar power, in part. So, kudos. All things I would expect from a company within the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters brand.

But those... cups. I can't get past them. The company states they are trying hard to find a solution. I hope that's true. Because this 'coffee by the cup' trend doesn't seem to be going anywhere. There are several other brands, with their own line-ups of plastic sealed coffees. And to my knowledge, none are recycleable or biodegradeable. In other words, they're piling up in landfills.. and will be there for thousands of years. I just don't feel like that's worth a faster, easier cup of coffee.

On one final note, for you guys that are desperate for the Keurig, there is one saving grace. They do offer a cup, "My K-Cup," that you reuse over and over. You fill it with your favorite coffee and just keep using it. No doubt that will help a lot.. if you're okay with losing a little convenience, and a lot of the novelty that comes with having so many options to choose from.

For me, I guess I'm going to wait til there is a solution to this K-Cup problem. What say you?

9/11: Social Identity, Hatred, and Patriotism

As the tenth anniversary of 9/11 comes to a close, I write this blog. Please excuse me, as this will not be so much about the environment; but most definitely about the world.

Like many of you, I'm sure, I've spent the last week talking and thinking much about that fateful day. Where I was. How I felt. I remember the disbelief, sitting in front of the television for days. Crying everyday as the death count climbed.. seeing those holding out hope that their loved one would be found alive. And even now, as I've been watching all the documentaries and specials; it still tears me up. But my opinions on what that event has really taught us have grown exponentially since that day. I had doubts about what I should share; as my thoughts on the matter may not be so popular.. or may be misinterpreted, but I suppose that's the beauty of opinion, and our country. I'm free to have one.

So, before I go into the rest of my thoughts, let me assure you that I feel an extraordinary amount of love and gratitude for our first responders and the military. They make our way of life, including my freedom to have and share an opinion, possible. On 9/11, we lost many heroes.. and continue to lose them as the years go by. My heart goes out to them and those that love them.

You see, I remember, ten years ago.. the groundswell of patriotism; or national pride. But I also remember the desire for revenge. The hatred for an entire religion and location on our planet. I wished the two didn't seem to go hand in hand, but they did. So many people, including close friends, would make remarks about "towel heads" and how we needed to just bomb the entire Middle East.

Sure, I 'get' the desire for revenge. I do. Especially for those that lost someone. It's a natural emotional reaction.. but it is just that.. Emotional. Surely, no sound person can think that ridding the planet of a geographic location or a religion, would make it a safer place overall. There is always a new evil or chaos to take over where the last one left off. But the fact that so many Americans used patriotism as a mask for hatred, did.. and still does.. bother me. The onslaught of beatings and murders of Muslim Americans, in the name of patriotism, was the saddest disgrace of all.

But it wasn't all negative. For a short window of time, if you were an American (a Christian looking one, anyway).. you were my friend. We were more patient. We were kinder. We honked our car horns for signs celebrating the U.S.A. We plastered our homes with flags of every size. We even put them on our car.

Not surprisingly, the outward show of patriotism has long since faded. We stopped flying our flags, and buying everything red, white, and blue we could get our hands on. We stopped being so courteous, just because. Within months, we were back to the norm.

But a strange thing happened.. Though the outright hatred of Muslims seemed to fade, the perception (or misperception) is far from gone. Not just two weeks ago, at a cook-out, with fairly intelligent, middle class folks, a discussion of politics broke out. I cringed as it shifted to religion, and one man stated to another, "You know man, those Muslims.. they don't pray to the same god that you and I do. Every one of them is taught that we're the enemy. Their book tells them to kill us all." And I sat there in disbelief as a majority of the people around this table nodded their heads. Not one of them, I'm sure, has ever read the Qu'ran; or apparently, even had a long discussion with an active Muslim.

Most people, even if they bother to research it, just google a few excerpts from the text and say, well, there you go. Proof that they are ordered to murder all nonbelievers. Well, like any text, especially religious text, anything can be pulled out of context. I don't want to go too much on a tangent here, but the Islamic faith is not generally a violent one and they are taught that self-defense is okay, but not outright murder. Like any faith, though, anyone can take things to an extreme. There are extremist Muslims and there are extremist Christians. Thank goodness all Christians are not judged by the acts of those few.

In the aftermath of 9/11, and through to that cook-out, "Us vs. Them" had never been quite so apparent to me. "Them" became dehumanized. Let's just bomb "Them." "They" don't believe like "We" do. But this wasn't just about religion. This was also about our, and their, location on the map. And really, this just spoke to a greater issue for me. The critical error of mistaking patriotism for superiority; or vice-versa.

While watching a 9/11 documentary with my husband, they were showing footage from that day and the weeks following. It included countless clips of people in other nations, crying for us.. holding vigiles for us.. Countries having national prayer days for us. And it became glaring obvious... We don't do that for other countries. We see tragedy around the globe every day. Occassionally, if it's really bad, we do a telethon and donate a few dollars. But as a nation, we generally shrug, and say "Aww, that's a shame." and go about our day. That's if we have a reaction at all.

Yes, I do realize that's a sweeping generalization. And yes, I know that some people are profoundly affected by news from around the world. But my general point is that we Americans, as a whole, don't really pay attention. So, when it got onto our soil, it was a huge tragedy. One documentary showed a woman at Ground Zero, days after it happened, crying and saying "I don't think anyone really understands. It's like a war zone. Nobody can understand this." When the truth is, there are people around the world that live in that kind of destruction and terror, every. single. day.

But "we" don't know that.. because "we" don't pay attention. Sure, part of the problem is that we're inundated with too much. Dozens of 24 hour news channels starts to make you a little a numb. I get it. But I'm not sure that we can use access to too much information as an excuse for not noticing that millions of people live every day in fear.. and only truly caring when it happens on our soil.

So, what's the point of sharing all these thoughts? My hope is just that we pay more attention. That we stop using the term "Patriotism" for an excuse of groupthink; of hatred.. as a rationale for violence against a whole population. Because patriotism deserves better than that. Pride in country doesn't mean ambivalence or dislike of another. It doesn't mean "Take care of our own first." It isn't about "Us vs. Them" (or US vs Them) It should be about pride in where we come from, our freedoms, and our future hopes.

It was a great feeling for those few weeks when being an American was enough to make you my friend. The problem was, it came with the baggage of making others into enemies. It doesn't have to be that way.

I don't believe in taking care of "us" first; as a sweeping statement. I've seen so many people say that, even in response to sending help after earthquakes and tsunamis. "Why are we sending money over there? We need to take care of our own." Of course we need to do a better job at taking care of 'our own.' But I do believe in sending aide for natural and manmade disasters. I'm patriotic. But I've just never seen an American life as more important than any other. Perhaps that's not a popular idea; but I choose to have equal compassion for all mankind.

My hope is just that we, ten years after the heart-breaking event of 9/11, realize how lucky we are, that we don't have to experience those things on a daily basis. As terrible as it was, it truly was inevitable. We weren't unlucky that day. We were just lucky every other day. I hope that it has taught us to open our eyes, and hearts, to the tragedies around the world. That we don't allow ourselves to become numb and uncaring about the pain of others, just because they are outside our borders.

The world map is so much more beautiful, without the borders drawn on...

Choose Reality

This is going to be a fairly short post, as I wanted to bring a website/cause/event to your attention. All my fellow tree huggers ;-) know a lot about global warming (now politically called climate change). So, if you know a little or a lot about the topic, I urge you to get involved and to use this event as a way of spreading the word to all you know.

http://climaterealityproject.org/

It's all breaking loose in just a few days. Event will be on Sept. 14. "24 Presenters. 24 Time Zones. 13 Languages. One Message." Get involved and report back what you thought of it.

The Marriage Factor

So, this week, I had a little victory with my husband...

I've been a vegetarian for about a year now, and wish my husband would follow suit. I wish that for a couple reasons. First, his health. Second, the health of the environment. And third, it would remove temptation for me.

Temptation? Yes. Temptation. There are very few meats that I still crave, but it does happen. Most frequently, it's for bacon and fried chicken. So it's quite the bit of torture to watch him eat either; regardless of the fact that I doubt I could make it more than a couple bites in before feeling repulsed and nauseated.

But, we've made a small step. The other day, I just flat out asked him, "So, would you be willing to give up meat?" (Note: I knew to treat this like any negotiation. Start at the extreme, then meet in the middle.) His reply, as expected, "No way." I countered with, "Well, what about only organic meats?" He paused and squinted in thought. "Hmm.. I'll think about it." So, I went in for the last offer. "Sweetie, how about just agreeing to buying your meat locally? That means no meat at restaurants, but you can eat anything at home if you get it from a local farm/butcher." And he agreed!

Sure, he'll probably slip up occassionally.. but it means a lot that he was willing to do that because he knew it was important to me. And the next day, he went and bought some local meat for our freezer. =)

Which brings me to the 'Marriage Factor.' We have long known that getting married causes both parties to share and shape their routines and habits. In our case, things are only getting better. We've talked about going to the Farmer's Market more often when it's open again. He's now eating local meats. He's also on board for starting to recycle; which we hadn't been doing because they don't offer curb side recycling where we live. But he just brought it up one day, "We should just buy some bins and take them to the plant ourselves."

I was eladed. This was not something he would have cared about before meeting me.


Truth is, this doesn't have to be a "Marriage Factor." It could be a "Parent Factor" or a "Friendship Factor." I think we often miss the opportunity to initiate change by starting with those closest to us.

Have any of you also noticed a marriage/relationship factor, especially on environmental issues, for better or worse?

The Fuel Film

Yet again, I find myself post documentary, with a lot to say. This time, I watched Fuel. It was an intriguing look at our country's (and world's) addiction to oil.

This flick had me hooked from start to finish. Going in, I had some very generalized ideas about biofuels, biodiesel, and ethanol.. but I surely had no idea which ones were energy negative or positive (aka: how much energy it takes to make it, versus what you get out of it). And as someone who didn't grow up anywhere near a farm or a diesel truck, I also had no idea that diesel engines were actually designed to run on "bio" renewable fuels.

Now, I won't go over every little tidbit that I learned. You really should watch the film.. even if you are familiar with diesel. It was eye-opening to see how much big oil has controlled, manipulated, and steered our country, politics, and policies. From prohibition to wars in the middle east. Is it all about oil? No. But nothing exists in a bubble; and everything effects everything else. Oil has, no doubt, played a role in shaping this country, and world. "Money makes the world go round." Well, oil's got it.

And really, the oil companies can only be blamed so much. Sure, they profit greatly. Sure, it's generally unsafe and toxic from start to finish. But at the end of the day, it's supply and demand. It's us. We consume, and consume, and consume. We don't even stop to think "Where is this coming from?" and "Will there be any left in 20 years?" Because oil isn't just for our fuel.. It's responsible for loads of other things we take for granted... like plastics.

In the United States, as the film will tell you, we take up far more than our share of fuel (and pretty much every other resource on the planet). We can't really blame anyone but ourselves for that. Sure, we get marketed to; and marketed hard. Americans are typically led to believe that bigger is better. More is better. Everything is custom fit for you.. and of course, it's disposable. So, in turn, our cars are literally built bigger. Because that's what we want.. or that's what we believe we want. We need an SUV that is capable of off-roading.. even if we've never done such a thing in our lives and we're just driving our kids to soccer.

But eventually, we either have to decide that we want it different.. or we're going to get a very rude awakening when there is little or no oil left. Our 'old-fashioned' gas powered vehicles will be sitting abandoned.. as diesel, once again, takes the reigns; along with electric and hybrids.

Here's yet another glitch though. Guess who just bought a vehicle? I did. Guess who didn't get a hybrid? Me. Why? I couldn't afford it. I knew it would pay for itself in the long run, but I didn't have the extra 15k up front. So, I bought a used car. Granted, it was an improvement over my previous SUV; but not as much as I would have liked. In our current economical state, there's no doubt that something must be done to make these next generation cars more affordable. But knowing what I know now, I probably will opt for a diesel next time; if still unable to afford a hybrid. There is good news though. Hybrid prices are coming down. Some are even within a couple thousand dollars of their gasoline-only cohorts. Supply and demand. It's time to demand something different. We can't wait for our goverment or big business to lead us where we need to go. We just need to go.

"When the people lead, the leaders will follow." - Gandhi

The good news is that Fuel doesn't just go over all the problems we have. It talks about the solutions. Did you know that algae may very well be the wave of the future for our fuel? That it can be grown in waste water and supply all our oil needs? It really is awesome how issues like these lead to amazing innovations. Now we just need more people to get on board and support this movement in the right direction.

Obviously, any topic needs to explored more than any one documentary will allow. One should always take a film like this at face value; as all documentaries inherently have an 'angle.' You have to make up your own mind. But one thing is absolute fact. Oil resources are limited. They will not last forever. Costs will continue to rise. Global stability will be affected. Do you want to wait until things get really bad (which won't be long now)? Or do you want to be ahead of the curve?

For more information, you can also check out the Film's website at: http://www.thefuelfilm.com/

No Impact Man

Beloved streaming Netflix + environmental documentaries = my addiction. This is something you'll come to know well as my blog continues. Just a few days ago, I watched No Impact Man. I had recalled hearing about it back when his project was going on; but it had all but faded from my mind. It was a nice reminder to find it in my recommendations from Netflix.

Forgive my lack of total review here; on the project or the film. This is just my immediate reaction (mostly because Netflix took it off the streaming options the moment I got done watching it, so I can't review it for the finer points). Basically, man (Colin Beaven) recruits family to embark on a project for one year to make 'no impact' (or as little as possible) on the planet. They give up buying new clothing/goods. They reduce/eliminate all packaging on the groceries by shopping at farmer's markets. They give up gas powered transport in lieu of bikes/scooters. Then, they give up electricity.

First, kudos to this guy. He went far more into it, and for far longer, than I certainly would be able to go. Could I reduce packaging? To some extent. But we don't all have the luxury of a year-round farmer's market to go to. In my Indiana town, we have a farmer's market only during the summer months. Trust me, I wish it was different.. but mostly, I have to rely on grocery stores for my groceries.

We also don't have community gardens (and I live in an apartment). Nor do we have 'bike lanes' to get around town. And honestly, I could give up most of my electricity; but not air conditioning. Just not willing to do it.. and I wouldn't be willing until total global disaster were imminent within a year. I guess air conditioning is my line. That, and refrigeration. Something No Impact Man gave up for several months; with not-so-great results. He ended up with a fly infestation and then borrowing ice from a neighbor's fridge; which really defeats the point entirely.

But all the things I said, are those excuses? Maybe. But more likely, it's the 'realist' part. As long as we can have (relatively affordable) gas powered vehicles, the likelihood of getting most citizens to choose walking or biking is slim. Sure, on the occassional, 'nice-weather' day.. but not as a way of living. And most busy folks I know have no desire to make their own garden and can their own food. And not one person I know is willing to sign up for no fridge or air conditioning.

Surely, that's part of the problem. Consumerism for consumption's sake. Convenience. A "throw-away" culture where everything is made 'just for us' and magically disappears when we throw it away. Where power is limitless and always available.

 

Any of you read the book? I might have to pick it up soon.

Some of it is people not being aware. Some is people not wanting to be aware. And some is people just not caring anyway.

Question is, which one are you? Would you go completely off grid? If not, how far would you go?

Welcome

Welcome to my blog; The Eco-Realist. I'm starting this for myself as much as it is for others. I find myself at a point in life where I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the desire to do 'better' and then guilty when I stumble or compromise. This blog will be about me finding balance on my journey to treat the planet as it deserves to be treated; while being realistic about what I, or people in general, are actually willing to do. Basically, where I fall between "tree-hugger" and "standard consumer." You'll probably find reviews of shows and documentaries. Comments about "green" products. Commentary on environmental policies. And.. sarcasm. ;-)

I hope to meet and discuss all these topics with other environmentalists; both extreme and 'casual.' Stay tuned for more about me, what I've done so far, and what I hope to achieve to help this beautiful planet we're so fortunate to live upon.