Livin’ Veg

Live In A Tiny House January 19, 2010

I like things. I’m a thrift store addict. I love clothes, jewelry, furniture etc. I try to counter these resource wasting urges by buying used items but I recognize that it’s not the most eco friendly thing in the world to have so much stuff. The more stuff you have, the bigger the home you need to put it all in. My husband and I live in a 1000 square foot 2 bedroom apartment. We have an eat in kitchen and a large bedroom/living room. Sure our bathroom is the size of a walnut but we get by. However, we talk about wanting a house. We’re sick of stepping on carpet when we leave our home. We miss grass. We miss privacy. But apartment living is usually more eco friendly. The homes tend to be smaller and you’re sharing resources with others.

A possible solution? A tiny house! I just came across this article that shows the tiniest homes you’ve ever seen. Homes less than 100 square feet with living spaces and lofts upstairs for sleeping. A tiny studio apartment built into a house. Where would I put all my stuff? Well, that’s the beauty. I’d have to clean up my life and donate pretty much everything I own. In return, I wouldn’t have a mortgage. A tiny house is pretty dang cheap! You can build it yourself. And homes smaller than a certain size make it so you don’t have to pay taxes.

I don’t think I’ll be moving into a tiny house anytime soon, but downsizing my life is something I think about. What do I actually need? How big a space to live in is necessary? If I had ten million dollars, I still wouldn’t live in a big house. It’s a waste of resources. But I can do better and when my husband and I do buy a house, smaller just might be the way to go.

Hospitals In England To Promote Vegetarian Menus January 7, 2010

When I first saw this article, I thought it was going to be about health. But hospitals in England are taking meat off the menu in order to reduce their carbon footprints. They are fighting global warming through vegetarian foods. Meat, as I understand it, will not totally be gone, but it will be greatly reduced.

NHS chief Pencheon said:

“We should not expect to see meat on every menu,” said Pencheon. “We’d like higher levels of fresh food, and probably higher levels of fresh fruit and veg, and more investment in a local economy.”

They also want to stop using plastic water bottles, reuse equipment more often and other steps to become more environmentally friendly.

I love that their healthcare (gov’t run healthcare by the way) sees the link between animal agriculture and climate change. It won’t just be great for the earth. It will also be fantastic for the health of the patients. I can’t even imagine hospitals here doing something like that. We are so far behind in so many ways. I thank the NHS for leading by example and making changes that will benefit us all. Read the full article here…

Make Your Holiday More Eco Friendly December 21, 2009

During this time of year the landfills overflow with a beautiful blue/white for Hanukkah and red and green for Christmas. Yep, I’m talking about wrapping paper. Every year people buy wrapping paper in order to wrap all their presents for their loved ones. Only, that wrapping paper is used once and then chucked into the garbage. Not eco friendly at all.

The alternative. Use newspapers, magazines, or fabric to wrap your presents. Or, if you don’t like the look of newspaper, buy a Santa’s sack and (could also make a blue sack for Hanukkah) and have people reach in for the present. I personally love using newspaper and magazines. You can choose the image based on the interests of the person and you don’t feel guilty as you recycle the debris.

Are you absolutely devoted to wrapping paper and desperately want it/need it/have to have it? Then this year you’ve got something you need to do. When you unwrap any of your gifts, do so with the precision of a surgeon. Pack up the used wrapping paper nicely and save it for next year. This way, you have the traditional paper but it gets used a second time. Let’s eco up the holidays and direct that gift giving to mother nature. My gift is going to be less trash.

Want To Save Lives? Avoid Plastic. December 10, 2009

Plastic serves many purposes. It keeps our food fresh. It’s convenient. It’s light weight and strong. We all know that plastic has changed the way we live our lives but I don’t think enough attention is given to the fact that we have also changed the lives of animals in devastating ways.

The problem is many people don’t see plastic anymore. It’s become so integrated with our every day lives that when we chuck it in the garbage, we don’t even notice. It’s effecting our marine life. In fact, it’s killing our marine life.

For some inspiration, I urge you all to go and view Chris Jordon’s disturbing images of the albatross. They are haunting, beautiful and horrific all at once and will make the viewer think twice about all plastic used in daily life. Notice the lighter in the picture to the right. Yes, a bird ate it. I’m sure the person buying it never dreamed about where it would end up, or that it would help end a life.

Some ways to avoid plastic:

1. Buy foods like rice, nuts, quinoa, granola etc. in bulk. My husband gets his peanut butter from Whole Foods every week and brings his own container. He gets the stuff that is made from freshly crushed peanuts.

2. Say no to plastic bags every time. Not just in the supermarket, but also at CVS, department stores, and every place that wants to load you up with plastic. Bring your own bag.

3. It’s not just plastic water bottles that are polluting the earth. It’s plastic bottles for all drinks. If you’re going to buy a drink when out, buy glass. Glass can be recycled an infinite amount of times. But better yet, bring your beverage in your reusable bottle when you go out.

4. When comparing items to buy, choose the one with less packaging. And if you see an item that is so overly packaged, write to the manufacturer and tell them the reason you didn’t buy it.

5. Bring your own utensils so you don’t have to use disposables.

The point of this is all really to rethink the way plastic is used in our lives. We don’t just use it to keep food fresh, it’s biggest useful purpose. We use it for everything. So my plea to everyone is to ditch the plastic. Avoid it like you avoided drunk Uncle Tim at Thanksgiving.

Understanding Cap And Trade December 2, 2009

There is a big conference on climate change coming up in Copenhagen. Lots of world leaders are attending, including I believe, ours. Cap and trade is talked about as the solution for our climate issues. However, a new video by the same people who made “The Story of Stuff” (a fab resource) shows us that cap and trade is not the shining knight we hoped it was.

I don’t know about you but I have found cap and trade to be confusing. There is a lot to it and learning enough about it to make an opinion wasn’t something I had yet investigated. Shame on me. But I think a lot of people are in a similar boat. In clear speech, good animation and with a persuasive argument this video will clarify a lot of things for anyone who is still a little fuzzy on the details. So watch this video for our planet, for the animals and for ourselves.

Al Gore Takes On Factory Farming On SNL November 23, 2009

It was green week last week on NBC. Shows like 30 Rock, The Office and SNL made a point to incorporate environmental messages into their story arcs. Al Gore made an appearance on SNL and it was actually funny. (Is it bad that Al Gore being funny surprises me?)

Even better than his humor was the message. Politicians just aren’t getting the severity of the situation. What’s Al’s solution? Start acting crazy. It’s funny because that’s how it feels as an activist sometimes. That we need to act a little out there in order to get our message heard. That the scary facts aren’t enough to get the changes we need accomplished in a timely manner. Al Gore was funny because he hit on the frustrations of being an activist: people don’t always listen even when your points are documented by the best and brightest.

We veggies have often criticized the former VP for not advocating vegetarianism as a way to combat climate change. At least here he mentions factory farming as one of the culprits behind climate change. Thanks Mr. VP for your great skit.

No Impact Man - Review October 28, 2009

On Sunday I saw No Impact Man, a film I had been looking forward to ever since I heard about it. I’m happy to say I was not disappointed. The film did a great job of weaving in a narrative while staying focused on what it’s like to become the ultimate greenie.

What steps did they take to reduce their impact?

- They ate all local foods
- They bought nothing new (they were allowed to buy used items)
- They turned off their electricity for 6 months
- They composted
- They didn’t use cars, elevators, subways etc. They only walked or biked.
- They ate all vegetarian foods (not vegan which I was kinda bummed about)
- They only used reusable items (things that most people throw away) like bags, diapers, toilet paper…
- They made their own cleaning supplies.

I’m sure there are more but those are the things that I can remember off the top of my head. I was happy that they talked about animal agriculture contributing to global warming. Although as I mentioned, they did not go vegan. I think they should have gone vegan to really go the full mile. I mean, if you’re going to shut off your electricity, you’re obviously not afraid of working hard. And being vegan isn’t even hard work. It’s just learning a new way of eating.

My only other complaint was that when they talked about having children, they did not mention the impact having a child has on the world/environment. The human species is reproducing so fast that it’s important to note that having a child does have an impact.

Those were my only two gripes. Otherwise, a seriously inspiring film. My husband and I left knowing we could do more than we are doing right now. I think we do most things pretty well, but there is room for improvement. When someone goes full steam ahead, it’s easy to see where you are failing.  And the No Impact Family certainly went full steam! Go out and see it. Then be inspired to up your greenie creds big time.

Also, visit his website and learn lots of cool info.

No Impact Week - Sign Up And Make A Difference! October 16, 2009

The Huffington Post is hosting No Impact Week. It starts next week! I’m encouraging everyone to sign up and see what they can do in their lives to make a difference. My husband and I are doing it and then next Sunday we’re going to see the film.

What is No Impact Week?

For the inaugural No Impact Week, the No Impact Project has created a detailed guide that describes how to go about reducing your ecological impact one day at a time. No, not everyone has to completely give up their cars and shut off their power; the guide gives many achievable levels of reducing your footprint and you can pick the goals that are right for you. Each day will focus on one aspect of how we live. Sunday’s focus is on reducing consumption, on Monday the spotlight will be on reducing trash, Tuesday will be about commuting without adding carbon to the environment - i.e., encouraging bike riding and walking; Wednesday will be about encouraging eating foods grown locally and/or sustainably — and so forth.

A worthwhile endeavor if I’ve ever heard of one. Sign up here and take the challenge with me. I’ll probably do a post on my experience at the end of next week. So be prepared to share your experiences…

Good luck!

Pee Before You Fly to Fight Global Warming? October 8, 2009

Yes. Pee before you fly. Here is the deal. The more weight the plane has to hold up in the air, the more fuel that plane has to burn. If everyone emptied their bladder before they boarded the plane, the less fuel and emissions that would be released into the world.

In fact, All Nippon Airways has made a new policy about it and even has employees enforcing the rule:

And they’re not just putting up a sign requesting compliance. The airline has ‘loo attendants’ standing at the gates that ask passengers if they need to use the restroom before boarding.

Officials say empty bladders will reduce passengers’ overall weight, therefore saving and reducing carbon emissions. The policy could lead to a five-ton reduction in emissions per month, ANA officials say, and that will save the company money as well.

This leads me to other thoughts - specifically my tendency to over pack. Here is the challenge for all of us ladies who think we need 12 pairs of underwear on a five night getaway. See if you can get by with a little more preparation and pick out your outfits for each day in advance. That will prevent over packing and help reduce the emissions from the already carbon footprint heavy act of traveling.

Now, for a really cute random video to make all of our lives a little better today:

How To Be Eco When You Die July 8, 2009

Perhaps death is on the brain because of all the Michael Jackson hoopla, or any of the other big names who have passed away recently. But let’s take a moment to consider our environmental impact when we die.

Most people are cremated or buried. Those are the standard options. In order to preserve our bodies for viewings/funerals, we are jam packed full of chemicals and placed in a big non biodegradable coffin. Cremation contributes to global warming. I’m always astounded by the fact that people take up so much space even when they are gone.

So what is the alternative? We have to do something with our bodies and we’d like it to be respectful. Personally, I’m going the natural burial route. What is that? A natural burial means that no chemicals are put into the body. You are placed in either an organic shroud or a biodegradable casket. Instead of a traditional big stone with an engraving, native trees and flowers are planted as a marker. The living memorial helps also establish a protected wildlife preserve. Read more about it here… Also, to find out where natural burial sites are in the USA, click here.

I wrote up a google doc with all my wishes in case of death. Then I shared it with my husband and my parents. In the event that I die early, they have in writing that I want a natural burial, which non profits money should be donated to, and all sorts of other personal details. Hell, if you want Van Halen played at your funeral, tell your family now:)

None of us know when we’re going to go. So it’s something to consider now, while we can. And while we consider, we can also take the planet and all its inhabitants into account. Dying stinks. But dying and still being a leech on the environment stinks even more. Perhaps I’m alone on this, but I’d much prefer little critters used me as a meal than sitting alone in a big ol’ casket or burning. Stick me in some dirt and ring the dinner bell…