going green – Page 3

Give It a Go Gardening

I’ve grown gardens for three years now. Oops. Let me rephrase that: For the past three years, I have grown small amounts of veggies and herbs with varying levels of success.

The first year was probably the most successful as far as my ability to maintain the thing goes. In retrospect, we only had one raised bed that year to contend with and while we had some issues with tipsy tomatoes (overgrown!), for the most part we had a great “harvest” and thoroughly enjoyed the luxury of fresh herbs in every single meal, awesome salads, and generally super-powered recipes. ‘Twas awesome.

Our second year, we upped the ante with a second bed. It was another successful year, but not nearly as much as the first. I’m not sure if I didn’t tend them enough or whether the weather was less of a friend that year, but we had some misses. Clearly I must’ve gotten lazier, too, since I didn’t take any pictures (or, at least, I can’t find any…I KNOW we took some for the blog, but they’re MIA).

In 2012, however…well, let’s just say it was a miracle that we got anything planted and tended at all in the first place. Vegetation was the last thing on our minds with the new baby. So, while we used both beds and had a row of potted herbs and tomatoes, we didn’t pay daily attention to them. Sure, we had a handful of improved meals and stuff, but by no means did we supplement our veggie intake with homegrown wonderfulness.

This year, of course, I’m hoping to do better. I don’t want to make grandiose statements ‘cuz I know I’m not good at sticking to them. Better to be honest with oneself (and try not to feel guilty about it) than make wondrously overreaching statements publicly only to bite the dust. So, the spring/summer/fall of 2013 will be what I call the season of giving it a go, hence “Give It a Go Gardening.”

What am I gonna give a go? Well, my ultimate goal is to just not suck out like I did last year. Sure, I’m going to have a one-year-old in tow, but I see that as a smaller challenge than 2012. He was just so dang fragile (and needy). This is why a goal or two of mine may not seem garden-related, but, boy, are they!

“Give It a Go Gardening” – 2013:
– Find a carrier for Hadley to “accompany” me on my daily watering trips. That kid’s humongous. Not fat, mind you…but tall and pudgy (juuuuust right!) and, well, BIG for his age. We tried one hand-me-down carrier in the beginning that let me help set up the garage sale a bit, but he’s since become less of a sleeper and I can’t seem to get my Moby wrap to work for us. So, instead of giving up, I say “Let’s try a different approach!” I KNOW there are carriers out there meant for larger kids, and I’m gonna find me one of ’em!

– Grow whatchya know. This is a big ol’ learning curve situation, but why the hell grow something if you’re not going to eat it and enjoy cooking with it?!?! I’ve never had kale (as far as I know, LOL) in my life, so that’s something I’d rather buy from a farmers’ market or a sale at the grocery store to try; if we like it, then maybe next year. Do we use tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, peas, and a plethora of herbs? We sure do.

– Taaaake a loook, it’s iiiin a boook (totally just showed my students a Reading Rainbow…why should I have all the fun having that song stuck in my head? Share the love, people). I’m doing lots of reading while the ground’s still cccccccold. Hoping to learn what the best practices are for my neck of the woods, and whether it’s even worth it to grow certain items. I’m also wondering how to start seeds (see below) and if it’s worth it to find cheap-o grow lights (to start them in the basement…keeping the cats AWAY).

– Is my mother right??? I’m a tad nervous because I’d love to start the whole garden from seed (a. more control over what gets planted when; b. cheaper; c. easier to find organic options), but my mom insists that she hasn’t had any luck with this and that she only gets “spindly” plants. I *usually* take my mom’s word as gospel, but I’d love to know for myself if it’s true.

– Purdy flowers or hardworking num-nums? We have lots of planting areas (beds?), particularly foundation areas that have normally existed as aesthetic spots. Last year, we were in the land of begonias. This year, I’m wondering whether to use these spaces for growing herbs or veggies, keep them purdy, or mix it up (some of each). We also have space towards the back of our property next to the garage that I’m considering — there’s a trellis hanging out that is begging for use, so maybe it’ll be the home of some peas or green beans or sumpin’ sumpin’. Also considering planting some zukes and potaters in a couple of ugly piles down there, but I’m a tad concerned about our friendly neighborhood cats leaving some piles of their own…if ya catch my drift…which I think ya do.

– FINALLY getting some proper gutters!!! Like with the Hadman’s carrier, you may be asking, “Meg. Dude. Why is this even relevant?” Dude, it totally is. Any time it rains, we get tiny (and sometimes not-so-tiny) trenches in the dirt/mulch/plants below our roof lines. I’ve been bugging the “men” in my life for a loooooong time that we are in dire need of a gutter system (it’ll also help with our cellar moisture issues; we don’t flood, but it’s wetter than I’d like). It sounds like our begging will finally be answered this year, even if we have to hire the dang project out. This will mean I can actually plant veggies (or flowers, whatev) without having to worry about them getting drenched or damaged under the eaves. Now, if only we had enough cashola to replace the driveway….

– Hand-in-hand with the last two notes, we’re getting some growth OFF the ground! I’ve got a strawberry plant that has multiplied, but wouldn’tchya know? We haven’t eaten one. Single. Berry. Why’s that? Chipmunk thief. (I assume it’s a chipmunk. Tiny bite marks. Could be a bunny.) So, I’ll be doing either a hanging plant or building some sort of over-the-edge-of-the-deck type of planting system for the strawberries and possibly some other plant(s). I’m also thinking of putting our herbs on a tray rather than on the floor of our deck since a) it’ll be easier to water them and b) when I look out our back door, I’ll SEE them and be more APT to water them!

– Take chances…but not too many. Sure, I’ll “grow whatchya know” (only stuff we’ll EAT), but not EVERYTHING we eat. For example, asparagus is a perennial that takes a few years to truly get goin’. God only knows how long we’ll be at our current place, and the odds that we’ll get to enjoy our labors are slim. Potatoes, however, will be a new venture for me; one that sounds a tad easier to undertake.

– Compostin’. Our original composting attempts were successful, for the most part, but with the harsh winters we experience, it was a bear to maintain, so it’s fallen into “disrepair”, as it were. I’d like to come up with a more user-friendly system and start addin’ some browns and greens again. We were lucky enough to receive a big ol’ composting bin type thingamabobber from some friends for F-R-E-E(!), but I’m not sure it’s the right size for our yard currently. As it is, I’m sure the neighbors think our Rubbermaid container full o’ holes (looks kinda Bonnie and Clyde out there) in the backyard is nutsola. Either way, once this stuff dries out a bit in the spring, we can hopefully use up the last of it, ditch the current container (or use it for something else…?) and figure this dilemma out.

So, that’s it for now…ha. That’s it. As if it’s not enough, lady?! Sheesh. It’s nice to get my thoughts out on paper…er…out for the world to see to organize my thinking a bit. I’ll probably draw a zillion garden plans before I land on what *might* work for us, but I’ll try to share what I come up with.

If anyone has a gardening background (be it for food or aesthetics), PLEASE let me glean some knowledge from your experience!!! Feel free to share your thoughts in the “comment” section and I shall kiss your feet and bow to you…if you’re into that sort of thing.

Locavore Challenges

I only wish we could eat and live as locavores, knowing that what we consume comes from within a 50-mile radius. Wouldn’t that be great? In theory, better for the environment, better for our wallets, better for our health (and, often, taste buds). Heck, the dream would be to grow and raise 90% of our food.

But we’re living with limitations. Not saying this as an excuse; just stating a fact. Time, money, space, and happiness (ie raising Hadley, loving on the kitties) are all important factors. Y’know. What they call “reality.” Damn you, Reality.

So, instead, we try to find locavore haunts whenever possible; restaurants that serve locally-grown and/or -raised food. Even those that just serve SOME locally-sourced foods works for us. We’re not picky.

It was pleasantly surprising to see how easy it was to eat almost completely locally when we were in Vermont (I heart the Vermont Fresh Network!). And it’s awesome to see more places that do serve local fare and support farmers and other local providers. But, in our neck of the woods, things are still…um…lacking. So, there’s one “challenge” as referenced by this post’s title. Clever, eh?

That being said, this makes it easier to “challenge” myself to try to review what locavore joints we DO have in the Mohawk Valley and surrounding areas. We eat out so infrequently, don’t expect this to be a weekly thing, but this should be a good way to push us to try out some establishments that we’ve heard about but haven’t put on our “go here next” list.

Plus, you know we love supporting places that follow this trend when traveling, too, so you never know what joint we’ll try next. Be sure to “like” Meg, Acting Out on Facebook if you have any suggestions of places we should try, be they in Utica or Cooperstown, Burlington or Boston.

Oh, and one cool point of my reviews? The hubs and I always order different entrees. You know I always steal a bite…or two.

Speaking of hubs, check out his blog about our little one’s night terrors lately. They’re no joke (but I like to think that he won’t be psychologically damaged in the long run…I hope, at least).

Guilt-Free Green

I recently posted an update on the green goings-on in our cozy little abode. From that reflection, in addition to checking out a kazillion blogs (be they decor/DIY, personal, food or environmental), I’ve realized that a new year seems to be the time to kinda bum out on oneself.

With my self esteem, it’s easy to fall into the “man, I suck” slump. I guess it’s that whole quote from “Little Women” (the 1996 movie, not the book) referring to Transcendentalism: “With all this transcendence comes much emphasis on perfecting oneself.” Life is about transcendence from one moment to the next, but it’s sometimes difficult to just live without trying to make the next moment as good as you can, even though it’s kinda how I was raised. Grandma had a wall plaque in her kitchen that said “Good, better, best, never let it rest ’til your good is better and your better is best.” (I’ve seen the quote in other variations, but this is the one I remember.)

But, y’know what? Life, she ain’t perfect. And those of us livin’ it, we ain’t either. And all we can do is our best, even if it’s not perfection.

So, while I’m not making any resolutions for 2013, I’m trying to focus on the things I’d like to attempt…but not feel like crap if I a) don’t do ’em right, b) don’t have the time to continue or c) simply fail. After all, failure isn’t the end of the world; it’s just a chance to find something new to try.

Most of my goals involve greenin’ up our lives. The reason for this is, well, it aligns with what our beliefs are, in general. While we’ve always cared about the environment and human and animal rights causes (heck, I wish I could find a picture of me in high school; I was quite the non-drug-doin’ hippie, love beads and all), the availability of such wonderful resources for making our lives more eco-friendly just makes it a tad easier these days.

However, I’ve noticed that while there’s an overabundance of “green” blogs around this cyberplace we’ve created, I hope to add a touch of positive reinforcement and a guilt-free environment in my tiny slice of the pie. Most blogs that I prefer to read, be they green or otherwise, show that the writer is human. Duh, of course. I have yet to find a monkey-written blog. What I mean is that my favorites show that, while they sometimes paint some awfully gorgeous pictures of life, it simply is not always so. So, let’s all just let go of the idea that we’re perfect.

Soapbox moment: It breaks my heart when I see a favorite blogger post, for example, her daughters’ lunches on Facebook. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. It takes a steel-hearted and -minded woman to do this. The criticism and rude questions astound me (reminds me of some my husband gets by faceless, nameless viewers that call into the newsroom). She’s doing what’s best for her family, making awesome choices AND giving the girls what they WANT to eat (not always an easy task) and it never fails — “Is that enough food?” or “Where’s the protein?” or “Why do you eat dairy? Ugh!” And those are a separate pet peeve from the folks asking questions that are easily found in the links she posts along with the lunch ingredients, but that’s irrelevant. It’s enough to make me think, “How long will she even share these wonderful tips and ideas with us with how much criticism she faces daily?”

Makes me nervous to think what the “greener than thou” folks would make of me. Hell, I don’t eat 100% organic. I don’t compost everything I should. I don’t find all my clothes pre-used. I don’t have solar panels. I say “hell.” No perfection here…but I’m learning how to be proud of that fact.

So, with a bit of feistiness and a healthy dose of cautious positivity in tow, I give you my list of “I’d like to”s:

– We’re always striving to simplify our lives more. We’ve cut out lots of TV-watching. We’re continually going through our clothes to donate what we don’t use. (That’s been a daunting task lately, since I’ve worn three sizes since the baby was born; some still fit, some don’t. Plus the maternity stuff, which we pass between family.) Dave and I like to look to the past for inspiration of living, but in a modern way, and knowing what little people lived on – happily! – helps us get our heads in the right place. So, this is a continual simplification journey.

– In the “old living in new times” realm, the idea that’s all over the web which apparently can’t be referred to in the old terminology (trademarks…sticky wickets) starts with an “h” and ends in a “steading.” It’s weird that a couple can take a term that’s been used in a historical context for decades and demand that others not use it. Oh, well. Be that as it may, folks are baking their own bread, knitting/sewing, growing tons (literally) of food, and generally getting in touch with the lifestyles of 100+ years ago. While no one’s goin’ Amish (so far as I know! And I doubt they’d be blogging about it…right?), it’s an admirable trend.

My wish, or hope? I hope to get a house with enough land to take our minimal gardening to the “small-time farming” step — to sustain our family and not rely on imported fruits ‘n veggies. With that land would hopefully come the ability to get some egg-layin’ hens (y’know…enough land for them to roam and for neighbors to not think we’re cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs). Oh, and with enough land for the kiddy to roam, when the time comes, too.

Self-sustainability would rock.

If I had the time to bake our bread (and sundry other meal ideas), knit scarves, and write books (what, people didn’t do that 100 years ago? I’m in Louisa May Alcott mindset, whoops), I’d wish for those things, too. But I work a full-time job, so that all needs to stay in the recesses of my brain…er, blog.

Given the odds that we probably won’t find our dream home with its dream plot of land, I’d be happy with doing an intentional garden this summer and making a bigger go at preserving what we get out of it. How’s that?

– Streamline the ol’ blog. While this isn’t necessarily an eco-friendly endeavor, I’m hoping to make this place a clearer idea of who I am. Ha! Do I even know?! I guess that’s half the battle. Regardless, I’m wondering if “Meg, Acting Out” (or “MegActsOut”) is an appropriate label for this endeavor. I’m wondering if I need a new “look.” I’m wondering if I need to better organize projects – decor stuff, cooking stuff, green stuff, and the like. It’s tough when a lot of that overlaps. So, without guilt, I admit publicly that I’d like to work on the blog’s look and organization (even coming up with regular post ideas…anyone for “Wacky Wednesday”?! Yeah, me neither). The feel, I hope, will remain the same. And, of course, any suggestions (especially from other bloggers) are greatly appreciated!

– I live relatively close to what I feel is one of nature’s greatest gems: the Adirondack Mountains. I can count on half a hand how many times I’ve hiked one of those mountains. One of my favorite things EVER was the time we spent camping (not in a tent, but still) on Raquette Lake when I was a teen. Any and all visits to the Adirondack area, be they Old Forge or more rustic outings, have rocked my socks off.

I would love to be able to go camping with the hubby and little one (and even more family), if possible. I’d like to learn about the easier trails that I may be able to shlep Hadley on, and get the hubby into a fun hike to see if it could become a regular activity, too. If nothing else, I’ve GOTTA get Dave to the Adirondack Museum; one of my favorite places as a kid (and, admittedly, as an adult). I want to take advantage of the place we live. Why else pay so much attention to saving our environment and surroundings if we don’t enjoy them?

– Go out on a limb; challenge myself. I’m already on the path to trying new things, so be it blog and writing opportunities or maybe even trying a different yoga class (or DVD if it fits into my schedule better), I hope to keep an open mind.

– Organize!!! I guess a lot of these overlap, eh? Simplification…streamlining…well, there ya go. I’ve got a desk in my office that I NEVER use. Dude, I MADE the thing. There has to be a reason (maybe comfort/ease of use?) that I choose my ratty old armchair to our office. Regardless, I’d like it to be less of a free-for-all dump space and at least more of a landing spot of handsomeness. So, even if I don’t use my laptop in the office, I hope to organize the space into a more useable place of positivity that I’ll actually WANT to use. That means throwing you out, 3-year-old catalog of Sam French plays!

Oh, and although I wish I could be zero-waste, I need paper. When the tough really get goin’, they make LISTS. So, between lists and a new binder full of ~~women~~ organized thoughts/projects, I think some more office organization may help me with my quest to streamline and focus the ol’ blog. One can dream, right?

Green Check-In

Howdy, folks. I realized that I haven’t really checked in regarding how we’re doing in the “green department” lately. So, here we go!

I guess the main reason I haven’t done a check-in is twofold. For one thing, we haven’t necessarily implemented much in the way of new concepts/strategies. We’ve just been chugaluggin’ along. But, secondly, a lot of what we’ve been doing has become second nature, in a way.

I’ve had a lot of failures. Things I’ve said I wanted to try but haven’t gotten around to. The biggest is cloth diapering — I use them from time to time, but with some of Hadley’s idiosyncrasies otherwise (first screaming issues with gas, now screaming issues with tiredness), I don’t want to throw that monkey wrench at the babysitter (ie his grandma) right now. Others come to mind, like going zero-waste (ha…as I said…diapers?), trying composting worms (or, for that matter, continuing the ol’ composting heap), and probably a dozen others. But, y’know what? We’ve got time. This isn’t a race. And if it was meant to be tried, I’ll remember and get the guts to try it.

The successes, though? Those “second nature” things? They’re awesome. Here are a few…

– Paper usage. Wow, that phrase sounds BO-RING! What I mean is that we still, consistently, use cloth napkins and a kitchen rag. On the rare occasion, we purchase a couple rolls of paper towels (made from recycled paper), but that’s mostly to fold up and use as napkins when we have guests or, let’s face it, because kitties aren’t always the cleanest animals. They’re no dogs, mind you, but they can get pretty nasty.

– Food. This is a HUGE one. Our opinions on eating naturally (and, when financially plausible, organically) drive our shopping habits. We use the Dirty Dozen/Clean Fifteen to help dictate when we should splurge on organic (apples and lettuce are a MUST) and continue to educate ourselves on what we’re putting in our bodies. We stopped buying even the organic-based dairy spreads in favor of good, old-fashioned butter. We bring a list of the companies opposed to the GMO bill (which got shot down in California, unfortunately) — it’s crazy that even some “all natural” companies don’t support transparency regarding their ingredients. Tsk, tsk. But, yeah. We eat way less meat (I wish I could say we’ve cut it out completely – our hearts break to think even of the well-treated animals and how they are murdered to make our meals – but it’s part of the chain of which we are a part). We try to buy locally. Again, I wish we were locavores, but there are several challenges facing us there. We do our best, and I’m pleased with our attempts thus far.

Oh, and just like our cats, Hadley eats better than we do. If it ain’t from me, it’s organic. Already an awesome start.

– Inside/Outside. We do our damnedest to keep the chemicals to a major minimum, using cloths and eco-friendly cleaning products (although I have yet to find a way to TRULY deodorize the potty, especially since we’re infrequent flushers…yeah, I said it) and flushable kitty litter (very, very, very little ends up in the trash). And our exterior is full of green — a man-powered push lawn mower, a raised garden, zero pesticides, and a dormant attempt at composting. I hope to learn more about gardening and growing much more, but this past year was a non-issue as far as I’m concerned. Having Hads and getting the hang of BFing was the priority. Onward, ho!

– Personal products. Our soaps are, generally, naturally-based. I use my vinegar/baking soda 50% of the time; the other 50% I use naturally-based shampoos that I don’t mind going down the drain. Our deodorant is completely natural (we finally found one that works for me AND is eco-friendly! Huzzah! I guess I’m one stinky mama). While I use hairspray on occasion and one or two of my makeup items are conventional, the rest are organic — and, of course, none of it’s tested on animals. I’m a minimalist when it comes to sprays and perfumes, and if it wasn’t for my BFing weight loss I’d hardly purchase clothes.

So, there are some successes and some shortcomings. I refuse

Green Goals

Why, yes. I do want a onesie like this one. Why do you ask? 😉

Winter’s the season for hibernation, hunkerin’ down, inactivity and coziness. It’s nice to have a time devoted specifically to, well, in essence laziness – believe me, I’m a huge fan, especially while the little chicken dinner roasts away inside me.

But I’m also reminded of how nature utilizes the season. While it seems like nothing much is happening beyond winter weather patterns (which we’ve had absolutely minimal of this year!), the frozen ground holds within it lots of activity. If not for this “rest period”, the organic material wouldn’t be preparing itself for spring planting, animals wouldn’t survive properly until spring, and the whole system would be outta whack.

It makes me feel remiss, in the midst of all that nature’s doing to prepare for the next season, that I’m not doing my part for nature as much as I have in the past. While I’ve discussed “going green” quite a bit around my slice of the world wide web, I feel that I’ve dropped the ball a bit lately. An easy excuse is “I’m distracted by planning for the baby” — but, seriously, what better excuse to try to implement more “greenery” into our lives than the future generations?!

That being said, I shouldn’t be TOO harsh. I mean, there certainly are lots of areas of our lives that we’ve already changed – to the point where they’re second-nature and we’ve forgotten we’ve even MADE the changes.

Firstly, almost all of the products that we use (be them cleaning or otherwise) are “eco-friendly”. While I’d like to do more (by way of finding shampoo alternatives and making our own laundry detergent), we’re still doing more than a lot of people. There’s always room for improvement.

We use cloth napkins at every meal, and try to use dish towels and rags as much as possible (although we have to keep minimal tissues and paper towels around due to colds and gross cat ears that need cleaning); again, an area in which we can continue to improve.

We like to use glass-and-silicon reusable containers for our work lunches, and recyclable/recycled double-plastic bags when needed (I wish I wasn’t so dependent upon these!). Dave reuses any accidental plastic grocery bags (y’know, the ones you get when you don’t have a reusable bag on hand) to carry lunches, and I use a cloth lunch bag for mine. Seriously, it’s literally a brown bag. So plain and somehow cute at the same time!

Then there are those “Oh, yeah, I forgot about that…” eco-friendliness we’ve been imparting for awhile. When we moved into our house, Dave went on an energy-saving whirlwind through the house – CFLs in any and every light fixture (we’ve only had to replace one; that’s not bad!), tiny foam insulators for the outlets (most of which have also been switched out), among other little changes. And, lest we forget the low-flow toilet and shower head, as well as the brand new boiler and heating unit (both with excellent Energy Star ratings) that my stepdad put in before we even knew what hit us.

There’s always room for improvement, though, so I’d like to share some thoughts on ways that our family can get on-track to better help both our interior and exterior environments. I’d like to call this list (apparently I’m all about lists, who knew? My mom would be so proud…as would my husband), with lots of positive energy and less guilt in mind:

The Greening Our Family List
(“Dun dun duuuuun” – Ooohhh, impressive!)

– Getting back into the ever-important composting. We’ve got a bin full of the stuff to use for planting in the spring, but got off-track as far as the “adding to it” aspect of composting (the upstate NY winter also helped throw us). I also never found the time/money to get into vermicomposting, unfortunately, so I believe the focus will be the much simpler, hopefully manageable composting. This is an area that I relish teaching to our kids. Oh! And we were lucky enough to get gifted a large composting bin that should be interesting to learn how to use!!

– Speaking of garbage, I’d like to cut back on how much garbage actually gets put out. We do generally have LOTS of recycling, and usually put a full garbage bag out to the curb every other week. Hopefully, by hitting the “restart” button on composting, we’ll be able to cut this down to *fingers crossed* once a month. And, while I don’t think we’ll ever be as awesome as the Zero Waste family, it would be nice to cut back on how much we recycle, too. (One step at the time, lady, one step at a time.)

– Aaaaand also speaking of spring planting, there has been some conversation in our household as to whether or not we should try out a CSA this year or continue with our two (yep, we build another one last year!) raised veggie beds. I found that we had a less successful year in 2011, mostly because I think that we didn’t plan enough and planted far too much — it was simply too much to keep up with. However, I’m not sure I’ll have the time to put into “finding new recipes” to fit in with a regular CSA, so find that it may be a waste of money. So, I’m currently leaning towards utilizing our beds (if ya got ’em, use ’em!) but spacing things out and ONLY growing what I KNOW we’ll use. I know, I’ll be in my third trimester when it’s time to plant, and have a newborn when it’s time to tend and harvest, but I do feel that this will be tons easier if we simplify, simplify, simplify. Plus, I’ve got a loving husband to help (who also happens to LOVE the fact that “this came from our own garden!!!”, especially when salads are involved).

– I’ve had a difficult time finding “green” toiletry products that are actually green or that do a decent job. I find my hair getting dried out or weird-feeling (sorry, I can’t find a better way to describe it than that!), then feel that I need to use this product until it’s gone as not to waste it. So, I thought that I’d try the ever-popular, most-eco-friendly method out there. Here’s a hint: It involves baking soda and vinegar (and, no, I’m not making a volcano on my head – although, weren’t those fun when we were kids?!). I’ve pretty much given it away, but I’m sure I’ll report back on my success/failure rate.

– In my mind, green = simplification. We don’t NEED so much STUFF, and we’re doing a pretty good job of trying to purge (and send on our unwanteds to the thrift shop, or put them aside for our quasi-annual garage sale). The scary thing for me is that all-too-true saying “with baby, comes stuff.” I’m not blaming the baby, and I totally understand the need that people seem to feel about buying cute things (regardless of a) the necessity or b) the size of said item) – but I don’t agree with it. If we need it, it’ll be on our registry. If you think we need it, check with us first. Odds are, we don’t. (I hate to sound so mean or ungrateful, but we’re working VERY hard to purge, purge, purge, so if we end up getting even MORE “CRAP” to purge, we’ll be a couple of very grumpy new parents.)

THAT being said (yes, a new paragraph within a bulleted list – shocking!), we’ve already started this baby off as green as we can (without purchasing expensive green furniture…that’d be easy to do). We’ve borrowed newborn through 6-month neutral clothes from my sister. I’m researching what cloth diapers to purchase. We’re trying to only buy/ask for eco-friendly lotions and soaps. I’m hoping to breast feed and, eventually, make baby food (or try baby-led weaning) which may cut back on the need for a kazillion bottles, formula and purified water containers, baby food jars etc. I’m also uber-excited about the prospect of receiving certain goodies, such as a space saver high chair (it attaches to a normal dining table rather than taking up lots of extra square footage) and a portable swing (which will not only be portable, but take up way less space, too – and is foldable for when it’s not being used). These, I foresee, will be worth their weight in gold, along with perhaps some natural baskets (we’ll look for these on our own, that doesn’t need to be on a registry) to help us maintain the clutter.

So, that’s it for my immediate green list. While I’d like to say that every little thing we’ll be doing around the house will involve a step closer to a habitual green lifestyle, I realize that there are some simply un-green things that we’re working on. For example, Drylok-ing the basement isn’t the best for our internal environment (stinky!!!), plus painting all the walls and floor down there will be costly if we use only low-VOC paint. Since we’re not planning on staying here forevah-evah, the cost is simply too much to go too gung-ho with our greenification efforts. We’ll do our best (especially when it comes to, say, painting the baby’s furniture), but it’s not like we’ll be putting in a brown water system or solar panels. We’d just like to continue fixing the place up enough to make it worth selling, and purdy enough to look at. 🙂

So, how about y’all? Any green efforts going on in your little piece of the world? Or green efforts that you didn’t even realize you were taking part in? Do tell!

Green Goals

Give It a Go Gardening - image 9fad0-greenbaby on https://megactsout.com — Why, yes. I do want a onesie like this one. Why do you ask? 😉

The Greening Our Family List
(“Dun dun duuuuun” – Ooohhh, impressive!)

So, how about y’all? Any green efforts going on in your little piece of the world? Or green efforts that you didn’t even realize you were taking part in? Do tell!

Keeping up with the Greens

I remember the first time I heard the phrase “keeping up with the Joneses” in high school. Strangely enough, it came out of the mouth of one of the most judgmental, “high and mighty” teachers I’ve ever encountered. But, I digress. This KUWTJ mentality has followed me throughout life, whether I knew what it was called or not. I think, as Americans, we can all relate to this aspect of our society. You have to be a very strong-willed, independent person to not buy into it.

And I’m not that strong. One of my biggest challenges in life is trying to find the balance – of being content with who I am, how I live my life, and simply not caring what others think. I suck at it. You know who’s really, really quite good at it? My husband. I admire him SO much that he’s his own man. Whether we know where our future leads us or not, he’s confident in his own abilities and in the fact that happiness will find us no matter what. It’s something that I admire in him and, at times, it’s all I have to keep my head above water. That’s a good thing about our marriage – somehow, when one of us gets to the point of desperation (be it from any frustrations that may find us), the other one is buoyant enough to pick the other up.

Admittedly, we’re not a KUWTJ type of household. We live in a sort of protective bubble. It may be a slightly crooked, grass-too-long, cat toys everywhere sort of bubble, but it’s our escape and happiness from regular stresses. I don’t care what the neighbors do to their home; if I make a change, it’s for my OWN enjoyment. If I want to paint my shutters, sobeit, it’s because I think they’re shabby and am prouder of my house than to allow it to wear shabby shutters. (That’d be a good company name. “Shabby Shutters.” Hee hee.) But, when out of the house and in the “real world”, it’s easy to see what friends and co-workers have or do and feel a twinge of “I’m not good enough.” It’s not even that I want what they have; I’m not possession-bound. I’m more concerned about being judged for NOT wanting what they have. So…I’m quiet.

But, these days, there’s a new form of KUWTJ. It’s called KUWTG – Keeping Up With the Greens (or Greenies), and I’m not sure if it’s an actual term used out there, but I honestly just pulled it out of my you-know-what, so maybe thousands of other bloggers have discussed this already. Who knows? 😉

Regardless, thanks to the popularity of the green movement (which I fondly like to think of as a popularization of liberalism and hippiedom – perhaps it’s the only way to force issues without getting political or needing to back a particular politician?), any yuppie who can afford organic is all over it like that silly Juicy sweatpant trend from a few years back. I hate to be judgmental, but I can’t help but think that they’ll follow it until the next big thing comes in.

And, hey, maybe I shouldn’t be judgmental. Over the last year, I’ve made some life changes that, I’ve found, tend to bring everything from polite jabs to full-blown eye rolls. I have yet to get a true argument, but I’m ready when it comes. I tend to face the whole “going organic” thing (although we’ve by no means gotten to this stage yet — hey, we’re newlyweds, and have some debt we’re dealing with — all natural and hormone free is as important to us, right now, as organic) with some humor, mostly because that’s how I’ve learned how to deflect rudeness over the years. I think it’s amusing when my students catch me eating a slice of delicious non-organic pizza, and am ready to joke with them, mostly because they do it in a non-vindictive, “we understand that it’s how you are” sort of way. If only adults could be more understanding. Or, at least, all of our family. Some are very kind about it; others…well, they’re family, and we love them, even if they think we’re nuts.

So, there are two sides of the coin here: the judgmental, non-organic (or at least less understanding) side, and the “you’re not doing enough” side.

While I have yet to be TOLD that I’m not doing enough to live a healthy, sustainable lifestyle, the more research and reading I do, the more the Green Guilt sets in. I create garbage. In moments of weakness, I consume not only non-organic foods, but *gasp* high fructose corn syrup (although my body reacts noticeably to it and I feel completely sluggish and strange from that, and artificial preservatives; trying to finish off a 2-liter of cream soda my sister kindly bought for me has got me napping after school lately). I buy new rather than used. I. Fail. Miserably.

I’ve come to terms that it takes work to build up to a green lifestyle. As with all things in life, it’s about the journey and the learning process moreso than an end to a means. I mean, I don’t want to be Ed Begley about things, after all. I just want to do my part, live healthily and responsibly, and teach the same to my children. I’m not out to convert anyone (which is why I’d at least appreciate some understanding from loved ones); this may be part of our religion, but it’s not everyone’s, and I’m not out to make it so. I’d like to become more of an advocate one day, but I’m simply not confident enough a person to do so. Like I said, I just care too much what other people think.

So, I turn to my wonderful husband and remember that we’re a team here. It’s just us. Our life is ours to live, and if we inspire others, GREAT! But we’re not out to compete. We’re running a race together, slow and steady, and there’s no finish line to worry about. We’re proud of what we accomplish and shaking off the stumbles we encounter.

Can You Quit Your Car?

Give It a Go Gardening - image car2 on https://megactsout.com

Meep. Meep.

I recently read a blog post by a friend over at EcoBuffalo. They were checking in with their reading audience (of which I’m a part!) about their 3 months of living car-free. I am so genuinely happy for them that they’re able to live life without the added cost of owning and using a vehicle, without contributing to the fossil fuel crisis, and while truly experiencing their surroundings by walking, biking, and utilizing public transportation. It’s frickin’ awesome!

I haven’t made it a secret that I’m not very pleased with the purchase of my current vehicle, a 2009 Kia Sportage. There are a number of reasons for this, from gas usage (and cost) to the price of owning a new car (which lost value immediately upon buying the thing) to the fact that the thing has a pretty big eco-footprint. *sigh*

But, at the same time, there’s a reason I bought it. I had just gone through two hellish winters working at an uber-rural school, losing control of my old lil’ Sentra at LEAST once a week, and several times ending up in ditches. I wanted 4-wheel drive. I’d done a lot of research, and my sister and mother both own Kias — which they love. Also, admittedly, I wasn’t in a very green state of mind at the time of purchase. So, call it a regret, but it is what it is.

Reading Dana and Jon’s new-found joys of life without a car, it makes me think about whether it’s something that we could do. Unfortunately, I jump to the quick conclusion that it just isn’t feasible with our current living situation and jobs. *double sigh*

We’ve got 2 cars, the Kia and Dave’s Saturn Ion. It’d be pretty much impossible for Dave to carpool into work; there really isn’t anyone with a similar schedule close enough to where we live (most of ’em are in the Utica area, or boonies). My little issue with carpooling is the general fact that I don’t stay late at work, so I’d probably be waiting around for folks to be ready to pile in. I probably could figure something out, but it’d also mean that I’d still have my car — one week would be mine, another week Mr. X, another week Miss X. *shrugs* Wouldn’t solve the problem of being able to get rid of one of our cars, really.

Some day, when circumstances are a little different (ie one of us working from home — won’t give any further indication of whom or how, just that it’s in the works ;-D), I think that we will be able to live off of one car.

That being said, I’ve got a couple of “dream car” ideas that I’ll just indulge myself in. Obviously, we’re going to drive these cars into the ground as best we can — but, if I’m able to eventually trade mine in, I’d rather not take it quite THAT far. I’d love to have a hybrid vehicle, but given that technology will undoubtedly be different by the time that I’ll be shopping, I’ll be doing more research before making such a decision. Otherwise, I’ve always wanted a VW SportWagen or Jetta, or perhaps a Subaru wagon. I like being able to fit antiques, tons of gardening dirt, or simply pack for a family vacation, so a wagon seems sensible. I highly doubt that I’ll own another SUV, though. Sportage is supposed to be a smaller SUV, but when I got it home it was about the same size as my mother’s Sorrento — man, was I disappointed.

So, what about you? Would you be able to quit YOUR car? I wish I was in a situation that a car would be less needed, but, unfortunately, there are simply too many excuses to keep mine.

Who’s Better?

Give It a Go Gardening - image boxing_gloves on https://megactsout.com

Life isn’t a competition. And goodness knows that a marriage REALLY isn’t one. I’ve never been in for competitive sports, but it seems that I might just have a pretty competitive nature by design. My dad WAS into sports of all shapes and sizes, so maybe I’ve just inherited a pride at doing something well.

Nevertheless, I thought I’d wave a “hooray for us” flag but also show how truly flawed (and human! Get that!) Dave and I are. Particularly, I mean, when it comes to our newer eating habits and greener lifestyle. You can read my first post ever for what set us on this journey.

Dave is S-T-R-I-C-T that we not even set foot inside a Walmart. It seems that he’s quite proud of the post I once wrote about giving the place up. At the same time, out of convenience more than anything, we’ve stopped going to Aldi for fruits and veg. While this, of course, hurts our budget a little more, it really forces me to ask myself whether we neeeeeed the food items that we’re buying rather than turning it into more landfill waste. So, he definitely gets a gold star as far as his concern of the quality of our food and how much (or little) we waste.

Thanks to a looser schedule, however, I get a gold star (go me!) for the actual purchasing of the foodstuffs. I’d say that about 90% of the time, mostly out of necessity and, like I said, a much more accommodating work schedule, I purchase the groceries. During the summer, it might be a little less since there are more farmers market visits (although, the local ones run when I’m free and Dave’s at work, so the percentage may still be in my favor), and it’s fun for us to go shopping together. Sounds sick, but we truly enjoy discussing what we want, why we want to try it, and persuading each other to try something new. It’s very good for our relationship, so we do try to go grocery shopping together every month or so. But, still, the point is mine!

Here’s another area that Dave excels: *gulp* He eats his fruits ‘n veggies. Mind you, neither of us is altogether wonderful at doing this. Our lunches still consist of mostly soup or sandwiches and chips (all-natural, but still). We could be doing lots better. But, when I get an orange in my lunch bag, a vast majority of the time it somehow finds its way back home. Dave, however, eats it. So, point for him. Yeah, we both have to do a lunchtime makeover. Heck, I’m lucky enough that I have a husband who willingly MAKES mine for work everyday. Yes, you read that correctly. I’m a lucky lady, alright!

But, I get the next point for green thumbery. (No, that’s not a real word; yes, I think I’ll continue to use it on a regular basis.) While Dave helps me in any way possible with our gardening, such as when we built our first raised bed garden last year, but I’m usually the one tending and harvesting and planning. I sometimes got behind on it last year, but overall, it was definitely my baby — and, boy, have I got some plans for the 2011 Victory Garden! So, my point. Yessssss!

Stuff. Things. Possessions. Crap. Call it what you will, but Dave gets the point as far as our green initiative of decluttering is concerned. He’s the king of Ebay, sending NUMEROUS orders out weekly, all in an attempt to surround himself only with what he a) needs and b) is emotionally attached to. We’re working on a wabi-sabi existence (whether he knows that’s what it is or not ;-D), which I’m sure I’ll get into in a future blog post. Dave’s embraced a simpler life; I’ve still got tons of clothes and stored items that I’ll probably never use. Simultaneously, I’m trying to follow Dave’s lead of using what we have before purchasing new (which is hard — his mom, as any mother would, expects me to keep an eye on his clothes, etc, to make sure he looks acceptable for life’s expectations…I always say “It doesn’t matter what I look like, but he has to leave the house halfway presentable. He’s the one being criticized by viewers.”) Regardless, he does a great job with simplicity and I need to learn a lesson from him — Point, Dave. *By the by, I’ve read more about wabi-sabi recently in a magazine, but cannot remember for the life of me where I first discovered it. If it was on your blog (Sarah? Maybe??), please feel free to let me know so that I can give credit where it’s due! Thanks!!*

Greenery and sustainability! We both do our darnedest to be green, and should be proud of our efforts, I think. This is a very close category in terms of “scoring.” While we do produce more trash than we’d both like, we’re obsessed with recycling and reusing, when possible. We buy recycled toilet paper and, when possible, paraben-free soaps and shampoos. However, I think that I get the sliiiiiight edge here. I’m the one with sneakers made from recycled products, a new steam-cleaner (which we got for only a few dollars after using our Macy’s wedding gift card for using them as a registry) which reduces the need for a crapload of cleaning products, and an itchin’ to revert to cloth napkin and handkerchief usage. I’m learning how to can and freeze (hoping to have shelving dedicated specifically to my homemade canned goods and cold storage for root vegetables in the basement when it warms up a bit), and am still trying to figure out a better way to compost, for our needs (last year’s attempt may be deemed a disaster — we’ll see when the spring thaw comes). I’m dreaming of the day when our pennies are saved enough for newer, Energy Star appliances (but, again, using what we have until it’s no longer usable…*sigh*). And, while I have a newer car, it’s the bane of my existence — I wish that I’d considered longer and gone with a more compact Subaru wagon or VW that we could run for a couple of decades, or had saved up more for a hybrid. Sooooo, I’m a little…obsessed. I think I do a lot more research about green living and read more about how we can make life changes. Oh, and I’m already planning for 21st century parenthood (although Dave’s on-board with all my hair-brained schemes — cloth diapers and homemade baby food, anyone??). Did I mention “obsessed”? Yeah. Point, Meg.

So, at 3-3, it’s pretty obvious that we’re tied. That makes me pretty darn happy — I didn’t really want to win, anyway. There are areas that I’m very proud to know that we are succeeding so well at, while others are disappointing, to say the least (compost: fail — always sad to admit a failure, but, dangit, I’m going to figure it out!). I think the fact that we’re about 9 months into the true life change experiment and it seems that we’ve made some real changes is encouragement enough. Go, Team Dellecese!!! (My actual last name is legally McCoy Dellecese, no hyphen, but that gets confusing. ;-D Besides, we’re still connected by the Big-D.)

Green Buildings…?

Courtesy greenerworking.com

Dave and I regularly find ourselves discussing the pros and cons of our area. I’m pretty sure that most people are this cognizant about their futures and the futures of their families; or, at least, I hope they are. We wonder about the environments that our children should experience, what resources we’d like to have readily available to them, and what they don’t necessarily need at hand in order to be well-adjusted, well-rounded individuals. While we never know what the future holds, I’m the type to at least consider every option and plan for, well, all of them. I’d rather be blindsided briefly, then get up off my butt and take the future by the horns.

One thing that isn’t on our list of “must haves” is an area like this: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/01/green-building-where-you-are-as-important-as-what.php?campaign=daily_nl

This article is about the fact that it’s much more ecologically friendly for green builders to do so within city limits. While I agree, in essence, with what the article is saying — ie, that green builders should look toward cities for building initiatives since greener transportation is more viable in these all-packed-within-a-2-mile-square-radius places — I don’t think that it’s a realistic approach for (I won’t say the majority) many people.

There was a time that Dave and I were both “city people” — in thought, at least. I’ve never actually lived in a city, although I’ve spent plenty of time down in THE city. Yeah, that one. I loved the hustle, bustle, and excitement. At one time, Dave, in his search for a fulfilling career in movies and writing, saw himself in a similar fast-paced environment. While I could see both of us living successfully in a city, we’re both in complete agreement that we’d prefer a more family-friendly environment for our future kids.

Our current living situation is what I call subrural. It’s not quite suburban (the closest “city” is Utica…yyyyyyyeah…with Albany and Syracuse an hour in each direction), but we’re not hicks. No, really, we’re not. While there are times I wish I could own chickens and grow my own food, the farm life just isn’t plausible in our area’s depressed economic state (and that description doesn’t just apply to the current recession; our rural population is silently hurting, and it has been for years).

What we DO have access to in the area (not necessarily our current locale, mind you) is the ability to take a walk several blocks to library, community center, park, schools…just to take a WALK, safely. Can’t do that in many cities; can’t do that on a rural road. Getting out, enjoying where you live, being able to talk with your neighbors — that’s what we feel we must have, externally, to raise our kids.

While I’m all for eco-friendly practices, I don’t see a need for these builders to add to the urban sprawl which is killing many parts of America. What I cry, instead, is to remember the never-too-old mantra that I consider my first “green lesson” back in 4th grade – “reduce, reuse, recycle.” Building more, even with green practices, seems to go against these basic, simple ideals. It’s a new way to prove the haves and have nots without the blatantly super-sized McMansions, and it’s not what I’d like to see as a lesson of this recession. Being eco-friendly cannot be an excuse for being socially unaware or downright greedy.

What I propose, instead, is to first look at the buildings that currently exist. We need more grants, more public initiatives to update homes and already-existing buildings. I think that my deep love of our history and newer social awareness and sensitivity makes this seem like an obvious solution. Not only will our Main Streets and neighborhoods be resurrected to safe, happy, locally-run locales, but the concepts behind the green initiatives will reach a broader public mass (rather than the “haves” — who, sorry to say, are not the face of America). Education which is embedded reaches a greater number with less need for persuasion.

We’ve already seen articles and stories about the fact that the current home-buying generation is changing its concept of what they “need” in a house. For the first time in years, people are actually weighing their needs vs. their wants — their “one bathroom would be fine” vs. their “I must have a home with a soaker tub…in our master bath, of course” — even if the HGTV Home Buyer Hour doesn’t indicate such. If smaller is better, we already have a plethora of small, cheaper houses ready for the taking — and greening, in the process.

Not to say that there aren’t towns with revitalized historical sections already. There are plenty of Main Streets that are successful these days, it seems. We visit Northampton, Mass. and its surrounding areas which, to me (an outsider), seem to be doing just fine. However, during our last trip, we found that the architecturally stunning bank had been turned into a national chain clothing store. We were aghast. There are so many culturally- and ecologically-aware storefronts (within historically gorgeous buildings) in these areas, but the economic despair is showing cracks in even their brilliant facades.

There was a time, not too long ago, that every town in the U.S. had its own self-sustaining local economy, from the movie house to its grocery store, and even plenty of hotels. Just think of the Main Street in “It’s a Wonderful Life.” While they had economically-depressed citizens just as we do (hell, it was the Great Depression they were portraying, remember), they had access to a Main Street that provided all its locals needed. That wasn’t just a movie set. I’ve heard from my mother and grandparents more times than I can remember what our old Main Street was like. Just look up, wherever you live, and take notice — that faded artistic writing on the brick exteriors.

Entrepreneurs and home buyers, politicians and normal folks. Everyone could get on board. Yep, I have an idea for greener buildings. Just look around.