Keeping it Green

Happy Monday! I hope you and yours had a good weekend. It was gorgeous here, and I did everything on my list.

As you may know, it was Earth Day yesterday. I know lots of towns had recycling drives, fairs, and rummage sales. I figured this was a good time to share some more of what Mr Official Taster and I do in our lives to be green. I also wrote a pretty extensive list last month.

• I mentioned last month that most of our cleaning products were weird-chemical free, and this spring, I've been slowly replacing our personal care products as we run out. By "personal care" I mean toothpaste, facewash, bodywash, shampoo, etc. I especially love my new Avalon Organics facewash. It smells great, and I only use a tiny amount (a dollop maybe the size of the head of a thumbtack?) because it lathers up into more than enough.
• A lot of people use reusable shopping totes these days, but I also reuse plastic produce or bulk bags (within reason). If they need it, I give them a quick rinse when I get home from the store, allow them to dry, and then stuff them back into a shopping bag. It doesn't slow me down at the store, and bags that hold rice or apples don't get that dirty.
• Plastic bags get recycled. Every grocery store, and a good amount of other types, has a bin near the front somewhere where you can recycle used plastic bags. I let mine collect for a while, and then drop them off once or twice a year. The hardest part is remembering to bring them from the car into the store.
• I said it before, but I'll say it again: Farmers' Markets. Not only are you getting delicious, local, fresh and often organic products, but the farmers get your money directly. No middlemanperson gets a cut, so families doing the work get a better deal. Find one near you here.
• Take advantage of your grocer's bulk section if available. I find some products (though not all) to be cheaper than their packaged version, but I really like being able to get as small of an amount as I want. For example, I get pine nuts in bulk because pesto only uses a third of a cup. I just get what I need, and I don't have to worry about the remainder becoming rancid. (and pine nuts are waaaay to expensive to waste!)
• Speaking of waste, I've been trying to cut back on food waste. If we don't finish our fresh strawberries before they start to turn, I'll hull them, lay them out on a lined baking sheet, and freeze them. Once frozen, they can all live together in a ziplock bag, but spreading them out lets them freeze individually instead of in a big clump. They'll be great in smoothies! When Mr OT tried a new recipe a few weeks ago, he bought some fresh basil. It didn't all get used up before the leaves started to wilt, so I made some pesto and froze it. Find yourself with some stale bread? Give it a whir in a food processor for breadcrumbs. A little creativity and foresight can save a good amount of dough down the line. 
• Walk or bike when you can. I understand it's not always feasible, and although my new job is probably close enough to bike (with a little conditioning), I would be terrified to do so. The route there just doesn't feel safe. However, I never let myself drive to the library. It's a rule. 
• Finally, and the least palatable: we pick up after our pups every. single. time. Poop that's left can really contaminate our water supply, so we always take the extra 5 seconds to scoop.

That seems like a lot, but it's really only a small effort on our part. What are some of the things you do to stay green year-round?

Refresh & Rethink

Happy Spring! I hope it was a beautiful day in your neighborhood. Spring is often seen and felt as a time for resolutions, cleaning out, and starting anew. While Earth Day isn't for another month, some people use the first day of Spring to celebrate too.

As I've said before, I think you are all smart people and you know this stuff. But maybe, just maybe, seeing it again will inspire you to green your routines a little more. Obviously, this list is a minuscule piece of the puzzle, but then again, every little bit helps, right? Here's some of what Mr Official Taster and I do to keep ourselves, the puppies, our bank account, and the planet a little healthier.

• I would estimate that 90% of our laundry is air dried, on a drying rack, sans dryer, either on our balcony or tucked into a corner of the living room. While this means all of our household laundry cannot get done in one day (because it wouldn't all fit on the rack), we use way less energy. Shower rods also work great, as would a suspension rod somewhere out of the way (you could either leave it in place, or take it down when there's nothing to dry).

• In that same vein, almost all laundry here at Chez Sweets is washed in cold water. Bedding, both human and canine, gets hot water because it helps eliminate allergens. I don't notice a difference in cleanliness, and I know that it both keeps our energy bill down and helps extend the life of some fabrics.

• Our soaps, detergents, and other cleaning products tend to be Seventh Generation, Mrs Meyers, or in-house, weird-chemical-free brands from places like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. The less chemicals, the better, for us and the puppies. I've never used bleach, fabric softener, or dryer sheets as part of my laundry routine, so "giving them up" isn't so hard for me.

• As many dishes as possible go in the dishwasher, which is more efficient than I will ever be. They get air dried - I think all dishwashers let you choose whether to heat or air dry. Only wine glasses (they don't fit) and our pots & pans get hand washed. 

• We don't use air fresheners or candles, so that's less chemicals in our indoor air. We also have a few houseplants that help clean our air (ours were chosen for looks, but there are specific varieties that work best).

• Recycle, recycle, recycle. Whether it's tomato cans (how-to coming soon!) or wine boxes turned planters, printing on the backs of old paper (only Important stuff gets new, unadulterated printer paper), or storing bulk foods like chocolate chips or quinoa in old glass jars, we really try to get the most use out of everyday items. If we're done with something and it's in reasonable condition, it goes to a local thrift store. Of course, we also put everything our county lets us into the recycling bin.

• One of the items I looked forward to registering for the most when we got hitched last year was a set of glass storage containers. It's a weird wish, I know, but I love them! We don't have a microwave in this current home, but we have elsewhere and at work, so glass eliminates the dreaded heated plastic. Pro tip: you can write on glass with sharpie and it rises off quite easily in the normal course of washing. I often date our containers so I know what leftovers should be eaten first. It could also come in handy if you send leftovers home with a friend or take a food offering to a neighbor.

• Our cookware also got greened as a result of us getting married. We bought our set, and it was a big investment, but I'm happy we did. We use Scanpan Professional Nonstick, which I've liked getting to know. The biggest downside is it's weight, which can be a pain while (hand)washing some of the bigger pots. The pros outweigh (ha!) the con, though, and I like that they are truly nonstick without added oil and are made PFOA (perfluoraoctanoic acid) and Teflon-free.

• Farmers' Markets. Local, organic, sustainably grown food is a priority for us. Real Food as much as possible and an nearly-vegan diet. Sometimes the organic version of food is more expensive, but I think it's worth the price both now and down the line.

• Reuseable shopping totes. Considering how often I shop for food, I can't even begin to estimate how many plastic or paper trees I've saved and how many bags I've kept from cluttering our homes just by remembering my bag(s). Many stores will give you a refund (anywhere from 3-10 cents per bag) on your total bill, which totally adds up. 

PHEW. That's kind of long, huh? Well, I hope it helps to inspire. What suggestions do you have? What are the top three things do in your home?

Happy Earth Day

Happy 40th Earth Day, everyone! I know a couple things:
a) there is a ton of information out there
b) anything I have to say you probably already know
c) you already do a lot of things right. Maybe today will give you the kick-in-the-pants to try some more

So, to that end, I've put together a few links for you to learn from, try, and pass along.

10 Ways to Make Earth Day Mean Something
How Green Are You?
Stop Getting Junk in the Mail!
Challenge Yourself/Your Team to Reduce Carbon Emissions
Recycle and Reuse to Reduce Packing Peanuts
Green Living
TerraCycle Recycles Trash into Cool Products
Make a Rain Garden
Create a Vertical Garden
Want fresh veggies? try a Farmers' Market or CSA
Join a Community Garden

Add your own in the comments! What sites should we know about??

Etsy Treasury!

NessysNest has put together a beautiful treasury on Etsy. I feel so lucky to have my mint oreos next to works of art! To view it, click here. Take a few minutes to explore while you're at it. There's always something new and fun to find :)

Spring is coming! Seeds and more

Last night and today I got my seeds started! I have a grand vertical garden plan, so hopefully these babies will sprout and grow strong and not too big. The lavender seeds I talked about in this post didn't do anything. nada. I'm not blaming the seeds (yet), but instead the fact that the day I planted them kicked off 8 days of rain. So they didn't get sun. This is my theory. I just started some more, and hopefully they will sprout. Then I can make yummy things like Lavender Extract. mmmm sounds yummy. (if it works, some of you can probably anticipate Christmas presents). On a related note, if you love gardens and gardening, check out Nadia Knows Gardens for a pretty and informative blog by my classmate.
This lovely Ranunculus was $1 this weekend and I couldn't resist! This area is somewhat known for them, mostly because of The Flower Fields, which are gorgeous in the springtime. You should visit if you get a chance!

And, finally, on a side note, I am very interested in trying out this recipe from Martha Stewart. It looks and sounds scrumptious!

Etsy Treasury!

NaiyaArtBoutique made a green treasury and featured my green oreos! Thanks to her and everyone should check it out. There are some really great items highlighted.
Treasuries are pretty cool- etsy members build a small (12) collection of items they like around some theme they choose. Once it's posted, anyone looking to browse or buy things on etsy can search treasuries and see what other people like for ideas. It's a neat way of interconnecting etsians