Friday, January 23, 2009

Hello all. I wanted to give another update on my "Nothing New" resolution. We've completed week three and have found that it is getting easier all the time. Here are a couple highlights...

Cake Baking:
Jan 15th was my stepson's birthday, and he requested a pirate party (we talked about this last time with the few decorations etc that we bought "legally"). Somehow in my new family, I have become the cake baker. I quite enjoy it and am always looking to outdo myself from the previous year. Fittingly, this year I decided to make a pirate cake for Jonathan. I picked up all the necessary decorative candies, etc and set out to make the best darn pirate anyone had seen. I forgot one thing.... I only have one round cakepan! I don't know why or how I ended up buying just one so long ago, but I did. Not so smart on the part of the cake baker. I could have borrowed one from a neighbor, but I decided that I had time, I love to multitask, and so I'd just make do with my one pan. It took twice as long to bake, but splitting the batter worked just fine. It also prevented me from rushing into cutting and frosting when it wasn't ready yet. I also was able to relax a bit and do my other work in between cakes.

Dog Toys:
We have a puppy and an old dog. The old dog (Bronco) loves his stuffed animals. He carries them everywhere, even on walks sometimes. Salchi (the puppy) on the other hand loves to tear stuffed animals apart. I spent quite a bit of time last week patching and repatching Bronco's toys. My efforts were futile though, as they finally were so disfigured that my stitches didn't help and I threw them out. Throwing them away made me feel bad, as did knowing that poor Bronco (who would cry and sigh watching his pet hippo and pumpkin being stitched on the table) couldn't have any new toys. But, out of sight, out of mind, he seems to be getting along ok without them.

Decisions:

Joe and I both have ancient laptops. Mine was purchased before Grad School, which means it is at least 5 years old. We have decided that we need new ones. We debated over whether to get one for the both of us to share, or two. We settled on two as he is in school and I am teaching. Our final decision was that we would purchase one sooner for him, and later for me. Its a tough call, but we felt that it was something that was depleted (in a way), we would recycle it, and having new ones would help us progress in our lives. The iphone however, can wait.

Thoughts:
One interesting aspect of this "resolution" has been how much it has made me slow down and think about things. Everything I do now has consequence. Everything has a choice. It was so easy to sail through life not thinking. You may ask if this makes my life more stressful (i.e., the one cake pan). Really, it hasn't. It makes me plan a bit more (which is great), slow down, and really think about what is important and what impacts my choices have. I also haven't made any impulse buys of items that I don't need. Finally, it has led to many other forth coming positive behaviors (buying with less packaging, bringing my carrots for lunch in a paper towel I can use as a napkin rather than a plastic bag, etc). I'm excited to tackle those one at a time as my life can handle it.

How are your resolutions going? Are they leading to positive behavior change?

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Arggg, Me'Earty, Ahoy Matey and all that Pirate Stuff

What my little pirate wants for his birthday cake, my little pirate gets. Now I need to get off the computer and swab the decks for the party. Yar, arrggg. Avast there be a vacuum.

A Sweet Tooth? My acceptance into Skinny Land

I just had my initial acceptance to Skinny Land (or, well, maybe just - Not Fat Land). Tonight I made a pirate cake for Johhny's birthday, as you can see in the post above. In order to do this, I had to go to the grocery store and buy a ton of candy (you can't just get one lifesaver for a pirate earring or one m&m for a pirate eyeball, you know). I also had to buy a big mix bag of candy for the pinata (the big bag of candy of course did not contain the eyeball or earring pieces I needed). I'll set the scene for you .... I'm standing in the line, my red basket FULL of candy, and I might add, some sugar free apple cider, are sitting on the belt, and a there is a gentleman about my age in a beanie is standing in line in front of me. He takes a look at my basket and says (almost in a flirty way), "You've got a sweet tooth, huh?". Hold on. What? Seriously, what did you just say? You are making a comment about all the candy in my basket? You think I am going to head home and eat it all right now, huh? My first reaction was to say "Wow, thanks.... a&@hole!" But then I realized he wasn't being mean. This is something that is ok for skinny people to say to other skinny people! It isn't offensive! Whoa, my whole world was just turned upside down. I then showed him the picture of the pirate cake and the list and he said, "Cool" and we parted ways. So, I now know the secret way that people who don't struggle with their weight see others... sweet toothed skinny people just like candy and thats ok, sweet toothed overweight people eat it all in the car on the way home. I still ate some in the car on the way home. Take that skinny land. (or, alternate ending... You'll never understand Skinny Land)

Monday, January 12, 2009

Shameless Plea for Money

I work for a nonprofit. Many of my friends work for nonprofits. And we are all a bit nervous.

Nonprofit work is always tricky in that we do a lot of work to benefit society for a little bit of money, and the funding sources vary from private donations, to membership dues to government grants. In the current economic times, everyone is worried about their money, including the individuals, the philanthropists, and the government. Donations to and membership in nonprofit organizations is down, which means cuts to important programs may occur.

Now, I'm not one to tell you to pony up and send $200 to your favorite organization. I wouldn't do it, because I, like most people I know, really can't afford it. This has been something that has bothered me since college. I worked for and volunteered at a couple nonprofits during my college years, but couldn't even afford membership dues. Giving $50 - $250 would completely blow my budget. It is a hard thing to give up a chunk of money to an organization, even when you know it is totally worth it, and you would love to support them.

But, I've found a solution!

I'll tell you what I am going to do, and hope that you will consider joining me. Joe and I talked about donations last weekend and decided that we would give $240 to nonprofits. Whoa, wait a minute, I said before that I couldn't even afford $200, what am I thinking?

Here's how it will work....

Many organizations offer monthly giving. You visit their donation page, tell them how much you are willing to give, set it for a specific number of months, they bill you monthly, and then send you an end of year statement for your taxes. Joe and I choose 4 nonprofits (including USEE - I work for them, and feel that they are that important, so I'll give back). We will give each nonprofit $5 a month for the entire year, which will end up being $60 each (for our grand total of $240). A sixty dollar donation doesn't seem like a ton, but I know we at USEE are excited when we get a check for any amount. I won't miss the $20 each month. If you think about it, that would just be skipping one cafe mocha latte from your favorite coffee shop once a week. Not a bad trade for all the wonderful programs that come from nonprofits.

Please consider supporting us here at the Utah Society for Environmental Education. Even $5 a month will make a huge impact. Click here to set up a monthly donation.

Or, if USEE isn't your cup of tea, consider donating to your favorite nonprofit. Trust me, they'll be grateful. If they don't have a monthly giving option, please suggest they set one up.

Thank you for your support!

Friday, January 9, 2009

Week one of the "Nothing New" resolution

For those of you who read my 9 goals for 2009, I'm going to give you an update on #6 - Live More Sustainably/Simply, more specifically, the part of that where Joe and I don't buy anything new for 3 months (unless it can be consumed or depleted, or it is second hand)...

So, week one seemed pretty easy. We had some realizations, bought a couple things that were "legal" according to our rules, and I became a crazy mess noticing all the unsustainable things in my life.

Realizations -
1. Sunday morning - Joe says, "Oh, let me see the adds for Circuit city to see if they have any good movies on sale." Then he says "oh, nevermind."

2. There are days when we eat out, and I'll admit, I went to Taco Bell to grab some food for Joe and I to eat on his lunch break. Now, I don't normally eat fast food, but I'm just being totally honest, sometimes I crave it. I was proud of myself for remembering to bring some drinks for us from home, as Taco Bell has giant plastic cups with their meals and that, in my mind, would count as something new. So as I waited for my food I started thinking about all the plastic cups that they give out each day. Do people recycle them? Why aren't there recycling bins in Taco Bell for the cups? Wouldn't it be cost effective for Taco Bell to have people voluntarily recycle them and then wash and reuse them?

3. I am almost out of the stuff (I call it stuff because I really don't know how to describe it) I put in my hair to make it smooth and shiny. I could justify buying more because it is used up or depleted, but then I look at the plastic container that it comes in. Do I really need it? I wish there were more refillable products. If you see me with dull frizzy hair, you'll know my decision.

4. A friend of mine asked me today if I wanted to go to NPS (or Market Square) this weekend. I LOVE NPS. It is a store that carries damaged or overstocked products and food (i.e., a can of spaghetti sauce broke in a box, so the whole box goes to NPS and is sold at great prices, or a shirt is dirty, so they take it there and still sell it). I told her that would be great, but I can only buy food items there, which would be ok, but not as fulfilling. It is amazing to realize how much we as a society LOVE to shop. I love to scrounge for deals, but it is still shopping. I can hardly pass up a good deal. So, I had to decline. Joe and I will just have to look at what we need and hit the thrift store instead.

5. I can't buy new running shoes for 3 more months...bummer, but I'll live.

"Legal" Purchases
1. Oil change in the truck. It needed to be done, and the truck will be more efficient because of it.

2. My stepson's birthday is next week, and so we decided that we would buy him a new gift and the party supplies (pirate themed, arrrrggg). We did NOT buy cute paper plates or napkins, but did get invitations, etc. We initially talked about having the kids in on this project, but as they are at their mom's more than they are with us, we felt it might be hard and conflicting for them. However, we are working on talking more about where are resources come from and where they go and planning a trip to the landfill (they've never been!).

3. Food - from Costco in bulk or the Crossroads Urban Community Co-op.

That's it! I'm pretty proud of us.

Other Unsustainable things I've noticed...
1. Ziploc bags - I'm my mother's daughter, and I've grown to depend on them, but my mom and I both know we need to cut back.

2. When you buy containers so you don't use Ziplocs, they come packaged in cardboard and then shrink wrapped. What is with all the shrink wrap? Its not needed.

3. I do soooo much laundry. Two adults, two kids, one puppy and one old dog have been keeping my washing machine busy. How can I reduce that?

4. Joe and I have so much stuff that we don't use. We are working on giving it away or sending it to the thrift store.

5. There are many more things we could talk about, but we'll save that for another post.

So, what do you think? Any advice for me? Any thoughts or questions? I'd love to get other people's take on this since it is a trial effort for us and my eyes are being opened to so many things. Where does one start?

Thursday, January 1, 2009

9 for 2009

I quit making New Year's Resolutions years ago. I don't like to set myself up for failure. Rather, in college, some friends and I decided to make a certain number of goals based on the year. 5 for 2005, 7 for 2007, you get the idea. So this year we are up to 9. You may think...Wow! That is a lot of accountability! But instead it lets me think of all the things I'd like to accomplish and why. In 2011, I'll be back to one major goal, so check back in then and we'll see how it goes....

You may also be wondering why I am telling you my personal goals (and the actions involved to meet those goals) and then relating them to my work in Environmental Education. That's easy to answer. Environmental Education can encompass all that you do. We live in the environment and constantly interact with it, so my goals not only pertain to me, but my relationship with the environment too. Here we go....

1. Stay Fit. This past year I've lost over 40lbs. I'm not going to gain it back. My actions will be to continue training, to run at least one foot race (aiming for a half marathon), to eat healthy and local, to drink more water. All of these things help me physically, but also allow me to take time to be outdoors and ponder my environment (i.e., Where is my food coming from? What is food grade petroleum and why am I eating it?) . The USEE Discussion ourses help out with this... especially the Menu for the Future Course.'

2. Prioritize Family Time. I am working at USEE as well as teaching a course at USU this spring. My husband works full time and goes to school. We have my step children at the house part time, two dogs, chickens and a gigantic to-do list. The USEE Discussion Course Healthy Children Healthy Planet opened my eyes to how much we let society take over and dictate what we "should" be doing. We should work more to make more money to be happy. We should put our kids in as many classes as we can so they are successful adults. But no, not for me. I am uber busy, but I am going to take time out for my family. We'll go on walks, check out the stars, dig in the dirt, etc. They will be more involved in all the other goals as well. Read on.

3. RELAX! This relates to the goal above. I can't sit still. If I'm watching TV, I am crocheting a hat. The only time I am relaxing is if it is also serving another purpose. I don't sit in the hot tub to relax, I sit in it to get warm. My mindset is going to change. Relaxing will help me in meeting my goal above. I will remember that I don't have to be everything to everyone.

4. Spend time with my dog. I have a new puppy who demands attention. But, I also have an old lab who has been my buddy for 10 years. He's can't do the things that he used to with me. He was my hiking friend and running pal. Now, he gets so excited when i put on my running shoes and I have to say "No, you stay here Bronco, you can't go that far." How horrible is that? So, I will slow down (relax? goal number 3?), and take my old friend for a walk at his pace (it is a good pace for the kids too.... goal number 2?). Being out in the environment benefits me tremendously. But, does that mean it needs to be at my running pace? No, I can enjoy it at an old dogs gait, and he will be much happier too. He deserves it.

5. Have an awesome garden. We have a huge garden area in my backyard. I did an ok job last year with it, but this year... look out! I plan to be able to provide much of my families food from my little plot of dirt. I've been gathering info and tips from my mom, my grandma and anyone who will let me pick their brains. Gardening will fit in with goal number 1, 2, and 3...I love multitasking. This makes me feel great about my contribution to the environment. I can cut down on energy costs of food production and travel. I know where it will come from, how it was grown, and what was put on it. It will also be a wonderful teaching tool for my kiddos.

6. Live more sustainably/simply. This one is a no brainer on how it relates to the environment, but here are a couple ways I hope to accomplish it. My husband Joe and I are going to do a three month experiment of not buying anything new (other than food and emergency things like car repairs, etc). If we need something, it has to come from freecycle, DI or be borrowed. This should be fun for us as we LOVE scrounging. One mans junk is our treasure. We'll reassess at three months. The kids are in on it too, and I love the thought of teaching them that we don't always need to be consumers. I also hope to use less plastic and create less plastic waste (stay tuned for another blog post).

7. Rid myself of clutter. I just read an article from YES! Magazine about a woman who lives quite happily in an 84 square foot house. I complain about my 1700 square foot house. Yes, I have the husband, two kids, two dogs, chickens, etc to justify with, but really, we don't need more room, just less stuff. I have a plan to create a 6 month box in the garage. If I put something in there today for example, I'll put a date on it 6 months from now, so June 31. If I haven't thought of it or pulled it back out by then, it needs to be giving to someone who can really use it. I can live happily with my little family and I don't need to upgrade to a bigger, less economical house.

8. Redevelop old friendships, make new ones. I like to be alone. Who doesn't? But, I also need my friends. I need to share experiences with them (my favorites are the ones that happen outdoors!), I need to learn from them (any good gardening tips?), I need to relax with them, etc. I also LOVE making new friends. A group of "professional acquaintances" got together last year for the Healthy Planet Healthy Children Discussion course. What an amazing group of women! I was so blessed to get to know them better, and to learn so much from them. I look forward to more in 2009.

9. GET OUTSIDE MORE! This again relates to all my goals above, but it needs to be a conscious thought as well. The last month here at the USEE office we have been trying to take a walk outside everyday. Even in the snow. It is amazing how much it brightens my mood, makes me more productive and keeps me awake. I always end up putting off my outdoor experiences for other things I think are more pressing (household chores?). Getting outside will help me with everything in my life as you can see from this whole blog post.

So, I'm excited to get a move'on for all my goals. If they don't end up happening to their fullest, oh well. At least they are on my mind, and I'll do my best.

Happy New Year Everyone!