Environmental (& Budget!) Friendly Backyards

My sister, Melissa, asked me to look into this topic for her. She recently moved into a beautiful new house with an absolutely deplorable back yard. The only living thing in it is a Scrub Oak. The poor tree is surrounded by dead grass and dirt all the way to the chain link fence. I agree, she needs help!

Considering the hot, hot summers in Redding, California, it will be important for her to select native plants which will do better with less water than non-native plants. This link has all kinds of information about native plantlife. It also includes information on low-water grasses and tons of pictures. Hey, Melissa! There is even a section titled "Dry Shade Garden (ie planting under oaks or other places that you don't want to water)"
http://www.californiagardens.com/index.html
If you don't live in California, try a Google search for native plants in your state.

This next link has information on drip systems & a sprinkler system that can track the weather and turn off your sprinklers if rain is predicted. http://www.ecomii.com/building/efficient-irrigation

Also, revisit Veronica's post about her rain barrels. http://eroticvulture.blogspot.com/2008/09/keeping-up-with-joneses-eco-style.html They are a great way to use a natural resource more efficiently!

In some areas, you can even get a rebate for purchasing rain barrels. Check with your local water supplier to to find out if they offer this incentive. If it is not offered, encourage them to start! With enough calls, they may see the overall benefit of encouraging citizens to reduce demand for municipal water and preserve the precious groundwater supply.

Click this link to peruse available rain barrels and other environmentally friendly lawn and garden supplies. http://www.cleanairgardening.com/rainbarrels.html

Happy planting!

Freecycle

In some areas, Freecycle is a well know and used part of life. It others, it is just building steam.

When I moved out of S.F., I used Freecycle to give away a ton of stuff. Yes, I said "give away"! Freecycle is all about keeping reusable things out of the landfills by finding others that need them.

Their mission statement, "Our mission is to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community."

Here's how it works. Those who have things to get rid of post them on their local Yahoo message board. Other members who want to take these items respond and arrange a pick-up. Also, anyone can post a 'wanted' notice, letting other members know of an item they are looking for. Any member who has a wanted item can make contact and arrange to give their item away.

It's all free, so stuff goes pretty quickly. I gave away kid's toys, Halloween decorations, old fish tanks and tools, to name a few. Multiple people contacted me for every item I listed!

Freecycle is a great way to lighten your load in a move, or just clean out your garage. With the holiday season coming up, now is a great time to give it a try. Give others a chance to reduce their holiday spending by making use of your unwanted items. Find that perfect gift for your hard to shop for Aunt Hildy. Make room in your garage for that new bobsled! Save costly and time consuming trips to the dump after you clean out your massively over-packed warehouse (you know who you are ;)

http://www.freecycle.org/

A Vote Lost

Below is a copy of a letter I wrote to the District 10 Democratic candidate for Assembly. This area is a Republican stronghold, and she ended up losing. I threw my vote to the Liberatarian candidate. While I identify myself much more strongly with the Liberatarian party than Democrat or Republican, I usually vote Democrat just to feel like my vote counts for something. I wanted this candidate to know why she didn't get my vote.

Dear Ms. Huber,

I am new to the Sacramento area. This left me having to do a lot of research before election time. It was very difficult to decide which candidates to vote for with no idea of their backgrounds and involvement in local politics.

The deciding factor for me in the race in which you participated was the amount of junk mail I received from your campaign. In less than 2 weeks, I took over 20 flyers, postcards and letters from my mailbox urging me to vote for you. As I am deeply concerned with the impact junk mail has on our environment, there was no way I could give you my vote. I found myself unable to take you and your campaign seriously in the face of such waste and destruction.

Should you choose to run for office in the future, please remove my name and address from your mailing list. I would also encourage you to research the overall effect this kind of mass mailing has on the earth and consider alternative methods for promoting yourself.

Thank you, Jennifer Watson

????

I am running a little low on topics lately. Except for the occasional break for other things, I like to keep this blog focused on ways I try to conserve the earth's resources. After 40 something posts, I am having trouble coming up with new ideas.

Actually, let me rephrase that. I am having trouble following through with new ideas. There are things I want and plan to do at some point, I just lack motivation.

So I thought I would post my list of intentions and then hand the reigns over to you. If you try or have already tried any of these, share your experience here. Help to motivate me, and others, to do more for the environment!


1. Homemade Kitty Litter
2. Reusable Bathroom Wipes (Family Wipes)
3. Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
4. Homemade Peanut (or Sunflower Seed)Butter
5. Canning
6. Cloth Diapers (Especially good sources to get them.)
7. Growing a More Plentiful Container Garden (I need tips!)
8. Freedom From Hallmark Holidays (How to stop buying cards and gift just because the calendar tells us to.)
9. Organic Baby Formula

Thanks!

Tampoline Safety - Veronica Armstrong

Let us take a break from our journey toward ecological enlightenment to consider this public safety announcement.... (jen.)

Used to be, back in the day, our fun-time recreational large toy in the backyard was the soon-to-be rusty and excessively squeaky swing set. The set always included 2uneven swings, one plastic double swing which cracked and broke immediately under drunk Uncle Bill's weight, and one nondescript, u-shaped, completely useless bar. Did anyone ever figure out what that bar was for? I used to hang my Barbies on a rope by their necks when they were "bad." But, I digress.

Kids today are much too fast paced and sophisticated for anything so lame as a swing set. Today, the mighty trampoline stands as the standard back yard toy. Oh, the coveted spring board of death...we hear you call our name. We vow to never again grace your stage after breath-stopping falls, cracked ribs, and broken elbows. We curse you when trying to mow around you. And when we tear our clothes and skin on your sharp, protruding springs, brilliant expletives escape our mouths.

Let us define the trampoline as only Wikepedia can..."a trampoline is a gymnastic device consisting of a piece of taut, strong fabric stretched over a steel frame using many coiled springs to provide a rebounding force which propels the jumper high into the air. In a trampoline, the fabric is not elastic itself; the elasticity is provided by the springs which connect it to the frame. According to circus folklore, the trampoline was supposedly first developed by an french artiste called Du Trampolin. Aaaah, Wikepedia forgets to mention some very important facts here:

1) "A trampoline is a gymnastic...device." Yes, that is it's original intended use. Trampolines belong in the GYM, with padded walls and floors. Because even seasoned gymnasts will succumb to an unexpected non-trampoline landing. Just because you took gymnastics in preschool and have now had a few drinks in your system, doesn't mean you are qualified to do a back flip on the backyard trampoline situated next to a short, broken chain-link fence.

2) The "strong fabric" is never strong enough to hold big Aunt Gabby and three of her nieces. Oh yes, that fabric attached to the springs is gonna rip. And when it does the nieces will invariably end up under Aunt Gabby's massive buttocks, thighs, upper arm fat, and other various big rolls of her body. A four year old's skeletal structure cannot take the weight of a woman who has been to the "All-you-can-eat Catfish" shack every Friday night for the last 47 years.

3) The "many coiled springs" expand and contract as the jumpers get more and more vigorous with their jumping. And for those who sit on the trampoline, awaiting their turn of fate, the springs provide an excellent site for caught fingers and fleshy areas. Flying children routinely end up in between these springs, which mercifully sometimes half-catch their fall by clamping tight onto their hair.

4) Sitting on the trampoline whilst someone is having a go, can be a precarious situation. A hard jump can make the sitter either fly head-first off the trampoline or head-long into the jumper. Either way, the head or neck is going to need some ice after its collision with another human head or bumpy ground.

5) The trampoline being invented by a French man also sends up flags of warning. These are the same people who warmly welcomed the Nazis into gay Paris a while back, adore mimes, made the Peugeot, and eat snails and frogs. They are gluttons for punishment, we shouldn't trust their ingenuity or engineering skills.

6) And lastly, the trampoline is most popular in our Southern states, home of tornadic activity, many, many mobile homes, and the KKK. Nuff said. If you are very interested in getting a trampoline, have your IQ checked and reconsider that Walmart trampoline special for $49.99.

FAB MORVAN:
The more even-keeled half of Milli Vanilli, who did what Rob told him to do and whose cut, according the former manager Todd Headlee, was only thirty-five percent. (Headlee says the duo stood to make about $4 million for the second record.) The Paris-bred Morvan was a budding gymnast whose whole career was cut short by a trampoline accident. Coach Riggs says that Morvan can also sing a high C but "sometimes forgets his vibrato."

Bad Starbucks! Bad Starbucks!

I have long been an adversary of Starbucks' business practices. Particularly the way they seem focused on overpopulating the planet with stores on every corner. When I lived in San Francisco, I used their store locator to find out how many stores where within a 5 mile radius of my home. The result was 96! When I check the same site today, it tells me there are only 71 in the same area. I guess this slump in the economy has at least one benefit!

Yesterday my husband told me about a news story he had heard. I was appalled and thought you might like to hear about it too.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1771553.ece

For those of us who remain metric system impaired, I used an online calculator to figure out how much 23.4 million gallons is. It's 6,181,626.03 US gallons! Per day! Can you even imagine being that irresponsible?

I prefer to give my money to independent stores who do more than just claim to be green. It is easy to spend a bunch of money talking about how much you care about the environment. It is much tougher to walk the walk.

Election Day 2008

I feel safe saying that most adult voters believe this is going to be a monumental election. New voters have registered in record numbers and lines are long at polling places.

Between this everlasting war and the plummeting economy, people are anxious for things to change. The time has finally come for the process to start one way or the other.

I, for one, am going to have trouble tearing myself away from the radio today. http://www.kgoradio.com/listenlive.asp Oh well, the sun is out and the girls want to go to the park. I guess I can take a couple hours off!!


Don't forget to vote!

Zucchini Bread

I forgot to take my shopping list with me on my last trip to Trader Joe's. Since I plan my meals and shop for two weeks at a time, I thought I would have to make a second trip to pick up all the things I forgot.

Luckily, I have a mind like a steel trap (Just don't listen to Lydia who is always telling me I have short-term memory loss). I only forgot one thing.

I had specifically written on my list that I should NOT buy the 3 pounds of zucchini I needed for a recipe a week and a half later. Oh well, when you have zucchini, make zucchini bread.

Here's how:

2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon

Blend all ingredients together and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

With my 3 pounds of zucchini, I ended up making this recipe x4. It was a big hit at park day and when we served it to guests. My kids have been happy to eat it all week, which is good because some went into the freezer. I just finished baking some in muffin form as part of my dad's birthday present (ssssh, don't tell). (The muffins will take about 1/2 as much time in the oven.)

Take advantage of the squash that is in season right now and give this recipe a try!

Happy Halloween.

Conservation Cat

I have trained my cat, Alex, to monitor the water usage in our home. After each shower, she enters to evalute the amount of water used and if there has been any waste.

By performing a series of precise measurements, she is able to critique the user's showering technique and provide useful information as to how they may reduce their impact on the planet's water supply in the future.

Alex's Suggestions:

Install a water-efficient shower head with a flow rate of less than 2.5 gallons (9.5 liters) per minute. (Replace an existing shower head if a one gallon bucket placed under the flow takes less than 20 seconds to fill.)

Take a five-minute shower that uses about 12.5 gallons of water. Since the average shower can use up to 25 gallons of water, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), you're already on your way to saving half that amount.

For the truly eco-committed, consider the occasional "military" shower: Turn the shower off when you soap up, then back on while you rinse.

To eliminate the use of water completely, lick yourself all over several times a day. This may be done anywhere and no one even seems to mind if you clean your nether regions in their presence.

The third highest use of indoor water is bathing, and because most of us like to use warm water when we bathe, it's also the second highest use of energy in the home.

As a fair warning to those of you who may be guests at my home in the future, Alex does not take kindly to those who waste water during this time of statewide drought. Please, do not let this happen to you!

Rainbow Cake

Alright, so I'm not really going to talk about Rainbow Cake. I have stolen my sister's ruse of luring you in with one title then talking about something different. Of course, my trickery has gone the opposite direction as hers. I DO want to talk politics.

The two most important issues to me this election are the Presidential race and Proposition 8. I'm not going to waste time on the Presidential race because all the polls I have seen show it will go the way I want anyway. Also, I do not feel as passionately about it as I do about Prop. 8.

Proposition 8, if passed, will change the California State Constitution to define marriage in California as being a union between one man and one woman. The passing of this law will deny rights to same sex couples in our state.

To me this is reminiscent of the segregation imposed on African-Americans, women being denied the right to vote and Japanese nationals being forced into internment camps after the attack on Pearl Harbor. It will remove a basic right promised in the United States Declaration of Independance, "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness...".

From Wikipedia -
"The phrase "pursuit of happiness" appeared in the 1967 Supreme Court case, Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S. 1 (1967), which focused on an anti-miscegenation statute. Chief Justice Warren wrote:
The freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men. "

Loving someone of the same sex is not unlawful. It does not violate the equal rights of others. There is no legal reason to keep this right from any consenting adult.

Many who oppose gay marriage do so for religious reasons. I must point out here that this country has adopted a legal doctrine of separation of church and state. Whatever your personal views may be, we are dealing with a legal matter.

It makes me so sad and frustrated to think that people would band together to remove a right that is so personal and emotional from other human beings. Most people get married because they are in love. Love is a nice thing. It makes people happy and the world a nicer place in general.

When I look at my children and think of my hopes for their future, the foremost thing in my mind is that they be happy. This wish is unconditional. I don't hope they will be happy as long as it is with someone of the opposite sex, I simply want them to be happy. If they someday do fall in love and wish to get married, I hope they are able to no matter what gender the other person is. I would not want them to be treated like second-class citizens because of where their heart led them. In fact, the thought makes me furious.

We have all known people whose spouses we don't like or approve of. I would guess this is a very common occurance in families and friendships. Most of us would never voice this opinion to our loved ones. We would never tell them not to get married because we do not approve. So why is this acceptable when the couple is of the same sex? Why does our politeness and common human decency fly out the window? It is still the same personal decision based on the feelings between two adults.

LOVE IS NICE! VOTE NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, ON PROPOSITION 8!

Aaaahhh...............

Let us all breathe a sigh of relief as the gas prices finally fall to a decent level. At least one thing is going right in this dismal economy.

Yesterday, we paid $2.78 per gallon. That was about $33 to fill the tank.

How much did you pay for your last fill-up?

The Weakness of Pregnancy

I just returned from a trip to Trader Joe's, and I must make a confession. I am weak. I have once again succumbed to the siren call of convenience food. I am blaming it on the baby.

When I entered the store I felt full, even bloated. I was confident that this would keep me from making rash purchases. But the overwhelmingly delicious smell of the pasta dish they were serving as free samples and the sight of my favorite ginormous carrot cakes combined to cause my stomach to growl uncontrollably.

Actually, I made it past the premade lunch section with ease on my first pass. It is located right near the entrance and I breezed right by it. The problem came when I decided to peruse the section again while Molly took Rowan to the potty.

By that time, I was weak and shaking with hunger. The vegetarian sushi was calling out to me. As I reached for the sushi ($2.99 for 8 pieces) I spied the Eggless Egg Salad right next to it. I have been meaning to make this myself and just haven't gotten to it. It seemed suddenly irresistible. I then recalled the two slices of dill rye bread and sprouts at home. The delightful sandwich came together perfectly in my mind as I place the overpriced ingredient into my cart.


Now as I sit here, full of my sushi and once again feeling bloated, I think more rationally. I just paid $2.69 for 6oz of Eggless Egg Salad. I could have made 14oz for $1.29. That is quite a mark-up! I feel foolish.

I can only hope that when I eat that sandwich tomorrow (or in a few hours, to be perfectly honest) it is as delicious as my slobbering grocery store fantasies promised it would be.

(Me playing air guitar to a rockin' song by Reeveoliver.) ------->

Fun With Junk Mail

Junk mail and I are mortal enemies. It has been my mission to rid my home of it for the past couple years. Actually, it was a fight I had won and forgotten about while we lived in San Francisco. Then we moved. I had to fight this battle all over again.

The first step to freeing your mailbox of this clutter is to make lots of phone calls. This may seem like a nuisance, but in the long run it is worth it. Take a look at the junk mail you are getting. Coupons and advertisements will have a number for those who want to place ads listed. Call this number and tell the person who answers that you do not wish to recieve their mail. You will probably be transferred to the appropriate department. They will take your name and address and tell you that it will take a couple of weeks for the change to be made.

Hopefully this will be enough to stop that kind of junk mail. If you have a mailman like mine, you will have to take extra steps. My helpful mailman decided to change the address on the junk mail from a vacant house down the street to my address. I had to make a call to the post office and speak to his supervisor to stop that from happening. Luckily, it only took one call.

Phone calls can also be made (sometimes websites are available) to credit cards, catalogues and car dealerships, etc.

When I get offers with postage paid response envelopes, I save them. Then I save other junk mail and stuff it into the postage paid envelopes. It is fun to think of the look on someone's face when they open it looking for a credit card application and instead find coupons for mini blinds and carpet cleaning! I know it does nothing to stop the junk mail, but it amuses me!

Right now, there is no way to remove your address from mailing lists like you can with your phone number. The website below is working to change that. To add your name to their petition and learn more about the devastating affects of junk mail on the environment check out this page.
http://donotmail.org/article.php?list=type&type=3

The Search For the Perfect Water Bottle

I stopped buying bottled water a couple of years ago after my husband pointed out that all the plastic used was contrary to my efforts to reduce our output of waste. It was so obvious, and it never even occured to me.

Since that time, I have gone through many reusable bottles. I have yet to find one that is inexpensive, big enough, easy to carry, seals well and doesn't break in a short period of time.

Here are my requirements. Please! Let me know if you have seen this bottle!

#1 If you know me at all, you know I am a cheapskate. I don't like forking out a bunch of money for something I am unsure about. For the perfect long-term vessel, I will pay a reasonable amount, but it has to meet ALL of my requirements.

#2 I drink a ton of water every day. Really. I would guess I drink a gallon by myself. Plus my kids are always forgetting their bottles and drinking off of mine. I guess the proper term for what I need is a JUG.

#3 Three kids means lugging around a ton of stuff. I have help in this area, but there are always a couple of hands that need to be held as well. I need something I can hold onto easily. So, a jug with a handle.

#4 My car seats and floor as well as my oldest daughter will attest to the need for a tight seal. I well remember the day my water tipped over in the front seat early in the morning. I didn't notice in the dark. By the time I did, the seat was a pond. It was still wet in the afternoon when I picked up my unfortunate passenger.

#5 It has to last. I am hard on water bottles. Let's face it, I am hard on everything. Most of my stuff is dented, scratched or broken. I have kids. We spend a lot of time outdoors. Stuff happens. I bought 3 water bottles 3 months ago, and they are all long gone. Key word, sturdy.

So, once again, if you have seen this bottle let me know! If you are still using bottled water, keep reading for some facts about how your choice affects the planet and your pocketbook.

Did you know...

• Seventy-four percent of Americans drink bottled water, and one in five drinks only bottled water.
• Worldwide, consumers spent $100 billion on bottled water in 2005.
• Each year more than 4 billion pounds of PET plastic bottles end up in landfills or as roadside litter.
• Making bottles to meet Americans’ demand for bottled water required the equivalent of more than 17 million barrels of oil last year – enough fuel for more than 1 million U.S. cars for a year - and generated more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide.
• Name brands in small bottles instead of jugs can easily cost more than $10 a gallon, especially if purchased individually. By comparison, tap water typically costs about a half-cent per gallon. For what some Americans spend on bottled water in a year, they could buy a refrigerator with a filtered-water dispenser.
• Surveys show one of the reasons cited by consumers for buying bottled water is convenience. But what's more convenient than getting water from a faucet?

Try this cost calculator to see how much you spend on bottled water in a year. http://www.newdream.org/water/calculator.php

Check out these links (where I got the facts above) for even more information!

http://www.thinkoutsidethebottle.org/?source=googleads&gclid=CMn6s8X7t5YCFQhJagodbii_Lg
http://www.sierraclub.org/committees/cac/water/bottled_water/bottled_water.pdf
http://lighterfootstep.com/2008/05/five-reasons-not-to-drink-bottled-water/
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sns-yourmoney-0910spending,0,3316261.story

The Nose Knows

I have been sick all week. During that week, I blew my nose about a million times. Now, I don't regularly buy any type of Kleenex-type product, we use good old t.p. for the occasional nose blowing. We are generally a very healthy family, so this really doesn't come up often. Towards the end of the second long day of sickness, I was regretting my frugal nature. I would have done just about anything for a nice, soft tissue to use on my poor, broken nose.

Wave had also been sick and purchased a 3 pack of travel-sized Kleenex from Target for $.99. ($o.o22/tissue) I commandeered the remaining 2 packs while he was at work. My nose was grateful for the change, but my hands got the short end of the stick. Every time I blew my nose, all the disgusting snot ended up going through the tissue and all over my hands. That meant much more handwashing and much drier hands.

Once I ran out of the Kleenex, I searched the house frantically for anything else to use. Buried under a bunch of other junk in the bathroom cupboard, I found 2 travel packs of Trader Joe's tissue paper. When I opened the first one up and used it, I was overjoyed! These tissues are HUGE! I actually felt like I was not using up enough of each one. While not super-soft, they were still a huge improvement over t.p. As a bonus, they are made of 100% recycled, 35% post consumer product. They are cheaper than the Kleenex travel pack. They come in a 10 pack of 10 tissues each for $1.29. That works out to only $o.0129/tissue.

Wave came home with more tissues for me once the TJ's brand was gone. This time it was 2 nice big boxes of Puffs plus lotion. Of course, the large size was nice, the lotion felt great. Only draw back - all that lotion gave me a zit right on my nose. My husband does not remember how much he paid for them. After some online research, I will guesstimate that the box of 132, 2 ply tissues cost about $1.99. That would equal $0.015 per tissue.

Overall, my choice for best tissue is the Trader Joe's. They are the cheapest and have a big size for a travel pack. They are also the most environmentally responsible. Most importantly, they come from my favorite store!

http://www.ehow.com/how_9504_blow-nose.html

Meat Eater Gone Vegetarian - by Veronica

I keep laughing at myself this month, noticing little changes in my body while I'm a vegetarian. For one, I poop 4 times a day now. I used to poop twice at the most. I'm hungry ALL the time. And I'm full of gas. Big huge air-farts escape me constantly. They don't smell, at least not horribly bad. I've been wondering over the last couple weeks, why I have lost weigh but my stomach hasn't gone down any. BECAUSE IT'S FULL OF GAS!!! HA!

I have noticed that I'm a lot more calm and stress-free, especially around my period. I was telling my Yoga instructor (who happens to be a Vegetarian-of course) how less-aggressive and angry I am. She said "because meat harbors anger and fear and when you eat meat, you are allowing anger and fear to enter your body." Wow! Now I'll probably never eat meat again!

It's been easy though, except when I'm making the kids scrambled eggs with cheese. I always eat about 1/2 of it while I'm cooking, its soooo good. But Bocca, Garden Burger, and Morning Star make such good veggie cakes to make sandwiches out of, I haven't missed chicken or beef or pork at all! I like to saute the patties in olive oil, then place them on a whole wheat hamburger bun with mayo, pickles, tomato, spinach leaves, and a slice of mozzarella. I haven't eaten one veggie thing yet that I don't like. LOVE the spicy bean patties and the Italian ones too. I've been putting Silk Soy milk in my cereal at work and the Almond milk in my cereal at home. That shit is delicious! Way better than milk.

John has been doing the veggie thing with me all month. Although he cheated one time and had some fish at lunchtime. I accidentally cheated twice (not on purpose). I ate a deviled egg at a potluck and I had a salad once with tiny bacon bits in it.

It's definitely been cheaper too! I've saved approximately $15 a week [on groceries], so $60 a month.

Anyway, just wanted to give you an update. I don't think I'll go Vegetarian forever, but I am definitely going to really, really limit my meat eating once October is over.

My MOST Favorite Salad

"Handful of Yummy"
Handful of spinach leaves
Handful chopped Romaine lettuce
Handful dried cranberries
6 Strawberries-sliced
1/2 handful of blue cheese crumbles
Handful of pecan pieces
Balsamic Dressing, not a handful (that's too messy)

-Love,
V

Won't You Be MY Neighbor?

If you ever do anything that you don't want reported to the authorities, say "NO" quickly. Even if you just might look guilty, but are in fact a law-abiding citizen, say "no". I WILL REPORT YOU!

The folks in this picture live a block away from me. These pictures are taken from my front window.

At approximately 3:40 pm, the guy in the truck ran a hose from a large tank in the back of the truck to the storm drain. Then he started up an engine that began pumping whatever was in the tank into the drain. I watched for a couple of minutes, quite appalled. I was undecided as to what I should do.

Perhaps he was emptying a tank of water? People don't really just illegally dump hazardous materials into storm drains, right? Not on their own block. Not in the middle of the day. And they have a Jesus Fish on the back of the truck! Conclusion: They must not be doing anything wrong.

But wait... These are the folks who water their lawn in the afternoon until the street is a river. Strike one against environmental awareness. AND this is the woman who put my broken sewing machine back in front of my house even though I told her she could have it, but I thought it was broken. Strike two. My decision was made quite easy when the young gentleman in the truck started forcing whatever was in the tank out with a big stick. Big strike three. Water does not need that kind of help. Conclusion: Call the Sacramento Dept. of Water Resources Stormwater Quality Program.

My call was answered quickly and my report was made. Unfortunately, the Hazardous Materials division was off for Columbus Day. I was told to call the Fire Department. They would come out to assess the situation and call HazMat in if needed.

The call to the Fire Department was quick and painless. They took my name, phone # and address and said they would send someone right out. I was pretty surprised when, 10 minutes later, two fire engines with their lights on drove up the street!

The dumpers quickly stopped what the were doing when the engines pulled up right in front of them. Lots of questions were asked and phone calls made. The fire people used flashlights to look down the storm drain.

About half an hour later, an investigator pulled up. Shortly after him came a huge HazMat truck, another fire engine, an Incident Report vehicle, a county truck of some sort and two Sheriff cars.

The street was blocked off to all traffic and the three closest manholes were opened. One was quickly closed back up, but the other 2 were surrounded by cones. The various agencies involved each took a ton of pictures and questioned the dumpers. The HazMat crew lowered a cup on a pole into the manholes and then tested what they brought back up.

After about an hour & a half (at 5:21 pm), the Sheriff cars, fire and HazMat trucks began to slowly depart the scene one-by-one. Just the Incident Report vehicle and the county truck remained, each with one man. They periodically checked the storm drains through the open manholes with their flashlights. At 6:15 pm, the Incident Report truck also left.

As we speak, (6:31 pm) only the county employee and his truck are left. The manholes are still open and surrounded by cones. His lights are still flashing. He is making a lot of phone calls between peering down into the manholes.

For all the flashing lights and commotion, the incident ended pretty anti-climatically. No yelling or screaming. No one was cuffed. I think my neighbors may have gotten a ticket, but they seemed pretty jovial about the whole thing. Even now, they keep coming out of their house to chat with the guy in the truck.

I guess I will never know exactly what they were dumping. So I leave it up to you to decide... Jennifer Watson, nosy neighbor/public nuisance or environmental hero? ;)

Maim Your Television

So, the popular phrase is actually, "Kill Your Television". I'm not advocating that you go that far. I must admit that I too, love to suckle at the teat of Mother Television on occasion. When I am sick or depressed, there is nothing like a good t.v. binge to make me forget my woes.

I am only suggesting that you maim your television by getting rid of cable. In these times of a plummeting economy and skyrocketing prices, this is an obvious luxury that can go. My home has been cable free for about 6 months now. We had been paying $99.09 for cable and internet connection per month. When we ditched the cable, we became eligible for my husband's company to pay the internet portion. That has reduced our monthly bills by a significant amount. Overall, we have saved $594.54!

We still have more than enough television to watch. About 6 stations come in with just rabbit ears. We also have plenty of other things to watch between educational DVDs from the library, our own movie collection and Netflix. I wish we could go a day without turning the darn things on!

I know, I know, it may hurt a little to think of missing all those reality shows on Bravo, and the cooking on the Food Network but you will get used to it. We are living proof that life does go on without the warm arms of Mother Cable to enfold you. Go buy yourself a present with the money you saved and get over it!

Rileysaurus Rex :)

Just wanted to give a shout out to my niece Riley.















She is growing her hair out to donate to Locks of Love!





YAY,Riley!! http://www.locksoflove.org/

She should inspire us all to do our part to make this planet a nicer place. xoxo, Aunt jen.

Turtle Love - by Veronica Armstrong

South Padre is best known for its Spring Break Extravaganzas and "bitchin" surf scene. I'm surprised that my most favorite part of our weekend adventure was a trip to the Sea Turtle Rescue Center. Hidden amongst tons of fancy-pants hotels, seafood restaurants, surf shops, and ginormous displays of American capitalism at its finest in the form of gift shops is this little sea-turtle haven. It's located right on the main boulevard in South Padre! Sea Turtle Inc is dedicated to the education, research, and rehabilitation for the preservation of the Sea Turtle and its environments. Learn more at: http://www.seaturtleinc.com/. They are a non-profit organization. The tour and class were just awesome and I highly recommend it for anyone visiting South Padre.

I was horrified to learn that the terrible plastic bags that most of America uses ends up in the ocean and they look exactly like jelly fish. Jelly fish happens to be prey numero uno for our sea turtles, so they digest them and die or end up in the rehab. Most of the sea turtles' nesting grounds are located around the Gulf in Texas and Mexico. So, Sea Turtle Inc. tries their best to protect the eggs during incubation and birth. Developing small industries in coastal communities historically dependent on poaching sea turtles and their eggs have been given a long-term economic alternatives by Sea Turtle Inc. The photos attached show what these communities have been making in lieu of poaching turtles and their eggs.

They have been making lovely tote bags out of plastic bags, coconut jewelry and other carvings. It takes approximately 70 to 80 plastic grocery bags to make one of these totes.

The cocount shell turtle pendant is handmade in Rancho Nuevo, Mexico. Ranch Nuevo is the primary nesting beach for the world's most endangered sea turtle, the Kemp's Ridley.

Sea Turtle Inc. purchased dremmel tools and donated them to the Rancho Nuevo community with funds from public donations and souvenir sales. Pretty cool!

Tofu Surprise

No, Tofu Surprise is not the name of this dish. The surprise is that my parents & children survived on vegetarian dinners for the entire week we visited them!

If it had been my idea, no one would have gone along with it. (The whole family is stubborn and headstrong.)Inspired by tofu week (see posts for Sept. 23-26), my parents suggested trying a tofu meal. When Dad and I went grocery shopping, the rest just fell into place. We didn't want to fork over extra dough to make meat & meatless versions of each dinner.

Actually, the adults in the group started their meatless meals on Saturday night. We dined at IHOP, which now has an updated and surprisingly good menu. We all chose omelettes with spinach, mushrooms and hollandaise sauce. They were super good!

We had not yet gone shopping on Sunday night, so we used what we had to make cheese quesadillas. These are always a hit with my kids!

Monday we made vegetarian pizza topped with artichoke hearts, olives and mushrooms. One pizza was enough to feed 3 adults and 3 kids! By making it ourselves, we saved a ton of $ over ordering the same from a restaurant.

Tuesday was tofu night. (The pic up top.) I used the recipe for Italian Casserole (Sept. 24) that I found online. You can see from the pictures it was a huge hit! The entire meal cost about $6 and was enough to feed all 6 of us plus supply 2 lunches the next day.

Wednesday was quite unorganized. Some ate at Melissa's house, some ate later. Everyone kept to the vegetarian diet though, with either pasta primavera, nachos or cereal.

Thursday was vegetarian steak taco night. In keeping with Watson tradition, we must eat Mexican food on Survivor nights! These were also a hit. They were much quicker to make that real meat and one package of faux steak was plenty for the whole clan.

We ended our week-long stay with giant baked potatoes for dinner on Friday. Each of us topped them with our own combinations of cheese, broccoli, Bacos (yes, they are vegetarian), sour cream & sauteed mushrooms. Definately not low-cal, but sooooo good!

This week has definately helped me in my resolve to reduce the amount of meat eaten in my house. If my parents can go veggie for that long, anyone can! Thanks, Mom & Dad, it was fun!

Too Much Junk

Many moons ago when I was an employee at Wendy's, a woman came through the drive-thru and ordered a baked potato with all the condiments on the side, no container except the foil it was cooked in and half a paper bag. All the other teenagers and I rolled our eyes and laughed at the crazy bat. Our manager put the order in a full-sized paper bag and handed it through the window to her. When the nutty lady saw the bag she began yelling about unnecessary packaging, tore the bag in half and threw the rest back through the window. She was obviously a bit off balance, but I remember her message all these years later. And now, I get her point.

There are many obvious examples of unnecessary packaging. Just think of the pile of garbage left after the kids have opened their Xmas presents. All those plastic bits and twist ties along with the boxes and shrink wrap. Then we go one step further and use more paper to wrap these things again.

Some examples take a little more thought. Individually packaged snacks and juice boxes may be more convenient to travel with, but use much more packaging than larger amounts of the same product. Do paper towel rolls really need to be individually wrapped when sold as part of a jumbo pack? And why does your tube of toothpaste also need that box?

There are many simple solutions to this problem. Don't buy products that over package. There are always similar products with more reasonable packaging. Buy full-sized products you will use and portion into small, reusable containers. Reuse wrapping paper. My kids love to make their own wrapping paper out of scratch paper, stickers, paint and glitter. I have started buying gifts online and having them sent directly to the person they are intended for without any extra wrapping. They still get the excitement of opening a gift without using more packaging than necessary.

If reducing waste doesn't motivate you, think of the monetary aspect. When we buy individually wrapped products, we are paying for convenience. Wrapping paper, ribbons and tape are a major part of most Xmas budgets. Driving to buy gifts, finding proper packaging, then driving to the post office to mail them takes more time and money than buying online.

These are little things we all can do to reduce waste. I am working on being more vigilant, especially in the area of convenience. What will you do?

(Have you come across any products guilty of major over packaging? Post them in the comments section!)

To Shave or Not to Shave

If you know me well at all, you know I rarely shave. Legs, armpits, anything. There are two reasons for this. Number one and most importantly, I just don't care. I hardly ever wear anything that shows my legs. I am a long pants and skirts kind of girl. So why go to the trouble of shaving where no one sees? As for the armpits, I just like to let them grow. Actually, most of the women I know don't shave their pits, so it's not like that makes me stand out in the crowd.

The second reason is water conservation. It kills me to think of all the water that is wasted while I stand in the shower shaving my copious amount of body hair. Did you know that an older showerhead dispenses an average of 7 gallons per minute? A water-saving fixture is only about 2.5 gallons per minute. If it takes you 10 minutes to shave, (it takes me much longer) that is 25-70 gallons of water! Yikes!

Shaving in a full tub uses 28-36 gallons of water, but I find that to be a bit gross. I don't like to sit in all that body hair and soap. It makes me feel like I need to shower afterward, which of course, just uses up more water.

When I do shave, I do it as shown in the picture. I have a small (2 quart), plastic bowl that I fill with water. I use the this to rinse my razor as needed. I wet my legs with a bit of water before I apply the shaving cream. After shaving, I use a bit more water to rinse my legs off. I have estimated my total water usage to shave my legs is about 1 gallon. Yay, me!

A Steamy Love Affair

I've known this fellow for about 10 years. When we met it was love at first sight. He was tall, lean and yellow, just what I was looking for in a long-time companion. What a bonus that he had Enviro right in his name! I knew we were meant for each other.

Let me introduce you to the Eureka Envirosteamer. A perfect floor cleaning device if I have ever seen one. It needs no chemicals, soap or replacement parts. That means no costs are involved after it is taken home and no more trips to the store, yay!

I bought mine for around $100. That comes out to about $10 per year for the length of time I've had it and it is showing no signs of slowing down. Even the two cloth pads that attach to the bottom are in good shape. How much do you spend per year on floor cleaning supplies?

So let me explain how it works. The canister on the bottom holds about 2 cups of water. I can usually clean the kitchen and both bathrooms without refilling. The water is heated and turns to steam which is channeled through the cloth pad attached to the bottom. The steam and cloth work together to scrub the floor clean. Since virtually no water is used the floor dries almost instantly. The cloth pad goes right into the washing machine.

The advantages of cleaning with steam are numerous. No chemicals or chemical odors. Kills mold, mildew and bacteria. Great for those with allergies (read this review from Allergy Consumer Review http://www.allergyconsumerreview.com/eureka-enviro-steamer.html ) because it penetrates into the pores of hard surfaces. And I will mention again, NO TRIPS TO THE STORE TO BUY MORE STUFF!!

Alas, the Envirosteamer is no longer available in stores. There are several available on Ebay from $9.99-75. (For the 310 model. The 300 is even cheaper, but does not have all the same features.)http://shop.ebay.com/items/_W0QQ_nkwZeurekaQ20enviroQ20steamerQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZR40QQ_mdoZ
If you can get one at these super cheap prices, do it! Then you can have a steamy love affair just like mine.

Bathroom Recycling

Take a moment to think about the contents of your bathroom garbage can. Toilet paper rolls, hair, used band-aids, toenails, shampoo bottles, tissue paper, toothpaste boxes..... Much of this stuff is recyclable. But let's get real. Who is going to sort all the disgusting stuff from the recyclables before adding it to your outside cans? Aside from making my kids do it when I am really angry at them, no one. Not even me. Not even for Mother Earth.



Also on the list of things I am too lazy to do is to walk those recyclables individually to the proper kitchen receptacles as they need to be disposed of. Seriously, when the shampoo, conditioner or body soap run out I am usually naked. When the t.p. runs out I am uh...you know. By the time I am properly clothed and not otherwise busy, I have forgotten all about that walk to the kitchen.



So here is my solution. A paper bag in each bathroom marked 'recycling'. When it's full, we will throw the whole thing into the recycling can. Now I can continue to be lazy and not feel guilty about it!

How to get your spouse/children to eat tofu, part 2

More great ideas from Sandy Hardin...

Tofu is bland and easily accepts the neighboring flavors. An easy way to introduce tofu into your diet is to slowly substitute small amounts of tofu for ground meat. My husband's first taste of tofu was in meatballs.

I made the Frugal Gourmet's "Roman Style Meatballs," but substituted mashed tofu for the pork. You can get the recipe at http://www.bigoven.com/136577-Meatballs,-Roman-Style-recipe.html. My husband ate half the batch before I had a chance to tell him they were laced with tofu.

You can substitute a quarter of the ground meat in any recipe without changing the taste and texture. I use this trick to stretch the meat in meatloaf, burgers, taco filling, meatballs, and beef patties with brown gravy. I've also added mashed tofu to tuna salad and egg salad. (My kids clamor for the chance to squeeze the tofu to bits.) I've even made eggless egg salad, using all tofu.

Silken (soft) tofu provides a good protein boost to shakes and smoothies. I fed my kids small tofu cubes, straight from the carton, when they were first learning to use their fingers to feed themselves.

Eggless Salad Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved Show: Food 911 Episode: Terrific Tofu in Honolulu HI
2 pounds soft tofu
1/2 cup soy-based mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup diced green onions
Salt and pepper
Place the tofu in a mixing bowl and mash with a wooden spoon. Mix in the remaining ingredients and combine well. Chill slightly, then serve on a bed of mixed greens or as a sandwich.

How to get your spouse/children to eat tofu, part 1

We are on quite a roll with the tofu theme, so we might as well roll with it for the rest of the week. Here is more from Sandy...


Everything tastes good fried, and tofu is no exception. This was how I got my husband to try tofu on its own.

Make this fried tofu for a snack.

Drain a brick of tofu (firm or extra firm -- do not use silken) on a clean tea towel or paper towel for half an hour.

Cut the tofu into cubes, about 1 inch.

Heat a frying pan with one inch of oil. When you stick a wooden cooking utensil, such as chopsticks or wooden spoon/fork, into the oil and get tiny bubbles, the oil is hot enough.

Gently put the tofu in the oil, not crowding the pan. You may need to fry in batches.

Turn the cubes in the oil, until golden brown.

Drain the cubes on paper towel. Just like making fried chicken or french fries.

While the tofu is still hot, sprinkle with some seasoning. I like to douse the cubes with cajun seasoning.

You can cut the raw tofu into different shapes before frying.


Crispy fried tofu goes great with beer. If you want to stir fry with fried tofu, omit the sprinkled seasonings; add to veggies towards the end of the cooking.

Tofu Revisited

Thanks to Sandy for answering my mom's questions in yesterday's comments section. Her information was so in depth, I thought I would post it here to make sure it gets read. I have also included two recipes I found which look quite simple(www.recipegoldmine.com). I haven't tested them yet, so if you do, let us know how they turn out!

From cook and conservationist extraordinaire, Sandy...

The four places I've seen tofu placed, in a "regular" supermarket (we have Safeway and Lucky [Savemart] here in SF), are in the produce section, near the bagged lettuce and cut-up veggies; in the Oriental produce section; in the refrigerated case next to the eggs, sometimes next to dairy; and in the meat department in the "fake meat" section. I get mine from Trader Joe's, which is placed between the cheese and dip sections.

If you're lucky, you'll find several kinds of tofu to select from. If possible, stay away from the vacuum packed tofu (looks like packed in a juice box). That kind is designed for long shelf life, and tastes inferior to the fresh tofu that is packed in water in a plastic tub. You can also buy fresh tofu by the block from the Asian supermarkets.

Calorie wise, tofu contains 320 calories per pound. Ground beef, the 80%lean/20%fat kind, weighs in at 1152 calories per pound. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_calories_are_in_one_pound_of_ground_beef. As a bonus, tofu can be a source of calcium; look for calcium sulfate in the ingredients list. A double bonus is that tofu, which contains estrogen, can alleviate some symptoms of menopause.

(Warning to Jen: several studies have indicated that eating too much soy in the early stages of pregnancy *may* interfere with male reproductive system formation. I guess estrogen doesn't play nice with testosterone. That Venus and Mars thing again! I digress....)

Price wise, Trader Joe's organic firm tofu sells for $1/lb. Regular tofu sold at the big supermarkets costs a little more. Regular 80/20 ground beef here costs $2.69-$3/lb. 90/10 organic ground beef costs $4-$5/lb.

My next post will be how I use tofu, including how I got my Mid-West husband, raised on Velveeta and Wonder Bread, to eat tofu.


Cheese Tofu Casserole
1/2 block tofu (10 to 12 ounce), well drained
1 cup prepared spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup soft bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Slice tofu into 6 pieces. Blot tofu slices with absorbent paper to remove excess water. Brush an oblong baking dish with butter or margarine. Arrange tofu slices in the dish. Pour spaghetti sauce over the tofu. Sprinkle cheese over the sauce. Top with soft bread crumbs. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow the casserole to set for 10 minutes before serving.


Italian Casserole
1 pound firm tofu
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon parsley
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 quart spaghetti sauce
1/2 pound large shell macaroni
1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated

Drain and mash tofu.

Heat oil in a skillet. Add tofu and all spices. Mix well and stir until tofu stops steaming (5 to 10 minutes).

Add one cup of spaghetti sauce and simmer 5 minutes.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Boil macaroni until tender.

In a 2-quart baking dish, layer 1/2 of the cooked macaroni, 1 1/2 cups of spaghetti sauce, 1/2 of the tofu mixture and 1/2 of the cheese. Repeat, using all remaining cheese on top. Bake for about 30 minutes or until cheese melts and sauce bubbles.

Vegetarian Awareness Month

Veronica just informed me that October is Vegetarian Awareness Month. http://www.earthsave.org/news/19981001.htm Coincidentally, this ties in perfectly with something that has been on my mind lately! In two separate conversations with my friends, Jean & Sandy, they told me that their families rarely eat meat as a part of dinner. For both of them, it is a matter of the high price of organically fed, humanely raised meat. As a vegetarian, I don't think about the meat my family is eating enough. These conversations have inspired me to include more tofu, and less meat in my children's daily diets.

Tofu is a virtually tasteless base for any type of dish. It takes on any seasoning, so it can be Asian, Mexican, American, Italian, etc. There are a million different ways to use it. There are many different types of tofu, so it is a good idea to research what each type is good for before you dive into cooking with it. (Most recipes will tell you what kind of tofu they require.)

I have been afraid of cooking tofu for a very long time. I recently came to realize that it is all about the seasoning you use. I was telling Sandy about my desire to cook with it more and she loaned me a very informative book titled, "Giant book of Tofu cooking" http://www.amazon.com/Giant-Book-Tofu-Cooking-Delicious/dp/080692957X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222200232&sr=8-1

If you are new to cooking with tofu, this is a great starter book. (I am making Fried Tofu in Mushroom Sauce tonight

The price difference between meat and tofu is huge. Especially if you are dedicated to buying environmentally-friendly products. Most tofu is around $2 per pound. It goes quite far as an ingredient because it is best used with other foods and not just as a main dish. Start by substituting tofu for ground beef in a casserole, sloppy joes or tacos. As you gain confidence in it as an ingredient, check out this web site for easy tofu recipes. http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/tofu-recipes.php

Homemade Kitchen Cleanser - 24 cents

I don't think there could be an easier way to cut costs than this simple kitchen cleanser.

2 tablespoons liquid dish soap
2 cups of water.
Put in spray bottle and shake.

Use any dish soap you like. Trader Joe's Tea Tree Lavender is my favorite.. It smells great, is environmentally responsible and only cost $3.

So let's do the math.
Formula 409 kitchen cleanser = $4.
A reused spray bottle = $0.
Trader Joe's dish soap = $3
Price per bottle of homemade cleanser = 24 cents.
Savings = $3. 76 per bottle

(I can fill my reused spray bottle 12.5 times with the recipe above. The cost of the dish soap divided by 12.5 equals 24 cents per bottle for the homemade spray.)

I have been using it for about a week now and am totally happy with it. It cleans all normal kitchen spills including grease.

How can you not do this?

Poor Little Apples

Three little apples that no one would eat. They traveled from grocery store to home to the cabin to home over a period of 2 weeks. Much worse for the wear, bruised and battered...sigh...what to do?

Applesauce, of course! The recipe in Laurel's Kitchen calls for 6 apples, a handful of raisins, 1/2 cup water or apple juice and lemon juice or peel. I only had the 3 apples, but I figured I could cut the recipe in half pretty easily. The raisins sounded gross, so I left them out. I opted for the apple juice to to give my dried out apples a little boost. I was going to add the lemon juice, but while I was prepping the apples, Rowan asked for then left much of an orange uneaten. I tried to eat it, but it tasted like rancid orange juice! It's citrus, right? So I cut it up & tossed it in the pot with the cored and cut apples.

The next step was to add the apple juice and bring to a boil, then simmer until tender. Then into the blender with some cinnamon to puree. I added more apple juice as I pureed to get it to the consistency I wanted.

The result was about 3 cups of extremely yummy applesauce. I actually ate it before I got around to taking a picture! It was a great breakfast for several mornings mixed with some plain yogurt.

Keeping up with the Joneses, Eco-Style

by guest writer Veronica Armstrong

So, we live in Texas and come August it's hotter than a pile of red ants eatin' a habanero pepper. Most "pretty" species of plants die out by mid July, they just can't take that Southern sun. We plant accordingly. Choosing only native plants and ones that will come back every year without reseeding or replanting is right up my cheap-skate alley. Besides, I hate to see plants die, it makes my soul sad. Knowing they are just dormant and will return next year warms my heart right up.

Here is a list of not only beautiful plants but very hardy to dry environments: Echinacea purpurea (Purple cone flower)- also good to make tea from the seeds, Callirhoe involucuata (wine cups), Lantana, Oenothera Speciosa (pink primrose), Verbena, Salvia Farinacea (Mealy Blue Sage). All of these return year after year and with a vengeance.

We also save coins by using rain barrels to water all of these flowery spectacles. The rain barrels are placed under our rain gutters and catch those rare and precious drops of water all year round. I even use that water to water all my indoor plants.

We feed our flowers some good vitamins every 6 months out of our compost. I was a bit hesitant gettin' a compost because I thought it would smell to high-heaven (enraging the neighbors to call "the association" on me for being one of them-thar hippy-folk) but it only smells like dirt. I say a healthy "howdy" to all my wormy-grubby friends in the compost when I throw in egg shells and bits of plant/veggie scraps. Then I give 'em a ride in the giant spin machine, bringing all the good stuff to the top.

It's amazing how little garbage we produce now. With recycling paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, cans, and throwing all our scraps in the compost, we only make one bag of garbage a week between the four of us. Nice! Take care erbody, happy gardening and y'all come back now, ya hear!