More Earth Day Shenanigans

I couldn't do just one Earth Day post, because really I think Earth Day should be every day. I just thought I would share some environmentally friendly happenings over here and how we are enjoying nature at home.

Bright plantings by the front door

Another one, flanking both sides of the front door

Don't know what these are called, but I love them

This is our first year planting vegetables!

We so excited that our seeds have sprouted

Can't wait to be able to go to the yard when we need veggies!

Homegrown - better tasting than any supermarket

Last year we grew our own tomatoes. Our son, who eats them like they are covered in chocolate, really enjoyed them. It was nice for us to know he was eating quality, ripe,  organic produce, free of pesticides and not shipped from another country and ripened in a truck.

Since that seemed to go well, we decided to go a little crazy this year, adding squash, onions, and beans to the mix. I really hope we don't kill everything, because I am so looking forward to this. I think it will be great to teach the boys to learn how to grow their own food, and learn responsibility by helping water the plants and pick vegetables. They are young but its never too early to start showing them the ropes!

And my fellow humans, I have really been going crazy with using white vinegar around the house. A lot with the laundry. For example, I have a few things that say "do not use fabric softener" - some really expensive, high quality bath towels that I have, that I don't want to ruin, and also some super absorbent kitchen towels. Vinegar can be used as a fabric softener, and there is no static cling! And it doesn't make your clothes stink like vinegar. On the contrary, vinegar removes odors. It came in really handy when I was in the throes of "laundry day" and ran out of softener. I have also been using it on my shower. I put some in a spray bottle with some water (50/50 mix) and spray it on my glass shower doors to help prevent/remove build up, mildew etc. I also have used it mixed with baking soda to clean stainless steel pots and pans. What I love about using vinegar to clean is that it is non-toxic, natural, and doesn't leave behind a gross chemical smell after use...which for some twisted reason we have come to associate with "clean." And its so cheap too, I buy big jugs of it at Walmart and they really go a long way.

Just doing our part...enjoy the earth....we all share it! Have a great day!

Earth Day and The Paper Police

Earth day started the year I was born, in 1970. It is a day to bring about awareness and appreciation of our environment. I think about nature and the environment a lot, but realize not everyone else does. I think it's great that we have a day that might bring "the environment" into the forefront of people's minds who don't ordinarily think about it, if even just for a few minutes, just to get the wheels turning.

Today I'll be continuing my own ongoing battle for the environment on a micro-level, with my MIL over her paper towel usage at my house. Yes, there are days when I throw up my hands and remind myself I must choose my battles wisely, but today I'm not holding back.

I do have cloth napkins in my napkin holder, to prevent the quick grab of a paper napkin, and this works most of the time. I do understand that paper towels work better to dry things like wineglasses, etc. to prevent spots. And I admit I do use them to clean the mirrors in my house (when I get around to that - its low priority over here). However, for the general use of wiping down my granite counter top in the kitchen, its really not necessary. I wipe it down with a regular dishcloth, and then dry it with a microfiber towel. Or if I really want to make it shiny, I have a special cleaner and microfiber cloth which makes it look gorgeous. I am just talking about your typical, cleaning crumbs off the counter cleaning. Sure, if there was raw chicken juice on my counter I would use an antibacterial cleaner and a  paper towel that I could throw away. But this is not the case 99% of the time. When I get home, there are usually 5 used paper towels sitting on my counter - which detracts from the fact that its clean - that my well-meaning MIL used to wipe my granite down.

I have asked quizzically a few times, What are these for? because they are just sitting there. And I have suggested gently alternate cleaning methods and how I don't like to waste paper towels. For some reason this translates to her that I am cheap and don't want to buy paper towels. She's shown up here with a couple rolls here and there. IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY. Sure, I bet we save a few bucks by conserving paper towels. But it's about the trees, lady. It's about the trees.