Aw, see?? Global warming isn't all bad!!
Apparently there's a link between increasing temperature and earlier heat cycles in cats, resulting in more kittens. There are more and more kittens dropped off at shelters every year.
There were a few articles in our local paper today about the effects of climate change, including wear and tear on building structures due to cracks resulting from freeze and thaw cycles, as well as an overload on our sewer system because of extreme weather (i.e. more rain).
I realize an increase in homeless feral cats running around isn't exactly a picnic either, but at least when they come into this world they're cute...
Why I Bought Seeds On Clearance
Ok NOW I'm inspired. If Emily Jubinvill can grow lettuce, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, spinach, artichokes, raspberries, peas, beans and broccoli, all in a one bedroom apartment, I should be able to grow a few things in pots in my 2200 sq ft house.
Today I had some time to kill while my daughter was at a party so I wandered into Home Hardware, and discovered that they still had some seeds left. They were on clearance, because with our short growing season in Vancouver it's too late to start many of the crops from seed, but I'm hoping that I can grow some things indoors.
So now with my purchase today, and the seeds I still have leftover from this spring, I have: onions, carrots, radishes, beefsteak tomato, cherry tomato, peas, beans, pepper, cabbage, cantaloupe, chives, thyme, savory, oregano, sage, and basil.
LOL not sure where I'll fit the cantaloupe and cabbage. I guess I can start with some of the things that Emily was able to grow, and take it from there. How nice it would be to have fresh, home grown produce in the middle of winter...
Today I had some time to kill while my daughter was at a party so I wandered into Home Hardware, and discovered that they still had some seeds left. They were on clearance, because with our short growing season in Vancouver it's too late to start many of the crops from seed, but I'm hoping that I can grow some things indoors.
So now with my purchase today, and the seeds I still have leftover from this spring, I have: onions, carrots, radishes, beefsteak tomato, cherry tomato, peas, beans, pepper, cabbage, cantaloupe, chives, thyme, savory, oregano, sage, and basil.
LOL not sure where I'll fit the cantaloupe and cabbage. I guess I can start with some of the things that Emily was able to grow, and take it from there. How nice it would be to have fresh, home grown produce in the middle of winter...
A Silver Lining
Here's another interesting article I came across in this morning's paper. It talks about the current trend towards higher food prices.
This is a cut and paste directly from the article showing the changes in food prices over the last year:
Canadian food prices: Percentage changes June 2007 - June 2008
- Fresh or frozen meat (non-poultry) -0.7
- Fresh or frozen poultry +2.8
- Ham and bacon -3.9
- Dairy products and eggs +3.6
- Bakery and cereal products (excluding infant food) +13.1
- Rice (including rice-based mixes) +24.8
- Pasta +35.9
- Flour and flour-based mixes +44.5
- Fresh fruit -2.8
- Fresh vegetables +1.4
- Coffee and tea +0.4
Source: Statistics Canada
You'll notice the grain based items have increased the most, presumably partially from the creation of bio fuels. I find it interesting (and reassuring) that the highly refined foods have gone up the most in price.
I say reassuring because they are also the foods that are the most harmful to good health, if you believe the theory that the closer to nature a food is, the healthier it is. (Obviously there are exceptions: any nutritionist would probably say that red meat is not healthier than whole grain bread, but generally speaking, the more manipulation a food has undergone, the less it helps our bodies.)
I guess where I'm going with this is that maybe the increase in some food prices is all a blessing in disguise. For example, instead of getting my selenium, manganese, thiamine, and folate (to name a few) from that whole grain bread, maybe I'll now get it from nuts, leafy vegetables, beans, peas,chicken, cranberries or spinach, for example. In addition to replacing all those lost nutrients listed on the bread bag label, I'd also be consuming a whole host of other beneficial compounds not found in grain based foods.
What it all comes down to is changing our view of food. If dieters can adapt to the carb free Atkins diet by skipping the slices of bread in their sandwiches, why can't consumers let go of sliced bread tradition and adopt sliced veggies instead?
Just food for thought (sorry, I couldn't resist ;-)
This is a cut and paste directly from the article showing the changes in food prices over the last year:
Canadian food prices: Percentage changes June 2007 - June 2008
- Fresh or frozen meat (non-poultry) -0.7
- Fresh or frozen poultry +2.8
- Ham and bacon -3.9
- Dairy products and eggs +3.6
- Bakery and cereal products (excluding infant food) +13.1
- Rice (including rice-based mixes) +24.8
- Pasta +35.9
- Flour and flour-based mixes +44.5
- Fresh fruit -2.8
- Fresh vegetables +1.4
- Coffee and tea +0.4
Source: Statistics Canada
You'll notice the grain based items have increased the most, presumably partially from the creation of bio fuels. I find it interesting (and reassuring) that the highly refined foods have gone up the most in price.
I say reassuring because they are also the foods that are the most harmful to good health, if you believe the theory that the closer to nature a food is, the healthier it is. (Obviously there are exceptions: any nutritionist would probably say that red meat is not healthier than whole grain bread, but generally speaking, the more manipulation a food has undergone, the less it helps our bodies.)
I guess where I'm going with this is that maybe the increase in some food prices is all a blessing in disguise. For example, instead of getting my selenium, manganese, thiamine, and folate (to name a few) from that whole grain bread, maybe I'll now get it from nuts, leafy vegetables, beans, peas,chicken, cranberries or spinach, for example. In addition to replacing all those lost nutrients listed on the bread bag label, I'd also be consuming a whole host of other beneficial compounds not found in grain based foods.
What it all comes down to is changing our view of food. If dieters can adapt to the carb free Atkins diet by skipping the slices of bread in their sandwiches, why can't consumers let go of sliced bread tradition and adopt sliced veggies instead?
Just food for thought (sorry, I couldn't resist ;-)
Eating Light
Gotta love blogging. No minimum word count: write as little as you want. Seeing as how I have sooooo many photos to edit and so little time, here's a quick note about our "low carbon" dinner:
(lol... "low carb." ??)
Tonight my kids had what many would think of as snack food: sliced apple with peanut butter, cut up avocado, cheese slices, grapes and carrot, all raw.
Not perfectly green, mind you, because some of the ingredients were shipped from afar, and some of them were purchased by my hubby via car, but hey... there was no cooking involved, and the carrots, avocado, apples, and grapes where bought by me, shopping on foot :-)
(lol... "low carb." ??)
Tonight my kids had what many would think of as snack food: sliced apple with peanut butter, cut up avocado, cheese slices, grapes and carrot, all raw.
Not perfectly green, mind you, because some of the ingredients were shipped from afar, and some of them were purchased by my hubby via car, but hey... there was no cooking involved, and the carrots, avocado, apples, and grapes where bought by me, shopping on foot :-)
Fully Loaded
There's this branch...
I couldn't quite reach it from where I stood on the giant boulder next to the cherry tree in our yard. The branch is a goldmine - it's heavy with nice plump red cherries. I managed to get a bucketful from the lower branches, but this and more of the higher ones continue to taunt me.
I came really close to slipping off the side of the boulder in my efforts to reach it. Not quite though... the thought of spilling my bucket annoyed me enough to back down (let it go!!! let it go!!!).
I still managed to get quite a few though. Maybe this 100 Mile Diet idea is not so far fetched ;-) I fed some to the kids, then froze the rest for my smoothies.
Maybe tomorrow I'll try climbing the tree...
I couldn't quite reach it from where I stood on the giant boulder next to the cherry tree in our yard. The branch is a goldmine - it's heavy with nice plump red cherries. I managed to get a bucketful from the lower branches, but this and more of the higher ones continue to taunt me.
I came really close to slipping off the side of the boulder in my efforts to reach it. Not quite though... the thought of spilling my bucket annoyed me enough to back down (let it go!!! let it go!!!).
I still managed to get quite a few though. Maybe this 100 Mile Diet idea is not so far fetched ;-) I fed some to the kids, then froze the rest for my smoothies.
Maybe tomorrow I'll try climbing the tree...
Dangling Cherries...
We have a cherry tree, which in some years produces lots of cherries, and some years not. Part of the issue is timing - getting to the cherries before the birds do.
This year there are TONS up there. Dangling, in their almost-red glory, perfectly unpecked and pristine. Too soon to pick them (the birds think so too), so they hang there and tease me.
"The birds might get us before you do!!! Neener neener neeeeeeener!!!"
Oh I've already picked some, a few of which were actually ripe enough to eat. I'd jump up, grab a branch and pluck cherries from it, reluctantly releasing the branch with many partially green ones still hanging from it.
My father-in-law will eventually make his way over here, and armed with a bucket and a ladder, empty the rest of the tree. One year the harvest was spectacular; the next, paltry and picked over. Meanwhile I'm left to stand under the tree, my hand shading the sun from my eyes, gazing up at the high high branches heavy with fruit, and wait...
(Hey!!! I could use one of the kids' super soaker squirt guns and shoot at the birds!! I could set myself up with a comfy lawn chair... glass of lemonade... hmmm...)
sigh.
This year there are TONS up there. Dangling, in their almost-red glory, perfectly unpecked and pristine. Too soon to pick them (the birds think so too), so they hang there and tease me.
"The birds might get us before you do!!! Neener neener neeeeeeener!!!"
Oh I've already picked some, a few of which were actually ripe enough to eat. I'd jump up, grab a branch and pluck cherries from it, reluctantly releasing the branch with many partially green ones still hanging from it.
My father-in-law will eventually make his way over here, and armed with a bucket and a ladder, empty the rest of the tree. One year the harvest was spectacular; the next, paltry and picked over. Meanwhile I'm left to stand under the tree, my hand shading the sun from my eyes, gazing up at the high high branches heavy with fruit, and wait...
(Hey!!! I could use one of the kids' super soaker squirt guns and shoot at the birds!! I could set myself up with a comfy lawn chair... glass of lemonade... hmmm...)
sigh.
Help!!!! Any Ideas, Anyone???
I can't grow chives. They don't like me.
I follow the instructions on the seed packet to the letter. I've tried several years in a row, several times each year, with no luck (OK that's not true - last year I had one solitary chive make its way up out of the soil).
To add insult to injury, a friend of mine stopped growing them because they took over her garden.
Ah, but that's not all... this year, my lettuce has gone the way of the chives. I'm on my third planting now, and NOTHING has sprouted. In previous years I've grown more lettuce than I can eat, and this year a friend's neighbour has rows and rows and rows.
Anyone out there have a similar experience? Am I just jinxed??
I follow the instructions on the seed packet to the letter. I've tried several years in a row, several times each year, with no luck (OK that's not true - last year I had one solitary chive make its way up out of the soil).
To add insult to injury, a friend of mine stopped growing them because they took over her garden.
Ah, but that's not all... this year, my lettuce has gone the way of the chives. I'm on my third planting now, and NOTHING has sprouted. In previous years I've grown more lettuce than I can eat, and this year a friend's neighbour has rows and rows and rows.
Anyone out there have a similar experience? Am I just jinxed??
My Hair Is Going Green ;-)
This is my current shampoo, and I really like it: Green Earth Invigorating Shampoo.
My hair is softer and cleaner looking, and the natural highlights are more prominent. If you read their website and the shampoo label, they seem to be an environmentally conscious company, which is nice.
One of the reasons this shampoo appeals to me is the fact that it has no Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, which is a common sudsing agent found in most shampoos. A few years ago a friend of mine went on an anti-SLS kick, because some research she had done had revealed that it's possibly carcinogenic. There is a lot of conflicting information out there that debates whether or not this is actually true, but why not err on the side of caution? All I know is that since using a shampoo that doesn't contain SLS, my hair seems a lot healthier, so that does support the theory that SLS is an irritant at least.
So there you go - a product that's apparently not only green, but healthy as well...
My hair is softer and cleaner looking, and the natural highlights are more prominent. If you read their website and the shampoo label, they seem to be an environmentally conscious company, which is nice.
One of the reasons this shampoo appeals to me is the fact that it has no Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, which is a common sudsing agent found in most shampoos. A few years ago a friend of mine went on an anti-SLS kick, because some research she had done had revealed that it's possibly carcinogenic. There is a lot of conflicting information out there that debates whether or not this is actually true, but why not err on the side of caution? All I know is that since using a shampoo that doesn't contain SLS, my hair seems a lot healthier, so that does support the theory that SLS is an irritant at least.
So there you go - a product that's apparently not only green, but healthy as well...
Oh How This Blog Is Changing Me
Thanks to this blog and my subsequent increasing awareness of all things green, yesterday I made a conscious decision to buy local apples.
I buy local quite often, but either because they're the freshest or the cheapest. This time, however, I went straight for the Spartans and made sure they had the "BC" label on them, solely for the sake of buying local.
As it turned out, they were also the freshest and the cheapest :-)
I buy local quite often, but either because they're the freshest or the cheapest. This time, however, I went straight for the Spartans and made sure they had the "BC" label on them, solely for the sake of buying local.
As it turned out, they were also the freshest and the cheapest :-)
5 Things I Can Unplug While Not In Use
A refresher for me! (Since starting this blog, I've noticed that I pay much more attention to all things green :-)
Here are five things I can unplug when they're not in use:
1) Cell phone charger
This one is easy to remember because it's in plain view on the counter.
2) Coffee maker
I used to leave this one plugged in because it has a clock. I did set the clock once, only to have my husband unplug it to use the outlet for something else. I never bothered to set the clock again, but continued to leave the coffee maker plugged in (presumably so I could see the flashing zeros???).
3) Computer
This is an easy one - with the flick of a switch (on the power bar) I can turn off a lot of peripherals, and then simply unplug the power bar.
4) Microwave
We never reset the clock after power failures anyway, so why not unplug it when it's not in use?
5) Kettle
There are more of course, but this a good place to start. I find I'm more successful at keeping new habits if I make small changes rather than large...
Here are five things I can unplug when they're not in use:
1) Cell phone charger
This one is easy to remember because it's in plain view on the counter.
2) Coffee maker
I used to leave this one plugged in because it has a clock. I did set the clock once, only to have my husband unplug it to use the outlet for something else. I never bothered to set the clock again, but continued to leave the coffee maker plugged in (presumably so I could see the flashing zeros???).
3) Computer
This is an easy one - with the flick of a switch (on the power bar) I can turn off a lot of peripherals, and then simply unplug the power bar.
4) Microwave
We never reset the clock after power failures anyway, so why not unplug it when it's not in use?
5) Kettle
There are more of course, but this a good place to start. I find I'm more successful at keeping new habits if I make small changes rather than large...
Finally... strawberries!!!
Only two so far, but it's a start. I was beginning to think the plants would never produce fruit.
I wish now that I'd bought more (I have eight plants - six in pots and two in the main garden).
What I really need is more space!! This is ironic considering that we live on a lot that is almost double sized - you could fit another house behind ours. We have lots of kid stuff everywhere: swings, slide, sandbox, trampoline, playhouse, etc. I'm not the only person who lives here, so I can't just convert the back yard into one huge garden (lol, can you imagine!!).
As I write this, I'm looking out the window, trying to decide which corners of the yard I can take over and plant more food in...
I wish now that I'd bought more (I have eight plants - six in pots and two in the main garden).
What I really need is more space!! This is ironic considering that we live on a lot that is almost double sized - you could fit another house behind ours. We have lots of kid stuff everywhere: swings, slide, sandbox, trampoline, playhouse, etc. I'm not the only person who lives here, so I can't just convert the back yard into one huge garden (lol, can you imagine!!).
As I write this, I'm looking out the window, trying to decide which corners of the yard I can take over and plant more food in...
Vancity Has The Right Idea
Ah ha! No sooner did I write my last post about wishing there were more positive green initiatives rather than a punishing gas tax, than I read an article today about Vancity and their employee environmental perks.
Below is a list of some of the benefits they offer:
Below is a list of some of the benefits they offer:
- discounts on transit passes and parking for carpoolers
- small fleet of Smart cars and cruiser bikes for off-site staff meetings
- free showers, lockers and bike storage
- emergency guaranteed ride home program that pays for cab rides or a transit passes
Hopefully other employers will follow their lead and introduce similar policies, and the companies that already do have similar programs in place can make theirs publicly known as well to create more momentum...
Catching Flies With Honey
Will the new Carbon Tax that came into effect July 1st really have the desired impact on climate change?
I suppose it is one solution. There will be people forced to park their cars more because of the financial impact. Unfortunately human nature is such that sometimes people will only change when they have no alternative.
However, rather than alienating so many good people by tying their hands, from what was meant to be environmentally beneficial, could they not have tried to make our cities more "alternative transportation friendly" first?
Where are all the viable bike lanes? What about improving transit? What about more attention to road maintenance for things such as making curbs more stroller and wagon friendly? Couldn't we take some of that parking lot space at rec centres and other public gathering places and create a secure stroller and wagon parking area instead? What about government remuneration for employers who support telecommuting? There are so many things that can be done to encourage individuals to drive less. For those who have to drive, what about some kind of carpool tax credit?
Instead, our government imposes a tax that increases hardship for so many people, creating a negative attitude towards the best of green intentions. If attitude is a precursor to change, then a different approach might reap better results.
I suppose it is one solution. There will be people forced to park their cars more because of the financial impact. Unfortunately human nature is such that sometimes people will only change when they have no alternative.
However, rather than alienating so many good people by tying their hands, from what was meant to be environmentally beneficial, could they not have tried to make our cities more "alternative transportation friendly" first?
Where are all the viable bike lanes? What about improving transit? What about more attention to road maintenance for things such as making curbs more stroller and wagon friendly? Couldn't we take some of that parking lot space at rec centres and other public gathering places and create a secure stroller and wagon parking area instead? What about government remuneration for employers who support telecommuting? There are so many things that can be done to encourage individuals to drive less. For those who have to drive, what about some kind of carpool tax credit?
Instead, our government imposes a tax that increases hardship for so many people, creating a negative attitude towards the best of green intentions. If attitude is a precursor to change, then a different approach might reap better results.
5 Tips For Beating The Heat Without A/C
Finally!!! Summer weather. Oh wait... I'd forgotten how our house holds the heat.
Here are some things I've tried, in lieu of real air conditioning, that actually do help a bit:
1) Closing the blinds/curtains to keep the sun out (reeeeally?? you mean shade is cooler??). Why I haven't tried this sooner is beyond me. I think that I was too worried about blocking the movement of fresh air, but it's definitely worth it.
2) Using a fan: sitting on the ledge of any window that's in the shade, blowing inward. At the moment this would be my kitchen, and it's positively chilly in there!
3) Closing doors and windows that have the sun beating down on them (stay out, warm air!!).
4) Opening doors or windows at opposite ends of the house to create a cross breeze.
5) Wearing ice packs (ahhhh!!!). (Although this is tricky if you're doing house work ;-)
Today the inside of our house reached a maximum of 29 C (84 F), whereas in the past when I haven't used the measures listed above, it has reached about 33 C - 35 C (91 F - 95 F). Obviously A/C would cool it further, but at what cost?
I suggested to my husband today that we get one or two more small fans so that we have air moving at more than one window. This will use more hydro, but it'll still be greener than A/C.
Here are some things I've tried, in lieu of real air conditioning, that actually do help a bit:
1) Closing the blinds/curtains to keep the sun out (reeeeally?? you mean shade is cooler??). Why I haven't tried this sooner is beyond me. I think that I was too worried about blocking the movement of fresh air, but it's definitely worth it.
2) Using a fan: sitting on the ledge of any window that's in the shade, blowing inward. At the moment this would be my kitchen, and it's positively chilly in there!
3) Closing doors and windows that have the sun beating down on them (stay out, warm air!!).
4) Opening doors or windows at opposite ends of the house to create a cross breeze.
5) Wearing ice packs (ahhhh!!!). (Although this is tricky if you're doing house work ;-)
Today the inside of our house reached a maximum of 29 C (84 F), whereas in the past when I haven't used the measures listed above, it has reached about 33 C - 35 C (91 F - 95 F). Obviously A/C would cool it further, but at what cost?
I suggested to my husband today that we get one or two more small fans so that we have air moving at more than one window. This will use more hydro, but it'll still be greener than A/C.
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