life as i know it...

Posted in: helpful tips, household on December 15, 2008 0 comments    

I read about The 350 Challenge on IzzyMom's blog, and noticed that Treehugger has also posted about it. It's a neat program, and really simple.

All you need to do is post the 350 Challenge badge on your website or blog, then send them a message, and Brighter Planet will offset 350 pounds of carbon in your name. That's the equivalent of turning off 100 lightbulbs for a day, or going two full weeks without using your car!

They're aiming to get at least 350 bloggers to post the badge, so spread the word. It's a small way to show your support for action to prevent climate change. It may be just a "drop in the bucket", but every bit makes a difference!

Other easy things you can do:

• Carry your own water bottle instead of buying single-use bottles
• Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins, and rags to clean up spills instead of paper towels
• Bring reusable bags to the grocery store. We use a miscellaneous collection acquired over years of going to conferences, but I really like the Compliments (Sobeys) and President's Choice (Superstore/Loblaws) grocery bags - you can fit a lot in them!
  
• Replace your lightbulbs with CFL bulbs, which last longer and use less energy. Remember to bring burnt-out bulbs to your hazardous waste depot, or to a Home Depot CFL recycling bin
• Buy local food as much as possible. You'll be supporting your local economy, and getting fresh food that doesn't have to travel thousands of miles to get to your table! Our latest Atlantic Canadian discovery is the Speerville Flour Mill in New Brunswick, which makes and sells flour, cereal, oils, pasta and a bunch of household products, and a lot of it is also organic! We didn't realize until recently, but their products are sold in most of the large grocery stores here.

There you go! And for some interesting reading, check out Treehugger, Nature Moms blog, Z Recommends and Green Mom Finds.

Posted in: climate change, environment, household on June 04, 2008 0 comments    

I've been out of the loop lately, so here's an update on life in my little corner of the world! I'll have something more profound to share at another time!

• Spring is here, and I can feel summer in the air. Claire and I spend a lot of time outdoors, running in the grass and picking dandelions. And her nose is healing after a tumble on the sidewalk!
• Nan's funeral was sad, but really beautiful at the same time. There were a lot of songs, tributes and messages, and even a video of her singing last summer. She would have liked it. I'm going to miss her!
  
• More job reassignment at work! I'm sticking with "consultant" on my business card - I've had so many changes in job title already!
  
• I love love love my DVD recorder!
• I bought myself a sewing machine, and made a bunch of cloth napkins (we try not to use paper napkins anymore), and a pair of legwarmers for Claire. So easy! (or sew easy, if you want to be really corny!)
  

Posted in: baby, environment, household, kids on June 03, 2008 0 comments    

By now I'm sure everyone has heard about how unhealthy using plastics to store and heat food products can be. While the results aren't 100% conclusive, there are tons of studies linking the chemicals in everyday plastics to cancer, hormone disruptions, and other nasty health problems.

I have my concerns, but so far, I've found few concrete suggestions of how to avoid using plastics in the kitchen, and even when products are recommended, even fewer that are available where I live! That's why I was pleased to see this SavyMom.ca article about reducing our reliance on plastics in our kitchens. It not only gives tips, but links to products and retailers! I'm going to have to work on this list - I'm a big user of Ziplock bags, and we have a lot of plastic containers too.

Since I know some of you won't click on the link (but you should, it's a great article!), I'll summarize some of the tips here.

1. Hand wash your plastic containers. Yeah, I hate to do dishes too, but heat breaks down the plastic.
2. Don't reuse one-use plastic watter bottles. And even better than plastic Nalgene bottles are aluminum Sigg bottles.
3. Use glass or ceramic food containers instead of Gladware/Tupperware/Rubbermaid types. (Click for suggestions of brands and where to buy)
4. Use wooden cutting boards. Not for meat though - the bacteria can stay in the wood.
5. Use glass baby bottles, or look for plastic bottles with fewer chemicals.
6. Avoid plastic wrap. Use wax paper to wrap sandwiches. Use glass or ceramic food containers. Take the plastic wrap off your food when you microwave it - use a paper towel or wax paper to cover your food, instead.

Read the article for more great tips!

Technorati tags: plastic, toxins, chemicals, health, Canada

Posted in: baby, environment, health, helpful tips, household, toxic on January 16, 2007 5 comments    

Okay, Apartment Girl has already heard this weirdness-of-my-life (actually, she knows all the weirdness of my life - poor girl), but what the hell, let's broadcast it to the masses.

I like banana bread. The thing is, I don't always have the time or inclination for baking. But nevertheless, when we have bananas that are getting spotty and mushy, I throw them in the freezer, with the intent to make banana bread later.

Hubby was defrosting the freezer yesterday, and came in with TWO SHOPPING BAGS FULL OF BANANAS.

I've gotta get baking.


Technorati tags: banana bread, baking

Posted in: household on November 10, 2006 3 comments    

Here's a handy (true) tip I received from my Mom this morning:

Washing the lint filter in your clothes dryer can help extend the lifespan of the appliance.

Apparently dryer sheets create an invisible film over the lint trap mesh which causes your dryer's heating unit to burn out more quickly. The best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (and to keep your electric bill lower) is to take the filter out and wash it with hot soapy water and an old toothbrush at least every six months. That makes your dryer last twice as long.

Read more information here.


I'm also interested in using dryer balls instead of fabric softener sheets. Has anyone tried them?

Technorati tags: dryer, household tips, dryer sheets, fabric softener

Posted in: helpful tips, household on November 07, 2006 5 comments    

I always make these muffins around this time of year. They're a nice Halloween/Thanksgiving treat (because of the pumpkin) and they're good for Christmas baking too. I usually bake some in a mini-muffin pan to make bite-sized muffins to give out in Christmas tins with cookies.

These freeze well. In fact, we often grab a couple from the freezer, and give 'em a zap in the microwave for a quick dessert!

Pumpkin Chip Muffins

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 can (16oz) pumpkin (real pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
1 ½ cups vegetable oil (you can substitute unsweetened apple sauce - I usually do 1 cup apple sauce, 1/2 cup canola oil)
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and oil until smooth.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups ¾ full. Bake at 400 F for 16-20 minutes or until muffins test done.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Makes about 24 standard-size muffins.

Technorati tags: baking, muffins, recipe, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas

Posted in: holidays, household, recipes on November 01, 2006 1 comments    

Have you heard about Freecycle?

It's a great grassroots movement; a collection of forums from around the world where people can request and give free items to others in their community.

Chances are, your city or municipality will have a Freecycle group, and once you sign up you can get in on the action. It's a great place to find a home for the good used items that you have in your house. Chances are, someone has something you want, and you have something that someone else needs. I haven't received anything from Freecycle yet, but I've posted an office chair, pull-out couch and vacuum, and never have any trouble finding someone willing to pick up the items (which was wonderful in the case of the couch; it was heavy and we don't have a truck).

Donating items to your local used goods stores like the Diabetes Association or Salvation Army are great ideas, but Freecycle is one more way to send your used items to good homes.

Technorati tags: Freecycle, donate, free stuff

Posted in: helpful tips, household on October 20, 2006 0 comments    

Okay, I'm rather behind in my blog reading (annd writing!), but here's a ming-boggling fact from Saskboy and Energy Star:

Posted in: environment, helpful tips, household on August 09, 2006 0 comments    

Parade Magazine has a list of 25 easy ways you can help curb climate change.

One of the easiest is to buy new lightbulbs!

"If every household in the U.S. replaced one light bulb with an Energy Star-qualified compact fluorescent bulb, it would equal removing one million cars from the road."

Not sure why you should care about global warming? Here are a few reasons. More here. View a slideshow about the big picture. See some of the changes in the past 30 years. And read about the 4 stages of global warming denial.

Posted in: climate change, environment, helpful tips, household on June 30, 2006 0 comments    

I recently wrote about buying non-toxic, biodegradable Method home cleaning products, and several people wanted to know how I liked them.

I've now tried all of the ones I bought (all-purpose cleaner, tub & tile, and leather wipes), and I really like them! The grapefruit scented cleaner had a nice light smell, and was great for the kitchen counters and table. I loved the minty smell of the tub & tile cleaner, although it was a bit stronger. Both worked well, and although I had to use a little bit more 'elbow grease' than with harsher chemicals, I didn't have to work too hard. If I sprayed the tub & tile and let it sit for a minute, it worked great. The leather wipes made our couch more shiny, but other than that, it's hard to comment on it. I'm waiting for their laundry detergent to come in.

I'll definitely be going back to Shoppers Drug Mart to try out some other products in the line!

Posted in: environment, health, household on June 28, 2006 0 comments    

Okay, I'm beginning to hate the neighbors who live behind us. Not because they're unkind, but because of the birds. Ohhhh, the birds!!!

The people who live behind us have a lot of bird feeders. Seriously, like, seven. In subdivision-sized backyard. They attract the most awful birds; some kind of blueish black bird that looks like a crow, but smaller, and makes an awful "MAAAH" noise. Our neighbors were away for a month or so, and we'd be visited by a few robins, and teeny little brown birds. Despite the 'nest incident' a while back, I kind of enjoy having them around, and hearing them in the morning outside my window.

But I don't think the nice birdies will be back.

Our neighbors returned home a few days ago, and have obviously filled up their birdfeeders, because there are at least 30 of the nasty black birds out there, pecking in their grass, our grass, and the surrounding neighbors'. They're covering the trees, the roofs, and there are about 6 of them in our vegetable garden (incidentally, our neighbours put up three birdhouses about 4 feet away from our vegetable garden - nice). I went outside to cut some broccoli and nearly got dive-bombed by birds. I actually ducked.

I'm going to go insane. Every time I look out the window there are dozens of birds. But I've never even met the people who love back there; it's not exactly like I can go and ask them to use different bird seed.

Sigh. Does anyone have any suggestions for bird-proofing a vegetable garden?

Posted in: household on June 26, 2006 8 comments    

I was just taking a break from sorting through the mountain of email in my inbox, and I found a fantastic (and very well timed!) tip for Microsoft Outlook.

You know how some people reply to emails over and over again, without changing the subject line, so that the content of the message eventually has nothing to do with the title? Well, grumble no more! To make it much easier to tell what a message is actually about when you're scanning your email inbox, check out this handy little how-to from Lifehacker (a fantastic tips blog, by the way):

• Change the 'subject' line of Outlook messages

- - -

And while we're on the topic of helpful software tips, if you have Windows XP, for heaven's sake, reduce your eye strain by turning on ClearType!

ClearType is a Windows XP feature that smoothes the edges of fonts to make them easier to read. It's great for people like me who spend their days in front of a computer. I recently turned on ClearType on my Mom's computer, and she found it to be a big difference.

To turn on ClearType:

• Go to Start > Control Panel > Appearance and Themes > Display
  
• Click on the Appearance tab, and the Effects button
• Check the box next to "Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts", and select ClearType from the drop-down menu
• Click OK, then Apply, and OK

That's it! Now isn't that easier to read?

Before and after:



Technorati tags: Microsoft, Outlook, Windows XP, software tips

Posted in: helpful tips, household on June 14, 2006 5 comments    

I was picking up a few things at Shoppers Drug Mart last night, and I noticed a huge rack full of Method cleaning supplies! I've read about them, and wanted to try them, but hadn't seen them in any stores around town.

I seem to be getting more senstitive to the smells of harsh cleaners as I get older, and I hate the idea of using so many toxins around the house (it seems like almost everything these days contains toxic chemicals; laundry detergent, cleaners, soap, plastics...). Anyways, I've been trying to gradually switch to less harsh products, and I'm thrilled that major chains are starting to carry some of these products.

Method home cleaning products are non-toxic, biodegradable, not tested on animals, and the packages are recyclable. They weren't very expensive either; I think it was $4.99 for the all-purpose cleaner and the tub & tile cleaner. The liquid laundry detergent was $8.99 for a bottle that has enough liquid for 32 loads.

We'll see if this makes cleaning (a bit) more enjoyable!

Reviews: Vegetarian Baby and Child; About.com; Treehugger

Posted in: environment, health, household on 3 comments    

Posted in: comics, household on May 23, 2006 0 comments    

So far a couple of people (townie bastard & hpatey) have commented on RJ's post about the spring blogging lull. Well, I guess I fall into the group of people who haven't been updating their blogs frequently (or at least with substantial content ;). I have reasons - I'm writing a big report for work, I'm trying to have relatively computer-free weekends, and hell, it has been sunny out! All in all, I haven't had much interesting to report, and I haven't been browsing the web as much as I normally do.

This morning was eventful though. Last week we had a robin try, on a couple of occasions, to build a nest under our deck. Now, I like birds, but having birds regularly flying a few feet away from the sliding doors under our deck is not my idea of fun. I don't want to be under attack every time I go outside. So hubby & I went out twice to brush away the grass that the robin had started to collect. As an added deterrent, we put a radio tuned to the CBC on the deck, which seemed to have scared the bird away.

Until this morning.

It's like that Fred penner song, but for birds instead of cats: "The [bird] came back, he just couldn't stay awaaaaaay." And this time the Mommy bird brought a Daddy bird, and they got a good start on the nest before we noticed it (note: it was not completed, and there were definitely no eggs or baby birdies in it). So in the pouring rain, we went to check it out and remove it, praying that the birds wouldn't try to attack us. We must be great entertainment for our neighbors, all suited up in rain gear and sunglasses, rooting around under the deck and anxiously looking up into the sky for birds coming to peck our eyes out.

Feel evil.

Am going to have scary bird dreams for weeks.


Ahhh! Hubby just came in - the robin's back!! Anyone know how to keeps birds away?

Posted in: household on May 11, 2006 1 comments    

Treehugger has a great post on 25 Ways to Save the Planet.

Now, I know many people like to stay away from environmental websites because some of them tend to be preachy, or they advocate expensive or very time-consuming projects. I recently stumbled across Treehugger, and it's a really great site. Each day, their writers post notes about interesting news, events and products related to the environment and 'green' living. It's kind of like Boing Boing, but for the environment. They also have a surprising amount of Canadian content, courtsey of Lloyd Alter, their Toronto correspondent.

Their post on 25 Ways to Save the Planet has some great, easy suggestions. You can read the whole list by clicking the link above, but here's a sampling of small changes that make a big difference:

• Compost your garbage instead of throwing it all away; over 60% of solid household waste is fit for the compost pile, heap or bin (Check out Treehugger's picks for composters here).
  
  
• A low-flow showerhead can save you gallons of water each time you use it. We've seen 'em as low as a half-gallon per minute, and for as little as $12 US.
  
  
• Use eco-friendly household cleaners. It's never made any sense to us to use "dirty" chemicals and volatile organic compounds to try to get things cleaner around the house (Treehugger's website features many reviews of green cleaners).
  
  
• Use recycled paper. There's no need to use virgin paper for things like computer printing, envelopes, paper towels, toilet paper or tissues; the best part is that it's all easy to find at office supply stores and grocery stores.
  
  
• We can't emphasize this one enough: replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents. They're more energy efficient, last longer, and can even help clean the air in your home.
  
  
• Use rechargable batteries instead of single-use batteries. It'll save you some bucks and the hassle of trying to recycle spent alkalines (for more info, check out Green Batteries).
  
  
• When it comes to toilets, we've seen a lot of gadgets. They're all valuable in their own way, but rather than rushing out to buy one of them, there's an even easier way to save lots of water: make your own frugal flusher. Just place a brick or similarly voluminous object in the tank of your toilet; by displacing some of the water, there's less of it to flush each time, and less valuable wet stuff goes down the drain.
  
  
• If given the choice, go for organic fruits, veggies, meat and dairy over conventional food. Organic food is becoming more widely available all the time in grocery stores across the world, and because it's all free of pesticides, herbicides and other chemical non-desireables, it's better for you and the planet.
  
  

I'll admit, I'm working on the list, but I'm not there yet. Now that we own a house, and we're planning a family, I've been thinking more and more about what kind of environment I hope to leave my kids, and what I want to teach them. So I'm trying to reform my own practices.

On the topic of what-kind-of-world-do-you-want-to-leave-your-kids-?, if you haven't watched the trailer for the movie 'An Inconvenient Truth', do it now.

Treehugger has also written lately on something called the 100 Mile Diet. Essentially, it's an experiment of a Vancouver couple that, for one year, is only buying food that is produced within 100 miles of their home. While that is understandably difficult to do in many areas, and it's unrealistic that we would all go to those lengths, it makes you think about purchasing locally. How often do you buy from farmer's markets, or look for local food in your grocery store? Apparently, for the average American meal, ingredients typically travel between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometres (I assume this is probably pretty accurate for Canada too). Isn't that crazy?!

The National Post recently wrote about Canadian chefs who took on the challenge of cooking a meal using a strict 100 mile limit (in April, no less!). They did it in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and St. John's, Newfoundland, and you can link to all of the articles here. I read the St. John's one, and it's an interesting read. On a side note, this quote made me chuckle:

"On the drive, we debated our menu. We'd been given lots of suggestions from family and friends, who found the concept of the 100-mile dinner intriguing. We considered scallops, mussels, shrimp or cod tongues sauteed in, um, something local as the first course. But in honour of Sir Paul McCartney, we concluded that seal flipper was a must to kick off the evening's festivities."

Technorati tags: green, environment, Treehugger, save the planet, eco friendly, compost, low flow showerhead, recycling, compact fluorescent, global warming, climate change, An Inconvenient Truth, 100 Mile Diet

Posted in: climate change, environment, helpful tips, household on May 02, 2006 3 comments    

Wow... I'm on a trip, using someone else's computer, and I can't believe how much harder the computer screen is to read without ClearType turned on.

Do it, people! There's no installation, just a 2 minute, easy-to-follow adjustment to determine what is easiest on your eyes.

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, it's something I learned of recently. All computers with Windows XP have a ClearType feature that improves the readability of font on your computer. Click on the link in this article to turn it on and adjust it.

To illustrate.

Text before turning ClearType on: Text after turning ClearType on: Technorati tags: ClearType, Microsoft, Windows XP

Posted in: helpful tips, household on March 15, 2006 0 comments    

One in two!!!

Watching Wendy Mesley's CBC Marketplace news report last night, I was absolutely shocked to hear that statistic. Why isn't this front page news?!

Her report was enlightening, but much too short (why did the CBC only give her a half hour? It deserved at least an hour; I had so many more questions). I hope they'll show it on TV again, but you can read a lot of the information, and watch the program online by clicking the link above.

• Note: It seems that Mesley's report has generated criticism among bloggers (click here and here) for being biased, but at least it's getting people to question the factors that may be leading to rising cancer rates. Regardless of opinions on journalistic slant, she raises important issues that must be examined.

The story focuses on the subject of environmental toxins, and how people are unknowingly poisoning their bodies by using everyday products. Most laundry detergents, household cleaners and even makeup contain carcinogens or other toxins that have been linked to cancer. Dairy products, fruits and vegetables can be contaminated by pesticides, and Canadian meat often contains growth hormones which are carcinogenic and have been banned by the European Union.

Currently in Canada, household and personal care products are not required to list all of the ingredients on their labels, so people can't make an informed decision about product safety while shopping. Manufacturers often print a partial list, or merely list the 'active' ingredients. Thankfully, by November 2006, full ingredient lists will be required.

While it is not realistic that we can eliminate all of the environmental toxins in our homes, we can let manufacturers know our concerns, and reduce our use of toxic products. I don't have many toxin-reduced or toxin-free products in my home right now; I never realized how harmful they could be. But when I heard that 1 in 2 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer, wow, was that a wake-up call! I want to reduce those statistics for my future children, and if searching for lesser known brands and paying a bit more money for them to reduce the toxins in my home is the answer, then I'm willing to do that.

The Marketplace website has links to a lot of informative resources, including the Guide to Less Toxic Products, maintained by the Environmental Health Association of Nova Scotia, which describes the toxins commonly found in household products, and recommends safer products. Also, the Labour Environmental Alliance Society publishes the CancerSmart Consumer Guide, which contains information on carcinogens, toxins and chemicals that are found in brand name products, and suggests alternatives and product substitutes.

Many people in my life have been touched by cancer, and now that I've heard this information, I can't ignore it. If shopping carefully will reduce, even a little bit, the chances of my loved ones getting cancer, then I'm willing to try.


On a related note, visit the Breast Cancer Site and click on the big pink button every day to help fund free mammograms for underprivileged women. 100% of the revenue collected from the site's sponsors goes to pay for mammograms. Since 2000, the site has funded 14,450 free mammograms.

Technorati tags: cancer, CBC, carcinogens, Wendy Mesley, mammogram, Canada

Posted in: breast cancer, health, household, toxic on March 06, 2006 1 comments    

Ha ha - practical advice regarding your toolbox.

Check out the reader's comment on this Boing Boing post.

Posted in: household on March 01, 2006 0 comments