Goodbye... I'm so happy and sad all at the same time!

Well, everyone, this is it: the last post. I have exhausted my resources for this blog, and so it's time to move on to other things in my life. I feel so happy that I have completed this blog, yet so sad that I have to let go. I will definitely think about this more before I post this for real.
To those of you who are seeing my blog for the first time, feel free to look around! I have spent many hours working on this blog. But for the rest of you...

On the weekend, I attended the 2012 Youth Summit for Biodiversity and Environmental Justice, as an Ontario Nature Youth Council member. It was one of the best weekends of my life. I didn't have time to post anything that Friday, because the moment I got home from school, I had to have lunch and then pack my bags.
One of the workshops I attended was about Global Governance and Environmental Justice (or something like that). A particularly memorable moment was when the presenter, who worked as a critic of global governments, took a look at the colourful masses of acronyms that she had written on a paper on an easel and joked, "So this is my life. I'm trying to figure it out." The moral of the story: don't get bogged down by a bunch of terminology and super-long acronyms unless you have to.
I'm trying to figure out my life, too. Has Hug A Tree Today, Seriously helped me with that? Perhaps. It has definitely given me a chance to make a difference in my own way, in my own time.

Sign from the YMCA camp where the summit was held.

The guest speaker was Simon Jackson, a Canadian from British Colombia who founded the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition. His story was an inspiring one. It made me realize just how easy it is to get public attention for your organization. Apparently, when the royal British princes came to visit Canada, Simon maneuvered himself right up to the front-- amidst hordes of screaming girls-- and asked the princes to help him save the Spirit Bear (which is a white variety of  black bear). And they did! Although the Spirit Bear is still in need of protection, he has come a long way towards saving this unique species.
 I am incredibly hopeful that we can make a difference in the world. I'm not giving up on my environmental activism by ending this blog. I still am on the ON Youth Council, I have a print 'zine on environmentally-friendly living, and I do other cool things on and off that I can't remember right now. Remember to continue to do your own things to help save the environment during your lifetime!

Oh, and I have a few more eco-tips for you all:

• If you want clean, smooth, glowing skin, use sea salt! Simply wet your face (or hands, or whatever) with warm water and then rub sea salt onto your skin. Rub it in well and then rinse it off. Do a final rinse with cool water to close off your pores. It works really well.
• Have you been considering alternative energy? Well, I want you to know that you shouldn't be too quick to jump on the bandwagon. Solar panels can disrupt bird migration patterns and take up large quantities of land. Wind turbines chop up tens of thousands of birds in the U.S. alone every year, and they also take incredibly large amounts of energy and land to operate. The best way to go is simply to conserve energy!
• I suggest that you find another blog to follow now that mine is done. Find ways to be in nature. Keep up your eco-friendliness-- you will not regret it.

Now, a few parting words:

1. To all the followers (official and unofficial) of this blog, you rock! You rock because you care about the environment and you are willing to do something about it. You rock because you've helped me reach and surpass my goal of 1000 pageviews by the end of the year. (Keep reading to find out how many pageviews I've achieved at the time of this writing.)
2. Around New Year's Eve in 2011, I set the goal of reaching 1000 pageviews by the end of 2012. At the time of this writing, I have reached 3701 pageviews! And it's only October!
3. If you have enjoyed following this blog or reading my posts, please go to The Animal Rights Action Site, which is now my official primary blog. I may start another blog at some point, but it most likely will be under a different name, for privacy reasons!
4. Bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have a good life, everyone.

Cat, signing out, ready to take on the world...

Earth-Friendly Meal Preparation

As an environmentally-concerned vegan, I have to put a lot of thought into how I prepare my food and what goes into it. I've already posted about the latter (the food you eat), but today, I want to talk about the former (how you prepare it).
Like most people, I do enjoy a hot meal, and am not particularly fond of half-cooked or boring foods. However, eco-friendly meal prep can be so much more than that-- read on to find out how!

• Try a solar oven before winter settles in! You can find out how to make one here: http://www.ehow.com/how_2083_make-solar-oven.html. Please note that it may take twice as long for the food to cook in a solar oven, and you should not use it to cook raw meat or other foods that must be cooked in order to be safe. You can make vegan cookies, re-heat veggie lasagna, and more, and from what I've heard, it works!
• Eat a cold meal once in a while. Chickpea salad, PB&J, vegetarian sushi, bean salad... the list is endless. To see a portion of the endless creative recipes you can use, please see http://goneraw.com/.
• Instead of using an electric mixer, mix those ingredients manually by hand-- use that muscle power!
• Buy food in large containers that can be re-used.
• Avoid using plastic wrap to cover your food in the fridge. Either cover it with a plate or transfer it to a resealable container.
• When washing food, put it in a bowl filled with water instead of running each piece individually under the tap.



Raw Vegan Food can look just like typical westernized food!
Photo courtesy of www.lucidnutrition.com

Until next week!

Want To Be REALLY Eco-Friendly?

For some of you, I'm sure that the day-to-day ways to go green aren't enough for you. You feel like you should be focussing everything you do on sustainability-- and if that's you, kudos to you! (If it's not, read this post for inspiration.) Here is my advice on how to truly live "the green life"... at school and work!

Beating the Consumeristic High School and Elementary School System
I have to say that school SUCKS (ahem, I mean, "does not meet my expectations") when it comes to eco-friendliness. Your teachers constantly expect you to use fresh-from-the-rainforest paper, pencils, and duotangs. Of course, you can get the recycled versions of these-- see my post Looking Forward to my Summer Vacation... And Eco-Friendly Office Supplies for details-- but there are also the myriad textbooks, paper handouts (enough to fill an entire binder for each class), lab assignments, etc. etc. etc. All highly consumeristic; enough to drive any young environmentalist up the wall and back down the other side again!
Sometimes it is just best to say goodbye to the regular high school amd elementary school system once and for all.
Wait! Don't drop out quite yet! Before you make any life-changing decisions, I want you to look at the alternatives.
For one thing, there is the homeschooling option. Homeschooling is sometimes misrepresented, however, so I feel the need to re-explain it to you by quoting Grace Llellewyn, editor of Real Lives: Eleven Teenagers Who Don't Go To School Tell Their Own Stories:

[Most Americans] probably associate homeschooling mainly with fundamentalist Christianity, and to most of us there is nothing fascinatingly wonderful or inconceivable about the idea of a miniature school-- complete with curriculum, parent-as-teacher-and-disciplinarian, rigid daily schedule, etc.--at home rather than in a school building... Anyway, if your definition of homeschooling is "school at home", you are partly right: For many people it is just that. But for thousands of others, it is nothing of the sort. Thousands of children in [America] grow up without being told what to do, without being formally taught to read and write, without being require to study biology, algebra, and Ernest Hemingway, without ever once being forced to read a particular book or complete a particular worksheet-- or any worksheet whatsoever."

And yet these children and teenagers go on to go to college (if they want to), get jobs (if they want to), and do pretty much what they want to with their lives. (Read the book if you are interested in hearing "success stories" about these people. I have the book open in front of me right now.)
If you decide to homeschool, you can make all your "classes" eco-friendly or environment-related. Wouldn't that be fun? Maybe I'm just obsessed with the environment, but it sounds downright groovy to me.
The particular strand of homeschooling in which there are no set classes and there is no rigid schedule is also known as "unschooling". Unschoolers learn the way they want to-- experiential learning at its finest. Unschooling is legal, although you may have to apply for an inquiry in order to get permission. It does not sound like a big deal, though.



Definition from www.homeschoolmosaics.com

Going to an Eco-Friendly University or College
There are plenty of environmentally-friendly universities and colleges to go to, as well as post-secondary schools which have environmentally-themed programs.

• For a list of some of the best international eco-friendly colleges and universities, click here.
• Click here for a list of some good ones in the United States, provided by the Princton Review (whatever that is).
• If the two above links do not meet your needs, please do more research into the topic.

There are also groups on campus that focus on making your university/college a greener place. Again, look around and see how you can get involved. You should also strive to find eco-friendly housing while at your school, as well as continue living eco-friendly while you are there.

Eco-Friendly Careers
What about green careers? It turns out there are a lot of those, too. Any job that you want can be greenified. Here are some examples:

• If you want to be a lawyer, work for an environmental organization to help them with their legal issues!
• If you want to be a deli store owner, open a vegan deli store that uses recycled packaging!
• If you want to be a writer, be an environmental writer (either freelance or for a magazine or for an organization)!
• If you want to be a musician, weave your eco-values into your songs and merchandise!
• Etc.! Etc.! Etc.!

There are also very environmentally-focused jobs. You can become a conservation biologist, an environmenal consultant, or an activist with an environmental organization.
I think that it is also importatnt to stress that if you are not happy with your current job, perhaps you should get out of it. Find something that you really want to do with your life-- greenified, of course. You certainly should not be wasting your life stressing about money and doing things you don't believe in!


So, if you are really serious about living a very eco-friendly life, try taking some of these ideas into consideration. You certainly won't regret it!
See you next week!

Super-Easy Homemade Natural Cosmetics and Toiletries

Hello! Last time I touched on how to re-use coffee in your beauty routine (among other things), but there are actually a lot of interesting ways to greenify your use of everyday products like toothpaste, deodorant, and hair conditioner. In doing so, you will also be ensuring that you are not taking in any toxic chemicals or any other scary ingredients. Read on!

Toothpaste
I got this one from Kirst's Homemade Cosmetics Recipes. It sounds tasty... But don't eat it!
Ingredients:
   2 tablespoons ground dried lemon or orange rind
   1/4 cup baking soda
   2 teaspoons salt (you're better off using sea salt-- table salt often contains sugar, and you certainly don't want to be brushing your teeth in white sugar!)
Mix them together until they become a fine powder. You may need a food processor for this. Then store in airtight container. To use, mix individual portion with water (leaving the rest untouched) and place on toothbrush.

Deodorant
Again, baking soda wins the prize. It's a natural deodorizer that comes from minerals. It's very eco-friendly, though, because there is so much of it. I've heard that one lake that is rich in these minerals can provide enough for everyone in the world indefinitely!
Ingredient:
   Baking soda. Need I say more?
Okay, the baking soda alone MIGHT irritate your skin. If it does, try Melinda's recipe. Mix 1 part baking soda with 6 parts cornstarch. Then apply to underarms.

Conditioner
This recipe is from Hair Care Recipes Cookbook. There are a lot of other wonderful recipes on this site!
Ingredients:
   1 avocado
   Organic coconut milk (the liquid that comes out of coconuts)
Mix and mash them together, adding coconut milk until you have a good consistency for your hair conditioner. Ideally, you should leave this on for 15 minutes before rinsing, but you are supposed to do that with all hair conditioners anyway. If you can't wait that long, still try out the recipe and see what happens!

Yes, You Can Reuse Coffee and the Dregs!

If you are an eco-concious coffee drinker, you might feel bad about wasting old coffee that has been sitting for a while, as well as throwing away the dregs. But take heart! There are ways you can re-use, yes, coffee!

Courtesy of http://mikerowse.com/?attachment_id=136

Gardeners, you can pour the old coffee remnants onto the soil of plants that need an acidic environment, such as blueberries, kiwifruit, garlic, serviceberry, Welsh onion, Japanese angelica, horseradish, wildginger, birch, camellia, coriander, lemon grass, fox glove, and more. Click here for a longer list complete with Latin names and detailed information! As for the coffee grinds, place them around plants to repel slugs.
Amateur and proffessional chefs, use the stuff that has gone bitter in the coffee maker/teapot in sauces. Add it to chili, vegetable marinades, and more!
Craft-loving folks, use it to stain fabric. On http://www.recyclethis.co.uk/20111123/how-can-i-reuse-coffee-thats-sat-on-the-plate-for-too-long, Carol says that this works wonderfully.
To those of you looking for inexpensive beauty tips, try re-using the grounds as an exfoliant for your skin. And to remove smells from your hands, wash them in coffee grounds. You can even use them to dye your hair and make it shiny!
Put some of the dried grounds into a thin bag and put it in your house, closet, etc. for a nicer smell.
Isn't this amazing? Remember to buy organic, fair-trade coffee, everyone!
Until next week...

What's Up With Sunscreen? (Besides the Sun?)

There are so many opposing viewpoints on the topic of sunscreen nowadays. The mainstream people and the sunscreen companies will tell you, "Wear plenty of sunscreen today!" And yet, many sunscreens are toxic. Just when we turn around, though, to declare that all-natural sunscreen will fit our purposes nicely, we read another article saying that zinc oxide, a common component in "natural" sunscreen products, can cause the formation of free-radicals when exposed to sunlight, which in turn could cause cancer! And anyway, say some people, you need sunlight for vitamin D, right?
My word! It seems that this whole sunscreen business is a huge waste of time, not to mention a possible health hazard.
It is also bad for the environment in some cases. For example, if you go swimming at the beach while wearing sunscreen, you'll be accidentally contaminating the lake waters. Once I went swimming in a completely pristine lake, and it made me feel a bit guilty to see all my sunscreen fog up the water before diffusing into the whole lake. Even if you don't go into the water, the sunscreen will still be washed away down the drain at a later time, only to end up comtaminating some place far away years later. After all, what goes down the drain never really goes "away"-- it has to end up somewhere. Worst of all or best of all, depending on how much of an eco-martyr you are, it would end up soaking into your skin and contaminating your body. Not very fun, eh...
So now what? I definitely don't want you to stay inside all summer. The answer is actually quite simple. Wear a light khaki or white long-sleeved shirt on top of your T-shirt or tank-top. You can also try a nice hat to cover your scalp and face.

Courtesy of depositphotos

There are plenty of different styles. There are plain ones for men and women, as well as uber-fashionable ones.
What makes wearing light-coloured clothing instead of sunscreen so awesome is that people have been doing it for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks were famous for their togas, remember, and ancient Egyptians wore light coloured tunics.
If you already have some light long-sleeved clothes, that is great. If not, why not buy a nice shirt, or make one yourself? Make sure it is made from organic materials!

If you HAVE to...

I understand that being eco-friendly is not very appealing if you feel like you must deprive yourself in order to succeed at it. Sometimes, I just (feel like I) need to listen to music, play video games, or watch a movie. But surely there are more energy-efficient ways to do such things?

And so...
If you HAVE to listen to music, use an MP3 player instead of a loud CD player.
If you HAVE to play video games, use a Nintendo DS instead of your computer or X-Box.
If you HAVE to watch a movie, do it at a movie theatre or invite a friend over to share the fun.
If you HAVE to have a bath instead of a shower, use lukewarm water-- not steaming water.
If you HAVE to do unneccessary things on the Internet, use a laptop instead of a desktop (it saves energy).

How did you all do with last week's challenge, by the way?

Happy Birthday to Me... and The Importance of Getting Into Nature

Last weekend, I attended the Ontario Nature Youth Council Leadership Retreat in Kettleby, ON. It was a lot of fun. We did group activities in nature and teambuilding challenges, and we also got into a debate about how the council should be governed. I learned something while I was there, too-- that connections to nature are an integral part of an environmentally-concious person's life.
Many of the other members of the Youth Council seemed to have spent a lot of time in nature, and this fueled their passion toward it. It makes sense; you wouldn't want to destroy the places that you have grown up in, would you? This is why I am going to talk about different ways you can get more in touch with the natural world...

1. Go for a walk or bike ride at the park or in the nearby woods.
2. Sit under a tree and read a book.
3. Go bird-watching-- in your backyard or in the forest.
4. Have a (vegan) picnic outside.
5. Have an outdoors party.
6. Canoe, kayak, paddle-boat, or row-boat gently down the stream.
7. Search for reptiles near a marsh.
8. Use a solar-cooker to heat your food.
9. Roller-skate or skateboard around the block.
10. Hug a tree today, seriously.
11. Go camping or stay at a cottage.
12. Paint and sketch natural scenes. No need to work from a photograph-- just get out there and do it!
13. Go to a tree-planting with the local naturalists' club.
14. Join the local naturalists' club (or another similar organization).
15. Take your laptop outside to check your e-mail.
16. Stand outside in the rain (a very nice thing to do!).
17. Go for a swim.
18. Listen for frogs and crickets at night.
19. Learn to identify trees, herbs, and other plants, as well as insects and other animals.
20. Garden-- see my gardening post for more ideas.
21. Set up a birdhouse or a bat box (make sure they are safe from cats!).
22. Pick up garbage down by the river or in another natural spot.
23. Visit a wild animal rehab center (I'll probably be volunteering at the local wild bird care center this summer).
24. Go geocache hunting in a natural setting.
25. Stargaze.
26. Watch the clouds drift by.
27. In winter, go skating, skiing, or snowshoeing.
28. Dry your clothes on a clothesline in your backyard.
29. Practice a musical instrument outside.
30. Take your companion animal on a walk (on a leash, and safely, of course!).

Here's a challenge: I dare you to try at least five of these things in the next week! Try it out, okay?

 



My Birthday! This vegan cake looks delicious. Photo Courtesy of Auntie Loo's Treats



Summer Ways to Save Energy And Water (And Money)

Today I was going to do a post on Sustainable Transportation: Part II, but I didn't know what to say, so then I was going to do a Super-Duper Duct Tape Post, but I just learned that the adhesive part of duct tape is made from part of a dead goat (!!!), so I think I will post about, um...

How about Summer Ways to Save Energy And Water (And Money)?

The summer is a great time to go eco-friendly, or, if you are eco-friendly already, it's a great time to take things up a notch. Remember, every kilowatt saved = another tiny patch of land left intact! And those tiny bits of land add up, believe me.

Summer Saving Tip #1: Air-Drying

There are many things that you can air-dry, but the main ones are dishes, clothes, and your hair! When you use the dishwasher (which, by the way, is MORE eco-friendly than regular washing by hand), only set the cycle on the wash setting; once they are clean, open the dishwasher and leave them to dry-- or dry the dishes by hand if you are in a rush to have usable dishes. You can air-dry your clothing by hanging up a clothesline outside and hanging the clothing on the line with-- you guessed it-- clothespins! As for your hair, you can always go out in the sun and read a book while you are waiting for your hair to dry after a shower. (Brush or comb your hair every few minutes to make sure that it stays in place.)

Summer Saving Tip #2: Unplug It!

Computers, lights, little screens on DVD players that tell you the time... it all uses a lot of energy. In fact, 11% of your energy bill might be going towards keeping all your appliances on standby! Turning them off may not be enough-- instead, plug all these things into a few power bars and unplug the power bar when you don't need them.

Summer Saving Tip #3: Sustainable Watering Practices

Most of you who are reading this probably have a lawn and/or garden. It may be tempting to turn on the sprinkler to water the lawn or switching on the garden hose to water your plants, but there are better ways to do things! For example, you can collect rain water in open-top watering cans or a rain barrel (but let me tell you, I just use a little green watering can, and it works fine). Please don't bother watering your lawn-- it's grass! It can take care of itself. :)

Summer Saving Tip #4: So You Think You Need Air Conditioning? Really?

Humanity has lived for thousands of years without air conditioning. Consider also that stress levels and some types of illness have taken a sharp incline in recent years, many of which are related to overindulgence. Withstanding a little heat keeps you strong! If the heat really starts to get to you, perhaps you need some cold water, or even a fan or two to keep the air circulating.

P.S. For a long list of ways to be more eco-friendly, check out http://discovermagazine.com/2008/jan/25-surprising-and-simple-tips-for-a-greener-life. Be aware, however, that compact fluorescents have mercury in them. It may or may not be worth switching to these lightbulbs. But apart from that, it is a good list.

Sustainable Transportation: Part I

Did you know that transportation is responsible for 22% of all CO2 emmissions? Carbon dioxide may be just one of many gases, but it should give you an idea of the percentage of other gases emmited by transportation-- including the dangerous nitrogen oxides and ozone.
Because transportation has such a heavy impact on our environment, we need to adjust this practice drastically. Here are some of my suggestions:

• Don't commute by car! I know, some of you (feel that you) must commute, because you live such a long way away from the place that you work. But that is no excuse, really. Find a job close to home, or find a home close to your job. If neither of these appeal to you, take the bus or find someone who is driving along the same route so that you can carpool.
• Make it a rule: whenever you are going somewhere "for fun", like the movies or to a friend's house, rule out the car and bike, walk, or take public transit.
• If you have a car, give it to someone going car-shopping. Or use it as a carpool car.
• Long distance trips should be made by train and charter bus. That includes summer vacation-- imagine the rustic calmness of the train, instead of the high-tech stress of a car or plane!
• If you are completely stubborn about having a car, at least make sure that your next one is an energy-efficient hybrid or one run by restaurants' leftover vegetable oil (yes, some of them can run off used oil scraps!).

Electric Scooter: Courtesy of http://theitsaboutelectricscootersblog.blogspot.ca/

You know, I was thinking about what a future might be like if we all took action now. If we stopped buying cars and saved them for the sick, impaired, and threatened. If we all bicycled, walked, skateboarded, scootered, and roller-skated. If we used mopeds, electric bikes, and electric scooters when we couldn't get places with our own power. If long-distance travel entailed trains and buses...
And you know what gets me angry? That future-- that wonderful, attainable future-- is being stolen from me a little bit more every day. We have already hit peak oil, which means that from now on, we will keep finding less and less oil in the ground. The prices will steadily increase until eventually, only the billionaires can afford it. And one day it will be all gone. Sooner or later, industry will collapse, and we won't even be prepared! Life may get very hard from that point forward. We will be forced to be self-reliant. I am fine with growing my own vegetables, but some things, like heating my house and going to school, will suddenly become so complicated! A sustainable yet still comfortable future is not only being stolen from me, but also from you, your neighbours, your current/future children, and all other life forms on the planet. The thieves are the people who carelessly suck away all the energy they want; of course, they often do it unknowingly, so you can't hate them for it, but that doesn't make what they are doing any more ethical.
I figured I would have to rant a bit about the reasons why this matters so much in order to convince you to make wise transportation choices. After all, changing the way you commute is a big deal. But it is oh-so-important. It can be used to measure what kind of person you are choosing to be in your life. It also dictates how the Earth will exist in the future-- whether many species, including our own, will even survive!

Should City-Dwellers Feed the Urban Birds?

A while ago, I was filling up the bird-feeder, when the philosophical question popped up in my head: Is it ethical to feed the birds?

Most people, I think, would say yes immediately. But think about where that bird seed came from: large fields of chemically-sprayed swaying sunflowers which totally destroyed the surrounding habitat for other creatures. Many birds would have starved when the previously forested area was clear-cut. Many more will die for farmland. For this reason, it is much better to avoid supporting these operations. Besides, who knows what sort of toxic chemicals commercial sunflower seeds expose your backyard birds to?

I stopped re-filling the bird feeder after that-- after all, it doesn't make any sense to take away an entire ecosystem to give to a few backyard birds (no matter how beautiful and important those birds are)!

I can imagine the complaints from people already... "but I like watching birds in my yard" and "but those birds will all die out if we don't feed them", etc. Well, don't worry about your backyard birds. They are well-accustomed to finding food for themselves. If you still want to attract them to your yard and give them a nutritional boost, however, you can follow a few of these suggestions:

• Grow native plants on your lawn. Black-eyed Susans in Ontario, for example, will attract many birds. You can always grow sunflowers, too (where did you think sunflower seeds came from, eh?). :)



Black-eyed Susans



• Toss your leftovers into the garden. If the birds don't get them, the urban wildlife will-- and if that doesn't happen, it will naturally compost. My city has a composting system, but if yours doesn't, why not set up a bin for you to throw things in to bring outside later? The birds will thank you for it! (I threw a pear core into the garden one morning, and a few hours later, I saw a squirrel running off with it down the fence... It's a lot better than sending it to the landfill or some fertilizer company.)
• If you are completely adamant about filling your bird-feeder, at least use organic sunflower seeds!

Tell me what you think about eco-friendly ways of feeding the birds!

Eco-Savvy Remedies

Do you ever wish that health care could be more eco-friendly? I do.
The current state of our healthcare system is disastrous. Toxic chemicals from pills are polluting our waterways and killing off fish. People are feeling ill and not knowing why. And they are suffering from side-effects of medications that they are supposedly taking to feel "better".
Surely there has to be a way to solve these problems and create a win-win situation for humans and the environment?

Welcome to the world of alternative medicine!

Alternative medicine uses methods other than medications to help treat health problems. Alternative health practicioners use herbal remedies, essential oils, yoga, meditation, acupuncture, art and music therapy, and many other treatments to help people feel their best. And the best part is this: there is no harm done to the environment!
Herbal remedies, for example, are an amazing way to treat virtually any illness. They typically are drunk as tea. Recently, I have started drinking herbal tea (organic, fair trade, and forest-friendly, of course), which is amazing for stress relief, and it helps with sleep. And herbal teas can help with any ailment, from indigestion to anxiety to headaches to Alzeimer's Disease! There's absolutely nothing to lose (except a couple dollars), as there are either no or very few side effects.
I recommend that you go to your local library and take out a book on herbal medicine. I found some great books in the health section at my library. Herbs are definitely a viable alternative to medications that leave you groggy and sometimes in pain.
The other treatments can be found in shops and alternative clinics around the world. Although I haven't done much with essential oils or acupuncture, from what I have read they seem to be very effective.
Be sure to check back for my next post next Friday!
Carolyn
"[W]hich would you rather have in your neighbourhood: another chemical company or a field of rosemary?" Brigette Mars, A.H.G., from Healing Herbal Teas

Eco-Friendly Eating

I have touched on a lot of important points on my blog, but I haven't said much about how to greenify your diet. To be honest, "greenify" just about sums it up-- local, organic, and vegetarian foods!
I'll begin with some stats:

• A 2006 UN report describes the meat industry as "one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems." *
• The same amount of greenhouse gases are emitted by eating a pound of meat as are emitted from driving an SUV for 40 miles! *
• The meat industry is the leading factor to anthropogenic methane emissions. *
• 53 different carcinogenic chemicals are used in increasingly great quantities on crops in North America. **
• 1600 L of oil per year is used for each American who eats industrially-produced food ("regular" food). **
• The World Cancer Research Fund states that the maximum amount of meat that can be safely ingested per year is 30 kg. The average Canadian consumes 101 kg of meat per year! **
• 1/3 of all the world's grain harvest is fed to livestock! Meat production is the largest user of land in the world, when you include the grain required to grow it. **
• Each vegetarian in North America saves 1 acre of trees and 4.4 million litres of water each year, and uses half as much water as a meat-eater does.**
• The average distance that our food travels to get to us is 2000 km! **
• 1/3 of waste in landfills in Canada could have been composted. **
• The average vegetarian saves 50 animals per year***, but every vegan saves the lives of 100-200 animals every year, simply by not eating animals or their "products". ****
• When we cook our food, not only do we waste precious resources, but we also destroy its "living" quality (killing the cells). Raw foodists argue that since humans are living beings, we should eat living food.*****
• The production of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has gone up from 1.7 million hectares worldwide in 1996 to 102 million hectares in 2006!****** GMOs are dangerous because they can have untold effects on local ecosystems and human health. **

* National Capital Vegetarian Association
** The Otesha Book: From Junk to Funk!
*** http://www.chooseveg.com/vegetarians-save-lives.asp
**** http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/2010/12/13/vegans-save-185-animals-a-year.aspx
***** http://www.stickam.com/viewMedia.do?mId=193124761
****** http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/agri_biotechnology/gmo_planting/145.gmo_cultivation_trait_statistics.html

Wow-- it seems like eating local, organic, and vegan is a lot more crucial than most people may have thought!

It's really quite easy, although it will obviously take a few days/weeks to get used to. Many foods at the grocery store are already vegan (chips, rice cakes, bread, cereals), and organic produce is often sold there, too. Here are a few things to make it even easier for you.

• Farmer's Markets! Buy your fresh fruits and vegetables here, straight from the producers. You can ask them whether they use organic and GMO-free seed and growing practices.
• Health Food Stores: Although you don't ever have to set foot into a health food store to be an environmentally-concious eater, they certainly can provide a lot more variety than the typical grocery store.
• Health food sections at your grocery store: Many major chain grocery stores now have health food sections. If not, you may be able to find specialty products intermingled with the other "foods". It is always best to support small retailers first, however.
• Amazing companies: Lydia's Organics, Amy's Kitchen, Larabar (for an entire list of vegan/natural food producers, please visit: http://www.vegparadise.com/foodmakers.html)

I am a vegan who tries to eat as many organic, local, and GMO-free foods as I can, but seeing that I still live with my parents, I have to compromise on how much of the food is eco-friendly (no compromises on my vegan diet, though). I haven't really gotten into the raw food diet thing, but I still advocate it for anyone looking to take their eco-friendly diet one step further! I've taken a picture of some of the eco-friendly foods currently at my house, many of which are also raw and gluten-free:

There are so many more products out there, however-- never stop searching! I forgot to add my oatmeal and quinoa companies... oh well, there's no point in re-assembling the whole thing now.

If anyone tries to tell you that your eco-friendly diet is nonsense, don't let them get away without you telling them what you think of the "normal" modern diet. I mean it. If there's one thing that gets me riled up, it's ignorance!

For more information on achieving a healthy vegan/organic/local/waste-free/GMO-free diet, please visit the following websites. Keep in mind that you will have to do a bit of research into getting all the right nutrients-- but you should do that even if you aren't following a special diet. If you think that there are too many websites listed below to go to, just click on whichever one has the most interesting name :)

Vegetarian/vegan:

http://www.veganoutreach.org/

http://www.vegansociety.com/

http://www.ncva.ca/

https://www.vegsoc.org/

http://www.vrg.org/

http://www.veganhealth.org/

http://www.happycow.net/vegan_diet.html

Organic:

http://www.organicfoodinfo.net/

Raw Food:

http://www.happycow.net/raw/raw_living.html

http://www.vegansociety.com/lifestyle/nutrition/raw-food-diets.aspx

http://www.thebestofrawfood.com/

http://rawfoodhealthwatch.com/

There you have it. Everything you need to know to begin your journey into an eco-friendly diet! Have fun!

Get Set for Earth Day... How Will You be the Change?

Earth Day is on Sunday, April the 22nd. Personally, I feel like it is an extremely important day of the year. On Earth Day, all of your environmentally-friendly actions seem to really count. Of course, they count on all the other days of the year, too-- but there is so much more motivation to be green on Earth Day. It might surprise you that I, as an eco-blogger, sometimes run low on motivation to help save the planet, but believe me, I do. It happens to everyone. What really matters is overcoming that and doing great things anyway!

Anyway, here are some of my ideas for going even greener this Earth Day:

1. Start a new habit. Sometimes it only takes a little bit of time and energy to start up something that can last year round. For example...
1. Set up a clothes rack in your basement or clothesline in your backyard. This way, you can get into the habit of drying your clothes without the clothes dryer. By doing this, you will save $85 (US) per year and untold amounts of electricity!
2. If you aren't already a vegetarian, go out to a vegetarian restaurant to discover some delicious vegetarian foods (many of which will also be organic and vegan). You may be able to pick up a cookbook with great recipes. What would be a better time to start a new vegetarian lifestyle than on Earth Day?
3. Make some candles or start using rechargeable flashlights for use in the evening. Walking around your house at night can be an amazing experience with a candle in your hands!
4. Another good idea I found on the Internet is to get into the habit of reflecting. Reflect on your way of life and how it affects those around you (and those who are far away from you!). The more you think about it, the easier it will be to make necessary changes to your lifestyle.
2. Attend an Earth Day event in your community. For those of you who live in Ontario, you can participate in Ontario Nature's Our Special Spaces events that include tree-plantings etc. (I'll be going to the one at Lemoine Point in Kingston.) Otherwise, simply type in "[your city name] Earth Day events" on a search engine to find some. If you happen to be reading this on or after Earth Day, you might still be able to find "Earth Month" activities that last through April to take part in.
3. Sit down and plan out your eco-friendly goals for the next year. You can get started by reading my New Year's blog post, "Make Your New Year's Resolutions Sustainable", at http://hugatreetodayseriously.blogspot.ca/2011/12/make-your-new-years-resolutions.html.
4. Educate yourself! Simply read a book on environmental issues or eco-friendly tips. You can get one at the library. Many people have said that one of the best things you can do for the planet is to educate yourself. This is probably because knowledge inspires wisdom, and wisdom inspires good choices...





As Zachary Shahan said on planetsave.com, "Today should still be Earth Day, perhaps, but it should also be the beginning of Earth Week, Earth Month and Earth Year. And Earth Year should be an annual thing." (See http://planetsave.com/2010/04/22/what-to-do-on-earth-day/ for the rest of the article.)

Earth Day is all about really making a difference... So how will you be the change this year?

Painlessly Parting from Plastic

Plastic is everywhere in society: wrapped around food and clothes, littering the streets, in everyone's homes, and stacked up on supermarket shelves in one form or another. But plastic, laced with toxins and almost unable to decompose, presents significant problems to the environment and our health. It is a very unnatural substance derived from oil, which also means that it uses up our precious little resources, only to satisfy fleeting human desires. Here are the best ways to avoid plastic and dispose of it responsibly:

1. Recycle the plastic that you have to reduce the production of more of it.
2. When moving or sending packages in the mail, use newspaper or Papernuts instead of styrofoam peanuts.
3. Bring cloth bags--preferably organic-- to the store and always use them instead of plastic bags. Many grocery stores sell them nowadays. You can buy the pre-made cloth bags or make your own out of old T-shirts (click for my other ideas on how to re-use T-shirts)!
4. Use reusable kitchenware, avoiding plastic plates and cutlery. (Even at parties! We don't want to degrade our resources for convenience, even once in a while! If you still aren't convinced of this urgency, please read this article: http://www.theonion.com/articles/how-bad-for-the-environment-can-throwing-away-one,2892/.)
5. Keep reusable containers to keep your food in. If you already have plastic containers, they will do. But if you now need to go out and buy some, buy either metal containers or special eco-friendly snack bags. The latter can be found at many grocery and health food stores, or at http://www.greentimebags.com/,  http://www.reusies.com/, http://www.reuseit.com/store/lunchskins-sandwich-p-1883.html, and http://www.snacktaxi.com/, to name a few.                                     
6. Buy food and necessities in bulk; this requires less packaging. Individually packaged foods should be avoided!
7. Don't allow plastic to fly away into the wind! It sounds obvious, but someone is obviously dumping their plastic all over the streets. Look outside if you don't believe me. :)

Those are all my tips for reducing plastic. Of course, there are definitely more ways to avoid plastic, depending on your lifestyle. If you would like to point out anything I've missed, feel free to comment below. Thanks!

Special Springtime Gardening Post!

Spring seems to finally be here! In spring, who doesn't love the chirping birds, small green shoots, blooming flowers, light soft rain, and sunny days? We can also use this season to help us be more environmentally friendly.

I haven't very much experience in gardening, but I'll share with you what I know:

1. If you're gardening for aesthetics, the best things to plant are wildflowers and wild grasses that are native to your region. They require very little attention and give a more natural, welcoming feel to your lawn.
2. For an extra sustainability punch, grow your own vegetables! This will reduce the strain on the food production system and make your lifestyle more resilient. So far, I have grown heirloom brandywine tomatoes, and I am now attempting to raise some heirloom pea plants. It isn't really very hard.
3. Even if you are growing your vegetables inside the house, bring them outdoors during mild rain or plentiful sun. It will help with their growth and health and spare you from having to water them with tap water.
4. Use a rain barrell (or a bucket, or a container, or a cup) when it rains. Then use this to water your plants. (It saves water.)
5. Don't go driving for miles just to find the right thing. If you need a container to pot your seedlings, use an old tupperware jar or ask a neighbour if you can use something of theirs.
6. Most of all, spend time outdoors this spring, away from the sucking electricity usage that most of us are far too accustomed to.



Black-Eyed Susans, native wildflowers to my region



Happy gardening!

Go beyond Earth Hour this 2012

My goodness-- I almost forgot to post today! I'm lucky that I remembered just a few minutes ago.
This year, Earth Hour is on March 31 at 8:30 pm; please join Earth Hour this year by turning off your lights, computers, television, and cell phones! See the website http://www.earthhour.org/ for more information.

Earth Hour is all about conserving energy. But how do you take it beyond the hour and start a small-scale energy revolution in your life?

1. Make it an everyday habit to conserve electricity wherever you see possible-- turn off the lights when leaving the room, unplug your computer every evening, turn off the television and get outside, et cetera.
2. Get a free energy audit of your home. This way you'll know whether your house is energy-efficient. They'll also give you tips on how to conserve energy in your house-- sometimes it can be as simple as filling in a few empty spaces with insulation. At other times, it can be complex. But either way, it's good to know.
3. When you must buy an appliance, buy the ones labelled "Energy Star", which means that they are energy-efficient.
4. Throw on a sweater and turn the thermostat down one degree. This can have a big impact on your energy bill-- if you always had it one degree less, you could reduce your energy bill by ten percent!
5. Install solar water-heaters on the roof-- very convenient for heating your water naturally.
6. During the winter, open your curtains in the day to let sunlight in and close them at night to keep in the heat. In the summer, close the curtains in the day and open them at night, allowing heat to escape.
7. Go without air-conditioning-- you can always spend those hot days underneath a shady tree (if you haven't got any trees on your property, plant one!) or in the basement.
8. Follow my other tips on this blog to reduce your energy consumption further!

Are you Buying Tap Water For $4 a Litre?

Today I'll be talking about bottled water and recycling. "The Story of Bottled Water" is a quick illustrated video (by the same woman who narrated "The Story of Stuff") informing you about the realities behind bottled water. I apologize for the bad formatting of my blog (there was nothing I could do about it), but please sit back and watch it right now:

Recycling, although not 100% effective, is very important. DoSomething.org has partnered with Nestle (which is weird, because Nestle is known as one of the most socially and environmentally irresponsible companies on the planet) to encourage recycling. Please go to http://www.dosomething.org/trashy/gallery for the rest of these funny pictures and statistics:

People often think that buying some bottled water and then throwing it away afterwards doesn't really hurt the planet. But it does. Here is a rather ironic article, "'How Bad For The Environment Can Throwing Away One Plastic Bottle Be?' 30 Million People Wonder", that sums up my point nicely: http://www.theonion.com/articles/how-bad-for-the-environment-can-throwing-away-one,2892/.

I understand how you might already have a bunch of water bottles stored away in your cupboard or ready to be recycled. There's nothing you can do about all those water bottles you consumed in the past, but you can become part of the movement by not buying any more and by reusing those which you already have!

I took this picture of a water bottle bird feeder while out walking with my aunt and cousin:

You can also use old water bottles to store change, nuts/bolts/nails, collections, and as pencil holders and cookie jars (once you cut the top off). Don't store anything wet or moist in water bottles, though; that could make you sick. For the birdfeeder above, I recommend only using it in dry weather, and if it rains, you should change it.

On the whole, bottled water should be avoided! If you haven't watched "The Story of Bottled Water" yet, please scroll back up and watch it or go to http://www.storyofstuff.org/movies-all/story-of-bottled-water/ to see it at it's original website. If you are really interested in this sort of thing, you should go on a movie marathon and watch all of "The Story of..." videos. I've only seen three, but that was three really good videos I spent my time watching!

10 Easy Ways to Save Water

Water is everywhere, but clean water is not. We must conserve water in order to: 1; prevent it from becoming polluted after it goes down the drain, and 2; to stop whole lakes from being drained in order to provide for the consumption of this precious resource.

Here are a few ways to save water:

1) Place a sealed plastic container in the tank at the back of your toilet. This will prevent the tank from filling up so high, which will mean that less water goes into the bowl every time. Of course, you could always install a low-flush function to your toilet instead.

2) Install a low-flow showerhead in your shower. This can save a lot of water, while still having the same amount of pressure as a regular showerhead.

3) Use aerators on all of your taps. These, too, maintain a good flow, so you'll feel like you are using a regular tap. All the bubbles in the water can significantly reduce your water usage.

4) Stop those leaky taps! See an old blog post of mine for details: http://hugatreetodayseriously.blogspot.com/2011/12/stop-those-leaky-taps.html.

5) While brushing your teeth and doing similar activities, make sure to leave the tap off!

6) When doing the laundry and dishes, only wash full loads.

7) Use the dishwasher instead of washing by hand. It actually saves water! (Relieved?)

8) Grow plants that are well-suited to your region. These plants are probably less finicky and will use less water. For those of you who live in Canada, you can get some truly fantastic information about which plants are native to your region at http://www.cwf-fcf.org/en/what-we-do/habitat/resources/native-plant-encyclopedia/. I'll talk more about gardening, however, as spring approaches.

9) Place a rain barrel outside your house to collect rainwater. This can be used to water houseplants and your garden. Snow can also be used to water house plants, but be sure that it is properly melted first-- you don't want to freeze your plants!

10) Lastly, when cleaning your driveway, sweep it instead of washing it with the garden hose.

Fun Fact!
Water is so essential to life that it has collected many names over the years, and, of course, it exists in many different languages. Here are some other names for water:

• H20
• Aqua/ Aqua Pura
• dihydrogen monoxide
• Adam's ale (Australian slang)
• eau (French)
• agua (Spanish)
• shui (Chinese)
• fisherman's daughter (Cockney slang)
• ten furlongs mile and a quarter (Cockney slang)

"Pass the ten furlongs mile and a quarter, please."
"Okay, but make sure to conserve it, otherwise we won't have any aqua pura left!"

Online Activism: A Catalyst for Change?

Are you searching for a way to help save the planet and incorporate it into your daily routine? Look no further! Today I am going to be writing about two of my favourite activism websites, The Rainforest Site and Care2.
Deforestation is a serious problem in the modern world. Ancient species are disappearing off the face of the Earth-- literally-- and the natural processes of our planet are being disturbed. Just thinking about it can be overwhelming, and you may not even believe that it is possible to stop deforestation right in it's tracks.
Take heart! Have you heard of The Rainforest Site (http://www.therainforestsite.com/)? It's a website devoted to saving the rainforest in many ways:

• First, it has a "daily click" opportunity, in which Internet users can click on a button once daily to help protect 11.4 square feet of rainforest. You see, for every click, their sponsers pay a certain amount of money to buy that land. Spiffy, isn't it?
• This website also has many petitions that you can sign, all of which are to be presented to important decision-makers. (You may have heard about Hug a Tree Today, Seriously on The Rainforest Site. I always post the urls to my blogs beside my name when I sign those petitions!) Just click on "Take Action!" at the right-hand sidebar to get to the lengthy list of petitions.
• Another way you can help is by shopping at The Rainforest Site for gifts and clothing (only if you need it, of course!). All sales contribute to helping the rainforests. For more information, see the store yourself at https://www.therainforestsite.com/store/trs/site?0 or see the left-hand sidebar on The Rainforest Site.

Care2, on the other hand, encompasses many different topics, including green living. Head on down to http://www.care2.org/ to set up an account, where you can set up a profile telling the world about your beliefs and initiatives. Then go and sign petitions, join groups, read articles, and more-- online! By participating on the website, you earn points which, over time, accumulate to let you "buy" things that help others and the environemnt. You don't have to pay with money; instead, you use your points to buy these things. You can look up my profile, by the way-- my username is "rabbit-cat".
Of course, The Rainforest Site and Care2 are only two of numerous organizations devoted to making a difference. And there are ways to make a difference in your own life, too. So keep an open mind always, and have a nice week!