DIY Eco-friendly Crafts

In our modern world, people tend to buy everything instead of making it themselves. The result? Big industry taking over everything-- deciding how we impact the environment, deciding what we buy, and controlling the quality of our products. So why not break the cycle and make our own things?
Eco-friendly crafts can be things that are useful, advocacy-oriented, or just darn fun-- as long as they have a smaller impact on the environment than most products. Today I will be showing you some of my favourites.

Eco-friendly Bag: This is really easy to make. All it takes is some leftover material (I got mine from my family's scrap fabric bin, but you could always use an old T-shirt or two if you'd prefer), scissors, needle and thread, printable iron-on sheet and iron (optional), and some patience, of course!
Step 1: Cut the fabric to approximately the right size. Do it twice in total.
Step 2: Sew together the two pieces so that one side is open. Turn it inside-out.
Step 3: Sew down the material on the open end. If there is too much material on the inside, cut some of it off. (But be careful not to break the threads!)
Step 4: Print off a logo onto an iron-on sheet. Make sure the writing is backward-- this will come off the sheet and onto the bag the right way.
Step 5: Iron the logo onto the bag, following the instructions provided with the iron-on sheets.
Step 6: Sew the handle onto the bag. This can be any sort of fabric strip, really. (If you have trouble sewing the handle on sturdily, staple it on... It works!)

Awareness Letters: These are even more simple. All you need are some of those little iron-able beads that come with peg boards, called Perler Beads. You make them into letters that form an environmentally-themed phrase, word, or sentence, and then iron them together as the package explains. Then take a picture of it post it on the Internet and get your message out!

Eco-friendly Coasters: To make your own coasters, all you need is some leftover cardboard from old shoe boxes or the piece you get inside calendars, something to decorate it with (For the first one, I used a stargazing calendar, the one in the middle is from the plastic and mesh of a bag of oranges, and on the right I used a Christmas card), some tape, and scissors. Basically, you cut out little squares of cardboard and cover them with your decoration. Leave a bit of extra hanging over the side so you can tape it in the back. You may need to cut off some of the covering in the corners at the back, but I'll leave that to your judgement. Although Christmas is over for this year, that is not to say that you can't save them for gifts later on, or use them yourself!

By the way, I have a new e-mail address that anyone can use to get in touch-- ecofuzzyATgmail.com (replace AT with @, because I'm trying to avoid spammers who scan the web for e-mail addresses.) Use this e-mail address to tell me how I'm doing in the blogosphere, give suggestions, and ask questions. I'll be happy to get back to you! (But if you know me personally, please use my personal e-mail.)
Have a good week!

Make Your New Year's Resolutions Sustainable

                              

Well, it's almost the end of the year! Can you believe it? A lot has happened in 2011. From an environmental perspective of what I got done, I quit and then re-started Hug a Tree Today Seriously, I started up The Animal Rights Action Site, I got the idea of using ration books and used one for the month of December (alas, read the haiku below), I signed a LOT of petitions, I stuck little slips of paper into library books with my blog's URL on them (hey-- I'm not the only one who does that), I joined Taking It Global (a youth organization that has lots of great resources to make change), and I wrote an article or two for Teen Ink on issues about the environment. I can't remember what else I've done-- I'll add them if I think of them...

So now with New Year's Day on its way, you're probably thinking about what New Year's Resolutions to try. Please keep the environment in mind for these such things! Here is a list of suggestions:

1) Commit to using half the amount of paper as you did in 2011. Here is a list of ways to do so on my Taking it Global blog. http://princesscat.tigblog.org/post/5331133

2) Go vegan-- try it for at least a month. If it helps to make a more official commitment, you can pledge on one of these websites: http://whyveg.com/pledge.php https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2055&c=pfvskvp09

3) Commit to bicycle to work/school/stores.

4) Decide to cut back on your television time by one-half. Even better, stop watching TV altogether!

5) Dry your clothes on a clothes rack instead of a dryer.

6) Commit to using a ration book every month.

Well, I could go on all day, but that's enough to give you the idea!

Hug a Tree Today, Seriously also has a New Year's Resolution-- I aim to get 1000 page views by the end of 2012! Can you help me achieve my goal? I already have 411 page views at the time of writing. You can see the number of page views at the bottom of the page-- it changes every time you visit. Please tell your friends and family about my blog so that I can reach 1000 page views by January 2013!

MOST IMPORTANT POINT!!!: To acheive your goals, you must plan them out carefully, decide what you want EXACTLY, decide how you will get there, etc. The best way to do this is to use S.M.A.R.T. goals:

Specific: What is your goal? "To use less electricity", while having good intentions, is hardly specific enough. Instead, you could say something like: "To use the clothes dryer once per week and hang out all other clothing on the clothes rack."

Measurable: How will you know when you have reached your goal? In the example above, it would be when you only use the clothes dryer once per week.

Attainable: Is it physically possible? "To consume nothing for the rest of my life" is impossible, but to comsume less resources is. If your goal is not possible, you will be chasing it for your whole life and constantly tripping up over it.

Realistic: This refers to whether it is likely to happen, judging by your lifestyle, needs, and how much you want it. For example, if your goal was to bicycle to work every day, but you work in a different town than you live in... well, good luck-- I won't be responsible for the outcome. Similarily, if you DO live close to work/school, but you aren't motivated enough to bike, your goal will, unfortunately, be useless. Make sure that you have the motivation to achieve your goals.

Timely: Set dates. In the clothes dryer example, you could mark January 3rd as your date to get a clothes rack, by January 7th you start experimenting with how well the clothes dry on the rack (you do not necessarily need a fabric softener for this, by the way, but if you do, make sure to go eco-friendly, vegan, and animal-testing-free!), by February you dry all your socks and underwear on the clothes rack, by March you dry pants and towels this way as well, etc.

Haiku:

It lies desolate

On my desk, almost all used up

This month's ration book

(My ration book was well used, however.)

By the way, here is the logo for Hug a Tree Today, Seriously. It is the picture that you should be able to find somewhere on your web browser while you are on this site! Does it work?

Up next: DIY Eco-crafts!



Don't idle!

Nope, I am not talking about lazing around (although we shouldn't do that too much, either!). I am talking about cars.
Cars, of course, cause air pollution, and air pollution causes smog, depletion of the ozone layer, and poor health for humans and animals, not to mention plants. The gasoline must be derived from the Earth, harming animals and ecosystems. Oil spills are the extreme examples of this devastation.
A lot of people think that idling is better than stopping the engine and starting up again. But in fact, idling for more than ten seconds uses up more gas than it would if you re-started. So when you are waiting to pick someone up or stopping for a snack, make sure to turn off your engine! You will be doing so knowing that you are making one more step towards being eco-friendly!

Greenify your hobbies!

Hey there!
Hobbies-- things that we enjoy in our spare time-- can be both helpful and detrimental. Usually the more natural hobbies are better for you and the environment. When something involves a lot of technology, it obviously harms the environment, but it can also complicate your life and leave you feeling unfulfilled.
I figured that I couldn't exactly tell you to stop all your hobbies if they aren't eco-friendly; however, swapping a consumeristic activity for an eco-friendly one definitely makes a difference! You can even make an existing hobby more sustainable! Here is a list of some 100% eco-friendly hobbies:

• walking/hiking/bicycling/canoeing/kayaking/swimming
• playing a musical instrument
• sports
• antique collecting (which is very fun, by the way)
• astronomy and cloud-watching
• cards and non-digital games
• bird-watching
• juggling
• meditation and yoga
• dramatic arts and public speaking
• window-shopping

Well, I could write more, but that's the idea of how easy it is to be eco-friendly and have fun at the same time. Assuming that you have time for hobbies, why not try some new eco-friendly hobby today? Do it outside where the lighting is natural and you'll get a bonus point.
There is also the matter of making current hobbies more eco-friendly. It's easy-- if your hobby involves paper, try to use paper with writing on one side already; if it is crafts, use recycled or organic materials; minimize car trips whenever possible; with many other hobbies, you can simply use the materials you have on hand instead of buying new ones.
I recommend that you stay away from electronic hobbies, as, like I said, they are typically unfulfilling and consumeristic. Television, especially, does not do anything at the end of the day but eat up your time. However, start up an environmental blog or do some online activism and I'll support that!
So go ahead and start up some new eco-friendly hobby! And tell me about your experiences afterward!
Carolyn
(P.S. I was on someone else's blog yesterday, and I realized how easy it is to ignore the requests for comments. However, please do make a comment, rate the post with the boxes below, and take the poll on the side of the page-- it really helps. Thanks!)

Stop those leaky taps!

This may seem silly, but a really smart thing to do is to always make sure that the faucet is completely off before leaving a sink. Why? Well, I did an experiment to judge how much water is wasted on dripping taps. Here are the results:
At a mere 17 drops per minute, a dripping tap can emit 3mL of water per minute.
In an hour, therefore, this would have accumulated to 180mL-- in between one half cup and one cup.
In a day, this number would have risen to 4.32L, or about 17.5 cups of water.
If everyone in the world did this for a year, the total would amount to approximately 11,037,000,000,000,000L of water.
What can we do with the above amount of water?
Let us leave it be in its source and keep the ecosystem flourishing. I would love it if we stopped draining lakes and started simply using less water, wouldn't you?
So please turn off the taps you see dripping in your house. Educate your family members to do the same. Think of how much we could save!
By the way, now is the ideal time to start using your ration books (see earlier November post)! I have started mine for the month of December already. I'm wondering how well I will do...
Until next week!

I'm Dreaming... of a Green... Christmas

Do you love Christmas? I know I do. We had better start being sustainable now before we have to be, don't you think?
Here are the things you need to know to have a truly eco-friendly Christmas. (I apologize if you don't celebrate Christmas, but perhaps you could adapt this information to your own holiday?)

1. Presents! Presents! Presents!
I have to admit, we tend to be so materialistic nowadays. It isn't a matter of what to do for someone special on Christmas, it is more a matter of what to buy. However, we can show someone that we care about them and the earth at the same time! Here is a list of green gifts for your loved ones on Christmas.

• Give them something consumable, like muffins or gingerbread cookies or even a pie! Edible things are always good-- they're going to eat something, so why not some delicious vegan baking? (But tell them it's vegan afterward, as some people don't realize that vegan food tastes like "normal" food.) Find recipes at www.allrecipes.com/Recipes/everyday-cooking/vegetarian/vegan/dessert/Top.aspx or adapt your own to be more green.
• Check out a nearby consignment shop for beautiful objects of all varieties. I visited a consignment shop once, and I found about five different things I wanted to take home immediately!
• Find a non-material way to help someone. Go over and help them as they clean their house or pet-sit for free while they are in New Zealand. This totally avoids cliches and it can be fun!
• Make something for them. This isn't only for kids; you can use your talents for this. If you are good with crafts, for instance, you can make a cool ornament for their Christmas tree made from old cans. See www.planetgreen.discovery.com/feature/green-diy-projects/ or do a Google search.
• If all else fails, buy from a green supplier that has organic or re-used materials. For those of you doing shopping on the Internet, a good website is: http://www.therainforestsite.com/store%20
• If you want to buy a video game for a child or friend, well, please don't, as it hurts the environment more than necessary, but if you aren't going to listen to me, then at least make sure that it does not include violence. I am convinced that one of the main causes to my classmates not seeming to care about animals, the environment, and general respect for one another is the violence and more that they were exposed to by video games, the Internet, and television.
• Did you know that about 4 million tons of shopping bags and wrapping paper are used every Christmas? WOW. So let's wrap our gifts in objects like scarves, reusable gift bags from last year, tea tins, and whatever else we might have on hand. Avoid ribbons and bows, too, as they go straight to the landfill. And make sure to bring your own bags to the store, okay?

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I don't know about you, but I think that we need to re-think what we do with our Christmas cards! I remember being shocked as a young child learning that most Christmas cards are thrown away shortly after Christmas. It would be a good idea to cut out the picture on the front of the card so that you can use it next year. Or you can ditch traditional card-giving altogether and wish them a "Merry Christmas" in person instead.

Oh Christmas Tree!
Please don't buy a Christmas tree! It is sad to see all the trees lined up to go into the garbage every New Year. However, buying a plastic tree is not the answer, either, as plastic virtually doesn't break down. Instead, use a live, potted Christmas tree, which you can plant outside after a few years. It'll be nice to have a little tree inside the house for a while anyway. You could even go really symbolic and use a teeny sapling as your tree to symbolize new life.

Christmas Cooking tips
Like I said earlier, it is more environmentally-friendly to follow a vegan diet. You can learn more here: www.chooseveg.com/environment.asp . Also, aim for organic foods this Christmas to avoid pesticides. My last piece of advice would be to only cook what will be eaten. If there is waste every year, make smaller portions of your Christmas dinner foods so that everyone gets enough but doesn't have to deal with leftovers.


A Final Thought...
Christmas should be fun, so enjoy it, but remember to wish the Earth a merry Christmas by taking care of it at the same time!

More info: www.eartheasy.com/give_sustainchristmas.htm

Thanks again, everyone!

Simplify Your Life

Apparently some people don't believe that this is possible, but believe me, it is. What are the benefits of living simply? Here are a few:

1. Personal Fulfillment; the more complex and difficult your life is, the more stressful it becomes, but a simple life is easy, happy, and sustainable
2. Environmental sustainability; we can reduce however much we use by so much. Think of what life was like 200 years ago (you may need a history book for this!). If they got on with that much without extensively hurting the environment, then we can too. We should not to be destroying endless amounts of rainforest, polluting our skies and water, and harming our animals. We can reduce the damage (and even turn it around!) by living simply. "Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed." ~Mohandas Gandhi
3. We must share the Earth with other human beings. If there was no poverty, unemployment, then there would also be no war. (Bonus Point: No war also means less environmental damage!) Another quote that illustrates this: "Live simply so that others may simply live." -Mahatma Gandhi

So, how to live simply? That's simple!

1. Buy less stuff. Only buy something if you need it; this includes food, basic utensils, and clothing. Fill up the time that you would have spent shopping for fun with something else that you find fun. In a book I was reading, the author says that if you didn't need it before you saw it in the store window, then you don't need it at all!
2. Organize your stuff. If we can't even locate anything we need, we'll have to buy a new one, thus adding to the clutter. It's also just nice to feel like you have it under control, don't you think?
3. Don't overdo your entertainment. It is fun to have fun (surprise!), but we can have fun without cinemas, TV shows, movies, theatre, new books, video games, and computer games. Try to set a rule that next week will be screen-free week. (If you need to, only use the computer for a quick check of your e-mail and/or work. No IM allowed.)
4. Don't bother with exercise machines-- walk, jog, or cycle outdoors instead. (The weather isn't too cold yet!)
5. Donate your unwanted stuff to thrift and consignment shops. Be ruthless! You won't need it again, anyway. We must share our stuff with others if we want to reduce the consumeristic behaviours of the west. Before throwing something away, ask yourself: "Could I donate this? or would anyone want it who I could give it to? or could I turn it into something useful?"
6. Get rid of junk mail at www.DMAchoice.org , which represents many countries, by the way! Junk mail, in the US (sorry, no Canadian stats found), amounts to 1.5 trees per household per year-- which totals to 100 million trees made into junk mail per year in the US alone.
7. Avoid commuting. It's bad for the environment, and you probably don't like it, anyway! Try to live near your work or school, or switch to a place closer to your home. And then, walk or cycle to get places!
8. Prepare quick, green meals ahead of time so that you don't feel tempted to slap together a cruel turkey sandwich instead. Even better, rid your house of meat, eggs, and dairy. Try this website: www.webecoist.com/2008/09/01/20-delicious-vegan-meals-recipes-that-dont-suck/ , guaranteed to satisfy everyone!
9. You don't need to wash your shirt after every single use; only wash it if it is smelly or dirty. (Bonus: Use toxin-free, animal-free detergent!)
10. Finally, use less water. Shorter showers, etc. Time your next shower, then plan by how long you can reduce it by. It is better for the environment and it gives you more time to do other things!

And there you go! I hope that you can simplify your life by following at least three of the suggestions.

Next up: Green Christmas!