Eco capitalism

I just found this awesome company called Terra Cycle. These two guys decided to take worm castings, make a compost tea out of them and sell it as a fertilizer. Ok, that's not terribly new..but leave it to a poor college student (or two) to figure out a cheap way to get the stuff on the shelves...

Their bottles are made from recycled soda bottles. No, literally they are soda bottles. No processing whatsoever. The sprayers are from other companies who had too much. The boxes are misprints. It's ingenious. I'm a little smitten.

My favorite line is from CBS news "..the story is a reminder about following your dreams. The pot of gold may require dealing with a ton of crap."

Watch the video, it's great!

May 15th?

Have you been getting forwards or myspace bulletins asking you not to buy gas on May 15th? Did you pass it on? I hope the answer is no. Or I hope you altered the message...

Not buying gas on one day is not going to hurt big oil. If you need gas that week, you'll buy it on May 14th or 16th anyway.

If you get this message and wish to pass it on change the message to promote something that might actually work. Don't drive on May 15th. Join in for Bike to Work Month. Something along those lines.

Also..if you got the one that said that gas prices dropped 30 cents after a gas out in 1997...weren't you a little suspicious? I KNOW I would've remembered that. I was a senior in high school and if gas reached 60-some cents a gallon I would've remembered.

whoa cool!

On the Bike To Work web page you can see a report on how much CO2 has been saved during the contest. So far 79457.7 pounds have been saved in just one week! AND not everybody has inputted their numbers. That's pretty freaking cool.

Update: I think those numbers are misleading. It looks like people have been entering in their data since before May. But that's still a lot of CO2 saved.

greasy hands = hot

My bike does not want to go to work. Yesterday was the flat, today my chain fell off. But I did get affirmation from SB that greasy hands were hot. And I saw HSG (hot security guy) in the kitchen and turned three shades of red as I tried to talk to him. holy crap.

Half Full

I did my first bike ride for Bike to Work Month today. I decided to go a little out of my way to avoid going up the hill of death. I was sweaty but pretty damn proud that I made it. I still had to walk up a hill. Oh well! Next time I won't!

I did get a flat tire. Thank goodness I had my tutorial from Alene on Mon. After we did our programs, my viking coworker and I stopped by a bike shop to get me a new tube. Then I borrowed baby powder from Madam Coworker and go ready to change the tire!

Security came and met me with a pump...and let me tell you! This member of security is rather hot. And my new favorite! I had my tube switched and was all ready by the time he got there. We had a little trouble making sure everything was going in right but we got it! And I made it home safe and sound.

I'm going to rack up 4.5 miles biked, but I will only take 3.8 lbs CO2 saved since had I been driving, I wouldn't have gone out of my way in the morning.

Woot!

Half Empty

I rode my bike to work today. Got ANOTHER flat tire as soon as I got to the North Lot. And I was sweating so much because I wore the wrong jacket.

By the time I had a chance to change the flat it started pouring down rain, I forgot to put a plastic bag on my seat and I was soaking wet before I could even get the tube out.

Then I had to ride down the hill of death on the slick roads and I was sure I was going to die.

tallies and such

In April I only biked a measily 5.6 miles and saved 38.5 lbs. CO2.

My goal for May is to greatly increase those numbers...barring anymore flat tires. Although now I can fix them myself! kind of! : )

I"m signed up for Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation's Bike To Work Month so that's some incentive!

All is not well in Ballard

I walked home from work today. And what a day to do so! Everything was blooming, the weather was lovely...and the crossing guard by the elementary stopped traffic for me and then called me "Babe." But in a cute old black man way. I eat that stuff up!

Can we go back to everything is in bloom? Is anyone else alarmed to see California poppies, candy tuft, roses and irises blooming along side tulips, magnolias and azaleas?! I associate the former as summer bloomers and the later as early spring timers. Am I wrong? I know I haven't worked in a nursery for years so I guess I could just be hyper sensitive.

"Cedar," you still actually work with plants...am I imagining things and working myself into a fervor for no reason?

Have tire will travel

I finally have a fully inflated bicycle tire. I was stood up by the Sexy Bastard at work who was going to show me how to take care of it so that added a few more days CO2 release. Thankfully, my wonderful friend, Alene, helped me with the endeavor and I am now mobile on 2 wheels.

I'm not sure what should count as CO2 lbs saved. I walked to the Sunday Market yesterday, but I would have done that anyway. It's not so much an effort in saving CO2, but more a way to avoid parking. I think I am going to stick to counting the times that I would normally drive but make the effort to walk or bike. And not count the places that I just walk to anyway...such as the market or the grocery.

I need to go the gym so I am going to bump up my numbers on the side now so that I feel guilty and force myself to go.

Worm bin construction

I was lucky enough to find a roommate who had a worm bin already constructed, and a coworker whose worms were having way too much sex.

These instructions look very similar to what roomie built. When I got the worms from Madame Coworker, we put them in the bottom container. In the upper container we put bedding (shredded newspaper about as damp as a wrung out sponge) and a little bit of food. Eventually the worms made their way up to the upper bin through the holes in the bottom and are now happily munching away.

I haven't gotten to harvest castings yet. Except what came with Madame Coworkers stock. There are several methods, one is just to switch those two containers again and harvest once they've moved out. Another is to shove everything to one side and start putting new food on the other side...or simply take out a handful and pick the worms out.

It doesn't smell at all. I can't even believe it. It might smell a little like compost on warm days when you open it up but I like that smell. Haven't had to troubleshoot anything yet either. So we're doing well!

The only thing that annoys me is that they don't really eat the egg shells. And Roomie eats a lot of eggs.

The trouble with worms

Worms require newspaper or some sort of clean bedding to help insulate them. This is great for those who have lots of paper to recycle. But we don't get a paper delivered. So I end up going to pick up a free copy of The Stranger to cut up, soak and lay as bedding. Does this cancel out any good the worms are doing in the first place?

For Rent

Beautiful handcrafted home with 27 rooms located near food providers. Entrance on sunny side in a quiet neighborhood. Non-aggressive Masons preferred.

zut alors!

I found a great recipe for all natural "soft scrub." Cleans my bathtub like a charm, even when it's grody! It just takes baking soda, castille soap, vinegar and a little water. I got the recipe out of Clean House, Clean Planet, By Karen Logan. You should check it out!

I went downstairs this morning to find my bicycle tire flat! It took all morning to get my motivation up to ride to work and then my efforts were thwarted! I'm not exactly sure what to do now....

I also found a figure that suggested we waste 33lbs of CO2 for every hour of television watched. Thankfully I live in WA where the energy is mostly hydroelectric so I assume the number is lower than that but I will still be more conscious about how much time I leave the boob tube on. Guess it's time for a trip to the library or used bookstore!

Back to Seattle

I was on the road in Wenatchee for work this past week. But I've been back for one day and already I get to bump my lbs. of CO2 saved and miles biked! This pleases me, the planet and my tush!

Sugar Daddy?

Where's my sugar daddy to buy me this?!

yuck, garbage

My garbage sense is heightened these days. Which is good! But on the road it's hard. It was really hard for me to throw my pear core and plum remains into a normal garbage can today. If I had a receptacle I probably would've brought them home to my worms.

I also nearly exploded when I was stuck using styrofoam for my continental cereal at the hotel. I know, I could have forgone, it's true, but I needed to eat. When this bluebird doesn't get fed she gets CRANKY! Good news is I bought a bowl, cup, fork and spoon that will travel with me from now on for just such an occasion.

I'm also tempted by the idea of carrying a "cloth" with me where ever I go. No Impact Man and his family are doing it, why can't I? Think of the trees that can be saved. Plus, if I'm considering it, others must be too. So let's say that brings it up to a total of 10 people who start doing it this week. 90 more and perhaps we'll reach the 100th monkey.

No Impact Man on The Colbert Report

Awesome! My motel doesn't get Comedy Central and so I thought I was going to miss this. Thank gawd for the internet!

Look for it on Comedy Central. His name is Colin Beaven.

I can't seem to embed the video.

that didn't work

Here's a picture I just uploaded from my camera of my Netherlands bulbs blooming on my patio. Enjoy!

Back to the city that holds my heart

I realized this weekend I'm more "green" than I thought. It kind of helped my green-esteem. At the airport I was astounded at the lack of recycling receptacles and carried my juice container all the way to my sister's because I figured they wouldn't recycle it on the airplane either. Think of the amount of trash the airport must toss! Surely they have someone go through things and take the recycling out! Ok, I'm sure that's not true but it might be the only way I'll get through the night.

I did give in to two weaknesses, though. I had to buy two magazines. Ok, I didn't HAVE to but I did. I bought the green issue of Outdoor, which was very interesting and I don't feel as guilty about that as I do buying Glamour. But they will be read by others and recycled! I promise.

On the way to the airport I took the bus so I"m counting those miles as lbs. CO2 saved. The trip home I took Shuttle Express. Now, I am NOT going to claim all 21 miles as lbs. of CO2 saved They do use compressed natural gas but the van was not going past my house even if I hadn't asked. I do think it should count as carpooling and the cleaner fuel is a nice bonus too. So how about 10 lbs? Sound good to everyone?

I'm happy to be back to my worm bin, and no waste work environment. : )

I saved 1.4 lbs. of CO2 today!

Alright. I believe if you proclaim a goal publicly you are more likely to achieve it. So here I go: I am going to be a better environmentalist. That means, less driving, no more plastic bags, eating locally, being a part of my community, using environmentally friendly cleaning products, and much more.

Today I start. Not from ground zero as I've already started implementing some eco-friendly practices in my daily life. I use toilet paper and paper towels from 100% recycled materials, my soaps/detergents are friendly, I've reduced the number of times I wash my hair a week down to two and I try my damnedest to avoid vinyl.

They say that you release 1 lb of CO2 for every mile you drive. I got my lazy ass on my bike and rode to the gym. It's such a pleasant ride, I'm not sure why I wasn't doing it before. Ok, partly because it was cold, dark and wet. But now it's spring.

I rode my bike the 1.9 miles to work the other day. Up hill. Killed me. But I plan to find a new route around those hills so I can make the ride more often.

And I plan to record my progress right here. so stay tuned!