Change the World Wednesday - Eat Better for Health & Earth

This week's #ctww challenge is to go vegetarian/vegan for one single day this week to reduce strain on your kidneys and protect natural resources that are consumed by livestock.

I have been a vegetarian for more than half of my life, though I admit recently I have been a bit of a flexitarian, having chicken 1-2 times a month. The only reason I ever became a vegetarian was because someone bet me when I was 13 that I couldn't do it. And I did it for ten years, and since I was 23 I have eaten meat on and off again, but typically I eat a vegetarian diet. But this challenge is giving me the spur to cut meat completely back out of my diet. We never buy it to cook/eat at home. The only time anyone in our household eats meat of any kind is when we dine out, so not eating meat this week will be easy - but removing dairy products would be extremely difficult this week because I literally just went to the store yesterday and bought cheese & milk, the only dairy products we ever really use (eggs we only use to make cakes) and I would rather not waste it. So I think for me, this week we won't eat out so there is no consumption of meat by my carnivorous husband. ;)

This site has some great stats on how reducing the meat you consume helps you and the environment. I used it to pull some of the stats below, combined with the reasons for my dietary choices.

Meat is extremely difficult for the human body to process and puts a lot of strain on your kidneys, and the meat industry is terrible for the environment - not only does it deplete natural resources like water (each day, a meat-centered diet requires about 4,000 gallons of water.  In contrast, a vegetarian diet requires only 1,200 gallons and a vegan diet a mere 300 gallons), but livestock production generates 65% of human-related nitrous oxide. If everyone in the U.S. ate no meat or cheese just 1 day a week for a year, it’s like not driving 91 billion miles - or taking 7.6 million cars off the road.

And think beyond just the farm and slaughter houses energy and gas usage - consider the pollution and energy use from factories that make the packaging for the meat & then the packaging waste after the meat is consumed.The fuel used and air pollution from delivering the meat from packaging facilities to stores. It all effects the environment.


If you want to try this challenge, Tessa from Krmbal has a Meatless Monday series on her blog with some delicious vegetarian and vegan recipes!

Will you be joining in on this week's challenge? What will you do to promote kidney health and protect the environment from the damaging effects of the meat industry?

Change the World Wednesday - Clean Air for All!

Last's week's #ctww was protect the oceans. This week's challenge is to make small changes to reduce air pollution.

For this challenge, I am going to turn off the heat for the week and add an extra comforter to the beds (it's still kinda nippy here at night), Trace is going to work one day from home this week instead of commuting to work, and we are going to plant a tree as well as prepare our garden beds to plant veggies!

If you want to join in on this week's challenge to help reduce air pollution but aren't sure where to start, here is a list of ideas:

• Plant a tree - or a shrub, or a flowering bush, or a garden! We are working on our garden this week! You could also take a (disposable) trash bag and go for a hike through your local trails or woods to pick up litter so existing vegetation can thrive.

• Don't drive unless you have to, and if you must consider carpooling or using public transit if possible or roll up all your errands into one trip out. Make sure your tires are aligned and inflated properly to reduce emissions!

• If possible, let your kid ride the bus to and from school rather than driving them. This reduces a ton of exhaust pollution from the commute and idling in the pick up and drop off lane. If you can, arrange to have them carpool to after-school activities with friends or volunteer to be the carpool driver!

• Reduce the electricity you use - Turn off your heat/air and open the windows. Open the curtains rather than turning on lights. Unplug things that are not in use. Turn off your computer when you aren't using it. Instead of drying bedding in the dryer, line-dry laundry, especially heavy linens. This will greatly reduce energy consumption!

• Recycle -  paper, plastic, glass bottles, cardboard, and aluminum cans. (This conserves energy and reduces pollution from production.) Also - reduce products you purchase in disposable packaging altogether to make an even bigger impact! Instead of buying canned fruit and veggies, buy fresh produce! Instead of buying jars of baby food, buy fresh produce and puree your own in the blender! (It is also WAY cheaper to make your own!)

• Use all-natural cleaners - Apple cider vinegar is an amazingly versatile cleaner - we use it for laundry and our floors! Stop using dryer sheets full of harmful chemicals - Winter Solstice Dreams makes reusable dryer sachets that smell great and soften your laundry, as well as all natural room sprays. We also use all-natural vegan shampoo from Gnarly Whale and handmade, organic soaps made in small batches from various makers. 

Will you be joining to help reduce air pollution this week? If so, share how in the comments! 

Change the World Wednesday - Protect our Oceans!

Have you guys heard of #CTWW? It is a movement started by Reduce Footprints blog to help people all over the world make small changes that have a huge impact on the environment! I almost always do these challenges but realized I could make a bigger impact by sharing them here with you guys so you can get involved, too!

This week's challenge is to protect the oceans. You can do this if you are lucky enough to live near a beach by organizing a big beach clean up - or setting up a date night with you, your main squeeze, and a (biodegradable) trash bag to pick up litter as you take a long walk on the beach at sunset. ;)

Or if you are landlocked like me, you can help in other ways - the biggest one being removing plastic disposable items from your life. Plastic bags, sandwich bags, bottle caps, tooth paste caps, micro plastic beads from tooth paste, facial scrubs, and soaps, plastic bottles, coffee cup lids, straws, plastic toys and more fill our oceans and ruin ecosystems and kill marine animals. The amount of debris in the ocean is actually hindering the search for Malaysia Flight 370. Totally disturbing, right? So, why not join in for this challenge to reduce plastic waste for one week?

Some simple ways to remove disposable plastic from your life this week:

• Take reusable shopping bags to the store with you. I love these fruit and veggie sacks from TrashN2Tees because they are doubly ecofriendly, being that they are upcycled from shirts AND they keep plastic bags not only out of landfills, but from even being produced - if you stop using plastic bags at the store, you are reducing the amount of pollutants released into the environment from factories that produce the bags. Go, you! (Would rather make your own bags? Here is a video tutorial for sewing a reusable grocery bag, too!)  

• Stop using plastic sandwich/snack bags. Buy reusable containers, though since many are still made from plastic, this actually is NOT as ecofriendly because once they are no longer of use to you, they also become disposable plastic since most containers aren't recyclable so be sure to check labels before you purchase or opt for glass or ceramic containers instead! For this week's #ctww challenge I actually popped over to Nature Junkie's shop and scooped up a fabric reusable sandwich/snack bag that is machine washable rather than buying more plastic containers for my son's lunch box (after the dog chewed up the only plastic container we had). 

Graphic from Starbucks - who offers a $0.10 discount for bringing your own mug for coffee!

• Always carry a ceramic reusable to-go mug or tumbler with you. Most coffee houses actually give you a discount for bringing a reusable coffee mug. Keep forgetting to bring it? As soon as you get home, rinse it out, wipe it dry and stick it in your purse or diaper bag, or put it back in the cup holder in your car for the next day - voila! Looking at the graphic above, think about Starbuck's daily traffic, and imagine how small 1.8% of people bringing their own tumbler really is - now imagine what an impact it would make to switch to a reusable tumbler for your daily coffee!
• Similar to the post above, have a refillable water bottle with you at all times - Brita makes tumblers that filter water on the go, which we use! Keep one in the car or in your bag at all times - this way you won't ever need to grab a beverage in a plastic bottle while you are out! We also stopped buying soda and buy our milk in glass jars rather than plastic bottles. We have only have one plastic cap from the milk jug every two weeks, which still equals 21 caps a year that ends up in landfills since they aren't recyclable in our area. Replacing sodas and drinks in plastic containers with filtered water or smoothies/juice made at home reduces a huge amount of plastic pollution!
• Ordering take out? Skip the drinks in disposable cups with plastic lids and just pour a drink at home instead! Dining out? Straws aren't recyclable, so tell the serving staff no thanks.
• Less is more at the store - buy individual produce rather than packaged fruit or veggies on saran wrapped plastic trays, skip putting the produce in plastic bags, and opt for fresh stalks of greens over bagged varieties, avoid food in plastic bags. In short - Try to buy the products with the least plastic packaging!

What are some ways you can think of to reduce plastic waste this week?