Plastic Free July Day 6

I didn't think I had anything to say today, and so I was going to just take a day off from posting, until I realized that something kind of extraordinary did happen that was directly related to my efforts with Plastic Free July.  And to the efforts of anyone involved in this commitment.

I have coffee with a circle of friends every other Sunday.  About 10-12 of us get a large table and we catch up with each other and talk and pull Tarot cards and just generally gain insight into what is happening for each of us.  It's a beautiful group and I enjoy it very much.

What seemed significant today was that more than one person commented on the Plastic Free thing I was involved in.  And I realized that on some level it is spreading into the community via my friends and family.  In fact 5 different people this week talked to me about what I was doing.  They asked questions.  They talked about wanting to get into the habit of becoming more aware.  About making a change on some level in the way they consume plastic.  And they are talking to other people about it as well.

This is encouraging to me, because as more people get involved and change their habits even just a little bit, they begin influencing others to begin thinking about it as well.

It is really easy to get so used to something, like being served an entire meal on single use plastic in a cafe, that we accept it as normal.

But it's not normal.  There is nothing normal or healthy about disposable plastic.  And I am grateful to have the opportunity to expand my awareness to include that realization.

And I am happy to be a part of the ripple effect.

So if you are a part of any type of social change, no matter what the issue is, you can be happy in the knowledge that your efforts are creating change, because you are a living example.

Thank you for your efforts.

https://www.plasticfreejuly.org

Plastic Free July Day 3

Quick post #plasticfree #zerowaste

My huge roasting pan that I bought second hand.

Every week I buy three chickens, and 1 1/2 pound combined hearts and livers.  Half the chicken goes to us humans and the other half goes to feed the three family cats.

I make raw cat food for my cats every week.

Three chickens a week plus organ meats, add up to a lot of plastic packaging.  So there was only one thing to do for Plastic Free July.

I take my roasting pan to a chicken farm, and buy them locally without packaging.  It all goes into my pan, and within minutes it's in my refrigerator, waiting to be turned into cat food and divvied up to be made into dinners for us humans.

Yes all three whole chickens fit in this thing.  It's vintage.  A remnant from the days when people would cook a hunk of meat and live on it all week.

There are a lot of reasons I do this.

1. By making my own cat food, I not only ensure the quality, but also I am not supporting an industry I know very little about--the Pet Food Industry.
2. I am supporting a local farm--family run business, not corporate farming.  The money goes to support people I know who live in the community, and share similar values.
3. I know the farmers, I know the operation. I know the birds are raised organically, and treated humanely because I have actually worked on this particular farm.
4. Zero plastic packaging! Zero disposable packaging.
5. The freshest food you can get, is that which is grown and raised in your own area.
6. Extremely low fossil fuel consumption to get my chicken because it's not coming from out of the area.

That's all for Day 3.

Animals & The 4th of July Holiday

Friday is just around the corner and if your neighborhood is anything like mine, the fireworks have already begun.  And will probably go on all week end.  I wrote a post earlier in the week about keeping your animals safe and comfortable in the heat and noise.  The highlights bear repeating.  To keep your animal friends safe and comfortable this holiday:

• Try to walk your dog in daylight hours before the fireworks start. 

• Keep them indoors with cat/dog  flap or gate shut.  If your dog needs to go out doors, go out with them to help them feel more secure.  Keep  cat litter pan available. 

• Draw the curtains to avoid startling from sudden flashes. 

• Toys are a good distraction and keep your pet occupied.  And TV or music will help to distract and take emphasis off the noise outside. 

• Make safe hiding places, or dens with blankets and bedding to help muffle the noise. 

• If your animals are hiding indoors, don't try to lure them out.  Just leave them be. 

• Try to act normal  if your animal is stressed so as not to reinforce their fear.

• Make sure there is plenty of food and water on hand for your animal, and that your house doesn't get too hot and stuffy indoors.

Most animals recover pretty quickly after the holiday is over.  Our cat Buddy took a full month to recover after the 4th, the first year he came to live with us.  Now, he goes into hiding during the noise, but comes out when it's over.  He's still stressed over it, but he knows he's safe with his family, and we give him his space and don't fuss over him.

Often he slinks from one hiding place to another.  Movement is fine.  If an animal can't calm down, moving around will help them to use up the extra adrenaline.  Eating helps some animals, playing helps others, and some just want to hunker down and sleep if they can.  Let your animal decide for itself how it want to handle this stress.

It's natural to feel for our animal friends and try to "help" them through a stressful time.  The best help you can be is not to focus too much attention on your animal.  Just knowing you're nearby is enough, and the more normal you act, the more relaxed and comfortable they will be.

Here's to a safe & happy 4th of July celebration!

Plastic Free July Day 1

I spent the day binding books for Pegana Press, our small family press, while the temperatures climbed into the nineties. (F.)  Then I cooked supper.  After dinner I announced to my husband that I wanted ice cream!

We haven't had it in a long time, and it was just the day for it.

Mike reminded me that if we bought ice cream there would be plastic involved.  But I was ready for it.

Olympic Mountain Ice Cream creates awesome ice cream, but you won't find it in the grocery store.  It's only available in restaurants.  Which is good, because they have the old fashioned heavy cardboard ice cream containers with cardboard lids.

I wanted Spumoni so we drove over to Pelligrino's Italian Kitchen.  They were super busy, so we got it to go.  Good thing I had my 2-Tier Tiffin Food Carrier with me from To-Go Ware.  The woman at Pelligrino's put ice in the bottom tier, and the ice cream fit with room to spare in the top tier.

I first found this at my local food co-op about a year ago, but they're not cheap, and I had a hard time talking myself into buying one-let alone two, until Plastic Free July came along.  I went for the two different sizes, and I keep them in the car in case we are eating out.

Our neighbors in Seattle/King County have banned styrofoam, so if you get something to go, it is likely to come in a paper container.

Not so, here in Olympia/Thurston County.  There is still a lot of styrofoam  containers being given out in restaurants. Pretty backward thinking for the capital city of our state.  Mostly Mike and I just don't eat out.

But now if we do, I can put left overs into this food carrier and maybe I'll start a trend, because so far I've never seen anyone else around here doing that.

I really appreciate this product, and the thing I would change about it is the little plastic tag holder which loops around fixing the tag to the handle of the Tiffin.  I was so excited that I didn't even notice it until I got home.  I'll bet a little hemp twine would work equally well.  Maybe I'll send them an email.

Local Stuff: The Bread Peddler

Earlier in June, I participated in a world wide event called Zero Plastic Week. This event was designed to create awareness around how much single use plastic we have coming at us every day (which doesn't really go away).

This event encouraged me to take my already fairly low plastic lifestyle to a whole new level, and I began looking for creative solutions to avoid single use plastic entirely.

A new world wide event, Plastic Free July begins tomorrow.  And I will be blogging about my participation in this challenge.  My challenges, my solutions, (and my failures--which I hope will be few).

Today I want to honor a local business that is also contributing to the solution.  In a town of many, many locally owned bakeries, this one stands out for me.  The Bread Peddler.  Organic bread, incredible food, inviting atmosphere.

I went there for the first time Saturday, clutching my green & white striped flour sack and hoping that they would put the bread right into it, instead of in another bag, whether plastic or paper.

They were super busy and crowded, but the line moved quickly, and the girl who helped me was friendly as she helped me choose two loaves of bread.  She reached for the bag I brought even before I had a chance to ask her if it would be alright.  I was so excited, and fell instantly in love with the place.

Today, I went back with my husband to try some of their food.  We thought we would beat the lunch crowd, but apparently, the place is always busy.  And as before, the line moved fast and efficiently.  We ordered amazing sandwiches, and more bread to take home, and then a slice of peach/pecan tart for desert and some chocolate corks (dark rich small chocolate cakes) with coffee.

We ate our food there, but Mike noticed that when people ordered their sandwiches to go, they would wrap them in paper and tie them with string.

I Love this place!

Thank you Bread Peddler for giving us plastic free options.  And for offering such healthy, delicious food choices.

Some Benefits to Eating Locally Grown Foods

1. It's Fresh.  Full of nutrients and living enzymes.

2. You support your local economy if you buy from local farmers/food producers.

3. Food grown locally supports biodiversity.

4. The food grown locally is more likely to contain the nutrients specific to local needs.

5. Less use of fossil fuels in transporting the food to market.  
    (Even less if you grow it yourself).

6. Locally grown food creates close community ties.


Talk to me my friends.   ♥    Do you grow your own food?  Do you buy sustainable organic food grown in your local area?