We're going to be on the local news tonight! WE'RE GOING BIG TIME.
Wow. We can't believe this is happening. We'd like thank Charlottesville, the University, our families, and The Big Guy Up There. We couldn't have done it without you.
The full story will be on CBS at 5 and 6, with abridged versions at 7, 10, and 11 on other local news channels. Chcchchchceck it out. We'll post a link once they have it up!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Sweet, sweet summertime.
Summertime DEFINITELY isn't over! This coming week, we want YOU to do the Indian Summer with us. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to reduce your carbon footprint in any or all of our 5 different focuses.
If you need a review of what it is we're doing, you can find that here- http://theindiansummer-cvi
...Flip through the blog to find our thoughts, tips, and reflections, and decide how you want to ACT! (we'll be putting more posts about topics we haven't covered real soon). You can officially pledge by posting it on the facebook event page (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=125133897540465), leaving a comment on the blog, or by emailing us at indiansummercville@gmail.com.
Some ideas of what you can pledge for the week...
- NO CARS to get anywhere in cville
- 5 minute showers
- Eating locally (one meal a day, three meals a day?)
Think about what you want to do, and prepare for that. For example, you might need to visit the market on Saturday (highly recommended anyway), or tune-up your old bike. If you need any tips or advice, be sure to let us know! We would love to help out in any way we can!
Peace, love, and everything local.
If you need a review of what it is we're doing, you can find that here- http://theindiansummer-cvi
...Flip through the blog to find our thoughts, tips, and reflections, and decide how you want to ACT! (we'll be putting more posts about topics we haven't covered real soon). You can officially pledge by posting it on the facebook event page (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=125133897540465), leaving a comment on the blog, or by emailing us at indiansummercville@gmail.com.
Some ideas of what you can pledge for the week...
- NO CARS to get anywhere in cville
- 5 minute showers
- Eating locally (one meal a day, three meals a day?)
Think about what you want to do, and prepare for that. For example, you might need to visit the market on Saturday (highly recommended anyway), or tune-up your old bike. If you need any tips or advice, be sure to let us know! We would love to help out in any way we can!
Peace, love, and everything local.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Dirty Thoughts
It had to be done.
Arley: Honestly, this has been one of the easier parts of the project. I think most people recycle when its most convenient for them, and I was definitely one of those people before this project started. So it wasn't the biggest life-altering aspect of what we're doing. Its soooooo easy not to throw paper in the trash, or when I'm cooking to just throw away the parts I'm not using out of vegetables. Recycling/composting is always right next our trash and composting. The trickiest part has been packaging-which we've been able to avoid in a big way because we're shopping at the market! We buy a lot of fresh food, so its easy to avoid the packaging that processed food comes in. Recycling and composting makes easy-breezy sense. It surprises me how many people don't do it! (13,000 pieces of individual paper are thrown away per year in an average American household, instead of being recycled. Yikes.) Just doooo it people. Plus, recycling and composting your waste is cheaper on your bills. So there's affordability in the Indian Summer! Holler.
Sarah: There's a reason there are so many triple R phrases, songs, and movements. Reducing, reusing, and recycling are awesome. Like we mentioned before we cut our trash in (less than) half at our house of twelve girls by recycling and composting. Arley and I have made very little trash. And let me just tell you, it feels pretty good. Composting is cool too. It makes sense. I can't believe I never did it before. I mean, you have nutrient rich waste that can be composted for better soil for gardening or whatever your needs. I just challenge any of you to really gage how much you are throwing away in any given day. Then figure out the week. And then the year. And then your life so far. That's probably a lot of trash. And it will probably be good for you to think about it. What if you could cut it in half or even more? What if everyone did that? Call me a dreamer, but hey it could be so amazing. Speaking of challenges...
GET READY FOR OUR INDIAN SUMMER CHALLENGE starting this Saturday (yes perfectly in line with the farmer's market for your convenience) where you can pledge to live a more mindful "Indian Summer"- style lifestyle for a week. You can pick one thing, a couple things, or do the whole she-bang that we are doing to come along with us! We will post more details and a facebook event to make it official very soon.
Arley: Honestly, this has been one of the easier parts of the project. I think most people recycle when its most convenient for them, and I was definitely one of those people before this project started. So it wasn't the biggest life-altering aspect of what we're doing. Its soooooo easy not to throw paper in the trash, or when I'm cooking to just throw away the parts I'm not using out of vegetables. Recycling/composting is always right next our trash and composting. The trickiest part has been packaging-which we've been able to avoid in a big way because we're shopping at the market! We buy a lot of fresh food, so its easy to avoid the packaging that processed food comes in. Recycling and composting makes easy-breezy sense. It surprises me how many people don't do it! (13,000 pieces of individual paper are thrown away per year in an average American household, instead of being recycled. Yikes.) Just doooo it people. Plus, recycling and composting your waste is cheaper on your bills. So there's affordability in the Indian Summer! Holler.
Sarah: There's a reason there are so many triple R phrases, songs, and movements. Reducing, reusing, and recycling are awesome. Like we mentioned before we cut our trash in (less than) half at our house of twelve girls by recycling and composting. Arley and I have made very little trash. And let me just tell you, it feels pretty good. Composting is cool too. It makes sense. I can't believe I never did it before. I mean, you have nutrient rich waste that can be composted for better soil for gardening or whatever your needs. I just challenge any of you to really gage how much you are throwing away in any given day. Then figure out the week. And then the year. And then your life so far. That's probably a lot of trash. And it will probably be good for you to think about it. What if you could cut it in half or even more? What if everyone did that? Call me a dreamer, but hey it could be so amazing. Speaking of challenges...
GET READY FOR OUR INDIAN SUMMER CHALLENGE starting this Saturday (yes perfectly in line with the farmer's market for your convenience) where you can pledge to live a more mindful "Indian Summer"- style lifestyle for a week. You can pick one thing, a couple things, or do the whole she-bang that we are doing to come along with us! We will post more details and a facebook event to make it official very soon.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Trash Talk [take 2]
In honor of the theme, we have decided to recycle a post title.
Before we share our own personal reflections, we thought we might share one more really cool project that seeks to reduce our consumption by increasing recycling. Check out William McDonough and Michael Braungart's cradle-to-cradle design. Cradle-to-cradle creates products that never see the landfill in their entire life cycle-an important part of that is removing down-cycling from their life cycles. Some materials are "down-cycled" instead of recycled, because the material in its re-used state, is lower quality or less useful than the state is was in before. McDounough and Braungart co-wrote a book printed on plastic (cool, right?) that you can find here. You should also check out the website about cradle-to-cradle design and certification. They also made a documentary called "Waste=Food" that explores the unnecessary sacrifices we're making to consume. You can watch it on google video, which sounds kind of sketchy, but it works! Enjoy!
Peace love + everything local.
Before we share our own personal reflections, we thought we might share one more really cool project that seeks to reduce our consumption by increasing recycling. Check out William McDonough and Michael Braungart's cradle-to-cradle design. Cradle-to-cradle creates products that never see the landfill in their entire life cycle-an important part of that is removing down-cycling from their life cycles. Some materials are "down-cycled" instead of recycled, because the material in its re-used state, is lower quality or less useful than the state is was in before. McDounough and Braungart co-wrote a book printed on plastic (cool, right?) that you can find here. You should also check out the website about cradle-to-cradle design and certification. They also made a documentary called "Waste=Food" that explores the unnecessary sacrifices we're making to consume. You can watch it on google video, which sounds kind of sketchy, but it works! Enjoy!
Peace love + everything local.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
OOOOOOOOOOOH we're halfway there.
OOOOOOOOO-OH! Living...off the laaaaa-and.
Yes. Puns. Jokes. Cheese.
But we really are halfway there. Today-this Sunday-is day 40. Tonight-this night-marks the end of the halfway point of our 80 day trip. It's been great, challenging, fun, and transforming. Thanks for keeping up with us! We hope you've enjoyed it as much as we have!
Peace love + everything local.
PS Our thoughts and reflection on recycling/composting to come soon!
Yes. Puns. Jokes. Cheese.
But we really are halfway there. Today-this Sunday-is day 40. Tonight-this night-marks the end of the halfway point of our 80 day trip. It's been great, challenging, fun, and transforming. Thanks for keeping up with us! We hope you've enjoyed it as much as we have!
Peace love + everything local.
PS Our thoughts and reflection on recycling/composting to come soon!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
RE-lapse in time.
So folks, sorry about the lack of updates on our blog. But no worries, we are still kicking.
Lesson of the past couple weeks: REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE. RETHINK everything you do.
Tips for Reducing:
Avoid packaging! Why do you need a new grocery bag every time you go to the store? Why does your toothpaste need two packages? Why have we tricked ourselves into thinking that NEW = BETTER?
Listen to this: you can reduce trash, pollution, and the money we spend on plastic bags by bringing your own tote bag to the store (any store, not just groceries!). Avoid buying things with excess packaging! Use your consumer power for something good! Buy used stuff. It's more eco-friendly, and its cheaper too! Not to mention the hipster status you get from thrifting...And borrow things from your friends. You probably have plenty of friends with similar needs, tastes, and interests, so if you really need or want something, you can find a friend to help you out!
Tips for Reusing:
IF possible, reuse. It's awesome. Keep cans/containers/bottles to store things. Buy whatever food you can in bulk, and reuse containers for that (Integral Yoga and Wholefoods are great places to buy in bulk). Give clothes to Goodwill or our local favorite SPCA Rummage. Use creativity and reduce trash impact. If we make a conscious effort to watch what we throw away, we will find that we are throwing away things that could be reused, or recycled for that matter.
UVA recycling has some super good tips and events:
http://utilities.fm.virginia.edu/recycling/guide.aspx
and for Charlottesville:
http://www.charlottesville.org/Index.aspx?page=566
Tips for Recycling:
Just do it. Please. Our house has gone from two large trash-cans a week to one small one by using the reducing/recycling/ composting magic formula!!! How cool is that?
Since Sarah is 21 now...21 things you didn't know you could recycle found here: http://www.greenamericatoday.org/pubs/greenamerican/articles/21Things.cfm
We'd like to add aluminum foil to the list. Just clean it off if food is on it. Just think about how much aluminum foil we through away? It's the same as the cans we so love to recycle! And aluminum is one of the easiest materials to recycle (less downcycling, more recycling!) So next time, think about recycling your aluminum foil.
Tips for Composting:
"Composting is the decomposition of plant remains and other once-living materials to make an earthy, dark, crumbly substance that is excellent for adding to houseplants or enriching garden soil. It is the way to recycle your yard and kitchen wastes, and is a critical step in reducing the volume of garbage needlessly sent to landfills for disposal. It's easy to learn how to compost." http://www.howtocompost.org/
In short: Keep a bin under the sink or somewhere in the kitchen where you can keep all natural trash from fresh foods. All fruits and vegetables/seeds/greens/eggshells/paper-towels/anything biodegradable. Do NOT put meat or cheese...or you will have some problems. Every couple of days, throw it in a pile where you put the old on top and the new compost on the bottom to let it break down into good nutrient dense soil.
We hope you found these helpful and challenging!
Peace love and everything local.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Trash Talk
Next, we're focusing on recycling and composting. To get things started, we thought we'd go back to the beginning [where trash comes from]. Check out this neat video on our consumption patterns here in the US-it's part of Annie Leonard's project "The Story of Stuff". She presents some compelling insight into our systems and mindsets about the "stuff" we make, buy, use, and throw away. She focuses on trash in the last few minutes of the clip, so pay special attention there! She did such a great job, we thought we'd let her do the talking. Enjoy!
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