The Earth Savers Blog

Compost Catalyst

The New York Times recently reported a story by Malia Wollan about San Francisco's tough recycling laws. Amazingly the state has started fining those who do not adhere to their strict recycling laws by fining residents or business owners of up to $1,000 but the best part is that these laws now include composting.

YEA SAN FRANCISCO!!!

    "The city already diverts 72 percent of the 2.1 million tons of waste it's residents produce each year away from landfills and into recycling and composting programs."

The goal for this inspiring city is to send zero waste to landfills by 2020. Three bins will help the city manage it's goal with help from it's citizens by issuing three bins: one for recycling, one for trash and the new GREEN one for compost.

I remember doing an interview with John Bradford last year where he said "There are two simple things that every citizen in the world can do to make a difference, and that's recycle your plastics, and compost."

He went on to explain that by doing this we close the loop by reusing our packaging,  and replenishing our land with the nutrients it needs to grow nutrient rich foods.  Composting is easy for anyone to do- but just like developing a discipline for recycling can's and bottles- it's now adding that new action into your routine each day. 

Our family keeps our composting bin by the sink. Instead of throwing our veggie peels, and fruit cores and rinds into the sink or trash it goes into the compost bucket and the kids take turns walking it out to the compost pile in the yard at the end of each day or every couple of days.  It's a matter of being conscious as you run through your meal routine that is likely on auto pilot.

Here are a few recommendations to get started:

• Kids are great team players - so enroll their help telling them about composting and it's benefits to the planet. They also make great police so if you want someone to remind you when you go to throw those egg shells in the trash, they can blow the whistle until everyone gets in the habit.
• Make a list of all the items that can be composted- or an image of the veggie or fruit or shell and stick it on the fridge for everyone to reference
• Invest in a compost bucket or ceramic urn with a lid- you can check out other options here.
• If you want additional facts on how to compost or why it's so beneficial you can look here. 
• If you want more info specifically geared toward kids you can go here.

 

Never Thought to Recycle THAT!

Becky Roque is a hip twenty year old Miami college student who's been making her way through her tuition bills by waitressing.  Look how smart! That college education is paying off!
She pulled out her billfold to pay for her purchase at the register of our consignment store, and I could not help but notice....

"I just love making new designs and seeing a new use for boring or broken things, I especially when I can create wearable art." - Becky Rouque

Materials: Black Waitress Bill Fold
Acrylic Paint
Buttons
Glue

 

Please send us any images of your recycled items that might qualify for this new area of our blog!
If you have a recycled item that you would like to share we would love to showcase them on NEVER THOUGHT TO RECYCLE THAT!

It's easy:

• Send your email to mrodgers@littlebits.com with a description of your item and how and why you did it- what gave you the inspiration?
  
• your name, any details about yourself you want to share
  
• State or Country where you reside or what company you work for
• An image or several images of your item
  
• and why you think it's important to live green!

Mission Bird House- Activity for KIds

The real reason that you should build a house for a bird is that you'd be doing them a huge favor.  Birds all over the world are losing their homes and dying out, and certain birds have already become extinct.  We need to protect the ones that are left and you can be the hero that builds a place for a bird family to stay!

First a few facts:

Many birds migrate meaning that they can fly for tremendously long distances at different times of the year and because there are not enough trees or grasses in cities for all the birds to make their nests in- they have no place to "rest."

If the weather turns bad in late spring as it can sometimes do, birds who have flown back from the South to the North for the Summer months are left in frigid cold with no protection from the elements, so if you make a place for them to stay they might even make it "home" enough to raise a family right in your own back yard!

Kids absolutely love the wonder and beauty of birds, and their nests. They are fascinated by the little eggs, and how they hatch. Grab your kids and a a milk carton and find a good place to work together on a backyard birdhouse or two for your family. They also make a great gift!!

Materials:

• Empty (rinsed) half gallon cardboard milk carton

• Scissors

• 2 ft of wire ( medium grade- it needs to hold the birdhouse up but be pliable)

• Waterproof packing tape

• Dried Grass or leaves

• Hammer and nails

Step 1: Cut open the top of the carton
Step 2: Use the scissors to cut out a hole the size of an oreo cookie in one side of the carton for the "door" unless it already has a built in "spout" or hole in which case no need...
Step 3: one the other side of the carton make 2 holes with the nail - the top hole 1/3 way down from the top of the carton, the bottom hole also 1/3 up from the bottom
Step 4: Put the wire through the nail hole through the top hole along the inside of the carton and out the bottom hole
Step 5: Make a bed for the birds by putting the dry grass in the bottom, close the top and seal it tight with packaging tape
Step 6: Now take a walk around the yard and determine your "spot" - and if you can choose a spot close to a house window so you can watch..even better!
Step 7: hammer two nails into the tree about 1' apart one above the other and wrap the wire around the nails nice and tight so that the house stays in place
Extra: You can always embellish by using water resistant paint for decorating and of course use little dowels as "perch" areas outside their doorway

Now you are ready to wait and watch and see if your feathered friends will come to rest....

Best Friends.

 

Do we ever really forget about the first true best friend we ever had?  I know I won't.
My first real best friend was Marcie Blake, and I would have pretty much would have given her my right arm if she asked me to.  The power of friendship has gotten me through the very worst times in my life, and of course illuminated the very best times in my life as well. There is nothing like sharing an experience with someone and deepening a bond through thick and thin. My friends have taught me so much about myself, and about life, and about what it means to be a true friend. Sometimes you just connect with someone right away, and other times a friendship develops over time.

I watch my daughter now, almost seven as she deepens her relationships to her peers, and when she gravitates toward one particular friend I am always so intrigued. What makes that bond so tight and so strong even at such a young age? It's amazing to me. Today I simply marveled at their antics, giggling fits, fights, makeups, and sadness when it was time to part. They were as thick as thieves, and it truly made for a special day to simply be around them as they joyously played with each other and genuinely and deeply enjoyed each others company, and oh...an ice cream cone never hurts. 

Unplug This Summer.

Growing up my dad used to call the television the idiot box. I read an article yesterday that quoted that the average American child watches approximately 40 hours of television a week.

40 HOURS A WEEK.

Is that possible?
When I think of my work week, and how many hours I spend interacting with customers, organizing product, paying bills, thinking of new ways to market, I am exhausted. When I think about a child sitting mindlessly watching TV for 8 hours a day, without interaction, motor activity, intellectual stimulation, or imaginative play I am infuriated. What are we doing? How are we, as adults allowing this to happen?
In the age of green consciousness how are we to engage our children in becoming knowledgeable, capable, and compassionate stewards of the planet if they are not outside engaged in the wonder of nature and imaginative play? How can we expect them to use their own minds to exercise forethought or problem solving, or innovation if we teach them to be mindless and numb, and passive? How do we expect them to really care and create a deep connection and wonder to life and all of it's mysteries if we continually keep them indoors and occupied with the idiot box? PLEASE American parents...UNPLUG the television and set your kids free.

Thinking Outside the BOX

So which of the Earth Savers Gang characters would these fellows take after?  Well, a couple of them for sure, but I'll wager that Penelope Paper Saver and Zach Energy Saver would totally groove on this idea:

Meet Joseph Haskett, Peter Gill Case, and Joshua Brant who are working together as a new brand of architectural and urban development hero's to recycle several of the thousands of shipping containers that sit empty in ports around the country.  These shipping containers were once filled with all of the goods that our global economy thrives on but since the economy has slowed and thankfully the level of awareness rises these guys have taken a new look at the old, and with a little ingenuity conceived another life for the otherwise massive and useless steel boxes.

Read more about the Onlyville Box Office Project and join us at Earth Savers in giving them a huge nod for excellent innovation, green building smarts, and conscious lifestyle alternatives.

When Things Fall Apart

"Embarking on the spiritual journey is like getting into a very small boat and setting out on the Oceans to search for unknown lands. With wholehearted practice comes inspiration, but sooner or later we will encounter fear. For all we know when we get out onto the horizon, we are going to drop off the edge of the world. Like all explorers we are drawn to discover what's waiting out there without knowing yet if we have the courage to face it."  - Pema Chondron

When I started my company I set out to inspire others on the journey of consciousness. I did this never really realizing how unconscious I was to my own life, to my own self. It's interesting to be consider the possibility that I can not be of much impact to anyone else or anything else until I start first by looking at  who I am, what my actions are, how they impact others, and most importantly accepting myself for who I am.

Introducing parents to a loving and caring attitude about the way we treat our environment so that we can demonstrate to our kids how to be good stewards of the planet is where I was headed... as a parents myself I have had to face myself in the mirror and realize that this can only happen collectively if we are first willing to make it happen individually, and if we are to really trust in our ability to make an impact and a difference, then we have to embrace who each of us is, and respect ourselves and each other as individuals.

When things started to fall apart I started feeling worse and worse. My business started to go under,  my marriage was suffering, and everywhere I turned I seemed to be overwhelmed and having no idea how or what I could do to make it better. When I payed attention to how I was being on the inside - I realized I was beating myself up for many events that were completely out of my control, and the thing that were in my control I was too afraid and weak to look at because I had chastised myself so completely.

When things are tough do I have a loving, respectful, caring, and compassionate attitude towards myself?  The answer is no. The question then begs, If I don't have compassion for myself - how can I really relate and have compassion for those around me?

The way that I treat the world is a reflection of how I feel about myself in many cases. Do I beat myself up? Do I criticize myself? Do I neglect myself? Do I punish myself? Do I have compassion for myself? Do I forgive myself? Do I respect myself?

The state of the environment is a reflection after all. In order to make any kind of a difference, any kind of an impact I must first look at myself and accept what I see, love what I see, and respect what I see. I explore who I am and all that I am and all that I am not, and try to embrace it with as much honesty and acceptance as I can muster. I do so because I am drawn I guess to "discover what's waiting out there" and I have to say it's the scariest thing I have ever done.  To look at another human being and point a finger is so much easier. To look at oneself and inside oneself is very humbling. I can only be responsible for me- and my actions, and my view of the world. How I treat others and the beautiful world I live in is an extension of how I treat myself. 

As I stand inside the mess around me and the dust settles I look at where I might not have been willing, accepting, compassionate, or loving. It has brought me great sadness and at times seemed like a scary and thankless adventure, but I find myself drawn non-the-less to the moments of pure joy, discovery, and insight it has brought as well.

A wonderful friend of mine brought me this book on the day I closed my flagship store in Newport.
I stood amidst the boxes of packing up and moving out and read the first passage- and it gave me great hope and solace. When things fall apart I have discovered that there is an opportunity for growth, and connection and love not only to others and to the world  but to the only thing that really matters....yourself.

NPR & AAA and Unlikely Pair.

Sometimes some of my best thinking is done while driving. Yesterday NPR triggered a series of memories and emotions I was not expecting. When I was a little girl I remember waiting up for my dad to come home from work as I tried to sit patiently - the hum of the dishwasher making me feel sleepy...my footed pajama's whispering on linoleum floors, shadows dancing on flowered walls.

I would wait for him to walk through the door from a long day of surgery, and eat up the attention that the Dr. would finally direct my way.  It's been almost 20 years since he passed of prostate cancer, and I remember that wink and his smile like it was yesterday.  There were things about him that were all his own including his sense of humor, unwavering faith, can do attitude, and his passion for literature and music. The thing I remember most about my Dad was his hunger for intellectually challenging conversation. He loved digging in the trenches of discussions, and challenged me to think and respond accordingly. He was into the "principal" of things and held a high moral standard for himself, and those around him.

He never really treated me like a child, and I think exposed me to issues and problems well before I was actually able to wrap my head around them- but it did make me feel extremely important and boosted my confidence. He certainly taught me never to "hide" out with thoughts unspoken. He told me once that "life was for living, " and so it is.

My Dad's family were Irish Immigrants- and his parents settled in Wakefield MA on Albion Street, and proceeded to have eight children. My Dad was born in 1923. His father was a butcher, and I really no nothing more except that both of his parents died of cancer before he turned twenty. His sisters put him through college and medical school, and he would tell me stories about how he had been a poor student, and failed many classes in math and science before finally "applying himself" and making the marks that finally allowed him to graduate and go on to Georgetown Medical University where he studied Vascular Surgery. He was a pioneer in his field and went on to become Chief Vascular Surgeon at one of the largest hospitals in Detriot Michigan, and held that position for 30 years (I was still in high school when he retired.)

He had been drafted, been through wars, cared for people in WWII, and worked with sick and wounded people from the onset of his career. He had been there through the Detriot Riots, and used to tell me about the many gunshot wounds, and terrible stories of families who's children had needed a surgeon and who could not afford the care, and how he would peform the surgery's anyways. We would always have visits from people who would bring gifts to our home on the weekends to come visit the "Doc" many who said he saved their lives.

In addition to the fact that NPR was always a favored station in his car I heard a poem yesterday entitled "Music" and It was simply beautiful and flooded me with memories I had not even known I still had. I remember how after he retired my dad would drive me to school and we would listen to the classical station and how he would orchestrate the music with his finger in the air, and intermittently pat my knee. He affectionately called me "Moniker" and I had a deep affection for my Dad- we were pretty great together.

I learned yesterday as I was listening to that poem called "Music" that grief can still reach out of the quiet peaceful places of your heart and wash over your memory as you sit remembering the life of someone who deeply touches your soul. I learned that it can still wrack you years later- even when you never see it coming. Life I think, is funny like that. It makes you FEEL when you least expect it, and forces you to have a moment that seems way to big for you to manage, and then will throw you something uneventful and mundane in it's wake - like a flat tire.

When I had finished wiping my tears and cursing the pothole I calmly called AAA and waited until someone came to my assistance. The roadside spot where I had wept so deeply as I recalled such a remarkable piece of my life easily let me move onward as the open road lay before me. AAA finished it's fix and I put the car into drive.

 

Solace in Poetry

I have found so much beauty and solace in poetry lately. I highly recommend the "Ten Poems" series by Roger Housden. He does a beautiful job of explaining how to interpret and appreciate poetry, and I find that his take on each of the ten poems he shares to give me an entirely different perception than If I had just read them on my own.  One of my most recent favorites is Self Portrait. I hope you enjoy.

Self Portrait

It doesn't interest me if there is one God
or many gods.
I want to know if you belong or feel
abandoned.
If you know despair or can see it in others.
I want to know
if you are prepared to live in the world
with its harsh need
to change you. If you can look back
with firm eyes
saying this is where I stand. I want to know
if you know
how to melt into that fierce heat of living
falling toward
the center of your longing. I want to know
if you are willing
to live, day by day, with the consequence of love
and the bitter
unwanted passion of your sure defeat.

I have heard, in that fierce embrace, even
the gods speak of God.

  

-- David Whyte

Galapagos in Grave Danger

The fate of the Galapagos islands has me saddened today.

Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean and it's wildlife is its most remarkable feature.
The Galápagos Islands ( in Ecuador) and are part of the country's national park system. The principal language on the islands is Spanish and are famed for their vast number of endemic species, which were studied by Charles Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle. His observations and collections contributed to the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection.

So many beautiful poems and books and journeys have been written about the islands, and they are currently in grave danger due to global warming. To donate or drive awareness please visit http://www.gct.org/