I can't recycle because my apartment complex doesn't do it...

Boo hoo...so what? Do you take your clothes to the dry-cleaners or you don't dry clean because your building doesn't have a pick up set up for your "convenience" (a/k/a lazy self)? See? The way you built the habit to put your "dry-clean only" clothes in a separate pile, that's how you can dedicate 21 days to building the habit of recycling.

And just because your apartment building doesn't collect recyclables (shame on them btw), that doesn't mean you're off the hook.  Your local grocery store recycles at least aluminum cans and newspaper.  Some more "advanced" grocery stores recycle everything else like plastic, glass etc.  All you have to do is just a little bit of research.  Because my condo complex does recycle, I have friends who bring their recyclables to me.  Ask around, maybe your co-workers would be willing to take your stuff.  How does the saying go? Where there's a will, there's a way.  Have the will, and the means will make itself available.

These days, recycling is so fashionable that you can recycle most anything.  Check your city's website and there has to be a link dedicated specifically to recycling.  Denver's is http://www.denvergov.org/Default.aspx?alias=www.denvergov.org/recapp  If you own your own home, you can sign up for the Purple Bin and if you're lucky enough to be within the composting pilot program, you can also get a bin for that.  To find out if you're in the privileged zone, here's the link http://www.denvergov.org/recoth/CompostingCollectionPilotProgram/SignupforCompostingCollectionPilotProgram/tabid/431904/Default.aspx

Happy recycling :)

Nico

Do you really need that bag?

Seriously...what's with people in grocery stores and the s%&#@d plastic bags available at every corner? Do you really need your bananas in an individual plastic bag? Do you eat the peel or something? Not to mention that you could be bringing your own plastic bags, like the ones you have to buy because you kind of have no choice (i.e sliced bread bags).

Pause for a second and think how much plastic usage you could reduce if you would stop putting everything in a plastic bag.  Even lettuce, which I'm sure you'll argue needs a bag (not a new one it doesn't) I would encourage you not to put it in a bag.  You bring it home and wash it anyway don't you? See? No bag needed.  Same goes for apples, lemons, oranges, pears you name it.  If you do need to buy enough to feed an army, again bring your own bag (a/k/a "BOB") otherwise, place them in your cart and that's that.

Another suggestion I have is to make your own bags out of cheap material if you feel Martha Stewart-ish one day, or again, keep random plastic bags you come across from other packaging.  Even ziplock bags that look worn out (because I know you wash and reuse them :), you can use to bring home the fresh produce.   Here, I did a quick search on Google and found this link for Reusable Produce Bags.

Just give it a try, you'll be so satisfied when you will look in your cart and realize you have so much less plastic than usual.  Or maybe it's just me getting excited about things like that?

Go green!

Indoor Composting

So...garbage...such an annoying subject. Have you ever paused and thought for a second at the amount of garbage you and your family produce? If you think you're ok, try the following exercise for a week. Keep a journal of EVERYTHING you through out. Just for a week. You won't believe the amount of crapiola you produce. And guess what, with a little bit of awareness you could actually reduce that amount of waste to very little. My family and I are down to 1/2 the equivalent of a King Soopers bag (we use biodegradable bags that are pretty much the same size as a KS bag) in a WEEK! We used to be up to a whole bag a week, until 3 weeks ago, when I was fortunate enough to obtain a NatureMill composter.

Since all the biodegradable waste can now be turned into compost, what's left is just the garbage that I haven't found a way to recycle yet. Now, like with everything in life worthwhile, it's a commitment. It's not as easy as even the website makes it sound, although once you get the hang of it, it can be. I have yet to get it right 100% but even if I don't do it right just yet, it's still worth the effort and commitment. And the rewards are so much better than buying a pair of shoes...trust me!

First off, the first week is a drag. You're SO excited to get the dang machine, and then for one week you can't do anything but WAIT. I don't know about you, but patience is still a virtue in my book. Think of the NatureMill composter as a very long recipe. If you're good in the kitchen, you'll make this thing work. If, on the other hand, you need a recipe to boil an egg, I have to admit, this gadget is not for you.

So, as I was saying, you get it home, you follow the "recipe" instructions for first time use (you have to add this much biodegradable waste [i.e. lettuce, banana peels, watermelon rinds, you get the idea] plus some paper [i.e. tissue paper, paper towels, little wood chips, leaves etc.], some wood pallets you get from the manufacturer and the most important ingredient, some good dirt from your so someone else's yard. This is basically the recipe for the first week of use. The idea is that the dirt you add creates the bacteria needed to create compost. Now, this machine is heat based meaning you don't need worms or any other living creature to turn your waste into dirt. Hence, it doesn't (or shouldn't) attract flies, rodents, etc. Didn't I say it's great?!?

Now...disclosure about the smell. I am by FAR the most smell sensitive person I know. I can smell something burning 10 min. before anybody else even registers the thought. That said, there is a little smell associated with the composter. But it's not bad, it smells like dirt, and when you're off on your green/brown balance it smells a little bit sour, like sourdough bread. But if you add some baking soda (1 tbsp they say) and leave it for 12 hours, the smell should go away. Also, I keep my composter in the very small pantry that I have because it hums and I have a small house with my bedroom room always open to hear the kids. If you have a bigger house, and your kitchen is downstairs, you'll have no problem with the smell or the hum. It helps not to be neurotic like others I know (wink wink) also.

Anyways, moving on, after that first week of leaving it alone to do its thing. You can start peeking and watch how the compost is done. I put another batch of food in it yesterday morning and it looks like dirt already. It's just SO amazing, I LOOOVEEE IT! If you decide to buy one, just give it time. Time is one of the ingredients here for sure!

If you have any questions, e-mail me I'm more than happy to help you succeed with this project. Not to mention that you get to save the earth one lettuce leaf at a time :)) Oh I have some $30 off coupons also I got with my composter, I can definitely share those with whoever is interested.

Go green!

Call me crazy...

...but this is not a nice blog. If anybody ever reads this (by mistake, I'm sure), think of this blog as my virtual journal, written to go out into the virtual world without ever thinking that something would come out of it.

If you're looking for something that tells you how wonderful you are because you recycle, this is not it. I am bitter, and I am angry that people are so apathetic at "our ways". The ignorance and, most of the time, refusal to change makes me cringe with frustration. What's worse is those people that not only resist any sort of adjustment of their actions, but they fight you, ridicule and challenge you as to why you even bother. Oh...the things I could say to the likes of those people. But, you see..., I can't be myself in this world, because as my mom says, I'm like a waterfall, too strong, too forceful for most of the world. I'm hoping that maybe, just maybe, I can be myself here, where nobody really knows me, and I can finally say what I really think but can't say it around anyone that knows me. Or say it as forceful that is.

Ultimately, I'm not saying we should all be the stereotypical granola bar eaters, with long unkept hair, with body hair in places I don't even what to think about. I think we can be divas or divos (?!?!-what's the equivalent for males) without having to give up ourselves.

We can make conscious decisions about everything we do, everything we purchase, consume etc. Just a little bit of THOUGHT (you know...what thing you do when you use your brain?) goes a long way, especially NOW when things are SO much easier to be environmentally friendly.

Ok, I could probably go on and on, but I'll stop.