Easy Peasy Tip: The Gift of Time!
By tinychoices | May 17, 2008
Instead of giving more “stuff” to one another, let’s start giving ourselves. The gift of time is perhaps the most precious commodity we possess, and sharing it with those we love is inordinately more meaningful than a gift-wrapped plastic geegaw.
So, ask your friend if you can help her unpack in her new home. Bring soup and OJ to a sick friend, and do their dishes before you leave. If a friend is feeling overwhelmed with his small children, go visit and distract the little ones so dad can take a nap. Plan a night in with friends. And, enjoy the beautifulness of the people you choose to surround yourself with.
[Image by fdecomite via Creative Commons]
Topics: EasyPeasyTips | 2 Comments »
Tiny Choices Survey: Gina!
By tinychoices | May 16, 2008
Vital statistics (name, age, location, link to website/blog)?
Gina, 33 – New York City.
How do you reside (apartment or house, roommates)?Are your housing decisions dictated by choice or necessity? Please explain.
I live in a tiny studio in Manhattan. This, of course is dictated by necessity because I’m a working gal.
How do you travel (transit, car, etc)?Are your travel decisions dictated by choice or necessity? Please explain.
I travel mostly by foot, bicycle and public transportation. We have a great mass transportation system in this city, so that’s a plus.
Tell us about a Tiny Choice you’ve made in your life.
I turn my computer off every time I log off. I never realized this, but most people leave it on!
What is the one environmental dilemma you personally struggle the most with?
Cars. Too many cars!
What is one Tiny Choice you can make in that direction?
I don’t have one, and there are no plans to get one. However if I have to, I’d look into getting a Hybrid.
What is the one environmental Tiny Choice you make that people question (in either a positive educational or a negative hassle way) you the most about?
Buying bottled water. My mother always tells me to boil my water but I don’t like the taste. I would drink the tap water more if it didn’t come out brown from my faucet. Don’t get me wrong, NYC has some of the best tap water in the nation. I think the pipes in my building are a bit rusty. I plan on buying a water filter and trying that out.
What is the one environmental Tiny Choice you would like every single person to adopt?
Conserving energy. This can be done in a myriad of ways, but the first step is awareness and education.
Do you feel like you make sacrifices for environmentalism? Please explain.
I don’t feel like I’m making any sacrifices as it takes minimal effort to be aware. I’m not the perfect poster child for all things “Green” but I do my best to be mindful of my environment.
Are you generally: optimistic, pessimistic, neutral about environmentalism and the future?
I’m optimistic about the future of environmentalism. It has come to the forefront of everyone’s mind recently as larger companies take responsibility to operate in a more environment-friendly way. It’s a great way to educate the general public.
Click here to read all of the Tiny Choices Surveys
Want to take this survey? Holla!
Topics: Surveys | No Comments »
I’m Rubber, You’re Glue
By Roz Duffy | May 15, 2008
Hey Tiny Choicers, guest poster Roz in the house today. I reached out to Jenn and Karina with an idea for a post because I was just SO EXCITED about my new PVC-free rubber yoga mat from Jade Yoga. I’ll admit that one of my biggest motivating factors for my new purchase was wanting a mat that was not very slippery. Up until now, most of the yoga mats I have practiced on have had some form of PVC in them and I slip and slide all over them during a vigorous yoga practice.
Slippin’ and slidin’ isn’t the only reason one should steer clear of buying a PVC mat. PVC, aka Polvinyl Chloride, is quite a toxic little monster. During its production and lifecycle, it releases dioxins and phthalates into the air, which are very major health offenders, seriously increasing cancer risk and other diseases. Remember those characters that put together The Meatrix? They’ve also put together another great animated short all about the dangers of PVC called Sam Suds and the Case of PVC, the Poison Plastic. Check it out!
So I think you guys get it, PVC mats = bad! I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that Rubber mats = good! Here are a few reasons why:
- rubber is a renewable resource
- rubber is biodegradable
- rubber contains no chemicals or ozone depleting substances
- for you yogaheads, you will be able to grip this mat like crazy and it’s quite cushiony!
Now.. a few drawbacks:
- may have traces of latex which will be problematic for our latex-allergy friends
- rubber mats weigh a little more than PVC (you can handle it!)
- has a strong smell of rubber, but this will fade over time
- higher price, usually upwards of $50
So now what? Ready to take the leap and try a rubber mat? They are pretty easy to find online and are becoming much more prevalent at yoga studios and even at your local Whole Foods. When you do pick up your new rubber mat, may I suggest the Eco Conscious Recycled Yoga Mat Bag from Gaiam. It is made entirely from recycled plastic bottles! Of course, sewing your own yoga mat bag is also a good idea!
Any yogis out there? What kind of mat are you practicing on?
Topics: Yoga & Fitness | 5 Comments »
Service for cars and for bikes!
By Karina | May 14, 2008
Y’all know by now that I drive to work. Also, that I drive a LOT. And that historically, you may have learned, I am used to driving junkers that break at a moments notice. And when you drive a junker, it’s important that you have a good roadside assistance policy.
For years I was a member of AAA. But then I started to hear rumors - about how AAA was secretly (and not so secretly) lobbying against pro-environment and pro-bicycle measures. (AAA’s rebuttal against charges that they lobby against the clean air act is here.) So several years ago I cancelled my AAA membership and joined Better World Club. In their own words:
About Better World Club:
- We are the only environmentally friendly auto club available.
- We are the fastest growing auto club in the nation.
- We have almost 25,000 members in all 50 US states and the District of Columbia.
- We donate 1% of our revenue to environmental cleanup and advocacy.
To date, we have donated over $35,000.- We support consumer rights, alternative transportation and a cleaner environment.
- We do not use our membership fees to lobby against the Clean Air Act, bike paths or mass transit. More about our competition
- In most cases, we will match our competitors prices when less. More
- We offer hybrid and biodiesel vehicle owners 15% off any new membership. Offer is good for new members only and does not include active or renewing members.
And best of all, they offer bicycle roadside assistance! They will pick you and your bike up and transport you for 30 miles, show up with tools, and reimburse you for lock-cutting expenses if you find yourself “locked out” of your bike. Mostly, I just love that I can write about a roadside service that offers such a suite of services. How frequently do my car posts bore the bikers? This is super!
I’ve been a member of Better World Club for several years and I’ve had to use their roadside assistance a number of times. I’ve needed jumps, tows, and tire changes. And they’re pretty awesome, in my opinion. The only problem I have with them? I can’t get a discount on Amtrak tickets like I could with AAA! That is the biggest irony. [edited to add: there are lots of other discounts for hotels and car rentals though.] But I’m going to send them an email right now, and ask them to work on that too.
And! Speaking of Bikes! May is Bike Month in the USA! did you know that Friday May 16th is National Bike to Work Week? Check out some of the other events at the League of American Bicyclists webpage.
[Pics from flickr users I, Timmy and timmycorkery via creative commons license.]
Are you a member of Better World Club? How do you like them?
Edited to add: I got an email back from Better World Club (can I add excellent customer service onto my list of awesomes?) letting me know that they are negotiating with Amtrak, but that it’s slow going! yay! I can’t wait until the discount is all figured out. Thanks BWC!
Topics: Transportation | 5 Comments »
April Tiny Challenge: Your Experiences
By tinychoices | May 13, 2008
Back in the beginning of April, we double-dog-dared you to join us in the April Tiny Challenge, wherein we all committed to implement a new tiny, or not so tiny, eco-choice for the month. Approximately 45 intrepedatious folks left comments declaring their intentions on that first post, with check-ins following at Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3.
We then invited you Tiny Choosers to write up a brief report of your personal experiences with this commitment. Here’s how it went, in your words, from the emails we received last week:
Karina: I did a terrible job. I committed to no plastic straws and I was sure it would be so simple! But while I was ultra-conscious of plastic straws, mostly I was ultra-conscious AFTER they arrived at my table. I would say that maybe 50% of the time I was able to stop plastic-straw-reception, but it might have been even less frequently. I will say, thought, that this ultra-consciousness is a new thing for me. I am dealing with feelings of environmental guilt that I have never had before! I might start a plastic straw penance project, wherein I carry around all the straws that I have the misfortune (more honestly, the poor foresight and planning) to receive for an entire month. I know that the plastic straw issue will stay with me into the future!
Jenn: I had committed to cooking one meal at home per week, in order to cut down on take-out packaging waste, and to lower the footprint of my food ingredients, and to eat both healthier and less expensively. Well…. I was very surprised at how difficult this tiny choice is for me to implement with my current lifestyle. In order for this to happen I need to specifically set aside a night to just come directly home from work and cook, because otherwise my social life (such as it is) keeps me out most nights of the week. And cooking at 10 or 11pm on a weeknight is quite obviously not going to happen. So while I do want to make this tiny choice as standard part of my life for so many healthy reasons, it’s going to take a conscious shift in priorities. Which I’m working up to. In the meantime I think I can work on non-cooked meals– such as salads and wraps– which can be made in 15 minutes or less and will be more nourishing than the many lunches I buy on the go. So, this is a choice I’m totally committed to!
Harper: I decided to use power strips for my non-essential electronics and place the power strips where I could easily turn them off each night. This was much harder than I thought it would be. There always seemed to be something else to do rather than crawling around on the floor gathering up power cords. Without the weekly check-in I wonder if I would have followed through. However, one very good result is that I now realize how many kitchen electronics I had plugged in that I never use or use very rarely. My next challenge is to donate those and consider alternatives to some — perhaps a stove-top popcorn popping vs an airpopper — and reconsider what I consider essential. I’ve also thought about using a timer for things like TiVo — don’t need it at night but would be very sad if it weren’t on during the day.
Kristine: i decided to quit using plasic bags (from the grocery store) to put my garbage in, feel like i cheated somewhat cause i called kari to ask how that is done (messy stuff and all) and now buy my orange juice in cartons and am using the cartons for the messy stuff, the trash can for paper/non food stuff…so far works pretty well, and i am pretty proud of myself…i did not think i could get around without the plastic bags…whew!
MamaBird: I was trying to cook a veggie meal once a week. I got crazy busy around the end of the month and didn’t cook much at all (even better for the planet! eating less!) *but* overall I will say that I reawoke the part of me that used to be a vegetarian. I have started reaching for the veggies more as a main dish, at least for me for starters. Also? I made a rockin’ jicama-citrus salad for my raw vegan friend’s birthday. Thanks for the challenge, it’s so interesting how something so small (tiny?!) can lodge in my brain and really make me change my habits.
martha in mobile: It turned out that taking in my own grocery bags was a pretty easy “tiny choice.” Since the local groceries are (finally) selling reusable bags, the checkers cannot grumble too loudly about the inconvenience. I have gotten over my ridiculous reluctance to take one store’s bag into a different store by having one bag from each of the 3 stores I frequent. Somehow that makes it okay. Whatever it takes, I guess!
yaiAnn: The challenge went well! I was able to start separating out the green waste finally found an accessible spot for the bin. My parents now use it regularly too. It was only a matter of finding the right spot for it and it happened to be right next to the garbage can. I just had to move a few things to make some room.
For 41 pounds, I registered but still have yet to receive my materials but am looking forward to getting them!
Thanks for being the catalyst to jump start my green intentions!
sg: thanks for my tiny (not so tiny) april challenge! I tried to think about changing my food buying habits this month to avoid plastic. Tough stuff, since a) it’s before my CSA season starts this year and b) my fridge broke mid-challenge.
Regardless, I took it all in stride. I am far from plastic-free, but I am eating more fresh foods and looking out for containers that are 100% plastic free. It’s made easier by living close to a farmer’s market and that I don’t eat meat, but it’s really made me think: how are we really going to get away from plastic without major regulation. We are going to have to start some major actions to boycott plastics to make a big change (ahem, while we continue to make our own tiny choice at home, of course. Weekly letter-writing campaigns? Targeted boycotts? Letters to the editor? Street graffiti stencils with beet-spray paint? What do you smart ladies suggest?
So what do you think? Was your April Tiny Choice easy, and are you picking a bigger fish to fry, or was it tougher than you thought and are you picking something smaller to start with?
And most importantly: was it fun? should we do it again soon?
Topics: Activism | 14 Comments »
Design a Green Bag Contest
By Karina | May 12, 2008
We don’t have any Kroger’s grocery stores up here in the north, so I didn’t hear about this design-a-bag competition until recently. but have y’all? It is such a clever idea!
This is how it works: you have to register on-line at their webpage, but if you are a Kroger’s shopper and have a Shopper’s Card once you design and submit your bag you’ll get a free bag credit onto your account so for designing a bag? you get a free reusable bag automatically! How clever!
Kroger is committed to being a responsible steward of the environment and to offering alternatives to our customers who hope to do the same. If you’re ready to help us celebrate green, design a reusable shopping bag. You could win a $500 Kroger gift certificate and see your design come to life.
The top 10 designs will be featured on the new Kroger.com, and every Shopper’s Card holder who enters the contest will get a free Kroger reusable shopping bag.
You can create a design and post it on our website for votes, or just vote for your favorite bag. Be sure to send your design to your friends so they can vote for you.
So far over 30,000 bags have been submitted! Now, here’s a good idea - let’s harness the power of Team Tiny Choices - y’all go design bags and post links to your designs in the comments. We can all vote for each other and hopefully a Tiny Chooser will make it to the top 10! We’ve only got until 5/23, so go ahead, hurry!
Do you live near a Kroger’s? What do you think about their commitment to environmental stewardship: is it obvious in their stores?
Topics: General | 3 Comments »
Tiny Choices Weekly Roundup
By tinychoices | May 11, 2008
Wherein we summarize all the fun and information from the previous week for your convenience!
Last week on Tiny Choices:
- Monday: Karina has a new experiment, and it’s to try and drive the speed limit for better gas mileage. Also, don’t forget to tell us your April Tiny Challenge story for the wrap-up post!
- Tuesday: Jenn discovers the horror that is plastic beads in microbead facial scrubs. Yuck!
- Wednesday: And then Karina discovers the horror that is vinegar manufactured from petroleum byproducts!
- Thursday: Jenn finds some really cool DIY self-watering planters.
- Friday: Tiny Choices Survey: Kristine!
- Saturday: Easy Peasy Tip: Donate Old Eyeglasses Frames!
Topics: General | No Comments »