Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)

Welcome to Change The World Wednesday! If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.

There's a lot of great information in this post and I encourage you to read through it ... however, if you don't have the time right now, you might find the following quick links helpful:

• The #CTWW Gang
• The Honor Society
• My Final Thoughts on Our Last Challenge
• This Week's Challenge

Last week we joined forces with Mrs. Green and participated in (Inter)National Zero Waste Week 2012. The theme this year was "One More Thing" and we were asked to review our recycling/trash habits and come up with "one more thing" to reduce landfill waste. There were all kinds of ideas ... using free software to prevent computers from being tossed, finding delicious ways to use leftover food, and creating art from found objects. It was an inspiring week!

The Honor Society are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments. Here's what they had to say:

Ann wrote a wonderful article about bamboo and suggests that it might be the path to zero waste. Read her thoughts HERE and see what you think.

Clare has a unique situation ... she lives on a tiny island and, while some recycling opportunities are available, what happens to recycled items gives her cause for concern. In Recycling, Zero Waste and Wine she talks about her challenges. Check it out and see if you have any solutions to the problem.

Janet Botes accepted our challenge ... so nice to "see" you Janet. She shared this: "I've been recycling for a couple of years, and the mission now is to reduce and reuse. Sometimes I do well, other times I feel a bit overwhelmed. I often pick up things in the street, and try to use them in artworks, or create functional pieces in the home and garden. In this photograph: https://twitter.com/janetbotes/status/243989988994322432/photo/1, the wooden box was found discarded in a bin, and I made the edges of our broken wine glasses safe with paper, glue and pieces of see-through plastic. The empty wine bottle with the dried lavender is a symbol and reminder of a weekend away in the mountains. Some more of my recycled art can be seen on my website gallery (http://www.janetbotes.co.za/gallery.html) under sculptures & installations and under craft works." By the way, Janet is a very talented artist ... be sure to click on the links above to see her work ... it's stunning!

Can Linux help us reduce landfill waste? I wouldn't have thought so ... until I read Scott's article entitled Recycling With Linux. Now that is really thinking outside the box!

If you're like Kris then you might have some non-rechargeable batteries around (they sneak in when we're not looking). Three of hers recently "bit the dust" and in an effort to recycle them, she found a wonderful resource which she shares HERE. Thanks, Kris!

Tina has an interesting "take" on this challenge. She says: "We started recycling about 3.5 years ago when decided as a family we needed to take on the challenge not only to choose organic whenever we could, but also to go green. I remember being so excited, so proud that we could fill up our little tub and have another on stand by. Estatic when the city handed out new, larger bins the same size as our trash bin! That feeling held strong until about a year later when it suddenly dawned on me that yes, recycling is a good thing but reducing our waste by the choices we made or reusing items where we could we be the better choice. Except for glass jars and melting down crayons to reuse, I have not been to good with reusing/repurposing items that would normally go in the recycling bin. I do get ideas on Pinterest for ideas to use later but as of now I just don't have the time. BUT I have cut back, to reduce waste by choosing to buy in bulk, make meals from scratch so less packaging there too, take my own containers to refill, use resuable bags instead of choosing paper bags, definitely do not use lunch bags or water bottles and donate certain items that others DO have the time to reuse. When I ran My Baby's Green store I was able to use boxes, newspapers, packaging supplies that were given to me from neighbors and our own shipments. I honestly only had to purchase a handful of material myself. Besides being green, it also saved money that I passed along to customers which I LOVED! What we do as a family is a start and it works for us. Our challenge as a family is to take the next step which with all else going on it may be another year but hopefully less!! It could happen sooner if someone in my family would take the job as this warden's assistant :o)" Read more in Take the Challenge to Change Our Recycling Habits.

Katie took a slightly different approach to this challenge. She believes that recycling items, unless they are being used by her family, is "waste" because it takes energy to recycle them into useable products. If one can eliminate the need to recycle, without sending something to a landfill, then waste is reduced even further. I love this idea! Katie focused on two items, one from the recycle bin and one from the trash bin, and came up with a plan. You can read about it in Reducing Our Trash and Recycle Waste [#CTWW].

Alicia shared this: "We like Tina also use packaging materials sent to us. That we are able to recycle in this area. We try to be really aware of our recycling habits but I see areas all of the time that we can improve on. One area is I buy large containers of organic spinach and spring mix from Sams and they come in these rather large plastic containers. I recycle them but wish I could find them in minimal packaging so I am going to be on the lookout for that this week because I buy a lot of these two products and over a years time that is a whole lot of heavy plastic to recycle. I so admire Mrs. Green and I think the Zero Waste Week is just awesome!" Thanks, Alicia ... packaging is a huge issue ... I hope you'll come back and give us an update.

"I have coffee, my teeth are out, and I am pondering" ... with an opening line like that, you know you have to read what Argentum Vulgaris has to say about this challenge. In Change the World Wednesday – 5th Sept you'll learn how one composted item not only reduces landfill waste but saves money in the spring. Thanks, AV ... your opening line painted quite a picture. :-)

Jacqueline shared a terrific zero-waste idea involving cosmetics and body care products. You'll find that in this POST. She also shared a wonderful article about reducing food waste ... and she includes a delicious recipe. You can find that HERE.

Rewinn says: "This challenge made me scratch my head, because I'm used to thinking of myself as minimizing waste. But there's always room for improvement, and perhaps a good place to look is at those home projects I've been avoiding ... such as The Paint Locker."

EcoGrrl accepted the challenge and had this to say: " Me - avoiding clamshells of any form. I don't use many at all but I looked at my rigid plastic recycling bin and that fills it up the fastest when I do. Since recycling plastic is downcycling, each little bit I don't buy in the first place helps AND usually keeps my diet a wee bit slimmer and my wallet a wee bit fatter :)"

Green Gal says: "I'm in! I'll be finished with all academic responsibilities by the end of the day today, and then I can relax, blog, and pay attention to my waste and recycling. Expect a post on Sunday/Monday!" While she didn't get to a post, she did a great job on the challenge itself. Scroll down to what our Twitter friends shared and look for @lissygreenbean to find out what she did. Fabulous, Green Gal!

From a previous challenge on greening our kids, Diane wrote ENERGY STAR Essay Contest Shines Spotlight on Energy-Saving Kids. She includes a link to CTWW and shares a bit about what others were doing to encourage their children to live green. Be sure to read through the post because some of our favorite "greenies" were mentioned!

Our Twitter friends shared their thoughts this week:

From @themac533
- Plans for eating local through winter: freeze 1/2 side local smoked pork, sprout alfalfa/mung/clover and coax kale/winter greens along
- Portions of recycled materials R used, plastics R harmful 2 human/eco health & filling lanfills. When we will demand better packaging?
- Suggest spending a bit more on items that will last longer; inspires you to take more care of them. We've become a disposable society.
- If you bike, buy from bike shops. They'll fit you properly, offer a wide range of bikes. Many buy cheap 1s, leave to rust, buy a new 1.

From @givetreegifts
- Went camping this weekend. We were alarmed at how much garbage was generated at the campground by single use products
- Use your old dishes and cutlery for camping. Your meals will be much more enjoyable & you'll spare the environment in the process
- Zero waste is easy if you frequent the farmer's market. No plastic and you can compost anything that isn't edible.

From @live_esp
- We don't keep paper towels in our home!

From @ourtinyearth
- This week, consider your recycling habits and decide on one more thing which you can do to reduce landfill waste

From @gwened02
- one more thing... *thinks*

From @anitaadamsnc
- Excellent source of #green #recycling info. It's time to be creative! = Make #art where you can:)
- Finishing my statement: "Where one can't recycle - make art!"

From @cevbs
- looking for a way to change the renewable energy world? CEVBs would make jobs and spur development of clean technology: http://www.cleanenergyvictorybonds.org/

From @penguintrax
- problem is, the process to turn bamboo into fiber can be very damaging to the environment.
- happy to pass along knowledge. Another thing is that the process to make the fiber destroys the antimicrobial properties

From @allnaturalkatie
- I have read about bamboo potentially not being so eco-friendly. I try to avoid bamboo clothing.

From @susiekline
- I try my hardest to be green! Just looking at my pile of shredded blls wondering if I should start composting...

From @changes4charlie
- We take supplements that some can fit 3-4 times as much in the bottle. I'm not fooled so why try?At #CTWW suggestion-reduce landfills!
- Great! Taking steps to #Reduce and/or #Reuse are also ways to keep garbage out of our landfills! Even better!

From @lissygreenbean
- Enjoyin home life w fam so here's my short & sweet #CTWW post: I got all used kitchen stuff 4 new apartment = 0 packaging & 0 new materials!

From @janetbotes
- Every upcycled piece of decor, art or ornament has an inherent integrity/meaning to it, enriching our home & lives!

From @ecowarriorme
- This week we are trying to reduce waste going to landfill but I aim to reduce recycling in the paperless (sic) office.

The #CTWW Gang are those folks who share our challenges on twitter using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I highly recommend following them ... they have a lot of great things to say. We had a record number of people tweeting this week ... WhooHoo! Let's meet them:

@EarthyUrban	@crazedmom	@nicolebodwin
@a_kiasi	@biggreenpurse	@clinicalposters
@blissfulbeet	@loriruff	@mehimandthecats
@theorganicblond	@mommyltloriley	@cevbs
@myzerowaste	@rich_redding	@oneloveorganics
@mikestanlon	@mtndewmama	@givetreegifts
@rozdb	@jnjgogreen	@sevwinters
@lowewriter	@linkiescontests	@groovygreenlivi
@gwened02	@casilayne	@stilettofiles
@ecowarriorme	@masqcrew	@theangryscot
@ecogrrlnetwork	@whywelovegreen	@dpixel
@laalicia	@aobibliophile	@TheRiverWanders
@crazykids6	@ggirlggreen	@WandaBrendleMos
@oneadayart	@whooptee	@moha_doha
@CanopyAvenue	@bylittlenea	@babyesmomma
@lisaladrido	@markcoruk	@janeofaustralia
@adriennewarren5	@TrashN2Tees	@rulesofgreen
@columbusjunk	@morefunmom	@AlmostTruth
@susiekline	@Changes4Charlie	@inthekitchenkp
@spilldmilkshake	@ecoexpert1	@allnaturalkatie
@nurturedbeauty	@accessorygal	@rckweddings
@serenaakeroyd	@technewsgadget	@kiboomu
@e_b_christinec	@lookingforisis	@insignifblog
@theaatkinson	@fat2skinnywoman	@whopaysthepiper
@element5alive	@chicaintraining	@technicallyeasy
@stellasamson	@smallbits	@mimibarbour
@genuineseonet	@sandsapps	@dapperhouse
@live_esp	@rewinn	@emmaindy
@messagebubble	@aapremlall	@ourtinyearth
@chrisina_loyd	@changes4charlie	@themac533
@gamodernmom	@biggreenpen	@ETSNetworksInc
@lissygreenbean

My Final Thoughts:

Green living is not a single activity which, when complete, can be deemed "finished". It's a continuing process of learning and acting ... of searching for that "one more thing" which will make life better. In the words of Thomas Foxwell Buxton ... "With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable."

Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I have Stumbled, Tweeted, Facebooked and posted it on Google +. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share feature at the bottom of this post.

This Week's Challenge:

This week's challenge was suggested by both Jacqueline and Cat ... and was mentioned this week by Alicia and EcoGrrl. Here it is ...

This week, pick a food item which you normally buy in a package (especially a plastic package) and find a better alternative. For example, rather than buy beans in a plastic bag, look for them in the bulk isle of the market and fill your own container. Rather than buy produce in plastic "clam shells", see if you can find them loose, without packaging. If you typically shop at a supermarket (where almost everything is packaged in plastic) consider shopping at a farmer's market, food co-op, wholesale market or organic food store for better options. The idea, here, is to find at least one "green" alternative to plastic packaging ... and, while doing without might be an appropriate alternative, we're more interested in finding the food in acceptable/no packaging for this challenge.

Or ...

If, in your area, you find it nearly impossible to buy food which isn't packaged in plastic, please speak to your market's owner/manager to see if they can offer any alternatives. Talk to neighbors and members of the community to search out options.

Or ...

If none of the above works out, please write letters to your government officials and/or start a petition asking for plastic free food packaging.

What do you think? Are you up for this challenge?

Don't forget ... if you think that any of our challenges can be improved, you are welcome to "Up The Ante" by asking us to do better than the stated activity.

Until next time ...

WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!