EnviroMom on Vacation! Back on September 7

After a long, hot (no wait, scratch that…) fast and furious, and fairly cold summer (yes, our gardens are still waiting for something that looks like a tomato), EnviroMom is taking a break. Time for us to kick off our shoes, commune with nature, build some fairy houses with the kids, and soak up what little vitamin D the summer has yet to offer before school starts in September. Aside from The Motherhood Talk on August 25, we'll be pretty much offline. But if you have something urgent, send EnviroMom an email. We always love to hear from you! Otherwise, we wish you an enjoyable rest of summer, and we'll see you back here starting September 7.

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EnviroMom on The Motherhood.com: August 25

I'll take part in a Live Talk on TheMotherhood.com on Wednesday, August 25 at noon EDT (9am Pacific time). Last time Heather and I participated in a Talk on the TheMotherhood, our heads were spinning, but our fingers were flying, trying to keep up and share the green love. This next live Talk features Michelle Conlin -- the wife of No Impact Man -- discussing her no impact year, as well as some other great green bloggers we've had the pleasure of virtually meeting, such as Diane MacEachern of Big Green Purse and Beth Terry of Fake Plastic Fish. Please feel free to join in the hour-long text chat. Just register first on TheMotherhood.com!! If you miss the Talk, everything gets archived under the same link.

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Portland: Bike Commute Challenge, September 2010

Portlanders -- looking to share the love of bike commuting? The BTA's Bike Commute Challenge is a friendly competition to encourage biking to work during the usually warm and dry month of September. My husband participated last year, and had a blast with it. Sign up!! Should be fun.

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Portland: Muddy Boot Festival, Sept. 10-12

Mark your calendars, Portland peeps, for this year's Muddy Boot Festival! I've attended the past two years and love this event. Their mission: to promote sustainable living. Yee-haw! Firstly, those two high fructose corn-drinkin' boys from the movie King Corn, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis, will be giving the keynote address on Friday the 10th at 7pm (advance tix are $15-20...totally worth it). The festival itself runs Saturday from noon-9pm and Sunday noon-6pm, $5 admission each day for ages 12 and up. You'll get great live music, sustainably-produced food and beverages, info booths and vendors selling green goods, workshops, discussion panels and fun activities for the kiddos. Personally, the backyard goats and the edible landscaping workshops on Saturday look awesome (and they are free with admission). It's all happening at St. Philip Neri Church at 2408 SE 16th at Division. Check it out and have fun!

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The Majestic Plastic Bag: A Mockumentary

Watch this. You will laugh, you will cry. You will wonder whatever happened to Jeremy Irons.

Then you will get angry. And maybe feel helpless, despite the fact that you've given up the plastic bag. If you live in Oregon, you might follow the Ban the Bag campaign on Facebook to keep tabs on next year's legislation effort. In California, Heal the Bay, a non-profit that produced that excellent video, is encouraging residents to contact their legislators TODAY to pass AB 1998 banning plastic bags statewide, which is coming up for a vote any day now. If efforts are ramping up wherever you are -- speak up, write a letter and ban those bags from your life by remembering your reusables!

(And if it bugs you that the video is slightly cut off along the right side, which I don't know how to fix, you can watch it in its full glory here.)

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Reuse: stairs from old concrete blocks

A neighbor who was replacing an old concrete patio and driveway generously let us partake of the remains.


Which enabled us to create a stairway out of reused concrete blocks, to reach a previously inaccessible part of our yard.

I love how the concrete creates a pretty almost waterfall-like landscape element. My husband is a total hero for schlepping and placing all the blocks. Thank goodness for his strong back and willingness to break a sweat. Here's views from the top and the bottom of the stairs.

 

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Remove soap scum with a razor blade

I know, this is gross.

I went a long time without really giving our shower tile a thorough, deep clean. I kept thinking we were going to remodel the bathroom, so why bother? Well, that hasn't happened, so it was time to tackle the scum. But how? It just so happened that my very handy father was visiting a couple of weeks ago, and he said that he uses a razor blade for these kinds of jobs. Really? Wouldn't it scratch? Nope, not if the blade is new. So, since he's awesome like that, he went and razor-bladed our bathroom tile. Now you see it...

...now you don't. And no scratches!

You don't need to use a lot of pressure, just gently scrape it off. Gone. Then you can follow-up with a paste of baking soda and water, using a scrubbing pad (lightly) to work it in, then rinse with water. I've also read that full-strength vinegar will give it a nice, clean shine. This is the magic tool I'm talking about:

From what I've read on the interwebs, you can also use it on glass shower doors.

Have you had success removing soap scum using non-toxic methods?

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Playing keep-away with wasps!

Listen up, wasps.

Apparently you are not aware of our family's position on nature, wildlife, creepy-crawlies, etc. It's really quite simple: We promise to leave you in peace, and refrain from using any noxious neurotoxins on you, so long as you STAY OUTSIDE OUR HOME. What's not to get? Let me just add that we hold a soft spot in our hearts for all pollinators!

But tell me this. Have you been hanging with those damn sugar ants? Because they are like the freakin' French revolutionaries, storming the Bastille and coming into my blessed kitchen every chance they get. Daily. By the million. I've lost count.


But this thing, of making larva hidey-holes in our windows… Um. Not working for us. That's why you may have noticed that my dear husband went all Rambo on your little cozy love nests. Just be happy he employed the out-of-work ice scraper instead of a full can of Raid. We do appreciate your restraint in not stinging the hell out of any family members during said resettlement campaign. Now, if you could just STAY OUT, we're all good.

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In the news: responsible pet waste disposal

Last week The Oregonian ran an excellent article by the pet columnist, Jacques Von Lunen, about responsible pet waste disposal. I was glad to see his recommendation meshed with the one we've espoused in the past: pick it up and put it in the garbage. Don't flush it down the toilet (at least here in the Portland area) because our sewage system cannot handle the waste of a million pets. It will end up in the river on rainy days, and the treatment plant is not designed to break down pet waste, which has a different make-up than human waste. Bag it up, and throw it away.

Concerned about the plastic bag ban eliminating your source of doggie bags? (Oh, certainly not this community of reusable bag carriers!) Reuse bread and newspaper bags (I'm happy to give you mine!), and don't waste your money on 'bio-degradable' pet poop bags. It's a greenwash. Anything designed to biodegrade in a landfill is releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

As for pet waste composters or burying pet waste in the yard, I'm hesitant to offer any info because I just don't feel like I know enough. Couldn't it leach into the groundwater? Dog and cat waste is full of harmful bacteria. I've tried researching this in the past, but there just seems to be so many conflicting opinions. Makes me glad to be pet-less. Any experience with this, readers?

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Cultural exchange: travel without much carbon footprint

Hungry? Here's a tasty little treat for you. Doesn't it look sweet and delicious?


Well, you'd be wrong. That's no cookie, as my 6-year-old daughter's eyes led her to believe. It's a salty Japanese cracker, perhaps, even with a hint of fish sauce. It was a small present from our Japanese exchange student, one among many. She also brought us some darling little origami bookmarks folded like girls in Kimono.

Now, I could tell you that our family doesn't travel because we are super holier-than-thou when it comes to the carbon footprint of air travel. But that's not really the case. It's price more than anything. Sure, we'd love to see more of the world with our kids, but it's just not really in the cards these days.

That's why hosting an exchange student gives you many of the benefits of travel, without leaving the comfort of home. This year, we hosted a 15-year-old girl from Kobe, Japan for two weeks in July. Very sweet girl. I was proud of her. First time away from home! Sheesh -- what a big trip! Her English was good, but not great, so we had our fair share of 'language barrier' confusions. Like the cookie/cracker. Oh, but you should have seen the look on my treat-monger's face when she bit into that thing she thought was a frosted cookie… Hilarious! Yet she made me so proud when she didn't spit it out and say it was gross. She chewed it up and said perhaps she'd take some ice cream after all and save her Japan treat for later.

We had joked in advance that we were dying to ask about the robo-toilets of Japan, but never really got to that comfort level with our student. The kids and my husband had this running joke saying "let's go!" and "get up!" in Japanese -- the phrases sound very similar. And perhaps the most fun of all was when we made sushi rolls together for dinner one night, using the bamboo rollers and nori that our student had brought from home.

As much as we work to lower our carbon footprints, if we had the money, I think we'd travel much more. I'd love to see more of the world, and share it with my kids. For now, we've enjoyed hosting exchange students and sharing with them the joys of our little corner of the world.

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A low-waste block party

Last Tuesday for National Night Out, my street held a block party. Our street doesn't technically have any 'blocks' -- we're just one narrow, windy, pot-holed street about 1/2 mile long, comprising about 50 households. Typically a party with that many people would generate a lot of waste: paper plates and napkins, plastic cups and utensils. But my very eco-minded neighbors who organized the party wisely printed up flyers asking everyone to bring their own plates, utensils, cups and napkins, as well as a dish to share and a beverage of choice. Would folks comply?

Yes! Most people brought durables, and our hosts put out extras. There were a few disposables (I can see some in the photo), but not that many. A recycling bin captured glass beer bottles and aluminum soda cans, and our hosts put out jugs of water and durable cups. They didn't try to capture any compostable food waste since there was such a mix of meat, grain and dairy items. (But when curbside food scrap composting goes Portland-wide next year, we will be able to scrape our potluck plates right into our yard debris bins!) At the end of the evening, after 50 or so adults and children cycled through, all that remained was a small 20-gallon garbage can filled about 1/3 of the way with food and disposable waste. Not too shabby. I tossed our scraped plates and dirty utensils into a plastic bag and brought them home to wash, as did many of my neighbors. Easy peasy.

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Camping rocks!

The key to a successful camping trip is planning ahead. And a lack of mosquitos. And lots of cold beer. It also helps to camp with friends, as we will soon be. Six families. All the kids and grown-ups are connected via our elementary school. I have been looking forward to this camping trip since we reserved our campsites months ago. In many ways, camping is the highlight of our summer.

So why is it that being covered with layers of sunscreen, bug juice and campfire smoke, coupled with not bathing for several days and having to put up with pit toilets, is so enjoyable? I really cannot explain.

Last year, all of our kids whizzed around the camp site loop on their bikes with joyful glee. Oh, there were crashes. Sure, but nothing serious. There was a hike in the woods where we sampled wild thimble berries. In past years, highlights included peaceful outings in inflatable boats on the gorgeous Lake TImothy, with Mt. Hood looking down on us as in blessing. This year, there's a possibility we'll witness some of the Perseids meteor shower, as we did several years ago in the crystal clear skies above the national forest. The stunning beauty of nature explains it in part. Factor in hanging out by the camp fire once all the kids are tucked in their sleeping bags, just talking and laughing with all the grownups. Life really doesn't get any better than that.


So today, I'm baking banana bread. Much easier to cook now, and just eat and enjoy while there. And grocery shopping. I've also been freezing giant blocks of ice to keep our cooler cold (although I'm open to any tips, as we've never been very successful at keeping the beer cold enough). And also wondering just what the heck is the deal with those GINORMOUS marshmallows on sale this year? They are about four times the size of regular marshmallows. Marshmallows in bulk? A candidate for DudeThatsNotFood.com? Or just a newfangled way to supersize us all?

Do you camp? What are your best camping tips (especially if it involves keeping beer very, very cold)? And your best camping memories? 

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Try Vegan PDX: August 14-21, 2010

A couple of years ago, I would have published an event like this while thinking: Vegan? I'll stick to being an omnivore, thankyouverymuch. But now, the idea is not so exotic. What with our Meatless Supper Club and forays into Mark Bittman-style 'sane eating,' veganism doesn't seem so out there. Heck, some of my best friends are vegans! (I'm not making that up).

Try Vegan PDX is a non-profit outreach group that supports those new to and considering the vegan diet with all sorts of cool vegan-friendly events going on August 14-21, including a prom. Sniff! I never did go to prom... Check it out!

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Thank goodness for composting

Because we've had a lot of these leftovers this summer!

In fact, my compost bin overfloweth and I've had to bring in back-up. When I first started composting I took a bin we'd used for yard debris and drilled a whole bunch of small holes in the bottom and around the sides and used that as our compost bin. It worked fine but filled up quickly, so we purchased an Earth Machine. Food waste in the Earth Machine breaks down faster, but in the summer months when we eat a ton of fresh produce we tend to fill it up. So now we'll switch back to composting in the yard waste bin and let the Earth Machine cook for a few months.

That's the Earth Machine on the left and the retrofitted compost bin next to it. The two other bins are used for storing our brown yard waste -- typically dead leaves from our huge maple tree. Every time we dump our produce waste, egg shells and coffee grounds into the composter, we add a layer of dead leaves and a little water if it's too dry. This system has worked out really well for us (no rats!), it keeps us in compost for the garden and keeps much of our food waste out of the landfill (where it would break down and release methane). Hooray! 

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Cleaning windows with vinegar and newspaper

I don't do windows. And there's a back story.

I love my children more than life itself, but I hate to admit something compels them to smear all mirrors and windows in our house with gooey, slimy grossness. With what, you may ask? Oh, you know. Things like spit, toothpaste, or just their greasy peanut-butter fingers. Or, if they have nothing really smear-making like that, they'll just flick the windows with water, like a baptism. Despite all this, I really do love them. And as much as I sometimes want to tan their hides, I usually just count to 10 and remind myself that Martha Stewart is never coming over and what's it really matter? Hopefully, some day, they will outgrown this annoying compulsion. (Don't let that innocent looking baby face fool you. She is a window and mirror slimer of international repute.).

Yet sometimes, just sometimes, I wish my windows and mirrors were cleaner. Or that, if I did clean them, they would stay clean for longer than 10 seconds (that's when their smear compulsion usually kicks in. The slime creatures are always lurking…) Truth be told, I really don't know how to clean windows well. I grew up with a mom who was fanatic about Windex. Yes, I know! That dreaded blue stuff. Oh, and wads of paper towels! Since I've drunk the green Kool-aid, I've always meant to improve and detoxify the way I did windows. Heather talks about white vinegar and newspaper. And that just doesn't compute for me. Wouldn't your fingers get all black from the newspaper ink? I always mean to ask her about this, but somehow it's never been discussed. And then, when you're done, do you recycle the newspaper, or are they considered food-soiled and need to be composted?

Anyhoo… Would love to hear from you on best window cleaning practices. Until I hear back, I'll keep busy by counting to 10 and just wishing my windows were cleaner.

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