moving

We have officially moved to organicneedle.com. All past posts and comments are imported to the new sight so if you want to comment on anything old or new please come join me. It is really easy- just click the link.

Awwwwwww Dad....I just made friends.

Some men hunt dangerous animals and drag them home for their women to gush over, others perform death defying feats in the name of love, mine.....has clubbed the pooh out of the world wide web and dragged me back a fine .com. organicneedle.com. (Have any of you seen the bowling ball episode of the Simpsons?) My blog will be moving off Blogger onto Wordpress due to the insistence of my husband. He is a major techie and can not tinker nearly enough for his liking with this format. But it is your blog...you might say. Yes...but I love him and that little gleam he gets in his eye when he writes 00000000101010101 or whatever it is he does. (Just kidding, handsome pants, I know you are the Java master. Please don't turn your legions of techlings against me. They have insanely powerful index fingers. One poke and it is all over.) Unfortunately, which is pathetically obvious from my lack of ability to create even a proper link, I am a little dependent on his skills and I do think it is cute that he still wants to impress me after 400 years of marriage. Plus if I let him develop the blog page he is going to put DigDug on my laptop. I would like to see any of you turn that down.

I do promise to any of you that follow along that I will actually learn how to link your blogs and give you the proper recognition. Maybe there will even be cash and prizes. Okay, maybe not so much of the cash and prizes... but I would still love the company.

In Honor of Burbanmom.......

Not to leave you out of my blogspriation...... I am bestowing upon you a great honor. As my first reader and helper alonger you more than deserve it. I hope you are seated. I have finally learned, not bragging at all here, how to link to sites ...........and I used your name for my test run. You are doing great work with such humor I want to make sure that any sad lost soul that happens upon my pittance of a site leaves with at least the opportunity to visit yours - and see what a real blog looks like.

(Yes, I realize how sad it is that this is such a big deal for me, but, my brain, an English teacher brain, no likey the codey.)

3 Things I will NOT be Doing to Save the Environment

1. I will not be composting my pooh or reusing my toilet paper. If Ed Begley Jr gets to wipe his sweet little fanny with fresh paper everyday- then, damn it - so can I. (Great interview, Crunchy.)

2. I will not be eating entirely locally. Sorry- French people make really good cheese and wine. Too good. Suspiciously good. And until an avocado tree grows in Brooklyn, I will be buying mine from Mexico. (Seriously- I do think knowing food and culture are extremely important- not to be entirely discarded in the name of local eating. More of that when I am in a serious rant mood.)

3. I will not be giving my kids ONLY eco-toys. Legos are the coolest things ever made. And unless you have spent hours a day on the floor trying to play with 2 & 4 year old boys - you have no idea what a gift they are. There are only so many times I can drive Thomas around the friken track. Of course Mama didn't kick Thomas under the heater. Why on earth would she do that? Besides- I can't see Legos glass line as their best seller.

Getting My Glass in Gear

My first step towards decreasing the household plastic is going to be an easy and obvious one. I am simply going to try to find all the products we buy in plastic now that come in either glass or paper and make the switch. Yes paper and glass still have to be recycled, but the processes are much cleaner and efficient. Also, not buying the plastic packaging will be pulling our money from the practice. I have only a short list so far, but I am hoping for suggestions and more brain power.

Vinegar (Which I am going through a ton of since I have reevaluated
my cleaning practices.)
Mustard
Ketchup
Mayonnaise (Yes...I actually found a squeeze bottle of mayo in the
cupboard. Not proud...)
Pellegrino Vs Perrier (Yes, it is a necessity......don't judge.)
Maple Syrup
Granola (Found a great brand that comes in a paper carton- Sweet
Home. Check Amazon. Can't do the bulk bins. Far too
many nose pickers in the world.)
Peanut Butter (Usually buy glass- but found a jar of Trader Joe's in plastic.)
Apple Sauce
Olive Oil
Spices

My goal is to have at least 15 by the end of the week. I may have to spend some time over at the Fake Plastic Fish for more ideas. No...that is not cheating...it's research.

The Longest Wait

Fabric orders on its way.......nothing to do but wait. Do you think if I smush my face up against the glass the UPS truck will come faster?

Blogspiration: Thanks Fake Plastic Fish

I am a relative newbie to the blogosphere. Now, some of my findings have been.... well...less than inspiring, but who am I to judge prattling on about fabrics. For the most part, I have been blown away by what people are doing out in the big ol' world. One in particular that has really had an impact on me is Fake Plastic Fish. It has seriously changed my whole perspective on my plastic consumption. As I have rambled about in previous posts, we have been ridding our lives of the plastic shopping bags and now phase 2, the produce bags, but more as a reaction to them piling up in our home. Quite frankly, I had not given much thought to the stuff we were contributing to the enormous pile outside our home - or the problems of plastic production itself. The petroleum. We were content with our little recycling. It is amazing how even though we think we are being conscious of something...we are really still floating in our own little bubbles. Sounds simple, but I was totally missing that point- and seeing it as Beth presents it changes everything for me. The whole idea of having to keep all the plastic you are responsible for is enormous.

Now for the so what....I am NOT going to keep all of my plastic. (I enjoy my marriage far too much and enjoy being able to find my children.) What I am going to do is try to do is modify one thing or group of things a week to reduce my contribution to the plastic disaster. (I find in general that slow and steady for me means lasting change, rather than getting overwhelmed and giving up in a week.) I plan on spending a little more time over there on Beth's blog finding some tips. I would love any tips from those of you trying to run your families on just a wee bit less plastic. What has worked? What not? Where do you find the biggest challenges? (How ever can you replace the Ziplock?)