Sooooo Many Things...

Well this week wasn't too bad, if I do say so myself. I was sick, but I still got 3 workouts in. Of course, 4 is always my minimum, buuuuut given that I felt like I should have been doing ZERO, then I was pleased. PLUS...I went grocery shopping and I've been packing breakfast and lunch to work. I've been eating a restricted calorie diet, and I lost a pound this week. It's clear that I need to get my weight back down to where I was about 3/4 of the way through last year's Biggest Loser Challenge; #1 so I can stay in the clothes that I bought and #2 to remain healthy. However, I am surprisingly pleased with my appearance. I look in the mirror, and I'm happy with what I see. Now, to be honest when I go to put my pants on, then I don't feel the same way. Hence, the ongoing weightloss regimen. Yet, I feel good about myself, which is am important aspect that so many dieters lose sight of.

BUT here's what I really wanted to talk to you about. I've been bit by the 'Green' bug. Climate Change and overall concern for our planet has been on my mind for some time. I feel like I've been doing small things here and there like using recycled grocery bags instead of plastic ones each trip. However, I want to do more. But what? When I sat down to think about it, I felt as though I would have no impact on the big pollution that goes on by factories, etc. all over the world. Soooo...I went out to the handy dandy internet and came up with these tips. There are 10 listed in the articles, but these are the ones that I believe I can implement in my home immediately.

1. Green up your appliances. Getting rid of that old refrigerator in the garage could save you as much as $150 a year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Appliance use comprises about 18% of a typical home’s total energy bill, with the fridge being one of the biggest energy hogs. If any of your appliances is more than 10 years old, the EPA suggests replacing them with energy-efficient models that bear their "Energy Star" logo. Energy Star-qualified appliances use 10%-50% less energy and water than standard models. According to the Energy Star site, if just one in 10 homes used energy-efficient appliances, it would be equivalent to planting 1.7 million new acres of trees.

4. Clean green. Stop buying household cleaners that are potentially toxic to both you and the environment. In his book, "The Safe Shopper's Bible," David Steinman suggests reading labels for specific, eco-friendly ingredients that also perform effectively. These include grain alcohol instead of toxic butyl cellosolve, commonly found in carpet cleaner and some window cleaners as a solvent; coconut or other plant oils rather than petroleum in detergents; and plant-oil disinfectants such as eucalyptus, rosemary or sage rather than triclosan, an antifungal agent found in soaps and deodorant. Or, skip buying altogether and make your own cleaning products. Use simple ingredients such as plain soap, water, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), vinegar, washing soda (sodium carbonate), lemon juice and borax and save money at the same time. Check out these books by Annie Bertold-Bond for cleaning recipes: "Clean and Green" and "Better Basics for the Home."

5. Let there be energy-efficient light. Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) use 66% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and last up to 10 times longer. Replacing a 100-watt incandescent bulb with a 32-watt CFL can save $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.

6. Save a tree, use less paper. You can buy "tree-free" 100% post-consumer recycled paper for everything from greeting cards to toilet paper. Paper with a high post-consumer waste content uses less virgin pulp and keeps more waste paper out of landfills.

7. Want hardwood floors? Opt for bamboo. Bamboo is considered an environmentally friendly flooring material due to its high yield and the relatively fast rate at which it replenishes itself. It takes just four to six years for bamboo to mature, compared to 50-100 years for typical hardwoods. Just be sure to look for sources that use formaldehyde-free glues.

8. Reduce plastics, reduce global warming. Each year, Americans throw away some 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags — from grocery and trash bags to those ultra-convenient sandwich bags. Unfortunately, plastics are made from petroleum — the processing and burning of which is considered one of the main contributors to global warming, according to the EPA. In addition, sending plastics to the landfill also increases greenhouse gases. Reduce, re-use and recycle your plastics for one of the best ways to combat global warming.


I hope that you can also find one or two ways to help protect our planet...if not for yourself, then for your kids and grand-kids as well as all the plants and animals that will suffer for our actions.