Red Hot and Green

If you don't watch HGTV religiously (like I do) then you may not have seen their newest show (special feature? full show? I'm not sure), called Red Hot & Green. The premiere episode showed a San Diego (yay!) couple trying to green their home and carpenter Carter Oosterhouse and eco designer Danny Seo headed the project! Lots of great ideas, I LOVED the kitchen and backyard - honestly, I WANT A BACKYARD!

In other news, our neighborhood did what I've been saying for the past few months - DITCH the two ugly huge waste bins and one tiny recycling bin for ONE big waste bin and ONE big recycling bin! Our recycling in the neighborhood was overflowing as it was, and it was IRRITATING to see recycling in the waste bin cause it didn't fit.

Massive Update

So, I needed to make a massive update. There is SO much that I want to post and etc, but I always want to post PICTURES! And it never happens that way. SO I might as well just update.

The Car.
So no, I didn't end up getting a hybrid. :( Unfortunately, it wasn't in the cards due to money. I probably could have gotten a used one, but for some reason, I felt uneasy about it, and I liked the new Civics a lot. I ended up getting a regular Civic, but I'm hoping that one day when money isn't so tight that I can get a hybrid. :)

The Pets.
Poor Moochie, he recently got a urinary tract infection and the vet's thinking it could be cystitis. We were originally using World's Best Cat Litter for him (which is still a great brand) but I found that it created WAY too much dust for my taste. I would find yellow paw prints everywhere! So I ended up switching to Swheat Scoop which is basically the same thing, but with wheat instead of corn. It produces much less litter, and I think it hides the odor better too.



On top of that, I found a litter box deodorizer (plain baking soda didn't always cut it.. my cat's stinky!) called Mrs Meyers that is basically baking soda with essential oils. I found it at Target too :)



On Food.
So my boyfriend has been having dietary problems and after some poking around, we thought it could be dairy related, so we've eliminated dairy from his diet. So far so good, but it is SO HARD trying not to eat dairy because our culture puts cheese on EVERYTHING. Plus that's his favorite food. :( So we've been experimenting a lot with foods, and tried Namaste Waffle and Pancake Mix which was really good! We used egg substitute too, and rice milk, which the recipe calls for, and the waffles were yummy! I'll try and post more recipes and things we're trying out :) Also, during my research, I found this website, Go Dairy Free. Lots of interesting information on why we should consume less dairy as a whole. I think ANYTHING in moderation is better for you.

On Relaxing.
For a while now, I've been wanting to get a massage just to relieve any stress and loosen up, and my friend wanted to take a spa day so I agreed and went with! We chose to go to Ecotique because of it's claim to "natural ingredients" although under further inspection, their products still contained parabens and other things that aren't good for you, their salon is very nice. Great service, although a bit disorganized. I enjoyed my massage a lot - she told me I was tight in my hands and feet, although it was easier to relax my feet than my hands. Perhaps it's due to using my hands all the time?? :P



For the record, none of these images are mine. :P

I guess that's all for now... at least, all that I can think of! I'm going to try to update more, and not feel bad for not always having my own images to post. :P

Yoga for the Mind

(image from nowandzenlodi.com)

Something that I've been trying to get more into lately (and I even got my boyfriend to take a class with me, which he really enjoyed!) is yoga! Yoga is really relaxing, but REALLY hard at the same time - it's so much about strength, flexibility and balance.

There's actually a yoga studio in Pacific Beach that offers free yoga classes on Sundays here in San Diego. I found out about the class through one of my brides, who said that she takes 4 classes a week after someone commented on her toned legs. This studio also offers surfer's yoga, which my boyfriend was all over, and would like to try the class out. :)

I think everyone should try a yoga class at least once! Some beginning classes are harder than others, but it's definitely worth trying!

Dishwashing - Ecover vs. Seventh Generation

So ever since we went green, we immediately changed all our cleaning products. I put pretty much all my products up on craigslist for free, and they got snatched up instantly. I figured this was a better alternative than throwing them out (and down the drain which is a NO NO!) and adding to landfills - plus the people who would use them would probably end up getting new bottles of the actual stuff, so I'm reducing demand, yes? There are other options of disposing your household cleaners through your city's toxic waste removal program. Isn't that scary? To get rid of household cleaners, we need to get rid of them through a TOXIC WASTE program?? That alone tells you that the products used in cleaners are not safe!!

So use safer cleaners.. Seventh Generation and Ecover are the two most popular out there.

Anyway, one thing that I needed was dishwashing soap - for handwashing and the dishwasher. Did you know dishwashers are actually better than handwashing a whole load if dishes? Of course, if your dishwasher is full, and is energy efficient.

So initially, I purchased Seventh Generation's automatic dishwasher soap, and found that it basically SUCKED. I ended up having to do more work before the washing than the actual dishwasher (this is coming from a person who used Cascade Complete beforehand and basked in the barely-rinsing before putting the dishes in). It turned out to be a hassle! So I looked online for more answers, and found Ecover's dishwasher tablets!



I read good reviews, so I bought a box, and just tried it on a load, and I must say, I'm impressed! I did rinse and got major food off beforehand though, and I got into the habit of rinsing dishes when putting them in the sink (now, I just need to train my boyfriend to do the same!). But there wasn't residue and a non-plesant smell like there was with the Seventh Gen. Two thumbs up!



I also read an article in a magazine about the Ecover Aloe Vera dishwashing soap for handwashing - apparently they soften hands the best! I use gloves anyway cause I'm a touching-old-food-phobe. And it keeps my hands nice and clean. I hate wrinkly hands from water. Luckily I already had a bottle of this though! Lemon-scented too - I love the smell!

Harbor Biking

Around Valentine's day this past year my boyfriend and I wanted to go out, and I came up with the idea of biking around the San Diego harbor. It would be a great way to get some exercise, take in the city, and have little to no impact on the environment!



We rented bikes from bike-tours.com. You can rent a bike for about $30 a day - the only drawback was that the bikes had to be back by 4:30pm - they were actually nice enough to extend it 5pm for us instead. :D

We originally wanted to do the harbor bike route down to Coronado and take the ferry back, but that was a 25 mile ride, and we weren't going to bring the bikes back in time. So the bike shop suggested we bike down to the Cabrillo Monument on Point Loma, which is only 11 miles.

We started biking, and it was a beautiful ride, down Harbor Drive. Watching the life, the harbor and the skyline. It was refreshing - I haven't biked in years, and I loved feeling the wind in my hair!



Unfortunately, we didn't make it down to the monument, instead, we stopped at Shelter Island, had a mini picnic there, watched the boats and biked back. :)

This was definitely a fun way to spend the day - we actually want to buy bikes now! Biking for leisure is totally fun, you get exercise, and you get a different view of the city! I'm so used to driving all around town - especially downtown, that it feels and looks completely different on a bike. It's an awesome feeling and I recommend it to anyone!

Grocery Finds

I went to the store the other day after dance class as usual and found the coolest thing (to me anyway!) - ORGANIC MILK in REAL glass bottles from Straus Creamery!



The part that caught my eye when shopping was on the milk case there was a sticker saying "Return bottles for a refund!" Apparently, you can return these glass bottles of milk at the store you bought it, or any store that carries this milk and get some money back. Now I don't know how much money, but that's an awesome way to not waste!

Another cool thing about the milk is that they do it old fashioned way, so the cream of the milk actually floats on top. My boyfriend was horrified by this, as he hates pulp in his orange juice, so the idea of cream in his milk makes him refuse to even try it! I really enjoy the milk though - it's nice and I think the flavor is ten times better than normal milk. I wouldn't mind drinking glasses of this, but I hate drinking normal milk.



The creamery is located in Northern California too, so it's local (somewhat) ;D

Another thing I discovered are these Green Tea Mints:



I got the "lively lemongrass" flavor, and it's nice - the mints are all-natural and apparently 3 mints equals one cup of green tea, so if you don't feel like drinking any but want your green tea fix, try this! Caffeine free too.

Authentic French Meringue Cookies

For Valentine's day, I made my boyfriend mint meringue cookies. They're wonderful, simple and tasty - the recipe itself does take a lot of energy, but it's a wonderful treat in the end. Taken from All Recipes.

INGREDIENTS

4 egg whites
2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). Butter and flour a baking sheet.
2. In a glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy using an electric mixer. Sprinkle in sugar a little at a time, while continuing to whip at medium speed. When the mixture becomes stiff and shiny like satin, stop mixing, and transfer the mixture to a large pastry bag. Pipe the meringue out onto the prepared baking sheet using a large round tip or star tip.
3. Place the meringues in the oven and place a wooden spoon handle in the door to keep it from closing all the way. Bake for 3 hours, or until the meringues are dry, and can easily be removed from the pan. Allow cookies to cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature.

My own notes:
* Instead of flour and butter on the baking sheet, I used unbleached parchment paper.
* I used organic sugar and free-range eggs
* I used 1tsp of mint extract to add some flavor and 1/4 cup more sugar to make up for the added liquid.
* You can also set the oven to 185 instead of using the spoon/door method.

Mmmm! Enjoy!

Annie Chun's Biodegradeable Bowls

I never like cooking for myself, so I always end up retreating to quick meals - like canned soups and noodle bowls. One of my faves is Annie Chun's noodle bowls.



The great thing about them? The food is all natural (not organic), AND, the bowls are biodegradable! They are made from corn, and what I like to do with the bowls after the meal is use them for food compost by the sink. I just thrown the whole bowl into the compost pile when it's full. Yay!



You can read more about the bowls on her website (some of her products are also gluten free as well!), and make a small donation for children in need here.

Downfall, yes, they're not cheap (I think they're normally $3.50ish at Ralph's - I've gotten them at Trader Joe's though, and I'm pretty sure they're cheaper there)

Now I just need to get worms for my compost pile...

Five Simple Ways

Going green feels like such a huge daunting task when you first begin. I remember thinking "Where in the world do I start?! I'm just one person, I'm not going to make that big of a difference!" Easy way out, right? I actually felt very depressed about the whole thing. The world was doomed, in my eyes.

It wasn't until I watched "An Inconvenient Truth" that I felt my attitude about the world's state change. It went from "I can't make that much of a difference" to "Even if it starts at just me, it's starting somewhere." Others see by your example and change their own behaviors. Even if they don't, know that you are living in a way that is gentle on the earth. And don't you want to care for things you find valuable?

Lifestyle changes are hard though, especially if you're not in the right mindset. So don't do it because "everyone tells you to" or you feel obligated to. Do it because you want to make a difference, and you want to care for the earth. Do it because you want to. Because without that mindset, you're not going to do anything wholeheartedly.

I read in Organic Housekeeping that it takes 21 days for someone to form a new habit or break a habit. So if you're willing, try to change little things for 21 days in a row. Here are some great and easy ways to start if you don't know where to start!

1.

Recycling is one of the easier ways to lessen your impact. Instead of contributing to landfills, you're allowing something to become something new and reused. Most major cities have a lot of recycling programs out there, Earth 911 is a great way to start finding recycling locations near your area.

Luckily for us, we have recycling bins near our trash bins in the complex (although it irritates me to no end when I see recyclable things in the trash!!). If you don't have a recycling program in your area, try and find out how you can implement one in your neighborhood - people will recycle more because it'll be more convenient for them.

I know in California, they raised the return money for recycling this past year, for you get 10 cents for large containers and 5 cents for small ones. You can find more information at bottlesandcans.com. We currently keep all bottles and cans and plastics in plastic bins and everything else (paper, cardboard) goes into the neighborhood recycling bins. We also recycle the plastic grocery bags we get, I know the Ralph's supermarket in our neighborhood takes used plastic bags for recycling - check your neighborhood store if they do too.

2.

(Our dog, Gromit, not included)
This one is a little more costly, since I know a lot of people re-use plastic bags as trash bags (*ahem* like my parents.. and most Asian families). But recycle those bags, and use biodegradable bags instead! I get a satisfying feeling when I know that I'm using something that wasn't from non-renewable sources, and that they biodegrade.

They cost about $5 a box, and you can find them at most Whole Foods or natural food store. I have yet to see them at Trader Joe's though! The only problem is that you can't really throw out food in the bags because well... they biodegrade. Well you probably could if you took out the trash more regularly than we do... :P

3.

Yes, buying organic does cost more. But I think of it this way - I'd rather be spending more out of my own pocket, than harming the earth and my health. Same goes for buying things like Bio Bags. Also, supply and demand. The more demand in organic foods, the lower the prices will get. Spend your money where your mouth is.

Two things to look out for when buying organic:


Look for the USDA label. This means that the product is certified organic, because really, anyone could label their stuff "organic." This was only recently implemented in 2002.


When buying produce, look at the number stickers. If there's a "9" in front of a 4-digit number, then it was grown organically. If there's a "8" in front of it, it means that it was genetically modified (STAY AWAY!) If there are only 4 digits, then it was grown conventionally.

Also, pay attention to where it was grown! Try buying local - farmers markets are great, and read the signs and labels to see where it came from. The closer they are, they less energy it took to bring it to you. And that's better for the planet, yes?

4.

Again, buying recycled does cost more, but you're reusing, yes? Make sure you check the label and read the percentage of POST-COMSUMER waste that was used. Meaning, people already used it, rather than pre-consumer, which means that it could be from things like wood shavings on a mill floor or something. The higher the post-consumer, the better.

5.

Using cloth bags is one thing that I have a hard time remembering to do because when I want to go to the store, it's on a whim, and I don't have my bags with me. So sometimes I have to grudgingly get a bag, or just carry without bags. But when you can, use reusable bags! Some stores give discounts, or put you in a raffle when you use your own bag. Apparently, IKEA is starting to charge for plastic bags. I know many places in the UK and overseas do this, and I'm so glad SOMEONE is starting this in the US.

You can get bags at many stores - Trader Joe's has the canvas ones for $3, and there are many great ones you can buy at reusablebags.com.

...

Looking back, that's all a lot of information, and it may be a lot to take in - but you can always start small! Recycle for a bit first, then move onto something else. But all these things are good to keep in your mind when shopping at the grocery store. What helped me in the beginning because I felt very overwhelmed with ideas, is to jot things down. Make a list of all the things you want to change, and cross them off when you accomplish them - it was easy for me after that, cause I constantly thought about it. Your mileage may vary :)

Living the Green Life

Making the decision to live a green life is sometimes hard living in a world where green isn't so mainstream (yet!). I decided to create this blog to help others - posting about products, reviews, adventures and just things that my boyfriend and I have been doing to have a greener lifestyle. Obviously this is still in the beginning stages, but I'm hoping to get some great stuff up and out there - not just living day to day, but for other situations, like weddings (obviously, since they are such a huge part of my life!) among other things.

I have so much that I want to begin with, but it's hard to start just anywhere, when you want to make posts that have meaning in each one. I guess I can start a little about what I do.

I'm a wedding photographer living in San Diego - and lately I've been trying to think up ways to give back in green ways. I've found this website 1% for the Planet, which is basically an organization that businesses join, pledging to give at least 1% of their income/sales to environmental causes. I think this is awesome, and something I really want to get into. I guess my own apprehension is that I really don't know where to start! Joining something like this feels like such a big thing to me, and kind of intimidating, I guess. It really shouldn't be, since it's meant for good, yes? I already emailed them, and they sent back information, which I haven't really been able to sit down and read just yet. I'm hoping soon that I can join them though.

I think another reason why I'm feeling so apprehensive about the whole thing is that I don't feel good about my own money - especially this year - business is slow. I'm horrible at bookkeeping, and money watching. I'm trying my very best right now though.

We'll see, won't we? :)