Reflect. Re-Evaluate. Reconsider.

            

            After spending this lovely Sunday with my family outdoors, in the woods, making a bonfire and drinking snow-melt tea I find myself in a reflective state (although when am I not?!).  Reflecting on how this lust for sustainable living has become quite suddenly tangible. How did the couple who used to drive to Ikea on a Sunday afternoon for something to do develop into the two that chopped wood, made a bonfire, boiled down snow for tea and sipped on it for hours all so the Mr. could bury a metal file in the coals to achieve the appropriate heat & consistency so he could then turn it into a camping knife?! I even write that in disbelief. Not only did it get me thinking about the development of our lives but also about the well renown 3 R’s we all grew up learning about. Listen as they so naturally roll off your tongue: Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

            So, the majority of us recycle, right? It would feel weird if we didn’t. It has become such a part of our lives that we would feel guilty throwing a plastic bottle into the garbage. And we are all familiar with the feeling that comes from throwing a recyclable item in the garbage and then digging through the mess once we realize the atrocious move that was mistakenly made. Recycling makes each of us feel good; like we’re doing our part; like we’re saving the world. And it’s true, it most certainly helps (although there is some question about how loyal recycling companies are). BUT, what about those other two R’s? How did R number three jump to the front of the line making one and two nearly obsolete?

            If you ask me, Recycling belongs third. We should only be in the place to recycle after we have tried to Reduce and Reuse. Reducing the quantity and quality of what comes into the house is the first move. Do we need that extra item in the house just because it comes in a pretty bottle, or because we’re feeling extra bloated, wrinkly, or the house is in disarray that day? Think of how many things you’ve purchased and hardly use? Just stuff, clutter, money spent, and dust collected. One way to reduce is to repurpose things (ie. Vinegar is an excellent cleaner, coconut oil for sunscreen, oatmeal as an anti-itch remedy, etc.) Once you start thinking this way it’s amazing how many things double up.

            Once things do come into the house, we need to shift our thinking once again. When we’re done with an item how could we reuse it? Today I made a necklace and earring combo for one of the neighbour’s kids from a combination of old necklaces that still had great beads. It’s always fun to make some money on your (or your kids) nice but unworn clothes (& toys) by selling them at consignment stores or donating to someone who may need them.  Old files can apparently turn to camping knifes, old furniture can look brand new with the proper care/funky adjustments and old toys (from way back when you were little) are the ones my kid loves the most!

            Recycling is the safest R of them all. It involves little change; just adding a little blue bin to our household and adjusting to garbage separation. Media, industry, markets and consumerism don’t want us to think of the first two. If we all started reducing and reusing, ‘their’ pocketbooks would become much lighter. When you have kids, it is so easy to consume ( look at parent & tot trade shows) because just like every other important moment of our lives ‘they’ have turned it into a market industry. 

            Similarly to recycling becoming habit, we can Re-evaluate (the prerequisite R if you will) our lives and work the other R's in until they too, become the norm....Well, I'm off to sew my old teddy's armpit up as he's the new fav around here!

Let’s support each other in this by sharing links, ideas and encouragement:

Consignment Stores I shop at/give to:

Once Upon a Child: http://www.onceuponachild.com/

Zoe’s Attic (thrift): https://www.facebook.com/zoesattic

ReFind: http://refindclothing.blogspot.ca/

Mom & Me: http://oldsab.towntracer.com/mini_me_consigment_store_olds_ab

Reduce:

Simple Life Celebrations: https://www.facebook.com/simplelifecelebrations

Buy some chickens! They help with composting and deliver an abundance of eggs!

Reuse:

1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/creative-reuse-project-wants-your-ideas.html

Upcycling Ideas: http://toponlineengineeringdegree.com/?page_id=116

                                http://www.dwell.com/articles/Danny-Seos-Upcycling.html

Pinterest: pinterest.com- great ideas on here!

Not Fancy, Just Healthy.

            I'm astonished by how many people have commented on what I feed our baby lately. Hmm….breast milk and real food, ya know, the kind that you and I eat? (Well, as real as we try to eat anyway… a topic for another day). I’d like to preamble, by announcing that I make zero attempts in coming across snobby or that I have the only way to do things but merely to provide an alternative should it be of interest. I honestly thought that most mamas were aware of the simple solutions to baby food- but the recently provided puzzled looks and inquiry that presents itself when I whip an avocado out of my purse tells me differently.

            Raw fruit is a given; bananas, avocado, oranges, and so on. Not hard to prepare, carry or serve those (avocado even has it's own built in dish!).Veggies however, may seem a little more daunting and for meat lovers, even more so. I do see how it seems easiest to grab a jar of beef and peas (or whatever) in the grocery store. Dump it, heat it and spoon it in. An alternative approach is that your baby can eat what you eat. When you’re preparing your meal, just make a  little extra or a variation of what your eating. As example, tonight we had huevos rancheros wraps (gotta eat all these eggs somehow!)  and baby had tomato, a hard boiled egg and cooked spinach. It wasn’t any harder to add her meal to my cooking than it would have been to heat something in the microwave. All the same ingredients, same knives that cut, same pots on the stove. For lunch we both had toast, mango and cottage cheese and for breakfast a banana and puffed wheat. Puffed wheat, by the way, is my (and baby’s!) new found favorite- there are zero additives as opposed to other cereals.

            It may become tricky when you’re out because as I’ve found people (restaurants and friends) don’t always serve baby friendly food. Ordering for the baby in a restaurant has become my last resort as I like to avoid paying $2.00 for them to boil and egg or toast one slice of bread. Making your own portable baby food is as simple as pie. As you're cooking supper, just boil some of your kid’s favourite veggies (carrots, beets, spinach, beans, broccoli, etc). When you’re ready (it can wait until the cutie is in bed) drain the veggies and toss them in the food processor. The adult sized food processors are the best; I wouldn't want to do up a bunch of stuff in the tiny Baby Bullet although I’ve never tried it so I’d be open to reviews. If it needs extra liquid, I'm a big fan of using the water you boiled the veggies in to retain the nutrients. Once the veg. is ground to the desired texture pour the veggies into ice cube trays and set to freeze for 12 hours. After frozen, place the cubes into a freezer safe storage container and mark with the date. These delicious little portable cubes are good in the freezer for 8 weeks!  Take a second to think about it; doesn’t 8 weeks in the freezer seem like a more realistic shelf life for a fruit or vegetable than the 1-2 year expiration date on the baby food jar? (And I don’t even want to think about the meat).

 

            Although our family is not huge on meat, when we do eat it, we just chop up bite sized bits and put it on the high chair tray for the baby. Depending on their age, babies can have lamb, turkey, chicken (6-7m), pork, veal, beef, liver, salmon & other fish, bison (7-9 m), tofu, seafood, cold cuts, canned fish (12m +). If you’re cooking meat for your family, perhaps set aside an unseasoned cooked piece that you can keep in the fridge for your child for the next couple of days. For example, we had pulled lamb in the slow cooker the other day but before coating it in delicious sauces we saved some in a container in the fridge so it was good to add to the baby's meal or toss it in the diaper bag to go!

            There are a lot of recipes out there, and a lot of baby food cook books. These will be useful to some, but if you’re like me they are used for the once-in-a-while-feelin’-creative times. Baby food doesn’t have to be fancy, just healthy. Enjoy!  

Clucking Our Way to Sustainable Living

I think one part of this whole trying to live sustainably thing is jumping at opportunities as they arise. I've found it’s important to take it slow and remain mindful of each area of living. The slow pace helps us achieve and maintain the best results. Waiting (not too long of course) and remaining aware of new opportunities is a great way to turn our lifestyle into a more sustainable one.

A coworker of ours is moving closer to the city for work and had to give up her animals, to her dismay (she had more animals than Ol’ MacDonald!). “Getting rid of 20 hens you say? Sure we’ll take ‘em!” We had a few weeks before the girls were coming to nest with us, so we had time to talk and think about the best set up. Firstly, we talked to our next door neighbours. Living in intentional community is a big part of our lives, and has been for quite some time. Plus, what on earth would we do with 20 eggs/ day? They were in! This was beneficial on many levels- the sharing of eggs, of chores, of cost and not to mention of excitement!  After discussing whose backyard shed would be transformed (ours!) my husband and the father of the two little girls next door got to work. The final result- a chicken condo- one you would find on the penthouse level of a city high-rise. One with modern flair, wooden furniture and doweled roosts (no joke). Needless to say, they got to laying right after they arrived.

The sustainability tied up in this endeavor has been quite encouraging, as there were elements that I hadn’t even thought of.  We’ve been sharing eggs with neighbours free of charge. We’ve been able to compost for the first time since we moved to this bear-aware country side (not only do those girls love their scraps but this cuts down on the cost of grain). I’ve read that if their egg shells are ground small enough than this is great for their calcium intake (to form the shells) and we no longer need to buy ground oyster shell (talk about the circle of life!).  We’re already talking with the next door folk about what else we could share (garden, fruit trees, alpacas?!). It’s amazing!

It’s also been surprising how easy it is to care for these ladies, and how non-farmer you have to be. When we lived in Vancouver, city dwellers petitioned and were awarded the permission to keep a few layers in their backyard. It may not be conducive to apartment living, but don’t let that stop you! It is not out of the realm of possibility to share 5 hens in your friends’ or neighbour’s backyard. Look into your municipal bylaws, and honestly even if they don’t allow you, what’s the worst that can happen?!

My mother is probably shaking her head right now at how ‘full-circle’ this has become, but Mom you were right. You were sustainable before it was even on others’ radars – thank you & keep it up (you have a backyard in the city don’t you?!).

My husband and I have been singing the first part of this song for the last couple of days as the baby dances and wows at the chickens in her backyard…Enjoy!   

Awakening the Dreamer

"Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine and injustice in the world when He could do something about it....but I'm afraid he might ask me the same question" - Anonymous

So, at the last minute I heard about this symposium called Awakening the Dreamer. And since they were so very baby friendly, the two of us (attached at the breast) decided to go. There were things I had already read about, and there were many things I had already seen. Some may think that if you’ve already been exposed to topics and have the drive to do the research yourself then a symposium on these topics (environmental sustainability, spiritual fulfillment and social justice) would be a waste of time. For me, however Awakening the Dreamer had me tap into something more profound. It brought to my consciousness what exactly I’ve been dreaming about.

In an exercise, the facilitator had asked us to lower our eyes and imagine what the sustainable world would look like….mine was abundant with voluptuous forests and vibrant greens; filled with sand, sun, rock and endless clear, fresh ocean where I could both swim and drink. Then the facilitator quietly advised us to notice the details of this place and what had disappeared from the ‘old world’ or the world as we know it today. Without skipping a beat my soul whispered to my brain “Concern. There is no more concern.”

I have to break here, from my imaginings, to reflect on what ‘concern’ encompasses. Concern for what’s in our food and on our food. Concern for where our food comes from. Concern for the ingredients in products (ie. cocamidoprophyl betaine- randomly selected from a bottle) that are far out of knowledgeable reach not to mention unpronounceable. Concern for the water I drink, wash my dishes & veggies in, and bathe my child in. Concern for the air we breathe. Concern for all these causing disease.  And if I wasn’t too afraid to find out more, the list wouldn’t end here.

How freeing it would be, I thought with my eyes closed lightly, if concern for survival vanished.  We were then asked to imagine sitting in a grassy meadow with the children of the future. Those children were asking us what it used to be like in the ‘old world’ and what we did (as a family) to fix it. As a list of ‘things I had done’ flooded through my mind, I grabbed my pencil and notepad that had weaved its way into a pile of toys.

1.Give up the comforts I grew up knowing as comforts and conveniences (the numerous unsustainable ones).

2.       Move to a rural setting.

3.       Live off the land, grow own food, live simply. Live by example.

4.       Meet with and live in community.

5.       Teach others about a new way of life in some capacity.

Revisiting the list later on in the symposium I realized that although I would like to do much (much!) more, I have already subconsciously begun living this list. Start small and grow, in all things.

I was encouraged by the like-minded folk and by the vastness of the global sustainability movement. When our world seems so discouraging don’t forget that the time has come when people are making a move. Also, be aware and proud of the mountains humankind have climbed, the boulders we’ve pushed out of our way, and the walls we have executed. As Desmond Tutu reminds us we, the people, have already executed such things as segregation, apartheid, and Nazism so we can move our world in a more natural, healthy, peaceful and satisfying direction. I encourage you to go to one of these symposiums or sit on a sustainability committee, join an organization or start talking about it with friends. The time is coming where these communities will join hands and become a massive population of change. The change we need to see and be.

Join and do these things even with baby. If the baby isn’t welcome, they're probably not working towards their goal in the right way. As a bonus your baby may even be used as tangible motivation for others. A motivation, that is, to improve things for future generations and to stop doing things only to satisfy the individual in the immediate.  

Check out more short videos posted on Sustainable Mama’s Facebook Page!

From D-day to V-day

We had the day off this February 14^th. But as days off go around here I had a morning meeting and we both scheduled 90 minute appointments at the dentist. As I was getting ready to head out the door, the dentist phoned to cancel (yeehaw!). I had a great meeting, came home, played a bit and had some lunch while the hubbie took a nap. In the afternoon we decided to go exploring. We returned some recycling, did some banking (ok so errand-exploring), decided to do some thrift store shopping and ended our trip with taking a scenic drive (how old are we again?!).  We ended up going to a place called Water Valley, where you feel like you just drove into the wild west  but in a very real, non-Disney way. We attempted to eat in this hip 4 corner town but not one (of the two) restaurants were open to minors. Not even a 10 month old minor. Chuckling along, we decided not to back track but rather make super at home. Arriving, after a peaceful day to a clean house, all was well and I had a scrumptious seed planted in my mind that would grow gracefully into our romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. This seed was planted right beside another: We will enjoy this as the wee one sleeps. Ya, right. I began cooking while hubby was looking after and feeding the babe. Not before a project popped up though. He and babe decided they would screw in the child proof door locks on the cabinets under the sink.  I continued around them. Phone rings. Skype rings. Phone rings again.  Door locks got installed and super-dad created a carrot-banana mash (who knew? She gobbled it right up!). Sticking to my perfect plan, as the red peppers roasted and garlic bread toasted I would whisk the wee one off for a night cap (aka breast milk in this house). As she drifted off with visions of sugar plums I would serve and we would sit down to relax. Uh huh. More like I tried to nurse her for twenty minutes and she was wide awake laughing, playing with my hair, my earrings, the buttons on my sweater and being very cute. So out we came for a little play in the exersaucer. As I tried to adjust my annoyance, it only escalated when I pulled the trays out of the oven to see parts of the peppers burnt and the garlic bread turned to croutons. As he saw my frustration, my husband came to my rescue. Immediately popping bread in the toaster and smothering the toast in garlic infused butter (not without popping the breaker a couple of times) we were both up in arms. As we reached across the counter, arms intersecting, a sense of calm woke me from my frustrated state. All we needed was one another, not the perfect dinner. We’re happy, we’re healthy, and we’d spent the day together as a family. Ideas need not come to fruition by the way I planned them but can be just as beautiful in taking their own shape.  And as my husband reminded me, the baby is a product of our love so it’s just as important that she’s there … I hope you all had a lovely V-day with your families whatever it looked like & no matter how hectic it may have been.

Wine, Candlelit Dinner & Exersaucer

Wino Art::Cork Board

Moving from a hip urban twenty-something to a country mama almost-thirty, I have found a FUNdamental practice in having a tasty nightly reward. Chocolate for some, ice cream for others, but this mama likes a nice glass of Merlot after a long days work. While babe rests her head (or fights her sleep), after the house is clean and laundry is in, I twist the cork (with a sore forearm from lifting a 23 pounder throughout the day) to withdrawl a pleasant adult-like aroma. As the burgundy liquid swishes into the glass of choice for the evening it whispers “good job mama” to my delight.

Some may think that this isn’t a kosher practice, especially when breastfeeding. According to the Quebec government (leave it to the French!) it takes 3 hours for the alcohol levels of one glass of wine, one beer or one highball (not one of each!!) to leave your blood stream completely. According to your baby’s schedule this may affect when you are able to have a drink, but not if you can enjoy one. I understand that some may prefer not to partake at all- and that’s ok! But now ya know this mamas choice.

Others may wonder how I’ve turned this practice sustainable. With ease mamas, with ease. Most, even rural, liquor stores have a selection of local wines. In Canada, most come from the Okanogan Valley (you may find some from Ontario, and other provinces but there is more selection and pleasure for your taste buds if you look at B.C. wines).  And if beer is your thing, I’d opt for Quebec, Nova Scotia or B.C. brews. Since the majority of Canadians live so close to the border, U.S. wines may very well be ‘local’ for you too. Beware however, I’ve noticed some of the wine products that appear to be local are a mix of local and imported wines….which is better than nothing, but if you’re gonna make the effort why not go all the way?? Plus, mixed wines generate a feeling of cheapness married to mass manufacturing... but that is just a best guess. You may even have the possibility of buying wine from a local vineyard or wine farmer at a nearby farmer’s market (a little more pricey but totally worth it!)

Oh and there is more friends….check out these nifty chalk boards I made for our family, and another as a neighborly gift (don’t be judgin’- it took a long while to save all these up!) If you’re interested in cork-art you could ask friends and family to save their corks for faster collection and maintenance of a wide variety.  The options are unlimited in reusing your corks….a knife holder, decorative frames, baseboards, pin-holders, floor-savers (on bottom of furniture legs), cork-bead curtain, place card holder, garden mulch, Christmas wreath/ornaments, potholder/hot pads, and the list goes on…. And as an added bonus for my fellow list makers- chalk board paint!!

Breastfeeding and Wine Drinking (p.295): http://www.inspq.qc.ca/tinytot/sections/TT2011_Feeding.pdf#page=21

Pour a Glass and Relax (for your sanity!):

www.huffingtonpost.com/debra-ollivier/moms-should-drink-wine_b_1107938.html

In the Habit of Homeschooling

As an incessant talker inside the walls of our home (as my quiet, trying-to-read husband would vouch), I’ve been thinking of how this will affect our wee one. Because I talk to her. I talk to her all day long, almost non-stop. I tell her where we’re about to go, what we’re about to do, I read her things I’m reading, we talk to the dog, we talk about the trees and the weather on our walks, we sing non-stop, and on and on it goes….  As I get sideways glances from time to time while we’re out, I second guess my talking to the baby in adult talk. Should I revert to goo-goos and gaa-gaas? Should I constantly be talking in a four-octave-higher-sing-songy voice? Or maybe the baby doesn’t even care/take any of it in. Perhaps I should defer until she’s able to respond and tell me how she’s feeling ("Not now Mama, enough!").

From time to time, I’ve been thinking of the affects this may have on her. Will we end up with a child who thinks that rambling on and on is how life is? Will I regret my approach when I can’t grasp thirty seconds of mama time from my to-be toddler? As we were baking Super Bowl Cook-Me-Nots yesterday afternoon, this thought came streaming in once again. She sat in her high chair beside the counter chewing on a spatula and I read her the recipes, talked about the ingredients, told her the measurements, stopped to show her the mixing process. We counted how many blobs we placed on the baking sheet as I let her fingers touch the texture of the gooey mess. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks- she’s learning! This incessant talking, this constant ramble, this mama’s voice that she hears all day is one that is teaching.  Babies are like sponges from the age of six months (if not earlier!) and that (the sponge stage) is when we start teaching them our cultural norms. I urge you to challenge that culture and start teaching as early as possible! Now that I’m looking at it in this light, our wee one is constantly learning through this adult talk (how to make a fire in our wood stove with Daddy, how the wind goes like waves through the trees, why we hang dry our diaper covers to not let the elastics dry out….). It is important to marry the talk with the time to learn with them. Don’t let our societal norms get in the way by telling you it’s someone else’s job. Rather have fun with your wee one, no matter the age difference between you, and get in the habit of homeschooling!

View some interesting links and an article on the Education Page.