24 inches of snow!

Lake Superior in December — A December Lake Superior

December 1, is the beginning of meterological winter, and it showed its true winter colors by stiking the south shore of Lake Suprerior with a massive snowfall. Yikes, have you tried to shovel 24 inches of snow? Never have we seen so much snow. It’s beautiful, but some people haven’t managed to get shoveled out 4 days later. Snow plows, trucks and snow blowers have broken down. A strong back/legs and a good snow shovel needed, and many help their neighbors. I am so thankful for our snow plower who faithfully cleared our 600 foot driveway. Read about the snow here.

Heavy snow hangs on branches — Many balsam trees wear a snow skirt.

With such heavy snow I worry about the survival of wildlife. For a few days I only saw crows, but today the chickadees are back singing. They are at the feeder with their friends the nuthatches, and blue jays and wood peckers are now out looking for food. The deer had to contend with deer hunting last week, and now they have to forge for food in almost impossible conditions. Deer tracks can be spotted in driveways so some have survived hunting and a major snowstorm, but the winter food find will be tough for them. See tracking animals

LAke Superior bank — Water from the lake covers the trees

Save 100%

Climate march in New York City — Fridays for our Future

How can we be sustainable consumers? We have another die warning from the UN on the climate crisis we are experiencing. Buying more stuff does not help the earth. If you need to purchase items, do it in a more sustainable manner. See below.

We don’t need to purchase to be happy. I went to see the new Fred Rogers movie. The messages are subtle, but say a lot. Rogers was a master at helping children to feel important. and to feel good about themselves. He thought television was an excellent educational tool, but had been ruined because it tried to turn children into consumers demanding things they didn’t need. As we enter the holiday season and a time of extreme consumerism read more about Fred and his philosophy here

Consumerism and saving money is on our minds. Unfortunately, we have become a throwaway society. Do you use an item for a short time then throw it away, and even worse we raise our children to get bored quickly from that item they just had to have. Again, we don’t need to purchase to be happy. This holiday, how can we be more sustainable and honor the season at the same time?

Join or create your own Friday climate march #FridayforFuture
Always shop with a reusable bag and avoid all plastic.
Shop reuse stores. Some of my favorite clothes come from consignment stores.
Give gifts of help, time and outside events.
Shop retailers that pay living wages, and are local over big box stores.
Buy nothing and save 100%. Reuse what you have!
Purchase items that will last instead of cheap junk.
Plan a day outside instead of shopping, REI.

Happy Holidays! Pause, Enjoy, Reuse

Does Black Friday promote “resource waste and overconsumption?” Read at France.

Reduce the waste you generate!

“I only feel angry when I see waste, when I see people throwing away things we could use.” Mother Teresa Only 9% of recyclables are recycled in the United States compared with Germany and Norway that recycle in the 60% range. Plastic manufacturers continue to create more plastic and push recycling. Unfortunately, recycling is not a sustainable option. I hope you will work hard to recycle your bottles, containers and paper waste because making things from recycled material is awesome and saves lots of energy and natural resources, but as consumers we need to also purchase items made from recycled materials.

A new paradigm is needed, we all need to reduce the waste and recycling we generate. Wasteful packaging needs to stop! Make it a priority in your life to reduce the waste you generate. Here are some simple ideas to get you started:

First, cook at home instead of take-out. Yes, it is some work, but organizing to have a few meals made ahead or in crock pots can reduce lots of waste and be fun at the same time.

Always carry your reusable water bottle and reusable bags.

Be a smart shopper, always think how you can purchase less waste, especially plastic waste. Don’t purchase plastic or Styrofoam trayed produce. Many stores have cloth bags you can purchase for produce.

Shop in bulk and refill any bottles your grocery store makes possible. Food coops have lots of refill options.

Choose products out of recycled material if you can find them.

Never put plastic bags in your recycling cart, recycle them at your local stores.

Please recycle plastic bags at grocery stores!

Happy World Kindness Day

A smile is an international way to show kindness. Smile today!

World Kindness Day 2019, World Kindness Day is celebrated annually on November 13. On this day, make the world a better place by celebrating and promoting good deeds to all people and the Earth too. Yes, please be kind today and everyday!

What are you doing Today for the Future?

PROTECT RESTORE FUND!

Greta is an awesome spokesperson for the world, and she has a global audience. I focus locally. What can each of us do to make a difference? So instead of getting depressed, make an effort everyday to help the Earth: Take public transport, buy less, reduce plastic use and food waste, plant native plants and native trees, and reduce the amount of meat you eat. Each one of us can make a big difference!

And the letter from scientists to the world. “Mankind is still facing the existential threat of runaway consumption of limited resources by a rapidly growing population,” they warned. And “scientists, media influencers and lay citizens” aren’t doing enough to fight against it, If the world doesn’t act soon, there will be catastrophic biodiversity loss and untold amounts of human misery,” they wrote. Read the full report by thousands of scientists here.

More on amazing trees: https://www.treepeople.org/tree-benefits

November Gratitude

Minnehaha Creek — This stream runs directly into the Mississippi River. I am thankful my community works to keep the water clean in the creek near my home.

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” Marcel Proust

Each day as I walk or look out my window I am so thankful for our magnificent earth. I love the birds, plants, wildlife and landscapes. I love how the seasons change and the colors change. I love the sunshine, love people who smile, and love each new day. I am so lucky to live where there is clean drinking water and away from forest fires and rising water. Many disasters are facing our earth, and it’s easier to focus on what is awful rather than the simple things around us that are wonderful. For our own mental health, positive energy and gratitude can keep us healthy.
November is a month with less sunshine, colder temperatures and shorter days. In November we can’t wait for the sun to shine or warm temperatures, we need to be mindful of what else is good in our lives, and be thankful.

Fridays For Future — I am thankful for people who work to make the world better. Greta!

To live in Gratitude, be mindful of your surrounding, the food you eat, and the people in your life. Listen to people, smile, be thankful for what you have, and buy less stuff.”Gratitude turns what we have into enough!“Anonymous Pause, smile, breathe and enjoy everyday with gratitude. “I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude“. Brene Brown

what a Wonderful World — Be thankful and enjoy!

Smiling and saying thank you creates ripples of thoughtfulness and kindness throughout the world, and that’s something to be thankful for!

What is the good in your life? What are you thankful for? Read ways to put more gratitude in your life here. Enjoy

THANK YOU

Waste Not!

Too much food is waste! — How can you use those leftovers? Foods waste is responsible for 8% of yearly global emissions

We have a serious problem. 40% of the food in the United States is wasted, and 30% of food worldwide is wasted. What a ridiculous waste of energy, money and water. Read more here.

At the same time over 800 million people don’t have enough to eat, and more land is being cleared everyday for more agriculture. Rotting food waste in landfills creates methane gas that causes pollution. Each one of us needs to reduce our food waste. I have said many times this is one of the hardest things for me to deal with in trying to help our climate crisis. Reducing food waste takes constant vigilance. This week I came home from the farmers market with rotten apples and cucumbers. Being a more thoughtful shopper and buying just what I needed could have helped.

These are important facts we should be aware of, from the IPCC, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: Food production causes 30 % of greenhouse emissions, 80% of global deforestation, and uses 70% of the world’s fresh water!

My advice for managing food waste and working for zero waste in my home:

Shop in bulk — Buying in bulk is a good way to manage food waste and packaging waste. Bring your own container!

1. First, be mindful of your perishables, use your freezer, buy in bulk to get just what you need, and become aware that gluttony is a form of food waste

2. I save celery tops, onions and raw produce waste to put in a stir fry or soup. One of my favorite things about cooking is how I can use leftovers creatively. I love making wraps, rice or quinoa bowls with food leftovers.

3. Expiration dates are not something I obsess over. Most of the time food is good long past the date.

Help the environment by reducing food waste

What things do you do to reduce food waste?