Yesterday was Earth Day......and I did nothing. Nothing that I do not do every day. So...how green am I? I googled to find out. I chose 3 quizzes, one Canadian, one American, and one by the National Geographic Society.
How did I score on each? well the questions all varied .....I liked the ones asked by National Geographic the best. They gave explanations.
On the Canadian quiz...(put out by HGTV) I scored 8-14 points....according to them....I was "so-so" green.
On the US test ( put out by NBC) I was told I have made significant changes to my lifestyle for the better of the environment.
On the NG quiz....I scored 78 out of 100....and was told with a little work...I could be a pro.
I really thought I would score the lowest on the NG quiz...not the highest. And I did think I might not be as green as I should be for the Canadian quiz.
So...how green do I think I am? well....
We use cloth bags for shopping,
We use the light cycle on the dishwasher ( and only when full)
We use cold water for laundry and the dryer for towels and socks...everything else gets put on a clothesline or a dryer rack.
We walk to do small errands and we only have one car.
Kevin walks to work.
We buy mostly local products and belong to a local organic vegetable, fruit and meat supplier.
We use a push mower.
We have never used pesticides on our lawn or garden.
We only use green products for cleaning.
We heat our house with a heat pump and a natural gas fireplace.
The heat is 19 degrees daytime and 17 at night.
We always turn lights off in a room not in use.
We boycott drive-thrus.
Items we purchase now for our house are made out of natural products.
We love our house bugs.....we have had a tiny spider living in out bathroom for 2 years now...we call her Charlotte.
When we need to replace a new appliance...we shop for one that uses the least energy.
We have a low-flow flush.
In the summer we collect rain water to help with watering outside plants.
We recycle paper and plastic.
Our new thing this year is to eliminate gift wrap. Duh..sorry it took so long.
So yesterday, Earth Day, was treated like any other day. In fact....90% of our green choices, were choices we made over 30 years ago. I thought this was normal.
There are many areas where we can improve and be greener...and we will. Especially since we are only so-so green in Canada.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Goodbye Ruby Tuesday
I love that song....and no...this post is not about the Rolling Stones...today just happens to be Tuesday.
This has been an unusual summer and fall. By early September, our little garden stopped producing anything but cucumbers and tomatoes. And now, only a few tomatoes. But we are still getting boxes from the Jolly Farmer...and will until the first week of November. We have also bought a few of their meat products...very tasty. Tonight I am actually roasting one of their whole chickens.
I don't think I can repeat enough how much we are enjoying the produce from the Jolly Farmer. Besides being local, organic and helping a small business.....we do not have to visit the grocery stores very often ....a bonus. We have already signed up for next year.
Other then promoting the JF.....our little freezer is getting full. I just need to make a bit more tomato sauce.
Except for the occasional bottle of Italian wine....my shelves are still stocked with Canadiana.
This has been an unusual summer and fall. By early September, our little garden stopped producing anything but cucumbers and tomatoes. And now, only a few tomatoes. But we are still getting boxes from the Jolly Farmer...and will until the first week of November. We have also bought a few of their meat products...very tasty. Tonight I am actually roasting one of their whole chickens.
I don't think I can repeat enough how much we are enjoying the produce from the Jolly Farmer. Besides being local, organic and helping a small business.....we do not have to visit the grocery stores very often ....a bonus. We have already signed up for next year.
Other then promoting the JF.....our little freezer is getting full. I just need to make a bit more tomato sauce.
Except for the occasional bottle of Italian wine....my shelves are still stocked with Canadiana.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Seasons changing.......
Well...it is almost Sept...hard to believe.
My little freezer is filling up...blueberries from NB...rhubarb ( our garden and a friends).. and beans ( our garden). This weekend we made homemade tomato sauce with tomatoes (our garden ) plus onions, garlic, peppers and spices from the Jolly Farmer. Kevin and I are very pleased with the organic veggies from the JF. Last week we bought a box of meat. I love the sausages....a mixture of pork and beef. We have yet to try the burgers and chicken.
Mid-July to early August I was in Vancouver. Wow...lots of local fruit. The cherries were the best I have ever had....and there were different varieties. I ate pounds of them. It is a shame we do not bring in BC cherries...instead we import tasteless cherries from the US.
Some things never change.
My little freezer is filling up...blueberries from NB...rhubarb ( our garden and a friends).. and beans ( our garden). This weekend we made homemade tomato sauce with tomatoes (our garden ) plus onions, garlic, peppers and spices from the Jolly Farmer. Kevin and I are very pleased with the organic veggies from the JF. Last week we bought a box of meat. I love the sausages....a mixture of pork and beef. We have yet to try the burgers and chicken.
Mid-July to early August I was in Vancouver. Wow...lots of local fruit. The cherries were the best I have ever had....and there were different varieties. I ate pounds of them. It is a shame we do not bring in BC cherries...instead we import tasteless cherries from the US.
Some things never change.
Monday, July 6, 2009
The Jolly Farmer
Kevin and I have joined the " Box a week" program from the Jolly Farmer. Once a week from July until the end of October, we pick up a box of locally grown organic vegetables from the Jolly Farmer. To date we have had 2 boxes....and we are quite pleased. We are supporting a local business.....and receiving a box of yummies every week. Along with our produce growing in our little garden...this year we should have lots of local and organic selections.
I am just finding out about all the other Jolly Farmer products..they seem to produce and sell many things. Check their site out.....
www.jollyfarmer.com
I am just finding out about all the other Jolly Farmer products..they seem to produce and sell many things. Check their site out.....
www.jollyfarmer.com
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Let me take you down.........
..' Cause I'm going to Strawberry fields....
yep....I am eating berries....from my garden.
yep....I am eating berries....from my garden.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Incredible Edibles ...or…. At Arms Length
Recently I broke my right arm…and have been out of commission in the kitchen. Until I have the use of both arms/hands…..I will have to be satisfied with just reading about food.
A friend gave me a very interesting cookbook “The Gourmet’s Garden” by author Anne Gardon. It is a collection of recipes using edible flowers, herbs and berries. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading these recipes and cannot wait to try my hand (when in use again)…with a few…especially the stuffed day lilies.
Here is a list of Anne’s edible flowers:
Anise hyssop (agastache)
Annual sweet pea
Apple blossoms
Bachelor’s buttons (cornflower)
Beebalm
Borage
Calendula
Camomile
Chives
Chrysanthemum
Dandelion
Daylily
Dianthus and pinks
Elderberry
Feverfew matricaria
Geranium
Gladiolus
Hibiscus
Honeysuckle
Hosta
Lavatera
Lavender
Marigold
Nasturtium
Ox-eye daisy
Pansy and violet
Rose
Sunflower
Tulip
Yarrow
Who knew....
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Arrival time....
Today, we are having local fiddleheads, organic chicken and rhubarb cake (rhubarb from our garden ). And....there are blossoms in our strawberry patch. Yeah.....
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
The 100 Mile Diet.....does it work for you?
The 100 Mile Diet has been on the news a bit more lately…. there is even a TV show about families following the 100 mile diet…for 100 days.
I did not read the book...but I did check their website..and I also clicked to find my 100 miles. I knew immediately this was not something that would work year round in Fredericton. My goal was to change the way I eat and shop...basically forever. I guess if you live in the southern USA…you could survive on the food found within 100 miles. But here in Canada….it really means eating locally…when local fresh produce is available.
Ahhhhhh…..aren’t we doing that already? Don’t we buy local produce when it is available? So for many of us….we follow the 100 mile diet….every summer.
I chose a totally different life style. I wanted to incorporate eating locally (when possible) and include regional and national... plus fair trade choices. And it works just fine.
On the 100 mile diet…..I would not even be allowed table salt. Windsor NS is just a tad too far. I am not even sure I would be allowed fish, living here in Fredericton. I would definitely not be allowed bread or pasta.
For me…it was not about trying something…it was about change. I think by choosing to do this for one whole year helped me become better acquainted with what is available in my region. I found lots of choices….and have kept them.
So hopefully…the people doing the 100 mile diet for 100 days….will realize it is not just about fresh fruit and vegetables. It is about flour, salt, fish, cheese, eggs, milk, juice, pasta, snack foods……well….just about everything.
I am not saying that my way is the best...far from it. But it does work better then the 100 mile diet....mainly because it works every day of the year.
My journey is not a diet…it is a life style change.
I did not read the book...but I did check their website..and I also clicked to find my 100 miles. I knew immediately this was not something that would work year round in Fredericton. My goal was to change the way I eat and shop...basically forever. I guess if you live in the southern USA…you could survive on the food found within 100 miles. But here in Canada….it really means eating locally…when local fresh produce is available.
Ahhhhhh…..aren’t we doing that already? Don’t we buy local produce when it is available? So for many of us….we follow the 100 mile diet….every summer.
I chose a totally different life style. I wanted to incorporate eating locally (when possible) and include regional and national... plus fair trade choices. And it works just fine.
On the 100 mile diet…..I would not even be allowed table salt. Windsor NS is just a tad too far. I am not even sure I would be allowed fish, living here in Fredericton. I would definitely not be allowed bread or pasta.
For me…it was not about trying something…it was about change. I think by choosing to do this for one whole year helped me become better acquainted with what is available in my region. I found lots of choices….and have kept them.
So hopefully…the people doing the 100 mile diet for 100 days….will realize it is not just about fresh fruit and vegetables. It is about flour, salt, fish, cheese, eggs, milk, juice, pasta, snack foods……well….just about everything.
I am not saying that my way is the best...far from it. But it does work better then the 100 mile diet....mainly because it works every day of the year.
My journey is not a diet…it is a life style change.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Spring09
It is the first day of spring. The snow is slowly melting....(it might be gone by the end of April). I thought we had lots of snow last year....
As for my eating Canadian.....I am still choosing Canadian food over other brands. But I am also buying a bit more NonCanadian items. I have bananas, pears and plums in my cupboard. I read somewhere that plums are one of the best fruits to eat...how could I not buy them ? I am still eating lots of local apples...and my apple/rhubarb sauce. It still is the best. As for veggies.....mostly local veggies from the market, with a few bags of frozen in my freezer.
I love my freezer. I am not sure why I never had one before. Last week....we had spinach, yellow beans, tomatoes, strawberries, peaches and apple/rhubarb sauce. Sigh....I feel spoiled.
Happy Spring....
Sunday, January 25, 2009
The Wild West Is Looking Good
I love tuna fish..but have not had any in over a year. ( All I could find were products of Asia...and I really do not want to eat fish from Asia). The other day I bought a package of Presidents Choice Frozen Tuna. It is from the Pacific Albacore Tuna Fishery. Plus....the product is from a fishery which has been certified to the Marine Stewardship Council's environmental standard for a well-managed and sustainable fishery.
So I checked out their web-site. I am impressed. And I will be eating their tuna.
http://www.msc.org/
So I checked out their web-site. I am impressed. And I will be eating their tuna.
http://www.msc.org/
Monday, January 19, 2009
Mainly the same
The changes I made in 2008...stuck.
In my last post(which I thought was my last post), I mentioned a few items we would add this year. Items that were not Canadian products. We did...but even fewer then we thought.
Kevin bought bananas once....I am still eating apples, the fruits of the season. We now have peanut butter and almonds in our pantry. We missed these the most. I have yet to purchase olives or coconut..(I probably will when a recipe calls for them).
So, other then those few items just mentioned...we are eating the same foods as last year. Mainly products of Canada.
If I had to hazard a guess as to how pure my products of Canada are..(right now)...I would say close to 75%. I have a freezer full of "the best" from last years seasons. I buy local, regional, and national. I buy from Canadian companies. The smaller the company, the better. I read all labels and ingredients on any packaged and/or frozen product. If I question any ingredient...it gets put back on the shelf.
It is a bit of hard work......and a lot of common sense. So far.
Then I watched another episode of Marketplace. Wendy revisited her talk about food labeling. She also discussed how Harpers new regulations may make it even harder for consumers to know exactly where food products are made, processed or produced.
I had hoped the new labeling would make it easier for consumers...not more difficult. If labeling becomes too vague....I hope common sense will stand the test of Harper.
In my last post(which I thought was my last post), I mentioned a few items we would add this year. Items that were not Canadian products. We did...but even fewer then we thought.
Kevin bought bananas once....I am still eating apples, the fruits of the season. We now have peanut butter and almonds in our pantry. We missed these the most. I have yet to purchase olives or coconut..(I probably will when a recipe calls for them).
So, other then those few items just mentioned...we are eating the same foods as last year. Mainly products of Canada.
If I had to hazard a guess as to how pure my products of Canada are..(right now)...I would say close to 75%. I have a freezer full of "the best" from last years seasons. I buy local, regional, and national. I buy from Canadian companies. The smaller the company, the better. I read all labels and ingredients on any packaged and/or frozen product. If I question any ingredient...it gets put back on the shelf.
It is a bit of hard work......and a lot of common sense. So far.
Then I watched another episode of Marketplace. Wendy revisited her talk about food labeling. She also discussed how Harpers new regulations may make it even harder for consumers to know exactly where food products are made, processed or produced.
I had hoped the new labeling would make it easier for consumers...not more difficult. If labeling becomes too vague....I hope common sense will stand the test of Harper.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
The Final Curtain
Ringing in 2009. My year is up….but not my mission. I will continue to purchase an item from Canada over other countries. I will continue to support the Bioregion diet. We liked the Canadian products we found this year.
However, a few items will (again) find their way to our kitchen. Items that are not produced in Canada. For Kevin, it will be peanut butter, bananas and rice. For me, it will be almonds, olives and coconut. And, though I love my Canadian wine…occasionally I will purchase a bottle from Italy or Chile.
Though, it will definitely feel strange placing a banana in the shopping cart. (Shopping with a conscience).
I hope by creating this blog, we become more aware of where our food is produced. That sometimes we choose items from Canada over other countries. And we start to eat more foods in season.
So…thanks to everyone who sent me emails, I appreciated your comments. And special thanks to Kevin, Whitefeather, Beverly, Marilyn, Karen and Cheryl for your interest, help and research.
I may post a blog now and then…..but not on a regular basis.
I may start a new venture…..I’ll keep you posted.
The fat lady is singing.
However, a few items will (again) find their way to our kitchen. Items that are not produced in Canada. For Kevin, it will be peanut butter, bananas and rice. For me, it will be almonds, olives and coconut. And, though I love my Canadian wine…occasionally I will purchase a bottle from Italy or Chile.
Though, it will definitely feel strange placing a banana in the shopping cart. (Shopping with a conscience).
I hope by creating this blog, we become more aware of where our food is produced. That sometimes we choose items from Canada over other countries. And we start to eat more foods in season.
So…thanks to everyone who sent me emails, I appreciated your comments. And special thanks to Kevin, Whitefeather, Beverly, Marilyn, Karen and Cheryl for your interest, help and research.
I may post a blog now and then…..but not on a regular basis.
I may start a new venture…..I’ll keep you posted.
The fat lady is singing.
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