Looking for Sustainability ideas

I thought I find a way to keep costs down while still trying to stay eco-friendly. Trying to keep striving for sustainability. This a record of that journey.

Sometimes blunt and straight forward then sometimes sarcastic

This frugal crunchy hipster single momma is doing what she can to save Mother Earth while not breaking the bank!

Monday, December 17, 2012

Frustrated

So I know that it's been busy time for the home improvement business. I know Sandy helped get more business for them. I do understand but I can still can be frustrated that it is taking this long for my roof to be fixed! I understand that my little bit of roof missing isn't as bad ad many someone that has a big hole.... My little bit that got blown off isn't too bad a half a day work.  That and it freaked me out they kept saying it's not a expensive job.. I don't know many people that have a couple thousand to spend on a roof... But I guess it better than the whole roof or repair of a hole.

Today they were suppose to start to fix it...almost 2 months later.... but the foreman is sick.  My dad is out of town taking my nephew back to Florida. So all week I work... and no one to be here if they need a ok to do something that isn't covered my insurance.... grrr. I have my mangers ok to have my phone with me encase they called for that ok.

So I guess I will be waiting till tomorrow I hope...

ivy

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Holiday American Made Man sized...

So as I said earlier from Diane Sawyer and Nightline:


 "The average American will spend $700 on holiday gifts and goodies this year, totaling more than $465 billion, the National Retail Federation estimates. If that money was spent entirely on US made products it would create 4.6 million jobs. But it doesn't even have to be that big. If each of us spent just $64 on American made goods during our holiday shopping, the result would be 200,000 new jobs."

Oh yea I am backing this totally. To buy products made int his country helps the environment because there is less energy used to ship products. Even more our economy needs us to back our local USA made products.... guess I am on a kick here....

I found a few male sporting type gifts... Ok you can give some of these gifts to a female sportsman too... but it the fact I am looking for Dad gifts now....

Leatherman Multi-tools 
They even have a few pink tools that also support Breast Cancer Awareness!
Buck Knives 
Remington


Plus I found a couple more basic companies...
Cutco Cutlery
Coats and Clark (thread and sewing)
Tootsie Rolls.... 


ivy

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Honey Lemons, Echinacea and Vicks Oh MY!

I had a head cold. Ok I still have a little cough but I can talk. A few days ago I had no voice. Was so much fun when I work with the public. It was kinda funny when I would talk and people would get this horrified look on their face as to say OH shit she is sick... and quickly back away.. But hey you won't be able to hear me... Plus if I had a dime for every-time some one told me "Hey you have Laryngitis!". Yep I do. Gee thanks Captain Obvious!

My adventure in trying to feel better was interesting....

OK You know this is not medical advice. That common sense will tell you if you are very sick go to the doctor not read my blog ....I am not a doctor or a nurse. disclaimer....... Just my adventure in laryngitis and cough my head off land..... 


 I quickly figured out that I have not started my winter echinacea regiment of 15 days on and 15 days off.  Seeing how it was like what 60 something last week I can see how I forgot to start taking it....

I started to drink a ton of tea cause the warm water did a great job on my throat. Crazy think is it didn't hurt most of the time (just when I weak up in the middle of the night). I would add honey (honey is suppose to be good for sore throats plus help fight infections) and lemon. (same thing with the lemons) I would take honey and lemon to work to add to my tea at work.  LOL I think I still have a little container of honey in my locker!!

    Didn't really feel like eating but knew I should. So I eat a lot of chicken and rice soup. You know the feed a cold thing that chicken soup is good for fighting a cold... but now I am so sick of chicken and rice soup... LOL

I made a cough medicine.

1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of warm water

tasted ok.  I didn't have cayenne. But then I wasn't really congested just coughing and had laryngitis.  I did once in a while just take a little honey and kinda suck on it to cover my throat.  I did that at work sometimes  after I drank all my tea... LOL  Cause honey is so gooooodddd. PLUS the most important part is I got the honey at the farmers market or the health food store not the big box shelves of the "sugar water" honey. They say that it helps with allergies because the bees work the flowers in your area. Helping you build up a resistance.  I know this is not proven to be a fact but it seems to help me (it works for me may not work for others.)
I wore vicks VapoRub on my feet with socks.  This is one of those things that has been circling the internet that helps night time cough. It did the first night then again maybe it was cause I got no sleep the night before because I kept waking up coughing.  Second night nope didn't work... BUT I also raised the top of my bed a little to help me breathe.  I lay down. I cough and get stuffed up... oh yea a head cold...

I now have a sports bottle of water by my bed and in my car. Great for the dry throat feeling. Stops the cough my head off cause I was over heated in that store.... Or cause I have been snoring half the night.
Water is good right? Guess a good habit came out of this fun.

OK You know this is not medical advice. That common sense will tell you if you are very sick go to the doctor not read my blog ....I am not a doctor or a nurse. disclaimer.......


ivy

Monday, December 3, 2012

Made In the USA

A quote from Diane Sawyer and Nightline I heard the other night:


"The average American will spend $700 on holiday gifts and goodies this year, totaling more than $465 billion, the National Retail Federation estimates. If that money was spent entirely on US made products it would create 4.6 million jobs. But it doesn't even have to be that big. If each of us spent just $64 on American made goods during our holiday shopping, the result would be 200,000 new jobs."

While buying our hliday gifts we should look to see where that item is made. Why wouldn't Americans want to buy $64 on something made in the USA?.  To help keep and get jobs in this country

 Made in America companies that I have found.

For the Foodie:
 Pyrex
Nordic Ware
 All-Clad
KitchenAid Appliances

Kids Toys
 Holgate Toys
K'NEX
 Crayola 

                                                                                    Decortating or Hostess Gifts:
                                                                                    Yankee Candles

So any more you know of? Share the knowledge

ivy

Labels

eco-friendly (77) sustainability (47) reuse (43) food (33) saving money (26) recycle (12) reduse (11) frugal (10) green (10) very cool (10) basics (9) crafts (9) natural remedies (9) cleaning products (7) home repair (6) free (5) upcycle (5) waste (4) BPA free (3) diet (3) dreaming (2)

Search This Blog