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.... 

My straw ....

Sorry I didn't post this blog post earlier but I thought I show you my glass straw I was telling you about.... From Glass Dharma .  But I got it in the mail last week...

I have had a couple heart attacks where I thought Goodness.... I better be careful I might break this thing.  But I didn't.  It been very fun to drink my drinks from a glass straw.  FUN! Really silly but it fun.

 

Oh Poop!

So there is a motorcycle in Japan that runs on poop.. Ok I not sure about this? I mean when would you use this? I mean where can you pull over to fuel up? Or are you going to just drive along and fuel the bike? Oh I am cringing as I type this... I could hear the middle school student (or younger) screaming out the window at a red light to the motorcycle rider "hey are you pooping??" And the mother turning red..

 General Electric is using cow manure for combined heat and power (CHP) plant. It can produces 625 kW of electricity and 686 kW of thermal output.  And then what is left over from the  manure process is used as fertilizer.

Pacific Gas and Electric and BioEnergy Solutions has biogas-to-pipeline injection project in Fresno County that uses animal poop! It basically uses the the methane gas produced as the manure decomposes.


 So there even is a plant that is producing a coal like substance that is used as coal would... and it is made from poop. It equals taking a million cars off the road..

This was a very interesting morning as I kept running into poop stories....

Oh Frack!!

Great! My dad has heard that some of the people around the area he lives has been paid off for use of their land. Seems that they are going to be fracking in the suburbs around here. I also heard that they plan on fracking in another suburb in the same county.....

 So if you never heard of fracking Treehugger has a Infographic with a little bit of what is good about it and want isn't... Basically they drill down pass the water table and pump water into the shale. This water cause the shale to crack.... and when it cracks the natural gas will be set free... sound like a nature show... doesn't it?

Oh yea the movie 'Erin Brockovich,' the one with Julia Roberts as a lawyer aide that uncovers the water in a community was making people sick. well fracking was behind that too....

 We are getting commercials from Chesapeake Energy right and left... so really makes my skin crawl... if they are wanting to help us transition to clean-burning natural gas to help lesson our dependence on foreign oil..... they also claim that this is affordable;  to drill or frack.

 But at what price? OUR drinking water like the movie Gasland. True that in Dimock, Pa where they "lit the water on fire" was proven wrong and that it wasn't the fault of the natural gas company. Gas seeping from land owned by Lisa Bracken in Garfield County, Colorado however did result where EnCana Oil & Gas was fined $371,200. It also was because of a fault line. A few people did get settlements after learning that the fracking indeed was the reason why they had thermogenic methane in their water well. Where it was proven that drilling and hydraulic fracturing can liberate biogenic natural gas into a fresh water. So I am kinda worried that the fact they don't have to tell us what is in the fracking water and don't have to be held accountable for the items either. With the EPA having no power over them if they do use things that are harmfull. Thank you to the Safe Drinking Water Act in the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Of course my dad is worry about the info one of the neighbors college son told them.  That there will be semi trucks driving straight for 3 months back and forth to the drill sight,  that then they also will be building for the same amount of time.  When they get it up and running they will be driving semi trucks in and out all day to bring and get rid of the fracking water.  He was like they said it was like a million gallons of water and they don't get all the water out??   I said that what I heard too... gessh my dad was shocked...  That and the fact if might be held in a pond right next to the drill site where pets and other animals can drink.  PLUS in this quiet suburb they will have 20 stories tall lit up pumping stations that will light up the country mile of land.... so it will be like daylight in the middle of the night in the only place I can go see the stats at night without the city lights blocking our view...

The  truth is my dad is worried about his quiet suburb that will never be the same because of the driving of trucks day and night.  The wear and tear on the roads... his water... the safety of  chemicals and the fact the government didn't even ask the community for feedback.... 

True  Chesapeake Energy site does say the chemical they use are a safe. They are the same chemicals that are found in everyday cleaning household products. Plus they use chlorine-based sanitization aides like the chemicals you use in your pool. I don't have a pool so maybe their pool.... But all we are asking is too make sure this is safe ingredients and have  the EPA be able to say yes this is all safe...

Then again they do have the say on many of those household cleaners and they are questionable on safety. Seeing how many ingredients are not for sale in Europe, because they ban things until they are proven save and here we ban things when they are proven  harmful.......


Messed up isn't it............ and very scary........
What ever happened to reusable energy, like solar and wind???

A house for $28,000

Would you like to build a new home for only $28,000?
Tumbleweed Houses

 

OMG it is hot!!

So ya the mid west is getting hit by a heat wave. The humility is high and it is sticky!  I really hate running the air conditioner but I forgot to turn it on the one day and the poor cats threw up everywhere, including my bed  Yuck and of course it was one of those late nights that I was crawling in to bed almost dead on my feet just to have to change the sheets....


I have it set at 77 degrees   So most of the time I turn it off after I get home from work and get the fans in the windows and get fresh air in the house!

But when I come home this little window unit doesn't cool off the whole house, just the living room.  so all the fur babies are in the room.... Most of the time it is the little guy by the air conditioner, with Miss pet me pet me on the couch and psycho on the love seat to the right..... I get home to lazy kitties laying all over the living room.... I leave the back door open and the one pictured Miss pet me pet me loves to go out in the mud room and watch everything outside... Psycho girl loves the kitchen window open.

So now it's in the nineties and it's storming nice for a quiet evening off... Oh well laundry can hang up in the  other room..,

Ohio Winters are Tough Winters!

Ah the fun of working til late. You walk out at 9PM and your windows are a sheet of ice. The local news had this story. They reported that if you spray the windows with a mix of vinegar and water at night they wouldn't ice up the next morning. They also told us that if you add some rubbing alcohol to the windshield wiper fluid; you could just use your windshield wipers to clear off ice.

SO thinking about this, I don't trust the rubbing alcohol idea at all. Basic Science class teaches us that you add water and cold temperatures= ICE! Add more water or windshield wiper fluid= more ice.  I learned that when I first learned to drive... duh...I really don't think adding 5 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol to your fluid will change the out come that much....  because yes alcohol doesn't freeze but maybe it would clear your windows better...... but hope you never get pulled over.... You might have some problems explaining to the officer doing his job that what he smells is your windshield fluid.... Right!!! LOL Plus I think it would cost more to add enough alcohol to the windshield fluid to make a difference..... just my thoughts.  Plus many companies have a winter mix that is suppose to help!  But rain X didn't work for me, it just smeared my windshield and I couldn't remove it!! It was a clear picture just a little fuzzy, but still bothered me....

So I did a experiments of the 2 part vinegar plus 1 part water, to spray on the windows  I did this one day after I got to work..... they reported that you spray the windows at night and in the morning no ice.  I added the 5 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol to the spray bottle. Guess what I had ice after a 8 hour shift.  I did spray the water on the windshield to just see if the rubbing alcohol would help to remove the ice.... Just for experiential value. Guess what it didn't remove the ice but it didn't ice it up any more..... Didn't help didn't hurt....  But it does give you a shock when your purse falls into it and it sprays while you are driving down the expressway..... Vinegar and rubbing alcohol smells, woke me up......... LOL

Now all I have to do is teach the other drivers that scraping a small hole in the drivers side and not even removing the snow off your car is a dangerous thing to do, but any one that lives up north knows there are many people that still do it......

What Cooking?

So you want to lower your utilities bills by finding the lowest possible energy using appliances. But the fact is we use 50 percent of our energy for cooking. This includes the hot water heater for cooking and cleaning. So where can you cut back? A table of energy use of kitchen cooking can be found on
Micheal Bluejay site.
   Well the microwave is the cheapest most efficient way of cooking. With it fast cooking times. Now many people don't believe that a microwave is safe. I mean the nickname we call striking in a microwave is nuked? The truth is microwaves are targeting the water and fat molecules. It heats them up not nuking the food with radio active waste. You can warm up food in the microwave.  Only cook somethings nicely.  Where somethings are just better cooked the old fashion way.

The a crock-pot that works on the almost the same amount of energy that a microwave works on for 6.75 hours longer!  Have your crock-pot plugged in and cooking while you are working could cost only around a dime (maybe a little more)!! Not bad for a time saver. Plus during the heat wave- you don't need to heat up the house while cooking... This type of cooking does work best for stews and soups.

Crank on the toaster oven for that quick pizza snack! You don't have to wait for a pre-heating time and it is not too bad on the pocket book with 4 cents for a hour for cooking. Pizza snacks take what a  half a hour at the most... cha-ching...

However if you are cooking a big meal and cook many things at once the oven can be energy saving. If you count the times and what you have cook all together. For around 7 cents for a hour the stove top cooks your food but if you have all 4 burners going that can add up where in the oven it is twice that. However if the oven is full and I have more than 2 items, I am saving energy.  I like to try to cook things together.  I have been know to say since we have the oven on lets cook this too. Or pick the vegetable that can be baked........

Why are we cutting down so many trees?

We have so many different more sustainable items that can be used without cutting down all the old growth trees. Without cutting down our rain forests.

Many of these ideas are not gaining popularity fast enough.  We have heard of bamboo being a very sustainable wood. Hemp is easily grow but outlawed in the USA. Kenaf paper made from a fast-growing hibiscus plant. Last but not least...  recycled paper products...


Hemp is softer than cotton. It grows fast and needs little pesticides. Very strong plant and material that is stronger, yet softer, more absorbent; and mildew resistant.   A little room can yield 4 times more than a old growth trees produce. 3 to 8 tons of fibers per acre. Uses less chemicals when being processed meaning less pollution!  

Plus hemp is great for our bodies too.  Oil made from hemp is lower in saturated fats and high in the good fats. It also is said to have a rare nutrient; gamma linoleic acid (GLA), found in breast milk....  It feels like cotton when woven into cloth. Plus is it stronger and grows softer with use and washing.  It would get rid of 50% of the chemicals used with cotton, the pesticides, chemicals used in processing  and bleaching 

Why is it still illegal in the USA?  Our fore fathers grew hemp! Because pot and hemp are in the same gene pool. hemp has very little THC the stuff that makes marijuana illegal.  If there were to have hemp farms they couldn't hide it in the fields for marijuana plants need more space between rows and plants then the hemp. Plus if you did try to get "high" from hemp you will find out that it would be like taking a dose and a half of a high fiber laxative.  Giggles... I could see some pre-teens thinking that they might like to try that out, and finding the "uncool" side effect!! 

Kenaf reaches 12-18 feet in 150 days, a fast growing plant.  Old growth trees take around 17 years.150 days verses 17 years.... humm no brainer!  Plus another hign yeilding crop where they can produce 5-10 tons of dry fiber per acre. PLUS use less chemicals, heat and the paper can be bleached with household hydrogen peroxide.  I think the only problem with this plant is it is grown in South Africa. It will have to be shipped, but it could be great for that area economy!  Many books and companies are now using the kenaf paper like big box companies for catalogs. A few eco-friendly authors are  using the paper for their books. 

I also find it so funny that eco-friendly websites and magazines know this stuff but the business in control don't.... We need to think about the effects our consumption does to the environment. 

Spring cleaning

I do spring cleaning by getting rid of clutter. Cleaning out closets and cupboards.  I have 3 boxes already of stuff in my mud room waiting on going to Goodwill. Stuff that has been connecting dust in my kitchen was the first to go.

I had a couple days off and just got bored with the TV and the net. Restless I guess. I was going crazy with the things  I use being too high to comfortably reach.  With my new found love of baking and cooking from scratch, my mixer being on the top shelf wasn't  working for me.  Seeing how I only stand about 5 feet tall... it was getting to be a chore to get what I needed out.  So I rearranged the cup boards finding things I forgot I had and really never used....  Into the boxes things went. Really don't need a blooming onion plastic thing. A ugly punch bowl hand me down, that I used to hold smaller stuff I never use, but did find my potato masher in there. I have been looking for that for months!! LOL

I have room at the top of my cupboards now for storage of things that I get in bulk. Carry and go things.  And those egg holder thing that I only use for Spring holidays...  Plus my storage containers are neatly stacked.. Yea if you ever saw that commercial of the plastic containers flying out and knocking down that woman I felt like my containers could do that at any minute... I have a few left from before I said I would cut down plastic (why not use them but replace them if damaged with glass when I need to). Plus they are a recycle code 5 meaning no BPA and light weight for lunch bags. So they stay. Better in my kitchen then the land fill. 

I found this beautiful stainless steel platter awhile ago and when I found it in my cupboard I noticed 2 small rust stains.. OH NO!! I really don't want to get rid of it... I put it on the table thinking I could maybe cover the platter with a tea towel  or something  when serving from the platter.  It kinda bummed me out.  It has these very delicate designs around the edge.

So when I moved to my bedroom to clean up clutter I noticed my dresser with many things just thrown on there and it hit me! I could use that beautiful  platter on my dresser.  I could use finger nail polish for the rust spots.  Maybe if I can find some... I really can't stand the smell and it is full of toxin ingredients..  But the simplest thing I did was place the candle holder and the black goodie case over the spots.  You can't see them, but you can see the designs in the platter.  Plus I love the look with my wrought iron candle holder.   I give to goodwill but I also shop there! I know I feel kinda classy with my beautiful dresser now... Plus I got to keep my platter that I really like and keep stuff out of the landfill
Not bad for being bored one afternoon!!

Virtually Impossible? More like Environmental Disaster

I am sure many of you have heard of the BP explosion in to the Gulf of Mexico, 50 miles southeast of Venice, Louisiana.

British Petroleum when pitching the idea for the off shore drilling said,
"unlikely that an accidental surface or subsurface oil spill would occur from the proposed activities."
Even after a 2009 exploration plan and environmental impact analysis they still didn't' think that anything could happen. They argued that "due to the distance to shore (48 miles) and the response capabilities that would be implemented, no significant adverse impacts are expected." They proclaimed it would be virtually impossible....... BUT it happened.

Their latest statement:
"The sort of occurrence that we've seen on the Deepwater Horizon is clearly unprecedented, " BP spokesman David Nicholas told The Associated Press on Friday. "It's something that we have not experienced before ... a blowout at this depth."

Talks turns to the company that did the drilling, oil services contractor Halliburton Inc. There are lawsuits that calm they improperly capped the well — something known as cementing. Halliburton denied it.

Since the April 20 explosion , 1.6 million gallons (6 million liters) of oil have spilled. A oil slick more than 130 miles (200 kilometers) long and 70 miles (112 kilometers) wide. Experts estimate that 42,000 gallons a day are now spilling in to the gulf. Some estimate that number is closer to 200,000 gallons A DAY! that's a lot of oil.......
It could take up to three months to seal the leak!

Oysters and shrimp fishing is going to be hit the hardest. Many family owned business will lose their sole source of income. Plus the affect this will do to the local market, many restaurants serve the local caught sea food.

With the warm currants and water flow they expect the oil to reach the shores of  Louisiana and Florida.  I have family that live in Florida and worry about the burning seasons.  Add oil to the area that burns easily,  dangerous...

Now the plan is to burn the oil off. they are going to light the oil on fire. They expect that this will get rid of the oil spill up to 75% to 99%. BUT there will be a huge cloud of black smoke and tons of ash that will fill the air.......... Yea that what we need more air pollution.

I feel for the people of the south that have this burden.  And our environment that is already dealing with the problem of modern live........

More reason to get over our dependence on oil....

          

Earth Day Thoughts.

Hope you are having a good Earth Day I realy know I should be doing something crunchy today but I am just so tired! After working too many days in a row to get some time off for the week-end Earth Day celebration, I am just doing the same old thing. Housework.. Guess that is crunchy for I don't use chemicals.

But the fact is I think people don't get it, Earth Day Was first started on April 22 1970. It was a grass-roots movement to raise awareness of environmental issues. Then something wonderful happened... Approximately 20 million Americans participated. Without  formal organization Thousands of colleges and universities held protests. ... Protesting that lead to changes that we now have a EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. Not bad for a bunch of hippies right? Things like raw sewage, toxic dumps and pesticides that damaged the environment and companies  were freely doing their thing, without anything repercussions........... Raising awareness. Just think what would happen if we didn't regulate what chemicals that are being dumped into landfills and our water ways.  Think of some of the pictures of the poorest areas of the world  where there is trash in the streets and it smells of sewage due to poor water controls. 

But yet I see on Earth Day celebrations, things that make you go What the heck? What are they thinking? People with bottled water... the number one thing that is damaging our Oceans and killing sea life. People throwing their trash on the ground... wow and you are at a Earth Day celebration, to honor the Earth that way..........

But I guess I should understand that many people  don't want to change. They want the biggest car,  the latest widget, and more stuff that they really don't need.  They don't want to try to save the environment for the generations to come for they don't see it getting "that bad"......

SO I will work on my workshops.  Maybe I will get some to use environmentally friendly products if they don't want to make their own.

Keep trying to cut down on plastics. Packaging and waste.  Keep using my re-usable bags at the store.  My reusable cups. Yea Tec  realy likes his coffee mug.... Share my journey here ...

It is that time a year again!

Spring! Spring brings warm days and cool evenings.  And things start to grow like the weeds in your yard.  But did you know that the dandelion once was a wanted "weed" or should I say herb that people would trade for? They would be a prized item.

Dandelion is rich in many nutrients calcium, chromium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, selenium, and zinc. It is a good herb to use as a diuretic. Dandelion has been found to stimulate mucus membranes, sooth the digestive tract, stimulates digestion, absorb toxins from the bowel, and cleaning the kidneys and liver. Careful it also acts as mild laxative.

I have not seen studies to back this up most sites just stating that it is being tested and the results are indicating to have a possible effect ..... To help lower the bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol. Helps strengthen the heart and prevent strokes. Help with diabetes. Protection from cancer, including breast and prostate cancers. I don't know if all that is true but it can't hurt if you have these issues to deal with. AS always CHECK with your DOCTOR before using a herb if you have any these conditions or any health conditions. If you have hay fever you maybe not want to try dandelion leaves for the possible allergic reaction.

Eating the Dandelion Leaves: 

Young leaves of the Dandelion are the tastiest. Dandelion is only pleasantly bitter if you eat the early spring tender leaves. When the leaf get older the center rib gets tough and very bitter. You can try to blanch the leaves but I found them still to bitter. It is best to tear into pieces, rather than cut, to keep the flavor. Like lettuce
Mix into spring mix salads. Hey even the bagged lettuce mix has the dandelion leaf. I have a friend that is allergic to the leaf and we went out to a nice restaurant and they had dandelion leaves in the salad.
Dandelion can be steamed, added to stir-fries and many other dishes which call for greens or spinach. Can add to spinach dishes with the spinach.

Something else I found was that you could even make a delicious sandwich. I haven't done this but I thought I pass it along..... To make a dandelion leaf sandwich just lay the leaves between slices of bread and butter and sprinkled with salt. Add a little lemon-juice and pepper for flavor.

Dandelion leaves can be used in facial steam, as well as face packs. It is good for skins issues like acne, eczema, psoriasis.

Other parts are used also:

The root is also used as a coffee substitute. Sometime mixed with coffee to help give it a better taste. Of course it is roasted just like coffee beans.

The flowers are used to make dandelion Wine.  I never tried or tasted dandelion wine but my parents said it was good, but a pain ti make.


… A man can let his wife know he loves her by giving her a dozen large roses,
while his small grandson can do the same with a fistful of dandelion flowers!

Earth Hour

Yep I was at work but my supervisor is very supportive of the earth momma as my co-workers call me. "Huh never heard of Earth Hour. WTH is a earth hour. " some asked. I told them it was a grassroots organization to bring attention to the climate change. To help end our dependence on fossil fuels. With the news that the price of gas will be around 3 dollars a gallon by summer!" Jeff my supervisor is a light shade of green, he recycles and tries to save on his utilities bills seeing how he is a new home owner. But listens to my rants about the environment by adding his agreement.So when I said I was turning off half the light to show my support for climate change; he was all for it.

When the manager announced the store was closed I switched one light switch. Ok so the first one is the one for the front of the bakery. Yea poor Jeff was there.  I said ok that wasn't the one to turn off, Sorry, as i turned off the other switch.  He laughed and said Yea.... That's better as I turned it back on for him.......... But he laughed!

Then a co-worker that used to work in the same department with me clocked out right after me.  She teased me she thought I be gone by now.  She saw the lights off and thought I went home. I told about earth hour and teased that the pizza she was taking home can easily be eaten in the dark. And it could turn into a som'thing som'thing type of evening.... But her boyfriends kids will be there this week-end, laughed she just be hearing them snore.  I laughed that she could use it as a settle down the kids.  History lesson on how this is how kids many years ago had to live.....

I return home to many lights on remind them IT'S EARTH Hour... Dang you guys told me you turn off all non-essential lighting for earth hour. But the TV is off, the computer is off so what is left? I wasn't going to far, they did that. So I guess they where thinking less electricity.....and the lights where on in the kitchen and living room as always at night. They were eating....plus getting the kitchen cleaned up for me cause they love to dirty every dish when I work all week-end and I don't have anything clean to use.    
Yahoo has over 135 pictures of Earth Hour pictures of the landmarks that went dark for climate change.   
I went to the Earth hour page to see what they had and saw scrolling across the bottom:    A record breaking 126 countries and territories now taking part!  

Wow....Screaming their support towards a sustainable future.