Photo Courtesy of Markus Bernet

(I wish I could take credit for taking the above photograph. What a clever idea this photographer had! If ever I get the opportunity to visit a farmer’s market in the city, I will have to see whether I may travel up inside of a building to take an aerial photograph.)

Buying in bulk at farmers’ markets, and most other markets and shops, is a wonderful way to save money (if you ask for a volume discount, chances are that you’ll strike a good deal) and reduces waste. One reason why farmers’ markets may offer a better volume discount is because at peak times during certain seasons, farmers may have more produce than they are able to sell; considering that the farmer worked hard to grow the goods, he or she will likely be satisfied to sell goods to someone who will put them to use.

Not only is buying in bulk good for your wallet (and your relationship with your local farmers), but it’s a great opportunity to reduce waste. When we buy in bulk at markets, we are reducing the amount of packaging needed to cart our products from market to home. Just 2 weeks ago our family visited a “Pick Your Own” farm and purchased nearly 20 lbs. of peaches at $.89/lb. While we did not request a bulk discount, we were able to haul away 20 lbs. in a box that might have held far less (had we opted not to purchase a large quantity).

Another way that farmers’ markets are unique in allowing consumers to reduce waste is due to the fact that purchases do not have to add up to lots of plastic bags and other plastic packaging. When environmentally minded purchasers choose to bring their own bags, they can tote their goods home and not have to worry about recycling plastic bags later. Additionally, other products available at farmers’ markets, like jams and preserves, are sold in glass jars, which are not only recyclable but are reusable too.

Tips for buying in bulk are plentiful on the web. To get started, here are a few helpful articles:

The Simple Dollar

Discusses how to make buying in bulk work as a group effort, whether it be with neighbors, family, or friends.

Jennifer Lance

Includes 5 easy suggestions for buying in bulk, including how to purchase and store products from bulk bins and what items to consider for buying in bulk (almost anything, according to Lance).

Creative Homemaking

Shares reasons why buying in bulk is advantageous for shoppers, as well as what kinds of items to purchase and how to store them.

Other Sources

I found this article on “How to Save Money at a Farmers’ Market” to be of immense help in crafting this post. You may learn a thing or two from it too.

As always, I love hearing your thoughts on saving our environment. I hope you’ll share an idea or two on how you make buying in bulk work. Thanks!

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Kerri Anne, over at 5 Minutes for Going Green, just posted this article on the Great Pacific Garbage patch, an island of waste that is accumulating between San Francisco and Hawaii.  To be honest, I had never heard about this pile of waste in the Pacific ocean, but it really doesn’t surprise me.  Kerri Anne discusses how the garbage is affecting sea life as it decomposes and breaks apart (as plastic does).  In my mind, this is just one more reason not to use plastic bags and to tote reusables wherever I shop (even when that means going into non-food shops).  And as Kerri Anne recommends, educating ourselves about the garbage crises in our oceans is the best way to get started so that we may help reduce this growing problem.

What are your thoughts on the Great Pacific Garbage patch?  What are you doing to reduce the amount of trash you and your family produce? I love learning new things from you.  Please share your ideas.  Thanks!

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A tell tale sign of any family’s commitment to the environment is whether or not they recycle. Since many communities and waste treatment facilities offer free recycling bins, it is always a wonder to me when I notice a house without one.

Recently I stumbled across one of the smartest ways to encourage recycling in every household: Pay as You Throw garbage collection programs. As a unit based approach to garbage collection, Pay as You Throw offers a financial incentive to households to reduce the amount of garbage they produce and to find alternative and environmentally friendly ways to manage their trash.

Coinciding with my discovery of the Pay as You Throw programs (in over 4,000 communities across the U.S.), are our children’s’ return to school. In honor of our kiddos going back to school (or resuming home studies) and inspired by SouleMama’s 30 Days of Summer project, I am hosting a 10 day mini project over here at Green Mamma to encourage creativity, recycling, and waste reduction.

Over the next 2 weeks, you can expect 10 days of trash talking; basically, I will share tips for repurposing household items, prolonging trash from entering the solid waste stream, and creating fun projects to do with your kids. As always, I am looking to learn a thing or two myself, so I welcome your comments and tips for reusing and repurposing old stuff to make new stuff and ultimately stopping lots of stuff from winding up in the landfill. I invite you to join me in my quest to talk trash. I’d love the morale boost and plus, it’s always fun to have some company when doing good deeds for Mamma Earth.

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Miners talking at Labor Day celebration, Silverton, Colorado.

Photo courtesy of Lee, Russell, 1903-

In honor of Labor Day, this Sunday I thought I’d share a classic poem by Walt Whitman “I Hear America Singing.” In his poem, Whitman celebrates work in America from the carpenter to the ploughboy to the mother and wife. Together, with all of their hard work, Whitman sees these workers giving of themselves and contributing to society. Admittedly, Whitman’s poem paints a picture of another time in our county; the workers that Whitman honors are manual laborers, whose work is divided along traditional gender lines. Today, workers come from many backgrounds, with varying levels of education, and men and women are crossing into fields where decades ago they could not go. At the same time, in July 2008, the unemployment rate in the U.S. rose to 5.7 percent; many Americans are looking for work.

In Whitman’s time and in our own, all the work accomplished across our country may not necessarily be done in merriment and song, but what I think Whitman is getting at, is that all these workers, doing their own thing, trying to survive and live in the U.S., are collectively creating a “song” of unity in their efforts.

I Hear America Singing

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,
The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,
The woodcutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown,
The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,
Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,
The day what belongs to the day-at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

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If you have a minute, I have 2 new posts over at 5 Minutes for Going Green.  Check out “5 Minute Miracles” and  “Healthy Green Pets.”

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Okay, so let’s see here.  Should the Department of Transportation have the authority to determine whether or not our native wildlife (like wolves, polar bears, and panthers) are threatened by highway projects?  Does the Dept. of Transportation have such authority, currently?  Well, if it is left up to the Bush Administration, our scientists and wildlife biologists will no longer have the jurisdiction over whether a project endangers our animals.  Um, maybe it’s me . . . but is there any logic to this idea?  Oh yes, um, compromising animal life and the environment for sake of, well, money.

Ahhh!!!!

Once upon a time I thought that, and correct me if I’m wrong, based on our current model of education, individuals interested in a particular discipline will set out to study said discipline with the goal of becoming an expert in their field.  Sure, not everyone’s first choice of study in school works out for them their entire lives, but for those who do go into the field they prepared for, don’t they deserve the chance to work and make decisions based on their knowledge in a subject area?

Don’t our scientists deserve the opportunity and power that accompanies the long and rigorous training that brought them to the point in their careers where they work as scientists?

But alas, it is not to be.  Instead, the plan is to dismiss what science and those lofty scientists are recommending so that we can listen to a bunch of politicians, er, “experts” from the Department of Transportation?  I wanted to find out for myself whether the Dept. of Transportation employs any environmental field experts.   Well, as it turns out, the opportunity areas at D O T don’t include environmental scientists or biologists, but there are plenty of positions for engineers and highway safety specialists.  To see for yourself, go here.

It is my opinion that the only decisions that the Dept. of Transporation ought to make, theoretically, regarding polar bears and wolves, is whether or not the current transportation routes for our wildlife are in good working condition.  Yes, if the D O T wants to become involved with wildlife, why not have them focus on what they’re good at?  Oh yeah, that’s right.  Wildlife don’t need cement, lights, and lots of pollution.  So, based on my logic, the D O T needs to butt out of it, and while they’re at it, take  . . . arghh.  I have nothing nice to say.

To take action against the Bush Administration’s plans to gut the Endangered Species Act, send a message to Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne to let him know you will not stand for the weakening of endangered species protections. For a sample letter at the National Wildlife Federation, please visit Speak Up for Wildlife.

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Last week I received a note from a fellow animal and wildlife activist regarding the Bush Administration’s plan to overhaul the Endangered Species Act.  John Kostyack, Executive Director of Wildlife Conservation and Global Warming at the National Wildlife Federation is warning that the administrations planned changes will not only be damaging to wildlife but also disregards science.   In an article from August 11, Kostyack said,

“The cumulative impact of these changes equals a full blown attack on America’s premier conservation law. We owe it to future generations to stop this attack and continue our legacy of protecting wildlife on the brink of extinction.”

Planned amendments to the Endangered Species Act remove biologists and environmental consultants from the federal process of building roads, logging, mining, and filling wetlands.  Basically, whoever oversees federal projects (not a scientist or environmental consultant) will decide whether or not endangered species and habitats will be threatened by such projects.  To read the full list of proposed regulations, click here.

The Bush Administration wants to extract professional wildlife consultants and replace them with their own political agenda.

It is not the first time the Bush Administration has taken actions against the Endangered Species Act.  To read about previous violations, go here, here, and here.

To take action against the Bush Administration’s plans to gut the Endangered Species Act, send a message to Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne to let him know you will not stand for the weakening of endangered species protections.  For a sample letter at the National Wildlife Federation, please visit Speak Up for Wildlife.

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A good friend once told me that she is a collector of friends. In my own lifetime, I have met many wonderful and interesting people with whom I cultivated friendships that lasted the years. More recently, since becoming a mamma and a blogger, I have met and become friends with many environmentalists (and discovered old friends who had been living environmentally all along), many who I not only admire but whose reverence for planet earth I can only hope to emulate. A few months ago I met such a person when I brought Annabelle to the park. While Annabelle ran around and around the playground, she caught the attention of 2 older little girls who followed her and doted on her. The girls belonged to Laura, a mom who loves to talk as much as I do. When we discovered a shared love for the environment, so began a new friendship.

What I love about Laura, aside from the fact that she shares my passion for green living, is that she is a passionate thinker. When Laura comes across new information, she researches it until she finds answers that satisfy her. And as a full time mother, she is not one to sit and watch her children play by themselves in the yard but feels free to run around and play with them. A few weeks ago when I visited Laura and her girls in Hamilton, she showed me her backyard where her children are tending a large vegetable garden. Propped up next to the garden was a huge repurposed water barrel, which once stored pickles for a Greek exporter. Laura and her girls water their garden by collecting water in the barrel and transporting it over to their garden.

Water conservation is vital in Laura’s hometown of Hamilton; because of the cost of water there, as well as Laura’s commitment to protecting the earth’s resources, she has become an expert on how to save water. Since she knows a bit more about water conservation than I do, let me turn you over to her:

There are the usual water saving tips like turning off the sink when you brush your teeth or put soap on your hands [before washing], [but] there are less obvious ways to conserve too:

Outside

1. Add compost. When planting a garden add compost. Compost acts like a sponge and absorbs water [to help nourish the plants in your garden].

2. Mulch heavily. Mulch acts like a blanket keeping the moisture in and decreases the weeds that grow and steal water from your garden plants.

3. Water 2 in 1. Hold smaller pots over larger ones when watering in order to catch the overflow from the smaller one.

4. Say no to mow. Keep your grass a little longer in dry spells as freshly cut grass allows for more evaporation.

5. Don’t throw the baby out with the kiddie pool. If you have a young child who likes to use a wading pool use the water to water your garden after play is over. Better yet, fill it with water from a water barrel and refill the water barrel with it when done.

Thank you Laura for these wonderful water saving tips! By making small changes, even one or two, in our own homes, we are able to make a huge difference for the environment.

Do you have a water conservation tip? If so, please share. I love hearing your thoughts! =)

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For the second time in a week, I’m sending you over to my friend Melody’s web-site. Melody is a passionate advocate for homebirth and natural parenting, is a maternity and birth photographer, and is the director of Birth Matters in Northern Virginia. Everything I know about homebirth and the history of birth in the United States I owe to Melody, who often refers to herself as an information junkie (yes, she is one smart mamma too).

Recently, the AMA (American Medical Assocation) and ACOG (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) made resolutions against homebirth. I remember visiting Melody one afternoon and listening to her frustrations over the misinformation about homebirth that is prevalent in our media and national medical associations. Since having seen Ricki Lake’s The Business of Being Born, I had some understanding and insight as to why Melody was so angry that a woman’s right to choose how to birth was in jeopardy of being violated. On some level, I personally relate since 2 ob-gyns I visited while I was pregnant practically laughed at my birth plan and 1 ob was more than happy to direct me (an outrageous patient?) to the care of the midwives at his practice. Thank goodness he did!

Well, after a long wait, the American College of Nurse Midwives responded. To see what they said, go here. And for more in-depth and better informed commentary on the ins and outs of homebirth, go visit Melody. She’s definitely the homebirth expert in my neck of the woods.

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Our family’s efforts to go green coincided with my discovery of the famous Fly Lady, an on-line personal assistant who works day and night to guide folks living in CHAOS (Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome) to a life of order, organization, routine, and an environment that is clutter free. As I’ve mentioned time and time again to you, readers, greening my life and decluttering our home emerged while I was pregnant and nesting. Luckily, I became well acquainted with eco-friendly ways to dispose of our clutter, selling and giving away our belongings on Craig’s List and Freecycle. I decluttered with such enthusiasm that my husband once dreamed that I had freecycled pictures of our newborn! (No, I never freecyled pictures of my own daughter, but apparently I was getting rid of so much stuff that my husband worried that I might freecyle him and our daughter).

What I have noticed since decluttering our home and implementing a routine (even loosely followed) is that I manage to accomplish more–much more than I ever imagined possible. Creativity flows for me when my sink isn’t full of dishes, toys aren’t scattered all over the floor, and the laundry is tended to daily. I am (prepare yourselves for a confession) one of those people that thrives on external order, and it is my feeling that when my home and world are (or seem to be) in order, I am better prepared to manage the inner workings of my life.

Greater still, than being able to manage one’s personal life, I think, is having the energy to do something about chaos in the greater world. Over the years, being the do-gooder that I aspired to be, I have learned that there are many, many causes out there that need attention. Many people want to contribute, on some level, to making a difference, and one way or another, folks usually find a purpose or cause that they live for. Focusing on a single cause or two, though, makes it more likely that one’s efforts can be channeled towards real change that means something for the world.

My present causes include working (and writing) to protect and care for the earth’s environment, and to be a domestic do-gooder who raises a family that is mindful of the planet’s health, as well as the well-being of people all over the world. Regarding my first cause, the environment, my hope is that my children’s generation will be able to walk outside and not have to pick up garbage off the side of the road. Littering, pollution, and all things contributing to global warming will be in decline; our children will revere the earth and each other. Yes, I have a dream.

Getting the earth’s climate in order is no small dream. It is tempting to be pessimistic and list all of the ways our environment is going to h*** in a handbag. But I belong more to the school of “the glass is half full,” and so instead, here are a few thoughts on order and harmony as I see it manifest in our environment:

I notice order and harmony when I see. . .

a cloth diapered baby

yard composts

high heeled ladies and oxford soled men cycling to work

stay-cationers

vegetable gardens

groceries in cloth bags

used book stores

the Goodwill

clean roads

farmers’ markets

stream and water monitoring

recycling centers

green blogs, growing, growing, growing with crunchy, practical green thoughts

A small victory for me, as an environmentalist, was noticing that our local YMCA implemented a recycling program by simply taping “RECYCLE” signs to several former trashcans. Over the past few months, each time I visited the Y, I left a comment about there not being a recycling effort in place and how I would love to participate in setting it up. While no one ever contacted me to help with set-up, I can’t tell you how happy I was to walk past the new recycling program that is underway at the Y.

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