ABQ BioPark

Last day of the PFEC and I almost made it. McDonalds did ok with paperbag and cardboard boxes, then blew it with plastic cups for the ice tea. :-(

This is my 3rd year participating in the plastic free ecochallenge. I have decreased my single plastic use and the small changes have become permanent habits. Thanks, team!

I have definitely started with those folks that are more inclined to listen such as good friends and some family members. Starting with simple suggestions for change are more readily accepted along with an encouraging message versus the doom and gloom of the issue.

I am still trying this on, so to speak. The detergent sheets I tried are a bit too scented for me so I'll try another type! Onward....

Not unexpected, but with a sad sigh, the grossest piece of trash was a pee bottle. The curious thing was, this was a neighborhood trash pickup....

Unfortunately, I do not have a photo of my handiwork. I purchased a new hand towel several months ago and after four or five washes, the binding came lose and was fraying. I found a bit of bias tape and my mom walked me through the repair over the phone. New hand towel saved!!

Just read the article in today's The Guardian about how "reusable" isn't always the environmentally friendly adjective we think it is. That said, I estimate that my reusable cloth grocery totes have each been used well over 2000 times. I have one that I've used since 1994!

I had so many good vegetarian meals this month I can't pick a favorite. None were lacking in flavor, I just need to learn more about making them have the best nutritional value, specifically protein. It was a great challenge!

One of the ways to reduce food waste is to freeze smaller portions of food for a small lunch or snack. Using a food waste diary can help identify any reoccurring patterns of food waste. When making a pot of beans, I like to make burritos from the leftovers and freeze them for a future quick meal. This is also a good option for hungry guest or...

Sadly, Earthweek: Diary of a Changing World reported Plastic Death of land animals, donkeys on Kenyan Lamu island this past week. Too much plastic waste being dumped.