Kitty Cosmo: Chapter 4

Posted by Melanie Jade Rummel  10 Responses »
Apr 302010
Kitty Cosmo: Chapter 4

Kitty Cosmo has advanced yet another step toward using the toilet!!!  The litter pan is in the toilet and she has been using it without complaint for several days.  We’re so so proud of her!!  Here’s the new setup: First, we tied elastic tightly around the lid and tank.  This is a safety precaution in case kitty Cosmo hits the lid while trying to use the toilet.  I don’t want it to fall on her.  I saw a video of a cat jumping to the seat from the tank, the cat accidentally caught the lid on the way down, the [Continue Reading...]

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Enriching our quality of life through no new plastic

Posted by Mark Rummel  8 Responses »
Apr 302010
Enriching our quality of life through no new plastic

The other night Melanie’s grandparents, Gma Petey and Jim, took us out to dinner. After dinner we all decided to walk to Starbucks to extend our wonderful time together with some warm drinks. I thought it would be fine to just get my yummy raspberry hot chocolate in a paper cup without the plastic lid. However, the server informed me that their company policy mandated  that they must put a plastic lid on the cup. He said it was because of the McDonald’s hot coffee lawsuits from way back. I explained to the two servers that we had committed to not purchasing any new [Continue Reading...]

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Consuming Less Stuff

Posted by Melanie Jade Rummel  2 Responses »
Apr 242010
Consuming Less Stuff

First, I want to give a big shout out to Beth Terry (FakePlasticFish.com) and her post, Earth Day 2010: Buying Green vs. Being Green.  In it, she talks about a subject I have come to feel strongly about – that consuming more than we need is not good for the planet, whether the products are considered eco-friendly or not.  I know that being a consumer is linked with being patriotic in the U.S., but that seems like an outdated and unworkable mindset to me.  I don’t want to be called a consumer.  I’m so much more than what I buy. [Continue Reading...]

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Kitty Cosmo: Chapter 3

Posted by Melanie Jade Rummel  3 Responses »
Apr 202010
Kitty Cosmo: Chapter 3

Are you ready for the latest update on how kitty Cosmo’s toilet training is going?  One day last week, in an act of cunning and James Bond-ish skill, Mark and I secretly hid kitty’s old litter box in the storage closet of our patio and left only the intermediate box in the bathroom.  Then, I sat at my desk (which has a view of the bathroom down the hall if I lean back in my chair), and waited for her to discover the changes. Several minutes later, she wandered into the bathroom.  She had two paws up on the box. [Continue Reading...]

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I Cried For Cheese (and Other Food Experiences)

Posted by Melanie Jade Rummel  4 Responses »
Apr 192010
I Cried For Cheese (and Other Food Experiences)

The other day, Mark and I went to our beloved Whole Foods to get groceries.  As always, we made our way to the cheese counter and munched on the samples, bemoaning our inability to find plastic-free cheese.  Then, I had an idea.  I asked Brian behind the counter if there was a certain day they cut the wheels of cheese so we could get some not wrapped in plastic.  He explained to us that they cut different wheels every day.  Then, he asked if there was a certain cheese we would like that he could cut fresh for us right [Continue Reading...]

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The Reusable Bag Jackpot!!!

Posted by Melanie Jade Rummel  5 Responses »
Apr 142010
The Reusable Bag Jackpot!!!

I’ve just found an incredible resource!  I found this website that has links to free patterns (33 of them!!) to make your own grocery bags, produce bags, totes, etc.  All shapes and sizes and materials, including produce bags made from sheer curtain panels (no extra weight – why didn’t I think of that?), a reversible bag with a boxed bottom,  a larger tote with boxed bottom, and many more.  Check it out! (P.S.  I have to admit that I giggled a little every time I wrote “boxed bottom”.  Hehe.)

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Did you know…?

Posted by Melanie Jade Rummel  5 Responses »
Apr 122010
Did you know...?

Think you can easily recognize plastic? I thought so, too, but I was surprised by some of the everyday uses of plastic that aren’t very obvious. In this article, we showcase five things you should know about plastic in our everyday lives, from hidden plastics to recycling and shopping tips.

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Quick Tip: Keeping Greens Crisp

Posted by Melanie Jade Rummel  1 Response »
Apr 092010
Quick Tip: Keeping Greens Crisp

Have you ever bought fresh lettuce, broccoli, celery, or other greens, only to have them go limp in the fridge?  Do not dispair!  Chop off the bottom and place in a cup of water (just like you would for fresh flowers).  Return to the fridge, and in a few hours they will be crisp and fresh again.

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How to Make Laundry Detergent

Posted by Melanie Jade Rummel  28 Responses »
Apr 092010
How to Make Laundry Detergent

Laundry detergent in big plastic bottles?  No Way Man!  Ever Since Mark and I read about ingredients in laundry detergent and how they harm the environment in the book, Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home, we’ve been making our own.  It’s easy, cost-effective, fun, and better for the environment.  Best of all, IT WORKS!

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Getting Creative When Eating Out

Posted by Melanie Jade Rummel  4 Responses »
Apr 032010
Getting Creative When Eating Out

Yesterday, Mark and I were running lots of errands and suddenly became very hungry. I’m sure you know how that goes. Well, we decided to stop at Einstein Bros Bagels. At first, I was thinking of just getting a bagel to carry me over until I could get some real food. Then, Mark and I saw that they had some yummy sandwiches. As we placed our order, we asked Andrew, the gentleman taking our order, if there was any plastic packaging involved. He said the side Caesar salad (so delicious!) came in a plastic cup, but after explaining our project [Continue Reading...]

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