Blog action day.....

So I was cruising the blog circuit this morning (in attempt to avoid working on my Ethics midterm) & I discovered on Love is Blonde that today has been declared Blog Action Day. It is a day set aside to address environmental issues.

What would happen if every blog published posts discussing the same issue, on the same day? One issue. One day. Thousands of voices....

I personally think this is a fabulous idea! I'll admit in the past I avoided 'environmental issues'...call it denial or whatever, but I'm guilty. Furthermore, we are very politically conservative. And (don't shoot me for saying this) but it often seems enviromental issues & liberal politics go hand-in-hand. So we just stayed "on our side of the fence." However as time has gone on K & I, have become a bit more aware of the impact of environmental issues in general. Then I took a Physical Geography class this past summer, and boy were my eyes ever opened. Now I don't claim to be uber green...I wish I was. But dang, is it ever hard....... especially living up here in Alaska. For instance my family's eco-footprint is not pretty.

So here it is.......

A List of Really Small Things I Do To Help the Planet, Which are Probably Too Small on Their Own to Make a Difference

1. Our entire house is equipped with compact fluorescent bulbs. In fact, this was the very first thing we did right. When we built our house 7 years ago we put this bulbs in straight way. I'll admit, at that time we did it strictly for $$ reasons. After living in military housing for years & not having utility bills, we wanted to save as much moola as we could. But in time we learn they weren't just money-savers, but they also are planet savers too! Ya wanna hear the best....in the 7 years we've been in the house we haven't had to replace a single light bulb yet! Score! If you haven't switched yet check out some of this info....

2. We ditched our full-size SUV. Yep, about 2 years ago we down-sized from a Ford Expedition to a minivan. Okay...not as good as a compact or hybrid, but definitely a step in the right direction. My Exp. got a whopping 14/mpg while my van averages 25-30/mpg. I'm sure it helps that I'm not a crazy, speedy driver. :)

3. I have started utilizing reusable grocery bags. Frankly I got sick & tired of all of those dang plastic bags. I swear once the enter your house they multiply. It's scary! So I caved and bought a couple $1bags from the local supermarket & I am hooked. Not more junky plastic bags allover the place & they sure hold a lot more than the single box of cereal (I'm sure you know what I'm talking about here).

4. We have pretty much (hey we aren't perfect) cut out bottled water. I invested in a few Nalgene bottles for the family as well as a couple of this incredibly cool CamelBak bottles for the kids. They have been a huge hit. We are creating less waste & definitely saving $$. Hmmmm... I am beginning to see a reoccurring theme here.....

5. I donate & recycle as much of our unwanted "stuff" as possible. Just because I no longer have a use for something, doesn't mean that someone else doesn't....

6. And on that note, I make it a game each & every week to put as little garbage in our can as possible. Amazingly, what is hauled away every Friday has gradually decreased over the last year or so....

7. Okay and the obvious...recycle, recycle, recycle.....We try recycle the standards (plastic, cardboard, paper) and then the less obvious choices such as printer cartridges, old cell phomes, etc.

I could bore you with the list of things I have created that I want to implement around here for greater change but instead check out these 57 Tips. I'll admit it's really tough. Living in Alaska, we have access to very little 'local foods', public transportation in our town is non-existent, and we require a whole lot of energy to sustain us. Oh boy do we ever screw up our ec0-footprint with our annual flying.....seriously...it takes forever for us to get anywhere. UGH! But the key is we're trying...... If I can be honest here (no throwing tomatoes please), I don't know if we'll ever be living very green, but I think there is a enormous percentage of the population who are a lot like me. You know, wanting to do something but are totally intimidated by these people we see on TV who have given up their cars & living totally on solar or hydro-power. Uhm...yeah...that's not me. But what's key is that there is a place for the average American like me to do a little something ...and eventually it'll add up to a whole lot. Get my drift?

Hump day.....

yep folks, we are half way to the weekend! Oh...I guess that mean we are even closer to midterms next week...ugh! I digress......

Anyway, since I will be busy for the remainder of today (I have to coach Battle of the Books after school & then my History of Flim class is tonight) I though I'd leave you with a couple photos & a link to check out.....

First this is the awesome view from my front porch yesterday evening. I love autumn, yet its way too short here. It lasts about all of maybe 2 weeks. Bummer!

Second I want you to check out this uber cute kiddo in this photo. His name is Denis and he is a student in Paraguay at the New Horizon School . My aunt Sue is the lady in the photo & she is the principal of the school. In fact, about 7 years ago she left her position as a principal of a school for special needs in Ohio, sold her house & decided to devot her life to mission work by opening this awesome school in Asuncion, Paraguay. Denis is in 3rd grade & we have been sponsoring him since he started Kindergarten. We pay $30/ month & that covers his tuition, uniform, some food, & some activities. I can say it's one of the best things we've ever done. Atleast twice a year we get a letter & photos from him, and often I'll recieve a letter from his parents as well. It's been amazing to see him grow in thrive through these photos. So recently another missionary was going to Asuncion & offered to take small packets from all of the sponsors in the US to the children. We were limited to what we could put in a gallon ziploc. I sent some art supplies (because it's his favorite), a letter, some photos & well...it's not important. He always writes a thank you letter for such packages. But this time I got a suprise email from my aunt of our photos with she & Denis. Pretty cool, eh?

And you thought all I could talk about was college & vomit jokes, huh? :)

**By the way, I have to tell you how incredibly proud I am of my Aunt...I think what she is doing is amazing. There are so few people out there willing to make that type of enormous sacrifice.....wow..........

And Tuesday goes like this......

·I have a raging canker sore on the inside of my bottom lip-totally hot, I know. I wonder if it has anything to do with the immense amount of stress this semester has inflincted upon my life?

·WW weigh-in went well this morning....I was down almost 2lbs since last week. Just a few more to make up for the little bit I gained over the summer. UGH! But atleast I'm on the right track........ Hopefully I'll be able to reach goal by Christmas. I gotta be optimistic :)

·I sent my dearest hubby out this door this morning to take the kiddos to school & he returned with a garment bag of Cabi clothes for me.....now that's what I call L-O-V-E! Seriously, a mom from a little girl in R's class gave him my Cabi order (from her patry about a week ago) in the parking lot. I love new clothes...especially Cabi clothes. In case you are wondering, I got the sweater vest & tuxedo tee outfit from the "Oxford" line shown in the collection. Darn copyright won't let me copy a photo, or I would show you.

·Have I told you that I think my daughter must have been switched at birth in the hospital?? Get this....the kid loves Algebra. Okay, that is just bizarre. I mean my 4th grader can do Algebra better than I can (or my hubby for that matter.) Does anyone else see something wrong with this situation?

· I just had to share this photo that I took of R. this summer & was just now able to get it off my cell phone. Yes, people this is a pic taken with my hot pink Razor. We were in downtown Anchorage at a park in the city. And the uber cool thing....it was take at about 10 o'clock at night. Have I told you I adore the 24 hours of daylight in summer thing?? Sweeet.....

Overheard today in our second home....uhm...I mean the minivan...

As we're driving home from R's kindergarten fieldtrip today I overheard the following comment:

"So what if you looked in your pocket and there was vomit in it, but you didn't vomit...."

All I can say to that is eewwwwwwwwwwww.............................only five year old boys, I tell ya!