Spirited Woman Blogger Team

The Hows and Whys of Recycling, Part 2

If there is one thing that I hope you have taken away from my posts this past year, it is the encouragement to bear in mind that, as conscious consumers, spirited women can be best guided by the "3 R's"—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Yes, in that order.

The most effective way to minimize your contributions to the landfill is to REDUCE your consumption. Before you buy something new, ask yourself if you truly must have it. If you can't do without, then consider borrowing the item or acquiring one gently used from family, friends, yard sales, thrift stores, eBay, Craigslist or Freecycle. You can also REUSE your now unwanted items through these same channels.

When you do buy a new product, remember: the less packaging and virgin raw materials, the better. Look for products/packing made from recycled materials first to help close the sustainability loop, followed by eco-sourced, organic and fair trade products. Following the above guidelines, we can keep the third "R"—RECYCLE—as the last resort it should be.

Last week, I passed along a few helpful recycling tips for curbside collection of paper, cans, bottles and similar household items. This week, here is a list of online resources to help you find places to recycle a wide variety of other products.

Athletic Shoes - Did you know that Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe program collects all brands of used athletic shoes (without metal or cleats) and grinds them up to make rubber playing fields, synthetic court surfaces and hardwood padding for donations to communities worldwide? How cool is that?

Batteries - Battery Solutions, GreenDisk, Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation, Waste Management, Inc.'s Think Green from Home – recycle batteries, fluorescent tubes and light bulbs by mail. Many local collections exist for household and vehicular batteries, including municipal facilities, hardware stores, camera stores and chain drug stores. Contact your city or county offices for more information or search at Earth 911.

Books - Used textbooks and hardcovers are not recyclable because of their binding glue. The good news is, there are several organizations will accept books for donations: Books Behind Bars for U.S. inmates, Books for Africa sends primary through post-secondary textbooks to partner organizations in Africa. Books for the Barrios collects books for schoolchildren in the Philippines. Darien Book Aid Plan, Inc. distributes free books in response to specific requests from Peace Corps volunteers, libraries and schools around the world, in addition to U.S. libraries, prisons, hospitals and Native American and Appalachian groups. Follett Educational Services buys and sells used textbooks 10 years old or less for primary and secondary grade levels.

The Hows and Whys of Recycling, Part 1

Since I began as The Spirited Woman team's "Going Green" blogger over a year ago, somehow I have never gotten around to writing a post explicitly about recycling. That glaring omission is being rectified today with a two-part episode on everyone's favorite eco-topic.

What inspired me to take action was a workshop on recycling basics presented earlier this week by Celeste Carlisle, Outreach Coordinator for the City of Santa Barbara's Environmental Services Division. Hosted by the non-profit Citizens Planning Association, this informative presentation was attended by close to 40 spirited and involved citizens. Judging from their nonstop questions, there is much the general populace wants to know about the recycling process.

Carlisle first addressed the myths that many people have about recycling, such as: "it isn't worth doing since it all ends up in the landfill anyways," "using recycled waste takes just as much energy and costs as much as manufacturing from virgin materials" and "it doesn't really make any difference to the environment or global warming." I was pleased to hear that all of these assertions are false. In fact, recycling:

• is sustainable and economically viable
• saves energy—is more efficient than using raw materials
• diverts significant amounts of trash from landfills
• decreases greenhouse gases (particularly methane produced by landfills)
• conserves natural resources

The truth is that recycling DOES matter to our planet and is an easy, worthwhile way to be part of the solution, with curbside pickup becoming so widespread throughout the United States. It appears that recycling technology has changed quite a bit since the last time I did any extensive research on the subject in the 1990s. Sorting techniques are far more advanced and mixed collection requires much less labor on the consumer's end.

Antibiotic Use & Women's Health Issues

This weekend our sweet cat Luke apparently got an upset tummy (I'll spare you the gory details). The vet said he must have picked up a bacteria and would be just fine after a week on antibiotics. On the one hand, I am grateful, yet on the other hand, as a big fan of holistic therapies, I am aware that antibiotics can be a double-edged sword.

Ever since Penicillin was discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming, antibiotics have been a valuable weapon in our modern infection-fighting arsenal. Even as far back as ancient Chinese and Egyptian times, anti-microbial herbs, fungi and molds have been used for medicinal treatments.

Yet recently, their use - or rather, overuse - has proven to be a mixed blessing. For one thing, antibiotics tend to kill off ALL bacteria in the body, including the beneficial bacteria that live in our intestinal tract. Many holistic practitioners suggest taking a probiotic supplement such as acidophilus, or even to eat live-culture yogurt, halfway in between antibiotic dosages to restore the natural flora balance.*

But far more disturbing is the problem of antibiotics becoming over-prescribed to treat any infection, including colds. Colds and flu are both caused by viruses, not bacteria, which means antibiotics will have no affect on them...other than to give the patient peace of mind. This seemingly harmless practice by doctors over the years has resulted in antibiotics losing effectiveness for their original purpose.

How? All microorganisms have the ability to quickly (within a few short generations) develop mutations that make them resistant to the drugs that are designed to kill them. It's part of the natural process that Darwin called survival of the fittest. That is why a new flu vaccine must be developed each year when new strains evolve.

You may have heard the sad story about the gorgeous young Brazilian model, Mariana Bridi, who lost her feet, hands and then her life at age 20 in January (God bless her soul). The cause: a common urinary tract infection that was resistant to antibiotics.

Women everywhere are prone to UTIs, due simply to our anatomies, although there are  ways to prevent them. Just last October, I myself had a bladder infection that, thankfully, was treated with antibiotics - I might have looked into into a holistic remedy, but I just wanted it gone as quickly as it showed up. I hope I still have that option next time.

The good news in all of this is that doctors worldwide are now much more aware of the dangers and most will not prescribe antibiotics unless necessary...even if their patients request otherwise.

~ Teri Breier  www.quintessencecreative.com 
Click here for more of Teri's posts.

* Not to be construed as medical advice. Ask your doctor directly for his/her recommendations in your particular case.

Livingreen: Spirited, Upscale, Sustainable Products for Your Home

I first encountered the beautiful Livingreen eco-store in 2006, after I moved to Culver City from Orange County (which seems to have become much greener since I left). Not only was the store walking distance from my house, but it also hosted several meetings of the Sustainable Business Council, an organization for which I volunteered. Upon moving up to Santa Barbara a year ago, I was delighted to discover not just one, but two Livingreen stores within a short drive: the original store on Milpas St. and a smaller, design-centric location in chic Montecito.

A personal visit to Livingreen is likely to inspire your eco-senses with gorgeous, environmentally-conscious home decor, furniture and gift items that look more high society than flower child. For non-locals, many of Livingreen's products are offered online. Whether you're upgrading, remodeling or just browsing, there's something for everyone: sustainably harvested bamboo flooring, luscious silk upholstery fabrics, low-VOC paints, baby blankets, pet beds, an array of green cleaning products, practical and inexpensive items that can help you reduce your eco-footprint, and more.

On the website, affordable items currently on sale includes Kill A Watt, an ingenious device that calculates your appliances' energy efficiency, a showerhead adapter that cuts down on water waste and multi-purpose, flexible, outdoor containers called "trugs" made of recycled tire rubber (available in colorful recycled plastic versions, too).

The owner of Livingreen, spirited woman Ellen Strickland, has developed a unique set of criteria to evaluate the relative greenness of the store's merchandise. The Shades of Green five-point scale ranges from Budding Green to Deep Forest, based on five key factors for each product:

Sea Glass: Trash Transformed into Art by Nature

Once or twice a week, I take a morning stroll with my Spirited Guy and our energetic poodle along the Santa Barbara shore at low tide. After appreciating the gorgeous view for an appropriate time, we keep our heads down and eyes to the sand, beachcombing for treasure. Specifically, we are searching for the sparkling shards of green, amber, aqua, clear and cobalt sea glass that wash up with the waves.

Scott picked up this hobby from a former girlfriend and now he's got me hooked. It was a revelation to me that sea glass even existed. I have spent 80% of my life living near the beach, yet believed the most valuable items to be found were intact seashells and sand dollars. I overlooked beach glass all those years, assuming it was, well, garbage. Now I know better.

According to the North American Sea Glass Association, authentic sea glass originates "from discarded bottles and tableware, or glass from shipwrecks and household items lost in natural disasters." So basically, it does start out as trash. But over many, many years, the tides work their magic through incessant tumbling that rounds the sharp edges to a smooth finish, while "frosting" the surface by a natural hydration process that leaches the lime and soda from the glass. (Artificial sea glass is more uniform, tumbled by machine.)

Avid collectors travel to beaches the world over, seeking to find the most prized, rare colors—such as red, orange, yellow, cobalt, turquoise, purple and black - and unusual shapes like marbles, bottle stoppers and antiques. They read the Sea Glass Journal for the latest news. Thousands gather for an annual Sea Glass Festival held at various seashore and lakeside locations around the country.

Most sea glass beachcombers share a deep, abiding love for the ocean and all of its creatures, and consider collecting sea glass to be an environmentally friendly activity. After all, they are picking up what is essentially litter; much sea glass is repurposed into beautiful jewelry, art and craft items; and this may also help reduce the usage of nonrenewable gemstones and other natural materials.

Are you a sea glass collector? Let me know your favorite discovery. Happy Hunting!

~ Teri Breier  www.quintessencecreative.com 
Click here for more of Teri's posts.

Soap Gets in Your Eyes

WARNING: With this post, I am about to become embroiled in a raging controversy about an issue that confronts every household in the Western world. Thousand of proponents on both sides argue passionately for their point of view online, seeking to gain converts to their cause.

Yes, spirited women...it's Soap Wars!

No kidding. Just type "bar soap vs. liquid soap" into your search engine and see how many results come up. At the heart of this debate are the same larger issues facing responsible consumers across the board: convenience vs. sustainability; hygiene vs. wastefulness; form vs. function. And in most aspects, bar soap beats out liquid body wash on the eco-front.

Although, as you've read previously, I try to make as many green choices as possible, I must sheepishly admit to being partial to shower gels for many years. But a few months ago I ran across a blog written by a woman on a mission: to make the world a greener place by convincing us all to use bar soap. Sadly, I can't find the link again, but her words inspired me: as soon as my current gel runs out, I am going back to the bar—a vegetable-based, carcinogen-free bar, of course. Won't you join me?

Benefits:
• Since my spirited guy already uses bar soap (as do a majority of men), making the switch will be simple.
• Gentle on the budget: bar soap costs less and the hard-milled soaps last a long time.
• Contrary to popular belief, as long as you rinse it off between uses, those bars are not unsanitary.
• Less packaging—usually just paper wrapping—and no plastic bottle to toss in the recycling bin.
• Wide selection: there are numerous, beautiful organic and handmade soaps available with natural ingredients that won't dry out your skin.

A word of caution: Be sure to avoid the chemical-laden mass-produced brands that typically don't even include real soap. And steer clear of antimicrobial cleansers, especially those containing triclosan.

Personally, I plan to try some of these inventive and frugal suggestions for bar soap, then recycle the scraps when I'm finished. 

Stay clean and green!

~ Teri Breier  www.quintessencecreative.com 
Click here for more of Teri's posts.

Will History Be Made for Climate Change?

This week, my virtual inbox is overflowing with requests to sign petitions, donate and call my Congressional representative in support of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (HR 2454). I've been invited to listen in on Al Gore's phone briefing for supporters of his Climate Protection Action Fund's Repower America Campaign. And the talented actress/eco-activist Amy Smart even made an appearance:



A version of President Obama's historic bill passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee last month, and a vote before the full House of Representatives is expected by July 4. According to the Environmental Defense Action Fund's Summary, this landmark legislation would:

• Set [America's first-ever] declining cap on global warming pollution at 17% below 2005 levels by 2020 and 83% by 2050.
• Reward clean energy innovation, spurring investments in low-carbon energy technologies and creating new manufacturing jobs.

How One Spirited Woman Launched the Environmental Movement

     "There was once a town in the heart of America where all life seemed to live in harmony with its surroundings ... Then a strange blight crept over the area and everything began to change ... There was a strange stillness ... It was a spring without voices. On the mornings that had once throbbed with the dawn chorus of scores of bird voices there was now no sound; only silence lay over the fields and woods and marsh."

Perhaps history credits a man - Wisconsin's U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson—with creating the first Earth Day in 1970. But in reality, the modern environmental movement was set in motion eight years earlier by a spirited, courageous woman: biologist Rachel Louise Carson (May 27, 1907–April 14, 1964).

The opening words of her groundbreaking book Silent Spring, excerpted above, still pack the same dramatic wallop they did upon their publication in 1962. This global best-seller documented the devastating ecological effects of pesticides, inspired public and political activism and brought on the wrath of the world's most powerful chemical corporations, most notably Monsanto. Silent Spring has been named one of the 25 all-time greatest science books by Discover Magazine, as well as making many lists of the best and most influential non-fiction books of the 20th century.

In 1999, Rachel Carson herself was recognized by Time Magazine as one of their "100 People of the Century." Who was this remarkable, pioneering woman?

Growing up on a rural farm in Springdale, Pennsylvania, Rachel's lifelong love for the natural world was instilled early on. A talented writer, she first became published at age 11, and initially majored in English at the Pennsylvania College for Women (now Chatham College) before switching to biology and graduating magna cum laude in 1929. She studied at the Woods Hole (Mass.) Marine Biological Laboratory and earned a master's degree in zoology from Johns Hopkins University in 1932. This was at a time when very few women were encouraged to study in the scientific fields.

Good-bye, Grandma

The last time I spoke with my dear grandmother Helen was during our Mother's Day visit a month ago. When my aunt called this past Thursday to tell me the end was near, I arranged my schedule to spend Friday afternoon with them both. By then, Grandma had slipped into unconsciousness. The next morning, with my other aunt from Pennsylvania at her side, she took her last breath. Yesterday, far-flung friends and family gathered to celebrate Helen's nearly century-long life - an ordinary yet remarkable life filled with kindness, generosity and unquestioning love. Grandma may by physically gone now, but she will always reside in our hearts.

In special tribute, here is an edited excerpt from the October 2008 post about aging gracefully that featured my beloved grandmother:

I adore my 98-year-old Grandma Helen…she has truly been an example of a Spirited Woman to me all my life. Fiercely independent, she married for love (late compared to her contemporaries), raised three children and then nursed her ailing husband when heart disease got the better of him. Once my grandfather (who passed away in 1961, three years before I was born) could no longer support their family, she became a secretary and worked for nearly four decades. When my father was left a widower at 21 with a 3-month-old baby, she took us both in and raised me like a daughter for the first five years of my life until my father remarried. Nine years ago, she outlived him (her youngest), too.

In short, Grandma Helen took care of everyone but herself. Of course, in her time, it wasn’t expected or even proper for a woman to pursue athletic activities of any sort, even if she’d wanted to. Preventive healthcare and nutrition was unheard of; people just went to the doctor when they were sick and followed his instructions until they recovered or died. Thus, after her troubles began with a back operation 20 years ago, her lifestyle remained mostly sedentary. Progressively, she lost all the cartilage in her knees so she could only walk using a walker…soon she fell so often that she required 24/7 in-home care… shortly after that she needed a wheelchair to get around…and the final straw was two weeks ago when she could not even stand for 10 seconds on her own power.

Our family decided to move her into an assisted living home (a very lovely one that is located in a residential suburban house, not an institution). She had lived on her own for nearly half a century, until a full-time caregiver became necessary six years ago.

For me, aging gracefully means to embody all of Grandma’s positive qualities and genetic hardiness—relatively good health, a strong heart into her 90s, full faculties and much younger appearance—while making empowering choices and taking positive actions to maintain a healthy, strong body and mind.

~ Teri Breier  www.quintessencecreative.com 
Click here for more of Teri's posts.

Your Planet Needs You...To Have Fun This Summer!

With kids getting out of school and the official start of summer just weeks away, it's time to take this party outside! Fortunately, you now have the perfect excuse to rediscover your inner nature girl: since 2004, June has been designated as Great Outdoors Month.

It all started with then - President Clinton's proclamation of Great Outdoors Week, which takes place June 7-13 this year. June 6-14 also happens to be National Fishing & Boating Week. And if you can only slot in one day of nature, take your pick: this Sunday, June 6th - National Trails Day, Saturday, June 13th - National Get Outdoors Day or Sat., June 27th - the National Wildlife Federation's Great American Backyard Campout.

How to celebrate? Take your family camping (even in your own backyard), visit a nearby National Park, go river rafting, join a bike tour, float your motorboat, hike (or help clean up) one of your local trails...anything that gets you enjoying the great outdoors!

For eco-awareness on a global scale, United Nations also happens to be holding its annual World Environment Day in Mexico on June 5th. This year's theme is "Your Planet Needs You—UNite to Combat Climate Change."

So, this is my call to spirited women everywhere...get out of your homes and offices and get outside! Some of my fondest childhood memories are from my days away at summer camp, breathing in the splendor of California's magnificent redwoods. Please share your favorite places to enjoy the beauty of nature in the comments below.

~ Teri Breier  www.quintessencecreative.com 
Click here for more of Teri's posts.