Cute Cat Picture(s)

Where's Wily?

There he is! On top of the 6 foot + shelf. This is where he likes to chill. In fact, he is there at this moment.

At first I was worried he might break the beautiful bowl my friend Melanie and my students painted for me, but then I learned that to Wily, it's home sweet home!

Education, Powered by the Wind

In the field of education, we talk a lot about sustainability. Education reforms blow in, carrying with them start-up funds and motivated proponents. Teachers, however, have seen so many reforms come and go that they often do the minimum of what's expected of them and wait for the new fad to pass.

This is pretty sad, as the good reforms may fail along with the silly. One Texas school district was looking for ways to sustain the changes made by their Reading First grant, which came as a part of No Child Left Behind. To those who bought into the changes, the five-year grant provided support for changes in the way reading was instructed across the nation. Knowing that it was only five years, the folks at Shallowater ISD began looking for ways to fund its continuation.

The answer: Wind power!

They decided to build wind turbines to help power their school. This saved on fuel costs for them, helped save the earth for everybody, and created opportunities for students to learn about alternative energy. All in all, that's a pretty great example of sustainability.

Of course, not everyone is happy about this. Some are complaining about the noise created by the turbines (there's a whole website devoted to problems with wind power; chief among them seems to be noise. Noise, however, seems to be a fair trade for not destroying the earth. People have been living near airports and train tracks for decades and seem to be all right).

Many of the schools Reading First works with have been bemoaning the end of the grant, saying that they wish it could stick around. They like the support and see their kids growing (contrary to reports, most states are seeing amazing growth. In Texas, Reading First schools are seeing a) faster growth in achievement compared to non-Reading First schools, particularly among students who are usually "left behind", like Special Ed students and English language learners; and b) they aren't just growing faster, but have now surpassed their non-Reading First compatriots). Shallowater ISD is an inspiration because they didn't just hope that the federal government would continue to fund them. They did something about it.

Traveling Light ... Green

Traveling 3 or 4 times a month for work, I know that my environmental impact is more than it would be if I just stayed home. Of course, there are the obvious impacts - like air travel. There are lots of other things, however, that increase my footprint when I'm on the road. For instance, I having to drive a rental car means I'm usually driving a bigger, less fuel-efficient car than I do at home. I don't have my re-usable bags, so I may have to use plastic at the store; sometimes I can't find a place to recycle.

Luckily, many hotel chains have found the green in green -- dollars, that is. Here are a few examples from my hotel in Dallas:

Early on, hotels figured out that water conservation is good for business. If you hang your linens up, they don't wash them every day. It's unnecessary to wash them when the same person is staying in the room, and wastes water.

I thought these dual-use garbage cans, with one compartment for trash and one for recycling, were a great idea.Compostable coffee cups!

The bathrooms had a cool Texas theme. This has nothing to do with the environment, I just like stars. Sunsets are cool too.

I am going to be glad to get home, though.

DIY Sunday - Knitting Bind-Off

In the past two weeks, DIY Sunday has focused on beginning knitting lessons, in the hope that I can spread my knitting addiction to the world. If you've been following along, you might have a piece of knitted fabric. If not, click here for the previous two lessons - how to cast on, and how to knit.

When you're finished with your knitting, you must be able to tie off the stitches so they don't fall apart. That's called binding off. In knitting instructions it will say something like: "Bind off." This would indicate that you bind off ALL your stitches.

Sometimes you bind off when you're not completely finished, but you are going to make your knit fabric narrower. Then the instructions will tell you how many stitches to bind off. It will say something like: "bind off 4" or BO 4. (Ha ha. BO. I am a 7 year old boy.)

Unfortunately, I cound not find a demonstration video with our wonderful British knitting instructor. This one's pretty good, but she doesn't say "anti-clockwise."



Next week: How to knit a scarf.

Note: Posts may be a little scanty this week due to the intrusion of the real world. But have no fear. We will return bigger, better, faster, stronger and greener than before.

Re-Purpose: Baking Soda + A fish taco recipe

The Many Uses of ...

Baking Soda

Use #2: Air Freshening

Everyone knows baking soda absorbs odors. For years Arm & Hammer has been advertising the odor-busting powers of baking soda - "naturally."

Remember this ad from 1980?

I didn't really buy it. I couldn't imagine how placing an open box of baking soda in the refrigerator could make any difference in stinkiness.

Until last night.

There are all kinds of constantly-improving products meant to freshen the air you breathe. I'm migraine-prone, however (such a nerdy ailment, I know) and so I'm not a big fan of commercial products. Their perfumes trigger headaches. Plus, after the air freshener-ingestion incident I'm not down with air freshening products.

But, last night, I had an air freshening emergency!

I made fish tacos -- the world's best fish tacos -- and then went to visit my friends Sarah, Trae, and my adopted nephew Eli. Upon returning home, the house reeked of "eau d' poisson." In other words, it stank of fish.

I wracked my brain to think where I might have some kind of air freshening product hidden. To no avail. That was when I remembered the amazing powers of baking soda and thought I would give it a try.

I placed a bowl of baking soda in the fridge and one on the stove, the two places where the fish stank seemed to have centered. In the morning, I woke up, sniffed, and ...

... all was relatively fresh.

By the time I got home from work, the house smelled normal, and I was sold. Baking soda absorbs odors "naturally", as the commercial says. It's pretty amazing that a bowl of white powder can just sit there and magically take away smells (if you're more interested in the coolness of baking soda, a.k.a. sodium bicarbonate, check out the Wikipedia article. Ancient Egypt... who knew?).

Air fresheners are expensive, and baking soda is cheap. Air fresheners are poison, and baking soda is a part of bread. It seems pretty clear to me ... baking soda is the answer to all life's little stinkies.

Now ... A fish taco recipe

The cause of all the stinkiness was the fish tacos. But don't hold it against them. They were delicious, and usually smell just fine. Here's the recipe, for all my pescetarian friends (and those who just wish they were in Baja).

This is how you make them:

You want tilapia, cod, or other mild white fish. It can be fresh or frozen. Prepare according to package directions or common sense. I like to use frozen fillets (1 per person, from Costco) cooked with a generous sprinkling of some sort of fish rub. Salt, pepper, thyme, and a squeeze of lemon would also work.

While the fish is cooking, finely chop some tomatoes (one 1/2 per person), avocado (1/4 per person), and lettuce (as much as you desire).

With a fork, stir together 1 tablespoon olive oil, a 1/4 tsp. garlic salt, and a squeeze from 1/2 a lemon (that's per person, once again) and drizzle the goodies all over the veggies. Toss.

When the fish is ready, flake it with a fork. Transfer the flaky fish to the veggies and toss everything together. Then, spoon the mixture into a warm tortilla. Corn, or flour, whatever is your pleasure.

Now, enjoy, secure in the knowledge that you can de-stinkify your home with just a little baking soda.

Potty Talk

Remember a few years ago (well, actually it was 1992, and I was in high school) when Congress mandated low-flow toilets, because the old high-consumption toilets used over 3 gallons of water. It seemed like an environmentally-friendly law that would make everyone happy, but instead, noone had realized that the toilets didn't work, because manufacturers didn't have time to perfect the product before the law came into effect. There was even a fine for smuggling toilets from Canada!

Since then, the technology has advanced, and I saw a cool example in Austin this week (and yes, I was the weirdo who took pictures in a public bathroom stall.)

This is a dual-flush toilet -- apparently they have been available in Australia for some time, but I've never seen them before. It came with directions for use:

I especially like the use of the colloquialisms #1 and #2, with the definition in parentheses for the more refined among us.

This seems like such a simple (one might even say ... elegant) that I can't believe we don't see more of it. Good job, AT & T Conference Center for bringing this little technological marvel to Tejas. They also had recycling bins next to their garbage cans, which made me sad that I didn't have anything to recycle.

What Pollution is Good For

Sunrises.

Really ?!? with Catfish

Really? - this organically-grown onion needs the same plastic wrapping as a suburban housewife, who a la Fried Green Tomatoes, twirls herself up in Saran Wrap? Really?

Cute Cat Picture

DIY Sunday - How to Knit, Part 2

Last week, I posted the first lesson on beginning to knit. Click here to see that lesson, and to read why knitting is awesome.

If you followed the instructions on that video, made by the wonderful knitTV, you know how to cast on. Casting on produces a row of stitches on your knitting needle. That's nice, but what do you do with them? Well, in knitting, there are only TWO STITCHES you need to know! The first is called knit stitch, and the second is purl stitch. All knitting is a variation on these two stitches.

Today's lesson is on the knit stitch (sometimes called garter stitch) because in two weeks you're going to be able to use the knit stitch to make a scarf.

In knitting patterns, they will say something like: k25. This means, do the knit stitch 25 times. Easy-peasy.

OK, so let's get going. You will need:

The needles and yarn you started with last week (or whenever). One needle should have a row of cast on stitches. If it doesn't - say, you ripped them all out in frustration - go back to the first lesson and cast on 10 stitches.

Okay. Here's our friendly knitting instructor, teaching us how to knit stitch:

Anti-clockwise!

When you get to the end of the row, turn the needle around and knit all the stitches again. Keep practicing and you will soon have a really skinny piece of fabric knit in the garter stitch.

Next week: How to bind off. In two weeks: Put it all together and make a scarf.

DIY Valentine's Day - It's Not Too Late

So, Valentine's Day is not my favorite holiday, being, as it is, a commercial-fest of consumerism, blah-blah ... you know all the arguments about how the greeting card companies make us feel bad if we're not part of the celebration in order to amp up our holiday spending. I felt a little discouraged seeing the last-minute shoppers cruising Kroger, trying to find something - FAST - for that special someone. They were even selling plates of cheese pre-cut into hearts. I might find myself questioning someone who doesn't have time to cut heart-shaped cheese themselves (there's a joke in there somewhere, but I just can't get it.)

Luckily, the tough economy, according to this NPR story, has led more people to make their own holiday gifts and cards. That seems more meaningful than the plate of heart-shaped brie - unless your sweetie really loves cheese. Even though it's late in the day, there's still time to DIY for your loved ones. Here are a few ideas (and at the end of the post, find an alternative to Valentine's Day)



I absolutely love these Anatomically-correct Hearts from cheekymagpie.com. Just click the link for the template.

I traced the template onto craft paper and cut it out. Then you just fold it in half and you get a lovely, 3-dimensional heart. All-in-all, it takes about 5 minutes and looks gorgeous.

An inspiring quotation makes a nice addition to your card. You can find some great quotations about love here, at Wisdom Quotes. These are great because they aren't the same ol', same ol'. Gotta love any site that includes Albert Einstein in its page on love.

Now, I haven't tried Nigella Lawson's Valentine cupcakes, but I listened to her describe them on NPR yesterday, and I definitely mean to. Make them for a sweetie with a sweettooth. The chocolate cherry ones sound especially tasty, and quick to make. I also like the way Nigella describes how the competitive world of boarding school produced in her a "lofty detachment" toward the holiday. You go, Nigella!

Mix-tapes are a traditional gift from one disturbed teen to another. For you music lovers, check out the iTunes store. The "Essentials - Crazy Love" mix contains all the stories of whacked out romance you can handle, including "Stan" by Eminem, "Ben" by Michael Jackson, and "Under My Thumb" by the Rolling Stones. Get it for someone you stalk.

Finally, for those of you singletons who are perfectly content to be single, check out International Quirkyalone Day. This holiday, to quote the website, is: "a do-it-yourself celebration of romance, friendship, and independent spirit. It's a celebration of all kinds of love: romantic, platonic, familial, and yes, self-love. International Quirkyalone Day is not anti-Valentine's Day. It's NOT a pity party for single people. It's an alternative--a feel-good alternative to the marketing barrage of Valentine's Day and an antidote to the silicone version of love presented in shows such as Hooking Up and The Bachelor."

And who can't find the love for that?

Why You Can Recycle What You Can Recycle

Not long ago, Houston began recycling more than it had before. Now we can recycle Codes 1-5 and 7 (I don't know what the deal is with Code 6 - maybe its radioactive or something). My friends who live in the Northwest often give me flak for living in a city where green is the color of the money we get from selling oil, but now we can actually recycle more than they can. Yet we still have the reputation for drinking a big glass of petrol with our morning cereal.

Every city and municipality is different in regard to what they recycle. I never really understood why until I heard this NPR Story on why every city has different rules. The reason? Why, money, of course! Recycling is an environmental business, but it's still a business. We get to recycle what brings in the bucks. That's why our curbside recycling doesn't pick up glass. And why I can recycle this ...



(It's the bottom to a rotisserie chicken container) ...but I can't recycle the lid that goes with it; and why I can recycle the yogurt cup from Yo! brand yogurt, but not Activia.

Knowing more about my city's ordinances has made recycling kind of a game. I still throw away more than I should, or more than I might in some other cities. However, I love finding new things I never new I could recycle -- things like ...

(Take the labels off to protect your identity)

Join the game with me, and discover more weird things that can be recycled.

Signs o' the Times

Wordless Wednesday
(visit My Charming Kids for the scoop on Wordless Wednesday)

DIY Sunday - Knitting Cast-On

A couple of weeks ago, I thought I might post a simple scarf pattern I created for my sister, but then thought, maybe people would like to learn to knit first. Knitting is a great DIY hobby, because it's easy (no, REALLY!) and it's forgiving (if I'm lyin', I'm dyin'). Mistakes can usually be corrected with simple work-arounds that disappear when you're looking at a larger, finished project. Of course, I'm a pretty Zen knitter, not really a perfectionist.

There are two other reasons I like knitting, and why you might like it too:

1. You get useful things when you've finished a project. Scarves, baby jackets, blankets, sweaters - all useful. A lot of other crafts seem to produce dust collectors.

2. Knitting makes me feel connected to history. Women (and men!) have been knitting forever. I like to think that I'm spending my time in the same way my foremothers did, although they didn't have acrylic wool blends.

So, if you want to start knitting, the first thing you need to know is ...

How To Cast On

You will need:

Knitting Needles - I think Size 10 or 11 would be good for beginning
Yarn - Some basic wool or acrylic is good to start with - you don't want anything with weird texture when you begin.

Every knitting pattern begins with:

Cast on ____ number of stitches

Because it would take many, many photos to demonstrate this, I'm going to let the folks at knittv show you. Also, the girl has an awesome British accent. She's demonstrating what's called the "Two-Needle Method," which is the way I cast on.

Practice this a bit -- it's good to get the hang of this.

Next week: How to knit.

Then you'll only need one other skill to make a scarf! (And if you're thinking -- it's almost spring, why would I need a scarf? you obviously haven't seen the girls who walk around my neighborhood wearing short-shorts, stiletto platforms, a tank top, and scarf)

Random Things

Hey! I'm vacationing in beautiful Oakland, California this weekend, but wanted to take a moment to pass along 4 Random Things (not 25, all Facebookers might expect). Here they are, in no particular order:

• Oakland is a really great city! Though much-maligned by the popular imagination, it has great old buildings, parks, and some cool vintage signage. Pictures should be following.
• Loyal reader Frances, aka: My Mom, sent in the following reports about some green products:
  • Green Works Natural Glass and Surface Cleaner by Clorox. Two thumbs way down. The product smears on glass and leaves streaks and a residue. And it smells awful -- kind of like sick Seven-Up.
  • Orange Plus Natural Orange All Purpose Everyday Cleaner by Earth Friendly Products. Safe and reasonably effective. Especially good for counter tops, stove top, lightly soiled floors and other surfaces. Not a powerhouse cleaner for really greasy or heavily dirty areas but good for, as they say, everyday. Fresh smell that doesn't linger.
• And finally, one more plastic bag solution for you parents out there, discovered on a Safeway trip with my friend Sara and her little guy, Desmond. The bottom of the stroller - the place where you might stash a jacket or purse, can also fit a small number of groceries. Not a solution for "big shopping" - as my mom called the weekly grocery trip- but for a quick, eco-friendly walk to the store it works great.

Tomorrow, DIY Friday: Knit or Die!

Green Comes of Age

It's a testament to the ubiquity of greener products that Saturday Night Live spoofed them this weekend. It's a fairly yucky spoof, but still, you know you've gone mainstream when you're on SNL.

Click here to go to the video (sorry the code to embed wasn't working.)

I love Kristen Wiig's expression. She's so happy to be green!

Re-Purpose: Vinegar

The Many Uses of ...
VINEGAR

Uses #2 (Killing Insects) and #3 (Washing Produce)

It's handy to keep a spray bottle filled with a mixture of water and distilled white vinegar. I have one next to the sink. Here are two of its uses:

A Natural "Insecticide": Living in one of the buggiest places in, at least the U.S. (I won't claim it to be buggier than, say, the Amazon) one sometimes needs to get a little nuclear on some insect-ass. Most insect repelling products, however, are filled with toxic chemicals that I certainly don't want around my kitchen or my cat. When sugar ants invade my sink area as they sometimes do, or when we have one of our semi-annual fruit fly infestations, a blast of vinegar + water takes care of the pests.

Washing Produce: While I'm certainly not above rubbing an apple on my shirtsleeve to clean it off, it is probably better to be a little more pro-active about cleansing chemicals/ E.coli from produce. The vinegar + water solution can be used for this purpose as well. Just spray the solution on the produce. Rinse the produce with water and rub.

Vinegar is awesome! Ask the tiny ants!

Product Review - Envirosax

Usability: ***** (out of 5)

Appearance: *****

I found it at: their website

Other stuff: Folds up, carries up to 44 lbs., price ranges (for the non-organic bags) from $7.95-8.50

See below for the scoop

I like things that do exactly what they are supposed to, and Envirosax fit the bill. They are re-usable shopping bags that can roll up and fit in a purse, and they are attractive to boot. I particularly like them because the straps are long enough to go over a shoulder, and groceries for an entire week will fit in one or two bags.


They also counter-act the evil eye one sometimes gets in the check-out line when you pull out a wadded pile of bags. Instead of glaring, usually the courtesy clerk says: "Those are cool!" if a teenage boy, or "Oh my gosh! Those are so cute" if a teenage girl.


Envirosax makes several different lines, including floral and solid colors. They have also introduced a line of organic bags, made of bamboo, hemp, and linen. They are a bit more expensive ($24.95) and they don't carry quite as much, but they are darn cute. The company also makes shower timers, for those of you who are really dedicated and time your water usage.


Below, see how Envirosax fold up and fit in purse. They could also fit in a pocket, for the un-pursed types out there.

Fold bag in half.

Fold down the handles.

Roll it up and fasten the snap.

Here I have 3 Envirosax in my purse!

You rock!

Yay! I'm so thrilled that a few awesome readers have had an actual CONVERSATION in the comments section.

I'm glad that the tips are proving helpful for folks. If you know anyone else who might be interested, forward the link on. I hope more people can find some little things they can do to be a bit more green.

Cute Cat Picture

Due to craziness at work, DIY Sunday is going to be postponed. Instead, here is a cute cat picture.