30 Things in 30 Day - #21 - Harvest Rainwater

This is a new idea to me. I mean, I do know that people collect rain water. And it makes sense. I just never really thought much about it. I am always excited to learn new things and if you search the internet for "Harvesting Rainwater" you will find quite a bit if information. Harvested rainwater can be used to water your plants, both indoors and in your outdoor containers, as well as for lawns and gardens. Rain barrels are simple receptacles that collect water during rainy times, that can be used during dry times. It is best to place your barrel where there is some run off, such as under your home's gutter. You can store your harvested water in a large rain barrel. Rain water is soft, which plants like best, and it doesn't contain chemicals like chlorine or fluoride. This water can also be used for cooking, cleaning, or drinking, if properly treated.


Some people take great pride in decorating their rain barrels so they are true works of art. Here are some tips on how to. Have fun!

30 Things in 30 Days - #21 - Compost Your Waste

30 Things in 30 Days - #20 - Wash in Cold & Line Dry

Did you know that if you switch to cold water for all your laundry you can save 80% of the energy you use on washing? That is amazing! Switching to biodegradeable, non toxic powder is also a good step. I posted about Claudia's Choices, the soap I use, here. Hanging your clothes to dry is also a wise move, plus they smell so darn fresh. I live in a townhouse and there is a rule against drying lines. I smell a protest coming, I am just hoping that since I live in a very environmentally conscience community that they will come to their senses without my prodding. Stay tuned...

For more environmentally friendly laundry tips, check out this article by Annie Bond.

30 Things in 30 Days - #19 - Ditch Your Desktop

I JUST found out about this (what am I living under a rock?!). If you use a lap top instead of a desktop computer you will reduce your energy consumption by 3/4! Wow! Of course, you should power down your laptop at the end of the day. And I have to add that I didn't want to quit using my desktop but ever since I bought a laptop after Christmas I hardly ever turn my desktop on. I love being able to work anywhere.

30 Things in 30 Days - #18 - Take a Bath

I touched on this in the last post, but taking a bath instead of a shower CAN save water IF you take long showers like I do. I have read that the average shower is 4 minutes long.... hmmmmmmm, I would say my average shower is 10 - 15 minutes long! I am not proud if it, it is the most wasteful thing I do. The length of my shower depends on whether I am shaving, washing my hair, etc. I have previously stated that showers are a sinful treat for me, and I really over do them. The average bathtub holds 180 - 200 liters of water when full. A standard shower head dispenses 20 - 60 liters of water a minute. A low flow shower head dispenses 10 - 15 liters of water a minute. Here is a good way to decided if a shower or a bath is best for you.

"If you’d like to test the amount of water wasted yourself, here’s an experiment you could try at home. Put the plug in the bathtub next time you take a shower (but not a stand-alone shower as you might spill over the lower shower wall). After you've showered, examine how much the tub filled up. If there is less water than you would usually have in a bath, then you will probably save money by taking a shower instead of a bath.

The Environment Agency, however, would recommend short showers, not baths. Based on its latest research, it proclaims that a 5-minute shower uses about a third of the water of a bath and can save 50 litres every time." by Ray Dobson, the managing Director of WD Bathrooms based in Sheffield, UK.

Personally I believe in the restorative powers of water. Look at all the cultures that have public baths, saunas, therapeutic pools. A bath can be relaxing to mind and body. And bath time is a great time for young families to spend time together. Since having my daughter over two years ago, I now take a bath every other day, with her vs the daily shower I took alone before. We have a fun time bonding, and we save water. Yah to that! It is a long way from the military style showers I have been forced to take as a guest of family friends who will remain nameless but I am truly trying to curb my long, hot shower addiction.

30 Things in 30 Days - #17 - Low Flow Shower Head

I LOVE to shower! It is one of my sinful delights. In order to keep my water usage in check, which easily is double that of my husband, I have started taking baths with my 2 year old, but additionally we have a low flow shower head. And low flow doesn't mean low pressure. In fact, we have lower water pressure in our current home than in our past home and our shower head has regulated it perfectly. And we have a really big head so that it is like showering under a rain shower....oooooohhhhhh so nice! Now that it is chilling down outside for the evening, I may need to go warm up under my shower head. Maybe I can get my husband interested and we can shower together to save water...

30 Things in 30 Days - #16 - Check Your Tires

Keep your tires properly inflated. This will help your car to run more efficiently which in turn will produce less harmful emissions, and use less gas. I don't know what more to say. Simple!

30 Things in 30 Days - #15 - Recharge Your Batteries

Buy a battery recharger. Batteries are not combustible, due to dangerous metals they contain. This also makes them dangerous for landfills. Rechargeable batteries will pay for themselves over a lifetime.

One other simple way I have reduced the battery usage in our home is to limit the amount of battery powered items we use. Our daughter has very few battery powered items. This has resulted from careful selection of toys and asking the grandparents to buy her toys that don't have batteries.

So Much To Do, So Darn Little Time...

I miss my blog. Things have been insane, all in a good way, aside from some colds around our house. I hope to have more time to write soon.

I have been editing photos from 17 photo shoots I had in Ottawa this summer. I am done with editing and uploading to online galleries, now I am working on building the albums for each of my clients. Here is just one of my favorite images from the shoots. What an adorably cheeky little lady!



In addition to that I am working two days a week at my friend's shop, Silver Spoon. It is an awesome job that I look forward to. I can bring my little one, since it is a children's shop, and the owner had a 3 year old of her own. His name is, of course, Silver. Here is a photo of two peas in a pod, hanging out at the shop. Admit it, you wanna ride an elephant, too :)



Aside from that, I have been preparing for my teaching my fall community courses, through the town of Banff. The first one started last Thursday night. It is Basic Digital Photography for ages 12 - 14. My class is small, all girls, and really fun. I forget sometimes how much I prefer to teach kids. Even the "difficult" ages most people dread. Kids are so much more open to new ways of thinking and seeing. And they are not as hard on themselves as adults. Adults let failure paralyze them. Kids just have fun experimenting. I hope to take some fun shots to share this week.

Next week, I am teaching a Lunch and Learn course to town of Banff Employees, on blogging. They have a public staff blog that they need help getting off the ground. I am going in to try to inspire everyone to give it a shot. I am looking forward to it.

I am also start teaching next Monday for the Banff After School Club. I will teach recycled art! Yippee! At one point I was to be teaching weekly but then sadly it was not in the program budget so it was changed to once a month. I was really sad so I mentioned to both the program coordinator for the program and the program coordinator for the Town that I would love to write for a grant, with their backing, to pay for my "position". They put their heads together and came up with a plan of their own that now has me teaching weekly, at least through the end of the year! On Monday we will make puzzles using old books that someone donated to the Club.

Lastly, I have been preparing for my upcoming solo show at the Banff Public Library, for the month of October. I will reveal more in upcoming posts but lets just say it involves Polaroid film and double exposures...

30 Things in 30 Days - #14 - Farmer's Markets

In our part of the country, winter is just around the corner, but there is still time to buy locally from area farmer's markets. Squash, pumpkin, arugula, cabbage, spinach, bush beans, beets, and broccoli should all still be available. Many Farmer's Markets carry organic produce but not all do so ask questions. And it is always fun to try something new, so check out what is available. Support your local farmers and save on the energy that is used to ship items from afar.

I seem to have pumpkins on the brain so here is a recipe for Mexican Pumpkin Soup:
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups mashed or pureed pumpkin
1 16-ounce can chili beans
1 tablespoons oregano
pinch of cayenne or other red pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
5 red potatoes, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large onion chopped
1 tbsp. seeded diced jalapeño
1/3 cup soy milk
cilantro or parsley

Heat a large pot. Sauté most of the onions (reserve a few for garnish) and the garlic over medium heat for about 1 minute. Add in the broth, pumpkin, chili beans, jalapeño, and potatoes. Stir in the oregano, cayenne, and cumin. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer.

Simmer for about 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the soy milk and serve immediately garnished with cilantro or parsley and onion (and extra diced jalapeño, if desired).

Check here from some more healthy pumpkin recipes.