Ok, you have to go read this RIGHT NOW!
How many cyclists does it take to power a hairdryer? The answer's 18, as one family discovered in a unique TV experiment
Ok, now go turn off some energy sucking appliances and lights!
Showing posts with label thinking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thinking. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
My Newest Green Project - Cloth TP
Ok, so I have been thinking what new things I can do to reduce my impact on the Earth. I was casually reading over at The Organic Sister and came across the idea of cloth bathroom wipes. Of course! When I had babies, they wore cloth diapers and I washed them. No problem and no trash. I use a Keeper instead of disposable feminine products. No trash created there. So why do I use toilet paper which get flushed, sits in the septic tank, and then goes to the landfill? Because I never thought about it. Now that I have, I am using cloth there too!
Step 1: I got a kick in the rear to begin this new project when someone offered a cloth diaper pail on freecycle. Having given my pail away a while ago, I thought I needed it for my bathroom again. So even though it had been days since the offer was posted, I emailed and got it. Score!
Step 2: I have stacks of old clothing waiting for a new purpose. I had always assumed I would make cleaning rags, but my rag bin is pretty full right now. However, the specific item of unwanted clothing I had sitting around is kids underwear from Hanna Andersson. They were so well worn that I can't pass them on to another user but they cut up into cloth wipes just fine!
Step 3: I cut the fabric into the wipes the size of my hand. They are double or triple layered and serged on the edges (in red for identification). A pretty basket holds them on the vanity right beside the toilet.
I did the sewing and set everything up yesterday. I was so excited to try the cloth wipes out. The next time I had to use the toilet, I forgot! I was so sad. Dear Daughter helped me remember next time by hiding the toilet paper and giving me no choice. By that time rolled around though, she had already pronounced the new goods a success. Yea for us and the Earth!
Step 1: I got a kick in the rear to begin this new project when someone offered a cloth diaper pail on freecycle. Having given my pail away a while ago, I thought I needed it for my bathroom again. So even though it had been days since the offer was posted, I emailed and got it. Score!
Step 2: I have stacks of old clothing waiting for a new purpose. I had always assumed I would make cleaning rags, but my rag bin is pretty full right now. However, the specific item of unwanted clothing I had sitting around is kids underwear from Hanna Andersson. They were so well worn that I can't pass them on to another user but they cut up into cloth wipes just fine!
Step 3: I cut the fabric into the wipes the size of my hand. They are double or triple layered and serged on the edges (in red for identification). A pretty basket holds them on the vanity right beside the toilet.
I did the sewing and set everything up yesterday. I was so excited to try the cloth wipes out. The next time I had to use the toilet, I forgot! I was so sad. Dear Daughter helped me remember next time by hiding the toilet paper and giving me no choice. By that time rolled around though, she had already pronounced the new goods a success. Yea for us and the Earth!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
A Cool New Magazine
I love reading what Tara over at The Organic Sister writes. When I visited there today, she was telling us about a cool new online magazine called Rethinking Everything. They are even giving away the first issue to some folks so I wanted to tell you about it too.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Parent Job Description
Your Job as a Parent of an Unschooled Child
The article below was written by Anne Ohman of the Shine With Unschooling group.
We have always unschooled. Unschooling came easily to me and my family, because I learned early on to trust my heart and my children. But for those for whom unschooling does not come easily, I try to give them the guidelines you may be asking for here. If your question is “Please define my role as an unschooling parent,” here’s what I’ve come up with this morning:
I believe that your role as an unschooling parent is to show your children as much of the world as you can, and let them choose from it what they love and want to further explore. You accomplish this by expanding their worlds with interesting objects and places and people and events and tools and books and magazines and television shows and…(this list could go on for quite awhile).
It is your job to answer their questions, without shame or sarcasm, because all questions are valuable. If you don’t know an answer, it is your job to say, “I don’t know,” and offer to look it up with your child (I tend to say, “Hmmm…I *think* it’s this…but I’ll check to make sure…).
It is your job to be interested in the world. It is your job to ask your own questions about the world. I believe it’s an unschooling parent’s job to be excited themselves about learning the incredibly cool stuff there is to learn about the world. Learn from your own children how to be curious, aware and interested.
It is your job to pursue your own passions in life. This has numerous benefits, not only to yourSelf and your Spirit, but to your child as well.
It is your job to know your children and get to know them again and again as they grow and change. Get to know what it is they love, what it is that interests them. A big part of my job involves spending time looking for various resources in the area of my children’s passions – books, tools, people, events, classes, gatherings, websites, lists – and offer them up to my children. This is how I encourage my children to pursue what they love in life, by feeding them things that they may be interested in until they’re not interested in it anymore. (They are also quite capable of *feeding* themselves in the areas of their passions, or anything else that may be new and interesting to them…but right now we re just talking about the unschooling parent’s job…).
It is your job to learn about how children learn, by reading about unschooling, by un-learning everything you once believed to be true about forced learning.
It’s your job to sometimes think out loud, to initiate interesting conversations, and to be open for discussion where you may have just shut the door before. It’s your job to realize that your child will have different opinions and thoughts than you do, and to respect that and perhaps even broaden your own world from it.
It is your job to Trust the Children. Trust that they Love to Learn, and when they have a need and or desire for information, they will get it. Trust that learning isn’t separated into subjects as school would have us believe.
It’s your job to see the world through your child’s eyes. Understand where they’re coming from, and when conflict arises, it’s your job to stop and really think about if the resolve lies within the child, or within yourself. It’s usually within ourselves.
It’s your job to see Learning in places that you’re not used to seeing learning. I was even able to find it in Ed, Edd & Eddy cartoons…it’s there if you look. It’s everywhere if you look. And once you start seeing it, the world will open up to you and your child.
It’s your job to Love your child, and to Learn from your child. It’s your job to go into each day with an open mind and heart, trusting in the fact that you may not know where the day will end up, but that you began it from that magnificent place that is a child’s curiosity.
The article below was written by Anne Ohman of the Shine With Unschooling group.
We have always unschooled. Unschooling came easily to me and my family, because I learned early on to trust my heart and my children. But for those for whom unschooling does not come easily, I try to give them the guidelines you may be asking for here. If your question is “Please define my role as an unschooling parent,” here’s what I’ve come up with this morning:
I believe that your role as an unschooling parent is to show your children as much of the world as you can, and let them choose from it what they love and want to further explore. You accomplish this by expanding their worlds with interesting objects and places and people and events and tools and books and magazines and television shows and…(this list could go on for quite awhile).
It is your job to answer their questions, without shame or sarcasm, because all questions are valuable. If you don’t know an answer, it is your job to say, “I don’t know,” and offer to look it up with your child (I tend to say, “Hmmm…I *think* it’s this…but I’ll check to make sure…).
It is your job to be interested in the world. It is your job to ask your own questions about the world. I believe it’s an unschooling parent’s job to be excited themselves about learning the incredibly cool stuff there is to learn about the world. Learn from your own children how to be curious, aware and interested.
It is your job to pursue your own passions in life. This has numerous benefits, not only to yourSelf and your Spirit, but to your child as well.
It is your job to know your children and get to know them again and again as they grow and change. Get to know what it is they love, what it is that interests them. A big part of my job involves spending time looking for various resources in the area of my children’s passions – books, tools, people, events, classes, gatherings, websites, lists – and offer them up to my children. This is how I encourage my children to pursue what they love in life, by feeding them things that they may be interested in until they’re not interested in it anymore. (They are also quite capable of *feeding* themselves in the areas of their passions, or anything else that may be new and interesting to them…but right now we re just talking about the unschooling parent’s job…).
It is your job to learn about how children learn, by reading about unschooling, by un-learning everything you once believed to be true about forced learning.
It’s your job to sometimes think out loud, to initiate interesting conversations, and to be open for discussion where you may have just shut the door before. It’s your job to realize that your child will have different opinions and thoughts than you do, and to respect that and perhaps even broaden your own world from it.
It is your job to Trust the Children. Trust that they Love to Learn, and when they have a need and or desire for information, they will get it. Trust that learning isn’t separated into subjects as school would have us believe.
It’s your job to see the world through your child’s eyes. Understand where they’re coming from, and when conflict arises, it’s your job to stop and really think about if the resolve lies within the child, or within yourself. It’s usually within ourselves.
It’s your job to see Learning in places that you’re not used to seeing learning. I was even able to find it in Ed, Edd & Eddy cartoons…it’s there if you look. It’s everywhere if you look. And once you start seeing it, the world will open up to you and your child.
It’s your job to Love your child, and to Learn from your child. It’s your job to go into each day with an open mind and heart, trusting in the fact that you may not know where the day will end up, but that you began it from that magnificent place that is a child’s curiosity.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
What's Better Than Public School? The Library...
I adore this commentary about public schools and public libraries. So true.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Places That Fit Me
I am in search of a place that fits me and my current needs. They are not well defined, but I think I'll know it when I see it. So far, I know I am in search of a large-ish town or a small-ish city where there are: a university, a green community, a variety of cultural activities, sustainable farms, a favorable homeschooling culture, and people who strive for friends and community. So far on the list is:
Ithaca, NY
Santa Fe, NM
Asheville, NC
Charlottesville, VA
Serenbe, GA
Brunswick, Portland, and Belfast, ME
Portland, OR
Burlington, VT
Corvallis, OR
Boulder, CO
Tri-Cities area, TN
Durham, NC ?
Morgantown, WV ?
Kingston, RI ?
New Brunswick, NJ ?
Plymouth, NH ?
Princeton, NJ ?
Radford, VA ?
Storrs, CT ?
Fort Collins, CO ?
Logan, UT ?
Boone, NC ?
Chapel Hill, NC ?
Moscow, Idaho ?
Ecovillages
Ithaca, NY
Santa Fe, NM
Asheville, NC
Charlottesville, VA
Serenbe, GA
Brunswick, Portland, and Belfast, ME
Portland, OR
Burlington, VT
Corvallis, OR
Boulder, CO
Tri-Cities area, TN
Durham, NC ?
Morgantown, WV ?
Kingston, RI ?
New Brunswick, NJ ?
Plymouth, NH ?
Princeton, NJ ?
Radford, VA ?
Storrs, CT ?
Fort Collins, CO ?
Logan, UT ?
Boone, NC ?
Chapel Hill, NC ?
Moscow, Idaho ?
Ecovillages
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Eco-Complacency
Now that I am done organizing the Enjoy Life Unschooling Conference, I have a lot more time on my hands. Or rather, I have my time back to do other things with. Which is why I am here. I need to admit out loud that I have been complacent about one of my most important principles. I have not had time to think about Being Good to the Earth.
How did I come to realize this? I was preparing for my most recent SSoMMd program: Big Numbers, Big World. I was looking up how examples of big numbers. In particular, I wanted the amount of trash Americans created last year. As I searched for this number, I ended up reading about trash reduction. In particular, I found the Green Garbage Project; a Portland, OR couple who are trying to make their total trash produced in a year fit into one plastic grocery bag. Now a few years ago, the Roots and Shoots group which I lead did a trash reduction challenge. We challenged folks to reduce their trash production by a factor of two. We found that our family of 4 makes so much less trash than most Americans that we had a hard time reducing further. But these folks at the Green Garbage Project are headed for a lot less trash than we make. Of course they don't have children and they are both taking on the challenge together. Can you hear the rationalizations in my head? I can.
So I started browsing their site. They send produce stickers to a Fruit Sticker Artist to be made into art. Cool. They send zipper plastic bags to Lou's Upcycles to be made into bags and other wares. I learned about Kraft paper tape for boxes instead of plastic. Its supposed to be recyclable, but I can't confirm that. The coolest thing I learned about was Portland's Master Recycler Program and classes. Wow, I want to be a Master Recycler! I'll bet I could co-lead such an endeavor though...
All this trash reading got me thinking. I have been assuming that since I am so ______ (full in the blank with any eco-friendly word), that there's little more I can do in that area. I have been looking to expand into new areas (making my own soda, chickens, gardening, etc.) But now, I realize that I have been laxidasical about my eco-work. I can improve in areas I already concentrate as well as expand. And I need to get to it!
So, what shall I change, improve, or adjust in my life to be more Good to the Earth? What an excellent question. Maybe as I relieve my house of the things we no longer wish to have, my thinking will clear as well. Tomorrow's task! For now, check out these two neat videos about worm composting and fast food trash.
How did I come to realize this? I was preparing for my most recent SSoMMd program: Big Numbers, Big World. I was looking up how examples of big numbers. In particular, I wanted the amount of trash Americans created last year. As I searched for this number, I ended up reading about trash reduction. In particular, I found the Green Garbage Project; a Portland, OR couple who are trying to make their total trash produced in a year fit into one plastic grocery bag. Now a few years ago, the Roots and Shoots group which I lead did a trash reduction challenge. We challenged folks to reduce their trash production by a factor of two. We found that our family of 4 makes so much less trash than most Americans that we had a hard time reducing further. But these folks at the Green Garbage Project are headed for a lot less trash than we make. Of course they don't have children and they are both taking on the challenge together. Can you hear the rationalizations in my head? I can.
So I started browsing their site. They send produce stickers to a Fruit Sticker Artist to be made into art. Cool. They send zipper plastic bags to Lou's Upcycles to be made into bags and other wares. I learned about Kraft paper tape for boxes instead of plastic. Its supposed to be recyclable, but I can't confirm that. The coolest thing I learned about was Portland's Master Recycler Program and classes. Wow, I want to be a Master Recycler! I'll bet I could co-lead such an endeavor though...
All this trash reading got me thinking. I have been assuming that since I am so ______ (full in the blank with any eco-friendly word), that there's little more I can do in that area. I have been looking to expand into new areas (making my own soda, chickens, gardening, etc.) But now, I realize that I have been laxidasical about my eco-work. I can improve in areas I already concentrate as well as expand. And I need to get to it!
So, what shall I change, improve, or adjust in my life to be more Good to the Earth? What an excellent question. Maybe as I relieve my house of the things we no longer wish to have, my thinking will clear as well. Tomorrow's task! For now, check out these two neat videos about worm composting and fast food trash.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Learning Bucaneers
I just read this book review about James Marcus Bach, a self educated guy who used to excel while working for Apple. He describes himself an a great unschooler: one who is concerned about learning, succeeding on ones own merits, working his butt off for something he is passionate about and actually caring about his work. Can't wait to read the whole book!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Teens and How We Treat Them
I love, love, love this article about teens and society. Read it! Think about what life was like when you grew up and what life is like for today's teens. I hope you will agree that life for 21st century teens is not great.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
My Problem
So I had my homeschool review a while back. I was told I had a problem. Wanna guess what it is? Go ahead, I'll give you a minute ....
Nope, that's not it. Not that either! My problem is that I am learning centered in my approach to homeschooling. Yes, you read that right. Being learning centered is a problem.
My reviewer said he was teaching centered. He had to be because of his job. I was learning centered and that was very different. We agree on that. He did suggest we meet in the middle so he could do his job easier. Could be worse!
Ok, so I didn't bring the samples of my kid's work. Bad me. They will get over it though. I brought two of those calendars which look like books - one for each kid. They have at least 5 different things on each DAY (and way more than 180 of them) which the kids did for learning purposes. I was told "Anyone can bring this in, we need to see what your kids actually did". Hmmm. This was the proof of my instruction. It seems a little silly that they truely want to see 5 pieces of paper from my kid. That is how we got into discussion about My Problem.
You are wondering what I have to do now, aren't you. I have to bring in samples of my kids' work to my next review - next year. That sure showed me, huh?! Yes, I might remember to bring the samples next time. Or I might join an umbrella group and not have to see them again. There are probable a whole host of fun ways to handle this situation, but a 12 step program for My Problem is not one of them :-) I like my problem.
Oh, my kids did start blogs however. We'll see how that goes...
Nope, that's not it. Not that either! My problem is that I am learning centered in my approach to homeschooling. Yes, you read that right. Being learning centered is a problem.
My reviewer said he was teaching centered. He had to be because of his job. I was learning centered and that was very different. We agree on that. He did suggest we meet in the middle so he could do his job easier. Could be worse!
Ok, so I didn't bring the samples of my kid's work. Bad me. They will get over it though. I brought two of those calendars which look like books - one for each kid. They have at least 5 different things on each DAY (and way more than 180 of them) which the kids did for learning purposes. I was told "Anyone can bring this in, we need to see what your kids actually did". Hmmm. This was the proof of my instruction. It seems a little silly that they truely want to see 5 pieces of paper from my kid. That is how we got into discussion about My Problem.
You are wondering what I have to do now, aren't you. I have to bring in samples of my kids' work to my next review - next year. That sure showed me, huh?! Yes, I might remember to bring the samples next time. Or I might join an umbrella group and not have to see them again. There are probable a whole host of fun ways to handle this situation, but a 12 step program for My Problem is not one of them :-) I like my problem.
Oh, my kids did start blogs however. We'll see how that goes...
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