Rooster in the Roaster: Green Home Tour

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Green Home Tour

Last weekend I spent Saturday with Heather doing the Green Home Tour in Ithaca. Sunday, Jody and I did it. We saw numerous 'green' homes and learned a ton about green options and building techniques.

Very inspiring.

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About me/ This blog

*About the title- When I started this blog back about 8 yrs ago we were home-steading and raising all of our own meat. As a direct result of being so very close to our meat source, we became vegitarians. So, though it remains "Rooster in the Roaster" we now only have ToFu in our roaster. So thats that.

*About our family- Jody (a therapist) and I have been married for 14 yrs. I am an artist and stay at home mom. I have been homeschooling up to 3 of our girls for 5 yrs now. Thats become a way of life for us. Its great!
When I married Jody he had 3 boys and 1 girl, ages 15,13,9 &6.
I had 2 girls, ages 5 &3. Two years into our marriage we had 1 girl. Now in 2012 the kids range in age from 30 down to 12. I also have a step daughter 22 from my first marraige whome we have reconnected with so I now enjoy two step grandsons.
We live in upstate NY. We are Baha'is so we live from a place of tollerence and service. With all of the kids we were pushed into a lifestyle that required one parent at home. The tight budget forced us to become very frugal. That is exactly what drove me to 'go green'. It all started with a compost bin....and off we went. Now, we are pretty darn eco friendly!

*About the recent posts w the little blonde girl- We are in the process of adopting a 5 yr old girl. We adore her and I am dying to show her off however, she is currently a foster child and by law I cannot name her or show her face. After the adoption is finalised, I will let you see her. Cannot wait for that.

Thanks for checkin out my blog. Be sure to see my other sites.

My Big Fat Ideas

Sort your closet using only emotion! Meaning- go through all of your clothing 2-3 items at a time. Look at each and decide quickly how it makes you feel. If you instantly feel GOOD seeing the piece then keep it. If it reminds you of a grandma, you only wear it when you are feeling fat, sick or sad- DITCH IT! If you only have it because its in 'great shape' - donate it. Its better to have a closet full of rags you adore than a collection of designer items you arent thrilled to wear. As for those fat clothes...get rid of everything you dont fit in today. Have faith that you will have what you need when you need it. Try this! Its liberating!!!

Some of My Favorite Quotes

"If you propose to speak, always ask yourself, is it true, is it necessary, is it kind"
A home is for free expression- not first impressions
I create my own reality
Its not the power of the curse- Its the power that you give the curse
Live the life you love
May everyone point to you and ask, "Why are these people so happy?" I want you to be happy...to laugh, smile, and rejoice in order that others may be made happy by you." -Abdul-Baha
The only way that I will ever be great... Is not what I do to my body- but what I do to my mind- Ramtha
Turn off the TV! You're killin perfectly good brain cells!- me ;)
Use it up, wear it out, make it do- or do without
We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world- Buddha

Get Green in the Kitchen

Use cloth tea bags.
Use cloth coffee filters.
Recycle, Recycle, Recycle !!!
Compost. Instead of throwing away your food scraps dump them in a compost pile out back. Mix in fallen leaves and lawn clippings. In the spring spread it around your flowers. Never buy Miracle Grow (poison) again!
Raise a few chickens. They take up very little space, eat all of your kitchen scraps and give you a healthy breakfast.
Buy non-petrolium soaps. This is so much better for your health, septic, and the world.
Scrub with baking soda.
Clean with Vinegar. Fill a spray bottle with a cup of white vinegar and water. This is a disinfectant and great cleaner.
Cut down on zip locks. Wash your baggies and reuse free plastic bags.
Ditch the plastic. Use mason/ canning jars for fidge food storage. These make pretty shelf storage for dry food items too.
Ditch the sponge. Down grade your bath room wash clothes or down grade your old kitchen towels.
Skip the paper towels. Down grade your nice dish towels for scrubbing rags and/or cut old bath towels into kitchen towel sizes.
Use cloth napkins. Find these dirt cheap at yard sales and the Salvation Army. Put a laundry basket in the kitchen for ease.

Get Green with your Food

Dont use McDonalds! The fries are a carcinagen and the burgers literally have meat from 1000 different factory raised cows.
Cook on Sunday and freeze meals for the week.
Learn to cook. Turn off the TV and you'll find the time.
Buy fresh eggs. Grocery store eggs are up to 6 mo old. Ick.
Never buy meat in a plastic tray under a bubble of plasic wrap. There are poison gasses keeping the old meat looking pink. This is poison.
Support your local farmers. They are the best recourse for safe, healthy, fresh food.
Can your own food. Its soooo much cheaper and cleaner.
Cannot afford to buy grass fed meat? Grow your own. A calf only costs about $60! You can get about 400lbs of beef for just under $400. It only costs $1.50 for a chick and another $1.50 to have it processed or you.
Buy grass fed meats and hormone free milk.
Do a colon cleanse. www.cleansethatcolon.com- I cannot say enough about this.
Make your own bread. One home made loaf costs only about .50-.75
Dont eat microwave popcorn. There is teflon in the bag. Teflon is BAD for the bod.
Do not eat margarine. This is not food! Its just one molicule away from plastic.
Do not buy the following: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Palm Oil, Hydrodonated oils, Mono Sodium Glutinate (MSG), Nitrates, Natural Flavors or Artificial Flavors.
Grow your own produce. Instead of water hogging pesticide wanting flowers plant tomatoes, peppers and zucs. They create beauty for the yard and free groceries.
Eat organic. Thats less poison in the body and in the earth.

Get Green in the Laundry Room

Graciously accept hand me downs for the kids.
Upgrade to a front loading washer. They use just 12 gallons of water vs 50 in a top loader! Plus they spin the clothes to nearly dry! Check with your tax guy. It may be a write off!!!
Hang your clothes inside on clothes wracks in the winter and save $ on the electric bill. This is much kinder on your clothing too.
Hang your whites outside for two days to brighten.
Hang all your clothes out to dry in the summer.
Use lemon juice instead of bleach.
Use petrolium free laundry soap or make your own.
Patch old jeans or look rockin and wear ripped jeans.
Buy recycled clothing. This saves TONS of $ and reduces stress too. If you get a stain on something you paid $2 for you wont stress out.

Get Green in the Bathroom + Beauty

Use reusable TP. Pee wipes are a great tree and money saver. Two layers flannel. Wipe (pee only) and wash. We love um!
Use reusable tissues. We call um one honk hankies. Small hankerchiefs for single or so use. Wash.
Hang your towel to dry. You can use just one towel all week if you let it dry in between uses.
Use natural hair spray. Yes it exsists! Its pricy but if you take the time to learn about regular hairspray you will be running for it.
Scrub with baking soda and vinegar.
Use cloth pads. You can buy these online or get a pattern on line and make them using recycled flannel. This will save you at least $120 a year and 1000s of pads from going to the landfill.
Use petrolium free lip balm. I vote for Burts Bees.
Use organic or natural face lotion.
Use amonia and poison free hair dye. There are nice modern user friendly versions available.
Use natural aliminum free deoderant.
Periodicly rinse with peroxide.
Whiten teeth with baking soda and peroxide. Mix a little into a paiste and brush.
Use natural tooth paiste.
Skip the lotion and eat more omega 3's. This is so good for the skin that you wont need much body lotion.
Buy 100% recycled Toilet Paper.
Clean your skin with Witch Hazel and a cotton ball or TP. This strips greese and it great for teens.
Buy natural shampoo and conditioner. I use Natures Gate brand and love it.
Use non-petrolium soap. There are wonderful natural soaps that are long lasting and kind to the skin.

Get Green in the Family room

Get Green in the Home Office

Use a rubber stamp for your return address rather than stickers. You can reink a pad and it will last for AGES.
Recycle computer ink cartridges.
Save packing supplies and reuse.
Save envelopes and reuse.
Recycle paper. If you prefer to shred your paper be sure toss the shavings in the compost pile. The shavings make good bedding for your chickens too.
Save some paper. Buy recycled computer paper.
Make memo pads for phone messages. Cut used computer paper into 4s. Stack and staple.
Save paper. When you get junk mail take a moment and call the sender. Ask to be removed from the mailing list.
Turn off your computer at the power strip when you are done.

Get Green with the Kids

Cloth pull ups and soakers.
Cloth diapers of course.
Limit lessons. You will both spend less time driving in circles and will have time for a little serenity.
Buy parenting books 2nd hand.
Teach your kids to play outside...its cleaner, cheaper and quieter ;)
Teach your kids to donate and pass on unused items.
Teach your kids to value their things so they last longer and can be passed along.
Buy used toys on Ebay for Xmas and Bdays. Young kids dont know the difference. Big kids raised like this value the thought and the item and not the packaging.
Buy and accept second hand clothing. Kids dont care about brands unless you teach them to! When your 3yr old is wearing all of $1 worth of clothing you wont wig out when she destroys it.

Get Green with Gifts

Green gift idea.... Recycle a kitchen cabnet into doll house. I am making two.
Give gifts likes framed photos rather than another plastic thing.
Have a hand made holiday where everyone gives only hand made gifts. You can buy directly from the crafter at www.etsy.com
Have a recyled holiday where everyone gives only recycled items.
Save greeting cards. Cut fronts of and use as tags or remount on card stock and make a new card.
Save and reuse gift bags and tissue paper.
Offer a service- like baking, decorating, supervising, clean up- as a gift.
When your child has a Bday party to go to give home made gifts. Bring baked goods to the grown ups.

Get Green with Shopping

Use cloth shopping bags. Use recycled fabric. Easy to make.
Get your stuff locally and FREE with www.freecycle.org
Turn off the TV and you WILL buy less!
Stay one step BEHIND on the technology and get everyones cast offs for cheap or free.
Kill the credit cards and learn to budget.
Learn the difference between wants and needs.
Just because they make it doesnt mean you need it.
Shop second hand. Salvation Army, consignment, yard sales and antique shops have increadible finds.
Get concious about what you are buying and who is making it and under what circumstances.
Spend a little more on one good item and you wont need 2 cruddy ones.
Support your local small shops. Find family run businesses, co-ops and farm stands.
Stop supporting your box stores. Get creative! Get curious! You will be surprised at where you can get your favorites and essentials.
Shopping is not a real hobby. Find something that really fills your heart and soul.

Get Green with Your Junk

Take outdated computers, cell phones and other electronics to the apropriate location for recycling. Call your town for info.
Hoe out your house once each year and have a yard sale. Donate the unsold items.
Donate! When you donate to the Salvation Army and get a receipt you can write it off. I saved $1700 doing this last yr.
Down grade your garbage collection service to 2X ea month. Limit what you throw away to fit your service.
Freecylcle your unwanted stuff. Give it away FREE. Its good for your soul man ;) Get connected at www.freecycle.org
Recycle.