[maryea]

Got up this am feeling kinda down due to some family problems and almost didn't go to the gym. Decided to go and I'm glad I did. Felt a little better. Then talked with my pastor this afternoon and he prayed with me and that helped a lot.

I do most of the same things you guys do for the environment except I have not been very good about taking in my own bags when shopping for groceries. Put them in the car but then forget to take them into the store. Today I went to Wild Oats and they gave me a FREE bag!! That reminded me of course so I took in a paper bag when I went to Winco. So hopefully I will do better about this from now on.

Have not done well on my eating today...I had a whole lot of granola bars I'd gotten real cheap a while back...I've been eating way too many of them...and today it seemed like my mission to finish them off. But they are now gone and I am not buying any more. I told my dh we are going back to what we used to do..only buy 1 serving each for snacks. If they are in the house, eventually I go overboard! So no matter how cheap they are, its not worth it....gosh I really don't even like them that well....

[mandmsgirl]

I am now remebering to bring my bags back when I go to Trader Joes, I have to put them into my car to remember. I also collect up every plastic bag I find outside, I use them for my feral cat sanctuary. I took a day off from the gym this week so that I could talk with a friend at lunchtime. I ate my lunch later because I use my ******** and I don't, for some reason, like to drink it in front of people. But it works good. So I need to make up exercise time this week. OH, well. It's been a cold week here and that's unusual so I haven't been out.

[the slim me]

I think every one is thinking "green" this week. I try to remember to do as much as I can. I take my own grocery bags to to store, at least 90% of the time. I have to remember to leave them in the car so when I stop to run in for something I have them. We recycle everything we can. And we are working with the kids on doing that also. Teach them now and it will be second nature when they are older. I have a refillable water bottle. I think that is one of the worst problems around. I go for a walk in the park and I see so many of them thrown out. We use everything In the house that we can. We haven't started to compost. I can't talk my husband into doing it. He keeps insisting it will smell. I don't give up easily, he will cave!!! ha!!

Mary, I'm a stress eater too. When there is a problem I just naturally turn to food. I've worked hard on that and it's getting better. I can't say the instinct is gone, but I can talk myself out of it and I recognize it faster now. I only buy granola bars to keep in the car for emergencies, like when I'm out past meal time and i get too hungry. They prevent a fast food attack.

Mand, Missing one day of exercise isn't bad. Letting it become a habbit is BAD! Just continue what you're doing, sounds like it's working.

Freda

[hijude]

Well it must be a full moon. I did all of the above. Ate too many granola bars and missed the gym this morning. And am feeling lousy about myself. I have a great saying pinned up here at work that I read. It helps me get back on track. It is from the Just For Today series.

Just for today I will adjust myself to what is. I will try to live through this day only. I will not suffer because of the actions or reactions of another person.

Hope that helps at least one person. I am at work and I did miss the gym. Had trouble sleeping last night so could not get up that early. But plan to be there tomorrow.

I am really watching my food today. Trying to stay away from the treats at work. I do so much better at home.
I do more green things than I thought after reading all your input. I must get the bags for the grocery in the car though. I have two nice ones and may need a third.

Hope you all have a great day! I do not know what a POP day is but I am sure it is wonderful!!!
Cheers Jude

[meowee]

Oh am I ever behind around here . . . sorry, but another day has just gotten away from me, running multiple errands or numerous kinds . . . at least both of them have resulted in a little extra exercise. I'm finally back to eating properly too . . . but the scale- hasn't decided to cut me a break yet.

Hope to be able to chat more tomorrow . . .

[JayEll]

Hi everyone!

the slim me, the trick with compost is not to put any meat, fish, etc. into it. Just compost the vegetable waste, and maybe eggshells. I used to have a compost bin for years, and it rarely got smelly. Don't be afraid to churn up the pile now and then--keeps it active. Also, you don't need fancy starters. Just throw some dirt in from the ground, you'll get plenty of action.

Actually, why don't I just give you this link:

http://www.compostguide.com/composting_tips.html

Just a day of work for me--plus the gym.


Jay

[retiredone]

Might as well jump on the green wagon! I have about 20 or more bags that I try to keep in my car but sometimes I forget but I'm getting better at it. I bought some from the grocery stores and Walmart and rounded up all the cloth bags I had hanging around the house from conferences, church meetings, school, etc and I have quite a collection. Every few weeks I throw the cloth bags in the washer with a bit of bleach and they come out nice and clean again.

Last year we started changing our light bulbs to the new florescent low energy lights and are gradually changing our Christmas lights to LED.

I used to do some composting and I'd like to have a go at it again. I'm going to check out that link you posted, Jay.

[Dinahgirl]

retiredone, I was just about to ask about washing those bags...we have a ton of them around, too...and here you read my mind! I think I will do the same thing...put some in my car. We also refill our water bottles with tap water. We have a well that has really fine spring water, certainly better than anything you can buy.

I did buy some of those fluorescent bulbs. I put one in the lamp next to my bed and it seems awfully dim and makes a kind of humming sound. Are they all like that?

I walked again today for the third day in a row...I'm on a roll!

[retiredone]

Originally Posted by Dinahgirl

I did buy some of those fluorescent bulbs. I put one in the lamp next to my bed and it seems awfully dim and makes a kind of humming sound. Are they all like that?

It must be a bedroom thing! The light in my bedroom ceiling light has a hum. I find that after a few minutes the light gets brighter. Maybe we're using too high a wattage or something. I don't notice any hum in any of the other light fixtures. The light seemed strange when we first changed over but now I don't even notice the difference.

I heard on the news today that China is going to stop making regular light bulbs and will be only making the fluorescent bulbs within a few years. The commentator commented that 70% of light bulbs come from China so he figured that would be the end of incandescent bulbs.

[JayEll]

I don't like the light from those fluorescent bulbs. And frankly, light bulbs aren't a big deal... I have yet to be convinced that using them will solve anything. The biggest users of electricity are industrial.

But, I'm willing to change my mind if I get more information!

Jay

[meowee]

The fluorescents come in warm white vs cool white and I think the warm ones are much more like incandescents. I use nothing but those anywhere anymore. I also compost and recycle almost everything. End up with very little actual garbage anymore and most of it is used kitty litter. I also shop with nothing but reuseable bags.

Anyway . . . Good Morning . . . although it is anything but weather-wise. We re on the second day of overcast and rainy . . . but that's terrific compared to the WET SNOW that's in the forecast for tonight.

Nothing exciting for me today. After two or three busy days in a row, I'm having trouble getting back to normal.

See you later . . .

[Spinymouse]

Regarding bags -
(I almost began this post with "Bags -" and then realized it looked like I was calling everyone Bags!) I don't know if this is any better or worse than shopping with reusable bags, but I get groceries sometimes packed in paper bags and sometimes in plastic. Then I just put an empty plastic bag into an empty paper bag and use it for my trash. I do that at work too. I never buy plastic trash bags. At least I cut out that much waste. And if the trash isn't too messy, I'll reuse the outer paper bag part in the next trash bag assembly.

[retiredone]

Well, after my great testimonial about using cloth bags I get to the grocery store today without as much as a cotton thread. My husband took the car to work and I used the other car (mine, but youngest son uses it mostly) and forgot to take the extra bags out to the car. I was disgusted.

I use the plastic grocery bags to line my trash cans also. I don't buy kitchen liners and I forget my cloth bags enough to have a good supply of plastic grocery bags for that purpose. I wonder if I'd remember better if I had to pay for the plastic grocery bags? I bet I would!

[CountingDown]

Hi all! Just checking in. Been busy working outside and getting the yard put together. The pond is now running and the raking is almost complete. You wouldn't think it would take so much time when you live on a postage stamp sized lot Of course, the biggest problem is that we are hermits all winter. So spring brings EVERYONE out into their yards. The process looks something like rake, weed, chat, wander over to look at something interesting in the neighbor's yard, rake, mow, stop to talk to the neighbor walking the dog, etc.

Hope you have a POP day

[meowee]

And a happy TGIF to everybody . . .

Hope yours is going better than mine. A couple of inches of heavy wet snow fell last night and there's no sun or warmth in the forecast to get rid of it. Additionally, gas went up last night too and now sits at $1.33 a litre (quart = 1/4 of a gallon). I just love Spring.

Sorry don't mean to whine -- at least the blood sugar is easing back down and so is the weight -- both have almost recovered from the water weight gain brough on by my tooth-induced binge last weekend; so not everything is bad.

Hope everybody else has a great day on the go . . . keep things moving and shaking . . .