Chickens are a fun way to start on the path to self sustainability.  I got chickens because I was tired of reading about the abhorrent husbandry practices of the big egg industries, and even though I could buy “cage free” eggs in the store, I still felt it would be better to have my own.  I had a small shed that I had built, originally for a very old and very loved horse and when she went on her way, the shed and the subsequent fence that was built housed eight cats for a time and then when the cats moved out, the chickens moved in.    

Now we have eggs that I collect every day, fresh, not treated or washed in chemicals, from hens that graze the yard, eat bugs and get to act as nature intended them to act.

Do you think about your food? If so how do you think about your food? Beyond that do you think about what you put your food in? How about Polyvinyl chloride or Bisphenol A. Both are in a lot of things. For instance the pipes that carry waste water from your sink, bath and toilet to sewer drains (although most plumbers will now use ABS tubing for that today, but that is a different post.), it is also in some of your food containers, packaging of items you buy and in the plastic wrap you use to wrap your food. I won’t go into why you shouldn’t wrap your food with it, the link above gives a host of information on those issues, lets just leave it at it leaches into our food. So here is my point of this post. You might think long and hard about where your food comes from: buying organic, locally grown or growing it yourself and then what do you do wrap it up in some good old PVC or BPA.

Zanne and I have been using Rubbermaid products for a lot of storage and the Laptop Lunch containers for Izzy. The problem with the Rubbermaid stuff is that it really does have a fiarly short life span compared to glass. Our next step is reusing glass containers for a lot of our storage. Don’t get me wrong I like a lot of the Rubbermaid stuff and they are pretty clear about their products and what they are made from and getting three to four years of use out of a product isn’t bad. On the other hand glass lasts a life time if you don’t break it. I will admit you could drive yourself crazy thinking about all this stuff fortunately their are a lot of people out there doing huge amounts of research on all these products. You don’t need to know it all you just need to know where to look. The ZRecs guide is a good place to start. I never trust just one source and always try to check at least three sources. Usually I check the company that makes the product, if they are forthcoming with information that is a good sign, then I will check an independent source and finally some government agency usually from Germany or Canada.

Enjoy your food.

How many plastic bags have you used this week? How many do you think end up here? If you think because you don’t just let them float around in the street that they won’t end up there, or in this tree, you are wrong. The best way to not let them end up there is to not use them. Buy a reusable bag, make one, find one do whatever you need to to not ever use a plastic bag again. Beyond the waste of it all the amount of energy and resources used to make them is just silly. Come on it isn’t that hard to carry a reusable bag around with you, I keep mine in my right hand coat pocket and many stores will give you a small discount for bringing your own bag.

Little changes can make big differences if large numbers of people participate.

We need to make a fundamental change the way we approach life. Turn the heat down, turn off lights when we are not using them, carry our own bags to the grocery store, make our homes more efficient all of these things can make a difference but all of these things won’t change the world even if everyone does them. Renewable energy sources on a grand scale and creating sustainable lifestyles for all are a must if we want to effect change on our world. Signing this petition is a way to show your support for a future that relies on energy sources that are renewable and clean.

Izzy and I went to see her grandpa at the Americade this past spring. It was a lot of fun and Izzy loved seeing grandpa and all the motorcycles. I was reasonably impressed with how hard they were trying to not create too much of an impact. Tough crowd to get through I am sure. I was not impressed with the little beach at the end of Lake George. I said to Izzy “look how pretty that view is lets go down on the beach.” It was littered with butts and bottle caps. How hard is it for people to just pick up after themselves?? A sustainable life is one in which you truly do not believe that their is someone right behind you picking up your mess.