Day 72: Make an Anonymous Special Delivery

Yesterday I received a beautiful bouquet of flowers for my birthday from my mom. Right before I got her box I got a call from the wonderful lady renting our other house saying flowers had been delivered to me there also. Now who would be sending me flowers and still have that old address?! So, I went over to pick them up, had a lovely chat, and when I got back and opened them both I realized they were both from my mom, exact same order, same message... I was a bit confused. My mom explained that when she placed the order she didn't realize she still had our old address in the system and when she called the company to change the address over they said it was too late to change it but since she was a loyal customer they would send another order to the correct address. (Very nice of the ProFlowers company!) My mom didn't want to call me and ruin the surprise and let me know to just go get the original bouquet from our tenants and wasn't sure if they would be in town or at all able to get them to me... Any way to make this story a bit shorter, I opened, cut, vased, flower fed and decorated my counter with both bouquets. Then I chatted with my mom and we came up with a great idea, that I did for my Good Human Act today...I put some ribbon around one of the vases with a simple note wishing a wonderful New Year and ding dong ditched one of the bouquets to a lovely family in our neighborhood. I am glad the flower company and my mom allowed me to give such a nice special delivery to someone! And thanks Mom for my bouquet!

ProFlowers picture of the bouquets I got.

Day 71: Help the Older Generation with Newer Technology

Yesterday I didn't get a chance to post because it was my birthday (yay 30!) and I tried to stay away from the computer :) It didn't stop me from doing my Good Human Act though! My son Keston and I went to the grocery store to pick up some Papa Murphy's Pizza (yum!) and a movie and while we were waiting in line to use the Red Box machine an older lady was before us and just couldn't get it figured out. Technology changes and changes fast today and lots of people struggle to keep up with it, myself included. But Red Box I get so, Keston and I helped her through it and we all had a good laugh about how far society and entertainment have come. It was fun to help and Keston loved that he got to help too. I can't wait to see what technology stumps Keston someday, he is such a whiz already it will have to be some mind boggling stuff compared to what's out there today.

Day 70: Unplug Your Cell Phone Chargers

Today I looked online for a planet/energy conserving idea and found that leaving chargers (and small appliances) plugged in, even when they are not being used or charging, still drain energy. Today for my Good Human Act I went around my house an unplugged everything that I didn't need right then. We have 3 cell phone chargers plugged in but only charge our phones at night...unplugged, I keep our dust buster plugged and hardly ever use it...unplugged, I have my stand mixer plugged in even though I am not baking at the moment...unplugged,  baby monitors we only use at night...unplugged, treadmill I use only when it is too cold to run outside... unplugged, Christmas tree we will only have up for a few more days...unplugged, blow dryer/diffuser I try to avoid using unless I have to go outside soon after a shower and don't want to freeze my head off...unplugged. Now I can plug any of this stuff in when I need it and will try my hardest to remember to unplug it when I am done!

Here is a bit of information about leaving cell phone chargers plugged in from Vanity Fairs 50 Ways to Help Save the Planet:

Turn Off Your Chargers

Most cell-phone chargers continue to draw electricity even when the phone isn't plugged into it. If your cell-phone charger averages five watts per hour and is plugged in all the time, that means a total of more than 40 kilowatt-hours every year, or about 93 pounds of CO2. The same problem applies to your other electronic equipment—your laptop, iPod, digital camera, and BlackBerry. Unplug all your chargers when they are not in use.

Day 69: Pledge to Not Text While Driving

My mother-in-law, Ina, sent me a link to pledge not to text while driving a few days ago and it wasn't until today when I got a few texts from people while driving to the Natural History Museum in Albuquerque that I realized I should be signing that pledge. I typically only text when I am stopped at a red light or in really slow traffic because I am not very good at multi-tasking but today I text, (with voice command...so hopefully that is not as bad) while driving on the freeway- which I really shouldn't have done. So, needless to say for my Good Human Act today I signed the pledge and when I did I found that for every person that signs AT&T is donating $2 to the National Organization for Youth Safety, which a great added incentive to sign the pledge to not text while driving.

Here is the link if you want to take the pledge and have $2 donated in your name from Causes.com:
http://www.causes.com/causes/639835-connect-for-good/actions/1475122?recruiter_id=47285525

And here is a little more information about the NOYS, that the pledge donation goes to:

NOYS is a collaborative network of over 65 national organizations, federal agencies and business and industry leaders that serve youth and focus on youth safety and health. Through this network, NOYS influences more than 80 million young people, ages 5 to 24 and adult advisors.

Day 68: Buy Organic Fruits and Vegetables

Today we went a Farmer's Market and Sunflower Market to buy some organic fruits and vegetables. I recently learned about the Dirty Dozen List, which is a list of the most important fruits and veggies to buy organic. And the Clean Fifteen which is a list of fruits and veggies that aren't as effected by pesticides etc in non organic produce. Buying organic produce is not only better for your family but better for the environment.

Here is a small blurb about why it is good to go organic from a website called Curiosity by Discovery:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture classifies organic food as any that was not grown using synthetic pesticides or fertilizers that are harmful to people and the environment [source: USDA]. These pesticides and fertilizers also can be reintroduced into the environment by re-entering our water supply as runoff to watersheds when it rains.

Although organic products typically are more expensive, it is worthwhile when you think about the health benefits and the amount of carbon dioxide emissions saved by buying many organic products locally.

Here is a list of the Dirty Dozen from Yahoo Green: :

Fruits and veggies are an essential part of a healthy diet, but many conventional varieties contain pesticide residues. 

And not all the pesticides used to kill bugs, grubs, or fungus on the farm washes off under the tap at home. Government tests show which fruits and vegetables, prepared typically at home, still have a pesticide residue.

You can reduce your exposure to pesticides by as much as 80% if you avoiding the most contaminated foods in the grocery store.

To do so, you need the latest info from the why the Environmental Working Group's "Dirty Dozen" list of foods most likely to have high pesticide residues. Since 1995, the organization has taken the government data and identified which type of produce has the most chemicals.

This year, celery takes the number one spot and both blueberries and spinach make an appearance (displacing lettuce and pears).

The best way to avoid pesticide residue on foods is to buy organic produce -- USDA rules prohibit the use of pesticides on any crop with the certified organic label.

1. Celery
Celery has no protective skin, which makes it almost impossible to wash off the chemicals (64 of them!) that are used on crops. Buy organic celery, or choose alternatives like broccoli, radishes, and onions.

2. Peaches
Multiple pesticides (as many as 62 of them) are regularly applied to these delicately skinned fruits in conventional orchards. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include watermelon, tangerines, oranges, and grapefruit.

3. Strawberries
If you buy strawberries, especially out of season, they're most likely imported from countries that have less-stringent regulations for pesticide use. 59 pesticides have been detected in residue on strawberries. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include kiwi and pineapples.

4. Apples
Like peaches, apples are typically grown with poisons to kill a variety of pests, from fungi to insects. Tests have found 42 different pesticides as residue on apples. Scrubbing and peeling doesn't eliminate chemical residue completely, so it's best to buy organic when it comes to apples. Peeling a fruit or vegetable also strips away many of their beneficial nutrients. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include watermelon, bananas, and tangerines.

5. Blueberries
New on the Dirty Dozen list in 2010, blueberries are treated with as many as 52 pesticides, making them one of the dirtiest berries on the market.

6. Nectarines
With 33 different types of pesticides found on nectarines, they rank up there with apples and peaches among the dirtiest tree fruit. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include, watermelon, papaya, and mango.

7. Bell peppers
Peppers have thin skins that don't offer much of a barrier to pesticides. They're often heavily sprayed with insecticides. (Tests have found 49 different pesticides on sweet bell peppers.) Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include green peas, broccoli, and cabbage.

8. Spinach
New on the list for 2010, spinach can be laced with as many as 48 different pesticides, making it one of the most contaminated green leafy vegetable.

9. Kale
Traditionally, kale is known as a hardier vegetable that rarely suffers from pests and disease, but it was found to have high amounts of pesticide residue when tested this year. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include cabbage, asparagus, and broccoli.

10. Cherries
Even locally grown cherries are not necessarily safe. In fact, in one survey in recent years, cherries grown in the U.S. were found to have three times more pesticide residue then imported cherries. Government testing has found 42 different pesticides on cherries. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include raspberries and cranberries.

11. Potatoes
America's popular spud reappears on the 2010 Dirty Dozen list, after a year hiatus. America's favorite vegetable can be laced with as many as 37 different pesticides. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include eggplant, cabbage, and earthy mushrooms.

12. Grapes
Imported grapes run a much greater risk of contamination than those grown domestically. Only imported grapes make the 2010 Dirty Dozen list. Vineyards can be sprayed with different pesticides during different growth periods of the grape, and no amount of washing or peeling will eliminate contamination because of the grape's thin skin. Remember, wine is made from grapes, which testing shows can harbor as many as 34 different pesticides. Can't find organic? Safer alternatives include kiwi and raspberries.

And here is a list of the Clean Fifteen:

Nearly all of the data used took into account how people typically wash and prepare produce - for example, apples were washed and bananas peeled before testing. Of the fruit and vegetable categories tested, the following "Clean 15" foods had the lowest pesticide load, and consequently are the safest conventionally grown crops to consume from the standpoint of pesticide contamination:

• Onions
• Sweet corn
• Pineapples
• Avocado
• Asparagus
• Sweet peas
• Mangoes
• Eggplant
• Cantaloupe (domestic)
• Kiwi
• Cabbage
• Watermelon
• Sweet potatoes
• Grapefruit
• Mushrooms

Day 67: Hold the Door Open for Others

A small act that I try to teach my boys to always do it to hold the door open for others. Today I was able to do this at my gym. After the class I was taking was a Silver Sneakers class, which is geared towards older exercisers, and as I was leaving both the classroom and the gym I was able to get the door for many folks coming into the gym or the room for the class. Sincere thanks and small talk passed quickly and it reminded me of how simple a Good Human Act can really be. I know that having a door held open for me, on many occasions has been an incredible help or just a reminder that there is simple kindness in people everywhere.

Day 66: Recycle and Reuse Christmas Wrappings

Merry Christmas! Today's entry will be very brief. After opening gifts from our wonderful family we will recycle or reuse all wrappings! The big sheets of wrapping paper. that are still intact, we will save in a pile to use for coloring on the back, any bags we will regift, as mentioned in an earlier Good Human Act, most boxes we will keep to either ship with in the future or as in the case of an enormous box from my in laws, we used half of it it as a playplace/boat and more of it to save to create huge art on. Anything not keepable will go straight to the recycling bin! Hope you all have a magical day!

Cardboard for Art Projects!

Day 65: Tip & Thank Hotel Room Cleaners

We didn't use the daily Hotel cleaning services while we were staying in Durango the last few days, to save time and resources for the hotel. But we knew that because of that they would probably be in as soon as we left and a bit worried. This time they shouldn't be :) we cleaned the place up as much as we could and left a little thank you/merry christmas note and a small tip for our Good Human Act today so the people who clean the rooms knew that their services were appreciated and that the work that they do everyday doesn't go by unnoticed.

Day 64: Pass on Hotel Cleaning Services

While on our trip we are staying at a hotel. Today for our Good Human Act we passed on hotel cleaning services. We hung up all our towels to be reused tomorrow, we tidied our beds and cleaned up our room saving the cleaners and the hotel time and resources (water for washing towels, electricity for running a vacuum, cleaning supplies for washing surfaces etc.)

Day 63: Help Kids Pull Snow Tubes up a Hill

We are in Durango, CO for our family Christmas trip!! YAY! It has been just beautiful here and so fun! Yesterday we went snow tubing, which we loved but it was quite a bit of work to trudge up the hill to go tubing. The snow was fresh so there wasn't much traction or any premade paths so the kids had quite the time just getting up the hill, not to mention pulling their tubes up. So, for a small Good Human Act I helped pull tubes up the hill every time I went up. I always had at least one tube for my family (usually filled with one of my boys) and another one or two for other kids trying to get up the hill for a fun time. It was quite the workout, but it was a blast and I was happy to be able to help!

Day 62: Christmas Caroling at Assisted Living Facilities

Today we were lucky enough to be able to join our MOMS Club and go Christmas Caroling to two Assisted Living Facilities that are nearby. The places are called Bee Hive Homes and they are in residential facilities that give custom care to smaller groups of individuals. Both places were warm and welcoming and had really homey atmospheres. As a group we were able to sing 4 songs at each location and give the residents a small Holiday treat, that our President Leslie provided. The kids and I have been practicing our singing for about a week now and they were excited to go, and even more pumped when they found out they got to ring real jingle bells while we sang. When we actually got there they clammed up a bit and got a little shy- but they still had a jolly time singing :) It was a great experience and really made me appreciate more personalized care places like the Bee Hive Homes.

Here is a tiny bit more information on the Bee Hive Homes:
Beehive Homes assisted living offers the very best of assisted living care. At Beehive Homes we make every effort to bring the comforts of home into our assisted living home. Meaningful relationships, home cooked meals, healthy and rejuvenating activities are all a way of life at Beehive Homes. We invite you to come and visit our Beehive family and feel what truly makes Beehive Homes assisted living the next best place to home.

Day 61: Buy Recycled Business Cards

I needed to buy a few business cards today to have on hand, to give out my information easily with my doTERRA Essential Oils stuff. While I was looking around online for a site to buy from I saw 100% recycled business cards from many sites! I ended up going with Vista Print, for my recycled cards for my Good Human Act today, because their site was really easy to use and had so many design options that it made what I was looking for really quick to make! The price on the recycled cards was really reasonable too!

Here is a little infromation from Vista Print on their recycled products:

Thinking Green We’re making responsible choices because every little bit counts Proud to offer 100% recycled business cards and postcards Striving to set the bar as an earth-friendly company Excited about our energy-efficient systems allowing us to pass the savings on to you Are Vistaprint’s recycled products made from 100% recycled materials? Yes. Our recycled business cards and postcards are made from 100% post-consumer waste. What is post-consumer waste? It’s paper that has served its intended purpose and has been separated from solid waste to be recycled into new paper. What is the quality of the recycled paper stock? The paper is 100-lb., pure white stock, meaning it’s the same weight as our premium paper card stock. Will the recycled paper be rough or have specks in it? The paper is smooth and, although it will have more visible fibers than traditional matte paper, the fibers are only noticeable if you look closely.

Day 60: Have a Tree Planted for Shopping Online

Before I get to my Good Human Act for the day I just want to put a HUGE thank you out to the Millae family in our neighborhood for being such GREAT humans. Our dog, Tank, got out last night somehow when we got home from AZ and we could not find her anywhere. Normally, when she has gotten out before we get a phone call right away with her whereabouts from her collar, but we received no such call this time. Fortunately our HOA sent out an email today saying someone found a dog and to contact them if it was ours!! It was Tank! A family had kept her all night long, put up signs by the mailbox, that we never saw, and contacted the HOA, which worked brilliantly because we were able to call and go get her! When I picked her up I found that her collar was still on but her tag was missing! I can not thank the family enough for going out of their way to care for her and try to find her home, especially when it took more work than just calling a number on her tag! We appreciate it is sooo much! Thank you for being so amazing!

As for our small act, that cannot compare in any way, today my Mom told me about a website called Totsy, which is a website that sells children's items designed to give Mom's great deals and is also very green. The things that made me check it out is that they plant a tree for you with your first purchase. I made my first order today for my Good Human Act. I got a couple books, that were really inexpensive for my boys- they seem to have some really great deals, I got free shipping, a tree planted for me and they immediately sent me a certificate for $10 off my next purchase. It seems like a great company with a great environmental awareness and I am happy to have learned about them and support them.

Here is more info on there Greeness:

Being Green

---

TOTSY IS THE FIRST PRIVATE SALES COMPANY TO GO GREEN

For today's world and tomorrow's generation, Totsy is the first company in private sales to take on sustainable and socially responsible initiatives in all areas of business. It’s not always easy being green, but it’s worth it for the future of our children!

HOW TOTSY IS GREEN

Totsy is environmentally conscious in everything we do. We recycle at the office, use less packaging materials when shipping, and support eco-friendly partners whenever possible.

And don't forget about our carbon footprint! Through a partnership with TerraPass, Totsy has reduced its carbon emissions by sponsoring clean energy and carbon reduction projects. Held up to the highest standards in environmental leadership, the conservation and efficiency measures we implement now will help us continue to lower our carbon footprint.

One Baby, One Tree™

---

YOUR PURCHASE MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Totsy plants one tree in honor of your child when you make your first purchase. And, every time you shop with us - we’ll keep it watered for you! As your tree grows bigger, it continues to do more for the environment! Together with Pure Planet and Objective Carbon Zero, we are reducing the effects of deforestation, slowing the effects of global warming, preserving biodiversity, and helping small-scale farmers continue to produce diverse and localized crops.

WHERE TREES ARE PLANTED

Your trees will be planted in Alto Huayabamba, located in the Amazonian highlands in Tarapoto, Peru. This is the most established reforestation project developed by Pure Planet.

Day 59: Give Homemade Presents

The day before we left to Arizona my boys and I made some homemade cinnamon ornaments to bring to Arizona to give as gifts this year. It was a simple recipe and they turned out so cute and smell just wonderful. My boys love helping me bake and this was just like making cookies, except there were no beaters to lick afterwards :) After mixing the dough you roll it out just like sugar cookies and my boys had fun choosing what shapes to make and cutting them out! When we got home yesterday from our trip our oldest son Keston was able to deliver some of the ornaments we made to our neighbors too to share a little Holiday love for our Good Human Act. Here is a recipe we based our ornaments off of, and our adjustments, from McCormick 

Cinnamon Ornaments

Makes 12 to 15 ornaments.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 1/2 hours or 1 to 2 days drying time

3/4 cup applesauce (we used 1 cup)
1 bottle (4.12 ounces) Cinnamon (we used 1 cup, plus a little more) 

(we added some nutmeg, some ground cloves and a few drops of doTERRA's Holiday Joy Oil too)

Supplies needed:Cookie cutters
Drinking straw
Colorful ribbon

Rolling Pin

1. Preheat oven to 200°F. Mix applesauce and cinnamon in small bowl until a smooth ball of dough is formed. (You may need use your hands to incorporate all of the cinnamon.) Using about 1/4 of the dough at a time, roll dough to 1/4-inch to 1/3-inch thickness between two sheets of plastic wrap. Peel off top sheet of plastic wrap. (We just sprinkled a little cinnamon on the counter and rolled out the whole ball of dough without plastic wrap) Cut dough into desired shapes with 2- to 3-inch cookie cutters. Make a hole at top of ornament with drinking straw or skewer. Place ornaments on baking sheet. 

2. Bake 2 1/2 hours. (Our oven cooks hot so we cooked for 2 hours at 175 degrees) Cool ornaments on wire rack. (Or, to dry ornaments at room temperature, carefully place them on wire rack. Let stand 1 to 2 days or until thoroughly dry, turning occasionally.)


3. Insert ribbon through holes and tie to hang. Decorate with opaque paint markers, found in arts and crafts stores, if desired.

Our Cinnamon Ornaments

Day 58: Clean Up a Street

While we were at my Mom's house, the first of the two days we were in Arizona, I was trying to think of what I could do for a Good Human Act when my sister pointed out a ton of broken glass out in the street. So, I grabbed my Dad's broom and dustpan and while my kids happily played in the front yard with their cousins, their Aunties and their Uncle JJ, I was able to clean up the street and help my folks neighborhood a little bit! And we were all able to enjoy the amazing weather Arizona was having!

Day 57: Save Energy When You Leave for Vacation

I wasn't able to write the last few days worth of posts because we went on a last minute trip down to Arizona. It was just a 48 hour turn around, but we were able to see a lot of family for the Holidays, trade Christmas presents, have some laughs, have a few drinks, get some extended family pictures taken, let the kids play with their cousins, play some ball, eat some Cathy's Rum Cake (now Lisa's), go to a surprise 60th Birthday party for my mother in law and just share some love with family! It was a great though quick visit. Before we left the house though we tried to do everything we could to save energy while we were gone for Fridays Good Human Act. We turned off all the lights, we turned off all electronic devices and turned the thermostats to 60 degrees. It was a little chilly in the house when we got home :) but well worth the conservation!

Day 56: Get Tax Statements Electronically

I got an email today from our Student Loan (ya, we have student loans still, booo!) Company asking me if I wanted to sign up to receive my 1098E electronically. I already get my bills from them paperlessly so this was a great way to do a Good Human Act that was simple and quick. Because I signed up to receive it electronically I will now not only get to save a bit of paper but I will get it 3 weeks sooner too! Tomorrow I will look into finding out if I can get any of our other tax statement delivered electronically!

Day 55: Give Toys to Goodwill

Continuing our giving adventure before the holidays, today the boys and I went through their toys to donate to Goodwill, or "to kids who don't have any toys", they call it. We were able to fill a 13 gallon bag to the brim with everything from superheros to stuffed animals, balls to cars, monster trucks to dinosaurs, they really got into it! Goodwill is a great place to donate because not only do they allow people to recycle their old goods into other people's new treasure, but they also employ people other companies may not consider. Here is a little more information on Goodwill:

Goodwill

For nearly 110 years, Goodwill^®has been an entrepreneurial leader, environmental pioneer and social innovator of the “reduce, reuse, repurpose” practice.

Goodwill diverts more than two billion pounds  of clothing and household goods every year from landfills by recovering the value in people’s unwanted material goods. In the process, we create job-training opportunities as well as entry-level and skilled green-collar jobs for people in need of work.

Join the Donate Movement

Your donated goods have the power to make a difference in people’s lives, strengthen communities and create a healthier environment. In 2010, Goodwill launched the Donate Movement, a corporate social responsibility platform and public awareness movement that focuses on the positive impact donating has on the people and planet.

Visit http://donate.goodwill.org to learn more about Donate Movement partners and to calculate the human impact of your Goodwill donations.

Employment:

Goodwill® inspires hope and self-confidence, helping people from all backgrounds and walks of life to feel successful, valuable and dignified.

We help people earn a living, improve their lives, and strengthen their families and their communities.

Our network of 165 independent, community-based Goodwills in the United States and Canada offers customized job training, employment placement and other services to people who have disabilities, lack education or job experience, or face employment challenges.

In 2010, Goodwill helped more than 2.4 million people train for careers in industries such as banking, IT and health care, to name a few — and get the supporting services they needed to be successful, such as English language training, additional education, or access to transportation and child care.

Every day, someone gets a good job, with help from Goodwill.

More than 170,000 people obtained meaningful employment in 2010 through their participation in Goodwill programs. These people went on to earn over $2.7 billion in salaries and wages, and contributed to their communities as productive, tax-paying citizens. Goodwills meet the diverse needs of people, including youth, seniors, veterans, immigrants, and people with disabilities, criminal backgrounds and other specialized needs.

Day 54: Donate Warm Clothes to a Homeless Shelter

My sons school is having a Shel Silverstein inspired Giving Tree that has been collecting food, blankets and warm winter clothes to donate to Joy Junction, Albuquerques largest Emergency Homeless Shelter. So, today my boys helped me go through our winter stuff and we were able to find 6 blankets, 2 scarves, 3 beanies, 1 ladies jeans, 6 kids pants and 5 kid jackets for him to bring to school to donate to the Giving Tree tomorrow. I love that his school is always having service projects, it is a great way to teach the kids to be charitable and thankful for what they have.

Here is the information the school sent out about the Giving Tree:

Giving Tree 2011

In the spirit of ‘The Giving Tree’ by Shel Silverstein, we welcome you to donate
to the Giving Tree to benefit the thousands of homeless people of all ages who
receive food, shelter, clothing and safety from Joy Junction every year.

We are collecting donations of: new or gently used adult & children clothing
(especially coats, gloves, hats, socks, and scarves), blankets and food (boxed or
canned). We will be placing the items under out Giving Tree in our front lobby area.
 For more information on this worthy cause, go to:
www.joyjunction.org

We thank you in advance for giving to local people in need.  
There is an immediate need for cold weather items & food for the ‘Lifeline of Hope’
vehicle which delivers the items to homeless people out in the elements during cold
winter nights.  No item is too small to donate!  Anything from individually wrapped
crackers & canned food to hats & blankets are much appreciated!  

Joy Junction is a place of refuge to those who have been forced onto the streets and is New Mexico’s largest emergency shelter. They are a non-profit organization dedicated to helping homeless men, women, children, and families in Albuquerque by providing food, clothing, shelter, and safety. Each year they are able to serve over 100,000 meals thanks to the generous contributions of citizens and businesses throughout the city— because they are a donations-only charitable organization, they receive no federal, state, or local funding.

Day 53: Donate Books to the Library

 Before Christmas we like to go through our house and donate as much stuff as possible to people in need. Today the kids went through their books to make a donation to the library, so lots of people will be able to share their stories. All 3 boys got in on it with me and they gathered 35 books to donate!

Boys lining up the books they chose to give away.

35 books to donate.

Day 52: Tip Well

Today for my Good Human Act when I went and got my hair cut I tipped really well and genuinely thanked my hairdresser for her time and skills. It is easy to go places and just pay the minimum tip to save a bit of money or forget to thank people because it is "their job" to help us, but they are choosing to be of service to the rest of us and for that I am grateful. Service jobs are not the easiest ones out there and it is a great season to spread the love (and maybe a bit of money) to let them know they are appreciated.

Day 51: Celebrate Your City

Last night was our city's Winterfest. Winterfest is a Holiday celebration with a parade, pictures with Santa, fireworks and other Holiday events, and this year it was in celebration of the city's 30th anniversary! Now, I went to the Holiday parade for the city 2 years ago and vowed to never go again. I had told our kids we would go and meet a friend there, but our friends kids got sick and they couldn't make it, my husband was stuck at work and couldn't come, we had never been so it took me 15 minutes to find a place to park, which turned out to be really far away, I stepped in cactus on our fast walk to the parade, I was pregnant and had two small kids that both wanted to be held because it was a cold and windy night, they both hated the sounds of the police motorcycles and cars that went off throughout the parade and it was the first year that candy was not thrown out to the kids so they were disappointed by that too, needless to say it was "zero fun sir". So, the thought of going out to the Winterfest again this year, even though it was for my Good Human Act, kinda had my skin crawling. But it was in a new location this year, we had friends who were coming over to meet us this year and the kids got wind of it and were excited, plus I really liked the fact that it was the 30th anniversary rather than just for the Holidays, so we ventured out to the Parade. There were tons of people out to support the city and it's efforts, there were 5 grounded hotair balloons doing a balloon glow and 10,000 luminarias around. It was much better than I expected and a million times better than last time. We had a prime parade spot and on the walk back to our car the fireworks show went off and we were literally underneath it, it was pretty awesome! The kids loved it and I would definitely give it another try next year. Plus, it was really nice to see the mayor and all the groups in the parade decorated to the theme of celebrating Rio Rancho and honoring it's 30th anniversary as a city! Yay Rio Rancho!

Ready for the Parade!

With the Intel Hot Air Ballon!

Day 50: Help with School Fundraiser

My son, Keston's, school goes to 8th grade and at the end of every year they take the 6th-8th grade students on a "Big Trip" as an extension of their curriculum and something they work towards all year.  Here is an explanation of this activity:

 "Over the years, middle school students have traveled to study the flora and fauna of the Channel
Islands as well as the unique geology of the Colorado Plateau at the Canyonlands Field
Institute and visited Cottonwood Gulch.  Last year the 6th-8th years spent an amazing five days
in the Cottonwood Gulch. This traveling classroom experience has become a highlight of
the middle school students’ years.  These trips involve fund raising as well as a commitment
to be responsible, mature citizens representing their school as they travel.  This year 6th-8th graders
are planning to travel to Cottonwood Gulch again."

Right now, to raise money, for their trips the middle school students put on a Snack Shack every Friday where they prepare and sell healthy snacks to kids at school. For our Good Human Act today, and most other Fridays, we support the kids and send Keston to school with a little extra money to get a snack. It is fun for him to "shop" by himself and he is glad to get to help out the big kids!

Day 49: Shorten Your Shower

Yesterday's Good Human Act of low flow toilets got my mind thinking about all the ways we could be saving water. So, today I wanted to try another way to conserve it...in the shower! I am not a fan of showering, ya weird I know, it just seems like such a waste of time and water (unless you really need it), especially in the winter when I have to blow dry my ton of hair right after I get it wet so my head doesn't freeze and fall off. Regularly I try to shower only every other day, however I am training for a race in February so I am exercising 6 days a week and now consequently have to shower 6 days a week so I don't become known as the Abominable Sweat Mom, boo. I still only wash my hair 3-4 times a week, but I now have to hose down  almost every day. Today I wanted to see if I could at least save a bit of water and time in the shower by seeing how fast I could hop in and still get everything done (without feeling completely rushed). I was able to get done in just under 2 minutes today, it wasn't a hair washing day which would have bumped me up a little but I got everything else squeaky clean from face to toes and even shaved my armpits, sorry if that is TMI :) It felt like a really quick time!

Here is a little information on saving water in the shower from Utah's Division of Water Resources:

Showers and Baths

Showers and baths consume about 18% of the water used indoors. You can save water in the shower by installing low-flow showerheads, keeping each shower short and sweet, and running the water only when it is needed to lather up and rinse off.

Keep Showers Short & Sweet

Taking unecessarily long showers wastes water. Reducing the length of your shower by just one minute could save you up to 1,825 gallons of water each year.

Run Water Only When Needed

By far the best way to save water in the shower is to only run the water when needed. This practice can reduce the water used to less than 10 gallons each shower and will save you money each year.

Another cool website I found called Crunchy Domestic Goddess had a challenge on her website back in 2008 to see if all her readers could reduce their shower time, here is a quote from her page:

Did you know that the average shower length is 8 minutes*? By reducing that to 5 minutes, you can reduce the amount of water you use by nearly one-third, or roughly 10 gallons per day. And that’s where this challenge comes in. I’m challenging all of my readers to reduce their shower time to 5 minutes. If you already take a 5 minute shower, perhaps you’ll consider cutting back a little bit more? Reducing the length of your shower by just one minute could save you up to 1,825 gallons** of water each year.

Day 48: Covert Your Toilet to a Low Flush Toilet

We stayed home today, a bit under the weather, and I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to get a Good Human Act done at home so, I googled "how to be more environmentally friendly at home" and found a great idea to convert your toilet into a low flow toilet while we stayed inside today! All it takes is a 1/2 gallon or 2 Liter plastic container and some rocks, or sand and a bit of water! So quick and easy. I was only able to do one of our toilets today because I only had one container but I will definitely be saving the next two containers we empty to convert our other commodes.

Our New Low Flow Toilet Tank

Here is a bit of info on water usage and toilets from a WikiHow:

Toilets use the most water in our homes. Every day, Americans flush 4.8 billion gallons of water down the toilet. Reducing the amount of water that your toilet is flushing away will go a long way to saving water in your home and helping to conserve it generally. With one easy adjustment, you'll save money, water and the environment… one flush at a time.

And here are quick step by step instructions on how to make your toilet a low flow!:

1. 
   

    Fill a half gallon container.
   Fill a half gallon container. A plastic bottle (juice/milk) is ideal. Remove any paper or plastic label on the outside of the container. Fill it at least partially with pebbles, sand, or gravel - whatever is handy. Then add water if more weight is needed. If you just fill it with water, though, the container will move around in the tank and interfere with the mechanism.
   
   
2. 2
   
   

    Place the container in the tank of the toilet.
   Place the container in the tank of the toilet.
3. 3
   
   

    Carefully lower it into the water.
   Carefully lower it into the water.
4. 4
   
   

    Replace the lid of the tank.
   Replace the lid of the tank.
5. 5
   
   

    Flush away.
   Flush away. The New York Times reported that a sealed half gallon container will save half a gallon on each flush. If you, like most Americans, flush 5 times daily, your family of 5 will save 350 gallons (1325 liters) of water every month ^[2]. These savings will significantly cut your water bill, too.