Brummet's Conscious Blog

Green Families  The Internet is a wonderful place and a powerful tool for today's society to teach children about the environment. There is no doubt that early influences can spark a lifetime of concern and participation throughout that person's life.  In today's schools and youth organizations, there are programs dealing with recycling, environmental health, litter awareness, gardening and ecology. Participating at home is possible too through  Social Science and Citizen Science projects that are offered through non-profits and educational institutions. For instance one program has volunteers going outside and counting how many of one species there are on a given day in a specific location. This information is valuable to ensuring their data is accurate.  There are plenty of other things we can do at home that can have an impact on our community - simply by looking at our "waste" as a resource.  Art classes make use of all kinds of materials that were formall...

Buy Local Creston  Buy Local & Shop Local & Food Hub campaigns are increasingly adding support to local communities around the world.  There are so many reasons why supporting local businesses and food producers is so very important.  The most important being that it stimulates the local economy, thereby ensuring employment and an array of services in your area.  It also reduces the amount of fossil fuels associated with travel and shipping, plus all the packaging that is now almost eliminated.  There are a lot of other benefits, but these examples easily show the positive impact just because consumers are making that conscious choice.  We have been lucky enough to be included in several different campaigns, from Buy BC, Shop Local and now the Buy Local Creston program. Dylan, a member of the team behind Buy Local Creston , notified me that I would find our listing near the bottom of the  https://buylocalcreston. ca/service/  page I l...

-- Green Holiday - Green Gift Ideas --  Holiday gift giving has changed quite a bit over the last few years, as people have less money to spend and are more aware of the impact their purchases have on both the environment and society… and there are a heck of a lot of holidays to consider from birthdays, secretary day, anniversaries, and Halloween to Valentines. The collective impact of these special days can be huge.  Christmas alone is responsible for 25% more waste being sent to landfills. By recognizing the incredible waste that is generated the urgency to do something becomes apparent. With this in mind, we are offering several Green Gift related and Green Events related articles (Look for them between: late Oct-mid-Dec). this is the 4th article in the series, so far.  People are now embracing practical, ecological gifts that can provide some form convenience or financial benefit. At the same time, it is nice to find ways to alleviate the guilt felt during special day...

-- Green Holiday - Green Gift Ideas --  Holiday gift giving has changed quite a bit over the last few years, as people have less money to spend and are more aware of the impact their purchases have on both the environment and society… and there are a heck of a lot of holidays to consider from birthdays, secretary day, anniversaries, and Halloween to Valentines. The collective impact of these special days can be huge.  Christmas alone is responsible for 25% more waste being sent to landfills. By recognizing the incredible waste that is generated the urgency to do something becomes apparent. With this in mind, we are offering several Green Gift related and Green Events related articles (Look for them between: late Oct-mid-Dec). this is the 3rd article in the series, so far.  People are now embracing practical, ecological gifts that can provide some form convenience or financial benefit. At the same time, it is nice to find ways to alleviate the guilt felt during special day...

Alternative Gift Ideas Looking for the perfect gift for an upcoming holiday?  Something useful, that will help reduce waste?   Consider purchasing a set of sturdy, square bottomed, reusable, washable shopping bags. There are a lot of varieties to choose from, including those that are created from recycled plastic bottles, coffee sack material, renewable crops such as bamboo or hemp, and many other environmentally friendly options.  Go a step further and purchase a set of smaller, fine-mesh produce bags – this gift will reduce, or eliminate, the need to use the clear bags offered in the grocery store’s fresh produce department. These are washable, see-through and made of a very fine mesh material, weighing next to nothing, so they will not affect the cost when scaled at the checkout. Just how many bags per recipient? Typically 12 bags will likely cover most of the shopping activities for a family of 2-3, while 6-8 bags is appropriate for an individual. Want another option ...

Alternative, Eco-friendly Gift Ideas Looking for the perfect gift for an upcoming holiday? Something useful, that will help reduce waste? Consider purchasing a set of sturdy, square bottomed, reusable, washable shopping bags as a gift item. There are a lot of varieties to choose from, including those that are created from recycled plastic bottles, coffee sack material, renewable crops such as bamboo or hemp, and many other environmentally friendly options. ... Just how many bags per recipient? Typically 12 bags will likely cover most of the shopping activities for a family of 2-3, while 6-8 bags is appropriate for an individual. Go a step further and purchase a set of mesh produce bags – this gift will reduce, or eliminate, the need to use the clear bags offered in the grocery store’s fresh produce department. These are washable, see-through and made of a very fine mesh material, weighing next to nothing, so they will not affect the cost when scaled a...

Beat the Blues  Many of us dream of attaining a simpler lifestyle and it is easy to feel helpless and overwhelmed in today’s world, but one sure way to break the blues is to make someone else's life a little brighter. Do you have a relative or neighbour that finds it difficult to wrap gifts? Help them with the task or purchase some reusable gift bags and boxes for them to use. Go a step further and volunteer around the community, if only for an afternoon; check with the local volunteer office if you are looking for places that need a hand. If you can’t find a resource for volunteers – make one. We created a page of non-profits in our area for volunteer enthusiasts, people with a little to donate, and for the non-profits to network with one another. You can find it here: https://consciousdiscussions.blogspot.com/p/creston-bc-orgs.html Families now are going back to earlier traditions of making gifts by hand rather than buying them (plates of goodies, crafts, art, dried arrangemen...

Reducing Energy Costs  Today's increasing energy costs, shrinking budgets and stagnant wages are a growing concern. For those of us living in the more extreme climates that require extra heating in the winter months or relief from the blazing summer heat, there are tricks that increase comfort and lower the bills. Click to view: Part 1 of this 3-part series. Any window facing south is an asset during the winter. Make the most of the sun’s free energy and warm up your home by keeping the drapes and blinds fully open when the window receives direct sunlight, closing them when it doesn’t – especially in rooms you don’t use all that often. Washing both sides of the windows just before winter sets in ensures that film and dust do not impede the sun's rays. The opposite is true for summer – whenever a window is exposed to direct sun, it is helpful to close the blinds or curtains. We have used sheets of hot water tank insulation to seal off windows that receive direct sun in roo...

Greener Lawn Maintenance Were you aware that old, defunct lawn mowers, even those that are not operating, still have some value? Remove the blade, motor, cords, wires and gas tank, leaving the four-wheeled caddy and its push handle. Secure a strong box to this and voila! – you now have a wheeled cart that is perfect for harvesting or toting material, cords or tools around the property. The metal frame of most lawn mowers is recyclable. The wheels are a treasure to those that are handy around the workshop who can turn benches, tables, gates, chairs or shelving into movable, wheeled items. The motor and remaining parts might also be appreciated at a repair shop where they could be reused or potentially recycled. There are alternatives to traditional lawns too - from wildflower mixes to low-growing ground covers that rarely need mowing. Landscaping a portion or the entire area with drought tolerant, wildlife supporting plants is a very environmentally ac...