Change the World Wednesday – 26th Mar

Not cheap

Disaster!

I threw out some food and some wine.

What’s worse, it was my cooking and the wine wasn’t cheap.

Yesterday, I decided to use the last of the sole (halibut) fillets in my freezer. I have never heard of, but couldn’t see why not use fish in a lasagna. Problem was, I had no lasagna; shopping day today. But I did have some macaroni, so a base of white parsley sauce, peppered sole fillets and more white sauce macaroni on top.

I opened the wine, it looked more like iced-tea, and was definitely musky.

Musk = glandular secretions from animals such as the musk deer, not that I am in the habit of sniffing around musk deer butts. I am using my powers of imagination here.

It wasn’t pleasant on the palate at all.

The ‘lasagna’ I ate one plate for lunch, I wouldn’t make it again. The problem was that I made enough for three meals, and had only eaten one.

It had to go. The guilt trip lasted the rest of the afternoon.

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On with CTWW. I didn’t realise, this Saturday is that lights out thingy.

Yes, Earth Hour 60+.

I consider this to be symbolic rather than effective.

Earth Hour – March 29, 2014 at 8:30 pm (local time)

I have never been convinced that even if the whole world participated, the use of alternative light forms, candles, torches, etc does not offset the switching off of lights.

But it doesn’t hurt to have symbols to raise awareness.

This week, in honor of Earth Hour and to raise awareness, please take photos of what you, personally, are trying to protect. Perhaps it’s a beautiful spot in nature that you particularly love. Maybe you are protecting the clean water which comes out of your faucet. It could be a photo of a river, a favorite tree, an animal, or the sky. The idea is to share, visually, your reasons for living green. You can post the photo on your blog or, if you wish, send them to me (HERE) and I’ll include them in next week’s post (put “CTWW” in the subject line so that I’ll be sure to see the email).

 

OR …

If you’d rather not do the photos, please observe Earth Hour by turning off your lights for one hour beginning at 8:30 pm (your local time) on Saturday, March 29, 2014.

My photo is of the local praça (park) in front of my house. It’s not particularly obvious, but under the bushes there is a lot of rubbish.

Rubbish under the bushes that surround the praça

Plastic water and soda bottles, beer cans, disposable cups, and those nasty things shopping bags. I am constantly picking up what I can, and trying to raise awareness of the locals on the issue.

Our green spaces need protecting, whether they are urban or rural it matters not.

I try my best to live a greenish lifestyle, I’m not always successful (as above with my ‘disaster’) and suffer a measure of angst when I do something that goes against the grain. It raises my hackles when I see people not even trying.

As for the lights out… I probably will  because at that time I will be watching the news, I can do that in the dark.

Earth Hour Came and Went

Image from ECOCRED blog

There has been considerable debate over the effectiveness of Earth Hour. From my own perspective it merely raises awareness rather than actually doing something physical. Everybody who participates turns off their lights, then they light candles or use some fossil fuel lamp for illumination. Does the production of carbon not remain roughly the same?

Certainly as a publicity campaign it must be rated as a success.

A good post on the subject from ECOCRED about sums up Earth Hour.

Update:

I forgot to add the link to ECOCRED’s current post.

Change the World Wednesday – Special VII

I am really annoyed, actually, make that a tad more than pissed off.

I had a FaceBook acct more than a year ago, decided after two months that it didn’t suit my purpose and closed the acct.

About two months ago I decided to give it another try. So I opened a new acct.

I just liked a page and went to refresh my page and they want me to confirm by a phone number my acct. There are no other options.

I refuse to divulge my phone number on the net for anybody.

I can’t even get into my acct to shut the damned thing….. Arrrrrggggghhhhh!

My FaceBloodyBook acct is inactive!

Rant over, now on with our regular programme…

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On with Reduce Footprints‘ Change the World Wednesday Daily Lenten challenges.

CTWW Daily Challenge – 29th March

Address your “standby” habits. Unplug cell phone chargers, coffee makers, space heaters and other appliances and devices when not in use.

No vampires in my house, I keep plenty of garlic on hand. Actually, I do have one, the TV, but I switch that off manually every night. The remote control is too dicky and doesn’t always work, so it’s easier not to bother.

CTWW Daily Challenge –  30th March

Take some time to read Huff Post Climate Change, which includes blogs, news, and community conversations about Climate Change.

Huff post is a valuable source of information and I have used it as a source here on Eco-Crap in the past. If you want to keep abreast of national and international eco-concerns, then Huff Post is good.

CTWW Daily Challenge –  31st March

Celebrate Earth Hour TODAY with millions of people around the globe by turning off your lights for one hour, beginning at 8:30 pm.

A contentious issue with me. Turning off your house lights for one hour makes you use another light source, an electric lantern or candles. I have read that to replace a light with just one candle increases your carbon footprint. It is a different story for monuments and government or civil structures to do the same because they do not use an alternative light source.

I do bow to the fact, that Earth Hour does make people conscious of green issues, therefore does have a positive effect.

CTWW Daily Challenge – 1st April

Find the lowest carbon impact method of getting around today (walk, bike, take public transportation or carpool).

No car, no choice. I walk or bus everywhere.

CTWW Daily Challenge – 2nd April

Reflect on, and discuss, the fact that the richest 20% of the world’s population consumes 80% of the world’s resources, and those who contribute least to the causes suffer most from the effects of climate change.

The haves, and the have nots. This can be translated as the 1% against 99%, this is a part of what Occupy Wall Street is about. Many think that OWS is about banking and and raping the country financially; it’s not. It is about all inequalities.

The haves have always trampled on the have nots. It is the have nots that have suffered throughout history. And, it won’t change, unless YOU do something about it. This is not something that can be left to the neighbours, because they are leaving it to the neighbours, so nobody is doing anything. Everybody just sits back thinking “Someone will do it!” But they WON’T because YOU are the ‘someone’ who is supposed to be doing it! The only people trying were the ones from OWS, and YOU stayed at home, so they have become a non-event because YOU didn’t support them.

Americans spend eight months of their lives with junk mail

CTWW Daily Challenge – 3rd April

End junk mail that wastes resources. Stop unwanted catalogs

I take my junk mail back to the shops and supermarkets when I pass them. Or if I catch the delivery people, I refuse to accept. One of the biggest sources of junk mail in my box is the evangelical churches; I hate it.

In Brazil we do not have any orgs that will help reduce junk mail. I do wish they would print it on paper that you could at least light the BBQ with, then it could be recycled eventually as ash on my garden.

Farmer's Markets, the way to go. Brings communities back together too.

CTWW Daily Challenge – 4th April

Buy food that’s being grown or produced locally, using local farms and local farmers’ markets where possible – . Bonus: Grow some of your own food and herbs in your garden, allotment or window sill, or join a community garden.

We’ve discussed this before. In Brazil that’s difficult. I used to sell veges and herbs at my front gate, but I don’t have the garden I had then. I have found a place that sells fresh milk from the gate. It is on the way to work. But to stop and get 2ltres (about 3 pints+) for R$6 ($4) it would cost me an extra R$5 in bus fares, in effect doubling the price of the milk. But oh, what a luxury to have real milk, not pasturised, not homogenised, not adulterated, nor sold in a cardboard box. They are reforming at the moment, but I have resolved that when things are underway again, I will stop and get some. As for the bonus, I do grow a little, peppers and herbs, sometimes tomatoes and passionfruit.

Well, that’s it for this week. Can’t wait to see what Small Footprints has lined up for Monday 9th April. See you there.