cynosure

A photo I took in Canada two years ago. The sky is always beautiful here!

Project: Summer 2010! (Project What?) Weeks – 1 & 2 | 3 & 4

I’m pretty sure that after this summer, I’m going to have a Project: Fall 2010! and a Project: Winter 2011!, et cetera… After all, you & I never stop growing, and this is a great way to be accountable without having to post every single day about what I’ve been up to

Week 5

• Monday: Sprinted up & down stairs 20+ times. It was absolutely hot outside and I didn’t know what to do… just stay inside doing nothing all day!?
• Tuesday: Walked around downtown just a little. Still hot.
• Wednesday: Walked up and down stairs a few times. Some random stretches and core exercises. This day was actually my turning point when I realized I could still move my body inside (the idea never occurred to me before, inside to me used to just call to mind “treadmill, ugh”.)
• Thursday: Some plyometrics exercises. My whole body was sore for four days… and it was sore just walking… ahaha.
• Friday: A little easy indoor cardio. There was a thunderstorm this day and after the storm I walked to and from the grocery store.
• Saturday: Finally cool enough to jog outside again! Ran/walked 2.3 miles, and did core exercises in the evening. Still sore.
• Sunday: Finally my torso was no longer sore… but my legs still were! So I spent an hour stretching as a recovery day.

Week 6

• Monday: I don’t know why, after a day of rest, I woke up feeling nauseous and sick! So I rested for most of the day, tried to do some yoga but stopped after half an hour (I don’t have a mat and there’s just hardwood floor, so I kept on slipping… plus to be honest I was a little bored! I’ll try again when I actually have a mat).
• Tuesday: I thought I was getting better but I still woke up nauseous. Still, by evening time I finally felt up to running again, so I did! Yay! Did more core exercises, and walked home after dinner.
• Wednesday: Today I ran about 20+ minutes straight for the first time without walking! It was the longest time I’d ever continuously run. Yay! I went really easy and before I knew it it was over! Also did a 10 minute cardio video later on.
• Thursday: Plyometrics exercises again. It was easier this time now that I knew to protect my knees/legs more, and all that soreness gave me some endurance. Then I walked to the bus, then 3.2+ miles around downtown, and later walked home from the bus.
• Friday: Ran/walked, then walked 2.65 miles around the neighborhood. More core exercises. Later on I walked to and from the bus station to a restaurant (about 4.2 miles).
• Saturday: Other than walking a little around downtown, today was another rest day. Must eat more mindfully every day! Part of the reason was that I slept way longer than I thought (guess I was tired!).
• Sunday: I had an insomniac night, the first in ages… and slept past 5am. Yet I was still able to run 2.77 miles, for which I’m very glad!

Epiphanies (or Notes to Self)

• My original July goal was to move every single day. I had issues with this when it got really hot, until I realized the answer (home exercise videos, haha). But also I realized that rest & recovery days are really important. If our bodies don’t get time to heal, and we continue to push hard, that’s not taking care of ourselves and our bodies at all. At first I got antsy but I’m starting to learn to enjoy a rest day.
• Start out slow. Pace yourself.
• Prioritize reading more!
• I’m eating mostly vegan lately. Still undecided if I’ll go completely. I’ll probably do a monthlong trial in September or October. It hasn’t been that hard…
• I feel more at peace & equilibrium with my spirit, mind, and body than I ever have in my life. Finding a way to just move my body almost every day has led me to feel better about myself and my body image, and it leads me to be so relaxed that I don’t need a self-destructive outlet to channel any pent-up frustration or tension. I feel happy with my little accomplishments.
  • When I still overate occasionally in the past few weeks, I bounced back within a day instead of getting into a long, hurtful cycle of self-hatred, and that is something in particular I’m more than happy about.
• Soy milk is a great recovery drink! The right ratio of proteins, carbs, and a little sodium to replenish electrolytes… I like mine organic/non-GMO
  • I know there’s a lot of public health drama about soy, but soy is like corn. In its natural state it’s awesome, processed it is not, and the US processes it a tad too much (soy protein isolate anyone?). Yes, tofu and soy milk are also processed, but not to the point of being additive ingredients in & of themselves, and uh… at least a few entire nations (China, Japan, Korea…) have ate tofu & soy milk for literally hundreds of years and have never had any problems. One famous Japanese model swears on eating soy in every form– soybeans, soy milk, tofu, etc.– to keep healthy. Anyway, that’s my beef with other people’s beef with soy. You can choose to think it’s a secret evil, or just take it as it is: an alternative to dairy/meat, a source of protein for vegetarians, damn delicious (mm tempeh!), whatever.

New Things to Do (and some Interesting Links)

• Become plastic- & petrochemical-free. (Slowly.) As I was picking up blueberries last week I realized that if I wanted blueberries (or any other berry, for that matter) that weren’t in individual plastic containers, I wouldn’t find them anywhere in a chain supermarket with freezing air-conditioning. Then again, I’m getting a CSA share once I move into my new place (so excited!) and well, the preliminary step is awareness. I could always do better. (Kudos to Trader Joe’s for their compostable plastic containers of dates, though!)
• Similarly… Switch to safer/natural/homemade personal care products. I already don’t wear makeup, but damnit, are there toxic chemicals in the stuff I put on to protect my skin from sun damage? I’ll probably be using stuff like shea butter, coconut butter, etc., instead. There are currently no regulations for cosmetics (or what’s labeled “organic”, either!). Watch: The Story of Cosmetics & stop and think about what possible carcinogens you’re putting on your bodies and the bodies of your loved ones.
  • Also, ever stop to realize that petroleum jelly/Vaseline is made from petroleum? Yes, THAT petroleum. (Thanks Mary for the wake-up call!)
• Ponder the Bechdel test and not only why there aren’t movies that can actually pass the test, but why film schools teach screenwriters deliberately not to pass the test.
• In other news, for some reason I stumbled across this post (the 6th ever on this site!) from deep within the crevasses of past posts the other day and was pleasantly surprised. It still rings true, and I needed the reminder. Read: We all survive. We all heal.

Would a separate post with important/interesting links be better than jamming all miscellanea into one post? Probably(?). Let me know what you think

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An easy way to help our planet?

Recycle Recycle Recycle!

1. Recycle glass and plastic bottles in most recycling bins. (Even better: get a reusable stainless steel bottle and save yourself hundreds and the earth tons of waste each year!)

2. Recycle plastic bags and plastic packaging– shopping bags, etc.– (including zipper bags with the zipper removed) in bins marked for plastic bags in front of many major stores/supermarkets (click here for more guidelines!).

3. Recycle clean aluminum foil by scrunching it into a ball and putting it in most recycling bins.

4. Recycle all paper, cardboard, etc. — as long as it hasn’t touched food (for napkins, etc., compost instead!).

5. Recycle tin cans in most recycling bins.

6. Recycle (or donate, if they still work!) all electronics (anything with a plug!), batteries, etc. at DESIGNATED e-cycling and battery recycling centers. Other electronic-related items such as empty printer ink/toner cartridges and CDs also have their own recycling regulations. Some places even reward you for recycling old cell phones! Check locally for e-cycling stations in your area, and read the US EPA page on e-cycling.

7. Some plastic containers are recyclable at designated recycling centers. (Most plastics, unfortunately, are not recyclable, but many facilities are working so that more types can be.)

8. DON’T recycle anything that’s been contaminated by food.

Have a recycling tip that’s not here? Please share in the comments!

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If you like this post, please link, bookmark, tweet, and share it! Thank you ♥

To get all the great tips I’m going to share with you this month (and for every month after that!) and lots of other goodness, get updates through RSS and follow me on Twitter.

• 01: Reuse.
  • Get a reusable water bottle and save hundreds of dollars every year!
  • Use the blank backs of paper for scratch paper/notepads instead of buying post-its/notepads/notebooks.
  • Keep a washbin underneath colanders when you wash produce (and collect all other surplus water!) and use that water to water your garden!
  • Don’t throw away all that great organic material (fruit peels, food leftovers, etc.)… Compost! I’ll be telling you easy ways to compost in an article coming soon!
  • Be creative! Think of ways you can reuse anything instead of throwing it away– fabric, etc.
• 02: Conserve.
  • Unplug all chargers, electronics, etc., after you’re done with them. Even if they’re not turned on, plugged-in electronics continue to use energy and raise your electricity bill! Better yet, plug everything into a surge protector, and when leaving/going to sleep, turn off the surge protector and unplug it.
  • Unplug USB cords– they also leech energy even when they’re not being used!
  • Turn off lights when leaving each room.
  • Hang your laundry on a clotheslines instead of using the dryer.
  • Pee in the shower. (I’m completely serious. You’re going to get clean, anyway!)
  • Take shorter showers (set a timer and set it one minute shorter each time!) and turn off the water when you’re sudsing up or shaving. (Click here for more ways to conserve water!)
• 03: Buy (and own) less.
  • Only buy, use, and consume what you need, whether it’s food, clothes, electronics, toys, or anything else.
  • Donate any stuff you don’t need (not only are you helping others, but they’re tax deductible!) or sell it!
  • Live in a smaller house/apartment. Before you throw the first stone, think about it: a bigger place means a bigger price, more resources used to not only build but maintain the house (read: higher utility bills!), and often, unnecessary space for the sole purpose of unnecessary stuff. Houses in the U.S. are getting bigger while families are getting smaller, for no reason other than to make money for everyone BUT the homeowner– and waste resources and increase the disconnect between human beings. Who wants to live in a place where you have to call your brother to tell him dinner’s ready?
  • Better yet, build your own house! Total control. Check out Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.
• 04: Farms, not lawns: Start a vegetable garden & plant (fruit) trees.
  • Not only does it GUARANTEE the safety and health of what you and your family are putting into your precious bodies, but you’ll save money on food!
  • For the adventurous, why not have pet chickens as well? Delicious eggs daily that you can be sure doesn’t have the nasty salmonella or e.coli you risk with inorganic eggs from the corporations that make money off our unhealthy eating!
  • Real lawns are nothing but a waste of water. Consider installing a fake lawn instead, saving thousands on the water bill each year!
  • Compost to nurture and fertilize your garden for free! (You’ll find out more soon!)
  • If a garden is too much work, buy local, grass-fed/cage-free, and organic food– WITHOUT additives, preservatives, hydrogenated oils, or high fructose corn syrup. Before you exclaim “How will that SAVE me money!?” think about it– if you nourish your body with healthy, delicious food now, you will save THOUSANDS of dollars on medical bills later.
  • The importance of sustainable food on both YOUR health & wealth and the PLANET’S health & wealth is SO great and significant, it’s going to encompass another whole article (or two)!
• 05: Take public transportation– or better yet, bike or walk.
  • Believe it or not, it’s possible (and even convenient!) to be carless or have only one car if you have a busy family– and save tons on gas bills, car maintenance, and car insurance! There’s carsharing services, not only within the community but within the nation– and other handy car rental or transportation services that are much cheaper than actually owning a car.
  • Shareable.net has some great articles on how to live carfree: to start, read 5 Ways My Son Benefits from a Carfree Life and How to Be a Carfree Family.
  • If you absolutely have to have a car, three words: carpool, carpool, carpool.
  • If you have to go long distances, fly instead of driving.
  • Take the bus, the train, the metro– save money AND commute time!
  • Bike, or better yet, walk– save money AND get healthy all at once!

And of course… there’s recycling, which is a vital part of helping preserve the beautiful planet we live on, and will be covered in the next post. Stay tuned! (Edit: Click here for Simple Ways to Recycle!)

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Please share this post!
Tweet it, Facebook It, Stumble it, bookmark it, and email it!

To get all the great tips I’m going to share with you this month (and for every month after that!) and lots of other goodness, get updates through RSS and follow me on Twitter.

And to celebrate, I’ll be divulging easy and awesome ways for you to save your money, improve your health, AND help save the earth, all at the same time, throughout this month (and every month after that)! GET PUMPED!

Of course, doing our part to preserve the beautiful world we all live in isn’t limited to just one month out of the year. Watch this video and be inspired… to change, little by little, so that after the next 4 years we WON’T lose our planet, our health, and all our natural resources in just a few decades.

And The Story of Stuff released a new video recently about the truth about bottled water. Bottled water is 2000 times more expensive than tap water, which is often cleaner than bottled water (which isn’t even as regulated as tap water!)… and it takes 3 times more gallons to even bottle one gallon of water.

(The original Story of Stuff video is great, too– actually, to be honest, it’s life-changing and absolutely worth every second of its 21 and a half minutes. Watch it too!)

Don’t forget to read “Water YOU doing about water?” for more simple ways to conserve water and save on your water bill!

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To get all the great tips I’m going to share with you this month (and for every month after that!), get updates through RSS and follow me on Twitter!

(Click here to read the facts about bottled water.)

Only 0.37% of the Earth’s water is drinkable.
We ALL need water to live.

California’s not the only place with a water crisis (Northern California provides much of the state’s water, but Southern California uses most of it)– the world is battling with a water (and energy) crisis (whether you believe in global warming or not, we’re depleting our resources much more rapidly than we are replacing them).

The United States is one of many countries blessed with clean drinking water (aka tap water) yet we spend billions of dollars on bottled water (the quality of which is often worse than tap water, since it’s not regulated– apparent if you’ve ever drunk Arrowhead). Each bottle of water we buy is not only costly to our wallets but to our environment (and also to our health– there are various toxins in all kinds of plastics, which is why even using a plastic reusable bottle is not as advised).

And that’s not all. Many day-to-day activities use much more water than most people think.

Each time we…

• flush a toilet, we use 5 gallons of water. It might seem disgusting to some of you, but “if it’s yellow, then mellow”– if you own your own place, seriously consider only flushing when absolutely necessary, or flushing with excess tubs of water. It really isn’t required to flush every single time, especially if you drink a lot of water and honestly have to go to the bathroom a lot. (Like me.)
• take a bath or shower, we use 40-50 gallons. Turn the water off when you’re shaving or sudsing up! Take shorter showers.
• run the dishwasher, we use 15 gallons. Wash only full loads, or, better yet, wash by hand (saves 5 gallons, but still uses 10 each time). Wash first and then rinse all your dishes at once.
• do a load of laundry, we use 30 gallons. It’s best to only do full loads of laundry once or twice a week instead of every day. (I never even knew people did laundry every day until recently!) There are many energy-efficient laundry machines available, too, and most detergents are extra strength, so only half or less of a cup will clean a large load!

  And unrelated to water but very much related to energy (and ultimately the Earth) as a whole, if you want to save energy, drying your clothes on a clothesline saves a LOT of energy! You don’t need a house or even a backyard to do it!

• wash the car, we use 50 gallons. Not only that, but the toxic chemicals we use to wash our cars drains out into rivers and the oceans and act as pollutants. Even if it seems “cheaper”, there is an enormous cost to the environment. Actually getting a professional car wash actually helps save water; they’re required to recycle the water, and they also don’t dump into the drain that ends up in the clean water that we need to play and drink.
• water the lawn, we use 300 gallons. Three hundred!! Not just a movie, if we water the lawn EVERY DAY we’re using 300 gallons on that alone! And the sad thing is, grass isn’t indigenous to many areas, thus we have to use more resources to conserve it. Like sprinkling water all over the sidewalk to water the tiny strip of grass that serves as decoration on roads and the islands in the middle of them.

  (One big criticism of San Diego is that it’s naturally a desert climate yet the city uses gallons of water merely to be decorative, soaking mostly concrete in the process.)

What are some more ways to save water?

• Turn the water off when you’re brushing your teeth.
• Use a reusable water bottle. This alone saves you countless dollars while helping the environment.
• Recycle. This is too big a topic to express in one bullet point, but do recycle water bottles, if you must buy them!
• Fix leaky pipes as soon as possible, and turn off dripping faucets. Just one drop every few seconds costs a lot after only a day– both to you and the environment.
• Save the water you use when washing food, and use it to water your plants or flush the toilet!

What are you doing
to help conserve water?

If you want to help others save water (and sustain the Earth) too, please share, link, bookmark, and tweet this post.

Thank you, always. (And the Earth thanks you, too!) ♥

For more goodness, get updates through RSS and follow me on Twitter.

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Thank you University of California San Diego/Scripps Institute of Oceanography Professor Driscoll (SIO35: Water) for the number of gallons of water per activity chart.