Wasting Away!

I read about the Johnson family in my Sunset Magazine last January. I thought you'd be interested too.

 They totally have intrigued me.

I've really tried to implement some of their ideas that I have read about on their blog

zerowastehome.blogspot.com.

They believe in not only reducing, reusing and recycling,

they also

REFUSE

waste that makes it's way into all of our homes.

I just went out to the mailbox and the only thing that ever shows up in there on Tuesdays,

is junk mail.

I'd love to know how to get the junk mail to stop coming.

Here is a little diddy on the Johnson Family:

http://news.yahoo.com/video/secondact-20246210/second-act-the-johnson-family-24454762

I was glad to know that I had a few things in common with them, I love using mason jars to store my dry goods in my pantry and to store things in my fridge. It makes everything clean and easy to see when you need to restock up. 

I started doing the mason jar thing, because I thought that there was something visually appealing to seeing glass jars filled with beautifully colored food. It makes my kitchen feel inviting and beautiful. Another reason was, that I wanted to avoid storing things in plastic, because I was worried about the chemicals that can leach into our food and then into our bodies that are in plastic containers.

I also have used fabric grocery bags for a long time now. I'm sure you have been doing this too. My favorite bags to use are cute, spacious and portable and they are made by Chico bags.

You can purchase them online or at Real Foods Market in Orem.

I also love to add to my compost by adding my left over juice mush or scraps that my dogs wont eat to this cute little compost jar that sits nicely by my sink. Mine is red so therefore, I keep it out, instead of hiding it under my sink. Any punch of red in my house is fine by me, even if it's filled with rotting food! I then take it outside and dump it in my big rotating compost bin that sits out in my garden just waiting to be the nourishing soil that will help my garden grow this year.

So, me and Bea are pretty much on the same track.

(Not even close!)

She is way beyond.

How cool would it be to never need to take out the trash again?

I don't know if it's possible for me to reach the coolness level of Bea and her beautiful family, but I'll be taking baby steps in that direction.

Recipes:

as promised.

Cucumber Number

Serves 2

1 large cucumber

1 tsp lemon peel

3 apples, cored

Juice all of the ingredients and enjoy!

"Give Me Greens!" Smoothie

Serves 2-3

3 C almond milk

1 ripe banana, fresh or frozen

1 tsp organic vanilla extract

1 TBS green powder 

(chlorella, spirulina, blue algae, barley Green)

dash of nutmeg (optional)

Blend the milk with the banana and vanilla until frothy. Add the green powder and blend again. Pour into a big glass and sprinkle with nutmeg.

These two drinks are a great way to start your day with, or to gulp down anytime you need some extra energy!

I'll post the Multi-Vitamin recipe tomorrow!

Have a healthy, happy, unwasted day!

Cody