NEW NOTHING NEWS - NEW BLOG!

Hello Friends - Hope all is well and green in your worlds!  Happy 2014 to you all…if you are in the WinterLand - please stay warm and safe….

I started a new blog called Nothing New on Wordpress - would you go check it out and follow if you are so inclined???  Thanks for following me here - I appreciate you!

http://nothingnewnews.wordpress.com

I am prepping for my Semester at Sea adventure and currently in a Sugar Free Nothing New Challenge Month - I am on Day 5 - good times!

Have a restful weekend and may all your resolutions be reflected in great habits and all your goals be grounded in sustainable systems….Have a Nothing New Day!  ~Kristin

NOTHING NEW                                  Greening your corner of the world by appreciating local abundance and aligning your wants, needs and haves.

Fitness Renaissance - 12 Weeks - Bring It On!

Hello!

Finishing up the book - yay!  Will keep you posted and share "DONE" when it is in hand - end of June...

I had the chance to speak at a conference for the National Association of Women in Construction on Saturday - with two other wonderful women, Jenn Sertl and Maureen Burdick...it was called "Women Finding Power in Numbers" and we spent the day affirming all the ways we can be more deliberate, impactful and open. Excellent conversation, new ideas and positive energy filled the room!  Special thanks to MJ Naberhaus from O'Connell Electric for heading up a stellar committee and to the Builder's Exchange for the perfect meeting space.

We all committed to grounding new habits in the next 21 days (til June 8) - habits that will reinforce something we need to start, stop or continue doing...Wrote a note to ourselves to be received in the mail 3 weeks from now as a reward/reminder. Here are mine:

Stretch    Daily
Swim      3 x a week
Write      Daily (new book in progress!)

On a larger scale, I have decided to use these habits to jumpstart a 12 week "campaign" for myself - May 20-August  9 - to commit to get myself on a better track - physically, intellectually and emotionally. I am on Day 2 - yay! So far so good!  Mapped out the next two weeks of swimming 7-8am), as well as when I am going to sail - May 23, 26, and June 1-2 - I want be sure I am doing more than working, eating and sleeping...add in my Garden and I think I will feel pretty well rounded.  Swam this morning and it felt great....I am blessed to be able to do this!

There is a weight loss goal here as well - I learned from Maureen on Saturday that just a 7% drop in weight can dramatically reduce my chance of heart disease - OK then!  I am on it...Apparently, the signs and symptoms of heart disease in women can be camouflaged in high blood pressure, weight gain in the "middle" and fatigue...Here is the Mayo Clinic's view:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-disease/HB00040

Diet, exercise and rest - the trifecta of healthy living - yes!  So simple and obvious AND profound.

Thank you Jenn for these reminders...I also have a theme song (Home by Phillip Phillps - "Settle down, it'll all be clear...") and using a bamboo plant as my strength symbol to remind me I am resilient, have all my basic needs met, and growing daily...(bamboo needs only water, a little light and kind words to thrive).

I will keep you posted - anyone want to join me in these 12 weeks???

Have a Nothing New Day!

Kristin

DO ONE THING

Hello and Greetings from "It's Still Winter in NY" :)

Had a great opportunity to attend the Susan B. Anthony Birthday Celebration thanks to Bill Spelman and Megan Spelman - Excellent social time with colleagues and a thought provoking keynote from Suzan Johnson Cook, the US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom...check out her bio here http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/163202.htm.

Ms. Cook's personal and visionary words reminded us of Ms. Anthony's charge to DO ONE THING... "If everyone would do one thing they have the time and energy to do…no matter how small or inconsequential they think it might be…it would make all the difference." - Susan B. Anthony

AFFIRMATION - Yay! OK then, yes I will! I can DO ONE THING (every day?!) to make all the difference...one kind conversation, one more recycled cup, one less plastic fork, one smile, one more bag of clothing out of my closet, one more investment in a friendship, one...

REMINDER - Yes! The luncheon also got me thinking that there were times my Nothing New Year efforts felt small - there are people out there doing so much more than I am to increase their impact and reduce their footprint...then I was reminded that one thing can make a difference - that I am doing my part...

ACTION - Join me! I am heading to the ACPA Conference on Friday (in Vegas - yikes - I am nervous - all I know about Vegas is from the movie, The Hangover...) and will be inviting people to DO ONE THING at the Convention to "Lead Green" - with their money, time, energy, resources...such as; use the same towels all week, reusable mug for your coffee, take your trash home to recycle, follow up on a relationship, skip the Vegas souvenirs and bring home photos, stories and ideas...get it?

The Teamworks website will soon have a forum for just this - how you are leading green in different aspects of your life - how you are maximizing your capacity for impact beyond your presence or involvement...stay tuned!

More to follow - have a Nothing New Day! and DO ONE THING! 

Kristin

It is Happening!

Hello Friends! The book is underway!!! Cover designer working with me now - yay! February 22 will launch the design..."Living Lean and Green - A Year of Nothing New (How I stopped shopping and started saving). PS - Snow covered garden and solid frozen ground is good for the garlic! But stay warm out there! Happy 2013 to you...

And "Sow"It Begins...

DAY 27 (Year Three)

I was ready to REALLY plant my garden in mid-March...

I mean I was soooo ready when we had the 75 degree weather and I saw my garlic coming up way too soon (well - I thought it was early but perhaps the garlic feels right on time...) so it seems I have been ready for over a month.

The good news is that I have had what seems like "extra " time to get my "new improved, twice as big, turned 90 degrees for better sun, roto-tilled, two more raised-beds with a winding walk" food growing space prepared in more manageable chunks of time.

The fence is up - the metal stakes from prior garden mark the perimeter. The stakes took a Winter detour down to Conesus Lake and were destined for the scrap metal place only to be reclaimed again (redundant I know!) this Spring. I was all set to make a fancy white picket fence with a gate and a trellis...which sounded nice until I priced it out at $350 including post hole digging, cement and a ton of NEW stuff from Home Depot. As usual, the HD was great and sort of talked me out of it for a lot of reasons...thank you HD Guy! More Reality. More Using What You Already Have. That's the power of the HD!

The wire up to keep the critters out (HOPE IS NOT A PLAN) was "found" in my garage - yay. Just need to tack it down into the ground now (tent stakes) before putting the seedlings out into the beds. I witnessed a squirrel walk right under the fence and right in to the garden like he owned the place - all strutting and digging around - didn't even use the front door. Well, where the door WILL be. Will secure the wire to the metal posts, get a door (attach it somehow)...Put all the rocks I pulled out last year back in around the edge - looks nice...a garden "feature"...felt good to put those back to use.

Planted seeds in the little indoor green houses tonight...at least things are underway - I would like it all to be up and out and in and growing in the Earth by May 1...got an edger and a real wheelbarrow now...look out! They were new so now I am on a quest for a used door and used tile to lay in between the beds to walk on and to deter weeds...we have so may great used house stores in Rochester - I will find something I'm sure! Will share the ROC resources in the next post...

Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin

I AM Silver Maple

DAY 266 (Year 2)

I found out that you, Neighbor's Tree were a 95 foot tall Silver Maple and were probably around 70 years old. You were deemed a hazard by the town because your roots were heaving the driveway. I will choose to believe you had just outgrown your space and you felt it time to move on.

A little more about you....excerpts from an article by the University of Florida IFAS Extension (Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences)...I AM SILVER MAPLE.

The Silver Maple has a vase shape and is a rapidly-growing, fairly weak-wooded tree which reaches a height of 80 to 100 feet with a 5 to 6 foot diameter trunk on a moist site. The tree is useful in wet areas, transplants easily and can grow where few others can. It should be saved for planting in wet areas or where nothing else will thrive.

Branches tend to droop, almost weep, forming a graceful canopy outline as it grows older. The bright yellow fall color can attract attention in early fall but you will pay the price with the abundant number of leaves to rake. To develop a stronger, more durable tree, prune so that major limbs remain smaller than half the diameter of the trunk.

Silver Maple can be a prolific seed producer giving rise to many volunteer trees. It often sends up sprouts from the trunk and branches producing an unkempt appearance. Branches often form poor attachments with trunk resulting in branch failure in old, mature specimens. Frequent pruning is required to develop a strong branch structure. Ice and snow loads can cause branch failure in younger trees. Like many other large trees, it will lift sidewalks if improperly located too close to sidewalks...It grows extremely fast so creates almost instant shade, making this a popular tree among homeowners throughout its hardiness range.

PS. One more reason to love Home Depot...I talked to John at the HD to find out how old this tree might have been...He was wonderful – knowledgeable and sympathetic to the emotion to the day! He affirmed my sadness (I hope he didn’t know that I had actually been CRYING – I have The Menopause) and was excited for my plans to plant a Silver Maple in my yard as a memorial. Talking with him pulled me to a more postive, less mournful place. He actually referred me to some other tree farms who would come and dig a 4 x 4 foot hole for me (John said this could save me some "a** busting work") – which makes me love HD even more! Less Crying. More Planting. That's the Power of the Home Depot Thank you John!

PPS. My Dad, John Kenneth Skarie, was almost 70 when he passed away in 1997 and was a tree lover. He lovingly cared for the big old elm tree that use to stand next to my childhood home - hung the rope swing with the old inside-out tire seat, cleared her leaves from the gutter during rainstorms and stood by her side the day she had to go back to her roots...Miss you Dad - meet you at the tree house!

My Neighbor's Tree

DAY 265 (Year 2)

(NOTE: A bit of a side departure from Nothing New - I hope you see the relation to being deliberate in the use of all our resources. Thank you for reading!)

They are cutting down my neighbor’s tree.

I noticed a space in the sky when I pulled down our street on Saturday night – I had been gone for just a day but something felt different. Then I saw it. A big orange spray painted “X” on the tree two houses up the street from mine. A few of the bigger limbs and branches had already been trimmed...I knew what that meant.

It crossed my mind that a green X would have been nicer – a little more natural, more gentle.

I forgot to look again on Sunday in the light of day. The pending demise of this great tree went out of my thoughts as I focused on my travel recovery and everything I had to get done this week. A denial tactic, no doubt, to avoid thinking about the fate of this tree.

When I heard the trucks this morning, I remembered...

Dear Neighbor's Tree,

We were not close friends yet I felt your welcome to Monroe Street every time I returned home. Heading down my street – our street – was the last segment of all my journeys home, from daily errands or from a week away. The GPS would say, “turn right and you have reached your destination”, just as I rounded the corner. There you stood.

Your tall reach was an entry way to our little neighborhood. I always appreciated you but I never took the time to really get to know you. I am not even sure what kind of tree you are – maybe that doesn’t matter.

Maybe it’s wasn’t my place to get to know you – you were not MY tree. Maybe your owners knew you better – I hope so. You sat right in their front yard just a few feet from their house. You offered your shade in the Summer, your leaves in the Fall, your beacon of green in the Spring and your steady presence through the Winter.

As I witness your last day – a rare, sunny, blue sky day – all your branches are gone now – sections of your trunk hit the ground with a thud. Sad to be sure but maybe this is a return to your roots...

Oh Neighbor's Tree, I promise to treasure your cousins – the six black walnut trees that mark the corner of my backyard and the white pine tree that graces my front yard. I promise to notice your other relatives more and to remember that many of you were here long before us and will be here long after we are gone.

Thank you for your years of service to Monroe Street, for befriending the apple trees you have seen come and go in this former orchard and for your peaceful reminder that everything is temporary...even the good things...and that today is enough.

Love,

Your Neighbor – Kristin Skarie

A Little Bit of Coca Cola...

Day 171 (Year Two)

A Little Bit of Coca Cola...

Five days on the road and a long day of air travel had me feeling a bit queasy and I knew the only cure would be ti sip some Coca Cola. There is something about the fizz and the right kind of sweetness (and chemicals) that seem to be oh so helpful in these situations.

On the last leg of my journey, I politely asked the flight attendant if she would be able to be pour a little bit of Coke into my water bottle. I quickly gave my standard explanation and (over)shared that I wanted to save having to use a cup, one less cup in the landfill, ha ha, better for the
environment, blah blah...

She happily granted my request and was all fun and good cheer until she
asked if wanted ice. I said sure, and she gave me a cup of ice – because she had apparently stopped listening after “Coke in the water bottle”. I got a little flustered and said, “Uh, well that kind of defeats my original purpose of not wanting to use a cup”, which I think offended her, so she tried to pour the ice into my water bottle for me and even tried to shove the ice into my water bottle with the cup itself. Since the ice cubes were too big, they plopped onto my lap, onto the floor and onto my already annoyed seatmate
who had ordered her cranberry juice and pretzels before I ordered my Coke.
The attendant took the cup back from me (with a few cubes still remaining) and tried to shove it back onto her cart but it didn’t quite stay in the space properly. It kind of squished itself back out of the space forcing the remaining cubes to pop out of the cup and land in the middle of the aisle at her feet.

It was getting so all chaotic and weird and I started laughing a little at the absurdity of a simple request gone bad –inappropriate giggling like in church or the library when because you know you are not supposed to laugh, you laugh even more! I then said out loud to everyone – yet to no one in particular – “Oh, no...drama!” in kind of a singsong-y voice which did not amuse the attendant or my seatmate.

Needless to say, I enjoyed my warm Coke in solitude.

My seatmate went back to her book and juice (she did get her drink eventually) and the flight attendant did not make eye contact with me for the rest of the flight.

No new friends on this trip but I did avoid coming home with one more piece of trash/recycle. Oh, and I do feel better...

Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin

It's Not What You Miss, It's What You Think You'll Miss

Day 168 (Year Two)

After 5 months of not watching TV, I broke the "fast" and watched one hour of TV last night. Between 10-11pm, I channel surfed and caught bits of Law & Order (dunh dunh), Gray's Anatomy, The Mentalist, Anderson Cooper and a glimpse in a fight in a women's prison. I saw "dead" bodies, blood and guts, serial killers, child abuse, ruined lives and sad stories. I do not miss TV, I do not miss it at all. I do not miss Glee, The Office, The Good Wife or Modern Family...I do miss As the World Turns since it went off the air in 2010. On the air since 1956, I watched that show all my life - my Mom watched it and so did her Mom. Grandma called it "the story"..."Did you watch the story today?" Love that.

Why did I turn on the tube? I had already "misbehaved" by ordering room service french fries (trying to cut back on bad food and quantity of said food consumed), so I think on some level I felt like I had already blown it on the food front so why not go ahead and break another "rule" I had set for myself. I guess I also thought that the fries would taste better in bed whilst watching TV. Really? OK, I also rationalized with intentions of watching the news to get caught up. Just a ruse.

After all was said and done, I was not smarter, more clued in, more entertained or more relaxed. Neutral at best, bad dream producing material at worst.

Isn't it so easy to break a rule once one has already been broken?

Isn't it so easy to make up reasons for why our off track behavior is OK even though is is not what we had agreed to do?

Isn't is so easy to imagine what we THINK we are missing? Then when we "get there" it is kind of, not really at all what we thought it was going to be?

In some ways I am glad I looked at the TV and reminded myself of why I do not really miss it at all. I was reminded that I could have spent that hour doing something else. Gotten another hour of sleep, posted a blog entry, written content for my website, read the day's paper or the great book I brought along.

I am happy to go back to no TV and have learned my lesson - a late learner on this one. Years ago, my Dad had what we now call a teachable moment with me as a 10th grader when I snuck out of my bedroom (via window) to go to Sherry Auclair's house to work on the Homecoming float late on a school night. I thought EVERYONE WOULD BE THERE and that if I didn't go that I would be the only one not there. Turns out, only 3 kids showed up because their parents wouldn't let them go out late on a school night. Yup. It's not what you miss, it's what you think you'll miss. Thank you Dad...so true!

Feels the same! I didn't really miss anything at Sherry's and I surely am not missing anything by not watching TV. I do need to work harder at getting the news - radio while driving and computer should do the trick.

Confession over - back on track!

Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin

It Was Just the Right Thing To Do

Day 148 (Year Two)

My fellow Kiwanian, Rich Stewart, is the Director of Legacy at Clover Blossom, an adult care facility with 240 residents in Rochester, NY. On September 1, 2011, his site joined the other seven Legacy’s in town committed to "going greener" by eliminating styrofoam take-out containers and cups in their dining room! Eco-clamshell boxes are now used for take-out food and only ceramic cups or glassware for beverages. Although the to-go option still exists for food, albeit in much smaller containers, to-go coffee is no longer an option their dining rooms.

The initial program was tested at one of the sites, and with great success, it was adopted at the other three.

Originally, the discussions on their to-go policy with the administration, owners and principals centered around environmental, financial and health issues. Besides these common concerns, they also knew that the to-go option meant that many of their residents were not spending as much time in the dining room at meals as they perhaps could by enjoying their second cup of coffee with a fellow resident.

They explored the positive social implications of reducing the take-out options. Could this impact the way people connect - in person - and perhaps build a stronger community? The pilot site answered that question with a big yes!

Rich facilitated two months of on-going conversations with his Residence Council – walked and talked everyone through the pending changes. Viewed once as a potential inconvenience the new policy is now embraced as a welcome change! Residents are grounded in new habits they know are good for the environment - and good for their environment! They are taking more time to talk with each other in the dining room and conversations and relationships are carrying over way past breakfast. What an excellent example of the sustainability triple bottom line in action - people, planet AND profit...well did Legacy!

"It was just the right thing to do", Rich said. He also shared with me that people do not seem to miss the old to-go option. Once in place and after a few weeks, everyone was on board. He also recognized the decision for Monroe County to accept recyclables up to Number 7 as another facet of their decision to go greener....Thank you Monroe County!

Problem. Solution. That was easy!

It is a privilege to know this story. Thank you Rich and the Residents at Legacy Clover Blossom!

Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin

No Water for You

DAY 129 (Year Two)

One of my "sticky" habits (changes that have prevailed over time and memory) is bringing a reusable water bottle, a travel coffee cup, bamboo To-Go Ware and my own cloth napkins when I travel. I usually refill the water bottle before getting on the plane at a water fountain (aka "bubbler" - hello WI/MN family and friends!) or at a restaurant. I do not get water from the restroom sink. Nope.

Anyway, I was a little rushed getting onto the last leg of a Delta flight home and saved my water refill for the flight. I have never been refused a refill on board, so I had no reason to think this time would be any different...

Once we were at cruising altitude and drinks were being served - which by the way I NEVER need to know how high in the sky we are, thank you - I got my bottle ready and was going to deliver my standard, "Water please and could you put it in here?", while offering up the bottle to the attendant with a casual and perky, "Just trying to save a cup!"

Well, that wouldn't wash with Wanda, who responded, "Oh ,right, uh, well, no." I was surprised, but just said OK and put my bottle away which in retrospect must have thrown her off - perhaps she was expecting a volume argument. I figured it was just a matter of time before I would be refused for sanitary reasons...you know, if her bottle touched my bottle in a moment of sudden turbulence - it would be icky, there would be germs and would create a very un-hygienic situation...and I agree! Her bottle would be unusable and besides who knows if her bottle had touched other people's bottles. Wanda clearly felt bad for denying me - she told me that she would feel responsible if I got dehydrated and offered me a plastic cup of water to pour into my bottle - still defeating the purpose of not using a cup. She tried hard to get me to take a cup with her promise to recycle it. She even offered me the liter bottle she was pouring from! Nonetheless, I stuck with my decision and she stuck with hers. I had to say four or five times that it was OK, I totally understood and reassured her that we would be Facebook friends by the time we landed!

Anyway, my positive agreement with her and her willingness to share the reasons behind her response, led us into Part One of a great conversation about it not being Delta's policy about not refilling water bottles (she wasn't sure they had one!) but actually her own personal policy. I respect that 100%. Delta does recycle when they can (time permitting) and I appreciate that. This exchange took about 5 minutes and with an "ahem" from the other attendant, and as they rolled on back to dispense more Coke and tomato juice and I heard one or two more "sorrys"...clearly she felt really bad about

Part Two of the conversation was back in the galley with Wanda and the other two flight attendants. As I was walking back to the bathroom, I said (loud enough for W to overhear, thinking I was funny), "Gosh I am so thirsty..." which served to open up the conversation again - she really did feel bad! Nonetheless, we had a quick but deep conversation about values and sticking to them whether or not it is company policy. I explained my commitment to not just Recycle on the back end but to Reduce on the front end. They talked about the challenge of the inconsistent "no refill" policy between flights and even between attendants on the same flight. They had stories of unhappy, non-compliant passengers whose insistence on using their own bottles and cups made for added stress. With no policy to back them up, the reliance on their personal conviction of this seemingly simple decision to refuse a refill was admirable.

Interesting. Isn't that how life is? There are no company policies to lean on or blame when it comes to personal decisions on how we live our lives, how we treat others, how we spend our time and money.

Once safely on the ground at my final destination, I said goodbye to Wanda and she said, "Sorry." one more time, I said, "It's OK, thank you." one more time and we parted ways...

Lesson learned - fill early and often and be ready to back your decisions with your values - even at 32,000 feet.

Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin

Habits, Always Habits

DAY 99 (Year Two)

I had gotten off track with a few things - veered off to buy some new items - small - new nonetheless...greeting cards, computer bag for a college bound gal, a t-shirt from Moravian College, Barnes & Noble/Target gift cards...hmmm....still doubling the value and putting that amount into a special account...kind of a win-win "punishment"...

On the food front too - its been easy to slip into the convenience and rationalization - especially when I am traveling...I really want to eat locally AND as of late have enjoyed bananas, OJ and some other distantly sourced goodies...so which is it? Full or part time "Localvore"??? Same on the vegetarian front...a little salmon here, tuna salad there...so which is it?

The end of the world? No...AND I must decide and stick with it. There is a little more ground work to do on the vegetarian scene...find my local black bean farmer, talk to some veg friends for support and make more deliberate time for packing my own food for road trips to avoid the fast food traps.

On the Nothing New side of things....set some time aside to make a few cards, get more creative with gifts, and stay focused on the need vs the want.

So, Day 100 is a renewal day - a back-on-track day, a take-a-breathe-and-keep-moving-forward-day. It's been an odd day anyway - contemplative yet restful - just the winds of Irene here...knowing that thousands of people are not having a peaceful day makes the quiet here more of a contrast...I hope everyone is recovering or prepared depending on which end of the storm they are on.

Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin

Keurig Rant

DAY 98 (Year Two)

Disclaimer: Apologies to my family and friends who have a Keurig...

The search for quick, easy fixes to our daily tasks ends for many with the purchase of a "Keurig" - the instant coffee and tea machine. I had a Keurig in my hotel room on my last road trip and used one of the little plastic cups to make a cup of tea thinking I would be able recycle or reuse the container. Turns out the small shot glass type cup filled with coffee or tea is not recyclable and the reuse is limited by the hole that gets punched in the bottom. I took the thing apart and found a tiny filter glued to the inside of the cup under the foil lid which makes sense as to how it "brews" the tea or coffee.

But isn't that exactly how a coffee maker or tea bag works anyway? So why the need for this mini-filter, one cup thing? Isn't that exactly what a single tea bag or a coffee "pod" would do? The premise is that it is gourmet, fresh and always ready...but how fresh can something in a tiny plastic thing actually be? Shipped from somewhere and stored on a shelf then in a box under a sink in an office??? OK, maybe some people keep the "K-Cups", as they are fondly referred to, in a cupboard or in a glamourous display on a counter...I just don't get it...

Overall, I am not sure the K-tea took any less effort or time than it would to heat water in a microwave...so what's the attraction? I still had to get water from the tap, pour it into the machine and press a button to make it start...I suppose I saved time and effort by not having to rip open the tea bag...really? Hmmmmm...really, I dont' get it!

This inspirational blurb is from their website:

Brewing excellence, one cup at a time.

We strive for excellence. It's literally a part of who we are as a company. You see, "keurig" is actually derived from the Dutch word for excellence, and it's also our promise to you. From start to finish, it's our benchmark. Be it our patented single cup brewing technology, our gourmet brands of beverages or our customer service, it's simply something you'll come to expect.

Today, we're the leading single cup brewing system in North America, and we couldn't be happier to provide gourmet coffee drinkers with the perfect cup, day in and day out.

Why do we think the single cup brewing technology is so great?

We believe that coffee should always be served fresh, just like a gourmet coffee house, wherever you are. Period. So why brew coffee a pot at a time when we drink it a cup at a time? It was from this question that our revolutionary concept of a K-Cup® Portion Pack was born.

Introduced in 1998, Keurig's innovative single cup brewing system lets people brew the perfect cup of gourmet coffee in less than a minute, without having to grind beans, measure coffee, handle filters or clean up. It's as simple as it gets.

Choose. Brew. Enjoy.®

Simple? Once again, I don't get it. Simplifying an already fairly easy process seems absurd to me. Gosh, I mean is it REALLY that much work to mak coffee? Well, I guess I do have to go all the way to the pantry to get the coffee, work up a sweat to open the bag and pour the beans into the grinder. THEN I have to take a break to work up enough energy to push the grinder down and hold it for hours to grind the beans...then rest again to be able to turn on the water and transport it to the coffee maker. When I have rested enough, I am then able to hoist the coffee filter out of the drawer to lift it up into the coffee maker with both hands. And when I am finally able to recover from the strain of these steps, I push it the start button and hope for the best. Yes. Sarcasm present and accounted for!

The simplified simple process produces a trash item that is not at all "green" or sustainable...Please reconsider this purchase if it was on your list. Your coffee pot and any of your appliances that heat water work just fine. Resist the quick, easy way out that puts more petroleum based plastic into our landfills!!!! This is the K-Response to their non-sustainable product - my comments in (-) for your reading pleasure :)

Sustainable Packaging (not sustainable at all!)

K-Cup® Portion Pack Packaging is an area of major environmental concern for all consumer product companies. As the single cup coffee market and our Keurig brewing systems grow in popularity, we understand that the impact of the K-Cup® Portion Pack waste stream is one of our most significant environmental challenges. The K-Cup package is made up of three main (non-recyclable) elements -- the cup itself, a filter and an aluminum foil top. The polyethylene coating of the foil - as well as the process of heat-sealing the various elements - makes recycling difficult (impossible).

However, this packaging approach prevents oxygen, light and moisture from degrading the coffee. Without the barrier the packaging materials provide, we could not maintain the quality and freshness of the coffee, which means that all the resources and effort put into growing and roasting great coffee would be wasted (so then just get fresh coffee and grind it yourself for Peet's sake!). Finding a more environmentally-friendly approach to this packaging challenge is a big priority for us (but not that much, eh?). We are working on a few different fronts to improve the environmental characteristics of the K-Cup® system, as well as to mitigate its impact (should have done this before In My Humble Opinion).

Here's what we are doing:

* We are actively researching alternatives to the K-Cup® Portion Pack's petroleum–based materials (meanwhile thousands of K-Kups are going into the waste stream!)

* We are conducting a Life Cycle Analysis (so?) to help us understand the overall environmental impact of the K-Cup® Portion Pack as compared to the use of a typical drip- brewer (again, should have done this before...). There are environmental considerations at every step on the road from "tree to cup". By studying the K-Cup over its entire life cycle, we can more clearly understand how and where we can reduce its footprint (yes, stop making plastic junk).

* We are working to identify the right definition of "environmentally friendly" for all our packaging, including the K-Cup Portion Pack. For example it could (should?) mean carbon-neutral, made with renewable materials, recyclable, biodegradable, compostable, petroleum-free, all of the above, or something entirely different (what does that mean?). We are researching what is possible today and tomorrow, taking into account the current state of packaging technology, consumer preferences, community infrastructure, performance requirements, and the demands of the marketplace. (was there really a demand? are we getting that lazy/busy/
overwhelmed with life that we can no longer make coffee????)
* We also continue to offer the My K-Cup, a reusable filter cartridge assembly that can be refilled by the consumer, is easily cleaned, and is compatible with all Keurig home brewers sold today (you mean like a coffee filter????)

OK, I'm done...going to go make some coffee but I need to rest first...

Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin

R.I.P. Beets

DAY 65 (Year Two)

With NO RAIN in weeks...my beets did not survive...even with twice daily watering the leaves that looked promising, withered and turned brown. Darn! Had a little ceremonial moment for them as I pulled them out of the ground - exposing a skinny one inch root, not beet-like at all - and had a minute of respectful silence as I released them with love into the compost...for my worms to welcome with open arms...

Posted this link on Facebook today as a solid reminder of the water situation - I should say drought situation - around the country given the extreme heat and lack of rain....puts things into good perspective.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/drought-exceptional-states_2011-06-30

Water is one of our most precious commodities and it is easy to forget what a luxury it is to turn on the faucet. I drink water from my tap - no filter - and it is fine. Well, mostly fine...I got a free water test from Home Depot and then got to talk about my results with a nice Anderson Water dude. He was truly interested in educating me about water in our area and did not try to sell me anything. Check it out! Disclaimer: I just did a little research on HD and this service - seems they used to partner with a company called Rainsoft but there were so many complaints that now they work with Anderson - at least here in the Rochester, NY area. Always good to read fine print and to be clear about what you want and don't want.

Anyway, I do not have a water softener or filter on the tank so my water has a bunch of "stuff" in it that could be removed. Even though our water is pretty good - yay - I could help it along a little...will wait until next year to make that NEW purchase...

So tomorrow, have a little ceremony for all the water you use - as you shower, brush, wash and flush. Limit what you use, no matter how small the reduction. You can use less water! Even better, really pay attention to how you use water for one month and see what you can do. Oh, and say hello to the beets in your produce section next time you grocery shop...and have a moment...

Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin

Don't Need TV

DAY 43

It’s been over month of no TV and really, I do not miss it! I am out of the habit watching altogether and of having it on in the background at home or in the hotel while traveling.

Although I have no idea of what is happening on the Bachelorette or on Glee, my life seems more peaceful, my mind less cluttered and my travel more blissful. I do *not* miss hearing all the bad news, the over-amplified commercials or the Cheers re-runs! We will have to see how I feel when all the new shows start up again in the Fall....

Other pluses abound – read two (2....2, really!) non-work related books, got more work done, wrote postcards on vacation, talked with my Mom more and took care of other miscellany like follow up emails, logging receipts, and balancing my checkbook. These would have gotten done eventually but it just feels like I am more organized and getting things done along the way instead of letting them pile up – AND in order of importance (imagine that), in time (monumental feat) and with less stress (for real). Have all but forgotten about Starbucks...what is it, this Starbucks? Oh, right a coffee place.

I did find myself entranced by the TV twice on vacation - shared a cabin with my Mom who was kind enough to keep the TV off most of the time - thanks Mom! Once I was staring at a soap opera for a few minutes and had to rattle my head and extract myself...I think my mouth was even hanging open a little. The second time it was Wimbledon and I am pretty sure I wasn't blinking at all - had to go into the other room. I could hear the TV which was a tiny cheat but was able to do other things...Much easier at home here where turning on the TV provides only a snowy/static-y "I don't' have cable" screen.

Was gone for 12 days and came back to a nearly overflowing the garden...no TV means more time to pull weeds and mow!

Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin

"Lettuce" Look at Where You've "Bean"...

DAY 29 (Year Two)

I don't "carrot" all that you "beet" me to the punch! A little garden humor to start your week - hahaha. I find that I am funnier later in the day and after a little caffeine...hope you agree! Could not think of a way to fit "zucchini" and "garlic" into the pun however...I just added tiny little Ajíes dulces pepper (Puerto Rican Sweet Peppers)and green peppers for sofrito thanks to my friends at Henry Hudson School- Jessica,Marisol and all the kids! Will work on more garden "pun"ishment for you in the next blog unless you tell e not to.

The garden is growing! Everything is up - healthy evidence of beans,tomatoes, melon and squash...will keep you posted. Oddly, one little bit of lettuce came back and one sprig of cilantro...a Festivus Miracle (Seinfeld reference) as neither of those are perennial. A good omen me thinks. Turns out what I thoguth was a miracle carrot as well only looked like a carrot on the above ground side...it was just a root below...oh well!

I purchased special red compost worms this past Saturday - very exciting! They were very worm-y when I put them into my bin...heeby jeeby-ish because they were all in a lump and moving around...shudder. I left the lid open for a bit so that they would burrow down into the stuff to get away from the light...no sight of them now...the idea is that they eat the compost and keep things rotating along especially because the kind of compost bin I have does not allow sunlight in. Can't make it too wet- I have strict instructions from Renee with Vermi-Green at the Farmer's Market (Fairport) to spritz only if needed. The worms breathe through their skin and could drown if it gets too wet. I feel responsible :)

Have plans for next year's garden already in the works - I picture a garden double the size it is now, with a white fence all around to keep the bunnies out...oh and a trellis arch doorway entrance with a swinging gate. Plenty of space between raised beds to walk and room on either side to mow...oh and out in the back - room for a pony!

Meanwhile, I am working hard on eating local...froze 2 quarts of strawberries and am enjoying a few with local honey in my Chobani yogurt (made in NY!).

Have gone almost 3 weeks with no tv - even in the hotel and at friend's...I am no longer missing it or interested! The "no Starbucks for a year" has been harder...especially on the road...but do-able. (I got into a bad SB habit the past month or so and needed to quit. At over $4 1-2 times a week for my iced grande caramel macciato...it was not a good expenditure...imagine average $6 a week x 52...$312! Bad.

More to follow - have a Nothing New Day!

Kristin

What's on TV?

DAY 12 (YEAR TWO)

Ideally, I would be watching TV whilst enjoying my Chipotle take-out (in this quaint, peaceful theatre district hotel in New Brunswick, NJ...alas, my decision to watch NO TV for one year precludes me from doing so. Instead, I am alone (not lonely :)) with my veggie Burrito Bowl in recyclable container and my To Go Ware bamboo utensils - greening it up baby!

The quiet room is a welcome change to the past 24 hours spent in NYC, I must say! I was working with a talented and lively group of Orientation Leaders at Pace University and then drove to my next stop for a training tomorrow here in NJ. It took me almost an hour to get OUT of the city and into the Holland Tunnel...good times. There are so many cars and people! "It's a wonder more people don't get picked off in the streets by cars!" I spoke out loud to myself in the midst of it all. A lot of honking and not a lot of smiling.

So...no TV for a year. The Time-Warner dude said "Wow, good luck with that", as we cancelled my cable. There is no option at home to even turn the boob tube on in the first place so that will be easy to manage. The hotel TV temptation is a little more challenging. I resisted last night and actually got a lot of loose ends tied up via email, caught up on a staying in touch with my people connecting on Facebook (not giving that up) and had a long phone call with a great friend...I think NO TV is going to be a good thing...

Not only will I "get" more time...my call to Time Warner will save me $96 a year! I also reduced my land line plan in the same call...another $240 a year or so saved for a total of $336. OK then! What could you cut, change, reduce in your life to unclutter your time, your space or your finances??? Check out this cool blog by ...reposting Erin Rooney Doland's website here:

http://unclutterer.com/

Going to get ready for tomorrow and enjoy the silence....Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin

Year Two of Nothing New - Let the Games Begin!

DAY 8

I started Year Two on Sunday, May 22 to coincide with Day One of the LeaderShape Institute with Cornell University students... It was easy to start since Days 1-6 were sequestered at a retreat site in Painted Post, NY! Now the real test begins.

I will be doing monthly challenges again...while I am ramping up for June, I am using the rest of May to get my garden in order, go through closets, clean my office and spare room...

To keep things super exciting, I am also adding three major year-long efforts...

1. No TV for one year! I will take the TV out of my living room so it will be easy at home anyway to NOT watch...it will be a little more challenging if I am at a friend's house or in a hotel room whilst on the road...I will be strong! I will not be watching Hulu or any TV on the web either - easy now since all the season finales have taken place - talk to me in the fall when I am missing Glee, Modern Family, The Office and The Good Wife!

2. No Starbucks!!!! I have gotten into a bad habit of a weekly - if not more frequently - iced grande caramel macchiato...I was using it to celebrate - everything from a successful workshop to working with a new client to "Today is Tuesday"...not good! I shouldn't even be drinking coffee for one thing (food sensitivity) or milk! (lactose intolerant) - never mind it is $4 plus every time...imagine a year of savings - $4 x 52 = $208...will bring my own tea and reusable mug if I meet someone at an SB or any other coffee spot...I think I can do this one...

3. Seriously reducing my trash production...even though I compost and recycle, I know I can do more! Had to make a tough decision today at Wegman's - to buy locally grown greenhouse lettuce in a #5 non-recyclable container or lettuce from California in a little plastic bag I can use again or recycle...I opted for the CA lettuce - now I am thinking I should have gone with the local lettuce and found a re-use for the silly container...what do you think? I am also keeping all pieces of paper mail I get from unsolicited sources and making ongoing calls to get off mailing lists...should be interesting to track...

NOTE: I continue to get pulled into the food part of my Nothing New lifestyle...I am working hard to eat seasonally and locally...I found out that yogurt is OK for most folks with lactose intolerance and got me some Chobani Greek Yogurt today - made in NY - yay! It has 23g (that's twenty-three!) of protein in 8 ounces - more yay! Local kidney beans and NY apples are getting me back on track...

More soon - hope you are all well...

Have a Nothing New Day! Kristin

Water, Water, Everywhere

DAY 425

Last week, I had a great Skype session with a new friend/colleague in Education City in Doha, Qatar, Chris Silva. He is the Sustainability Coordinator for the Residence Halls there - a new position - and he gets to do all kinds of cool projects to teach and learn about sustainability. So great to have first hand commentary and comparison of what important things are happening around the world to take better care of our planet!

Weeks ago when we met at the LeaderShape Retreat in Chicago, Chris told me about some exciting initiatives he is promoting to change perceptions and behavior around water and local food - in particular to change the perception that "nothing grow in Qatar because it's too hot". Look at all that grows there:

Egg plant; zucchini; Chili peppers; tomatoes; gourds; cabbages; bell peppers; cauliflower; lettuce; corn; broccoli; green beans; carrots; different types of herbs; green onions and mint. (thanks for this Chris!) Nice list, huh?

This last chat, Chris shared some of his ideas for implementing a campaign to educate staff and students about the safety of drinking tap water in Qatar. The ultimate goal is to reduce the number of plastic bottles going into their landfills -I share that goal! Apparently the tap water in Qatar is quite safe and in fact is above the standards of the World Health Organization. In spite of that fact, just like many places in the US, the perception is that tap water is not as good (safe) as bottled water... I am sure the whole scenario is much more complex than this and that changing perceptions actually requires a culture shift not mere behavioral changes.

By the way...this info from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN:

Qatar is a small peninsula in the Persian Gulf covering an area of approximately 11,000 km2 including a number of small offshore islands. It's maximum length is about 180km along the north-south axis, while the east-west width is 85 km at its widest point. It is bounded by the Persian Gulf on all sides except in the south where it touches the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. Check the map :)

The movement toward more sustainable living is international...turns out, it is a small world after all...

More to come - have a Nothing New Day! Kristin

You Say Tomato

DAY 419

Had a great conversation today with Wegman's manager about the lack of local foods right now - usually there is something at this point but the (too much) rain has delayed Spring planting for our farmers. I appreciated the concern the manager had for the farmers and the time he took to talk with one other guy in produce AND make a phone call...then guided me to some local greenhouse on-the-vine tomatoes, NY apples and potatoes. Yay!

As soon as I can I will get to the public market as well as my little Fairport market to see what else is growing.

My garlic is coming along - just waiting for the leaves to dry back. From what I have read, it will be sometime in July and it is a test of patience and faith to harvest at the right time...then there are all kinds of next steps to cure and store the garlic - who knew? Best advice so far:

"To remove the garlic, take a flat shove and gently loosen the dirt around them. Garlic can bruise easily and bruised garlic does not keep well. Don’t bump it, don’t bounce it. Don’t drop it."

I had no idea it was such a delicate operation - will keep you posted.

I am making my final *new* purchases this weekend - including some garden supplies...very exciting yet oddly relieving to know I am going back to Nothing New...

Bye for now - have a Nothing New Day!

Kristin