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So, how did it go driving less this month?! Did you walk, bike, or bus more? What creative solutions did you come up with to save on gas and lighten the carbon load? I can’t wait to hear!

Me, I had a moderately successful mission. My goal was to use only 1/2 a tank of gas this month (down from my usual 1 tank). Alas, I didn’t quite get there. I used ~3/4 tank, which is 50% more than I intended to use . . . or 25% LESS than I used to use, if you’re an optimist (I am). So I still think that’s pretty rad.

As far as I’m concerned, the real champion of this mission is Damian. He started a new job mid-May (YAY!) and was diligent about biking, no matter the weather. That’s 10 miles round trip and he faced torrential rain, strong wind and even hail! But he stuck with it and only took the bus once. I’m so inspired by him!

So, now I want to hear about all of you. Bikes? Busses? Skateboards? How have you been transporting???

It was just over a year ago that I wrote All About Compost, in honor of our very first Monday Monthly Mission. Now it’s spring and garden season once again, and I’m returning to shed some new light on the subject. Because kitchen scraps are just the tip of the iceberg – you can also compost:

1. Soy/rice/almond/etc milk
2. Coffee grounds
3. Fireplace ash
4. Nut shells (not walnut)
5. Toenail clippings
6. Pet hair
7. Human hair (home haircut or saved from the barber shop)
8. Dryer lint
9. Dust bunnies
10. Innards of a vacuum bag (empty the bag into the compost)
11. Burlap sacks
12. Pumpkin/sunflower/sesame seeds (chop them to ensure they won’t grow)
13. Toothpicks
14. Cotton or wool clothes, cut into strips
15. Stale tortilla chips/potato chips
16. Stale crackers
17. Domestic bird and bunny droppings
18. Old potpourri
19. Sawdust
20. Fish food
21. Dog food
22. Crumbs
23. Flowers
24. Seaweed/nori/kelp
25. Peanut shells
26. Bran (wheat or oat, etc)
27. Condoms! (latex only)
28. Paper towels
29. Paper napkins
30. Paper plates (non wax- or plastic-coated)
31. Trimmings from an electric razor
32. Tea bags/looseleaf tea
33. Crepe paper streamers
34. Q-tips (not the plastic ones)
35. Old breakfast cereal
36. Dead houseplants (or their dropped leaves)
37. Newspaper
38. Avocado pits (chop them up first)
39. Frozen fruits and vegetables
40. Tofu/tempeh
41. Expired jam or jelly
42. Feathers
43. Kleenex (including ‘used’)
44. The dead bugs on the windowsill
45. Pickles
46. Balloons (latex only)
47. Egg shells
48. Coffee filters
49. Popcorn kernels (the ones at the bottom of the bucket)
50. Oatmeal
51. Aquatic plants (from aquariums)
52. Matches
53. Old loofas (real, not synthetic)
54. Tampon applicators (cardboard, not plastic)
55. Pencil shavings
56. Holiday wreaths
57. Bamboo Skewers
58. Old herbs and spices
59. Pizza boxes (shredded)
60. Cooked rice
61. Cooked Pasta
62. Wine corks
63. Paper muffin/cupcake cups
64. Cotton balls
65. Booze! (beer and wine)

On the first Monday of every month, we take on a ‘mission’ – a shift or habit or inspiration – to work on together. There’s strength (and support) in numbers! On the last Thursday of the month, we reconvene to see how far we’ve come.







I’m baaaaAAAAAck! Did you guys miss me? I sure missed you all! Today Waits is 2 months old exactly, and I can’t believe how quickly the time has passed. Ain’t he a cutie-pie? Maternity leave has been a total blast, but now I’m sooooo excited to get back to blogging!

And how better to jumpstart our community, than with a challenging new MMM?

High atop my vintage Schwinn, ‘Althea’. Summer 2008.

#11


Let’s talk transportation. We all know that gas-powered vehicles are an environmental nightmare, but it can be hard to break out of such a convenient (and let’s face it – comfortable) habit. The truth is, if you really want to cut your carbon footprint, transport is key – in terms of impact it’s second only to going veg*n.

So in honor of springtime and the sunshine that it brings (perfect for vehicle-free transportation), I challenge you to rethink how you get around. Could you alter your errands to stay within a bike-friendly zone? Could you jog around your neighborhood instead of driving to the gym? Could you walk to work, or to the coffee shop, or to the drug store? Could you do your grocery shopping with a friend, for the company *and* the car share? Could you catch the bus to school? Could you ride the subway to dinner? Could you set up an office carpool? Could you rollerblade to brunch?

As you can see, the possibilities for change are endless. And they really add up!

Personally, I do own a car. But I do the vast majority of my ‘moving’ by other means. I do my grocery shopping daily, by foot (while walking the dogs). I walk a lot actually, and it’s a great way for Waits to experience the world. I used to ride my bike everywhere, which gave me an even greater range, but that’s out until this baby gets a bit bigger.

These days my car averages 1 tank of gas per month, almost exactly on the nose. I fill it up around the 1st, and it takes about 4 weeks to get down near ‘empty’. So my personal goal for this MMM is to cut that in half. I intend to use only 1/2 a tank of gas this month! If I can make that my standard I’ll be sittin’ pretty, don’t you think?

Damian and I rockin’ the bike helmets. Safety first! haha. Summer 2008.

The bike basket during an afternoon of errand-running. Summer 2008.

So, what could *YOU* do to curb your emissions in the transportation arena? And do you choose to accept this mission??

So, how was the *oh! horror!* of having a Monday Monthly Mission centered all around shopping?! Haha, who says going green can’t be fun?

Although my bed rest kept my thrifting to a minimum, I was able to pick up a few awesome items this month. And of course, all the clothes and baby clothes I bought were gently used. But it’s not about me – I want to hear about you guys!

How did this month go for you? Were you able to remain entirely secondhand? What kind of goods did you get and how did you have to alter your habits? And most importantly, are you going to try to keep it up indefinitely???

I’d really love to share the thrift store love, so please please please:

1) Send me pics of the pillage! If you scored something amazing that you’d like to share, email me a picture (you don’t have to be wearing it if you don’t want to) at info@bonzaiaphrodite.com Please include your first name and the city/country you found it in.

2) Send me the names and addresses of the BEST secondhand stores in your city, and maybe a brief description of why they’re so rad. I want to compile a list of the greatest thrift stores across America (across the world??). So send me all the top secret hot spots you know of in every city you’ve been to. Send your thrift stats to info@bonzaiaphrodite.com

Itty Bitty Bonzai is a collection of tiny tips and tricks for living a life more mindful. Small actions, collectively and compounded, become a powerful force of change.

#17

So the holidays are over and you’ve got a pile of greetings and gift cards, on display and collecting dust in a corner of the living room. But they’ve got to come down eventually, and unfortunately most will find their way into the rubbish bin.

Of course you, diligent Bonzai readers, would never trash that precious card stock, I’m sure. We’re all recyclers here, are we not?

But what about doing one better? Instead of tossing them in with the newspapers and tomato tins, why not hold on to them for later use? Simply remove that pretty (and valuable) front! (leaving the back, inscribed with your relative’s well wishes, to recycle) Now you have a brand new post card, a clever thank-you note, or a lovely gift tag!

You can also wrap a gift in simple brown paper (re-use a paper grocery bag), then tape the recycled card front to it, to add a festive image.

So save your holiday cards for the next years festivities! But don’t forget to save other cards throughout the year – this works equally well for Valentines, birthdays, and beyond!

BONZAI!