#14 Termination of Meatetarian Habits: (FINALE)

   As I was contemplating what exactly my last Green Change for this challenge should be, it had occurred to me that a stronger, more challenging impact must be made. Sadly for me; a picky eater, I was faced with one of my most daring yet inspiring tests—no meat for one day of the week. This test will question the lengths I will go, to help better my planet and home. 

    

Meatetarian; I bet you have never heard such a word. But in my household this word exists. For meat is an essential part of one's diet, not to mention it’s one of the most delicious too. Personally, I could not live without meat. I’m not sure what it is about my taste buds, but they always seem to disagree with certain flavors. I am constantly trying to incorporate all the food groups into my daily diet, but vegetables just don’t seem to cooperate. By Meatetarian, I mean I love meat; it’s not that I don’t eat any vegetables, just not as much as I should. Lets just say cooked vegetables are by far my worst nightmare, the taste and the texture throw me off completely. Fresh, cold salads or nicely cut raw veggies on the other hand sound perfectly tasty to me.

So, to widen my horizon and to help save the environment, I have decided that my Meatetarian persona must be monitored, and I will eat vegetarian one day of the week.

People choose vegetarianism for many different reasons, some resulting in the way the animal has been killed, the impact the meat has on their body, ones religious beliefs or maybe they just do not enjoy the taste of meat. An article that I had read stated that 27 billion animals are killed each year for human consumption. For many people this number is too high, and they have to make a personal decision. Another result to vegetarianism is the constant worry of where the meat has come from and the risk factors that follow; in the same article I read that 9.8% of food poisoning is a result of infected meat. I mean who wants to digest food that they know nothing about, or perhaps are uncertain where the meat has come from and who exactly handles it.

The reason behind my vegetarian motive stems from the effects that is has on our environment, for without earth we would not be able to survive. What many people do not recognize is that it takes a lot of land mass and transportation to raise the cattle and ship the final product off to grocery stores and markets.

Another website I had come across during my research underlines the amount of CO2 being placed in our air and atmosphere by transportation of food. It was estimated that 9% of carbon dioxide emissions are being released by the transportation of food products. In the UK approximately 19 million tones of carbon dioxide is released into the air and atmosphere and 2 million resulting in transportation. Thus leading to markets and local food stores to become more popular, for the food is fresh and produces less CO2 in our environment.

The last website I had turned to for extra information underlines into further detail the amount of beef that gets produced followed by the impact it leaves behind on our environment. For example, 1 kilogram of beef creates more greenhouse gas than driving a vehicle around the city for 3 hours. Akifumi Ogino, the lead investigator of the National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science was interested to figure out the overall cost of raising the cattle, killing the cattle and transporting the cattle, after his work was completed a shocking number was discovered. A simple kilogram of beef creates 36.4 kilograms of CO2. This number is jaw dropping, I mean I cannot believe the amount of energy and gasses that it takes in order to produce a very small-scale amount of food. Perhaps eating no meat for one day out of the week won't hurt me, and it sure will play its part on our environment even if it’s baby steps at a time. Reducing my own consumption will not only help me protect our environment but it also help my personal determination abilities.  

I decided to add a few examples of the different meals and snacks that I had used to replace meat products and start a healthy diet. These are only a few examples:

Activia Yogourt. 15 Dec. 2010. Personal photograph by author. JPEG file.

<< Healthy Yogurt, a nice meat free snack.       

Almonds. 15 Dec. 2010. Personal photograph by author. JPEG file.

Almonds, another healthy snack to choose over meat snack products such as pepperoni sticks and lunchables.

Peanut butter wrap. 15 Dec. 2010. Personal photograph by author. JPEG file.

                                                           ^
This is a crunchy peanut butter wrap, quick and easy to prepare, yet this also makes a tasty lunch, again this item does not include any meat products.


Celery sticks are another way to stay healthy and eat luscious green snacks. With a touch of peanut butter or cheese whiz this snack is extra tasty. *Salads are also a great substitute for a big, meaty meal, they fill you up and you can eat as much as you want without worrying about how much you consume.
                                

Celery Sticks. 15 Dec. 2010. Personal photograph by author. JPEG file.

Pasta, and rice are yet another way to fulfill your appetite without having to consume meat, and help play your part in our environment. They are very healthy and delicious meals, and lets face it, how bad can one day be?

Pasta. 15 Dec. 2010. Personal photograph by author. JPEG file.

Kraft Dinner. 15 Dec. 2010. Personal photograph by author. JPEG file.

Rice-Uncle Ben's. 15 Dec. 2010. Personal photograph by author. JPEG file.

        Here is a grapefruit, fruits and veggies are very important to make sure you incorporate in your diet. This is one example of what I like, but there is also many different types of fruits and veggies that can be purchased. Again these are foods that one can eat in order to stay healthy and avoid meat products.                

Grapefruit. 15 Dec. 2010. Personal photograph by author. JPEG file.

#13 Termination of Christmas 2010 Gift and Garbage:

           It’s Christmas time; and let’s not forget, the most enjoyable time during the year. When I think of the word Christmas thoughts like celebration, love and happiness fill my mind, smells begin to stir about, and pine, cinnamon, and delicious foods are being inhaled through my nostrils. But this is not all, for Christmas also brings joy to my eyes; when they are filled with coulorful lights and by early morning under my Christmas tree lay many gleaming presents waiting to be opened.

            Visiting family and a splendid meal, playing various winter games, receiving time off school and work, and being able to spend time as a family, are all wonderful ways to share a happy Christmas. Along with all of these fun Christmas experiences also comes the giving and receiving of gifts. Even though receiving gifts is a very exciting part of Christmas I highly enjoy the giving aspect as well. For me the best part is the smile that giving gifts can put on friends and family faces. The excitement also comes from the preparing and the thought of the gift, not to mention the fun of wrapping and witnessing the explosion of gifts underneath the tree.

            It took me almost 19 years of receiving Christmas gifts and over 10 years of giving Christmas gifts to recognize the amount of garbage that these presents produce. The packaging of each product plays its own role to our environment, most of which is a product of glass, plastic, cardboard, sometimes even metal. These items are not only packaged in garbage materials, but the actual gift itself would eventually lose its use and then become garbage in our environment. After thinking back on the amount of Christmas presents I have received over the past 18 years I have finally come to the most practical environmentally friendly, not to mention cheap way of Christmas excitement. I have decided to hand make my Christmas presents and cards and use an environmentally friendly touch to the overall wrapping of my gifts. 

            This website I had found along my research of packaged goods gave me some great insight on the percentage of packaged products. The leading producer of litter from packaged goods comes from plastic, reaching as high as 53%, paper and cardboard follow behind reaching 25%, and glass packaged goods reaches 10% lastly metal with 7%. As you can see plastic reaches over half, meaning most children’s toys are made with plastic or cardboard packaging, which also creates a mess in our environment. This website also provides information on the percentage of material that essentially gets recycled: plastic- 19%, paper-59%, glass- 34%, and metal-42%. Even though we can see that some of these materials are still being recycled while the rest may not be, this could be a small impact on our environment but it still effects it.

           I have decided to include two videos that help visualize and get ideas on how to create these items. Sarah Snow explains ways to give green gifts and ways to test green wrapping.

        

           There are many alternative ways toward a greener lifestyle you just have to find the way that works best for you. So now that Christmas is fast approaching, eco-friendly gifts and wrapping styles are awaiting, from creative cards and handmade book marks, paintings and more, I will successfully overcome a white Christmas on the outside and a green hearted Christmas in the inside.

HOHOHO!           MERY CHRISTMAS!

                  

            I have also included some of my own hand made gifts. I am not entirely finished, here are just a few I have started and have been doing during this assignment. Here are just a few examples:

Wintery, Warm hand knitted slippers. 15 Dec. 2010. Personal photograph by

     author.

<< A pair of warm winter slippers, I have finished one pair and have one more to go, material included: yarn.
*No packaging included or exchanged in this present.

Re-used materials to make Gift wrapping (gift box). 15 Dec. 2010. Personal

     photograph by author.

  



This is a picture of a some re-useable materials that i had used in order to make this wonderful gift box. The materials include: a thin layer of recycled tissue paper, an old, reused box (cut in two, to help me make another twin cover) and some yarn and material to add a lovely finishing touch. (cheap decoration)
*No packaging or plastic included to wrap this green present.

Anklet made with beads. 15 Dec. 2010. Personal photograph by author. 

                                               

Eco-friendly earrings made with beads. 15 Dec. 2010. Personal photograph by

     author. 

<< A pair of earrings made with beads and thin wire, they look very cute, and work as a lovely gift. This is something I would certainly want.

Jewelry Box--Gift wrap. 15 Dec. 2010. Personal photograph by author  

                                                  

            

Eco-Friendly wrapping paper. 15 Dec. 2010. Personal photograph by author. JPEG

     file.

<< Green theme, and good for the environment packaging. Acts as a nice wrapping.










<< Pictures are another cheap and eco-friendly way to let your closest peers know that you love and care for them. This way they can have a piece to remember you by and it will add some great decoration in their homes.
This is just an example of what I have done.

Tasteful Pictures as gifts. 15 Dec. 2010. Personal photograph by author. JPEG

     file. Pictures are yet another nice, and cheap gift to give out for 

                          

Santa Card. 15 Dec. 2010. Personal photograph by author. JPEG file

And lastly, I have also been working on some Christmas cards to hand out to my closest family members. So far This is the only one I have, but they take some time and patience, but in the end this homemade, like no other card it healthy for both humans and the environment.                                  >>

#12 Termination to Take-out and Fast Food:

     <http://ericadobson101.wordpress.com/2010/01/14/

     no-fast-food-for-one-month/>

           As bad as it is for my overall health and well being, fast food still seems to find its way into my monthly diet and budget. Not that I am a huge fast food fan, but many times I have caught myself splurging on lunch here and there. As you may have already guessed, sometimes splurging here and there can lead to a deeper hole in your pocket. For me, sitting down to a nice homemade meal sounds much better then a quick ticket to an unhealthy meal and a quick visit with the family. But there are a number of different reasons why people choose take out. Time being the top reason. Many families believe it is faster and easier to just grab takeout for dinner rather then take the time to prepare the meal at home, some families may also only consist of one or two people, and cooking at home can become difficult and wasted food can occur more often. I have also witnessed first hand the hunger that follows the missed dinner, prior to your brother’s late sports game that also contributes to ones intake on fast food products. Not to mention the negative impacts that eating food before bed has on the human body, and the worst thing of all is that the food is very low grade quality, full of trans fats and saturated fats and CHEAP. This simple, quick source of unhealthy food also leads to massive amounts of liter, that potentially adds to our landfills.

            A website I read noted that eating these types of unhealthy fats one can become very sick and take the risks of potentially having heart disease or other illnesses. Waste is another issue that helps convince myself that fast food/takeout food, had to be eliminated, which leads me to: Trina’s Green Change #12 Termination to takeout and fast food. This Website also provides different ways towards a healthier lifestyle along with some tips towards food health awareness. One can simply take the step to stay aware of food products by viewing nutrition labels. These labels tell you what is added and included to the food and how much of each product is added. 

            Local food is a good alternative and much healthier, it contains less or no additives and preservatives, and also creates less garbage or liter for our planet. Each little step towards greenness makes a difference on our ecological footprint.  

            Another website I have come across, underlines the nutritional facts of many fast food restaurants. Take McDonald’s for example. A simple McDonalds meal includes a hamburger, a medium fry, and a fountain drink. If we were to calculate or review the nutritional facts of these three products, you will find a very nasty answer. To test this experiment I will list off these items along with the main facts that essentially make this meal as some say “a heart attack in a paper bag”.

For a simple cheeseburger served at a McDonalds, holding a weight of 119 grams, one is looking at an easy: 310 calories with a total 12 grams of fat. The sodium intake is 740 grams. Any of the healthier facts show very low ratings: fiber at 1 gram and protein at 15. Cholesterol and carbohydrates in this single cheeseburger out weight these previous two categories easily—cholesterol stands at 40 grams and carbohydrates at 35.

<http://www.walletpop.com/photos/best-fast-food-values/3657860/>. 

usually sealed in a paper box   container.                                                 >>












Now to include the famous French fries that we all know, taste so very good, but tremendously effect the overall health of the human body. So let’s just say we didn’t get convinced to up size our fries and pop to a large, and simply go with the medium French fries that is included with your meal. For a medium fry (only 114 grams in weight), one is looking at 350 calories alone. The total fat intake is standing at a high 16 grams while the sodium count is as high as 220. Again with the fiber and protein, the numbers do not seem to be very high, fiber 5 grams and protein 4 grams. Carbohydrates that get consumed through this product stand at a mind boggling 47 grams.

<http://www.walletpop.com/photos/best-fast-food-values/3657860/>

                                                                        more garbage that contains the food  >>>

If you are like me, then it is certain that with dinner, follows my uncontrollable sweet tooth, and instead of sticking with a simple fountain pop, I decide to spice things up a little and splurge on a milkshake (maybe even one of the best parts of McDonalds). I don’t know what it is, but strawberry triple shake milkshake sounds like the most delicious decision—until I examine the facts, on whether this is a healthy choice. For just a small size strawberry triple shake, containing a total of 333 ml. reaching as high as 420 calories and 10 grams of total fat. This item alone also contains 130 grams of sodium and 63 grams of sugar. Cholesterol reads 40 grams and carbohydrates 73.

As you can see in just one meal at McDonalds, your body will consume an unhealthy amount of salts, sugars, fats and carbohydrates. You may have heard the saying “you are what you eat” well in this case if you eat fast food, even just here and there, you will soon see the negative impacts that this low quality food has on your intestines and overall well being. Not only does fast food and take out effect our health, but it leaves behind litter, which some people choose not to properly dispose of. The process in which it takes to prepare these meals is yet another issue that convinces me to terminate my financial contribution to the fast food industry and stick to much healthier, but still cheap diet that will work in my benefit internally, externally and financially. 

So instead of being careless with your body and health, and taking no action to dispose of each one use products, think about sitting down to a lovely meal and mingling with the ones closest to you, just take a second to think about all the garbage that one single meal or individual can create. 

<http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/

     organic.html>. 

#11 Termination of one-sided paper usage:

Examples of two sided paper use. 3 Dec. 2010.
Personal photograph by author.  

                                                                                        
                                     FRONT                                                        BACK

Examples of two sided paper use. 3 Dec. 2010. 
Personal photograph by author.

       

  

             










            I have many different characteristics that essentially make up who I am today. Organization is one of the many characteristics I have that help me stay on top of my schoolwork and note taking abilities. At times, I’ve caught my hand drifting off onto a fresh new page to continue another note. I would have never realized the number of pages being wasted, until I sifted through my study notes—as review for the next upcoming quiz.

                                                                                                                                                                                              

            Writing on the back of paper is such a simple and efficient way to help save the environment, but lets face it, not every one thinks and acts alike. While some people decide to recycle paper products, others choose to throw it away as junk, where this paper then become pollution to the larger population and wildlife that lives amongst it. Paper is a great part of many people’s lives, whether that be at school or work, or used for personal information, letter writing and many other important things people need. The issue not being recognized is that most of the paper being used, usually holds one purpose and sometimes only covers half of a page, let alone the back—completely blank. (Wasted space and paper)

From a student’s perspective, I would have to admit that too many assignments consisting of 3-4 pages get handed in with only the front page printed on. This surprisingly should be the least of our worries, considering businesses and corporations from all over the world are another prime example of wasted space and paper. My eyes adjust to many piles of papers that swarm my managers desk consisting of blank pages, rough copied papers, letters, notes and other work materials to be signed off and handed out. Most of which hold significant value. Handwriting on the other hand, comes smoother, by remembering to flip over the current page and continuing your note on the back.

            There are plenty of ways to avoid this wasteful persona. The number one, most simple way: to remember to flip the page over and continue writing. But another way that may take some time and patience learning is how print or copy information on each side of your paper. In an article I read underlines how exactly one should go about towards setting their printer and computer to use the feature “double sided printing”. This allows you to print or photocopy any work, so that each page can potentially save a single sheet of paper. 


             Another article I read, underlining this topic, stresses the issue of paper waste that essentially ends up in our landfills. It is recorded that 36% of waste that is washed up in our landfill is paper or paper products. This is a substantially large number that comprises pollution in our environment. On average, 4 million tons of paper is disposed of yearly, making up approximately 68 000 000 trees that have been eliminated from our precious environment.

PRINTING EXAMPLE:

                              FRONT                                                                BACK

Examples of two sided paper use. 3 Dec. 2010. 
Personal photograph by author.

Examples of two sided paper use. 3 Dec. 2010. 

Personal photograph by author.

#10 Termination of Non-Rechargeable Battery usage:

Trina's very own rechargeable battery kit. 30 Nov. 2010. Personal photograph by

  author.

      



         Every time I turn around my family and I constantly have to change the batteries that are used for running our electronics at home. Devices such as television remotes, video game controllers, CD players, clocks, flash lights and cameras are just a few examples of technology that rely on battery power to keep them operating. A, AA, to AAA etc. Batteries are one of the world’s most productive ways to run electronics. Cell phones for example run on battery life, except in this case the battery type has changed, and chargers are the latest invention.

            Battery chargers have many positive roles that non-rechargeable batteries do not. For instance, non-rechargeable batteries cause waste, and if they are not properly disposed of, our soil, and groundwater could eventually become effected. As a matter of fact, there is no true safe way to dispose of this material, for it is made up of many chemicals, including acid. Re-chargeable batteries on the other hand, are made to last much longer—essentially reducing society's intake, because batteries do not need to be changed every month. Re-chargeable batteries however do have some down falls starting with the consumption of electrical output, using up very little money and power to charge these devices. On the flip side our landfill and water contamination would be less likely to become polluted, which means our environment would look and feel healthy.

            Rechargeable batteries are not a large investment however they will end up being more money then non-rechargeable ones. This cost is usually only a onetime deal, unlike non-rechargeable batteries where you would then have to buy on a regular basis, paying roughly five to eight dollars.

            On a website I read that approximately 15 billon batteries are produced and sold around the world, that is a large amount of batteries that maintain use on our planet. Not to mention how many of these batteries are not disposed of properly and get thrown out in the wrong places. Rechargeable batteries are the most productive replacement for throwaway batteries. You can easily save money by a single purchase, instead of a daily purchase. Reliability is another possibility when is comes to rechargeable batteries because you can use these batteries for a while before you have to recharge them. They will ultimately save your household a lot of money and most importantly they persuade my environmentally friendly persona to eliminate my own battery waste contribution, to better our environment.

Trina's very own rechargeable battery kit. 30 Nov. 2010. Personal photograph by

     author.

<< Picture of Trina's own personal Battery Charger

Trina's very own rechargeable battery kit. 30 Nov. 2010. Personal photograph by

     author.

#9 Termination of wasteful lunching—LITERLESS LUNCHING:

. <http://www.lunchwithoutwaste.com/LitterlessLunches.aspx>. 

          Nine times out of ten, anything that is quick and easy is also extremely harsh on our environment, as shown in my previous blogs. Take wasteful lunching for example. Making lunches can become a very time consuming moment in one’s day. Depending on the meal you have selected for lunch, will determine the length in which it takes to assemble it.

            For myself, during preparation I begin my lunch off with a sandwich, usually turkey and mozzarella cheese; a plastic bag is what holds the sandwich from flying apart in my school bag. I then quickly grab a fruit juice box, apple, and granola snack and head out the door—how quick is that! This does not include the cafeteria where I may finish my day off with a sweet treat. After I had started this green change, I had not realized how much of a negative impact, my daily lunch was on our environment. I wrote down a list of garbage materials that consisted in my lunch and began to interrogate my environmentally friendly persona. From plastic bags, to empty juice box containers, to granola bar and candy wrappers, I had finally come to realization that my lunch was plagued with waste—unnecessary garbage that could most definitely be ignored.

            So in other words, Trina’s wasteful lunching will be terminated. By simply removing all waste items and replacing them with an environmentally friendly touch. Starting today reusable containers will replace the plastic sandwich bags, a klean kanteen or stainless stain bottle will replace my usually drinking box and instead of a granola bar, I could take some carrots and celery sticks—a much healthier choice, carried in a reusable container. Apples or pears are still included in my lunch, for they are a quick snack, yet do no harm to our planet. I have decided that baked goods are an environmentally friendly way of satisfying my sweet tooth, as well as decreasing my personal candy wrapper contribution.

             On an eco-friendly website I found an article that stated every year, each school child will create on average 30kg of waste, by simply eating packaged foods. This website is aimed to help individuals find alternative solutions towards healthy lunches for both child and planet. Many of the replacement items mentioned above were included under the sites. Practical tips, but one item that I failed to incorporate is the stainless steal containers. Some positive reasons why one should invest in these containers are: they are very lightweight, they are shatterproof and you will never experience leaching flavors.

            Here is a video clip that helps prepare you to make a litter-less lunch. Tracy Bezeau is interviewing the city of Hamilton’s waste management director Flo Busnello. Flo Busnello explains the difference between boomerang lunches—where you take extras home and litter-less lunches—where you bring NOTHING in your lunch that has to be thrown out. Options such as bringing our drinking mug to a coffee shop and receiving discounts is yet another way for the community to help out it’s people and essentially their environment.

             The less waste you produce, the greener you become and the lighter your ecological foot print will be if you just simply cut down or limit your consumption of wasteful products. ALL NATURAL is the only way to keep our environment safe for future generations to come.

. <http://www.lunchwithoutwaste.com/LitterlessLunches.aspx>. 

                                                                Lunch Bag>>

      

. <http://www.lunchwithoutwaste.com/LitterlessLunches.aspx>. 

<< Glass containers
much better for our planet.

   

            

#8 Termination of unplugging unused appliances:

     <http://triaxisenergy.com/unplug-appliances-not-in-use/>. 

Energy and electricity; together they both help us human beings get through our busy lives. They provide us with countless gadgets that we feel we cannot live without. Some of these gadgets are needed throughout the day while others are just a constant want. Appliances such as lights; help us to see when it’s dark, heat; which provides us with warmth when the weather is cold, and electricity to make cooking and cleaning much easier. Appliances such as hair blow dryers, or hair straighteners help us dry and style our hair, or laptop and phone chargers that allow humans the privilege of entertainment and communication.

What some people fail to recognize is that many of the worlds population takes these privileges for granted; that is to say when these appliances are not in use, and still plugged in the outlet, energy and electricity is essentially being wasted. I mean, these electronic luxuries are here for us to use, in moderation. When people begin to abuse these privileges, our environment suffers. The main question that boggles my mind as soon as I think of this sad problem worldwide is: Why are we wasting our resources for nothing?

Lets face the truth, usually in just one room—like my own, electronics fill one’s sight; from the newest flat screen television set, to video game systems, to laptops and cell phones. These items are yet sometimes forgotten when I am in a hurry to get to school and get left plugged into my electrical outlets, all the while using up power. It never truly struck my mind on how much energy and money is being wasted each day from this simple task of removing un-used appliances. Resulting to the Trina’s termination of un-plugging non-used appliances.

On a website I found during my research stated that all electric devices slowly are drawing electricity all the time, while being plugged in. Even though this amount is only small and very minimal, it can still lead to bigger amount such as millions of house appliances being unused. The power that is essentially wasted is also known as standby power. This site also gives some tips on how one can help save energy waste and money in their household. The very first thing you could try would be to unplug all appliances when not in use, or the highest consumers of energy. If you find this does not work for you and that maybe unplugging all devices is not practical, then investing in smart power sticks may be a good investment in your home. This device monitors the electricity usage of that particular outlet. When the appliances have not been used for a period of time then this power stick will automatically shut the outlet off—preventing energy or electricity from escaping and becoming wasteful. 

   

   In a video on vampire energy also known as standby power, many statistics are explored and many unknown facts surface. It was estimated that households use up to 100 dollars per year on wasted power. Stephanie the lead researcher also explains ways to prevent this problem and introduces energy saving devices, which can help households from potentially wasting money and energy. Products that have the energy star printed on them are also great ways towards helping save on our resources.

<http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/11/

     another_stake_through_the_heart.php>. 

<< One way to help a household save on energy and money, also known as the Smart Power Strip.