During the past months, there is no doubt that times have been tough, for many it has been, and continues to be a very difficult road. Forced or involuntary simplicity is seldom fun, but can be good for the soul. People tend to think that Simplicity is simple — that it means easy — But Simplicity isn’t simple — it’s a complex idea. Out of necessity, my family has had to make adjustments in our lifestyles. With a sense that simplicity is a better way to live, We have been researching  ways to simplify.

First, there is the practical level of Simplicity, the one we are all familiar with, cutting back on consumption. We can shop less, turn our heat down, our air up, drive less and be careful with the energy we use around the house. It is the process of restoring a sense of proportion and balance between the material and non-material aspects of living.

Simplify to Save

Second, when you do this, simplification on a practical level, you have more time on your hands, people who practice simplicity will tell you this is “time for the things that matter”. But what are those things? Each person has to decide for themselves, what brings us happiness and well being. I for one know it is not easy to exam your life, to figure out what really matters and then do those things. By taking away a lot of the “maintenance” in your life, you do have more time. Simone de Beauvoir stated the rationale for  self-realization when she said: “Life is occupied in both perpetuating itself and in surpassing itself; if all it does is maintain itself, then living is only not dying.”

Third, you also begin to focus on the planet, ecological awareness prompts recognition that our earth is indeed limited, with all that implies for conservation of physical resources, reduction of environmental pollution, and maintenance of the beauty and integrity of the natural environment.  It’s very clear that excessive consumerism is not good for the planet, By recycling our waste, using things up, not replacing them with the latest and greatest and using things made from sustainable resources, we not only simplify our lives but contribute to the planets health!

A Healthy Planet

It is possible to turn this “recession” into an opportunity to make permanent changes in our lives and ultimately to do good for ourselves and the planet. What do you think?

After several years of debating this issue with my wife, I finally searched the web for answers. Not that I need to prove my side, because once again, I think I am right, but to prove my point, I needed some supporting facts.
So, here goes: Are ceiling fans worth buying and running and do they save you money? Well the answer is Yes, and No. Simple huh? Once again there is always the fine print that you are supposed to read, that small bit of information they never tell you. So here it is;

Yes, ceiling fans do work and save you money if…. and that’s a big IF, you turn up your thermostat in the summertime, and down in the winter time. It works because we feel cooler, in the summertime, when we feel a breeze. Therefore if you turn your thermostat up about 5 degrees you’ll notice a difference in your electric bill. (5 degrees, appears to be what is considered a breeze). However, if you are not in the room when your fan is running, it doesn’t do you any good. You see, inanimate objects don’t have feelings, your sofa, chair, carpet, not even your rock collection, notices a temperature difference if the fan is running. So get in the habit of turning off your fan when you leave the room. Just like you are supposed to do with lights, Sharen. I know your parents taught you that, (ha, ha) mine did.

Do Ceiling Fans Cut Costs?

image by tamaradulva

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I’m on a quest to stop “Phantom Power Loss” in our home and become a smart electric saver! You may well ask, what is “Phantom Power Loss”, so here goes…

• Every household appliance uses electricity even when not in use, the biggest consumers are items like televisions and satellite or cable boxes.
• Electricity consumed by these everyday appliances whilst not in use is known as Phantom Power Loss.
• By implementing some easy household practices you can easily cut this power loss in half.

Reducing Phantom Power Loss

I recently read an article on “phantom power” used by household appliances such as televisions, satellite boxes and DVD players etc, and was astonished by how much electricity is used even when you aren’t using them! This started me on my “Smart Electric” quest to cut down the amount of power we waste…

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Out for a walk the other day, I noticed a couple of old automobile tires leaning against the trash bins at a business. That got me to wondering, what do they do with all those tires? Apparently, discarded tires have long been considered a landfill pest. These tires are often under-recycled. They cannot be land-filled in their original form and are posing a problem for many states. Texas has an estimated 80 million recycled tires sitting in storage. Only 15 percent of the state’s discarded tires are recycled according to the Texas Natural Resource Conservation commission.

The North Texas municipal Water District, which provides regional water, waste-water and solid waste services to cities north and east of Dallas, turned its attention toward this tire supply when it began renovating and recycling a 30-year-old, 140-acre landfill northeast of Dallas. They determined that using the old tires , processed into chips and used in leachate collection systems as an alternative to gravel or sand presented many benefits in the landfill construction.

Shredded waste tires

1. Recycled tires have larger pore spaces than gravel or sand and do not have fine minerals that restrict flow through the collection system and prevent complete removal of landfill liquids.

2. Ease of transportation. The light-weight tire chips are easier to transport and maneuver than gravel or sand. One cubic yard of tire chips weighs approximately 900 pounds; a cubic yard of gravel weighs more than 3,000 pounds.

3.Readily available supply. To construct the first eight-acre section of the landfill, NTMWD used 1.2 million tires, or almost 11,000 tons. Over the next decade, 10 more sectors will be constructed. This project will help diminish Texas’ oversupply of used tires.

4. Cost-effectiveness. By using the tires, NTMWD saved approximately $400,000 in the first sector. The total cost of using tires on both the landfill bottom and side slopes was $812,765. In contrast, using gravel on the bottom and sand on the side slopes would have cost $1,256,025; gravel on the bottom and tires on the landfill’s side slopes would have cost $1,103,725; and sand on both the bottom and side slopes would have cost $1,138,060.

“This landfill now offers several protective barriers to separate the solid waste from the environment,” said Carl Riehn, NTMWD executive director. “We’re not only using recycled products to construct the landfill, but we’re also recycling the landfill itself.”

The NTMWD landfill reportedly is the first in Texas to use this type of leachate collection system. Across the state, other landfill operators are following the district’s lead and applying for permits for similar systems.

This is just one of the things that Texas along with other states are doing to recycle and reuse those old tires.

YOU COULD WIN a fabulous UrthBags “Elle” clutch purse which is made from recycled materials by the wonderful UrthBags company.
Our September freebie giveaway will provide one lucky winner with a piece of beautifully chic eco-fashion. UrthBags are this seasons hottest fashion accessory and you don’t have to feel any eco guilt as they are made from a wide range of recycled materials.

Our September Giveaway Prize

Features:
+ Fabulous Clutch
+ Magnetic closure
+ Product Dimensions: 8″L x 2″W x 3″H
+ Product Weight: 0.4 lbs.
+ Available color: Silver (shown)

September Giveaway Competition

The “Elle” clutch purse is made from recycled silver juice box liners and is wonderfully cute! It features a magnetic clasp system and is the best eco chic fashion accessory for 2009.

Entering the competition is easy, simply leave a comment against this post telling us why you would like the UrthBags “Elle” clutch purse, leaving a comment against this post earns +1 point (comment must contain a valid email address);

You can earn bonus points in the following ways (Be sure to let us know which bonuses you use in your comment);

• LEAVE A COMMENT TO ENTER: Just leave a comment here and you will be entered to win this wonderful UrthBag purse!
• VISIT URTHBAGS: Simply visit the UrthBags website and let us know which is your favorite UrthBag design and why +1 point



• BECOME A FRIEND: Add us as a friend on Myspace or Twitter = +1 point each
  
• SUBSCRIBE: Subscribe to the Our Everyday Earth Newsletter = +1 point
• PRIZE: An UrthBags “Elle” clutch purse (Approximate value $42.50)
• GIVEAWAY CLOSES: Wednesday, September 30th 2009 at 8pm CST
• NUMBER OF WINNERS: One – picked at random using random.org
• PRIZE SHIPS: USA or Canada
• THE USUAL: One entry per e-mail address is permitted. In the event of a tie the winner(s) will be selected using random.org and announced on Wednesday 30th September 2009. Good luck!

More Competition Info…

You can read all of our competition policies here; COMPETITION POLICIES

We had a great response to our August giveaway competition and we are proud to announce our winner;

Amy J is the proud winner of the 7″ PanDigital photo frame and we look forward to hearing from her with stories of her paper free photo frame.

Our Everyday Stuff Freebie Winner

We want to extend a big thank you to everyone who entered our August giveaway competition, if you didn’t win this time around then watch this space because our September giveaway competition will be announced tomorrow, September 1st!

A note to all of our friends on Twitter, you will get a sneak peak at what our September giveaway will be so go check out our Tweets!

Tomorrow is the beginning of National Mushroom Month, so in honor of this auspicious occasion I thought I would do a followup on my mushrooms blog a couple of weeks back.  Did you know that Mushrooms have a approximately 90 percent water content, this makes them low in calories and ideal for anyone interested in a lighter lifestyle. One half cup of button mushrooms only has twenty calories, but it also has potassium, selenium, 2 grams each of fiber and protein, niacin, iron, riboflavin and zinc. Selenium is a powerful antioxidant, and potassium helps reduce blood pressure and prevent heart disease. Mushrooms also contain copper, an important mineral for your heart. Portobello mushrooms have more potassium than a banana. There are over 38,000 mushroom varieties, some are toxic and shouldn’t be eaten. Experts say the best method to determine whether a mushroom is safe to eat is by utilizing a method of sprinkling salt on the spongy part, or the gills. If they turn yellow, they are poisonous, if they turn black they are safe.  Personally, I’ll just buy mine at the grocery store or farmers market, a lot less chance of getting the wrong kind of mushroom. Mushrooms do contain some natural toxins., so it is best not to eat too many raw ones; cooking tends to kill the toxins. Here is a great recipe I found for organic stuffed mushrooms:

Ingredients

8 large button or open-cap organic mushrooms
4 tablespoons wholemeal organic breadcrumbs
4 organic spring onions
1 small red chili
1 large organic tomato
1 clove of fresh organic garlic
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
4 tablespoons of grated mozzarella cheese
2 strips streaky organic bacon
1 sprig of fresh coriander

Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

image by formalfallacy @ Dublin (Victor)

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