We're Here!

We arrived in Portland, OR on Monday and to record temperatures! It was 105-107 the first few days and we were miserable. We decided to camp on the coast where temps were in the 70s. It was a gorgeous drive and fun to camp so early in our arrival. We've been unpacking, looking for employment, taking in the beautiful city and surrounding trees and rivers...I'm kind of in love with Portland.

There are places to recycle everywhere. Our apartment complex has recycle bins for the residents (why can't California do this?!), the option to purchase renewable energy (FLIPPIN' SWEET!), and a food coop close by!

Yes, I'm definitely falling for you, Portland. <3

It's Official

We're moving! The end of July to Portland, OR and I couldn't be more excited!

I've been completely consumed with the process of moving, along with planning and shooting a friend's wedding that I have spent next to no time doing my usual stuff like baking bread, knitting (or practicing, rather), voracious research on self-sufficiency, and all the other things that usually consume my brain. Now that the wedding is over and the pix are edited and made available to the lovely bride I feel like I can breathe a little easier.

Also, in this process I've done some things that I don't think are very green and I've been struggling to justify them. For instance, we traded in our 2000 Honda Accord for a 2005 Chevy Silverado truck. Gas hog. But, we will be moving 2-3 times in as many upcoming years and ultimately living on a farm where the truck will be necessary. Financially, it was a good move for us because we're saving money that would have gone towards a U-Haul ($1200! WTF). The flip side of the truck purchase is that we also sold our other car for a motorcycle that gets amazing gas mileage and will be used as primary transportation rather than the second car we sold. Is it a wash? I hope so.

I can't wait to get up to Portland and explore that amazing city, visit with all the family I have up in the Pacific Northwest and begin our search for the perfect parcel of land to begin our organic hobby farm!

Making a move

We are planning to move to Oregon or Washington to live closer to family, live less expensively (currently we're in So Cal and it is PRICEY), and eventually buy some land that will allow us to live more self-sufficiently and green! I am bummed that my choices are so limited where I live now. Public transportation is lacking, merchants that have the eco-conscious consumer in mind are limited (or very expensive) and the general concept of less is more seems non-existent here in the land of status symbols.

Recently, I've read some great books and articles on living sustainably: from building your own cob house to human waste composting. I'm not sure where I fall on the green spectrum, but I am open to lots of the stuff I've been reading. It surprises me. There was a time when I desired Coach purses, held convenience in the highest regard, and loved what I've come to know as the anything-but-authentic lifestyle of this area.

Growing older, attending college and coming to terms with my successes and failures has changed my priorities over the last 3-4 years. It was not that "going green" is on its way to becoming fashionable. I'm stoked that these topics are no longer considered liberal, hippie drivel AND that due to this mainstreaming, more resources and accountability have found their way into our lives. Moving North will no doubt enhance this availability and that is exactly what I'm hoping for.

The Pacific Northwest

We are considering a move to Oregon/Washington sometime soon. My husband needs to be able to transfer his employment to another location (of which there are many in that area), but since the economy isn't so hot right now that might take more time than usual. We are dreaming of building our own home that is built with green living in mind, as well as the ability to be self-sustaining. We're talking solar panels, organic farming, a cow or goats, chickens, beekeeping and maybe a horse or two. I'm not sure if this falls under the category of hobby farm or not, but it would not be something we would try to do on a large scale. We want to be able to sustain ourselves and perhaps sell the extra stuff we'd make on Etsy and local farmer's markets.

The fact that I'm a clueless city girl has given me pause, but I am a believer in treading lightly on the earth, living healthy and above all, knowing how to live. I'm the first to admit that I have not been much of a homemaker up to this point in my life: most side dishes I've made in the past came out of a cardboard box. I do know how to cook and enjoy learning more about scratch cooking. But, I think it would be wise, healthy and fun to take it to the next step. Don't get me wrong, I love technology and my internets, but I want to find a way to coexist with the tried and tested healthy ways of the past and combine them with the smart, helpful technologies of today. I'm finding that smart isn't always healthy in today's world...while plastics, chemicals and other advents that were hailed as improvements to our lives aren't always worth the risk. What bums me out the most is that oftentimes these things are known to be unhealthy, but still marketed and used by companies that care only about their bottom line.

A good, green mix of the old and the new - that is what I'm looking for. It might take more effort in some ways, but everything I've learned thus far has shown me that everything I want can come from my own hands...and not in new, improved, convenient plastic packaging guaranteed to save me 5 minutes of time, but last forever in the landfill and soil. OK, I'm getting off the soapbox now (recycled and filled with my own handmade soap, ha!)

Yah, I'm getting a little more crunchy every day...

I have been going all kinds of green lately! Today my husband and I made (with all natural/organic ingredients):

• Laundry soap (lavender scented)
  
• Dish soap (peppermint scented)
  
• Dishwasher soap
• All-purpose cleaner (peppermint scented)
  

While there was a small cost associated with purchasing the things we needed to make the stuff, our overall costs will go WAY DOWN over time - not to mention being better for our health and the environment.

I'm swimming around in a gazillion websites, books and forums trying to educate myself on the best practices for the things I want to do, but yeah, it can be a little confusing. I'll be working on a way to make all this information make sense on a whole-house level soon. Making my own supplies and at the same time trying to live with less plastic consumption and minimizing BPA consumption may turn out to be a challenge, at least in the beginning.

I am loving that my husband is so on-board with going green and getting healthy. We had a great time making these things and then putting them to the test (yes, they work!). Tomorrow, I make my first foray (after an unfortunate attempt in my younger years) into baking bread. We're also going to research setting up a clothesline.

The Update

On the Green Front:

• I'm stopping water delivery from Arrowhead Water and going to this Pur Water Filtration/Dispenser that uses safer plastic (although, ugh...it seems so hard to get away from plastic entirely!)
• I've been reading a lot about scratch cooking and homemade cleaning products and I'm getting ready to dive in sometime this month
• I've joined the local Freecyclers in my area, which is how I acquired the Pur water system I'm going to be using. Free and recycled - very cool!
• I've been using and have fallen in love with Lush's Karma Komba shampoo bar. No plastic bottle, smells lovely (and not too hippie at all) and seems like it's going to last me at least 3-4 months. Eventually, I may go SLS free, but for now, this stuff is great!

I have read much recently about people who have gone what is called the no-poo method, but I have to say, I'm not quite there yet. In the process of educating myself I've come to realize that there is so much to learn and so many resources out there, but I haven't yet found The One Resource To Rule Them All. So, I'm slowly gathering up information and figuring out where I stand and what I believe will be the best way for me to live green.

On the photography front:

I've been spending so much time reading about eco-friendly living and doing homework for a QuickBooks class I'm taking online that I have let my photography reading fall to the wayside a bit. I feel pulled in a million different directions when it comes to what I want to read and study. I am determined to finish up my BA in the next two semesters which means I must resist the urge to take classes that will not help me do that (like photography, Spanish, QuickBooks, etc.)

On the health front:

Last week I was hit with a 3+ day stomach bug that was the worst I can remember having in a long, long time. Of course, I promptly infected my husband. We're both feeling better and looking forward to getting back to the gym once were all healthy and a little more chipper around here!

Green Beer

Leave it to me to get to the most important stuff first.

How can I be a more eco-friendly beer drinker?

Thank goodness I'm not the first one to wonder. There is lots of interesting information to be found here.

PS - It is very possible that I get no traffic on this site as it is new and unpublicized for the most part. But, if you make your way here and you have found yourself The One Beer that I need to know about, please do tell!

Green on the inside

I'm sickly today, so I've spent a good deal of time browsing some of my favorite go-green-0r-go-home sites, diy sites and other places that have just the faintest hint of patchouli. I've never been a hippie or a hipster...but something more down the middle, with a touch of damn-it-all thrown in there for good measure. I care about people, the environment and my responsibility to the aforementioned. It can be exhausting thinking about all the things I should be doing. I know the appropriate approach is to do a little at a time, and I do. But, I've been slowly making my way down Granola Way and I'm very close to turning in my Ziploc bags and salon died tresses for hemp bags and henna.

In my efforts to be healthy inside and out, as well as be conscious of my footprint it seems like the timing is right. I don't know if I'm going to run out and make myself some shampoo...but maybe I'll start using a shampoo bar.