My Mom is Bartender — Social Stigmas & Climate Change

With a heavy heart, on October 10th I left the Climate March on the same day it crossed into Pennsylvania, and I returned home to New York. Recently, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved Texas-based company Crestwood Midstream's proposal to store methane in old salt caverns along the Western shore of Seneca Lake. This, I had told myself, would be the one situation that would draw me away from finishing the Climate March early. So, here I am.

I soon discovered that I was not only returning home to a lake in crisis, but also a mother in crisis.

My mom and I during her visit to the Climate March in Ohio

Two nights ago my heart was broken as my mom broke down in tears and sobbed in a panicky voice about the outside pressures she was feeling in her life.

The Green Resolution

I've never really been one to have a New Year's resolution. I've always seen it as something that people promise to do and then give up after a week or two of commitment. Also, I don't think we should wait for a new year to make much needed changes in our lives. I believe a resolution or a promise for change can happen at any time, when it's needed most. But, if you are inspired and committed to having a resolution this year, this post is for you!

For those of you who want to have a serious resolution but haven't thought of one, there's a change that's needed desperately right now. The human race needs to have a resolution to reduce our negative impacts on the planet and increase our sustainable habits. Instead of buying an expensive gym membership that you'll only use for a week, make a commitment to living a greener lifestyle for 2014.

Going green can help you be healthier too: physically, mentally, and spiritually. And, an awesome thing about going green is that for many initiatives, it won't cost you any money or it will save you money!  

There are lots of money saving, free, and cheap things you can do to be more sustainable, and I will try to list as many as I can think of here. Feel free to add more in the comments if I miss anything!

Recycling Projects: Plastic Bottle Piggy Bank

Plastic Bottle Piggy Bank

Here’s a tip from a senior in high school who is planning on attending a $55,000/year college: it’s never too early to start saving for your higher education! So today, I’m going to show all the lovely people on Viridorari, especially the youth, how to make a piggy bank out of a plastic bottle. 
    This project involves minimal amounts of cutting. Please supervise your children during these steps.

    Materials
•    Plastic bottle, 2 liter bottle (the bigger the better!)
•    Pink felt or construction paper
•    Four extra bottle caps
•    Pink and black acrylic paint
•    Pink pipe cleaner
•    Googly eyes (optional)
•    Glue/tape
•    Scissors/knife

Weekly Green Challenge: Driving Habit Awareness

This week’s “Green Challenge” is actually pretty simple, in my opinion. Starting tomorrow, on Sunday, I’m going to ask that you keep a driving log until next Saturday, when the new “Green Challenge” is released. I’m going to keep a driving log too, and I’ll post it along with my reflections with next Saturday’s challenge.
    This challenge, although it’s not asking you to change any habits, will be difficult in that you’ll have to pay attention to your daily trips and remember to write them down. I designed this challenge so that you can become more aware of how much gas you’re using and how much you’re spending on gas.
Here is a model log that you can use:           

Date	Start Place	End Place	Miles Between	Car	MPG	Gallons Used	Cost of gas/gallon	Money spent