It's been a while since I last posted, again. /sigh/ What can I say, it's the summer? :)
Meanwhile, Slovenia beat Algeria, almost beat the USA and well - the UK won the other day! (It was too depressing to watch the bad game so I talked to the beekeeper neighbour instead! He told me some cool things!:)
Mind you, I am NOT a football fan, but if Sis and Granny both watched-?? It was a great game, 1st half od SLO:USA game, then I just lost interest lol!
Lots of bees came to drink from a barrel at our house, it was quite interesting.. The neighbour said he thinks bees know if something is toxic and avoid it, I'm not so sure myself..?
We didn't have the eco stand then after all - the event was 'double booked', some kids that would like to partake had a concert on the same day and couldn't, some were not so very much into eco things (or would need to be inspired more!) It was the end of the year...?
Apparently the shop took off the posters we had on the 1st eco stand when cleaning and they disappeared :( we also didn't have any good promo materials anymore (hopefully we'd manage to get or make more during the autumn/winter!) - and I got ill..
No surprise, since everything was quite hectic!
The potatoes needed de-weeding, and as I'm not such a fast expert (yet?) it took a while, basically the whole week, just at the time when we could practise with the kids! - It's not easy to be a wanna-be farmer and eco activist at the same time, sometimes!! I was hugely disappointed with myself! (for not setting it all up better, or earlier on, or getting other people on board to help before!) All the teachers and kindergarten teachers I know were busy with things this time of year too!!(I had no idea I wouldn't have time either!!)
It's all volunteering and goodwill at this time, so basically, who cares?
I do not wonder anymore why the government hasn't done something like that yet - grassroots campaigns etc, raising awareness at local levels - it seems to take talking to a lot of people and well, it's much easier to just build something than do these things!
Still, partly it was a success - creating together with two not-so-eco moms opened up opportunity for discussing eco things (without preaching!) and we had fun too! (One has written an eco song, she sings beautifully! I hope I'll get her to finish it and record it!) And some kids WERE interested! (I just didn't have enough reliable ones to carry the show!) It rained on the day, anyway! (The event still went ahead, but I hear there were not many people/visitors...) So, hopefully we'll create something later on! It would be GREAT to have a team of people who could jump in instead of me if I'm too busy or ill or something...
Partly, I feel burnt out... Part of me just wanted to jump on a plane and go to a totally different part of the world, maybe that is just escapism?
It's very annoying that some people I talked to (and a book by an eco biz expert!) all said that it's better to do things for free/without outside money at first, and later on (maybe next year) apply for EU funding or such.
It's annoying to know a lot of people (and non-profits) do get huge amounts of money for way worse projects than these!! And since I was warned project theft occurs, it's difficult to know who to trust... and to what degree.. (And since we renovated, where are some e-mail addresses I apparently misplaced??)
I think I lost some of the drive and motivation, or maybe it's just the summer? I do hope to get them back!!
My family want me to start earning money with the eco things asap!! Or at least to not lose money with these things! Dad is quite against the eco projects as he sees it as 'nagging' and 'obstruction' and 'slowing things down' - probably does not fancy women butting into men's domains like building and renovation??
I see it as perfect opportunity to educate, inform and inspire suppliers, merchants and manufacturers too.. I have shocked a few sales people when I asked what the window shutters and anti-mosquito nets are made of and if they can be fully recycled lol!!
Dad and Sis just want it done 'as soon as possible'! And I admit for a week it was too hot to research and then I got ill, oh dear.. Better already, hope it all clears soon.. Was wondering whether to try to get a (home) office away from home though, to minimize distraction... I'm officially ill so this minimizes distraction, still the renovations or farm/garden work are somewhat unpredictable.. And I still hate housekeeping, both cooking and dishwashing.. I tried my best last year, but then Dad just asked 'Why are you trying to be a good housekeeper?' (when I was trying to go zero waste) and he didn't appreciate it at all!! (He wants me to get a hotshot job/career and get married and give him grandkids!)
Granny thinks Dad may have onset of Alzheimers too (?) I thought maybe ADD/ADHD.. He didn't know the other day what a gardening concept meant that he taught us!! It hasn't been easy... :( He's behaving now that I was ill but I don't want to have peace only when I'm ill-??
So, I'm still figuring out my options, and hopefully I'll hear about some short-term funding opportunities soon too?
I wrote up some good eco programs/plans, and they could probably get funding too.. And now people just want me to do it all for free? hmm?
It seems I got pulled up too much into the pro bono/volunteer stuff and forgot to work on the profit centers/moneymaking.. I understand my parents too, it seems difficult to clone myself and do two or three different things at a time..
While resting, I read some good books ordered from Bookdepository, on time management and organizing etc.. Some things were quite helpful. I may do some reviews later on.
I did take some pics of the balcony, not sure how wise it is to put it online, color is very specific and I'd prefer to stay a bit incognito? We'll see.. :) Still have 2 balcony windows to paint, it was raining meanwhile and the wood needs to be dry for painting with tung oil too..
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Tung Oil, Milkpaint and Farm Work Pending
Sorry I've neglected this blog a bit. Again, lol.
Meanwhile, I've painted the newly glazed balcony with tung oil, after previously painting it with milkpaint (that the neighbour mixed from wallpaint pigment and - you guessed it, milk!) Apparently the Chinese used tung oil to protect their boats 2000 years ago (?) so I hope it would protect the balcony well too - and that it's the 'good' kind! (slightly nutty smell... brings out the beauty of the wood indeed, ideally we'd take this into account when making the balcony, some wood does not have so much beauty, lol! It's mixed with linseed oil, so not sure how 'waterproof' it is, we'll see.. Probably more eco than some other variants though..)
I've also been on a trip with beekeepers and talked to people about starting an eco non-profit locally.. We'll see how it goes..
The balcony and the terrace now have roofs, there's still lots of stuff to do though..
Dad wanted windows and stuff ordered 'now now now' it annoyed me to no end though - when else is there a better opportunity to ask businesses how green their products are than when well, shopping??
Still to call for some window protection - PVC or aluminum? Aluminum is costlier (so Dad says noo!) I really dislike PVC though, so still to find if it's PVC or some less toxic plastics? And apparently aluminom comes with foam added inbetween?? Can this still be recycled then?
I was too cross at Dad to call the company today and find out, sigh.
Dad hates my eco projects and thinks they're a 'hassle' (slowing things down and bloody interfering, sigh). What else can you expect from someone who worked in chemical industry almost all his life??
The 2nd eco stand was planned to be in 2 weeks, we don't have local talent or content available yet, and not sure if we'll get it ready by then??
Why was it planned on the same day the kiddies have a concert already?? Bloody lack of coordination and stuff!!
I've been distracted with this balcony work and now with farm work (ugh! I wish Dad informed us sooner than the night before!) It's very difficult to plan any meetings or phone calls or anything this way!!
Off to de-weed some potatoes, sigh!!!
Meanwhile, I've painted the newly glazed balcony with tung oil, after previously painting it with milkpaint (that the neighbour mixed from wallpaint pigment and - you guessed it, milk!) Apparently the Chinese used tung oil to protect their boats 2000 years ago (?) so I hope it would protect the balcony well too - and that it's the 'good' kind! (slightly nutty smell... brings out the beauty of the wood indeed, ideally we'd take this into account when making the balcony, some wood does not have so much beauty, lol! It's mixed with linseed oil, so not sure how 'waterproof' it is, we'll see.. Probably more eco than some other variants though..)
I've also been on a trip with beekeepers and talked to people about starting an eco non-profit locally.. We'll see how it goes..
The balcony and the terrace now have roofs, there's still lots of stuff to do though..
Dad wanted windows and stuff ordered 'now now now' it annoyed me to no end though - when else is there a better opportunity to ask businesses how green their products are than when well, shopping??
Still to call for some window protection - PVC or aluminum? Aluminum is costlier (so Dad says noo!) I really dislike PVC though, so still to find if it's PVC or some less toxic plastics? And apparently aluminom comes with foam added inbetween?? Can this still be recycled then?
I was too cross at Dad to call the company today and find out, sigh.
Dad hates my eco projects and thinks they're a 'hassle' (slowing things down and bloody interfering, sigh). What else can you expect from someone who worked in chemical industry almost all his life??
The 2nd eco stand was planned to be in 2 weeks, we don't have local talent or content available yet, and not sure if we'll get it ready by then??
Why was it planned on the same day the kiddies have a concert already?? Bloody lack of coordination and stuff!!
I've been distracted with this balcony work and now with farm work (ugh! I wish Dad informed us sooner than the night before!) It's very difficult to plan any meetings or phone calls or anything this way!!
Off to de-weed some potatoes, sigh!!!
Friday, May 21, 2010
Of Power Tools, Balcony, Milk Paint And Amanda Quick :)
Sorry for neglecting this journal for so long!
I've been ranting off-the record elsewhere, so if you absolutely must know what I rant about, drop me a line and maybe I'll send you the link (depending on whether I know you or not!:)
Mostly my days have been quite uneventful, minus the power tools and my family's lack of time management or any sort of organization. And it's not just my family, it's also the neighbours and the weather! Sooo...?
It's not easy to get organized or get things done (or make hay) if you depend on these 'outside' factors. I did read some Amanda Quick books, out of desperation. (Sis's fault for bringing them home!)
Oddly enough, they inspired me for eco things again! The heroines there are so brave and courageous and always getting into the oddest of messes, and out of them unscathed (mostly), and usually happily married!:)
They also have to deal with odd dilemmas and things like...
- who to trust? ('Those fossil diggers can be an untrustworthy lot!' lol! So it's not just the eco world that is full of iffy types and odd sorts?!:)
- how to date? (if you are really interested in other things - those heroines happily go about doing other things, until those brooding handsome-or-oddly-attractive heroes snatch them!:)
- how to be happy with own imperfections (all the heroines -and heroes - definitely have 'em, and are still happily in love anyway!!:)
So.. did I intrigue you yet? They are not for kids, so 18+ only. (My Grandma snickers over some scenes and only brushes past them.) They may return your faith in love (or life) or make you laugh, they are all invariably silly (and mostly look alike!) but that is kinda the point!:)
I did call some people inbetween re: eco things (and have some meetings next week!:), didn't manage to go to eco fair but did make some sort-of-hay (what is the non-hay for silos called?) helped create 1/2 of balcony (it'll be mostly glass and just polycarbonate roof. Plus, after my ranting about which color/polish would be less toxic - the neighbour painted the frames with - milk & wallpaint pigment-??!! ('You'll never guess, he said. We didn't. It looks pretty and yellow. Never thought I'd actually like yellow windows, and not sure if the black knobs really go with them??) He said wax paint (with turpentine - is turpentine toxic??) could be used on top of that for water-proofing/protection against water. (The milk paint is just pretty, offers no protection against water. And this is where the rain can be quite heavy.) I recently stumbled across the awesome milkpaint.com never thought you can just create your own lol!! :)
Not sure what to waterproof the windows with (can I get enough eco wax? How much would be needed? What about any oils or such?)
Some planks have been painted dark brown already, I called the company hotline and a friendly woman said the paint for wood outside contains an iffy preservative, so it's best to be not touched, and recommended painting over with a paint for indoors?
I asked Dad how much he thinks would be needed and he said, 'Oh don't bug me with that' or something like this, so Mum and I calculated a bit, still to do more Math..
Aunt A. suggested Dad's rash might be stress-related so we don't want to bug him with too much stuff anyway-??
Sorry if this is a bit scatter-brained, am awfully sleepy and going to bed at first possible opportunity! :) Been to a concert, a practical beekeeping class (unfortunately rainy so we didn't get to do a lot), to a funeral and a few other things... Wrote programs and ideas for a charity... Researched EU funding and project management... De-weeded some onions.. Got a pretty new pre-loved sweater (of cheerful colors!:) and tutored on global warming?? And what have you been doing? :)
I've been ranting off-the record elsewhere, so if you absolutely must know what I rant about, drop me a line and maybe I'll send you the link (depending on whether I know you or not!:)
Mostly my days have been quite uneventful, minus the power tools and my family's lack of time management or any sort of organization. And it's not just my family, it's also the neighbours and the weather! Sooo...?
It's not easy to get organized or get things done (or make hay) if you depend on these 'outside' factors. I did read some Amanda Quick books, out of desperation. (Sis's fault for bringing them home!)
Oddly enough, they inspired me for eco things again! The heroines there are so brave and courageous and always getting into the oddest of messes, and out of them unscathed (mostly), and usually happily married!:)
They also have to deal with odd dilemmas and things like...
- who to trust? ('Those fossil diggers can be an untrustworthy lot!' lol! So it's not just the eco world that is full of iffy types and odd sorts?!:)
- how to date? (if you are really interested in other things - those heroines happily go about doing other things, until those brooding handsome-or-oddly-attractive heroes snatch them!:)
- how to be happy with own imperfections (all the heroines -and heroes - definitely have 'em, and are still happily in love anyway!!:)
So.. did I intrigue you yet? They are not for kids, so 18+ only. (My Grandma snickers over some scenes and only brushes past them.) They may return your faith in love (or life) or make you laugh, they are all invariably silly (and mostly look alike!) but that is kinda the point!:)
I did call some people inbetween re: eco things (and have some meetings next week!:), didn't manage to go to eco fair but did make some sort-of-hay (what is the non-hay for silos called?) helped create 1/2 of balcony (it'll be mostly glass and just polycarbonate roof. Plus, after my ranting about which color/polish would be less toxic - the neighbour painted the frames with - milk & wallpaint pigment-??!! ('You'll never guess, he said. We didn't. It looks pretty and yellow. Never thought I'd actually like yellow windows, and not sure if the black knobs really go with them??) He said wax paint (with turpentine - is turpentine toxic??) could be used on top of that for water-proofing/protection against water. (The milk paint is just pretty, offers no protection against water. And this is where the rain can be quite heavy.) I recently stumbled across the awesome milkpaint.com never thought you can just create your own lol!! :)
Not sure what to waterproof the windows with (can I get enough eco wax? How much would be needed? What about any oils or such?)
Some planks have been painted dark brown already, I called the company hotline and a friendly woman said the paint for wood outside contains an iffy preservative, so it's best to be not touched, and recommended painting over with a paint for indoors?
I asked Dad how much he thinks would be needed and he said, 'Oh don't bug me with that' or something like this, so Mum and I calculated a bit, still to do more Math..
Aunt A. suggested Dad's rash might be stress-related so we don't want to bug him with too much stuff anyway-??
Sorry if this is a bit scatter-brained, am awfully sleepy and going to bed at first possible opportunity! :) Been to a concert, a practical beekeeping class (unfortunately rainy so we didn't get to do a lot), to a funeral and a few other things... Wrote programs and ideas for a charity... Researched EU funding and project management... De-weeded some onions.. Got a pretty new pre-loved sweater (of cheerful colors!:) and tutored on global warming?? And what have you been doing? :)
Monday, May 3, 2010
Can Polycarbonate Be Recycled?
As you may know, our house (and my ears!) have been subject to some renovation. It's not finished yet!
The balcony still needs to be 'closed up' with either glass or polycarbonate, or both.
This renovation has not been very eco, as I am NOT an expert on eco building materials (yet?) and mostly my Dad was in charge! Also, there have been some considerations: not-so-very-strong walls and balcony mean that light (not heavy) materials need to be used. So polycarbonate was recommended to us.
Can polycarbonate be recycled?
I almost fainted when I saw who produces polycarbonate! No other than the infamous Bayer! (producers of aspirins, toxic chemicals cotton is sprayed with in India, and the infamous Gaucho, alleged beekiller, that corn is treated with!)
Bayer says their polycarbonate product Makrolon can be recycled OR incinerated. Depending if there are any facilities for recycling!
(In Slovenia, I'm guessing NOT! As CDs that are also polycarbonate can't be recycled either.) Bayer actually recommend incineration. (hm!)
Apparently it's recycled within the factory, which is a good thing! I just wish something would be done with postconsumer waste too!
Is the other polycarbonate on the market Lexan really eco? (It is claimed that is, due to energy efficiency-?)
It seems lexan may not be very toxic (tests not for the faint-hearted!) though probably not completely harmless either, especially at high temperatures used for manufacturing or such. (Data from 1992, I wonder if there is any new info?)
Then again, I'm guessing straight window glass can't really be recycled here either - 'eco islands' (local recycling containers) only accept glass bottles, and rumors have it some of those may have not been recycled either, at least some years ago. And last year may have been so-so too, as the building industry was in crisis and didn't need glass wool (which is made from recycled bottles) for insulation.
So, what would be a better choice?
No idea. I told Dad to check leftover glass he has, if anything could be made from that? I was told glass would be hotter in summer (it's a South-West window, and it really gets hot here) and polycarbonate might give better insulation with less weight.
The roof would probably be polycarbonate, we are still discussing the vertical 'windows' or non-windows.
Any ideas or suggestions?
The cheaper polycarbonate is non-see-through (one might hide from neighbours more easily! Though a curtain could be used in that effect too, says Mom! And in case you need to talk to a neighbour, it's better if you can see her on the balcony). The more expensive polycarbonate looks like glass, scratches easily though. (That prompted me back to glass.)
Slightly scared the polycarbonate balcony roof would block my view of mountains! (Don't wish the balcony to start falling apart due to too much weight though either!)
Any experience with closing down of balconies?
The balcony still needs to be 'closed up' with either glass or polycarbonate, or both.
This renovation has not been very eco, as I am NOT an expert on eco building materials (yet?) and mostly my Dad was in charge! Also, there have been some considerations: not-so-very-strong walls and balcony mean that light (not heavy) materials need to be used. So polycarbonate was recommended to us.
Can polycarbonate be recycled?
I almost fainted when I saw who produces polycarbonate! No other than the infamous Bayer! (producers of aspirins, toxic chemicals cotton is sprayed with in India, and the infamous Gaucho, alleged beekiller, that corn is treated with!)
Bayer says their polycarbonate product Makrolon can be recycled OR incinerated. Depending if there are any facilities for recycling!
(In Slovenia, I'm guessing NOT! As CDs that are also polycarbonate can't be recycled either.) Bayer actually recommend incineration. (hm!)
Apparently it's recycled within the factory, which is a good thing! I just wish something would be done with postconsumer waste too!
Is the other polycarbonate on the market Lexan really eco? (It is claimed that is, due to energy efficiency-?)
It seems lexan may not be very toxic (tests not for the faint-hearted!) though probably not completely harmless either, especially at high temperatures used for manufacturing or such. (Data from 1992, I wonder if there is any new info?)
Then again, I'm guessing straight window glass can't really be recycled here either - 'eco islands' (local recycling containers) only accept glass bottles, and rumors have it some of those may have not been recycled either, at least some years ago. And last year may have been so-so too, as the building industry was in crisis and didn't need glass wool (which is made from recycled bottles) for insulation.
So, what would be a better choice?
No idea. I told Dad to check leftover glass he has, if anything could be made from that? I was told glass would be hotter in summer (it's a South-West window, and it really gets hot here) and polycarbonate might give better insulation with less weight.
The roof would probably be polycarbonate, we are still discussing the vertical 'windows' or non-windows.
Any ideas or suggestions?
The cheaper polycarbonate is non-see-through (one might hide from neighbours more easily! Though a curtain could be used in that effect too, says Mom! And in case you need to talk to a neighbour, it's better if you can see her on the balcony). The more expensive polycarbonate looks like glass, scratches easily though. (That prompted me back to glass.)
Slightly scared the polycarbonate balcony roof would block my view of mountains! (Don't wish the balcony to start falling apart due to too much weight though either!)
Any experience with closing down of balconies?
Monday, April 19, 2010
Let's Clean Up Slovenia - Huge Success!!
Biggest cleanup action worldwide so far - about 250.000 people attended Let's Clean Slovenia in One Day! (Only 2 million people in Slovenia, so this was huge!) See more on Yahoo News!
According to the Slovenian website (with Hi! from Estonian team!), the movement is becoming global fast, cleanup actions were already successful in:
• Estonia (3. 5. 2008, 50.000 participants)
• Latvia (24. 4. 2009, 60.000 participants)
• Lithuania (24. 4. 2009, 110.000 participants)
• India - Bengaluru (16. 8. 2009, 15.000 participants)
• Portugal (20. 3. 2010, 50-100.000 participants, analyses still ongoing)
Preparations currently in:
• India - New Delhi (pilot cleanup on 23. 1. and 20. 3: 1000 participants; cleanup: 26. 9. 2010 Organizers expect half a million people to take part!)
• Romania (25. 9. 2010)
• Italy (currently registering places with trash in nature)
• Latvia (also 17. 4. 2010 - about 100.000 people!)
Brief description of the project in English on Facebook.
There's also an idea for Let's Clean Europe and Let's Clean World!!
What I really like about this action is that LOTS of people who care about Nature connected, I met many cool people (I had NO idea some were eco! :)
Now let's hope the team will successfully lobby for Zero Waste Slovenia too!! :)
Discussions and ideas have started, so... wish us luck!!! :))))
Really tired and needing some rest, brimming with more ideas too, lol!
I really wanted to go to one of the FAB parties with excellent musicians (all volunteering on stage!) in three Slovenian cities - but I just fell into the bed and slept! lol!
Learn more on Let'sDoItWorld.org !
According to the Slovenian website (with Hi! from Estonian team!), the movement is becoming global fast, cleanup actions were already successful in:
• Estonia (3. 5. 2008, 50.000 participants)
• Latvia (24. 4. 2009, 60.000 participants)
• Lithuania (24. 4. 2009, 110.000 participants)
• India - Bengaluru (16. 8. 2009, 15.000 participants)
• Portugal (20. 3. 2010, 50-100.000 participants, analyses still ongoing)
Preparations currently in:
• India - New Delhi (pilot cleanup on 23. 1. and 20. 3: 1000 participants; cleanup: 26. 9. 2010 Organizers expect half a million people to take part!)
• Romania (25. 9. 2010)
• Italy (currently registering places with trash in nature)
• Latvia (also 17. 4. 2010 - about 100.000 people!)
Brief description of the project in English on Facebook.
There's also an idea for Let's Clean Europe and Let's Clean World!!
What I really like about this action is that LOTS of people who care about Nature connected, I met many cool people (I had NO idea some were eco! :)
Now let's hope the team will successfully lobby for Zero Waste Slovenia too!! :)
Discussions and ideas have started, so... wish us luck!!! :))))
Really tired and needing some rest, brimming with more ideas too, lol!
I really wanted to go to one of the FAB parties with excellent musicians (all volunteering on stage!) in three Slovenian cities - but I just fell into the bed and slept! lol!
Learn more on Let'sDoItWorld.org !
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
To Bee or Not to Bee?
Looks quite horrible, no? Keep or toss and get new hives? Still have bees at all? I love tradition and it's a loving memory of Grandpa but...? Yes, I was shocked to see them in broad daylight! - Well, the nets could be cleaned surprisingly easily! (I'm not sure whether to clean the 'invisible' propolized edges of the 'net' more too?)
I was advised to let go of these as new ones are cheap. (?)
Yes, it looks pretty scary!
The beehive could be cleaned quite okay, there are almost invisible cracks on the sides and in edges, bees put propolis there to fix this, I mostly scraped it off! (I was advised to do that, dunno? Though it seems counterproductive? New bees will have to propolize it all again?)
I was told old stuff must be scraped off and then to use fire to sterilize the wood.
This is the scariest part: the door is VERY bad! So, not sure what to do!
Will the neighbour have time to maybe make a new door or two? (Would it be better to just get new hives as some have advised? We're a bit late to ask the neighbour to make new ones, Dad said he might during the winter! I'd love to learn to make and renovate furniture and stuff myself, it'll be a long process I guess though.)
Partly, cleaning an old beehive is pleasant - the smell of propolis is soo yummy!!
Partly, I was fretting if there was anything iffy in the dirt (Grandpa's old neighbour said the bees just vanished from neglect and there weren't any diseases, so I hope all would be right with this!)
Dad said the beehives are probably as old as he is, or more! (60+ years!) He doesn't remember any new ones being made, these were quite new when he was little!
In any case, I've learnt a bit how to approach such a project, and saw it doesn't take so long to clean. You only see the real state of wood after you've cleaned it, and doors seem to be the part to watch out for!
Hopefully next year (winter?) I'll be able to clean and possibly renovate the old spindle too (I'd done it before if I knew what to use, so that it would be as eco as possible and still protect the wood?)
So, will I still have bees or will I give up on the project for the time being? (Or, until next year?) Stay tuned!
(Suggestions and ideas welcome!) What do you think?
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Eco Stand - DONE!!
So, not sure what to write here? The eco stand was DONE!! The 1st day we were sort of lost a bit, the 2nd day was much better!
It was 2 different locations at the same time, and a bit of rain inbetween, so the logistics of that were a bit tricky - I feel quite confident we could do it again, and might do it again in June or so, with one stand only (we've already been sort-of invited). Not sure what to offer instead of cloth bags though? (We gave away all of them!:) At least leaflets I guess...
I was frazzled for 2 weeks, yet I want to do it again LOL!!
There were things we could do better next time, and we'll have a debriefing after Easter. I've learnt A LOT from both the eco teacher and the scouts... At first I was afraid no one would want to take part, then there was suddenly too many people! lol! (And then some didn't show up, so it was just right!:)
Ideally we'd have experts to help with the expertise part of the info offered there etc.
Luckily, the renovations are mostly over! Much relief here. There's work in the garden both here and at Uncle's farm, though. And some loud neighbours (chainsaws etc). And still not sure about the bees - will I have 'em or not? (And how to have 'em in the most eco way?)
And with all I do, it seems all Dad wants is for me to do the dishes, or sweep the stairs...? (Which I don't mind doing if I'm not dead tired.. I had insomnia half of last week lol!) He just doesn't seem to understand the need for loftier purposes? Or to relax? To help inspire others to be more eco? He just seems to see the current practical things-to-do, and well, wants me to do them. (Or get married and give him grandkids! /sigh/) It seems like he's even jealous of my eco projects?? Or just guilty cause he's stuffed the bin full of something again??
Like Sooz, part of me wants to move away and have peace. Grandma's at our house again, she's had eye surgery, getting well.. Been attacked by giant spider in middle of the night so Sis and I are roommates now. Holidays are stressful at our house too.
For a few days, I was exhilerated and really happy. Now have started to worry over things again - eg how will the priest react? (Will he give us good photos for the article? He was pretending to be disinterested, and then went & took photos! hmm?) Do I ask the girl/boy-scouts for other eco projects, or are they too busy with other stuff? They said they could do something like the eco stand maybe 1x a year.
Mom said she and maybe another woman from the charity could help at the eco party, to point people to recycle right and maybe even wash/rinse the plastic plates so they can be recycled. Would compostable plates be better? (Have people to call on that one too!) How many (recycling) bins and volunteers does one need at an open-air party with 250-500 people?
So, a lot of questions...
Working on some other eco projects too.. Involving beekeepers and bees... Ideally, we'd start a successful 'Save the bees' campaign here in Slovenia too! :)
Update April 7th, 2010: The priest was real busy with Easter etc, so I and the eco teacher sent off the photos we had, we'll see what gets published! :) No idea why I was fretting so much over this, possibly cause it was pre-Easter time and I knew the priest would be busy and didn't want to bother him! :)
The eco party will be a 'mini party' and only one set of bins will be utilized, said the organizers - so it could be simple and doable!
The catering said styrofoam plates would be used - ack!! (Since there would be no tables, they said plastic plates would be too hot! Gotta check if there's a way to have any tables? Mom said there must at least be benches to sit down - still gotta check this, lol!!:)
I learnt it's useless to fret over things that one telephone call may easily clear! Lol!!
It was 2 different locations at the same time, and a bit of rain inbetween, so the logistics of that were a bit tricky - I feel quite confident we could do it again, and might do it again in June or so, with one stand only (we've already been sort-of invited). Not sure what to offer instead of cloth bags though? (We gave away all of them!:) At least leaflets I guess...
I was frazzled for 2 weeks, yet I want to do it again LOL!!
There were things we could do better next time, and we'll have a debriefing after Easter. I've learnt A LOT from both the eco teacher and the scouts... At first I was afraid no one would want to take part, then there was suddenly too many people! lol! (And then some didn't show up, so it was just right!:)
Ideally we'd have experts to help with the expertise part of the info offered there etc.
Luckily, the renovations are mostly over! Much relief here. There's work in the garden both here and at Uncle's farm, though. And some loud neighbours (chainsaws etc). And still not sure about the bees - will I have 'em or not? (And how to have 'em in the most eco way?)
And with all I do, it seems all Dad wants is for me to do the dishes, or sweep the stairs...? (Which I don't mind doing if I'm not dead tired.. I had insomnia half of last week lol!) He just doesn't seem to understand the need for loftier purposes? Or to relax? To help inspire others to be more eco? He just seems to see the current practical things-to-do, and well, wants me to do them. (Or get married and give him grandkids! /sigh/) It seems like he's even jealous of my eco projects?? Or just guilty cause he's stuffed the bin full of something again??
Like Sooz, part of me wants to move away and have peace. Grandma's at our house again, she's had eye surgery, getting well.. Been attacked by giant spider in middle of the night so Sis and I are roommates now. Holidays are stressful at our house too.
For a few days, I was exhilerated and really happy. Now have started to worry over things again - eg how will the priest react? (Will he give us good photos for the article? He was pretending to be disinterested, and then went & took photos! hmm?) Do I ask the girl/boy-scouts for other eco projects, or are they too busy with other stuff? They said they could do something like the eco stand maybe 1x a year.
Mom said she and maybe another woman from the charity could help at the eco party, to point people to recycle right and maybe even wash/rinse the plastic plates so they can be recycled. Would compostable plates be better? (Have people to call on that one too!) How many (recycling) bins and volunteers does one need at an open-air party with 250-500 people?
So, a lot of questions...
Working on some other eco projects too.. Involving beekeepers and bees... Ideally, we'd start a successful 'Save the bees' campaign here in Slovenia too! :)
Update April 7th, 2010: The priest was real busy with Easter etc, so I and the eco teacher sent off the photos we had, we'll see what gets published! :) No idea why I was fretting so much over this, possibly cause it was pre-Easter time and I knew the priest would be busy and didn't want to bother him! :)
The eco party will be a 'mini party' and only one set of bins will be utilized, said the organizers - so it could be simple and doable!
The catering said styrofoam plates would be used - ack!! (Since there would be no tables, they said plastic plates would be too hot! Gotta check if there's a way to have any tables? Mom said there must at least be benches to sit down - still gotta check this, lol!!:)
I learnt it's useless to fret over things that one telephone call may easily clear! Lol!!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Lessons Learnt
Today I was thinking: I must be crazy to be doing this. lol
A simple event – just telling people to stop and say hi to some eco people, to meet some new ideas and concepts, in short, to have an eco stand by our local supermarkets – has been a project of great endeavor and undertaking.
It's still not finished.
I was fretting today over some silly details.
Then, I was talking to the two other coordinators involved, and learnt some really important lessons.
A minor change of a very simple thing (that I don't basically care about - either way, I see good things!) pulls together with it a bunch of other stuff that can make other people's lives miserable!
Just like changing materials in plastic disposable cups!
Did you know that the small cups (eg used in coffee machines or for beverages at outdoor events) are almost impossible to recycle (in Slovenia) because the manufacturers change the materials according to the price. And there is no IR technology to decipher the materials with infrared technology! In whole of Slovenia! The cups look the same - but are impossible to recycle when there's a bunch of different materials that all look the same! And bear the same company name!
Beer cups are supposed to be pretty safe.
Also, there was a bottled water company abroad (France or Germany, methinks) that changed its bottle caps to aluminum. Pretty stylish and nifty and eco, eh?
Damn right. Not.
All the recyclers had machines and technology adapted to plastic bottle caps.
One tiny detail - and it can ruin the whole process for A LOT of people!!
Luckily, I'm blessed with two awesome girl scouts leaders and an awesome eco teacher that are doing this too. The eco stand in near future.
I used to fret about it (big time!) now I feel happy we started doing this.
Cause if we learn how to coordinate each other and how to express our priorities in a clear manner, establish 'most important' things and ways of communication, I have great hope that the rest of Slovenia and the rest of people everywhere can do this too.
Love,
Layla
A simple event – just telling people to stop and say hi to some eco people, to meet some new ideas and concepts, in short, to have an eco stand by our local supermarkets – has been a project of great endeavor and undertaking.
It's still not finished.
I was fretting today over some silly details.
Then, I was talking to the two other coordinators involved, and learnt some really important lessons.
A minor change of a very simple thing (that I don't basically care about - either way, I see good things!) pulls together with it a bunch of other stuff that can make other people's lives miserable!
Just like changing materials in plastic disposable cups!
Did you know that the small cups (eg used in coffee machines or for beverages at outdoor events) are almost impossible to recycle (in Slovenia) because the manufacturers change the materials according to the price. And there is no IR technology to decipher the materials with infrared technology! In whole of Slovenia! The cups look the same - but are impossible to recycle when there's a bunch of different materials that all look the same! And bear the same company name!
Beer cups are supposed to be pretty safe.
Also, there was a bottled water company abroad (France or Germany, methinks) that changed its bottle caps to aluminum. Pretty stylish and nifty and eco, eh?
Damn right. Not.
All the recyclers had machines and technology adapted to plastic bottle caps.
One tiny detail - and it can ruin the whole process for A LOT of people!!
Luckily, I'm blessed with two awesome girl scouts leaders and an awesome eco teacher that are doing this too. The eco stand in near future.
I used to fret about it (big time!) now I feel happy we started doing this.
Cause if we learn how to coordinate each other and how to express our priorities in a clear manner, establish 'most important' things and ways of communication, I have great hope that the rest of Slovenia and the rest of people everywhere can do this too.
Love,
Layla
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Cocoa Day!! :)
Who says community organizing doesn't pay? ;)
Got 5kg of cocoa today!!!:) And 3 pretty (ex-capuccino) boxes to store it in!
All I did was ask some neighbours if they have the phone number of another neighbour (who might also make some cloth bags - keep your fingers crossed!!)
The funny thing is I was eyeing the eco cocoa in the shop today, planning to buy it, and forgot the wallet so I couldn't. LOL!
Universe works in mysterious ways!
I think one box will be gift to a friend who also likes cocoa (in her coffee, yup, people are odd!:)
This (probably) isn't eco cocoa, but who can say No to the Universe? LOL!!
Got 5kg of cocoa today!!!:) And 3 pretty (ex-capuccino) boxes to store it in!
All I did was ask some neighbours if they have the phone number of another neighbour (who might also make some cloth bags - keep your fingers crossed!!)
The funny thing is I was eyeing the eco cocoa in the shop today, planning to buy it, and forgot the wallet so I couldn't. LOL!
Universe works in mysterious ways!
I think one box will be gift to a friend who also likes cocoa (in her coffee, yup, people are odd!:)
This (probably) isn't eco cocoa, but who can say No to the Universe? LOL!!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Recent Local Developments
Sorry for not writing more earlier.
I'm still not quite sure what to write 'in public' and what not - I've been talking to a bunch of local people recently, and some of it is probably better kept off-record.
Some people were enthusiastic about the eco ideas (including the MP's wife!:)
Some had more ideas to discuss later. (I told them to write them up!)
The priest seems sceptical of some of the ideas, and we'll see what would be doable within the church/charity, and what outside of it.
Freecycle groups generally seem to work outside of church. I may need to talk to any successful Freecycle groups or charity organisations that have 2nd hand shops, later on.
Some people within the charity and church seem 'let's go' oriented, we just need the go-ahead too! (I do understand the official need to be careful too!)
The scouts seem to do the planning for next year in July/August, so at least we'll know for next year! (I wish I was told this in advance, instead of sort-of counting on them! Individual scouts are interested and may still help, they're busy with other stuff too soo..? We'll see!) Some scouts and the priest seem a bit jaded 'We've been doing this for years' - and felt like 'the voice of the screaming man in the desert' - hmm?!
Apparently they've given away leaflets, self-made soaps and even eco bags before, so some of them are not that interested in such things...
It's true, many people here have eco bags, many still don't use them... So ideally we'd have a short quiz, info and pictures on the stall, maybe even a song or a few or a mini funny presentation/mini-play.
And repetition is 'mother of study'. Those ads on TV are repeated for a reason!!
Two teachers are interested in possibly showing Story of Stuff to kiddies in classroom, we've been semi-invited to have a stall at a future mini-festival (which may or may not take place, but it's still exciting to think about it!:) A shop has already agreed we can have a stall there.. Two lovely ladies are already sewing cloth bags...
Small steps.
Hopefully the lots of small steps will become a big step or two too. :)
I'm still not quite sure what to write 'in public' and what not - I've been talking to a bunch of local people recently, and some of it is probably better kept off-record.
Some people were enthusiastic about the eco ideas (including the MP's wife!:)
Some had more ideas to discuss later. (I told them to write them up!)
The priest seems sceptical of some of the ideas, and we'll see what would be doable within the church/charity, and what outside of it.
Freecycle groups generally seem to work outside of church. I may need to talk to any successful Freecycle groups or charity organisations that have 2nd hand shops, later on.
Some people within the charity and church seem 'let's go' oriented, we just need the go-ahead too! (I do understand the official need to be careful too!)
The scouts seem to do the planning for next year in July/August, so at least we'll know for next year! (I wish I was told this in advance, instead of sort-of counting on them! Individual scouts are interested and may still help, they're busy with other stuff too soo..? We'll see!) Some scouts and the priest seem a bit jaded 'We've been doing this for years' - and felt like 'the voice of the screaming man in the desert' - hmm?!
Apparently they've given away leaflets, self-made soaps and even eco bags before, so some of them are not that interested in such things...
It's true, many people here have eco bags, many still don't use them... So ideally we'd have a short quiz, info and pictures on the stall, maybe even a song or a few or a mini funny presentation/mini-play.
And repetition is 'mother of study'. Those ads on TV are repeated for a reason!!
Two teachers are interested in possibly showing Story of Stuff to kiddies in classroom, we've been semi-invited to have a stall at a future mini-festival (which may or may not take place, but it's still exciting to think about it!:) A shop has already agreed we can have a stall there.. Two lovely ladies are already sewing cloth bags...
Small steps.
Hopefully the lots of small steps will become a big step or two too. :)
Saturday, February 27, 2010
A Quick Update
Not sure what to say. So much has happened, and yet it didn't.
I went to a beekeeping class that was quite exhaustive (especially for a complete newbie!! I felt like I was in 1st grade and was made to listen to University grade stuff!!)
At first I thought it was FUN! Some very charming beekeepers, old guys know A LOT!!
Hearing some stuff, how bees are conventionally treated, I don't wonder why bees are ill!! I didn't like some of the things there, especially instructions for best beehives to be out of styrofoam (??) and polyurethane (?!) and such - what happenes if they are burnt? (In some cases, this is the solution for stronger diseases.) Burning styrofoam >> very TOXIC!
Luckily I also met some eco beekeepers, so hopefully I'll learn more from them.
Not sure if I even want to have bees anymore?
(But Dad keeps pressing me to fix the old beehives & the old neighbour even said he won't have a successor and seemingly he'd be happy to share his wisdom or maybe even some bees with me - but they are conventionally treated, and with some bad stuff!! hmm!!) Not sure what to do?
I finally talked to some eco people locally, some were really enthusiastic about some of the ideas and projects, so we'll see how it goes from there.
They keep telling me to go to the Mayor, so far I was really shy/embarassed to do so.
Apparently we may be too late to prepare some things for Earth Day, who knew you need to start such things so far ahead in advance? (Two or four months seemed plenty of time for me, eg scouts or school are also preparing other things - so maybe we can talk about an eco fair etc. for next year.)
At least we started talking and connecting more on a local level!
So I have a bunch of people to talk to and things to do, feeling slightly overwhelmed (and caught a bad cold). Hope it'll get better soon!
I'm also not sure how to write e-mails as not to overwhelm people (or myself)? So much stuff builds up, I wish I could discuss things with you all, not sure if it's okay to just write it here. So if you want to hear from me and I know you, maybe I can write you an e-mail, tell in comments if you're interested! :)
I went to a beekeeping class that was quite exhaustive (especially for a complete newbie!! I felt like I was in 1st grade and was made to listen to University grade stuff!!)
At first I thought it was FUN! Some very charming beekeepers, old guys know A LOT!!
Hearing some stuff, how bees are conventionally treated, I don't wonder why bees are ill!! I didn't like some of the things there, especially instructions for best beehives to be out of styrofoam (??) and polyurethane (?!) and such - what happenes if they are burnt? (In some cases, this is the solution for stronger diseases.) Burning styrofoam >> very TOXIC!
Luckily I also met some eco beekeepers, so hopefully I'll learn more from them.
Not sure if I even want to have bees anymore?
(But Dad keeps pressing me to fix the old beehives & the old neighbour even said he won't have a successor and seemingly he'd be happy to share his wisdom or maybe even some bees with me - but they are conventionally treated, and with some bad stuff!! hmm!!) Not sure what to do?
I finally talked to some eco people locally, some were really enthusiastic about some of the ideas and projects, so we'll see how it goes from there.
They keep telling me to go to the Mayor, so far I was really shy/embarassed to do so.
Apparently we may be too late to prepare some things for Earth Day, who knew you need to start such things so far ahead in advance? (Two or four months seemed plenty of time for me, eg scouts or school are also preparing other things - so maybe we can talk about an eco fair etc. for next year.)
At least we started talking and connecting more on a local level!
So I have a bunch of people to talk to and things to do, feeling slightly overwhelmed (and caught a bad cold). Hope it'll get better soon!
I'm also not sure how to write e-mails as not to overwhelm people (or myself)? So much stuff builds up, I wish I could discuss things with you all, not sure if it's okay to just write it here. So if you want to hear from me and I know you, maybe I can write you an e-mail, tell in comments if you're interested! :)
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Flax As Strong as Kevlar? Wow!
American scientists found a secret recipe (or at least similar to that) of Alexander the Great and other ancient minds!
Mediterannean soldiers didn't wear metal armour - linen is half lighter and better in the heat! And works well too!! (see the Spiegel movie, it's in German but pictures say it all! And you can Google Translate the article - recipe included!:)
Fascinating!!
I am pondering what this could mean for any other uses - in technology, zero waste lifestyle, etc etc?
(Is Kevlar recyclable or compostable?)
More about this in English here, with links to videos too!
Mediterannean soldiers didn't wear metal armour - linen is half lighter and better in the heat! And works well too!! (see the Spiegel movie, it's in German but pictures say it all! And you can Google Translate the article - recipe included!:)
Fascinating!!
I am pondering what this could mean for any other uses - in technology, zero waste lifestyle, etc etc?
(Is Kevlar recyclable or compostable?)
More about this in English here, with links to videos too!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Start of a Local Freecycle?
Today a neighbour dropped by and said another neighbour has some tiny cabinets and such to give away (within a week) or chop up and burn!
Of course I had to check it all out first!
Pretty!! :)
Apparently he dismantled the big things like big wardrobe (the particle board panels can be re-used for other stuff) and bed (some elements got reused or taken away before, he didn't know it could be Freecycled or given away & come handy to others!)
He said he 'had no use' for the pretty bedside 3-drawer cabinets and such!
(I'm not sure if I have any use for them either, prefer shelves, but they're too pretty - and probably too toxic - to burn!)
So I may take them for now & perhaps freecycle later.
Not sure if we can use up the bed boards? (I have two beds & none of them is 'right'! :) So too bad it got dismantled!)
Might use some shelves for the ex-fridge-cabinet (that now has no shelves), and he said he might use up some himself.
Not sure what to do re: remaining bed boards, I'm sad that he would just burn them, don't really know what to use them for? Any ideas?
I took digital pictures & wrote down measures. Ideally, we'd have several volunteers that could do that and put stuff in a local database and/or on internet etc - any other ways how to establish a good local Freecycle?
Of course I had to check it all out first!
Pretty!! :)
Apparently he dismantled the big things like big wardrobe (the particle board panels can be re-used for other stuff) and bed (some elements got reused or taken away before, he didn't know it could be Freecycled or given away & come handy to others!)
He said he 'had no use' for the pretty bedside 3-drawer cabinets and such!
(I'm not sure if I have any use for them either, prefer shelves, but they're too pretty - and probably too toxic - to burn!)
So I may take them for now & perhaps freecycle later.
Not sure if we can use up the bed boards? (I have two beds & none of them is 'right'! :) So too bad it got dismantled!)
Might use some shelves for the ex-fridge-cabinet (that now has no shelves), and he said he might use up some himself.
Not sure what to do re: remaining bed boards, I'm sad that he would just burn them, don't really know what to use them for? Any ideas?
I took digital pictures & wrote down measures. Ideally, we'd have several volunteers that could do that and put stuff in a local database and/or on internet etc - any other ways how to establish a good local Freecycle?
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