Celebrate National Trails Day

Next Saturday, June 6th is National Trails Day, an event sponsored by the American Hiking Society. A portion of this event is focused on trail restoration, but it's primarily just a chance to celebrate the 200,000 miles of trails that cover our country. From a family perspective, I think trails are great - they make hiking accessible, no matter what your age. Writing this made me nostalgic so I dug up some of our own family's pics from way back when we had a backpack for our littlest one!

While June 6th is the official day and there will over 1000 events to celebrate it, there's nothing magical about that date. Good weather is always a great excuse to find something new to explore! This got me thinking about past hiking efforts of our family. Sometimes things work out well, sometimes not so well...

Life is good in the backpack!

Sometimes, the paved family-friendly trail doesn't make everyone in a friendly move. I believe this was accompanied by an "I will not walk another step" comment.

I like this picture because it highlights how many cool things you can discover along the way. This tree looked like it had fallen across the trail and then was cut up - great for counting rings!

This last picture was taken in Arizona last December - sometimes you encounter the unexpected - like snow-capped cactus!

The Mystery of Blog Comments

As promised, here is my quick primer on how to comment on my blog. I use Google's Blogger so I'll tailor my comments to that service. There are others out there, but they are all quite simple once you get the hang of it.

Step One - Find a post that makes you want to comment! You don't have to comment on things you aren't interested in, but if reading a post makes you think either a)that is complete nonsense - I totally disagree or b)I have an even better idea, then please join the discussion. This forum is all about sharing ideas!

Step Two - Look for and click on the word "comment" at the bottom of the post. It will likely say "0 Comments" - or more if this primer actually does its job. If you subscribe in email, you'll need to first click on the title of the post in the body of the email to get to the blog.

Step Three - Write your comment in the popup box.

Step Four - Fill out the "Comment as" box. I think the easiest way is to get a Google account and then use that to comment. It's quick, free, and easy. When you are on the blog, you will see a "Sign In" button in the upper right if you aren't already signed in. You can also post as Anonymous (feel free to put your name in the comment box mentioned above if you don't want to be anonymous) or as Name/URL (you can leave the URL box blank if you don't have a website). There are other choices too, but if you understand all those, you don't need this primer!

Alternatives to Juice Pouches?

My last blog post seems to have generated a lot of interest so I'm doing a second on the same topic. Of course, most of my blog readers are still emailing and calling me with their comments so you can't see them here. I would love for you to comment on the blog so others can see your thoughts so my next blog will be a quick primer on how to post.

In the last two days, I've heard from parents, teachers, and doctors about the juice pouch controversy. It seems to be one of those topics that you can't stop thinking about once you realize the magnitude of the problem. According to Terracycle, who is working with the manufacturers, over a BILLION juice pouches are used every year! No matter how many purses and pencil cases come out of that through upcycling, that is still a ton of waste. So, what are the alternatives? I'll give you my thoughts, but would love to hear yours...

Green - First of all, when you're home, why use the single-use containers at all? Kids are fine drinking out of cups, right? When you're away from home, use drinks that come in recyclable containers. Treetop apple juice cans are one low-cost alternative. Crayons is a new entry in the kids' beverage market with all-natural drinks in easy-to-recycle cans. They are still a bit on the pricey side, but I have heard the company is working to find a more affordable price point. You can find them in the natural foods aisle of your grocery store.

Greener - Eliminate single-use containers altogether. Use those aluminum water bottles and fill from bigger containers stored in the fridge. Of course, many of those containers are also plastic so make sure you recycle those.

Greenest - Juice machine, anyone? I'm not claiming to be this good, but maybe some of you are. Or, what about the simplest and cheapest option - TAP WATER! Each of my boys has a SIGG water bottle which I would normally show here, but the water bottles are at school right now so I can't snap a quick pic!

How do you eliminate the waste from kids' beverages?

Upcycling Juice Pouches

Normally, I am not a big consumer of juice pouches. They come in small containers that can't be recycled so I try to avoid them altogether. My kids, on the other hand, love them like all kids and can't resist whenever they are around.

We spent this weekend at our church's family camp on Whidbey Island (great weather, great fellowship, and great fun for all!) Juice pouches were readily available to keep the children hydrated while they gallavanted from the lake to the pickleball court to the BMX track to the archery course. I was happy to hear that some of the church members would be carting back all of the recyclables since Whidbey Island doesn't seem to have recycling pick-up (although I did see a number of drop-off stations on the island). I have never recycled juice pouches, but offered to bring those back since a parent from my sons' school had recently let me know that she is "upcycling" them through Terracycle. This company turns the pouches (and lots of other products) into backpacks, pencil bags, lunchboxes, etc.

Terracyle is an interesting company - they started as a couple of college kids who entered an entrepreneur contest and ended up with a business that used worms to recycle college dorm food waste into plant food. Without enough money for packaging they decided to reuse soda bottles. Today, the company is trying to drive what they call an eco-capitalism revolution. What if companies could make money while be socially and environmentally responsible?

What do you think? Is this a good way to get companies on the eco bandwagon - or are we just bowing to the companies and helping them advertise their not-so-eco-friendly products on our kids' backs? I don't think I'll be buying a Capri Sun backpack anytime soon, but I do like the idea of getting another use out of the materials.

Gardening, Wine & Chocolate

Image by beatbull via Flickr

What do gardening, wine, and chocolate have in common? Apparently, they are all recession-proof products. According to a study by Envirosell, the economic downturn has us turning inwards towards our families and homes. Perhaps that's why condoms are on the list of recession-proof products as well... cheap entertainment without the expensive consequences?!? Hmmm... on to the other items on the list...

Home vegetable gardens are supposed to go up more than 40% this year according to the National Gardening Association. That makes sense since it's a great way to get organic vegetables for very little money. The added benefit is there is no fossil fuel expenditure for transportation either.

Everyone knows chocolate can make you happy. Want some really good fair-trade organic chocolate? Check out Theo Chocolate for a list of stores that carry it across the country. I'm hoping my boys and I can go for a tour this summer since they are located in Seattle.

The wine seems to go right along with the chocolate. I can envision it now - sipping my glass of wine and nibbling on chocolate while admiring my garden. Lucky for me, Washington state has some great options for local wine. I haven't tried any organic wines, but maybe I'll check one out this summer and report back.

Spam was on the list too, but I think I'll stick with the wine, chocolate, and gardening!

Is the SUV Dead?

It's official - all cars sold in America will have to meet a new emissions standard by 2016 that is

Image via Wikipedia

30% higher than it is today. That is a huge jump - particularly given that car companies have been saying for years that it was impossible. It's amazing what a few billion dollars in bailout money can do to change your mind!

Thirty percent less emissions is a great thing (equivalent to taking 177 million cars off the road), but what will the change actually look like? Well, for starters, the average MPG for an auto fleet will need to be 35.5. That leads to a lot of questions...

Will cars cost more? Yes - about $1300

Will gas cost less? No one can predict that, but we'll definitely be buying less of it which should offset the higher price of cars over time.

Now, for the big question... What will the soccer moms (and dads) of the world do without their minivans and SUVs? I'm sensitive to this question because I drive a 4WD 8-seater Honda Pilot. I consider it on the smaller side, but maybe that's just because I'm comparing it to the Suburban or the Escalade. In truth, the mileage is pretty horrible - I think 15 in the city and 20 on the freeway.

Image via Wikipedia

Are we all going to be driving Minis by 2016? I love the car - and have a friend in San Francisco that drives one with 3 kids so I know it can be done - but I'm wondering about the other options...

Electric? Hybrid? Something brand new that we've never heard of yet? I'm open-minded and committed to doing my part to reduce my own car's emissions when it comes time to replace my car. I do remember thinking 15/20 MPG was actually pretty good back when I bought it in 2004.

Let me know if you have any recommendations for a good family car available today that already meets the higher emissions standards.

The Big Read: Bluefields Basic School | ONE

The Big Read: Bluefields Basic School ONE