Comments for Living Lightly

Comment on Waste-Less Lent: Week 4 – Water by jim v

jim v — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 04:22:09 +0000

…and by the way, you’re invited to vote for “The Legend of the Green Gaucho” — Glendale Community College’s entry in the Climate Leadership Awards video voting contest.

Just go to http://www.gccaz.edu, look for “Vote for the Green Gaucho” or select news banner #2.

Comment on Waste-Less Lent: Week 4 – Water by jim v

jim v — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 04:14:25 +0000

I’m aghast at the proliferation of unnecessary water bottles, except for travel purposes, especially in Arizona. But I wonder what the straight dope on refilling plastic bottles is. I do it all the time and most people I know do it a few times. But I gather some folks consider it a direct path to cancer and would no more refill a bottle than drink gas out of the car. What say you?

Comment on Waste-Less Lent: Easter Summary by Jim V

Jim V — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:59:17 +0000

Speaking of waste reduction and waste minimization, Glendale Community College has just finished a short (3-minute) video on its sustainability program and is in competition with about 50 other colleges for the best video portrayal of the efforts.
Anyone can vote, once a day during April.
The link can be found at: http://www.gccaz.edu
Select #2 when you see the Featured Stories section at the top, the go down to the video called “The Legend of the Green Gaucho”. You can vote from that spot.
Feel free to pass this along.

Comment on Waste-Less Lent: Week 1 by Susan Vogt

Susan Vogt — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 21:05:42 +0000

What a clever idea, Heidi. Now I just have to learn to play the guitar so I can use my old credit cards.

Comment on Waste-Less Lent: Week 1 by Heidi McCloskey

Heidi McCloskey — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 19:52:26 +0000

We use plastic credit/gift cards to make Guitar picks.
Heidi

Comment on Waste-Less Lent: Easter Summary by Marguerite Chandler

Marguerite Chandler — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:36:33 +0000

Susan–Thank you for speaking for so many of us. Your openness and compassion (for yourself and others) balances your truthfulness–which DOES set us free (or at least, sets us on a new path). I’m a long-time recycler and composter, but there’s always more to learn (terracyling is new to me). I appreciate your so generously sharing your journey.
Blessings, Marguerite

Comment on Day 24: Knick Knacks by pish

pish — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 05:08:07 +0000

the memory is in our heart rather than the object….let it go….(ok, keep just one small one)….

Comment on 365+#46: Round 2 -Shirts, Skirts, Suits by pish

pish — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 05:01:17 +0000

keep….definitely…

Comment on Extra: Uses for Useless Stuff by pish

pish — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 04:36:18 +0000

vinyl can be melted over a mold to make a record bowl….vhs/cassette tapes can be used to crochet any number of items ~ from grocery bags to evening bags, and more….visit google or a library for free crochet patterns….

Comment on 365+#42: Deleting People by Marguerite Chandler

Marguerite Chandler — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 22:26:49 +0000

Just found this wonderful quote for your blog:

“Enough is a verb, a conversation, a fugue, a collaboration. It is not a static state, something achieved or accomplished. It is relational, by nature unpredictable, punctuated by wonder, surprise, and awe. It may feel dangerous and inefficient. It demands that we stay awake, pay attention to what is true in this moment, in our hearts, and make the choices always and only from that place. Then whatever we decide brings a sense of rightness and sufficiency, arriving with an exhale, a letting go, a sense that this, here, for now, is enough.” — Wayne Muller in A Life of Being, Having, and Doing Enough

Comment on 365+#42: Deleting People by Marguerite Chandler

Marguerite Chandler — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 22:23:50 +0000

Thanks for the wit and wisdom in these invaluable stories you share. I always enjoy them (and resonate with them!). We are preparing ourselves for selling our BIG home for smaller space in a CCRC. Your blog will fortify me for the journey!

Comment on Waste-Less Lent: Week 1 by Susan Vogt

Susan Vogt — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 23:23:18 +0000

Thanks for the info Mike. I’ll check if the Best Buy in Kentucky does the same.

Comment on Waste-Less Lent: Week 1 by Mike Wasno

Mike Wasno — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:02:01 +0000

Thanks Susan – you’re a great inspiration.

Our local Best Buy now accepts CD’s and Gift Cards for recycling. (You can probably sneak a library card into the bin too.) They also accept a lot of electronic devices which contain lead, mercury, and other harmful chemicals.

Comment on Waste-Less Lent: Ash Wednesday by Chris Paglia

Chris Paglia — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 19:30:03 +0000

Hello Susan. It is so good to receive your updates, challenges and have a laugh! Your new lenten task of wasting less is a great one. It is inspiring and requires a bit more effort than I am willing to put in. But you really got me with giving up smugness!! Our parish will be presenting the Passionists’ Lent 4.5 Christian Simplicity. Since I suggested it, I’m presenting a session and I am often referred to at work and home (by you know who) as the recycling police, I was feeling pretty smug! And there you are suggesting measuring our waste. Yikes! Sooo, I will “take a look at” the packaging thing andsee what happens… I’ll let you know. Blessings, Chris

Comment on 365+#43: Bah Humbug by KAISER

KAISER — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 16:38:36 +0000

LOTTA WISDOM HERE, SUSAN:
Can’t we just get together, enjoy each other with some food, play a game, and sing. It used to be so much simpler.

Comment on Waste-Less Lent: Ash Wednesday by Colleen Gerke

Colleen Gerke — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 16:19:46 +0000

Greetings Susan,
I thought I would pass on this experience. I was shopping at Whole Foods in the bulk food isle. A young mother was also shopping there. She was filling containers, coffee cans and such, with her bulk food items. I commented to her that she had a good idea. She said that a cashier helped her pre-weigh and mark containers so she was paying for the weight of the food and not containers.

Comment on 365+#36: Saving Money Takes Time by Deana

Deana — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 02:42:52 +0000

I was intrigued by your brief mention of coupon clipping. I spend the time clipping, organizing them, sorting through the right ones at the store, trying to use them before expiration, and finally going through the entire batch to discard the expired coupons. I either can’t find the one I might have, or it’s expired if I do find one for that product. I have saved money with the right coupons, but I don’t know if it’s worth the time messing constantly with them. I’ve lost my coupon box twice and was actually relieved.

Comment on 365+ Days of Give-Aways by Kim

Kim — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 22:21:30 +0000

Your comment from above totally rings true to me:

“I am embarrassed to think that I even had 1,200 things that I barely miss – and humbled to realize that there is still plenty to give away.”

We’re a few months into our downsizing from a 2-bedroom house into whatever will fit in our station wagon. We’ve given away a ridiculous amount. Every weekend we take bags and bags of items to donate and yet we still have a house full of stuff. What did we donate? Why does it feel like we aren’t missing a thing? It’s crazy to me to think about just how much we had and never used. I’m so happy to paring everything down to the true essentials.
Kim

Comment on 365+#42: Deleting People by Kristi

Kristi — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 06:35:15 +0000

This is the same reason I take so long to switch address books. One exception is when a friend dies, I generally leave their name in the phone book/cell phone log / inbox for about a year or two… as a reminder to pray for them when I see their name.

Comment on 365+#33: Giving Someone Time by Susan Vogt

Susan Vogt — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 03:08:26 +0000

Giving Time to guests: If one lives in Maine, one has summer house guests. I have a rule with house guests. I have breakfast foods on hand (breads, eggs, cereals, fruits etc.). I hang around the kitchen to show where things are, but they cook/prepare. I say, “You know how you like it.” Ditto for lunch. I fix the first day’s dinner. After that it’s eat out, or they cook. I have a reputation for not being a good cook. That helps.

Our 5 kids had balanced, nourishing but so so meals. They are now all good cooks – a form of rebellion I suppose. It works for me. When they visit they bring soups & stews for Dad. At holiday time I cook the turkey & buy the pies. They plan the rest, and it’s always a feast.
This comment was passed on to me by generous friend and Mainelander, Jane Merchant