Thursday 1 May 2008

May Challenge Extravaganza!

Well, I may have bitten off more than I can chew this month, but we'll see how this goes. I've signed up for three challenges in May!

The first one I will enjoy immensely, and have no trouble completing. It's Green Bean Dream's Be a Bookworm in May challenge. She is asking people to read one environmentally relevant book this month, and then post a review of it at the end of the month. I've chosen two books, which you can read about in this post from last month when I first joined up.

The second challenge comes from Sharon at Casaubon's Book. Sharon is calling her challenge Independence Days. She is challenging us to become more food-independent, by doing one or more of the following things everyday, or every week:

1. Plant something.

2. Harvest something.

3. Preserve something.

4. Prep something.

5. Cook something.

6. Manage your reserves.

7. Work on local food systems.

I've been trying to do several of these things, but it's been sort of hit-and-miss, as my interest and motivation comes and goes. I've signed up to do these things once a week - my idea is to do one of the seven things each day, so that by the end of the week I will have done all of them at least once. This will help me work on doing more of the things I should (harvest, preserve, prep, manage) while still doing the things I like (plant, cook, local food systems). I may concoct a spreadsheet of some kind to keep me on track. I'll post a link to it if I do....

The third challenge might just do me in. Gord rolled his eyes when I told him about it. It is part of Crunchy's Extreme Eco Throwdown. There is no way I could do all the things in the Throwdown, so I've picked just one: generate no non-compostable garbage for a month. I'm starting to think I will fail within days, if not hours. We compost a lot of stuff, and we're trying to buy less-packaged things, but the garbage can eventually still gets filled with non-recyclable plastic bits, twist ties that have twisted their final twist, lids from juice containers that the recycle depot won't take. So this challenge will radically change my shopping habits and challenge my ability to think of alternative uses for things instead of throwing them away. So as not to induce a complete mental breakdown, I'm limiting this challenge to non-bathroom garbage only. (Interpretation: I already use the Diva Cup and Lunapads, but I'm not giving up toilet paper!)

Fraidy-face courtesy this blog

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Theresa, I did email you from a rachel soundhunter email, did you get it? is myriad dot things all one word with no spaces? yahoo.ca right? Maybe it went to junk mail for some reason or something?

G. Harrison said...

i'll sign up for the bookworm deal and Independence day too but the thrown down - I'm not ready yet. sounds like a few folks have lots on their plate. some are also busy boycotting Chinese goods for one more month.
keep healthy!

GH

Theresa said...

Rachel - I will check again!

creme - ya, Crunchy's throwdown is a doozy! I have already had to count yesterday, the very first day, as my one day off from the challenge each week! Today's going a bit better.

Kale for Sale said...

Those last two challenges are big. Especially the no garbage. That is putting my brain into a twist tie. You'll do great. Have fun.

Theresa said...

This is the hardest challenge so far, no doubt. I am still not sure if I have the stamina to do it. On the other hand, I had a sudden brainwave this morning about what I could do with the juice can lids that the recycle depot won't take...but I will post about that another day!

Anonymous said...

Good on you! I haven't signed up for the Independence challenge because I simply don't know enough to can or preserve, etc. Heck, I'm still trying to figure out when my radishes will be ready for harvest! And the Extreme Eco is another I shied away from - I'm proud of you for giving it a go! I'm definitely in for the bookworm one, however.

Theresa said...

RA - remember that freezing and drying count as preserving too! I have no idea how to can either. I'm going to give it a whirl this summer though. I left my radishes for too long last year and they were woody - blech! I'd say try them earlier than later.

This no-garbage challenge is really hard alright. I'm not quite sure what I was thinking when I signed up for it.

Thank goodness for the bookworm challenge!

Wendy said...

Theresa, I haven't been around to all those environmental blogs lately (they deserve more time than I've got to give them lately), but after reading this, I guess I'd better head over and join at least one challenge.

I can easily do the bookworm one, but the Extreme Eco Throwdown sounds pretty intense. Crunchy Chicken is pretty intense, though, so I'm not surprised.

Thanks for the reminders.

Oh, and the Avs have gone the way of the Oilers. No Cup for either of us this year. Sad. At least now maybe we can get rid of the tv.

Theresa said...

Wendy - sorry about the Avs. I'm still hoping the Habs can do something tonight to stay in it, but I'm not counting on it.

Crunchy's challenge is supremely intense if you participate in all the categories, but people can sign up for just one part, like I did with the garbage. There's no plastic, minimal water use, no driving, and a few others that on their own are do-able.

Sharon's challenge is kind of neat, because it gets you in the habit of doing little things that eventually can change your mindset about things, from, in my case, scattered, to integrated, and short term to long term.

I do think I will take June off from official challenges though!