Just finished watching _No Impact Man_ and feeling motivated toward some new actions. I've been wanting a bicycle for awhile and this documentary really got the 2 wheeled action juice flowing. Even though it's stifling hot in Phoenix right now, there is a great chunk of the year that I could be riding to a shoot on a bike or whizzing over to the Gilbert Farmer's Market Saturday mornings. The terrain is pretty flat so I could get a sweet little cruiser and a little cart for the kids and I am already tickled with the adventures I imagine we'd have.
Speaking of the farmer's market, I know we can do a better job so I'm going to recommit to eating locally and reducing waste. We'll bring our cloth bags and take only what we'll need for the week and use it all (composting what can be composted). For financial purposes, we have made a choice to eat out less so I've been spending more time in the kitchen creating dishes we can all look forward to and truly enjoy. Feeding the family good foods is nourishing on so many levels. As soon as we're all seated at the table, the youngest always says, "Mom, I'm ready to play grateful." Then we each say what we're grateful for and describe the best part of our day. It's awesome to hear the kids' lists and if the meal is particularly appetizing, food gets its own spotlight for a minute. The game I play in the kitchen has two steps. I try to create an aroma that invites my family to look forward to dinner then I work very hard to deliver on their expectations. If even I'm satisfied, that's a major bonus!
Speaking of composting, it's soon time to turn ours and while I made a tumble drum, it isn't a perfect seal so it's a little dirtier to turn the compost than I envisioned. It's time to get the fall garden going. We'll use containers again but I will do a better job shading them/monitoring their exposure to sunlight. The summer harvest was weakened by the tremendous heat we've had. I didn't have the shade umbrellas this year so some of the plants suffered. This fall, we plan to plant radish, squash, broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, spinach and of course, herbs.
I'd like to be a less proficient consumer. I don't know yet how to make this happen. I recently created a list of things I wanted for myself in my life and buying more wasn't on it. The theme of the list was "become a lover" and some of the targets were fun & games, adventure, growth and community. I've taken action in quite a few ways, taking on learning some new games for the kids, seeking out opportunities for adventure and finding peace in meeting people where they are. I'm weak though. Despite articulating my values, I still find myself succumbing to the allure of retail therapy and the temptation of a good sale.
Trash is an obstacle for us. Even though the bin is hardly even 1/4 full on trash days, I feel like we should be producing far less as a family of 4. I tend to cook more than enough but fail to properly store it for future consumption so uneaten food is a problem area . If Bill doesn't take it all for work, me and the girls will rarely eat leftovers - mainly because I don't like to. So I can freeze leftovers for a smorgasbord night, make only enough for the current meal or get over my hang-up with leftovers. Another way I am going to try and reduce waste is by buying products with less packaging. I haven't bought from the bulk bins in a long time but I think I might need to make much more of an effort now.
I love it when I am exposed to something that prompts action. _No Impact Man_ was both entertaining and invigorating and while not without social critique (which I won't make here), it really was motivating.