Composting for Dummies: How and what we compost in our garden

I’ve written before on how I try to be eco-conscious with my decisions and the kind of impact I want to have on the environment. Part of that has to do with how I think about consumption and waste, and how I try to limit how much plastic I use/bring into my life.

So when we moved into the tiny house, one of the things I wanted to try that I couldn’t previously in our apartment was composting. We finally had some space to try it out. I’m am by no means an expert, and if you are interested in composting, I recommend doing your own research to find out which method works best with your lifestyle.

Questions I get about composting:

How do you compost? We have a compost pile. Yep, a big ol’ pile of dirt and rotting veggies in our backyard. Compost is a fancy word for rotting stuff that turns back into healthy soil, and I love it.

Does it really work? Yes, in the three years we’ve lived here we’ve made compost we can then add to our garden to help more plants grow.

Does it smell? No, it smells like soil. We are lucky to live in a pretty moist area, so leaving things to compost naturally out there is easy for us.

What do we compost? We compost eggshells, yard waste, fruit and vegetable scraps; basically anything that can biodegrade. Don’t compost stuff like animal products or bread, that is how you get critters creeping around like raccoons.

How did you start? Honestly, I told my husband I wanted to try it and he said okay. So we picked a spot in the yard that no one hangs out around and started piling yard and food waste there, and just kind of waited.

How do you keep it going? We like the pile method because it don’t require a lot of upkeep. Every once in a while, one of us will agitate the pile, keep things moving around. But really, stuff rots on its own, melting back into the natural dirt. It’s not perfect but it gets the job done.

Why even bother? Well, rather than contributing to landfills where garbage sits for years and years, this is one way we can reduce our landfill waste and also give back to the land. Compost has many, many benefits when used in growing new plants, so we love it.

I’ll continue to keep you updated on our composting journey! Check back for more!

Last minute holiday tips: Environmentally friendly Christmas gift wrapping

I am on an endless journey to make my life as eco-friendly and environmentally aware as possible in a variety of ways, and that includes wrapping my Christmas presents. I was inspired to write this post after seeing an Instagram story from my cousins about how she was wrapping gifts this year. So I collected several ideas to share with you guys if you’ve left your gift wrapping to the last few days.

1. Use the paper from Amazon/other online retailers in shipping as wrapping paper. Often this stuff is plain brown paper anyway, which means you can customize it with ribbons and bows or even stamps and colored pens. This is a great option to reduce and reuse paper.
2. Take wrapping paper scraps and wrap gifts. I helped a friend wallpaper their living room earlier this year and saved the excess pieces to wrap gifts. This paper is thicker so it’s idea for larger, boxier gifts. It’s also very unique and another perfect way to reuse paper that would otherwise be recycled or thrown away. Simple gold or silver ribbons make gifts look quite classy.
3. The good old newspaper hack! Some of us still get newspapers the mail, or at least ads for the local grocery store, and you can reuse these for non-denominational wrapping paper. Newspaper is either black and white or colorful, but whatever you have is fine.
4. Reusing old tissue paper, bows, and gift bags. Not only does this save money, but you can totally reuse the same stuff year after year. You could also use paper bags from regular stores and glue little decorations or the decorative parts of old Christmas cards to the front to covey and logos.
5. DIY gift tags – Again, old Christmas cards can work if you tear/cut the front off and write a message on the back. You can also use plain brown paper and decorate with stamps and stickers – this would be a great way to get kiddos involved.
6. For edible gifts/alcohol bottles or even as a bonus gift, you can wrap things in clean, new kitchen hand towels or scarves.

Bonus tip – My mom reuses ribbons, bows, and tags each year to save money and reduce unnecessary waste. The key to this is to not tear open bags and packages, but instead be aware that you can reuse these things year after year.

I hope any procrastinators and eco-aware readers found these ideas helpful! You can also use these tips for any occasion you bring a gift to. Merry Christmas!

Rant: The problems with fast fashion/The need to support makers

In a follow up to my post about knitting, I have a rant I want to make today. I follow a lot of maker account on Instagram; these are people who make and sell a variety of handmade goods and sell them online or at local markets. For them, this can either be a primary or supplementary source of income, but it’s always a labor of love. As someone who attempts to DIY and make a lot of things in her life, for herself or others, these accounts inspire me.

I’ve also written about why I prefer to thrift versus purchase fast fashion clothing pieces, which you can read about here. As we approach the gift-giving season, I feel as though it is important to say a few words about mindful shopping.

Fast fashion is, in my opinion, totally ridiculous from a variety of points. It is not good for the environment, for our wallets, and oftentimes exploits garment workers, who are usually women and children working in terrible conditions making very little money. Obviously, fashion changes and evolves over time, but it used to do so at a more gradual rate. Sewing is a skill, and art form, and people used to value taking care of their clothes. Now, they don’t as much. Fast fashion is cheaper than buying handmade clothes or altered clothes from an artist or designer, which is a big part of the reason people choose fast fashion over smaller makers.

There are also documented problems with big companies stealing artwork from makers, which I won’t get into right now, but is also a problem. If cost is what is driving you to purchase fast fashion, I recommend thrifting or even learning a little sewing yourself, to alter clothes or perhaps make them yourself. Or, shop your own closet and focus more on your own style than what’s on the runway.

Because I am someone who knits, sews, and dabbles in other handicrafts, I can understand the frustration from people who do this for a living with smaller businesses. It is super hard to keep your prices low enough as a small business owner to compete with the larger companies out there with similar products. There is the cost of materials and labor, because yes, you do have to compensate someone for their time when they create something.

A large part of why this is such a big issue and why it matters is because the exploitation of people who make clothes is primarily focused on women, and almost always has been. This is simply unjust, and why it is so important to listen when you hear about these issues and take a stand. A simple, slightly more costly way to make this change is to support smaller makers and artists when it comes to buying things for yourself or purchasing gifts.

When you buy something from a maker you found in Instagram or Etsy, you are directly supporting another human. You are letting them know that their product is worth their time. Products that are designed and made by smaller businesses tend to be made of better materials, and therefore will last longer.

Handmade gifts carry, in my opinion, more meaning and thought behind them. I’m aware that a lot of time can be spent picking out gifts to buy to give from department stores and all that, but whether you are making the gift or someone else is, it is a timely task that deserves more credit.

Each year, I make at least one gift for each person in my list. This year, almost everyone is getting a headband, because I love making them. That’s the thing – craftspeople and artisans make things out of a labor of love, and that is something to be admired and respected. If making gifts is something you are interested in exploring, I have some recommendations for Youtube channels you can check out for tutorials and inspiration: Annika Victoria/LittlePineNeedle and Makoccino.

As promised, here are some of my favorite makers to follow on Instagram:

• Leafling Bags
• Freya Handmade
• Odd Witch
• Yardia
• PastryPets by MarninSaylor

Each of these makers create something so beautiful and unique. As you can probably tell by now, this issue of supporting small businesses and reducing the amount of fast fashion in our lives is something I am pretty passionate about. So I’d love to hear any thoughts others might have on the topic.

Giant otters exist and this is amazing

I recently discovered something incredible and that is the news that there is a species of giant otters currently living in South America. Excuse me while I do a wild happy dance because this is amazing!

I’ve loved otters for as long as I can remember. I was given a stuffed animal otter when I was two and the love has been strong ever since. They are simply fantastic animals, so smart and playful, but also very wild. Otters in nature are different than otters living in captivity in zoos, and while ethically maintained zoos are important for education, observation, and breeding purposes, it crucial to remember that animals in zoos may display different behaviors than those in the wild For example, dolphins in an aquarium create ring shaped bubbles they play and dive through, while dolphins have never been observed doing this in the wild.

Okay, enough with the tangent and back to otters!

There are 13 extant (still existing) species of otters today, with 12 of those species on the endangered species list. Each of those species is either marine, aquatic, or semi aquatic, which means otters really love water. Giant otters live in the Amazon river, and are semi aquatic. They build burrow-like homes, similar to beavers, where they can safely raise their babies.

Giant otters live in families of up to 8, depending on how many younglings they have. They live in hierarchies, with the females leading and everyone chipping in to raise the babies. When a family of otters is in the water, they can also be referred to as a raft. How cool is that?

Giant otters are not only the largest species of otter, growing to almost 6 feet long, they are also the most vocal. Scientists have observed nine main vocalizations they make, each meaning something different, and these can vary in tone and lilt from group to group. They have also been observed using naming vocalizations for one another within groups.

These otters are carnivores, and eat mostly fish, including piranhas. They can also be attacked by crocodiles and piranhas, but giant otters can also gang up on these foes and kill them. I mean, as much as I adore these creatures, I would like to stay a little further away from a human-sized otter, please and thank you.

Giant otters appear black in the water, but are actually mostly brown, with variations of lighter and reddish brown fur. They also commonly have marking of white on their chests, which can be used to identify certain otters.

Growing up on the coast in south-central Alaska, it was a more common sight to see sea otters, especially in towns like Homer, Soldotna, Ketchikan, Juneau and Seward, where the Alaska Sea Life Center is. They take in orphaned baby otters and raise them, either to be released back into the wild or stay and educate visitors on these amazing animals. Here in my new home of Washington state, sea otters and river otters call the PNW home.

Otters were hunted for their fur in the 19th century. Otters can have over 1,000 hairs per square inch, which traps air in-between their fur and their skin, keeping them dry and warm in the water. For this reason, and their softness, otters have been hunted into endangerment as people wanted to use their pelts to make coats and hats.

Because otters are so cute and smart, there has been more work done to help conserve their habitats and preserve the species. Ways that you can help save the otters, giant and normal size, are to donate money to environmental organizations, volunteer with local charities, and do your part to be eco-friendly in your everyday life.

Budget Eating: DIY home grown PICKLES

As some of you may already know, I have been growing cucumbers in my victory garden this year. A few weeks ago, I finally had enough growing and ready to be harvested that I was able to try my hand at making pickles for this year. Now, I am not a huge fan of pickles but I do like dill pickles and so does my boyfriend. I had also never made pickles before so I had to do some research first.

What I learned is that you can use either fresh or dried dill, which is what I happened to have on hand. I also read that you should use apple cider or white vinegar, and you can’t use regular table salt in the brine. It has to be kosher or pickling salt. So I picked all that up, along with a few other things, and got to slicing up my cucumbers. I decided to cut mine into circles, which made sense to me because I plan on using theses in sandwiches and on burgers.

Once I had all my cucumbers washed and sliced, I began preparing my brine. I didn’t use a specific recipe; rather, I ended up combining a few according to what I had and what I recall my mom doing as a kid. I used a 1:4 ratio of vinegar to water, with a tablespoon of sugar and 3 tablespoons of pickling salt. I brought that mixture to a boil and then let it cool in the fridge. Then I added 2-3 cloves of peeled garlic, along with 2-3 tablespoons of dried dill weed and a pinch of pepper to my jars. I used recycled glass jars for this, ones that I’ve been saving from pasta sauces and whatever else over the past year.

Then I stacked in my cucumber slices, making sure to get as many in as possible. I had probably 2 1/2 pounds of cucumbers, which filled 6 big jars. It is important to stack your slices in tightly, so when you add the brine they don’t float to the top and out of the liquid. Then I filled the jars up with the brine and put them all in the fridge, closing the lids tightly. Then I said a prayer that this would work.

They’ve now been in the fridge for not quite two weeks and I check them daily for mold or other spoilage. So far, so good! One thing I noticed in my research is that the pickles need to sit for a little while before you can enjoy them. I know I didn’t cut all the circles evenly, so next time I’ll be sure to do that so they all pickle evenly. That’s not a sentence I thought I’d ever say, but here we are! It was also quite interesting to see how each cucumber was different in shape and size; organic foods are so different than what you can get in the supermarket.

Have you made homegrown pickles before? If so, do you have any tips?

This Summer’s Wildfires in Alaska – Why they matter

If you’ve been following along for some time now, you probably know that I am from Anchorage, AK. Growing up, I remember vividly camping and hiking with my family around the southern and central parts of the state. Alaska is BIG, y’all, and forest covers much of the southeast and central portions. As such, Alaska is susceptible to wildfires in the warmer months.

I recall always checking the fire safety levels when camping in the summer. Good old Smokey the Bear is the US National Parks mascot for all things fire safety related. Green level means everything is under control and you are allowed to have campfires, and the safety level increases as you move up the scale to red. Red means extreme fire danger, and absolutely no burning is allowed.

In nature, some wildfires are necessary. Wildfires clear out the debris that collects on the forest floor, and some seeds need the heat in order to germinate. Most forest animals are pretty good at sensing fire and relocating themselves. Wildfires are commonly caused by lightening strikes, but also extreme heat. Now, the problem arises when humans set fires. These human-made wildfires are far more unpredictable and dangerous. The men and women who fight wildfires and their support teams are real heroes.

Wildfires in Alaska during the summer are pretty typical. It’s normal for there to be a few and you take the necessary precautions. The closest my home every came to a wildfire was a few years ago, where the fire was 3 miles away. Now, the firefighters and forest service have many ways to fight and contain these fires, so while we did evacuate, eventually the fire was controlled and everything and everyone was safe.

There have been a higher number of wildfires in Alaska this year. This is in part to climate change, and relates to the fire in the Amazon rainforest. On social media this week there has been a huge outcry because the traditional media platforms were not covering the wildfire. The Amazon is the world’s largest rainforest and what goes on there is 100% necessary for the rest of the world to survive. While there is sufficient media coverage of the fires in Alaska, I couldn’t help noticing some similarities in the two events.

I just watched a really good video made by Hank Green, which I will link to here. He goes into much more researched detail than I could about the situation. It is worth watching if you care about the earth at all. I have previously written posts about what you can do to help the environment, which again I will provide links to.

We can all do things in our lives to help prevent/reduce forest fires, just as we can all do things to help the environment. While there will not be any huge change unless the largest corporations are convinced to stop polluting and exploiting the earth we all live on, these little difference can make a change.

Essentially, don’t start any fires in areas where it is prohibited. When campfires are allowed, make sure you extinguish yours in its entirety. Do your own research and use common sense. Forests provide oxygen and make rain that the whole planet uses. Don’t do anything to jeopardize it.

Encouraging Wildlife in Your Backyard

One of the best things about living in my tiny house is that I have a (relatively) large backyard. We have room for our garden with plenty of space to spare. This past summer, we have spent a lot of time out there. Drypp loves to sit and watch all the other animals that come by the yard.

Some of these animals I want to have stop by, and some I don’t. We have a small fence around the yard, but it has gaps in it which animals can get through. Therefore, we have taken some measures to discourage the wildlife we don’t want in our yard, and encourage those we don’t mind.

It is really up to you which animals you allow in your backyard, but generally you don’t want to invite coyotes or other predatory animals in, especially if you have outdoor or indoor/outdoor pets. With my garden, I don’t want rabbits invading either. Birds are welcome, and the geese and ducks from the creek tend to stay in the front yard or beyond the fenced backyard.

We were forced to create a ramshackle fence around the garden out of necessity. We also use rabbit spray around both fences to deter them. This doesn’t hurt the rabbits, it just smells and tastes so distasteful to them that they stay away. We have seen far less rabbit activity in the backyard since doing this.

I like have bird feeders out, and since we don’t actually have any squirrels in our neck of the woods, I don’t have to worry about needing squirrel baffles. I don’t worry about feeding the geese and ducks, as they get what they need from the creek. But we do have a bird feeder out, as well as a hummingbird feeder. With these, you need to monitor how often they get used and clean them accordingly. With a young cat, having these things out for encouraging birds in the yard provides Drypp with another level of stimulation, which is good for her feline brain.

If you are considering putting out any of these things or interested in deterring unwanted animals from your yard, I recommend considering their placement. Especially if you have dogs or children, you do not want to have anything dangerous too close to the house where they can get caught.

I hope this helped anyone get some ideas of how to encourage wildlife in your yard! The most important thing to remember is to respect the creatures and while they can sometimes be annoying, let them be and they won’t bother you. After all, we all have to eat.

Budget Eating: Eating on a budget while also being environmentally friendly

Shopping within a budget is crucial for me, but of equal importance is being as eco-friendly as possible when going to the grocery store. Over the past few years, I have learned several ways to cut down on plastic and packaging when I grocery shop. While I would like to do more, these simple tips are well within my budget and you too can easily implement them into your own life.

• Bring reusable bags. This is a no-brainer, but everyone could benefit from doing this. Those plastic grocery bags, while recyclable, are a pain to recycle and not cost-effective for companies to recycle. So bring your own bag.
• Have a fabric bag specifically for fruits and vegetables. Use this instead of the plastic bags they have hanging around the produce department. Fruit and veggies are fine without those bags because they naturally have skin to protect them. If you are worried about pesticides or banging them up, just wash them when you get home and store them properly.
• Only buy what you absolutely need! This cuts down on food waste.
• Check the labels on plastic containers to see if they can actually be recycled. Not all plastic is recyclable. If you have to buy something in one of these containers, try to reuse it instead of throwing it away.
• Buy things in glass jars, paper, or aluminum instead, as these materials are recyclable. You can reuse glass as storage containers or to hold homemade soups, jams, sauces, pickles, broths, etc. Paper can be used for craft projects, composted, or as kindling. Aluminum is 100% recyclable.
• If you can, go to a bulk store armed with jars and bags to stock up on things. Unfortunately, bulk stores often only exist in big cities, but some chain stores like Fred Meyer’s has a bulk section with things like granola and nuts. Bulk items are typically cheaper as well as good for cutting down on packaging.
• Buy in-season fresh produce. Strawberries are not supposed to grow year round, and those that are made to do not taste as good. Oranges, squashes, potatoes, root vegetables, and avocados are all good wintertime veggies and fruits. Or stock up on canned goods.
• Cut down on the amount of meat you buy. While humans are omnivores, too much red meat is not good for you. Try having meat in only one meal a day. If you have to have meat, go to the deli for a few pieces instead. They will also usually put your meat and cheeses into your own containers if you ask nicely.
• When you can, buy local. Farmers markets automatically cut down of packaging. At the store, check the label to see where the food is from. The closer to home, the better for the environment. Locally raised and grown food has less distance to travel, therefore less of a carbon footprint.

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These are all the things I do to cut down on packaging and food waste. If we all do our part, even if it is small, our efforts to be kinder to the planet will culminate and large businesses will eventually listen. I know all these things seem insignificant, but if we all try, then we can make change.

Adventure Awaits! My top camping tips

As summer is upon us, some things I’ve noticed going around the internet lately are videos and posts about “camping hacks,” ways to make camping easier.

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Now this baffles me because camping is a relatively simple process if you have the proper gear. But I realize not everyone has had the time to experience campaign nature. I promise you, you don’t need all those hacks. If you do a little research before, get the proper gear, and follow a few simple rules, you will have a successful camping adventure.

Camping is great because you get to connect with nature. Some campsites even have showers these day, but almost all of them will have clean bathroom facilities. Check out the park or campsite’s website before you go to make sure of all the regulations and facilities it has. If you are bringing a pet, check to see what the rules are.

Camping doesn’t have to be a daunting task. It can be so much fun as long as you make the right preparations beforehand. I have a list of things I like to do/make sure I bring camping that I will share with you now.

• Bring sunscreen and bug spray, as well as any medications you may need. A first aid kit is an absolute must pack item!
• Always go with a group. Camping alone for amateurs is not a good idea. Go with friends or pack up the family for a quick getaway. You’ll be creating lasting memories.
• Keep your food in a cooler and a container you can seal. A plastic tub will work to keep the trash pandas away.
• Meal plan before you go. Depending on where you are going and how long you are going for, make a list of meals that can be made over a camp fire. A good place to start is grilled cheese, hot dogs, or ramen. From there you can make a lot more.
• Bring the essentials like instant oatmeal, fruit, trail mix, granola bars, and plenty of water. Many outdoor sporting goods stores also sell dehydrated meals, which are a quick option as you just add hot water.
• I’d advise bringing a little bottle of dish soap with your mess kit, and a rag to wash/dry them with. I typically repurpose a little bottle from something else to keep the soap in.
• Bring a lantern/flashlights and extra batteries. Keep them in your tent.
• Speaking of tents, I’ve seen many “hacks” to make your sleeping situation more comfortable. My tip here is to use a yoga mat. You probably have one anyway, they are inexpensive and they separate your sleeping bag from the ground.
• Keep pillows and blankets in a garbage bag when traveling. This prevent them from getting dirty before you set up camp.
• It is always a good idea to bring a cell phone, and a backup portable charger, but keep your device on airplane mode when you don’t need to use it.
• Repurpose plastic grocery bags to hold dirty clothes and shoes to help keep your tent clean.
• Bring extra water bottles! Keep them refilled with clean water as often as possible. Most campsites will have a clean water pump on site.
• Make sure there is someone in your group who knows how to make a fire. Keep a bucket of water by the fire at all times just in case. Or, bring a portable grill.
• Dress in layers. Even if you checked the forecast ahead of time, wether always changes.
• Bring baby/makeup removal wipes. In a pinch, they can be used for washing up.

Camping requires more than hacks to make it fun and successful. It requires preparation and common sense, in addition to imagination. As a summertime family activity, I highly recommend it because it is less expensive than any other type of vacation, and it is important to support your state parks!

These are just a few of the things I have picked up over the years of camping with my boyfriend. Tent camping (or car camping) is far less expensive than renting/buying an RV or trailer, and it allows you to really connect with the great outdoors.

Do you have any camping tips? Or have you tried any of the viral “camping hacks?” Let me know!

How I Get Around Without a Car

Perhaps unsurprisingly to those who know me well, I have never owned a car. Frankly, I find driving to make me very anxious. I do know how to drive, and I will do so from time to time.

There are far too many motor vehicle accidents in the US as it is, and few people discuss that anxious driving can cause accidents to happen. So rather than get behind the wheel when I feel as though I am unable to drive, I choose to rely on other methods of transportation.

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Namely, I take the bus fairly often. I typically don’t mind public transportation, although it certainly has a long way to go in this country. On thing I really loved when I studied abroad in the UK was taking the tube literally everywhere in London. Here, we don’t have too much of that on the west coast.

Taking the bus does not cost me much money. It certainly costs less than car insurance and maintenance and gasoline. Public transportation also helps the environment in reducing the amount of vehicles on the road and their pollution.

I also walk and bike many places. I used to be able to walk to work, even in the rain, but then we moved so I take the bus again, which I don’t mind! We can ride our bikes to the closest grocery store, which is a nice way to exercise and also reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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I will also carpool with my boyfriend. We both work in the same city and his office isn’t too far from mine. We split the cost of gas and I can either walk or take the bus from his place of work to mine. I like the brief walk in the morning.

If all else fails, I will take an Uber or Lyft. It can be costly, but if I have to get somewhere quickly, early, late, or alone, both are a fairly reliable service.

I would love to live in a town where I could walk or bike everywhere I needed to go. Sadly, those days are pretty much over. Since I work in a large city, I can rely on public transportation to get most of the places I need to be.

Cars can be expensive and they require constant upkeep. And until I learn how to drive without anxiety, it is better for myself and the environment to keep doing what I am doing.