Getting Crunchy with Katie: Why Your Next Bottle of Wine Should be Organic Wine

Although I drink wine all year long, the fall is a perfect time for thinking about wine because the grapes are picked and begin their process toward becoming wine.  

My first experience with organic wine was in Napa Valley, California.  My mom and I started our wine tasting day at an organic winery.  We were not impressed at all.  For the past three years, I’d written off organic wines as being mediocre, not worth spending money on when there are so many more delicious wines to be experienced.  One trip to a local wine store completely changed my perception.

Click over to my post at Mommy Living the Life of Riley Blog to learn why your next bottle of wine should be organic wine.  I think you will also be pleasantly surprised: http://www.mommylivingthelifeofriley.com/eco-friendly-green-living/getting-crunchy-with-katie-top-3-reasons-why-your-next-bottle-of-wine-should-be-organic-wine/.

>> Have you ever tried organic wine?  What did you think?

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Reduce the Environmental Impact of Pet Fish [#CTWW]

This week's challenge comes from Jennifer. 

Find one way to lower the environmental impact of your pet.

This week's task is a little challenging for me (no pun intended) because we currently do not have any pets.  The closest we have gotten to pets is fish.  Fish have a pretty low impact on the environment and do not usually require a lot of waste unless you are talking about a huge aquarium in your house.  While other #CTWW folks are writing about bigger animals like cats and dogs, I will focus on fish.  We cannot forget the little guys!

Fish require:

• Glass aquarium and gravel
• Distilled water
• Fish food
• Filtration system
• Hood and light
• pH testing kit
• Accessories (optional)

The main waste areas are the water and electricity to run the filtration and light, and potentially the type of fish food your fish require.  Here are my recommendations on how to reduce the environment impact of fish:

1. Reuse old aquarium water to water your indoor or outdoor plants, unless you added aquarium salt, medication, or chemicals, including pH adjusters or algae killers etc. The last two generally are not safe for aquariums anyway.
2. Purchase the same type of fish or similar in terms of food and water needs - this will ensure that you limit the amount of different foods and accessories that you are buying.
3. Avoid buying tropical fish because they require a heater and a thermometer - this will reduce the amount of electricity needed to keep the aquarium at a comfortable temperature.
4. Use natural decor like stones and rocks that you can usually find for free instead of buying plastic ones.
5. Limit the size of the aquarium and the number of fish.  Bigger aquariums require more electricity.

Fish are smaller in size than cats or dogs, but they still require water, food, and electricity, just like any other animal.  Although fish require less than bigger sized pets, there are still eco-friendly changes you can make that will have a positive impact on your family and your environment.

WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!  Be the change that you want to see in the world!

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Green Motivation Monday - Buy Preservative-Free Food

This post is part of the Green Motivation Monday series.  The purpose of these weekly posts is to offer motivation to take a small baby step in the green and eco-friendly direction.  Of course, I will be taking the step right along with you.  I will let you know how I did and I hope you let me know what you were able to accomplish.

Motivation: Reduce the amount of toxic chemicals you put in your body by buying preservative-free food.

Challenge: During your next grocery trip, read the ingredients list on the foods that you are buying. Count how many products have preservatives in them. You might need to research some of the ingredients online to identify if they are a preservative or an additive. By being aware of what you're eating, you are making a healthy decision for your whole family.

Preservatives are added to foods to make them shelf-stable and make them last longer. Once you start reading labels on the foods that you buy, you will be shocked at how many of them contain some type of preservative.  Even uncured, fresh bacon in a Fresh Market meat counter has Sodium Nitrite in it.  All packaged food will have an ingredients label.  The font might be size 6, but it will be there.

There are many life-threatening effects that preservatives can have on the body. Pregnant women are told to avoid deli meats and cured meats that contain Sodium Nitrite and Sodium Nitrate and any food that has preservatives in it.  There is a reason!  If you're trying to get pregnant, wouldn't you want to avoid preservatives also?  Take the first step by being aware of what toxic chemicals your family and your children are putting in your bodies.

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Weekend Summary - Friends and Exercise

The weekend is coming to an end.  I wish I had another two days to enjoy, but I am grateful for the two days that I have had.  This weekend was filled with many fun activities.

On Saturday, I enjoyed a nice run throughout our neighborhood.  The fall is perfect for running because of the cool weather and the gorgeous colors of the leaves turning.  I also enjoyed my first Garden Tea Party.  A coworker friend invited a few of us to a Garden Tea Party.  The weather was comfortable, the sun was shinning, and we enjoyed a three-course meal with tea in a very beautiful back yard garden.  I always love connecting with other ladies who can offer great advise about life, family, and kids.  This day was very fulfilling.

On Sunday (today), my husband and I went on a bicycle ride with our friends.  The two hours on the trail gave us opportunities to enjoy the scenery below.  Plus, biking is a great workout!

The trail goes through a wooded area along side a river:

>> What did you enjoy most about your weekend?

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Green Motivation Monday - Choose Cycling over Driving

I am starting a new series - Green Motivation Monday.  The purpose of these weekly posts is to offer motivation to take a small baby step in the green and eco-friendly direction.  Of course, I will be taking the step right along with you.  I will let you know how I did and I hope you let me know what you were able to accomplish.

Motivation: Choose to ride your bicycle over driving your car for quick errands.

If you need to run a quick errand like dropping off/picking up mail at the Post Office or buying a few items at the grocery store, ride your bicycle and take a small backpack or satchel with you to keep your valuables and purchases.  Not only will you complete your errand, but you will also benefit from the exercise.

>> Have you chosen to cycle over driving?

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