A guilty pleasure that just became a bit more eco

For my dad's 70th birthday I convinced my sisters to get him a joint present that would "give pleasure every day": a Nespresso Machine. The gift was and remains a real success with both my parents loving the easy use and all the great tastes that this company offers. I love them too but always felt a nagging sense of guilt about it. After all - how are you supposed to justify SOO much waste for a single cup of coffee, no matter how perfect? (Packaging being: cardboard boxes and then those single serving aluminium multicoloured cups which are soo cute but ...)

Which is why I was very glad to see that Nespresso had finally addressed this issue and has set up a recycling system in its stores that has alot to do with The Body Shop's "recycle your containers" traditional plan. All I can say is - consumer pressure must work! I am sure I am not the only person who had ethical problems with the idea of buying a Nespresso machine simply because of the waste. Not that I am completely convinced yet, but atleast I know they are working on the eco angle and that's good news. Now I just have to convince my parents to actually take them to the recycling bins when they go to renew their stock!

Spring cleaning

Though Spring is officially here, Madrid continues to be shrouded in dirty white clouds and the mood on the streets is decidedly gray. But today I feel inspired and have all the day to myself so I have begun an all out "spring cleaning" like I haven't done in a long time!!! This little pause occurs after having taken the kilos and kilos of mags I was going to be giving the students at my course to examine and cut out down to recycle. Within hours of my last post I got a phone call saying there weren't enough students and so they were cancelling it. Needless to say my mood plummeted, as did the ambient air pressure. But now, the pressure has stablized and my resolution is back.

The recycling was only the wake up call for a day that, so far, has included taking down the curtains to wash them, flipping the mattress to the summer side (and all the cleaning out that goes with it), changing pillows, putting all my plants into the bath to "deep cleanse" them, using my vacuum cleaner on every surface imaginable (beginning with the floor, onto the mattress, the sofas... you get the idea). And now, I've waxed the wooded floors. Hence the pause for breath - I need to let it dry!

In the process, I am trying to get rid of some of the cleaning products I have accumulated. I have finally found a couple of places where I can buy truelly ecological house cleaning products and look forward to making the transition soon. Still have alot to go, but it feels good to be doing all of this. Have to make the best of this burst of energy. I'm hoping to even have time to give my wardrobe a quick review! The wax has dried so... back to work!!

Taking one day at a time...

Patience has never been my strong point. When I decide on something I tend to plan out how it must go / be done and then go right ahead and do it. I can even become a bit obsessed with one project and forget about everything else. Its a useful obsession if you are a journalist working to strict deadlines, but at other times, it just makes you feel frustrated with yourself.

Lately my energy levels were so low that it was impossible to feel this way. My body simply needed too much attention to let my brain focus in that way. Now, that capacity that has always been so useful from a study or work perspective is slowly coming back. There are days, like most of last week or today, where I can sit at my computer and just concentrate on one thing (the one week course I am giving this month) to the detriment of any other project or even day to day stuff. Still, I notice my natural energy levels don't quite live up to my focus. So things go slower, and take longer, than I'd like. Very frustrating, especially when I'd like to start seeing results in many areas of my life.

Trying to take it one day at a time and not let it get to me, but its not always easy. Like today. Just hope tomorrow will be better.

Same goes with my attempts to declutter and "green" my home and, overall, my life. I know the steps I should take but its taking longer than expected because there is so many different things I should do and I must choose just one thing at a time. Me, the Queen of multitasking, am stuck with waiting around for things beyond my control to change. Both within my body and in the outside world. I just hope I start solving things before it all gives me an ulcer!

Down at heel

"Down at heel" is an expression I just came across lately, in a 19th century serialized novel. I found it quite fun, and decided to "adopt" it for this post, which is about selecting elements of my wardrobe that have their days counted and accelerate their demise by wearing them more often than I otherwise would. I am in the process of doing just this with a couple of pairs of pants and some flat shoes too, which unfortunately cannot be resoled (I tried, believe me)!

This is I suppose part of my second phase of "reduce or recycle". To make sure that accumulation stops now! I'm hoping this phase will last for a few more years to come. Its actually quite a fun challenge to set oneself: can you stop your home from becoming more cluttered? Can you even go so far as to revert the process without sending anything to a landfill? Now THAT... that is the real dilemma. And it calls for patience and creativity and often, an extra effort. But, one item at a time, I think I am moving in the right direction.

Miracle Ball

Did I mention that Santa Claus brought me a pretty nifty eco gift? Actually it was picked out by my mom, and really touched me. Funny isn't it, how the smallest things really are the important ones. Anyway, coming back to the gift. Its a ball, around the size of a grapefruit, made of some kind of silicon or plastic (the details are no where on the package), and its brand name is very original: "Ecogenie Ball".

The idea of it all is that it works as a detergent substitute, with no chemical pollutant side effects. Its supposed to last for over 1000 washing machines. I've made the calculations - and that means that at my current rate of two loads per week it can last me until 2019!!! How's that for eco and bank account friendly?

Last weekend, after finishing off the detergent that I had from before X-mas, I finally began using it. So far, so good ;-) And, yet another bonus, I can just leave it in the drum between loads. Much better than trying to find an out of the way place for even the most concentrated of ariels or dixans. So "Yeah!!!" for whoever the inventor of this little ecogadget is. I love it! I hope I find more of its kind over the next months, years...

And maybe, one eco obsessed inventor's brilliant idea at a time, and millions of consumers backing each up, we can manage to save our earth, despite our governments' lack of resolution / nerve. We can't let time run out on this beautiful planet just because we want more "stuff". That's crazier than any "cap and trade", initiative or fuel free car, and sooo much more important than playing power games! What's a nation's power if there's no living thing left to exert power over?

Unlikely style inspiration

Spending soo much time at home sometimes has unexpected consequences, and I'm not talking about baking like there's no tomorrow, or catching up on a decade's worth of cut out articles within a few weeks! The fact is "The Ghost Whisperer" is back on TV at mid day and I am hooked.

"Melinda"'s wardrobe is totally unrealistic for a woman who lives in a small town and spends more time doing pro bono work for ghosts than making a sale at her antique stores. Bar the fact that she wears full make up (including fake eyelashes!!!) when she goes to sleep, the way she runs around in Louboutin's steepest heels and never repeats a look is quite awesome.

I especially enjoy her flamboyance. The way she wears what most of us would reserve for a cocktail party to work at 9 am. The way she flings a flowery dress over jeans and a pair of stilettos to traipse through a ruined house, or uses a mini and mosqueteer boots for a hospital visit. FIERCE!!!!

It reminds me of something I'd forgotten lately - dressing up everyday aught to be fun! So in her honour today I've donned a silk babydoll dress with an art deco print in black and white over straight jeans. Unfortunately, for now I'll have to stick to flats... So I'm considering slipping into some pretty and peppy canary yellow ballerinas if I do end up going for a little food shopping!