Ecomaster Assessment – Part 1

We have our Ecomaster assessment booked in a few days after moving to the new house. Ecomaster offer a 4 hour complete assessment, looking at how to make your house more energy efficient, water conscious etc etc.

Granny B had one done in August. This resulted in her organising for Ecomaster to do draught proofing and put in new insulation in her ceiling. The difference to her house is amazing. It used to be freezing in winter (and I mean truly freezing – think sleeping in full winter pjs, beanie, thermal socks, doona, blankets and still freezing) and boiling in summer. We’ve had quite a few days of 35 degree weather here in Melbourne at the moment and her house has stayed nice and cool for most of the day.

I cant wait to have our assessment done on the new house. We can already see a lot wrong with it (flat roof, no ceiling insulation, no underfloor insulation to name a few). But having retrofitted our current house, we can see the potential and what can be done to improve its energy efficiency.

We will have to do it in stages but I look forward to the suggestions that this assessment can provide.

Eating Meat

I’ve been looking at our meat intake in response to reading how bad red meat is carbon footprint wise. For the 12 years prior to Little B being born, I was a vegetarian. Mainly because I preferred it as a healthy lifestyle and really enjoyed the food. Since Little B was born with his trailer load of allergies, we have had to go back to eating meat (one of his big allergies is to the majority of vegies).

But I still insist on only eating red meat twice a week. The rest of the time we eat the vegetarian meals Little B can eat, and one meal each of free range chicken and sustainable fish. I wonder how many people are comfortable with making the change towards partial vegetarianism? I'm hoping to do more vegetarian meals as Little B's allergies reduce / improve and as our garden gets bigger and more productive.

I’ve been watching River Cottage recently and found the segments on small holding really interesting. Especially how they grew their own free range chickens for meat. I like this idea but cant really seem to come round to putting into practice (says she who cant pick snails off our vegies). We aim to get chickens for eggs in 2010, and perhaps we may then move onto contemplating them as a food source as well.

Mr B has said he will take on the chook "disposal", if we do the plucking and innards removal. Blech!! But hey thinking about it is a start LOL.

So sad

I still find it so sad when I meet other parents who have begun the allergy merry go round. Especially since in the early days, that is mainly what you get – the run around. This particular couple I met recently had to see 6 different GP’s before they could get anyone to listen to them, then it took another 3 specialists before anyone would listen or even look / touch their child’s skin.

Their 4 month old little boy is covered quite literally from head to toe in eczema. He scratches himself until he bleeds. They were given so much conflicting advice from so many different sources, but finally they have found a specialist who was the first to actually touch and look at their child’s skin. He also gave them some experienced advice and for the first time in recent weeks, their little boy doesn’t spend each day screaming in pain and trying to scratch his skin off.

I applaud them for their perseverance. Its bad enough being a first time parent and then having to battle the medical establishment, who all seem to follow the idea that first time parents can only be hypochondriacs.

I’m a firm believer in trusting your instinct. After all, who lives with your child 24 / 7, who eats, sleeps and breathes with them – you, the parent. So who is going to know if something is wrong – you!!!

If this story says nothing at all, I just want parents, especially newbie’s, never to give up on themselves or their bubbas.

Frugal living = green living = sustainable living?

I find it increasingly interesting how often simple or frugal living can mean that you are being environmentally responsible as well.

In the beginning, there were things I started doing to be more frugal that I can see now were eco-friendly. We didn’t use a dryer (due to power costs), used cloth nappies (for cost and environment), washed in cold water with full loads, cooked from scratch, didnt use chemical products to clean the house, vinegar as a fabric softener and our the primary reason for these was to save dollars.

And now with the new things I have tried as well I can see this parallel too. Knitting our own dish cloths, not using chemical cleaners, using a lunette cup and cloth pads, using fans not air con, buying 2nd hand clothes and so on. Its why I really look back with interest to what Granny B and MIL B did when we were growing up, that was done for frugalness but was more environmentally friendly as well.

Obviously this doesn’t always apply. Having to cook from scratch as much as I do for Little B, I can see that the link between cooking from scratch and knowing the ingredients is far more important, than buying the cheapest ingredients. I’m more likely to buy organic now, and grow my own food.

Mind you I am still a dollar stretcher and whilst I buy the “best” food I can for our family, I save pennies where I can. I guess its ingrained in me after years of simple living as a choice ☺

Garden Update

Well our zucchini seedlings are no more. The Midnight Monsters aka a possum family have helped themselves and eaten them all up ☹ I think it might be time to invest in some cloches. I’ve seen some glass ones and bamboo wicker type ones, and am leaning towards the wicker-esque ones first methinks.

Interestingly, they only seem to ransack one part of the garden and don’t investigate our raised beds (or maybe they are just scared of snails, because we have a plague of those around there). Granny B has become an expert snail smasher (with a running commentary from Little B). I am too faint hearted to even look at snails, in fact just thinking about them now is inducing an urge to vomit LOL.

But everything else is growing really well. Our cherry tomatoes have had a huge burst of growth, and our beans have overcome their transplanting shock. Our cucumber has recovered from a snail attack and has some weenie baby cucumbers on it. And our snow peas are still taking over the world.

We planted:
- more zucchini (what can I say I’m a sucker for punishment)
- red capsicum
- carrots
- lettuce

Christmas tree o Christmas tree

We haven’t had a Christmas tree since Little B has been born. In the early days, Mr B and I had a tree but one of our lovely furbabies decided her first Xmas to eat the tinsel, some Christmas decorations and a Christmas light. She spent Christmas at the vet, having her insides cleaned out and being resewn together. Very expensive Christmas that year ;-)

But this year we have decided that Little B needs a Christmas tree (mind you I reeeeally want one too). And since our previous Christmas decorations were too tasty, we are looking at having an eco-friendly decoration bonanza.

We started early by making bakers clay and letting Little B cut out Xmas shapes, baking them and painting them. He had an absolute ball doing this and it was fun for us as well. We made some extras so that he can give them to his grandparents as Xmas pressies.

We then moved onto making crafty gods eyes in jazzy colours. And with each week leading up to Xmas we have planned one Christmas decoration craft project per week to do together. Now I know at the end we wont have the designer magazine Christmas tree, but what we will have is:
• eco-friendly decorations
• lots of quality time spent with Little B
• lovely memories of Little B’s ecstatic joy at creating his “masterpieces”
• the joy in perhaps creating a new tradition for our family
• and last but not least, the House of B’s first family Christmas tree.

Ice cream, we all scream for ice cream

I’ve found a less intensive way to whip up some ice cream for Little B. A décor Frosty Mug. I just put in the rice milk, stir for 2 minutes, wait for 2 minutes and bam, we have instant icecream.

This has been the most fabulous addition to my kitchen. It satisfies Little B as he has become quite keen on the concept of ice cream from books and watching other kids. And for me its something easy to do and make for him when its hot or as a treat.

Little B has never had real ice cream, so to him it’s the real deal. Plus he loves rice milk, so it’s a win-win situation for everyone ☺