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Show Page 12 THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Volume III, Issue VII February 1, 2001 Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle By Rachel Jones I’m certain you’ve seen this trio before: “reduce, reuse, recycle,” but I thought some ideas about their meaning might be of use to anyone concerned about our impact on the globe, as the U.S. consumes 40% of the world’s natural resources. REDUCE what you consume and what you throw away. When you do consume, find socially responsible companies and organizations to support and purchase from. Your dollar is very powerful! My sister, most certainly still young and idealistic, has told me much about companies I shouldn’t support, so I make a concerted effort to find ones I can feel good about supporting. There are a lot of great ones out there! Recycled products have come a long way from the days of 10% post-consumer materials—cozy fleece jackets, beautiful cards, elegant jewelry, reliable cleaners, quality paper products, coffee companies that support the rainforests, and even power tools that donate profit to charity. These are just a few examples. Also, before making a purchase, think about the waste generated after you eat or open the packaged item. Everything from nails to chocolate goodies comes in bulk. Plant a garden! Yes, grow some of your own veggies. It’s not that difficult and the rewards far outweigh the investment. You can lower stress by taking your frustrations out on the weeds; you can reduce your food and gasoline bill by picking dinner from your backyard; and you can improve your health by eating nutrient dense foods picked when ripe, instead of eating something that was picked green and, now, only somewhat resembles and tastes like a tomato. Since you’ll have a garden (and even if you don’t, your grass will enjoy this natural fertilizer) start a compost pile. They are tremendously easy to start and maintain. Especially if you’re not in a hurry. Mother Nature can do her trick without a lot of help. I use a diaper pail in the house for a good temporary bin (there’s absolutely no odor) until I make a trip to the pile outside. If you’re not using a mulching mower in the summer, don’t forget grass clippings and leaves to throw on the pile. I wish I could give some statistics of the amount of yard and kitchen waste that ends up in the landfill instead of enriching your soil. All I can say is, it’s silly not to have a compostpile! Before something hits the garbage bag, ask yourself if part of, or all of it, can be REUSED. A while back I was cutting up cereal boxes and making the coolest postcards with the reproduced prints from last year’s calendar. I saved the gift-wrap from presents and made beautiful envelopes to send letters in. Be creative! I know the kids I’ve watched loved it when I brought my box of “scraps” over and we made something unique with a little glue and our imaginations. Just so I don’t feel overwhelmed with leftovers, occasionally I clean out the box, keeping only what seems manageable to work with. Especially since I haven’t completely eliminated the junk mail with a letter to the direct marketing association, I Recipe of the Month reuse as much of this as I can. This rough draft is being written on the back of some ad for something or other. Used envelopes hold my credit card receipts until the bill arrives; others get used for sharing a recipe or clipped article with a friend. You get the drift. Most importantly, have fun with the items you save, and keep a positive attitude about your “scrap box.” Hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup Prep Time: 10 min. Cook Time: 30 min. 1 2 1/2 RECYCLE Ok, so you’ve kept the newspapers out of the landfill, but how about plastic, aluminum, cardboard, tin, and steel? Try Bloom’s Recyclers on 2127 Wall Avenue. They have huge bins for the listed items. Sometimes they even pay you if the load is heavy enough! Wear heavy shoes when you go. Since I want to maintain the privilege of taking my waste there, please observe what number of plastic you can recycle; break down the cardboard you take in; make sure the right materials go in the right bins; and observe any other rules the company requests of customers. And please, don’t leave your goods for recycling at the front gate when they’re closed. I would be oh so glad for someone to correct me, but to my knowledge there is nowhere around to recycle glass. I’m sure there’s more I do, you do, and our neighbors do to conserve our natural resources. Keep sharing and getting the community motivated! 1 1 1 1 2 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cut up cans (14 1/2 oz. each) Swanson Chicken Broth (3 1/2 cups) cup uncooked regular longgrain white rice tsp. ground cumin can (11 oz.) Mexican-style corn cup Pace Chunky Salsa tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro tbsp. lime juice Crispy Tortilla Strips SPRAY saucepot with vegetable cooking spray and heat 1 minute. Add chicken and cook until browned, stirring often. ADD broth, rice and cumin. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 20 minutes. STIR in corn, salsa, cilantro and lime juice and heat through. Top with Crispy Tortilla Strips. Serves 6. Crispy Tortilla Strips: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut 4 corn tortillas into thin strips and place on baking sheet. Spray with vegetable cooking spray. Bake 10 minutes or until golden. Happy Valentine’s Day from deborah hegg Associate Broker - CRS “Simply The Best” See the Valley’s homes at www.deborahhegg.com Office: 801-745-0100 Cell: 801-745-1548 2555 N. Wolf Creek Drive Eden, Utah 84310 |