Electric Use

It's strange, this electric bill I'm looking at. I have installed power strips so I can reduce phantom loads, removed a energy-sucking beer fridge, and have not used the A/C in months. Yet somehow, I used more electricity than I did for the same period last year. I have no idea what I was doing last year that used so little electricity. It's not all bad, as I did use less electricity than I did last month, but I was hoping to reduce my electric use by 10% over last year. I just have to try harder.

I discovered another hurdle in my new vegetarian ways. Although I am by no means a vegan (yet), I was determined that no animal would die for me to eat. I was doing well, but I was experiencing pain in my elbow joints. I decided to take glucosamine to help my joints recover... even though it is made from the exo-skeletons of shellfish. I took it for three days while I searched local drugstores for vegan glucosamine. I know they make it, but I have been unable to find any locally. I asked a pharmacist, and was told to try a specialty vitamin store or buy them on-line. Am I really the only person in Tucson that doesn't want to take a glucosamine pill derived from shellfish?

Vegetarian

I haven't eaten meat in about a week and a half. I don't really miss it. I have had to get a little creative with my menus, but I've discovered some really great recipes that I likely would not have tried while I was still eating meat. So far, I haven't even attempted to go vegan, as I have learned that animal products are in almost everything. I bought some veggie cheese slices, only to find out that they contain milk protein. Of course, it doesn't say "milk protein," it says "casein." Kind of sneaky, don't you think? I have also learned that sugar isn't necessarily vegan. Who would have thought that bones from cows are used to whiten sugar??!!?

So for now, I am simply refraining from eating meat, and trying to greatly reduce other animal products. I will continue to educate myself about animal products that are in food, and hopefully I can save the lives of a few animals.

Eco-tourism

I love to travel. I love to experience new cultures and see animals in the wild I normally would only see in a zoo.

In November, I traveled to Churchill, Manitoba, Canada to see polar bears in the wild. I went with Natural Habitat Adventures (check them out here), the world's first carbon neutral travel company. The entire trip was amazing, and I think about the trip frequently. Even though that was only a few months ago, I am already thinking about my next trip. I believe in eco-tourism, and I think that showing people that travelers will spend lots of money to go look at nature is a good way to convince people to protect nature. So imagine how ecstatic I was when I read this: Natural Habitat Adventures is proud to be the innovator of an arctic adventure vacation that not only allows wildlife lovers an incredibly moving experience, but also helps to protect baby harp seals through ecotourism. There’s no better way to experience this great migration and see harp seal herds in their natural habitat (NatHab.com). Yup, that's right, NatHab is taking a small group of travelers to the Magdalen Islands to see those adorable fluffy little white baby harp seals! I am so there!!!!!

Seal Watch 2011 here I come!!!