today is the second day of the two week long climate talks in Paris.  COP21 is a meeting of the nations (196 of them) to discuss climate change and to come to a universal agreement on the way forward.  this agreement will hopefully include actions, limits and targets such as decreased emission levels, increased renewable energy implementation, and commitments to help poorer countries deal with the climate issues they are already facing.  

as a daily practice, we can focus on individual action.  we can and should decrease our negative impact on the planet by consuming less, decreasing our waste, decreasing our use of fossil fuels by driving and flying less and using less plastic, eating organic and less meat, and talking to others about these issues.

in the bigger picture, however, these individual actions…while important…will not affect our planet in ways that will drastically impact the causes of rising temperatures.  a shift away from the use of fossil fuels altogether and toward totally sustainable energy is necessary.  we have to let our leaders know what we want.  we have to let them know that voting for a cleaner planet will get them re-elected…not the opposite.  this is not an issue that should divide political parties.  this is an issue that should unite the world…the one world that we all share.

the issue itself, here.  so important.  so good.

the above book, but will the planet notice? by gernot wagner, is an interesting look at some of the policies and actions we could implement that could truly impact change.  it took some mental gymnastics at some points, but i love to be challenged…especially on this topic.  wagner is a harvard and stanford graduate, an economist at the environmental defense fund, and also teaches at columbia (not just some dude with opinions).  we need some big ideas, and this book offers some options.  (check it out at your local library.)

if you'd like a closer look at some target issues, here.  

my eyes are on COP21.  my prayers are for a surprisingly positive outcome.

love,
​jane

these might be the most obvious multifunctional items, but i couldn't leave them out. glass jars are workhorses in the zero-waste kitchen.  i am constantly amazed at the many jobs glass jars can accommodate.  i love having them in all different sizes.  

we use them for:
~drinking glasses- big, medium, and small
~butter dish
~canning jars- i mostly freeze tomato sauce or cooked beans in them
~leftover storage- soups, grated cheese
~lunch transport- soup, pasta, salad
~snack transport- granola bars, fruit, hummus + carrots or apples, etc., trail mix, cookies, etc.
~drink transport- add a lid and go, or use for take-away at the coffee shop
~flower vases
~homemade pickles or applesauce
~gifting bulk candy or treats, homemade spiced nuts, dipped apricots, pickles, etc.
~starting new plants from cuttings
​~clay and face powder in the bathroom
~storing herbs, asparagus 
~growing basil
​~bulk spice storage
~holding open a heavy window

larger jars are useful for:
~bulk items
~yogurt
~larger amounts of leftovers
~cookie dough
~cold water in the fridge- we keep two of the returnable glass milk containers and use them for keeping water cold- no wasted water while waiting for it to turn cold at the faucet
~displaying seashells and other natural items
~terrariums

​others in this series :: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09
​
love,
​jane

this day more than any other reminds me that businesses are in business.  whether they are trying to make a case for opting outside or buying transparently for good, there is a strategy to reach their target customer.  this is not always a bad thing.  we all get to make our own judgements…we get to live by our own values…we get to make our own choices.  we are blessed to have the privilege of enormous choice.  we can make the conscious choice to use businesses to meet our needs and the needs of those who depend on them for employment…not the other way around.  so whether we choose to take advantage of a sale, or to opt out…it's our choice.  

i'd love to know how to want very little, and it might be especially helpful today.

but above all, let's be sure to get them what they really want. (this is the link to click, if you skipped the others!)  :)

love,
jane

p.s. and remember you can always return it!  ;)

i have so much to be thankful for!  here are just a few:

~my God who loves, provides, and guides
~my incredible tribe with whom i get to wander through life
~a warm, cozy home
~food on the table
~cars in the garage
~employment for mr. tribe that provides for our needs
~employment for jo that provides college tuition
~a country that provides freedom of religion to all
~purpose
~clean water
~leaves that change glorious colors
~ever-changing clouds
~sunsets
~oceans
~soil
~apples
~succulents
~chai tea
~tamarind + orange candles
~zines + cellos
~bastille + vance joy
~fairy lights
~wool socks
~gilmore girls
~washing machine
~education
~warm bed
~health
~books
~this blog community- thank you!!!

happy thanksgiving, friends!  :)

love,
jane

so it begins…the holidays.  

advertisers tell us that thanksgiving has turned into "thanksgetting", and black friday continues it's insatiable creep into that brief day of gratitude.  consumerism attempts to render quiet wonder in front of the manger extraneous.  even if jesus is not the focus of their celebration, i doubt anyone would say that they want the source of joy in the season to come from more and more and more purchasing.    

what feelings come to mind with thoughts of the holidays?  panic, dread, exhaustion, joyful lightness?  my shoulders tense and i recognize my need for focus at the beginning of this season.  i need a recalibration of expectation and then a plan.

here's an assignment for myself…feel free to play along, if you like.  take a break and sit down with pen, paper and a cup of something warm.  

~write down what you'd like the holidays to feel like.  what feels warm, happy and luxurious to you as you think about the next month.  would it feel great to just sink into bed with a movie and hot chocolate?  would you like to sit around a big table with your closest friends to eat, chat and laugh?  do you want to see wonder on the faces of your little ones?  do you want to make cookies together or hug your mom or take a long nap?  what sounds just heavenly to you?

~what feelings do you want to have?  relaxing, laughing, warmth, love, togetherness, connection, quiet, awe, gratitude?
~what feelings do you want your loved ones to have?

~how can you achieve those results within your values, budget, time, comfort?  what can you not do this year?

~what would you like the days following christmas to bring?  or not to bring?  i doubt it includes debt, piles of wadded up wrapping paper, or forgotten toys to clean up.

if we'd like our holidays to not feel hectic, stressful, bank account draining, and disappointing, let's make changes.  we can create joy and wonder, togetherness and connection, quiet and relaxation.  we can change expectation in ourselves and our children.  we can honor family and tradition in new ways.  

there are many ideas around the web, but i encourage you (and me) to come up with a plan that feels right for you.  i'll try to bring some stories together here to remind us that we are not alone…but for now, i will try to remember that this month can fit with my values.  my actions are my own.  i have the power to shift the focus of the holidays.  these are gonna be good ones!  :)

love,
​jane

i love this place and feel so grateful to have it close by.  i am even more blessed to have companions who love to wander with me!  there is always something new to visit…and our familiar favorites never disappoint.  

hope you find some inspiring places to wander this week as well!

love,
j + j + j

this cute little patch has made me smile as i get into bed for maybe a year now…the giant torn places i found at the foot of our fitted sheet a couple weeks ago did not.  :(

we need a new fitted sheet.  the top sheet is not pristine, but i've been able to cut off the top wide hem where it was tearing off…and fold and sew a new top hem…same for the side and bottom hems.  it still looks good, so i don't want a whole new sheet set.

it is apparently difficult to buy sheets separately…especially ethical ones.  i'm always apprehensive to tackle finding something new on this ethical journey…so i thought i'd take you along.  :)  i want to consume less, so i only want a fitted sheet.  i would like for it to be made from organic cotton and to be made under fair conditions.  i found that there are many certifications for bedding, but that maybe the most common is GOTS.

here is how one company explained GOTS:

This product is certified to meet the Global Organic Textile Standard [GOTS], the toughest organic-textile standard in the world. To obtain the GOTS "organic" label, a product:

• Must contain at least 95% organic fiber.
• Must not be treated with bleach, formaldehyde or any other toxic substances.
• Must be colored with non-toxic dyes.
• Must be produced in mills that enforce strict social and environmental standards, treating their employees and the earth with deep respect.

GOTS certification means that this product meets the very highest standards from the field to the factory to your home.

once i knew what terms to google, it became easier to find what i was looking for.  ultimately, i decided to go with this fitted sheet.  buying the pieces one at a time allows me to get the full use out of each piece and then to spend a bit more on each piece, if necessary, since the cost is spread out over time.  

while we are on the subject of sheets… i only have one set of sheets per bed in our house.  it works well for us to wash the sheets and then put them right back onto the bed.  i never have to fold fitted sheets.  :)  i was enticed by some organic cotton sheets i saw in nashville, but i know i like boring white sheets best.  they are simple, minimal and fresh.  they are easy to clean, because they can be bleached, if necessary.  white sheets can adapt to different pillowcases, accent pillows or throws, if you like.  i just never get sick of them.  

​thanks for being my shopping buddy!

love,
jane

i love this quote from the minimalists, "ultimately, 'organizing' is nothing more than well-planned hoarding." eek!  this kind of severe thinking is what keeps me from unnecessary purchases.  use as needed.  :)

love,
jane

​p.s. i loved this month of minimalism.

for me, it started with the news on npr.  snippets here and there yanked at my heartstrings.  war ripping families apart, refugees drowning in boats, opportunists taking advantage at every turn, desperation oozing and blanketing.  i don't watch tv and i don't open my web browser to buzz feed, but one day i saw a picture of a family ducking under barbed wire, each young parent clutching a child.  the children's faces were stricken with fear, but it was the parents' faces that stopped me cold.  i stared.  i felt that these parents could muster no calming platitudes to their precious children, because their faces betrayed their insides overcome with terror.

and then a cherished babe washed up and borders closed and tear gas poured and terror came to parisian restaurants and concerts and governors said hell no and we all felt a little pinch of the terror of holding our babies close and wondering what comes next.

we feel a pinch.

they are drowning in it.

we can't be sure about them.

they can't be sure of anything…of where their children will lay their heads tonight…of if they will watch them die of starvation or cold or disease…of whether their children will ever again have a home…or a future.

we want to be safe.  

but my fear cannot preclude love.  fear must not be allowed to breed hate.  hate in us will breed hate in them...and then where will we be?  only when "us" includes "them"…only when "we" take on some of "their" fear…only when love takes the place of some of that fear...only when we love our neighbor as ourselves...only then will we feel we have done something that truly makes a difference.

they are us.  i want all of us to be safe.

clearly this is an incredibly tough issue.  we need to be wise…and loving.  i truly believe that these two work beautifully in tandem.  wisdom is not true wisdom apart from love.

compassion starts with knowledge.  
basics of the syrian refugee crisis 
insight into why individuals are willing to risk it all
a view of the perilous journey to europe  (these 3 via)
a picture of unity
are we tough enough for ordinary love
and glorious anthems of surrender + hope

take this heart and let it break.

love,
jane

--ebay and etsy expand the reach of your sales far beyond your local area.  ebay is for almost anything- clothing, vintage items, collectors items, etc, etc.  i sell brand name clothing, purses, homeschool book sets, and toys mostly on ebay.  you will need to ship your item, so bigger items may not be worth it.  the buyer pays for shipping, but may not want to pay the amount necessary to ship bulky or heavy items.  etsy is only for handmade items, vintage items or supplies for making things.  in either case, your item needs to get search hits, so search your title and make sure people are looking for that.  research your item so you can label and price it well.

to sell on ebay or etsy is a bit more involved…but worth the set up, in my opinion.  (maybe not, if you are only wanting to sell a couple items…but if you want to sell a couple items now…and a couple more next month…and…then, yes.)  you will need to open a paypal account (it is the mode of transferring money) in addition to your ebay or etsy account.  simply go to the appropriate sites (ebay has country specific sites) and follow the instructions for sign-up.  you will need to input your bank account or debit card numbers.

ebay, etsy, and paypal charge small fees for using their services.  paypal's fees (only for incoming money- not for transferring that money to your bank or for paying for things) come out automatically, but ebay and etsy bill monthly.  read their policies carefully to figure out amounts.  when listing on these sites, use the tips above for craigslist listings, list size numbers, woman's, boy's in the title, be sure to note flaws and take pictures of them to clarify.  say things like, "new condition" or "pristine", if applicable.  i like 7 day auctions, because it is the end of an auction that often triggers urgency and purchasing.  starting the bidding price low will help get noticed and watched, but don't price it lower than you would be happy selling it for…there may be only one person interested.  (again, some money is better than none.)  you could also post a "buy it now" price to entice someone to buy it on the spot instead of forgetting to (or deciding not to) bid on it later.  you can check the status of your item along the way, and an email will let you know when something has sold.  send an invoice, wait for payment, pack it up nicely in recycled packaging, and ship promptly.