Awa

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There have been times when life has been so busy that I have felt like I’m caught up in a whirlwind and I am just trying to catch up…catch up to event invitations that I accepted, catch up to meeting friends and connecting; whether face to face, video calls, phone conversations, emails or texts. Then there is folding clothes after every laundry routine and ironing…yeah, my friends have expressed that I tend to iron more than most people they know. I even cringe when I see someone on the street with creased clothes. I feel like making an offer to iron what they’re wearing. Anyways, back to feeling like I’m in a whirlwind, I got to a point where I was tired of trying to catch my breath. I had to reassess.
Now, I mostly do not accept any invitations more than a week away, except if it’s a one in a lifetime kind of event like a wedding or graduation and so forth. There are times when I am organising an event or a group outing and there’s always one or two people who are constantly excited and talking about the event to come so much that I feel exhausted before the event arrives. It’s not that I don’t get excited about things. I will express my excitement the first time I hear about it or decide I am doing it. Then I plan. While I plan, I want to enjoy the process and details leading to the event. But if someone starts to tell me how they want to enjoy it and the things they want to do over and over…I start to feel as if they are giving me the experience prematurely then what’s the use of the actual experience? So I often tell those involved that they shouldn’t be surprised if I don’t talk about it, it does’t mean I am not excited, in fact I will have a genuine experience and fun at that occasion because I don’t put too much energy on the build up or create too many expectations in my head. I want to experience the actual occasion, what is and the moment.
Giving myself the opportunity to catch my breath means I’m also okay with doing the laundry in little bits and pieces. I am okay with coming home from work and not taking calls or texting and just be. I am okay with declining invitations even if it means I am home doing nothing, being with myself and being conscious of my breath, my thoughts and meditate or read or watch something funny and laugh out loud; alone or with my husband.
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Pacing myself in everything has made me more thankful by giving thoughts of gratitude in the now. I am constantly in gratitude for everything. I give gratitude for big things like how my life is surrounded by love, family and friends to the feeling I get when I enjoy the sun’s rays on my face or when I am having a glass of water or taking a shower, or when I eat and taste my food to when I tend to plants and flowers on the deck and I tell them that I am grateful for their beauty. I notice when a stranger does an act of kindness and I say “thank you” looking at them so they know I have acknowledged their gift to me.  The constant feeling of thankfulness makes me content and at peace.
As I thrive to be in a constant state of gratitude, I do get a little whirlwind now and then. There are times when a day just turns out to be a crappy one, notably, this happens more at work or when travelling and dealing with surprises in foreign places. I have learnt to take a moment to myself, breathe, then think of something that brings joy to my heart and I acknowledge gratitude for it. From there, I don’t dwell on the problem but I think of a solution. It all doesn’t feel like the end of the world after that. The most amazing part is that gratitude gives me more gifts in life that I keep being thankful for and the feeling of gratitude feels me with joy.
Happy Thanksgiving.

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The first few years of my childhood in Zimbabwe were spent between two homes, one in the city of Bulawayo and another in the village of Lupane. During the times I spent in the village, I used to tag along with my mother or with a relative as we walked to the bus stop every Saturday to wait for fresh supplies of food that my father had sent to us from the city.

There were always other families waiting for their parcels as well. These were the only chances I would have to mingle and play with other kids before I started school. While all the families waited, there were lots of cars passing by, as this road led to one of the world’s wonders, the Victoria Falls.

Standing by a Baobab tree along Victoria Falls Road in 2014.
Standing by a Baobab tree along Victoria Falls Road in 2014.

We would wave at the travellers and they would smile and wave back. The most exciting part was when some of the passing tourists would toss out sweets and other goodies from their car window as they sped by. Usually it was the kids in the cars that would toss the treats.

This spiced things up and entertained us all while we waited at the roadside bus station. We would run to pick up the surprises with anticipation to see what it was that a stranger had decided to share. If there were not enough sweets, we would take them and place them on a rock and take a smaller stone to hammer the candy so it would break in tiny pieces and all the kids could share. Our excitement was not derived from hunger. We were all well provided for and healthy. For me, it was like strangers were sharing something of themselves with us.

Those moments in my childhood are some of my most cherished memories in the village that I have never forgotten. The last time I visited Victoria Falls, I passed by the very same road side bus station where these

With a sculptor selling beautiful creations from wood.
A sculptor shows off his beautiful wooden creations along Victoria Falls Road. 

memories were created. A feeling of nostalgia came over me. I shared with my fiancé my memories of this and we decided we would do the same; we would leave little tokens of appreciation to strangers along that road. We dropped packets of potato crisps, sweets and chocolate bars. At times we stopped to chat with vendors and even if we didn’t buy anything, we would leave some kind of gift for them. The last person we saw was a young boy who was running along the road going the opposite direction. He was going to the next village with a message. He was delighted to get a bag of potato crisps and a cold drink. I told him that I had grown up not too far from where we met him. He wished us well. My heart was filled with the joy that comes along with sharing little things with strangers.

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When I started the Master Composter Recycler program, I didn’t know that I would learn so much more than recycling. Part of the program’s objective is to teach people not only to reduce waste but to also reuse. Composting is also part of reusing your food, yard waste and animal waste to turn it into food for the plants. Most importantly compost gives organic matter back to the earth and helps plants fight disease. It is a natural alternative to pesticides and herbicides.

Composting for Canada coverI was so surprised when I began to learn more and more about different ways of composting. There is so much to learn! One could write a book about this stuff….just like fellow Edmontonian Suzanne Lewis. Her book ‘Composting for Canada’ is quite handy and worth picking up if you’re considering composting.

There are so many ways of composting and you can decide what works for you, depending on your living conditions and whether you want your system indoors or outdoors, seasonally or all year round. In making your decision, you have to take into consideration the climate, especially the winters in Edmonton. 

The City of Edmonton does a great job of composting the waste that its own residents produce. You can buy compost from the City. If you think about it, what you are paying for is the waste you threw away. So perhaps it’s time you started your own composting. 

Compost toilet at John Janzen Nature Centre
Compost processing system under the toilet

A good place to start is the John Janzen Nature Centre where they hold composting workshops. You can use the compost toilet while you are there. Happy Composting!

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Since taking the Master Composter Recycler (MCR) course through the City of Edmonton, I have become more aware of everything to do with waste wherever I go. A few months ago I was visiting Nassau, the capital of The Bahamas. I had just finished drinking a cold beverage and was looking around for a plastic recycling bin. I asked a nearby vendor where I could find a recycling bin and she told me to throw it inside the garbage as there were no recycling bins around.

Even though I didn’t find anyone who could tell me how they deal with waste, the fact that recycling bins were a rare sight meant that their waste management wasn’t yet vigilant or responsible on recycling.

I also visited the island of Exuma which is less IMG_8103remote than Nassau. During a conversation with a local resident I was told that there is no sewage system. A service truck visits each household collecting all the bio waste and a separate truck collects the garbage. One of the reasons that they use sceptic tanks is because homes are very far apart and it would be too expensive to install all the pipelines throughout the entire island to have an adequate sewer system.

I also looked everywhere for recycling bins here but didn’t see a single bin. However, on the day of my departure while at the airport, a sign caught my eye. There was a simple hand written statement to encourage people to pick up caps, bottles and cans. Since the main income generator to the economy is tourism it’s no wonder that the campaign is centred around preserving the ocean and its species.

There was also a large framed mosaic of plastic caps used as an art piece. What a creative way to reuse garbage!
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 It is encouraging to see that the campaign was done by school children. It means a new generation is being taught to be aware that waste should be properly disposed of and that waste affects our environment. That plastic caps mosaic was like a glimmer of hope that there is a new era of environmentally conscious young people in the making. It was enough to satisfy a Master Composter Recycler on vacation. Even though my mind didn’t take a vacation from thinking like one!

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For the past few years, the commercialization of Christmas has become overwhelming. I generally don’t appreciate being forced or manipulated to make any purchase. I am the kind of person who plans their purchases. I decide what I want, I window shop until I am sure and then I budget. It doesn’t matter what a great salesperson one may be. There is just no way you can ever convince me to buy something I was not planning to purchase.

There are rare occasions I may be walking past a shop and something in the window or on a rack catches my eye and I have to have it! So I buy it. However, I cannot stand advertisements that instil an urge for things that people really don’t need. The message in these commercials is that if you don’t come out to get it now! The World will end and you’ll never get another chance to buy it. Especially at such a low price. The truth is that if I don’t need it I really don’t care how cheap it is. It seems Christmas has become a shopping madness.

I truly love giving, especially meaningful gifts but I often get overwhelmed by Christmas commercials. I have noticed they start them a day after Halloween or even as soon as the evening of October 31st. This is how I feel as an adult. I cannot imagine what goes through the minds of children. Or what an ‘I want’ generation this is breeding. But I won’t even go there.

To keep me grounded, I often reminisce of how I spent Christmas when I was growing up in Zimbabwe. The emphasis was not put on individual gift exchanges but on people coming together to eat, drink and dance. As a little girl, I often got two new outfits at the end of the year. One was to wear on Christmas Day and the other on New Year’s. On Christmas Day people cooked more so they could invite their neighbours and strangers. Passers by were invited in to eat. The emphasis was on sharing and showing kindness to others.

imageFor the past few years, the commercialization of Christmas has become overwhelming. I generally don’t appreciate being forced or manipulated to make any purchase. I am the kind of person who plans their purchases. I decide what I want, I window shop until I am sure and then I budget. It doesn’t matter what a great salesperson one may be. There is just no way you can ever convince me to buy something I was not planning to purchase.

There are rare occasions I may be walking past a shop and something in the window or on a rack catches my eye and I have to have it! So I buy it. However, I cannot stand advertisements that instil an urge for things that people really don’t need. The message in these commercials is that if you don’t come out to get it now! The World will end and you’ll never get another chance to buy it. Especially at such a low price. The truth is that if I don’t need it I really don’t care how cheap it is. It seems Christmas has become a shopping madness.

I truly love giving, especially meaningful gifts but I often get overwhelmed by Christmas commercials. I have noticed they start them a day after Halloween or even as soon as the evening of October 31st. This is how I feel as an adult. I cannot imagine what goes through the minds of children. Or what an ‘I want’ generation this is breeding. But I won’t even go there.

To keep me grounded, I often reminisce of how I spent Christmas when I was growing up in Zimbabwe. The emphasis was not put on individual gift exchanges but on people coming together to eat, drink and dance. As a little girl, I often got two new outfits at the end of the year. One was to wear on Christmas Day and the other on New Year’s. On Christmas Day people cooked more so they could invite their neighbours and strangers. Passers by were invited in to eat. The emphasis was on sharing and showing kindness to others.

I know that beneath all the commercialization of Christmas there is a spirit of giving that this holiday signifies. It’s a magical time in many ways. I don’t want to be so put off by the advertisements that I end up not appreciating this time of the year. I initially told those around me not to get me anything this Christmas. It was my way of refusing to be exploited by commercialization of the holiday. But then I found out my fiancé’s family hasn’t been able to spend a Christmas together for almost 20 years and this holiday everyone will be there. So, in the spirit of making this Christmas special but not excessive, it was agreed to have a name raffle. This way each person buys a gift for the name they pick.

I wonder if there are people who are changing the way they shop for Christmas gifts. I would love to know how you are making this time stress free. I hope you all take a deep breath, be present in everything you do with family and loved ones. This is what makes beautiful memories. Merry Christmas.

I know that beneath all the commercialization of Christmas there is a spirit of giving that this holiday signifies. It’s a magical time in many ways. I don’t want to be so put off by the advertisements that I end up not appreciating this time of the year. I initially told those around me not to get me anything this Christmas. It was my way of refusing to be exploited by commercialization of the holiday. But then I found out my fiancé’s family hasn’t been able to spend a Christmas together for almost 20 years and this holiday everyone will be there. So, in the spirit of making this Christmas special but not excessive, it was agreed to have a name raffle. This way each person buys a gift for the name they pick.

I wonder if there are people who are changing the way they shop for Christmas gifts. I would love to know how you are making this time stress free. I hope you all take a deep breath, be present in everything you do with family and loved ones. This is what makes beautiful memories. Merry Christmas.

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There have been a few times that I have thrown away something either in the garbage or recycling but was left with a feeling that its purpose or job wasn’t yet done. I often get this kind of feeling when something still looks new and I always wish I knew someone who would want to use it. So I must say it was quite exciting to find out about Re-Use Centres in Edmonton.

IMG_2791This is where you can bring all kinds of stuff that is in good condition for others to re-use.  So if you have things that are in good condition but you no longer have need for them, you can take it to the Re-Use Centre.

I took a trip to one of the centres with the Master Composter Recycler group. I can tell you that it was like finding a treasure box. I started getting ideas just looking at all kinds of stuff in there; arts and craft materials, puzzles, vinyl records, board games, tiles, trophies etc.

For example, I could use the trophies as a form of recognition in a workshop program that I am planning for young IMG_2794people. It would be quite affordable to be able to do something special like that. You can pay five dollars ($5.00) to pick up to 50kg worth of stuff or if you are a non-profit organisation that uses the service often, you can pay fifty dollars ($50.00) for 25 visits per year.

You only pay when you take things from the Re-Use Centre but you don’t pay to drop off the stuff you no longer need. Not everything is accepted at the Re-Use Centre though. The Re-Use Centre has a list of accepted items and as for the rest of the stuff, the Re-Use Directory can give you a guide of organisations that would be happy to give certain things a stretch of life. http://www.edmonton.ca/programs_services/garbage_waste/reuse-centre.aspx

You can also get ideas of stuff you can reuse and how you can turn it to different objects. http://reuseitedmonton.blogspot.ca/

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Tiles could add accents to your wall or floor.
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For times when you really want to follow your own fashion style, patterns can be of help.

This is truly an example of how one’s garbage is another’s treasure. I think it’s important that before you throw anything away, you should ask yourself if it’s for Recycle or Reuse. Recycling is manufacturing a material into new products but Re-Use involves no processing at all, the items just change owners/users and sometimes, roles.

Imagine if you were that item and your owner no longer needed you. Would you prefer to get crushed and melted and lose your form or would you rather be taken by a new owner who treasures you and gives you a life you deserve, to serve your purpose of what you were made to do?

So if you are getting rid of stuff at home or office, think “RE-USE.” There’s even a place that will take used building materials. Wouldn’t it be nice to know that your door knob that is still in a good condition has gone on to adorn another family’s home at an affordable price?

IMG_2793If you don’t live in a place that has a Re-Use Centre, may be you can plan a Re-Use Fair at a community centre. I know that the City of Edmonton has grants that you can apply for whether as an individual or community league. You could get up to $500 to help organise your Re-Use fair.

I am going to volunteer at one Re-Use Fair this weekend, Sunday June 13th, 2015. So come drop off stuff that is still in good condition but you no longer need. But remember, please check this list to see what is being accepted at this particular event. http://www.edmonton.ca/programs_services/documents/PDF/Acceptable_list_Reuse_Fair_2015_King_Edward_Park.pdf

I hope to see you there!

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With weather warming up, I am finally feeling confident that there won’t be any snow storm surprises in Edmonton. Which means it’s time to spruce things up. Sprucing things up is different for everyone. For some, it may be picking new clothing items for their wardrobe, changing hairstyles, repainting a house, buying new furniture or simply turning your place inside out for thorough cleaning. It seems this time of the year brings out a need for renewal and rejuvenation. I am definitely going to spruce up the deck, make it cozy enough to stay out all day and have dinner outside or invite friends over for drinks and good conversation.

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One day’s worth of grass collected from the whole city.

There are many changes that people make this time of the year and that is why it’s during this time that the City of Edmonton collects the highest volume of garbage. One would think the high volume of garbage stems from all the renovations and old stuff we throw away to make way for the new. However, the main culprit is grass from lawn mowing. Grass from mowing becomes a huge burden to the City of Edmonton’s Waste Management. In the summer, about 40% of all residential waste is grass. Each collector picks up waste from about 700 homes each day. When garbage collection goes up, it also costs more. This is why the City of Edmonton is encouraging residents to go bagless this summer. That means you leave your grass clippings on the lawn.  You’ll be “grasscycling.”

Besides reducing waste and costs, grasscycling will also make your lawn happy. The basic rule is to mow often and high. Try to mow no more than one-third of the grass blade at one time. There are two reasons for mowing high.

  • Mowing is like pruning a plant. It is healthier to cut only a small part of the plant at one time. This keeps the plants from going into shock. Grass can take a lot of shock, but it will not thicken while it recovers.
  • Mowing high helps the grass out-compete weeds like clover and dandelion.

If you decide to grasscycle, keep your mower blade sharp. A dull blade shreds the grass and can cause moisture loss, slow recovery and brown tips.

So are you going to let the grass clippings go back to the environment and give yourself more time? It will be less work for you; buying bags, bagging and dragging the heavy bags to the curb. You can learn more on grasscycling and get tips on taking care of your yard in a more environmentally friendly way on the City of Edmonton website. http://www.edmonton.ca/residential_neighbourhoods/gardens_lawns_trees/grasscycling.aspx

I hope you get inspired to let it all hang out and go bagless this summer!! My Master Composter Recycler classes ended but I learnt so much and I shall continue sharing.

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Before starting the Master Composter Recycler program, I didn’t have a clue about what goes where. So everything went into the garbage bag including household hazardous waste like oven cleaners, paints, batteries, light bulbs etc.,  which are supposed to be taken to an Eco station.

Eco stations also accept things like computer equipment, car parts, mattresses, sofas and other household appliances. If you are not sure about whether the Eco Station will take your furniture items, you can go directly to the Edmonton Waste Management Centre (EWMC). Just remember that you pay to leave your garbage at EWMC. It takes machinery, energy and manpower to process these things properly.

There are reasons why lots of stuff go to Eco Stations instead of being picked up with your garbage collection; one of the most important one is making sure it’s safe for collectors. In Edmonton, they pick  up between 14,000 to 22,000 kg of waste every work day. Here are a few things residents can do to help make the collections safe.

Keep it light.  -Each bag of your garbage or recycling should weigh ess than 20kg. If you can’t carry one bag with one hand then split it.  -Bundles of tree trimmings should be bundled together securely

Use the right garbage can  -If your garbage can is too large it could cause injuries. It must be under 100 litres in volume.

Package sharp objects  -Things like broken mirrors or nails should be packaged together in a cardboard box and label “Sharps”

Don’t Overfill  -Your garbage should easily come out of the can/bin.

There are so many dos and don’ts but these few are quite easy to remember. I also found out that you can buddy up with your neighbour to reduce the number of stops for collectors. And while Rodney (our volunteer coordinator) was talking about buddying up, I was having all kinds of different scenarios happening in my imagination. One of them was a situation where you have a paranoid neighbour who sees you collecting their garbage bags and putting them in front your house with your garbage.

Then they start running after you, asking what you are doing with their garbage…and then it causes an uncomfortable garbage scenario…ha…ha.   So I think it’s best to talk to your neighbour and say “hey, did you know that neighbours can buddy up for garbage collection?” Then you explain that it’s quite a great idea for a number of households to put all their garbage bags in one place to reduce stops for the collection truck.

I know that sometimes the truck is collecting just when you’re getting out of the driveway on your way to work.  If you’re behind it and it’s stopping in front of every house along that block and there are cars parked on the side; you can’t pass…then you will definitely be late for work. It has happened to me more than once. This is a situation that could be avoided if you buddy up your garbage bags! Am sure your garbage bags like having buddies too. Anyways, I hope you keep garbage collection safe for those who collect it for us.