Author: LIBD

Hey guys, I’m so glad you came back! Once again, I want to add my disclaimer. I’m not an expert, just a human being trying to raise awareness. If my stats or information are incorrect, please let me know so I can fix them. If you missed part one, no biggie. I was just talking about regenerative agriculture and its benefits. Proper farming practices are just one piece of the puzzle, but like I said last week, you don’t have to be a farmer to make a difference.

Single-use plastics and food waste are other issues. I get it. Zip-lock bags are wonderful and convenient. Tap water isn’t as appealing as bottled water. Sometimes I forget I have food in the fridge, and it goes bad. And honestly, my pork chops were inedible and better off in the trash. I really do understand, but I was shocked by the numbers.

According to one source I found, America wastes about 133 billion pounds of food a year. You can help by only buying what you intend to eat, composting, and taking home food at restaurants. My dad and his wife keep containers in their car sometimes, so when they go out, they don’t have to use the styrofoam or plastic ones that restaurants give you.

Now that we’ve covered food, let’s move on to what we drink. It’s time to talk about bottled water vs. tap water. According to an article from the Natural Resources Defense Council, there are pros and cons to both. Some houses have lead pipes that can potentially contaminate the tap water, and some bottled water is just tap water in a bottle. There’s also the fact that bottled water can have microplastics in it from the packaging.

So, if you are worried about tap water… Get a Brita pitcher or tank like I have and treat yoself to a nice reusable water bottle. Brita also makes water bottles with filters in them. I have one of those, and I love that I can fill it up anywhere and know that I’m drinking filtered water. But bottled water is just 1 of many single-use plastics.

Let’s talk about laundry. The average American family uses approximately 13 bottles of liquid laundry detergent per year. Nationwide, this contributes to nearly 700 million to 1 billion plastic laundry jugs being discarded annually. That’s a lot! And I was using detergent, fabric softener, AND scent boosters.

My laundry smelled amazing, but at what cost? So, I looked for something more sustainable. I switched to Earth Breeze laundry detergent sheets, and I love them. They come in little sheets, and you just throw them in with the clothes, and they dissolve in the water. Exactly the same clean that I got from detergent. I quit using the fabric softener and scent beads. My laundry doesn’t smell as strongly of lavender and vanilla when it’s clean, but it’s clean, and that’s enough for me. It didn’t end with plastics though. 

Paper products are another household item I want to talk about because deforestation is another very real threat. I switched to bamboo toilet paper and paper towels, and while it may not be the best toilet paper and paper towels I’ve ever used, they’re definitely not the worst, and they get the job done. If you want to make sustainable paper product purchases, look for an FSC certification or anything that certifies a low environmental impact.

Another switch I made happened when I learned you should replace your toothbrush every 3 to 4 months, and I thought that was kind of wasteful. Thankfully, my dad’s wife introduced me to the Nada toothbrush. It’s aluminum, and you just replace the heads. Don’t throw them away. You send them back, and they will recycle them for you. It’s a bit pricier and something I may have to phase out when my rent increases, but it is a good option if you can afford it.

There are sustainable alternatives for a lot of things if you know what to look for. Maybe showering every other day instead of every day to save water. You can also donate to eco-friendly causes if you have the financial means to. I like to donate to the World Wildlife Fund, but there are lots of good organizations out there.

I know this is all a lot. Do your research, ask questions, and be curious. You don’t have to do it all. You don’t have to change your lifestyle overnight. Just think of one thing you can do to make a change. You may think you are just 1 person, and you can’t make a difference, but 100 people doing just 1 little thing adds up.

I’ll see you next week when we are going to talk about ecosystems. I’m sure you’ve heard of them, but how much do you really know? Tune in to find out.

Sincerely,
LIBD

Hey guys, welcome to part 1. Do you like the title? I thought it was funny. I know it’s different from my usual posts, but it’s equally important, so try to stick with me. Remember, I’m not an expert, so if I misspeak or get something incorrect, please let me know. Alright, did you find a comfy seat? Then let’s do this. *Clears Throat*

What if I told you the solution to global warming has been under our feet this entire time? Would you believe me? The answer is dirt, or more specifically, soil. Healthy soil, and the plants that grow in it, absorb carbon. Now you are probably wondering, with all the farms and fields around, how could global warming be an issue?

Excellent question. The main reason is that not all soil is healthy. Two of the main approaches to farming today are industrial agriculture and regenerative agriculture. If you are interested in the specific science behind regenerative vs industrial, there is a fantastic documentary called Kiss the Ground. It can be found on Prime Video and is definitely worth watching. 

Soil (healthy soil) is like a carbon sponge. Industrial Agriculture damages soil. It relies heavily on chemical pesticides. Regenerative agriculture heals the soil and doesn’t use as many chemicals. But how exactly does regenerative agriculture heal the soil?

You are just full of good questions today! The big difference is tilling. Digging up and disturbing the soil destroys the quality. It affects carbon absorption as well as water absorption. No-till farming creates minimal disruption of the soil. It has better absorption and won’t make the soil turn dusty or dry.

Another cool feature about regenerative agriculture is the animals. Everyone thinks cows are horrible, but their cousins, the bison, roamed for many a year without contributing to global warming. Regenerative farming with animals is all about restoring the natural ecosystems that were already in place. You don’t have to do anything except allow nature to take its course.

We will talk more about ecosystems later, but cows aren’t the problem. It’s how the cows are raised that is causing problems. If you rotate your livestock and stop overgrazing, it allows the ecosystem to not only recover but to thrive! We don’t have to stop eating steak and burgers. You’re welcome.

The best part about regenerative agriculture though, is that it can work anywhere and everywhere, even land that has turned into desert can be restored. It’s the perfect system because there is literally no downside!

Now, if you’re like me, you’re thinking, “This is brilliant! And so simple! Why is everyone not doing this?!” Well, while statistically regenerative agriculture farms tend to do better, it takes time. For farmers, time is literally money. You can’t wake up one morning and switch. It takes time, and it’s a risk during the transition period. I don’t know about you, but I’m in no position to take risks with money right now. Not when I already have a guaranteed income. So don’t be too hard on farmers who choose industrial agriculture.

There’s so much more to this than I can get into here, so if you think this is as amazing as I do, then I highly recommend you check out the documentary. It has all the science and the numbers and even more. I wish I could make everyone watch it, because it’s a game-changer.

But the good news is you don’t have to be a farmer to make a difference. You can support regenerative agriculture and make other environmentally friendly changes in your everyday life. Going green doesn’t have to be expensive. I’ll see you next week to talk about other environmental challenges and how we can do our part to make a difference. No matter how busy you are or how tight your budget is, you can make a difference. Till next time…

Sincerely,
LIBD

Hey y’all. How’s it going? It’s been super cold and snowy here, but I’m trying to stay warm. I’ve been thinking a lot about hindsight. We all know it’s 20/20, but it seems to be a recurring theme in my life. I think mxmtoon said it best in the song ” Growing Pains. “

You and I aren't so different
Hindsight has perfect vision
You don't even know all the places that you'll go
But I'm sorry that you feel so alone

Because that’s the problem with hindsight. It’s essentially useless. By the time you have it, you can’t actually use it. It just taunts you and mocks you. I often say I wish I could go back to the first time I thought I was fat so I could enjoy being skinny. But I can’t do that, so what good does it do me?

One time, someone asked me if I could give my younger self some advice, what would it be? This was my answer… “Girl, you better suck it up and get it together because this is nothing. Your life is going to go sooo much worse. Save your tears for a few years. You’re going to need them all”. That apparently was not the right answer, but I think younger me would appreciate a heads-up.

I’ve said before life has a funny way of working itself out in some way or another, but I’ve also said that knowing everything will be okay doesn’t help me. I say it’s like if you say you need money and someone says they’ll give you 100, but not right now. It’s useless. I still think mxmtoon said it best in the song…

Everything's gonna get better, everything's gonna get worse
When it gets hard, remember that's the way it always works

I feel like this song may be more useful than hindsight, but maybe it’s not actually useless. Because what I should have done is what I’m doing now. What I shouldn’t have done is what I stopped doing. So maybe hindsight isn’t totally useless after all. I’m sure I’m going to make more mistakes, but if I learn from them and grow from them, then it’s not a waste at all. In his song The Hard Way Anson Seabra said,

Sometimes you have to touch the flame to know it burns
Sometimes you have to fall in love to know it hurts
And somebody told me once that hearts were made to break
And sometimes the only medicine is in the pain
Yeah, some things you just have to learn
The hard way

Experience is the best teacher, and sometimes thatexperience sucks. I always joked that I was allergic to instructions as a kid. I liked to learn by doing, and a lot of times it was slow learning. In hindsight, I could have saved a ton of time by reading instructions, and now I do. I don’t just look at them either. I follow them, and it’s so much faster.

Maybe hindsight isn’t meant to save us, but I also don’t think it’s meant to mock us. It’s a tool to make our tomorrows better than our yesterdays. Instead of resenting it, I need to appreciate it because it’s what made me the person I am today. Not the best version of myself, but a better version of myself.

Thanks for reading. I did quietly put a small book out into the world recently, which feels weird to say out loud, but yeah… It’s called: The Line Between Determination and Stupidity. I added the link for anyone who wants to check it out. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to click that like button, and I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Until next time…

Sincerely,
LIBD

Hey guys! How is life treating you? I want to do something a little different today. So, a while back someone asked me to introduce my succulents here on my blog so that’s what I intend to do today. I will introduce each one with their name and personality profile. Let’s get started!

This is Carlito the Moonstone Succulent. I ordered him off of Etsy with a few others. One of which (Richard III) sadly died from root rot. Carlito had a bit of a rocky start when he got to me but he’s a fighter, and he’s still here. He’s finally starting to bounce back I think, but keep your fingers crossed for him.

This is baby Echo! She’s and Graptopetalum hybrid of some sort. Mommy Echo got renamed and lives with my friend now. When I got her, I noticed there was a new sprout smushed up against the edge of the pot she came in so I took it out to see if it would survive and she did! She’s pretty quiet.

This is Higgins! He’s a Vera Higgins. Poor fellow. He’s lost so many leaves and his color since he got repotted. Looks like I got another drama king. He looks alright despite dropping leaves so I’m optimistic he will bounce back. I’ve only had him a little over a month.

This is Grizabella, a graptoveria bashful. She’s new here. She just got moved to her first real pot today. She’s still got some dirt on her from her travels. I got her in my Succly monthly subscription box.

This is Fiona, the ghost echeveria. She was one of my first (one of the Etsy ones), and I’ve loved her since the first day. Her colors are just so pretty! She’s a tough cookie; she also got a pot change today. I damaged her roots in the transfer, but I’m hoping she has enough left to pull through. Long live Fiona!

This is Ted. He’s a chocolate soldier. Like Higgins he was named after Ted Lasso. He’s a lot bigger than I thought he would be. He certainly knows how to take up space. I love his fuzziness and the chocolate coloring in the leaves.

This is Cobbsworth, the cobweb houseleek! He just upgraded to a bigger pot today. Grizabella moved into his old pot. I was running out of room to water him, and I’m scared to get his cobwebs wet. He’s another low maintenance and fun little dude

Meet Penny! She’s a Coppertone Stonecrop. This is one independent plant. I water her when she looks dry and nothing phases her. Even if I stopped watering her, I feel like she could survive on willpower alone, but I’m not going to put that to the test. She had her first wrinkly leaf today, but I’m not even a little concerned about her.

This is Casper. A variegated ghost plant/drama queen. When I repotted him, he lost it. I thought he was dying. He started dropping leaves like there’s no tomorrow. He could probably use a pot upgrade, but I’m terrified to ever move him again. EVER! He may actually die the next time just to spite me for moving him again.

This is the Magical Mr. Mistoffelees! My zebra plant. I was so excited when I got him. I’ve only had him for about a week or 2. He came with Grizabella, but he’s still waiting to move to a real pot. I have some more small pots I just got to get one out. I thought about using a blue one but I was afraid it would be too big.

It’s definitely been a learning process. For example, succulent soil should not have woodchips in it. The woodchips retain moisture which can cause root rot. When Richard III died and I went to throw him away I found 2 huge woodchips tangled up in all the roots. I have a few leaves I saved from him, so I’m going to see if I can grow a new one.

Exciting Update! Both of the leaves I salvaged from Richard III are sprouting roots!!! That means I may be able to bring him back from the dead or at least have a Richard IIII lol. I’ll post a picture on Facebook once I have an actual baby succulent, but the roots are looking super promising!! Keep your fingers crossed for him.

Also, if your succulent looks sick it’s tempting to water it. Don’t. Trust me. Water it only when the soil feels bone dry, and even then. don’t overdo it. I use an app to track my watering schedule. They don’t like to be micromanaged. Always wait a few days after repotting before you actually water it. They can be dramatic.

Well, I hope you enjoyed today’s post. I had a ton of fun writing it. Which one of my succulents is your favorite? I would love to hear from you guys in the comments. Thank you for reading and hanging out here today; I hope you have a great rest of your week! I’ll see you next time!

Sincerely,
LIBD