As we near the end of 2008, I wanted to look back on the goals that I had for this blog for 2008. From last year's goals statement, here's how things shaped up:Book Club - We started off with a bang reading Affluenza and In Defense of Food. The book club sputtered out mid-summer on Food Not Lawns, mostly because of my own limited time and a general consensus that few wanted to finish it.
We wrapped up the year part-way through Depletion & Abundance, although I haven't gotten as far through it as I wanted. For those of you wondering what's going on with it, I'll have another post up soon. The issue I'm having with it is mostly the time it takes to do it - the posts themselves take about three hours to write, not including reading through the chapters at least twice.
Challenges - Looking back, I have to admit, there were a ton of challenges! I can't believe you guys participated in so many wacky things I set up for you. 2008 began with a rather unorthodox challenge with Project NOWASTE, to help people reduce their garbage and output. In April and August there was the Buy Nothing Challenge. In May there was the Extreme Eco Throwdown, where participants weaned themselves down to the bare bones.
There was the 2008 edition of the DivaCup Challenge, the totally nutty Golden Showers Garden Party (frankly I figured only about 20 of you intrepid readers would sign up), the summer edition of the energy saving Keep Yer Cool Challenge, another round of the Cloth Wipe Challenge for 2008, Pioneer Week and last, but not least, the Freeze Yer Buns Challenge which, of course, is still going on.
Why did I do so many challenges? Am I a challenge crack whore? Well, sort of. Plus, I know not all of you are interested in all the challenges and I wanted to provide a variety of options for you to participate in. Did any of you participate in all the challenges? Which of the challenges would you like to do or try again this year? Was there any in particular that you really liked?
Low Impact Week - I skipped this and did the Extreme Eco Challenge instead, just to crank things up a notch. Do you guys prefer the more modest Low Impact Week or the balls to the wall Extreme Eco Challenge? Or neither?
Frugal Living - I think we all achieved a bigger focus on frugal and simple living this past year accentuated with the two Buy Nothing Challenges. Of course, huge rises in oil prices last summer and the economy tanking didn't hurt.
Other Stuff - In February of last year, I also embarked on a project that would reach the other end of the world, Goods 4 Girls. Unfortunately, I really just haven't had the time to dedicate to this project and it's been put on hold for a variety of personal reasons. I'm hoping to get a number of shipments out in the next month, update you all and the website and, at that point, try to reassess where this project is going. It's been gaining momentum without me doing anything with it and it's taking off from underneath me and I don't know if it's something I can continue working on. Anyway, more about that later.
Finally, on a personal note, I've managed to lose the 25 pounds that I gained while stress eating during my husband's treatments. I still have a bit to go to get to where I want to be, but during my husband's first transplant, I found I really needed the time to focus on my health too instead of putting everyone else first. Aside from some foot and back issues, I've been able to maintain exercising 6 days a week, which has been great for managing my stress and keeping the extra pounds at bay.
I'll be posting my 2009 blog goals on January 1st (including something extra fun), so look to that for a whole 'nother year of eco nuttiness. And, once again, I wanted to say that I'm very grateful to have such wonderful readers as you guys. You make me want to wake up in the morning to see what you have to say and you have helped me through some very trying times in 2008. I'm hoping that in 2009 things settle down for me personally so that I have the time to focus on the things that I had to pass up on this last year (like a few book deals and such).
So, thanks for participating in making this blog as successful as it has been - without your participation and conversation, it's just me whistling in the wind.
Love,
Crunch
18 Crunchy Thoughts:
Thanks for keeping up with this blog! I know you have a busy life and I think its great that you take the time to write pithy and interesting entries that encourage all of us greenies.
I take inspiration from your blog and check it daily. It's encouraged me to stick to my green guns when challenged...and I appreciate that.
Hope 2009 is great for you.
How about a vegetarian or vegan challenge? A UN report says 18% of global warming is from animal agriculture. (Sorry if you've covered this, but I don't remember if you did.)
Congratulations on the 25-lb. weight loss! Can you say more about how you did it?
Thanks for another year of eco entertainment. Congratulations on the weight loss. That's so great! And, as to the Goods 4 Girls, it is such a wonderful project. If you don't have time for it, maybe you can find someone you can pass it on to.
Bottom line for me: any challenge I tried to do, I failed at. This is because I think for me, I need some personal accountability. Being online is not really accountability. I would love to try these challenges again in the future, but maybe I'd like to try to find a partner from here to talk via e-mail and we can keep each other accountable (I guess I'll be stalking your comments to find someone to help my pathetic butt!)
Congrats on a wonderful year! Although I didn't participate in all of your challenges, I look forward to more in the future. The way I look at it, even if I try and I fail, it's still better than doing nothing.
Hi Crunchy,
I'm kind of new here, lest say from the pioners to now, and I will like to participate on your challenges the next year, I read them and these sounds great!:
Project No Waste
Extreme Eco Throwdown
Low Impact Week
No, sweet Crunchy Chicken, thank YOU. For the inspiration, for the challenges, for the time & care that goes into this blog ... and for teaching me new things.
Wow - what a year!
Crunch - I'm stoked to have found this blog. I'm not nearly as green as I should be and this site helps to keep me moving in the right direction. In that regard I'd probably give the NOWASTE, Buy Nothing, and Low Impact Challenges a shot!
Thanks for being such an inspiration and what I head for as soon as the computer is on. Although, I found you mid-year, we loved the challenges we were able to join in. The kids especially loved Pioneer week. Late to the party, I still picked up the diva cup and their friends, Lunapads. We stopped eating out as much, started using cloth wipes and continue to lower our electric and gas bill as a lasting result of the pioneer and freeze yer buns challenges. Our own goals for this year include reducing our waste by 50%. This doesn't include our recycling and composting, just the actual stuff we toss. I could certainly learn some more tricks in that area.
You're a delight to read and very much appreciated! Happy New Year!
thanks for all of your eco-nuttiness and inspiration. congrats on your weightloss. hope 2009 is a whole lot less stressful for you and yours.
happy new year! :)
Thank you for all the challenges.
Thanks to Crunchy, I now live in a freezing home, don't buy anything while not using toilet paper,pee on my garden, etcetera etcetera etcetera. No wonder my neighbors look at me funny.
Seriously, Thanks, and one of the highlights of 2008 was meeting everyone at the NW Blogger Picnic. Hope to do it again in 2009!
I only recently began branching out into the blogosphere so I missed some of the challenges at the beginning of the year. Regardless, I have found it so reassuring to know that there are other people who are doing these things and challenging themselves to do more for the planet.
I don't know anyone who lives like I do and frankly I was getting awfully lonely. Thanks for being here!
Six days a week?! You've got to tell me how you're working that in. I really need to get back to the gym something fierce.
a vegan challenge sounds good.
I'm already a vegetarian and it would be a good excuse to try something a bit more extreme.
I only discovered your blog halfway through this year and only did the Pioneer Challenge, which was a good fun idea but I didn't really complete. I would do it again though, maybe properly next time. Couldn't do Freeze Yer Buns because it's summer here atm.
Keep up the good work. you help motivate me to keep being green. thank you.
PEACE
Madz in NZ
I second Mariella. A vegan challenge would be helpful. I have many, many pounds to take off. Oh, plus, it's good for the earth. But the pounds... the pounds... Michael and I have been having conversations that go something like, "Hey, you think we should go vegan this week?" "Sure. Sounds like a good idea. Why not?" Then, an hour later, "Oh, I'm eating chicken" or "fish" or "eggs. I guess it's not starting today."
As for your 2008 goals, just the fact that you kept blogging regularly is pretty awesome. So many blogs come and then fall by the wayside. Your energy and dedication are inspiring.
Happy new year!
I just found your blog and hope you continue with the challenges this year!
Your blog is my favorite "I don't know the person writing it" blog for sure. I love it. It is inspiring, informative, thought provoking and hilarious. A great combo. You have helped this white girl raised by ultra conservative upper middle class environmentally unaware parents become the rogue hippy of the family. Its awesome. And I am by no means as green as should be or close to what most of your readers are but I am trying. Texas Momma- I am happy to try to keep you accountable in one of these challenges. As long as it isn't the vegan one. I am not ready to go there. Love the bacon.
Crunchy- this year I gave my family reusable shopping bags that collapse into their purses. I figured it was the best shot I had at getting them to stop using all those plastic bags. They looked at me kinda weird but then they got excited. There is hope! Oh and I got my mom and brother Sigg water bottles. I may have saved an entire barrel of petroleum with that purchase!
I've enjoyed reading about the various challenges, but I think I'm at a point now where I know what I want and don't want to do environmentally speaking (until the next time I revisit my conscience). For me, 2009 will get more into health, exercise, and testing the "Is 60 the new 40?" thought.
A few things didn't work for me. Showering/hair washing every third day worked fairly well until I stopped using dandruff shampoo for the first time in my adult life and got a yeast infection (where we always get them). The yeast infection is NOT related to the dandruff ... just two things that may/may not benefit from more frequent showering without the need for things like monistat and dandruff shampoo. Water is a great healer, and as long as we have it, I think I'd like to take advantage of its healing power.
I'd like to get more into controlling plastic [think Plastic Fish], but I want the challenge to be all mine.
I wasn't able to appreciate the book discussions because I refuse to buy books and the challenges didn't correspond well to the library lendings of those of interest.
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