Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Doing your "business" the eco-friendly way: Ingrid Callot on composting toilets

Ingrid Callot teaches you how to keep your toilet smelling fresh and clean with the following blog. Read on and join the green side!


From Ingrid Callot Photo Credit: www.eburcat.com



Ever since my family and I decided to lead an eco-friendly lifestyle, I have gotten rid of almost all the plastic in my house, and we’ve started eating organic food and using only sustainable products. Recently, we also had a composting toilet installed in our house. At first my son Jacob was in no way convinced with the idea and said, “Mom, isn’t that gross?”

I just smiled and answered, “Just wait and see, darling.”


From Ingrid Callot Photo Credit: Blogs.Nbcuni.com


"Ingrid Callot is a wife and mother, and is known in her neighborhood as a recycling goddess."


A composting toilet is a system that eliminates nasty odors from human waste while avoiding water wastage. Plus, you can use the waste as fertilizer in your garden! I learned there are several ways of doing it, but basically it works like this:

• When doing ‘business’ in the composting toilet, I let my family use a bucket to place their you-know-what in. I also put a pile of sawdust (hay, woody mulch, or even shredded paper will do) ready at the side to cover up the you-know-what in the bucket. This keeps the unpleasant smell from leaking out and prevents uninvited pests from coming in.

• When the bucket is good to go, I put it in our backyard, under the sun, to stand for two weeks. The heat of the sun, especially when the heat reaches more than160° F, is enough to kill the microbes in the bucket. I can then use the compost to fertilize my beautiful plants.

• The bucket is then cleaned and ready to be put back in the composting toilet.


From Ingrid Callot Photo Credit: Themarriagechecklist.com


For more eco-friendly DIY projects, follow Ingrid Callot on Twitter.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Leftovers are not rubbish: Ingrid Callot on proper food storage

My husband Roger and I, Ingrid Callot, would have starved yesterday if not for the leftovers in our fridge. There are days when I just can’t find the luxury of time to prepare a complete meal. Yesterday was no different. For this reason, up my sleeves is a variety of food storage ideas to preserve food properly.


From Ingrid Callot Photo Credit: http://www.showmomthemoney.com


Of course, as an advocate of eco-friendly solutions, I prefer to use sustainable storage containers. I’m sure many of these are probably in your kitchen already.


From Ingrid Callot Photo Credit: http://www.health24.com


Here are some valuable tips on storing food the eco-friendly way:

Buying glass containers

Glass is the most ideal storage choice. The reason: it’s safe and it saves you a lot of money in the long run. Ingrid Callot here invests in glass containers. A glass container may be more expensive than other choices you might find at the store, but it’s an investment, and a worthy one at that. I recommend borosilicate glass since it holds true to its safe and eco-friendly character like Pyrex. It also safely withstands extreme temperature changes.


Re-using product containers

When buying grocery items, find food products that come in containers or packages that can be re-used for a period of time. There is a wide array of brands and goods that are good enough for that purpose. An example for this is Eden Foods’ tomato products. The company addresses concern about BPA by using amber glass jars. BPA is Bisphenol A, a chemical found in the linings of canned goods and other containers.

From Ingrid Callot Photo Credit: http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk


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Thursday, February 9, 2012

Sweets for your sweet: Ingrid Callot on how to make homemade truffles

I am Ingrid Callot – mother, wife, recycling goddess, composting queen, fan of Oprah, the Dalai Lama, Martha Stewart, Julia Child, eco-friendly living, and physical fitness. I am also known in my neighborhood for my DIY crafts – aside from saving money and getting to recycle, I love the thought of making my gifts instead of merely buying them from stores.


Ingrid Callot Photo Credit: Whistlers.com



With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, prices of flowers, stuffed animals, chocolates, greeting cards, perfumes, and lingerie have been rising steadily. Fortunately, you don’t always have to spend a bundle to let your special someone feel the love. I believe that it’s always the thought that matters –handmade gifts are more precious than those from stores.


Ingrid Callot Photo Credit: ScottishGourmetFood.com


Chocolate truffles make elegant gifts this season, and you can easily make them at home. Ingrid Callot here has made several batches of these sinful sweets through the years. Allow me to share my favorite recipe, courtesy of Food.com:

Homemade Truffles

Ingredients:
12 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
ground nuts or dry coconut powder , toasted

Directions:

*Melt chocolate in microwave on medium power.
*Stir occasionally; set aside.
*Beat cream cheese until smooth.
*Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended.
*Add melted chocolate and vanilla, mix well.
*Refrigerate for 1 hour.
*Roll into 1 inch balls.
*Roll in nuts or coconut.
*Store in refrigerator.

Place them in a pretty box, tie with a ribbon and enclose a love letter, and you’re all set for Valentine’s Day!

INgrid Callot Photo Credit: Rozannegold


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