Wood vs. Plastic - AGAIN!

Sometimes it's hard to weigh an economic choice with an earth friendly choice. I was reading an article on "eco xmas gifts" this week, which recommended buying someone a nice, new wooden spoon for the kitchen to replace an old plastic spatula.
Now, this is the type of "green" advise that makes my head spin - how to balance budget concerns with earth-friendly choices?
Now, we all have old plastic spatulas hanging out in our kitchens. Scratched, dented, ragged plastic spatulas. Are they so old they're chipping off bits of harmful plastic into the food? Are they a "safer" plastic (like #5)? Are they even recyclable?
So maybe I want to replace an old spatula, but they're great budget tools! How else can I get 2 more servings of almond butter out of the jar without a nice plastic spatula? I'm sure I've saved loads of food over the years with these handy, bendy sticks.

Nice new wooden spoons are great - but they're made out of newly cut trees, right? Who would want a wooden spoon made out of recycled wood?

Which is better?

Day 2 Q: What do YOU do?

Ok, dear readers, here is one of the fundamental reasons why I started writing this blog - to find out what other folks are doing in their own lives to save money and the planet.

My parents were creative, adventurous and ...not destitute, but not rich either. Dad was a teacher and mom was an artist/Jill-of-all-trades. While we didn't have much extra money, there were always rich experiences to be had - camping in the woods over spring break, weeding the vegetables, feeding our bunny, picking raspberries, reading and playing games through the long, rainy Oregon weather...life was full! We recycled scraps of fabric from mom's sewing projects into bookmarks which my brother sold at school, my parents traded fresh herbs with the local Italian restaurant for discounts, my dad helped a friend with some work on their property in exchange for a huge jar of honey from their hive. I feel really grateful looking back on my childhood because I learned so much from my parents. Not only how to make the most of what you have, but the importance of working with others to make everyones lives a little better.

So now it's my turn - how can we help each other out here in cyberspace? I can't come over and bake you a pie in exchange for some accounting work (or can I?) - but I want to start trading information to get us all inspired to live well, take care of each other, ourselves and this beautiful ball we all live on.

So, What do YOU do?

Welcome - let's get started!

My life has been preparing me for this moment - my first home eco-nomics blog!

First - who am I, anyway?
My name is Alex Jamieson and I work with food. I help people feel better, eat better and fix their health problems through diet and other holistic methods. (check out my website at www.healthychefalex.com)

Second - Home Eco-Nomics? What is that?
Well, many clients and readers of my e-newsletter are worried about their waistline and the bottom line. This blog is the beginning of a new movement - how to live a healthy, non-toxic, fun life without breaking the bank!

Third - What is this blog all about?
I want to share information so that my readers can have access to great ideas on health, food, self-care and creating a healthy home and work environment. I also want a place where my readers can share their great ideas - how do you re-use that cardboard toilet paper roll? How do you save when buying organic produce? Do I really need to spend $20 on a Halloween outfit for my kid - what did you create, you thrifty maven, you?

Any and all topics are welcome! I want this to be a one-stop, all you can eat blog for those of us who want to live lightly on this earth while easing up on the credit card.

Here we go!
Alex