August « 2006 « champuru.net

eco-unfriendly

How eco-friendly are you? My current course, “Environmental Ethics” is prompting me to stop and think about how our actions impact our environment. I wish I could proclaim that I am a responsible, environmentally-conscious citizen, but truthfully, I am not. This course, however, is teaching me to be more mindful.

Ever wondered how much “nature” your lifestyle requires? You’re about to find out.

This Ecological Footprint Quiz estimates how much productive land and water you need to support what you use and what you discard. After answering 15 easy questions you’ll be able to compare your Ecological Footprint to what other people use and to what is available on this planet.

How much “nature” does your lifestyle require? Take this quiz and share your results!

You may also take this quiz to find out how many trees you will need to plant in order to off-set your carbon footprint. According to my results, I need to plant 14 trees to “go zero.”

Obaachan

Tanjoubi omedetou, Obaachan!

Tonight, we celebrated Hubby’s grandma’s 90th birthday. Ninety and still as strong as ever. Grandma likes to give those strong, back-slapping hugs. It still stings. It made me chuckle when I saw Hubby instinctively covering the incision site on his back when he hugged Grandma tonight. He knew that if she slapped him there, he would be in a world of pain.

When she grasps my hands tightly as she talks to me, I am reminded of the many trials she endured and how she has always prevailed. She is to be admired. Happy birthday, Grandma.

Happy Hearts

Assorted haupia mochi by “Happy Hearts” mochi,
a.k.a., the “mochi lady”

Talk about serendipity! A late afternoon phone call from Renee resulted in a quick detour off my afternoon commute and sent me home with a “bento box” full of the most delectable mochi ever.

Strawberry Azuki Mochi

When I got home, I handed it to Hubby and told him that it was a “get well” gift for him. However, he couldn’t eat it until I was done photographing it. The look on his face was priceless. (I felt a little remorse for torturing him like that, but it was fleeting.) He waited eagerly as I carefully staged the mochi on pretty plates that we never use for daily consumption and photographed the mochi from various angles.

Peanut Butter Mochi

Finally, I was done. The sweet taste of mochi on his lips was enough to lift his spirits after a tough week of recovery. Thanks for being so thoughtful, Renee! That act of kindness certainly blessed our “happy hearts.”