Andy's Idea Factory

Traveling gives me such joy  –  to be out exploring the world and it's many cultures, people, vistas- makes my heart sing. But as someone who has struggled for over a decade with food sensitivities, weight fluctuation due to a thyroid condition, and committed to eating a healthy, plant-based diet, traveling can indeed be a challenge. Whether there is a language barrier or not, often what I'm looking for simply isn't on the menu  –  vine ripe, organic, plant-based food. So if you're new to this way of life and type of eating, you may say "oh screw it," when you're on the road.  But if you're wise to why you're eating this way  –  for mind, body and spirit  –  then you may notice that you're more tired, touchy, emotional, sore, restless, and overall just not yourself. Or you may even suffer from physical symptoms, which are perhaps the root of why you're eating this way (IBS, gas, bloating, pain, inflammation, etc.) The day that I shif...

Upon taking position as Zero Waste Coordinator for the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council , as of today I have made a commitment to not only help Steamboat become the first Zero Waste resort town in Colorado, but to also begin tracking my own waste, my family's waste, and the waste, consumption, and impact of my fellow humans around me, wherever I may go, whenever possible. I currently travel frequently for work because I am coordinating a huge training project for Amtrak trains, educating 8000 employees on better handling customers with disabilities . My work with this travel market over the last five years has led me into much research and study of travel and impact of and on travelers and our planet, great experience which I hope to bring into the world of sustainability and our impact on our precious planet. Yesterday while traveling back from Miami to Steamboat, I thought to begin my mission of tracking in this new capacity. To start, I always travel with my own drin...

Today we're on our way to Miami for the No Barriers Festival and it reminded me to share the many travel ideas we've gathered along the way! Our travels take us far and wide, and some of these ideas make us feel like we're not that far from home. 1. Lists. If you're an organizer, think about making "packing lists" based on the type of trip (we have business, vacation, and camping lists). We were forever scribbling on Post-Its before our trips and forgetting something every time, when I finally realized I could write a master list that we could add to any time and save sheet after sheet of yellow sticky paper. To take it one green step further, print out the lists and laminate them, then cross off what you've packed with a grease pencil and clean it off when you're done! Make one for every family member so they're in charge of their own belongings and forgotten items! 2. Drier Sheets. My favorite trick for the suitcase and keeping clothes fresh, ...

Some people aren't planning honeymoons any more... and this year is probably the best example of that. So how can you make the break happen while keeping it in the budget? The easiest is asking for much of it in gifts, because those are inevitable, look into the many creative options you gave give your guests in lieu of placemats, glassware, and picture frames. If you've loaded a wedding website for your guests, include some of these ideas on the "gifts" page or in the literature you mail out, so they know in advance that you'd like to trade gifts in for honeymoon help! 1. Condo, cabin, or RV usage ~ ask for the gifted usage of a lake house, RV, RCI membership week, or employee family discount to help offset the costs of lodging during your stay. 2. Airfare points ~ many of these programs will expire unused airline points, so using them will actually benefit both parties. 3. Activities, dining, etc ~ put a few activities at your honeymoon destination that will e...

This Idea stemmed from the realization that most people don't have time to read their entire camera manual, especially when the device works just fine with Power, Autoflash, and the Automatic setting. But making the most of your technology is the only way to make the most of your memories.... So let's dive into a few tips for you Photography Newbies. When I worked in the service industry and people would ask me to take their picture I'd chuckle and give them (and their camera) the once-over before saying Yes. Not because I thought to say No, but because a select few were open for a lesson, and some weren't. Without being sexist, I'll stop there; but suffice it to say most people don't read their instruction manual and yet it's such a powerful tool. You're probably one of those people whose camera takes amazing pictures MOST of the time. But occasionally it just doesn't and you don't know why. You set the dial to that green "Automatic...

We travel a LOT. And I come up with a lot of quick and easy ideas for traveling when we do! So I'm starting a Travel Solution series that I'll dip in and out of on this blog for you, let's get rolling with number 1! The Baggage Claim Tags as Lint Roller! This idea came to me when we were in New York last year. I had a lot of fuzz on one of my suits and forgot bring our travel lint roller. I began looking around the room for something with tape on it, because I remembered as a makeshift roller in college, we would roll masking tape on our hands and use that to get cat hairs, lint, and fuzz off our clothes before going out. Then I saw the baggage tags on the suitcase. I was sold on this idea immediately. I peeled the two sides apart and started sticking it to my suit and voila! It worked- not only did it work, the glue on these is so strong, it actually pulls those sweater-pull balls off your knitted items as well! My husband said I should submit this to Real Simple Magaz...