What do Teflon and Velcro have to do with our outlook on life? I reveal the answer to that in week 10 of The Sunday Spark, a series with weekly thoughts and highlights, nuggets of learning, and a sustainable living tip for the week.

Also this week: a world with no forests, the carbon footprint of our devices, the health benefits of kiwi skin, and alternatives to fabric softener.  

The Sunday Spark – Week 10

On my mind this week: Will you choose Teflon or Velcro?

Last Sunday at church, a visiting priest delivered the most amazing homily. It was all about Teflon and Velcro. Sounds like an odd theme for a sermon, right? That’s what I thought at first.

The priest spoke about how it’s human nature to focus on the negative. If you do something and get ten compliments and one complaint, it’s likely you’ll focus on the sole complaint and let it overrule the ten compliments.

The key message of the homily was about choosing which things we want to be Teflon for us, and those that should be Velcro.

So instead of focusing on what’s wrong in our lives, we can choose to focus on what’s right. For example, when our teenagers give us grief, we can stop and remind ourselves of the amazing feeling when we first held them after they were born. Similarly, instead of focusing on our spouse’s annoying little habits, think about the joy of our wedding day or our first date.

Which things are Teflon or Velcro for you?

This sermon was so powerful, I’ve been thinking about it on and off all week. Did you ever stop to think which types of things are Velcro and which are Teflon for you? Which types of criticisms do you hold on to and which do you let go?

For me, criticisms and comments related to my physical appearance are Teflon. It’s just an area that I don’t worry about too much because ultimately, it’s what’s on the inside that matters.

On the other hand, workplace politics really get to me, especially people who like to make themselves look good by putting others down or by taking credit for the work of others. Those are Velcro moments for sure!

I suppose the key is to make a conscious choice to let the bad stuff slide off—like water off a duck’s back, or eggs off your favourite Teflon frying pan. Then, hang on to the good things like Velcro.

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Three highlights of the week

Every week on The Sunday Spark, I share three milestones and simple pleasures of the week. Keeping the trend going, here are three highlights and simple pleasures of the week gone by:

• After a couple of hectic weeks of travel, this week I got to stay home. I took advantage of my Friday off at home to catch up on paperwork, taxes, and other tasks I had been putting off.   
• On Wednesday, I went into the office and had a lovely lunchtime visit with a couple of long-time co-workers.
• On Friday at the Supermarket, I found English cucumbers with no plastic packaging. Almost two years after I wrote this post about excessive packaging, it seems someone may have finally solved the cucumber conundrum.

Three things I learned this week

Life is all about learning. Here are three things I learned this week:

A world with no forests?

At our global employee forum at work this week, I heard a shocking statistic about the world’s forests. Did you know that 80% of the world’s forests have been clearcut? (Source: Thomas Canguilhem, EcoTree)

This is alarming for a couple of reasons. First, forests are the world’s second largest carbon sink after oceans. Plus, consider that 80% of the world’s species live in forests. Destroying forests has a devastating impact on the ecosystems that depend on them. 

The environmental impact of our devices

How many electronic devices do you have in your home? Off the top of my head, I can count at least 12 in our home: computers, tablets, mobile phones, Smart TVs…

The next question is how long do you keep your devices before replacing them? Two years? Three years? Whatever the number, it’s not long enough. According to the European Environmental Bureau, a smartphone would need to be used for between 25 and 232 years to completely offset its manufacturing carbon footprint. (Source: Earth911)

You can reduce the impact of your devices by keeping them for longer and recycling them appropriately when you no longer need them. Recycling prevents toxic metals from harming the environment, and it extracts and reuses useful materials.

Check out Earth911’s article for tips on recycling your electronics. Most of the tips in that article are for the U.S.A. In Canada, visit RecycleMyElectronics.ca for information.

Kiwi skin is edible

Do you enjoy eating kiwi? Like most people, I always peel mine before eating. I was surprised to learn this week that you can eat kiwi skin, and it’s good for you. Kiwi skin is rich in fibre, antioxidants, and folate. If you don’t like the fuzzy texture, scrub the fuzz off before eating, or throw it in a blender along with other smoothie ingredients. (Source: Cleveland Clinic)

Sustainable living tip: alternatives to fabric softener

Do you still use fabric softener? Have you ever thought about how it gets your clothes soft and reduces static?

Fabric softeners deposit a layer of electrically charged chemicals on fabric, causing them to fluff up and feel softer. (Source: Consumer Reports) Following my cancer diagnosis, as I sought to reduce my exposure to unnecessary chemicals, fabric softener was one of the first items I removed from my shopping list.  

If you’re still using fabric softener or dryer sheets, it’s time to consider alternatives. The easiest thing to do to reduce static is to air dry your clothes as much as possible. In cases when you can’t hang your laundry, dryer balls are an economical and chemical-free option. After using plastic dryer balls for a few years, I picked up a set of six wool dryer balls a few years ago and they work great. In addition to reducing static, they save energy by reducing drying time.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on any of this week’s topics. Drop me a comment below and let me know your thoughts and ideas.