Leaves blowing around the yard may be a discouraging sight to the tidy landscaper, but with the right lens, leaves covering the ground can be seen as ample opportunities.
Many outdoorsy folks look forward to the fall as an opportunity to work in their yards during comfortable weather and to get outside and play. Last week, Amy, also known as the Crunchy Domestic Goddess, shared a few tips on how gardeners and composters may make use of fallen brown leaves to create a nutrient-rich compost throughout the year.
When it comes to managing fall leaves, you may also wonder how to remove leaves from your yard in an environmentally friendly way, and whether or not it makes sense to remove leaves at all.
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Written on
October 25, 2008 by
SusanC
It’s Gardenvisit.com’s 10th anniversary, and to celebrate they are giving away free eBooks throughout the month of October. Two titles by Tom Turner are currently available for free download: 24 Historic Styles of Garden Design and The Principles of Garden Design.
Over at Sunnybrook Farm Designs, Rebekah has an interesting post about how to re-purpose old t-shirts into reusable eco-friendly shopping bags. A creative and green alternative to simply tossing your old t-shirts!
Just in time for traditional Fall festivities on October 31st, Ecologue has a post with some great ideas for going green for Halloween, including tips on how to get the most out of pumpkin carving, and how to fashion a one-of-a-kind eco-goodie bag for trick or treating.
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Written on
October 23, 2008 by
SusanC
I stumbled upon these re-purposed envelopes on Etsy a week or so ago, and was immediately enamored with them, as they are comprised of paper collected from telephone poles in the seller’s neighborhood, ten assorted band and event fliers that have found rocking new life as unique and 100% recycled envelopes.
Via nowvember, a.k.a. the seller, Lisa Riddle:
“Don’t worry kids — flyers were all expired before I pulled them down, ’cause I’m not out to sabotage local bands. I just hate to see such nice looking paper go to waste.
Envelopes measure 3.5″ by 5″ and are all hand-cut, folded and glued.
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Written on
October 17, 2008 by
SusanC
Recently, I walked through our backyard and checked every tree and there wasn’t one coin or bill dangling from the limbs. We just took our last vacation for the “summer” to the Bay Area and I’m tired of it; not the vacation, but the Bay Area. I’ve lived it and done it several times over. I want to visit some place exotic like Bolivar, TN where my in-laws live. The only problem is that what I want to do isn’t what I can afford to do right now. I want economic change in my life and I want it now.
Just to let you know, I’ve tried it and wishing upon a tree hasn’t created any monetary blooms.
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Written on
October 14, 2008 by
SusanC
© Ink+Wit
These modern takes on traditional thank you cards from Tara Hogan are 4.5×5.5 inch hand-made postcards, with plenty of room to write on the back. These particular notes come in a set of five, and are comprised of 100% cotton paper, 100% cotton white envelopes and water based inks, which means not only are these cards adorable (and they so are), but they are also an eco-friendly option for sending the best and brightest of all grateful correspondence. Their pun-ny slogan, combined with all of the above is what makes them this week’s Note Of The Week.
Visit Tara Hogan’s Etsy shop, and her main art & design site at www.inkandwit.com
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Remember when someone would dare you? Taunt you. Tell you, you can’t do something. You wanted to prove them wrong. Well, that’s sort of my theory behind this post. I’m going to dare you. Taunt you. I want you to prove me wrong and join the EnviroMom Challenge of reducing your waste.
I’m bet you can’t do it.
Nah. Nah. Boo. Boo.
EnviroMom has is challenging families to cut back. Reduce, reuse and recycle. If the friendly garbage mans collects one can a week from your curb, make it one can a month now. The same can you use now just fill it once a month not once a week.
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When I first wrote this article, I was gung-ho all fired up about a campaign I started on my blog called Going Scratch. That was nearly a month ago. I write for this blog once a month, sometimes more when I get a bee in my bonnet. Going Scratch was an idea I had to help myself return to basics. My question to myself was: Why am I relying on the store to provide things for my family when I can just as effectively make them myself? It’s a good question I thought. Why not? Things like food items I would normally buy I can make at home.
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With the temperatures dropping and fuel prices soaring, you may be wondering how to stay warm this winter without going broke. According to one statistic, the average American household will spend $1900 each year on energy bills and release double the amount of greenhouse gases than does the average car. Luckily, there are several ways to live green, stay warm, and save money all at the same time. Below are 5 easy ways to warm up:
1. Tame Your Thermostat. The Energy Information Administration, which provides official energy statistics from the U.S. Government, in a 1997 report states that households that lowered their home temperature by 1 degree Fahrenheit during the winter saved between $15 and $40 on average; mind you, this report was done over 10 years ago.
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I love getting emails from readers and recently, after I posted about Eco-friendly school lunches, I got an email from a reader asking a very “Eco” good question. Her older children don’t like to use the new earth friendly lunch boxes and wrap mats because they aren’t cool and nobody else is using them (more should be using them, grrr). That’s an issue so what is a mom to do? Her big question is whether she should use aluminum foil or wax paper and which one is safer and more earth friendly.
I answered, aluminum foil because it can be recycled and you can buy recycled aluminum foil.
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Written on
September 17, 2008 by
SusanC
My children have spent literally every summer day this season outdoors. It has been my quick solution to quiet time in the house, a way to get the house cleaned and enjoy it for a few minutes, and also keep my children active enough to tire them out by the end of the day.
For the past few months, California has been on fire with many areas burning uncontrollably. People have been made to evacuate and relocate, eventually able to return to their homes, while others have lost everything. My family recently spent the day in a town on Saturday and by Sunday afternoon, it was on fire.
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