Fun Link Friday!

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Hello all

Check out The Earth Friends post I wrote about at EcoChildsPlay!

Also, don’t forget to enter the giveaway for Chocolate Mint Truffle tea.

Want to learn how to make a nutritious snack for your kids? Find a great recipe here for Butter Balls. They look sooo yummy!

Learn how to make newspaper pots for your Summer garden this year.

Read all about second-hand and find out the pro’s and cons (series of posts).

Trying to go meatless? Learn how to make veggie meals.

10 Best Ways to Give Up Carbon for Lent: Ash Wednesday 2009

That’s all for now…have a great weekend! 

the Sun is the Answer: Energy 101

Editorial Note: Guest Post, by Glenn at  OakleighVermont  Follow Glen on twitter: @solargroupies

 Let’s break this down and keep it simple.

*The sun is the source of ALL of the Earth’s energy.

*Burning fossil fuels uses energy that has been stored for billions of years and cannot be replaced in the immediate human timeframe.

*Burning fossil fuels and biofuels put carbon into the air, which is rapidly destabilizing climate.

*The most direct energy on Earth comes from the sun.

*The more efficiently we can absorb and transform solar energy, the cheaper and cleaner and healthier earth will be.

*Another way to make energy is to move wire-coiled magnets past each other and create electron flow.

*Turbines are devices with wire-coiled magnets that generate electron flow (electricity).

*We can use falling water (gravity) or wind to spin blades attached to turbines.

Burning smokey fossil fuels to produce energy is a lousy choice. We know better now. Let’s change the way we do business and use sustainable, renewable energy!

 Thanks to felix945 and The Beatles for “Here Comes The Sun”

GIVEAWAY- Mighty Leaf Tea

A couple weeks ago I wrote a review on Mighty Leaf tea. I promised in that post that there would be a giveaway…

Today is your chance to win a 15 pack of the Chocolate Mint Truffle a new flavor that has recently been introduced. You’ll definitely want to sign up to win this awesome tea pack. It’s super yummy and will take away that sweet craving in an instant. Just call it dessert in a cup. I can’t wait to try some of their organic flavors!

Here’s how to win~

Visit Mighty Leaf tea and leave a comment telling us what tea you’d like to try. Must be a different flavor than one mentioned above.

If you want to earn an extra entry twitter about the giveaway.  

Leave a separate comment for tweeting.

Make sure you also leave your twitter name or url link to tweet.

You do not have to be a blogger to enter.  Non bloggers can earn extra credit by emailing a friend. 

Cc me in an email telling all your friends about this giveaway!

PLEASE BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN YOUR ENTRY!!!

Giveaway will end on Wednesday, March 3rd. 12AM PST. Winner will be announced on the 4th!

U.S. Entries only.

Don’t miss out- enter to win today!

Good luck.

Killing Me Softly: Recycling Waste Should be Mandatory!

Photo by Steve Brandon at Flickr Creative Commons

 

Yesterday, a friend of mine and I met up for lunch at a soup and sandwich shop. We had great conversation and try to get together as often as we can despite our busy lives. I ordered a soup and salad and she had salad and a sandwich.

As we sat there eating I couldn’t help but think about all the plastic that we were using. It was *killing* me. I just wish more companies were eco conscience about the waste they produce. I wish it was mandatory that we recycle all items that have recycling symbols. It just defeats the purpose, if it all gets tossed into the trash. It’s terrible. I cringed at my actions watching my hand toss it all into the trash.

Believe me, I’ve learned from this experience experience. I’m packing in and packing out next time. My husband and I usually do this whenever possible but sometimes the items are sticky and messy and I can’t put those type of items into my purse. When I can I do. From now on though, I’m totally going to start taking ALL of it. I’m bringing a seperate cloth bag to put it all in and carry it in my purse.

It’s my responsibility if the restaurant isn’t going to do it! I feel so strongly about this. Is it really that hard to have a seperate bin to contain all the recycling waste? I mean c’mon don’t we want them to set an example? I think it would be great if more restaurant chains and cafes were taking their waste into consideration and recycling anything and everything that can go right into a recycling bin.

It kills me to know that it’s all going straight into the trash and right into a landfill. Mother nature did not intend for this to happen. Why aren’t we listening to her? Why are we taking her for granted. Why? I wish, I wish, I wish that all places that create waste would hop on the green bandwagon and start setting an example. Maybe more people would realize the importance of recycling and start doing it. A step further for these food chains would be to use sustainable packaging and utensils.

The other day when my sister stopped by she made the comment after seeing me put together all my recyclable’s… “Wow, there really are a lot of things that can be recycled and you’re actually saving it to put into the recycling bin” My response was “See, more people need to realize this and DO IT- waste not want not- baby!” She laughed. I dont’ know if seeing it took her to realize the importance but I hope- hope – hope she’ll be more conscience in her decision to just toss a cardboard box into the trash.

I mean really, how hard could it be? It should be mandatory for food chains and any other business that create recycling waste to RECYCLE IT. 

What do you think? Do you take your waste home with you to recycle? 

Wouldn’t it be cool if: Cigarette Edition

Editor’s note: This guest post is from the EcoInsomniac who’s goal is to spread knowledge, entertain, educate and inspire you to green your life.

The USDA estimates that 360,000,000,000 cigarettes were consumed in the United States alone in 2007.  That is an absolutely staggering number to even think about. It actually comes out to just under 100 cigarettes per person per year.  Now there is absolutely no way to know how many of these cigarettes being consumed are ending up as litter, but estimates have been around 30%.  I hope that percentage is on the high end, but I’ve seen a whole lot of smokers flinging their butts to the floor.

Did you know?
Many people believe that the filter in the butt of a cigarette is made from cotton and are biodegradable.  Those people are wrong the filter material is actually made using a form of plastic called cellulose acetate and takes up to 10 years to degrade.

Cool Solution:
The coolest and only real solution would be to get everyone who smokes to quit, but that’s not likely to happen anytime soon. Anyway, since that isn’t happening we need ways to dispose of cigarettes and maybe even clean up those that do become litter faster.

Cool Ideas:
Cigarette manufacturers could embed small rings or strips of metal in the butt of each cigarette This would greatly increase the productivity of those who care enough to keep the ground clean by allowing magnetic pick up sticks or plates to be used instead of tongs or hands. This would also decrease how unsanitary it is to be picking up other peoples cigarette butts.

Cigarette manufacturers could find a way to use recycled and biodegradable filter materials in their cigarettes. This may not help those cigarettes that end up landing on pavement, but could have a better outcome for those that land in the grass or dirt. Would also be a good bonus to the recycling business which isn’t doing so well in the US at the moment.

I think permanent filters or mouth pieces could be an option. Smokers could buy the mouth piece and the “refill” smoke packs separately. This would mean after they’re done smoking there would be essentially no waste to throw on the ground or into the landfill.

Crazy Factoid:
In 2007, The Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup picked up 1,971,551 cigarette/cigarette butts along coastal beaches world wide. Cigarettes, cigar tips and tobacco packaging accounted for 38% of all litter the volunteers picked up.

Those are just a few ideas that I think are worth looking at. I know they’re not the end all to the problem, but they could lessen the impact that the litter has on our planet. Do you have any ideas? We’d love to hear them.

An Eco-Cool & Healthy Way to Pack Lunch

A non toxic lunchbox that makes meals on the go a snap!

Everything down to the ice pack is safe!

 Check out their website at www.lunchsense.com :)

Eco Discoveries: Earth Friendly Cleaners

In my efforts to go green I’m always on the hunt for good earth friendly cleaners or products for that matter.  I often make my own cleaners but sometimes I don’t get the time and having an eco friendly cleaner on hand as back up is helpful. Within the last few weeks, I’ve been nesting like crazy, thinking of all the things that need to get done and be cleaned before Baby Clark arrives. I’m cleaning every nook and cranny. I want it to be a safe environment in both the products I use and his living space.

I like to wipe down Tristan’s toys often because I know how germy little one’s can be. Cleaning up his toys gives me peace of mind knowing that his toys are not the culprit for his playmate’s cold. Then I think about all the ceiling fans in the house that need dusting. All that accumulation of dust and dander. Not to mention, our lovely golden wonderfuls who love to get up on our couch at night and sleep. Then there’s the spills and messy hands and all the accidents during the day that can happen in a snap!

Mom’s have a tough job on top of doing what we do. We have a long list of things to get done and house cleaning can sometimes fall to the bottom of the list. With my nesting instinct it’s been at the top lately and I’ve been a cleaning machine. Non toxic cleaning at it’s best. I want to save the planet and spare my children’s health. The fact that I’m pregnant also makes it even more important to use products that are safe for the planet and for us humans.  

Thankfully, I found an eco friendly line of cleaners that does the job right in eight diferent ways and had the chance to review them. Eco Discoveries has five plant based products and three enzymatic cleaners. I liked the way each one worked and especially like the airzyme and multizyme. They really kicked some eco-butt. ALL of their cleaners did just that. From wiping down my sons toys, cleaning out the kitchen sink, to wiping off the soap scum in my tub. It didn’t stop there, believe me.

The airzyme cleans the indoor air quality and it’s also great for using on fabrics. I put it to the test. The morning I planned to use the products my dog drooled all over the arm rest of our couch. I used both the multizyme and airzyme and you would have never known that my sweet dog drooled. No smells were left behind or stains. I also used both to remove a urine spot on the couch from my son’s leaky diaper. Neither the airzyme or multizyme are designed to clean up urine but both worked like a charm.

Each product I used worked very well. I must say that I liked the glass cleaner a lot as well. It cleaned my t.v. and glass even better than vinegar. Plus, no vinegar smell.  It left it looking so clean and clear. What I like best about the company is their efforts they put into keeping they’re carbon footprint low.

When I received the box of products I thought it was empty. It wasn’t…to my surprise each bottle is empty and has a two ounce solution bottle attached to it. You mix the cleaners yourself- add water first then solution. It’s a genius way to ship products, talk about reduced shipping loads- Eco Discoveries has reduced their’s by 90%!. All of their packaging is recyclable each and every bit. Eco Discoveries cares about their environmental responsibility.

                                         ”Safe has an effective side”

You’ll have to check and see if there is a store in your area that sells Eco Discoveries- otherwise, you can purchase it through their website.

 NOTE: You’ll have to excuse my son he was trying really hard to get my attention!  

Save Money: Conserve and think Alternative Energy

Editorial Note: Guest Post, by Glenn at  http://OakleighVermont.com Glenn is well educated about this age of climate destabilization, which the National Academy of Sciences and American Association for the Advancement of Science is conclusive, and the energy crisis, which most agree has no easy solutions. He see’s the convergence of these two challenges as a motivation, to play a role in raising awareness and bringing high quality technologies that use the sun and personal energy to charge up our toys. Here at RYD we look forward to his monthly posts on solar energy  and the like.

Now that we are in the deep freeze, people start asking about staying warmer and saving money with heating costs. Two approaches to energy savings include conservation and shifting to alternative energy. Conservation is the least expensive and we will talk about that first.The biggest heat loss in your living space is through the roof, since warmer, less dense air rises. That means insulating your attic is the best use of your spare cash.

The new code for attic space insulation is R-38, which is the equivalent to a foot of fiberglass. Make sure you have a vapor barrier on the warm side of the insulation, because water vapor will condense out of warm air onto a cooler surface and this can create mold if it is allowed to get into the insulation. Also, the attic space above the insulation should be ventilated, so fresh air is free to move through that space and not condense water there. The Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy have the Energy Star program resource available for free of charge. Their cool website (no pun intended) with home and products energy efficiency standards is the Energy Star site: http://www.energystar.gov/ 

Another area to conserve heat is with walls and windows. Walls should be insulated to at least R-19 or more (six inches of insulation) if possible. Most energy auditors don’t advise replacing windows that have storm windows, or double-paned to begin with since they can be very expensive. A neat web site that has lots of information about windows including U factors, heat gain coefficients, transmittance, air leakage, and condensation resistance is the National Fenestration Rating Council (http://NFRC.org) .

Once your home is insulated then it might make sense to look at the availability of sunlight for for passive heating of your house, or active heating of water or generating electricity. Cutting up walls on the south side of your house to install windows can get expensive but it can make a difference in your heating budget if you make a heat sink with stone. solar hot water heaters can cost $10,000 to $20,000 and can save up to 30 on a hot water bill, even in a cold climate like Vermont. There are also state and federal rebates and tax credits for conservation and alternative energy products. Federal tax credit info can be found here:http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=windows_doors.pr_taxcredits 

Be sure to follow Glenn on twitter, he’s @solargroupies  

 

It’s Official: Now Writing for Eco Child’s Play

Hi all! In a previous post, I mentioned I’d possibly be writing for Eco Child’s Play- there is no longer a possible in that equation. It’s official.

Yes, that’s right you can now read more articles about going green, sustainability, healthy living and natural parenting written by yours truly over at Eco Child’s Play.

ECP is filled with a wonderful community of writer’s so be sure to check out their site and sister site’s through Green Options.  

To read my first article click here! 

Keeping Your Heart in Mind: Sprouting Beans

By Jill Nussinow, MS, RD, The Veggie Queen™  www.theveggiequeen.com

Photo courtesy of Google images

Simple food often satisfies in heart matters. Plant-foods contain heart protective antioxidants and phytochemicals. Perhaps the best food for heart, and overall, health has to be the bean, and other legumes. Most often thought of as poor man’s food,  it’s likely that in these times we will think of them as what they are: life saving and life giving.

Today I share a simple thing to do with beans: sprout them. Yes, it’s easy, fun, delicious and nutritious. Use organic beans of any kind. Get your equipment together. You need a quart glass jar, a jar screen or piece of cheesecloth, and a rubber band. (One student asked about using pantyhose as a jar cover but I don’t know if it works. I have semi-successfully used a paper towel when that’s all I have.)

Put 4 tablespoons of beans in the jar. Fill with clean water, put on your choice of cover, and let sit overnight, or all day. Dump the water out (use it to water houseplants), rinse and now turn the jar at an angle, upside down, and put into a bowl in a dark cabinet where you will remember it. 

Rinse and drain thoroughly each morning and night for 2 to 4 days, until the beans have a short tail. Taste a bean and if it’s crunchy and delicious, it’s ready to eat.

If the beans smell funky or are slimy, toss them into the compost – they’re bad. This rarely happens, unless you’re in a very warm and humid climate.

Use the bean sprouts as salad or salad toppers, turn them into raw hummus or use them in cooking, which only requires a few minutes. My favorite legumes to sprout are garbanzo beans and lentils of any kind. Sprout the ones you love.

Simple Sprouted Bean Salad

2-3 cups sprouted beans and/or other sprouts

2 tablespoons honey mustard or Dijon plus 2 teaspoons agave syrup

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1/4- 1/2 teaspoon  salt

The salt is one quarter to one half teaspoon.

Combine dressing ingredients in a small glass jar and shake. Pour over sprouts and serve.

I usually have a jar of sprouts going at all times. It varies what I grow according to my whim. 

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