Tag: ecohome

Categories
Eco Eats Eco Tips Featured

Mushroom and Asparagus Fettuccine for Meatless Monday

Looking for a simple and easy dinner recipe? We have found the perfect meatless Monday recipe for you! This recipe will take you about 25 minutes to make and it tastes delicious. Pair with a simple garden salad and a glass of wine!

Mushroom and Asparagus Fettuccine

Ingredients

8 ounces dried fettuccine or linguine (or your favorite pasta)

8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces

3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/3 cup mushroom broth or vegetable broth

1/4 cup half-and-half or light cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup chopped plum tomatoes

1 tablespoon finely shredded fresh basil

1 tablespoon finely shredded fresh oregano

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Optional Ingredients

Finely shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

Cook fettuccine or linguine according to package directions, adding asparagus the last 1 to 2 minutes of cooking; drain. Return pasta mixture to saucepan; cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook mushrooms, onion, and garlic in hot oil over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until most of the liquid is evaporated. Stir in broth, half-and-half, salt, and black pepper. Bring to boiling. Boil gently, uncovered, for 4 to 5 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened. Stir in tomatoes, basil, and oregano; heat through.

Spoon the mushroom mixture over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat. Divide among 4 bowls or dinner plates. Sprinkle with pine nuts and, if desired, Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

 

Categories
Green Building Home Design

4 Sustainable Home Building Materials

Thinking about remodeling your home? The best way to remodel your home is by using green building materials. It is a great way to help save the environment and get the most out of your home.  Since it is sometimes difficult to define if a particular material is green there are some general guidelines to consider.

  • Typically, the best material for any job is the one that performs the best with respect to the green criteria of you and your home. Factors might include: the product’s longevity, how well the material or product works with the rest of your home, whether it contributes to reducing energy or water consumption, or if it helps to improve air quality.
  • If two materials perform the same and have roughly equal expected lifetimes, natural materials are normally preferable to man-made ones.
  • Local materials are generally preferred to ones that must be shipped long distances, but you should weigh each material case by case.

Here is some information about the types of green materials you can choose for your home!

  • Framing — Wood. Two types of wood are gaining traction among green builders — engineered lumber and wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Engineered wood is very common on both green and conventional home because it uses wood scraps and smaller trees to produce framing that’s stronger than traditional logs. Engineered wood also allows the builder to use less wood and use wood scraps that would otherwise go to waste.
  • Insulation — Fiberglass. Builders generally don’t consider fiberglass insulation a green material because it typically contains a toxic binding agent and is very energy-intensive to make. However, “superinsulating” a structure beyond building-code requirements is a fundamental principle of green building. Many green builders take advantage of the low cost and ease of installation to “superinsulate” and save money that they can use for other green features.
  • Roofing – Steel. Steel roofing (both panels and shingles) is an increasingly popular green choice because of its high recycled content and longevity.
  • Interior Finishing — Natural clay plaster.  Natural clay plasters are a great green alternative to the more common gypsum-based plasters.

Sources: isopropertyresources.com, (http://www.isopropertyresources.com/Feature-Story/Articles/Green-Building-Materials.html), greensource.com, (http://greensource.construction.com/products/2013/1303-product.asp)

Categories
Eco Tips Featured Recycling

4 Ways to Reduce Junk Mail and Paper Waste

Excess junk mail and paper waste… almost every household seems to have this problem. From credit card advertisements, free sweepstakes opportunities, magazine subscriptions you didn’t order, and of course the very popular free coupons. The coupons may come in handy.  As for everything else, the likelihood of them meeting your paper shredder is definite.  There are a few ways that you can decrease the pile of paper waste and junk mail in your home.

Unsubscribe Magazines and Newsletters: If you like receiving magazines or store catalogues, you can get these online.  For example, if you have a Nook, Kindle, or iPad, these subscriptions can be continued digitally and without the use of paper.  It would cost less as well to have your subscriptions electronically transferred to your portable reading device.

Opt-out: Sign up at the website optoutprescreen.com where you can remove your name and mailing address from the mailing list for credit card and insurance providers.  This will definitely decrease the amount of junk mail you receive!

Avoid Sweepstakes and Contests: If you have entered a contest or sweepstakes online, which requires you to give the website your home address, you will receive a lot of junk mail! Those guys won’t let you off easy.  They will want you to sign up for another contest or be part of a great deal in town! Try to avoid these sites.

Pay Bills Online: With current technology, banks, insurance companies, and other service providers have been able to give their customers the online bill pay option.  Rather than receive your bill in the mail, you can sign up online to receive an alert when the time comes to pay a certain bill. After that, you can go to the insurance site or your online bank account and pay the bill! That makes less bills coming through the mail. Most banks are trying to promote the option of bill paper to decrease the amount of paper waste!

Categories
Eco Tips Featured Green Building Home Design

3 Benefits of Using Solar Energy at Home

Solar energy has recently become more popular due to its organic and natural qualities. It is also more economical to use solar energy due to its renewable supply. Ultimately, solar energy is worry-free and the only maintenance and upkeep needed are the application of solar panels and keeping the panels clean and clear of debris. There are many great benefits to use solar paneling for your home as a means of using energy.

  • Decrease in Energy Bills: When using solar energy, you are only taking from an ample supply of energy that regenerates itself naturally.  The use of non-solar energy only increases your electric bill every month, depending on the usage in your home. The application of solar panels will be beneficial because the energy produced will decrease your electricity bill.  Solar energy is free because it is natural and harnessed by solar panels.
  • Decrease Energy Demand: Using solar panel generated energy will decrease the demand for machinated energy. The production of energy costs hundreds of dollars, thus the expense of paying energy bills.  However, solar panels produce more energy than your local energy provider. All the excess energy produced by your home solar panels goes back into the power grid.  Therefore, the electric company writes you a check for the extra energy you produce.  Not only are you benefiting from home generated energy through solar panels, but you’re also being paid for the energy you produced!
  • Environmentally Sound: Solar energy is natural and can never run out. It is renewable and does not require a bill every month for its services for your home. You will experience some relief using your heater, appliances, and air conditioning unit knowing that your source of energy is renewable. Also, to produce energy without solar energy requires the use manufactured electricity, which requires a huge amount of power usage. The use of solar energy decreases the need for electric power.
Categories
Gadgets & Gear

2 Solar Flashlights to Keep Handy

Need a flashlight and the batteries are dead? How many times has that happened to you? Have no fear because solar powered flashlights are here! With so many great solar powered models on the market it is hard to know what exactly to look for. It is best to determine what you and your family needs are then decide what kind of flashlight model to get!

A solar flashlight is a flashlight that stores energy from the sun, using solar power as a source of light when it gets turned on. A typical solar powered flashlight has a small amount of solar panels, normally in the handle; which makes the flashlight easy to use! Other models include a crank that creates light was well or even hybrid models that include a hand crank and solar panels or a set of batteries and a hand crank. There are even some flashlights that include radios (very handy in emergency situations).

Many stores have solar flashlights such as Bass Pro Shops and Target and you can shop around online and also order directly from the manufacturers. If you buy a good solar flashlight is should last you a long time. You can throw it in your toolbox and forget about it, just do not forget to place the flashlight in the sun to charge!

Here are two great solar powered flashlights you should consider buying:

  • Goal Zero 90107 Solo Solar Powered Flashlight

This flashlight includes solar powered panels as well as a crank and a AC/DC output to power this flashlight. It has a long battery life and can be charged in as little as 10 minutes with the hand crank. It costs about $25 dollars online not including shipping and handling on Amazon.com.

  • Dorcy 3 LED Dynamo & Solar Flashlight

This flashlight has solar panels and a crank shaft to charge the batteries. It features three bright LED lights. It costs $20.59 plus shipping and handling and you can find it at opticsplanet.com.

Categories
Gadgets & Gear

How to Stay on Eco-Forward Time

Sprout Watches

“Simply put, we set out to make the most eco-forward watches available. Truthful, transparent and to the point – we’ll never be anything less.” This is the mission statement of Sprout Watches. They make cute and stylish watches that are made from completely renewable and recyclable materials. Even the packaging is made with 80% post consumer fibers. They have been featured in many magazines such as Instyle, Oprah, People and more!

Sprout Watches have been around for over 50 years and have produced quality watches. All the watches are made from organic corn resin, organic cotton, cork, and Tyvek. Every watch has a lead- and phthalate-free timepiece features a mineral crystal lens, a mercury-free battery, and a mother-of-pearl or bamboo dial. They even have conflict free and certified diamonds!

One of the best part about these watches? None of them are over $80! You read right! These affordable watches range in price from $30-$80. With so many different styles (men and women’s watches are available) and colors (bold, stripes, classics) there is sure to be something you will fall in love with! These watches are stylish, affordable, high quality, eco-friendly, and are made to last.

Check out some of our favorites!

For more information, where to buy, and to purchase your own watch- check out their website.

All photos courtesy of SproutWatches.com.

Categories
Eco Eats

30 Minute Vegetarian Chili for Meatless Monday

Meatless Monday is here again and with this simple vegetarian chili recipe you are guaranteed to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. Try to get the produce in this recipe from your local farmer’s market to support your local farmers (if possible). For more information on why to go Meatless on Monday click here.

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin oil

2 bell peppers (any color), chopped

2 cups chopped mushrooms

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 (15 oz) cans of pinto beans

1 (14.5 oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with juices

Optional Ingredients:

Non-fat plain Greek yogurt

Low-fat or Fat-free shredded cheddar cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add bell peppers, mushrooms, onion, celery, and garlic; cook, stirring, until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add chili powder, oregano, cumin, and salt; cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 more minutes.

Add beans and tomatoes with their juices. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until chili is fragrant and slightly thickened, 25 minutes. Serve warm.

Additional Notes:

You can choose to garnish with the chili with nonfat plain yogurt if you like or low-fat or fat-free shredded cheddar cheese.  When I make this chili I follow all these directions then throw it in to the crock pot and let it cook for a couple of hours (when I have the extra time). When you throw the chili in the crock pot the vegetables soften and the ingredients meld together to create a delicious chili. Serve with a mixed green salad on the side and a couple of crackers. Eat and enjoy!

Nutritional Info: Servings: 4/ Amount per serving: 2 C/ Calories per serving: 287.6/ Total Fat: 6.2 g/ Cholesterol: 0.0 mg/ Sodium: 960:5 mg/ Total Carbs: 46.0 g/ Dietary Fiber: 14.1 g/ Protein 14.2 g/

Recipe adapted from the South Beach Diet.

Categories
Eco Tips Furnishings Home Design Home Improvement

The Easiest Way to Conserve Water and Save Money

With a lot of the country in a serious drought (Kansas, Texas, Nebraska just to name a few), it is nice to know that the average consumer can make a difference saving water and money by just switching their showerhead! When you get a low-flow showerhead you are able to save you and your family some money and a lot of water.

The average American uses about 2,500 cubic feet of water every year, that’s the equivalence of about an Olympic sized swimming pool!  A typical shower uses up to 25 gallons of water and on average the typical American uses about 100 gallons of water daily (this number can change depending on the length of the shower.)

A low-flow shower head has the ability to cut your bathing water consumption by up to 70%. According to the EPA by “letting your faucet run for five minutes uses as much energy as it takes to keep a 60-watt light bulb lit for 14 hours.” Just by switching your shower head to a low-flow model you can save a lot over the course of a year:

  • With a traditional, 2.5gpm showerhead, you’ll use 5,250 gallons of water on showering in one year.
  • With a 1.5gpm, low-flow showerhead, you’ll use 3,150 gallons of water over the course of one year.

(Remember these numbers are an estimate and are based on a single person household, these numbers can double and triple depending on the amount of people in your home.)

Low-flow showerheads are super simple to install and start around $10. There are so many styles and variations you can choose from, there is bound to be something that you end up loving. For instance some models have “flow-adjusting dials and a pause button, which allows you to break for a bit of lathering up, then return to the same temperature and pressure.” If you are looking for a simple way to improve your water consumption and help reduce your water footprint, it’s time to take a trip to your local home improvement store!

Sources: lowflowshowerheads.org, (http://lowflowshowerheads.info/water-saving-stats/), hometips.org, (http://www.hometips.com/buying-guides/showerheads-low-flow.html).

Categories
Green Building Home Design

6 Surprising Benefits of a Green Roof

A green roof or a living roof is the roof of a building that is covered with vegetation (such as grass and flowers) which is planted over a waterproofing membrane. A green roof has many different and intricate layers that all combine to create a living roof. When a rooftop has a garden with potted plants, it not considered a real green rooftop.

Why are roofs going “green?” Believe it or not green roofs significantly help reduce a buildings heating and cooling costs as well as helps with the urban heat island effect. The urban heat island effect is when a metropolitan area is warmer than its rural counterparts due to human activity.  Also green roofs are taking an otherwise unused space and making them environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing. See our list below for some benefits of a living roof and how you can get one for your building!

Some Benefits:

  • With green roofs, water is stored by the membrane and then taken up by the plants from where it is returned to the atmosphere through evaporation.
  • Through the daily dew and evaporation cycle, plants on vertical and horizontal surfaces are able to cool cities during hot summer months and reduce the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect.
  • The plants on green roofs can capture airborne pollutants.
  • Community gardens (e.g. local food production or co-ops)
  • The greater insulation offered by green roofs can reduce the amount of energy needed to moderate the temperature of a building, as roofs are the sight of the greatest heat loss in the winter and the hottest temperatures in the summer.
  • Noise pollution reduction – studies show noise levels in a building can be reduced by as much as 40 decibels

(Facts and benefits taken from greenroofs.org)

Here are some useful websites that you can find out more information and where you can inquire about getting a green rooftop for your building or home!

http://www.greenroofs.org

http://www.greenroofs.com/depot.htm

Categories
Eco Eats Eco Tips Featured

5 Reasons to go Meatless on Mondays

Meatless Mondays is a relatively new way of being eco-friendly and organic.  It’s just one day a week where you abstain from all meat and poultry. Of course, if you were to eat meat every other day of the week, you are encouraged to eat meat that is grass-fed, free range, and hormone-free.  It is both beneficial to your health as well as the environment. Here are a few important health and environmental benefits from applying Meatless Mondays to your lifestyle.

  • Decrease Cancer Risk:  Studies have shown that the consumption of processed red meat and poultry increases the risk of developing colon cancer. Those who eat more fruits and vegetables in their daily diet, with limited amount of meat, lead healthier lives and reduce their chances of getting cancer.
  • Heart Disease:  According to the results from a study performed by Harvard University, you lower the risk of heart disease by 19% if you decrease the amount of saturated fat full foods, such as meats and dairy. You can replace these saturated filled foods with polyunsaturated fats, which are various nuts, seeds, and vegetable or coconut oil.
  • Diabetes and Obesity:  Decreasing red meat consumption reduces the risk of developing type two diabetes.  Ultimately, red meat is filled with saturated fat, which decomposes into sugar in your body.  Sugar build-up will lead to weight gain and diabetes. Also, chicken you buy at a local grocery store are normally not free-range and filled with hormones. Of course, meat and poultry provides required nutrients and protein for our bodies.  But, if we are not careful, this can lead to diabetes and obesity.
  • Eco-Friendly:  According to the United Nations’ food and agricultural organization, the meat industry produces at least 1/5th of the greenhouse gas emanations, which has been accelerating the world’s climate change. This is far more than what transportation devices emit. The demand for meat only increases the amount of gases emitted. Abstaining from meat at least once a week will help decrease the demand that meat industries have to accommodate.

 

Mary Kate Seymour is a professional blogger with an English degree from Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina. She is one of seven children, raised in a Marine Corps family. She loves to read, write, explore new places; research new craft ideas and work on crochet projects.

She has become a frequent user of Pinterest this past year and, as a result, her “to-do” list for crafts has grown immensely. She’s an animal lover and has a miniature poodle named “Rosie.”  Her long term goal is to secure a position as a high school English and Literature teacher. She thoroughly enjoys being a writer, nanny and tutor.