Tag: green living

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Articles Home Decor Home Design

Four Ways to Furnish Your Home Inexpensively

When it comes to having a home that you are truly comfortable living in, this will take a lot of effort on your part in terms of decorating it. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to break the bank to keep your home looking it’s best.

Here’s a quick look at four ways to inexpensively decorate and furnish your home.

Stack Shelves To the Ceiling

Even in the smallest of living spaces, you always have the option to maximize your square footage by going up. Think about it. If you take an entire wall in your home and line it with shelves that go all the way up to the ceiling, this can add anywhere from 100 square feet or more of storage space, and best of all, high-quality shelves are very affordable.

Freecycling

There are lots of people who have started taking part in freecycling. If you have a local freecycling organization, you should definitely join. In doing so, you can come across lots of free furniture pieces for your home, and in return, you can donate items you don’t want, which will then be available free of charge to other members in the group. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Maximize Air Space

Just the same as you should stack shelves up to the ceilings, you can also optimize the way you use your air space. From floating book shelves to hanging TVs, both of these ideas will go a long way in helping you decorate and furnish your home in an expensive yet stylish manner.

Old Wine Bottles

If you’re a drinker, then it’s time that you start recycling your wine and alcohol bottles. Some of these bottles make for the prettiest center pieces. A great way to get the sticky labels off the bottles is by letting them soak overnight in a small trash can full of one part ammonia and four parts water. The next morning, simply rinse off the bottles, and the sticky labels should come off very easily.

 

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Articles Eco Eats Eco Tips Uncategorized

Ways to Preserve Summer’s Bounty

It might be hard to believe, but the end of the growing this summer’s growing season is right around the corner. Many of the fruits and vegetables are reaching their peak and must be picked now before they begin to wither on their vines or stalks. In order to enjoy the benefits of summer’s bounty, there are a few tricks and tips to implement now.

Freeze

One of the best ways to extend your enjoyment of summertime foods is to freeze them. Quick and easy, freezing foods at the peak of their freshness helps retain their vibrant colors and superior nutritional value. To freeze berries, gently wash them in cool water before patting them dry and lay them on wax paper-lined cookie sheets in a single layer. After they are frozen, place in a freezer safe container or bag, making sure to remove all the air first, before closing it securely. This method works for all berries except for blueberries. Washing them before freezing makes their skins tough so avoid doing so. Just be sure to do so before using them later.

Zucchini and other vegetables can be shredded so they can easily be added to baked goods and savory sauces before being placed in freezer safe bags. Be sure to label storage containers and bags with the type of food and the date.

Canning

Canning allows you to turn the berries, cucumbers and peppers you pick this summer into delicious, fresh-tasting condiments that can be enjoyed by your whole family, even when the season is over. Today, there is an array of different methods you can use to can different foods. Whether you want to go the traditional route and can foods using a pressure cooker or you want to try one of the newer no-cook methods, be sure to follow the directions carefully in order to ensure optimal results.

Be sure to have fun experimenting with the best ways to preserve summertime crops. Taking the time to do this now will ensure that you can enjoy the taste of fresh foods, even in the dead of winter.

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Eco Tips Lawn & Garden Uncategorized

Low-maintenance, low-water: Herb and flower spiral garden

It is a challenge for gardeners in hot climates to maintain a working food or flower garden without using a ton of water. With water shortages prevalent throughout the south, it is important to consider planning your garden with water conservation in mind. Not only will it help the environment, it will preserve the health of your soil and vitality of your crop.

A common problem with over-head watering is the salt that builds up in the dirt from evaporation. When garden water evaporates, it leaves salts and other trace minerals behind which eventually can have negative consequences for the soil, which was one of the main problems during the great depression and the famous dust bowl .

There are a number of steps you can take to assure that minimal water will be wasted, while getting a maximum yield from your crop whether that is flowers or food.

A great way to conserve water is through the manipulation of the garden plot. To build a low water herb spiral, you’ll want to dig a bowl-shaped hole in the desired location. Pick an area of yard with adequate sunshine for a good portion of the day.

  • Dig the circle down about a foot deep and about three feet in diameter. You’ll want to have enough room for all of the herbs or flowers you plan to sow, making sure to leave at least 6 inches between each plant, also accounting for the width of that plant.
  • Layer about 4″ of gravel on the bottom, building a rock spiral off of that foundation. Fill the remaining structure with good quality potting soil. The gravel will hold the water at the bottom, keeping the soil at a regular moisture level without over-saturating.

This and other techniques can be utilized to conserve water without a bunch of consistent hassle. Just dig the spiral, lay the gravel, do some initial watering sufficient for transplanting, and watch it grow. This low maintenance herb spiral will last a long time, and collect rain water without any help from you. Happy gardening!

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Eco Tips Lawn & Garden Uncategorized

Building and Decorating Your Patio In an Eco-Friendly Way

There’s something about the outdoors that makes people want to live a greener life. And this especially rings true for outdoor patio areas. Fortunately, there are many ways to build and transform patios into some of nature’s best friends.

Choose your construction materials wisely

It’s of the utmost importance to construct your patio areas using sustainable building materials. Some of the more eco-friendly materials to choose from include:

  • Reclaimed brick
  • Recycled stone pavers
  • Natural stone
  • Locally produced bricks
  • Responsibly harvested wood

Choose your builder wisely

Just the same as you need to carefully choose your building materials, you’ll also need to thoughtfully pick a builder. It is highly recommended by the Sierra Club that you choose a builder who is LEED certified by the US Green Building Council. When you hire this type of contractor, you can rest assured that he or she will have the advanced knowledge that it takes to build your patio according to eco-friendly practices.

Decorate and accessorize

Decorating your outdoor patio area in an eco-friendly manner isn’t as difficult as you think. Take for example removal wallpaper murals. These types of paintings don’t require paste or glue, making them extremely auspicious to mother nature.

When it comes to outdoor furniture for your patio, once again you’ll want to choose pieces that are manufactured using sustainable materials, such as bamboo. You should also strive to add liveliness to your outdoor area for nighttime entertainment by using solar-powered accent lighting fixtures.

Lanscaping around your patio area

You’ll need to give a lot of thought into the landscaping that you place around your patio. You’ll of course want this area to promote serenity and joy, all the while using plants, shrubs and trees that are native to area.

What’s the importance of native plants? For starters, these plants will be grown locally in your area, meaning they’ll be much more likely to survive in your backyard. Also, since they are native to your area, they will require less water to stay alive, which can do wonders for your water bill.

If you’re unsure as to the plants that are native to your community, a local agricultural extension can provide you with lots of valuable information.

The Takeaway

Building and decorating your outdoor areas doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. And best of all, with a bit of effort, you can construct and accessorize your outdoor areas, including your patio, by being environmentally friendly.

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Eco Tips Furnishings Home Decor Uncategorized

Eco-friendly decorating tips

Putting your home together in an eco-friendly way is not that hard if you know what type of products and aesthetic you’re looking for. When decorating, think about how you want to minimize your footprint and create a space that is environmentally-conscious. Integrating recycled materials and other items can make a tremendous difference in your décor. If you’re really creative, you can have a charming and classy space without spending a lot of money. Here are a few tips:

  • Make it You

Take the time to think about what brings you joy. Do you love greenery? Do your spaces all simulate an outdoor environment? You can achieve this by having a variety of plants and eco-friendly furnishings throughout your home. You can find eco-friendly sheets and bedding in organic fibers, or use them for your curtains or furniture covers. There are a lot of green furniture products on the market that serve many purposes. From your chairs and sofas, to your table and bathroom fixtures, there are products that will accommodate your needs in all natural woods and other materials.

  • Paint Makes a Difference

Everyone knows that changing the paint color in a room works wonders. To stay eco-friendly, use paints that are low VOC or zero VOC. You can also find these in beautiful finishes to upgrade your furniture for an entirely different look.

  • Recycle Your Glass

One of the quickest ways to spruce up your décor and stay eco-friendly is by repurposing your glass jars or vases. If you’re into pretty colored glass, this is a beautiful way to add a creative display. If you’re really into decorating, use some of that low VOC paint to paint some of your jars or glass containers for a beautiful finish.

  • Bring the Outside In

Incorporate elements of nature into your décor by using seashells, pine cones that you can paint, pieces of wood or other natural materials arranged in collections or large pieces that serve as focal points. Take a minute to survey your current décor and decide how you want to change or enhance your space and take it from there.

If you decide to get rid of some of your existing pieces, donate them to charity or an organization that can use the pieces. This makes a conscious efforts to beautifying someone else’s home and makes a positive contribution to preserving the environment.

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Articles Home Decor Recycling

How to Upcycle Old Wooden Furniture

Looking to add some fun and unique furniture pieces to your home? If so, then you might want to look at what you already have or even check out a local antique shop. You might be surprised at just what kinds of furniture you may be able to upcycle and use to add one-of-a-kind style to your space. Old wooden furniture, such as dressers and end tables, can be upcycled and restored with just a little bit of creativity and elbow grease. Read on to learn how to restore and upcycle old wooden furniture for your home.

Stripping Existing Paint and Varnish
Start by removing any hardware from the furniture that you want to keep intact so that only the wood structure itself remains. Hardware may include knobs, handles, and even metal drawer sliders. From there, you’ll want to apply the remover (using a paint brush or sponge) as directed on the label and give it as much time as needed to work. Attempting to strip the paint or varnish before it’s ready will result in an inconsistent look and will not be fully effective (HowStuffWorks).

Once the remover has been left on as long as is needed, use a scraper and/or steel wool to scoop up the clumps of removed paint or varnish; then, dispose into a safe container to bring to a local hazardous materials facility.

Sanding and Preparing for New Finish
Once you’ve stripped the old paint or finish, you’ll probably want to prepare the bare wood for a new finish. This will involve sanding the wood. The grain of sandpaper you’ll want to use will depend on the condition of the wood; if it needs a lot of sanding, then a coarser grit paper (around 160 grit should do the trick) will be needed. For finer sanding, stick to 240 grit or higher.

Applying the New Finish
Once the furniture is sanded, it’s ready to take on a whole new look. Decide between staining the wood and painting it based on your personal preferences. If you’re looking to achieve a truly rustic and unique look, consider distressing the paint yourself (HGTV). Once the new finish is dry, adorn your new wooden furniture with new hardware if desired to give it even more character.

Save the planet and your pocketbook by upcycling old furniture and giving it new life in your home. You’d be surprised at just how much fun you can have with this project!

~Danielle N. 

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Articles Eco Tips Recycling

A Re-Purposeful Life

New isn’t necessarily better. In fact, repurposing items can create a unique environment filled with pieces that can’t be found in chain stores and can keep articles out of landfills. You can take this a step further when you reclaim materials from a deconstruction site. If you’re building or deconstructing a home or business, consider buying or selling materials to use again.

PlanetReuse connects buyers and sellers to materials for repurposing from deconstruction projects. You can build a home or business with reprocessed items from top to bottom. The PlanetReuse Marketplace features links to roofing materials, ceiling fans, wooden beams, lighting, molding, siding, windows, carpet tiles, and pine flooring. There are kitchen cabinets, bathroom sinks and various types of tables waiting to be recycled. For treasure hunters, stained glass windows, vintage clawfoot bathtubs, and antique sconces are yours for the salvaging. Moreover, if you’re interested in redoing your driveway or garden, you can use reclaimed landscaping rock, edging pavers, bricks, cobblestone or granite to create your own work of landscaping art. It’s all available at PlanetReuse, so check out its Marketplace section to see what’s available online.

Habitat for Humanity ReStores are nonprofit home improvement stores and donation centers throughout North America. Its website features a drop-down menu with filters by zip code and state to find Restores in the U.S. and offers an alternate filter for Canadian Provinces. Not only can you buy new and gently used furniture, appliances, home goods, and building materials, you can buy items far below retail prices. As an added attraction, proceeds go to build homes in communities in need of aid.

The Building Materials Reuse Association (BMRA) specializes in finding deconstruction or reuse businesses in your area with its business directory of listings and an interactive map. BMRA works to advance the recovery, reuse, and recycling of building materials by reducing resource consumption and landfill waste.

When it comes to interior decorating, you can adorn your home or business with vintage items from antique stores, yard sales or check out Freecycle.org; it’s an organization dedicated solely to recycling free items. Another option is to conduct online searches for reuse centers and resellers in your area. Lastly, if you see a deconstruction project in your area, contact a project representative or community liaison to see what may be available.

To reprocess an old saying, they don’t make things like they used to, so why not reclaim it? With recycling options at your fingertips, you can make your life a re-purposeful one.

~Maureen F. 

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Eco Tips Featured Uncategorized

Going Green:5 Small Steps That Make Big Differences on the Environment

Going green simply means choosing to live your life by taking steps to be more environmentally responsible. Being more eco-friendly is intended to decrease the ecological impact you make on the earth and its resources. Going green may seem confusing or overwhelming to some, but it doesn’t mean you have to take drastic steps. The first step to going green and preserving the planet is to start small. Many of the small changes you make will have a large impact on preserving Earths natural resources.

Reusable Shopping Bags

One of the easiest, yet most effective things you can do to start going green is to stop using plastic grocery bags. Using reusable shopping bags will not only reduce the amount of plastic bags you have stored throughout your home, but it reduces the amount of plastic that lays dormient for years in a landfill as well as reduces the impact they have on marine ecosystems. Reusable grocery bags are inexpensive and they are more sturdy than plastic bags.

Clean Water

An easy and inexpensive solution to buying bottled water is to invest in a recycled container and an inexpensive water purifier. It will save you money, allow you to drink fresh water whenever you want and reduce the amount of plastic being thrown in local landfills.

Cleaning Products

Most household cleaning products contain a vast array of harmful chemicals. Each time you use these products, chemicals are being released into your home as well as into the environment. Try using homemade cleaners, such as vinegar, baking soda and/or lemon. These products are much less expensive than store bought cleaners and they clean better. For example, using lemon juice on the stove surface will dissolve built-up grease and remove cooking odors.

Energy Use

If you are fed up with paying outrageous utility bills each month, there are several things you can do that will not only conserve the use of energy for future generations, but lower your utility costs. For example, by changing all of the light bulbs in your home to LED bulbs and unplugging electronics when not in use, you could save several hundred dollars each year in utility costs.

Transportation

It is convenient to get in the car and drive to work, school and shopping. However, each time you drive, the fumes from the car are being released into the environment and damaging the ozone layer. Not to mention the cost of gas and maintenance for the car. By using public transportation just one time a week, you will be doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint and you will save a few hundred dollars each year on gas and maintenance.

It is virtually impossible to completely change your lifestyle overnight and you are not expected to do so. However, by making a few small changes in daily living habits, you will make a huge impact on an array of environmental problems. Simple things often make the biggest difference, such as practicing the 3’Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle) and using organic household cleaners.

~Rene W.

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Eco Eats Uncategorized

Let’s Go Berrying!

Early summer means the arrival of fresh strawberries in the stores. Unfortunately, many supermarket berries are sprayed with harmful fungicides and pesticides. For the wise consumer, buying organic berries is a better choice. There are several ways to get sweet strawberry flavors without the harmful chemicals

You-Pick Farms

To get the freshest berries, the first choice is to visit an organic farm where you can pick the berries yourself. Even if you don’t have time to pick, you can buy berries that were growing on the plants just a few hours earlier. However, if you do have time, picking strawberries is a fun outing for the whole family. As you pick, keep in mind that strawberries don’t ripen after they are picked. Therefore, you should only pluck berries that are bright red all over. Don’t choose berries that are white at the top.

Farmer’s Markets

Visiting your local farmer’s market is another way to get tasty, all-natural strawberries. You may be able to sample several different varieties of berries. Get to know the farmers who sell their produce and ask questions about their organic practices.

Organic Stores

If you have a nearby organic store, talk to the produce manager to find out when the produce truck makes its deliveries. Berries are extremely perishable, so you will want to be there just a few hours after the truck leaves. Choose your berry boxes carefully, turning them over to check for crushed or moldy berries on the bottom of the container. Your box of berries should smell sweet and fresh rather than sour.

Preserving Your Harvest

However you get your harvest of berries, you should take care of them as soon as you can to prolong the flavor of fresh strawberries. If you leave them on the counter for a day or two, they will quickly become a moldy mess.

Organic berries are not sprayed with fungicides, so to kill any mold spores that may be on the surface of the berries, rinse them gently with a vinegar-water mixture. Add one cup of vinegar to three cups of water, swish the berries around in it, remove them, and pat them dry with paper towels. Rinsing with vinegar can greatly prolong the amount of time you can enjoy your berries.

To store berries in the fridge, line a container with a layer of paper towels to absorb moisture. Place unbruised berries in a single layer on the paper towels. On top of the berries, lay another paper towel and add another layer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Your berries should stay fresh and tasty for up to a week in the refrigerator when they are stored in this manner.

~April F. 

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Eco Tips Recycling Uncategorized

Online Social Recycling

It’s happening again. You’re online connecting with friends, posting pictures, and responding to event invites. Eventually, you become vaguely aware that clearing out the closet is fast becoming a fading dream, but it doesn’t have to be. You can do it all with social recycling.

Invite Friends to Spark Online Chatter

With social media, you can invite your friends to an event, group page, or hangout without using your personal homepage as a source of contact. Instead, you can create an alternate way to exchange information for your online recycling project:

  • Facebook events: set a date and time for a recycling event and invite your friends
  • Facebook groups: create a group page focused on exchanging and recycling items
  • Google Hangouts: have a video chat with friends to plan upcoming recycling plans
  • Twitter: tweet about your upcoming event or post photos of items looking for a home

Events

If you can create an event to meet friends for dinner or a birthday, you can create one to host a recycling party, event, or both. Do yourself a favor and ask if a few guests can arrive early to help sort clothing types and sizes, books, toys and other items. Consider these event ideas as a starting-off point:

  • Throw a clothing-swap party in the day for kids or at night for adults
  • Schedule a yard-sale event or combine forces, making it a neighborhood event
  • Create an online flea-market event or page, so everyone can post photos of wares to share

Volunteer Meet-ups

Sometimes it’s not possible to host a gathering in your home, but you can still host a meet-up with your Facebook, Google and Twitter friends at an organization looking for volunteers. Here are a few suggestions to consider:

  • Meet at your local animal shelter and bring blankets, sheets, bath- and beached-sized towels
  • Choose a non-profit, such as Dress For Success or Career Gear, and donate gently used clothes
  • Volunteer at a local library and donate your used books, CDs, cassettes, records, and DVDs
  • Roll up your sleeves and build your own Little Free Library or your neighborhood

When you create events with friends and family, you create memories. These are special because of the company and the intention. So the next time you’re whiling away the time online, have some productive fun with social recycling—create new memories and clear that closet out.

~Maureen F.