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Eco Tips

Safety Eco-Tips For An Icy Situation

yaktrax-pro-black-shoe-snow

winter-salt-sprinkler-for-icy-walkways-drivewaysThe best and worst part of the winter season is the cold. You know what else is the best and worst part of the winter season? THE SNOW! De-icing your walkway, driveway, or sidewalk is no fun at all. There really is no easy way in doing the de-icing. That is unless; if you live in an apartment complex and maintenance does it for you. If you are like me then you have to do all the hard work yourself. The best way to get rid of all the snow is the eco-friendly way. Plus it is safer for the environment and you.

Here are safety eco-tips for an icy situation like an accidental slip and fall because your son forgot to de-ice the driveway after school.

  • DO NOT USE SALT! All you are doing is damaging the soil after all the snow melts. Plus the water supply can be ruined once all the snow melts and heads into the storm drains towards the rivers and streams.
  • Use sand instead of salt because it will not harm vegetation life. Plus the sand will help melt the ice faster when the sun hits it.
  • There are eco-products like, EcoTraction, which do the trick. It is made from volcanic minerals and it is a better way to get rid of an icy situation. It will even turn into dust.
  • Use a shovel. Constant shoveling of now is better for the environment and your body too. You get a workout and you have less of a chance from falling down and breaking a bone.
  • Other salt options: Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride, and Calcium Chloride.
  • Purchase YakTrax. What is that? They are a safety product designed to make walking on snow/ice safer. You strap it on to your shoe and walk with confidence.

yaktrax-pro-black-shoe-snow

  • Keep a broom by the doorway. Sweep away the snow as it is falling down at least every two hours. Do not let it accumulate.
  • Birdseed is also another great alternative to salt.
  • Make sure the de-icer you use is safe for everyone including your pets. The last thing you want is your dog to lick their paws and get sick.
  • Stay ahead of the weather forecast. Prepare before it is too late.
  • Chip away the ice with muscle. Do not use hot water. It will just make the driveway, pathway, or sidewalk slippery and in some cases, deadly.
  • Alfalfa Meal is a great product to use for traction on the driveway. It is 100% natural and it melts the snow.

The best safety tip is of course, stay inside. I’m just kidding. Just be aware of your surroundings and protect them the same way you protect yourself. Remember, nature cannot go out a use their credit card to purchase these things.

Follow these simple eco-tips to keep from slipping and sliding all over the place. Snow can be fun to play in but when it comes to driving or walking in the snow a quick slip can be costly. Keep safe this winter season the eco-friendly way.

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Eco Tips

Celebrate With Eco-Friendly Wedding Reception Ideas

eco-friendly-wedding-reception-menu

wedding-reception-cocktails-wooden-signsWeddings can be so much fun. I say that as a guest. As the bride getting married, well, the wedding can be hectic. Oops, I meant to say delightful. My favorite part of the wedding is the wedding reception because we get to eat the cake. If you are having difficult times saving money because you want an elaborate reception, then do what I did. What did I do? I had an eco-friendly wedding reception. Everyone loved it. So did Mother Nature.

Here are some ways to celebrate with eco-friendly wedding reception ideas that will make your guests happy and your wallet as well.

  • Bamboo plates are a better choice than ceramic plates because they are biodegradable. Bamboo plates are cheaper than ceramic plates.
  • Forget about using fancy table cloths. Just showcase the natural wood on your event tables. You can also use wooden tree stumps as seats.  You can also use hay bales and then let the horses eat them once you are done using them.
  • Instead of festive lights why not use candles to light up the beautiful reception. You can also use paper lanterns and hang them around the venue. Use those battery powered tea lights.
  • Use herbs as center pieces. Place little scissors next to them and let the guest cut their own fresh herbs. You can even ask them to take them home to plant them.
  • As place card holders you can use seed packets so the guest can continue the eco-friendly trend once they get home.
  • You will have less food waste with family-style meals. Opt for having a buffet type dinner setting. It will be cheaper and people are more likely to eat what they like and not play around with the food they are served. Who eats mashed peas anymore?

 eco-friendly-wedding-reception-menu

  • Do not spend money on a limo to arrive at the reception. Use a canoe if it is a riverside reception or use a horse. You can also find a venue that is walking distance from the ceremony.
  • Reuse the ceremony decorations at the reception.
  • You can use recycled glass jars to hold flowers or soy candles. Put a candle inside and you’ve just turned them into mini table lights.

collection-of-green-glass-bottles

  • Use planted orchids or topiaries for flowers to decorate with. The guest can take them home as a party favor or you can use them in your garden afterwards. Cut flowers are not eco-friendly.
  • Buy local food from farmer’s markets. Why? It is cheaper, fresh and easier to order more in case you run out.  Make the serving size small since there will be lots of food to go around.
  • Have guests write their names on stones to use later in your garden. It is a nice wedding memory.
  • Your cake better be organic all around. That’s the way you turn a regular boring  cake into a green one, without using food coloring.

Toss the bouquet and party! Now that your reception has gone green and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves, it is time for you to smile. Why? You got married and also stayed eco-friendly on your special day. Keep these ideas in a scrapbook for your future children to use in their weddings.

Categories
Green Building Home Design

Better Than My Own House: Out-Of-This-World Birdhouses

basket-weave-treehouse-design-eco-home
http://goo.gl/FHe81K

Treehouses are becoming more than just slabs of wood nailed together on top of a high tree. Oh yeah, people are getting creative with their treehouses. Some include an actual working elevator lift! if that’s not enough for you, they may also include solar power panels, and running water. That sounds better than my own house!

Treehouses nowadays are being made by using the actual tree. Other treehouses are being deemed works of art. They are so big that they seem to be made by a humongous bird. In reality they are just made by a human like you and I, but one that is extremely creative. If I were a bird I would want to live in one of his special nest houses.

Patrick-Dougherty-tree-sculpting-weaving-design
http://goo.gl/Rl1ICR

The amazing artsy human who created this is known as Patrick Dougherty from North Carolina. His nest houses are so wonderful and unique that he is known as a branch-bender extraordinaire/artist. He basically sculpts growing trees into shapes that form a house, a bird nest, a cocoon, a clay pot, etc. The weaving ideas are endless. He has a background in sculpting and a love for nature so it comes to good use in his field of work. He is a winner of many awards and his living art has traveled through the whole United States, Japan, Brussels, and many more locations worldwide. I find it tough to bend one single tree branch; how he does it, I will always marvel over his strength. We normal folks call it art work, but Patrick calls his amazing sculpted work ‘stickwork’. I say tomato, you say tomatoe. You’re unbelievable, Patrick! Your work should be called “magic”.

With over 200 sculpted pieces of work, Patrick decided to showcase them all for you in his published book, Stickwork. My favorite piece of his is called Just Around the Corner in New Harmony, Indiana. It looks like something out of the Lord of the Rings realm. Each branch is bent to perfection.

Just-Around-Winter-Patrick-Doughert-design
http://www.stickwork.net/featured/

Not everyone can be Patrick, but you can be you. Learn to create your own nest house, treehouse, inside decoration, birdhouse or backyard sculpture. It just takes a little bending of your creativity. I recommend doing some research first on what type of wood works best for the type of project you want to do. There are three types: Dogwood, Live Oak, and Elm. These are used in the craft of pleaching: molding and weaving trees to create structures. You can also just create a tree house of your choice, and weave wood around it. It will take time because trees do not grow real fast. The outcome will be spectacular, though and of course, you should use branches that are already on the floor.

Three tips on how to begin.

      1. Plan out the tree house. Make a sketch. Doodle away! Get creative and don’t be afraid.
      2. See if it is safe to build on your specific tree. Get a tree expert to come out and check if you’re planning something on a large scale.
      3. Measure twice, cut once. Do not waste wood. Recycle as much as possible.

The great thing about building a treehouse for your kids is that the measurements can be adjusted. Want an adult treehouse? Make the measurements bigger. Want a birdhouse? then make the measurements smaller, like real small. Nope, smaller than that. Smaller. There you go.

Nest houses, sculptures, huts, giant bird houses, and unthinkable tree houses are all possible. Get inspiration from Patrick Dougherty. Get inspiration from the Ewok village in Star Wars. Be creative and weave something good.

Categories
Featured Recycling

How to Safely Recycle Prescription Bottles

While all prescription bottles may look the same, there can be subtle differences in disposing of them safely for your family and in an environmentally-friendly way. With spring cleaning underway, now is a good time to finally clean out your medicine cabinet and get rid of expired or empty prescription bottles.

However don’t just toss the bottle in the recycling bin, here are tips to keep in mind to properly and safely recycle your prescription bottles.

  • Don’t flush unused or expired medications down the toilet. This water eventually ends up in our waterways, where trace amounts of your medicine can cause contamination.
  • Do figure out ahead of time if you can recycle your prescription bottles with your regular trash. Most of the “brown” prescription bottles are #5 plastic, which is polypropylene. The clear prescription bottles, like the kind you get from Target, are #1 plastic or PETE. This is the same stuff that soda bottles are made from. While many recyclers now accept plastic #1 through #7, not all do. So double-check that you can recycle the bottles with the rest of your household containers before assuming you can and tossing them in the bin.
  • Don’t trash prescription bottles if you can’t recycle them—reuse them instead. There are plenty of reuses for prescription bottles—after you give them a good washing. I’ve heard of scouts who put matches in these bottles as a way of keeping them dry. I know crafts people who used them as mini containers that hold like items, such as push pins, beads or needles.
  • Check to see if your local town or city offers a take-back program for unwanted prescriptions/expired prescriptions before just tossing the medicine in the trash.
    • If no instructions are given on the drug label and no take-back program is available in your area, throw the drugs in the household trash, but first:
      • Take them out of their original containers and mix them with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter. The medication will be less appealing to children and pets, and unrecognizable to people who may intentionally go through your trash.
      • Put them in a sealable bag, empty can, or other container to prevent the medication from leaking or breaking out of a garbage bag.