Tag: tips

Categories
Lawn & Garden

Eco-Friendly Winter Lawn Care

lawn-leaves-fall-winter-rake-care
http://goo.gl/KCF4xZ
lawn-leaves-fall-winter-rake-care
http://goo.gl/KCF4xZ

Winter is coming. No, that does not mean that another season of Game of Thrones is on its way. It means that you need to find out how to take care of your lawn the eco-friendly way. Do not let the cold weather ruin all of your hard work. The green color on your lawn will fade away slowly during the winter, but there are ways to get that color back in the spring.

Here are some basic things you can do to keep your lawn safe in the winter.

Mulch: If your lawn has some patchy areas then spread mulch in those areas. It will keep weeds from growing up in it and also keep the grass around it from being damaged too.

Local Plants: Incorporate some local plants because they have adapted to survive in the weather that hits the area. They will live on through the winter season. Plus they are already accustomed to the local diseases.

Plant Seasonally: Rose bushes, azaleas, and hibiscus are all options of plants that bloom well in the winter.

Mow: Go back to the basics. Forget about the electric lawnmower and the gas powered lawnmower. Use a push mower. You help the world and help yourself in the process. Keep the grass cut short during the winter. By doing this you keep rodents out from ruining the grass.  Also only mow every four weeks.

Rake: The leaves can kill and de-green your lawn. It keeps the grass from getting sunlight and air. Rake them up regularly. Do not get rid of the fallen leaves. Crumble them up to reuse in the spring as mulch. Use a bamboo rake to keep it as eco0friendly as you can.

Weeds Be Gone: Pull the weeds out by hand but be careful to not let any of the seeds hit the soil again.

Grass Seeds: In any area that there is few grass or none at all, plant new grass seeds now. Cover them up with mulch or compost to help them grow faster. In the spring time your grass will be even, just trim it.

Soil: Frequently keep your lawn feed with a good mix of fertilizer. It needs aeration to keep the flow of water and air to hit every spot of the lawn.

Drench It: Before it gets real cold, water your lawn real good. Drench it up so it can have one last good gulp of water before the spring.

Lazy Makes Lawn Unhappy: Do not let your lawn suffer because you are lazy. Be active and protect your lawn in the winter.

Hopefully with the simple tasks you can keep your lawn looking great throughout all the seasons. Taking care of it in the winter will always produce a beautiful green lawn. Rake, mow, water, and plant knowledgeably. Keep up with new eco-friendly lawn care maintenance at your local garden center.

Categories
Eco Eats

Add Green Stuff to What You Eat

fresh-fruit-veggies-carrots-heart-shape
http://goo.gl/AEwXOZ
fresh-fruit-veggies-carrots-heart-shape
http://goo.gl/AEwXOZ

Do not let the title deceive you. You are not adding anything that is green into your food. You are adding green colored foods into your daily meals. Green colored foods include veggies not green apple Jolly Ranchers.  A lot of us hate vegetables. Some of us adore them. Then there are some of us who are picky about which ones we actually like to eat. I prefer crunchy veggies with a lot of flavor and dressing. Oil and vinegar normally do the trick.

Here are some ways to add veggies into your food. The best part is that you will not even know that they are there.

Sauce: Instead of buying a can of spaghetti sauce, make a homemade version full of sneak attack veggies. The great thing about a homemade savory sauce is that you can add any ingredient that you want, except candy and chocolate of course. How do you add the veggies in without anyone noticing? You puree them in. That way all the veggies will blend in with the sauce. It tastes so good that your little ones will not even notice that the spaghetti sauce is full of eggplant and carrot puree.

Sandwiches: Are you making yourself a turkey club sandwich for lunch? Add a little crunch to it. Slide in a crisp leaf of Romaine lettuce, a crunchy pickle, and slices of cucumber. Trust me you will love it and not even know that the added goodness is from veggies.  Try eating a sandwich lettuce roll. Get your deli meat selection and put it between two pieces of lettuce. Roll it up and enjoy.

Fruit Platter: Of course apples, grapes, orange slices, pineapple chunks, and melon wedges are the norm in a fruit platter. How about adding some baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, and celery sticks to round it out? Caramel, ranch, and peanut butter dips are optional.

Taco: Yes you already have the shredded lettuce and pico de gallo. Add some extra veggies to the ground beef. You can add spinach, beans, shredded carrots and even pumpkin to the meat to give a kick of sweetness. Plus the cheese and crunchy taco shell will help you mask those veggies.

Desserts: Carrot cakes, and pumpkin pies are the normal go to veggie star desserts. Did you know that you can have a scrumptious cake full of eggplant and chocolate? A Sweet Potato Mousse? And Plantain Ice Cream? I bet the answer is no because the veggie words scared you off. Try a dessert full of veggie nutrients. Your heart will not regret it. Carrots dipped in chocolate are to die for.

There you have it. Simple ways to trick your loved ones and yourself into eating more green stuff. Food is food, but not everything can be red, yellow, brown, and white (colors of a normal burger). Mix the veggies in and everyone wins. From sauces to desserts, green stuff will find its way to make you smile. By green stuff I do mean veggies still. Just incase. So go start tricking peeps into eat green.

Categories
Eco Tips Furnishings Recycling

9 Eco-Friendly Baby Nursery Ideas

Eco-friendly-furniture-for-safe-baby-nursery
http://goo.gl/lq9tR3
eco-friendly-green-cribs-for-baby
http://goo.gl/ItGvqR

Now that your house is all eco-friendly, it is time to work on the new addition. The baby nursery can be beautiful and green (not the paint color, unless you want it to be). Here are some simple steps to help you make the perfect baby nursery eco-friendly.

No Diapers: I know you are maybe saying, “What am I going to use then?” The solution: Cloth diapers. They are more work, but cost less and they are not harming the world buy having a mini-vacation in landfills. They are less pollutant than a diaper. You can also look for companies that make biodegradable diapers.

Fresh Air: Purchase an air purifier. Make sure your princess or prince gets the room with the best view. The natural fresh air and sunlight are perfect. The air purifier will help eliminate mold spores, dust mites, and any excess moisture.

Safe Walls For All: Remember this slogan – VOC-free is better for me. Using paint that is VOC-free (volatile organic compounds) is environment friendly. You can even use mineral pigment paints. If you have to scrap away old paint please be aware that it might be lead paint especially if your house is very old. Just be careful to not chip it but lightly use sandpaper when removing it. You can also look for eco-friendly wallpaper options.

Furniture: When it comes to adding furniture into the nursery, keep this word in mind: RE-USE. Instead of spending more money on baby furniture, spend your time looking for items you already have. You can re-use an old bookshelf for baby toys, and books. Use an old dresser as a changing table. Of course put a comfy pad on the surface. Even ask family members for old baby stuff that they are willing to part with. You can even look up online for sites where you can find used baby furniture, toys, clothes, strollers, etc. Zwaggle.com is a great site.

Know Your Wood: If you do end up purchasing a new crib or rocking chair then make sure you know which wood is best for the baby. Stay away from plywood and fiberboard. The glue in them release chemical fumes after time.  Purchase real wood with water based finishes. Also make sure the wood is sustainable. Look for FSC-certified wood labels. The crib might cost more but you can easily make it an eco-friendly heirloom for future generations.

Perfect Floor: One word- Bamboo. It is a renewable resource. Plus it gives the nursery an elegant look.

Green Windows: Stay away from blinds, and shutters. Use organic cotton window treatments.

Crib Décor: When it comes to a baby’s mattress I recommend Naturepedic. All of their mattresses are made of non-toxic materials. They are great for your baby who will spend most of their early years in bed sleeping. All the crib linens should be made of organic cotton, wool, or linen. You can even make a quilt out of used baby clothes. That is if you sew. If not then have someone make you one.

Minimal Is The Key: Keep the décor of the room minimalistic. A few stuff toys, and books here and there will be sufficient enough. As time passes the baby will get more stuff.

Hopefully these tips help you make your baby nursery eco-friendly and safe for your new addition.

 

Categories
Eco Eats

4 Eco-Friendly Fall Treats

orange-banana-fall-treats-pumpkin-food
http://goo.gl/u85JtD
green-apple-wet-fruit-food
http://goo.gl/sxvaXO

Fall is here once again and with it comes some awesome holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving. Jack O’ Lanterns, trick or treat candies and pumpkin pies are just some of the things we have come to expect around this time of the year. But it does not have to be all about sugar and chocolate. (Who am I kidding?) There are several eco-friendly treats that you and the kids can enjoy for the fall season.

Your first instinct might be to buy a bunch of those assorted bags of candies at your nearby Wal-Mart, Target or K-Mart. Yep. The truth is that most of those candies are toxic; well not in the sense that if you eat one you will die. The materials that are used in their construction are harmful to the environment and let us not mention the fact that a lot of the people making them are doing so under some questionable working conditions. So for Halloween this year, why not go for the healthier eco-friendly alternative?

Granola Bars might not seem like the ideal choice for a trick or treat bag but it is healthy with a number of vitamins, proteins and fiber to keep your kid regular.  Best of all, because Granola bars are made with natural ingredients you will not have to worry about any of those difficult to pronounce ingredients on the back of the label that you might be feeding to your kids or your neighbors’ kids. Just make sure that that manufacturer of the granola bars does not use GMO, which are genetically altered materials like yeast, insects, plants, fish or mammals.

Now for the next item, I know apples get a bad rap. Some think apples are too healthy while others are simply traumatized by the story of Snow White and the delicious red apple given to her by the evil queen that put her in a death-like sleep. But that is fiction. In reality, apples, especially green ones are delicious. They are great for your teeth and they do not have any of that extra sugar and artificial ingredients that can make your child obese or as I like to call mine, fluffy like a marshmallow. To ensure that you are being eco-conscious, pick only organically grown apples from your local market.

Another great treat that can get you through the fall season is an orange-ganic snack. All you need are 3 oranges and a celery stick. You start by peeling the oranges and placing them on a plate. Then you cut the celery stick into 3 pieces.  Then ease each celery piece gently into the center of the orange where it splits and voila! Instant treat! It looks like a pumpkin but taste like an orange. Orange you glad it tastes good.

orange-banana-fall-treats-pumpkin-food
http://goo.gl/u85JtD

With Halloween practically done and over with for the year, you are looking at a lot of pumpkin seeds left behind. Of course you can always use the pumpkin that was once your carved Jack-O-Lantern to make a pumpkin pie or you can buy a new slice of pumpkin at your local store to make a pie too. Just do not throw those seeds away. You can actually roast pumpkin seeds, let them cool a bit and then suck on them. It has a natural sweetness to them that is absolutely delicious. If sucking on pumpkin seeds is not your idea of a good time, you can always turn good old Jack into pumpkin cookies or pumpkin muffins too.

Who could have imagined that fall treats, particularly those typically seen during Halloween, could be healthy, eco-friendly and organic?

Categories
Eco Eats

Eating Healthy On a Budget

healthy-food-budget-eating-salad
http://goo.gl/mFS4op

I want to be on the see-food diet for the rest of my life. The diet entails that whatever food I see I must eat. I wish that were true. Due to having health problems, and weight issues my nutritionist has put me on a healthy diet. Eat healthy, live better. Yeah, say that to my wallet. The change has not only been difficult mentally and physically, but it too has changed my spending habits. Eating healthy can be very expensive but there are a few steps I learned along the way that might help you out.

Step 1: Get the whole family on board. You will save tons of money if you only have to cook one meal for everyone instead of individual meals. It will be tough at first, but they will all get used to the delicious Veggie Lasagna Nights.

Step 2: Stock up. Keep an eye out on bargains. Buy 2 get 2 free specials are always showing up in different grocery stores. You can never go wrong with too many veggies and fruits. You can even freeze certain foods to keep longer. But whatever you do, don’t you ever, ever, ever freeze tomatoes. Been there, done that.

Step 3: Cook from scratch. If you are going to start to eat healthy then the worst thing you can do is go out and pay three times more for something you can make at home. A typical salad at a restaurant is worth $12 bucks. You can make one at home for less than $5 bucks. Cook more food today to save and eat tomorrow.

Step 4: Coupons. Store flyers always have great deals. Most of the deals are for healthy food products. Pasta at time goes for 5 boxes for $5 dollars. While making a list, look to see if you can find coupons for them. Look online too.

Step 5: Mix it up. Eating healthy does not mean that you have to eat only green things. You can still eat a burger, hotdog, steaks, cakes, and pies. Just moderate the portions and make them from scratch. You will save lots of money. With a pound of ground turkey I can make 8 burgers or a meatloaf for only $9 bucks. Just add some salad on the side, and you’ve reduced your calorie and fat intake by 40%.

Step 6: Plant your future. Growing your own vegetables, fruits, and herbs will save you a lot of money. Plus it is a great way to get the family involved. Fresh products equal a fresh healthy life. I loved living in New York because of the weekly Farmer’s Market. A gathering of local farmers would sell their products at a great price. I purchased 8 organic red apples for $2 dollars. Look up information for local farmer’s markets. Learn how to make your own garden here.

Step 7: Know your stuff. A lot of people complain that it is very expensive to just eat vegetables. Some say that they spend up to $20 dollars on a salad. Where are they shopping? If you are on a budget then the last place you need be is in organic grocery stores like Trader Joe’s and Wholefoods. For $5 dollars I can get a head of lettuce, two tomatoes, and a cucumber.  Cut them into four portions (two salads a day). That will last me for two days. So that is a total of $15 dollars a week for just salad.

Yes eating healthy can be tough like chewing on eggplants, but after a while your body and health will thank you for it, and by using the right salad dressing (fat free), you won’t even realize you’re on a diet. Your wallet will also get used to the new budget plan.

Categories
Eco Tips Recycling

How To Recycle As a Family

kids-recycling-earth-day-family
http://parentclub.ganzworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/kids-recycling-earth-day-v2.jpg

A bottle a day keeps the earth going round another day. By bottle, I mean recycling bottles. A great way to get into the recycling routine is to involve all of your family members. The process of recycling is beneficial not only for Earth, but recycling also lets you educate your children about the ecosystem, making them, interested at a fairly young age, so they can carry on through their adult life with a green conscience.

Here are some easy tips to get you started on shrinking earth’s carbon footprint:

1. Get them excited about recycling. Here is a great video to get you started, where they explain everything you need to know: Recycling with Family.

2. Get them educated on the environment and why recycling is good for the planet. Help them grow a conscience by explaining them what at terrible problem we have when it comes to the disposal of trash. There are many books that talk about the subject. Explain to them how every time we cut a tree, we must replace that loss by planting a new one.

3. Buy Eco-friendly garbage containers. The more colorful they are, the better. That way you catch a child’s eye when looking for the recycling bins, making them seem like toys. You can have a blue one for bottles, a red one for glass to signify it as a “be careful” bin, and a green one for paper. You can also get creative with the bins.

4. Personalize bins with paper, bottle caps, etc. It will make everyone feel a bit more inclined to fill their bin up. You can assign different chores. If you have 3 kids, this shall come as an easy task. Assign a color per child, and have them be responsible for taking that one out, or collecting all the materials that belong to that bin. In my house, my daughter Sarah is in charge of the plastic bins, so she’s always asking “mom, have you finished with your drink? Can I throw away the bottle?”. She sees it as a game, so in my head, all you can hear is “mission accomplished”.recycle-bins-colors-family-eco5. Come up with fun incentives. Some of the family members at first will not be accustomed to recycling. This goes for adults and children. A nice game is to have a chart by the recycling area. Make a list of every recyclable item you normally recycle. Put the family member’s name. For every item they recycle, they must mark it on the board. Whoever has the most points at the end of the week gets a special prize. If this seems like too much of a hassle, you can simply explain to them why the main incentive is to help the earth. It depends on every child, since not every one of them will respond the same way.

6. Getting your family into a routine is great. Teaching them how to recycle will help improve their outlook on prolonging Earth. I have a lot of family members who leave paper, bottles, and newspapers lying around the house. Teach them about when all the trash inside the bins will be taken out and show them what the process looks like on Youtube videos or take them on a field trip to show them what recycling is all about.

7. Reuse. Reuse. Reuse. Using jars that once contained jam or peanut butter are a great way to store craft items. Clean them and reuse them. There are a lot of plastic containers that could be used and reused. Shampoo bottles can be bought once, and then you simply buy the eco friendly version which is just the refill. Think before you recycle. If it can be re-purposed then re-purpose it. Old clothes can either be donated or you can use them to make puppets, plush toys, and quilts.

Make recycling with your family an important pastime with them so they can someday teach this to their own kids.