A la Carte Green

Maxxinista

2013-09-29T21:29:00.001-07:00

The urban dictionary defines a Maxxinista as a person who shops at the discount designer department store TJ Maxx, and one who finds unique and original designer items at discount prices.

Well, I am proud to say I'm a Eco-Maxxinista ;) Recently I was delighted to find more glassware from the same company that made the recycled pitcher I'd found awhile back http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2011/02/recycled-beauty.html. When I spied the familiar packaging and pretty green hued tumblers at my local TJMaxx/Homegoods, my inner Eco-Maxxinista grinned from ear to ear, and I had to buy them. I'm attempting to claim them as" Mom only" glassware, but unfortunately the family seems to like them as much as I do. They are a pale green glass, a nice hefty weight, and my favorite part is the imprint, "Authentic 100% Recycled Glass."

The only drawback to being an Eco-Maxxinista is that typically TJMaxx/Homegoods only has 1 or 2 items, and sadly this was the case with these beautiful glasses. At least the 1 package that I found contains 4 tumblers. Of course I needed to know more about the company, and searched the internet with the few clues I could find on the plain, minimalist, eco-friendly corrugated cardboard packaging ("made in Spain", "San Miguel," 2 recycled symbols, and "Authentic 100% Recycled Glass."). I was able to find The Recycled Glassware Company http://therecycledglasswarecompany.co.uk/, and found the tumblers too http://therecycledglasswarecompany.co.uk/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=313&=SID#MOREINFO. But you can't beat the Maxxinista prices, so I'll be sure to peek around in the glassware section next time I'm in need of some eco-retail therapy ;)

Dirt cheap

2013-09-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

photo courtesy of vickihoefle.com

I know, it's been awhile, but did you really think you'd heard the last from me? Come on, you know I love to dish the dirt! Here's a riddle for you...

What do eggs shells, coffee grounds, cucumber skins, banana peels, apple cores, nut shells, and grass clippings have in common?

Well they make great organic "green" additions to the compost pile. Greens are rich in nitrogen, and are usually wet or moist. Eliminating organic items from our trash and landfills, then turning them into "black gold" or gorgeous rich soil is a sustainable, dirt cheap way improve soil quality and feed your plants and/or lawn.

Besides the free "greens" that often originate from the kitchen or yard clippings, you will need to layer in "browns" or carbon sources that provide energy, prevent compaction, and increase airflow. Since browns are dryer, they help absorb moisture and decrease odors, which helps eliminate critters from visiting the compost pile. So where do you get browns? I'm willing to bet you have lots of "browns" that can also be saved from the trash. Do you have a paper shredder? If so, you can add the shredded paper to your compost. How about newspapers, wood ash from your fire pit, dryer lint, or sawdust? And everyone has toilet paper tubes or cardboard egg cartons that can be ripped up and added to the compost. And most notably at this time of year, the beautiful leaves that drift to the ground need to be raked, make a wonderful addition to your compost pile. It always makes me shake my head when I see black plastic trash bags full of leave out at the curb. Don't they have any space to compost? Do they not know how? Could they take the leaves to their DPW? The leaves should be decomposing naturally, replenishing the soil somewhere, not taking up space in a landfill encased in plastic bags. Browns are an important part of the composting process because they slow the composting process and feed good bacteria.

Some people favor compost bins that can be purchased for big bucks, but it's not necessary to buy a

bin. Growing up, I remember taking the compost out to the very simply constructed "bins" made from galvanized wire fencing that was fashioned into a circle and supported by green fencing posts. Or how about constructing a "bin" out of found or free materials such as 4-5 pallets. Simply nail or screw them together creating a square enclosure, with or without a bottom. There are also plenty of plans on the internet. Or if you aren't the handy sort, you can compost "in place" if you desire. In the past, we've had a section within our garden that was left fallow, and we composted directly in that area. A side perk of that method was that the following summer we had a cantaloupe plant grow, and we enjoyed the melons late in the summer!

Although taking the compost out has never been one of the favorite chores in the household, we continue to compost even during the winter months. Deep within the compost bin, millions of micro-and macro- organisms such as good bacteria and worms are hard at work breaking down the greens and browns. Along with the greens and browns that you supply, air and moisture are also necessary. In our yard, the bin stays warm and steam resulting from decomposition can often be seen in the colder months. Even if we can get the pitchfork into the bin to cover over the latest offerings, we can place shredded paper on top, or allow it to freeze until the weather warms. The soil that has resulted over the years is wonderful rich, organic soil that we use in our vegetable and flower gardens.

As the saying goes, you have to eat a peck of dirt before you die, so why not give composting a try? Eliminate huge amounts of organics and paper products from your trash, enhance your soil quality and enjoy the benefits of free, new soil, and just think ...it's dirt cheap!

If You Give a Moose a Muffin

2012-09-05T20:57:00.002-07:00

I think I'd get along really well with author Laura Numeroff because it's as if she knows me and is writing her books about my pick-up and organizational forays around our house.

Just as If You Give a Moose a Muffin is the sequel to If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, by Laura Numeroff, over the weekend I felt like I was living the sequel to my "Mouse" day. Luckily I didn't feel as big as a moose, but the day sort of progressed a bit like Mooses' If You Give a Moose a Muffin book.

It began pretty tamely...by swishing and swiping 2 of the toilets without chemicals, but with a little leftover liquid soap (I call it swishing and swiping in honor of Flylady of Flylady.net who recommends to swish and swipe daily). Bathroom number 2 got the bonus round because I also swished and swiped the sink, faucets, and counters. Now I wish I could brag that I swish and swipe daily, but even every few days makes a huge difference. Flylady has also made me a believer of "soap is soap", so why use cleaning chemicals daily when you don't need to? Using leftover soap is a great way to reduce harsh chemical use, and also use up leftover soap you don't like or use up the end of the bottle...you know the one that no one wants to bother with? Just add some water to get it all out and use it up.

After the swish and swipe, I ended up in the laundry room with the hand towels from the bathroom (you can never switch those out enough), and while I was in the laundry room, I spied some laundry to go up to Rhody's room. Which I delivered, and decided to put away since the last batch was on his desk. While I was putting away the clothes I noticed 3 pictures that needed hanging, soooo that lead me back to the laundry room to fetch a hammer and some hooks. Back to the bedroom, tap tap tap, 3 pictures up and off the desk and table. I surveyed my work and decided they looked nice. Back to the laundry room to put away the hammer and hooks, and drop off the bag of dirty laundry from Rhody's room. Moved laundry from washer to dryer, and put in the new load of dirty boy clothes.

While I was in the laundry room I spied my sewing machine, which reminded me that I needed to sew on some Boy Scout patches, mend a blanket, try to take in some pants, and fix a book cover. I relocated the machine, the thread and the items to work on to the dining room table so that I could spread out. I have NO idea how I distracted myself from the sewing, but I think I made a conscious decision to sew in the evening when it's cooler because the blanket to repair was unappealing in the heat. At any rate, somehow, some way I ended up watching a few interesting minutes of TV with Rhody who had on the Science/Discovery channel about how things are made. And while I was watching TV I noticed one of the kid's laptops was not put away neatly. So I investigated why that might be and discovered that there wasn't really room where the laptop was supposed to be. Soooo, I took a moment to survey the TV cabinet, and decided that the barely accessible, rarely used CDs (everyone has moved to digital music) could be moved to the newly cleaned out bookcase where they'd be much more visible and possibly more used (remember the episode of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie the other day?) http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2012/08/if-you-give-mouse-cookie.html. With the relocation of the CDs completed, there was plenty of room for the laptop where it was supposed to be. I digressed a bit more and labeled the power supplies, and attached velcro devices to the cords to keep them wrapped neatly instead of the wild tangle of cords that seems to develop when I'm not looking. http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2011/02/eat-your-greens-with-modern-twist.html Special bonus: with things nice and neat in the TV cabinet, some photo albums fit in just beautifully!

While arranging the photo albums I discovered 2 more books that were in need of a new home...which of course lead me to my computer, and then to Swap.com. If you haven't checked it out yet, I highly recommend it! http://market.swap.com/ It's a great way to get rid of what you want, and get something you do need or want in return...and the best part is that each party keeps something unused, unwanted, and unloved out of the landfill.

A previous episode of me reorganizing and deleting resulted in a large pile of 2 blankets, comforters, and a quilt. Somehow I managed to make it to the playroom today, and bagged those up for a friend who will get them to her church, thereby helping me to de-clutter, and get the items to some folks in need. The blanket de-cluttering was long overdue since the armoire they'd been housed in was SO jammed packed with sheets, pillows, and blankets for sleepovers that after a night of snacks, giggling, and sleep-not, the tired crew never seemed to be able to put things away neatly the following morning. Now there is no excuse for sleepheads ;)

Is anyone hungry for a muffin? Maybe I should head to the kitchen and see if we have something muffin-ish to eat...but wait, what was I supposed to be doing next? I think hubby is beginning to think that I suffer from cleaning ADD, which is entirely possible, but as long as I'm productively decluttering, donating, and cleaning as I go does it really matter? Stay tuned...I'm sure there will be a sequel to my If You Give a Moose a Muffin episode of green decluttering.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

2012-08-29T19:54:00.001-07:00

Have you ever read the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff? It's one of my favorite kid books because I can relate to it so much! Read on to see why...

Following a recent teenage get together at our house, I was putting away some serving trays and bowls in the dining room buffet, but the drawers were cramped. Soooo, I took the opportunity to clean out the drawer to make things fit neatly; the things that we rarely use, or never use, went into a donation box, which of course is much greener than the dumpster. I repeated the process for the remainder of the drawers....which meant recycling some mostly spent birthday and scented candles into firestarters. Which lead me to the laundry room to my lint collection basket, and recycled cardboard egg cartons, which I stopped to fill with the lint and candle pieces. Wah-la, firestarters!

While I was in the laundry room, I spied a bunch of cook books that I had placed on top of the dryer...I had moved these cookbooks from cabinet above the microwave because there were too many crammed into the hard to reach cabinet. The kids could never fit the cookbooks back in the cabinet because they can't reach, and because there were too. Soo, to resolve that problem, I culled through the cookbooks so they'd fit neatly in the cabinet, and added a few to the growing donation pile. I was wracking my brain to figure out a new location for some of hubby's specialty cookbooks.

As I was trying to figure out a good home for the overflow cookbooks, it dawned on me that there were a few of hubby's cookbooks on another nearby bookshelf. So, in typical If You Give a Mouse a Cookie fashion, I went to the bookcase to see if the overflow cook books would fit. Well, you may have guessed that this lead me to sort through the dusty, kid's books that have been taking up space on the bookshelf (my kids have outgrown the books). Many of the kid books are books I cherish and want to keep for future grandchildren. So, during the course of the day I went through the books with each of the kids to see if there were any they also considered keepers. This process resulted in 3 piles of books: books to share with our cousins; the keepers that needed to be moved to a new location; and a pile of books to swap. If you haven't heard of swap.com, you should check it out. It's a site to swap books, housewares, and much more with others who want to keep things out of the landfill, but receive something useful in return.

So the kids' books were cleared out, and the overflow cookbooks now filled that space...but you guessed it...this little Mouse now had to find a home for the kid's books that we wanted to keep, which lead me upstairs to a bookshelf with a collection of kid books, including the Little House on the Prairie series, a bunch of picture books, and classics. Sooo, to fit this batch of keepers, I had to delete an equal amount of books that were already shelved there. Which lead me to add to the 2 remaining piles; books for cousins, and swap.com books.

Since the downstairs bookshelves were being reorganized, I figured we should continue with the second bookshelf....so we cleaned out the collection of movies, deleted some, and vacuumed the shelves. Some of the movies went to the donate pile, some of the movies went to the swap.com pile, and the rest were neatly replaced in the shelves.

But wait, there’s more! My Mouse experience wasn't over just yet. I headed back to the laundry room. There were still some bowls and things to fit back into the laundry room pantry…which was a mess. I stood staring at it for a minute, and a light bulb went off that I might be able to consolidate all baking pans, pie plates, cake pans, specialty shape cake pans, etc. under one of the large cabinets in the laundry room. It took me awhile to figure out what to keep, and how to best organize the odd shaped pans such as bundt pan, snowflake and heart shaped pans, special muffin tins, etc. As I took items from the pantry, and stacked them neatly in the cabinet, I realized that there was still another weird shaped pan...and then I found another half sheet cake pan. I culled a bunch of cookie cutters that we no longer use and added them to the pile for our cousins, creating space for the pans. Removing the baking pans from the pantry created space for the food processor, potato slicer, the Pampered Chef mandolin slicer, crock pot, large bowls, etc all on one shelf in the pantry. Eventually I turned my attention to the very top shelf of the pantry, and as I reorganized it, I kept thinking that I needed to make things easily accessible because since the top shelf is tough to reach, and I didn't want things falling down on us. Sooo, I took the opportunity to toss some more things into the donate pile.

Cleaning out the pantry lead me to my computer to email my Mom with a few questions about a few of the items I was removing from the pantry. Did she want them? If not, they could be swap items, or donate items. The day continued in this fashion, but in the end I felt like I accomplished a lot by decluttering several cabinets and drawers, removing and donating boxes and bags full of items we don't need and/or use while simultaneously keeping all those useful things out of the landfill.

So in the event that you have one of those clean-out days that doesn't turn out the way you planned, and it evolves into a If You Give a Mouse a Cookie kinda day, do your best to keep it green!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2012-08-25T22:11:00.001-07:00

Does anyone remember the funny Staples commercial? It makes me smirk every time, and now at Christmas when I hear the original tune, I think of the commercial ;)

Well, the "most wonderful time of year" when the kids head back to school and hit the books, is just a few days away. So why not send them back with a few eco-friendly school supplies? One of my favorite green pens is the Pilot Bottle 2 Pen or B2P. It's the "world's first pen made from recycled bottles", writes nice and smooth, and the kids can brag that they are using a pen made from 89% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles.

It's hard to believe but my youngest is about to begin his last year of elementary school. A few things almost all elementary school teachers ask children to bring are crayons, colored pencils, and markers to school. For years my top pick has been Crayola. Not only do I like Crayola's products, but I'm thrilled with their green initiatives. Crayola is committed to using renewable energy, reducing waste, and "helping protect the environment, so children have a cleaner, greener planet". Crayola's initiative to harness the power of the sun, and build a 30,000 panel solar farm on 20-acres of it's land is impressive. According to Crayola, the panels produce enough power to make 1 billion Crayola crayons and 500 million markers a year. Not only are their markers made with solar power, but they are manufactured with re-ground plastic scrap from marker production. Although the entire marker is not recyclable, the #5 plastic caps can be recycled, and if the tip and reservoir are removed, the marker barrels can also be recycled. Finally, Crayola's colored pencils are never made from endangered or rainforest wood, but are made from reforested wood; for every tree used, another of the same kind is planted.

When it comes to paper, there are many eco-friendly options as well. Staples sells Eco-friendly composition books and wirebound notebooks made with 80% sugarcane waste and printed with "eco-conscious vegetable-and-water based inks." Other options, available at Target are the trendy and cute Greenroom products made with soy inks and recycled paper; recycled paper notebooks, recycled 3-ring binders, tree-free notebooks made from banana paper, recycled file folders, and recycled journals.

Even pencils, a staple for the school-bound, are now more eco-friendly. For precision pencils, there are Pentel EnerGize-X Mechanical pencils made of 84% recycled plastic and making them more eco-friendly is the fact that they are refillable. For traditional pencils think "green"...not only are the Paper Mate Earth Write pencils green on the outside, but they are also green on the inside and made with 100% recycled wood.

So send them back with some guilt free eco-friendly products and as they board the bus and you wave good-bye, go ahead and smirk as "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" commercial plays in your head.

Great Green Gifts for Mother's Day 2012

2012-05-11T13:56:00.000-07:00

Make Mom's day with some eco-friendly gifts from the heart. Non-clutter child friendly ideas include chores without a grimace, breakfast in bed, or spending time with Mom doing an activity that she loves. For example, at my house it's an annual tradition to plant the veggie garden with the kids' help. Besides these gifts from the heart, what other kinds of eco-friendly gifts would mom appreciate? Here are a dozen ideas that may elicit a smile from your eco-chic Mom:

How does her garden grow? Consider the following for the Earth-loving, gardener:

Mom always says, “a little dirt never hurt” and while this is still true, to keep Mom’s hands protected from thorns, dirt, and grime, outfit her in eco-style with gloves made from breathable, stretchable, recycled fabric made from plastic bottles. http://www.gardeners.com/Womens-Eco-Smart-Work-Gloves/38-132,default,pd.html?start=5&q=eco
Help Mom get her seedlings started, with this neat tool so that she can recycle newspaper into eco-friendly pots. Then she can place the seedlings directly into a decorative pot or into the ground without worrying about disposing on the nursery pots. http://www.gardeners.com/Paper-Pot-Maker/38-636,default,pd.html?start=8&q=eco
Once the seedlings are ready to plant in the garden, keep the veggie seedlings organized with recycled metal vegetable markers with a rustic rusted finish. Not only are they functional recycled metal, they are stylish too. http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/m007055-product.html
Reduce the back breaking job of weeding with the gift of recycled plastic weed block. Each roll of weed block contains 10 recycled soda bottles. Mom will be so grateful to spend less time weeding, and more time relaxing. http://www.gardeners.com/recycled-plastic-weedblock/37-991,default,pd.html?start=11&q=eco

And speaking of relaxing…doesn’t Mom deserve a little bit of R&R? Here are a few ideas to help her achieve some peace and relaxation, eco-style:

Put the kettle on for a calming cup of organic tea with Mom. Make her day by sitting and chatting for awhile. The rich organic blends from Arbor Teas come in delicious flavors such as pomegrnate white tea, and decaf masala chai black tea to name a few. When tea time is over, compost the packaging and the tea bags for a completely eco-friendly gift. http://www.treehugger.com/slideshows/gift-guides/green-gift-guide-10-compostable-biodegradable-gifts/page/10/
How about a scent-sible gift of aromatherapy to aid mom’s relaxation? I love the Aroma Naturals Tranquility soy candles. Aroma Naturals candles use 100% pure plant aromas and natural vegetable waxes that are as good for the environment as they are for you…no wonder the Aroma Naturals Tranquility transports me to a calm, tranquil place http://www.aromanaturals.com/-c-38.html?osCsid=qbsintdsvesb8d7tn9o4n73ed1
Ohmmm….maybe Mom likes to relax and tone while doing yoga? Cork yoga blocks will her achieve peace and tranquility poses in an eco-friendly way. Compared to the popular foam blocks, these cork blocks are made from 100% natural, lightweight, durable cork, that is sustainably harvested. http://www.barefootyoga.com/Detail.bok?no=955 If Mom needs a bag to keep her yoga mat in, consider the recyclable bags by Mixedbagdesigns. http://www.mixedbagdesigns.com/Spring-2012?search=yoga
Eco-Beauty Scrubs can be whipped up in a jiffy for Mom, and the recipes in this book can help keep her stress free and beauteous all year long. http://www.amazon.com/EcoBeauty-Scrubs-Masks-Bombs-Friends/dp/158008852X

If Soirees are more her style…help Mom be the hostess with the most-est eco-friendly style:

Beautiful, tealight candleholders made from recycled beer bottles will light up any gathering. These tealight holders could be used as centerpieces, to line a pathway, or hung around the party for sparkling ambiance. http://www.renewable-energy-news.info/affordable-green-mothers-day-gifts/
Set the table with eco-friendly, stylish tablecloths and napkins from the Foodnetwork. The cookingreen eco cloth napkins are made from 3 recycled plastic bottles, or 100% RePET. The textured checkered design looks great on the table, and knowing the table is decked in recycled fabric will make Mom smile with eco-pride. http://www.amazon.com/Food-Network-Textured-Eco-Napkin/dp/B0053D7W6Y and http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/landingpages/foodnetwork_new/entertain/tablelinens/PRD~c22375/Food+Network+Textured+Eco+Tablecloth.jsp
Add some bling to the table with recycled wine glasses from Surlatable. The wine glasses are mouth-blown in Mexico from 100% recycled glass, and add style to the table with an eco-friendly flare. http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-878173/Azul-Recycled-Wine-Glass
Serve up a surprise recipe for Mom from the eco-book Cooking Green: Reducing Your Carbon Footprint in the Kitchen by Kate Heyhoe. The book contains up 50 delicious eco-friendly recipes and green kitchen tips http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/809028/energy-saving-recipes-reducing-your-carbon-footprint-in-the-kitchen. After you clean up the kitchen for Mom, you can share the cookbook and tips with her over a cup of relaxing tea and some fair trade organic sweets from Sweet Earth Chocolates http://www.sweetearthchocolates.com/

For additional green gift ideas for mom, click on http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2011/05/great-green-gifts-for-mothers-day.html Any of these gifts, whether they be eco-friendly from the heart gifts, or something eco-conscious you purchase, are sure to put a smile on Mom's face. Happy Mother's Day!

Freecycle to the Rescue

2012-04-27T21:16:00.002-07:00

Today, two older, large, color CRT (cathode ray tube) computer monitors were rescued from the dusty basement and attic by a Freecycler. I posted the monitors on my local Freecycle board, and got a quick response, and they were picked up within 24 hours. Earlier in the week a Freecycler posted that she was in need of a printer, and it just so happened that we've had a printer sitting around taking up space as well. There was nothing wrong with the printer/fax/copier, it just wasn't able to handle the capacity of our busy scholars, so I jotted her a note, and she came by the same day to pick it up. I'm psyched to free up the space and reduce clutter, find new "homes" for the unused equipment, and glad someone else will put them to use.

If you haven't heard of Freecycle, you should check it out at http://www.freecycle.org/ and search for your local Freecycle group. The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 5,035 groups with 8,917,299 members around the world. Freecycling links up people that have unwanted things to give away at no cost, with people who need or want things. I have Freecycled countless items, and it makes me feel good to share with others and reduce the environmental impact of our waste by keeping it out of landfills and/or incinerators. It's also a good way for those on a budget to pick up items for free, reducing their expenses. Ultimately, Freecycling also results in decreased demands on new manufacturing processes, which results in energy savings and resource conservation. Freecycling is a win-win in my book!

Source: http://www.freecycle.org

Happy Arbor Day 2012!

2012-04-26T18:40:00.001-07:00

Did you know that the last Friday in the month of April is National Arbor Day? http://www.arborday.org/arborday/

I love trees. Since I was very little, I've loved looking at trees, drawing and writing poems about trees, climbing trees, planting trees, and enjoying how beautiful they are. During the hot summer months, I used to lay at the end of my bed, staring out the window at the silhouette of trees. They truly are a gift of nature, a gift of our planet.

So what is National Arbor Day all about? According to the National Arbor Foundation, "Arbor Day is a nationally-celebrated observance that encourages tree planting and care." It was founded by J. Sterling Morton in 1872, and each state, as well as other countries around the world, celebrate in some way.

Arbor Day Foundation's mission statement is, "we inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees". According to the World Resource Institute, there are approximately 100,000 reasons to celebrate, or 100,000 known species of trees that exist throughout the world. If you need a reason or two to celebrate trees besides them being aesthetically pleasing, here are my top 10 reasons to plant a tree:

1. Trees remove CO2 from the air, reducing the impacts of greenhouse gases and climate change.

2. Trees produce oxygen that is necessary for life on Earth, and are good for your overall health.

“One acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons of oxygen. This is enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people.” —U.S. Department of Agriculture

“In laboratory research, visual exposure to settings with trees has produced significant recovery from stress within five minutes, as indicated by changes in blood pressure and muscle tension.” —Dr. Roger S. Ulrich Texas A&M University

3. Trees can add value to your home.

“Landscaping, especially with trees, can increase property values as much as 20 percent.” —Management Information Services/ICMA

4. Trees help cool your home and neighborhood.

5. Trees break the wind, and reduce both heating and cooling costs.

“The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day.” —U.S. Department of Agriculture

“Landscaping can reduce air conditioning costs by up to 50 percent, by shading the windows and walls of a home.” —American Public Power Association

“If you plant a tree today on the west side of your home, in 5 years your energy bills should be 3% less. In 15 years the savings will be nearly 12%.” —Dr. E. Greg McPherson, Center for Urban Forest Research

6. Trees improve water quality. Trees help to filter water, improving water quality and groundwater recharge.

7. Trees reduce runoff, which also increases groundwater absorption, and allows for groundwater recharge, which in turn is a source of drinking water for many Americans.

8. Trees prevent erosion. The roots of trees help to prevent soil erosion which can lead to the siltation of streams and wetlands, and loss of property.

“The planting of trees means improved water quality, resulting in less runoff and erosion. This allows more recharging of the ground water supply. Wooded areas help prevent the transport of sediment and chemicals into streams.” —USDA Forest Service

9. Trees provide food and shelter for wildlife and birds.

10. Trees help to maintain biodiversity by providing shelter, food, and habitats for wildlife and birds.

You can become a member of the National Arbor Foundation for as little as $10, and they will send you 10 free 6-12" trees that will grow into beautiful mature trees as a thank you (you even get to choose from a list of trees). I'm looking out the window now at my beautiful flowering tree that looks like it's decked out for the spring prom. I received this tree as a gift from National Arbor Foundation many years ago, and it's grown into a stunning beauty that I'm still enjoying today, and hopefully will be for years. http://www.arborday.org/members/index.cfm

There is tons of great information on the Arbor Day Foundation website where you can learn about tree care and planting, tree identification, free landscaping ideas, join the tree forum, and much, much more. It's worth checking out at http://www.arborday.org/ There is also an amazing glossary of tree terms http://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/glossary.cfm

I hope you'll decide to celebrate National Arbor Day in some way too, whether it is today, tomorrow or in the future because without trees our planet just wouldn't be the same :) Happy Arbor Day 2012!

Happy Earth Day 2012!

2012-04-22T13:39:00.004-07:00

Happy Rainy Earth Day 2012! Normally I would be sad that it’s raining on Earth Day, but this year our little piece of the Earth NEEDS the rain badly. We have an 8 inch deficient here in Massachusetts, so I’m not complaining at all. To celebrate Earth Day, rain or shine, maybe you’d like to consider one or more of these ideas "a la carte style" today, or in the future.

After the rain is the perfect time to weed by hand instead of using pesticides which linger in the soil, and can seep into the groundwater. Not to mention pesticides end up on shoes, and can get tracked into homes and offices. So skip the pesticides, grab a weeder instead, get your hands a little dirty, and get a dose of Mycobacterium vaccae, it's good for you! http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2010/10/m-is-for-mycobacterium-vaccae.html
Plant a tree in honor of Earth Day. Trees help clean the air by taking in carbon dioxide, and producing oxygen, provide shade, help prevent erosion, are aesthetically pleasing, and provide homes for birds and animals.
Consider Xeriscaping. Xeri what? Xeriscaping is landscaping and gardening that takes water conservation into consideration, and minimizes the use of additional irrigation. For example, many people want lush green lawns and spend a lot of time and money in the form of pesticides, fertilizers, and watering to accomplish their goal of the greenest lawn on the block. Some xeriscapists take the less is more approach, reducing the amount of lawn in lieu of a patio, or by creating mulched garden beds with shrubs and drought tolerant plants, or planting sections of ground cover that require less water than lawns.
Commit to greener, clutter-free gifts this year. Instead of more stuff, how about giving the gift of togetherness in the form of memberships to places such as nature preserves, museums, or aquariums? This type of gift encourages people to spend time together, commune with nature, and won't end up being a repository for dust.
Speaking of nature preserves, commit to green exercise! Hike or walk in nature preserves. Communing with nature and just being outside is good for the soul and heart. http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2012/04/earth-and-heart-healthy-exercise.html
Throw open the windows, let in the fresh air, and use ceiling fans to circulate cool air, especially in the evening and early morning, cutting down on cooling costs. Be sure the switch is in the proper position, the fan should move forward, or counterclockwise so that you can feel the "wind chill" as the air pushes down. Using ceiling fans can help reduce cooling costs by 40% or more.
Take leftovers for lunch. I don't know why my kids don't like leftovers...but then again when I was a kid I hated them too! As an adult, I love taking leftovers for lunch because it's fast and easy if you portion leftovers into lunchable containers after dinner. In addition it helps use up leftovers that my family despises. Taking leftovers for lunch means you will end up with a trashless lunch, which helps to reduce landfill waste by up to 67 pounds of waste per person, per year. In addition, leftovers for lunch reduces landfill waste from leftovers that turn into science experiments!
Commit to remembering those reusable grocery bags. Be honest, do you remember to use them every trip? I'll be honest...it seems that half the time I forget to take the reusable grocery bags into the store with me. I don't know why I forget either...as soon as I unload them, I take them back down to the car, so they are ready for reuse. I have been getting better, and I really do prefer them over the plastic bags that slip and slide all over the car. The reusable bags stand up nicely, have great handles, and hold more than the plastic bags, which means less trips up and down the stairs when unloading at home. I'm going to work really hard at remembering them this year.
When you do forget to use your reusable grocery bags, be sure to either reuse the plastic bags, or recycle them. We end up reusing the plastic bags for many things including as garbage can liners, and for cat litter disposal (I know, I know I should use eco-litter, but my cats doth protest and then pee where they shouldn't, and then I doth protest loudly). When the bags are ripped an unusable, we recycle on the next trip to the grocery store (they get bagged up and put in the car so that I don't forget them.)
Join an environmental group, follow an environmental blog, take an online environmental class, or commit to being informed about eco-issues.

In "a la carte fashion", choose what will work best for you, and what you can stick with for lasting change. I hope you decide to give one or more of these ideas a try today, or in the future :) Happy a la carte Earth Day 2012!

Souces: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeriscaping
http://landscaping.about.com/cs/cheaplandscaping1/a/xeriscaping.htm
http://www.highcountrygardens.com/Perennials
http://www.ceilingfan.org/ceiling-fan-direction/

Breezy Benefits

2012-04-16T16:13:00.000-07:00

Fresh laundry on the newly installed clothesline

Today was a beautiful, atypically warm, breezy April day that felt more like June as the temps climbed to the 90s. It was the perfect day to hang out some laundry and let the sun and breeze dry the clothes naturally...

...but there was one small problem...my clothesline had been taken down in the the wake of Hurricane Irene this past August for fear of tree damage (the tree it was attached to is dead) http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/search/label/Hurricane. But never fear, hubby to the rescue!

Besides being a warm April Day, we also had a holiday celebrating Patriot's Day in MA, and the Boston Marathon. For those of you who live outside of MA, Patriot's Day is a state holiday commemorating the anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord and the start of the Revolutionary War. With hubby home for the holiday, he agreed to reinstall the clothesline in a new tree and after some effort, sweat, and thankfully no swears or injuries from tree climbing, the clothesline is back up! It didn't take long for me to get the fresh load of laundry up on the line and take advantage of saving some energy.

For more information about the benefits of clotheslines and the energy savings, please check out:
http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2010/06/c-is-for-clothesline.html
and
http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2010/07/e-is-for-electricity-and-energy.html

Creative genius

2012-04-12T16:23:00.000-07:00

Forrest Mc Cluer's Computer Virus #1
Floppy (2009)
This is based on a hybrid of T4 Bacteriophge and Adenovirus

I'd like to invite you to experience the creative genius of Forrest Mc Cluer, economist by day and sculptor by night. Forrest's collection of sculptures is comprised of three-dimensional "manipulations of 'found' objects into certain geometric shapes or polyhedra." The shapes that Forrest replicates are found in nature and have fascinated artists and scientists for centuries. His website, http://www.30computers.com/gallery.htm documents his ongoing project to deconstruct 30 discarded personal computers and then create sculptures from all of their constituent parts. By making these 3D shapes with found objects he aims to "mark our moment in time with materials that would otherwise be disposed of and lost forever." A 3D alacartegreen dream!

Earrings made from hard drive spacers

I was introduced to Forrest by a friend of the family when hubby donated several hard drives to his cause. Forrest's up-cycling and creative use of the integral parts of the computers that he is deconstructing, and his detailed use of the parts was intriguing to say the least! It quickly became evident that his passion goes beyond constructing his sculptures; his meticulous research of microbiology and virology, and mastery of mathematics are clear in the polyhedron shapes and viruses that he sculpts http://www.30computers.com/CV_Transformer.htm. Forrest writes that:

"It was the self-assembly or self-replication characteristic of biological viruses that influenced University of Southern California doctoral candidate Fred Cohen. He is the person who coined the term "computer virus" to describe a computer program that can "affect other computer programs by modifying them in such a way as to include a (possibly evolved) copy of itself." [2], [3].

Forrest's insightful use of computer parts to construct sculptures of biological viruses, which computer viruses mimic is pure genius.

As you can imagine, I was thrilled that the unused hard drives were slated to be up-cycled in such an imaginative, innovative way while simultaneously helping to declutter. Although there was no need to thank us for the donation of the hard drives, Forrest thoughtfully surprised me and the girls with funky earrings made from spacers from the computer hard drives, and a hysterical "digital pirate" ear loop for the boys. I can't wait to see the newest sculpture he creates with the hard drives! If you'd like to see some of Forrest's sculptures up close, check out his work at the upcoming Artomatic Show in Washington, DC on May 18th http://www.artomatic.org/ .

Earth and Heart Healthy Exercise

2012-04-09T20:31:00.000-07:00

Walking is not only good for your heart and overall health, but it's an exercise that can be considered "Earth Healthy" by virtue of the fact that it is an exercise that has a low impact on the Earth. Let's think about it...there's no need to drive to the gym, so there's no carbon impact...you can simply walk out your front door! The equipment that you need, your left and right leg, a bottle of water to stay hydrated (of course you should opt for a previously purchased reusable water bottle ), and a pair of sneakers which you probably already have, also have a low impact on the Earth. Because you need very little equipment, it is easy to fit in a walk during a quick break at work, at the beach, in the mountains, in the city, in the park, on vacation, in the morning, in the afternoon, or in the evening...you get the idea, you can walk anytime, almost anywhere!

Young or old, lace up and put one foot in front of the other! Walking for a minimum of 30 minutes, or fitting in 2 - 15 minute sessions with a goal of approximately 150 minutes/week will reap many health benefits such as:

improving circulation
combating depression
bolstering the immune system
helping to prevent osteoporosis
helping to prevent and control diabetes
helping to control weight
helping lower blood pressure

I choose to walk with my friend Beth, and we help motivate each other to get moving even when we don't feel like it. Another huge benefit of walking with Beth is that we talk and vent, which makes the miles fly by. Our walking sessions often double as therapy sessions as we both chat about the kids, their activities, work, husbands, goals, friends, family, household happenings, dreams, hopes, etc. I've actually learned some things about myself by chatting aloud to Beth, and listening to her welcome advice. An additional benefit is seeing the "sites" in our community; checking out the changes in the neighborhoods where we walk, exploring new areas, and admiring the gardens that we pass along the way.

Walking helps to keep us healthier in mind, body, and spirit and I'm happy to be reaping these benefits while chatting with my friend and treading lightly on the Earth :)

Sources: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/walking/HQ01612
http://www.walkinginfo.org/why/benefits_health.cfm
http://www.walk-magazine.com/

Egg-cellent!

2012-04-05T19:18:00.002-07:00

It's almost time for the Easter Bunny to come hopping down the bunny trail, and this year maybe you'll have an egg-cellent environmentally friendly surprise filled with sweets in your basket! Instead of plastic eggs from China, consider buying the "first 100% renewable Easter Eggs" made in the USA by eco eggs™. Eco eggs offers their renewable multi-colored Easter egg alternative from non-toxic corn starch instead of petroleum-based plastics. The eggs are also compostable, and do not generate emissions and create landfill waste, yet they are durable enough to be stored for years and used again and again. And if you need grass filler for your Easter baskets, eco eggs™ also offers eco grass that is compostable and made from non-toxic corn starch, or can be stored and reused for years. And just think, if one or two eggs get left behind after the egg hunt it won't be a problem! The plant-based eco-eggs will slowly and harmlessly decompose. For more Earth-friendly Easter tips be sure to check out http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2011/04/happy-easter-2011.html

Here's to an eco-Easter filled with fun and hoppiness :)

Mooney Falls Return Trip

2012-04-02T19:10:00.003-07:00

Downstream of Mooney Falls

Although getting to Mooney Falls was a 2.5 mile adventure, it was worth the harrowing climb down, and we had an enjoyable, leisurely stop at the 190' falls (http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/Grand Canyon Havasupai Mooney Falls2012.html.) We took lots of pictures, had a snack break, ventured downstream to explore, and the girls had some adventures with some frisky squirrels that they named "squirrel brothers". We discussed continuing downstream another 3 miles further to Beaver Falls, but some of the troops were not willing to do the additional trek to less traveled areas :) Once we had cooled off, and taken our fill of pictures, it was time to pack up our beach towels, dry off our feet, sprinkle on some foot powder, put the hiking boots back on, clip our water shoes onto our backpacks, and retrace our steps back up the cliff front to head to two more falls.

Before ascending, check to make sure that there are no hikers descending. Hikers cannot pass along

this section as there is only room for one person, so it is necessary to take turns descending and ascending. After checking to be sure we could go up without meeting any other hikers, we climbed back up an aluminum ladder and then a series of wooden ladders. It's important to be cautious on this section, being careful not to slip since the ladder surfaces and footholds get wet from the mist from the falls. After climbing the ladders, there is a very steep section along rough rock, and chains that are anchored to cliff walls with rebar and eye hooks, are key to making it up the rockface. Without this chain and rebar for handholds and footholds it would almost impossible to ascend safely unless you are part monkey. The trail continues and as on the way down, you must pass through two narrow, steep tunnels on your way up. Once we made it back to the "descend at your own risk sign", we continued hiking back towards the Village of Supai, past the campgrounds, and continued to our next stop, Havasu Falls (Havasu Falls is approximately .75 miles upstream of Mooney Falls). (July 14, 2011)

Although we weren't able to make a video of our ascent because we didn't have any extra hands for the camera, and holding on tight and paying attention to our kids was a priority, check out this amazing YouTube video that another courageous soul made. I'm still impressed with my kids for making this climb, they were beyond brave for 11, 13, 14.5, and 15.5 year olds! If you are afraid of heights, this video may give that queasy feeling in your stomach that you hate, but I love this video. It brings me back, and helps me recapture this incredible climb, and makes me want to go back and do it again! Thank you to Crazyfinx for sharing it on YouTube, it's absolutely breathtaking!

Other links to check:http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2011/08/july-was-blur.html
and http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2011/09/grand-canyon-adventures-continued.html
http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/Havasupai Mooney Falls2012.html

Tending the phlox

2012-04-01T17:32:00.010-07:00

Creeping phlox in bloom at my house, April 2011


Leggy creeping phlox with brown areas

Gently pull on dead leggy sections

A little "hair cut" may be necessary for lush growth

So today it was a bit raw out, but spring was in the air, and I could see that some of my creeping phlox was beginning to show signs of buds awakening. The prospect of my phlox budding was enough incentive for me to ignore the chill and get busy working in the garden. And as always, there is tons of work to be done!

Part of today's job was to tend the phlox and get it ready for it's springtime show. Tending the phlox sounds kind of biblical, doesn't it?

Well the bright blooms that grace my yard, are definitely gifts from God to be sure, and I look forward to the brilliant colors every year.

My beautiful creeping phlox comes in several colors, light pink, hot pink, light purple, and medium purple and for me it is the highlight of my spring garden. It's very hardy, and spreads easily via rhizomes or runners, and I usually try to break off some pieces and relocate it to other areas of the garden (gotta love rhizomes and perennials!)

Today the phlox needed some tending so that it would look it's showiest in the next few weeks. There are sections that drape over our timber retaining wall, and those sections sometimes get "leggy", or kinda gangly with brown patches. I assume that parts of it get leggy as it flows over the wall because the rhizomes aren't in contact with the ground, and therefore can't put out roots into the soil to soak up nutrients.

Trimmed and ready for the spring show!

Showy springtime creeping phlox 2011

Although some of the leggy parts are brownish and look dead, I've noticed that sometimes the ends of it are still perfectly green, and when I give it a "hair cut", the thin leggy pieces are still green inside the rhizome. These brownish somewhat greenish leggy castoffs are often the perfect pieces to try to save since it's still alive. I take the castoff cuttings to another section where I'd like to grow phlox, and pull back some dirt or mulch, pat it down, replaced the dirt and mulch and give it a drink. If it takes great! And if not, it was worth a try, and with the mulch in place you can barely tell. In my experience, the odds are good that it will take, and next spring you'll have even more of this showy springtime wonder gracing your wall, border, or rock garden. Happy tending and Happy Spring!

Tweet, Tweet!

2012-03-23T12:35:00.002-07:00

No, I'm not talking about the 140 character or less posting, or update on Twitter. I'm talking about the sounds of the birds that are twitter-patted and excited about the warm weather, building their nests, and mating. As I was cleaning out a patch of garden yesterday, the sounds of the birds struck me, and made me smile even more. To me, the sounds of birds herald spring, and this spring has come earlier than usual, with record 80+ degree weather here in the Boston area in March! March is the time of year I start to watch for my favorite bird, the Eastern Blue Bird.

If you want to do something nice for the birds, and encourage them to come to your yard, why not put out some nesting material for them and help them along. Nesting material can be as simple as grasses or material cleaned out of the flower beds, thread, string, dryer lint, bits of yarn, etc. http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2010/04/for-birds.html

Grand Canyon - Havasupai's Mooney Falls

2012-03-20T21:05:00.005-07:00

190' Mooney Falls

I was just looking through pictures from our spectacular vacation, and putting together a photo book and realized that I never finished writing about our Grand Canyon Adventures! Not sure how I let that slip, but on any given day besides work, I'm helping, cleaning up after, distracted by, or chauffeuring 1, 2, 3, or 4 children, or any combination thereof. At any rate, I'm going to do my best to catch up on the details of our trip:

After a 14 hour day touring Las Vegas, we checked out the Hoover Dam, and then spent 2 days at Grand Canyon West (GCW). Although not as well known as Grand Canyon National Park, GCW is the home of the Hualapai Tribe http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2011/08/july-was-blur.html , and we recommend visiting. During our visit, we were able to walk up to the edge of the canyon, look down into the canyon, and explore and take pictures without any railings to alter the views. We saw gorgeous panoramic sunsets at Guano Point, sunrise outside of our cabin door at Hualapai Ranch where we enjoyed archery, quick-draw, tomahawk throwing, roping, and horseback riding up to the rim of the Canyon.

Hoover Dam

Sunrise at Hualapai Ranch cabins

At the edge of the Canyon, Guano Point

Sunset at Guano Point, Grand Canyon West

Horseback riding at Hualapai Ranch

Switchbacks as we descend from trailhead

The Canyon view as we hike

30' Rock Falls - Rosebud and Rhody jumped from the top!

After exploring at GCW, we continued east to the Grand Canyon Caverns. We toured the caverns and after a hearty dinner in Seligman at Lilos, we settled in so we’d be ready for the next day. After a 4am wakeup, we packed up and drove down dark, vacant Route 66 a short distance to get to the turnoff for the 62 mile ride to the trailhead, Hualapai Hilltop. It was around 7am when we set out from the trailhead, and it was still cool. We hiked into the Canyon, 8 long miles; the first 1.5 miles were steep switchbacks with loose footing, and it was cool since we were in the shade, and the sun hadn’t heated the canyon walls for the day. As the trail leveled out, the terrain was less rough, and the “soil” was finer, looser, red sediment that has washed into the canyon over thousands of years. Soon after we’d made it to level terrain, it began to heat up, and we trekked the rest of the way in the July heat continuously sipping the water from our Camelbacks which were nestled into our backpacks. We stopped along the way for photos, for breaks and snacking on dried fruit, granola, and peanut butter crackers. We reached the Village of Supai, home of the Havasupai Indian Tribe in about 4 hours.

After resting and having lunch, and checking into the air conditioned Lodge, we decided to hike 1.5 miles further to Rock Falls, a 30 foot waterfall. Rosebud and Rhody jumped from the top! After picking up some pb and j, bread, cheese, nacho chips, salsa, crackers, and water (lunch and dinner supplies) at the General Store, a good night’s sleep, and a big breakfast at the Café, we decided to hike 2.5 miles to the furthest fall that we would visit, Mooney Falls, and then backtrack and enjoy two other falls as we made our way back.

Getting to Mooney Falls is not a leisurely 2.5 mile hike, and it’s not for the faint of heart, or someone afraid of heights. Mooney Falls, is the tallest of the Havasupai Falls at 190’ tall. Getting to the base of the falls is tricky, because the trail winds down the face of a cliff, and then through a short tunnel. The tunnel ends at a ledge that has a great view of the falls at about 120’ from the bottom. There is a thick chain link “rail” to keep hikers from falling. You don’t want to fall from here…Mooney Fall is named after a miner who fell to his death in 1882. The trail continues in a second, narrow, steep tunnel that emerges about 80’ above the canyon floor. At this point, there is a very steep descent along rough rock, and more chains that are anchored to cliff walls with rebar and eye hooks. Without this chain and rebar for handholds and footholds it would almost impossible to descend safely. Hikers cannot pass along these sections, there is only room for one person, and it’s necessary to take turns descending and ascending. At about 15-20’ from the bottom there are old wooden ladders to make the final descent. Hikers should note that the constant mist from the falls can make the climb dangerous and slippery. But it’s so worth the adrenalin rush to get into the water at the base of the falls. Due to the mist, it was tricky to take pictures without getting the camera wet, but we managed. The water actually felt cool even though it was a hot July day because of the mist. If you dared to get near the pounding water, it prickled the skin! We explored downstream a bit, snacked, and jumped off some of the smaller falls there. Be sure you remember to pack lots of water, snacks, sun screen, beach towels, and water shoes to keep your feet safe as you climb and jump from the falls. You also might want to pack a small foot power to help dry off your feet before putting the hiking boots back on. And as you can see, a camera is a MUST to capture the brilliant colors and beauty of Mooney Falls.

Hiking down to Mooney requires you to pass through narrow rock tunnels

Climbing up/down to Mooney Falls is a bit tricky!

Hang on tight to the ropes and wooden ladders

190' Mooney Falls

Declutter, reuse, fling

2012-03-19T20:48:00.001-07:00

I've sung the praises of Marla Cilley, aka FlyLady of www.flylady.net on several occasions http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2010/08/j-is-for-junk.html, and tomorrow's mission of the day is to fling (or toss) some socks and pantyhose. FlyLady's sidekick Kelly writes about the mission,

"You know that drawer that is full of old pantyhose and mismatched socks that you have held on to for reasons you don't even know. It is time to go through and toss, toss, toss. Be good to yourself and let go of these things that are cluttering up your bedroom. Hidden in a drawer or not, it is still clutter. Take 15 minutes and toss, toss, toss!"

But WAIT!!! Before you toss those old socks, reuse them one more time! I keep a few old socks stashed with the cleaning supplies for quick cleanup. For example, I frequently use old socks to cleanup after our bulimic cat messes, then toss the mess and the sock without the guilt of wasting a paper towel. I know, I know, that's gross, but I don't want that grossness touching my hand, and the sock is thicker than the paper towel and already destined for the trash. Or...for a less gross cat related option, stuff an old sock with catnip, tie a knot and watch your favorite feline go nuts :) Don't forget about your favorite canine...tie some old socks together to make a cheap dog pull. Call Fido over for some tug-o-war and exercise your biceps!

For other quick cleanups, I'll use an old sock on my hand as a dust mitt. It works well to go along the baseboards, picture frames, etc. Maybe you have some dusty or yucky messes you need to clean up without wrecking your sponges. Old socks also make great shoe polishers, and after you use them to apply polish you can use them to shine the shoe too!

Similarly, before you toss the old pantyhose, reuse it for cleaning between rungs on chairs, or between tight spaces. Have you heard of using pantyhose to help get paint into tight spaces between fences, or slats? After cutting old pantyhose into strips, they can be used to tie up plants in the garden without harming delicate stalks, and the hose will give as the plant grows. Then after you are nice and dirty from gardening, how about putting slivers of soap to use in a pantyhose leg, and tying it to the outdoor faucet for a washing station? I've also placed an old pair of pantyhose on the end of the vacuum hose with a rubber band to keep it in place, to prevent sucking up Legos or other small items permanently (you know small things that might be in or under the couch that you don't want to loose forever).

Declutter, reuse, fling. Give it a try. Get going with inspiration from Flylady to declutter those drawers 15 minutes at a time, then reuse those old socks and pantyhose for greener spring cleaning alacartegreen style, and then fling. Declutter, reuse, fling, repeat!

Grapes

2012-02-08T19:33:00.000-08:00

In the words of Ed Begley, Jr., "pick the low hanging fruit". By that he means to make the easiest green changes first. Well, today I sorta took that advice literally, yet by accident! I chose Rainforest Alliance Certified http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/agriculture/certification red grapes at the grocery store. They are delicious and nutritious, and by happenstance, they are also sustainable, which is of course a win/win for all. I wanted to learn more about the Rainforest Alliance Certification, so I looked it up and was surprised to learn that more than two million farmers, farm workers, and their families directly benefit from the Rainforest Alliance Certification. Rainforest Alliance Certification ensures that those who are certified address the three pillars of sustainability "environmental protection, social equity, and economic viability." To become Rainforest Alliance Certified™, farms must be audited by the independent international certification body, Sustainable Farm Certification, Intl., which certifies to Sustainable Agriculture Network standards. Oh, and did I mention, that the holey plastic bag (so that the grapes can breathe) is also recyclable #4 LDPE or Low-density polyethylene? You can bet it will be returned to the grocery store on my next trip and placed in the recycle bin near the entrance door ;)

Last Chance for Free Mulch!

2011-11-30T19:57:00.000-08:00

Looking around there are many houses with their Christmas lights on, but here in New England we've been experiencing an unusually warm fall. Just this week the temperatures have been in the 60s! The freakishly warm weather allowed me the opportunity to get some yard work done this past weekend, get some fresh air, and get a dose of Mycobacterium vaccae, nature's prozac :) http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2010/10/m-is-for-mycobacterium-vaccae.html Besides continuing tree cleanup from the October storm that snapped the leaf laden trees like twigs, there was still raking to be done, and lots of general cleanup. As they say, a gardener's job is never done.

What to do with all those leaves? Don't bag them up and put them in the trash! That's like throwing away a gift from nature, free mulch :) When I have an area where I want to create or expand a flower bed, I simply rake the leaves to that area, and mound up a pile about 10-24". I leave the leaves there over the winter, and the rain and snow pack down the leaves, and instead of having to remove grass to create the bed, the worms and leaves do the work for me. In other areas, I use a thick layer of leaves to prevent weeds from growing, and it is one less area that we have to mow. I also use leaf mulch around the base of trees. As the leaves breakdown, they release nutrients into the soil. During the winter months the leaf mulch helps to insulate the tree, and during the warmer months, the mulch helps to maintain moisture around the roots of the trees.

Some gardeners choose to chop up leaves with a mower or leaf blower/vac. If we happen to be mowing a section of the lawn, we take advantage of the leaves being collected and chopped. Then we empty the bag with grass/leaves where we want it. You can use a 3-4" layer of leaf mulch blanket to tuck in your perennials for the winter, and nourish the soil in preparation for springtime. Don't forget to add some leaves to your compost pile while you're busy raking. In fact, you might want to rake a small pile of leaves next to your compost bin, so that you can scoop some leaves on top of your "greens" each time, layering for optimum composting.

If I'm lucky, the weather will hold, and I will be able to get back to the yard work, tuck in a few more newly planted perennials for the winter, and get another dose of Mycobacterium vaccae. I hope you'll take advantage of nature's free mulch gift too ;) Happy raking!

Grand Canyon Adventures Continued

2011-09-12T20:42:00.000-07:00

Hiking into the Grand Canyon from Hualapai Hilltop to Supa

After visiting Grand Canyon West and the Hualapai Tribe this July, (read more about our adventures at Grand Canyon West at http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2011/08/july-was-blur.html) we traveled about 36 miles on the dirt road to nowhere, and made it to historic Route 66 (Here It Is! The Route 66 Map Series). We stopped and toured Grand Canyon Caverns, and were told it is the largest dry cavern in the US. After taking an elevator down 21 stories, our guide showed us selenite and limestone crystals, a mummified bobcat, and the remains of "Gertie" a 15 foot, 4 inch, giant ground sloth. That evening, we drove a bit farther to Route 66's historic Seligman, and had a delicious, filling dinner at Westside Lilo's. Hubby and I also enjoyed a well deserved, ice cold, refreshing beer (there are no adult beverages on Indian Reservations) :) We picked up a few supplies, and then returned to Grand Canyon Caverns Inn for the night. We filled our Camelbak Hydration Bladder, put them in the fridge, checked our backpacks for supplies for the upcoming hike into the canyon, and turned in for the night (that's an over simplification of the process of getting all 6 of us prepped, but you get the idea.)

The alarm went off at 4am. Uggh. But, we needed to get an early start to reach the trail head and hike when it was cooler. We woke the groggy crew, ate breakfast, inserted the Camelbaks into the Kelty backpacks, made sure the packs were adjusted, and packed the car. We traveled down dark, vacant Route 66 a short distance to our 62 mile turnoff to Hualapai Hilltop. The kids dozed, and the sun peaked out from behind the hills, and hubby watched for cattle in the road. We arrived at Hualapai Hilltop just after sunrise, and were excited to begin the 8 mile hike into the canyon and the village of Supai, which is part of the Havasupai Reservation. (Note: The name Hualapai Hilltop was confusing at first because we'd just come from the Hualapai Reservation at Grand Canyon West, yet Hualapai Hilltop is the trailhead leading down into the Havasupai Reservation, and the Village of Supai.)

The first mile and a half, was a series of steep, loose rocky switchbacks, and it was easy to loose your footing. I recommend packing an Ace Bandage or two, as well as a first aid kit with instant ice packs, and Band-Aid Advanced Healing Blister Cushions. Thank goodness, we were prepared with these items because we ending up using them all even though we had proper hiking shoes and socks. It's almost inevitable when hiking on uneven, rocky terrain, for that distance!

We stopped and took lots of pictures along the way, but it's hard to do justice to the amazing, natural wonder of landscape that is the Grand Canyon, the varied terrain, the altitude, and the vivid colors. I wish I could say that the kids were all soaking up the natural wonders around them, but alas there is always one who is less than enthused, which made the hike take a little bit longer than planned. We took extra breaks to adjust hiking shoes, snacks, water, etc. to help along the way, and even the picture breaks provided short rests.

After the mile and a half of switchbacks, the terrain leveled out, but the "soil" was made up of small to medium red rocks that are the result of canyon washouts. At this point it was getting warm, and we made sure to sip water from the Camelbak hoses to keep hydrated. The canyon walls stretched up to blue sky, and it was surreal to think that we were walking in the Grand Canyon that was formed 6 million years ago! We did our best to stay in the shadiest parts for as long as possible, and the Columbia omni-shade shirts and hats helped to keep the sun off our skin, and wick away the moisture (Columbia Men's Bahama II Long Sleeve Shirt),

I'm not going to lie...8 miles in July, in the Arizona heat, with temperatures in the mid-90's makes for a long 4 hour hike. The last mile, as we approached Supai and began to see and hear water, seemed especially long because we really didn't have any idea how close we were to the village at that point. When we finally reached Supai, I'm sure we looked like most tourists; we were hot, sweaty, exhausted, and a few were cranky. But the icy cold drinks we sipped while we waited for lunch to be prepared in the nondescript air-conditioned Cafe began to revive us little by little. And let me tell you, those expensive, calorie packed burgers and huge tacos were worth every penny. Our lunch hit the spot, and helped to recharge us.

We checked in to the Havasupai Lodge (don't bother trying to check in early), changed into bathing suits, and geared up for one of our ultimate destinations, and hiked to the first waterfall, Rock Falls a 30 foot waterfall. After watching others jump off a small ledge underneath the main fall, we put on water shoes, swam over, climbed up the rocky edge, and leaped through the fall as the water from above prickled our skin. It was exhilarating! We watched as several courageous souls jumped from the top of the falls. Rosebud and Rhody, wanted to jump, and we climbed to the top with them, to check it out. OMG, it was high and scary! First Rosebud, then Rhody launched off, jumping out so as not to hit the rock at the top that jutted out. My heart was in my throat as they leaped into the beautiful, turquoise water, and I couldn't breathe until I saw them surface again (which seemed to take forever!). They both amazed me with their bravery and for seizing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I hope they will always remember the thrill of jumping, and the adrenalin rush as they plunged into breathtaking Rock Falls.

Other links to check: http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2011/08/july-was-blur.html
http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/Havasupai Mooney Falls2012.html
and http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2012/04/mooney-falls-return-trip.html

Rock Falls in the Grand Canyon, north of Supai

Rock Falls - 30 foot waterfall

Rhody jumping from the lower ledge, through Rock Falls

Rosebud and Rhody seize the day and jump from the top of Rock Falls!


Rock Falls - the "stairs" up to the 30' jump

Rock Falls from a distance

Weathering Hurricane Irene

2011-09-03T20:57:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Irene 2011

When Hurricane Irene came storming her way up the east coast, I'm not sure we thought we'd actually be in the dark...or at least not for as long as we were. We prepared as best we could; we bought gallons of drinking water, froze Ziplock bags full of water, stowed all the outdoor chairs, tables, soccer nets, etc. Hubby filled the second propane tank for the grill, and bought some canned goods and non-fridge food. I did extra loads of laundry ahead of schedule, filled up the dishwasher and ran it, and gathered every candle and match book in the house. We charged the electronics and cell phones, gathered the flashlights and batteries, and filled the bathtub with water. We were prepared for the worst, and hoped for the best. And then at 10:50 am on Sunday, we lost power.

I'm proud to say we weathered Hurricane Irene and the loss of power for 82 hours with as much green grace as we could muster. We lost several trees, and large branches, and a section of fence was knocked down, and ultimately had to toss several pounds of meat, but luckily there was no damage to the house, and we still had running water. For the first few hours, it felt like we were on an adventure, "Survivor Irene", but when the hot water ran out, the electronics ran out of charge, and the kids got bored playing board games, the forced "green" adventure turned the adventurers a bit grouchy. Personally, I'd never experienced a power outage for 82 hours, and it really made me appreciate all the everyday things that we all typically take for granted in a developed country.

We made due with less. No electricity. No hot water. No microwave. None of the modern conveniences we are accustomed to, switching on the lights, running the dishwasher, toasting a bagel, boiling water, reheating food, cooking, making coffee, throwing in a load of laundry, watching TV to name a few. Keeping food cold in the cooler, washing dishes in cold water, and drying them in the sunlight, and later reading and functioning by candlelight made us feel like we'd stepped back into the 1800's. At 6am on Monday morning, hubby began searching for more ice for the coolers. He drove all over to find it, (none of the surrounding stores were open or had ice, so he drove further to a town we knew still had power), and to look for a generator at Home Depot or Lowes. Of course they were sold out, but he put us on a waiting list to rent a generator to keep the food in the main fridge/freezer from spoiling. 28 hours into the outage he was able to rent one, and we were able to plug in the fridge, and a second extension cord to recharged cell phones, iPad, and iPods.

As time went on, we developed a great appreciation for the power and appliances that we usually take for granted. On the fourth day without electricity, we decided to try to boost morale (we were all quite grouchy by the time evening rolled around), and used the second generator plug to watch one of my favorite chick flicks, Sweet Home Alabama. We'd just about finished the movie, when the lights and fans came on! The kids whooped and hollered, and we breathed a collective sigh of relief that we'd weathered Hurricane Irene. Let's hope that the predictions from NOAA, for a higher than usual incidence of hurricanes and tropical storms, misses the mark, and we can pick and choose green choices a la carte instead of "a la Hurricane".

Baring it All

2011-08-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

I think Vanessa Farquharson, author of the eco-chic book, Sleeping Naked Is Green: How an Eco-Cynic Unplugged Her Fridge, Sold Her Car, and Found Love in 366 Days would agree that "Bare" by Solo is a great line of products. Farquharson's book, which is organized so that I could read it in short snippets (which is key when you have the distractions of 4 kids, a household to run, and work), is definitely one of my favorites. We were already implementing many of her ideas on our own, but I learned lots of green tips, and have implemented the ones that make sense for my family...A la Carte Green style of course :) I wonder if Vanessa knows about the Bare products? Anyway, I digress...

Back to the Baring it All...Solo's "Bare" is being used by the eco-conscious, eco-forward Bentley University to promote sustainability throughout the campus in their dining areas and throughout their catering department. To accomplish this, Bentley uses paperboard Bare cups for coffee. The coffee cups are compostable, and made with renewable resources.

I decided to investigate Bare a bit more, and upon review of the Bare Solo website, I discovered that they have a whole line of products; the "Bare is Strong" 10" renewable plates made with plant-based renewable materials; the stylish "Bare is Elegant" 10"compostable plates, 8.25" lunch compostable plates, 6.7" compostable desert plates, 20oz compostable bowls - are all made from renewable sugar cane, and are compostable; the "Bare is Natural" 14oz compostable cups are made from bio-based plastic (made from plants like corn); and the "Bare is Clear" line of 18oz recyclable cups, which are made from 20% post-consumer recycled plastic.

IMHO, Solo's Bare line of products has shown that being eco-conscious, and having eco-forward thinking, and eco-forward convenience can be sexy and sustainable at the same time ;)

Popeye and Olive Oyl would be proud

2011-08-17T14:46:00.000-07:00

In the old cartoon, Popeye the Sailor, the hero Popeye downs cans of spinach to have super human strength, while his girlfriend Olive Oyl swoons over him.

Today we know that Popeye was a pretty smart sailor because spinach is an excellent source of fiber which lowers your risk of diabetes and heart disease, Vitamin A which contributes to good vision, and Vitamin C and Folate which contribute to the reduction of fatigue. It is also a good source of Vitamin K and Manganese, which contribute to healthy bones, and Potassium which helps maintain normal blood pressure.

The trick is to sneak these health benefits into meals. We add fresh spinach into salads, and wilt spinach with olive oil (Popeye's girlfriend Olive Oyl would be so proud), and we also get the kids to eat spinach disguised in a yummy spinach dip, that we dip veggies into. For me, fresh, dark green, spinach is preferable to the canned kind that Popeye loved, but however you can get the kids and yourself to eat it, spinach is the ultimate green, so give it a try.

We've purchased fresh spinach in various packaging, sometimes plastic clam-shells that can be recycled, and sometimes pre-packaged plastic bags. The other night, I offhandedly checked the spinach bag, and was delighted to learn that Fresh Express (pre-packaged spinach and salads) uses "an eco-friendly wash that cleans salads better than traditional chlorine wash" and comes in a #7 recyclable pre-package bag! I couldn't believe that the bag actually had a recycle symbol since so many bags that can be recycled do not. Fresh Express scored points with me because not only is the spinach healthy for us, they are using a healthier rinse, and the bag can be recycled to boot. I think Popeye and Olive Oyl would be proud too ;)

Green Project of the Day - deux

2011-08-15T11:21:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned, I'm in de-clutter mode! And that means yet another green project is getting done. The ideas are always flowing, but the energy to accomplish things isn't always equal to the brain activity that comes up with things...

So back in June, I made a gorgeous (imho) quilt for my god-daughter, which was quite green (I'll explain in a minute). There were a bunch of leftover squares from that project, so I decided to get one more green project out of the material, and make a second quilt for a new 2nd cousin. Fast forward...I finally took the time to lay out the pieces to see if I had enough, and lo and behold there are enough pieces so I can just get started sewing!


Enough pieces left from prior project to make green project deux

The front of the quilt is completed

Why do I consider these quilts green? All of the material (except the batting), is recycled from previous projects. 11 years ago my talented mother made a reversible bed spread, curtains, and dust ruffle for Tiger Lily when she shared a room with Rhody (we are talking baby Rhody). At the time we bought enough material for the someday possibility of needed 2 matching reversible bedspreads (when Rhody was out of the crib). As it turns out, we were lucky enough to be able to do an addition on the house, and thankfully Tiger Lily moved out into her own room a LONG time ago. So my Mom returned the unused material, I've been storing it all this time, and have finally put it to good use in the two quilt projects. The coordinating fabric, is also "green" because I got it from Recycling for Rhode Island Education (RRIE) http://www.rrie.org/ (see also http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2010/02/recycled-centerpieces-trash-to-treasure.html )

Now if only recycled thread were readily available...