Author: Stephanie Kling

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Eco Tips Featured Lawn & Garden

3 Green Fertilizer Alternatives

Unfortunately many gardeners rely on chemical fertilizers to grow their trees, grass, flowers, fruits and vegetables. However in recent years there has been an increase in awareness about the amount of chemicals we use in our yards and how it can negatively impact the environment and our friends and family in the long run.

Thankfully with the “green” movement there has been an increase in number of healthy, natural and organic fertilizers.  Here are 3 natural garden fertilizer alternatives to chemical fertilizers.

Bat Guano

Bat guano is the ultimate 100 percent natural fertilizer. It comes straight from the butts of bats, into your yard or garden. Farmers and gardeners have used bat guano as a fertilizer for hundreds of years. It wasn’t until recently that inorganic fertilizers have become popular enough for people to forget that there is a natural option that works just as well! The manufacturers of this product state that they follow the high standards of Bat Conservation International, so you can feel good about buying this natural garden and bat-friendly fertilizer.  Bat Guano works great as a soil builder and fertilizer.

Fish Meal Organic Fertilizer

Like bat guano, fish meal is a natural organic fertilizer that was traditionally used by gardeners and farmers before the advent of inorganic fertilizers. Fish meal contains important trace elements, which makes it a complete plant food. Fish meal works quickly and provides plenty of phosphorous and organic nitrogen.

Kelp Meal Fertilizer

Kelp meal fertilizer is made from brown seaweed harvested from cold ocean waters. Once harvested, the kelp is dried and ground up to produce an excellent organic fertilizer. The dried kelp maintains a high content of plant growth hormones, essential minerals and organic material. An added benefit is that kelp meal provides a slow, sustained release of nutrients. Organic kelp fertilizers are fully approved for organic gardening. They work great for flowers, trees, and your lawn.

Sources: sustainablog.com, (http://sustainablog.org/2008/05/low-impact-living-twelve-tips-for-eco-friendly-lawn-care/), extremelygreen.com, (http://www.extremelygreen.com/fertilizerguide.cfm).

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Articles Eco Eats Featured

Veggie Pizza for Meatless Monday

Looking for that perfect veggie pizza recipe? Look no further! Here is the perfect veggie pizza!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 ball pizza dough
½ zucchini, thinly sliced*
½ yellow squash, thinly sliced*
1 tsp. kosher salt
6 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced
½ red onion, chopped
2-3 oz. soft garlic herb cheese, such as Boursin
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

Directions:

Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat.  Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes.  Let the oil infuse about 5-10 minutes.  Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, place the zucchini and squash slices in a colander and toss with the salt.  Let stand 15-20 minutes to allow excess water to drain from the vegetables.  Lay the slices out on a clean kitchen towel and blot the surface to remove additional water and the salt.

To make the pizza, heat the oven to 500˚ F and preheat a pizza stone for at least 30 minutes.  Roll out the pizza dough into a 12-14 inch round.  Lightly brush the perimeter of the dough with olive oil.  Brush the center of the dough with the garlic infused oil.  Sprinkle the mozzarella in an even layer over the dough.  Layer the zucchini and squash slices in concentric circles over the cheese covering the pizza.  Top with the tomatoes, red onion, Boursin and basil.  Bake 10-12 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is lightly browned, about 11-12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Additional Notes:

Instead of using squash and zucchini you can use whatever spring/summer vegetables you like. Try using broccoli, peppers, olives, corn or even mushrooms!

 

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Featured Home Improvement

4 Ways to Make Your Air Conditioner Greener

Green air conditioning is becoming more widespread as air conditioner manufacturers phase out ozone-depleting refrigerants in their products in order to meet new government regulations. A number of technological advancements are also making AC units greener. With warmer weather on the way now’s a good time to start looking for a new “greener” unit. Whether by purchasing units with energy-saving technologies or by improving a home’s energy efficiency, here are four ways to make air conditioners greener.

Size Matters

An under-sized air conditioner not only won’t keep the home cool but will keep trying, wasting electricity and running up the household’s energy bills. A too-small unit won’t be able to balance the air cooled in the unit’s condenser with the humid, expended air that the evaporator draws out from the home. Be sure that your unit fits with the size of your home for maximum savings.

Two-Stage Compressors

It’s the compressors of an air conditioning unit that typically uses the most electricity. Compressors have to work hard to squeeze out the heated vapors so that the refrigerant returns to its cooled state. Two-stage compressors automatically compress less on cool days and more when it’s hot, saving energy.

Programmable Thermostats

Installing a programmable thermostat is one of the most affordable ways and one of the easiest ways to green up an air conditioning system. Homeowners can program the thermostat to remain off when no one is at home and to automatically turn on and cool the home for the household’s return.

Regular Maintenance

HVAC professionals should inspect and service air conditioning units at least once each year. Maintenance includes testing refrigerant pressure, accessing the unit’s air flow and checking for leaks. HVAC specialist may also recommend modifications to increase the system’s energy efficiency. By doing routine maintenance you can save yourself money and help out the planet at the same time!

 

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Eco Eats Featured

Black Bean Veggie Burgers for Meatless Monday

It’s Monday which means another Meatless Monday recipe for you! We have found an excellent black bean veggie burger recipe, it’s easy, quick, and fast! Once you make this recipe you won’t be buying pre-made veggie patties EVER again!

Ingredients:

1- 16 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed

½ green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces

½ onion, cut into wedges

3 or 4 cloves garlic, peeled

1 egg

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp hot sauce

1 tsp cumin

½ cup breadcrumbs

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375 and prepare your baking sheet with oil.

While the oven is preheating, in a medium bowl mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.  In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion and garlic. Then stir into mashed beans.

In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin and hot sauce. Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix into bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties.

Proceed to bake for about 10 minutes on each side.

Additional Notes:

Instead of baking you can grill on an outside grill. You can also make other substitutions and or changes to the ingredients based on your personal preferences.

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Featured Lawn & Garden

How to Make Your Own Biodegradable Pots

 For many years, the primary packing system for seedlings, are plastic packs of four to twelve containers. The plastic is petroleum based in makeup and automatically makes them a disposable, but not biodegradable product. Nor are they the best way to guarantee that all the plants you purchase would survive and grow. Despite drainage holes, these containers promote root rot through poor air circulation and often many of the plants in these packs do not survive.

Some manufacturers have started to make biodegradable planting pots. These plant containers such consist of wood fiber and peat moss and no drainage holes are necessary and the pot disintegrates into the soil. These pots not only make gardening easy for you (it is not necessary to remove the plant from the plastic pot and re-transplant) but they are better for the environment. Read on to learn how to make your own biodegradable pots at home.

How to Make Your Own Biodegradable Pots

  • Take a tin can, a small plant-pot, or even the inner cardboard tube from a roll of toilet paper, and, folding one sheet of newspaper in half length-ways, wrap it around the can or pot, leaving enough paper at the bottom so that you can fold or tuck it in to make a floor for your pot.
  • Still holding the newspaper, sit the pot upright and remove the can or tube from inside. Using your fingers, or a pencil, press down the folded paper bottom and tip a little bit of compost in to ensure your new biodegradable pot holds its shape, but keep hold of the outside in case it starts to unravel.
  • Now fold down the top, making sure that you fold over the ends of the paper to stop it springing loose. As soon as it holds, pour in more compost up to a couple of centimeters from the top.
  • Place the pot on a tray and gently moisten the soil. You can crowd lots of other makeshift pots around it for additional support and to help retain moisture.
  • Now you’re ready to plant your seed. Leave the tray on a warm, sunny windowsill and you should start to see little green shoots appearing in a matter of days.
  • As soon as the seedlings are big enough (follow the instructions on the packet), you can start hardening them off by taking them outside for the day, and bringing them in at night for about a week before you plant them out. If the seedlings are going directly into a pot inside, you can move them as soon as they are a few inches tall. Do be aware though that plants do grow very quickly in these early stages and you’ll need a larger pot than you think (especially if you’re growing mint, which tends to spread!).

(Instructions courtesy of pledgingforchange.com)

Categories
Eco Tips Recycling

5 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day at Home

Earth Day is an annual holiday where events are held worldwide to demonstrate support for Environmental Protection Agency which is celebrated on April 22nd. It is celebrated around the world in 192 countries and is commonly known as International Mother Earth Day. Here are five things you can do this Earth Day/

Plant a Tree

There’s no time like Earth Day to make your world a little greener — in the literal sense. Planting trees, bushes and any­ plant life at all not only beautifies your home space, it also absorbs some of the CO2­­ from the air.

Change Your Light bulbs

Been putting off switching your incandescent light bulbs to energy-saving fluorescents? Well, you’re going to have to do it in the next few years, with many governments looking to phase out energy-hogging incandescent bulbs by about 2012. Replacing ­all the bulbs in your house won’t take long, and it’ll save you money on your energy bill since fluorescents are a lot more efficient than standard light bulbs.

Ride Instead of Drive

If everyone rode a bike when running a short errand instead of driving their car, we would save over 70 million gallons of fuel each year in the United States alone. Plus, when you ride your bike you get to enjoy the fresh air and it’s a great way to exercise.

Attend an Event

Earth Day events are held across the nation and are full of fun activities for both kids and adults.  Nationwide events can be seen at www.earthday.net, so you can pick an event close to you.

Make an All Organic Meal

Cook a special Earth Day meal using healthy, organic foods. Be sure to invite the friends and family over to share a healthy, home-cooked meal.

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Eco Eats

Tofu and Vegetable Stir-fry for Meatless Monday

Here is a simple recipe for an easy Chinese-style vegetarian and vegan vegetable stir-fry with tofu in a light ginger sauce.

Tofu and Vegetable Stir-fry

Ingredients:

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or minced

1 block firm or extra-firm tofu, well pressed and cut into 1 inch cubes

2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil

1/2 cauliflower, chopped

1 bunch broccoli, chopped

2 carrots, sliced

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, any color, sliced

1 cup snow peas

1 cup mushrooms, sliced (any kind)

3 green onions (scallions), sliced

rice, pre-cooked

Preparation:

In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, lemon juice and ginger. Marinade the tofu in this sauce for at least one hour.

In a wok or a large skillet, cook the cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, onion, bell pepper and tofu over high heat, stirring frequently.

Add the snow peas, mushrooms, green onions and marinade from the tofu. Allow to cook for just a few more minutes. Vegetables should be tender but not soft.  Add the rice and cook just until heated through and well mixed.

Additional Notes:

You can add any vegetables you have on hand to the stir-fry. If you don’t like tofu you can add seitan or tempeh instead, or omit it completely and just have a vegetable stir-fry.

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Featured Home Decor

Designing for the Senses

Successful interior decorating takes into account the entire human experience. A great way to personalize your house and make it a home is to incorporate some of the five senses. Here are some tips on incorporating sound, sight, smell and touch into your home.

Sound

Music can fill a home with happy memories, moments of joy, and soothing tranquility. A happy home is often filled with music that moves the soul and soothes the nerves.  Make an at-home tranquility fountain and place in your living room or visit your local thrift shop and find some soothing music on CDs.

Sight

The eye likes to see visually pleasing things, which is why we strive to have a visually pleasing home.  It is personal preference which colors and textures you like some will prefer neutrals and some will prefer vibrant colors.  An easy way to please the eye is to paint your rooms or paint an accent wall. Try and use  an eco-friendly wall paint.

Smell

Pleasant scents are always preferable over those that might not smell so pleasant. So indulge yourself and your home with pleasant scents. Depending on the room, depends on the scent. If you want your bedroom to have a romantic feel, use lavender. Make your own air fresheners for your house (read about the dangers of commercial air fresheners and how to make your own here.)

Touch

Fill your home with eco-friendly fabrics and upholsteries that comfort you. Shop at secondhand stores or at thrift shops for gently used furniture. When shopping for fabrics or upholstered furniture run your hands across the surface. Ask yourself “How does it feel?” and “How does it make me feel”.  Also mix and match different textures together such as hardwood floors with a silky rug.

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Featured Home Design

Why You Should Choose Recycled Glass Countertops

Have you heard about recycled glass countertops and wondered what exactly they are or maybe you’ve never heard of them before. The glass that is used in the recycled countertops is from both post-consumer and pre-consumer sources.

Where is the glass from?

Post-consumer sources are plenty however it is most commonly found from consumers (glass bottles). Although curbside recycled glass is common, salvage glass is an “emerging new source”.  Recently a lot of state and local governments are requiring the recyclcing of the glass that is pulled from demolished buildings.

Why is it considered a green alternative?

Most of the common countertops that are built use Corian, plastic laminate (Formica), tile, and granite. However because of its petroleum base, Corian and other solid machine-able counter materials are a poor ecological choice. Recycled glass countertops have a low impact environmentally as both the cement and glass used in this product contain recycled content. These countertops also help create end uses for hard to recycle types of glass.

Where can the recycled glass countertops be used?

The recycled glass countertops aren’t limited to just the kitchen counters. You can use the recycled glass in kitchen backsplashes, bathroom counters, fireplace surrounds, shower bases, or virtually any other flat surface, such as a kitchen table top.

What colors are available?

Recycled glass countertops are available in a wide variety of colors – both single color and mixed for the glass, and several color choices for the cement it’s embedded in. The size of the glass pieces is also optional.

Where can I find my own recycled glass countertop?

There are many companies that carry recycled glass countertops. Some of the major companies include IceStone, Vertrazzo and Geos. If you go to their websites you can find local companies that carry their lines!

Sources: healthyhomeplans.com, (http://www.healthyhomeplans.com/articles/information12.php)

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Featured Lawn & Garden

10 Surprising Health Benefits of Aloe Vera

Everyone knows that aloe vera is great for cuts, sunburns and even bug bites. However did you know about all of the plant’s benefits? The aloe vera plant has been nicknamed the “Healing Plant” and there is good reason too! Not only is the aloe plant great for you and your family but it is a very easy plant to keep alive as well; it is a succulent so it doesn’t require a lot of sun and water.  Growing an aloe plant might be one of the best things you could do for you and your family. Here are some health benefits you may or may not have known about aloe vera:

  • Aloe vera is one of the only known natural vegetarian sources of Vitamin B12, and it contains many minerals vital to the growth process and healthy function of all the body’s systems.
  • Aloe vera plants are also helpful in curing blisters, insect bites and any allergic reactions, eczema, burns, inflammations, wounds, psoriasis. It is great for people who have sensitive skin.
  • It is used as an anti-inflammatory and may be taken internally as a remedy for certain digestive complaints.
  • Oxygenates blood and energizes cells, hydrates skin and repairs skin tissue
  • Aloe vera juice helps in strengthens gums and promotes strong and healthy teeth.
  • An excellent internal tonic for energy and well-being Aloe juice may add greatly to the strength of the food fed, digestive tract, skin, and overall good health and happiness.
  • Aloe vera juice can be applied directly to the skin through gels, creams and lotions to cure acne.
  • Aloe vera plant has vitamins including: Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C and E, Folic Acid and Niacin. Drinking a daily dose of Aloe Vera Juice can enhance body defense system against any kind of oxidative stress.
  • As Aloe Vera is a cellular regenerator and has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal effects, these properties make aloe vera one of nature’s healthiest products. Being a strong antioxidant, it hunts down free radicals and protects the body.
  • Aloe vera plant has been found to be favorable in the treatment of diabetes; it lowers glucose levels in the blood.