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Articles Furnishings Home Decor Home Design Home Improvement

8 Hacks To Instantly Upsize Your Kitchen

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We all dream with a big, spacious kitchen, like the ones in TV cooking shows. And even maybe one of those gigantic mansions we often see on MTV. Unfortunately for most of us, reality does not come with huge stainless steel counters and infinite room to put bowls away. If you want your tiny kitchen to feel bigger and maximize your space, here are some hacks that will make your kitchen go form “cramped” to “cozy”.

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1. Think Vertically: use your wall space

Just because there’s no more room for cabinets, it doesn’t mean you should let those precious free inches go to waste. Put up shelves all the way to the ceiling and store cups, classes and mugs there instead of a cabinets.

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2. Use the inside of your cabinet doors

Maximize the space inside of your cabinets and hang your measuring cups, spices or pot lids there. As a bonus, it really is more practical to have certain items ready and organized as soon as you open the cabinet door.

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 3. Bring a pegboard to your kitchen

 Pegboards are not only for the garage anymore. After all, pots and pans are nothing more than the tools you use in the kitchen, right? Hang your pots, pans and other kitchenware in a pegboard, it will look good and keep your items organized.

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 4. Change to an over-the-sink cutting board

 Saving space is not only important when storing things. There’s nothing more annoying than not having enough room to comfortably prep your meal. Use an over-the-sink cutting board and save your counter space for other things.

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 5. Hide a dish rack over your sink

 Instead of wasting precious counter real state, install a dish rack over your sink. You’ll save space, and your drying dishes will be neatly tucked away from your sight.

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 6. Magnetize your spices

 You know what never gets used? Your refrigerator door. Buy small containers with magnets in them and display your spices, have them always on hand and save space, all in the same move.

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 7. Bye bye knife block

 Use a magnetic strip to store knives and free up counter space. Have your knives always on hand and reduce damage to the blade.

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 8. Get a nice fold-up kitchen table

 If you don’t have a big family, a small kitchen table that folds up on the wall will save you a lot of space and make your kitchen feel bigger. You can find small, cute tables, that are practical and stylish.

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Eco Tips

Is Your Cat An Eco Threat? (We’ll Answer Right Meow)

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One of the most underrated threats for our local ecosystems has been allowed to go unchecked for too long. And there’s probably one near you right meow. I don’t want to alarm you, but it could be anywhere, on your lawn, inside your house, under your bed… it could even be on your lap right now as you are reading this. That’s right, I’m talking about the domestic cat. I’m sure Mr. Mittens is incredibly cute and cuddly, but he could be terrorizing your neighborhood without your knowledge. It’s not his fault, of course, he’s just following his instincts. But, the cat’s out of the bag now and we’ve got some ‘pawsitive’ news.

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One of the stronger instincts for cats is to hunt. It doesn’t matter how well-fed your cat is, he will still want to hunt and kill prey. Even if you give Dr. Fluffkin home-cooked meals every day, he will still go outside and ruthlessly murder some birds. And probably won’t eat them afterward. Studies have shown that cats are killing billions of animals every year, which makes them a hazard for local wildlife.

 Studies estimate that cats are responsible for the deaths of up to 3.7 billion birds and 20.7 billion mammals each year in the US alone. Globally, 33 species were drove to extinction by cats. Stray and feral cats are the worst offenders, but pet cats are not free of blame. Luckily, there are ways in which you can mitigate the effect of your pet in the local environment.

 First of all, you can keep Princess Furrypaws indoors. This will stop her from killing birds, squirrels and rabbits. This will also keep your cat safe, away from cars, other animals and cruel or careless people. If you want to let your kitty enjoy the sun and fresh air, you can always get him a leash and a harness, and take him outside under your supervision. It will probably take a while until your cat is used to the leash, but it can be done. Simply make him wear the harness for a few minutes a day until he moves normally, and then add the leash to the equation.

 If you don’t want to use a leash and your cat still goes outside, then you can try buying a well-fitted collar with a big bell. This is by far the least effective route, but it has been proven that a bell can reduce a cat’s success when hunting by a third.

 But wait, you say, Captain Whiskers never goes outside, he only hunts laser pointers and plastic mice. If that’s the case, then your cat is probably very eco-friendly, you’ve done your part to save the Earth. Just remember to play with your cat for twenty minutes every day to keep him stimulated and make him feel loved. Unless you’re looking forward to raising a serial killer kitty cat.

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Eco Tips Lawn & Garden

You Should Be Growing Your Own Aromatic Herbs And Here’s Why

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Have some extra space in your garden? Some empty pots you want to put to good use? Start growing aromatic herbs if you are not doing it already. And if you are, keep doing it. And maybe grow some more. There are a million reasons why having your own little herb garden, but I will list only a few of them. You will find your own reasons to love your herb garden, I can promise you that.

1. Taking care of plants if therapeutic

It’s been scientifically proven that gardening is very relaxing. Taking time out of your day to pause and care for your plants can help you reduce stress and anxiety. Using your hands and clearing your head for a few minutes a day will make you feel renewed and energized, and it will improve your mood for the rest of the day.

2. Growing plants that you can use is rewarding

There is no feeling as satisfying as knowing your hobbies are both fun and useful. Sure, all plants look nice, but when your plants look nice and are a great addition to your cooking, it’s clear who the real winner is. An aromatic herb garden can give you a sense of accomplishment every time you cook, knowing you are using something you grew with your own hands.

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3. Fresh herbs taste a lot better than the dried stuff

It doesn’t matter if you are a fantastic chef or if the kitchen is a new and mysterious land for you. Any dish can be improved with fresh herbs. Basil, parsley, thyme, mint, bay and oregano can add a lot of flavor, and take your meals from “okay” to “amazing”. You can even experiment with different flavors to see which addition works best with every dish.

4. They just smell good

 Aromatic herbs are, well, aromatic. They smell fantastic without being overwhelming. A lot of flowers smell nice, of course, but they can be overly sweet for some people. And flowers bloom only for a while. Herbs, on the other hand, always smell fresh, and they keep their smell all year round. Basil, mint and lavender are especially good for this, especially if you are growing them indoors. They mask unpleasant smells and keep the room smelling fresh and clean.

 5. You can save money

 If you normally use herbs and spices in your cooking, they can add up in your budget, especially if you choose to use fresh leaves as opposed to dried ones. With your own little herb garden, you can scratch that item off your grocery list indefinitely.

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Articles Eco Eats Eco Tips

I Bet You Had No Clue These Celebrities Are Vegans And Vegetarians

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Being a celebrity is often confused with being a spoiled, selfish brat, who’s leading a life of excess, money, fame, and parties. But not all celebrities decide to take on their fame and use it to party 24/7 like Lindsay Lohan or Paris Hilton do. Some celebrities are praised for their acting or singing skills, but also, because they publicly speak out on matters that are important to the world. These are the most outspoken celebrities who lead the vegan and vegetarian life and we cannot help but praise them. For the right reasons.

Alicia Silverstone. Was one of the first celebs to publicly screamed to the world back in the 90’s, that she was a vegetarian. Author of the book ‘The kind diet’, is an outspoken mom who’s been a vegan for over 16 years now. Back it wasn’t so ‘common’ to hear celebrities speak about animal abuse and these sorts of diets. “I couldn’t reconcile being an advocate for animals and at the same time eating them — it made no sense,” she stated in her new book, The Kind Mama. And boy, do we agree!
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Alan Cumming. Who plays Eli Gold on TV’s hit show The Good Wife knows a thing or two about strategy and the power those political candidates carry under their sleeves. And being in the spotlight himself, Alan stands for animal rights and is completely against the hormones that dead carcasses carry in their bodies. He’s also a big fan of hummus. Who can blame him?!

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Lovely Anne Hathaway, who plaid an innocent intern in the movie Devil Wears Prada dropped 60 pounds for a movie role. She went from a slim girl to an unbelievably tiny shred of her old self. She chopped her hair off as well, but that wasn’t the only change in her life. She ditched her old eating habits and turned to veganism. She seemed to be in the right track, according to PETA and other vegan crusaders, when suddenly in 2014, she decided to switch to the Paleo diet which is packed with a different kind of protein. Hey! Whatever works for her! She just might come back to being a vegan, right?
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Emily Deschanel. Also known as ‘Dr. Brennan’ on Fox’s show Bones, got pregnant and maintained her vegan diet. Twenty years ago she started the green life and has never looked back. When she was pregnant, she stated “I don’t think it’s any more challenging for me than it is for anyone else: You have to make sure you get all those essential nutrients.” And we all know she’s talking about getting enough vitamin B12 and omega-3s, which is something most vegans lack.

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Eco Eats

How Veganism Doesn’t Necessarily Help The Planet

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Well, I was a meat eater. I simply felt fed up one day and upon watching the acclaimed documentary ‘Food Inc’, I decided to slowly cut down on my meat intake. The first reason is because I felt disgusted at what mass production is doing to animals. But also, because I noticed how slowly, my vegan and vegetarian menus were making me healthier and more energetic. They also made me lose weight and I needed that, because of health reasons. I was proud of helping out the chain by being a week vegetarian. But then I started to flirt with the idea of becoming a full blown vegan.

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I did the research and there is no good source of information. One party claims is the best thing you can do for the earth, while another says “this is bull, you need to eat different foods, because you are also helping to destroy the earth”, then someone else claims “well, then become a fruitarian, I’m healthy and I only eat fruits”. But then a doctor claims that those fruitarian’s insulin receptors go insane after years of eating just ONE group of food. Many have released videos online claiming that veganism made them put on weight, made them depressed, anxious and as time went by, their blood tests spoke for themselves: veganism and fruit based diets DO not help your diet. And you end up with bad colon issues because you’re digesting huge amounts of veggies or fruits.

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I tried to avoid preachy vegans telling me that my diet HAD to be vegan, how else would we restore the equilibrium of animals living with humans…but that got me thinking. We never had that equilibrium. Hunting is what we did when we were not civilized and organized and food wasn’t mass produced. While I do agree with the fact that animals cannot be tortured and confined to those unhealthy living conditions just to murder them mercilessly, I do not agree that veganism is the ONE way to go. Particularly Raw veganism. And in a farmer’s words, here’s why:

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The point I’m trying to make is that sometimes, diets and lifestyles change and it’s OK. Do what works for you, and your values. Do what works for your body. If raw veganism doesn’t do the trick for you, then don’t force feed your body with huge amounts of raw food. Eat cooked veggies! Eat fruits! Eat meat! Eat what makes your blood test results shine, and your energy boost! Whatever you do, keep reading and try to filter so many preachy messages online that seem to confuse us all. Be happy and healthy and enjoy life!

 

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Eco Tips

Safety Eco-Tips For An Icy Situation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Eco Fashion

Places Where You Can Find Eco-Friendly Fashion Wear

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four-girls-forest-green-wear-fashionDid you know that you can be eco-friendly when you go clothes shopping as well? I did not know that when I first started the green life. There are many stores out there on this green planet of ours that offer eco-friendly options. Some stores are even full of only eco clothing options. You can get a whole outfit (head to toe) that is environmentally conscious. You can look amazing and feel good at the same time.

Here are some places where you can find eco-friendly fashion wear that even Mother Nature will turn to look at how hot you look on her green planet.

  • ShopFaire.com – Great place for one of a kind jewelry, scarves, hats, necklaces, and rings. All of the accessories are made from sustainable natural materials.
  • Asos.com – Go to their Green Room section. Prices range from $5 – $3,000 (vintage Chanel bag). You will find kitschy bikinis, recycled metal jewelry and repurposed vintage clothing.
  • Shopethica.com – It is very ethical to shop at Ethica. You will surely find pastel dresses and blouses with a twist, fun purses and intricate jewelry for prices starting at $70. They are also fair trade, vegan, and made in U.S.A.

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  • Local Vintage Shops – If you want to be eco-friendly to the core and not have anything shipped to your home then you can always hit up the local vintage shops or thrift stores. There are always great finds. You can get the jewelry, and outfit at the same place for less than $100 dollars. You will be shocked when you see all the amazing things you will want. To this day my favorite buy was a .25 cents Fossil messenger bag (worth $600 dollars) that I found at my local thrift store.
  • Kaight Shop – located on Atlantic Ave. in Brooklyn, New York. She also has a site. Her store offers eco-conscious wear from local designers. Skinny jeans, vintage dresses, and shoes are a few of the things offered.

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  • Los Angeles Trio – Do not miss out shopping at these: Wastelands, Crossroads Trading Company, and Buffalo Exchange. Alicia Silverstone loves these three shops.
  • Vaute Couture – (located in Brooklyn/soon in Manhattan) they make eco-friendly, vegan fashion wear. I love their coats. My favorite is a moleskin zipper masterpiece for only $200 dollars. Shop online too at vautecouture.com.

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  • The Reformation – This awesome eco-fashion wear shop is located on Melrose Ave. in LA and they also have a location in SoHo, New York. All I have to say is that you will fall in love with their vintage fur accessories.

Save up that green to shop green. I hope you check out these amazing eco-wear fashion sites, and stores. Check out the local vintage shops. Do not be afraid to not wear eco-friendly clothing. The main difference you should always keep in mind is that your outfit is helping you look good and you are helping the environment. Every little fashion step counts. Keep walking the sidewalk with the confidence of an eco-friendly fashion lover with an eye for sustainability.

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Eco Tips Furnishings Home Decor Home Design

Fun Eco-Furnishing Ideas That Your House Would Love To Showcase

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branch-shelf-eco-friendly-furnishing Decorating a home can be so much fun and so expensive. In this case we went a different route since it is an eco-friendly home. We went low in cost and expensive in taste. A lot of your home furnishing can be made by hand. You know who can make them? You! Your hands can make amazing furniture that you will cherish for a long time.

Here are some fun eco-furnishing ideas that your house would love to showcase and you would surely brag about because you made them yourself.

  • Mulch Pop Art – You will need a picture frame. You can repurpose one or purchase one at a thrift store. Purchase some mulch and separate them in to 8 different buckets. Add a different paint color in each one. Just toss the mulch a bit so that it does not get clumpy. Now take the glass off the picture frame. You have your frame backboard now to make art pop. Use eco-friendly wood glue on the frame backboard. Use the mulch and make a colorful word, or face. Get creative.
  • Pebble Hot Pad – Collect some river pebbles or stones and glue them to a circular piece of wood. Now you can use it to put your tea kettle and hot plates on.

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  • Yarn of Fate – In this case… ‘fate’ will be ‘photos’. Go to a salvage yard and purchase old nails, at least 30 of them. You will need some strong twine too and clips. Find a bare wall in your home. Use a pencil and mark out where each nail will go. Make them far apart from each other and have some zigzag. Now hammer them in. Now tie the twine to one of the nails and loop it around the other nails to make lines. When you get to the last nail make sure the twine is strong and tight. Tie it up. Now look for old photos of family, friends, yourself, postcards, etc. Clip them along the twine. You have a one-of-a-kind collage piece.
  • Tree Stump Side Tables – A very simple d.i.y. Get a tree stump with a flat surface. Dry it out, and then chisel away the bark. Now sand it down. You are done. Take an extra step if you want by painting them or adding some varnish. It is up to you.
  • Eggshell Candles – Save those eggshells after you crack them. Give them a good rinse and let them dry. Fill them with wax and a wick and you have the best eco-friendly light ever. You can even make them colorful by melting crayons and filling the eggshells with your color of choice. Set them right on top of the tree stump table.

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  • Tree Shelves – Find a thick tree branch. Saw of any excess, and screw it in the wall. You can display small plush toys and trinkets.

There you have it! You can now make these simple yet fun furnishings for your home. The best part is that they are all eco-friendly. Look at nature differently. The next time you are out looking for something to bring into the house remember to ask yourself if you can make it and if there are materials already available for use. Get to having fun the eco-conscious way.

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Eco Tips

Celebrate With Eco-Friendly Wedding Reception Ideas

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Eco Tips Lawn & Garden

Get Rid Of Pests The Eco-Friendly Way

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pest-control-eco-friendly-wayNow that spring has come and all of the flowers have blossomed in some areas and the grass has grown, be ready for the pest parade. Bugs, ants, caterpillars, spiders, roaches, worms, water bugs, and you name it, the pest is around. Don’t you just hate it when they invade your garden and/or your home? I know I do. Now that you are living the eco-life I think you should go about getting rid of them. No, do not stomp them, or eat them. Find eco-friendlier ways of getting rid of pests.

Here are some ways to get rid of pests the eco-friendly way and I hope you do try them.

  • Try natural planting. Why? It is more likely to attract pests that are beneficial to your plants instead of pests that will harm them.
  • Do not be squeamish. Slugs have a bad habit of roaming around and eating everything in sight. Slug it! Pick them up with your own hands and throw them out. You can also just stomp on them as you scream in fear.
  • Beer traps work well in killing slugs and roaches. Just put small containers full of beer in the ground. The next day you should have some surprises.
  • Protect your plants, fruits, and veggies with plant netting. They are great for keeping unwanted pests out of your hard work.
  • Any child would love to have an ant farm. Just make sure the ones you pick from the yard are not the red ones. The last thing you want is too have red ants running loose around the house because little Joe accidently tip the ant farm over.
  • Scott’s Nature’s Answer Natural Pest Control spray is a natural insecticide and fungicide. You can use is on flowers, fruits, and vegetables. It helps get rid of caterpillars, red spider mites, and black flies. Use is outdoors and indoors.

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  • Add some color to your garden. Plant some wild flowers. Why? They attract bees and bees scare off other pests because they are bee-otches!
  • Diatomaceous earth can be used on many pests. Keep it handy.
  • When it comes to spiders…KILL THEM WITH WHATEVER IS NEAR YOU!
  • Trick those pesky pests. How? Trick them by planting strategically of course. If you are planting cabbages and want to avoid cabbage flies then plant chives or onions next to the cabbage. It will confuse them and you will be cabbage fly free.
  • Shoe fly don’t bother me! Put mint in small satchels around the house. It will repel the flies.
  • I especially hate the pests that visit when the lights are off. ROACHES! Spray them with some soapy water. Use Boric acid on the top of your cabinets. Be careful when handling the acid. These tricks also help get rid of ants too.
  • The eco-friendliest way is to have a clean home that the pests do not want to visit. I recommend not leaving your garden unattended for more than two days.

Now that you know some eco-friendly ways to getting rid of pests please try them. Leave the Raid cans at the store. The smell is deadly to the air and you. So next time you see an insect in the garden try not to scream and try getting rid of it if it needs to be. Remember that some pests are good for your garden like ground beetles, lacewings, butterflies and lady beetles.