Published on May 12th, 2008
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Editor’s note: While many will argue that there’s no such thing as an “eco-friendly lawn” (with justification), the grass covered yard is still a staple of most homes. Today, our friends at Low Impact Living have some tips for “greening” your lawn… while keeping it green. This post was originally published on May 7, 2008.
Summer is just around the corner, and this is the time of year when we really ramp up our lawn activities– watering, fertilizing, mowing, etc. And all of these can have major negative environmental consequences. Did you know that over 50 million Americans mow their lawns each weekend, and contribute as much as 5% of the country’s air pollution? And it’s staggering to realize that the average American grassy lawn can use over 20,000 gallons of water each summer! So, a major part of any green home strategy should be to embrace eco-friendly lawn and garden care.
Here are 12 ways you can make sure you have an eco-friendly lawn this summer
1. Collect rain water and use it for your plants. Getting a rain barrel or two for your yard is a simple way to collect and reuse Mother Nature’s water. Just put it under your gutter’s down spout and you’ll be amazed how fast it fills up. Click here for rain barrels.
2. Make sure you’re not over-watering. Most of us over-water our lawns. Do you have moss growing on your driveway or sidewalk or in your garden? That’s a sign you’re watering too much. Do you have pools of standing water anywhere? Another sign. You can buy a very inexpensive lawn moisture meter that will tell you if you’re over-watering. You might also consider getting an intelligent irrigation control system that attunes your watering to the weather and your lawn’s needs.
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Published on May 12th, 2008
If you go to the mass retailers today, it’s likely that you’re going to pay more for sustainably designed, developed, manufactured and shipped products. In some cases, like my Timberland boots, the products will be superior in all ways that matter and the sustainable attributes will be an added-value. But in most cases the product will either be harder to find, quicker to wear-out or less aesthetically pleasing than the less-sustainable competition.
It’s tempting to point out the many examples beyond my Timberlands, which are sustainable without the sacrifice or the bloated price tag. Sure, they exist but they are the minority–a miniscule struggling minority. If we all start to question why, we can shift every product manufactured towards a more sustainable approach. Every product.
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Published on February 25th, 2008
My boyfriend has a nose like a dog. Because of this, I’ve become accustomed to not wearing perfume and opening the bathroom window after I apply scented lotions. When it comes to cleaning, whether it be the kitchen counters or our weekly two loads of laundry, I have to be sure to use all natural scents that won’t make him dizzy. You could say that his nose is the same as a person with sensitive skin.
When I read the “Making Sense of Scents” feature article (page 107) in this month’s Body+Soul, I identified with it right away. As a child, I used to have terrible skin reactions when my mother would use anything other than Tide laundry detergent and Downy softener. Though I am not sure if it had anything to do with the scents in the products, reading that “skin allergies are the most common and proven adverse reactions to synthetic fragrances” sure did get me thinking.
Writer Frances Lefkowitz provides a great amount of data to back up the fact that all these unnatural smells infiltrating our senses are having nothing but negative effects. Of course, no article of this kind would be good without some helpful suggestions to avoid these chemicals, and those are provided thoroughly.
One major effect that scents can have on a human is altering emotions and moods. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on January 25th, 2008
The Humane Society of the United States just released a new video documenting the horrible truths behind America’s factory farming industry and our incessant hunger for meat (I know, only some of us). The video, narrated by James Cromwell, is certainly an eye-opener.
The video begins with some dissonant piano notes backing up images of pigs, cows and chickens with no room to move inside of their cages, side by side with thousands of other animals who will live the same horrible lives and find the same horrible deaths. Cromwell’s voice, all scratchy and wise, is the perfect pitch for this narration. The realization is immediate that the video will be a bit coarse, but nonetheless moving.
I eat meat. I always have. I think I always will. Yet this doesn’t change my disgust for the cruelty and disregard of the Factory Farming Industry. I didn’t really learn about industrialized farming until my Junior year in college. I had never really thought much about it. When I was growing up, my father raised cattle on my grandparent’s farm in rural Virginia—so a lot of the meat in our freezer was raised just down the road and if it wasn’t I always assumed it was raised somewhere else in a similar fashion— ahhh, the beauty of naivete. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on January 21st, 2008
A new year, a new opportunity to turn our lives around; 2008 is a leap year, so we even get an extra day to do all those lovely things we enjoy doing (be rarely make the time for). I’m not sure about you, but this new year has been quite busy and productive so far for me. The question herein lies if all this progress is due to the rush of a new beginning or simply finally having “paid” all my “dues.”
Philosophical contemplation aside, the January/February 2008 issue of Body+Soul arrived in my mailbox just a few days after this new year was rung in. Eager as usual, I read through it in less than 48 hours and am here to share its goodness with you.
Stay healthy all year long! This month, find easy tips on how to get more sleep, feel less stress, eat better, and more. Stay looking fresh all winter with our cold-weather skin survival guide and indoor workouts to keep your energy up. Plus, taste power-packed versions of your favorite soups.
New beginnings tend to make me think not only of all the good things I have accomplished, but also all the frustrations and challenges I have been through. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on December 19th, 2007
Ten earth-friendly ideas to spark your imagination
Intangibles can deliver green good all year long (and reduce clutter)
1. Donate time or money to a charity in honor of the gift recipient (a gift to Environmental Defense is a good choice).
2. Buy carbon offsets in the recipient’s name. Along with cutting your own carbon emissions — and fuel bills — help your friends and family offset theirs.
3. Give a national parks pass or a membership to botanical gardens or aquariums. (For an extra-special gift, surprise with a cross-country train tour or an eco-vacation.)
Stocking stuffers can be “green”
4. Give energy-saving light bulbs. The technology in these earth-friendly bulbs has leapt ahead, and they now come in many shapes and sizes (See Environmental Defense’s bulb guide for specifics.)
5. Consider the DVD “An Inconvenient Truth“; in bookstores and video stores everywhere. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on December 17th, 2007
When it comes to cutting carbon emissions, a lot of things — global trade agreements, international climate treaties — are out of our individual control. One area where each of us can make a difference, though, is in our own homes. Houses and other buildings are responsible for nearly half of all greenhouse gas emissions, but they don’t have to be.
Not sure how to start? Earth Aid Enterprises, a new venture in Washington, D.C., is offering Earth Aid Kits to get you started.
The customizable Earth Aid Kits come with a variety of products to help you reduce the carbon footprint of your house, apartment or dorm room: appliance timers, oxygenating showerheads, compact fluorescent lightbulbs, LED nightlights that turn on and off automatically, faucet aerators, programmable thermostats, Smart Power strips and more. The founders of Earth Aid Enterprises say their goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through home energy efficiency enough to offset the output of one million cars.
Earlier this month, Earth Aid Enterprises teamed up with DC Habitat for Humanity to help 100 families boost the energy efficiency of their new Habitat homes. The campaign seeks contributions from individuals and businesses to cover the cost of a complete Earth Aid Kit for all 100 new Habitat houses. Read the rest of this entry »
