Winter birds

Happy New Year ! Here at our new house we have the pleasure of whiling away the cold winter days by watching the birds feed just outside our dining room window. We have set up several different feeders, to attract a wide variety , from flickers and woodpeckers, the stellars jays seen here, to little chickadees and so on.
Feeding them is easy... watching them, even easier.
Although a feeder full of seeds is great, the big guys love it if you spread pine cones with lard or peanut butter and roll them in bird seed. ( a great project for kids) then hang them in those orange mesh onion bags. The fat helps them stay warm through the bitter cold winter weather.
My aunt Nancy told me today that the jays LOVE whole peanuts with the shells still on too !
My latest experiment though was to make our own suet. Working on a beef farm I have easier access than usual to beef fat but I'm sure any beef cutter would be happy to save it for you. I took big bags of kidney fat ( Suet) chopped it into stew sized pieces, then rendered it down in a large pot (OUTSIDE on the BBQ as it's really stinky !!!) start it with a chunk of lard melted on the bottom of the pot first so it doesn't stick, then melt slowly so it doesn't stick, for several hours, stirring often. When liquid pour into bread pans lines with foil, stir on some bird seed or millet and let it get solid again by placing in freezer or outside ( if you don't have any interested dogs around ) then slice it into blocks that fit in your suet cage or use the mesh onion bags. Your bird friends will love ya !

Green, Warm & Cozy

We woke up to the first frost this morning and it reminded me that soon we'll have raked all the leaves, dug our winter clothes out of boxes and be getting ready for hibernation time. This year we have moved to a new house and we no longer have a wood stove to keep us cozy. Sadly we must use fossil fuels and electricity so I have been surfing the web for tips on how to save energy . Some I knew, some I hadn't thought of before ( given that I had the luxury of heating up the house as much as I wanted with wood !) So here they are...

• Use your window coverings to help warm or cool your house.
• Wear a sweater !!!
  
• Make your home more energy efficient through improved insulation, caulking and weather-stripping. The less energy you use, the less impact you have on the environment.
• Install and use a programmable thermostat. For every 1° C you lower your thermostat you can save 2% on your heating bill. A reduction of 3° C at night and when you are away during the day provides optimal savings and can reduce your GHGs by half a tonne.
• have your furnace serviced and change the filters regularly, in order to keep it running efficiently. ( filters should be changed monthly)
• Use a ceiling fan in reverse ( clockwise) to push warm air back down into living area.
• Moist air feels warmer so use a humidifier if needed to keep humidity between 30-45 %
  
• 
  

Water...

While this photo shows the guys tasting the mineral water in Wells Gray Prov. Park, the fact that our new house has it's own well water makes one think about water carefully. Our well, we are told is 42 feet deep. We live near a creek, in the bottom of a valley, and yet we think constantly about conserving water. Less than 1 % of all the fresh water on this planet is actually fit to drink.
They say we did not inherit this earth from our parents, but are merely borrowing it from our children, so here are a few reminders on what we can all do to conserve this precious resource.

Ways that will save the most:

1. Water your lawn only when it needs it. Step on your grass. If it springs back, when you lift your foot, it doesn't need water. So set your sprinklers for more days in between watering. Saves 750-1,500 gallons per month. Better yet, especially in times of drought, water with a hose. And best of all, convert your lawn to native plants.

2. Fix leaky faucets and plumbing joints. Saves 20 gallons per day for every leak stopped.

3. Don't run the hose while washing your car. Use a bucket of water and a quick hose rinse at the end. Saves 150 gallons each time. For a two-car family that's up to 1,200 gallons a month.

4. Install water-saving shower heads or flow restrictors. Saves 500 to 800 gallons per month.

5. Run only full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher. Saves 300 to 800 gallons per month.

6. Shorten your showers. Even a one or two minute reduction can save up to 700 gallons per month.

7. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks. Saves 150 gallons or more each time. At once a week, that's more than 600 gallons a month.

8. Don't use your toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket. Saves 400 to 600 gallons per month.

9. Capture tap water. While you wait for hot water to come down the pipes, catch the flow in a watering can to use later on house plants or your garden. Saves 200 to 300 gallons per month.

10. Don't water the sidewalks, driveway or gutter. Adjust your sprinklers so that water lands on your lawn or garden where it belongs--and only there. Saves 500 gallons per month.

In the bathroom:

1. Put a plastic bottle or a plastic bag weighted with pebbles and filled with water in your toilet tank. Displacing water in this manner allows you to use less water with each flush. Saves 5 to 10 gallons a day. That's up to 300 gallons a month, even more for large families. Better yet, for even greater savings, replace your water-guzzling five to seven gallon a flush toilet with a one and a half gallon, ultra-low flush model.

2. If you're taking a shower, don't waste cold water while waiting for hot water to reach the shower head. Catch that water in a container to use on your outside plants or to flush your toilet. Saves 200 to 300 gallons a month.

3. Check toilet for leaks. Put dye tablets or food coloring into the tank. If color appears in the bowl without flushing, there's a leak that should be repaired. Saves 400 gallons a month.

4. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. Saves three gallons each day.

5. Turn off the water while shaving. Fill the bottom of the sink with a few inches of water to rinse your razor. Saves three gallons each day.

Composting season is here

This beautiful little lamb was born not long ago on the farm where I work, and while sheep may produce some great manure, we don't all have room for a flock of sheep in our back yard, so I propose that if you haven't got a compost pile or bin, now's the perfect time to start.
Here are some tips to help you on your way ...

• Keep your compost about as moist as a damp sponge
• Turn it often
• Alternate green layers of fruit & veggie peelings & plant trimmings with brown layers such as dried leaves, dead plants & shredded twigs
• chop large chunks of veggies ( such as cabbage heads etc ) into smaller pieces to decompose faster
• Eggs shells and coffee grinds can be added
• NEVER add proteins such as meat or dairy items to your compost.
• Freezing & thawing helps break down materials so keep composting all winter .
  

Earth day - coming up ...

Climate change is certainly happening, and while our planet and the cool dude you see under the heat camera in this photo may be warming up, it sure didn't feel like it today.
Today was "hang your clothes out to dry day" but when I woke up ( at work) this morning there was a winter wonderland out the window. Who would think to see several inches of snow in our neck of the woods on April 19th !!!
Vancouver Island had it worse than we did though, with Nanimo recording 24 cms !
However, it's a good reminder that our planet is in crisis and Tuesday ( April 22nd) is another opportunity to learn about what you can do to help out. There are lots of good web sites with links for ideas, and events across Canada. www.ecokids.ca and www.earthday.ca are good places to start.
Happy Earth Day everyone. Go Green.

Spring is slowly springing, at least in our part of the country. Today the rain is pounding down - oops, now the hail is pounding down. Soon however it will be time once again to give the dryer a break and start hanging our clothes out on the line for that fresh clean linen smell !
Clothes dryers emit an average of 1,440 pounds of carbon dioxide annually, drying your clothes on a clothesline in the spring and summer can prevent an estimated 700 pounds of carbon dioxide per average household from being released. Not to mention the considerable savings on your electric bill !
April 19th is national hang your laundry out to dry day, so I say, let's let it all hang out !

Think water

Water is life. March 20th 2008 has been declared world water day.
A day to bring awareness to just how critical clean water and the conservation of it is to life on this planet.
Last year the United Nations water day focus was on water scarcity. This year, it's about sanitation. Although natural disasters have a huge impact, as does climate change, many of the problems are cause by humans. Waste, improper use, pollution ...all our doing and ours to un-do ! Every one of us needs to pitch in and help ( if you aren't part of the solution , you're part of the problem...) and really, there are many little things we can do that really do add up if everyone does it. here's a short list of the most obvious ones and some web sites for more info. Cheers !
United nations water web sites www.unwater.org
www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/

1. install a low-flow faucet aerator, which can cut water use in half.
2. Keep a jug of water in the refrigerator rather than running tap water until it is cool enough to drink.
3. Wash only full loads in the dishwasher.
4. Do NOT use the toilet to dispose of paper, facial tissues, or cigarettes.
5. Replace your old toilet with a new low water toilet.
6. Take a five-minute shower.
7. Use the minimum amount of water needed for a bath by closing the drain and the filling the tub only 1/3 full.
8. Turn the tap water off while brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing your face.
9. Wash only full loads in the clothes washer.
10. In the summer, lawn watering and other outdoor uses can account for up to 50 percent of home water use. Studies show that as much as half of this outdoor use is wasteful. As a general rule, 2 to 3 cm of water per week is adequate.
11. Using a running hose to wash your car can waste about 400 litres of water. Using a bucket with a sponge plus a trigger nozzle on the hose will save you about 300 of those litres.
12. Rain water is actually better for your plants as it does not contain any chlorine and is at ambient temperature. Keep your rain barrel covered to prevent mosquitos breeding and for safety reasons.

Winter, it's for the birds...

Thanks to the snow fairies dumping more than our fair share upon us, it's a winter wonderland out there. Lots of fun things to do, like sledding and skating on a winter day but I was looking at our cherry trees the other day and thinking of our fine feathered friends. We have a bird feeder but I thought I'd share with you a simple kids project that never gets old. Tie a ribbon around the top of a pine cone, so you can fasten it to a tree branch after. completely coat the whole pine cone in either peanut butter or pure lard. roll it to coat it in sunflower seeds, bird seed , millet or some other yummy bird treat and tie it on a tree branch, your bird friends will love this winter snack.

Low Tech winter activities

Ah winter... it's beautiful, and cold. And cold. And cold..... there's such a temptation to forget about those New Years resolutions and just hibernate by the woodstove until the short, cold, dark days are over. Wake me in spring... However, there really is a lot to do in winter... if we dare venture out, there's sledding and building snow men ( you're never too old for this one !) and skating ( never too old for this one either.... my great grandpa went skating on his 90th Birthday - it's true ! ) and for you adventurous sorts, don't forget all those sports where you strap things onto your feet and go flying down hills.
No motivation to go out in the cold ? Remember over 60% of people in the great white north are not venturing out in the cold enough to get their recommended amount of Vitamin D in the winter so if you really refuse to go outside, or just simply can't, look into some fish oils until spring and try some low tech indoor activities on those freezing cold days at home... you're never to old or too young for these either.... I recently found out that a 4 year old I know can knit and sew already ! Hey, why not, our great grandmothers did at that age ! We have become so dependant on technology to entertain us and our children that we are forgetting how to do these things.
Instead we buy our toys and have our sweaters made in China or ?? and then complain about it ! Seems silly to me... in fact I refuse to give in to my sons constant requests for video games. We don't allow him to watch TV or use the computer on school days either.
He is 8 and will be learning to sew in school ( what a great school ! ) next month. Each child in his class will be sewing their own small quilt ! We have also recently resurrected a bunch of "old" games such as cats cradle, using string. For paper fun remember lines & dots, cootie catchers ( fortune tellers ) and hang man ? We have also started making some really low tech toys such as apple head people , thaumascopes etc. These old games are non polluting, fun and best of all educational ! They teach kids practical skills that are being lost in our modern age where the cheap plastic toys we buy our kids seem to do everything for you. They promote good dexterity, teach skills like sewing, cutting, measuring etc in a practical way instead of just from a textbook and most importantly they teach HOW to think, not WHAT to think.
Other good things to teach in winter are cooking and baking ( measuring, counting, observational skills... even a 2 year old can help ! ) Our son can now fry an egg or make an omlete completely by himself.
If you'd like instructions on any of these games or toys for your kids, drop me a line and I'll be happy to share. If you remember how... pass that knowledge on & have fun doing it !

Christmas leftovers ?

Merry Christmas.... this is our "Charlie Brown" tree. it is a funny & skinny one this year . We always go into the forest ( with our permit) to get a live tree but we never take a "good" one. We choose some pathetic sad one like this that is growing too close to a "good" one for either of them to benefit. We take out the skinniest one & the better one has more of a chance to grow. But what to do after wards ????
If you do cut or buy a live tree check your newspaper for where you can take it to be chipped & made into compost or mulch. Some communities even pick them up. We leave ours outside for the birds until spring. We spread peanut butter on pine cones and they love it. Then we let it decompose naturally & finally burn the trunk in a fire once it's nice & dry. A the joys of country life !
Don't forget to recycle all that wrapping too.
Boxes, bags, ribbon, bows and tissue paper can all be used again.
We even save the cards for nest years gift tags . I'm going to try making some of those old fashioned ornaments out of them for next year too.
( the kind everyones grandma used to make )
If you want to try it you'll need to cut 20 same sized circles out of cards ( the larger the circles, the larger the ball will be ) , fold 3 sides up so there's a large triangle in the center of each circle and glue the edges of the flaps together to form a ball. 5 in circles top & bottom rows and the rest in the center. Don't forget to glue a pretty ribbon in the top to hang it from !

This years "green Christmas" ideas are much the same as last years, but worth a reminder since we only have one planet to live on so anything we can do to help it is a great gift ( Merry Christmas Earth ? !)

• Wrap gifts in cloth bags, tins or gift boxes that can be reused in years to come.
• Give gifts that don't need wrapping such as gift certificates or concert tickets.
• For the person that has everything, give a charitable donation in their name instead of a gift.
  
• Save & use this years Christmas cards for next years gift tags.
• Use your talents to sew, build or craft home- made gifts ! Don't underestimate the power of home made cookies !
  
• Give a gift of your time, dog walking, babysitting, shoveling someones driveway ???

Don't forget the basics either...

• Replace burnt out strings of lights with LED's
• Recycle bows, wrap & ribbons that survive Christmas morning in good shape
• Wear a sweater & turn that thermostat down ( maybe someone will knit you some slippers for Christmas !)
• Check the weather stripping on your doors & windows to keep out the cold & save energy.
  

Most of all remember...

• Spend time with your loved ones, not just in front of the TV or computer !
• Play, sing, laugh, love and remember the reason for the season !
  
• Check your smoke detector batteries. If you don't have a smoke detector, ask Santa for one this year.
• Don't drink & drive
  
• Be charitable, be a good citizen of the Earth, have a wonder filled holiday & be safe !
  

Remembrance and Tolerance

November 11th. Lest we not forget. Forget what ? Remember who ?
Today is also St. Martins Day. A day not so well known in my part of the world....
As the tale goes, St. Martin was a Roman soldier, who happened into a town, one cold night, where he saw a thin, hungry old beggar. Everyone was passing the beggar by, without a second glance, but St. Martin, got down off his horse, gave the beggar half of his piece of bread, and though he was very cold himself, tore his cloak in two and wrapped half of it around the old beggar before riding off. The pic above is of a re-enactment of this event, that I watched last week at work ( cool job eh ? ) and it bears witness not only to the kindness of a Roman soldier, but it also serves as a reminder of the many sacrifices all soldiers make for us, the common citizens of this world, so that we might know peace.
This Friday ( Nov. 16th ) marks the 50th anniversary of the International Day of Tolerance.
Funny thing is... if there was a lot more tolerance, we'd have a lot less war for those soldiers to protect us from !
If we could all just learn to respect and maybe even appreciate the richness of what our differences can do to enhance each others lives what a great world this could be. Each different culture has different ways of expressing themselves...different religions, certainly different politics, customs and even different celebrations. Tolerance comes from choosing to learn , and perhaps even understand about these differences, instead of fearing them. To recognize that the ways to be human are many and that we should each have a right to express ourselves, and celebrate that diversity without exclusion, without ridicule or without experiencing discrimination and violence. Diversity should be a treasure for all to experience , so today remember. Remember the sacrifices. Remember the Heros and most of all, remember we all inhabit this one little planet together !

World Food Day

World Food day was established in 1979, as a day of awareness on the issue of world hunger and is observed every October 16th by over 150 countries. It is the right of every person to have regular access to sufficient, nutritionally adequate and culturally acceptable food for an active, healthy life. It is the right to feed oneself in dignity, rather than the right to simply be fed. Yet more than 850 million people world wide are still deprived of enough food.
So what is the answer to the eradication of hunger ?
Surprisingly, the answer is not to produce more food globally. People’s economic and political power to produce & purchase food needs to be more equitable. The international trading system must be reformed to make it fair and sustainable. Food security is best achieved when power is put in the hands of individuals and small-scale farmers – not multinational food companies. Profitable small-scale farmers, whether in Africa or Canada, are trying to to promote food security for their families and communities. Meanwhile , the primary goal of agri-business giants is of course, just to maximize their own profits. ( www.oxfam.ca )
Oxfam and many organizations work with the WFO ( World food organization) to fight hunger in many ways, including, changing laws in corrupt countries, bringing awareness to what large corporations do that creates hunger ( such as pay the farmers slave wages instead of "fare trade" wages that they can actually live off of and support their families on ) - the message here being, that it you don't buy goods such as coffee etc clearly marked "FARE TRADE" you are also part of the problem because you are supporting those multinational giants, instead of the farmers who actually grow the food and are only receiving less than 10% of what their coffee is actually worth.
While the big guys like OXFAM tackle the big corporations, by trying to change international trade laws and economic policies, there are things we do because
EVERY TIME WE EAT, WE VOTE for who we want in charge of our food security, and who we want to give our money to !
What can you do to help world hunger ?

• If you can, donate your time or money to Oxfam or other such organizations
• Shop local ! Buy locally made goods, look at the labels & purchase goods produced in your own area first when given a choice.
  
• Purchase as much as you can at your local farmers market & farm stores or even try the 100 mile diet ! www.100milediet.org
  
• Buy fare trade goods & support conscientious companies.
  
• Give any extra garden produce to your local food bank or gleaning project.
• Educate yourself on the real causes of world hunger.
  
• Tell everyone you know, so they can do it too !
• On October 16th make a commitment to be part of the solution !
  

Thanksgiving

We've probably all heard by now that eating local is not only better for us because the food is fresher & retains more vitamins, but it's also better for our local economy. When we choose locally grown foods we are supporting our local family farms and by reducing the miles our food travels before it gets to our plate, we are also reducing packaging and carbon emissions ( from the vehicles used to transport & refrigerate it ) . So, how do we have a local Thanksgiving....
if you are luck enough to have a local poultry producer, get your turkey there ! With the new processing laws in our area the government isn't making that easy: I can't add a link here for some reason but you can see the website & sign petition at.. www.okshuswapgreens.ca
& I know the candidate personally , so she wouldn't steer us wrong !
Anyway, we found one from within a couple hundred kms . The next step is to scour your local farmers market for the veggies.... I managed to find carrots, potatoes & dinner buns, etc but no yams. I bought cranberries grown in our province & will make my own cranberry sauce today ( easy & much yummier than canned ) we will take a few minutes to whip fresh cream from a local dairy instead of buying the fake stuff or those nasty aerosol cans and we will decorate with fresh leaves & pine cones on our table. The best part about thanksgiving is of course , the people we share it with. We are expecting some very special guests this year but you'll have to read our family blog, after the holidays to find out about that ! Happy Thanksgiving everyone ! Oh, the turkey in the picture was not harmed in any way & lives happily at a local petting zoo ! Remember...LOCAL FOOD IS SAFE FOOD !

Teflon - friend or foe ?

A couple years ago we decided to ditch teflon pans & we went back to using cast iron frying pans ( like grandma used to use !) . With all the stuff we've learned lately about it, we would like to add a few other things to the list, that are coated in teflon. A few things that aren't widely advertised...
Remember my last blog about green lunches ? Well it turns out that not only is ditching those handy little tetra packs ( drinking boxes ) a good idea from a waste reduction point of view( yes they can be recycled, but reusing a thermos is still better ) but it turns out that they , and many other packaged items are coated inside with teflon ( or other brands of non-stick coating ) which, it's being discovered is a health risk.

The chemicals, Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate acids (PFOA) which are used in stick and stain-resistant products, are being found in human and animal blood around the world. Fluorotelomers, which are chemicals used in food packaging as well as in rugs and clothing, break down into PFOA in the environment and when you ingest them. Several animal studies have demonstrated this, including one by the Environmental Protection Agency. PFOA causes cancer & other health problems in lab animals.
In animal studies PFOA has been associated with:

• "Significant increases in treatment related deaths" in rat offspring at doses that did not affect the mothers
• Serious changes in the weight of various organs, including the brain, prostate, liver, thymus, and kidneys
• The deaths of a significant number of rat pups of mothers that had been exposed to PFOA
• Damage to the pituitary at all doses in female rat offspring (The pituitary secretes hormones that regulate growth, reproduction, and many metabolic processes. Change in pituitary size is associated with toxicity)

PFOA can now be found in the blood of 90 percent of Americans, and in one study that tested 600 children, 96 percent had PFOA in their blood. Unfortunately, while you can choose whether or not to use Teflon pans, there is currently no way for consumers to tell if packaging contains fluorotelomers. PFOS and PFOA’s are used in or associated with production of thousands of products, including:

• Non-stick cookware
• Carpets
• Food wrapping
• Clothing
• Electrical equipment
• Packaging for fast foods like sandwiches, chicken and French fries
• Packaging for pizza, bakery items, drinks and candy
• Packaging for microwave popcorn

• The precise environmental and health impact of Teflon and similar heat-resistant coatings is uncertain, but the findings suggest that continued use of the compounds may contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer and global warming.
• The best and safest cookwear to use is believed to be ceramic-coated metal, as ceramic is virtually inert and will not transfer any metal ions to your food. Cast iron at low temperatures is believed to be okay though, unless you are one of those people that already stores too much iron in your body. As for the rest, reduce your packaging & processed foods, use a hot air popcorn maker, don't buy stain resistant clothing or use stain guarding sprays on your furniture & carpet. Read the labels !
  

Bad for us, bad for animals, bad for the planet. That's enough for me , we're going teflon free !
for more info go to www.mercola.com & type in the search word teflon.

Back to school - green lunches

One more week and it's back to school ! I've been thinking a lot lately about how much wasted packaging materials are used in school lunches ... when you add up all those individually packaged snacks, paper napkins, tetra packs of juice and saran wrapped items, it has been estimated that the average child , packing a lunch every day, generates about 65-70 pounds of waste every year !That works out to about 18,760 pounds of lunch waste for just one average-size elementary school every year ! So we've decided that we are going to reduce our waste, thus also our carbon emmissions and just go green lunches this year. So dig out the ol tupperware , cloth lunch bag & thermos, people...because other than a few extra things to wash and making sure it gets back home again, it's really a no brainer and can be applied to work lunches too, not just for the kiddies . After all, what did we do before saran wrap ?Another bonus.... financial savings !! Read on to see how much money you can save ! ( source: http://www.wastefreelunches.org/ )
THE FACTS :

WHAT DOES A WASTE-FREE LUNCH LOOK LIKE?
A Typical Lunch(DISPOSABLE)
sandwiches sealed in plastic bags
fruits and vegetables in plastic bags
prepackaged chips, cookies, fruit bars, granola bars, cheeses, and fruit leathers
prepackaged yogurts, applesauces, and puddings
crackers, pretzels, chips, and other snack foods sealed in plastic bags
disposable juice boxes, juice pouchs, soda cans, water bottles, and milk cartons
plastic forks and spoons
paper napkins
reusable lunchboxes and disposable paper and plastic bags
A Waste-Free Lunch(REUSABLE)
sandwiches and other main dishes, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and treats in a reusable lunch container
cloth napkins
stainless-steel forks and spoons
reusable drink containers
reusable lunchboxes
*With this type of lunch, lunch food items can be bought in larger quantities. The packaging can be left at home for reuse or recycling. Waste-free lunches are not only a wise environmental choice, but they are less expensive as well.

WHAT DOES IT COST TO PACK A WASTE-FREE LUNCH?
A Disposable Lunch
1 egg salad sandwich $1.25
1 yogurt .85
1 granola bar .35
1 apple .30
1 package of carrots and dip .65
3 plastic bags .12
1 juice pouch .45
1 plastic spoon .04
1 paper napkin .01
TOTAL $4.02
A Waste-free Lunch
1 egg salad sandwich $1.25
1 serving of yogurt .50
1 serving of granola .35
1 apple .30
1 serving of carrots and dip .25
water 0
cloth napkin 0
stainless steel spoon 0
packaging 0
TOTAL
$2.65

Disposable Lunch
Waste-Free Lunch
$4.02 / day
$2.65 / day
$20.10 / week
$13.25 / week
$723.60 / school year
$477.00 / school year
723.60 - 477.00 = $246.60 savings per school year per person

Eco Friendly Wedding

Well, our wedding plans are coming along and we are working on the eco-friendly aspect.
Some is good, some is more difficult to incorporate but we'll do what we can.
We have our wedding clothes and every member of the wedding party, including the bride has clothes that can actually be worn again , in a variety of circumstances !
The centerpieces are going to be potted plants, from a local nursery, and will be given away. ( The average cut flower sold is sprayed dozens of times with chemical fungicides, chemical pesticides, growth hormones, growth regulators and chemical fertilizers. ) so we will only use cut flowers for the bouquets ) As the wedding is at our home we will plant flowers around the yard as well.
To save paper we've asked that people RSVP by phone or e mail ( which some of you haven't done yet....) rather than RSVP cards, because the average North American uses almost 700 pounds of paper every year. Much of that paper has been processed with chlorine bleach, making it non-recyclable and, even worse, totally toxic for the environment.
The worst offenders at our wedding will be the plastic table clothes etc but we will gather as much of the waste to be recycled as possible.
I'd love to hear your ideas too. Toodles !

Spring is springing...

Spring is springing & I'm in yard work mode lately. With our wedding fast approaching we are trying to get the yard in ship shape so that we can take advantage of our lovely trees etc as backdrops instead of too many pesticide laden hothouse grown flowers. ( bad for global warming !) instead we will only use those for our bouquets. The corsages, boutonnierres , etc will all be fake ( fabric, not plastic) , as will the petals the flower girl tosses from her basket. The table centerpieces will be live potted flowers, which we will give away and we will plant as many pink flowers in the yard as we can manage ! We also have our lovely cherry trees, grape vines etc. to look at.
April 22 is Earth day "The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970 in the United States. U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson started this important day because he wanted to make people aware of the importance of keeping our planet healthy and clean. On that day, over 20 million people participated in what is known as the largest grassroots (every day people making positive changes in their community) environmental movement in U.S. history! Since then, more and more people have joined in the celebrations every April. Now more than 500 million people in over 180 countries participate in Earth Day activities on April 22 !" - www.ecokids.ca
so we will plant a rose bush or something on that day too.
Other Earth Day Ideas for you....

• plant something
• take a 'garbage free lunch' to work or school
• clean up litter from your neighborhood
• walk or carpool to work
• tell someone about Earth day !
• turn ou lights when you leave a room
• Eat locally - Support your regional farmers & farming industry: buying locally and in season is fresher for you, & better for the environment than buying foods that have been shipped hundreds of kilometers to your grocery store.

Happy Easter everyone, & be sure to think about what you are going to do for Earth on Earth day - remember, this planet is the only one we've got !

A planet friendly wedding ?

Is a planet friendly wedding, anniversary party or family reunion possible ? Here is yours truly, planning her wedding, so that's what we'll focus on, but many of the ideas are transferable to any gathering you might host. So I ask this question... is it possible, and if so, what exactly is a planet friendly wedding anyway ?
A traditional wedding ceremony & reception means a church, synagogue or perhaps a park or any other beautiful outdoor setting for the ceremony then perhaps a hall or ballroom for the reception if it's to be indoors. Our wedding is at home, in our yard, facing a lovely lake. So, how to make it a little more eco friendly ?
After a bit of research I've discovered that it is possible to make at least some Earth friendly changes.... I've even learned that making your own silk flower arrangements is not as hard as one might think ! ( Greenhouses release a lot of CO2 into the atmosphere ! ) I didn't make the one in the photo ( It's "re-used") but I did make some of the ones I'll be using.
Focusing the reduce, reuse, recycle philosophy, some of the ideas I've come up with for an "at home" or "do it yourself" wedding, are:

• If the wedding is at home, plant lots of flowers in spring, to cut down on buying them from a greenhouse.
• If using a florist, ask for flowers that are organically grown, or pesticide free.
• Use potted plants instead of cut flowers for the centerpieces.
• Borrow or rent anything you can, including tables, chairs, & canopies ( in case of rain)
• Print your own invitations, programs etc, especially using recycled paper or homemade paper if you can find it
• Scout out consignment & second hand stores for items like extra water jugs, candle holders, etc.
• Place a recycling bin beside your garbage bin for plastic items you decide you must use ( cups, cutlery, etc) or collect, wash & reuse them at your next party.
• Instead of hothouse grown, cut-flower corsages & boutonnieres, have a crafty friend ( or in my case, grandmother) make them for you from your garden flowers , or silk ( which can be kept as mementos )
• Plan bridesmaid outfits that will actually be worn more than once, or donate them to a charity such as dresses for underprivileged grads, after you are done.
• If self catering, use locally grown, organic produce & other foods whenever possible, or ask your caterer to do so. Even better, grow your own in your garden if possible !
• Give reusable or recyclable favors to your guests. some ideas might be, an engagement photo of the happy couple, mini plant pots & seeds, mints in recyclable wrapping... use your imagination !

If you are going the more traditional, Church, & hall route you can still do a few planet friendly things here too.

• choose recyclable decoration materials
• Ask the chef about choosing locally raised meats, & veggies grown locally.
• They supply the linens & dishes & reuse them over & over
• Ask to use their centerpieces instead of purchasing cut flowers

Let the wedding bells ring !

Blue Christmas ? Or is that Green ?

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..... and this year since we had to replace our Christmas lights anyway we decided to go for the latest invention. LED lights. We wanted green ones but there were none to be found so we opted for blue. While most people have heard of LED's ( light emitting Diodes ) by now, you may not be a fan yet . I've heard comments like "the plastic looks cheap" ( true, when they're off, ) but who wants to admire them unlit anyway ? What's really great though is the amount of energy and money they will save ! according to the box, running 600 of the old fashioned outdoor lights ( the big glass ones ) for 6 hours a day, costs about
$ 31.30 for a month. running 600 LED ( light emitting Diodes ) lights for 6 hours a day for a month will only cost you about 45 cents ! a savings of $30.85 ! Not only that but because they last such a long time you won't be throwing them out anytime soon, & adding to our landfill waste problems. They won't break like the glass ones either , or burn little fingers as they stay cool to the touch. When the ones one our tree pack it in, we'll be trying out the new indoor mini LED lights too ! Happy December everyone !
Other Ideas for an environmentally friendly Christmas :

• buy a live tree & plant it next spring
• If you get a real tree, compost it or have it chipped instead of throwing it in the landfill, real trees are a renewable resource.
• string your tree with dried cranberries or popcorn, then leave it outside for the birds when Christmas is over. You can even compost the needles when they fall off or use as mulch ( unless you are in a fire interface area)
• recycle last years Christmas cards as this years gift tags.
• reuse bows & ribbons that are in good shape.
• use your talent & creativity...most people LOVE homemade gifts !