Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green as a Consumer

This week's Sustainable Saturday is the seventh part in the Series Getting to Green.  This Series focuses on easy, cost-effective ways to implement green ideas or concepts throughout your home and life. 

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green as a Consumer

1.  Think Globally, Act Locally.  Simply give some thought to where the item was grown, produced, processed or shipped from.  For instance, while you might pay slightly more for an item like Organic Cheese from a local Farmer's Market, this product was grown (the cow), processed (made into cheese) and transported locally.  When you start to think about the impact on the environment from the standpoint of shipping (or use of fossil fuels), you can greatly reduce your overall impact on the environment by being a local consumer. 

2.  Bring Your Own Bags.  Another tip is if you forget and your grocery store for instance has paper bags, choose those and use them for bagging lawn waste, gathering items for your compost, or doing a cool craft with your children.

3. Purchase Organic Foods (Product, Dairy, Meat, etc.).  Many people say that if there is one thing Organic you purchase for your family, choose Organic dairy.  Choosing Organic can be consuming at times with all the labels proclaiming Natural, All Natural, Local, Organic, etc.  Make sure you understand what all these food labels actually mean you are purchasing:  Sustainable Saturday - Organic Food Labels.

4.  Purchase Locally Grown or Produced Foods.  As I've said before, many people will claim that locally grown foods are often Organic (although they don't always bear the pricey to receive Organic food label) and are better for you from a nutrients standpoint and better for the environment from a locally grown standpoint, than many Organic labels.  Many Organic produce is grown in other countries or at best shipped across the Country. 

5.  Purchase Produce in Season.  This is something you can easily follow by either purchasing produce that is on sale (most likely meaning in season) from your local grocery store or Farmer's market.

6.  Purchase Produce in Season AND in Bulk.  This is something we experienced for the first time in the last month in that we went to and purchased produce from a local (Amish) Produce Auction.  The great thing about a produce auction is you can buy in bulk, for a great price (less than a local Farmer's market) and you are buying chemical free food (in most cases) because the Amish do not use pesticides and other chemicals on their produce. 

7.  Preserve Food.  If my grandmother was still alive, I would be wanting to learn from her all the ways that she preserved food when she was raising a family (in the 1940s-50s).  Unfortunately, my mother did not pass down these strategies of food preservation as she raised myself and my sister in the 1980s when processed convenience foods were new and popular.  (If I ever see a bowl of fruit cocktail again, I may lose it!)  So, I've had to learn how-to preserve food by both canning and freezing. 

Saving Family Green's 2011 Food Preservation List to date:

DIY:  Freezing and Canning Tomato Sauce
DIY:  Freezing Corn 
DIY:  Homemade Pesto 

8.  Think about Packaging.  We recently made a step to reduce the packaging we use to pack our lunches everyday.  We use reusable lunch bags and reusable containers although we were still using plastic bags for sandwiches.  (Saran wrap has been banned from our house for years due to possible chemical leakage into food especially when used in the microwave.)  We purchased Kid Konserve Green 5-Pack Food Kozy from Amazon. 

You can also greatly reduce packaging by not buying individually packages snack items and instead by the large bag and place into smaller reusable containers.

9.   Use Green Cleaning Products or Make Your Own.  Making your own cleaning products is really the most environmentally friendly as you are most likely reducing the amount of fossil fuels that are being used to both make a product and for transportation.

10.   Purchase Quality Furniture - If you are purchasing new furniture, look for furniture that is made of solid wood and is preferably FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified wood.  Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a non-profit organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world’s forests.

You can read the entire Getting to Green series here:   

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Living Areas (Living/ Dining/ Family/ Office)

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Kitchen 

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Bedroom

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Bathroom 

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Laundry Room 

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green Outdoors and in the Garden 

Note:  Some of the links referenced in this post are my referral links.  You can read Saving Family Green's Material Connection Disclosure Policy here. Tweet
 

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Laundry Room

 This week's Sustainable Saturday is the sixth part in the Series Getting to Green.  This Series focuses on easy, cost-effective ways to implement green ideas or concepts throughout your home and life. 

10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Laundry Room

1.   Purchase Environmentally-Friendly Laundry Detergent.  And it doesn't have to cost more! For instance I recently purchased Method (50 Loads) Laundry Detergent from Babies R Us on clearance for $5.48 PLUS I had a $2 off Babies R Us/ Toys R Us Store Coupon which made these bottles on $3.48 each.  Babies R Us/ Toys R Us is a great place to find discounted Environmentally-Friendly Laundry Detergents like Method, Seventh Generation, BabyGanics and others.

2.  Use Chlorine-Free Bleach.  Explore non-toxic, chlorine free products that use hydrogen peroxide to lift tough stains. Made without fragrances, dyes or optical brighteners.  Chlorine-Free Bleach, like Seventh Generation Free & Clear Ultra Bleach Chlorine Free,  will be better on your clothes, better for the waterways and better for your indoor air quality in your home and when you are wearing the clothing item.

3.  Re-think Fabric Softener.  You can explore not using fabric softener at all, consider using 1/2 cup white vinegar in your wash cycle in lieu of liquid fabric softener, purchase a reusable dryer ball from retailers like Norwex or purchase compostable dryer sheets like those from Seventh Generation.

4.  Compost your Dryer Lent.  It's that simple, place your dryer lent (and dryer sheet if applicable) into your compost bin.

5.  Reuse hangers.  Reuse plastic hangers that you receive when purchasing an item from a store and reuse or recycle metal hangers from dry cleaners.  Most dry cleaners will happily re-use metal hangers.

6.  Install a Clothes Line.  You can find both indoor and outdoor clothes lines which reduce the amount of electricity or gas you use to dry your clothes (depending on which type of dryer you may have).  Let nature, the suns rays and wind, dry your clothes.

7.  Install Low Flow Faucet Aerators on Sinks or Utility Sinks.  Low Flow Faucet Aerators save 77% more water and energy then a standard 2.2 GPM aerator.  You can purchase a faucet aerator for a $1 or less.

8.   Replace light bulbs with more efficient CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Light) bulbs.  Check out programs like AEP's (American Electric Power) gridSMART program in which you can purchase CFLs at a discount at participating retailers (like Home Depot).

9.   Use Green Cleaning Products or make your own.

10.  Minimize clutter by donating unwanted or unused clothing and shoes to charity.  

You can read the entire Getting to Green series here:   

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Kitchen 

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Bedroom

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Living Areas (Living/ Dining/ Family/ Office)

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Bathroom 

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green Outdoors and in the Garden 

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Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Bathroom

This week's Sustainable Saturday is the fourth part of a new Series called Getting to Green.  This Series will focus on easy, cost-effective ways to implement green ideas or concepts throughout your home and life. 

10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Bathroom 

1.  Use Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Products or consider making your own.  Using common household ingredients like white vinegar, baking soda, borax, lemon juice, essential oils, olive oil and spray bottles made with recycled plastic you can make your own basic cleaners.  You can find recipes for Sink & Tub Cleaner, Toilet Bowl Cleaner and Glass Cleaner.

2.  Choosing an all natural, non-toxic Shower Curtain that does not contain PVC or vinyl.  PVC and vinyl emit toxic gases which impact the Indoor Air Quality in your bathroom and home.  In addition, PVC and vinyl shower curtains do not last long, do not recycle well and typically end up in a landfill.

Here are some all natural, non-toxic Shower Curtain options:

• Polyethylene Vinyl Acetate (PEVA) Shower Curtains: As durable as PVC but without the hormone-disrupting, asthma-inducing phthalates. 
• Hemp Shower Curtains:  Shower curtains made from hemp are naturally mildew resistant and they’re machine washable.  
• Linen Shower Curtains: Organic flax linen shower curtains are a beautiful alternative to PVC or vinyl shower curtains.  
• Organic Cotton Shower Curtains:  Organic cotton shower curtains are another green alternative to vinyl shower liners.

Retailers like Bed Bath & Beyond and IKEA carry all natural alternatives at an affordable price like Bed Bath & Beyond's Ice Circles Vinyl Shower Curtain ($19.99) or IKEA's FINNGRUND Shower Curtain, which are made of chloride-free PEVA vinyl.

3.  Consider Towels made of either Bamboo or Organic Cotton. Bamboo features cashmere like softness with greater absorbency than cotton. It is grown without pesticides, grows quickly making it one of the most sustainable fiber crops.  Conventionally grown cotton is responsible for the largest use of insecticides.  Cotton grown without the chemicals or pesticides (Organic Cotton) allow the cotton to be at its natural best and free from the residual chemicals.

4.  Install Low Flow Faucet Aerators on Sinks.  Low Flow Faucet Aerators save 77% more water and energy then a standard 2.2 GPM aerator.  You can purchase a faucet aerator for a $1 or less.

5.  Install a Low Flow Shower Head.  On average, showers are 18% of indoor water use, at 6-8 gallons per minute traditionally in the United States.  A simple method to reduce this usage is to switch to low-flow, high-performance showerheads. These showerheads use only 1.0-1.5 gpm or less.

6.  Install Dual Flush Toilet Conversion Kit.  Toilets account for almost 30% of residential indoor water use in the United States.  Consider finding a way to reduce the water usage of your current toilet by installing a Dual Flush Toilet Conversion Kit, put weighted plastic bottles in the toilet tank or install a tank bank or float booster.  If you are considering replacement, consider purchasing a low flush or low flow toilet.  National Geographic's Green Guide:  Toilet Buying Guide

7.  Install Energy Star rated Exhaust Fans.  Ventilation is a key component of an energy-efficient house, and Energy Star-rated bathroom fans can play an important role in the overall energy-savings picture.

The Home Ventilating Institute, which supplies the EPA with product testing and certification information, offers the following tips for bathroom ventilation:

• For bathrooms up to 100 square feet in area, an exhaust fan should provide 1 cfm per square foot, for example: An 8-foot-by-5-foot bathroom has an area of 40 feet so it should have a 40-cfm fan.
• For bathrooms greater than 100 square feet, ventilation is based on the number and type of fixtures present, noting the following items require the minimum cfms stated: toilet—50 cfm; shower—50 cfm; tub—50 cfm; jetted tub—100 cfm.
• The bathroom fan should be left on for 20 minutes after the use of the bathroom to completely ventilate the room.

8.  Consider Environmentally Friendly Personal Care Products.  Environmental Working Group (EWG) has an online Cosmetic and Personal Care Products Database which analyzes many personal care products.  This database will provide you with an overall Hazard Score and then you can access as much or little additional information on that product as you wish. 

9.  Consider Environmentally Friendly Paper Products.  Look for products from Seventh Generation, Marcal and other products that have recycled material content.  Many times you can purchase these items at a discount from Babies R Us, Soap.com or Alice.com.

10. Recycle.  There are many products that are used in the bathroom that can be recycled including personal care product containers and toilet paper rolls. 

You can read the entire Getting to Green series here:   

Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Kitchen 
Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Bedroom
Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Living Areas (Living/ Dining/ Family/ Office)

Resources:  ecohome - Bath Products Review:  Bathroom Fans and National Geographic Green Guide - Toilet Buying Guide.

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Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Living Areas (Living/ Dining/ Family/ Office)

1.   Turn off the lights when you leave a room.

2.   Replace light bulbs with more efficient CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Light) bulbs.  Check out programs like AEP's (American Electric Power) gridSMART program in which you can purchase CFLs at a discount at participating retailers (like Home Depot).

3.   Install occupancy sensors.

4.   Install a programable thermostat.

5.   Place electronics on a surge protector and power off when not in use. 

6.   Purchase Quality Furniture - If you are purchasing new furniture, look for furniture that is made of solid wood and is preferably FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified wood.  Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a non-profit organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world’s forests.

7.   Consider Hard Surface Flooring - If you have hard surface flooring underneath wall-to-wall carpet, consider removing the carpet to expose hard surface flooring such as hard wood floors.  If you are remodeling, consider replacing wall-to-wall carpet with hard surface flooring.  Carpet is full of all kinds of dust and other contaminants because it can NEVER be cleaned 100%. 

8.   Use Green Cleaning Products or make your own. 

9.   Promote Good Indoor Air Quality - Skip the air freshener in the living areas (and everywhere else unless it's environmentally friendly product).  Remember to open a window even in the winter months to allow some fresh air.  If you have dry cleaning make sure you to allow to properly air out before placing in your bedroom closet.  

10.  Minimize clutter by donating unwanted or unused clothing and shoes to charity.

This week's Sustainable Saturday is the third part of a new Series called Getting to Green.  This Series will focus on easy, cost-effective ways to implement green ideas or concepts throughout your home and life. You can read the first two parts of this series here:  Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Kitchen and Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Bedroom.  

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Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Bedroom

This week's Sustainable Saturday is the second part of a new Series called Getting to Green.  This Series will focus on easy, cost-effective ways to implement green ideas or concepts throughout your home and life. You can read the first part of this series here:  Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Kitchen.

10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Bedroom

1.   Launder Sheets and pillowcases once a week to remove dust, body oil and dust mites that love to set up camp in your bed.  Sheets and pillow cases provide protection for both your mattress pad and keep the top covers (blankets, comforters, quilts, etc.) protected from your skin, oils, etc. Launder your bedding once a week to keep the dust, body oil and dust mites at bay. Another great tip is to pull back your top covers to allow the bed to air out (while you are in the shower) and then make your bed afterwards. This too will help to keep dust mites to a minimum.

If you are in the market for new sheets try to avoid labels such as “easy care” or “no iron”. Look for sheets that are made of earth-friendly materials like bamboo, hemp and organic cotton.

2.   Launder the Mattress Pad at least once a month.  Look for mattress pads that are made of earth-friendly materials like bamboo, hemp and organic cotton.

3.   Blankets - Top covers including blankets, comforters, quilts, etc. should be laundered every 3 to 4 months. Look for blankets that are made of earth-friendly materials like bamboo, hemp and organic cotton.

4.   Comforters - Top covers including blankets, comforters, quilts, etc. should be laundered every 3 to 4 months. 

5.   Vacuum the mattress itself to remove dust mites.  Mattresses because they are made from flammable material, are treated with fire retardants PBDE (poly-brominated diphenyl ether). Look for mattresses that do not contain toxic chemicals from fire retardants, foam or stain-resistant chemicals. Look for mattresses that are green with no toxic chemicals, latex mattresses or cover your mattress and pillows with protective covers. 

6.   Purchase Quality Furniture - If you are purchasing new furniture, look for furniture that is made of solid wood and is preferably FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified wood.  Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a non-profit organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world’s forests.

7.   Consider Hard Surface Flooring - If you have hard surface flooring underneath wall-to-wall carpet, consider removing the carpet to expose hard surface flooring such as hard wood floors.  If you are remodeling, consider replacing wall-to-wall carpet with hard surface flooring.  Carpet is full of all kinds of dust and other contaminants because it can NEVER be cleaned 100%. 

8.   Use Green Cleaning Products or make your own. 

9.   Promote Good Indoor Air Quality - Skip to air freshener in the bedroom (and everywhere else unless it's environmentally friendly product) and allow the room that you spend so much time sleeping in have excellent indoor air quality.  Remember to open a window even in the winter months to allow some fresh air.  If you have dry cleaning make sure you to allow to properly air out before placing in your bedroom closet.  

10.  Minimize clutter by donating unwanted or unused clothing and shoes to charity.

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Sustainable Saturday - 10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Kitchen

This week's Sustainable Saturday is the first part of a new Series called Getting to Green.  This Series will focus on easy, cost-effective ways to implement green ideas or concepts throughout your home and life. 

10 Tips for Getting to Green in the Kitchen

This is probably one of my favorite places to implement green ideas and a terrific place for easy, low cost, high impact sustainable practices.

1.   Recycle metal, plastic and glass containers.

2.   Recycle paper and cardboard containers.

3.   Compost fruit and vegetable waste (Also coffee filters, coffee grounds and egg shells).  Read about how to get started with composting including building a outdoor compost bin out of pallets here. 

4.   Use compostable or biodegradable products where possible.  You can purchase a variety of products that are compostable such as sponges, paper plates and utensils. 

5.   Use cloth napkins

6.   Use dish towels

7.   Store food in reusable (glass) containers, not plastic baggies or wrap.

8.   Use environmentally friendly cleaners, dish soaps and dishwasher detergent or make your own.

9.   Plant an herb container garden

10. Unplug appliances that are used infrequently

2 Additional Tips for Getting to Green in the Kitchen: (These items have added cost associated with them, but are valuable if you are remodeling or need to replace a fixture or appliances).

11. Purchase a "Low-Flow" Kitchen Faucet

12.  Replace appliances with Energy Star Appliances (Dishwasher and Refrigerator)

Sustainable Saturday - Columbia Gas Home Energy Audit

As the temperatures have started to drop in the Central Ohio area and furnaces have begun to kick on, it's time to start thinking about ways to reduce your energy usage and make your home more comfortable.  If you are a Columbia Gas customer, you have probably seen a informational flier in a recent bill advertising a Columbia Gas Home Energy Audit Program

Here is some information from Columbia Gas website regarding the Energy Audit Program:

Home Performance Solutions from Columbia Gas of Ohio helps our gas-heating customers take action to save money on their natural gas bills. Home Performance Solutions is now available in all of the 61 Ohio counties served by Columbia Gas!

It starts with a low-cost Home Energy Audit, and provides generous rebates to make qualified energy efficiency improvements much more affordable.

About the Home Energy Audit: 

The cost of the Home Energy Audit is $50 ($20 for income-eligible customers*). Columbia Gas of Ohio will reimburse the Home Energy Audit fee and provides generous rebates when you make any qualified energy efficiency improvement. 

Qualified Energy Efficient Improvements May Include:

• Attic and wall insulation upgrades 
• Air sealing of cracks, gaps, and holes 
• High-efficiency gas furnace or boiler replacements
• Programmable thermostat 
• High-performance, energy-efficient showerhead

Rebates: 

The more qualified energy efficiency improvements you make, the more you save. Rebates of up to 70% may be available if you make more than one qualified energy efficiency improvement, and you could save $400 on a high-efficiency gas furnace or boiler replacement. Even greater rebates are available for income-eligible customers.

Here’s how to start saving today:

Contact our service provider, Conservation Services Group (CSG) at YourEnergySolutions@csgrp.com. to schedule your Home Energy Audit or schedule an appointment by 1-877-644-6674

Interested in learning more ways to save energy?  

AEP (American Electric Power) Ohio gridSMART program for Residential Energy Efficiency

• Lighting Program - Receive Instant Discounts on CFLs  

• Appliance Recycling Program - Free Removal and $50 for Your Old, Working Refrigerator or Freezer

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Dayton Power & Light - Residential

• Heating & Cooling Rebates for Your Home - Save $200 to $600 on a new energy-efficient air conditioner or heat pump. And save on your energy bill. 

• Lighting Discounts for Your Home - No coupons, no hassle. Shop at your favorite store and receive a discounted price at the register, courtesy of DP&L

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Duke Energy - Residential (Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, North Carolina)

•  Home Energy House Call 

• A trained energy specialist will visit your home, at your convenience, to conduct a thorough in-home analysis. The energy specialist will:
• Analyze your total home energy usage
• Check your home for air leaks
• Examine your insulation levels
• Review your appliances and heating/cooling system 

• From the information collected, a custom-tailored report detailing steps you can take to increase efficiency and reduce your energy bill is prepared and given to you before your energy specialist leaves your home.

• As part of our commitment to saving you money on your energy bill, we will also provide you with a free Energy Efficiency Starter Kit that includes Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs. The energy specialist can install the items at the time of your Home Energy House Call, so you can begin saving your energy dollars right away.

• Power Manager

• Depending on which Power Manager option you choose, you will receive a one-time credit of $25 or $35 on your bill just for signing up. 

• You will receive a credit on your electric bill whenever we use the Power Manager device to turn your air conditioning unit off and then automatically back on.

• You are helping to preserve the environment and keep electric costs low by reducing the demand for electricity and delaying the need to build additional power plants in our region.

• Smart $aver - The Smart $aver Program promotes the use of high efficiency heating and cooling systems to help lower your energy costs and make your home more comfortable.

 

FREE copy of fresh! A must have guide to Organic and Natural Food Lifestyles

You can get this copy of fresh! for FREE here.  Add to your cart, use coupon code NEAFREE to get this for FREE! 

Their site appears to be very slow, most likely due to the volume of people trying to get this guide.  If you use Checkout as Guest, it appears to work much easier/ quicker.  At least it did when I requested my copy!

Fresh Healthy Recipes


A must have guide to organic and natural food lifestyles

Including:

Healthy Kids School Snacks

And

A Look at the Childhood Obesity Epidemic
 
Thanks! Money Saving Mom & The Freebie Blogger

Sustainable Saturday - How-To Green Halloween!

Halloween is only a few weeks away and like many moms, I have been thinking about costumes, accessories and candy!

Want to Green your Halloween, but not sure where to start?

Gather good green resources and information:

Utilize resources available that are already online such as Green Halloween (a program of Ecomom Alliance) and EWG (Environmental Working Group).

Green Halloween offers tons of great resources including downloadable action kits and materials to help you spread the green:

• Neighborhood action kit
• Parent action kit
• Teacher action kit
• “10 Easy steps” (tip sheet)
• Green Halloween posters: small and large
• Green Halloween® logo
• 2010 Sponsors sheet
• 2009 5x7 Postcard
• Green Halloween® Blurbs, Articles, "Tweets" & More

The Environmental Working Group offers EWG's Tips to Green Your Halloween featuring ideas such as:

• Pick play make up carefully
• Skip the colored hairspray
• Burn more eco-friendly candles (if at all)
• Don't wear synthetic face masks or teeth
• Offer treats that you would like your kids to receive
• You can read the rest of the tips here

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Reuse! items from past costumes, borrow from someone else or participate in a Costume Swap:

Participate in National Costume Swap Day (Today, October 9th - Nationwide).  Find one in your area here.  Since my original post about this National Costume Swap Day, two new swaps are happening in Cleveland, OH and Shaker Heights, OH!  If your Town or City is not participating in a swap this year, consider organizing one for next year 2011!  Many swaps are put on in collaboration with local green businesses and even National Retailers like Whole Foods.

There are also online swaps available from websites such as thredUP!
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Purchase new items that are more eco-friendly or Organic:

Shop for Halloween goods online from places like EcoMom.com for eco-friendly costumes, accessories, make-up and treats!

Shop for Organic Candy from places like Amazon.com. 

Amazon.com offers Organic Candy for a reasonable price.  You can currently get 125 YummyEarth Organic Lollipops, Assorted Flavors for $12.63.  Subscribe & Save and get an additional 15% off!  

Earth's Best Potty Pants Have Arrived!

Earth's Best Potty Pants Have Arrived!

• Chorline-free
• Easy tear-away sides
• Superior absorbency
• Stretchy waistband for comfort and mobility
• Wetness indicator
• Made with renewable resources
• Make potty training environmentally friendly, easy and fun for your child

Earth's Best Flushable Wipes

You can find a $1/1 Coupon available here.

Available locally (Columbus, OH) at Toys R Us & Babies R Us.

Sustainable Saturday - Buying Local All Year

Fall is officially here and this marks that last weekend of our Local Outdoor Farmer's Market.  While we are lucky enough to live in a community that has a Indoor Winter Farmer's Market through the colder months there are other options.  Two companies have emerged that will deliver fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy and bakery items to your doorstep.

Originally we tried Nature's Garden Delivered because of a deal available on Groupon.  We found the produce (that is all we ordered from them so far) to be fresh and either local or Organic and the prices to be reasonable.

Local Yokel Foods is a newer company and I have not personally used their service.  My neighbor has been receiving deliveries for the last two weeks and has been very impressed.  Many of the vendors are consistent with those available at our local Farmer's Market and the prices are the same or even less!  When I was at Kroger last evening, the sell Snowville Creamery Milk for $ 3.73, you can get this same milk DELIVERED to your doorstep for $3.49 for a half gallon. 

Local Yokel Foods is a new Food Delivery Service in Columbus, Ohio. They deliver local and organic fruits, veggies, breads, meat, dairy and specialty products right to your doorstep!

From their website:

How is my food delivered?

We use green 100% recyclable plastic bins (There is a $15 fee to purchase the bin as part of your first order with Local Yokel Foods) to keep your order safe and fresh. We leave it on your porch in the shadiest spot. If you have a spot you'd like us to leave it at, just mention it in the comments section of your checkout order.  Just remember to place the bin and/or thermal bags back outside for pick-up. We will pick up your old bin when we deliver your next order!

What is considered "Local" food?

Since we live in central Ohio, we consider anything Ohio-Grown to be local. If it's possible to be grown in Ohio, we want to buy it!. However, we realize everything cannot be grown locally and there are times when things are not in season. We will buy out of state when those items aren't available in Ohio. Items that aren't Local will not have a label. 

What do you sell in the winter?

Plenty! We plan to have Local and Organic grown meats, cheese, eggs, milk, breads, potatoes, apples, pumpkins, greenhouse produce, locally grown canned or frozen fruits and vegetables and many more local specialty products. We also will buy Non Local and Organic produce during the off-seasons.

You can check to see if they deliver to your area here.

Nature's Garden Delivered is a broker for multiple local farmers. Anything that they cannot get locally, they purchase fresh Organic produce from farms outside of Ohio. 

There are franchises in Arizona, Georgia and the Ohio River Valley.  The Ohio River Valley includes Greater Cincinnati including SE Indiana, Northern Kentucky, Columbus and Louisville.  Also: Dayton, Indianapolis.  You can check on their website to see if they deliver to your area.
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Here is a list provided by Local Foods Columbus that lists all the Farmer's Markets, Farms, Grocers and Restaurants that sell local food (and the time of year available).

If you are not local to Columbus, Ohio or surrounding area (also Arizona, Georgia and the Ohio River Valley for Nature's Garden Delivered), there is a local resource in Local Harvest  where you can see if there is a service like this in your area, co-ops that are available throughout the winter months or a Farmer who will sell to you directly for some of these items.

To find local CSA's, farmers markets, restaurants among other information on purchasing locally produced food:

Local Harvest.org

Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association

The 2010 Ohio Sustainable  Farm Tour and Workshop Series

Prescription Drug Disposal (Columbus, OH) Saturday, September 25th

An excerpt from today's Columbus Dispatch:

Prescription drugs
Unneeded pills can be chucked Saturday (September 25th)

On the heels of two national studies that bolster signs of a growing prescription-drug-abuse epidemic, federal and local authorities have teamed up for a national drug take-back day this weekend.  

You can read the entire article here.

Sustainable Saturday - The Leaf Blower vs. The Rake

According to the website USA.gov, the first day of Fall (Autumn) is Wednesday September 22, 2010 at 11:09 PM ET . . . so I guess it is almost officially Fall.  That seems about right since High School & College football has begun, the leaves are starting to fall and there is an abundance of apples at our local Farmer's Market.

Some of my favorite things about Fall are the re-emergence of Fall meals (Chili, Stew and Pumpkin bread), making fresh Applesauce, Apple Cider and piles of Leaves for the kids to jump in!

At our house we have leaves.  And when I say we have leaves, we have a ton of them.  Not only do we have the leaves produced by the trees in our yard, we somehow manage to get many of the leaves from our surrounding neighbors.  I guess that is what you get when you live in a developed, 1960s neighborhood that is near the river and has lots of old growth trees.

We have made the choice at our house to go against the grain and not purchase a leaf blower.  Why?  Because of our concern for the environment and the confirmed fact that it takes longer with a leaf blower (I've borrowed one from a neighbor in the past and it actually took longer!).

From Wikipedia:

Emissions from gasoline-powered grounds-keeping equipment in general are a source of air pollution. ^[1] In the United States, US emission standards prescribe maximum emissions from small engines.

In addition to adverse health effects of carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides, hydrocarbons, and particulates generated by the gasoline-powered engines, leaf blowers pose problems related to significant amounts of dust that is introduced into the air by the powerful flow of air. Dust clouds caused by leaf blowers contain potentially harmful substances such as pesticides, mold, and animal fecal matter that may cause irritation, allergies, and disease.

There are currently twenty California cities that have banned leaf blowers, sometimes only within residential neighborhoods and usually targeting gasoline-powered equipment. Another 80 cities have ordinances on the books restricting either usage or noise level or both. Nationwide, three states, Arizona, Hawaii and New Jersey, have considered laws at the state level, and five other states have at least one city with a leaf blower ordinance.

Tacoma Park, Maryland - City Considers Ban of Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers  



How do we deal with all of our leaves?  With two adult rakes, two child size rakes and a large tarp.  We rake the leaves onto the tarp and haul them either to our 2 compost bins or out to the street where we have City pick up of leaves.  It is efficient and a lot of fun!

Don't have a compost pile or a City who does curbside pick up?   Here are a few ideas from planet green.com:

1. Spread them over your lawn and let them decompose naturally.  Select an area of the lawn if you don't want them over the entire lawn.
2. Frame them for a earth-friendly and inexpensive decoration.
3. Make potpourri.

You can read more here:  planet green.com - Don't Throw Leaves Away This Fall: 3 Ways to Use Them!

Healthy Child Healthy World

This is a pretty powerful video from Healthy Child Healthy World and reminds me exactly why we are on this quest to be more sustainable, green, earth-friendly, eco-conscience, etc.

This video will hopefully inspire you to want to know more and make changes in your everyday life.

A Wake-Up Story from Healthy Child Healthy World on Vimeo.

Reusing a Coffee Filter

I did something that was very green and frugal last week without the intention to do so.  On Wednesday we ran out of coffee filters.  The unbleached variety.  It was a busy week and getting the grocery store to purchase more filters was just not in the cards.  So, Wednesday night I put the coffee grounds into my compost pail and then rinsed the coffee filter itself to reuse the next day.  I did this for 4 days before I finally replaced it.  And you know what the filter lasted that whole time!

Environmental Working Group's 2009 Shopper's Guide to Sunscreen

With Spring upon us, it's a great time to check out the sunscreen that is hanging around your house.  Environmental Working Group has once again proved to be a great resource when it comes to purchasing sunscreen.  You can check out their full report:  Environmental Working Group's 2009 Shopper's Guide to Sunscreen.

Best Easy to Find Sunscreens

California Baby - any sunscreen
Mustela - “Sun Cream” or “Sun Lotion, Bebe”
Mission Skincare - “Face Stick”
Neutrogena - “Pure & Free” or “Sensitive Skin”
Blue Lizard - “Face”, “Baby”, or “Sensitive”
Jason Natural or Earth’s Best - “Mineral Based”
Solar Sense - “Clear Zinc Sport Stick”
CVS - “Sport Sunstick”
Coppertone Water BABIES - “Pure & Simple”

Reading the Labels

BUY
SPF 30 or higher for best protection.
At least 7% zinc oxide or titanium dioxide for broad spectrum protection.

AVOID
Oxybenzone or benzophenone-3:  skin absorption, allergies, hormone problems
Spray and powder sunscreens:  inhaling sunscreens can pose extra risks
Fragrance:  allergies, reproductive problems
Sunscreen with added bug repellent:  you can get too much of the pesticide in your body

Now thru May 27, 2010 there is a 25% off Sunscreen available for Babies R Us/ Toys R Us with in store coupon.  They carry a variety of brands of sunscreen including, but not limited to:  California Baby (Reg. $19.99), Mustela (Reg. $15.49), Neutrogena Pure & Free (Reg. 10.99), Jason Natural, Earth's Best and Coppertone Water Babies Pure & Simple (Reg. $11.99).

Coppertone Water Babies coupon available here. 

We purchased our Summer 2010 Kids Sunscreen during the Babies R Us Sale.

Here is what we purchased:

Photo Credit:  About.com and Amy Lloyd

Sustainable Saturday - Gardening with Children: A Series Documenting our Garden 2010 - Rain Barrels

One of my goals for this summer is to reduce the "spike" in our water bill during the summer months.  This "spike" is primarily due to watering our garden.  We have a rain barrel installed at one of our downspouts which collects roughly 1/4 of the rain water off our roof.  Currently the rain barrel is connected to a soaker hose which is in the planting bed close to it.  Running the water from the rain barrel out to my garden will require burying a hose beneath the ground.  Should be an interesting venture and I hope that my efforts will pay off in that our water bill will remain relatively constant throughout the year.  

Want to know more about Rain Barrels? 

If you have not already, you should check out National Geographic's Green Guide.   You can sign up for the Green Guide's Monthly E-Newsletter which is the only way to receive this terrific publication.  They have an entire section on their site; Buying Guides. 

Interested in installing a rain barrel?  Check out their Rain Barrel Buying Guide.

What to Look For

While rainwater may not always be safe to drink, it can be used for a variety of other applications—from watering your lawn and flower beds to washing cars or driveways. And depending on your state and local laws, you may be able to use rainwater for some household graywater uses, like toilets and showers.

A rain barrel is essentially a large tank with a spigot that sits under your home’s gutter downspout to harvest rainwater from your roof. You can make one for just a few dollars, or you can purchase a basic model for around $50 to $100. A more decorative model will cost upwards of $300.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Safety: Rain barrels hold 50-plus gallons of water, so be sure the tank is both child- and animal-proof.
• Handling overflow: Look for rain barrels with an overflow valve that kicks in when the barrel reaches capacity.

You can read the rest of the article here.

Rain Barrels have become more mainstream in recent years and can be purchased at a variety of retailers.  Be sure to check out options at Home Depot,  Generation Green (Columbus, Ohio) and  Rain Brothers LLC (Columbus, Ohio)  just to name a few.  There are also lots of great online retailers such as Gardener's Supply.  

Photo Credit:  Photograph by Paul Thompson/Photolibrary

Environmental Working Group's 2010 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides

Environmental Working Group's 2010 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides

Dr. Andrew Weil, renowned medical expert on natural health and wellness, tells us why and how he uses the Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides.



Why Should You Care About Pesticides?

The growing consensus among scientists is that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can cause lasting damage to human health, especially during fetal development and early childhood.  Scientists now know enough about the long-term consequences of ingesting these powerful chemicals to advise that we minimize our consumption of pesticides.

Dr. Weil suggests that there is a measurable drop in tissue accumulation of pesticides in people who eat using the guidelines of the EWG's 2010 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides.

CVS: $0.50 off Reusable Bag coupon thru 4/18

Looking to grow you reusable bag collection?  Thru 4/18 you can get a coupon for $0.50 off any CVS/pharmacy Reusable Bag!

Sustainable Saturday - Want to go green? Ask Grandma.

You'll want to check out in the next few weeks as I explore doing things Grandma's way.  This new blog series will explore a lot of things we can learn from our grandparents and even great-grandparents about living frugal and living green.  During a recent visit to my husband's grandmother's home, I noticed a compost bin, the old makings of a huge garden and learned how she used to feed her family of 12 from their garden.

While your making your list for Spring Cleaning, you might want to check out this article from Mambo Sprouts that is right along the lines of this new blog series:  Would Your Pantry Make Great-Grandma Proud?

As for our garden update, our plants are growing and the weather will hopefully get warmer to stay soon.  I am hopeful that we will have an early harvest again this year of green beans.  My kids love to eat them right in the garden!