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The Benefits Of Buying Local Produce Vs. Trucked-In Produce

admin — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Everyone wants to know what they can do to “go green,” and for everyone buying locally is the first and most adoptable answer. Here are some highlights to buying local:

Flavor and Nutrition: When you buy local food from your farmers market or farm stand, you are buying food that is in season. In season foods means foods that weren’t tricked into growing when and where they normally wouldn’t. Local, in season foods mean less of what you don’t want: insecticides and growth chemicals, and more of what you do: flavor and nutrition.

Cost Savings: Food that’s sold in the grocery and big box stores automatically comes with a price tag that accounts for the gas used to truck or fly it in to you. When you buy your produce locally, you’re dodging that inflated gas tax as well as keeping your own carbon footprint low by not driving far to make your purchase.

Supporting your Community: Buying local keeps your money in your community. You money is your vote so when you choose to buy an apple from a farmer two miles away instead of an orange trucked-in from two states away, you’re voting to help your community thrive!

Organic Fertilizers Vs. Synthetics: So What’s The Difference?

admin — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Organic fertilizers are capable of feeding plants while being very environmental friendly. They build the soil around them too. Soil that contain an abundance of organic material tend to be airy and loose, which helps retain moisture and nutrients. Plus, they help soil organisms grow and build healthy roots. Also, the material that organic fertilizers are typically made of come from plant, animal, and rock sources. Microbes slowly break down these materials. This results in long term nutrition and steady growth.

Unlike organic fertilizers, synthetic fertilizers are capable of growing plants quickly. However, synthetic fertilizers release nutrients too quickly and may result in weaker plants. Also unlike organic fertilizers, they do nothing to help the structure of the soil around them. In fact, because they have high concentrations of mineral salt, they kill off soil organisms that are needed for decomposition and soil formation. Soil that has been constantly exposed to chemical fertilizers rather than organic ones generally have a low microbe activity, organic material, and soil structure. Because of this, the soil will eventually end up not being able to sustain life because of the absence of nutrients and a lacking ability to hold water.

As you can see, organic fertilizers are vastly different than synthetic ones.

Is That Bottled Water Really Safe and Worth Buying?

admin — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

When trying to determine if buying bottled water is safe and worth the asking price it is important to evaluate the situation that you are in when you find yourself buying it. Are you purchasing a large number of bottled waters just for the convenience, because you dislike the taste of tap water or find yourself needing a drink on a hot day? Rather than opting for a bottled water that is creating more waste and cost find an alternative.
There are several different options for clean and great tasting drinking water that does not come out of a one-time use bottle. As more individuals are becoming aware of how important it is to look for greener ways to live their life, there are more options being offered to replace those one use bottled waters. There is a wide variety of reusable water containers and filters on the market. Some options for reusable water bottles come with a filter built into the bottle making it possible to filter tap water that you can get for free, while others are collapsible making them more convenient to carry. Consider the savings that can be found from using a reusable bottle rather than buying many one-time use bottled waters.

Your Kids and Green Living

admin — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

If your kids are showing interest in living a cleaner, greener life, you’ve got to encourage them. Here are a few ways you can get them in the spirit and hey, if you use your broadband internet providers out there to find some other ideas, let us know in the comments!
Be Part of the Community: Odds are your community has some sort of green activity – a community garden, a farmer’s market, etc. that you and your child can enjoy together. If you both show interest, they’ll follow suit.
Makeover the House: Depending on the age of your child, ask them to research online some ways to make the house greener. When they come to you with ideas (say, composting and switching out the lightbulbs), encourage them and go to the hardware store together.
Set Some Goals: Home-based green initiatives are the best way to impact your community. See who can take the shortest shower or turn on the least number of lights all day – making it a game will encourage your kids to really go farther than they would normally.

Plastic Vs. Glass: Economical and Convenient Vs. The Environment

admin — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

There are several debates on whether glass is safer than plastic or vise versa. It really depends on what you hold higher in your scope to be more important, convenience or the environment. Plastic bottles and such were approved by the FDA, but the FDA reported they found traces of the chemical bisphenol A and they reported it was harmless and were safe for consumers to use for daily life. But, later on studies by the FDA showed that this chemical, bisphenol A, could lead to some serious health and behavioral issues.Never heard of this before? Get up to speed here. These things were not mentioned in the first review so now everyone is using plastic bottles, cartons, etc. without thinking it will be harmful at all. The convenience that comes with plastic is understandable because it is lighter and easier to ship, therefor it is cheaper to buy than glass. Glass is safer for the human body and does not retain smells or tastes like plastic does. It is easier to be biodegraded and is not made out of petroleum. Because glass is heavier and is more difficult to make, it is more expensive to buy. Plastic is more convenient buy terrible for the environment and for the human body, glass is less convenient but better for the environment and there are no harmful effects to the human body. As demonstrated, it really comes down to what comes first to the user.

What Are The Advantages Of Integrated Pest Management?

admin — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Integrated pest management is important because it keeps the decisions as to the method of management all in one place. This means that the person deciding what do use in the treatment of one pest already knows what sorts of preparations are in place in the treatment of another, thus the home doesn’t get a double dose any of one chemical but instead gets the most effective and safe applications of what is really needed.

Pest management is often necessary in the modern world. Critters can come in the house in many different ways, most of which have nothing to do with hygiene but instead with openings in the home’s defences. Having the pest management integrated means that all the different aspects of the problem are under consideration for not only effectiveness but also for environmental impact.

Chemical pest control is one avenue that might be considered, but there are other and possibly less invasive methods available. Prevention of an infestation by careful management of risk factors along with treatment of an existing problem is an integral part of an integrated pest management plan. It is much better to keep the environmental impact a small as possible while maintaining adequate control through integrated pest control.

Will Turning My Summer Thermostat Up Make a Difference?

admin — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The question of whether turning the thermostat up in the summer will make a difference has a very simple answer: Yes. There are several ways turning up the thermostat can make a difference, the first of which is the energy bill for the household. When the difference between the inside temperature and the outside temperature is less, the cost to maintain the difference is less. What that means is that if a household keeps its internal temperature at seventy-five during the summer and the outside temperature is in the nineties then it will take more energy to do so than if the temperature is kept at seventy-eight.

The second reason that keeping the thermostat higher in the summer will make a difference is related to the first: The lower the energy bill the smaller the carbon footprint of the household and thus the healthier the overall environment of the world. Granted it is not a huge difference taken as an individual action, but when thousands of people make the responsible choice the difference grows exponentially.

The simple act of keeping the thermostat a little higher can be the first step in keeping the home on a path to greener living. One small step is the way great journeys begin.

Will Turning My Winter Thermostat Down Make a Difference?

admin — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Turning the thermostat down in the winter can make a difference in monthly heating bills. The savings can be a little or quite dramatic depending on current usage. No matter how much the savings are every dollar is important. It is recommended that thermostats are set around 68 degrees, but not higher than 70 degrees during the day. At night the thermostat should be set at 58 degrees. The heat should be low or off when leaving the house. There may be an adjustment period when setting the thermostat lower, but many people do not realize they can comfortably lower the thermostat.

Purchasing a device that is programmed to regulate the thermostat may also be a good idea. If a person leaves the house and arrives back home at regular intervals, the thermostat can be programmed around these times. This way, it is easier to turn the heat off completely and have it set to come back on and warm up the house shortly before arrival. Furthermore, turning the heating system off or adjusting it before leaving or bedtime is not forgotten. This also eliminates the frustration of remembering only after going to bed, and having to get back up