Wednesday, August 26, 2009

25 ways to save the Planet!


Treehugger.com has come up wit their latest Top 25 Ways to Save The Planet list and since we can allll use a little reminder once in a while, here she is... see what you can do to check some of these off in your life!

Key: Black text - Treehugger's list Green text - Fighting Footprints added goods!

25) Get a reel (human-powered) lawn mower instead of a loud, noxious gasoline grass-cutter. And it is also better for the grass to LEAVE the grass clippings on the ground. 24) Compost your garbage instead of throwing it all away; over 60% of solid household waste is fit for the compost pile, heap or bin.Well we all know we love composting, are you still thinking about the vermicomposting?

23) Buy clothes and other linens made from organic cotton. Conventional cotton farming uses only about 3% of the farmland but consumes approximately 25% of the chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Bamboo and Hemp clothing also are the most comfortable clothing I own! But don't forget about re-used clothing from the salvation army etc.

22) Ride a bicycle. The most efficient form of transportation ever devised was named the most significant innovation in a UK survey; in 2005, more bikes than cars were sold in the US, and it's certainly one of our favorites. There is truly nothing like a cruise on the bike!

21) Use eco-friendly household cleaners. It's never made any sense to us to use "dirty" chemicals and volatile organic compounds to try to get things cleaner around the house; we recommend ECover, Seventh Generation (if it's good enough for Liv Tyler, it's good enough for us). And don't forget natural remedies ie. Lemon, vinegar, baking soda etc.

20) Eschew air conditioners (even though there are some nice designs, some pretty efficient window units and even an off-grid option out there, some think A/C is the killing frost sure to wilt the last fragile shoots of American culture) and go with a ceiling fan for year-round climate control. It'll help keep you cooler in summer; to push warm air back down into the room in winter, just flip the blades around. And try figuring out the best window's and doors to have open for optimal air flow, work WITH the breeze!

19) Skip the energy-hogging clothes dryer for a drying rack or clothes line instead; it's easier on your clothes, your energy bill and our fragile planet. While you're at it, green your laundry practices or skip electricity all together. Although it CAN be more space consuming your clothing will last WAYYY longer is you line dry them, and no more dryer needed!

18) Use rechargeable batteries instead of single-use batteries. It'll save you some bucks and the hassle of trying to recycle spent alkalines (even though our friends at 3r Living make it a little easier by accepting them for recycling). For more info, check out Green Batteries for everything you'd ever want to know. Also a GREAT gift idea for parents... re-usable batteries and a charger, bc. kids toys take A LOT of batteries!

17) If given the choice, go for organic fruits, veggies, meat and dairy over conventional food. Organic food is becoming more widely available all the time in grocery stores across the world, and because it's all free of pesticides, herbicides and other chemical non-desirables, it's better for you and the planet. Check out Supperstores new Organic section!

16) When it comes to food, the only thing making more noise these days than organic is the local food movement. From the Eat Local Challenge to the 100 Mile Diet (so interesting that we added a part 2) to a growing number of resources to help you grow your own food -- it doesn't get more local than that -- it's tough to beat the "eat the season" mantra. Hope you've been eating from your garden's this summer, and or heading down to the farmers market! Mmmm fresh and local, nothin' beats it!

15) Fill your kitchen with bamboo. We just love the stuff, and its versatility makes for a variety of products that are inexpensive, functional and beautiful and long-lasting. Some of our favorites are Ekobo, Bambu (their new utensils are worth a look, too), Vessel's cutting boards, NorSing dinnerware and this dinnerware from Hammacher Schlemmer. While you're at it, bamboo is pretty great for the bathroom, too. If in Saskatoon check out The Better Good on Broadway for MANY different bamboo products, including baby utensils and bowls!

14) Get an efficient space heater to cut down on the cubic area you need to heat, reducing energy consumption and energy bills. And place it in the room you are IN, close the door and you'll stay toasty warm without loosing the heat to the other cold rooms. Also try keeping rooms closed that don't always need to be fully heated and even closing the vents, ie. the guest room etc.

13) If a drying rack or clothing line doesn't make sense for your wet laundry, a spinning clothes dryer that uses centrifugal force is a much more efficient alternative to conventional clothes dryers.

12) Use recycled paper. There's no need to use virgin paper for things like computer printing, envelopes, paper towels, toilet paper or tissues; the best part is that it's all easy to find at office supply stores and grocery stores. Don't forget, you can get great stationary and cool journals from recycled paper as well, so there are more trees for us all to hug. Costco is now selling recycled computer and writing paper!

11) Many of us can't afford to get sustainable hardwood flooring, bamboo flooring or really cool reclaimed lumber flooring, but we can still make a difference with the rugs and carpets we put down. Interface's modular tiles are flexible enough to go in almost any-sized space, big or small, and these bamboo rugs are both sustainable and affordable. Angela Adams' Island rugs are are backed with 100% cotton monk cloth and a latex adhesive. And they all LOOK great too!

10) When it comes to toilets, we've seen a lot of gadgets: dual-flush handles, controllable-flush handles, alternative toilets, the UnBathroom emergency toilet, a water recycling toilet and reviews of the best low-flow toilets. These are available in most stores now'aday and are FANTASTIC! Every toilet in Australia is a dual flush system, that's allll they carry!


9) We can't emphasize this one enough: replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents. They're more energy efficient, last longer, and can even help clean the air in your home.

BUT don't forget to dispose of the bulbs at your local Home Depot or other hardware stores that accept them... BC. they contain mercury and we DO NOT want more of that in our landfills!


8) Even though there are some good things going on in the bottled water industry, like biodegradable water bottles and this bottled water with a cause, you can't beat filtered tap water in a reusable bottle. Same goes for other widely-consumed beverages, like coffee, and if you're stuck on the aesthetics of the disposable cup, check out TreeHugger founder and fearless leader's ceramic solution. Look into a water filtration system which not only takes OUT the bad but put's IN the good minerals!


7) Cut flowers are pretty and smell good, but are ultimately disposable after just a few days. The next time you're in the market for some, go for a potted version instead. They last longer, improve indoor air quality and can even be self-watering. If cut flowers are a must, go for organic and look for the Veliflora sustainable floral label. Another option is hit the ditch with a pair of scissors, there are many beautiful prairie grasses and wild flowers... you don't need a lot to make a big impact in your space!


6) A low-flow showerhead can save you gallons of water each time you use it. We've seen 'em as low as a half-gallon per minute. There are also new shower meters that can be placed right on the shower head which times your shower and warns you when you have a minute left!


5) Instead of buying bottled water, use a water filter instead. There are some pretty strange options for filtration out there, but they can be very simple and easy to use, so get one, use it to replenish your precious bodily fluids, and you'll never buy bottled water again. Isn't this a repeat? Anyhow, we agree filtered water tastes WAY better and is better for you and the environment!


4) To go the extra mile, get a rainwater storage tank; you don't even have to dig a huge hole in the yard to have one (we got all the facts at a rainwater harvesting conference). You won't be able to drink it (unless you do what this guy did, and bottle it), but your flowers, plants and garden will sure enjoy it. This will save the potable water your utility provides just for household use, and you'll use less of it. Have you ever used rain water for your hair?? Two words... TRY IT! Just collect a bucket full and after you rinse you conditioner out poor on the rain water, you hair will never be sooooo soft!


3) Use "Tupperware"-style reusable food containers for leftovers and lunches; you'll save miles of plastic wrap and tons of plastic bags. While you're at it, get reusable versions of other stuff, like grocery bags, gift bags and (why not?) muffin cups. Try GLASS Tupperware, (like anchor brand) and you'll reallllly be making a difference, no more eating out of BAD plastics. And yes try the re-usable grocery bags and even produce bags!


2) Draft excluders at the base of your doors can save vast amounts of cold from getting in and heat from getting out. Your wallet will thank you, and you can do it with other doors around the house, like your fridge door, too. A rolled up towel will do the trick!


1) Finally, a programmable thermostat will help efficiently regulate your indoor climate; it's like TiVo for your house. Warm it up and cool it down only when you want to, live more comfortably and cheaply. Isn't that what we all want? This really can cut down on costs and make a BIG difference in comfort in your home... not to mention a new HIGH efficiency furnace... check out insentives program the government offeres, it may be enough to keep u saving money and energy consumption WHILE staying cozy for a loooong time!



Well everyone, hope this was a good little refresher... remember EVERY little bit helps so do what you CAN do and anything else is bonus!


Planet Pals,

Heather and Chanel



Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Back to Schoooool!!!


Some dread it, some look forward to it, but it all comes around whether we like it or not!!

Living in Saskatoon, the stores EVERYWHERE seem to be insanely busy and packed full of parents lugging their children around to purchase new things for ........ SCHOOOOOOL..... yes, I said it, SCHOOL.

As a teacher, I feel the same anxiety and grievances over summer that almost every child feels at this time.

Now of course the question is... do we reeeeally need all the new "stuff" we buy before school to compensate for our "misery" of going back? Let's think about it this year as we enter fall and ask ourselves what necessities we NEED and what we can live without.

What are some other ways we can compensate for going back to school?

Are there some supplies left over from last year (mostly unlikely, lol) or some stuff around the house that you can take to school?

So much excess is bought and lost during September.... let's think about the ways we can find things around the house, use things differently, hold on to what we buy, and compensate our dread with something other than "things", like maybe having a summer-end party, spending extra time with family and friends, enjoying the little nice weather we are having, and living life in the moment! It's tough for some of us, but it's worth it... BELIEVE ME!!

School Shmool,

Chanel and Heather

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Helpful Pet's!


So, I don't know how all of you have been doing on your composting this summer, but I have found something oooh so cool that will make your fall and winter composting sooo much better… and I am going to give’r a shot at my house.

Have you ever heard of Vermicomposting? Yes, it is composting using a special kind a worm, a "red" wiggler to help with the process. The Red wrigglers can eat close to their own weight in compost a day.... sooo if you have one pound worms = one pound compost a day!

Pretty crazzy hey... here is some information to get you going on this wicked idea...

The vermicomposting is ment for INdoors as the worms need to be kept warm, so in your Home, Offic, School etc . People often come to think of their worms as helpful pets.



What is vermicompost?

Vermicompost is mostly worm castings (poop). Fortunately, the faint earthy smell of the worm ‘poop’ doesn’t cause any odour problems. Vermicompost that is ready for harvest is dark, crumbly and moist. A newly established bin can have harvestable compost in as little as three months. This valuable material can be used to grow healthy plants indoors and out.

Getting Started


A variety of containers make satisfactory worm bins, including wooden boxes, galvanized metal wash tubs, or plastic utility tubs etc…

However there are so really cool ones on the market today which make the job a LOT easier!

Check out http://www.cascadewormbin.com/worm-factory-composter.html

And for local Saskatoonian’s these amazing worm composter's are also sold at “The Better Good” on Broadway, and they have a working system in the store as well so you can go in and check it out. The system is $99 and comes with 4 tray’s, just like the one bellow.

This is the system I will be using, because it will Saves Time and the worm factory does all the work for me!

Instead of spending time turning piles of compost or removing the worms by hand, the factory of worms multi-tray system separates the worms from the compost so you don't have to…. I’m in! Also, because the worms continually eat through the waste in the stacked trays, compost is produced at a faster rate than traditional methods of composting and they can live for up to a month without additional feeding.

Ok so once you have your bin….

Some Bedding is required…

Worm bins are filled with "bedding" to provide the worms with a balanced diet as well as a damp, aerated home. The most desirable bedding is light and fluffy to allow air exchange.

Common bedding materials include a combination of one or two of the following: newspaper

a small amount of garden soil (soil is added to the bedding mix to introduce microbes and add grit for the worms to use in their gizzard)

corrugated cardboard,

coarse sawdust

peat moss.

Vermicomposting without bedding is not advisable — it will produce a slimy, smelly mess.

The most accessible material for bedding is newspaper or cardboard. Tear newspaper and cardboard into 1-2" strips and moisten by soaking it in water. Squeeze out the excess water before adding this bedding material to the worm bin.

All bedding should be kept as moist as a wrung-out sponge—not soggy, and not dry. Adding food to the bin also adds moisture.

If you are using a plastic bin like the ones from the worm factory (available at The Better Good), the lid may needs to be left ajar to let some moisture escape. But don’t worry the worms don’t like light so they will NOT crawl out!

The food

The worms need a steady supply of food to survive.

Recommended foods

Most kitchen scraps, including:

  • coffee grounds/filters, tea bags
  • vegetable and fruit peelings
  • egg shells
  • pizza crust, spaghetti, corn flakes, bread, beans, etc.

Foods to be avoided

  • Meat, fish, cheese, butter, oily foods, animal products—these foods will cause odours and attract unwanted insects.
  • Citrus peels in large amounts – these materials are too acidic for the worms, so only add small amounts at a time, and use eggshells to control acidity.

The temperature

Red wigglers will survive in temperatures from 5 to 32°C, but the ideal temperature for them is between 16 to 27°C (60 - 80°F). If you keep the worms on your balcony and the temperature drops below 5°C (40°F), be sure to bring your vermicomposter indoors.

How can I use the finished compost?

Vermicompost, like other compost, provides slow-release nutrients to your plants and adds valuable microbes to the soil. It can also help the soil hold moisture. Vermicompost can be used in a number of different ways:

  • Sprinkle into a seed row when planting.
  • Mix a handful into the soil when transplanting
  • Sprinkle the compost around the base of your plants, or rake a thin layer into your lawn.
  • Make your own potting mix with equal parts vermicompost, peat moss, perlite and garden soil.
  • Mix with commercial potting soil: one part vermicompost to three parts potting soil
  • Add a thin layer to the soil surface of potted plants every two to three months
  • Give extra compost to friends!
  • Make a simple compost tea for houseplants, however if you are using the system noted above the bin collect the excess moisture and you can simply drain it off and put into your house plants as the BEST plant food EVER!

The Worms

As mentioned above the worms are red wrigglers, so jump on the net to find out where you can find a breeder in your area, or if your from Saskatoon I’ve got your hook up… One pound of worms (which is the required amount for the Worm Factory) from Sandra Rose, ecomunchers@live.com is only $25 and they reproduce as more are needed to help out!

So try it out… it will be fun, and GREAT for you garden and home!


Wriggler Wranglers


Heather and Chanel


Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Camping in Paradise...





What is camping in paradise to you? Well to my husband and myself (Chanel), it is going back to the basics, back to nature, and truly giving ourselves the opportunity to lavish in the incredible miracle of our earth. For us it is a spiritual, refreshing, and rejuvenating experience that is much needed every summer! SO we hit the road last week and headed to Banff to visit Bret's sister Jen and then we went through B.C. to the Shuswap Lake. Ohhhh my goodness, it was A GONG SHOW!! The amount of people that we passed and saw on most of our trip was INSANE. We felt like we were in the middle of DisneyLand at Christmas... Except for this great little niche that we found thanks to a helpful Information center in Revelstoke! Oh my goodness.... she told us where she usually camps with her friends and wowowow,.... we drove 30 minutes past any man-made structure (except the highway) and came to this phenomenal little PRIVATE campsite with the most BEAUTIFUL view of the Columbia River reservoir and as a backdrop: a massively treed mountain with the capability to calm a raging lion. We found ourselves in our element: peaceful serenity. Here are some pics, and next time you think of going camping, try and speak to a local if you like privacy and peacefulness as opposed to the insanity of tourism and dirty bathrooms (oh... and don't forget your bear spray... you will be in their territory!!).








Camping Queens,

Chanel and Heather

Monday, August 10, 2009

Prairies




Well it's great to be back after some great vacationning (Chanel). Vacationning through B.C. and Alberta really made me grateful for living in this incredible country! We saw some great land, and brought back some great things that our sister provinces are doing!




In Calgary, they have an incredible recycling program that we are soooooo envious of!


Here's the deal: every week, along with their garbage pick-up, another bucket is put next to the garbage bin that includes all recyclable plastics, paper, tin, cans, glass, bottles, or cardboard! Residents can compile allll of these products UNSORTED into this bin and it will be picked up and sorted by an agency (This is included in their taxes). This is perfect for the Calgary culture of busy people... so including it in their taxes has helped improve the recycling power of Calgary!


Added bonus: Garbage bins are smallllller than the recycle bins!!




Here are a few pics of this great initiative:





More to come.... Chanel and Heather

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Why arn't Dandelions cooool!?


OK, so all I can say is that over this past summer I have MORE Dandelions in my yard than I have GRASS! No jokes!
And it is really hard because in our society many people want a lawn which is completely free of weeds, including dandelions. And the thing is... I don't want to just go out and Kill-Ex them all because well... YUK, it's bad for my family, it's bad for the environment, and it's bad for ALL (Saskatchewan has the highest rate of acute pesticide poisoning fatalities in Canada) YIKES!

I know, I know, everyone says get down on your hands and knee's and pull... pull... pull.... But I am serious when I say there is more Dandelions then grass... lol!
So what can I do???

Well I have hit the net to find some new ideas on how I can combat these yellow prairie weeds and here's what I came up with:

- One of the best defense against dandelions is a healthy lawn, since "a properly maintained lawn" is less susceptible to weeds, insects, and diseases.
- Avoid over watering; watering deeply and infrequently will build deeper roots
- When dandelions are blooming, mow frequently to prevent the yellow blossoms from maturing into seeds
- Dandelion plants can't be eliminated by yanking off the tops, but they are easily dug out by hand (uggg)
- As a low tech weed control, pour boiling water over dandelion plants. The neighbors might think you're crazy, but in 2 or 3 days the plants will look like a herd of elephants walked over them
- Since light increases germination and plants need sunlight for photosynthesis, smothering plants will eventually kill them. Make your own weed block by covering plants with cardboard or black plastic and weight it down
- A 5-percent concentration of vinegar, similar to that found in household vinegar, is an effective weed killer against annual and perennial weeds such as dandelions, foxtail, velvetleaf, smooth pigweed and thistle
- Apply Corn Gluten Meal (CGM), a yellow powder created as a by-product of milling corn. t is best applied to the lawn about 4 to 6 weeks before weeds germinate
- Some consider it a last resort, but a weed burner torch is effective against dandelions and other perennial weeds

OK, ok... so perhaps I will try some of these or perhaps I will take on the modo "Too much of a good thing is wonderful" and embrace the dandelions LOL...

And upon further research I came across many websites praising the Yellow weeds and their benefits to your yard, the environment and your health... perhaps I will make a sign and put it on my lawn so people KNOW dandelions are coooool! I don't think my neighbours will appreciate it however, lol!

Benefits of Dandelions:
- Dandelions can be beneficial to a garden ecosystem as well as to human health. Dandelions attract beneficial ladybugs and provide early spring pollen for their food. In a study done at the University of Wisconsin, experimental plots with dandelions had more ladybugs than dandelion free plots, and fewer pest aphids, a favorite food of the ladybugs
- Dandelions long roots aerate the soil and enable the plant to accumulate minerals, which are added to the soil when the plant dies
- Not only are dandelions good for your soil, they are good for your health. A serving of uncooked dandelion leaves contains 280 percent of an adults daily requirement of beta carotene as well as more than half the requirement of vitamin C. Dandelions are also rich in vitamin A... Who Knew?
- Dandelions are also used as herbal remedies. The white sap from the stem and root is used as a topical remedy for warts. The whole plant is used as a diuretic and liver stimulant

So what's your thoughts on Dandelions, do you try to get rid of them at all cost? Or have you embraced them? Any other home remedy tricks you have for us to add to the list?

Let us know...

Dandelion Divas,
Heather and Chanel