tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45331976931623531262024-03-13T15:35:20.918-04:00Reduce FootprintsEasy ways for each of us to reduce our footprint on the earthAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comBlogger647125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-45765254583605108752015-06-03T00:00:00.000-04:002015-06-03T00:00:10.760-04:00Time to say GoodbyeRecently, writers of several television programs have announced the end of the series. When asked why, they replied that "it was time". <br />
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That is how I feel about Reduce Footprints ... it's time for me to end the series.<br />
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It's been a terrific run. Since 2008, generous readers have shared their knowledge and experiences with me. In turn, I've tried to research various issues and open them up for discussion. Together we've done our best to live a green life and encourage others to do the same. <br />
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We have much to be proud of.<br />
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While there is, and will always be, more to say about the environment and green living, I've chosen to step back.<br />
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So what's next for me and Reduce Footprints?<br />
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The Reduce Footprints blog will stay right here. There are reviews, recipes, guest posts, and many other articles which will always be available. I won't, however, be publishing any new content. In the future, should I find that I want to start a new blog or start writing again, I'll announce it here. But in all honesty, I don't see that happening.<br />
<br />
For my part, I'm going to get away from the computer and head outdoors. Becoming a home owner and having over one hectare of land has breathed new enthusiasm into my life. I want to garden and forage for edible foods. I want to be close to the land and discover nature in all it's glory. And that takes time ... time which, until today, has generally been spent on research, words, and maintaining an online presence.<br />
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I'll occasionally be online, visiting your sites, and will always be open to emails from you should you have a question or just want to say "hi". <br />
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So this is goodbye!<br />
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Thank you all for a fabulous seven years! <br />
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I wish you happiness, joy, and wonderful "green" surprises around every corner!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDjrT_sSkIc0A6y2RrzCOnFsYTfrVb_HNlndaasN36mSafYEXek3mi8A1i1X8HS1ydl_h_xf4Djqi_AUX8UYLZ4QVS6j90VOXvImFhrAMkFfPAIot5tbn1BMV4aghISVgj66G0G83FZb6/s1600/Goodbye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Reduce Footprints says Goodbye!" border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDjrT_sSkIc0A6y2RrzCOnFsYTfrVb_HNlndaasN36mSafYEXek3mi8A1i1X8HS1ydl_h_xf4Djqi_AUX8UYLZ4QVS6j90VOXvImFhrAMkFfPAIot5tbn1BMV4aghISVgj66G0G83FZb6/s320/Goodbye.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Affectionately yours,<br />
<br />
CyndiAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-78548132415531064472015-06-02T00:00:00.000-04:002015-06-02T11:03:53.304-04:00Guest Post - Comparing the renewable energy markets in the UK and USIn the UK renewable energy appears to be progressing in leaps and bounds. In the beautiful countryside solar farms are popping up on an almost weekly basis. Companies are embracing the need for and cost efficiency of renewable technology. The European Union Renewable Energy Directive has pushed Europe to making 20% of all its energy consumption from renewables by 2020. <br />
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But how fair things across the pond? And are the renewable energy appetites being shared between the US and UK?<br />
<br />
With these questions in mind I thought I’d delve a little into renewable energy progress in the UK and the US – to see what lessons can be learned. <br />
<br />
<h3>The US Renewable Energy Program</h3><br />
US capacity for renewable energy generation currently sits at roughly 10GW – nearly 2 million homes worth of electricity. <br />
<br />
At the end of 2013 the US government claimed it would outgrow Germany in terms of new solar project deployment. Sadly these targets were not met and in fact China was the only country to outpace Germany in terms of solar deployment. <br />
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One of the biggest hampering’s of US renewable energy development is undoubtedly the over-reliance of bio-mass. In the US The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 set a target of 36 Billion Gallons annually of biofuel production by 2022. <br />
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However, in 2014 the UN released research that showed that biofuel production was harming the environment and driving up food prices. Clearly this situation isn’t a significant step towards sustainable and truly renewable energy systems. <br />
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Sadly the UK and Europe have also been pushing an overreliance on BioFuel. In 2013 nearly 50 Million Tons of Oil Equivalent was being created by biofuels. However, across Europe the push now is firmly towards solar and wind as the core mechanism for renewable energy. After a 2013 EU research program concluded that biofuel production often completely offsets any carbon saving gains and increases competition for food new legislation was brought in disfavouring biofuel research, development and tariffs. <br />
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Contrariwise, and despite the evidence, the US government has failed to reverse biofuel policies. Possibly this is due to their focus on post-petroleum fuels rather than any environmental concerns. The problem seems to have become that renewable energy isn’t just about the environment and climate change – it is about the future direction of the human race; consumerism or sustainability. <br />
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<h3>The UK Renewable Energy Program</h3><br />
Thanks to the Kyoto agreement and EU Energy Policies the renewable energy sector in the UK is booming. The government has introduced feed in tariffs that currently mean solar energy is one of the most lucrative investments available nationwide (with average return on investments of a staggering 6%). The feed in tariff has been coupled with thousands of grants and new regulations on building and installing solar energy and renewable energy systems. <br />
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One of the most interesting changes is the consumer market where customers are now expecting renewable energy. Companies like <a href="http://www.ovoenergy.com/smarter-energy/renewable-energy/" target="_blank"><u>OvoEnergy</U></a> are now offering 100% renewable energy schemes to their customers and people are more likely to choose a provider with green fingers. <br />
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The bad news is that the UK is still not on target to meet its EU directive targets. Currently we only have less than 5% of our energy coming from renewable energy sources. This is due to a mixture of issues -–most notably public opposition to solar farms and poor business incentives (the UK’s planning system makes progress painfully slow for many). That said the UK achieved a 20% growth rate in solar energy last year – not as impressive as the US’s 34% growth rate. <br />
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<h3>What does it all mean for Us?</h3><br />
There are clearly lessons to be learnt here. The US needs to ditch biofuels almost completely if it really wants to push renewable energy. It needs to implement stronger national and corporate standards of practice to drive renewable policy. The UK needs to make it easier for developers to create renewable projects and needs to push to meet EU objectives. We as advocates and supporters of more sustainable living need to raise public awareness and push governments, companies and the public towards truly renewable energy. <br />
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<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This post is shared at <a href="http://urbannaturale.com/live-it-up-at-the-healthy-happy-green-natural-party-blog-hop-69/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural Party Hop</a> and <a href="http://www.loulougirls.com/2015/06/lou-lou-girls-fabulous-party-61.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party</a></div></I></span><br />
<BR><BR>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-47158688578798145732015-06-01T00:00:00.000-04:002015-06-01T00:00:10.357-04:00Review - Stress-Free Sustainability by Adam HammesThose of us who live green tend to be passionate about the environment. We share what we know, we blog, we want to convert the world because, to us, it just makes sense to live the way we do.<br />
<br />
The trouble is, not everyone agrees.<br />
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In fact, there are a fair number of people who don't believe there's any cause for concern. There are others who choose to ignore the warnings because it affects their bottom line. Governments won't take necessary steps to improve conditions and even experts debate whether or not we can make a difference.<br />
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Green living can be very stressful!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25Ehh3pDwj69b34KsZf_4lQuWK4HCR7kuMNWNnrYtz-1DrQRMqTTB60TT0VcnvwwXx4jV2KGh9Br4Kth4qr9-a-Zgem02jOaqnth4i-dgxLwVLrSdbW7pvLtYnAg53vHG95awo_cEUE3E/s1600/image001.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Review - Stress-Free Sustainability by Adam Hammes" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25Ehh3pDwj69b34KsZf_4lQuWK4HCR7kuMNWNnrYtz-1DrQRMqTTB60TT0VcnvwwXx4jV2KGh9Br4Kth4qr9-a-Zgem02jOaqnth4i-dgxLwVLrSdbW7pvLtYnAg53vHG95awo_cEUE3E/s320/image001.png" title="" width="262" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I was invited to read <I>Stress-Free Sustainability: Leverage Your Emotions, Avoid Burnout and Influence Anyone</I> by Adam Hammes.<br />
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This book is different from most books on sustainability. This one deals with the stress and burnout of trying to save the earth.<br />
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Using stories from his experience, the author teaches us how to identify and accept our emotions. He goes on to address several common frustrations which many in the green-living community face. For example, do you feel that you are a failure if you can't influence your friends and family? Or, when you hear someone talking about green-living, do you feel you must jump in and influence the conversation? Mr. Hammes shows readers that those kinds of limiting thoughts really don't serve us well and he teaches us how to overcome them.<br />
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One of the most interesting parts of the book is the section on influencing people. When I first read the chapter title, I thought I wouldn't like the information. After all, "influencing" seems to be the realm of politicians and those who are trying to sell us something. Instead, I found the chapter to be enjoyable and interesting. It talks about listening to others and addressing their core concerns. Basically, it's a lesson in respect.<br />
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This book is for anyone who has ever felt frustrated or stressed about the environment ... or, for that matter, stressed about anything. It is easy to read and will leave you with a sense of power ... power to control the emotional turmoil of living a passionate, green life; power to share information in appropriate, effective ways; power to continue on as the earth's advocate.<br />
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<br />
If you'd like to have your own copy of this book, buy it <a href="http://t.co/PTLt6GXHkh" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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For more about Adam Hammes, visit his site, <a href="http://eco-fluence.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ecofluence</a>.<br />
<BR><BR>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-82262037533556063392015-05-27T00:00:00.000-04:002015-05-27T00:00:02.816-04:00Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Open Your WindowsWelcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)! <br />
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Wondering how to live greener? You've come to the right place. Each week we challenge ourselves to try a new task ... or "amp up" something we're already doing. We raise our awareness, learn from each other and develop Eco-friendly skills which will improve our lives and protect our planet. Doing so together gives us power ... the power to Change The World!<br />
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If this is your first visit, please click <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/change-world-wednesday-ctww.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>HERE</U></a> for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.<br />
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">This post contains great information and I encourage you to read through it at your leisure ... however, if you are short on time, you might find the following quick links helpful:<br />
</span><br />
<ul><li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#The CTWW Gang">The #CTWW Gang</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#The Honor Society">The Honor Society</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#My final thoughts">My Final Thoughts on Our Last Challenge</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#This Week's Challenge">This Week's Challenge</a></span></li>
</ul><br />
Last week was all about deforestation. It was an interesting challenge because it encouraged us to look at the origins of a product. For example, when folks dig into a juicy steak, they probably don't think about the acres of forested land which were cleared to open up grazing fields for cattle. Body care products, containing palm oil, don't come with information about the small farmer who cut down part of the rainforest in order to grow profitable palms. June's bride surely doesn't give a thought to the mining operations that provided her gold wedding band or the number of trees which were destroyed to make way for the mine. Here's the thing ... every product we buy has a beginning and when that beginning involves cutting down forests, we create a huge environmental problem. The solution is to avoid those items which contribute to deforestation. Once again, we see the power of our purchases.<br />
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<b><a " name="The Honor Society">The Honor Society</a></B> are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments. <br />
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Avoiding Palm Oil seems easy enough ... just read the label, right? But are you aware of all the names it "hides" behind? Check out <a href="http://vicalitysantacruz.com/green-guides/protect-forests/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Protect the world’s tropical forests</U></a>, a fabulous post by Vicality!<br />
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<a href="http://theecograndma.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Lois</U></a> joined us and shared this: <i>"Fantastic challenge this week. I avoid as much of these products as I can. The only paper product left in my house is toilet paper which I buy 100% recycled. I don't buy beef, avoid all products with palm oil and the only soy product I eat is organic edamame."</I><br />
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<a href="http://ecofriendlyhomemaking.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Alicia</U></a> accepted the challenge and, as she was in the market for furniture, completed the task beautifully. Here's what she had to say: <i>"We have been looking for a few pieces of furniture for several specific places in our home. After looking at new furniture we discussed it and decided to go the Craig's list way. We got better quality, only had to drive just a few miles to get the pieces and really felt good about purchasing used instead of new. We have to buy paper for the labels on our products but buy recycled. Pretty much only buy beef a few times a year!</I>"<br />
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<a href="http://littlegreencloth.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Suzanne</U></a> stopped by and shared this: <i>"This is a wonderful challenge and I hope more people take part in it. Thank you for providing this information, and challenging all of us to rethink our air quality in our homes and how it got there. I'm going to pin this to my Pinterest board to show more people!"</I><br />
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<a href="http://twobytwobytuesday.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Cheryl</U></a> is feeling a little guilty. Why? Read on: <i>"I've been spying a new sofa to replace one that is hand-me-down ugly (in my mind). The new one is at a thrift shop in town, which will get the old one, so that's a win-win for everybody (especially since they can deliver and pick-up all at once and their charity makes money on TWO sofas!) I feel guilty for having some steak for dinner last night. Arizona is beef country and it was two ounces leftover from a dinner last week. And we totally fall down on the aluminum part of this challenge. Diet coke is nearly mandatory in this household--Gil is diabetic, type 1. Every can goes to a recycler (depending on the market, $1 or more a pound--thirty cans worth). Yes, we could buy cola in plastic bottles, but those get recycled into grocery sacks which eventually can only get tossed into landfills while aluminum cans get recycled into same. Great challenge on all levels. Cheryl"</I><br />
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<b><a " name="The CTWW Gang">The #CTWW Gang</a></B> are those folks who tweet our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I recommend following them ... they share great things. Let's meet them:<br />
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<center><table width="100%"><tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@alisha1234m" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@alisha1234m</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@aussiemoose" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@aussiemoose</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@authors_secret" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@authors_secret</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@beatepdx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@beatepdx</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@biggreenpen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@biggreenpen</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@blockmomnc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@blockmomnc</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@brokeblokeblogs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@brokeblokeblogs</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@bstoneblog" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@bstoneblog</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@collegegogreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@collegegogreen</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@croydongardener" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@croydongardener</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@dieselelephants" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@dieselelephants</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@eco_novice" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@eco_novice</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@eshuth455" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@eshuth455</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@freshcleanersaz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@freshcleanersaz</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ginavalley" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ginavalley</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greenageworld" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greenageworld</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greengympenge" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greengympenge</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greenqueenofmod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greenqueenofmod</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@gronavra" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@gronavra</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@groovygreenlivi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@groovygreenlivi</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@herbgir1972" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@herbgir1972</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@innervationfit" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@innervationfit</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@justanotherhat" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@justanotherhat</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@kaitlingarder" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kaitlingarder</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@kayelleallen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kayelleallen</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@laalicia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@laalicia</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@lady_bren" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@lady_bren</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ladyjcmuses" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ladyjcmuses</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@littlewing_13" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@littlewing_13</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mamasmoney" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mamasmoney</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@marjoriemcatee" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@marjoriemcatee</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mdgblogger" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mdgblogger</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mimibarbour" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mimibarbour</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@moha_doha" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@moha_doha</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@momfindsout" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@momfindsout</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@msmoreau_guid" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@msmoreau_guid</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@nolafusion" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nolafusion</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@pooja_y_jain" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@pooja_y_jain</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@potnall" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@potnall</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rainyofthedark" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rainyofthedark</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rckweddings" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rckweddings</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@realityarts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@realityarts</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rochelleforrest" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rochelleforrest</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ronchatterjee7" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ronchatterjee7</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rose_rambles" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rose_rambles</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rulesofgreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rulesofgreen</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@snickerdoo2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@snickerdoo2</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@spafloating" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@spafloating</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@sustyq" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@sustyq</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@theworld4realz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@theworld4realz</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@tiffanywashko" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@tiffanywashko</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@timhemlin" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@timhemlin</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@treesgroup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@treesgroup</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@turkishtravel" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@turkishtravel</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wary12" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wary12</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wencdj" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wencdj</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wimpyvegetarian" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wimpyvegetarian</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@worldchangingme" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@worldchangingme</a></td>
</tr>
</table></center><br />
<b><a " name="My final thoughts">My Final Thoughts:</a></B><br />
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Deforestation is a complex issue. While it may seem that it's simply about big corporate profit, there is a human side to the story. Whether it's the small farmer who grows profitable crops in order to feed his family or the miner who risks his health to make a living, the fact is that people benefit from deforestation. That human factor adds an emotional aspect to the situation. While we do need to find alternate ways for people to sustain themselves, we can't waiver on protecting the environment. After all, making a living won't mean much if we don't have clean air to breathe. <br />
<br />
Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I <a href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/lists/489555842369340560" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Stumbled</U></a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/search/realtime?q=%23ctww&src=savs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Tweeted</U></a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ReduceFootprints" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Facebooked</U></a> and posted it on <a href="https://plus.google.com/s/%23CTWW" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Google +</U></a>. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share features located below this post.<br />
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<a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0)" name="This Week's Challenge">This Week's Challenge:</a><br />
<br />
<b>May's theme is: Clean Air</B><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjo6fTsy9J7bR4EkViKjd54eSRKMM2JXHC6rnM_43hX20bLj-TpY2B3jhGvfHpGBGd0L2cxvREsz9CXiNcU9VrQNA8veFcsZKHF6VG_QKALdxXaKscqnCYmnxkHMr6OgFrnvyE7VD1QscW/s1600/Windows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Open Your Windows" border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjo6fTsy9J7bR4EkViKjd54eSRKMM2JXHC6rnM_43hX20bLj-TpY2B3jhGvfHpGBGd0L2cxvREsz9CXiNcU9VrQNA8veFcsZKHF6VG_QKALdxXaKscqnCYmnxkHMr6OgFrnvyE7VD1QscW/s200/Windows.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><b>Let the fresh air in!</b></i></span></td></tr>
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Sometimes, green living is as easy as opening a window!<br />
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Here's your challenge ...<br />
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<b><i><br />
<div style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0)">This week, open your windows and let fresh air in. Doing this blows out toxins and refreshes your environment. <br />
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</div><div style="color: purple;"><b>OR ... </B><br />
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Visit <a href="http://www.airnow.gov/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>AirNow</U></a> to find out the quality of air in your community. Then, browse the site and review their tips for reducing pollution. If you live outside the US, check out the international link or search for your country's air quality database.<br />
</div></B></I><br />
Are you ready to breathe deep? I know that you are! <br />
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Please join me in our mantra ...<br />
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<b>WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!</B><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-89812969555941034402015-05-25T00:00:00.000-04:002015-05-25T00:00:02.422-04:00Specially For YouWe, as consumers, have great power. Our purchases send a clear message to manufacturers about what we want ... and they, wishing to prosper, provide the products which we are willing to spend money on.<br />
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So if we support Eco-friendly products and companies, we encourage the market to provide more of the same ... and that's good for us and the earth!<br />
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Today I'd like to introduce you to the companies currently listed on our <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/special-offers.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Special Offers Page</U></a>. I don't receive any compensation for their listing, or this post ... I simply feel that it's important to support companies who are doing their best to protect the environment.<br />
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Of course, the most green option is not to buy. But when we need something, it's important to choose earth friendly items. <br />
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Even if you're not in the market for something new right now, I encourage you to visit these vendors and let them know that we appreciate their efforts.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="ecolissa - eco friendly and vegan woman’s clothing and accessories" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja72LIyHJbcc-GLPSGbVFMrxqE6s98P980EXsx9eC1MRy5QCSnZ_CUN7f5IE-ZGaeMCCnqfguWPselp0SbIAAZdLdKIbY8gkcHDi8QUZ4S_YaNtcDhArPFqUHt2VtAbF-TGbGYbWPPpS1K/s200/Ecolissa+Scarf.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="" width="160" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">ecolissa</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="La Francesca Eco-Resort" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctxFEKdvyeA29mlURw3qUFiNY9D0wGzn5jHs3gbshlZ6oN4UzwT6FjA99fJDLrwONsh_ClqN_xRCk-6M-fpxTb3OnXyRtekkZQzjIrVRrIMdiXNcqXFnDiKLKVzLnv207EL1lEnqeRJbm/s200/La+Francesca.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="" width="160" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">La Francesca</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Gina Jordan's Soft Cloth Shop - Reusable Paperless Towels, Baby Wipes, Cloth Napkins" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2elh3YEL4TJ7j0axmstyGV2AwSfQx8LEg2uNCcJnm16U4ZsbdWqWUNLRP6cmIW5PTOxwcHV3PeeFOppSdtiDU3UmMlGnaXXZc7FpJTLbgI06x_XDi9gQTqVyUGfjw7wFJyp7CNLUoi2T/s200/Gina%2527s+Towels.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="" width="160" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Gina Jordan</span></td></tr>
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<h3>ecolissa</h3>Specializing in eco friendly and vegan woman’s clothing and accessories. Until December 31, 2015, you can get 20% off any purchase. Use code <b>rf20</b> at checkout. <br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Visit the <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/special-offers.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Special Offers Page</U></a> for more details.</div></I></span><br />
<h3>La Francesca Eco-Resort</h3>Specializing in Eco-friendly vacations in Italy. Get a 5-15% discount until December 31, 2015, with discount code <b>FOOTPRINTS</b>.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Visit the <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/special-offers.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Special Offers Page</U></a> for more details.</div></I></span><br />
<h3>Gina Jordan's Soft Cloth Shop</h3>Specializing in reusable paperless towels, baby wipes, and cloth napkins. Use code <b>ReduceFootprints</B> until December 31, 2015, to get 10% off any purchase.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Visit the <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/special-offers.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Special Offers Page</U></a> for more details.</div></I></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="LustOrganic, Organic & Natural Bath & Body Products" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjidNc4pOIr13BOxrG2QZwkJAM5LS8rahc4igcxiLhcLAwM4eeLdIzBkTPvD20x1Joi4bUmPy0kO4mKsbtUmYXt_7jxevuhThlcce6ruttknzuAMEq45zaU1M-yvrS7Hjzu5IWzHdKCgXd/s200/LustOrganic.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="" width="160" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">LustOrganic</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Sow True Seed" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho57Y3q0NG_TbBN_MCOPpO1VsxYdqeLxYuaE6qPNZTwI_2EeLBeF2D6zssoeY9rEccy6qFFC2HzZUT8whHaQOo3LSi6qvmmpxzXMeuJ8jdkcXIz7HVYjdf6A6e_iEccrxbGkb3m3o9gTgn/s200/Sow+True+Seed.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="" width="160" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sow True Seed</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Funnest - Eco-Friendly Wall Decor" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-g2a4cuexOTs0Pp9NGGUmEx4-WB2T4Uvdgeox3LIS8TrYkuAnnAT31TktkMOHTpvm8I3jWoR_2sgLefFWgnbrrx_2lcR_oJzdw3yFeahav78oyEOvGSNG-bOnKx9QjDFcvTMpKKn8IAYt/s200/funnest_family.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="" width="160" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Funnest</span></td></tr>
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<h3>LustOrganic</h3>Specializing in organic, natural bath and body products. Until January 1, 2015, use code <b>ReduceFootPrints</B> to enjoy 20% off any purchase.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Visit the <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/special-offers.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Special Offers Page</U></a> for more details.</div></I></span><br />
<h3>Sow True Seed</h3>Specializing in open-pollinated seeds. Use code <b>REDUCE10</B>, until December 31, 2015, to get 10% off all seed packets.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Visit the <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/special-offers.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Special Offers Page</U></a> for more details.</div></I></span><br />
<h3>Funnest</h3>Specializing in Eco-friendly wall decor. Until September 1, 2015, you can get an additional 20% off any order (can be combined with other sales to get a maximum of 40% off), and free shipping on orders over $35, by using code <b>footprints20</B>.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Visit the <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/special-offers.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Special Offers Page</U></a> for more details.</div></I></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Violet's Buds - Handmade Accessories For You & Your Little Flower" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb64jefOrezylVFPxv6hAoIy_dpU64Fb7BKMh2w1Tshpty4kUMqg-TcR6rcNd4IFu8JzZi_H2JWRyFuNBy0_8ukzuskXQrqbdRIQd0ZPXXN5mpAzzNYBuijBYlNYrMcgfoSJKPEZyhgIej/s200/Violet%2527s+Buds+Hoop.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="" width="160" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Violet's Buds</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Nubila Services - Elegant, Unique Solutions For A Mindful Community Compostable Dinnerware" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH9kJnk2p__kuvxrWlbwQuVLorC_2C6XiGPW5145aWMTdV5wbBIyGTS1y3fSXxipdn8IOvEycBpz-O4fIo0WNNpSNL2CWbWOHDQ08J6RDfPyVyilwlrL7YlBYYaLe-IQ4LseeNFeUiDuUd/s200/Nubila.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="" width="160" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Nubila Services</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Celadon Road by, Amanda Arkans" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkIW84mXjMquv86Jvgi7HBuBF4kJDw2JGi61rgj2sMg_IalIefPaJMl9issviYeN50bA18s1CYlpXgMBB1NkwCrr9hCTfvkwAJuNQWj3U-ypcfIkombJmwFlM6EOD-1GsQnYMC_tpZTWp/s200/Celadon+Road.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="" width="160" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Celadon Road</span></td></tr>
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<h3>Violet's Buds</h3>Specializing in handmade accessories for you and your little flower. Save 20% on any purchase in the shop by using code <b>ECO20</B>. This offer expires on June 20, 2015.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Visit the <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/special-offers.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Special Offers Page</U></a> for more details.</div></I></span><br />
<h3>Nubila Services</h3>Specializing in elegant, unique solutions for a mindful community - compostable dinnerware. Enjoy a storewide 10% discount until May 31, 2015, using code <b>SAVE10%</B>.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Visit the <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/special-offers.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Special Offers Page</U></a> for more details.</div></I></span><br />
<h3>Celadon Road by Amanda Arkans</h3>Specializing in Eco-friendly body care and home products. Mention <b>Small Footprints</B> when enrolling in Amanda Arkans' team and get a personalized party-pack worth over $50. This business opportunity ends on June 30, 2015.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Visit the <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/special-offers.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Special Offers Page</U></a> for more details.</div></I></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="StopLittering.com" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpekh_hbxGGqjzKPGEKdimiA-U2_68Gv5li41E6A8su0qL8UqZSuLwb0lV6NYS7WbI6_T9mHb05jgBAy2RXeLxno5dNMI56n1QyfVvUCngAi4VGxKfbfnl9PrE1OpwMGX5mrMBBfpgvlwh/s200/StopLittering.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="" width="160" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">StopLittering.com</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="EartH2O" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPY29zZqSSlOWyZzMLx2HLRv1NA36PpYmoCvtImvuCExPRjjozgaYi1jEbUwEuU5hFjf-RMZlpUdsG7gAtEmGgKs2TcU7AbHWy1ZIY3Z4LZdlL-yXncERtRAnQ0yjPDcOOhqnak6r_gQ7p/s200/EarrH20program.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="" width="160" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">EartH2O</td></tr>
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<h3>StopLittering.com</h3>Specializing in a litter-free society. Between now and August 31, 2015, use code <b>KAB</B> to get $5 off any T-shirt in the shop.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Visit the <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/special-offers.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Special Offers Page</U></a> for more details.</div></I></span><br />
<h3>EartH2O</h3>Specializing in sustainability studies in Costa Rica. Save $100 off the program fee by using code <b>REDUCE2015</B> through April, 2016.<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Visit the <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/special-offers.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Special Offers Page</U></a> for more details.</div></I></span><br />
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I'd like to thank all of these vendors for their generosity and for their efforts to operate in an earth-friendly manner. We need more companies like them!<br />
<BR><BR>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-82865322207230659532015-05-22T00:00:00.000-04:002015-05-22T00:00:06.012-04:00Smoking and Living GreenThis month we've been focusing on clean air. Our first <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/2015/05/change-world-wednesday-ctww-no-smoking.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Change The World Wednesday challenge of May</a> asked participants to stop smoking and/or not allow smoking in their homes.<br />
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So I wondered if "greenies" actually ban smoking from their lives. Here are the results of this month's survey:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHLqAr_3HVkrPeaPrNshVH2l7gWrLFGWE85tITgzSGHLA27o_oyQsgDCeiLrFYnaA-5VChpJTvvJIOhL9VXdvvNPq_5O1amLS7WCLvCtktPyGI6to8VHdXjdzG_Ngv4E-G3Lz9i5T4yRL/s1600/Smoking+Survey+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Smoking and Living Green" border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHLqAr_3HVkrPeaPrNshVH2l7gWrLFGWE85tITgzSGHLA27o_oyQsgDCeiLrFYnaA-5VChpJTvvJIOhL9VXdvvNPq_5O1amLS7WCLvCtktPyGI6to8VHdXjdzG_Ngv4E-G3Lz9i5T4yRL/s400/Smoking+Survey+1.JPG" title="" width="500" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-ClKxSFbkp2qq7rdsg5ATDXf6TnAVPqrgMEu8D5E41JtmVTtKzovYj3k-OeD8zsHSAzIe8iuyGSuxHSVqYFmCxq0E-VB-f8QK19XRtJo8gbTDCdvr77bNtRpwNFj9ZHS9Q9Xs9Z0o_hR/s1600/Smoking+Survey+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Smoking and Living Green" border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-ClKxSFbkp2qq7rdsg5ATDXf6TnAVPqrgMEu8D5E41JtmVTtKzovYj3k-OeD8zsHSAzIe8iuyGSuxHSVqYFmCxq0E-VB-f8QK19XRtJo8gbTDCdvr77bNtRpwNFj9ZHS9Q9Xs9Z0o_hR/s320/Smoking+Survey+2.JPG" title="" width="500" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxW596X9iAfNm9OWGAkq7gB4EcekfjqObDggSWqu3LkiHv-zKAT0vd9d8uWQbUjiE4X7l-kmU5_Hrgg-IVqEnD9P2xlJmrSCn9KmXZR9gRiX42g1kOIDSXrnjEbjYCzs-Q0b4Azl_pbky/s1600/Smoking+Survey+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Smoking and Living Green" border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxW596X9iAfNm9OWGAkq7gB4EcekfjqObDggSWqu3LkiHv-zKAT0vd9d8uWQbUjiE4X7l-kmU5_Hrgg-IVqEnD9P2xlJmrSCn9KmXZR9gRiX42g1kOIDSXrnjEbjYCzs-Q0b4Azl_pbky/s320/Smoking+Survey+3.JPG" title="" width="500" /></a></div><br />
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<h3>Comments</h3><UL><li>I became a smoker when I was about 19 (my hubby at that time was too) but when I became pregnant at 20, I stopped cold turkey. He didn't smoke in the house but did think it was ok to smoke in the car if the window was open. My ex has stayed a smoker all these years while I never went back to the nasty habit. I had a few friends that smoked but no one ever did in our house. If they wanted to smoke, they were more than welcome to go in our garage or sit outside. It's always been the rule. No ifs or butts. Haha. I have two friends that use the e-cigs that I don't see very often but when they visit, they go outside, sit out on the porch, smoking the e-cigs while enjoyng the scenery and fresh air. ;)</li>
<li>When I was 18, I became a social smoker, as I called it. I smoked with my best friend, but that was it. Then I did start buying my own packs, but I'd only smoke 1 or 2 cigarettes & then throw the pack out. I'd always feel a huge amount of guilt, & I was also sick the next day after smoking a cigarette. I also have asthma - so this affected my breathing. I'd smoke once every month or two. Then in '94, when I was 24, I quit suddenly & haven't gone back to it since. I'm so very glad about that! It's a gross habit that makes everything smell & makes people ill. I can't even stand to be around cigarette smoke. I don't allow smoking anywhere near my doorway, although my friends can smoke elsewhere in the yard if they smoke. No one I spend any amount of time with smoke, but when I am with my smoking friends, they understand my need to not be with them when they smoke. :)</li>
<li>Although I've had cigarettes to my mouth when we were young and impressionable and thought it was cool, I can't say that I really inhaled--my lungs just didn't want to be bothered. I have an inordinate number of friends who smoke and they like nothing more than sitting in my yard, lighting up a few. I like hanging with my friends, but I always pay for it--the nicotine I breathe keeps me up at night, no question.<br />
My least favorite expeience with cigarette smoke has to be at restaurants with outdoor patios. I care not for the smell of smoke while I'm eating, or worse, having enjoyed a delightful meal in a restaurant, to be assaulted with smoke immediately upon exiting the establishment, as smoking is allowed out on the patio (and the only exit way).<br />
It's a habit I never acquired and surely don't understand. I am grateful that a couple of my friends are trying to quit and I know how hard that is for them. Now to work on the rest of them...</li>
<li>I was incredibly lucky - when I was about 15 and probably about to start trying cigarettes, my father was told to stop smoking for health reasons. I saw how difficult it was for him to stop, and so decided not to start. I'm glad I never did.<br />
I hate smoke, and won't have it anywhere near my home. I smell it a mile away.<br />
Plus, cigarettes contain formaldehyde - and who wants that around? http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/avoid-formaldehyde/<br />
Not to mention that the very same argument methods that were used to dispel the "myth" that smoking is bad for you and may cause cancer, are being used today against the dangers of climate change.<br />
Ugh.</li>
</UL><br />
<h3>My Thoughts</h3><br />
100% of the 15 people who participated in this survey have banned smoking from their lives. That's great and I applaud them, especially since some of them tried smoking when they were younger and/or grew up in households where a parent smoked. <br />
<br />
Are their responses typical of the green-living community? Maybe not!<br />
<br />
I realized a flaw in these questions ... smokers probably didn't answer them. Since smoking is generally viewed as a "negative", there wasn't a motivation to participate in this survey. After all, no one is going to congratulate them for their actions and admitting their habit opens the door to a lot of bad "vibes". <br />
<br />
In all fairness, the questions were one sided!<br />
<br />
Not long ago, I met a man who was very involved in establishing alternative energy sources. He was passionate about the environment and cautioned everyone that "our" abuse of nature would cost us dearly. He admonished people to make changes now ... otherwise nature would fight back to our peril.<br />
<br />
I learned that this person is a smoker. It boggled my mind that an environmentalist could be so passionate in one area but totally negligent in another.<br />
<br />
<h3>My Conclusions</h3><br />
Living green is about educating ourselves and doing the best we can to protect the environment. Their are some grey areas. For example, many "greenies" struggle with buying Eco-friendly products which aren't made locally. And do we toss out a usable item because it isn't green and buy something new which is? Our choices aren't always clear cut.<br />
<br />
In my opinion, however, smoking doesn't fall into the grey area. It's pollution ... period! And I further believe that true environmentalists embrace all green-living concepts ... not just the ones that suit them. Does that mean that we are perfect? Not at all! It means that as we learn about what does and doesn't hurt our world, we make every attempt to live by that knowledge.<br />
<br />
Smoking hurts the environment. A true environmentalist will make every effort to ban the practice from his or her life!<br />
<br />
Thanks to everyone who participated!<br />
<BR><BR>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-74682443460795364762015-05-20T00:00:00.000-04:002015-05-20T00:00:05.687-04:00Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - DeforestationWelcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)! <br />
<br />
Wondering how to live greener? You've come to the right place. Each week we challenge ourselves to try a new task ... or "amp up" something we're already doing. We raise our awareness, learn from each other and develop Eco-friendly skills which will improve our lives and protect our planet. Doing so together gives us power ... the power to Change The World!<br />
<br />
If this is your first visit, please click <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/change-world-wednesday-ctww.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>HERE</U></a> for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">This post contains great information and I encourage you to read through it at your leisure ... however, if you are short on time, you might find the following quick links helpful:<br />
</span><br />
<ul><li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#The CTWW Gang">The #CTWW Gang</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#The Honor Society">The Honor Society</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#My final thoughts">My Final Thoughts on Our Last Challenge</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#This Week's Challenge">This Week's Challenge</a></span></li>
</ul><br />
Last week's challenge was one of my favorites ... adding house plants to our indoor environment. Plants offer us so much ... they are beautiful, calming, and clean our air. While I don't use chemicals in my home, I learned something interesting this week ... citrus oils can contain approximately 90% limonene. Limonene is a terpene and terpenes react with ozone to form formaldehyde and other micro-particle pollutants. This seems more likely to happen during the warmer months. So, for those of us who like to add citrus essential oils to our cleaning solutions, it is possible that the oils may encourage the formation of toxins in our homes. This isn't something to be overly concerned about, especially since we probably use relatively low amounts of the oils. That said, it's a good practice to always open the windows when cleaning and add house plants to our homes. <br />
<br />
<b><a " name="The Honor Society">The Honor Society</a></B> are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://instagram.com/ladyjcmuses" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Lady JC</U></a> joined us and shared this: <i>"I have Mother in Law's tongue in our bedroom and I think I'll get a second air cleaning plant for the kitchen, which can produce harmful pollutants when cooking with gas. Thank you so much for the other plant suggestions. I didn't know about the Arecas or ferns! :) "</I><br />
<br />
Even though <a href="http://www.organic4greenlivings.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Marla</U></a> has house plants, she's ready to accept the challenge. Here are her comments: <i>"I have about 4 spider plants in my home, 1 large piece lily, and a number of ivy plants, 2 aloe vera plants (which are also on NASA list as an air purifier). Gerber Daisy plants are a good air purifier but I don't have one but have wanted to buy one - so I will do that. Plants are also great to help your mood especially in the winter when the winter blues hit."</I><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.thegreenqueenofmod.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Andie</U></a> stopped by and said this: <i>"I used to have dozens of house plants before I had my own outdoor garden, but not for a number of years. Now I am inspired to fill my home with greenery again!"</I><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/03238042379079843243" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Winsford Gardens</U></a> brought us some interesting information: <i>"A paper published last year in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, [Vol 20(3), Sep 2014] concluded that employees were 15% more productive when workplaces are filled with just a few houseplants. 15% more productive employees is something that managers can only dream of. The devise bonuses, employee incentives, benefits, rewards, perks and motivational programs to increase productivity when all they really needed to do was to buy a few indoor plants!!!"</I><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/13595287466138299620" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>cstocks</U></a> shared some information which is valuable to people suffering with asthma: <i>"Great inspiration for just feeling good. I had been told a long time ago that spider plants are good for asthmatics. When my son had respiratory problems, and lived back east, they were nearly mandatory in the house. They're harder to grow here--inside or out--in the desert southwest. Yet, I try. It's the time of year that I move the houseplants out to our patio spaces, but I have a sansevieria in the bedroom, always--it grows under just about any condition. I'll get another! Or something else. I'll never argue with an excuse to "have" to buy a plant! What fun! And I've been rooting cuttings of coleus. It's great to have a plant and they are so colorful."</I><br />
<br />
Does Morag have a quest for us? She sure does: <i>"As one of our World Changers said when he completed our "CATCHING FREE RADICAL" challenge it's wonderful that plants beat chemicals when it comes to air quality. If you have done this #ctww then you have also done level 1 of this quest: <a href="http://worldchanging.me/building/catching-free-radicals/level-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>http://worldchanging.me/building/catching-free-radicals/level-1</U></a>. The second and third levels? To propagate more and then give them away! Go on - I know you know someone or somewhere (an office perhaps) that could do with more plants :) "</I><br />
<br />
<a href="http://ecofriendlyhomemaking.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Alicia</U></a> stopped by and shared this: <i>"We have a five foot Ming Aralia and a seven foot ficus tree. Not only are they pretty but I know that they are helping our air quality. We had a really nice Phoenix Robellini palm that didn't do well inside winter before last. They are usually pretty hearty so I'm not sure what happened, After reading this I am sure ready for us to get a few more palms to have inside!"</I><br />
<br />
Our Twitter friend, @GreenGymPenge, joined the conversation and shared the following:<br />
<br />
-Plants in offices increase happiness and productivity http://t.co/uK0WIcaGWX via @shivmalik<br />
<br />
<b><a " name="The CTWW Gang">The #CTWW Gang</a></B> are those folks who tweet our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I recommend following them ... they share great things. Let's meet them:<br />
<br />
<center><table width="100%"><tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@alisha1234m" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@alisha1234m</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@beatepdx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@beatepdx</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@biggreenpen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@biggreenpen</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@blockmomnc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@blockmomnc</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@bstoneblog" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@bstoneblog</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@collegegogreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@collegegogreen</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@eshuth455" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@eshuth455</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@freshcleanersaz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@freshcleanersaz</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ginavalley" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ginavalley</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greenageworld" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greenageworld</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greengympenge" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greengympenge</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greenqueenofmod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greenqueenofmod</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@gronavra" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@gronavra</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@groovygreenlivi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@groovygreenlivi</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@herbgir1972" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@herbgir1972</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@innervationfit" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@innervationfit</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@justanotherhat" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@justanotherhat</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@kaitlingarder" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kaitlingarder</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@kayelleallen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kayelleallen</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@laalicia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@laalicia</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@lady_bren" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@lady_bren</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ladyjcmuses" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ladyjcmuses</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@marjoriemcatee" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@marjoriemcatee</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mdgblogger" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mdgblogger</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mimibarbour" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mimibarbour</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@moha_doha" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@moha_doha</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@momfindsout" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@momfindsout</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@msmoreau_guid" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@msmoreau_guid</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@nolafusion" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nolafusion</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@pooja_y_jain" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@pooja_y_jain</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@potnall" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@potnall</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rckweddings" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rckweddings</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@realityarts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@realityarts</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ronchatterjee7" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ronchatterjee7</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rose_rambles" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rose_rambles</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rulesofgreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rulesofgreen</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@snickerdoo2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@snickerdoo2</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@spafloating" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@spafloating</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@sustyq" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@sustyq</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@theworld4realz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@theworld4realz</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@tiffanywashko" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@tiffanywashko</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@timhemlin" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@timhemlin</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@treesgroup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@treesgroup</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@turkishtravel" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@turkishtravel</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wary12" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wary12</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wencdj" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wencdj</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wimpyvegetarian" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wimpyvegetarian</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@worldchangingme" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@worldchangingme</a></td> </tr>
<tr> </tr>
</table></center><br />
<b><a " name="My final thoughts">My Final Thoughts:</a></B><br />
<br />
Adding a house plant to our indoor environment is an easy, effective way to clean our air. While one can spend a lot of money at a nursery, it isn't necessary. Plants can be propagated from cuttings, started from seeds, or shared from a mother plant which produces offspring. So ask a friend, or share with a friend. It's a fun way to ensure that we all improve the quality of our air.<br />
<br />
Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I <a href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/lists/489555842369340560" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Stumbled</U></a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/search/realtime?q=%23ctww&src=savs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Tweeted</U></a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ReduceFootprints" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Facebooked</U></a> and posted it on <a href="https://plus.google.com/s/%23CTWW" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Google +</U></a>. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share features located below this post.<br />
<br />
<a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0)" name="This Week's Challenge">This Week's Challenge:</a><br />
<br />
<b>May's theme is: Clean Air</B><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho2IMznGPOZwz2eAZCcq5wc1QVBDRjqJhzEn-KmBYSgNTRrhTCk2eLfgWMpOoK5ZZd-hNf-J-Uuk1QkXhH7at9yMpXtK18JQZamVBfCI0alE9DrtiDqp4SjDKD2Zy6zPEA5hlPTR0eVZp7/s1600/Rainforest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Deforestation" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho2IMznGPOZwz2eAZCcq5wc1QVBDRjqJhzEn-KmBYSgNTRrhTCk2eLfgWMpOoK5ZZd-hNf-J-Uuk1QkXhH7at9yMpXtK18JQZamVBfCI0alE9DrtiDqp4SjDKD2Zy6zPEA5hlPTR0eVZp7/s200/Rainforest.jpg" title="" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><b>Rainforests improve<br />
global air quality</b></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO2), using it for plant structure and function. They then return oxygen to the environment.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, forests throughout the world are in jeopardy.<br />
<br />
Farmers are slashing and burning forests to grow lucrative crops like soy or to graze herds of beef. The slash and burn process not only removes oxygen-producing trees, but further contaminates the air when the stored CO2 is released. Smoke from fires also pollutes the air.<br />
<br />
Areas, rich in gold, copper, and aluminum, are being cleared for mining.<br />
<br />
Old-growth timber and rare hardwoods are being harvested for the manufacture of furniture.<br />
<br />
Here's your challenge ...<br />
<b><i><br />
<div style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0)">This week, avoid products which contribute to deforestation such as palm oil, non-organic soy, and beef. Read labels to ensure that these products are not in the food you purchase. Avoid virgin paper products and opt for products with 100% post consumer recycled content ... or better yet, go paperless. If you're planning to buy furniture, consider pieces made from rubber, bamboo, or recycled materials rather than wood ... or buy used items. Avoid any products containing gold, copper, or aluminum.<br />
</div></B></I><br />
Are you ready to protect forests? I know that you are! <br />
<br />
Until next time ...<br />
<br />
<b>WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!</B><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-25844930287975054762015-05-19T00:00:00.000-04:002015-05-20T09:03:46.002-04:00Guest Post - Linoleum Could Be the Best Flooring for an Environmentally Sustainable Home<h3>Linoleum</h3><br />
As a home builder, I know that choosing your flooring can be one of the hardest parts of decorating the interior of your home. The first step is to choose what type of flooring that you want –tile, carpet, or a beautiful hardwood. Many home owners choose linoleum flooring for the desirable sustainable qualities and modern appeal. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcz330I4FZpNVRn89RdzmtKiauQKeSjfr1FZLL2Ak_tTpgl3cEwc7O1czflUEEwPQApvf5EqDFo6TSRlXtQqIR3vcbemAU4uRRw41faLRkOnz1v0xJsOfOS5rqq8Kznw8-OZSOi1Rq6a7V/s1600/Linoleum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Linoleum Could Be the Best Flooring for an Environmentally Sustainable Home" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcz330I4FZpNVRn89RdzmtKiauQKeSjfr1FZLL2Ak_tTpgl3cEwc7O1czflUEEwPQApvf5EqDFo6TSRlXtQqIR3vcbemAU4uRRw41faLRkOnz1v0xJsOfOS5rqq8Kznw8-OZSOi1Rq6a7V/s320/Linoleum.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Linoleum is made from linseed oil, rosin (from pine trees), wood flour, limestone, pigments and jute. Linseed oil is obtained from flax, and is the most essential ingredient in linoleum. Rosin is a binding agent, and contributes to the flexibility of linoleum. Jute is used for the backing material. In residential housing, it can be seen in kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms and mud rooms. It also is commonly used in commercial buildings, like schools and hospitals, for its durability and anti-bacterial qualities. <br />
<br />
<h3>What makes linoleum environmentally friendly?</h3><br />
The most popular aspect of linoleum is how Eco-friendly it is:<br />
<ul><li type=circle>Linoleum is made from renewable, natural materials </li>
<li type=circle>Pigments used do not contain heavy metals </li>
<li type=circle>Overall low toxicity levels</li>
<li type=circle>Can be installed with environmentally-friendly adhesives </li>
<li type=circle>Has a lifespan of typically 25-40 years, meaning less waste</li>
<li type=circle>When it comes time to replace your linoleum. it is easily recyclable, making it part of a closed-loop system</li>
</ul><br />
This is an impressive list of Eco-friendly qualities!<br />
<br />
<h3>What are some other need-to-know facts about linoleum?</h3><br />
Linoleum has many other great qualities, aside from being green:<br />
<ul><li type=circle>Low-maintenance</li>
<li type=circle>Through-body product, so it wears well and can be easily repaired with little expense </li>
<li type=circle>Contains natural anti-bacterial and anti-static properties </li>
<li type=circle>Comes in a variety of colors and patterns to fit many design styles</li>
<li type=circle>Can be installed in tiles, planks and sheets </li>
<li type=circle>Can be used for other applications besides flooring, such as counters and wall panels</li>
</UL><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7a0wA8Kztdepfu1cTkeGPSVRQsCCLlKNJv2Rpzn9rWQCKnoMMyGZ9uqkVV-uPnVXE_g6woUQrREbv7NaAuihwvUpneZcudG06FjY3p_q0BeHeD_gOMl8W5Oe4xPBqp53W5miV_tQrTEr/s1600/Linoleum+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Linoleum Could Be the Best Flooring for an Environmentally Sustainable Home" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7a0wA8Kztdepfu1cTkeGPSVRQsCCLlKNJv2Rpzn9rWQCKnoMMyGZ9uqkVV-uPnVXE_g6woUQrREbv7NaAuihwvUpneZcudG06FjY3p_q0BeHeD_gOMl8W5Oe4xPBqp53W5miV_tQrTEr/s320/Linoleum+2.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<h3>How does linoleum compare to vinyl flooring?</h3><br />
Each type of flooring surface has unique qualities and vary in their aesthetics, maintenance, and applications.<br />
<br />
The words linoleum and vinyl are commonly used interchangeably, but these two products have major differences, even if not everyone knows them. In fact, these two products couldn’t be more different! Vinyl is a synthetic petroleum-based product, and does not contain the same environmental qualities as linoleum. Though vinyl is generally less expensive than linoleum, it typically isn’t as durable or long lasting. <br />
<br />
<h3>Who makes linoleum?</h3><br />
<i><a href="http://www.forbo.com/corporate/en-gl/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Forbo Flooring Systems</U></a> is one of the major producers of linoleum products. </I><br />
<br />
You may have heard of Marmoleum. Marmoleum is part of the linoleum collection, which includes many patterns, such as marbled designs, concrete and solid colors. I love using Marmoleum when I am adding a modern appeal to an Eco-friendly design. <br />
<br />
<h3>Other things to consider about linoleum:</h3><br />
<ul><li type=circle>Some people may find they are sensitive to the scent of linseed oil, especially after it is first installed.</li>
<li type=circle>Linoleum may develop a yellow hue on the surface from the oxidation of the linseed oil; this yellowing will disappear after exposure to light, however.</li>
<li type=circle>Generally, you will want to use a mild cleaning solution as linoleum is susceptible to alkalinity.</li>
</UL>Linoleum is a great product. We love the look and, most importantly, the abundance of green qualities it offers!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #006600;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>This article was provided by <a href="http://arbor-builders.com/" target="_blank"><u>Arbor Builders</U></a></i></span></div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This post is shared at <a href="http://urbannaturale.com/live-it-up-at-the-healthy-happy-green-natural-party-blog-hop-67/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural Party Hop</a> and <a href="http://www.loulougirls.com/2015/05/lou-lou-girls-fabulous-party-59.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party</a></div></I></span><br />
<BR><BR>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-25121174216001948172015-05-18T00:00:00.000-04:002015-05-18T00:00:00.091-04:00Review - "We Are The Destroyers" by D.K.LindlerA good story can entertain while delivering an important lesson. Unlike instructional books, fiction often reaches us on an emotional level and, when that happens, we tend to remember both the book and the message.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaKFIti-KRbY1C9qYtoI92k6GFCBEkUksUN6Eft6jLlACUhdkKU-qIfTL9fbRTJG_nIU6f2u4a5qy3WqUAa_BBAKXuDgcx0cyexHQMGF-PG_18ujeGP-T4GErkWavfxnjpgym5KcPDSNEe/s1600/Destroyer+Cover_Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Review - "We Are The Destroyers" by D.K.Lindler" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaKFIti-KRbY1C9qYtoI92k6GFCBEkUksUN6Eft6jLlACUhdkKU-qIfTL9fbRTJG_nIU6f2u4a5qy3WqUAa_BBAKXuDgcx0cyexHQMGF-PG_18ujeGP-T4GErkWavfxnjpgym5KcPDSNEe/s320/Destroyer+Cover_Front.jpg" title="" width="208" /></a></div>I was invited to read <I>We Are The Destroyers</I> by D.K.Lindler.<br />
<br />
<h3>The Scenario</h3><br />
This is the story of a dying planet. Over consumption and environmental abuse have caused food shortages; so, to feed a rapidly growing population, synthetic foods are created. While these fake foods solve the hunger problem, they cause serious changes in the human body and mind. In short, they turn people into degenerated mutants who can be easily manipulated by their leaders.<br />
<br />
Children, by the age of 10, are started on a synthetic diet so that they will look and act like everyone else.<br />
<br />
There are a few people who refuse to eat synthetic foods and continue an organic lifestyle. They are persecuted and, of course, no one heeds their warnings. One of them, Bel'lar, escapes the planet with a hand-selected crew. They search for a semi-mythical place which can sustain life ... a planet where humanity can begin anew.<br />
<br />
There's a twist, though ... Bel'lar is given a vision which is, at the same time, confusing and familiar. It seems to indicate that history is repeating itself ... and he has played some role in both events. If that's true, can he save the planet from repeating past mistakes ... and destruction?<br />
<br />
<h3>My Thoughts</h3><br />
The story draws many parallels to our world and the environmental problems we now face. Where we can only worry about possible consequences to our actions, the author had leave to develop plausible conclusions. And they are scary! She used some of our worst nightmares to paint a desperate situation.<br />
<br />
There are many layers to the book. It is fantasy, romance, science fiction, mystery, and spirituality. It's also a strong environmental and political warning. Each aspect is well developed, making the story interesting and compelling. I was "hooked" on the first page.<br />
<br />
It was fun to read a fiction with an environmental spin.<br />
<br />
If you'd like to read <I>We Are The Destroyers</I> by D.K.Lindler, you can buy it <a href="http://www.amazon.com/We-Are-Destroyers/dp/0991509021/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1431549676&sr=1-1&keywords=we+are+the+destroyers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I received a copy of "We Are The Destroyers" in order to write this review. I received no other compensation. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone and reflect my honest opinion of the material reviewed.</i></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Book cover image published with permission from <a href="http://www.thecadencegrp.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Cadence Group</a>.<br />
</span></i></div><BR><BR>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-66940455369505116962015-05-14T00:00:00.000-04:002015-05-14T00:00:04.974-04:00Guest Post - Why Electric Radiators Are Essential For Eco-Friendly LivingFor years <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storage_heater" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">night storage heaters</a> have been the most globally popular technology for heating homes around the world. This has been largely due to home and business owners taking advantage of the low running costs they offer, even though there has always been a concern over the harmful carbon release resulting from such usage. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBW7fJM0koBd_P14BN-Lb-RACpkmXLPvuVRcdvs-zlzkNDB27_heCDfYMyAbWXdz8IhPiiSyE3ht3BDVJ-XuKSU7V93dLuWNqeSf7DC2nvEvhEjtOq5dfNVsIWNsCimsTr6ZWx0qJEkVMh/s1600/Home+radiator.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Why Electric Radiators Are Essential For Eco-Friendly Living" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBW7fJM0koBd_P14BN-Lb-RACpkmXLPvuVRcdvs-zlzkNDB27_heCDfYMyAbWXdz8IhPiiSyE3ht3BDVJ-XuKSU7V93dLuWNqeSf7DC2nvEvhEjtOq5dfNVsIWNsCimsTr6ZWx0qJEkVMh/s320/Home+radiator.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div><br />
But now thanks to 21st century technology, night storage heaters no longer have any benefits that modern eco-friendly electric radiators don't. On the contrary, there are many extra capabilities that an electric radiator can offer. The greatest benefit of electric radiators lies in their environmentally friendly system. <br />
<br />
Home heating has come a long way from the clunky old storage heating designs of yesteryear. Here we will explore in detail how and why the technology of contemporary radiators makes for a better heating option in any home. <br />
<br />
<h3>Free from carbon emission</h3><br />
Quite possibly the greatest benefit of owning a modern radiator is eliminating the <a href="http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/domestic/content/electric-heating-systems" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">carbon emission that night storage heaters generate</a>. This is due to the fact that modern electric radiators don't release the type of dry burning heat of a storage heater, which has long been responsible for releasing harmful carbon elements into the atmosphere.<br />
<br />
Pure carbon has a low degree of toxicity but still poses a threat to human beings. Inhaling carbon dust can cause health problems such as an inflammation of the lungs. This is particularly harmful to asthma sufferers, whose condition is likely to make them more susceptible to the carbon release.<br />
<br />
<h3>Magmatic Heat Retention tablets (MHR)</h3><br />
Greater insulation is one of the key attributes of modern systems, and Magmatic Heat Retention tablets (MHR) tablets are a part of many modern designs. This is a particularly impressive technology thanks to its ability to generate heat from the coldest of temperatures in less than 30 minutes; much faster than a storage heater. <br />
<br />
The extra benefit of a MHR design is that after the radiator automatically switches off once its pre-set temperature is reached, it can continue omitting heat for a further 40 minutes due to the heat collected inside the tablets. <br />
<br />
The amount of energy that MHR radiators save makes them one of the most important, and sought after, home heating technologies in the world. <br />
<br />
<h3>Multi Fin Designed radiators</h3><br />
Another technology with a massively beneficial green aesthetic is Multi Fin Designed (MFD) radiators, which work via a series of small fins that circulate heat in order to distribute it around a room evenly. This allows the heat to spread quicker; thereby reducing the levels of energy consumed by longer periods of use.<br />
<br />
The combined effect of both MHR and MFD technology means that half of the hot air produced by the radiator is radiated heat, while the other half consists of convected heat. <br />
<br />
When both these kinds of heat are produced together the radiator is able to generate an ideal temperature that requires lower amounts of energy while providing the different heating benefits that radiated and convected heat offer.<br />
<br />
The energy consumption of an electric radiator is actually just a third of the amount used by night storage heaters. <br />
<br />
<h3>Digital Time and Temperature Thermostats</h3><br />
Thanks to major international progress within the heating industry, modern radiators build upon the capability of night storage heaters whilst avoiding the energy wasting problems of those old models. <a href="https://westcountryheating.uk/german-electric-radiators" target="_blank">German electric radiators are particularly innovative</a>, and are increasingly in demand by homes and businesses worldwide. <br />
<br />
One technology that has improved upon night storage heater design is the invention of Digital Time and Temperature Thermostats (TDI), which allow the radiator to activate at a required time, ensuring convenience while preventing wasted energy. <br />
<br />
This development renders the night storage heater approach of encompassing heat at night and then releasing it gradually throughout the day an outdated benefit with only limited environmental assistance.<br />
<br />
<h3>Are they different to regular radiators?</h3><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3WQ67BOxjfMoMlerLcM77BhRO1a-qWlDgKi8ZFj8hWVBkJOKii5mm05KX-S-_zI0bv7v-UE_mmtOCjgTz1_NNV-lmg0K8-Rm38h8V_MHba6jrmrAgBy_PRqXomX23r_no5DKUfw30m2u/s1600/Home+radiator+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Why Electric Radiators Are Essential For Eco-Friendly Living" border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3WQ67BOxjfMoMlerLcM77BhRO1a-qWlDgKi8ZFj8hWVBkJOKii5mm05KX-S-_zI0bv7v-UE_mmtOCjgTz1_NNV-lmg0K8-Rm38h8V_MHba6jrmrAgBy_PRqXomX23r_no5DKUfw30m2u/s320/Home+radiator+2.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Electric radiators work in a similar vein to traditional radiators in the sense that they are fixed structures rather than free-standing ones, but they differ as they don't require pipes to function, making installation a much simpler process.<br />
<br />
There has never been a better time to make the change to an environmentally friendly electric radiator system, both for the sake of our planet and for the health of your family. <br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-91639774583788478802015-05-13T00:00:00.000-04:002015-05-13T00:00:04.784-04:00Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Indoor plantsWelcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)! <br />
<br />
Wondering how to live greener? You've come to the right place. Each week we challenge ourselves to try a new task ... or "amp up" something we're already doing. We raise our awareness, learn from each other and develop Eco-friendly skills which will improve our lives and protect our planet. Doing so together gives us power ... the power to Change The World!<br />
<br />
If this is your first visit, please click <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/change-world-wednesday-ctww.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><U>HERE</U></a> for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">This post contains great information and I encourage you to read through it at your leisure ... however, if you are short on time, you might find the following quick links helpful:<br />
</span><br />
<ul><li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#The CTWW Gang">The #CTWW Gang</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#The Honor Society">The Honor Society</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#My final thoughts">My Final Thoughts on Our Last Challenge</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#This Week's Challenge">This Week's Challenge</a></span></li>
</ul><br />
Last week we jumped right into our month of clean air by asking that everyone stop smoking. I don't smoke, have never smoked, and don't allow smoking in my home. So I took on the second half of the challenge and looked through my home for possible pollutants. We use natural cleaners, avoid air fresheners, have no carpet, and use a cloth shower curtain. The one area which has concerned me is that our temporary home is equipped with a kerosene heater. It is possibly the dirtiest heater I've ever used. It emits a fine dust throughout our home which we breathe. Not good! Luckily, with the nicer weather, we aren't using it any longer and our new home will have radiant heat.<br />
<br />
<b><a " name="The Honor Society">The Honor Society</a></B> are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.thegreenqueenofmod.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><U>Andie's</U></a> comment shows the importance of this challenge. She said, <I>"THANK YOU for this post. I am 60 and grew up on the east coast with a chain-smoking mother. It was bad at home, but worse confined in a car with all the windows rolled up. I was constantly ill with URIs—while in high school, my doctor believed I was a smoker though I never smoked and hated it. They had no clue about second-hand smoke in 1972. Once I moved out, I started to get better, but I have always had diminished lung capacity because of it. Even at the peak of fitness (speed walked 3+ miles a day, ideal wight, etc.) my lung capacity was not great. Today, it's not good at all; I worry about getting COPD. Second-hand smoke is damaging to everyone around. I am glad I live in a non-smoking city—Seattle. I have to do all I can to restrain myself from accosting people when I see them smoking in a car with children in it! We cannot spread this word enough!"</I><br />
<br />
Morag accepted the challenge and offers several quests to help. Here are her comments: <I>"Stopping smoking is sooo difficult (so difficult we made it into a 6 part quest!) but you can do it. It is possible to quit and stay being a non-smoker. If you are going to do the alternative #ctww challenge we have some possible quests you can do here: <a href="http://www.worldchanging.me/quest-tag/air-quality" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><U>http://www.worldchanging.me/quest-tag/air-quality</U></a> choose one or more off that list or if you want to up the anti challenge yourself to complete the World Changing Me Fresh Air Collection: <a href="http://www.worldchanging.me/collection/fresh-air" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><U>http://www.worldchanging.me/collection/fresh-air</U></a> 6 quests, one goal = fresh air :) "</I> By the way, you'll find the "no smoking" quests here: <a href="http://www.worldchanging.me/quest-tag/smoking" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><U>http://www.worldchanging.me/quest-tag/smoking</U></a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://organic4greenlivings.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><U>Marla</U></a> joined us and shared this: <I>"Smoking is something that I hate. First I am very allergic to cigarettes and reaction immediately to them but I also hate the idea that they not only affect the person smoking health but all those around you. I had a brother-in-law who died very young because smoking destroyed his lungs or he would probably be alive today. Smoking is so bad for children. I just encourage any one who smokes to please stop for your own sake and all those around you. As far as other changes I never use commercial air fresheners. I use baking soda with essential oils to purify odors. Don't have carpet any more in my house just a few rugs in front of doors to catch dirt. Most of my cleaners are DIY homemade from baking soda, peroxide, vinegar, orange peels. I never send anything to the dry cleaner. If I can't wash it I don't buy it. It a way of life for me because having MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivities) you learn fast as to what has toxic chemicals in it and you change everything around you as much as possible. Live healthy. Live green!"</I><br />
<br />
<a href="http://ecofriendlyhomemaking.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><U>Alicia</U></a> stopped by and said this: <I>"I was reading not to long ago that the air quality in homes a lot of times is worse that the the air quality outside! This is mostly from the products we use inside our homes and the chemicals we bring in on the bottoms of our shoes. One awesome thing to do is to take your shoes off before coming inside or leave them right inside the door. Pretty much get rid of anything that has fragrance listed in the ingredients and use products that contain essential oils instead.Web MD says that air fresheners emit 20 different VOC's including several that are listed as hazardous under U.S. federal laws! Lemons, soda, and vinegar are awesome cleaners and leave a fresh natural scent behind. It is not as hard as you might think to pretty much eliminate harmful chemicals from your home and improve your air quality DRAMATICALLY!! Just takes a little research and label reading."</I><br />
<br />
<b><a " name="The CTWW Gang">The #CTWW Gang</a></B> are those folks who tweet our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I recommend following them ... they share great things. Let's meet them:<br />
<br />
<center><table width="100%"><tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@aussiemoose" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@aussiemoose</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@authors_secret" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@authors_secret</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@beatepdx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@beatepdx</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@collegegogreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@collegegogreen</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@debsmikdav1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@debsmikdav1</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@dehelen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@dehelen</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@familyfocusblog" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@familyfocusblog</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@freshcleanersaz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@freshcleanersaz</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@garioncoyote" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@garioncoyote</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greenageworld" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greenageworld</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greengympenge" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greengympenge</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greenqueenofmod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greenqueenofmod</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@gronavra" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@gronavra</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@groovygreenlivi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@groovygreenlivi</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@herbgir1972" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@herbgir1972</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@justanotherhat" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@justanotherhat</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@kaitlingarder" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kaitlingarder</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@laalicia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@laalicia</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@lady_bren" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@lady_bren</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ladyjcmuses" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ladyjcmuses</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@london_020" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@london_020</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mamasmoney" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mamasmoney</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@marbaird" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@marbaird</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@marjoriemcatee" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@marjoriemcatee</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mdgblogger" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mdgblogger</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mimibarbour" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mimibarbour</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@moha_doha" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@moha_doha</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@momfindsout" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@momfindsout</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@msmoreau_guid" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@msmoreau_guid</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@nolafusion" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nolafusion</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rckweddings" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rckweddings</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@realityarts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@realityarts</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ronchatterjee7" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ronchatterjee7</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rulesofgreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rulesofgreen</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@snickerdoo2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@snickerdoo2</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@spafloating" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@spafloating</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@spookymrsgreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@spookymrsgreen</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@sustyq" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@sustyq</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@taralain" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@taralain</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@thefreckledrose" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@thefreckledrose</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@theworld4realz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@theworld4realz</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@tiffanywashko" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@tiffanywashko</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@timhemlin" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@timhemlin</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wary12" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wary12</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wencdj" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wencdj</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wimpyvegetarian" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wimpyvegetarian</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@worldchangingme" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@worldchangingme</a></td>
</tr>
</table></center><br />
<b><a " name="My final thoughts">My Final Thoughts:</a></B><br />
<br />
Smoking is polluting. There's no way to get around it ... no justification ... plain and simple, it's pollution! It hurts everyone. Stopping can be tough but if we are truly concerned about our environment, then we need to stop polluting. <br />
<br />
Thanks, everyone! <br />
<br />
<a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0)" name="This Week's Challenge">This Week's Challenge:</a><br />
<br />
<B>May's theme is: Clean Air</B><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijw5t9UNKC9JMLfetEXC2td8vpWmqsy8aQ-ggBh1D1J9cbG4lMCaW4uwX-dkmibeC2MXjKrymM9PuV2CYiNtN5qSt3PHi3IinUAchf27A0YS1nfCAD1HH8QGRd0oT1YhVshZip9uqGSXfP/s1600/aloe.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="House plants purify air." border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijw5t9UNKC9JMLfetEXC2td8vpWmqsy8aQ-ggBh1D1J9cbG4lMCaW4uwX-dkmibeC2MXjKrymM9PuV2CYiNtN5qSt3PHi3IinUAchf27A0YS1nfCAD1HH8QGRd0oT1YhVshZip9uqGSXfP/s200/aloe.JPG" title="" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><b>Aloe Vera helps remove</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><i><b>formaldehyde from indoor air</b></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>All plants help purify our air. Some, however, are super stars!<br />
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According to NASA's research, the Areca Palm Tree is the best air purifying plant. Boston Ferns remove formaldehyde, and English Ivy removes air-based mold. Chrysanthemums remove benzene, a harmful VOC compound.<br />
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Here's your challenge ...<br />
<b><i><br />
<div style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0)">This week, add one house plant to your living space. Try a Peace Lily, Rubber Plant, or Palm. Perhaps a spider plant or "Mother-In Law's Tongue". Any plant will improve indoor air quality so choose your favorite and breathe easy!<br />
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Are you ready to clean up your indoor air? I know that you are! <br />
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Until next time ...<br />
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<b>WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!</B><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-61865041632934685172015-05-12T00:00:00.000-04:002015-05-13T12:54:32.240-04:00Guest Post - Keep Cool & Save Cash with the Right Window TreatmentsWith summer just around the corner, now is a good time to start thinking about buttoning up your home for maximum efficiency! This is especially true for those in areas of the country that experience extreme heat, which results in frequent overexertion of air conditioners. <br />
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Air conditioning units consume energy in the form of electricity. When a home has a significant amount of solar heat gain with uncovered windows, this puts a greater strain on the unit resulting in more energy consumption. These exposed windows act almost like an oven, and literally heat up the inside of your home! <br />
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<i>How do you reduce solar heat gain and consume less electricity during the summer?</i><br />
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There’s a simple solution that’s often overlooked: a set of the right window treatments. Honeycomb and cellular shades (among other available window treatments) act as a barrier between your home and the sun’s powerful UV rays (Source: <a href="http://cellularwindowshades.com/content/28-cool-window-shades" target="_blank"><u>http://cellularwindowshades.com/content/28-cool-window-shades</U></a>). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Keep Cool & Save Cash with the Right Window Treatments" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfnlded_fbU2-1PreOkZW_P_GpSEH4E8gwWedkbqfdvFXMEPVXBXLIeOQMVObuTGbiDep3PZuheoEzZTuQrhVsTr9ZW0-hIQsr8S_ACoHqAQ5BMaszFDEZ3AoE66MN0gezbreYwJZ1dnZ/s320/Cool+Window+Treatments+2.jpg" title="" width="251" /></div><br />
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The shade sits at the bottom of the sill and keeps your home’s cool air (that costs you money!) from escaping. In addition to providing you with a more energy efficient home, honeycomb shades have some other noteworthy features in the summertime. If you have furniture or art in your home, over time the sun’s rays can damage it. When you pick the right window treatments to cover these windows, you reduce the exposure to UV rays and keep the integrity of these items intact! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img alt="Keep Cool & Save Cash with the Right Window Treatments" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMAtr-S7mHGdqdAETSPzmGR_ecnvF9ftu5tsf1Xx82zP50gBO0RhUk1WH_pTIaYFMzCUyORMjsjADi1qQUv43lauKsNEN685ev-0bYO30IX9-FiE9vNtOKROTUIWmbBtApdOB9-1ws8D5Y/s320/Cool+Window+Treatments+1.jpg" title="" width="253" /></div><br />
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As you’re making the last preparations for your home this summer, add honeycomb window treatments to the list! They’ll keep you and your home cool and save of your hard-earned cash during the process! <br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This post is shared at <a href="http://urbannaturale.com/live-it-up-at-the-healthy-happy-green-natural-party-blog-hop-66/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural Party Hop</a> and <a href="http://www.loulougirls.com/2015/05/lou-lou-girls-fabulous-party-58.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party</a></div></I></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-90341666493986913622015-05-11T00:00:00.000-04:002015-05-11T00:00:02.049-04:00Meet & Greet (#MtaGt) - May - My Eco 20s & World Changing MeWelcome to Meet & Greet, a regular series designed to grow our green community.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_prgYr1AlswdthEB3aqm3p4aH758lKYeMK0jci833dWyXfvtWW8ZlILFcHaOkgHhIk-c2_rbceM9xo4KkMVW92gIlKHB7Ici8BggvBJwhtn76l0YXqBx4cA-lbgyDlLJ2lACJaLxOPjuK/s1600/meet--and-greet-003-1000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" alt="A monthly link-up party for green blogs on Reduce Footprints" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_prgYr1AlswdthEB3aqm3p4aH758lKYeMK0jci833dWyXfvtWW8ZlILFcHaOkgHhIk-c2_rbceM9xo4KkMVW92gIlKHB7Ici8BggvBJwhtn76l0YXqBx4cA-lbgyDlLJ2lACJaLxOPjuK/s400/meet--and-greet-003-1000.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><center><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://4oneaday.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Banner by Art Ist</a></span></center></div><br />
<center>Grab our banner for your site:</center><center><textarea readonly rows="2" cols="15"><br />
<a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/meet-greet.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img alt="A monthly link-up party for green blogs on Reduce Footprints" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkes4Ye110zbirkxMV6FAevl_7ymkBSWTCsXC7Li1_Vqm5HuIZkn81pN-CFX8iYJkLxAnDNccMjfHmFEMX8Hy8kFjkepmewEnRhBII4indKyexo3L1n6QDC0YrS0jY5Jy94ZyCLUx-_sg/s220/meet--and-greet-003-1000.jpg"/></a></a></textarea></center><br />
For 2015, Meet & Greet will operate a bit differently than previous years. This year, I'll be featuring blogs which I find via my Internet travels or blogs which you recommend via the link-up widget below. Please visit the <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/meet-greet.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Meet & Greet Page</U></a> for all the details.<br />
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This month I'm featuring two fabulous sites. Ready to get acquainted? Let's go ...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://myeco20s.com/" rel="nofollow" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Meet & Greet featuring Emily of My Eco 20s" border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkg4zZVL3l_o3CuStmH9DQRVsYdi-ITaxY47VfwbNrpxWwCcxh-BKTE4Td1xjO72mmoz6cWuAarEdDcvFXXT-1dQObyX9eMhb5e81_sMo-DrWcl9fZHMb_6dVqIb5ESQTS6Ir-_3WiOmXg/s200/Emily.JPG" title="" width="200" /></a></div>Please meet Emily, the creative owner and author of <b><a href="http://myeco20s.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>My Eco 20s</u></a></b>.<br />
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Emily recently graduated college with an environmental science degree. Like many college graduates, she left school filled with enthusiasm, a desire for adventure, and ... debt. <br />
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She also had questions. She wondered about the line between affordable and ethical, and if one meant sacrificing the other. She also wondered about how to balance the actions she feels obligated to take with those that make her happy. <br />
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To answer those questions, discover what may be next in her life, and even (perhaps) find a new place to live, Emily is taking a road trip across the United States in a hand-made tear-drop trailer. <br />
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<i>My Eco 20s</I> documents her travels and discoveries. I've been fascinated by her posts. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://myeco20s.com/" rel="nofollow" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Meet & Greet featuring My Eco 20s" border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHijOeWUBIMXh3fQyHelOTqSzvmEYkiFo6gk-LIplmhN8pu2dP8h9KCwvjASAQmFCWXpF-Vob-Y_Nd7MUPmzYYUUSkaRW8N41EEhkkFWJ_Ncq2Kz4RFRFD2eo2Gm6Z7wKUzhoWLUasqFkx/s200/myeco20sicon.png" title="" width="200" /></a></div>Near Asheville, NC, Emily visited an EcoVillage. In Virginia she went to a farm. Austin, Texas, appealed to her as a possible new home because of parks and natural running trails. New Orleans brought about new insights as she realized that "No city ever stays the same, but when we make it a landmark in history, we threaten it’s authenticity."<br />
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Each post is entertaining and feels like an interesting letter from a friend. Emily's honest approach to life makes me think about my own perceptions and beliefs, and question things which I've long taken for granted.<br />
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Emily's perspective is unique. She has the innocence of youth and yet is as environmentally dedicated as any seasoned "greenie". She is a fresh, new voice in the effort to protect the environment.<br />
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I enjoy <a href="http://myeco20s.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>My Eco 20s</u></a> and think you will, too!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.worldchanging.me/" rel="nofollow" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Meet & Greet featuring Morag of World Changing Me" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6ge1luulwOgF0rzxbZHB2nnj8_PPLm_QBDrHs24H8qyRegJtT9KuRFVZO4OaXxY9Vqtk6ZbmQUNr_BJ4IhpttMDTxORaIGVYDAlAo8Kh7JyUidNjM4aZ7zmU57yLwEBLSbH8eyV5QN0i/s200/Morag.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a></div>Next up, I'd like to introduce you to Morag, Co-Founder, CEO and Creative Director of <b><a href="http://www.worldchanging.me/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>World Changing Me</u></a></b>.<br />
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Morag, a dedicated "greenie", has done a lot of thinking, and research, about how and why we make changes. She discovered that most people respond well to games. So, she and her husband, Craig, created <i>World Changing Me</I>, a game-type site with an environmental "spin".<br />
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Once signed up, a person can take on various quests ... actions designed to help us live a bit greener. Some are easy, like a "Back to the Wild" quest which asks people to get outside and identify two new trees. Some are more difficult. For example, the "Banking Ethically" quests suggest that you research your financial institution to ensure that they are doing business in an ethical way. What's ethical? Well, deciding that is part of the task.<br />
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There are ways to track your progress and here's where the game part comes in ... for every action you take, you get points, coins, and badges. These items don't have any monetary value ... they are simply fun ways to reward participants for taking a step. To make the game even more fun, you can challenge your friends and family to join in and see who can get the most points.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.worldchanging.me/" rel="nofollow" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Meet & Greet featuring World Changing Me" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjcZGF7o2dcIJqHpZV8r_u9Go3u8WAGWK185wBDbYu4MPUJChhhwWe5kkWmhkpJ3Y_RhuX0TsHFBqaLGeh4iIuKeezyU0To6blE4IeZeV7xvetHnYHCQFysjPW6geo6QTsL_HtNV2bgHl/s200/World+Changing+Me.png" title="" width="200" /></a></div>What I really enjoy about the quests is that each one gives us ideas (aka the Toolkit) on how to complete the activity. For example, I accepted a quest to weigh my landfill waste. Under the Toolkit tab, I found inspiration (by none other than our very own Mrs. Green), answers to frequently asked questions, and things to beware of when trying to complete the task. So, if you're struggling with a green-living activity, find a related quest and check out the toolkit tab, and it'll give you some great advice for stepping up your green game.<br />
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There is a real sense of community at <a href="http://www.worldchanging.me/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>World Changing Me</u></a>. The sidebar shows what quests others are working on and lets us know that our actions count. The front page lists the number of total quests taken ... and as that number grows, we truly realize our power. Check it out ... and if you want to have some fun ... let's race. I've got 272 points. Want to see who has the most points by the end of the year? I challenge you!!<br />
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I encourage you to visit each of these sites ... you won't be sorry!<br />
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Now it's your turn! Please use the following widget to list your blog and/or recommend a blog. <br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.simply-linked.com/listwidget.aspx?l=567bed0c-919c-497f-ad31-f24e1daca7b8" ></script><br />
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For previous features, please click <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/meet-greet.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>HERE</U></a>.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-91562020216794303252015-05-08T00:00:00.000-04:002015-05-08T00:00:05.786-04:00Do You Smoke?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4G34kPe_GEcK1J4HPXjWbljOPEtBDF6XyPoC6__SMYKxUlgS1ko7rV3IC6harkwbaDDlPKS0CW5fp2qPDX82N-Nl7rtNmPcvTIISqGk1Sbh4swqZQ-JIQ7i7wFvJuGcO4npgfyE3P0uC/s1600/Smoking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Do you smoke or allow smoking in your home?" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4G34kPe_GEcK1J4HPXjWbljOPEtBDF6XyPoC6__SMYKxUlgS1ko7rV3IC6harkwbaDDlPKS0CW5fp2qPDX82N-Nl7rtNmPcvTIISqGk1Sbh4swqZQ-JIQ7i7wFvJuGcO4npgfyE3P0uC/s1600/Smoking.jpg" height="200" title="" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
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<script>(function(t,e,c,o){var n,s,r;t.SMCX=t.SMCX||[],e.getElementById(o)||(n=e.getElementsByTagName(c),s=n[n.length-1],r=e.createElement(c),r.type="text/javascript",r.async=!0,r.id=o,r.src=["https:"===location.protocol?"https://":"http://","widget.surveymonkey.com/collect/website/js/akLceCOUrBQOwRFK5txjp3c751AVW4XxXEyd3g5y9yDrBZKvtIA_2FoZNTGyEXgUbR.js"].join(""),s.parentNode.insertBefore(r,s))})(window,document,"script","smcx-sdk");</script><a style="font: 12px Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; text-decoration: none;" href=https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/customer-satisfaction-surveys/> Create your own user feedback survey </a><br />
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Join us on May 22nd for the results.<br />
<BR><BR>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-77725376306787400472015-05-06T00:00:00.000-04:002015-05-06T00:00:11.137-04:00Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - No SmokingWelcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)! <br />
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Wondering how to live greener? You've come to the right place. Each week we challenge ourselves to try a new task ... or "amp up" something we're already doing. We raise our awareness, learn from each other and develop Eco-friendly skills which will improve our lives and protect our planet. Doing so together gives us power ... the power to Change The World!<br />
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If this is your first visit, please click <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/change-world-wednesday-ctww.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>HERE</U></a> for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.<br />
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">This post contains great information and I encourage you to read through it at your leisure ... however, if you are short on time, you might find the following quick links helpful:<br />
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<ul><li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#The CTWW Gang">The #CTWW Gang</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#The Honor Society">The Honor Society</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#My final thoughts">My Final Thoughts on Our Last Challenge</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#This Week's Challenge">This Week's Challenge</a></span></li>
</ul><br />
In April we celebrated the 2015 Year of the Soil by finding ways to protect this precious resource. We finished up the month with a challenge about green fertilizers, crops which are grown and then either mowed or turned under to nourish the soil. I visited our County Extension's website to find out which crops are suggested for my area and type of soil. Legumes, grains, and even radishes work well. Cover crops can go in right after harvesting vegetables, basically replacing spent plants with seeds. So, I'll be trying that out this year.<br />
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<b><a " name="The Honor Society">The Honor Society</a></B> are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments. <br />
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Before we get started with your comments and posts, I'd like to share a request from Charlotte, a regular participant of CTWW. She's getting ready to have her first child and is asking for our help. Please read <a href="https://mygreennook.wordpress.com/2015/05/01/i-call-for-assistance/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>I Call for Assistance</U></a> ... let's give her a helping hand!<br />
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I now return you to the Honor Society:<br />
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<a href="http://organic4greenlivings.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Marla</U></a> joined us and left this comment: <i>"I don't have an empty plot to try the green fertilizer but I always eat organic and/or local produce because its good for the planet and for our health. I want the very best for my family and for the earth."</I><br />
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Change The World Wednesday got a nice mention in this edition of the <a href="http://paper.li/kayelleallen/1345939402?edition_id=b08e0e90-eea2-11e4-8115-0cc47a0d1609" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Hottest Writers on the Web</U></a>. WhooHoo!<br />
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+AmandaTrought/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Amanda</U></a> left this comment via Google+, <i>"I just got out in the garden today, forgot how great it can feel!"</I><br />
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<a href="http://ecofriendlyhomemaking.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Alicia</U></a> joined us and said this: <i>"Alan's great grandfather, grandfather and father have all done this. So this is something we learned to do years ago. It really does make such a difference in the soil. We are also looking into wood chip gardening . It looks amazing and makes your soil so nutrient dense.<br />
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/10/05/wood-chips-ground-cover.aspx <br />
Also check out Back To Eden it is so informative. Love buying local organic food, it's the best way to go!!"</I><br />
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<a href="http://twobytwobytuesday.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>cstocks</U></a> stopped by and shared this: <i>"Here in the desert, the non-garden spaces are going into hibernation and the veggie garden is all planted out. I"m going to have to actually (ack!) buy some vegetables this week--making a big pot of chili (the recipe I use is vegetarian) to put up for summer (so we can rely on some hearty meals without heating up the kitchen). Celery, carrots, onions and corn are all heavy soil feeders, none of which I've had any luck with in my yard, yet, so I'll be buying organic."</I><br />
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Last week <a href="http://www.changes4charlie.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Charlie</U></a> asked for some advice. In response to our answers, she said, <i>"Thank you so much!"</I>.<br />
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Morag shared some wonderful information with us: <i>"I like to plant Phacelia as a green manure on bare ground that I won't be planting up for veggies for a while. It's a nitrogen fixer and grows on most soil types. The bees love the light blue flowers too. Thinking of fertilisers now is a great time (northern hemisphere) to start nettle and comfrey liquid feed "teas" for your plants. Comfrey for flowers/fruits and nettles for leafy greens (comfrey has more potassium, nettles more nitrogen). Two buckets (one for each) packed with the leaves of the plant then add water let it stand for a week or so then dilute as necessary (do a web search for exact quantities and times) then water or spray onto plants. Keep an eye on those buckets though both mixtures tend to smell a lot once they get going. Natural fertilisers are a great way to help you go organic <a href="http://www.worldchanging.me/food/organic-stuffed/level-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>http://www.worldchanging.me/food/organic-stuffed/level-1</U></a> with your growing food quests <a href="http://www.worldchanging.me/education-and-culture/growing-steady/level-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>http://www.worldchanging.me/education-and-culture/growing-steady/level-1</U></a>."</I><br />
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<b><a " name="The CTWW Gang">The #CTWW Gang</a></B> are those folks who tweet our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I recommend following them ... they share great things. Let's meet them:<br />
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@2kidsandacoupon" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@2kidsandacoupon</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@adam_gainer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@adam_gainer</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@almosttruth" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@almosttruth</a></td>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@aussiemoose" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@aussiemoose</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@beatepdx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@beatepdx</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@beckbromfl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@beckbromfl</a></td>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@bestrawesome" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@bestrawesome</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@bluebadgerltd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@bluebadgerltd</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@brokeblokeblogs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@brokeblokeblogs</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@bromleyfl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@bromleyfl</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@cainandbeer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@cainandbeer</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@chrysalisdesign" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@chrysalisdesign</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@collegegogreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@collegegogreen</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@debsmikdav1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@debsmikdav1</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@dehelen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@dehelen</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@dominiquegoh" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@dominiquegoh</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ecofairiesclean" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ecofairiesclean</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@eshuth455" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@eshuth455</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@familyfocusblog" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@familyfocusblog</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@freshcleanersaz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@freshcleanersaz</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ginavalley" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ginavalley</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@givelocal15" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@givelocal15</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@grandmasdiaries" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@grandmasdiaries</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greenageworld" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greenageworld</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greengympenge" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greengympenge</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@gronavra" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@gronavra</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@groovygreenlivi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@groovygreenlivi</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@healthyvoyager" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@healthyvoyager</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@herbgir1972" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@herbgir1972</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@innercitygarden" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@innercitygarden</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@justanotherhat" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@justanotherhat</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@kaitlingarder" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kaitlingarder</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@kayelleallen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kayelleallen</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@krmbalclothing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@krmbalclothing</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@laalicia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@laalicia</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@lady_bren" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@lady_bren</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ladyjcmuses" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ladyjcmuses</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@langleyfilmbox" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@langleyfilmbox</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@letgogracefully" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@letgogracefully</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@lkaybayareagirl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@lkaybayareagirl</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@london_020" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@london_020</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@lsjromance" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@lsjromance</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@marjoriemcatee" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@marjoriemcatee</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@martha_bourke" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@martha_bourke</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mdgblogger" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mdgblogger</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mimibarbour" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mimibarbour</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@momfindsout" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@momfindsout</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@momsmadhousex6" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@momsmadhousex6</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@msmoreau_guid" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@msmoreau_guid</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mzazeela" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mzazeela</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@nolafusion" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nolafusion</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rainyofthedark" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rainyofthedark</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rckweddings" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rckweddings</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@realityarts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@realityarts</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ronchatterjee7" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ronchatterjee7</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rose_rambles" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rose_rambles</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rosehipsmedlars" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rosehipsmedlars</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rulesofgreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rulesofgreen</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@shopwhatpops" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@shopwhatpops</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@shopwhatpops1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@shopwhatpops1</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@spafloating" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@spafloating</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@spookymrsgreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@spookymrsgreen</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@sustyq" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@sustyq</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@taralain" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@taralain</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@thefreckledrose" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@thefreckledrose</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@theresekraemer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@theresekraemer</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@theworld4realz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@theworld4realz</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ticlme" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ticlme</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@tiffanywashko" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@tiffanywashko</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@timhemlin" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@timhemlin</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@treesgroup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@treesgroup</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@turningclockbac" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@turningclockbac</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wary12" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wary12</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wellminded" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wellminded</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wimpyvegetarian" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wimpyvegetarian</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@worldchangingme" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@worldchangingme</a></td>
</tr>
</table></center><br />
<b><a " name="My final thoughts">My Final Thoughts:</a></B><br />
<br />
Soil is basic to food production. It is a finely-balanced ecosystem which, when protected, can help feed the world. Unfortunately, many of today's gardening practices destroy soil structure and the micro-organisms that call it home. The good news is that it is within our power to protect this precious resource. It is within our power and it is our responsibility. Let's step up and accept the challenge!<br />
<br />
Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I <a href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/lists/489555842369340560" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Stumbled</U></a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/search/realtime?q=%23ctww&src=savs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Tweeted</U></a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ReduceFootprints" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Facebooked</U></a> and posted it on <a href="https://plus.google.com/s/%23CTWW" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Google +</U></a>. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share features located below this post.<br />
<br />
<a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0)" name="This Week's Challenge">This Week's Challenge:</a><br />
<br />
<b>May's theme is: Clean Air</B><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEU4mlMSjD5esp7_DIaN9d_kBOmqGVqBB9KlALLm2424R8PlUc03CTrq1cxLPAr_uiNruiGchyJqI3B1z9nlYvIKKIcLpOWU65pnt54jGF760BhJA_y4kfA6Blzad_kp7tWAL1brMAKSMK/s1600/No+Smoking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - No Smoking" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEU4mlMSjD5esp7_DIaN9d_kBOmqGVqBB9KlALLm2424R8PlUc03CTrq1cxLPAr_uiNruiGchyJqI3B1z9nlYvIKKIcLpOWU65pnt54jGF760BhJA_y4kfA6Blzad_kp7tWAL1brMAKSMK/s200/No+Smoking.jpg" title="" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><b>Cigarette smoke is one of the main</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><i><b>causes of indoor air pollution</b></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>This month we'll be investigating ways to improve air quality, both indoors and out.<br />
<br />
Here's a disturbing fact: <i>The EPA estimates that secondhand smoke causes approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths and 37,000 heart disease deaths in nonsmokers each year.*</I> Read that again ... they are talking about risk to <u>NON</U>smokers.<br />
<br />
<i>Secondhand smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals-- 200 are poisons and at least 69 cause cancer and other diseases.*</I><br />
<br />
Let's tackle this pollutant!<br />
<br />
Here's your challenge ...<br />
<b><i><br />
<div style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0)">This week, Stop Smoking! You'll improve your health, the health of those around you, and air quality! If you can't end this addiction, please reduce the amount you smoke and smoke outside, away from others. <br />
<br />
</div><div style="color: purple;"><b>OR ... </B><br />
<br />
If you don't smoke ... congratulations! Your challenge, this week, is to evaluate your home for other indoor air pollutants and make plans to eliminate them. For example, do you have carpets or plastic shower curtains? Both contribute to poor air quality. Do you have your clothing dry cleaned? That's also a big polluter. Consider your heating (oil and kerosene heaters compromise your air). What kinds of cleaning solutions are in your home? Do you use plug-in air fresheners which spray harmful chemicals into the room? Once you've identified the problem areas, find safe, Eco-friendly alternatives.<br />
</div></B></I><br />
Are you ready to breathe easy this week? I know that you are! <br />
<br />
Until next time ...<br />
<br />
<b>WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!</B><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>*Information gathered from the <a href="http://www.cleanair.org/program/indoor_air/tobacco_smoke_pollution" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Clean Air Council</U></a>.</div></I></span><br />
<BR><BR><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-15665171469383346582015-05-04T00:00:00.000-04:002015-05-04T00:00:06.627-04:00Review - Good Earth BeautyI love Eco-friendly beauty and body-care products! While I take it as my personal responsibility to research both products and companies, I will admit that completing "due diligence" takes a considerable amount of time and effort. So I was thrilled when I was introduced to <a href="https://www.goodearthbeauty.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><U>Good Earth Beauty</U></a>, a company which does all the "leg work" for us.<br />
<br />
Karen Ostrach, the founder of <I>Good Earth Beauty</I>, became concerned about body care products when her daughter, at age 10, suffered an especially bad case of eczema. As Karen researched, she was shocked at the ingredients in most commercial items. That led her on a quest to find natural and organic products.<br />
<br />
<I>Good Earth Beauty</I> brings together products which are safe. Most of the items are manufactured in the US by small, family-owned businesses. None of them are ever tested on animals ... that's an important qualification to the staff at <I>Good Earth Beauty</I>.<br />
<br />
I did a bit of random checking on the brands carried at <I>Good Earth Beauty</I> and found responsible companies offering Eco-friendly items.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodearthbeauty.com/" rel="nofollow" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Good Earth Beauty Pure Coconut Moisturizing Shampoo (Review)" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XYlfgZMTwKEAwrygF8WH9EeNLW8xGwB5ACF_hRWDBKDWNcakK8cXf9IlvbhjxMyoLoWd436IT4_BwxB1G-5DTOxfZnSoicscgM4TG2eoX7yxQ4kvdYHjjkwsWRQuoA18OQU17pA_j8rB/s1600/GEB+shampoo_coconut.jpg" height="320" title="" width="141" /></a></div><I>Good Earth Beauty</I> invited me to try one of their exclusive products, Pure Coconut Moisturizing Shampoo.<br />
<br />
It is packaged in #1 Plastic, which is a hard, recyclable plastic.<br />
<br />
The ingredients are clearly listed on the label and include things like tea tree oil, aloe vera, and Chamomile. The label also indicates that this product was hand made, with love, in the USA.<br />
<br />
From the website I learned that this shampoo is free of parabens, pesticides, petroleum, propylene glycol, phthalates, sulfates, and artificial colors.<br />
<br />
<h3>My Thoughts</h3><br />
The shampoo has a lovely scent of coconut ... truly one of the best I've ever experienced. I also find the color of the shampoo very pleasing ... rather than being white, it's a beautiful shade of pearl.<br />
<br />
A small amount cleaned my hair well and left it feeling soft and manageable. I was especially impressed with my hair's shine.<br />
<br />
Would I recommend this product? Definitely!!<br />
<br />
<h3>A Bonus</h3><br />
<I>Good Earth Beauty</I> sends a fee sample with every order. In fact, if there's something a client would like to try, they'll do their best to add it to the package. <br />
<br />
I received a container of Strawberry Lip Scrub. This product contains sugar and organic oils. A small amount is gently rubbed on lips to exfoliate dry skin. <br />
<br />
It was delightful and left my lips feeling very soft and slightly pink.<br />
<br />
I will offer you a warning about this item ... if you like strawberries with sugar, you'll be sorely tempted to simply eat the contents of this jar. But don't do it ... you'll be missing out on a lovely lip treatment.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.goodearthbeauty.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><U>Good Earth Beauty</U></a> makes shopping easy. They've done all the research so that we can buy with confidence. But don't take my word for it (or their's) ... check out the company and the brands they offer. Once you do, I think you'll enjoy a relaxed, pleasant shopping experience!<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I received products from Good Earth Beauty in order to write this review. I received no other compensation. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone and reflect my honest opinion of the items reviewed.</i></span><br />
<BR><BR>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-67703856883396869112015-04-29T00:00:00.000-04:002015-04-29T00:00:07.785-04:00Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Green FertilizerWelcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)! <br />
<br />
Wondering how to live greener? You've come to the right place. Each week we challenge ourselves to try a new task ... or "amp up" something we're already doing. We raise our awareness, learn from each other and develop Eco-friendly skills which will improve our lives and protect our planet. Doing so together gives us power ... the power to Change The World!<br />
<br />
If this is your first visit, please click <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/change-world-wednesday-ctww.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>HERE</U></a> for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">This post contains great information and I encourage you to read through it at your leisure ... however, if you are short on time, you might find the following quick links helpful:<br />
</span><br />
<ul><li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#The CTWW Gang">The #CTWW Gang</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#The Honor Society">The Honor Society</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#My final thoughts">My Final Thoughts on Our Last Challenge</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#This Week's Challenge">This Week's Challenge</a></span></li>
</ul><br />
Last week we considered no-till gardening. I learned a lot about the dangers of disturbing the soil and discovered many methods for gardening in a gentler fashion. One of the more fascinating methods is called <a href="http://www.richsoil.com/hugelkultur/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Hugelkultur</U></a>, which is basically planting over buried logs. It's one of the most unique raised beds that I've ever seen. Most of the no-till gardens have a surprising benefit ... once they are established, they are easy to maintain and require less work than common methods. The week gave me a lot to think about and I'll be reading further with the goal of incorporating these methods into our gardening routine.<br />
<br />
<b><a " name="The Honor Society">The Honor Society</a></B> are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://ecofriendlyhomemaking.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Alicia's</U></a> soil is full of clay. Here's what she's done to improve conditions: <i>"Our dirt has a lot of clay in it so we have had to till for the past several years. We have added good nutrients to the soil and lots of compost so it is getting better. This season we have noticed that we are not having to till as much and the dirt is so much more "fluffy" We love buying local veggies and fruits. Alan and our daughter still like to have cheese every so often and I have just discovered a local farm that produces some awesome hormone and antibiotic free cheese. There is also a local farm that has pickles, jams, jellies, relishes and honey. It is all so far superior to what you buy at the grocery. Awesome food and supporting local farmers is the way to go!!!! "</I><br />
<br />
<a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/112954520661247408609/posts?cfem=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Teresa</U></a> left a comment, in google+, about Vicality's article on mulch. The article said that commercial mulches often include dyes. Here's what she had to say: <i>"I have often wondered about that myself. I guess some people want a coordinated look. I like the natural look myself. All of ours is from the trees we lost last winter's ice storm."</I><br />
<br />
The <a href="https://www.rebelmouse.com/familyfocusblog/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Family Focus Blog</U></a> mentioned our challenge on their Rebel Mouse page and included the twitter names of several #CTWW Gang members.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://organic4greenlivings.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Marla</U></a> accepted the challenge and shared this: <i>"We have a new produce store opening this coming Saturday that is less than a mile from my house that grows all their own food that is local and grown organically. I can't wait to go see what great greens and tasty veggies they will be selling. I have been waiting for this store to open for over a year and next door to them is a local nursery that will be opening and a bakery. I am almost out of all my frozen local veggies from last year and too early for my own to be producing yet."</I><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.changes4charlie.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Charlie</U></a> joined us and left this comment: <i>"We always buy local and/or organic whenever it's avaible. It tastes so much better! Hubby set me up with a garen last weekend. It's not raised like our old one was so he did till up the grass. He added soil that I would not have chosen but nothing I can do about that. I was just thankful he had the time to do it at all. I bought seeds where he was trying to save me some trouble and bought a few plants. This time I want to see things grow from a seed plus, our daughter will love that too. I would like to know how the ground cover works with seeds and plants. When I planted mint last year it over took everything I planted so I don't understand how it can be used. Any advice?"</I><br />
<br />
<blockquote>In reply, I said this: <i>"Hi Charlie. Mint is very invasive so yeah, it doesn't work well with other plants. There are some ground covers, though, that aren't so aggressive and can be grown successfully with other plants. I've even heard that one can simply spread apart the leaves and plant seeds. Here's an article which might help: http://gardening.about.com/od/vegetable1/tp/Using-Ground-Covers-in-Vegetable-Gardens.htm Hope that helps!"</I></blockquote><br />
<a href="http://twobytwobytuesday.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>cstocks</U></a> stopped by and shared this: <i>" Funny that the tilling thing is today. Today is Earth Day, but more importantly for me, today is tilling day. Good old hoeing, gleaning the weeds out and getting ready to plant some more tomatoes, peppers, basil...Nothing mechanical happens in this veggie garden; it's all a manual operation. (And builds strong bodies better than Wonder bread!)"</I><br />
<br />
<blockquote>cstocks also had a reply to Charlie: <i>"May I add some thoughts for Charlie? Mints can be quite invasive and dominate a garden (and are especially threatening to seed/lings). Instead of growing directly into the garden, try planting it in pathways (thymes do well this way, too, between path stones). Foot traffic will keep it clipped. And it smells awesome! Or instead of direct planting in the garden, put it in a big pot and keep the pot in the garden area. It will keep mint contained, pardon the pun.</I></blockquote><br />
<a href="http://ecogrrl.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Aimee</U></a> joined us and shared this: <i>"We have raised beds and use the lasagna method for the base of them and square foot for certain plants within them. We don't do any type of double digging (we've heard both good and bad things about it, as described here: http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/garden/double-digging-why-do-it) so we just build up for our food gardens. Didn't see last week's post on mulch but we have ChipDrop.in here in Portland where gardeners can list what they want and arborists can dump their woodchips from tree jobs at those spots for free (saves them the cost of paying to get rid of them)...pretty rad :) "</I><br />
<br />
<a href="https://mygreennook.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Charlotte</U></a> dropped by and shared this: <i>"I like the thought of a do not disturb sign for the soil or why not the whole garden :) Let the garden be peaceful and living from soil to the top of the trees. Great challenge as always!"</I> On google+ I asked if people would like to join our challenge. Charlotte replied, <i>"I sure do :) And today I learned two new things: no-till gardening and the double-dig method. Thank you!"</I><br />
<br />
<a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+Ecofriendlylink/posts?cfem=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Clare</U></a> left a comment via Google+. She said, <i>"Farmers have been tilling for so long it requires a complete mindset change. But it is SO worthwhile not to till. Planting intelligently is definitely the way to go! Thanks for a great challenge"</I><br />
<br />
Penge Green Gym wrote an excellent article about mulching. In <a href="http://pengegreengym.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/mulches-and-mulching.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Mulches and Mulching in #WinsfordGardens a #CTWW Weekly Challenge</U></a> you'll learn about using wood chips, leaf mould, and even gravel to care for your garden.<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://paper.li/chrysalisdesign/artists?edition_id=7b0adb20-ecf1-11e4-acb2-0cc47a0d1609" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>The artists Daily</U></a> shared one of your posts, which I tweeted about. Was it yours?<br />
<br />
Our Twitter friend, @WorldChangingMe, joined the conversation and shared the following:<br />
<br />
- Created a raised bed to do square footprint x row gardening for this weeks #ctww #growingsteady worldchanging.me/education-and-… #growyourownfood<br />
<br />
<b><a " name="The CTWW Gang">The #CTWW Gang</a></B> are those folks who tweet our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I recommend following them ... they share great things. Let's meet them:<br />
<br />
<center><table width="100%"><tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@2kidsandacoupon" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@2kidsandacoupon</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@adam_gainer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@adam_gainer</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@aussiemoose" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@aussiemoose</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@beatepdx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@beatepdx</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@beckbromfl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@beckbromfl</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@bestrawesome" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@bestrawesome</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@bluebadgerltd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@bluebadgerltd</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@brokeblokeblogs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@brokeblokeblogs</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@bromleyfl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@bromleyfl</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@cainandbeer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@cainandbeer</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@chrysalisdesign" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@chrysalisdesign</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@collegegogreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@collegegogreen</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@debsmikdav1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@debsmikdav1</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@dehelen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@dehelen</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ecofairiesclean" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ecofairiesclean</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@familyfocusblog" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@familyfocusblog</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@freshcleanersaz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@freshcleanersaz</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ginavalley" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ginavalley</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@givelocal15" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@givelocal15</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greengympenge" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greengympenge</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@gronavra" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@gronavra</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@groovygreenlivi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@groovygreenlivi</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@herbgir1972" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@herbgir1972</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@justanotherhat" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@justanotherhat</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@kaitlingarder" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kaitlingarder</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@kayelleallen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kayelleallen</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@krmbalclothing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@krmbalclothing</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@lady_bren" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@lady_bren</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ladyjcmuses" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ladyjcmuses</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@letgogracefully" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@letgogracefully</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@lkaybayareagirl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@lkaybayareagirl</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@london_020" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@london_020</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@marjoriemcatee" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@marjoriemcatee</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@martha_bourke" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@martha_bourke</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mdgblogger" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mdgblogger</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mimibarbour" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mimibarbour</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@momsmadhousex6" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@momsmadhousex6</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mzazeela" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mzazeela</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@nolafusion" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nolafusion</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rainyofthedark" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rainyofthedark</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rckweddings" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rckweddings</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@realityarts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@realityarts</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ronchatterjee7" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ronchatterjee7</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rose_rambles" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rose_rambles</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rosehipsmedlars" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rosehipsmedlars</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rulesofgreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rulesofgreen</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@shopwhatpops" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@shopwhatpops</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@spafloating" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@spafloating</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@sustyq" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@sustyq</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@thefreckledrose" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@thefreckledrose</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@theresekraemer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@theresekraemer</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@theworld4realz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@theworld4realz</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ticlme" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ticlme</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@tiffanywashko" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@tiffanywashko</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@treesgroup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@treesgroup</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@turningclockbac" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@turningclockbac</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wary12" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wary12</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wellminded" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wellminded</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@worldchangingme" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@worldchangingme</a></td>
</tr>
</table></center><br />
<b><a " name="My final thoughts">My Final Thoughts:</a></B><br />
<br />
Take a look at nature. Everything grows, and grows well. The forest doesn't depend on tilling or perfectly groomed beds ... it produces, year after year, using a well-balanced system. No-till gardening brings us one step closer to the perfect growing methods of nature. It's good for the earth and good for us. Perfect!<br />
<br />
Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I <a href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/lists/489555842369340560" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Stumbled</U></a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/search/realtime?q=%23ctww&src=savs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Tweeted</U></a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ReduceFootprints" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Facebooked</U></a> and posted it on <a href="https://plus.google.com/s/%23CTWW" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Google +</U></a>. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share features located below this post.<br />
<br />
<a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0)" name="This Week's Challenge">This Week's Challenge:</a><br />
<br />
<b>April's theme is: 2015 Year of the Soil</B><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVRFYcNxyzDgvj5lmedn6zRmFX9vF43VKUsbodjLP0YPZa5ZCDnlCUXs9AV6lU81jvuM2fpRvsMnpSIRn5lRiK85aL_5u9ZuqWl9nJABZOBslaLMzTX-GAlkdE8nCaec8m4C4kxy50jNX/s1600/Oats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Green Fertilizer" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVRFYcNxyzDgvj5lmedn6zRmFX9vF43VKUsbodjLP0YPZa5ZCDnlCUXs9AV6lU81jvuM2fpRvsMnpSIRn5lRiK85aL_5u9ZuqWl9nJABZOBslaLMzTX-GAlkdE8nCaec8m4C4kxy50jNX/s1600/Oats.jpg" height="150" title="" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><b>Oats make a great "green manure"</b></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Did you know that common, commercial fertilizers (synthetic nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium blends) harm the soil? <br />
<br />
Healthy soil is a living, breathing environment. Microorganisms help create good soil structure, deliver nutrients to plants, and even help deter pests in a garden. Synthetic fertilizers kill microorganisms by destroying their cell walls.<br />
<br />
The same factors which promote faster, and larger, plant growth, cause imbalances in the soil environment. This opens the door to weeds, pests, compaction, and unhealthy plants.<br />
<br />
Is there a better way to fertilize? Absolutely!<br />
<br />
Here's your challenge ...<br />
<br />
<b><i><br />
<div style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0)">This week, investigate green fertilizer (green manure) for use in your home garden. Green fertilizers are basically any crop grown to be turned into, or cut down to lay on top of, the ground for the purpose of adding organic matter and nutrients to the soil. Some examples are oats, buckwheat, clover, and even leftover seeds. Once a crop is harvested, green manure can be planted. After about a month, it is ready to turn under or cut. If you have an empty plot, green fertilizers can be used to prepare the area for future planting or simply to protect the soil. To get advice on the best crops to plant for your area and needs, contact your county extension (just search the term "??? County Extension", replacing the ??? with your county). <br />
<br />
</div><div style="color: purple;"><b>OR ... </B><br />
<br />
Since organic farming typically makes use of green fertilizers, commit to buying organic foods this week. <br />
</div></B></I><br />
Are you ready to investigate the wonderful world of green manure? I know that you are! <br />
<br />
Until next time ...<br />
<br />
<b>WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!</B><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-5249624367344345032015-04-24T00:00:00.000-04:002015-04-24T00:00:09.055-04:00Thoughts on CompostingMost people talk about composting as a viable alternative to tossing things into a landfill, but I was curious about how many people actually make the effort. <br />
<br />
I was also interested to learn about the reasons why folks don't compost.<br />
<br />
That was the focus of April's survey.<br />
<br />
Let's take a look at the results:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1kWzfJ6Y54xeIVTS8WPwehBb8Yy4jyBCr74RX6DCDqt8BaQrbJ1X_6D5P5Q7hj8EMiTg_cDID-9o21xUaKY7QFo5pX7LZ7jU_o20tAi12sUG2Nd_2nNlcjRr-s9kZGsJQiNXl4JMKQ5m/s1600/Compost+Survey.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Survey Results - Do you compost?" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1kWzfJ6Y54xeIVTS8WPwehBb8Yy4jyBCr74RX6DCDqt8BaQrbJ1X_6D5P5Q7hj8EMiTg_cDID-9o21xUaKY7QFo5pX7LZ7jU_o20tAi12sUG2Nd_2nNlcjRr-s9kZGsJQiNXl4JMKQ5m/s1600/Compost+Survey.JPG" height="320" title="" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<b>Comments</B><br />
<ul><li>COnstantly traveling.</li>
<li>Why NOT compost? It's great for the garden, it reduces our amount of garbage, and it's good for the earth to put food and yard waste literally back where it originated ! We had an old plastic "earth machine" one for years but it always filled up too fast so this year we built one out of old repurposed fenceposts and chickenwire, with one half for current garden and food waste and then when it fills up, we'll let it settle and start filling up the second one. They say more than 20% of our garbage dumps are filled with food - crazy!!! Every city should have mandatory curbside composting like our big cities here on the west coast - it just makes sense (economically as well!).</li>
<li>Because it reduced how much trash we were throwing out, it's good for the environment and for our garden, and we get free soil.</li>
<li>I compost because food waste is such a problem in the landfills, plus it's free fertilizer. I don't use bins though, I bury mine right in an empty garden plot to decompose.</li>
<li>We don't have anywhere to use the compost we'd make.</li>
<li>I've had a garden my entire adult life. My current one is my toughest, here in the American desert Southwest. It's hot. And dry. To manage water usage and keep vegetables comfortable through hundred-and-teens, I have to have compost (and mulch, which is sometimes the same thing)! Besides, it's the right thing to do--perfectly good coffee grounds and vegetable peelings certainly don't need to clutter landfill.</li>
<li>To nourish my soil and recycle my green waste</li>
<li>I am studying here and I live in apartment, thus I don't have place to plant or cultivate. In my hometown, my family lives in city and has the same situation.</li>
<li>Because it good for the soil and keeps the balance of nutrients naturally. We also should be recycling everything we can and this is a great way to recycle your food scraps and make use of the that nature provides us. It is also very economical.</li>
<li>Less waste, though we don't know how to make it compost faster and just put it into a bin we got at a hardware store, so any tips would be great :)</li>
<li>Because it makes sense! :) </li>
</UL>The majority of people, who participated in the survey, do compost. Reasons included things like reducing landfill waste and nourishing gardens. Some folks use commercial composting containers, others make their own, and still others simply bury compostable materials directly into an empty garden plot.<br />
<br />
My sense is that those who do compost, use it in their gardens rather than participate in curb-side pick-up or donate it to a neighbor or community garden.<br />
<br />
One participant asked for tips on how to make a compost pile work faster. I found a great article on the subject which you can read <a href="http://www.compost-info-guide.com/fastcompost.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>HERE</U></a>. Suggested methods include shredding, turning the pile often, and ensuring that the carbon to nitrogen ratio is appropriate (they include the ratio of common items like grass clipping, food scraps, etc., and give you an easy way to approximate the ratio).<br />
<br />
A few people don't compost and their comments got me thinking about situations that make the practice difficult (or impossible) and how we might comes up with solutions.<br />
<br />
<h3>Composting while traveling</h3>Many of our green-living practices suffer when we travel. Certainly composting seems to fall into that category. Still, we need to eat and that means generating usable waste. Here are a few tips which might help:<br />
<ul><li>If you eat out, choose restaurants which compost kitchen scraps. To find out, call ahead and ask.</li>
<li>If you prepare food while traveling, bring along a bokashi composting system which can be carried back home for use in the garden. Or, carry a container with a good lid, fill it with scraps and bring it home to your bin.</li>
<li>Ask the hotel, campground, bed & breakfast, etc., if they compost and, if so, how you can add scraps to the bin.</li>
<li>If you are staying in a rented home, find out if curb-side collection is available or if a neighbor might be able to use scraps.</li>
</UL><h3>Composting without gardening</h3>What if you don't garden and have no use for compost? Here are some ideas:<br />
<ul><li>Participate in curb-side collection if it is offered.</li>
<li>Donate your compost to a local community garden, a neighbor, or offer it on Freecycle or Craigslist (I'm guessing that someone would be happy to pick it up and use it).</li>
<li>Use a bokashi bin and then use the fertilizer on house plants or a lawn ... or, again, give it away. And if you don't have house plants, get some ... they are a great way to clean indoor air.</li>
</UL><h3>Composting in an apartment</h3>So here's the scenario ... you live in an apartment which doesn't have a deck or patio. There's no space for a garden. There's no curb-side compost pick-up. Of all the reasons not to compost, this one is, in my opinion, the most difficult to find solutions for. But let's see what we can do. How about these ideas:<br />
<ul><li>Consider the bokashi system. Use the results on houseplants or offer it up on Freecycle. Perhaps the apartment management would appreciate a bit of fertilizer on their landscaping ... just be sure to ask, first.</li>
<li>Collect scraps in an air-tight container and donate them to a community garden.</li>
<li>Find out if a college or work facility has composting. If they do, ask about adding your scraps to their bin.</li>
<li>Contact the city waste management department to discover options. If they have no options for you, ask them to consider providing some in the future.</li>
</UL><h3>A few more thoughts on composting</h3><br />
When we think about composting, we tend to consider it from the end results. While free, green fertilizer is appealing to those of us who garden, it really doesn't mean much to people who don't grow things.<br />
<br />
So perhaps we need to look at this activity from the other end ... the beginning. If we consider it as a viable way to divert usable materials from landfills, it becomes a practice which all people can take part in. Yes, there's still the question of what to do with the end results but that seems relatively easy. There's always someone who could use free soil enhancements.<br />
<br />
With the many, easy ways to recycle our food waste, composting is no longer a labor-intensive, stinky process. In fact, anyone with a counter can compost. It takes no more effort than tossing those scraps in a trash bin. Yes, perhaps it means coordinating with a neighbor or driving to a community garden but protecting our environment is worth the effort.<br />
<br />
If you're not already doing so, I encourage you to compost. It is one way to keep "stuff" out of landfills and protect the earth.<br />
<br />
Thanks to everyone who participated!<br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-65901596728651789412015-04-22T00:00:00.000-04:002015-04-22T00:00:05.775-04:00Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - No Till GardeningWelcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)! <br />
<br />
Wondering how to live greener? You've come to the right place. Each week we challenge ourselves to try a new task ... or "amp up" something we're already doing. We raise our awareness, learn from each other and develop Eco-friendly skills which will improve our lives and protect our planet. Doing so together gives us power ... the power to Change The World!<br />
<br />
If this is your first visit, please click <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/change-world-wednesday-ctww.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>HERE</U></a> for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">This post contains great information and I encourage you to read through it at your leisure ... however, if you are short on time, you might find the following quick links helpful:<br />
</span><br />
<ul><li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#The CTWW Gang">The #CTWW Gang</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#The Honor Society">The Honor Society</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#My final thoughts">My Final Thoughts on Our Last Challenge</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#This Week's Challenge">This Week's Challenge</a></span></li>
</ul><br />
Last week our challenge asked us to prevent soil erosion by adding mulch and ground cover to our gardens. My home is surrounded by deciduous trees so we have a good supply of leaves which we use to mulch our garden. We also planted ground cover to further hold our soil in place. I was particularly fascinated by the number of perennial plants which are edible. Thyme, strawberries, mint, and American cranberries are just a few of the many, delicious ground covers available.<br />
<br />
<b><a " name="The Honor Society">The Honor Society</a></B> are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://organic4greenlivings.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Marla</U></a> had some great ideas for us: <i>"We have a lot steep banks that I we have slowly been planted ground cover on. We have planted ivy which is great because it is very tolerate to temperatures and pest resistance but it does grow fast so you have to keep it trimmed. I do love it though - it looks really nice. We also have planted Juniper (which is an evergreen) that makes a great ground cover. Phlox is another great choice that blooms with a glory of beautiful bright colors ranging from different shades of pink, lavender to white. It is absolutely gorgeous in the springtime. Ours should soon be blooming very soon. It spreads each year. I also have use butterfly bushes to help with erosion and they are always a pleasure with the lovely butterflies they attract. They come up every year more beautiful than before. I have recently discovered perennial geraniums that spread quite quickly and just transplanted some to another one of our banks. They also bloom throughout most of the summer into early fall and are very hearty. I have used daylilies too and I love the many beautiful colors and sizes of this striking and weather resistance flowers. They are easy to transplant and I just planted about 5 new petite size bulbs last week for ground cover. They get bigger and have more blooms every year. We also have used stepping stones and small gardening ornamental stones to fill in in small areas that stops erosion and looks very attractive. We have just added some old bricks to some areas last summer to hold the soil and arrange them in different shapes and forms. There are so many great ways to help erosion while beautifying your home. Just use a little imagination and work. It will pay off so that we don't lose valuable soil. It has worked for me."</I><br />
<br />
<a href="http://ecofriendlyhomemaking.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Alicia</U></a> accepted the challenge and shared this: <i>"We use mulch which also helps in keeping the soil more moist which really comes in handy especially during drier times in the Summer. We also like planting things like turnip greens in the Fall. It is a great ground cover and you have food also! Alan also edges our gardens which helps keep the soil from eroding. I always love the challenge of not eating meat. It really is easy to do and can help so much. Just imagine if we would all just not eat meat even once a week what a HUGE difference it would make!!"</I><br />
<br />
<a href="http://twobytwobytuesday.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>cstocks</U></a> is way ahead of us: <i>"I'm almost done applying mulch! Last year I mulched all of our fruit trees and in August a flood washed it all away. It ended up in neighbors yards, so hopefully it was not a total lost cause. So... try as I might again this year. I mulched all of the fruit trees PLUS some more areas that have not before--a new grape arbor and a kitchen herb garden (sing along now: parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme!) plus some areas that had been grass, which we want to turn into garden areas. I read (somewhere) that shredded newspaper covered with sheets of corrugated paper act to suppress weeds, so I suppose that constitutes a mulch. We put that down in the paths in the vegetable garden and it will eventually break down. We have quite a bit from a recent move and keeping it out of landfill (though we would recycle it, it's a 20-mile trip to the transfer station...one less gallon of gas to put in the car). We're acutely aware of preserving our water resources; no part of our yard gets water unless it's for creating food. Mulch helps to retain necessary moisture (especially in summer with single digit humidity). Since I was doing it anyway, it's not fair to accept this challenge, so, I'll have to go meatless!"</I><br />
<br />
<a href="https://mygreennook.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Charlotte</U></a> joined us and said: <i>"Ground cover and mulch - interesting challenge!"</I><br />
<br />
Did you know that some commercial mulches contain artificial dyes? That's just one of the interesting facts included in <a href="http://vicalitysantacruz.com/mulch/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Mulch now to rescue your gardens</U></a> by Vicality!<br />
<br />
Our Twitter friends joined the conversation and shared the following:<br />
<br />
From @WorldChangingMe<br />
- Mulched the raspberries! #ctww<br />
<br />
From @rose_rambles<br />
- I plan to plant this native Australian violet as ground cover in place of grass - for this week's #CTWW challenge. pic.twitter.com/XIw3KUu7eo<br />
<br />
<b><a " name="The CTWW Gang">The #CTWW Gang</a></B> are those folks who tweet our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I recommend following them ... they share great things. Let's meet them:<br />
<br />
<center><table width="100%"><tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@2kidsandacoupon" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@2kidsandacoupon</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@arithatcher" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@arithatcher</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@beatepdx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@beatepdx</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@bestrawesome" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@bestrawesome</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@brokeblokeblogs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@brokeblokeblogs</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@collegegogreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@collegegogreen</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@debsmikdav1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@debsmikdav1</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@dehelen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@dehelen</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@dominiquegoh" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@dominiquegoh</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ecofairiesclean" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ecofairiesclean</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@efoodpyramid" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@efoodpyramid</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@familyfocusblog" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@familyfocusblog</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@freshcleanersaz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@freshcleanersaz</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ginavalley" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ginavalley</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@givelocal15" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@givelocal15</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@grandmasdiaries" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@grandmasdiaries</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greektitan_mov" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greektitan_mov</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greengympenge" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greengympenge</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greenqueenofmod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greenqueenofmod</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@gronavra" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@gronavra</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@groovygreenlivi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@groovygreenlivi</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@herbgir1972" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@herbgir1972</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ifarmlight" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ifarmlight</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@islayhijk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@islayhijk</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@jen_fontaine" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@jen_fontaine</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@kaitlingarder" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kaitlingarder</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@kayelleallen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kayelleallen</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@krmbalclothing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@krmbalclothing</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@laalicia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@laalicia</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ladyjcmuses" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ladyjcmuses</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@leslieveg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@leslieveg</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@letgogracefully" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@letgogracefully</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@littlewing_13" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@littlewing_13</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@london_020" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@london_020</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@marjoriemcatee" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@marjoriemcatee</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@martha_bourke" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@martha_bourke</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mdgblogger" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mdgblogger</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@memorialgrdnscg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@memorialgrdnscg</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mimibarbour" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mimibarbour</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@momfindsout" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@momfindsout</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mommyhiker" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mommyhiker</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@motheremu" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@motheremu</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@myzerowaste" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@myzerowaste</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mzazeela" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mzazeela</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@nolafusion" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nolafusion</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@nomadictexan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nomadictexan</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@organicgpodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@organicgpodcast</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@outdoorfammag" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@outdoorfammag</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rckweddings" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rckweddings</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@realityarts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@realityarts</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rose_rambles" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rose_rambles</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rosehipsmedlars" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rosehipsmedlars</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rulesofgreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rulesofgreen</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@shoppingcharity" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@shoppingcharity</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@shopwhatpops" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@shopwhatpops</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@signsbyrhonda" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@signsbyrhonda</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@spafloating" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@spafloating</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@spookymrsgreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@spookymrsgreen</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@sustyq" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@sustyq</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@tcvgreengym" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@tcvgreengym</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@tgilbt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@tgilbt</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@thefreckledrose" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@thefreckledrose</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@theworld4realz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@theworld4realz</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ticlme" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ticlme</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@treesgroup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@treesgroup</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@turningclockbac" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@turningclockbac</a></td>
</tr>
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<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wary12" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wary12</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wellminded" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wellminded</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@williambllp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@williambllp</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wimpyvegetarian" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wimpyvegetarian</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@worldchangingme" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@worldchangingme</a></td>
</tr>
</table></center><br />
<b><a " name="My final thoughts">My Final Thoughts:</a></B><br />
<br />
We've been working, all month, to protect our soil. Mulching and ground covers are two easy ways to do that. Considering the important roll which soil plays in food production, it only seems to make sense that we treat this amazing resource with respect and care. To any doubters "out there", I say ... just take a look back in history, to the 1930s and the "dust bowl". Taking the soil for granted caused people to lose their homes and struggle to feed their families. Food production, throughout the entire country, was negatively affected. It all could have been prevented! Let's learn from their mistakes and never repeat them!<br />
<br />
Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I <a href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/lists/489555842369340560" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Stumbled</U></a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/search/realtime?q=%23ctww&src=savs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Tweeted</U></a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ReduceFootprints" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Facebooked</U></a> and posted it on <a href="https://plus.google.com/s/%23CTWW" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Google +</U></a>. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share features located below this post.<br />
<br />
<a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0)" name="This Week's Challenge">This Week's Challenge:</a><br />
<br />
<b>April's theme is: 2015 Year of the Soil</B><br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPXlTJoZmarCzIyBbwc3drFZg40AhKy-zXl_YGg2XSARZx30hPC5BoLiq-5fG93ZiR4CH9rFiFcWfSqPHnFKLrrnSrvTC5nPLNffMyj-B9it31-Fpx2b5TfBrLfapQ__pkNFMbRfT3qwg/s1600/No+Till+Gardening.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - No Till Gardening" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPXlTJoZmarCzIyBbwc3drFZg40AhKy-zXl_YGg2XSARZx30hPC5BoLiq-5fG93ZiR4CH9rFiFcWfSqPHnFKLrrnSrvTC5nPLNffMyj-B9it31-Fpx2b5TfBrLfapQ__pkNFMbRfT3qwg/s1600/No+Till+Gardening.jpg" height="150" title="" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><b>Tilling the soil fatally buries</b></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><i><b>beneficial organisms</b></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Tilling damages and exposes earthworms. <br />
<br />
It also releases CO2 into the air and destroys soil structure.<br />
<br />
Here's your challenge ...<br />
<br />
<b><i><br />
<div style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0)">This week, consider using the <a href="http://eartheasy.com/blog/2009/01/no-till-gardening/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>"no till" method</U></a> of gardening. Basically, avoid inverting the soil and tread lightly, or not at all, on your planting area. Some ideas to try include raised vegetable gardens, "lasagna" gardening, straw bale gardening, and square foot gardening. If you have a new garden area, start with the <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Double-Dig-a-Garden" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>double-dig method</U></a> followed by the addition of soil amendments such as compost. The idea, this week, is to disturb the soil as little as possible when planting.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="color: purple;"><b>OR ... </B><br />
<br />
Not into gardening? There are still actions which you can take to help the soil. Since large commercial farms (the guys who provide produce to most grocery store chains) are more likely to till, support local, organic farmers this week. Buy veggies from a farmer's market or a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm. Consider preserves (jams, canned foods, etc.) which were made locally using local foods. <br />
</div></B></I><br />
Are you ready to hang a "do not disturb" sign on the soil? I know that you are! <br />
<br />
Until next time ...<br />
<br />
<b>WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!</B><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-49556880661871448952015-04-21T00:00:00.000-04:002015-04-22T08:42:47.475-04:00Guest Post - Encouraging Manufacturers to Help Preserve the EnvironmentWe count on our manufacturing companies for everything from the windows in our homes to the bricks and steel supporting our cities’ tallest skyscrapers. The finished products these companies create are often beautiful and needed, but the environmental impact of the manufacturing isn’t always as pretty. <br />
<br />
It is no secret that the manufacturing sector can produce a lot of waste. In fact, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, in 2013 alone, manufacturing processes created close to 8 billion tons of nonhazardous waste. Even worse, a vast majority of that waste ended up in landfills. <br />
<br />
It begs the question “is there a way to reduce all this waste?” Thankfully, the answer is a resounding yes. You could even say it’s a classic case of one man’s trash being another man’s treasure. Unfortunately many companies overlook these recycling opportunities favoring the cost efficiency of trashing the extras, but there would be endless benefits if large manufacturers committed to creating and following simple recycling programs. <br />
<br />
Thankfully, there are a few companies that are spearheading these efforts and just from their modest work to reduce the amount of trash they produce, we can already see the improvements. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uTnYSArrHY-HA_MvREJcFAnXnW4NypROfwVQLKvJrEdk9nRGQLcxdEdPZtWylgQ6EaljYBzt9iMQqBpNlNHRaKD_iLYhU-XARNKIa3ABh8XaXtQcr_J1bn7AA5sXLyf8yuiAtXtOhmzt/s1600/IMG_7286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Encouraging Manufacturers to Help Preserve the Environment" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uTnYSArrHY-HA_MvREJcFAnXnW4NypROfwVQLKvJrEdk9nRGQLcxdEdPZtWylgQ6EaljYBzt9iMQqBpNlNHRaKD_iLYhU-XARNKIa3ABh8XaXtQcr_J1bn7AA5sXLyf8yuiAtXtOhmzt/s1600/IMG_7286.jpg" height="133" title="" width="200" /></a></div>In the spirit of Earth Week, April 20-24, 2015, and recognizing those companies that are dedicated to environmental causes, it’s worth talking about Thompson Creek Window Company, a Maryland-based window manufacturing company. They have committed themselves to being green and making a concerted effort to <a href="http://www.thompsoncreek.com/blog/going-green-thompson-creek-our-commitment-better-our-planet" target="_blank"><u>minimize their carbon footprint</U></a> by recycling the excess raw materials that are created when making windows.<br />
<br />
For example, and unsurprisingly, glass is a common excess material for a window company. Thanks to their recycling program, Thompson Creek diverts over 412 tons of glass from the landfill each year. These 100% recyclable leftovers are used to create other glass products, for further consumption.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4sQ5Gv4iQ4Jtsfjht1KmacyKIrmi8I3KNuMzoDWUEnMQH3o1WqOVYvXYVTpShRo_sPbOWJ1yS9_27UI6u_E05z2SjtvmDXXEZ6j6Ux06Pbtq3pE-iRaSPu9IuAZaZIO8-T_sONmFDKd3F/s1600/dh015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Encouraging Manufacturers to Help Preserve the Environment" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4sQ5Gv4iQ4Jtsfjht1KmacyKIrmi8I3KNuMzoDWUEnMQH3o1WqOVYvXYVTpShRo_sPbOWJ1yS9_27UI6u_E05z2SjtvmDXXEZ6j6Ux06Pbtq3pE-iRaSPu9IuAZaZIO8-T_sONmFDKd3F/s1600/dh015.jpg" height="133" title="" width="200" /></a></div>Additionally, 84.42 tons of vinyl are recycled by Thompson Creek every year. The recycled vinyl can be reused in packaging, traffic cones, siding, floor tiles, and more. The company also diverted 38.73 tons of cardboard and 14.87 tons of aluminum from the landfills. <br />
<br />
All in all, we’re talking about over 550 total tons of recyclable materials diverted from the landfill every single year. Thompson Creek holds strong to their commitment to minimize their carbon footprint and they are among a growing list of companies committing themselves to reaching “zero-landfill” status. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaAGtqoDlUctvZimhEubDd1HTAITY8bxQRmdHI0NBAgujJnSPCHTmVbE1s9GcuJ_yGMBg68-HhzlJM0CODdHiAfGrqybBueDJrVOomjBLN5285CawX2pbJNzbA0Y3mfch1362A7CkkVFsp/s1600/Thompson+Creek+Earth+Week+-+Blog+Image.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Encouraging Manufacturers to Help Preserve the Environment" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaAGtqoDlUctvZimhEubDd1HTAITY8bxQRmdHI0NBAgujJnSPCHTmVbE1s9GcuJ_yGMBg68-HhzlJM0CODdHiAfGrqybBueDJrVOomjBLN5285CawX2pbJNzbA0Y3mfch1362A7CkkVFsp/s1600/Thompson+Creek+Earth+Week+-+Blog+Image.png" height="320" title="" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Imagine if larger manufacturers made the same commitment. The impact would be colossal. I think we can all agree it’s a pledge we’d like to see more companies make, both large and small. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This post is shared at <a href="http://urbannaturale.com/live-it-up-at-the-healthy-happy-green-natural-party-blog-hop-63/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural Party Hop</a> and <a href="http://www.loulougirls.com/2015/04/lou-lou-girls-fabulous-party-55.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party</a></div></I></span><br />
<BR><BR><br />
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<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-24935201646366194782015-04-20T00:00:00.000-04:002015-04-20T00:00:07.216-04:00Review - Practical Projects for Self-Sufficiency by Chris Peterson and Philip SchmidtHave you ever noticed how completing a do-it-yourself (DIY) project is so much more rewarding than buying something already made? <br />
<br />
There is, of course, a real sense of pride; moreover, it gives us the opportunity to choose earth-friendly materials and build an item which will last. It also feels liberating to know that we can sustain our lives without depending on the "big box stores".<br />
<br />
Since buying our property last year, we've taken on many DIY projects. With some of them, like the blue bird nesting boxes, we needed information so that we'd build something suitable for the preferences of these beautiful birds. <br />
<br />
We turned to the Internet for instructions and while we found several sites offering how-to tutorials, they often left out key information, like where to hang the box so that the birds would be protected from predators.<br />
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The other drawback to online information is that it's not always easy to carry a computer to the work area for easy reference.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.coolspringspress.com/books/book.php?id=9781591865957" rel="nofollow" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Review - Practical Projects for Self-Sufficiency by Chris Peterson and Philip Schmidt" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmCH9Hjm7ZzkB6c_7zWYFFPng7e23GKgNdUQsoONrl0HIYF84rVs_QQmrO8b5I7QZGcGoUGeTuwrJUbcgHnIYgdDuV46jyW4W17rdnFtszDxiC2jHT7YYJkj-Pf2Q9ziY1KA0jojr9ImiR/s1600/Self+Sufficiency.jpg" height="320" title="" width="244" /></a></div><br />
I was invited to read <I>Practical Projects for Self-Sufficiency</I> by Chris Peterson and Philip Schmidt.<br />
<br />
This book is a DIYers dream and includes something for everyone.<br />
<br />
Interested in growing potatoes? You'll find excellent instructions for building a <B>Potato-Growing Box</B>.<br />
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Perhaps you want to wash clothes, without electricity, and without having to use a tiresome wash board. The <B>Manual Laundry Washer</B> is easy to build, easy to use, and will save money and the environment.<br />
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There are projects for raising chickens, growing critter-proof strawberries, and even one which repurposes a clothesline support to serve as a trellis (a brilliant idea).<br />
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Each project begins with a photo of the finished item and a few paragraphs about why it's a worthwhile endeavor. Materials and tools are listed and, if required, a lumber cutting list. Next are the step-by-step instructions. Each step includes a numbered photo along with written instructions.<br />
<br />
Most of the projects include additional tips and information. For example, in the section about building a <B>Teepee Trellis</B> I learned about plant varieties which benefit from growing vertically ... some of them might surprise you. The instructions for building a <B>Frame Loom</B> include common weaving terms and a bit about using the loom.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.coolspringspress.com/books/book.php?id=9781591865957" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Cool Springs Press</u></a> has graciously given me permission to share an excerpt of the book with you. It's a great way to use the abundant variety of apples in the fall. Click the following link to read this tutorial:<br />
<br />
<CENTER><h3><a href="https://quayside.app.box.com/s/lgs3x9zbgdbge28kio32" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>CIDER PRESS</u></a></H3></CENTER><br />
<h3>My Thoughts</h3><br />
<I>Practical Projects for Self-Sufficiency</I> offers a variety of projects which are appropriate for everyone. Whether you live in a small space or have a lot of property, you'll find something which fits your needs.<br />
<br />
The book measures approximately 8-1/2" x 11" ... the size of a standard piece of printing paper. I mention the size because if you've ever tried to reference a small instruction booklet, then you know that they are hard to use while working. The large pages of this book make it easy to follow along at a glance.<br />
<br />
The instructions are complete, including everything you'll need to know to successfully finish the project.<br />
<br />
I highly recommend this book ... it encourages readers to lead a more sustainable lifestyle and offers great ideas which are practical for today's world.<br />
<br />
<i>If you'd like a copy of this book, please click <a href="http://www.qbookshop.com/products/9781591865957" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>HERE</u></a> for purchasing information.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>I received a copy of "Practical Projects for Self-Sufficiency" in order to write this review. I received no other compensation. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone and reflect my honest opinion of the material reviewed.</i></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Image and excerpt courtesy of <a href="http://www.coolspringspress.com/books/book.php?id=9781591865957" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Cool Springs Press</u></a></i></span></div><BR><BR>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-15955661275131264092015-04-15T00:00:00.000-04:002015-04-15T00:00:10.264-04:00Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Ground CoverWelcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)! <br />
<br />
Wondering how to live greener? You've come to the right place. Each week we challenge ourselves to try a new task ... or "amp up" something we're already doing. We raise our awareness, learn from each other and develop Eco-friendly skills which will improve our lives and protect our planet. Doing so together gives us power ... the power to Change The World!<br />
<br />
If this is your first visit, please click <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/change-world-wednesday-ctww.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>HERE</U></a> for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">This post contains great information and I encourage you to read through it at your leisure ... however, if you are short on time, you might find the following quick links helpful:<br />
</span><br />
<ul><li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#The CTWW Gang">The #CTWW Gang</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#The Honor Society">The Honor Society</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#My final thoughts">My Final Thoughts on Our Last Challenge</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#This Week's Challenge">This Week's Challenge</a></span></li>
</ul><br />
Last week we planted (and/or ate) legumes to add nutrients to the soil. Legumes, which attract nitrogen, benefit both soil health and other plants. I have peas growing in my mini greenhouse and soon will be planting beans in the garden. <br />
<br />
<b><a " name="The Honor Society">The Honor Society</a></B> are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://ecogrrl.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Aimee</U></a> left a comment on our composting challenge. Here's what she had to say, <i>"We built a bigger compost bin this year out of repurposed old fence posts which has been awesome. We compost everything on the list (minus the urine!) and on the rare meat consumption days those bones go into the weekly curbside compost bin. We looked into composting toilets recently but unfortunately the cost for a decent one is still too prohibitive ($1800+)."</I><br />
<br />
This edition of <a href="http://paper.li/shoppingcharity?edition_id=e31631c0-dd8c-11e4-a46b-0cc47a0d164b" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Shopping Charity</U></a> included several of your posts. Was yours one of them?<br />
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<a href="http://ecofriendlyhomemaking.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Alicia</U></a> joined us and shared this: <i>"We love growing beans and peas but have not grown lentils . So I think this would be a good time to check into growing some this year. I will give you an update on what we find out!"</I> Can't wait to hear how it goes, Alicia!<br />
<br />
Welcome to <a href="http://twobytwobytuesday.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>cstocks</U></a>! Here's her comment: <i>"It's a bit too late for growing beans in the desert, but they are a fabulous source of nutrients for body and soil. We did get some from our food co-op this week and just broke off the stems, grilled in a little olive oil with garlic. Yummy."</I><br />
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Charlotte accepted the challenge. She said: <i>Great challenge as always! I will happily get my teeth into it :) "</I> True to her word, she did! In <a href="https://mygreennook.wordpress.com/2015/04/14/add-nitrogen-to-the-soil/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Add Nitrogen to The Soil</U></a> she talks about why she won't be growing one of her favorite legumes and shares how the plants actually add nitrogen to the soil. Want a hint? Noodles! Is she talking about pasta? You'll have to read her post to find out!<br />
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/+KimberlyLewisloulougirls/posts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Kimberly</U></a> stopped by. I appreciate her comments: <i>"Great post. Pinned and tweeted. We appreciate you being a part of our party. Please stop by on Monday at 7 pm. Happy Sunday! Lou Lou Girls"</I><br />
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<a href="http://www.worldchanging.me/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Morag</U></a> shared another idea for improving soil. She said: <i>"Just to say that some trees and shrubs also fix nitrogen - the ones that have "pea pod" type seeds (not always edible though) and interestingly the Alder tree (Alnus sp.). You may already have a nitrogen fixing plant on your garden border - perhaps in a hedge? Worth checking out :) "</I> Excellent!!<br />
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Our Twitter friends joined the conversation and shared the following:<br />
<br />
From @rose_rambles<br />
- Thanks for including me in your #CTTW wrap-up. So glad you like my blog. I'll be planting beans this week....!<br />
- The Rambles boys have planted beans - this week's 'Change the World Wednesday' challenge #CTWW http://t.co/PzO6NrHUKa<br />
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From @WorldChangingMe<br />
- forgot to say .... planted some runner beans this week #ctww from saved seed :) worldchanging.me/worldchanger/m #fixingnitrogen <br />
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From @momfindsout<br />
- I do like to plant them, but its too early where I live to do that til June. :) but I will plan on it! #ctww<br />
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<b><a " name="The CTWW Gang">The #CTWW Gang</a></B> are those folks who tweet our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I recommend following them ... they share great things. Let's meet them:<br />
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<center><table width="100%"><tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@2kidsandacoupon" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@2kidsandacoupon</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@arithatcher" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@arithatcher</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@beatepdx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@beatepdx</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@bestrawesome" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@bestrawesome</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@collegegogreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@collegegogreen</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@debsmikdav1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@debsmikdav1</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@dehelen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@dehelen</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@efoodpyramid" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@efoodpyramid</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@familyfocusblog" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@familyfocusblog</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@freshcleanersaz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@freshcleanersaz</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@givelocal15" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@givelocal15</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greektitan_mov" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greektitan_mov</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greengympenge" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greengympenge</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greenqueenofmod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greenqueenofmod</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@gronavra" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@gronavra</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@groovygreenlivi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@groovygreenlivi</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@herbgir1972" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@herbgir1972</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@islayhijk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@islayhijk</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@jen_fontaine" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@jen_fontaine</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@kaitlingarder" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kaitlingarder</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@kayelleallen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kayelleallen</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@krmbalclothing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@krmbalclothing</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@laalicia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@laalicia</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ladyjcmuses" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ladyjcmuses</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@leslieveg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@leslieveg</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@marjoriemcatee" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@marjoriemcatee</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@martha_bourke" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@martha_bourke</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mdgblogger" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mdgblogger</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@memorialgrdnscg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@memorialgrdnscg</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mimibarbour" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mimibarbour</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@momfindsout" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@momfindsout</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mommyhiker" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mommyhiker</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@myzerowaste" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@myzerowaste</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@nolafusion" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nolafusion</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@organicgpodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@organicgpodcast</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@outdoorfammag" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@outdoorfammag</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rckweddings" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rckweddings</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rose_rambles" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rose_rambles</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rulesofgreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rulesofgreen</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@shoppingcharity" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@shoppingcharity</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@shopwhatpops" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@shopwhatpops</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@signsbyrhonda" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@signsbyrhonda</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@spafloating" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@spafloating</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@sustyq" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@sustyq</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@thefreckledrose" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@thefreckledrose</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@theworld4realz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@theworld4realz</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@treesgroup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@treesgroup</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@turningclockbac" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@turningclockbac</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wary12" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wary12</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wellminded" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wellminded</a></td>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wimpyvegetarian" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wimpyvegetarian</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://twitter.com/@worldchangingme" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@worldchangingme</a></td>
</tr>
</table></center><br />
<b><a " name="My final thoughts">My Final Thoughts:</a></B><br />
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Nature is amazing! Soil provides the conditions necessary to grow plants and plants give back to the soil by adding nutrients, either by their ability to attract nitrogen to the area around their roots or by decomposing when they die. It's a perfect, sustainable system. Unfortunately, humans come along and ruin that perfect balance. Mono-crop farming, clear cutting, and the use of artificial fertilizers all interfere and leave us with nothing more than dirt ... a substance which cannot sustain life. With food insecurity a major concern in our world today, it's more important than ever to ensure that our soil is healthy and nutrient rich!<br />
<br />
Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I <a href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/lists/489555842369340560" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Stumbled</U></a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/search/realtime?q=%23ctww&src=savs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Tweeted</U></a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ReduceFootprints" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Facebooked</U></a> and posted it on <a href="https://plus.google.com/s/%23CTWW" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Google +</U></a>. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share features located below this post.<br />
<br />
<a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0)" name="This Week's Challenge">This Week's Challenge:</a><br />
<br />
<b>April's theme is: 2015 Year of the Soil</B><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozR_BNLC3rRGB6YerTcBjdj977IRLm5JzCf6_2UQlIWqDoG_Sjx6f6YJlkLbJ00GhEEKRFlXo0QK99Qre8xhY3HKiVTWyrZqpzxWNay2e499D1bGIHIeDF70Q43hNwC50Jx_rK2AnBb8R/s1600/Thyme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Ground Cover" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozR_BNLC3rRGB6YerTcBjdj977IRLm5JzCf6_2UQlIWqDoG_Sjx6f6YJlkLbJ00GhEEKRFlXo0QK99Qre8xhY3HKiVTWyrZqpzxWNay2e499D1bGIHIeDF70Q43hNwC50Jx_rK2AnBb8R/s1600/Thyme.jpg" height="200" title="" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>Thyme is a beautiful ground cover</i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #38761d;"><i>and it's edible!</i></span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>In the 1930s, the US experienced "The Dust Bowl". Unanchored soil, on over 100,000,000 acres of land, turned to dust and simply blew away. Tens of thousands of families were forced to abandon their farms and both ecology and agriculture in the US and Canadian prairies were severely damaged.<br />
<br />
Exposed soil, which is subjected to the wind, rain, grazing animals, and the sun, is susceptible to erosion.<br />
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Erosion is preventable!<br />
<br />
Here's your challenge ...<br />
<b><i><br />
<div style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0)">This week, prevent soil erosion by increasing ground cover and/or mulching. Another way is to plant seedlings as close together as possible. The idea this week is to cover up any exposed soil.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="color: purple;"><b>OR ... </B><br />
<br />
If gardening isn't for you, please give up meat this week. Why? Grazing animals destroy new plant growth. Plants benefit the soil by preventing erosion. So, reducing our meat consumption, and therefore the need to graze more animals, will help reduce the harm done to soil.<br />
</div></B></I><br />
Are you up for preventing soil erosion? I know that you are! <br />
<br />
Until next time ...<br />
<br />
<b>WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!</B><br />
<br />
<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-55582939555278700782015-04-13T00:00:00.000-04:002015-04-13T00:00:00.091-04:00Meet & Greet (#MtaGt) - April - Pollution PollutionWelcome to Meet & Greet, a regular series designed to grow our green community.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_prgYr1AlswdthEB3aqm3p4aH758lKYeMK0jci833dWyXfvtWW8ZlILFcHaOkgHhIk-c2_rbceM9xo4KkMVW92gIlKHB7Ici8BggvBJwhtn76l0YXqBx4cA-lbgyDlLJ2lACJaLxOPjuK/s1600/meet--and-greet-003-1000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" alt="A monthly link-up party for green blogs on Reduce Footprints" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_prgYr1AlswdthEB3aqm3p4aH758lKYeMK0jci833dWyXfvtWW8ZlILFcHaOkgHhIk-c2_rbceM9xo4KkMVW92gIlKHB7Ici8BggvBJwhtn76l0YXqBx4cA-lbgyDlLJ2lACJaLxOPjuK/s400/meet--and-greet-003-1000.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><center><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://4oneaday.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Banner by Art Ist</a></span></center></div><br />
<center>Grab our banner for your site:</center><center><textarea readonly rows="2" cols="15"><br />
<a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/meet-greet.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img alt="A monthly link-up party for green blogs on Reduce Footprints" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDkes4Ye110zbirkxMV6FAevl_7ymkBSWTCsXC7Li1_Vqm5HuIZkn81pN-CFX8iYJkLxAnDNccMjfHmFEMX8Hy8kFjkepmewEnRhBII4indKyexo3L1n6QDC0YrS0jY5Jy94ZyCLUx-_sg/s220/meet--and-greet-003-1000.jpg"/></a></a></textarea></center><br />
For 2015, Meet & Greet will operate a bit differently than previous years. This year, I'll be featuring blogs which I find via my Internet travels or blogs which you recommend via the link-up widget below. Please visit the <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/meet-greet.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Meet & Greet Page</U></a> for all the details.<br />
<br />
Let's take a look at this month's featured blog ...<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.pollutionpollution.com/" rel="nofollow" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Meet & Greet (#MtaGt) - April - Pollution Pollution" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6tMWudefkECxYpVfcTMmB1YP_6is4qeUVT-3YuBbuDivbIPVEKPpSWYf8ewC-WQEn_ErsN9o6yJzuZMgxUkyshyGSornj0O2Ag4zekHbNu2Re5pQP-q_3gxELw7k0I0NWK_G-5JYEXNt/s1600/Pollution+Pollution+Mi+Muba.jpg" height="200" title="" width="150" /></a></div>Please meet Mi Muba, owner and author of the fabulous blog, <b><a href="http://www.pollutionpollution.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Pollution Pollution</u></a></b>.<br />
<br />
Mi Muba's love and concern for the earth started at an early age. Originally from the Desert of Tharparkar, a remote area of Sindh, Pakistan, where water is, to this day, scarce, he was aware of his surroundings and noticed how people abused nature. He worried when trees were cut or when areas were unnecessarily excavated.<br />
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He now lives in Karachi, Pakistan, which has a population of over 23 million, making it one of the largest cities in the world by population. Over the years, as he realized that people didn't have a basic understanding about pollution, his concerns for the earth continued. He also realized that if we wait until we are affected by pollution to act, we will be too late.<br />
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With over 20 years experience in environmental awareness and pollution control, he strives to encourage and teach readers how to reduce their impact on the planet through his blog, <i>Pollution Pollution</I>.<br />
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<i>Pollution Pollution</I> is well written, down to earth, and contains a wide variety of posts. I found a section entitled <i>GREEN DEBATE</i> to be especially fascinating. This series of posts seems to challenge common thinking, both of "greenies" and "non-greenies" alike. For example, the very first article that I noticed talks about fund raising for green causes and discusses the ethical question of sponsorship. Another article about carbon trading asks if this practice is simply a license to pollute.<br />
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Under the heading <i>GREEN LIVING</I>, readers will find articles designed to help us reduce our footprints on the earth. I found a great post about the benefits of saying "no" to consumerism and another about energy-efficient roofs. This section has green-living tips for families; articles on cosmetics, toothpaste, and baldness; tips on Eco-friendly praying; and even an article which suggests that green living can save a marriage.<br />
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Interested in green energy? There's an entire section on the topic which covers everything from solar panels to a sad story about generating energy from solid waste.<br />
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Mi Muba takes great care penning articles, making them educational as well as entertaining. Terms such as "climate change" are fully explained in clear, understandable ways that make sense. He also has a unique ability to look at the indirect consequences of our actions. For example, in one post he links climate change to a rise in prostitution. In another he describes how using plastic bags encourages poverty.<br />
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<a href="http://www.pollutionpollution.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Pollution Pollution</U></a> is an interesting, informative blog. There's something for everyone and I guarantee that readers will learn something new from Mi Muba. I strongly encourage you to visit <i>Pollution Pollution</I> ... it's a terrific blog!<br />
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Now it's your turn! Please use the following widget to list your blog and/or recommend a blog. <br />
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<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.simply-linked.com/listwidget.aspx?l=0125774c-38ba-49fd-8ba8-a18bbc7715ef" ></script><br />
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For previous features, please click <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/meet-greet.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>HERE</U></a>.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-7907067144013431452015-04-09T00:00:00.000-04:002015-04-09T00:00:08.851-04:00I'm curious ... Do you compost?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqeS9tStiYP_V-OuKcFGrKwlwT64eHB8hEOeV8u-5NrgVWUCWmfYt9jbXxIOf8erCMW7uK2yZeuPZjs2jUkW2owEC6D5b6TqSSP-jOXUt2Y6NkdUucu_E2wEvmH8QZ0X4ZXhPTcghz3qmE/s1600/Compost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Do you compost?" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqeS9tStiYP_V-OuKcFGrKwlwT64eHB8hEOeV8u-5NrgVWUCWmfYt9jbXxIOf8erCMW7uK2yZeuPZjs2jUkW2owEC6D5b6TqSSP-jOXUt2Y6NkdUucu_E2wEvmH8QZ0X4ZXhPTcghz3qmE/s1600/Compost.jpg" height="133" title="" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<BR><BR>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18323775808390175925noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4533197693162353126.post-20947315607627884192015-04-08T00:00:00.000-04:002015-04-08T10:44:56.424-04:00Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - LegumesWelcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)! <br />
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Wondering how to live greener? You've come to the right place. Each week we challenge ourselves to try a new task ... or "amp up" something we're already doing. We raise our awareness, learn from each other and develop Eco-friendly skills which will improve our lives and protect our planet. Doing so together gives us power ... the power to Change The World!<br />
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If this is your first visit, please click <a href="http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/p/change-world-wednesday-ctww.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>HERE</U></a> for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.<br />
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">This post contains great information and I encourage you to read through it at your leisure ... however, if you are short on time, you might find the following quick links helpful:<br />
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<ul><li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#The CTWW Gang">The #CTWW Gang</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#The Honor Society">The Honor Society</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#My final thoughts">My Final Thoughts on Our Last Challenge</a></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #006600; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> <a href="#This Week's Challenge">This Week's Challenge</a></span></li>
</ul><br />
Last week we began a month-long effort to protect soil, a precious resource. Our first challenge asked that we start composting which is an excellent way to add nutrients into the soil. It's also an excellent way to reduce waste. I've been composting for a long time. I started out tossing veggie scraps into a large, 10-gallon planter which was located on my apartment patio. Done correctly, there isn't any smell or negative "side affects". Now that I have a larger space, we're expanding our efforts. This week we built a compost bin using pallet boards. We've placed it above our garden area so that nutrients will leach out to where they are needed most and it'll be easy to remove rich soil when ready. <br />
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<b><a " name="The Honor Society">The Honor Society</a></B> are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments. <br />
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Vicality accepted the challenge this week and offered readers a ton of great information, including worm composting, starting a food scrap compost at work, and a great link to important composting instructions (pretty much everything you could ever want to know on the subject). To learn more, read <a href="http://vicalitysantacruz.com/ctww-challenge-make-compost/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Your CTWW Challenge: Make Compost</U></a>.<br />
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Have you met Rose of <i>Rose Rambles</I>? If you haven't, OMGOODNESS!! The blog is about sustainable living with an entire section dedicated to composting. A post which Rose shared via twitter will be of interest to anyone who has ever been confused by the conflicting thoughts on what can and cannot be included in a compost bin. In <a href="http://roserambles.info/a-rubbish-conversation-turns-to-compost/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>A Rubbish Conversation turns to Compost</U></a>, she shares her own experiences about what works.<br />
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Andie wrote an exciting post entitled <a href="http://www.thegreenqueenofmod.com/as-the-worm-turns-clean-and-easy-food-waste-composting-2/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>As the Worm Turns</U></a>. No, it's not a vermaculture "soap opera" but rather a unique way to compost. Want a hint? Andie's method is underground. For those who are concerned about odors and attracting pests, this method will definitely be of interest. Check it out!<br />
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<a href="http://ecofriendlyhomemaking.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Alicia</U></a> grows such beautiful vegetables each year and knowing that she's a true "greenie", I suspected that she made good use of compost. Here are her comments: <i>"We are big composters! It really can make a big difference in your soil. The University Of Tennessee's Agricultural Department will do a test on your soil if you send them a sample. We are going to do that this year because it will let you know what nutrients your soil is lacking. Our son sent in a sample this past year and he was able to give his soil what was lacking and it made such a difference in the quality of his veggies and a big bonus was that he had very little fungus to deal with because his soil was in such good shape. People don't think a lot about the soil they pant their seeds and plants in but it should be a top priority. A great way to start is by composting!"</I><br />
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<a href="http://organic4greenlivings.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Marla</U></a> joined us and shared this: <i>"I am currently collecting my egg shells from all the pickled eggs for Easter and any thing we are using eggs for and saving them to crush to add to my garden. I am using my peelings from potatoes and other vegetables and putting in a small tub. We put our ashes from our wood pellet stove in our garden regularly throughout the winter. I keep my leaves and let them on the ground in the fall to add nutrients to the soil and use them to protect my plants. I put banana peels around my rose bush roots every year. I do about everything I have that is good compost and use to help my soil. Never use chemicals fertilizer - if I buy fertilizer it is organic - I use organic fish oil fertilizer for my house plants. Let save our soil and get it healthy the natural organic way. I think this is a really important challenge for every one to follow. Almost all our food source come from the soil in one of the other so keep on composting and keep those chemicals out or soil and food."</I><br />
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Morag shared some interesting information about consuming fruits and veggies ... if we follow the guidelines, we should have peels and scraps to compost. Here are her comments: <i>"It's interesting that reports say that 8 portions of fruit and veg a day can reduce heart disease. Here in the UK we are encouraged to eat 5 portions of fruit or veg a day, in France you'd be told to get 10 portions daily and in Australia is 5 veg and 2 fruit. So when I created the VEG OUT quest I decided that 5 is probably the a minimum amount! <a href="http://www.worldchanging.me/health-and-well-being/veg-out-5-a-day/level-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>http://www.worldchanging.me/health-and-well-being/veg-out-5-a-day/level-1</U></a>. With regards to composting we compost absolutely everything that is food or plant waste. I've also started composting the "confidential" things that might otherwise be shredded and put into the recycling. But I have realised that we don't have a "compost" quest on our website (we have two other related quests: <a href="http://www.worldchanging.me/quest-tag/compost" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>http://www.worldchanging.me/quest-tag/compost</U></a> - sorting out your home recycling bins and cutting down on food waste - but not an actual compost one) so for this weeks #ctww my aim is to get that compost quest up on the site!"</I><br />
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Clare stopped by and shared a lot of information: <i>"Composting is so easy, yet it makes a HUGE difference to the amount of waste we discard, and therefore to the environment. Not to mention all the yummy compost that the garden just loves! Thanks for those lists you referenced, there were some items that I wasn't composting, now I will. On your topic of soil and its importance, I read an excellent article in the Guardian which will resonate with many: <br />
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/25/treating-soil-like-dirt-fatal-mistake-human-life" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/25/treating-soil-like-dirt-fatal-mistake-human-life</U></a><br />
And if anyone is totally new to composting, I've got a really really simple starter guide here <a href="http://ecofriendlylink.com/composting.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>http://ecofriendlylink.com/composting.php</U></a>. Thanks for your ideas on what to do with your compost if you don't need it yourself - many people tell me they don't need it and I hadn't thought of suggesting Freecycle or Freegle."</I><br />
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Charlotte shared an interesting method which is especially great for people with limited space, <a href="https://mygreennook.wordpress.com/2015/04/07/bokashi-composting/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Bokashi Composting</U></a>. This method involves fermentation rather than the usual aerobic situation.<br />
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<b><a " name="The CTWW Gang">The #CTWW Gang</a></B> are those folks who tweet our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I recommend following them ... they share great things. Let's meet them:<br />
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<center><table width="100%"><tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@2kidsandacoupon" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@2kidsandacoupon</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@beatepdx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@beatepdx</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@bestrawesome" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@bestrawesome</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@brokeblokeblogs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@brokeblokeblogs</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@collegegogreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@collegegogreen</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@debsmikdav1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@debsmikdav1</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@dehelen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@dehelen</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@diyfolks" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@diyfolks</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@dyslexiarate" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@dyslexiarate</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ecoexpert1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ecoexpert1</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@familyfocusblog" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@familyfocusblog</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@fitnessrate" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@fitnessrate</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@freshcleanersaz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@freshcleanersaz</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ginavalley" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ginavalley</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@givelocal15" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@givelocal15</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greengympenge" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greengympenge</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@greenqueenofmod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@greenqueenofmod</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@gronavra" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@gronavra</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@groovygreenlivi" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@groovygreenlivi</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@growingwestside" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@growingwestside</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@herbgir1972" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@herbgir1972</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@jchapstk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@jchapstk</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@kaitlingarder" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kaitlingarder</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@kayelleallen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@kayelleallen</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@krmbalclothing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@krmbalclothing</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@laalicia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@laalicia</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@lady_bren" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@lady_bren</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@ladyjcmuses" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@ladyjcmuses</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@leslieveg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@leslieveg</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@letgogracefully" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@letgogracefully</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@lyndilane" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@lyndilane</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@martha_bourke" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@martha_bourke</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mdgblogger" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mdgblogger</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@memorialgrdnscg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@memorialgrdnscg</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@mimibarbour" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@mimibarbour</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@moha_doha" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@moha_doha</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@momfindsout" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@momfindsout</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@myzerowaste" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@myzerowaste</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@nolafusion" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nolafusion</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@organicgpodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@organicgpodcast</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@outdoorfammag" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@outdoorfammag</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@paintoolkit2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@paintoolkit2</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@parkhillfriends" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@parkhillfriends</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rainyofthedark" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rainyofthedark</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rckweddings" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rckweddings</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@realityarts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@realityarts</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rose_rambles" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rose_rambles</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@rulesofgreen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@rulesofgreen</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@shopwhatpops" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@shopwhatpops</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@spafloating" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@spafloating</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@sweetnsvry" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@sweetnsvry</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@texaninoz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@texaninoz</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@thefreckledrose" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@thefreckledrose</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@thetransmitter" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@thetransmitter</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@theworld4realz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@theworld4realz</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@treesgroup" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@treesgroup</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@turningclockbac" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@turningclockbac</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wandlepark" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wandlepark</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wary12" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wary12</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wellminded" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wellminded</a></td> </tr>
<tr> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@wimpyvegetarian" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@wimpyvegetarian</a></td> <td><a href="http://twitter.com/@worldchangingme" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@worldchangingme</a></td> </tr>
</table></center><br />
<b><a " name="My final thoughts">My Final Thoughts:</a></B><br />
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Before building our current compost bin this week, we simply placed kitchen scraps into a container and covered them with a thin layer of soil. Recently I noticed beautiful onions growing out of one container. As it happened, an onion from the grocery store became mushy before I could use it and I tossed it into the compost container. It grew! What was one, rotten onion has turned into six beautiful, healthy vegetables which I've transplanted into our garden. The mushy onion, along with other decaying materials, became food for the young veggies. To me, it is a perfect example of the benefit in composting ... trash becomes something of value. In addition to adding nutrients to the soil, composting reduces household waste and, potentially, associated fees. It is easy to do, taking no more effort than tossing something into a trash bin. It's a win for us and a win for the earth!<br />
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Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I <a href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/lists/489555842369340560" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Stumbled</U></a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/search/realtime?q=%23ctww&src=savs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Tweeted</U></a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ReduceFootprints" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Facebooked</U></a> and posted it on <a href="https://plus.google.com/s/%23CTWW" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>Google +</U></a>. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share features located below this post.<br />
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<a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 102, 0)" name="This Week's Challenge">This Week's Challenge:</a><br />
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<b>April's theme is: 2015 Year of the Soil</B><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmmMm7isN2gWNu58PWr6JwlY923t_IFMkxKRDyKQv-UrFFXgUbpKnlAKXuYPEKIaQoCsEIvMABNue-EBKCuolJ-cZxaX96Wz-GrXILhZBgfAkBEMh7XOvua6xQ4b_8lnmjG5VXd-akZkr-/s1600/Peas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Legumes" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmmMm7isN2gWNu58PWr6JwlY923t_IFMkxKRDyKQv-UrFFXgUbpKnlAKXuYPEKIaQoCsEIvMABNue-EBKCuolJ-cZxaX96Wz-GrXILhZBgfAkBEMh7XOvua6xQ4b_8lnmjG5VXd-akZkr-/s1600/Peas.jpg" height="200" title="" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><i><b>Growing Peas benefits<br />
the soil and other plants.</b></i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Here's an interesting fact: <br />
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Legumes (beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, etc.) add nitrogen to the soil.<br />
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So, in addition to being lovely to eat, they help both the soil and other plants. Marvelous!<br />
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Here's your challenge ...<br />
<br />
<b><i><br />
<div style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0)">This week, make plans to grow some kind of legume in your garden.<br />
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</div><div style="color: purple;"><b>OR ... </B><br />
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If gardening isn't for you, please come up with one other way, except for composting (which we've already talked about), to protect the soil.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="color: blue;"><b>OR ...</B><br />
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If neither of the above activities appeal, find out when organic legumes will be available at your farmer's market or grocery store and make plans to incorporate them into your diet. Buying these foods will signal growers to grow more which will, in turn, help the soil.<br />
</div></B></I><br />
Are you up for adding nutrients to the soil in a delicious way? I know that you are! <br />
<br />
Until next time ...<br />
<br />
<b>WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!</B><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This post is shared at <a href="http://urbannaturale.com/live-it-up-at-the-healthy-happy-green-natural-party-blog-hop-61/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural Party Hop</a> and <a href="http://www.loulougirls.com/2015/04/lou-lou-girls-fabulous-party-53.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party</a></div></I></span><br />
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