Beautiful Falling Leaves

I love this time of year ... the air is crisp and the fall colors are lovely. Every time that the wind picks up, leaves float to the ground ... a cascade of yellow, orange and red. The ground becomes nature's patchwork quilt.

Those beautiful falling leaves bring me to today's quick tips:

• Leaves that fall in the yard and flower beds can be left to decompose and nourish the soil. They also act as mulch, protecting plants from winter temperatures.
  
  
  
• Forgo the air blower or hose for walkways and decks ... grab a broom and get busy. The only energy you'll burn is your own ... and how healthy is that!!
  
  
  
• Once leaves are gathered up from the driveway, walkway or patio, add them to your compost pile ... or start one if you haven't already done so. In the spring, you'll have rich soil for your garden.
  
  
  
• I don't usually give you tips that say "Don't ..." but in this case I'll offer one: Don't burn leaves as a way to dispose of them. The smoke caused by burning leaves is polluting and compromises air quality.

There you go ... easy tips ... big environmental benefits.


As always ... I would love to hear from you!

Blog Action Day 2009

CLIMATE CHANGE


"Climate Change" ... "Global Warming" ... they are words that we hear a lot these days. We're told that the polar ice caps are melting and that species, like Polar Bears, will die and become extinct. Other animal and plant life ... those able to move ... are doing so, changing our ecosystems. There is evidence that our oceans are rising and some say that they will consume land at lower elevations, like parts of Florida. Weather patterns have already changed, causing extreme conditions in many parts of the world. How often, lately, have we heard of an area suffering drought one minute and floods the next?

All of these reports have a couple of things in common ... they are dramatic and they usually tell us that we must act now. But how? They don't tell us what we, individuals trying to do our best, can do to make things better.

Some climate change is part of our planet's natural life cycle. Throughout history, the earth has experienced events such as volcanic eruptions and changes in our orbit. We've gone through ice ages and long periods of warming. All of those events have had an affect on the earth's climate. But in the late 18th century, man got busy with the Industrial Revolution and became the largest contributor to global warming. Humans started burning fossil fuels (coal and oil) and started cutting down trees (deforestation). These activities kicked global warming into "over-drive" by causing a huge increase in concentrations of heat-trapping gasses in our atmosphere.

What does that mean to us? Well, when we use oil products or electricity, we release greenhouse gases. Growing food, burning wood in our fireplaces, raising livestock and tossing out garbage all release greenhouse gases. In fact, everything we do contributes, in some degree, to climate change. So, the way we can "act now" is to live "green" ... to put into action all of the ideas we've talked about in this blog and the suggestions that can be found throughout the blogosphere. We can pay attention to our every action and take the route with the least environmental impact. Every time we reduce our consumption (of everything), reuse things instead of tossing them out and recycle everything that can be recycled, we take a positive step towards slowing global warming.

I'm not a scientist or an expert on climate change. I'm just a person who wants to do the right thing. Perhaps it's true that the earth's course is set ... that there is nothing we can do to stop global warming. On the other hand, perhaps there is a lot we can do. If there is a chance ... even a small chance ... that my actions can help the earth and improve the quality of life, then ... I'm going to give it my best effort.

Won't you join me?

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

Seven Green Tips for the Kitchen

Let's think about our kitchens for a moment. They use a lot of energy ... refrigerators, stoves/ovens, counter-top appliances, etc. They are gathering places, often doubling as a recreation area (think of playing board games at the kitchen table), an office (where kids do homework, adults pay bills and often the location of a computer), and sometimes a comfortable spot to entertain guests. So, what better place to focus our "green" efforts? Here are some ideas to get started:

1. If you use a dishwasher (other than your spouse or kids), run it at off-peak hours ... for example, at midnight. Power plants generate electricity more efficiently during off-peak hours. And here's a bonus ... they usually sell it for less so ... you'll save money as well as energy.
   
   
2. When thawing frozen foods, consider thawing in the refrigerator rather than using a microwave or letting the item sit on a counter. It takes a bit longer but you'll save energy, both by not using an appliance and by using the item to keep the refrigerator contents cool.
   
   
3. Thinking of buying a cutting board? Consider bamboo. Not only is it a sustainable material, it is strong, hard and resists bacteria better than wood.
   
   
4. Rather than use ice to fill a cooler or "shock" vegetables (stop them from cooking after they've been removed from the stove), try using a freezer pack. It's reusable and you'll save water.
   
   
5. Collect rinse water and give it to your plants. Or, leave it in the sink and use it, instead of the faucet, to wash hands.
   
   
6. Want some fried food tonight? Consider stir frying ... since stir fried foods are typically cut into bite-sized pieces and cooked at high temperatures, they cook fast which means they use minimal energy. Here's a bonus ... stir frying uses less oil than traditional deep frying so it's also a healthier alternative.
   
   
7. If the kitchen doubles as a computer room, remember to place the computer and any desktop lamps, etc. on a power strip ... and then, turn them off when not in use.

There are many ways to "green" a kitchen ... these seven ideas are good places to start.

As always ... I would love to hear from you!