DEBBIE 的个人资料Deb's Big Green Planet照片日志列表更多  |  工具 帮助 |
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3月13日 Gardening potpourriI went to the local hardware store and immediately developed gardening fever. It was the smell of potting soil that first got me. Then it was the racks of seeds including a big selection of organic seeds. I went into the store for a chess board and came out with about 25 packets of seeds. At my next stop (since my gardening antennae were up) I spotted seed trays made of recycled paper that were bio-degradable and filled with organic seed starting mix. AND, they were less expensive than the plastic trays that always break anyway. So needless to say that night I was busy starting seeds.
Starting seeds isn't that hard to do. You need the basics, something deep enough to hold soil and seedlings, seeds, a spray bottle, a pencil, and soil of course. I use egg cartons as seedling trays, they work great. Fill your container with soil. Make sure it's full of soil and compact it a bit because it can settle over time. Use the spray bottle to moisten the soil by spraying a mist over top of your seed tray. Spray until the soil is really damp. Use the pencil to poke a hole the correct depth into the soil. Using the spray bottle, spray into the hole a bit. Drop in two seeds (one will have to be sacrificed by thinning later). Cover your seed with soil. Spray lightly one more time and place in a warm spot like on top of the fridge. (I protect my fridge with a piece of cardboard)
Keep your seed trays moist (not soaking) by spraying every day or as needed. When the seedlings come up, move them to a sunny window or use a grow light.
If you have extra plants or seeds, consider hyperlocavore's idea of seed sharing with someone who is a new gardener. You might also consider the idea of yard-sharing with someone who doesn't have garden space. Victory Gardening is also a topic of discussion lately.
It won't hurt anyone to have delicious, fresh vegetables to add to their table fare and share with others. If you are really ambitious, you could learn to can, freeze, or dry your extra veggies. I will be putting up instructions on my website later about these three methods of preserving.
Happy Gardening! 2月16日 Is it really organic/I'm just about to finish a batch of soap. I actually made the soap base a while ago and now will "French mill" the soap. That just means I grate the basic soap, melt it, and add a fragrance. Then I pour it back into molds and let it get hard again. However, just because my soap is handmade doesn't make it organic. I didn't use organic olive oil when I made my basic castile soap. I also don't think I can even find organic lye which is an essential ingredient for soap. So how can soap be organic? Well...according to the standards for organic labeling, it really can't be "organic" unless 95% of the weight of the product (without counting water) is made up of certified organic ingredients. Very few soaps and cosmetic products fall into that category. Unless they have this label they are probably just mentioning organic on their label to make their product attractive to people who are looking for organic products. Still, is my soap better than average regarding safety? I think it is because there are many chemicals not in my soap that are in others. My soap is made of sodium hydroxide (lye), olive oil, water, and lavender oil. That's it. So, even though it's not organic, I know what's in it and can at least feel good about that. Besides, it really smells great! 2月12日 Lean and GreenWell, here it is. New evidence shows that if you lose weight you can help cut back on gas consumption. How does that work? Well, it seems that if you are on the heavier side, it takes more gas to haul you around. Put a whole family of people in the car, and you use even more gas. The amount of gas saved is quite small. But my experience is that small amounts add up to quite large amounts over time. This may not motivate the world to trim down, but it does add another bit of incentive to my workout when I want to quit and just lay down on the floor gasping for air like a fish out of water. Another thing that goes hand in hand with this is that when you are leaner, you just plain consume less. And if you are eating less, you are saving resources and money.
So the next time a Big Mac is calling your name, go for the carrots. You'll be helping yourself in a big way and doing a bit extra in the long run to help the planet.
By the way, here's the link to the article about weight and gas use. "Can a treadmill help you save at the pump?" The article includes other ways to help gas consumption by using smart driving practices and good vehicle maintenance. 2月7日 The "new" deal - green businessHave you noticed that there are many more businesses cropping up that are interested in the environment? My parent company has been around for 50 years and has been active in promoting environmental responsiblity since it started. However, there are some new ventures that are worth mentioning because they are green businesses promoting green businesses. First there is Green Business, an online green business community that helps members support each other as they grow their business. Then there is Dianovo, a community "for green and conscious living, business, and a healthy planet". What do I think of all this? Go Green! |
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