Green Gone Wrong 2011!

This could have been a wordless Wednesday....they are doing too much in Kentucky's State Capitol restroom. Are you for real "solid waste" and "liquid waste"??? *smh*

Free Bulbs!

This may have been the 3rd time that I recall my electric company sending out coupons for free fluorescent bulbs.
The first time I procrastinated and never sent it back.  The next time the sent large ($5-$7) dollar off coupons to use only at Wal-Mart.  I took months to redeem because they were always sold out all over town *smh*

This time we mailed in a coupon and got 4 bulbs in the mail! Whooo-Hooo!

Don't you love FREE?

The Lessons Found In My Garden

There have been a few teachable moments to arise as a result of our gardening experiment.  First:
PREDATORS:

Who see's a butterfly and thinks "predator"? Farmers and gardeners do!
The caterpillars decimated by green leafy vegetables. They are called cabbage whites and they will eat the life out of a garden!

So what does my husband do? He puts one in a box with holes and we turn it into a science lesson of observation and a handwriting and spelling lesson as my daughter keeps a journal.

On the positive side she was able to witness 3 of the 4 life stages (caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly) of this thing. Also she learned and had to spell the three stages plus other words.  With her in Kindergarten, this is the first journal we attempted and I'm pleased with the outcome and her increased handwriting confidence.

After two weeks, we released it.

She is launching the evil insect from what WAS my raised bed garden. Now its a dirt holder due to the damage.  I will now SMASH everyone I find.

On to happier times:

The basil is growing strong. (We've had to kill 3 of another type  of caterpillar on here but we learned to inspect all plants daily).

So far I've made a DELICIOUS basil pesto with penne and served it with parmesan crusted salmon and broccoli.

Today we made a basil, onion and garlic marinara.

BabyGirl is learning to harvest the leaves.

Green Monday - Garden Updates

I've already decided to do a post about the lessons I learned about gardening. Because it has NOT been all good!

But here's the good...

We're in full bloom now...hard to believe that we started here.

Our second bunch of green peppers:

And finally, SOME CUCUMBERS!!!

Green Monday - Serial Riding

Riding public transit is my way of not just being green but proving myself some ease and rest.

Often, riding the bus is more convenient than the drive, park, walk option. Most times it saves money. Most importantly it gives me some time to ride and read in silence! Well, semi-silence depending who is on the bus.

What's the most fun about riding is meeting people, especially when riding while on a trip in another city.

Riding public transportation is a life skill that all people should have. A lesson on map reading, preparation (you can't easily go back home if you forget something) and planning can accompany any field trip.

I love riding so much I have a blog about it. Check it out hopefully you'll be inspired to grab some change and a magazine and hop a ride somewhere.

Green Monday PlusUpdates

To be "green" this week, I vowed to use public transit and walk during my big city vacation.  Mission Accomplished!

Here's my garden update:

Broccoli- One plant was decimated by caterpillars.  This one is about to grow a real head!

My cucumber plants are progressing nicely. Two are looking great and two look ok...

What have you done "green" today?

Muhammad Farm - Patio Version *photo heavy*

Here's the last of our seedlings. If they don't get into the planter soon, we'll miss our chance! Those are watermelon seeds on the right. *fingers crossed*Here's the start of some more tomatoes, green peppers and hot peppers.

Here are our cucumbers. See the trellis we made with some twigs we gleaned from our neighbors curb?
We are growing potatoes in coffee sacks. Here they are up close before the back fill. You can google this technique, but what we did was take a red potato that began to grow eyes and cut it up. We put the pieces in about 2" of soil and rolled the bag down. As it grows these stems, you keep adding dirt. Leaving out just a few leaves to catch the sun to feed the plant. By Thanksgiving we'll have a bag full of red potatoes! The bags are usually $1 each from the local coffee house. Sometimes they are free though.

Broccoli and tomatoes are going fine in my husband-made planter.
My handy husband built this for me on the porch. He made it tall so it would get full sunlight. Plus it is HANDY to have the garden waist high. My house is built in a hill so my backyard is on the basement level and is a shared space. We felt it was safer to garden in containers on the porch. We gleaned all the wood from dumpsters of local carpentry trade schools. If you do this, you need a REALLY long truck. You never know how big the wood will be that you find.This has been a GREAT science lesson for BabyGirl. We are focusing on the method of planting etc. We'll get into the area of predicted outcomes as well. Harvest time will turn into cooking lessons.

Junior Master Gardner and my opinions....

There is this selfish/preservist philosphy regarding organized education.

Many manufacturers of teaching curriculum and teacher guides will only sell to school systems and not individual teachers and ESPECIALLY not to homeschoolers.  School systems make it that way.  They won't buy curriculum from companies that sell to the "public"....stupid to me. Why wouldn't you want a parent to have a book to help thier student at home.

As I find them I will pass on all information regarding curriculum, teacher guides, materials, etc. that sell to individuals.

JUNIOR MASTER GARDENER

OK...I'll admit it.  I had never heard of a "Master Gardener".  When I took a day long workshop on creating a school garden back in April, we learned that Master Gardeners have volunteer hours they must complete each year and can help you with your school or group garden.

THEN, we learned about program for youth called Junior Master Gardner where they can earn certifications in various aspects of gardening. The great thing is that is doesn't have to be taught by a Master Gardner and the teaching guides are available online along with the books for students through the Texas Cooperative Extension.

It looks like JMG is best for grades 3-8 based on what I've read so I can't make an endorsement because I won't look into this for a couple years.

Excuse me fella's...

...but I must tell the ladies something.

In a word....

...WONDERFUL!!!

To get a free sample go here. Sorry environment.

GREEN MONDAY Update

Light Bulbs-

My fluorescent light bulbs in my office worked well for a while. I got 13 watt bulbs. After a few months, they seemed dim so I put those in my TV room and got 26 watts for the office. They feel much brighter. No headaches and 4 mos. later, they are still working!

Deodorant-

Finally, I found something that works. In my last deodorant update I mentioned Tom's of Maine. Well...I broke out. My pits were itchy and turned pitch black!!! Not a good look at all! I found a glycerin roll on and it is wonderful. I can go all day with this. No odor, not too wet, just perfect. 

The glycerin ball works for my husband, and it lasts longer. They now have it in a stick form and you run it under water before applying.  I also found a site that has deodorant recipes!

Shopping Bags-

I still have my original four bags and have bought two more for a total of 6 bags. Each bag has a plastic bottom that sits in it. One of them is beginning to shred after 5 months of VERY regular use. I find that in the "hood" the bags are often cheaper than 99 cents to encourage people to buy them. 

Challenges-Please don't read this the wrong way *disclaimer*. People with mental challenges should not be put on bagging. Let them stock shelves or something else. I have the hardest time getting a bagger who will fill the bag up or fill it right. I even group the cold items, produce and dry goods on the conveyor belt to make easy but they still jack it up. And I swear, in KY EVERY bagger is "slow". I think they should be allowed to work, but bagging groceries takes more intelligence than you think.

P.S. I bought a bracelet to celebrate my green-ness. I just wanted to do something for me that symbolizes where I'm headed. [I wanted a new tattoo but The Minister asked us not to get any more.] They make a $25 donation, so it's like charity right? LOL!

What have you done green lately?

The Truth-Hybrid Vehicles

This is a hybrid:

Toyota Prius
48 MPG HIGHWAY EST./ 45 MPG CITY EST.

This is a joke:

Cadillac Escalade Hybrid
21 HIGHWAY MPG/20 MPG CITY

Green Monday on Tuesday

As you can tell, I'm enjoying my summer. I'm traveling, rejuvenating and reconnecting with some old friends courtesy of an alumni website for my university. But anyway.......

It's been easy for me to jump start my personal green initiative because I live in an "conscious community".

This is the back of my town house. It looks a hot mess but there's a reason for all the cans.


We have two for garbage. One for paper, aluminum and plastic recyclables. A mini for the glass. And another can for yard waste (grass, leaves, etc.) They are called Herbie's, Rosie's and Lenny's.




It takes us about two weeks to fill both garbage cans and about three weeks to fill the recycle one. The yard waste we only put out 2-3 times per year (we only have a patch of grass in front and back). To save energy we only put the cans out when full.

Our community even recycles the garbage bins as they wear out. They make them into compost bins and give them away 3-4 times per year. The yard waste is turned into damp brown mulch (which helps fight weeds in the garden) and is given away a few times each year.

Do you have convenient community recycling? Do you use it Don? LOL!

Green Monday is back....

Here is my next attempt at going GREEN. DRUM ROLL PLEASE...........
Organic Bar-B-Que......no really......quit laughing already! Sheesh!

The bags tells you all about the harmful toxins in traditional charcoal and lighter fluid.


Everything you need comes in the bag including the match.


These are the wood chips and there is a chimney that you put the lit matches in and in a few seconds....


You have fire!


It burns down and you spread the wood like you do charcoal. I cooked almost 15 pounds of chicken and it all got done. The last pieces took much longer of course, but the fire stayed warm enough to cook about four grills worth.


Challenges: I was concerned about not getting the BBQ taste. That's why I never got a gas grill, I want to taste that taste. But I did! It tastes like BBQ.

Sustainability: I'm completely SOLD on this. I don't need to go back. I hate having lighter fluid on my balcony because BabyGirl plays out there and wants to squirt it and my father's a firefighter so he taught me to never put it in the garage. Now I can pitch it! Also, no charcoal out there either to try to keep dry. I can keep one of these in the garage at all times and just bring it in.

Note: I bought mine at Whole Foods but here is a link to the manufacturer.

Green Monday - The update

I thought I'd give an update on some green initiatives I've tried.

The bags are working great. I remember to put them back into the vehicle and I almost always remember to take them in. It has greatly reduced the number of those plastic bags lying around in my kitchen closet. I'm now going to invest in one of the thermal bags to keep my frozen things cool while driving home.

The fluorescent bulbs are working GREAT. I was skeptical, but I don't have headaches and it is really enough light. I do have a light cover, which I didn't have in my old office and I think it is making less glare on my computer screen.

I'm still using my deodorant (sans anti-antiperspirant) and flouride-free, pork-free toothpaste. I also forgot to say that I use pure shea butter from Ghana. It is thick like paste until you warm it by rubbing your hands together, then it is smooth and oily. It works great for the rusty heels hanging out of your sandals, LOL! I haven't added anything more to my natural regiment.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.--From the Energy Star Website

This is my first run on these. I only bought them for my office. I burn up a lot of bulbs in there mainly because the light is on about 10-16 hours each day (my husband I work alternating hours) and the main light source uses 3 bulbs.

I found "natural white" bulbs. I usually get headaches from the big long fluorescent ones if they don't have a shield of some kind so I have to play this one by ear.

It was a bit of homework to find which kind to use for my particular fixture. Don't just go shopping!! Read up on them first. I found that you should handle the bulb by the base and not touch the bulbs. And also, these should only be used in lights that will be on for a minimum of 15 mins. because switching them on and off makes them wear out faster.

The 3 pack I got was $7.99 at Meijer and the box says that each bulb will last 10,000 hours (at 10 hours a day they would last 1,000 days or 2 1/2 years!!! But for the average user (3 hrs per day) they'd last 9 YEARS). My sockets are for 60watt bulbs so the equivalent was a 13 watt fluorescent.

Ever tried them, how do they work as far as the light emitted? Could you tell the difference?

CHALLENGES: I don't like fluorescent light.
SUSTAINABILITY: Will be determined by my reaction to the light source.

Green Monday

Do you ever think about how what you use on your body affects the environment and your body chemistry?

Toothpaste - To be honest, I didn't switch to Tom's of Maine toothpaste because of the environment. I switched because it is one of the few toothpastes that doesn't contain pork. But they manufacture products in a way that is not so detrimental to the air quality in the area and they use recycled materials when possible.

Antiperspirant/Deodorant: I quit using antiperspirant deodorant about 10 years ago, but had to go back cause I was stankin! LOL! But I kept trying brands until I found one that worked for me. Why give up antiperspirant? Because perspiring is natural. Also, there has been much speculation about the connection of antiperspirant to breast cancer, mainly because of the aluminum in it. The National Cancer Institute has a great page, that shows how inconclusive the research thus far has been. For that reason, I am erring on the side of caution.

I gave up relaxing my hair for several reasons, but mainly because I felt it was a contradiction to my lifestyle of caring for myself and the environment. But finding hair products with ingredients I could name was damn near impossible. Carol's Daughter has worked great for me and baby girls hair. It's a whole 'nother post to detail it but I may do that one day. The BEST part is that it is a Black woman's company. (With Black celebrity financial backers).

The same attention should be paid to your soaps and lotions. Look for ingredients that you can read and recognize.

I know some women have given up paper sanitary napkins and tampons because they don't degrade and contain bleached paper. But Sister P has to draw the line.....right....HERE! I'm down for the cause but, this, I need some time to digest. Cloth diapers yes, no baby wipes, sure. But this is hard for me. My mom and mother in law often tell about how they kept a bucket in their closet during "that time", for soaking of cloths but they were born in 1939, I was born in 1969. I have considered that I'd be saving about $6 each month which is $72 per year which could pay for a trip to the zoo or aquarium for our family. Or could buy enough gas to go to Detroit one weekend! Anybody try this...if it's not too personal.


Challenges: All of these products are a bit more expensive. Sometimes I can afford them and sometimes I can't, so I do the best I can. I keep other deodorant under my bathroom sink if I run out of Tom's and am cash strapped, but I put it away as soon as I can. Natural hair is time consuming unless you wear it short. I'm trying to grow mine out and 3-4 inches of previously relaxed hair is tough to style unless I keep braids, which really aren't my thing (locs either).

Sustainability: I think I could maintain most of this lifestyle indefinitely. The hair though...I'm taking one day at a time!

Green Monday

This is a new series I'm working on. I am trying my hardest to be more "green". Each week, I'll give you insight into the challenges and triumphs of this journey.

The first major step I took was to begin taking my own bags to the grocery store. Most stores sell them for 99 cents or 2 for $2.



What's surprising is the amount of food you can get into them. I'd say on average, we get 12-16 plastic bags on a weekly shopping trip. I now get all of that into 4-5 reusable bags, if packed properly.

The biggest surprise was that you get rebates! At Kroger for instance, they credit you 4 cents for each bag used. So I get about 20 cents each trip. How nice. The bag was only 99 cents so 20 trips and it pays for itself! At Whole Foods they give you a wooden nickel. Then you take it to a drop box and you can pick one of three local charities to give the nickel to. They add up the nickels and the organization gets a check!

The Challenge: I thought I would forget to use the bags. So, after unloading the bags I take them back to the vehicle and I keep them in the back seat so I can always have one on an unexpected trip. I now even use them when I go to Target or other stores.

Sustainability: This is something I could do for the long haul. It's not a burden and its better than trying to remember to take my old plastic bags to Kroger for recycling.

Tell us something GREEN you did this week!