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Instead of the Dishes » Entries tagged with "earth friendly"

Garden Update and…Composting!

Garden Update and…Composting!

Our March One Small Change is rolling right along.  I’m happy to report that everything we have planted so far (radishes, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, and sunflowers) is happily showing off little green leaves.  Today the kids and I planted cucumbers, squash, beans, and stevia.  Carina loves eating the leaves off of the stevia, which is a natural sweetener.  We’ve had a lot of fun in the garden, and learned a few things as well. I am … Read entire article »

Filed under: Garden, Go Green

One Small Change

I just learned about a great blogger movement called One Small Change.  The basic concept is that between now and Earth Day (April 22, 2010), each participating household makes one change to be more earth friendly and blogs about each month’s change, so that by the time Earth Day rolls around everyone has made four changes and shared those changes with others.  I love this idea because it gives me a way to FOCUS (That’s my word for the year.  More on that later.) on greening our household, and also prompts me to do more blogging about environmental topics, which I’ve been wanting to do. I’ve actually already told you about the first change for our household in my post about resolutions.  The first change will be to eat more local … Read entire article »

Filed under: Go Green

Resolutions: Eat, Play, Write, Play Some More

The first day of the new year is coming to a close.  We’ve already said goodbye to 2009.  I hope that you are as excited as I am about the promise of this new year. As that Semisonic song goes, “every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” Normally I am not one to put big stock in New Year’s Resolutions.  However, this year I have some very real goals that I plan to make good on.  I think having this blog to write these goals in actually helped me to think harder about what my goals should be.  Plus, I recently learned that you are 10% more likely to reach a goal if you share that goal with someone else.  So, now you can all hold me accountable. Buy More … Read entire article »

Filed under: Fitness, Grocery Shopping, Health, Health & Fitness, Homemaking, Write & Blog

Don’t Eat Organic

Don’t Eat Organic

At least, not all the time.  Like all habit-altering, budget-affecting decisions, delving into buying organic produce for your family can be overwhelming.  I thought these two lists might help.  You’ll have the greatest impact, ecologically and healthfully, if you try to buy produce from the first list organically.  The second list is a few items for you to cross off of your worry list. Produce with the most pesticide residues*: Apples Blueberries Bell Peppers Celery Potatoes Spinach Lettuce Kale & Collard Greens Strawberries Imported Nectarines Peaches Imported Grapes Items … Read entire article »

Filed under: Frugal Fawn, Go Green, Grocery Shopping, Health, Health & Fitness, Spending Less

Tis the Season…For Catalogs

Tis the Season…For Catalogs

Check your mailbox.  I bet they’re in there.  Catalogs.  This time a year, it seems some companies start sending a new catalog once a week. I know I get tons of catalogs for companies I’ve never purchased anything from.  Others I’m familiar with, but I still don’t need a paper catalog when the internet is right at my finger tips.  So, this evening I sat down with the most recent stack of catalogs that were … Read entire article »

Filed under: Around the House, Go Green

Blog Action Day: Climate Change for Families

I’m excited to be taking part in my first mass-blogging event. Today is Blog Action Day, and this year’s theme is Climate Change. Being a former science center administrator, I know first hand that discussions on climate change can start to feel overwhelming really quickly.  That’s doubly true when you’re five and you don’t even know what the word “climate” means.  Throw into the mix that many families have different beliefs, religiously based or otherwise, about climate change and what we should or shouldn’t be doing, and you’ve got a hot spot. No matter your background, your age, or your beliefs, the bottom line is that we need to take care of our Earth, since, at the moment, it’s the only human-friendly environment around.   The numbers don’t lie, and they do … Read entire article »

Filed under: Around the House, Go Green, Spending Less