Posted in Going Green

I hope to make my life "Greener" in 2010. 
Anyone else trying to step a bit more lightly on the earth this year? 
If so, please share your ideas and plans.  Reading what someone else is doing is often a great encouragement for me; and I love new ideas and things to try, as do lots of others in our community.  So, don't be shy, please join in on the conversation! 

One thing that I plan to do in a more green fashion is the laundry.  I've got most of my ingredients for making laundry detergent.  I stopped using this before due to some very hard water; but now I can try again.  I am already using vinegar and lemon essential oil in place of fabric softener, and will be hanging my clothes out to dry just as soon as I can get a new line strung on the clothesline poles. It's on the "honey do" list, which is quite extensive these days.  One more thing I plan to do is eliminate more of the extra clothing so I'm not washing so many loads of clothes.  My husband has 2 different sets of uniforms plus his "regular clothes", and with 3 girlies and a little one in the household...that adds up to a monstrous Mt. Washmore at times .   I'm also trying to learn to love doing the laundry ... it hasn't happened yet; but I'm working on it!  I think I'll scent the laundry detergent with my personal "happy scent"- Geranium essential oil, perhaps that will help.  Any tips on making the laundry chore more pleasant?

Please do let us know how you are "Going Green"!

Blessings,
Catherine  

Posted in Going Green

Have you finished your Christmas crafting and/or shopping; or like me, have you waited until almost the last minute to get things done?  I still have a few purchases to make, though very few (see my simple Christmas plans here); and I still have a couple of projects to get completed (a frequent way for me to spend the wee hours of Christmas morning is frantically finishing up my gifts !). 

If you are looking for some frugal and green gifts for this year, check out this great article at One Green Generation- Last-Minute Gift Ideas for the Holidays: No- and Low-Cost Eco-Friendly Gifts.  There are some excellent ideas there. 

These Recycled Paper Wreaths found at my favorite craft site, The Crafty Crow, are adorable, frugal (most likely free), and will provide the kiddos with some great, crafty fun.  I hope to make a few of these if we have time. 

We are baking cookies to give as gifts, making melt & pour soaps (very frugal since I got the soap at 40% off, and already have plenty of essential oils for making it smell lovely), sewing rice heat/cold packs (I must remember to finish this one before Christmas Eve ... no sewing projects at the last minute.  I've learned my lesson there, my girls lovely new stockings ended up being hot glued together after I messed up the sewing machine one Christmas Eve! )...  and possibly making a few other things.  I usually have way more ideas than I have time.

Please do share your free, frugal, and green gift ideas with us!

Blessings to you and yours this season,

Catherine

 

Posted in Going Green

Mountain Rose Herbs has an excellent article and chart on drying herbs.  Click here to read it.  I particularly like the chart that tells you which herbs can be dried in bunches and which are better screen dried.  It also tells you what parts to harvest, and gives suggested uses.  Very good for those just learning about the wonderful world of herbs, or anyone who wants to learn more about drying those herbal helpers.

Blessings,

Catherine

Posted in Going Green

The Fair Trade issue is one that has been on my heart for quite some time.  I first read about the Fair Trade movement on a visit to World Hunger Relief to pick up the week's share of organic vegetables for my family and friends from their CSA.  They also have a nice little gift shop which sells Fair Trade items like tea, coffee, and all sorts of crafts and gift items.  I purchased a bag of coffee beans for my coffee-loving husband.   Though they were more expensive than our regular grocery store brand, I thought the little extra $ was worth it since it was a gift, and the money was for a worthwhile project.  In my bag was a little pamphlet telling about the Fair Trade Movement.  After I read that, I felt saddened that I had no idea what the cost of producing things I buy on a weekly basis was to not only the earth, but to the farmers growing them.  I was shocked, saddened, and convicted; now that I knew the truth, I was responsible for my own response to that truth.

The things that my family has started with in an effort to not only Go Green, but buy Fair Trade are tea and coffee.  I buy these often as we drink both on a daily basis.  My local grocery store does stock one brand of Fair Trade coffee, and I can order teas from Mountain Rose Herbs when I place an herb order.  These are 2 simple things that I can do without much extra effort at all; and though the cost is a little more at the checkout; I know  that we are doing the right thing by not making life harder on a farmer somewhere across the world.  My first concern was the cost, as we do not have a large income for our family of 5; but I felt that either I needed to pay the cost of a Fair Trade brand, or sacrifice by not buying tea and coffee at all. 

Bananas are usually the cheapest fruit in the grocery store; but I've recently learned that there is a huge cost elsewhere.  Since I've not yet found Fair Trade bananas in my area, I've decided to do without that fruit until I can either buy Fair Trade or grow my own.  I have noticed a blessed absence of fruit flies as one benefit of not having bananas in the fruit bowl daily (My husband makes Kombucha which is dearly loved by fruit flies it seems- no bananas, no fruit flies attacking the Kombucha!). 

These are just 3 simple things that I have committed to do in order to promote Fair Trade, Go Green, and do what is right by those who are growing these items. 

I've included several links throughout this, and you will find possibly more than is comfortable to know about Fair Trade and the true cost of food should you choose to read about it.  It isn't always a pleasant subject, but knowing the true cost of what we consume is something that is important, I believe.  It may be challenging to know the truth; but knowing the truth sets you free to do what is right.  One book that gives a good picture of the true cost of food production in the world is Hope's Edge by Frances Moore Lappe and Anna Lappe.  Please note, I do not agree with all of their viewpoints, but their travels and sources are well documented; and it is a good source of information. 

I'm not suggesting that everyone has to make the same choices I have.  I'm simply sharing my story and giving you some information on the subject.  If you are a Christian, read the information in the links, or do your own research;  and then truly ask yourself...What would Jesus do?  Perhaps Isaiah 58 is a good place to find out. 

Blessings,

Catherine

 

Posted in Going Green

 

Over the last several months I have gotten lots of email asking questions regarding how to teach kids green methods of doing certain tasks and making changes within the family to promote an earth friendly lifestyle. Many have asked for my opinions on going green and global warming. Over the next few weeks I will be posting answers to a lot of those questions while offering tips and ideas that promote simple ideas for green living.

So no one is confused, I don’t have an answer to global warming. I do not take a side, because I don’t feel there is a side to be taken. The truth for me lies in a logical thought alone; the earth is a planet of clean resources. If those resources are abused, mistreated, and squelched into non-existence, the planet must change to accommodate. This means that you cannot cut down trees and other vegetation endlessly and recklessly at a quick rate and expect the air quality not to be affected. God made earth with a perfect balance to support life. Plants give off oxygen, which supports animal life. Animal life gives of carbon dioxide to support plants. Destroy this intricate balance without concern and there will be problems. God’s design for life is intricate and complex and we were given the task to care and respect His design (Gen 1:26-28 and Psalm 8:7); a simple concept in my mind. God in His omnipotence already knew what man would invent over the ages, how many humans would inhabit the earth, and how the earth would be treated. Yet, we have been given free will to follow His commands. So, my official stance is, live, but be careful and mindful as much as possible.

So today I offer a few simple ideas for incorporating earth friendly lifestyle choices. Lift this topic in prayer. Ask God for wisdom and guidance on how He would use you and your family to care for His earth. Remember, every change takes time. If your family currently doesn’t have a focus on how many water bottles they dispose of, you will not change this overnight. Take it step by step and soon your motivation and mindset will be changed, because your focus is on glorifying God and respecting His creation, not because it is the politically correct thing to do.

• Water your lawn and gardens in the early morning or in the evening, helping to reduce evaporation and allowing you to use less water to do so.
• Create a common place for a recycling center, even if it is only one bin to place all recyclable items.
• Consider taking recycling items to a recycling center on errand day. You may be surprised at how much money you can put back into your wallet. We do not have a specific schedule of how often we go, but we average $80-$100 on each trip.
• Purchase items in bulk whenever possible. Make certain you are getting the best bang for your buck; not all bulk items are a good purchase. When it is cost effective, you will also have less waste, due to less packaging.
• Avoid using any spray cans that use CFCs (cloroflorocarbons). Instead purchase items that come in stick, pump spray, or creams. Believe it or not, CFCs remain in the atmosphere for over 50 years! That cannot be good for your in home air quality, or for the atmosphere in general.
• Use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable. They are a very inexpensive investment now, and will save you a fortune for all those battery operated gadgets such as flashlights, clocks, video devices, remotes, and toys. The additional benefit is that all those batteries will not be leaking lead into the earth’s surface.
• Check out stationary stores for deals on recycling printer cartridges. Many offer return policies that either give you a coupon for cash off your next cartridge or will give cash back just for bringing them in. Some cartridge manufacturers give you postage paid return envelopes to send the used cartridges back, so they can be recycled properly. Consider saving yourself money by refilling or having your cartridges refilled for a fraction of the cost of purchasing new ones. These won’t last forever, but by refilling them until they need replaced and then taking them to a store that will give you cash or coupons towards purchasing replacements, you will save a bundle and reduce trash all at the same time!

Try incorporating one or two of these over the next month and your family will be well on their way to helping improve and maintain a healthful balance of the earth’s resources.

These are my thoughts.

Leslie Valeska

~Contributing Writer~

Leslie Valeska is the lucky wife of Thomas.  With children ranging in ages from 4-16, she has had a lot of time to learn and experience much of the fine art of homemaking. She is a writer, speaker, and vintage seamstress. For FREE daily tips and a FREE E-zine on simple and frugal living visit her blog Journey to Simplicity. Need a source of encouragement, inspiration, and support on your journey to Godly womanhood? Visit Simple Journey Ministries (she has a FREE E-zine too!)

Posted in Going Green

How To Build Your Own Recycled Plastic Bottle Greenhouse

Looks like a very neat project.  Simple enough for kids to do, so I should be able to handle it !

Blessings,

Catherine

 

Posted in Going Green

I found another interesting calculator at the EPA website. This one helps you calculate your CO2 emissions. But it indirectly helps determine your energy use. I've written all about it here.

Kristin Hoffman homesteads with her family in the hills of East Tennessee and blogs about alternative energy, family farming, and home schooling with her husband at www.solarfamilyfarm.com. The Hoffmans also run Knot4Fun, a family business dedicated to teaching kids the practical skill of knot tying and adventurous outdoor play. Kristin can be found on cool summer mornings pulling large clumps of summer grasses from her pathetically weedy garden.

Posted in Going Green

 

Green Cleaning Tips

In an effort to discover greener cleaning products, I have found that they don’t work as well on the toughest of dirt and grime. Not to mention that green cleaning product often times have a steep price tag comparatively to their caustic counter parts. This has had me on a mission to discover green cleaning methods that are effective and inexpensive.

Two ingredients I have found to be the most consistently effective are hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar. Both are inexpensive, but I will warn that the smell of vinegar has taken some getting used to for me.

As a little aside, I have been asked about cleaning products that claim they have oxygen based “bleaching”  action. The fact is that these products contain natural ingredients that when mixed with water produce hydrogen peroxide. For this reason those products ARE safe and green, but demonstrates the effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide. One of the best assets of hydrogen peroxide as a cleaning agent is that it is not dangerous. The reason that it comes in brown bottles, is because when touched by light it changes into regular water. What could be safer than that?

Here are a list of some of the methods I have found to be effective and the cost is PENNIES!

·         For the Bathtub & Shower stall: To remove soap scum use hydrogen peroxide and the netting from citrus fruit. Pour on the HP and allow to work for a few seconds before using the netting to scrub away the soap scum! Need to disinfect your bathtub or shower? Simply use a vinegar rinse before rinsing with water.

·         Toilet: Add 2 cups white vinegar to toilet with ½ cup baking soda. This will bubble and foam. Once the bubbling stops, scrub with brush as usual. Have stubborn hard water stains? Plunge as much water out of your toilet as possible. Pour 1 gallon of white vinegar into the toilet, scrub with brush, close lid, and allow to sit for 2 hours or overnight. Scrub once more and flush.

·         Sink: Sprinkle baking soda around sink. Pour or spray white vinegar. Allow to bubble for a few seconds. Use scrub brush or citrus netting to scrub clean.

·         Faucet: Soak a cleaning rag in white vinegar. Ring out. Wrap rag around faucet and secure with rubber bands. Leave on for 3-4 hours. Remove rag, and scrub the crannies with an old toothbrush. Then wipe clean with a clean dry rag.

·         Countertops: Mix hydrogen peroxide (about 1 cup) and white vinegar (about ½ cup) in spray bottle to clean and disinfect countertops or any surface.

These are my thoughts.

Leslie Valeska

~Contributing Writer

Leslie Valeska is the lucky wife of Thomas.  With children ranging in ages from 4-16, she has had a lot of time to learn and experience much of the fine art of homemaking.   Simple Journey Ministries was established to encourage, support, and inspire women, from all walks of life, to engage and continue on a path of Godly Womanhood. You can visit her at her blog Journey to Simplicity (www.leslievaleska.com/blog), Simple Journey Ministries (www.leslievaleska.com), and Simple Journey Bookstore (www.leslievaleska.com/bookstore)

Posted in Going Green

Living in SW Florida I try to come up with some creative ideas to mimic different seasons. One thing our family loves is to build all types of forts, secret hiding places, reading nooks, castles, etc. So I decided I wanted to find away to incorporate the two AND do it GREEN. Well, my brain came up empty, sad to say. I was so over thinking on the subject when I had a brainstorm! Oh my little noggins was working over time, I tell ya. You are going to be so surprised when I tell you that I decided to use the Internet for my research. Am I smart or what? (I know. I know. Or what. tee hee!)

I don't want to post the pictures of this project here, because I didn't have time to ask for permission, BUT I will give you the link to this MOST FANTABULOUS project!

http://www.littlegiraffes.com/igloo.html

The project is an igloo built from gallon milk jugs! Oh, I can't tell you how excited I am to get started on this project. Now, the website states that their class used 155 milk jugs. We go through about 4 milk jugs per week. So, with my caluclations it would take us about 48 weeks to collect enough of those jugs to make an igloo. Not only do I not want to wait that long, but where in blue blazes would I store an igloo for 48 weeks!

Then I had another brainstorm. I could make this project with my children for FREE because we have hot glue and yardsticks. Not only that, but I can reduce our waste AND the waste of friends and family if I ask them to save their milk jugs as well. In no time I will have enough jugs to make our igloo!

Are you thinking ahead of me yet? What do you do when you are finished with the igloo? There has been no trash savings if you dismantle the igloo and discard the jugs when you are finished with the igloo, right? NO WAY! I wouldn't leave you hanging like that!

Here is a list of ideas that we have used milk jugs for in the past and will implement using when we are done with our igloo.

• Watering can
• Change Bank
• Seed Sprouter
• Sandbox Toy
• Drinking Hole for small animals
• Megaphone
• Berry or Veggie picking bucket
• Automatic Plant Irrigation
• Plant Row Markers (cut into strips)
• Pool/Beach Toy
• Bird Bath
• Dustpan
• Funnel
• Clothespin Holder
• Luminaries (this is especially fun when there is NO holiday)
• Freezer Blocks (to keep your freezer running efficiently when it is runnin glow on food)
• Juice and Tea Containers
• Bird Feeder

There are so many ideas to use these plastic jugs for, that I am inclined to think up new ones! A FREE and FUN project for the family, saving LOTS of trash from landfills; this is a project that can't be beat!

These are my thoughts.

Leslie Valeska

~Contributing Writer~

Leslie Valeska is the lucky wife of Thomas.  With children ranging in ages from 4-16, she has had a lot of time to learn and experience much of the fine art of homemaking. She established Simple Journey Ministries to encourage, support, and inspire women, from all walks of life, to engage and continue on a path of Godly Womanhood. For FREE daily tips on simple and frugal living visit her blogJourney to Simplicity. Want to get to know her up close and personal and be notified of all the NEW releases, updates, SALES, events, and GOODIES from other authors, as well as find a good dose of support and encouragement, then visit Simple Journey Ministries. Of course, don’t forget to visit the Simple Journey Bookstore! 

Posted in Going Green

Just popping in here. Life on our little Tennessee Homestead has gotten a bit busier this week with Frank heading to Georgia for a new engineering job and the kids and I left to manage the home & farm! But I'm trying to keep up with some blogging!

I found a calculator at the U.S. Government's Energy Star website to help you determine if you should replace your old refrigerator or get rid of an old freezer to save on your energy usage. You can read about the calculator on my blog here.

I'm also trying to get more info on our experiences living with solar power so check back now and then to see what new info I have up!

Happy energy saving!

Kristin Hoffman homesteads with her family in the hills of East Tennessee and blogs about alternative energy, family farming, and home schooling with her husband at www.solarfamilyfarm.com. She can also be found keeping the home fires burning!

Posted in Going Green

A week from today is Earth Day (April 22, 2008). This is a day that many homeschooling families use to teach their children a little something extra about our earth. Topics of discussion may include recycling, local landfills, pollution, creation, the hydrolic cycle, gardening, composting, planting trees, re-purposing items, species, local environmental activities, re-using items, etc. If you don't already have a FUN activity planned, here are a few sites that have GREAT ideas to get your creative juices flowing!

Getting Kids Excitied About Earth Day

Earth Day Craft Projects (We have used several of these links over the last 2 years.)

Planet Pals (This is the one we will be s uing t his year for our elementary kids.)

Earth Day Activities for Kids and Classrooms (Some really simple and FUN activities here. We will be using some of the ones we haven't done this year.)

One really fun thing I like to personally do approaching Earth Day is to read The Lorax and co-ordinate some lessons to go with it to include all my brood. Since we read this throughout the year, I liek to pick on a new theme or topic to dsicuss and have an activity. Stumped for ideas to use? Try this link.

Sometimes are kids get drug along on our quest to care the earth God has blessed us with, that they never learn the whys and hows. Making time to do a few earth friendly activities is a GREAT way to have FUN and teach them the whys behind the practices.

These are my thoughts.

Leslie Valeska

~Contributing Writer~

 

Leslie Valeska is the lucky wife of Thomas.  With children ranging in ages from 4-16, she has had a lot of time to learn and experience much of the fine art of homemaking. Prior to their move to SW Florida, Leslie was graduated from Bethany College with a B.A. in Education and co-founded, A Child’s Place CASA, Ltd.; a non-profit organization which advocates for the rights of abused and neglected children in court.  Currently, Leslie homeschools her children, writes weekly for Homesteadblogger’s Front Porch, and is also a seamstress for Vintage Vixen, one of the oldest online vintage clothing shops. When time permits she enjoys reading, writing, hockey, scrapbooking, painting, sewing, cooking, and watching old movies, and always has time to hang out with her family and friends. She and her family have a passion for hockey and also spend much time RVing. Simple Journey Ministries was established as a ministry to assist and encourage women, from all walks of life, to engage and continue on a path of Godly Womanhood. For FREE daily tips on simple and frugal living visit her blog Journey to Simplicity. Want to get to know her up close and personal and be notified of all the NEW releases, updates, SALES, events, and GOODIES from other authors, as well as find a good dose of support and encouragement, then visit Simple Journey Ministries. Of course, don’t forget to visit the Simple Journey Bookstore! 

Please visit:

Simple Journey Ministries (Sign up for Her Simple Walk, the monthly e-zine that will help you to re-focus, re-connect, and renew, leaving you refreshed!)

Simple Journey Bookstore

Journey to Simplicity (Sign up for the monthly ezine that will show you more about living simply and frugally.)

 

Posted in Going Green

Reader's Note: I have been trying to post this for several days. For some unknown reason I have been locked out of posting here. It is MY computer/ISP server, it appears, because this is not the only community site I have submitted to and had this problem; all the while I can post on my private blog. GRRR! At any rate, this is much abbreviated from the original post, but it has all the links that I KNOW you will enjoy!

I have been busy digging in for green living tips and ideas. Something about Spring inspires me to re-focus and expand my family's green efforts. In my research I have come across lots of great sites that have bunches of information!

This first one is WONDERFUL! Life Tips' Green Living Tips is TOPS! I am much intrigued with their tips on beauty, home, food, and produce. The 10 Simple Steps to Living Green, is my current pondering! DON'T miss this site in your quest for living more greenly.

Normally, I don't recommend iVillage sites. Whenever I vist their sites, I feel as though I am floundering for information in a sea over populated with ads. iVillage's iGo Green is one you should visit, though.This site is no different, really, but I have been enjoying their articles, to the point that it was worth my hour or so of floundering.

Now, here's one I am so enjoying! The Daily Green. This site is more focused on food and gardening than anything else. It has some info about the latest news in the going green movement. I am really enjoying the Green Cuisine section! DRAWBACK..LOTS of ads kind of like iVillage.

Green Living Ideas is another great resource for researching ideas and options for living green. Right now I am studying the info about lawn care. This site has a LOT, so take it small bits.

National Geographic has a site called The Green Guide. I stumbled upon this quite by mistake. It is a little more "official" than other sites I have found, which made me a bit leary. But I started looking at some reviews of products and quite enjoyed it. It's definitely worth a look.

Well, I these are all teh sites I had written down on my notebook, so I hope you dig in and enjoy the study as much as I am! This is the perfect time to get your "goinr green" juices flowing.

These are my thoughts.

Leslie Valeska is the lucky wife of Thomas.  With children ranging in ages from 4-16, she has had a lot of time to learn and experience much of the fine art of homemaking. Prior to their move to SW Florida, Leslie was graduated from Bethany College with a B.A. in Education and co-founded, A Child’s Place CASA, Ltd.; a non-profit organization which advocates for the rights of abused and neglected children in court.  Currently, Leslie homeschools her children, writes weekly for Homesteadblogger’s Front Porch, and is also a seamstress for Vintage Vixen, one of the oldest online vintage clothing shops. When time permits she enjoys reading, writing, hockey, scrapbooking, painting, sewing, cooking, and watching old movies, and always has time to hang out with her family and friends. She and her family have a passion for hockey and also spend much time RVing. Simple Journey Ministries was established as a ministry to assist and encourage women, from all walks of life, to engage and continue on a path of Godly Womanhood. For FREE daily tips on simple and frugal living visit her blog Journey to Simplicity. Want to get to know her up close and personal and be notified of all the NEW releases, updates, SALES, events, and GOODIES from other authors, as well as find a good dose of support and encouragement, then visit Simple Journey Ministries. Of course, don’t forget to visit the Simple Journey Bookstore! 

Please visit:

Simple Journey Ministries (Sign up for Her Simple Walk, the monthly e-zine that will help you to re-focus, re-connect, and renew, leaving you refreshed!)

Simple Journey Bookstore

Journey to Simplicity (Sign up for the monthly ezine that will show you more about living simply and frugally.)