Make your own Go Green shopping bags
Thursday, June 11, 2009 | By mstngpam
Make shopping bags from your old, but good condition, tee shirts. All you need to do is sew the bottom of the shirt securely. If the neck isn't big enough to drop in your items, cut it bigger and sew as necessary to prevent additional ripping. Take craft twine, old belt, rope or what ever is comfortable for you and run it through the arms of tee shirt for your handle or you could use the arms for your handle. If you don't have any tee shirts, go to your local Salvation Army and they'll let you have shirts they're not going to put out for sale. The best bags are shirts that have pictures, emblems or sayings written on them.
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Don't hate those Dandelions in your yard: Embrace them!
Thursday, May 07, 2009 | By RedWicket
I Adore Juliette de Bairachi Levy's work, for those who do not know who she is, she is the Grand Lady of Herbology...at least to me that is. Juliette has traveled the world living and studying with the Nomadic peoples...Gypsies, Bedouin Arabs, and the American and Mexican Indians. Ah, what a life to have led! She has passed down the wisdoms of these peoples in her books.
As I sat this morning drinking my coffee and reading the inventive blogs on here, I thought to myself..."I wonder what the price of coffee is going to be". I know what to do...but do other people have a clue? So many plants have traveled around the world along with people, plants that we (well, most of us) now consider weeds, and Dandelions are one of these.
This is what Juliette says of the Dandelion in her book Common Herbs for Natural Health...
Dandelion Coffee is made from the roots, which should be collected at the end of the year for this purpose. After careful cleaning, they are oven-dried at a low temperature for several hours, until they emit a pleasant roasted aroma. They are then ground to a fine powder. A little coffee may be mixed in with the dandelion root to improve the scent and flavor. Also, roasted Chicory root can be added, a teaspoon to every twelve teaspoons of dandelion coffee.
You may be saying at this time Ewwwicky, but it is actually pretty good, and well just what did you think the pioneers were brewing in their coffeepots while on the trail? And to me the best thing about Dandelions is that they are Extremely good for you...That's Right, They Are Good For You!
And, trust me on this...after a short time of consuming them you Feel Great Too!
My Grandma use to cook the greens in spring, and make Dandelion Wine...Good for what Ails you...they are considered to be a spring tonic herb. Here is what Juliette says about the health effects...
Use, internal: For all disorders of liver and bile (especially jaundice). A diet of the greens improves
the enamel of the teeth. Helps in diabetes, obesity, over-sleepiness. It is blood cleansing, blood tonic, lymph cleansing.
Use, external: the white juice for application to warts, old sores, blisters, and pimples. American Indians use the split stem, for applying by rubbing, to bee stings.
Dose: A half dozen or so of the leaves, eaten daily. Being rather bitter, they should be mixed with some milder salad herb such as lettuce.
So, you see maybe it's time for Americans to be re-thinking weeds...Think about it while drinking your coffee.
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Tasty Front Yard Post Blog
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 | By RedWicket
I wrote Tasty Front Yard earlier in the month and so this is a post comment...I have already started on my front yard garden. Since the weather here is still a bit dampish for tilling, I have put a few tarps down on the grass so that it will die down and make tilling easier.
I have some of my little plants in egg cartons, staying warm and sitting in a well lit place in my kitchen...some of the bigger ones I will soon transplant into cut off milk cartons. And last night I made some rooting hormone solution from some of the willow that grows out front.
I've decided that I want lots of rosemary and lavender bushes...So I went to the market in town (Florence) and bought some of those organic herb cuttings that are suppose to be for gourmet cooks. Since I was just trying this out to see if it would work I only got a few different kinds...the mint started quite easily in water, and the rosemary starts are in a pot in the kitchen and look very promising.
The lavender I will get cuttings of when I go into the valley to get the tiller...with the rooting hormone solution they should start pretty quickly. I will also take cuttings of the butterfly bushes at my Mother's to attract the many butterflies and hummingbirds that live here.
Hmmm, I think that I will head to the market...one can Never have enough rosemary!
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Tasty Front Yard...
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 | By RedWicket
I've read that there is a new trend in landscaping, turning your front yard into a garden. This makes sense to me as grass takes so much effort and resources to maintain...whereas with a garden you get a bigger return.
For me it was like a ray of light coming from above when I read this...my front yard is the size of a postage stamp, I don't have a mower and it's like pulling teeth to get the property caretaker to come mow it.
There is a chain link fence all the way around it to grow climbers on...it will be beautiful too having scarlet runner beans with their red flowers on the fence.
The soil is great, rich and easy to work...and my Mother has a little bitty tiller, just right for my little bitty yard! I'll have to bring it over from the valley, but with the tiller size transporting it will be a snap.
I spend a lot of time out front in summer, with the creek flowing all the way around the yard it's quite pleasant...and watching my garden grow will certainly add to the experience.
I can see it now in my mind's eye...full of herbs, with a lettuce patch and beans hanging on the fence.
Yep, I think I'm gonna eat my front yard!
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Frugal Earth Hour Activities!?
Thursday, March 26, 2009 | By freya1970
Unless you live under a rock, you all know that Earth Hour is fast approaching!!! Most cities are having some kind of event! Mine is giving out free hot beverages (yep, still cold here!) and a few political people will give speeches. Personally, I'd love to go to a restaurant and eat in the dark by candlelight! I suggested it to my partner but then my frugal mode kicked in and I thought "Nope, let's celebrate frugally!"
Just in case you don't know what Earth Hour is, all you have to do is turn off your lights for an hour from 8:30-9:30pm your local time. That's it!! I saw a photo of a city lit at night on a normal evening, then another photo during Earth Hour. Wow, what a difference. This proves how such a small effort can make such a big difference. Our earth is sick, we need to heal and help her :)
There are so many frugal activities you can do during Earth Hour. Make an event of it, invite all your friends over and have a potluck (nothing to be reheated of course!). Pretend it's like a blackout, what do you do when the lights actually DO go out!? I am going to unplug a bunch of things, not use my computer and pretend like there really is no electricity. Imagine if we did this one hour a day how that would affect us financially and reduce energy!
I might just heat up the wood stove and have some food by candle light. Free pita bread and homemade hummus.
For more information on Earth Hour: Http://www.earthhour.org
I'd love to hear about what people are doing, would be great to get ideas!
HAPPY EARTH HOUR! :)
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Soon to Be Moving to Another Home
Sunday, March 15, 2009 | By Tanya39
Well we are moving again. We will be moving to a three bedroom townhome in town. The county is still paying part of the rent. Our food Stamps went up. We are back on them with the economy the way it is today. I feel like God remembered us in this hard time, as for the reason of our move I am finally going for that last baby. I am two months pregnant. My older children are in their own apts now in town. We are so excited. I am 41 this year and really nervous with the move and the pregnancy, but all will be well I am told by everyone in my family. We are not using boxes at all, as we want to save the wood in our trash. I dont think that the dump outside of town would take it anyhow. I think carrying it in hand is easier anyway, and I do have a lot of hands to help. We are even cleaning with green now. The green living spray is making our old home free of all germs. They even have a green solution cleaner for the carpet cleaning vaccum. I am always trying to be green living now in our home.
I have a green cleaning team at home. The children all help with that too. If we want cold air we simply open a window instead of turning on the A/C. Our new home has brand new appliances that are green friendly. Moving will require a walking effert on everyone who helps part. Our new home is only two blocks away from our old home. I am glad that we now live a green lifestyle. Well I will sign off now. Chat soon, as it is my turn to walk a lamp and shade over to the new place. Which is only a block away from all shopping.
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Plastic Bags are Evil.
Thursday, February 26, 2009 | By RuralAngel
I bag my own groceries. I put all the cold stuff together. Canned goods together. Bananas and fruit together, toothpaste and toilet paper together and so on. It's easier to put the groceries away when you get home. You use less bags. You can also bring your own bags. Some stores give credit for using returned grocery bags.
It's so frustrating getting home and dealing with all those nasty plastic bags that don't compost. I also use the plastic bags for trash bags. If you can't bag your own groceries put your items up on the counter in the order you would like them bagged and tell the clerk what you want done and why. They never seem to mind.
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Lazy... the new 'green' ?
Sunday, December 14, 2008 | By DorrieBelle
Not sure if it's 'green' to loaf around the house all day, but if it is, we were ! While the temperature hovered near 70 today, twenty to thirty mile an hour winds made it seem much colder, and discouraged being outside for long. So we enjoyed what we had instead ! Old computer games, older DVDs, and online fun. Kinda boring, but free entertainment regardless !
Used washed baggies to store all that lace I got from yesterday's yard sale. New rule : No more lace ! I now have much too much, and need to use some, not acquire more !
We switched from soda cans to 2-liter bottles last month, mostly because the cans were everywhere. I was the only one gathering, emptying, and crushing for recycling. Last month, our usual bag only brought $2.50, about half what it used to. Sure, drinking from the big bottles uses more glassware, but we save $5. a week, minimum. Sometimes more. And I can recycle the bottles down the street for free.
We also quit buying Little Hug/Kool-ade bottled drinks for our son. At eight, he's old enough to handle the big pitcher in and out of the fridge, and I have sugar stores already. If you've ever wondered, the 10c 'Great Value' Mal-Wart clones taste about the same as most name-brand unsweetened flavored drink mix envelopes. Dearest Son has his own plastic tumblers with various favorite characters on 'em, bought for 57c in the party aisles. Less trash, too.
Of course, now that it's getting colder, I drink more coffee. It's helpful to asthma sufferers - the warmth is comforting, and the caffeine helps keep touchy airways open. I know I should drink tea, but I really only like cold sweet tea. Heck, I was raised in the South - it ain't tea unless ya gotta swat a couple of hummingbirds and a colony of ants away from your glass to drink it !
Microwaved the last couple of potatoes for my lunch - tasty ! The guys had soup and ravioli. Last time I went to the thrift, I found two small silver-plated frames for 10c each, so after lunch, I looked for photos to print out for them. After resizing and tweaking them a bit, I had a set of small family pictures that fit on the computer tower. They set off the taller star-themed gold frame I had there quite well !
About every four months or so, I pick up a five-pound brick of mild cheddar cheese from Sam's. It only costs about $12. or $13., but it lasts us about that long. I cut it up into smaller blocks and freeze it. Normally, when ya freeze cheese, it's crumbly on thawing out, and not good for much else besides grating. But this stuff's been great ! It slices well, and still tastes fresh. No brand name on it, but we really like it.
Really, we only go to Sam's about once every two or three months, anyway. But we save enough to justify it, usually by the second visit of the year. Since we own our own business, we qualified for the business rate, with extended hours and low membership - otherwise, I don't think it'd be worth it to us.
Tomorrow, when I go on our weekly grocery run, I hope to find a small gift for the day care center folks next door. Our trash pickup is Thursday, but because Dearest was home sick, I didn't retrieve our pickup can from curbside Friday. Poor excuse, I know. When I noticed the can missing Saturday, I feared the Town had picked it up, and we were due for a fine to get it back. Actually, it was in the front of the day care center. So I wanna do something nice for them, for doing such a favor for me ! Maybe a nice tin of butter cookies ? And a promise keep after my own can from now on !
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Scrubbing pads
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 | By Bevvie
When I use scrubbing pads for small jobs, when I`m done I put back in the box. This seems to keep the pads from rusting, and I`ve tried everything to avoid rust. It works for me. Tell me what you think?
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Recycle tins
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 | By Bevvie
One good way I recycle is I reuse frozen pie tins.
I use them as spoon rests. After a few uses I plant seeds in them then when they start to grow I transplant to bigger containers.
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