GardeningNude

Stop Throwing Your Disgusting Cigarette Butts On The Ground – Our Earth Is Not Your Ashtray and Taxpayers Are Paying For It!

Did you know that cigarette butt litter makes an impact economically and environmentally in your community? Daily, as I go about my business, I am constantly shocked by drivers who pitch their disgusting cigarette butts out of car windows and on the sidewalks as they are going from their car to stores and businesses. Doing this is littering.

Cigarette butt litter is a negative issue for more than just aesthetic reasons. Cellulose acetate is what makes up the filter on a cigarette. Sadly, it also contains trace amounts of cadmium, arsenic, lead and other toxins. It is very slow to degrade, so is damaging to our environment. Each cigarette butt can take up to ten years to decompose, dependent upon environmental conditions. Wildlife also mistakes the butts for food and eat this poison.

When smokers discard cigarette butts in inappropriate ways – like throwing them into lakes, out car windows, on to beaches, and on the ground - they are basically throwing these substances directly into the environment. In fact, 5.5 trillion cigarettes are used worldwide annually. Keep America Beautiful, a national litter prevention not-for-profit, says there is an economic impact of cigarette litter, “Residents and businesses “pick up” the tab. Cigarette butt litter has to be cleaned up. This requires additional sidewalk and street sweeping, greenway and park maintenance, storm drain cleaning, and increased maintenance of storm water filters. And business owners bear the expense of cigarette butt litter cleanup around entrances, exits, sidewalks, and parking lots.” 

Join Keep America Beautiful’s Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP). It is designed to support local community improvement initiatives for reducing cigarette butt litter. Get step-by-step instructions for implementing a program today and get started making a difference in your community.

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

Beauty and Health With Nature – Mike Caplan Captures It All

 

Mike Caplan is a television weatherman for ABC-7 News in Chicago. He is also one amazingly talented photographer as you can see by the two gorgeous photos I have included on this post (both copyright protected). His passion for photography has lead him to build his curiosity for nature into the fabulous art found at Caplan Studios.

Late this summer, I was able to speak with Mike at the Morton Arboretum and discuss his love for photography. As soon as we met, I was captivated with his positive mindset about the importance of nature and his strong commitment to bringing more people to nature by way of his artistic photography. According to Richard Louv, the author of Last Child In The Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder (Algonquin Books, 2008) children in America – and adults for that matter – are suffering from “Nature Deficit Disorder.” Being in nature can help prevent nature deficit disorder, a condition whereby people suffer both physical and mental illness because they do not have regular exposure to the benefits nature provides.

Mike’s philosophy about nature photography goes beyond art. It mirrors this concern about Nature Deficit Disorder; that society will benefit in a positive way by seeing nature up close and personal. His desire to encourage more people to get outside and build health and a positive mindset is part of what drives him forward in capturing more incredible art from natural surroundings.

Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, Mike’s  childhood was filled with learning the fun of studying environmental science. His fascination with the sky and weather defined his full-time career as a weatherman. It became a natural step to explore photography and inspire others on the importance of humanity connecting with nature as well.

Mike’s photography is featured at the Morton Arboretum and Chicago Botanic Garden. His signed work is available at the Chicago Botanic Garden in The Garden Shop, which will be offering double discounts to members on Nov. 7. For more information and to view other photographs in the Caplan Studios portfolio, visit the online gallery at www.caplanstudios.com.

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

Harry the Pug Says “Save Money!” Here Are Five Tips for Reducing Indoor Water Usage

Did you know the average American uses almost 100 gallons of water per day? This includes drinking, washing clothes, washing dishes, flushing toilets, food preparation, bathing, as well as watering lawns and gardens.

Surprisingly, the United States is one of the highest ranking water users in the world. Other countries such as France and Germany use roughly 55 to 60 gallons daily. Below are five tips for super-easy but significant ways to reduce your water usage:

1. Retrofit water fixtures with water saving fixtures such as a water saving showerheads, toilets, and aerators.
2. Audit water leaks by turning off all the taps in the house. Take a meter reading off the water meter. Wait at least 30 minutes, then read the meter again. If the far right hand dial on the water meter is moving or if your meter readings are different, then you have a leak somewhere in your home and need to address it.
3. Take a bath instead of a shower – on average, you can save 45 gallons of water if you only put a couple of inches of water in the bottom of your tub. However, this number is reversed if you utilize a water saving showerhead (see Harry the Pug taking a shower above). A ten minute shower utilizing a water saving showerhead uses only about 20 gallons of water. Test which works best for your household by plugging the bathtub up while you take a shower and measure the difference.
4. Wash only full loads of clothes in the clothes washer or dishes in the dishwasher, or lower water settings for smaller loads.
5. Do not let the water run while you brush your teeth, shave, or wash your hands.

The Water Conservation School in Florida has an interesting way of helping Florida residents learn about water conservation. Try the cool Water Calculator Survey on their website to see how much water on average you use daily in your household.

Make a difference – save water and save money – today!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

Happy Halloween From Shawna and Harry the Franken-Pug – Thanks For Reading Our Green Lifestyle Blog!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

Save Money – My Top Ten Tips for Reducing Energy Usage In Your Home!

According to a 2009 report from McKinsey & Company, Americans are wasting $130 billion annually on energy. This means we are spending way too much money due to inefficiency in our homes. During a difficult economic time, watching our utility usage is so critical, it can sometimes mean the difference between losing a home and saving a home.

Below are the Top 10 Tips For Reducing Energy Usage – my personal recommendations for running a household that saves money and energy:

1. Audit your household to understand how much energy you are using and where you might best save energy. Utility companies provide free audits if you request them.
2. Heating and Air-Conditioning is the number one consumer of energy in a home. Turn the thermostat down four degrees and utilize an automated energy-star thermostat if you are able.
3. Replace all traditional light bulbs with LEDs or CFL’s which utilize far less energy. Remember to dispose of CFL’s properly – they contain mercury.
4. Turn off lights, air conditioner, and furnace when not in use.
5. Beware of “vampire power” and unplug wall warts, standby electronics and anything else which might be plugged in but not turned on.
6. Water heating is the third largest consumption of energy in your home. Insulate the water heater and water pipes to maintain their efficiency.
7. Seal air leaks with storm window covers. Insulate windows with closed curtains.
8. Avoid using your fireplace – especially when the temperature outside ducks below 30 degrees Fahrenheit - it sucks a tremendous amount of heated air from your home.
9. Close doors, especially at night, to contain heat in bedrooms.
10. Weatherize home by insulating the attic and sealing leaks.

To reduce electrical usage in my home, I use automated light timers and motion sensitive lighting. Recently the Datexx Company* provided me with two of their products to test – The UTimer (see above) and the Smart Rechargeable LED Light. Guess what? I really like both of them and found they did help me reduce electricity usage.

Here is how they work – the UTimer gets plugged into an outlet and also into a lamp. It turns the lights on automatically in the evenings when the light changes to dusk; no complicated timers to program. If you like, it provides an led night light for you which uses only a tiny bit of electricity. Every day I used to turn the lights on way sooner than dusk; this timer has encouraged me to be a little bit greener by utilizing day-light for a longer period.

The Smart Rechargeable LED Light is a power failure light, motion detector light, photo-electric night light, and 8-hour emergency flashlight all built into one. I love this as it is a great night light in the hallway and allows us to go up and down the hallway without turning on more powerful energy-sucking overhead lights because of its awesome motion sensor.

Both of these products help you with the #4 item above – turn the electricity off when not in use. To purchase these products, simply go online to the Datexx Company.

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

*These products were sent to me at no cost - I tested them for several months in my own home. My review is wholly honest, my own opinion, and not based on additional payment from the Datexx company in any form. In fact, my agreement with them is that I would review their product in a totally honest fashion, keeping my readers and viewers needs at the top of the priority list when considering this product’s recommendation and use.

Pumpkin Seeds - How Halloween Can Teach Your Children About Nature

 

All summer long our family grew pumpkins; first we planted tiny plants in the soil – they flowered bright orange flowers as large as my hand. Green balls soon formed in the early summer and grew into larger pumpkins mid-summer. Finally, in September, we watched the pumpkins ripen orange.

Picking the pumpkins involved my daughter steadying the pumpkin while I used heavy garden scissors to snip them off the thick vine; their lifeline to water and nutrients. Leaning down, she picked up a pumpkin and shouted, “WOW! This is heavy!”

Our “babies” sat smiling on the front porch for weeks, then one day Grandma came over and helped my daughter decorate for Halloween. They decided to carve the most famous pumpkin we grew this year; Peter Pumpkin. As they cut open the lid of the pumpkin, my daughter gasped and peeked inside. “Ewww… what is all that stuff in there?”

Grandma said, “Seeds. Now we have to clean them out so we can bake the seeds and have a treat.”

“So that’s where the seeds come from?” said my daughter. “Yep. Right in the middle of all those pumpkin guts.” They smiled at each other and continued on. In the photo above you see my kiddo carving Peter Pumpkin while Grandma sorts the seeds.

Watching them helped me realize that every little thing we do influences our children. Carving a pumpkin can become a scientific lesson about nature – learning where seeds come from. Planting the pumpkin plant and watching it grow was also a lesson – learning where our food comes from with the process of photosynthesis and seed production.

Every day we should be teaching our children a little more about life. It is not the sole responsibility of the school system to educate our children. Take a moment today to make a difference in the life of children and spend time educating them.

Below is a recipe for you to try with your family. Enjoy!

Garlic Pumpkin Seeds

1 1/2 tablespoons real butter, melted

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

3 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (135 degrees C).
2. Combine the margarine, salt, garlic salt, and pumpkin seeds. Mix thoroughly and place in shallow baking dish.
3. Bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com, The Green Blog - www.gardeningnude.com, or The Garden Blog - http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

Today is “Botany of Desire” Day – Learn More About Nature By Watching This Awesome Show!

This evening an absolutely fascinating nature story will be shown on PBS at 8:00 PM. It is based on Michael Pollan’s incredible and deeply inspiring book, The Botany Of Desire; A Plant’s—Eye View Of The World.

Pollan examines the truly amazing link between the natural world and humans; proposing that humans and domesticated plants have formed a reciprocal relationship. Although there are hundreds of examples Pollan could use, he chooses apples, tulips, marijuana, and potatoes to describe his theory on this remarkable connection.

As a member of the press, I was fortunate enough to see an advanced preview of the movie and feel it is something really worth watching for the whole family – a way to understand the connection of humanity with the natural world. Above is a short PBS preview of the television show for you to enjoy.

I found the television show surprisingly beautiful and well put together – the scenes are gorgeous and the subject matter quite fascinating. Certainly a great way to spend an evening with your family.

Pop some popcorn, get in your comfy-cozers and spend a great evening watching the television show Botany of Desire tonight at 8:00 PM on PBS!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com or The Blogs - www.gardeningnude.com or http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

What Would Harry Do? Living Life Simply Can Make You As Happy As A Pug!

Today I challenge you to think more about spending time with your family community and living a simpler life. It is what Harry would do.

Every morning my dog, Harry the Pug, wakes up with a positive wag in his tail. He is old now and has arthritis, so getting up is not as easy as it used to be, yet Harry the Pug still wags his tail when he sees me. His schedule is quite rigid – his day starts out with morning ablutions, followed by a delightfully simple breakfast, a delicious bone, and a good pat from his family.

Several naps follow, and in the evening his master comes home from work. This experience is greeted with lots of tail wagging and barking. For the next two hours he sits with the family and if he is especially lucky, he gets an extra bone for his loving efforts – wagging furiously. He lies down for the night next to the television and is quite happy to call it an evening. That’s his full day. Every day. It is a simple life built around a thriving community who loves him.

Note the important highlights of Harry’s day – food, family, and home. For him it all equals happy.

When you are stressed out and think it is the end of the world – when you have lost your way and feel as if life is no longer important, it is time to ask yourself, “What Would Harry Do?”

Harry would wag it off with a doggy smile, go give a family member a hug, and realize that the most important things in life are the simplest; having a family to love.

My wish for you is the same – happiness because of a community that loves you. There is no better happiness than that.

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com or The Blogs - www.gardeningnude.com or http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

A Review of the Lifetime Yardcart Wheelbarrow – and A Ride For Harry the Pug.

Want an awesome wheelbarrow to help you with your Fall chores? I have the one for you, plus it has the advantage of featuring a patented design that distributes more weight to the wheels and less to the user, helping to lighten the load when wheeling supplies around the garden. Also, the tub of the Wheelbarrow is made from 100 percent recycled material, which of course, means it is better for the planet.

My review for the wheelbarrow is that it is excellent - beyond wheeling Harry the Pug around the garden, I have also used it to lift heavier containers, bags of soil, and leaves. Sturdy and well-balanced, the cart seems to be easier on my back than traditional wheelbarrows.

My only concern is that when the wheelbarrow arrived, all the parts were covered in plastic wrap. Why? That seems like a waste of good resources and an added expense that could be eliminated to lower the cost of the product. Outside of that, I feel the product has been great in the garden. Plus Harry the Pug enjoys riding in the wheelbarrow – you can see him getting a ride at the end of the wheelbarrow assembly video (above).

Size-wise, the wheelbarrow’s tub has a capacity of six-and-a-half cubic feet and can hold up to 550 pounds. It is available at Lifetime.com and Sam’s Club stores.

As a reminder - if you use a wheelbarrow to do fall chores, collect your fall leaves for mulching, not for burning.

Today’s post is a “Two For Tuesday” – this blog is on both my greening blog – www.gardeningnude.com AND my gardening blog – http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com – ENJOY!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com.

*This product was sent to me at no cost - I tested it for two months in the garden. My review is wholly honest, my own opinion, and not based on additional payment from the Lifetime company in any form. In fact, my agreement with them is that I would review their product in a totally honest fashion, keeping my readers and viewers needs at the top of the priority list when considering this product’s recommendation and use.

A Trip To Indiana in Fall – Get Out In Nature For Better Health and More Energy

Can spending time in nature – you know – out in the dirt and weather - improve your health? According to growing scientific evidence on nature’s healing power – YES!

Last weekend, my family’s journey to Indiana is testimony of that. Of course, Indiana is beautiful, I am biased since it is my home state. Spending a fall day in the woods of Indiana with my family last weekend did more for me than I can say on both an emotional and a physical level because reconnecting with nature and touching the environment goes a long way towards anti-depression and better health.

It began with the crisp fall air, and extended all the way to the sunshine. Best yet; spending time outdoors with your children learning about nature is a fantastic way to stay connected with them as well. Building your familial community means closer and more emotionally stable families.

According to Richard Louv, the author of Last Child In The Woods (Algonquin Books, 2006), by encouraging our children to get outside more, we are helping to prevent "Nature Deficit Disorder." This condition, according to Louv, encourages diabetes, poor test performance, overweight children, as well as allowing other disorders such as ADD and ADHD to manifest itself. I believe Louv has it right and that we should be getting our children and ourselves out in nature far more.

Our family owns a good sized ranch in Indiana and uses “mules” – little mini off-road vehicles – to drive around their extensive wooded property to maintain and manage a nursery of trees. While the mules are not a particularly “green” choice, the experience of touring the ranch and property on a fall day in an open air vehicle was marvelous. Above (from right to left), you can see my cousin, Sunday, my oldest daughter, Kelsey (now in college), and me bundled up and riding off-road through the woods on a beautiful fall day.

Connect your family with nature – take them outside to enjoy activities which involve sun and air exposure. Get dirty! Have fun! Do things which stretch outside your ordinary box of life boundaries – it will make a difference both for yourself and for the people you touch. Do it today because tomorrow comes much too quickly.

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com or The Blogs - www.gardeningnude.com or http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com