GardeningNude

Save Money and the Earth – Turn Off That Light Switch!

Switching off the lights both at your home and business could save you a whole lot of money and do good for the earth as well. “Residential lighting consumption was about 215 billion kWh, equal to about 15% of all residential electricity consumption. About 311 billion kWh was consumed for lighting by the commercial sector, which includes commercial and institutional buildings and public street and highway lighting, equal to 23% of commercial sector electricity consumption,” according to the Electricity Information Administration (EIA).

Turning off your lights when you are not in the room helps use less coal. In the United States (in 2007) 617 electric generating facilities burn coal. Generating electricity is dirtying our air with pollution from the coal burning.

In 2008, 65 nuclear power plants with 104 operating nuclear reactors generate more than 808.97 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh), or almost 20% of the nation’s electricity. Nuclear power plants create radioactive material which must be disposed of; but there is no place on earth which is really safe for this disposal and the waste is building up.

The message is clear: turn off the lights - simply turning off your light switch when you are not in the room brings humanity a little closer to living cleaner, plus it saves you a bundle of money during a difficult economic time.

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

Support Healthy Living – Have A Green Fair!

How do you live healthier? How do you learn more about living a green lifestyle and what that means? There’s so much information out there it can be quite confusing.

My suggestion is to educate your community by getting awesome experts from your community who can better define “green living” and the have a fun experience together. 

Two great organizations in my county in Illinois are doing just that - Cantigny and SCARCE are hosting their first-ever Green Fair on Saturday, September 26. The event, from 10 am to 4 pm, will be a great way to see new environmental technologies and ideas.

Focused on green lifestyle living, there will be cooking demonstrations, presentations, eco-activities and all sorts of educational opportunities for the community.

Most importantly, there will be a “Recycling Extravaganza” at the event. This is a special drop-off recycling event where people can drop off everything from books, to metals, to tennis shoes, to bikes, to electronic waste without ever getting out of the car. All donated products are reduced, reused, and/or recycled. It is a beautiful thing for the community as it keeps products out of the landfill.

Come to the Cantigny Green Fair on Saturday, September 26th from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. If you do not live in Illinois, go to the Cantigny and SCARCE websites and learn more about how you can really make a difference for your community by having a Green Fair. A great first step towards having more of your neighbors understand what living “green” really means.

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

How To Install A Rain Barrel – The Conservation Foundation Helps Demonstrate How Easy It Is to Install A Rain Barrel

How easy is it to install a rain barrel?

REALLY EASY!

Jim Kleinwachter works with me in the above short video to demonstrate how easy it really is to install a rain barrel. Jim runs The Conservation Foundation’s incredibly successful “Conservation @ Home” program.

Rain barrels come in many forms and the particular rain barrel we are installing was used as a barrel to transport olives from the Mediterranean. Originally the barrels were thrown in the landfill. The Conservation Foundation rescues them and reuses them – a great way to reduce, reuse, and recycle industrial products.

For rain barrel installation you will need a couple tools. Specifically, a rain barrel, hacksaw, and flexible downspout. Aluminum downspouts: 6 screws and a screwdriver. PVC downspouts: PVC cement.

Connecting your downspout to your rain barrel

1. Place your barrel near the downspout you have selected, and measure the area you need to cut.
2. Disconnect your downspout from the sewer system by sawing the downspout above where the top of the rain barrel will be, leaving room for the elbow to be attached. Save all these parts you have removed for use in the winter.
3. Attach a flexible downspout elbow to the cut end of your downspout so that water from your downspout is directed into the rain barrel through the top screened hole.
4. If you have a PVC downspout, secure it to the elbow with PVC cement so it will not fall off during a heavy rain. If you have an aluminum downspout, secure it to the elbow with aluminum screws.
5. Place your rain barrel under the downspout elbow so the water goes directly into the top hole of the rain barrel.
6. Attach a hose to the overflow spigot, and direct the overflow into your own yard, but away from your home’s foundation.

It’s very important that when temperatures in your community get below freezing  you reconnect your downspouts. You can do this simply by attaching the downspout onto the downspout elbow that currently directs water into the rain  barrel. Keep your rain barrel spigot open so water does not accumulate in the rain barrel and freeze. You can also turn the rain barrel upside-down or bring it inside to ensure no water accumulates in the barrel.

It’s that easy – above is a view of my Conservation Foundation rain barrel installed on the side of my home. Get a rain barrel today and help your family and your community conserve water! Purchase a rain barrel from The Conservation Foundation by going to this link – Rain Barrels.

Thanks go to Tom Reid of Tom Reid Motion & Stills LLC for the fantastic video work!

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

Hydrangea Love – An Entertaining Idea On The Cheap and Green

I might not be Martha Stewart – spending less than $10 for a total entertaining evening in the garden – but perhaps that’s the point. With a very difficult economy on the horizon, it’s time we stopped spending extreme amounts of money for entertaining and started using what we have available to us. 

I choose to use the flowers in my own garden – this is quite a green choice because buying flowers that have been shipped from all over the world is just a ridiculous waste of carbon and energy.

Hydrangea’s are one of my favorite plants ever. It brings back memories of my grandmother every time I see their giant white flower in the garden.

During July they are truly at their height of beauty and every year I cut dozens of their stems and give them as gifts in great bunches tied with rubber bands to neighbors and friends. They make quite a statement on a dining room table or as a display by the front door.

Yesterday I held an America In Bloom meeting at my garden and wanted to make a spectacular display of the Hydrangea’s both as centerpieces and special features throughout the garden. In this photo guests wander my garden enjoying the evening.

My big splurge - for less than $2.00 each – was to purchase two colorful trash cans to use as vases. Cutting the Hydrangea’s at a point slightly above where it has a leaf, I gather a large pile of flowers. Next step is to strip off all the lower leaves to prevent rot in the water, and place them in the improvised vases.

Total cost is less than $4.00 and I have a gorgeous display for my get together which is green and utilizes very little carbon or energy. All the guests brought appetizers and I served summer cocktails made of lemonade, cucumber from the front yard veggie garden I grew for the 2009 “Get It Garden” Challenge and vodka. Simple. Easy. Delightful. Love it!

     

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

Monday Whazzup – Attractive Rain Barrel Makes A Splash

 

Dear Gardening Nude Chick,

I cannot find an attractive rain barrel! Help!

Signed,

Frustrated in Frankfort

= = = = = = = =

Dear Frustrated,

Thanks for the email. I have a wonderful solution for you. Rain barrels can actually be quite attractive. Above you see a very beautiful rain barrel I have on the front corner of my home which I got from Clean Air Gardening . It looks like a real clay pot, but is actually made of a heavy-duty plastic.

According to the below statistics quoted from the American Rivers website, you can really save a lot of water by utilizing a rain barrel:

• 40% of the average homeowner’s water use [in the summer] is outdoors.
• 700 gallons of water runs off a 1,200 square foot roof after only one inch of rainfall. Using a rain barrel is an excellent way to conserve some of this water.
• A quarter inch of runoff from an average roof will easily fill a rain barrel. If you have five storms a season, that equals 275 gallons of free water.
• Rain barrel use reduces the stress on municipal water systems during the summer months and improves stormwater management.

Get a rain barrel today to help make a difference for your community – rain barrels can be functional and beautiful.

Here is a little video discussing the importance of having a rain barrel. It features the Clean Air Gardening rain barrel you see in the above photo so you can get an even better idea of how it looks attached to your downspout. Enjoy!

To order the rain barrel and diverter used in the above video, please go to www.cleanairgardening.com.

Oh yeah – and my name is Shawna, not “gardening nude chick” – LOL!

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

How 14 Days In The Yucatan Made Me Realize The Value of Planet Earth – Part 3

Sweating from the 90 degree heat, we silently descend into another world – a deep cavern below ground. Gripping the rope carefully, we rappel forty feet down through a narrow hole in the ground, feeling the cold cave air assault us.  Bats dip and dive as we inch our way down through the dark abyss, ropes burning our hands, until finally we drop into the cold waters of the cenote.

Water is the most precious resource in the world. In no place is this more clear than when swimming in an underground cenote in the Yucatan Peninsula. While most of the world-over humans have access to extensive lakes and rivers, people living in the Mexican Mayan Riviera region do not. There are virtually no above ground rivers in the Yucatan –  all the fresh water comes from an extensive limestone cave system deep within the peninsula.

Cenotes are often surface connections to subterranean water bodies. Cenote water is very clear and clean because the water comes from rain water infiltrating slowly through the ground. All the cenote systems in the Yucatan eventually connect together. Because it is a major source of fresh drinking water for the Mexican people, it is extremely important to keep the cenote’s free of chemicals and litter. Warnings are repeatedly given from tour guides on the importance of keeping the water clean so the Mayan locals will be able to drink from it.

As we drop into the cold, black water of the immense underground cave, I look up at the ceiling and see a very thin crust of earth which covers the top of the cavern. An achingly thin layer of ground stands between the top soil and the fresh water below. Roots hang forty feet deep before they touch the water. Our guides provide inner tubes to float with because the water is an additional forty feet deep below us. Tiny fish swim and nibble the dead skin on our toes and legs. In that intense moment of touching nature, a shiver of understanding touches my soul. It occurs to me that we in the United States should be following the more cautious mindset which the inhabitants of the Mayan Riviera exhibit about our own precious drinking water.

Whenever you use pesticides and chemicals on your lawns, you are allowing these chemicals to eventually percolate down into our water system. If you live in a home which has its own well, that well water is being exposed daily to chemicals and carcinogens which we have put in the water ourselves by peppering our lawns and gardens with poisons which have a long life. Therefore it is possible to contaminate our water system over a period of many years, not just at the time when we apply the chemicals.

Next time you reach for a lawn chemical remember the caves and cenotes of the Yucatan. It took a trip to another part of the world for me to finally understand the connection and significant importance of my personal responsibility to our earth. Imagine if the chemicals I had put on my lawn several years ago managed to get into our eco-system and another human being somehow ingested it? Even in trace amounts? Does anyone completely understand what causes leukemia – a chemical triggered cancer? Does anyone REALLY know what is safe for humanity?

If you care about your fellow man, you have to see that this is not someone else’s problem. It is YOU who are responsible for caring for the water systems in our communities – not your neighbors, not your government - YOU. It is YOU who might be poisoning the child next door. Stop. Think. Use chemicals wisely. Now is the time to make a difference.

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

You Can Reduce Crime In Your Community By Going Green With Landscaping and Sharing Plants

Want to reduce crime and encourage greener living in your community? Share your plants and help others to landscape in your neighborhood.

Research conducted by the University of Illinois Landscape and Human Health Laboratory team has been doing on the subject of human interaction with the natural environment. Most significant is the 2001 study on how Chicago public housing residents who lived in apartment buildings which were surrounded by trees and greenery had forty-eight percent fewer property crimes and fifty-six percent fewer violent crimes than identical apartment buildings barren of greenery. It is quite remarkable to note that even modest amounts of greenery were linked with lower crime rates.

The researchers suggested one of the reasons crime was reduced might be that exposure to greenery reduces aggression by helping people to relax and de-stress. They based this claim on prior research showing an association between viewing nature and less mental fatigue.

Another reason suggested for their findings was that crime was reduced partly because the green space around those buildings have encouraged more people in the community to come outdoors in nature, thereby discouraging criminals by increasing community supervision. They also suggested that buildings and communities that have a landscaped appearance might be more likely to show potential criminals that residents care about and watch over their property. Based on this research, taking a calming exercise break by gardening or walking outdoors in a green environment seems a more positive way to relieve stress and help a community become infinitely more social.

National organizations built to promote community improvement such as America In Bloom can help encourage crime reduction in your neighborhood and city, while also enhancing landscaping and neighborhood improvements.

Above you can see I am doing my part – this is a recent photo of the community garden I built on a public sidewalk behind my back fence. Helping your community look beautiful and have less crime is not the job for others – it is a job for you. Get out there and make a difference today!

(To learn more about the studies which I have based this article, please go here - University of Illinois Landscape and Human Health Laboratory.)

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

How 14 Days In the Yucatan Made Me Realize the Value of Planet Earth – Part 1

 

Summer is here and most of us are looking forward to a respite from our life.  The summertime getaway. Might I suggest a green solution? Take an eco-trip. You will see beauty, have an adventure, and learn about our world.

My family and I took the eco-journey of a lifetime this year into the jungles, caves, and ocean of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Above you see me getting ready to zipline across a jungle – note the giant grin – it was a blast! I wrote and posted a blog every day for fourteen days about our journey using greening and eco-nature information as a tool to educate readers about environmental concerns in the world.

Understanding the fact that we impact all of the world, not just our little corner is so important. For example, areas of coral are dying out in the Yucatan from our fertilizer run-off. If the chemicals do not go down into our water aquifer, they are whooshed out through the storm water system. All those chemicals then react with ocean life – ultimately causing green blooms and death where ever the chemicals settle. This is disastrous for coral.

Who taught me that? An amazing man in Akumal, Mexico named Paul Sanchez- Navarro who is the Director of Centro Ecological Akumal (Photo to the right). He explained how nearly one quarter of all marine species are believed to depend on coral at some stage of their development. Many fish live their entire lives on reefs, while others use them as nurseries; if the coral dies out it is assumed the fish will too. The economic impact of losing coral is also significant – in the billions of dollars worldwide.

There were so many questions I wanted answered when I returned from the trip. What will happen if we are unable to provide fish for the world to eat? Will people starve? Without the coral and fish, millions of people will lose their jobs and be unable to support themselves. Without smaller fish which inhabit the coral reefs will all the larger fish die such as tuna and shark – the very same fish we use to feed our nation?

We went to jungles, beaches, caves, and protected eco-parks throughout the Yucatan Peninsula area and experienced some incredible things in nature, but one of the most powerful messages I saw everywhere we went is that you have an impact on planet earth. What we do here in the U.S. directly touches the rest of the world.

Make a difference for planet earth – start paying attention to the chemicals, fertilizers, and products you use at home that might be making a difference half-way around the world.

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

BE AWARE - - Wash Produce With Soap and Water - - How Many Pesticides Do YOU Consume Every Day?

At a recent green conference I was handed a little magnetic guide for my refrigerator. It listed which fruits and veggies have tested the highest in pesticides straight off the shelf and which ones are the lowest. Awesome!

This guide is created and distributed through the Environmental Working Group (EWG) which is a truly amazing not-for-profit organization that is educating and protecting public health. Most specifically, the EWG wants to eliminate toxic foods and toxic living.

According to EWG’s website, “EWG research has found that people who eat the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables consume an average of 10 pesticides a day. Those who eat the 15 least contaminated conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables ingest fewer than 2 pesticides daily.”

Discovering the “Shopper’s Guide To Pesticides” is an enormous assist for those of us who want to keep toxic products away from our families. EWG analysts utilized data from almost 87,000 residual pesticide tests in produce. This data was collected by the United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Food and Drug Administration between 2000 and 2007.

The Guide helps consumers make informed choices to lower their dietary pesticide load. Remember that simply rinsing your produce does NOT eliminate pesticides completely. Washing with soap AND water helps the most. Some pesticides also remain inside the produce as it is taken in during growth.

Contact the Environmental Working Group (EWG) for further information and education on how pesticide’s touch your family directly.

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

How To Plant A “GREEN” and Water Conserving Flowerpot or Container Garden

Every year millions of people plant flowerpots. Although beautiful, one problem with flowerpots is that you sometimes have to water the pots every day, particularly during the hot summer months.

My secret for potting plants insures you do not have to water as much, plus you are able to reduce, reuse, and recycle household products in the process. Last year I watered perhaps once a week, maybe twice a week during the hottest time of the season. (Video demonstration above.)

CONSERVATION CONTAINER PLANTING 101

STEP ONE -

Find a container with a drainage hole and place plastics you cannot recycle or light weight recyclables like milk cartons and water bottles in the bottom of the pot. Make sure you have about five to six inches of space left at the top of the pot for soil. Top your plastic/recycle filled area with sheets of newspaper, a pizza box, or some cardboard to prevent soil from leaking down through the cracks of the pot and being lost from the plant roots.

STEP TWO -

Add growing mix. I prefer a mixture of 3/4 traditional potting soil, 1/4 composted manure (I am using Buff Stuff – a “buffalo” manure), organic time-release fertilizer, and Soil Moist or Soil Moist Mycorrhiza water crystals according to package directions.

STEP THREE - 

Pot your plants. First arrange your plants to see if they all fit. Then plant according to your plan, making sure you plant them up to the crown of the root area. If you utilize a mix of drought tolerant perennials and annuals, you will have to water the pots much less. This year I have used a mixture of Proven Winners annuals and perennials because they have come out with a line of “heat/drought” tolerant annuals which help conserve water usage. Some of my favorites (seen here) include the Proven Winners Supertunia Mini-Silver, Diamond Frost Euphorbia, Graceful Grasses Red Riding Hood, and the Jolly Bee Geranium

STEP FOUR -

Water regularly with a thorough soaking at the base of the plants. Make sure you completely wet the soil with a heavy watering less often instead of watering lightly, but inadequately, more often. This will help the water crystals to obtain and hold water for their “time release” effect and you will spend less time tending your container garden.

Give this reduce, reuse, and recycle planting technique a try and you will see the benefits as less water usage, more money savings, and less plastic products thrown away in the landfills!

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

Evil Lurks Where You Least Expect It - The Danger of Six Pack Rings And How You And Your Family Can Make A Difference

Danger lurks where we least expect it in life. Even Darth Vader would be surprised that the danger I am discussing today is not from “the dark force” or giant industrial conglomerates. This danger comes from  the simple six-pack ring and is a serious threat to many in our environment.

According to www.nature-magazine.net, “During a beach cleanup along 300 miles of Texas shoreline in 1988, 15,600 plastic six-pack rings were found in 3 hours.” Hundreds of photos of animals trapped in plastic six-pack rings inundate the internet and the message is clear: six-pack holders are virtually invisible underwater, so marine animals of all sorts get trapped in them regularly. It’s often a death trap.

While doing a search on the dangers of six pack rings, I came across a great story on the www.jrcompton.com website. It’s about the rescue of “Six Pack,” a poor crested duck who got trapped in a six-pack ring. J.R. calls it the “Great Six-Pack Duck Rescue” and tells the photo story of how they rescued the duck. Here is his photo.

The message on six pack rings? YOU AND YOUR FAMILY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE - Before you toss six-pack holders into the garbage, snip each circle with a scissors. Find other ways to recycle and utilize six-pack holders.

Harry the Pug – defender against evil and wrong-doers everywhere, says, “Please send me your ideas for creative ways to reuse six pack holders and help save a life!”

Harry and I look forward to hearing from you!

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

Monday Whazzup – 2009 Chicago Flower & Garden Show is More Sustainable!

Saturday I got lucky and nude. Well… metaphorically. As a member of the Garden Writers Association, I was allowed to go to the 2009 Chicago Flower & Garden Show as a preview reporter. This was a wonderful experience as I was able to scope out the main floor before the show opened.

Imagine my complete surprise when I saw a generous amount of green and sustainable solutions being demonstrated to the public at the garden show. More importantly, I saw ways that green solutions can and should be incorporated into our neighborhoods and daily life. Finally the world is starting to get it – greening is not just about recycling or about gardening; it is about a community taking care of each other.

My first view of the day featuring the Chicago Flower & Garden Show’s theme “Our World in Bloom” was from the catwalk high above the show floor and the above shot is what I saw: pergolas and structures built with “green” roofs. Many people have never seen a green roof in action and seeing how very beautiful the green roofs are as well as what important tools they are for reducing heat and therefore energy use in our homes and work environments is a fantastic resource.

Many displays were sustainable in nature, with strong showings from the Chicago Park District and City of Chicago on encouraging people to conserve water and resources which I find particularly important in these difficult economic times. My only desire for improvement would be that there would be even more demonstrations of rain barrels and other water-centric savings ideas. However, this was a fantastic start – I hope there will be lots more next year. Below is a great example of a home with a green roof which utilizes rain barrels and recycled materials to make water features and other sustainable gardening concepts.

THIS is the type of garden show the average homeowner needs to see to help define what water saving and sustainability can mean to the individual homeowner. It IS possible to strip away the excuses and get straight down to energy and money savings. 

Going to see the show for the gardens as well as the sustainability is fantastic, however, it was the gorgeous displays of “greening” examples that will really educate the homeowner about better green lifestyle practices as well as better horticultural practices. Please go to the show and have a look for yourself this week!

To learn more about the show and how to get to Navy Pier for your advanced peek at spring, go to the website – www.chicagoflower.com. Be sure to get there before March 15th or you will miss the excitement.

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

Gardening Nude Naked Winner of the Week: Austin Green Art – An Organization That Is Truly Making A Difference For the Environment and Their Community

On most Friday's, Gardening Nude The Blog features a special person or organization for the day. This person or org is the "Naked Winner of the Week." All people featured in this category are winners for doing great things for the community and trying to make a difference for the world. You can make a difference too.

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The naked winner of the week for 03-06-09 is ::drum roll please::

Austin Green Art (AGA) and it’s founder, Randy Jewart. AGA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness about important environmental issues via hands-on, creative, community-based programming and events – with creative art as its focus. Incredible idea – “Gardening Nude” loves it!

AGA is bringing a new and unique environmental awareness to the American community. Most importantly, in the process of creating environmental awareness, AGA is also breaking down a lot of the negative cultural form that has led to environmental problems to begin with.

According to the AGA website, www.austingreenart.org, “AGA was launched in November 2004 by Randy Jewart initially to produce a temporary, outdoor sculpture show during the June 2005 Public Art Network. Prior to AGA,  Randy developed a program in Washington, D.C. called It’s Sculpture!, for which he raised over $100,000 in two years to fund public art.”

Thankfully Randy and his cool team of creative artists have been moving forward with exciting projects ever since. From the awesome blue “Plastic Bag Awareness Sculpture” at the Step It Up Rally. To the very cool installation at the REI store in Pittsburgh, PA; a 35-foot waterfall made from 3500 plastic bottles from Mars Area High School students. AGA sees it’s mission in life as creating and partnering with organizations to build focus on education, advocacy and community building.

AGA says it “believes in each individual’s creativity and presents a structure for community members to express themselves throughout the art making process while learning about important issues relating to the environment and their role in its future health.” What an incredible way to help teach the world that there is a healthier way to live.

When AGA takes important community and environmental issues and brings them to the public in a creative and collaborative way, it truly makes a difference for the world. Here are some of their awesome accomplishments since their inception:

• Raised over $250,000 via grants, sponsorships and individual donations
• Conducted 44 programs in 3 years
• Engaged 1,300+ residents and artists as volunteers
• Engaged more than 3,300 individuals as project participants
• Programs have been viewed or attended by more than 200,000 people
• Partnered with more than 160 organizations
• Broad and consistent media coverage including a cover story in the Austin Chronicle

Thank you, Randey Jewart and Austin Green Art for bringing a level of knowledge to the public which is not often considered. Your environmental efforts and positive community actions are truly making a difference. You win a back flip and an old-fashioned Texas, “Yee Ha” from the Gardening Nude blog – thank you for showing the community how important working together to help solve environmental concerns is.

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

Get Yo Green On Tuesday – Teach Children To Shop With the Brilliant, Amazing, and Beautiful “Reusable Bag”

Last week I wrote about my experience with Borders – that I was overjoyed about their new “no bag unless requested” policy. Why? Plastic bags are made from ethylene, a petroleum byproduct. In the United  States, approximately 12 million barrels of oil is used annually to make plastic bags that Americans consume.

With the great “greening” push many think it is the government’s responsibility to educate consumers on the basics of living a more sustainable lifestyle. I say, “poppycock!” Okay, honestly, I don’t normally say “poppycock,” but today I am saying it loud and clear: it is our responsibility as parents and caring people in the community to educate each other and our families on a less-wasteful lifestyle.

While it is still important for our governments and communities to set a positive green example, it is even more important that we teach our children these examples ourselves as well.

By educating our children on conservation oriented practices we are teaching them to be more caring citizens. When children learn a life-lesson at an early age, it becomes an intricate and important part of their lifestyle – lessons like not throwing trash out the window and not physically hitting others. These are important things to learn. So is greening and conservation.

A surprising benefit of practicing conservation techniques is most basic conservation practices helps us be less wasteful AND saves money. What a great lesson to give our children which they can use for the rest of their lives – a way to save money and help the world at the same time.

Teach children to bring reusable bags to use for grocery’s and your other shopping needs as well as caring odds and ends needed in daily life.

Reusable bags are sold everywhere and most only cost penny’s. I got the Whole Foods “I Used To Be A Plastic Bottle” bags for $1.00 and $.50. Online, a great reusable bag resource is www.reusablebags.com. Some stores give away the bags and all are a fantastic idea to get started educating our family’s about a greener lifestyle.

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

Gardening Nude Naked Winner of the Week: Organic Farmers – Janet Brown and Marty Jacobson – Co-founders of All Star Organic Farm

On most Friday's, Gardening Nude The Blog features a special person or organization for the day. This person or org is the "Naked Winner of the Week." All people featured in this category are winners for doing great things for the community and trying to make a difference for the world. You can make a difference too.

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The naked winner of the week for 02-27-09 is ::drum roll please::

Janet Brown and Marty Jacobson and their entire family for living the life they believe in. Allstar Organic Farm is making a difference in their community of Marin County, California and doing it’s part to change the environmental world in a positive way. Inspiration for us all!

Janet Brown and Marty Jacobson live the organic life they advocate. They have built Allstar Organics, it includes a two acre farm filled with aromatic plants and antique roses in Lagunitas, California and ten acres of over one hundred and fifty varieties of certified organic, specialty and heirloom crops grown in Nicasio, in Marin County, California.

Their efforts to create and live a greener lifestyle benefits both the environmental and neighborhood community in wonderful ways. Allstar Organics brings locally grown product to Californians – fresh vegetables, herbs, spices, herbal salts, body sugars, and artisnal botanical essences. Janet and Marty bring their “green” products and family-oriented mindset to their local efforts, and in doing so have made a true difference for their neighbors and their world.

They understand that the freshest chemical free products will help families grow healthier. Setting an ecologically sound example is important to their family, Janet says, "In the 16 years Allstar Organics has been in operation, we are proud to have been a part of a growing network of organic and sustainable farms that practice ecologically sound, socially integrated, and economically viable renewable agriculture. We manage our farming system to improve soil fertility, encourage biological diversity, and create year-round food production for local consumption. The result is that we are able to produce an annual, diverse harvest of wholesome, nutritious, and delicious fresh foods."

Below is a short but interesting video featuring Janet discussing the importance of locally grown foods and organic farming to the large scale problem of climate change. Small scale solutions can really make a difference.

Thank you, Allstar Organics, for educating the public and bringing and organic lifestyle to your community. Your efforts are making a difference so more people understand the importance of buying local and buying organic. You win a big pat on the back and lots of applause from the Gardening Nude blog – thank you for your continued efforts to make a difference in the world!

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

Retailers listen up - -Bag? Who needs a stinkin’ bag?

Bags. We get them at every store we go to. Heaps and heaps of bags.

It takes a lot of energy and resources to make a bag and each year across the globe an estimated 500 billion to one trillion plastic bags are used according to www.reusablebags.com. Only a small fraction of plastic bags are recycled.

Plastic bags are made from ethylene, a petroleum byproduct. In the United  States, approximately 12 million barrels of oil is used annually to make plastic bags that Americans consume.

You can imagine my happy surprise when I received this email from my friend and green enthusiast, Eileen Landau, the other day, “Yesterday I stopped at Borders. The cashier rang me up and put the receipt inside the book...then handed the book to me. I was stunned and asked her about bags. She said that the company decided several weeks ago to only use bags if the customer asked. Great. Less use of plastic! Might get more people to carry a reusable bag around with them. Like I only have five or so in the car at all times, right? It reminds me of shopping in England back in the '70's. You went from store to store and carried net bags to hold your food in.”

Today I tested it out – went to the nearest Borders to purchase a paperback and you can see above how they handed it to me – with the receipts tucked in the front cover. LOVE IT!

What a fantastic idea. Retailers heed the example of Border Books and stop handing out useless oil-based plastic bags. Make a difference for our world!

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

How Now Green Cow - Simple Solutions for Our Green Waste Issues

Guest blogger Daniel Shellenberg writes the awesome farmer-goes-green blog  known as "AGroGuru" - a great blog focusing on how greening impacts the agriculture community. Today he is my guest blogger and brings interesting insight into how we might find a surprisingly simple solution for green waste. Read on -

I had the wonderful experience of working with the Green Team during a winter solstice celebration in Lake Wales, Florida. The yoga camp, organized by 3HO, serves three vegetarian meals a day for about 500 people over the course of one week. As you might imagine, the camp produces its fair share of green waste. In search of a quick and efficient solution, we turned to local rancher, Bob Massie for help. He was happy to take about 9000 pounds worth of what he called “wet feed” off our hands.

Why do I think feeding green waste to cows is a novel idea? Well, we have a solution to dealing with green waste without added effort or cost. One alternative is composting and using it as a soil amendment.  Composting is great, but it requires time to break down and a committed operation to get it done right. Another alternative is further packing green waste into landfills and harvesting the methane gas as an energy source.  This is innovative idea, but methane capture from landfills requires a significant investment for what appears to be a low return.

The truth is feeding green waste to cows is a simple solution that uses existing resources. In many countries, feeding green waste to cows is common practice and I feel it has potential for three main reasons. First, infrastructure for green waste collection in many communities already exists. Second, animal feed prices have skyrocketed and farms may find green waste to be a cheaper alternative. And finally, farms are highly-efficient operations that operate independently.

It’s time to take home the message that agriculture is an integral part to helping with society’s challenges. I encourage you to reach out to a local farm and see what resources you can offer.  Who knows?  Maybe you go home with fresh produce and a sense of service.

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

Monday Whazzup - What is a Green Roof?

Chicago, Illinois has been building an interesting reputation as the green roof capital of the world. No kidding. As of 2004 there have been more than 80 public and private green roof projects moving forward. It is particularly interesting considering the climatic extremes the city sees. Chicago has very hot, humid days in the summer, and frequently has below zero temps in the winter. According to the City of Chicago website, City Hall was where the city's first green roof project was completed in 2001.

According to the City of Chicago’s website, the garden on City Halls' roof has over 20,000 tough and hardy plants, shrubs, and trees. Once the roof was complete, City officials measured heat readings between the next door tar roof as compared to City Hall's green roof and were completely surprised at the more than 50 degrees F difference in roof top temperatures. This heat difference reduced City Hall's heating and cooling bills by thousands.

While greatly reducing energy costs, green roofing also helps mitigate the urban heat island effect. This effect is created in the summer by black roofs and pavements that absorb sunlight at a higher rate than landscaping and greenery. Green roofs also absorb more water, reducing stress on storm water systems. Landscaped roofs generally last twice as long as a regular roof, and much of the product from a landscaped roof can be recycled instead of filling landfills with tar-based shingles.

Green roofs improve air quality, conserve energy, reduce storm water runoff and help reduce the urban heat island effect. The garden's plants reflect heat, provide shade and help cool the surrounding air through evapotranspiration, which occurs when plants secrete or "transpire" water through pores in their leaves. The water draws heat as it evaporates, cooling the air in the process. Plants also filter the

air, which improves air quality by using excess carbon dioxide to produce oxygen.

Definitively, a green roof system uses living plant material. Modern green roofs generally consist of a waterproof membrane, a root barrier, thermal insulation, a drainage system, a filter layer, planting medium, and living plants. To learn more about how a green roof is assembled and why green roofs are used, follow along with this fantastic video from the Minnesota Green Roofs Council.

So what does this mean for the average homeowner? That it is time to consider a green roof. Consulting an expert would be a great place to start, however, many  homeowners have done it themselves quite successfully. Illinois naturalist and  conservation expert, Dick Young, has been living in a green-roofed house for over fifty years. He has watched neighboring homeowners replace their roofs twice over, while his has never needed replacing. Here you can see his house in winter - the green roof helps keep it extra insulated and warm. Dick's home in the summer has a prairie on his roof and resembles a hobbit house in the summers with its green prairie-looking top. Butterflies and other native wildlife such as birds and bees enjoy the roof as well. 

To obtain more information about the how's and why's of building your own green roof, check out www.greenroofs.com or go to the EPA's green roof website - http://www.epa.gov/heatisland.

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

Monday Whazzup - What To Do With Junk Mail Envelopes

According to the book 50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save The Earth, these shocking facts are related to junk mail:

Each year, 100 million trees are used to produce junk mail;

250,000 homes could be heated with one day's supply of junk mail; and

Americans receive almost 4 million tons of junk mail every year.

There are dozens of junk mail "stop" companies out there which can help you reduce the amount of junk mail you receive. This is an important way to lighten your carbon footprint. One of my favorite online resources for reducing junk mail is www.obviously.com/junkmail.

Finding creative ways to reduce, reuse and recycle junk mail is also a great pro-active way to make a difference and save a tree or two.

My favorite at home idea for reusing envelopes from junk mail is to utilize the used envelopes for grocery lists and note taking. It is simple, easy, and a great idea in which a small thing can help the environment in a big way. Recycle junk mail today!

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

Gardening Nude Naked Winner of the Week: Michael Edwards, Living Life Organic and Making A Difference

On Friday's, Gardening Nude The Blog features a special person for the day. This person is the "Naked Winner of the Week." Every person featured in this category is a winner for doing great things for the community and trying to make a difference for the world. You can make a difference too.

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The naked winner of the week for 01-23-09 is ::drum roll please::

Michael Edwards, for trying to make a difference in the world by helping people facilitate better organic consumption practices. His efforts are changing mindsets so people can live a healthier and greener lifestyle.

Active tree-hugger and earth lover, Michael Edwards is determined to make a difference for the world. Founding and Editing Organic Lifestyle Magazine (www.organiclifestylemagazine.com) is his effort to share and educate the online community on a more nutritious and healthful way of life.

At one point in his life, Michael weighed over 350 pounds and had numerous allergy and health issues. His switch to a healthier lifestyle, and specifically organic eating, helped him melt the pounds away and in the process became educated on the better values of an organic lifestyle. According to Michael, "Organic Lifestyle Magazine is a free online magazine about organic food, natural (more commonly known as alternative) health, sustainable everything, eco friendly choices, and the green movement. We also cater to the vegans, raw food enthusiasts, and minimalists of all sorts."

When I asked Michael the reason he founded the magazine, he said, "There are some pretty decent environmental magazines available and some great websites, but I am yet to come across a good alternative health or organic lifestyle publication of any value [which focuses on the issues instead of advertising]. Organic Lifestyle Magazine is a free magazine about a healthy lifestyle – healthy for our bodies, our minds, and our environment. I believe our magazine has useful information."

Michael's choice for a digital format was an easy one to make, "One thing that sets us apart from other online ezines is that Organic Lifestyle Magazine is made for the web. Other publications are either trying to look like print magazines, or they are print magazines slapped onto the web via a PDF. They are hard to read, and you constantly need to zoom in and out. Our digital magazine is built to be digital, so the look and feel is easy to navigate. We want people to get to the information they need quickly."

Thank you Michael Edwards for founding Organic Lifestyle Magazine and making a difference in how the world perceives a green lifestyle. Living healthy is important! Michael receives a pat on the back and a giant "YEEHAA" for working hard to inspire others to be healthy.

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

Gardening Nude Naked Winner of the Week: Naomi Sachs, Nature and Garden Healing Therapy Expert

On Friday's, Gardening Nude The Blog features a special person for the day. This person is the "Naked Winner of the Week." Every person featured in this category is a winner for doing great things for the community and trying to make a difference for the world. You can make a difference too.

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The naked winner of the week for 01-16-09 is ::drum roll please::

Naomi Sachs, for teaching the world how to facilitate health and wellness by experiencing healing therapy gardens and nature. She is the founder of the Therapeutic Landscapes Resource Center and is truly making a difference by helping people recover more quickly from illnesses on both an emotional and physical level. 

Naomi Sachs, ASLA, is the Founder and Executive Director for the not-for-profit organization, Therapeutic Landscapes Resource Center and Database (TLDB). This resource can be found at www.healinglandscapes.org. When Naomi founded the organization, she knew the healing benefits of being out in nature and wanted the world to practice better habits for helping the public heal both emotionally and physically from illnesses.

With the recent addition of the Therapeutic Landscapes Database Blog - http://tldb.blogspot.com - Naomi has been able to bring her inspirational message to more and more people across the globe. Living an outdoor experience, particularly in gardens, can heal the mind and body. 

I was so inspired by Naomi Sachs and her healing designs and group of healing  gardeners, that I wrote a feature about her and her organization in my latest book, Gardening Nude.You will find the full excerpt from the book at the end of this Friday Naked Person of the week with photo excerpts of several of her beautiful nature designs.

TLDB needs help and funding to get the message of experiencing nature for healing out to gardeners and non-gardeners alike - they have an Amazon Associates link on the blog which, if you order books through Amazon via this link, will allow TLDB to earn funding based on your orders. Here's the link - TLDB Amazon Associates Funding Link.

Thank you Naomi Sachs for founding TLDB and truly making a difference for the world. We need more love, generosity, and healing - and healing mentally and physically ill individuals is a beautiful thing to accomplish. Naomi wins a wave and a cheer from all the Gardening Nude readers for making a true difference in the world.

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

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Click the link below to continue reading more about Naomi Sachs and how she's healing the world. The write-up below is the full feature excerpt from “Gardening Nude.”

A Garden Can Be Therapy

Therapeutic Landscaping is a relatively new term that is changing the face of traditional landscaping. The term refers to fostering the mental, physical, and spiritual restoration of the human condition in a garden. Therapeutic gardens can be small or large, but all of them encourage total immersion in nature so a person can escape from illness, pain, and depression.

A therapeutic garden can be designed to enhance medical treatments, assist medical staff in giving care, provide relief for a particular medical condition, reduce stress and aggression, or simply provide a place where a busy family can go to heal and relax. A good therapeutic garden is also a green-centered garden, taking advantage of positive environmental practices.

Green and Simple Tip - Guest Puggy says, "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle"

Little Pugsley Ratter Salwitz is our guest green puggy today. Pugsley Ratter's owner, Christina Salwitz is very green conscious. Recently her family lost all recycling and garbage pick up due to the snow storm deemed "Snowmageddon 2008” in Washington state. Not to be deterred; Pugsley Ratter encouraged the family to keep recycling during the three week garbage pick up hiatus by stockpiling recycling in the family's dining room until the crisis was over. This lasted the entire holiday season. Recycling was stacked to the rafters by the time the crisis was over.

Remember that recycling reduces the demand on our natural resources. Pugsley knows that recycling also conserves energy and water and helps to reduce air and water pollution.

Production of recycled paper alone uses 80% less water, 65% less energy, and produces 95% less air pollution than virgin paper production. 36 million trees a year could be saved if every American recycled one newspaper a week. The exciting news? Every four-foot stack of paper you recycle saves a tree.

Saving energy is an important result of recycling as well. It uses 96% less energy to make cans compared to manufacturing new aluminum from virgin material [bauxite]. Many commonly recycled items have a high energy reduction rate when compared with the energy used to extract their virgin materials from the earth. Recycling plastic bottles uses 76% less energy, paper uses 45% less, and glass uses 21% less.

Little Pugsley Ratter, fondly nicknamed "Pig", says everyone should reduce, reuse and recycle for a healthier planet!! If you would like to Twitter to Pugsley, do so through his owner, Christina Salwitz (http://twitter.com/Arcadia1).

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

Get Yo Green on Tuesdays - SAVE LANDFILLS - Recycle Carpet With Green Kid Crafts

Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) is a joint industry-government effort to increase the amount of recycling and reuse of post-consumer carpet and reduce the amount of waste carpet going to landfills. According to the CARE statistics, 5 billion pounds of carpet was sent to landfills in 2003 alone.

Used carpet can be sanitized and recycled in an industrial facility. New carpet is also thrown out by retail carpet stores. We can prevent this waste. I went to the local carpet store searching for rubber backed samples for crafting purposes and found that management was very cooperative and willing to give samples for free.

Getting children involved in "reduce, reuse and recycle" for carpeting is a great way to have fun and increase their understanding of how we all need to care for landfills. Doing crafts with your children is a great way to spend time "unplugged" and building your relationship.

RECYCLE CRAFT - MAKE NON-SKID COASTERS OUT OF CARPET SAMPLES

Tools Needed:

Discarded Carpet which has a rubber backing (samples or new is preferred, however, old carpet is good if it is not contaminated somehow)

Sharp scissors

Step One: Measure carpet for coasters. We have extra large mugs at our home, so we measured 5" square carpet sections.

Step Two: Cut. Carpet is difficult to cut through for small hands - children might need parental assistance.

Step Three: Give as gifts or use yourself. Perfect for coffee mugs!

Spending time with your kids is great. Better yet, children get a great sense of self-esteem and community when doing something good for the planet - teach them to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Teach them to make a difference!

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

Gardening Nude Naked Winner of the Week: Greg Christian, The Green Catering Super Hero

On Friday's, Gardening Nude The Blog features a special person for the day. This person is the "Naked Winner of the Week." Every person featured in this category is a winner for doing great things for the community and is trying to make a difference for the world. You can make a difference too.

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The naked winner of the week for 01-09-09 is ::drum roll please::

Greg Christian, for changing the face of American public school lunch and spreading the message of greener living. Greg is teaching the world how to eat and live healthier!

As one of the most inspiring and energetic green people I have ever met, Greg Christian, a Chicago-based caterer is revolutionizing American catering. Greg Christian Catering thrives on his concepts of buying local, composting silverware and dishes, and educating the public on how to live a green lifestyle is changing the way the world sees food and catering. Greg is making a difference in other ways as well; he believes he can revolutionize the way school systems feed children; building a healthier community in the process through his not-for-profit organization, the Organic School Project.

I was so inspired by Greg that I wrote about him in my recently published greening and better health book, Gardening Nude. You will find the full excerpt from the book at the end of this special Friday Naked Person of the week.

Working with children to educate them on better nutrition has been particularly rewarding for Greg. The kids often say the darndest things and I recently asked Greg what some of the things the kids said when working with him.

Below are the top five cute responses said by youth enjoying breakfast, lunch or snack in one of Organic School Project’s programs:

5. Eww…the peas are green!

4. This cheese tastes like cheese!

3. The fruit is crunchy!

2. This milk tastes like it came from a cow!

1. It actually smells good in here!

It is awesome to see children recognizing the value of nutritious foods! Thank you Greg – for being an incredible green example for the world to follow - you win a pat on the back and a big shout-out for being a fantastic green lifestyle example. You are changing mindsets one vegetable at a time - way to go!

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

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Click the link below to continue reading more about Greg Christian and how he's doing his best to make a difference for the world. The write-up below is the full feature excerpt from the greening and better health book I wrote, “Gardening Nude.” Enjoy!

Greg Christian is making American meals healthier and greener

When I think of Greg Christian, I think of a passionate man who puts children first—his own as well as all youth, as they are the future of human kind. He is a man who cares about the environment and his neighborhood community with an equal fervor. Christian believes in doing what is right for the global population, and starting with the neighborhood community has been the best place to begin.

Alltop.com is GREEN - How Guy Kawasaki "Guy-Vangelized" a Naked Green Gal

It is true - this gardening nude gal has been "Guy-Vangelized." It all happened when I had the nerve to send the Alltop.com CEO an email proclaiming the pro's and con's of Alltop's website. His response was the equivalent of a very kind and personal kick in the fanny. His involvement with each and every customer, specifically ME, encouraged me to take a closer look at Alltop.com and see what it really has to offer.

What I discovered is shocking and amazing - Alltop.com is GREEN. That's right, Guy Kawasaki, CEO of Alltop.com, the guy with the big balls above, promotes living a green lifestyle. He and his Alltop crew do it by showing a fantastic searchable group of green and healthy blogs, all discussing sustainability, greening, and better health. I love it! Guy Kawasaki's Blog, "How to Change The World" also features regular pro-green blogs. The bottom line: we need more green websites to educate the world on the basics of greening and sustainability - and Alltop is promoting this.

You can search many specific topics on Alltop.com, like the "environment" or "gardening" (one of my favorites) or "news" and the result is a comprehensive list of fabulously referenced blogs filled with quality content. Alltop's list of green and sustainable blogs are definitely the best on the web.

Weeks after our initial email exchange, I come back to Guy, humble - tail between my legs - explaining my intense addiction to the Alltop.com site. I can spend hours searching the green and sustainable links alone. What a great resource. Utilizing Alltop.com has actually helped my business as I am able to access resources easily. Guy swears he did not kick my fanny, instead he says, "I just evangelized you!" Indeed. I have been "Guy-Vangelized." My life will never be the same.

Another few weeks pass and I find out that my very own Gardening Nude blog has been accepted as one of the "top" green sites on the web by Alltop.com. WOW! Apparently my hard work teaching people at the "grass roots" level about greening and building community, particularly for children and families, has been recognized.

::smiling and waving in my best red-carpet gown:: I'd like to thank Guy and all the staff at Alltop.com, my family, the academy, my pug, Harry, and of course my husband, Luis, for helping me to write an awesome blog.

Thanks Alltop.com - I'll be posting green and community building tips - all nude all year - and am thrilled to be a part of the Alltop family!

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

Get Your Green On Tuesday and in 2009 – A GREEN New Year's Resolution Guide

It is that time again: the time for New Years Resolutions. Here are my top five easiest green and healthy tips which will really help you and your family “get your green on” in 2009.

Make a GREEN New Years Resolution to follow these simple tips -

#1 – Recycle all soda cans and plastic bottles instead of throwing them away. Landfills are rapidly overfilling – this saves considerable landfill space. 

#2 – Convert all light bulbs in your home to Compact  Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs. Changing the light bulbs will also save you money.

#3 – Turn off the lights when you leave a room. This alone will save a significant amount of energy.

#4 – Give away your old clothes, appliances, and toys to a community assistance organization. It saves landfill space and promotes giving to the community. 

#5 – Turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth. Saving gallons of wasted fresh water every year can make a real difference for your community. 

There you have it - five of the easiest-to-do and inexpensive greening ideas ever. These new year resolutions are easy to stick to as well – so do it – get your green on in 2009.

Happy New Year!

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

Monday Whazzup - Is There a "Green" Snowblower?

"Tis the season for snowblowers. Just how green and sustainable are they?

After years of debate and justification over the purchase, last season the family finally gave in and bought an electric snowblower. Certainly a less green solution to hand scraping the mountains of snow we receive in the state of Illinois. However, a huge back-ache reliever and a much quicker solution to snow clean-up compared with our old mode of operation.

Electric snowblowers, although not as powerful as most gas guzzling, carbon emitting, snowblowers, are easy to use and generally less expensive as well.

Of course, without direct carbon emissions, electric snowblowers have the advantage of being much higher on the green and sustainable scale. Our Toro snowblower is so easy to handle, a small child could use it. Getting out in the winter weather is a delight when your back is not aching over hours of snow scraping.

If you really want to make a green statement - try a new manual snow clearing tool called a "Wovel." While it still requires physical labor, the Wovel website claims the Wovel Shovel is doctor recommended and the "World's Safest Snow Shovel." According to the site, "A University of Mass. independent study confirms the wheeled snow shovel clears snow with a fraction of the effort and [is]safer on the back: 'comparable to simply walking.'" Without a carbon emission footprint during use, this tool is a great idea for those concerned about muscle strain during snow shoveling.

Should you have a handicap or physical limitation, this shovel is still not the best choice, however. An electric snowblower would be easier to handle with very little effort. From a sustainability perspective, I find the Wovel a nice alternative to the traditional snow shovel which can help reduce muscle strain.

Here it is in action:

Living a green lifestyle is possible by doing a little every day. While many are afraid to go green, thinking it is an "extreme" choice, the truth is going green is easy, simple, and anyone can do it. Be mindful of your choices, like determining which snowblower to use, and soon your life will be much greener and healthier.

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

Get Yo Green On Tuesday - A "Green Teen" Activity During Winter Break - Recycle and REMIX!

It is Winter Break - that dreaded time when all parents sigh a collective groan. How do you keep your kids busy for two weeks of no-school-snow-day-filled holiday?

I have the answer: RECYCLE!

Teens and pre-teens are all about self-expression. Why not encourage them to pull out the old magazines, catalogs, books, photos, and art supplies and creatively build a poster board. Including newspaper and magazine cut-outs can be very artistic and encourages the reduce, reuse, and recycle mindset.

New York City has started its "Recycling Magazines is EXcellent (REMIX)" Television Campaign to encourage citizens to recycle catalogs and magazines. Reusing magazines and catalogs keeps them out of landfills and this is a great opportunity to teach your teen, and all of your children, what that can mean for our environment. Here is the latest commercial for the REMIX program -

Recyclables are picked up via curbside service here in our community, and fortunately magazines and catalogs are a part of that service. However, instead of simply tossing products into the recycling bin without a thought, why not consider alternative uses for them? Reusing products can be a fun artistic outlet, particularly for teens and pre-teens, and the perfect activity for a snowy winter break day.

Activities which include a lesson are always great for kids. They learn without realizing they are getting an education. Teaching your kids how to recycle new products is just the beginning. If you have a houseful of children, baking is the perfect activity to occupy their time; measuring means counting and math. It IS the season of love, giving, and SUGAR - - spend some quality time together enjoying the best of what that offers and BAKE COOKIES.

Spend some time this season teaching your children how to be green and how fun activities can teach surprising things. Your kids will be happy to enjoy some special time with you and the holiday break will go by quickly. Happy Holidays!

www.thecasualgardener.com or The Blogs - www.gardeningnude.com or http://thecasualgardener.blogspot.com

Green and Simple Tip - Turn Water Off When Brushing Your Teeth!

The simplest and easiest green thing that everyone in the world can do with no trouble at all?

CONSERVE WATER AND TURN THE FAUCET OFF WHEN YOU BRUSH YOUR TEETH!

It is so easy a child can learn to do it as demonstrated by my eight year old this morning:

  

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

Get Yo' Green On Tuesdays - Dangers of Christmas Lights, Garden Lights and Mini-Light Toxins - A Christmas Light Product Warning

Get ready to be shocked: holiday lighting, is poisonous! Every year my children and I decorate our tree with holiday lights - so do millions of children and parents around the world. Did you know that these lights are filled with lead and that by handling them, your family is exposed to lead? Nope? Neither did I.

Like other holiday revelers, I decorate my tree from lights I have had for over twenty years - before the day when holiday lights had warnings on the boxes. Typically, I buy the lights, then recycle the boxes once the lights are up. When it is time to take the lights down, I store the strands wrapped in rubberbands to keep them from knotting together until we do it all over again the next year. Imagine my surprise when I finally bought new lights this season and examined the box carefully. There were multiple warnings on the back of the box stating that the light strands contained lead in a significant amount.

This year, the holiday lights I purchased came from Target and are the Philips Multi-Heavy-Duty Mini-Light Set. After I purchased them I read the box, saw the warnings, and returned the lights to the store. Guess what? After searching all of Target, Walmart, and many other retail outlets I could not find a single light set without a lead content. None. Nada. Zip.

It is particularly important to be cautious with products which have a lead content. Lead is poison to our children and many people are concerned about the toxic level of chemicals in our household. Millions of holiday lights are put up every year BY CHILDREN. My concern is not to stop using these lights, but to educate on the proper way to put the lights up so less people in our community are exposed to toxins.

When I discovered most mini-light sets have lead, I decided to use common sense and assume that all the lights I have - the older sets particularly - have lead content also. Keeping the Philips Multi-Heavy-Duty Mini-Light Set, I used surgical nitrile exam gloves which I use when gardening to install the lights. Afterward I threw the gloves out and washed my hands well. For safety's sake - teach your family and friends about this danger - use gloves when installing all your holiday lights and wash well after the installation is complete.

 

Have a safe and toxic-free holiday season!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com or The Blog - www.gardeningnude.com

Monday Whazzup - Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle Holiday Gift Wrap and Christmas Paper - You Can Make A Difference!

 

Today's blog is an excerpt from Shawna's green and healthy newspaper column, "The Casual Gardener." Enjoy!

Every holiday season, my family receives, saves and reuses dozens of greeting cards which come in the mail. Cut off the more decorative part of the card and save it for next year. When the holiday season arrives, use the card “front” as a gift tag for presents and as postcard greetings to send in the mail.

Another great money saver is to put aside gift bags which you might have received from last year’s holiday season and reuse them. Finding and saving decorative shopping bags throughout the year is a great idea as well. With a holiday bow, a “greeting card” gift tag, and some ribbon attached, the shopping bags look as beautiful as any traditional gift bag out there and it costs so little to use them. Recycling old gift bags by reusing them is great for the environment.

When my family runs out of gift bags, it is time to turn to the saved wrapping paper. Yes, it may sound “cheap” to some, but I say it is smart! Reusing expensive wrapping paper is a huge money saver. It is impossible to save all the wrapping paper, yet if a big hunk of beautiful paper is lying on the ground after the holiday extravaganza, do not roll it into a ball and throw it out. Instead, pick it up, fold it, and place it in with the other wrapping supplies for next year.

Newspaper is also a great wrapping paper. All year long we receive Sunday comics from relatives who receive a newspaper and know my children love to read them. When my kids are done with the comics, they fold them back up and save them with the wrapping supplies. Sunday comic wrapping papers looks beautiful if topped with a holiday bow (also saved from last year). One of the most gorgeous holiday trees I have ever seen was covered in all red decorations and had presents topped with giant reusable red ribbons – the presents were all wrapped with black and white newspaper.

Even the family mascot, Harry the Pug, can see the difference between a tree that is decorated with recycled wrapping products versus non-recycled - it is tree built with love.  We all are proud and happy to see all the wrapping paper we were able to reduce, reuse, and recycle. 

Remember, when you finish unwrapping presents on Christmas morning, be sure to place the crumpled paper in the recycle bin and keep the rest for your secret money-saving, environmentally-friendly wrapping stash.

Happy Wrapping Holidays!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com or The Blog www.gardeningnude.com

Get Yo' Green On Tuesdays - How to Save Money and Save the Earth During the Twelve Days of Christmas

I'm dreaming of a green Christmas, Hanukah, and Kwanzaa. In an amazing salute to the holidays I have created my very own GREEN "Twelve Days of Christmas" Sing-A-Long.

Wanna be green this season? More ecologically friendly? Well, start humming the tune - everyone sing with me now:

On the first day of the holidays I'm giving the gift of green; 

and converting to CFL light bulbs.

On the second day of the holidays I'm giving the gift of green; 

I'm sending email cards, and converting to CFL light bulbs.

On the third day of the holidays I'm giving the gift of green;

I'm using a live tree, sending email cards, and converting to CFL light bulbs.

On the fourth day of the holidays I'm giving the gift of green; 

I'm reusing bows, using a live tree, sending email cards, and converting to CFL light bulbs.

On the fifth day of the holidays I'm giving the gift of green; 

I'm GIVING ORGANIC WINE, reusing bows, using a live tree, sending email cards, and converting to CFL light bulbs.

On the sixth day of the holidays I'm giving the gift of green; 

I'm wrapping gifts with fabric, GIVING ORGANIC WINE, reusing bows, using a live tree, sending email cards, and converting to CFL light bulbs.

On the seventh day of the holidays I'm giving the gift of green; 

I'm using LED light sets, wrapping gifts with fabric, GIVING ORGANIC WINE, reusing bows, using a live tree, sending email cards, and converting to CFL light bulbs.

On the eighth day of the holidays I'm giving the gift of green; 

I'm buying locally made gifts, using LED light sets, wrapping gifts with fabric, GIVING ORGANIC WINE, reusing bows, using a live tree, sending email cards, and converting to CFL light bulbs.

On the ninth day of the holidays I'm giving the gift of green; 

I'm giving a farm co-op membership, buying locally made gifts, using LED light sets, wrapping gifts with fabric, GIVING ORGANIC WINE, reusing bows, using a live tree, sending email cards, and converting to CFL light bulbs.

On the tenth day of the holidays I'm giving the gift of green; 

I'm preparing an organic meal, giving a farm co-op membership, buying locally made gifts, using LED light sets, wrapping gifts with fabric, GIVING ORGANIC WINE, reusing bows, using a live tree, sending email cards, and converting to CFL light bulbs.

On the eleventh day of the holidays I'm giving the gift of green; 

I'm giving recycled products, preparing an organic meal, giving a farm co-op membership, buying locally made gifts, using LED light sets, wrapping gifts with fabric, GIVING ORGANIC WINE, reusing bows, using a live tree, sending email cards, and converting to CFL light bulbs.

On the twelfth day of the holidays I'm giving the gift of green; 

I'm composting holiday dinner waste, giving recycled products, preparing an organic meal, giving a farm co-op membership, buying locally made gifts, using LED light sets, wrapping gifts with fabric, GIVING ORGANIC WINE, reusing bows, using a live tree, sending email cards, and converting to CFL light bulbs.

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com or The Blog - www.gardeningnude.com

Monday Whazzup - Fixed Income? No Problem - Earn Money By Being Green

Economical difficulties are hard to face, particularly through the holidays. Want to take a few steps towards better greening that literally earns you money?

Here are my top three environmentally friendly tips which can put cold hard cash in your hands for the holidays:

#1 – Once a month recycle all the aluminum and metal you can at a local recycling center that pays you for your aluminum. Have non-recycling friends? Great! Give them an old box and ask them to save their old aluminum and metal for you - recycling and getting more people in your community to do so is a win-win for the earth.

#2 – Sell old clothes, tools, appliances, beauty  items, toys, and all items you cannot recycle via traditional routes on an online auction website such as eBay. You are saving these items from the landfill and making income at the same time.

Tips for selling on auction sites - start auctions out at a lower bid price for more response, give clear descriptions, group attractively together and photograph in "lots" to get a higher price for the items, and keep shipping prices as low as possible.

#3 – Get together with all the neighbors in your community and have a "Winter Extravaganza" garage sale. Bundle up in your winter coats, clean out your old garage mess, advertise well, and sell hot cocoa and cider along with your old household items. Nice way to earn some extra spending cash and build community!

Go green, practice conservation, save landfill space, and earn money while you do it!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com or The Blog - www.gardeningnude.com

Get Your Green On Tuesday - Shower Together and Conserve Water

Drought is not seasonal in most of the world and water is becoming increasingly scarce within the United States as well. What does this mean for the average person? It means that conserving water and not wasting should be something everyone considers every day.

The solution? Shower together! A brilliant answer to a difficult problem, don't you think? Ask any child in your household this question, "Wanna shower with the dog?" The answer will be a resounding, "YES!"

Harry the pug is often seen showering with various members of our family. He is not fond of showering in general, you can usually tell by how his ears sag miserably and his tail straightens out. His body looks like a frown. I know what he is thinking, "I hate you. I hate water. I hate blueberry shampoo." The kiddo, however, is delighted to share shower water and create an instant dog-wash at the same time.

Harry the pug (the one with the straight tail and pitiful eyes) and the youngest kiddo (the one with the bruised up legs and extra white untanned feet) conserving water together in the shower. 

There are many other ways to conserve water around the home besides showering together, below are my top five tips:

1. Utilize water saving toilets and shower heads.

2. Do not let the water run when you are brushing your teeth or shaving.

3. Plant drought tolerant plants in your garden to reduce water needs.

4. Use the dishwasher and clothes washer only for full loads.

5. When you are waiting for the water to get warm in the shower, place a bucket under the shower head to fill. Water plants inside or outside the home with this extra water. Toss any leftover water outside in the grass so it goes back to the water table instead of going through the storm sewer system.

In my family we often discuss water conservation. Why? Because if you do not discuss it at home with your children, how are they going to learn about water conservation? When you have a giant perennial garden which is hundreds of feet long you might spend your entire summer watering unless you plant the garden with conservation as a consideration. Also, our community, Warrenville, Illinois, takes its water from the water table instead of Lake Michigan, like many suburban communities do. Chemical use can destroy the water table and too much residential and commercial use can lower the water table before it is replenished by rain. Therefore, water conservation is critical to our community.

It is easy to teach your family to conserve water. My children are the first ones to "fill up the bucket" for water conservation and help our community help itself. Choose one of my favorite tips above and get started being environmentally friendly and conservation conscience today!

Are you surprised to learn that Harry the pug, the water conserving shower-hater, would be perfectly satisfied if he never had another shower ever again? One look at his face in the below photo and his opinion is crystal clear.

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community! www.thecasualgardener.com or The Blog - www.gardeningnude.com

Get Yo Green On Tuesday - Touch Nature and Be Healthy

Getting your green on means more than recycling and removing chemicals from your property. Being "green" means to make a conscious choice to spend more time out in nature enjoying the real world.

Today children often grow up thinking that "the real world" is what is perceived on television and in computer games as reality. However, there is no substitute for the beauty of nature. Breathing fresh air, living in the sunlight, and sharing nature from an up-close perspective is an amazing experience.

Take Katie Kleinwachter's recent experience, for instance. She and her father went for a walk in the prairie and found this young Meadowlark. After she had the experience of holding the bird, Katie said, "You can't see this stuff from the couch!" Indeed. I couldn't have said it better.

Get outside with your family and friends. Spend time in nature year round and reap the rewards. Being out in nature gives you a stronger sense of community and the environment, it helps you to be energized and stay physically healthy, and most importantly, it gives you a sense of the greater world and how you fit into it. Being exposed to nature helps build good mental health.

Shawna Coronado says Get Green! Get Healthy! Get Community!

www.thecasualgardener or The Blog - www.gardeningnude.com

Get Yo Green On Tuesday - Darth Vader is In My Garden!

This green tip is an updated excerpt from Shawna's newspaper column on greening and gardening; The Casual Gardener (www.thecasualgardener.com).

Allergies!!  I got’em!  Particularly to molds.  Fall is a season which brings misery to me, even with my positive health routine. So it might surprise you to find out one of the conservation secret ingredients in my garden is composted leaf mold! 

It seems an irony that one of the best things for your garden drives me to wear an industrial respirator mask.  My  neighbors and children laugh and call me Darth Vader. Although they’re more likely to say, “What the *%$& are you doing with that THING on?” My cat sits in the front window and stares hard at me in terror. Even Harry the Pug barks at me until his little doggy voice is hoarse.

It seems crazy that this sexy costume is my jewelry of choice during the mold season - which, in my neck of the woods begins when the leaves start to fall and lasts until the first hard frost of the year. Yet the truth of the matter is I am not willing to give in to adversity and let the allergies win. In my opinion, exposure to the sunlight and being outside in the garden is healthy and makes me feel like a million bucks – even if I sometimes have to wear a mask. And besides all that – leaf matter is conservation GOLD to your garden.

Monday Whazzup - How Being Outside in Nature Can Help with Stress and Improve Mental and Physical Health

Being outside in nature is a joy. It energizes we humans by increasing the flow of the essential brain chemical, serotonin, and it grounds us with a sense of restoration and healing. Being "green" means so many different things, but it is far more than recycling and watching our carbon footprint. One of the most important keys to being green is exposing yourself and your family to nature and the outdoors.

Being outdoors is also a great way to relieve stress. For example, exposure to the outside world in middle of a stressful work day revitalizes the mind. Taking a break out of doors means a fresh breath, a bit of exercise, and we can easily return to conquer the corporate world. To confirm this thought, Dr. Richard O'Connor author of Undoing Perpetual Stress (www.undoingdepression.com), writes "It [nature] makes us feel more real - grounded, substantial. It quiets the noise in the head. It makes us part of a common humanity."

Photo of an early fall Prairie Sunflower at Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory, in Illinois.

This summer and fall my children and I have spent many hours on a bike path that leads into the Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory prairie. Within a short walk from my home, I can see prairie, lakes, forest and wildlife of all kinds. Thirty minutes - a lunch hour - spent walking in a prairie will do miracles for your mental health and is good physical activity as well. I often stop and get up close to the wildflowers and nature around me - there's something humbling and beautiful about a close-up view of a prairie flower.

Not everyone is lucky enough to have a prairie within walking distance; but it is easy to accomplish a similar feeling by simply being exposed to the sky and clouds. If you are out running errands, park as far from a store entrance as possible and walk for a few minutes taking deep breaths and looking at the sky and trees. Even in a parking lot, exposure to the outdoors brings a special kind of relief.

This special type of greening - exposing our family and ourselves to nature - is what we should all be practicing every day to relieve stress and enhance our mental health.

Get outside and live green - make a difference in the way you feel every day!

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community!

www.thecasualgardener.com or The Blog - www.gardeningnude.com

Get Your Green On Tuesday - Costco is Green - SURPRISE!

As a green lifestyle guru, my advice and focus has not been the mega-centers of the world. I cannot be certain that buying paper towels in economy size is good for either my family or the world from a green perspective, but having said that, you must know my secret; I am a Costco addict.

What triggered my interest in understanding the green side of Costco is when I saw this "Dump No Waste Drains To Stream" label on a drain in the parking lot:

Storm drain pollution is a major environmental problem for the United States. When people dump chemicals in drains, it often ends up in our streams, rivers, lakes, and even the ocean. These chemicals are killing wildlife and people; it is making our environment sick. Seeing this sign in a Costco parking lot was an inspiration. Costco is trying to make a difference.

It is true - my first thought was that perhaps this is a fluke and is all Costco is doing. Believe me - I am not being paid to write a review on Costco or show them in a positive light - but after some heavy research online, I have discovered Costco is not so bad. The local Costco turns off their lights regularly during the day - skylights brighten walk-ways and there is no need to waste electricity. I have researched their organic products and vegetables and they seem to be quite legitimate (and tasty I might add). Costco sells eco-detergents and other good-for-nature products - all in recyclable containers. They discourage excessive waste and recycle all the packing boxes for customers - as "take home" containers for their products instead of using plastic or paper shopping bags.

There are a few negatives. To deter theft they sometimes package small items in large packaging, but on a positive note, it is mostly recyclable packaging. Sometimes I see an inordinate amount of non-organic fresh fruits or vegetables at Costco - during the off-season - this is a sign they are flying fruits and vegies in from all over the world and that uses a lot of carbon. However, they balance this by purchasing some products locally like beer from local micro-breweries.

It seems that Costco is also doing some good things for its community. The CEO caps his salary so he can bring benefits to the employees. All employees are encouraged to combat stress and live a greener life through their health program. Costco is very socially responsible with fair wages and continuing to pay military employees when in Iraq. They also donate and give to local charitable organizations.

Overall, I am surprised, and yes, just a little happy that my obsession and addiction to Costco can be viewed in a positive light. It it perfect? Well, no... but making the attempt is more than most retailers ever get to. Costco is TRYING and that is worth supporting in my mind. I want my readers to do the same thing - make an effort to make a difference. Every little bit counts - as Costco is demonstrating.

Shawna Coronado says Get Healthy! Get Green! Get Community!

www.thecasualgardener.com or The Blog - www.gardeningnude.com

Monday Whazzup - Educating Children About The Meaning of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

This weekend my eight year old daughter came to me, held up a toy perfume atomizer and said, "I have invented a breath freshener! Wanna try?" Ah... a cure for morning breath. Awesome.

My daughter breath freshening her dolls.

"Of course, let me try the cure for horrendous smelling breath!" She squirted a liquid in my mouth. Hmmm... tasted kinda mintish with a hint of clean. I asked for another squirt. Hmmm... reminds me of water. Only a slight change in the smell of my breath, however, I was drinking coffee prior to the taste session and that takes a mighty powerful cure.

Without skipping a beat I looked her in the eye and said, "How is it good for the environment? How is this remarkable product of yours 'green'?"

This threw her into a stuttering reply much like the recent Kouric/Palin interview, "well... uh... uh... hmmm..." She then walked off aimlessly looking at the ceiling.

Five minutes later she came running back with joy spattered all over her face, "I've got it! I have an ingredient that's recyclable." Apparently, the breath freshener was developed in a laboratory (the kitchen) by a professional (her) with only the best ingredients (water, toothpaste, and pulverized Altoids). These delectable ingredients were made into a fine mist spray you can squirt in your mouth via a toy perfume atomizer for a refreshing morning breath cure. Not a thing that's recyclable that I can see. "Remember, Mom? We recycle the Altoids boxes for underprivileged children to hold crayons in."

So close! She's almost got it, but recycling packaging is not the same as a recycled or rescued ingredient. With a twinkle in my eye, I smiled at my soon-to-be lecture victim. She looked warily back at me thinking, "Oh oh - looks like a lecture." Carefully, I explained what "reduce, reuse, and recycle" means.

How will our children understand the concept unless we discuss it with them at home? They, of course, will learn to recycle by watching and imitating our actions, but considering most schools fall woefully short in teaching children the basics about how to be good to our environment, I decided this was my special opportunity to educate a young mind.

Surprisingly, she participated in our discussion. She enthusiastically told me ways she reuses her craft supplies and toys instead of throwing them out. We talked about our home reduce, reuse, and recycle practices and how these things touch the world and make it better. It was a wonderful conversation between a mother and her child, and I hope you also have a similar conversation with children close to you. Educate them so they make better choices the rest of their lives.

After our talk she ran off to play, but came dashing back after she remembered an important point: "WAIT! One of the ingredients was recycled because I saved it from the landfill!"

My heart went pitter-pat, the child actually understood my lecture. She got it! She saved something from the landfill! Choirs were singing. Happy people were dancing. The world is filled with rainbows and unicorns! IT IS A MIRACLE!

Smiling, eyes brimming with tears, I asked, "What was it that you saved from the landfill?"

"The Altoid! I dropped it in the garage and was going to throw it in the trash, but THEN I decided to make breath freshener out of it instead." She grinned evilly at me and ran away before I could tackle her.

UGH! ACK! CHOKE! Well... she definitely saved an Altoid from a landfill, and I learned an important lesson: always ask your child where their scientific experiment ingredients come from.

Shawna Coronado says Get Health! Get Green! Get Community!

www.thecasualgardener.com or The Blog - www.gardeningnude.com

Get Yo Green On Tuesday - Dispose of Batteries Properly and Help the Environment

The green message of the day is this: batteries contain sufficient amounts of mercury, cadmium and lead to damage the environment if they are not disposed of properly. Currently, there are no completely safe ways of disposing of batteries. We can however, reduce the damage as much as possible and send batteries to special hazardous waste facilities to help protect our communities.