Her Guide to Green » My Green Life

Bees. Friend, Not Foe

dfritz — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 12:30:19 +0000

By Dena Fritz

Bees are most often given a bad rap because they are considered a pest when we are enjoying our outdoor time. They sting and it hurts, but most bees are not harmful unless you have an allergy and the good that they do far outweigh the negatives.

Bees play a major role in pollinating many of our favorite produce foods and without them, those foods may simply go away. Bee populations are dwindling due to a condition known as Colony Collapse Disorder. More than 25% of the managed honey bee population has disappeared, in the United States alone, since 1990. More than $15 billion a year in U.S. crops are pollinated by bees (according to the National Resources Defense Council). Protecting our bee population is paramount to keeping American tables stocked with quality produce and to maintain our agricultural economy. Foods that are affected by the vanishing hives are apples, oranges, lemons, limes, onions, cucumbers, pumpkins, cantaloupes, carrots, avocados, almonds, blueberries, cherries, cranberries and so on…

What is causing this collapse? Researchers think that there are many interwoven conditions that contribute to the lowest ever bee population in 50 years; Global warming, pesticide use, habitat loss and parasites.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated $20 million over the next five years for research but this will not be enough compared to the possible loss of crops that are affected each year. So far, no solution to this massive disappearance has been achieved. What needs to be done to help on our level; you can help keep these important pollinators healthy by attracting them to your garden.

Put a small branch or a cork in your bird baths. That way if the honeybees fall in, they have something to climb out onto.
If you leave to go on vacation, leave a hose on a very slow drip, so the bees have access to water.
Do a daily check for honeybees caught in spider webs, so you can free them.
Find out from your local nursery which plants the honeybees love, and plant some in your garden.
Plant native species
Avoid using pesticides
Create the right environment
You can keep hives.

Save the Rain

dfritz — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:30:22 +0000

By Dena Fritz

When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.
- Benjamin Franklin

Saving rainwater to hydrate your plants is a great idea. Rain chains are becoming increasingly popular and they are functional and pretty to look at. Easily installed, a rain chain can help you do your part in conserving water and helping our environment.

Available in copper, brass, aluminum and iron, the rain chain is not a new idea. The Japanese have been using this system for hundreds of years. Place a ceramic pot or a rain barrel below the chain to collect the rainwater. There are several different styles to choose from, cups, links, nature themes and other fancy designs. They are very affordable, usually $15 – $25 per linear foot. Landscape watering accounts for a 40-50% rise in household water use during summer months, the savings you experience from reusing rainwater can be quite significant.

Bamboo. Is This Grass Really Greener?

dfritz — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:30:20 +0000

Bamboo has become a hot commodity. Because of its rapid recovery it is assumed that it is the wisest choice for flooring, furniture, cutting boards, clothing and other items. Ok, for today’s botany lesson, bamboo (technically a grass, is usually compared to trees because of its wood-like properties) is widely regarded as one of the planet’s fastest-growing plants—some species can grow up to three feet in a single day. That means that the plants can be harvested and regrown in a jiffy: A bamboo plant reaches full maturity within three to five years, versus 40 to 50 years for many species of hardwood trees. If harvested correctly, so that a generous portion of the stalk and roots are left behind, the bamboo needn’t be replanted; it can simply regenerate. Fast growing trees are known to use more carbon which means less in our air. That is the good stuff.

Most of the processes used in bamboo-made products are not always green. Factories are using harsh chemicals to turn the bamboo into a soft enough fiber to form it. To turn the bamboo into planks, they must use toxic glues and formaldehyde. As popular as bamboo is, most production facilities exist in China and are not regulated. To boost yields the trees are fertilized and sprayed with pesticides which defeat the whole purpose. That is the not-so good stuff.

Some of the greenest bamboo doesn’t come from monoculture plantations but, rather, from award winning operations such as Madagascar Bamboo, which harvests naturally occurring plants from the edges of farms. (The farmers used to think of the bamboo as a valueless annoyance.) This provides cash for crops which is given back to the farmer locally; it decreases pressure on forests, conserves rare hardwoods and is a sustainable product. When selecting bamboo products such as natural wood flooring, make sure you are using a company that is regulated, is helping out the local farmer and that the manufacturer is committed to social and environmental responsibility.

Green Glossary of Terms

dfritz — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 12:30:25 +0000

This glossary is by no means comprehensive. It is meant to help guide you in your quest of a better understanding. It is made up of simple terms with simple definitions that you may have seen or heard and just didn’t know the meaning.

Biodiesel – fuel for diesel engines made of renewable organic raw materials as opposed to fossil hydrocarbons

Biodynamic – of or relating to a system of farming that uses only organic materials for fertilizing and soil conditioning.

Biomass – 1. the amount of living matter (as in a unit area or volume of habitat)

Biosequestration – is the capture and storage of the atmospheric greenhouse gas carbon dioxide by biological processes

Carbon footprint – A measure of the amount of carbon dioxide produced by a person, organization or state in a given time

Clean Energy – natural energetic processes that can be harnessed with little pollution

Compost – The decayed remains of organic matter that has rotted into a natural fertilizer

Conservation – the preservation and careful management of the environment and of natural resources

Ecocide – the destruction of large areas of the natural environment especially as a result of deliberate human action

Eco-friendly – marked by or showing concern for the environment

Emissions – Something that is emitted, especially the exhaust from a car

Endangered – in danger, at risk, said of something where there is a strong possibility something bad will happen to it (for example, a species in danger of going extinct)

Ethanol – ethyl alcohol: the intoxicating agent in fermented and distilled liquors; used pure or denatured as a solvent or in medicines and colognes and cleaning solutions and rocket fuel; proposed as a renewable clean-burning additive to gasoline\

Global warming – The theory that the world’s average temperature is increasing due to the burning of fossil fuels and other forms of energy resulting in higher atmospheric concentrations of gases such as carbon dioxide.

Green – 1. relating to or being an environmentalist political movement 2. concerned with or supporting environmentalism 3. tending to preserve environmental quality (as by being recyclable, biodegradable, or nonpolluting)

Green house gases – Gases that prevent heat from escaping from the atmosphere. This makes the earth warmer.

Greenhouse effect – Heating of the atmosphere that results from the absorption of solar radiation by certain gases.

Greenhouse effect – The greenhouse effect is caused by an atmosphere containing gases that absorb and emit infrared radiation. Greenhouse gases trap heat within the surface-troposphere system, causing heating at the surface of the planet or moon.

Hemp – is the name of the soft, durable fiber that is cultivated from plants of the Cannabis genus, cultivated for industrial and commercial (non-drug) use.

Hybrid car – An automobile powered by both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor

Hydropower – power that is derived from the force or energy of moving water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes

Industrial Waste – type of waste produced by industrial activity, such as that of factories, mills and mines. It has existed since the outset of the industrial revolution.

LEED Certified – The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), provides a suite of standards for the environmentally sustainable design, construction and operation of buildings and neighborhoods

Low impact – A sustainable landscaping approach that can be used to replicate or restore natural watershed functions and/or address targeted watershed goals and objectives.

Natural – existing in nature, not caused by people, existing in nature and not produced or caused by people

Organic – 1. using only few artificial chemicals. used for describing methods of farming and food production that use only a small number of artificial chemicals 2. relating to living things. Biology connected with, produced by, or obtained from living things 3. having parts that fit together well. Consisting of different parts that all fit together well 4. happening or developing naturally and continuously. Happening or developing in a natural and continuous process

Ozone – oxygen existing high in Earth’s atmosphere.

Petrochemical – any compound obtained from petroleum or natural gas

Recycle – to reuse or make (a substance) available for reuse for biological activities through natural processes of biochemical degradation or modification

Sustainable – 1. capable of being sustained 2. (of economic development, energy sources, etc) capable of being maintained at a steady level without exhausting natural resources 3. (of economic growth) non-inflationary

Toxic waste - Toxic waste is waste material that can cause death or injury to living creatures. It can be spread quite easily and can contaminate lakes and rivers. The term is often used interchangeably with “hazardous waste”, or discarded material that can pose a long-term risk to health or environment.

Tree hugger – An environmentalist; someone who shows excessive concern for the environment

VOC – (Volatile Organic Compounds) are chemicals which emit vapors while evaporating. The VOCs in paint come from the substances added to the paint to encourage proper drying. A high VOC paint will give off a strong odor when wet and a lesser odor while it dries.

Hang it Out to Dry

dfritz — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:30:24 +0000

I remember when I was a young girl and my grandmother used to hang our clothes out to dry on a clothes line. I used to help her pull the clothes down off the line and put them into a basket. We would collect the clothes pins and put them in a small cotton bag that my grandmother sewed together. It clipped to the line and would slide down the length of it so you could reach the pins conveniently. What fond memories! Little did I know that we were being eco-friendly. That term didn’t exist back then. We used a clothes line to take advantage of the fresh, clean smell that the outside air gave to our laundry. Companies now try to duplicate that smell in a bottle or a dryer sheet. As iconic as the clothes line was and all-Americana, it is a thing of the past. Housing developments think that clotheslines are eyesores, some even ban them. It’s difficult to use a clothes line when you live in an apartment building or in close housing situations. With our ever-busy society, people are using electric appliances to make the job easier and faster. By using these methods we are adding to the growing problem of global warming and the deterioration of our earth.

Electric Clothes Dryers are detrimental to our environment. They leave off significant amounts of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere every day, over a ton a year per household! If you use them, synthetic dryer sheets are also full of petrochemicals that are emitted into our air. I found this website that is solely dedicated to drying your laundry on the line. Called LineDryIt.com, this site is based in Australia where line drying is still a prevalent way of life. They have many new alternatives to the old pole-in-the-ground laundry line like my grandmother used. Some are hide away products, and not so obtrusive for those who live in a tight space or don’t like the look of a traditional clothes line.

Save The Reefs – What You Can Do

dfritz — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 21:12:51 +0000

Coral Reef Alliance

By Dena Fritz

It is predicted that within just a few decades our coral reefs will be reduced to piles of rubble on our sea floors. Sound shocking and over-dramatic? No it’s not. It is really happening and it’s coming at an alarming rate. Coral reefs are dying and scientists cannot pinpoint one cause in particular. It seems that the deterioration of our coral reef structure falls victim to global warming, sewage, inland agricultural run-off, overfishing, industrial waste, urban run-off, tourism, oil and gas exploration, to name a few.

Supporting MPAs (Marine protected areas) appears to be the best and most effective way to slow the large scale threat to the reefs. What this means is to actively monitor and manage the reefs for recreational damage and negative outside influences on or around endangered coral reefs.

Did you know that your actions right here in your local world can affect our coral reefs? Sustainability is of utmost importance of anything that you can do. Make an effort; it’s worth it and will affect this ever-delicate and precious gem that our world holds.

Things that you can do to help our coral reefs:

Hungry For Inspiration? Check Out FEED Projects To Get Your Fill

ealexandrakos — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 02:52:20 +0000

Lauren Bush and Ellen Gustafson of FEED Projects in Rwanda

As women, we have always looked to positive role models in whatever it we wanted to go after. Having an influencial female leading the way is inspirational and reminds us of the power that our fair gender owns. In trying to lead a greener life, I strive to find women that embrace the care of our Earth and do good with their time here. Luckily for each of us, I find that there is no shortage for incredible women dedicated to forging a way for a better world.

Lauren Bush and Ellen Gustafson are two of these women. These young talents with an eye for fashion, have started FEED Projects. This socially responsible company has the mission of ridding hunger, worldwide, by selling reusable bags. These 100% organic cotton bags are chic and durable. Not only do they help rid the world of single use plastic bags, but the proceeds are donated to provide food to undernourished people of the world. According to FEED Project’s website, 51,135,600 meals have been provided by the sale of 509,469 bags….I must say that this is a noble cause led by noble women. Lauren Bush and Ellen Gustafson have provided me with inspiration, and I hope they do the same for you! Check out FEED Projects website now.

Organic Cotton Bunny Blanket for Your Green Baby

ealexandrakos — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:54:04 +0000

Under the Nile Organic Cotton Bunny Blanket

I’m embarrassed to say that I have been completely oblivious to the massive number of baby items out there for green mommies! Until recently I really didn’t have a reason to be aware…that was until my sister became pregnant. She and her husband are expecting their first child in January, and I am officially in Aunt Elena mode.

Luckily for my future niece, I am going to do my personal best to make sure that the products and toys that surround her won’t harm her or our environment. In my quest for adorable baby products, I found Under the Nile Organic Cotton Bunny Blanket. This sweet bunny blanket is made of soft chemical free cotton, and has knotted corners for your baby to relieve teething pressure.

A blanket provides your precious little package with comfort, and you will get comfort in knowing that your baby is cuddling without pesticides. Check out Under the Nile Organic Cotton Bunny Blanket now. When my sweet little niece gets here, she will definitely be getting one of these soft blankies to curl up with!

And The Outstanding Recycler Award Goes To….

ealexandrakos — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:37:03 +0000

I pride myself on being a career minded woman with lofty goals. Outside of Her Guide To Green, I work in the financial industry for Millennium Wealth Management. I do my best at work to refrain from preaching about green living to my co-workers, because it’s not my nature to judge whether or not anyone chooses to make green decisions. I simply do my best, to do my part.

Last week I was out of the office in systems training, and when I came back to the office this morning I was greeted by a pleasant surprise…Millennium Wealth Management won an Outstanding Recycler Award for our building! It made me proud to work with such eco-conscious colleagues, and put a smile on my face. It never ceases to amaze me how powerful, and empowering it is when each of us makes just a small step toward a greener earth.

So to my incredible cohorts….congrats on making our office, and our world a better place!

Green Your Home With Plants

ealexandrakos — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:25:58 +0000

Currently, I live in a charming 200 some year old house that was converted into apartments. The walls are about a foot thick, and needless to say, it lacks good air circulation. Although the place oozes charm, I find that the lack of air quality really took away from the experience of living in such a great place.

Recently, due to the cold weather forging forward, I brought my plants in from my cozy front porch, and something changed…I could breath better! My plants, quite literally, breathed life back into my place. Because plants give off oxygen, they improve the air quality in your home. All day we are subject to pollutants in the air we breath, and it’s quite refreshing to come home and take a deep breath of clean, fresh air instead.

Right now, many home stores (Lowe’s, Home Depot), greenhouses, and grocery stores are selling the last of their summer plants for far less than normal. You could pick up a palm or ficus tree for a fraction of the cost, and they will flourish inside your home year round. Also, your home will gain instant decor-ability with plants, as they look beautiful and are greener for your lungs!