Seed-To-Table
Date: February 19, 2010 | Category: Food & Drink, Garden, Kitchen, The Home
Ever wonder how to get more involved in the ever-growing farm-to-table movement, aside from vowing to personally taste test everything on the menu from each new restaurant? Thanks to a tip-off from Daily Candy, it’s easy – get even more local… as in, your own windowsill. (more…)
Rain, Rain, Go Away
Date: March 17, 2009 | Category: Garden, Green Building, Stores & Resources, The Home
We’re all keeping a tight rein on our water usage, though for most of us, the thought of harvesting rainwater as an urban dweller seems nearly impossible. But Sydney-based architect, Sally Dominguez, has designed the Rainwater HOG, a modular water storage unit small enough for us city folks. (more…)
Red-Hot and Recycled
Date: February 6, 2009 | Category: Garden, Holiday & Gift, Home Furnishings, Lifestyle, The Home
From potted plants to window box herb gardens, you fill your inside with as much of the outside as possible – only trouble is that your secret garden is starting to resemble grandma’s greenhouse (or are we projecting?). Add a little spice with these Crate and Barrel exclusive cayenne vases ($19.95 each). (more…)
It’s for the Birds
Date: October 30, 2008 | Category: Featured, Garden, Pets, The Home
Even if ornithology isn’t your thing, it’s hard not to be lured by colorful fluttering outside a window.
Outdoor birds can provide hours of watch-time (for both you and your cat) so why not provide them with digs that are just as green as your own? Check out this birdhouse from Doctors Foster and Smith, which is made of 100 percent recycled milk jugs and is suitable for any small bird to nest in. Particularly perfect for wrens and chickadees, the roof can be opened for cleaning and the house comes with a wire hanger to dangle from branches.
The recycled birdhouse retails for $19.99. Certainly less expensive than investing in the indoor alternative and guaranteed to be better for all!
Composting Just Cleaned Up
Date: September 4, 2008 | Category: Garden, Kitchen, The Home
Composting has multiple benefits but can be a noxious proposition, if not dealt with properly. BioBag now offers a system that will rid you of the unwanted odor of rotting waste, while preserving the fresh nutrients you need to feed your backyard compost. (more…)
Avenge Your Garden
Date: March 28, 2008 | Category: Garden, The Home
The start of spring means we get to don our gardening gear once again and spend some quality time playing in the dirt. Unfortunately, weeds love the sunshine and warm weather as much as we do, and so our annual tug-of-war against them begins. Of course, we wouldn’t dream of putting toxic chemicals on our greens, but we have noticed that many natural and organic products don’t always do the trick. Luckily, EPA-certified Nature’s Avenger Organic Herbicide is coming to the rescue of our gardens, patios, driveways, and every other place we want weeds to stop growing! An organic herbicide with a citrus oil base, Nature’s Avenger has stood up in numerous tests against the leading synthetic herbicide as well as beating out other alternative and natural herbicides. It’s also biodegradable, quick working, and has the added bonus of leaving the smell of an orange grove in its wake. Nature’s Avenger is approved for organic production and is safe around kids and pets, so you can make tending your garden a family affair.
Wood You Like Some Protection?
Date: February 6, 2008 | Category: Garden, Green Building, The Home
To make sure your exterior woods are sustainable – meaning protected from water, swelling, warping and weathering – you need a good finish, and by “good” we mean a safe alternative to the toxic, flammable ones generally employed to do the job. That’s where Soyguard water repellent and sealer – free from harsh solvents and harmful VOCs (less than 50/L) – comes in. It utilizes a natural solvent, derived from soybean oil, to deeply penetrate the surface and encapsulate wood cells with a protective resin coating that’s safe for kids, pets and the environment, and is impervious to termites. Soyguard has the added effect of slightly darkening the wood, thereby enhancing its natural beauty. That’s getting the job done right!
I Want Worms in My Apples
Date: January 8, 2008 | Category: Garden, Green Building, Kitchen, The Home
Who knew kitchen scraps turned worm fodder turned plant fertilizer could be as physically beautiful as it is beautiful for the planet? DHLoveLife has the sleekest worm dwelling we have ever seen (though beauty does have a price…about 900 bucks). Made from bamboo on the outside and recycled rubber on the inside, this is an all around sustainable system. Your garbage is digested by your “pet” worms and they in turn transform your trash into a powerful plant supplement in the forms of worm castings and worm tea. Check out the easy spout for collecting the potent tea on Daryl Hannah’s “beautious bamboo worm bin.” Really, composting never looked so good. With these invertebrates pumping 5 hearts each, there is plenty of love to go around! To read more about worm composting, click here.
Mowed Over
Date: December 17, 2007 | Category: Garden, Lifestyle, The Home
Lawns cover nearly 40 million acres in the United States, making them our single most irrigated crop (in terms of surface area). Fossil-fuel-derived lawn fertilizers make up a 5 billion dollar industry. These chemicals pose serious health risks, with those most susceptible being small children and pets that use it the most! Run-off contaminates water and soil, negatively affecting microorganisms and aquatic life. One scary fact: a component of Agent Orange is found in 1,500 products marketed for lawn care. Plus, the green stuff is generally cropped using gas-powered mowers, and the remnants toted off to a landfill, where they decompose and release methane into the atmosphere. So it’s not hard to see why the green turf has garnered itself somewhat of a ghastly reputation among environmentalists. But, alas, many people are attached to their lawns (I admit I still have one). So, it is important is to learn how we can care for them in a way that alleviates their overt ecological disruption. Most importantly, you must kick the chemical habit. Proper watering, a little compost and the correct grass for your
conditions and you can have something safe for the little ones to roll around on. Though you won’t have that super tight look, think about looking for a no-mow variety of grass including buffalo and
creeping red fescue, or a strain that is local to your region. When you do mow, A NASA study found that by leaving the clippings in place, you can significantly reduce the need for fertilizers. And natural alternatives abound (check out our recent post on Terracycle). To learn more, visit SafeLawns.org and join their campaign to revolutionize lawn care. Or visit your local nursery and look for the SafeLawns display.
Consider Composting
Date: December 6, 2007 | Category: Garden, Kitchen, The Home
If you’re a composter, or have been throwing the idea around, this little guy will ease the back and forth between your kitchen and your main composting site – and do so in style. Of course, no one’s big on the idea of foul smells and bugs festering in their kitchen from putrefying food scraps. So when I found this stainless steel composting pail, I was not only excited about the lid with holes for aeration and charcoal liners to prevent any odors, but also about showcasing the bucket on my kitchen counter (it actually adds to my aesthetic!). When it fills up, you can quickly transfer the contents outside to your main pile or a green bin for pick up (check to see if your waste retrieval company supports this). Maybe it’s time to re-think where you toss that pomegranate peel?
