Eco Women: Protectors of the Planet!

Nitty Gritty Dirt Tips

July 6, 2009 · 1 Comment

enviro girl

What do plants need to grow?

Sun, dirt, water.  Much is made of positioning a garden so it gets at least 8 hours of sunshine.  People are quick to hook up sprinklers or find rain barrels to keep their gardens watered.  But what about the dirt?  How can you affect this third element of gardening?

First, test your soil.  It’s easy–many colleges, universities and county seats have soil testing labs where one can drop off a sample from your garden and have it analyzed for pH and nutrients.  Soil testing ranges from $8-$25 depending on where you live, but doing so can give you a LOT of information about how to fertilize and enrich your soil for maximum gardening benefits.  Most labs will offer suggestions for improving your soil, too.

Second, if you garden near a roadside, get your soil tested for lead.  Lead was added to fuel until 1990, leaving a heavy residue from exhaust concentrated beside roadways.  If you’re stuck against a street, it’s best to use raised beds or containers to grow your vegetables and avoid lead contamination.  Lead is heavy and concentrates in an area and several studies in other countries have shown the extent of roadside contamination from auto exhaust.  And tires are made with lead wheel weights for balancing.  These lead weights often fall off and end up in roadside ditches–leaving lines of lead contamination criss-crossing our country.  (On a happy note, Congress is working on banning the use of lead in wheel weights, thus eliminating this source of lead contamination.)

Third, don’t blindly spend money on that Evil Blue Chemical (AKA “MiracleGro”) to make your tomatoes bodaceous this season.  The best soil additive?  Compost.  Any decomposed natural substance will make your soil more nutritious for plant growth, hold moisture better and allow for the best air circulation for root growth. Compost will add structure to sandy soil and break up heavy clay.   Compost does NOT smell and is NOT toxic–it’s dark, crumbly and earthy-smelling.   If you aren’t into making your own compost, you can buy it nearly anywhere these days.

Fourth and finally, all gardens benefit from the addition of worm poop.  Worm poop (AKA “Worm Castings”) provide the very best fertilizer for plants. Rich in nitrate nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, worm poop is the digested dead plant matter that worms eat.  Worm poop as fertilizer does NOT smell, will NOT burn out your plants and will NOT harm anyone since it’s totally nontoxic.

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Traveling with Pets

July 3, 2009 · 2 Comments

ecolassieEco Lassie knows that your pet is part of your Eco Family and you want to take the same careful care of them that you do the rest of your loved ones.   As you make your summer vacation plans, what will you do with your pet?  Will you get a house sitter for Fido, or kennel Fifi when you leave on your jaunt?

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Maybe you’d like to take your pet with you for their fun and your companionship, or your pet sitter just bowed out.

If you’re not certain if your pet has the temperament to travel, ask your vet.  Evaluate how your pet travels on their trips to the vet.  Does she get car sick or become highly anxious?  Or does he revel in the new scenery?

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Some pets eventually settle down to sleep and enjoy sniffing new and strange lands.

Your mode of travel with your pet must be carefully considered.  Let’s see the challenges. http://tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:bw61RP3TnbK7KM:http://www.adog.co.uk/year-of-the-dog/dogs_in_car.jpg

BY AIR: Smaller airlines such as Southwest and Frontier only accept assistance pets, but larger airlines such as American, Northwest, Delta and United all have pet policies on a broader range.  Most airlines adhere to a day-of- travel temperature restriction if your pet is to travel as cargo: It can’t be above 85 degrees or below 45 deg. on the day of travel, and for snub-nosed dogs/cats (such as Bull dogs/Persians) that may be adjusted to 75 deg.  Most will not allow any pet in the cargo hold if the outside temp is below 20 degrees.  Check with your individual airline for their policy, and if a vet statement will waive this restriction if it’s close.

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Fees range between $100-$150 one way for a container pet in cargo.  Most holds are loud, poorly ventilated, and the temp inside can range between 50-70 degrees.  No collapsible kennels are allowed, and there are size restrictions.

Inside the cabin, pets usually must be less than 20 lbs and the cost ranges between $50-100 depending on the airline.

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Don’t sedate your pet: this affects your animals balancing ability and equilibrium.  Also, the high altitudes may cause cardiac or respiratory problems in sedated pets.

Most airlines do not charge or assistance pets, however proof of current rabies over 12 mos is needed for any pet. These are guidelines only for travel within the US.  You must research your airline for their particular policy.

BY CAR: By far the most common method of travel with pets is by car.  Cats travel better in a carrier, which should be restrained for sudden stops.  You can also crate dogs, but most like to travel looking out the window, although you should NEVER allow your pet to hang his head outside the window on a major roadway, and he or she should wear a safety harness and ride in the back seat.

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REALLY.  Remember those sudden stops?  The poor driver who swerves into your lane?

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Allow frequent stops at rest areas to allow your pet to exercise, have a drink and do his business. Carry a collapsible water container and a jug of water in case your stoppping point does not have a fountain.  Pets usually travel with just water and don’t need to be fed.  Bring a few treats if your day will be long but don’t worry about food until you stop for the night.  Most dogs can even fast for a day with no ill affects, as they do this in nature.  It’s water that’s key.

If you’re camping, keep your pet in your tent to avoid other pets in the campground and wild creatures such as raccoons, squirrels and insect bites.  Most pets take well to camping.

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If your trip means hotel or motel stops, searching for Pet Friendly accommodations has never been easier.

www.tripswithpets.com lists over 20,000 pet friendly motels, B&B’s, inns, resorts, and rentals.

www.petsonthego.com boasts 30,000 listings.     You should crate your pet if you leave him or her in your room to hit the pool or go out to eat.  Put out the Do Not Disturb sign, and let the maid know if possible, or your chocolates may be gone.

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BY SHIP: Most shipping lines only allow assistance dogs in staterooms, but there are a few that have pet kennels where you can go down and visit your pet daily.  Consult with your line.  There are more charter boats that will allow pets.  Many boat owners report that their cats and dogs make great sailing companions.

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BY BUS/TRAIN: Only assistance pets except for some small local train lines.  Many European trains do allow pets, but I’m talking within the US.

Last but not least at all, don’t forget a small First Aid kit when you travel with your pet.

Carry bandages, antibiotic ointment, gauze and antidiarrheal and antinausea meds.  Add an index card with the phone numbers of your vet, poison control hotline, and where you will be traveling and staying for handy access.

Add a tag to your pets collar indicating where you are staying on your travel route or your cell phone # in case you are separated.

With some forethought and preparation, Fido or Fifi will be happily enjoying your company poolside!

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When life gives you lemons…

July 2, 2009 · 4 Comments

RecyclaNow that it’s July, gardeners across the U.S. are starting to get a little nervous. This is the time of year when things get stressful, when harvests are looked upon with fear, and when every trip to the garden is filled with danger.

It’s Zucchini Time.

zuke1Yes, Eco Warriors, this is the time of year when, if you don’t visit your garden twice a day, your zucchinis will morph from cute little squashes into monsters that are heavy and could do serious damage if used on a baseball field.

Recycla is the only person in her family who actually really likes zucchini, so she doesn’t grow it.  Instead, she stocks up at the farmers’ market.   She likes her zucchini battered and fried, but mostly just lightly sautees zucchini in olive oil, which is simple but quite delish.

A little zucchini goes a long way and this particular vegetable can really overstay its welcome every summer. Gardeners everywhere are delusional in the spring when they put out their zucchini plants, thinking that one can never have too much. Come July, however, they’re begging neighbors to take some, as much as they want, please.

Did you know that you can easily and quickly preserve some of that excess and save it for the winter? There are two ways to do this:

  • The easy way: Cut it into half-inch slices, blanch it in a pot of boiling water for three minutes, transfer it to a bowl of ice water to cool, drain it, and bag it.
  • The super easy way: Grate it and freeze it in bags. That’s it.

You can use it in soups, sauces, casseroles, and anything you want to bake it in. Either way, you’ll have zucchini in January that is far superior to anything you could find at your grocery store at a fraction of the price, plus you didn’t have to buy a vegetable out of season.

How about the rest of you Eco Warriors? Any good zucchini recipes or stories to share?

→ 4 CommentsCategories: food · gardening · living green on a budget

more water, less soap

July 1, 2009 · 7 Comments

enviro girlEnviro-Girl heard on the news that people in Wisconsin are encouraged to keep an eye out for deadly blue algae–a bluish tinted plant growth that occurs in lakes and rivers that is extremely toxic to people and animals. Algae blooms are encouraged by fertilizer runoff from farms and lawns–phosphorus, an ingredient added to kick-start growth, was the target of a recent state ban on fertilizers with phosphorus and the subject of a new proposal: banning detergents using phosphorus. Washington State, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Michigan, Vermont, Minnesota, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York and Indiana have bans on detergents with phosphorus.

The use of phosphates to remove grease and stains from dishes and clothes has been widely accepted for decades–but phosphorus is really difficult to remove, eluding waste water treatment efforts and often flowing into waterways where it promotes algae growth, which takes up oxygen in the water, which ends up killing everything else swimming nearby.

One one hand, banning harmful substances is a great idea–it keeps the environment and people safer. On the other, this decision intrudes on consumer choice–many people claim phosphorus-free detergents don’t work as well.

Enviro-Girl uses Seventh Generation detergent and feels pretty satisfied with how clean her family’s clothes come out–she’ll dab some Oxy Clean on the occasional stain in a preemptive strike, but that’s it. Two years ago she switched to Palmolive Eco+ and while she sometimes has to wash a few things over by hand, her dishwasher is still a more convenient option.

The greener choice for protecting our water is to clean with phosphate free detergents, using high efficiency dishwashers and washing machine. Don’t rinse your dishes–the food stuck to plates makes your dish soap more effective–scrape plates and bowls into the compost pile or trash. Skip the dry cycle and let air do the work for you.

What’s your experience with phosphate bans, reader? Do you use phosphate free detergents? Do they work?

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One change at a time

June 30, 2009 · 5 Comments

RecyclaAs you can probably imagine, Recycla is passionately committed to doing her part to save Planet Earth.  She is always trying new things, whether it’s sampling a new product or testing a tip before she posts it here.

Here is a partial list of the EASY things Recycla does day in and day out:

  • Recycles all paper, glass, metal, most plastics, etc.
  • Also, REDUCES use of materials whenever possible.  For example, Recycla has nearly eliminated the use of paper towels in her house.
  • Uses almost all organic personal care products.  (Not 100%, but it’s still a good percentage.)
  • Buys organic foods, shops local, cooks most days instead of eating out, etc.
  • Takes cloth bags to the store.  (Not just the grocery store, but all stores.)
  • Turns lights off when leaving a room and (of course) uses fluorescent bulbs.
  • Bundles errands when driving, so as to minimize outings and save on gas.
  • Walks or bikes to errands when possible.
  • Uses reusable water bottles instead of disposable ones.
  • Uses cloth napkins for dinner almost every night.

That’s the good stuff. Then, there are the areas in which Recycla could do a better job.

For example, Recycla tried to get away from conventional mascara and tried a variety of natural options, but ultimately went back to the Dark Side.

Also, Recycla’s family does not use organic toilet paper.  While Recycla really didn’t care about the rougher texture, another member of her family did notice the difference and HE complained. The family is now back to using conventional toilet paper. Ditto tissues. And, no, cloth handkerchiefs are not an option as far as Recycla is concerned.

Another area in which Recycla could improve is shopping online. Shopping online means that the mailman or the Big Brown Truck of Joy has to make a trip to Recycla’s house to deliver the goodies. Those trucks use gas to get to Recycla’s house, lots of it. Recycla understands that it would be better if she instead shopped at stores in her town — bonus points if they’re locally owned. Recycla TRIES to do this, but she really does not like to shop, and so this is one area in which convenience often wins out over the environment.  To make up for this eco sin, she saves her orders until she has a significant quantity, so as to eliminate multiple shipments.

One issue Recycla wrestles with is the cost difference between conventional and eco products. When two products work equally well and there’s a clear reason why the eco one is better for the environment and/or human health, Recycla is going to choose the greener item nearly every time.  However, she is in a position to make that kind of choice, whereas it’s simply not an option for many families.

As you can see, Eco Warriors are not perfect. They are not 100% eco. The important thing to remember is that EVERY SINGLE THING YOU DO CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Even seemingly small changes can have a large impact, especially when lots of people make that change.

Now imagine if you made one change every single month and other people made a change every month. The changes would all have a positive impact on the environment and help save Planet Earth. So this is Recycla’s challenge for you: Try to do one new thing this month. Just one thing. See how it works out. Think you can do that?

→ 5 CommentsCategories: 3 Rs · issues

water, water everywhere

June 29, 2009 · 1 Comment

Last week Enviro Girl took a trip to Utah and en route she met a man who works for the U.S. Geological Survey.  They discussed all kinds of things geological — earthquakes, maps, topography, flood management and he explained that one of the BIG things the USGS is doing NOW is a long-range study of water.  Over 6,000 scientists are committed by the USGS to start addressing issues of drought and water safety.  Mr. USGS explained that concentrated levels of hormones and chemicals have raised the alarm, especially since most of our nation’s drinking water supplies come from closed systems — tap water goes to sewage treatment plants equipped to clean sewage out of the water, but they don’t filter out the smaller stuff that continues to be introduced into water systems — thus leading to more concentration.

In addition  to water use and availability, safety is of serious concern.  From agricultural chemicals like pesticides and herbicides to mercury and phosphorus, higher and higher levels are being detected in wetlands, streams and rivers.   Industrial waste leaves toxins in waterways and these toxins affect wildlife and plants.  Household contaminates like pharmaceuticals, cleaning supplies and even irresponsibly dumped materials like motor oil settle into city water systems. The signs of our unhealthy water use is already here:  drought in the southern and western states, fish and frogs losing their male sex organs, algae bloom taking over lakes and streams, raw sewage pouring onto beaches.

Clean water is a huge issue for life on our planet.  Water is essential for life, we need it and we need it to be potable.  Learn more about this important issue by watching Frontline: Poisoned Waters on PBS this week or watch the full program online.

Support clean water by doing your part:

*  Learn more about water safety issues

*  Support SmartGrowth and other land use initiatives that deter urban sprawl

*  Use phosphorus, biodegradable, natural cleaning supplies in your household

*  Ask your water management officials what your water is being tested and treated for

*  Preserve and create wetlands, prairies and wildlife habitats that allow water to be filtered naturally and preserve its integrity

*  Use water wisely, conserve it by using less

* And as always, reduce, reuse and recycle!

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Got ants in your pants? (Part 2 — giveaway winner)

June 29, 2009 · Leave a Comment

The winner of the EcoSMART Ant and Roach Killer giveaway is:  Jennifer Krieger! Congrats !!!

(Jenny, please email Recycla at the email on the About page and let her know your mailing address.)

Thanks to everyone for commenting.  The Eco Women will surely have another giveaway before too long.

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My Brother the PEST

June 26, 2009 · 11 Comments

By The Green Queen
Sammy the Slug

Sammy the Slug

When your little brother pulls your hair, he’s being a pest or when your older sister “borrows” your favorite sweater without asking, she’s being a pest, right?

Well, first we have to find out:

1) What is the definition of a pest?

I met with OSU Master Gardner Diane Cooper to find out the answer to that question and a few others.

OSU Master Gardner

OSU Master Gardner

A pest is an injurious or unwanted animal or plant – so YES, it can be your little brother or your older sister but it can also be a weed out in your garden.

So, if you have a pest out in your garden, should you use a pesticide to get rid of it?

First we need to find out:

2) What is a pesticide?

It’s anything with an EPA Class IV definition. This would even include Lysol. And the EPA is considering labeling foods like vinegar and citrus oils as pesticides too.

3) If I use pesticides to get rid of the pest (brother and sister excluded), what can I do differently?

Use ready to spray bottles rather than concentrates because if we buy concentrates and don’t use all the chemicals in one year, they might sit around for too long and start to leak, plus they are so strong that some can be very toxic.  And always maintain the original packaging so that you have the correct directions.

And read the labels. There are four classifications of pesticides and each has a scientific definition:

a)         Caution
b)         Danger
c)         Warning
d)         Extreme Caution

Make sure you know what you need.

And just in case, keep the Poison Control number handy: (888) 222-1222. They have trained nurses on hand to help.

4) How can I avoid using pesticides?

Be creative. Buy disease resistant plants. Make smart purchases and take care of minor problems before they grow into big ones (i.e. remedy poor drainage).

And just like people, plants don’t like to be overcrowded. Give them a little space.

5) How could one improve the quality of life in their garden without it costing an arm and a leg?

Stop buying pesticides/herbicides. You’ll save money. Instead, use alternative options like laying down black plastic over weeds. And have some patience. Organic gardening doesn’t give instant gratification. It’s a process.

6) What are some simple steps to improve one’s garden?

a)      Take care of soil – compost and mulch

b)      Choose plants wisely – go native (the plants will do better)

c)      Use steer manure

If you have more questions, leave them in the comments section or contact your local extension service to get a hold of your local Master Gardner.

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Quick Link: More on the White House garden

June 25, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Interested in what’s going on with the White House garden?  Check out this link about the First Family’s new efforts to create their own compost.

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Close your curtains

June 25, 2009 · 1 Comment

Want to help reduce your energy use during the dog days of summer?  Close your curtains.

Just by blocking out the light on the east and west sides of your house, you can keep the sun’s hot rays out and keep your house cooler.  Recycla angles the blinds on the east side of her house downward in the morning and opens them completely after lunch.  At the same time, she angles the blinds on the west side of her house until late in the day.

If this sounds like a lot of work, it’s not.  It takes just a few minutes and Recycla’s house feels cooler, plus her air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard.

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