Sometimes Eco Lassie only has to look inside her pantry or cabinets to find home remedies that really work. All of these she’s going to mention have scientific proof behind them that they work — trust her, she’s a nurse!
Eco Lassie sees you’ve been scratching your head to find something neat for those last few people on your list. She’s searched for these unusual gifts for you:
Posted in eco holidays, food, gardening
One of Eco Lassie’s favorite parts of holiday decorating is putting those stockings across the mantel and then filling them up! It’s a good kind of challenge to find those smaller eco-friendly gifts to tuck into toes or stick out of the tops.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, as anyone who has looked at the covers of the magazines on line at the grocery will tell you. There must be a dozen new ways to prepare string bean casserole, not to mention that center of attention: the turkey. Can’t you smell that delicious roasting bird?
Posted in eco pets
EcoLassie knows that most offices are pretty savvy these days in terms of recycling paper and other products they use on a daily basis. Many also encourage the practice of not printing out emails or other documents that can be read on your screen.
But there are always nifty ways to turn that eco-style up a notch. Here are a few you may not have thought of to put into practice in your workplace:
If your office has a vending machine, make sure it uses recyclable products. But a far better option is to ditch those machines altogether and allow workers to make their own beverages. You will be surprised at how much you cut down on recyclables by ringing in your own mug, too. And toss in a few volunteers from your cabinet lurking at the back that no one uses at home anymore for visitors. Even Starbucks gives a cup discount for customers who bring in their own mug!
Start a carpool at your office for co-workers who live within range of reach other. Better yet, ask your employer to provide a bicycle rack outside so those who live within cycling distance can take advantage of saving money, gas, and emissions while they get their daily exercise.
Try soy-based inks if you use a commercial printer. Besides being better for the environment, soy-based inks support US crop growers The good news is they produce shaper colors, too, without the same level of emitted toxins from petroleum inks. These also allow for better recycling as their ink is removed easier.
Finally, turn off the machines you can when you leave for the night. Activate the sleep mode for things like printers and copiers. Some fax machines have a sleep mode, too. Use power strips for ease in turning machines and things like your desk cell phone charger off when you go home. Just hit the “off” button on the power strip and you’re set.
It’s easy to conserve, recycle and save when you take stock of your environment.
Posted in electronics, fast facts, green around the world, in the office
Just in time for the new school year, here’s an overview of some of the best eco backpacks for the students in your house. They are available at quoted prices from www.ebags.com for easier shopping and comparison.
Peace Frogs has been around for 25 years so, spreading their state of mind: Positively Peaceful Thinking. To that end, a percentage of their sales goes toward funding research into causes of the declining amphibian population around the world. They consider themselves not activists but definitely environmentalists. Their Day Trippin’ Backpack is constructed of recycled PET and comes in five designs, including a gray/white plaid and a neat purple frog design. With its large book space and smaller outside zippered compartment, this looks like a winner for $24.
Mountainsmith offers its Wazee 20 Recycled Backpack with a laptop compartment, which many older students require. Also recycled PET fabric, this one has a lifetime warranty against manufacturer’s defects. The dark grey body, great for hiding dirt, has a front ‘vest’ accent in green or sangria red. $32. 
You can get a smaller and more colorful one in the Clear Creek model with a slightly larger capacity for $40, and the biggest Red Rock is $55. Just how many books does your child carry? Reviewers said these packs were comfortable and roomy for a great price in recycled, material with compartments that are easily accessible, all good features.
For smaller tykes, Instinctive Bags carried its Trunk Pack in an adorable panda pattern in several colors for just $20. Made of recycled Polyester with a non-toxic backing, this bag has a lifetime guarantee and for a medium-sized bag, will hold a change of clothes along with that sippy cup. 
Their larger Inhabitant Pack has the same features for $48 and is available in a variety of colors.
Ecogear has global warming on their minds. Their bags are produced in a manner that tremendously reduces the amount of toxins put into the atmosphere while helping to reduce the amount of waste in our landfills. Made with planet-friendly organic cotton, PVC-free materials, and toxic-free dyes. Their larger Snow Leopard has a large capacity in three colors for $64. There are outer zippers and stretch pockets for smaller items.
Their smaller Ocean backpack comes in a gal-pleasing hot pink for $24, and their Panda Eco-Pack looks more like a purse, in three hot color choices, for $20. There’s a boy-friendly bright blue, a lime green, and this girlie pink.
Finally we come to Lands’ End and their Eco-friendly Lunch Pack and Backpack, big hits last year, made from 100% recycled fabric. Disappointingly, these are NOT available this year. The Customer Service representative I spoke with had no idea why they’d been pulled from their lineup. We both wondered why such a great idea had been taken off their product line. She was kind enough to ask her supervisor who had no reason, either. So if you have one, hold onto it. It may become a collector’s item.
No one from this site has received any consideration for reviewing these products.
Posted in eco kids, living green on a budget, school
Eco Lassie has been following the garden exploits of the rest of you with great interest. We’ve done a bang up garden this year, with sixteen raised beds, a first, that is giving us a huge bounty. That led to remembering the time we had keeping our pets out of ours in previous years.
There’s no question we love our pets and also no question that even the cutest of cats and dogs can trample, dig, crush, tear and leave their little presents in our nice rows of fresh veggies and flowers. What to do that doesn’t mean using the very kind of commercial repellent we’ve been trying to avoid?
Try soaking cotton balls in citrus (or mint or menthol) essential oils and place around the garden perimeter. Many pets are repelled by these scents. You may have to change the balls weekly or after a heavy rain until your pet figures out the garden is a no-go area.
Use rose prunings, if you have them, around the base of larger established plants. Paws, especially those sensitive cat pads, will not relish these thorny clippings and quickly find a new pathway.
The visual image of a barrier works wonders for cats and dogs. Try using floating row covers, which some of you may already by using to prevent insects and birds from feasting on those tasty shoots of budding plants and flowers. Planet Natural has the most reasonable I could find, and there are many other sites that sell the garden material on rolls. You can water and fertilize right through this light, breathable barrier without removing it.
Of course, there ARE some benefits to having our pets near our gardens. Cats will reduce the amount of mice, voles and moles if they are in your area; dogs scent and barking will keep deer and groundhogs at bay, or at the very least, in your neighbor’s yard!
Happy Gardening~
Eco Lassie has two dogs who, despite daily river swims, enjoy forays into a muddy marsh. Have you ever had the delightful aroma of marsh mud permeate your home? This is when they get a bath, from a gentle hosing down, to a full-onslaught lathering up in the outdoor shower.
What really is the best way to naturally bathe your pets on those occasions when they just absolutely need one?
The biggest concern in what kind of soap to use for your pets. There is a world of difference between human shampoos, regular pet shampoos and natural pet shampoos.
Human shampoos are too acidic for pets. Human skin pH (the measure of acidity versus alkalinity) ranges 5.2 to 6.2. But dogs skin pH is in the range of 5.5 to 7.5. A pH of 7 is your best choice, and if your pet shampoo label doesn’t specify pH, look for the phrase “pH balanced.” These will rinse well and not build up, and will also not strip the coat and skin of its natural oils.
Now on to the differences between regular pet shampoos and natural ones. While regular ones are often inexpensive, they are chemically based and often too harsh for your pet, producing difficult-to-rinse high lather. Pet shampoos don’t need a lush lather to work. Their strong fragrance can also upset your pet’s sense of smell.
To choose the best natural pet shampoo, read the ingredients list. You are looking for organic herbs, antioxidants, and moisturizers that will be in such things as aloe, coconut, sage, eucalyptus, wheat protein, amino acids and vitamin E. Jojoba oil provides deep cleaning, while comfrey extract acts as a conditioner to give your pet’s coat a silky feel. Cedar wood repels insects and is a great natural deodorant and coat conditioner. Other naturals that give your pet’s coat a great scent and keep insects away are lavender, citurs and chamomile. Aloe vera and oatmeal relieve the dry, itchy skin that many breeds with white coats are susceptible to, while other natural skin moisturizers are honey and tree tree oil.
Cat owners should read labels, too. Cats are more sensitive to some of the herbs and essential oils in pet shampoos, so be sure to read the label to see if it’s safe for your kitty, or choose one specifically designed for cats.
The How-to’s of bathing your pet don’t vary with the shampoo. I do my Spinone in our outdoor shower because of his size, but most dogs can be bathed in your tub, a special pet tub, or depending on their size, your kitchen sink.
Brush your pet first to dislodge dead hair, and if bathing in a sink or tub, line the bottom with a bath towel or rubber mat to prevent slipping. Some groomers recommend using cotton balls in the animal’s ears to prevent water seepage. Wet your pet thoroughly with warm water and apply a small amount of shampoo to the top of his cute head, then along his body and sides. Gently massage the shampoo and don’t worry if there is not a huge buildup of lather. Begin to rinse at the head and down the body until the water runs clear. Don’t forget his tail!
Towel dry your dog, while still in the bath if you can. Either allow to air dry, or use a pet hair dryer–human dryers get too hot. After complete drying, brush your pet and detangle any mats.
The upshot: You’ll notice your pet smells sweeter, flakes will be gone, and your pet’s coat will be silkier and fuller. The cucumbers are optional!
Posted in Uncategorized
As the weather turns nicer and people start making their vacation plans, many owners decide to bring their pets with them. Eco Lassie is happy to see that after researching air flight in the past, more and more airports and airlines are realizing that pets are part of the family to many owners, and are doing something about it.
With over two thousand pets traveling through its airport this year, Logan International in Boston has outfitted two ambulances that can respond to pet emergencies under their program “Passengers with Paws.” Paramedics, firefighter, police troopers and baggage handlers all receive special training in safely handling boarding pets, including bandaging pet wounds and giving CPR to “patients” as small as 20 pounds. The program came into being as more people travel with service animals, take pets on vacation, or by them from breeders across the country and have them shipped home.
Last year 39 animals died while in the care of airlines, according to the US Department of Transportation. An additional 13 were injured and 5 were lost, a hurtful tragedy to any pet owner. Airlines such as Delta and American are working to enhance handling procedures and providing regular training for employees responsible for transporting animals, as well as with animal-rescue groups in local areas. These groups also help to identify the best practices for pet care.
Logan’s classes are run by veterinarians or vet techs with a real dog to practice on. The class teaches proper ways to muzzle dogs, and how to apply a leash in an emergency. They also show how to get a pet out of a crate without allowing it escape: tip it upright, work a slip-led leash around the animal’s neck before righting it.
The program is run in conjunction with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, which provides vets to train workers, and the Animal Rescue League pf Boston, which now parks a pet ambulance at the airport to allow the transfer of sick animals to a veterinary hospital.
Posted in eco pets
Eco Lassie has asked The Artful Organizer, Shirley Jones, to guest blog today on the Save a School Foundation. My box is on its way!
Everybody I know has too much stuff.
As a professional organizer, I hear, “make it go away”, when my clients have things they don’t want any more. Donating to various charity organizations or selling excess inventory are options I explore with my clients. Too often I was told that there was “no market” for office supplies, older books, and boxes of pencils, pens, paper clips and staplers. I knew that couldn’t be true. It was my responsibility to find a home for these items – as an organizer, as an avid recycler, and as a member of the community.
If necessity is the mother of invention, then outrage is probably the father.
Last year I heard a story from my neighbor that both opened my eyes and made me angry. She’s a teacher at one of the local elementary schools and the end of term exit exam for the 6th grade class was given in 3 shifts because they couldn’t get enough pencils to give the exam to all the students at once. How could this happen here? These are the kids I will hire for my business, the kids who will someday read my X-rays and fill my prescriptions. These are the future leaders of our community and we can’t get them pencils? I was outraged.
I did a little homework and the picture got worse than I imagined.
School budgets all over the country are being cut dramatically and most seem to cut the classroom supply budgets first. Non-essential supplies go first. That’s just about everything you need on a daily basis to teach. Teachers are spending their own salary to buy pencils and paper for their students. “extras” like art supplies and music are dropped completely.
Clean Up Your Desk and Save a School is born
I asked teachers and principals for a wish list and. I expected these lists to contain specialty items like computers, microscopes and band instruments but most of the requests were for pens, pencils, paper, boxes of tissues and toilet paper!. (Try not to think about that too much.)
So, I started collecting classroom/office supplies from my customers and delivering them to schools in the area. Simple enough, I have stuff – you need stuff. Here you go. As I made my deliveries, I talked to the principals and teachers and the stories I started hearing were grim. There were huge shortages of almost all of the basic office/classroom supplies in every district and at all levels.
A friend wrote to the local paper about the program and classroom supply donations started pouring in. Companies who were downsizing called with cases of unused supplies, printing companies called with donations of misprinted pens and paper, homeowners called with extra supplies they have had in the garage forever, mothers with children’s books to donate, teenagers with book bags, retirement communities made Clean Up Your Desk day a regular event. It was overwhelming.
That meant we needed a new model for this campaign. We began working on Save a School Foundation and developed our formula for success:
1) Make it easy. People with stuff call our office and we arrange a date & time for pick up. That’s it. No sales pitch, no big paperwork process. Just call and we’ll come and get it.
2) No paperwork – No receipts, no dollar values assigned, no tax write off – just a guarantee that this material will be sent to a school.
3) Stay out of the politics – Why something goes wrong is not as important as fixing it. We can’t do all of it – but this, we can fix. That’s the role of the Save a School Foundation.
4) Find partners – Partner with the Parent Teacher Associations without joining them. Most PTA groups have a charter for only one school. Let the PTA groups fund other projects within their school. For example, one PTA group in our area funds the school nurse. Another group is working to get better playground equipment. The Save A School Foundation can and does assist any school with a need. We are not constrained by district, city, county, or state boundaries.
5) Who needs help? Find the schools in your area that need the most help. We made an Excel spread sheet listing the school name, the student to teacher ratios, the average family income in the school’s area, and the number of extra or after school programs offered by each school. Using this chart, we have targeted the schools with the “most immediate need”. Unfortunately, there are 39 schools in my area on this “hot sheet” now.
6) Get your whole community involved – We have established “Donation Stations” throughout the community so people can donate easily. This program is particularly successful for us in retirement communities and apartment complexes. The merchants in town have found they like the additional traffic to their stores generated by becoming a drop off location for Save A School. Enlist the aid of scout troops, philanthropic groups, or the business community groups.
Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.
I am not qualified to do any of this. I have no children. I do not teach. I didn’t even know where the schools in my neighborhood were. I certainly did not know what teachers needed. I was dropping off supplies to a local school and I saw the very human need in front of me.
I went into the office to meet the principal. In the office was a little boy of about 5 or 6 years old. He was sobbing in that particularly heart breaking way a little one cries. The office staff was running around looking for a tissue for the poor little guy. They didn’t have any tissue. They didn’t have a paper towel. They didn’t have any toilet paper. They finally gave him a T-shirt from the lost and found box and he continued to sob into that used shirt. It actually broke my heart. I can’t fix everything – but this I can fix. I bought cases of paper goods and delivered them later that week. (Yes, I admit it. I cheat a bit and buy things when I can’t get a donation fast enough, because it’s the right thing to do.)
There are lots of similar stories – each one has a human heart – each one makes my resolve to have a Save A School Foundation in every community that wants one.
I have been to one small migrant community public school and they only had 14 books in their little library room. When I asked the teacher/librarian about the obvious shortage, she explained, “Our students are almost all children of field workers who move from crop to crop throughout the seasons and often the books go with them.” She continues, “I like the idea that someplace, there is a field worker eating his lunch trying to read Tom Sawyer.” That may be a great visual for her but that school still needs more books. I can fix that. They get regular donations of children’s books from Save A School now.
Another school has a “band” because most of the 4th graders wanted to take music of some kind. So, they have a group of singers who chant the rhythm, a rubber band over a box group for the string section, and a pencil on a pot lid group keeping time for the marching band. They practice with great enthusiasm and some degree of skill but their teacher would like to have some classical music CD’s to share with his student to inspire them to even greater achievements. We are working on fixing this one now.
Save A School Foundation became a win-win-win for the donors, the schools, and for the kids. The huge growth of the campaign in just a few months indicates that the community will help if they are asked. So ask.
Anyone interested in starting a similar campaign, donate to the cause, or just wanting to chat about the project, can contact me at californiawonder@gmail.com or saveaschoolfoundation@gmail.com and I’ll be glad to help.
Shirley Jones is a professional organizer, lecturer, writer and a serial entrepreneur. She is the Creative Director of The Artful Organizer (TAO) a design and systems management company specializing in Elders-in-transition and repurposing projects. The parent company, California Wonder Company is a general construction company implementing sustainable products into residential housing and dedicated to the efficient use of resources for every project. She is a founding member of the Save a School Foundation which distributes donated classroom supplies to K-12 schools. For three decades, Shirley has balanced the art of good design with the science of order to save time, money and stress for her clients.
“Clean Up Your Desk and Save A School”
Here’s a wish list from the teachers:
AND some things you might not think about…
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!!
Posted in Uncategorized
