Green Her Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is just around the corner.  What plans have you made?  How about going GREEN this Mother’s Day. Here are a few of my favorite ideas.

Spring is here and all thoughts go to gardening, how about making a special garden just for mom.

       

Here are some suggestions:  Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden, Cutting Garden, Kitchen Herb Garden, or Salad Garden.  You don’t need a large plot, and even if you don’t have a yard you can have a container garden.  Make sure you let the kids help pick out the plants. Check with your county’s Extension Agent about what works in your part of the country. Cooperative Extension is great resources for everything green and growing.

These are two of my favorite gifts, clean out the rain-gutters and give her a new rain barrel. If you have time let the kids paint the rain barrel. I am sure they will have plenty of ideas for pretty designs. http://www.caes.uga.edu/applications/publications/files/pdf/B%201372_2.PDF

Get up early on Saturday and take a trip to your local Farmers Market.  Make sure you take the kids, let them shop the stalls for fresh produce, eggs and cheese. Don’t forget to take your own bags or a basket. On Sunday you and the kids let mom sleep in, while you make her a special brunch from all the goodies you found at the market –

don’t forget to get flowers or even better a potted plant or herb filled window-box while at the Farmers Market.

http://www.pbs.org/food/recipes/classic-french-toast-with-honey-apple-syrup/

Take the kids to visit the local reuse store. Pick up a small table and interesting side-chair.  Use your artistic talents to redesign your finds.  Decoupage family photos on the table top and paint the chair in bright colors.  Remember to use VOC-free paints and clear finish.  Have fun with design. If you are up for more of a creative challenge here is a website with ideas on how to use pallets for all sorts of building projects.  http://willowhavenoutdoor.com/featured-wilderness-survival-blog-entries/2-cool-recycled-pallet-projects/

Pack a picnic and plan a family outing to her favorite garden.  If possible have the family hike or bike to the chosen location. Walk Georgia: http://www.walkgeorgia.org/

Plant a tree or perennials in her honor.

Shade Trees: http://www.caes.uga.edu/Publications/pubDetail.cfm?pk_id=7989

Flowering Perennials:  http://www.caes.uga.edu/Publications/pubDetail.cfm?pk_ID=6094

Donate time or a gift in her honor to her favorite charity.  Importance of Volunteering for Youth: http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/cd/2003/fs0323.pdf

Mom’s Spa Day at Home: Load her favorite tunes on her device and light a candle (soy-based) and hang a note on the bathroom door that says, “Do not disturb.”  Remember to clean the bathroom for her before you set up her spa. Here are a couple of homemade recipes for her Spa Day.

-       Facial: Mix 1 TBSP of mashed Avacado,  1 tsp of lemon juice, 1 tbsp local honey, ½ tsp of sunflower or sesame oil – blend with a fork – apply to face with upward strokes and leave on for 10 minutes – rinse with warm to touch water – pat dry and then mist with rose water.

-       Bath Salts: 1 cup of sea salt, ½ cup of sunflower oil, and a few drops of mom’s favorite essential oil – allow to dissolve in a full warm bath.

Don’t forget to end the day with the greenest gift of all a hug, a kiss and a thank you for all you do.

Renewable Energy: Solar and Wind

Is it supposed to snow on May Day? I just returned from a conference on energy in Fort Collins, Colorado. The hosts did a wonderful job showcasing all four seasons.  The first few days were close to 80 (great for solar power).  Then there was rain, which provided some relief from the drought. Finally, over 11 inches of snow! This is a good reminder that even though the calendar shows that it is springtime, we just can’t control everything, especially Mother Nature.

May Day in Fort Collins, Colorado

The conference brought together energy educators, specialists and researchers in Cooperative Extension from across the country to expand our knowledge, identify ways to collaborate, and increase energy literacy among consumers, youth and agriculture producers. We learned a lot about energy and different types of renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, geothermal, bioenergy, and hydropower. These sources of energy can help us meet our future energy needs. According to a report from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), by 2050 up to 80% of total U.S. electricity demand can be met by renewable sources of energy.

In recent years, the use of both wind and solar has increased greatly in the U.S., and worldwide.

Wind Turbine

Wind power generated more than 10% of the electricity in 9 states.  Wind accounts for about 24% of energy in Iowa and South Dakota.  Other states over 10% are North Dakota, Minnesota, Kansas, Colorado, Idaho, Oklahoma and Oregon. The U.S. Department of Energy provides state-by-state information on wind for homeowners, farmers and businesses.

Solar Energy on LaHouse in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

For most of us solar is a more realistic option, especially since the price of solar panels has been declining.  Despite some negative press, last year over 16 million solar panels were installed in the U.S.  One of the more common uses is to heat water, which can reduce water heating bills 50-80% on average. Data on cost savings are available from the Department of Energy, along with information on state tax credits, rebates & savings.

A simple low-cost way to try out renewable energy is to install solar-powered pathway and outdoor lights.

Building more Resilient or “Wash-N-Wear” Housing

Have you ever considered how resilient your house is to damage from natural disasters? I am talking about things like flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, hail, straight-line winds, and even droughts.  I am attending a workshop put together by LSU Extension that focuses on how we can create homes that are more resilient to the disasters that at one time or another affect all of us.

Think about building a “Wash-N-Wear” house.  I borrowed this term from Dr. Claudette Reichel with Louisiana State University AgCenter (LSU), who may have borrowed it from someone else.  It’s a great way to look at the resiliency of your home to natural disasters.  For example, right now several parts of the U.S. are facing flooding.  Think about what you could do to your home to help minimize flood damage.

1. Use flood hardy building materials like paperless drywall
2. Choose a flooring material that is restorable, such as tile or solid plank
3. Finish the outside with fiber cement siding and trim
4. Build cabinets so there is a gap between the floor and the base of the cabinet.  If you only have a few inches of water inside, you can easily remove the baseboard and dry the area out. Your cabinets wouldn’t even get wet.

There are several other things you can do to make your home more resilient when a disaster strikes. One of the best practices is to learn from other states. What ideas work in those areas that have been hardest hit by natural disasters and how can they be adapted to your area?  Below are some resources to help you get started on making your home more resilient and sustainable.  Remember, your home isn’t sustainable or affordable if it doesn’t survive.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Click on these resources for more information:

-          Flood Damage-Resistant Materials (FEMA)

-          Flood-Resistant Design & Construction (University of Florida IFAS Extension)

-          Reducing Future Flood & Water Damage (eXtension)

-          Extension Disaster Education Network

The key is to be PROACTIVE, not reactive.

LaHouse in Baton Rouge, LA. Examples of a range of solutions for sustainable, “high performance” housing.

Green Springtime Fun

It is springtime in Athens, Georgia. When days are soft and sunny folks start to move out-of-doors.  So what are some green outdoor activities that are low cost and low impact, but high on the fun index?

We all want play and live greener without spending our shrinking “greenbacks.”

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Walk. One of the healthiest and lowest cost activities is just enjoying a walk with family or friends. My favorite Green Activity is to walk through our local park, my neighborhood, or if you are lucky like me the woods in our backyard. If walking with children try a silent walk where you encourage children to listen for bird calls.  Have them list in a small notebook how many different birds can they hear?  For more ideas check out Sharing Nature with Children.

Start a vegetable garden. Even if you live in an apartment or have a postage stamp yard you can start a container garden.  When a child grows their own vegetables they are more likely to try something new.  Also, don’t forget to check out resources at your County Cooperative Extension office. Your county Extension Agents can provide you information on everything from setting up your compost to planning your garden to preserving what you grow to food safety and nutrition. Here are some resources from the University of Georgia and the National Center for Home Food Preservation on: home gardening and food preservation.  Don’t forget to find out how you can compost yard trimmings.  Georgia Recycles.  To contact your county Extension Office in Georgia call 1-800-ASK-UGA1. In other states go to eXtension Ask an Expert.

Visit the Farmers’ Market.  Check out your local farmers’ market and see if they have suggestions for cooking a new vegetable or try some out locally produced cheese or meats. Find a market near you: USDA National Farmers Market Directory  or Local Harvest.

Plan an in-state-Eco Vacation.  Check out a state or national park or visit a part of the state you haven’t visited before. Think about having a positive impact on the environment.  Participate in a shore or river cleanup project, or perhaps a butterfly count.  If you camp, remember to leave your site better than you found it.  If traveling with a pet always carry a bag and pickup the droppings your pet leaves behind.

We all want to have a good time and an even better time can be had by living greener! Share your spring “greentime-funtime” ideas with us and your friends and family.

Candle Safety – Prevent an Accidental Fire

Guest Blogger……Morgan Barnett, Master of Public Health Degree Candidate at The University of Georgia

Many of us burn candles to make a room smell good, or just for decorative use. While candles create a calming effect, the allure of candlelight can quickly turn into a disaster if proper safety measures are not followed.  Keep yourself, your loved ones, and your house protected by following these steps, as recommended by the National Candle Association:

• Only burn candles using a candle holder and on a stable, heat-resistant surface.
• Before burning a candle, trim candlewicks to ¼ inch each time- this could prevent uneven dripping or burning that could increase fire risk.
• Always keep a burning candle within eyesight and blow it out before going to sleep or leaving the room.
• Never put a candle near anything that could possibly catch fire – keep away from furniture, curtains, bedding, carpets, paper, etc.  Over half of all candle fires start because flammable items are too close to the candle.
• Don’t ever place burning candles where they could accidentally be knocked over by pets, children, or anyone else.
• Burn candles in a well-ventilated room but keep them away from drafts, ceiling fans, and air vents at all times.

Can you tell which one of these candles is lit by fire and which one is battery-operated?

Consider switching to battery-operated candles. They look like real candles and are much safer.  Some even put off a scent.   For additional candle safety tips go to: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/home_fire_prev/candle.shtm.

Spring Cleaning: My husband’s love affair with bleach

I saw the first burst of pine pollen on my car window this morning. That is my sign that it is time for Spring Cleaning. Spring Cleaning is a good time to go through your cleaning supplies and make a decision on whether you want to continue using a product. We have tried to go with cheaper homemade products but there are some products we have not yet been willing to give up. The main product that causes a lot of arguments in our home is BLEACH. My husband says he is just not ready. So our compromise is to use it sparingly and dilute it with water when we are using it.

The reason he is attached to bleach is that he HATES mold! Growing up in Louisiana and south Mississippi and raising our family in Georgia we have had to deal with a lot of moisture. Our climate is so humid that we just cannot seem to get rid of mold. After paying closer attention to where mold is worst in our home, we have decided that one issue was the bathroom exhaust fan was not doing the job. So this spring we are putting in two new stronger exhaust fans. We are hoping this will help.

Other steps we have taken are to deal with mold problems are:

1. We identified the problem areas in our home and we have dealt with the sources of the moisture. We cannot realize that in our part of the world there is no such thing as a mold proof home, but we are working to deal with causes of mold: we identified all the problem areas; and we fixed all the old and new moisture problems.
2. We have dried out all the problem points inside and outside of our home. Remember that mold needs moisture to grow. We are paying attention to those places where we have had problems to make sure that our efforts are working. Even a clothes hamper with wet towels can contribute enough moisture to trigger mold growth.
3. We have installed better exhaust systems in the critical rooms: Bathrooms, laundry room, kitchen. If you notice condensation on your laundry room windows when you are washing or drying your clothes you need to look into installing exhaust fans. Make sure the fans vent to the outside and not into your attic. Also make sure that all your appliances that produce moisture are vented to the outside and clean your vents. Your dryer vent needs to be cleaned from the inside and around the outside exhaust outlet. Make sure that your shrubs are not blocking the vents.

4. Another step that we have taken is when we have purchased new products we look for products that do not increase the moisture in our home and now that we are considering replacing our flooring. We will purchase mold resistant materials.
5. Looking for a good birthday present for a ‘gadget addict’ look no further than a humidity monitor. Remember that the EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity between 30 and 60 percent. You can get an indoor humidity monitor at most home good stores or go online. If the humidity in your home is high start looking for the source of moisture. Is it high when someone is bathing or does it peak when you are cooking? Maybe your exhaust fans are not doing their job.

6. We love our garden and the plants around our house, but we learned early on that we needed to move foundation plantings back from the house and to make sure water was not pooling around our foundation. We installed new guttering and made sure that water running off the house was moved away from the foundation and that the ground sloped away from the house.

7. Cleaning and repairing our gutters is a part of our spring and winter maintenance plan. Take the time to clean off your roof and clean your gutters. Depending on your landscape you may need to do this more that once or twice a year.
8. Cold air can hold less moisture that warm air, so when the temperature drops you might find that your windows, walls and floors may feel damp or might even see moisture forming. This is when you really need to pay attention to your home’s airflow in your home. There are several things you can do to increase airflow. Keep interior doors open make sure that you have enough space between your walls and your furniture that air can circulate. Also, don’t forget to leave your closet doors open. I know that our closets are often cluttered and we don’t want folks to see the mess, but maybe the need to keep the doors ajar might help us cut down on excess stuff. As the seasons change and the temperature warms up air out your house but remember when it starts to rain close your windows.
9. Pets and plants are our babies now that our children are grown. With our children there were spills, wet clothes thrown on the floor, and piles of wet towels and soggy shoes by the door. With our pets we have spilled water from their bowls, lovely little gifts left when we are gone, and a litter box that adds to moisture to our home. Just like with the kids we have to be Johnny-on-the-spot with cleanups. With my husband’s houseplants, though lovely, he is always on the lookout for over watering and he cleans the dust off of the plants and check for mold on the soil.

All that being said I am hoping that we can cut back on cleaning time and on my husband’s love affair with bleach, well at least slow down his use.

For more information check out the following links: http://www.fcs.uga.edu/ext/pubs/hace/HACE-E-53.pdf

http://www.epa.gov/mold/

http://www.fcs.uga.edu/green/clean_healthy.php

http://www.fcs.uga.edu/green/clean_healthy.php

What do you know about Green Roofs?

When we think of a “green roof” most of us conjure up images of trees and vegetables on top of a tall building in a city or maybe a sod roof with a goat grazing on it. Green roofs are much more than that. I learned a lot about green roofs on a webinar taught by Dr. Michael Goldschmidt at the University of Missouri.  Michael is a licensed architect and interior designer and a LEED accredited professional who has a great deal of knowledge in this area. Here is some of what I learned.

Most of us have a roof covered with asphalt shingles, which are made from a petroleum-based product.  These are not very green. A lot of energy goes into the manufacturing process and the lifespan is seldom as long as the sales person told you.  Many asphalt shingles end up in landfills, especially after a big storm hits.

So what can you do to make your roof greener?

1. Choose more sustainable materials, such as those made from recycled content.
2. Select products with a long lifespan.
3. Reduce the amount of adhesives used during the installation process and increase the use of nails (if feasible).
4. Use a contractor who carefully measures the roof and orders only what is needed to roof your house.
5. Recycle the shingles you remove.  In many states there is an asphalt paving company that will take used shingles.
6. Consider alternatives to asphalt. Wood shingles require less energy to produce. The downsides are that they are flammable and need to be treated, and they are not allowed in all parts of the country.
7. Concrete, clay or slate tiles take the most energy to produce, but they last for a long time.
8. Fiber cement composites and composite synthetic shingles are made from recycled materials and are very durable.
9. Metal roofing has a distinct look, but is a good long-lasting alternative.
10. Vegetative roofs are more commonly seen on commercial properties, but are growing in popularity and use as alternative roofs for house.

A great way to reduce energy costs is to choose a lighter colored roofing material.   On the webinar I learned a new word – Albedo. It refers to solar reflectance.  A high albedo roof reflects most of the solar energy away from the surface before it is absorbed. This means that in the hot southern climates, like Georgia, a lighter colored roof is the best choice to reduce cooling costs.  Manufacturers can often give you this rate. The other thing you can look for is Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) which is a good measure of the roof’s ability to reject solar heat.  The DOE (Department of Energy) has a Cool Roof Calculator, which is a great way to find out how much you can save by choosing a lighter roofing tile.

The next time you need a new roof, consider making it a green roof.

Note: This information came from a webinar coordinated by Cooperative Extension. To learn more go to Home Energy .

Earthship Houses in Taos, New Mexico