New Orleans Revitalization
I just returned from a business conference in New Orleans. I am a Shaklee Distributor and our company selected New Orleans to help promote business in and around the city and give back to the community. I was touched by the people we met who were so appreciative of our business and efforts! I met a family who is still experiencing health concerns from the environmental effects they were exposed to during and after Katrina and a green builder who is working there to help rebuild homes in a safe environmentally friendly way. There are many companies and individuals who continue to give back to the New Orleans area and I feel fortunate to have been a small part of that this past week.
Freecycle - Way Cool!
A few months ago, I was introduced to Freecycle and I must say... it is pretty cool. Freecycle was started in Tucson, Arizona in 2003 by Deron Beal using the Internet to connect people who have stuff to give away with others in their local area. The idea is pretty clever! We all have things packed away in closets, attics and the garage that we don't need. Freecycle provides a way to keep unwanted items that still have good life out of the landfill and everything must be FREE with no strings attached. I signed up for my local group and so far I have not been the beneficiary of any used treasures; however, I have shared my own unwanted items with other local Freecycler's including: sidewalk pavers, children's toys, books, etc.
You can find a local Freecycle group near you by visiting http://www.freecycle.org/ . Begin sharing some of your own unwanted treasures and perhaps you will find something online you can't live without.
Good luck and please share your treasure stories.
You can find a local Freecycle group near you by visiting http://www.freecycle.org/ . Begin sharing some of your own unwanted treasures and perhaps you will find something online you can't live without.
Good luck and please share your treasure stories.
Indianapolis Zoo Partners with Lowes to help Polar Bears
We have family in from Michigan and we wanted to take the kids somewhere fun in Indy and where else but the Indianapolis Children's Museum and Indianapolis Zoo . Our family has been to the Indy Zoo many times but on this visit I noticed something new. You might expect me to say it's the redesigned Oceans Exhibit where you can get up close and personal and touch a whole school of bonnethead shark pups or the unique opportunity to see the koala bears this summer. But while my children were elbow deep in the shark pool and pressed up to the glass watching the polar bears, I was reading numerous educational posters about conservation. Next to the polar bear area, there is a large poster about how polar bears are in danger, how our actions have impacted them and changes we can make. I was also excited to find recycling bins - a rare find in Indy. My family used to tease me because I often take home bottles to recycle when I am out and about but now it is just what we do. To be honest, I am not certain if this is something new the Zoo is promoting or if it is just that I am more in tune and looking for things that are "green" (like when you get a new car and all of a sudden you see that same car everywhere you go). Either way, I love the message it sends to my children and others.
The Indianapolis Zoo has created a new program My Carbon Pledge in partnership with Lowes. Their goal is to change one million incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs in the state of Indiana in 2008. If you live in Indiana, sign in and make your pledge to help the polar bears and us. By the way, we have changed most of our light bulbs already but I pledged 10 more. How many are you pledging?
Family visit to Traders Point Creamery
Last weekend we took a family visit to Traders Point Creamery, an organic dairy, in Zionsville, Indiana. I learned about the the organic farm from Indiana Living Green, a local green magazine but my husband was told they produce the best chocolate milk and so we had to take a visit to the farm. We were too late to have lunch at the loft restaurant, however, we all enjoyed milk shakes, ice-cream and a berry shortcake made with the homemade ice-cream - everything was outstanding!
Unfortunately it was still a bit muddy so we didn't take a tour, but we did walk around and watched as they brought in the cows for their daily milking which we were allowed to watch up close. We all had a great visit and it was educational for the kids to learn where milk comes from and that milk is used to make cheese, yogurt and ice-cream (all available to take home - including white and chocolate milk... and yes, the chocolate milk is awesome).
We plan to go back for the tour on an upcoming Friday night so we can have dinner outside and visit the Organic Farmers Market which runs from 4-8 pm. If you plan to visit, tours start at 4 and 5:30 during the Summer selling season on Friday nights. Dinner is served outside from 5-8 pm.
Some Traders Point dairy products are available in the Central Indiana Region and through online ordering.
Unfortunately it was still a bit muddy so we didn't take a tour, but we did walk around and watched as they brought in the cows for their daily milking which we were allowed to watch up close. We all had a great visit and it was educational for the kids to learn where milk comes from and that milk is used to make cheese, yogurt and ice-cream (all available to take home - including white and chocolate milk... and yes, the chocolate milk is awesome).
We plan to go back for the tour on an upcoming Friday night so we can have dinner outside and visit the Organic Farmers Market which runs from 4-8 pm. If you plan to visit, tours start at 4 and 5:30 during the Summer selling season on Friday nights. Dinner is served outside from 5-8 pm.
Some Traders Point dairy products are available in the Central Indiana Region and through online ordering.
What does "Buying Local" Mean to You?
The kids and I have been in Michigan this week, visiting with both sides of Grandparents and having fun with all our family. I always enjoy going back home where I grew up and I lknow the kids are making special memories.
On our way out to my parent's house we stopped by the Farmer's Market in Depot Town because my Dad was there selling black raspberries and handmade rugs he makes on an old fashioned rug loom. I thought the kids would get a kick out of seeing their Papa selling at the market and I wanted to meet his friend Sam, who also sells at the market and is an organic farmer. Sam is taking organic farming classes at a local university and asked me a question which I thought I knew the answer to but found out I didn't... "What does local mean to you"? My answer was "within a close distance of my house". Sam explained that his organic farming class had asked the same question and arrived at many different answers. If my answer was correct then cherries from Traverse City wouldn't be considered local in Ypsilanti or Ann Arbor. So, his organic farming group defined "buying local" as regional. So, even here in Indianapolis, we could bring in cherries from Traverse City and that would be more local than something from California. I learned something new and I have a new appreciation for "buying local".
The ultimate local produce though is when you can go in your own backyard and pick fruit and vegetables for free. At Mama and Papa's, the kids had fun picking the black raspberries and I think they ate more than what they put in the basket. We also picked strawberries from the strawberry patch and even though it is the end of the season... berries in the store just don't compare! Mama made shortcake from scratch and we had strawberry shortcake for dinner. You just can't beat it!
On our way out to my parent's house we stopped by the Farmer's Market in Depot Town because my Dad was there selling black raspberries and handmade rugs he makes on an old fashioned rug loom. I thought the kids would get a kick out of seeing their Papa selling at the market and I wanted to meet his friend Sam, who also sells at the market and is an organic farmer. Sam is taking organic farming classes at a local university and asked me a question which I thought I knew the answer to but found out I didn't... "What does local mean to you"? My answer was "within a close distance of my house". Sam explained that his organic farming class had asked the same question and arrived at many different answers. If my answer was correct then cherries from Traverse City wouldn't be considered local in Ypsilanti or Ann Arbor. So, his organic farming group defined "buying local" as regional. So, even here in Indianapolis, we could bring in cherries from Traverse City and that would be more local than something from California. I learned something new and I have a new appreciation for "buying local".
The ultimate local produce though is when you can go in your own backyard and pick fruit and vegetables for free. At Mama and Papa's, the kids had fun picking the black raspberries and I think they ate more than what they put in the basket. We also picked strawberries from the strawberry patch and even though it is the end of the season... berries in the store just don't compare! Mama made shortcake from scratch and we had strawberry shortcake for dinner. You just can't beat it!
Florida Enviro Tour Inspires Us All
We just got back from a 2 week family vacation to visit with my friend in Cape Coral, Florida. We also took a long weekend to Key Largo so the kids could see the ocean and experience the crystal clear blue water. We have great lakes in the Midwest (especially in Michigan) but you usually can't see your feet even in the shallow parts so the crystal clear water was beautiful. The backyard pool was a big hit and we had our choice of Sanibel Island and Ft. Myers Beach. We were having such a great time, it was hard to leave to go to Key Largo.
We found the Florida Key's to be a great family vacation with the feel of a Caribbean Island but without the price tag and hassle of going out of the U.S. The kids keep busy for hours snorkeling right on the hotel beach finding horse shoe crabs and small schools of fish. But I was really excited when my teenage daughter asked to go on the hotel's Enviro Tour. We were picked up at our hotel in a small dingy boat and our tour started in a boat launch just around the corner from the hotel. Our captain, Dominique, showed us reef fossils on the walls of the boat launch and explained how the Florida Keys had been a live coral reef many years ago. Limestone is the natural resource they cut from the fossilized land. We then went out to the Mangroves and learned how Mangrove Forests help filter salt water, provide habitat and breeding areas for fish, and protect the mainland from storms. Dominique allowed the kids to touch an upside down jelly fish (they didn't get stung), found a hermit crab, star fish, sea horse and many other small sea creatures which they collected in a small aquarium (jar) and released in a safe and healthy shallow area near the Mangroves. The opportunity to learn about the Florida Mangroves and local sea life was a wonderful educational experience for us all. I think it brought us full circle because we saw how choices people make inland affect our lakes and oceans and the animals that live in and around them.
We had an interesting discussion on the way back to Cape Coral and it was fun to see how much the kids had learned. They were pointing out trash on the side of the road and concerned about it getting into the Ocean water. We took the scenic drive back along the Everglades, looking for alligators and tuning into the local radio conservation recording.
The trip has personally given me a greater appreciation for clean water and how non-toxic alternatives for our homes can make an impact beyond our families and community. I have become newly inspired through the eyes of my children. Although Florida and other areas are more in tune with natural conservation and green alternatives, the Midwest is catching up and I am hopeful that our children will be the real change makers and inspire us all.
We found the Florida Key's to be a great family vacation with the feel of a Caribbean Island but without the price tag and hassle of going out of the U.S. The kids keep busy for hours snorkeling right on the hotel beach finding horse shoe crabs and small schools of fish. But I was really excited when my teenage daughter asked to go on the hotel's Enviro Tour. We were picked up at our hotel in a small dingy boat and our tour started in a boat launch just around the corner from the hotel. Our captain, Dominique, showed us reef fossils on the walls of the boat launch and explained how the Florida Keys had been a live coral reef many years ago. Limestone is the natural resource they cut from the fossilized land. We then went out to the Mangroves and learned how Mangrove Forests help filter salt water, provide habitat and breeding areas for fish, and protect the mainland from storms. Dominique allowed the kids to touch an upside down jelly fish (they didn't get stung), found a hermit crab, star fish, sea horse and many other small sea creatures which they collected in a small aquarium (jar) and released in a safe and healthy shallow area near the Mangroves. The opportunity to learn about the Florida Mangroves and local sea life was a wonderful educational experience for us all. I think it brought us full circle because we saw how choices people make inland affect our lakes and oceans and the animals that live in and around them.
We had an interesting discussion on the way back to Cape Coral and it was fun to see how much the kids had learned. They were pointing out trash on the side of the road and concerned about it getting into the Ocean water. We took the scenic drive back along the Everglades, looking for alligators and tuning into the local radio conservation recording.
The trip has personally given me a greater appreciation for clean water and how non-toxic alternatives for our homes can make an impact beyond our families and community. I have become newly inspired through the eyes of my children. Although Florida and other areas are more in tune with natural conservation and green alternatives, the Midwest is catching up and I am hopeful that our children will be the real change makers and inspire us all.
Safe and Non-Toxic Ways to Remove Weeds
Over the last couple years I have moved toward natural gardening and I must admit that up until now that meant pulling weeds by hand and using a hoe. I made this choice as part of my overall commitment to reduce my children's exposure to chemicals in and around our home.
My husband has been teasing me that my flower beds look more like weed beds and unfortunately... he is right. I was telling a friend about my weed bed and how I am having a hard time keeping up and she told me about a great new tool... The Rocket Weeder. It is easy to use and ergonomically designed to allow you to pull weeds at the root while standing. I found it works best for larger weeds like dandelion and thistle and is a great choice for anyone looking for a safe non-toxic alternative to herbicides.
In a recent issue of Indiana Living Green, they shared other safe options to control weeds. Horticultural Vinegar with 20 percent acidity works on individual weeds (a safe alternative to Roundup); however it is non-selective so use it carefully around other plants. ILG also recommended corn gluten as preemergent for crabgrass and other annual weeds. However, it works best when applied in early spring before the last frost date.
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