Once again, here I am to update after some time of not keeping up here and I do hope to start keeping up....spring is here although it still feels chilly most of the time...the weather is the complete opposite here as it was in the valley of the sun.
The berries are blooming, the garden is starting to grow and I look forward to completely waking up from winter hibernation the season being in full swing!
pictures and posts soon to come!
green blessings,
Sarah
This is a Leatherback turtle, I hope to one day do some diving and get an up close glimpse of sea turtles. There is a connection between what you see in this image and what you do when you are shopping. By choosing and alternative to plastic you can be helping keep plastic out of a Leatherback sea turtle....
From Discovery News:
Leatherback turtles are critically endangered and highly charismatic creatures. They are big, weighing 1,000 pounds or more, with shells that can measure more than 6 feet across. These peaceful creatures have had the same basic body plan for 150 million years.
Leatherbacks are also popular for what they eat: namely, large quantities of jellyfish. The problem is that plastic bags look a lot like jellyfish, and plastic often ends up in the oceans, piling up in areas where currents -- and turtles -- converge. That led James to wonder how much often the turtles were swallowing plastic in their hunt for yummy jellyfish.
Our actions have consequences that many of us may never think about or realize. We can all make a huge difference by making planet friendly choices and there has been no easier time to do that than now.
Check out Umbra's video on the subject:
It has been awhile since I've posted and like most people, we have been busy with the holidays. This year I sewed most of my holiday gifts and did that in the most earth friendly way possible. Now that the holidays have wound down we are left with the winter months...our first winter here in Oregon, we have had a lot of rain so far!
There is a lot of green going on out there, check out, Treehugger.com for all kinds of interesting green news.
Also, check out our learning section for weekly articles and tips
Happy New Year!
Have you ever wondered if the store brand "Private Labels" are as good as any other organically produced product?
Grists, Umbra answers this question here
http://www.watoxics.org/homes-and-gardens/factsheets/antimicrobials/
and Read the latest Ask Umbra to read Fun Soap Facts:
Is Vinyl Siding Really Green?
Check Out Treehuggers Article- Greenwash Watch: 12 Ways Vinyl Siding is Green
It can be confusing to sort out, check out my favorite and entertaining guides to easily help you figure this out!
Umbras "Plas-tick!" Video
Plastic Primer Part One and Plastic Primer Part Two
My Top 10 Fabulous Green Alternatives To Plastic!
1. Stainless Bottles
2. Stainless Containers
3. Cloth Bags
4. Bamboo Utensils
5. Non Plastic Shower Curtains
6. Bamboo Cloths
7. Euro Cloths Instead of Paper Towels!
8. Glass Baby Bottles
9. Bring Your Own Mug!
10. A great Use for Corn!
Yesterday we went for a mushroom hunt...we were looking for chanterelle's and we found them! We picked as many as we had time to pick and had a delicious dinner of mostly chanterelles w/couscous, even our 6 year old daughter loved it, our dog ate them too!
We are having a wonderful time harvesting all the bounty we have available to us. Blackberries are a favorite of mine, I am learning to make (with local honey) and can jam, lots of fun and so delicious! We also have lots of tomato's which are so delicious to cook with, here is a picture of yesterdays harvest! Blackberries, Salal Berries, Tomatoes and Chard
check out our great Stainless Steel Containers for food storage at home and on the go, Stainless is something I use a lot of in my kitchen!
