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By dbarnhart on November 29, 2008 | No Comments
The holidays are a perfect time to start reducing, reusing and maybe we can recycle a little less. Think about it: we can reuse old newspaper into gift-wrap, use last year’s holiday cards as this year’s gift tags and every so often, we can turn unwanted holiday gifts into something useful. Call them doorstops or snow globes, so many of the gifts we give land as dust collectors or worse yet get filed in the trash, sometimes without a second thought.If you’re anything like me, then I am sure you have received your own fair share of “doorstops”—unwanted presents that really serve no other purpose than to hold the door open. I always appreciate the sentiment behind the gifts I receive, but I think it’s about time we start giving better gifts—gifts that won’t fill landfills, clog waterways and end up holding someone’s door open.
There is a 20-minute viral video called “The Story of Stuff” making its way around the web and it cites a scary fact: only 1% of the stuff we buy is still around after six months (Paul Hawken, Natural Capitalism, 1999). So basically 99% of even the most well-intentioned holiday gifts will wind up in the trash by summer…bummer.
But even if our gifts do manage to make it into that 1% and survive past the July benchmark, the holidays should be a prime time for giving green. This season, look for items made from recyclable and/or organic materials. Items made from metal, glass, hemp, bamboo and organic cotton are all a great place to start.
For example:
- Stainless steel water bottles are also being sighted everywhere. Get great color selection and prices in our stainless steel department. You can even order them with custom imprinting.
- Plus you can Bottle Your Own Water with our nifty 10-stage water filter. Hey if you drink a lot of bottled water the 10 stage and stainless bottle bundle will SAVE you a bundle.
- Cloths, towels, shower curtains, shoulder bags and even utensil sets made from reusable materials like bamboo and hemp are excellent options for the home this year. Check out styles and colors at www.yourguidetogreen.com.
- Green baby products. You can find everything from a chemical-free crib mattress to glass bottles to stainless steel sippy cups and organic onesies at www.yourguidetogreen.com.
- Plus we have a whole section of great holiday gifts. Including some really great glasses made from reclaimed Boylans soda bottles andRolling Rock beer bottles.
Help reduce the use and that frightening statistic of 99% of our “stuff” ending up in the trash this holiday season by giving smart and giving green. Happy Holidays! -
By dbarnhart on November 28, 2008 | No Comments
According to Ecotality Life California has unveiled plans for a network of electric car charging stations.
Click Here to read the article.
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By dbarnhart on November 27, 2008 | No Comments
Must Have Romaine Lettuce! THough it is a little late for a fall garden, the landscapers are done, the T-Tape irrigation system is in, and the soil is ready. IN the Days of Yore, one got out the seed catalog. These days you can just go online.
We went to Burpee.com.
Garden Rant brings us news that Johnny’s Seeds has put their seed catalog online in the form of a high-end PDF (though it looked the same to me).
It occurs to me that this is another area where it does not take much effort to be a little greener: forgo the paper seed catalog in favor of the online version.
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By dbarnhart on November 26, 2008 | No Comments
Lighter Footstep has this great list of ten sure-fire handmade gift ideas, most costing under $20.
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By dbarnhart on November 25, 2008 | No Comments
When the city of Battle Ground, WA proposed a municipal ordinance banning livestock, the area’s urban farmers fought back.
Click Here to read the story.
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By dbarnhart on November 24, 2008 | No Comments
Every year the New Oxford American Dictionary selects a word as its Word of the Year. This year’s word: Hypermiling.
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By dbarnhart on November 23, 2008 | No Comments
This list of vegetables for sale Saturday is just so good:
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- White cloud eggplant
- Japanese eggplant
- Purple beauty eggplant
- Lilac bell peppers
- Stoplight assorted bell peppers - red, yellow, green, and orange
- Jalapenos - purple, red, yellow, orange, and green
- Anaheim chilis
- Espanola hot peppers
- Baby bells
- Big Jim’s - peppers!
- Collard greens
- Tonopah salad mix - a mix of spicy greens
- All Lettuce Mix
- Baby arugula
- Radishes
- Bok choi
- Frozen tomatoes - they are nearly all gone
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Dill
- Rosemary
- Fresh Flowers
- Green beans - only 60 pounds, they will go fast - you’ve been warned
- Turnips
- Lemons
Just one note: Rob says the farm stand will be closed on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and will open again Saturday December 6
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By dbarnhart on November 21, 2008 | No Comments
EcoGeek brings us news of a new billboard is going up in the middle of Times Square that will be powered with 16 wind turbines and 64 solar panels instead of the usual electricity. When it’s windy and sunny, the billboard will be able to generate enough electricity to light up.
Click Here to read the article
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By dbarnhart on November 21, 2008 | No Comments
According to AZSustainability.com, Dan Rees, owner of AZ Biodiesel says:
You told us…………”appointments are lame”
So………….no more appointments!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here is the map to our Gilbert location for you to get fuel:
http://azbiodiesel.com/contact.htm
And just to celebrate……..biodiesel now $2.50 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah!!!!!!!!! lower methanol prices allowed us to lower our price again!!!
Thanks everyone!
Dan -
By dbarnhart on November 20, 2008 | No Comments
Saturday November 1 marked the re-opening of Tonopah Rob’s Farm Stand.
While the automobile manufacturers struggle, restaurant tables go empty, and banks are having trouble keeping their doors open, there is no recession at Tonopah Rob’s Vegetable Farm. Arrive early for best selections.
Visit Rob’s Blog for more information.
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