Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind Winners

Congratulations to the 2 winners of this hilarious book (CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD GRADE KIND) by veteran teacher Phillip Done

Kathleen W. said...
I worked as an art teacher before having my son, and some of the things that kids would do and say cracked me up. Especially some of the drawings they'd make. The one that stands out, which is both funny and sad, was a picture that said "Welcome Home Grandpa" with a drawing of Grandpa coming home from prison.

nynekats said...
When I was in kindergarten, during naptime, I sleptwalked and peed in the corner trashcan. I thought it was the bathroom apparently. Luckily only the teacher saw. LOL

These stories are just as funny as the ones that Mr. Done has included in his book (like when he barracked his bedroom door in hopes of catching the tooth fairy...both my husband and I laughed at that one)

I passed my copy along to my son's teacher and she said that she alternates between laughing aloud and nodding in agreement.

Thank you to everyone who entered, to The Hachette Book Group for sponsoring the giveaway, and to Mr. Done for taking such good notes over his years of teaching!

Post from the past: No more tummy aches

For the past few months my daughter has been complaining of stomach aches on a regular basis. We used a food log to see if we could find a connection between what she was eating and the stomach aches but we couldn’t find one.

Even though my daughter’s diet consisted of quite a bit of organic foods there was still a lot room for improvement. Over the past month we have slowly transitioned her diet to about 80% organic/natural foods.

She now consumes:

• Organic milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, juice, peanut butter & fruit
• All natural bread and snacks
• Gluten free breakfast bars and cereal

Since doing this she has not had one stomach ache!

Even though I can’t say for sure that the change in diet relieved her of stomach aches, it seems like an awfully big coincidence.

green happenings around the blog-a-sphere

The Foreclosure Pet Phenomenon

There has been a disturbing rise in animals left behind to starve or fend for themselves in empty foreclosed homes. Once discovered and taken to shelters, many of these pets are in need of medical care.

Animal shelters nationwide depend on donations to cover medical costs and to provide food and shelter; however donations are dwindling and many shelters have been forced to cut holding periods from six days to three after which the animals are put down.

But there's great news and this is where you can help!

This November, Envirosax is proudly donating $1 from the sale of every pouch (set of 5 bags), sold on the Envirosax website, to the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).

Click here to order your Envirosax pouch today and help give these abandoned pets a second chance.

November special at Brittanies Thyme is a November Special Gift Pack for $40

• Organic Citrus Facial Cleanser, 4oz
• Organic Sweet Almond Facial Oil with Vitamin E, 1oz
• Organic Sweet Dreams Pillow, 1 unit
  

Terracycle has many new brigades for you to join:

• Malt-O-Meal® Cereal Bag Brigade™
• Scott® Brand Brigade
• Huggies® Brand Brigade
• Aveeno Tube Brigade
• Bottle Buddy Brigade

3 R Friday

Welcome to 3 R Friday

A weekly series of simple tips geared toward helping you darken your shade of green. Easily.

Reduce: Reduce the number of plastic bags that are used during trips to pumpkin patches by taking a washable, reusable bag with you.
(I know that pumpkin patch field trip time is over but maybe we can all remember this one for next year)

Reuse: Reuse glass jars for Thanksgiving left-overs.
(This way you don't have to fret about your guest not bringing back your Tupperware containers)

Recycle: Whenever possible, purchase items made from recycled materials.
(Paper towels, tooth brushes, tissue, wrapping paper, reusable bags, boxes. The list can go on and on and on)

Hope you found these tips helpful. Feel free to share any tips you may have.

Have a Great Green Weekend!

Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes/Muffins

At the first sign of our back yard pumpkins changing from green to orange my children could be heard asking (repeatedly) "When can we make pumpkin pie and pumpkin muffins with them?"

That time has finally come.

Here is the recipe that I use to make them Pumpkin Muffins.
I make them into mini ones so I can put a couple in their lunches or serve a couple as a snack. Technically the recipe is a cupcake recipe but I have never put frosting on them, they are plenty sweet enough without it.

I took a huge batch to my daughter's pre-school for her snack day and the kids devoured them (i.e. kid approved).

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 2/3 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (the jar stuff is fine)
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup raisins
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 15 oz solid-packed pumpkin
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 4 eggs

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, & salt
• Toss the raisins & walnuts with the flour mixture
• In a large bowl whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, & oil
• Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition.
• Add the flour mixture in small additions, stirring with a large wooden spoon after each addition
• Fill the muffin tins ~ 3/4 full (these don't rise much so you can fill them all the way to the top if you would like)
• Bake until they are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. ~12 minutes for mini and ~22 minutes for regular size.
• Transfer to a wire rack for cooling

Enjoy!

The Neti Pot

Last winter, after trying every allergy medicine on the market, both prescription and non-proscription, without feeling any relief my husband finally gave in and tried The Neti Pot.

He could hardly believe the wonderful relief he felt after just 1 use. From that moment on, The Neti Pot has been in regular use at our house.

My 9 yr old son actually uses it too, with daddy's help of course, and will even ask for it when he feels like he needs it.

The first time we ever saw/heard of this little contraption was on the HBO show Six Feet Under. Of course we giggled about using a tea-pot looking contraption to pour salt water through nostrils, I mean who wouldn't?!?

That is literally all you do.

Mix up a warm salt water solution, slowly pour half of the solution through one nostril, yucky stuff drains out the other side, then switch sides. After the solution is all gone, you blow your nose like crazy the breath freely for days.

My son is usually good to go for about a week while my hubby is good for about 3 days.

We still giggle about it but we also tell everyone we know how well it works! We even convinced my SIL to try it. She reluctantly did so and is glad she did! After years of migraines and sinus headaches she too has found relief.

Here are a few excepts from Web MD about The Neti Pot:

• Many sinus sufferers have turned to nasal saline irrigation, a therapy that uses a salt and water solution to flush out the nasal cavity.
• Although nasal irrigation using the Neti pot has been around for centuries, its use is on the rise in the U.S., thanks to an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show and a fair amount of news coverage.
• The Neti pot originally comes from the Ayurvedic/yoga medical tradition.
• Many patients with chronic sinus symptoms from bacterial infections, allergies, and environmental irritants also have begun to regularly use the Neti pot or other nasal irrigation devices, claiming that these devices alleviate congestion, facial pain and pressure, and reduce the need for antibiotics and nasal sprays.
• Research backs up these claims, finding that nasal irrigation can be an effective way to relieve sinus symptoms when used along with standard sinus treatments.
• The basic explanation of how the Neti pot works is that it thins mucus to help flush it out of the nasal passages
• Saline solution can help increase the speed and improve coordination of the cilia so that they may more effectively remove the bacteria, allergens, and other irritants that cause sinus problems

It is very important to properly and thoroughly clean the Neti Pot after every use to prevent infection.

The one that we bought came with 50 packets and detailed instructions on how to use and clean it.

Most stores now sell the Neti Pot and refill packets next to all the sinus relief medicines.

Now that the cold dry weather is coming back so is our Neti Pot!

Close Encounters of the 3rd Grade Kind: Book Review and Giveaway

Typically I only review green products or green companies but I had to make an exception this one time and I am glad I did!

You see, my son is in the 3rd grade so when I saw the title of this book I knew that I had to read it.

Just spending a few hours on a field trip with a group of grade schoolers leaves you with stories enough so can you only imagine how many stories a 20+ year veteran teacher would have!?!

Before I share my personal opinion of the book let me share with you the official press info:

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD GRADE KIND
By Phillip Done

A twenty-year veteran of the classroom, elementary school teacher Phillip Done takes readers through a lively and hilarious year in the classroom. Starting with the relative calm before the storm of buying school supplies and posting class lists, he shares the distinct personalities of grades K-4, what he learned from two professional trick or treating 8-year-old boys, the art of learning cursive and letter-writing, how kindergartners try to trap leprechauns, and what every child should experience before he or she grows up.

These charming, sweet, and funny tales of Mr. Done's trials and triumphs as an award-winning schoolteacher will touch readers' hearts and remind them of the true joys of childhood. We all have that one special, favorite grade school teacher whom we fondly remember throughout our adult lives - and every teacher also has students whom they will never forget. This is the perfect book for teachers, parents, and anyone else who is looking for a lighthearted, nostalgic read.

I don’t think funny fully captures Mr. Done’s stories, they are more like laugh-out-loud hilarious (which I found myself doing, on more than one occasion, and a couple of times in public.)

You know the saying about real life being funnier than anything you can make-up….that saying definitely holds true for the stories in this book. From kids pretending to throw an imaginary sausage, to mug week (known to non-teachers as the week before Christmas), to him freezing a tie that he thought was a box of chocolates because it was wrapped in a Sees candy box. The funny stories just keep coming!

I think my favorite part of the whole book was when Mr. Done was talking about a box that his mother had recently given him that contained letters he had written as a child. He opened the box and said, “Where did you get these?” (another time that I laughed aloud, luckily this time I was at home and only my hubby was around)

Close Encounters of the 3rd Grade Kind also contains many touching stories. Stories of children overcoming obstacles, of ways that he was able to get through to a child, of touching moments between children. Stories that bring a tear to your eye.

This book was very easy to read. Mr Done’s writing style is short, sweet, and to the point. I took it along with me wherever I went, just in case I had a few minutes of waiting time I needed to fill. I am sure that parents and teachers alike would enjoy this book.

Now, thanks to The Hachette Book Group, 2 of my blog readers will have a chance to enjoy this hilarious and heart warming book for themselves (or maybe to pass along to a teacher they know)

To Enter: Leave a comment telling us a funny grade school experience you have had, either as a parent, teacher, or grade schooler yourself!
Don't forget to include your e-mail address (if your profile does not have it listed)

Giveaway Ends: Sunday Nov. 8th!

Extra Entry: Blog or Twitter about this giveaway and post the links here.

Bonus Entry: If you are already a follower of Over Coffee – the green edition leave a comment for a bonus entry.

Restrictions: Only residents of the U.S or Canada are eligible to win. No P.O. Boxes.

Good Luck!

3 R Friday

Welcome to 3 R Friday

A weekly series of simple tips geared toward helping you darken your shade of green. Easily.

Reduce: Reduce the amount of chemicals your baby ingests by making your own baby food using organic fruits and veggies. You will also save $ and resources by keeping all of those glass jars out of the landfill/recycling.

Reuse: Reuse your jack-o-lantern to make pumpkin soup or pumpkin pie.

Recycle: Recycle your gently used household items with a local charity.

If you live in the Portland Oregon area you can donate many items at DonorsResource.org

Hope you found these tips helpful. Feel free to share any tips you may have.

Have a Great Green Weekend!

Seventh Generation's First Ever Twitter Party

Seventh Generation is sponsoring their first ever Twitter Party:

The party will feature famed environmental and consumer advocate, Erin Brockovich, will join Jeffrey Hollender, Anna Getty (Director of PureStyle Living and Founder of Pregnancy Awareness Month), Dr. Alan Greene and Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families who will tweet about why this reform is necessary.

In addition, the party will include giveaway prizes.

To register: Go to http://bit.ly/41baFu and RSVP to attend the #gno party dedicated to Keeping Children Safe From Untested Chemicals

Then tonight (Tues October 27th from 9-11pm ET) join in to chat about and discuss making chemicals safer for our children.

The party will be on a tweetgrid created just for this party at http://bit.ly/41baFu.

Click over to Mom it Forward for full details and to RSVP!

Post from the past: Halloween Safety Tips

Originally posted on BlissfullyDomestic.com

Halloween Safety Tips
By Lena on October 21, 2008

With Halloween fast approaching now is a good time to review some tips to help ensure you and your little goblins have a safe Halloween.

• Ensure costumes fit well and are fire proof.
• Look for costumes that don’t require masks.
• If your children are going to wear a mask, ensure the eye holes are large enough for them to see out of.
• Ensure costume props are smooth and flexible so they won’t hurt your child if they fall on them.
• Set jack-o-lanterns away from the front door so that the candle does not accidentally set trick-or-treaters costumes on fire.
• When trick-or-treating, carry flash lights or glow sticks.
• Consider putting reflective tape on your child’s costume.
• Trick-or-treat in familiar neighborhoods.
• Only go to those houses that have their lights on.
• Don’t let young children trick-or-treat by themselves.
• Look both ways before crossing the street.
• Trick-or-treat in groups.
• Inspect all candy before your kids eat it.
  

For more tips on how to keep your children and pets safe this Halloween, visit the Halloween Safety Guide website.

Here's hoping that you are your little goblins have a Happy Halloween!

3 R Friday

Welcome to 3 R Friday

A weekly series of simple tips geared toward helping you darken your shade of green. Easily.

Reduce: Reduce air pollution and energy usage by raking fallen leaves instead of using a leaf blower (plus you get a little extra exercise)

Reuse: Reuse leaves as mulch material. Mulch them up and spread them around the base of your plants to help protect them from the winter cold.

Recycle: Recycle the pumpkin seeds from your craved Jack-o-Lantern into next year's pumpkin.


Hope you found these tips helpful. Feel free to share any tips you may have.

Have a Great Green Weekend!

Recyling Eyeglasses

I wear eye glasses when I drive. Fortunately my eyesight does not change too much so I don't need a new prescription every year but every couple of years. This means that I do have glasses from years past hanging out in drawers cuz I just could not bring myself to throw them away. I am glad that I didn't cuz I found a wonderful place to recycle them!

Lions Recycle for Sight:

Volunteers of Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers (LERCs) clean, sort by prescription strength, package donated glasses, and distribute the glasses to people in need in developing countries.

Millions of people in developing nations are pushed deeper into poverty simply because they don't have glasses. They can't learn, because reading is difficult. They can't work to the best of their ability, because they can't see clearly. It costs Lions less than US$0.08 to provide a pair of recycled eyeglasses and change someone's life.

If you would like to see the process you can watch this slide show on their website: The Journey of a Pair of Eyeglasses

If you have a pair of glasses that you would like to donate here are a couple of ways to do so:

1. Drop them off at a Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center in your area

2. Mail them to:

Lions Clubs International Headquarters
Attention: Receiving Department
300 W. 22nd Street
Oak Brook, IL 60523

Lions accepts the following types of eyeglasses:

• Prescription
• Reading glasses
• Sunglasses
• Plastic Frames
• Metal frames
• Children's glasses are especially needed

To learn more on about the program click here.

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

This is the first year that we grew tomatoes and I could not believe how much our 1 little plant produced. (Holy Moly! Glad we decided to just try 1 plant)

Our first harvest went for salsa while our second harvest went to spaghetti sauce.

We kind of used a modified recipe but it came out delicious!

My husband actually did all the hard work while I picked the tomatoes, prepared some of the ingredients and poured the final product into glass jars. Total team work ;-)

Ingredients:

• 35 ounces tomatoes
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped carrot
• 4 cloves finely chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Salt to taste

Directions:

• Crush the tomatoes with a masher or the back of a spoon
• Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat
• Add the onion, carrot, & garlic
• Cook stirring until the onions and garlic have wilted
• Add remaining ingredients
• Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stir once
• Remove cover and simmer for ~ 45 minutes, stir occasionally

Modifications/What we learned:

• We did not peel the tomatoes so after mushing them we removed the bigger pieces of skin
• Knowing that our children would not eat the sauce if they could identify any ingredient we put it in the food processor for a couple of blends before cooking it
• We let the sauce simmer uncovered for a couple of hours to get it to the consistency we wanted
• The recipe said that it makes 6 cups. I poured it into 4 spaghetti size glass jars and froze those (Actually I froze 3 and used one the following day for dinner. We all loved it. Very Yummy!)
• The recipe actually called for 2 35 ounce cans of plum tomatoes. It also said to reserve 1 cup of the juice. Since we used fresh tomatoes we used 1/2 a cup of water instead
• It took a lot more time to make than anticipated but was well worth it.

Post from the past: 7 Simple Tips for Packing a Waste-free Lunch from Fabkins

Fabkins is not just about selling really cute reusable napkins (although they do that very well) they are also about educating parents, teachers, and children about the importance of reducing lunch time waste.
One of the ways they are educating us is through posts such as this: 7 Simple Tips for Packing a Waste-free Lunch

1. Use Containers: Ideally, one container with multiple compartments that fits easily into your child’s lunchbox. Due to recent studies showing that plastics can leech toxins, some parents are turning to aluminum or glass containers. Any one you choose is better than a plastic bag that is estimated to take hundreds, if not more, years to breakdown in our landfills.

2. Add a Water Bottle: Stop buying juice boxes and single use plastic water bottles and invest in a few re-usable water bottles for your kids’ lunch. These days, there are many styles, designs and colors to choose from that you can find online and in many stores. There are now many popular options made from recycled steel, such as Klean Kanteen, or aluminum, such as SIGG.

3. Buy in Bulk: Cut down on packaging by replacing single serving items like boxed raisins, cheese sticks, and apple sauce cups, Instead, buy the same items in large containers and simply put what your child will eat into your lunch container. You’ll be amazed by the reduction in trash and food waste with this simple trade-off.

4. Pack Whole Fruits: Try packing a whole apple, banana, peach, peeled orange or other fruit that your kids can eat without packaging. You may find they eat more of it and you’ll feel good that you haven’t created unnecessary trash.

5. Clean with Cloth: Of course, this one is our favorite! Toss in your favorite Fabkins, or two (one for a placemat, one for cleaning messy faces and hands), and remind your child to bring it home with the lunchbox and containers. Cloth napkins greatly reduce the number of paper towels and napkins used and disposed and may even replace the sleeve for mouth wipes.

6. Wrap it Up: Swap out a container for a fabric, washable wrap for snacks and sandwiches. Those made by the company Wrap-n-Mats, come in different designs and colors and double as a place mat. Their tagline says it all: The convenient,environmentally friendly re-usable sandwich wrap and placemat in one!

7. Get Creative: Packing a trash-free lunch gives a parent more opportunities to be creative about not only how you pack your child’s lunch, but what you give your child to eat. Have fun selecting containers, napkins and water bottles that reflect your kids’ personality and interests, and feel good about doing your part to save the environment.

For other educational posts (such as A “Green Toolkit” for schools) or to pick up some very cute reusable napkins for your children's lunches, visit fabkins.com.

Green deals and misc. news from around the green blog-a-sphere

1. Click on over to Compost Happens and read her post on One change a Month. Not only does she have some great ideas, she cleverly includes the month into the change.
   
2. Retro Housewife Goes Green is hosting a giveaway of a Citizenpip Reusable Lunch Kit. Hurry and enter cuz the giveaway ends Oct 20th.
   
3. Become a loyal People against Dirt (i.e. Method Fan), then click here for a super halloween craft, competition, and coupon deal and add your halloween creations to the Method facebook fan page.
   
4. Reusbalebag.com is becoming Reuseit.com and As part of the Big Fall Sale, we're offering overstocked, best-selling items from our award-winning ACME line at huge discounts - several at cost. We're doing this to move inventory to make room for our rebranding under the new Reuseit.com name. We expect them to go quickly, so shop early for the best selection! ACME Bags Blowout Sale + Big Fall Sale Save up to 60% for a limited time! see all sale items . It is not too early to buy some of these great bags to give as Christmas presents or to use as "wrapping paper" for Christmas presents. ;-)
   
5. Horizon™ has launched a fun, easy-to-navigate website focused on healthy families, healthy eating and a healthy future for us all. The site offers coupons, recipes, articles by pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene, valuable dairy health facts, and easy access to information on our entire line of organic and natural products. Check it out and let them know what you think!


6. Halloween's almost here but you still have time to shop for trick-or-treats, party favors, all-natural Halloween Candy.



7. Kids Konserve is featured in Entrepreneur Magazine in this October's Edition!

3 R Friday

Welcome to 3 R Friday

A weekly series of simple tips geared toward helping you darken your shade of green. Easily.

Reduce: Reduce the number of trash bags in the landfill by not using a trash bags in all of your garbage cans. If you do use a trash bag, leave the trash bag in the garbage can and just dump the trash or consolidate the trash into one before you dump it out.

Reuse: Reuse pumpkin seeds as bird food.

Just dry the seeds then feed them to the birds.

Recycle: Recycle plant clippings into new plants.

Every couple of months I walk around my house with scissors and clip off the unruly tops of my plants then I put them in a vase of water and wait for them to sprout roots. Once I see roots I replant the clippings. I have been replanting to same two kinds of plants into the same two pots for a few months now and I have two very decent size plants. Time to start 2 more pots.

Hope you found these tips helpful. Feel free to share any tips you may have.

Have a Great Green Weekend!

Rid your home of fruit flies and a big Thank You

Before I proceed to my regularly scheduled post I want to say Thank You.

Thank you to all those who follow my blog, subscribe to my blog, comment on my posts, read my ramblings, enter my giveaways, send me e-mails, and blog about my blog. I sincerely appreciate your support, your friendship, and your input.
Every time I open my blog and I see 1 new follower or read a comment someone has left for me it brings me such joy. When I started this blog, a little over a year ago, it was simply a way for me to express the excitement I was feeling about starting my eco-journey. I had no idea that it would grow and evolve into what it has. The blogging community may be difficult for non-bloggers to appreciate and understand but to me, it truly is a community and one that I enjoy being a part of. So thank you.

Now speaking of the blogging community....

I was reading one of my favorite blogs, enviromom, when I scrolled down to the post titled: How to get rid of fruit flies. I jumped for joy after reading her simple and natural solution on how to rid my home of the pesky fruit flies that were invading us (specifically my daughter's room which had become home to not only our fruit flies but to all the fruit flies in the surrounding states)

• Put a little cider vinegar in a small bowl or jar, along with a piece of fruit (I used an apple core.)
  
• Cover it tightly with a piece of plastic (I used old bread wrappers) and poke a few small holes in the plastic with a toothpick.
  
• The flies will be attracted to the smell and will find their way in, but won't be able to get out.
  
• When you've caught a few dump them outside (in your compost bin!) and do it again until you are fruit-fly free.
  

This worked like a charm! I could not believe how quickly the flies entered the container (and stayed in there).

I actually placed 3 containers around the house; 1 in the kitchen, 1 outside my daughter’s room, and one in my daughter’s room. After a couple of days I replaced them (the order will get pretty strong if you leave the container for more than a day)

We are not totally fruit fly free but pretty dang close.

Thank you enviromom! (My daughter especially says thanks)

Mineral Salt Deodorant

When we started on our eco-journey one of the first items that we switched was our deodorant. Unfortunately the switch did not go very well. We tried all the typical natural brands, Toms, Jason’s, etc… with no success.

All the brands and “flavors” made my husband break out. Even though they covered up the smell they did nothing for the wetness so sadly he went back to his "regular” antiperspirant/deodorant.

My problem was the opposite; they worked on the wetness but not the smell. I found myself switching back and forth between all brands every few days which worked for a while.

After a year of this I was starting to get really frustrated and then I read a review on using mineral salt, yes mineral salt. I trust the opinion of the blogger who wrote the review so I went out that very day and bought some.

What do I have to say to that blogger.....

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, Eco Yogini for pointing me/us in the mineral salt direction. We love it, love it, love it! (Is it normal to love deodorant?)

I bought this small travel size one at my local natural food store to try it out (I wanted to make sure it actually worked for both of us before I committed to the big crystal).

I can totally understand why Crystal deodorants are called the Un-odorant! Cuz you don't even know that they are there. There is no smell, no residue, no moisture, no nothing. It is the strangest thing. ;-)

It is literally a chuck of salt that you drip a little water on, rub your underarms with, and forget about.
It drys instantly. It leaves no trace. It controls wetness. It controls smells. It lasts all day. It lasts through work-outs. The container is recyclable. It is a little magical crystal. ;-)

We have been using it for a couple of weeks now and it does not even look like we have used any at all.

Eco-Yogini shared a couple of tips that I have to agree with:
1. Don't use it right after you shave (it is salt...ouchy..yes, I learned the hard way)
2. Use right after you get out of the shower (while your underarms are still a little moist)

No matter what brand you buy, the info is basically the same:

• Odor is caused by bacteria, which form on the body. Most deodorants on the market today merely mask that odor with unnecessary and unwanted chemicals. They “deodorize” with the help of chemicals. Crystal deodorants, made of 100% all natural mineral salts, prevent odor from happening in the first place by neutralizing the bacteria, preventing odor, rather than just covering it up.
  
• Crystal deodorants prevent body odor from occurring naturally by forming a topical layer on the skin, which is inhospitable to bacteria that cause odor. They dry instantly and don’t leave any residue.
  
• All Crystal Deodorants are hypoallergenic, contain no aluminum chlorohydrate, are paraben free, alcohol-free, non-sticky, non-staining, contain no artificial coloring, chemicals, dyes or alcohol, contain no harmful aluminums, are not tested on animals, and are safe for the environment!
  
• Deodorants made of alum based mineral salts feature physically large potassium or ammonium alum molecules which are not absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream and should not be confused with the controversial and potentially harmful aluminums found in most commercial deodorants and antiperspirants, like aluminum chlorohydrate or aluminum zirconium.
  
• Antiperspirants use chemicals to inhibit the activity of sweat glands so less moisture is produced. While deodorants are considered to be a cosmetic product because they only control odor, antiperspirants are actually drugs because they affect the physiology of the body. In fact, The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) controls the active ingredients used in antiperspirants because of their drug classification. Although the exact mechanism of this physiological interaction is not fully understood, the theory is that antiperspirant salts form temporary plugs in some of the sweat gland openings inhibiting the secretion of moisture.
  
• Antiperspirants have an aluminum-based compound as their main ingredient. These include Aluminum Chlorohydrate, Aluminum Zirconium, Aluminum Chloride, Tricholorohydrex Glycine and Aluminum Hydroxybromide – each controversial ingredients and, potentially, unhealthy.

Both my husband and I are very happy with the un-odorant and next time around, we will be purchasing the big crystal of mineral salt!

Skoy Cloth Winners

Congrats to the 2 winners of the Earth friendly, reusable, 100% biodegradable, washable, 100% natural Skoy Cloths:

Michele Horne said...
I learned that you can compost them.

and

CanCan (Mom Most Traveled) said...
I learned that SKOY is made from a unique blend of natural cotton and cellulose from wood. I really want to try these! :)

Thank you to everyone who entered and for Skoy Cloths for sponsoring this great giveaway!

Post from the past: Using proper hand washing techniques to wash away germs

Originally posted on blissfullydomestic.com

Using proper hand washing techniques to wash away germs
By Lena on October 22, 2008

Next time you are in a public place do a little people watching.

Watch all the things that people touch (money, shoe strings, child’s nose, food, their face) . Then watch all the common items touched by multiple people, including yourself (napkin holder, door, ketchup dispenser, chair, counters).

After a few minutes of people watching you will see why, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), scientists estimate that up to 80% of all infections are transmitted by our hands.

Hand washing may be the single most important act you can take to help stop the spread of infection and stay healthy.

The following highlights the proper method for washing hands:

• Wet hands
• Green insert; turn water off
• Dispense soap (use liquid soap rather than a bar of soap don't need antibacterial)
• Rub hands together for about 20 seconds (be sure to rub the back of the hands and around your fingernails)
• Rinse with warm water
• Use your elbow or paper towel to turn off the water (you don’t want to touch the “dirty” faucet with your clean hands especially when using a public restroom)
• When using a public restroom you should use something other than your clean hand, to open the door (arm, back-side, the paper towel you used to dry your hands)
  

To help prevent the spread of germs, people should wash their hands frequently throughout the day.

It is especially important to wash your hands:

• Before you eat
• After going to the bathroom or changing a diaper
• Before, during, and after preparing food
• After blowing or wiping your nose or your child’s nose
• Before and after tending to cuts
• After touching animals (especially at petting zoos)
  

According to the Mayo Clinic, Hand Washing doesn’t take much time or effort, but it offers great rewards in terms of preventing illness!

So take a few minutes to go wash your hands and your child's hands.

Green deals and misc. news from around the green blog-a-sphere

The White House chefs are now offering tours of the WHKG for school groups:

(As first reported on Obama Foodorama)
At this time, tours are limited to "local area" schools.However, if you are connected to a school, it can't hurt to apply anyway, since (1) we all know that "local area" has many definitions, and (2) it stands to reason the more interest they hear from around the country (and heck, around the world), the more likely the WH is to expand tour offerings and other school outreach programs.

Ecobags.com is having a 50% off Fall Sale: (on selected items) and $5.99 shipping on orders of more than $40.

Read about Nike Teaming up with the Bank of America Chicago Marathon for a Weeklong Recycling Drive:
Whether you're a hardcore runner or a screaming spectator, there's nothing like the thrill of a marathon – especially the Bank of America Chicago Marathon , scheduled for this Sunday, October 11. But what happens to all those shoes that get destroyed when training for this storied 26.2-mile race?

Starting today, Nike Reuse-A-Shoe and Bank of America are teaming up to keep those dead runners out of the trashcan with a weeklong shoe recycling drive. Through Friday, October 16th, you can bring your athletic shoes (any brand) to extra Reuse-A-Shoe drop-off locations across the city, including:
October 9-10: Chicago Marathon Health & Fitness Expo at McCormick Place
October 11: 27th Mile Post-Race Party at Grant Park's Butler Field
All Week: 33 Bank of America banking centers in the Chicago area – download a list of locations or, Visit the Chicago Marathon website for details.

Method is introducing a new line of pro chef products including a stainless steel cleaner!:
every kitchen needs a good clean-up crew. good thing our new PRO CHEF line has specialized cleaners for everyday chefs. specially formulated for granite, stainless steel and multi-surface, our non-toxic sprays keep kitchens sparkling clean without any nasty residue leftovers. used with our microfiber cloth, they’re a must-have tool no cook should be without – that goes for you too, mr. i-order-takeout-and-pass-it-off-as-my-own. now available nationwide at bed, bath & beyond stores.

Consider giving the gift of a Green Home Makeover from Green Irene: A Trendy, Unique Holiday Gift Option:
- At the start of the holiday season, many of us struggle with what seems to be a recurring chore: figuring out what gifts to purchase for our loved ones. However, today, more people are "going green" and that may influence - and, perhaps, make it easier for - shoppers to make unique gift choices this forthcoming holiday season.

Brittanie’s Thyme LLC October Special is the Teen Pack:
$5 off the Teen Pack: (now $17) The Teen Pack contains: 2 oz. Organic Acne Treatment, 4 oz. Organic Citrus Facial Cleanser and 40 ml. Almond Oatmeal Facial Scrub.

If you have a fruit fly problem (like we do) I highly recommend clicking over to enviromom's blog and reading their post: How to get rid of fruit flies. I tried it and it works!

That is it for now. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you all have a wonderful, joyful, stress free, fun-filled weekend!

3 R Friday

Welcome to 3 R Friday

A weekly series of simple tips geared toward helping you darken your shade of green. Easily.

Reduce: Reduce the number of plastic bottled water you drink by drinking tap water (filtered if you like) out of a glass while you are at home and at work. Fill up a reusable container when you are on the road.

Reuse: Reuse bath towels, both at home and at hotels.
Since you are using a clean towel to dry off your clean body you can use the towel for a few days before washing it.

Recycle: Recycle your old eyeglasses with the Lion's Club.

Hope you found these tips helpful. Feel free to share any tips you may have.

Have a Great Green Weekend!

California Baby Bubble Bath Review

My daughter loves to take bubble baths but I refuse to let her sit in a bath filled with synthetic chemical fragrance filled bubbles. I just won’t do it. Especially since she is a little girl with sensitive little girl parts (you know what I mean).

I used Lush bath bombs a few times, which she totally loved, but they are too pricey to use on a regular basis. A while back I was at Target picking up some CA baby shampoo and body wash when I saw a bottle of bubbles displayed next to the shampoo. Of course I picked it up, read the label, gulped a little at the price ($14), and put it in my cart (much to my daughter’s surprise).

That night my daughter had a warm, fun-filled, chemical free bubble bath and she loved it!

Here is some info on California Baby® Calming™ Bubble Bath from their website:

• Special bubbling formula contains mild vegetable-derived bubbling agents, enriched with a nourishing herbal complex that works to protect delicate skin.
• Non-drying
• Extremely biodegradable bubble bath strictly avoids the use of synthetic fragrances and harsh bubbling agents.
• This product was developed to avoid irritation (I can vouch for this. My daughter has never had any redness, rash, itching, or dry skin from using these bubbles) never use Sodium lauryl sulfate, DEA, or numbing agents.
• Non-irritating formula does not promote yeast or bladder infections
• Recommended for grownups too who need help winding down from another hectic day. A long soak in California Baby® Calming™ Bubble Bath is a great way to wash away stress - follow with a cup of chamomile tea, and you can look forward to a good night's sleep (I have never thought about using it myself but they make it sound very appealing!)
• Safe for spas and hot tubs

Benefits & Features:

• Contains organic and sustainably grown ingredients
• No tears
• No Sodium lauryl sulfate, DEA, or numbing agents
• No synthetic fragrances
• Aromatherapy essential oils are tested for purity and guaranteed pesticide free
• Non-stripping of delicate mucous membranes, which can lead to yeast or bladder infections
• Bubbles with soapbark and yucca
  

Tip: Because this is not a synthetic bubble bath you must help the bubbling process along by shaking/agitating bubbles under vigorously running water at the start of tub filling. (I put a small cap full under the running water as I am filling the bath. This works perfectly!)

More Bubble Baths:Overtired & Cranky, Calendula , Chamomile & Herbs™, Colds & Flu™, I Love You™, Light & Happy™, Super Sensitive™

I did gulp at the price, but just like their shampoo, a little bit goes a long way so the price per use is very reasonable! We are still on our first bottle and my daughter uses it almost every time she takes a bath. Since a small amount in the cap is all I use (and more than enough for a tub full of bubbles) I can't see buying another bottle for a while.

My daughter also lends toward dry skin and she has not had any dry patches with these bubbles which is another huge plus!

Overall I would recommend trying these bubbles. I am pretty sure my daughter would second that recommendation!

1 small change a month

If someone was to tell you that they wanted to start living an eco friendly lifestyle but that they were only willing to make 1 small change a month what would you tell them?

I have given this scenario some serious thought and have come up with a top 12 list to help them through the first year.

1. Read and learn why it is important to make these changes.


2. Use reusable bags instead of paper or plastic bags


3. Don’t buy bottled water instead buy reusable water bottles


4. Pack a reusable lunch


5. Buy organic locally grown foods


6. Recycle


7. Switch to cloth napkins


8. Reduce your purchases


9. Start using natural cleaners


10. Use reusable coffee mugs


11. Switch to natural personal products (toothpaste, shampoo, soap, etc)


12. Switch to LED lights

What would your list look like?

More Skoy Facts!

Here is some more great information about the reusable Skoy Cloths from the Frequently Asked Questions on the Skoy website:

1) How long does a SKOY last?
Since SKOY is reusable and washable it can last a very long time, some people still use them after a year. A normal life cycle of a SKOY cloth starts in the kitchen to wipe countertops and table tops. After using the SKOY for a week or two in the kitchen, it can be renewed in the washer and “downgraded” for indoor cleaning such as floors, bathrooms, etc. After a few months in this stage, being washed a couple of times, the SKOY can then be used for outdoor messes, such as wiping patio furniture as well as for garage use. This is the great thing with SKOY, it can be used over and over again.

2) On what surfaces can I use a SKOY?
SKOY works best on hard surfaces, such as counter tops, table tops, bookshelves, etc.

3) Can I use SKOY to clean furniture upholstery or to suck up a stain from a carpet?
SKOY is mainly intended for hard surfaces. If you want to try to use SKOY on textile surfaces then we recommend to use our white SKOY, since in rare cases a colored SKOY could discolor the textile.

4) Can I use SKOY in other places besides the kitchen?
Yes. Our customers use SKOY in many places: kitchen, bathroom, office, garage, boat, automobile, patio, camping, etc. Our golfers have reported that they also are great for cleaning golf clubs.

5) What is the difference between SKOY and a microfiber cloth?
The biggest difference is that SKOY is made from natural materials and is 100% biodegradable, while microfiber cloths are made from synthetic materials. In other words, SKOY is more earth-friendly. Our experience also show that a SKOY cloth absorbs liquids better than a microfiber cloths and as such is superior for kitchen use. Finally, we think that SKOY feels better in your hand when using it.

6) How is SKOY a greener cleaning solution than paper towels, both end up on the landfill and both are biodegradable?
It is true that both SKOY and paper towels end up on the landfill (unless you have a compost) and that both are biodegradable. However, there is a big and important difference — a paper towel you can only use once, while a SKOY can be used over and over again. In an average household, each SKOY cloth saves 15 rolls of paper towels!

7) Why is reducing the use of paper towels a big deal?
According to EPA USA generates 250 million tons of trash per year, of which around 34% is paper. That is 85 million tons of paper waste per year! Reducing paper-towel waste has many important benefits:

Less paper waste reduces greenhouse gases in multiple ways:
a) reduces transportation required to haul goods/packages,
b) reduces energy needed to make goods/packages,
c) reduces fuel consumed in hauling waste to landfill, and
d) reduces methane in landfill from decomposing paper.

Using less paper towels means cutting down less trees, which reduces the risk of deforestation.
Of course, some paper towels use more recycled material than others, but in the end you make paper from trees. “17 trees are consumed to make one ton of paper towels” (American Dryer web site)

Using less paper towels means we can use less chemicals and waste less water needed to produce paper towels. “Even before the paper towels are used, each ton has claimed 20,000 gallons of water in chemical cleansing.” (Wikipedia)

Using less paper towels means using up less landfill resources.
“A decrease in U.S. household consumption of just three rolls per year would save 120,000 tons of waste and $4.1 million landfill dumping fees.” Arizona State University

Imagine every household saving 15 rolls for each SKOY…!

8) What material is SKOY made out of?
SKOY is made from a unique blend of natural cotton and cellulose from wood.

9) Can I put my old SKOY in my compost?
Yes, SKOY is both biodegradable and compostable. An independent composting test showed that SKOY broke down completely within 5 weeks (16 weeks in a city landfill).

10) Will microwaving SKOY really kill the bacteria?
According to a scientific study microwaving a wet sponge for 2 minutes is an effective method to sterilize it and kill the bacteria.

I bet after reading this info you are pretty excited about trying Skoy Cloths for yourself. Click HERE to enter the Skoy Cloth giveaway that I am hosting (2 winners)!

Skoy Cloth Review and Giveaway

If you are familiar with the green blogging world chances are that you have heard of Skoy Cloths. The earth friendly, reusable, 100% biodegradable, washable, 100% natural cloth that you use to clean with instead of paper towels and sponges.
Yup, that Skoy Cloth.

When Karen, co-owner of Skoy Cloths, contacted me about doing a review you know I said Yes!

I use a similar product and have been very happy with it so I was eager to compare the two.

Let me tell you, I am just as happy with Skoy Cloths! They work wonderfully.

Skoy was founded by two stay-at-home moms (Michelle & Karen) who live in Encinitas, California.

The idea originated when Michelle was living in Europe in the late 90’s. She discovered a product that was similar to the SKOY cloth and it was just amazing. Over time she found the cloth to be indispensible. When she moved back to the US, she realized that the use of a sponge was inadequate and the excessive use of paper towels, wasteful. Michelle searched and searched for a similar cloth and nothing even compared; nothing was of the same caliber. This is when Michelle introduced the cloth to Karen. She immediately fell in love with it and could not imagine cleaning with anything else.’ We then put our heads together and discussed a way to bring this product to the US with the requirement that it meet our high standard. Now we are so excited to be able to offer the SKOY cloth to you—which is everything that we had hoped it would be.

• Each SKOY is approximately 7”x 7”
• Made using water-based colors and inks
• Can be cleaned by placing in the dishwasher, washing machine, or microwave
• Made in Germany but package in the USA (click here to read about the factory)
• Is equivalent to using 15 rolls of paper towels
• Made from natural cotton & wood-pulp cellulose
• Saves $ and tress!
• Come in a variety of colors; orange, yellow, green, blue, pink, purple, & white

The different colors are a nice way to keep their uses separate (blue for bath, yellow for kitchen).

They actually remind me a little of a car shammie. Before you use them you have to moisten them, squeeze out the excess water, and then wipe away.

I really like using them on my sinks, especially the stainless steel sink in my kitchen. I use the baking soda and vinegar and scrub with my yellow Skoy and off comes the yuck without leaving any residue behind. That is the part that I like the most. No left over residue. I can literally wipe once and up comes the dirt, grim, and cleaner without having to go over and over the same spot. After I am done I pop it in the microwave and then lay it out to dry. Good as new!

I have also found that I can use a smalled amount of my Method All Surface Cleaner™ because the cleaner does not soak into the cloth. Another bonus!

The more I use them the more I love them! Now you get a chance to love them too! The kind folks at Skoy Cloth are giving 2 of my readers Skoy Cloths of their own (Thanks gals!)

To Enter: Visit the Skoy Cloth website, have a look around, then come back here and leave a comment telling us something you learned!

Don't forget to include your e-mail address (if your profile does not have it listed)

Giveaway Ends: Sunday Oct. 11th!

Extra Entry: Blog or Twitter about this giveaway and post the links here.

Good Luck!

Calypso Studio holiday tote sale

Are you looking for a cute trick-or-treat alternative to the plastic pumpkin?

Might I suggest Calypso Studio's Trick-or-Treat tote.
How cute is that? Plus it hold 20 pounds! That is a whole lot of candy ;-)

Maybe you are looking for a small gift to bring to the host of this year's Thanksgiving feast.
What about this adorable Leak Toss tote!

For a limited time you can get 2 Calypso Studio holiday tote bags for $10(regular $7.95 each)!

Just enter promotion code HSHOP1031!

Post from the past: Why Drink Organic Milk

Did you know that June is Dairy Month?

Hmm. Me neither.

I do now!

Those that have read my blog for a while know that I am a kind of short, sweet, to-the-point, give me just the facts kind of reader/writer. Give me a list with a short sentence or two on why and I am one happy girl.

That is why this article caught my attention:
Seven Reasons Why Kids Should Drink Organic Milk
From: SOURCE Organic Valley Family of Farms

In recognition of June (Dairy Month) Dr. Greene is offering the following seven reasons why families who drink milk should choose organic:

1. Organic milk comes from organic cows that have not been treated with antibiotics, so it doesn't contribute to the growing problem of bacterial resistance.


2. Organic milk does not have added synthetic hormones used to stimulate the cows' milk production which is then passed on to the milk drinker.


3. Organic cows are fed food grown without chemical pesticides. (again, keeping pesticides from being transferred to the milk drinker)


4. Many organic farmers rely upon pasturing and give their cows fresh green grass which means that organic milk often has a high CLA content because it comes from cows who pasture has higher CLA content. (CLA is Conjugated Linoleic Acids i.e. the “good fats”)


5. Excellent source of calcium. (This is true for all milk)


6. Organic milk is a natural, wholesome beverage that does not contain artificial chemical ingredients, high fructose corn syrup, aspartame and/or artificial chemical dyes
   
7. Organic cows must have access to open air. Organic cows are allowed to graze freely in organic pasture when it is in season. This kind of farming is kind to animals, supportive of wildlife, healthy for rural communities, respectful of our air, water and soil, and healthy for children.

"Parents need to practice the precautionary principle when it comes to the foods they feed their families," advised Greene. "This is especially true when it comes to eating higher on the food chain where pesticides and other toxins are stored in fatty tissue. By choosing organic milk, butter, and cheese, however, families can avoid this exposure."

Now we know.

For the full article click over to The Organic Consumers Association website. (A good source of short, sweet, to-the-point, info. In my opinion)

I wish I had read this article (or better yet, had a printed copy of it) so I could have responded to the lady behind me in the check-out line who was making rude comments about me wasting my $ on organic items when they were just the same as regular items…..

3 R Friday

Welcome to 3 R Friday

A weekly series of simple tips geared toward helping you darken your shade of green. Easily.

Reduce: Reduce the environmental impact of your Halloween by shopping at thrift stores for costumes, candy buckets, and decorations. Ask family and friends if they would be interested in a costume exchange or rent a costume instead of buying one (a good option for adult costumes)

Reuse: Reuse Halloween costumes from the past. Mix and match. Use them on younger children. Reuse items around the house to make a costume.

Recycle: Recycle a cardboard box into a Halloween costume: make it into a Lego, robot, cracker jack box, TV, cereal box, stop sign, computer, present, etc... the possibilities are endless!

Hope you found these tips helpful. Feel free to share any tips you may have.

Have a Great Green Weekend!

2 bags for 3 items

The other day I was in line at the grocery store and the lady in front of me was purchasing 3 items. Can you guess how many plastic bags she walked out with?

Yup. 2!

2 plastic bags for 3 stinkin items!

The only reason it was not 3 was because she opted to carry her gallon of milk instead of putting it in a bag.

This small, seemingly harmless act, infuriates me! Don't people get how bad these things are for the environment?

Don't they know how much precious 0il and resources go into producing those flimsy bags?

For those that don't, let me share some widely "known" facts about plastic bags:

• Plastic bags are made of polyethylene


• Polyethylene is a petroleum product


• It takes about 430,000 gallons of oil to produce 100 million nondegradable plastic bags


• Four to five trillion plastic bags are manufactured worldwide annually


• Production of these plastic bags contributes to air pollution and energy consumption


• Every year Americans use over 380 billion polyethylene bags. That’s more than 1,200 bags per US resident, per year


• Americans throw away approximately 100 billion polyethylene bags per year


• Only 1 to 2% of plastic bags in the USA end up getting recycled.


• It takes 250 bags to make 1 kilo of plastic - making recycling economically unfeasible


• Plastic bags photo-degrade. Which means they break up into smaller pieces of toxic materials.


• It takes ~1000 years for polyethylene bags to break down


• As polyethylene breaks down, toxic substances leach into the soil


• Plastics bags have been found in the stomachs of many animals, on land and in the sea, some of which are endangered animals


• Ingestion of plastic bags can result in blockages, internal infections, starvation and death


• Thousands of marine animals and more than 1 million birds die each year as a result of plastic pollution


• Other animals or birds become entangled in plastic bags and drown or can’t fly as a result.


• Approximately 1 billion seabirds and mammals die per year by ingesting plastic bags


• ~ 100,000 marine mammals die yearly by eating plastic bags.


• Plastic bags are carried by the wind into forests, ponds, rivers, and lakes

I can go on and on and on....

For my part I use reusable bags for all my shopping (not just grocery shopping) and I try to give reusable bags to as many people as I can; family, friends, strangers, blog readers, teachers, friends of friends. If there is ever a time that I can pass along a reusable bag I do!

I am hopefully that once they start using them they will see how much handier they are than plastic bags and they will be hooked.

I figure that, even if they only use it a couple of times, that is that many less plastic bags that are used.

If you do have a collection of plastic bags in your house, you can easily reuse them too (take them shopping with you instead of getting more) or recycle them. Just please, please, please keep them out of the landfill, the mouths of animals, The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, our trees, our streams, our parks, etc...

What you should and should not compost

Ever wonder what you can and cannot compost?

Have you ever wondered, "What exactly is compost?" or "Why should I even bother composting?"

You know I have. And I found my answers at an unexpected source, the EPA website!

I was very surprised at how much information this user friendly website had.
Here is a small sampling of what I learned.

Organic materials that you can compost:

• Animal manure
• Cardboard rolls
• Clean paper
• Coffee grounds and filters
• Cotton rags
• Dryer and vacuum cleaner lint
• Eggshells
• Fireplace ashes
• Fruits and vegetables
• Grass clippings
• Hair and fur
• Hay and straw
• Houseplants
• Leaves
• Nut shells
• Sawdust
• Shredded newspaper
• Tea bags
• Wood chips
• Wool rags
• Yard trimmings

Wow! That is some list. I knew about most of these items but not all, like nut shells for instance. (I can't believe I threw nutshells away the other day. What was I thinking? I won't make that mistake again).

I am quite surprised at how much our garbage volume has decreased since we started composting (and recycling but that is something we always did). Our family of 4 generates ~ 1 kitchen size bag a week and most weeks that is not even full.

Here are some other things that I learned on the EPA website:

• Compost is organic material that can be used as a soil amendment or as a medium to grow plants.
• Mature compost is a stable material with a content called humus that is dark brown or black and has a soil-like, earthy smell. It is created by: combining organic wastes (e.g., yard trimmings, food wastes, manures) in proper ratios into piles, rows, or vessels; adding bulking agents (e.g., wood chips) as necessary to accelerate the breakdown of organic materials; and allowing the finished material to fully stabilize and mature through a curing process.
• Natural composting, or biological decomposition, began with the first plants on earth and has been going on ever since. As vegetation falls to the ground, it slowly decays, providing minerals and nutrients needed for plants, animals, and microorganisms.
• Mature compost, however, includes the production of high temperatures to destroy pathogens and weed seeds that natural decomposition does not destroy.

Did You Know That Compost Can...

• Suppress plant diseases and pests.
• Reduce or eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers.
• Promote higher yields of agricultural crops.
• Facilitate reforestation, wetlands restoration, and habitat revitalization efforts by amending contaminated, compacted, and marginal soils.
• Cost-effectively remediate soils contaminated by hazardous waste.
• Remove solids, oil, grease, and heavy metals from stormwater runoff.
• Capture and destroy 99.6 percent of industrial volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) in contaminated air.
• Provide cost savings of at least 50 percent over conventional soil, water, and air pollution remediation technologies, where applicable.

Here is another list that I found very helpful (especially the explanation as to why not)

What not to compost and Why:

• Black walnut tree leaves or twigs
  Releases substances that might be harmful to plants
  
• Coal or charcoal ash
  Might contain substances harmful to plants
  
• Dairy products (e.g., butter, egg yolks, milk, sour cream, yogurt)
  Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
  
• Diseased or insect-ridden plants
  Diseases or insects might survive and be transferred back to other plants
  
• Fats, grease, lard, or oils
  Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
  
• Meat or fish bones and scraps
  Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
  
• Pet wastes (e.g., dog or cat feces, soiled cat litter)
  Might contain parasites, bacteria, germs, pathogens, and viruses harmful to humans
  
• Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides
  Might kill beneficial composting organisms

This is only a sampling of the helpful information that I found on the EPA's website. Hope you found it helpful too!

EcoSmart Winner

Congrats to the winner of EcoSmart Pest Killer:

Green Girl said: Eco-safe products that are safe for gardening are important for me. I would love to try EcoSmart's Garden Fungicide - powdery mildew is an issue with my plants!

Thanks to everyone who entered and for EcoSmart for sponsoring the giveaway.

Post from the past: 5 suggestions for what to do with your post Halloween pumpkins

5 suggestions for what to do with your post Halloween pumpkins:

Originally posted on blissfullydomestic.com

Now that Halloween has come and gone it is time to take down the ghosts and witches and put up the turkeys and pilgrims. But before you throw poor Mr. Jack-O-Lantern in the garbage consider these options:

• Give him a proper burial: Put him in a corner of your yard, cover him with dirt and fallen leafs and let him be. This is called Passive Composting and according to Earth911.com, “Compost produced from passive piles is just as beneficial for the soil as is compost from active piles… compost happens even if we do little to assist the process”.
• Take him to the zoo: Pumpkins are a special treat for some zoo animals (like elephants). Contact your local zoo to see if they can use your Jack-O-Lantern as an animal treat.
• Take him back to the pumpkin patch: If you bought your pumpkin from a pumpkin patch (or even if you didn’t) check with them to see if they will take it back. Most patches plow over the pumpkins that were not sold and probably wouldn’t mind throwing Mr. Jack-O-Lantern in with the others.
• Start a compost pile with him: Between the pumpkins and the fallen leaves, this time of year is the perfect time to start composting. You know what they say, No time like the present! To learn how to get started composting you may want to read this article from Treehugger.com.
• Take him to a neighborhood farm or garden: Some farm animals (like goats and cows) will eat pumpkins if they are cut open. Check with your local area farms to see if they take donations. Community gardens are also a good place to contact. They would be happy to use Mr. Jack-O-Lantern in their compost piles.

If you decorated with uncarved pumpkins, here are a few suggestions for how to use the pumpkin seeds:

• Plant the seeds and grow your own pumpkins for next year
• Dry the seeds and feed them to the birds
• Roast the seeds and eat them yourself
  

So before you throw away all that hard work and time you and your family put into carving your Jack-O-Lanterns consider some green alternatives. It will make you both smile.

New from NaturalCandyStore.com: Halloween Jelly Beans Mix

• Kosher certification: KOF-K
• Made in: USA

Ingredients: Sugar, corn syrup, cornstarch, dextrose, citric acid, pectin, sodium citrate, tangerine juice concentrate, natural coloring (caramel color, fruit and vegetable extracts, titanium dioxide, beta carotene, annatto), natural flavors, bees wax, carnauba wax, confectioner's glaze.

Also available in pure orange.

CHEWING GUM SWEEPSTAKES SPREADS GLEE:

I received this announcement from Glee Gum and I thought I would share it with you.
It would be so cool if one of us won!

CHEWING GUM SWEEPSTAKES SPREADS GLEE:
In Honor of the Hit Show on FOX, A Chance to Win in Every Glee Gum Box!

“Glee” is a word often heard these days, thanks to the most highly anticipated television show of the season. In celebration of the “Glee” series on TV, Glee Gum is delighted to join FOX in offering ELEVEN winning tickets inside select packs of gum this fall!

Beginning Sept. 23, 2009, the “Your Ticket to Glee” sweepstakes offers gum-chewers aged 18 years and older a chance to win one of eleven fabulous prize packages. Ten Glee Gum packs contain vouchers for big prizes of yummy gum and “Glee” show merchandise— from hats and tees to autographed cast pictures. The eleventh Glee Gum pack holds the ticket to the super grand prize: a trip for two to Hollywood! The grand prize includes roundtrip air transportation, two nights hotel accommodation, and a $250 American Express gift card. How Glee-ful!

“Glee,” the genre-defying new musical comedy series, follows an optimistic teacher who – against all odds and a malicious cheerleading coach – attempts to save McKinley High’s Glee Club from obscurity while helping a group of aspiring underdogs realize their true star potential. Embraced by critics and viewers alike, the uplifting show with biting humor features a soundtrack of hit music from past to present. Tune in to “Glee” Wednesdays (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX! (I actually watch this show and like it a lot. It is a very cute, light hearted, feel good kind of show)

While watching “Glee”, try chewing it too. Available in six sweet flavors, Glee Gum is all-natural chewing gum made without artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, or preservatives. The secret ingredient is chicle, a swell, sticky tree sap harvested from the rainforests of Central America. Using chicle is a sustainable way to keep the trees of the rainforest standing, and to help the folks who work there to make a living. Plus, that’s how gum was originally made – and you know what they say when it ain’t broke! Packaged in recycled cardboard, Glee provides a great, green alternative to artificial gums.

With national distribution in specialty grocers like Whole Foods and Cost Plus, Glee Gum can be found from sea to shining sea. Who knows where “Your Ticket to Glee” will be?

For more details on Glee Gum and the “Your Ticket to Glee” sweepstakes, including complete Official Rules, please visit www.gleegum.com. For more information on “Glee”, check out www.fox.com/glee. In the meantime, chew Glee, watch “Glee” and go Glee-fully!

About Verve, inc., Makers of Glee Gum
Verve, Inc. is an independent, certified woman-owned business, dedicated to linking world communities and creating environmentally and socially responsible products. In addition to Glee Gum, Verve produces a line of all natural, educational Make Your Own Candy Kits for kids. Verve is a dedicated member of 1% for the Planet and Green America. Chew with Glee, naturally!

About “Glee”
Starring Dianna Agron, Chris Colfer, Jessalyn Gilsig, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Kevin McHale, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Matthew Morrison, Amber Riley and Mark Salling, GLEE is produced by Ryan Murphy Television in association with 20th Century Fox Television. Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan are co-creators of the series. Murphy, Falchuk and Dante Di Loreto serve as executive producers, while Ian Brennan serves as co-executive producer. Murphy also served as director of the pilot.
GLEE™ & © 2009 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.