Live Green. Love Green.

Hooray, Hooray...it's finally Earth Day which happens to be my second favorite environmental holiday!  It also happens to be the largest secular holiday celebrated in the U.S. and the largest civic event in the world and I think that's a pretty awesome claim to fame ;) Earth day began in 1970 making this year its 49th anniversary.  It broadens the base for support for environmental programs, rekindles public commitment and builds community activism around the world through a broad range of events and activities.  I LOVE that it is celebrated by people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities. It is a day that promotes conservation and concern reminding us that EVERYONE is responsible for protecting the planet.  Here's a little Earth Day history for you: In 1962, Rachel Carson's Silent Spring set the stage for the modern environmental movement.  The New York Times Bestseller sold more than 500,000 copies in 24 countries.  Up until that moment, more than any oth

Did you know? Within the average household electric dryers account for 6-10% of energy consumption.   National Hanging Out Day  was established in 1955 to bring attention to energy waste associated with machine dryers and to encourage people to dry their clothes in the open air.   Whether we like it or not, chores are an essential part of life and one of those essential, modern day chores is laundry.    A simple way to green or laundry routine is to get back to basics and line dry our items.    The sun acts as a natural antimicrobial agent so using a clothesline outside when the weather allows is good for your health.    For indoor drying you can use a clothes rack.    No matter the location of your drying clothes with each load of laundry you’ll be conserving energy and protecting the planet.   If you must use a dryer for your clothes, you can conserve energy by keeping your duct clean and well maintained.    Using an efficient model of dryer can help conserve energy an

Keep America Beautiful (KAB)   is a nonprofit organization that has been inspiring and educating people to take consistent action to help beautify their community environments since 1953.  April has been designated 'Keep America Beautiful' month since the 1970's and KAB uses this month to celebrate the hard work of their state and community based affiliates, local partners, businesses, public offices, and millions of volunteers who make a difference through their environmental initiatives.   With their corporate, non-profit, and education partners KAB supports several campaigns such as cars to donate, cigarrette litter prevention, the great American clean up, and the give and go move out program.  All of their campaigns are designed to help build and sustain vibrant communities.  I encourage all of you to do a little research this month and see what KAB programs you can get your community involved in.   For more green living tips follow me on  Facebook  &  Inst

Spring is the time of year when the winter fantasies of gardeners everywhere start to become reality. As the bulbs start blooming and the leaves start budding, garden lovers everywhere become excited to help along yet another year of beautiful flowers and luscious plants. What better time, then, to consider the most eco friendly ways we can do that? Rain is easy to take for granted, but we sure miss it in our garden when we suffer a dry spell. Why not collect rain water when it's in abundance during a storm and save it for the day you'll need it? That's exactly what rainwater barrels do for you. You can set them up under your gutters, and they can collect up to sixty gallons of rain depending on their size. Then, when the skies are blue and there is not a cloud in sight you can release the water through your hose and right to your plants when they really need it. Plants and flowers love compost, which delivers life-nourishing organic matter right where they need it most

Tomorrow is Make Lunch Count Day, a day set aside to get away from your desk and enjoy your midday lunch away from the office.  This is so important because 73% of people eat lunch at their desks at least 2x/week and one third of workers eat lunch at their desks every single day.  Are you guilty of this?  I am!  I typically pack my lunch 5 days/week and end up eating at my desk 3-5 days per week.  On Mondays I dog sit on my lunch break and I try to make it a point to go to my parents house one a week to eat my lunch with them and my niece.  But, most of the time I stay at my desk because it's convenient.  There are lots of ways to celebrate Make Lunch Count Day and you can make it count even more by keeping your meal eco-friendly.  I plan to pack a zero waste picnic and invite one of my coworkers to join me at the local park to share lunch, a quick walk and some good conversation.  This midday break is a great way to clear your mind and leaves you feeling more refreshed to take

Today is National Beer Day and I am encouraging all of you that celebrate to be a little greener by drinking beverages from breweries that apply environmental principles to their businesses. Here is a list of some of my favorite eco friendly breweries and why I love them: 1. BROOKLYN BREWERY uses 100% sustainable energy sourced from windfarms in Upstate New York. They also pay local dairy & livestock farmers to take their used grain to prevent it from being disposed of as waste. 2. SIERRA NEVADA BREWING COMPANY gets 100% of their electric from rooftop and parking lot solar panels, they divert almost all of their waste from landfills, and purify their used water for us in the crops. 3. NEW BELGIUM BREWERY is one of my favorites (probably because I used to live right near it - try their Sunshine if you get a chance). They have a lot of environmental goals they're working towards and they currently divery 99% of their waste from landfills, reduce their emissions and con

Get out your sneakers and map out your route cause tomorrow is  National Walk to Work Day!! Recognizing this day is good for our physical health, our personal health, and the health of the planet as a whole.  If you're someone who typically uses a vehicle of some sort to commute to work you'll be pleasantly surprised by the benefits switching it up can bring.  By the time you arrive at your job you'll feel awake and energized and your head will be clear and ready for whatever comes your way.  Use the extra time it takes to walk as a way to slow down the day and appreciate the beauty that surrounds you.  It's too easy to lose sight of what's beyond work these days so putting in a little effort to reconnect with the environment might be just what you need to refresh your body and mind. This action will require some advanced planning.  Here are some helpful tips to making it an easy and fun commute: 1.  Set your alarm early. 2.  Pack an on the go breakfast. 3. 

If you're just beginning with gardening, don't be afraid for it is not meant to be difficult.  In fact, it can be so much more fun than what you think.  If you don't know how to start, there is always an avenue of knowledge for you: your grandmother or family to assist you, informational books and magazines to read, and the internet to browse more information.  People of all ages - children, young adults, adults, and old folks alike - see gardening as a refreshing and rewarding hobby.  With all the benefits that you get why not start growing your own plants indoor or outdoors today.  You will see the big difference and be convinced once you get to reap your own fruits of labors.  Would you like to have a bed of beautiful and colorful flowers, country garden full of wild flowers and shrubs, manicured lawn strategically placed with shrubs and little trees, or just a simple backyard with lots of pots and containers planted with grown plants?  Whatever your preference you&

Each year medication safety week is recognized during the first week of April. It is meant to draw attention to the issues surrounding medication administration and disposal for individuals, doctors, hospitals, and pharmacists. It is also a way to help prevent the inappropriate use of meds and overdose. Although patient safety is a primary concern during this week this post will focus on the environmental impact and disposal of medications. According to Mother Nature Network, more than 100 different pharmaceuticals have been detected in rivers, lakes, streams, and reservoirs around the world. These pharmaceuticals include antibiotics, anticonvulsants, sex hormones, and mood stabilizers and have been found in drinking water supplied to at least 41 million Americans. These small concentrations of medications detected in the environment have the potential to affect human health and the health of marine life. They most typically enter our water sources after they are expelled from