Recycle, eh

Did you know that you can re-grow celery using the bottom part that you normally cut off? Yup, you can. I discovered Mary Andrews' and Tim Vidra's wonderful blog, 17Apart yesterday and share their step-by-step tips. They also show you how to re-grown bok choy, sweet potatoes, and green onions (scallions). 

As for me, I plug garlic buds that are starting to turn green into a pot of soil to grow garlic chives. They're great in salads, soup, and sandwiches.

Okay, so I missed blogging on the day designated as the official Earth Day; but shouldn't every day be earth day? Come on, folks, we're not doing that great evironmentally and things seem to be getting worse instead of better. For me, everyday is earth day. There isn't a day that goes by when I am not attempting to cut back on my carbon footprint, recycle, reuse, and reinvent stuff so that my trash bins are as empty as possible.

And believe it or not, it takes very little effort to do so. I watch what I buy so that I don't bring home excess packaging. I buy locally whenever possible and I read labels to ensure that what I do buy was grown or made at home rather than imported from thousands of miles away. If I can't use something, I find someone or somplace that can take it (e.g., clothing, books, magazines, cardboard, etc.). My food scraps go into the compost. - since I don't eat meat, it's easy.

Living like this is a habit and once you've gotten into the groove, it's a piece of cake (chocolate, of course!!).

St. Paddy's day is this Saturday and everone knows you don't have to be Irish to celebrate the occasion. You can get green beer at the local pub and even green bagels! And, of course, everyone wears a little green on the day. But this year, why not go -- well -- a little greener. Jena Ellis over at Online Certificate Program has a list of 10 green Initiatives to celebrate this iconic holiday and being more eco-friendly at the same time.

Thanks Jena!

A friend took me on a Iong drive on Sunday to this amazing junkyard in Prestonpans - a huge lot bursting with all kinds of stuff that could, with a bit of work, be reused and repurposed. Hundreds (even thousands) of items (like the cutlery shown below) were simply left outside to weather the elements and were in pretty rough shape.

There was an amazing market wagon which I would have snapped up if I had the room. It would make a wonderful and portable children's garden as it was on wheels and had a nice strong handle. Books and better furniture items were stored in higgly-piggly buildings but at least safe from the wind and rain. Could have spent a week just browsing. I did find some old Penguin paperbacks and bought those as I love the old covers.

The February issue of Country Living magazine (UK) has a few tips for keeping out the cold this winter. Some of the ideas are probably only applicable to the UK (e.g., putting a balloon up a fireplace chimney and a strip of aluminum foil behind a radiator to reflect heat) but a few are good ideas for anywhere you live.

For example, fitting a brush-seal to the bottom of the front and back door, putting a cover on the door letter box and over keyholes. Applying a weather strip seal around doorframes is a good idea and also putting up clear plastic covers over windows to prevent heat loss. And even little things can help, such as making a door draft stopper from an old woolly scarf. Here's how to make it.

Okay, it's official - Kraft paper (brown parcel wrap) and clothespins are this year's Advent calendar darlings. Here's another one using both I couldn't resist showing you. And the lovely Nina Holst of Stylizimo gives you instructions on how to make this very proper calendar. Last one, I promise - I think, hope ...

Remember to check around the house and the recycling bins to use what you've got already. Don't spend a cent until you've done that and then, if you have to do some shopping, buy locally, by handcrafted locally, and buy products that are environmental friendly.