Downshifting

Everyone has different behaviours they can adapt to cut down on waste (both garbage and spending). These are based on my particular habits. What changes suit you?

1. Stop buying books for personal use. Use the library.
2. Get subscriptions to magazines and stop buying at the store (except Sunset)- House and Home, Style at Home, Canadian Family.
3. Get a bread maker!
4. Get a deep freeze.
5. Get a good coffee grinder and start buying bulk from Costco every 2 weeks.
6. Buy in bulk when items are on sale.
7. Learn about what I can freeze.
8. Buy in season and freeze.
9. Save yogurt containers to use in freezer.
10. Make pizzas at home.
11. Make pasta at home.
12. Double up meal 2x per week and freeze half.
13. Use a slow cooker.
14. Learn how to can.
15. Make freezer jams.

Inspired by a notesfromthefrugaltrenches.com post.

June Garden Maintenance

-water spring bulbs till leaves turn yellow and can be pulled off easily
-sow perennials such as phlox, yarrow, columbine, lupine and delphiniums for next summer
-mulch lillies
-divide german bearded irises after flowering
-turn compost

June Vegetable and Fruit Planting

Average last frost day March 28

Average first frost day November 5

beets- 8 weeks to mature, 16 per sq ft

carrots- 10 weeks to mature, 16 per sq ft

cucumber- 9 weeks, 4 per sq foot (grow vertically)

radishes- 4 weeks, in part shade, lots of water, mulch if hot, 16 per sq ft

spinach- 7 weeks, in shady spot, 9 per sq ft

summer squash- 8 weeks, plant extras in case eaten by bug, 3 per 1x4 foot (grow vertically)

zucchini plants

tomato plants

strawberry plants

basil plants

others to try: orach and purslane salad greens are heat tolerant

Spring Cleaning Goes Green

It was my turn to do the early wake up with Caia on Friday. We let Daddy sleep in. Usually this means a lazy hour or two playing games involving blankets, teddies, and pillows with creative names such as "ny ny" (night night) where we pretend to sleep. But some crazy high energy Spring clean urge took over and next thing I know we are cleaning out Caia's closet, book case, cupboard, and drawers! This had been happening to me all week. I would sit down to get some work done and feel an overwhelming urge to tidy, organize, and spruce our house up. What is this Spring cleaning fever I have?

Needless to say, I am loving any magazine article related to spring cleaning and one of my favorites is Body + Soul's Buyer's Guide: 50 Ways to Get a Greener Home. Unfortunately I am trying to limit my spending habits so I will have to use some imagination but here is my wish list from this lovely article:

1) Safe plastic mixing bowls (#2,4,5) to replace my sadly chipped ones. Or better yet classic yellow pyrex mixing bowls.

2) Cut back on paper towel habit with washable viscose cloths.

5) Very light shopping bags I always have on hand!

16) Give up your garbage disposal- winds up in landfill and wastes water and energy! And most of it can be composted.

17) Get a cork bathmat (Gaiam).

20) Get an aerated low flow shower head (check out Evolve's Roadrunner).

25) Get an organic mattress (thecleanbedroom.com).

29) Get a Smart Strip- a power bar the switches off when it notices appliances are idle!

38) Seal particle board furniture with Safecoat Safe Seal to keep from off gassing.

40) Stop printing everything- save electronic copies. Back up with a portable hard drive. And if I must print, then print on both sides.

41) Buy eco-friendly toys. Or better yet, get hand me downs.

45) Pack waste-free lunches. Stop using wraps!

46) Hang dry laundry when possible. (Saves 4.4 pounds of carbon per load.)

47) Use a push mower.

48) Compost.

What I need to start doing: cut back on paper towel habit, get shower aerators, get smart strips, seal particle board furniture, stop printing everything, stop buying new toy, pack waste free lunches.

What I can pat myself on the back for: byo shopping bags (most of the time), composting, not garborating, using a push mower, sometimes using glass storage containers...