Mom Goes Green

Greywater may be a new term to you… once again, this one was recently a new one for me too!

Greywater is defined as the “waste water generated from bathing, showering, dishwashing and laundry”.  Initial thoughts might sound something like “well… ick.”  Sure, I certainly don’t recommend you grab a glass(!), but there are plenty of household uses for this water (as long as you aren’t using harsh cleansers and detergents).

Think about watering your indoor plants, outdoor plants and shrubbery, or washing your car.  This water is ideal.

All you need to do is add a handled bucket to your shower, scoop out a bucket or watering can full from your bath, or add the bucket to your utility tub when your washer is draining.  Plants will actually thrive from the content of this water and your car happens not to care if the water has a bit of added body wash or laundry detergent.

Considering this greywater accounts for somewhere between 50%-80% of residential water waste, conserving and using it will certainly amount to a lot more than just “a drop in the bucket”.

So, here we go… again.  If you’re a regular reader, you know that I don’t cut down trees, don’t like trees being cut down and detest when anyone needlessly DOES cut them down.  Unfortunately, we are squarely located between two families that looove to cut down trees.  And unfortunately, the other day was ANOTHER one of THOSE days.

Scenario: Me. My son.  Getting ready to take him to preschool.  Doorbell rings.  At my door, a man from a tree service.

Conversation:
Tree Killer: Hi, ma’am.  We need to cut down a large tree in your neighbor’s back yard and we wanted to ask if we can anchor to one of your trees for the removal.
Me: No.
Tree Killer: No?
Me: No. I don’t want you to cut down the tree.
Tree Killer: Okay, well, the tree is coming down anyhow and your cooperation will really help us assure that it safely lands in the right place.
Me: No stopping it, huh?
Tree Killer: Umm, no.
Me: (few deep breaths, few moments of thought) Well, if you have to.  If it’s a safety issue, then I suppose.  But I swear, if you hurt my tree, my tree and I will sue you.
Tree Killer: (baffled look) I assure you, ma’am. Your trees will be fine.
Me: They better be.

Did that make me sound insane? Maybe. Did I care? No.  But really… can you imagine that court document:  Mom Goes Green & Mrs. Maple vs. Tree Killer.  Kind of funny to imagine? Well… yea!

But sincerely, I am that passionate about trees.  They serve so, so many purposes.  And I know some people may think I’m crazy, but too bad.  (Do you happen to know that trees can actually improve your life too?) Someone once sent me a comment (in response to an earlier “tree post”) that said maybe I should “worry about something important for a change”.  Well, buddy, trees are important.  Cut them all down and let’s just see what happens.  On second thought, that’s an experiment I don’t want to endorse.  It has disaster written all over it.

Over the past weeks, we’ve had a raccoon hid her babies in our yard, snakes take up residence in a bush outside our front door and two birds nest under a different bush.  A raccoon even stopped by in our open garage while I was quietly doing something one evening. (That event caused me to let out a “startled scream” that sent mama running!)

All this in a suburban neighborhood, close enough to urban life that we can see downtown Cleveland from our backyard.

I truly wondered “what gives!” until my husband pointed out that we have the most natural place in the neighborhood… no chemicals, no fertilizers or pesticides, no unfriendly environments… and I think he’s right.

When my neighbor saw the snakes, she suggested we pay for an exterminator or snake wrangler to get them out of here.  (Seriously?  I should pay someone to evict these poor little harmless creatures?!  But she is the same person {although she is a nice lady} that chopped down all of her backyard trees last year.) Then there is the other neighbor (also a “tree chopper“) that called out his OWN tree service to look at removing a tree in OUR yard because he didn’t like the leaves it was dropping in his driveway!  He offered to pay half, which we politely declined.

Maybe animals really do have a sense of “someplace safe”… yea, MomGoesGreen’s yard, of course!  And our kids are loving the animal park in their own yard (but yes, I do understand the dangers of raccoons, so they have been educated on safety.)

If you believe in karma, I think you’ll agree that my husband is right.  There IS a natural attraction because we do let off all whole lot of “good nature karma!”

Summer has arrived!  Yippee!

Not only does summer gift us with the best weather of the year, endless opportunities to get outdoors and enjoy every activity imaginable but also the gift of the freshest organic produce to grace our tables (”hold” the harmful and dangerous pesticides!).

In fact, this weekend while visiting my in-laws house, I was assembling a wonderful BLT (I normally steer clear of bacon, but it smelled so temptingly good, I couldn’t stop myself!), but the lettuce was fresh from my mother-in-law’s garden so it felt a little more justifiable.  It was so organic that I actually had to wash off the dirt and lovingly picked off two tiny little green bugs and released them back into the yard!  (My sister-in-law and niece thought I was nuts!) If the lettuce had come from the grocery store I probably would have squealed in horror, but knowing it came from a true organic garden, it just kind of felt acceptable!

Maybe you have a backyard garden (not me, unfortunately… we have far too many trees and ravenous deer… they’ve even come onto my patio to get my veggies when I’ve attempted to grow them!).  If you were lucky enough to participate in a CSA, you’re probably already enjoying some amazing bounty.  But if not, remember to take advantage of the season.  Locate your nearest farmer’s market (check Local Harvest or the Farmer’s Market sites if you need help) and indulge in locally-grown, organic produce while you can.

Remember the dirty dozen and the clean 15 too… the necessary and unnecessary organic produce, if you feel you need to pick and choose what to buy.

Since our own garden isn’t an option in the foreseeable future, I will be visiting the local farmers markets and taking my mother-on-law up on her offer to “come by and just take what I need”… the dirt and bugs are just a part of nature’s goodness!

Not long ago I talked about an encounter with a TruGreen (ChemLawn) truck and feeling as though we were going to be asphyxiated as we drove by the chemical spray being applied to a neighborhood lawn.

I simultaneously felt a sense of guilt that I used to have a lawn service and those same chemicals were once sprayed on my yard.  I still gasp at the thought.  Those chemicals are pollutants that contaminate ground and surface water, as well as pose a threat to wildlife and beneficial insects.  Plus they create serious health risks for humans, with children being the most vulnerable.

But those precious little feet can still have a healthy, green lawn. And if you just adopt some simple practices, you can have a nice, clear conscience too:

• Go easy on the watering – lawns only need an inch of water per week so this means about ONCE a week.  And if mother nature is helping (via rain), even less frequently. Too many shallow waterings also bring roots to the surface and burn out the lawn faster.
• Don’t “mow low” – the optimal length is 3”, so don’t over-mow or mow too short.  Taller grass grows a deeper root system, grows slower, requires less water and helps prevent weeds.
• Don’t “ bag it” – mulching mowers actually cut grass and chop it so it can act like mulch to hold moisture, but if you do have a bagging mower, consider composting the clippings.
• Consider timing – don’t mow in the heat of the day (grass loses moisture) and water in the early morning or evenings to prevent evaporation.
• Water wisely – actually water the lawn (not sidewalks and drives!), use timers or pay attention not to overwater and prevent waste.
• If you must control a few weeds – use white vinegar in a spray bottle and spot treat.
• Go crazy – sell your lawn mower and buy a push mower (although my husband’s not “buying that one” just yet!).
• Skip the fertilizers – even the organic kind. Honestly, do you really need them?

I think all we really want is a lawn that is healthy and green… a place where our kids can run, play and roll around without worry, and a sense that we aren’t doing more harm than good “in pursuit of the most pristine lawn on the block”.  I assure you, your kids don’t care about that, but the environment surely does.

Just the other day I was driving through the neighborhood with our kids and a smell started to fill the car (and it wasn’t “compliments” of either of the kids because there were no “accompanying giggles!”).

We rounded the corner and I immediately spotted the TruGreen (ChemLawn) truck.  It was sitting in front of a house and idling(!) while the “lawn tech” doused the yard in streams of harsh, nasty, polluting chemical fertilizers and weed killers.  My first reaction was (sincerely) “my god, I used to let that happen in my yard”.  And then I felt ashamed that I ever let it happen.  Next, I wanted to tell my kids to briefly stop breathing.  Then I envisioned screaming at the lawn guy to “turn off his truck!” … followed by knocking on the door and vigorously shaking the homeowner.

Why such the obsession for having the greenest, most pristine lawn on the block?  Do they think the weeds will crawl in the window late some night?  Or someone will pass “judgment” based on their lawn? The reality is that these chemicals are pollutants.  The runoff works its way to ground water, pollutes surface water through the soil and causes major contamination.  It also threatens wildlife and the beneficial insects.

I think about walking through the lawn and then walking into our homes, WITH our shoes, and I shudder.  Every chemical you just walked through spreads itself all over your home and into the indoor air.  And what about those precious LITTLE BARE FEET that touch the lawn?  It’s like walking into a chemical field.  I could never dream of subjecting our kids to such dangerous conditions.  Research has shown that chemical lawn fertilizers and pesticides can present numerous symptoms, including respiratory problems, nervous system disorders, and aggravation of pre-existing conditions (such as asthma) and our children happen to be the most vulnerable.

Now consider this: Each year, in the US, over 103 million pounds of toxic chemicals are applied to lawns in our pursuit of “visual appeal”. That’s all it really is… an aesthetically pleasing look.  This post could go on forever (and in the very near future, I will give more information about regular practices you can adopt to have a healthier lawn) but for now, if you feel you MUST pamper your lawn, at least consider greener solutions.

Check out NaturaLawn of America or (if you’re in Ohio) GoodNature, provider of lawn care for our beloved Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.  This hasn’t even scratched the surface, but there are great do-it-yourself solutions that I promise to provide… soon!

But, for now, to top things off, the very next day there was a ‘hanger’ dangling from a door knob on the front of my house.  TruGreen’s “Anthony” was offering me a monthly estimate of $53 to contaminate my yard… and family… and the environment.  Thanks, but no thanks, Anthony.  Move on.

Well, that was harsh.  But research has shown that it’s true.

I’ve talked about my frustration with my neighbor cutting down all of the trees in her backyard, and then (as if a “tree-hating virus” had attacked the street) my other neighbor cut down healthy trees too!  We were all heartbroken at this senselessness, but there was little we could do to stop the insanity.

I wish I could have shared the results of the latest research with them before the chainsaws-went-to-town.  We all know how environmentally important trees are – for providing oxygen and shade, improving air quality, conserving water, preserving soil and supporting wildlife (as both food and habitat), but the latest research has found that trees actually make people live longer and feel happier… and that doesn’t really surprise me.

According to studies:  (1) treed streets have a lower rate of crime, (2) residents have happier relationships and (3) perform better in tests; (4) trees help us to psychologically rejuvenate and they even (5) impact our “physical, psychological and social well-being”; (6) residents live longer and (7) have an overall better health and (8) children behave better in a “nature setting” than in a treeless area, especially those with an attention deficit concern… all I can say is “amazing”.   The research even showed that those with less access to green space (even if only a nearby park) have a shorter attention span, poor management of major life issues and poor impulse control.

I’m definitely not a supporter of money spent frivolously on silly research but I admittedly like that these studies support what I’ve suspected all along:  aside from the environmental importance of our precious trees, they truly have an altering effect on our well-being.

Today, I’m asking you to… hug a tree, love a tree, feel grateful for every tree you see… and please, don’t cut the healthy ones down… because they have a greater impact on our lives than we ever realized.

*(tree hug photo:  Jim Sabo)

Wow.  How does one even return after a big holiday?  (And wow!  My 100th post… how did I get here?!?)

It was undoubtedly amazing to see the wonder of Christmas morning through the eyes of our kids as they marveled at all of the goodies that Santa had packed and delivered in his sleigh… but likely quite annoying to them when I insisted that, before playtime began, they needed to collect the wrapping paper for recycling (despite my urging for alternative wrapping, it’s hard to convince a 3- and 6-year old that Santa decided to “go green” and was wrapping presents in newspaper this year!).

Maybe I should talk about how, during all of our Christmas gatherings, I tried to convince our party-goers that “real” plates and cloth napkins were “okay with me” because they don’t create excess waste, and running the dishwasher and a load of laundry was better than the alternative.  Or how, when visiting other’s homes, I tried to use real glasses and plates instead of their throw-aways!

Or maybe I should talk about how kid’s toys are so overpackaged that I am cringing at the fact that, for the first time in a long time, my garbage can is overflowing and I’m cursing all of the manufacturers for their over-abundance of unrecyclable materials… (does one PixOs package really need 17 different plastic bags?!?!).

Or perhaps I should tell you about how Mother Nature gifted us with an extraordinary day of 67 degree weather in Ohio, but I was also grumbling at her(!) because the day was spent outdoors cleaning up all of the leaves that were tucked in every corner of our yard (since an “early winter” prevented us from completing clean-up when the leaves were dry… and clean-up would have been SO much easier!)  She wrapped up the evening with such fierce winds that it bent the support pole of one of our outdoor decorative trees in HALF… could have done without THAT one, lady!

I should thank our families for recognizing that we have so much already that a ton of gifts were NOT needed… and they recognized that money is still an incredible gift when it is given with a “well, we just really wanted you to use this for something you needed, or wanted, instead of buying something you didn’t”… yes, moola is still a good gift!  And yes, an unused gift IS waste.

But I know I need to mention our most thoughtful gift… from our beloved friends, Jenn & Paul, who gifted us with a certificate from Kiva.org.  This certificate allowed us to donate our gifted money to a “working poor” recipient of our choosing.  We selected a man in Tajikistan who desperately needed money to buy seeds for farming and help support his family.  Over the holiday $1.3 million dollars were given and EVERY recipient was granted their full loan!  Once they are able to repay the loan, we are given back our donated money to grant to another needy recipient… and this wonderful cycle starts all over again!  Amazing, what a difference was made around the globe by so many people who thought far beyond traditional gift giving and decided, instead, to help those who really need it!  Thanks, Jenn & Paul!  We LOVED the gift that we were able to “re-gift”!!!

In conclusion, I guess I should just say that it was a wonderful Christmas… because it was, and we are blessed.  We have each other and that’s all that really matters.

I truly hope your holiday was one to remember… and full of cheer, love and the real spirit of Christmas!

Hey, where’s your mind?  You know I’m talking about Christmas trees, right?  Of course you did!… sheesh.

But the debate over real Christmas trees vs. the artificial option has been raging for some time.  Both sides give a pretty good argument but for as long as I can remember, my mom and now my own family have gone the route of artificial trees.

Aside from the fact that you can now buy them with the lights already attached (for the “no-cursing-over-the-tangled-light-strings”-factor!) they are easy to assemble so you can get to the fun part of decorating!  And my eco-friendly favorite factor… they get used year, after year, after year…

My husband would probably tell you a different story and that is the fact that I have compassion for literally everything(!) and would never dream of killing a tree!  He has been known to yell “OUCH!” when I bite into a piece of broccoli (to which I scream back “STOP IT!”) because then I feel bad for the broccoli! (Now you think I’ve gone mad, don’t you!)  Don’t laugh.  A friend of mine won’t put anything in the dishwasher by itself because she thinks it will be lonely.  (See, we’re all nuts!)

But seriously, the environmental side of using live trees is the fact that they require herbicides and pesticides for about 8-12 years before they’re a “sellable” size.  Add to that the carbon footprint of getting them to a selling site, unless you live near a tree farm or cut your own.  At the end of the season, they end up in the trash, unless you seek out a source for recycling them for mulch or compost.

On the opposite side, artificial trees are often manufactured in China (with PVC and, some say, lead) and you have to consider the “cost” of getting them to your local retailer, but they do get used again and again.  And often, they get donated to another family or organization before they eventually meet a landfill once they are tattered, old and no longer loved.   Unfortunately, I haven’t heard of a biodegradable artificial tree just yet.

So what is the answer to the debate?  Simply… I don’t know for sure.

Actually, the most environmental choice would be to buy a live, uncut tree with the root ball still intact and then plant it right after the holidays.  One consideration though (especially in cold climates) is digging a hole in the frozen ground.  For this, I recommend digging the hole ASAP and then you can just plant it as soon as the holidays are over. ( I also recommend talking to a professional about how to move them outdoors and properly plant them, to increase the chance of survival.)

But whatever you choose for your family, do the responsible thing and see that your real tree gets composed or mulched or use your artificial tree for years and years to come.

Now, I have to get back to steaming some broccoli…awww.  Poor broccoli.

One of my greatest memories as a kid was summers spent gardening and growing at our school farm.

A local farm, outside of the city, rented a portion of their land to the school district and students could then rent a plot for a whopping $5!  They gave you the seeds, the tools, the water… you provided the work.  I just remember it being so, so rewarding (and let me tell you, I cultivated one serious vegetable garden!).  My mom and I often had what we called “Garden Dinners” that were strictly the veggies I had grown and I had so much excess we gave away a ton of produce too… I was very popular with the neighborhood parents!  And let me also tell you, since they were fresh and pesticide- and herbicide-free, they were AMAZING!

Even if you’re a city dweller or suburbanite, have no room for a garden, no time for a garden, no desire to garden, you can still reap the benefits of wonderful fresh produce through your local CSA.

CSAs are “community supported agriculture”.  In a nutshell, it’s a partnership between a farm operation and community individuals who support the growing/production of food.  Members “purchase” a share of the harvest and are usually on a system of weekly delivery or pick-up of fruits and vegetables (and sometimes, dairy and meat).

If this type of commitment isn’t for you, you can also consider local farmer’s markets.  By supporting local farms, you will not only be offered the freshest, organic harvests but you will be one step further in your pursuit of being eco, because your organics won’t have the carbon footprint of shipping and transportation from some foreign grown produce.

Considering the time of year it may feel strange to be thinking about next summer’s harvest (especially if you live in a northern climate, like me! –  it’s SNOWING… a lot!… unseasonably early!) but believe me, many CSAs are filling up now for 2009, so don’t wait if you want to give it a try.

To find a CSA in your area, you can check Local Harvest or Biodynamics.

If you want to locate a local farmer’s market, you can also check another area of Local Harvest or the Farmer’s Market site.

And if you have a lot of extra produce, feel free to invite me over for a “Garden Dinner!”