The Garden Shedde

The big buzz word these days is “green” but what does that really mean? In some circles it’s everything that is “earthy”, back to nature. In other circles it’s anything that is environmentally friendly like electric cars that have to have batteries, which are not earthy at all but help save energy. What green means to me is anything that brings more life to your world and to the world around you and that includes a robust inner life as well.

If you are doing everything you can for the earth and energy savings yet are neglecting yourself, then what you are doing, though wonderful, is not meeting your basic needs. If your basic needs are not met then you will eventually give out, give up or die. I see this in people who have gotten older and have just given up on changing the way they world works because they’re “tired” or because “nothing ever changes anyway”. These people have let the fire inside them go out because they have taken care of everything and everyone else but themselves. Don’t end up spent and tired. Take the time out today to recharge your internal batteries as this is the ultimate “greening” of the world.

Before the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, many of our friends and family have felt that becoming environmentally active was a little bit over the top. However, since this disaster has now come “home to roost”, so to speak, all of a sudden these same individuals who have given us a hard time in the past are stark raving mad! As much as I like the fact that they are finally seeing the light of day it’s too bad it took an actual disaster to make so many see that this has been a possibility for years.

It seems it’s much more popular in America to react to what is happening as opposed to anticipate what might happen and have some things planned out just in case. The environment is not the only place we seem to have a short sided view because we also do this in healthcare, military action, politics, taxes, business and finance, just to name a few. Is it not time we got involved with the environment as well as with every other thing that touches our lives? If not now, then when?

In this day and age when the economy is getting hit hard and we are getting hit harder with bills, it just pays to start thinking green. I recently got a notice in the mail that the water department was going to start charging extra if we went over the allotted water limit per household. I guess at that moment, my beautiful green luscious yard was a curse although I had never seen it that way previously. How was I going to stay under my limit when my veggies and grass need its daily watering?

Thank goodness for the internet and searching for ‘green gardening’ because I found a couple things that have worked wonders for me. First I ordered a collapsible rain barrel that could easily be set up to catch runoff from the gutter and be hooked up to the lawn hose – a simple way to recycle water! And why stop with just recycling water when there is so much that I was throwing out from the fridge that could be used in a compost bin. I’m glad to say my yard has been able to stay ‘luscious’ even in these hard times thanks to these products.

Everyone is talking about Green. Green this, green that. But what does it mean? And, what is sustainability? Is there a difference? How are they alike and how are they different?

First off, green is more about products. It seems that there are more and more green options for previous non-planet-friendly products. Several companies are coming up with green cleaners for bathrooms, windows, and carpets, as well as the products that you would use them on. Some carpets are now being made from corn husks, there are energy-rated windows and appliances, wood rated by the Forest Stewardship Council is harvested responsibly and trees are replanted. It seems like green is “in.”

Sustainability takes it a step farther. Green products are not that green if their lifespan is not increased, or if they wind up in the landfill, or if the cleaners required for care are toxic. Also, sustainability takes into account what energy was used to bring the product to market. Did that green product add to your carbon footprint? Sustainability looks at a products life cycle. That bamboo floor may be green, but what about the energy it took to be shipped from China? Is the battery in your new hybrid car recyclable? Think green beyond the label.

We just painted our bedroom, living room, and kitchen, and I have to say it made a huge difference in the way the house feels, and how we feel in the house. But how will we continue to “feel” in the house? Did you know that indoor air is three times more polluted than the air outside? According to the EPA, indoor air quality, or more correctly the lack of quality, is considered one of the top five hazards to human health. Paints and finishes, even for years after application, release low levels of toxins into the air, making them among the leading causes of poor air quality. These toxins, called VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, used to be necessary in the performance of the paint coverage and wearability.

Luckily though, there is enough demand for low and no-VOC paints and finishes that more companies are offering these product lines which are durable and cost-effective. Costs are not only decreased because of the paint themselves, but also because of reduced health issues and costs incurred for doctor visits and medications due to migraines, allergies, and other maladies. Being green and sustainable is about more than just energy costs. It’s about health, and life cycle costs – costs not only affecting our pocket books, but costs to our health and our planet. These low or no-VOC offerings also help to reduce landfill, groundwater, and ozone contaminants. Lastly, they are not deemed hazardous waste, so cleanup and disposal are greatly simplified. Once the can is empty, it can be rinsed out and recycled with other recyclables.

My family is not much different from anyone else’s. We like it cooler than normal when we sleep and comfortable when we are home. If it gets too hot, we get cranky so that’s not an option. When we both worked out of the home it was an easy fix to get up in the morning and raise the thermostat to 78 degrees and lower it when we got home to 68 degrees. However, once I started working out of the house, I realized really quickly that 78 degrees on a hot August day is miserable! However, I didn’t want to pay the higher utility bills either.

What I ended up doing might seem kind of crazy to you but it works; I work everyday in a pair of shorts and have a fan moving air around and I am not only comfortable, but some days have to move the thermostat up to 80 degrees because I get cold! I do dress to go out and meet clients so I am not in shorts all day but when I am home, I am relaxed and dressed for summer weather! What we have been able to do is keep our heating and air costs (I wear sweaters and warm clothes in the winter) down to a very manageable level throughout the year.

So what’s all the hoopla about this green living?  Is it really worth the investment that the government is expected to put into it or is it another Y2K fiasco?  Well, let’s look at what we know about green living.

The first thing is about using energy, water and other resources efficiently.  That alone would make it worth it in the long run with energy getting more and more expensive and water harder to come by.  Add to that the improved health that is estimated to accompany the reduction in waste, pollution and other damage to our environment and we find that living green has some wonderful advantages and side effects.

Living and working green will also reduce operating expenses by using less energy and water and increasing productivity.  Though critics estimate that building and renovating according to green standards will costs 12 to 15% more than traditional building, the real estimates are only 5% more and the cost benefit increases as energy prices rise.  Don’t get fooled by gas prices going back down as this has happen several times in the past.  We are now learning from our experiences and moving forward as a green nation.

This is a great time to start planning your garden for 2009.  One of the best ways to start is to look up the plants that you would like to add to your existing garden and flowerbeds.  Make a list of everything you want to add along with a place to do a little research to make sure that they will do well in your area.  If you’re not sure what will work in your area, contact the nearest Universities Agriculture Department and get their input as to what is the best plants to use that are native to your area.

Another great thing to start thinking about is composting.  If you are not currently doing a compost pile or own a composter, now is the time to do it.  You can create a great nutrient rich compound for your garden and pots right at your own home with all the biodegradable scraps thrown out by your family.  This is good for you and good to keep these same scraps out of the landfills; a win-win situation.

There is a great tradition in our house to make Christmas not only white, but green.  From using recycled wrapping paper to eating fresh foods we do what we can during this time of year to make sure we take care of the earth as well as each other.

With this in mind, I want to wish everyone a wonderful Holiday Season and may you have the Best Green Christmas Ever!

You hear people talk about “going green” all the time and what you find is all they end up doing is changing their light bulbs to the new and highly better florescent bulbs and recycle whenever it’s convenient.  This is a great start; however, it is not going to change the world as we know it.  What does have the potential to change the world is plants and lots of them.  We can offset the CO2 output by planting trees and other plants throughout our cities and one of the best and inexpensive ways to do this is the use of greenhouses.

Greenhouses come in many different sizes and are made from different materials.  Most residences use greenhouse kits because they are portable.  They are very easy to put together and install and allow you to grow flowers, vegetables and herbs as well as all kinds of other plants and trees on a year round basis.  You just can’t beat having a greenhouse to make it a better world for you, your family and the environment.  For those of you that don’t have a lot of space or live in a condo, you can use a mini greenhouse.  Let’s make a better world and really go green and utilize greenhouses!