Friday, June 17, 2011

5 Things To Do With Plastic Bags ( Other Than Throw Them Out!)

Take two seconds and look around your house.You're looking for plastic bags, and I doubt you will have much trouble finding any. Under sinks, in closets, dressers, attics, garbage cans, cabinets, refrigerators... I think you might get where I'm going with this. Plastic bags are EVERYWHERE in almost EVERY household! Don't freak out just yet. First, stop picking up unnecessary plastic bags from the grocery store when purchasing items you can carry, or take a reusable bag for the trip. In the mean time, collect all the plastic bags you find around your house and make this stuff!

1.) Plastic bag wallets and reusable shopping bags!

                                                (Making A Seriously Legit Reusable Bag:)






2.) Knee Pads




3.)  Package Liner




4.) Covering your head to retain heat while hair dye soaks in


 


5.) Hand protection around harmful cleaning products ( which shouldn't be used in the first place, but just in case you "really" can't use something else...)





Got any other cool uses for plastic bags? Let me know!



Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Frananigans: Sustainability Lessons from Cape Cod


Val and Fran: Living Green!

I've got some pretty impressive friends, it's true. What's even better is when I learn my friends are not only impressive, but practical and brilliant as well! This post is a result of an awesome conversation with two crazy kids up in Massachusetts who live their lives in an EASY, sustainable manner. The advice and tips gained from our talk should be a wake-up call to everyone that thinks greenin' aint easy. 
A few weeks ago some Jersey and PA locals and I visited my friends Val and Fran up at their house in East Sandwich, Cape Cod.Val is a nurse at Cape Cod Hospital and Fran has his own Insulation company. They live minutes from the beach in a secluded area and it's just about the nicest place I've ever been, true story. While I was there I couldn't help but notice a few features around their house, check it out:

Composting!

Year-Round Homemade Green House

Homemade Rain Barrel 

Various Potted Herbs and Veggies
Best Fridge Signage EVER

Yes to Wind Energy! Appropriately on top of a Thermostat

 Needless to say I cut my vacation short for a impromptu interview to really find out what Fran and Val do around the house and their community to make the world a cleaner place to live. Here's a look at the garden:








1.) What's in there:
Fran and Val grow just about anything that can come out of the ground and tastes good. The list varies from Onions, Parsley, Lettuce, Dill, Potatoes, Beans, Eggplants, Zucchini, Hot Peppers, Green Peppers, Chili Peppers, Heirloom, Garden Peach and Cherry Tomatoes and more! They also have herbs like Cilantro and Rosemary growing on the deck ( see pic above). 

2.) Growing and pest control:
Val and Fran's garden is 100 organic and pesticide free. They compost things like egg shells, lobster, and fish but not meat and dairy. They also noted that if you do compost, don't do it next to your house. Insects and animals love free meals, so you're better off keeping it next to your garden and away from where you sleep! If you want to buy organic fertilizer, chicken and cow droppings work great, and companies like The Coast of Maine produce organic lobster compost. As far as pest control, Val and Fran suggested Neem Oil ( natural from the Neem tree) as an excellent bug repellent.

3.) What do they do with all that food?
Seriously guys, there are tons of uses for all the veggies and herbs growing around the garden. Val and Fran not only consume most of what they grow ( saving them hundreds on groceries every year) but they also pickle and can their produce themselves. Think about it, tomato sauces and jalapenos are easy to make and give away as presents for neighbors or even sell!  Oh yes, and then there are fried eggplant sticks. Just grow the eggplant, chop into sticks, and fry. Thank us later. The couple say they put around $300-500 of their money into the garden annually, which gets them almost 16 weeks of growing, the investment is well worth it.

4.) Extra tips and ideas for beginners
An important thing to mind if you are a first time gardener is crop rotation. You can't keep growing the same stuff in the same spots year after year, this will diminish the nutrients in the soil and you won't get the same quality product as the first time around. So mix it up every three years and you're good. Planting a clover or nitrogen blanket will help replenish lost nutrients and get your garden back in shape after an epic growing season. Some easy veggies to start with are tomatoes and lettuce, if you're worried about messing up. 

5.) Also...

If you live near a beach like this one on the Cape, chances are that your soil is a bit sandy. No worries, just remember to water your garden, it's harder for that type of soil to retain water. 

Thanks again to Val and Fran for all the awesome tips and advice, much appreciated!
If anyone has any questions on the design for the greenhouse or rain barrel just leave a comment and I'll get back to you!