Reduce Toxins with Companion Planting - a Quick Guide

Companion planting is a way to repel insects you don’t want in your garden – without chemical pesticides. It’s the way it used to be done – you add plants to the garden which repel bugs.

Here is a quick overview of some useful plants.

Garlic bulbs can ward off slugs, caterpillars, snails, and certain spiders and worms.  As a general rule, plant your garlic bulbs about 4 – 6 inches / 10 – 15cm away from your other plants  

Marigolds are pretty and popular plants which have the added benefit of keeping parasitic worms at bay (sometimes even killing them) and repelling whitefly.

Basil, sunflowers and chives are also good insect repellents.

If you have a particular bug or insect you’re worried about, Google it and see which plants are best for repelling that particular problem.

Of course, you do also have to be wary about scaring away the beneficial bugs you want to attract to your garden!

If you have a vegetable garden, consider planting nasturtiums, petunias, alliums, tansy, yarrow, zinnia, lupine and geraniums – they will add colour and beauty as well as protect your vegetables.

You can also use herbs for the same purpose - dill, lavender, hyssop, thyme, tarragon, borage, chamomile, sage, fennel, caraway, chervil, cilantro, lovage, oregano, parsley, peppermint, and rosemary are all good, and they’ll add flavour to your dishes too!

Just be aware that some herbs (especially the mint family) can grow quite quickly and aggressively and take over a lot of space in your garden. You can always overcome this problem by planting them in pots or containers when you then place close to your vegetables.

But don’t restrict yourself to only plants. Install a bat house and some bird houses in your garden because they will all naturally eat insects for you.

You're Eating Them the Wrong Way!

As you know, part of living green is reducing the amount of waste you create. So I was most interested to read the most of us waste at least 30% of every apple we eat. I hadn’t thought about that, but it’s certainly true that I eat my way around the outside of the apple and leave the core in the middle. Well, according to a new report, you should eat an apple starting from the bottom and work your way upwards. What we call the core is actually a thin, fibrous cylinder which apparently you don’t taste when you eat the apple vertically. (You can either eat the seeds or discard them).  Eating an apple this way means there’s almost no waste!

I love eating the bananas I grow, but I’ve been getting it wrong, and I bet you do too! We normally open or peel a banana at the stem, which can sometimes be easy and sometimes definitely not. Well, when you watch a TV documentary featuring monkeys, you’ll see that they’ve found a much easier method. Just give the other end a gentle squeeze, and it pops open beautifully!

Oh, and if you eat pistachio nuts, here’s a great tip. You know how some nuts have a really tiny opening? Instead of fighting it and / or losing a nail, simply use half of another pistachio shell, twist it inside the opening and voila problem solved! ( Tip: You can use this same idea with mussels – use an empty mussel shell like a pair of tongs to pluck the other mussels out of their shells).

Eco News (Quick Digest)

Environmental News from Around the World

A quick overview to keep you in the loop without reading for hours..

Cancer Increasing?

There’s a headline going around about cancer being on the rise, especially amongst children. However, it could be misleading. A new study actually showed that adult cancers are increasing because many of us are now living longer and are therefore statistically more likely to get cancer. Childhood cancer appears to be rising because early diagnosis has improved. That's quite different.

We may think that cancer is on the rise due to pollution and toxins in our environment, and it may be true, but this study does not support or prove that.

Wildfire Impacts

When I think of wildfires, I think of danger to life and damage to property. However, a new report shows that they also cause air pollution which can necessitate hospital visits. In addition, they hamper agricultural output and damage forests and other ecosystems. 

All of these will be ongoing problems in California with continuing extreme weather due to climate change.

Keystone XL Report - What it Means 

You’ve probably heard that the Environmental impact report on Keystone XL has concluded that the pipeline won’t make much difference to America’s impact on the environment. Sadly, it’s probably right.  

Although extracting and burning tar sands oil creates about 17 percent more greenhouse gas emissions than traditional methods, companies are so busy sucking oil out of the tar sands that they will do so anyway, whether they have a pipeline or not.

Plus, if the tar sands oil is not transported via pipeline, road and rail will be used instead, utilizing diesel fuel and electricity.

In other words, Keystone isn't really the problem. Although I'm against the pipeline, the root problem is our insatiable demand for oil

Be Inspired!

Do you have big plans for this year? 

Here's a little bit of inspiration for you - enjoy!

The greatest step towards a life of simplicity is to learn to let go. ~ Steve Maraboli

Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest. ~ Mark Twain

In reality, you always have what you need, and more. ~ Byron Katie

There is more to life than increasing its speed. ~ Gandhi

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. ~ Viktor Frankl

If not now, when? ~ Rabbi Hillel

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. ~ William James

The little things? The little moments? They aren't little. ~ Jon Kabat-Zinn

The sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being. ~ Carl Jung

We have to put the "eco" back into economics. ~ David Suzuki

Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else. ~ Leonardo da Vinci

The greatest danger to our future is apathy. ~ Jane Goodall

Eco News

A quick digest of recent environmental news stories from around the world

We need more people like this! 19 year old Parker Liautaud from California went to the South Pole to raise awareness about climate change. He battled a chest infection, a swollen ankle and frostbite. Each morning of the journey he and his teammate (a veteran polar explorer) hosted a live webcast  where climate expert and sceptics debated climate change.

The Australian government has begun its shark culling project, citing recent fatal shark attacks. This is despite thousands of people protesting on beaches, wanting to protect the sharks. The government even issued a special exemption to an environmental law in order to allow a protected species to be culled. Environmentalists said there is no evidence that the culling will reduce shark attacks.

A tank owned by Freedom Industries containing toxic chemicals leaked into a river in West Virginia leaving hundreds of thousands of people without access to tap water earlier this month. They could not drink, wash or cook with the tap water. Worse, the damage was actually considerably worse than the company first admitted.  Emergency bottled water was shipped in. The quantity and exact type of chemicals that were spilled are still unknown.

Many TV news shows globally give very little coverage to climate change, despite overwhelming evidence that it is happening and caused by humans. In the US a new study showed that climate change got a total of 27 minutes of coverage, by all stations, for the whole of 2013. 

Christmas Ideas - Feel Good with Boxes

Here's another great tradition - Christmas boxes for other children.

We are all so fortunate to be considering gifts, but as we know, many don't have that luxury.

I like the Christmas Box idea because it not only meets some basic needs, but also makes children feel special and loved.

Here's how it works 

Get kids and grandchildren involved in filling a number of shoeboxes which charities of your choice can then distribute.

Use shoesboxes or re-usable plastic storage boxes and fill them with both practical and fun gifts. Suggestions:

• School: pencil and sharpener, paper, crayons, colouring book, solar calculator, stickers, play-doh and moulds, glue sticks.
• Practical : toothbrush and toothpaste, bar soap, flashlight (solar or manually powered), brush, comb, hair ties and bows.
• Toys: balls, cars, harmonica, yarn dolls, paper dolls, finger puppets, yo-yos. Also sweets, gum, sunglasses, hats, socks, t-shirts.

Once they're packed (and you can include a note and family photo if you wish), deliver them to your favourite charity. If you're not sure who to give them to, do a Google search or in the US go here or the  UK here.

You'll enjoy your Festive Season all the more knowing you've helped to bring joy to some happy children this year.

Christmas Ideas - Appreciate Them

Following on from my earlier Christmas suggestion to Start a Tradition,here's another great idea.

Say thank you to people who have helped you throughout the year, in a very personal yet inexpensive way.

Fill a tin or basket with some home-made goodies, add a short hand-written note and a family photograph. Deliver them to your doctors, police, firemen, church, teachers - anyone you appreciate.

It's a simple yet warm show of gratitude that used to happen a lot more than it does today.

Christmas Ideas - Start a Tradition

With Christmas about to arrive, it's time to start thinking about gifts - you don't want to leave it till the last minute and end up buying rubbish! A well-thought-out,gift shows you care far more than something that is just expensive.

Here's a wonderful idea I found that's easy to implement.

Each year, parents give their children - or grandchildren - a Christmas tree ornament as one of the their gifts. They don't have to be fancy or expensive (although they can be) - they can be home-made, or a collectable, or whimsical. 

These form a collection which becomes theirs when they move out.

The children really enjoy unwrapping their annual ornament, and each one is appreciated as much as the others because of the tradition.

I really like this idea!

Do you have a tradition (or several) in your family?

Fabulous Frankincense

Reading about Frankincense as a child, it seemed to me to be so exotic, so far removed from normal life. But today we can buy it easily as an essential oil. Like most essential oils, it has many benefits (with no side-effects) and so is much more eco friendly than much conventional medication.

Frankincense is probably best known for being an analgesic (pain reliever).  Apply it directly to the site of the pain - either a few drops, or diluted with water.

Anti-inflammatory— apply directly to the affected area, diluted or pure, to reduce the swelling associated with sprains, bumps and bruises.

Antiseptic— apply directly to an open wound to prevent or reduce the risk of infection.

Antidepressant— apply directly to the sides of the nose and above the upper lip.  It can also be ingested orally by placing a few drops beneath the tongue.

Antifungal— apply directly to any area of the body adversely affected by a fungus, such as psoriasis and eczema.  It could also be useful if you ended up sharing communal living conditions, for example, during Hurricane Katrina.  Apply it to the base of the feet to prevent fungal infections.

Sedative— apply topically to areas of the body where tension is felt, or ingest orally as a dietary supplement to reduce episodes of panic, fear, confusion, stress and anxiety.

Astringent/ Expectorant— acts as a drying agent. Great for sore throats as well as runny noses.

Bonus tip: to save buying a large number of different essential oils, combine with friends - each person buys different oils and you borrow as you need them.

It's All in the Numbers

These numbers can help show what a difference re-using and recycling can make.

• If you use a printer at home or at work, don't discard the empty printer cartridges - they can be re-used and recycled. According to the office supply chain Office Depot, 2 1/2 pounds (1 kilogram) of metal and plastic plus half a gallon (2 litres) of oil goes into making each ink and toner cartridge. Simply recycling these items saves resources - and landfill space.
• According to Resourceful Schools, the equivalent of 185 gallons of gas (700 litres of oil) is saved for every one ton of paper that is recycled.
• Of course you're not using bottled water, are you? 25 million plastic bottles are discarded every HOUR! Many end up in the oceans and cause problems for sea life.
• When electronic devices are ready to be replaced, don't throw them out. Their toxic contents can seep out into the ground in landfills. Many non-profit organizations will gladly take them and re-distribute them where they are needed, or recycling companies will take them and re-use their components. (Or better still, hang on to it for a bit longer before buying new!)

Fun Green Weekend

Have Fun this weekend!

Do you sometimes need to find something to do at the weekend that doesn't cost the earth and is green too?

Walking tours of nearby cities are always interesting - but can be expensive, and the groups can sometimes be large. 

But now it's easy to get a guided tour cheaply (sometimes free) - and you can stop where you want for as long as you want.

To get your personal, private tour guide, use your smart phone or your computer.  You can find a walking tour, cuisine tour, gift shopping tour, or whatever takes your fancy. 

1. If  you have a smart phone, go to Google and type "phone app city tour" and add your city's name.  Many of the apps are free.
2. Or use your computer to Google "city tour" and the name of your city, and choose a tour that looks interesting.  

Print out the highlights, and then go (without the official tour) to the places they suggested, armed with all the facts.  You can go where you want, when you want, just as you wish.

Even if you've lived there all your life, you'll be sure to learn to learn new things.  And it's fun seeing your city with fresh eyes!

How to Get Awkward Things Clean and Sparkling Again!

Here are some green and eco friendly ways to care for things that can sometimes be awkward to clean!

Your computer keyboard becomes dirty after a while, but it's awkward to clean. There are commercial cleaners available but they're expensive and contain chemicals.

So here's a better, natural, easy and chemical free solution.

1. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a small bowl. 
2. Dip a clean rag or cloth into the solution, and wipe the keyboard clean - your computer should be switched off, of course! 
3. Use a Q-tip or cotton bud dipped in the solution to clean in between the keys.

If you practice Yoga and use a Yoga mat, it can become dirty after a while. Here's a lovely all-natural solution to keep it in top condition:

5 drops eucalyptus essential oil

10 drops Tea Tree Oil

15 drops lavender essential oil

¼ cup / 60ml witch hazel

1 cup / 250ml water

1. Mix all the ingredients in a spray bottle. 
2. Spray directly onto your mat - preferably immediately after your workout. 
3. Wipe it down with a clean rag or cloth.
4. Let it dry for a couple of minutes before rolling it up.

Want Deep, Healthy Sleep? Here's How....

We all need deep, healthy sleep. 

If you can't sleep, choose green remedies instead of medication - better for you, and for the planet!

Do you suffer from insomnia?  

If something is worrying you, do you sometimes find it difficult to sleep?

Natural remedies are always good to try, and many are easy and quick. And of course, they're green and eco-friendly.

Many people find that warm milk with a little honey puts them into dreamland. 

For me, warm milk brings back childhood memories, and the addition of honey adds a little sweetness to make it more attractive.

Alternatively, these teas all contain natural relaxants and can be drunk before bedtime:  

• chamomile tea 
• passion flower
• lemon balm. 

They can be made with fresh leaves or from a tea bag.