Pick Your Own (food) Guide
With the sweet abundance of fruit and veggies this summer, who wouldn’t want to pick some fruit? Now here to assist you in your fruit-picking ventures is an online guide to help you find some fun places to pick and play. Now picking your own food isn’t just for farmers, it can also make for a fun family outing, a great date, and just some nice outdoors time. So get out there, enjoy the summer, and put a little muscle into getting your fresh produce for the week!
The listings are first by State and then by County, so you can plan for trips or find somewhere right in your own City. They provide a brief write-up, contact information, and hours if applicable to help you plan your “U-Pick” adventure. If you know of any great You Pick farms that aren’t listed, you can submit new listings right on their website. And make sure you check out those descriptions, you might find some added bonuses like hay rides, corn mazes, and other fun farm surprises.
Find a Pick Your Own farm near you!
Don’t Let the Bought Air Out!
New York City Department of Consumer Affairs inspectors made headlines during the recent heatwave that swept through the Northeast by handing out fines to stores that placed an increased burden on the electrical grid by blasting their air-conditioners and then leaving front doors open in an effort to draw customers out of the hundred-degree heat and into the cool.
Last week, I walked past several similar stores – that the inspectors must have missed because their doors were wide open and the bought air was flooding the street – and could not help but wonder how, in an era of growing environmental awareness and in a struggling economic climate, storeowners could possibly justify paying to cool their stores and the steamy streets of Manhattan (when closed doors and a large “OPEN” poster would probably draw a comparable number of customers). Perhaps the 100+ degree heat went to the heads of normally rational people?
There is an obvious environmental, money-saving lesson here: Don’t let the bought air out!
Creative Thinking about Reducing Livestock Carbon Emissions
The easiest way to reduce carbon emissions from cattle and other livestock is to eat less meat. Perhaps by adhering to a Meatless Monday! But in lieu of a widespread reduction in the consumption of meat, it is always nice to hear that scientists are thinking creatively about ways to cut down on livestock emissions.
According to Norimitsu Onishi of the The New York Times in an article entitled “Trying to Stop Cow Burps from Heating Up Planet,” scientists are studying the stomachs and eating habits of kangaroos in an effort to come up with ways to tinker with the diet of farmed cows to reduce the methane in their burps. Onishi explains, “At any given point, after munching and regurgitating grass, tens of millions of Australian cattle, as well as sheep, are belching methane gases nonstop into the air.” Because methane is considered to be significantly more effective than carbon dioxide in accelerating global warming, the Australian meat industry is pumping $24 million into research efforts to reduce the environmental impact of large-scale animal production. And, “while cattle belch enormous amounts of methane to digest the food, kangaroos release virtually none.”
But, like the conservationists that Onishi refers to in the article, I can’t help but wonder whether it is a good idea to manipulate cattle feed – and perhaps even the cows themselves – to make them more like kangaroos. Or whether eating more kangaroo meat (?!) as suggested in the article by kangaroo harvester Sharyn Garrett is an acceptable solution. I’ll stick to reducing my meat intake altogether, thank you very much!
Test your Greenie Knowledge!
Want to see just how much of a greenie you truly are? Take the Practically Green Quiz online to find out just what shade of green you may be!
Benefits
You get your quiz results, and while taking the quiz you find out ways to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. You can also share your results on Facebook with friends and family and see who can become the ‘greenest of them all’. They also offer specialized tips that apply to where you are in your personal green journey sent right to your email!
Part of the results offer you comparisons, tips for how to improve, and the option to “Ask an Expert”. Not too bad for a 5 minute quiz.
Cons
If you want additional information you have to sign-up and provide your gender, year of birth, and area code. For those concerned with identity theft or being on “one more list” you might want to just take the test and learn as you go!
To take the Practically Green Quiz, Click Here!
MOM’s Organic Market Bans Bottle Water
MOM’s, local organic grocery store in the Washington DC, is banning water bottles in all of its 6 locations in an initiative called ‘Plastic Surgery’. This move is a major step to help eliminate plastic waste in both landfills and our oceans. Though only having a few locations, this is the first major grocery store to completely eliminate plastic water bottles in their stores.
Don’t fret though if this may cause you an inconvenience, MOM’s got you covered. They will be carrying Filtered Water Dispensers along with a wide selection BPA free glass and stainless steel water bottles. You could also invest in a home water filtration system to replace any need for plastic bottles .
I shop regularly at MOM’s and have a wonderful experience every time I shop at their stores. Between the great items they sell, organic and local produce and friendly atmosphere, I can’t ask for much more from an organic market. This move makes me love the store even more.
Hopefully this move will spread the message to other grocery stores, especially organic markets, that bottled water is not needed and their are better alternatives. Though major grocery store chains will not change their minds about this for some time, we can start on a smaller scale. Next time you visit your local organic market and you still see bottled water on the shelves, make a point to mention that bottled water is not necessary and they should consider banning it, just as MOM”s has done.
If you live in the Washington DC area, check out MOM’s and you will not be disappointed.
Dual Flush for New and Old Loos
Down Under they love the Dual Flush Toilets! And I do too! Dual flush toilets offer users an option for a half or full flush. You can purchase a dual flush toilet, or buy an installation kit to add to an existing model for around $20. These handy devices should have a few month to yearlong payback period depending on water prices in your area and water usage in your home.
The New South Wales government installed these devices and saved over 37,000 liters of water within the first year. Since then, these systems have become more efficient and cost-effective.
These little toilet add-ons are also a great conversation starter for water usage, quick eco-home fixes, and a jumping off point for increased awareness. For those living on islands, freshwater scarcity can be a more pressing issue than those living in water abundant locations. Yet when it comes down to our water tables, we are losing our precious freshwater resources every day. Freshwater makes up less than 1% of our world water resources, and yet excessive or necessary use runs rampant in wealthy nations.
It is becoming increasingly important to make simple reductions such as the dual flush or low flow toilets to respect all of our shared water resources. Events like World Water Day and the Run for Water are great opportunities to learn more about easy reductions in our own lives, and ways to help those with scarce water resources as well. So see what money-saving water tips are in store for you and your home!
Photo Credit: Dual Flush Kit
Go Green With Elastic Exercise Bands
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Making trips to the gym on a regular basis may be good for your health, but not so much for the environment. One great way to avoid having to waste gas by driving to the gym is to get a set of elastic exercise bands. Exercise bands provide a great workout for people at any level of fitness all in the comfort of your own home.
Let’s go through the many advantages of using exercise bands versus using a traditional gym
Environmentally friendly
The obvious way that exercise bands reduce your impact on the environment is the drives to the gym. I know some people who travel upwards of 20 miles, just to go to a gym. Not only does the drive waste time, but is pretty ridiculous just to workout. Bands also have an advantage over home gyms since they do not require tons of metals to be used in their production.
Many of the top band manufacturers use natural latex to produce a strong, yet durable product. Since latex rubber is harvested sustainably from a variety of rubber trees, buying a set of exercise bands just became even more environmentally friendly. Since they are made from this rubber-like material, they are flexible and can easily be stored or taken on travel. Imagine this, you can take the equivalent of an entire gym in your backpack or luggage to get exercise on any trip.
Variety of Exercises
Because of their flexibility and strength, exercise bands can be used to workout almost any part of your body. There are hundreds of exercises easily found by doing a simple search. So no need to move from machine to machine when all you need is a single pair of exercise bands that can work out every muscle on the body.
Cost
What may also surprise you is that a set of high quality exercise bands will only cost anywhere from $50-$100 depending on the quality and size of the set. So instead of spending nearly that amount on a gym membership every month, you can spend that a on a set that can last you for years.
Which to purhcase?
There are a large number of manufacturers of exercise bands and determine which set to get can be difficult. One major key to check before buying a set is to make sure that they are in fact made of natural latex and not synthetic. This will ensure that they are made from a more environmentally friendly product that is higher quality.
My recommendation would be to purchase a set like the Bodylastics Exercise bands that are made in the US from natural latex. They are a little more expensive than other sets, but are really strong and last a long time. I personally own a set of their bands and have been pleased with both the results from using them and their quality.
