It’s Spring, finally. It was actually over 20°C yesterday and the sunshine was glorious – a reminder that simple living really is as simple as enjoying a warm and sunny day! There are Loons on the lake and ‘our’ Pileated Woodpecker has been visiting. Both of these birds will disappear from this area when all the weekend visitors arrive, with their increased activity and noise. But for now it’s lovely to see and hear them.
Simple Steps
60 Ideas for Sustainable Living
There are many steps we can each take to reduce our impact on the environment, saving money & our health at the same time. Here are 60 tips: most are free and easy, and they’ll all make you feel good about doing your bit!
Mother Nature Scratches Her Head
MOTHER NATURE: Grass? But, it’s so boring. It’s not colorful. It doesn’t attract butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and sod worms. It’s sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?
FRANK: Apparently so. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.
MOTHER NATURE: The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.
FRANK: Apparently not. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it-sometimes twice a week.
The Art of the Pot Luck
When invited to my first pot luck after moving from the city, I asked, “What should I bring?” “Whatever,” was the answer. “No,” I said, “I mean appetizer, main course, salad, dessert?” I really didn’t understand. And there’s another pot luck in the Gore’s Landing Hall tonight — everybody’s invited — really! Just show up with your contribution, dig in and enjoy!
Can we make every hour earth hour?
I’ve had an ongoing challenge with myself to see how low my electric bill can go and how long I can make a tank of heating oil last and how long I can go without filling the car’s gas tank.
Barter/Borrow Experience?
We don’t all need to own every tool for a small job, we aren’t all experts or experienced at everything, and a barter/borrow group would be another great way to bring community together. It should be simple, money-saving and time-saving. I tried a few years ago. With great excitement, I got as far as listing all the tools/equipment/talents I could offer. I showed my list and explained the idea to one neighbour, who said “Great idea, but I doubt if anybody would sign on.”
My First Basket Willow Harvest!
See the gorgeous colours of these basket willows. There are 10 different varieties, each a different colour.
The Lowdown On…Toxic Fragrances & Flavours
One thing we can all do to ensure health is to avoid products with added artificial fragrances or flavours. This isn’t as easy as it sounds. They’re found in the most unexpected products (vitamins, prescription drugs, lip balm, perfume, toothpaste, laundry detergent — the list goes on and on).
The Lowdown on… Toxins in Air Fresheners
I don’t know about you, but I get very tired of seeing all the commercials on television pushing us to artificially “perfume” our indoor air. Indoor air is actually full of pollutants. We don’t need plug-ins (using elecricity), sprays or stick-ons and we certainly don’t need the toxins they all contain. Phthalates are found in a wide array of consumer products, including cosmetics and fragrances, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, vinyl children’s toys, automobiles, paints, and interior finishes.