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krissy's blog

Fall and Winter Gardening

Posted by krissy on August 22nd, 2014

fall gardeningThe days are a little shorter, Halloween candy is on the shelves at CVS, and some kids are already back in school.   Indeed, autumn is around the corner.

Autumn can be a wonderful time of year for a greenie.  Here in New England where I live, local apples are plentiful resulting in homemade cider, applesauce, pies, and apple butter.  The weather is cooler, meaning less need for air conditioning.  And while many people think that September signals the beginning of the end for gardening season in a lot of the country, it doesn't need to be the case.  In fact, fall gardening can be a great end to the year!... read more

RECYCLE IT! Recycling Tip of the Week #2 - Bring it to the Recycling Center

Posted by krissy on August 18th, 2014

recycling styrofoamHappy Monday, folks!  I hope everyone had a nice weekend!  

In last week's RECYCLE IT! series, I wrote about how you can recycle bottle caps right along with the bottle!  In this series, I want to make all of our readers the most efficient recyclers they can be.  There are a lot of items where the average person might be unsure whether or not it's recyclable.  Sometimes it's confusing.  We all know the basics - recycle your jars, cans, and newspapers.  Put them in your recycling bin, drag it curbside, and your duty is done.   Right?  Well, not always.

 But, some things are a lot less clear.  Some items are totally recyclable, just not through curbside recycling.   That brings us to...

Recycle It Tip #2: Call your city and go to the recycling center!  ... read more

Fascinating Fact Friday - Robin Williams, the Environment, and FernGully

Posted by krissy on August 15th, 2014

Today's "Fun Fact Friday" has a bit of a sadness to it, so I've changed it to "Fascinating Fact Friday" - just for today.

As the world mourns the loss of Robin Williams, I began to think about the different roles he played over the years.  My favorite was Mrs. Doubtfire, but another movie I enjoyed as a kid was FernGully: The Last Rainforest.  

 

... read more

Eco-Friendly Back-to-School Shopping

Posted by krissy on August 13th, 2014

Eco-Friendly Back-to-School Shopping

It's hard to think about this while still in summer mode, but yes, it is that time of year...it's time to get ready to go back to school. 

How can you buy school supplies for your kids in the greenest way possible?

1)  Avoid backpacks made of (PVC) vinyl.  Vinyl contains dioxins, which the EPA says is a leading cancer-causing agent.  Soft vinyl sometimes has di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, which the U.S. National Toxicology Program has identified as a carcinogenic compound.  Seek backpacks made of cotton, canvas, or even hemp or bamboo!   Pick something sturdy and long-lasting, one that you won't need to replace annually.  LL Bean backpack last forever!  

2)  Buy a reusable lunchbox or bag instead of having your kids use paper lunch bags.  Again, avoid PVC.  We like this Litter-Free Lunch Kit.  

... read more

Greenify Your Commute: Even a Little Bit Helps

Posted by krissy on August 13th, 2014

Gridlock

Americans, on average, spend 25.5 minutes on their way to work according to the US Census Bureau. That's only one way. Which means most of us are spending nearly an hour a day traveling to and from work. 10.8 million Americans travel an hour each way. For 600,000 unfortunate souls, called mega-commuters, an average commute is at least 50 miles and 90 minutes one way.

Spending that much time in the car each day isn't very green. Using all of that gas, running air conditioning, idling in traffic — none of it is good for you or the environment. How much can you make your commute greener?

Choose the Right Route

How often do you feel like you're stuck in gridlock traffic?

Gridlock is bad for your mental health and productivity — that much is obvious. Traffic congestion has also been quantifiably tied to negative health effects. Scientists at Harvard's School of Public Health reported in 2011 that more than 2,200 premature deaths are annually caused by air pollution from traffic congestion.... read more

RECYCLE IT! Recycling Tip of the Week #1

Posted by krissy on August 11th, 2014

This is the first in a weekly series entitled "Recycle It!"   I was inspired by a little tiff I had with my husband about whether or not an item was recyclable.  We are both obsessive about recycling but sometimes one (or both) of us is unclear about what is recyclable or the rules of recycling.  Sometimes they're not obvious - even to avid recyclers like my husband and me!   Other times, the rules change with more modern recycling technology.  

So, I bring you "Recycle It!"  Every Monday we're going to start the week off with a tip to help you make the most of recycling!  

Recycle It Tip #1:  Leave the bottle cap on the bottle!... read more

Fun Fact Friday - Mr. Rogers and an Electric Car

Posted by krissy on August 8th, 2014

A few years ago, I used to write a weekly post profiling a Keen and Green celebrity every Friday.  It was a fun series to do, but ultimately I ran out of celebrities to cover.  I started to miss having a Friday series to close the week, so today I am starting "Fun Fact Friday."  I'm going to dig up some trivia, interesting information, or a tidbit from history - all related to the environment! - to share with you every Friday.  Enjoy!

Today's fun fact is that Mister Rogers did a number of episodes with a focus on the environment.  Now I want to share this video of Mister Rogers learning about electric cars.  As a kid of the 80s, I watched a lot of PBS and my first exposure to the electric car was from this episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.    ... read more

PROGO 3000: An Eco-Friendly Propane Powered Scooter

Posted by krissy on August 6th, 2014

propane scooterEverybody is always looking for an inexpensive and eco-friendly mode of transporation.  That's why I was excited to hear about the PROGO 3000 from ProGo Recreation, LLC.    After two years of research and testing, ProGo Recreation announced that they are starting production on the PROGO 3000 - the first-ever propane powered scooter!  And you can help them fundraise on their Kickerstarter page!... read more

Remembering those reusable shopping bags

Posted by krissy on August 5th, 2014

reusable shopping bags

We all know how important it is to bring reusable bags to the grocery store, but even those of us with the greenest possible intentions forget them sometimes.  

Here are some tips to help you remember...

- For women who carry purses, keep a few in your purse.  Some (not all) scrunch up pretty well.   ChicoBags are perfect for this.  They fold up easily and they don't take up too much space.   They also can hook up to a keychain!

- Keep them by your jackets and shoes so you remember to grab them on the way out.... read more

10 Ways to Reduce Plastic Use

Posted by krissy on August 4th, 2014

plastic bottlePlastic is a HUGE problem for the environment.  Yes, some of it is recycled, but they’re technically downcycled. Instead of a milk jug being recycled into another milk jug, it gets turned into lower quality plastic which is not recyclable.  Not all plastic is readily recycled, and it ends up just sitting up in a landfill.  And another enviornmental problem with plastic is that it’s made from oil.  

We can reduce our plastic usage easily.  You may not realize how much plastic you use on a daily basis, but here are 10 tips to reduce how much plastic you use:... read more

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