Noshpockets - We Have a Winner!

Laila has been talking about Noshpockets non-stop lately, so I'm not only excited to try them for myself, but I am really excited to announce the winner of our Noshpockets giveaway!

Random.org has selected a winner by the screen name of RBM.

If you are not RBM, then you should head over to the Noshpocket site to buy a set for yourself.  If not for yourself, then start your Christmas shopping early!

Also be sure to stop by the Noshpocket Facebook Page and leave a comment.  Tell 'em we sent ya!

Thank you, Noshpockets for offering amazing quality products that are good for us and the environment!  :D

 

Eco Friendly Wedding Ideas!

Don't laugh! :Þ

I know it is January but weddings are on the brain for a lot of couples out there planning their nuptials for the next year or so. And, it's freakishly cold outside so I am needing to focus on something green and pretty to get me through....which led me to writing a post on eco friendly wedding ideas! :D

Also, my dear sweet cousin (hi Sonja!) is getting married next year and we were chatting on the phone this weekend about different ideas. Of course me being crunchy granola girl, I quickly got on the topic of an eco friendly wedding and all the super cool things you can do that are also super earth friendly!

So without further ado, here is my little list to help you have an eco friendly wedding!



Eco Friendly Wedding Flowers:

One of the simplest and often most inexpensive ways of going "green" with your flowers is to buy flowers that are grown locally and/or organic - better yet grow them yourself! Locally grown flowers and especially flowers that are native to your area require less fossil fuels to be consumed during transportation which is easier on the earth and also translates to savings for you! Why are organic flowers better? Well, organically grown flowers are earth friendly for the simple fact that no toxic pesticides or herbicides are used while they are growing - that can be said for anything grown organically.

For centerpieces or floral decorations instead of using cut flowers, use potted plants, potted flowers or miniature potted trees. You can create a table centerpiece with multiple potted flowers for example and then at the end of the night they can also be used as a wedding favour.

Don't know where to start looking? Ask your florist about organic flowers and/or locally grown flowers - they should be able to help you out. If in the rare chance they can't, simply searching Google for "eco friendly wedding flowers + your city" should bring up what you need!



Eco Friendly Wedding Favours:

What to do about those wedding favours? So often we have been to weddings only to see wedding favours left at the end of the night, or worse, taken and then not used at all. We were at our cousin's wedding in September and I LOVED the idea of edible treats as wedding favours. There were rice crispy treats all wrapped up, cookies, bars - you name it they were on the table and they were a huge hit! I loved that idea. Eco friendly and affordable! Plus at the end of the night who doesn't want to nibble on something sweet?

Other great ideas are flower seeds in a cute little mini sized paper bag. Fold down the top, glue a large sized dried flower that is also flat (think Gerber daisy etc etc) to the fold and then print your own pretty labels with your names and the date. Easy, eco friendly and again, affordable! :D

You can also use this cute idea to the right! A cute little potted cactus with a little sign that says "love" on one side and your names and date on the other side.

There is also those cute little mini terra cotta pots. Fill the pots with seeds and a bit of soil, wrap in a lightweight organic cotton fabric and tie a ribbon around the top to close it up.

The Venue(s):

Renting out a church, a synagogue or other indoor space creates the need for mass amounts of electricity. Consider talking to your officiant about having the ceremony outdoors.

Outdoor weddings are beautiful (think of all the 'free' decorations you get just from the surrounding nature!) as well as eco friendly in that they won't use up the mass amounts of electricity like an indoor service and reception will. It is often less expensive to find a beautiful outdoor space and rent some of those big white party tents and decorate yourself than it is to rent an entire indoor reception space.


Skip The Confetti!

Feed the birds! Don't throw paper confetti! The tradition of throwing rice at the happy couple after the ceremony and/or reception has been around for a long, long time - think back to Egyptian or Roman times! Throwing rice or confetti is meant to offer the new bride and groom a lifetime of abundance, prosperity and fertility.

You have probably heard that throwing rice hurts the sweet little birds that swoop down afterwards and gobble it all up. This is not true. Not at all.

Skip the confetti for the simple fact that it is a massive waste of paper. If you want to throw "good luck" to the newlyweds opt for locally harvested birdseed instead. Rice is fine, but it is often imported and we are trying to keep our carbon footprint low, right? :o)

If you don't believe me on the rice not hurting our feathered friends, click over to our friends at Urban Legends, they explain it all in great detail!

The Rings:

We can't forget the rings now can we? ;o)

All that glitters isn't gold it seems.

Do you know where your gold comes from? Do you know how it is mined and how that mining impacts the environment? No?

Check out NoDirtyGold.org

"A gift of gold often symbolizes love, commitment, romance, and friendship.  Yet, gold mining is one of the most destructive activities in the world, and has been linked to grievous environmental, social justice, and human rights violations."

You really must go there and read. It's a fabulous website that really lays out the not so sparkling side of the gold mining industry.

Then there are the diamonds. We can't forget the diamonds - a mainstay of the engagement and wedding tradition in our culture.

Again, I ask, "Do you know where your diamonds come from?"

Most diamonds on the market are also often referred to as "Blood Diamonds". They are referred to this way not only because of the torturous slave labour practices that are often employed while mining for those diamonds, but also because the sale and profit from those diamonds goes to fund horrific civil wars in many African countries.

(You can read more about blood diamonds here at the United Nations website.)

I know, I know, we are talking about your amazing wedding coming up and this topic on dirty gold and blood diamonds is totally a downer. But it doesn't have to be. Use this information to arm yourself. Be informed. All decisions you make have an impact one way or another, especially your purchasing decisions. Vote with your dollar. Choose ethically mined diamonds and gold (or platinum, silver etc whatever it is you choose) if that is what you want for your jewellery. Again, this is where Google is your friend. If you Google "green gold" or "where to buy ethical diamonds" or "ethical wedding rings" you will be pointed in the right direction!



Are you planning a wedding? Have you found other eco friendly ideas that I haven't listed? Feel free to share!

With love and light ♥,

 

Friday Finds for December 17th!

I can't believe it is Friday again all ready! Is it just me or does the time just keep flying by faster and faster?

I'll share my fabulous Friday Finds with you, but I also want to know, what have you found lately that you think is super cool and you want to share with the world?

With the weather we've been having lately I'm having to come up with cool ideas to keep my kids entertained. Today one of my BFF's, Tina and I took the kids out for lunch and to the movies, but I can't afford to do this everyday obviously. We need to get back into our arts and crafts and like I mentioned in previous posts, I suck at coming up with ideas so I rely on my friends and fellow bloggers/moms to help me out in that department!

Today I stumbled across this amazing blog with all sorts of ideas! It makes me giddy just looking at it! :D

If you are hoping for the kidlets to make some home made gifts this year and you're like me and don't know where to start or what to do, check out the CraftyCrow.net! She's gathered some of the best of the best when it comes to the crafty type blogs and it's hard to go over there and not get totally lost (in a great way!) on her site checking out all the unique (and wonderfully simple) ideas. Not only are there great tips and tricks in regards to arts and crafts for your kids to make, but also some fantastic ideas for yourself as well.

A perfect example is this adorable little notepad holder - this is truly suitable for any age. Click here for the simple instructions on how to help your child make this perfect little stocking stuffer!

Photo courtesy of Let's Explore via the Crafty Crow 

I have to thank my good friend Darla for this next find today! It won't help you with your shopping, not this decade at least, but if you were around in the 80's you will love to remember these great Christmas commercials! I totally forgot about some of these! It's making me all nostalgic for my mixed tapes and the Kenny and Dolly Christmas specials - remember those? ;o)

Photo Credit

Click here to go back in time and check them out. Michael J. Fox and his DeLorean not necessary... ;o)

Now, I wouldn't be true to my crunchy granola self if I didn't include a few "green" finds for the week. One site I really like is the Examiner.com. They have great authors and articles from all over the USA and Canada.

Alicia Bayer wrote these great tips on how to stay warm this winter without once having to touch the thermostat on your wall. Great reminders that are really just common sense!

Click here to find out "15 Ways to Warm Up Without Turning Up the Thermostat". The earth and your bank account will thank you!

So what have you found this week that you think is fabulous and share-worthy? Comment below and let us know!

Have a great weekend everyone! ♥

With love and light,

 

Tree Huggin' Tuesday - Quick and Easy, Eco Friendly Gifts

Omigosh I am starting to panic. I have not done any shopping yet and it is 11 days until Christmas morning! @_@

Our life in this house has been so hectic and chaotic the last 2 months that it suddenly hit me this morning, it's the middle of December and I am not even close to being ready. YIKES!

The problem with suddenly realizing that you basically have 10 days to get your sh*t together is that it is very easy to get caught up in the mass consumerism of the season. I find I am telling myself I'll just pop over to Costco and get all the gifts and everything I need and then I can be done. But there really is no thought in that because I know I'll just be there buying gifts for the sake of getting gifts and what good is that? And for the record I am not saying that just because you shopped at Costco your gifts are meaningless, not at all. I am just musing to myself that if I go there (it's 5 minutes from my house) and just shop for the sake of shopping and getting things that the gifts from me wouldn't have as much meaning and thought as I would like...does that make any sense? It's been a really long day around here.... :Þ

For one thing, I hate crowds.

{shudder}

The thought of hitting the stores this week or next is enough to sending me running for the hills screaming incomprehensible things while smacking myself on the forehead and hoping the little men in white jackets don't catch up with me.

For another thing, I feel like the meaning of this time of year is starting to fade. For some it is celebrating the birth of Jesus. For others, it is a celebration of light, of welcoming back the sun and just being close to friends and family. Whatever your reason for celebrating at this time of year, ask yourself, what does it mean to you? Is it about having the biggest and best and most expensive present to give or show off? Or the most presents? Why do people feel the need to literally spend thousands of dollars on gifts?!?! If it is not about that, then why is that always the focus? I don't get it and it's not what I want to teach my children.

Let's re-cap here.... I am wayyyyyyyyyyyyy behind in the gift giving/making department, it's December 14th, I hate crowds and mass consumerism really irritates me. So what is a girl to do?

Stay home, have a glass of wine and get into your zen spot by making your own gifts that have meaning and are filled with love and good energy.

I am not that crafty (although I am a crafty girl wannabe in the most desperate of ways :D LOL), I am not creative when it comes to coming up with ideas, but I am stubborn and tenacious and despite everything we've been through this little while, I am not letting it be my free pass this year to just hit the stores and get 'stuff' for the sake of having things to wrap up and give away. I might suck it up and shop a little bit if I can find the right gift for the right person and it is something they love (ie there is truly thought behind it), but other than that I plan to lay low for the next couple of weeks and remember the spirit of the season.

If it weren't for my children, I think I would just skip this craziness all together, but they are getting so excited and I have to remember that really, the magic of this season is still in them. They still believe in Santa and have so excitedly started their letters to send off.  One of the things they really want is actual toys from Santa's work shop. Not from the stores, but 'original' toys. Basically Maria and Matty are getting old enough to question the whole concept and want to know why Santa just gets everyone store bought toys.

I need to come up with something original. I need to be 'Santa's Workshop' and some how turn into an Elf and create something amazing. In ten days.

Luckily there is Google and fellow bloggers with super nifty crafty ideas that share what they come up with!

For Noah it is going to be these fabulous Fabric Alphabet Fridge Magnets that I saw awhile back on SpearmintBaby.com (and posted about on December 3rd) and fell in love with.

Aren't they just adorable?!?! :D

  

Photo and idea courtesy of SpearmintBaby.com

And really, he's 3. If my sewing is less than stellar I'm sure he won't notice. ;o)

Matty loves, loves, loves playdough and that is sooooooooooooo easy to make. If I put it in some original and unique packaging, use some cool colours with some car shaped cookie cutters, he'll be thrilled!

I haven't made playdough in a long time, but when I do this is the recipe that ends up the best for us:

Simple and Easy Homemade Playdough Recipe

• 1 cup of plain white flour (Save the organic whole wheat stuff for something else and just use the whitest all purpose flour you can find. Yes for us crunchy granola girl types it feels weird to use white flour for anything, but this is the time and the place for it! LOL :D)
• 1/2 cup table salt
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 2 teaspoons of Cream of Tartar
• Food coloring

Using a large pot add in all your ingredients and mix together over medium heat. Eventually the consistency turns to something like thick and sticky mashed potatoes. When this happens remove from heat and carefully start kneading the dough until it gets a smooth finish. Just watch out because it will be hot at first. I usually tip the pot over onto the table and let the playdough drop there and it cools off faster that way while I knead it.

For my Gluten Free friends, here is a great recipe that has gotten rave reviews!

Easy Gluten Free Playdough recipe:

• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup corn starch
• 1/2 cup salt
• 2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 tsp. cooking oil
• food coloring

Mix all ingredients together in saucepan, cook on low heat, stirring occassionally for at least 5 minutes or until it forms a ball. Remove from heat, let cool for 10 minutes. Scoop into a large bowl, add at least 1/2 cup more rice flour, and 1/2 cup more corn starch, knead until well mixed and no longer sticky. Store in airtight container.

  

Photo Courtesy of MumsBabyMagazine.com

For the colours, I use the food colouring pastes that you find in cake decorating stores. They seem more expensive yes, at first compared to the liquid kind you find in the grocery store etc, but they last for years and years and years. They are well worth the upfront cost. Just a teeny tiny speck on a toothpick will you give you rich and vibrant colours that are hard to find in store bought play dough varieties.

If you add some vanilla extract the playdough smells super yummy and the extract hlps preserve the dough so it lasts longer. You can use peppermint extract too which would be fun for this time of year!

Add some glitter to make sparkly dough. The kids love it! Make some special 'Santa Dough' by leaving the dough uncoloured and then add in red, green and silver glitter. :o)

Cooked playdough lasts longer and is easier to play with (in my not so humble opinion) than its non cooked counter part. It is also super easy to make, ridiculously simple to clean up and it costs just pennies for what turns out to be a really fun and unique gift!

Are you making any homemade gifts this year? I'll be on a mission all week for great ideas so feel free to share and I'll be sure to pop back and let you know any cool links and ideas I find too!

With love and light, ♥

 

Friday Finds for December 10!

I love Fridays, I really do! It means that I actually have a place to share all the crazy things I find on the internet all week long (and I am a bit of an internet junkie, so I have a lot of things I am bookmarking all the time :D ).

Now, Noah who is my youngest and turned 3 in August has *finally* potty trained. Do you hear the angels singing? I sure do! I have had at least one in diapers (often two) for the last... *gasp*... EIGHT years. Eight years. @_@ OMG that makes me dizzy just thinking about it!

Even though Noah is out of diapers, I still can't help browsing through some of my favourite online stores that helped feed my cloth diaper addiction. If you aren't currently using cloth diapers and wonder how on earth one can become addicted to them, well check these cuties out from EcoBabyCanada.com!

Fuzzi Bunz Daisy print from EcoBabyCanada.com

KiwiDot Goodmama from EcoBabyCanada.com

Then I noticed that she has her Goodmama's on sale and that alone is enough to almost make me want to put Noah back in diapers. :Þ I *LOVE* Goodmama's, they are one of my absolute favourites and were one of the most well used and well loved diapers in my stash. They are worth every.single.penny because they last forever and are oh so soft and cushy. Really, who can resist cute diapers like this? ♥

I could go on and on and on about cloth diapers, but I will stop there for now! :D

How are you all doing with your holiday shopping? I have to confess with everything going on in my life lately I haven't even started.

If you plan to order online, you are best to get finished this weekend if you want to have everything delivered in time for Christmas without paying a fortune in shipping. I have to thank David Suzuki for reminding me of that fact. While I would  love to say David told me that little shipping tid bit personally, I can't. :Þ

Being a huge fan of his, I was on his website today to see what was hot over there for the holiday season and noticed that they have mentioned to order by December 11 to get your goodies at regular parcel rates (for US customers this might be different, just so ya know).

I fell in love with this calendar they have in their store "Nature in the City 2011"! Check out this car!

Photo Courtesy of The David Suzuki Foundation "Nature in the City 2011 Calendar"

I LOVE IT! :D A car that has been reclaimed as an urban garden. How cool is that? According to the David Suzuki Foundation website/holiday store:

 "...we asked Canadians to grab their cameras and show us the natural world interwoven into the urban landscape, as viewed through their camera lenses. Hundreds of photographers across the country entered thousands of images to our Nature in the City photo contest. The twelve winners, featured in this 2011 calendar, were chosen by our panel of guest judges - all professional photographers."

You have to get this calendar, I mean really, isn't there some pseudo hippie in your family that would love this? ;o)

Okay, okay, so maybe not everyone in your circle of family/friends is into cloth diapers and David Suzuki, but you have to have some sort of techie in your famliy right? Have you seen these on Etsy.com?

Photo courtesy of DebbyAremDesigns on Etsy.com

It is recycled circuit board light switch!! :D

Or this, for the Lego fan in your life who loves to read, how can you resist this cute little stocking stuffer?

Photo courtesy of "misscourageous" on Etsy.com

And my personal favourite:

{drum roll please.....}

Photo courtesy of FloppyDiskCreations on Etsy.com

It's a floppy disk night light!!!!! I am so in love with it that I am putting it on my wish list this year for sure. It reminds me of the good 'ole days before USB drives and cable internet. :D Remember dial up? Ahh, I can hear the dial up tones just like it was yesterday....

And with that my friends I am going to go and put some early Pearl Jam on the iPod and get my letter to Santa finished up...

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! ♥

With love and light,

 

Wordy Wednesday - Go Green This Christmas

Christmas is creeping up on us, and none too slowly.  But not to worry, there is still time to green your Christmas and these books will help you do it in style.

I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas: Gifts, Decorations, and Recipes that Use Less and Mean More

Santa Claus Is Green!: How to Have an Eco-Friendly Christmas (Little Green Books)

Green Christmas: How to Have a Joyous, Eco-Friendly Holiday Season

If you have any book recommendations on greening your holidays, share with us in the comments.

No Wrapping Needed

The stresses of Christmas will set in for most people in the next week or two, but try not to get wrapped up (pun intended! in it. To cut down on the time you'd normally spend going from store to store to store (which for Laila and I, includes starting a vehicle and letting it warm up first - easily adding 20 min to an already hectic shopping trip), consider going online to check out some fabulous websites.

Try giving a gift that doesn't require shopping, doesn't require shipping, and doesn't require wrapping. It almost sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? It's not. Give the gift of a donation or your time.

This year we are gifting the following organizations:

1) Central Asia Institute, which is an international aid organization that supports education (especially for girls) in Pakistan and Afghanistan. If you educate a girl, you will eventually educate an entire community. The book Three Cups of Tea explains everything in great detail.

If you haven't read it yet, you absolutely must. It's about "One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace, One School at a Time". If you insist on giving an actual, physical gift, give this book. Give it to a friend, family member, your child's school, or the local college or university. In my opinion, it should be a required read for every single person, especially those in developed countries.

2)  I love the Heifer organization.  For as little as $10 you can give a share of a pig.  That's right - you read p-i-g.  (I am using the pig for an example, simply because it's the most cost effective item for a family on a tight budget.) 

Photo from Heifer.org
Heifer offers a variety of animals that are 'purchased', and are given to families in developing countries.  These animals are gifts that keep on giving.  The pig, for example, provides income when the families sell the offspring.  Its manure provides an ideal fertilizer for their crops, and when butchered, it provides protein for the family.  Self-reliance is an incredible gift for a struggling family, and it comes at such a low cost to us.

If you are making a donation instead of giving a physical gift to a friend, simply hand write a note to the recipient stating that you've made a donation in their name.  I dare say that anyone would be happy to receive a gift like these.

3)  Laila has been blogging about 29 Gifts and how to give of yourself.    I'm going to take her idea and run with it (but not too far!).

Call a local hospital or nursing home to ask if you can visit with patients and residents.  If you're permitted to do so, take your kids and give someone the gift of your time.  Having worked in a nursing home, I can tell you that many, many seniors don't have visitors for months at a time - especially around the holidays.  They ache for your time and simple conversation.  If you're uncomfortable but willing to try it, mention to them that you only have a few minutes - they will be happy with whatever time you're able to devote to them. I'll bet not a single one of them would reminisce about the gifts they received in their lifetime, but I would bet that you'd hear stories of their lives - their families and friends. After all, isn't that what our lives should be about?

Shovel your elderly neighbor's sidewalk (or rake their lawn, or weed their flower bed).

Photo Credit
If you have a thrift store that benefits a charity, considering volunteering for an afternoon.  Make a call and offer to go in and sort clothes or arrange knick knacks or stock shelves.

There is no need to let the stress in this year. Whether you give a donation or your time, I promise you that this small action you take will put Christmas (and maybe your life) back into perspective. None of these gifts need to be wrapped, making them perfectly eco-friendly, and none of them are overly time consuming.  But, they do all have two  things in common - they are free, and they benefit many people, including yourself. 

I'm interested in learning what your favorite charities are, and how you give of your time.

Tree Hugging Tuesday - A Gift to Mother Earth...

My brother died on November 14th. His death was sudden, tragic and gut wrenching because it wasn't an accident and we had just seen him the night before for supper and had a wonderful time.

I've been walking in a fog for the last two weeks and that dark depressing rut that shows up in times like this and tempts one to jump right in and throw themselves a massive pity party, has been calling my name. It has been very easy to get stuck in that pit and have that depressing, sludgy energy swirling around me and my family in what was fast becoming a viscous cycle. This crappy energy that is enveloping my house needs to stop and I've been thinking of ways to accomplish that while still being able to grieve the way I need to.

Quite frankly I've realized with 3 kids to get caught up on homeschooling and my hubby working full time, me getting all down and depressed isn't going to help anyone at all at this point and it certainly won't bring my sweet brother back...

Every time I ask however, "What do I do? How do I get through this?", I hear something almost whisper to me, "Give back...".

So that is what I am going to do. I am going to start giving back and doing it consciously with the sole intent that it will bring lightness and good to someone or something else. If anything it will give me something more positive to focus on that has nothing to do with me.

(Now before y'all start commenting that this has nothing to do with Tree Hugging Tuesdays, bear with me, I'm getting to the point I promise!)

I started reading the book "29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life" last year by Cami Walker and I loved it. True to my nature however, I got distracted and I didn't finish it, but I loved the premise. This book suddenly popped up onto my radar again quite by accident when I was rummaging around in my garage last week searching for a sweater. (And if anyone is wondering why on earth I was looking in the garage of all places for a sweater, it's because we just moved last month and I still haven't unpacked! :Þ) 

This book seems like it was meant to be at this point in my life.
 

My first "gift" is to Mother Earth herself. This is the time of year when the most recyclable waste is created whether it be through the wrapping, the gift bags, the shopping bags and even the gifts themselves. So, my first "gift" is to not use any plastic shopping bags for the entire month of December. I often forget my big bulky grocery bags (which I'll be honest - they annoy me so I use bins whenever I can) and I chide myself for getting the plastic ones and then I turn around and soothe myself all at the same time by reminding myself that I do in fact make sure they are all recycled. But still, there is no need for me to even require or use any store shopping bag at all, unless of course they are offering one that is environmentally friendly.

From there I am going to start my 29 gifts for 29 days and with a smile, remember what an amazing person my brother was as I am doing it.

Stay tuned for Wordy Wednesday tomorrow and I'll talk about the book a bit more and then I'll fill you in on my newest challenge on Friday!

With love and light,

 

Myths vs Facts for an Eco Friendly Holiday Season Part 1...

Can you believe there are 45 days until Christmas? 22 days until Hanukkah, 46 days until Kwanzaa, and 41 days until Winter Solstice (and if I am missing anyone here and your celebrations please comment and let me know because the kids and I are studying different cultures, religions and their religious observations! Heather and I would LOVE to know what you and your family do to celebrate, so don't be shy. :D)

This is the time of year when some of the biggest amounts of waste are created, and quite often so unnecessarily. It has me thinking of ways that I can still be festive but in the most environmentally ways possible.

I am trying to find a balance too though...I have a son addicted to Bey Blades and a daughter who is collecting Moxie Girl dolls whenever she can. As much I try and steer my kids towards fair trade, wooden and non plastic toys, while shielding them as much as I can from mass consumerism, I realize that I have to try and find a bit of a compromise too with what is on their wish list. Instead of outright banning things, I use the opportunity to discuss the origins of the toy, how it was made, who might have made it (including a talk about child labour, sweat shops, the chemicals involved and the impact it all has from start to finish on the environment etc). I hopefully have them growing up thinking and questioning things more and being aware.

But, there are sooooooooooo many other ways to celebrate the upcoming holidays and be eco-friendly as well!

Let's start with the most obvious one: Christmas trees.

Myth:  Fake trees are more environmentally responsible because you are not cutting down a live tree.

Not true! 

Artificial trees use up a ridiculous amount of energy and petroleum products during their manufacturing and transport. Fake trees are also made of PVC plastic and are required by law in California to carry a warning label because they are potentially that toxic. Yuck.

Here is a fabulous little site from a cute little tree farm in Virginia called Pruitt's Little Farm that will give you the "Dirt on Fake Trees". Totally off topic I know, but check out their place! It is so cute! I wanna go! :D

Nothing really smells better than waking up in the morning to that wonderful aroma of pine or fir wafting through the house. For me, the smell of a pine or fir tree combined with mandarin oranges and coffee brewing in the morning is what December is all about.

Potted trees are a better idea, but often potted trees don't do so well in dry, heated homes. I would think if you are in a mild, humid climate at this time of year (i.e. like my old stomping grounds back on the West Coast) you might have better luck, especially when it comes to planting it outside afterward. Those of us in the dry, cold prairies might be disappointed with the outcome. But give it a try and see how it goes!

Then there is the debate over the live cut tree.

Let me be clear here...You are not doing any damage by getting a live tree. Getting a live tree is the greenest thing you can do if you want a tree in your house! (Pun *totally* intended of course! :Þ)

Live trees are now grown on tree farms specifically for the December season. In fact, if you think about it, live Christmas trees can take up to 10 years or more to grow. Trees clean the air. So trees grown on tree farms for 10+ years are helping our earth, even though they will eventually be cut down.

Let's look at the rest of the process here....

Like I mentioned and it is worth repeating again: you are NOT harming any forests or the earth by getting a live tree, unless of course you go out into the forest and start chopping all the trees down for yourself and your neighbours, but I know you won't do that. ;o) In fact, find a tree farm in your area and support a local business! Less money spent on transporting the tree and going local (as opposed to say a fake tree that has been shipped from China full of potentially toxic chemicals and probably made under slave labour conditions). As Martha would say, it's a good thing! At the end of your celebrations, often most cities and municipalities will offer free tree pick up/drop off and then grind the trees up to use at a later date outdoors as mulch.

So the live tree from the tree farm grows for 10+ years, cleaning the air as it goes. Win! You buy the tree from a local tree farm, thus supporting a local business. Win! The farm is local, so you spend less money and less energy transporting the tree home. Win! The tree is either planted outside after you are done (if it is potted) or mulched up and used a later date for a garden or compost. Win! It's just a win win situation all around!

Now, if you want to be totally green, you can skip getting a tree all together and take the time to decorate a tree in your yard. A fellow 'Eco Diva' and one of my best friends here in town decorates a tree in her backyard with great little treats for the birds that look beautiful and help out the wildlife in the area as well during the cold winter months. Think taking pine cones and smearing peanut butter on them and then rolling them in birdseed. Use a glue gun to stick a beautiful red ribbon on the top and hang it from the tree! Birds love bagels and suet cakes as well. Cut citrus fruits in slices the shapes of circles and hang up them around the trees outside. Get creative with a few touches of colour, some natural wildlife friendly edibles and you have a beautifully decorated tree outside that will make for some lovely winter sights when the birds and the squirrels start popping by for a nibble!

As we say in this house, GO GREEN! (Me because I am a total Eco Diva and my hubby because he is a die hard Saskatchewan RoughRider fan, but I digress... :D )

A live tree is the best and most environmentally friendly option when it comes to the "tree part" of December celebrations. Whether it is already planted in your yard, comes from a local tree farm or is potted, live really is the best choice.

We always put up our tree on December 21st and celebrate the Winter Solstice. What do you do to celebrate and observe the upcoming holidays?

Stay tuned for more Tree Hugging Tuesday's Myths vs Facts for an Eco Friendly Holiday Season!

With love and light,

 

Winterize Your Home and Get Smart! This Weeks Friday's Finds....

 

Photo by Evgeni Dinev

Ahh, Fall feels like it is finally officially here, in these parts anyway! Isn't this photo lovely? I conjures up all sorts of warm fuzzies doesn't it? :D

With Mother Earth in her full Autumnal glory it's time to start scurrying around and preparing for Winter! For those of us who face months of cold temperatures and weekly snow falls, making sure our houses are at their peak efficiency, energy wise, isn't just an environmentally friendly thing to do, it will also ease the load on your wallet before those utility bills start showing up in the mail box.

Now, I'm not one for re-inventing the wheel when it isn't necessary and I like to give credit where credit is due, so for our fabulous readers I found this perfect list on The Daily Green that has almost 20 simple ways to get your home ready for the upcoming winter season!

Remember, simple solutions for a significant impact! Being eco friendly doesn't mean having to blow your budget, you can be an Eco Diva and save money too! :D

Click here to learn '19 Easy Home Winterization Projects' Courtesy of The Daily Green.com

Be sure to come back and let us know what you have done to prep for winter!

I have also been shopping this week (which always makes my hubby a little nervous :Þ)... I have found some amazing math tools to help our kids with what can seem to be an overwhelming subject (when it doesn't have to be because really it all boils down to just patterns, but I am a bit of a math geek so maybe I am wrong here!).

We are in our first year of homeschooling and with that comes a lot of trial and error on what tools/curricula works, what my children's learning styles are and how to take that knowledge and mesh it together in the best way possible for them.

Maria really seems to be taking the time to find her niche with math and what she has fallen in love with is a set of some amazing Montessori numbers and counters to help her visualize it better. (I have to thank my friend T for pointing me in this direction! Thanks T!) Now I know the Montessori parents out there are nodding their heads because they know all this already, but this was a huge light bulb moment for me (and subsequently is taking our homeschooling journey down the Montessori path the more I learn about it and see how much my kids love it).

It's tangible, they can touch it, feel it, move it around and make sense of it in a way that works for them. Matthew actually picks these up and plays with them for fun and without even realizing it starts making little math lessons for himself just through play. I love it! :D

So what is it I am talking about?

{drum roll please.......}

Golden Bead Material!

Ha, I know you are probably thinking "Ummm, what the heck are Golden Bead Materials and how on earth to they relate to math?" :D

They are wonderful beads, blocks and nice big wooden numbers from 1-9000 that the kids can touch and play with and really see how the numbers work and add up. I bought this whole set because I have 3 kids and I know that if I had only one set of them it would end up in a huge fight (and then there goes the math lesson!), but you don't have to buy this exact set that I've pictured. Maria loves math now because of these great little Montessori items and that alone was worth the cost!

Click here to go to Montessori Equipment and see for yourself all the awesome things they have to make education more fun for the kids! I ordered from MontessoriEquipment.ca on a Sunday night and my order was at my door by 8am Wednesday morning. That is my kind of online shopping! :D

(Note for our American friends there is MontessoriEquipment.com and for our Canadian friends there is MontessoriEquipment.ca not that it matters really but it makes the exchange rate and shipping part easier especially with the upcoming busy postal season.)

And that my friends is this weeks 'Friday's Finds'! Now you'll all be sitting smart in your energy efficient homes! ;o)

Have a wonderful weekend!

With love and light,