Don't Throw Out Your Cooking Water.. USE IT!
August 24, 2010

When you boil potatoes, pasta, or vegetables, don't just pour the water down the sink when you're done. Let it come down to room temperature, then use it to water your potted plants or garden beds. In addition to the water, your plants will also get a little bit of a nutrient boost from the vitamins and minerals that the vegetables have left behind in the cooking water.

A few tips for success with this method:

1. Don't heavily salt the water -- excess salt can damage plants and soil health.
2. Don't use water that you've added oil to (for those who add olive oil to pasta cooking water). It will turn rancid and possibly attract pests.
3. You won't want to use this method for houseplants.There is a tiny bit of an odor, especially if you boiled cruciferous vegetable such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts. This isn't a problem outdoors, but most people don't want their homes to smell like broccoli.

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Improve your Indoor Air Quality with House Plants
August 3, 2010

Modern homes can be a minefield of chemical hazards. Carpets, furniture, insulation, paint, and even fireplaces can emit hazardous gases.

Common house plants such as the Boston fern, English ivy, and spider plant filter toxins from the air in your home. A single Boston fern can remove 1,800 micrograms of formaldehyde from the air (nearly the total amount found in the EPA study) in about an hour.

The areca palm, for example, is the most effective filter of xylene. Other plants, such as Boston ferns, chrysanthemums, and dwarf date palms, are better at removing formaldehyde.

For more information on removing pollution from your indoor air with plants, go HERE.

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Help Fido 'Go' Green
August 3, 2010

There are almost 78 million owned dogs in the U.S. according to the Humane Society. On average a dog poops 2 to 3 times a day. Now it you're in a city where you have to pick up after your dog - that's a lot of plastic bags. Now here a green way to pick up after Fido. Biodegradable poop bags! These bags take about as long as a apple to break down. There are even biodegradable cat pan liners! Go to www.poopbags.com. You and your pet can be green!

Posted by Staff at 12:00 AM - Link to this entry  |  Share this entry  |  Print