eco living

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) "Time for a Change" for Earth Day

PHowe — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 08:01:58 -0400

As we approach this year’s Earth Day (April 22), the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is once again encouraging people of all ages to make a pledge for change in the fight to save endangered species, protect endangered habitats and address global threats such as deforestation, overfishing and climate change.

WWF is asking people worldwide to make and share their personal commitment to help save the planet. The interactive “Time for Change” website....

continue reading at - http://www.gatheringhome.com/

Criminalizing Small Farms, With HR 875

PHowe — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:52:57 -0400

Proposed legislation, HR 875, is a major threat to sustainable farming and the local food movement. Supported by the deep pockets and political influence of Monsanto, this legislation places small farms throughout the country under federal jurisdiction and would give the federal government the authority to appoint
designated ~ Sadministrators~T (lobbyist, consultants, private contractors, etc.) and empower them with the authority to enforce severe penalties for non-compliance.

The wording of this bill is so broad and vague, non-compliance could very well include anything from the use of home-made farm equipment....

continue reading at- http://www.gatheringhome.com/

Halloween -- Only Happier -- Eco ideas!

PHowe — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:01:20 -0400

Little has been done to tackle the documented problem of forced child labor on many of the farms that supply cocoa to the major chocolate manufacturers. Consider helping to spread the word by passing out the enlightening ...

continue reading at- http://www.gatheringhome.com/2008/10/halloween-only.html

Green Fun For Kids

PHowe — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 23:59:07 -0400

The Scrap Kins are a group of creatures that live in a recycling center and build their world out of the things people throw away. The Scrap Kins mission is to foster eco-awareness, promote recycling and encourage kids to use their imagination...

continue reading at- http://www.gatheringhome.com/2008/10/green-fun-for-k.html

An Eco Guide to Consumer Electronics

PHowe — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 11:58:50 -0400

In its' most recent version of the quarterly Greenpeace Guide to Consumer Electronics, Nintendo became the first brand ever get zero out of 10 points. In its report, Greenpeace ranks the majority of electronics manufacturers on how they have eliminated toxic materials from their products

and on the quality of their product return and recycling policies. The guide, now in its eight edition, having published its initial version in...

continue reading at http://www.gatheringhome.com/

A Healthier, Happier Organic Lawn

PHowe — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:52:10 -0400

Each year, in America, over three million tons of synthetic fertilizer and 70 million pounds of pesticides are used to obtain a "perfect" lawn. These chemicals may help make your lawn look good initially, but at what price? Paul Tukey, author of The Organic Lawn Care Manual and founder of safelawns.org, wants to help educate homeowners about the importance of going organic for a healthier lawn. "It's a matter of health and the environment," he says. Yes, it can take a couple of years to make the transition, the final results are worth the wait. Healthy organic soil soaks up nutrients and water like a sponge and makes the grass less vulnerable to drought and disease. It also permits you to spend less time working on it. A few tips-

continue reading at http://www.gatheringhome.com/

Eco Question of the Month

PHowe — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:20:12 -0400

Gathering Home wants to know ,WHAT ECO-FRIENDLY CHANGES HAVE YOU MADE IN YOUR LIFE?

Please share your comments; maybe we can all learn something new! We'll post the replies here and on gatheringhome.com

go to - http://gatheringhome.typepad.com/gatheringhome/2008/07/eco-question-of.html

Remodeling Your Home Green

jchait — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 01:00:00 -0400

Building your own green home is awesome. However, some of us like our house just fine already; we don’t want to build a new home, we just wish our current home could be a little more green. Here are some ideas for remodeling green:

Make a flexible wish list: If you’ve been considering green building or remodeling, than it’s likely you have some wish list ideas. It’s a good idea to keep your list flexible though. Until you speak with your remodeling team, it’s tough to know which eco-techniques will work in your existing home.

Questions you may want to explore include:

Which green home options have we seen in action that we think might work well in our home?
How do we want our home to make us feel when we walk through the door – energized, relaxed, both?
Which green home options will give our home the most bang for our bucks – are there options with a better return value? A quicker return value?
How will making these changes affect our current lifestyle?
How involved am I willing to be in the running of my home – for example can I learn to check and change batteries for solar power? Do I want to?
How do we currently use our home? Which spaces are the most occupied on a daily basis – which are the least occupied?
What do we have that is worth keeping (like large windows that allow natural light), and what do we think needs changed (like better insulation, less toxic carpet).
And of course - how much am I willing to spend? OR how much can I spend? Having a general idea of your budget can be useful when you start talking with your remodel team.

These are just a few questions to consider. The design process when remodeling takes a while. To jump start, you may want to talk to a company that specializes in green design and or green re-design. This can help give you an idea of options, costs, and time commitments.