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	<title>gettingoffgrid.com &#187; rainbarrels</title>
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		<title>Five New Environmentally Friendly Home Innovations</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/10/08/five-new-environmentally-friendly-home-innovations.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/10/08/five-new-environmentally-friendly-home-innovations.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 Oct 2010 06:23:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Walter Schneider</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[greenovating]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[composting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco-friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gardening]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rainbarrels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recycle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reduce]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reuse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar power]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sustainable]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/10/08/five-new-environmentally-friendly-home-innovations.html</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Get ready for green living with these five new environmentally friendly home innovations. Thanks to the growing interest in living green, great new products have been coming out of the proverbial woodwork. There are many new green environmentally friendly home innovations that are unique, stylish, and of course, helpful to the environment. Whether you have been living green for many years now, or whether you recently made the choice to live with less impact on the environment, chances are you will find what you most want by checking out the latest round of green catalogs. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />
<p>Get ready for green living with these five new environmentally friendly home  <br />innovations. Thanks to the growing interest in living green, great new products  <br />have been coming out of the proverbial woodwork. There are many new green <b> <br />environmentally</b> friendly home innovations that are unique, stylish, and of  <br />course, helpful to the environment. Whether you have been living green for many  <br />years now, or whether you recently made the choice to live with less impact on  <br />the environment, chances are you will find what you most want by checking out  <br />the latest round of green catalogs.</p>
<p>There are many catalogs out now that allows you to shop for products that offer  <br />you an easy way to live in a more environmentally friendly matter. With the  <br />threat of global climate change becoming more prescient each year, it has become  <br />clear that even those of us who would not describe themselves as  <br />environmentalists will have to make some adjustments in the coming years as <b> <br />global warming</b> becomes an even more urgent cause. Thankfully, there are  <br />scores of cool new products and innovations that can help the transition that  <br />much more easy for you and your family. Here are five environmentally friendly  <br />home innovations that will keep you content and green.</p>
<p>1. Solar Lights. Solar lights are the latest things to use in landscaping your  <br />yard. Not only are they lovely to look at, they are very <b>environmentally</b>  <br />friendly. Solar lights can be staked to the ground wherever you wish to place  <br />them in or around your property. They contain strong solar panels that absorb  <br />the light&#8217;s warm energy all day and then radiate it back at night in a smooth,  <br />soothing glow of light. There are many different models to choose from.</p>
<p>2. Backyard Composters. The new backyard composters make it easier than every to  <br />recycle your yard waste and kitchen scarps. Simply put all of your waste as  <br />indicated into the large spinner and turn to aerate the soil. Keep the compost  <br />slightly wet and spins the waste often for the best and fastest results.</p>
<p>3. Composting toilets. If you are really into keeping the earth waste-free, you  <br />may be interested in the new composting toilets that are geared toward the  <br />environmentally friendly crowd. These fine toilets work just like regular  <br />toilets, except that they compost much of your waste.</p>
<p>4. Solar Flashlight and Radio. Every household needs a good radio and  <br />flashlight. Why not get both in a cozy package that is not only convenient, but  <br />also very environmentally friendly? The solar flashlight and radio package  <br />allows you to charge the device simply by letting it sit in the sun. You can  <br />also turn the crank whenever you need an extra dose of power.</p>
<p>5. Rain Harvesting Barrels. Indigenous people in many parts of the world,  <br />especially the dry places, have long done rain harvesting. Rain harvesting  <br />barrels work no matter where you live. They are a great way to be much less  <br />wasteful of one of the earth&#8217;s most important <b>natural resources</b>&#8211;the  <br />rain. This is especially important in desert areas that do not receive much  <br />rainfall each year. With an ongoing drought, it makes sense to conserve and safe  <br />water whenever possible.</p>
<p>These are just five of many of the fine products that are currently available  <br />for those among us who want to live a more reasonable and <b>environmentally  <br />friendly</b> lifestyle. It is now easier than ever to make a positive impact on  <br />this world. This happens when you live greener each day, taking each green day  <br />one by one. Simply making one small change each week can help make a big  <br />difference in the world.</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s start taking care of our environment, just click GLOBAL WARMING [http://environmentalist101.com]</p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Walter_Schneider">Walter Schneider</a><br />Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Five-New-Environmentally-Friendly-Home-Innovations&amp;id=730398">EzineArticles.com</a><br /><a href="http://betterdollar.com/duty-tax/duty/">Duty tariff</a></p>
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		<title>Organic Vegetable Gardening &#8211; Ten Tips to Save Money</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/20/organic-vegetable-gardening-ten-tips-to-save-money.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/20/organic-vegetable-gardening-ten-tips-to-save-money.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Sep 2010 02:32:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>laurarose</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[food & garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[composting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco-friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gardens for food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green living]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rain gardens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rainbarrels]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/20/organic-vegetable-gardening-ten-tips-to-save-money.html</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Do it yourself: Don't pay someone else to dig, plant, cut and prune for you. In addition to saving money, the exercise will make your feel better. If working in the yard makes you grown - get over it. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />1. Do it yourself: Don&#8217;t pay someone else to dig, plant, cut and prune for you. In addition to saving money, the exercise will make your feel better. If working in the yard makes you grown &#8211; get over it.</p>
<p>2. Set your mower deck higher: set it at its highest setting (or at lease higher than you do now. Don&#8217;t bag..leave the clippings where they fall. You save on fertilizer and your lawn will look better. Clippings don&#8217;t cause thatch, fertilizer does.</p>
<p>3. Make your own weed killer: vinegar, salt and dish soap, evidently boiling water kills weeds, and gin dish soap and vinegar. Evidently the vinegar kills the weed, salt keeps it from growing back, and soap sticks to the weed so the first two things can work. Amounts vary from recipe to recipe (or is it a formulation&#8230;again I digress) and do not appear to be very important. As the salt sticks around for a bit, you need to wait a little before replanting. [Didn't someone sale fields in the bible or something?]</p>
<p>4. Get your tools at yard sales and use hand tools. Never pay retail. Good tools last forever. Power tools use gas, stink, pollute your yard and the world at large, and leave you smelling like gasoline after you are done. Oh yeah, they are expensive too.</p>
<p>5. Compost. Make your own dirt. Don&#8217;t buy a bin, you don&#8217;t need one. Dig a hole. Make a pile. If you just pile up everything that was once once alive [and not an animal] that is left over from your kitchen, you will have compost in six to nine months. If you follow the rules and mix your compose and turn it, you can have some super dirt in two to three months.</p>
<p>6. Make your own mulch. Shred your leaves with you lawn mower. Contact a tree service and ask for chipped branches. You may get them for free since you will save the company the dumping fee. Be prepared though, it doesn&#8217;t look as nice as bought mulch but it works great on your garden and saves money. You may also consider stones or pebbles, the initial outlay is higher but they don&#8217;t have to be replaced. A truck load of local stone costs less than you think.</p>
<p>7. Divide plants, share seedlings, ask you neighbors. Talk to you neighbors and see if they have any plants that need dividing. Join a garden club or plant exchange. Look for sale by garden clubs and botanical gardens.</p>
<p>8. Watering. Get a rain barrel. You don&#8217;t need some expensive system. Contact your water department or look for recycled plastic barrels. Use soaker hoses in your beds and garden; you will use much less water. Water deeply once or twice per week. Daily, short watering make for shallow roots and unhealthy plants.</p>
<p>9. Grow Vegetables and Herbs. The saving will take to be realized but you can save a lot of money growing your own food. The savings will only increase over time. Especially if you follow the above tips. See my previous post for a calculator on gardening savings.</p>
<p>10. Cancel your cable and get outside in your yard.</p>
<p>John C. Shelton is a recovering attorney, husband, father of two, and newbie blogger. After 15 years in the wilderness (lawyers, on whole are a cranky lot) he is looking for health, happiness, and satisfaction. He started baking his own bread and gardening somewhat late in life.</p>
<p>DaddyBakesBread [http://www.daddybakesbread.com/?page_id=11] Click it&#8230;.Click it&#8230;you want to click it.</p>
<p>Be sure to check out MY GARDENING BLOG [http://www.gardening.daddybakesbread.com].</p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_C_Shelton">John C Shelton</a><br />
Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Organic-Vegetable-Gardening---Ten-Tips-to-Save-Money&amp;id=2058690">EzineArticles.com</a><br />
<a href="http://www.myropcb.com/">Lowest price PCB Prototype</a></p>
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		<title>Are You Watering Your Garden Efficiently?</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/17/are-you-watering-your-garden-efficiently.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/17/are-you-watering-your-garden-efficiently.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 18 Sep 2010 02:09:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Stephanie Foster</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[food & garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green water management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gardening]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gardens for food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rain gardens]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rainbarrels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[water harvesting]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/09/17/are-you-watering-your-garden-efficiently.html</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With water restrictions in many areas, it's important to think of ways to help your garden use less water. Some simple steps can help you to save a lot of water. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />In most places in the United States we&#8217;re lucky. Clean water is readily available. It means we can easily garden and not worry so much about if we&#8217;re being efficient about it. But many areas are increasingly dealing with stressed water supplies, and it&#8217;s expected to get worse in years to come.</p>
<p>Now is a great time to get into the habit of watering efficiently in your garden.</p>
<p>A simple way to water garden plants more efficiently is to use a soaker hose. Rather than spray water up into the air, it delivers water directly to the ground. It&#8217;s slow, of course, but you lose much less water to evaporation. You turn the water on a very low setting, so even though it takes more time to water the plants you&#8217;re using less water. Just set a timer so you don&#8217;t forget what you&#8217;re doing.</p>
<p>Another step you may be able to take is to catch rain water. Some states have very strict rules about rain water capture, so you have to do research to ensure that your rain barrel system is legal. But if you can legally capture the water, it&#8217;s a wonderful way to keep watering your garden.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s also a good idea to look at garden plants that are right for the climate in your area. You don&#8217;t want a garden that needs tons of water if you live in an area that is prone to droughts or water restrictions. Know the planting zone you live in and pay attention to that when you buy seeds and plants. And don&#8217;t ignore any local issues that may make it wise to be still more cautious with your garden.</p>
<p>Mulching the soil around your plants also allows you to water less. The mulch will help slow evaporation, so once again you can save water.</p>
<p>If you&#8217;re planting a food garden, there&#8217;s only so much you can do about water use. There aren&#8217;t many people who can successfully plan a xeriscape vegetable garden. You&#8217;re probably going to need to use water to get a good harvest.</p>
<p>But if it&#8217;s more decorative, take a good look at native plants. Look at drought resistant plants if you live where that&#8217;s likely to be a problem. Really think about what&#8217;s going into your soil.</p>
<p>This kind of planning is a help in decreasing how much water you use for the more decorative parts of your garden. Plants whose water needs are more in line with what comes naturally to the area will thrive with much less effort on your part. You can find beautiful native plants in most areas.</p>
<p>Don&#8217;t give up entirely on gardening if you have the space just because you want to save water. Gardening is a wonderful way to keep in touch with nature and to help children to really appreciate nature. You can maintain a lovely garden and be wise in your water use.</p>
<p>Stephanie Foster blogs at <a href="http://www.greensahm.com/" target="_new">http://www.greensahm.com/</a> about raising an eco friendly family. Learn about the benefits of <a href="http://www.greensahm.com/does-gardening-encourage-kids-to-eat-their-vegetables/" target="_new">gardening with your kids</a> at her site.</p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephanie_Foster">Stephanie Foster</a><br />
Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Are-You-Watering-Your-Garden-Efficiently?&amp;id=4141482">EzineArticles.com</a><br />
<a href="http://neohdtv.com/">Digital TV, HDTV, Satellite TV</a></p>
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		<title>Six Outside Watering Tips &#8211; How to Save Money and Conserve Our Most Precious Resource</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/08/31/six-outside-watering-tips-how-to-save-money-and-conserve-our-most-precious-resource.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/08/31/six-outside-watering-tips-how-to-save-money-and-conserve-our-most-precious-resource.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Sep 2010 01:07:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>laurarose</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[food & garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green water management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[carbon footprint]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gardening]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green living]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rainbarrels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rainwater]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/08/31/six-outside-watering-tips-how-to-save-money-and-conserve-our-most-precious-resource.html</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As fresh water supplies become increasingly scarce in parts of the world, - and as part of a growing commitment to live greener lifestyles - conscientious Americans are proactively cutting back on the amount of water they use. And while many expected - and have already experienced - the many psychological and emotional benefits of doing their parts to reduce their carbon footprints, they might not have anticipated how much money they're saving as well. In this article you'll learn six of the best - and most practical - ways to save water (and money) outside of your home. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />As fresh water supplies become increasingly scarce in parts of the world, &#8211; and as part of a growing commitment to live greener lifestyles &#8211; conscientious Americans are proactively cutting back on the amount of water they use. And while many expected &#8211; and have already experienced &#8211; the many psychological and emotional benefits of doing their parts to reduce their carbon footprints, they might not have anticipated how much money they&#8217;re saving as well.</p>
<p>You see, conserving water is not only great for the environment, it&#8217;s also a big money saver and one where relatively small (and painless) changes can have huge impacts on your wallet!</p>
<p>Perhaps this sounds like a great idea to you (after all, why wouldn&#8217;t it?) but you may be less sure how to make it happen. In order to avoid overwhelm, I suggest you begin your conservation efforts outside, since many experts agree that landscaping accounts for more than 50% of a typical homeowner&#8217;s water usage.</p>
<p>Next, use the following six tips to help guide you; while there are many more, these are among my favorites because they&#8217;re all trouble-free, very affordable (or free) and they&#8217;ll save you loads of money.</p>
<p><strong>1. Use gutters, grates, and channel drains to collect storm water.</strong> Then redirect it to capture apparatus like rain barrels, catch basins, and cisterns. This is a great way to have plenty of clean, fresh water for your plants, flowers, and grass. And you can also use it to wash off your deck or patio and give your auto a good cleaning.</p>
<p><strong>2. Avoid watering your plants, flower, and grass during the hottest part of the day (10 am &#8211; 4 pm). </strong>Rather, water them in the early morning or wait until evening. This will cut back on the amount of water wasted due to evaporation.</p>
<p><strong>3. Fix leaking hoses, sprinkler heads, and outside faucets fast.</strong> This is one of the easiest ways to save lots and lots of water 24/7, so take the time (5-10 minutes) to continually &#8211; and regularly &#8211; check to make sure nothing&#8217;s dripping.</p>
<p><strong>4. Stop spraying and start sweeping.</strong> Trade in your hose for a broom and sweep away dead leaves, sticks, dirt, and other outdoorsy &#8220;stuff.&#8221; It does a perfectly acceptable job and it&#8217;s a &#8220;kinder&#8221; way to treat your wooden furniture. And if you need a little more &#8220;elbow grease&#8221; use household cleaners like Windex to help you get up those tougher spots.</p>
<p><strong>5. Purchase a smart water controller</strong>. Water controllers are one of the most valuable outdoor gadgets around (what&#8217;s more they&#8217;re inexpensive little gems and you can buy them at places like Home Depot). They&#8217;re similar to traditional automatic &#8220;set-it-and-forget-it&#8221; sprinkler systems &#8211; only better. Why? Because they have internal sensors that collect soil and atmospheric information (real time) and virtual (web-based) weather data, which are used to automate and optimize watering schedules. These calculations are performed daily and also ensure that the exact right amount of water needed is delivered to your plants. And that means your plants won&#8217;t die of thirst or drown.</p>
<p><strong>6. Rain sensors = Good Sense. </strong>Rain sensors often work hand-in-hand with water controllers (they&#8217;re sold separately or along with the controllers) in that they can add another &#8220;dimension&#8221; to your water-saving efforts (and they&#8217;re also very inexpensive and can even be wired to existing irrigation systems).</p>
<p><em>Here&#8217;s why&#8230; </em>Rain sensors contain disks that enlarge when they come contact with moisture. When this happens a negative wire is tripped, and this stops the pump relay&#8217;s operation, and prevents the system from functioning; that is, until the disk dries out (which is close to the same drying rate as soil.) These are also readily available at places like Home Depot or you can order them on the Internet. If possible, however, I suggest that you check them out in person. This way you can discuss options with someone knowledgeable and get the one that best suits your needs (it&#8217;s also easier to exchange them if needed).</p>
<p>As I said earlier, these are just a few of the many ways you can help lessen the demand for fresh water (it starts one person at a time) and thereby, help yourself, your community, and the world. As a result, you&#8217;ll feel better, save money, and still enjoy a beautiful yard. So, why wait another minute, when there&#8217;s never been a better day to start? I promise, it will be one of the best decisions you ever made.</p>
<p>Tiffany Guerra, BA, MS, is an environmentalist, strategic marketing manager, and a freelance writer. Tiffany is passionate about helping people reduce their carbon footprints using practical, affordable, and uncomplicated methods. As such, she regularly contributes articles on topics such as the benefits of green spaces, the conservation of water, and more, to her company&#8217;s website ( <a href="http://www.NDSPro.com" target="_new">http://www.NDSPro.com</a> ) and other online publications. If you&#8217;d like to learn more about ways to use landscaping to conserve water, add value to your home, and save money visit: <a href="http://www.ndspro.com/articles/library/7-money-saving-ways-to-conserve-water-outside-and-be-kinder-to-mother-earth/" target="_new">http://www.ndspro.com/articles/library/7-money-saving-ways-to-conserve-water-outside-and-be-kinder-to-mother-earth/</a>.</p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tiffany_Guerra">Tiffany Guerra</a><br />
Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Six-Outside-Watering-Tips---How-to-Save-Money-and-Conserve-Our-Most-Precious-Resource&amp;id=4920576">EzineArticles.com</a><br />
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		<title>Easy Green Living</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/08/28/easy-green-living.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/08/28/easy-green-living.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 29 Aug 2010 03:48:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>laurarose</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[going  green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biodegradability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green living]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rainbarrels]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/08/28/easy-green-living.html</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I know, there is so much you need to know before you can live green, right? Wrong, living green is easy and cheap(something we could all use right now). Before I get into it there are a few things you should know. First, you do not have to install a windmill or solar panels to live green (it would be cool though). Second, green can save money and time. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />I know, there is so much you need to know before you can live green, right? Wrong, living green is easy and cheap(something we could all use right now). Before I get into it there are a few things you should know. First, you do not have to install a windmill or solar panels to live green (it would be cool though). Second, green can save money and time.</p>
<p>TURN OFF/UNPLUG</p>
<p>This is the hardest one in my opinion. When you leave a room turn out the lights, that&#8217;s the hard part. If your like me this simple task is nearly impossible, why, I don&#8217;t know. Other things that go along with this are, TV. I noticed the other day that both my TV&#8217;s were on and I was using the computer and I was the only one home. Simply turning these things off when you don&#8217;t need them is a big step to saving a lot of energy and money. Also just unplugging appliances that are not in use saves a lot too.</p>
<p>DRIVE LESS</p>
<p>About a month ago, we went to our neighbors to have dinner, 2 blocks down the street. I drove. When we got there my wife said &#8220;I guess we could have walked&#8221;. That&#8217;s what I mean when I say drive less. You could also ride your bike to work, save gas and get in shape. Another way is to limit your shopping to only a couple times a month (we do this and it saves money both in gas and in shopping). Watch TV instead of going to the movie or ride your bike to the theater. There are many ways to drive less it just depends on the person.</p>
<p>GREEN BAGS</p>
<p>You know, the ones at the grocery store. Some are actually green, the color. The ones we got cost a dollar a piece. We use them for many other things than to haul grocery&#8217;s, very handy. Plus, their cool.</p>
<p>WATER BOTTLE</p>
<p>Ah yes the water bottle. There are many different kinds to suit your personality. I suggest getting 2, keep one half full in the freezer, that way you can fill it the rest of the way and it will stay cold, and one in the fridge. If you have bad water, get a water purifier. I have done the math and this is less expensive than buying bottled water. The big, main reason for the water bottle is the landfill The plastic bottles that water comes in take a long time to degrade. Before long all that will be in the landfills will be plastic water bottles. Not good.</p>
<p>THOUGHTS</p>
<p>OK, my thoughts on living green are waste not want not (my grandma has told me that many times). The way society is living these days is messy. Look at all the trash everywhere, we pollute our precess air with exhaust. We are a very wasteful bunch. Think of it this way, remember when your mom would say &#8220;keep your room clean in case somebody comes over&#8221;. Well think about how the aliens look at the mess we&#8217;ve made.</p>
<p>MORE</p>
<p>These are just a few ways to live green. There are many other ways. You just need to find the green living that suits you best.</p>
<p>TRAVIS G TURNER<br />
<a href="http://pensiveblog.com/" target="_new">http://pensiveblog.com/</a></p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Travis_G_Turner">Travis G Turner</a><br />
Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Easy-Green-Living&amp;id=1980770">EzineArticles.com</a><br />
<a href="http://digitalcameratimes.com/">Digital Camera Information</a></p>
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		<title>Real Green &#8211; 5 Real Green &#8220;Technologies&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/08/16/real-green-5-real-green-technologies.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/08/16/real-green-5-real-green-technologies.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Aug 2010 02:24:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>laurarose</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[food & garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green water management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health and well-being]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biodegradability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[carbon footprint]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[composting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco-friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gardens for food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rainbarrels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recycle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reduce]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reuse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social responsibility]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[water harvesting]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA["Green" technologies are getting a lot of press these days. However, a closer look reveals their "brown" side. Truly sustainable and green living really means less technology, not different technology. Learn a few simple things you can do to make a meaningful difference. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />Green &#8220;technology&#8221; has got to be the quintessential oxymoron. Technology, as it is defined and understood today is anything but &#8220;green&#8221;. Every energy-saving device being marketed to the consumer requires copious amounts of energy to create, not to mention the rare earth minerals that are used in most all new &#8220;green technologies.&#8221; You don&#8217;t find rare earth minerals, such as dysprosium, (used in hybrid car motors) lying around in big piles just waiting to be scooped up. They have to be mined. This fact alone should have greenies cringing. Go to Google earth and take a look at the largest rare earth mine in the world, located in China. That&#8217;s right. You can see it from space.</p>
<p>This is what distinguishes fake green from real green. Real green doesn&#8217;t leave a deficit of resources. It doesn&#8217;t create big holes in the earth or deplete resources. It doesn&#8217;t create big piles of inorganic matter or fill big pits with toxic junk. If you&#8217;re really concerned about living in harmony with your home, the earth, here are five things you can do that are truly earth-friendly; that will have a positive or neutral impact on your environment. There are many more, but this is a start.</p>
<p>Eliminate all commercially made toiletries regardless of how &#8220;natural&#8221; they purport to be. Before you look at the ingredients (if they&#8217;re even listed) look at the packaging. Is it plastic? (Plastic is made from petroleum.) Is it plastic in a slick glossy box? (Plastic coated paper can&#8217;t be recycled.) Literally every toiletry in your bathroom can be replaced with four simple items:</p>
<p>Deodorant Stone: This white slightly translucent &#8220;stone&#8221; is made of mineral salts &#8211; that&#8217;s it. You wet it and rub it on. It will literally last you a decade or more and it works. It will not keep you from perspiring &#8211; you&#8217;re supposed to perspire &#8211; but it will keep offensive odors at bay. If you want a scent, a drop of an essential oil is enough to scent both underarms.</p>
<p>Food-grade hydrogen peroxide or baking soda: These are substitutes for toothpaste and tooth whiteners. Food-grade hydrogen peroxide may be hard to come by depending on where you live. It&#8217;s a 35% concentration, so it has to be diluted &#8211; preferably with filtered water or rainwater. (More on that later.) The 3% hydrogen peroxide you find in the drug store is NOT suitable since most of it is contaminated with mercury. Diluted 35% hydrogen peroxide also makes an excellent mouthwash and tooth whitener. In the absence of 35% h.p., baking soda is also a viable option. And it comes in a recyclable biodegradable paper box with no plastic coating.</p>
<p>News flash: Offensive body odor, cavities, and bad breath are not the results of aluminum chlorhydrate, fluoride, or minty mouthwash deficiencies. They are all the result of an acid pH caused by a diet of over-cooked, over-processed foods. Want to smell good and clean up your mouth? Then clean up your diet. If you eat garbage, you&#8217;re going to smell like garbage, no matter how many toxic chemical-laden products you use.</p>
<p>Homemade soap: Making soap is easy and fun. If you use the cold process and rebatch it, you can make bar soap, soft soap, dish and laundry soap, and shampoo from the same recipe. Many people like the natural scent of homemade soap, but if you prefer something more foofy, a little essential oil goes a long way. (Essential oils are packaged in glass, which can be recycled or reused. They also last a long time because a little goes a long way.)</p>
<p>Extra virgin coconut oil: This can replace moisturizer, hair conditioner, and foot crmes. If you don&#8217;t like the smell of coconut, use expeller pressed. It has a neutral scent. Coconut oil contains lauric acid, the same as breast milk, and absorbs completely into hair and skin without blocking pours. It is also high in omega 3 fatty acids and helps repair sun damage. Now granted &#8211; if you&#8217;re living in a country where coconut is not a native plant, there is some fossil fuel consumption required to get it to you. However, a little goes a long way. Buy it in glass jars if possible (less petroleum consumption.) For skin and hair moisturizing, put about 1/8 tsp. in the palm of your hand and rub your hands together. Massage it into your face and neck and wipe the rest off in your hair, working it through to the ends. Adjust the amount for thickness and length of hair. Done right, it takes care of the frizzies and fly-aways and makes even sun-damaged hair feel soft. Don&#8217;t worry if you get a little too much on &#8211; it will absorb and interestingly won&#8217;t stay greasy looking. It can be worn under make-up, but it should be given time to absorb. It takes about hour. Massage about 1/8 tsp. or less into your feet to prevent heal cracking and athlete&#8217;s foot. Coconut oil has anti-fungal properties.</p>
<p>Just say NO to drugs. Remember that old campaign? What ever happened to that? Now pharmaceuticals are the most abused drugs in the US, outstripping street drugs, and TV commercials have replaced shady street corner drug pushers. We even insist that the government pay for our habit and they&#8217;re happy to oblige. What&#8217;s wrong with this picture?</p>
<p>Prescription drugs are a serious environmental hazard to water and soil. (Plus, they come in PLASTIC bottles &#8211; more petroleum.) Municipal water supplies do not and cannot filter them out. Imagine the outrageous combinations of pharmaceuticals, especially psychotropic drugs, which come through your tap and flow into surface and ground water. Drug pollution doesn&#8217;t just come from flushing outdated pills down the toilet. Drugs are prescribed assuming that you will pass up to 60% of them through your body without using or absorbing them. That means every drug user is flushing pharmaceuticals down their toilet, not just the surviving relatives of the granny who dies with 20 prescriptions in her medicine cabinet.</p>
<p>There is no disease known to man that is the result of a drug deficiency. There are no drugs that cure &#8211; they only treat. And your body doesn&#8217;t know the difference between a legal and an illegal drug. Think about that.</p>
<p>There are natural alternatives to every discomfort and most of those alternatives start with what you eat and drink. There is a plethora of information out there if you&#8217;re truly motivated to live earth-friendly and healthy to boot. You can&#8217;t live green and use drugs. It&#8217;s as simple as that.</p>
<p>Collect rainwater: Depending on where you live, rainwater is a relatively clean source of good water and if you set up a passive system, once it&#8217;s in place, the water is free. In urban areas with a lot of air pollution, this may not be a good alternative, but barring that, mechanically filtered rainwater is drinkable and certainly suitable for watering your&#8230;</p>
<p>Organic garden! Number four: grow your own food. Again, there is abundant information about growing food just about anywhere you live, from the average suburban lot to container gardening on an apartment balcony. You will be amazed at how much better food you grow yourself tastes, not to mention the satisfaction of realizing you can take care of yourself. In addition to that, organic gardening makes extensive use of a fifth way to be green&#8230;.</p>
<p>Composting: Your kitchen scraps, non-coated paper, and even dryer lint can all be composted either in a collection bin or worm bin. Red wiggler worms make excellent composters and there are kits available that make worm composting easy and convenient even in limited spaces. There is no odor problem associated with them. Increasingly, offices are even using them in their lunchrooms.</p>
<p>These truly green tips are, let&#8217;s face it, not contributors to the economic recovery. In fact, if you continue down the path of truly living green, you will cut your consumption of marketed goods in significant ways. And less consumption, while good for the earth, is not good for an economy based on the unlimited growth of spending. On the bright side though, given that the whole system is foundational on a fiat currency and is destined to collapse anyway, regardless of whether or not you continue to over-spend and pollute, at least you&#8217;ll have some survival skills. While all around you panic, you&#8217;ll be fed, healthy, and clean. Now that&#8217;s sustainability!</p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vincent_DiAngelo">Vincent DiAngelo</a><br />
Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Real-Green---5-Real-Green-Technologies&amp;id=4522161">EzineArticles.com</a><br />
<a href="http://betterdollar.com/duty-tax/duty/">Canada duty tariff</a></p>
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		<title>Doing Your Part With Natural Lawn Care</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/08/11/doing-your-part-with-natural-lawn-care.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/08/11/doing-your-part-with-natural-lawn-care.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Aug 2010 23:23:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>laurarose</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[going  green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[composting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco-friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gardens for food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[organic gardening]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[There are many ways to integrate natural lawn care into your lifestyle, and very few of them require much time or effort on your part. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />We have all become more aware of the strains our environment is facing and most people are willing to change their habits to make a difference. Some of the more obvious ways to do this is through recycling, conservation, and charitable support. While these are all great ways to get started, many people overlook lawn care as another opportunity to go green. Here are some simple steps you can take integrate natural lawn care into your lifestyle.</p>
<p><strong>Use a Push Reel Mower</strong>Studies have shown that a single lawn mower produces more air pollution in one hour than a car produces over 1000 miles. Reel mowers don&#8217;t emit any air pollution, and many would be surprised how efficient they are. Laser cut blades eliminate a lot of the labor and spotty performance that used to plaque the old fashioned units, and some even offer a bagging accessory. If you need a little more power to get through a larger lawn, then opt for the electric models which are still significantly more eco-friendly than gasoline engines.</p>
<p><strong>Collect Rain Water</strong></p>
<p>Water is a very scarce resource in some areas, especially during the summer season. You can help conserve water and lower your utility bills by investing in a rain barrel. These plastic tubs are placed near the perimeter of your home to collect rain, and many have hose attachments to make it easy to redistribute the water to your plants.</p>
<p><strong>Build a Compost Bin</strong>Compost bins help you recycle your lawn debris into a fertilizer-rich compound. Some people mistakenly believe that generating compost is a major chore. The truth is that all you have to do is turn the compost every few weeks to ensure it degrades properly. Mother Nature does the rest with a natural supply of heat and moisture. Not only will you make good use of your debris, but you plants will benefit from the rich nutrients that compost returns to the earth.</p>
<p><strong>Use Natural Fertilizers and Pesticides</strong></p>
<p>Synthetic fertilizers contain thousands of chemicals and poisons that negatively affect the organisms that come into contact with them. It is unfortunate that not enough people know about the alternatives to chemical lawn treatments. There are many books available with recipes for <a rel="nofollow" href="http://naturallawnfertilizers.com/" target="_new">natural lawn fertilizers</a> that are not only safe for the environment, but they usually less expensive than retail products. Interestingly enough, many can be made with common items from your local grocery store.</p>
<p>There are many ways to integrate natural lawn care into your lifestyle, and very few of them require much time or effort on your part. Even if you can&#8217;t utilize all of the suggestions in this article, it is important to do as much as you can. Every change that you make today could save a small niche of the environment for our children. Visit <a rel="nofollow" href="http://naturallawnfertilizers.com/" target="_new">Natural Lawn Fertilizers</a> for more inspiration on ways to use organic lawn recipes in the maintenance of your yard.</p>
<p><a href="http://naturallawnfertilizers.com/" target="_new">Natural Lawn Fertilizers</a> is the first step for lawn enthusiasts who want to grow a beautiful organic lawn.</p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Galley">Thomas Galley</a><br />
Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Doing-Your-Part-With-Natural-Lawn-Care&amp;id=624447">EzineArticles.com</a><br />
<a href="http://intriguingnews.com/virtually-t-touch-able/">Tissot virtual reality</a></p>
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		<title>Going Green As a Gardener</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/08/09/going-green-as-a-gardener.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/08/09/going-green-as-a-gardener.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Aug 2010 23:09:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Bruce A. Tucker</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[going  green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biodegradability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[composting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco-friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[organic gardening]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rainbarrels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recycle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reduce]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[If you are a gardener like me then you too are looking for ways to make gardening more fun. Put these environmentally friendly tips into action and make your green thumb really go green. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />By default gardeners are green, green thumbed that is. They take necessary steps to cultivate their land, regardless of the size, and do the things to make their gardens a success. But did you know you can also do some other things that not only will add to your green thumb but make you go green and be more environmentally friendly? Here are some things as a gardener you can start implementing today for a cleaner environment.</p>
<p><strong>Recycle Water</strong></p>
<p>Well you are not really recycling water but what you are doing to trapping rain water to be used at a later date so you do not pull more water from the municipal supply. You do this by using a rain barrel, which is just really a fancy word for a container that catches rain water from your down spouts. Just use a garbage can, rubber maid container or something similar and instead of your rain down spouts just going to the ground, redirect them into your containers. When they get full, use the water in your garden.</p>
<p><strong>Battery Power to the Rescue</strong></p>
<p>Whether it&#8217;s mowing your lawn or tilling the dirt, there are battery powered alternatives to gasoline that can do just as good a job. Today&#8217;s lithium batteries are far superior to the ones built just a couple of years ago. They have become lighter, stronger and they last longer meaning longer use in between chargers. Grab yourself a solar powered battery charger (or make one if you are handy) and your power tools will never need gas or the grid.</p>
<p><strong>Reuse Old Wood</strong></p>
<p>Do you build things for your gardens such as benches, tables and so on? Instead of going to your local home center and buying new, find someone who is giving away old wooden pallets. A simple search in your area on Craigslist or your local newspaper will yield you plenty of results. Then take that wood and your building.</p>
<p><strong>Cardboard Egg Cartons</strong></p>
<p>From now on buy the eggs that come in the cardboard style egg cartons as opposed to the Styrofoam version. Styrofoam takes hundreds of years to decompose, where as you can use the cardboard cartons as planters for your seedlings, and get his, you can plant the cardboard because it is biodegradable. Now how&#8217;s that for going green!</p>
<p><strong>Plant the right Plants</strong></p>
<p>You are already a gardener so that makes you an expert at planting right? Did you know by planting trees and shrubs to block out the sun from your house will cool it down in the summertime? Better yet they can block the wind in the wintertime and that will keep your house warmer. Trees take years to grow so it would be best to get started right away.</p>
<p><strong>Compost</strong></p>
<p>Last but not least, but last for a reason, all good gardeners do the ultimate environmentally friendly technique of composting. This is where you take organic material, such as food waste, leaves, grass, twigs, etc., and let it rot. This is done either by burying it so the ecosystem underneath your soil can do it for you, or in a container called a compost bin. The United States creates over a trillion pounds of organic waste per year that ends up in a landfill. We can reduce 100% of the space if composted our organic material.</p>
<p>As you can see none of these ideas will cost you an arm or a leg nor will they cause you to make life altering changes. But what they will do is get you closer to being greener by helping the environment.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">About the Author</span></strong><br />
Bruce is the co-author of the book Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A guide to vegetable gardening for the rest of us. It is a practical easy to follow book that teaches gardeners everything from composting techniques, aeration and frost conditions, to choosing the right tools and picking the right seeds. To learn more about Mr. Tucker or to inquire about the book you can visit: <a href="http://www.AveragePersonGardening.com" target="_new">AveragePersonGardening.com</a>.</p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bruce_A._Tucker">Bruce A. Tucker</a><br />
Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Going-Green-As-a-Gardener&amp;id=2376408">EzineArticles.com</a><br />
<a href="http://digitalcameratimes.com/">Digital Camera Information</a></p>
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		<title>You&#8217;ll Need More Than an Umbrella</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/07/09/youll-need-more-than-an-umbrella.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/07/09/youll-need-more-than-an-umbrella.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Jul 2010 20:55:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>laurarose</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[health and well-being]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biodegradability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rainbarrels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rainwater]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[water harvesting]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/07/09/youll-need-more-than-an-umbrella.html</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Acid rain is becoming more and more of a health issue as industrial wastes pollute the atmosphere. It not only pollutes the environment and causing damage, it is also affecting our health in ways that bio-accumulate. Awareness is key to protecting the environment and your health. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />More and more of the rain we experience in the world is acid rain. It happens particularly close to concentrated industrial areas. It is produced when nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide in the upper atmosphere react with water particles to produce nitric acid, carbonic acid and sulfuric acid respectively.</p>
<p>Normally rainwater is naturally slightly alkaline, having a pH of 7.1 to 7.3 pH. It picks up a small amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. It is soft water and before major industrialization it was wonderful for washing your hair and your clothes. Now rain barrels are not such a good thing. The pH of acid rain water ranges from about 4.1 to 5.5, which is acidic enough to corrode marble and granite. I can&#8217;t imagine watering my plants with it.</p>
<p>Acid rain can contain high amounts of carbon dioxide which form carbonic acid, depending on the local industries.</p>
<p>When you burn coal or other fossil fuels, it releases sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, which dissolves in atmospheric water and makes sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid reacts with a wide range of substances normally found in fruits, vegetables, meats, poultry and fish. It affects their growth and their content of vitamins, minerals, protein and essential fatty acids. This acid also can damage rocks, trees, animals and plants. In strong concentrations, it can burn surfaces and tissues and can be carcinogenic with prolonged exposure.</p>
<p>The third type of pollutant that causes acid rain is nitric acid. It too, is highly carcinogenic and corrosive. One of the curious things about nitric acid is that is a powerful dehydrating agent. It is dangerous to humans because of its powerful action of pulling water out of molecules during chemical reactions. The human body is 70 percent water and most reactions in the body use water during part of the chemical exchange.</p>
<p>Other acids also form that cause acid rain, notably hydrochloric acid, organic carboxylic acid, acetic acid and formic acid. These acids are formed when volatile organic compounds are oxidized in the air.</p>
<p>Because of its acidic and corrosive nature, acid rain causes numerous toxic and injurious effects. Not only is it harmful to humans, fish, animals, trees, crops, other types of vegetation, buildings, monuments, metals, automobiles and soils, it can affect fish and animal fertility, feeding patterns and behavior, corrode metals and reduce soil fertility.</p>
<p>Acid rain can raise the levels of heavy metals in drinking water supplies. Some of these heavy metals are poisonous and will compromise health fairly quickly. Along with heavy metals, other toxic metals, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, photochemical oxidants and a huge shopping list of other toxins that can pose serious health threats are raised in water ways affected by acid rain.</p>
<p>Some acid rain toxins can enter the human body through the skin when we are exposed to it or through our lungs when we breathe. Acid rain can also pollute fruits and vegetables as they grow, posing health threats over time. Meat that we eat is affected by animals that are out in the weather that absorb acid rain through their skin or the plants that they eat that have been exposed to acidic rain. Heavy metals, industrial and chemical pollutants collect in the soft tissues of the animals&#8217; bodies which we eat. Once in our bodies, these toxins cannot be metabolized so the body becomes defensive and stores them in our connective and fatty tissues. We accumulate these acids over time, along with the metabolic acids that we acquire from our food metabolism.</p>
<p>To rid the body of these dangerous acids, we look to the plant kingdom to the green plants. Cilantro is great for removing heavy metals from the body. Blue-green algae is another great chelator. Juicing and greens powders are other alternatives to bringing more alkaline foods into the diet. By becoming more alkaline in nature and reducing your risk for serious illness you are insuring your health as you get older. By getting hold of an alkaline foods list and doing periodic cleanses, you reduce the acidic accumulation that is so harmful to health. Your naturopath can test you for harmful residues that may be lurking and make recommendations to help you clean your body of them. After all, the senior years are there to enjoy the fruits of your labor over the years, so you can enjoy life.</p>
<p>Jean Perrins is a retired nurse and an alkaline, ionized water specialist. She has been field testing the effects of structured water on health in her clinic with sometimes astounding results. It is clear that water has an affect on health that we, in the West are just beginning to understand.</p>
<p>Jean is currently working with a team to develop microbicidal and Free Active Chlorine applications to revolutionize industrial and agricultural methods using Invins-AbleTM electrochemically activated water. She and her team believe that Invins-AbleTM will help eliminate antibiotic and hormone use in food animals and will allow cleaning and chemical services to do more and more processes with this structured water. The economic and environmental savings are astounding. Check out <a href="http://www.drinkalkalineionizedwater.com" target="_new">http://www.drinkalkalineionizedwater.com</a> for more articles.</p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=E._Jean_Perrins">E. Jean Perrins</a><br />
Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Youll-Need-More-Than-an-Umbrella&amp;id=3008312">EzineArticles.com</a><br />
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		<title>How to Landscape Your Home and Still Be Environmentally Friendly</title>
		<link>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/07/06/how-to-landscape-your-home-and-still-be-environmentally-friendly.html</link>
		<comments>http://gettingoffgrid.com/2010/07/06/how-to-landscape-your-home-and-still-be-environmentally-friendly.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:09:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Eliza Reeder</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[going  green]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[composting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eco-friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[organic gardening]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rainbarrels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[water harvesting]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Any environmentally conscious person who wants to help in the saving of Earth can do so even when they want to landscape. After all, there was a period in time that people would landscape the land without the use of gas-using machines. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p id="top" />For many people, being environmentally aware is just a part of life. People are using reusable dry cleaning bags, organic cotton bags, walking or biking to work rather than driving and so many more eco-friendly ideas that they can implement. Yet, when it comes to their lawn care, many of them are at a loss for words and/or ideas. Sales for electric lawnmowers and trimmers have jumped exponentially since people have realized the dangers with using gas-powered mowers. While, in theory, electric models are a good idea, you need to remember that the power comes from electric companies who use coal.</p>
<p><strong>Going Back To The Past</strong></p>
<p>The best product available for your lawn, health and the planet is the reel lawnmower. They need little maintenance other than having the blades oiled and sharpened a couple of times during the season. When you use powered motors, the grass is being torn; push mowers will trim the lawn like you were using a pair of scissors on it. Rather than use the weed wacker, use sling trimmers or long handled blades.</p>
<p>Rather than watering your lawn, leave out rain barrels to catch the rain then use it to water your garden/plants.</p>
<p><strong>Why You Should Compost</strong></p>
<p>If you want to spend the money, go ahead and purchase yourself some compost bins. Yet, save your money for something else and use some extra space in your yard. You can compost all kinds of things but make sure you leave it in a pile. Place a layer of dirt on the top and as the pile rises, you&#8217;ll need to flip it over with a pitchfork or shovel; this allows it to air out. Make sure you don&#8217;t add any meat. Meat will attract unwanted guests and can end up making it all smell bad. If you desire to speed up the composting process, add in some earthworms.</p>
<p><strong>Eco-Friendly Planting</strong></p>
<p>Start your eco-friendly planting by choosing trees and native plants that can help the environment. When you have plants native to your area, plants will conserve the water they receive and will need very little water to stay alive and thrive. On top of that, the plants are resistant to common bugs and pests of the area, which means there&#8217;s no real need for pesticides.</p>
<p>Do you like deciduous trees? Consider planting them on the east and west sides of your house so that it shades your home in summer but still allows warmth from the sun to come in during the winter months since they&#8217;ll have no leaves.</p>
<p>Consider mulching, as it gives it texture, color and retains the moisture. There are several kinds of recycled mulch varieties available, meaning of them for cheap.</p>
<p><strong>An Eco-Friendly Watering System</strong></p>
<p>On top of the rain barrel option, you can use an irrigation controller and low-volume sprinklers. Irrigation controllers can be adjusted to a schedule that allows it to water on its own. Some people can program their irrigation controller to match the local weather station. These are ideal for saving water and not wasting valuable resources.</p>
<p>When you use the eco-friendly ideas above for your landscape, you can reduce the spraying of pesticides and the use of powered engines, which can harm the environment. Whether your planting trees, using reusable grocery bags or turning off the water when you&#8217;re done water your lawn, you&#8217;re making an effort to go green and provide a world for future generations.</p>
<p>Eliza Reeder writes articles that deal with environmental concerns and eco-friendly living. She encourages everyone to help protect our planet&#8217;s future by doing things like using <a href="http://www.reusablebagsdepot.com" target="_new">reusable bags</a>. You can find more eco-friendly living tips on her <a href="http://www.reusablebagsdepot.com" target="_new">reusable grocery bags</a> site.</p>
<p>Author: <a href="http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eliza_Reeder">Eliza Reeder</a><br />
Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Landscape-Your-Home-and-Still-Be-Environmentally-Friendly&amp;id=4084364">EzineArticles.com</a><br />
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