Book winner and ANOTHER CONTEST!!
I want to thank you all for giving me such sound advice about starting my little garden. You all obviously know a great deal about gardening - far more than I do. What I would give to walk around your vegetable patch, selecting things for a fresh summer salad! Without further ado, the winner of Marjorie Hariss' Ecological Gardening is Sharon. I just loved her response. She said "The time to get started on a new garden is NOW. In fact it could have been two months ago.Even if your available space is covered in mud or gray snow, its never too early to start imagining the taste of luscious tomatoes or other vegetables, perhaps even exotic varieties, or gorgeous showcase flowers grown through your own diligence and elbow grease. Head down to your library or book store to consult the best Canadian magazines and books on the topic. Decide on the type of garden you want: small space, container, intense, ‘lasagna’ gardening using old newspapers or is it to be a ‘forty acres and independence’ type of garden?? Research, consult other gardeners,the gardening store and then decide what work needs to be done to make it happen (and who can help you with it!) Envision the spectacular results, enjoy the preparatory work but the absolute first step is to DREAM (in technicolour) of your own garden. Good luck."
Congratulations Sharon, I hope you enjoy your book. It looks so good and has lots of useful information. Please leave a message to tell us all what you think of it.
You have all provided me with so much inspiration. And like Sharon says, I better get started NOW! I dream of tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, spinach ... I could go on forever.
I have more great news for my Green Living Blog subscribers. I have more amazing stuff to give away. I'm just so excited about spring and Earth Day that I thought this is a fun way to celebrate.
I have a great T-Fal cookware prize. Next Friday, I'll be announcing the winner of a:
Get cooking!
• 26 cm T-Fal professional fry pan; and
• 32 cm T-Fal professional fry pan
We here at CanadianLiving.com are big fans of T-Fal as their cookware products are PFOA free (PFOA is perfluorooctanoic acid, a synthetic chemical), lead free, cadmium free and recyclable. Music to our ears!
We also love to cook, so this is the perfect prize.
All you have to do is subscribe to receive the Green Living Blog to your e-mail inbox and leave a message here telling us how you stay "green" in the kitchen. You're answer can range from cooking to cleaning to what sort of cookware you use - whatever. Just let us know how you 've gone eco-friendly in the kitchen.
I look forward to reading all your answers - they're always so so good and it's super hard to pick a winner.
Keep checking back next week as I still have loads of eco-themed books to give away. How exciting!
Tags: Contest, cooking, Ecological Gardening, giveaway, kitchen, Marjorie Harris, T-Fal, winner
March 27th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
I've gone eco-friendly in my kitchen (and other areas in my home too)....I've started by:
-I have a spray bottle with straight vinegar to spray on and wipe off (for cleaning cutting boards,bathrooms,kitchens, garbage pails)
-1cup water+20drops of lavender essential oil makes a great antibacterial spray...spray on surface and let set for 15min
-use straight baking soda as a non-abrassive cleanser for countertops, sinks, tubs
-straight lemon juice on a steel wool to scrub and wipe clean rusted areas
-vinegar and hot water as a floor cleaner or a window cleaner
-to remove mildew use vinegar or lemon juice and salt to make a paste...apply to area, let set, then rinse
-cream of tartar and hydrogen peroxide make a great bleach paste...put on stain, let set for a few hours then scrub and rinse
-lemon slices and water...to clean microwave
-to clear drains use 1/2cup baking soda and 1/2cup vinegar followed by teakettle of boiling water
-fabric softener: add 1 cup of vinegar and 1/4 cup of baking soda during final rinse
March 27th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
I try to be as eco-friendly as I can be...it isn't always easy.
I use Natural dish soap with no harsh additives or perfumes. I recycle all my food waste to the green bin...not allowed to compost where I live. I recycle all my aluminum cans, paper bags, plastic bags, paper products, plastic and glass bottles and boxes. We are down to one medium bag of garbage every two weeks(2 people and 2 cats). I use reusable grocery bags. I use a water filter instead of buying bottled water. Lastly, I save leftovers in reusable containers.
March 27th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Instead of reaching for the $2.00 storage containers that probably aren’t recyclable, save the plastic containers from your TV dinners, butter bowls, ice cream, and any other container suitable for food storage. The zippered bags from frozen vegetables, shredded cheese, and snack mixes are usually the perfect size for storing the TV dinner trays. After a few months of saving reusable containers, you’ll have more “real plastic” dishes than you need, and will be able to recycle the TV dinner trays.
Vinegar and baking soda are cleaning essentials in the kitchen as well.
I keep my drains clear by pouring baking soda and then vinegar into them. Vinegar is added to cleaning water keeps appliances shiny. Baking soda is also my choice as a fridge and room deodorizer. Of course that used baking soda is used for my drains.
I also collect the outer plastic bags from the 4L milk. There is a girl at work that weaves them and sends them to Africa as floor mats.
Do not overspend on food. I hate the waste.
Lists are very important when shopping. Stick to them and you will not be overspending or overstocking.
Now for the rest of the recycling. I have 3 receptacles in the kitchen. One for regular trash, one for paper and small boxes. Of course I have the green bin under the sink for the green collection. Cans and plastic go directly to the blue bin.
Now with our awareness of how plastic water bottles are not recyclable, I have replaced them with regular water bottles (dollar store has many styles).
I actually enjoy being green. It saddens me that not enough people participate.
March 27th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
I am still learning how to be greener in the kitchen. I have a bin to put all my recyling in, I will soon have a composter, so I'll be able to use my little under the counter pail for my stuff to compost. I try to do 'plan overs' so we don't waste (but I still need to practice more on this. This allows me to cook once for two different meals. We use glass bottles for the baby.
One thing I try to do is buy bigger sizes of things and put them into smaller reusable containers. My son loves applesauce, so I buy the big jar and do this as much as possible.
I think one big thing that I've changed since we had children is to look for greener options on the cleaners. I don't always have time to make my own, but I do buy things like Seventh Generation and Nature Clean, among others. After my son got into the cupboard and rubbed dishwasher liquid detergent on his legs, I decided we had to remove the harsh chemicals from our home. (he got blisters - very scarey) So now we are more aware what we clean with - and ultimately what our food touches as a result.
The cleaners, antibacterial stuff and so on may be easier to use but the down side to them isn't worth it.
March 28th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
I usually cook my food over an open fire, so as not to waste hydro or gas
March 28th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
Recycling is the passion I have.....everything is reused or recycled. I use only natural cleaners, vinegar, lemon and soda. I grow my own herbs too!
March 28th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
I cook large meals so that I can make up dinners to freeze, then it takes just minutes to reheat in the microwave. I recycle and compost like mad. I have always used vinegar as a cleaner. Nothing better!
March 29th, 2009 at 12:05 am
I compost,and recycle-buy in bulk and avoid all the extra packaging.
March 29th, 2009 at 9:29 am
We stay greener in the kitchen by working at it as a family.We recycle,save our peelings,tea and coffee grinds,nut shells,food cores and pits,unused bread for composting and use eco friendly products to wipe and clean the kitchen.
March 29th, 2009 at 9:40 am
I compost.
March 29th, 2009 at 11:02 am
We're about a pastel green in the kitchen right now, by avoiding excessively packaged food and increasing recycling. I'm hoping to compost as soon as the snow's gone and get to that darker, forest green by the next month.
March 29th, 2009 at 11:09 am
We have gone green in our kitchen by composting , using no shop bought detergents or cleaning products at all .I make our own soap , laundry soap and use white vinegar and lemon juice and baking soda for most of our cleaning needs . I cook from scratch and only use organic meat/fruits and vegetables . We feel better , enjoy our meals more and feel good about doing our bit to save the planet .
March 29th, 2009 at 11:54 am
We use the fireplace to heat the house and cook using the same fire.
March 29th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
i compost everything i can and share a garden with my mom,we even have a worm compost, and of course recycle recylce
March 29th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
-I recycle every bit of packaging I can. I have a seperate recycle box for, cardboard, office paper, tins, glass, returnables, general plastics, milk jugs, and plastic bags.
- I buy reusable containers and use them instead of plastic bags and plastic wrap.
- I compost everything I can.
- I reuse "clean" water by watering my garden and pots with it in the summer.
- I buy organic when ever I can.
- I use dishclothes and towels instead of paper towels and whenI use paper towels I use cascade recycled towels.
-I use green cleaning alternatives and products.
- I buy local food products where ever possible.
- I have a small organic vegetable garden
- I buy non processed foods to minimize packaging
- I reduce energy by using all my oven space for a meal or by using smaller appliances such as a slow cooker
March 29th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
When cutting up vegetables we have the kithchen green bin right beside us so what ever scraps need to go in there. Any canned or bottled products we make sure we recycle the packaging.
Thank you for the contest.
March 29th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
When our family first started to go green in our home we found a very hard thing to do,now it is a way of life for us could not imagined not doing it.WE compost all our food scraps we recyled all our plastics,bottles,milk cartons,etc.Before doing this we use to get three to four bags of garbage a week now we get one small bag what a differance it does make!!!
March 29th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
I always recycle food scraps, tissues, and anything organic in the Mississauga food compost recycling program.
I also use CFL and buy energy efficient appliances.
I also don't use the stove unless absolutely necessary to save electricity. I will use the microwave or smaller appliances like a toaster oven that don't use as much electricity.
I also do not use a diswasher as it is a waste of a lot of hot water and natural gas. Always hand-wash dishes and minimize water use.
Thank you.
March 30th, 2009 at 12:48 am
I keep all our vegetable and fruit peelings and take them out in a biodegradable bag to the compost pile in the back yard.
March 30th, 2009 at 6:07 am
I live in Nova Scotia on the south shore and everything gets recycled. We have our own compost pile where all the food scraps go except for coffee grounds and egg shells that go to feed my husbands fishing worms. Old newspapers are saved to make fire in the fireplace and we barbecue all year round. I use my microwave more than my oven and when I do use my oven I make sure that I use the convection heat and make more than one thing at a time.
March 30th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
I reuse as many throw away containers as possible for leftovers etc and I use my brita for water. If I am using my oven for cooking, I will combine the whole dinner in there to save on power. We do alot of BBQing in the summer months.
March 30th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
I try to buy as many dry goods as I can from the bulk store.
I recycle & I sort all my organic waste for green box collection.
I avoid using the oven & when I do I try & cook two or three meals at once that my husband can reheat in the microwave.
We stopped buying water bottles three years ago.
We try & use baking soda & vinegar as cleaning products rather than chemicals.
March 31st, 2009 at 12:39 am
I use vinegar and water to clean things - windows, counters, sinks etc. much better than the chemical stuffs.
I recycle everything I can and try to buy foods that don't have a lot of useless packaging
March 31st, 2009 at 9:25 am
My mom keeps her used coffee grinds and mixes it with her potting soil for when she pots her plants. I'll be doing that this year.
I always keep my travel coffee mug in the car for when I get my coffee on the run (drive thru or walk up)...when I get home, I take my travel mug to the kitchen and wash it so that it is ready for reuse the next day.
Recycling food scraps, paper towels, tissues...and recycling cans, bottles, cartons, cardboard, wrapping paper, envelopes&letters, etc. has been regular routine for years now. What I like seeing is my (now 11yr old) daughter doing the exact same thing. She's even brought home paper from school to put into the recycling bin! I'm glad to say, she's even started helping me to prepare her lunches in the morning: all of which goes into plastic containers....now if only I could get her to wash it all after school! That's ok, for now, at least she places them into my sink full of warm sudsy water....I let my dishes accumulate in the water until it's full and only then to I wash them.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:36 am
I compost everything,i only use natural cleaners that i make on my own with essential oils and things like baking soda and vinegar.I reuse clothes instead of paper towels.I only run the dishwasher when its very full .I unplug appliances when not in use and buy everything energy star.
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:22 pm
I stay green with a compost - save the dumps. My garden thrives too.
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:22 pm
I like to use cleaners that are safe for the environment. After all, I drink that water!
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:23 pm
Conserving of water. It takes less to handwash dishes thatn to run a dishwasher. Take at look at the electric bills too!
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:25 pm
Be wise and watch when you buy disposable products. Look at the cost and if there is something safer to use. Everything that we throw away adds to one of our environmental problems.
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:27 pm
Garbage is separated here for recycling. Items donated to the poor. Scraps for the compost or the pets. They can survive without fancy foods. Ask any farmer!
April 6th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
I use cleaners and shampoos ect... that are environmently friendly. I recycle whatever I can and donate instead of trashing it. Don't use plastic bags when shopping I always bring my green bags. I bring my own dishes at work ( bring my lunch in my green bag) and we carpool. I feel I am doing everything possible to help save my and your planet.
April 7th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
We compost all of our scrap food and waste, and we re-cycle all of our packaging. Plus, we use plastic containers to store food and to bring lunches to work and school.