{ living life green }

Keeping up with holiday recycling - Hampton Roads Edition

2010-12-20T07:01:00.000-05:00

Compost: With more food consumed than normal, keep up with your compost pile by dumping fruit and veggie scraps along with all other compostables into your bin. Don't have a bin, now is the PERFECT time to start composting because you'll surely have a hefty amount of holiday waste to get you started. Depending on which compost system you choose, starting now will get you some good quality finish compost just in time for spring planting season.

Recycle: This will be the hardest part to work out, but stick with it because recycling right over the holidays means your trash bin will have less than in past years. What my hubby and I do in Hampton Roads is to save a large cardboard box from holiday shopping and start to fill it with all of our paper -- gift wrapping scraps, cardboard packaging, paper ribbon scraps, and holiday card envelopes then continue to fill it up Christmas day and during post holiday clean-up. After the waste has settled, we swing it by Atlantic Paper Stock to be recycled.

Of course, we also continue to pile up the regular recyclables and toss them into the blue bin. Glass and plastic bottles, cardboard, chipboard, milk jugs, OJ cartons, foil, pie tins, and cans.

Usually around the holidays, folks get to swap out their old tired electronics for something new and shiny. Be sure to recycle your old e-waste at Green Alternatives or at your City's hazardous waste collection facility.

Be sure to check out the other recycling options on our site to see if there is any other waste you can divert from landfills. http://green-alt.com/recycling.html

Trash: Your trash bin should be filled with things like plastic ribbon, non-paper wrap, non-paper bows, and plastic packaging.

Pumpkin Everything

2010-10-11T07:21:00.000-04:00

Green means not wasting a darn thing. With pumpkins people usually use just the face for carving scary Halloween faces and maybe roast the seeds. Below are a few ideas for using the entire pumpkin.

Seeds: Roast to your heart's content. We love roasted pumpkin seeds tossed with plain old olive oil, salt and pepper but there are a few other more creative uses that are definitely worth a read. Check out Crafting a Green World's post with recipe links for some other uses.

Guts: Pumpkin guts are the main ingredient for our fav Thanksgiving fare, pumpkin pie. Other than trying to store your jack-o-lantern by-product from mid-October until Thanksgiving try some Of these fun recipes for breads and more.

Shell: it's fair to assume the pumpkin shell is the part of the gourd most commonly tossed aside but wait...don't just trash the outer shell. We found a very cool, very easy guide to make a bowl from pumpkins and gourds.

But wait, there's more. We found these useful sites with crafts and other homestead tricks for your fall pumpkins.

If you aren't feeling up for any of these fun pumpkin transformations, be sure to throw any and all parts of your pumpkin or gourd into the compost heap. You might even see pumpkin seedlings sprout out of the pile.

Compost Daily - Shopping Green, Saving Green

2010-07-15T10:03:00.002-04:00

Here are a few tips to shop green while saving a few bucks...

Go bulk! Buying in bulk not only saves money, but saves on packaging too. Some of our favorite bulk purchases are dry goods like sugar, flour, rice, beans, and other grains. Using vintage or re-purposed jars for your bulk goodies makes for cool kitchen decor too!
Can & preserve! Taking advantage of lower fruit and veggie prices when in season will save a ton. Canning and preserving might seem scary, but make a party out of it with some friends and it'll be a fun, easy, green, money-saving get together. There are tons of resources online with recipes, safety, and tips. Or, check with the Five Points Farmers Market to see when the next canning class will be offered.

Compost Daily is a green tip email service provided by Green Alternatives earth-friendly general store. Tips arrive in your inbox Wednesday through Friday. {sign up}

Compost Daily - A Garden in Your Window

2010-07-14T10:03:00.001-04:00

In our urban metropolis it can be hard to grow your own. Maybe you're in an apartment or maybe you don't have a yard. Lack of outdoor space is no problem. All you need is a window (and a few other supplies)!

We heard about this window farm movement a while back and just got word that they are finally selling kits in addition to the free instructions.

The WINDOW FARMS PROJECT is definitely worth checking out. I know we'll be window farming this winter to keep some herbs and leafy greens around the house.

Compost Daily is a green tip email service provided by Green Alternatives earth-friendly general store. Tips arrive in your inbox Wednesday through Friday. {sign up}

Compost Daily - Super Cool, Super Recycled Lighting

2010-07-08T10:03:00.005-04:00

We saw this and just loved it! Now you can make great use out of those empty wine bottles that keep showing up in your recycle bin.

Turn them into outdoor tiki lighting with complete step-by-step directions courtesy of Design Sponge.

Source: Design Sponge

Compost Daily is a green tip email service provided by Green Alternatives earth-friendly general store. Tips arrive in your inbox Wednesday through Friday. {sign up}

Compost Daily - A green first aid kit

2010-07-07T12:35:00.020-04:00

Summer fun is sometimes filled with bites, burns, and bugs so make sure you have these five ingredients on hand for your eco-first-aid kit.

Pick up an aloe plant and snap off a meaty leaf to cool sunburns or irritated skin.
Citronella keeps the biting bugs at bay and repels when used on skin or if burned in a candle or oil diffuser.
Witch hazel is your magic all healer for bites, bruises, and pimples too.
Making a baking soda paste will soothe the pain of stings.
Oatmeal in a bath is super keeping burnt skin from blistering and peeling as well as soothing for poison ivy and bites.

Source: Mother Nature Network

Compost Daily is a green tip email service provided by Green Alternatives earth-friendly general store. Tips arrive in your inbox Wednesday through Friday. {sign up}

Compost Daily - Green the Holiday

2010-07-02T10:03:00.008-04:00

Are you getting stocked up for the holiday weekend?

Be sure to shop for local produce and dairy products, ethically raised meats, and remember your reusable bags when you're out and about.

Some other tips to green the holiday festivities:

*Carpool with buddies if you're going out on the town or hitting up a BBQ
*Lather up with some safe, non-toxic sunscreen to keep your skin from sizzling (Badger is the way to go for sunscreen)
*Green your disposables by stocking up on sugarcane plates, potato forks and corn cups (by the way, we've got them in stock)

Enjoy a safe and fun holiday weekend!

Compost Daily is a green tip email service provided by Green Alternatives earth-friendly general store. Tips arrive in your inbox Wednesday through Friday. {sign up}

Compost Daily - The new iPhone is green...

2010-07-01T10:03:00.001-04:00

Are you drooling over the new iPhone?

Apple has made quite an effort to green their electronics and the new iPhone is no exception. The newest Apple gadget comes with a super efficient processor, efficient power adapter, post-consumer waste packaging, bromine-free circuit board, mercury-free LCD, arsenic-free glass, PVC-free headphones and and USB cables.

If you end up getting yourself a new iPhone be sure to bring us your old one so we can recycle it properly.

Compost Daily is a green tip email service provided by Green Alternatives earth-friendly general store. Tips arrive in your inbox Wednesday through Friday. {sign up)

Compost Daily - Efficient Living

2010-06-30T10:02:00.001-04:00

Stuck with a tiny space? Downsizing? Organizing? There are so many cool ways to green your space and make it as efficient as possible.

For starters, you can eco organize by reusing jars, cans, and baskets to hold all of your goodies. One of our favorite organizing tips is to slice an old cereal box on the diagonal, decorate with old newspaper or old wrapping paper, and use to store magazines or papers.

If you're looking to make a complete space maximization overhaul, we recommend checking out this amazing apartment squeezing 24 rooms into an itty-bitty 330 square feet. Talk about keeping it green...you can also tour the apartment.

Compost Daily is a green tip email service provided by Green Alternatives earth-friendly general store. Tips arrive in your inbox Wednesday through Friday. {sign up}

Compost Daily - 3 in 1

2010-06-29T10:40:00.001-04:00

We were a little crazy here at the store the past few days with big orders coming in so our Compost Daily tips were sadly pushed aside. To make up for it, we're giving you three tips in one!

Tip #1 // Start an office garden

If you work in an office building there is probably some open space around the structure that you and a few co-workers could turn into an organic veggie garden. Studies have shown that a few minutes outside every day could boost mood so mid-day gardening could mean smooth sailing throughout the afternoon grind.

Tip #2 // Clover Helps

Clovers popping up throughout your grass? It's okay! Clover adds vital nutrients to the soil and for years was considered a must-have in grass seed mixes. Clover is also low-growing, evergreen, and drought tolerant.

Tip #3 // Get your lawn and garden off drugs

You probably know about the toxic and harmful effects of pesticides to plant life, marine life, and to humans but did you know that Home Depot Canada knows it too? 266 Home Depot stores in Canada have pulled all toxic pesticides off the shelves because they want "to be friends to the environment." While they're still on American Home Depot shelves, we think it's a pretty big step in the right direction.

Compost Daily is a green tip email service provided by Green Alternatives earth-friendly general store. Tips arrive in your inbox Wednesday through Friday. {sign up}

Compost Daily - Recycling Your Cosmetics

2010-06-19T10:02:00.009-04:00

We all know if it's not bottle-shaped, it doesn't belong in our blue recycling bins. We've tried to find recycling outlets for lots of other trashy items and found one that the ladies will love.

You can take all of your empty cosmetic containers to Origins inside MacArthur Mall in Norfolk.

Compost Daily is a green tip email service provided by Green Alternatives earth-friendly general store. Tips arrive in your inbox Wednesday through Friday. {sign-up}

Compost Daily - Goallll - Team USA & The World Cup

2010-06-17T10:02:00.001-04:00

The World Cup has begun and other than celebrating our very own Team USA, we can also celebrate their jerseys. This World Cup, Nike has crafted a quality eco jersey made of 100% recycled materials; more specifically PET plastic bottles that were pulled from landfills.

In making team uniforms for USA and other countries, Nike re-purposed about 13 million bottles which would stretch a staggering 1,864 miles if lined up end to end.

Catch Team USA as they play Slovenia tomorrow at 9:30 am (EST) on ESPN.

Want one? Visit our friends at the Virginia Beach Premier Soccer for an official team jersey in white or navy.

Compost Daily is a green tip email service provided by Green Alternatives earth-friendly general store. Tips arrive in your inbox Wednesday through Friday. {sign-up}

Compost Daily - Weeds Got Ya Down?

2010-06-16T09:42:00.003-04:00

Scorching summer sun is just the right ingredient for weeds to get crazy and out of control. Luckily, there's no need to spray your sidewalk or pavers with yucky chemicals. Boiling water or vinegar will do the trick. If you don't have a sprayer, go for the boiling water. Sprayer in hand, vinegar will do just fine.

You won't see results immediately, but give it a day or two and those weeds will be wilting, wilting, gone.

Compost Daily is a green tip email service provided by Green Alternatives earth-friendly general store. Tips arrive in your inbox Wednesday through Friday. {sign-up}

Compost Daily - Shooting for No Impact?

2010-06-11T09:29:00.004-04:00

We try our darnedest to be waste-free and offer up no impact on the planet, but let's face it...sometimes we still have trash at the curb.

If you're feeling up for a zero waste challenge, check out these sites for some helpful tips. We're working hard here at the store and on the homestead to reduce, reuse, recycle and rely on these few sites to give us some helpful hints.

The Zero Waste Home : A home that refuses, refuses, refuses then reduces, reuses, and recycles in that order.

No Impact Man : A blog about what each of us can do to create a better, happier place to live

Compost Daily is a green tip email service provided by Green Alternatives earth-friendly general store. Tips arrive in your inbox Wednesday through Friday. {sign-up}

Compost Daily - Hands Across The Sand

2010-06-10T17:12:00.014-04:00

Not to be political or anything, but to wholeheartedly support sustainability we wanted to be sure we told you about Hands Across The Sand.

It's a national effort reaching locals all over the country in support of clean energy and our local spot is Virginia Beach! You can read more about where our meeting spot is at the Hands Across the Sand Virginia site.

June 26 at 11 am between 19th and 31st Streets, meet at the beach for Hands Across The Sand. We'll be there so look for us on the sand.

You can friend them on facebook too!

Compost Daily is a green tip email service provided by Green Alternatives earth-friendly general store. Tips arrive in your inbox Wednesday through Friday. {sign up}

COMPOST DAILY - Planet-Forward BBQ

2010-06-04T17:08:00.010-04:00

A favorite summer pastime: BBQ with friends and family. Be sure to bring the green to the grill for your parties with the few tips below.

1. Using propane, gas, or electric for grilling will give you a more efficient grill time over wood and charcoal meaning less chemicals being released.

2. If you do use charcoal, go au natural instead of using briquettes which may contain coal dust and other chemicals that are toxic byproducts of burning.

3. Say no to lighter fluid. Petroleum fluid releases VOCs when burned.

4. Get the 'good' food: ethically raised meats, local and organic veggies and fruit.

5. Compost what you can.

6. Ditch the disposables or choose biodegradable plates, cups, and forks.

7. Evite guests instead of sending paper invites.

8. Go solar with your outdoor lighting.

Source: Greenwala

Compost Daily is a green tip email service provided by Green Alternatives earth-friendly general store. Tips arrive in your inbox Wednesday through Friday. {sign up}

Our June eNews

2010-06-04T12:17:00.002-04:00

Please give our June newsletter a read. Lots of eco events and some other fun stuff going on.

Green Alternatives June eNews

Compost Daily - June 3, 2010

2010-06-03T12:17:00.006-04:00

Sunscreen Choices

Backyard Chickens: Now You're Clucking

2010-06-02T12:49:00.000-04:00

Posted on AltDaily.com June 2, 2010

Backyard Chickens: Now You’re Clucking.

The chicken is an animal as ubiquitous as dogs and cats.

Sure, you don’t actually ‘see’ chickens clucking around town like the others, but meat and eggs get to your table somehow. With a population well beyond 15 million, there are more chickens in the world than any other bird.

Along with cattle, pigs, livestock and other poultry, chickens in our country are typically at the mercy of any number of man-made “influences”: antibiotics, growth hormones, ultra pasteurization, and factory farming. Personally, I’d love to make a difference with all these animals, but I just don’t see myself making room for a steer in the backyard. In reality, egg-laying chickens seem more realistic and more my city-dwelling speed.

Homegrown Revolution author Kelly Coyne says home grown chicken eggs are a revelation and I couldn’t agree more. Considering that we’ve become completely disconnected with where our food comes from, it seems reasonable that locals are now interested in a throwback to times when you knew nutriment origins. Not only are they free ranging they actually have been studied for nutritional value. According to Mother Earth News–besides having propensity for stronger shells and rich, deep yolks–pasture-raised hens compare favorably to confined hens through a number of measurements:

•1/3 less cholesterol

•¼ less saturated fat

•2/3 more Vitamin A

•2 times more omega-3 fatty acids

•3 times more Vitamin E

•7 times more beta carotene

Before you write me off as a crazy chicken lady, know that I’m not standing along on this one. According to a recent New Yorker article by Susan Orlean, the chicken is the ‘it’ bird, and is making a comeback. They’re not all that alien in backyards either. Up until the 50s, it was popular to keep a few chickens around. They were cheap, easy, and pretty tolerant of weather conditions. So it’s not a ‘weird eco-habit’ but instead is a “movement across North America,” according to TreeHugger.com’s ecological trends monitoring.

The Current Rules

Here in Hampton Roads, it’s possible to grow your own by means of a backyard garden and against the law to raise your own poultry for eggs. Every city across the nation differs on poultry allowances or restrictions. If you’re inside city limits in Norfolk then you are absolutely not allowed to have a single hen. If you want four dogs and cats, go for it.

Maybe this is the code because our city-folk think that a metropolis is no place for chickens. I’m wondering if they know that New York City considers chickens pets and not only allows them but doesn’t have any restrictions on the number allowed.

Here’s what the City of Norfolk code actually states:

Sec. 6.1-7. Keeping of certain animals within the city.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to keep in any building or on any premises within the limits of the city any livestock or poultry without a permit issued by the director of public health. Such permit shall designate the location at which said animals shall be kept and the number of animals to be kept at said location.

(b) It shall be unlawful for the owner or any person having charge or control of any livestock or poultry to permit said animals to be at large within the limits of the city.

(c) The provisions of this section shall not apply to slaughterhouses lawfully operating within the city, authorized shows or exhibits, except regarding strays from the above-listed operations, licensed kennels, veterinarians, animal shelters or humane societies, licensed temporary exhibits, licensed pet shops or licensed/authorized training facilities. No other exceptions or exemptions to this section are authorized.

(Ord. No. 39,717, § 2, 8-31-99)

Sec. 6.1-8. Limitation on keeping of dogs or cats.

(a) No more than four (4) adult dogs and four (4) adult cats may be kept in any one dwelling unit or premises within the city limits.

Sec. 6.1-8.1. Limitation on keeping of rabbits.

No more than four (4) adult rabbits may be kept in any one dwelling unit or premises within the city limits.

(Ord. No. 40,877, § 1, 11-5-02)

I know what you’re thinking. It says by permit I CAN have chickens. Well, unfortunately, this permitting is controlled by the Department of Health and is intended for the sentinel chickens that the City has on surveillance for disease control. Having city chicks for personal use is banned. It’s a program that is operated by the Department of Environmental Health and the few chickens residing inside Norfolk city limits are frequently tested, or bled, for mosquito-borne diseases.

Laws Elsewhere

Though there are many counties and cities that do allow urbanites to offer a cozy home to chickens, Virginia isn’t really a fowl-friendly state. A few chicken-related regulations from our fine state courtesy of TheCityChicken.com:

•Alexandria, VA. It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or allow to be kept within the city, within 200 feet of any residence or dwelling not occupied by such person, any fowl, a provision that essentially precludes chicken keeping.

•Fairfax County, VA. Chickens over 2 months are classified as “domestic fowl” and are allowed on any lot of 2 or more acres. Chickens are allowed only on lots of two acres or more, and hen houses cannot be closer than 100 feet from a neighboring property line.

•Falls Church, VA. Chicken keeping falls under requirements for stables, which must be 40 feet from a residence and have the written permission of the city manager, said Becky Keenan, the city’s animal warden.

•Frederick County, VA. Frederick County, Virginia laws only say you must keep fowl fenced.

•Henrico County, VA. Poultry permitted if kept 400 feet from adjacent property.

•Montgomery County, VA. A chicken coop can be no closer than 100 feet from neighboring structures where people live or work.

•Prince George’s County, VA. If you live in the following residential zones, you will need a special exception to keep chickens: R-80, R-55, R-35 and R-20. If you live in the rural residential zone R-R, you will need a special exception if your lot is smaller than 20,000 square feet.

•Richmond City, VA. No person shall keep, place or maintain fowl on any parcel of real property in the city which contains less than 50,000 square feet in area.

•Richmond, VA. Can only keep chickens if your lot is 50,000 square feet or larger.

•Fairfax City, VA. Chickens are allowed in residential districts R-1 and R-2. Animals can be kept no closer than 100 feet from a property line.

Benefits

Obviously, raising chickens isn’t something I have experience in, considering it’s not possible for me to have hens, but from what I read the dirt on chickens is that they’re incredibly easy to raise. At their peak they will give you about an egg per day, and then will average out at about three per week. Chickens give you pest control, fertilizer, and eggs, of course. Chickens are also weed eaters, slug slayers, and tomato worm squishers. In short, they’re your best garden companion.

Chickens are social cluckers and they like to cuddle at night to keep warm. A reasonable flock for a city dweller would be between three and six hens.

Bottom line: an urban chicken is a pet that provides.Want one (or three)?

Concerns

If that last section didn’t sell you on backyards chickens, you might be worried about noise, smell and a few other so-called “chicken issues.” The low-down on chickens is that they don’t really make too much noise at all. Roosters are the loud-mouths; hens just cluck cluck cluck around peacefully. Chickens would pose no greater noise violation and provide less audio than most barking dogs.

Just like man’s best friend, chickens aren’t overly stinky either as long as you take care of them. Let’s face it: dog waste isn’t a treat for the nose, but if they’re picked up after, it’s not a problem at all. Same goes for hens. Pick up after them, keep the coop clean, and you won’t have a smelly situation.

In conversation with a local Norfolk resident about city chickens, he calmly asked, “Won’t they fly into the neighbor’s yard?” Having never thought of this as a potential concern or objection, a scouring of BackyardChicken.com and the Internet was in order. Heck, I didn’t know if they could fly into a neighbor’s yard. Apparently, they really can’t. They’re like little hovercrafts. Usually, chicken flight is sparked when they think they’re in danger or if they are looking for a place to roost. You won’t find a chicken migrating or soaring like an eagle any time soon.

Chickens have a life-span averaging five to ten years and sometimes longer. Unfortunately, they are feathery treats for a few zealous predators like raccoons and hawks, making it ever so important to protect your domestic fowl with a finely constructed chicken run.

A great way to shoo predators from your newly acquired chickens is to enlist the help of your other domestic friends. Cats and dogs, depending on their personality, get along with chickens fairly well and can help keep them safe. With the exception of baby chicks, hens can easily co-habitate with other family pets. Baby chicks are like the best furry little snacks for cats and dogs so definitely keep an eye out.

Situated along the Chesapeake Bay watershed, it’s surely a concern that nitrogen runoff will further pollute our waterways and defeat current endeavors to clean the bay. Just with cat and dog waste, chicken waste should be disposed of properly, i.e. don’t leave it lay. Fortunately, chicken waste has far superior disposal method. It can be composted for primo fertilizer offering among the highest concentration of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium levels.

Chicks Rule! (Let’s get the law changed in Norfolk)

Motivation for having a city coop is distinct and personal: reconnecting with your food source, healthy and local eggs, a gateway pet to bigger and better farming, a teaching tool for tots, a garden companion, or simply a fun, full-filling experience. Ask anyone who has kept chickens: they’ve got plenty of personality. Some are comedians, and some will love you to death, following you all around the yard like puppies.

As Susan Orlean thoughtfully notes in the New Yorker, “Even people central to the chicken world are predicting what might supplant chickens, if and when chickens run their course. Dave Belanger, of Backyard Poultry, says goats; McMurray’s Bud Wood thinks ducks. But chickens seem to me steadier than that. They have already survived hen bubbles and cholesterol scares and the enormous social change that chased them out of the back yard; they will survive diapers and jewelled coops and an uptick in ducks. The chicken, that thing with feathers, always sunny and useful, will endure.”

The way I see it – If writers are already discussing what the new ‘chicken’ will be after this supposed fad passes, then Norfolk is way behind in not even allowing us to partake in the chicken revolution. What if ducks or goats are next and we totally missed the chicken boat?

With interest piqued among many wanting to create an urban homestead, laying hens are a kind of a necessity. Alongside beehives, wouldn’t it be nice if homesteaders had the option to add a small flock to backyard gardens?

Instead of settling for clandestine coops, a group of like-minded locals bringing unique and differing expertise has formed. We are starting the process of changing the Norfolk city code in favor of egg laying hens. We’re only one meeting in, but it looks promising.We’ll need some help though. If you’re interested in bringing chickens to Norfolk, please email shop@greenalternativesstore.com and join the Facebook group.

Until then, keep on clucking.

Compost Daily - June 2, 2010

2010-06-02T12:21:00.000-04:00

Clean The Bay Day

Compost Daily - May 28, 2010

2010-05-28T12:22:00.000-04:00

Staycation

Compost Daily - May 26, 2010

2010-05-26T12:24:00.000-04:00

Single-Use Stinks

Compost Daily - May 22, 2010

2010-05-22T12:25:00.000-04:00

Oil Everywhere

Compost Daily - May 21, 2010

2010-05-21T12:26:00.000-04:00

A Dozen You Should Know

Compost Daily - May 19, 2010

2010-05-19T12:27:00.000-04:00

Green Tea Rocks

Compost Daily - May 15, 2010

2010-05-15T12:28:00.000-04:00

Reduce-Reuse-Recycle With A Specialized Plate

Compost Daily - May 12, 2010

2010-05-12T12:30:00.000-04:00

Who Says A Chicken Isn't A Pet

Compost Daily - May 6, 2010

2010-05-06T12:31:00.000-04:00

Important Notice From Klean Kanteen

May eNews

2010-05-01T12:42:00.001-04:00

Please give our May eNewsletter a read.

Compost Daily - April 28, 2010

2010-04-28T12:32:00.000-04:00

Connecting With Nature

Compost Daily - April 22, 2010

2010-04-22T12:34:00.000-04:00

Where the heck did Earth Day come from?

Compost Daily - April 17, 2010

2010-04-17T12:35:00.000-04:00

The Story of Bottled Water

Compost Daily - April 13, 2010

2010-04-13T12:35:00.000-04:00

Mark Your Calendars

Compost Daily - April 7, 2010

2010-04-07T12:36:00.001-04:00

Yellow Everywhere

April eNews

2010-04-03T12:41:00.000-04:00

Please give our April eNewsletter a read.

Compost Daily - April 2, 2010

2010-04-02T12:37:00.000-04:00

Will You Pledge?

Compost Daily - March 31, 2010

2010-03-31T12:38:00.000-04:00

Veggie Wash

Compsot Daily - March 27, 2010

2010-03-27T12:39:00.000-04:00

Keeping Norfolk Beautiful

Compost Daily - March 23, 2010

2010-03-23T12:40:00.000-04:00

The Art of Garden Reuse

Finding a Home for EPS

2010-03-18T11:49:00.000-04:00

Before jumping into the many ways to re-purpose the #6 expanded polystyrene that you probably are having a heck of a time getting rid of I wanted to share a fun fact. Styrofoam is actually a trademarked term owned by Dow Chemical. Did you know that?

I'm sure you were hoping I would have a magical recycling solution for this relentless, undying foam. I don't, but I do have some pretty cool reuses for it.

1. Place in the bottom of planters to help with drainage and to save you from having to fill that entire pot with soil.

2. Donate peanuts to packing and mailing stores. They'll love you for it because that means they save some $$ too.

3. Start a green roof with EPS coolers as your planter boxes. Fun summer project, eh?

4. There are a select few recyclers in America so if you're feeling up to it, you can send it to them to be recycled, but it'll probably cost you.

5. And our favorite way to reuse EPS/Styrofoam is to spray it with d-Limonene (orange oil), let it slowly decompose into a sticky goo then use the goo for superglue. We read this and immediately did a little experiment with an egg carton to see if it works. It totally does -- but it takes a while for it to physically breakdown!

Breaking Down Your Household Energy

2010-03-16T11:48:00.003-04:00

If you're trying to conserve energy around the casa, check out these stats. They'll definitely help you direct your focus when perfecting your household energy consumption.

Heating & Cooling - 49%
Water Heater - 13%
Lighting - 10%
Other (stoves & small appliances) - 8%
Electronics - 7%
Clothes Washer & Dryer - 6%
Refrigerator - 5%
Dishwasher - 2%

Source: Residential Energy Consumption Survey, 2001

Support Alternative Transportation

2010-03-12T11:47:00.000-05:00

I heart alternative transportation and support your choice to walk, bike, board, carpool, or take some sort of public transit (however difficult that may be in Hampton Roads).

If you're thinking of trekking around on two wheels...excellent. Biking is one of those multi-level activities that not only gets you from point a to b, but also provides exercise and outdoor enjoyment. Plus, you get to see some cityscape that you probably overlook as you zoom past in a car.

Practice safe biking. Bicycle Safe's website helps you to not get hit by a car. Give it a read and enjoy a wonderful, energizing ride. http://bicyclesafe.com/

Free Range Power

2010-03-10T11:46:00.000-05:00

If you're an egg eater then you know free range, happy hens produce superior tasting eggs, but did you know they also support a healthier, more nutritional profile too?

Here are some stats on cheery clucker eggs (i.e. pasture-raised, free range, or whatever you want to call it when the hens get to roam)

* 1/3 less cholesterol
* 1/4 less saturated fat
* 2/3 more Vitamin A
* 2x more omega-3 fatty acids
* 3x more Vitamin E
* 7x more Beta-carotene

Don't believe me? Read the full Mother Earth News article.

Sustainable Runners

2010-03-08T11:39:00.001-05:00

If you're running shoes are pushing the 300 mile-marker making their way to retirement, opt for a new guilt-free pair. Brooks Running released The Green Silence shoe modeling features like biodegradable midsoles, water-based adhesives, and more.

I think they're pretty rockin' too...

Learn more at Brooks Running

$50K in Funding for local Gardens is a Click Away

2010-03-05T15:20:00.002-05:00

By Amelia Baker

Thursday, March 4th, 2010 - AltDaily.com

It’s frustrating when you’re in a position motivated to do more, but just can’t come up with the funding.

That’s usually my scenario. I love what I do and use the store (Green Alternatives) as a catalyst to inspire others and create positive change. Despite what my income statement tells me, I’m not a non-profit. Because of that, I’m a highly undesirable candidate for grants… until now!

If you haven’t already heard, Pepsi opted not to buy a ridiculously expensive Super Bowl ad, and instead is giving away more than $1 million per month through 2010 to community members around the country who have good ideas for refreshing their local landscape.

Here’s their promo videos on it:

Over the moon, I immediately logged onto Pepsi’s site to submit a proposal. For weeks leading up to this moment, Rachel Shaw and I had been planning out a community garden program that not only would give neighborhood residents a place to grow, but would also bear a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program after the first year. Our (if I say so myself) fantastic ideas and hard work were destined for a hard road ahead if we didn’t have funding, so Pepsi’s initiative couldn’t have been better timing.

The idea was submitted for a $50,000 grant to be used for ten community gardens throughout Hampton Roads. The gardens will provide local, organic food; get community members out and talking to each other; and beautify empty, sad lots. The money would be used for materials to get the gardens ready for planting, and would also leave some savings for the garden to sustain themselves year after year.

After clicking submit, I sat for a moment and thought, “What if we actually get the money and really get to do this?”

It was weeks before I got the news that Pepsi had approved the idea for March voting. When the congratulatory email came through this past Monday, I literally jumped off of the couch and ran into the kitchen with a gleeful squeal to share the news with my husband. Also calling my partner in crime, Rachel. We were both thrilled, humbled, and honored to have made the batch of March ideas.

My short-lived celebration turned immediately into a dash for votes and we needed them BAD. The first day of voting we were ranked 189th. With only the top 10 ideas in the $50,000 category receive funding, we had a waaaays to go. Rachel and I started shamelessly promoting our idea through any means we could and in two short days we are now sitting somewhere around 77th place. A huge accomplishment, but let’s face it… we have some major road to clear to break the top ten.

You can check out our idea by clicking here. The believers in our idea can vote once a day per email account per idea. We need your help! Please take a minute every day to vote for our idea. If you think you’ll need a daily reminder and update on our progress, be my friend.

Vote every day through March 31. Please and thank you!

A Giant Clean Up

2010-03-05T15:13:00.001-05:00

It was such sad news that Joe Parham had passed a few months back. He was such a force when it came to litter prevention and trash collection. Kim Rose had supported Joe through Hope House Foundation and had worked with Joe to organize and clean many spots around Hampton Roads.

As of late, Kim and I had partnered for big clean ups to pick up tons of trash and recyclables from Barraud Park and watershed. In Joe's honor, we organized a group clean February 21 at Barraud Park.

Normally, we have about 30 to 40 people come out to our clean-ups, but this time we had well over 100 on hand to get down and dirty. It was an amazing turn out!

Thank you to all who participated! Please check out some action shots below.

Food + Music = A Smashing Good Time

2010-03-05T11:38:00.000-05:00

Today's tip is light-hearted Friday fun! Ms. Holly Carson from Keep Norfolk Beautiful sent this fun food video to me earlier today and I just had to share. Of course, I won't leave you without an actual tip so here goes.

Keeping with the food motif, mark your calendars for March 23. That's our last frost date for the winter. If you're growing your own this season, definitely start your seedlings now inside and they'll be ready for transplant soon after our final frost.

Embedded video not showing up?
Check it out by clicking here.

HAPPY FRIDAY!!

A Place for ALL of Your Paper

2010-03-01T11:37:00.000-05:00

First, allow me to apologize for neglecting to send all of your tips last week. The Sustainable Living Fair was this past weekend and we were busy little bees trying to prepare for the event.

Now for your local scoop!

As you know, not all of your paper products can be recycled through your city recycling program. If your looking to supplement your paper recycling to give a second life to things like chipboard, get in touch with Atlantic Paper Stock.

Atlantic Paper Stock
1832 Church Street
Norfolk, VA
757.625.6211

They take it ALL...even those little papers between your cheese slices.

A Barrel Full of Water

2010-02-19T11:36:00.000-05:00

Harvesting rain water is easy, breezy! Just one 55-gallon barrel collecting from your roof can save you more than 1000 gallons of water during prime growing season. Even better, it saves you a few bucks too!

Rain water is better for your flowers, fruits, veggies, and herbs because it's chlorine-free! So, spend a little -- save a lot!

If you're feeling inspired, I suggest you take advantage of a DIY rain barrel workshop making your water collection contraption easier on the wallet.

Smart Shopper

2010-02-17T11:34:00.000-05:00

Let's crack the produce code! Some may have this tid-bit of knowledge stored, but it's worth repeating.

You know those bar codes stuck on each individual piece of produce at the grocery store? Well, the strain of numbers actually means something.

* 4-digit number is conventionally-grown
* 5-digit number starting with 8 is genetically modified (GM)
* 5-digit number starting with 9 is organic

Interested in reading more? {read more}

Home-Made Recycled Valentines

2010-02-08T11:32:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day is a few short days away and if you still have to make Valentine's for your friends and loved ones, try recycling your own paper to make custom cards.

There are DIY instructions all over internet and we sifted through, tried it out, and came up with instructions that use what you have sitting around the house.

Enjoy paper-making with these instructions!

Low-Flow Toilet on the Cheap

2010-02-05T11:24:00.000-05:00

Green your restroom experience!

If you want to make your toilet waste less water without having to trash a perfectly good latrine, gently place a brick in the tank. It will displace about a liter of water lowering the amount used every time you flush.

The average size of older tanks is 11-14 liters while newer systems are 6-9 liters.

Every little bit counts.

Laundry Soap in Your Dishwasher

2010-02-03T11:22:00.000-05:00

I'm pretty sure you know about Charlie's Soap and it's amazing green cleaning properties. If not, Charlie's is a North Carolina-made laundry soap that is non-toxic, biodegradable, hypo-allergenic and uses just one tablespoon per load. At Green Alternatives, we love Charlie's and were certain we could figure out more uses for it. We did! We now use Charlie's in the automatic dishwasher and it works like a dream. Stick with the one tablespoon you use for laundry.

Community Gardening the Green Way

2010-02-03T09:21:00.001-05:00

Posted on AltDaily.com February 3, 2010
by Amelia Baker

{community garden} an urban, suburban, or rural piece of land gardened by a group of people

By definition, community gardens are socially and environmentally sound because they create a thriving community eager to grow their own, spend time with neighbors, beautify and preserve a green space. I’m convinced that food you actually grow does taste better. It has to. You put your blood, sweat, and tears into a seed that blossomed into a legitimate fruit or vegetable that actually nourishes your body. Dammit if it doesn’t taste like the best potato or leaf of lettuce you’ve ever had.

Even with community gardens being a green activity, some considerations should be made to further green the garden. To make your garden grow you’ll need seeds, soil and/or compost, water, sun, containers (if you’re container gardening, which I highly recommend), and a few other supplies.

{Site Selection & Prep}

Choosing the site for your garden is one of the first things you’ll do. Obviously, community gardens are great no matter where you end up placing them. If you’re keen to environmental site selection, opt for terrain that can most benefit from beautification and preservation like a downtown lot, the top of a building, or the like.

When you’re prepping the site, use electric or old school hand tools instead of gas-guzzling power tools. It’ll save you a few bucks and will save big on carbon output because most gas-powered tools and mowers don’t have emission controls.

{Tools}

All gardeners need a tool kit, and surely you’ll be able to find second-hand tools. If not, look for tools crafted from recycled or eco-friendly materials.

{Containers}

If you’re planning on starting your seeds in smaller containers then transporting them into the garden, don’t go out and buy little buckets for them; use yogurt cups or other food containers before recycling them. Free and green.

You’ll definitely need some larger containers to do your square foot/urban gardening and you can make containers out of reused materials; reclaimed wood, repurposed metal or plastic containers. Look around at thrift stores, on freecycle, on craigslist, or ask friends and neighbors to see what kind of scraps you can get your hands on. A little out of the box thinking is all it takes.

Container gardening provides an ideal setup to create a square foot garden, which offers up high yields in small spaces, and the container establishes a gardening method that conserves water.

{Compost}

If you or a neighbor have been actively composting waste, you should have a pretty good base to get your garden party started. If not, you can always buy compost from local farmers or garden supply stores. Compost is rich with nutrients because it’s broken down food and yard waste.

If you’re privy to homemade compost, make some compost tea by steeping the compost for several days making a very potent, effective fertilizer for your future fruits, veggies, and herbs.

{Seeds}

Chances are, you’ll be able to score some seed overages. A packet of seeds will have at least 24, and most gardeners don’t have the space to plant 24+ of each crop, especially in an urban environment. The National Gardening Association has a FREE seed swap, which ideally is a 2-way swap. If you have nothing to swap, you may still find farmers or gardeners willing to donate (http://www.garden.org/seedswap/). Unless you find a kind soul willing to give you seedlings or starter planets, seeds are also the most economical method of starting your garden.

{Worms}

If you scoop into your backyard dirt and find a colony of worms, you know your soil is quality. Worms help your garden grow by aerating the soil, eating micro-organisms, and providing a soil coating that allows the dirt particles ideal spacing. Worm pooh does some amazing things for your garden.

{Coir}

Coir is a sustainable alternative to peat moss and is derived from coconuts. It’s like insulation for your plants. If you place some on top of the compost or soil it will create a barrier that will conserve water. You buy it in bricks, which expand 10 times over when soaked in water. It’s a fairly economical purchase and will definitely save on water usage as well as deter snails and other blighters the natural way.

{Water}

Definitely invest in a rain barrel or cistern setup for the garden. It will allow you to create a slow-drip irrigation system to water plants closer to the root, which is much more efficient. Rain barrels harvest rain water, allowing you to utilize it for gardening projects, and many locally-made barrels are crafted from reclaimed materials.

Building your community garden the green way will surely save your neighborly group a ton of money on construction and on upkeep. It makes sense for the planet and for the wallet.

You interested in community gardening? Join our discussion here.

Cut The Heating Costs

2010-02-01T10:46:00.000-05:00

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the FIRST Compost Daily!

After a snow like Hampton Roads saw this weekend, I bet you're wondering how you can shave some cents off of the utility bill and still keep the casa nice and toasty. Wrap that water heater immediately. Water heater blankets or wraps are like putting a permanent jacket on your tank keeping the water inside steamy so you don't use as much energy to heat and reheat. You'll probably save about 10% per year on water heating costs and install takes about 20 minutes.

We called around and here's what we found...

Taylors Do It Center | $23
Oceanview Hardware | $34 (out-of-stock at the moment)
Lowe's | $19 to $21
Home Depot | $17 to 20

We also found a few on www.craigslist.com for bargain prices.

An egg is an egg is an egg

2010-02-01T08:46:00.005-05:00

Normally I get ALL of my eggs from the farmer’s market because the gal that brings in the supply lives right over in Chesapeake and lets her hens run wild and treats them well. And, they eat organic feed too. It’s quite a nice luxury to be able to learn about these wonderful qualities, but then again, that’s kind of how farmer’s markets are supposed to work.

Last week, I didn’t realize I was down to one lonely egg and it was Sunday morning. In my house, Sunday breakfast is a ritual and I desperately needed eggs. So I hopped over to the Teeter to pick up a eggs and was looking for my organic, cage free dozen. There I was in front of the cooler that was home to about 659 varieties of eggs; cage free, free roaming, free range, organic, antibiotic free, vegetarian fed, and of course the regular large eggs with nothing special to show for.

I am usually very confident in my edible selections because education about my food is important to me and I read articles and books, watch documentaries, and the like to heighten my awareness. Even with my knowledge base, I stood there starting to chill from the cool air breezing out of the refrigerated dairy section absolutely perplexed at which container to pick up. Obviously, I wasn’t going to pick up the regular large eggs because that’s one thing I won’t support. I won’t touch on it now, because it saddens me to even think about it, but it’s a story for another time. Honestly, after leaving the market, I was miffed. How can all of these eggs sit on market shelves and not come along with a dictionary? I decided to make it my business to research the egg-spread and share my findings.

I did a few Google searches and page after page authored by animal rights groups or environmentalists littered the screen. I didn’t want the feedback of my own because those aren’t the folks labeling the eggs so I went straight to the source; the United States Department of Agriculture. My theory is that egg companies can’t label according to what they “want” the definition to be, but instead have to follow guidelines set forth by the government. My initial excitement that the USDA website would provide me with easy, quick answers faded fast. Scrolling through navigation menus and doing keyword searching was bringing me nothing of what I wanted. I kept at it and finally found the needle in the haystack.

FREE RANGE and/or FREE ROAMING: One in the same in the eyes of USDA states that free range or free roaming cluckers must have “access” to the outdoors. In short, this means that hens can still be piled into chicken houses as long as there is a small door to the outdoors which leads to an undefined amount of space. It could mean that chicken farmers actually let the hens run free or could mean that they live shoulder to shoulder with one tiny door leading to a 4’ by 4’ space which is only accessible for 30 minutes a day.

CHEMICAL FREE: Sounds fantastic, but this term is actually not allowed to be used on USDA food.

NATURAL: Containing no artificial ingredients or added color which would alter the original state of the food. More importantly, when companies place this term on your package, they are required to explain themselves (i.e. no added color).

NO HORMONES: Aha…light bulb moment. Hormones are not allowed to be used on pork or poultry products so stating that they are hormone free must be followed by the phrase, “Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones.”

NO ANTIBIOTICS: For red meat and poultry, using this on packaging is only allowed if the company has provided USDA with proper documentation showing they walk the walk.

ORGANIC: Must be produced using at least 95% organic ingredients which means organic eggs prove the hens were eating feed that was certified organic under these standards. The National Organic Program also allows the use of “Made with organic ingredients” if at least 70% organic products are utilized.

When I was reading through the National Organic Program fact sheet, I kept coming across a phrase that makes me wonder about non-organic food; “cannot be produced using excluded methods, sewage sludge, or ionizing radiation.” Obviously, the organic food can’t use these methods as the fact sheet stated, but others can? Makes you wonder.

Something else worthy of noting is that there are no restrictions for agricultural products when it comes to labeling claims like “no drugs or growth hormones,” “free range,” or “sustainably harvested.” The USDA is assuming that if one labels an ag product sustainably harvested, they would only say it if it were true.

All definitions were summarized from the USDA website.

The Drug-Less Medicine Cabinet Exposed

2010-01-21T11:36:00.001-05:00

by Amelia Baker
Posted Thursday, January 21st, 2010 at 9:33 am on AltDaily.com

On a not so far off branch under the green umbrella, you’ll find natural, holistic treatment.

Ever so timely, ‘tis the season for eternal runny noses and deep coughs, I thought I’d give an alternative approach to treatment. I’m one to self-medicate instead of going to the doctor so I’ll usually try just about anything.

Along with my tried and true natural remedies, homeopathic medicine has done me well this season. Homeopathy is the law of similars, which means that in order for the body to effectively treat and fight off disease, remedies must produce indicators that mimic the intended pallet of symptoms. Homeopathy can be easily defined as similar suffering. It’s been practiced for more than 200 years and founded by a German doctor, Samuel Hahnemann.

Without further ado, my drug-less medicine cabinet exposed.

The Neti Pot, oh how I love thee, protects and cleans the nasal cavity which is on the front line of whole body health. Used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic (of Indian root literally meaning ‘life related to knowledge/science’ intertwined with Hindu and Buddhist influences and practiced by many yogis) medicine, the Neti Pot system swooshes a salt rinse through one nostril into the sinus nook and out the other side for an amazingly clear head.

Oscillococcinum is another favorite that I keep around at all times. At the onset of a flu-like bug, take oscillo every 6 hours for a couple of days and you’ll kick some serious flu butt. The reason I am partial to oscillococcinum is because it doesn’t have any side effects or weird interactions with other medicines. It’s a homeopathic dose of little balls of milk sugar that you dissolve under your tongue.

Salt is always kept on hand in large quantities. Mixed with warm-hot water and gargled in the back of your throat, the mixture kills bacteria and germs destined to give you congestion filled, sleepless nights. If you think you’ve been contaminated, calendar some gargling in the morning and at night for a few days.

I have this knack for buying local honey every time I see it packaged in the cute little bear-shaped bottle which is silly because bears don’t even make honey, bees do. Anyway, honey is superb for suppressing coughs and soothing sore throats. The honey coats your itchy throat allowing it to heal and successfully smothering the annoying cough that keeps you up all night. Two spoonfuls at night before bed should do the trick. Or, mix into your tea or hot water throughout the day.

Winter Wonder Balm was an amazing companion for me through the holidays when I was wheezing, sniffling, and producing a raspy whisper of a voice. It’s an olive oil-based chest rub filled with goodies like tea tree, eucalyptus, peppermint, lavender, rosemary, and ginger. You can also use it as a steam inhalant for more immediate relief.

Essential Oils are considered intelligent chemistry because they are comprised of hundreds of molecules that fight and kill bacteria. The best part is that no two batches of oil are the same so the sickness bugs don’t form resistance to the oils. Some of the best cold and flu fighters are lemon for immunity (a few drops in water…not on the skin), cinnamon also for immunity can be inhaled, peppermint and eucalyptus for soothing repertory infections can be applied directly to the skin or inhaled, and ginger is great for chest congestion and can be rubbed on or diffused.

Natural treatments aren’t new; they’ve been around for centuries and then some. I have to note that I’m no doctor nor do I have any legitimate medical training. These are my at-home, natural recommendations that I’ve tried and can attest to. If you have a lengthy sickness, you may just need to go to the doctor.

What do you have in your medicine cabinet?

The Tofurkey Experiment

2010-01-18T08:49:00.002-05:00

I'm a meat-eater. There, I said it. A better way to phrase it is to say I am an ethical meat-eater. My husband and I only buy meat that is organic, free-range, grass fed, and we try for local when possible. If we're in the store and can't find meat that fits our standards, we don't buy meat. We, instead, buy meat substitutes. We've tried a lot of them. Some are great, some not so much but that's to be expected I guess.

We had some friends over for tofurkey dinner last night, one of which was a vegetarian and has been for something like 17 years. The make-up of the group was three who eat a little meat, one vegetarian, and one meat-lover to the core. Our vegetarian friend had yet to try this soy-based tofu substitute for a turkey dinner which made it that much better. We had pizza on standby should the tofurkey not turn out to be a winner.

I did my research and found a recipe for tofurkey that was in the slow cooker. I love my slow cooker because it means I drop the food in, turn it on, and walk away. Easy breezy cooking. To be frank, I would have bet money that upon opening the package our faux turkey dinner would have been molded into a turkey look-a-like. It wasn't. It wasn't even close. It was a ball that rolled around in the crock pot and wouldn't stay still.

Somewhat disappointed in my meatless turkey shape, I started to think that maybe the pizza back-up was the way to go. After two hours simmering away in the slow cooker, dinner was served. My dinner party of five friends dug in and to everyone's surprise kept on eating.

Our tofurkey, biscuits, and mushroom gravy were a success. I won't say it was a hit because I'm not certain I will keep faux turkey in the weekly line up but it is certainly something to consider at Thanksgiving. No bones, no skin, no gross mess to clean up. Those things are enough for me to convert from real to fake on occasion.

January Newsletter

2010-01-09T12:48:00.000-05:00

Give it a read...

JANUARY NEWSLETTER

Local vs Organic, and All Your Other Green Questions

2009-12-22T13:29:00.000-05:00

Posted Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 at 8:49 am on AltDaily.com
by Amelia Baker

For the past few months, I have written about green topics that are relevant to my life and my interests.

I’m certain that you have perplexing green queries I have yet to address, so ask away. In addition to the bi-weekly green perspectives I dish, I’m excited to be able to take your questions or concerns and share my greenie knowledge with you.

That’s not to say I’m proclaiming I know everything there is to know about environmental stewardship. I don’t. But what I do know is that I have a pretty darn good base, a quality network of eco-minded folks and resources, and the desire to educate.

Not sure where to start? Need a nudge to jog your memory about bewildering eco topics? Let’s go with the basics. Send me any and all questions you have about recycling. What does my city take…where does recycling go…why can’t I recycle this or that. Anything you can think of about recycling, send it over.

Is it better to eat local or organic? First, kudos for pondering this ever-so-important question. The question of supporting the local movement or the organic trend is highly debated among environmentalists, scientists, and everyday folks. No matter which you decide, you’re choosing right because you’re supporting healthier growing practices.

Though organic foods don’t use pesticides, chemicals, synthetic matter, or genetically modified materials to grow food, the largest of organic farms are located in California a mere 3,000 miles away, which means that your food takes a cross-country journey on a tractor-trailer. But, it’s organic which is important to support.

Local food may or may not be organically grown, but it’s romantically produced from your neighboring farmer. Here is where the scales tilt for me. I know the farmers who grow the food at our local farmer’s market. I know the process of being certified organic. The majority of farmers who graciously deliver produce to our farmer’s market practice organic farming methods and just aren’t certified and that’s okay with me.

Certifying farms to done the USDA organic seal entails documenting a complete history of substances used on the farmland for the past three years which usually requires a lull in farming for three years and most working farms can’t halt production for 12 seasons to abide by this step.

The huge benefit of eating local means you’ll patronize farmer’s markets, shortening the time from which food is harvested to the end-use when it’s prepped for your dinner plate. And perhaps the most important feature of local eating is that you’ll eat seasonally by default which makes your tasty produce less expensive, planet-friendly, and healthy.

December eNewsletter

2009-12-10T14:57:00.003-05:00

This newsletter is a personal favorite. Lots of great green goodies included as well as links to eco wrapping and shopping.

Give it a read!

Green Holiday Shopping Guide

2009-12-10T13:21:00.000-05:00

Posted Thursday, December 10th, 2009 at 11:32 am on AltDaily.com
by Amelia Baker

In an ideal world of eco-fashion, we wouldn’t even buy (um, consume) anything new.
But let’s face it; we need a happy medium. Eventually, after you’ve become an enlightened planet warrior you may rethink the overzealous gift-giving. Honestly, I love giving gifts but I make sure they have a purpose.

So here you have it–a one-of-a kind, tailored Green Shopping Guide for Hampton Roads. Well, it’s kind of skewed to the Southside because I don’t get out of my Norfolk bubble too terribly much. Though I would love to give you suggestions that selfishly lead you to Green Alternatives for all of your holiday wares, I’ll restrain and give you the goods from other Hampton Roads’ fabulous mom-and-pops too.

The Parents

CSA Subscription | A CSA is Community Supported Agriculture and subscriptions are offered in seasons. The upcoming CSA package starts in January, runs 12 weeks and is $15 a week or $180. Every Saturday, the parents pick up a bag chock full of local produce. www.5ptsfarmmarket.org.

The Siblings

Manure | Show them you give a $*%! with the gift of poo. No joke, manure is actually a pretty awesome gift. It’s a donation to farmers for them to purchase manure to sustain their crops. The Oxfam site has SO many other fun gifts like this so be sure to shop around on the site. $12 www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.com
Naro 10-Pack | Everyone loves a good flick and you can’t beat the prices for the Naro 10-pack. $58 www.narocinema.com

The BFF

Dinner at The Boot or Pasha Mezze | Why not celebrate your friendship with a fantastic, relaxing evening of good food and good drink that’s local, local, local. The Boot & Pasha buy from local farmers and take pride in offering seasonal, delicious fare. www.insidetheboot.com or www.pashamezze.com
Gift Card Extravaganza | Stop by your local favorites and pick up a gift card from each. Maybe you pick up gift certificates from the places you and your BFF love, love, love so it means more.

The Significant Other

Amazon Kindle | I’m assuming you may be more inclined to spend a few bucks on the other half. That being said, the Kindle is a super gift. It’s totally tree free and offers up less expensive books, magazines, newspaper, and blog subscriptions. $259 www.amazon.com
A Day to Enjoy the Scenery | Plan a day that will allow you and your favorite person to really soak up local surroundings. Maybe enjoy a sunrise at the oceanfront, a breakfast picnic at a park, a kayak ride in one of our waterways, lunch at a local establishment. The possibilities are endless and this one’s a surefire way to save a few bucks too. Hampton Roads has a lot to offer; get out there and see it!

The Outdoorsman/woman

Stainless Steel Reusable Bottle | This reusable, safe gift will be your outdoorsman’s best friend. Green because it’s durable and reusable over and over and over. $13.99 – $33.99 www.greenalternativesstore.com
Chico Bag Day Pack | An awesome gift that I know your outdoorswoman doesn’t have yet because they just came out a few months ago. It’s the perfect size for a day’s pack, hence the name, and folds into itself for easy storage. $23.99 www.greenalternativesstore.com
Norfolk Botanical Gardens Membership | An annual membership not only supports the local gardens, but grants access to more than 155 acres and includes a slew of membership perks and discounts. $45 www.norfolkbotanicalgarden.org

The Environmentalist

Kiva Gift Certificate | Kiva is a medium for fortunate folks like us to offer up small loans to entrepreneurial spirits in developing countries. They’re loans so the money comes back and then can be reinvested. Gift certificates start at $25. www.kiva.org
American Forests Offset | American Forests helps calculate how much carbon annually needs to be offset with tree planting. The average single family household would need to planet about 112 trees so at $1 per tree, you do the math. And, you’re not limited to annual offsets. You can plant as many or few trees as you’d like. www.americanforests.org
Farm Market Bucks | Your favorite eco person surely will be supporting local fare. The Five Points Community Farm Market offers gift certificates so your loved ones can stock up on goodies. www.5ptsfarmmarket.org

The Friend Who Has EVERYTHING

Mail Stopper | They might have everything so why not help clear out some waste. Mail Stopper is a company that works with all of the junk mail offenders to stop those wasteful messes from ending up in your mailbox. $20 for an annual membership www.tonicmailstopper.com.
Elliot’s FairGrounds Coffee Gift Certificate | Even if they have it all, they’ll probably still need a caffeine fix and Elliot’s serves up guilt free coffee and tea that’s organic and fair trade. www.fairgroundscoffee.com

The Trendsetter

Reclaimed /Reworked Gifts | It’s pretty amazing what can come of junk. From earrings made of bottle caps to bangles from busted skateboard decks to appetizer platters from wine bottles, the gifts are abundant and guilt-free. www.greenalternativesstore.com but the actual store has the full selection.
Yoga Sessions | Help your trendsetting pal find peace at one of the amazing studios in Hampton Roads like The Space Above or Hot House Yoga.

The Boss

Organic & Fair Trade Coffee | Pick up a selection of coffee goodies that promise to be easy on the planet and the growers. A personal favorite is Dean’s Beans which is what I have at the store, but there are definitely a spread of options at many markets and coffee shops around town. Usually about $10-$11 a bag.
Farm Market Basket | Custom tailor your basket for the boss by picking and choosing from the Five Point Community Farm Market holiday jams, jellies, and more. Starting mid-December you pick the budget, the basket, and the goods. The market will package it up nice and pretty for you. www.5ptsfarmmarket.org

Just the other day I was chatting with a friend about holiday gifts. We both agreed that gifts should only be given if the gift-giver put thought into the present. It really is the thought that counts so make sure your gifts have a purpose this year. Show your greenness and passion for all things earthy by supporting local or thoughtful, philanthropic endeavors. If you’re at a total loss and are low on funds, volunteer with a friend or family member. You’ll both get more out of it than you would ever think.

Disclaimer: There are SO many local establishments that are worthy of your patronage, not just the ones mentioned in this article. Please be sure to visit your favorite spots and support them this holiday season.

Volunteer This Holiday Season

2009-12-08T10:53:00.002-05:00

'Tis the season for gift giving...why not give a little more this year. Donate your time, a monetary gift, or another useful item to a needy foundation. With wallets tighter than ever, our worthy non-profits are needing some extra hands and help.

A mom contacted the store last week because her daughter wanted to support CHKD. She had made those fun bird feeders from pine cones, peanut butter, and seeds and asked me to sell them in the store. Of course, I did. What a great idea to get kids involved and donate a little much needed cash-ola.

Or, just donate your time. Check out www.volunteerhr.org to see a schedule of events for local charities or maybe check with some of the local groups you work with or have admired in the past. I'm sure they could use a helping hand.

Give Thanks Greener

2009-11-23T13:03:00.000-05:00

Posted Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 8:31 pm on AltDaily.com
by Amelia Baker

Turkey Day is quickly approaching.

It happens to be one of my favorite days of the year. What’s not to like? Food, naps, more food, lazy lounging on the couch, and more food. But Thanksgiving at the Baker household, as one would imagine, is slightly out of the norm.

Besides the fact that I love having a day off dedicated to food which gives me the time and motivation to bake bread and make gravy from scratch, I enjoy everything that the day stands for. Thanks and giving with family and friends.

I was planning out Thursday’s event calendar to make sure we stayed true to our green roots when I thought that others aspiring to be a little greener this year may want some helpful tips and hints. Here are a few of the earthy activities we’ll be sure to incorporate into family fun.

The Main Event – Thanksgiving Dinner:

There’s a reason why sweet potatoes, cranberries, greens, and the usual fixins’ are side dish staples. They’re in season, so why not get them from your local growers. Just the other night, I scooped up red potatoes, garlic, sweet potatoes, onions, fresh herbs, and more at the local Farmer’s Market (and they were organic too). Eating local helps to build a sustainable community, cuts down on carbon output, and dishes up fresh, delicious veggies that come straight from the farm to your plate.

Of course, there’s no mentioning Thanksgiving dinner without talking turkey. For the veg readers, I’m sure you are keen on faux turkey, tofurkey. But for the meat eaters out there, make sure that bird is free range and organic. Free range foul grazes the open fields and allows your main dish to naturally feast on salad and insects.

If you’re feeling inspired, keep up the green work…

Serve up your masterpiece dinner on reusable dishes and flatware.
Take advantage of cloth napkins. You’ll be shocked at how few paper towels you go through; green and money-saver.
Be a locavore. Cut down on your travel and spend Thanksgiving at home with friends and family to keep your carbon footprint in check.
If you’ve made such a kick-ass meal that everyone’s part of the clean plate club, kudos to you. Most guests have eyes bigger than their bellies so you might have some scraps left over. Compost what you can and give the doggie some love too.
Cleaning house is begrudgingly a mandatory exercise for the host family so make sure you’re scrubbing with non-toxic and biodegradable cleaners.
For those loving the harvest décor, tap into the great outdoors for your centerpieces and beyond instead of buying new. Or check out the thrift stores.
Recycle. I’m certain that when family comes together, many gladly indulge in tasty libations. Instead of trashing empty bottles and cans, recycle them.
Since we’re talking drinks, scoop up some local beer and wine from your neighborhood market. Virginia and Carolina can brew a tasty pumpkin ale that will perfectly complement your feast.

And you thought you just needed to prep the menu. It’s easy, seriously. The Baker household is hosting Thanksgiving this year and we wouldn’t have it any other way. When we host, we get to push our tree-huggin’ values on the rest of our family for just one day. I know there are some creative folks out there. Share the love and post your planet-saving Thanksgiving tips too.

Local Review: No Impact Man

2009-10-28T12:59:00.000-04:00

Posted Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 7:25 am on AltDaily.com
by Amelia Baker

We all have a negative impact on the planet, everyday. Well, all of us except Colin Beavan.

In No Impact Man, Colin Beavan drags his wife Michelle and daughter Isabella along for a 365-day project to live with no impact. That means absolutely zero environmental footprint as a result of their daily lives. Why would someone want to do this? To know if one person can actually make a difference. With camera crews in tow and frequent blog postings about the phases of creating no impact, Beavan set off to cast no environmental shadow.

No Impact Man is exactly that. No caffeine. No electricity. No restaurants. No vacation. No meat. It’s a lot of NOs, but the begrudging wife, Michelle, is the one to point out that these NOs are what kept them inside. Without television, air conditioning, and lights, you actually get out a little more and you gain money, health, fun, and time.

As you can tell, Beavan takes things really, really far. Even environmentalists question his integrity and methods, saying he’s going too extreme, he’s not relatable; he’s that kooky environmental nut giving tree-huggers a bad name. But, honestly, I got what he was doing. There were no expectations for anyone else to follow his no impact trail, but only a desire to engage the masses, make them pay attention, wake up.

This quest to get rid of the waste exposes and further emphasizes over-packaged products lining the shelves of every store. One of my favorite quotes from the film was “Where did all of this crap come from?” Seriously. Where did all of this crap come from?

As an American, it’s your duty to shop, shop, shop. Consume. Consume. Consume. When you dump your money in exchange for excess, you’re being a good American. Right? I don’t know, maybe, but it’s pretty tough to be a good environmental steward if you’re in overconsumption mode.

There’s a point in the film when Colin has decided to wash his clothes in the bath tub to conserve energy. His daughter, Isabella, excitedly joins dad stomping clothes like grapes and mom comes to take in the fact that this is how laundry will be done for the next year. I was certain she would not be agreeable. It was heartwarming and sweet when she rolled up her pants, climbed in the tub, and helped with the unconventional washing.

It’s short and it makes an impact, in a good way. So, can one person make a difference? I think so. By the end of the project, 200 NYU students signed on for a one-week carbon cleanse. That one person engaged and provoked others to reflect on personal consumption and waste was the point. Not only was the film worth the watch, but Colin Beavan proves that happiness does not need to be something you buy off the shelf. There’s a way to get what you want, just do it in a sustainable way.

It’s a cliché, but it makes me teary every time I say it. One person really can change the world. Amazing.

No Impact Man plays tonight at The Naro with speakers and discussion at 7:30.

The Most Environmentally Friendly Way to Eat Meat: Buy The Whole Cow

2009-10-14T12:56:00.000-04:00

Posted Wednesday, October 14th, 2009 at 12:51 pm on AltDaily.com
by Amelia Baker

Growing up, I didn’t realize that feedlots existed.

My homeland was a sleepy farm town where cows roamed the vast green fields dusting the landscape of our borough. That’s right, it wasn’t even a city, it was a borough. The borough of Waynesburg, Pennsylvania to be exact; a small community of less than 5,000 in Southwestern PA very near the border of West Virginia.

You need to know this to fully understand why and how my family purchased meat. Every year, at the annual Greene County Fair the festivities included much of what you would expect from a fair; rides, carnies, candy apples, funnel cakes. But, we had a few extras in the mix to make our fair special. Every night of that first week in August when the fair lit up the countryside, you could go to one of the many barns onsite and bid on an animal. I can’t quite remember the full lineup, but I know options definitely included lamb, steer (both dairy and beef), and pig.

I know what you’re thinking, but stick with me on this one. I have a point.

My parents would join forces with three other families and we would head to the steer (aka cow) auction which always happened on Thursday night at the fair. We would sit in the grandstands and as the show steer came out with their owners. My parents and the other families they were in cahoots with would huddle-up and decide on their top choices. As the auctioneer rattled off strings of sentences and what sounded like a bunch of drivel, auction paddles would raise and steer would sell.

For an entire year, we would have some of the freshest, best beef. That’s right; one-fourth of a cow fed our family of five for an entire year. To me, feedlots didn’t exist. Our meat was bred from loving farm families (of which we knew), grass-fed, and free-range.

I jumped right in and mentioned feedlot, grass-fed, free-range, and such but didn’t really tell you what these things mean in the steer community. Let me take you through a day in the life.

Normally, it would take a cow three to four years to grow to the twelve hundred or so full-grown pounds meriting it worthy for slaughter. For all intents and purposes, my family sharing a cow with four other families would mean that we were sustainably harvesting our beef. Naturally, cows like to eat grass. They have this cycle where they eat grass and other herbivorous goodies, their manure fertilizes the land, and the cycle starts over again.

Cows have this fermentation chamber, the rumen, which breaks down grass. It’s their destiny to eat flowing fields of green, but today, cows don’t eat grass. They eat corn. They eat corn because we have so much flippin’ corn surplus that our government had no idea what to do with it so they subsidized it making it the cheapest feed on the market. Cows can’t even break down corn so they also have to be fed a mixture of other cow bits and pharmaceuticals that allow their complex digestion track the faint ability to break down this ridiculous mixture of food.

Besides the fact that it’s bovine nature to graze fields of grass not be stuffed full of corn, cow, and drugs; our cows don’t actually get the chance to forage. They are confined into pens where they live shoulder to shoulder, knee deep in their own feces. And, with their new diet, they reach slaughter weight in about 18 months or so instead of four years.

A system, which for so long, has been an ingenious display of the ability of nature to cyclically sustain itself has been exposed to industrialization. This new, fancy system has now created a shortage of fertilization which must be remedied with chemical fertilizers and has also created a significant pollution problem. By this, I mean that it’s created a giant surplus of concentrated waste that has been subjected to drugs which washes into our waterways and harms our plant and marine life.

For all of my youth, I had no idea (and either did my family) that I was supporting natural, sustainable beef. Now that I’m aware, I am ever so grateful to have had those experiences as a young child. Though it’s slightly more difficult to find a Greene County-like steer auction, they exist in our fine Hampton Roads metropolis. If you’re in the market for beef, take a look at the package, but beware of tricky wording like vegetarian diet because corn is a veggie.

No More SPSA Curbside Recycling: One Little Step Back to Take A Big Step Forward

2009-09-17T12:54:00.000-04:00

Posted Thursday, September 17th, 2009 at 2:35 pm on AltDaily.com
by Amelia Baker

When the reports about SPSA (Southeastern Public Service Authority) discontinuing its curbside recycling made front page news a few weeks back, I was so very excited. Why? First of all, to set the record straight, Hampton Roads’ recycling isn’t going anywhere. It’s just getting a face lift.

But I’m excited because this means that our clunky recycling program is getting a much-needed shot to better its services.

Allow me to elaborate on why I think it’s pretty darn great that SPSA is finally throwing in the towel. Though there are financial and logistical reasons that this turn of events is oh so good, I must tell you about my very first experience with SPSA.

If you’ve been to Green Alternatives, you know that we offer ourselves up as a drop-off point to encourage residents to recycle many things, including batteries. One morning, my husband loaded up his trunk full of batteries that we’d excitedly collected and took them to SPSA to be recycled during one of their highly inconvenient hazardous waste collection days. He got there only to find out that they wouldn’t take them from us.

The reason? The mere fact that Green Alternatives was a business and not a “resident” made us ineligible to take our hazardous waste to SPSA. Infuriated, I called SPSA in a tizzy ready to defend my position as a local do-gooder who was just trying to do the right thing.

Thirty minutes later, I was in a yelling match with one of the directors which went something like,“Are you kidding me that you would rather me throw 400 pounds of batteries into the trash instead of recycling them?!?” and the response was “Sorry, we can’t help you.” Keeping this family-friendly, I won’t share the entire dialog, but know that my strongly worded threats went nowhere. So there you have it. That was my first experience with SPSA, which was less than pleasant.

Other than my personal resentment, hear me out on actual business faux-pas. For a while, SPSA has been fighting bankruptcy. Its barely afloat business has been offered buy-out packages from RDS and ReEnergy which were all quickly shot-down. At inception, SPSA was worth about $8 million and now is only worth about $4 million. If you ask me, when your business is only worth half of what it cost to start it up 20+ years later, you clearly must be doing something wrong; besides the fact that it’s in the red $240 million.

So you see: SPSA’s lackluster performance coming to an end is a blessing. Now, the fine cities that make up Hampton Roads are free to contract with the best of the best. After the news was publicized earlier this month, I promptly called my local municipality to encourage the adoption of a recycling program that actually recycles. It’s rather frustrating to throw away plastic tubs and containers when they can ALL be recycled. I hate telling eager greenies that unfortunately our area doesn’t offer any recycling of plastics unless they’re bottle-shaped. It takes a little wind out of my sail every time I have to utter those depressing words.

Because I strongly believe that you can’t complain about something unless you furnish a valid solution, I’ve done some research and would like to offer up the answer to our recycles woes: Recycle Bank, a genius concept that gathers phenomenal amounts of recycling and rewards households with gift cards and other goodies just for recycling. If you haven’t heard of this fantastic firm, you should check them out.

Though this is my very personal and somewhat biased opinion, I felt it necessary to vent about my SPSA debacle because now is the time to pass on your two cents before another shoddy contract is signed for our curbside recycling programs.

Thrive Magazine

2009-09-11T16:31:00.004-04:00

Hey Thrive Fans,

I must say that I was stoked to learn that Thrive, a magazine dedicated to healthy, sustainable living, had arrived earlier this year. Gina, the publisher, is a fantastic person and I wished her nothing but success in her journey to bring a greenie rag to Hampton Roads' more than 1.6 million residents. In true green form, Gina will be converting Thrive to online reading and paid print/mailed issues at the beginning of 2010 which I think is an excellent option. Let's face it, web reading is the way to go. In a moment's notice, a new hot story could be posted a kick-butt product reviewed and so on.

Anyway, the reason for the rambling is to encourage all of the local greenies (and beyond) to sign up for Thrive's e-subscription. Don't worry, it's totally free!

Here's the link to sign up for the paperless Thrive.

September Newsletter

2009-09-03T13:38:00.002-04:00

Check out the September Green Alternatives Newsletter -- HERE!!

Trash Talk: What Happens to Hampton Roads’ Trash?

2009-09-03T12:46:00.000-04:00

Posted Thursday, September 3rd, 2009 at 6:39 pm on AltDaily.com
by Amelia Baker

The adage “throw away” is rather misleading because when you throw something away, it doesn’t really go away. It actually heads to one of about 3,000 active landfills littering the country. As a Seven Cities local, rolling your 95-gallon cart to the curb every week you probably don’t give it a second thought, but let’s follow your garbage to the grave.

If you’re feeling up to it, you can absolutely take a field trip to follow your trash, however I’m sure not too many of you are up for visiting a sticky, smelly, seagull-swirling mound of refuse. And, if you took the trip to see the absurd amount of trash, you’d probably be appalled.

Just think; the average American generates more than 4 pounds of trash a day – Hampton Roads has about 1.6 million residents which suggests our local community generates 6.4 million pounds of trash a day and 2.3 billion pounds of waste a year. (Trash estimate based on average accumulation per day and local resident population.)

True to schedule, your friendly haulers from Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA) lift and dump every week. Trash heads over to the waste management plant before finding its final destination path. Some junk is bound for the waste to energy plant in Portsmouth. The remainder realizes its terminal resting place in the Suffolk landfill.

Landfills, by the way, with all of the layers upon layers of garbage, are separated from the earth beneath them with a thin (0.1 inches thick) plastic liner. Though much of our trash would probably decompose naturally and break down (plastics excluded), conditions in dumps don’t allow for much degradation.

During the slow landfill breakdown, a fairly significant amount of methane gas is released. You may be familiar with methane gas in the form of cow burps. Methane can be used as a fuel source and our local Newport News landfill captures methane and uses it to power the plant. Hey, at least the dump is a little green.

Rubbish that makes it to the energy plant is burned to produce power. This might sound environmentally sound, but trash burning has implications too in the form of chemicals released during burn, ash, and air pollution.

Knowing all of this weighs on the conscience of myself and my husband. That’s why we work our tails off to buy products with minimal packaging, to compost, to recycle, and to reuse as often as possible. All of these fantastic alternatives divert about 80% of our weekly accumulation, leaving us with less than five pounds of trash a week.

I’m pretty sure landfills will continue to be a prominent part of the waste process, but this is where every little bit will help. Challenge yourselves to reduce your trash pile every week. By using your local recycling program you can give cans, bottles, cardboard, and paper a new life.

Do something cool. Recycle.

Blue Goes Green: The Greening of ODU

2009-08-20T12:43:00.001-04:00

Posted Thursday, August 20th, 2009 at 1:22 pm on AltDaily.com
by Amelia Baker

As I sat across from Doug Alexander in ODU’s Spong Hall, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

I had set up this meeting to learn everything there was to know about the greening of ODU. Frankly, I knew ODU was participating in a few stewardship activities and that summed up my knowledge on the subject. By meeting’s end, I was overwhelmed with six pages of scrawling notes and to be completely honest, I have no idea where to start.

What I do know is…I’m a proud alum and am swelling with pride because Old Dominion University is one of the greenest universities in the State of Virginia. For me to list everything they’re doing would be entirely too windy to share with the group so I’ll touch on a few of my favs that fit in with the ever-so-catchy Reduce, Reuse, Recycle alliteration.

{REDUCE}

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that ODU now has a football team and imagine what the water bill will be to keep that gridiron green and groomed. Worry not because under Foreman Field is a cistern collecting rainwater to be used for sprinkler systems. And that’s not the only rainwater harvest system on campus. Two other systems collect water used for university gardening.

{REUSE}

It's going to take a lot of (recycled) blue to keep this field green.
I’m a reuser of everything. I hate throwing things away so it was awesome to hear that at the end of the school year, ODU hosts Donate It, Don’t Dump It. Students bring dumpster-bound items, take what they need from the pile, and anything not claimed is trucked off to a local charity thrift store.

What about reusing algae (aka seaweed) to perhaps replace that dirty, foreign oil we Americans can’t get enough of? A group of smarties on campus have successfully transformed algae into biodiesel and this small prototype is producing 200 gallons a day.

{RECYCLE}

The foundation of all things green is recycling and in a measly two years, ODU more than doubled recycling rates from 500 thousand pounds to well over 1 million pounds diverted from landfills.

This fun fact is most definitely worth noting. Many of the tree trimmings from campus are taken over to the Norfolk Zoo to feed a select few herbivorous animals like hippos and elephants. Oh, for crying out loud!

So when I say ODU is one of the greenest institutions in all the land (in Virginia, at least), I can absolutely say this with confidence. They were sole recipients of the Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award in 2008 and constructed the first state university LEED certified building, among others.

I sit here writing about ODU’s accomplishments in the green arena like I’m a cheerleader encouraging them to go-fight-win. As much as it pains me to say this, I am kind of being a cheerleader. I’m in their corner and can’t wait to hear more.

If you’re interested in reading all of my meeting notes, check out greenalternativesstore.blogspot.com. A full menu of ODU green goodies is there for the reading. Special thanks to Doug Alexander, Associate Director of Environmental Health & Science for taking 90 minutes out of his very busy schedule to meet with me and for keeping it green.

Blue Goes Green

2009-08-19T21:48:00.006-04:00

ODU is going green! I met with the Associate Director of Environmental Health & Safety, Doug Alexander, earlier today and learned a lot about what the university is doing to green things up around campus.

This blog post is an appendix to the article posted on 24 Seven Cities.

Many of the cleaning products are Green Seal certified.
Much of the lighting has retrofitted to maximize efficiency.
ODU was the first state school to build a LEED certified structure.
Recycling has more than doubled in the past two years from 500 thousand pounds to more than 1 million pounds.
The school started Donate It, Don't Dump It which is kind of like a huge swapping party for students.
All new structures on campus meet LEED Silver status.
50% of all construction waste is diverted from the landfills and recycled.
Two electric trucks were acquired for the grounds department.
Rain water is harvested in two cisterns and used for lawn projects.
A new bike rental program is available for students and for those with bikes, a maintenance crew is available to help fix busted rides.
The university has developed an Environmental Advisory Committee to stay abreast of new greenie movements.
ODU has two Adopt-A-Streams on the Elizabeth & Lafayette Rivers.
A graduate student on campus is working on a Greenhouse Gas Inventory for the school.
A central chiller plant was installed which reduces energy consumption.
B10 biodiesel is used for all diesel vehicles on campus.
ODU Dining Services eliminated the use of trays in the cafeteria which reduced the amount of waste.
There are two rain gardens on campus.
A nutrient management plan is in place which eliminates the need for fertilizer on many of the school's grounds.
There's a green roof on part of the BAL building.
Tree clippings are taken to the Norfolk Zoo to feed some of the animals.
The Education Dept developed an Environmental Curriculum which rolled out in the Norfolk Elementary School System.
ODU is a Model Level (highest rank) for the River Stars Program.

I received more tid-bits on the greening of ODU and the list could go on and on. You're awesome ODU!

Green Travel

2009-08-16T20:39:00.006-04:00

There are many ways to green your travel and here are just a few...

Opt for taking public transportation like the train or bus instead of flying.
If you have to fly, look for direct flights and offset your carbon at AmericanForests.com.
Before you leave the house, adjust your heating/cooling systems to save energy.
Unplug all of your appliances and chargers.
Use reusable travel-size bottles
Make sure you take your stainless steel water bottle.
Look for accommodations that are green. GreenHotels.com is a great reference tool.
Choose an environmental destination. National Geographic's Center for Sustainable Destinations scores based on each destination's stewardship.
Maintain your greenie lifestyle habits while on vacation. Remember to turn off lights, walk when possible, support small local shops and restaurants.
In 2010, AAA will be adding an eco-designation which will help when making green travel choices.
Be sure to bring a reusable bag for souvenir shopping.
If you need a car rental, look for a hybrid option.
If you're a coffee or tea drinker, consider packing your travel mug.
Pack light to save fuel on travel.

My review of Food Inc

2009-08-10T11:31:00.002-04:00

My husband and I finally got a chance to go see Food Inc at the lovely Naro theater last night. I had heard a few rave reviews about the film and to be completely honest, I wasn't sure if I wanted to go see it. I knew that I would see and learn things that I wouldn't be able to forget and I was absolutely right.

Watching the film broke my heart! I was torn to bits seeing what has happened to our food system. I know and practice eating local and love buying from my local farmer's market but I need to take it to another level.

The movie takes you into a world that few know anything about. Though our country was built on farming, most of America is so far removed from the actual farm that I think we feel like it's still old farm houses, overalls, tractors, and good old-fashioned farming. That's not really how it works these days.

I actually started tearing up during the movie because it was just so sad to see what's happened to our food system and how our animals are treated. It's touching, brutally honest, and I hope to goodness that politicians everywhere see this movie and actually do something about it.

Come to think of it, the Creigh Deeds for Governor campaign group just set up shop right next door to the store. I might just pop over and chat with the volunteers about the movie. I've never been into political battles, but I may just have to start dabbling in legislature a bit because it NEEDS to be changed.

I've said many times to the customers in the store that you should vote with your dollars. This film proves that it works! It works so well that your "voting" has encouraged Wal-Mart to offer organic options.

There's so much more that I could share about the movie, but it would really hit home if you just went to see it. Please go. It's an educational experience that everyone should have.

How Green is the Seven Cities?

2009-08-06T12:39:00.001-04:00

Posted Thursday, August 6th, 2009 at 12:58 pm on AltDaily.com

What does green mean to locals?
by Amelia Baker

My dear friend and local photographer Jessica told me that while she was in the military the phrase “Ignorance is not an excuse” was frequently used. I do believe this phrase should translate to environmentalism and beyond.

Let me start by saying that I live in a green bubble. I own a green store, my husband is as green or greener than me, as is his family. All of my friends are green, and my parents and siblings are amenable to my green ways (whether they know it or not).

Now, you might think that I am some crazy extreme environmentalist that couldn’t possibly relate to why people live in a disposable world consuming so much every day. I’ll admit that I am crazy about making sure my own life treads lightly on this wondrous planet, but I get it. I know that every change makes a huge difference and for some people even the smallest of changes seems like a huge sacrifice. I get it, and I’m grateful for all green steps, big or small.

I am more than thrilled that eyes are opening up to the fact that we have limited resources, which we can’t go on using at this rate. Seriously, did you know that something like 60,000 plastic bags are used every five seconds? Eek! With this staggering stat, seeing more and more people using reusable bags allows me to be a little more at peace.

I’ll admit that I do judge green-ness of products and practices, and I can’t help it. It’s unfortunate that my home, Hampton Roads, comes in sub-par in the green ratings. Why? I’ll kick it off with the all-important matter of recycling. The fact that we have a combination of curbside and community recycling is splendid, but “acceptable” recyclables leaves quite a bit of trash in the trashcan. All plastics are recyclable, yet we can only recycle bottle-shaped plastic through our local service.

Wouldn’t it be great if everything wasn’t packaged in plastic? Um yeah, but that’s not reality. So instead we continue to pile up the landfills with items that should be recycled. But just because we might not win the battle against plastic doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be our greenest.

Here Are Three Ways Hampton Roads Can (And Should) Be Greener:

In my previous life in Huntington Beach, California, we didn’t have recycling bins. Gasp; a California town with no recycling bins?!?!? Yep, we had no bins, but everything that could be recycled got recycled. Why? ALL trash was sorted and the recyclables were pulled out. It was kind of like mandatory recycling. We could absolutely do that here in Hampton Roads, and bump the depressing results showing less than half of locals actually recycling.

On a bigger scale, did you know that our local coastline is one of the few ideal locations for offshore wind turbines? Theoretically if we jumped on this concept, we can produce sustainable energy for ourselves and sell energy to others around the country. And did you know that this wind energy concept would actually be less expensive than building and maintaining a coal plant? Right here in our own backyard is this amazing opportunity to lead the charge in sustainable, renewable energy–but damned if I don’t hear how this will NEVER happen. (I’ll admit that my political side isn’t quite as polished, so I’m sure there is somewhat of a political, bureaucratic nightmare holding this up.)

Something that I do believe Hampton Roads residents are exceptional at is supporting the local economy. The shiny, new word locavore is as big a part of the green community as any other notion. Being local saves a ton of carbon. Something like 1.1 billion barrels of oil would be conserved each week if Americans ate a locally produced meal just once per week. Fortunately, the cities that make up Hampton Roads offer eclectic mixes of neighborhoods that are home to many mom-and-pop boutiques, and residents are all for supporting these establishments. Lucky us, for having fantastic community agriculture projects that bring fresh local produce to the many farm markets scattered throughout the area. Two points for Hampton Roads leaning local.

So to conclude my highly opinionated thoughts and try to sell you on green, I’ll leave you dear readers with an analogy (as I hear that one good analogy is worth three hours of discussion): Green is to Hampton Roads as paint is to a wall. They both exist exclusively, but would really shine together.

Get going on your three-hour discussion…

August Newsletter

2009-07-31T15:30:00.009-04:00

Hi Greenies!

August is here and my it's hot out there! I hope you are all staying cool and having a fantastic summer. As you know, we're moving to a new location at the end of October which you can read more about on our blog.

Here's your August-edition of the newsletter and be sure to give it a good scan because there's a lot going on with school approaching and summer ending!

BACK TO SCHOOL SAVINGS @ GREEN ALTERNATIVES

Why not go green with back-to-school supplies! Green Alternatives is offering 15% off 50+ greenie school items. Check out the CATALOG, send over your selections, and we'll be sure to have your items packaged and ready for pick up later this month. Items like Klean Kanteens, Laptop Lunches, and other products that rarely go on sale are offered in our back-to-school promotion. Pre-order deadline is August 12.

NEW PRODUCTS @ GREEN ALTERNATIVES

Wrap N’ Mat Snack Pouch | Similar to the Wrap N Mat original, the snack pouch is slightly larger and when opened stays in pouch form to hold cookies, crackers, fruit and more. The pouches are a great find to get rid of those plastic baggies for good!

Klean Kanteen Bottle Filter Adapters | Compatible with most standard backcountry water filters, the new Klean Kanteen adapter assures you can use your favorite stainless steel bottle anywhere.

Bi-O-Kleen Soy Lube | A sustainable, effective lubricant that is safe for you and the Earth! Soy Lube has hundreds of uses penetrating, lubricating, cleaning, protecting, and sealing areas.

EcoTools Bamboo Brushes | Earth-friendly bamboo make-up tools by EcoTools are cruelty-free, crafted from natural and sustainable materials, and housed in a reusable storage bag.

SnackTAXI Pouches | SnackTAXIs have finally arrived at the store and are going quick. They are snack/sandwich pouches that offer waste-free lunch and snack time in style. Pouches come in fun, trendy prints making it hard to pick just one!

A RECYCLING PROJECT...

We're working on a new project at Green Alternatives and need your help! We want your plastic bags! Ok, we don't want the plastic grocery bags that you would get from Farm Fresh or the like. Those can be recycled at your local Farm Fresh already. What we want are the plastic food bags and other plastic shopping bags that you would get from a store at the mall. Thanks in advance for helping out with our recycling project. We'll be sure to update you on our project after we get started!

DON'T FORGET

Biokleen Bac-Out Refills | Save 20% on each BacOut Refill! 16 oz Biokleen Bottles are $8.49 and if you bring your bottle back, we’ll refill it for $6.99!

Charlie's Soap Refills | Save per load with a Charlie's Soap Refill! Bring your Charlie's canvas bag to the store and we'll refill it for $11.99. That will make your laundry $0.14 per load; a savings of $0.03 per load.

New Recycling | Save your lids and caps, Kashi packaging, Bear Naked wrappers, candy bar wrappers, and cookie wrappers. We can now take these items for recycling at the store. Pretty soon you'll have nothing left in that trash bag! YAY!

GREENIE EVENTS IN HAMPTON ROADS

Chesapeake Green Drinks | August 6 @ 5:30 pm | aloft Hotel, Chesapeake, VA
First Thursdays are green! Networking and conversation with eco-savvy locals.

Norfolk Green Drinks | August 12 @ 5:30 pm | The Boot, Norfolk, VA
Great conversation with friendly eco-minded people, after-work relaxation and fun! Plus: Wednesday nights are Virginia Beer nights, drafts are $2!

Rain Barrel Workshop | August 19 @ 6 pm | Green Alternatives, Norfolk, VA
Come out to this 1 ½ hour workshop and build your own rain barrel! It’s $60 per rain barrel making person and all materials will be supplied. This is a hands on workshop and when it’s over you will have your very own rain barrel. The deadline to register is August 14. Register on the Green Alternatives website or on facebook.

Va Beach Green Drinks | August 20 @ 6 pm | Croc's Bistro, Virginia Beach, VA
Enjoy locally-produced food and eco-friendly beverages while talking to your green buddies!

Swapping Shindig | August 25 @ 6 pm | Green Alternatives, Norfolk, VA
Clean out your closets and bring your former favorites (clothes, accessories, and shoes) along with your favorite beverage. Here are the rules…bring in a grocery-sized bag or larger along with your beverage of choice. We’ll provide the snacks and you’ll enjoy swapping your oldies but goodies with others for FREE!

GREENIE TIP
Washing machines use a ton of energy, but did you know that 90% of that energy goes into heating the water? Forget the warm and hot wash cycles. Instead, keep the dial on cold and be sure to launder with eco-friendly detergent!

Keeping it green,
Amelia

GREEN ALTERNATIVES
801 Boush Street, Suite C
Norfolk, VA 23510
757.622.1444
www.greenalternativesstore.com
shop@greenalternativesstore.com

Did you hear?
We're moving to the Five Points Community Farm Market
Effective October 26, 2009 our new address will be:
2500 Church Street (Church & 26th)
Norfolk, VA 23504

Let's Swap!

2009-07-28T13:02:00.005-04:00

Green Alternatives is hosting a Swapping Shindig tonight at the store. What's a swapping party? It's a cheap-o greenie way to get some new threads and stay true to your green ways.

Clean out your closets and bring your former favorites (clothes, accessories, and shoes). Here are the rules…bring in a grocery-sized bag or larger along with your beverage of choice. We’ll provide the snacks and you’ll enjoy swapping your oldies but goodies with others for FREE!

We're excited that Fox43 let us chat it up about our swapping party...

Want to see what else Fox43 (and others) have featured about Green Alternatives?
Check out our In The News section on the website or click here.

Green Alternatives is MOVING!

2009-07-27T11:32:00.000-04:00

*Disclaimer...we aren't actually moving until our lease is up at the Boush Street location. We just wanted to share the news and be sure you are all in the loop! The official move dates are below.

As many of you know when my husband and I purchased the business we were in a frantic rush to find a new location and re-open quickly. We also knew that during our first year we would really delve into finding out what would be best for the business as far as product, location, services, and such.

That being said, we have just finalized plans with the local Five Points Farmer's Market in Norfolk at Church & 26th to be a permanent store inside their facility. Besides the fact that we love, love, love the Farmer's Market and all that they are doing for our fine community, we also thought that you too would love our new location.

I took it upon myself to come up with a list of reasons why our move to the market is completely AWESOME!

Many of you are already market shoppers which makes us being there a convenient one-stop-shop!
Our rent will be going to the market, a non-profit, to better support their fabulous community projects.
We'll be able to offer lower pricing on a selection of our products.
Green Alternatives will be able to partner with the market on many community events which is part of being a good greenie and building community.
Our structure will be uber-green crafted from reclaimed pallet wood!
We're hoping to expand our services after the move.
Rest assured that we will still have all of the planet-friendly products you love!

The nitty gritty...
We will officially close the doors at the Boush Street location at 6 pm Saturday, October 24 and will re-open with our shiny new digs at the Farmer's Market Wednesday, October 28.

As always, we encourage questions, comments, and the like.

Keeping it green,
Amelia

2009-07-24T10:59:00.000-04:00

From the desk of Eileen Levandoski, Hampton Roads Conservation Coordinator for the Virginia Chapter of Sierra Club...

Please attend!

Dr. Christine Llewellyn from the Williamsburg Climate Action Network is the guest speaker at tomorrow's (Sat. July 25) Virginia Beach Democratic Committee breakfast meeting, 9:00am at Mom's Kitchen, 3501 Holland Rd. She will present on the Old Dominion Electric Coop's $6 billion 1500 megawatt stinker of a coal plant proposed for the small town of Dendron Virginia, in Surry County just 18 miles upwind from Williamsburg.

The event is free and open to the public. Individual tabs apply.

Also, check out this YouTube video on the Surry coal plant… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh2feci2l54&feature=player_embedded

We Heart the 3/50 Project!!

2009-07-22T16:29:00.000-04:00

Special thanks to Gina Elliott from Thrive Magazine for sending us The 3/50 Project link. What a cool idea!! The project was designed to save the small, local brick & mortar stores that built this fine nation and the concept is simple. Spend $50 a month between three of your fav local stores to show your support and keep them around!

OK we admit that it would be awesome if you took the whole $50 and spent it at Green Alternatives, but we heart all small-businesses and Hampton Roads is bustling with local businesses that create the wonderful landscape of the many neighborhoods in the seven cities.

So please read on to learn more about this project.

New Thinking

2009-07-21T13:47:00.001-04:00

I was just reading the WWF newsletter which featured the video below. I love it! Short and to the point.

Green Alternatives July Newsletter

2009-07-02T12:35:00.000-04:00

Good Day Greenies,

I’m sure you’re gearing up for a fun-filled holiday weekend! As always, we have a lot to share so let’s get to it.

NEW PRODUCTS AT GREEN ALTERNATIVES

We now have Laptop Lunch sleeves for your favorite bento box lunch set. Each sleeve comes with an ice pack to for the perfect compact, chilled waste-free lunch!

Biokleen Bac-Out Refills are here! Now you can bring in your 16 oz empty Bac-Out bottle and we’ll refill it for only $6.99 – that’s 20% off! If you don’t have an empty Bac-Out bottle, feel free to bring in any bottle, any size and we’ll charge you per ounce … 24 oz for $10.49, 32 oz for $13.99, 64 oz for $27.99.

Don’t forget that we still refill your Charlie’s Laundry Soap for $11.99 -- $2.00 off regular price.

Party Packs for the 4th and more are all ready for you! Inside each pack are…25 Large Bagasse Plates, 25 Small Bagasse Plates, 25 Compostable Cups, 50 Recycled Paper Napkins, and 25 Compostable Forks. All of this priced at $10.49 and perfect for summer picnics, parties, and more!

LET’S TALK RECYCLING

We’ve expanded our Terracycle Brigades! You can now bring us the following items to be repurposed into new, fun products:

Mars & Wrigley Candy Wrappers
Kashi Packaging
Bare Naked Bags
Cookie Wrappers

GREEN ALTERNATIVES ECO-MOWING SERVICE

Just a friendly reminder that Green Alternatives has launched its new green lawn care service! We will come and mow your lawn with an eco-friendly electric mower that uses no gas and has no emissions. We’ll bike to mow your lawn with our fun eco-mowing cart in tow or will offset our carbon If we have to use a car to get to you!

Want an estimate on your lawn?
GreenAlternativesStore.com/EcoMowing.html

LOCAL GREENIE EVENTS

Thrive Magazine Launch Party - Friday, July 3rd, 5pm-8pm @ Origins Town Center – Enjoy chair massages, door prizes, organic and natural chocolate, to introduce Thrive to Hampton Roads.

Norfolk Green Drinks - Wednesday July 8th, 5:30pm-8:30pm @ The Boot - Great conversation with friendly eco-minded people, after-work relaxation and fun! Plus, Wednesday nights are Virginia Beer nights, drafts are $2!

Virginia Beach Green Drinks - Thursday July 16th, 6pm-8pm @ Croc’s 19th Street Bistro - Enjoy locally-produced food and eco-friendly beverages while talking to your green buddies! Find out more at Crocs19thStreetBistro.com

Green Alternatives Swapping Party - Tuesday July 28th, 6pm-8pm - Clean out your closets and bring your former favorites (clothes, accessories, and shoes) along with your favorite beverage. Here are the rules…bring in a grocery-sized bag or larger along with your beverage of choice. We’ll provide the snacks and you’ll enjoy swapping your oldies but goodies with others for FREE! Register at GreenAlternativesStore.com/SocialBuzz.html

Red Cross Blood Drive @ Green Alternatives - July 29th,Noon-5:00pm -Come out and donate blood through the American Red Cross! You can walk-in or register at GiveLife.org

HAMPTON ROADS GREEN GALS

A new, local site has launched as part of Go Green Hampton Roads that offers sincere reviews of greenie products from everyday women. Now you can read honest feedback about green products before you buy & try. Read what these ladies have to say at GoGreenHamptonRoads.com/Hampton_Roads_Green_Gals

UNION MISSION WOMEN’S & FAMILY SHELTER DRIVE

We’re still collecting for the shelter! The next time you’re in, feel free to bring in any of the following items:

Twin sheets & pillow cases (preferably white), pillows, towels, wash cloths, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, towels, blankets, diapers, baby clothes, night gowns & robes (esp. larger sizes), combs, brushes, tissues, deodorant, lotion, socks, underclothing, shower caps, medicine (tylenol, aspirin, cough medicine, cold medicine, etc.), school supplies, phone cards, grocery store cards, and bus/taxi tokens.

SPCA DRIVE

We’re still collecting for the Norfolk SPCA! The next time you stop by the store, feel free to drop off anything animal-friendly (dog food, cat food, toys, treats, etc.)

GREENIE TIP

Tired of throwing away your #5 plastics? Now you can send in all of your #5s to Preserve through their Gimme5 Program to be recycled. Please send them to the following address: Preserve Gimme5, 823 NYS Rte 13, Cortland, NY 13045. Please note that Green Alternatives cannot accept these items. They must be sent directly to Preserve.

NEW ISSUE OF THRIVE MAGAZINE NOW AVAILABLE
The July/August issue of Thrive magazine is now available at Green Alternatives OR you can read it online. (We're partial to page 19 of the new issue.)

Green Alternatives June Newsletter

2009-06-04T16:44:00.000-04:00

*To all that received our newsletter via email...we understand there were a few glitches in the feed and you may have had a few broken links and unreadable code. We are very sorry for the inconvenience and are working to fix the problem so that our July newsletter will be glitch-free!

Hey Greenies!

Summer is finally here and you know what that means…sunburns, bugs, and Father’s Day (of course). Green Alternatives has some exciting news so let’s dig in! We know it's a lot, but there's just so much to share.

NEW PRODUCTS AT GREEN ALTERNATIVES

The Green Garmento: Tired of using plastic bags when getting your clothes dry cleaned? Try this new eco friendly garment bag. You can put your clothes in it to be transported to the dry cleaners, and then turn it inside out to be used as a garment cover bag!

Maggie’s Soap Nuts: Laundry soap that grows on trees! 100% natural and biodegradable, this product naturally brightens and cleans clothes. These soap nuts are fragrance free and ideal for sensitive skin. One bag is good for 200 loads!

Badger Sunscreen: Badger sunscreen is physical barrier protection which is top-rated in safety & effectiveness by The Environmental Working Group. It’s that time of year where the sun is blazing, so make sure you protect your skin. By the way, Green Alternatives Badger Sunscreen is more economically priced than anywhere else!

The Soap Bag by Eco Bags: Tired of wasting your soap? Try this new soap bag! You simply put your soap in the mesh bag and it enables you to use your entire bar.

Twin Muses Greeting Cards: We just got these new cards in! They are 100% recycled and use soy-based ink. The seventeen designs showcased at Green Alternatives are fun, hip, and are the perfect way to say…whatever it is you need to say.

Natural Value Tall Kitchen Bags: With typical garbage bags taking decades to break down in landfills, the Natural Value bags offer accelerated breakdown. They degrade in 18 months and have properties similar to the more traditional plastic garbage bag.

Bayes Waterless Eco-Friendly Carwash: Bayes has developed an environmentally-friendly solution that cleans, shines, and protects your car AND doesn’t use one drop of water. Great Father’s Day Gift!!!

GREEN ALTERNATIVES NEWS

• Now you can drop off old ink cartridges for refills through Rapid Refill Ink. Come fill out the form, drop off cartridges, and we will give you a call once they’ve been refilled! Saves money and waste from producing new cartridges.

• RECYCLE MORE! The new Children’s Harbor Recycling Program takes items that can’t normally be recycled and turns them into learning tools for children. The program won’t fully roll-out until this fall, but you can start helping now! Green Alternatives will be collecting caps and lids from anything ranging from bottles and food tubs to chapstick, so come on in and be a part of this wonderful program!

• We have a new service for the summer! Eco-friendly lawn mowing...check out the blurb below about our new service and link to the easy info form if you want to get a quote for your lawn.

• Our fish bottle artist needs your help. She is in need of clean, empty 2-liter bottles. Bring them by the store the next time you're in.

NEW GREEN ALTERNATIVES ECO-MOWING SERVICE!!!

Green Alternatives has launched a new lawn care service! We will come (by bike) and mow your lawn with an eco-friendly, all electric mower that produces no emissions and uses no gas. If we have to use a car to get to you we will offset our carbon to be sure we stay carbon neutral in our transport. Interested? Fill out the quick and easy info form on our website and we’ll promptly follow-up to schedule your free lawn care estimate.
Eco Mowing Info Request Form -- Click Here

SHRED-IT POLL

Would you be willing to pay for a shredding/recycling service if we were a drop off point? We’re considering keeping a Shred-It bin at the store for customers to drop off their confidential paperwork to be shredded then recycled. Each grocery-sized bag of paperwork would cost about $8 to be shredded and recycled. We want your feedback. Please visit our blog and complete the Shred-It poll (top right side of the page) ... Green Alternatives Blog.

LOCAL GREENIE EVENTS

Union Mission Women’s and Family Shelter Drive
Stop by Green Alternatives any time during the month of June and feel free to donate any of these items:
Bibles, twin sheets & pillow cases (preferably white), pillows, towels, wash cloths, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, towels, blankets, diapers, baby clothes, night gowns & robes (esp. larger sizes), combs, brushes, Kleenex, deodorant, lotion, socks, underclothing, shower caps, medicine (Tylenol, aspirin, cough medicine, cold medicine, etc.), school supplies, phone cards, grocery store cards, bus/taxi tokens

SPCA Drive
The SPCA is a wonderful organization that receives no government aid! This is why it is important for us to help out…come drop off anything animal friendly (dog food, cat food, toys, treats, etc.) any time during the month of June when you visit Green Alternatives.

Norfolk Green Drinks
JUNE 10 from 5:30-? @ THE BOOT
For anyone interested in environmental issues. The 2nd Wednesday of every month. All drafts are Virginia made and $2 off! For more info about The Boot, visit InsideTheBoot.com

Virginia Beach Green Drinks
JUNE 18 from 6-8 @ CROC'S 19th STREET BISTRO
Enjoy locally-produced food and eco-friendly beverages while talking to your green buddies! Find out more at Crocs19thStreetBistro.com.

International Surf Day
JUNE 20 @ VIRGINIA BEACH
Surfers unite and give back to the oceans by cleaning up! There will be various challenges like...
• Youtube Video Challenge: Best ISD Influence video
• Most unique piece of trash
• Best Trash Sculpture
• Costume Party: Best Costume while riding a wave
• Most Spots Surfed on ISD: Photo and/or Video Contest
For more information visit, SurfMagazine.com/isd

Swapping Shindig
JUNE 30 from 6-8 @ GREEN ALTERNATIVES
Clean out your closets and bring your former favorites (clothes, accessories, and shoes) along with your favorite beverage. Green Alternatives will be hosting a swap party the last Tuesday of every month and June is our first shindig! Here are the rules…bring in a grocery-sized bag or larger along with your beverage of choice. We’ll provide the snacks and you’ll enjoy swapping your oldies but goodies with others for FREE! Please register so HERE so we know how many to plan for.

GREENIE TIP

Go paperless. Consider reading your newspaper and magazine subscriptions online. Switch to electronic banking and credit card payments, too.

TAKE ACTION

Want to know more about the Surry coal plant and how YOU can make a difference? Visit Sierra Club's Virginia Chapter to learn more.

Attention: Green Alternatives has a new facebook.
Here is our link: Be our friend on facebook
Feel free to add yourself to our friends list!

Notes from Donia...

2009-05-27T15:29:00.000-04:00

Hello all, my name is Donia and I am interning here at Green Alternatives for the next ten weeks! For my blog, I was supposed to pick and write about any green topic. I didn’t want to write about something obvious, such as, recycling. Instead, I would like to write about everything that I have learned so far. I applied for this internship to learn more about going green and what it’s all about. So far, this has been a refreshing learning experience and I have taken in so much information!

All the products in this store are amazing! I’ve learned that everything can be reused, and it’s a shame how much goes to waste. I’ve learned that everyday waste can be composted, or that someone’s trash can be turned into someone’s jewelry. Shirts can be turned into pillowcases or hats, and pillowcases can be turned into dresses for little girls!

It’s only been my second week and I already feel so much more aware. I never realized how bounded we are by toxins and all of the unnatural ingredients that are used. From the pesticides on our food, the cleaning products we use, down to makeup we use! I love how there are so many alternatives…all the different soaps, the hair dye, the makeup line, and even the deodorant offered! It’s always wonderful to have options, and I’m sure that’s what customers appreciate the most.

After my first day, when I learned that paper can be made from elephant poo, nothing ceases to amaze me! I think that’s the most interesting thing I have come across in this store. It’s just so unheard of, yet still so innovative! I remember how taken I was with everything in this store; I told all my friends and coworkers about all the cool stuff that’s offered.

My favorite part of this internship is the giving back aspect. Organizing this blood drive and administering a drive for the women’s and family shelter is the most rewarding part. I can’t wait until it all falls into place. I really want soles4souls to work out as well!

All in all, I am happy I took up this internship…I’m NEVER bored and there’s always a rewarding project lined up for me to do! This is going to be a fulfilling ten weeks, and I can’t wait to see all the ways this is going to change me.

Checking out the competition...

2009-05-06T11:04:00.001-04:00

Ok greenies. I'm sure you've thought many times about whether or not you are getting the best deal when stocking up on your greenie goodies. We thought we would help you out and do some price comparisons to let you know just how we add up amongst the competition.

The Preserve 100% recycled mixing bowls we have in the store are marked $19.99. We shopped around and found that Walmart sells the same bowls for $24.74 (with tax and shipping), Amazon sells them for $24.89, Drugstore.com sells them for $23.98 (with tax and shipping), and Nimli.com sells them for $28.00 (with tax and shipping).

We're pretty proud of this one. We are the lowest price for Badger SPF 30 Sunscreen! Prices ranged from $9.99 per tube at GreenAlternativesStore.com to $18.00 a tube at Tiny Tots Baby Boutique.

One of our fav products, Charlie's Laundry Soap is a greenie staple. It can be used on baby diapers, but still kicks butt on harsh stains. We'll admit that we aren't the lowest price out there, but we're close. We retail for $13.99 and many of the other online prices you can find are around $12.00. But, we do refill your Charlie's for $11.99 a bag so there you go. We're right there with the rest.

You'll find Envirosax bags ranging from $7.95 a bag at Bori Designs to $9.99 bag at Target. Our price, $6.99, is the best you'll find out there. Go us. In case you aren't sure what Envirosax bags are; they are reusable bags that have cool, hip designs, hold up to 40 lbs, and fold up to fit in the palm of your hand.

ODU Green Fashion Show

2009-03-30T14:39:00.000-04:00

My tardiness in posting lately has been in part due to me making garments for the ODU green fashion show which was part of their Women's History Month events. About a dozen or so students modeled green fashion last Thursday at Webb Center in front of a crowd of about 80 students and community members. Not only did the gals done eco-wear, but each was accessorized in earth-friendly hats, belts, and jewels.

It was great to see the university create an event like this and I'm glad we were able to be part of it! Check out some of the pictures of Green Alternatives upcycled garments...

Safer Cosmetics

2009-03-12T15:22:00.000-04:00

The Campaign for Safer Cosmetics has released a new report that details some of the scary facts about what's really in our products, more specifically, what's in baby products. 48 products were tested and the results will surprise you. The entire report can be viewed at the Campaign for Safer Cosmetics Website. After heading to this link, you will be able to read about the testing that was conducted as well as view some pretty awesome links at the bottom of the page including a complete report of the products and results.

Though this study is directed at children and baby products, you can also put your everyday items to the test by checking them out at CosmeticDatabase.org.

These products come in contact with our skin every day so do your homework and check out the items that line your shelves.

Earth Hour - March 28

2009-03-09T12:38:00.001-04:00

Volunteers Needed

2009-03-04T11:50:00.000-05:00

Green Alternatives is partnering with Hope House (our neighbors at the new location) to lead a group clean for Keep Norfolk Beautiful Day. In case you didn't know, Keep Norfolk Beautiful Day is March 28th which is coming up. Our clean will take place from 10 am to Noon on the 28th at Barraud Park in Norfolk.

If you would like to volunteer to help us clean up the park, visit GreenAlternativesStore.com to sign up. You can also sign up in the store or by calling us at 757.622.1444.

I can't wait to gather up a bunch of greenies to make a difference cleaning Barraud Park!

Graywater Systems

2009-03-01T21:04:00.000-05:00

I personally think graywater systems are fantastic and genius. Really, why do we need to use potable (treated, drinkable) water to flush our toilets anyway. Basically, graywater systems utilize the water that has already come out of your faucet for other functions around the house. You've already paid for it so why not use it as much as you can.

There are many different graywater systems out there so you would need to find one that best fits your lifestyle and home design. The system that I like uses the water that runs down your bathroom sink to refill your toilet.

The best way to learn about graywater is to check out some interesting facts at www.graywater.net. There is a great list of questions and answers, general information, benefits, and some other good stuff.

Below is a graywater system for lawn and garden projects:

Another graywater system is shown below for bathroom and toilet water use:

Some other useful information about graywater that is probably the easiest to understand is below:

Bob Lutz Interview with Stephen Colbert

2009-02-26T15:42:00.001-05:00

For those that didn't see this last fall, it's a pretty funny clip about the electric Chevy Volt.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Bob Lutz

Colbert Report Full Episodes
Political Humor

Christian Bale Parody
Joke of the Day

Links and Info From the Town Hall Meeting

2009-02-24T17:47:00.000-05:00

I am copying an email that I received from the Sierra Club as a follow up to attending the Town Hall meeting last Thursday. Please take a look at it and click on the links too.

Dear Friend,

On behalf of the Sierra Club, Environment Virginia, Natural Resources Defense Council, and the many other sponsoring environmental organizations, thank you for attending our Clean Energy Green Jobs Town Hall meeting in Norfolk last Thursday.

Thanks also to our speakers George Hagerman and Tim Wilkins on behalf of the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium, Jim Avery from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), John Esson from the Green Jobs Alliance, Delegate Joe Bouchard, and Kaitlin Parker from Rep. Glenn Nye’s who read a statement on his behalf.

Together we learned that restoring our economic health and protecting our environment are not mutually exclusive. We learned that renewable energy and energy efficiency not only reduce our carbon footprint, but their installation also means good rewarding jobs and educational opportunities for our Hampton Roads community.

But as we also learned from Delegate Bouchard, there are obstacles to creation of that clean green economy. That is why your attendance at our Town Hall meeting was so important. We need you to translate what you learned last Thursday into action – action directed both in the halls of the General Assembly in Richmond and the halls of Congress in Washington, DC.

Please take the following “Follow up” actions now:

Thank Congressman Glenn Nye for supporting the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which creates good jobs in Virginia. 202-225-4215 is his number. It’s a 1 minute call that is so important as we need Rep. Nye’s continued support on upcoming clean energy legislation. Click here to report your call afterwards.
Governor Kaine is asking the public for input on how to spend Virginia’s share of the Federal stimulus. Go to stimulus.virginia.gov and urge him to support renewable energy generation and green jobs creation here in Hampton Roads that is a win/win for both our economy and our environment.
Please contact your State legislators TODAY and tell them to support energy efficiency programs in Virginia by voting YES on HB 2506 and SB 1248. Tell them that energy efficiency is the cheapest, quickest and cleanest way for Virginia to meet its growing energy demands. Click here to take action NOW!
WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please feel free to reply back to this email with your thoughts regarding Thursday’s meeting – what you liked, didn’t like, ideas for future meetings, etc. There is a lot of work ahead and we need you to stay involved!

Thank you.

Eileen Levandoski

Hampton Roads Conservation Coordinator
Sierra Club, Virginia Chapter
Eileen.Levandoski@SierraClub.org
Virginia.SierraClub.org
Blogging at ArticleXI.com

We're on Twitter!

2009-02-23T14:25:00.000-05:00

I've been hearing about Twitter from a bunch of people and shows so I decided to try it out. It's official! I'm a twitter member. You can follow me on twitter, just search for greeniechick. I'll be posting as new products come in, as I attend different events, volunteer for various community events, and about any and all tips that I find out throughout the day.

Follow me on twitter...I'm GREENIECHICK

Town Hall Meeting Last Night

2009-02-20T14:32:00.000-05:00

Last night was the Town Hall meeting about green jobs and clean energy. I wanted to share my thoughts on the meeting and to share a clip from a video that one of the speaker's presented. First, it's exciting to see that there was participation and that local residents WANT clean energy and green jobs to come to Hampton Roads. Overall, I felt that the meeting was a great start to our long journey. It was intriguing to learn about how wind energy can serve off of our coast right here in Hampton Roads. I believe that the Sierra Club will be posting some of the info that was presented last night. Hopefully, they'll post the presentation so that you all can see the graphs and photos of simulated off-shore windmills. It's exciting stuff!

How Green Is My...

2009-02-12T16:22:00.001-05:00

The Sierra Club posted a bunch of quizzes to test how green you are in various aspects of your life. There are 11 posted so get going and start testing your green lifestyle.

Click here to check out the green quizzes

Why is eating less meat really better for the environment?

2009-02-11T16:51:00.000-05:00

Did you think that ceasing your consumption of meat because you are an environmentalist is because you care too deeply about the animals to consume them? Well, think again...

The greenie environmentalists are so because of many reasons. For starters, over a third of our fossil fuels are used toward animal agriculture. Hmmm...did you know that? I didn't. Did you know that we eat an amazing 200 million pounds of beef from Central America? The only reason we can get that much beef from there is to totally deplete rainforests and forests making space for farm land. My goodness, it takes a lot of energy to make our beef.

Wait...I'm not done yet. What about water consumption? It takes about 2500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. That's like 2.5 weeks of showers.

I'm not asking you to go vegetarian cold-turkey. Just think about it a little...cows are more damaging than cars with their carbon footprint.

Full Circle

2009-02-06T14:40:00.000-05:00

It's part of the solution to recycle and to encourage recycling in your community but to fully complete the cycle you should also buy recycled goods. When you're out shopping, vote with your dollars. Buy products that use minimal packaging and check out the labels.

The best way to learn a little more about where your products come from it to watch The Story of Stuff which you can view online at www.thestoryofstuff.com. It's only 20 minutes long and is filled with fantastic info.

Check it out and you'll start looking at your products a little differently from then on.

Keep it green greenies!

Thoughts on Garbage

2009-02-02T10:03:00.000-05:00

So sorry for not posting lately!!! This post may rant a little, but I hope it gets the point across. So, Green Alternatives has an Adopt-A-Spot in Ghent at Washington Park and Colonial. The deal with an Adopt-A-Spot is that you agree to go out at least 4 times a year and pick up all of the trash that litters your designated area.

I went out yesterday, February 1, on my 3 month anniversary of owning the business. I drive by the area at least once a day when I am heading to the shop and thought...wow...this area has like no trash littering the grass and sidewalks. Um, I was totally wrong. I got out there at 11 am yesterday with my gloves and trash bag ready to pick up trash and was thoroughly surprised at how much garbage was sprinkled all over the area. I must have been living in a dream world thinking that people picked up their own trash, but I was wrong. I'm pretty sure I picked up a dozen beer bottles and about a thousand cigarette butts among other random take out containers, cups, and paper trash.

What kept me going cigarette butt after cigarette butt was the fact that at least three people stopped to tell me thanks for picking up the trash or to ask if I needed help. What a fantastic bunch!!!

What can we do about this? For starters, I think businesses need to have little trash cans outside of their doors for smokers to toss cigarettes. It would at least encourage placing trash in the correct place in lieu of on the ground.

To conclude, I'm proud that Green Alternatives has an Adopt-A-Spot and glad that we can contribute to a cleaner city. It's a rewarding program to be a part of. Kudos Norfolk for keeping this program going year after year.

Stop getting those pesky print phone books

2009-01-21T17:01:00.001-05:00

Do you, like me, want to stop getting a print version of your local phonebook delivered to your doorstep every month? Well, now you can opt out. Check out www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.org.

Ways to go green and save green

2009-01-20T10:15:00.000-05:00

We had planned a Recession Buster workshop for a few weeks back that was canceled because of our super eco-conscious customers who had recycled a bunch of electronics. Kudos to them for recycling!!! So, since we didn't have the workshop we are posting all of our earth-friendly money-saving tips right here on our Green Alternatives blog. Enjoy!

Ditch prepared meals. Go for healthy & cheap eating by picking up in-season fruits and veggies and making your own meals. It’s better for your body and wallet. Planning is key. Make sure you have a stocked pantry and plan ahead.
Cook meatless meals. It’s definitely cheaper to prepare a meal that is meat-free than the latter. And, it’s considered more green because an extreme amount of methane is released into the atmosphere by the animals that are raised for consumption.
Travel locally. Be a tourist in your home town. It will save you time and money. And, Hampton Roads has a slew of historical sites to check out.
Squeeze to the last drop. Get every last smidgen out of your products before tossing them. Then, when you think you are near the end, fill with water and use that very last bit.
Use only recommended doses. If your detergent gives you an amount, use it. It’s designed to work with the recommended, noted amount.
Bring your lunch. It will save you a tremendous amount of time and will greatly reduce the waste that is provided by getting processed food. Make sure to get a reusable lunch set.
Eat breakfast at home. Or, bring it with you to work. For the same reason that was mentioned in number 6 it will save money and diminish waste.
Consider a pellet stove. The pellets are way more eco-friendly than wood-burning stoves and produce just as much heat and comfort.
Green clean your home. By making your own cleaning supplies, you can save money and will get a great result. Look for spray bottles that have recipes on the side so you will never be without your recipe when you need a refill. Or, buy products that are super concentrate so you will reduce waste and save money.
Green gift giving. Wrap your presents in newspaper funnies. It provides great reading material, saves money, and it a fantastic reuse of your newspaper.
Turn off your lights when you’re not in the room. Makes sense, right?
Use public transit. I know, I know...our area is not too well-equipped with a public transit system, but at least look into it.
5 minute showers. Get a timer and stick to it.
Compost. Get a composter and make a project out of it. It will reduce your waste and you can use the fertilizer for gardening.
Unplug appliances. When not in use, unplug your appliances so they are not drawing energy.
Don’t over consume. You won’t waste money on stuff you don’t need and it’s kinder to the earth.
Lower your thermostat. Drop it by a few degrees and wear a sweater at home.
Wash in cold. Wash clothes in cold. Colors and whites can be washed in cold and it saves energy because you’re not using power to heat the water.
Use a dryer rack. It will save you money on your energy bill.
Get a low flow showerhead. It will reduce the amount of waste water you produce when showering and will lower your water bill.
Plant drought-tolerant plants. Consider your watering needs when gardening. Or, save rainwater with a rain barrel and use that to water your plants.
Walk or bike. Anywhere that’s close enough to walk or bike. Do it. It will save you on gas and is carbon-neutral.
Buy local. Supporting your local farms and dairies is crucial. Check out your local farmer’s market that carries all in season fruits and veggies from nearby. Our Norfolk Farmer's Market in at Church & 26th Street.
Reusables. Use a reusable water bottle and don’t buy disposable water bottles.
Thrifty shopping. Check thrift stores or www.craigslist.com if you need something. Chances are it’s there…it’s definitely green because you aren’t supporting the virgin harvest of materials to produce consumer products, and it will save you big bucks.
Go to the library. The library is a fantastic resource for books, videos, and more. Get a library card and take books out instead of buying them to read once and have them sit on a shelf in your home.
Invest in high-quality, long-lasting products. It will save you from having to replace it over and over again while saving the earth because you aren’t consuming as much.
Green recession-proof grocery shopping. Check for coupons, plan out what you need, and stick to the outside. The outside is where all of the more natural, fresh foods are…stay away from processed foods.
Telecommute. If your job will allow you, work from home when possible. It will save on gas and money.
Carpool. It’s great fun to have someone to ride with and will definitely save on resources including finite oil and money.
Back off rapid acceleration and breaking. It lowers your mpg when you do this.
Take luggage rack off. It creates drag and hence lowers your mpg.
Check your tire pressure. For maximum gas efficiency, your tire should have the right amount of pressure.
Deduct charitable contributions. A lot of green practices are also tax deductable like electronics recycling.
Freecycle. Don’t trash your unwanted items, post them on freecycle. Maybe someone else needs just what you are getting rid of.
Wash full loads only. It will save you money and saves energy.
Reduce hot water temp to 120’. There’s no need to heat your water up that much.
Wrap your water heater. It will keep your hot water hot without using as much energy.
Ceiling fans. Use fans instead of a/c. It uses way less energy.
Put a white panel on the outer part of your curtains. White will keep the hot in or cold in during the appropriate seasons.
Move lights away from cooling applications. The heat from the lamp will keep your a/c on for longer than needed.
Change filters. Keeping filters changed and clean will maximize efficiency.
Flat panel monitors. If you need to replace your computer or monitor, get one…they use less energy. If you have a laptop, you’re good because they use even less energy than a desktop. And, there are now energy star certified laptops.
Rechargeable batteries. There's an initial cost out of the gate, but you will definitely save big time over the life of your batteries.
Reusable bags. You'll get a few cents back at many retailers for using them and they reduce waste big time.
Look for rebates. If you need a big ticket item, check to see where you can purchase an Energy Star rated appliance and get a rebate from the government.