Author: Jennifer Chait

The debate over which local vs. organic food is wide, divided, and pretty muddled depending on who you ask. There are pros of both local food and organic food as well as cons. In the end you simply have to weigh all the arguments and make a choice based on your own ethics and health considerations.

Benefits of local food:

• Less fossil fuels used for transport.
• Supporting the local economy and often smaller scale farmers.
• Preservation of local green spaces.
• Better nutrients. After being picked fruits and veggies lose nutritional value quickly. Produce on an extra long shipment transport lose the most nutrients.
• Cost can be considerably less expensive than shipped-in organic food. Although, it’s my personal opinion that anyone who can afford groceries can also afford organics which makes cost a moot point.

Benefits of non-local organic food:

• More variety and a wider range of choices.
• Food that’s got zero pesticides, zero weird drugs like those found in non-organic meats and eggs and zero chemicals that can harm you, the land, the water or air.
• Support for organic farmers – if we don’t buy it, why should people grow it?
• Food that has not been genetically modified.
• Organic food is healthier for your family and kids.
• Because organic gardening or farming is more time and hands-on intensive more jobs can be created.

Personally I try to go with organic AND local when possible. When it’s not possible I go with organic. For me, keeping icky pesticides out of my son’s body matters more than supporting local farms who refuse to go organic or feeling guilty over shipping fuel used. I want my son exposed to as few pesticides as possible and while I can’t limit all pesticides my son may run into, I can control buying organic over non-organic local.

In case you want some other opinions on this heavy debate check out the following links…

• Eating Better Than Organic
• Treehugger thinks that There’s No Such Thing as Local vs. Organic Food – which I don’t totally agree with, although I do agree with many of their points.
• Grist appears to feel the same way as Treehugger – Local or organic? It’s a false choice
• Eating local vs organic
• Organic vs. Local vs. Your Sanity…
• Spoiled: Organic and Local Is So 2008

What do you think is a better choice? Local non-organic or non-local organic?

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Local Food vs. Organic Food

I like having patio plants and window sill pots year round but last fall I moved and my new home is surrounded by trees, crazy shade, and all in all I’d say on an extremely sunny day (rare in Oregon winters) my porch, along with my windows are only getting maybe an hour of sun a day. Not enough to grow anything that likes the sunshine. Even in the summer I’m doubting I’ll have the sun necessary to grow sun-loving plants on the porch due to the trees.

That said, since I’m not interested in giving up plants on the porch entirely, I’m going to have to be happy with some shade loving varieties. Following are some plants that do well in the shade and in pots. Note, even though the plants below like shade they still vary – for example some will tolerate full shade most of the time while others need partial sun so be sure to check plant requirements and match them up with your sun / shade availability before planting.

Plenty of greenery does well in the shade – ferns of course are a major option and shade loving varieties come in literally hundreds of species. I’m not a huge fern fan but I do like shade lovin’ Hosta plants or Coleus which to me are more attractive with their wider range of colored leaves and as a bonus are totally easy to grow. Hosta ‘Raspberry Sorbet’, Hosta ‘Key Lime Pie’, and Coleus Chocolate Mint are all really pretty. You can also get more color in the shade with the plants below.

• Bleeding hearts
• Foam flowers
• If you’ve got partial sun you might want to give Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ a whirl. This is a gorgeous cascading plant with silvery pale green leaves. It looks awesome in old found bucket planters (look at thrift stores).
• Impatiens flowers – I LOVE the Fanciful Stardust Mix Hybrid.
• Helleborus is one of the prettiest plants ever, but not all varieties do well in containers and some do need more sun than others. That said, if you get a shade lovin’ variety and a HUGE pot (they have extensive root systems) you should be good to go. Two beautiful shade varieties include Apricot Blush Helleborus and Helleborus ‘Phoenix’. Note – if you can don’t buy Helleborus plants by mail order, look for them at a local nursery.
• Astilbes – also called meadowsweet does well in the shade and offers tons of color choices although mostly in the red, pink, lavender family. Astilbe chinensis Visions is a pretty variety.
• Columbine

This is just a small sampling of shade loving plants you can grow. Since I’m planning some new patio pots, I’ve got a ton of plant ideas.  I’ll be back with some more shade picks soon.

Post from: Blisstree

Shade loving plants you can grow

For all those odd places you’d like to have plants growing but can’t, the always innovative Vitamin offers a very cool, very mod idea, the X-Tray.

The X-Tray offers the chance to place a planter in an odd shaped window corner, on the edge of a shelf, or anywhere else you want a plant, but need a planter that offers various configurations. X-Tray is a set of 5 modern ceramic pots. You can configure said pots in several ways, including an “X” shape or in a straight line or in an “L” shape. The pots are good for growing a range of herbs, plants or wheatgrass and look stunning; crisp and fresh.

Visit Vitamin to learn more or to find out where to purchase.

[images via Vitamin]

Post from: Blisstree

Awesome Corner Style Planters

This spring, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) is going to be awarding one school with a fully stocked organically grown garden or an organic vending machine as part of their new campaign, ‘Organic. It’s Worth it in Schools.’

Organic. Its Worth it in Schools. is a new initiative launched by the OTA – an organization who represents more than 1,400 organic food and product companies. Initiative goals include educating parents, school kids, and teachers about the benefits of organic and healthy foods in our schools. Not a moment too soon I’d say. As we’ve recently seen, most school food is not only unhealthy but may be shockingly unsafe.

At the Organic. It’s Worth it in Schools website you can learn the basics about organics, see cool new recipes by awesome organic chefs, learn more about how to incorporate organic food into your home and school and much more.

To kick off the new initiative the OTA is calling on teachers, parents, students, educators and others to vote for their favorite school to win an organic garden complete with seeds, soil and expert gardening support; or a fully stocked vending machine, which can feature organic items like milk, fruit, cheese, yogurt and snacks.

You’ve got until May 1, 2010 to enter. Simply head to the website and enter your school name and address while at the same time “voting” by signing up for an electronic newsletter featuring organic tips, recipes, news and more. A school must receive a minimum 1,000 votes (or newsletter sign-ups) to win. See full details on rules and regulations. The winning school gets to select the garden or vending machine prize for installation in the 2010-11 school year.

Visit Organic. It’s Worth it in Schools to learn more.

[image via Organic. It’s Worth it in Schools]

Post from: Blisstree

Organic. It’s Worth it in Schools

I’ve always had rotten luck when it comes to growing tomatoes in containers. In my early gardening years I grew plants that get too tall for containers (dumb) and then proceeded to NOT stalk them and they died off. Another year my plants didn’t get enough sun because I placed the container in a bad spot on my porch. Another time my container was too small and the soil was impossible to keep watered. Other sad stories of my container tomatoes are much the same. That said, I’m always willing to try again so I’ve spent a lot of time looking up container tomatoes.

According to tips and guides I’ve read, a lot of folks seem to think growing tomatoes in containers is a snap. Since my experience begs to differ, I’ve gathered some tips that may increase your chances of success.

I read (here) that, “In general, plastic or fiberglass pots are best for growing tomatoes [because] unlike clay pots, they don’t dry out as quickly.” I guess this is good news if you want to go the economic route (plastic is cheap) but not so good if you frown on plastics (not eco-friendly). In any case the main point is that tomatoes hate dry soil. Clay pots are harder to keep watered efficiently although not impossible.

No matter what material your pot is you need to make sure it’s large enough to manage tomatoes. 12 inches in diameter is as small as you should go pot-wise according to most guides I’ve read, but I think that’s really too small. Bigger is better. Since you’ll be working with a large pot weight is a huge concern. If you’re growing in a space that gets shade at times (say a patio) it’s smart to place your pot on a little cart with wheels so you can move the pot easily to an area with more sun. Make sure your pot has good drainage. Tomatoes will rot fast if they sit in soggy soil. I once tried the old pottery chips in the tub technique, but drainage holes seem to work better when it comes to tomatoes.

Tomatoes, like other fruit bearing plants need at least 6 hours of sunlight per day, but seriously, that’s a low minimum. My friends who have grown container tomatoes oh so much better than me note that their pots get 9-10 hours of sunlight per day.

Lots of organic matter in your growing medium will help your tomato plants to retain moisture and a steril mix is a must. Never pull garden soil from your yard for container veggies.

When planting tomato plants into your container plant them a little deeper than you think you should – right up to the first set of leaves. This allows for a stronger root system to develop.

Don’t crowd plants. The best container tomatoes I’ve ever seen are one plant per one large pot.

Water, water, and water some more! A major problem with any container plants is that it can be tough to keep them well watered. However, you can’t slack off when it comes to watering your tomato plants. This is a great way to kill your plants (trust me). Because tomatoes are hyper thirsty, you may end up having to water twice a day which can be obnoxious so a self watering method and/or timer is useful. You can also make sure to mulch which will help your potting mix, and thus plants to retain moisture.

You don’t have to grow tiny tomatoes. I don’t like cherry tomatoes (shown below) but just because you’re growing in a container doesn’t mean you can’t grow regular sized tomatoes. Container tomato plant ideas straight from the folks at Burpee…

• Tomato Sweetheart of the Patio (cherry)
• Tomato Patio Princess Hybrid
• Tomato Bush Big Boy Hybrid
• Tomato Bush Early Girl Hybrid

More tips:

• Growing Tomatoes in Pots – Grow Tomatoes Anywhere in a Pot
• A good garden forum thread with some interesting opinions about growing container tomatoes. The best thing I learned here was BIGGER is better with pot size. Also see a thread on staking container tomatoes, which you will need to do in most cases.
• Growing Tomatoes in Containers – good piece with disease info.
• Linette, another Blisstree gardener seems to have WAY better luck with tomatoes than me. Check out – Growing Tomatoes In Containers, The Great Tomato Experiment, Seeing Red, and Top Ten Heirloom Tomatoes

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Growing Tomato Plants in Containers

Annatarian is one of the hippest eco-boutiques around. They carry an amazing selection of eco-friendly clothing but it’s their sister site, Annatarian Peace, Love, Earth that’s really the perfect place to shop for Valentine’s Day.

The big deal at this shop is the Seven Wishes Bracelet – Eco Charm Bracelet. This accessory is meant to help you manifest positive change; a good goal to set for Valentine’s Day or any old day. The handmade bracelets come with a variety of sterling silver charms and one-of-a-kind vari-colored eco hemp string so each Seven Wishes Bracelet is unique. Packaging is both unique and eco-friendly (it folds up origami style). Part of the sales proceeds go to various eco, animal, and humanitarian charities.

Below are two styles – Love and Earth, although they have other cool options available.

Ideas for use from Annatarian:

• Couples for setting goals together – great bonding experience
• Adults looking to set intentions to improve their life
• Tweens for fashion statements and friendship bracelets
• Kids for wishes and learning about goal setting
• Organizations using them as team building tools
• Fun for individuals and friends

You can watch a “How it works” video at the website to see how you can use these bracelets to create positive change. I think this is a great affordable gift for an eco-friendly teen for Valentine’s Day, although other age groups could appreciate these bracelets too. Visit Annatarian Peace, Love, Earth to learn more.

[images via Annatarian]

Post from: Blisstree

Manifest Positive Change with Eco Charms

If handing out traditional Valentine’s Day treats or cards this year seems sort of ho hum, why not try something a little different. I saw these adorable Hot Chocolate Cones a while back at Family Fun, and with a little green know-how you can transform the traditional ingredients into eco-friendly ingredients which makes this a green treat to give to friends and family. I also think it’s a perfect favor idea for an eco-friendly Valentine’s Day party.

Hot Chocolate Cones!

Gather up the following for each cone you want to make…

• 3/4 cup organic Fair Trade hot cocoa mix
• 1/4 cup mini Fair Trade chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup Raspberry Red Licorice Hearts or organic and vegan red Gummy Swirls, which look like pretty little cherry jewels.
  

Packaging:

The Family Fun packaging is as follows; 2 (6- by 12-inch) cone-shaped cellophane bags (available at party stores); 2 clear rubber bands (we used ponytail holders). However, you can green it up a bit.

For the paper cone you can gather some 100% recycled paper and form cones with it and for the packaging get some 100% biodegradable cellophane baggies. As for the rubber bands, your footprint is small here, so go with those if you like, or simply tie the ends with a bit of hemp or strong natural fiber ribbon.

To make your cones:

1. Pour the cocoa mix into one of the bags. Close the bag with a clear rubber band, then trim the end of the bag 1 inch above the band.
2. Place the cocoa-filled bag into the second bag and flatten its top so the end doesn’t stick up.
3. Layer the chocolate chips and the marshmallows, then top with the gumdrop. Secure the bag with the other rubber band.

Now you have some eco-friendly cones to hand out for Valentine’s Day. It’s easy to turn almost any family craft you find into a more eco-friendly version if you just consider your options and use your imagination.

[image of cone via Family Fun]

Post from: Blisstree

Valentine Idea: Organic Hot Chocolate Cones

This is the perfect project to file away for spring when all the flowers start blooming OR make some now with some cool winter greenery.

You can do this project even if you’re just a beginner with craft projects and each coaster only costs about $6.00 total to make. Plus, for the time crunched, you’ll be glad to know that these cute coasters only take about 20 minutes. These would make a perfect gift for any occasion too – Mother’s Day, Christmas, even the upcoming Valentine’s day if you can find some pretty winter leaves.

Materials to gather

• 2 clear acrylic sheets (8- x 10-inch)
• Metal File (6-inch)
• Glue Gun
• Framing Square
• Utility Knife

To make these coasters…

1. Make sure you are wearing gloves and safety glasses and then cut your 8- x 10-inch acrylic sheets into four 31∕2-inch squares. When cutting the sheets use a framing square as a guide and score first several times with a utility knife to make cutting a snap. If you pick up your acrylic from a home goods store an employee there would likely cut this for you.
2. Sand the edges of your squares using a metal file. File until smooth and even.
3. Gather the flowers and leaves you’re using (flat leaves and flowers work best) then remove all stems.
4. Use a glue gun to apply a small dot of glue on the underside of the petals and leaves, and then attach them to the first square.
5. Apply a small dot of glue to each corner of the first square. Place the second square on top, and press the corners to secure.

I got this project from Lowe’s Creative Ideas site, which is literally a treasure trove of ideas and projects. I always see awesome projects there that really anyone could do. You can see a video and step by step image tutorial of this  Pressed-Flower Coasters Project at the website and look for more cool home and garden projects.

[image via Lowe’s]

Post from: Blisstree

Fresh Pressed-Flower Coasters Project

Valentine’s Day is coming up soon so now is a great time to snag some eco-friendly Valentine’s Day treats. Obviously look for organic treats, GMO-free treats and naturally made local treats and try to avoid the icky stuff like artificial dyes, corn syrup, and other weird added chemicals.

If you can you should also aim for eco-friendly packaging. It’s hard to find green packaging for candy and many other treats but not impossible. Look for packaging that’s recyclable, biodegradable, or minimal. If you can’t find a specific organic treat with eco-packaging your best bet is to buy the largest size possible. Another excellent option is to check out the bulk candy section at your local natural grocer or food co-op. Most of these stores have nice big bulk bins full of natural candy treats.

In order to make your Valentine’s Day treat shopping a little easier I’ve rounded up 20 excellent eco-friendly Valentine’s Day treats for you. Check out the treat list and gallery below for ideas.

• Limited Edition Valentine Heart Truffle Box – 20 delicious and organic dark chocolate creamy truffles. Flavors include: Raspberry, Almond, Hazelnut, Cherry and Orange. Fair trade made packaging.
• YummyEarth Organic Gummy Bears – the only USDA Organic gummy bears on the market – read my review.
• LOVE Letter Cookies – all natural and lovely cookies.
• Organic Drunken Figs – a crisp shells of organic, fair-trade dark chocolate covers whole organic figs, sweet and golden, with a core of rich mixed dark chocolate. Sustainably produced port-style wine.
• Milk Chocolate Hearts – Organic & Fair Trade – Organic, fair-trade, milk chocolate hearts wrapped in hot pink foil.
• Chocolate Raspberry Truffles – organic vegan truffles made with only plant based ingredients and these are dairy free, so ideal for lactose intolerant chocolate lovers plus organic cane juice means a diabetic friendly chocolate truffle; only 0.2 grams sugar per truffle.
• Beautiful Sweets Organic Cookies – lots of Valentine’s Day cookie styles to choose from and this company is ultra eco-friendly. Plus, right now, with any Valentine’s cookie gift set order you’ll receive either a free 8oz bag of Cup A Delight Organic Coffee or a 12 oz bag of Cup A Delight Organic Hot Chocolate mix! This is a good treat for young children on Valentine’s Day who can’t safely have candy.
• Organic Hearts of Cherry Gift Tote – Organic heart shaped creamy dark chocolate cherry truffles.
• Organic Chocolate Truffles – 70% single origin organic chocolate mixed with fresh cream, organic raspberries, orange zest, espresso beans and chocolate nibs = four distinct flavors.
• Pomegranate Organic Lollipops – USDA Certified Organic, vegan, kosher, and pretty!
• Champagne Truffles – classic gold foil heart filled with 11 organic champagne truffles dusted with gold. Fair Trade too.
• Spun City Certified Organic Cherry Vanilla Cotton Candy – Organic, gluten free, vegan, no artificial flavors or colors.

Post from: Blisstree

Green & Sweet Treats for Valentine’s Day

Yesterday we looked at the undeniably odd plant carrying bag – grow a plant in a stylish bag then take it with you! On the cons side, most folks will never take their plants out and about. On the pros side, bag creators, Woolly Pocket offers some other awesome products that are a little more conventional but still unique, great for plants, eco-friendly, space saving, and very cool to boot.

For example, the Wally Living Wall System is an amazing idea that allows you to grow vertically which of course saves space, which is a huge perk for indoor gardens or outdoor gardens that are short on land. because of the unique design, a Wally Living Wall System allows you to garden where it was once impossible to garden.

Woolly Pockets make up the living wall component and are handmade in the U.S.A. from recycled plastic bottles. These soft sided Woolly Pockets are real garden containers, only with more flexibility. Breathable sides allow excess moisture to escape and allows for better circulation of air. A waterproof lining helps keep walls and floors dry.

Wallys allow you to garden vertically on just about any type of wall or fence, indoors or out. Wallys are easy to install, totally modular and can be hung in any configuration you like. Wallys come in a single size as well as in threes and fives; the threes and fives allow roots to grow from pocket to pocket.

You can also choose lined or unlined Wallys – unlined are of course best for outdoor gardening when maximum drainage is desired. Three colors are available (black, brown, cream) the cream is prettiest in my opinion. Above is a Wee Woolly in cream – nice huh!? It looks great with the green of the plant.

Visit Woolly Pocket to learn more.

[image via Woolly Pocket]

Post from: Blisstree

Wally Living Wall System – Vertical Garden

There is no actual organic label for seafood as of yet but you can make informed seafood purchases with the help of Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program. For the past ten years, Seafood Watch has been a trusted consumer sources regarding sustainable seafood options.

According to Seafood Watch, “70% of the world’s fisheries are either in decline or are already fished at their capacity. Many fish species contain high amounts of toxins like mercury and PCBs.” Seafood Watch offers you choices that make choosing seafood a lot easier through various sustainable recipes, pocket guides (that are regional), and their Super Green List.

In order to highlight sustainable seafood choices in a more user-friendly way for consumers, Seafood Watch is now offering delicious, environmentally-friendly seafood recipes by some of the nation’s leading chefs, including Rick Moonen (celebrity chef, restaurateur, and author) and Alex Guarnaschelli (chef of Butter Restaurant in New York City and host of the new Food Network show “Alex’s Day Off”).

January’s recipe is Grilled Oysters with Wasabi and Miso, from David Anderson, executive chef of the Portola Restaurant at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The recipe of course includes farmed oysters, which happen to be one of the Seafood Watch “Best Green Choices”  and are available year-round and can be served raw, smoked, canned or frozen. Additionally, oysters are a healthy food choice – packed with Omega-3s.

Sustainable Grilled Oysters with Wasabi and Miso (Serves 4)

• 24 farm-raised oysters
• 2 cups prepared miso soup
• 1 package powdered gelatin
• 1 cup crème fraÎche (sour cream can be substituted) – NOTE I’d use organic sour cream!
• 2 tablespoons wasabi paste

How to create this dish…

• Scrub each oyster under cold water with a brush. Discard any raw oysters that are open due to safety issues.
  
• Place the oysters on a hot grill for 5-10 minutes or until you see steam or bubbles coming from the oysters. (This step can also be done in a 500-degree oven.)
• Remove oysters from the grill and allow to cool in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
• Pour the miso soup through a strainer.
• Sprinkle the gelatin over ¼ cup of the cold miso soup and allow to set for 5-10 minutes.
• Bring the remaining miso soup to a slow simmer and add the gelatin mixture, stirring to dissolve. Pour into a shallow bowl and chill in the refrigerator until set (about 30 minutes).
• Whip the crème fraÎche until it’s thick like whipped cream, then add the wasabi to taste, stirring to combine.
• Open the chilled oysters with an oyster shucker or a blunt table knife by prying them at the hinge. Discard the top shell.
• Roughly chop the miso gel with the tines of a fork to forms “crystals” (or chop into small pieces) and divide among the oysters. Top with a small amount of the wasabi crème fraîche and serve immediately.

Anderson recommends serving the oysters in their shells for a beautiful, natural presentation, or in shooter glasses for an edgier look.

***

Other recipes currently on the Web site include Chef Rick Moonen’s chicken-fried catfish with green tartar sauce, Asian Slaw and Chef Alex Guarnaschelli’s baked clams with bacon and more. You can sign up to receive the new recipes each month as well.

Learn more about making eco-friendly seafood choices by reading how to choose eco-friendly seafood or by visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program.

[Recipe and image courtesy of Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program]

Post from: Blisstree

Eco-friendly Oysters with Miso & Wasabi

In “I can’t believe they made this product” news, a bag for the gardener who has everything – or maybe it’s a bag for folks who are WAY overly obsessed with their plants. In any case, this is one bag that’s unique for sure but also totally unnecessary.

Woolly Vagabond from Woolly Pocket is an actual living breathing handbag. While the best idea is to hang this planter gracefully from the ceiling or place it on a stand, you can take it with you. Talk about a conversation starter! Woolly Vagabond promotes healthy plant growth via breathable sides in the bag which release excess moisture and aerate soil. There’s a built-in moisture barrier which in theory should keep your car seat dry although I’m not so sure about what happens if you drop your bag.

In its favor, Woolly Vagabond’s is a green product made with a reclaimed leather handle while the body of the bag is made of 100% recycled plastic bottles. Also it does look super cute just sitting there (see above), but out and about, um, no.

If you’ve been aching to carry your plants around; take them to the mall; what have you; then I suppose Woolly Vagabond is the answer. Personally I think my plants are happy at home.

Later we’ll look at some other products from Woolly Pocket that aren’t so weird and that are very useful for gardeners.

So, would you take a plant out and about?

[image via Woolly Pocket]

Post from: Blisstree

Take your plants for a walk – um, really?

It’s not a big secret how much I adore Tarte cosmetics; especially their excellent lip gloss. Right now there’s even more to love at Tarte including Valentine’s Day date night makeover advice, free lip gloss, and other special Valentine’s Day treats too.

First up a cool freebie – with any purchase over $50 you get a free Jack & Rose double ended lip gloss – just use the code above.

If Jack & Rose aren’t your fave love couple then you’re in luck because all of Tarte’s double ended lip glosses are on a killer sale – just $10. Choose your favorite couple and snag them in a lip gloss – some fun couple flavors and colors include Fred & Ginger, Jake & Samantha, Anthony & Cleopatra, Mimi & Roger, Luke & Laura, and more.

Other special Valentine’s Day products from Tarte…

• natural cheek stain – true love – I love their cheek stain by the way (read my review).
• eye couture day-to-night eyeshadow palette
• slide-tin lip balm with SPF 15

Last up some last minute date night makeover advice for a flawless Valentine’s Day. Watch the video below for tips.

[all images via Tarte]

Post from: Blisstree

Tarte Goodies for Valentine’s Day

Most gardeners I know are actually pretty savvy when it comes to choosing flowers for gifts. However, if you need some general tips about Valentine’s Day flowers or are simply interested in some fun facts about flowers, then read on.

• Which cut flowers last the longest vs. examples of some with shorter lifespans once cut.
• The Society of American Florists helps you sort out what the meanings behind flowers. Good thing too, because Valentine’s Day is the last day you’d want to give your sweetheart flowers that stand for distrust (Lavender) or friendship (pink rose) if you’re looking for something more than friendship. Not that Lavender doesn’t rock in a Valentine’s bouquet though – the meanings list is more fun than serious.
• Matching flowers to personalities – i.e. is your Valentine romantic, a trendsetter, or a nature lover.
• Learn how to keep holiday bouquets looking fresh and how to make cut flowers last longer.
• What various flower colors mean.
• Top five flowers sold in the UK and the U.S. for Valentine’s Day – what I find odd is that carnations made both lists. I worked for a wholesale nursery but we didn’t carry Carnations so I didn’t see them sell and I personally don’t really like them much, so I’m surprised to find out they’re so popular. Maybe because they’re long lasting, but man, in my opinion there are so many better looking flowers.
• When to order flowers – typically most flower shops say they can deliver up until Valentine’s Day even if you order at the last minute. But keep in mind, last minute flower shopping will cost you. Plus if you’re picky and want a special arrangement you really need to order before all the shops run out. At the wholesale flower shop I worked for you do not know how busy Valentine’s Day was. We’d get orders super early (months) and still we’d run out which means the shops we supplied to would run out as well – growers who supply to shops can only grow so fast. Basically the sooner you order the better for delivery. If you’re ordering and picking up from a shop, order early and pick up in the morning. Most flower shops get their flowers in early in the morning and/or make arrangements the evening before hand or early in the morning. So a morning pick-up may mean fresher, better looking flowers.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Choosing Valentine’s Day Flowers

When looking for an eco-friendly Valentine’s Day dress check out used and vintage choices or dresses made with eco-friendly materials like organic cotton, organic bamboo, or hemp. Below are some picture perfect eco-friendly Valentine’s Day dresses, all of which will make you look extra sweet no matter what the day brings.

My favorite Valentine’s Day dress of the moment is from Posh Girl Vintage. Red is not my favorite color; not even close, but I can’t resist this totally sweet 1950’s Red & Beige Organza Party Dress that’s sure to make a splash at any Valentine’s Day event. Because it’s reuse this dress carries a much smaller eco-footprint than a new dress too. One thing to note; because Posh Girl Vintage is, well, vintage, they carry one-of-a-kind items. If you LOVE a dress there swoop it up fast. On the plus side they have so many awesome vintage dresses you won’t have a problem finding a new one to adore if your first choice sells.

Other ideas…

• jonano ecoKashmere Assymetrical Hem Bandeau Dress Chili Red – Organic Bamboo Spandex blend, made with sweatshop-free labor, sustainable company.
• Mountains of the Moon ‘The Edie Dress’ Maroon & Black Cotton Twill Mini Dress – 100% organic cotton twill, low-impact dyes, made in the USA sweat-shop free, sustainable company.
• Poolside dress meant for summer, but so lacy and cute it’d be perfect with tights for Valentine’s Day – 100% organic cotton, 100% silk trim.
• Holly Dress – 64% Viscose from Bamboo, 28% Organic Cotton.
• Organic Cotton and Tencel Little Knit Dress-Ruby – extra adorable dress made with Organic Cotton and Tencel.
• Barbara Dress in purple haze – a little different, but still ultra sweet and dressy with a frilly see-through appeal. Good for a unique Valentine’s Day look – 55% Organic Cotton. 45% Silk.

Post from: Blisstree

Eco-friendly Valentine’s Day dresses

Biking is better for the environment than driving because you’re not using up non-renewable gas resources or adding to the pollution issue PLUS you’ll be healthier due to the exercise biking entails. However, biking is not as simple as getting on that bike and pedaling. There’s a learning curve to riding more often than walking. That said, if you want to bike more often and drive less there are a number of ways to make it possible.

Start slow: Biking is not too hard, but it is an exercise, and any form of exercise can take some getting used to. Before you attempt to bike for commuting purposes take the time to bike for fun. Bike to a nearby park, bike with friends, and see how you feel after 30 minutes, an hour, or more. When you feel ready you can incorporate more useful bike trips – to work, to the store, etc.

Bike safe: Bike in bright colors or attach LED safety lights to your bike. At night and on cloudy days you should be wearing a reflective vest as well. Keep basic traffic rules in mind and follow them. This means using hand signals when turning, follow traffic signals, and pay attention to traffic signs. If you’re on wheels act like it.

Choose the right path: Before commuting with your bike you should map out the safest routes. While less crowded may seem safer, that’s not always true. For example, busy main streets have more signs, more traffic lights, and better controlled intersections than rural or out of the way streets. Additionally if you’re lucky enough to live in a city with ample bike paths use them! Often bike paths add a few minutes to your route, but they’re safer and made just for bikers so that extra time is worth it.

Don’t carry more than you can handle: If you’re using your bike when you shop or have heavy work gear make sure you can handle it. Protect your back with a decent backpack. Use an appropriate bike basket or rack to carry heavy stuff and check that the carrier is properly attached often.

Prepare for the weather: If your feet slip on an icy path there’s a good chance your bike tires will too. Don’t bike uphill or downhill if the streets aren’t in great riding condition. Ice, heat waves, and fog do not make for ideal biking weather. It’s better to drive your car or call a cab or carpool or take the bus than take a chance with your life for the sake of saving resources.

Get some help: The following resources can help you prepare to be the best biker possible…

• Community bike programs
• Bike education programs
• Find all sorts of products (carriers, lights, and more) at Planet Bike
• Learn to ride like a pro
• How NOT to get hit by cars – important bike safety lessons
• Learn about eco-friendly electric bikes
• Everything you ever wanted to know about bike commuting
  
• Hack your bike – cool stuff for bikers!
  

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Bike More, Drive Less!

Give your favorite gardener the gift of light and love this Valentine’s Day with this lovely glowing Swirling Heart from Allsop Home & Garden. This elegant and sweet piece of garden art is solar powered and is constructed of a stainless steel garden stake, solar collector, Amber LED and detachable hand-blown glass heart swirled in red.

Your Valentine can plant the heart in direct sunlight anywhere in the garden and each night the heart will light right up.

While the Swirling Heart really does express the season well, not everyone is into heart gear. If your Valentine is less traditional or more into modern garden art, Allsop’s carries other pieces as well that are just as pretty and would make great Valentine’s Day gifts. See the gallery below for ideas.

• Fuscia Finial
• Trilogy
• Magenta Blossom
• Aurora Glow -Clear with Amber LED
• Purple Sea Anemone

[images via Allsop Home & Garden]

Post from: Blisstree

Too Cute Solar Heart for Valentine’s Day!

A triple play of flowers, jewelry , & sweets is a common Valentine’s Day gift. If you’re going this route you should make sure you choose eco-friendly choices. Here are some eco-friendly triple play ideas that are perfect for Valentine’s Day and will make  your girl swoon.

VeriFlora Certified Sweetheart Bouquet + Florentine Heart Necklace ;  lovely pieces made using antique silverware with handles that resemble hearts + Limited Edition Valentine Truffle Birdie Box; amazing truffles packaged in a sweet heart shaped box that’s handmade by a women’s cooperative using tree free fibers.

Certified Organic Mixed Anemone + Hovey Lee Eco Dragonfly IV Ring; sourced from gemstone suppliers that adhere to Fair Trade sourcing standards plus this company uses components extracted from vintage jewelries and metals from renewed sources + Lavender Box-Limited Edition;  handmade box filled with creamy dark organic chocolate lavender truffles.

VeriFlora Certified Pink Calla Lilies + Hope Tree; this piece like all pieces from FaniSong Jewelry is a winner made with real nature photography and recycled glass + Pacari Organic Dark Chocolate Covered Guava; dried guava covered in 60 % cacao dark organic chocolate. Company practices fair trade as well.

FlorVerde Certified Petite Roses & Lilies + Hovey Lee Eco Kaibab Ring; see gift set 2 above more eco-info on Hovey Lee+ Handmade Heart Shape Gift Box of 20 Organic Vegan Truffles – handmade box made with tree free fibers such as mango, mulberry and banana and better yet the box is filled with 20 vegan dark organic chocolate creamy truffles. Flavors include: Raspberry, Almond, Hazelnut, Cherry and Orange.

Post from: Blisstree

Eco-friendly Flowers, Jewelry, & Sweets

Obviously you’re not going to grow watermelons and large pumpkins in an indoor window box garden, but you can grow many edible crops beyond herbs.

Considerations for an indoor garden…

Sunlight is the key ingredient for a successful indoor garden of edibles. If you’ve got it, lucky you. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we get some sunlight shining though our windows during the winter, but not tons. If you want to try and grow root crops and leaf crops you can get away with some shade time, but veggies that produce fruit of some sort usually need at least 5-6 hours of sunlight per day, and that’s a minimum. Your veggies will be better off with 9-10 hours of sunlight per day.

Plus, you have to consider window placement. Right now my largest windows are shaded by a ton of trees so getting direct sunlight to any plants I grow there is tough, even in summer. You can consider grow lights though if you get very little indoor sunlight. If you have some sunlight you can increase the effect a little with light reflective materials around the plants such as white rocks, foil, or a white, not dark table or window surface.

When getting your containers ready to plant, you’ll need a good soil mix that’s lightweight and not from your yard, suitable containers, and trays unless you want water everywhere. See some tips on how to plant a window box garden for more tips on choosing containers and soil.

To increase the humidity around your veggies try filling the container trays with rocks – either around the container or if the rocks are level enough, set the containers directly on them.

Unless you have a large garden window and huge planting containers, you’ll need to grow smaller plants indoors. That doesn’t mean you choices are totally limited though. You can still grow edibles like bush beans, peppers, endive, carrots, radishes, various lettuce varieties tomatoes and more. Especially look for miniature or dwarf varieties of plants and seeds.

Some indoor container veggie ideas include:

• Tomato Tomatoberry Garden Hybrid
• Eggplant Fairy Tale
• Lettuce Little Gem
• Little Finger Carrots
• Pepper Red Popper
• Bush Bean Bush Blue Lake 47

For more tips read: Guide to container gardening.

Post from: Blisstree

Growing an indoor vegetable garden

Valentine’s Day usually brings to mind pretty little gifts, sugary candy treats and sweet flowers. All of the former are perfectly easy to find in eco-friendly options, however, what if your special someone borders on bizarre? What about those zombie lovers out there?

Can you hack an eco-friendly zombie gift for Valentine’s Day? As it turns out you can, but it might take some doing. To make it easy on you I’ve rounded up some greener options for the weird loves in your world.

Zombieland which debuts on DVD on February 2nd is a top notch choice for the eco-friendly zombie lover in your world. Not only is this movie more eco-friendly than most, but it’s actually entertaining to boot. Even if, like me, you’re not necessarily a huge zombie fan.

Head to your nearest thrift store, garage sale, or your own saved toy collection, grab a used Barbie doll and make your very own recycled undead dolly – scarily easy with a super tutorial at Geekologie.

Instead of a product gift, give the gift of fun with Plants Vs. Zombies, a killer online game with a low carbon footprint and lots of plant hungry zombies. This game got such rave reviews at my house that I gave it five out of five brains.

Pencil of the Dead – eco-friendly pencils that will come in handy when the zombies take down the power grid. Made from recycled newsprint and good for communication, or you know, stabbing zombies in the eye.

Forget frilly valentines; it’s not like you need lovey prose when zombies attack. Go with some useful zombie prep instead like the Be Informed Zombie Attack card made with 100% recycled (PCW) stock.

If you’re super sweet you could get a zombie head cake for your honey made by a local, sustainable, organic, and vegan bakery – like this person did. Nice gross images at the link by the way. Be ready.

Just because it’s the end of the world does not mean you get to trash the planet with plastic bags – geez! Get your fave Valentine a nifty reusable zombie tote for groceries, grenades, and other survival gear.

Zombies are Crap at Knitting Aqua Duct Tape Wallet – a perfectly eco-friendly (non-leather) way to stash cash while on the run from zombies.

For the serious zombie lover – you know, the fella preparing for the end of the world, weapons are a must, but most decent chainsaws gobble up gas and thus resources. Go with a hand powered chainsaw instead; which yeah sounds a little scary, but then so do zombies. At least it makes for an eco-friendly kill.

Peace, Love, Zombies T Shirt – for tree huggers who like a little gore with their eco-ethics. Made with 100% certified organic cotton. Available in all sorts of colors and styles (hoodies, fitted, ringer, etc).

Just for zombie lovin’ tots:

• Grab some eco-friendly organic yarn and crochet your little one a frightfully cute Zombiebot.
• I Heart Zombies Organic Children’s Tee Shirt

The Zombiefie Six – fun (and free) paper crafts for kiddos and adults. Use recycled paper for the ultimate green experience.

Eco-cheat:

Eco-friendly zombie girl skateboard – at first I was hard pressed to figure out what exactly makes this board eco-friendly. Then I realized, hmmm, zombie girl is planting a tree. Interesting, and green in mindset I suppose, but not technically eco-friendly material wise. Still a cute idea. That said, if you’re looking for an actual eco-friendly skateboard check out Bamboo Sk8.

Post from: Blisstree