Author: Jennifer Chait

It’s the perfect time of year to give Peppermint minded gifts. Following are some ideas…

1. Tulip clusiana Peppermint Stick
2. If you’re giving a Peppermint Amaryllis bulb as a holiday gift it will spread cheer after the holidays as they can take 4-6 weeks to bloom. If you want to give a Peppermint Amaryllis in bloom by the holidays check with a local nursery.
3. Peppermint in 11 x 14 Floating Frame – a Silk Giclée image in a Floating Frame is ready to hang.
4. Peppermint Twist Bouquet – a lovely bouquet of long-stemmed red and white roses – VeriFlora certified.
5. Phlox paniculata Peppermint Twist – shipped for spring planting.
6. Teapot Garden Mint – grow mint right in this little teapot. Cute and perfect for someone who loves minty tea.
7. Peppermint Spray Roses Hatbox Bouquet – pretty white Majolica and red Mikado spray roses in a lovely box.
8. Peppermint Organic, Caffeine-Free Tea
9. Peppermint Pretty bouquet with peppermint carnations and white cushion spray chrysanthemums.

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Peppermint Flower & Garden Gifts

If you’ve got your holiday gifts gathered up it’s time to get wrapping. You can wrap beautiful and green by doing the following…

Use amazing wrap that doubles as a gift or that doubles as a reusable wrap option. For example, ChicoBags, shown above make lovely wrap AND then your gift recipient will have an awesome reusable bag to use for groceries! See how to wrap a gift in a ChicoBag. You can also use reusable food containers, baskets, and more. See below for other reusable gift wrap options.

1. Modern Twist hide boxes
2. Furoshiki Silk Wrap
3. Gel-Cool Bento Box, Polar Bear
4. Bobo Wrapping Scarf – many colors available.
5. Lucky Crow Reusable Gift Bags, Organic Print, Crop Circles
6. Lucky Crow Reusable Gift Bags, Sock Monkey
7. Driftwood Basket
8. To-Go Ware – 2-Tier Stainless Steel Food Carrier

Use last year’s wrap or buy recycled wrapping paper.

Use the comics, recycled magazine pages, old construction paper your kids drew on and so on instead of new paper.

Top gifts off with cool DIY  gift bows made with recycled magazines. You can also use pine cones, leaves, evergreen branches, or other found nature items instead of paper bows. Or look for natural yarn or organic ribbon.

Make recycled paper gift tags, write directly on the gift with a non-leak-through pen, or get some plantable paper gift tags.

Don’t forget, no matter what wrap you use, reuse it or recycle it after the holidays.

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Wrap a greener gift

The good news is that you don’t always have to deal with garden moles. Many moles are actually useful garden pals. They munch on harmful bugs that will hurt your plants and they even improve soil through aeration. Plus to be honest, I think they’re kind of cute.

Some moles are a problem though. Here in the Northwest where I live a common mole is the Townsend’s mole (I believe the largest mole in North America) and this guy does eat quite a lot of garden goods and vegetation along with bugs.

Other problems moles may cause include eating up your beneficial earthworms, pulling up little seedlings, disfiguring your lawn – although make sure that a mole is your actual problem. Sometimes gophers and /or field mice cause damage and it looks like a mole did it.

To fix your mole problems:

First make sure you need to get rid of your mole. If he’s not being a problem – i.e not munching on your plants badly you may want him around. Mole damage is only really noticeable if you have a lawn so having only garden plots and no lawn is one way around this. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has an excellent piece on Practicing Mole Tolerance that I highly suggest reading.

If you like your lawn better than the mole though you can try planting hyacinths and castor oil plants which moles don’t like or try a castor oil repellent. Castor oil repellents only have a so-so success level, but it’s a non-toxic way to go so try it first. After that you can try wire mesh or let your dog cruise the garden. If using wire mesh (1/4-inch mesh) bury it about 20 inches deep around the perimeter of your garden plot or lawn. My local Oregon extension notes that people with dogs report fewer mole issues, so maybe dogs scare them off.

Lethal mole trapping, poisoning and stunning all seem extreme in my opinion plus in some states you need a permit from the Department of Wildlife and Fish to do so. PLUS you could catch an innocent animal or even a family pet. Lethal is lethal to all small animals not just moles so I’d think long and hard before going that route.

Do you have useful garden moles or pesky ones?

[image via wiki commons]

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Deal with garden moles

If you are considering giving a green gift that keeps right on giving al year long, then reusable bags are a super answer. PLUS everyone can use them. With that in mind I’ve got some killer deals to share, just in time for the holidays…

I recently reviewed some ECOBAGS bags here at Blisstree Green; both a sweet organic lunch sack along with some great produce bags. Today the company sent me a special friend’s & family code to share with readers so you can get these bags for an awesome price. Simply head over to ECOBAGS, choose your fave bags, then enter the code FF09 at checkout and get 20% off your order. Don’t forget, ECOBAGS carries adorable eco-friendly stocking stuffer ideas too! By the way, if I was you, I’d consider the Organic ECOSystem for two as a gift idea. The set is perfect and comes with three full size 10oz. canvas totes, two classic string market bags and two produce bags, all made with SKAL Certified Organic Cotton Cloth. With the discount this is a killer deal and would make a great gift for a couple.

Reusable Bags is not only having amazing closeout deals on reusable bags right now, (good ones) but also closeout prices on other cool reusable gear; EarthLust water bottles and green cleaning kits to name a couple.

Bangalla has 10% off ALL green holiday gifts and plenty of reusable bags made their list. PLUS get free first class shipping for spending just $30 – they’ve got some of the best bag set deals I’ve seen in a while too. Well worth a visit.

Not really a sale, but you should know that Original ChicoBags are just $5 which means you can afford to stuff one into every stocking PLUS if you buy any five Original ChicoBag brand reusable bags the fifth is free! All kinds of colors to choose from.

Lastly, Night Owl Paper Goods has their fab owl Book Tote available for just $8.00 – a totally cute bag for a great price!

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Reusable bag sales for the holidays

Once mid-to late winter arrives or once you trees are free of foliage is a good time to prune. You can hold off until early spring, right before spring foliage starts but it’s up to you. One pro of spring pruning is that it you won’t be so flipping cold while outside – and it’s not as easy to prune well while wearing tons of warm layers.

Why prune?

• To remove any dead, diseased, or broken branches.
• To get rid of any suckers or wild growth.
• If you’re transplanting a tree, pruning can help compensate for root loss.
• To keep a tree within your yard boundaries.
• To aid production of larger flowers or fruit.
• To shape your tree in a specific way.
• To keep branches away from creating potential hazards such as branches that are getting to close to power lines or a house window.

There are a few times you’ll want to prune typically – at first planting which helps the growing process, to get the tree to the desired height (which of course will vary), and after the tree is at the height you want you’ll want to prune when the above situations apply; for example broken or diseased branches.

The best way to learn to prune is with visuals or actual professional help if you’re nervous about it – cutting a tree at first can seem scary. You can hire a pro for the first one or two pruning sessions, watch them, then keep their skills in mind when you prune. OR get a book with adequate visuals. Most general gardening books have sections on pruning, just make sure the instructions come  with images to help you along. One good, but slightly older book you can refer to is American Horticultural Society Pruning & Training. I like this book because it’s really broken up well into easy bite sized chunks with tutorials that take you step by step through the pruning process. That said, it might be more book than you need if you don’t prune often. You can also see some online pruning guidelines, but a take along book is still better IMO.

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Planning for tree pruning

Green living is good; great in fact. However, some green issues are more complex than others and require more thought than simply jumping on the bandwagon. Following are some simple green issue that sound good and easy to solve, but in reality there’s more to consider.

Green cars are good! Green cars do save money and reduce your CO2. That said there is a cost to the planet for each new car made; even highly efficient, small cars. If your old car is small, you don’t drive much, or you have a newer car it may not make sense to replace it simply to get a super efficient car. Tires, seats, the body, electrical parts and so on all take energy and materials to make. If you’ve got a big old gas guzzler that you drive non-stop, then yeah, a newer energy efficient car is likely worth it. But if not, you may be better off in the meantime simply using smarter green driving tactics.

Green homes rock! Green homes in general are a good goal. Using green building tactics can make your remodel a healthier experience and green homes can save you money. There are however difference between a healthy home and a green built home. Many of the aspects that go into creating a green home can be healthy – i.e zero voc paint but some green aspects such as solar panels or energy efficient appliances may be healthy for the earth (which is good for humans), but you need to go beyond that for total human health. You need to consider what’s inside your home both related to air quality and furnishings. You need to clean your home with green cleaners.  Your home should have healthy HVAC, ventilation and filtration systems. Green and healthy do come together, but not in total. You need to consider both issues.

Energy efficient appliances save resources! They do to a point but human habits save more. For example if you have an energy efficient washer and dryer, and you always run hot water loads and dry everything, you’re not being as responsible as someone with an older set who washes on cold and hang dries. An energy efficient stove won’t save as much energy as a simple microwave. Energy efficient TVs are swell but watching one all the time is not as eco-friendly as the family with an old set who instead of watching TV gets out into nature for a hike. Along with considering your appliances also consider your actual use habits.

[image via stock.xchng]

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Green issue to take with a grain of salt

The other day I posted that the new 2010 Farmer’s Almanac Gardening Calendar had arrived, but also noted that I didn’t get one this year. My aunt gave me a really cute mini calendar she thought I’d like (and I did) – Fresh Picked from BrownTrout. I don’t love big calendars because I like my office wall near my desk a little bare, and this calendar being a mini is perfect.

Besides being packed with garden farm goodness, Fresh Picked is a green product. It’s printed with soy and vegetable based inks on sustainable paper from FSC certified forests. I think this one is a great little stocking stuffer. I think if you’re going to buy a paper calendar you should aim for recycled paper – which is the one issue I have with the Garden Almanac calendars.

Below are a few more garden calendars that are also printed on recycled paper… I really like the first one.

A Year of Healthy Living Wall Calendar – features topics that approach food as a nurturing component of life that supports and sustains you. Artful fruit and vegetable photographs along with monthly nutritious recipes and helpful tips.

Herbs 2010 Wall Calendar

Dream Gardens 2010 Wall Calendar – a collection of the most beautiful gardens in America. Plus features helpful tips on ways to achieve your own garden bliss and seasonal how-to’s for year round gardening.

I like photo calendars best, but if you like illustrated garden art then Herb Garden 2010 Wall Calendar is pretty slick offering lovely illustrated herbs, birdhouses, and other garden treats.

Kitchen 2010 Deluxe Wall Calendar – has a focus on culinary still-life photography but natural and green foods, plus offers food lore.

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Fresh Picked 2010 Mini Calendar

In a post last week we looked at where to find the best eco-sex toys. Then I noted I’d be back with more info about natural additions (organic lube) and some recycling info. Then to top it off I forgot. Well, I’m back now with some more information about natural lubes. Later (this time I swear) we’ll look at sex toy recycling.

Weekend Getaway gift set from Good Clean Love – awesome company!

Why natural lube:

If you’re going to go through the cost and hassle of locating eco-friendly sex toys, why on earth would you top off your toys with a toxic, chemical laden lube? In fact, Time Magazine notes, “Most of the personal lubricants in the U.S. — drugstores sold $82 million worth of them last year — contain chemicals found in oven cleaner, brake fluid and antifreeze.” AND you want to put them where?!

You have lots of other, greener, safer options.

You can choose silicone lubes, but they’re not as good as water based. Silicone is man made, but can’t be absorbed into your skin or mucus membranes so it’s safer than a major chemical lube. Still you’ll want to look for fragrance free, color free, and so on to avoid other chemicals. Oil based lubes can be harmful for women trapping bacteria under a coat of oil, plus these lubes can break down condoms. If you’re looking for organic lubes you’ll have the most luck with water based products. Water-based personal lubricants are the safest for the planet BUT also the most easily absorbed by you, so you have to look for 100% natural and organic products. Also note that while water based lubes have pros they also need to be reapplied more frequently – if you think that reapplying is fun, it’s easier to handle.

Some natural choices:

Firefly Organics makes a 100% natural moisturizing lubricant with pure plant butters like natural Shea Butter and Cocoa Butter. The lube does not contain glycerin, silicone or petroleum, is preservative-free, and safe for use with silicone, rubber or polyurethane accessories and toys. The company does not test on animals and the packaging is fully recyclable.

Yes makes an certified organic water-based lube with organic Aloe Vera, organic Flax extract, three synergistic plant based gums – guar, locust bean and xanthan. Food grade preservatives are included, and citric acid to buffer the pH. Yes is also Vegetarian Society trusted which means products are approved as free from animal derived and GMO ingredients, as well as cruelty free.

Sliquid Organics Natural Lube – is a water-based lube that’s both glycerin and paraben free, the use of plant cellulose as a thickening agent makes it last longer than most glycerin-free lubes. Product contains organic botanical extracts that are independently certified by Quality Certification Services in compliance with the USDA National Organic Program.

Many other companies make eco-friendly lube though and you can even find all natural men’s stroke cream and organic massage oils.  For more organic and natural options check out…

• Sliquid Organics Stimulating O Gel
• Evergreen organic soy candles – which can be applied as massage rub.
• Good Clean Love
• Rub Me Massage Bar
• Sensua Organic
• Discreet Organic Lubricant

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Organic & Natural Personal Lubricants

One of the first gardening books I had as a kid was some monster Q&A book of gardening from about the 1940s. I didn’t read the whole book as a kid, but kept it. Later I went back to it when I had my first garden and the soil section wasn’t all that helpful. In fact, one of the questions was, “What kind of soil is most adaptable for general gardening?” And the answer, “Any well-conditioned soil that would grow a crop of corn.”

Um? This advice is all good and fine if you know how to grow corn. Since I was a new gardener I had no flipping clue what sort of soil might grow a decent crop of corn, and frankly found the answer a little odd. Time barrier maybe? In any case, eventually I got much better gardening books and got help from other gardeners and figured out the soil issue.

If you’re thinking you have soil problems, you’ll be glad to know that you don’t have to plant a bumper crop of corn to figure it out. A lot of soil problems usually aren’t too complicated to fix. With that in mind let’s take a look back at some soil tips and ideas…

• You can often diagnose a soil problem with specific plant problems. For example yellowing of old leaves that then brown and die is one sign that your soil is lacking the proper nitrogen. See more plant issues that crop up when your soil is nutrient deficient.
• For an in-depth look at creating the best overall garden soil from the start read, 8 Steps for How to Make Better Garden Soil.
• Slow draining soil is one problem where I live (lots of rain) and plant roots slow draining soil. Water takes up too much space, won’t allow air to circulate and your plant roots will have limited room to grow. Learn to fix slow draining soil problems.
• On the flip side, if your soil doesn’t retain enough moisture you can fix this problem with proper mulching.
• You can stop soil issues before they start by protecting your soil during the winter with cover crops.

[image via stock.xchng]

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Fixing soil problems

On NBC’s green week, Al Gore stopped by Saturday Night Live and gave a little news update about global warming. If you can get past him way too obviously reading the cue cards, it’s pretty darn hilarious. Since no one is taking global warming seriously, his plan is to sell crazy. My favorite green idea is trees with guns. Too funny.

Take a look…

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Al Gore Gets Crazy About Global Warming

Mountain Rose Herbs has a commuter program that all companies should mimic – it’s great for the planet and employees. Mountain Rose Herbs sells amazing organic herbal products that are processed, handled, analyzed and supervised by a full time quality control department. Their products are fresh, fragrant, colorful, and guaranteed to be organic and safe. Now, about their commuter program…

Mountain Rose Herbs aims to be a zero-waste, green company, and to that end they’ve got a killer Carpool and Bicycle Program. Not only do they encourage employees to carpool and bike to work but they actually pay their employees to do so. Currently all staff members who carpool to work earn 12 cents per mile for each passenger, and for those who bicycle to work, the company pays them 20 cents per mile! AND at the end of each year, Mountain Rose offers a cool $500.00 bonus to the individual who has logged the most passenger miles. With the growing problem of Co2 emissions and global climate change this is an amazing program – one that actually offers incentives to be green. Way more companies should do this.

Beyond the carpool & bike program, Mountain Rose Herbs has many other green policies in place such as…

• Allocating an average of $55,000.00 dollars each year for charitable giving, sponsorships, community functions, conservation work, and plant related projects.
• They’re the first U.S. supplier of Fair Trade Certified medicinal herbs and beyond that have a Good Trade Program as well.
• They only mail out catalogs twice a year and only to those that request them or customers within a 9 month period. The current catalog is 76 pages and the non-glossy interior pages were manufactured on 100% recycled stock and the glossy pages were manufactured on 50% recycled stock. The printing is done with soybean-based inks, and no petroleum or solvent-based solutions are used in the production of the catalog.
• All invoices, flyers, brochures and other paper materials are printed on 100% post consumer waste material.
• Shipping material is made up of recycled post-consumer newsprint, 100% post-consumer corrugation material, and the plastic bubble wrap used is made from 25% recycled post-consumer plastic.
• Mountain Rose Herbs is also a chemical free facility. They don’t use, nor allow within its facility, chemical cleaning agents, bleaches, synthetic and chemical based soaps, ammonia, chlorine, dioxide, commercial pest repellents, fumigants, or other synthetic agents which are harmful to people and the environment.
• Mountain Rose Herbs is a successful “Zero Waste” company where any perceived materials which might be regarded as waste are either recycled, re-used, composted, reclaimed, or brought back into the production cycle.
• Their commercial fleet vehicles run on bio-diesel!

Above is just the tip of the iceberg. Read more about their green initiatives at their website.

WHY would you buy herbal products elsewhere? Really? Visit Mountain Rose Herbs to get your holiday herbs, some cool holiday gifts, and more. Plus check out their monthly specials.

[images via Mountain Rose Herbs]

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Innovative Employee Commuter Program

The Seattle Times recently ran a piece about green holiday shopping. The piece noted that in a recent survey about one-fifth of US consumers say they plan on buying more green gifts this year. That’s not a change from last year when about as many said they’d be going green for the holidays. Further noted in the study, about 55% of Seattle respondents (wow – a lot) say they’ll pay more for greener gifts. That’s pretty encouraging because people everywhere seem to be looking for greener gifts and less toxic toys for the kids.The downside is that not all folks are interested in going green for the holidays, and many of these people I’ve talked to say that it’s because it’s too darn expensive. With that in mind I thought we’d kick off December with some tips about how to have a greener holiday but without shelling out much more cash – if any more. In my opinion green living, even green products can be an inexpensive choice. Green doesn’t necessarily mean more expensive. Following are some links that offer inexpensive ideas to help you green your holiday season.

• Before buying a gift (or anything really) use a green-minded should you buy it flowchart. This will help you make more conscious purchasing decisions and you’ll spend less.
• 10 inexpensive green gifts for adults AND 9 inexpensive green gifts for kids – all of these gifts are $40 or less!
• Reuse your gift wrap for other things after the holidays.
• Eco-friendly stocking stuffers that are totally affordable.
• Send free green e-cards for the holidays vs. paper cards which cost both you and the environment more.
• Make your own green-minded holiday gifts – fun and thrifty.
• Learn how to save money on holiday organic food.
• Plan a re-gifting party.
• Use LED holiday lights which will save you more money on your energy costs than traditional bulbs.
• For more tips read the fab book, I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas which offers excellent tips and advice about keeping it green this season on a more meaningful level vs. a material one.

[image via stock.xchng]

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Have a less expensive green holiday