Lighten Your Carbon Footprint

When we started to build the house of our dreams, one of our major considerations in terms of the design is to actually convert the same into a green home. My husband and I would often watch those incredible looking green homes and we were very inspired as to how the homeowners managed to incorporate wonderful design with functionality and environmental consciousness. This is the reason why we decided to do the same.

One of the things we immediately worked on was to have a PV energy home. This aims to help us in reducing the need for increased electrical consumption and other heating requirements around the home. Our architects and engineers which we have commissioned for the project are very much informed and open about the idea. I just wish we can all see the results right away from paper to reality.

As a teacher, I need to practice what I preach. I would need to make sure that I am able to be a good role model at all times because most of these kids would follow the doings of adults. Since most of these children would spend more time in school than in their homes, I as a teacher would make a big impact and influence these kids from doing the right thing in life. Among this is paying particular attention to environmental consciousness.

Whenever I come to school with a number of materials or books which I need for teaching, I always make use of green shopping bags. These things are not only handy whenever I go grocery shopping or whenever I go on a bargain hunt, they are also great items to utilize in carrying a number of items in replacement of a bag. Since I only have a purse with me to school, all the other things are placed in these green shopping bags.

My husband is one of those individuals who would allow me to do whatever it is I enjoy and want in life. After getting married, I told him that I wanted to make time for my family and the household so he had to adjust having to be the only person to support all of us. He also finds the time to be able to spend a lot of quality moments with us despite his busy schedule. My kids and I are truly lucky to have him.

Since he knew I was into indoor gardening for a few weeks now, he went home one day with one of those indoor garden lamps in hand. He mentioned that his colleague’s wife was also into the same hobby and told him that these things were very effective to use. I appreciate his effort for having to know more about the things I am interested in. Now I can finally set up my indoor garden with everything I need complete.

Call me a practical person, but I would much rather do it myself rather than having to spend so much for what I need. After all, do it yourself projects are relatively popular these days, as more and more people would want to get what they want without having to worry about the costs they need to incur. I am one of those who want to look for the cheapest alternative at all times, and making it yourself is actually very fulfilling once you have seen the end result.

My latest project at home is this DIY green house which I have started on a few months back. I have always wanted to level up my gardening and decided to build one myself. I researched on a number of sites in order for me to get the best sound advice and pull it off well. My hard work indeed paid off, and I am now spending most of my time in my backyard tending to my plants and produce.

As an environment advocate, I would need to make sure that I practice what I preach and be able to teach my children about the campaigns I feel strongly about. This is the only way by which I can pass it on to provide more awareness to other individuals. Like everything else, it has to start from my own home. It can be hypocritical to fight for something which you yourself do not happen to pursue yourself.

This is why I have recently purchased a solar space oven for our house. This way, I can divert from the conventional method of cooking and be able to use the power of the sun to prepare the dishes we eat at home. Using the same science behind a greenhouse, the food I prepare cooks to its perfection just like it would in a typical stove. My kids were really amazed with the new oven, and said they were not able to tell the difference from the way I cooked my meatloaf dish in my new oven from the one I have in my kitchen.

Given my efforts in transforming my backyard into a garden when I retired, I decided to make better use of the space rather than keeping the pool around. All the kids have moved out and I have the convenience of focusing on doing the things I enjoy, one of which happens to be gardening. I have been using artificial fertilizers for a few months, until I came across the hazards of using the same.

I decided to go for natural and find better ways of utilizing kitchen scraps in my home. I got myself an Earthcare compost tumbler so I can start on with the shift. So far, I see no difference in making use of natural compost with fertilizers which I would need to purchase. Not only do I get to save money, I also need not work with materials which can be harmful for me and the environment.

In our community we have a weekend market where farmers in our area would offer and sell their organic produce. This has been an ongoing market for many years now. I have been buying these produce from them ever since they started. I love buying from them since I know that they are very fresh and that I am able to help our local farmers from earning from their products.

Whenever I go to the weekend market I would make it a point to bring my Kent Westport Tricycle with me. This is perfect since there would be limited spaces available where we can park our cars, and it is convenient since my Kent Westport Tricycle has a basket in it. After going shopping I would end up piling the entire basket with fresh organic produce. These things are perfect for the meals which I prepare for my family.

In order to source out the freshest menu which I whip up for my customers in my restaurant, I always make it a point to sign up for Pennnsylvania CSA Shares. These programs are the answer to my need in making sure that I only get to serve fabulous food in my own restaurant, something I have always dreamt of ever since I was a little girl. This way, those who dine in my place would know they only place items in their mouths from farms which have directly sent me the ingredients right after they are picked.

For any perfect dish, the foundation happens to be the ingredients which are found in the food. This is why it is important for me to make use of the freshest options all the time. I cannot deal with having to settle for what is left. I always need to get the best. This is my belief as a true blue chef and believer that there is more to food than simply allowing a person to survive.

These days, there have been serious talks and concerns regarding the increasing waste found and further dumped in landfills. This is the reason why there have been campaigns which aims to inform people on the things they can do in order to reduce the amount of waste being thrown in these locations. If everyone would act upon it, then there will be a significant difference on the amount of materials ending up on bum piles.

Individuals can help reduce further flow of trash to landfills by engaging in backyard composting. This way, organic matter can be infused with backyard soil which can benefit the latter from containing the necessary nutrients and minerals for the benefit of the plants located in the garden. Yard trimmings and kitchen scraps are good examples of these materials which can be buried in one’s backyard.

During the weekends, I make sure that I find the time to read one of the books I have yet to read from my recently purchased batch. For me, reading is the best way to unwind. Reading helps me forget about my troubles and get to be transported in a whole new place. This way, I can forget anything related to work and the deadlines which go with it.

Aside from the great lounge outdoor furniture I have, I also got myself one of those solar cascade water fountains. This is perfect to create the perfect atmosphere for tranquility and relaxation. This is the ideal space for someone like me who would need to unwind and forget about anything else but myself. Nothing beats a home with all the perks to enjoy a quiet weekend all alone.