It's Easy Being Green

It’s been a long week moving from one house to another. Luckily it was just around the corner but still, anytime you move you take on a tremendous task. I think my body has felt drained this weekend because we’ve had so much to do this week. Plus, I’m no spring chicken anymore as my girlfriend tells me! Our new home is a newer manufactured home with double paned windows and lots of insulation. At least that’s how it seems. We have our thermostat set at 68 degrees and it only runs like once in the middle of the night for a few minutes and then it is done. It’s incredible how much more efficient this home is compared to the one we just moved out of. Plus, the windows in this house are huge so we got a lot of natural light. That’s good for keeping the electric bill down and all of our indoor plants happy!

Well anyway, time to get the blog going again since my office is functioning and the computer is plugged in again. I hope all is well!

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I just stumbled upon a true recycled crafty project today. Someone in my area is making these purses out of Capri Sun juice pouches. They apparently recycle them by sowing them together into a bag. Now that’s an idea! Do you have a recycled craft project that others can try? Let us know about it!

I found the purses here if you’re interested in learning more about them.

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A lot of people want to cover up or get rid of odors in their home whether it’s from cooking, pets, smoking or the occasional dead mouse you haven’t been able to locate yet.  But it seems the easiest thing to reach for to improve the smell of our homes are room sprays over loaded with fake fragrances and chemicals.  It’s super easy to freshen the smell of your home while keeping it more natural by using essential oils.

Essential oils are just oil extracted from a particular plant or botanical through distillation.  By buying an essential oil warmer (usually powered by a candle or power outlet) you can scent a room with natural fragrances.  They won’t only make your house smell good they’ll also help your mood too!  Here’s some suggestions:

Would you like to lift your mood and spirits?   Try Almond Extract, Lavender, Orange Blossom, Vanilla or any other scent you like.  If you’d like to reduce anxiety, try Roman Chamomile, Lavender or Orange Blossom.  If you want to reduce agitation, try Lavender or Lemon Balm.  If you want to feel revived, use Rosemary.  It’s easy to find essential oils at local stores and Googling the term “essential oil” will show you a ton of online retailers.  One simple way we freshen up our home is to simmer a small pot of water on the stove with orange slices and a pinch of mulling spices.  The orange spice smell infuses your entire house and I think smells pretty darn good.  While mulling spices can be expensive, one tin has lasted me more than five years for the occasional air freshening.

Do you have a natural tip or trick to keeping your home smelling fresh without the use of chemicals or overpowering room sprays?  Let us know about it and share your tip too.

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Tonight marks a total lunar eclipse and it looks like it will be prime-time viewing for most people. Most of Europe, North America and South America will get quite a show that will be visible during the early evening hours. This total lunar eclipse is brought on by the moon crossing through the Earth’s shadow tonight and it won’t happen again until 2010. So, even if it’s cold, step outside and watch the action. The moon will begin entering Earth’s shadow around 8:43pm EST. For those of us in Northern Arizona, that’s 6:43pm. But, at the beginning it will be hard to notice anything happening. The actual eclipse event that you’ll be able to see doesn’t start until 10pm EST or 8pm in Arizona. The moon is expected glow orange or deep red for almost an entire hour.

While the eclipse will be clearly visible with the naked eye or even a pair of regular binoculars, a telescope can bring the moon’s features into view. Many people say it’s amazing to watch the moon’s craters and mountains as the shadows rise and fall across the moon’s face. If you watch tonight’s event and find yourself or your family wanting to see more of space, you can head over to Astromart’s website. There you can find the latest news about what’s happening in the world of astronomy and you can scan classified ads for used telescopes and used binoculars for sale. I’ve been wanting to get a telescope lately but just haven’t been able to bring myself to plunking down the money for one. Now, I might be able to find a used telescope at a reasonable price and help someone else upgrade! Check it out.

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Here’s a little treat to share with all of my readers.  I’ve talked about Green Cleaners in the past but now you can actually get a free sample of one of those products.  Head over to the Ecover website to enter for a free sample of an eco-friendly cleaner.  You can also register in their contest to have your home completely cleaned top to bottom in an eco-friendly way.

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One of the easiest ways to “be green” is by following a few simple steps to increase the fuel economy of your vehicle. One of those tips to always make sure your tires are inflated to the proper pressure and you might as well check the tread wear while you’re down there, ensuring your ride has safe traction in bad weather. Tires are declared legally unsafe when the tread is reduced to a depth of 1/16th of an inch and the rule of thumb was to stick a penny in the tread to measure this. With Lincoln’s head pointing into the tread (ouch!) you shouldn’t be able to see the top of his hair. If you did, it was time for new tires!

However, that measurement has changed. It’s now recommended that you use a quarter instead of a penny. Pointing George Washington’s head into the tread (again, ouch!), you shouldn’t be able to see the top of his head. If you do, head to the tire shop! It’s also important to pay attention to other danger signs on your tires including uneven tread wear, cracks or cuts in the sidewall, bulges and blisters and excessive vibration in your steering wheel. If your tires are showing any of these signs you should have them checked out. Tires are one of the most easily overlooked pieces of your vehicle. But if you keep regular tabs on them, not only will you save yourself money but you’ll also help the environment too.

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Ever since I worked at a local golf community as a part-time employee last summer, I’ve been itching to get back into the game of golf. It’s an opportunity to stay active, get together with a group of friends and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. My dad enrolled me in PGA golf lessons as a kid and I did okay but as I grew into my teen years I fell out of the golfing interest.

Now that I’ve wanted to pick up a set of clubs again, I’ve been worried if I still have the skills necessary to head to the driving range and not make a complete ass out of myself. The last thing I want to do is send a golf ball sideways at somebody in the tee box next to me! With my busy schedule, I really don’t have time or the money for one on one lessons either, so what’s a person supposed to do? A great idea has now popped up on the internet showing us just how useful the world wide web can be. An online golfing school called the Two Minute Pro will help you get that perfect golf swing through online golfing lessons. Even if you don’t already have some golfing skills under your belt, they offer beginners lessons too. It’s a great idea and a great way to get into a very popular game.

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