Now the temperature is even warmer (over 70 degrees today). This makes me think of even more of gardening. So I thought I would come up with a list of my favorite 15 flowers that I like to grow. I just posted the list on Lunch.com here: Favorite Flowers To Grow. I'm sure your favorites are different than mine.
What are your favorite flowers to grow?
My top 5 in the list are below:
Well the Sun is shining and temperatures over 50 degrees, which makes me think of gardening. So I thought I would come up with a list of my favorite 12 vegetables (not all are actually veggies) that I like to grow. I just posted the list on Lunch.com here: Favorite Vegetables To Grow. I'm sure your favorites are different than mine. What are your favorite vegetables to grow?
My top 5 in the list are below:
I, like millions of others, saw the 60 Minutes piece on the Bloom Box. Wow. A small box less than one square foot can power a home continuous for years with little energy input, which would replace the big power plants and transmission line grids. Did I mention that it is wireless? Fed Ex, Google, eBay and Wal-Mart are already testing the Bloom Box with success. Hmmmm … could this really be what every energy consumer in the world has been waiting for, well, forever?
This is the claim anyway of K.R. Sridhar, CEO of Bloom Energy, who came up with the Bloom Box after developing a similar device for NASA. The Bloom Box is made up of ceramic squares which are made from baked sand. The ceramic squares are coated with green and black “inks.” Bloom makes the ceramic discs which it stacks together with metal plates of “a cheap metal alloy.” The more power the Bloom Box makes, the bigger the stack. Bloom Energy is making their official big announcement this Wednesday, February 24.
We shall see if the Bloom Box will deliver as advertised. Only time will tell if we will have Bloom Boxes in our yards in ten years or sooner with no major glitches. Honestly, it all seems pretty much ‘too good to be true’ for millions of consumers, but I am open to be greatly surprised.
So how did Bloom Energy get its name?
So, what do you think of the Bloom Box?
I'm happy to announce I have partnered with Lunch.com to write about Green topics. If you would like to review products or concepts related to Green issues I would urge you to sign up to Lunch.com. It is a great place to share and learn ideas and issues from around the world.
Please check out my reviews for Community Gardens and Plastic Identification Codes to get an idea of what Lunch.com is about. I would really love to know your take on issues.
Go here to create your Lunch.com account:
Create Your Account
If you do sign up at Lunch.com, I ask that you send me your member name at claymiller@Ways2GoGreen.com.
You can find me on Lunch.com at: http://www.Lunch.com/Clay_Miller
You can also email me with any questions at claymiller@Ways2GoGreen.com
Lunch.com has set out to build an online community that brings together people's favorite online activities -- sharing useful info about things we know and love + discovering interesting facts and opinions that matter to us. They are hoping to tap into people who are engaging with the world around them, so they can share what they're witnessing in a way that's rewarding and meaningful. We all have critical thoughts about the things we encounter, whether it's movies, green issues, or sneakers, or allergy medication, and people like you are particularly full of valuable information. Basically, their goal is to capture that... and do it in a way that's fun and interesting.
Thank you and I'll see you at Lunch.com.
Below, the founder of Lunch.com, J.R. Johnson, explains more:
Message to the Community
What's your passion? Whatever your interests are, we have some new features that will make sharing and discovering more about what you love even easier. We also like to think that the side effect to the fun is finding some common ground with people you may never have encountered otherwise. Surely the world could use a little more understanding, right? So keep rating and find out who you're most similar on everything under the sun-- from food and politics to sports and the environment.
We've added a brand new way to participate on Lunch called Micro Reviews. An easy, quick-take opinion (in 140 characters or less) will help us get to know you and connect you to great people and content. It's a nice way to work your way up to writing full reviews. Plus, you can share your Micro Reviews on Twitter and Facebook.
You can also share your top faves with Lists! You can rank data points on any theme or category. Post your , , or in order, and then share your list on Lunch, Facebook, Twitter or any of your social networks. Also, include blurbs on why you ranked the list the way you did. Once you share your list, other people can create their own version based on yours. It's a great way to compare tastes and show off the cool stuff you know.
We're proud to announce Communities on Lunch, where you can find the latest reviews, top contributors, ExhilaRate games, and Lists on a particular topic! Find popular communities above or click on "Interests" (in the green bar at the top of the site) and "." See how you stack up against other contributors in , , , , or ! You can also follow a community to get updates on new posts and content. Since we've just starting building Communities, please help us out by tagging your reviews and data points. Thanks for helping us out!
Remember to follow us on Twitter for news, for the cream of the crop reviews, or follow me . And become a fan of ! We'd love to hear what you think via email or Twitter.
Thanks again for being a part of our growing community.
We are pleased to announce that we have partnered with SEES (Solar Energy & Efficiency Solutions, Inc.). One of their many services is a Free Online Energy Audit delivered to your email. You will also receive a Free Energy Guide and Free Green Energy Talk Magazine, all designed to help homeowners lower their energy bills and help the planet go green.
Simply click on the image below or here to signup for your Free Online Energy Audit. You will be presented with a 10-20 page detailed analysis of ways you can make your home more energy efficient. You will also receive a list of all of the incentives, rebates and grants available for your ZIP Code.
There is no cost or obligation and you can opt out of future emailings at any time. Your own Free online energy audit and comprehensive report will show you FACTS for simple improvements to your home or business — save money, save energy, and improve the environment. We hope you take advantage of this service from SEES. Have a great green day.
A pesticide may be a chemical substance, biological agent (such as a virus or bacterium), antimicrobial, disinfectant or device used against any pest. Pests include insects, plant pathogens, weeds, mollusks, birds, mammals, fish, roundworms, microbes and people that destroy property, spread or are a vector for disease or cause a nuisance. Although there are benefits to the use of pesticides, there are also drawbacks, such as potential toxicity to humans and other animals.
Pesticide use raises a number of environmental concerns. Over 98% of sprayed insecticides and 95% of herbicides reach a destination other than their target species, including non-target species, air, water and soil. Pesticide drift occurs when pesticides suspended in the air as particles are carried by wind to other areas, potentially contaminating them. Pesticides are one of the causes of water pollution, and some pesticides are persistent organic pollutants and contribute to soil contamination.
Below are two lists from the Environmental Working Group on the fruit and vegetables with potentially the most and least pesticides.
The Dirty Dozen: Fruits & Vegetables that contain highest pesticides load
- peaches
- apples
- bell peppers
- celery
- nectarines
- strawberries
- cherries
- kale
- lettuce
- imported grapes
- carrots
- pears
Clean Fifteen: Fruits & Vegetables that contain the least pesticide residue
- onions
- avocados
- sweet corn
- pineapples
- mangoes
- asparagus
- sweet peas
- kiwis
- cabbages
- eggplants
- papayas
- watermelons
- broccoli
- tomatoes
- sweet potatoes
You can peel your fruits and vegetables and trim outer leaves of leafy vegetables in addition to washing them thoroughly. Keep in mind that peeling your fruits and vegetables may also reduce the amount of nutrients and fiber. Some pesticide residue also collects in fat, so remove fat from meat and the skin from poultry and fish.
So how do you possibly avoid pesticides totally? The answer is either grow your own food or going Organic. Or both. Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on crop rotation, green manure, compost, biological pest control, and mechanical cultivation to maintain soil productivity and control pests, excluding or strictly limiting the use of synthetic fertilizers and synthetic pesticides, plant growth regulators, livestock feed additives, and genetically modified organisms. Since 1990, the market for organic products has grown at a rapid pace, to reach $46 billion in 2007.
Think before you buy. I'm starting to do that and buy organic foods. There are more and more options because demand is increasing. Be healthy and eco-friendly.
I've seen many articles and blogs which contain eco-friendly holiday gift ideas. I wanted to place some of them here to be of little help to some of the late shoppers who are trying to get something nice for themselves or their green friend. These suggestions are better than giving fruitcakes. However, I do hear that many fruitcakes have been reused and regifted, so I guess that is pretty eco-friendly.
Go Green this Christmas - gift ideas
Green holiday gifts can bring joy, save money
Joy of green giving: High-tech, environmentally friendly gifts
Inexpensive Christmas Gift Ideas: Save Money and Go Green with Cheap, Earth-Friendly Gifts
Christmas Gifts 2009: Do It Yourself!
Last minute Christmas gift ideas {green products and services}
Happy shopping and have a great holiday season!
