Earth Sense: Recent Episodes
ETV Radio
One minute tips for green living, re-purposing and up-cycling goods, and saving resources and money. Produced by South Carolina Public Radio.
Winter weather can turn hazardous quickly, but if you’re prepared , you can handle anything Mother Nature throws at you! If you don’t already have an emergency kit, think about pulling together a few emergency items like batteries, candles, a first aid kit, et cetera. Having sand or cat litter on hand for an icy walkway is a good idea and stocking your pantry with some canned goods and fresh water is a must. When traveling, be aware of the weather conditions before you head out and try to avoid being on the roads when there is a winter weather advisory. If you must travel, let someone know where you’re going and an expected time of arrival. Be familiar with your neighbors and be prepared to check on family and friends who are especially at risk from cold weather hazards like the elderly or chronically ill.
We’ve talked about common cold weather myths, and one of the most common misconceptions about this time of year is that you don’t need sunscreen. In fact, snow and ice can reflect up to eighty percent of harmful UV rays, so lather up with sunscreen even in the winter. Many believe that you lose most of your body heat through your head, but contrary to popular belief heat loss occurs where skin is exposed. If you were to go outside without gloves on, you would lose a disproportionate amount of heat through your hands. You may think it’s natural to gain as much as ten pounds over the winter, but most people only gain one to two pounds over the six weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but then many people also think you shouldn’t exercise in the cold. A study in Medicine in Science and Sports and Exercise found that race times are actually faster in colder temperatures, so get outside!
Winter is here and with it comes some outdated information about the cold temperatures , but don’t let winter health myths get the best of you! For starters, cold air does not make you sick. In fact, cold viruses grow best at about ninety one degrees, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases. And unfortunately, the myth that allergies go away in the winter is not true either. In fact, indoor allergies can be worse in colder temperatures. Think about it, pets don’t spend as much time outside in the winter and we tend to keep doors and windows sealed, decreasing the air quality inside. And it may not be the colder weather and lack of sunlight that is causing your mild winter depression- most likely, its family stress, a busy schedule, or worries about holiday spending that are triggering the blues!
You’ve been enjoying that Christmas tree all month long, and while it’s sad to think about taking it down and packing away your decorations, start planning for how you’ll reuse that live Christmas tree . There are a few places in the state that will take your live tree for use in fish and wildlife habitats, so that is an option. But you can also use the needle of your tree in your yard as mulch. Or cut off the boughs and lay them across your perennial flower beds to insulate them during the winter months. Cut the tree trunk into two inch disks and use them as a natural border for flower beds or walkways. You can cut thin slabs off the trunk of the tree, sand them smooth, and use them as coasters or trivets. Strip small branches and use the remaining twig as a stake to support indoor plants or seedlings. Or lay the tree in your back yard for birds to nest in.
This time of year is magical- unless you’re allergic to the holidays! No, I’m not talking about Scrooge, but think about all the allergy irritants this time of year. First, those decorations have been sitting in the attic for a year collecting dust, and anyone with indoor allergies knows that dust can be a real headache. This year, try storing your décor in airtight plastic bins to reduce dust. For those with asthma or even those sensitive to fragrance, just that fresh pine scent of a Christmas tree can be a trigger for symptoms, so try to avoid scented decorations and opt for artificial greenery. You’ll want to avoid decorations with snow-like dusting as this can become airborne and irritate already fragile allergy sufferers. And did you know conifers pollinate in the winter? So the allergy culprit may be a tree or wreath full of pollen!
As the weather turns colder, it may be a good time to plan winter mulching for your garden. The point of mulching in the fall and winter time is to prevent the ground around your plants from alternately freezing and thawing, which can injure plant roots. You’ll want to wait until after the first killing frost when the plants turn brown and go into a dormant state. Since this doesn’t usually happen for us until after Christmas, you can use boughs from your Christmas tree as mulch material. Leaves and other yard debris works well too, but be sure to remove the mulch in the spring to encourage new growth. Roses respond better to a heavier mulching and compost material is a good choice because it’s such a great insulator. Don’t forget about those evergreen or somewhat evergreen shrubs that can dehydrate in the winter. Burlap serves as a nice covering to protect these plants through the winter.
The best way to stay healthy during cold and flu season is to let your immune system do the work. In order to do that, you have to make sure your body is getting all the nutrients it needs to keep you well. Fruit and vegetable smoothies are a great way to get a large number of vitamins and minerals in your diet quickly. You'll want to vary the recipe each day to introduce a wide diversity of nutrients, but here are a few items that are great smoothie ingredients. Blueberries are one common food that has high levels of antioxidants, so get them as much as possible. Acai berries are also high in antioxidants, but are harder to find, so look for frozen acai pulp with no additives. And Goji berries are great for boosting your immune function. Add yogurt with live active cultures, pumpkin for a boost of vitamin A, and Green Tea instead of water for an extra immunity boost.
Whether you’re in the mood for decorating or just looking for a crafty hobby, using items you already have or finding items that might otherwise be trash is the best way to get your creative juices flowing and help Mother Earth. Wine bottles are fairly easy to come by, and you may have a few lying around waiting to be recycled. They can be used as hanging lights with a little modification. Or filled with a fuel based light or candle and used to light your outdoor living space. Use the bottoms of the bottle to create a stained glass pattern, or use them to create a mobile, or any number of artistic projects. Collect a lot of bottles and you can line your flower beds with beautiful glass, or arrange them vertically on poles to create a patio bottle wall. Use the bottles as hurricane lamps or fashion a bird feeder from that old wine bottle.
Furniture can be an expensive investment, but if you have an eye for up-cycled materials and a little creativity, you could make your own tables rather than buying them brand new. Some old sawhorse legs and a few wood pallets could make an industrial desk for your office. Old bicycle tires and the base of an old stool could be combined to make a truly unique side table, and if you can find an old metal milk jug, you could paint it and have a base for a small side table, or any number of up-cycle projects! Old doors are great for a number of projects, whether you choose to build a coffee table with your old door, or turn it into a bench for a foyer coat rack. When you’re thrift shopping, look for items that already have the shape you’re looking for: an old bass drum can be painted and set anywhere for a neat perch and crates turned on their sides offer shelving and counter space.
Have you got some old dishes that just are just a little too old fashioned? Or maybe you’re just ready for a change in the kitchen! Here are some fun ideas for ways to re-invent that dinnerware with just a few basic supplies. An easy way to reinvent your kitchen table is to embrace controlled chaos- mix and match the pieces you already have. Or, you can use painter’s tape and food-safe ceramic paint to spruce up white pieces. Use your old dinnerware as decoration by stenciling holiday décor and then hanging the plates on the wall. Using a glass etching tool or glass paint to decorate the outside of some simple glasses can refresh old pieces. And you can break out the hot glue gun and create a new cake stand from a combination of old parts. You’re really only limited by your imagination!
As the weather gets colder, you can really start to feel the pinch of heating your home when you receive that monthly power bill! But your heating system, and the way you use it account for a lot of that bill. Before you upgrade your system, improve the efficiency of your house- this will allow you to purchase a smaller unit and save you money on the upgrades. If you don’t already have a programmable thermostat, this is a good place to start. But you can set the temperatures manually to help save energy. Make it a habit to turn the temperature down ten degrees before you leave the house each morning. This way, you only heat your house when you’re home to enjoy it! You can use a space heater, whether it’s electric, combustion, a wood pellet stove, or even a fire place to heat a specific room, but be sure to follow any safety guidelines that may apply for your space heater. And set your ceiling fans to turn clockwise- this will blow rising hot air back down into the room.
Heating your home in the winter accounts for a large portion of your power bill; that’s why many people are looking for thriftier ways to stay warm. Freestanding wood pellet stoves , or models that fir into an existing fire place, are becoming more popular. These stoves look like traditional wood stoves, but burn pellets made of compacted sawdust. A mechanical auger deposits the pellets into a burn pot, where they are incinerated at such a high temperature that they create no vent-clogging creosote and very little ash or emissions. Depending on the size of your home, a pellet stove could supplement your current heating system or become the sole source. Installation can be tricky as they do require some venting, so unless you’re comfortable cutting holes in your home, hire a professional for installation. Wood pellets are small pills made of wood waste, mostly sawdust, but corn kernels can be used in lieu of pellets.
As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, it can be so easy to drop into a seasonal depression, but you can combat the blues by simply brightening your indoor space . If your ceilings aren’t already white, a fresh coat of paint can make a cave-like room much lighter. Painting your walls a lighter color or even a more soothing color can help your mood as well. And at this time of year, it’s a good idea to open the blinds during the day to let in the natural light- this will also help to warm your space and reduce your heating bill. If you’re hemmed in by oversized furniture, downsizing or using pieces with clean lines can lighten a room. And if you have the budget for some new light fixtures, look into some brighter bulbs, and ambient fixtures for a well-lit space that feels more inviting.
Have you got a small space in your home where you’re just not sure how to maximize utility? Whether it’s a bay window dining area or a small home office, there are a few design choices you can make so the space seems larger and serves its purpose. First, don’t overcrowd the space with clutter or furniture that is larger scale. Choose minimalist pieces or glass, so the space seems airy. Painting stripes on the wall or using long window paneling can make a space seem taller, giving the appearance of more space. And hanging a mirror is a tried and true way to give a space more depth. Choose light and airy colors for smaller spaces and leave room for a rug. A well-placed area rug can create the illusion of more floor space.
Whether you’re heating your home, or enjoying a fire pit s’mores party in the yard, what you burn can be as important as where you burn. Indoors or outside, natural wood is considered carbon neutral since it only releases the amount of carbon dioxide that the tree required over its lifetime. However, it’s not so much the wood, but the smoke that can be the problem with natural wood. Remember, when it comes to natural wood, the dryer the better. Pre-fabricated Firelogs are also an option, and there are quite a few brands on the market that use recycled material like saw dust and coffee grounds as the main ingredient. You just want to avoid the brands with petroleum wax because of their significantly higher carbon dioxide emission. Artificial logs can burn longer and hotter, but as with all fires, you should never leave them unattended.
Dogs are man’s best friend and designing and decorating a comfortable home to include Fido can fun. Spring for a dog bed that compliments your style and that will hold up over time. Organize Fido’s leash and poop-bags by the door on a hanging wall hook to clear up clutter and make dog walks more convenient. Many people use rubber mats to contain the water and food bowl, but you can use indoor/outdoor rugs which are attractive and clean up easily outside with a hose. And this is a good tip for dog lovers and cat owners alike- if you’re afraid your young puppy or fully clawed cat will tear up the furniture, opt for pieces with metal legs that resist scratching and chewing! Or look for pieces (or re-upholster a thrift store find) with indoor/outdoor upholstery which are easy to clean and tough to spoil. And keep that food fresh by investing in a good air-tight container or festive canister.
If you’ve ever traveled overseas, then you may be aware that many countries do not refrigerate eggs like we do in the US. Have you ever wondered why ? We didn’t always wash our eggs. It has to do with America’s demand for super clean food, our fear of salmonella, and our willingness to expend the energy required to refrigerate eggs from farm to grocery. Soon after the eggs are laid, they are put through a hot water and soap bath- a process which strips the egg of its natural protective coating. This coating helps to keep water and oxygen in and bad bacteria out. To mitigate this, we coat the eggs with oil after the bath and then they immediately go into refrigeration to keep microorganisms at bay. Once washed, the egg requires refrigeration. However, most countries in the world can’t afford the energy rich process of cold storage, nor do they mind buying their eggs out in the open air.
Stress is the workplace seems to be getting worse as American workers are expected to do more with less. But don’t let the stress at work affect your health. The first step to avoid stress is to recognize when you’re feeling stressed. Do you often feel anxious or depressed? Do you feel tension in your shoulders or have headaches? Do you have trouble sleeping, feel tired often, or have trouble concentrating? These are all warning signs of stress. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you feel overwhelmed. It’s a good idea to stand up and stretch or take a quick walk to clear your mind. Create a balanced schedule and don’t over-commit yourself. Learn to prioritize tasks and delegate work among your group. And finally, take care of yourself. Get enough rest, eat energy rich foods that will sustain you through the day, and get a daily dose of exercise, which is a great stress relief by itself.
Creating a stylish home on a budget can be a tall order, but by keeping an open mind, finding great items at the thrift store, flea market, and even yard sales can be fun. The trick is to think creatively ! Look for colorful accessories that reflect your personality. And when it comes to furniture, you want to find classic pieces with good lines. Remember that you can always paint and change the hardware on a dresser, or change the upholstery of an upright chair. Thrift stores are a great place to find cheap frames that you can spray paint any color you like. You should consider if you really need an item before purchasing. The point is to save money on necessities, not to become a hoarder! Remember that you’re not always going to find the right item or anything at all worth buying, but be patient and keep looking for your next treasure.
We’re all trying to get more done in less time, but being on the go all the time can negatively affect your eating habits. The best defense is a good plan! So take a few moments to plan your meals for the week . You’ll spend less time at the grocery store, spend less money, worry less about what’s for dinner, and make eating healthy easier! Start by jotting down any events for the week like soccer games or that date night you’ve been planning all month. Then, decide what to cook- it may be easier getting started to establish a routine: make Tuesday fish night, maybe Friday night you usually eat out, and Saturday could be pizza night. Next to each meal, write down where the recipe is located in the cook book or online. Make the shopping list of items you need and STICK TO THE LIST! By planning your week, you may find you have more time to enjoy meal time with your family.