Sweet Greens
Your Earth Friendly Guide to All Things Green | Green Parenting | Eco Kids | Green Families
My thought, give vintage books as favors – the mister and I did this at our wedding and it was a huge hit! Include a nameplate inside with the bride and groom’s names and wedding date inside.Â
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Fridays at the Farm Trailer from Coyopa Productions on Vimeo.Â
A Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a way for a community to establish a relationship with a farm and receive a weekly or monthly supply of produce, fruits, eggs, milk, meat, flowers, or any other type of farm products. A season typically runs from late spring to early fall. This generally costs a family $300-500 a season.
As a member, you would support the farm throughout the season, and in return reap the rewards including; better prices, safer products, and tastier food with a lower carbon footprint. You also establish a responsible relationship between people, the food they eat, and the land itself.
Members become “shareholders” of the farm and in advance cover the costs of the farm’s operation. Members also share in the risks including failed crops, poor weather, or pests. However, the rewards greatly out way the risks.
As you already know, my family loves the ocean. We spend the majority of our free time paddleboarding, swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, surfing, and free-diving. Our love for the ocean includes everything that lives in the ocean. There are many creatures that inhabit that ocean that humans may find dangerous – especially after all of the media coverage surrounding some recent shark attacks. While I understand that some people may find sharks to be terrifying, the ocean is their home and we are simply visitors. However, as a family, we have a realistic view of these animals and follow the rules of the ocean to help ensure no harm comes to the sharks or our family.
Eben learned how to swim before he could walk or talk, he was almost 6 months old. He is a natural in the water – it is the one place where he feels completely at ease. When it comes to the ocean, he has no fear – he has been stung by jellyfish, bitten by countless creatures, stepped on a sea urchin and even tore his leg open kneeling on the ocean floor. However, all of these incidents have not changed his view of the ocean, it is still his favorite place on Earth.
I am not as adventurous as Eben or the mister, I am the cautious one – the one always on the lookout for possible dangers. We have swum and snorkeled with sharks many times and we have never felt threatened by them. In fact, we have nothing but love and respect for these amazing creatures. Since I am so cautious and a natural planner, I have tips that I live by to keep my family safe in the ocean. I am not trying to scare you, you are more likely to be hurt by a toilet than a shark! However, if you are hitting the beach this summer, read on and take note, these tips can help to keep your family safe.
#1: What’s Going On?
The first thing to consider before even getting into the water is to stay on top of what is happening in the ocean in your area. A great place to start is at the lifeguard station – they will have a sign that will outline any dangers for the day. Check the news, have there been reports of whale migration, baitfish or seals in the area? If so, stay out of the water. Also, if sharks are migrating through the area, it is a good idea to steer clear of the water too.
#2: It’s All in the Sky
Waters tend to be cloudy at dusk and dawn – and if you can’t see well through the cloudy water, a shark won’t be able to either. Many causes of shark bites happen simply as a case of mistaken identity. Also, if it is overcast or stormy, going in the ocean isn’t recommended – again the water is usually cloudy and incoming storms can stir up bait fish, the last thing you want to do is get between a shark and its prey.
#3: Watch for FishermenÂ
I don’t recommend being in the water anywhere near fishermen. Whether the fishermen are simply fishing, cleaning the fish in the water, dumping fish guts into the water, or chumming, it’s a good idea to steer clear of the area. Sharks have an amazing sense of smell and taste and fish guts in the water may attract them to the area. Some sharks have been known to hang around areas where fishermen fish, snatching the fish from their lines too. So as a rule, we do not swim near anywhere near a fishing pier.
#4: Stick Together
As with many things in life, there is safety in numbers when in the ocean too. I don’t recommend swimming far offshore or even hanging out in the water by yourself. Sharks come into all depths of water. We have seen them in knee-deep water and 30-foot waters – swimming or playing in the water as a group is a much better option. Stick together.
#5: Skip the Shiny
Shiny or metal objects can attract sharks – they are curious creatures, they may just want to check out your bling. When heading out to the sea, remove all of your jewelry – and skip swimsuits with any shiny metal embellishments.
#6 Keep Noise to a Minimum
Stick to playing Jaws at the swimming pool only! Splashing around, yelling and thrashing about may attract sharks to the area. They may think you are a struggling prey or may just be curious to see what all the ruckus is about.
#7: Keep a Safe Distance
Most of the times that we have encountered sharks have been on a reef. We always respect their space, put a lot of distance between us and them, stay close together, all the while remaining calm and still. They have always just swum past or under us – never giving us a second look. Again, I don’t recommend snorkeling or diving at a reef alone and when you do see a shark, don’t freak out and frantically try to swim back to the boat. Stay calm and still, and most likely the shark will just swim by.
#8: Pick a Guarded Beach
If you are on vacation, not familiar on how to read the ocean or just want a little more protection, hit the guarded beach. The lifeguards are not only there to keep us safe from drowning, but they will also alert you as soon as they see sharks, baitfish or other dangerous creatures or weather conditions. As soon as you hear that whistle blow, get out the water until the lifeguard says it is safe to go back in. Also, when you arrive at the beach make sure to read the signs at the lifeguard station if there is baitfish in the area or they have a red/no swimming flag – follow their recommendations.
#9: Don’t Feed the Fish
There have been documented cases of people being bitten by sharks after feeding them. Sharks are highly intelligent creatures if you feed them once they will remember it and come back to the area for more. What happens when someone else swims in that spot and doesn’t have a treat to offer them? They may bite someone on accident simply looking for food. As in all cases, do not feed the wildlife, it isn’t a good idea for you or for them.
How do you keep your family safe from sharks at the beach? Are there tips I may have missed?
NOTE: This post was written for me – thank you for supporting the companies that help keep Sweet Greens in business.
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Like most families, the annual vacation is something we all look forward to – my family is super excited for our fall family trip later this month! With the holidays right around the corner, we will be traveling again to spend time with friends and family – like many of you! While most of our travels are done by car, your long distance trip may require you to fly to your vacation destination. Naturally, you may be concerned about flying and whether you will be undoing a year’s worth of good eco-friendly living with this one trip, while flying isn’t always the most eco-friendly option – it is something a necessity, so we have outlined 3 tips to help make your next flight to your vacation destination more eco-friendly.
1. Flying the Eco-Friendly Skies
Lowering emissions on a jumbo jet is no easy task, but the major airlines are trying to find new ways to lower emissions and make the skies a lot friendlier. First of all, airlines are exploring the use of biodiesel fuels as an alternative way of fueling flights. While there have been several successful flights with 100% biodiesel on board, bio diesel has a major drawback in that it freezes, thickening up like gravy. All is not lost, though; blending biodiesel with jet fuel generates a more environmentally-friendly fuel that won’t freeze up at 40,000 feet. While the fueling debate and experimentation continues, airlines are taking other steps to assist environmentally-savvy travelers, helping them to travel with peace of mind. Many airlines are using environmentally-conscious materials, both inside the plane and in the structure itself, to increase efficiency and decrease excess carbon output. Airlines are also adjusting flight patterns, improving the quality of landing procedures, and making it easier for planes to fly higher and faster. Hopefully as more time passes, flying the eco-friendly skies will become easier to do.
2. Off-Set Your Carbon Vacation Footprint
Even with all the advances that airlines are making, you have to acknowledge that, no matter where you go, you will be in an aircraft producing greenhouse gases. Nearly ten percent of the greenhouse gases on earth are produced by aircraft. For the environmentally-conscious, this is a real problem; the solution for many is carbon off-setting. Carbon off-setting allows you to make up for the polluting emissions that your flight will be causing by having trees planted to restore balance in the environment. Many airlines, including American Airlines, are partnering with carbon off-setting companies to offer passengers a way to restore balance to the environment and still enjoy the vacation. Once you have your flight information, you can enter it into one of a number of websites that calculates flight mileage and total carbon emissions. Then, simply pay the desired amount to off-set the effects of your vacation footprint.
3. Look for Alternatives
Planning a family vacation that required you to fly to your destination means considering the effects that your trip would have on the environment. I recommend looking at alternatives to flying but, when a flight can’t be avoided, to do the research and try to make your trip as green as possible. After selecting your flight plan carefully, look for an airline that demonstrates a concern for the environment and a desire to improve their carbon footprint by increasing fuel efficiency and offering eco-friendly features such as carbon off-setting.
It is possible to travel the world and keep on saving the world in the process. All it takes is some savvy research and careful planning.
I love seeing more of the world; traveling and experiencing life in different places has always been important to me. Travel can mean so much, by expanding our perceptions, promoting intercultural experiences, and helping us learn about and appreciate the planet we all share. Unfortunately, if you aren’t conscious about how you travel, it can also be a huge contributor to a larger carbon footprint, among other not-so-green issues.
Almost 100 million Americans travel each holiday season, and it’s no surprise that it doesn’t always bring good cheer — from high prices to bad weather and crowded airports. On top of this, booking holiday trips with travel rewards cards can be difficult due to inflexible flight times, low availability, or hard-to-get seats. Considering all this, is it possible to add concerns about “traveling green” to the already existing stresses of seasonal travel and still keep things simple? Luckily, I would say yes! It is not only possible, but reasonably simple to keep our environment in mind while traveling. Also, green travel practices can even save you some “green”, especially if you make wise use of travel reward programs.
Of course, traveling with a family also means that these days I want to simplify my travel planning, in order to get the most out of it without undue hassle. So I’ve put together some guidelines on how we minimize the environmental impact of our travel. Hopefully this will inspire you to take a closer look at how your own travel plans could be greener, whether you want to hit the beach or the slopes this winter!
Before You Travel: Planning and Packing
Being an eco-friendly traveler starts with planning. Do your research online, and don’t print everything out or get stacks of paper brochures from a travel agent. Book online: whether you’re going back home, traveling to a new and interesting place, or simply escaping the winter weather, Venture Card from Capital One can help simplify your travel this holiday season and beyond. Keep any boarding passes or tickets on your mobile device instead of printing them off, where possible. I’ve personally found Capital One to be helpful when trying to keep my travel plans simple and straightforward to manage.
Pack as light as possible. The more weight trains, planes, and automobiles have to carry, the more fuel they use. Bring a reusable water bottle and shopping bag to cut down on single-use items during travel. If you got new toothpaste, adaptors, or other travel items before the trip recycle the packaging before leaving home — you’ll save suitcase space and not have to worry about finding somewhere to recycle while on the road.
Definitely take steps to minimize your home’s footprint while you’re on vacation. Turn off and unplug lights and other electronics to prevent them from “leaching” power even when they’re not in use. Turn down the thermostat and water heater, if you have one. You won’t be using them!
Keeping Your Stay Green
Choose an eco-friendly hotel where possible. Do your research and check accrediting bodies for green hotels. You can get a sense of whether a company makes environmental ethics a priority by visiting their website. Or try calling them and asking a few questions, such as the following: Is the hotel locally owned and operated, and/or staffed by local employees? What kind of recycling programs are in place? How does the hotel work to reduce its energy consumption? Do they have a towel and sheet re-use initiative in place?
No matter where you’re staying, follow some basic guidelines to minimize energy use. When you shower, keep it short. Don’t run the water while brushing your teeth. Turn off all electronics as well as and heat or air-conditioning whenever you leave for the day. If you’re staying for multiple nights, make sure to keep sheets & towels instead of having them washed each day — if the hotel itself doesn’t have a policy on this, leave a note for the housekeeping staff. Even better, stay with family or friends when possible. A few more people in the house won’t change its energy usage too much, and you’ll have the benefit of a kitchen to prepare healthy meals in.
Use public transportation, bike rentals, and walk when you’re checking out the locale. While enjoying yourself, be sure to purchase food and other products from local vendors and use your reusable bag! Eating green while traveling isn’t that different from doing so at home. Try to include local and organic ingredients in every dish on the family table when cooking, and check out restaurants which follow sustainable practices.
I’ve found that these ways of staying true to my green lifestyle while traveling with the family actually make it more enjoyable and relaxing than having to change everything about our routine for a weekend or week. Finally, if you plan to travel a lot, consider a rewards card to get the most bang for your buck and stay on budget. The Venture Card is a travel rewards credit card offering double miles on every purchase – anywhere, anytime, and without the restrictions commonly found in rewards programs:
For more information, visit: Capital One Venture Card AND 360 Savings from Capital One
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
