Note from Sweet Greens: The following post was written by Jenn Mueller, who will be a regular contributor here at Sweet Greens. Jenn also lives in Florida (very close to me!) with her husband, adorable seven year old daughter and a Siamese cat. Jenn writes Organic Cents a blog which focuses on the best organic and eco-friendly deals!
Over the weekend we visited Sombrero Reef off Marathon, Florida in the Florida Keys. Sombrero Reef is a marine sanctuary which means that it is a protected area that can not be fished or disturbed. I thought it would be fun to share some important information about our reefs and photos from our trip.
Coral Reefs are as spectacular as they are fragile. They take up less than 1% of the ocean floor but support an estimated 25% of all marine life. Pretty amazing! To me reefs are like a bustling city underwater.
Did you know these facts about our reefs?
Many reefs provide barriers to the coast against incoming waves.
Without the reefs, shorelines would erode more quickly.
Many drugs and medicines have been developed from substances collected from coral reefs.
If the reefs disappear, we will lose a very important medical resource.
Have you visited a reef lately? What is your favorite reef?
If you send your child to school with a packed lunch each day, you know what a challenge it can be to pack a lunch that is organic, and nutritious. As a parent, finding a lunch solution that is easy to put together each morning, friendly on the environment and your budget is also a major bonus. However, it doesnât matter how healthy and nutritious the lunch that you pack every day is or how organized you are in packing a whole balanced lunch, if your child doesnât eat it. The key is to make the meal so delicious that nothing but an empty lunch box comes home each afternoon. Getting your children involved in eating healthy, can also have a make a huge impact. Jump over to Applegate to check out my five favorite ways to pack a healthy, organic lunch that your child will devour.
Eben had braces put on his teeth a few weeks ago, which has made eating apples, his favorite fruit, a tall order. Last night, he was especially craving the apple sweetness, so I whipped up a quick cup of organic applesauce in my blender. I wasn’t sure if it would turn out – but to our surprise it turned out brilliantly, and it was delicious! The best part, it only takes a minute or two and can be made fresh right before you serve it. Jump over to Inhabitots to learn how to make simple organic applesauce using your blender.
If you have a child who suffers from Celiac Disease, gluten intolerance or wheat allergies, you may be concerned that you may not be able to provide them with a healthy, well-rounded diet. On the other hand, your child may worry that others may view them as being different. However, neither of these things needs to be an issue, not only can you provide a healthy, nutritious gluten-free diet for your child â it can be delicious and fun too. Being a gluten-free kid in today’s world with its fantastic support via websites, books, support groups, recipes, and products, being gluten-free is much easier than you would think. The key to a gluten-free yet fun and delicious diet is creativity – that and being prepared. Jump over to Applegate to read my favorite ways to raise a gluten-free kid without missing out on any of the fun.
Note from Sweet Greens: The following post on green fence decorations for Autumn was submitted by Jakob Berry. Jakob Barry is a home improvement journalist for Networx.com. He blogs about green topics for pros across the U.S. like Houston, TX, fence contractors.
When fall arrives it marks the transition back indoors after a long and wonderful spring and summer. Soon the leaves will be falling, vegetation on the ground will be withering, and in most parts of the country the skies will be more gray than blue.
With less color all around adding some decorations across a homeâs exterior can make a difference and the fence, if you have one, is a perfect place to start raising the spirit.
At the same time, we always have to keep in mind the environment around us and that nothing we use should compromise our ecological surroundings.
Thatâs why when decorating the fence do it with an eco-friendly-minded sense of creativity. In other words, with things that can biodegrade when they get lost in the wind or carried away by some animal; with things that wonât harm people or animals and that are generally safe. Here are 5 of my favorites:
How can corn be used to decorate a fence? One idea is to make wreaths out of corn and stalks by attaching them along the fence either directly or by hanging the wreaths across a string or rope.
Another is to bunch a few ears of corn together making an ornament like those often seen on front doors. Then place a few sets of these along the fence.
Either way corn is a great decoration because it wonât damage easily from weather and when itâs time to take it down it can be tossed into the compost heap.
#2: Scarecrows Iâm a big fan of scarecrows because they always seemed to me a very creative way to ward off crows and other animals seeking to invade crops. With the seasons about to change they may not be needed as decoys anymore but a few extra scarecrows could provide a little buzz around a property.
Placing them in various poses near a perimeter fence now makes them a spectacle, especially if thereâs a few keeping each other company.
Environmentally, they only need a few articles of clothing and some good stuffing but should be harmless.
#3: Plants Something else which looks great along a perimeter fence are plants and if you donât have any now might be the time to add them. Just keep in mind, though, that what you pick needs to withstand the elements because winter is on the way.
One option is evergreens which will stay green and donât require a lot care. Another is herbs like lavender, rosemary, and thyme which add a lot of character to a setting brightening up a property tremendously when they flower. Herbs will also give you a daily source of some out of this world scents and can also be cut and used.
#4: Beach debris Finally, if you live near a beach then you know thereâs a lot of cool stuff that can be found there. Some of it like old buoys, stray pieces of wood âcarvedâ by the sea, and the occasional dried up star fish make excellent pieces to decorate both sides of the fence.
Some items may take a little effort and ingenuity to display but the beach theme sits well in many neighborhoods.
Furthermore, searching for things along the beach is an opportunity to help clean up the shore by reusing many of the objects found there. photo credit
