Organic Leftovers: Today’s Special

Do you save leftovers? What do you do with them? Do they sit in your refrigerator until they are no longer recognizable and then you throw them out? You lose so much money throwing food away and it is wasteful. Plan meals that revolve around your leftovers. For example, if your family has chicken and veggies one night for dinner and you have both leftovers, add them into a stir fry and serve over rice the next night. Whenever the mister cooks a whole organic chicken, he boils down the carcass with onions, carrots, and celery and uses it as a stock for his super yummy chicken matzo ball soup. In fact, that is what we are having for dinner tonight! Yum.

What are your leftover recipes?

Do you eat leftovers, what are your faves?

Green Tip: 4 Things to do Before You Leave on Vacation

Are you going out of town during the fall months?  Have a fabulous road trip or getaway planned? I am so jealous.

Don’t forget to do these simple green things before you leave on vacation.

#1: Adjust the thermostat accordingly and turn down the temperature on your hot water heater.
#2: Unplug all appliances that you won’t be using while you are away, such as your coffee maker, microwave, washer, dryer, lamps, TV’s etc;
#3: Put your home lights on a timer or have a neighbor stop in and turn the lights on/off, instead of leaving the lights on the entire time you are gone. Burglars are keen on this too, they realize if your porch lights are on all day and night, chances are, you are out of town.

#4: Put a hold on your mail. This will save the post office, UPS and FedEx from having to drive to your home – this is especially effective if you live in a rural area.

YOUR TURN: What are your fall vacation plans? What are your green vacation tips?

Coffee With A Conscience

When it comes to your morning cup of java, do you ever think of its impact on our environment? No? You should. Coffee is the world’s 2nd most traded commodity and it is a commodity that millions of people in the tropics rely on economically.

When purchasing coffee, please consider choosing shade-grown, organic, fair trade and Rain Forest Alliance certified coffee. Shade-grown means the coffee is grown traditionally, under a canopy of trees. (delightful, right?) By choosing Rain forest Alliance certified coffee you support coffee grown on farms where forests, rivers, and the soil are protected and wildlife conserved. The workers are treated with respect, paid a fair wage, have the proper equipment, and are given access to medical care and educational services. Fairtrade means it’s grown by family farmers who are paid a fair wage and treated well.

So next time you purchase coffee, consider making a change for the better. You will enjoy your morning Cup o’ Joe more knowing that you are respecting the planet, as well as the local farmers and wildlife that live in the rain forest.

Sip slowly and enjoy it.

Green Tip: Get Unplugged

 

Have you ever walked through your house at night and seen all of the little lights on? You are probably thinking that I have gone mad and really should be in bed, instead of walking around in the dark. Well, before you think I am crazy, try it. It is only when your house is completely dark that you may notice all of the non-essential items that you have plugged in or items that could be unplugged in between uses. Could you possibly unplug the cell phone chargers, printers, computers, scanners, TVs, curling irons, hairdryers, coffee pots, lamps, etc;?

You probably won’t see a huge decrease in your power usage as far as your utility bill is concerned, but every little thing counts and if we all did these things, it would really add up.
 
We have items such as lamps and clocks in our house that are not even plugged in, they are only there as decoration.
 
How unplugged are you?

Green Tip: Remove Your Shoes

Taking your shoes off before walking into your home is a healthy habit for your family. This is a healthy habit because you won’t track in any guck, but most importantly because the bottom of your shoes is exposed to so many chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, and toxins. You could have possibly walked through gasoline, soot, or any number of other toxins and when you crossed the grass, chances are you walked through pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides.

So next time you come home, remove your shoes for the safety of your family.
 
Do you take your shoes off before entering your home? The homes of others?