February 2009 - Posts

Eco Friendly
Sunday, February 01, 2009 10:39 AM

 

How to build a compost pile

 

It’s spring and your gardens are calling for a little rejuvenation. Why not consider starting a compost pile this season? Composting is not only good for your garden, it also takes a small burden off the environment. With compost you turn waste into rich nutrients and return them to the earth and your plants, relieving your local landfill. It’s also a more fun, interactive approach to the life cycle of trash. Here’s a guide to making a compost pile in your own yard:

 

Select a spot

Make sure it’s convenient for you and your neighbors – nothing intrusive or unsightly for them. Put the pile directly on the earth so nutrients and insects can naturally cycle up and down through the pile. The ground should also be level and well drained. You might even want to build a small enclosure to secure the pile from wind and to hide it from view. Or you can purchase a special compost bin if you’re serious about your compost.

 

Make compost

Many organic materials are compostable, from leaves to newspaper. According to composting Web site compostguide.com, “The pile needs a proper ratio of carbon-rich materials, or ‘browns,’ and nitrogen-rich materials, or ‘greens.’ Among the brown materials are dried leaves, straw, and wood chips. Nitrogen materials are fresh or green, such as grass clippings and kitchen scraps.” The rate of decomposition depends on the ratio of browns to greens. It can take some time and trial and error to perfect, but the Guide says you’ll need roughly 25 parts browns to 1 part greens. If you want usable compost this season, you’ll have to put some work into it. This involves chopping and shredding materials into smaller pieces that will decompose quicker, turning the pile to circulate oxygen, and knowing which materials make a perfect balance. A more passive approach to composting – waiting for materials to decompose on their own – could take up to two years to produce usable compost.

 

Use it

Compost is ready to use in your garden when it is dark brown and when most materials have been completely broken down. This finished compost comes from the bottom of the pile. Depending on how nutrient poor your soil is, you can either use the compost as a top layer, or work it into the soil. Either way, the compost will allow your soil to better hold water, air, and nutrients, and will make your plants healthier.

 

There’s more to composting than what’s mentioned in this article. For a more in-depth guide and a list of compostable materials, visit www.compostguide.com.

by Katie | with no comments
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Eco Friendly
Sunday, February 01, 2009 9:27 AM



Put Your Shredded Paper to Use

You've shredded bank statements, credit card applications and junk mail. Now you have a shredder basket filled with little pieces of useless paper right? Nope! Instead you have a nearly unlimited supply of something very useful.

 

Recycle it

Don’t just throw away shredded paper, recycle it! Some curbside recycling programs won't accept shredded paper because the size of the pieces could get jammed in the machinery. If your regular recycling pickup won't take it, try your local paper bank. No matter how you recycle, be sure to fold the little pieces into newspaper or fill clear plastic bags to avoid the paper from blowing out and creating a litter problem.

 

Ship it

Tired of spending money on packing materials that can't be recycled? Even if you don't regularly ship packages, it's always a good idea to have some shredded paper on hand. The shredded paper acts much like packing peanuts; it's light and protects small or fragile items at no cost to you!

 

Donate it

Take shredded paper to your local animal shelter. Often animal shelters have little funding for the high-quality bedding you find at the pet store. They will however, love to take in your paper to line small animal cages and sometimes in cat litter boxes.

 

Celebrate with it

Whether your shredder cross cuts, diamond cuts or confetti cuts, the paper inside the bin makes the best confetti for parties and decorating.

 

Gift it

Shredded paper makes great filler for gift baskets. Just put gifts or treats into any size basket and fill in the spaces with the strips of paper.

 

Garden with it

If you compost, shredded paper is perfect! Mix it in with grass clippings and other compost items. It might need a little help to break down so be sure to water your compost pile and mix it all together.

by Katie | with no comments
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Trend Setting
Sunday, February 01, 2009 12:22 AM

The rise of car sharing  

The concept of car sharing is not new. In fact, many families across the nation practice it every day. But what about sharing a car (or cars) with complete strangers? Thanks to new technology, companies – most notably zipcar® – are beginning to find success in providing car-sharing services in urban areas and college campuses across the country.

 

The key to the successful implementation of this idea is the keycard technology. Companies like zipcar® and I-GO (a Chicago-based non-profit company) equip their cars to be locked and unlocked via a box located on the windshield. A member simply needs to reserve a car, go to its location and unlock the car using their membership card. 

 

Inside they’ll find an actual key to start the car. Zipcar® requires the user to lock and unlock the car every time they leave it using their membership card, while I-GO members use the actual key and only use their membership card again to lock the car when they are finished using it.

 

With zipcar®, users search online for nearby available cars then make a reservation for a few hours or the entire day. Rates are generally around $10 an hour and $70 for an entire day. There is an annual membership fee that starts at $50. 

 

For those who do not have enough use of a car to rationalize buying one, this service is a great solution for the times when they do need the use of a car.

 

For more information, visit:

https://www.zipcar.com/

http://www.igocars.org/

by tinadh | with no comments
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The Welcome Mat
Sunday, February 01, 2009 12:20 AM

Which fresh-cut flowers last the longest?

Fresh flowers are always nice to have around the house especially during the dreary parts of the year. Although the longevity of fresh-cut flowers varies depending on care, carnations and chrysanthemums seem to top most lists, each lasting between 7 and 14 days. These flowers are naturally hardier, take in more water and fight off bacteria more easily while in a vase.

 

Carnations and chrysanthemums are nice flowers, but when an occasion calls for roses, tulips or lilies you need to know how to make those flowers last longer than a couple of days. Fortunately, there are some tips and tricks for maximizing the life of these cut flowers.

 

The vase life of cut flowers is often shorter than desired because of two main reasons: bacteria from decaying leaves and nutrient loss from lack of water. When you get a bouquet of flowers, always put them in water as soon as possible. Just putting them in the refrigerator does little, if nothing, to keep them from dying.

 

Be sure to use a clean vase and fill it with warm water which is easier for flowers to drink. Generally, cut flowers from the store come with a packet of nutrients that will help your flowers last longer but if you cut them from your garden you can make a similar mixture using lemon-lime soda or lemon juice and sugar.

 

Remove any leaves that will be under water when you place them in the vase. Leaves under water level will deteriorate faster and leave behind bacteria that will kill the flowers faster. Take each flower, and under warm water, cut the stem on an angle. This will remove any possible clogging and allow water to flow easily up the stem. Don't mix daffodils with any other flowers. Once you cut the stem of a daffodil sap will drip out and clog the stems of all other flowers. In a few days, if you notice that your flowers are starting to droop, trim the stems again.

 

Once your flowers are arranged, place them in a cool area out of direct sunlight. Also remember, keep them away from drafts and do not place them on or near anything that could get warm. Keep an eye on the water level and refill as needed. After a week, empty out the old water and add new.

 

What tricks or tips do you have to make your flower bouquets last longer?

by tinadh | with no comments
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Supply Cabinet
Sunday, February 01, 2009 12:18 AM

Covering your tracks on the Internet 

It’s a fact: you leave a trail that can easily be followed every time you access a Web site. If someone really wants to know where you’ve been, they’re only a few mouse clicks away from finding out. Below are brief explanations of potential problem areas.

Browser history stores a list of every Web site you've visited. It’s easily accessible from your browser by anyone who looks when you’re not around.

Search history stores a list of everything (passwords, credit card info, etc.) you type into a Web page. And anyone who starts filling in Web forms or typing in search boxes while using your computer will get a drop-down list of information you previously entered.

Cache is a place on your hard drive where your browser stores data from viewed Web pages. By simply opening cache files anyone can see where you've been, what was viewed and more.

Cookies are files that Web sites write then store on your computer. Every time you visit a certain site, it will look for its cookie on your hard drive. It uses the information stored within the cookie to know your name, shopping preferences and more!

To remove all Internet traces from your computer, you have to clear the cache, history, cookies and registry. To do this, just use this very basic security protocol to help keep your Internet activities private.

In Internet Explorer, for example, Delete Browsing History on the Options screen will help clear Internet history, search history, cache, cookies, index files, stored passwords, recent documents and recently used programs. Furthermore, Clear All History will do it automatically and can be set to clear out all your private documents every time you start/exit your computer or after a set period of time.

 

Of course, the above information may not completely hide your tracks, but it will go a long way in helping you get there. Your best bet is to make sure that you and only you have access to your own computer.

by tinadh | with no comments
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Media Mix
Sunday, February 01, 2009 12:16 AM

The Daily Coyote:
A story of love, survival, and trust in the wilds of Wyoming
by Shreve Stockton 

Shreve Stockton was moving across the country in 2005 from San Francisco back to her love, New York City, on her Vespa, alone, when she rode into Wyoming and immediately fell in love. She was, as she writes, "magnetized to the land." The overwhelming beauty of the mountains and vastness caused a feeling so strong she felt she couldn't bear to leave.

But Shreve continued on with her trip and, once back in New York City, knew she had to return to Wyoming—to the place where she had spent one day. Banking only on her innate love of the land, and on her life-long desire for freedom and to explore and to see, Shreve left the city life she had known and loved, and moved to a tiny, unfamiliar town in Wyoming.

This drastic change alone makes for a fascinating story, but it is only the beginning of the book, and of Shreve's account of her new life in the country. Not long after Shreve befriends a cowboy—whose job is to kill predatory coyotes, a common pastime and necessity in ranch country—one coyote pup is spared by the cowboy and is give to her as a gift. It's a compulsion he can't explain, and Shreve must decide what to do with it. She decides to keep it.

The Daily Coyote chronicles Shreve's first year with Charlie the coyote, and is illustrated with her own beautiful, daily photographs (which first started primarily as a photo blog at DailyCoyote.net and still continues on a several-month delay). It's about co-existence—an intriguing experiment in lovingly and consciously raising a wild animal among humans, plus Shreve's tough-guy tomcat Eli (the two of which—cat and coyote—form a loveable, brotherly relationship). It is life in the wild, with the wild, and a constant test of both Shreve's and Charlie's freedom, trust, loyalty and love.

by tinadh | with no comments
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Healthy Living
Sunday, February 01, 2009 12:15 AM

In-store clinics 

Have you ever tried to see a doctor but couldn’t because your family doctor wasn’t available and you didn’t have the time to wait in the reception room? Next time, consider going to a retail health clinic.

 

Retail health clinics–also called convenient care clinics, mini clinics or in-store clinics–are found inside pharmacies, discount stores, supermarkets and shopping centers. These clinics provide acute care for minor illnesses, flu shots and other vaccinations, diagnostic screening, allergy testing, school and sports physicals, and routine exams for adults and children. With an emphasis on convenience, retail health clinics are open for extended hours, seven days a week. Prices are usually listed on a treatments-and-services menu, and retail health clinics are typically in-network with most insurers. Some of the bigger-name chains include RediClinic, TakeCare and MinuteClinic.

 

An appointment isn’t necessary when visiting a retail health clinic. Simply walk in and sign in–often through a virtual kiosk or sign-in sheet–and a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant will come out to see you. Visits are always in the full privacy of a traditional exam room, and they usually last about 15 minutes.

 

A retail health clinic should not replace a family doctor–it’s important to still have a medical “home” for continuity of care. When selecting a retail health clinic, ask if they have a formal connection with physician practices in your community. Clinics should also have a referral system to physician practices or to other entities appropriate to your symptoms beyond the clinic’s scope of work.

 

Have you visited a retail health clinic? Tell us what it was like!

by tinadh | with no comments
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Etc...
Sunday, February 01, 2009 12:14 AM

How to get on a game show 

With the economy the way it is, we’re all looking for ways to make an extra buck. These days, it’s not as easy to just run out and get a second job, we have to be creative. While the lottery is an option, the chances of winning are extremely slim. Why not give a game show a try!

 

While there’s no magic potion you can take to land a game show cameo, there are a few tips you can follow to help your chances. According to the article, “Top 5 Ways to Get on a Game Show,” follow these tips and you may find yourself saying, “Yes, that IS my final answer!”

  

  1. Know your strengths—Not good at trivia? Steer clear of Jeopardy. Terrible at grocery shopping? Don’t try out for The Price is Right. Know what you’re good at so you help your chances of landing and winning a game show spot. Producers want contestants who are good at the game, so the audience will be entertained. Isn’t it more exciting to watch someone score big rather than drop out on the first try?

  2. Be super excited!—No one wants to watch a dull contestant. We all want to watch someone who is excited to be on the show. You only get a few minutes with a casting agent, so make it count. Be enthusiastic and high energy. It’s all about personality and making good TV. Be quirky and unique and you’re more likely to stay at the top of the casting agent’s list.

  3. Know the numbers—If you want to increase your chances of landing on a game show, pick a game show that needs a lot of contestants. For example, the game show Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? needs only one contestant per show for its weekly broadcast, while Who Wants to Be a Millionaire calls in 10 people to compete against each other in hopes of getting into the hot seat.

  4. Leave your cramming days back in college—It’s better to review, not cram, for a game show. Read up on current events, instead of cramming your brain full of trivia. Pick up a newspaper, watch the news and keep the stress level down. If you feel you must brush up on trivia, stick with an almanac, rather than an encyclopedia. The statistic snippets you’ll find in an almanac are more commonly found in quiz-format game shows.

  5. Know the game—If you know how the game is played, you’re better able to develop a strategy that could help you win. Know the game backwards and forwards by watching it often, playing the board game or online version of it. A producer will not pick you if you don’t know the object of the game or the lingo used. This also ties into being super excited. Producers want contestants who watch the game and have a real interest in it.   

Every game show has a different way of gaining contestants. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire uses both a telephone quiz tryout and on-location castings in certain cities, while The Price is Right allows anyone to try out daily outside their studio. As long as you’re willing to wait in line, starting very early in the morning, you’ll most likely get a few minutes with a casting agent. Pick a show you want to play and look online to see how you can try out. Good luck!

by tinadh | with no comments
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