Becoming Greener

Couponing for Natural Foods and Green Products

Inspired by the popular reality extreme couponing shows, many families have decided to start clipping the coupons in their Sunday newspapers and give couponing a try.  Using coupons is a great way to save your family a significant amount of money buying products you normally use in your home.  Many manufacturers of natural foods and products have jumped on the bandwagon offering manufacturer’s coupons for their products as well.  Running a green home on a budget becomes a little easier if you are a smart savvy coupon shopper.

Sources for coupons include the Sunday newspapers like Newsday. A subscription for home delivery running from Wednesday-Sunday will cost approximately $12.00 a month and you can save at least that much in clipped coupons your first week of the month.  Supermarket sale circulars appear in Newsday on Wednesday and Thursday editions although you can see some sale circulars on Sunday as well.  If the newspaper will not be read daily in your home, consider getting just the Sunday newspaper for approximately $4.00 a month. 

Other sources for coupons include websites like www.coupons.com, www.coupondivas.com, www.couponmom.com, www.redplum.com, and www.couponclipper.com.  Manufactures like Seventh Generation, Stonyfield Organics, and Method often feature coupons on their own websites as well.  By scanning and clipping your coupons weekly, you will get a feel for which companies commonly offer manufacturer’s coupons regularly.  Keep your coupons organized and handy when you go out to shop.   Many people say they don’t use coupons often because they forget to bring them with them to the store or clip them but never use them.  Many coupon pros will use a binder with dividing tabs or a coupon file pouch with divider tabs to keep themselves organized.

Know your local store’s rules and policies about coupons.  Stores like Stop & Shop, Waldbaum’s, and Pathmark will double coupons up to and including $0.99.  King Kullen will double up to $1.00 coupons but there is a limit of (5) $1.00 coupons per order.  Many King Kullen stores have a Wild by Nature aisle inside the store (they are owned by the same company) and will carry a larger selection of natural products than many traditional supermarkets.   Stores like Target, CVS, Wild by Nature, BJ’s, Fairway, Walmart, IGA, and Whole Foods will accept manufacturer’s coupons but will not double them.  Check your store’s circulars for sales and match your coupons up with the sale items you intend to buy.  www.coupondivas.com or www.couponmom.com are two sites which will also help you match coupon deals with store sales.

There are stores like CVS, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Toys R Us that are great sources for natural products who offer their own store coupons such as 20% off one item.  One little known fact is that Bed, Bath & Beyond, The Christmas Tree Store, Harmon, and Buy Buy Baby are all owned by the same company and will all accept current BB&B 20% off coupons for most items excluding diapers.  Buy Buy Baby is one source for a lot of natural baby care and personal care items like Seventh Generation and California Baby at good prices.  Buy Buy Baby and Bed, Bath & Beyond also accept manufacturer’s coupons.  Other sources of natural products at great prices occasionally with free shipping too is www.Amazon.com , www.iherb.com,  www.soap.com, and its sister company www.diapers.com.  You may find better prices at these websites even without using manufacturer’s coupons.

 Whole Foods, Wild by Nature, and Trader Joe’s are companies selling a wide variety of natural foods who offer their own store brands of popular items and also offer in-store coupon booklets from time to time.  Be sure to ask for a sale circular or coupon booklet when you enter the store to check for bargains.

As you can see, being a savvy coupon shopper does not mean relying only on a diet of processed junk foods.  You can find deals and coupons on natural foods and green products as well if you know where to look.

 

Eating More "Real" Foods- My Family's Journey

    After reading an article from the American Heart Association (linked here) on how to make healthier choices when eating out, I started thinking about how changing my diet and trying to consume more REAL foods has become part of my Green Journey.  

    Most of the information contained in this article was basic nutritional info to me and may also be for anyone who has successfully dieted to lose weight or used a nutritional program like Weight Watchers.  Tips like avoiding anything fried, with cheese , mayonnaise, or cream sauce on it; and instead ordering foods that are baked, grilled, broiled, and steamed with the sauce and dressing on the side have become lifestyle changes for me.  This year, I decided to take my healthy eating habits a step further and avoid processed junk foods and eat more foods prepared from scratch, baked or cooked at home, and in their natural state.  It's been a challenge for me!

    For one, not only am I feeding myself, I am preparing foods for my two children and my spouse.  My youngest son will eat or try just about anything as long as he feels like he is stealing it off someone's plate.  My oldest son (who is turning 5) is quite another story.  His diet consists of macaroni and cheese, pizza, chicken nuggets, fries, and grilled cheese made from the processed orange cheese wrapped in cellophane.  Luckily for me, he does eat fresh fruits and occasionally a vegetable.   Add into the mix a processed foods consuming, meat-lover spouse who won't even look at a legume or anything believed to be remotely "health food".  I've got my work cut out for me!

    So how did I take on these two picky eaters?  I choose my battles and make small gradual changes in what foods I buy and prepare.  I do most of the food shopping and some of the cooking and meal-planning now that I am a stay-at-home mom so that position holds a lot of power as far as making healthier food choices.  As for the processed foods, I've started buying more of the organic and natural prepared foods.  Yes, they are still processed foods, but minus a lot of the added flavor enhancers, sodium, fats, artificial ingredients, corn syrup and fillers.  Dino Buddies 100% Natural chicken nuggets and Alexia sweet potato fries baked in the oven are favorites in my house.  In our quest for a terrific frozen pizza, we discovered Annie's Organics pizza to replace the frozen conveniece pizza my three boys enjoyed.  Annie's Organics mac and cheese has become another staple to replace the convenience "Lazy Mac" we were previously feeding the kids.  Eventually I'd like to make the switch to making more of these items from scratch in the home, but we're talking baby steps here and it is a Journey.

    As for the grown-up picky eater, I am very proud to say he has opted to break his soda habit.  This was a big step for my husband and no amount of nagging helped him turn his habit around.  He made the choice on his own after his doctor's advice coincided with mine.  Since I've known him, he has added a lot more vegetables, salads, and lean meats to his diet.  My personal compromise was that instead of going on a completely plant-based diet tht I would reduce my meat consumption to one meat meal a day- that meal usually being dinner.  This way we could both enjoy the same meal together as a family.  Fried foods are becoming much more rare in our house and now my husband has started looking at ingredients like corn syrup and preservatives as well.

    So I celebrate my little victories in getting my family to make healthier choices such as the whole grain, non-GMO ingredient, minimal packaging natural foods store cereal my sons have decided they love and getting my boys to eat more fresh fruits.  I make certain not to gloat or shove information ("do you know how BAD that is for you???") on them while they're eating.  We've had some unsuccessful stories too.  Perhaps these unsuccessful attempts can actually be considered small victories because it made everyone realize how poor-tasting some of these products really are.  Back before I made these dietary changes we bought a two-pack of some sort of mystery meat roast-type thing that I now know was glued together with an enzyme called "meat glue".  I found it at the bottom of the chest freezer and not wanting to waste food, my spouse reluctantly prepared the second roast recently.  Needless to say, we will not be buying any mystery meats from the wholesale club again in money-saving two packs.  Another moment of clarity came from the store-made bagels which came from the same wholesale club which stayed soft and "fresh" three days later out of the package.  You can imagine why they stayed "fresh" so long.  The chicken meal we prepared from packaged processed stuffing and condensed soup while trying to use up all the processed foods we already had in the house was also not a hit.  (I am marking that one as a victory even though I was the one who cooked it!)  The same holds true for the Chinese cuisine convenience meal-in-a-box my husband chose at the store.  That one ranked as one of the worst family meals ever served in our house.  Next time I will be retiring the processed foods off to pasture  instead of trying to be thrifty and using them up instead.

    I look forward to our summer harvest of fresh organic salad greens and berries!  Enjoy the journey and the green evolution, Friends!

 

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint by Homesteading and Buying from Local Growers

    After reading a friend's article on Examiner.com  about homesteading and the movement towards sustainability and self-sufficiency, I was moved to write here about how I was inspired by my friend to make additional small changes in our home.

    Considering the news today of the unbelievable amount of genetically modified foods on our supermarket shelves and the popularity of the organic movement, starting your own garden and raising your own foods are becoming more important than ever and something more and more people are doing.  There is an entire rising subculture of Suburban Backyard Microfarmers and raising chickens and growing vegetables is no longer considered something for just hippies and people who live in the country.  

    I've written many times here and on my Facebook page Becoming Greener about my backyard garden, how it began and how it is evolving from a little herb garden we made to take up a spot where my husband could not fit the lawnmower into a small backyard vegetable garden.  This year I decided to grow fewer herbs that take up a lot of room and instead to plant lettuce, carrots, and radishes.  We may be finding room for another crop of grape tomatoes since I had fantastic luck with them last year.  I'm hoping our backyard garden will supply us with a never-ending bounty of organic salad greens which will encourage my family and our guests to eat healthier this summer. Another addition I am very excited about is our strawberry plants which we have growing in an upside-down planter due to the small amount of space we have available.  If I can convince my other half to make more room along the side of the house, more berry bushes and cucumbers for salads and pickling may follow soon.

    I was able to locate an organic farming co-op in my area and plan to seek out and support the small Farmer's Markets that seem to be springing up in my area.  I find myself envious of friends who post about the fantastic farmers' markets in their area although I am finding more and more are popping up in my area as the popularity of the Green Movement spreads.   

    These are small gestures and a far cry from being 100% self-sufficient and sustainable, but all of these small gestures do make a difference.  Any amount of food grown organically in your home garden cuts out pounds of toxic pesticides and herbicides from touching our earth and reduces your carbon footprint.  Growing your own foods, even if it's just a few vegetable and fruit plants, saves pounds of packaging from going into the trash and landfills.  Of course my family recycles everything and anything that can be recycled.  We also started composting to cut the amount of food and paper waste going in the trash.  But so many of the items that cannot be recycled come from processed foods and pre-packaged produce.  Think about it the next time you are preparing dinner!  Any green plant, including house plants and herbs grown in pots on your windowsill, will produce oxygen and help detox the air in your home.  Add in the financial savings your family will experience from growing your own foods!

    Home or locally grown foods also taste better and are more nutritious.  Fruits and vegetables grown across the country or in South American countries must be picked days and weeks before they are ripe so they can ripen sitting on trucks while they are transported to your supermarket.  Not to mention the amount of spraying that must occur in order to keep pests away while the food is sitting on a truck and to make your apples shiny like we all seem to expect them to be.  (Um yeah...apples are not shiny on trees.  Edible spray WAX makes them that way.)

    If backyard gardening, composting, and dirt is not your thing, making your own green personal care and cleaning products is another homesteading method to reduce the amount of trash your family makes, reduce the amount of chemicals in your home and touching your skin, and save money.  Read my Becoming Greener blog for tips to make your own household cleaners from items you already have on hand.  Try searching for "homemade household cleaners" or "homemade hair care products" or "homemade _______" and you will be amazed at the number of items you can make in your own kitchen for pennies.  One last quick example is the hairspray I whipped up in my kitchen before I went out last night from half a lemon, half an orange, water, and 1 oz of rubbing alcohol.  I liked the finished product better than the ultra sticky, ultra stiff smelly stuff I used to use that just left my scalp flaky.

    I encourage you to look at ways your family can reduce your carbon footprint by cutting out packaged items and growing/making your own!  Happy Gardening!

 

The Joy of Compost

    I used to avoid my Dad's compost pile growing up and wouldn't even go near it. I used to dump the vegetable scraps quickly over the little patch of fence containing the monstrousity of a pile and run away from that corner of the yard like something evil lurked in there beneath the dead leaves and rotting grass clippings.  Now today I can actually say I am a composting member of society with my own compost bin!  

    Today the kids and I were helping Dad in his garden and I was "playing" in Dad's compost pile, turning it over, admiring how much heat it was throwing off and thinking "I wish I had a bigger yard to make one of these in the corner at my house...my little spinner bin is just not big enough!"

    We started composting in my house a few months ago.  We chose to purchase a composting barrel which spins on a base from  www.gaiam.com since our yard and vegetable/herb garden are on the smaller side.  I like how the barrel  is contained, has a locking door to keep my kids and pests away, and can be rolled around the yard to load yard waste in and unload compost once it's ready for the garden.   The barrel I purchased came with instructions and tips on how to get started and some basic do's and don'ts of maintaining your compost.  We save vegetable scraps and peels and table scraps to mulch avoiding any meats, dairy products, bones, or fats.  Egg shells, coffee grinds, and used tea bags add special nutrients like calcium.  Once we started mowing the lawn again and introduced grass clippings to the mix, the magic really started!

    There are literally hundreds of articles, books and reviews on various composting aparatuses and methods for making your own Gardeners' Gold in your backyard.  The methods I saw  when I was doing my own research range from my Dad's old-fashioned compost pile (which costs almost nothing to make in the corner of your yard and costs nothing to maintain) to a $350 machine which claims to turn your food waste into compost right inside your kitchen or garage in just 2 weeks.  I'd like to thing my barrel is somewhere in the middle of the mulching spectrum between the old-fashioned method which requires frequent turning and poking and the expensive composting machine I saw online.  I've read about some organic backyard gardeners even taking the temperature of their compost to ensure the insects, worms, and bacteria that help break the materials down are doing their job.

    So I have a new-found appreciation for my Dad's monstrosity of a compost pile in that corner of our yard when we were growing up and also for his dedication in making sure we kids ate delicious fresh vegetables and fruits grown right in our backyard.  My Dad was actually "Green" before it was cool to be "Green" and I did not know just how much I would appreciate those experiences my siblings and I had working in the garden and being in dirt until now.  

    Today I got to see my two boys explore Grandpa's garden.  I wanted to do something special outdoors for Earth Day and called my Dad on a hunch that he might be off from work today.  He was and we came over dressed in sloppy clothes and with our gardening gloves.  My boys got a lesson about bugs and worms and how good bugs help the soil and eat the destructive bugs.  Ian and Grandpa planted broccoli and peas in the garden and Mommy got an education on composting.  Nolan just enjoyed finding worms and digging with the rake since he could not believe we were actually letting him touch dirt! Then we went home and planted radishes, carrots, herbs, lettuce, and flowers in our own yard with the seeds Grandpa gave us.

    If you've never tended a garden of your own before, I can't tell you enough how rewarding it is to see something you've tended and nurtured from tiny seeds grow into something of beauty that you can feed to your family and guests.  Composting, although it sounds bizarre that I might want to write an entire article about it, just fits right into that circle.  Not only will the compost you make today nurture your plants for the next season, but you are helping to decrease the amount of trash your family throws away by repurposing food and yard waste.

    It's not too late to start a garden this month.  Mine was actually started in May last year after the threat of frost has passed in the Northeast.  Even if your yard is small, you can grow a tomato plant and a pepper plant in a relatively small bed and get a lot of vegetables this summer.  Herbs and many vegetables can also be grown in pots or flower boxes or even on a window sill.  This is what we did before my husband made me the raised garden we have now.  My Mom has also had amazing luck growing tomato plants in 5 gallon plastic buckets with holes drilled in the bottom.  

    Happy Gardening and Happy Spring! 

 

 

Thanks for today.: Gardeners' Sustainable Living 2011: Win a Rain Barrel, a Composter and More!

is April 22, 2011. To celebrate, it's time for the 2nd Annual

1. Create a new post (or use a recent post) on your active blog, sharing what you are doing in your yard/garden/home and/or plan to start doing, that is 'eco-friendly' and contributes to a sustainable lifestyle.  You can also just leave a comment without linking to a blog post, to describe something you do to help Mother Earth.2. If you do write a blog post, please mention this project by adding a�reciprocal link--so others can read about this project on your blog using this link: http://thanksfor2day.blogspot.com/2011/03/gardeners-sustainable-living-2011-win.html

3. Come back NLT April 15, 2010, by 11:59 pm and attach the link to YOUR post to the 'Mr. Linky' section, below, or leave your comment. Be sure to leave your email address if you don't have a 'link' back to your name, so I can get in touch with you, should you be a winner.

via thanksfor2day.blogspot.com

FREE STUFF! GIVE-A-WAYS! CLICK THE LINK TO FIND OUT HOW TO ENTER

Happy Earth Month!

    Happy Weekend!  Happy Spring!

 

    Earth Day is Friday April 22, 2011!  I started thinking about Earth Day this morning as Ian and I were walking to the bagel store and enjoying the lovely spring day here in the northeast.  Without even thinking, Ian and I started picking up plastic trash once we got to our block.  This is something we started doing on our walks when Ian was a toddler in the stroller.  Now this small action has grown to the point that I sometimes have to tell Ian to put the trash down when we're in public or trying to get somewhere  and there is no trash can in sight!

    My annual tradition for Earth Day has become to inspire others to perform small acts of "Greenness" and to ask what small changes others can make in their daily lives to help our earth, help our bodies, cut waste, and reduce, reuse, recycle.

    One item of note- please remember, I named this blog "Becoming Greener" for a reason.  We are all on our own individual journeys.  Please don't judge others for the choices they make or products and foods they choose to use in their home.  (I don't even want to mention how many miles per gallon my humvee gets.  I'm working on that!)  We can all make small changes which will make a difference and we can always "Become Greener" even if we're already using many natural products or have eliminated toxins from the home.

    What small changes can you commit to this Earth Day?  Can you make this small change for an entire week?  Can you make a small change TODAY and perform this Green Act the rest of the month?  I CHALLENGE you!

    Feel free to comment here on your Earth Day commitment and provide updates!

    Namaste, All! 

Our Solar House, Is a Very Very Very Fine House

If you're a homeowner and the idea of going solar has you on the fence, maybe this clip will inspire you. In this clip, Scientific American editor George Musser, who lives in New Jersey, shows us his energy supply -- fifteen 200-watt panels that cost $25,000. But thanks to rebates that totaled $18,500, Musser figures the system pays itself off in five or six years.

If you need more convincing, read my interview from last year with a homeowner who leases her panels. Solar companies with lease options have been spreading operations across the country.

Expect more stories like Musser's for years to come. Despite the economy, solar keeps trending upward. The price of panels has dropped while technological efficiency has increased. SolarCity said this week it expects the price of panels to drop 20 cents per watt in 2011 -- making coal an even less attractive energy source in the long run. Eventually, average consumers will start to take notice and weigh their options, even if they aren't all that concerned with climate change.

via sierraclub.typepad.com

Organic Garden Soil Prep: Feed Your Soil | Cascadian Farm Organic Goodness

Here at Cascadian Farm, we have a saying: “Feed the soil, so it can feed the plants.” Organic farming focuses on adding rich organic matter to the soil, so that the various microbes and chemical processes in the soil food web can convert them to available plant nutrients over time. Kari has outlined a few ways you can add nutrients to your soil:

Soil preparation is a critical part of organic gardening. Plants “feed” off the soil, pulling water and essential nutrients from it. Amending the soil to replace those lost nutrients is a great way to ensure this year’s fruits and veggies will flourish. Once you determine your soil’s needs, the organic matter can be worked in using a fork, spade, or rototiller, depending on the size of your garden. There are a number of organic amendments that can be added to improve your soil. A few of the most common are compost, manure, peat moss, lime, sand, and sawdust.

via blog.cascadianfarm.com

The Joys of Potty Training!

Just a quick note today since we're doing potty training boot camp with the Little Guy! Today is day 3 and I am hoping today is the day the light bulb goes off. We are using the method from www.3daypottytraining.com.  If you've never heard of this method, check it out. It was devised by a fantastic Work-at-home Mom and the method really worked in 2.5 days for my older son. I'm looking forward to never having to wash another cloth diaper or throw another disposable diaper in the trash again!

Just a few "green" products we cannot live without in my house:

Seventh Generation Diapers- these have proven to be the most absorbent diapers we've tried for our two boys! Both were heavy wetters. My youngest son was also very sensitive as a baby and was prone to yeast rashes. Changing to Seventh Generation helped his bum clear up and keep the rashes from coming back. I also love this company's commitment to the environment and use a lot of their cleaning products and paper goods. Find $1 off coupons at www.seventhgeneration.com. 

Archer Farms Organic Fruit Strips- I love how my two monkeys refer to this fruit snack as "licorice". We love the berry flavors and pomegranate flavors. Made with organic fruit puree and fruit juices; contains no artificial ingredients or high fructose corn syrup. Even Daddy loves them. Sold at Target stores.

Homemade Vinegar-based spray cleaner- I've outlined the instructions on how to make this in an earlier article. Works great on cleaning wood floors, carpets, natural tile and everywhere else No-No Nolan seems to be having little "uh-ohs" during potty training. No yucky smells or residue left behind. Safe to use on almost any surface. Spray on spot to be cleaned and blot with a rag. Dries quickly. Enough said! We're using a lot this week...

Archer Farms Trail Mixes- if you have never tried these, prepare to become addicted! Monster Mix is a favorite in our house and so is A Handful of Everything. These are also sold at Target and I stock up when I see them on sale. Most of these trail mixes contain nuts and dried fruits which can be choking hazards to small children but Nolan seems to have no problems chewing foods like this and we also supervise our kids while they eat snacks like this. A healthier choice that my whole family enjoys. I find the protein and fiber in these snacks keep me full longer and help keep my blood sugar stabilized. Some of the mixes like Monster Mix also contain chocolate for when you're craving a little something sweet. Makes a great "celebration treat" for potty training too!

Be sure to follow my blog on Typepad and Facebook! Show me some love in the comments section too. I do read every comment! Later!

Tips for starting a garden this spring; what you need to know | Annie's Root 4 Kids

Hey Root 4 Kids gang: spring is here, and it’s time to get ready to garden! Whether you’re digging in your backyard or school, or planting in pots on your front porch, keep these garden-starting tips handy:

Size and location. Ease into gardening by starting small. A few containers—or a four-by-four-foot plot—can produce a surprising amount of veggies. Find a sunny spot; veggies are sunbathers and need about eight hours of sunlight daily. The location should be near a water source and storage area for tools. Finally, placing your garden within an adult’s eyesight, earshot and out of harms way (i.e., not near a busy street) is a must.

Soil test. If you’re breaking ground, send a sample of your soil to a certified soil-testing laboratory to determine whether your soil is safe or in need of extra nutrients. Contact your local extension service for more information.

via root4kids.com

Start small just start somewhere! You can grow herbs and a tomato plant in a small flower bed that gets good sunlight!