The ultimate urban composting guide
Composting has come a long way from its roots. There are lots of composting options for urban dwellers.
(via jmek)
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Wherever you are, whoever you are, try to devote some of your holiday shopping to your local small business folks. We appreciate your support, and we wouldn’t be here without you! Thank you for your continued business. I appreciate your loyalty!
(via jmek)
Infographic: How a landfill works
Maybe you’ve heard it takes 1,000 years for a plastic bag to degrade in a landfill. Here are some other facts you may not know.
(via jmek)
Upcycle Idea…
Reuse jars to organize your tea! They are way prettier than bags or boxes.
estrellitasymar:jayparkinsonmd:
THE “fact” that junk food is cheaper than real food has become a reflexive part of how we explain why so many Americans are overweight, particularly those with lower incomes. I frequently read confident statements like, “when a bag of chips is cheaper than a head of broccoli …” or “it’s more affordable to feed a family of four at McDonald’s than to cook a healthy meal for them at home.”
Click through for the full NY Times article. Education is a major step towards improving America’s eating habits!
(via thecaleb)
Pickling and Canning
Canning season is exciting! 16 jars of garlic dill pickles and 8 jars of salsa, canned & stored for the winter!
From a beginner’s point of view, pickles were much easier than salsa - fewer ingredients, less chopping, and less cooking time. But the salsa was much more festive and flavorful, and I’m more excited to taste that later on.
Either way, creating and preserving your own food from local, simple ingredients is awesome. The investment of jars, handling equipment, and some spices makes the savings pretty much a wash at first. But reusing the jars, growing your own vegetables, and getting more efficient at the canning process makes it cheaper than the grocery store. This depends on what and how much you are making of course; but knowing exactly what went into the process and having quality, natural food for your family (and gifts for friends) is a major bonus. Also, if you have helpers in the kitchen it’s a great way to spend a day catching up and being productive with some friends or family.
A few resources:
Getting started guide from Ball Brand
USDA Complete Guide To Home Canning
Pickling tips from Mrs. Wheelbarrow
And a few recipes:
Garlic dill pickles
Traditional Salsa
22 Ways To Reuse An Altoids Tin | The Art Of Manliness
I’m not sure why but I have an affinity to mini and sample things. I love campers because of the mini ovens and pull out beds. I love samples of beauty products (I have about a million mini Avon lipsticks!) And I also like to be prepared. That’s the Brownie in me! So these Altoid Tin makeovers are like the worlds best DIY to me! There are 22 here but these four are my favourite. I particularly like the two Survival kit versions - the urban survival one I will keep in my handbag and the ‘real’ survival one I’m going to keep in my car… you know… for all those times I end up stuck in the scrub on my way to Maitland!
Emergency Candle
My dad went out and bought me a special torch that you always keep plugged in so when you have an emergency you can just grab it. I’m not sure where that torch is. Anyway, doesn’t candle light make you look pretty anyway?!Games Tin
I love board and card games but when you decide to sit down and actually play, you either: A) Can’t find a die or B) Cards are missing from a pack. Keeping a little tin with these things in it means you’re always ready for a game.Survival Kit
If you fill this kit with the items suggested, you could probably live in the woods for a year. Not only are there fire starters, but fishing line, water purification tablets, etc, etc. Now I just need to learn how to use those things…Urban Survival Kit
I’m always asking people for Panadol, trying to find a Bandaid that hasn’t come open in my handbag or begging for change for parking metres. No more! I’m going to make one of these tins for myself, but don’t even think about asking me for any of the contents!Click photo for the full article.
@Edmundofthewest Don’t throw away your Altoids tins!!!!
(via thegreenliferi)
An interview with Andreas Stravropoulos, a landscape architect who spent 4 years living in a refinished Airstream trailer. A beautiful example of designing a small space, downsizing your lifestyle, and the sense of freedom that one may gain.
Reduce Your Junk Mail
Here are a few sites you can visit to reduce your junk mail and save some trees! These sites will remove you from catalog and credit offer mailings for one year (after that you’ll have to go on the site again to renew your opt-out).
Catalog Choice - opt out of catalog mailings
OptOutPrescreen - opt out of all credit card and service offers
Peter King, “The Tiny House Guy”, in a follow-up to his original interview on Stuck in Vermont. He does a great job of explaining different ways that tiny living can be applied, and he purposely shifts the focus from simply “tiny houses” towards broader goals and solutions.
