Shower the New Year with Bio-Fetti

Between party plans and holiday gifts, you probably haven't finished your list of New Year's resolutions. Maybe you have, but allow me to make one suggestion: Go Green. Here's how:

• Resolve to recycle.
  
• Commit to composting.
  
• Lock your feet to the pedals and bike to work.
• Ditch the styrofoam - use dishes.

I'm sure you can add numerous ideas to the list on your own.

But before we get too serious about this resolution thing, let's party! - with biodegradable confetti! Yes, they really do make such a thing as biodegradable confetti. And it makes good sense, too. Who wants to spend hours sweeping and picking up teeny tiny flecks all over nature's finest gifts (trees, grass, flowers, etc.), or even on cement for that matter.

Colorful, lightweight, and water-soluble, ecofetti may be the only option permitted for weddings or other celebrations at certain locations. You can by it in bulk and fill your own containers, or purchase individual poppers that spew fun confetti just at the right moment.

Here are some online sources for biodegradable confetti:

Brides' Village
FavorCreative
EcoParti
BeauCoup


Now you can ring in the new year with a joyful shower outdoors and not feel bad about leaving a mess in the environment! Rain or a hose is all you'll need to dissolve the confetti and wash it away. Happy New Year!

Camping in Winter

Whenever I enter the world of hypothetical, why is it that everyone knows I'm talking about a real person? As if my brain capacity can't accommodate a genuine hypothetical situation, but can only handle real ones.

What's the point? Well, let's say I have this friend, a crazy in short, who equates negative temperatures with the desire to go camping. Wind-chapped cheeks, strange survival dances around a fire, and burrowing inside snow caves make a short list of things he's eager to enjoy on his impending winter camping outing.

So I ask myself, really, what is it that would possess someone to incur the risks of frost bite and hypothermia to challenge the beasts of winter? Maybe it's something primal, like an instinct: feel cold on skin = must go camping. Or maybe, like bears and elk and all sorts of animals that live in arctic conditions, it's just a matter of existence.

I've spoken of this idea before that to truly love a landscape, you have to experience it. Think of spending a day in the loess hills in Iowa to help your human consciousness "remember" what prairie was like. You've never seen a real prairie. You've only read about it in books, but then you go and you know why you want it to be there.

Perhaps the same is true for winter fascinations. It's easy to love rolling green hills of grass spotted with cloud shadows, but how attractive are they in a blizzard? How well do you love several feet of hardened snow in North Dakota, -34 degrees near Billings yesterday, and wind plucking the wool right off your chest. It's just like a long-term dating relationship where you purposely experience the other person in every mood, every situation, among all sorts of people to see if you can love the climate, not just weather the spring.

Compost Thanks (You for) Giving

Thanksgiving is coming, and like many households across the United States, mine will be hosting company over the holiday. So that means cleaning the house and the yard AND decorating with realistic fall decorations.

When I say realistic, I'm talking about arrangements of sumac, flowering goldenrod, and little bluestem gathered from recent hikes; surplus milo and wheat from friends' family farms; and gourds and Indian corn purchased from local apple orchards. The more nature I can bring into my dwelling, the better I feel - especially during fall.

Although my seasonal preparations often take me to forests and prairie in the area, I also benefit from the enormous red oak in my neighbor's yard. For some reason, it held onto its precious leaves longer than usual this year. It also refrained from producing acorns. If anyone has the inside scoop on the reasons an oak would have for such behavior, I'm all ears. But more directly to the point, my autumn decorating was finished by the time the red oak decided to extend its generosity to my yard, preventing me from integrating the rusty red leaves into my arrangements.

Needless to say, my lawn has graciously accepted the red oak's gifts in my stead. So, I guess I'll have to draw this tool called a rake and find some other resourceful use for all those leaves. . .

I have a compost bin. If you have one, too, then here's a few tips on using fallen leaves for compost:

• Rake the leaves into a pile.
• Use a shredder or lawn mower to chop the leaves into smaller pieces. This will speed decomposition. Note: use the catching bag on your mower to gather the shreds easily.
• Spread some of the shredded leaves near and around your perennials or in your garden bed. Don't put too much directly on the perennials.
  
• Put a portion of the shredded leaves into your compost bin, being sure to layer and mix with other organic materials like egg shells, vegetable scraps, etc.

That should give you a general understanding of the process, but if you want to learn more, check out this article about composting leaves for more information.

What Rachmaninoff has to do with Fall

I may not know much about "classical" music - romantic, baroque, or otherwise - but I do know what effect Rachmaninoff has on the autumn psyche. And by autumn psyche I mean the particular movement in the mind when fall begins to overtake the natural elements that surround the body: coolness in the air, tinges of rust on all deciduous plant life, the quieting down that is the antithesis of spring.

As I listen to Rachmaninoff's Concerto No. 2 in C minor for Piano and Orchestra, there is a palpable longing, perhaps a touch of sadness in the harmonies, and an intoxicating enchantment in the melody. If not prone to imagine the romance of a concert hall, you might instead imagine stretching fields of harvest tide, blown by a chilly wind that whips the crop remnants into circles (during the first movement - Moderato). Then in the second movement (Adagio sostenuto), the leaves turn crisp and brown, and the last of them waft their way to lie on the dormant grass.

The third and final movement (Allegro scherzando) arrives with a rush, as if the forest animals are scurrying to gather enough food to last through winter. As if making a stand at the last stretch of a long and weather-beaten journey, the concerto brandishes its bold but fading colors and dies triumphantly on the sword of winter.

Why Beat the Heat (when you can sweat)

I'm sure you've heard that it's good to sweat now and then to purify your body of toxins and rid your system of viruses. But what about purifying your mind?

I had the opportunity recently to purify both. While backpacking at Indian Cave State Park with some friends, I sweat quite a bit in the 90-degree weather with an over-loaded pack strapped tightly to my back and hips (will I ever learn to pack light?). And the hills were no help.

The park is located in the southeast corner of Nebraska over looking the Missouri River, which is why we encountered so many hills during our two-day trek. As is common in late August in this central state, the air was still humid and the temps rose high with the sun. Instead of the job market or politics, shade became the hot topic as we pitched camp on a scenic ridge in the park. With no fans, no AC, no electricity whatsoever, a tarp and a tree were the mainstays of our relief. And for those of us who didn't fit under the tarp, sunset was definitely worth celebrating.

When we arrived back in the city, my skin was shocked by the chill and stagnation of the air conditioning. I couldn't wait to get out of the building and back into the "real" air I'd become accustomed to over the weekend. Another thing I noticed (that I've noticed after other camping trips) is the clarity of my mind after not listening to music for an extended period of time. There's suddenly a strong influx of media when I return to my home and workplace, and I can actually feel the space shrinking in my brain as I re-assimilate. Music can be so uplifting and powerful, and TV keeps people in-the-know, but, really, were we designed for continuous diversion?

The Power of Water

Perhaps you've had a morning like mine - running late, you throw yourself in the shower, choke down a bowl of cereal, toss an apple in your bag, and dart out the door. All this haste only to idle at a traffic light for 3 full light cycles while the truck in front of you won't chance a left turn without the green arrow. Your heart rate is on rapid fire speed, and you just can't find a song on the radio to help you cool your jets.

Then something extraordinary happens - something you don't expect, that asserts itself in the midst of the stress to pull you out of yourself. I was rushing to my car in the parking lot where I'd just run a quick errand, and I was trying to not be blinded by the bright morning sun. Suddenly I sensed something cool and wet on the skin of my arms - little droplets flung by the breeze from sprinklers lining the lot. My brain switched off momentarily to let my senses focus on the sensations of coolness and wetness and the feeling of not knowing when or where the next droplet would fall. Water is such a fundamental element in the process of life. This pivotal molecule that we consume can also consume us - whether floods on land like in Iowa this summer, or on the sea during hurricanes and boat wrecks.

What surprised me about this single quiet moment of my morning was the way the water consumed my thoughts. It exerted enough power over my senses that everything else vanished like a crashing wave under the heaving crest of another. It was absolutely the best moment of my day.

Trashing Convenience

Well, I finally did it. I decided to bring dishes to work. I know, I know, I'm way over due for some scolding for my continual use of paper plates, plastic silverware, and styrofoam cups. Now that my company has finally installed a sink with a disposal in our breakroom, I feel better equipped to wash dishes and ditch the disposable.

That's why I brought in a glass plate, tea mug, and real silverware today, as well as dish soap and a square tupperware to haul the dishes to and from the sink. With this set-up, I can even wash them and NOT dry them with a paper towel, just let them drip-dry in the tupperware over night.

Yes, washing dishes will take a little more time than tossing dirty plates into the trash, but I think the time has come to trash convenience. Doing a couple of dishes hardly puts a dent in my day. Just a couple minutes, and I've left a space empty at the landfill where my trash would have been.

If you want to take it a step further, check out some "green" dish washing soaps. I'm talking about biodegradable, non-toxic, sustainable, and cruelty-free products made with natural ingredients. If you're a parent, just think how much less frightening it'd be to have your little one get a hold of natural-based cleaning supplies as opposed to Clorox or Lysol. Using green cleaners reduces the pollutants in your home and reduces the negative impact on aquatic life due to contaminated wastewater.

Lots of on-line sellers offer green cleaning products. One site I'd recommend is the Pristine Planet site, which compares brands and sellers and lists the natural characteristics of each item.
Check out some of the eco-friendly cleaners on these sites. You might find yourself fully conscious after scrubbing the floors instead of lightheaded and dopey.

Catching the Rain

Have you ever seen a foot-long zucchini? Perhaps you're one of those skilled 4H-ers that grew everything imaginable back on the farm. Maybe you're a master grower of veggies in your backyard garden and large zucchini's are standard crop for you. But for a city native like me, it's a big deal to grow a foot-long zucchini that's 3 inches in diameter.

How did I celebrate, you ask? I mixed up some flour, beat a few eggs, and shredded that hefty green beauty into several small loaves of fantastic baked zucchini bread. I might add some cloves to the recipe next time, but for a first try, I'd say it'd turned out great. Now I'm just waiting for my squash to grow.

If you're located in the nation's midsection, you might have experienced an unusually high amount of rainfall this spring and first half of summer. I've been noticing, however, that the typically hot, rainless days of summer are popping up now, and might be sticking around over the next few weeks. If only I'd thought about getting a rain barrel to catch all that rain earlier, I wouldn't have to use the hose as much to water my garden through the dryer upcoming months.

Rain barrels are a convenient and eco-friendly way to save money on water costs. This is how rain barrels work: rain water lands on your roof, flows down the gutter, down the drain spout, and directly into a rain barrel attached or positioned below. Then you can hook up your hose to a spout at the bottom of the barrel, turn the knob, and water your plants.

Using a rain barrel not only helps to reduce your water bill, but it also conserves an important natural resource. Specifically, rain barrels divert water from the storm drain system and put it to good use, rather than letting it run off and potentially pollute our rivers and streams. Rain water is also very healthy for plants because it's oxygenated and contains no chlorine. Add to these benefits the ability to guide water where you want it and protect your home's foundation, and you've got an all-around great idea.

Using rain barrels is just another way to conserve resources and help you enjoy the bountiful fruits of nature - super-sized.

If you're interested, here's a couple of rain barrels you can order online:

Rain Water Solutions 65-Gallon Rain Barrel (pictured above)

Great American Rain Barrel 60-Gallon Painted Rain Barrel - Forest Green

What's It All For?

Have you ever asked yourself the question "What's it all for?" The "it" can refer to any number of things: life, work, study, being responsible for others. . .you fill in the blank. Where am I going with this? Well, the question moves us to figure out why we care about something.

A mysterious but tangible experience occurs when people encounter nature for the first time. The first time you ever saw a bee up close. The first time you hiked near bears in the mountains. The first time you swam with a sting ray. The first time prairie grass tickled your legs. Something stirs inside you when you're faced with the strength or the sweetness of untamed wilderness. You are moved to speechlessness, to fear, to words, to tears.

When I first hiked in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, my response was speechlessness and a mental clarity I'd never known before. Seeing the rocks and pines and high-lying pools made the forces of nature seem so powerful compared to the force of my feet on the trails. All the strains and tangents of my typical thoughts blew over the peaks and far away like a passing 3-o'clock shower. It was as if a part of me hadn't been born until that moment.

Now, you might be sitting there, thinking wow, this is really over the top. Instead you're saying, "I had altitude sickness and blisters. I ran out of water and fell into a freezing cold lake cause my "friend" was fooling around. My first experience of the Rockies was anything but speechless." Fair enough. But I dare you to try a new landscape. Visiting landscapes and reading about them are the best ways to discover what in nature you are drawn to care about. Once you know why you care, taking care is the unavoidable next step - like gravity pulling your feet down a mountain trail.

Happy Outdoor Weekend!

Indoor Plants: Improving Air Quality

One of the best ways to improve the air quality of your home is to add plants. Now I'm talking real, live plants, not those phony plastic ones you can distinguish from across the room. The smart part about adding plants to your home interior is that it improves air quality, which gives you balanced, cleaner air. Then there's the aesthetic benefit - greenery and blooms bring a fresh vitality to any room. They often cheer a lonely corner or blend so nicely with the colors around them, that it seems they were meant always to be right where you put them. I feel this way when I'm actually outdoors - right where I was meant to be.

When I can't be outside, though, it helps to bring plant life into my house. If you want to learn about types of popular house plants before you take a trip to the nursery, check out this houseplant site. It has tips about houseplant types and their growing needs.

Now the fun part. After you decide which plant you want to grow, you get to choose an attractive planter to put it in. SimplyPlanters.com has a huge selection of planters for indoors or outdoors. Even if you're a picky shopper, chances are very good that you'll find at least a handful of planters you really like. I'm fond of the modern design of the Venetian Vase planter. Its earth-tone shades could easily complement the style of some of today's popular fireplace hearths. I also like the tea leaf details, traditional beauty, and lightweight material of the Easton Planter.

From a "green" perspective, though, the square-shaped Garden Planter is the top choice, preferably for a porch or patio. It's made of a very durable recycled plastic material that will never crack, warp, or rot like its wooden counterparts often do. It puts discarded plastic to good use at the same time it creates a happy home for your plant - and a happier home for you.

Recycled Plastic Garden Planter - a green choice

Natural Shower

Ahh, another Friday. What are you doing outdoors this weekend? I'm not sure yet how the weekend will go for me, as I continue to dodge thunderstorms here on the plains. No, it's not like I'm a nomad following bison or something, but every now and then the weather interferes with my perfectly laid plans.

Like yesterday, walking out of the office, I was pelted with rain drops. I splashed through the puddles with my leather flip flops and slipped precariously off my heels several times. When I finally made it to my car, I began to enjoy the cool water dribbling down my face, and the image of myself dancing in the rain was so appealing. If I were a commuting cyclist, I would have had no choice but to soak in the smells and sensations of heavy rain while "driving" home from work. Instead, I found myself lined in traffic, waiting for electric lights to turn, rolling slowly through deep, muddy puddles I couldn't feel.

I had to forgo the outdoor concert I was planning to attend on account of the rain, but it was refreshing to have at least gotten wet from something other than a shower head.

Dismal River Canoeing Challenge

Ah, the Sandhills. No other landscape captivates me quite like the open, grass-covered hills of Nebraska. Imprinted on its windswept dunes and treeless miles is a tangible mystery, a quiet elegance.

Although sand dunes and hardy short grasses dominate the landscape, there are trees in the Sandhills, as my fellow canoers and I discovered as we coursed down the Dismal River in central Nebraska. Ours was not some casual observance of cottonwoods and cedars randomly dropped onto the grassy scapes; our encounter was of blood and sweat, skill and. . .well, splashes.

Falling in was par for the course among the 21 canoers of my group. A couple of canoes birdied, and so would my partner and I have done, if it weren't for one large tree, fast water, and a deep conversation. We found ourselves struggling to keep our heads above the water, catch all our gear, fight against the current, and drag the teeming canoe to a nearby sand bar. After finally dumping the water out of the canoe, we were grateful to be unhurt - and to have all our clothes and food in a secure dry bag.

There are so many tight turns and fallen trees in this river, that it's difficult for even experienced canoers to travel down without a bit of challenge. I rejoiced in my exposure to sun, sand, and water. Winding swiftly through sand dunes and fallen cedars, the river can be very tough, but I think that's the idea. For a more leisurely float, try the Middle Loup River.

Tips:
Check out the Dismal River link above for more in-depth info about the river and other canoe trails in Nebraska. If you're interested in traveling down a river without getting food or extra clothing wet, you might want to get a dry bag. For extended trips, get a large dry bag, like the NRS 3.8 Bill's Bag Dry Bag from Northwest River Supplies. For day trips, you can probably get by with just a small stow bag, like the NRS Dri-Stow Dry Bag.

Just remember, though, to keep the bag vertical while open - not lying on the bottom of your canoe - to prevent water from slipping inside unexpectedly!

NRS 3.8 Bill's Bag Dry Bag

Keepin' It Cool - and Green

Well, it's another Friday. I'll be spending my weekend in the Sandhills of Nebraska, canoeing down a river by day and star gazing by night. Beyond flashlight batteries and gasoline to get there, I'll be going pretty "green" for the weekend - tent camping, using an outhouse, and powering the boat by my own strength. And there's something so refreshing about breathing real air instead of re-circulated air conditioning.

I found some tips on how to reduce the amount of air conditioning you use and lowering your energy costs. Some ideas in this article include using fans, planting trees that cast shade on the house, installing energy-efficient roofing, and programing your thermostat so the AC doesn't run as much while you're away at work all day. Check out the link to find more smart ideas about staying cool without using as much energy. It'll be nice to your pocket book at the same time it eases your eco-friendly conscience.

Happy Outdoor Weekend!

Above the Lights of Town: Star Gazing in CO

While star gazing last week near Breckenridge, Colorado, I actually saw the Milky Way with my own eyes. In my experience, we tend toward truth, and standing face to face with the expanse of foggy stars, there were no barriers between me and truth's piercing rays.

The truth is, I could certainly have seen the Milky Way better if using a fancy telescope, but then it wouldn't have been with my own eyes. Still, I was able to make out the signature whitish mist stretching across the sky. Brighter stars twinkled in and among the clouds, bringing my focus to a point and guiding me along the trails of our planet's intangible orbit.

Sadly, the street lights of Breckenridge dimmed the glamor of the sight, making me wish I were high on Mt. Evans rather than just a few hundred yards from the town. But the image imprinted itself on the retina of my eye and has remained vivid in my mind.

I suppose towns have their purpose, though, because I found a T-shirt in a shop in Breckenridge that reads "Allergic to Cities" and has a cartoonish campfire and tent image below.

Conclusion: seeking another location to view the Milky Way. Any suggestions?

Solar ambiance, please

As I was relaxing in a hot tub last weekend with my family, my cousin commented on how much energy it must take to maintain the heat and power the jets. I had no response beyond "yeah..." because when you're enjoying the comforts of a consumer lifestyle, it's not as easy to be environmentally conscious.

Although I don't have a suggestion for an energy-saving hot tub, I do have a suggestion for creating ambiance in your outdoor setting without using a lot of energy. Imagine sitting in your recycled plastic patio lounger, enjoying a cool drink on a warm summer night. Now imagine solar-powered LED lanterns lining your garden pathway. You can enjoy the soft, romantic ambiance of the lights as you stroll with someone special, or you can simply shed a little light on your landscaping for night viewing.

Whatever your intended use, your pocket book will appreciate the reduced energy bill, and you'll be happy you've made this slight adjustment for the sake of conservation. That's good hospitality.

Shopping Green (and loving it)

In between mountain biking and attending an outdoor play last weekend, I happened upon an estate sale, and well, let's just say I exited with more than I entered.

I'm a big fan of garage sales, estate sales, and thrift stores. Most of my favorite outfits are either half or entirely from Goodwill stores. In addition to finding cool stuff, buying used clothing and housewares is just another way I can reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Since the estate sale, I now have 24 beautiful glasses that match and cover all the sizes, as well as 10 gorgeous plates with floral designs. Although found in different parts of the house, the glasses and plates make stunning partners because they both have clear glass structures and frosted accents. I walked out of that house about $15 poorer, and now I'm ready to set up my own kitchen!

In addition to thrift shopping, another way of shopping green is to buy recycled housewares, like goblets and tumblers made of recycled glass bottles. In fact, I found an eco-focused site that has suggestions and products to make practically every room in the house "greener." It's called GreenHome.com. If you're decking out a new apartment or home, I suggest the Cobalt Collection for serving cool drinks in the summer. They're so sleek and contemporary, it's hard to believe they're made of recycled glass. I guess that's the beauty of shopping green.

National Park Hopping

Sometimes it's hard to appreciate a landscape you've never seen or don't know anything about. For one thing, pictures can only do so much, and for another, there's something more meaningful about watching grizzly cubs climb on their mom from a couple hundred yards away than watching them on the Discovery Channel. (Believe me. I know.)

I'm a firm believer in the idea of appreciation leading to stewardship. The desire to save nature's masterpieces comes from a personal love for them. For example, it's easier to want to recycle to save trees when you've gazed over acres and acres of Ponderosa pines spreading across Yellowstone's winding hills and mountains.

I know my appreciation for nature stems, in large part, from trips taken to the United States' national parks. One of my favorites is Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Just the mere juxtaposition of bright blue sky, dark gray mountain peaks, and light sage green grasses captured my eyes and has never let go since.

The Tetons are very rugged mountains, and so they tend to be steep and rocky as opposed to rounded and worn. Having seen them and met them up close while hiking, these mountains are to me a tribute to the powerful forces that created (and are still creating) them. And they're a reminder of what the terrain looks like without cities and highways. Although I appreciate a good highway to get there, I'm really glad to have a park to hide within once I arrive.

A Greener Office

Well, it's another Friday. As always, I'm anxiously awaiting the weekend - precisely for the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors. Like many people out there, I work in an indoor office environment all week long, and as I type along and attend meetings, I quietly crave the sunshine and warm breezes experienced on the other side of the window.

Eventually there comes a point when I can't be quiet about it anymore! Hence, this blog post. I've gotta have my "nature," and so I'm here to gather ideas about making the work place more friendly for naturalists and outdoor enthusiasts like me.

Here's a few suggestions on making the office a little more "green":

• Bring fresh flowers or potted plants into your office or cubical. Cleaner air = clearer minds.
  
• Decorate your walls (Beautiful Mind-style) with images of landscapes and wildlife.
• Use dry-erase marker boards instead of paper for temporary notes.
• Buy an office mat made of eco-friendly materials, such as this mat made out of 100% Anji Mountain bamboo. This durable wood mat will bring the beauty of natural bamboo into your cubical. The best part is that this one and other bamboo mats like it are made from a sustainable wood resource, so you're doing something good for the environment.
• Take those few extra steps to the recycling bin instead of tossing that pop can into the trash. If your company doesn't have a recycling program, start one.
• Take a walk outside - alone or with co-workers - to soak in a little vitamin D and a cheerful attitude.
  

These are my thoughts so far on making the office more green. I'd love to hear yours.

Happy Outdoor Weekend!

Natural Bamboo Roll-Up Office Chair Mat

After tornadoes - what to do

Tornadoes have been racking the West and Midwest in recent weeks, along with treacherous winds, hail, and lightning. Lots of people and businesses have suffered property damage, including tree damage. Fortunately, my home has remained untouched, but I know others haven't been so lucky.

The place where I work, NetShops, did get hit with some damage, though, as my friend Tim describes in his most recent blog post. At NetShops and elsewhere, downed tree limbs are the most common sight after major storms tear through a neighborhood - especially older neighborhoods with mature trees.

With all this wood source lying disheveled on the ground, I'm wondering how we can make something good out of something that looks/seems/is so bad. One option is to stuff the branches into trash cans labeled "yard waste" or into large paper bags designed for leaves and other plant clean-up projects. Then, according to your city's yard waste policies and practices, your twigs and such are transformed into mulch for landscaping use or perhaps even wood chip products.

If you've run out of sacks or trash can space, consider doing some of your own mulching or composting to make use of what's left. The US Environmental Protection Agency offers some tips about creating a compost in your yard. Composting is one way to reduce the amount of waste that enters landfills, and it's a great way to improve the health and vitality of your vegetable or flower garden.

Need a wagon for hauling branches and garden tools? There's some good wheelbarrows to choose from at CartsAndWagons.com. Having a good wagon or garden cart can really reduce the post-yard-work muscle aches!

You mean they're not all pines?

No, they're not all pines - pine trees, that is. Pine trees, spruce trees, fir trees, cedar trees, and so many more "needled" trees fall under the category of evergreen. But did you know that they're all very different as far as needle and bark formation goes? Not to mention size and habit (shape) and preferable habitat.

To make a quick distinction between spruces and firs (these are trees with shorter needles in branches and clusters as opposed to long and slender pine needles that hang) try this little field test. Take a needle or two off the suspect tree. Attempt to roll one needle between two fingers. If it rolls, you know it's a spruce. The fir needle will not roll because it only has two flat sides, but the spruce has 4, so it rolls.

Next time you're enjoying a picnic outdoors beside an evergreen, impress your date with this easy tree test. Suddenly the natural world will be wonder-filled, and you will be wonderful.

What are you sitting on?

Imagine acres and acres of plastic bottles and milk jugs. Now picture a bunch of these bottles and jugs melted and morphed into a completely maintenance-free Adirondack-style glider on your patio. While browsing patio furniture at the NetShops store, PatioFurnitureUSA.com, I came across a glider made out of recycled plastic. It may seem like some scheme to get you to buy cheaper furniture, but I think they've got something right here.

The product I'm speaking of is the Recycled Plastic Adirondack Glider Bench made by PolyWood. It'll never warp, crack, splinter or fade like some wooden patio furniture. By choosing a recycled plastic chair, glider, or bench, I'm technically encouraging somebody out there to keep recycling instead of throwing plastic away. Now, I think that would make me a little more peaceful as I lounge on my patio this summer.

Unfurl the green carpet

I'm embarking on a new and exciting journey! Going Green! My plan is to discover what's going on in the world (specifically in the world of online shopping) that supports responsible environmental practices. I'm not sure where this will take me, but ultimately I hope to boost my knowledge of what's available to enjoy - for all the right reasons.

Have a great weekend, everyone, and make the most of these early summer days.

-Nettie