Are You Eco-Savvy?

When it comes to being "green," there are many shades. One company only uses bamboo wood. Another manufacturer uses water-based stains. Some recycled plastic patio furniture is made from milk jugs, but others appear to be only partially recycled?

When you're shopping for eco-friendly stuff, you've gotta be careful. Many manufacturers are jumping on the environmentalist band wagon before they know how to ride it. If you want to become an eco-savvy shopper, start by investigating these 4 areas:

• Material Origin. Think about where the materials come from. Is the desk made of a sustainable wood like bamboo or an endangered tree species? Is that compost bin made of 100% recycled plastic or just partially recycled components?
  
• Construction. Is the factory complying with emissions standards? Is the product made with a chemical-based stain or a water-based stain? Did the manufacturing process produce a lot of wood or liquid waste? Did they treat that area rug with re-usable water dyes?
  
• Livability. Some products can have a harmful effect on you without you noticing - like certain kinds of plastic water bottles. Non-toxic finishes are important for family settings where kids come in close contact with surfaces. Depending on how they are treated during manufacturing, some rugs promote better indoor air quality.
  
• Afterlife. What will happen to that wrought iron patio set after it rusts or falls apart? Populate a landfill? Some recycled plastic furniture can be recycled again once it outlives its usefulness. Check with your local recycling service about options.
  

Shopping can get complicated when you're trying to decipher eco-speak. The more you ask questions, the more you'll learn over time. And the more you demand from your suppliers, the more they'll have to live up to your expectations to protect the environment from start to finish.

Of Snow and Ascents: Mount Tamalpais

After a week of highs in the 40s and 50s, Nebraska is getting hit with heavy snow - a nice, wet, thrilling type of snow that moves in, wrecks your plans, and moves out in time to make new plans for sledding, forts, and angels. You might say, well, that's Nebraska for ya. Warm one day, frigid the next. But I think that's why I live here.

I recently had the privilege of visiting a close friend in California in the San Francisco area where it's typically moderate in temperate with varying days of sun, rain, and clouds. Not quite as much variety as I'm used to here on the Plains, but perhaps enough for my friend who cherishes the sea and her particular coastal community.

While I was there, we saw sights in the city and enjoyed some awesome crab and halibut on Fisherman's Wharf, rides on a ferry and a cable car, and a bit of shopping in China Town. There were many highlights, but for you nature-lovers out there, this next part is what you want to pay attention to.

Mount Tamalpais. Sometimes referred to as Mt. Tam for short, this mountain overlooking the San Francisco Bay area seemed like a very large hill to me, compared to the Tetons in Wyoming, but it certainly didn't diminish it's majesty nor the spectacular views of the Pacific from the top. Our 8-mile hike began at Stinson Beach, followed Matt Davis Trail, detoured to summit the mountain, rejoined Matt Davis, and ended back near the beach. The most amazing part of the hike was the vibrant coastal plant and tree life, which was a shock to a Nebraskan like me. So thick and moist and mossy - like an enchanted forest overgrown with bent branches spreading in every direction. It almost had a mysterious character about it, like some hollow from Lord of the Rings. On our return path, several Redwoods shot up from the thick growth of the moist forest floor, much to my elation.

Perhaps I'll have to divulge more details in my next blog, but for now, let me clarify where this is going. Even though that region of California was so intoxicating, and it'd be great to visit again, I'm glad to be back in Nebraska for this snow storm. I'd hate to have it pass without feeling the wet flakes on my cheeks, hearing the crunch under my boots, and seeing the scotch pine sag from the weight of so many fragile white specs.

No more excuses - Compost Now

As we roll into February, some of us might be thinking, gosh, there go my new year's resolutions down the drain. The tendency is to soothe ourselves with thoughts of next year, or acquiesce to watered-down versions of our resolutions - like diet soda would be OK, even though I decided to quit soda for good, or running up the stairs on my way to a nap is a fine form of exercise for today. My guess is you have a couple lines you could add?

Some resolutions are harder than others to stick to, but one thing I don't have to be weak about is my decision to be more consistent about composting. All I need is a bucket or collector bin of some kind to set on the kitchen counter. That way it'll stare at me every time I peel an orange or crack an egg shell, begging me "Pick me, pick me! The trash can is ungrateful and only reeks up your house, but me, I'm worth something. I add value to your property. I make your flowers smile. . ." OK. You get the picture.

The point is, when you have a compost collector in your home, you don't have to take multiple trips to the compost bin every week. Just choose the size that fits your typical quantity of scraps, fill the bin, carry it outside, and empty it into your compost bin. I saw some neat collector bins and indoor kitchen composters on the NetShops site called CompostBins.com. (See the links below.) They also have a good selection of compost bins, if you haven't adopted that practice yet, either.

No more excuses. Composting is a small thing that can do a lot of good.

Odor-Free Compost Caddy
Handy Dandy Compost Pail
SCD Happy Farmer Kitchen Composter - Black
RTS Kitchen Composter