And because these activities are “green” enough,
we tend to go through the motions without exerting
extra effort to make them even
friendlier to the environment.  Here are some tips on how
to turn these green activities even greener:

Group different kinds of plants together to create balance
in your garden.

The pests attacking one plant may be the favorite meal
of the pests attacking another plant.

Plant trees that are drought-tolerant so they will not need
a lot of water.

Each tree can reduce carbon dioxide emissions
by approximately six kilograms per year.

Create composts to add nutrients and microorganisms to your garden.

You can include tea bags, eggshells, coffee grounds, vegetable scraps,
leftover bread, rice and pasta and other kitchen waste.

Do not include animal products, cat litter and leftovers that
are sour, salty or spicy.

To get the right balance of carbon and nitrogen, your compost
should have the following components: three parts of soft and
green material like vegetable scraps and one part
of woody material like crumpled paper.

Place your compost in a bin to keep it moist.

You may also enclose your compost with a chicken wire fence
to keep animals away.

Place your compost in a sunny spot because it breaks down faster
when warm.

You can accelerate your compost by adding worms like red wigglers.

Freeze the compost first to kill the worms
before placing it in your garden.

Use organic fertilizers.

They decompose and release nutrients more gradually
compared to their synthetic counterparts.

Although they can be more expensive, they nourish your garden
more steadily over a longer period of time.

You are also assured that toxic synthetic chemicals
are kept out of your body.

Water plants early morning or in the evening for better absorption
because water will not evaporate fast.

Use a soaker hose to make sure water gets to the roots of the plants.

When watering plants, reuse the water that runs off your house.

You can install your very own rain garden or
you can get a rain barrel and cistern.

A rain barrel and cistern will collect rainwater falling off your roof.

The water will be stored for future use.

This will greatly help the environment because it will reduce
the amount of water that enters streams.

Allow your grass to grow taller to conserve moisture by shading the soil,
push out weeds and absorb more sun.

Let them stay at three to four inches.

When cutting, remove only one-third of the grass height to leave cuttings
that will decompose faster. Anything more would stress the grass.

Don’t throw away grass cuttings.

Allow them to decompose on your garden to serve as additional fertilizer
to the soil in the form of nitrogen.

The grass will also increase earthworm activity
that is good for your garden.

By following these simple steps, you can proudly tell your neighbors
that the grass is really greener on your side.

Car and Marine Batteries:

A & E Salvage and Recycling
(812) 268-1900
478 W Old State Road 54
Sullivan, IN 47882

Portable Rechargeable Batteries:

Angel Electronics
1600 A Street Northeast
Linton, Indiana 47441
812-847-4731

Shields Ace Hardware
981 A Street Northwest
Linton. Indiana 47441

To locate a recycling facility in your area, call the Portable Rechargeable Battery Association at 1-800-822-8837. They can provide you with the address of the recycling center nearest to you or visit www.call2recycle.org.

It seems that more people are becoming aware of the need to be more conscious of how they can help the environment recover from the degradation that it has gone through.

But going green starts with the home – literally. If you want to practice a greener lifestyle, start by checking out what the small tweaks and changes that you can apply to your home to make it a greener zone.

Opt for Skylights than Energy-Draining Fluorescence

Nothing beats au natural, and that includes the lighting in and around your house.

Skylights are gaining popularity again in home architecture mostly because you not only get natural sunlight – and additional vitamin D during the early mornings or late afternoons – but also get free dramatic lighting at key hours of the day.

Skylights also lessen the need to turn on artificial lights when it’s still daytime.

When night comes, opt for more energy-efficient bulbs or go with dimmed lights.

It sets the mood for a romantic evening and avoids unnecessary wasting of energy.

Keep Windows Open During Summertime

Ventilation is also one aspect of the house, which you can experiment with in making your home a green zone.

During the summer, avoid air-conditioning units as much as possible by opening the windows to let natural breeze in.

Improve the air circulation in your home by letting the air in and out of the house.

This way, you will also no longer need air filters so long as the pollution in your area is kept at a minimum.

Get Rid of “Vampire Appliances”

Some appliances, technological gadgets, and tools in your house may be taking a huge toll on your electric bill.

These are known as “vampire appliances” which suck out energy unwittingly and unrestrainedly from your house.

One thing to remember when it comes to electrical appliances: turning something off is sometimes not enough.

There are some appliances, such as televisions that can go on standby mode instead of being turned off completely.

These appliances still consume a minimal amount of electricity when on this mode, so you have to make sure that if you don’t need to use it, you unplug these gadgets.

Plant More Trees

Want to know how to clean the air properly in your house without the use of purifiers and other artificial appliances?

Put more green in your garden by having more trees and plants.

Plants take in toxins and carbon dioxide in exchange for oxygen, making them the best air purifiers around without the cost of using electricity.

Buy Furniture Made From Natural Materials

If you are buying additional furniture for the home, go with those that are made of more natural materials such as wooden furniture.

Not only will this allow for minimal use of artificial items, wooden chairs and tables last longer than other counterparts.

Plus they make for good additions to interior design even without additional paintjobs or artificial treatments.

Provided by: Home Made Energy dot org

Fill in the necessary information with payment and mail to…

Shakamak Area Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 101
Jasonville, Indiana 47438-1335

Join Shakamak Area of Commerce Registration Form 2012

Location: Indiana State Fairgrounds

Pioneer Our Land Pavilion

Indianapolis, IN

Marion County

Event Hours: Fri. 4 pm-9:30 pm Sat. 8 am-3 pm

Admission: $2; Youth in uniform Free

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