Dorm rooms are rarely set up to be a warm and inviting environment, but with a little touch of eco-friendly materials, you can make your once drab dorm space into a fab green college dorm room with exceptional ambience.
Let us first begin with the most important part of the room: The bed. Let’s face it, without a cozy and comfortable bed to sleep in how are you expected to make A’s all semester? Thankfully, there are many bedding companies that are selling eco-friendly textiles, such as hand woven blankets, certified organic cotton sheets, and comforters made from recycled fibers. PristinePlanet.com compares a variety of retailers that specialize in green products, and at Bed, Bath, and Beyond you can find an assortment of luxurious, eco-friendly pillows made from recycled water bottles. Why bother with those old-timey pillows that your mom bought you for Christmas last year? For less than 20-dollars you can purchase a comfortable, green pillow that you will not only feel good about buying, but feel good using.
When setting up your desk in your room, be aware of the office supplies that you have purchased; it may not seem like a big deal at first, but when you realize that nearly half of all trees harvested are used for making paper products, using sustainable, earth-friendly goods should really be a top priority. A variety of merchants are now selling recycled and tree-free notebooks that are not only attractive, but also very efficient. Ecopaper.com and Boku books, both of which sell notebooks and journals made from tree-free paper, are making a huge impact with their 100% post-consumer recycled products. Also, don’t forget about setting up a recycling bin next to your desk so that your waste can be turned into something fantastic in the future.
Additionally, you can even sport your good penmanship without feeling bad about hurting the environment: Earth-friendly pencils and pens that are biodegradable and made from recycled materials are available at most office supply stores. While at your local office goods store, why not pick up some energy-saving light bulbs for that desk lamp? Surprisingly, it’s the small adjustments to your everyday living space that really help in saving the environment. So every time you turn on that lamp to study, just think: You are doing your part.
Now what are we going to do about those bare walls? A quick stop at your local thrift store can offer a treasure trove of unusual and stylish decor. For example, you can purchase record albums for next to nothing; why not frame them (frames are easily found at second-hand stores as well) for a unique, retro look. Or how about creating origami animals from old magazines to hang from your ceiling? Urban Outfitters carries fun and reusable wall decals that are easy to use and remove. Just peel and stick for a kitschy and cool look! If you're fortunate enough to have windows in your dorm, why not get a plant? Plants naturally clean the air, ridding the toxins and pollutants that may be pervading your dormitory. Try a Peace Lilly, Rubber Plant, or a Boston Fern. The plant will not only serve as an eco-friendly air filter, but also add charm and color to your space.
Let’s talk a bit about toiletries and accessories. There are several wonderful companies such as Seventh Generation, Method, and Tom’s of Maine that make exceptional products that are green and organic. A personal favorite is Tom’s of Maine Natural deodorant stick in Calendula. This aluminum-free, unisex deodorant is made from hops, which is a natural way to fight odor and inhibit the growth of bacteria. Seventh Generation makes a variety of 100% recycled facial tissues, toilet paper, kitchen soaps, and laundry detergents that are both effective and safe for the environment. So when doing laundry or just cleaning up, remember the earth-friendly products that are available to your disposal.
One last idea involves the quintessential take-along shopping bag. There is no reason why anyone should be without a grocery tote bag. You can find many at your grocery store checkout line, but why not get one that's a little more fashion forward? Envirosax, Kawaii, and RuMe make modern grocery bags that you will want to take to the store. So next time you're making that midnight run to the market for snacks, be sure to take along your own grocery bag -- they're much cooler than your average plastic sack that will only spend a lifetime in a landfill.
Moving away to college can be scary, but with the right tools, it can be an enjoyable and earth-friendly experience. You'll be spending much of your time in your dorm room, so why not make it as comfortable as possible? Select recycled and organic bedding, energy-saving light bulbs, earth-friendly office supplies, and creative wall decor. Make this year a green year!
Here are a few helpful links to get you started:
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/nodePage.asp?order_num=-1&RN=1138&
http://dev.origami.com/diagram.cfm
http://www.pristineplanet.com/
http://www.ecopaper.com/
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/top-ten-houseplants-for-cleaner-air.html
http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/category.jsp?popId=APARTMENT&navAction=poppushpush&isSortBy=true&navCount=108&pushId=APARTMENT_FURNISH&id=A_FURN_WALL
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Keep Those Deer Out Of Your Yard!
We never like to think of nature as a nuisance, but every gardener has experienced the aggravation of Mother Nature’s creatures in the prize-winning vegetable garden – deer especially.
It seems that the only way to successfully deter deer from your backyard would be to build a 20-foot fence armed with barbed wire and trip alarms. This, in turn, might not only anger the already peeved neighbors, but also drastically bring down the value of your home… and possibly neighborhood.
There have been myths about deer being attracted to only certain plants in the garden, but as many avid gardeners can tell you, this is simply not true. Although deer are grazers and somewhat choosy eaters, they will consume just about any plant that is soft, young, and delicious. Therefore, opting for plants that are thorny, fibrous, and overly fragrant may reduce the number of deer invading your landscape. One point to remember, of course, is the fact that deer will adapt quickly to their environment. That is to say if all of their favorite plants around the neighborhood are either dead or have already been consumed, they will have to modify their eating habits to survive – even if that means eating Aunt Judy’s beloved rosebush.
You may now be asking yourself, “What the heck can I do to stop these deer from eating my yard without having to build a 20-foot fence?” Here are a few ideas:
Get a dog: You might not be keen to this idea at first, but unless you have the laziest dog in the world, your canine friend will protect your yard from deer, groundhogs, rabbits, and other pesky pests. If you are fonder of felines, a cat can function as a noble guard of the yard.
Soap: Although this trick may only last until the deer catch on, it works every time. With a knife, shave slivers of Irish Spring® soap and scatter them around your garden. The potent scent of the soap will deter any animal from getting in your garden and eating your vegetation. You can also scatter hair (a good excuse to give an at-home haircut) around your garden; the human scent from the hair will serve as a silent alarm to any pest.
Motion sensor security lights: Purchased at any home improvement store, motion sensory lights scare off deer upon entering your property. These lights can be affixed to almost any garage, tree, or home. But as always, once deer become keen to your strategy you’ll have to move onto bigger and more creative ideas.
Chimes: The sound of chimes or pie pans hung cleverly from a mobile have been known to ward off pesky deer. Also, the glare created by the sun during the day can divert deer from entering your yard. Think of this as a shiny and noisy scarecrow.
Deer repellant: There are products on the market that meddle with a deer’s olfactory system; these products smell like rotten eggs and coyote urine. Yes, coyote urine. This delightful concoction can be purchased at hunting stores; this method has had a high success rate in deviating deer from yards and gardens with just a sprinkle around the lawn.
All in all, Mother Nature has provided all us gardeners with many creatures to keep us on our toes whether we like it or not. Instead of building a fence this fall to avoid deer from getting in your backyard, why not opt for an inexpensive alternative. Who knows, perhaps you can outsmart a deer this year.
It seems that the only way to successfully deter deer from your backyard would be to build a 20-foot fence armed with barbed wire and trip alarms. This, in turn, might not only anger the already peeved neighbors, but also drastically bring down the value of your home… and possibly neighborhood.
There have been myths about deer being attracted to only certain plants in the garden, but as many avid gardeners can tell you, this is simply not true. Although deer are grazers and somewhat choosy eaters, they will consume just about any plant that is soft, young, and delicious. Therefore, opting for plants that are thorny, fibrous, and overly fragrant may reduce the number of deer invading your landscape. One point to remember, of course, is the fact that deer will adapt quickly to their environment. That is to say if all of their favorite plants around the neighborhood are either dead or have already been consumed, they will have to modify their eating habits to survive – even if that means eating Aunt Judy’s beloved rosebush.
You may now be asking yourself, “What the heck can I do to stop these deer from eating my yard without having to build a 20-foot fence?” Here are a few ideas:
Get a dog: You might not be keen to this idea at first, but unless you have the laziest dog in the world, your canine friend will protect your yard from deer, groundhogs, rabbits, and other pesky pests. If you are fonder of felines, a cat can function as a noble guard of the yard.
Soap: Although this trick may only last until the deer catch on, it works every time. With a knife, shave slivers of Irish Spring® soap and scatter them around your garden. The potent scent of the soap will deter any animal from getting in your garden and eating your vegetation. You can also scatter hair (a good excuse to give an at-home haircut) around your garden; the human scent from the hair will serve as a silent alarm to any pest.
Motion sensor security lights: Purchased at any home improvement store, motion sensory lights scare off deer upon entering your property. These lights can be affixed to almost any garage, tree, or home. But as always, once deer become keen to your strategy you’ll have to move onto bigger and more creative ideas.
Chimes: The sound of chimes or pie pans hung cleverly from a mobile have been known to ward off pesky deer. Also, the glare created by the sun during the day can divert deer from entering your yard. Think of this as a shiny and noisy scarecrow.
Deer repellant: There are products on the market that meddle with a deer’s olfactory system; these products smell like rotten eggs and coyote urine. Yes, coyote urine. This delightful concoction can be purchased at hunting stores; this method has had a high success rate in deviating deer from yards and gardens with just a sprinkle around the lawn.
All in all, Mother Nature has provided all us gardeners with many creatures to keep us on our toes whether we like it or not. Instead of building a fence this fall to avoid deer from getting in your backyard, why not opt for an inexpensive alternative. Who knows, perhaps you can outsmart a deer this year.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
