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.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
It Must Be a Muscadine
There is a wonderful little known fruit that hails from the southeastern United States. Its appearance closely resembles that of an everyday grape, but its size resembles that of a ping-pong ball. One might think that this fruit is the product of a mad scientist’s crossbreeding experiment, but in all truth, the Muscadine is it’s own genus.
The Muscadine (vitis rotundifolia) has been cultivated since the 16th Century, and used in wines, jams, and juices. These wonderful fruits’ colors range from a deep-set bronze to a dark, almost black shade. The bronze Muscadine are hilariously called “Scuppernongs”, and do not have as sweet as a palate as the dark purple ones.
The taste of the Muscadine can quite possibly be summed up as everything you ever wanted in a grape, but more. The Muscadine has a rich and full-bodied palate, enclosed in a crisp, fibrous skin that is tart to the taste. The Muscadine’s “pulp” tastes like an intense winemaking grape with a somewhat “wild” and “gamey” flavour. The scent is quite overpowering if one does not care for the scent of grapes. But if grapes are you’re kind of fruit, then a Muscadine may just be the fruit that you have been longing to try.
My first experience with the Muscadine brought me back to my childhood when I would hunt for wild grapes in the nearby forest in northern Illinois. Granted, coming upon ripe, tasty grapes was always heavily dependant upon whether the deer had gotten to them first, but once in a while I had struck gold. But unlike the wild grapes of my childhood, Muscadines are larger, tastier, and much more fun to eat. With only two-to- four seeds in every Muscadine, eating them is neither messy nor time-consuming; in fact, spitting them out is half the fun! The next time you find Muscadines in your grocer’s produce section, don’t be afraid to give them a chance. After all, they may just be exactly what you were looking for.
The Muscadine (vitis rotundifolia) has been cultivated since the 16th Century, and used in wines, jams, and juices. These wonderful fruits’ colors range from a deep-set bronze to a dark, almost black shade. The bronze Muscadine are hilariously called “Scuppernongs”, and do not have as sweet as a palate as the dark purple ones.
The taste of the Muscadine can quite possibly be summed up as everything you ever wanted in a grape, but more. The Muscadine has a rich and full-bodied palate, enclosed in a crisp, fibrous skin that is tart to the taste. The Muscadine’s “pulp” tastes like an intense winemaking grape with a somewhat “wild” and “gamey” flavour. The scent is quite overpowering if one does not care for the scent of grapes. But if grapes are you’re kind of fruit, then a Muscadine may just be the fruit that you have been longing to try.
My first experience with the Muscadine brought me back to my childhood when I would hunt for wild grapes in the nearby forest in northern Illinois. Granted, coming upon ripe, tasty grapes was always heavily dependant upon whether the deer had gotten to them first, but once in a while I had struck gold. But unlike the wild grapes of my childhood, Muscadines are larger, tastier, and much more fun to eat. With only two-to- four seeds in every Muscadine, eating them is neither messy nor time-consuming; in fact, spitting them out is half the fun! The next time you find Muscadines in your grocer’s produce section, don’t be afraid to give them a chance. After all, they may just be exactly what you were looking for.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
A Personal Thought
(Appeared In My Kind of Alaska, issue 2, vol. 1, spring/summer)
I am not being bourgeious.
I am not fantassizing.
I am not being facetious.
I am spilling the beans, firing the horn. I am going to hope that there is some sort of therapeutic onslaught that will become of all of this...of bearing my private emotions. but there is always the fear that too much is said. That too much will be misread, misinterepreted, misunderstood. But that is not too far from the daily fatigue that I try to explain to people...no, that is a lie. I don't say much to anyone about these troublinig enigmas.
I don't want to being anyone down with me. Besides, I do not believe that anyone is sincere enough to sink 600 leagues with me.
That is why I am so alone.
He's gone. My best friend. My commrade. My confidante. The only person besides my mother, that I can trust. He is on his way to Oregon to find a better life for himself...and perhaps to pick some berries on his trek. I can honestly say that it wass fantastic having someone so close, so caring as he. He was so good to me, and one of the greatest friendships that had ever happened to me andone of the greatest people that had ever come into my life.
And like that, he was gone.
Our last few days together were calm and fruitful. He was probably wondering how I maintained so kept together and lacked sorrow during our last days together. What he didnt know and what I will never tell him, is that I cried my eyes out the week before, when I was up in Chicago ( I have been going up North more frequently for the desolation of Carbondale hass made me more unstable that usual). I sobbed when I woke up in the morning, I cried in my afternoon cup of tea, and I whimpered my way into my dreams at night.
"Que te pasa,nina?" my mother would ask. I mumbled, choking on tears and mucus, that Joey was moving to te West coast. Upon hearing this, she thought that I had lost my poor mind, and that I had been crying for an unreasonable reason.
"He is not dying. He is not moving to Russia. You're so silly" was her reply. "Besides," she continued, "if you love him so much, then why aren't you WITH him?'
This statement hit harder than a falling piano from the cartoons. I did not know what to say, besides the fact that I could not picture him playing the role of my significant other...a love interest.
My only explanation to that is that he is so much more that what a significant other can be. But, I did come up with a reasonable solution: If in a few years neither of us are completely satisfied with our lives, and we are not in a loving relationship with someone, we should become life partners. Fantastic best friends who will spend time indefinite with eachother laughing, drinking, eating, enjoying life...enjoying each other.
And I would like that very much.
Oh, I miss you.
I cannot stop the teardrops from falling. I hate having perma-red eyeballs. I hate sitting in a bed of tissue roses. I hate not having you here with me. That is why I cannot stay here any lonoger. I dont have anyone important in my life. No love, no companionship.
I have never felt so alone.
I am not being bourgeious.
I am not fantassizing.
I am not being facetious.
I am spilling the beans, firing the horn. I am going to hope that there is some sort of therapeutic onslaught that will become of all of this...of bearing my private emotions. but there is always the fear that too much is said. That too much will be misread, misinterepreted, misunderstood. But that is not too far from the daily fatigue that I try to explain to people...no, that is a lie. I don't say much to anyone about these troublinig enigmas.
I don't want to being anyone down with me. Besides, I do not believe that anyone is sincere enough to sink 600 leagues with me.
That is why I am so alone.
He's gone. My best friend. My commrade. My confidante. The only person besides my mother, that I can trust. He is on his way to Oregon to find a better life for himself...and perhaps to pick some berries on his trek. I can honestly say that it wass fantastic having someone so close, so caring as he. He was so good to me, and one of the greatest friendships that had ever happened to me andone of the greatest people that had ever come into my life.
And like that, he was gone.
Our last few days together were calm and fruitful. He was probably wondering how I maintained so kept together and lacked sorrow during our last days together. What he didnt know and what I will never tell him, is that I cried my eyes out the week before, when I was up in Chicago ( I have been going up North more frequently for the desolation of Carbondale hass made me more unstable that usual). I sobbed when I woke up in the morning, I cried in my afternoon cup of tea, and I whimpered my way into my dreams at night.
"Que te pasa,nina?" my mother would ask. I mumbled, choking on tears and mucus, that Joey was moving to te West coast. Upon hearing this, she thought that I had lost my poor mind, and that I had been crying for an unreasonable reason.
"He is not dying. He is not moving to Russia. You're so silly" was her reply. "Besides," she continued, "if you love him so much, then why aren't you WITH him?'
This statement hit harder than a falling piano from the cartoons. I did not know what to say, besides the fact that I could not picture him playing the role of my significant other...a love interest.
My only explanation to that is that he is so much more that what a significant other can be. But, I did come up with a reasonable solution: If in a few years neither of us are completely satisfied with our lives, and we are not in a loving relationship with someone, we should become life partners. Fantastic best friends who will spend time indefinite with eachother laughing, drinking, eating, enjoying life...enjoying each other.
And I would like that very much.
Oh, I miss you.
I cannot stop the teardrops from falling. I hate having perma-red eyeballs. I hate sitting in a bed of tissue roses. I hate not having you here with me. That is why I cannot stay here any lonoger. I dont have anyone important in my life. No love, no companionship.
I have never felt so alone.
Welcome Home Stranger: A New Life in Kentucky
It was a place all too new and unfamiliar to me, yet the sheer beauty of the greenery and the rolling hills made this region called south central Kentucky a place that I could call “home”. The landscape was identical to a scape that I had eyed in a picture book; the serene setting seemed to have manifested itself here. The bluff lines, in particular, reminded me of the many years that I had spent venturing the Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois. Carbondale is where I had called home for the past seven years and where I thought I had left my heart.
I had grown up in the North shore of Chicago, and my adulthood was cultivated in Southern Illinois, as I attended the University there. Now it seems that in my adult years, I only wish to navigate toward southern cities. With my relocation to Bowling Green, I seem to fully enjoy the Southern custom of daily life. For example, there is not a need to rush. Taking time to enjoy the scenery, to stop and make conversation with folks, to sit out on the porch and enjoy the season, has become a wonderful routine that I had never fully taken advantage of. The hustle and bustle of any city can squeeze out almost any trace of tranquility and serenity from one’s system. The phrase to “stop and smell the roses” has never made any more sense. The folks here (Kentuckians, as I have learned) are quite cordial and have even helped out with a substantial amount of driving directions and business recommendations. As I took in all of the natural beauty of Kentucky and it’s people, the only quandary that arose in my mind was, “where is the nearest grocery store?”
Food has always been the center of my universe and quite possibly the highlight of my everyday life. Therefore, finding a place where I could nosh on good eats at any hour of the day and a reliable grocery store which carried fresh (organic and/or local) vegetables and meats was my only dilemma. So far, my shopping experience has not been entirely fulfilling. I had visited several grocery stores in the area, but had not found anything that was compared to any of the stores that I had shopped at prior to moving to Bowling Green. A farmer’s market (one of my most favorite places), a local butcher shop, and a wonderful International grocery store have paved a semi-traversable path in my hunt for groceries. This in turn, has kept morale up, and I am once again a happy camper. The other side of the coin is that Bowling Green is said to have a wonderful assortment of eateries, and I believe that I have concurred with this statement, for my tummy has not been disappointed since I have taken my first bite in Bowling Green and my pants feel a tad tighter.
On the silver screen, it seems as though southern towns are portrayed as always throwing some sort of fair to celebrate country-time goodness. Indeed, fairs are a wonderful place to indulge in rides, artery-clogging sweets, and blue ribbon winners. With this mind, I am anxious to attend one of the many festivals and fairs Kentucky has to offer. What other way to experience wholesome fun in the Comomonwealth? So with a bigger waistline and my grandmother’s prize winning banana cream pie, Kentucky, thank you for the warm welcome.
I had grown up in the North shore of Chicago, and my adulthood was cultivated in Southern Illinois, as I attended the University there. Now it seems that in my adult years, I only wish to navigate toward southern cities. With my relocation to Bowling Green, I seem to fully enjoy the Southern custom of daily life. For example, there is not a need to rush. Taking time to enjoy the scenery, to stop and make conversation with folks, to sit out on the porch and enjoy the season, has become a wonderful routine that I had never fully taken advantage of. The hustle and bustle of any city can squeeze out almost any trace of tranquility and serenity from one’s system. The phrase to “stop and smell the roses” has never made any more sense. The folks here (Kentuckians, as I have learned) are quite cordial and have even helped out with a substantial amount of driving directions and business recommendations. As I took in all of the natural beauty of Kentucky and it’s people, the only quandary that arose in my mind was, “where is the nearest grocery store?”
Food has always been the center of my universe and quite possibly the highlight of my everyday life. Therefore, finding a place where I could nosh on good eats at any hour of the day and a reliable grocery store which carried fresh (organic and/or local) vegetables and meats was my only dilemma. So far, my shopping experience has not been entirely fulfilling. I had visited several grocery stores in the area, but had not found anything that was compared to any of the stores that I had shopped at prior to moving to Bowling Green. A farmer’s market (one of my most favorite places), a local butcher shop, and a wonderful International grocery store have paved a semi-traversable path in my hunt for groceries. This in turn, has kept morale up, and I am once again a happy camper. The other side of the coin is that Bowling Green is said to have a wonderful assortment of eateries, and I believe that I have concurred with this statement, for my tummy has not been disappointed since I have taken my first bite in Bowling Green and my pants feel a tad tighter.
On the silver screen, it seems as though southern towns are portrayed as always throwing some sort of fair to celebrate country-time goodness. Indeed, fairs are a wonderful place to indulge in rides, artery-clogging sweets, and blue ribbon winners. With this mind, I am anxious to attend one of the many festivals and fairs Kentucky has to offer. What other way to experience wholesome fun in the Comomonwealth? So with a bigger waistline and my grandmother’s prize winning banana cream pie, Kentucky, thank you for the warm welcome.
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