Green Tips

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October 2021 Tips

 

 

Candles:  We all love the coziness that candles provide during the cooler months, but did you know that most candles on the market are made from paraffin wax, a product of petroleum refining? A more environmentally friendly choice is candles made from beeswax — even better if you can find them at a local market or craft fair to avoid the carbon costs of shipping. Be sure to do your research before you stock up on products that make you feel cozy during the fall and winter.

 

Use your slow cooker. For those fall and comfort foods like soups, stews, casseroles, roasts, even lasagna, try a slow-cooker version instead of using the oven. Even though a slow cooker stays on longer (4-6 hours or more), it will still use less energy overall.

 

Eat seasonal produce, local if you can. Foods that are grown and harvested in their natural time frame require less energy to produce, and if you can get them from local sources, their travel footprint will be much smaller than produce that’s been hauled in from across the country or world.

 

Choose hand-powered or electric tools over gas. As homeowners tackle the job of raking leaves, clearing gardens, and cleaning yard debris, they create a lot of noise and pollution. In fact, one gas-powered leaf blower can emit as much pollution as 80 cars! Instead of leaf blowers, use rakes; use hand-powered garden trimmers, and a push mower if your yard allows it. If you must use motorized tools, go for electric over gas-powered. 

 

Plant trees. By the time autumn rolls around, summer heat waves are long past, rainfall is usually more plentiful, and new trees, bushes and flowers have a greater chance of surviving than they would if they were planted during a hotter season. Choose species native to your area as well as those that are drought and pest resistant and can grow in the kind of soil and amount of sunlight available on your property.