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Welcome to February's issue of Green Home, your EcoFresh monthly newsletter.
In this month's issue:
Backyard Cleaning:
There are a number of ways that you can alter the way you do yard work to ensure energy efficiency. One way to do this is to mow your lawn when it is higher, rather than mowing it when it is less than two inches. This will allow you to cut the deeper roots and you will have to cut it less often then. Also, the long clippings will add nutrients to your lawn.
Energy Efficiency:
Saving energy in the home is not only good for the environment, but it also saves you money. When you leave your home, turn off the thermostat. This will allow you to save money on electricity while not wasting it.
Household Supplies:
Instead of buying new plastic containers and bottles for things like soap and detergents, buy one large container and then just refill a smaller one each time. This can be applied to almost any product, from soaps to shampoos.
Stop wasting plastic bottles and money and instead of buying water bottles, invest in a water cooler system that contains only one big jug that you can fill up a reusable water bottle with. Another option is to get a water filtration system that allows for tap water to be filtered.
1) Go green with your invites — Now that virtually everyone has access to an email address on a daily basis, sending invitations via Evite, or through any sort of email service saves the unnecessary paper as well as makes mailing easy.
2) Encourage Carpooling — In the invite, note who is going and suggest possible carpooling based on guests who live close to one another.
3) Go Green with food and drinks — Keeping a vegetarian menu or even just making food with fresh and organic products will help out the environment. Also, for beverages, instead of having individual bottles and cans, perhaps have pitchers of sangria, or big bottles of soda that can be poured in plastic reusable cups.
4) Natural Decorating — Instead of buying decorations, consider using what is already in your own backyard, like flowers and lemons for centerpieces.
With the Super Bowl coming up, you may find yourself needing to prepare for a whole group of people. This chili recipe is a great vegetarian option that everyone will love!
By Kay Bushnell
Delicious with rice or cornbread. Soyrizo is available in many supermarkets.
Ingredients:
In a large saucepan sauté onion and garlic in 1/2 cup of water until onions are translucent. Blend in all remaining ingredients except Soyrizo and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15-30 minutes, stirring frequently as it thickens.
While chili is simmering, slit half of the Soyrizo casing and scrape out contents with a spatula. (Remaining Soyrizo can be wrapped in a plastic bag and stored in the freezer.) Add a little olive oil to a small skillet, and over medium-low heat brown the Soyrizo, breaking it up with a spoon as it browns. (Stir it often; be very careful not to burn it.) Stir the browned Soyrizo into the chili. Season to taste with salt and sprinkle cilantro and/or chopped red onions on each serving. Serves about 6.
By Jasmine, moneymagpie.com writer
The following are things that specific charities are always accepting as donations.
Stamps
These everyday items that can't usually be recycled are collected by charities to be sold on to stamp collectors or dealers. Foreign or old stamps usually make more money, but charities collect current UK stamps as well.
Printer cartridges
Did you know it takes 3.5 litres of oil to make a new laser printer cartridge and 90ml of oil to make new inkjet cartridge? Giving charities your empty cartridges enables them to sell them directly to companies who refill them and sell them on. This makes them money and decreases the 1800 tonnes of cartridges that end up in UK landfill sites every year.
Collect up your printer cartridges and either email the charity for a freepost envelope or take them down to your local charity shop. Suggesting this scheme at work will also generate extra funds for your chosen charity.
Old glasses
Sight charities often collect old spectacles to send to people with sight difficulties in developing countries, where there is little availability and funding for eye-care services. All you have to do is take your old glasses into your local donation point.
Old clothes
Having a sort-out in your wardrobe to make room for this season's latest fashions? Donate your old clothes to charity, where they can be sold in charity shops to make extra money for that charity, or sent to those in need.
On the whole retro or designer clothes make the most for the charity shops, but all clothes are accepted. Either take your clothes down to your local charity shop or your nearest clothes bank. Some charities will also collect clothes from your home if you phone up to ask.