Kids Go Green

To end Earth Day, I must say my kids finally get it. I mean UNDERSTAND! Hellelujah!!!

I have to give some show on Nickalodeon credit. They say something like, turn off the lights for 98 seconds and we'll save the planet. I'm writing and the kids run around the house like short lunatics to turn off lights and realize the only light on is the turtle's. They're bummed.

But it opened a door for them to understand why we are always fussing to turn off the lights, don't waste, hang the towels after showering, refill a water bottle, etc. etc. Yes, we are parents and it is our job to ride you obnoxiously, but we know what we're doing! And bless them, the light went on in their little heads.

We talked about the reasons we do what we do. It saves our family money and helps keep our planet a cleaner place. We don't live in a dirty house and we don't want a dirty planet. I was quizzed about what we've done to be more "Green". They eventually walked away listening to recycling water, changing the light bulbs, benefits of Energy Star appliances, manure in the garden instead of commercial fertilizers, building an arbor versus installing A/C and on and on and on.....

I feel for them. But maybe. Just maybe. I won't have to fuss as much about turning off the lights when they leave a room.

Earth Day 2009

Today is Earth day. It may not be a day to go out and celebrate for everyone, but it can be a day to look at your life and see what can be changed.




Reduce/Reuse/Recycle, time to make a plan to practice the 3 'R's?


Help the economy and shop for Energy Star appliances?


Put your home through an Energy Audit?

There are many ways to take care of the planet. With the world the way it is today, it is also a great time to exert control over our actions that will save money. There are many advantages personally and globally to making those changes now.

Washoe State Tree Nursery

Good day, good news!

I have received my list in the mail for the plants offered for sale at the Washoe County Nursery. Time to plan. Time to research. This makes me a happy girl!

I have to admit, this isn't a program for everyone. You must have a minimum 1 acre property and have an evironmental purpose for planting.

From the Nursery site:

Qualifications for the purchase of plants The program is not intended to provide landscaping materials for small home lots. The purpose of the program is to provide locally adapted, affordable trees and shrubs to conserve and enhance Nevada's natural resources through conservation plantings such as:

• Erosion control
• Post-fire rehabilitation
• Wildlife habitat
• Greenbelts
• Reforestation
• Windbreaks
• Water Conservation
• Mine reclamation
• Wetland and riparian restoration
• Woodlots
  
  My needs definitely run to erosion control, wildlife habitat (birds) and water conservation. I have bought honey locust saplings that are growing great. The biggest advantage for me is the nursery provides Caragana (most people call it Russian Olive). This is a pretty plant that grows strong with no attention, extremely little water and is extraordinarily soil tolerant. I will research other options for erosion control at the top of the swale [insert link] at the top of my swale, but my final decision will be made after talking to the folks at the nursery. I have had wonderful experiences learning from the staff and they never fail to help me make better decisions about my plantings!

A Real Estate Agency that Understands Your Needs

To those who want to live smarter, not harder...
To those who don't like waste and inefficiency...
To those who don't know where to start buying or selling...
To those who dream of their perfect green home, but don't know where to begin...

Outdoor and Resort Properties is the Certified Eco-Broker who understands your needs and will help guide your through the changing real estate market.

More people are becoming aware of their impact on our planet. Real estate decisions have a major influence on the health of our planet. When looking for help in living an Eco Friendly Lifestyle, always choose someone who is current on the latest technologies and research. This is an excellent way to advance your desire to enjoy a clean and free life.

Protecting the Garden

this is a cross post with Outdoor and Resort Properties lifestyle blog

The wind is howling, shingles are flying off roof tops and I'm spending my time shopping for information on bamboo fencing to protect my vegetable garden this summer. Seems fitting.

In the past, I've attached plain canvass drop cloths to my fence around my raised beds. It was an affordable solution to slow the winds and provide relief from the sun for more tender plants. Over time the winds ripped the fabric from it's anchors (½ x5x8 blocks of wood, screwed to each other from both sides of the fence) This method did work for a couple of years, and it worked well but I want to try something that is less of an eye-sore, eco-friendly and sturdier.



For several years now, I've been looking at bamboo fencing. Well, looking and waiting for the price to come down. It has become more readily available, so now you can find rolls 6X15 feet long for as low as $59. These rolls are bamboo poles attached together by galvanized wire. Dealers offer various accessories but for my purpose they won't be necessary. I simply need something to attach to the existing fence, that will allow air to circulate, filter sunlight and decrease the power of the punishing winds.

This is still a lot more expensive than canvass but I think it will meet my needs. In the long run, I hope the cost of investing in bamboo fencing will justify itself!

Recycle Your Water

Recycling water can be one of the best ways to help the environment. Especially for those of us who garden, live on a well and have to maintain a septic system.


A couple of years ago, our clay became so saturated with moisture from snow melt, that our leech field was unable to do it's job. With that comes the most awful situation of having your septic tank back up. (A quick primer: septic tank has 2 chambers, the first holds solids, the second is overflow for fluids which overflows into a series of hole pipes allowing the fluids to filter and 'leech' back into the ground.) We called in help. We had our septic tank pumped. We had our leech field lines blown out. But the professionals could only advise contacting an engineer to design a system to prevent this from happening.


Since I didn't have $40-60K sitting around, I researched alternative methods to solve my problem.


Between the research, professional advice and looking at our micro-climate, I realized we have a problem with how much water the ground could sustain. I managed to convince my husband that the quickest solution was re-routing our water softener and washing machine water through a 500 gallon tank for distribution at our convenience.


This solved two problems.


First, our softener system left salt residue in the water which could be causing our leech field to glaze, much like pottery. There was no way to really know this without bringing in serious equipment to dig up the field and analyze the soil. Nope, I didn't have time, or money for that. But, most professionals will recommend you NOT route your softener water into your septic system.


Second, we were using the mass quantity of laundry water to dilute the salt water, as well as penetrate our clay soil. Clay can be full of nutrients but is so compact that it holds water (instead of draining) or it can dry out to the point of water not penetrating the surface.


This water is wonderful for helping my natural landscaping receive the water it needed in times of drought as well as saving me a lot of money fixing a system that wasn't necessarily broken. It just needed an owner that was smart enough to work with the environment!

Conserving Water in Your Garden

Water conservation is an extremely important consideration when it comes to gardening in the high mountain desert. I find myself considering water consumption with every plant I start, or buy. I have done my best to install, and maintain, a drip line to efficiently water my gardens. But I'm always looking for new, low maintenance ways of watering.


I have a neighborhood friend who's house is on a high point in the center of her 3 acre property. She is the one who taught me the unique use for directing, and collecting, the water we are rarely graced with in the summer months. With the house at the top, her gardens are terraced to completely surround her home. But instead of using rocks, or building walls, she instead dug the indespensible ditch depressions we call swales. Watching her garden grow, lush with very little supplemental water, taught me the value of this technique.


My property has an odd shape. The front terrain flows down hill, away from the house, in a natural way. The back is completely different. Out my back door, the land has a strong slope from the right to the left. This would leave the path of least resistance for water to flow directly towards my house.


I used my friend's technique to build a swale through the center of my back garden, following the downhill slope to serve many purposes. In the desert, when it rains, we tend to get 'gully washers'. The clay ground is so very dry, that the water doesn't absorb. Then the rain can be so powerful, that is carries away everything in its path, recreating the land every time it comes through. The swale does a lot of work by it's very existence.


The swale is filled with large (2+ inch rock) to make a walking path while being heavy enough to not wash away. It directs water along a controlled path to the bottom of my garden, where it becomes slightly deeper, to collect water for deep soaking the more water hungry part of my garden. I've intentionally planted the bottom section of my garden with the plants needing more water so they can take advantage of any extra water collected naturally. But the path of the swale also curves off away from my house, so that in a most extreme case, the water is redirected safely away from causing any more damage than necessary to my home.


This is a simple way to conserve water, as well as add appeal to any garden.
Thanks for all your help Linda!