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Written by Diana Carlson Pardee
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On Saturday, I attended 2 earth-friendly events. Both were very enjoyable and more focused on greening up the outdoors & our food supply than green design. Although the process of making our kitchen as eco-friendly as possible was the inspiration for this blog, the real message that has emerged is that our journey, like all of you who are making efforts to live more consciously & sustainably, is about making small changes that will result in a cleaner, less toxic & more sustainable world for future generations, as well as ourselves. Earth Day every day, inside & out, makes more sense the more you learn!
I attended a workshop on "Incorporating Desert Plants in a Native Garden" at the Tree of Life Nursery. They have a great series of free workshops, held under a giant California Sycamore tree on their grounds. Sitting there, you feel like you are part of the original California landscape.
Wendy, from Mountain States Nursery gave a very helpful presentation with lots of ideas for combining the structural succulents I love, with California perennials, trees & shrubs. These pictures give you some idea of the variety of California natives & desert plants that blend together so beautifully. Well...that inspired me to buy more native plants, so I came home with lots of work for my Sunday garden team (thanks Lee!)...yippee! More holes to dig.
While at TOL, I met Gary from Killer Dana Surf. He has a large garden with mostly natives plus fruit trees & other edibles...pretty impressive pix. As a surfer, & owner of a surf shop, he is in a unique position to enlighten surfers about the need for environmental stewardship. It seems like a lot of young surfers don't get the relationship between Earth Day & surfing, but Gary seems to get it and is sharing his message with other surfers. Clean water & sustainable design all fit together, especially in light of health issues related to spending a lot of time in polluted water here at O.C. beaches. Go Gary! Next, I went to The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano for their Earth Day festivities. The event featured music, food, a plant sale, as well as information about their mission & membership. Since they are a community project in my area & focused on teaching adults & children about strategies for living, eating & gardening more earth-friendly, I became a member. I'll be posting more on their efforts in future.
Since Earth Day/Week/Month is special to me (April 22 is also my birthday, so I guess I was born to be an Earth Mother!), I'm going to celebrate by sharing more posts about a variety of ways to live greener & healthier in the coming weeks. We'll also be having a great Earth Day Celebration, 2-5 p.m. on April 22 at our Neighborhood Cup in Aliso Viejo...more details on that this week. Share your thoughts & ideas on living greener, too.
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Written by Diana Carlson Pardee
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March 22, 2010
In the United States, we take clean water for granted. In California many communities have been on water rationing due to past drought conditions, but still we expect to have clean water to drink & bathe in. But in many countries, the safety of their water is a matter of great health concern. World Water Day might be a good time to stop & think about how we could save water in our homes & businesses, & also how we might support the access to clean water for families all over the world.
Here is the link to the World Water Day Organization if you want to check out their mission & how you can help:
http://www.worldwaterday.org/
See below, for some tips that might get you started saving water in your home. It will save you money, & might make a difference for our futures. Many believe that "water" will be the next "oil", in terms of scarcity & competition among nations.
I suggest you take some simple steps today to start making a difference!
Reduce H20 Use
· Turn off water while you brush your teeth, wash your hands or dishes, then rinse briefly
· Install low flow faucets & showerheads OR take shorter showers
· Use water-wise gardening strategies - mulch, deep water, use drip systems or soakcer hoses, plant drought tolerant plants
· Wash full loads only - Dishwasher AND washing machine
· Install dual flush toilet, reduce flushing water volume or frequency
For more tips & details, check out "Earth Easy - 25 Ways to Conserve Water..."
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Written by Diana Carlson Pardee
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March 17, 2010 - Happy St. Patrick's Day...another kind of "green"
Our getaway last week to Sedona reminded me how Nature inspires our home environment & helps us create a getaway feel each time we return home. Another reason we love to support Bed & Breakfasts is that we've found it's more common for them to think about the simple pleasures of homey comforts, pleasant conversation and the desireability of a "green interior" retreat. With so many visitors now suffering from allergies, asthma & environmental illnesses, it's becoming even more important to reduce our toxic exposure as we travel. I find I sleep much better when I don't have those chlorine-soaked sheets in my face all night!We stayed at a great little B&B on the West side of Sedona and chatted with Lori, the resident manager, about the kinds of cleaning products they used & their upcoming renovation plans for 2 of their rooms to make them "green rooms". This is exciting to me because it is not driven by government regulations, but by the interests & requests of consumers. Perhaps this will remind us travelers that resort services are listening...we just need to talk. I look forward to visiting again to see their progress, & I hope more designers & innkeepers will contribute their ideas here in the future, so we can leverage our interest & knowledge to enhance this process.We've stayed at 2 inns in Sedona. Adobe Hacienda in Oak Creek Village & Alma de Sedona in West Sedona. Both were wonderful, and working to create non-toxic, peaceful & friendly atmospheres. Here's a little excerpt from the web site for Alma de Sedona:"Enhance your visit to the spectacular Red Rock Country of Sedona by staying at this luxurious and romantic Inn. Alma de Sedona Bed and Breakfast offers a unique retreat combining modern comfort and warm hospitality in a casually elegant setting. The views from the hilltop setting are among the most spectacular Sedona has to offer."Add to that their efforts to create a greener, non-toxic home away from home & you can see the future of travel on the green side. All we have to do is keeping talking about the possibilities!By the way...Shaklee Get Clean have been proven to be the most effective, economical & safe cleaning products on the market. Shaklee has created green products for over 50 years, & that's why I am so proud to be part of this company..."In Harmony with Nature" is not just a fad for us. I've done the calculations...using Get Clean Basic H2 is even cheaper than vinegar or baking soda, plus more versatile. Works on every surface and in homes or inns or businesses. Check it out if you're looking for effective PLUS green!
If you'd like more articles related to green interiors & design, please visit my blog at: http://realgreendiary.blogspot.com |
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Written by Diana Carlson Pardee
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Wow...I can't believe it has been so long since I've blogged here. A lot has been happening, & much of it has been about helping others live greener & healthier. I'm excited about what is happening in the world!
In spite of the economy, I am finding young green entrepreneurs working to build businesses that make a postive difference in the world, while helping them create their own financial freedom. I'm also finding lots of families that are stopping to think about how the toxins they use every day may be effecting their family's health and longevity.
One new strategy will be to provide content from some of these young entrepreneurs, focusing on their area of expertise. Funny...so many of the topics I am interested in proved overwhelming to become an "expert" on, so I decided to recruit help & give them some extra internet presence at the same time.
This week we are preparing for an Eco-Celebration in Newport Beach at GreenGo. This is a business that focuses on alternative electric transportation and has a great facility for expo events. Join us if you live the the SoCal area: Saturday, February 20 from 11 am to 4 pm. Free admission. Location: 2122 Newport Blvd, Newport Beach, CA (behind the Crab Cooker). Ask me for your free gift!
More news coming soon! Follow our Green Tips on Twitter: Twitter/epicgreenteam
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