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Have you thought of the importance of safety when using an extension cord? Extension cords deliver power right where we need it— if the lamp isn’t close enough to the wall or floor outlet, we just plug it into an extension cord. It is important to remember that convenience should never overrule safety. Below are…
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Every year, the holiday season brings joy, fellowship, and an extra 1 million tons of waste per week to our landfills. Yes, you read that correctly: Americans create an additional 1 million tons of waste per week during the holiday season. No matter what your holiday season may look like, you can help tackle this…
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The holiday season is a joyous time to gather with family and friends. It can also be a busy time of gift shopping, preparing your infamous green bean casserole, or hosting extended family and friends. With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, your pets, who many times are part of the family, may…
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Gift giving is an uphill battle that only seems to intensify with age, especially when shopping for older adults. Buying for those who are not able to buy for themselves takes some creative thinking. Here are some ideas to get you started. Connect them to a local senior center and financially contribute to their outings…
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The 8 inches of rain that fell in the past two days highlighted the leaks in my gutters and downspouts. Obviously, they aren’t doing their job of taking the water away from my home. These leaks can damage the woodwork, siding, foundation, and lead to wet basements and crawl spaces. The water can even seep…
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With Halloween coming around the corner there are plenty of scares around every turn. People all around the neighborhood are decorating their homes to look frightening and spooky to prepare for the holiday, but what if I told you that your house could easily be the scariest around? What could make your house the spookiest…
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Researchers say laughter is good for your health. Go out and laugh this weekend! Bilingual Opinions Hearty laughter may lower your blood pressure, increase your heart rate, reduce stress, ease muscle tension, improve your breathing, boost mental function, and burn calories! Imagine nurturing your body and mind with all of these health benefits when you…
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A UGA class is building a Tiny House and learning many things along the way. Follow their progress @ https://tinydawghouse.wordpress.com/. tinydawghouse We talked briefly in class today about the major considerations for roofing and siding materials for our tiny dawg house. The 6 main realms of concern are: cost, energy efficiency, carbon footprint, weight and…
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When I hear people talk about low impact living I always think of the 1970’s British Comedy The Good Life, or Good Neighbors as it was known here in the United States. A couple decides to escape the commercialism of life and become totally self-sufficient in their home near London. It’s entertaining to see their successes…
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When I was a child my family would spend Memorial Day at one of our family graveyards. I know this may sound morbid but I remember it as a happy place. Park-like the place was filled with trees, flowers and areas of sun and shade. We would arrive with buckets, brushes, shears, pruners, brooms, hoes,…
Posted in: Charitable Giving, Climate Change, Conservation, Energy, Environment, Family, Giving, Green burials, Green Living, Holidays, Sustainability, Uncategorized -
Is it supposed to snow on May Day? I just returned from a conference on energy in Fort Collins, Colorado. The hosts did a wonderful job showcasing all four seasons. The first few days were close to 80 (great for solar power). Then there was rain, which provided some relief from the drought. Finally, over…
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It is springtime in Athens, Georgia. When days are soft and sunny folks start to move out-of-doors. So what are some green outdoor activities that are low cost and low impact, but high on the fun index? We all want play and live greener without spending our shrinking “greenbacks.” Walk. One of the healthiest and…
Posted in: community, Energy, Environment, Giving, History, Holidays, Safety, Uncategorized, Working Together -
When we think of a “green roof” most of us conjure up images of trees and vegetables on top of a tall building in a city or maybe a sod roof with a goat grazing on it. Green roofs are much more than that. I learned a lot about green roofs on a webinar taught…
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Recently I was teaching an online class about keeping your home healthy and reducing the asthma triggers in your home. I talked about some of the main asthma triggers in your home – dust mites, pet dander, secondhand smoke, mold, cockroaches, and mice. The training included action steps to take to reduce or eliminate these…
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Today I heard a wonderful presentation by Henry Cisneros, who was Secretary of HUD under Clinton. He spoke at the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) 20th anniversary celebration. He talked about housing, linkages between our homes and our health, and changing housing needs. It was a good reminder of what really makes a house…
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There are some simple things you can do to become a more environmentally conscious consumer. Watch the video for some things you can do to reduce waste and save you money. Take the Shades of Green quiz on the UGA GreenWay website.
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I just returned from a themed cruise to the Caribbean that featured classic movies and movie stars from the past. It was just what I needed – rest and relaxation sprinkled with movies, good food, good times, and a therapeutic saltwater Jacuzzi and pool. On the cruise I got to wondering about the environmental impacts…
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As we left Australia I found myself looking down on the Sydney harbor and recalling all of the interesting things we learned and the wonderful people we met. I learned that my image of the country did not match reality. Australia was more impressive than I imagined. I especially enjoyed the temperate climate that gave…
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At the Hobart cohousing development there were designated “chicken barons.” What this means is that a single family was in charge of taking care of the chickens – everything from feeding them to gathering the eggs. Residents are encouraged to bring vegetable matter to feed to the chickens, and the chicken barons then sell the…
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Cohousing and ecovillages are one of the ways Australia is addressing the housing crisis. Issues such as affordability, ecological impact of new (and existing) housing developments and creating communities that embrace the human need for connecting with whom we live with and nearby are important elements of sustainability. Cohousing and ecovillages embrace the small home movement, and encourage homes that…
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Lest we think Australia is free from trash and debris, take a look at this photo of a screen on the river in Melbourne which is designed to catch trash. Like many large cities, they have trash on the streets too, especially cigarette butts. I am not certain that smoking is higher in Australia than…
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We visited so many spectacular spaces throughout our trip, and this Community Garden in Hobart, Tasmania was certainly one of them.
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While in Tasmania, we visited a honey-making family from Huan Valley, outside of Hobart. Their farm is near Huonville and they have a little store called The Honey Pot. The Honey Pot is owned and run by local Huon Valley beekeepers and it has a wonderful range of delicious Tasmanian Honey. The proprietor is the…
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I just couldn’t resist sharing some of the simply beautiful photos we took while in Australia. Enjoy!
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While visiting with four colleagues (Kate Archdeacon, Che Biggs, Jessica Bird, and Kes McCormick) from the University of Melbourne we were able to learn about their efforts to achieve sustainability at the University. Their goal is to develop guiding principals, which will frame the Environmental Policy and outline environmental sustainability strategies for the University – students and faculty. For a…
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What happens when you produce such little waste that the majority of what you no longer need is recyclable or compostable? This trashcan: This is the trash can employees at the University of Melbourne have for all things that are not recyclable or compostable. Now that’s something to be proud of!
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Take a look at this great campaign aimed at conserving wild habitats and saving trees. The loo! It’s one more place we can use recycled materials and help to cut down on new waste.
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I guess the Aussies like Krispy Kreme too! But we could’ve guessed that… It’s a good thing doughnuts are the same upside down or rightside up!
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Silo by Joost , 123 Hardware Street, Melbourne 3000, is the permanent project of Joost Bakker, eco-entrepreneur, who is a champion for sustainable design and local sourcing of food and foraging movement. This restaurant does not just talk about “zero waste” they are ‘zero waste”. We were lead to Silo, by Kate Archdeacon project director for VEIL (Victorian Eco…
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Biophilic Design suggests that suggests that there is an instinctive bond between human beings and other living systems. We heard much at the Healthy Building Conference about the need to rethink our living spaces – beyond community gardens, bike paths, and public transport – though each idea is important it is about an holistic approach…
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We had an amazing time at the Farmers Market in Brisbane last week and I just have to share a pic and some videos that I took while visiting. This friendly farmer took a moment out of the day to pose for a pic with his mum. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_yhsSW1OtI?rel=0] The Brisbane Farmers Market in all it’s…
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“CityCycle is an initiative of the Brisbane City Council to introduce a new form of environmentally friendly personal transport similar in style to European bike hire systems like Vélib’ in Paris and Sevici in Seville. Within 3 km of the city centre 2000 bicycles will be available to pick up and drop off at any of the…
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St. Kilda’s “Veg Out” Community Garden is built on the site of the old St. Kilda Bowling Club in the Port Phillip Council area. The facilities are also home to artist studios, rented on a month to month basis, with garden plots are rented for a $100 annually. The site is overseen by the Local…
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Northey Street City Farm is a non-profit community organisation situated on the banks of Brisbane’s Breakfast Creek in Windsor. More than 1500 exotic and native fruit trees, bushtucker plants, shrubs and ground covers have been planted on the four hectare farm site since its inception in April 1994. The farm has been developed for people…
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The Wildlife Rescue in Brisbane was such a neat place and a really unique experience. There were owls too! Check out the pics:
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Pamela shares a story with us today from a young woman she met in Port Douglas, Queensland: [She] “shared tales about the Curlew, a bird with a call that sound like a woman screaming. In the [country’s] early years…explorers thought someone was in danger. [She] relayed a story about a Curlew bird at the wildlife…
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We were thrilled to present at Healthy Buildings 2012 in Brisbane! A big thanks to our fellow presenters- We hope to see you all again at next year’s conference!
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The community that resides in the Ecovillage at Currumbin has already developed some traditions of their own- One such tradition applies to new life in the community: When a baby is born the community pulls together in support and brings dinner for the new family every night. This beautiful practice exemplifies the support and connectivity that…
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Follow us around Australia by taking a peek at this map: First we flew into Brisbane, Queensland for the Healthy Buildings 2012 conference, which was fantastic. Also in Brisbane we visited a wonderful Permaculture Farm where growth is encouraged in all things. Then we traveled to Currumbin, Queensland to experience the wonder of a sustainable…
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Last Friday, we wandered around the Ecovillage at Currumbin, which is located in a rural area on the Gold Coast, Queensland, just south of Brisbane. This community is made up of around 150 homes on 110 hectares of reclaimed farmland, laid out around a village center that includes community facilities, home offices and retail space.…
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The City of Gosnells, located in western Australia, uses TravelSmart to become healthier in their travel choices and reduce the impact on the environment. TravelSmart is “a successful Western Australian community-based program that encourages people to use alternatives to traveling in their private car.” When we educate people about other forms of transportation, we give people options…
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The hotel where we are staying is very interesting! Single beds, low to the ground and a compact shower. I do think folks in the US could look at using one idea that this hotel employs: liquid toiletry dispensers! Not constantly giving out little bottles of shampoo, conditioner, lotion and such would save a lot…
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