Green Scene
With Heidi Schoen - Healthy Planet Green Living Editor
Welcome back to the GREEN SCENE where progressive people,
places and products aim to enlighten and empower us
to live sustainably. Regardless of where our lifestyle
is in the green continuum each one of us can and should
take simple steps to improve the state of our local
and global environment.
Luscious green grass is ideal for running barefoot,
a bed for stargazing or a place to discover fireflies
at nightfall. My small patch of homegrown is a variety
of various weeds and grasses that require very little
attention just some compost, water and mowing. Unfortunately,
there is nothing redeeming about mowing in my mind.
The end-result is not idyllic but good, turning my homegrown
savanna into a usable backyard. Until recently, it was
a chore to endure because my corded electric mower died
and the fumes from the gas mower were horrid. I’m
a firm believer that lawns don’t need to be sacrificed
for the sake of the environment, but rather transformed
into low-impact earth friendly green spaces. One first
step is to switch to a push or cordless plug in mower
like my Black & Decker rechargeable mulching mower
– freedom from fumes and the mower is so quiet
you can hear the birds singing. A wonder mower should
not be the end of your quest for an earth friendly lawn.
The idiom less is more certainly applies to lawn care
- a perfectly fine lawn is a model for sustainability
- it is diverse. For dependable and interesting gardening
information visit Grow Native at grownative.org another
great site is Missouri Organic Association at missouriorganic.org.
Not pie in the sky but one of my green dreams is to
take my plug-in mower off the grid by equipping my detached
garage (home of the mower) with a solar panel, which
also has the capacity to charge my dream plug in hybrid.
While outside enjoying the summertime weather, you may
be tempted to get new wood patio-type furniture. Before
purchasing, make sure it is Forest Stewardship Council
certified or FSC. Asking where the wood product is from
(country of origin) is an important first step because
our irreplaceable and immensely important tropical forests
are being devastated in order to meet consumer demand
for wood furniture. Visit the National Wildlife Federation’s
website at www.nwf.org/forests/gardenfurniture to find
out which merchants in your area have in stock or can
order these environmentally friendly products. Better
yet, go on craigslist and give a good home to some retro
patio furniture. If it’s green, I want to hear
about it at HSchoenTHP@aol.com.
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