We are finally in a spot where we have a sunny backyard and vegetables will grow. Fortunately we have an area at our new house that is sort of a raised bed. It isn’t the prettiest thing considering it is built with cinder blocks but hey, I won’t be complaining come harvest of some fresh vegetables. And since we are making an effort to live more sustainably, we consider growing our own food to eat a great opportunity to practice sustainable living.

We spent 2 solid days weeding this garden bed which is about 7 ft. x 20 ft. Originally we were going to rototill it. Since we don’t own a rototiller we offered to trade some heirloom vegetable starts for use of someone elses rototiller. Once we got in the garden though we realized how important it would be for the health of the soil to till by hand and pull weeds. So we set on a weeding weekend extravaganza. Let me tell you, we had a lot of weeds. All sorts of dandelions, cousins of dandelions and lots of crabby grass. If you have even the slightest area of soil that isn’t rock hard you can hand till that section and you will save yourself a lot of money by not having to recondition your soil.

The kids were all around and we had to stop to help them, feed them and play with them several times during the day so I guess someone else could have weeded the garden even faster but after we were done weeding we made our pathways. Since our garden is 7 ft. x 20 ft. I made the row along the fence about 18 inches wide and it goes the entire length of the fence. We obviously won’t have a problem reaching for weeds with the planting row only 18 inches wide. We will use this space for small plants like lettuce, strawberries and cucumbers that will be trellised on the fence.

The walkway is about another 12-18 inches. Then there are 4 more garden beds that make up the rest of the area. Each one is about 4×4 ft. This means we will be able to reach 2 ft. into the garden area from each side so that weeding and planting will be easy.

Once I plotted the garden and had the walkways in now I could walk around in the garden without compacting my nice, loose, fertile soil. Well, at least I hope it’s fertile. Just in case it’s not, I added soil sweetener to it. Soil sweetener is very appealing because it actually smells really sweet. It’s derived from volcanic ash and remineralizes your garden soil. Next I added some really nice compost to the top of the soil. I spread it out, gently raking it into the surface layer of the garden. Then I got the soil all nice and wet so I could activate the soil sweetener since it comes in a granular form. (This photo is pre-compost and soil sweetener)

We are using what our garden has to offer by putting some dirt in the cinder blocks and adding some seeds of flowers that will bring beneficial insects to our garden. We will also be stringing some twine onto the fence to grow the vining cucumbers up. This will save garden space and give them the afternoon shade they prefer. This year we will also be trellising our tomatoes in the effort to save space.

The first items that have been planted in the garden are strawberries. We put in about 15 plants, courtesy of our nice neighbors who work for the University of Oregon Landscape Department. Lettuce makes a good border around strawberries so I will be companion planting lettuce seeds tomorrow.

I’ll share more pictures as things get interesting.

Sometimes the hardest gifts to think of are those for birthdays. We usually don’t plan ahead for birthdays like we might for Christmas. Christmas can also be much more simpler because we can buy in bulk and give everyone the same of similar gifts. Birthdays tend to be a little more personalized.

I started thinking about what good, sustainable gifts would be for birthdays when my daughter was invited to one of her good friend’s fourth birthday party. Most people assume buying a toy of some sort is the best gift for that age group and if you can find a sustainable toy or organic t-shirt then it is a good option. For our family though, a sustainable toy is usually out of our price range for a birthday party. So here are my ideas for sustainable and organic gifts. Read more…

Recycling is an admirable thing to do but alone it doesn’t serve a just purpose. Reusing items is also a wonderful and sometimes creative act; although beware of items that really aren’t safe to reuse, like certain plastics. I’m amazed by the people who turn normal household items into functioning decor, such as water fountains and such keeping them out of landfills. But the best thing we can all really focus on is reducing. Read more…

Shopping local is one of the best ways to be green. But what does shopping local really mean? If the store is buying everything from China or it’s your neighborhood Wal-Mart then the level of greenness just got a little dirty.

On the other hand, if you are fortunate to have a locally owned store that is buying U.S. made products and has eco-conscious buyers then you can be a cleaner shade of green.

We happen to live in an area that hasn’t always been too savvy about the environment until recently when two friends opened Fresh & Green in Bakersfield, Ca. Sometimes all it takes is a single movement by a couple of people, like what Jennifer and Sasha at Fresh & Green are doing, to educate the many. (Don’t forget that Google started with only two guys and now the world searches them over.)

Some may find it hard to believe that everyone doesn’t want to or wouldn’t like to shop online but the fact is that a lot of people just don’t. A local store that offers sustainable products makes it easier for local residents to buy products that are healthier and safer for them and the environment. Stores that offer green products can also become a local resource for consumers to learn about the effects that we have on the environment and how we can make productive changes in our lifestyle.

If you have a local store that offers sustainable and organic products shop with them before you shop online, even if you are spending a tad bit more money. It’s worth keeping the convenience of a quick trip to your local green outlet. Chances are you will get better customer service since the people can put a face with your name. If you aren’t sure if there is a local store that supplies sustainable and organic products, keep checking online. I ended up finding Fresh & Green in Bakersfield by a fluke click on a cloth diaper site. In these days of increased environmental concern and green washing, you just never know when a green store might pop up.

Interested in shopping local in more ways than just this one? Learn where to buy local produce.

Yep, you read that right… Chief Green Officers or CGO’s, are real job positions at companies both large and small, companies just like Frito-Lay and Google. When the internet came mainstream it created Chief Information Officers, so it’s no surprise that the Green Movement has brought with it green executives and company officers.

“Chief Green Officers are Sprouting Up“, an article from the Dallas News sums it up quite well..

Sustain ability officers – also known as chief green officers or by similar titles – at senior or middle management levels are becoming popular as more companies in Dallas and across the country paint themselves green. Google has a chief sustainability officer. So does Georgia-Pacific.

Many think the green buzz is not a fad and is here to stay. In addition to addressing environmental concerns, companies are going green to enhance their public image, gain an edge over rivals and cut costs as energy prices rise.

Yes, in that last paragraph they state companies going green as a business edge… which many companies do. We believe that the “Green Movement” is not a fad and that many companies both large and small are taking “green” very seriously.