The Alternative Lifestyle Site

Green At Home: What Are You Growing?

I’m feeling a little envious of those who are experiencing a different weather pattern from me right now. It’s winter here in the Southern Hemisphere and because I live in the mountains the fog didn’t lift until around 2 pm this afternoon. I know, I know, before that it was too hot and everything around us was burning and smoke filled. Aaaah, the joys of living in a dynamic world!

As I was sitting here today wishing I was out there gardening I began to plan what I’ll do on the next sunny winters day we have.

• I have to clear up the left over vegetation in at least on vegetable bed.
• I need to stake a new olive tree I planted a few weeks ago, it’s very young and not yet able to stand up straight.
• I want to get on top of some of the winter weeds that are appearing due to our ample rainfall this month and
• I want to plant some more food.

What are You Growing?

• I’ve got black Kale which is so stunning (tastes a little like broccoli which we love),
• silverbeet – lovely green leaves which we add to just about everything,
• there are some onions, beetroot, broccoli, asian greens like boc choy which self seeded from last year,
• herbs such as coriander, parsley, and mint which just seem to appear like magic, along with a number of different cut and come again lettuce varieties. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that I let them go to seed and then run around the garden waving them like magic wands to spread them everywhere?

I still feel the need for some more ‘stuff’ to be growing in my garden. I’m thinking in a couple of months I put some potatoes under straw but in the meantime, more broccoli ( We never seem to get sick of it), some carrots, more onions and maybe some garlic although I might be a bit early for that. Snow peas in the shade-house so the frost doesn’t get their flowers sound good too. I might even try parsnips on more time.

What are YOU Growing?

Even if you have only space for a few pots, or a polystyrene box you can grow fresh winter herbs to add to soups and stews. Fresh parsley, wet with dew is a delight just to pick and nibble as you walk by. Mint in tea gives it a real flavour boost – we just nibble on it whenever we walk past our many plants – so fresh and happy a taste and smell it really lifts your spirits.

In just one polystyrene box I can grow lettuce, parsley, baby carrots and beetroot and a good size broccoli plant. In two of them I can add kale, more lettuce, coriander and asian greens. In a hanging basket I can have all the sweet snow peas I could want and they take up no floor space at all. I no longer have to grow in containers as I have a big garden but don’t let a lack of ground-space stop you. Fresh, healthy, easy to grow food is a joy to behold and a big step towards creating as sustainable way of life. Your very own greener alternative lifestyle.

What are you growing? Share with me as I sit here in the cold and just dream of sun ripened tomatoes and strawberries still warm from the sun…..

Building Green: Guess What I Did This Weekend?

That’s a bit of a trick question really because (weather permiting) it’s what I do most weekends for the past few (many) months and for many more to come. You see, I’m an owner builder and I’m building an eco-friendly, sustainable, green home! Out of straw.

We are up to the really fun bit right now, preparing our walls for rendering and getting stuck into the mud. Enjoy our first video with our new (Vista compatible) camera.

Sorry about all the noise with the whipper snipper but I think my hubby loves it when I use power tools!  However, my poor dog hates it and barks his head off the whole time… he even starts up again when I play the video!

To keep up to date with all the latest and greatest news on our build, on energy saving, of sustainable living and what the new mainstream greener lifestyle can mean for you…. subscribe to the newsletter (top right of this page)

Energy Series 20: Reviews and Thank You

‘Tis the end of the series and what a ride it’s been.

If you have enjoyed the series and think that it provided you with information that was of any value please refer others to the blog and recommend the newsletter subscription. There are many things coming up, including a free report for subscribers, some excellent articles, product reviews, videos… hey just more of the same! Hope to see you in the comments section soon and once again Thanks for the company.

Energy Series 19: Taking It To The Street

This is just a quick video to encourage you to take your message to the streets.  Sort of.

Many people feel that the things they can do at home to save energy, lower their carbon emissions and take steps to halt global warming are just a small drop in a very big pond.  Of course, that is totally true but who ever said you had to keep all this information under lock and key?

The truth is that now you know what to do and have some great ideas on how to get started there is no stopping you.  Once you have been successful at home, tell people about it.  Go public.  Let it become quite obvious that YOU are different, informed, active and aware of your ability to make a difference.  Take this confidence to work, to school, to the supermarket or shopping centre.  Tell your neighbours, the people in your club, your Mother.  Here

Watch the video and become inspired.  It’s up to us to make this grow and I’m right there with you.

Energy Series 18: More Miles For Your Money

I Love My Car!

There I said it, it’s true and I know it’s the very worst thing I do where energy consumption and the environment is concerned.

I began to feel guilty about it a couple of years ago. I even considered not owning a car, however it just wasn’t possible. If it had been even remotely practical I would have done it but I live on a small farm 7km from town and there is a BIG hill between here and there, so nope, I had to keep the car.

Given those circumstances I had to come up with some way to make using my car more efficient and more earth friendly. There is a bunch of stuff you can do and I’ve made a quick video to set your mind to work on how you can do similar things in your life. I hope something appeals and if it does, do tell me about it by leaving a comment.

If you have enjoyed this video and would like to take a look the rest of the Series  just subscribe the newsletter by putting your name and a good email address into the form top right and I’ll send them to you over the next few weeks.

If you know others who might benefit from this information please feel free to share the links with them.

It’s all FREE!

Energy Series 17: Uncovering Hidden Energy Consumption

Yes, it’s video 17 in our Energy Series and this one is on a topic that is not so obvious when we are looking for ways to save energy.

Having said that though, it’s this kind of energy saving that can have a really big impact. I’m talking about the energy embedded within a product or service. This can be called embedded energy or embodied energy. You might think about installing solar panels on your home, different panels require different amounts of energy to produce. So when making your choice you could take that into account.

Every single product or service you buy or access has some energy use hidden within it. You may not have personally used the energy but the minute you make your purchase you have participated in that energy use and by making wise or informed choices, you can further reduce your energy consumption. This is good news for you, good news for the manufacturers of goods and services with lower embodied energy and great news for the Earth.

Hope you enjoy the video.

Now IF you are interested in the whole concept of reducing energy consumption, especially in the hidden energy embodied in the things we buy there is a great book I can suggest to you. Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things It’s a complex conversation but people like this show us all that’s it’s just a matter of thinking a little differently and then taking action on those thoughts. I enjoyed this book immensely and hope you do too.

If this is your first look at the Energy Series videos and you would like to see more just subscribe the newsletter by putting your name and a good email address into the form top right and I’ll send them to you over the next few weeks. If you know others who might benefit from this information please feel free to share the links with them. It’s all FREE!