Category: Environment

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Make Sure that your Outdoor Furniture is Eco-Friendly

Green Furniture by geoftheref

TheGardenLady enjoys going to various flower shows. She just recently attended the 2012 Philadelphia Flower Show and she wrote about her experience in the last post. When she visits these flower shows she often sees interesting exhibits of furniture made for the outdoors. And this has the TheGardenLady wonder about what wood furniture one should use when one is making furniture for the outdoors. Here are some of the questions that come to TheGardenLady’s mind: Is the wood that is being used to make the furniture eco-friendly? How do we know if we are buying wood that is on an endangered list? Or how should we know if it is best to use oak furniture for the outdoors or pine wood or teak?

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More Thoughts about an Eco-Friendly Christmas

turnips by ted_major

TheGardenLady received these comments, from  Donna and one lady who did not give her name .

I too noted that real trees are more eco-friendly. It appears there is a lot more information on this subject being presented each day. I am always glad to find more support for the real trees. My friend is a Christmas tree grower and has been telling me this for years. Love the trees you found too. So clever. (Donna)

Unfortunately I had a very un eco-friendly Christmas this year, artificial tree (which is at least six years old), but the worst bit for me was that I had to buy all the vegetables for the Dinner this is the first time I can remember that we have had to do this. The vegetable plot we have normally provides all we need but this year due to the unusual weather I was not able to harvest anything so had to resort to shop bought produce which was not very tasty either. (Anonymous)

TheGardenLady loves to hear from her readers.  I was especially  interested in the comments about having an eco-friendly Christmas.

I appreciate the comment from Donna who enjoyed the Christmas photos and TheGardenLady’s support of real trees. Thank you.

I was saddened to read that one lady was unhappy this Christmas because she felt that hers was not an eco-friendly holiday because she did not have a real tree, but used her 6 year old plastic one. And she was unhappy because her vegetable patch was covered with snow so that she had to buy vegetables. I imagine that she lives in a part of the UK where snow is unusual.

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Biodegradable Flower Pots

An encouraging sign… by Green Wellies

TheGardenLady readers may already know about biodegradable flower pots, but I just saw them for the first time in a charming local garden  store.  The concept is fantastic and so is the look. Since those of you who take your plants outdoors for the summer will soon be bringing them in, you might want to consider replanting them in these attractive pots that are good for the environment.  Of course, these pots are for anyone  looking for neat pots for your plants.

These biodegradable pots are manufactured in China. The pots are made of materials such as maize straw, corncob, straw, wheat skeleton, bamboo fibers and rice hulls.  Because they are 100% biodegradable, one doesn’t have to worry about recycling them when you want to get rid of them. You can use them outdoors, but they last longer if used indoors. The colors may fade if kept a long time, but the pots will last. They come in various sizes and colors. You can easily make a hole in the bottom of the pot to prepare these pots for drainage so that you can directly plant your plant or you can leave it as is and use it as a cache pot to put a pot in. (I was also told that they make neat votive candle holders because the pot is translucent.) They would make a great fund raiser if you can get them wholesale.  See here.  If you just want the biodegradable pots  for yourself, there are retail websites that sell them if you can’t find them in a local store. See here.

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Can Hay Help with an Oil Spill?

In this video CW Roberts employees demonstrate how hay can be used to help with the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

TheGardenLady would like to know if this method will really work to clean up that massive oil spill. If this is Mother Nature’s way of a simple cleaning device, why not use it. If any scientists read this blog, please let the readers know your thoughts. And if it might work, please let all government people know.

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Earth Hour and Earth Day

Earth Day Embrace by jurvetson
Earth Day Embrace by jurvetson

Mark these dates on your Calendar: March 28th and April 22nd

Gardeners are wonderful people. The reason is that they are not only beautifying their own environment but are also beautifying the earth. And they are helping and protecting the earth. Gardeners give back by planting and by composting. Gardeners are nurturers, nurturing the earth.

But, sadly, there aren’t enough of us. The earth is becoming sick.

Two organizations that are trying to help the earth heal are Earth Hour and Earth Day. TheGardenLady thinks that her readers know about these organizations; but is writing this column just in case some don’t. Earth Hour is an international organization. TheGardenLady hopes Earth Day will become more internationally recognized.

TheGardenLady wants her readers, in all parts of the world, to spread the word about Earth Hour and Earth Day and what they are doing. Spread the word to family including children, friends and acquaintances. And, I hope, you will personally get involved in their activities.

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