I’m not an big fan of large, lush (water-guzzling) lawns, especially in areas that often experience drought, like here in Colorado. However, if you have a lawn or patch of grass (or even weeds), chances are you need a way to mow it occasionally lest your yard become the eye-sore of the neighborhood. We don’t have a very big yard here and just got done converting about two-thirds of the backyard into a playground mulchy play area for the kids (as well as some raised garden beds for me), so the amount of grass we have back there is minimal. We still have a lawn in our front yard, but again, it’s not very big and of course we need a way to mow both of them.

In the past we’ve (and when I say “we,” I mean Jody) cut our grass with a gas rotary lawn mower which has always been Jody’s responsibility. I’ve been opposed to cutting the grass for as long as I can remember because I have grass allergies and am not fond of the grass/dirt cloud created using a gas-powered mower. I also don’t like the gas fumes, the noise or the air pollution they create, so I’ve somehow managed to get out of mowing the lawn both as a child and as an adult - in other words pretty much all of my life. ;)

For Father’s Day this year, I decided to get Jody a manual push reel mower - the Scotts Classic Reel Mower. It seemed more practical for our yard now that we have even less grass than before and would be a good change for the environment. However, I suspected the gift might secretly be for me. I took the new mower for a spin in the backyard last week, which may have been my first time cutting the grass ever, and I liked it. I didn’t have to worry about a grass/dirt cloud, noise (my kids could happily stay outside while I did it), or fumes. My allergies weren’t affected by it at all.

What’s the difference between a reel mower and a rotary mower?
Using a reel mower is healthier for the grass. “A reel mower scissors-cuts the grass in its place as it lays. Grass blades are cut cleanly and precisely, with minimal disturbance to the plant. A rotary mower sucks all the grass up to vertical and then chops it off with the fast-moving blade, tearing and bruising the grass, and disturbing its natural growth pattern. This often causes the lawn to dry out and to brown.

The more healthy the grass, the thicker, greener and more beautiful. Reel mowers promote the health of the lawn by minimizing the impact on the grass plant and allowing it to maximize its own inherent properties. In other words, a reel mower helps the grass plant to help itself!”

How much air pollution does a power mower cause?
“Garden equipment engines emit high levels of carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides, producing up to 5% of the nation’s air pollution and a good deal more in many metropolitan areas like Los Angeles.

A conventional lawn mower pollutes as much in an hour as 40 late model cars (or as much as as much air pollution as driving a car for 100 miles).

A typical 3.5 horsepower gas mower, for instance, can emit the same amount of VOCs — key precursors to smog — in an hour as a new car driven 340 miles, say industry experts.

The replacement of every 500 gas mowers with non-motorized mowers would spare the air:

* 212 pounds of hydrocarbons
(smog ingredient)
* 1.7 pounds of nitrogen oxides
(smog ingredient)
* 5.6 pounds of irritating particles
* 1,724 pounds of carbon dioxide

To top it off, lawn and garden equipment users inadvertently add to the problem by spilling 17 million gallons of fuel each year while refilling their outdoor power equipment. That’s more petroleum than spilled by the Exxon Valdez in the Gulf of Alaska.”

Wondering which manual reel mower is right for you?
Check out this handy chart comparing push reel mowers.

Looking for an alternative to a lawn?
Read more about xeriscaping, which is landscaping or gardening that minimizes outdoor water use while maintaining soil integrity and building aesthetics. Xeriscaping typically includes emphasis on native plantings, mulching, and no or limited drip/subsurface irrigation.

This Sunday I mowed the front yard and I enjoyed it too. See that lovely unwashed hair smile on my face? ;P The more I get into gardening and doing things outside, the more I realize that I really enjoy pretty much all aspects of yard work. I know the reel mower was meant to be a present for Jody, but now that I’m the one mowing the grass and he no longer has to worry about it, it really is a gift to him (and a gift to the Earth too). Now if only I could get my neighbors to quit smoking while I’m out there cutting the grass, I’d be a happy camper.

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I’ve been on a spring cleaning kick around here lately and it’s a good thing since my house is sorely in need of it. Not only will decluttering hopefully help my mood (who can stay positive looking at clutter day in and day out?), but getting rid of our superfluous stuff will be helpful when it comes time to pack it all up one day (I hope in a year or two) and move to another house.

When ridding my home of stuff we no longer want or use, I try to be as green and eco-friendly as possible. How do I do it?

• Listing my items on Freecycle is often my first choice because it can be the fastest way to move stuff out and get it into the hands of someone else who can use it. The only rule to listing on Freecycle is that you have to give the item(s) away for free. Personally, I love it.
• If I have a more expensive item that I don’t want to give away for free, I turn to Craigslist - it’s like a huge classified system where you can list items free of charge. As opposed to something like Ebay, Craigslist is organized by city so there’s a good chance you can find someone in your area that can come get it directly from you and pay you cash, and you avoid having to spend money on shipping and making a trip to the Post Office.
• Our curbside recycling bin is also my best friend when cleaning house. If something isn’t accepted in the curbside bin, sometimes it can go to the local recycling center which is just a few miles away. Check with your local recycling center for more information on recycling in your area.
• If it isn’t wanted on Freecycle, can’t be sold or can’t be recycled, and provided it’s something others can use, then it usually goes into a donation pile to be given to a local charity.
• If all of these fail, then as a last resort it goes into the trash. I try to use the garbage can as sparingly as possible, but even I must admit that sometimes the trash is the only place for it.

Even if I know the garbage can is my last option for stuff, I still feel bad about throwing it out. I hate to think about it ending up in a landfill and staying there forever, but then I also have to be realistic and not completely beat myself up over it. It’s a good reminder to make wise choices when buying things and think:

• Do I really need this?
• Is it good enough quality that it will last for years or will it break after a year and have to be replaced?
• Should I save my money for a little while longer and buy a better quality item that will last me longer?
• What will I do with it when I no longer need it (or when it breaks)?

Of course this is a bit harder when you have kids (and toys) and it’s not always practical to go through this list every time you buy something, but it’s a good practice to get into and will help to avoid unnecessary purchases in the future. It can also help you avoid buying cheap, plastic toys that might as well go directly from the assembly line to the landfill for as long as they are usable. But don’t get me started about those. ;oP

As for my decluttering today, I cleaned out and reorganized the pantry/laundry room. I should’ve taken before and after pictures, if not to post on my blog, then for my own satisfaction. ;) I still have a bit more work to do in there and Jody is going to put up another shelf, but already it feels so. much. better.

I also worked a bit in my kitchen today to clear off one of my countertops. My countertops end up being a breeding ground for kid artwork and my/Jody’s paperwork. Does this happen to anyone else?? I’m trying to get a system in place so that we can avoid future paper explosions on the counter, but some more reorganizing and implementing a filing system (as well as having a desk to use) is definitely in order first. Anyone have a cute rolltop desk they want to sell me or give me? C’mon, Freecycle, baby. ;)

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This week I wrote over at 5 Minutes For Going Green about all the brown material you’ll ever need for your compost bin. Check it out and then keep it in mind this weekend when you are raking and bagging leaves, which is something I’m sure to be doing since our trees have dumped a ton in the past week!

Though since the weather is going to be awesome, and Jody will be back home (hallelujah) after 6 days in California, you might catch me and the fam at a pumpkin patch too. :) Have a great weekend.

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If your house is anything like mine lately, you’ve had an infestation of flies - both of the house and fruit variety. Here are some tips I’ve run across over the past several weeks that have helped me deal with mine, naturally.

For Houseflies (or poop bugs as my daughter called them until her preschool teacher corrected her - hehe):

• Using a fly swatter is the best way to rid your house of them
• Hang a clear plastic bag of water (half-full) on or near your door. It will deter them from coming in your house in the first place. (I’m still trying out this method.)

For fruit flies:

1.  Fill a shallow bowl of red wine, red wine vinegar OR apple cider vinegar (I’ve had luck with all three of these)
2. Add a few drops of dish soap to it and mix it in with your finger
3. Leave on your counter top
4. The fruit flies will gather on the rim of the bowl and, eventually, dive on in and drown

OR

1. Leave out a wine bottle with an inch or so of red wine at the bottom.
2. The flies get trapped. They go in, but can’t get out.

OR

1. Make a cone out of a sheet of paper (like a funnel) to fit in a cup
2. Pour a small amount of apple cider vinegar into the cup
3. Place the funnel into the cup, but don’t let it touch the vinegar
4. Tape the paper funnel to the cup
5. The flies will go down into the cup but won’t be able to fly back out

Please note: When trying to rid your home of fruit flies, it’s best to rid your counter tops of fresh or rotting produce (which will attract the fruit flies and is a breeding ground for them) by either putting it in the refrigerator or covering it. You should also wash all dishes, clean all drains and empty your trash.

What’s worked for you? Have any tips to share?

Have any green tips you’ve recently learned? Please email them to me and I may include your tip with a link to your site or blog in a future post. :)

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While I’m on vacation until Aug. 9 (and quite possibly for the day or two after I get back), I’m featuring several guest bloggers. Today’s guest post comes from Carrie who blogs at Passage.

“Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think.” - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

At my last birthday, a friend gave me a pot of assorted mint plants. I keep the pot in a sunny window, and I catch the scent of mint over my breakfast in the morning. My husband and friends lavished me with attention and well-chosen gifts that birthday. Admit it, birthdays all kind of run together after age 21 or so, but they helped me remember what it feels like to be made much of on a birthday. I came away from my celebration wanting to lavish others, but quite frankly, I couldn’t afford much, and I didn’t want to promote any more consumerism or un-green living. I just wanted my friends and family to feel abundantly loved.

The most heartless gifts I’ve given have been those bought quickly and impulsively from a store. They have been gifts matched with a dollar amount: Okay, I have $30? Well, then it’s a pair of candlesticks. $50? I’ll get a sweater. Stores scream their seasonal promotions at me. They make gift giving as easy and thoughtless as possible. And while parting with the money may be painful, I’ve decided it requires no more sacrifice than paying the monthly electricity bill. Oh, yes, that’s often painful, but the sacrifice in gift-giving should be a pleasurable one. It may be a noble thing to sacrifice money for a gift, but in a consumer-driven culture of easily attainable credit, fast cars, and drive-thru restaurants, perhaps the most valuable gift is one that requires a sacrifice of time.

So, I started a list of gifts for all the wonderful people on my birthday calendar. They deserved more than a card. And, I pledged, they deserved more than mere money. For creation’s sake, they deserved a green gift. For being a blessing to my life, they deserved a gift that was well-thought-out. And in spite of my pride, they would get a frugal gift.

So, with no further ado, my new recipe for green, anti-consumer, thoughtful, frugal gift-giving:

Creating Gifts

If you sew, if you make crafts, learn to hone those skills for creating gifts. I sewed my first set of cloth napkins last week. They will be for my sister-in-law, and although I bought new fabric from a table of pre-cut scraps for a mere $1.99/yard, I could have made napkins from any scrap fabric around the house.

Even the most amateur knitter can create a scarf. When it’s complete, my first scarf will be beautiful enough to give away because I used a fuzzy yarn that covers my errors. A stack of denim from our old jeans is piling up on my piano. I’m excited for the day I start sewing together the patches into a quilt.

If you cook, cook for a gift. Make granola from organic ingredients, and bottle it in an old pasta sauce jar. If you make any of your own household cleaners, make samples for a wedding or graduation gift.

Giving What I Have
A few years ago, I worked at a scrapbook store, and over the course of two years, I collected enough paper and embellishments to last a lifetime. Now, I make all my birthday cards, and create packets of cards for gifts. Grandparents are fully satisfied to receive a book of pictures of their grandchildren. If you paint, paint for someone. Draw pictures for someone. Find a quote that embodies your friend or relative, and present it in a frame. Recently, I found some plain, abandoned hair barrettes, and created colorful bows for my nieces from my scrapbooking ribbon collection.

If you have no crafty or culinary talent, give away something precious to you. A few months ago, I found my childhood rock collection, and instead of boxing it away again, I’m giving my treasures to my nephews for their birthdays. Have books on the shelf that you loved but will likely not read again? If you love the books, I propose that it is not stingy to use them as gifts instead of buying another copy to give away.

Beyond Things

Maybe the greenest gift possible is the gift of service. On Father’s Day, I treated my husband to the best massage I knew how to give. It took time and concentration and affection to make it worthwhile. Mood music, candles, lotion — these helped make my massage almost as good as any massage therapist’s. Well, anyway, I assume it was. He certainly responded well.

Other acts of service: Plan a picnic. Write a poem for your dad. Deliver breakfast in bed. Clean your mom’s house.

And If All Else Fails…

Okay, I am human, too. And sometimes birthdays sneak up on me, and I simply don’t have time to make a craft for my mother or plan a getaway for my beloved. Therefore, I submit to you… three easy ideas (that cost a little money):

1. Used books. A true book-lover will love a dog-eared copy as much as a pristine one.

2. Fairly traded recycled things. These recycled newspaper hot mats from Ten Thousand Villages are the premade gifts over which I drool the most.

3. A donation to a charity in someone’s name.

Some Final Thoughts
I love my mint plant. My sister hinted that she would love one, too, and this year I just happened to be paying attention. So when November gets closer, I will give her her own mint plant, grown from an offshoot of mine. I will search for a lonely, used planter from my local Freecycle group. I may paint it or scrub it clean, but to my sister, it will be new. The earth will be happier without more boxes to throw into its landfills; my sister will not be burdened with some store-bought trinket that she doesn’t really need. And my heart will be full from the preparation of a gift that I know will be appreciated.

When I began making a list of green gifts, I worried about being thought of as cheap. But as I put effort into my planning, I find so much more thought going into the gifts that I no longer worry. Hey, after a certain age, to be thought of at all on a special day is a great honor. So I make my little gifts, say little prayers over the recipient, and I find the blessing in the giving so much more fulfilling than handing my debit card over to a sales clerk.

c.l.beyer blogs at passage, a compilation of accounts on her journey to becoming a green, life-loving, and creative wife and momma. She includes her thoughts on loving God and the unlovable people of the world, sharing bits of poetry she’s written and the occasional book review.

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This weekend Jody aggressively brushed out our older dog who has been shedding like mad lately. The pile grew larger and larger as he added more and more to it, and I joked that we had enough to make another dog. When he and the dog had had all of the fun they could stand, he looked a little surprised when I told him to knit a sweater throw it all into the composter. I admit I was going out on a limb, but it seemed like a good idea. After all, it’s organic material, surely it couldn’t be bad for the compost heap, right?

I did a little research today to find out that pet hair is acceptable material for the composting, but I probably should have had him break it up into smaller bits. From Organic Gardening, “Human and pet hair can be added in small amounts, if you keep in mind that it breaks down slowly, mats easily, and sheds water.” Oops. Looks like I may be sifting through the pile to remove some of the dog, I mean hair, to add back into the mix at a later date.
Wondering what else can go into your composter? How about shredded newspaper and junk mail? Here are 163 Things You Can Compost (and still counting!).

Have any green tips you’ve recently learned? Please email them to me and I may include your tip with a link to your site or blog in a future post. :)

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I know I blogged about this a couple days ago, but it’s worth repeating.

Did you know that the average shower length is 8 minutes*? By reducing that to 5 minutes, you can reduce the amount of water you use by nearly one-third, or roughly 10 gallons per day. I’m challenging all of my readers to reduce their shower time to 5 minutes. If you already take a 5 minute shower, perhaps you’ll consider cutting back a little bit more? Reducing the length of your shower by just one minute could save you up to 1,825 gallons** of water each year.

I’ve already had over 60 people commit to reduce their shower time to just 5 minutes for the months of June, July and August in an effort to help conserve water. (Check out the right sidebar to see all of the people who will be having a quickie with me.) I’d love to see that list grow to 100 or even more. Won’t you join in too?

Today, May 31, is the last day to be entered into a drawing to win one of five shower timers. Visit the I’m having a Quickie - 5-Minute Shower Challenge post to sign up for the challenge and be entered into the giveaway. Of course, you can enter the challenge at any point during the summer. Feel free to tell your friends too. (You can snag a button on the original post or from my sidebar.) The more, the merrier, and the better for the earth! :)

Thank you to everyone who has signed up already and to those of you who’ve blogged it or added the button to your sidebar.

I will have a check in post at the end of the first week of June (on June 8) so everyone can chime in on how they are doing with the challenge, post helpful tips, share stories, ask for advice, etc. Then I will try to have another check in post every two weeks (on Sundays) so we can encourage each other and maybe even inspire more people to sign up. :)

* GreenPrint Denver
** Utah.gov

Have any green tips you’ve recently learned? Please email them to me and I may include your tip with a link to your site or blog in a future post. :)

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Inspired by challenges put forth by Crunchy Chicken, and in hopes of motivating myself and others to treat our planet better, I’ve decided to do my very own green challenge. Aren’t you excited?! I am. :) I hope that this will be the first of many challenges held here at Crunchy Domestic Goddess.

Now let’s talk water conservation. I saw a button on CafePress a few months ago that said, “If you think we have bad fights over oil, just wait until we start fighting over water!” And that, my friends, freaked my sh*t right out. I thought about my kids and their future and I knew I had to do something, anything right now.

Did you know that the average shower length is 8 minutes*? By reducing that to 5 minutes, you can reduce the amount of water you use by nearly one-third, or roughly 10 gallons per day. And that’s where this challenge comes in. I’m challenging all of my readers to reduce their shower time to 5 minutes. If you already take a 5 minute shower, perhaps you’ll consider cutting back a little bit more? Reducing the length of your shower by just one minute could save you up to 1,825 gallons** of water each year.

I honestly didn’t know how long my showers were lately. Some days I’m lucky to get one at all so it’s pretty darn short and sweet, other days I skip them on purpose (generally when I’m not leaving the house), and still other days (like when I have a migraine and the water beating on my neck feels good) I tend to linger in the shower a little longer than I should. I figured I spend on average about 5 minutes in the shower, but I got myself a handy Shower Coach timer (with a suction cup that sticks to the shower wall) to find out for sure.

My first timed shower, I rushed like a crazy woman to make sure I could do it in under 5 minutes. I got done in about 3 1/2. The next day I took a somewhat more leisurely approach and took the full 5 minutes. You definitely can’t dilly-dally, but 5 minutes is longer than I thought it would be and totally attainable.

So, what do you think? Can you commit to taking 5-minute showers (or shorter) for three months? Leave me a comment below to let me know you are participating in the challenge and I will add your name/link to a list of challenge participants in my sidebar. Feel free to join in the challenge any time over the summer. It’s never too late to sign up to make a difference.

I’m not going to be a total hard ass on this challenge. If you have a rough day and really need a longer shower (I’m talking like 8 minutes, not 15) every now and then to help you relax or whatever, you can still take part in the challenge. You just have to skip your shower the following day to make up for it. ;) I kid, I kid. Seriously though, it’s up to you to police yourself on this challenge. I will have a check in post at the end of the first week of June (on June 8) so everyone can chime in on how they are doing with the challenge, post helpful tips, share stories, ask for advice, etc. Then I will try to have another check in post every two weeks (on Sundays) so we can encourage each other and maybe even inspire more people to sign up. :)

Oh, and if you are looking for some bloggy bling, I’ve got this fun goofy totally suggestive catchy button (above) for you to proudly post on your blog if you feel so inclined. :) It will let others know about the challenge too. The more people join us, the better!

More Tips To Help You Conserve Water

In the shower:

• Turn off the water while you are lathering up your body, washing your hair or shaving, then turn it back on when you need to rinse.
• Replace your showerhead with a low-flow showerhead
• While you are waiting for the water to warm up, catch it in a bucket and use it for watering your plants or garden or for flushing your toilet
• Shower with a buddy ;)

Elsewhere in the bathroom:

• If it’s yellow, let it mellow
• Turn off the water when brushing your teeth
• Fill up the sink with water while shaving instead of letting the water run

While the challenge is officially only for the summer - June through August - it is my hope that you will keep up with the shorter showers and continue to conserve water year-round.

And now for the GIVEAWAY…

I’m giving away FIVE “Shower Coach” 5-minute sand timers, courtesy of USA Landlord. All you have to do to be eligible to win one is leave a comment committing to the challenge and your name will be entered into the drawing. Be sure to include a valid email address so I can contact you if you win.

While you can sign up to take part in the challenge all summer long, the deadline for entering the contest is Saturday, May 31, 2008. The winners selected by Random.org and will be notified via email on Sunday, June 1.

If you don’t win a Shower Coach, you can buy one for less than $3 (plus use the coupon code CDG for 15% off any purchase from USA Landlord through the end of June) or buy a dinging kitchen timer the next time you are at Target, set your watch timer for five minutes, etc. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

The earth, our children and I thank you for participating in the 5-minute shower challenge. :)

* GreenPrint Denver
** Utah.gov

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Crocs. You either love ‘em or hate ‘em. Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that you love ‘em. You love ‘em so much that you wear them all the time, in fact, until the tread is worn out, but then what are you supposed to do with them?
Throw them out? No.
Donate them to charity? That’s better.
How about recycle them? Recycle them?! Yes, recycle them!

Thanks to Soles United - a Crocs program - your used, worn-out Crocs will be recycled into new shoes and distributed to people in need around the world. For more information, to watch a video about how it works and to find recycling locations in your area, visit Soles United.

Thanks to Forever Daisies for this green tip.

Have any green tips you’ve recently learned? Please email them to me and I may include your tip with a link to your site or blog in a future post. :)

P.S. Check out a great Green Party Supply giveaway over at Recycle Your Day!

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Green cleaning is all the rage these days and for good reason; it doesn’t endanger you or the environment. However it may seem daunting to make the switch when you already have a cabinet full of commercial cleaning products and you don’t want to spend the money for special pricey green cleaners. The good news is you don’t need to buy special green cleaners. You can get rid of the harsh chemicals and fumes and get started on green cleaning by making your own cleaning products. It’s easy! In fact, you probably already have most of the ingredients you will need to make your own natural cleaners.

Why clean naturally?
It’s safer and healthier for you, your children and your pets! No more worrying about opening windows to air out toxic fumes, locking your kids out of the bathroom while you scrub the tub, or freaking out if your toddler starts gnawing on the freshly cleaned coffee table or licking the sliding glass door. When you make your own cleaners, you also cut down on waste produced from commercial cleaning products/bottles and you will save yourself money.

Things you’ll need to get started:

• Empty spray bottle
• Bowls with lids
• Baking soda
• Distilled white vinegar
• Olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Essential oils (for disinfecting and fragrance) - Lemon, clove, cinnamon, and lavender oils disinfect, clean and help eliminate odors. Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic, germicide, antibacterial, and fungicide.
• Newspaper (crumpled), soft cloths, sponge
• A marker for labeling your cleaning products*

Simple cleaning product recipes

All-purpose cleaner for countertops and floors

• Add ¼ cup of vinegar and 5 drops each of lemon, clove, and cinnamon oils to a gallon of water. Add some baking soda if you have an area that needs scrubbing.

All-purpose scrub

• Mix together a cup of baking soda, a tablespoon of liquid soap, and a few drops of an essential oil like tea tree oil. Dab a wet sponge into the scrub. Add water to make into a paste if needed. Great for bathrooms.

Window and glass cleaner

• Mix equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Dry using newspaper (and then recycle it) or a soft cloth.

Wood furniture polish

• Mix two parts olive oil with one part lemon juice. Rub on furniture with an old cloth. Use a soft, dry cloth to buff it. Note: This polish should be made fresh each time you use it.

Toilet bowl cleaner

• Sprinkle baking soda into the bowl, then drizzle with vinegar and scour with a toilet brush. This combination both cleans and deodorizes.
• For toilet bowl rings, sprinkle baking soda around the rim and scrub with a toilet brush.

This is green cleaning you can feel good about. It’s effective, inexpensive and safe for your family and the environment.

*Be sure to label all of your cleaning products and keep them out of reach of children. While these cleaners are much safer than commercial chemical-laden cleaners, essential oils should not be ingested.Treat the oils like medicines that are poison in unknowing hands.

View all of Crunchy Domestic Goddess’ Green Tips.

Have any green tips you’ve recently learned? Please email them to me and I may include your tip with a link to your site or blog in a future post. :)

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