by Jeff McIntire-Strasburg

An old friend was lamenting the loss of his chard crop to caterpillars a couple of weeks ago on Facebook. The temptation in these cases is to reach for toxic sprays: your local garden center probably has a wide selection of them. Of course, the toxins in these sprays won’t just kill the bugs eating your vegetables: they’ll also kill insects and microbial life forms you do want (not to mention the potential for making your family, your pets, and you sick). They’re generally a short-term solution… at best.

Nature, however, has been keeping pests in check for a lot longer than any garden spray… and doing a pretty good job in the process. While natural methods for controlling garden insects take some forethought and planning, you’ll end up with fruits and vegetables that you won’t have to worry about feeding to your friends and family… and garden areas you won’t mind the pets rooting around in.

Method 1: Healthy Soil & Healthy Plants

Healthy plants generally won’t need much external insect control: they’ve evolved to do the job themselves. In order to make sure you have healthy plants, you want to make sure they’re getting the nutrients they need… and that means healthy soil. It’s hard to beat regular additions of organic matter – compost and mulch – on this front. You’ll also want to pull weak plants so they’re not attracting pests.

If you’re not already composting, now’s as good a time as any to start… and we’ve got tips for doing it. No need to spend a lot of money, either – you can compost with a pile, or a DIY bin.

Method 2: Companion planting

Once you’ve got that soil working hard, consider experimenting with companion planting as a method for incorporating natural insect control into your garden. This is a pretty simple concept: put plants together that create mutually beneficial relationships (and avoid putting plants together that can weaken each other).

From my own experiments with companion planting, I can attest to marigolds and borage as “super companions” – they support just about any other plant. But to make sure you’re taking full advantage of the many beneficial relationships available for your garden, check out this monster chart on Wikipedia.

Method 3: Beneficial insects

Wait, aren’t you trying to get rid of bugs? Yes, you are… but the harmful ones. And the solution just might be more bugs.

Beneficial insects are natural predators for the bugs you want out of your garden. So, my friend with the caterpillar problem probably wants Brachonids,Chalcids and Ichneumon Wasps (and can attract them with plants such as carrots, celery, parsley, caraway and Queen Anne’s lace (when they’re flowering – that’s what attracts the bugs). Ladybugs are great for aphids, and you can attract them with daisies, or actually buy them. For a full list of beneficial insects, including the plants you need to attract them, check out this list at eartheasy.

Method 4: Homemade Remedies

My grandmother used to place pie pans in her garden (buried to ground level), and fill them with beer – she swore this was a great trap for slugs. Lots and lots of other “recipes” out there for controlling insects, and they’re generally non-toxic (or, at least, not toxic enough to do you, your pets, or your plants any harm).

Lots of these recipes out there, but Marie Iannotti’s crowdsourced collection at About.com looks really thorough.

Method 5: Low/no-toxin products

The methods above are cheap and easy, but sometimes you still want something pre-made and readily available. That’s fine – just keep in mind that labels like “organic” and “natural” mean nothing: you have to know what’s in the product you’re buying, and whether those ingredients are things you really want in your garden.

Kind of takes the ease out of it, doesn’t it? Not to fear: Mother Earth News has created a specialized search tool that limits itself to sites and vendors they’ve selected. Just type in the problem you’re having (or the product you want, if you know what it is).

I’ve just hit the highlights here: feel free to share your own knowledge and experience.

Image credits: Nina Matthews Photography at flickr under a Creative Commons license; wanko at flickr under a Creative Commons license.

Reprinted with permission from Sustainablog

by Guest Author

After leaves fall from trees, they gradually turn into a soft black substance sometimes referred to as ‘humus.’ This process doesn’t require any help from us. Everything that was once living naturally decomposes and returns to the earth. Composting is based on this natural process and begins with thousand of microorganisms already present in the soil. These microbes feed on the organic waste and generate heat when doing so. When the temperature is warmer, other types of ‘decomposer’ organisms – bacteria, fungi and insects – move in and enjoy the buffet of free food in a composting pile.

Composting is the most natural way to fertilize your garden by using nature to help nature and dispose of food waste.

Building Your Own Compost Pile

The actual design of your compost pile can vary. There are premade bins available at the hardware store, or you can make a homemade composter with as little as a hole dug in the ground. However, what you fill the pile with matters more than what you make the container out of.

Items needed:

- Green material – grass, leaves, coffee grounds, egg shells, peelings, manure (not dog or cat) etc. Anything high in nitrogen
- Brown material – paper, saw dust, twigs, straw etc. Anything high in carbon
- Shovel, pitch fork
- Lawn Mower
- Whipper Snipper (weed whacker)
- Gloves
- Patience

Optional

Directions:

1. Select a space in the yard for the compost pile.
2. Shred the green and brown materials as much as possible. The smaller the pieces the better for composting. Tip: Use the lawn mower and go over your pile of leaves or put the leaves in a garbage can and use the whipper snipper to make your own compost blender.
3. The compost pile should be 3 feet in each direction – height, width, length. Smaller piles won’t retain heat as effectively and won’t kill any harmful bacteria present. If you only compost safe items and keep pets and vermin out, there’s no cause for concern – but if you use the compost for your veggie garden, make sure you wash everything thoroughly.
4. Layer together 6 inches of the browns and 6 inches of the greens then mix them together. Then alternative the green and brown material layers, add water as required until the pile is at least 3 feet high.
5. Keep the pile covered from heavy rain. You want the pile to be as moist as a sponge and wait patiently for the microbes to start working.
6. In a few hours (depending on the outside temperature) heat will be produced – a great indication the microbes are eating the materials and creating compost.

Important Tips:

- Keep the compost pile in the same location for a few years – helps to build your own eco-system of compost-friendly organisms and insects.
- Use equal amounts of green and brown material (Editor’s note: at the very least… a 2:1 ratio of brown to green often works best)
- Regularly turn the heap to aerate it

Composting in Winter

Composting can begin at anytime of the year. The Winter is a great time to start because the composting process should be complete when Spring arrives.

The key to composting in the Winter is to encourage the microbes to get back to work or to start working and create the compost you need. You need to generate heat to get them working again. Items such as coffee grounds, horse manure – if you have a supply available – and molasses (mixed 1 part per 20 parts water and poured on the more absorbent compostable materials) will help to raise the temperature.

Other options to keep the compost temperature up are insulating it with bales of hay and leaves. Also in the Winter you don’t need to mix up or ‘aerate’ the pile.

Composting in Spring

The Spring is a fantastic time for composting. The warmer temperatures are ideal for the microbes to start eating the waste and creating the compost you need. The compost pile will start to really come together and if the temperature stays at above zero for a long period of time (hopefully it will!), you should have usable compost in about 20 – 21 days. When you’re ready to plant your flowers you’ll have natural fertilizer to go with it.

Composting in Summer

Summer gardening is primarily about maintaining what you already planted in the spring. The hot temperatures in the summer can stop the microbes from working effectively so keep the compost pile moist during a dry spell, and keep it out of direct sunlight.

Composting in Fall

As the leaves start to fall off the trees and fall on your lawn you have a great source of food for the microbes. Instead of bagging the leaves and throwing them out, shred them up and put them in the composter. If you have space available, keep a bag of leaves for an extra boost over the winter months when you can add it to the compost pile.

Using Humus

Compost has the odor of freshly turned soil on a forest floor, and once the microbes are finished turning your banana peel to humus it’s ready to be used in your gardens. There might not be such a thing as ‘bad’ compost, but it should be crumbled, dark and soil-like, and none of the original material should be identifiable.

There you go some ideas and tips on how to change your used coffee grounds into free natural fertilizer. Setting up your compost pile doesn’t require a lot of time, energy or money. The key to composting is patience. Let the microbes do the hard work so that you can enjoy the fact you’re helping the environment.

Photo by net_efekt/flickr/Creative Commons

by Sonia Tracy

As we welcome 2012, designers and DIY aficionados alike are sharing their plans and predictions. Yet what may prove more revealing is a look back at DIY projects of the previous 12 months that really stood out when it came to progress, sustainability and style.

Here are nine excellent DIY projects that are worthy of being listed amongst the most interesting, impressive and environmentally innovative of 2011.

1. Cob House

Cob is a well known material in the world of eco-friendly, sustainable housing. Made of clay, straw and sand, it’s extremely durable, and made by mashing it up with your feet. It might be the answer, in an adapted form, to the issue of creating affordable and environmentally conscious buildings. That was what Brian “Ziggy” Liloia and his girlfriend April Morales thought when they set out to make their home out of it. The tiny 200 square foot hut is a cut above mud huts of eras gone by, yet what the couple may be most proud of is the fact that this environmental work of art is spun from their very own hands.. It has a working stove and various luxuries. In all, it cost $4000 for their home, and they say they love it. Talk about an extreme DIY! (Editor’s note: Ziggy and April built this house in 2007-2008, but it did receive a ton of attention last year… and Ziggy self-published a book about it).

2. The Brewbot

Matt Pratt is a 32-year-old home brewer from Australia who had a problem: his beer was being over boiled; no matter how hard he worked to get the timing correct. It was also taking too long to make matches owing to problems with the calculations. So he decided it was a job better left for a computer, and made the Brewbot. It is a system that connects to his brewing equipment, holding recipes that can be programmed in to brew the perfect batch of beer, thus saving valuable natural resources that would otherwise have been wasted whilst brewing unpalatable beer.

3. Retractable Kitchen Island

This is one of the coolest things I have ever seen, hands down. As part of a mass of other home improvement ideas, Tim Thaler came up with a way to save space while giving plenty of counter room for his family’s kitchen. He designed a hydraulic island that comes up out of a retracting door in the ground. It comes up to the same height as the other counters, and integrates innovative safety features designed to prevent unfortunate accidents. Demonstrating a natural passion for the environment, Thaler manufactured this impressive machine from Ikea boxes and walnut; a costly yet sustainable and environmentally friendly wood. All of it is controlled from his iPhone.

4. Flat-Pack Table

This is a gorgeous, unique table that was designed to collapse easily and pack away. What makes it different than, say, a card table is the laser cutting in the top. Inspired by UK street artist Banksy, the art gives the table a distinct, urban look. The website shows you how to use a laser cutter to create your own, and of course you could use any design you like. Here’s another cool idea that demonstrates how readily the 21st Century have welcomed their responsibility to reuse and recycle: the Beer Bottle Cap Table

5. RFID Pet Feeder

Made to regulate the amount of food a cat eats, this can be programed to limit the food for a feline on a diet, while allowing the other cat not on a diet access to it as often as they like. It uses an old CD ROM drive as a door, and scans the cat to either approve or deny their eating.

Manufactured in the home by those with a daringly creative approach to DIY, the RFID pet feeder is easily produced from otherwise redundant cardboard boxes, although as its makers have pointed out; particularly strong and determinedly natured felines may require a feeder formed from a slightly stronger material.

6. Push Button Lock

Want a keypad that locks and unlocks your personal space? Not necessarily an environmentally friendly feat but certainly one for the creative minds amongst us, this push button lock uses an Arduino game pad with full color lights. You program in the color code to get into your home or den. The instructions have a full explanation of how to do this on the site, and it is a pretty awesome hack.

7. Motion Detecting Camera

This is an excellent idea for thrifty photographers. Motion detection cameras meant for wildlife photography are extremely expensive. They are also at constant risk of being mowed over by an animal, caught in the rain or exposed to other dangerous elements; certainly not akin to sustainable living. But this is one you won’t mind risking so much. It is an adapted digital camera that has been turned into a motion activated model using a couple of tweaks. This is a more advanced hack, but really cool.

8. Wintery Mantel

Kate of Centsational Girl is incredibly crafty. She used her skills to create a gorgeous DIY white winter mantel display, which includes a large, moss covered branch that she has actually used to make a wonderful piece. It’s classy, beautiful and simple in design, and she shows how anything, old or new, can be used to pretty up a space.

9. Recycled Coffee Table

This blog is run by married couple Kacey and Danny, who are both rather good at DIY and upcycling. This gorgeous coffee table was build from recycled wood, that whilst it looks stunning, at the same time does creative justice to the eco-friendly attitude of this prolific pair.

Conclusion

There have been some spectacular DIY projects in 2011. What were some of your favorites? Let us know in the comments.

by Vivian Nelson Melle

Maybe you’re creating some green vows for 2012 and wondering how to declutter your life while remaining true to green living. It’s all about bringing simplicity in harmony with environmental-sound living and it’s actually pretty easy with a few ideas to jump start your year. Once you begin re-evaluating items destined for the garbage bin as potential storage items or organizational tools, a whole world of possibility opens.

Here are just a few ideas for organizing with recycled goods.

Egg Cartons

Egg cartons, both cardboard and styrofoam, make great organizers for jewelry allowing pairing of necklace and earrings within each section. They hold buttons well maintaining division by color, size or shape. The carton above will hold seedlings which can be translated directly into the pot or ground since the cardboard variety will break down by the time transplanting comes.

{cc photo courtesy of lovelihood on Flickr}

Plastic Trays

An old plastic container tray, like the one used for dried manicotti above, can quickly become storage for craft items, extra condiments, hardware items, and jewelry. Plastic trays that hold produce, crackers or cookies are all potential storage vessels which offer easy-to-see organizing. They are also great for young ones who need simple clean-up solutions with their smaller toys and art supplies.

{cc photo courtesy of Sakurako Kitsa on Flickr}

Mason Jars

Mason jars are one of the best organizers around. Use the jars of used jam, jelly and sauces for storing craft items, jewelry or pantry items. Rice, pasta and other kitchen staples keep well with the tight sealing lids and flour is sure to remain without weevils. If you can’t get rid of the spaghetti sauce’s heavy garlic smell just place a wadded-up piece of newspaper and seal it in overnight.

{cc photo courtesy of SewPixie on Flickr}

Tin Mint Containers

Tin mint containers has countless re-uses and one is a survival kit kept in a purse, backpack or glove compartment. You can also make first aid kits, art kits, makeup boxes and even sewing kits. Purchase the small jewelers sealable baggies and you can have a spice rack on the go. Keep your favorite spices in the baggies along with a mini bottle of Tabasco sauce.

{cc photo courtesy of jessy731 on Flickr}

Cardboard Boxes

It doesn’t have to be a pizza box, but a similar sturdy take out container can be broken down into sections for taking control of the junk drawer. Jyoseph talks about pizza boxes being made into drawer organizers with a ruler, a razor and some tape. You can also find other boxes of varying sizes and fit them together in a drawer until a snug fit is reached or tape boxes together to form your own complete drawer organizing.

{cc photo courtesy of jyoseph on Flickr}

by Sonya Kanelstrand

There are just 5 days to New Year’s Eve and although you are still enjoying your Christmas presents this is a good moment to think of creative ways to green your New Year’s Eve party.

Here are some suggestions that will not require much from you but will set you on the green track for the coming year.

My home is my castle, right? Throw a party at home! You will not only save money on transport but you will also be saving gas emissions. Inviting a group of friends at home could make for a very enjoyable and memorable party without the potential risks that partying in public carries.

You can easily minimize the environmental impact of your New Year’s Eve home party by sending out email invitations. Don’t be overwhelmed by lack of chairs, china or cutlery. The easiest way out is to borrow some from your neighbors or to rent from a party supply store. You can also buy biodegradable disposable supplies if you prefer.

You can easily go green in your decorations too. Make your own decorations out of recyclable or recycled materials. Repurpose and reuse items like wrapping paper, magazines, newspapers, soda cans and plastic bottles to come up with creative and spectacular decorations.

By staying at home on New year’s Eve you will be able to prevent the food and paper waste that comes from bars and restaurants. A good eco idea is to go off plastic for your celebration. Use your own china and glassware, borrow from friends, rent or buy a set of biodegradable disposable plates and cups.

Keep the green spirit by preparing simple appetizers at home, add fresh fruits and vegetables and use organic ingredients grown as close to you as possible. Just keep in mind that your party can be great even without spending a whole salary for it. With a little imagination and a lot of good you can have a fun and festive welcoming of the new year.

Traditionally this is the time for tailoring your new year’s resolutions. But repeating the same resolutions year after year only makes them stale. Why don’t you try some green resolutions for a change? There is no need to come up with big unachievable resolutions, write down some that you see possible but challenging for you and starting doing good to the earth one step at a time.

I hope you have a lovely and memorable celebration and also a very eco and environmentally responsible new year!

by Beth Buczynski

Holidays are the time for making spirits bright, right?

Instead of buying expensive flavored spirits for all your holiday cocktail recipes, why not make your own? A bottle of vodka infused with your own creative blends of local fruit and organic spices also makes a great gift for those that imbibe.

This easy to follow tutorial from Wired How-To will show you how to transform plain old vodka into a handcrafted masterpiece in a few easy steps.

All you’ll need is some vodka, something to infused flavor, some unique jars or bottles, and a creative mind! Here’s more on how to find/choose your ingredients:

Vodka - Vodka is easily the most important (and expensive) part of the process. Although practically any brand will do in a pinch, close attention should be paid to its ingredients and distillation methods. In short, the fewer high quality sources of starch (wheat, potato, or even soy), and the more distillation and filtration, the better. A quick and dirty test: If it smells like rubbing alcohol and burns going down, spend the extra ducats to upgrade. It doesn’t matter what kind of flavor you infuse if the base vodka tastes like death.
Flavor - In terms of flavor, it’s an open playing field. Berries, melons, vegetables, and even spices can be infused to add some kick. However, just like gourmet cooking, the fresher the ingredients the more vibrant the flavor. Frozen or jarred fruits and vegetables should be avoided at all costs. At a loss for which flavor to shoot for? Some common choices include: Watermelon, lemon, apple, strawberry, peach, mango, cucumber, chili, mint, ginger, garlic, and lavender. If you want to get really saucy, try mixing a few.
Infusion Jar - Almost any glass jar will work, if short on time or materials. If you can track down a bona fide infusion jar, even better. They’re easy to spot as most have a spigot at the bottom and a secure lid for the top. In a worst case scenario, you can always go to local retailer (Target, Wal-Mart, etc.) and pick up a cheap sun tea jar. Just make sure that whatever you bring home is clear, can hold up to 750ml, and has a tight lid.

by Glenn Croston

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and ideally it’s not just about food, floats and football, and it’s not just about shopping. It’s also about giving thanks. We’ve faced some great challenges in recent years, but as great as the challenges are some people are taking lost jobs or other setbacks as opportunities to take their life in a new direction, thankful for the opportunity to reinvent themselves.

Some are changing course to do work with a purpose that they believe in, or starting businesses that help the planet and the people who live here. When industrialist Ray Andersen realized his carpeting company, Interface, was polluting the world for his grandkids, he had a “spear in the chest moment” and took his life and his company in a whole new direction to become leaders in sustainability.

Some people have faced the ultimate challenge, coming face to face with death and returning forever changed by the experience. While many of these people lost a great deal through illness or accident I’m struck by how grateful these people are for every day. Many view their brush with death as a gift even because it opened the door to take the path they never dared to before, reinventing their lives to become filled with new purpose and committed to helping others.

Mel Brake worked for a large computer company for many years in sales and marketing, working hard to get ahead. Maybe too hard. The work was relentless as month after month and year after year he constantly pushed to meet sales quotas. Plagued by the stress, he developed a pain in his neck and back so severe he wished he could die just to make it go away. And then early one morning as he lay in his bed in pain, it seemed as if he did. He closed his eyes and saw a door open and he found himself traveling to a place beyond this life, a place that was dark and calm. There he felt a presence that let him know that all would be well and when he returned to his body and his home, his pain subsided. In the weeks moving forward Mel took his life in a new direction, working with troubled kids with the MPW (Mel’s Poetry Works) Foundation he created to help these kids find their voice through the arts and show them that they matter, that their voice deserves to be heard.

Dr. Nicole Eastman was driven to succeed in everything she did, letting nothing stand in her way. As a Type A personality, she was in complete control, always pushing herself to do more. When her father died of a stroke, it only drove her to work even harder in medical school. Unfortunately not everything was in her control. In December 2010, Dr. Eastman was driving to work in a suburb of Detroit in the first year of her medical residency when a truck rammed into her three times. The car was totaled and the police officers and doctors were surprised that she survived, but she emerged with debilitating pain that dragged her body and her life further and further down. She felt her life falling apart around her and inside her piece by piece, but it was not until she hit bottom that realized she had a life ahead still, that she was not alone, and that her life must have a purpose. From there she started the long climb back up, healing herself and reaching out to help others as well, letting them know they are not alone either.

Alice Chan was a success by most measures, a former award-winning Cornell professor with a nice home in the San Francisco Bay Area, a good marketing job, and a healthy salary, but she wasn’t happy. While her life looked like the picture of success on the outside, she felt empty and lost on the inside. On a trip to Sedona she realized she was not alone and that many others like her go through the same search for purpose, with the same difficulty making the leap toward something new and better. When a truck smashed into her car and her life, it left her unconscious and nearly dead in the hospital, where she felt bathed in a warm loving presence, and knew that everything was just as it needed to be. The accident left a huge scar across her head but set her free to finally pursue her dreams, working to help others overcome their own fear of transitioning into a new life with a book and workshops she created called REACH.

When I hear the stories of people like these and the great challenges they have overcome, I feel grateful for the many blessings in my life and inspired to do more with the time I have here. As great as our challenges are, the opportunities for all of us to solve these problems is greater. Necessity is the mother of reinvention. We don’t have to wait to almost die to make this change though. We have the power starting today to begin a new career, a new direction, and a new life, one filled with new meaning. This Thanksgiving we can be grateful for all we are given, including the challenges that force us to grow, reach out, help others, and work together for a better world.

by Sonia Tracy

The holiday season is approaching, with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas all in quick succession. This is a busy time of the year, where many people find themselves looking for cheap and eco-friendly ways to decorate their home – especially when Christmas comes around and the majority of the money and time goes toward gifts for friends and family.

If you are looking for some fun DIY projects, why not try to create your own wreaths? There are a ton of great ideas floating around the Internet from people who have recycled items by turning them into interesting-looking decorations for their homes. These are five of the best recycled wreaths I could find.

1. Neck Tie Wreath

This wreath was created using old neck ties, which might not seem that eco-friendly at first glance. After all, how many old ties you never want to wear can be found sitting around the house? Even gathering them from friends and family can be a bit of an effort, considering how many appear to have been used here (18). But they don’t have to be your ties; they can be any ties. Many items can be acquired from secondhand or charity shops that would have otherwise sat on shelves or been thrown out.

Maybe someone would have bought it on a whim for 50 cents and then forgotten about it until the inevitable toss-out. By getting them yourself and reusing them for another purpose, you are ensuring that they stay out of the landfill. It is also a colorful and interesting addition to your home décor. While it is Christmas specific, being a wreath, it could really sit there all year long. Or, you could search out colors to make a different holiday theme, such as black and orange for Halloween or red and browns and greens for Thanksgiving.

2. Greeting Card Wreath

I never know what to do with greeting cards. While I really do appreciate the thought, they just gather and collect so quickly that you never know where to put them. A couple of years ago I pulled out all of our Christmas stuff and found three boxes of greeting cards – really!

A great deal of them were from people I didn’t even really know, such as dentist’s offices or former co-workers, and that didn’t even cover the new ones arriving in the mail. So I sent them all to the recycling center. But I wish I had seen this idea before, because it is brilliant. The cards – which are nice and sturdy for this purpose – were cut up and put together into a wreath.

The shape of it, as well as the collection of colors and patterns, gives it a really complex look without a whole lot of work. The jagged ends are a nice touch, as they give it a bit more depth and attract the eye, despite the subdued tone from most of the cards. This could be done for other occasions as well – just think of all of those birthday cards you have laying around! Wouldn’t that be a cool idea for a party decoration?

3. Wine Cork Wreath

I don’t think a lot of families could handle getting together for Thanksgiving without at least a couple of bottles of wine. Then you have holiday parties, friends’ dinner parties, your own personal drinking during meals or after a hard day … bottles and corks can both really add up. If you aren’t a drinker, you can still find plenty of corks from people who are or even go to a local restaurant and ask them to save a few for you.

From there, you can make this really cool-looking cork wreath that uses strung and glued corks and beads. What I like most about this is the color scheme, which is very natural and Christmassy. You can see anyone who prefers more subdued or tasteful decorations enjoying it more than the others, which tend to be flamboyant. But if you wanted more color, they could be easily painted to fit your purpose. The material that makes up modern corks is spongy and versatile.

4. Holiday Paper Wreath

Everyone ends up with a whole lot of wrapping paper, tissue paper and ribbons by the end of the shopping season, don’t they? It is a huge source of frustration for me, as I end up stuffing unfinished rolls into storage to inevitably be damaged during the coming months, and I am forced to throw it out. Not only is this a waste of the trees that went into making it but a waste of money. So this year I plan on trying this project out. It is great to do with kids, as it is simple and fun.

All you need are paper plates, gift wrapping, ribbons or leftover tissue, scissors and glue or a glue stick. The site recommends tracing around a CD for the paper plate to get it in the right shape to cut in the center. All it takes is sticking the bits of wrapping onto the plate to decorate it, nice and thick. Then hang it up like any other. The wreath is very functional and actually has a pretty result.

5. Interchangeable Wreath

This one is really cool but a little more difficult to make. It is made to allow you to change the fabric as you like in order to fix it for different holidays, occasions and styles. It is largely made of safety pins to put in the different decorations, but the main fabric piece making up the base is supposed to stay.

That is why it might be better to use a basic fabric color that can be adapted for any purpose, unless you have no problem with keeping different fabric bases to change along with the decorations. You have to find a wreath ring, which can be a little bit of a pain. But most craft stores have them for a couple of bucks. I like the idea of this wreath, because I enjoy keeping one up all year long. So being able to change the decorations as I please is great.

You can easily make your own wreaths with recycled materials, like fabric or paper. What are some of your own ideas? Share them in the comments below.

by Talancia Pea

As protesters continue to occupy our nation’s streets in disapproval of over-spending and government corruption, some continue to believe that more is better. Consumption is at an all-time high, and consumers are buying more things than they need. Surveys show that most women own seven pairs of jeans but wear only four regularly and buy approximate 50 percent more shoes than they need.

These overindulgent spending habits might raise the question: Does America need to go on a shopping diet? Shopping for some has become a mindless activity done in times of boredom or to achieve a buyers’ high. Without social and moral accountability, outsourced workers might be subjected to endure unsafe work conditions and poor workplace regulations for the sake of acquiring the season’s latest fashions.

Two friends, Heidi Hackemer and Tamsin Davies, decided they would examine their relationship with clothes by organizing the Six Items or Less experiment. Everyone who signs up is asked to wear six items or less of clothing for one month. Exceptions include underwear, socks, shoes, swimwear, accessories, workout clothes, work issued uniforms, outerwear, and pajamas. Participants should wear items they currently own and not buy new ones.

While the founders didn’t have any original objectives for the experiment, Sixers, the name adopted by Six Items or Less enthusiasts, say the cycles have changed the way the feel about shopping and their clothes. Many people say they’ve realized that they are not defined by fashion trends and can now approach their wardrobes’ in a healthier way.

If you’re interested in challenging your relationship with your closet, there will be a new winter cycle of Sixing starting on November 15 and going to December 15. You can email heidi@sixitemsorless.com your desired username and contact email and she’ll get you signed up. Everyone must sign up by November 16.

by Chris Keenan

There are many delicious recipes you can make with your Halloween pumpkins once October has ended. Why toss your pumpkins out, smash them against the garage door or add them to a compost heap if they are still in edible condition? Below we will discuss a variety of edible ideas you can convert your jack-o-lanterns into once Halloween is over.

Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie is a delicious, traditional American dessert. Although many people choose to buy their pumpkin pie ready made from the store, or use canned pumpkin pie filling to saturate their pie crust, some of the best pumpkin pie recipes are made from scratch using fresh, home-grown pumpkins. If you are going organic, there are plenty of organic pumpkin pie recipes available on the Internet.

Pumpkin Bread

Another tasty treat that you can make from your Halloween pumpkins is pumpkin bread. There are a variety of recipes for this dish, so feel free to search around until you find one that meets your fancy. Pumpkin bread can be customized to fit your tastes, using a variety of spices, seasonings, nuts, and dried fruits such as cranberries, raisons or dates. Pumpkin bread can also be made from organic ingredients.

Pumpkin Soup

Although not a typical recipe that you might consider making, pumpkin soup is a delicious, creamy concoction chock full of Autumn flavors. This is great as an appetizer, or as a main course. You can customize your recipe to contain ingredients that both adults and children will enjoy.

Pumpkin Stew

Pumpkin stew is another rich, flavorful recipe that both children and adults may love. There are various stew recipes available online. Just about any stew recipe can have pumpkin added to it, along with a few spices to liven up the flavor.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

The most basic, simplest recipe to use your Halloween pumpkin to make, are roasted pumpkin seeds. These can be made as you’re carving your jack-o-lantern. Simply have your kids set the pumpkin pulp and seeds aside while they’re hollowing their pumpkin out, add some seasonings of your choice, and bake in the oven at about 250 degrees. You don’t even have to rinse the seeds off beforehand- the pulp adds natural flavors, as well as a bit of a natural crunch when cooked.

There are many great, often organic recipes you can make from your pumpkin after Halloween is over. Not only is it fun to teach your children to ‘recycle’ items so that nothing goes to waste, you also get the pleasure expanding your cooking skills, whilst enjoying an Autumn-flavored recipe that the whole family will love.