Cascadian Farm Organic Goodness

It’s always nice to freshen up your home right in time for summer. However, buying new things to brighten up your home isn't exactly eco-friendly. You can spruce up your home with very little impact on the environment and without breaking the bank. You have heard of the three Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle); read on to learn my seven Rs for freshening up your home. Then lay back, relax, and enjoy the summer to come in your “new” space.

1. Rearrange: By simply rearranging your current furniture, you can get a whole new look without buying anything new. Consider moving pieces of furniture, accessories, and even pillows and artwork from one room to another.

2. Re-cover: Do you have a sofa or chair that has seen better days, but still has great bones? Consider re-covering it with a slipcover, or have the piece reupholstered. It is much more eco-friendly to reupholster a piece of existing furniture than purchasing new. For a quick update without the larger price tag, consider swapping out your existing living room pillows with brighter, fresher ones for an instant makeover.

3. Reorganize: The quickest and simplest way to freshen your home is by reorganizing and de-cluttering. By simply recycling old paperwork, and tidying up closets, cupboards, and dressers, you can clean up a space in a snap. Take this time to go through your closets and decide on items to sell or donate. Then, take a few minutes to walk through your home, removing any objects that are simply collecting dust.

4. Revamp: It’s amazing what a new coat of no-VOC, eco-friendly paint can do to a room. Painting is the fastest way to give a room a new look and instantly freshen up your home. Paint can give an added pop of color to older pieces of furniture, giving them new life. Another option is to replace doorknobs and the existing hardware on cabinets and dressers, which will give furniture a quick, modern makeover.

5. Refresh: Give your bathrooms a quick makeover by switching out your regular towels with plusher, softer, eco-friendly versions. New linens add a newness to your bedroom and make you feel pampered every time you use them. Another way to refresh your home is by adding several potted plants and scented soy candles.

6. Repurpose: If you have a dresser that isn't being used, consider repurposing it as a buffet in your dining room or use it as kitchen island. An armoire can be easily converted to a toy closet or gift-wrapping station. And a small table that isn't being utilized can be used as a desk in a child’s room or a plant-potting station on the patio.

7. Reconsider: Above all else, the next time you consider purchasing a new piece of furniture, appliance, or accessory for your home, ask yourself these questions: Is this item something that I really need? Do I already own something that could be used instead? Is this item something that I could borrow from a friend or rent from my local hardware store? By simply asking yourself a few questions, you can save yourself a lot of money and save the environment at the same time.

How do you freshen your home for summer?

Photo credits: Repurpose photo via NolaClutterBusters, Refresh photo via sfllaw

Going green at home can mean many different things. This month, I wanted to focus on the parts of everyday living that most families have to deal with on a regular basis. There are green alternatives to paying your bills, keeping a schedule and getting projects done around the house. Read on to learn how you can rent power tools and 8 other ways to green your home lifestyle.

1. Schedule It: For busy families, I recommend placing a reusable dry erase calender in the family room or kitchen. This is a simple way for each member of the family to update their schedule into the family calender. The best part, you can simply wipe the calender clean for the next month. Just remember to choose Eco-friendly and refillable dry erase markers such as AusPen.

2. Pay It: Set all of your bills up on e-reminder through your online banking system. Then, choose to only receive all other bills via e-mail. This simple task eliminates all paper bills from being delivered to your home. All you need to do is log in and schedule your bills to be paid on time.

3. Stop It: Did you know that 44% of junk mail and catalogs that we receive is simply tossed into the trash or recycling bin without a second glance. With more than 100,000,000,000 pieces of junk mail being received by Americans each year alone, equally more than 100 million trees, removing junk mail from our lives is absolutely necessary. You can stop the junk mail by signing up for a service like 41pounds.org. You can also sign up to stop the delivery of the Yellow Pages phone books here.

4. Reuse It: If you are like me, your to do list grows and grows each day. Instead of writing down your daily agenda on sticky notes or a paper pad, consider using a reusable dry erase board or list on your smart phone. You can add to and remove tasks on your daily list, without using a single piece of paper.

5. Book It: The next time that you craving a good book to snuggle up on the sofa with, consider getting it used. You can find a fantastic selection of gently used books at your local thrift stores or yard sales. Some libraries also have a section where you can purchase gently used books for huge discounts. Another great option is to swap a book that you have already read with a book that you have been dying to read. My favorite online book swapping service is PaperBack Swap.

6. Rent It: There are so many items that we purchase that we could share with other people. For instance, instead of buying a new lawnmower or wheelbarrow, consider borrowing one from a family member or friend. You can also rent common household items such as a kitchen mixer, shovel, camping gear or power tools on Rentalic.

7. Think About It: The next time that you consider printing an email or online recipe, consider whether it is necessary. Instead of printing the recipe, simply take your notebook computer into the kitchen while you cook. Instead of printing an email, jot down the important details on your reusable dry erase board or smart phone.

8. Consider It: Basically, if you don't need, don't buy it. You will be surprised how many purchases are made each year that are unnecessary. There are so many things in our home that can do double duty, you just have to get creative. Take a look around your space and see if there are items that you aren't utilizing that you could.

9. Spread It: One of the best ways to be Eco-friendly is by spreading the word. The more that you share the information that you know, the better. Many people are not aware that for almost every action that we take, there is a green alternative. Sharing your ideas can help to secure a bright future for all of us.

How do you green your everyday lifestyle?

Photo Credits: shutters, power tools, keyboard, list, reusable bag

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, it is time to decide how you can celebrate without the harmful impact on the environment. For many, this will mean forgoing any type of love day celebration. However, others will find the fun of love day simply too hard to resist. If you plan to surprise your loved one with Valentine goodies, focusing on supporting sustainable, responsible and local organizations will leave both your sweetie and the environment grinning until spring. You can get started with my favorite 7 ways to green your Valentine's Day.

1. An Organic Rose By Any Other Name: Over 200 million roses are harvested for each Valentine's Day - and that is only roses! Most flowers are grown using a highly toxic cocktail of chemicals and over 80% are imported from far distances. This Valentine's Day choose organic, local flowers to say I love you. My favorite option is an organic flowering or fruiting potted plant purchased from a local nursery that can be enjoyed all year long.

2. A Chocolate a Day, Keeps the Doctor Away: Almost everyone loves chocolate. However, many people may not be aware that the production of chocolate uses the 2nd largest amount of pesticides, only to cotton. When choosing chocolates for your sweetheart, choose ones that are USDA organic certified and fair trade. Knowing that your chocolates do not negatively impact the environment or the animals and people who inhabit it, is a sweet thing.

3. A Card to Say How Much you Care: Most likely your loved ones do not need a card to tell them how much they mean to you. However, if you would like to express yourself with a card, consider choosing one that is made using 100% post consumer or 100% recycled paper or even a card that can be planted, offering beautiful blooms in the spring. Another option is to make a card using odds and ends that you find in your home and recycling bin.

4. A Way to a Man's Heart is through his Stomach: A lovely way to show how much you care is by surprising your love with a home cooked organic meal. Every year, my husband prepares a fantastic dinner that we share by candlelight. It is the perfect gift - complete with quiet time just for the two of us. And who wouldn't love to be celebrated while enjoying a savory meal? Just remember to plan a fabulous dessert and don't forget the wine.

5. Speaking of Wine: A Valentine's Day meal just wouldn't be the same without a sip or two of a delicious wine. When picking a wine, ask the shopkeeper for help choosing one that is local, organic or bio-dynamic. Some of my favorite organic and bio-dynamic wines are from Parducci - they utilize 100% renewable green power and employ Eco friendly packaging - not to mention they make their wine using locally farmed grapes, recycle 100% of their winery waste water and are family owned.

6. Are Diamonds a Girl's Best Friend?: If you plan to adorn your sweetie with jewelry for Valentine's Day, please consider jewelry that is conflict-free, fair trade, recycled, or vintage. You can find a fabulous selection of handmade, Eco friendly jewelry on Etsy and your local antique stores will have a nice selection of vintage baubles.

7. Give the Gift of Yourself: One of the loveliest Valentine's Day gifts that you can give is the gift of yourself. By planning an activity that you can share with your loved one - whether it is a hike in the mountains, a picnic in the park, a home cooked meal or doing a project that she has been dying to do - the time that you spend with your special someone is the part of the holiday that is important -no impact on the environment necessary.

How do you green your Valentine's Day?

Photo Credits: heart, chocolate, cards, wine, jewelry.

A greener workplace equals a smaller carbon footprint and is also good for the employees who work there and can save the business money too. From how you get to work, to the choices that you make while putting in your 40 hours, your decisions can have a significant impact on the environment. There are simple ways that you can green your office whether you telecommute or work outside of the home, here are my top 8 ways to get you started.

1. Getting There: How you get to work is a significant portion of your daily carbon footprint. The best options include; telecommuting, walking or biking. Other Eco friendly options include taking public transportation and carpooling. The bottom line is the less time spent driving to work - the less impact on the environment.

2. Printer Perfect: If you don't absolutely need to print a document, then don't. If there is no way around printing, make the best printing choices. When choosing a printer, pick an all-in-one model, one that prints, faxes and scans. These models use up to 50% less energy than having a separate machine for each function. Choose 100% post consumer paper, soy based inks and when possible print on both sides of the paper.

3. Green the Kitchen: If your office has a kitchen, consider bringing your own dishes to use for your meals including a stainless steel water bottle and reusable coffee mug. If your office doesn't have a kitchen space, bring your lunch in a reusable lunchbox. This will keep you from raiding the vending machine or picking up fast food - both of which come in wasteful packaging and are hard on your budget too.

4. Get Reusable: Whenever possible, choose office supplies that are reusable or refillable. This includes: dry erase boards that can be used over and over again for everything from agendas to calendars - to refillable ink and pen cartridges. Refilling an item will always be more Eco friendly than buying a new item each time you need one.

5. Green Clean It: Request that the office be cleaned using only green cleaners to protect the Earth. The business can save money by making their own cleaners or buying green cleaners in bulk. And considering that you are unable to open the windows in most office buildings - using green cleaners keeps the inside air free from toxic cleaning chemicals - which is always better for your health.

6. Make a Recycling Center: If your business doesn't already recycle, consider setting up a recycling center where employees can easily recycle paper, plastics, ink cartridges, bottles, cardboard and cans when necessary.

7. Power Down and Turn Off the Lights: By powering down equipment when it isn't being used, a business can save up to 25% energy. If you also power down all of the equipment at the end of the work day, you can save up to an additional 50% energy. And remember to turn off the lights on your way out the door.

8. Spread the Word: Show your excitement and get others involved with greening your office. The choices that you make as a whole can have a huge impact on the environment. Start talking about the changes that you would like to see and you will be surprised to find that there are many other people out there that care just as much about the environment and their health as you do.

How do you green your office?
How have you encouraged others in your office to get involved?

Photo Credits: Office, Public Transit, Printer, Kitchen, Reusables, Green Cleaners, Recycling, Light switch, Shout

Winter is one of the times of year that you can really see an increase in your utility bills. This is especially true, if you live in a climate where everything is cold and icy outside. There are simple, Eco-friendly ways that you can save money on your utility bills. Here are my top 8 tips to get you started.

1. Get with the Program: The simple act of installing a programmable thermostat will pay for itself twice over within the first year. For every degree that you reduce the temperature on your thermostat, you will save 5% on your seasonal heating bill. A programmable thermostat will also assist you in remembering to turn down the heat when you are away at work or asleep at night.

2. Go Low Flow: You can save 25% to 60% more water and 50% more energy by switching to low flow shower heads. And don't fret, the new low flow shower heads have just as much power and water pressure as the older conventional ones. They are affordable too, ranging from $10 to $20 each.

3. Seal it Up: By weather stripping only the front and back doors of your home, you can save over $30 a year in heating costs. Now, just think how much more you can save if you insulate your attic, garage, basement doors, windows and outlets.

4. It's Laundry Day: Did you know that washing your clothing in cold water, not only gets them just as clean as washing them in hot - it is also better on your clothing, making them last longer? Plus, when you wash all of your laundry in only cold water, you save over 50% more energy. To make even a larger impact, only wash loads that are full.

5. Flip the Power Strip Switch: Plugging your energy vampire gadgets and appliances into a power stripe is a great way to save money and the environment. A good rule of thumb to remember is that if your gadget or appliance has a clock or remote, it will continue to consume energy even when it is turned off. In fact, 40% of the total energy is consumed when they are turned off. An affordable power stripe is the answer, when you aren't using these gadgets and appliances, just flip the switch off.

6. Wish on an Energy Star: When your refrigerator, washer or dryer finally gives out - replace it with an energy star appliance. Depending on the age and repair of your current conventional appliances, energy star appliances can save you up to 80% more energy each year and a lot of money too!

7. A Bright Idea: The next time a light bulb burns out, replace it with a CFL. CFL's may cost a little more upfront but the amount of money and energy that you save overall really outweighs the upfront cost. Each CFL bulb last ten times longer than a conventional light bulb and will save you around $60 per bulb over its lifetime.

8. Put a Jacket on it: If your water heater isn't insulated or was purchased prior to 2004, consider wrapping an insulating jacket around it. You will save 10% on your water heating bill each year.

How do you save money on your utility bills?
How do you lessen your impact on the environment when it comes to your utilities?

Photo Credits: Home, Thermostat, Shower Head, Weather Stripping, Laundry, Power Strip, Energy Star, CFL, Water Heater,

Editor's Note: At Cascadian Farm, we believe that there shouldn’t just be one day devoted to Earth Day, there should be 365 days. That’s why this year, we’re helping you live more sustainably every day by giving you tips and advice on how to do just that. If we all make a conscious effort to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle everyday, we will be helping to protect the planet for many generations to come. Below, Jennie Lyon from MySweetGreens.com gives us ten tips to get your New Year started a little greener. Over the next year, we will have more tips and advice on how to live greener, so keep a look out for those in upcoming e-newsletters.

1. Go Local: One of the best ways to live a sustainable lifestyle is by going local. Finding and supporting local resources is also great for your community. Research and find local farms to support while purchasing local food. Local artisans are the perfect resource for the purchasing of home goods, personal care products, clothing, jewelry and gifts. Going local can also include utilizing public transportation, frequenting thrift shops and tag sales and vacationing in your local area. The key is to try to stay within 200 miles of your home.

2. Find a Green Energy Supplier: Switching to a green energy provider may be one of the largest impacts that you can have on the environment. Most areas have a green energy program that you can enroll in. You pay a small premium on top of your normal energy bill each month, which puts green energy on the grid. You can find Green Power providers in the U.S. here and Green Power Providers in Canada here.

3. Conserve Water: Consider taking shorter showers and choose an Eco friendly shower head. Remember to turn off the sprinklers when it is raining outside and turn the water off while brushing your teeth. If you can, reuse rainwater or gray water to care for your yard, flush your toilets or wash your car. You can also help to save water by only washing full load of dishes and laundry.

4. Eat Less Meat: You don't have to become a vegetarian or vegan to make a huge impact on the environment. You can reduce your carbon footprint by simple making more of your meals meatless. Whether you decide to cut out meat during the weekdays or become a member of the meatless Monday club - less meat equals less emissions and pollution.

5. Refuse, Refuse, Refuse: Think of how many purchases we make, simply because we can. If you ask yourself the simple question, "Do I need this item?" before every purchase, you can reduce the impact on the environment and your finances. Also, there are many other venues to consider when you do need to make a purchase, including; thrift shops, garage sales, free-cycle or even borrowing items from a friend or family member.

6. Alternative Modes of Transportation: When choosing how you get around, consider other modes of transportation besides your car. If you are traveling to school or work, can you carpool, walk, bike or catch the bus, train or subway? Can your children walk or bike to school? If you have to get out to run errands, consider grouping all of your errands into one trip, this will save you time, money and the environment will thank you too.

7. Conserve Energy: When you leave a room, flip off the light. When you aren't using your electronics, power them down and turn off the power-strip. Choose a programmable thermostat and unplug electrical items that you don't use. If you have to change a light bulb choose a CFL. If you don't have to drive your car, ride your bicycle. Think twice before you purchase a new item and again when you think of throwing something away. All of these small things can save a good amount of co2 and money.

8. Recycle, Reduce, Reuse: Consider adhering to the three R's as often as possible. Reduce your consumption of products, resources, energy and water. Recycle and reuse anything that you are able to. If you no longer have use for a particular item that can be used again, consider selling or donating it before tossing it in the trash.

9. Choose Quality Items: When you do need to make a new purchase consider quality over quantity. Choose items that are built well, are energy efficient (if it is an appliance or vehicle) and that will last a long period of time. Refuse to purchase anything that is disposable or is only good for a one time use. For items that you have to dispose of including toothbrushes and razors, choose Eco friendly versions including toothbrushes and razors where you only replace the head. Also, look for products that come in minimal, recyclable packaging.

10. Buy Local Organic: When possible, choose local, organic goods. Especially when it comes to meat, poultry, dairy, fruit, vegetables and personal care products. If there isn't a local organic version available, consider the local product first. Purchasing foods or clothing that have been shipped across the world isn't as Eco friendly as buying an item that is local.

What ways do you plan to live more sustainably in 2011?

Photo Credits: Local, Green Energy, Conserve Water, Eat Less Meat, Refuse, Transportation, Conserve Energy, 3 R's, Quality, Organic

My family made a cross country move last weekend and while moving can be a lot of work, it doesn't have to have a huge impact on the environment. There are many things that you can do before, during and after your move that can make your transition as Eco friendly as possible. Here are 8 tips that my family used while making our move, hopefully next time you move, these tips can help you too.

1- Get it Sold: Usually, the first thing that you will want to do before moving is sell your existing home. During the listing and selling process, consider using a website with fantastic pictures and details of your home for potential buyers to view rather than those costly home listing fliers. If you do opt for the fliers, instead of loading the 'For Sale' sign box with them, leave them inside your home by the front door. Hopefully, then only really interested buyers will take them and less will find their way to the landfill.

2. It's Time to Downsize: My family decided that the best way for us to make our move as Eco friendly as possible was to majorly downsize. This took a lot of preparation time, but we were able to sell several thousands of dollars worth of things that we no longer used or thought that we would no longer need. You can sell your items via eBay or Craig's List or donate them to your local charitable organization. This saved us a lot in the long run, less things to pack, transport and then unpack when we arrived at our new destination. It also gave us a nice amount of money to use towards moving expenses. Plus, it was nice to see my previously loved items go to new homes where they will live a second life.

3. Pack it Up: Once you have decided exactly what items you are going to take with you, pack it up the Eco friendly way. If you are doing your own packing, consider using recycled boxes, bubble wrap and other packing supplies (you can find a great supply on Craig's List or Freecycle.) My family decided to use a large supply of reusable recyclable plastic bins with locking lids that we have used on our previous moves. This bins are fantastic because they are water proof, have locking lids with handles for carrying, stacked nicely on top of each other in the moving van and can be reused in our new space for storage of season items. Any bins that you are unable to reuse after your move, can be sold or donated. Also, I used linens to wrap up breakables and valuables. I figured I will be taking the linens with me, so they should be put to good use in the process. If you do need to purchase packing supplies, consider choosing supplies that are made of recycled materials.

4. Home Sold-Time to Green Clean: Once your home sells and you have packed up all of your belongings, it is time to give your home one last good cleaning. Consider using all Eco friendly cleaning supplies and when you arrive at your new home, only stock green cleaners in your new kitchen, bath and laundry room.

5. Moving Day: If you are using a moving company, consider choosing one that uses green moving methods including recyclable packing materials, low emissions bio diesel fuel efficient trucks and Eco friendly business practices. If you are moving yourself, remember to pack everything up with Eco friendly packing supplies and then rent your own bio diesel truck if possible.

6. Make It Fun: Moving can be super hard on the entire family, especially if you are all traveling via the moving can, as my entire family did. My husband, nine year old son, 2 dogs and myself all traveled cross country together in a moving van. However, we were able to make it fun by talking, singing, playing games, reading and watching movies. Just continue to remind yourself that a few days of traveling will all be worth it.

7. Bring Your Own Body Fuel: Traveling can be hard on your body, especially if you are eating fast food or truck stop "convenience" store items. We stocked a cooler full of easy to eat, organic snacks, fruits and veggies to keep us going on the road and when we did stop for a meal, we tried to pick the healthiest option available. Also, while traveling bring a reusable beverage mug for each member of your family. It is super Eco friendly and much more affordable to refill a mug at the gas station. And those coffee breaks will be imperative during your move!

8. Time to Get a Good Green Rest: If your move is going to take several days of traveling, you will most likely need to stay in a hotel or two. Try to choose hotels that are committed to sustainability and Eco friendly practices. Green hotels lists hotels that choose water and energy saving equipment and techniques, use Eco friendly cleaning supplies, organic linens and also recycle and compost all waste. Now, that is something that can be celebrated with a good night's rest. You deserve it!

Now that you have made it to your new home, it's time to get unpacked and start living life again. Remember to reuse, donate, sell or recycle any of your packing supplies and enjoy your new space.

How will you or have you made your move Eco Friendly?

Please leave your comments below!

Photo via Alden Jewell

The term “organic” has been adopted by the farming community to identify growing methods that sustain soil health, ecosystems, and people. It should be no surprise that Cascadian Farm cares about supporting natural beauty — both on and off the farm.

One of the most stunning examples of natural beauty can be found at a place called Red Rocks, just a short drive west of Denver, Colorado. Red Rocks Park features miles of hiking and biking trails through some of Colorado’s most spectacular scenery. It’s also an amazing performance venue, with over 60,000 people coming to the Red Rocks Amphitheatre every summer for concerts and other events.

Cascadian Farm is proud to support Red Rocks Summer Concert Series for the entire season by donating WindSource® power from Xcel Energy. This will allow Red Rocks to purchase renewable energy for 100% of their electricity needs this summer. This saves the equivalent of 21.8 homes using electricity for an entire year! Other similar examples would be the elimination of emissions from 6,553 propane cylinders (as used for a home BBQ grill), or saving 17,852 gallons of gasoline.

Cascadian Farm has also sponsored Red Rocks Amphitheatre’s “Zero Waste Station,” a recycling center with bins for compost, beverage containers, and paper. Our recycling efforts have prevented over 5.86 tons of recycling and compost from ending up in a landfill.

We are proud to support Colorado’s natural beauty and the wonderful music performed at Red Rocks every year. If you’re in the area, we hope you’ll stop by Red Rocks for a hike, a ride, or an evening of fantastic musical entertainment. Learn more about Red Rocks at: http://www.redrocksonline.com

I have a friend who laments the popularity of digital photography. He even has handed his DSLR over to his wife and returned to his film SLR. He loves to tease me and go on “digital-is-evil” rants with me, just to get me going.

And while I understand his point that film holds value that digital cannot replace, I cannot imagine going back to my film SLR. (Although I do hold onto it for sentimental value as it belonged to my late father.) In fact, going to a digital SLR camera was perhaps one of the greenest (and easiest) choices I have ever made.

You see, when I had my first child, my father had recently passed away and I had inherited one of his Canon SLR film cameras. I loved photography, but new very little and I had not used an SLR before. I remember staring at my new son and thinking, “Well, I guess I better learn how to take beautiful photos of you.”

So I picked up that SLR and started learning.

In the first year of my son’s life I spent approximately $2,000 on developing film. And that wasn’t even on enlargements, etc. That was just to develop them, check out how I had done, learn from my mistakes and then toss out the tons of garbage shots.

As everyone who has ever photographed children knows, you can’t take one or two shots and hope you got the perfect picture. No, each photography session included hundreds of photos to get the ones you want.

And, I actually often developed with duplicates or triplicates, (I know – shudder!) But it cost a dollar to add in the extra set and a heck of a lot more than that to get copies of any that happened to be good enough to share with the grandparents. So I was throwing hundreds of copies in the garbage AND I still have boxes and boxes of unsorted photos in my basement!

When my son Jackson was about two years old Canon introduced the first digital Rebel. I was desperate to get it, but I waited, hesitant to buy the first one out of the gate.

But not much later, my twin sister’s first baby was due and her husband bought the brand new Nikon D70. He had barely ever taken a photo in his life, so the arrangement was pretty much that I got to use the camera and take all the photos I could of their daughter. Worked for me!

And so my digital photography life began.

I now shoot with a Canon 50D (I had to return to Canon – it feels like home) and my DSLR is my most precious possession. (When my Canon 40D was stolen on the way to Disney World I was completely lost without it. I still have nightmares about losing my cameras.)

As I download thousands of photos on to hard drives, I am so grateful that not only am I saving thousands of dollars not developing film, but I am not tossing thousands of printed photos in the garbage.

Yes, my DSLR might just be my “greenest” (and my favorite) part of my day. If only all “green” choices were as easy to make!