Living off the Grid is more than changing a light bulb.

by Katy Green

www.shoptobegreen.com

Sometimes I think maybe I could live off the grid and be my own source of energy, edible produce and water! Then I wake up from my green daydream and realize that my earth friendly endeavor will require a major change. 

Living off the grid may be too much change for me but I'm proud that I follow a energy conservation plan similar to my article on Quick Energy SavingsTips and the no Paper Cups Policy and I send out green friendly invites for events. 

Should You Live off the Grid?

Living off the grid will benefit you in numerous ways beyond the cash savings and the earth friendly commitment.  The way you view things and the way you live daily will change for the better but it requires a life changing commitment that you may or may not be ready to tackle.  



Eco Village Tribe



I encourage you to check out these links if you are thinking about living off the grid or if you're curious about what living off the grid really means.

Pioneer Sustainable Energy Homes

• http://www.off-grid.net/ - Off-Grid reports on the people, technologies, events and influences throughout the global off-grid community. The Landbuddy section helps you find others to go off-grid with and the free classifieds are full of ads for off the grid real estate.
• http://www.livingoffgrid.org/ - Livingoffgrid.org provides information on how to live off of the power grid. This site is for off the grid newbies and veterans and it does not matter if you own a house or an RV or a homestead.
• http://www.offthegridnews.com/ - Off The Grid News' is a fiercely independent, weekly email newsletter and website that is crammed full of practical information on living and surviving today and in future times when life may not be as easy.

300 Sq. Ft House

Remember you are making a commitment to building a cleaner and greener earth for your family and loved ones in the future no matter how you choose to live.

 Shoptobegreen thanks our readers for supporting us.  

From Beer Bottles to Tea Lights - A Glass Story

by Katy Green
http://www.shoptobegreen.com/

Recycled glass transformed into anything is not new but I wonder what inspires people to take trash and recycle it into something beautiful?

Glass Facts:

Glass has been produced for 9,000 years and the first bottle appeared 3,500 years ago. Though, recycling bins were introduced in the 1970s in the USA -  countries like Sweden achieve +90 percent recycling, the US average is under forty, granted that California leads with nearly 80 percent.  

Beer Bottles - A transformation story....

The glass recycled to transform beer bottles into "iced" look into thick glass coasters, tea lights and mini bowls is truly a labor of love. 

Laura Bergman, reclaim artist and designer of Bottled Up Designs uses post consumer beer, wine and soda bottles. Her fun and creative line of home accessories is a unique way to repurpose glass destined to pile up in the landfills.

Bergman is an avid glass and bottle collector who lives in Pennsylvania Amish Country her whole life. As a collector, she has spent countless hours poking through the many old glass and bottle dumps scattered throughout the natural wooded habitats and rural farmlands where she resides. 

This reclaim artist was bothered by collectors who only take the valuable whole bottles and glass pieces, but leave the broken glass behind for the environment and the wildlife to deal with.


Glass Dump Pile

Bergman has also seen baby deer laying in the broken glass, foxes, squirrels and countless other wildlife running through it - even birds landing in the glass while searching for a meal.

Waste of any kind is harmful to the wildlife, the environment and our planet.

Beer bottles transformed into artistic conversation pieces...

Beer Bottle Mini Ruffled Bowl or Tea Lights

Artistic ruffled bowls are made exclusively from post consumer beer bottles, rescued on their way to the land fill. Sized perfectly to hold a tea light, they are a perfect choice for a paper clip holder on your desk, a stack of business cards, dropping your change into, or for a small serving of dip at your next party. Each piece comes with "The Story of the Glass" detailing what the glass was originally, and the approx. age of the piece.

Green Beer Bottle Coaster Set of Four

Modern set of four coasters cut and fired from post consumer beer bottles! A wonderful conversation piece for your home, and helps keep more glass out of the landfills. Comes in Amber or Green. Each coaster measures 3 1/2" x 4", and has rubber feet to protect your furniture.

For more jewerly, glassware and home accessories made out of vintage recycled glass and post consumer beer, wine and soda bottles visit http://www.shoptobegreen.com/

Are you heat stressed this summer?

by Katy Green
http://www.shoptobegreen.com/




They say everyone experiences the winter blues but what about heat stress during the summer?

 According to National Institute on Aging, as temperatures and humidity rise across much of the U.S., people over the age of 65 are among the most vulnerable to heat stroke and heat exhaustion. The primary reasons is because the body’s ability to regulate temperature through blood circulation and sweat glands tends to decline with age.

Ice Sculptures melting by Brazilian Artist Nele Azevedo

If you are excessively overweight or have heart disease or high blood pressure, or take medications that may be affected by extreme heat, you are more likely to experience heat stress as well.

Heat stress can also be caused by working in hot environments. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, heat stress can result in a heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, or heat rashes. Workers at risk for heat stress include outdoor workers and workers in hot environments such as firefighters, bakery workers, farmers, construction workers, miners, boiler room workers, factory workers, and others.

We are not promoting Perrier ..we thought the picture captures how we feel.

Heat Stress Symptoms include: (for information on treating this symptoms, CLICK HERE)

1. Heavy sweating
2. Extreme weakness or fatigue
3. Dizziness, confusion
4. Nausea
5. Clammy, moist skin
6. Pale or flushed complexion
7. Muscle cramps
8. Slightly elevated body temperature
9. Fast and shallow breathing



Melting Clocks


The sun's hot rays can also increase your risk for sunburn, breakouts, age spots, and irritation. For those of you that have super sensitive skin like rosacea, dermatitis, or acne, the heat is not the only threat to your skin's health. 

The best advice for reducing sunburn is to stay out of the sun especially when the sun rays are the brightest or when the tempeture reaches the highest peak between 12 noon to 5 pm. Of course the time frame will vary depending on where you live but you can usually gauge the right time frame.



Melting ice on the Cook Inlet Beach in Kenai -  BRAD SNEAD 

  Shoptobegreen.com suggests the following remedies to soothe your skin:

• Stay hydrated by drinking water.
• Reduce your intake of alcohol, iced coffee and soda because they do not hydrate you in the hot weather.
• Wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin and try to stay indoors in a cool area.
• To re-hydrate dehydrated cells and extract toxins and reduce sun spots and tighten pores, try all natural Solay Detox Face Mud Mask

Solay Detox Face Mud Mask
100% Vegan

• Sun, smoke, pollution, and stress create skin-damaging oxidants and free radicals. Load up on antioxidant like stocked green tea extract, alpha-lipoic acid, vitamins B3 and E, and vitamin C ester. For more information on natural antioxidants or preparing your own skin potions, check out Dr. Weil at www.drweil.com.
• Reduce Stress and take a cool bath. Hot water can damage and dry skin any season. Try Stress Relief Natural Bath Soak with Himalayan salt
   

  

  Stress Relief Natural Bath Soak with Himalayan salt
  Ingredients: Himalayan salt, Aluminum-free sodium bicarbonate, chamomile flower powder, apple cider vinegar, rooibus red tea powder extract, lilac oil, lemon oil.
  
  
  
  

  

Trees Please!

by Katy Green
http://www.shoptobegreen.com/

Central Park in the Summer
 Literary Walk
Central Park Promenade

Ever wonder about the trees in your area or about the trees in your local public park? Do you wonder about the history of the park?  Well, I do!

I think about the vastness of Central Park and whenever I go for a picnic with my daughter or for a stroll with my friends I am thankful I have this wonderland of green in the middle of the concrete jungle.

Central Park in the Spring
Literary Walk
Central Park Promenade

According to Ecorazzi, author Edward Barnard and birdwatcher Ken Chaya have mapped almost all of the 20,000 trees in the Central Park! 

It took the duo two and a half years of work and many miles of walking to list all of the those trees. Their hard work resulted in a map “Central Park Entire.” Barnard decided to create this amazing map while writing his book New York City Trees!

Central Park in the Fall
Literary Walk

Central Park Promenade

Central Park in the Winter
Literary Walk
Central Park Promenade

Green History:

All pictures of Central Park in this www.shoptobegreen.com article are of the famous Central Park Mall Promenade featured in many film numerous times; aka Literary Walk located between 67th and 73rd street.

Did you know the mall was originally designed as formal promenade for the upper class!
The park is lined with Elm Trees. There are many statues of literary figures along the Mall, including Shakespeare, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns. Literary Walk is located in the middle of the park and you can access it via the B or C at 72nd street.
 
For more on the 400 national parks in the USA, check out The National Park Service site.