We wrote back in February about a wonderful group of individuals committed to changing the way we look at plastic bags. Our article was about the biodegradable trash bags that the Green Genius Company makes. The Green Genius Company makes a wide range of biodegradable plastic bags and has recently introduced biodegradable food storage bags to their line of products.

Last week they sent us some freebies for helping them get their name out into the green-o-sphere;

Our Green Genius Biodegradable Goodies!

We love the big green shopping tote and will be using it for our groceries to help spread the word about biodegradable plastics.

As for the new line of biodegradable food storage bags, they are truly awesome. I’ve already started packing my sandwiches for work using them and the double zipper seals keep my lunch perfectly stored until its “Eatin Time!”

Biodegradable Sandwich Bags

Once again, we have to say a big thankyou to the Green Genius Company and their commitment to the environment.

If you are interested in getting your hands on some biodegradable Green Genius bags then check them out here;

http://www.thegreengenius.com/

Our front yard has lots of thriving plants, mainly roses and bushes of various types, but we noticed that the plants in an area next to our driveway had been struggling.

Last year we planted five large Rhododendron bushes and four Hydrangeas. Our wonderful Mom suggested that the soil might not be acidic enough for the Rhododendrons and Hydrangeas. She gave us a large bag of used coffee grounds which were provided by the excellent “Roots Coffee House” in North Richland Hills.

Used Coffee Grounds Can Increase Soil Acidity

The used coffee grounds can increase the acidity of soil and help plants which need higher acidity. I did some research and found that coffee acidity is the bright and dry taste that adds life to a coffee. The acidity of coffee is similar to the dry but bright sensation experienced while drinking a red wine. The brewing of coffee removes alot of the acids but the discarded coffee grounds are perfect for adding some well needed soil acidity for plants like Rhododendrons and Hydrangeas.

Rhododendrons

Most Rhododendrons prefer acid soils with a pH of roughly 4.5-5.5 and the local Texas soils are probably only a pH level of about 6.9. Adding used coffee grounds to the soil brings the pH down from 6.9 to a lower, more acidic value, which is perfect for the Rhododendrons.

Other advice is that Rhododendrons have fibrous roots and prefer well-drained soils high in organic material. Rhododendrons are often grown in raised beds with a liberal addition of composted pine bark. Mulching and careful watering are also important.

Making High Acidity Soil

Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas can tolerate a range of pH, soil acidity, conditions however for some varieties the color of their flowers is determined by the relative acidity of the soil. A pH below 6 (acidic) will usually produce flower colors closer to true blue, whereas soil with a pH above 6 (more alkaline) will produce flowers that are more pink. The flowers on all of our Hydrangeas were all very pink in color which was another indicator that the soil was not acidic enough. We’re hoping that if we can increase the soil acidity with the used coffee grounds then we will get more blue Hydrangea flowers.

High Acidity Soil for Hydrangeas

We have already noticed an improvement in the look of our Rhododendrons and Hydrangeas and we will be taking advantage of free used coffee grounds from our local coffee houses to keep them looking healthy for years to come.

Our High Acidity Soil

If your household is anything like ours then you will likely have several old cell phones lying around in a virtual technology graveyard. We have two LG shines collecting dust due to our insatiable love of the iPhone! I have seen lots o f places where you can drop off used cell phones in a recycling bin but just haven’t been confident in how they would dispose of the cell phone. Today I stumbled across a way to go green and get paid by not only recycling my old cell phones but also making a little “green” as well!

There are several companies offering this service now but we have found the best, especially if you happen to live in the UK, to be SellMyMobile.com, they offer a great service where you can search for your particular old cell phone and see exactly how much you could get paid for it.

I searched for my LG shine and discovered that several companies would pay me 10 GBP (approx $15) to mail the cell phone to them for recycling! Some companies even offer free shipping;

See How Much Your Old Mobile is Worth!

Once you have searched out the best deal you can follow easy links to the right sites and sell your old mobile for cash to the phone recycling companies, it’s that easy!

I am going to gather up my old cell phones, wipe the memory chips and get them sold / recycled / de-cluttered / out of the house… If I make a couple of dollars then at least I’m helping the environment at the same time as working my way towards that new iPhone.

So what are you waiting for? If you are interested in mobile phone recycling then just visit Sell My Mobile and get started.

I haven’t posted for a long time so I felt that this weekend should be somewhat of a catchup session for my green blogging!

A discussion around the coffee pot at work led me to today’s post topic, a company called Prairie Turbines was recommended to me by a colleague and after researching their products I decided to wax lyrical about the great work they are doing to make wind power affordable.

Prairie Turbines - Making Wind Power Affordable

Prairie Turbines sell all the parts you need to setup a wind turbine and start your journey towards an “off the grid” lifestyle

http://www.prairieturbines.com/purchase.htm

The main advantages which make the Prairie Turbines much more affordable to buy and operate are as follows;

• Built With Off-the-Shelf Components
• Rugged Efficient Blade Design
• Requires No Batteries, No Inverter
• Grid Ready!!
• Easy to Build and Maintain
• 100 Pages – Step by Step Details Assembly and Installation instructions for DIY installs

(more…)

Today I wanted to simply share a selection of green and organic local businesses here in North Texas, I was inspired by a visit to the Dallas farmers market which features fresh produce from a host of local producers…

1. Bolsa
Bolsa Market Cafe Wine Bar
Chef Graham Dodds uses seasonal ingredients from local farmers to create fabulous food.

2. Texas Olive Ranch
The Texas Olive Ranch
Texas grown olives and estate bottled extra virgin olive oil.

3. Eden Creek Farm
Eden Creek Farm
Sign up for their 2010 Community Supported Agriculture program, great local produce.

4. The Greer Farm
The Greer Farm
From cooking classes to log cabin rentals, the Greer Farm has it all, including lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. In Daingerfield, TX.

5. Boudreau Herb Farm
Boudreau Herb Farm
Culinary and medicinal herb plants in Mineral Wells, TX.

Today my wife and I got up early and set out on a mission to buy donuts and mulch! Our front yard has long flower beds which have gathered lots of weeds over the early months of the year and it was tim’s to get serious about yard work!

We passed on the donuts and went for a healthier breakfast but our mission to buy lots of mulch went as planned…

We bought pine mulch to put on our Azaleas and cedar mulch for the rest of our flower beds.

The cedar mulch smells awesome and our dog, Nanna, seemed to approve! She laid in the fresh mulch while we continued to work.

Mulching is important because it allows the soil to conserve water on hot days, prevents weeds and can deter insects and grubs. Reducing weeds and pests means no need for weed killer or pest repellents which is better for everyone including mother Earth.

Saving Water:
Studies have shown that mulching can reduce the need to water plants by up to 25 percent! You can read more on the study here;
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/newsletters/hortupdate/2006/nov06/ScienceFair.html

We finished our mulching and were very pleased with the results, we also found a small grass snake which we released safely into a pile of leaves by our fence line.

It was a lovely day to complete our mulching project and we hope you get a chance to do the same, after all, it will cut down on the need to water and use nasty chemicals whilst keeping your garden looking it’s best.

Thanks for reading!

The Mulching Finished

This month’s post is simply a wonderful collection of solar panel installations in everyday homes. Hopefully one day in the not too distant future we will all have wind and solar power in our homes.

Number 1: A Wonderful French Home with a Huge Solar Array;

images from http://www.flickr.com/photos/trebosc/

French Home Solar Install 1

The Solar Panels Being Installed

The Finished Installation

Number 2: A Small But Super Green Home in L.A.:

images from http://www.flickr.com/photos/clownfish/

Before the Solar Installation

Solar Install Completed - 100% Solar Energy!

Number 3: A Self Sufficient Log Cabin – Solar Powered:

images from http://www.flickr.com/photos/44244119@N08/

Log Cabin Solar Panels

Log Cabin Solar Panels - Off The Grid

Number 4: A Green Wedge Potton House:

This wooden timber construction home by Potton is green through and through

images from http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikehales/

Green Wedge Shaped Home with Solar Array

The Green Stripe is Very Fitting!

The Home Has a Solar Well for Extra Light

Number 5: Suburban Home With Solar Panels Cut to Fit:

Proof that solar panels can be designed into any roof line….

images from http://www.flickr.com/photos/silas216/

Solar Panels Cut to Fit

We hope you were inspired by our list of home solar installations, we tried to include different examples from normal homes to the more modern super eco designs.

Let’s all go solar!