tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31483618815159503262011-07-07T22:31:41.087-07:00A journey in being greener and answering my questions about the environment and our impact on the world.Chocoholichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379337183880486266noreply@blogger.comBlogger101100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3148361881515950326.post-28770493684592358312011-05-03T18:36:00.000-07:002011-05-03T19:06:30.403-07:00

The last post I wrote was about the affect of industrial pollutants like PCBs and mercury on the waterways in the Great Lakes area. Shortly after I wrote the post I heard about the Riverwatch group in Indiana. This is a group of volunteers who are trained in how to monitor streams and rivers in Indiana watersheds. Because this subject was on my mind already I signed up to attend training at

Chocoholichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379337183880486266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3148361881515950326.post-21077329587815311402011-04-11T10:23:00.000-07:002011-04-20T15:37:10.818-07:00

I live in NW Indiana. Indiana probably brings to mind corn and flat land but there is more than that here. Southeastern Indiana has the beautiful Clifty Falls State Park while northwestern Indiana in on the shore of Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan, for those who don't know, is on the of the five Great Lakes. These lakes hold 1/5th of the entire world's fresh water and provide drinking water to tens

Chocoholichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379337183880486266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3148361881515950326.post-1467968538088081272009-08-21T09:20:00.000-07:002009-08-21T10:04:04.571-07:00

I've been trying to make the place I work a little more eco-concious. It's slow going and some things I just can't control, but there are a few things I've done that you can do too.Tips the average worker can applyAsk yourself if I need to print this. - Think about how much paper offices use each day for stuff that is printed, then discarded. We could all try to do better in this by asking, "Do I

Chocoholichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379337183880486266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3148361881515950326.post-74889247760424723852009-07-12T13:32:00.000-07:002009-07-12T13:33:14.578-07:00

nataliedee.comI hate when I forget my bags.

Chocoholichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379337183880486266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3148361881515950326.post-30693957323135318532009-07-06T07:14:00.000-07:002009-07-06T07:37:29.217-07:00

I am a packrat. I fully admit it. I have a hard time getting rid of stuff. Over the past few weeks, though, I have been trying to reduce and de-clutter, and do it in a way that's good for the environment.First, I cleaned out all of my closets. I had tons of clothes I haven't worn for various reasons. If your closet is overflowing, take a day and go through it and ask yourself, "When did I last

Chocoholichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379337183880486266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3148361881515950326.post-35235813084828430772009-06-01T07:56:00.000-07:002009-06-01T08:10:50.611-07:00

Nothing is better than the taste of a freshly picked, perfectly ripe tomato. However, those of us who live in apartments may think we can't grow huge tomato plants. That would be wrong.I've been able to grow tomatoes and other vegetable for a few years using different containers. The first ones I tried were the Topsy Turvy tomato and herb planters. Both are meant to be hung up. The tomato planter

Chocoholichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379337183880486266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3148361881515950326.post-31934116180838315672009-05-15T11:36:00.000-07:002009-05-15T08:38:40.931-07:00

A few months ago someone at work approached me about recycling. I would love to recycle here. I get so many junk catalogs and mail that could be recycled, not to mention all the cans and bottles from our vending machines. Unfortunately, recycling is not my decision to make. I've gone to our Purchasing Manager about contacting our waste disposal company. I know they have single-stream recycling so

Chocoholichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379337183880486266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3148361881515950326.post-52852681234332079852009-05-07T10:39:00.000-07:002009-05-07T12:00:57.303-07:00

Opportunity Enterprises is having a plant sale every weekend in the month of May. Opportunity Enterprises is a non-profit organization that helps people who have physical, mental, and/or emotional disabilities gain self-suffiency. The plant sale will benefit the vacation fund for their clients.The plants will be on sale Fridays from noon to 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. through

Chocoholichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379337183880486266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3148361881515950326.post-74015471051261083142009-05-05T08:04:00.000-07:002009-05-05T08:28:15.738-07:00

I've heard much about how much energy compact flourescent light bulbs (CFL) can save you but I've also been concerned about the mercury content of them. I live near Lake Michigan. The lake and other waterways are already polluted with mercury from powerplant emissions. My concern with CFL bulbs is that so many people will just throw them away instead of recycling them, causing the mercury to

Chocoholichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379337183880486266noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3148361881515950326.post-21590065950967794222009-05-04T14:09:00.000-07:002009-05-04T14:17:17.647-07:00

Welcome to my new blog about being green and about environmental issues. I picked the title "Green Isn't Easy" because it isn't. It's easier to throw things away rather than recycle them; it's easier to use disposable dishes than to wash dishes; it's cheaper to buy conventionally farmed foods than it is to buy organic foods or those that are less intensively farmed. I find that I am continually

Chocoholichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11379337183880486266noreply@blogger.com0