Responsible People Tree travel…
Wow, here’s an offer and a half! Fair Trade fashion pioneers, People Tree has teamed up with online travel directory, responsibletravel.com to celebrate the launch of their new Summer Collection with a fantastic competition.
Win a holiday and a holiday wardrobe!
To win a luxury weekend break for 2 in Devon, plus £300 worth of vouchers for a Fair Trade holiday wardrobe to match, all you have to do is answer this question:
Both People Tree and responsibletravel.com projects support communities in Peru.
Which of these regions is NOT found in Peru:
a) Amazonas
b) Cusco
c) Himalayas
Find out more about the holiday, the competition and terms & conditions
20% off at People Tree
And if that wasn’t enough, they’re also offering a 20% discount at People Tree when quoting this special code, RTJUL08, to redeem the offer. You can also place orders at www.peopletree.co.uk or over the phone on 0845 450 4595.
Be quick though as the offer ends 8th July 2008!
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Veg Patch Diaries 2008
Although I’m not going to write in any great detail about my veg growing adventures this year I just wanted to do a quick update and let you know (those of you who are interested) that despite not much success last year we haven’t given up on the good life yet.
Well it’s not quite ‘The Good Life‘ (I still love Tom & Barbara’s lifestyle and Margo’s fabulous fashion), in fact I’ve reduced the numbers and types of veggies this year.
2008’s veg patch includes potatoes, sweetcorn, spinach, cucumber, sweet peppers, lettuce, tomatoes (of course), jalapenos, rocket and radish. Radish are so easy to grow that you can give yourself an encouraging pat on the back every time you crunch one of your home-grown in a lovely salad.
The things I learned from last year and have tried to improve on this time are:
- Start sowing seeds earlier (well I did actually fail on this one because wedding arrangements sapped veg growing preparation time in April)
- Be realistic - There’s no point sowing hundreds of seeds if you don’t have the time or space to nurture them to your table. I was not realistic last year
- Be tougher on pests - I just can’t kill the creatures in my garden but I know I can’t ask them nicely not to eat the greens either, so I’ve tried to put them off with marigolds and gravel. The results? So far so good!
- More food - Yes, I know, this is obvious.
- Hope for the right amounts of sunshine and rain - Still working on this one!
Unfortunately I don’t have a lot of time to spend in my garden and so I’m starting small and building up. You never know next year we may get chickens for our very own eggs and the year after that who knows?! The Good Life here we come!!
For any of you who haven’t seen the old 70s TV show ‘The Good Life‘. Here’s a classic snippet from one of the episodes:
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Guest Editor: Gerry Hogan - Using Green to Go Green... by Guest Editor on June 14th, 2008
"What’s a nice Irish girl like you doing in a place like this?” might well be the opening line for conversation with me.
Are You Enjoying The Asparagus Season? by Clare on May 28th, 2008
Are you making the most of the incredibly short asparagus season? Blink and you miss it.
Planning a hand-made, eco wedding by Vicky on April 9th, 2008
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Green wave hits Brighton
Don’t worry, it’s not an environmental disaster! No, a new green festival ‘Green Wave’ - billed as ‘The Eco Family Fun Weekend’ - is headed for Brighton on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 July.
You’ll be able to experience all the fun of the green fair in the beautiful setting of Preston Park with eight different interactive Zones, from the Earth Zone - where you might find wormeries, composting ideas and a mini eco farm - to the Energy Zone, for products harnessing sustainable energy, ranging from mobile phones to solar powered cars, and an Energy Play Area or eco circus for children. (click on the image to the right to see the flyer full size)
The emphasis is very much on our favourite watchwords: biodiversity, eco-friendly, Fairtrade, homemade, locally produced, low carbon footprint, recycled and sustainable!
Take a stand!
If you are a Sussex-based ethical business, charity or NGO there is still time for you to take a stand at the fair. Charities and NGOs are eligible for free stands, and there may even be a few free stands available for small ethical businesses that add value or pure fun to the event!
If you are interested in this opportunity, do get in touch with the organisers:
Frank Jay on 01273 323 200 or 07721 633 233 or at frank@neweraassociates.co.uk
Or Jacqui on 01273 323 200 or 07740 201194 or at jac.cuff@talktalk.net
Or simply download the Green Wave booking form and return it to them.
It should be a fantastic event!
Take care,
Katie
Ethical Weddings
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Mattel Greenwashes Barbie by Arcadia on May 15th, 2008
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Interview with Carrotmob's creator, Brent Schulkin by Vicky on May 8th, 2008
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As great green girls you probably already know all about this but just in case.
Guest Editor: Mary Lemmer - Conscious Clothing
What are your clothes made of? Who made them? Inputs of clothing production have significant effects on the physical and social environment.
Take a look at the cotton industry. Insecticides used in conventional cotton production are the most hazardous pesticide to human health, causing behavioral changes, increased cancer risk, and even death. Cotton’s second best selling insecticide, Aldicarb, can kill a man with just one drop absorbed through the skin! Who knew wearing cotton could be so dangerous!
Not only is human health impacted, but fertilizers used in conventional cotton production harm the environment. Nitrogen synthetic fertilizers cause leaching and runoff and emit gases that contribute 300 times more to global warming than CO2. Given that it takes about 1/3 pound of synthetic fertilizers to grow one pound of raw cotton, and it takes that pound of cotton to make one t-shirt, producing clothing made with conventional cotton has a detrimental impact on the environment!
Chemicals end up on our skin and in our air, but they also end up in our food! Since the pesticide ridden cottonseed hull is a secondary crop sold as a food commodity, up to 65% of cotton production ends up in our food chain, either directly through food oil or indirectly through milk and meat of animals. Yuck!
After cotton is grown it needs to be processed into fibers to make clothing. During the conversion of cotton into conventional clothing, hazardous materials are added to the product, resulting in large amounts of toxic wastewater that deplete oxygen out of the water and disrupt aquatic ecosystems.
Don’t forget to consider the workers who make clothing. Common in the apparel industry, sweatshop labor entails unethical treatment of workers, long hours, and low pay in substandard conditions.
Alternatively, organic farming methods use natural fertilizers, which reduce both pollution and harmful emissions. Standards prohibit the use of chemicals in organic cotton processing, making organic clothing a safer and cleaner alternative to conventional clothing.
Where did I learn about this? As a summer intern at Maggie’s Organics (www.maggiesorganics.com) I am learning the benefits of organic and fair trade clothing. At Maggie’s our mission is to produce and provide comfortable, durable, affordable and beautiful articles of apparel and accessories made from materials that restore, sustain and enhance the resources, including human, from which they are made. Maggie’s has been selling organic fibers for 16 years, making baby clothes, socks, shirts, lounge wear, and more! We are committed to socially responsible business practices, developing ongoing relationships with partners to develop environmentally sustainable practices.
In short, I advise you check out organic and fair trade clothing alternatives:
- Look for organic cotton on the label
- Check out where the clothing was made. Made in the U.S. is a good indicator that no sweatshop labor was used. If made outside the U.S. make sure the company uses a fair labor model.
Wearing organic and fair trade clothing feels better inside and out! Your health and the environment will thank you
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Guest Editor: Courtney Webster – Why the Internet is an Innovation – and our Best Resource for Going Green by Guest Editor on June 20th, 2008
For an invention that has been around for less than a century, the Internet has quickly risen to be one of the most innovative developments of the 20th century.
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Guest Editor: Courtney Webster – Why the Internet is an Innovation – and our Best Resource for Going Green
For an invention that has been around for less than a century, the Internet has quickly risen to be one of the most innovative developments of the 20th century. Most businesses have their own websites, most adults have their own email addresses, and even most children have their own computers.
Whether we like it or not, the Internet has become an integral part of our lives, and its prevalence can be used to our advantage. Instead of going to the store, you can shop online, and instead of picking up the phone, you can shoot someone an email, all with the click of a few buttons. With all the convenience the Internet provides, you’d be hard pressed to come up with even more reasons why we should reap its benefits.
But I have at least one more reason to add to the list, not just saving us time, but helping save the planet. As an entirely online resource, the Internet can be used to share information across the world, without ever having to waste natural resources. Online bank statements reduce corporate mailings, while websites like www.photobucket.com allow us to share our pictures without making eco-costly prints. When shopping online, using credit cards and online order confirmation, we save the paper and ink that would other wise be used to print cash and receipts, and without making the trip to the store, we’re reducing our carbon footprint in the process.
So with the prevalence of the Internet, it was only a matter of time before someone came up with an entirely Internet based company, almost completely eliminating any environmental impact. Enter businesses like Nvohk (pronounced “invoke”), the first eco-friendly clothing company managed entirely online! And this company can do one better, providing a chance to become part of a team working not only to manage their own clothing line, but also for the greater good of the planet, with 10% of the proceeds going to an eco-friendly charity of the members’ choice!
With the prevalence of the Internet, and newly formed Internet-based companies like Nvohk, we can make a significant impact on the environment right from our own homes. As an advocate for going green, whether it’s driving a hybrid car, or switching to more energy efficient light bulbs, I’m always looking for ways to lower my impact on the environment. And as more and more companies like Nvohk are going entirely online, I’m finding it much easier to reduce my impact, and get my fashion fix at the same time.
About Nvohk: Recruiting since December 2007, Nvohk now boasts over 2,800 Members worldwide, and the company will officially launch its site this June. The cost of membership is just $50, and using sustainable materials like bamboo, and allowing its members to take the drivers seat in all major business decisions, Nvohk is prepared to bring their eco-conscious viewpoint to the fashion industry. Benefits of membership include a limited edition Nvohk co-founder t-shirt designed by Robb Havassy, an exclusive member sticker, and a “plant-a-tree” seed pack. For more information, or to become a member, please visit www.projectnvohk.com.
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Elwood Clothing Review
I’m such a lucky Green Girl. How often do you get to sample beautiful, sustainable clothing without having to go shopping? Well just recently Elwood Clothing gave me the opportunity to do just that.
Now I have to confess that this is breaking a bit of a fast for me. At the New Year I said I would only stick to second hand or hand made clothes in an aim to R, R & R in the wardrobe. However, I don’t need to feel guilty about these clothes because they’re made by a company who supports green fashion big time.
Gorgeous Clothing
The more I find out about Elwood Clothing the more I like them. Firstly, the clothes, made from organic cotton, hemp and bamboo; I received the Pamela Pants, the Whitney Dress and the Simone Poncho.
Having never worn bamboo fabric before I couldn’t believe how soft these clothes are, so comfortable and so flattering at the same time. The Whitney dress can be worn either as a cute little evening dress or as a top over jeans and it is the kind of classic style and shape that allows it a long life span. All the same is true for the Simone Poncho too, giving a lovely luxurious feel.
The organic cotton Pamela Pants are like your favourite pair of jeans except they’re brand new. The really great thing is that these pretty, feminine clothes are also tough and made to last. Elwood Clothing guarantee that if any of their products fall apart they will be repaired or replaced for free - Now what does that tell you?
Checking out the other products online, both men’s and women’s, you can see that all of the pieces are cool and casual. Wave goodbye to your ideas of green, affordable fashion being scratchy and unflattering, these clothes are soft and sexy.
Company Credentials
Sustainable fashion is about much more than the clothes, right? How else is the company doing their bit for the environment? I hear you ask. Well I’ll tell you.
Elwood Clothing are involved in 1% For the Planet and use innovative ways to recycle old Elwood products. To celebrate Earth Day they held an event to collect old jeans which were then donated to an organisation who uses them to create insulation for green homes. Those who donated an old pair of jeans received a new pair from Elwood.
Their past environmental and ethical schemes include donating profits to Global Green and other social projects and charities. Future plans involve further work with 1% for the Planet and supporting the work of Rational Animal, an organisation which helps homeless and working animals and wildlife in NYC.
Skateboarding Roots
I can’t talk about Elwood without mentioning their biggest love and influence, Skateboarding. In fact, if you know about skateboarding you’ll be impressed to learn that the Elwood team includes Kenny Anderson, Anthony Pappalardo, Silas Baxter-Neil and John Rattray, who are involved in the design of the clothing.
Music is also a large part of Elwood and last year these two passions went hand in hand with the company releasing their first skateboarding and music video called 1st and Hope. You can watch the video trailer at the Elwood website and enjoy the great Beck soundtrack (one of my favourites).
Elwood also tell me that they support and dress music artists such as Money Mark from the Beastie Boys, Jack Johnson, The Shins, Tristan Prettyman, Rogue Wave, Mt. Egypt and many more.
Have you ever seen so much cool and green all in one place?
Check them out at www.elwoodclothing.com
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Well, aren't you lucky? Our friends over at .
Great Summer Reads to Wake up Your Sex Life
When I think of summer, I have this picture of long lazy days by the water, listening for the distant voices of my children while I wander off into a great book, quietly stepping into some new ways of thinking or sharing in the stories of life that change us just by hearing them. Ana Freud said “Sex is something we do, sexuality is who we are.” What better time than the brief interludes of warm sunny days to ponder the mystery of intimacy, with fresh insights and revelations to bring increased clarity to how we live our sexuality as well as fun and passion to what we do with the people we love most.
Understanding ourselves as sexual beings and building a language to explore who we are in these mysterious places is a large task. For some people, the taboo of adding language to sexual acts keeps them silent and unfulfilled. Even for me, the loveologist that sells love products and can say the words “oral sex” to perfect strangers, I can often find myself silent with my husband, lacking the know how and the courage to describe my fantasies or describe the kind of touch that most moves me.
When I received my copy of “Getting the Sex You Want” by my friend Tammy Nelson, the director of the Center for Healing and Recovery and Passionate Partnerships I was both curious and a little skeptical. Based on the couples therapy work she has been doing at her office in Connecticut, Tammy offers up some well known techniques and strategies for building the communication skills to connect with your partner. The communications method, which is based on the work of Harville Hendrix’s work “Getting the Love You Want” felt a bit contrived at first, but she quickly demonstrates how basic communication skills applied to our intimate lives has the power to revolutionize what you are doing in the bedroom and quickly spills over into the rest of your relationship.
One example she shared of a husband who had so much shame about masturbation (and don’t we all share a bit of that…) experienced such a huge relief when he was finally able to talk about his needs of sharing the experience in their sex life together The book was full of examples and exercises to try by yourself or with your partner that demonstrated how a shared and agreed upon method of communicating about sex could easily turn into inspiring new found abilities to express sexual needs and desires. I was so impressed with the book that I tried the technique myself later that week. Things that I had never thought of saying to my husband suddenly seemed possible.
The first question that anyone going to a sex therapist asks is “Am I normal?” This question and the fear of what it might mean if we deviate from normal in our sexuality can control our lives and our relationships. Another book that has recently come across my desk , Tantra for Erotic Empowerment (by Michaels and Johnson) is an active workbook of sexual self discovery. The books premise that giving and extending permission to experience ourselves as sexual beings without fear of shame or rejection is truly the ground work for profound change and acceptance in the entire relationship.
While I don’t have that much personal experience with Tantra practices, I would say that anyone who is learning to love their partner in a long term relationship is bound to encounter where the physical and spiritual worlds meet in lovemaking. Understanding our sexuality in the context of our human nature normalizes as well as sanctify this most mysterious form of human communication. Unlike many books written about tantric practices, which can get really esoteric, this one provides a clear map for the beginner as well as deeper insights for the tantric practioner. Even if all the content is not for you, there are enough thought provoking exercises to keep the book interesting long after the sun sets.
If you haven’t already read a review about Bonk by Mary Roach, let me say that there is nothing quite like actual sex history to wake you up to the wide and and amazing world of human sexuality. She is a meticulous researcher and has a genuine sense of humor that alleviates any embarrassment you might be feeling about reading about the extremely checkered history that our discomfort with our sexuality has created through the centuries. It will probably help you feel better about the places you are still stuck, and if you ever wondered where some of the far out porn fantasies came from- read sex history. Even if you don’t want to own this book, reserve it at your local library. Some fun fact from the book will spur some exciting discussion at your next barbeque.
Here’s to a summer memorable for how we all learn to love more and show it in ways that will keep you connected long into winter.
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Book Review: Go Green, Live Rich by Arcadia on April 16th, 2008
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Guest Editor: Trish Smith - 10 Ways to Make Your Work Area Green by Vicky on April 16th, 2008
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On Yer Bike….
Bike week starts today and as I may have mentioned a few times before I love cycling, in fact it is one of my most favourite things in the world. So imagine my delight when I heard about a photography competition aimed at celebrating the diversity of women’s cycling.
In order to promote cycling to ladies in the London borough of Lambeth and to show that cycling can be cool and chic, Lambeth council have decided to organise the bicycle belles competition. There are hundreds of women cycling through and around Lambeth every day and the numbers are increasing. As it is no longer the domain of the lycra clad middle class male, they are looking for images that portray the diversity of women and their bikes. So please send them your photographs of women cycling in and around the borough. More info on how to submit your entries here.
For those of you not living or working in Lambeth like myself there is no need to feel left out. I have discovered a fab website called cyclechic where you can upload photos of yourself cycling and looking glam on their facebook group. So what are you waiting for, the weather is great, get on yer bike and don’t forget to take your camera.
Kate
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Green pledges - Spring Update by Anna-Lisa on March 19th, 2008
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The Woman Who Stopped Traffic by Kate on March 5th, 2008
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Save our seals
When I watch wildlife documentaries I love to see playful seals and I would love to take part in a seal watching expedition in Scotland or even on the South East Coast of England (Margate in Kent is becoming a hot spot for seal spotting).
However these popular marine mammals which help attract wildlife tourists to various locations across the world are victims of human cruelty. Seals are brutally and savagely murdered across the world for their skin, oil and most bizarrely by fishermen because seals eat fish to survive!
The Canadian commercial seal hunt
When I think of Canada, I think of a country rich in wildlife however it appears that the Canadian Government may care more about what the fishing industry thinks and increasing GDP from commercial activity than wanting to keep its country rich in wildlife. Each year a cruel and unethical practice takes place in Canada in which seals (including pups aged about 2 weeks to 3 months) are killed with a blow to the head using a wooden club or hakapik.
This hunt is a highly competitive activity and it is disturbing to know that some of the seals are actually skinned before being rendered fully unconscious. Most of the sealers are fishermen who in addition to wanting the seals to sell abroad also have a vested interest as they own sea food companies and thus want to reduce seal population to maintain cod stock levels which in turn will increase their profits.
The 2008 Seal Hunt
The allowed quota for 2008 was 275,000 seals however it was reported that participation in seal hunting was lower than usual and federal officials say that about 80% of the quota was taken (still far too many!!). The reason for low participation included bad weather, high fuel price and the fall in financial value of pelts (half of what they were a year ago).
Seal products
Whilst seal products are not sold in the U.S.A (thanks Marine Mammal Protection Act) they are still legally sold in a variety of countries including the UK!
Seal pelts
Back in 1982, the European Union banned the import of ‘whitecoat’ seal pup pelts (skin) however hunters instead waited until the pups shed their white fur before they killed them.
Seal pelts are still used for a variety of products ranging from designer coats to traditional Scottish sporrans (see photograph below).
However I was delighted to hear that the UK ethical Bank ‘Cop-Operative’ refused to do business with one Scottish kilt company which still uses seal pelts in its sporran range (news source from Guardian newspaper)
Seal meat
After the seals have been skinned most of the meat is wasted and left on the ice, however some is sold and ground up into animal feed and some of the flippers are even sold for human consumption in Newfoundland.
Seal oil
North Atlantic Harp Seal oil is sold in capsules labeled “Terra Nova Omega-3 capsules” by a company called ‘Atlantic Marine Products’. However there is no need at all to source Omega 3 from seals or even fish as ethical alternatives exists including vegan versions containing predominantly seed oil.
Seal products and the EU Legislation
Thanks to the successful lobbying of various conservation and animal welfare organisations the European Commission recently announced that it will seek to ban the import of “inhumane” seal products. However it is not known how long it will be until it is enforced.
Seals and the Fishing industry
It is hard to escape the fact that fish stocks are becoming drastically low, however rather than blaming the unsustainable fish quota’s, many unjustifiable persecute seals simply for eating fish for survival.
Conservation organisations including the Seal Preservation Action Group (SPAG) in the
UK state that:
“There is no scientific evidence to justify claims that seals are threats to fish stocks when human over-fishing clearly is”
In fact research suggests that seals are opportunistic feeders and their diet mainly consists of fish species which commercial fishermen target. According to SPAG:
“It has been estimated that seals in the North Sea account for only 2% of fish stocks annually, compared to 25% to 30% by the fishing industry”
The way in which some fishermen, fish farmers and even the owners of sports fishing rivers deal with seals eating their fish stock is to shoot them. In such instances profit is being put before ethics, animal welfare and nature conservation. However consumers must also play a role in terms of supply and demand, commercial fishermen and fish farmers are protecting fish stock from marine mammals to supply the demand from consumers.
What you can do to help
1) Use your consumer power to protect seals by:
a) Not purchasing any seal by-products
b) Boycott business organisations that sell seal byproducts including fashion designers
c) Help SPAG encourage UK food retailers to stock seal friendly salmon
d) Reduce or even completely stop eating fish
e) Not participating in or funding the sport fishing industry
2) Lobby for change:
a) Help SPAG encourage the UK government to create a Seal Protection Act whereby the killing of seals will be strictly forbidden. If you would like to help SPAG’s campaign, please write to the relevant UK and Scottish Ministers calling for the protection of seals.
Their addresses are:
Lord Rooker, Minister for Animal Welfare, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, Nobel House, London SW1P 3JR
Richard Lochhead MSP Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Scottish Parliament,Edinburgh EH99 1SP
b) Write to the Canadian Ambassador in your country and pledge to boycott all Canadian seafood products until sealing is ended.
In the UK the address is Canadian High Commission, Macdonald House,1 Grosvenor Square, London,W1X 0AB
c) Write to UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown demanding that the UK introduces a unilateral ban on the import of all seal products as have EU partners Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands:
Rt Hon.Gordon Brown MP, Prime Minister, Downing Street, London, SWIA 2AA
I have written to all of the above and I hope that GGG readers will get involved to help protect seals too!
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Nature's Baby Boom by Vicky on May 25th, 2008
This is the most amazing time of year, everywhere you look there's new life.
Ask Lola the eco-dog by Guest Editor on May 2nd, 2008
A slobbering advice column written by a dog for eco-minded dogs & their owners
Dear Lola: Finally, its summer again! Time to hike, run, and play with Buster at the park or on the trail.
Wild Surveying: Mammals by Anna-Lisa on March 31st, 2008
Who’s your favourite Wildlife presenter? My personal favourite has always been David Attenborough who inspired me at a young age to connect with nature.
Guest Editor: Gerry Hogan - Using Green to Go Green…
“What’s a nice Irish girl like you doing in a place like this?” might well be the opening line for conversation with me. Twenty-seven years of calling the Sonoran Desert home has me convinced that you can transplant, but you can’t take the green out of the girl. The new green that is.
Recently I downsized from a large house. The search for a two-bedroom house in the foothills of the Catalina Mountains, in Tucson, Arizona, offered few choices. With three weeks to go before handing over my previous home I settled on the smallest and ugliest house on the list. Unloved, lacking in any exterior charm whatsoever, the house had the elements that I was looking for. Namely: small; spectacular views of the mountains; a neighborhood where dog and I could walk in the desert, and, a rarity in these parts, a twenty minute walk to a grocery store, several restaurants and coffee shops. Furthermore, improvements are scheduled for the main artery road to include sidewalks, bike path and noise reduction road surfacing.
The house is brick construction, circa 1983 and a structural inspection, pronounced it “sound”. Built into a hillside with garage below, the steps leading up the front door enforce daily cardio.
Living in the desert affords a blissful climate for eight months out of the year and blast furnace heat June through September. Anything you do to limit direct effects of the Sun’s heat is a bonus. This house has south facing wall of French doors….a conduit for the sun …opening onto a back yard area that housed a shabby, plaster coated pool, and enough concrete on which to drill (even grill) a regiment. Not a blade of grass or leaf marred its jarring horribleness!
My first task was to create shade. I did my homework and located a company that made aluminium trellises. One product, touted to look like aged redwood, exceeded expectations. We covered the entire back yard (excluding the pool) with a trellis, 14 ft. high and affording 60 percent shade pattern. I did research on using recycled aluminium but it was not available. Deep awnings now shade the remaining windows on the south side of the house. The pool was resurfaced with a black “Pebbletec’ to retain heat. The aging pool heater and chlorine filtering system went to the dump and I put in a salt filtering system. The concrete surface was coated with a spray -on product “Kooldeck” in a soft terra cotta and softened the concrete. Next came pots and vines. On the east side I put in mature wisteria, which have already reached trellis height and are forming a green wall. To climb the columns I chose an orange trumpet vine and a jasmine…both frost hardy and evergreen. The result is a sala fresca, an outdoor room that is cool, inviting and shady. By this time next year, the vines and wisteria will cover the entire “roof” area. The direct sun into the great room has been eliminated and despite recent 100F plus temperatures, the interior house temperature has not risen above 84F. Compare that to the October morning when I first saw the house and the thermostat showed an interior temperature of 97F.
The front of the house beautification involved carving out a portion of the hillside. The dirt was carted round back to form a “mesa” behind the pool wall on which I planted native Mesquite and Palo Verde trees. A small area was walled in for a front garden; the Irish in me surfaced and I do have a bed sheet sized lawn. I have planted grape vines and a fig tree, creating green surfaces on exposed walls to offset bricks retaining heat from the sun. A tiny side yard off my study has become a vegetable garden and with the help of a large shade umbrella, tomatoes, onions, herbs and other vegetables are thriving and my study is a cool, pleasant spot. Along the perimeter of the property I have planted citrus trees.
Now I can hear the voices : “what about water…she’s created an oasis”. Everything is on a drip system that is carefully monitored to give exactly the amount of water needed. My exterior trees make use of grey water from the washing machine and creating catchment wells around their trunks prevents run-off. Native trees are not watered; I have built dry river beds to carry monsoon rain run off into basins; plantings outside the walls on the west side are the beneficiaries of pool back flow. Plans are in place to monitor rain run-off this coming monsoon season and, based on that pattern, to install a water -harvesting holding tank in the obsolete underground septic tank.
My point is that a girl can have her green in the desert and remain green. So many voices clamor that green demands sacrifice. My contention is that green demands knowing your property and applying common sense management. I made one self-indulgent concession this year…I planted a bed of annual flowers to tide me over whilst the native perennials and treasured roses (brought from the old house) got their toes in the earth. This coming fall that bed will be home to vegetables.
Gerry Hogan has lived in the USA for 43 years. Her primary career was in the manufacture of instruments for observing the surface of the Sun. Her retirement career is the publication of an on-line magazine for women www.connectionsforwomen.com
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