Getting ready for the garden

I got so excited to see seeds at the store this weekend. My big plan this summer is to start a garden. In Minnesota, this means starting the planting season indoors. Since I just planted my first flower garden last spring and have no idea if it will even survive the winter, I guess I'm being a bit presumptuous to assume I should start a vegetable garden before the snow melts.

Despite the possibility that my gardening skills may cause more harm then good, I eagerly walked into Bachman's to buy all things necessary for indoor gardening. I boldly chose a variety of heirloom* and organic seeds without help from staff. As I checked out, I casually asked, "so when should I start these seeds?"

Turns out, I really am overzealous. Of the seeds I selected, only the tomatoes, broccoli, and bell peppers need to be started indoors. And, they don't need to start until at least the end of March. Like I so often did in high school, I guess I started my countdown to summer too early. But in order to hold on to my sunshine bright glimmer of hope, I bought the seeds anyway. Now my indoor garden sits in its packaging in a window, waiting for my gardening countdown to reach 0.


*Heirloom seeds are seeds that have been handed down from generations passed. Often, people save their heirloom seeds from year to year and may hand them down over generations. Over time, many of these cultivars have died out, much like an extinct species. By planting heirloom seeds, gardens are given greater variety and flavor. In addition, genetic diversity (which I view as life-enriching) is protected. And overall, I like the connection to a deep sense of history I get by planting such old varieties of food.

Want to save water?

A cheap way to save water as well as your wallet is to limit how much water you use when you flush. Since we're not in a position to buy a dual flush toilet right now (and it'd be wasteful to get rid of a perfectly good toilet anyway) we limit our water usage by putting a milk jug filled with water in the tank. This limits how full the tank gets, and therefore prevents the bowl from filling too full as well. This also still leaves enough water to...take care of business.

And while I'm on the subject of toilets, I'll take this opportunity to mention we also buy toilet paper made from recycled paper. I thought this would be a tough transition from our cushy Charmin, but it does the job just fine.

Got Snow?

Today's simple tip:

Skip the snowblower. Reduce your carbon footprint and get some exercise. If I can shovel snow onto piles literally as tall as me, I have confidence that you can too!

Recycle

Today's tip is simple: recycle.

I have met a number of people who don't recycle, even when it's simple. So if you don't know where to start, just throw your office paper in the paper bin instead of the garbage at work, and you're already reducing your carbon footprint. Simple.

Global Warming?

It has come to my attention that many people don't believe global warming is happening, or that if it is, it is not problematic. It has also come to my attention that when I try to have intelligent discussions about this issue, I don't have a whole lot to back up my statements...yet. This is my attempt to rectify that situation. After more extensive research, here's what I've learned about global warming.

The first question is, is the planet actually getting warmer? 

According to National Geographic, there are signs of warming all over. Sea levels are rising abnormally, says Gelu Selugiuc. Thicker rings in trees demonstrate hotter growing periods (National Geographic), and those rings are showing us hotter periods in recent years. And an article on ScienceDaily points to studies of sediment layers as further evidence of the increasing temperatures.

In addition, there is truth in numbers. Thomas L. Friedman says in Hot, Flat, and Crowded, "The general agreement among climate experts is that the earth has already warmed on average by 0.8 degrees Celsius (1.44 degrees Fahrenheit) above its level in 1750, with the most rapid rise occurring since 1970 (Friedman, pg. 16)." And while it is true that normal fluctuations in average temperature have occurred naturally, the problem is that our current heat wave is happening at a much faster rate than in the past.

So the planet's hotter. Being from Minnesota, everyone I know talks about moving someplace warmer anyway. Why is a warming Earth bad? 

Environmental Graffiti says there are 5 deadly effects: 1) spreading diseases, 2) increased natural disasters, 3) increased risk of drought and heat waves, 4) economical impacts, and 5) melting polar ice caps. The impact that each of these will have on humanity, not to mention ecosystems and other life, are so far reaching that one blog post won't cut it. Just Google "why is global warming bad?" to get started on your own research.

Basically, I see global warming as a slow (though speeding up) path to disaster. Not for me, but for my future generations. And I am not okay with leaving that legacy to my children.

Got it, it's a problem. Are we sure it's humanity's fault?

Sure, some global warming is normal, and greenhouse gases keep our planet the temperature it's supposed to be. The problem is when greenhouse gases increase unnaturally, our thermal blanket gets too thick and keeps too much heat in. This is what is currently happening. According to National Geographic, by drilling into polar ice sheets, scientists access bubbles which give us a picture of what air quality was like at the time the ice formed. This research has shown that concentrations of greenhouse gases have been steadily increasing since the industrial revolution.

And it is the carbons humans emit that are causing this blanket to thicken, which is why the earth is warming at a faster than normal rate. According to an article by the BBC, things like burning fossil fuels, deforesting, and methane released from agricultural animal waste all contribute to an unhealthy increase in greenhouse gases.

Okay, so humans are causing it. then the only question left to ask is, what do we need to do to fix it?

And from this, we circle back to the first day I started this blog. There are so many things we can do differently in order to stop this, and many other, negative trends. I don't mean that we should go pre-industrial. Technology and research have taken us to new levels of social responsibility if we use them right. We can move forward in a more responsible way by learning from the past.

What can you do on an individual level? Please continue to read our posts. Make your own informed decisions about what you will do to make a positive impact. Start basic-reduce, reuse, recycle. We are just one family making our personal choices to be more responsible. Please post your own comments about what you do to leave the planet a little better. We are always looking for new ways to revolutionize our existence.