Gardening is obviously not for everyone and it probably shouldn’t even be considered a baby step, except that it can be done as simple or as complicated as fits your lifestyle. Growing some amount of your own food is one of the most sustainable things you can do, but even growing herbs, native landscape, or beneficial plants to support the ecology of your area is important too.

While I could easily write too much on ways to garden or what to garden, I’m going to stick to what I love: growing organic fruits and vegetables without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers. There is really a myriad of awesome info out there, so I’m going to highlight a few of the lesser known techniques I’ve picked up from local gardeners, as well as some often overlooked methods. Here goes nothing:

First up is prevention through health:

1. 1. Maintaining soil health is the first and foremost thing you need to do when growing fruits and veggies. Sick plants are much more susceptible to insect invasion. Keep them watered properly (not too much, not too little), amend the soil with compost and mulch and plant them in the right place so they are getting proper amounts of sun and shade. Compost tea is also a great way to keep plants healthy and it also helps to take care of anything funky going on in your soil. You may also wish to test your soil for nutrients it is lacking. An inexpensive test can be purchased at garden centers or you can order a professional one that will give you much more comprehensive results. Professional soil tests usually cost between $30-60 depending on who does it.
2. 2. If you need more fertilizer than you have compost, stick with organic fertilizers – well-composted manure, cover crops, bone, blood, or feather meal, coffee grounds from local coffee shops, fish emulsion (some gardeners bury entire fish heads) and the likes. Most organic fertilizers can be found at a garden center – if your garden center doesn’t carry them, find a new place to shop. Chemical fertilizers will kill the microbes in your soil, creating unhealthy plants more prone to attack.
3. 3. Companion plantingis another important step. Garlic is said to drive off aphids from roses; basil to protect tomatoes. Things should be planted closely together (high-density) and interspersed with other plants to create a permaculture-like habitat. I like this guide from Golden Harvest Organics but there are many more sources out there.
4. 4. Silver reflective mulch is pretty cool. It is laid down over the soil, small holes can be cut in it and your starter plants (or maybe even directly sown seed?) can be planted inside. It works two ways: One is by being shiny and freaking out birds to keep them away. The other is by shining light on the underside of leaves to repel shade-seeking insects. This will be the first year I use silver reflective mulch – mainly on my more difficult tomatoes - but many local gardeners swear by it. We live with very intense heat and sun in the summer and as long as we are watering properly, there is no problem with the extra light.

Next up is insect control:

1. 1. Beneficial insectsare the first step here. Lady bugs, praying mantis, some spiders, lacewings and certain types of nematodes will take care of many insect problems. Certain flowers will attract these insects – herbs like dill, fennel and cilantro; flowers like cosmos or geraniums or even dandelions are said to attract ladybugs. Or you can get a local community going by purchasing them. Just remember if you don’t have enough for them to eat they won’t hang around, so don’t purchase 500 ladybugs before you’ve seen a single aphid.
2. 2. Hand-pickingis time-consuming but really the best way to control insects. Check the undersides of leaves, and squish bugs you find or remove the leaf entirely. Done for a few minutes each day should prevent most infestations from occuring.
3. 3. There are two products I’ve encountered a lot this past year. They are both considered “organic” but I’m not sure they would be considered “sustainable”. However, neither is it sustainable when you lose your entire crop and have to shop at Safeway, so here are some emergency-only tips for infestations; neither of these things should be used in place of observant hands-on care:
   • Diatomaceous Earth – According to the all-knowing, completely inerrant Word of Wikipedia, DE “is a naturally occurring, soft, chalk-like sedimentary rock that is easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder”. It’s the fossilized remains of diatoms and acts both as a repellent and a bug assassin. To the bug it supposedly looks shiny and sparkly and reminds them of the college days to scare them off. If any daring bugs go near it, it sucks the moisture out of them. I’ve also been told it is razor-sharp to insects and can cut them, but I’m not finding anything to back this up now. This also hurts beneficials so it should only be used when absolutely necessary! Also, it can be drying to the skin of humans and should not be inhaled (like any rock sediment, I suppose). Also, it may not work well in very humid climates.
   • Bacillus thuringiensisis a naturally occuring bacteria found in the stomachs of caterpillars. Incidentally it’s used to kill caterpillars, such as the grape leaf skeletonizer (the little Effer that got my grapes last year). It is mixed with water and sprayed on the underside of leaves. I (obviously) have not had much luck with this but many people swear by it for any type of caterpillar. Again, it can affect beneficials, such as butterflies, so it is really a worse case scenario product.

This is not by any means a comprehensive list. Other more basic techniques to look into are neem oil, garlic oil, soapy water or oil and water which suffocates some insects, sticky traps, copper to deter slugs, an entire technique called Integrated Pest Management, and too many more to remember. Also, keep in mind I’m no expert. If you can add to this list in any way, please do so in the comments!

And one last thing to remember: a healthy garden that produces healthy food will have insects and you will occasionally see leaf damage or lose a tomato. Don’t try to totally knock out the entire insect population and don’t expect spotless vegetables. Strive for balance, health and a thriving ecosystem.

Start by contacting any companies who’s catalog you wish to no longer receive. Other small businesses that may be sending you mail may need a personal call from you as well (we habitually get letters from a few air conditioning services). When you receive these, make the call before you toss the letter or start a pile for companies to call when you have a free moment (just don’t put it off too long or you may forget!).

When the junk mail is excessive try services like DMAchoice.org. And opt out of credit card offers by calling 1-888-5OPTOUT. That one phone number has cut our junk mail in half!

For all other junk mail that can’t be stopped (like grocery store ads – yes, I’ve tried and no, my mailman won’t help), be sure to stick them in your paper recycling bin before you curse the waste.

Whether it’s your child’s school lunch or your own mid-day meal at work, strive for a No-Garbage Lunch. Use a reusable lunchbox instead of a brown bag, place food in plastic containers and store beverages in a thermos or stainless steel water bottle instead of plastic baggies or water bottles, and pack a cloth napkin and reusable eating utensils.

You can even bring your own mugs, plates or utensils to the cafeteria line if non-disposable choices aren’t an option where you dine!

Push mowers last longer (you can sharpen dull blades easily to prolong its life), leave the cut grass behind which decomposes into fertilizer and are inexpensive. A push mower can be purchased new for around $70. Or check your local Craigslist or Ebay for a used deal.

If you already have a gas or electric mower and cannot yet invest in a man-powered model, try mowing less often to decrease your energy usage and emissions output.

But there are several ways to improve your odds of inspiration.

#1 Remain Inspirational!
No one wants to hear It’s The End Of The World As We Know It. It’s a scary idea that we might be destroying our Earth or running out of resources. No matter how you feel about the facts, remaining positive is crucial to inspiring others to want to follow a sustainable path.

#2 Lead By Example
But don’t be afraid to admit you’re not perfect. Even if you are. Share what you’re doing in a non-pushy way. Show how excited you are about your actions, how much fun you’re having and especially talk about how much money you’re saving. Nothing inspires a person like the posibility of saving gaggles of money!

#3 Lend a Hand
Making sustainable steps can be overwhelming, but having a friend like you to help answer questions and share insight can lighten the load. Careful not to offer to much without being asked. People tend to get annoyed by our Must Save The World mentality. Go figure.

#4 Get Creative
Try a bumper sticker, a written message on your car window (Drive55.org, perhaps?), a t-shirt or a friendly conversation with the clerk about your canvas bags. Perhaps make up small business cards with favorite links or books to leave with interested parties. Give yourself a goal of starting one “green” conversation with someone new each week. Or ask questions of other people to get them thinking (i.e. What do you think about peak oil and sustainability?)

#5 Share This Blog
You didn’t think I wouldn’t add a plug, did you? But more than just this blog, share other links, books, resources, websites, etc through your own blog, the signature on your email or as linked references to ideas you are sharing. But definitely share this awesome blog first. Pass it along to your friends, add it to your blogroll, mention it in a blog post, email or group. And don’t forget to mention if you’d like to be added to the Sustainable People blogroll. Or maybe you have a fantastical post that I can link in a future post.

Whatever the case or whatever the idea, spreading the word in a positive and supportive way is the best way to inspire, rather than turn away. Any cool stories about how you’ve spread the word?

There are plenty of icky chemical rust remover that will do the trick. But they require energy to produce them, are hazard to our health and are tricky to dispose of. Rust may be easily eaten away with any acidic substances, so why not remove rust by using common household ingredients?

Scrubbing Rust Remover:

Lemon or Lime Juice (the acid)
Baking Soda, Cream of Tartar or Salt (an abrasive)

To remove rust from metals, make a paste using those two ingrediants and apply to the rusted areas. ten to twenty minutes later, use a stuff bristled brush or toothbrush to scrub the rust away.

Soaking Rust Remover:

Soaking the item in vinegar will also eat away at the rust. Get the kiddos invovled with this one; very fun to watch it bubble away. Don’t leave anything in vinegar for too long though as it will eventually start to eat away at the metal too!

Interesting Rust Remover:

10 parts water
1 part black molasses

The phosphoric acid in the molasses does the trick for this one. This solution seems to work a little slower but seems to result in a somewhat shinier finish than vinegar.

Fabric Rust Remover:

To remove rust from fabric, try using only the lemon or lime juice and allowing it to soak on the spot for a short time before laundering. A little sun bleaching may be order but be careful not to leave it in the sun too long or you could get permanent bleach spots.

A new kind of rechargeable battery is out on the market: the new hybrid Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) cells. These come fully charged like regular alkaline batteries but are able to maintain their charge over many months, unlike the more common rechargeables. Because of this, they are great for any devices from flash lights and remotes to digital cameras.

Now keep in mind that even though this a “greener” technology, it’s still far from perfect. The nickel inside the battery is relatively easy to remove and recycle – if one remembers to recycle it. It also lacks the toxic cadmium found in other batteries. But the mining for the metals it does contain still have an effect on the environment.

So this is merely one step in a sustainable direction. Perhaps we need solar powered remote controls that hang in the window when not in use? Heck, maybe we could even stand up to change the channel!

Lost: Remote Control
Originally uploaded by jaqian

Here’s a question I’m asking myself: For those not ready to give up their remote controls, is it better to purchase a new (or used) master control and therefore only use one set of batteries but waste resources in making that new controller? Or would it be better to use more batteries on the several remotes that came with your “stuff” but not purchase a new controller? Or is it even better to keep all the original controllers but only use one set of batteries and just switch them from remote to remote as needed?

Oh, the conundrums of sustainable living with an entertainment addict. What do you think?

There is no better feeling of fulfillment than to give, to share with others your abundance of time or resources, and to know you are making a difference in the lives of those in need. The options for social activism are endless and span beyond your own community and into the entire world. But the phrase “Think Globally, Act Locally” still applies, just in a different way. To have the best impact, I believe in the 1:2 ratio. For every one global cause you support, two local causes should also be supported. In doing so, you are first improving your own community, which better enables everyone to take care of others.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Local Shelters: Holiday soup kitchens are the first thing that pops into a persons mind when they think of volunteering. But the holiday season isn’t the only time you’re needed in a local shelter’s kitchen. Or perhaps they need your help sorting through donations or cleaning up.
• Neighborhood Cleanup: This is the simplest service you could give to your community. Just bring a trash bag along on your walk around the neighborhood and scoop up any trash you see. Bring a separate bag for recyclable items and a dustpan and broom for broken glass.
• Adopt Land: Similar to the Neighborhood Cleanup, adopting a piece of land to maintain is fairly simple. It could be a hiking trail, a favorite picnic spot or a camping locale. You can clear trash, fallen branches or plant seeds.
• Adopt a Family: This is among my most cherished holiday memories. Whenever we could afford it, we would find a family in need and anonymously donate a holiday dinner, gifts for the family, household items or any other need we saw. As a young child it instilled in me a sense of purpose and ingrained the importance of giving over receiving.
• Craftivism: I first heard this term in Amanda Soule’s The Creative Family and fell in love with it. It is a way to use your creative endeavors – such as sewing, crocheting, knitting, etc – to the benefit of others. By creating and donating things such as afghans, hats, scarfs, mittens or more you are fulfilling your need to create with another’s physical need. And this can be done on a local or global level. To get you started here are some websites or simply start creating and donating in your community:
  - Afghans for Afghans – crocheting afghans for people in Afghanistan
  - Caps to the Capital – crocheting or knitting baby caps
  - Project Linus – creating “security” blankets for children
• Community Gardens: Do you love to garden? Take that passion to a local shelter, place of worship, retirement home or elderly neighbor! Raising funds for such projects are easy (try a “free” yard sale where all proceeds benefit the garden or find a local small business that would be willing to help sponsor) and the friendships made and lives changed will be worth the effort.
• Special Helper: Find a person in need – perhaps a disabled or elderly neighbor – and “help out”. They may need help grocery shopping, cleaning or maintaining their home, running errands, fixing their vehicle, or writing holiday greeting cards. Or maybe they just need a little company. Find a need and fill it.
• Give Time: There are many organizations in our community and nationwide that need your precious time – YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, or Meals on Wheels to name a few. The key is finding one that resonates with you. Do an online search, ask friends or family or look through your phone book to see what your community offers.
• Give Money: Although time or services are very important to many organizations, monetary donations are equally as important and offer a way to give back for anyone short on time. Research an organization well to know where your money is going and choose one that has the smallest percentage of administrative costs.
• Get Your Kids Involved: Involving kids in community and global activities is crucial to our sustainability. Help to instill in your children a sense of responsibility for the world they live in by finding appropriate ways for them to assist.

If you’re not involved yet, find a way to be so. But remember the 1:2 ratio and give a bit more to your local community.

If you are currently involved, would you care to share? And if you have any other creative ideas on how to get involved locally, nationally or globally please share them.

Here are some ways to decrease your throw-aways from the produce section:

• I’m sure it’s obvious to many people that those thick bands around your broccoli can be reused as rubber bands. But I thought it was oh-so-clever to cut them in half and Viola! Two rubber bands!
• Take the mesh bag that your onions or garlic came in, place your washcloth inside and you have an instant scrubber. No more excuses as to why you just have to buy those expensive wasteful little scrubby pads. These bad boys work like a charm!
• Reuse the plastic bags your oranges, apples or potatoes come in for doggy waste pickup (or as a small trash bag in your vehicle).
• Don’t use the small plastic bags offered for fruits and vegetables! These are the most confounded thing I’ve ever seen! They don’t keep them from being bruised, you still have to wash them before eating them so cleanliness shouldn’t be an issue and the cashier usually has to take them out of the bag to find the coded sticker. What’s the point? Use your reusable canvas bags or just place them in your cart near your eggs.
• Does your fruit come in unnecessary packaging? Be sure to leave a comment with the manager on the uselessness and waste associated with such methods. Just don’t turn into an Eco-Nazi – be friendly and upbeat with your suggestions to win people over.
• Think about what you buy before you buy it. Are you buying the bag of baby carrots instead of the banded large carrots? Chances are baby carrots require more packaging, as well as cost more for a smaller amount. Is a little extra slicing worth it?

And lastly but worthy of it’s own post:

• Choose organic whenever possible. Organic foods sustain our soil, supply us with more nutrients, taste better, protect our wildlife and its food source (insects) and ensure us we’re not consuming GMO’s (Genetically Modified Organisms; aka Franken-foods).