Polypropylene (PP), otherwise known as plastic #5, was created in 1957 as a cheap alternative to polyethylene. In 1999, polypropylene accounted for only 2% of all plastic bottles in the United States. Bottles aside, a lot of our food containers are made from plastic #5, including those at Whole Foods. In fact, this is […]

Turning landfill-bound kitchen waste into rich gardening soil is a very sustainable practice, even in tiny suburban-sized doses. I love the idea of using free homemade soil to enrich the garden plot I’m using to grow some summer veggies, all while learning loads about biology, chemistry, and patience.
Composting is a green activity that’s a bit […]

I was up on 17 North, so I stopped by the Charleston County Recycling drop site located at the Berkeley Electric Co-Op. I have to say, I was less than impressed. I was only out there to take a photo for our Green Maps section, and thank goodness because it isn’t a recycling-friendly […]

The holiday season is a great time for giving to family, friends, churches, and especially nonprofits. What better time then now to give a little back to the local organizations working hard to save our common environment. A sustainable future starts locally, and these 10 nonprofits are on the front lines doing all they can. […]

Kicking off the new year, Concerned Citizens of the Sea Islands will be holding a Design Charrette (I had to look it up too) aimed at finding alternatives to the expansion of I-526. The collaborative sessions will be lead by Glatting Jackson, experts in progressive transportation solutions, and explore better ways to use the […]

Well, things have been going according to plan over at the Norman Family Compost Pile. It’s been a great experiment, and I’ve been getting advice from all over the place. And since sharing is what this blog is all about, here are some juicy tidbits:

I need to water the pile more. It’s so dry […]

When I was breaking down an empty detergent box the other day, I stopped to look at the scoop before throwing it out. It was labeled as a #1 plastic, which means it’s recyclable here in the Lowcountry. In fact, it’s RPET, which is already recycled polyethylene terephthalate. Using RPET products supports the market […]

Chad was suffering from a drippy cold, and came home with two boxes of Kleenex. I’m pretty sure I made an audible gasp when I saw those cute designer boxes, but I said nothing to Chad. He had a bad cold after all. I mean, have you ever seen his nose?
I used […]

Sometimes I get so caught up in recycling that I pay less attention than I should to the other two R’s…Reducing and Reusing. Recycling is great, but ideally we should be using less and reusing more. And while reducing the amount of stuff we use is ideal, it often feels like a punishment.
Reusing […]

I just ran across a post over at Get Inspired Charleston about Charleston’s Reality Check. Hosted by the Urban Land Institute, the December 3rd event brought together local elected officials, developers, and business owners to discuss the 265,000 new residents and 186,000 new jobs that will be added to the Charleston-area over the next […]

Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), otherwise known as plastic #4, was created in 1933 by Imperial Chemical Industries. In 1999, LDPE accounted for only 1% of all plastic bottles in the United States. While this isn’t a lot, plastic #4 does make appearances in our lives…
What is it made of?
LDPE is a thermoplastic made from […]

Chad has really been pushing me to blog about this goal I have:
On average, my car stays in the garage one day each week.
About two years ago, I realized that as a stay at home mom, I never stayed at home. I also began reading and hearing about peak oil production. […]

Driving all around town shopping for holiday gifts is a resource hog - too much time, too much gas, too much hassle.
That’s why I’ve turned to Amazon.com year after year to help reduce my trips into the seasonal chaos. And while this is a welcome convenience, all those boxes do generate a mountain of waste […]

I was wandering around Lowe’s the other day with my two boys, and we were doing more playing than shopping. After riding the lawn mowers, discussing the merits of various fountains, and taking a trip through Holiday Decoration Valley, we literally bumped into the “Caution: Wet Floor” sign.
This ubiquitous yellow pyramid can be […]

Our good friends over at the Coastal Conservation League have just released Global Warming Guy, a light hearted take on a serious issue: global climate change. The goal of this video is to educate viewers on the issue and encourage them to follow links to CCL’s website to learn more. It’s a great […]

Is that green snow I see? Green Drinks Charleston is having their holiday gathering at Global Awakening fair trade market at 499 King Street. The event starts at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 5th, and the after party will take place at the The Trusted Palate. These events are a blast if you enjoy […]