Thank goodness for the wonderful stores and markets where I am able to conveniently purchase food for myself and my family. I am being sincere. Thank you Whole Foods, thank you Harris Teeter, thank you Mt. Pleasant Farmer’s Market, thank you CSA, the Norman’s really need you. Without you, we would starve, as my bleak [...]

Zoe and I had the absolute pleasure of volunteering a few hours of our time for Fields to Families. I was introduced to this non-profit through two of Chad’s coworkers, who are on the board, and I instantly wanted to help. After looking at my schedule and capabilities, I decided helping at a booth at [...]

Today was the annual Dump the Pump event presented by CARTA. As I looked at our schedule, I knew I wouldn’t be able to participate. I do want to continue to try to utilize public transportation whenever we are able. I hope their event today was an huge success, and look forward to reading their [...]

Many years ago, while changing my niece’s diaper, my dad asked which type of diaper I would choose for my own children one day. As I gagged and flinched and gagged some more while wiping her bottom, I was convinced I would be doomed to filling landfills for centuries with my children’s diapers. And yet, [...]

Halloween! I love it. The costumes, the candy, the cooler weather, the parties, the decorations and of course, carving pumpkins – a plethora of fun for all ages. Hmmm…all that spooky fun can cause a lot of consumption and waste. Chad and I found some ways to manage our haunting excesses, and I’m certain we [...]

Our foray into cleaning with vinegar has been great, so I thought I’d share some of the cool things I’ve learned: Vinegar is as old as dirt. Not really, but vinegar has been a part of human life for 10,000 years. Hippocrates used apple cider vinegar for its many healing properties. 1 cup of vinegar, [...]

Have you noticed the new captions in the produce department of Harris Teeter? Cute handwritten bubble signs announcing, “locally grown.” No kidding. Cabbages, collards, mustard greens, peaches, grape tomatoes, and others display their hometown pride. It is reassuring that a regional, but large, grocery store is utilizing the farms here in the Carolinas. The shipping [...]

Last weekend I stopped and met the man who I’ve seen picking up litter around our neighborhood. Most Saturdays, Steve Carron walks and jogs outside for exercise. He couldn’t help but notice the forgotten items thrown carelessly by his feet. Steve simply began picking the litter up and carrying it home for proper disposal. He [...]

It’s back to school time! Well, for us, this is our first jump into the wonders of public school (Kindergarten, here we come!) Leading up to the big day, one question has been popular in the conversations: Will he ride the bus? We have lived in our neighborhood for 8 years, and I have never [...]

My little GDiaper boy is growing up, and he is enjoying the feel of underpants – especially in this heat! Most disposable diapers use sodium polyacrylate to ensure long lasting dry diapers. Have you ever put Pampers in the ocean? It will absorb and expand to an unsightly size until the gel turns into tiny [...]

I have enjoyed being a member of CSA. Serving meals made with fresh local produce made me proud. As I continue to learn as a homemaker, I realize that the meals I prepare impact our environment. Not only did I learn about different veggies, I tried new recipes. Sure, the beet chips didn’t work out [...]

Hopefully we are all showing some thought to the environment when driving these days. Purchases of hybrid vehicles, public transportation, car-pooling, even hypermiling can all contribute to the causes of these days. Whether your reasons are economic or environmental, we all need to make more changes. I have found that the best way I can [...]

I am now an Ambrose Family Farm CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) member. On Wednesday evening, I picked up the first summer harvest from a volunteer’s home in Park West, Mt. Pleasant. We emptied the box and filled one of my canvas bags with cobs of corn, onions, carrots, yellow and green squash, cucumbers, beets, kale, [...]

This Tuesday, June 3rd, DwellSmart will be hosting a gathering with topics concerning children. Raising our kids in an environmentally sound manner can be daunting. I look forward to hearing about plastics made without BPA and other products that are safe for their well-being. I know DwellSmart has begun to carry GDiapers, hooray! I hope [...]

Every day my boys and I take notice of the trees and flowers blooming in our yard. This season, we are also watching vegetables bloom and grow in our backyard. The reasons for adding a vegetable garden seemed only natural, and exciting, to us. Chad and I are avid gardeners. We truly enjoy planting perennials, [...]

Many years ago as a professional ballet dancer, I carried my ballet shoes in a string bag. My pointe shoes needed air after those long rehearsals. I remember shopping with a fellow dancer and watching her dump out her shoes in the car and then refill her mesh bag with apples and oranges. My current [...]

What fun my littlest guy and I had riding the bus downtown! Graham and I sat on the bench and caught the CARTA bus at 9 a.m. The bus was on time, so our wait was minimal. We boarded, paid $1.25, and rode route 40 downtown. Graham was comfortable and quiet on my lap, until [...]

It’s official. After living in Mt. Pleasant for almost eleven years, I had yet to use a form of public transportation. No longer – I introduced myself to CARTA via bus route 40. I am officially becoming a bus rider. I consulted the website for CARTA, and was dismayed by the lack of working information [...]

Whole Foods Markets across the U.S. will be celebrating Earth Day by eliminating plastic bags. Once the store on Houston Northcutt Boulevard uses all of its supply, there will no longer be a choice of paper or plastic. Hooray! What a great way for this company to set an example. Disposable plastic bags are an [...]

The Sustainability Institute and TrySports present the Green Village Tour 8k Race /5k walk on May 3rd. The course winds through the new environmentally sensitive developments in the Park Circle area. This is a certified course – set your stop watch. The organizers have taken many steps to be green. What a good reason to [...]