Help your dog to save the planet

You know the routine, you wake up in the moring to take Rover out to do his “business” and he has to inspect every tree, fire hydrant and lamppost in the area before he finds “the chosen one.”

Why there has to be this daily search is beyond me.  You’d think that the spot he chose yesterday would still be good today, right?  We may never know the science behind the search, but we do know that we have to pick it up.  That’s the rule: they poop, you scoop.  So what do you use for your clean-up duty?

How about a BioBag? A traditional plastic bag can take up to 100 years to breakdown whereas the BioBag is made from corn and breaks down in a far less amount of time.  So while your keeping the pet-friendly landscape of  Walden clean, you’re also helping to conserve the planet.  It’s a win-win for everyone.

So go ahead puppy, sniff away, stroll around and pick your favorite.  No worries, we’ve got all the time in the world for you to do your business. At least it won’t take all the time in the world for the baggie to decompose.

Take it easy at the gas tank!

A Green Tip, courtesy of the EPA…

During hot weather, don’t top off your gas tank.  Refuel your car or truck in the early morning or the evening when it’s cooler.  A small fuel spill may not seem like much, but every spill evaporates and adds to air pollution, and fuel pumps with vapor recovery systems can feed a spill back into their tanks – after you paid for it. So, in hot weather – don’t top off!

Check out the U.S. Environmental Protection agency website for more Green Tips!  Celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day!  And please share any tips of your own!

In-Season Produce: English Trifle

We now know that buying in-season fruits and vegetables, particularly produce that has been grown locally, is better for our environment (and probably our taste buds and bodies too).  But it also provides an exciting opportunity to try new foods and to experiment with seasonal recipes!

Check out this recipe for English Trifle.  If you make it, shoot a picture of your finished dish and upload it to the Walden at Chatham Center Facebook page.  Anyone interested in having a community cooking contest?

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 621 | Total Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 29mg

In-Season Produce: Markets near Walden at Chatham Center

Do you shop for your fresh food and produce locally? If not, you may want to give it some serious consideration. Although today’s global market allows us to buy foods grown almost anywhere in the world at any given time, this option is not the most sustainable.

Buying in-season fruits and vegetables that are locally grown helps to eliminate the environmental damage caused by shipping foods across the country – and in some cases – the world. Not only does your food dollar go directly to the farmers, but you’re able to enjoy the health benefits of eating fresh, better tasting, unprocessed produce. According to the National Resources Defense Council, in-season foods for the state of Georgia (and surrouning areas) include:

Blueberries Cabbage Carrots Greens Snap Beans Strawberries Vidalia Onions Yellow Squash Zucchini Asparagus (Tennessee) Bananas (Florida) Broccoli (Florida, North Carolina) Cantaloupe (Florida) Cauliflower (Florida) Celery (Florida) Chinese Cabbage (Florida) Collards (Tennessee) Cucumber (Florida) Eggplant (Florida) Endive (Florida) Escarole (Florida) Gourds (Tennessee) Grapefruit (Florida) Herbs (Tennessee) Honey (Tennessee) Honeydew Melon (Florida) Indian Corn (Tennessee) Kumquat (Florida)

Leafy greens (North Carolina) Limes (Florida) Mamey Sapote (Florida) Mixed Greens (South Carolina) Mushrooms (Florida, Tennessee) Okra (Florida) Onions (Florida) Oranges (Florida) Papaya (Florida) Peanuts (North Carolina) Pecans* (Alabama) Peppers (Florida) Potatoes (Florida) Radishes (Florida) Scallions (South Carolina) Squash* (Alabama, Florida) Sweet Corn (Florida) Sweet Potatoes * (Alabama, North Carolina) Tangelos (Florida) Tangerines (Florida) Tomatoes (Florida) Watermelon (Florida)

Here is a short list of markets that sell fresh locally grown foods near the Walden at Chatham Center area. If you can suggest any other markets, leave a comment and let the community know!

Markets near Walden at Chatham Center

Going Green: Get off junk mail lists

Check out these simple environment friendly tips courtesy of the Divine Caroline website…

• Get off junk mail lists. GreenDimes can get you started. They’ll even plant a tree for you!
• Buy products that use recyclable materials whenever possible.
• If you use plastic grocery bags, recycle them for doggie poop bags or for small trashcan liners.
• Bring your own bags to the grocery store. Given a choice between plastic and paper, opt for paper.
• Buy locally. Find farmers’ markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food near you at LocalHarvest.

Fogelman Management Group is focused on spreading the word about Going Green, a term that signifies the social movement towards environmental conservation, protection and improvement. It’s all about making simple lifestyle choices that will lessen our negative impact on the Earth. Making and using home products with organic materials is just one way to we can make a difference.

Stay tuned to the Walden at Chatham Center blog throughout the month of April for more tips on how you can play your part.

Going Super Green

The Super Bowl is on Sunday, and yes the next blog will be a “who will win” speculation, but for now let’s talk about parties. Having your friends and family over is going to be fun, but don’t think you have to spend a lot of money. You can go green and actually save money. Don’t believe me? Here’s how.

If you don’t have enough plates, don’t go buy paper ones or cups for that matter, get a couple of friends to bring some extra from home. Washing them will be more earth friendly than the paper plates in the landfill. Also, you can recycle the bottles and cans from the evening.

Another option is to keep your menu simple. Try hotdogs and chili instead of some massive spread that may go to waste. Plus, this is more like a stadium anyway. Don’t forget the chips either. This is the Super Bowl not some gourmet event, so don’t think you have to go all out.

For more ideas click here.

Recycling Your Old Mattress

Most apartment communities have trash compactors and or dumpsters throughout the community.  When you move-in or decide that it is time for a new mattress, you tend to take that mattress to one of those two places.  However, this is not good for the environment.

If you leave your mattress by the dumpster, not only is it unsightly but it is not good for the environment.  Waste companies are not required to separate trash and recyclables.  Therefore, they get taken to the landfill, where they take up lots of space and sometimes damage landfill machinery.

About 90 percent of material in mattresses can be recycled. So, donate your old mattress to a thrift store, the goodwill, or take it to recycling center that accepts mattresses.

For more on this article and locations.