Most Popular Green Products

As an online retailer of green products for home and garden, we at Green Nation Gardens pay close attention to what our customers want. "It's very gratifying to see that more people within main stream society are becoming interested in products that have some sort of positive affect on our environment", says Mark Pappas, Co-Owner of Green Nation Gardens. Listed, are just a few of the most popular products becoming widely accepted within the realm of "Green Living". Do you have a favorite "Green Product"? List it here

Wine Bottle Plant Nanny Set - Cone shaped stakes made from terracotta. Finally put those used wine bottles to work.

Odor Free Kitchen Caddy - Made from 100% recycled plastic. Collecting kitchen scraps is a must for organic gardening.

All Natural Coco Fiber - Coir Fiber made from coconut husk has numerous uses including potting medium.

Other People's stuff

Re-using, re-purposing and recycling other people's stuff...it's an amazing feeling. We are always on Craig's List looking for articles we may be able to use and keep out of a landfill. Most recently, we got a free pool! More than having a great pool for our kids to swim in this summer, we kept a huge amount of materials from being thrown into a landfill. We are reusing a huge amount of previously manufactured materials.

Sure, we could have gone out and bought a new above ground pool and built a large wood deck, using all new virgin materials, but at what cost? Manufacturing, transporting and storing all of these materials is a huge contributing factor to the degradation of the environment.

There are literally thousands and thousands of items that still have lots of usefulness left in them, that end up in the garbage, because they are unwanted by their current owner. The old addage, "One man's trash is another man's treasure" has never been so true and important.

I am very grateful to the family that thought enough of the environment to see their unwanted, but still very useable pool and deck, go to a family who would recycle it and enjoy it for years to come.

Just about anything can be re-used, re-purposed or recycled from one person to another. Cars, clothes, toys, furniture, decorations, plants, the list can go on and on. We believe it is important for our future to reuse and recycle whenever possible, it's a gratifying feeling to make something new again. Try it!

QUICK FACTS ON PLASTIC POLLUTION

A plastic milk jug takes 1 million years to decompose.

A plastic cup can take 50 – 80 years to decompose.

Recycled plastic can be used to make things like trash cans, park benches, playground equipment, decks and kayaks.

A plastic soda bottle begins to decompose in 700 years.

Americans use 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour.

Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean kill as many as 1 million sea creatures every year.

Recycling plastic saves twice as much energy as burning it in an incinerator.

If plastic bottles are thrown into incinerators they release toxic gases.

Today, Americans generate 10.5 million tons of plastic waste a year, but recycle only 1 or 2 % of it.

An estimated 14 billion pounds of trash, much of it plastic, is dumped into the world's oceans every year.

The worldwide fishing industry dumps an estimated 150,000 tons of plastic into the ocean each year, including packaging, plastic nets, lines and buoys.

About 1,200 plastic soft drink and salad dressing bottles could carpet the average living room.

It takes 1,050 milk jugs make a six foot plastic lumber park bench.

Every year we make enough plastic film to shrink wrap the state of Texas.

NEARLY EVERY PIECE OF PLASTIC EVER MADE STILL EXISTS TODAY!

What to do with your Doggie Doo

We've always had a dog and for as long as I can remember I have been cleaning up dog poop. Everyday I get my plastic shopping bag and a shovel and patrol the yard. I had never given it much thought until recently. That's a lot of plastic bags filled with poop that is going to the land fill never to decompose.

Composting has also always been a part of our lifestyle, but poop was the one thing we couldn't put in our regular composter. Now Vermi-composting has come along. What a great way to recycle nature's waste. Tumbleweed Pet Poo Compost Maker is a mini worm farm composter. The Tumbleweed Pet Poo Compost Maker consists of two sturdy nesting boxes with a lid, which form a neat, compact portable unit. The worms eat and breed in the top box. This has a perforated base to allow any liquid waste to drain through to the bottom (collector) box. The "worm poo" or worm castings remain in the top box and can be harvested as desired. The bottom or catcher box collects the valuable liquid waste which can be diluted and used as a fertilizer on your garden.

The Tumbleweed Pet Poo Converter will handle, on average, the droppings of two medium dogs. However, this will vary with age, diet, exercise and breed of dog. (Think Chihuahua vs. St Bernard). The greater the amount of droppings recycled through the Pet Poo Converter, the quicker the level of castings will build up. The castings can then be easily harvested, as per the instructions, and used around the flower garden or in potting mixes.

There is no difficulty in getting the worms to eat dog droppings. Commercial worm farmers rear their worms on manure. However it is not possible to mix diets. They must be fed exclusively on pet poo. If you want to recycle vegetable scraps you must set up a separate farm.

This is the best thing going. Farmers have been using manure for hundreds of years to amend the soil. It is super rich in nutrients. The worm castings and the tea that is made from your dog's poop is a great return on your investment. Think of all the money you spend on dog food, and all the money you will save on fertilizer!

Hard Plastics Recycling

Hard Plastics Recycling is something most of us don't consider. We think about cans, bottles and paper.
Recently a local Boy Scout Troup in our area provided a hard plastics pick up to their community. Hard plastics are items like: Plastic lawn furniture, kids molded plastic play sets, 5 gallon water bottles, etc. Any large hard plastic items. They sent out fliers, collected these items on a particular date and took them to the township Public Works Facility, where from there it was taken by the township to the County Recycling Facility. They collected over 500 pounds of hard plastic that would have ended up in the dump!

It does take some effort on our part to recycle hard plastics, however a quick trip to the Township Public Works Dept. will keep these items out of our landfills. They can then be recycled and turned into other useful products, like Polywood Furniture. By asking our local municipalities, maybe they will offer one or two pick ups per year. By recycling these hard plastics we can save valuable space in our landfills.

These young boys made a difference in our community and our environment. We should all follow their example. If everyone nationwide would make this small extra effort to recycle, the effects would be staggering. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

Why don't they recycle?

Recently, I was invited to a party. The hosts were lovely, the home was beautiful in a well-to-do area. Everything about the day was fantastic, except for one thing...they didn't recycle.

I noticed glass bottles in the trash, I thought maybe some partygoer made a mistake. Then another and another, no mistake.

Does their township not offer recycling? I can't imagine these intelligent, well read people would have a blatant disregard for the environment. I didn't ask. That would be poor etiquette.

It leaves me wondering, why don't they recycle? Cans, bottles and paper are the most widely recycled products in the nation. Why not there? I am sure there are many areas of our country that are still in the dark about recycling. We are the self-proclaimed leaders of the world, yet many other countries have far surpassed us environmentally.

It is our responsibility, to hold ourselves and our government accountable. The USA is more than capable of implementing recycling in every state, county and municipality...we should insist on it.

Outdoor Decor

Outdoor decorating has become, in recent years, extremely popular. Homeowners like to make the most of their outdoor spaces. Decorating outdoors is not just limited to patio furniture and a few pots anymore. There are fountains, wall art, statuary, cooking systems (not just the old gas grill), lighting, and more types of pots, planters, arbors and trellis' than one can imagine. Not to mention the furniture.

With the economy in a tailspin, less and less people are taking vacations, and are spending money on their own backyards to create a paradise getaway at home.

Creating a getaway that your family and friends will envy can be fun. The only limits are in your own imagination. If you can think it... it can be. Using products made from renewable and recycled materials adds to the enjoyment of designing your own utopia.

There are thousands of products that are either made from renewable or recycled resources that are strong, beautiful and built to last. Bamboo, rice and coconut hulls make gorgeous planters that are built to last, and they are biodegradable. Whitehall outdoor products are made from 100% recycled aluminum. Polywood furniture is made from Recycled Milk Jugs! It is strong, durable, will never fade and is beautiful to boot.

So, if you are going to be decorating and adorning your yard this year, think about the impact it will have on the environment. The effect the product had during production, how long it will have a place at your home, and what will happen to it after its been discarded. If we stop purchasing products that are destroying the environment during the production process, the manufacturers will be forced into implementing eco-friendly production practices, or risk going out of business. We cannot afford to buy mindlessly anymore, buying something just because it strikes our fancy, can cost more than we ever bargained for.

There are so many unique and beautiful earth friendly products, buying the same old resin pots for your back porch seems like sacrilege.

We at Green Nation Gardens make it a point to offer environmentally responsible products, and drop ship whenever possible to reduce fuel consumption during shipping. Thinking is crucial for success. Success in our personal endeavors, our business and our future. Join the movement to make the future of our planet not only possible, but successful!

Beautiful planters made from discards

I came across a beautiful little fountain, about 4 feet tall and made of resin. It was being discarded by someone because it had cracked where the pump would go and would no longer hold water. To that person it was useless, to me it would now become a beautiful planter. It has one bowl, approximately 24" in diameter and the fountain part is a boy holding a large carp. Very Renaissance looking. I placed the fountain where I intend to keep it before planting in it. I tucked it under a large Oak tree and between some Hosta. It will get a fair amount of shade there. The planter will drain well since it has a crack in it, however a few pebbles in the bottom won't hurt.

The fountain is a slate color, so I am using light colored flowers. Chartreuse colored Sweet Potato Vine around the edges for a trailing effect over the fountain's edge, White Impatiens and Coleus to fill the bowl of the planter.

It is an unusual item to choose for a planter, however, once planted it looks as though it was meant to be that way. It is a lovely addition to brighten a shady spot in my yard.

Another simple way I kept something that will never deteriorate out of a landfill. Reduce, reuse, recycle.

Are We A Green Nation?

This is a slide show that I prepared as I began building my Online Garden Supply Store. This presentation is a thought provoking essay about the damages that we have incurred due to years of careless living, and what we as a nation can do to begin a path help make our world a healthier place to live.

It has no words, just music. It runs about 5 minutes, so be sure to watch it at a time that you can spare a few uninterrupted minutes. Be sure to turn on your speakers. I hope you can take something away from it.

The Essence of Living Green

What difference can one homeowner make to the environment? Why, when big polluters are making “green” changes, do we need to change our daily living habits? The answer is simple… children! By making slight and easy changes in the way we look at, and treat Planet Earth today, future generations of children will have learned by example.

Teach the Children

My children love the outdoors, because my husband and I expose them to it. They also love computers, and I am sure if we exposed them to fast foods they would love that as well. It’s all about making good choices and being a good example. I’m not talking about wearing hemp clothing or eating granola all day long although there are those who do. You do not have to be that committed to be a part of the “Green Initiative”. For those who merely have a healthy respect for the world we live in and want to take action to help improve the environment, there are many simple changes that we can make, and teach our children to do the same.

Recycling

There is more to recycling than paper, plastic and bottles. Organic waste is one of the largest contributors to landfills which causes methane gas, the principle component of natural gas, is released into the atmosphere and is a contributing factor in the depletion of the ozone layer, which in turn plays a major part in global warming. Organic waste such as leaves, grass clippings, and non-animal food scraps do not decompose efficiently enough in landfills yet makes the best compost for your vegetable garden, flowers, trees and shrubs.

Composting is Easy

Composting can also be fun, especially if you enjoy gardening, and is even more rewarding when you think about the thousands of acres of open space being saved through the very simple practice of recycling and composting. All good gardeners know that there is nothing better for your plants and turf than good old fashioned hand made compost. There are many different types of composters on the market today that make the task of composting very easy and will protect against attracting stray or wild animals. You can even quicken the process of making compost by using safe and organic composting accelerators giving you compost within a few weeks.

Use Organic Products

Using organic fertilizers and control products also cuts down on soil, air and ground water pollution. Sure it’s easy to buy a bag of name brand fertilizer or pesticide; however it is just as easy to find organic products now more than ever. In fact, it is also just as cheap. The larger name brand companies are beginning to put out their own lines of organic gardening products, so be sure to keep an eye out.

Getting Rid of Insects

Rather than spraying for insects which would be both timely and costly, install a bat box or two in your trees and let them take care of the bugs for you! Adding ladybugs or praying mantis to your garden is much more fun than spraying weekly for bugs. If you live in a rural area and zoning allows for livestock, chickens are an amazing bug control. Yes, just a couple of chickens running loose in your yard will eat up to 1 million fleas and ticks daily.

Conserving Water

Where droughts are prevalent each year conserving water is a must. Watering your yard can account for up to 40% of water consumption. Catching rainwater with rain barrels to water your yard or garden is just as easy as dragging out your hose and will save you a substantial amount of money on your water bill. One 80 gallon rain barrel can capture 3,275 gallons of water per year and you’ll be putting the water back into the underground aquifer. Not routing rainwater from your roof to your garden will only serve to tax drainage systems rather than benefit vegetation or replenish natural, underground aquifers.

Most rain barrels are made from either 100% recycled plastic or reused food industry barrels, so either way you will also be putting renewable resources to good use and your plants and flowers will thank you for it.

Plant a Tree

Every tree planted helps remove CO2 from our atmosphere, depletion of the ozone layer. There are many other benefits to growing trees in your own yard or community for that matter. They provide homes and a safe haven for the many wild animals that still reside among us. Mature trees help shade our home from the sun, cutting down on energy consumption when using air conditioning. One of the more proactive and well established non-profit organizations is the Arbor Day Foundation which encourages the planting and care of trees worldwide.

Pervious Patios and Walkways

For every 1,000 square feet of pervious patio, driveways or walkways, you can prevent an average of 12,100 gallons of storm water runoff from going into your communities drain system. This same water will help to recharge our lakes, wetlands and groundwater.

Make a List

There are many changes that you can to help improve our environment. Gather everyone in your household and discuss how your family can contribute to the health of the world we live in. Children are the most receptive to new ideas and will have a lot of fun making their own top ten lists. By making good choices today, our children will make even better choices tomorrow.

This article may be reproduced and/or distributed for the purpose of education only and may not be changed in part or whole. Please include this Author Resource. This article was written by Mark & Vera Pappas, Co-owners of GreenNationGardens.com, suppliers of unique and eco-friendly garden supplies.

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