krissy's blog

One thing that gets me in the mood for the springtime is to start planning our garden while it's still winter.   In an effort to make food from our garden and other locally grown food last through the winter, my husband and I took up canning a few years ago. This year, we will be gardening with canning in mind.  

We started off with jars and jars of marinara sauce that we made to use up tomatoes – tomatoes basically took over our yard due to using our compost.  Then came a variety of salsas where we made good use of some of the delicious peppers in the backyard.  Then came jellies, jams, and preserves, thanks to local farms and our very own raspberries!  

I began reading up on the types of things you can can and what the difference is between jelly, jam, preserves, etc.  Here’s what I learned:

Jelly usually does not contain pieces of fruit, as it is made by cooking fruit juice, sugar, pectin, and lemon juice.... read more

We are thrilled to share a guest blog post with you by Jakob Barry, a home improvement journalist for Networx.com.  Here are some tips on greening the Super Bowl!

--... read more

Each year the National Football League (NFL) spends time and energy on Green-oriented projects throughout the city where the Super Bowl is taking place. 

Although most of us won’t be going to the actual game a good segment of the population will watch it from the comfort of their own homes and likely in the company of groups of others.

These gatherings, sometimes large, can be a lot of fun as Super Bowl Sunday takes on a life of its own in many communities. Nevertheless, the event has the potential to produce large amounts of waste and wasted resources across the country.

I recently had the opportunity to view the construction of a sustainable house being built in my neighborhood in Newton, Massachusetts.  The home was designed by LDa Architecture and Interiors, based out of Cambridge, MA.  

I'm sad to say that I developed an unkeen, ungreen habit in 2011.   Sometime after my son's first birthday, he went from eating almost everything served to him to being the type of kid who would prefer to exist off yogurt, mac and cheese, and crackers.  Sigh.  

Frustrated, I'd wander the supermarket aisles trying to think of what I could possibly feed my picky son.  Then at my local Trader Joe's, I noticed these:

Pouches of applesauce - some plain, some with carrots, some with bananas.  To my surprise, my son loved them.  These pouches (and also the GoGo Squeez which I could buy in bulk at Costco - and a few other brands like Peter Rabbit Organics) quickly became my son's favorite snack while out and about.  Healthy, mess-free, portable...I could stuff a bunch in my purse for a quick snack on the go.  Genius, right?... read more

The year end is a good opportunity to think about new ways to go green.  Whether you've been a greenie for a long time, a green newbie, or if you're somewhere in between, it's the perfect time to make some green resolutions for 2012.  

Here are some ideas for green resolutions.  I see them as small, attainable goals that can help the environment if everyone does their part. Here's to a Keener and Greener 2012!

1.  Remember to bring my reusable shopping bags everywhere.  I now remember to bring them to the grocery store almost each time, but frequently I forget when clothes shopping, going to the pharmacy, etc.  

2.  Bringing a reusable coffee cup is a great resolution but I challenge you take it a step further and bring your own reusable food containers to restaurants in case you need a doggie bag.  

3.  If you work outside of the home, pick one day a week to walk, bike, take public transit, or carpool.... read more