NEWS & NEW
The
Latest Dirt
By JJ De Sousa
“Being green” is not just a phrase being thrown around anymore, it is a fact of life. More and more manufacturers are getting on the green path and creating better and more cost-effective organic products, which brings me to the point of my column this month.
I have been using two products over the last few months that I am so impressed with, I feel I should share them with you. I’ve used Preen in my garden for years. It is a pre-emergent: A pre-emergent prevents weed seeds from germinating. It does not kill existing weeds (Drat!), but it does not let new ones come out and play, Yippie! I found that if I use it regularly, every two months or so, I have a relatively weed-free garden. What’s not to love? Before 2007, Preen was a level 3 pre-emergent, which means it was one step below an organic material, but now it is completely organic! The active ingredient in the new Preen is corn gluten, and my-oh-my does it work! The big yellow box is labeled “vegetable garden weed preventer,” but I find it works everywhere and is totally safe around kids, pets, wildlife, and water. Visit www.preen.com for more information.
The other product worth raving about is green on several levels. The product itself is sustainable, and its packaging is recycled. Run screaming to your local garden center and buy Terracycle. You will know you have found it because it says “WORM POOP” in big letters, right on the label. Yep — worm poop. Yikes, you may say, but worm poop — or worm castings as they are rightly called, is an amazing fertilizer for your garden. Terracycle feeds millions of red worms organic waste, and the worms give back their own organic waste, which is then liquefied and bottled for you spray it onto your plants. Don’t worry, it is odor free. You cannot even believe how much your plants love this stuff. I noticed an immediate difference in my garden, and I am sure you will too. And if the product itself isn’t enough, it is packaged in recycled plastic bottles to help Terracycle with its “zero footprint” policy. It’s a win-win! Visit www.terracycle.net for more information.
So there they are, my two new favorite green products for the garden. Try them out for yourself, and your garden will thank you! Here’s to dirt under your nails! Cheers!
JJ
De Sousa is the owner of digs inside & out located
at 1829 NE Alberta, Portland. She can be reached at 503-460-3447
or visit www.digs-pdx.com.
Solar Now! Is Heating Up in Oregon
Think Portland’s rainy winters keep solar power out of reach? The truth is, Portland receives as much solar energy annually as the average U.S. city. A solar-powered home means that energy is generated right where it is used — at your home.
As August temperatures rise, you can not help but be reminded of the power of the sun. A typical solar hot water system in summer months will provide 90 to 100% of your hot water needs.
Thousands of people in the Northwest are going solar. In addition to reducing your carbon footprint and lowering your utility bills, solar energy adds value to your home. Solar is a long-term investment in your home that grows as energy costs rise.
Financial incentives from Energy Trust of Oregon plus state and federal tax credits can cover up to half the cost of a solar energy system. The Solar Now! program at the City of Portland Office of Sustainable Development offers educational workshops and individualized assistance to homeowners and business owners interested in solar technology. Free “Basics of Going Solar” workshops in August and September are now open. RSVP by visiting: www.solaroregon.org/resources_education/workshops.
The Solar Now! campaign is produced by the City of Portland Office of Sustainable Development in collaboration with Energy Trust of Oregon, Oregon Department of Energy, and Solar Oregon. For more information about Solar Now!, please visit www.portlandonline.com/osd/sola
New Product Made from Sunflower Seed Hull
Dakota Burl® FUSION board is made from over 80% urea-formaldehyde-free agricultural by-products (sunflower seed hulls) and infused with a proprietary acrylic resin for hardness and a natural, organic look. Its warm, opalescent colors have a rich texture with a look of granite.
This eco-friendly board comes unfinished. Fabrication is done with standard woodworking tools, and carbide blades are recommended for easy cutting and routing. Canopy recommends that the boards be sanded using a 220-grit paper and sealed and finished with standard wood finishes or oils.
This sustainable solid surface board is the perfect choice for partitions, wall paneling, countertops, bar tops, vanities, retail displays, wainscoting, tiles, and furniture. Since it has the acrylic infusion, the boards have high moisture resistance and can be used in a moist environment (when sealed and finished). Soon to be available at Emerson Hardwood‘s outlet store Crosscut Hardwoods. For more information contact Canopy at 503-236-4320.
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