13 Sustainable Alcohol Brands to Try at Your Next Party
Last Updated on April 22, 2024 I love entertaining and throwing parties. In fact, I was hosting dinner parties for my friends in high school. During my senior year in high school, my final project in speech class was about tablescaping. I love making food, drinks, inviting over friends and family – there’s just nothing better. This post was sponsored. All thoughts and opinions are my own; for more information please see my disclosure policy. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links; for more information please see my disclosure policy. Creating signature cocktails for events is one of my favorite things to do. I recently hosted a prom-themed birthday party for one of my friends and created a signature cocktail called the Prom Queen which was a huge hit! (recipe later in the post) I think fun drinks are a huge part of get-togethers and events, and…
Wildflower Pilgrimage to Staraland
Staraland is a 35-acre nature preserve near Waleska, Georgia. The tiny preserve was donated to the Southeastern Trust for Parks and Land by Bill Stara, in memory of his late wife Ellen. For its size, Staraland is ecologically remarkable, not only because it’s wild. It happens to be located where three geologic regions converge. the magmatic Blue Ridge, hailed for biological diversity the Ridge and Valley ecoregion of sandstone and limestone the Piedmont Last week I had the sweet chance to walk Staraland with students from Reinhardt University. We were celebrating the inauguration of an Environmental Studies Minor, organized by Donna Coffey Little. Keith Ray, director of conservation for Southeastern Trust, guided us into Staraland. I want to offer you a photo essay. Reinhardt’s wild scholars Keith is an ichthyologist by training. Trillium is all I know. Help me, somebody. Grandiflorum? Carpets of mayapples Mayapple Buckeye Pawpaw Two-lined salamander Thank…
15 Easy Earth Day Activities and Ideas
April 22 marks the day dedicated to our planet. Let’s make it fun by finding ways to encourage others to care for it. So let’s plan Earth Day activities in such a way that all age groups can actively participate, learn and have fun. Earth Day Activities Before exploring the activities learn why it is celebrated. The first Earth Day celebrated on April 22, 1970 was organized by activists John McConnell and Gaylord Nelson. Concerns about contaminated water, air pollution and pesticides prompted 20 million Americans to protest collectively. President Nixon responded by establishing the Environmental Protection Agency and passing legislation such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act. Today, it promotes community actions such as litter cleanups, tree planting and nature appreciation in tackling climate change. Explore these impactful and engaging Earth Day ideas below: 1. Craft Solar System Project This will spark kid’s…
What is Visible Mending? +5 Simple Techniques
Last Updated on April 18, 2024 One of the most sustainable things you can do is just use what you have. That pertains to clothing items too: Simply shopping your closet first can make a big impact. Why? Well, did you know there are enough clothes on the planet right now to dress the next six generations of humanity? According to the EPA 11.3 million tons of textiles ended up in 2018 alone – can you imagine what that number looks like now with the rise of places like Shein, Skims and Temu? One way we can rebel against this is by caring for the clothing items we already have. This can look like many things (getting that nice blouse dry cleaned; removing stains when you see them; following the laundering instructions to the T) but one fun way to do this is through visible mending. Visible mending is catching…
What is Heterojunction Solar Panel: Working and Benefits
Heterojunction solar cells are a recent advancement in the PV market which are addressing common drawbacks of standard modules. It reduces recombination and improves performance in hot climates. Come let us explore more about them. Heterojunction Solar Cells and Technology These are also known as Silicon heterojunctions (SHJ) or Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin Layer (HIT) solar panels. These are a group of HJT solar cells that use advanced photovoltaic technology. Don’t be confused about what is heterojunction technology. These are built on an N-type monocrystalline silicon substrate and have non-doped amorphous silicon layers (i-a-Si:H) placed on top which improves their efficiency and performance. These cells are made of three key materials: 1. Crystalline Silicon (c-Si) – Conventional solar panels use them to build homojunction solar cells. They are of two types polycrystalline silicon and monocrystalline silicon. However, monocrystalline is the only one considered for HJT solar cells because of its better purity and efficiency. 2. Amorphous Silicon…
My Family’s Creative Recycling over the Holidays
Let me share some highlights of creative recycling projects by my family members this holiday season: Knitting Socks from Yarn Leftovers My grandmother Rea is a very talented knitter. She is finding it more difficult to knit larger projects these days. She offered her yarn stash to my sister Tracy. Tracy had a great idea which was to knit up the little bits into socks – a pair for each of Rea’s children. She visited Rea many times this year to knit together. Building a Step from Wood Scraps My parents built my sister a new step for her side door using wood scraps from their recent renovations. My dad building a step for my sister’s house with scrap wood Pillow Cover from Upholstery Samples This year, my brother & sister-in-law bought a new home. They got a bunch of upholstery samples when designing their decor. They gave me the…
I'm Launching a Book Via Kickstarter and I Need Your Help
Photo by Shannon Hartford, Quantum Flow Photos, used by arrangement. I have made a decision that will surprise you. My friends on Substack are the first to know. I’ve decided to launch my new book using Kickstarter. This is a nonfiction book about two things necessary for great writing—the craft and the magic of it. It’s called Craft & Current: A Manual for Magical Writing. If It Sounds Interesting Gathering Only a small sliver of rare folks are going to want a book about someone raised like I was raised, in a junkyard being on fire for writing wanting to talk writing day and night wanting to know everything they can about writing wanting to share everything they know and believing that magic is an essential part of it. I’d like to help the book find its people. ❤️ This book is close to my soul. I loved writing it.…
What is Elastane? And Is It Sustainable?
Last Updated on April 23, 2024 Do you read the tags on your clothing? It’s a good idea to get into the habit of it: Doing this can tell you what materials your clothing is made from, and where it was made. This matters, considering most of our clothing is made from polyester, aka a form of plastic. Polyester is made from non-renewable petroleum (crude oil) that’s extracted from the earth unsustainably. Some of the links below may be affiliate links. For more information please see my disclosure policy. To create polyester, 70 million barrels of oil are used annually, and turning this oil into polyester fabric releases a lot of toxins into the environment. However, even if you choose more natural materials, like organic cotton, chances are it’s never just 100% cotton. Depending on what clothing item it is, there’s a good chance it’s combined with another fabric, like…
What Makes Ecosystem Resilience a Critical Factor in Sustainability?
Ecosystem resilience concerns maintaining normal processes or quickly recovering despite external disturbances. How does this topic relate to sustainability in the changing climate, and what should you know about it? Uncovering New Insights About Critical Pollinators Scientists have long urged people to preserve and attract pollinators for ecosystem resilience. However, a 2024 study of the rusty-patched bumblebee revealed some startling findings. One was that the bee was once common throughout the United States but is now 90% less common across its typical geographic range. The decline began rapidly in the late 1990s, driven by climate change, pesticides and habitat loss, among other threats. After collecting samples of the bees from all states where they reside, researchers also found inbreeding evidence in 15% of the specimens. That lack of genetic diversity can accelerate the bees’ extinction. The rusty-patched bumblebee is now on the endangered species list. However, researchers say it supports…