Community Engagement

Hello green beans,

I read that May is likely named after the Roman goddess Maia, who oversaw the growth of plants. Sadly, I think she must be very busy because I fear she’s missing my feeble attempts, year after year. I will try again this season because I really want to plant some herbs and veggies, plus I want to attract bees and butterflies to my yard. Would there be anything better than to visit someone and bring them produce from your yard or maybe flowers that you grew? A friend brought me garlic the other day, and I was over the moon. And they were the biggest cloves I have ever seen.  I made garlic pucks out of them – so easy. You put the garlic buds and virgin olive oil into your blender and make a paste-like consistency. Then mould them into discs and flash freeze them on a cookie sheet. When they are frozen, you can put them in a freezer bag, and when you need garlic for stews or soups, you just pop in a garlic puck. As for my garden, it’s a new season and I will think positive. The following are some tips to follow:

I obviously did a lot of googling, plus I managed to find a serious gardener, and she is going to help me. These are the best plants to grow in Nova Scotia, so these are some of the ones I’ll try:

Lettuce: Butterhead, Boston, Loose Leaf. Lettuce can thrive in cold springs and cooler fall months; they are very hardy. They are low maintenance; all they need is water once a week and can be planted in any soil.  And lettuce can be harvested all year, the more you harvest, the more they grow. Salads here I come!             

Kale: Like lettuce they are fairly low maintenance and you can grow both in pots, which is what I might do. Both prefer some shade.  And kale happens to be very pretty.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes love the heat and they are also great for vertical gardening. I personally don’t have a huge yard so I will make sure my garden has trellises for peas and tomatoes.

Squash: Zucchini, Acorn, Butternut, Spaghetti. It’s one of the most versatile vegetables. Some varieties can be grown in both warm and colder weather. You’ll obviously have to do some investigating. But make note they need a lot of room to grow. That might make them less appealing for me but we’ll see what my gardener friend suggests😊

Just a few ideas, more to come in June. I will adopt a can-do attitude this year. And remember:

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. Winston Churchill

Stay green!

Hi there, green beans,

Let’s see if there are any ways we can celebrate Easter while keeping the environment in mind. And the great thing is it’s an excellent opportunity to teach your children to be eco-conscious.

• Maybe instead of buying chocolate wrapped in plastic, cardboard and shiny foil you could make your own chocolates. Bonus - this way you can control the ingredients. But if you do buy chocolates covered in foil and the foil is clean you can ball it up and put it in the recycle bag.
• Beware of the plastic grass that comes in baskets; it is petroleum based and takes hundreds of years to degrade. Shred up any old paper you can find to replace the grass.
• Visit a thrift shop and find baskets that you can reuse. One person I know works with their kids to decorate egg cartons.
• Kids love to get little treats on Easter morning so why not try fun gifts like marbles, puzzles, crayons, fun shaped soaps. The idea is to avoid plastic toys.
• Have an Easter egg hunt if that is the usual activity at your house ,but paint real cooked eggs using eco-friendly dyes. And explain to your children why you are doing it.
• Cook dinner for your family or friends as their Easter treat.

And remember:
              Each morning, we are born again. What we do today matters most. The Buddha

Hi there green beans,

Here we are, already into March. I don’t know why but the older I get the faster the time goes; I don’t think that’s fair but what’s a gal to do.

Here are more tips. Some are from Jillee; some are mine; some are to save money; some are to save the planet.

• If you see fruit on sale, you can take advantage of the price and then freeze it. The best way to do that is to freeze them on a lined cookie sheet first for a few hours, and then transfer them to a freezer bag. They won’t stick together and you can pull out what you need when you need it. I also do this with carrots, peppers, and onions. For some reason you can just freeze celery without the cookie sheet procedure. Often, I just buy too much and I hate throwing out food!!!
• You can also roast Roma tomatoes in the oven at a low temperature (225 degrees or so) with garlic, fresh herbs, and a drizzle of olive oil for 4 to 5 hours. When cooled, transfer the tomatoes to freezer bags. Use them in chili or to make tomato sauces. I know you are using electricity but it’s much cheaper than good quality cans of tomatoes. Typically, I will try and slow bake something else at the same time.
• This one I love doing - freeze fresh herbs in ice cube trays with a little water or leftover stock. Use the frozen herb cubes in soups, stews, or casseroles when you need them.
• To freeze leafy greens like spinach, whip it up in your blender with a little bit of water and then freeze in ice cube trays. Drop a couple of cubes in your blender with frozen fruit for easy green smoothies!

You will notice in the above I am talking about using freezer bags and I do use them in a pinch but I am trying to increase my stash of silicon bags. I even saw them at the dollar store.

Have a great month everyone and remember….

Wherever you go, go with all your heart. - Confucius

Hi there, green beans,

We certainly had a major white Christmas and I can tell you the homemade ice concoction that I used to melt the snow and ice on my wooden stairs worked perfectly; I shared that last month. Plus, I also found that pouring warm water (not hot) is great to de-ice your vehicle doors. It was instant. To de-ice your locks, mix one third water with two thirds isopropyl and spray on your locks and wait; it is almost instant….so I am told.

This year I am all about saving money. I no longer want to waste money on buying food that I don’t end up eating because 2025 is going to be a travel year so I need to save my dinheiro, first stop Portugal.

The following are ideas I got from ‘One Good Thing by Jillee”:

• I do like the occasional New York striploin steak so now I cut it into three pieces and freeze two. The fact is I don’t need that much meat and it gives me three meals for the price of one. And I only ever buy it when it is on special.
• Shredding your own cheese is less expensive than buying it shredded, makes sense. Plus, apparently cellulose is used to coat the shredded cheese in order to keep it from sticking together. Or it could have calcium sulfate in it, which is commonly used to make ground cement and making tiles. Holy cow, who knew? Well, I didn’t and I have been buying bags of shredded cheese for a long time. I know this is hard to believe but the next time you reach for the shredded bag, take a look at the ingredients. You are getting a lot more than cheese in that bag. And when big blocks of cheese go on sale you can buy them, shred and freeze them and you are pizza ready. Putting a tablespoon of cornstarch will help to prevent clumping.
• I love bananas but if they get one brown spot on them, they are history. But now I freeze them and when I want to make banana bread, they are recipe ready. I’m told that they last longer if you separate them and cover the stems in tinfoil.
• And if you like smoothies, this is a great Jillee tip - put extra apple wedges, peaches, pears, bananas, chunks of melon, or any kind of fruit that doesn’t look too appealing but is still good into a freezer bag. When the bag gets full, dump it in the blender and make a smoothie!

That’s it for now. Enjoy your month and remember…

Your responsibility is to be an explorer, not a tourist in this adventure that is your life.~Mary Anne Radmacher

Happy New Year Green Beans, I hope everyone had an enjoyable,restful holiday season. Typically this is the time to make resoultions you know - I'm going to work out, I'm going to take up a new hobby. All decent intentions, but I think there is a road that is paved with good intentions.Having said that....I will try and lose 5 pounds.

As I progress into the New Year I am going to try and think about Jane Goodall's quote below before I make choices. It won't always be easy but it's certainly worth trying:

" I hope people will think about the consequences of the small choices they make every day. What do you buy? Did it harm the environment? If everybody makes ethical choices, we start mobing toward a better world."

The way I will try to do this is researching natural pptions before buying a product. An example would be I needed something to melt the ice on my wooden fron veranda and steps. I know that the chemical products can harm the wood, never mind the environment so the answer seems to be spraying with 2 parts vinegar, 1 part water, and a shot of dish detergent, I will try it today and hopefully it will work.

I am also going to get better at recycling, Here is a great example where I thought I was doing a good job and I wasn't. I have been doing some research and there is all this information about how easy it is to contaminate a load of recycables. It seems mainly items that aren't totally clean or might be wet could lead to creating mold. To get some clarity I input "plastic bags" in the solid waste wizzard (which is excellent) and it said to stuff all plastic grocery and retail bags into one bag then tie it up. So, I will do a much better job at cleaning and drying items before they go in the blue bin and tie up any loose bags.

Another example, put your cardboard pizza box in the green bin, even if it looks clean. It could have grease/food bits therefore it would contaminate the entire contents of a blue bag.

Check the wizzard on the Pictou County Solid Waste app if you in doubt about an item. Innocently putting containments in the recycling bin damage our environment. When a load of recycling has too muchcontamination, the entire loadis redirected to the landfill. This means that even the clean recycable materials in the load end up as garbage.

It takes commitment, but I hope you agree - it's worth it.

Happy Holdays green beans,

"Bake them a cake, write them a poem, give them a kiss, tell them a joke, but for God's sake stop trashing the planet to tell someone you care. All it shows is that you don't." - George Monbiot.

Truthfully, I think that’s a tad bit harsh however his point is on the money. And speaking of money, how about we think of ways to save some money this holiday season, while keeping the environment in mind.

There is a lot of pressure around the holidays and gift giving, and it’s time to sit down with your family, your friends, your colleagues and tell them what’s important to you and why. And I’m assuming if you are reading this then the environmental issue is important to you.

If you possibly can – buy local. There are so many cool items that I’m sure people would love. Try the Farmer’s Market and you will find lots of ideas. Holiday Flea Markets will be starting soon, if not already. Instead of gifts consider treating someone to a nice dinner out or a weekend away. I’m sure they will be grateful. If that is a bit pricey, cook them a meal and deliver it over the holidays so they get to enjoy one night out of the kitchen. Buy somebody a theatre membership or tickets to a specific play you think they might like. I’m sure a massage, facial or mani pedi would be appreciated. Buying local strengthens our economy. It saves energy because everything isn’t shipped from away.

Give a gift that doesn’t take 2 minutes to open, waste a lot of wrapping paper and cards and ribbon. And if you have children buy them one toy and then take them to a charity and allow them to give one old toy away. What a great teaching to give a child.

If you have a big family try drawing names and putting a limit on the gift. Make it gag gifts. I bet that will bring much laughter to Christmas morning

People usually remember being with family and enjoying a big dinner together. That’s a nice Holiday. I hope you and your loved ones have a wonderful happy celebration.

Hi there green beans,

I follow the David Suzuki Foundation and their newsletters are full of great information but the following was a brutal reminder:

Canada is the top per-capita energy consumer in the world! By becoming more energy-efficient, you pollute less and save money.

I get the per-capita reference but still I found it very startling. Canada is making improvements but we can all make a difference, even a small difference.

I’m going back to the basics and ask that we all consider making some or all of these small changes. Some can be costly but there are government programs that you could investigate.

The first few are pricey:

• Swap out your dependency on your furnace for a heat pump. You need an alternate heat source but heat pumps do a great job in winter and summer.
• Replace your gas water heater with a heat pump water heater. I haven’t done that one yet.
• Install a programmable or smart thermostat.
• Buy an induction stove which will lower indoor air pollution.
• It’s hard to beat the ambience of a log fireplace but think about replacing it or your gas fireplace with an electric one. They are looking better than ever.
• Look for the ENERGY STAR label when buying new appliances.
• Repair improperly sealed doors and windows and upgrade your insulation. Winterizing your home will prevent heat from escaping.
• Probably a good idea to get a home or workplace energy audit to identify where you can save the most and then do what you can.

Helping to save the environment helps you save money in the long run – WIN-WIN.

These ones are easier:

• This is a simple one, unplug computers, TVs and other electronics when you’re not using them.
• Wash clothes in cold water. Hang your clothes outside if you can or even inside on a rack. Also use wool dryer balls to avoid fabric softener and dryer sheets; I’ve been using mine for over 2 years.
• Switch to LED bulbs, they will last forever.
• I try to make enough food to last for a couple of days, just a quick re-heat and it keeps me from throwing out food, which is something we all should try and avoid.

Every small step is a step in the right direction and it’s never too late to start…..

Each morning we are born again. What we do today matters most. The Buddha

Hi there green beans!

There is no question that Fall is my favourite season. I love trees all year but when they change and treat us to their beautiful picturesque landscape full of reds, oranges, and yellows it humbles me. I will be enjoying many long drives in the country this fall and taking lots of pictures, Have I told you how much I love Pictou County; less than 4 minutes and you are in the woods.

Today I want to offer a few ways we can get ready for the Fall in an eco-friendly way. As we think about the kids off to school, getting ready for Halloween, and dare I say Christmas, we need to start thinking about trying out the second-hand stores. They don't just sell clothes, you can find all sorts of treasures. When people downsize, as lots of our aging population is doing, they donate some pretty good stuff to thrift stores. You might find lunch boxes, school supplies, and art supplies. school clothes, backpacks, and fall or winter jackets.

You will certainly find decorations for Halloween, Another great idea is to go out to the forest and find the beautiful leaves and cones that nature has left behind for us; they make excellent table decorations, You can fill a vase with gorgeous coloured branches, and if you're crafty, you can make a wreath for your door or press leaves into homemade candles. The ideas are endless, and the great part is you haven't spent a cent!

Fall is also the time when I get into reading. There is no better place to get books than the thrift shops or the library. Don't buy new when you have free options; you can even check out DVDs (for those, like me, who still use them) or magazines, I find it shocking how expensive magazines are now.

There are so many wondergul thrift shops, but be careful because I often come home with more than I need. But like a friend of mine, she buys a bunch of new clothes, returns her used-used ones and still spends very little money.

Please give thrift shops a try and look out for more details on or Nu 2 U sale this month! I hope to see you there!

Hi there green beans,

The Town of New Glasgow's Climate Committee is getting ready for their second used clothing sale, but this time we're adding some pizzazz....a fashion show!

Members of our committee and maybe some members of the Town Council will don some gently used clothing and walk the runway, proudly displaying their finery, We are also going to offer small household items; items that you can easily carry, so kitchen items, ornaments, jewlery, handbags, wallets rtc. The only criteria - is it easy to pick up?

We will be setting up a table at the Farmers Market and people can drop off their treasures, and we will be able to drop off at Glasgow Square at certain times. Stay tuned to social media. we will be advertising a lot.

The actual event will be at Glasgow Square on September 28th. Please join us, proceeds will go toward tree planting, keeping New Glasgow beautiful!

There are so many reasons to buy used clothing or share clothing with friends but some just shy away. The reason people used to go to second hand stores was because they couldn't afford the high prices in the shops but thay's not the case now. Now we encourage shopping at second hamd stores to change the trajectory we are on; now we simply don't want to spendthe high prices in the shops. There is no stigma to shopping in used stores, it is now trendy to do so. So come out and help us circulate and have some fun as well. 

Hi there green beans,

We’re gearing up for July “Be Plastic Free”, which of course can’t really happen because we use plastic in everything - our clothes, furniture, packaging, toothpaste tubes, actual toothbrushes, combs, brushes, shavers, even our pantyhose, unless you buy eco-friendly brands – the list is endless but we can’t throw in the towel any more than we can throw out all these products. So, we start small.

The biggies to get rid of are: bottles of water (you can do it); store your food in glass, silicone, or foil and never heat up food in the microwave in a plastic container NEVER, you are truly inviting bits of plastic into your system.

Invest in a few of those veggie bags so you can avoid tossing your pears into those wretched little plastic bags that are harder to get into than breaking into a safe. Also, you can buy silicone baggies at the Great Canadian Dollar Store and they are great. Use them, wash them, reuse them. And buy milk bags, freeze 2 and when they are empty wash them and reuse them.I know it’s not easy. I found it easier to give up paper towels than to get off plastic because it is just so darn convenient and we are a culture who loves convenience.

We need to change our mindset. When I am out and about in stores or even yard sales and I spy glass containers I grab them. I also try to buy condiments in glass as opposed to plastic and then I wash them out; they are perfect to store and they go into the microwave. And hey, maybe you can consider volunteering at the New Glasgow Net Zero Volunteer Group; you’ll be doing your bit, meeting new people, and having some fun. Until next time…

The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire. FERDINAND FOCH