Join Us for Earth Hour!

What is Earth Hour? Check out this short video!

Join the Nativity Community as we participate in Earth Hour.  March 25, 2017 from 8:30-9:30.

What:

Switch off your lights and turn off your electronics!  Unplug any non-essential appliances!

Where:

This can be done anywhere!  Stay at home or throw a party and share an hour of off the grid fun with friends and family!

Why:

Be part of the global movement!  Join millions around the world  as we reduce energy usage.  Learn more about the global impact on the Earth Hour Website.

When:

March 25, 2017 from 8:30-9:30.

How:

Sign up here to join the global movement, or keep it to yourself.

Need ideas for Earth Hour Activities?

• Host an indoor candlelight picnic.
• Art in the dark.  Try drawing without being able to see what your doing or create candle mosaics in the dark.
• Play guess the creature.  Make animal noises and let your friends try to guess what they are.  OR listen to the sounds of your backyard on a spring evening.
• Take in the sights.  Get your neighbors involved and take in the sight of your neighborhood at night.
• Stargaze.
• Take pictures!  Try out a new form of photography.
• Make resolutions to reduce your carbon footprint.

What will you do for Earth Hour?  Share your plans in the comment section!

Start a Garden

Thinking of starting a garden in your yard?

Here are six great reasons!

1. Stress-Relief and Improved Self-Esteem
2. Heart Health and Reduce the Risk of Stroke
3. Improve Hand Strength and Dexterity
4. Improve Brain Health and Reduce Alzheimer's
5. Immune Regulation
6. Reduce Depression and Improve Mental Health

Read more at the Eartheasy Blog.

Why should you garden?

• Gardening improves the look of your yard.
• Growing your own plants reduces the amount of pesticides in your fruits and veggies.
• Kids eat more fruits and veggies if they help grow them.
• Gardens foster a sense of community.

Learn more at Extension.

Mother Earth News has tons of information on sustainable gardening.  Check it out!

Host a Slumgolian Friday

What is Slumgolian Friday?

Slumgolian Fridays are meals that are created with leftovers.

Why have a Slumgolian Night?

• Reduce food waste
• Minimize meal prep time after a long week

Check out these sites for inspiration:

• 11 Meals That Make Great Leftovers
• Everyday Leftovers Recipes
• GoodFood Recipes for Leftovers
• Jamie Oliver's Favorite Leftover Recipes
• Top Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipes
• How to Freeze Leftovers

Using Plants to Improve the Air in Your House

During the winter months, the air in your house doesn't circulate or filter as well as the warmer months when you can leave your windows open.

Try adding a few of these plants to energize, beautify, and remove toxins from your home:

• Azaleas
• English Ivy
• Peace Lily
• Bamboo Palm
• Chinese Evergreen
• Aloe Vera
• Pelargonium
• Spider Plan
• Rubber Plant
• Snake Plant

Check out Collective Evolution for more information on how to improve the air quality in your house.

Mind Body Green has an excellent graphic on the benefits of decorating with low maintenance plants.

Is humidity a problem in your house?  Check out this list of humidity absorbing plants.

Winter blues got your down at work?  Check out these office plants that can boost your productivity.

Meatless Monday

What is Meatless Monday?

• One day a week, give up all meat during all meals.

Why should you participate in Meatless Mondays with your family?

 Environment:

• Studies show that meat production, particularly beef, creates more greenhouse gasses.  Meat produces 30kg of greenhouses gasses per kg of food vs. carrots (0.42), potatoes (0.45), and rics (1.3) per kg.
• Giving up meat for one day reduces greenhouse gasses more than shopping local.
• Minimize water usage.  It takes roughly 47 times more water to produce a pound of beef than a pound of vegetables.  

Health:

• Reduce heart disease and stroke.
• Limit cancer
• Curb obesity
• Fight diabetes

Your Wallet:

• Curb healthcare spending
• Reduce weekly food budget

For more information, check out the link below:

• www.meatlessmonday.com
• 5 Reasons Giving up Meat can Save the Planet (even if it's only once a week)

Meatless Recipes:

Check out some of our favorites:

• Wild Mushroom Risotto
• Black Bean Soup (Better than Panera!)
• Creamy French Lentils with Mushrooms and Kale
• Quinuoa Chili
• 28 Zuchini Noodle Recipes (#11, 14, and 19 are our favorites)
• Cauliflower Buffalo Wings
• Pasta and Spice Rice Balls

Add your favorites in the comments section below!

Reduce your Energy Bills and Recycle your Christmas Lights

Did you know?

• Americans spend about $233 million more on electricity during the Christmas Season.
• LED lights last 18,000-98,000 hours longer than incandescent lights.
• LED lights save an average of $112 per house during the holiday season on the electric bill.

Do you have old, unused, or broken Christmas lights? 

Don't throw them away!  Take your Christmas lights to any of the Great Parks OR  Hamilton County Recycling.  Check out their webpages for more information and location options.

Don't forget to save money and our landfills by using alternative gift wrap options.  Check out our earlier post to find great alternative gift wrapping ideas.

THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by during Welcome Sunday to check out our energy comparison light display.

LED lights: 0.11amps

Incandescent lights: 0.35amps 

Using LED lights can save roughly two thirds on your energy consumption.

Don't Throw That Away! Reuse your Plastic Baggies!

Over 1 trillion plastic baggies are thrown away worldwide each year!  Although they are advertised as disposable, many times these bags are not soiled beyond reuse.  Get creative and build your own plastic bag drier.  Check out these easy and creative plastic bag driers:

Check out these other bag driers made from household items:

This Lego drier is great with towers of adjustable heights and placements.  Your kids or grandkids will love making this one.

Scrap wood and four $0.27 dowel rods from Walmart took only 15 minutes to make.  No glue required.

Do you have extra K'Nex laying around the house? This bag drier took 5 minutes to build.

For the more sophisticated K'Nex Master Builders.  This one spins!

Another use for scrap wood and dowel rods.

Make your plastic bags more fashionable and durable!

Your plastic bags don't have to be transparent and boring.  Spice them up a little AND flaunt your individuality by reinforcing your plastic bags with duct tape!  Check out the video below or these simple instructions.

Check out these other awesome crafts you can make with your left over duct tape!

Thank you to everyone who participated in our bag craft at Welcome Sunday! The kids had a great time making bags and were excited to start using them in their lunches.