the scented version doubles as a soothing eye pillow.


Seeds to Throw and Grow Guerilla Gardening’s (GuerillaGardening.org) recipe for seed bombs makes fun gifts for gardeners and nature lovers. Choose flower and herb seeds that grow well in each recipi- ent’s region.


Combine five parts clay soil or potter’s powder (from art supply stores), one part compost and one part seeds, with water to bind. Form the mixture into balls approximately one inch in diameter and let dry for one to two days in an empty egg carton. Wrap seed bombs in recycled paper or cloth tied with a ribbon and instructions. Toss them in the yard or garden and watch them grow.


Creative and Kid-Friendly Enlist Santa’s elves to assemble a fort-building kit for chil- dren, inspired by Saltwater-Kids.com. Stock a pillowcase with two sheets, clothespins, plastic clamps, rope, suction cups and a flashlight. Tie up the pillowcase with rope and a cute label, and watch old linens come to life with a little imagination. Give broken and unwanted crayons a second life with fun-shaped recycled crayons. Fill greased muffin tins or cookie cutters on a foil-lined cookie sheet with broken crayon pieces (paper removed). Bake at 150 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until the crayons melt. Allow them to cool completely before removing from the molds. “I like to encourage families to focus on creating memo- ries and rituals as a way to avoid excessive holiday consump- tion,” says Getty, who is renowned for her home-cooked gifts packaged in reusable tins with recycled bows. She notes, “These become a tradition that people know and love.” Such heartfelt gifts open the door to special moments and memories celebrating the true spirit of the season.


Meredith Montgomery is the publisher of Natural Awaken- ings of Mobile/Baldwin, AL. Connect at Healthy LivingHealthyPlanet.com.


Holiday waste report source: epa.gov


ecotip


Eco Tips for the Holidays


by Eva Lewandowski


The holiday season is a great time to spend time with friends and family, but sometimes we get so busy that we don’t think about making environmentally sustainable choices. Here are some easy tips to make this holiday season green and eco- friendly:


Make sustainable food


choices. Use organic ingre- dients for holiday baking and


meals. Buy local and seasonal ingredients, such as Minneso- ta-grown apples and pumpkins, whenever possible. Keep holiday decorations simple, reusable and recycla- ble. Instead of tinsel and garland, make strings of popcorn and cranberries (which can be placed outside later for birds). Store glass ornaments from year to year. Recycle old Christmas lights when they stop working. Avoid traditional wrapping paper, most of which cannot


be recycled. Instead, wrap gifts in reusable cloth bags or gift bags made from recycled paper. Consider giving gifts that don’t require any wrapping at all, such as gift cards or tickets to a play, concert or other event. Enjoy the outdoors with environmentally low-impact


activities. Sledding, snowshoeing and bird-watching are all great ways to enjoy our Minnesota winters without creating waste or damaging our local ecosystems.


Eva Lewandowski is part of Do It Green! Minnesota, an educational organization dedicated to sustainable living. For more information, visit DoItGreen.org.


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Recycled Wool


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lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the


You must not


ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.


~ Mahatma Gandhi natural awakenings December 2012 15


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