Pollinator Power by Adam and Seth Pettis

Pollinator Power

By Adam and Seth Pettis

Promoting sustainable food systems is central to my identity, because not only do I find it fascinating, but because of its importance to our natural environment. Sustainable food systems not only keep harmony within the planet, but also keep us fed!

While working my way through school I took a job with a commercial beekeeper in North Dakota, and as  I learned a lot about beekeeping, became concerned about chemicals commercial beekeepers used to treat pests. These chemicals require the beekeeper wear suits, gloves and ventilators during application. Without careful application, honey and wax we eat or use to make candles, beauty products or mead absorb these chemicals.  When my son and I started Orion Honey, we chose natural, non-chemical methods to control pests.

 We believe natural methods are key to long-term honeybee viability as pests are developing chemical resistance. Lawn and garden pesticides also pose a threat to bees. These pesticides unintentionally affect honeybees inhibiting their immune response resulting in bee death from secondary factors.  Researchers are working to better understand pesticide impact on honeybees, but other Ohio bees need help, too. A threat to bees is not just that; a threat to bees is also a threat to the foods we consume that are pollinated by bees: lettuce, watermelon, sweet potatoes, grapes, and garlic, to name a few.

Bees are just one of the pollinators that need our support. Butterflies and hummingbirds are also pollinators, and we can benefit them by inviting them into our gardens. Planting native flowers in a pollinator garden gives these important animals a chance to thrive. Native flowers like goldenrod, milkweed, New England aster, or wild bergamot are great for native pollinators. Native flowers are well suited for our climate and also of great benefit to our local pollinators. Reducing or eliminating the use of chemicals on residential lawns promotes healthy pollinator populations. Pollinators overwinter in clumps of native grasses or old perennial stems, so delaying spring yard clean-up gives local pollinators a chance to emerge. Go online and visit the OSU Bee Lab page to learn how to help Ohio's pollinators. You don't have to have years of experience to make an impact in your local community. With a little preparation you could have hours of enjoyment in the upcoming summer months, and provide significant benefit to our local ecosystem. 

Consider participating in Green Bexley’s Love Your Alley this spring (you don’t have to live on an alley to join!); find out more information at https://bexley.org/loveyouralley/.

Recycling by Jenni Kristoff

Recycling

Jenni Kristoff, Bexley Resident

I started recycling back in the 90’s as a teenager with an interest in reducing my family’s amount of waste. I somehow convinced my parents to let me put several bins in our garage to collect our recycling to drop off at a local facility. Back then, residential recycling in the US was in its infancy. Now, we have so many more options available to us. Recycling in Bexley is a relatively easy process. We keep a basket in our basement that is then emptied into the larger bin provided by the city for curbside pickup. No sorting is necessary. And for those of us who like yogurt, sour cream, and cottage cheese, Rumpke has some good news for the 2021. They are now accepting the some of the #5 tubs that are used to package many of those foods! Although the types of materials accepted for recycling have increased, only select paper, plastic, and metal items are accepted in our cubside system. For example, napkins should not be placed in the recycling bin, and an otherwise acceptable plastic bottle is discounted if there is too much product left inside. Recycling works best when we all do it correctly, so please refrain from wishcycling (placing items in the toter and hoping they get recycled. When in doubt, throw it out (or contact Green Bexley to get an answer)! More information about what can and cannot be placed in the recycling toter is available at greenbexley.org/recycle-right.

Of course, recycling should not be the first, or only, step to reduce what we put in our garbage bins. Another great way to reduce waste is composting. Composting is beneficial because it diverts organic matter from the landfill, where it would otherwise sit for an extraordinary length of time producing methane- a greenhouse gas 20-ish times more detrimental than carbon dioxide! We have a compost bin in our backyard, but Bexley also has a great program for curbside recycling as well. They supply the buckets-you supply the food scraps. Families can sign up for the program by filling out a form at https://bexley.org/food-waste/. We keep a small covered receptacle by our kitchen sink so that we don’t have to go outside every time we have food scraps. Because our backyard bin tends to freeze in the winter, we love the Bexley composting program during the cold months. I have learned a lot about what can be included in the compost bin. Not only can food waste be added to the bin, but paper towels, broken up paper/cardboard egg cartons, and even some takeout containers can be put in our compost bin. We even found kitty litter that is made from coconut shells that is compostable (however, please do not put animal waste in your compost).

 In our house, recycling and composting is a family affair. Before the pandemic, our house had friends of my boys in it virtually every day. I have to admit that I beamed with motherly pride when I would hear my son remind his friend to not throw away a banana peel because it had to be composted. They will pull soda cans out of the garbage if a friend accidentally throws one away. Getting the kids involved now will hopefully make it a lifelong habit for them.

The Art of Thrifting by the Hurt Family

The Art of Thrifting

by the Hurt Family

Marie, Jeff, Simon (11) and David (8)

The art of thrifting was first modeled to me by my grandmother, who lived with very little. She could find an outfit at the thrift store with fabulous fabric, tear it apart at the seams, and rebuild it into a gorgeous and stylish ensemble. All for $1.50. Growing up, I remember plenty of 4-H sewing projects to try to learn her skill.

By the time I was in school, it was cheaper to buy clothes than to sew them. We soon learned that the budget stretched far further at Goodwill than at the mall, and so we would spend hours presenting new-to-us-looks  in runway style shows for our grandmother. Our $100 budget created a fabulous wardrobe, and although we might didn’t know it at the time, we made a positive impact on the environment.

As a young adult, that pattern and habit of looking for second-hand-first bled into other areas of consumption: furniture, houses, etc. As a young married couple, we found that the best furniture was typically used and needed refurbishing, stripping of paint, etc. We bought our “old” Bexley house here for many environmental reasons, too--it was not stylish, but sturdy and sound and needed only decorative changes. Rather than a suburban sprawler, we needed only 1700 sq ft. That home was representative of many areas of our lives, in that we don’t need as much as we think. We had to be very careful of what possessions we bought, because we just didn’t have room to store much. But overall there was less to heat, furnish, and  clean, and more time and money for living, while being better for the environment all aroundThe value of sustainable living through second-hand buying aligned with with many of my values now, and still today:  learning new skills, reducing my environmental impact by consuming less and sending less to landfill, being financially wise, having fun, practicing patience, and focusing on the present instead of priorities which can shift fluidly.  Whatever your specific reason for purchasing pre-owned, there are a multitude of additional benefits.

For those looking for second hand items, there are wonderful resale shops around Columbus For clothes, Second Chance and One More Time in Grandview, ThredUp online. For furniture, we frequent The Arhaus Loft for floor sample sales, Trading Places in Dublin, Fresco Furnishings in Grandview, and Upscale Resale Furnishings in Gahanna.

When we do have good-condition items we no longer need, we do our best to rehome them so someone else can enjoy. Local furniture banks and Habitat for Humanity ReStore will pick up household items, and smaller items and clothes can be dropped off at Goodwill, Volunteers of America, and many places of worship.  Many items can be bought or sold on local Facebook Buy & Sell pages and Craigslist, or on Bexley’s yardsale and freecycle day.

My advice is to start small and in a way that is comfortable for you. If you don’t feel right buying something without knowing the previous owner, start by swapping items with friends. I’ve also found it helpful, before buying something new, to ask if I can find it used or if I already have something that will serve the same purpose. Sometimes this takes patience and wait time, but is almost always worth it- for ourselves, and the planet.

Sustainable Purchases by Amy Stevens

Sustainable Purchases

by Amy Stevens 

We all know about Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, but there is a fourth practice we need to be embracing. Buying sustainable items, whether in materials, energy or practices, means a limited negative impact on natural resources and people; they avoid depleting or degrading the environment. Because they create few stresses on the environment, society can safely rely on them well into the future. Harmful practices to produce or source products is, in my opinion, the most difficult part to instinctively know, so it may involve some research on your part. It is easy to ask yourself if the item was sourced responsibly, but harder to answer without knowing  the entire life cycle of the items  you are buying. However, doing a little research can get you started on the right foot and makes a big difference. 

The next question I ask is “Is the product packaging sustainable?” Buying the big clam shell lettuce may be easier in the moment, but knowing that this packaging takes about 450 years to break down in a landfill has me reaching for the unwrapped lettuce head. 

There are small ways to go about this. For example, if you’re unwilling or unable to grind your own peanuts to make peanut butter, maybe your prefered brand is sold in bulk or in a glass jar instead of plastic. Both of these options are better than a plastic container with only a handful of servings, and these small choices add up!

We particularly try to buy sustainable clothing items, from sustainable brands or by shopping second hand. Fashion products make up 10% of humanity’s carbon emissions, dries up water sources and pollutes rivers and streams. And at that, 85% of clothing ends up in landfills each year. We’re just one family, but over time, staying consistent with this choice will make an impact, and we hope others join us.  It is a challenge to keep all these things in mind when buying products. It definitely takes more effort, forethought and time. Sometimes, it even costs more money. My family embraces these practices in every way we can, but we still have lots of room to improve. We are compelled to integrate these practices into our daily life because we love skiing, scuba diving, hiking, and travel in general. It is our love of this amazing earth and seeing the beauty it has to offer, that has inspired us to make even small changes. 

We felt that our recycling, reducing and reusing was not enough. Not making a big enough impact. We realized that where and how we choose to spend our dollars is more impactful. If we force companies to adopt better practices of sustainability by not buying their harmful products, we make greater change. In the end, it can be daunting to begin these practices. A good way to start is by doing a bit of research on products you buy repeatedly (for example, search “sustainable tuna fish,” “eco-friendly toothbrushes,” or “low-impact school supplies”) because buying responsibly can go a long way to help.

Reducing Single Use and Increasing Reusable by Jennifer Brown

Reducing Single Use and Increasing Reusable

Jennier Brown

My husband Chris and I have always been avid recyclers but have been trying to focus more on reducing single-use items and increasing reusable items. It’s important for us to try to leave the world a better place for our girls. 

We have made several small, easy changes to work toward our goal of reducing waste. One of the easiest changes I’ve made so far is simply to think about purchases and whether I really need them or will use them before adding to the cart. This has reduced the amount of needless items we’d just end up getting rid of. We use silicone bags instead of single-use when possible, reusable grocery bags and cleaning cloths, and cloth napkins instead of paper. I switched to reusable cotton rounds for removing makeup, rather than disposable ones. Something important to remember is that you don’t need to go out and buy new sustainable items right away. It is almost always most sustainable to finish up what you have at home first, and then find something to take its place (or maybe you realize you don’t need to replace it). I purchased these items, but many of them can be made from items I already had around the home! 

We like to rescue some items that might be headed for the landfill for storage, art projects, or other uses. Our daughter Emerson and her friend made fairy houses out of flower pots we no longer needed. Our girls used cardboard and an old cookie container to make pretend cookies to “sell.” We re-use takeout containers to store or share food. 

Another way to reuse is by refilling or DIYing your own household and beauty products. Koko and Reuse Revolution 614 are new to central Ohio and allow you to bring in your own bottles to refill instead of buying new, plastic bottles every time. We also hear that Bexley Natural Market will have select items available to refill in the near future! Although the product is consumable, the container is reusable, and that’s important!

It feels good that we are reducing what we send to the landfill, and that someone can make use of things we can’t use anymore. And we love buying secondhand! We’ve bought so many toys, clothes, and furniture items from the Bexley Buy, Sell, and Trade Facebook pages. I’d advise anyone who is wanting to start living more sustainably to make small changes that they can build on. The smaller changes are the easiest for me to sustain. If everyone makes lots of small changes, it can add up to a big difference. To learn more about the waste people generate from single use products, visit https://www.greenbexley.org/refuse-and-reduce. 

The Green Bexley Blog is featuring content from resident contributors from April 5-9 in honor of Earth Month! Get inspired by your neighbors to make changes in your own life to reduce, buy sustainable, discard appropriately, increase positive actions, learn and teach, and advocate. Visit www.greenbexley.org to make a pledge and take a challenge to solidify your new habits, and see our other Earth Month activities!

My Family’s Journey towards Sustainable Living

by Rebecca Ness

Vice Chair. ESAC

I don’t remember when my family started moving towards a sustainable lifestyle; it’s something we’ve been working on for a long time. Now, it’s part of our daily life and we continually make small and large changes.

Living green might look differently to each of us. It doesn’t mean doing things perfectly or knowing everything about sustainability. To us it means that we recognize our impact on the earth, we’re open to learning and taking action, and that we try to get a little “greener” over time. It’s about everyone doing a bit more, not about a few people doing it perfectly.

Our shift towards sustainability involves daily questions: Can we walk, bus, or bike there instead of driving? Is that compostable? Is this available at a refillery or in Bexley Natural Market’s bulk section? Can we buy that toy used?

Here are some sustainable actions my family has taken in our journey:

1. Choosing Sustainable Transportation
Our family’s first choices for transportation are walking, biking, or public transit. One of the reasons we chose Bexley were the proximity to schools, businesses, COTA lines, and our jobs. Our son bikes to school and my husband bike or bus commutes year round to Easton. For times we do need to drive, we own one car: a plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt. The first 50-60 miles are electric and then converts to gas. We rarely need to travel beyond the electric range. Currently our electric is provided by AEP Energy which buys wind RECs. This year, when Bexley switches to an aggregation energy program our house and car, will run on renewable energy!

2. Participating in Bexley’s Curbside Composting Program
It’s painful to throw vegetables into garbage where they sit in a sealed landfill for decades releasing methane and contributing to climate change. So we were delighted when Bexley started their Composting Pilot Program in 2017. We keep a small compost bin with a charcoal filter (eliminating odor) on the counter and transfer to our 5-gallon compost bucket (provided by the city). Composting greatly reduces the amount of garbage my family creates. You can can sign up for free curbside composting at bexley.org/food-waste.

3. Exploring Greener Ways to Heat and Cool
Heating and Cooling a home is energy intensive. Columbia Gas provided a free home energy assessment and substantial rebates. We worked with Energy Tech Insulation to make upgrades. We upgraded our insulation to R42 values and used cellulose that will last the lifetime of the house. We upgraded to LED lighting (reducing energy from these lights by 90%) and completed air sealing.These upfront costs have been recouped with lower energy bills. We experimented with a plug in dehumidifier and determined it used too much energy. We’re considering attaching a dehumidifier to the HVAC as it will greatly reduce A/C needs. We planted trees and shrubs insulating the house in summer and winter. We’re considering solar on the garage, but with our variables it would only cover 20% of our electric usage.

4. Working Towards Zero Waste in the Kitchen and Bathroom
Our 2020 sustainability goal was to move our kitchen and bathroom  towards zero waste. With refilleries and sustainability shops popping up, we were able to transition package-free dishwashing powder, soap, baking soda and vinegar. For the bathroom we secured many common toiletries from the Koko Refillery and Reuse Revolution. Every purchase like this keeps plastic out of landfill and signals demand for sustainable packaging.

We purchase beans, nuts, dried fruit, flours, grains, and rice in bulk grocery sections. We’ve had to pause some bulk shopping during Covid, but luckily, Bexley Natural Market still has a lovely food, tea, herb and spice bulk section.

For us, the kitchen has been the most challenging part of moving to zero waste as there is an incredible amount of packaging. We bring reusable grocery and produce bags and buy items in glass and cardboard when possible. Ultimately, we know it’s about progress, not perfection. 

What are your family's 2021 sustainability goals? Green Bexley is here to support your family as you delve deeper into sustainability!

Sustainability Resolutions for the New Year

by Rebecca Ness

Vice Chair ESAC

2020 has been a transformative year as we were propelled to live in a different way.  Many people are reevaluating what they want in their lives and what’s most important. Have you been considering ways to make your home and life more sustainable? New Years’ resolutions are a great way to try something new and take better care of yourself, your family and the environment.

We're all familiar with the the classic 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. In this article we look at a couple of the classic Rs and a few newer ones. Did you know there are more than three? The order of the Rs is important—the closer to the start of the list, the more sustainable the option.

Rethink:  How do you view natural resources? Understanding that natural resources are limited can greatly influence the choices you make. Each choice is important to the health of the planet: thinking about what you buy will help the environment and potentially save you money. Ask yourself if you really need that new item of clothing. Can you buy it second hand? Or can you go without it? 

Reduce: Reducing the number of resources in your everyday life is next on the list. Most waste is typically created in the kitchen, so start there to make the biggest impact. To reduce lunchtime waste for kids, consider a stainless steel lunchbox with compartments. For example, Planetbox brand lunchbox offers many varied containers for replacing single use plastic baggies, tinfoil, plastic bottles and utensils. 

Refuse: A great way to refuse over-packaged items is in the produce section of the grocery store. Avoid produce wrapped in plastic and bring your own reusable produce bag.  Bexley Natural Market offers compostable produce bags that you can reuse for your countertop compost bin. Refusing an item from someone can feel impolite or uncomfortable. You can politely decline when someone offers you an item you do not need and you can even mention your resolution. You can refuse to support products or companies that harm the environment.

After you find ways to rethink, refuse and reduce, the following 3 Rs will come more easily.

Refill: Refillery stores are a new planet-friendly shopping option that help you stock and re-stock with quality, ethically-sourced products without wasteful packaging. Koko is a solid, smart refillery that opened this summer at 15 N Westmoor Avenue. They have big glass dispensers filled with shampoo, body wash, cleansers, laundry powder, dishwashing powder, baking soda, vinegar, hand sanitizer, and many more essentials. You can bring your own containers to fill or can purchase glass or metal containers there. The staff will fill and weigh your containers and send you on your sustainable way. 

Bexley Natural Market helps reduce waste by offering an organic bulk section with high quality, beans, rice, grains, seeds, tea, herbs and spices. Customers are welcome to bring their own reusable containers and eliminate unnecessary trash.

Rehome: You may have received gifts last month that don’t suit you. When an item goes to the right person at the right time, the resources will not be wasted. Take a minute to think about who could use and enjoy a mismatched gift. Also, some gifts may displace older items in your home. Bexley resident, Lindsay Goodman, rehomes items that she no longer needs. “When I find a new home for an item, I can help a neighbor find what they need without buying new, while also keeping it out of landfill.”

Recycle:  Recycling reuses materials to be made into something useful and reduces the need for raw materials. There are some exciting additions to our local recycling program: we can now recycle tinfoil, aluminum pans, jar lids, dairy tubs (butter, cream cheese, sour cream, etc), as well as yogurt, fruit and applesauce cups!

15 Best Ways to Get Kids Into Nature (and Fight Nature-Deficit Disorder)

15 Best Ways to Get Kids Into Nature (and Fight Nature-Deficit Disorder)

Parents know that getting kids into the great outdoors is excellent for their health and development. But it can be tricky convincing kids to head outside, even if the whole family tags along. Here are the best ways to encourage children to embrace nature at any age.

Put Nature in Their Hands

If you want your child to appreciate everything nature has to offer, you need to nature within their grasp. The following resources can help provide you with some ideas.

Your Go-To Guide for Gardening with Children

Gardening Fun: The Best Vegetables to Grow with Kids

DIY Nature Exploration Kit for Kids

Geocaching with Kids

20-Plus Nature Scavenger Hunt Ideas

Make the Outdoors a Classroom

If you really want to make the most of your child’s time in nature, then you need to make their time outdoors educational. Fortunately, you don’t need to venture to a nature preserve or a park to make that happen — you can find many opportunities in your own backyard!

50 Ways to Explore Nature in Your Own Backyard

100 Things to Do Before, During, and After a Nature Walk

How to Safely Observe Wildlife from Your Home

Take Reading Outdoors! Creating a Multi-Sensory Reading Experience

Teach Your Children the Importance of Going Green

Have Ideas Ready for All Seasons

Don’t let the colder months — or the warmer months, for that matter! — get in the way of your child’s time in nature. There are plenty of things you can do year-round!

7 Simple Springtime Outdoor Activities

Fun with Kids and Nature: Vernal Pools!

15 Summer Nature Activities for Kids

Outside Fall Activities for Kids: 11 Ways to Play with Leaves

5 Ideas for Exploring Nature with Kids This Winter

Encouraging children to get excited about nature takes more than subtle suggestions. You need a range of engaging activities and ideas no matter the weather or season. However, with these strategies, you can get your kids outside — and learning — in no time.

Submitted by

Jenny Miller:
jenny@stopndd.org
https://stopndd.org/
Putting an End to Nature-Deficit Disorder