National Moth Week

I had never heard of National Moth Week until I got a notice of local activities.  National Moth Week is a global celebration of moths and biodiversity, being held on the last week of July, which is July 20-28 this year.  Here’s some information from the National Moth Week website:

Why moths?

• Moths are among the most diverse and successful organisms on earth.
• Scientists estimate there are 150,000 to more than 500,000 moth species.
• Their colors and patterns are either dazzling or so cryptic that they define camouflage. Shapes and sizes span the gamut from as small as a pinhead to as large as an adult’s hand.
• Most moths are nocturnal, and need to be sought at night to be seen – others fly like butterflies during the day.
• Finding moths can be as simple as leaving a porch light on and checking it after dark. Serious moth aficionados use special lights and baits to attract them.

National Moth Week provides a much-needed spotlight on moths and their ecological importance as well as their incredible biodiversity.  National Moth Week offers everyone, everywhere a unique opportunity to become a Citizen Scientist and contribute scientific data about moths. Numerous organizations around the world have partnered with National Moth Week and are supporting the event. Through partnerships with major online biological data depositories, National Moth Week participants can help map moth distribution and provide needed information on other life history aspects around the globe.

http://nationalmothweek.org/

In Broward County, National Moth Week will be celebrated with activities at Long Key Nature Center at 3501 S.W. 130th Avenue in Davie.  Events include:

Moth Day • July 21

12 p.m. to 5 p.m.• All Ages • Free

Presented in cooperation with the Broward Butterfly Chapter and the Miami Blue Chapter of the North

American Butterfly Association.

Moth Night • July 26

8:00 p.m. • All Ages • $5/person

Presented in cooperation with the Broward Butterflies Chapter and the Miami Blue Chapter of the North

American Butterfly Association.

Magical Moths for Kids • July 27 and 28

10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. • Ages 3-12 yrs. • $5/child

For more information go to http://coontie.fnpschapters.org/data/uploads/newsletters/moth-week-flyer.pdf or call the Long Key Nature Center Office at 954.357.8797.

10 Unexpected Natural Cleaners

Around-the-house staples that moonlight as dirt-busting superstars.

By Nicole Sforza

Use white bread to: Dust an oil painting. Gently dab a slice of white bread over the surface to pick up dirt and grime.

Use ketchup to: Remove tarnish from copper and brass cookware. Squeeze ketchup onto a cloth and rub it on pots and pans. They should go back to their coppery color in minutes. Rinse with warm water and dry with a towel.

Use oatmeal to: Scrub very dirty hands. Make a thick paste of oatmeal and water; rinse well.

Use rice to: Clean the inside of a vase or a thin-necked bottle. Fill three quarters of the vessel with warm water and add a tablespoon of uncooked rice. Cup your hand over the opening, shake vigorously, and rinse.

Use tea to: Scour rusty garden tools. Brew a few pots of strong black tea. When cool, pour into a bucket. Soak the tools for a few hours. Wipe each one with a cloth. (Wear rubber gloves or your hands will be stained.)

Use glycerin to: Remove dried wax drippings from candlesticks. Peel off as much wax as possible, then moisten a cotton ball with glycerin and rub until clean.

Use club soda to: Shine up a scuffed stainless-steel sink. Buff with a cloth dampened with club soda, then wipe dry with another clean cloth.

Use hydrogen peroxide to: Disinfect a keyboard. Dip a cotton swab in hydrogen peroxide to get into those nooks and crannies.

Use cornstarch to: Clean grease spills on carpets. Pour cornstarch onto spots and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes before vacuuming.

Use rubbing alcohol to: Erase permanent-marker stains from finished wood floors or solid-surface countertops. Pour rubbing alcohol onto a cotton ball and apply.

http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/more-surprising-natural-cleaners-00000000011572/index.html?xid=rs-hol-07-11-2013

2013 Summer Home Landscape Series

The 2013 Summer Home Landscape Series consists of eight free lectures for average homeowners who are interested in adding to the beauty of  their homes through landscaping. You will learn ways to save money on cooling and water bills, attract wildlife, do your part to preserve native vegetation, and update your yard. You can improve the appearance of your yard and your community, as well as increase your property value.

Time: Thursdays, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Location: Julia Hall,

Secret Woods Nature Center

2701 W. State Rd. 84, Dania Beach, FL 33312

Phone: 954-357-8884Email: SecretWoods@broward.org

Topics

July 11 - David McLean, Horticulturalist and Landscape Designer, "Tools for Serious Gardeners"

July 18 - Sandi Jones & Tom Wells, Orchid Curators, Bonnet House Museum & Gardens, "Orchid Basics"
July 25 - Molly Taylor, Park Naturalist II, "Plants With a Purpose"

August 1 - Michael Orfanedes, Commercial Horticulture Agent IV, UF-IFAS Broward County Extension Education, "Tree Trimming & Pruning"

August 8 - Elaine Farquharson, Vegetable Gardening Expert, "Tomato Gardening in South Florida"

August 15 - Diana Guidry, Outreach Coordinator, NatureScape Broward, "Create a Quiet Getaway"

August 22 - Aaeon J. Mullins, Senior Biological Scientist, UF-IFAS Department of Entomology & Nematology, "Backyard Beekeeping"
August 29 - Scott Bryan, Park Aide, "Fungi in the Garden & Yard" 

http://www.broward.org/PARKS/SECRETWOODSNATURECENTER/Pages/SummerLandscapeSeries.aspx

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Office of Sustainability

Office - (954) 828-5785  Fax - (954) 828-4745

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

Friday Funny

Why Bottled Water Is Insane

By Michael Byrne

Here’s a weird thing. If you are over, say, 30 years old, you likely remember a time before bottled water.

Bottled water as a concept has been visible for a very long time, of course, and most histories of the phenomenon mark the introduction of Perrier in 1976 as the genesis of modern bottled water. It wasn’t until the mid-‘90s, however, that bottled water became everyday and, you know, for the common folks. Those of us that remember this period are lucky enough to have witnessed one of the most insane events in consumer history, when the soda industry figured out how to sell the same thing in bottles that people already had piped into their houses.

The coup is this: while that bottle of Aquafina goes for $1.79, the same amount from your tap (which, if you are buying bottled water to begin with, is likely of the same quality) spits out water that might go for $.00063 for the same 20 oz. And that is at the upper end of the municipal water price-range.

It's hard to know the precise moment when regular drinking water first came into competition with itself, but some would place it at the arrival of Aquafina, PepsiCo's big foray into bottled water, in 1994. Not long after, Dasani, its Coca-Cola analog, came along, and drinking water had gone from well to reservoir to faddish luxury item to mass commodity—cultural symbol, office supply, omnipotent restorer of health. It is, after all, the stuff of life.

I stopped off at the gas station/convenience store last night in part just to actually take some stock of the water offerings. There were about a half dozen brands, and maybe another half dozen variations on those brands; from the ubiquitous Aquafina and Dasani to Fuji and even good ol’ Evian. These were a full third of all cold beverages on sale.

That last one, Evian, is probably the only one of these brands that to me has ever tasted very different from tap water. And that difference is only in taste, of course, because that’s the only real-world difference between most waters (taste comes from negligible amounts of minerals/chemicals). Water—the two-hydrogens-one-oxygen part of it that we need—does not actually change as long as it remains water. Water is water. In other words, there is no better water or worse water if we're actually talking about just water. Unless you're drawing from the Great Salt Lake, most anything water comes with won't make much of a difference in how much more or less good that water does your body.

It doesn’t matter if it’s in a cup of coffee, the most garbage-y soda ever, naked from a mountain stream, or sporting some small amounts of fluoride and chlorine from your city’s most likely excellent municipal supply; your body will use it in all of these forms. In fact, a large percentage of your water needs come from food. There's a decent chance that you actually get more water than you need, not less, barring an absolutely hideous diet of, like, Fritos and beef jerky.

Read more: http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/why-bottled-water-is-insane#ixzz2WaVv69WM

Make your own nontoxic natural cleaners with these simple recipes.

Provided By: 

The Easiest Green Cleaning Recipes You Can Make at Home

Make your own nontoxic natural cleaners with these simple recipes.

By Brian Clark Howard

 

Carpet and Rugs

Keeping carpets clean is less daunting than you might think, even after a season of tracked-in dirt and salt.

Beat Those Rugs: Take any removable rugs outside and beat the dust and hair out with a broom. 

Club Soda: You've probably heard the old adage that club soda works well on carpet stains. But you have to attack the mess right away. Lift off any solids, then liberally pour on club soda. Blot with an old rag. The soda's carbonation brings the spill to the surface, and the salts in the soda thwart staining. 

Cornmeal: For big spills, dump cornmeal on the mess, wait 5 to 15 minutes, and vacuum up the gunk.

Spot Cleaner: Make your own by mixing: 1/4 cup liquid soap or detergent in a blender, with 1/3 cup water. Mix until foamy. Spray on, then rinse with vinegar. 

To Deodorize: Sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch on the carpet or rug, using about 1 cup per medium-sized room. Vacuum after 30 minutes.

 

 

Read more: Green Cleaning Recipes - Natural Cleaner Recipes for Spring Cleaning - The Daily Green 

Visit us at TheDailyGreen.com

 

Recycle Used Inkjet Cartridges

Save resources in your home office by recycling inkjet cartridges, and buying recycled cartridges and recycled ink.

by The Daily Green Staff

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It's easy to reuse or recycle your inkjet cartridges, so get started today.

If you've been chucking your inkjet and toner cartridges in the garbage up to this point, you're not alone. Over 13 cartridges are discarded in the U.S. every second, according to CartridgeFundraising.com.

That's hundreds of millions of cartridges that end up in landfills every year, made with plastics that can take at least 1,000 years to decompose. Not a good thing.

It's actually easy to cut down on this waste. First off, some inkjet cartridges can be used more than once by buying a refill kit. Look for compatible inks at 123Injets.com and, through Aug. 1, 2011, use promo code SUNNY123 to get 10%-15% off your purchase.

If this seems too messy, take your empties from the home printer (don't forget copiers and faxes, too) to the nearest drop off center to be reused or recycled by others. Both Staples and Home Depot have in-store drop-off bins for recycling inkjet cartridges and other electronics, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. You can also plug in your zip code in our "Get Local Info" widget on The Daily Green's homepage to get local recycling information. (Also try our partner, Earth911.org.)

Many companies, such as Hewlett-Packard, take them back for free. They provide mailers or labels for you to ship them back to be recycled or refurbished.  Office Depot offers store credit for used cartridges if you are a member of their loyalty program.  

It takes about 80% less energy to remanufacture plastic than to produce it new. And remanufactured laser cartridges use about half the amount of oil (a nonrenewable fossil fuel) needed to make brand new ones. So buy recycled cartridges to begin with. You'll save them from entering the waste stream. (123Injets.com also sells recycled printer cartridges and recycled inks.)

Remember, save ink and paper by printing double-sided, in black and white, and only when necessary.

Read more: Ink Cartridges Recycling - Recycle Printer Cartridges - The Daily Green 

Visit us at TheDailyGreen.com