Here’s how to do it:

#1 – Get the ingredients together. You will need:

2 ½ cups flour (sifted)
2 ½ cups sugar
1/3 cup pure 100% natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups water
½ ounce baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

#2 – Preheat oven to 350F.

#3 – In a large bowl sift together the flour, salt, cocoa powder and baking soda.

#4 – Add the sugar, oil, vanilla and water. Mix all ingredients together well. You can also use an electric mixer for a minute or two.

#5 – Pour into a lightly oiled 9 x 13 inch pan and bake in the preheated oven 45 minutes to one hour – or until you insert a knife or toothpick into the cake and it comes out clean. Tip: When checking if the cake is ready open the oven door very slowly to avoid the cake “plopping” and loosing height.

#6 – Turn to wire rack until fully cooled and enjoyed.

Serve and enjoy as is or if you prefer make a luscious icing using soya butter and cocoa power. Place 1 cup of softened soya butter and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder in a large bowl. Mix with an electric mixer for a few minutes until light and fluffy and spread on cooled cake. Enjoy!

What is Composting?

Composting is essentially decomposing. The leaves that collect in the corner of your yard decompose. If you facilitate the process, then it’s called composting. Composting involves mixing your yard and household organic waste, like food scraps, in a container and providing conditions that encourage or facilitate decomposition.

Why Compost?

Composting is a very environmentally friendly practice. It reduces the amount of garbage we toss into landfills by 20-30% and as we get closer and closer to running out of space, composting becomes more and more important.

In addition to making space in the landfills, composting provides you with a source of chemical free fertilizer, which you can use for gardening and soil conditioner.

Materials to Get Started

To begin composting you’ll need a few things to get started. You can find many of these items at your local hardware or gardening store. You can also buy home composting kits only. These kits come with everything you need and provide a relatively stink free composting experience.

You’ll need a compost bin. The materials will be decomposing here so if you’re keeping the compost in your home, you’ll want a lid as well.

You’ll also need a pitchfork to turn and mix the compost daily.

Finally, you’ll need to find the right place to put your compost. You can create a pile outside in a well-drained area or you can place it in a warm, dark location inside your home.

But what about the actual compost? Can you toss anything in there? Are there right and wrong ingredients? The answer is yes, the ideal compost recipe includes:

* 1 Part Greens – include grass clippings, kitchen scraps including eggshells and coffee grounds. (Avoid using any meat, fat, grease, oils, dairy products, bones, or animal droppings in your compost.)
* 25 Parts Browns – include dried leaves, straw, wood chips, paper bags and drier lint.
* Water – Keep the pile moist but not soaking
* Air
* And time

Turn the ingredients every day for about two weeks. In two weeks time you should have a powerful pile of compost to place in your garden, household plants or flowerbeds. Happy composting!

Here’s how to do it:

#1 – Prepare the area/container – you can go out and buy a fancy compost bin (there are many to choose from at garden centers) or you can simply make a “heap” which is far more economical and will work just as well.

To make a heap you simply need 4 sides and a covering. You can use 4 similar sized pieces of wood, nailed together or you can use breeze blocks to make an enclosure for your waste. You’ll need to leave a detachable area in the front so that you can easily scoop out the compost.

If using bricks simply leave a small gap. If using wood, you can do the same or leave the whole front side loose so that you can easily remove the whole plank of wood to access your compost once ready.

Tip: Wood tends to be the ideal material as it is completely eco-friendly, economical and far easier to put together than a brick-sided heap.

#2 – Add your drainage material – Once you have your “container” ready then line the bottom with biodegradable material that will help absorb the compost faster. You can use straw, twigs or newspaper.

#3 – Heat things up – In order for your waste to turn into compost, you need heat. You can do this by adding a thin layer of already mature soil (which you buy at the garden center or from another area of the garden) on top of the first layers of waste. This will help trap the heat in and your waste will compost faster.

#4 – Cover and Turn – Another way to keep the temperature high in your heap is by covering it up. You can use old potato sacks, a sheet of plastic, or a thick blanket. Your compost will take approximately 3 or so months to degrade. You can help things along by turning the heap once or twice a month. Simply uncover and using a large, thick stick or shovel simply “turn” the compost to distribute the heat.

#5 – Things you can compost – Shredded newspaper, uncooked vegetables and peelings, grass/lawn, old plants, hedge clippings, animal waste (chickens, dogs, cats), weeds, rotten fruit or fruit remains.

Here’s how:

#1 – Build a barrier – If your vegetables and fruit are planted in raised beds this is quite easy. Simply attach a barrier that the slugs won’t cross and get into the border. The best material to use is a strip of copper all around the sides of your borders. Slugs don’t like copper and so it will be difficult for them to enter.

#2 – Make it bumpy – Slugs don’t like bumpy or rough texture as it is difficult for them to crawl on it. Add crushed egg shells or spiky pieces of pebbles around your vegetables to make this task difficult. Grit used for feeding chickens is also a great alternative. Mulch is not good as slugs are attracted to rotten decomposing material. But cocoa shells are a good alternative which slugs don’t seem to like. Be aware, however, that cocoa shells are toxic to dogs.

#3 – Build a trap – You can purchase pre-made traps at the garden center or cheaply and simply make your own. Place small plastic tubs (a bottom of a cut plastic cup will do) in your vegetable patch. Fill these traps with beer. As the slugs crawl up the traps they will fall in the beer and drown.

#4 – Use your hands – This is by far the most time consuming way of removing slugs but if all else fails it’s good to catch them at dusk (this is when they tend to be out) and remove them one by one from your plants.

#5 – Keep It natural – Another great way to get rid of slugs is by increasing the wildlife in your garden. Wild birds love to eat slugs. Put up birdfeeders and food around the garden to attract wild birds which will in turn keep the slug population low.

Feeding them is the number one way to increase their numbers in your garden. Here’s how to do it:

#1 – The best natural bird feeder is simply being as natural as possible in our food choices. Using natural twine, string up peanuts (in their shells) and hang from trees. You can also string up apples, rosehips, berries seed head and kitchen scraps.

Decorate your creations by tying fir cones to the bottom. For example you can attach a fir cone to the bottom of the string and place a few apples or fat balls on top. The fir cones will help the birds balance.

You can tie these edible bird feeders from old tree branches all around the garden – the more the merrier.

#2 – Construct your own feeder – This is far easier than it sounds. As long as the birds are fed you really don’t need anything fancy. An old piece of wood and something to attach it to will do – you can use the top of an old shed or a sturdy tree branch. Simply nail your platform in place and add nuts or seeds to attract the birds.

You can also use old twigs shaped and tied together to form a nest shape which you can then attach to the trees.

A pre-made bird house can be given a special touch with a little non-toxic paint and a few edible decorations such as hanging berries and peanuts.

# 3 – Don’t forget the water – Birds need hydration just like humans. If you don’t have an actual bird batch then simply add a few old pots of water throughout the garden. The birds will find their way to them and use the water to drink as well as cool down.

Making a natural bird feeder isn’t difficult. Simply use your imagination and remember the task at hand – keeping the birds fed and happy – it really doesn’t require a whole lot but you will get a lot of pleasure from enjoying these lovely creatures all year in the garden.

Here are the best eco-friendly kitchen counter tops to choose from:

Recycled Glass. Recycled glass countertops are gorgeous. You can choose any color or color combination you desire. It is fairly expensive, $50 to $55 per square foot; however, it meets all of the requirements for a gorgeous, durable, eco friendly kitchen. Recycled glass is mixed into a cement, concrete or resin base and installed.

Bamboo. Bamboo is an amazing material. Because bamboo grows so quickly, it’s a very renewable resource. You can make flooring, dinnerware and cookware out of it, furniture and yes, kitchen counter tops. Bamboo is an inexpensive alternative running about $20-$25 per square foot. While it is gorgeous and eco-friendly, it can be dented and scratched. However, many people like this weathered look and the wood can be sealed to prevent staining. All in all, bamboo is a good choice for a counter top.

Recycled aluminum. Stainless steel has been all the rage for a while now. It’s sleek in appearance, durable and easy to clean however it takes a lot of resources to create a stainless steel counter top. Recycled aluminum offers the same sleek and durable look as stainless steel and it’s made from recycled materials so it’s environmentally friendly. The only drawback to this option is the cost, which is about $100 per square foot. However, if you don’t need a custom install and can manage a prefabricated piece of aluminum the cost can be dramatically reduced.

Concrete. Concrete, believe it or not, can actually be a gorgeous countertop addition to your kitchen. Concrete can be stained in a solid color or designed to resemble granite and other stone countertops. Concrete is durable and easily sealed. Price can range from $65 per square foot to $135.

Ceramic tile. In order for ceramic tile to be considered eco friendly, it must be made from recycled materials like light bulbs, porcelain or bottles. Ceramic tile is extremely cost effective and prices start around $10 per square foot. It’s easy to install so if you’re a do-it yourselfer it’s a great option and when the grout is sealed, it makes a fairly durable option. Additionally, ceramic tile comes in just about every color imaginable.

Eco-friendly countertops come in just about every style, durability and price point. You’re sure to be able to find exactly what you need to create your dream kitchen while at the same time, conserving resources and showing your appreciation for the environment.

#1 Air fresheners and deodorizers. Our homes can harbor many unpleasant smells. Whether it’s the stinky gym shoes, the kitty litter box or the bathroom, we often get rid of those smells with air fresheners. However, fresheners often contain naphthalene and formaldehyde, two very toxic and cancer causing agent. There are wonderful natural fresheners, and essential oils or simply open the windows.

#2 Radon. Radon kills about 20,000 people a year. It’s a primary cause of lung cancer and unfortunately it’s an odorless, tasteless and invisible. Radon is produced by the decay of naturally occurring uranium in soil and water. Which means it can easily seep into your home through cracks in your foundation and drains. You can purchase tests at your local home store to test for radon or hire a professional to come out and make sure your home is radon free.

#3 Adhesives and paints. Epoxies, rubber cement, glues, acrylic paints, carpet adhesives, paint cleaning solvents markers and other art supplies often contain carcinogens. The good news is there are many environmentally friendly options today.

#4 Dry cleaning stores use a often use perchlorethylene, a known carcinogen, to clean them. If you cannot find an eco-friendly dry cleaner in your area, remove the plastic from the clothing and let them air out in a well-ventilated area before placing in your closet.

#5 Pesticides. Products like those flea and tick collars and even lice control products often use lindane-based pesticides to keep these creatures away. Lindane is a neurotoxin and a carcinogen – keep it out of your home and away from your pets and family.

#6 Asbestos. While asbestos is no longer used in home building products and insulation. If you have a home built before 1980 you may want to check to make sure you do not have it in your home. The inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause lung cancer.

#7 Candles. Candles made from petroleum, as many scented candles are, release chemicals into the air. Many of these chemicals are known carcinogens including formaldehyde, toluene and benzene. A healthier, non-cancer causing, candle base would be beeswax or soy, which both burn fairly clean.

Cancer causing agents are all around us, however, due to increasing awareness of these chemicals healthier options are available. Take care to fill your home with safe, natural and environmentally conscious products. Your family, your body and your planet will thank you.

Think about this, to produce an oak floor it takes several trees. Other trees used to make hardwood floors take upwards 15 to 100 years to grow to maturity. Bamboo takes 6 years. By choosing bamboo flooring, you’re choosing an incredibly sustainable resource.

Bamboo is also just as durable, if not more so than many other types of wood used to create hardwood flooring. In fact, horizontal or vertical bamboo flooring is harder than oak, which is the most popular material used for hardwood floors and strand woven bamboo flooring is harder than the most expensive hardwood, Brazilian Walnut.

Bamboo flooring is also the most economical type of hardwood flooring options available. And for those who do not want the standard light color of bamboo flooring will be happy to learn that bamboo actually can come in a variety of colors from a light honey to a dark amber.

However, it should be noted that all bamboo flooring products are not created equal. Vertical and horizontal grain bamboo flooring may contain urea formaldehyde as a binder, which will emit toxic substances and engineered bamboo may not be really made from bamboo at all. Grainless or strand bamboo may use a low emitting phenol-formaldehyde binder. When purchasing bamboo simply ask how the boards are bound to find out if you’re bringing a potentially toxic substance into your home. Not all manufacturers use this type of binding and there are safe options.

Additionally, for the most environmentally friendly bamboo you may want to choose flooring that comes from a bamboo farm where it is raised specifically for this purpose rather than to choose bamboo, which is cut down in the forest.

Bamboo starts around $2.00 per square foot, which makes it an extremely affordable option. Bamboo is perhaps the single best material for hardwood flooring available. It is sustainable, durable, beautiful and will last you and your family for as long as you live in your home.