Welcome back to Week 4 of our 30-Day Food Security Plan. Can you believe it's been a month since we started learning about gardening, chicken keeping, foraging, and homemaking?  I have been loving teaching you everything I know about food security and this week is no different. In this final post in our 30-Day Food Security Plan you will learn (click to jump!):

• How to fertilize and protect your garden from pests
• The top four medical supplies you need in your chicken vet bag
• How to locally source herbs, liquor, and baked goods
• How to make yogurt at home
• The absolute best organic gardening, chicken keeping, and homemaking books

If you just found this series, be sure to head back to Week 1 so you can learn how this 30-Day Food Security Plan works and get started on the right foot!

I want you to remember that you are completely capable of starting something new (like making your own yogurt). Sure, you're probably going to make some mistakes in the process as you learn but the payoff is worth it.  Doing these things with a loved one or your kids will bring you some fun and purpose during this uncertain time. Let’s dive into Week 4!

In this episode of the Positively Green Podcast, Becca and I have on Ratih Sutrisno, the Communications and Outreach Coordinator at Transition US. As the world is grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic, we thought it would be crucial to share a framework on how local communities have the power to come together using the principles of the Transition Network.

The Transition Network is a set of values and principles that empower individuals within a local communities to network with one another. In reaching out to understand the strengths each of us posses within a local community, we can create resiliency and envision a better future in the face of climate change, public health issues, and a failing economy.

Welcome back to Week 3 on how to build food security for your family in less than 30 days. In Week 3 of our Food Security Plan, I am going to teach you (click to jump!):

• What seeds you can plant right now in your first garden
• How to design and build your chicken coop
• How to brew your first batch of Kombucha
• How to identify five of the most common local edible weeds

If you just found this series, be sure to head back to Week 1 so you can learn how this Food Security series works and get started on the right foot!

I want you to remember that you are completely capable of starting something new (like chicken keeping). Sure, you're probably going to make some mistakes in the process as you learn but the payoff is worth it.  Doing these things with a loved one or your kids will bring you some fun and purpose during this uncertain time. Let’s dive into Week 3!

As a low-maintenance lady, I'm always on the lookout for ways to simplify my non-toxic and natural skincare routine. Now don't think that simplifying your skincare routine means sacrificing its effectiveness. Having a simple and straightforward process when caring for your skin also means having one that packs the most beautifying power. 

That's why today I want to turn the spotlight onto Becca Tetzlaff of the blog, Organically Becca. This amazing clean beauty maven has been documenting organic skincare for years and she's seen (and used!) it all. Becca is a godsend for us low-maintenance ladies who just want someone to tell us the most simple, organic, and effective way to care for our skin.

So without further ado - here are the top four natural products for a low maintenance skincare routine!

The Positively Green Podcast is pleased to bring back Roberta Donaldson of The Millennial Cat Mom to talk about all things holistic dog care and raw diet feeding for your pooch. In this episode, we learn about the scientific evidence behind feeding your dog a raw diet, the sustainability issues around the pet food industry, and what natural flea and tick remedies exist for your pup. 

Welcome back to Week 2 on how to build food security for your family in less than 30 days. In Week 2 of our Food Security Plan, I am going to teach you the straightforward step-by-step on (click to jump!):

• Where to put your vegetable garden
• How to build raised garden beds
• How to start seeds indoors
• How to plant fruit trees with perennials
• How to care for chicks during their first week of life
• How to locally source food for your family

To head back to Week 1 of this series to learn about food security, its inherent limitations, and how this four-part series works click here.

I want you to remember that you are completely capable of starting something new (like chicken keeping). Sure, you're probably going to make some mistakes in the process as you learn but the payoff is worth it!  Doing these things with a loved one or your kids will bring you some fun and purpose during this uncertain time. Let’s dive into Week 2!

If you are here to learn how you can build food security for your family in less than 30 days, you are in the right place. When I started out with homesteading six years ago, I knew that food security was important to me. Never did I guess that our entire world would come to a standstill and leave the majority of our society scrambling to build food security for themselves and their families.

For decades, homesteading has been a way for families to increase their self sufficiency not just out of rejection of a failing industrialized food system, but out of our love for the land, our connection with animals, and our focus on growing nutritious and safe food.

This 30-day Food Security Plan will be broken up into four weeks. We will focus on Week 1 in this post. For the next four weeks, I will share with you the simple and straightforward things you can do to boost your family's food security during this uncertain time. So if you are in need of guidance and help navigating how to get started with your first veggie garden or your first flock of chickens - you are in the right place!

As more and more of us are working remotely and practicing social distancing as the coronavirus hits the US, we thought it would be helpful to share nine simple ways you can make your home a healthier and safer environment. We hope these tips bring you peace of mind and give you a sense of control during this scary time!

According to the EPA, the average American indoor environment is 2 to 5 times more polluted than the outdoor air. The EPA also stated that the worst air pollution in our nation is right inside our own homes and workplaces and that 50% of all illness is connected to the indoor air quality. Crazy! Thankfully there are many easy ways to help improve this, which we address in today’s episode:

• 9-ish simple tips for having a greener home environment
• Why it's so important to have good indoor air quality (especially in winter!)
• Typical chemicals and pollutants that lurk in our homes and their health effects
• Different types of air purifiers and filters
• Best houseplants for clean air
• Why you might want to ditch your beloved candles
• How cookware might be affecting your air quality
• Best practices for bringing new furniture into your home and how to be more conscious about it

We are back for Season 2 - hooray! In this episode, we are going to go over the US emissions for 2019 and then share the top six ways you can mindfully live a more eco-friendly and sustainable life in 2020. 

As the ramifications of climate change increase, from hurricanes to wildfires to extreme drought, we as privileged first-world consumers have a responsibility going into 2020. It is on us to make changes in our day to day lives. It is on us to live a more mindful, eco-friendly, and sustainable lifestyle. It is on us to let our policymakers know where we stand. You have much more power than you give yourself credit for when it comes to creating lasting and beneficial change for our planet and our goal with this first episode of Season 2 of the Positively Green Podcast is to point you in the right direction for 2020.

As the ramifications of climate change increase, from hurricanes to wildfires to extreme drought, we as privileged first-world consumers have a responsibility going into 2020. It is on us to make changes in our day to day lives. It is on us to live a more mindful, eco-friendly, and sustainable lifestyle. You have much more power than you give yourself credit for when it comes to creating lasting and beneficial change for our planet and this blog post will point you in the right direction.

According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) the last five years (2015 - 2019) were the hottest years on record. Greenhouse gas emissions have continued to rise with carbon dioxide emissions clocking in at 20% higher from 2015 - 2019 versus 2010 to 2014. Unfortunately, these increasing emissions lock in the rising temperatures for years to come. This cascade effect foretells a bleak future, one that permanently affects not only our ecosystems and precious wildlife, but also costs us human lives. 

In this post, I am going to share the top five ways you can mindfully live a more eco friendly and sustainable life in 2020. Our world is depending on it.