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March 14, 2019

A Beginner’s Guide to Successful Indoor Gardening

March 14, 2019/ Kelly Pemberton

Guest post by Ashly Rosa

When the winter gets you feeling down and you find yourself dreaming of fresh herbs and veggies from the summer garden, consider creating your own garden indoors! Besides providing plenty of delicious food to eat, indoor plants clean the air in your home and add a pop of vibrant green space to the indoor space.

Indoor gardening is a great solution for those who do not have enough outdoor space, especially for those who live in cities where space is at a premium. Plants do not have to take up much space - if a sunny window, table, or shelf can work with the current configuration of your space, then a plant can thrive. For outdoor garden spots, indoor gardening may be a great way to get seedlings going before planting them outside the spring.

Here are some important things to consider when starting an indoor garden:

March 12, 2019

Make Green Living easier with these free zero-waste checklists

March 12, 2019/ Kelly Pemberton

Guest post by Jeff Smith

A huge part of reducing your carbon footprint is being mindful of the amount of waste you produce on a day-to-day basis. While businesses and corporations are hugely responsible for their impact on our planet, individual consumers make up a lot of the waste as well, so it’s on all of us to do our part to leave the earth in better shape than when we first entered it.

March 11, 2019

Why You Should Avoid Taking Antibiotics Whenever Possible

March 11, 2019/ Kelly Pemberton

Ok, at least here in the US, we’re nearing the end of cold and flu season (or so I thought!), yet there are still plenty of people around me getting sick. Several of my students had emailed in sick these past 2 weeks, and others came in to class anyway, even though they clearly should have stayed at home in bed!

So I thought it was time to write a post about not resorting to antibiotics to cure yourself from many of the sicknesses that will resolve on their own, or that can be cured by other means.

Let me say one thing from the start, though. This is NOT an anti-vac post or anything like that. Even though we do not take the flu vaccine in my household (and never get sick, even when we are exposed to the flu), we have all our required shots. Whether or not you take antibiotics is ultimately up to you, and there are definitely times when you absolutely should take them. The problem with antibiotics is that many people take them when they should not, and that is ultimately what this post is about: why you should avoid the unnecessary use of antibiotics.

Here are 4 reasons to avoid antibiotics when they are not absolutely necessary:

March 06, 2019

What makes hemp such a sustainable crop?

March 06, 2019/ Kelly Pemberton

Guest post by Keilah Kaiser

Unique characteristics of hemp

Since the early 1700s, hemp has built a strong name for itself as a sustainable crop and textile resource. Yet a lot of people are confused about this industrial plant and its relationship to marijuana. Because of this confusion, negative stereotypes are commonly associated with the hemp plant, striking fear in the public.

But there's a clear distinction between the two. It's imperative to note the benefits the hemp plant brings. And it starts by taking a close look at the structure of the seed and the stalk of the plant.

March 05, 2019

8 Sustainable Innovations that are Shaping the Construction Sector

March 05, 2019/ Kelly Pemberton

With the UK construction, operation and maintenance industry accounting for 48% of the UK’s carbon emissions, the focus of many innovations in construction is now on reducing the construction sector's CO2 output.

Protection Supplies uncovered the cutting-edge yet conscious building materials of the future before revealing how these materials are changing the way that buildings are now being constructed.

The UK’s construction industry also needs to build 300,000 homes a year to overcome the current housing shortage. As the industry is failing to do this, materials which can shorten the time it takes to build homes and make them more affordable are crucial for a true construction revolution.

Some of the benefits of these innovative materials include:

February 22, 2019

What if we could see exhaust emissions?

February 22, 2019/ Kelly Pemberton

guest post by Select Car Leasing

Have you ever been walking down a busy high-street and been overcome by the smell of exhaust fumes from cars passing by? The air in front of you seems to be clear, but the smell is overwhelming. This is because once the initial white smoke comes out of a car exhaust and dissipates, harmful chemicals remain in the air but appear invisible to the human eye.

Research by The Independent used an infra-red camera to look at a bus stopped at some traffic lights surrounded by cyclists and shoppers. The camera showed that harmful particles such as nitrogen oxides were swirling around the cyclists and being blown to the other side of the street, where they would balloon up into the shoppers’ faces without them knowing.

It makes you wonder how differently we would feel if the chemicals emitted from car exhausts were visible in the air around us.

February 17, 2019

Eco-Friendly Tips That Can Save Your Business Money

February 17, 2019/ Kelly Pemberton

Guest post by Robert S. Miller

There are many reasons your business may be trying to go green. First and foremost, you may be concerned about the lasting impact your company’s activities will have on the environment. You may be interested in recent technological advancements that make it easier to reduce your ecological footprint. You also may be looking to take advantage of the positive associations consumers have with eco-conscious brands.

February 17, 2019

creamy potato-sweet potato soup (recipe)

February 17, 2019/ Kelly Pemberton

(vegan option)

This is a thick, rich, and creamy soup that is perfect for the cold season. Even better, it is quick and easy to make – 45 minutes from start to finish! It has a number of different variations you can try to suit your particular tastes, variations that range from the sweetness to the thickness to spices used in this soup. You can even choose to make it vegan by skipping the last part, that adds a dollop of plain yogurt to the finished soup.

February 13, 2019

Sustainable Beauty: How You Can Transform Your Beauty Regime to Be More Sustainable

February 13, 2019/ Kelly Pemberton

Guest post by Poppy Jones

We all know how difficult it can be when it comes to switching up our beauty regime, particularly when we have set products that we know and love and refuse to change. If you’re interested in becoming more eco-conscious, then making small changes to your beauty regime is a great place to start.

February 11, 2019

Eco-Housing Design Types

February 11, 2019/ Kelly Pemberton

Guest post by Lou Crane of Roof Stores

Private homes are estimated to be responsible for about one-fifth to one-fourth of global carbon dioxide emissions, and for that reason, eco-friendly construction or green building is becoming more and more of a necessity. If you’re looking to move home and want something more eco-friendly, Roof Stores have been investigating some alternative types of housing that will help you cut down your carbon footprint…

Read on for more information, and check out the infographic!

February 07, 2019

How to Safely Transport Your Plants

February 07, 2019/ Kelly Pemberton

guest post by Tess Halpren

(image by Brina Blum on Unsplash)

There has been a ton of research to establish why plants have such a positive impact on the environment, and on our well-being. They add more than just aesthetics to a room. Some of their many other benefits include

Improved air quality
Improved humidity levels
Reduced stress and improved well-being
The ability to evoke a calmer, happier effect
Reduced negativity in the workplace and home
Ability to absorb noise
Help in saving energy
Aid in speeding up recovery from illnesses
Help in reduction of carbon dioxide levels

Based on these impressive benefits, it’s no surprise people hold their plants so dearly. And if you’re planning on moving or relocating in 2019, the thought of how to best transport your plants might have already came to mind. The Zebra created this helpful guide on how to effectively and safely transport your plants. It includes best practices, safety precautions, and helpful tips for before, during, and after your move.

February 04, 2019

5 Ways You Can Have Lush Green Grass All Year Round

February 04, 2019/ Kelly Pemberton

guest post by Emma Metson

It is a thing of beauty to raise and maintain your own lawn. Lush green grass doesn’t only come in the form of artificial grass, no! For most of us, it is a chore to raise the real deal. But to many, it has become their art. I don’t think there is anyone on the planet who wouldn’t appreciate a clean, sleek, vibrant grassy garden or yard.

If the grass is well taken care of, it can bring a vibe of elegance to your home, thus making your yard, and you, look a hundred times more respectable.

February 02, 2019

10 ways to consume less and help the planet

February 02, 2019/ Kelly Pemberton

Last week I was lecturing in one of my classes about the birth of consumerism in the 1950’s, showing students a couple of popular ads that linked domesticity, femininity, and sexuality and asking them to comment on what they believed the ad was trying to communicate. The class reminded me that I needed to check my own consumption habits once again. It is a practice I have observed since starting Green and Prosperous several years ago.

January 30, 2019

How to Reduce Heat Loss in Your Home

January 30, 2019/ Kelly Pemberton

Introduction by Kelly P @ Green and Prosperous; infographic by Senator Windows

During the cold months of the year your house loses heat from a number of different places, including the roof, floors, windows, and walls. Preventing heat loss is a major concern for homeowners, who are increasingly demonstrating interest in finding ways to not only heat the home in the cold months, but to do so in environmentally-friendly ways.

January 28, 2019

Soil Amendments for Organic Gardening

January 28, 2019/ Kelly Pemberton

Guest post by Anna Wrench

The right type of soil is important for plant growth, especially in organic gardening. The gardener or specialist in soil knows exactly how the soil has to be treated in order to make it more fertile. If you are cultivating crops, then it requires that the soil be enriched with apposite nutrients to help in the proper growth of crops.

The modern trend is inclining towards environmentally-friendly and healthy organic gardening. Organic gardening seeks to maintain balance and harmony with nature. In this context, soil supplies help with the decomposition of toxins, play an essential role in root growth, maintain the health of the root, and lessen the gardener’s dependency on fertilizer. It is indeed essential for growing productive and healthy crops that are healthier not just for the consumer but also for the environment.