Natural Fruit Fly Traps

Have you noticed that fruit flies tend to be more plentiful in the summer months? Here's a quick vinegar based trap to get rid of them. 

Take a piece of paper and twist it into a cone until there is only a very tiny opening. Tape the cone so it won't come apart.

Then, take a tall glass jar and pour in about an inch of apple cider vinegar. Add a few drops of dish soap. Tape the cone into place inside the jar and seal with more tape.

Flies will be attracted to the vinegar and crawl through the holes, then get trapped inside. Switch out your trap every couple days until you are no longer catching flies.

"Lizard Island: Observation" by Budding Biologist

I was recently given the opportunity to demo a new game created by a new and upcoming company called Budding Biologists. A team of two moms, Dr. Kristine (Kris) Callis-Duehl and Katy Castronovo, who were appalled by the accuracy of the books and games that were available for their kids.

The two women have already written several successful children's books, such as Am I an Insect? and Where do I live?. Both books feature illustrations drawn by Katy which are designed to be as accurate as possible to the living creature. They want to create educational materials for kids that not only match up with core standards, but also look and feel just as fun as any other book or game.

Lizard Island: Observation is the first game of three that gradually introduces children, ranging from kindergarten age to fifth grade, into thinking and playing like scientists. The graphic design of the world you play in is incredibly realistic and the tools are easy to learn and fun to use, especially when a lizard is on the run and you are trying to tilt the screen just right to snap a picture.

One technique the game uses to get kids thinking teaches basic permutations for tagging each lizard when you catch it. You are only given three colours to work with and, as more and more lizards show up each level, you need to get creative in creating as many new combinations as possible so no lizard has the same tag as another.

The two sequels are designed to build on the knowledge gained from playing the first game, while increasing the range of topics covered.

Lizard Island: Hypothesis changes your point of view from playing as the scientist, whose goal is to study and collect data on the different lizard, but as one of the very lizards you were previously studying. Now, your goal becomes survival by learning how lizards find food, water, and shelter, while also hiding from any predators that are hanging around.

The third game in the series will be called Lizard Island: Experiment, which takes players a step further by combining what they learned from both previous games and teaching them how to build a stable ecosystems while creating their very own Lizard Island. Little scientists will get to choose which plants to grow in different areas of their island and also choose which animals will live there, then see how their ecosystem thrives.

Lizard Island is a great way to boost your child’s knowledge of biology at an earlier age or supplement a science program. Just be warned, you may soon have to hunt down a lab coat and magnifying glass for your “budding biologist.”

Save the Bees and Ban “Neoinic” Pesticides

If you’ve been paying vague attention to the news over the last decade, you probably know that we’ve been seeing an alarming decrease in bee populations since the early 2000s. Considering that our produce doesn’t actually grow itself and bees are our primary source of pollination, this is a bit of a concern for future life on our planet. Various governments have thrown cabals of scientists at the problem and, while they spent the usual amount of time arguing with each other, recently we have begun seeing results from various studies.

The most widely agreed upon cause of colony collapse is neonicotinoid pesticide usage.

So, what are “neonic” pesticides and what have they been doing to both humans and bees? They were first developed in the 1990s by Shell and Bayer as a reduced toxicity alternative to current pesticides on the market that would only target pests and not helpful insects. Its base is a compound chemically similar to nicotine, which acts as a natural insecticide. FYI: I honestly don’t understand why people voluntarily smoke poison.

The first pesticide developed by Shell was found not to be photosoluable, meaning that it didn’t break down in sunlight and was not viable for use with human consumables, so it was never released for public use. The second, which has been commercially available since the early 2000s, is water-soluable and will break down slowly when left in the environment. Since then, two other varieties have been developed and virtually all GMO corn grown in the Midwestern USA is treated with one of these types of pesticide. (Yay! They’ve basically been adding nicotine to food!)

So now that we’ve established this pesticide as not the best thing in the world, although better than what we used to use, what is the impact of “neonics” on bee populations? It is true that they aren’t killed. However, when this type of pesticide is applied to plants and a bee lands on them, the bee loses its ability to learn and remember navigation routes from its hive to their pollen sources. Simply put, they can no longer find their way home.

If that wasn’t enough, the bees that do make it back to their hive with infected pollen have unwittingly brought back a slow acting poison. In low doses on plants the pesticide doesn’t kill bees, but when concentrated while making the honey that provides the hive with nourishment, it often becomes lethal. To put it plainly, the bees are making their own food poisonous, which begs the question… what about the honey and produce that the everyday human is eating? With our larger bodies and such small amounts there aren’t the lethal effects seen in bees, but what about the neurological effects that are keeping bees from remembering where their hive is? It would be interesting to find out if those who developed memory disorders have had a wide exposure to this type of pesticide.

The European Union has already banned this class of pesticide, but Canada and the United States have not yet done so. There are initiatives by environmentalists and beekeepers to ban neonicotinoids in the United States and they have even filed a lawsuit against the Enviromental Protection Agency. Until they succeed, and here in Canada, that still puts even the regular garden bee at risk because garden centers regularly spray their plants with pesticides. You could buy a “bee-friendly” plant in the spring that has already been sprayed with the same pesticide that has been harming them!

Help Canada take action by signing the Suzuki Foundation’s “Petition to Ban Bee Killing Pesticides”

Creatively United for the Planet's 3rd Annual Festival - Saturday April 26th

Creatively United for the Planet is exactly what it sounds like, communities and individuals united together in creative ways to promote taking care of our planet. “We focus on education and awareness,” states founder Frances Litman. “We want to create a positive atmosphere and attitude towards approaching a difficult/negative subject [like the current state of the environment].”

Recently in June 2013, they created Vancouver Island Green Scene, another non-profit that specifically focuses on “building, enhancing and supporting a values-based green economy” which “promotes sustainable choices and responsible practices.” Members range from individuals and businesses to local agriculture and the regional government. As the list grows, Frances hopes that it can be used as a resource not just for members, but also the local community.

As a non-profit organization, their projects mostly involve bringing people together to share ideas and talk. A local company in Victoria has helped them create a community blog where anyone can share ideas, articles, stories, and anything that interests them or might interest others. This new program is called TicTalking and is an innovative new way to use technology to gather people together. Say goodbye to the old staple covered bulletin board at the community centre and instead just log on to TicTalk for all the latest in your community.

Founded in 2010, the society has hosted two community festivals, which last year drew over 5,000 Victoria residents. Amazingly, in spite of having over 5,000 attendees, the festival only had 4.5 bags of garbage! Everything else was either composted or recycled.

This year they are proud to present this year’s third annual Creatively United for the Planet Festival 2014 on Saturday April 26^th, which will coincide with the 33^rd annual Earth Walk parade. Gather together at Centennial Square at noon because the walk takes off at 12:30pm sharp to bring everyone to St Ann’s Academy, the festival hosts. With tons of food, arts and crafts, dancing and other events, the festival will be a great day out for people of all ages.

If you enjoyed our interview article on Level Ground Trading, co-founder Stacey Toews will be joining Deebee’s Organic Tea Pops founder Dionne Laslo-Baker in an educational talk. I had the great fortune of trying Dionne’s Tea Pop’s at a trade show last weekend and was incredibly impressed.

Stacey and Dionne will be sharing their experience and ideas on how everyone can integrate healthy eating, living, and being into their business. From how employees interact with each other, to product quality, relationships with suppliers, keeping your business environmentally healthy, and reinvesting profits back into the community.  The talk will be in St. Ann’s auditorium on Saturday April 26^th and goes from Noon until 1:30pm. It is a ticketed event (only $12 pre-sale, $25 at the door) and all proceeds go straight back into the society for planning their next event.

Another light hearted and fun family event will be the screening of “The Clean Bin Project,” a film where partners Grant and Jen go head to head to see which of them can “swear off consumerism and produce the least garbage in one year.” The film has won over six different awards since its release, including Best Canadian Documentary Projecting Change in 2011. It has been described as “An Inconvenient Truth meets Super Size Me.” It is also a ticked event $12 pre-sale and $20 at the door.

We hope to see you there!

Organic Pest Control

Pesticides and Poison traps are not the sort of thing anyone wants in their yard or garden, especially amongst any fruits and vegetables you’re planning on eating. So, at the request of a long time customer, I’ve put together some tried and true methods of protecting your plants (and yourself!) from some very annoying pests and scavengers.


Birds


I don’t know how many peaches and tomatoes were lost to birds that left them half eaten still on the plant. Then I learned a neat trick from an organic farm that has kept them away ever since! So, keep them away by using reflective iridescent ribbon or tape. For trees cut them into 12 inch strips and tie one end to various branches. For ground produce, use sticks and ties to run the tape along the rows. Make sure to loosely twist it as you go and leave enough slack to let the breeze catch and move the tape. Tying individual pieces to the tops of tomato cages also works.  The sunlight reflects off the tape and the breeze makes it move as well, mimicking fire which birds actively avoid.


Mosquitoes


Remove any standing water sources if possible, like wheelbarrows, buckets, and old tires. If you have items like bird baths, saucers for potted plants or water dishes for pets, then completely empty and re-fill the water twice a week to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs. Rain gutters are also a risk if they get clogged, so make sure to check and clean them if necessary to keep water from backing up. Tall grass and weeds also provide areas for mosquitoes to multiply, so make sure not to let the yard go to long without mowing.


While barbequing, toss some sage and rosemary onto the coals. Smells great and deters mosquitoes from hanging around the food.  Have mosquito repelling plants as center pieces for patio dining. I bet you never thought having a small planter of basil, rosemary, or lemon grass on the table would be more useful than just adding it to dinner. Planting marigolds and catnip (believe it or not) along path ways or around high traffic areas works great. Citronella oil based candles are also a very popular method of keeping mosquitoes away while spending time on the patio. Some people recommend also mixing the oil into varnish and paint for outdoor areas, but the effectiveness of these methods hasn’t been studied yet.


Slugs


There is a great slug repellant that actually helps out your plants. Seaweed mulch or fertilizer contains a ton of minerals that help promote healthy plant development and prevent diseases. Another technique for dealing with slugs is to use beer traps. Here is an awesome DIY for making slug beer traps from recycled plastic bottles, darker beer recommended.


Aphids/Mites/Whiteflies/Scale


Lady Bugs are awesome and there need to be more of them in every garden. You can either attract wild ones by planting daisies, tansy, or yarrow or you can go and buy some from your local garden store and release them into your garden. Personally, I recommend doing both since the flowers will help convince them to stick around once you’ve released them.


Rodents



Make sure your compost and garbage containers are all well sealed to prevent them from stopping by. If you’ve already seen some activity, soak cloth rags or cotton balls in peppermint oil and leave anywhere you have seen activity. Rodents are allergic to peppermint and will avoid it. This also works for deterring rabbits from nibbling. Make sure to check any rags or cotton balls after it rains, as they will probably need to be re-soaked in oil.


Ants


Block their point of entry using a barrier of cayenne pepper, citrus oil soaked into a string, lemon juice, cinnamon, coffee grounds, or slices of cucumber. Make sure to wash counters, door frames, and window frames carefully with soap and vinegar solutions to erase any scent trails that scouts may have created.


Wasps


Remove food sources. Always make sure compost and garbage is sealed tightly. In the spring they’re more attracted to protein sources like pet food and picnic scraps. In late summer and early fall, wasps grow more aggressive and are also more interested in sugars, so they’ll head straight for your soda can, fruit juice, fruit left fallen on the ground in the garden (apples, tomatoes, etc). Make sure to wash hands or, if necessary, change clothes if you have any sugary spills (kids especially) and avoid wearing bright floral patterns.


Wasps are also attracted to perfumes and sweet smells, so avoid wearing them if you planning to spend a lot of time outside. Fake nests are available at most stores, but a crumpled brown paper bag shaped like a nest also works just as well. Also, paint the underside of overhangs, patios, sheds, and bird nests with sky blue. This confuses the wasps and they won’t build nests on that colour. You can also create or purchase traps. This simple one recycles plastic bottles. Check and change the traps often to keep wasps from using other dead wasps as a “raft” to stay alive and eventually escape.


Row Covers


Floating row covers are the most common pest control for gardens. They consist of a light weight opaque material which is draped over the entire garden bed. The material must be light enough that the plants can just continue to push it up as they grow, so make sure you have extra slack on the sides.  Weight them down with rocks along the edges so that the wind doesn’t blow the material away. This method is mostly meant for non-pollinating plants, but you can also use it just to protect seedlings and then remove the row cover once they start to flower. They are great for protecting broccoli, beets, carrots, chard and spinach since flying insects won’t be able to land on the leaves to lay their eggs.


Chickens - (nature’s pest control)


Chickens will eat just about any type of bug, so if you’re lucky enough to have room for a couple egg layers, then take advantage of them in your garden. One technique is to create a chicken run that circles the perimeter of your garden. That way you don’t need to watch them too closely, but most pests will avoid trying to enter the garden area. Then allow the chicken carefully supervised time in the garden itself. You’ll have to keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t harm any of the smaller plants, but they’ll mostly be digging for grubs in the soil.

Wind Turbines vs Hurricanes

 
Scientists have recently discovered an interesting fact about wind turbines. Not only can they create energy for us by harnessing the power of the wind, they also reduce wind speeds by up to 50%. Testing has shown that placing a large array of wind turbines along the most common paths of hurricanes would minimize damage by reducing both wind speeds and storm surges before they hit the coast.

“Ocean Wise” - Sustainable Seafood

Vancouver Aquarium states on their website that “90 percent of all large fishes have been caught. Due to unsustainable fishing practices, we’re now fishing the world’s last 10 percent of shark, swordfish and tuna.” They also mention a scientific study that estimates a world-wide fisheries collapse by 2048. That’s a pretty dire prediction for something that is only 34 years away and well within most of our lifetimes.

In order to promote change in fishing practices, the Aquarium launched the Ocean Wise conservation program in 2005 to “educate and empower consumers about the issues surrounding sustainable seafood.” They have created a comprehensive list of seafood species with their current status (Ocean Wise, Under Review, or Not Recommended), Variety, Wild/Farmed, Harvest Method, and Region.  Interested in seeing if where your menu favourites fall on the list?
Different seafood species are allowed to carry the Ocean Wise label if the following parameters are met:

1. Abundant and resilient to fishing pressures.
2. Well managed with a comprehensive management plan based on current research.
3. Harvested in a method that ensures limited bycatch on non-target and endangered species.
4. Harvested in ways that limit damage to marine or aquatic habitats and negative interactions with other species.

Seeing this symbol at market and on their menus allows people to make informed choices about the food they are eating and by word of mouth and pushing from the consumer level, Ocean Wise has spread.

Since its inception over 1000 restaurants, suppliers, and retail locations across Canada and the United States have pledged to serve or carry Ocean Wise seafood. In fact, in order to carry the Ocean Wise symbol on their menus, restaurants are required to stop serving at least one unsustainable item. Many of these restaurants have removed unsustainable items from their menus entirely.

The biggest problems Ocean Wise attempts to address are:

Overfishing – Some seafood populations have depleted to unacceptable levels based on the current rates of consumption. Species at very high risk include Chilean Sea Bass, Imported King Crab, Japanese Eel, Atlantic wild-caught Flat Fish (including flounder and sole), and all species of Shark.

Bycatch – 25% of what is caught by commercial fishing boats never makes it to the dinner table. Most of these get tossed right back into the ocean and die due to trauma from being caught. Certain types of fishing practices yield even higher bycatch than others; these include surface longlining and bottom trawling. The methods of fishing with the least likelihood of bycatch use Seines, Longline, Pots/Traps, Pelagic Fish Trawl, or High Sea Driftnet.

Habitat Damage – The loss of coral reefs, kelp forests, mangroves, and wet lands also have a huge impact on species reproduction and survival.

For information on how to support Ocean Wise at local businesses, check out their website or their free iPhone app. They give up-to-date information on local businesses, markets, and suppliers who sell Ocean Wise seafood, offer information on different seafood species and the phone app has a fun little picture gallery as well.

A Sweet Future for Energy

 

A team at Virginia Tech University in the USA has developed a battery that runs off of, you guessed it, sugar! The battery safely (and non-toxically) breaks down sugar and harnesses the released energy to power the attached electronics. Producing ten times as much energy as a regular ion battery; these new sugar batteries have been proposed for use in smart phones, tablets, and even electric cars. To recharge, just add more sugar! Sweet!

Rain, Rain, Collect and Save

Every year the average household delegates 50-70% of its water usage to landscaping, irrigation, and other outdoor activities. That can be quite a chunk of the local water supply, not to mention your monthly water bill. There is also a fairly large amount of wasted rain water that hits driveways, roads, and other non-organic surfaces traveling straight into the oceans as run-off. By replacing the water from your hose with rainwater, you can not only reduce your water bill, but also decrease demand on your local water supply and re-use an often ignored resource.

Rain water is one of the purest forms of water available. It has not come into contact with the ground, so it hasn’t picked up minerals or salts from soil or rocks or come in contact with surface pollutants. If using rainwater to wash clothing, you will never need to add water softeners since the amount of calcium is minimal and there is very little soap scum build up. Rain water also has a higher nitrogen content that other water, since it picks up the gas from the air as it falls. This makes rain water perfect for plants that prefer a nitrogen rich diet to thrive.

The easiest way to collect rain water for reuse is in a rain barrel, which will fit right underneath your rain spouts. Rain barrels usually hold around 50 gallons of water and come with a filter kit to collect and remove debris as it pours from the spout. They have a hose attachment near the base for easy use in the garden. There are also free standing barrels that sit in an out of the way section of the garden or patio without a lid. On sunny days, just replace the lid to prevent evaporation.

For those living in apartment buildings, it is just as easy to collect rain water. How many of us have dozen of useless empty containers that we swear we’re going to reuse, but end up just getting stored forever in a cupboard? Pull them out of the cupboard, label them with a sharpie for rain water storage, and get them outside collecting water. As they fill up, just pop the lids back on to keep the water clean and store them in a corner until needed. The nice thing about containers? They stack on top of each other for neat and easy storage.

The third type of recommended rain water collection is called a Rain Garden. These gardens are placed in the path of typical runoff routes and are dug about six inches down from normal lawn level. Rain water collects in the depression for the plants to use, usually perennials and native shrubs, but any type of high water requirement plants are perfect for this sort of garden. By creating a Rain Garden, your lawn will suffer less soil runoff and you'll have a unique stand-a-lone garden to admire.

For those already planning the best way to start their rain water collection, I do recommend taking a quick look at local laws and news regarding the subject. During my research, I discovered that quite a few locations in the United States have laws to prevent home owners from collecting rain water on their own property. Considering their current drought problems in the southwest United States, I hope they ease up on those laws soon.

Natural and Eco-Friendly Air Filters!

Bring the “outdoors” inside and also improve the air quality in your home at the same time. Winter seems to trap most people inside, which makes it easier for us to get sick and gives rooms that “constantly lived in feeling” that you don’t get when you can leave the windows wide open for those warm summer breezes. Luckily, we don’t have to put up with that same old indoor air all winter.

NASA found that “houseplants can purify and revitalize air in our homes and offices, protecting us from the negative effects of such common toxins as ammonia, formaldehyde, and benzene."

Having plants in the home in high dust areas also helps reduce incidences of asthma and allergies. They do this by acting as natural filters; their leaves absorb the toxins in the air and produce a healthier quality of air for us in exchange.

It is recommended to have your plants located in rooms where there is the highest amount of potential contaminants in the air. Rooms with a high number of electronics, such as TV rooms, and rooms where lots of chemicals are used, such as kitchens, bathrooms, and art workshops grant the highest benefit from having plants.

The best plants for air filtering have large leaves. Here’s a quick “Top 10” list.

1. The Feston Rose Plant
2. Devil's Ivy
3. Phalaenopsis
4. English ivy
5. Parlor Ivy
6. African Violets
7. Christmas Cactus
8. Yellow Goddess
9. Garlic Vine
10. Peace Lily

For a more complete list, as well as information on whether the plants are edible or poisonous for ourselves or our pets, please check out this List of Air Filtering Plants

Offices are also great locations for plants, especially those with little or no natural light. Remember to store any plants in an out of the way location to prevent water and dirt spills on sensitive electronics or paperwork.


For offices, bathrooms, or places with no natural lighting, Snake plants are a hearty and durable choice. They adapt quickly, with a wide range of temperature, and are happy to grow in the dark where most plants might wither.


The aforementioned NASA study also recommends a 6 inch plant for every 100 sq feet of interior. The better maintained the plant; the more effectively it will work. So make sure to research your plant’s requirements before purchasing.

One method I’ve found useful is to type out a care schedule for each plant, like how often to water, as well as when to re-pot or add extra nutrients, and use clear tape to fix this to the pot. Make sure to cover the entire note with tape so that any water spillage won’t ruin the writing. That way, you never need to look up the information again and everything you need is right with the plant itself.