My family has a large number of plants growing on our property, which need a lot of water. So, in an effort to reduce the amount of water we had to use to maintain these plants, we worked on installing a rain barrel. A rain barrel is a great project for quarantine time, and can save a lot of money on your water bill while at...
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Does anyone else have a stack of old, 1/2 empty paint cans in their basement? Instead of throwing them out here are some ways to use your left over house paint. If the Paint is White: Extend your Acrylic Paint - If you're running out of your favorite acrylic paint color, adding in some white paint will lighten it but it will give you a lot more to work...
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This summer, I’ve been experimenting with a lot of gardening projects at home. A few weeks ago, I saw something online about propagating basil “endlessly” in water, and I was curious to try it. It ended up working really well and it wasn’t very hard either. I highly recommend this project! Basically, propagation is the process of creating new plants from one ‘parent’ plant. It’s a...
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How to extend the growing season The growing season of Chicago begins April 20th when the snow melts and ends the week before Halloween as temperatures dip below freezing. This estimate leaves us with 187 days of viable weather for food production. So how can we better utilize the 178 days of the year deemed ‘unfit’ for food production? Below is a tutorial of the construction of...
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Reducing your energy and water usage at home is good for the environment, and it can also save you some money on your utility bill each month! Here are just a few quick tips for an energy-efficient lifestyle. Unplug electronics when not in use. Even if you aren’t charging your phone, a phone charger that is left plugged into the wall will continue to use...
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So you’re interested in designing a place to grow your own food? Let’s do it! First, identify where you want your garden to be located. This can be your backyard, front yard, porch, balcony, or even your kitchen window sill. Anywhere that is conducive to plant life. Factors of space and place are some of the most crucial in deciding how/what your garden will become....
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This is a quick and easy way to provide extra nutrients to your plants. All of these are basically free and zero waste. Cooking water If you like to boil veggies before you use them and then throw away the water, dont! Not only is this cooking water nutrient rich, it also can serve as a natural dye in many cases. You can also use it to...
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You can use everyday household objects and upcycle to do Shadow Puppetry. This is a great form of storytelling and theatre making. It is also fun for all ages, young and older! Materials: I used an empty cheez-it box, deconstructed. You can use any paper material that is sturdy enough to hold itself up. Paper is usually not great, but cardstock, poster paper and thin cardboard is. You...
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