There are many reasons why the latest trend is in ground trampolines. Not only is is safer for your kids but it also offers no obstruction in your view, no unsightly nets and it won’t end up in your neighbor’s yard with every gust of wind! Did you know that Newhouse & Sun installs in ground trampolines? Why not call today? (978) 657-7274
So off you go to buy some ant traps. Once home, you stand in your kitchen trying to decide where the safest place to put them is. I mean let’s face it, this stuff is poison! Most of us either have children, pets or just plain don’t want it anywhere near our food. Then you start thinking about how toxic this stuff is and how as a society we are supposed to be going GREEN, blah blah and then you are left with the dilemma, which is worse..the damn traps or the ants?
What if I told you there was a better way? A way that was natural AND that you probably had the solution already in your home? Well, it’s true. There are all natural ways to rid your home of ants without the side effects, stress and guilt. Here are some of those ways….
VINEGAR
Pour some white vinegar in a spray bottle and spray along where the ants are coming in. It messes with the scent they leave for the rest of the ants to follow. Repeat daily for a couple days and you should see an improvement.
CHALK
Ants won’t cross a chalk line. No one knows why but it’s true. Maybe it’s in the ants code of conduct book or something. The only down side is chalk lines everywhere. Your house might look like a crime scene but hey, you won’t have ants.
BABY POWDER
Baby powder has the same effect as the chalk. Sprinkle it where ants come in and they will go elsewhere. It also has the same downsides as the chalk lines but at least it smells good.
LEMON JUICE
Spray straight lemon juice where the ants come in and they won’t know what to do. The lemon scent messes with their sense of tracking. Lime has a similar effect but I like to save those for my margaritas. Priorities!
DIATOMACEOUS EARTH
That’s a mouthful but what is it? Diatomaceous earth is a soft, crumbly, porous sedimentary deposit formed from the fossil remains of diatoms. Still confused? Yeah me too but it works. Plus, this one you put OUTSIDE of the home. Just sprinkle it around the perimeter of your home and it will keep away ants as well as other creepy crawly things. It’s also non toxic, just in case Fido decides to take a taste.
COFFEE GROUNDS
For some reason, ants don’t like the smell of coffee grounds. Crazy right? I mean it’s coffee! Anyway, Sprinkle this around the outside of your home to ward off ants. It’s also good around rose bushes and plants to keep the ants off of them too.
CORN MEAL
Sprinkle cornmeal around the outside of your home. The ants LOVE it, take it back to the nest and share with the colony. Ants can’t digest cornmeal so after they eat it, it expands and their stomachs explode. This one I feel a little guilty about. Don’t ask me what the difference is between poison and this method but to me it feels inhumane. Don’t judge!
ESSENTIAL OILS
Good essential oils to repel ants are peppermint, tea tree and lemon. Try mixing 8 oz of water in a spray bottle with 1/2 teaspoon natural soap, and 12 drops of the essential oil from the above. Another option is to place a few drops of essential oil on a cotton ball and wipe on baseboards and other entry points. You can also leave an essential oil-infused cotton ball in cabinets and other areas as needed. It’s like a little spa treatment for them. Sort of? Ok maybe not.
So there you have it. Try one or more of these methods and tell those ants to get packing! Good luck!
Summer time is here and it’s a time for cooking on the grill. Some would even say it’s an obsession and the only cure is to eat some. If you’ve never grilled before though, it can be a bit intimidating. Here is a video from Lowe’s that teaches you some valuable tips so that you too can become a master.
Now that you know how to grill, where do you begin? Here are some great recipes that will get you on your way.
Webster’s dictionary defines GREEN as:
a often capitalized : relating to or being an environmentalist political movement
b : concerned with or supporting environmentalism
That’s all well and good but what does being GREEN look like and how do I do it? Well thankfully, there’s an app for that. As a matter of fact, there are several. Here are just a few…
The GoodGuide mobile app makes it fast and easy to find safe, healthy, green, and ethical products, instantly delivering the information you need, when you need it most — in a store and on the go.
Green Outlet helps you identify which of your household appliances are costing you the most to run so you can make informed decisions about your electric use.
iRecycle is the premiere application for finding local (United States Only), convenient recycling opportunities when you are on the go or at home.
LIGHT BULB FINDER is a free mobile phone application that makes it easy to switch from conventional light bulbs to energy-saving equivalents with the right fit, style and light quality.
Other apps on itunes include Green Genie, Carbon Tracker, Green Gas Saver, Find Green, Get Green, Green Me, and Green Charging.
It helps save the environment and your wallet. Check them out!
Webster’s dictionary defines a garage as a building or part of a building in which a car, truck, etc., is kept. Do you have a “garage” yet your car never sees the inside? Is that because it’s become more of a storage unit than a place to put your car? So many people are wasting the space in their garage and nothing drives this point home like cleaning the snow off of your car in FRONT of your garage! I know, I’ve done it! It doesn’t have to be that way.
Thanks to YouTube and Lowe’s, here is a short video with a few simple tips for organizing your garage now.
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Heating and cooling are two of the most expensive and energy consuming things in your home. The U.S Energy Information Administration states that the average U.S. power bill will be $395 per month from June through August. That’s A LOT!
Next to heating/cooling are HDTVs and computers. It may not seem like they use much, but over time these things can add up. Here are some simple steps to help you save the environment AND your energy bill.
Cellular shades, or “honeycomb” shades are a great way to keep the heat in in the winter and out in the summer. They look great and can save you money!
Things like HDTV’s, computers and even some appliances run constantly. According to the Energy Star website, even standby mode enables appliances and computers to continue to use energy. Power Vampires account for nearly 100 billion kilowatt hours of energy consumption on a yearly basis across the nation. Can you imagine?? Why not try shutting down your pc or tv or unplugging things when not in use? It could save you money.
All day every day you pay to keep your water heated to a certain temperature. Lowering that temperature will save you money and help lower your carbon footprint. What’s a carbon footprint? Well that’s next.
A carbon footprint is the measure of the environmental impact of a particular individual or organization’s lifestyle or operation, measured in units of carbon dioxide. Basically, the amount of energy your family uses to keep them comfortable. The Nature Conservancy has a free tool to check your carbon footprint. That tool allows you to see how many resources it requires for our to live your life. Be forewarned though, finding out just how much you use can be shocking but it’s important to know when addressing energy conservation.
The incentive for reducing energy consumption is monies saved. Saving $50 a month represents a $600 savings each year. Over the life of a home, those savings equal $6,000 at year 10, $12,000 at year 20 and $18,000 after 30 years of reducing energy consumption. Now we’re talkin!!
