Thursday, December 21, 2006

Keep the environment green and clean

When I lived in the Midwest it was customary to carry a bag of sand in the car for those times when we took corners a bit too fast on snowy roads and found ourselves in a snow bank. Poured under the tires, sand gave me enough traction to get me back on the road again.

Since travels now take me over the mountain during winter months. Carrying sand or kitty litter is not all that appealing since I've taken a strong stance of treading as lightly as possible on Mother Earth. Instead, explore the idea of using wild bird seed. It's natural and the birds will appreciate your thoughtfullness.

*Note: Lindsey very kindly wrote to let me know that the birds would not eat all the seed. The following spring the seeds would sprout with the potential of introducing foreign grasses, which would disturb the eco system and that sand is far better to use. Thank you Lindsey for emailing. I should have been aware of this problem since I live in Oregon where Scotch Broom was introduced many years ago. It has destroyed so much of our natural habitate.

In addition, head to the hardware store or a capet company and purchase a large size carpet sample. They generally run around $2. Place that in a plastic bag. It doesn't take up much room on the floor of your backseat or trunk of your car. If you need to stop and put chains on your car, the carpet sample will keep your legs dry. Tuck it inside the plastic bag when you finish so it won't soil your car.