Todd Benatar » Environment/Green http://toddbenatar.com Seeds of thoughts from down on the farm Wed, 16 May 2012 02:54:49 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Birdhouses and Feeders http://toddbenatar.com/2012/04/25/birdhouses-and-feeders/ http://toddbenatar.com/2012/04/25/birdhouses-and-feeders/#comments Wed, 25 Apr 2012 22:41:38 +0000 Todd http://toddbenatar.com/?p=266 My parents used to love putting up birdhouses, they really enjoyed finding interesting birdhouses and feeders here and there and the back part of the yard is filled with numerous varieties of them that are still hanging about. Some are really old and in bad shape, so I’ve been contemplating taking some of those down and trashing them and looking for some new ones to replace them with that would fill in the gaps that will be left.

My father made some of them that are out there himself and I hate to toss any of those out, guess I’ll have to take all things in consideration when I take on this task. Dad was a very handy man and made so many things that I have to decide upon what to do with at some point, not a cheerful chore to even to think about.

I’ve located a Bird Houses Outlet Shop earlier today online, which has a great selection to choose from at Birdhousesoutletshop.com, they have good prices, not only on birdhouses, but accessories and books also. I’ve decided on their Hip Roof Barn decorative birdhouse, it comes with the hangers all ready attached and ready for hanging, no pole or stand required and it is on sale at the moment, and fits in well with the farm and all.

]]> http://toddbenatar.com/2012/04/25/birdhouses-and-feeders/feed/ 0 Green 911 http://toddbenatar.com/2012/04/18/green-911/ http://toddbenatar.com/2012/04/18/green-911/#comments Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:46:08 +0000 Todd http://toddbenatar.com/?p=486 The farm has always had issues, at one time or another, with a variety of pests, so I’ve always got my eyes open for different organic pest control info that would benefit us all the way around. This year the corn earworms are supposed to be hitting us bad, which is very disturbing news indeed, considering that corn earworms do major damage to other plants as well. The tomato plant and cotton also is a favorite of these nasty little moths and I don’t look forward to having to deal with this time around.

Organic bug control is the only way to go, in my mind. Too many chemicals have been used in the past around here at the farm, but those days are over and I intend to change a lot of things that I have in power to do so. I’m all about going as “Green” as I possibly can, when ever I can.

I’d like to share with you the following video that can be found online on YouTube. It is a five minute segment that speaks of Safer® brand and its wide range of OMRI Listed® Organic pest control products in a recent show, that I have found most informative and interesting and very relevant to this organic pest control.

 

]]> http://toddbenatar.com/2012/04/18/green-911/feed/ 0 Green Wine Info http://toddbenatar.com/2012/04/18/green-wine-info/ http://toddbenatar.com/2012/04/18/green-wine-info/#comments Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:40:10 +0000 Todd http://toddbenatar.com/?p=1742 You would have to live under a rock some where out in the middle of No Man’s Land not to have heard about the green movement that is going on so strongly these days. I find it interesting how many industries and companies are trying so hard to do their part in this very important movement, even today’s wine makers are getting into the act.

I found a very interesting website that talks about the ways that wine makers are going green and I wanted to share it here because I feel very strongly about these important green issues. So please take a moment and check out what they are saying at wine.com.

]]> http://toddbenatar.com/2012/04/18/green-wine-info/feed/ 0 Insects http://toddbenatar.com/2012/03/23/insects/ http://toddbenatar.com/2012/03/23/insects/#comments Fri, 23 Mar 2012 23:38:31 +0000 Todd http://toddbenatar.com/?p=1725 I hate black flies, wasps, yellow jackets, horse flies, ticks, fleas, hornets, and mosquitoes. I spend a fortune on insect killing sprays to get rid of as many of them as I can. I don’t like how the mosquitoes come out during the twilight hours and cut short the outdoor fun. I enjoy sitting outside in the cool of the evening. But the mosquitoes usually drive me inside fairly quickly.

They used to be simply annoying, but now that I’ve learned that they spread the West Nile Virus, I don’t want to risk getting sick from them. I’d really love to buy one of those mosquito trap machines that attract the mosquitoes and keeps them from getting to you. That would make life in our yard much more enjoyable, and extend the amount of time I spend outside.

]]> http://toddbenatar.com/2012/03/23/insects/feed/ 0 Cloth Napkins http://toddbenatar.com/2012/03/18/cloth-napkins/ http://toddbenatar.com/2012/03/18/cloth-napkins/#comments Sun, 18 Mar 2012 23:35:17 +0000 Todd http://toddbenatar.com/?p=1723 I was watching a show a little while ago where they were talking about reducing your carbon footprint. I’m probably a little bit more interested in saving the planet than most of the people that I know, so I paid attention to the show to see if there was something I could do that I haven’t been doing to reduce our carbon footprint. They suggested using cloth napkins instead of paper napkins as much as possible.

Well, I’m really not sure exactly how much “energy” using cloth napkins will save because in my experience you have to wash and iron them. I’m thinking that the “energy” used to wash and iron them might be a larger carbon footprint than using paper napkins. What do you think?

]]> http://toddbenatar.com/2012/03/18/cloth-napkins/feed/ 0 Used Parts are Good for the Environment http://toddbenatar.com/2011/11/01/used-part-are-good-for-the-environment/ http://toddbenatar.com/2011/11/01/used-part-are-good-for-the-environment/#comments Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:06:21 +0000 Todd http://toddbenatar.com/?p=226 As someone that likes to take in consideration the environment when ever possible or able to do, I like to use used parts for things that are in need of repair. Used car parts are a great in many ways, availability, cost effective, and good for the environment as well.

The days are gone that you have to go roaming through several distant junk yards in an effort to locate your desperately needed used car parts for your vehicles, what a difference the computer and the Internet have made in the used car parts business. Now you can go online and locate most parts for any type of vehicle with just a few key strokes, such as the website of 247spares.co.uk offers to the public. 247spares is rated number “6″ in the hitwise category for “Automotive Shopping Online”.

Not only can you locate used parts for cars, but SUV’s, pick ups, and vans as well as gear boxes, engines and so much more, by taking a few minutes and filling out the few short questions with your relevant vehicle information for their Free Instant Online Quote.

Good news articles to read also. Interesting to read what is happening on the roads on the other side of the ocean in the U.K., no issues with a language barrier to deal with here.

]]> http://toddbenatar.com/2011/11/01/used-part-are-good-for-the-environment/feed/ 0 The energy crisis http://toddbenatar.com/2011/10/04/the-energy-crisis/ http://toddbenatar.com/2011/10/04/the-energy-crisis/#comments Tue, 04 Oct 2011 23:25:26 +0000 Todd http://toddbenatar.com/?p=12 With the cost of fuel increasing, and it is increasing once again, it is getting harder for the farm to be making enough money to pay for the fuel I need to run the tractors to tend the farm.   I’m growing enough crops to feed my own livestock, assuming that the weather cooperates I won’t have to buy too much winter feed.

I’m thinking about putting in a windmill and some solar panels to try to generate some of my own energy to cut down on electricity costs.  It’s hard to find ways to conserve energy when you are running a farm!  I’ve been reading articles on the Internet about how different plants like algae can be used to create biofuel instead of using corn (which I think is a great idea) and how many areas of the country are looking into wind farms and solar farms, too.  I think that all of these areas are good investments into the energy futures of the country.

]]> http://toddbenatar.com/2011/10/04/the-energy-crisis/feed/ 0 The Price of Oil Is All About Today’s Investors http://toddbenatar.com/2011/09/27/the-price-of-oil-is-all-about-todays-investors/ http://toddbenatar.com/2011/09/27/the-price-of-oil-is-all-about-todays-investors/#comments Wed, 28 Sep 2011 04:01:39 +0000 Todd http://toddbenatar.com/?p=1399 I was surprised to stumble on to a site that talks, explains and give good solid advice on today’s day trading oil issues. To be honest I had no idea that investors play such a key role in the price of oil that we have become so dependent on in our daily lives. Millions of investors are buying and selling oil contracts and the whole thing sounds like a whole lot of extreme risks that should be left to the experts and not the novice trader. So with that in mind, I’m glad I found this site (Daytradingcenter.net)that gave me such insight on this issue that is so controversy and complicated and I would urge anyone to give it a read and find out for themselves what this oil business is all about. Very enlightening indeed.

 

]]> http://toddbenatar.com/2011/09/27/the-price-of-oil-is-all-about-todays-investors/feed/ 0 New And Improved Park and Playground In The Works http://toddbenatar.com/2011/09/19/new-and-improved-park-and-playground-in-the-works/ http://toddbenatar.com/2011/09/19/new-and-improved-park-and-playground-in-the-works/#comments Mon, 19 Sep 2011 21:23:01 +0000 Todd http://toddbenatar.com/?p=1302 I’m so glad to see that they are finally go start to fix up the park and playground that I have been visiting all my life and spent many years as a young boy playing at. It has deteriorated so badly the last decade or so that it was becoming a safety hazard and an eye sore for way too long. I know that there has been a lot of cut backs but something like this just can’t be left to rot for heaven’s sake.

I hear that they have ordered new playground equipment for the kids to play on as well as new Park Benches and Picnic Tables as well for families to us and enjoy. I am assuming that they will be using the new rubberized playground equipment which is so much than the old wooden equipment that was used back in my day. Can’t tell you how many splinters we all got from that junky old rotten wood. Today’s kids don’t know how good they have it, I can tell you that!

They plan on having everything ready, good to go for next spring. We will see if they manage to hit that target date or not.

]]> http://toddbenatar.com/2011/09/19/new-and-improved-park-and-playground-in-the-works/feed/ 0 Too Bad That Youth Is Wasted On The Young! http://toddbenatar.com/2011/06/16/too-bad-that-youth-is-wasted-on-the-young/ http://toddbenatar.com/2011/06/16/too-bad-that-youth-is-wasted-on-the-young/#comments Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:06:30 +0000 Todd http://toddbenatar.com/?p=1256 I’m so glad that we are being able to enjoy some nice weather days and evenings for a change. After weeks of dealing with the temperature being in the high 90′s and the 100′s, these past couple of days in the 80′s are just awesome. As I’m getting older it is becoming harder to deal with such extreme weather, but at least we are not dealing with tornadoes, hurricanes and all the other extreme weather that seems to be devastating so much of our country these past couple of months. We did have to deal with way too much rain this past Spring, but at least it is better than not having enough rain, which has happened too often lately. Without rain a farm like mine can go into ruins real quick like.

Last night I actually had some free time that I got to enjoy outside before hitting the sack. This is something that I don’t get to do very often as an adult. As kids we would spend a lot of time on the front porch and in the front yard, catching fireflies, playing Kick The Can, Hide and Seek, and roasting marshmallows and making those wonderful S’mores with tons of chocolate dripping all down our arms. It sucks that youth and wasted on the young.

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