Use coffee grounds to keep pests away

By Mary Rose Roberts
My cousin Barbara is what I would call a country girl and likes to cowgirl it up. She always gives me tips on how to live more simply, from the earth, and different ways to recycle and reuse. I learned something new from her last week: Used coffee grounds can keep away bugs. Instead of tossing coffee grounds in the garbage and later in a landfill emitting methane, put grounds in your garden or even around the perimeter of your house. In the case of insects like ants and slugs, the odor works as a repellent.

It’s a great alternative to using harsh chemicals in your garden and around your house. It also will save you money. 

Too old for a hoodie? Hogwash!

By Mary Rose Roberts
My husband said I need to give up my hoodie sweatshirt. He thinks at a certain age, hoodies should be worn only by skateboards at city parks and snow rats on the mountains. For sure, they are not for a 30-something woman. So I started to search for a sweatshirt made out of U.S.-grown organic cotton that was more mature looking. I found the Snap Hoodie. It has a subtle adult-ness and is a far cry from the Billabong and Roxy sweatshirts I once wore.

It’s $120. But it is a custom-fit, organic cotton sweatshirt handmade in the U.S.A. The maker also claims it is made to last. What do you think? Do you reach an age where you just can’t pull off a hoodie? Or is this unique so it can be worn at any age?

Kick motorboats to the curb and embrace the wind

By Mary Rose Roberts
A few years ago, I was privileged enough to be invited to join a sailboat racing circuit on Lake Michigan. It wasn’t the first time I sailed. As a young girl, my brother would pull our used AquaCat off the sand dunes and drag it down to the water’s edge. We’d fight the waves while we pushed it offshore, and then would run through the chilly water, hop on the AquaCat’s trampoline and check in. It was a thrill, until he’d take us a mile offshore and purposely flip the boat over. I hated it at the time. But it taught me how to swim to shore and toughened me up enough to be able to handle rough days on the lake.

Racing was an adrenaline rush. But the best part of racing was the fact that the wind powered us, followed by our captain’s smarts, the Zen of the crew and the design of the sailboat. To some, it’s quite a spiritual experience. The only disruption to the sail was seeing massive SeaRay sport boats that preferred man-made motors rather that God’s wind. They polluted the lake, while missing the essence of it all and the beauty of the natural environment. I always felt sorry for them, because they were missing out on an adventure and hurting an already dying lake.

If you haven’t had the chance, I highly recommend a sail with skilled seamen and women. You’ll never go back to the motor.

Solar power can work in the Midwest

Check out this Chicago Tribune article about solar-powered homes. If you thought it didn’t work in the Midwest, boy would you be wrong… .

Don't be a hater 'cause used clothes are green

Part of my Aunt Colleen’s green philosophy is to live simply and revert back to the olden days, like giving away old clothes to the goodwill or even buying used clothes. To some, used clothes may seem déclassé. But consignment shopping is anything but. In fact, I find some of my favorite clothes at consignment shops. For example, I recently visited a local shop and scored Seven for All Mankind A-pocket jeans for $34. In comparison, a pair of A-pockets through the company cost $198. That’s a $164 savings.

Consignment shopping is a great way to be green and save some greenbacks. Visit a shop today.

Green Tip of the Day: Recycled pens are cool

Just a quick shout-out to my favorite gluten-free pizza joint, Beau Jo’s in Colorado. Besides running their restaurants mostly through wind and solar—as well as using locally sourced ingredients and dairy-free options—the servers there also write with recycled pens.