Blog Posts by ecomii.com

By Green Diva Meg

We recently moved into a gorgeous 112-year-old house in the historic district of our town. We are renting long-term with an option to buy. We have an awesome landlord who has let us really make this our home and he's very easy to work with. He and his wife had contracted the local affiliate of a national pest control service. They have offered us the benefit for free, which is generous. However, I've owned several old houses and I've never used chemical pest control methods.

I'm not particularly good with insects, but I know they are a vital part of our eco-system. I have spent a lot of time and energy over the years working on making peace with the insect world and finding ways to co-exist. Don't get me wrong, I REALLY don't like ants in my kitchen, spiders in the bedroom or other various multi-legged critters terrorizing us inside the house. When I find a misguided critter in the house, I do my best NOT to freak out and put them back outside with a

By Toni Salter

We often start a vegetable garden because we have decided to eat organic produce and reduce our chemical exposure.

Inevitably, However, we are faced with pest and disease problems and with the dilemma of controlling them without poisoning ourselves in the process.

Sometimes our best effort at organic solutions simply doesn't cut it and we might be tempted to turn to pesticides.

Pesticide is a generic term for any substance that interferes with the physical, chemical or biological mechanisms of the invading insects, weeds or fungus affecting the garden.

The term "pesticide" covers a number of poisons specific to each organism. An "herbicide" is designed to control weeds, a "fungicide" is designed to control fungus or disease and an "insecticide" is designed for insects or arachnids.

Most pesticides are lethal when applied at the rate specified on the label. This includes those that affect the nervous system of an insect. The mode of action of a

By Marie Oser

Industrialized animal production has had a dramatic impact on society, human health and the environment.

Modern animal husbandry is a major factor in water pollution, contributing animal waste, antibiotics, hormones and a witch's brew of chemicals from tanneries, fertilizers and pesticides from feed crops.

In the final decades of the twentieth century, almost five million family farms were replaced by large-scale manufacturing operations.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency these concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) confine thousands of animals in a single facility and generate a staggering 300 million tons of waste annually

The waste is funneled into massive lagoons that emit ammonia, toxic hydrogen sulfide and methane gases. These cesspools often break, leak or overflow, sending dangerous microbes, nitrate pollution and drug resistant bacteria into the nation's water supply.

Almost 40 percent of the world's grain

By Sunny Massad Ph.D.

There are two hemispheres in the brain: the left and the right. Humans engage the left hemisphere more now than ever.

Left-brain activity includes verbal, analytical and intellectual thought. Activities include thinking, solving problems and organizing. An over-active left-brain, however, can often result in insomnia, fatigue, incessant mental activity and even high blood pressure.

Right brain activity is emotional and intuitive. It is the side of the brain that is in charge of behavior. Self-hypnosis and meditation stimulate right brain activity. The more you practice right brain activities, the more at peace you will feel emotionally.

Meditation practice results in the ability to induce states of deep relaxation, which translates into rejuvenation of the body/mind almost like rebooting a computer.

By becoming a quiet observer of the thoughts of the mind, the very act of witnessing from an objective distance can

By By Michael Greger M.D.

Recent testing of mercury concentrations in three national brands of canned tuna found that "55 percent of all tuna examined was above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's safety level for human consumption." And the problem appears to be getting worse.

Previous studies in 1993 and 2004 showed concerning levels of mercury contamination in canned tuna, but not as high as it is now. VIDEO: Which brand of tuna has the most mercury?

Given the average level of mercury pollution found in canned tuna, researchers suggest that your average nine year old would exceed the EPA limit, even if they only ate one can of tuna every 6 weeks!

They conclude: "These results indicate that stricter regulation of the canned tuna industry is necessary to ensure the safety of sensitive populations such as pregnant women, infants, and children."

Some question whether the federal safety limits are sufficient. A recent review from researchers at Harvard

By Green Diva Meg

My husband and kids love kale - no, really they do! I wasn't always a big fan myself, but I learned about the many virtues of this amazing veggie and got creative to find ways to enjoy it. I'll share our family's favorite recipes in this post, but first let's talk about why we should adore this vegetable.

A member of the Cruciferae clan, which makes it kin to cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collard greens and cauliflower. It is a descendent of the wild cabbage that grew in Asia Minor. My crazy roaming Celtic ancestors brought it to Europe around 600 BC, where it blossomed in popularity all over Europe into the Middle Ages.

More of my adventurous ancestors (or folks like them) brought them to the US in the mid 17th century. This is one hearty plant that does particularly well in cold climates and the cooler seasons. I'm guessing this is part of its popularity.

According to WebMD, one cup of kale

By Toni Salter

Imagine experiencing a garden with all five senses. That's what a sensory garden allows you to do. A carefully designed garden can stimulate, not only the sight, but also sound, smell, touch and taste.

A trolley with an assortment of potted herbs and vegetables is an example of a sensory garden. This can be placed in a sunny courtyard or balcony where space is limited.

It could also be set in an aged care facility where residents may have more limited mobility. A trolley will allow the garden to come to them. People living with dementia respond to sensory stimulation and tasting, crushing and smelling different herbs can be beneficial.

Take lavender and chamomile, for example. These plants can have very soothing qualities, as when the oils are released through rubbing the leaves. The smooth and furry leaves of various lavenders are also soothing to the touch. Do this while sipping a cup of tea made from fresh Chamomile flowers

By Marie Oser

Vegan Fashion. What is it, exactly? The vegan lifestyle is inherently cruelty-free and posits that no animal is exploited in the production of any item, be it food, clothing, accessories, personal care products or furniture.

Compassion for animals is the basis for the ethical choices that vegans make and compassion in fashion is a logical extension. Living the vegan lifestyle is also the environmental choice because excluding animal products is a very effective way to reduce your carbon footprint.

Going vegan has become very trendy and it seems every day another star athlete or well-known celebrity makes the decision to kick animal products from their menu.

There are, however consumer items in all areas of life that exploit animals one way or another and while most begin by choosing the plant-based diet, eventually other areas of lifestyle come under scrutiny.