Listen to the podcast for all the fun details

or keep reading for links, highlights and resources . . .

GD Correspondent Report: Green Diva Gina shares 7 eco-fabulous gift ideas

Whether your he loves sports, power tools, electronics, or just laying around, check out these great green ideas for putting a smile on Dad’s face. These awesome earphones for instance minimize the use of plastic and use bamboo instead and are state-of-the-art listening for the discerning dad. They also happen to be from our favorite trusted online green shopping site, buygreen.com, which has a mess of great eco-friendly gift ideas for dads with a variety of hobbies and interests. Read GD Gina’s post to find out more about these earphones and about the other 6 of her 7 eco-fabulous gift ideas!

Eco Ed Schwartz Fun father’s Day ideas

Eco Ed recommends going on an outing with dad. Does your father like the outdoors? If so, go hiking. Does he like the water? Yes? Then do water sports, scuba diving, etc. Does he like birds? Go on a birding walk. Find an activity that connects with Nature. What Ed has found, is that when people learn to appreciate something, then they tend to treat it with more respect . . . If Dad is a foodie, pick a good healthy restaurant with a creative sustainable flair. In terms of a gift, he recommends maybe an eco-friendly watch, like these from Na Hoku or We Wood. These watches come in a variety of types of wood like Mahogany, teak, coffee trees, gwayaco (Guaiaco), Indian Rosewood, or even Blackwood. Ed doesn’t usually give gratuitous plugs, so you these are special and you might want to check them out. WeWood uses fine, exotic woods, and plants a tree for each watch sold! (not that he’s looking for them to send him a dark brown or red sample to show off – wink, wink Listen to Green Dude, Eco Ed’s great 5-minute podcast on having a thoughtful, eco-friendly Father’s Day!

GD Mizar’s DIY: Making Memory Coasters 

GD Mizar has some great ideas to make coasters out of Dad’s favorite things. Sports logos, family pictures, funny moments, whatever he likes best. The key is to get something heavy enough that it sticks to the glass and stays down. The other key is to use Mod-Podge. Slather that on, let it dry between coats and it is instantly water proof. Use a little felt for the bottom. GD Mizar used some old bamboo floor boards that were left over from her kitchen installation. You could also use jar lids! Anything! There are a lot of ideas for whatever happens to be around the house. There is nothing like a homemade gift, and your Dad will always appreciate a gift from the heart. Read GD Mizar’s post on making DIY coasters out of old photos

Listent to GD Mizar’s 5-minute podcast to get even more details and ideas on making coasters for Dad!  

Feature Interview: Patrick McDonnell, creator of Mutts comics

His own pets definitely had a hand … oops … paw in the creation of Mutts Comics. Many of  his comic strips feature animal rights issues, like his regular feature Shelter Stories, which aims to help bring greater awareness to the many abandoned animals in need. Be on the lookout for his books, including a picture book about Jane Goodall. In September, his book Cat Crazy is coming out. Right now, however, he is writing a movie script, and we’re thinking that the Green Divas should be instrumental in taking Guard Dog off the chain. (Patrick, are you reading this?) Off the chain! This is now a new Green Diva mission. Every dog should have his day. Guard Dog is no exception. Please listen to this great Green Divas podcast featuring Patrick McDonnell!  

Coming up . . . BIG show next week!

Fran Drescher

Fran Drescher is one busy lady! From her fun TV series, Happily Divorced to her amazing work with Cancer Schmancer, we are thrilled that she can take some time out to give us a call. If you have any questions for Fran, we would be happy to ask them for you. Please go to our Green Divas Radio Show facebook page and let us know what your question is and we’ll mention you and ask her for you!

AND

Rachelle Carson Begley

We have spoken to Rachelle’s husband Ed Begley, Jr. a few times, and while we love Ed, we always seem to talk about his gorgeous wife, Rachelle! Ed always says, “well, you should really talk to Rachelle . . . ” So, we are thrilled that we are finally going to get to speak to her! She’s been a Green Diva for as long as we have, and we have loved watching her and Ed on Living with Ed, and soon again in On Begley Street! They really are America’s green power couple. If you have any questions for Rachelle, we would be happy to ask them for you. Please go to our Green Divas Radio Show facebook page and let us know what your question is and we’ll mention you and ask her for you!

happy father’s day image via shutterstock

The post Green Divas Radio Show: Eco Inspired Father’s Day appeared first on The Green Divas.

Pretty much everything I know about recycling, reducing and re-using, I learned from my dad; not Daddy, always Dad. The not-so-good habits — like stock piling too much stuff that really should GO — I’m working on breaking. I got a hefty dose of reality this afternoon as I was cleaning out the crawl space under the house my parents shared for 50 years; next week is junk pick-up week. Without going into any details, this is what I hauled out to the curb.

This is my first Father’s Day without Dad. I’ll miss him on Father’s Day more than I already do every day. We lost him in October 2012. I go on taking some of his wisdom with me every time I set out to creatively re-purpose whatever it is I can. So, taking a piece of left over bamboo flooring, I decided to craft some coasters.

DIY Coasters to make any Dad happy this Father’s Day

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Scrap wood or any object heavy enough so that it won’t stick to the glass (because that’s annoying)
• Mod-Podge or any spray adhesive
• Felt
• Dad’s favorite pictures or his favorite sports team logos or maps or comic books or what-have-you!

Here’s how-to:

1. Cut your scrap wood into squares. Since I used left-over flooring which is 3½ inches wide, I cut pieces which measures 3½ x 3½ — kind of the perfect size for the bottom of most glasses or bottles. I used my new favorite tool — my chop saw. I’m not sure how I ever lived without one of these babies!

2. Assemble whatever pictures or theme oriented pictures and using either Mod-Podge or spray adhesive, simply place the picture onto a base. Here your see my ever goofy girl being … well, goofy. She was the apple of my father’s eye. I returned to the saw and trimmed this coaster just a bit so that less wood was showing on either side.  Using Mod-Podge or the spray adhesive, glue the picture onto the surface of the base.

3. Mod-Podge over the entire surface of the coaster. Two or three coats will really seal the picture in and make it totally water proof. Make sure you wait until one coat is dry before applying the next.

4. Once the Mod-Podge is completely dry, cut a piece of felt to fit the bottom of each coaster. Glue one piece to the bottom of each piece and you’re pretty much done!

So Dad, thank you … I love you … I miss you. I wish you were still around so that I can re-purpose junk into something you would have enjoyed as much as you did all those handmade gifts you received every year.

He kept just about every one — we found them neatly tucked in a box in his basement workshop. Thanks Dad for never throwing those away!

The post Father’s Day: Re-purposing DIY Style for Dad appeared first on The Green Divas.

1. Eco-Friendly Bamboo Earphones

Dad will rock out with these fun and eco-friendly earphones that minimizes plastic and other harmful materials and features bamboo, which is a great renewable resource. These are designed for discerning Green Dude ears that want a solid sound that extends the bass. Oh yea . . .

They get a high score on BuyGreen.com and are offered @ a discounted price of $75.

2. Compressible Water Bottle

Check out this amazing waterbottle from GoodCleanCompany. This is a great alternative to those bulky water bottles (and it also reduces your dad’s plastic usage, making him Green Diva approved.)  Why not have a BPA free, compressible water bottle that can fold right up and fit in the tightest of places? They are toxin free, BPA free and made of silicone.

GoodCleanCompany.com

3. Powerfilm  USB+AA Foldable Solar Panel Charger

This versatile solar device and battery charger can be used in any setting as long as the sun shines, making it a great gifts for outdoorsy dads. While most solar charging devices provide minimal photovoltaic surfaces, this wallet-sized series of solar film cells can charge USB devices or AA batteries faster than almost any other portable product in the market. It charges 2 AA batteries from completely spent to full in 4 hours of direct sunlight. A universal USB port allows for direct charging of most micro USB devices, like cell phones, smart phones, and iPods. The charger can even power up a USB device in 100% darkness with the help of two rechargeable batteries that act as storage devices for the energy absorbed by the solar panels during the day, discharging the energy as necessary after the sun has set.Could be a great idea for camping!

Check out one here at amazon.com for $88.99

4. Authentic Stadium Seat CuffLinks

For the Baseball Dad. These cufflinks were handmade and upcycled from stadium seats. They are available in a variety of colors (so get them in his team’s colors).

Handmade and recycled from Uncommon Goods - Prices run $170 to $200

5. Recycled Fabric Vintage Bow Ties

The Cotton Bow Tie Co. is based right out of Ithaca, NY and makes all of their pieces by hand.

The ties are priced affordably (usually around $44), but utilize recycled fabric, vintage yardage and cotton prints. You can find a tie in every color under the sun right here! 

6. Chordless Chain Saw

What man doesn’t appreciate a good power-tool? Going with the environmentally-friendly theme, using electric powered one certainly makes for a less pollutant alternative.

You can use an electric saw indoors since it doesn’t produce any fumes. An electric chain saw also tends to be lighter and less noisy, and you don’t have to worry about running out of gas before the task is completed. Another alternative is a rechargeable chain saw. You can now find chain saws with an 18-volt lithium-ion battery or interchangeable nickel-cadmium batteries. These offer a convenient cordless design, and they’re lighter and less noisy than gas chain saws. A number of today’s rechargeable chain saw designs offer sufficient cutting power for most jobs.

Here is a good option for a rechargable chainsaw that is sold at WalMart $97.73

7. Low-Maintenance Comfy Outdoor Chairs

What kind of dad doesn’t love something that requires NO maintenance? Seaside Casual offers a great alternative to wooden adirondacks. They are crafted from recycled plastic bottles and containers that are permeated with UV-stabilized coloring. They are resistant to outdoor elements due to absorbing heat the same manner that wood does. The hardware is all stainless steal –making it resistant to rust and giving it a warranty of 20 years or more.

Go to Seaside Casual’s website and type in your area code and find a dealer near you. These chairs are always priced at $483

The post 7 Fabulous Eco-Friendly Father’s Day Gifts appeared first on The Green Divas.

Ok. I must confess that I don’t cook ALL my food from scratch. Sometimes I embellish a basic prepared dish to liven it up and make it a little healthier. I’m sure there are a lot of great, fairly easy pad Thai noodle recipes to create the sauce from scratch, but I don’t often have tamarind paste handy, and I found this easy, basic prepared pad Thai noodle meal from A Taste of Thai in my local super market and was surprised that it was relatively healthy (low sodium, no preservatives, no trans fat, gluten-free, minimal junk, etc.). Sometimes a green diva just needs to shorten the process. I made this delicious batch of veggie pad Thai for this Meatless Monday lunch!

The first thing I do is scrounge around for whatever yummy veggies I have on hand to chop and stir fry. Here’s what I came up with today: carrots, golden beets, red onion, red cabbage, broccoli, and of course garlic.

Ingredients

1 cup vegetables for stir fry (mushrooms, green onions, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, etc.)
2 Tbls coconut oil (find a healthy, organic refined coconut oil for stir frying)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
juice of half a lime
1 box A Taste of Thai Pad Thai Noodles

Instructions

After chopping all your veggies, stir fry on medium high heat adding the garlic towards the end, stir frying for another minute or two, then add lime juice and continue cooking for another minute or two. Take off the heat and prepare the pad Thai noodles as per instructions. When you have a minute left in your noodle preparation, add the veggies and mix it all up. Garnish with chopped peanuts (provided with the pad Thai noodle kit) and some fresh lime and cilantro (forgot to get some from the garden when I made this batch!).

enjoy!

eat. blog. be merry!

The post Meatless Monday: Green Diva Meg’s Quick Veggie Pad Thai (recipe) appeared first on The Green Divas.

We were supposed to talk to filmmaker, Ed Brown about his documentary Unacceptable Levels, but our busy friend couldn’t make it at the last minute. We got to see the film and EVERYONE should see this film!!! We’ll have him back soon. Stay tuned . . .

Meanwhile, please listen to the whole show and/or read about the details below! 

Green Diva Correspondent: Julie Hancher on Philly’s quest to reduce one-time plastic bag use

She started the Green Philly blog in 2008 to encourage Philadelphia’s sustainability. She wants people to go green in the most stress-free way (hey, kinda like the Green Divas!). She wants to implement a fee for one-time plastic bag use to help consumers become more aware of their plastic use, while also educating them that they have a choice by making reusable bags widely available. Philadelphia has tried unsuccessfully twice now, but she is determined that now is the right time for this type of legislation. They have a city council person who will likely introduce it this Fall, so she is gathering community support and raising awareness about this important issue.

Listen to the podcast to hear Julie’s great report!

Green Dude Report: Eco Ed talks about the poisons of plastics

Eco Ed just came back from Hawaii. He was working with the mayor of Maui to help make their local tourism industry more sustainable. Now that he’s back and a bit jet-lagged, he was in the studio to inform us about what exactly is in plastic. So many things are manufactured with it, but there are many harmful chemicals in it that can get into our bodies. Bi phenol A (BPA) and Phalates are chemicals commonly found in plastic that have some pretty risky side effects in terms of human health. The chemicals leech into the food or fluid stored in a plastic container, and are absorbed in our bodies, but these toxins are known endocrine disruptors — NOT good. These chemicals are found in all types of food  containers and packaging, shower curtain liners, outer coatings of many pharmaceutical pills, lubricants, modeling clay, waxes, paints, inks, and yes, even sex toys (hee hee hee). 96 percent of women have BPA in their system and babies are now being born pre-polluted with these types of toxins. YIKES! Some alternatives? Ceramic, glass and stainless steel work great for food and fluid containers. Get those canvas bags out too! Check out GD Mizar modeling Eco Ed’s bag in the studio.

Listen to this excellent Green Dude segment on the harmful effects of plastics!

Green Diva Mizar’s DIY: Up Cycling Plastic Bags into Colorful Beads

GD Mizar is ALWAYS thinking of things to do to reuse whatever plastic ends up in her house. After ranting a bit about the plastic scourge and making us laugh, GD Mizar talked about a few ideas for up cycling and repurposing all those plastic bags that persistently find their way into our lives. She talked about her latest DIY tutorial and show she made some colorful beads by fusing plastic bags together.

Read GD Mizar’s post to get step-by-step instructions and see the beads she made!

Listen to GD Mizar’s DIY segment on creative ideas on how to reuse those plastic bags that you already have!

Feature GD Interview: Ed Brown, Producer of Unacceptable Levels

Even though Ed was unable to speak with us this week, I encourage you to watch this trailer and keep an eye out for this excellent and powerful film. We hope to have him in the studio to talk about the film soon, so stay tuned!

Listen to the entire podcast on the plastics of yesterday, today and tomorrow right here. 

Plastic bottles & bags image via shutterstock

The post Green Divas Radio Show: Learning to Live with Less Plastic appeared first on The Green Divas.

Whenever I talk to anyone about being green, our environment, our health and that of Mother Earth, I first gauge how old that person might be. Fifty plus, and I know they’ll most likely know what I’m talking about, when I ask if they  remember that scene in The Graduate - 1967, where Mr. Maguire approaches Dustin Hoffman’s character - Ben Braddock at Ben’s college graduation party and offers him some advice…? Remember what he says to Ben standing outside near the pool?  Mr. Maguire says, “One word, are you listening? … Plastics … there’s a great future in plastics.”

Mr. Maguire was correct. The plastic production pendulum was already making it’s lopsided move one way.  And it stayed there, year after year, decade after decade until now, when we’re all starting to realize what a huge mess we’ve all made. We’re all guilty … even Green Divas are guilty of keeping the pendulum firmly off to one one side. There’s a great documentary out there called,  Addicted to Plastic. It is so, SO worth watching because YOU WILL BE AMAZED at just how much plastic enters and exits our lives EVERY DAY!

I will argue, some things made of plastic has improved our quality of life; plastics in hospitals and medical care, plastic bags holding saline solutions for breast augmentations (yes, for some folks, this counts), the right type of plastic protects our food, helps build better – more insulated homes, cars, cameras, computers and SO much more stuff — and it’s disposable — and that, folks is the flip side of the argument. Too many disposable things are made out of plastic. We simply use and throw away too much!

Seems Mr. Maguire was right … or was he?

What to do, what to do with the plastic coming into my house? Hmm? Those ubiquitous Chinese food containers are washed and re-used to send left overs home with Mom or party guests. When I entertain, I cook a lot.  There are plenty of leftovers; what I don’t freeze walks out the door. If it’s plastic and not re-used, it’s recycled.

Up Cycling Plastic Bags into Colorful DIY Beads

Some of you may know, I love beading; making earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets, wine glass charms, and so much more … and my favorite thing to do when creating something, is re-using bit’s and pieces of old jewelry, buttons and other doo-dads I’ve collected. Which making beads out of plastic bags such a perfect fit.

Heres what you’ll need:

• Clean plastic bags
• Parchment paper
• Iron — I have an old one I kept just for my craftprojects
• A strong crafting glue like E60005
• Toothpicks or something simliar
• Scissors
• Ruler

Here’s how:

1. Fuse the Plastic

Place two layers of your plastic bag – I chose purple. Why, do you ask? Because it’s Green Diva Meg’s favorite color! I also used light blue plastic and I tried fusing bubble wrap AND fusing a piece of tissue paper in between 2 sheets of clear plastic. Place the plastic between the parchment paper. Better to do this on a hard surface as your ironing board might have too much “give.” With your iron set at low-medium and the stream setting off, run the iron over the parchment paper.

I actually like the way the tissue paper fused in between two sheets of clear plastic turned out.

2. Rolling the beads

• Cut long triangles out of the fused plastic. You can get creative with the size of the bead … the wider the triangle, the longer you bead will be. I’m partial to the shorter, fatter beads. I cut several triangles at a 1/2″ wide at the base, some at 3/4″ wide and others at 1″ wide. All are bout 4″ long. The longer the triangle the stouter the bead.

• Cut out a triangular shape that is about 4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide at the bottom. You can play around with the sizing. The wider the triangle, the longer the bead and the longer the triangle, the fatter the bead.
• Apply a small amount of glue up one side of the triangle, starting about 1/4′ from the base. Do not put glue at the along the bottom. Roll the bead onto the the toothpick, wide end first. and Extra dab of glue at the tip will secure the whole thing. Stick your toothpicks into something firm. Yes, what you see there is a very ripe banana – Bananas Foster for dessert tonight! Let the glue dry thoroughly. Tah-dah! Beads. Even the tissue paper fused beads worked.
• I sprayed a layer of clear acrylic laquer on each bead, just to give it a little more luster. It also makes them feel a little stronger.
• As a “beader,” I know there are a ton of projects out there which you can make with your newly rolled, re-purposed plastic bag beads.
• Here’s a thought — If you are making beads for smaller hands, cut the plastic into triangle with wider bases to make them larger. The roll them onto a thicker dowel … a pencil, a chopstick or what have you works. Little hands need the bigger opening to successfully string beads.

The post Up Cycling Plastic Bags into Colorful Beads appeared first on The Green Divas.

1. Well hey, at least the first floor of my dorm is recycling.
2. WHY THE HECK ARE WE WASTING SO MUCH PLASTIC?

The volcanic eruption of plastic water bottles happens on a weekly occurrence. It’s not as if my campus’ facility employees simply neglected to properly recycle. The fact remains that many students find it convenient to grab a bottle of water on their way to class and then simply unconscientiously toss it away once the finished their last few sips. This is not just a problem here at my University (Drew University), but at Universities across the country, work places and restaurants. It’s a global issue— and it is wreaking havoc on our planet in more ways than one.

Finally, Drew University is on the road towards eliminating plastic waste. Last year, there were rumblings that the sustainability committee was making plans to install hydration stations in the most communal areas of Drew University. Sure, we had water fountains before, but now these re-filling locations are equipped to properly refill reusable water bottles with fresh purified water without the splatter.

Drew University has made some amazing strides since my freshmen year towards becoming one of the most eco-friendly campuses in the nation. With one of the first “green dorms,” ecologically curious student body, and overall goal to incorporate more organic/locally sourced food options there is no doubt that my school is on the right path toward sustainability success.

We even have “Eco Reps” in every dorm, who make it their mission to educate the student body on how to become more environmentally conscious in their own day-to-day lives. They advocate for students to realize just how much water is wasted on a daily basis. Whether it be shortening showers, not letting the faucet run during the entire time of brushing your teeth, and having a reusable water bottle.

As for the recycling situation in my dorm? Let’s just hope that the raging river of plastic water bottles becomes a trickling stream now that the hydration stations have become a noteworthy improvement.

water bottle image via shutterstock
reusable water bottle image via shutterstock

The post Sustainable Solutions to Plastic Water Bottles on Campus appeared first on The Green Divas.

Also had a call from our green sista from the Green Sisterhood, Jenny Bradford publisher of the awesome Conscientious Confusion blog, who did an excellent report on the March on Monsanto event she went to in Dallas, Texas. Make sure to listen to this excellent report about why we need to keep the momentum going.

Lovin’ our green audio dude, Rob who has cleared up some of our nagging technical issues – finally! wooooooohoooooo! This is Rob behind Mizar’s daughter’s psychedelic laptop making stuff happen!

Green Audio Dude Rob

Listen to the podcast of this great show featuring the Ultimate Cheapskate, Jeff Yeager . . . or keep reading . . . 

 

GD Correspondent: Jenny Bradford, Dallas, TX

Jenny offered a great report on her experience at the March Against Monsanto, which she and friend and fellow blogger mom Valerie Rowekamp of Charmed Valerie attended in Dallas, Texas. This is a great short video of the Dallas march including Jenny and Valerie!   Check out Jenny’s own blog post about the March against Monsanto on Conscientious Confusion, and see a fun video of she and Valerie talking about the march in the car ride home from the event.

Green Diva Mizar’s DIY: Repurposed Bottles into Tiki Torches!

Green Diva Mizar does it again . . . I’ve got DIY envy! I’m definitely going to go out and get the few supplies needed to make these fun tiki torches made from up cycled glass bottles! Listen to the fun 5-min podcast of GD Mizar’s DIY Tiki Torches

Get Step-by-Step instructions on how to make your own tiki torches out of old beer bottles!

Feature Interview: Jeff Yeager, the Ultimate Cheapskate

Jeff is our favorite Ultimate Cheapskate and a regular on the GD Show. He’s been busy lately doing a fun video series produced by AARP, on his own new YouTube channel, The Cheap Life with Jeff Yeager. They are very entertaining AND informative. Highly recommend going to the channel and viewing them.

When he’s not producing these great videos, he has been writing yet another book, How to Retire the Cheapskate Way, which is due out soon.

Jeff had some great ideas for ways to save green, while being green this summer.

Listen to the podcast to hear all of Jeff Yeager’s great ideas for a being cheap and green this summer! 

eat. blog. be merry!

sun graphic from shutterstock.com

The post Green Divas Radio Show: Being Green & Saving Green for Summer appeared first on The Green Divas.

Summer Nights by DIY Tiki Torch Light

Summer nights — grilling on the deck, enjoying a glass of wine lakeside, or throwing an all out summer-time bash … none would be the same without the warm glow of torch lights. I am a sucker for Tiki-Torches, but if you know me by now, I’m also the first to find a way to “light up my life” without having to spend a penny.  This week’s guest on the Green Divas Radio Show – Jeff Yeager (aka the Ultimate Cheapskate) — would be SO proud!  

That said, time to take out my doo-dads and stuff to work a little DIY magic.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Bottles – all shapes, all sizes BUT smaller bottles work better simply because you won’t need so much torch fuel.  More about that later.
• Cotton String – it MUST be cotton otherwise it will not burn – it’ll melt  … OR this year I experimented with the tightly wound paper handles you find on fancy shopping bags.  Boy do they work like a charm!
• Salt
• Boric acid  (Borax)
• Metal nuts & washers – all sizes and with varied sized openings
• Torch fuel

Step One: Making the wicks

I do not know why or how this works but it does. I’ve been doing it for several years and while it’s a little time consuming, it’s well worth the wait simply because torch wicks can be costly.

1. Combine 1 Tbsp. of  salt with 2 Tbsp. of boric acid.

2. Add 1 cup of water and mix very well until the salt and the Borax are dissolved.

3. Pour the mixture into a jar.

4. Add the string making sure it’s completely submersed. If you wish, you can cut the string to your desired length – at least long enough to hang down the entire length of the bottle you are using.

5. The string needs to soak at least 12-hours.

  6. Remove the string and hang it out to dry.  Now it must dry completely – some website “tutorials” will say 5-days. If your string it thicker then yes.  If not, leave them out as long as necessary.  The thinner string takes about 2 -3 days.

7. Braid three pieces of string together.

Step Two: Making the Torches

1. Gather your washer and your bottles. The idea here is to first choose a washer large enough to cover the bottle opening. More than likely the opening in the washer is going to be too large to hold the wick in place. That said, keeping adding washers or nuts with smaller and smaller openings until the last opening is small enough to ensure the wick fits snugly and will not fall out.

2.  Take the braided wick, bring it through the openings in the washers/nuts until you have just enough poking through on the top to create a flame.

3. Fill the bottle half-way with torch fuel making sure to saturate the the entire wick. This is pretty easy as whatever the boric acid and salt mixture does, the fuel easily travels the entire length of the wick. Get your matches and light away. This is one of my favorite bottles … easy to see why. It’s also the wick I made using the paper bag handle. I actually like this better because there’s no braiding involved — it saves the somewhat tedious step of having to braid the string together.

More about Torch Fuel

Tiki-Torch fuel is expensive and in my opinion it’s rather stinky. I know it’s supposed to smell like citronella but I just don’t get that. I found two recipes on how to make your own torch fuel on line and mixed one together. I used isopropyl alcohol, distilled water and essential lavender oil. Not sure if I did it right or perhaps my adding a little food coloring messed up the brew. While it lit, it wasn’t very happy to stay lit.

Recipe for DIY Torch Fuel

Then there is a recipe I have not tried using mineral oil and another using vegetable oil which seems pretty easy.

1. 1-2 tsp. of your favorite essential oil of choice. These help keep those nasty flying pests away: cedar, lemon grass, citronella, eucalyptus, chamomile or rosemary.

2. 1-cup of vegetable oil

3. Mix well and you’re done.

I have not tried this but I can’t imagine it wouldn’t work.

So, I’m all set with tiki-torches this year. My daughter, who has a very wacky sense of humor, took one look at the torches I made with the beer bottles and proudly said, “Hmmm, makes me feel a bit like a ‘Red-Neck’ — not that there’s anything wrong with that!” Besides, that is one very cool lookin’ beer bottle!

The post Lighting Up Summer Nights: DIY Tiki Torch appeared first on The Green Divas.

This Memorial Day is another Meatless Monday for this green diva! Here’s one yummy tempeh salad recipe I’ll be making!

I made this one up last summer and it has quickly become a family favorite. It’s pretty much how I would’ve made a good tuna salad in the old days — adding pasta (gluten-free of course) to stretch it a bit. I feed my family this version, but I make mine curry flavored . . . yum.

Ingredients
1/4 cup red onion – finely chopped
1/4 cup carrots – finely chopped
1/4 cup celery – finely chopped
1/4 cup red cabbage – finely chopped
2 Tbls – scallions – chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbls – organic sweet relish
2 Tbls – your favorite vinaigrette 

1 pkg. tempeh – chopped into 1″ cubes
2 Tbls olive oil
2 cloves garlic – crushed
salt & pepper to taste
1 Tbls curry powder (optional)

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to the directions.

Sautee the tempeh in the olive oil. Add the garlic in the last couple of minutes. Let everything cool a bit, then mix it all up, and enjoy!

The post Memorial Day Meatless Monday: Tempeh Salad (recipe) appeared first on The Green Divas.