I’m Dreaming of A Green Christmas
Tuesday, November 11th, 2008
The conscientious among us are all looking for ways to be a little “greener” this holiday season. From buying local to using reusable shopping bags, we all can do our part to help keep our environment happy and healthy and still keep with the yule tide traditions. One of the biggest energy wasters and money-suckers of the holidays are Christmas lights.
LED strands of holiday lights will use 95% less electricity than a normal strand of twinkle lights. And of course, these LED strings of lights will last 10 times longer than regular lights and are less likely to catch on fire (LED bulbs produce very little heat). If you are looking to reduce your carbon footprint and save a little money in the long run, I strongly encourage you to spend a little extra now and invest in a couple of LED holiday strings of lights.
A local writer here in Portland took an adventure to eastern Oregon last month, a seemingly passive trip with her husband to one of the small towns in the Wallowa Lake area. What she brought back was a great idea for a stocking stuffer for the outdoorsman in the family. Ashley Prince of Enterprise, Oregon, a retird school teacher, built a small business based on what he himself used while hunting as a young man. The natural fire starters he sells are hand-split fatwood he makes from logged stumps of pine and fir. He packages the sticks into an emergency packet that includes waterproof matches and quick-start paper, perfect for camping, hunting or hiking. Why is this such a great gift idea?
There are a number of events taking place this month for hunting enthusiasts wanting to know more about what the winter hunting seasons have to offer in the area and tips and techniques for newcomers.