Category Archives: Eco-Living

Catlin Painting

North American Native American History Activity

History, Home education, Learning, Local community events, , ,

We have been exploring the people and cultures of North America before the arrival of the Europeans in the sixteenth century. We have been finding out about the different cultural regions and getting a flavour of some of the cultures.

We created an activity to do to explore different cultural regions and the diversity of cultures:

North America is a vast continent. Before Europeans arrived in what they called the “New World” North America was already full of people. The vast continent covers many different cultures, shaped by the different environments.

There were small families, big tribes and leagues of tribes. The homes and clothes varied according to climate and the available resources.

Long before Europeans arrived cultures developed, changed, people migrated from one area to another.

There were no domesticated animals, apart from the dog, so through out the continent people hunted for game, and fished. Some people were nomadic hunter-gatherers, others were settled hunter-gatherers and some were farmers. Whilst people grew many different crops maize, beans and squash were commonly grown.

This is an activity for a simplified look at the different regions of North America, giving a flavour of some of the cultures.

Preparation:

Native American People Intro_Page_11. Print out the introduction and the ten regional pdf files, each of which has four pages – an answer sheet, an information sheet, a board and a set of pictures to cut out.
2. Mix up the pictures and lay them out.
3. Keep the answer
sheets to one side.

To play:

1. Choose a board for one of the regions.
2. Read the accompanying information sheet.
3. Pick the six pictures that match up with the information on that region
4. Check your answers with the answer sheet.

Ideas for discussion:

How does the environment affect way of life –  homes, food and clothing?

Apple Day Events 2013 Hertfordshire

Local community events,

Every year as autumn sets in I feel the need to find out where our local Apple Day celebrations will be. Celebrated on and around 21st October each year this is a celebration of the great British apple, orchards and their contribution to local areas. It was started by Common Ground over twenty years age.

5th October - Chorleywood Community Orchard 11am-3pm at the Orchard in Chorleywood House Estate WD3 5SL  www.chorleywood-orchard.org.uk/apple-day.html

6th October - Tewin Orchard Apple Day 12 Noon to 16.30 The Pavilion on Upper Green., Tewin, Welwyn, AL6 0LX.  Any enquiries to Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust 01727 858901 www.tewinorchard.co.uk/orchard.html

6th October - at Jeacock’s Orchard, Cow Lane, Tring.  10 a.m.until 4 p.m. – Part of the Tring Apple Fayre.  Apple Day

6th October - Highfield Park  Apple Day from 2pm until 4pm  Highfield Park Centre, Russett Drive, St Albans.  www.highfieldparktrust.co.uk

6th October - Rivers Community Orchard Community Apple Picking Day from 10.30am – 12.30pm, Sawbridgeworth. www.riversnurseryorchard.org.uk

13th October – Harrow Apple Day, 1 p.m.to 5 p.m. Grim’s Dyke Hotel, Harrow lots of apple day activities. Further details at www.hoipolloi.btck.co.uk

 13th October – Codicote Community Orchard Apple Day. - Bury Lane, Codicote (opposite St Giles Church).

19/20th October -  Apple and Food Festival event. Aylett Nurseries, North Orbital Road, St Albans AL2 1DH, 10 a.m. to 4.30p.m.   

20th October . – Shenley Apple Day. 12noon -17.00p.m   One of the County’s flagship events. Further details at www.shenleypark.co.uk

 

 

Halloween

Local community events,

As a child in Hertfordshire in the 1970s/80s we didn’t have Halloween. We celebrated Harvest festival at school and the village church – which involved donating tins of food. And then we had fireworks and a bonfire for bonfire night / Guy Fawkes.

But now a days Halloween seems to have taken a hold in England, having been introduced from America. Since having children it has become an important part of our year. It is possibly the children’s favourite day of the year, and definitely thought about far longer in advance than Christmas – combining dressing up, receiving sweets and meeting lots of neighbours, and at least one party.

Over the years I have learnt a little about the origins of the festival mostly in response to being asked about the argument from some Christians that it is wrong, and amounts to worshipping the devil. These arguments have little meaning for me – being an atheist. But from an intellectual point of view I find the theological and cultural tangle fascinating.

To have survived to the modern day with such importance in some parts of the Christian world – Scotland and Ireland there must be a Christian purpose to the festival. These countries have been Christian in some form or other since the fall of the Roman Empire! Halloween – is of course All Hallows Eve – the day eve of All Saints Day. When it was believed by many Christians that the souls of the dead where able to walk with the living. Halloween traditions stem from the perceived need to confuse these souls and protect people from malign forces through the disguises and light – in the form of bonfires and lanterns. The argument against Halloween seems far more of a puritanical denouncement of other denominations.

But recently Halloween has become more of a personal celebration. I recently watched the episode of Quantum Leap where Sam Beckett leaps into a novelist preparing the Presbyterian haunted house for Halloween. Presbyterian caught my attention. My gran is from a traditionally Presbyterian family from rural Northern Ireland and it got us talking. She shared her memories of just how important Halloween was – partly a post harvest celebration, partly charitable. Groups of men would come trick or treating, collecting money for charity. This is apparently re-invented in North America in the 1950s by a Presbyterian as Trick or Treat for UNICEF.

I had thought it was predominantly Catholic in origin. But no – Halloween in Northern Ireland was one of those rare things – celebrated by Protestant and Catholic alike. A festival enjoyed by all amidst the more sectarian Catholic feast of All Saints (although All Saints is celebrated with a different meaning by Presbyterians too). and the Protestant Reformation Sunday. And unlike the in hind sight rather distasteful English Guy Fawkes day it isn’t a festival originating in the discrimination against and violent reactions of a religious minority.

Now Halloween joins Easter and Christmas as celebrations that have their roots in the Christian culture of my ancestors, a link to my cultural heritage. Which can for me as an atheist provide a way of celebrating life, and an opportunity to make contact with neighbours, friends and family. Maybe next year we will reinstate collecting for charity in our house.

Halloween and other festivals of death and life – Google Books Result – more about Presbyterian Northern Irish Halloween celebrations.

Should Catholics Celebrate Halloween? - Halloween as a Catholic festival

My favourite gadget

Ethical consuming, ,
I have to confess to a terrible vice, that I have now got under control with the help of my favourite gadget!

I love Coca-Cola.

It may not seem so terrible to many, but as someone who tries hard to buy ethically being hooked on the product of one of the world’s biggest multi-national companies with a less than perfect human rights record is a bit embarrassing.
I love the taste, and the sugar and caffeine provide me with my last ditch pick me up. It is practically the only drink you can buy in a corner shop, other than water, that doesn’t taste of artificial sweetener – Yuk!
In the past no other drink substituted – I could tell if it wasn’t the real thing as soon as I drank some – and actually even that is wasn’t made in the right country – French Coca-Cola tastes different (just not right), but German tastes like the British stuff.

So what does any of this have to do with a my favourite gadget?

I found that grapefruit juice and soda works wonders. For some reason I get the same kick out of it as Coca-Cola but without the palpitations, bad temper and sleeplessness! For several years I spent a fortune on bottled soda water, and frequently went shopping just for soda water, only to find the local shop had run out. Then it hit me – just make your own!
I bought a Soda Stream for my birthday a couple of years ago.
As time as gone by – I’ve practically ditched the grapefruit too, and a drop of lemon and fizzy water refreshes me.
So I always keep a bottle of soda water in the fridge and my favourite gadget close at hand.
***********
This post is part of the notesfromhome’s Friday Club carnival:

Geeky Mummy gives us A Geeky Guide to Buying a Mobile Phone.

Helen at Cheeky Wipes tells us about her favourite gadget in And the award for best gadget goes to…..

Cara at Freckles Family writes about a gadget she loves.

Bibsey writes about her favourite gadget, my ‘precious’.

Merry at Patch of Puddles tells us about her clay sculpture tool.

Jax at Live Otherwise gives us her favourite gadget and it’s not what you think.

Cass at The Diary of a Frugal Family posts Gadgets – I love you….. .

Clare at Seasider in the City gives us Tech her family can’t do without.

Jacq at Mymumdom tells us about her backing camera.

Maggy at Red Ted Art posts about her digital camera.

Ella at Notes From Home tells us about her home media centre.

What do you really need for your new baby?

Babycare, Eco-Living, Parenting, Shopping,

Although most of us spend a lot of money on things for our new babies, having a baby need not be expensive. Babies actually need very little, and what you do need doesn’t have to be cost a lot.

Every family finds they value different things and their baby wish list will be different.

A useful approach is to get the absolute minimum before baby is born, and then only get things if and when you find you need them. Ask yourself – is this essential?

Less stuff

There are many reasons to buy less – it saves money, has less impact on the environment and less clutter makes for a simpler life.

Buy 2nd hand

Go along to our local Nearly New Sale where you will be able to pick up things up at very reasonable prices. For safety reasons there are some things like car seats and mattresses which you are advised to buy new.

Beg and borrow and freecycle

Many parents want to get rid of stuff they no longer, or maybe never used. So ask around. Find out about your local Freecycle or Freegle.

Gifts

If you write a gift list then friends and family can get you something that you actually want.

Feeding

Breastfeeding is the cheapest option and most environmentally friendly option. You’ll almost certainly need nursing bras. Some women need breastpads. Nursing tops can be a good investment, but aren’t necessary.

Bottle feeding expressed milk and formula feeding both need much more equipment – bottles, teats, steriliser. Powdered formula is cheaper. For expressing you’ll need storage bottles/bags and although some mums express successfully by hand, most use a pump.

Clothes

All a young baby really needs are a few baby suits. And depending on the time of year a few more layers for warmth – a hat, gloves and a jacket. Don’t get too many – they’ll grow out of them quick!

Nappies

The cheapest long-term option is reusable nappies. Although you’ll have a bigger initial outlay you save over £600 for a single baby. Your council may have a scheme where you can claim money back for using reusable nappies. To cut costs and be as environmentally friendly as possible wash your nappies at a lower temperature, and line dry, or use a nappy laundry service.

You’ll need: Changing mat, nappies, nappy bucket, reusable wipes, waterproof nappy bag.
The Real Nappy Information Service Helpline: 08458 500606 www.goreal.org.uk

Another option is elimination communication or natural infant hygiene which cuts out or reduces nappies altogether. http://www.diaperfreebaby.org/ or http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ecuk/

Toys

A new baby doesn’t need any toys. Though you’ll be hard pressed to stop people buying cuddly toys!

Baths

Babies only really need a quick wipe with warm water and cotton wool, or a washable cloth. Bath with your baby, or as baby needs to be held the sink or a little water in the adult bath will do.

Sleep

The simplest option is bed-sharing – no equipment needed.
www.babyfriendly.org.uk/pdfs/sharingbedleaflet.pdf

Alternatively start with a Moses basket, crib or carry cot, then skip the cot and go for a cot bed. Or skip the Moses basket and go straight to the cot, or bedside cot/cosleeper which adjusts to the same height as your bed for easier night feeds. No pillows, cot bumpers, quilts or duvets – they are a suffocation risk.

Out and about

You’ll need a car seat unless you never travel anywhere by car.

A sling is a cheap, versatile option. Find out more at slingmeet.co.uk and thebabywearer.com.

A light weight reclining pushchair suitable for newborns will last longest. Expensive travel systems or prams may not be useful for long, so maybe borrow, buy 2nd hand or do without! There is a bewildering range of pushchairs and travel systems. What suits you will depend on whether you use a car, public transport and other factors. www.which.co.uk/reviews/baby-and-child/

Sheringham

Eco-Living,

Sheringham always stikes me as a town out of time. With no large supermarket it has a high street to make any other town envious. With lots of shops owned by local people it has more than one independent butcher, green grocer, fishmonger, and book shop, and a myriad of other small shops – shoes, toys, health food shop, haberdashery and more.

Tesco wants to build a supermarket and the issue has divided the town. Although the alternative eco-Waitrose further complicates the matter.

What I think many of those supporting Tesco fail to see is that it is a choice between Tesco and the existing shops. A high street like this will not survive with a large supermarket in the mix. The other shops will disappear to be replaced by empty shops and later tatty tourist wares. Just like so many other high streets across the country. Not only those shops in competiton will go, but as no one but the tourists will venture into the high street – the other shops are likely to vanish too.

And of course local shops are not necesarily more expensive. Often they are cheaper for many things especially fruit and veg, but beaten by the mass marketing of selected cheap lines. And you invariably spend more on things you don’t need when the shelves are full of products that the supermarket wants you to buy.

Paradoxically you often end up with less choice despite the apparently over flowing shelves. You can’t go into a supermarket and request that they stock something you want, unlike an independent shop.

Intensive farming good for forests

Permaculture

This story in the New Scientist highlights how intensive farming and trees go hand in hand. Despite the scepticism in the comments, a large number of species, including trees is necessary for successful, sustainable, intensive farming.
In many parts of the world the traditional agriculture is very intensive, what we in the west would now call Permaculture. Forest gardens are a good example. In these situations there is a diverse number of species, all providing different foods, useful products and maintaining the system.
Our conventional monocultures, are different in that they produce alot of very few crops – but are actually less intensive, in that the total output is less.
We often fail to recognise very intensive agriculture, such as that practiced in pre-colombian Amazon, because of its sheer diversity.
New Scientist 25th August Intensive farming good for forests.