Phil of www.itsallinthegiftbasket.com donated a lovely gift basket filled with goodies from New England vendors. You might win the gift basket if you play Green Bingo.  Be sure to pass in completed bingo sheets to the circulation desk.  The more you play; the more chances you have to win!  View the basket in the library's foyer.  Thank you Phil!

Sally Zimmerman, Manager of Historic Preservation Services at Historic New England, presents: Energy Retrofits and the Historic Home: Weighing Risks and Opportunities. Learn about making improvements to older houses without damaging historic fabric. She presents a historic preservation perspective on insulation, window repair, air sealing, and renewable energy options in the historic home on Wednesday , February 29 at 7:30 PM.  Visit the Home Improvement Collection in the state electronic resources and type in Historic Buildings.  There are many full-text articles including one on "Wavy Windows".  See you on Wednesday evening.

We Will Have Heidi Come Back!

Heidi Wilcox did a wonderful job on Wednesday night teaching us about how "green" cleaning can reduce toxics in our homes.  The Toxics Use Reduction Institute tests cleaning products for safety and effectiveness. There is a wealth of information at www.turi.org   She showed us the lab results of using distilled white vinegar as a disinfectant. Some of our participants are planning to replace their bleach use with vinegar especially because bleach is corrosive, a respiratory hazard and an eye and skin irritant.  We hope to offer another workshop in May to help us all make our spring cleaning a safer and healthier experience.  More fun too!

Going Green in Your Home: Easy Ways to Reduce Your Use of Toxic Products

Heidi Wilcox will help you create a healthier home or work environment.  She works for the Toxics Use Reduction Institute at U Mass Lowell.  She will be here Wed. Feb. 15 from 7-9 PM.  Click here for more information.  I am looking forward to this presentation.  You can also search some electronic resources.  Click on  The Health and Wellness Center and search for "Toxins in the Home."

Great Article about Saving Energy

Last night was cold....more like what we normally expect in February, but since it has been so temperate this winter, it was a bit of a shocker. Lower that thermostat by one degree and you could save 3 percent of your heating bill.  Haul out that heavy wool sweater and use it!   Here is a nice article I found in the Home Improvement Database   I typed the keyword search "save money by lowering thermostat by one degree" and got this great article Cheaper By the Dozen: PSE&G Offers 12 Tips to Save Money and Keep Warm.  The price of fuel keeps going up.  Every little thing we can do will help.

Community Garden at Pingree Park

I'm excited to hear of the community garden initiative at Pingree Park.  Interested in gardening? You can order The Beginner's Guide to Heirloom Vegetables - It will get you excited to get started.  Another handy title is Growing a Garden City: how farmers, first graders, counselors, troubled teens, foodies, a homeless shelter chef, single mothers, and more are transforming themselves and their neighborhoods through the intersection of local agriculture and community--and how you can, too / Jeremy N. Smith

I ordered seeds on Saturday from High Mowing Organic Seeds in Vermont and was dismayed to discover that the long pie pumpkin seeds were unavailable due to a crop failure.  I'm saving seed from the pumpkins that I grew last year and still have stored at home.

All agriculture is susceptible to the vagaries of weather conditions etc. We can't take our food for granted.  Perhaps you'll consider a community garden plot!  If you are interested, fill out the survey at http://www.hwgreen.org/.

Green Programs all on One Flier!

Green Programs at a Glance!  Also check out Beverly Public Library to see their impressive programs connected to The Mangrove Tree!

Green Bingo Expands!

Pick up a "Green" Bingo sheet at the library or go online.  Completed Bingo sheets must be returned to the library by Friday May 4 to be eligible for prizes.  Feel free to play more than once.

First Church Wenham has a version of Green Bingo especially tailored for the Lenten Season!  Its great to have their participation!