Lifestyle

Outdoor barbecues, camping, concerts and wonderful summer weather (and lots of rain) tend to bring the pests among us. But scary chemicals like DEET (the most commonly used pesticide in mosquito sprays) have been found in various studies with side affects including harming the nervous system and birth defects. What's an outdoor lover to do? One option is to DIY Insect repellent - and it's a lot easier than you think! Find out how to DIY Bug Repellent, after the jump!:

Early this summer I took a lovely two-week trip to Northern Spain. We traveled to Mallorca, Valencia and Barcelona. Each spot was filled with its own brand of enchantment. There were so many things that I loved about Spain  - the architecture, the late leisurely lunches complete with cava (and often dessert), the opportunity to stumble upon the most charming restaurants and bars in little alley ways and the laid back Euro attitude of course. (Naps at 4pm every work day?  Hey sure, sign me up.)  I was also pleased with many of the environmentally friendly efforts I noticed in Spain. I struggle with dubbing these efforts "environmentally conscious" because it seems to be almost organic, as though the Spanish (and many other European countries for that matter) feel there would be no other way to live. However, we know this isn't really the case.  There is a consciousness behind Spain's efforts. Just a few examples - in 2006 Spain made wind energy their primary source of power, and in 2007 Spanish Socialist government made plans to provide citizens grants to make their homes more environmentally friendly. Here are some of the more pedestrian observations I had in Northern Spain...

As Alex mentioned about his green Bonnaroo experience, the ultimate camping & music festival mecca has it all figured out. As a contrast, I experienced Firefly Festival as a first time participant for both Dover Delaware and any camping festival. Although Firefly marketed itself as green, I was wary of their claims. Here’s how Firefly Festival can learn from Bonnaroo and (hopefully) improve for 2014:

Sometimes you just want to get outside and try something new. L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools allow you to cool off in the hot, hot sun and find your new favorite water sport. I occasionally suffer from NLC Syndrome. Not Leaving City (NLC) Syndrome occurs when you get accustomed to all the awesome things that happen inside the city and decline activities outside the limits. On Sunday morning, (Find out more about our journey, after the jump!)

Although I attended a "how to" terrarium workshop a few years ago, I needed a refresher course to create a succulent terrarium. I had collected a few plants from my trip to a local farm and wanted to display them in a beautiful setting instead of having the same ol’ plastic pots around my apartment. Here are the steps to make a succulent terrarium:

A few weeks ago, I went to Bonnaroo for the first time. Between the music, people, and positive energy, there was a lot to love. But one of the things I loved most about Bonnaroo wasn’t any of that – it was the efforts they made to lessen their environmental impact. Bonnaroo sets the standard for green music festivals across the world. This year, they won the Pursuit of Excellence Award from the governor of Tennessee, which recognizes previous Environmental Stewardship award winners who continue to demonstrate environmentally friendly practices. There are many ways Bonnaroo maintains its environmentally friendly reputation. Here’s what they do:

GPB reader Aaron C. asks "Why is farm raised fish bad? I see so much of it at the market. " Good Q,  Aaron. Here's the deal... When most people think of fish they think "healthy." And, yeah fish is an excellent source of lean protein and packed with nutritious omega 3 fatty acids.But depending on where and how your fish is sourced you might be getting a dose of some not-so healthy stuff as well. It's not always easy to break down the labels. The term farm raised actually sounds appealing - perhaps it evokes images of Americana agriculture - until you find out what it really means. What does farm raised mean? Farm raised fish is commercially brought up in tanks, net pens, or other enclosures.

Whether you have a kick-ass CSA this year or are frequenting the Philly Farmers Markets, it's the time right now where leafy greens are a predominate portion of your foods. And if you're receiving CSA shares with loads of lettuce, you'll learn REAL quickly if you can preserve them or not. Considering this is my second go at a CSA and I still hadn't mastered the skills, it was important for me to figure it out. Here's 2 methods that will help preserve your leafy greens like lettuce, swiss chard, kale and more:

Sometimes it's the times when your plans fall through that lead to the ultimate serendipitous moments. Like when I ended up on a farm stay with cows, horses, goats and cats at Flint Hill Farms overnight. I’ll back it up… We wanted to be creative and find something to do outside of Philly that was besides the ‘norm’ of the shore, DC or NYC. Googling a variety of options for a B&B, there it was: Farm Stay. “Wait, wait. Like we can stay on a farm? Like overnight?” You can clearly guess who was immediately sold on the idea. I have no idea how I never thought to consider this possibility myself... How does a Farm Stay Work? And more info (and GOAT PICTURES), after the jump!