DIY Life

July is moving faster than ever, and I'm vowing today to soak up all of the sun I can get before August comes and goes! This weekend, I'm planning a picnic with my honey. My goal? To prepare the greenest, most earth-friendly picnic ever. Here's what I've got on my list:

TO CARRY
Eco Picnic Basket, $125, Uncommon Goods
OK, so I get that it's a bit of a massive amount to spend on one date. So, if you already have a picnic basket [or any basket for that matter], feel free to purchase these bamboo utensils and these recycled wine glasses and you'll have the general gist of the eco-friendly picnic basket.

Recycled Mexican Blanket, $34.95, Turning Life
A blanket made from completely recycled fibers that won't itch your legs? I'm sold. Bonus? You can re-use the blanket as a warm wintery throw in cooler months.

Green flooring reduces damage to the environment and avoids the toxins that other flooring might expose you to. Building green is increasing in popularity and DIY'ers are among the pioneers in this area.

Here are 6 earth friendly flooring materials. The article Green Floors: Six materials to have underfoot outlines these flooring materials and offers important facts to consider when choosing a flooring product.

Nothing is more satisfying that creating a miniature (or full-blown) garden from which to cultivate nutritious herbs, vegetables, and other edible goodies. Have a bay window? Create a garden there. How about a box window over the bathtub? As long as it gets plenty of light, there's another opportunity.

Use organic seeds to create that garden (large or small) and give it plenty of love. Our friends over at Green Daily have plenty of ideas in this area, so keep a close eye on them in the near future. I've already found it a great resource for all things eco-garden and eco-yard.

Although summer mowing is winding down for many of us, another great idea for some temporary mulch for that herb garden can come in the form of grass clippings (changed regularly). I use a manual rotary mower for my minor mowing duties for its non-footprint on greenhouse gas output, along with the healthy cut it gives grass.

Want a built-in workout while doing chores? Nothing beats a manual mower for sweating it up while getting that yard in shape. Collect some of the clippings to use as mulch in those paper pots you'll be growing those eco-herbs in, and be at peace with the world.

No, not money. Not that kind of green. No one feels like they get paid enough, but we mean the kind of green that wins you brownie points with the great mother that is nature. Let's say that if you need your eco-fix, your green news fix, you have come to the right place, well almost.

DIY Life tries to bring you as much green news and ideas for caring for this environment of ours as we can, but admittedly, DIY is about much more than being green in the end, and we wouldn't want to leave out all the blue, purple, orange, and don't forget the woodgrain either.

We would like to introduce you to our kid sister, GreenDaily. A brand new, fresh and green blog to us here at Weblogs, inc. dedicated to the pursuit of life, green, and everything related. You really should check it out and see what is growing on over at GreenDaily. Here is a run-down of yesterday's slew of great stuff from GreenDaily:

• ReCellular, donate your used cell phone
• Porsche: surprisingly green?
• Organic bottled water? You can't be serious
• Try a refillable pen
• $5 cupcakes and food for thought on transportation
• McDonalds UK up for animal welfare award
• Colbert warns about the dangers of hybrid cars (video)
  
• Charge your cellphone battery with plant power
• Do you No 'Poo?

So, what are you waiting for? Grow to it! Sorry, couldn't help myself.