Create your very own backyard paradise with only a few purchases and a couple of time saving tips. At Bamboo and Tikis, we advocate the use of bamboo and reusable, environmentally friendly materials in any project. Bamboo grows quickly in most parts of the world, does not require pesticides or chemicals to reach maturity and can be continually harvested with minimal soil erosion. Here are some tips to make your backyard tropical and green, in both senses of the term.

The first and most important step is to plan before you purchase. Draw out your backyard on a piece of graph paper and map out dimensions for furniture, umbrellas and empty space.

E-waste is defined as any sort of electronic waste. This includes computer monitors, computer casing, cell phones, printers, fax machines, televisions, DVD players and anything else that has a cord or charger. Most of these machines contain harmful levels of Mercury, Lead, Lithium, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and other known toxins that can cause everything from birth defects to cancer. Obviously, the more we can do to keep these chemicals out of landfills and therefore out of our water systems, the safer we will be. Companies and organizations are starting to offer more and more realistic ways to recycle these items.

At Bamboo and Tikis, we strive to provide our supporters with environmentally responsible products, services and information to help protect and sustain our planet as best we can. Lately, this new “eco-trend” has gained steam around the world and is affecting consumers, large and small businesses alike and our society as a whole. Some of the biggest retailers across America and Europe are integrating environmentally responsible practices at the local and corporate levels. Levi’s, Target, H&M and Nike are all trying to do their part.

As you read this article, you are probably sitting in front of a computer and/or using a mouse and keyboard. Have you ever thought about what happens to these devices when they break or become obsolete? What did you do with your old computer when you upgraded? Technological hardware is often “made to break” and has to be replaced often; hardware recycling centers are sometimes difficult to find and usually operate during weird hours; so most hardware winds up in a landfill where it can take anywhere from 420-1000 years to biodegrade.

One of the best times of the year is when we get to start all over. It wouldn’t be January 3rd if we all weren’t concerned with our New Year’s Resolutions and how we are going to accomplish them. Here is a list of some of the most popular including, quite possibly, your key to a successful 2011.

Most people make some effort to get in shape for the new year; gym membership sales shoot up and running shoes are bought, but the effort only lasts a couple of months. To avoid this tapering off, set specific fitness goals to accomplish in weekly or monthly increments. Shoot to bench press your body weight by February or try to stay on the treadmill for 30 min after two weeks. Keep your goals bite sized and the feeling of success will motivate you throughout the year.

Now that Christmas is over and we’re feeling the let down of gifts given, visitors come and gone and turkeys carved, it’s time to start thinking about what to do with that beautifully smelling tree in your living room. While most of us will be sending the tree to a recycling center to be mulched, here are some more fun, do-it-yourself options for disposing of the tree.

Recycle It Yourself. Cut the branches and trunk into smaller portions and put them in a wood chipper (or borrow a neighbors). Use the mulch for increasing the health of your soil in flower beds, around shrubbery or in your garden. Additionally, you can use the wood for kindling in your outdoor fire pit. Average sized trees can provide up to 13 pounds of firewood. Remember, do not burn evergreens inside because they are highly flammable and full of sap.

Dear Bamboo and Tikis Friends,

We would all like to wish you a very happy and safe holiday weekend. We hope that your holiday will consist of all the joy and laughter you deserve and that you are surrounded by all the friends and family you love. Be safe this weekend, whether you’re travelling or staying close to home and remember that this is the time of year to appreciate all the blessings in your life, be they big or small.

It is one of our blessings to be able to provide you with environmentally-friendly products and information. So as you celebrate this season, please remember to do something nice for the planet that we all share. After all, this is a season of giving and the gift of a cleaner planet is something we all can appreciate.

Happy Holidays and thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

The Bamboo and Tikis Team

Just because your Christmas gifts are last minute, doesn’t mean they have to be bad or obvious. At Bamboo and Tiki’s we are always trying to find new ways to save both money and the environment. The following are a few gift ideas that are fun, eco-friendly, relatively inexpensive and can be purchased or made just in time for Christmas.

Are you in a quandary over how to maintain all your holiday enthusiasm without breaking the bank or harming the environment? Do you ever wonder how you can make small changes to yield big results? While Christmas is definitely a season of joy and love, it is also results in massive excess and lavishness. The following are a few holiday categories that see the most waste and what you can do about it.

Last year’s United Nations Climate Conference at Copenhagen was marked by high hopes, stubborn dissention and general chaos. This year, in Cancun, Mexico, the meetings seem to be mostly characterized by low expectations and a sense of calm. In fact, the Conference is so low-key, it has failed to garner any attention from local or national news sources, as compared to 2009 when scenes of angry protesters and delegate walkouts dominated the television, newspapers and blogosphere.