World Ark Magazine - September/October 2008 - (Page 7)

A T-Shirt Tutorial Textile manufacturing, whether synthetic materials or all-natural cotton, is a notoriously eco-unfriendly process. So what should a savvy consumer look for? GOOD: Organic, unbleached cotton Way better than traditionally raised and processed cotton, which uses huge quantities of pesticides and unhealthy chemicals. But cotton is tough on soil and requires a lot of water to grow. BETTER: Bamboo Bamboo is practically a wonder plant—needs no pesticides, yields up to 50 times more fiber per acre than cotton and releases more oxygen than other crops. Plus, it’s soft and silky. The only drawback here is the intensive chemical processing needed to make it that soft. BEST: Recycled or “upcycled” clothes Your neighborhood thrift stores and consignment shops hold more treasures than you might think, at virtually no cost to the environment. Recycling, Old-School Remember when recycling a piece of garbage meant finding something crafty to do with it? Try these retro-yet-timeless projects on the nearest youngsters— They may just find them more enjoyable than the latest video games. Coffee can stilts: Using a hammer and nail, punch a hole on either side of two large cans, near the bottom. Turn cans upside down. Thread three or four feet of sturdy twine or rope through the holes, and tie in a loop. Walk on stilts by standing on cans and holding strings. Milk jug bird feeder: Cut a large “window” in the front of an empty gallon jug. Poke a small dowel through the jug a few inches up to make a perch. Fill the bottom with birdseed, and hang with a string through the handle. Recycled crayons: When crayons get too stubby to use, peel off the paper and drop them in an old muffin tin; heat in a warm oven until just melted together. Let cool (freeze the tin if you have trouble popping them out). The result is chunky, multicolored crayons just right for little hands. A Simple Solution for Clean Produce Those pricey bottles of produce wash aren’t the only way to make sure your fruits and veggies are bacteria-free. Good old-fashioned white vinegar kills 98 percent of bacteria, according to researchers at Cook’s Illustrated and the Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at Tennessee State University. Simply mix one part vinegar to three parts water. Keep the solution in a spray bottle to use on smooth-skinned produce. Coat thoroughly—five or six squirts should do it—then rinse under cold water. www.heifer.org September/October 2008 | WORLD ARK 7 http://www.heifer.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of World Ark Magazine - September/October 2008

World Ark Magazine - September/October 2008 Contents Letters For the Record The Good Life Asked and Answered Digging Up the Past Not a Drop to Drink Facing the Ogres of Progress Mixed Media Heifer Bulletin Heifer Spirit World Ark Market Calendar First Person

World Ark Magazine - September/October 2008

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