How fun would it have been to design these?

These cool apartments are called “The Interlace” and they’re built taking into account the surrounding micro-climate, wind and solar resources, and – of course – privacy for its residents. And what’s better? Rooftop gardens and balconies with flower beds. Built efficiently with plenty of green space. Kudos!

And hey, when trying to give directions to your place, you can proudly explain that you live in the Jenga building!

If Singapore sounds good to you, I suggest you hurry — I bet these will go fast.

What a great idea! I hope it’s as structurally sound as it looks. Well, as long as no one pulls out the wrong apartment block, I suppose…

[via]

I know so many people that absolutely hate radishes and I can’t for the life of me figure out how! I have always loved radishes — I remember being 7 or 8 and eating radish and mayo sandwiches and watching Rocky and Bullwinkle after school. Clearly I come from a long line of radish lovers, heh.

If you’re a radish lover too, definitely give this recipe a go. It’s awesome. And what’s better? Grow the radishes yourself! Trust me, it’s super easy.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups washed organic garden radishes
• 1 cup organic garden scallions, chopped
• 1 cup cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 2 Tablespoons chopped organic garden chives
• Your favorite hot sauce
• Pinch of plain salt, sea salt, or iodized salt
• Pinch of pepper, freshly ground peppercorns

Method:

Dry the organic radishes thoroughly — this is important. Chop by hand or use the food processor to process the organic radishes into the desired texture. Mix together cream cheese, sour cream, organic chives, organic radishes, and organic scallions. Season with salt and pepper. Add a sprinkle of hot sauce (unless, of course, you find the radish dip to be hot enough on its own — radishes can have quite the bite!). Chill the prepared dip in the serving bowl you will be using.

Prepare your assorted organic vegetable dippers, assorted crackers, chips or breadsticks ahead of time, before guests arrive. Chill the organic vegetables.

Alright, this might be the coolest DIY I’ve ever stumbled upon!

How to make eco-graffiti — no spray paint, markers, or nasty toxic chemicals, just… moss! I have a few friends who are guerrilla gardeners here in Ottawa and I’m definitely going to recommend to them that they try this out.

The moss continues to grow and changes patterns — it really is living art. How creative is that? Living and breathing art!

I, for one, could definitely see decorating the back of my house in a giant green piece of art. It’d really be something to see it move and grow over the summer. Maybe next year!

How-to: How to make moss graffiti

Putting pesicides on your lawn is bad because… pesticides are bad, right? I’ve known this for a long time because I remember seeing a ‘Keep off the Lawn!” pesticides warning on a neighbours lawn and asking my mother about it. All she could tell me, really, was that pesticides were poison. I remember being quite confused as to how pesticides could hurt me but not the plants/grass. Well, here’s some interesting little bit sized facts about lawn pesticides:

• Children who live in homes where lawn pesticides are used are twice as likely to develop brain cancer than children with pesticide-free yards. (via)
• People who work with pesticides (including pesticides used on lawns and in gardens) have an increased risk of fertility problems, such as an increase in spontaneous abortion and miscarriage as well as increased risk of having a baby with birth defects (such as cleft lip and palate, spina bifida, limb anomalies). (via)
• Workers exposed over a long period to pesticides have shown problems with information (ie. confusion) and have increased risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease.(via)
• In the womb and into early infancy is linked to increased risks of some cancers (particularly leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and neuroblastoma) and birth defects. (via)

So if all these terrible things are possible with pesticide use, why on earth do people use them? Is having a healthy lawn worth all the poison and risk?

Stay tuned to BambiGoesGreen for tips on how to keep your lawn healthy and happy naturally!

Today is clearly planter day! When the weather’s right and I can sit on my balcony for my morning coffee, I swear — plants are all I think of. Weird, huh? I just have one of those really great balconies that I can grow things on brilliantly.

The above video, made by the genius folks at Urban Organic Gardener, shows us how to build an upside down herb planter. Cool, eh?

I’m gonna try this out myself! My balcony doesn’t have one of these yet…

Shiho shows you how to make an indoor mini planter using a recycled aluminum can, linen, and gardening twine.

What does it mean to grow vegetables organically? Scott Meyer, editor of Organic Gardening magazine shows us how to plant and nurture an organic vegetable garden.

What does it mean to grow vegetables organically? Scott Meyer, editor of Organic Gardening magazine shows how to plant and nurture an organic vegetable garden.

If you’re in the Ottawa area, be sure to check out some of the organic gardening supplies (seeds, etc.) at Topia Greenstop (1621 Woodward at Clyde)!

To go alongside yesterday’s “Top 5: Saving energy can save you money” post, here are four awesome ways to save money by saving water! Let me tell you, as much as I love nice, long hot showers — I love saving money more, don’t you?

1. Take shorter showers to reduce water use. This will lower your water and heating bills too.
2. Install a low-flow showerhead. They don’t cost much, and the water and energy savings can quickly pay back your investment.
3. Make sure you have a faucet aerator on each faucet. These inexpensive appliances conserve heat and water, while keeping water pressure high.
4. Plant drought-tolerant native plants in your garden. Many plants need minimal watering. Find out which occur naturally in your area.

Try these out for yourself! Have something you’d like to add to this list? Leave me a comment!