For years, industrial sites that once fueled the city’s economy have sat idle and deteriorating in and around residential areas. Now, the brownfields are presenting an opportunity for residents to re-invent their neighborhoods.
I always enjoy your articles very much and thought I'd respond.
I've always been thrifty and conservative in using the world's resources so I was delighted to see that you and your family do all the holiday practices that I, too, have been doing for years. Below are some comments about your suggestions.
1) Sometimes the peanuts are made from potato or another vegetable flour and can be dissolved to nothing with a little water. (Test with your tongue!) If they aren't, I use them in the bottom of my large containers when I plant the annuals to lighten the carrying load.
2) I also use the Sunday comics to wrap all birthday gifts.
3) I saved wrapping paper for my entire life until about 10 years ago when I made fabric holiday gift bags. After Christmas one year I bought many many yards of holiday printed fabric that was on sale at Wal-Mart and Joanne's for $1-$2/yard. I laid it out open and cut all different size bags from the yardage---not wasting any. All had one fold and two seams with a length of ribbon or some form of tie sewn into the seam several inches from the top opening so the bags can be tied like Santa's sack. If you're clever in the layout, you can use the selvedge edge at the top openings. My husband loved them be/c like most men, he wasn't much of a "wrapper". It's a one-time expense and effort but I haven't bought Xmas paper since. No ribbons needed (4). Or boxes (5). I even save the gift tags (7) from year to year unless they're worn out. The grandkids love this be/c they're so easy to get into.
6) We used to do the same with the tree as a bird habitat and some years we'd stick it into the ice on the lake so that when spring came and the ice melted it would sink and become much need fish habitat.
8) I am the leftover queen...
9) & 10) At the recycle center in our town (formerly the town dump) we have a large indoor area set up with rows of shelves for everyone to display their no-longer needed items. Sometimes I have things taken from me before I can even put them on the shelves! We call it our Saturday shopping at the Town Mall. My husband would always return with more things than we were getting rid of be/c "you never know" when you can use a wha-tcha-ma-call-it.
A reader, Annie B. from Schenectady, suggested that avoiding fireproof pajamas is a bad idea:
Dear Ms. Hartley, I read your column with enjoyment and agreement until the section on avoiding fireproof fabric in pj's in favor of pure cotton. Some years ago, I spent a summer in the fire testing lab of the National Bureau of Standards, and watched in horror as untreated cotton pj fabric burned instantly in the presence of any flame, even a tiny candle, and even took fire near but not in contact with an electric burner set to the stove's medium! Gauzy or flannel fabrics caught frequently without any contact at all in moderate heat situations. A spark from a cigarette or even a static spark set them off. A light bulb burning out can cause a fire of this type! 100% cotton fabrics were the worst, tho some synthetics melt and make a bad situation worse. So let's get real...my suggestion would be to buy treated 100% cotton pjs, and use it for only 30/40 washes, and then either re-treat the pjs or toss them! The very slight possible risk from the fire retardant chemical bears no resemblance to the incredible sure risk of burning pajamas. Don't take my word for it, ask any fire chief or better still, an emergency room doctor. I hope you will reconsider for a future column.
Ann Oliveri, the director of Save the Frogs’ Happy Kids Festival, e-mailed to let readers know about a free webinar for 7-11 year olds on Wednesday, April 21.
I agree with many of your writings in today's Gazette. I am also frequently wondering why I'm driving my car, rather than riding a train or subway or bus.
Many of the complaints you expressed about the CDTA, I share. As a student in Schenectady, it was appalling to me to spend over an hour on the bus to get to downtown Albany. The 25-minute car alternative was obviously chosen. Similarly, the routes are in inconvenient locations, as you wrote. Serious thought needs to be put into developing more efficient routes. And, do any express buses exist in the CDTA system?!
I've always told myself that if Albany had a good transit system, and was connected with neighboring cities like Schenectady, Troy and Saratoga Springs, that this area would flourish. The fact that we have no trains here (beside the unreliable, expensive and therefore unreasonable Amtrak) makes me dumbfounded. I was recently in Portland, OR, a city with fabulous public trans, and even a downtown free area. They have many surface trains, allowing vehicles, buses, and trains to use the same roadways. Something similar should be done in this area. Not to mention express services during peak hours, hopefully between the larger cities.
But how could all this happen? Obviously, it's expensive. As citizens, maybe a good step would be to show interest. I've been considering trying to develop a pseudo flash mob on the CDTA system to express local citizens interest in better mass transit.
Most, but not all, of the snow is out of our vegetable gardens, but both the existing and future flower gardens are still under our own large snow banks. I may be in the same zone as you.
Between your frigid zone and the "scrubland," you might have to stick to potatoes and pumpkins, unless you have a couple of oxen willing to offer fertility. If you can get tomatoes and peppers to grow there, salsa always is good for rent. Or fresh eggs.
A reader, and a gardener, called to say that you can't grow vegetables directly in composted manure, that it's too strong.
The stuff we use -- extremely-well composted ox manure -- is four years old before it goes into the garden. At that point it's like garden soil, and vegetables will certainly grow directly in it. But if you're buying bags of composted manure from a garden center, or even getting year-old stuff from your neighbor's barn, it's got to be mixed with soil.
I haven't tried a lasagne garden myself yet, although I'm planning one this spring for my son, who wants a secret garden with flowers and tomatoes and sunflowers to hide in. I'll let you now how it works out.
It's amazing how much wildlife there is in the cities, too. There's been a flock of turkeys wandering around the Gazette parking lot lately. I think they're looking for a break from the high snow. There are also deer on the bike path behind us. And I saw a grouse on the road on my way into work yesterday.
And here'sanother source for soy candles, this one sent in by a reader from Edinburg:
"For the past year I’ve enjoyed experiencing Kobo soy candles from a small shop in Schuylerville called Dwell. They are incredibly scented, all natural, burn long and cleanly and are, of course, rather expensive. But well worth it. I’ve told my husband to get me my favorite scented one (or 2) for Xmas. The many scents are so exquisite that’s difficult to choose. And the proprietors are delightful! Happy Holidays."
In response to my comment about never having seen a soy candle in a story, a reader wrote:
“There is a newly opened local eco-friendly store at 27 Second Street in Troy, NY. The name of the store is THE SPINNING SEED. She stocks Stella Mare soy candles.”
And another reader wrote:
“I purchased a soy candle at Lindsey’s on Rte. 9, Clifton Park. The “brand” is Beanpod Candles; real soy. 100% Stabilized Soy Wax. Renewable Energy Source. Biodegradeable Soy Wax..... That is ALL written on the candle topper! I have the Evergreen fragrance & have NEVER had a true Christmas tree fragrance (without the tree) as I am experiencing with this candle. I enjoyed your column today. Merry Christmas!”
Posted on January 9 at 1:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A reader writes:
I always enjoy your articles very much and thought I'd respond.
I've always been thrifty and conservative in using the world's resources so I was delighted to see that you and your family do all the holiday practices that I, too, have been doing for years. Below are some comments about your suggestions.
1) Sometimes the peanuts are made from potato or another vegetable flour and can be dissolved to nothing with a little water. (Test with your tongue!) If they aren't, I use them in the bottom of my large containers when I plant the annuals to lighten the carrying load.
2) I also use the Sunday comics to wrap all birthday gifts.
3) I saved wrapping paper for my entire life until about 10 years ago when I made fabric holiday gift bags. After Christmas one year I bought many many yards of holiday printed fabric that was on sale at Wal-Mart and Joanne's for $1-$2/yard. I laid it out open and cut all different size bags from the yardage---not wasting any. All had one fold and two seams with a length of ribbon or some form of tie sewn into the seam several inches from the top opening so the bags can be tied like Santa's sack. If you're clever in the layout, you can use the selvedge edge at the top openings. My husband loved them be/c like most men, he wasn't much of a "wrapper". It's a one-time expense and effort but I haven't bought Xmas paper since. No ribbons needed (4). Or boxes (5). I even save the gift tags (7) from year to year unless they're worn out. The grandkids love this be/c they're so easy to get into.
6) We used to do the same with the tree as a bird habitat and some years we'd stick it into the ice on the lake so that when spring came and the ice melted it would sink and become much need fish habitat.
8) I am the leftover queen...
9) & 10) At the recycle center in our town (formerly the town dump) we have a large indoor area set up with rows of shelves for everyone to display their no-longer needed items. Sometimes I have things taken from me before I can even put them on the shelves! We call it our Saturday shopping at the Town Mall. My husband would always return with more things than we were getting rid of be/c "you never know" when you can use a wha-tcha-ma-call-it.
Hope this brings a nod and smile.
On Dealing with holiday trash