Enjoy an eco-friendly autumn
A list of fun fall activities for folks conscious of their carbon footprints.
As autumn arrives, we think of cool breezes, aweinspiring foliage and the hint of holidays on the horizon. Fall is a favorite time of year for many people because the crisp weather motivates people of all ages to enjoy the great outdoors.
Individuals conscious of their carbon footprints can use fall as a time to take inventory of their behaviors and make changes where necessary. The following are some steps to take right now that fit perfectly with the harvest season.
• Shop at a local farm stand. Take advantage of the many roadside stands that crop up this time of year where you can find bushels of apples, pumpkins, gourds, and late-summer vegetables. For example, visitors at Hopewell Furnace National Historical Site can pick apples through October. Apples are sold for $1 a pound, check at the Visitors Center for details. The site is at 2 Mark Bird Lane, Elverson. For directions, hours and more information, check www.nps.gov/hofu/ index.htm or call (610) 582-8773. After taking a stroll through Hopewell Furnace, you can head to nearby French Creek State JOIN US FOR WALK This week’s Mercury Mile is hosted by The Mercury. We will meet at noon on the steps of The Mercury’s building main entrance at 24 N. Hanover St., Pottstown. We will enjoy a 1-mile walk. In case of inclement weather, the walk is cancelled. If you organization or business will like to host a walk, let us know by sending an email to Aixa Torregrosa Vazquez at atorregrosa@ thereporteronline.com or by calling 215-628-1125. Park for fall hike or stroll.
After a day of sightseeing, visit a farm stand for warm cider and freshly baked doughnuts. Buying local produce reduces reliance on foreign-shipped foods and other products, while also cutting back on the fuel consumed to get foods from the farm to the table.
• Use nature to decorate. Skip plastic, massproduced decorations and rely on nature to dress up your home. Fill vases with leaves and berries. Place small pumpkins on mantles, and enrich the landscape of your home with vibrantly hued mums and other cool-weather plants. Corn husks and stalks can add harvest flair to front porches. Twigs nestled and tied together can make interesting table centerpieces.
• Create a composting pile. Outdoor chores are easier in cool weather than they are when the mercury rises. Set aside a place in the yard for composting. A healthy compost pile should have roughly twothirds carbon (brown) materials and one-third nitrogen (green) materials, says EarthEasy.com. Use those lawn clippings and raked leaves to make compost for spring plantings.
• Visit a corn maze. After corn has been harvested, farm owners often use their land for supplemental income. Corn mazes can be simple or complex depending on visitors’ ages. Engage in family bonding outside and turn off electronics in the process.
• Bake your own pie. After a fun-filled day picking apples at a nearby orchard, head home and use those locally sourced apples to whip up a delicious pie.
• Recycle old clothes to dress your scarecrow. Clothing that is not worthy of donation can be
transformed into a festive scarecrow just in time for Halloween hijinks. Fill out the body of the scarecrow with newspaper and then add some pieces of straw around the neck, hands and feet.
• Host a football party.
Watch the game on television or have a pickup game in the yard. Serve finger foods to cut down on the need for plastic or paper plates and flatware. Purchase a keg of beer from a local brewery to eliminate individual beer cans
and bottles. Set out a nonalcoholic punch bowl so the kids can enjoy refreshments, too.
Autumn can be a great time of year to embrace some eco-friendly practices.