Even though Earth Day has come and gone, it doesn’t mean you can’t continue to make a positive impact on the environment. We here at Bishop’s Orchards do our best to live a green lifestyle (all year long no matter what’s in season). From recycling, to clean eating, solar, eating locally grown, and selling chemical free cleaning products, we want to make the world and our community a safer and cleaner place – And you can do the same! From recycling, reducing food waste, saving water, and more, now is a better time than any to switch to a more eco-friendly lifestyle. If you’re looking for help on how to make your lifestyle a little more green this coming spring and summer, keep on reading because we not only have the tips to help you out, but the products to help you make the transition.
Green Cleaning
Falling into the trap of the common everyday cleaning brands is easy when you’re busy and stressed. What you may not realize is how harmful not only the chemicals inside the bottle are to the environment, but how the plastic bottle itself is as well. By purchasing brands like Better Life, Ecover, or 7th Generation (all available at Bishop’s Orchards) or even making your own, you won’t think twice about home cleaning. These cleaning products are plant-derived, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly. They’re even derived from solar energy processes and recyclable materials with formulas that are biodegradable and work just as well, if not better than the conventional cleaning products. Plant based cleaning products do an amazing job at keeping your home clean and smelling fresh!
Solar
Powering your home or business with clean energy has many environmental benefits. That’s why, if possible and within your budget, switching to solar can have a huge impact. This is a project that Bishop’s Orchards has taken on in the past year, and we’re already starting to see cost savings and environmental gains. From 2009 to 2016 our Energy Efficiency Program helped us to decrease our electrical usage. We were having an impact but needed to do more! Now, we are “growing” kilowatt hours that will displace fossil fuels to power about 80% of our farm’s annual electric usage. This will also help power our Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers that are free for public use! The installation of our solar panels was done on the Farm Market’s roof (381 panels) and across Route 1 on the ground (1108 panels). Based on projections, in 8 years the solar investment will be paid for.
Clean/Green Eating
Environmentally responsible eating is a great way to not only benefit the environment but also you and whomever you’re cooking for! Eating green can be done by using all of your leftover food scraps to create a soup stock, or saving energy doing one weeks worth of meal prep in a day. One trick that helps me to “eat green” is doing exactly that… eating greens. Starting your own outdoor (or indoor) green garden box is fantastic way to reduce carbon footprint from other vegetables brought in via freight. AND growing your greens helps to balance out greenhouse gases, which makes the environment better for everyone. Cultivating your own compost in tandem with a green garden box will help boost soil nutrient content to yield more bountiful growth, while reducing landfill trash. Chances are if you’re eating food that benefits the environment, it will bring the same benefits to you! Check out our abundant display of Hart seeds to start your own green box so you can eat “green” all year long!
Living an eco-friendly life doesn’t have to be difficult. It can be as easy as changing your light bulbs to fluorescent ones, or purchasing a reusable water bottle. It’s never too late to make your life a little greener and make a positive impact on the world, environment, and your community. So, get started today and go green – The Earth will thank you!