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Green Macgyver Ecofriendly Crafts – Vinyl Record Album Bowl, Planter and Wall Art
Posted by: | CommentsNormally our Green Macgyver series focuses on crafts for younger kids. This time we bring you an ecofriendly craft for big kids (read adults) who have old vinyl albums kicking around the house that have no value to them (sentimental or otherwise). This vinyl album project puts those records to good use in and around your house plus they also make cool gifts for the music lovers in your life. It’s so versatile and yet so simple but do take care when handling as it does get hot.
What you’ll need:
- An old vinyl record
- A heat proof metal bowl
- Oven mitts
- An oven
Instructions:
Step 1: Set Up Your Mould
Place the heat proof metal bowl upside down in the oven. The rim of the bowl should be face down on the oven rack. Carefully place your vinyl record on top of the bowl so it’s centered.
Step 2: Shape your album
Once your vinyl record is centered on the heat proof metal bowl and in the oven, turn the oven to a temperature of 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Set a timer for five minutes and let the record warm in the oven. Check on it after 5 minutes as it may need another minute or two. When the record starts to droop down around the bowl, put on your oven mitts to protect your hands and remove the bowl and album. QUICKLY place the softened vinyl record inside the bowl. Using your hands, shape the softened record to conform to the shape of the bowl. You’ll have less than a minute to do this before the record hardens, so work fast but don’t worry if you miss the mark - you can always place the record back in the oven to soften it again for reshaping.
Step 3: Allow your Album to Cool
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Meatless Monday with Vegetarian Biryani
Posted by: | CommentsHappy Meatless Monday! As you may or may not know, Planet Forward supports the Meatless Monday campaign – a non-profit initiative in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. It’s part of an eco-friendly worldwide movement to reduce consumption of animal products in favour of more plant-based meals to fight global warming and improve our personal health. This week we bring you an Indian classic dish made vegetarian. This dish goes well with curries and chutneys.
This dish is a healthy combination of rice, vegetables, beans and peas and is full of flavour.
Vegetarian Biryani
Ingredients:
1 cup Long Grain Rice
10 Fresh Green Beans, sliced
1 Cauliflower, cut into florets
1 Carrot, sliced
1/2 cup Fresh Peas
5 Mushrooms, chopped
2 Onions, chopped
1 pc Cinnamon
3 tsp Cardamom Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Red Chili Powder
5 tbsp Ghee (clarified butter)
3 Cloves
Chopped Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste
Water
Instructions:
Grind the cloves and cinnamon coarsely. Heat the ghee in a pan and fry the ground cinnamon, cloves and cardamom seeds. Add the cumin seeds and onions and fry until golden. Add the chili powder and then add all the vegetables and cook for 5 minutes. Lower the heat and add the rice and fry until all the ghee has been absorbed. Then add salt and 2 cups of water. Cover the pan tightly and bring this to a boil by raising the heat. Then reduce the heat and cook for about 30 minutes or until rice & vegetables are done. Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve hot.
Planet Forward Top 5 Eco-friendly Gifts for Mom this Mother’s Day
Posted by: | CommentsWith Mother’s Day around the corner we have compiled a list of our top 5 gifts for the earth friendly mom on your list and they won’t break your budget – especially now. In fact, all Planet Forward eco-friendly gift suggestions cost under $15 and some under $10 – now that’s an affordable way to cherish your mom this Mother’s Day. Plus, everything is eco-friendly, reusable, ethically-made, practical for everyday use, and sustainable.
Our top 5 green Mother’s Day gifts are:
Our Basket-on-the-Go is a full size, easy to carry basket that effortlessly folds down when not in use. Black cotton canvas over an aluminum frame creates a fashionable, functional and sturdy shopping companion. Regular price $24.99 NOW $13.75 with special Mother’s Day discount.
Organic Cotton/Spandex Tops from Planet Forward are beyond compare – it will truly be love at first touch. They are super soft, retain their shape and are excellent for both fashion and work out wear. They are available in black and come in both long or short sleeve as well as with or without our cool eco-vibe “A Good Planet is Hard to Find” design. Regular $19.99-$24.99 NOW $10.99-$13.75 with special Mother’s Day discount.
Stainless Steel Bottles with Neoprene Carrier are the perfect solution for the busy mom on the go to help her stay hydrated. Our 18/8 food grade stainless steel bottles come in 4 different sizes, 10 different colours and 6 different lids so you are sure to find one to satisfy the mom on your list. Our bottles can be used for any cool beverage including water, juice, smoothies and our Neoprene Carriers ensure those beverages stay cool for hours. Plus they protect the bottles from wear and tear and come with either a shoulder strap, wrist strap or carabiner to help carry them around. Out Bottles are regular $13.99-$20.99 NOW $7.70-$11.54 with special Mother’s Day discount. Our Neoprene Carriers are regular $5.99-$7.50 NOW $3.29-$4.13 with special Mother’s Day discount.
100% certified Organic Cotton Carry All in “A Good Planet is Hard to Find” eco-vibe design is a fashionable, durable bag with a should strap that makes choosing sustainability easy. Any mom would be thrilled to use our 
Carry All for shopping, the gym or work. Regular $9.99 NOW $5.49 with special Mother’s Day discount.
MIY Green Home Cleaning Kits gives mom all the tools she needs to make hundreds of her own household cleaners to eliminate toxins found in conventional cleaners and air fresheners. All recipes included in the kit use common ingredients and can be made in minutes and then passed on for use by the cleaner in the house. Regular $24.99 NOW $13.75 with special Mother’s Day discount.
There you have it – 5 great and affordable gifts sure to please any tree-hugging mom, grandmother, aunt, sister or friend you want to honour this year. They even make great birthday and hostess gifts! For a limited time, Planet Forward is offering a 45% discount on all green gifts for the earth conscious mom. Simply use our special Mother’s Day discount coupon code 4MOMS45 during checkout and 45% will be deducted from your total purchase. Plus take advantage of $6.50 flat rate shipping with free shipping (North American wide) on orders over $50.00.
Meatless Monday with Jamaican Red Bean Stew
Posted by: | CommentsHappy Meatless Monday! As you may or may not know, Planet Forward supports the Meatless Monday campaign – a non-profit initiative in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. It’s part of an eco-friendly worldwide movement to reduce consumption of animal products in favour of more plant-based meals to fight global warming and improve our personal health. This week we bring you a Jamaican Red Bean Stew that is fast, nutritious and satisfying.
Beans are full of nutrients and are a healthy and fat-free replacement for meat. You can eat this stew over brown rice to add to the nutritional value and round off a healthy and satisfying meal option.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups sliced baby carrots
3 scallions, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (16-ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened light coconut milk
1 cup vegetable broth
Instructions:
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