urban beekeeping

Several of our Modern-twist friends have recently taken up the practice of amateur backyard beekeeping. Yet another component in the contemporary trend of do-it-yourself-ism, beekeeping helps to pollinate home gardens. Urban beekeeping also provides a valuable role the mini ecosystem that surrounds the hive. We love the idea of anything homegrown that helps out the earth. And we love beekeeping!

your own bee-utiful hive. (puns are optional.)

Here are a few reasons to become an urban (or suburban or rural for that matter) beekeeper:

  • Bees are a crucial part of any natural habitat, including a backyard flower or veggie garden. They provide the important service of pollinating flowers, fruits and vegetables.
  • Bee populations are declining worldwide. A proliferation of urban hives can help make a dent in bee reductions by creating safe habitats for pollinators.
  • Beekeeping is a wonderful, hands-on way to teach children about the earth, about nature, the life cycle, planting and gardening. The incredible interconnected web of nature manifests itself in your own backyard!
  • And of course, from a standpoint of pure pleasure, an urban backyard hive yields delicious honey straight from home. Locally made honey is full of wonderful natural immunity boosters, almost like a personalized allergy shot. Free honey (after the initial investment in supplies) right out of the yard…what a tasty gift to share with friends and family!

Where to start? Do your homework, of course. Talk to other beekeeper hobbyists and learn from their successes. Attend a local beekeeper meeting. And check out some of these resources:

Bee Source. How Tos. Supplies. Advice. An online bible for homegrown honey enthusiasts.

City Bees. Focused on the San Francisco Bay Area but can be useful anywhere.

Pollinator Partnership. A fantastic list of links. Q & A. Guides. Regulations. Resources. Supplies.

And be sure to read the wonderful book, The Urban Homestead for tips on beekeeping and all sorts of eco-chic urban advice. This clever nod to green living provides instruction on do-it-yourself projects for those who want to do everything from start a beehive to create a worm bin. It’s full of wonderful ways to live a green simple life, even in the heart of the city. If you don’t have this book on your personal library shelf, we highly recommend grabbing a copy!

 

 

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earth jam: 8 songs to listen to while you save the planet

We talk a lot about all of the good we can and should be doing for our Earth. But that doesn’t mean we should take ourselves so seriously that we don’t have fun while we do it.

Here is a short list of some eco-minded music to entertain you while you continue the important work of thinking and acting with global intention.

These are some perfect background sounds for cleaning up a park, designing an eco-chic product, or just daydreaming about ways to help our lovely little planet. It’s the only one we’ve got, so plug these songs into your headphones and get busy!

Turn it up and save the world. One small, kind gesture at a time:

Big Yellow Taxi. Joni Mitchell.

Energy Blues. Schoolhouse Rock.

Monkey Gone to Heaven. The Pixies.

My City Was Gone. The Pretenders.

Fall On Me. REM.

Plastic Beach. Gorillaz.

Greener. Arrested Development.

Mercy Me. Marvin Gaye

mercy me...

And we know there are many more! What’s your favorite eco-friendly tune? Share with us in the comments!

 

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we did it: and so can you

love it. today. and every day.

We did it.

We cleaned beaches.

We attended festivals.

We hiked. We walked. We biked. We took public transportation.

We ran through fields and beaches and backyards and public parks and forests and meadows.

We talked to our children about recycling. About taking only what you need. About not being wasteful. About plants and trees and gardens and where food comes from.

We ate local.

We made organic, sustainable choices in our nourishment.

We ate from serving items that were carefully chosen for their lack of dangerous chemicals.

We tidied up without toxic cleaners.

We tucked ourselves and our families into beds with safe linens, washed with earth-friendly products.

We said quiet prayers for families who lack the resources and means to make such informed choices. And we hoped for a day when everyone will have access to clean and safe water, food, air, and resources.

We celebrated Earth Day 2012 with fanfare and joy and reverence.

And while this is wonderful, we can’t look at our celebration as a mere single day. We can’t afford to sit back and cross our arms and feel smug in the knowledge that we did something kind for our Earth. We took yesterday, Sunday, April 22, as a reminder to reset ourselves with mindfulness, intention, and love for our beautiful (and sometimes broken) planet.

Won’t you join us? There is still much to be done.

Happy Earth Day to you, today and every day from Modern-twist.

 

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love your mother: more ways to celebrate earth day

Last week we shared a few ideas and events in honor of the upcoming annual Earth Day on April 22. But honoring Mother Earth doesn’t necessarily mean you need to go to a big festival and join a drum circle and wear patchouli. Although if that’s your thing, we love it and by all means go for it!

At Modern-Twist we like to use Earth Day as an excuse, a reminder, a gentle nudge, if you will, to reset ourselves in taking our planet seriously. As a natural, sustainable, eco-chic business, we integrate Earth-friendly policies into our very core, but we always appreciate any excuse to consider the impact of our human behavior on the world around us. We especially love passing down those eco-values to the next generation.

Here are few more Earth Day ideas for kids (big and little)…

Make art! We love the Artists-in-Residence Recology project at the San Francisco Dump. The program features grant-funded artists who make their pieces completely out of found and re-used items from the solid waste and recycling center. The artists are given a studio and a stipend, and the finished products are then featured in an exhibit on-site. Why not mimic this program in your own home, with your own found materials? A little creativity never hurt anyone. And think of the money you will save on art supplies!

Take a hike! Or even just a walk. Maybe you don’t have time to commit to an entire day of hoofing it around in nature. Maybe you are a jaded urbanite. But beauty can be found everywhere: a lovely yard, a city park, or a community garden. So head outside and leave the car behind. The walk is good for your body and your soul. And we don’t have to remind you that getting out of the car is better for everyone.

Go shopping! At your local farmers market, that is. Summer is on its way and the spring harvest is bursting with local colors and flavors. Hit your favorite market and stock up on fresh fruits and veggies from local vendors. You will breathe easy with each delicious bite, knowing that you are caring for your own body while you support sustainable business models and small, local growers.

Modern-Twist celebrates our planet and you! Please enter 20EDAY when shopping online for a 20% Modern-Twist discount in honor of Mother Earth.

 

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earth out: what will you do to honor earth day?

Mark your calendar now! The 42nd anniversary of Earth Day is just around the corner on Sunday, April 22. Although we love to celebrate caring for the Earth as often as possible, Earth Day is a great excuse to amp it up a notch, to have fun, and to educate those little ones who will someday inherit our planet. The weekend of April 21-22 is packed with fun, around the globe and around your home.

A sweet little view looking up from our sweet little planet.

Kick off your sustainable celebration by checking out the official Earth Day website, full of resources, events, and ideas that will challenge your thinking and your behavior. The theme this year is “Mobilize the Earth.”

Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we are looking forward to several amazing events, to the point where it is hard to choose one over the other!

Some fun highlights:

San Francisco’s Official Earth Day Celebration. Located in the heart of the city at the San Francisco Civic Center, this festival offers live music, an eco-fashion show, an eco-village, and an amazing kid zone, full of terrific green activities.

Berkeley Earth Day also looks like an incredible gathering, with a veggie food court and eco-art making.

Or we might just head out to the beach and do our part to help clean up trash and debris. A beautiful day out in nature meets a great volunteer opportunity for families.

Plan ahead now. And then let us know what you did! We would love to hear from you in the comments section. What will you do for Earth Day?

 

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