INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Local family farms are usually organic and have better produce. Sourcing your food locally also supports the farmers near you, which benefits your community. Farms that let their animals roam are more humane, and have a smaller number of animals, which lowers carbon emissions. When there are fewer animals, the farms also tend to raise the animals antibiotic-free. Antibiotic-free meat is better for everyone, since it keeps bacteria from becoming resistant to antibiotics, which can be a health risk. Composting cuts down on the amount of garbage that’s sent to landfills, and can provide a natural fertilizer for home gardens. Have your guests help clear up meals to speed through clean-up. Compost is a mix of brown, dry materials, greens (usually food scraps and yard clippings), and water, that break down together in a pile or bin. If you have a home garden, composting provides a chemical-free way of fertilizing your plants.

SUMMARY: Buy produce from local farmers. Buy meat that was raised free-range and antibiotic-free. Compost your food scraps.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Open your letter with a formal salutation, and end it with an appropriate closing statement. Depending on the level of government, this official may employ a team of secretaries to read through his or her mailbox for important letters. A polite, thoughtful, and well-written letter will almost always be more likely to make it through this filtration system. If writing to an embassy or ambassador, read How to Address Ambassadors. If there is only ever one person in a given post at a time (e,g, the President, the Mayor, or the Speaker of the House,) then you can address the person by his or her title alone: Mr. President or Ms. Mayor. If multiple people hold a given office at one time (e.g. Senator, Justice, Representative,) then you need to use the last name to clarify whom, exactly, you're addressing. It never hurts to include the official's name, even if he or she is the only person holding the position. A personally-addressed letter lends a certain degree of humanity to your message. Do your research to find out how other people have addressed letters to this particular government official. Some activism groups and petition websites will actually provide specific information about contacting the officials relevant to a certain cause. You may also be able to simply email the official.

SUMMARY: Show due respect. Use the proper title. Read sample letters, or send a form letter.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Peel each one.  Place the wrapped garlic inside a resealable freezer bag. Use by breaking off whatever is needed from the chopped mass, or simply take a clove (if the clove has gone mushy, it's only good for cooking that lets it break down even more). The frozen mass can be grated, as can the clove if it has remained intact. Use within six months.

SUMMARY: Remove the garlic cloves from the bulb. Either leave as a clove or chop into small pieces. Wrap the cloves or chopped garlic in plastic wrap or foil. Freeze.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Traditionally duct tape comes in shiny silver which looks like aluminum.  These days you can find duct tape in a variety of colors and even tape with patterns printed on it.  With duct tape crafts becoming more popular, you can find fun tape choices online or at your local craft store. Cut a 5 inch strip of duct tape.  Measure 2.5 inches from one end to find the center of the strip.  From here, fold the tape in half.  Match the edges evenly and press the sticky side onto itself. Do your best to line the edges up evenly, but don’t worry if it’s a little bit off and there is still some sticky sides exposed. A bookmark made with only one strip of tape will be pretty flimsy.  Decide how thick and sturdy you want your bookmark and keep layering tape over it until it reaches your desired thickness. Get rid of any exposed stickiness by trimming around the edges of the bookmark with your scissors.  You can get creative with the shape of the bookmark when you trim.  Round out the edges of the bookmark. Cut a fun shape out of the top of the bookmark, like an animal head or your initial.

SUMMARY:
Choose your duct tape. Fold a strip of duct tape in half. Reinforce the strength of your bookmark by adding layers of tape. Trim the edges of the bookmark.