Per the request of another forum member who shares my interest in being "green", I'm starting a thread here to discuss ways (even simple ones) that we can make things better for ourselves and our world. This thread will be all about saving money, being eco-friendly, conserving energy, and being self-sufficient (along with anything else you feel like contributing that's relevant).
To start things off, I'm going to be cross-posting bits from another forum that I've been participating in for some time.. we have an ongoing discussion along these lines and quite a few great tidbits have been contributed. Feel free to jump in with anything you can suggest, any comments or questions you might have, or any product reviews/recommendations that you think others could benefit from.
To start off the discussion, here's a few of my favorite recommendations:
*Put EVERYTHING you plug in on a surge protector with a power switch, and TURN IT OFF when you aren't actively using things (or even better, unplug the entire strip). That little charger for your phone (or camera, or rechargeable batteries, etc) draws power even when the phone is not plugged into it. As do most other teeny tiny plugs that you don't think about. The surge protector also does quite a bit to extend the life of the appliances themselves, in the case of computer bits and sensitive equipment. If you're building from scratch, having switches installed that cut the power to entire rooms is a great idea (TVs and such draw power even when they aren't on, to maintain the "standby" mode).
*Wait until your dishwasher is full before you run it! Contrary to popular belief, a well maintained newer-model dishwasher does NOT use more water/energy than doing dishes by hand, *IF* you run it full (but not overly full, don't stack dishes, because running it twice or re-washing ruins the whole plan).
*If you are re-modeling or adding on to your house, go ahead and spend the extra dollars to do it the right way. Sure, that extra insulation is pricey and that no-tank water heater seems a bit on the high side, but you will more than make up for it a couple years down the road! Also, putting some energy-efficient improvements into your house may get you a deduction on your taxes- make sure you mention any improvements you've made to your tax preparer if you have someone else do your taxes.
I can't wait to see everyone else's ideas!
--Gwendolynn aka punstergal
Our family has greatly reduced our consumption of plastic products. I purchased cloth shopping bags and use them whenever I shop. We also stopped buying bottled water. I have a water filter pitcher at the house that we filter tap water through and then each family member has a sports bottle to reuse. And we started all of this because of a blog by another one of our members, verymerryseamstress.
We also live in an older home with window a/c units. During the day we only have 2 of these on, in the 2 rooms that we use, and close off the rest of the house. So that we are only cooling the areas that we are in. In fact, even though our kids "had to have their own rooms" they usually all sleep in one room so we only run one additional a/c at night.
Welcome to the discussion, knarly!! Cloth shopping bags are a great idea (I didn't even buy mine, I made them out of recycled military duffel bags and they are the envy of every punky teenager I've run into in the checkout line).
I never did buy bottled water (just didn't see the point), but I did start doing the filter-at-home thing when we realized that my SO's debilitating allergy seems to have something to do with one of the things in the water supply. It saves us a lot of money (in Dr's bills, if nothing else).
Since you brought up A/C units, it reminded me to mention that having a programmable thermostat for your central air/heat (assuming you have and use it) can save you a fortune! Set the unit to go off 10 degrees earlier about an hour into your "night" (sleep cycle) and to resume your preferred temperature an hour or so before you wake up. Most folks will not notice the change in temperature while they are sleeping (yes, I know there are some exceptions, but in general, 10 degrees isn't enough to wake a person up).
Yeah, we didn't used to buy bottled water either, we had well water that tasted great then we moved into the city proper with city water and now you can actually smell chlorine in the water, among probably other things. But it's all better now.
since i moved last year, i almost exclusively use my canvas bags. $3 at trader joe's or whole foods, and ive got two bags that hold up pretty damn well. whatever plastic bags i do have, i either use them to throw out garbage/recyclables, or i just take them to whole foods and drop them in the recycle bin there. i've also taken to using my brita filter and metal bottle a whole lot more. since i live in the city, i use mass transit as much as possible, or failing that, walk where i can. and i recycle basically everything possible; the city will fine the building if i don't.
one thing i'd recommend to people who get a lot of catalogs that they don't read: call the companies and ask them to remove you from their lists. i used to get a ridiculous amount of catalogs, but now it's down to basically nothing.
The drains from all sinks, tubs and showers is plumbed to the outside to water plants. The commodes still go to the septic tank, ain't that desperate fer water ;)
Over the years we've tried directin' rain water to tree wells but mother nature's plans fer runoff differ from year to year. All overgrown vegetation, branches, leaves an cactus clippins goes through a 10 hp shredder fer reuse.
I love this thread.
I use CFL's where ever possible. (Can't use them in recessed lighting yet.)
I LOVE my programmable thermostat. I know it has saved me money-it was free. AND it remembers to turn the heat/ A/C up and down for me, and not leaving it on all day when I am not home.
I use the canvas bags wherever possible AND if I remember to.
I have one (Chico Bag) that scrunches up to fit in my purse for trips the store where I know I will need a bag, but not a bunch of them. Also, if possible, I forgo a bag entirely if it is one or two small item(s).
I recycle just about everything possible. I even bring my pop cans/bottles from work to home to recyle.
I shop at thrift stores a lot. I only buy new if I can't find it there first.
I also donate most stuff rather than throwing out.
We use the filter/pitcher thing too, and I recently purchased SS water reusable water bottles to use when possible.
However when fest season fires up, I will probably go with plastic bottled water for the cooler.
I also have a filter on my shower. It has helped clear up my skin a little.
I use cloth napkins and SS "silverware" instead of disposable plastic ones for my lunch at work, in my reusable lunch bag, with reusable ice packs.
Is any of this helping global warming? Probably not in the grand scheme of things. But it makes me feel better AND I don't care if people think I am a weirdo.
I also shop at thrift stores, most of my clothes are second-hand, either from a thrift store or my sister (who is a shopiholic).
You can also save the water used when boiling or steaming veggies, rice or pasta and once cooled use to water plants.
I drive my convertable with the top down and the AC on full to fight global warming... ;D
Seriously though, I mail-order just about everything, and I mean everything! You save on gas (no emissions), rarely pay tax, shipping is almost always free, and one UPS/USPS van delivering to multiple homes burns a whole lot less gas than a gagillion cars making a gagillion shopping trips.
Biggest impact you can have on the environment...stop drinking bottled water and start a garden! No cheaper way to transport produce than growing it in your back yard! Fewer chemicals, and completely organic. It will also save a boat load of money! (always thought it was the height of stupidity to eat a tomato grown in Mexico when I could grow dozens for pennies in my own garden, don't even have to be a green thumb, they grow like weeds. Asparagus and rhubarb too, WAY easy.).
Some great ideas here!! I need to start unplugging things. I know it sucks energy to leave them plugged in, but that's just something I haven't been good about...
I use reusable shopping bags too - I LOVE them because not only are they Earth-friendly, you can also load them up heavier without worrying about breakage, AND mine have super long handles so you can carry them over your shoulders. Anytime we forget the bags (which happens), we reu-se the plastic bags as garbage bags for our bathroom garbage.
We also have a Pur filter on our kitchen sink, and a refillable pitcher so we don't have to use bottled water (drinking the city water is a big no-no!). I have a jug that I refill to bring to work, too.
I use my Curious George lunchbox to bring my lunches in to work. I need to get some of that sandwich tupperware too, so I can stop using plastic baggies.
I take the bus to work.
I save prescription bottles (and people at work give them to me too) and when I get a big batch, I send them all here: http://waste-not-want-not.tripod.com/id14.html. The kid gives them to a free clinic in his area.
My fiance works at a recycling paper plant, so he takes all our paper recycling directly to work. (I guess this doesn't really help the earth any more than having the recycling picked up, since our glass and plastic are picked up, but it is a renewable resource for his work and helps him have a job!!)
We can't do this while renting obviously, but when we buy a house I REALLY want to get rain barrels and use that water for plants, etc.
See, just one day and LOTS of good ideas already! I particularly like theChuck's idea of getting yourselves removed from all those useless mailouts. Years ago, I started paying just about everything online, and now I opt for paperless statements (the ones that go to your email instead). I have no doubt that it seriously cuts down my carbon footprint- all those trees that aren't earmarked for my trash pile anymore, plus less paper headed to the landfill, plus less fuel wasted for shipping and delivering the papers that I never looked at anyway. And the great thing is that signing up for paper statements usually only takes a couple of clicks on the same site that you're on paying your bill anyway.
I also agree with Noble Dreg in that one of the biggest impacts you can have on your environment (and pocketbook too) is to start a garden (or join in a community garden). The transport of food goods and feed for livestock is a HUGE contributor to the worlds pollution output. The more local you can get on any goods you consume the better. Our family grows tomatoes (which are nearly weeds, in that they require almost no personal attention). We also do cucumbers, bell peppers, red okra, and a few herbs. We trade with another fellow nearby for fresh brown eggs. We also have access to a zillion cumquats, although nobody is quite sure what to do with them, lol.
I know a few folks who have gone the route of piping their "grey" water (non-toxic wastewater from sinks and such) into their gardens. If you can do that, it's a magnificent idea. The organics that go down the sink drain (including most non-caustic soaps like dishsoap and handsoap) are all good for the garden. If you're on city sewer and don't have means to seperate your pipes, another option growing in popularity is rainwater collection. Not long ago, I was discussing this with a good friend in Georgia because of all the serious drought issues in the last couple years. We found this site, which has everything you could ever need to know about harvesting the rain in lots of ways http://www.motherearthnews.com/Green-Homes/2003-08-01/Harvest-Rainwater.aspx
Something small and easy to do, have a glass and coffee cup at work instead of using the styrofoam and plastic cups. I watch people using them everyday and throwing them away. BRING ONE FROM HOME!!!
Oh here's another one I forgot that I really like:
I wash all my laundry on cold (except sheets). Saves on heating all that water!
Trillium, AWESOME observation!! I wouldn't have thought to mention it, but in hindsight, I do remember how much I hated seeing the dr's and nurses and office folk pick up those Styrofoam cups day after day- and we had real cups in the cabinet!!
In coffee mode, another simple energy saver is a good thermos. My dad has one that will hold a half a pot of coffee. He makes his pot in the morning, drinks his two cups, and puts the rest in the thermos. It actually stays HOT, so he can turn the pot off, and still have two warm cups (without having to reheat them) later in the morning. I didn't think it was a big deal at first (how much energy can a coffee pot take to stay on, after all?) but he's been doing it for nearly six years now.. every day.. I suppose that has to have added up a bit.
Quote from: Charlotte Rowan on July 25, 2008, 09:02:29 AM
I wash all my laundry on cold (except sheets). Saves on heating all that water!
A 10 foot x 4" piece of black ABS sewer pipe holds about 6 gallons of water. Connect 5 together on your roof and you've got free hotwater.
The waste washing machine water goes to the tree wells too.
Quote from: Morgan Dreadlocke on July 25, 2008, 11:18:34 AM
Quote from: Charlotte Rowan on July 25, 2008, 09:02:29 AM
I wash all my laundry on cold (except sheets). Saves on heating all that water!
A 10 foot x 4" piece of black ABS sewer pipe holds about 6 gallons of water. Connect 5 together on your roof and you've got free hotwater.
Maybe in Arizona, but in Minnesota we'd call that an 'ice maker' most of the year... ;D
Morgan Dreadlocke, we eventually hope to live in a yurt and go completely self-sufficient. I have loved hearing your ideas on water conservation and would love to hear anymore ideas you have in this regard.
I'm using the cloth shopping bags most of the time (I need plastic bags to pick up after my dog), I put the dishes in the dishwasher and run it when is full. I turn the light off as soon as I go out of the roomand use low voltage bulbsin my lamps. The thermostat is programable. In the winter I close the drapes over the windows. That will reduce any drafts and keep the temperature in the house higher hence ... no reason for the furnace to work. Also close the drapes and blinds in the summer when the sun hits the windows ... that will prevent overheating and keeps the temperature low. I have A/C that I use only 2 or 3 time a year, the rest of the time I open the doors int opposite sides of the house and cool down the rooms. I have the waterfilter and recycle pretty much everything, from scraps of paper to shampoo bottles.
I don't have space for a large garden but I grow my own tomatoes and cucumbers, and herbs. I try to limit the trips I do with the car and we use the bicycles a lot (hubby and kids go to work/school with the bicycle).
I use a travel mug at work because the policy requires to use a covered liquid container in the office.
We use a water filter in the kitchen and make my own fertilizer from table scraps.
Turn off the water when I brush my teeth ... and have plants specific for the are I live so they will not require to much water.
Back home I used to have a car running on natural gas but I could not find that here in US.
Today's "green" post is going to be questions that I have which some of y'all may be able to answer, or may know where I could look for an answer.
1- I'm looking for "green bags". I know they're for putting fruits and veggies in to extend their shelf life. My friend in Australia says they've had them there for years but it's only been in the last year or so that I've seen ads for them here, and those were all of the order-by-phone variety. Is there anywhere that you can just go and buy them?
2- Anyone know a good way to do compost for the garden on a small scale that doesn't require a huge chunk of space? My family did the throw-everything-in-a-pile-in-one-corner-of-the-yard method when I was a kid, but we aren't allowed to do that here.
3- Anyone know what exactly you do with kumquats? (hehe) I saw soooooo many of those things just get ignored this year that I think next year I'll have to offer to take some of them off the shop's hands (they grow all around the garage my SO works at, and the owner only picks a small portion of them).
4- Anybody have any questions?
Gwen,
I have seen those bags at Target. Over by the dishes, and small appliances. It is like ten bucks for 20 or something like that.
They are on an endcap with other "As Seen on TV".
I have also seen them at Walgreens over by the laundry/household stuff.
Happy hunting.
Quote from: Gwen aka Punstergal on July 27, 2008, 08:42:07 PM
Today's "green" post is going to be questions that I have which some of y'all may be able to answer, or may know where I could look for an answer.
2- Anyone know a good way to do compost for the garden on a small scale that doesn't require a huge chunk of space? My family did the throw-everything-in-a-pile-in-one-corner-of-the-yard method when I was a kid, but we aren't allowed to do that here.
20 to 40 gallon garbage cans. The round kind with the locking top. Drill a bazillion 3/8" holes till it looks like swiss cheese around the outside. Fill 3/4 full with your chosen mulching stuff. Then keep it damp, hot and roll it around every couple of days to aerate and mix the stuff.
Quote from: knarlyknot on July 25, 2008, 02:42:37 PM
Morgan Dreadlocke, we eventually hope to live in a yurt and go completely self-sufficient. I have loved hearing your ideas on water conservation and would love to hear anymore ideas you have in this regard.
The two biggest water savers we've found are the inexpensive (@$10) spring wound timers for watering, and replacing the toilet chain with a heavy steel rod. The timer keeps an eye on you if you forget the hose is running somewhere. The steel rod closes the toilet flapper when the handle is released. You have to hold the handle down but you only use as much water as you need instead of emptying the tank every flush. Good luck on the Yurt.
Don't be afraid to think and experiment outside the box ;)
Kiss-me-Kate: Thank you for the tip! I don't think we have a walgreens near here, but there's a target in town.. I'll check there next time I'm on that side of the city.
Morgan Dreadlocke: Thanks for the directions, although I have to admit I don't think I've ever seen round trashcans with locking tops (and I used to stock the hardware department at walmart sometimes). Do they sell them somewhere specific? A bigger hardware store maybe? maybe I could fake it with one of really big industrial sized plastic bottles that bulk foods come in... and the moist and hot isn't much of an issue here (it's Louisiana, after all).
I think replacing the toilet chain with a rod is a good idea too! I'd never have thought of it, but I bet that would save a ton of water.
I have been following this topic with quite a bit of interest and I am really looking forward to additional ideas that come from here.
For myself, I have started looking at some of the things in my world that could be modified slightly that would not only help the environment, but help out the pocket book as well.
Small steps that I have made are:
1. Started a patio garden full of Fresh veggies and fruits. So far I have a little success with the garden project, but I am hopeful that it will be more productive as time goes on.
2. Carpooling when able to work. Trying to do my best to at least have 1 other person in the car with me to keep down the fuel costs. Making sure that my trips go to more than one place, and use smart routes that get a lot done.
3. Eating more at home than going out and finding local things to do other than spending huge amounts to travel all over the place.
4. Started to do some recycling. I know I can do more, but in my apartment it is hard to find space for everything. Right now we are doing the bottle recycling, and have plans to do can recycling in the near future. My house still utilizes plastic shopping bags, but we are looking into getting canvas shopping bags. Those plastic bags we do use, we recycle as garbage bags.
Just a few things that I can think of that we are doing, and it is helping out quite a bit. I do have one question, which I am seriously considering. What water filters or systems do ya'll recommend? We currently buy a lot of Dasani brand water for our house, and are always going through it. I am seriously considering buying a system to install in my apartment just due to the waste volume we have with bottled water. (My house goes through a flat of 24 bottles or more a week)
Also, any other suggestions of things that can be done in an apartment would be really helpful. :)
Have you considered a water cooler with a 3 or 5 gallon refillable bottle?
If you can find a metal can you can make a locking top with some gate hardware. Just bolt them to the inside of the can and drill holes in the lid best to use four so the lid will stay secure.
This will also keep pest out of the compost.
Here is a good site with lots of information about organic living. http://www.dirtdoctor.com/
Quote from: Trillium on July 28, 2008, 02:35:10 PM
Have you considered a water cooler with a 3 or 5 gallon refillable bottle?
I have thought about that... my biggest issue is space for the cooler and having to lug a 5 gallon bottle up 3 flights of stairs. :) It can be done, but I would prefer something that didn't require so much heavy lifting.
I also love re-usable shopping bags. If you have meijers nearby, they have really nice ones for 99 cents each.
Also, if you can't grow your own food (either lack of space or green thumb) buying produce at local farmers market is great way to get healthy food that's usually cheaper (and less carbon emissions since it usually doesn't travel as far).
Also, remember carpooling isn't just for work. I actually carpool with two other families to do our grocery shopping.
Just checked the garbage cans, they are Rubbermaid "Brute" 44 gallon. Grey heavy duty plastic. Now about 10 years old, no splits, cracks or weak spots. They are expensive though. Got 'em at Home Depot.
Sir Richard Bear: All that construction sounded a bit complicated for me, but thanks for the link to the organic living website. I'll definitely check that out!
Kruzar: Welcome to the conversation! Thanks for mentioning eating at home. I've only noticed since I moved to Louisiana how often some folks pick up fast food. The stuff they eat is barely food, and it costs so much more than making similar grub at home! My family was pretty big, so we just could never afford the luxury of eating out, so I guess I never picked up that habit. As for the water, we use a Brita pitcher and buy the filters in three packs (we don't have to make a trip for new ones so often, AND they're a bit cheaper that way. Sometimes you can pick up the pitchers themselves really cheap at thrift stores because a lot of folks are too lazy to use them. I don't know about the filters that you install on the sink- maybe someone else here is familiar with them.
As for efficiency in an apartment, maybe we as a group can come up with some stuff.
I know when Tony and I had the apartment, we kept an extra trashcan (w/lid) to collect cans in. It was a big one (33gal, I think) because our best friend goes through a LOT of cans. We kept it in the utility closet with the vacuum cleaner and brooms and stuff.
We pay all the bills that we can online- no stamps or envelopes or checks to buy AND lower interest accumulation because the payments are processed faster.
We sat down one day and went through ALL our debts and prioritized them by interest rate (taking into account any annual/maintenance fees and such) to figure out which ones really should be paid off in what order. Then, after we'd paid all our minimums and regular household bills each month, we took what was left and sent it to the priority #1 debt (same thing for any extra money like tax refunds, the stimulus check, my 401k payout-- all goes to debt #1). Of course, if you were smart enough to not accumulate credit card debts and the like, don't change! The joy of the shiny new object is sooo not worth the agony of cleaning up the mess later :(
I've got some good advice that I've picked up on cleaning various things cheaply and in an environmentally friendly way. I'll try to sit down and type up a post on that soon. In the mean time, I'd love to see everyone else's ideas.
Thanks Morgan! I'll add that info to my virtual notebook. Makes sense that I never saw them at wal-mart.. not much call for anything over 33gal there.
Other than table scraps, anything special you put in your compost bucket? I saw a clip somewhere about yard trimmings and some bag of some kind of something that helps break stuff down, but I have no idea what it was. I know coffee grounds are supposed to be good, right? I remember we used to dump our filters out the window right into the garden at one place we lived when I was little.
Quote from: Gwen aka Punstergal on July 27, 2008, 08:42:07 PM
3- Anyone know what exactly you do with kumquats? (hehe) I saw soooooo many of those things just get ignored this year that I think next year I'll have to offer to take some of them off the shop's hands (they grow all around the garage my SO works at, and the owner only picks a small portion of them).
...you eat them. lol. they're actually really good. Pick them, wash them, pop the whole thing in your mouth. you eat them, peel and all, and they're really good. Citrus. Take care, though, because they have seeds, so just chew around them and spit them out. My grandma has a tree outside her house and we eat them all the time.
After living over seas my hubby and I had to learn how to conserve energy real fast.(poor broke students, you learn fast)
We learned that if you set your thermastat in the winter to 65 you don't use as much energy. If you are cold, put on a sweater, grab a throw blanket, put on slippers. We also use a draft blocker on our doors (I know it is ugly but it works.) During the summer we set the thermastart to 76-78. We would have it at 80-82, but we have ferrets who can't take temps over 80 degrees.
We heard that as long as you only have the same number of lights on in the house as there are people, you are not wasting energy. My hubby and I have made it work so we only have max 2, but usually only 1 light on at any time. We replaced with the energy efficent light bulbs. We checked with our apartment before doing so, and as long as we replace them with normal one's when we leave, they don't care.
Like other's we don't run our dish washer unless it is full. The same goes for laundry.
Our apartment doesn't do the recylcling thing, but we are trying. We live in a yuppy enough area it is trendy enough for people to do it. The problem we run into is that will people walk that far to put stuff in the right bins. Suggestion the hubby and I are trying is designating certain trash bins as glass/paper/plastic/Garbage. Then once a month we will make the trip to the recycling center for the paper, plastic and glass.
We use the canvas bags when ever we go shopping. They hold alot more than the plastic and work much better. We still get funny looks at walmarts and stuff, but hey we like being odd. ;D
The hubby and I bought scooters 3 months ago. At 100mpg they have been wonderful. We have put 800 miles on them since then and have only had to put $20 in gas on them. We only use the car if we are going over 10 miles, have multiple stops, or picking up things that can not fit in the trunks on the scooters.
Oh, if you don't want to do the 'lung jug up 2 flights of stairs' thing (been there done it, do not want to do it again) there are britta filters that are like 3-5 gallon jugs, that go in the fridge. They use the same filters as the small one's but hold more water. You just have to remember to refill them when empty (small problem i have).
I just remembered, some offices give their bags of shreaded paper to local animal shelters to use as bedding for the animals. It's a thought if you have alot of it /shrug
If you get a newspaper you can shread them and put them in the composter they make good compost but don't do that with mag or the glossy adds the ink on those is pretty toxic. If you have an aquarium and change the water use that to water plants its great fertizer. You can use lawn clips but its best to just let the clippings lie on the yard. Also don't put bones in the composter you can put meat scraps though you have to be carefull because they will draw rats and other pest, be use your composter has a good locking lid. If you have dogs put there droppings in the composter and be sure to add a bucket of water ever week. Coffee and tea are both good for the composter.
Instead of using chemical to keep away bugs use oringe oil and dry garlic. Mix the oringe oil with water and just stray around the yard. A big jar of dry garlic throw on the yard will keep misketos(sp) away.
Quote from: SirRichardBear on July 29, 2008, 12:02:25 PM
Instead of using chemical to keep away bugs use oringe oil and dry garlic. Mix the oringe oil with water and just stray around the yard. A big jar of dry garlic throw on the yard will keep misketos(sp) away.
I'm gonna have to try that!!! Even though the city sprays for mosquitos, they are still horrible.
Mosquito Repellents
DEET products are too toxic and should never be used, epecially around children and more especially on their skin. What is effective, non-toxic and recommended is explained below.
Vanilla home remedy for personal use:
8 oz water
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp. orange oil
Spray on liberally.
Garlic to chase away Mosquitoes
For site use:
Spray garlic tea over the entire problem area and for even more control broadcast dry minced garlic at 2 - 5 lbs per 1000 sq ft.
http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=2344
Hope this helps
The only reason I've heard of the garlic thing is because my favorite thrift store back home recently used their profits to build a big dog park, and one of the major attractions is that they have a contract with a local company who installed a system that mists the grass with garlic oil at regular intervals. It keeps the mosquitoes away, and makes the whole place kind of smell like a pizzeria :)
I just learned how to make orange oil from scratch-- Did you know that pure undiluted orange oil can melt through some plastics? I'm glad my friend warned me ahead of time, or I could have been in big trouble- I'd set out plastic bottles to store it in!
Okay, so I can't stand to waste Garlic so I consume large quantities of it, it seems to work the same, although sometimes it can be a bit harsh when the garlic aroma begins seeping from my pores. (then again, the garlic itself is good for my heart).
I'm gonna have to try the vanilla and orange oil mosquito repellent. I know it's healthy for the kids to play outside, but what about the chemicals from sunscreen and bug spray?
We recycle everything we can (no glass recycling in this area for some reason), set the thermostat at 65 in the winter and 80 in the summer, combine errands to save gas, and my husband drives a high MPG commuter car. We usually take the little car on long-distance family trips, camping trips being the major exception, and I use the mini SUV (Egad! I drive an SUV!) mostly for shorter trips to the grocery store, etc. Yes, it is a *pain* to stuff two big car seats into the back of a Civic and then crouch down to wrestle the children into them. That's why we have the bigger "family" car.
I breastfed and cloth diapered both my kids, and mostly use little washcloths instead of baby wipes (I just wash them with the diapers). I do use disposables occasionally, like if I'm going to be out of the house all day and don't want to carry wet diapers around in the diaper bag. Figuring a year on formula and two and a half years in diapers, I figure that's saved a couple thousand dollars per child, and kept about nine thousand diapers and 104 formula cans (Maybe. I think. I've never actually bought formula.) out of the landfill.
We wash and reuse some things that are meant to be disposable, like plastic cups, plates, and silverware for camping or parties. I mostly use rags instead of paper towels. I also use plastic grocery bags as trash can liners. The rest get recycled or donated to a thrift store that reuses them for their customers.
Strictly in the money-saving category, I practice black-belt grocery shopping. I've found that I don't really save that much money with coupons so they aren't worth it to me, but I do keep track of the best prices for what I buy (comparing at a few different stores and watching the ads) and stock up when things are on sale. Meat, bread, cheese, and even milk can be frozen until you need them. The gallon jugs can just go right in the freezer, only one has ever leaked on me and it didn't really make that much of a mess. I buy mostly store brands. With a few exceptions (mac and cheese comes to mind) they're usually comparable to the name brands. We don't use much convenience food and very rarely eat out.
My husband brown-bags his lunch, and I cut his and our son's hair myself. A crew cut isn't that hard to do. Most of what I buy new is on sale, and I usually shop for it second hand before I buy it new. Come to think of it, that's recycling too! ;D
Here are some of the things that my family has done. (I'd say that I have done, but I still live with them. LOL)
My mom and grandma tend to not buy the batches of tupperware. Instead, when she goes to the deli, she'll sometimes buy the fresh mozerella or whatever else and then save the tupperware containers that those come in. My grandma also saves the yogurt containers so that if there is only a really small bit of the meal left, she'll store it in that.
My grandma also reuses syran wrap and tin foil till it is falling apart. She also has a tendency to save the bags that bread or chips will come in and use them again when packing lunches for trips or camping or such.
I personally do not use a cloth shopping bag and neither does my mom. But we do save all the plastic bags and reuse them until they completely fall apart. I personally use them in packing to move back and forth from school so that I can keep things organized or if I need to worry about it breaking, I can protect it by wrapping it in a few of the bags. I have been doing this for awhile.
We tend to keep buckets under our drain pipes outside. We'll use that to water plants or if we know there's a storm with a potential for a power outage that will last awhile, we'll use that water for things like flushing the toilet.
My grandmother has a bucket next to her sink. All waste that is pretty much all natural (coffee grinds, used tea leaves, banana peels, egg shells, watermellon remains, you get the idea) go into the bucket. And then, when it's full, she has a pile outside by the edge of the woods she dumps it all in. Every month or so, she'll go out with a shovel and mix up everything that is decomposing there and then when it's really decomposed she'll start mixing the dirt from that spot into her gardens.
Um... OH YEAH! We don't have air conditioning at all in my house. So when we know it's going to be really hot out, we'll have the windows open all night and in the morning when the temp inside equals the temp outside, we'll shut every window and door and we'll only use one door the entire day for coming and going in and out of the house. This keeps the house cooler than outside (noticably) all day long, which is nice. And if it still bugs me about being too warm, I'll grab a book and a chair and head into the basement which is the coolest part of the house in the summer and the warmest in the winter.
Um, anything else i can think of?
When I do craft projects or anything with construction paper, if there is enough paper left to even get a small detail out of, I'll save it. And when I'm sharpening crayons (because when I colour, which I do alot of, I am a stickler about having the crayons sharp) I save all the crayon shavings for future art projects. Actually with me, things I can save for projects I do. Like soda bottle tops, or sometimes the bottle or paper bags, or newspapers. I like to save alot of that for projects, since I love doing things like paper mache and other crafty things.
I don't know... That's everything I can think of and most of it is probably pointless, but some of it has to be doing something, you know? Idk, we'll see.
Claira! I'm a saver-for-future-craft-projects too! You should see the MASSIVE pile of fabric and leather remnants I sorted through yesterday. I picked out what I absolutely couldn't part with and the rest is going into a garage sale where hopefully some other crafters will find it (and yes, I give away lots of stuff for free at my garage sales if it means it will stay out of the landfill and possibly get used-- saves me from hauling stuff that doesn't sell to goodwill where'd I'd be giving it away anyway).
I like the idea of seeking refuge in the basement.. I wouldn't have thought of that (lived in Texas for 27 years and then Louisiana for half a year and we don't have basements down here, ya know). I could see planning to make your basement the communal recreation area of the house to be a wise choice energy wise, since it has the best insulation possible.
Quote from: Gwen aka Punstergal on July 30, 2008, 09:27:05 AMI like the idea of seeking refuge in the basement.. I wouldn't have thought of that (lived in Texas for 27 years and then Louisiana for half a year and we don't have basements down here, ya know). I could see planning to make your basement the communal recreation area of the house to be a wise choice energy wise, since it has the best insulation possible.
I would love to make that the common recreation area. Only problem is my dad is into carpentry and that's his workshop so it's filled with tools and table saws and such. (On the other hand there are only two plugs so almost everything remains unplugged until he needs it)
But on the plus side he's going to build me my own bench and cabinets down there so that I can move the sewing machine and all of my beads and other craft stuff down there so that I can spread it out and such.
Another thing I do during the summer is I use my toaster oven, instead of my regular one. It doesn't heat up the house so much and put a strain on the AC.
We have one of these Pyramid Composters (http://www.gardeners.com/Deluxe%20Pyramid%20Composter/20706,34-642,default,cp.html). But we've haven't done much gardening this year.
We have some herbs and peppers in the garden. Plus crab grass that won't die.
I have one of the PUR filters that screws on to the sink faucet. I can't use it where I live now because of the type of faucet here, but at my apartment it was a lifesaver. They work really well, don't take up space in your fridge, and don't take power to run like a water cooler does. The one I have is the kind that you can put the flavor cartridges in, which was like a little bonus. My daughter could get a good flavored drink without having all the sweetner of fruit juice.
If you use the "energy efficient" light bulbs, be very cautious. If you accidentally break one, they are very difficult to dispose of. They have extremely dangerous levels of toxins, such as mercury, in them. I personally just use regular light bulbs but keep the lights off and use natural light until very late in the evening. Any bulb can be energy efficient if you do not leave them on all day when not needed.
We use a PUR water filter on the sink and then run it through a Brita filter. Overkill, I'm sure, but with my kidney transplant, I am cautious to not ingest anymore germs than necessary, due to my suppressed immune system. I take two 32 oz. bottles filled with this water every day to work.
We began collecting pop and beer cans from our friends at church about 6 years ago. Several areas around here, including us, do not have recycling yet (in the country), so we asked everyone at church to bring us their cans, and we separate them and turn them in. The money we receive gets donated to different church events that we are raising money for. It is surprising how much you can collect so easily.
We live on 4 1/2 acres and have a lot of trees. This year, we are looking at a wood burning stove, because we have propane gas and it went up from 97 cents per gallon five years ago to $2.19 per gallon now. The stoves we are looking at have very low carbon emissions, lower than what is federally required.
I keep a plate, mug, and silverware at work, so when we have potlucks, I use my stuff instead of styrofoam. I have some cloth bags for groceries, but I have to admit, most of the time I forget them either in the car or leave them in the house from when I did remember to use them.
We have been using Chiquita, my VW bug, to travel wherever we go for the past 2 years, because the gas milage is better than using Steve's Concorde.
how about some savin' tips for college kids?
Read the newspaper online, save some paper, this goes for many magazines and books as well. And speaking of books, buy used whenever possible, I'm currently at odds with Ebay's half dot com and use Amazon marketplace instead, Half sent me to the wrong book by isbn this year.
If you live on campus, investigate wether it is cheaper to live in a dorm that includes a kitchen (GMU has student apartments with a full kitchen and bath for 4-6 people in a suite) and buy/cook your own food than it is to buy a meal plan. (for me, it is) For a lot of places to eat on campus, it's also cheaper for my roomates and I to order in chinese or pizza than it is to buy on campus food!
Go online and use the grocery store sale papers to get some snazzy deals (yogurt is on sale at giant currently!)
Buy a fan, You'll save electricity by being able to keep the thermostat at a more energy concious setting (not to mention extremely handy when all of your roomates prefer it much warmer than you do, and sleeping naked is frowned upon!)
Plants- not only do they make your room homier, they add oxygen to the air and recycle CO2
Windows, open them if it's a better temperature outside than in!
Would love to hear some other college ideas!
Quote from: Gwen aka Punstergal on July 27, 2008, 08:42:07 PM
Today's "green" post is going to be questions that I have which some of y'all may be able to answer, or may know where I could look for an answer.
1- I'm looking for "green bags". I know they're for putting fruits and veggies in to extend their shelf life. My friend in Australia says they've had them there for years but it's only been in the last year or so that I've seen ads for them here, and those were all of the order-by-phone variety. Is there anywhere that you can just go and buy them?
Jumping in late, but saw the green bags at Bed, Bath and Beyond. They have an entire wall of "as seen on TV" stuff. If you have ever gotten on their mailing list, they send out coupons for 10% off about every 2 weeks. I don't always used them, but I have a big recycle bin by the kitchen table.
I personally don't like many foods as leftovers, but I grew up cooking for 4. It's hard for me to cook for just 2. So when there are leftovers, I put them up in the freezer in individual portions for hubby's lunch. He doesn't mind, esp if it's meatloaf, or chili, or smothered steak.
Capt. Marga
In case you want it, I'm here's the clean-up procedure for a broken CFL light bulb per the EPA (pretend the question marks are bullets, I'm doing a quick cut-n-paste job):
How should I clean up a broken fluorescent bulb?
Because CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal
guidelines:
1. Before Clean-up: Air Out the Room
? Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
? Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
? Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.
2. Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces
? Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with
metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
? Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass pieces and powder.
? Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
? Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
3. Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug:
? Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a
sealed plastic bag.
? Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
? If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
? Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic
bag.
4. Clean-up Steps for Clothing, Bedding, etc.:
? If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside
the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or
bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.
? You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken
CFL, such as the clothing you are wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not
come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
? If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off
with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for
disposal.
5. Disposal of Clean-up Materials
? Immediately place all clean-up materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area for the next normal trash
pickup.
? Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
? Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states do not
allow such trash disposal. Instead, they require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a
local recycling center.
6. Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Air Out the Room During and After Vacuuming
? The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a
window before vacuuming.
? Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after
vacuuming is completed.
Thanks for the tip on the "green bags" CaptMarga.. I'm planning a trip to BB&B soon anyway to look for new stuff for the house with the mother-in-law, so I'll keep my eyes out for the bags while I'm there.
Gypsylakat: I'll work on finding some tips for college folks. I did all my college (didn't finish, but the first 56 hours at least) from home, so there weren't any special tips for me other than shopping around for my books instead of getting all of them through the campus store. You can usually find the books you need much cheaper from someone else that has taken the class (assuming the book version hasn't recently been changed). Craigslist.org is a WONDERFUL place to check for used books, and has a place where you can list specific items you are looking to buy.
While I'm on the website thought process, I want to mention FREECYCLE.ORG too. Check it out, find your local group (a lot of them are moderated through yahoo). It's a site where you can list things that you know longer have a use for so that people can contact you who may have a use for them. You can also list weird things that you are seeking which someone else may have earmarked for the trash pile. The goal of the site is to keep stuff out of landfills. If your local group is moderated decently and people don't act like greedy nincompoops just looking for handouts, it can be a very useful tool. I personally gave away a TON of stuff before we moved to Texas because we couldn't bring it with us and I couldn't bear to put it all in the dumpster. Even now, I'm giving away the leftover bits of construction materials from our not-quite-finished remodel (of the house the mother-in-law just bought). It's amazing how much stuff people can find a use for, even just bits of leftover wood/tiles/paint/etc.
Bumping this thread to see if anyone has any new green suggestions, thoughts, experiments, or comments.
We're about to start our gardening for the year, going to try to do tomatoes for sure, as well as some herbs, which should save us a bit of $ in the end (we are a tomato consuming house!).