Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)

Welcome! If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a complete list of all the activities we've taken on so far.

Last week we got down and dirty ... we wore our clothes until they really required washing and resisted the urge to toss perfectly clean "duds" into the laundry basket. Since washing machines use a lot of water and electricity, this one act could save significant resources. As a side benefit, our clothes will last longer because frequent washing is tough on material.

Our #CTWW Gang was out in force once again, tweeting about our challenge. If you're on twitter, drop by and say "hello" (hint: they are great folks to follow):

@skipbang
@gardeningguru
@envirobooty
@thenewauthor
@coffeecontessa
@robcayman
@peopletowels
@givetreegifts
@smallbits
@dpixel
@dazediva
@gogreenbeans
@groovygreenlivi
@accessorygal
@whopaysthepiper
@rewinn


Our Honor Society wrote articles and left thoughtful comments. Let's look at the articles first:

Argentum Vulgaris wrote this POST and offers us an Eco-friendly way to eliminate laundry odors, thus allowing one to only wash when there is a full load.

Cinella has no problem with this challenge. In this ARTICLE you'll find why this activity is easy for her, who taught her to wear clothes more than once and you'll learn what she wears during the day on most days.

We have a new Honor Society member, K. C. Woolf ... Welcome, KC! She submitted a wonderful piece (which you can read HERE) about low-maintenance gardening. She provides a list of her favorite links for information on growing an urban garden and includes a video about a woman who feeds a family of 5 with organic items grown in a small area behind her house. KC's post is full of great information ... including pictures of the items she's currently harvesting. I'm jealous!

Weren't those articles wonderful? I have Stumbled, Tweeted and Facebooked them for the world to see.

Next, let's take a look at the comments left by our Honor Society:

Nicole B. stopped in. She had no choice but to accept this challenge ... her washing machine broke down. While doing laundry daily is one of her pleasures ... and not washing is definitely a challenge, she's giving it her best. How did you do, Nicole? Is it a practice you'll hold onto once your machine is repaired?

EcoGrrl likens this challenge to only washing one's hair when dirty (instead of daily). As she points out, washing clothes & hair is often a matter of habit rather than necessity. She also shared a wonderful tip with us ... rather than use a bathroom rug in front of the shower (which tends not to get washed), use a towel. It's much more likely that a dirty towel will get laundered. Of course, she says to only use a towel that has been used, several times, to dry off with ... then use it as a rug until it's truly dirty!

Petunia GreenBeans is filled with contagious enthusiasm about living a green life. Recently she recycled some foil into noisy scarecrows to protect her garden (without harassing any groundhogs), traveled to the East End of Long Island to support local growers and recycled 112 pounds of lithium-ion batteries that might have otherwise ended up in the dump! WhooHoo! Great job Petunia!!

Alicia commented that she and her family only wash dirty clothes and have been doing so for years. And, she says it really does make a difference. Yay, Alicia!

Sonia, a new visitor to Reduce Footprints, stopped by and said she loved all of our posts. Thank you, Sonia ... hope to see you again!

Great job everyone ... I appreciate your comments, articles and efforts.

Okay ... ready for more?

While visiting your blogs this week, I came across a plea for help from Petunia GreenBeans. Basically, she's asking for help with recycling ... she wants to know what works ... what we recycle, how we sort, etc. She plans to compile a list of tips, ideas and links. So ... let's put our collective heads together and come up with a list for her. Here's the challenge:

This week, visit Petunia GreenBeans HERE (http://getyourgreenbeans.com/recycle/calling-all-greenbeans-help-how-do-you-recycle/) and share your knowledge about recycling. If you write a post about recycling, leave her a link to it. If you have some tried and true tips, leave those in a comment for her. And, so that we all can benefit from each other, please leave the same information here, on this post. It's double work but ... it's also double visibility for your ideas.

So what do you think ... are you up for the challenge?

Until next time ...

WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!

Guest Post by Darin Hansen

How to get the best efficiency out of your air conditioning system this summer

When it comes time to crank up the cooling power of your ac system this summer there are some things to consider in addition to simply keeping your family comfortable! Given the state of the world and environment there is no shortage of people that are interested in getting the best efficiency out of your ac unit. While these are similar whether you are a home owner with a central air conditioning system or use a portable / window air conditioner to stave off the heat, there are some differences so I will touch them separately. Given that the average US home will spend $1,000 in cooling costs this summer it can help your pocket book significantly in addition to helping the environment.

How to improve the efficiency of your central air conditioner system

Perhaps no piece of HVAC equipment has undergone a larger improvement in efficiency in the past decade than the central air conditioner. What was common to be an 8-10 SEER unit the last time you bought an AC system, you can find units up to 20+ SEER these days. This is one way to get more cooling for your utility dollars. To be fair this would involve scrapping a unit that maybe already works, but it is a way to use less energy.

The best ways to get the most out of a central AC unit without replacing are to ensure that there is nothing stopping airflow. If you have a air filter that is more than a month old you likely need to replace it. In addition, your outdoor condenser tends to gather debris on the outside and should be cleaned with either a hose or an air compressor. Doing just these can have a significant impact on your energy usage this summer.

How to improve the efficiency of your portable or window air conditioner system

Much like a central AC system, the efficiency of newer models is much better than the older units that many have. If you have the money to spend this is a great way to lower your footprint. Again, to be fair you would be adding another unit to our landfills so it isn’t a complete win-win situation. Make sure you get R410a as the refrigerant, it is quite a bit better than the old R22 which some units still use.

Thankfully there are also ways to ensure that your portable or window unit gets more bang for its buck. With a portable system finding a way to get the exhaust air to the outside of the room your cooling is paramount. Often a hose leading outside it preferable. Another great way to conserve energy is to cool only the areas you are in at the moment. As opposed to cooling the entire house or apartment, cool only the room that you are in. With a window unit, similar to a central ac system, you need to make sure that the outside part of the AC unit is clean of debris which will sap more energy.

When it comes to staying cool and conserving energy you can see there are some ways to go about lessening your footprint on the world. Try a few this summer and reap the benefits.


Darin Hansen is an HVAC veteran who has seen just about every side of the HVAC business from web wholesaler to the manufacturing floor. You can read more about all things HVAC related on his site including a long list of HVAC reviews from just about every major manufacturer.

Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)

Welcome! If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a complete list of all the activities we've taken on so far.

Last week we took on the task of sharing information about growing food. In recent times, whether because of the world's economic condition, a need to live "green", or simply that growing vegetables is good, more people are getting interested. So the challenge sent out a call to all gardeners and asked that we share what we know and, hopefully, help others to get started.

First up ... The #CTWW Gang!

These folks hit the twitter "waves" and talked about our challenge using the hashtag #CTWW. Are you on twitter? If so, these are great folks to follow:

@gogreenbeans
@dpixel
@whopaysthepiper
@smallbits
@waxelene
@envirobooty
@thenewauthor
@accessorygal
@cjrthemamiblog
@smilinggreenmom
@coffeecontessa
@groovygreenlivi
@peopletowels
@givetreegifts
@ShoppingCharity
@littlegreenblog

Next up ... The Honor Society!

These folks wrote articles and/or left meaningful comments. To further spread the word, I tweeted, stumbled and facebooked any posts written for the challenge. Let's see what they had to say:

In this POST, Mrs. Green shows us that we don't need a piece of ground to grow food. She lists several ideas including rooftop gardening, apartment gardening and even gardening on a fire escape.

What do cinder blocks and Starbucks have to do with gardening? EcoGrrl tells us HERE and shares what she's growing this year.

For anyone who thinks that starting a garden takes a large investment in soil, fertilizer, seeds, planters, etc. ... check out this ARTICLE by Argentum Vulgaris. He's getting a bumper crop with 6 inches of soil that he made himself, very creative recycled planters, and seeds he gathered. He says ... if he can do it, anyone can!

Alicia had a couple of great tips for us. She plants marigolds at the bottom of the bean tepees and they keep bugs away. She also plants basil next to the tomatoes which, she says, seems to make them sweeter.

Kris accepted the challenge and, for the first time this year, is growing vegetables. She's starting off with some basics like lettuce and will grow one vegetable that she doesn't eat but has other plans for. Hm ... are you curious? Head over HERE to find out what she's doing.

@waxelene offers us this from the Bhagavad Gita "Be intent on action, not the fruits of action." Isn't that lovely?

Awhile back we did a challenge on volunteering. At that time, I shared how Marcy got the help of a few friends to create a garden in her backyard. In this POST she gives us an update and shares what she's planting (her area offers some unique growing challenges so the "usual" crops don't do well). In this ARTICLE she shares some tips and ideas for getting a garden started. She includes a site which will tell people what grows best in their zone.

The Accessory Lady has limited space but she's going to grow something in a window pot. A "little bird" told me that she's growing basil. :-)

Our friend, What A Card, writes a cooking column for a local Patch site (how great is that). She recently wrote an article on herb gardening (you can read it HERE). She includes some great tips for growing herbs, including where to plant them in relation to your kitchen ... which herbs may come back each year without replanting ... and which plants are invasive and are better grown in containers. If that weren't enough ... she also shares a delicious recipe using fresh herbs.

London has started planting. She brings up an interesting point ... in past years she has "over done" her garden and hopes not to repeat that this year. Her comment reminds us not to get over-zealous and plant more than we can handle. Thanks, London ... so nice to "see" you!

The Shopping Charity gave our challenge a mention in three editions this week. WhooHoo! In addition to CTWW, the first PUBLICATION includes articles about fostering dachshunds and a great piece from the Rhode Island Blood Center about a man who has donated blood 600 times. The second EDITION includes a piece about a painting which was created for the Enchanted Visions Project and an "amazing true vampire haunted item" being sold on Ebay. The third EDITION mentioned a couple of your articles ... was it yours?

Marsha is in a new home and is planting a garden. However, she says that the soil is bad so she's going to start composting to enrich it. While this year's garden may not yield as much as she'd like, it'll be a start. In the future, she hopes to install raised beds and, with improved soil, hopes to grow enough veggies to freeze for the winter.

Small Footprints left some comments (who has a name like that?? lol). If one has limited space, consider a vertical garden. It's especially great for veggies that send out runners (beans, peas, cucumbers, etc.). Click HERE for additional information. Better Homes and Gardens recently published free garden plans on their site, including plans for vegetable gardens. It's a great resource for learning what plants grow well together, growing exactly the kinds of veggies you'll use and creating beautiful gardens. You'll find the plans HERE. So what's growing in my garden this year? We're growing lettuce, radishes, Swiss chard, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, beans, peas, okra, edamame (soy beans), cucumbers, dill, basil, parsley, cilantro, onions and sun flowers for the birds. All of this is growing from seed (most of which we gathered and saved from last year) in, and just outside, our small patio ... in containers.

From previous challenges ...

Kim stopped by. She didn't know that there are so many toxins in our homes. Yep ... it's scary, Kim! Nice to "see" you!

Ann wrote this POST which includes a link to our challenges. She shares that some friends of hers, a husband and wife, have recently learned that they have cancer and Ann wonders if their cancer might be caused by toxins in the house. That is a sobering thought!

Thanks to everyone who participated this week. As always, you teach and inspire us to live a greener life.

This week we're going to challenge ourselves to do something which may make a few people uncomfortable ... but, accomplishing it will have a huge impact. Are you ready?

Many people change their outer clothing daily whether they are dirty or not. Doing laundry often causes extra wear and tear on the material and uses a lot of water and electricity. So this week wear your clothes until they are truly dirty. Yep ... resist the urge to change and wear those duds until they are visibly dirty or they smell.

So what do you think? Can you do it?

Until next time ...

WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!

Change The World Wednesday

Welcome! If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a complete list of all the activities we've taken on so far.

Last week we challenged ourselves to remove toxins from the air inside our homes. We tend to think that our homes are safe ... and while they should be, there are often hidden dangers. For example, clothing which has been dry-cleaned carries harmful chemicals into a home and releases them into the air we breathe. Air fresheners also release chemicals ... as do plastic shower curtains, most commercial kitchen & bath cleansers, hair sprays, and carpet cleaning sprays (to name just a few). In most cases, the fix is easy ... simply don't use these items. Sometimes the fix isn't so easy ... cigarette smoke is a toxic and dangerous substance, both to the smoker and those breathing in second hand smoke. While I encourage smokers to quit, I also understand that it's easier said than done ... so, at a bare minimum, smoke outside and away from the house.

Let's see how our Honor Society did with this challenge. First up, some great articles:

Did you know that beauty products could contaminate the air you breathe? How about decorating your home? Mrs. Green talks about these and other indoor air pollutants in this POST.

Our friend, Argentum Vulgaris, honestly admits that he is a heavy smoker and has no plans to quit. In this ARTICLE, he shares his thoughts about smoking (and his "green" choices in tobacco products) and talks about how he plans to meet the second part of the challenge.

Here's a riddle ... they are fashionable and stylish ... they are functional and protective. Most everyone has them ... Imelda had 2700. But if you want clean indoor air, leave them at the door. What are we talking about? Alicia will tell you in this POST.

Our friend Kris is back ... so nice to "see" you! In this ARTICLE she talks about the ways she's improving indoor air quality ... one method involves candles. Curious? Go read her post!

Cinella has also returned to us ... great to "see" you, Cinella! She wrote this POST about airing out her house and letting in the fresh air. Cinella uses an Eco-friendly product to steam clean her floors ... and freshen up her laundry. Hm ... can you guess what it is? I'll never tell ... but she will. Head on over to read her post.

Kristina wrote 10 Simple Ways to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality. In it, she shares some great tips ... my favorite is #2 under the heading "Remove What is Already Here". What's your favorite?

We also had a wonderful comment:

The Accessory Lady took this challenge and accomplished some spring cleaning. In the process, she gathered up some old clothing and donated them to a brilliant New York City program called Wearable Collections - Clothing Recycling. So, not only did she improve the air in her home, she reduced clothing waste. If you are in NYC, be sure to check out this fabulous program.

From previous challenges we have the following:

Nicole B. gave us an update on her son's cub scout clean-up hike. They collected two garbage bags full of trash and the kids had fun doing it. In fact, she shares that she doesn't think they realized they were "working". Nicole also shares that the people in her area take great pride in their surroundings and every year, when the snow melts, they get together to clean up. What a great program!

Nicki Woo updated us on the clean-up walk she took with her kids. She says that it went great and that they plan to make it a weekly event. Yay!

Our #CTWW Gang is growing! The following people tweeted about our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're on twitter, check them out ... they are great folks to follow:

@gogreenbeans
@skipbang
@waxelene
@accessorygal
@peopletowels
@whopaysthepiper
@givetreegifts
@envirobooty
@dpixel
@coffeecontessa
@groovygreenlivi
@waylandcook
@noteasy2begreen
@smallbits
@cjrthemommyblog
@quashme
@littlegreenblog
@rewinn

Thanks to everyone who participated this week. I have tweeted, stumbled and facebooked your articles. And remember, if you have an idea for a challenge or a "green" area of concern, send it to us HERE and we'll tackle it!

We've done several challenges about planting things ... we've done fall planting, spring planting and even winter planting. So, let's share some information! Here's your challenge:

This week, please share information on planting an edible garden. Tell us what you grow and share any tips you've learned. We'd like to know if you use containers, raised beds, etc. and how you grow successfully without chemicals. Tell us what has worked and what hasn't.

Or ...

If you grow food but not in an Eco-friendly way, please make at least one "green" change. For example, switch to organic fertilizers. Investigate which plants repel bugs and insects and use them instead of pesticides. Find out which plants, in your area, require the least amount of water ... or investigate ways to water efficiently. And, of course, we want to know all about it so ... write a post.

Or ...

If you don't grow food, please do so. Try a container of herbs or plant some onions. Swiss Chard and Kale are nutritious powerhouses and make a lovely addition to gardens. Even if you don't have much space, try growing one thing. And yep ... we want to hear all about your adventure as well.

Are you up for this challenge? I know that you are!

Until next time ...

WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!

Vegan Recipes: Crispy Tofu Nuggets & Rainbow Deli Macaroni Salad

I love the first Friday of each month ... that's the day we discover a new recipe ... not just any recipe but one which is delicious and Eco-friendly. Eco-friendly?? Yep! The fact is that it takes less natural resources to produce one pound of plant-based food as opposed to meat-based food. Who knew that good food could also be good for the planet!

In February I introduced you to my bloggy friend, Tiffany, of Live. Learn. Love. Eat. She thrilled us with Italian Rice and Black Bean Stuffed Peppers. Today she is graciously sharing two more recipes with us. I can't wait to try them!

Crispy Tofu Nuggets

• 1 lb firm tofu
• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
• 3 tablespoons Dijon
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons dehydrated onion flakes
• 2 teaspoons sage
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F. Cut the tofu width-wise into 1/4 inch slices and then cut each slice in half to make little nuggets. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, Dijon and nutritional yeast. In another small bowl, place the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, dehydrated onion flakes, sage, salt and pepper. Dip each nugget into the milk/Dijon mixture and then coat in the breadcrumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden and crispy.

Rainbow Deli Macaroni Salad

Dressing:

• 3/4 cup vegan mayo
  
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

For The Salad:

• 1 package (3 cups) whole wheat macaroni
• 1 cup broccoli, cut into small florets
• 2 carrots, peeled and grated
• 1 bell pepper, diced (I used 1/2 red and 1/2 yellow)

Directions

Boil the macaroni as directed. While the macaroni is boiling, prepare the dressing by whisking all the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl. Then cut up the broccoli, dice the pepper and peel and grate the carrots. Add the vegetables to the dressing. Drain the macaroni and run under cold water to cool, then add to the large bowl with the dressing and vegetables. Stir and eat as is or refrigerate for later.

For more fabulous recipes, please visit Tiffany at Live. Learn. Love. Eat. And take a look at all of the recipes we've shared on Reduce Footprints using the tab at the top of the page or by clicking HERE.

Guten Appetit! Bon appétit!
Buon appetito! いただきます
Bom apetite! ¡Buen provecho!

ENJOY!

Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)

Welcome! If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a complete list of all the activities we've taken on so far.

Last week we challenged ourselves to volunteer ... to look outside of our own environments, take action and make the world a better place. The beauty of this challenge is that volunteering can take many forms ... it might be a huge commitment of time and money or it might be a small action like picking up litter while walking. It's all about looking beyond our own lives, seeing what needs to be done and doing it. Simple! Let's see how our Honor Society tackled this activity:

When the snow melted, Kristina saw something. Can you guess what it was? In this POST, she'll tell you what she discovered and how one hour of volunteering made a difference. Nicely done, Kristina!!

Often, volunteering is more effective if done by a community. In this ARTICLE, Jennifer shows us how an action she initiated was picked up by others resulting in a life-saving outcome. Her experience also teaches us that opportunities come in all shapes ... sometimes they are organized events ... sometimes they are spur-of-the-moment needs that seem to appear out of nowhere (or in this case ... the Internet).

Ngarimu, his maiden (aka our very own Ann) and his band of Merry Men are appearing at festivals throughout Auckland. Their message? Zero Waste! Ann shares pictures of Ngarimu HERE and talks about their efforts. Great job, Ann!!

This POST, while not written specifically for our challenge, shows another way in which we can volunteer. We can post public service announcements (PSAs). Thanks to Petunia Green Beans for caring enough to show us the harsh truth!

While EcoGrrl took a break this week and didn't accept the challenge, volunteering is part of her life. She recently organized Earth Week activities for her office and she worked the city Repair Earth Day Fair in Portland for master recyclers. Way to go, EcoGrrl (you deserve that "evil" pizza).

Brian volunteers his time with his son's Cub Scout Troop. Recently, they saw a need near a local landfill. An elevated piece of property was left washed out and barren by storms. So, with permission from the landfill people, Brian contacted the Arbor Foundation, received trees and the Cub Scouts planted them. Their hope is that the trees will stabilize the soil, provide shade & beauty, and serve as a home to wildlife. The kids earned credit towards a world conservation badge. Great job, Brian! And congrats to the entire troop!

Mrs. Green decided to take a break this week. But, as you'll see a bit further in this post, she was busy finishing up articles in support of our 45-day carbon fast. While she may not have been out and about volunteering, she works tirelessly to share the green word.

Nicki Woo accepted the challenge. She planned to take a walk with her girls and pick up litter as they go. As she said, "What a wonderful way to teach them to take care of their world". I totally agree! So, Ms. Woo ... how did the walk go?

Nicole B. lives in Alaska (think beautiful, pristine nature). She joined her son's Cub Scout Den for a hike where they cleaned the trail as they walked. What fun! How did they do, Nicole? Did they find much trash?

Alicia stopped in and says that our challenges inspire her to do more. Thank you, Alicia ... what a kind thing to say!

Congratulations to Jessica for winning the Versatile Blogger Award ... and thanks, so much, for honoring Reduce Footprints.

The following posts were written in support of past challenges:

Scenic Sunday/Save the World: Recycling Plastic
How To Stop Junk Mail in the UK
Week 10 - 2011 in 2011
Could you use cold water for laundry?
Is it possible to have "ethical" electricity?
Decluttering without Landfill
Why I say "Ban the CFL"

Our #CTWW Gang was out in force, this week, talking about our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. Are you on twitter? If so, be sure to follow these folks:

@waylandcook
@smallbits
@jnjgogreen
@accessorygal
@peopletowels
@coffeecontessa
@givetreegifts
@skipbang
@gogreenbeans
@rewinn
@cjrthemommyblog

Thanks to everyone who participated this week. I have tweeted, stumbled and facebooked your articles.

Ready for more?

For this week's challenge, we're going to tackle indoor air pollution and toxins. It's going to be seriously hard for some (it is a challenge after all) and a "breeze" for others. Here we go:

This week, stop smoking for at least one day (forever would be better) ... yep, 24 hours ... no smoking! It's hard but I know you can do it!

Or ...

If you are not a smoker, remove toxins in your home by cleaning (yep, dust is a toxin), opening windows (fresh air, sunshine and a rainy day actually help clean indoor air), adding a plant to your environment, etc.

Or ...

If you don't smoke and have already taken the above actions, please let us know about any other actions we can take to purify the air in our homes.

By the way, if you have a challenge idea or would like us to tackle a specific issue, please write to me HERE.

Until next time ...

WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!