Comments of Note

Before we get started with today's post, I have great news. A site called Empty Easel has picked up one of our articles and ... published it. It was originally submitted to us by a guest author, who wishes to remain anonymous, and Empty Easel thought it was worth sharing with their readers. If you'd like to see the article ... click HERE. OK ... on to today's topic:


This is the last Friday of the month ... in a new year ... with positive changes and hope in the air. While some might view change as a bad thing ... I, personally, embrace it. Change keeps everything fresh and exciting. It forces us to view life from a different angle and that's when we discover all kinds of wonderful things.

So ... I decided to make a small change to the monthly feature where I publish all the comments received. Starting today, I'm going to "pick and choose" comments that add information ... things that teach us more about living greener lives. I will, of course, continue to read every single comment and publish them with the articles they are attached to but ... for this monthly feature, which has grown and grown ... and become a very long post, I'll be selective.

So ... that being said ... here are the comments from the last month which I've deemed "Comments of Note". I hope you enjoy them!

molly said...

Johns research was wonderful, I too am horrified at what chemicals go onto our skin & hair, perhaps more would consider growing the soapwort plant? I have 3 plants, mixed with organic oatmeal they make wonderful soaps, solo they make great kitchen liquid, shampoo and laundry liquid. I would never go back to the days of soap etc after making my own. (Author's note ... to read more about the soapwort plant, click HERE).

Recipes are on my blog under the soap label if you are interested.

cheers

January 4, 2009 8:14 AM

The Accessory Lady said...

Marcal is one my favorite Green companies because all their paper products are made from paper not from trees. 100% recycled. It's also affordable. I buy my toilet paper, paper towels and napkins from them. (Author's note ... read about Marcal HERE).

January 10, 2009 9:33 AM

Cesia said...

Very interesting.

I wanted to comment on what you said about squash not growing upwards ... let me disclaimer this that I don't have a garden, and am in no way an expert here. But this summer I was reading a book called Square Foot Gardening, and they basically assert you can grow anything "vine-y" vertical. If I remember right, this included squash. I mean, squash usually takes up LOTS of horizontal space, and that's not really possible in the teeny tiny square foot garden - thus the vertical-ness. So, um, it might be something you could look into.

:)
- Cesia.

January 16, 2009 12:51 PM

Lesley said...

Roses and Sunflowers...... what an irrestistable combination! I must try that myself. :)

Another crop that makes a good screen is Jerusalem Artichokes and they look attractive too.

January 16, 2009 4:45 PM

Joanne said...

You might try a row of Jet Star tomatoes near a window. Mine grow like a jungle. Just add a little fertilizer and let nature do its work! You'll have a beautiful, and delicious, wall.

January 16, 2009 7:37 PM

E. Michelle said...

Hi there I've been reading the same book as Cesia, and I was going to say the same thing, that you can grow squash vertical. Something fun you might want to grow is this special squash, I forget the name, but when they are mature you harvest them and they are loofah sponges. I've grown them before here in TX and it makes a cool little loofah for your bath/shower. (Author's note ... read about loofah plants HERE).

January 16, 2009 7:57 PM

Ron said...

Hi Footprints, your post reminded me of a segment I shot for Discovery Channel earlier this year about a sustainable house that was built from the ground up. It was in Minneapolis MN. The company was called Live Green Live Smart, I think. And they grew something very similar in their 100% self sustaining home. It was amazing. Would love to see some pictures of your project. (Author's note ... you can read more about Live Green Live Smart HERE).

-Ron

January 17, 2009 4:32 PM

yolanda said...

these are great tips! thanks sf. baking soda can also be used to remove smells from fridges - my mum keeps an eggcup of baking soda in the fridge at home and it absorbs everything!

peace,

yola

January 21, 2009 2:51 PM

Vivienne said...

great tips as always.
Here's another one - putting half a fresh slice of lemon in the fridge will get rid of odors and washing out the garbage can with 1 part water and 1 part vinegar will get rid of odours AND works antibacterial! :)

January 22, 2009 6:17 AM

Nana Net said...

Excellent tips as always! thanks for sharing them. I remember my Mom always telling me to get rid of really strong, nasty odors to open a jar of vinegar and let it just sit open in a room. Well believe me it does work! Is something I still do to this day.

Plus I do love to burn candles. Though I do know some of them do have stronger scents then others. My favorites are by Yankee Candle. (Author's note ... Yankee Candle does have a line of Eco-friendly soy candles. Click HERE to learn more).

Well enjoy the day and will be back to check out more helpful hints from you! Bye.

Nana Net

January 22, 2009 8:54 AM

Thank you to all of these commentators, as well as to everyone who left comments this month. So ... what do you think? Do you like the new format? Let me know by registering your vote on the poll which can be found in the side bar.

As always ... I would love to hear from you!!

15 "Green" Tips, Hints and Interesting Facts

Here are some miscellaneous "green" tips, hints and interesting facts:

1. According to the The Auto Channel, 147 million gallons of gas, each year, vaporize into the air due to loose, damaged or missing gas caps. Keep your fuel in the tank by making sure you screw the cap on tight.

2. It's time to get out those cosmetics and personal care products such as deodorants, shampoos, toothpastes and mouthwashes and check the labels. 1,4-Dioxane is a known eye and respiratory tract irritant. It is suspected of causing damage to the central nervous system, liver and kidneys. The State of California, under proposition 65, listed 1,4-Dioxane as a chemical known to cause cancer on January 1, 1988. Like many solvents, it forms contamination plumes in groundwater when released to the environment. Groundwater supplies have been adversely impacted in several areas. But you won't find 1,4-Dioxane on the label ... instead look for names that include: myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth (and any other "eth"), PEG, polyethylene, polyoxyethylene or oxynol.

3. Here's another good reason to look for products made out of recycled materials. According to the executive director of the Zero Waste Alliance, recycling aluminum uses 95% less energy than producing it from scratch. Recycling glass uses 31% less; newsprint, 45%; steel, 61%; and plastics, 57-71%.

4. Thinking of a new TV? Those with the Energy Star label are up to 30% more energy efficient than others.

5. Do you use flea collars on your pets? According to Pets for the Environment, they are a "source of constant toxic exposure for your pet and family. Instead, vacuum often and thoroughly, bathe your pet regularly, and ask your vet or local pet store about safer flea treatments and repellents." For more great Eco-friendly pet care tips, click HERE.

6. Pat yourselves on the back. Accordingly to a 16-month survey conducted in 2007 by the research firm Mintel, 36% of adults regularly buy green products. That's an improvement of 12% over previous studies.

7. Want to persuade your boss and co-workers to green up the office? Check out Ideal Bite's Top 10 Easiest Ways to Green your Office. They have a great list which can be printed out (on recycled paper, of course) and posted for all to see ... and hopefully act on.

8. Here's a great idea ... help our bird friends stay warm all winter. Instead of tossing out dryer lint, put it in your yard. Birds will collect it and use it to cozy up their nests.

9. Want to have a little fun? Host a green-cleaning party. Women's Voices for the Earth conceived the idea ... basically, people get together with glass jars and Eco-friendly ingredients and then ... they mix up everything from laundry detergent to furniture polish ... all environmentally safe. Check out their site womenandenvironment.org for information and party kits (which are for sale) ... or ... click HERE for their favorite recipes and design your own party.

10. Got the sniffles? Instead of using disposable tissues ... use a handkerchief.

11. According to the EPA, Americans toss out 2 million tons of "e-waste" each year. That includes approximately 130,000 computers. Instead of sending them to a landfill, consider these ideas:

• Donate computers and any peripherals to a nonprofit organization. Many will refurbish them for disadvantaged or disabled people.
• Check with stores like Staples for recycling programs ... some offer credit towards another purchase.
• Check with manufacturers ... some, like Dell and Apple, recycle their own brands for free. Others will take any brand when one of their own is purchased.
• Another idea ... turn them in to a local Computer Recycling shop where usable components will be turned into new products.

12. Each year, the average American throws away 68 pounds of clothing (from Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association). Think reduce, reuse and recycle instead.

13. Replace one outside incandescent light ... yearly CO2 savings: 210 pounds. Lower your water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit ... yearly CO2 savings: 214 pounds. Wash clothes in cold water ... yearly CO2 savings: 327 pounds. Source: Rocky Mountain Institute.

14. Interested in watching a short "green film"? Click HERE to watch dozens of them ... for free.

15. Here's a unique recycling idea ... put your used green tea bags in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Use them as cleansing pads in the morning. The bag helps exfoliate skin gently and tea has anti-inflammatory properties which will help to reduce puffy skin on the face.

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for Mankind…

As I promised you on Friday, today we have a guest author who shares her thoughts with us and offers hope for the health of our planet. Mary from Something About MaryC, has a wonderful blog. On Fridays she shares frugal tips ... they are always easy to do, creative and almost always green. If you've never been to her site, I suggest you stop over ... I'm sure you'll enjoy it! A big THANK YOU to Mary for this post. OK ... here we go:

One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for Mankind…

It was considered unlikely that a man could walk on the moon in 1959, the year I was born. By the summer of 1969, the USA had three men on the moon. What does this have to do with a Small Footprints Blog? In 1959, walking on the moon couldn't be done. Ten years later, it happened. I’m thinkin’ that cleaning up our planet could work the same way.

Today, in good old 2009, it seems a daunting task to reverse all the damage done over decades of disregard for the impact on our planet. It might even seem so large an endeavor that you say, ‘Why bother?’ Why should we work so hard to recycle when our neighbors aren’t recycling? Why should we drive less when there are thousands of other people still driving everywhere? Why bother composting when you can buy perfectly good compost at Home Depot? Why bother, I am just one person and one person isn’t going to change the world.

Wrong.

If you don’t believe me, just look back in time. One person can make a great deal of difference. Christopher Columbus, Abe Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Neil Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, and now, President Barack Obama, just to name a few. (Don’t hate me because I can’t get past American History.)

What would happen if one person recycled ONE water bottle every day? The obvious result is 365 water bottles per year that wouldn’t make it to a landfill. In ten years, that would be 3650 water bottles that didn’t make it to a landfill. That’s pretty good.

But MaryC, you ask, what’s in this for Me? Some of you must have seen the “It’s all about ME” bumper sticker on my car, huh? Well, let’s examine the ME Factor to this equation.

What if you purchased a $20 stainless steel water bottle? You fill it with fresh water from the tap (filtered if you must) and didn’t recycle a single water bottle? Watch what happens:

You save $345 the first year if your paid $20 for the stainless bottle and you average $1 per bottle of water. In ten years you saved $3630. Could you use $3630? Hmmm, I ‘m thinkin’ yes.

If you are a family of four, and you recycle a water bottle each day for each family member, that’s 1460 bottles in one year and 14,600 in ten years that didn’t make it to a landfill.

If you purchase a $20 stainless steel water bottle for each family member, it gets better. You save $14,520 in ten years. You aren’t sending water bottles to the landfill which reduces the space needed for waste. There is no energy or resources used to make the plastic for the water bottle. The demand for plastic bottled water is reduced. The energy to recycle the water bottle is not used. And the energy used by you to save the earth is ZERO. You did nothing beyond getting a reusable water bottle and yet, look at how much it mattered to the earth AND your bottom line. Are you feelin’ me here?

I think we all sometimes get overwhelmed by the all or nothing mantra of some environmentalists. There are so many things and so much information that it gets confusing. Some changes are hard or inconvenient. Sometimes the world at large makes us feel guilty because we aren’t ‘green’ enough.

I am going to go out on a limb here and tell you this:

“Don’t should on yourself.”

Instead, do one thing. I know one thing seems like nothing but re-read the beginning of this post. See? One thing IS something. After you get comfy with one thing, give another thing a try. Keep picking one thing at a time until you are greener than Ed Begley, Jr.

Saving the planet doesn’t mean cleaning the whole thing in one day. It didn’t take one day to get here and it won’t take one day to go back. But one day is a beginning, a very fine place to start.

Here are a few ideas with the ME Factor included to help you get motivated:

• Plant a square foot or container garden (save on your grocery bill)

• Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones (buy fewer paper products)

• Buy or make your own environmentally friendly cleaners (makes breathing easier and cleaner water)

• Walk places when you can (save on gas and car maintenance – added bonus of fat burning)

• Use reusable containers for lunches (no more plastic bags to buy)

• Try eating Vegan once or twice a week (veggies are cheaper than meat – bonus of fewer calories)

• Dry a load of laundry on a clothesline each week (save on gas or electricity)

• Cook in a crock pot or microwave. (use less power so save on utilities)

• Turn down the thermostat and wear a sweater (save on gas for money to buy cozy sweaters)

• Fix broken items instead of replacing them (save money by not replacing things unless necessary)

• Borrow instead of buy tools (save money and storage space)

• Use the Library instead of purchasing books (if you love reading, this savings alone could pay for college)

• Bike to work when weather permits (save gas and wear & tear on your auto – bonus fat burner)

• Shower with a friend (I had to see if you were paying attention)

Happy greening.

Blessings,

Mary

Another big THANK YOU to Mary for this wonderful article. And as always ... I'd love to hear from you!