Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) - Grey Water

Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)!

Wondering how to live greener? You've come to the right place. Each week we challenge ourselves to try a new task ... or "amp up" something we're already doing. We raise our awareness, learn from each other and develop Eco-friendly skills which will improve our lives and protect our planet. Doing so together gives us power ... the power to Change The World!

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

This post contains great information and I encourage you to read through it at your leisure ... however, if you are short on time, you might find the following quick links helpful:

• The #CTWW Gang
• The Honor Society
• This Week's Challenge

Last week we got creative and upcycled items which typically would be tossed out. As I went through the week, I realized several benefits to the challenge. The most obvious was that "stuff" was reused and kept out of the landfill. Not so obvious was the benefit of saving money. Often, reusing meant that I didn't have to go out and buy something else. A total win-win! I also liked the thought process ... thinking creatively instead of just automatically tossing things out.

The Honor Society are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments.

From our previous challenge on growing food, Lisa wrote Harvesting and planting more. I learned so much in that post. For example, did you know that there are many perennial varieties of vegetables? As one person put it ... plant it and forget it. That's my kind of gardening!

Ann stopped by and shared this: "I learn to quilt from my grandma. I remember she got my mum to go to the tailoring shops to get scraps, when she saw the pants scrap were black and grey, only then she bought some colour ends of fabric from the fabric shop. I am the only grand daughter who learn to sew a quilt because I helped her. Will show you my queen sized quilt another time. Lots of memories." She also shared an interesting gas-saving idea. You can see it HERE.

Clare accepted the challenge and said, "I re-use those plastic tubs (yoghurt, ice cream) and toilet roll centres / cores for planting seedlings or seeds. The plastic can be re-used many times, the cardboard degrades naturally into the soil. There are 4 rather unusual ways of re-using things here: http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/4-things-not-re-using.
And sometimes I build up a collection of odds-and-ends which I then use to barter with friends for something I can use (How to Barter for Fun and Profit) - it's so true that one's rubbish is another one's treasure. I'm really enjoying the tips in the other comments - wonderful ideas which I will also implement - thanks everyone!"

This edition of the Hottest Writers on the Web gave CTWW a nice mention. I also found an interesting article entitled "The World’s Tiniest Washing Machine Will Fit Into Your Pocket". Check it out!

Mary joined us. Here are her comments: "I think cardboard boxes and documents that you no longer need are very handy when it comes to organizing your desk. A small cardboard box can hold office supplies and be placed on the corner of a desk. Extra paper is invaluable if you notice that you are constantly ripping out blank pages from a notebook to write a reminder, for instance."

Alicia accepted the challenge and shared this: "What a fun challenge! A few months ago I started taking the jars that we get our pickles in and taking the Trader Joes label off cleaning them and then putting things like our flax meal, rice, coconut and chocolate chips in them. I made labels for each of them. The jars keep everything airtight and it has helped me be more organized. My husband has given up drinking coffee but I use to buy the large plastic containers of coffee for him. I use them to put the smaller type of toys that our grandsons play with in them. The top pops right on and keeps all of those toys together. I had some curtains that I was going to give to Goodwill but instead I made several reusable grocery bags from them.My husband had some wooden boxes out in the shop that he was wanting to get rid of. I brought them inside and made a cute planter box from one of them and used the others for organizing our cloth napkins and one for holding and keeping up with office papers. I am excited to hear what everyone else has come up with."

EcoGrrl joined us and said this: "While I prefer to recycle rather than keep too much stuff around, I do keep little glass jars (think mustard and similar sizes) for the garage to organize screws, nails, etc. I thought I was so innovative at one point for doing this then realized my grandpa had the same thing in his garage where the lids were actually nailed to an overhang to keep the counters clear. Some similar ideas are here: http://www.familyhandyman.com/workshop/storage/hardware-storage-diy-tips-and-hints/view-all. I also like to reuse glass jars for the bulk aisle - peanut butter, nuts and other snacks, etc., that I don't need to use my huge canisters for. (Side note - I try to not buy anything in plastic packaging and don't like to reuse it so what I do get all gets recycled - Portland has reopened recycling rigid plastics so all the lids and prescription bottles once again can go to Far West Fibers, yay!) PS -thanks for the shout out on our wedding !! :) " She also gave CTWW a nice mention in EcoGrrl-icious. That post contains some great upcycle ideas and links.

Argentum Vulgaris came up with some very creative uses for "stuff". My favorite is the brick which became a knife/utensil holder. Read Change the World Wednesday – 11th Jun for more excellent ideas.

I knew that Lois would offer us all kinds of fabulous reuse ideas ... and she did. In Change the World Wednesday: It’s time to Reuse she presents ways to reuse old coffee containers, sheets, and even tires. Check out her post and be inspired!

Our Twitter friends joined the conversation and shared the following:

From @GreenQueenofMod
- Transform rusty, old tomato cages into artsy plant supports: http://t.co/c85tc6vQ43 Â #repurpose #DIY http://t.co/BNn5ysZMdx
- Don't toss that old sheet make a cotton nightgown! http://t.co/fHa9Vkad6V Â #repurpose #upcycle http://t.co/AxBuySiPcW
- REUSE old license plates. We made a screen for our wood shed! #repurpose #upcycle http://t.co/PTZAbIZaWa

From @cannyhighlander
- Thx for including~glad to say I regularly re-use/re-purpose items :))~

From @FreshGriller
- Reusing wine corks to make a cork board is a great way to reduce waste. What's your favorite thing to reuse? #CTWW

From @HerbGir1972
- Video: Reuse plastic bottles #CTWW http://t.co/YTioS0xebs

From @GiveTreeGifts
- Give Your Screen Another Go | 10 Uses for Window Screens  http://t.co/lw9vqudFZP #CTWW
- Edible Gardening in Small Spaces: Repurposed gutters make the perfect hanging vegetable patch: http://t.co/jyyKh0BDlG #CTWW
- How to Make Rag Rugs  Tutorial How to Make a Beautiful Braided Rug http://t.co/ZY4YtXURzy #CTWW
- Pallet Gardening 101: Creating a Pallet Garden http://t.co/vez5rcBau6 #CTWW

The #CTWW Gang are those folks who tweet our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I recommend following them ... they share great things. Let's meet them:

@12tmimi	@a_kiasi	@acuriousgal1
@allnaturalkatie	@almosttruth	@andreaptak
@angleawojtczak	@anne_brennan	@aqua8co
@aureli651	@beatepdx	@becks543
@bigbadflower	@biggreenpen	@bstoneblog
@cannyhighlander	@compingcrazzy	@cookingnook
@counselorholley	@crazykids6	@deancmoore
@dehelen	@dieselelephants	@dmilly1234
@drylandgardens	@dshojinakamoto	@ecocountrytable
@ecoexpert1	@ecofriendlyfurn	@ecothrifty
@erbaviva	@estefaniacrespo	@etsyrecyclersgt
@factorydpromos	@flapi777	@floralplantgrow
@foodretro	@freshgriller	@gensgarden
@giftmeapp	@ginavalley	@gioassassin
@givetreegifts	@grailville	@grandantique
@green_vibes	@greenqueenofmod	@greensoil
@groovygreenlivi	@hashtracking	@healthyvoyager
@herbgir1972	@hismerecry	@hobbyberries
@imgreenareyou	@isf_fl	@jadekerrion
@janmoran	@jnaquins	@johannamhaack
@jumblets	@justanotherhat	@kaitlingarder
@kayelleallen	@kiser_krafts	@kriswetherbee
@krmbalclothing	@laalicia	@ladyjcmuses
@legsetobicoke	@leslieveg	@linxcoach
@lissarabinowitz	@lovecanal2020	@marbaird
@marikokoloco	@marjoriemcatee	@memoahmad14
@mimibarbour	@momfindsout	@momgamerwriter
@mostelegantlady	@nicmanuel	@nmannas
@nonhomogenized	@officialcwerner	@paige989
@pamela_o_plays	@pberk	@petsadoption738
@pisaticreations	@rckweddings	@realityarts
@repurposeideas	@revolutionyfarm	@roundtreeland
@rulesofgreen	@s_possibilities	@sensuouspromos
@sfcouncil	@shannongrissom	@skipwillits
@socialavenues	@soniatbrock	@spafloating
@sproasan	@star_shine22	@superbsolutions
@tammycurry	@terraccordpdx	@theodoranaso
@theworld4realz	@thispeg	@treesgroup
@twicecreations	@vanbordelon	@vegtoday
@violetsbuds	@wencdj	@whopaysthepiper
@whywelovegreen	@wikihow	@women4earth
@yuzuha8100

Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I Stumbled, Tweeted, Facebooked and posted it on Google +. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share features located below this post.

This Week's Challenge:

A standard size bathtub
(5 feet long x 30 inches wide)
will hold approximately
50 gallons of water

Our bloggy friend, Andrea (aka @GreenQueenofMod), suggested that we take on water conservation this week. Specifically, grey water (relatively clean water from sinks, baths, washing machines, etc.).

Did you know that if you leave tap water running, more than 2 gallons of water per minute goes down the drain?

Here's another interesting statistic ... on average, washing your hands uses between 1-5 gallons of water. Wow!

Doesn't this sound like a great opportunity to conserve?

Here's your challenge ...

This week, find creative ways to use grey water. For example, Agnes, a true "greenie" and CTWW participant, uses bath water to flush the toilet. Some people take shower water and use it to feed their plants. My grandmother (way ahead of her time) diverted rinse water from her washing machine to a tub. Then, the water was sucked back into the machine for the next load's wash cycle. The idea, this week, is to prevent as much water as possible from going down the drain.

Are you ready to put grey water to use? I know that you are!


Until next time ...

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

Beautiful Landscaping - The Eco-Friendly Way

The other day, while walking along the river, I came to an area where Daffodils were blooming. They were beautiful! On the ground around them, Dandelions were also blooming. The affect was stunning ... masses of bright yellow Daffodils above a carpet of bright yellow Dandelions.















A little later on my walk, I came upon lovely blue, purple and white flowers ... growing wild. The plants were healthy and thriving.

Returning to our apartment complex, landscapers were out in force ... spraying chemicals on the lawn, riding gas powered mowers, cutting down trees and creating the perfectly manicured lawn. I thought ... what's wrong with this picture? We destroy beautiful plants (weeds) which grow without any care or maintenance and replace them with inefficient landscapes which require watering, fertilizing and a lot of care. Seems backwards, doesn't it?

Beautiful lawns and exotic plants are lovely but they aren't environmentally efficient. Here are a few reasons why:

• Lawns are only able to absorb about 1/10 rainfall ... the rest is runoff.
• The shallow root systems of grass are not able to stabilize the soil resulting in erosion.
• Pesticide use, to keep those lawns green and perfect, kills beneficial insects and birds.
• Some exotic, non-native plants invade an area, killing native vegetation (think Kudzo and Japanese Barberry).
• Lawns and exotic plants require up to 60% more water than native plants and typically don't survive droughts.

So, does that mean we can't have lovely, efficient yards? Not at all! Here are a few ideas:



Choose native plants for your landscaping. They are hardier than exotic plants and will require less water, fertilizer and care.

Consider deciduous trees. They not only offer shade and beauty to a yard, they can also offer shade to your home. That, in turn, will cut down on cooling costs in the summer. In the fall, when they loose their leaves, the barren branches will offer variety and interest to the yard as well as allow sunlight to heat your home.

Rather than planting a lawn, consider installing a woodland or use wild flowers to create a lovely meadow effect.







With a little thought and planning, our yards can be beautiful and "Green".

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

17 Quick Tips and Interesting Facts About Water ...

I've been thinking about water and thought I'd just share some of the things I've come across recently. Here you go:

1. One percent (1%) of the earth’s water is suitable for drinking.
   
   
2. Approximately one billion people do not have access to clean drinking water.
   
   
3. Nothing beats a nice, cold glass of water. Instead of letting the tap run until the cold water comes through ... keep a container in the refrigerator. You'll save approximately 2 gallons (per glass).
   
   
4. There are approximately one million miles of pipeline and aqueducts in the United States and Canada ... enough to circle the earth 40 times.
   
   
5. Headaches are often caused by dehydration so try drinking a glass of water, before taking an aspirin, for relief.
   
   
6. When taking a shower, put the plug in the tub ... it's a great way to see how much water you are using. By the way ... shorten your shower by a minute or two and you'll save up to 150 gallons per month.
   
   
7. Turn off the water while you wash your hair and soap up.
   
   
8. Water regulates the earth’s temperature. Here's a surprise ... it's a natural insulator.
   
   
9. All known forms of life depend on water.
   
   
10. Rather than defrost food under running water, plan ahead and defrost in the refrigerator (you'll get the added benefit of the frozen food keeping the temperature low in the refrigerator).
    
    
11. Choose native shrubs and plants for your yard ... they typically require less watering.
    
    
12. A person can live over a month without food but only about a week without water.
    
    
13. One person uses over 100 gallons of water a day.
    
    
14. It takes approximately 62,600 gallons of water to produce one ton of steel.
    
    
15. Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.
    
    
16. When you have ice left in your glass, give it to a plant rather than toss it down the drain.
    
    
17. 3.575 million people die each year from water-related diseases (from World Health Organization).

How do you conserve water?

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

Seven Green Tips for the Kitchen

Let's think about our kitchens for a moment. They use a lot of energy ... refrigerators, stoves/ovens, counter-top appliances, etc. They are gathering places, often doubling as a recreation area (think of playing board games at the kitchen table), an office (where kids do homework, adults pay bills and often the location of a computer), and sometimes a comfortable spot to entertain guests. So, what better place to focus our "green" efforts? Here are some ideas to get started:

1. If you use a dishwasher (other than your spouse or kids), run it at off-peak hours ... for example, at midnight. Power plants generate electricity more efficiently during off-peak hours. And here's a bonus ... they usually sell it for less so ... you'll save money as well as energy.
   
   
2. When thawing frozen foods, consider thawing in the refrigerator rather than using a microwave or letting the item sit on a counter. It takes a bit longer but you'll save energy, both by not using an appliance and by using the item to keep the refrigerator contents cool.
   
   
3. Thinking of buying a cutting board? Consider bamboo. Not only is it a sustainable material, it is strong, hard and resists bacteria better than wood.
   
   
4. Rather than use ice to fill a cooler or "shock" vegetables (stop them from cooking after they've been removed from the stove), try using a freezer pack. It's reusable and you'll save water.
   
   
5. Collect rinse water and give it to your plants. Or, leave it in the sink and use it, instead of the faucet, to wash hands.
   
   
6. Want some fried food tonight? Consider stir frying ... since stir fried foods are typically cut into bite-sized pieces and cooked at high temperatures, they cook fast which means they use minimal energy. Here's a bonus ... stir frying uses less oil than traditional deep frying so it's also a healthier alternative.
   
   
7. If the kitchen doubles as a computer room, remember to place the computer and any desktop lamps, etc. on a power strip ... and then, turn them off when not in use.

There are many ways to "green" a kitchen ... these seven ideas are good places to start.

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

A bit of this and that ...

Here are a few quick tips and interesting facts:

• Rather than buy a new vase for your beautiful summer flowers, try using an old glass or bottle.
  
  
• Farmer's markets not only offer local, seasonal and often organic food ... there isn't any packaging involved.
  
  
• On average, we use a plastic bag for 12 minutes ... that same plastic bag persists in a landfill for approximately 1,000 years ~ Body+Soul magazine, September 2009 issue.
  
  
• A push mower emits 0% pollution ... and it's great exercise.
  
  
• Thinking of purchasing a new oven? Opt for an energy efficient convection oven. It uses 20% less energy than conventional ovens.
  
  
• Did you know that wooden chopsticks cost China about 25 million trees a year to make?
  
  
• Use tap water instead of bottled water.
  
  
• Did you know that you could reduce your chemical exposure by approximately 80% by choosing organic produce?
  
  
• The perimeter of a store typically has the healthiest items (for both us and the environment).
  
  
• For grass stains on clothing, use hydrogen peroxide ... the key to this working is speed ... don't let the stain set.
  
  
• Use the appropriate burner on your stove. A 6 inch pot over an 8 inch burner will waste over 40 percent of the heat generated.
  
  
• Send e-greeting cards ... save money, a stamp, paper and the earth.
  
  
• Save trees ... read the daily newspaper online rather than having it delivered.
  
  
• A vacation is a state of mind, not a reservation ... so try a "staycation".
  
  
• And finally, if you're still looking for a natural cleaner for this week's challenge, try this:

Have a great weekend, everyone!

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

Comments of Note

This month's comments were wonderful ... readers offered pertinent thoughts and ideas. In fact, the comments were so good that it was a challenge to keep the list down to ten for publication here. I'd like to say "thank you" to everyone who took the time to write!

Okay ... here we go:


From Let's get started ...

MRoth said...

Hooray! It's such a great idea to shut everything down off a power strip when it's not needed - especially kitchen appliances. Phantom loads can really take a toll on energy consumption...

I try to keep everything in the apartment hooked to a power strip. This makes it especially easy to flip it off during hours of non-use.

Alternatively, in a place like the bathroom where there is only one tiny plug, sometimes it's better NOT to have a power strip...this keeps me from plugging in anything that isn't immediately needed.

Thanks for the amazing blog! You're making green living so accessible!

-Megan

From I can see the light (a recycled article) ...

Dafthermit said...

Hi Sf

just a wee visit to say good morning

as for lights as you know i live on a bus and we use the solar lights most people use to light the garden up with and apart from the odd candle our lighting is free music to an old dafthermit

all the best from the highlands and thanks for popping over to my blogs


Andy & Mel x

From Splish Splash I was taking a bath (a recycled article) ...

Hans said...

Saving water is one of the things I really learned when living in Australia. Taking short showers and having water in the fridge are my favourites. And then of course never pour water down the zink. It can always be used for something - watering a plant for example.

Great blog!

From Mmm ... Mmm ... Good (a recycled article) ...

Yanic said...

Wonderful post! I try to make as much as possible from scratch all the time. It's my slight OCD : The lack of control in what goes into my food gets the better of me.

The great thing about freezing in small quantities is that there is no waste.

One of my favorite ways to use home made stock is when cooking rice. Instead of buying all those artificially flavored rices, you can create your own!

Another great way to make tons of it without breaking the bank is to go to your local farmer's market and buy (for a fraction of the price) veggies that have gotten bruised or wilted. They will gladly sell them for pennies and you have all the stock making materials you need!

Chourou said...

Hi,SF. Your posting this time reminds me of the way of taking broth(bouillon in French) which has been traditional and popular in Japan. It is very simple. All you have to do is that you pick up Konbu, or kelp, a sort of seaweeds, and put it into a pan filled with water and leave it. After a day, you put aside the water of the pan and keep in a bottle or whatever. When you cook miso soup, you can use this liquid as a very good basis. We call this liquid “dashi”.

Anyway, your suggestion this time is wonderful. Thank you for sharing your eco-friendly tips again!

GreenWorks said...

Great post and homemade stock is much better than the bought stuff.

On a similar note vegetables left over from a meal added to stock and blitzed to puree makes a tasty and easy meal for the next evening.

From It's a Balancing Act (a recycled article with new comments) ...

Yanic said...

I completely agree. One of the main reasons why I started my own blog was to inspire to take steps towards a greener life and that every little one of those steps count for something. If everyone would take a few steps, then the world would be a much better place. I think the problem is right now that we are at a cross-roads and the ones that are putting forth the effort feel like they have to make up for the ones that don't. Hopefully, that will soon not be such a reality.

Ways I reduce, reuse and recycle...

Recycle : Everything I possibly can! So that point is mute. Although we did build our first compost bin this year so all our compostables will soon be recycled into yummy fertilizer!

Reduce : Between the recycling and the compost bin, we have recently realized that a box of 36 biodegrable trash bags (21 in. X 26 in.) lasts us over 9 months! That is about 1 bag a week and we could not be more pleased!

Reuse : LOL! They call me the garbage lady at work! I bring all my lunch in reused yogourt containers and Mason jars.

Great tip : Reuse all your glas jars for storage! I keep all my discarded pasta sauce, condiment jars, glass bottles to store my grains, pastas, dried goods, spices, maple si=yrup, honey... They are wonderful because they fit very thightly on a shelf, are transparent and stackable!

Nana Net said...

Guilt comes in some many ways, shape, and so on. Still though I agree we all must do our part to help save this world of ours!
As for me I try to do as much as I can. Mostly by trying to becoming more aware of what I am doing wrong! Some examples that I have tried to help in saving our planet is by recycling.
That I reuse the butter containers that the butter comes in. As well as all other plastic containers that I am able to. Especially after a good washing of them first!
Another way is that I try to do large loads of laundry instead of small loads. That way I only have to do less instead of more. If that makes sense to you all. To me it saves on the amount of laundry detergent I have to use! Plus I hang my clothes out on the clothes line instead of using the clothes dryer. Nothing like fresh air to dry your clothes!
I also wash my dishes by hand and let them air dry too. I really do not like having a dishwasher.
Oh well, another thing that comes to mind is that I love watching HGTV. Now that is where I do get alot of neat ides from on "Going Green" too. Still though your blog helps me by far the most!!!!
Have a blessed day.

From A Quick Tip (a recycled article) ...

Mysticle said...

What a great idea, that I had never thought of before. Stumbled!

In our home, we reuse water bottles and plastic bags. Take our green bags shopping. Always Always Recycle.

I like to reuse the cardboard sleeves from my local coffee shop ... just carry in my purse, no need for a new one every day.

TY, Mysticle

From Vacations ... The Eco Friendly Way ...

Mukund said...

Hey one more thing, carry a disposable bag of some sort in the back of your car to throw what you eat or drink (cans, chips wrappers etc.), just in case there are no dustbins around...
I don't about the world outside but lack of dustbins is a major problem in India...
Great to have you back small... :)

May I offer a suggestion? If you have a bit of time and would like to investigate some new sites, click on one of the people listed above ... not only have they left meaningful comments here, they write brilliant blogs.

As always ... I'd love to hear from you!

Splish Splash I Was Taking A Bath ... (a recycled article)

These days, soaking in a full tub of water is a thing of the past. With most of us living in an area which is suffering from drought, water has become a precious, and expensive, commodity. Recently, the management in our apartment complex notified us that we will soon be paying for the water we use. A friend of mine wrote that her water comes from a well ... and it's been going dry. So water is a hot topic, with everyone looking for ways to reduce usage. Here are a few ideas:

Install aerators with flow restrictors on all your faucets. Make sure that any leaky faucets and/or toilets are fixed.

In the kitchen: run the dishwasher only when there is a full load. In my house, I would run out of dishes before I had a full load so we hand wash them. I’m careful to use minimal water … just enough to wet my sponge and scrub everything down and then, just enough water (at a slow drizzle) to rinse them. We don’t use the garbage disposal … it uses a ton of water. A better option is to compost, if you can, reuse, recycle and then … toss it out.

In the laundry room: do laundry only when there is a full load. Forget about doing small loads. Even if you can adjust the water level … try not to do it. It may not waste a lot of water but it does waste energy. So fill that tub up!

In the bathroom: turn off the water when brushing your teeth and turn it on for rinsing only. Better yet, use a glass of water … it works when we’re camping. When showering, turn the water off between soaping up and rinsing off. I put the plug in the tub before my shower … the accumulated water helps in soaping and scrubbing. I’ve also recently heard that putting a bucket in the shower captures some of the water and then can be used for watering plants. This next one works but … I’ll warn you … it’s a delicate subject and some might find it “gross”. If the only thing in the toilet is urine, don’t flush it every time. Enough said!

Outside: Use a hose with a nozzle to water plants and the lawn … it uses far less than a sprinkler and it’s good for you (reduces stress, gives you a little exercise and you'll commute with nature). If you have an automatic sprinkler system, set it to run at night or early morning and only for a few minutes. Instead of using a hose to wash off your deck, patio or driveway, use a broom … you’ll get some exercise while you save the planet. Try one of the new waterless car wash soaps. If you need to wash it with water, park your car on the lawn so the runoff helps the grass (use eco-friendly soap, of course). If those ideas don’t work and you absolutely have to wash your car with water on the driveway, make sure the hose has a nozzle and turn off the water between washing and rinsing.

Houseplants: use a moisture sensor and only water plants when they really need it.

And here’s one that, if I had a house, I would use: there are inexpensive systems out there that capture rain water. They are basically a garbage can which hooks into your home’s gutter system. It rains, the water runs into the can instead of the ground, and you have water for watering gardens, washing cars, etc. Brilliant, don’t you think? For a "how to" site, click here.

I believe that conserving water is, to a great extent, simply paying attention and thinking before letting the water run down the drain. For more great ideas on conserving water, here are a couple of good web sites:

50 easy ways to save water

25 ways to save water at home

As always, I would love to hear your ideas for reducing, reusing and recycling. Just click on the comments link, located at the bottom of each post, and let me know what you think and how you conserve. Maybe you'll see your ideas in an upcoming post.

Cut Flowers and the Environment ...

For many, beautiful arrangements of fresh cut flowers are a must for a holiday table. Bouquets of unusual flowers make easy gifts ... grab a bundle from most supermarkets or order a bouquet online to be delivered. Whether one needs a hostess gift, something for a special someone or a gift for the "hard to please", cut flowers will accommodate. That's what the $40 billion a year, cut flower industry tells us. What they don't tell us is how bad they are for the environment.

Most cut flowers, approximately 79%, are grown in South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. They are grown in climate controlled greenhouses using pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides ... including DDT and methyl-bromide which are banned in the U.S. These substances have been linked to health problems such as skin conditions, respiratory problems, impaired vision, and birth defects. Many of the people who staff the greenhouses, and who come in contact with the flowers on a daily basis, are now suffering from these problems.

Not only are workers being hurt ... the environment is suffering as well. Methyl-bromide has been linked to the destruction of the ozone layer. DDT usage has caused serious problems for many animal and bird populations. Small amounts of these chemicals are dangerous ... most greenhouses, however, aren't using just a little ... they are using a lot. It contaminates the ground and water, hurting animal and fish populations and it reduces the amount of drinkable water in many communities.

Once the growing stage is complete, the cut flowers are sent all over the world. They travel far distances, and as we've talked about before ... anything that travels a long distance is causing pollution and using a lot of resources to make the trip. An estimated 500 million make their way into the U.S. In order to pass inspection upon entry, they are often sprayed with more toxic chemicals so that no bugs or insects make the trip ... and so that each and every blossom looks it's best. Florists in this country touch these flowers and are reporting skin rashes and breathing problems.

There's still more ... once the flowers get to a florists shop, they are typically arranged using floral foam which helps to hold them in place. This foam is a petroleum bi-product that off gases formaldehyde when soaked in water. It is also non-biodegradable. A leaf shine product is typically used to shine up the greenery ... this is an aerosol product and aerosol products hurt the environment.

What about the flowers produced in the U.S.? Are they better? While they may not use banned chemicals, many farms and greenhouses use a lot of pesticides. These are harmful ... to the earth and all of her inhabitants.

So ... should one forgo cut flowers as a gift? Not necessarily. Look for organic flowers, grown locally if possible. Make a point of asking about that beautiful bouquet ... is it arranged with floral foam ... is it sprayed with anything. And by the way ... many live plants are grown in the same conditions so ... know where your product comes from. Basically, use the same guidelines buying cut flowers and plants as you would buying food.

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

13 (more) Ways to Easily Go Green

Here are 13 more ways to easily reduce our footprints on the earth.

1. USE YOUR CRUISE CONTROL - When using cruise control your vehicle could get up to 15% better mileage. Good for the environment and your wallet.

2. GO TO A CAR WASH - Professional car washes are often more efficient with water consumption. If everyone in the U.S., who washes their car themselves, took just one visit to the car wash we could save nearly 8.7 billion gallons of water.

3. WAIT UNTIL NIGHT - Do not fuel your vehicle or mow your lawn during morning hours ... all those emissions bake in the sun all day causing more ozone.

4. RECYCLE UNWANTED WIRE HANGERS - Wire hangers are generally made of steel, which is often not accepted by curbside recycling programs. Instead of tossing them, take them to the nearest dry cleaners ... they typically accept them back to reuse or recycle (just call them first to be sure they'll take them). If they won't, donate them to thrift stores or homeless shelters.

5. WHEN NOT USING A FIREPLACE, KEEP THE DAMPER CLOSED - Keeping the damper open (when you're not using your fireplace) is like keeping a 48-inch window wide open during the winter. It allows warm air to go right up the chimney. This can add up to hundreds of dollars each winter in energy loss.

6. CHOOSE MATCHES OVER LIGHTERS - Most lighters are made out of plastic and filled with butane fuel, both petroleum products. Since most lighters are considered "disposable," over 1.5 billion end up in landfills each year. When choosing matches, pick cardboard over wood. Wood matches come from trees, whereas most cardboard matches are made from recycled paper.

7. USE COTTON SWABS WITH A PAPERBOARD SPINDLE - Some brands of cotton swabs have a paperboard spindle while others are made of plastic. If 10% of U.S. households switched to a paperboard spindle, the petroleum energy saved per year would be equivalent to over 150,000 gallons of gasoline.

8. DOWNLOAD YOUR SOFTWARE - Most software comes on a compact disc, and more than thirty billion compact discs of all types are sold annually. That's a huge amount of waste, not to mention the associated packaging. Another bonus to downloading your software is that it's often available for download at a later date when you upgrade to a new computer or are attempting to recover from a crash.

9. PAY BILLS ONLINE - By some estimates, if all households in the U.S. paid their bills online and received electronic statements instead of paper, we'd save 18.5 million trees every year, 2.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, and 1.7 billion pounds of solid waste.

10. SKIP THE COFFEE STIRRER - Each year, Americans throw away 138 billion straws and stirrers. To stir without stirrers, simply put your sugar and cream in first, and then pour in the coffee ...it should be well mixed. Determined to stir (and didn't bring your Swiss Army Knife)? Ask the establishment for a spoon (a real one ... not a plastic one).
    

11. SHORTEN YOUR SHOWER - For every 30 seconds you shorten your shower, you'll save up to 4 gallons of water.

12. EAT LOCAL - It takes 17 times more oil to transport non-local food compared to that which is produced nearby.

13. FIND A BETTER WAY TO BREAK THE ICE - When a big winter storm heads our way, most of us use some sort of ice melter to treat steps and sidewalks. While this makes the sidewalks safer, rock salt and salt-based ice-melting products can contaminate wells and drinking water causing health problems. It's also harmful to pets, plants and the environment. Searching for an Eco-friendly alternative, however, is tough because almost everything used to clear away ice is bad for the environment in some way. So ... the message here is moderation ... if you must use an ice-melting product, use as little as possible.
    

Yes ... these 13 tips can be yours for the low, low price of a little time. BUT WAIT ... there's more!! If you act now, we're giving you a bonus ... another easy way to reduce your footprint on the earth:

• Share these easy ways to go green with everyone you know. Together we can make a difference!

As always ... I'd love to hear from you!

Dish Washing Dilemma

Dirty dishes are a fact of life ... well, my life. We eat at home a lot (it's healthier, cheaper and environmentally friendly) and we don't use disposable plates or utensils. That means ... dirty dishes.

I thought that washing dishes by hand was the most Eco-friendly method. However, I've come across quite a few articles which suggest that dishwashers are more environmentally efficient than hand washing. I wrote to the author of one such article and she kindly replied, telling me that even if a dishwasher is half full, it still uses less water and energy than hand washing.

How can this be so? It doesn't make sense to me. When I wash dishes, I use either warm or cold water and never let it run. I use a small amount of water to moisten the sponge ... soap up the dishes ... then rinse using a small stream of water. I've seen others use dish pans ... again using small amounts of water. Further, when I've actually, on a rare occasion, used my dishwasher, I've paid attention to what it's doing and it seems to fill up with water for a long time and then, it swishes and runs ... forever. How can this be the most efficient way to wash dishes?

So I started digging ... reading everything on the subject. Finally ... I figured it out. Here's how dish washing methods stack up, from worst to best:

The least environmentally efficient method is regular hand washing. Regular hand washing refers to letting the hot water run continuously while one scrapes, washes and rinses their dishes. This method uses approximately 27 gallons of water and 2.5 kWh of energy for a standard load of dishes.

Next in line is the older dishwasher. My observation that it seems to fill with a lot of water and run forever is correct. This method uses up to 15 gallons of water and 2-3 kWh of energy.

The second best option is efficient hand-washing. That's the method I use, described above. It uses under 8 gallons of water and approximately 1 kWh of energy.

The best dish washing method is (may I hear a drum roll, please) ... a new, energy star washing machine. It uses 3-5 gallons of water and only 1 kWh of energy.

So, it turns out that everything I've read is correct ... they just forgot to tell me that it's only correct if one has an energy star machine.

As always ... I'd love to hear from you!

Soap

The more that I get into green living ... the more I see that it's about everything. It's about what we do and what we think ... it's about everything we touch and everything that touches us. That's good news because it means that there are all kinds of opportunities for each and every one of us to do something which will benefit the earth. It doesn't matter what one's economic situation is or where one lives ... regardless of which government, religion or lifestyle oversees one's life ... there is something ... big things and little things ...that each one of us can do to reduce our footprint. If we each do one little thing ... they will add up to become big things. And the earth will smile.

With all of that in mind, I started looking around at every little thing I touch. And that brought me to soap ... body soap.

There seems to be an endless variety of body soaps in the world today. There are bars, liquids, gels ... which come in various colors, fragrances and packages ... which contain ingredients professing to condition, soften and remove wrinkles. There are natural products ... there are not so natural products. There are expensive products ... cheap products ... products just for men ... products just for women. The choices seem endless.

While there are many environmental considerations (ingredients to name one), the aspect which I really started thinking about was bar soap versus liquid soap ... and which was kinder to the earth while still being effective. Here's how they stack up:

Both varieties of soap clean as well as kill germs. Liquid soap significantly reduces any exchange of germs between users, which is a plus. However, the risk of transmitting disease from bar soap is pretty remote. Studies have found that bar soap (even when you share it with others) keeps you just as clean as liquid. So, in terms of how well they do the job ... no clear winner.

How about the stuff that goes down the drain? Most mass produced soaps, bars as well as liquids, contain laboratory-generated chemicals and detergents. There are Eco-friendly soaps on the market which don't contribute any toxins to the waste stream and if those are available to you, I recommend them. But if your choice is one of the soaps in most retail stores, which is less toxic to the waste stream? Again ... no clear winner.

What about the stuff that sits on the shower shelf? Bar soap turns slimy or mushy in standing water (and most bar soap holders collect water) ... liquid soap sits nicely in a container and never gets mushy. The degraded bar soap represents a waste. The winner on this issue ... liquid soap.

Now here's one that I've never thought about ... liquid soap typically contains moisturizers which leave a residue that requires extra rinse time to remove (rinse time equals water used). Bar soap, on the other hand, typically does not contain moisturizers so there is less rinse time involved. The winner here ... bar soap.

While we're on the subject of water use, think about this: liquid soap requires a two-handed process of opening the cap to a container, inverting it, squeezing out the right amount of product, closing the cap, and then ... putting the container back on the shelf. Even the pump varieties seem to require two hands. Doesn't seem important ... except ... every minute spent working the dispenser is another 5 gallons of water down the drain. On the subject of water conservation ... the winner is bar soap.

Since liquid soaps come in a dispenser, it's often hard to tell if enough soap has been dispensed to do the job. With bar soap, it’s pretty easy to tell when you’ve got enough suds. Consequently, three 4-ounce bars will outlast a 12-ounce container of liquid. The economic winner ... bar soap.

Let's move on to packaging. Liquid soaps come in fancy bottles ... plastic containers with some kind of dispensing device. Even the bottles of refill soap are plastic. Bar soap typically comes in a paper or cardboard wrapper which is more easily recycled. The packaging winner ... bar soap.

Now ... the verdict? Bar soap is the environmental favorite.

Here are a few tips to maximize it's use:

• Use a wire dish to keep it from degrading in water.
• Worried about germ transmission (even in that rare case) ... give it a rinse before and after use.
• Try using natural, locally produced, environmentally friendly varieties.
  

As always ... I'd love to hear from you!

Powder vs. Liquid

I'm always searching the web for new and unusual ideas on how to live a greener life. Most searches net the same list of tips. They are valuable and worthy of our attention ... but I keep thinking ... is that it? Is that all we can do? I don't think so ... but finding those little jewels of knowledge is like trying to find that proverbial pin in a haystack.

Persistence, however, pays ... and that brings us to today's post.


I've never given laundry detergent much thought beyond whether or not it contains phosphates (which, by the way, are bad for the environment). But recently I came across an article which stated that powdered detergents are better for the environment than liquid varieties. This was news to me.

Liquid detergents (and this goes for dishwasher as well and laundry detergents) are 75% water. The concentrated varieties are bit better but not by much. Liquid detergents are usually packaged in plastic which is hard to recycle. Powdered detergents, on the other hand, contain no added water and are usually packaged in biodegradable boxes or bags.


Liquid varieties are heavier than the powdered ones and that's important when it comes to travel. Simply put ... the heavier the item, the higher the cost to haul it to your grocer's shelf.

So ... it turns out that using powdered laundry detergent is kinder to the environment.

That's my little "jewel" for today!

As always, I'd love to hear from you.

We're in Hot Water

In my never ending search for ways to reduce our energy consumption, as well as our electric bill, it occurs to me that our water heater uses up a lot of energy. It's on all day and ensures that the very moment hot water is called for, it is delivered to our tap in a seemingly endless supply.

As convenient as that has been, the truth is that we don't use that much hot water. And, with a little planning, waiting for an hour for the water to be fully heated isn't all that bad. So, we've started to turn off our water heater except for one hour a day. Some of you may have access to a switch on the side of your water heater than can be turned on and off. We live in an apartment and management doesn't really appreciate our messing with their equipment, so we simply turn it off at the circuit box. This works even better if your water heater is insulated. One hour of heating a day gives us enough hot water for all of our needs. When I do laundry (the white stuff) I turn it on for a bit longer. But did you know that most loads of wash come out perfectly clean with cold water? Yep ... it's true!

It's also a good idea to turn down the thermostat on your water heater. And if you're used to luxuriating in a steamy, hot shower long after you've taken care of business, try taking a cooler, shorter shower.

As always, I would love to hear your ideas for reducing, reusing and recycling. Just click on the comments link, located at the bottom of each post, and let me know what you think and how you conserve. Maybe you'll see your ideas in an upcoming post.