Kate's Green List

Easy Ways to Go Green

2009-06-26T14:36:00.000-07:00

Awhile back the Oakland Zoo (located in Oakland, CA) printed some simple conservation ideas in their newsletter, here are a few I thought were easy ways to "go green" for kids and adults:

reuse items for art
create a family recycling center
turn off the water when brushing your teeth
collect rain water for watering plants
take the bus or other public transportation
recycle cell phones, laptops and ipods
mow the lawn with a manual mower
invest in sustainable organizations and projects
dry clothing on a clothes line
grow a garden for butterflies and/or veggies

Just a few ideas to help you continue in your "Go Green" journey! Happy Summer!

Simple ways to save water!

2009-05-06T06:51:00.000-07:00

With those warm summer months just around the corner here is some great information I got from the City of Pleasanton, CA on how to save water and money!

"Outside irrigation represents over 50% of a typical residential water bill during the warmer summer months. Here are some simple outdoor water saving tips that can significantly reduce your water bill without spending a dime!

During the late fall, winter and early spring months turn off your sprinklers and let nature do the watering for you!
During the hotter summer months, set your lawn watering to once every 3 days. In late spring or early fall, set your lawn watering to once per week.
Don't mow turf grass lower than 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 inches to help promote lawn roof growth. This will also reduce your lawn's need for frequent watering and reduce water evaporation.
Water after 10:00 pm and before 6:00 am to reduce evaporation from heat and wind.

Hope this helps you save some water and money!

Energy Efficient Windows

2009-04-29T19:58:00.000-07:00

With summer just around the corner it may be time to think about replacing your inefficient windows. Better Homes and Gardens had a great article in their March 2009 issue about the things to look for in purchasing new energy-efficient windows, here is what they said:

"The national Fenestration Rating Council evaluates performance in five categories, you can use this information when comparing windows:

U-Factor: This value, which measures heat transfer, ranges from .25 to 1.25. The lower the number, the better the window insulates. (You may hear the term R-value, which measures heat resistance and should be a high number. Is is more accurately reserved for materials such as insulation, roofing, and siding.)

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient: The lower the number (typically .25 to .8), the better the window blocks heat gain.

Visible Transmittance: Measured on a scale of 0 to 1, this category describes the amount of light the window lets through. The higher the number, the better.

Air Leakage: The lower the value (measured in cubic feet of air passing through one square foot of window area per minute), the better. this number should be .3 or less.

Condensation Resistance: This term refers to a window's ability to resist water buildup; the higher the number between 0 and 100, the better. A window that bears an Energy Star label has received high marks for U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient from the Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

See which windows are best for your climate zone and whether or not you are eligible for a federal tax credit for your new windows at energystar.gov. You may also qualify for state rebates; see dsireusa.org.

If you are not ready to replace your windows, make them more efficient by installing insulating coverings, such as cellular shades, curtain panels with interlinings and window films. In warm-weather months, be willing to keep your windows covered during the sunniest times of the day."

Hope this information helps!

Did you Celebrate Earth Day?

2009-04-24T08:56:00.000-07:00

Did you do anything differently on Earth Day this year? If so, do you plan to keep doing it or only celebrate our planet once a year? I heard that question asked many times this past week. Many people wonder why we only do something "green" once a year near Earth Day but there is no reason why we can't keep doing these things day after day. Making big changes can be hard but that is where being "green" is actually so easy. There are so many little changes that you can make every day that will end up making a big difference. One of the easiest things I've done in our every day family life is to buy recycled paper products. From toilet paper to paper towels to printer paper we buy recycled. On the back of our "Seventh Generation" recycled toilet paper (yes, I actually read the back of the toilet paper bag!) it states the following information:

"If every household in the U.S. replaced just one 12-pack of 352 sheet virgin fiber bathroom tissue with 100% recycled product, we could save: 3,802,000 trees, 1.3 billion gallons of water ( a year's supply for over 10,700 families of four) and 9.8 million cubic feet of landfill space, equal to over 14,500 full garbage trucks."

Look at how just that one small change in purchasing can make such a big difference. Try to make everyday Earth Day and think about the consequences of all your actions!

Earth Day 2009

2009-04-15T10:08:00.000-07:00

Earth Day is rapidly approaching! This year's events take place on Wednesday, April 22. The first Earth Day took place in 1970. It was started by then U. S. Senator from Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson. He proposed the first nationwide environmental protest "to shake up the political establishment and force this issue onto the national agenda. " "It was a gamble," he recalls, "but it worked." This first Earth Day led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species acts. In 1990 the event went international, bringing together 200 million people in 141 countries. Earth Day 1990 gave a huge boost to recycling efforts worldwide and helped pave the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

This day helps us remember that it takes all of us to make the world a better place. Please be sure to "celebrate" Earth Day, whether it be separating your recycling, making good choices on what to buy or reuse, or composting your leftovers, we all can make a difference this Earth Day! For more information on Earth Day or to find official events in your neighborhood, visit the Earth Day Network.

EcoGeek.org

2009-03-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

This week’s highlighted “green” website is www.ecogeek.org. As usual I stumbled across this site while searching for something else, seems to be my recipe for finding the best sites! EcoGeek is a site you want to read everyday. They try to publish at least 10 new stories a day about new innovations that are saving the planet. I like to read it because I am always looking for new “green” ways to do things and this site always has good information. In the “About Us” section of their site they say:

“Technology can be a force for evil, or for awesome. Those who shun technologies that could save the planet are just as guilty as those who ignore the environment. There's a safe balance, where the awesome can help nature as much as it helps us have a good time and live easier lives. EcoGeek devotes its pages to exploring the symbiosis between nature and technology. If you're interested in that, then stop by, and stop by often.”

Their articles cover all sorts of subjects including alternative materials, biofuels, efficiency, geothermal, recycling, solar power and more. Check them out at www.ecogeek.org and find out the latest in EcoGeek news! While you’re there, check out their other “green” sites listed at the top of their homepage.

Warm Weather Energy Saving Tips

2009-03-23T08:22:00.000-07:00

Now that warm weather is right around the corner it is time for some tips to help with your home energy savings. My local gas and electric provider, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, provided me with the following information:

• In the cooling season, set your thermostat at 78 degrees or higher when you’re at home, health permitting.
• When away from your home during the cooling season, set your air conditioner at 85 degrees.
• Provide shading for your air conditioning condenser.
• Switch pool filter and sweeper operations to off-peak hours. Peak hours are between noon and 6 p.m. Consider replacing pool pumps and motors with energy-efficient equipment.
• Shorten the operating time for your swimming pool filter and automatic cleaning sweep (if your pool has one).
• Pool covers save energy and money.
• Use exterior shading devices or deciduous plants to shade your home and windows from the sun.

Here's to keeping cool and keeping those savings coming.

CoolTribe.com - How to make "green" friends

2009-03-18T10:07:00.000-07:00

This week’s highlighted “green” website is www.cooltribe.com. CoolTribe is the first online social network that I’ve found that has a “green” conscience. It is a unique twist on the social networking idea in that they have decided to use this ever popular model of communication to make a difference. Here is what they have to say about what they are doing in their “About Us” section:

“Cooltribe.com is an international social networking site with a green conscience. We aim to become the world number 1 eco-ethical online community. Join us to meet like-minded people, share your views or tips, post your pictures and videos, create groups, read our daily news, submit your news to the editor and show the world, we're not just tree huggers. Every day, cooltribe.com will publish an action related to the environment or the ethical market in general and we challenge YOU to give it a try. Want to take our daily action challenge? We will also provide a daily discussion topic and we welcome YOU to air your views and thoughts.”

If you are reading my blog you are obviously interested in making a better earth for yourself and others. As the saying goes “it takes a village” and CoolTribe is helping us put our villages together to try and make a difference. To visit their website, go to www.cooltribe.com and make some new “green” friends today!

The Four "R"'s - Why are they important?

2009-03-13T08:53:00.000-07:00

The Four "R's" - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot are becoming more and more important every day. I'm not talking about global warming or the environment even, this comes down to pure arithmetic. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that there will be 9 billion people in the world by 2050. This means, according to the Go Green Initiative's website, that "if the world’s natural resources were evenly distributed, people in 2050 will only have 25% of the resources per capita that people in 1950 had."

This means we have to do something and do something now! We need to look into reducing what we buy, where we buy it and how we buy it. We need to re-look at all of our actions, can we reuse something in anyway before we throw it out or can we recycle it or compost it. We should be looking at all our daily decisions with new eyes so that we can make a difference. Many of our resources are finite and with the ever growing population there is only so much to go around. To quote the Go Green Initiative's website again, as they cover this subject so succinctly, "If we intend to leave our children and grandchildren with the same standard of living we have enjoyed, we must preserve the foundation of that standard of living. We save for college educations, orthodontia, and weddings, but what about saving clean air, water, fuel sources and soil for future generations?

Some of the greatest threats to future resources come from things we throw away everyday. Household batteries and electronics often contain dangerous chemicals that may, if sent to a local landfill, leak through the bottom barrier and pollute the groundwater. This can contaminate everything from the soil in which our food grows, to the water which will eventually come out of aquifers and into our tap water. Many of these chemicals cannot be removed from the drinking water supply, nor from the crops that are harvested from contaminated fields. The risks to human health are tremendous.

Throwing away items that could be recycled diminishes energy, water and natural resources that could be saved by recycling.

Did you know...

For every ton of paper that is recycled, the following is saved: 7,000 gallons of water; 380 gallons of oil; and enough electricity to power an average house for six months.
You can run a TV for six hours on the amount of electricity that is saved by recycling one aluminum can.
By recycling just one glass bottle, you save enough electricity to power a 100-watt bulb for four hours.

The more we throw away, the more space we take up in landfills. When a landfill becomes a “landfull”, taxpayers have to build a new one. The less we throw away, the longer our landfills will last. The amount of taxpayer money we save by extending the longevity of our landfills is an important community benefit."

I'm thinking about tomorrow today, I want to leave a good future for my children and their children. Take time to look at your every day actions, I know I plan to!

Greenthoughts.com

2009-03-11T10:16:00.000-07:00

This week the “green” website I’m writing about is a new website that has been up just a few months. Greenthoughts.com is an earth-friendly gift site. The founder of this site contacted me so I decided to look at the site and check them out. What I saw and read impressed me and I learned more by contacting founder, Christine Denault. I really like the way they determine what gifts they are going to sell on their site, they go through an evaluation that includes the questions:

• How much energy was used in manufacturing it?
• Did it leave a carbon footprint on our climate?
• Did its manufacture pollute ocean or atmosphere?
• Were the workers that made it respected and paid fairly?
• Is its packaging recyclable, reusable, or biodegradable?
• Does it communicate the importance of Going Green?

I liked that they were not only looking at the footprint and packaging but also how the workers were being treated. All the packaging they use to mail the products is “eco” friendly too, including recycled shipping cartons and packing material, gift boxes and tissue, biodegradable ribbons, and gift enclosures made of handmade paper embedded with wildflower seeds which can be planted.

The unique product assortments range from recycled typewriter key cuff links for him, to A –Z puzzles made of sustainable rubber wood for a child, to organic cotton apparel for a baby, to reusable grocery totes for her, to a handmade felt wine rack for a couple. Some of the children’s products are quite becoming very popular due to the fact that all the wooden toys are made of rubber wood and low impact dyes. In this time of over packaging and plastic toys this is surely a nice substitute.

To quote their founder, Christine Denault, “For those who care deeply about the environment, GreenThoughts.com is such a great place. We make it easy for you to stay true to your environmental principles: Because it’s decidedly anti-green – and incredibly frustrating -- to waste time, miles, and precious energy searching for the perfect green gift”. To check them out go to www.greenthoughts.com, you’ll be glad you did.

Indoor Air Quality - Why is it Important?

2009-03-09T08:32:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I touched on the topic of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) but what I didn’t talk about was why poor IAQ is such a problem. Well, according to the American Lung Association “Poor indoor air quality can cause or contribute to the development of chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. In addition, it can cause headaches, dry eyes, nasal congestion, nausea and fatigue. People who already have respiratory diseases are at greater risk.” Some of the contributing factors to poor IAQ can be : asbestos, biological pollutants, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, lead, pesticides, radon and secondhand smoke. The American Lung Association has some great information on their website on this subject, the Indoor Air Pollution Fact Sheet gives a more detailed explanation of some of the contributing factors mentioned above and how to keep them from continuing to be a problem. The Top Ten Tips for a Healthy Home lists ten ways to make the IAQ in your home cleaner. With all the outdoor air pollution we breath on a daily basis, that we have no control over, it is nice to know that there are at least some ways to keep the IAQ of our homes as clean as possible. For more information on keeping your home’s IAQ as healthy as possible visit the American Lung Association’s website. They also have information on Air Quality in the school and workplace.

Bike Sharing - Is it Coming to a City Near You?

2009-03-06T08:39:00.000-08:00

Transportation, we use it every day and are always hearing about ways we can make it “greener”. Well, while on vacation this past summer we were lucky enough to visit Paris, France for 6 days. We were truly “green” in our traveling methods in the City as we walked or took mass transit everywhere we went. Paris has such a wonderful mass transit system that it makes it very easy to be “green”. One thing I noted while we were there were all the bike-sharing stations they had. Outside of every metro station (that was above ground) there would usually also be a bike-sharing station. For those of you not familiar with this (I’d never seen one before) the bike-sharing stations have bikes that are locked into place and you pay into each bike’s meter to “rent” the bike. When you are done using the bike you can return it to any bike-sharing station. I was amazed at how many people we saw riding these bikes, people of all ages, sizes, and even women in skirts and dresses. I thought that this was such a great idea and wondered why we didn’t have anything like this back at home. Well, after looking into this I found that while the programs are wide-spread in Europe they are just starting to gain popularity in the US. This past May a group called Clear Channel Outdoor started this service in Washington, DC and so far it seems to be working. While the program in Paris has had problems with bike theft and vandalizing of bikes other similar programs in Lyon, France, Barcelona, Spain and the new program in Washington, DC have not run into them yet. Among the other cities discussing starting bike-sharing programs are Chicago, San Francisco, and New York. This is a great alternative to driving and it is wonderful to see cities being interested in doing something positive for the environment and the health of their residents.

Plastic - Can we live without it?

2009-03-04T10:11:00.000-08:00

Plastic, we use it everyday and most of us don't even think about it. By typing on my computer I'm using plastic right now and had never really even given that a bit of thought. Plastic waste has become a huge problem in our society. The EPA's 2006 report on Plastic Waste Statistics included the following information:

The total amount of plastic in the municipal solid waste stream in 2006 was almost 30 million tons (a.k.a. nearly 60 billion pounds).

In 2006, the United States generated 14 million tons of plastic through containers and packaging.

The amount of plastic consumed as a percentage of total waste has increased from less than 1 percent in 1960 to 11.7 percent in 2006.

As noted by Alan Weisman, in his book "The World Without Us", "this is a problem because plastics are durable and degrade very slowly; the molecular bonds that make plastic so durable make it equally resistant to natural processes of degradation. Since the 1950s, one billion tons of plastic has been discarded and may persist for hundreds or even thousands of years." In some cases, burning plastic can release toxic fumes. Also, the manufacturing of plastics often creates large quantities of chemical pollutants. There has been research done on biodegradable plastics but many of these plastics need to be in direct sunlight to decompose and this will not work in the average landfill, thereby keeping the plastic from degrading completely.

In surfing the web I found a couple of great "green" blogs that focus on how to try to live as plastic free a life as possible. I'm going to start trying to follow their advice and see how much plastic I can quit using on a daily basis. These two sites are full of great hints, ideas and daily thoughts on their plastic free journeys. While I may not be able to bring myself to be as devoted to this subject as they are I know I've learned valuable information by reading their sites and have learned easy day to day things I can do to use less plastic. For more information on their quests to go plastic free, visit Life Less Plastic and Fake Plastic Fish.

Carbon Footprint/Carbon Offset

2009-03-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

What is a carbon footprint? We keep hearing that term bandied about but what does it mean. Well, a carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused directly by an individual, organization, event or product. These greenhouse gas emissions then add to the global warming problem. There are many things we can do in our daily life to lessen our footprint. We can make educated decisions when it comes to travel, our homes, our food and what we buy and how we throw things away. There are many different places you can go to calculate your own carbon footprint. I went to The Nature Conservancy’s website to calculate the footprint for my household. While our household’s footprint came out below the U.S. National average we were far above the World Average so should look at how we can reduce your climate impact. The Nature Conservancy’s website has information on this subject available after you finish calculating your footprint.

Another term we hear is carbon offset. A carbon offset if something that produces measurable reductions in greenhouse gases. This can be from using money to help farmers pay for equipment that captures and generates electricity from methane or from helping wind-power developers compete with coal-fired plants resulting in more clean energy flowing into the electrical grid. There are many carbon offset companies and organizations out there so be sure to do a little research before using one to make sure you are using a reputable provider. In the USA weekend magazine this past weekend, February 27 – March 1st, they had a small article on this subject. In the article they noted that there are independent standards, such as the Voluntary Carbon Standard, that carbon off-setter companies should be using so look for this when deciding where to send your money. Also, they noted to think “instant gratification” because global warming is an urgent problem. They mentioned to look for companies that sell offsets that result in reductions in the same year as you buy them. For example, tree planting projects, while a good idea, take decades to reduce carbon.

To figure out your carbon footprint, visit the Nature Conservancy’s website. If we all work together we can make a big difference!

Mold - Is it a problem?

2009-02-27T09:19:00.000-08:00

Recently a friend of mine had a health scare and one of the reasons she was worried was that she had been exposed to mold. Mold may sound like a little cleaning problem but it can build into quite a health problem if not taken care of and if not cleaned up correctly. Here is what the EPA has to say about mold:

“Molds can be found almost anywhere; they can grow on virtually any organic substance, as long as moisture and oxygen are present. There are molds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, foods, and insulation. When excessive moisture accumulates in buildings or on building materials, mold growth will often occur, particularly if the moisture problem remains undiscovered or unaddressed. It is impossible to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment. However, mold growth can be controlled indoors by controlling moisture indoors.”

The EPA has some great information available on their website, http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.html , that answers your questions about household mold and how to prevent it, or if it is already a problem, how to clean it up. Here’s to a mold free home!

Go Green Initiative Association

2009-02-25T09:12:00.000-08:00

As some of you may have noticed on Wednesdays I try to highlight a “green” website. Today I am introducing you to a site and organization that is near and dear to my heart. For several years I worked for a wonderful non-profit organization named the Go Green Initiative Association (GGI). The GGI is the largest environmental action program for schools in the world. And, based on their latest press release, they will soon be offering their program to businesses, homes and individuals. Here is an explanation of what they do straight from their latest press release:

“The Go Green Initiative is the world’s fastest growing fully comprehensive environmental action plan for schools. By promoting environmental stewardship on campuses from preschools through universities, the GGI works to involve families, businesses and local governments in the common goal of protecting human health through environmental stewardship. Since its inception in July 2002, the Go Green Initiative has been endorsed by the National School Boards Association, National Recycling Coalition, adopted by eight State PTA Boards, implemented in all 50 U.S. states, 13 countries and on 4 continents. The Go Green Initiative has kept more than nine million pounds of recyclables out of the world’s landfills, conserved 25.7 million gallons of water, and saved over 55 billion BTUs of energy. These accomplishments were achieved voluntarily, with no mandates or legislation, showing that “going green” is practical and simply makes sense. There are currently over 2.2 million students and teachers in registered Go Green schools.”

For more information, be sure to check out their site at www.gogreeninitiative.org and for help in “going green” download their Planning Guide from the top of any page on their site. This Planning Guide will help you, whether at school, work, or home, put together an environmental action plan that will work for you!

Reclaimed Wood Flooring

2009-02-23T09:29:00.000-08:00

One of the famous 4 “R”s is reuse. I’m always looking for ways to reuse items I have or buy reused instead of new. In reading this weekend’s February 20 – 22, USA weekend magazine I came across a great little article on how to reuse wood to make wood flooring. This is called “reclaimed” wood. Instead of ending up in a landfill this wood is reused to make wood flooring and is very easy to find. You can “Google” reclaimed wood floors and come up with many results. In the USA Weekend article, John Williams of Mountain Lumber tells us too look for the following when shopping for reclaimed wood:

• Check that it’s certified by a reputable source, like the Forest Stewardship Council
• Make sure it wasn’t exposed to toxic substances. Find out where the wood came from and what type of structure it was used in.
• Reject any wood that was ever treated with lead paint.
• Ask the flooring company to share its environmental policy. Request documentation.
• Find out if the company controls the chain of custody, from raw materials to finished goods – so you know the business knows exactly where the reclaimed wood has been, and when.

The next time you are interested in redoing your flooring, think about using reclaimed wood, you'll be making a difference for all of us!

Gray Water - What is it?

2009-02-20T15:42:00.000-08:00

Several months ago my local newspaper had a very interesting article on something called "gray water". It drew my attention because we have a lawn that takes up about 1/2 an acre and the summer water bills can get pretty nasty. Below is some great information on "gray water" that I found at www.sahra.arizona.edu :

""Gray water" is wastewater collected from clothes washers, bathtubs, showers, and laundry or bathroom sinks. If properly collected and stored, it can be safely re-used, thereby reducing fresh water consumption. Reuse of gray water can also reduce the load on septic tanks and leach fields.

Gray water is distinguished from "black water", which is wastewater from toilets, kitchen sinks and dishwashers. Black water should never be reused in the home because of possible contamination by bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.

Gray water may contain food particles, detergent or soap residue, and possibly some human pathogens. But as a general rule, gray water does not require extensive chemical or biological treatment before being used for landscape irrigation. Gray water can be put to other uses. It is best to use gray water on ornamental plants and lawns, or to irrigate trees, rather than on food plants, especially those that are often eaten raw; such as carrots or lettuce or herbs.

Soap and detergent are the components in gray water, which could adversely affect plants the most. The wastewater from the shower or lavatory sink generally contains only a small amount of soap, and has few solid residues. However, re-using water from a clothes washer may be much easier, from a plumbing standpoint. Special detergents can be purchased to lessen any harmful impacts on plants.

Gray water may be immediately directed to landscaping, or it may be stored for later use. When stored, filtering the water is more important, to reduce the growth of any pathogens. Gray water should not be used for dust control, cooling, spray irrigation, or any other use that would result in air-borne droplets or mist.

CAUTION: In some areas, reuse of water is either prohibited by health officers and/or plumbing inspectors, or requires an inspection and permit. Make sure that it is legal in your area before setting up a gray water collection site in your home!"

I plan to see what the regulations are in my area and find out if this will work in our location. I'll let you know what I find out!

Check out Freecycle.org

2009-02-12T16:10:00.000-08:00

In my web surfing I came across a site named Freecycle.org, only to find out that it had been around for several years and I was just behind the times! :) Basically, The Freecycle Network is a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer and membership is free.

A little history about Freecycle, taken from their website:

"On May 1st, 2003, Deron Beal sent out the first e-mail announcing The Freecycle Network™ to about 30 or 40 friends and a handful of nonprofits in Tucson, Arizona. At the time Deron founded The Freecycle Network, he worked with a small nonprofit organization, RISE, which provides recycling services to downtown businesses and transitional employment to Tucsonans in need.

As the team recycled, rather than watching perfectly good items being thrown away, they found themselves calling or driving around to see if various local nonprofits could use them. Thinking there had to be an easier way, Beal set up that first Freecycle e-mail group in a way that permitted everyone in Tucson to give and to get. Freecycle was off and running.

The Freecycle concept has since spread to over 85 countries, where there are thousands of local groups representing millions of of members -- people helping people and "changing the world one gift at a time." As a result, we are currently keeping over 500 tons a day out of landfills! This amounts to five times the height of Mt. Everest in the past year alone, when stacked in garbage trucks!

By giving freely with no strings attached, members of The Freecycle Network help instill a sense of generosity of spirit as they strengthen local community ties and promote environmental sustainability and reuse. People from all walks of life have joined together to turn trash into treasure."

I just recently joined the Freecycle group in my town and found that people "advertise" items they want to get rid of and also things they are looking to find. There was everything from garden tables and chairs to someone looking for 3D glasses for the last "Chuck" episode. What a great way of keeping things out of the landfill! Check out their website at Freecycle.org and find a group near you!

Green Maps - Check them out!

2009-02-18T13:39:00.000-08:00

Once again, while surfing the internet I came across a cool "green" site. Greenmap.org is a site that has "green" maps for over 350 different areas throughout the world. To quote their website:

"Green Map System empowers a diverse global movement mapping green living, nature, social and cultural resources in cities, villages and neighborhoods in over 50 countries.

Developing local sustainability networks, we expand the demand for healthier, more vibrant communities with our adaptable mapmaking tools and universal icons, multi-lingual participatory websites, workshops and regional hubs.

Working collaboratively since 1995, Green Maps bring people of all ages together to discover, share and care for their communities. Get involved and support this award-winning perspective-changing movement."

I looked up the map for my area and it was interesting to see all the different "green" types of things I was unaware of just in my part of the San Francisco Bay Area. You can find a map for your area or more about this cool group by visiting www.greenmap.org.

Indoor Air Quality and Green Cleaning

2009-02-16T09:51:00.000-08:00

The EPA has ranked indoor air pollution as one of the top 5 environmental risks to public health. Out of the may reasons for this listed on the EPA's website is household cleaning products. This is part of the reason that "green" cleaning products are one of the newest things to hit the market. I use kitchen detergent, laundry detergent and other green cleaning products in my home and have found them to be just as effective as what I used before. How do we know which "green" products to use? Well, you have a couple of choices, either home-mixed cleaners or store bought. To make your own home-mixed cleaners there are many websites and books available to show you how to do this. One of the books I like the best is "Easy Green Living" by Renee Loux. In this book she goes through the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and laundry telling you either home-mixed cleaners that work (and how to make them) or lists out eco-friendly products and where to find them. I really like her book as she makes it very easy to "go green" with your household cleaning. Your other option is to research "green" cleaning products and go with the line you like the best. I use a lot of the Seventh Generation cleaning products, based on what I've read about their company they appear to be very stringent in how they make their products and want to truly make cleaning safe, healthy and non-toxic.

This is a topic that we will cover again in the weeks to come. To learn more about indoor air quality, visit the EPA's Indoor Air Quality website.

More on Water Conservation

2009-02-11T11:15:00.000-08:00

Yay! We are finally getting some much needed rain in the San Francisco Bay Area. But, even though we are getting some rain we still need to always do our best to conserve water. Here are some more water conservation tips (found in "The Green Book" by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas M. Kostigen):

For flower beds and gardens, use drip irrigation or soaker hoses instead of regular sprinklers. You can save up to 70 percent of the water you would typically use because evaporation will be minimal and only the base of the plants will be receiving water as opposed to the leaves and foliage.
Fit your garden hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle in order to prevent waste when the water is turned on and the hose is not being used. You'll save up to 6.5 gallons per minute.
Cover your pool when you are not using it and you'll cut water lost to evaporation by 90 percent and therefore the cost of replenishing it.
Try to use your sprinklers in early morning or evening. The average lawn needs only about one hour of watering per week.
Seek out energy-efficient front loader laundry machines for your home or in your local laundromat. If just one load of laundry in every Laundromat in the United States were washed by a front-loader washing machine instead of a top loader, we'd save a million gallons of water a day!
Install low-flow plumbing. An average three-member household can reduce its water consumption by fifty-four thousand gallons annually and can lower its water bills by about $60 per year if water-efficient plumbing fixtures are used.

Composting Dog Waste!

2009-02-09T11:58:00.000-08:00

Yes, I'm actually talking to you about composting dog waste. I had a friend ask me what they should do with their dog waste, something I had not thought about as we live on an acre with lots of room for our dog's waste where we never see it. After checking with the local garbage company in my town, Pleasanton, CA I was informed that dog owner's should put their dog's waste in a bag of some sort and put it in with their regular trash. After googling the subject though I found that this is not the case everywhere, some cities consider dog waste a hazardous waste and have specific rules for how to get rid of it. Be sure to check with your local waste hauler to find out what you should be doing where you live. I also found that you can compost your dog waste. The compost should not be used on any fruits or vegetables you are growing but can be used on shrubs and other types of plants. Two good sites for finding out more information on how to compost your dog waste are: "Dog Waste Composter" and "City Farmer".

Making Your House a "Hybrid"

2009-01-23T13:06:00.000-08:00

Back in October 2008 I read a good column in the GreenSmart section of USA Weekend. It talked about making your house a "Hybrid". While we all can't live off the grid they did have a few good ideas, here is what they said:

Collect rainwater. A water collection tank is realtively easy to install and can cost as little as $200. For every inch of rainfall, the roof of an average 2,000-square-foot home will collect about 1,250 gallons of water.

Use the climate. if you live in a sunny area, think about solar panels. In a wind-prone region, consider a wind turbine to supplement your electricity supply.

Let the sun warm your home during the winter. "Passive solar" heating is a way of using windows on the south side of your home to heat the inside with the sun. Choosing concrete, brick and stone - materials that absorb and retain heat - to use inside the room will increase the effect.

Hope these ideas help! �

Energy Saving Winter Tips

2009-01-26T15:40:00.000-08:00

I know I spoke about this last week but with winter here for awhile longer it can't help to have more helpful hints. My local electricity/gas provider, P G & E, publishes a great Home Energy-Saving Checklist. They break it out between Winter and Summer so I'll share some of their Winter Tips today and save the rest for when it starts warming up!

Some Winter Tips:

install a programmable thermostat to automatically change thermostat settings at certain times of the day. For every degree you lower your heat in the 60-degree to 70-degree range, you'll save up to 5 percent on heating costs.
in the heating season, set your thermostat at 68 degrees or lower during the day, health permitting.
Plug gaps around pipes, ducts, fans and vents that go through walls, ceilings, and floors from heated to unheated spaces.
Have your ducts tested for air leakage. Leaking ducts can reduce the efficiency of your heating system.
Keep your furnace clean, lubricated and properly adjusted. Clean or replace the filter regularly. Dirty filters reduce air flow and make your furnace work harder.
Installing proper ceiling insulation to at least R-30 standards. Insulate walls, floors and heating ducts. This insulation will not only keep heat from escaping, but will also make your home more comfortable.
Weather-strip doors and windows, and caulk air leaks around windows, door frames, and ducts.
Use insulating shutters or drapes and keep them closed during winter nights and summer days. Turn your heater(s) down when you're using your fireplace. Don't forget to close the damper when you're not using the fireplace.
Use passive solar heating on sunny days. Open the drapes on windows facing south to let the sun shine in. Then at night, close the drapes to retain indoor heat. If you have a large expanse of glass that doesn't receive direct sun, keep the drapes closed. heat can escape through unprotected windows.

Thanks PG & E for these helpful hints!