Things I Hadn't Thought Of...

Here are some random tips for helping the planet that I read today that I hadn't really thought about before:

FLY WITH AN E-TICKET
The cost of processing a paper ticket is approximately $10, while processing an e-ticket costs only $1. In the near future, e-tickets will be the only option, saving the airline industry $3 billion a year. In addition to financial savings, the sheer amount of paper eliminated by this process is commendable.

STOP YOUR ANSWERING MACHINE
Answering machines use energy 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And when they break, they're just one more thing that goes into the landfill. If all answering machines in U.S. homes were eventually replaced by voice mail services, the annual energy savings would total nearly two billion kilowatt-hours.

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.

LET YOUR FINGERS DO THE WALKING—ONLINE
Consider if you really need a paper phone book. If not, call to stop phone book delivery and use an online directory instead. Some estimate that telephone books make up almost ten percent of waste at dump sites. And if you still receive the book, don't forget to recycle your old volumes.

CHOOSE GLASS BOTTLES OVER ALUMINUM CANS
The energy required to produce a single 12 oz. aluminum can from virgin ore is enough to produce nearly two new 12 oz. glass bottles. So the next time you buy a six-pack of beer, opt for glass bottles over aluminum cans. The manufacturing energy conserved could power your television through two Sunday NFL games.

USE YOUR CRUISE CONTROL
You paid for those extra buttons in your car, so put them to work! When using cruise control your vehicle could get up to 15% better mileage. Considering today's gasoline prices, this is a boon not only for the environment but your budget as well.

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.

USE A COTTON SHOWER CURTAIN RATHER THAN A PLASTIC (PVC) ONE
Avoiding plastic is always better for the planet. And PVC is used in the manufacturing process of plastic shower curtains, which is a known carcinogen that’s been linked to increased risks of brain tumors, cancer in the spinal cord and, most traumatic of all, erectile dysfunction. :) The Cotton Curtain may drip a little, but it won't be prone to mildew like the plastic one. A waffle fabric will be more absorbent.

Pinch Pennies and Spare the Planet

Sometimes, thinking about all the things I need to change makes me nervous about it costing money.  Most of the time, though, you can save money and spare the environment at the same time.  Recent marketing of "green products" may make that not seem true, but it is.  In light of that, I would like to list some ways that you can make changes that will save you money.

• Halve it.  You'd be surprised how many things we can "halve" in our daily lives.  Just about everything from the dishsoap you use to the salad dressing on your lunch can be cut in half (either by diluting or just using less.)  examples: laundry detergent, shampoo, the amount of coffee you drink, the amount of time you spend in the shower, the amount of trips you take in the car.  A great post about doing so can be found here.
  
• Think Natural=Think Cheap.  Vinegar and baking soda, baby.  there is no toilet cleaner cheaper than baking soda.  No Window cleaner cheaper than half vinegar/half water.  (don't forget about baking soda as deodorant.  If you think I'm crazy, just try it.  I swear it works.)
  
• Share, Contemplate Purchases and Practice Delayed Gratification.  If you don't need something immediately, try waiting before you buy it.  You may find in the process that you didn't really need/want it as much as you thought.  Maybe you'll find that you have something else that works or be able to borrow from someone.  Also, garage sale season is about to start, so grab a friend and see if you find what you need there or at a thrift store.
  
• Choose Cloth and Think Reusable. Cloth rags, cloth diapers, cloth napkins - can be washed and reused and save you from spending money on disposables.  Most stores will give you at least a 5 cent discount for bringing your own bags (i know, but i said pinch pennies).  Most coffee shops will give you 10-15 cents off of your drink for bringing your own mug.  Use a french press or metal coffee filter and save from buying paper coffee filters.  Use a microfiber mop or broom instead of a swiffer.
  
• Drink Water. That is, tap water in a reusable bottle and save on packaged sodas, juices and the like.
  
• Alter your eating and shopping a bit- think bulk bins, cooking with whole foods, eating what's in season in your area, eating your leftovers and paying attention so that things don't go bad in the fridge and go to waste.
  
• Conserve.  Unplug things, turn them off, turn the thermostat down (or up, depending on the season) use your legs or public transportation.  
  
• Make your own.
  

See, sparing the environment should SAVE you money, not cost you money. Beware of all the hype.

eating healthy isn't just about you.

     Eating Healthy is better for the environment, which means it's better for other people. Well, I suppose that depends on your definition of eating healthy. I'm not talking about switching to a diet of frozen "healthy dinners" and overly packaged, chemical laden food bars and other not-so-good-for-you diet foods. I'm talking about the classic healthy whole foods diet. A diet composed primarily of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains. We all know that a vegetarian diet is better for the environment and a vegan diet perhaps even better still. Eating all things as locally produced as possible is very important for a healthy planet as well as purchasing organically grown foods. 

     Why does all of this matter? Well, there's about a million reasons, really, but just think about it for a minute... fresh fruits and vegetables are not processed, therefore you skip all that extra waste that would be produced during the processing and extra transport (and hopefully you skip plastic packaging this way, unless you're addicted to Trader Joe's, like me... sigh). Eating foods as close to their natural state as possible is better for you and means using less heat. we all know that cooking uses energy, right? when you eat a whole foods diet, that means that when you do cook, you cook from scratch.  Cooking this way ensures that you skip all of those chemical additives and preservatives and extra packaging, which is so much better for you and the environment. These are just a few of the obvious reasons why our food choices matter.  

     Some of these issues are debatable, I suppose.  Some would say that the only important thing is to eat locally, sustainably produced organic food, while some would say eating raw food is most important to maintain personal health. I won't get into those debates.  Overall, I'm just trying to say that any change we make that is a step toward a diet of whole foods that are minimally processed and cooked is a step toward healthier people and a healthier planet.  So, if you're currently eating meat at every meal, consider trying to cut it back to just dinner, or just try a vegetarian meal once this week, or just cut back on red meat.  If you've never gone to the farmer's market, go as soon as it opens this year (which was this last weekend if you live in Bellingham!) and check it out and/or consider joining a local CSA.  I'm not suggesting we all change everything about our diets and shopping habits overnight.  I'm just suggesting that we remain mindful in our eating and remember that what we choose to purchase and put in our bodies doesn't just affect our own health, but also the health of the planet and all of us who live here.  So, take a baby step or two along with me because I'm on this journey to better, more mindful eating and shopping habits as well.  I'm nowhere near where I'd like to be.  Currently, I'm hoping that buying in bulk will help me shrink the grocery tabs and the contents of my garbage can!  Now I just need to re-train myself to buy dried beans instead of canned (apparently most cans contain BPA, ick. Why is plastic everywhere?) 

Here's some further reading:

• A great, thought-provoking post on reconsidering your diet here.
• 100-Mile Diet
• Top 10 Reasons to Support Organic in the 21st Century
• Working conditions in American Slaughter Houses
  
• An article on the effects of cooking meat here: cooking meat dirties the air more than most people realize 
  
• Evidence Shows that Our Meat-Based Diet is Bad for the Environment, Aggravates Global Hunger, Brutalizes Animals and Compromises our Health

photo courtesy of ismon on flickr

Favorite

I just wanted to post this link. This particular post is an older post that I bookmarked a long time ago because I just totally resonated with everything she said, so I thought I would post it here in case you might enjoy it too.

Make Your Own

I've stumbled across lots and lots of posts and websites with various recipes and directions for making your own versions of things you would normally just go out and buy.  It's the perfect way to lessen your impact on the environment and your pocketbook. Most of these are also better for your health. While i haven't tried a lot of these yet myself, if you feel so inspired, now you know where to look!

Food
- Tortilla Chips
- Refried Beans
- Salad Dressing
- Almond Milk
- Sprouted Granola
- Popcorn (in case you weren't sure how to do it the old fashioned way)
- Crackers
- Granola Bars (vegan)
- Bread
- Butter
- Yogurt
- Tofu

Cleaning
A great post with several recipes here.
- Laundry Soap

Personal Products
- Toothpaste
- Lotion
- Shampoo
- Toilet "Paper" - for all you radicals out there
- Feminine Pads
- Hairspray and Mouthwash
- Castile Soap
- Liquid Hand Soap

Other
- Reusable Tote Bag (out of used plastic grocery sacks!)
- Baby Wipes

Wanna Go No Poo?

I've been asked about how to go without shampoo, so I thought I would post some information on here for anyone who might be curious... I've tried it and it has really worked for me. I'm not extreme about it.  I was given some shampoo around christmas and I'm just about to run out of it and go back to au naturale.

Why Not Use Shampoo?
Weell, read your ingredient lists and do some research and you just might start re-thinking your choices in personal products. Some of the ingredients to avoid are sodium laurel sulfate and parabens.
     Your skin is your largest organ and it drinks in everything you put on it. I think a good idea to go by is: “If you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your body.” You can check ratings of beauty products here.  If you have trouble believing that any of these things are true or that it is a good idea to start changing your habits…it might be because of all the media that is EVERYWHERE telling you otherwise. You will find contradictory information on everything, but you have to think for yourself and make the best decision for you and your family. Just because something is "normal", doesn't mean it's a good idea.
     What are the options? Natural shampoos and conditioners. The other (and I think better) option is to go completely natural and use baking soda to wash your hair and apple cider vinegar to rinse. You can also use honey and other foods to condition, but i haven't found this to be necessary.  I take about 1 Tablespoon or less (depending on the length and thickness of your hair) and combine it in my hand with water and make a pasty solution. I  then use a little of the paste and massage it into my scalp starting at the crown of my head. I make sure to do this with any oily areas of my hair, like along my part and my bangs. Rinse thoroughly.  I then take two cap-fulls of apple cider vinegar and mix with at least 12. oz of water in a cup and I pour the mixture over the ends of my hair only.  The baking soda will have a drying effect and the ACV has a moisturizing effect, but neither one will strip your hair of its beneficial natural oils like shampoo will.  If your hair is too dry, use less baking soda and/or mix it with more water.  If your hair is too oily, you may not need to use the acv rinse every day.  Some people say your hair may take some time time to adjust and you may need to experiment with the quantities of baking soda, acv and water.  If you try it, let me know how it goes.  I think it's great!  My hair is normally bone straight and washing my hair this way gives it more body.  So, try it, you don't have to tell anyone if you're afraid they'll think you're a weirdo - I usually don't!  

     You can also use baking soda as a deoderant. it works better than ANY natural deoderant on the market. you'll smell like NOTHING, even in HOT California summers!! It's also CHEAP and doesn't come in a plastic container.

Here are some other people going "no 'poo".

don't forget to buy apple cider vinegar that's packaged in glass :)

Perfection

I've been thinking about perfection, grace and holiness.  Sometimes the more I read, the more I feel burdened about the things I do and think that need to change.  This is a good thing, to a certain extent, but perfection of action has never been the point.  Aiming for perfection brings guilt, discouragement and crankiness.  So you see, we need Grace.  We have unending grace in Jesus.  Grace that empowers us to change, enables us to change and makes us want to.  Without it, there is no point.  I would turn into one of those bitter people who preaches your ear off and makes you feel like dirt if you disagree with them or don't practice what they preach. That's not who i want to be. That isn't who i am. That isn't grace or holiness.
The point of the things I've written about on this blog is grace and compassion.  Grace with others, grace with yourself, grace because of and in Jesus.  I want to me motivated by love and proceed in it.  Therefore, I hope you will never hear that kind of condescension or preaching from me. more importantly, i pray you won't find it in my heart. It's not there now, since I'm more consumed by thoughts of my inadequacy than anything, but these issues are two sides of the same coin.   Neither one is love, grace or holiness. I'm learning how important it is to just take the next step and not take my eyes off of Christ. That's what I'm aiming for: to become more like Him, not to attain my own sense of perfection. so, I suppose can stop feeling inadequate now :) Grace.

Another Plastic Evil

I just watched this video and read this great post about how plastic is recycled.  I really found it shocking, but after a moment's thought, I wasn't really shocked at all.  Of course our recycling is getting shipped off to China and creating toxic fumes.  Ugh.  Of course it is.  Every convenience we have here in the western world is at someone's expense it seems. (This video is about the UK, but i have read elsewhere that this certainly is happening in the US.) 

Cutting back the plastic completely seems nearly impossible for me, but here are some ideas:

- Buy things in bulk or just simply the option with less packaging. (bring your own container to the bulk bin!)
- Choose salad dressing, sauces, spices, juice and anything else in glass.
- Choose concentrated detergents, powdered detergent or you could try making your own!
- Bring reusable bags to the store of course!
- Bring your own mug for coffee. disposable coffee cups have a plastic lining and usually a plastic lid.
- Let your fruit roll around in the cart rather than in a plastic bag.
- Bring used or reusable bags for produce and bulk items.
- Stop drinking bottled water and bottled soda (bottled water apparently isn't any better for you than tap!)
- Bring your own plates and cutlery when you are going somewhere that will have disposables: potluck, picnic, etc. (most paper plates are lined with plastic)

- Choose bar soap instead of liquid.
- Choose reusable whenever possible!

Check out these great blogs by people who are trying to reduce their plastic consumption:

• Fake Plastic Fish
  
• Life Less Plastic
  
• Living Plastic Free
  

Veg

A few months ago, when i was really beginning to do research on more things i could do to lead a more eco-friendly lifestyle, i kept stumbling upon eating less meat and/or going vegetarian/vegan as one of the top ways you could lessen your impact on the environment. I found this really intriguing. I really didn't understand what the connection was. so, i began doing what all curious people do - i google searched. then, i checked this book out from the library: Diet for a New America by John Robbins. i haven't eaten meat or drank milk in about 3 months. all this research has completely revolutionized the way that i think about food, health and consumerism. so, i just couldn't help but share some of this little journey with you. Colin over at No Impact Man (one of my most favorite blogs) just wrote about the connection between eating less meat and helping the environment. Here are some of the facts he cited from a recent report from the UN :
- 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions come from livestock (more than from transportation).
- 70 percent of previously forested land in the Amazon was cleared to pasture cattle.
- Two-thirds (64 percent) of anthropogenic ammonia emissions, which contribute significantly to acid rain and acidification of ecosystems, come from cattle.
- The livestock sector accounts for over 8 percent of global human water use, while 64 percent of the world’s population will live in water-stressed areas by 2025.
- The world’s largest source of water pollution is believed to be the livestock sector.
- In the United States, livestock are responsible for a third of the loads of nitrogen and phosphorus into freshwater resources.
- Livestock account for about 20 percent of the total terrestrial animal biomass, and the 30 percent of the earth’s land surface that they now pre-empt was once habitat for wildlife, in an era of unprecedented threats to biodiversity.
- These problems will only get worse as meat production is expected to double by 2050.
So, i always thought that vegetarianism and veganism was for animal rights activists, which i could respect but not totally relate to. (i have never been a huge fan of the animal kingdom, though i am more so now) i had no idea of said implications of the average meat-rich american diet on the environment, nor health for that matter. eating a vegetarian (or even better - vegan) diet greatly lessens your risk of cancer, heart disease, obesity and virtually ever other disease you can think of (especially if you are making sure you get all the nutrients you need :) it's incredible. since eliminating meat and greatly reducing dairy in my diet, i feel so much better. people keep asking me what i've been doing to lose weight and i have to tell them that it was on accident!
even if you're not up for eliminating meat from your diet altogether, just skipping red meat once a week would save the 840 gallons of fresh water it takes to produce a single serving. and don't worry about missing out on things like protein and iron. there are many plant foods that have a much higher content per calorie - like lentils, tofu and spinach. If you do choose to eat meat (and dairy) go for the local, grass-fed free-range organic types. (better yet - find a farm in your area where you know what the animals are fed how they are treated, whether or not they are given a steady diet of antibiotics and hormones, etc.)
So, to top it all off - even though i was never bothered much (not enough to change) by the thought of whatever happens to farm animals, once i did some research (and read Diet for a New America) the thought of how the animals in factory farms and slaughter houses are treated made me ill - and unable to eat meat. i don't think these conditions are what God had in mind when he made us stewards of His beautiful creation. i won't go into detail here, as i do not wish to make anyone ill, but i would encourage anyone reading this to do a little research of your own and consider altering your dietary and grocery shopping habits. After all,vegetarian is the new Prius.

Resources:
Diet for a New America
Eat to Live
www.goveg.com
The Post Punk Kitchen - Vegan Cooking

Progress

So, I've been reflecting on what exactly I have been doing well and what i haven't in my efforts to reduce my ecological footprint. when we got our electric bill this month, it had gone down $15!! and that's in spite of the fact that we started cloth diapering and are dealing with the summer heat now. Anyway, here's what i've changed:

Energy

• turn off lights when i leave the room and re-think turning them on in the first place. (like during the day or if i'm just passing through a room. i thought i was doing this before, but i don't think i was really putting much effort forth.)
• when i do use the dryer, i always clean out the lint trap.only run full loads of laundry (it uses the same amount of energy to run a full load as it does to run a small load)
• unplugged small appliances in the kitchen when not in use (coffee maker, toaster oven, food processor)
• turn off power strips for entertainment center and computer desk when not in use.
• unplug phone chargers. apparently these are big energy suckers.
• use the dryer less (sometimes i need it to shrink my stretched out clothes, but other than that i don't use it. it makes me feel old fashioned)
• turn stove/oven off before food is completely cooked (food will continue to cook for a few minutes with the heat that's already in there, and i figure it won't make the house as hot.)
• don't preheat, i never cook anything that actually needs preheating (i'm not much of a baker, i would weigh 300 lbs.)
• always put a lid on what i'm cooking on the stove. things cook much faster. the watched pot actually does boil!
• stopped watching TV during the day. (it's so nice to be free of the commercials dancing in my head.)
• use the toaster oven rather than the big one for cooking small batches of things.
• eating more raw food, buying less processed food.

Garbage

• recycling (compostables go in the green bin, recyclables in the blue bags, etc.)
• cloth diapering! i actually really like it!
• broke the paper towel habit (i no longer grab them for toast or fruit or use them for cleaning or killing bugs :)
• trying to buy things with less packaging/in bulk, but i'll be working on this more
• using my reusable shopping bags (and getting my 5 cent discount, haha)
• making some baby food myself (i need to do more of this too, now that i'm more comfortable with it)
• cloth baby wipes - i cut up an old pair of flannel pajama pants = free!
• trying to reduce disposables - especially at restaurants and such.

Emissions

• i've been walking a lot! it's been so wonderful! i walk to the carrot to pick up our CSA box, i walk to save mart, to go get coffee, to the farmers market and to the library. fun fun, but only before noon.
• i've reduced my trips to target, which is across town. i think i only went once this month, which is good for me. i'm addicted to that place.
• i often don't even take the car anywhere during the day. if i get out for a walk in the morning, it keeps me from feeling house-bound and like i need to go somewhere.
• combining trips
• buying local produce

Water

• i have successfully weaned myself from my addiction to long showers and hot baths. it's nice to have that time for other things now.
• turn off the water when i brush my teeth
• turn off the water in between dishes when rinsing.
• i'm experimenting with watering the lawn less/using dirty water on the lawn, but so far it's turning pretty brown. i need to give it some more love (and dirty water).
• stopped eating meat. i never intended to stop entirely, but it just kind of happened after reading up on it. (read Diet for a New America if you're interested) side note: i feel better since i'm eating more veggies and fresh foods and it's cheaper i think. plus, you reduce your pesticide intake and it's all around better for you, but you're free to disagree with me.

Other

• started with the all natural cleaning products - works a lot better than i thought! works great, actually
• started an experiment with washing my hair with baking soda and rinsing with apple cider vinegar. i've read that you have to do it for 2 wks before deciding to stick with it or not, so we'll see! (so far it's interesting, i'm not sure how i feel)

all in all, since it's only been a couple of months since i started paying attention, i'm pretty proud of myself. i was afraid of embarassment in a few cases, but i got over that real quick and people don't look at me as funny as i thought they would when i hand them my reusable bags. i feel like i still have a long way to go, but it's actually been quite pleasant to make these changes (as you may be able to tell from all of my comments in parentheses) which was kind of unexpected. so, i'm looking forward to hopefully having some more progress in the future. i'm excited! especially as we begin packing for the big upcoming move, i hope to downsize in some ways to make things easier. yay! for those of you who actually read this, feel free to send me more suggestions.

Trendy

I heard someone say recently that caring about social justice issues is trendy. Someone else said recently that people talk about "being green" just to be cool. I had two reactions to said statements:

1. WHAT?! how can caring about people be trendy? hollister is trendy. skinny pants are trendy. urban outfitters is trendy. or maybe i don't know what's trendy, but i can tell you one thing: caring about the world and the people in it is not allowed to be labeled as trendy. What is wrong with the world? does that mean mother theresa was just ahead of the times, trying to be cool?

2. i guess that's true, to an extent. lots of us want to care about these issues because it seems good or feels good, but we just end up talking about it, wearing our ONE bracelets or something and buying a bunch of environmentally friendly products we never use and we never go out of our way to make actual sacrifices to support what we claim to believe.

So, I guess it's just like anything else - there are people who will just talk about things and never do anything and in so doing, leave a funky taste in people's mouths when it comes to environmentalists or activists or whatever it is that we claim to be but aren't. i'm working on making sure i don't live like that.

images courtesy of joshuawallis, apologists, on flickr and the blood:water mission website

No Impact Man and Inspiration

I found the blog of this guy who calls himself "No Impact Man". I had to go back to the beginning of his blog to understand what he and his family are doing - and let me tell ya, it's amazing. He and his wife and 2 year old daughter live in an apartment in New York city. "No Impact Man" is a project for them which began last November. They are going in stages, dealing with different aspects of their life, trying to live for a year with as little ecological impact as possible (hence the name "No Impact"). I got hooked on reading about their journey. They only eat food that comes 250 miles or less, they don't use anything disposable, they ride their bikes/scooters everywhere and they even turned off their electricity (they use a little solar panel for a few things). He talks about their journey and how much they've learned and the fact that they are enjoying this process (for the most part), rather than feeling deprived like you might expect. Anyway, if you are in the mood for some reading and inspiration, check him out!

And you know, it's funny how a couple of months ago, people like this seemed crazy radical to me and now it's just exciting to read about what they're doing. It makes me happy. It makes me want to continue learning how to live small and simply... Brian even told me this week that he hopes someday we won't really need our car anymore - wouldn't that be amazing?! Living simpler and smaller just seems right. I can't believe I wasn't even thinking about this stuff just a few months ago. Jesus is definitely changing me, thank God!

Oh and something else that's been inspiring me lately is Another World is Possible. These people are wonderful, they are where I stole the label "becoming an ordinary radical", but more on that later.

picture courtesy of the No Impact Man blog, it is him and his family

Fake Plastic Trees

Starting this post got that radiohead song stuck in my head. I don't know how much the song has to do with what I'm about to say. Nevertheless, I read this really disturbing article the other day, that made me want to never purchase another piece of plastic anything - ever. Not that I really think that's even possible, but seriously - the article speaks for itself. I wonder if it's what drove this "Eviro-Woman" (that's what she calls herself) to swear off plastic for 2007. I don't know that I could ever go that far, but I'm certainly cutting back as much as possible. For that matter, I'm still trying to get in the habit of keeping my reusable shopping bags on hand and now also trying to get that song out of my head.

photo courtesy of hangdog on flickr

Water

Water. It symbolizes a lot of things - life, redemption, renewal, recreation... It is the substance of our bodies, our earth, our food; it's everywhere. It is essential for every living thing. Yet, how often do we think about how we treat water or what happens to what we put down our drains and in our sewers? Most of us probably don't think about it at all. We just hope that a waste water treatment plant does a good job of cleaning up after us and we go on about buying our bottled "mountain spring" water and put whatever we like, or more likely don't like, down our drains. In America, and perhaps the rest of the western world, we take for granted all of the clean water that we have right at our fingertips and doing so is harmful. 1.4 million die each year from lack of access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. A mere 12 percent of the world’s population uses 85 percent of its water, and these 12 percent do not live in the Third World. so, i've been thinking about this whole process and reading up on what i can do to be more responsible in my handling of this essential substance.
Some facts about water and water pollution:

• Water from rain, storm drains, and ditches flows directly to streams and bays with little or no treatment. Storm drains and ditches are DIFFERENT than sewers. They are NOT CONNECTED to a treatment plant.
• We all live in a watershed. What you do personally does affect streams, even if you don’t live on a stream. A watershed is an area of land which drains to the lowest point, usually a stream or bay.
• Small amounts of contaminants from all over the land add up to cause pollution in our water. Yes, even the little things matter. You will make a difference, no matter how small, if you change the way you do some things.

Here are some tips:

• Use less fertilizer. Instead, mulch grass clippings to enrich your lawn and create a compost pile that will provide natural nutrients for your gardens.


• Keep harmful runoff and litter out of storm drains.


• Plant trees. Trees contribute to clean water; they are the oceans' best filters.
• Don't use the toilet as a trashcan or garbage disposal. Doing so contributes to overload sewer and septic systems, which release their effluent into local waterways and the ocean.
  
• Sweep walks and driveways rather than hosing them down. Water picks up chemicals and transports them to the nearest storm drain, creek, or waterway. Often, these hard surfaces contain oil, antifreeze, lawn chemicals, and other substances.


• Empty your swimming pool or hot tub on the grass, not into the street. Chlorinated water is harmful to aquatic life. By emptying it into a wooded or grassy area, you are making use of nature's natural filtering action.


• On trips to the beach, carry out whatever you carry in. Wildlife can ingest, or become entangled in, trash left behind.


• If you decrease your water use at home, you'll decrease the amount of water that must be treated with chemicals before entering rivers, streams, and the oceans:


• Fix leaky faucets and plumbing joints. Saves 20 gallons per day for every leak stopped.


• Don't run the hose while washing your car. Use a bucket of water and a quick hose rinse at the end. Saves 150 gallons each time.


• Install water-saving shower heads or flow restrictors. Saves 500 to 800 gallons per month.


• Run only full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher. Saves 300 to 800 gallons per month.


• Shorten your showers. Even a one or two minute reduction can save up to 700 gallons per month.


• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks. Saves 150 gallons or more each time. At once a week, that's more than 600 gallons a month.


• Capture tap water. While you wait for hot water to come down the pipes, catch the flow in a watering can to use later on house plants or your garden. Saves 200 to 300 gallons per month.


• Don't water the sidewalks, driveway or gutter. Adjust your sprinklers so that water lands on your lawn or garden where it belongs--and only there. Saves 500 gallons per month.


• If you're taking a shower, don't waste cold water while waiting for hot water to reach the shower head. Catch that water in a container to use on your outside plants or to flush your toilet. Saves 200 to 300 gallons a month.


• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. Saves three gallons each day.


• Turn off the water while shaving. Fill the bottom of the sink with a few inches of water to rinse your razor. Saves three gallons each day.


• If you wash dishes by hand--don't leave the water running for rinsing. If you have two sinks, fill one with rinse water. If you only have one sink, use a spray device or short blasts instead of letting the water run. Saves 200 to 500 gallons a month.


• When washing dishes by hand, use the least amount of detergent possible. This minimizes rinse water needed. Saves 50 to 150 gallons a month.


• Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator. This beats the wasteful habit of running tap water to cool it for drinking. Saves 200 to 300 gallons a month.


• Don't defrost frozen foods with running water. Either plan ahead by placing frozen items in the refrigerator overnight or defrost them in the microwave. Saves 50 to 150 gallons a month.


• Use the garbage disposal less and the garbage more (even better--compost!). Saves 50 to 150 gallons a month.


• Water during the cool parts of the day. Early morning is better than dusk since it helps prevent the growth of fungus. Saves 300 gallons.


• Don't water the lawn on windy days. There's too much evaporation. Can waste up to 300 gallons in one watering. Cut down watering on cool and overcast days and don't water in the rain. Can save up to 300 gallons each time.


• Set lawn mower blades one notch higher. Longer grass means less evaporation. Saves 500 to 1,500 gallons each month.


• Have an evaporative air conditioner? Direct the water drain line to a flower bed, tree base, or lawn.


• Drive your car onto a lawn to wash it. Rinse water can help water the grass.


• Dispose of hazardous materials properly! One quart of oil can contaminate 250,000 gallons of water, effectively eliminating that much water from our water supply. Contact your city or county for proper waste disposal options. And don't flush prescription medications!
• Use natural soaps and cleansers in your home.

sources:

http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ta_choiceshttp://www.monolake.org/socalwater/wctips.htm

image courtesy of randy shelton on flickr

Adventures in Reusing

Recently, I have become obsessed with trying to research and think up items that i can reuse and how i could do it. Once you start thinking of one item in your life to replace with something reusable (like maybe shopping bags) you start to realize just how many things in our culture are disposable. So, for me, finding ways to reuse and recycle has become important for several reasons. Often, it can be a huge money saver. who really wants to spend money on something they're only going to use once? nobody, right? but we do it all the time. It's also, quite obviously, better for the environment and allows me to feel good about the fact that my everyday actions are more purposeful. often the reusable replacements are much more attractive. real plates are much better looking than paper, for instance. so, here are some things to consider when it comes to reusing instead of disposing:

Clothing

For all you crafty ladies out there, how about refashioning items of clothing:
Little Brown Dress Recycling Project
Wardrobe Refashion:Flickr
Wardrobe Refashion '07
or taking unwanted items to the consignment store ($$$) or donating.

Bags!

My favorite so far is the one i just bought at Trader Joe's - $1.99 (it's cute, not plain canvas and no hawaiian flowers)
or make a reusable bag out of disposable ones http://modcottage.com/?p=109 (this one seems like it could be fun, even if you're not really the crafty type - no sewing involved)
i've also had my eye on these babies - so compact, sturdy and perfect, but i don't have the cash.
oh and i just discovered today that save mart deducts 5 cents for every reusable bag you use. not a huge cash savings, but still!

Hankerchiefs/Cloth Napkins

i think hankerchiefs are lovely. i have one that belonged to my grandmother and i love it. though i don't have any allergies and very rarely have cause to blow my nose, i have started carrying a little napkin/hankerchief for drying my hands in a public restroom, using in place of paper napkins, or any other little instances you would normally grab something disposable for - and i love it! quite convenient and much more attractive and elegant than kleenex and scratchy paper napkins.

Towels

I have gone off of paper towels completely and it's been so great! cloth kitchen towels and rags are actually much easier to use. they never fall apart on me and they are much more aesthetically pleasing (ok, maybe the rags aren't always) but i love using them. washing them is no big deal, it's not like they take up a lot of space in your laundry basket or washing machine. and if you use natural cleaners, you don't have to worry about throwing them in with the rest of the laundry. plus, if they are 100% cotton, you can always compost them if you've cleaned up something unmentionally disgusting. so, this one is easy, not to mention CHEAPER!

Water Bottles

Bottled water isn't necessarily cleaner or better for you. i just purchased a water filter pitcher (though maybe i faucet mounted filter would have been a better choice) but still, i really like not spending money on water all the time, not filling up our kitchen with empty bottles, and never feeling like we're "out of water"

Swiffer

I've never been a huge fan of the swiffer, though i do own one. i would just like to point out that there are wonderful alternatives that aren't so expensive and wasteful. microfiber dusting mops work just the same, or you can go old school and just use a broom and dust pan or you can find a microfiber cover to convert your swiffer here.

Also...

i've started using glass containers for storing food (plastics can leach chemicals) and gotten rid of the disposable type plastic containers ( i.e. ziploc, gladware)

i've never purchased a toilet brush with a disposable head or other bathroom scrubbers and now i realize how silly and expensive that would be!

things like aluminum foil and ziploc bags can be washed and reused.
even water can be reused. try collecting the water in the shower while it warms up and using it for something else, like watering the plants, soaking some dishes or mopping the floor.

items i have yet to change:

coffee filters - perhaps i should use the metal one that came with the coffee maker, i've been told that your coffee will actually taste better anyway.
razors- i have one where i can replace just the head, but how about this one that's made with recycled plastic and can be recycled?
my toothbrush - you can actually get one with a replaceable head, or at least this one that can be mailed back and recycled
toilet paper - this one seems rather radical and interesting, i suppose it would save some cash.

photo courtesy of verdammelt on flickr

Recycling

YEAH - RECYCLING!! i know that there are plenty of you out there who don't really know how the program works here in modesto. a few people have asked me recently. so, i'd like to tell you about that and then talk about some more creative ways to recycle more than just your bottles and cans in another post. But first...
Recycling in Modesto is EASY!
Here in Modesto, there is a blue bag program. What this means is that all of your recyclables can be put into the blue colored plastic shopping bags that you receive from local super markets (save mart, o'brien's, richland) tied closed and thrown in your black can with your household garbage.


What Goes in the Blue Bag for Recycling, You Ask?

Tin, Steel & Aluminum Cans:
Labels are okay. Crushing cans saves space
Aluminum cans, aluminum foil trays and pie plates, foil products Empty and lightly rinse
Plastic Bottles & Jars:
Soda, water, milk jugs, soda bottles, and plastic bottles with a "neck"
Plastics numbered 1 through 7
Remove any bottle caps which are not recyclable
Labels are okay
Crush or flatten to save space
Empty and lightly rinse
Glass Bottles & Jars:
Leave the lid off and put it into the blue bag
Empty and lightly rinse
Do not break the bottles and jars
Newspapers, Brown Bags, Cardboard & Other Clean Paper:
Newspapers, brown paper bags, telephone books, magazines, mixed paper, junk mail, computer paper, and cardboard
Remove cardboard box liners
Flatten cardboard boxes

Also, I think a lot of people don't know this, but food waste can be put in your green bin with your yard waste and will be composted by the city.
In The Green Cans
Place all grass, plant clippings, and leaves in the can and
Brush, tree limbs less than 4' long and 6" in diameter as well as,
Acceptable food waste items:
Table Scraps
Vegetable and Fruit Peelings
Meat, Bones, and Fish
Egg Shells
Solid Dairy Products
Coffee Grounds
Breads and Toast
Paper Waste (Napkins, towels, plates, coffee filters, tea bags, etc.)
(no Recyclables,no Kitty Litter,no Plastics,no Food Containers or Packaging,no Liquids)

for more tips on recycling, visit Alina over at Confessions of a Closet Environmentalist

so, get up and pay your kitchen garbage can a little visit and see what treasures you can find to recycle. or, if that's too gross, just start paying attention to what you throw away from now on. you'll be amazed at what a difference it makes. we used to have to take the garbage out several times a week. now, since we've been separating out our recyclables and our compostable waste (as well as cloth diapering and trying to purchase products with less packaging) we only take out one rather small bag per week! this makes brian happy as he is the one who makes the brave journey to the garbage can in the alley. so, GO FORTH AND RECYCLE, IT'S EASY!

P.S. if you are a cheap skate you can also take your various drink containers to drop off locations (sometimes i go to the one on oakdale by raley's and wamu) to get your CRV refund ($$)

photo from .Delight on flickr