Going Green with Laundry

I seem to be on a laundry kick for the last few days, probably because I've been doing my monthly washing this week, and to continue this laundry love fest I thought I might look around and see what I could find in the way of Earth and people friendly detergents.

Sun and Earth products are made in the USA and are free of dyes, perfumes, and petroleum based solvents. It's even safe enough to use for baby!

This link will take you to a list of the top 5 Eco-friendly detergents (I don't know who decided that these were really the best ...). I do have to say though, I have used Method's detergent before and I liked it a lot. Thinking about it now, I don't know why I ever switched back to the regular stuff.

I also Found Ecos detergent which retails in the US, Canada, and the UK! I also thought this would be good to add to this article because of the fact that it has a store locater which could lead you to find a natural market in your area that you may not have ever known about before. When I tried it for my zip code it listed several little shops that I've never heard of before but would be interested in hitting up!

If you know of any detergents or recipes for detergents, please email them to me and I would be more than happy to add them to my list!

Conserve: Electricty in the Laundry Room

Now that you aren't using your dryer anymore and are getting the maximum usage of your drying line (you are, aren't you?) in the backyard before you move the operation indoors for the winter, I think it's high time to talk about how you can save energy in your washing machine.

If you go to Google and type in "wash in cold" the first page that comes up is one from Carbon Conscious Consumer and I can tell you that every page after that pretty much will tell you the same thing (and then tell you that they got it from this page). It pretty much says that heating water uses a ton of energy nationwide and that you really don't need to wash in hot water to get your clothes clean.

And I can attest to that. I have been washing my clothes in the cold/cold cycle for so long that I can't even remember when I started. I do know that the reason I started was that I found out that washing in cold means that when you wash that new red shirt in a load of whites (yes, I am speaking from experience here), everything comes out the same color it was when it went in.

If you're worried about the nasties in your clothes stop and think about it. How dirty do you really get during the day? If you aren't a toddler, I bet the answer is not very. I throw a little bit of color safe bleach with every load anyway to make sure that my clothes are genuinely clean.

If you need to wash something in hot water there are still a few things that you can do to cut down on your energy consumption. Use the warm option instead of hot and be sure to use cold in the rinse cycle (it's the warm/cold setting on your washer).

And of course, using an Energy Star washer will save you even more.

Conserve: Paper

Did you know that the average American uses 749 pounds of paper a year? That's a lot of paper. I don't know about you, but when I read that number it made me want to work hard to make my number much smaller. So what can you do to make your usage number smaller? Here are a bunch of good tips that I've found.

1. Go paperless when you can
• I already have been receiving paperless statements from my credit card companies. I've also heard that there are lots of banks that are now offering paperless accounts.
• Pay your bills online. Not only will you be saving paper, you'll save money on checks and postage.
• Instead of printing off your receipts online, consider downloading a Cute PDF writer that will take a screen shot of your computer and put it into a PDF file for you to keep forever, sans paper.
  
2. Recycle it when you're done
• This is a no brainer for you all, but I felt it was worth reiterating (need to know where to take your paper? Check out this post on recycling).
  
3. Make the most of what you have
• When you are printing things that aren't that important, think about printing them on the back of paper that has already been printed on. This is how I used to print off my notes for my college classes.
• You can also set your printer to print on both sides of the paper.
  
4. Consider using paper made from materials other than trees
• The Kenaf plant is gaining popularity for being a fast growing crop (versus trees that can take 70 years to mature).
• You can get it from Vision Paper. Talk to your employer to see if maybe you can switch from plain old recycled paper to awesome new tree-free paper.
  
5. Just avoid it
• When you give a presentation at work, keep it in Power Point and only print off hard copies for the people who really need them (like your boss). Offer to email it to anyone who wants a copy.
• Send emails instead of paper memos (but I don't think it's wise to skip sending that birthday card to your niece).
• Before you hit the print button think about if you really need a hard copy. Can it be saved as a PDF instead?
• Or you can follow in the footsteps of one intrepid artist and stop using paper altogether.
  

Keep in mind that these ideas can be applied in the office and at home. Now, go forth greenies, and save a tree (or plant a tree if you are feeling really Earth friendly).

I got my information from the NY Times, Guampdn.com, and Ecology.com.

Buying Green Products Responsibly

I'm sure that at some point in your life you've heard of businesses who are caught using child labor or exploiting works. Kathy Lee Gifford comes to my mind and I found this article that talks about worker exploitation in New York City. So how can you avoid buying products that have been greenwashed into looking like sustainable, responsibly made products when they're really being made from trees from the rain forest by children in China, Japan, Vietnam, or some other far away country that has a record of using child labor.

A website that I happened to stumble upon called Rate It Green can help. It's an online community of people who are concerned with purchasing their products from green retailers who are really green. Although it seems like it's used more for people who are contractors, you still might find something helpful.

Green People is a website that is dedicated to bring you the resources you need to bring your shopping to the next level. They have links for everything from baby products to eco tourism. All of their lists of suppliers are available to view by location or as a complete listing depending on what you're looking for. This site looks like a great resource for finding what you need.

I also found a website called Green Seal that will only give it's seal of greenness to companies whose products have passed their stringent testing and comparison to other products in its class. They also provide resources to find the products that they have given their seal to. Their list isn't very long but it is another good place to start looking to find the products that you might need.

Keep your eyes open and please feel free to let me know if you find any other websites that do the same! I would love to keep adding websites to this list.

Line Drying - Back in Style

Line drying your clothes isn't just for your grandmother anymore. There is a movement afoot in the green community to get back into the habit of line drying your clothing for a few reasons.

1. It will save you money.
• No joke! Your dryer, refrigerator and washer are the biggest electricity hogs in your house.
• The sun acts as a bleaching agent and it's antibacterial which means that you don't have to buy any more bleach.
  
2. It's relaxing.
• Just pretend that you're playing house in the 1950's. Dig out that apron you have with the ruffles and saunter into your back yard to get to work - I like to do it at least. The trick is to reward your hard work with a martini when you get back in the house.
  
• Lots of blogs I've read on the subject mention that it's just nice to spend some time outside and getting their chores done all at the same time, and I agree.
  
3. Your clothes will last longer.
• The lint that you pull off the screen in your dryer comes from your clothes, but did you know that it's because they're being destroyed? I never put 2 and 2 together until a few months ago.
• The less time your clothes spend in the dryer the more fibers stay in your clothes which will make it much easier to make it through the 365 no new duds challenge with your pants in one piece.
  
4. Your clothes will smell "sunshine fresh".
• Another common 'thread' (haha) in blogs and articles about line drying is just how good your clothes will smell when you bring them down off the line.
• You can stop paying more for the smelly detergents because you are now getting the smell for free.

Don't believe me? Check out this Mom Advice article on the subject as well as Thrifty Jinxy's thoughts on the matter (which also happens to be an Ideal Bite tip!). They will pretty much tell you the same thing. The Mom Advice article also give you some great ideas on how to reduce the amount of wrinkles in your clothes as they dry on the line.

Don't let your line drying days come to an end when it starts to get cold outside! You can just as easily dry your launder on a few folding racks, which is what I use right now anyway. I find that my clothes get dry just as fast as they do when they are in the dryer and I haven't had any trouble with stiff clothes at all, something that can happen when you dry outside.

Now that I know you're all ready to get out there and line dry your clothes you will need some supplies to get you started. Here's where to get the goods:

1. A clothes line
• I found this outdoor clothes line setup that was something I thought I might like ... if I had a backyard.
• You might also want to consider a retractable clothes line if you don't want a giant thing standing in your back yard all the time.
  
2. A drying rack
• Thanks to Ideal Bite, here is a site that is dedicated to sustainable production of wooden drying racks and boy do they have a bunch of styles. I was really impressed.
3. Clothes pins
• You can't get the clothes to stay on the line without these little guys! You can find them several places around town probably.
• Here are some wooden clothes pins and here are some plastic clothes pins. I personally prefer the wooden ones.
  
4. Clothespin bag
• Here is a basic clothes pin bag.
  
• But you can also make your own with things that you already have in your house. Check out these awesome instructions I found for this style and these other equally awesome instructions to make another style.
  
5. A ruffled apron and martini shaker
• This apron will blow your neighbors away.
• These aprons have a very vintage look to them if you really want to look authentic.
• I found a site called Martini Art that should become your one stop shop for any martini supplies you might ever want or need. They even have drink recipes!

And there you have it. Every question you may have had about line drying your clothes answered and several resources at your finger tips. So what are you waiting for? I'll see you in the back yard!

Digging a Little Deeper into Composting

Every now and then I like to go back through my old posts to hunt for ideas for my newer posts and I discovered that while I do have some helpful links for you on how to start your own compost box (or pile), I didn't provide much beyond that. So today I decided that I would spend some time exploring the lovely world of compost.

There are a few different ways that you can compost.

• A pile out in the yard (the old school way)
• Vermicomposting - a bucket is filled with stuff and red worms are added to the mix to break down all the stuff you throw in.
• Bokashi - similar to vermicomposting but instead of worms you mix up some wood shavings and microbes that break everything down.

From everything I've read, vermicomposting is the way to go if you're short on space and it produces a better end product than bokashi composting does. So I will be looking mainly at it.

If you clicked on the click above you may already know everything that I will be writing about because The Compost Guy's website is so awesome it almost hurts. So, let's talk worms and trash.

The first thing that you're going to need is a bin with a lid. From everything I've read it's best to get one that about 10 gallons of softer plastic (like a Rubbermaid Tub) and you need to make sure that it's a solid color. The worms are light sensitive and if you have a clear bucket you will cause them unnecessary stress and make your new pets very unhappy.

Next you'll need to drill holes in your bin to make sure that your worms and your compost can get the air that they will need. I would recommend that you watch the video that is posted on the compost guy's vermicomposting page (click the link up above to access it). He builds a deluxe worm habitat, but once the movie is over with you have the option of watching other videos that he has posted and several of them are all about making smaller and simpler worm homes.

Once you have your holes drilled, you will need some bedding. Tear up some newspaper and cardboard (the compost guy's favorite because it allows for more air to get into the mix) and spray it down until it's damp. Once your bedding is in and damp, add your food scraps. Now comes a very important question that must be answered.

What exactly can I put into my vermicomposting bin?

Well, according to this list I found on Red Worm Composting (the Compost Guy's other site) here is a basic list of what is good and bad in a worm bin:

Good

• Veggie and Fruit waste (but at citrus in moderation)
• Starchy Materials like Bread, Potatoes, Rice, Pasta
• Aged animal manures
• Shredded newspapers, cardboard, and used paper towels
• Rinsed out and crushed up eggshells
• Coffee Grounds
• Tea Bags

Bad

• Human/Pet Waste
• Non-Biodegradable Materials
• Dairy/Meat
• Oils/Grease
• Harsh Chemicals

And then the last thing that you will need are, of course, your worms. You can toss them right in and they should get to work right away. According to a few other sites I've looked at (including the ones in my old post) you might want to think about keeping your scraps in the fridge for about a week and then putting them all in at once so that you don't disturb your worms quite as often. Your dirt should be ready to harvest in about 3 months.

If you want more information I would high recommend either looking at either of the compost guys' websites. They are both wonderfully informative and easy to navigate. He also sells the worms that you will need to purchase to really get your compost box on the move!

I am going to be starting my own worm bin in the coming weeks so that I can have some soil ready for when I start my container garden next spring. I will be sure to post pictures and updates as I go along!

Conserve: Water in the Kitchen

Since I recently looked at the many ways that you can conserve water in your bathroom, I thought I might look into conserving water in the kitchen. And when you look at conserving water in the kitchen you can't help but stumble upon the question that everyone is asking ...

Is it better to hand-wash dishes or use the dishwasher?

Well, I am here to tell you that every website I looked at said the same thing. Dishwashers use less water overall than you would if you were hand-washing your dishes. Especially if you have a energy star dishwasher. There was even a study that proves that using a dishwasher is better for the environment than if you were to wash your dishes by hand. This is a link to an article on Tree Hugger than also has a link to the study.

So now that we have that figured out, are there any other ways to save conserve water in the kitchen? You bet there is.

1. Make sure the dishwasher is FULL before you run it.
• It not only saves water, it saves you money and the time that you would spend putting away those 5 loads that could have all gone in at the same time.
  
2. Don't let water run down the drain.
• Don't defrost meat by running water on it. Plan ahead and let it thaw in the fridge or use the defrost feature on your microwave.
  
• When you rise your veggies, do it in a plugged sink or in a bowl of cool water.
• Consider keeping a jug of tap water in the fridge so that it's just the right level of chilly so that you don't have to wait for the tap to get really cold.
• Save all the grey water you can! You can use it to water the garden or anything else you can think of.
3. Use your garbage disposal sparingly.
• You will save quite a bit of money by not running the water to wash all the nasties down your sink.
  
• What is your other option? Start your own compost bin! Save water and make your own dirt for your garden.
  
4. Get an aerator for your kitchen sink.
• By these work like a low flow shower head and can significantly cut down on the amount of water you use.
  
5. Be sure to have any leaks fixed.
• Leaks = wasted water (and a higher utility bill).

I found these and other fabulous tips at the Queensland Government site, Savewater.co.au, and The Town of Cary site.

Conserve: Water in the Shower

I am all about greening up my life style, but I am not about to suggest that we all stop showering or something. I want a clean Earth, not a smelly one. So I decided that I would go out onto the world wide web and bring back for you the best water conservation tips I could find about saving water in the shower.

#1. The number one most important tip to saving water in your shower is to install a low flow shower head. You can find them at The Shower Head Store, Evolve Shower Heads, or you might even head over to your local Home Depot or Lowe's to see what they have if you don't feel like ordering your stuff online.

#2. The next thing you should consider doing is using a bucket to catch the water that runs before your water warms up. You can use this water for any number of things like watering your container garden or flushing your toilet. Personally, I'm going to use it to water the garden ... when I get it started.

#3. Also, consider shortening your shower as much as your can. Even a minute or two will help. Some ideas to shorten your time under the water are ...

1. Cut out the conditioner.
   
1. I've stopped using it in the shower and just use a pray on when I get out. It works great and I don't have to wait two minutes before I rise it out.
2. Shave out of the shower.
   
1. This might not be a problem for you guys out there, but when I shave my legs in the shower I usually end up adding 5-6 minutes to my overall shower time. Use some of the water you collect in your shower bucket for your shaving. You can warm it up on the stove and off you go!
3. Multi task when you can.
   
1. I put on my body wash and then put on my face wash while I'm rising off my back. It works great and saves me a little time.
4. Don't mess around.
   
1. When I was a kid I could take 45 minute showers because I wanted to play in the warm water. If you want to enjoy the water and take your time, consider taking a bath instead. At least that way you're using a fixed amount of water instead of having a running flow the whole time.
   

I use these tips myself and I can say that I have cut my shower time down by about 4 minutes. It's great in the mornings because I hate getting up early. So the faster I can shower, the later I can sleep. It's incentive enough for me!

Want more ways to conserve water in the bathroom? Check out my next article where we take conservation bathroom wide!

A Closer Look: Reusing

Article two in my three article series brings us to, quite possibly, the most important of the three R's: Reusing. Why do I say the most important? Well, when we reuse something instead of throwing it into the trash bin, we are essentially doing all of the R's at once - you're reducing your trash output and landfill contributions and recycling whatever it is you're reusing.

I thought that I would explore what other people had to say about reusing and I found a wonderful article, attached to a great website called Care2, all about why reusing is so awesome. You can read the article here. She had some very good insight into why reusing is so important, including the list that I have included below.

• "Reuse keeps goods and materials out of the waste stream"
  
• "Reuse advances source reduction"
• "Reuse preserves the “embodied energy” that was originally used to manufacture an item"
• "Reuse reduces the strain on valuable resources, such as fuel, forests and water supplies, and helps safeguard wildlife habitats"
• "Reuse creates less air and water pollution than making a new item or recycling"
  
• "Reuse results in less hazardous waste"
• "Reuse saves money in purchases and disposal costs"
• "Reuse generates new business and employment opportunities for both small entrepreneurs and large enterprises"
• "Reuse creates an affordable supply of goods that are often of excellent quality."

So what can you do to reuse the things in your home before they end up becoming trash?

I found a website called The Recycling Revolution that lists a ton of ideas for re-purposing potential trash items and the list is divided up by whatever object you want to reuse. I glanced over the list and discovered a few ideas that I hadn't thought of before, like tacking the empty cereal box to the wall and cutting a hole in the bottom front to make a plastic shopping bag dispenser.

The other day my mother and I had a conversation about reusing plastic sandwich baggies. I used to use them until they got visibly dirty, which sometimes took a long time to happen, and then switch them out for new ones. Well, my mom pointed out to me that if you don't wash them in between uses you are accumulating bacteria that are probably loving being stuck in a warm plastic bag. So, the moral is wash your plastic baggies in between uses to insure that you won't get sick from trying to save the planet. I found this baggie drying rack at Gaiam.com which I think I might invest in for this purpose.

I also found a website that has TONS of resources for reusing all sorts of things. It's called Green Living Ideas (aptly named I think) and is a great portal to all the information you might ever desire on reusing the potential trash items in your home. This is a site that I think I will be spending quite a bit of time on in the coming weeks.

Well, there you have it. Reasons why reusing is so important and several new websites that you can use as resources in your own quest to recycle and now reuse. Stay tuned to learn all about reducing in my next article!

Happy 4th!!

What a wonderful day! You can celebrate America and your right to live a green and Earth friendly lifestyle!! Have fun and be green all at the same time with these awesome products ...

• 7th Generation is great stuff that's affordable. They have great products like napkins and trash bags (and tons of awesome cleaning products to help you clean your house after everyone leaves)
  
• Gaiam.com is where I found a lot of green living products like these recycled cutlery and plates that would look great on your table!

I know that my grocery store carries 7th Generation products in the "health market". If you don't want to order them online, and given the fact that Friday is the 4th you might not have time to get your things by then, check out the stores in your area! Even if it's not 7th Generation, I bet that you can find some kind of eco-friendly brand to buy instead.

Have a wonderfully safe and neon green 4th everyone!!

Greenie Love - Beth

A Closer Look at the 3 R's

You've had it beaten into your head since you were a kid. The three R's: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. And while it's wonderful that you know your three R's by heart, do you really understand what they mean? Do you know where you can access the information you might need in order to actually apply the three R's to your life?

Yes, I had them beaten into my head as a child too. But I realized the other day that although I knew what I was supposed to be doing, I didn't really know how to go about it. So I've decided that I will travel out into the world of the internet and bring back for you all the relevant information you might need in order to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

My first article will focus on the most publicized of the three R's: Recycling. Sure, you put the green bin out by the trash every week but is there more that you could be doing? There sure is. Did you know that you can recycle just about everything? You can even recycle oil and batteries is you know where to take the stuff.

Stay tuned to learn about how you can take your recycling beyond your regular paper, glass, and plastic.