Category Archives: Environmentally Friendly

Have You Picked Up the Reusable Shopping Bag Habit?

Grabbing a reusable shopping bag as you head out to the store sounds like such a simple thing, but in reality it can be a very difficult habit to pick up. All too often I head out to the store to realize that my bags are still at home.

Reusable shopping bags do quite a bit for the environment if you can remember to use them. Plastic bags are hard on the environment not only in terms of their manufacture and distribution, but in that so few are recycled. They’re terrible for wildlife. They break down very, very slowly.

Paper bags are a problem as well, although they do generally come from wood from managed forests. But they are heavier than plastic and can actually have a higher environmental cost than plastic in terms of manufacture and distribution. On the plus side, they break down nicely.

Reusable bags can even save you money. Some stores charge customers for bags, while others give a small discount for bringing your own. Either way the cost difference is small, but it can add up over time.

There are many ways to get reusable bags. You can buy them at your local grocery store, often for about $1 a bag. They’ll have the store’s logo or something along those lines on them, but they’ll get the job done. On the other hand, you’re a walking advertisement for that company. They may also not be terribly durable.

You can sometimes find them free at events. One of mine came from a local fair. The city’s information booth was giving them out.

You can also shop online for them. This is the most expensive option, but if you want the most durable and attractive bags, this is probably the way to go. You may also spend less in the long run. Many of the store bags and free bags are poorly made and won’t last through that many uses if you load them too heavily.

The key to building up a good reusable bag habit is to find something that works for you. Here are some ideas:

1. Keep them in the car.

Reusable bags are light, and take up very little room when empty, so they’re a good choice to just toss in the trunk. Do so after each time you use them, and they’ll make it to the store with you every time you drive over.

2. Buy bags that fold up into your purse.

If you carry a purse, this can work well for you. Some varieties fold up very small, and you can just have them with you all the time. No more forgetting them even in the trunk!

3. Put it at the top of your shopping list.

Just be sure you go over your list right before you leave. This won’t help you much if you don’t look at your list until you’re actually at the store.

6 Simple Ways to Save Energy at Home

Saving energy may be one of the simplest things you can do to go green. While you may spend a little money for some of these ideas, many are simply a change of habit.

1. Switch to CFLs as old bulbs burn out.

While compact fluorescent bulbs do typically cost more than incandescent bulbs, you can get them more affordably in many places.

Some electric companies offer discounts on them. These may be available in local stores. I can often get my CFLs for about $1 per bulb. This is of course just for the basic ones, and if you have dimmer switches, ceiling fan lights or closed fixtures you may have to pay more.

However, each CFL should save you money over the life of the bulb. They use significantly less energy than incandescent bulbs and last longer in most cases.

2. Turn off unneeded lights.

Old advice, but still good. Even young children can be taught to turn off lights in rooms that aren’t being used. Takes just a moment, it’s free to do, saves money and energy.

3. Unplug appliances.

Many appliances use power even when they’re turned off. Many of them really don’t need it, unless you need the clock still running or something.

If unplugging is too much effort, consider buying a smart power strip. These will shut down the power to electronics that are connected to each other. You can set one up so that shutting down the computer cuts to power to your monitor, printer and any other accessories, for example. Or turn off the TV and have the DVD player shut completely down. You’ll probably want cable boxes and/or DVRs on a separate strip if they need power while the TV is off.

4. Use fans instead of the air conditioner.

Summer’s over in some places, but not near me. We’re still getting plenty of weather into the 90s.

A good fan works wonders for cutting down our use of air conditioning. It still gets plenty hot in the house, but by combining existing fans with building a tolerance for warmer weather we use the AC relatively little.

You can also figure out which of the windows allow the worst of the heat in. We block those windows with Mylar, and in one case even have a shade on the outside of the house to keep the heat out. Simple, but it makes a huge difference.

Similarly, in winter you can cut down on your heater use by dressing more warmly.

5. Buy Energy Star appliances when you need new ones.

It can be hard to say when it’s worthwhile to replace an appliance that hasn’t yet broken down. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t. But when it’s time, get the most efficient one that meets your needs. Energy Star products cost you a bit more upfront, but over time they will save you money.

6. Use a clothesline.

Yes, old fashioned, and yes, it is forbidden in some areas to have clotheslines in your back yard. Silly rule in my opinion, but a reality some people have to deal with.

When the weather permits, a clothesline dries clothes fairly quickly and can be gentler on them than the dryer. It takes a bit of extra effort to get everything on the line and back down when it’s dry, but you’re not using any electricity by doing so.

Some people put clotheslines in their garage as well. This means you can line dry clothes regardless of the weather or HOA regulations.

It’s amazing what you can do to save energy without spending a lot of money. But even more amazing is how quickly you can save enough to pay for what you’ve spent. Doing your bit for the environment can have some great advantages.

How to Find Green Cleansers

While I enjoy making my own cleaning supplies, I know it’s not for everyone, even when much of it is as simple as baking soda and vinegar. Maybe you like the scents of other cleansers or maybe you just can’t quite believe they’re effective enough.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t go green with your cleaning supplies.

There are a number of greener cleansers out there. Clorox may have a name for itself as the producer of some really nasty, toxic chemicals, but if you can get past that they have their Green Works line of products. You can get these locally at Home Depot and other stores. I’ve tried them, and they work fine.

If you’re buying products, do at least consider buying concentrated versions that you have to water down before use. This will at least cut down on the packaging and weight of shipping. It also saves you quite a bit of money. One of the Green Works products I bought, an all-purpose cleanser, can be diluted to 1:24 a bit and is still effective.

There are other products you can buy as well, such as the old, reliable Simple Green. I used that one for a long time before starting to make my own products.

When in doubt, look at the labels.

The very first thing I don’t want in a product is for it to be antibacterial. These can leave residues, encouraging resistant bacteria to grow, and don’t do any better a job of cleaning. With the residue left, it may even be doing worse. Just remember that a good soap allows you to wipe those germs right off the counter. Keep your cleaning cloths clean and you won’t be spreading too many germs about.

Besides, a few germs around are good for the immune system. It’s the excess that is far more likely to make you or your family ill.

In addition, look for warning and danger labels. Right off the bat either of these tells you that your cleanser has something toxic in it. You’ll probably want to wear gloves when using such products, or better yet, find an alternative that’s less toxic.

Caution labels are on many products. It’s on my Green Works bottle, for example, because it’s a potential eye irritant. Eyes are very easy to irritate.

I prefer to avoid ammonia, bleach, hydrochloric acid, chlorine, petroleum products and many other ingredients commonly found in cleaning products. I’m also not big on added fragrances, unless it’s an essential oil such as I add when I use vinegar so my husband doesn’t complain about the scent.

A simple rule is that if you can recognize the source of the ingredients in your cleaning product, it’s probably safer. Not always, as nature can come up with some really nasty toxins.

Just remember you don’t need products with special agents to make them foam up, or really harsh chemicals to get the job done. A bit of elbow grease and a natural product can do the job just as well. You won’t have to worry about what you’re sending down the pipes or in the trash if you pick your products more carefully.

Water: A California Story at San Diego Natural History Museum

I think by the title you can guess where we went this weekend. My mother heard about the water exhibit at the San Diego Natural History Museum on the news and figured it would be a great experience for the kids.

As it turned out, the display was mostly so-so for bringing a 6 year old and a 3 year old along. Most of it was too old for them, although probably great for older elementary school age kids. But they weren’t into many of the exhibits at all. The mist entryway they enjoyed, and the 3 stages of water that they could play with were fun, but that was about it for them.

Which meant I had little time to read up on the parts that interested me.

The kids did kind of enjoy the model of the carousel water pump that some communities in Africa have now. The idea behind these is that the children play on the carousel, causing it to pump water for the community.

If you are in the area and want to learn more about water conservation, this was a good exhibit. Not much new for me that I had the chance to read at least, but my opinion might be different if I had had a better chance to go through at my own pace. So take the older kids, but not younger ones unless you want to be a bit rushed.

How Green Will Your July 4th Be?

For a holiday that is celebrated mostly outdoors by most Americans, the Fourth of July is far from a green holiday. Thinking about what fireworks put into the air can put a bit of a damper on enjoying their beauty. And of course most barbecues aren’t so good in that area either.

That doesn’t mean you have to give up for the day. It just means you have to think a little.

We’ll start with the food. Lots of fun stuff here, and yes, my husband plans on barbecuing. Some things he has no interest in giving up. But if we can cut back on the meat, it will be a healthier meal. You can also pick more sustainable types of charcoal for your barbecue or use propane.

I’m hoping that some of the produce in our garden will be ready; I haven’t checked yet. But our tomatoes have been producing and a friend gave us some zucchini and yellow squash. Garden produce, when available, makes a great addition anytime. We’ll also have plenty of fruit, as we got plums from my inlaws’ tree and a neighbor gave us apricots. Lots of local and in season produce, mmm!

It’s hard to avoid soda cans, juice boxes and bottled drinks if you’re having company over. But you can make good choices with these. Think about which can be recycled most easily. Juice boxes as a rule are very challenging to recycle, although some do get made into bags, such as the Basura bag at ReusableBags.com. But if you’re not recycling, reusing them or finding out out to give them to someone who will make bags, they’re going in the landfill. And very few places recycle juice boxes.

Speaking of which, do you have your reusable dishes yet for having people over? Paper or plastic plates may be easy to get, but they’re wasteful. Not wanting to take breakable dishes outside is reasonable, especially if you’ll be away from home, but that doesn’t have to mean disposable.

If you’re going to a fireworks show, try for one near to where you’re doing the rest of your celebration, and carpool where possible. Carpooling can also make parking a lot easier… fewer spaces to seek out to keep your party together. Plan ahead so that you sit as little as possible in traffic; pretty much any fireworks celebration is going to generate a traffic jam.

This is one of the few times I don’t know that I’d suggest riding a bike there. Lots of traffic, after dark, and people who have been drinking all day. This time a car makes more sense to me.

What else can you think of?