mo2 Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 We switched trash services to one that will recycle, I'm using vinegar for most of my cleaning, I hang my clothes to dry, and I've stopped buying paper towels, plates, etc. But I want to do more. Any tips, websites, books you would recommend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo2 Posted June 18, 2008 Author Share Posted June 18, 2008 Seriously? No one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Here are a couple of sites to start with. TreeHugger The Daily Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen500 Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Well, you probably already do this stuff, but we- use worn washclothes, towels and some t-shirts as rags only run the dishwasher when it's full (not a problem for us LOL!) Don't leave the water running while brushing teeth turn the lights out when leaving the room (still working on that one) bamboo flooring as we replace old carpeting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5wolfcubs Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Can you do an online search at your library? Mine has lots of books -- I mostly skim them, picking up an idea here and there. My latest is my "found water" bucket. When I rinse my hands or empty someone's water cup at the end of the day, that relatively clean water goes into the bucket (1/2 gallon sherbet bucket on the counter). Then someone waters the sunflowers when the bucket is full. I'd like to do this with the water in the tub/shower while waiting for it to get hot, but haven't gotten a 5 gallon bucket into the bathroom yet! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 You are doing a great thing. With our new house everything is eco friendly from floor to ceiling, eco friendly paint, carpets. We use steamer to clean. All products are organic and natural. No pesticides of any kind. No chemicals. Thats my only sticking point. Any step towards a greener planet is a great step for everyone. Jet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 what about solar hot water? depends where you live of course. We get free environmentally friendly hot water nearly all year round Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 You are doing a great thing. With our new house everything is eco friendly from floor to ceiling, eco friendly paint, carpets. We use steamer to clean. All products are organic and natural. No pesticides of any kind. No chemicals. Thats my only sticking point. Any step towards a greener planet is a great step for everyone. Jet Tell me more about building an eco-friendly house. Any resources you can recommend? A good friend just bought some land and is aboutto start planning her house, and I know she wants it to be as eco-friendly as possible, but we haven't gotten to things like flooring and paint yet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 I have been thinking about the "green life" for a while and find that there are often two lines of thought. One involves replacing what we have with energy efficient appliances, objects made with environmentally friendly materials, etc. The other line focuses on keeping things out of the landfill and using what you have until it needs to be replaced--then make the environmentally wise choice that suits your pocketbook and lifestyle. My problem with websites and some of the books is that they focus on the former, while I live the latter. Another thought is that the environmental choice is often the frugal choice. Cutting energy costs is good for the wallet and the pocket book. A clothes dryer is one item that uses a lot of energy. In my case, I use energy to dry my clothes, then energy to cool my house while drying my clothes. Talk about vicious cycle! I really think that tracking energy use is a great way to help both the environment and the pocketbook. There is a government website that let's you see what a typical electric appliance consumes. Now there is some calculation involved. I would get the kids interested in this project and have them determine your annual costs per year after you supply them with a cents per kilowatt hour as charged by your utility. (See, that math has some practical applications!) Can you bike instead of drive? Most of us cannot bike exclusively. Many of us do not have mass transit options. But instead of driving a mile or two or even five, riding a bike occasionally will help do your bit toward air quality. Some of the stuff that I do is small. The amount of plastic that has entered my life annoys me, so I choose to buy basic ingredients at the food co-op where I can scoop the foods into paper bags and store them at home in a container that I already own. My CSA share comes in a waxed corrugated box which we recycle with our organic farmer. At home, I store some of my produce in washable muslin bags--haven't figured out yet how to store greens in the fridge without using plastic. We carry water bottles that we refill (I use a Sieg) instead of purchasing drinks in plastic bottles. Good luck on your adventure. Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doran Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 There have been many previous discussions relevant to this on the boards, so I've dug up a couple that might help you out. In this one, folks listed what they're doing in their own little worlds to make a difference. This discussion came with lots of embedded links that might be valuable to you. I see that you took part in this thread about living off the grid. I know there have been others. I do appreciate what Jane in NC has stated -- that living "green" doesn't necessarily mean tossing all your less green stuff in exchange for new products that have a more environmentally friendly "rating". It doesn't sound as if you're headed that direction, but the preponderance of green products we find in stores and catalogs now tells me that many consumers don't quite get the big picture. Here is a hearty discussion about that topic, and an even heartier follow up here. Clearly, there are lots of folks who are thinking along the same lines, and there are lots of questions yet to be answered. I'm searching right alongside you. Thanks for posting! :001_smile: p.s. Forgive any highlighted words that may show up in those links. I seached for a few keywords, and then failed to delete that feature when I copied the link. Not sure if it will show up here or not, but fair warning. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justme Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 You didn't mention it, but I assume you use reusable bags(everywhere, not just the grocery store!). I have been doing it for several months and it feels so good not to have all those plastic bags in my home. I'm pretty proud of that. Plus changing to 'green/nautral' cleaning and laundry products. This is a good site for bags and other environmentally-friendly products: http://www.reusablebags.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 There have been many previous discussions relevant to this on the boards, so I've dug up a couple that might help you out. In this one, folks listed what they're doing in their own little worlds to make a difference. This discussion came with lots of embedded links that might be valuable to you. I see that you took part in this thread about living off the grid. I know there have been others. I do appreciate what Jane in NC has stated -- that living "green" doesn't necessarily mean tossing all your less green stuff in exchange for new products that have a more environmentally friendly "rating". It doesn't sound as if you're headed that direction, but the preponderance of green products we find in stores and catalogs now tells me that many consumers don't quite get the big picture. Here is a hearty discussion about that topic, and an even heartier follow up here. Clearly, there are lots of folks who are thinking along the same lines, and there are lots of questions yet to be answered. I'm searching right alongside you. Thanks for posting! :001_smile: p.s. Forgive any highlighted words that may show up in those links. I seached for a few keywords, and then failed to delete that feature when I copied the link. Not sure if it will show up here or not, but fair warning. ;) Jane and Doran are right, what I was going to post was a long discussion on varying degrees of *green*. From simply replacing bulbs to being totally sustainable living in the side of a hill on a huge amt. of acres. Of course, everything comes at a cost. And what is good for one might not work for another. I think any direction in the right direction is a good one. I make green changes, when I can or when its called for , for health reasons. So I dont make drastic changes unless necessary or convenient. For example, moving to new house and using No Voc paint, bamboo, marmoleum, appliances. The list goes on and on. On the new build end, we got to the point of having plans drawn up and materials chosen. But contractor lied on price per sq ft and it tripled. So plans sit in drawer. I have a ton of info. and a great sustainable architect in Utah, he travels anywhere and a really smart guy. If you have any questions just pm me. I will try and come up with some info, if I can find , it has been two yrs. Jet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret in GA Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Co-op America has some great suggestions on their website. http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/climate/cleanenergy/efficiency.cfm Their ideas are all about using less energy. As for me, the two new things I've done this year (and they were so easy to do!) 1.) bring my own bags to the grocery store 2. ) hang my clothes out to dry. Good Luck! Margaret PS did you see this article about Washington state banning dishwashing detergents with phosphorus? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/17/washington-state-begins-b_n_107688.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoraida Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 I tried going green by using those spiral type lights (don't know the proper name for them) that is supposed to lower your electric bill and last for five years. I replaced all the bulbs in our living room lamps. After two weeks, I had to switch back to regular light bulbs. I don't know if I was using the wrong brand. But the spiral type light bulbs gave our whole living room a horrible gray bluish florescent look. So now I'm back to the regular bulb that gives our home that nice comfortable yellowish glow. Blessings Zoraida Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Co-op America has some great suggestions on their website. http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/climate/cleanenergy/efficiency.cfm Their ideas are all about using less energy. As for me, the two new things I've done this year (and they were so easy to do!) 1.) bring my own bags to the grocery store 2. ) hang my clothes out to dry. Good Luck! Margaret PS did you see this article about Washington state banning dishwashing detergents with phosphorus? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/17/washington-state-begins-b_n_107688.html Bravo Wa. , now to work on those pesky pesticides. Jet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 My big tip: Baking soda, either alone or in conjunction with vinegar, will clean almost anything, including your hair (I also put it in the kids' baths). You can purchase 50lb bags of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) at feed stores for next to nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAR120C Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 I tried going green by using those spiral type lights (don't know the proper name for them) that is supposed to lower your electric bill and last for five years. I replaced all the bulbs in our living room lamps. After two weeks, I had to switch back to regular light bulbs. I don't know if I was using the wrong brand. But the spiral type light bulbs gave our whole living room a horrible gray bluish florescent look. So now I'm back to the regular bulb that gives our home that nice comfortable yellowish glow. Blessings Zoraida You can find "warm" fluorescents, but it takes some looking. I can't stand the blue ones myself, but we've found the GE warm lights are pretty close to incandescent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon H in IL Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 Instead of using paper-or-plastic-or-canvas bags at the grocery, I take along my sturdy laundry basket, stick it in the shopping cart, unload onto the conveyor belt, and ask the bagger to put everything back into the laundry basket. I'm something of a celebrity at our local Kroger. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 You can find "warm" fluorescents, but it takes some looking. I can't stand the blue ones myself, but we've found the GE warm lights are pretty close to incandescent. I'll have to ask my husband where he buys our bulbs. The blue ones give me a terrible headache, and I hate the color cast they give off. The last pack he brought home, though, are very pleasant. He always writes the date on the base of the bulbs when he replaces one, and we've had some for three years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in MO Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 getting those fluorescent light bulbs; I appreciate the tip on what to look for! I used to do quite a bit of laundry and hang it up on a clothesline in the backyard of our old house. I should look at getting a new one. One thing we hope to be able to do this summer, if funds are available, is to get new windows on the upper level of our house. The first floor and basement will have to wait. We have terrible windows upstairs; in the winter, I can feel the cold air just blowing through, and of course we have the opposition situation in the summer. The air conditioning is going right through the windows---literally. I hope to change that situation on the upper level this summer. I do wish the builder in our area had done a better job with the homes---I guess they just don't care, sometimes. At any rate, I think there are a lot of little things that can be done, one thing at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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