Eco-crafts

We're half-way through the summer and even with summer camps, the kids are having their "I'm bored" moments. You can make simple crafts that will keep them occupied and entertained, and you don't have to go further than your recycling bin. Of course, some of these things aren't the most eco-friendly to have purchased anyway, but it's better to reuse before recycling to give it one more life.

Reuse!!
Examples of what you can reuse:
2 liter bottles
water bottles
take-out containers
single serving fruit cup containers
toilet paper rolls
paper towel rolls
junk mail
tissue paper
paper bags
egg cartons

Get non-toxic paint, glue, pipe cleaners and go to town.
http://ecogreencrafts.com/

http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/eco-friendly-crafts?

http://www.kids-going-green.com/eco-friendly-crafts.html

More eco-friendly options for crafts:
Use recycled paper if you don't have scrap paper lying around.
Use crayons made out of beeswax or soy instead of petroleum based.
Or make new things with broken crayon pieces:

http://www.epinions.com/content_4914847876

http://crafts.kaboose.com/melted-crayon-stained-glass-window.html

Here are a few more websites with ideas on what to do with this stuff:
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/crafts-by-material/recyclable-projects/

http://www.eco-artware.com/crafts/archive.php

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/work-connect/eco-arts-crafts.html

http://video.planetgreen.discovery.com/eco-friendly-crafts/

http://www.kid-at-art.com/

I hope this helps give you and the kids in your life some fun stuff to do while teaching them how to be green as well. Oh, and don't forget to recycle everything once you're finished. Enjoy the rest of the summer as eco-friendly as you can!

Support local green restaurants/grocery stores

After the news this week of the oil spill finally getting capped and seeing that people have already gone back to business as usual, I was feeling rather uninspired to write anything for this blog. But I was rejuvenated by my experience eating out last night.

We ate at Doner Bistro in Leesburg and was pleasantly surprised by their very green ways. Their menu consists of German food and if you plan on eating there I'd recommend splitting a meal as the portions are rather large. However, what inspired me was that their "plastic" eating utensils were actually made from corn, as well as their cups. And their to-go boxes are compostable! For an eco-nerd like myself I was in heaven.

So it got me thinking: why aren't more businesses doing the same? I don't like to get take-out too much since their packaging is usually the standard styrofoam, so maybe if I suggest to those restaurants to make the switch they would get my business more often.

I've done a little research for those of you in Loudoun County in Northern Virginia for restaurants and grocery stores who either choose to use local produce/meat and/or are using green practices like Doner Bistro.

Whole Foods
Trader Joes
Wegmans
American Flatbread in Ashburn
Chipotle in Ashburn, Sterling, Reston
Mom's Apple Pie in Leesburg (featured on Food Network)
Fireworks Pizza in Leesburg
Tuscarora Mill in Leesburg
South Street Under in Leesburg (who also have a stand at the Leesburg Farmer's Market. Delicious!)
Lightfoot in Leesburg
Vintage 50 in Leesburg
Vintage 51 in South Riding
Mangolia's at the Mill in Purcellville
Patowmack Farm in Lovettsville
Dominion Brewing Company in Ashburn
Clyde's at Broadlands in Ashburn

For a list of green restaurants in Virginia, visit:
http://www.virginia.org/site/content.asp?MGrp=5&MCat=28&MItm=269

For those of you in other areas of the country, google "green restaurants" and type the name of your county or city next to it. You should find plenty of options, hopefully.
Visit these restaurants and tell them you appreciate their efforts on being green. Hopefully it will be the standard for future restaurants.

Thanks for reading and try not to forget that oil is still a precious commodity. Even with the temps in the 100s, find something to do to be green. Thank you!

Paperless environment

Have you ever thought about how much paper you use in a typical day? Between receipts, work and home offices, and junk mail, it can really add up. What can we do to eliminate such waste?

REDUCE
Just say no...
to ATM receipts, gas station receipts, or any other automated receipt where they actually give you the choice. These little pieces of paper can amount to a lot. Less is more.

Print on less paper
When you print from home or work, think about 1) whether you really need to print it, 2) whether you could print on both sides of the paper, and 3) if you could use already used scrap paper instead. This will save you money in the long run by not having to buy as much paper.

Use recycled paper
This goes for printer paper, journals, notebook paper, etc. Less energy used to make virgin paper and it increases the demand for recycled products.

Eliminate junk mail
How? Visit:
www.directmail.com/directory/mail_preference/
http://www.ecocycle.org/junkmail/index.cfm
http://www.donotmail.org/

Stop the catalogs!
Shop online instead. Call the customer service number on the back of the catalog and ask them to take you off their mailing list. Pottery Barn and their affiliates seem to be the ones that are delivered the most often, but there are several others out there.

Borrow instead of buying magazines
They have the exact same copies that are on the newstands at the library. And they're free! I believe you can check out the older versions but have to read the latest ones at the library. But it eliminates waste, fuel to deliver these magazines, and saves you money!

Online newspapers!
Unless you love getting the Sunday paper for the comics, coupons, or just to enjoy with your coffee, read your headlines on the computer. Or find other uses for your used newspaper, such as for packing boxes that you ship, or paper hats and paper airplanes for the kids. Use comics to wrap kids presents. Finish it off with a pretty ribbon and it makes a beautiful presentation. And when you're done, RECYCLE IT!!

Paperless billing
Pay your bills online. You can do this through your bank and with the company directly. This will eliminate those bills getting mailed to your home (less fuel), or having to go to the post office to get stamps and mail them back (less fuel). It's less paper to dispose of and less paper for those companies to have to produce.

REUSE
If you want to take it one step further in your environmental efforts, reuse as much paper as you can. I cut my letter sized paper in 4 and use that for scrap paper to make grocery lists, etc. I use a lot of the paper from flyers or regular mail for my kids to draw on. And then, of course, I use some scrap paper for printing things like coupons that I find online.

RECYCLE
Once you're done with your used printer paper, junk mail, and regular mail, please recycle it! Even your phone books are recyclable so don't just toss it so it can end up in the landfill. Don't forget all of the paper in your shredder! Every recycling center accepts paper.

More websites:
About paper in our society:
http://ecology.com/features/paperchase/
About the environmental benefits of recycled paper:
http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagid=24437

Try these tips in order to use less paper, or at least dispose of it in a more responsible way. Less paper, less clutter in your home. Reduce, reuse, recycle!

home improvements the eco way

With the economy being what it is, people are less likely these days to just pick up and move homes as often as they did before. Instead they are improving the homes they're in with a few changes; some big, some small. So if you're in the home-improvement stage of your life, consider some of these environmental options before starting your next project:

Painting:
This is the area I know the most about since I have recently painted several rooms in my house. I was pleasantly surprised to find the many eco-friendly options in the paint store. If you buy certain products, such as paint rollers and paintbrushes, you'll have most of the supply you need for future painting projects as well.
Paint roller covers are now made out of 100% recycled material (made from recycled water bottles) and only cost a few dollars more than the regular kind.
Paint trays are also available in an eco friendly option. They are made of 100% recycled pulp fiber, and its liner is made of recycled plastic. PLUS, they biodegrade within 6 months, rather than hundreds of years it takes for the plastic trays.
Use real drop cloths. Don't go the easy, disposable route with the plastic drop cloths. Buy real cloths available at the paint store and reuse them over and over again. Not only does this eliminate more trash in the landfill, but it will save you money in the long run.
Buy no-VOC paint. VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) found in paint are bad for the environment and bad for your health. These paints release gases that are toxic and are very harmful to the environment if not disposed of the proper way. Zero-VOC paints have no smell or harmful effects to your health. No-VOC paints can be poured down the drain with no harmful effects to the water system. And there is NO difference in quality of paint. The difference, as often is with environmental products, is the price. However, with coupons and sales you can actually beat the price.

Carpet:
This is an area I don't have any experience with, however there are many sources that can tell you more about recycled carpet. New carpet requires lots of oil to produce, and contain lots of chemical and toxins which pollute your home. Try buying recycled carpet or any other of the eco-friendly flooring options for your next project. Here's one website with more information on the subject: http://www.greenamericatoday.org/pubs/realgreen/articles/flooring.cfm


Donate your used products:
If refurbishing or improving your home by replacing things like lightswitch plates, outlet covers, air vent covers, or even things like cabinets or light fixtures, donate your old ones to Habitat for Humanity's Re-Store. This is a resale outlet by this organization that uses the proceeds to support their efforts in building Habitat homes and community work. And as an added bonus, these gently used products don't end up in the landfill and are reused. Visit http://www.habitat.org/env/restores.aspx
to find your nearest ReStore.

Please consider these options the next time you want to spruce up your home. Less in the landfill, less virgin products, beautiful home and planet. :)

green clean

There's nothing like a clean house, except, of course, when it's clean AND toxin-free. As a mother, I'm concerned not only with how we are leaving our environment for future generations, but I'm also concerned with making sure my child's environment is as clean and healthy as possible.

Homemade "green" cleaning is easy and very inexpensive. All you need is a few simple ingredients to keep in your pantry, a few spray bottles, and some microfiber cloths, and you're on your way to being eco-clean.

Use microfiber cloths instead of paper towels:
Microfiber cloths are a godsend, especially for granite! Assign different colored cloths for different tasks. Glass-cleaning cloths are essential. And don't forget to use dishcloths for washing dishes, instead of sponges which harbor bacteria and then end up in the landfill.

Get a steam mop!
I got my Shark steam mop for Christmas last year and I have mopped more than I have ever mopped in my life because it's so easy and effective. There's no bucket to worry about, and there aren't any harsh chemicals because there are no chemicals involved. It's simply the steam that cleans. I love it! It's simple and the most non-toxic way to clean your floors.

Go to the dollar store to get the cheapest spray bottles and get several so you have one for each purpose: glass cleaning, all purpose, furniture polish, bathrooms, etc.

Then go to the grocery story for the rest.
Lemons, Borax, Baking soda, White vinegar, olive oil, castile soap, tea tree oil, hydrogen peroxide, and vodka, yes, vodka (get the biggest bottle of the cheapest kind you can find).

- Baking soda is a natural deodorizer and works as a non-abrasive scouring cleaner for the kitchen and bathrooms.
- Lemon Juice. The acid in lemon juice neutralizes hard water deposits, dissolves buildup and dirt on wood, and tarnish on silver, and is a natural disinfectant & bleach.
- White vinegar is also a great disinfectant. The infamous strong smell dissipates as the vinegar dries.
- Essential oils such as lavender, clove, and tea tree oil have antiseptic properties and are natural fungicides.
- Olive oil is a safe, natural and effective alternative to using many of the chemical and petroleum-based cleaning products and polishes.
- Borax has no toxic fumes and is safe for the environment. Borax cleans, deodorizes, disinfects,, softens water, repels cockroaches and other bugs.
- Liquid castile soap is effective for general cleaning (when used in a spray bottle with added water). It can also be used for bathing pets, washing clothes and shaving. It's great for those people with sensitive skin and may help improve skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
- Vodka: Use a ratio of 1 part alcohol to 4 parts water. The alcohol will kill bacteria and is effective at cleaning granite. No residue is left behind and the product dries quickly and is safe for use around pets and children, as long as they don't drink it.
- Hydrogen peroxide is natural, doesn't harm the environment, and is a great alternative to chlorine bleach. It kills mold and is a great disinfectant.

When you're done cleaning with all of these reusable, non-toxic, and effective ingredients, don't forget to wash the microfiber cloths, dishcloths, steam mop pads, and your reusable shopping bags so you're ready for the next cleaning frenzy.

If you're wondering if these homemade cleaning recipes are just as effective as the toxic stuff, they are actually better for you and your home environment because the toxic products will make you sick in the long run. They can cause cancer and breathing fumes, such as from chlorine bleach, is a health risk and can irritate your lungs.

For those of you who don't feel like making your own, despite how cheap and easy it is to make, there are plenty of earth friendly options out there. My favorites are Ecover, Mrs. Meyers, Method and Seventh Generation.
For those of you adventurous enough to make your own, here are a few cleaning recipes to get you started:
http://www.good.is/post/good-instructions-how-to-spring-clean-with-nontoxic-home-made-products/
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/assemble-a-green-cleaning-kit.html

Clean YOUR environment and save money while you're at it. Clean home, clean planet! :)

Eco-summer

How to survive the dog days of summer and stay eco-friendly? It is a challenge, takes some sacrifice maybe, but it CAN be done. Here are some tips on how to save money on that power bill, even when it's 100 degrees outside:

Spend time in public places with AC
like the movies, library, bowling alley, gym, rec center for example. Then while you're out, turn the temperature up on your AC so it's not pumping all day long. Here's a link for things to do in the DC metro area with lots of great ideas: http://caffeineandaprayer.com/summer-fun-guide-2010/

Spend some time outdoors in your local pool.
If you have young children use a baby pool at home. And if you have the sprinklers going, get the kids out there while you water your lawn. The kids will love it and your lawn will love it too.

Keep the AC set at a high temp anyway.
It's recommended to be set at 78 or higher while you're at home. If you set it at 70 it costs double than it would at 78. Besides, do you really need to wear a sweater inside during the summer? I really get perturbed when stores and restaurants have their AC blasting so high that I have to rush to get out of there. But at least I can control it in my own home. A programmable thermostat can help control this easier, so you can set it higher when you're not at home and then have it cool enough when you get back.

Install ceiling fans in the rooms you use the most.
If it's cool outside you can keep the windows open as well. Your AC uses 100 times more energy than a ceiling fan at medium speed. Use your AC & fans at the same time and it will cool off to your desired temperature and you can set the AC temp higher. For example, if your desired temp is 78, set the AC at 80-81 & turn on the fan. It will use 15-25% less energy.

Use your blinds and curtains to keep the heat out!
The summer sun is so bright that it won't be too dark in your house, but it will keep the heat out and the AC in. Don't forget to turn off the lights, which add more heat!

On code red/orange air quality days, be conscious of adding more pollutants in the air.
DON'T IDLE your car!! Wait to use any gas-powered lawn tools or lawnmower til it's cool out (early morning or later in the evening). If you can use electric tools, even better! Run your errands that you have to drive to in the early morning or evening.

Limit your oven use.
Use a toaster oven, microwave, or grill instead. Use the crockpot for easy meals that take no time to prepare. Or make cold dishes. Who wants to be in a hot kitchen anyway? Think: salads, sandwiches, picnic food, or even gazpacho. Mmmm. You'll be craving these once the winter comes around again. Just google "No cook summer meals" and see what you have an appetite for. check this link out for a few recipes: http://www.parents.com/recipes/cooking/family-favorites/easy-no-cook-suppers/

Use your appliances when the demand on the power grid is the lowest (early morning, night).
Set your dishwasher before going to bed, or if you have a washer/dryer with a timer then set it for the middle of the night when very little power is being used. Peak demand hours during the summer are 2pm to 6pm (the hottest part of the day), so try to limit use of anything you have to plug in during these hours.

Set your water heater a little lower
since it doesn't have to work so hard to get hot in the summer months. Don't forget to set it to "Vacation Mode" when you go on a trip.

Hopefully, you can apply some of these to help you survive the summer in an eco-friendly way. These tips will save you money guaranteed. And of course, save a little bit of the planet as well. :)

Learning the ropes

Hi there,
I'm going to admit that I'm not the most computer literate person, so please be patient as I learn. I just figured out how to post links that you can actually click on to get to your destination. Anyway, hope it helps.

eco-friendly parties

Hi everyone,
Sorry for the delay in posting. I was busy planning my son's 9th birthday and celebrating Father's Day. So this week's post will naturally be about, you guessed it, parties. Throwing an eco-friendly party isn't as hard as you think, but it does take planning.

First of all you need to provide food and drinks for your guests.
Yes, it's much easier to buy a pre-made cake, but if you have the time try making your own. I'm guilty of running out of time for this weekend's party, and although the grocery store-bought cake was delicious, I felt guilty for all of the packaging it came in. I recycled it, of course, but in order to not create more waste I should have made it myself. It's really not that hard to make. Icing may be a little more challenging but I hope to get better with more practice. Cupcakes aren't the most environmental option since you must line them with paper liners, so try the cake if you can.
Then there are the beverages.
What's more eco-friendly: aluminum cans or plastic bottles? Cans, since the plastic bottles require so much more energy to make (and oil), however, cans are made from aluminum which is a limited natural resource. The best solution is to get 2 liters of your assorted drinks. Even though it's made from plastic, it's less of it (bulk packaging).

What to serve these drinks and cake in/on?
The most cost effective and eco-friendly way is to buy reusable plates, cups & utensils. Places like Bed, Bath & Beyond sell party kits of glass plates, glasses & utensils in sets of 12. I bought mine 10 years ago and it's eliminated having to buy paper plates, cups, and plastic utensils. This is all dishwasher friendly so no clean up time really. And for the kiddos, go somewhere like Ikea to buy their plastic plates, cups & utensils. These are one-time purchases that will last for years and years.
If you'd rather use disposables, try products made out of corn, potatoes or sugar cane that will biodegrade over time. They don't use plastic (less oil), and won't take up space in the landfill. They are just as effective as your paper/plastic options and don't cost much more. They're available in most grocery stores and CVS has a whole line that is just as cheap or cheaper than your usual disposables.
And don't forget your recycled paper napkins!

Party decor
Get a cloth tablecloth that you can use year after year. Use paper streamers, which you'll recycle when you're finished, of course. I've reused the same cloth "Happy Birthday" banner since my son & daughter were born, which I purchased from Pottery Barn kids. Balloons are NOT eco-friendly since once they pop they are harmful to wildlife, and they are made of latex (oil). Try an alternative like Chinese paper lanterns, or string lights instead. If you buy centerpieces or any themed party pieces that can be reused, put these items on freecycle, or give to a friend to reuse so it doesn't end up in the landfill.

Party favors
This is the most difficult to incorporate because if you go to any party store, most of what they have as favors are little pieces of plastic crap that will only clutter your guests home or end up in the trash. Finding something that the guests will reuse takes a little creativity but it can be done. My son's party was a Karate Kid theme, so the favors were put in paper Chinese takeout boxes filled with tattoos, stickers, silly bands, & movie candy. In past years I've put things like crayons, water guns, sunglasses inside plastic buckets or cloth bags. I've also done crafts such as magic wands for my daughter that they could use later for dress-up. You could have kids make barrettes (as a friend of mine did), or give homemade playdough. Get creative!

A few more tips:
Use paperless online invitations which include reminders for those late RSVPers.
Don't forget to set up a "recycled bin" for anything to be recycled. Contact your local sanitation dept. for special containers if you're having a large party. In loudoun county the website is: http://www.loudoun.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=3217+

The internet has plenty of options, so search for eco-friendly ideas to help you plan your next party. Check out greenpartygoods.com for eco-party products for your next shindig.

Hope this gives you some green ideas to make your par-tay earth friendly and fun!

Less plastic, less oil

Day 53 of the oil spill and they can’t get the accurate amount of how much has spilled or is spilling every day. Only thing we know for sure is that it’s coming on shore, putting lots of people out of work, and killing even more wildlife. They are still considering continuing offshore drilling which is a debate for another forum, I suppose, but one thing is for certain: we need to wean ourselves from oil dependency (foreign or domestic). Sure, our cars are fueled by oil, but one oil product we tend to overlook is plastic. This country (as well as many others) is addicted to plastic.

Could you go a week without buying anything in plastic? As a friend pointed out, unless you’re vegetarian and make your own toiletries & beauty supplies, you probably couldn’t do it. Bare essentials, such as toilet paper, are wrapped in plastic. The butcher paper wrapping your meat is lined with plastic. Your shampoo bottles, toothpaste, juice, milk, laundry detergent, and almost anything else in your house is plastic!

So what do we do about it? Try to buy less of it. Be aware of the packaging of your products. Buy in bulk and avoid individual servings sizes, like in yogurt, juice bottles, or snacks. Avoid those processed foods that tend to be individually wrapped, such as fruit roll ups, or yogurt-in-a-tube, or even flavored ice. Buy sliced cheese that’s not individually wrapped. Don’t buy bottled water and get a filtered water pitcher and reusable water bottle instead. These are just a few ways to reduce your plastic purchases.

Make your own! Granola bars, bread, mayo, dressing, marinade, cookies, and popsicles can be easily made in no time, and you save money while you’re at it. An added benefit: these foods are natural and healthy! Cleaning products can be made with simple ingredients and are non-toxic, saving you trips to the store which means saving money, less plastic packaging, (and gas!).

Grow your own. I do not have a green thumb....at all. However, I have managed to keep a basil plant alive for over a month now and just planted tomatoes as well. If all goes well, I’ll try something new but there’s nothing fresher and more local than your backyard! My neighbor has enough in her vegetable garden that she’ll never have to buy produce again. Try growing a few herbs, vegetables, or fruits and you’ll avoid having to buy it at the grocery store, which means less fuel to transport, & saves you money!!

No more plastic bags!! Bring your own reusable bags or even paper is better. Plastic bags tend to end up in the ocean and are harmful to wildlife, regardless of their connection to oil production. It’s no longer strange to bring your own bags to the store so show that your environmentally responsible and say no to plastic bags. If the product you’ve purchased can fit in your purse, then forget the bag all together! Do you really need a bag for that lipstick you just bought?

RECYCLE & buy recycled! Most of the plastic we buy is recyclable so please recycle it so more products can be made out of it. The more demand there is for recycled products, the less they have to start from scratch to make them. Plus, you really can’t tell the difference and it’s better for the environment in the end.

So besides the tips from last week regarding saving gas, try these tips to reduce your plastic usage and we can collectively reduce the demand for oil. Less plastic, less oil, better environment. :)

Granola bar recipe: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/chewy-granola-bars/Detail.aspx
Cleaning recipe: http://www.ecocycle.org/hazwaste/recipes.cfm

Perspective on how much we consume

http://">http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6554415n

http://www.frumforum.com/preventing-the-next-oil-spill-disaster