Last Minute Green Gifting!

It’s the holiday season, and let’s be honest, time is getting shorter and shorter. We all have those last minute gifts we just have to get. Let’s ensure we get green gifts instead of a gift that is not so environmentally friendly.

Shopping little boutiques in your town may be just what you need. Many offer vintage items. These are great ways to recycle. They offer everything vintage, from clothing, to jewelry and knickknacks. These boutiques also may offer soy candles and homemade natural soaps. These are both great green gifts to give.

Don’t know what to purchase, think gift card. Yes, these may be the easy way out, but when you think of it, they make great green gifts. Take for example online music gift cards. You have just given the gift of music. You didn’t involve wrapping paper or packaging. You didn’t even contribute a CD to the environment. They can download the music straight to their MP3 player.

You can also give a gift of service. This may take a little thought on your part, but will be much appreciated. If you have a single parent on your gift list, you can offer to watch their kids for them. Offer to shovel the sidewalk and driveway for an elderly couple this winter. These are great green gifts that will be very appreciated.

It doesn’t take a lot to give a greener gift. Sometimes it just takes a little more thought.

Have a very green holiday this year.

Who would have thought Microwave Popcorn would be bad for you?!?!?!

Nena Baker, author of "The Body Toxic"(North Point Press, 2008), offers tips for reducing your exposure to everyday toxins. One of her tips that really took me by surprise was this one:

• Don’t Eat Microwave Popcorn. The inside of a microwave popcorn bag is usually coated with a perfluorinated chemical (PFC) called a fluorotelomer that can break down to form perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Designed to prevent oil from seeping through the bag, PFOA can migrate into the food when heated. It has been linked to cancer and birth defects in animals and preliminary epidemiological studies suggest that a pregnant woman's exposure to PFOA may reduce her baby's birth weight. Moreover, the EPA's scientific advisory board has recommended that the chemical be listed as a likely human carcinogen. The good news is that the EPA has asked manufacturers to work toward eliminating PFOA from their products by 2015. While it's unknown what level of exposure from popcorn bags is harmful, Baker says that consumers should be aware that any exposure could result in very long lasting presence of the chemical in your body. Some perfluorinated compounds are extremely persistent and never break down in the environment, she explains.

Tip of the Week

By Solvie Karlstrom |

Reserve a Table for Two—at Home

On average, Americans eat out about five times a week.

All those commercially prepared meals add up to big bucks. The damage for a reasonably priced dinner for two can be $40 or more, while the same meal prepared at home can cost less than half that. This month, try switching just one restaurant dinner a week for a home-cooked meal, and you'll likely have an extra $100 to go towards other expenses, like credit-card bills or those winter boots you've been eyeing.

from The Green Guide, 2008

Home Made Laundry Detergent Recipe

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• 1 Bowl to Mix
• 2 cups Mule Team 20 Borax
• 2 cups Super Washing Soda
• 1 bar of Natural Soap (Dr.Bronners, Kirks Castille, & Ivory work great)
• 10 drops each of Orange, Eucalyptus, Lavendar, and Tea Tree Essential Oil
• Cheese Grater
  
• Processor (Magic Bullet or any brand)
• 1 Container (for the finished powder)

Step1

Grate 1 bar of Natural Soap. My cheese grater works great and it is safe since this is non-toxic.

Step2

This what they look like. Combine 2 cups Borax, 2 cups Super Washing Soda, and the grated bar of soap. All of these can be found in the laundry aisle at the grocery store.

Step3

Essential Oils Add 10-15 drops of each Essential Oil (EO). Orange EO is a degreasing agent. Eucalyptus EO is a disinfectant and a cleanser. TeaTree Oil is a disinfectant. Lavender EO is a great added scent.

Step4

Mix in to a fine powder using a food processor.

Step5

The finished product! Use 1 tablespoon a load!

Are you voting green?

This pollster tip is from one of my favorite web sites, IdealBite!

You are if you car pool to the polls. Assuming it's too far to walk, organize a carpool for Tuesday with coworkers or friends, so nobody, er, forgets to vote, and to combat congestion. That way, no matter who you pick, you'll score a mini victory for the Earth.

The Benefits

• Fewer absentees. If you're cruising to the polls in a group, there's less chance of someone missing out (behold the power of peer pressure).
• Stuffing your wallet, not the ballot box. Splitting transportation costs is another plus.
• Not being late to the political party. Most of us don't have to get on the highway to get to our polling place, but car pooling gives you a license to use the car-pool lane.
• Our exit polls say 'pooling to the polls reduces traffic (and angst over certain politicians' stances on global warming).
  

What ideas do YOU have? We’d love to hear them!

PLASTICS: ILLUMINATED

My friend Lisa Leary posted this on our community forum

and I thought it was such great info, I had to share it here as well!!!! THANK YOU LISA!!!

What can you reuse? What can you recycle? What should you avoid all together? Take a deep breath friends. I am here to simplify what can unfortunately be incredibly complicated. There are codes on the bottom of your plastic containers and it is my pleasure to illuminate what each and every one means to you and to the world. Green knowledge is green power!!!

You can download the below information here.

The number 1 with three arrows around it—PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate):

a) Safe to drink out of ONCE, so do not reuse
b) Recyclable

Example: water bottles

____________________________________________________________ ____________

The number 2 with three arrows around it-- HDPE (high-density polyethylene):

a) Safe but few are reusable, so best to avoid reusing all together
b) Recyclable

Example: Milk bottles

____________________________________________________________ ____________

The number 3 with three arrows around it—Vinyl or PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride):

a) AVOID—emits carcinogenic chemicals
b) Not Recyclable

Example: Shampoo bottles, peanut butter jars

____________________________________________________________ ____________

The number 4 with arrows around it—LDPE (low-density polyethylene):

a) Safe
b) Recyclable BUT only at Whole Foods Market, Wal-Mart and plastic-bag recycling centers

Example: bread and frozen food bags, most plastic wraps

____________________________________________________________ ____________

The number 5 with three arrows around it-- PP (polypropylene):

a) Safe
b) Recyclable BUT only with certain curbside-recycling programs; please check with your local sanitation department

Example: ketchup bottles, yogurt tubs

____________________________________________________________ ____________

The number 6 with three arrows around it—PS (polystyrene):

a) AVOID-- can leach styrene which is a possible human carcinogen
b) Recyclable BUT only with certain curbside-recycling programs; please check with your local sanitation department

Example: Styrofoam containers, take-out food containers, plastic cutlery

____________________________________________________________ ____________

The number 7 with three arrows around it. Includes varieties:

1. PC (polycarbonate):

a) QUESTIONABLE-- Composed of hormone-disrupting bisphenol A
b) Not Recyclable

Example: most plastic baby bottles, “Nalgene” brand and sports water bottles

2. PLA (polylactide):

a) Safe
b) Not Recyclable but can be composted

Example: Plastics made from renewable sources like sugar cane, corn and potato starch

19 Ways to Slash Your Utility Bill

By Jim Gorman

Published in the November 2008 issue of Popular Mechanics.

Where George Scott sees red,
his clients are bleeding green. Scanning the outside of a ranch home in Longmont, Colo., recently, the energy auditor’s infrared camera registered blue and aqua in spots where heated air stayed put. That’s what the homeowner expected. “He thought he’d done everything right,” Scott says, because he had tackled obvious stuff like adding insulation. “But he was baffled by his high gas bills.” When the camera scanned the attic, the viewfinder found orange and red blobs where air gushed by the chimney, 20 recessed lights and two uninsulated hatches. After the inspection, the homeowner plugged those leaks with about $50 in caulk, sheetmetal and spray foam insulation, Scott says. “I estimate his gas use will drop 300 therms, or about $300, this winter.”

But you don’t need an infrared camera to reveal utility-bill busters that are left after the obvious stuff is done. You need the right point of view. Big energy leaks are often hiding in plain sight, and many of them are easy to fix—you may not even need tools. Here’s how to get started.

ELECTRONICS & APPLIANCES

+ Unplug the beer fridge
That old clunker of a refrigerator in the basement could be costing the equivalent of 10 cases of Bud in wasted energy each year. A refrigerator built in 1993 gobbles twice as much energy as new models. Need more cold brew for a party? Plug in the fridge the night before.
Cost: $0 | Monthly Savings: $12.50 | Payback: Immediate

+ Plug the Power Drain
As much as 75 percent of electricity use by electronics occurs while the devices are off. Big-screen TVs, stereo systems and computer peripherals are some of the worst offenders. Curtail the loss with power strips that kill power when they sense inactivity.
Cost: $115 | Monthly Savings: $3 | Payback: 3 years

+ Give the Sump Pump a Break
A 0.5-hp sump pump can use $30 a month in electricity during wet spring months, estimates Bill McAnally, an advisor to the Iowa Energy Center and an instructor in energy-efficient building. “You’re better off extending downspouts another 5 ft. into the yard to move rainwater away from the basement,” he says.
Cost: $16 | Monthly Savings: $6.25 | Payback: 2.5 months

+ Maximize CFLs
We’ve all heard the advice to switch to CFLs. To get the maximum bang for your CFL buck, install the bulbs for their rated use, which will help them last longer. For example, use bulbs that are designed for down-facing, enclosed receptacles in ceiling lights. Other CFLs are rated for use in fixtures plugged into a timer. Also, for a more rapid return on investment, use CFLs in fixtures that are on for at least 3 hours a day.
Cost: $3.22 per 15-watt CFL | Monthly Savings: $0.57 | Payback: 6 months

Slash Your Utility Bills with Heating, Cooling and Plumbing Mods >>>

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Get rid of chemical fabric softeners: Protect your health and the environment

There are some very nasty ingredients in fabric softeners, Several ingredients release formaldehyde, which has been linked to cancer in lab tests. Others can cause asthma-like symptoms. The ingredients in fabric softeners can also irritate skin.

A simple change in your laundry routine can save money, protect your health, and help the environment, all at the same time.

Instead of using chemical fabric softeners in your laundry, many organizations suggest a switch to dryerballs. What’s a dryerball? It’s football shaped or round (there are diffeent varieties), about 3” long, and bumpy. A set of two dryerballs in your dryer will shorten drying time by 15-25%. Dryerballs are made to eliminate static and soften clothes. They also cut down on ironing, because clothes come out of the dryer less wrinkled.

Unlike chemical fabric softeners, dryerballs leave no chemical residue. Chemical fabric softeners, whether liquid or dryer sheets, are designed to leave chemicals in clothes and bedding, This cloud of chemicals becomes part of the air we breathe, and remains in contact with our skin, all day and all night. The chemicals also increase the risk of dryer fires, because they are highly flammable.

Dryerballs are good for the environment too. With dryerballs, no chemicals are added to wash water, which means no chemicals to go down the drain and end up in our lakes and rivers. Everything that goes down the drain eventually ends up in the environment, because sewage treatment plants don’t filter out chemicals from laundry or other cleaning products.

Great Tip From Victoria in The Colony!

Even though my veggie and meat drawers in the fridge were pristine, I was having a problem with an odor and couldn't locate the source. I was out of baking soda, but my mom reminded me that crumpled newspaper can absorb odor and I recalled seeing that in a "Hints from Heloise" article long ago. It did the trick and is an opportunity to reuse something already in the house. (If you listed that and I missed it in my morning pre-coffee haze, my apologies.)

Keep up the good work!

Victoria

IN THE NEWS!

Arm & Hammer introduced Arm & Hammer Essentials cleaners. The company says the new products benefit the environment in several ways:

Uses fewer chemicals
The products use plant-based cleaners derived from coconuts and palm kernel oil, as well as other biodegradable cleaners. The products contain no ammonia or phosphates, and contains between 20 to 38 percent less chemicals than traditional cleaners in pre-filled 32oz bottles.

Uses fewer resources
The production of Arm & Hammer refill packaging uses 82 percent fewer trees per ton and 82 percent less petroleum per ton than for traditional trigger spray bottles.

Consumes less Energy
The company says shipping fewer trigger spray bottles takes 70,000 trucks off the road, saving more than 18 million gallons of fuel and 40 tons of CO2.

Produces less packaging waste
The refills were designed to use 80 percent less packaging than two standard, prefilled 32-ounce cleaners, which reduces potential landfill waste.

My first post!

Welcome to the Ginny Goes Green Blog spot!
Since I am fairly new to blogging, I am going to count on you to help
me grow the blog. Please let me know your thoughts on
the tips of the week and share your tips with others here as well!
Enjoy!