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seashell65

#21

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Posts: 1443

07/03/08 22:02

DVD release
reporter
USA

Welllll, considering we don't have anyplace here that recycles anything other than scrap metal, there isn't a chance at recycling, and that really burns my bum. I bought some of the lightbulbs, but my auntie turns it off when I go to the pottie. So considering the tendency to turn off lights, okay. But we have only a window unit for air conditioning, no central heat and air, but so far haven't had to run it much. We only drive when we have to or when we are going stir crazy, LOL. I wish we had curbside recycling, or even somewhere nearby to take it. And I would love to have the money to refit the house with solar panels, and all that stuff, but until then.........

My blogs: Tea, Thyme and Cozies and Spiritual Wanderlust

InAlabama

#22

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Posts: 3823

07/03/08 22:30

Kudzu
USA

seashell65 wrote:
Welllll, considering we don't have anyplace here that recycles anything other than scrap metal, there isn't a chance at recycling, and that really burns my bum. I bought some of the lightbulbs, but my auntie turns it off when I go to the pottie. So considering the tendency to turn off lights, okay. But we have only a window unit for air conditioning, no central heat and air, but so far haven't had to run it much. We only drive when we have to or when we are going stir crazy, LOL. I wish we had curbside recycling, or even somewhere nearby to take it. And I would love to have the money to refit the house with solar panels, and all that stuff, but until then.........

Michelle, I can't believe that Cullman has curbside recycling and Gadsden doesn't!!! We have had it for over a decade. Maybe we are not so backwards after all.

seashell65

#23

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Posts: 1443

07/04/08 02:51

DVD release
reporter
USA

Darling, in sooooo many ways Cullman is better and not as good as Gadsden. Your town actually has a cultural identity, the German ancestry, you have a strong tourist industry as well, and some pilgrimage tourism as well with Ave Maria Grotto. Your traffic sucks though, LOL. Was there for a funeral a few months ago, and nearly did the LA freeway scene with all the idiots on the road!
Gadsden, well, we finally got a new mayor for the first time in 30 years and some progress is being made. He is a real estate agent to boot. He has put limits on new building and what kind of building and where. And no new unnecessary spending now that our economy is in the toilet. (Steel Mill gone, Cotton mill long gone, Goodyear not so good, it being a Union town, none of the car manufacturers want to move into the county, opting instead to go to nearby counties, etc.) It seems that if it were not for fast food joints, restaurants, and Walmart, we wouldn't have many local jobs.
Plus our citizens are so uninterested in ANYTHING outside of their own world view. Ah well.

My blogs: Tea, Thyme and Cozies and Spiritual Wanderlust

shadeaux63

#24

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Posts: 2938

07/04/08 15:59

USA

"Plus our citizens are so uninterested in ANYTHING outside of their own world view."

Wow! Sounds exactly like the town I'm stuck in.

seashell65

#25

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Posts: 1443

07/04/08 16:21

DVD release
reporter
USA

I think the majority of the US is like that, only when you get some kind of movement going or some drastic event is anything going to change.

Noela2

#26

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Posts: 101

07/04/08 17:01

Spain

I recycle the best I can, but it isn't the same as what I used to recycle in the States. In Florida, we recycled everything into different colored bins - paper in one bin, plastic and bottles in another. Here in Spain "organic stuff" (leftover food, produce, etc.) goes in one street bin and the rest of your garbage goes in another - except glass, batteries, and cardboard/newspapers which go in a separate bin. I really applaude you people who even make your own cleaning products. I need to start doing that. Can you give me tips on how to create my own "natural" cleaning products??? My husband I have one car that gets about 50 miles per gallon (diesel), so I guess we are doing pretty good in that respect. My worst splurge are my long, hot showers that I take every morning - it really helps my fibro though and I don't want to give them up!!!

Jo

jillybromley

#27

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Posts: 2442

07/06/08 00:58

Jilly in UK

I really applaude you people who even make your own cleaning products. I need to start doing that. Can you give me tips on how to create my own "natural" cleaning products???

Hello Jo

We had a Post about allergies a little while ago and we were talking about natural homemade cleaning products then. This was my little list that I posted at the time. I make them myself to try to cut down on allergies to chemicals but they are also good for the environment.

Kitchen Surfaces
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup of water
few drops of eucalyptus
Put in spray bottle to use when needed.
Can add a tablespoon of Bicarb of Soda for really stubborn surfaces.

Toilet Cleaner
2 tablespoons of Bicarb of Soda
2 Tablespoons of white vinegar
2 Cups of Water
2 teaspoons of tea tree oil.
Stir and wait 10 minutes

Air Freshner
2 cups of water
1 heaped teaspoon of bicarb of soda
2 teaspoons of lemon juice (I used bottled lemon juice)
put in a spray bottle - spray around the room

Limescale around taps. (Don't use on gold-plated taps.)
Soak toilet tissue in white vinegar.
Wind it around your tap.
Hold in place with a plastic bag or a bit of cling film.
Leave overnight.
Limescale will just peel off in the morning

Windows
White vinegar cleans windows beautifully

To Steam Clean Your Microwave
Slice a lemon and put it in a bowl of water
Place in microwave and set timer for 20 minutes.

----------------------------------------------------

I get a lot of my tips from Annie Bond on the CARE2 website. This is a link to that site that has quite a lot of information about all the basic ingredients that can be used when making your own cleaning products. I do hope it helps you, Jo.

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/five-basics-for-nontoxic-cleaning.html

.

shadeaux63

#28

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Posts: 2938

07/06/08 15:29

USA

Jo, Jilly gave you some great recipes,so I'm just going to toss in a few tips. Vinegar has countless uses around the house,and even the different types of vinegar may have specific uses. For instance, white vinegar is a natural disinfectant- I use it full strength to wipe down cutting boards, countertops, etc... A dish of apple cider vinegar set out in he kitchen will help get rid of odors, and (if you ever have a problem with them) will lure fruit flies and kill them. Plain baking soda(bicarbonate of soda) and a little water is abrasive enough to clean even stubborn soap scum in a tub or sink but gentle enough not to harm the finish on them. Any time you combine vineagr and baking soda, remember that it's going to foam up- a LOT.Howeverthis action itself is useful fr some things- like unclogging drains.For a clog, I pour about a cup of baking sodadown the drain, then add vinegar slowly until all ofthe soda is dissoved,and foaming has nearly stopped.Then, I wait about 10 minutes,and pour about a gallon of boiling water down the drain.This almost always gets rid of the clog,and I don't have to resort to using caustic chemicals to do the same job.

Here are a couple of links for some of the uses of vinegar and baking soda:

http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/002042.php

http://www.versatilevinegar.org/usesandtips.html

http://www.frugal-life-and-travel.com/frugal-uses-for-baking-soda.html

ArtIsATart

#29

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Posts: 702

07/06/08 19:12

SuperSnapper
England

We've been trying to do our bit for a while now, such as all paper being shredded and used for compost; bottles, cans and jars sent away or collected. Foil trays and cooking foil is always put with any aluminium waste, and waste food if we have any is also put into the compost bin.

But there are other ways of being more eco friendly too, ways which when you look at it are so simple and effective and take almost no effort. Using re-suable bags for shopping is one example. I always keep at least 4 in my car as that is the maximum amount I would buy at any one time, and I try to limit my use of the car but do need it for shopping as I cant carry the load anymore. Another very simple thing is for anyone who eats packed lunches ... pack your own! I have a mini cool bag with mini ice bricks and plenty of re-usable containers which I fill with rice or pasta type salads, fruit, sandwiches (home made bread rolls ... less packaging!) and even home made yoghurt after some wonderful person bought me an EasiYo yoghurt maker. Made from one packet I get one weeks worth of yoghurt and only one packet for waste, and its so easy to make and tastes wonderful.

Another thing is using the economy setting on the washing machine and washing at lower temperatures. Working where I do means I wear a uniform for work, and because I rarely go out in the week, I only have two loads to wash each week! It's amazing the amount of things like this we can do which all make such a difference

Noela2

#30

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Posts: 101

07/08/08 18:05

Spain

Jilly and Shadeau63,

Thank you so much for the cleaning tips! I am definitely going to use them. I am sick of using harsh chemicals that are masquerading under floral scents. I hate breathing these things in. Both of our bathrooms are "inside bathrooms" with no windows - only electric fans to remove fumes. When I clean with these store-bought products in those enclosed spaces, they make me feel sick!

Thanks again.

Jo

Sunshine56

#31

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Posts: 43124

07/24/08 08:05

Mosken
ezOP Board Owner
Norway

MoodyBelgium wrote:

Mosken, yes, bring your supply and we'll smoke like chimneys

No, I don't smoke that much. About 4 cigarettes a day. B. is worse; he smokes about 10 or 12. In fact we've created a bad example for Isabelle, but she's so fed up with us smoking, she claims she'll never start. Let's hope so!

We forgot the smoking! :-)

Seriously, I'm very disappointed none of the countries we visited in Europe still don't recycle the plastic bottles! Think of all the bottles they use -- much more than us!

I noticed lots of other precautions like saving bulbs and the huge supermarket be used in France did not use plastic bags anymore. Instead something made of fabric you had to buy. But the plastic bottles -- where do they go??

shadeaux63

#32

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Posts: 2938

07/24/08 18:33

USA

Jo, you're very welcome. I was the same way- nearly everything I used to clean with made me sick, and I couldn't breathe after using it.Then I found out that most household cleaners were cancer-causing,neurotoxic, lung damaging, and toxic to the environment. I had no choice but to find natural ways to clean. I can't even walk into a house where a lot of household cleaners have been used without getting a severe headache, or getting sick.

Also, has anyone here heard of soapnuts? http://soapnuts.wordpress.com/ They're not only biodegradeable, but compostable when you're done with them.I just ordered some from Amazon.com, but haven't gotten them yet.But, I've read a lot about them, and they're supposed to leave your clothes soft, even if you line dry, and you don't need to add anything, like bleach, either.

Mosken, sadly, people don't want to give up what they see as the most convenient.When so many use plastic bottles, and they don't get recycled, they end up in landfills.

Pets name: Joxer
Adopt your own!

paul4barbus

#33

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Posts: 310

07/24/08 19:03

UK

Just think of all the chemicals "we" used for years without anyone really knowing what damage they would/could do.

I smoked for 30 years (80 a day in my earlier working life - not proud of it, just a statistic). I sprayed cellulose for my father on and off, and didn't ever wear a mask as they were too uncomfortable. I used carbon-tetrachloride for cleaning drawings when I was a draughtsman, 30 draughtsmen in the office all doing likewise. etc etc

I have to admit that I don't have any energy-saving lights in my house. Being open-plan we prefer that most of our lights are dimmer controlled. Ok, I know that a dimmed light doesn't use any less power just because it's less bright, but it's kinder in our environment for our eyes. I shall have a big think about this, and maybe re-wire lots of the multi-bulb lights so I can simply switch them on/off in pairs rather than need to dim them .............. food for thought. I also have a steel-framed house and it doesn't allow for wall cavity insulation - so if we waste energy through the walls there just ain't anything I can do about it.

I'd never heard of, or seen, fair-trade until this morning, when I bought some sugar at Sainsburys

Talking of the environment, I heard on the TV news this morning that since M&S started charging 5 pence (uk) for each plastic bag, people started re-using old ones and there has been an 80 per cent drop in usage.

This was reported in a national newspaper :

The store chain made a landmark decision at the beginning of May to start charging 5p for the bags, to encourage
a switch to green reusable alternatives.

Over the past ten weeks, 70million fewer have been handed out at its tills compared with the same period a year ago.

Profits from the M&S charges, which have topped £200,000, are going to the charity Groundwork - which runs projects to create new parks and play areas.

This is truly amazing, and if other large stores follow suit it must make a huge difference.

This is a particularly interesting topic, I shall read it over and over again.

Thanks

paul4

ps. My edits are due to me keep trying to get rid of that empty table - no idea where it came from and cannot shake it off

Last Edited By: paul4barbus 07/24/08 19:06. Edited 1 time.

Mairzii

#34

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Posts: 805

07/24/08 20:19

USA

We recycle paper, cardboard, plastic bottles (the only type of plastic accepted hereabouts

), glass, and cans. I have to say, though, that it kind of concerns me how much water goes to waste in cleaning out some of this stuff to make it fit for the recycling bin.

We also take back all acceptable drink containers for deposit.

Crazy as I am, I prefer tap water to bottled spring water, and only buy the bottled stuff very rarely. I refill them with tap water when they're empty, and use the same 3 bottles for months before finally recycling them. (I know I could bypass the bottles altogether, but a) I'm clumsy as all get-out, and b) drinking large amounts of water at other than room temperature -- as I do when taking my medication -- upsets my stomach. Using the bottles allows me to set one out to reach a comfortable temp without fear of knocking it over and spilling it. And it also helps me measure my daily fluid intake with ease.)

We re-use non-recyclable plastic containers (like cottage cheese containers, for example) as our "Tupperware," to store leftovers. We also re-use grocery sacks (paper to hold the paper and cardboard recyclables, and plastic -- what few aren't full of holes by the time the groceries have been unloaded -- either to cart the other recyclables and deposit-friendly drink containers to their destinations or as trash bags). And we use the "old-fashioned air freshener" in the bathroom: kitchen matches instead of aerosol sprays.

Since we live in an apartment building with no yard, we don't have a compost heap, but I've done that in the past when I lived elsewhere.

We do both smoke, though -- sorry.

(But hey, at least I'm down to about a pack a day, from 3!) We use refillable lighters, though, and only keep a couple disposables around for "emergencies" (which means they last for years).

Save the dragons! Click the eggs to help them hatch!

paganstarchild

#35

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Posts: 473

07/25/08 07:20

Hapless Heathen
UK

In the UK some areas recycle plastic bottles.

Paul, look in to Megaman bulbs, some of them are dimmable.

http://www.freewebs.com/notesfromtheplot/index.htm

**Torchwood Freelance Operative - Omega **

Ravenstardust

#36

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Posts: 2212

07/25/08 16:50

Watcher
USA

Ok I guess I'm kinda green . But living in a tiny town 20+ miles from everywhere doesn't help lol . So here's my little green list .
1. I raise rats to feed my snake I figure that alone saves me 40.00 a month and several waasted trips to town .
1 all my food trash either goes to the rats or the birds or the cats .
2. I only go into town 2 times a month .
3. We have our trash hauled to the dump every other month instead of paying a private company to drive out here from town , a 40 mile round trip once a week . I don't even want to consider how much gas that uses ???
4. We use electric and very very little propane . My bill this month was 94.00 which is low considering I do run my swamp cooler most of the time .5. I've got my light bulb usage down to 3 bulbs . I normally use one lamp in the liveing room and one lamp in the computer room .Those are usually on at night then the lamp in my room just before bed .
Geeee I may be a bit more green than I thought . I think for the two of us useing only 4 cans of trash every other month has got to be helpful ? But I have to agree liveing low income as most of us in the US have to do if we are getting SSI there just isn't much we can do when it comes to buying green . I do save all my plastic bags and I did think about saveing cans etc. But I use them so little of the time it would take me a year to save up enough to even take in I wonder would it even be worth the gas to get to the recycleing center which in my case is a man who leers at me then has his workers look at my car as if they'd like to pry me out of it sometime for some fun ???!!! I refuse to get out of the car if i do go in .lol

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paul4barbus

#37

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Posts: 310

07/28/08 07:01

UK

paganstarchild wrote:

Paul, look in to Megaman bulbs, some of them are dimmable.

Great, found them and will investigate further.

thanks so much

paul4

Ravenstardust

#38

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Posts: 2212

07/28/08 10:31

Watcher
USA

I'm going to try the light bulbs next month , The last one I had caused me to have a headache but maybe a different type made by a differetn company will work better .

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