Filed under: Going Green; How and Why... | Tags: Going Green; How and Why..., no impact
No Impact Man
Here is how Colin Beaven describes his experiment to live in NY City for one year while keeping his carbon footprint as small as possible;
“A Guilty Liberal Finally Snaps, Swears Off Plastic, Goes Organic, Becomes a Bicycle Nut, Turns Off His Power, Composts His Poop and, While Living In New York City, Generally Turns Into a Tree-Hugging Lunatic Who Tries to Save the Polar Bears and The Rest of the Planet from Environmental Catastrophe While Dragging His Baby Daughter and Prada-Wearing, Four Season-Loving Wife Along for the Ride.”
I love his blog, have been following it for about a year and a half. It’s very motivating, and hilarious.
Link- No Impact Man
Filed under: Getting By on Less, Going Green; How and Why... | Tags: affordable solar, solar panels
Affordable Solar Panels For Your Home?
New rental program requires no upfront investment
Imagine efficient Solar Energy Panels,
- …on your roof
- …generating clean power every day
- …spinning your meter backwards
- …all for less than you currently pay your electric utility!
My friend Shelia described a new solar energy program to me, “Instead of buying panels for over $40,000, you rent them at the same kilowatt-hour rate that you pay your utility company.” (That sounds like a good deal, I thought to myself.)
“They guarantee that your rate per kilowatt-hour will not go up for 25 years. They even have a solar calculator on their website that shows exactly how much you will save over 1, 5, and 25 years.”
I was intrigued. But I had my doubts, it seemed almost too good to be true.
The Model: When the refrigerator was first invented, everyone had an ice box. Since few people could make the initial investment for a refrigerator, the manufacturer offered to give people the refrigerator, with no upfront costs. The customer simply “rented” the system for the same money they were currently paying to the “ice man” for their ice delivery.
For a cool $425 million, the company is building the largest manufacturing plant for clean energy in the world.
“This solar rental program operates under net-metering regulations. Net metering gives homeowners the right to generate power and receive the full retail value credit for the excess power generated.”
“The solar panels produce more power than you can use during the day, spinning your electric meter backwards.”
Shelia explained, “A solar engineer visits your home and designs the system so that the extra daytime electricity is stored in the grid. You use this power at night.”
“Over the billing month, the solar panels should provide all the power you need. You pay for the power you generate (plus a small monthly hookup fee from your current utility.)”
Key Benefits
no expensive system purchase
no permit hassles
no installation costs
no maintenance fees
Sound’s like a no-brainer. Reserve my system today »
Big house, big bills, brownouts. We had it all.
My name is Tony Cecala. I live in a Texas-sized suburban house with my lovely wife Felicia. Our home burns through 4500 kilowatt-hours in the summer; that’s over $700 in electric bills! My neighbors pay even more.
There’s only one way to fight those rate hikes—generate our own electric power. We’ll be doing that with our solar panels at a flat rental rate that will not go up for 25 years! You can figure out your rate, which will be the same or less than what you are paying now, using the “Solar Savings Calculator” at SolarSavingsCalculator.com
Green Benefits: With clean solar energy, my home will eliminate 1322 tons of CO2, 4154 lbs of NOx, 5481 lbs of SO2, 315 lbs of PM, 81 lbs of VOC, and 749 lbs of CO. The equivalent of taking approximately 231 automobiles off of the road, or planting 3878 trees.
Zero Risk:
· If you decide to back out at any time during your rental agreement all you would lose is your security deposit (usually $500 for a basic home, which you do not even pay until after the company is sure they can install solar energy at your home and you have approved the plan).
· After 25 years, you get back your deposit with interest.
· If you move during this 25-year period, the company will move your solar panels (once) for free, or you can sign the agreement over to the new homeowner (making this an excellent selling feature for your home).
Why wouldn’t someone do this? It’s not expensive. There’s no risk—if the panels stop working, you paying nothing until they are fixed. Check out the service territory on the company web site, and see if it is even available for your home. (Not every home is a candidate). Then reserve your system today and sleep soundly knowing that your energy rate is locked in for years to come.
Best,
Tony Cecala, Ph.D.
Senior Sales Manager
SolarSavingsCalculator.com
PS – If you have questions about the system that you would like to discuss personally, please feel free to give me a call directly at 1-972-378-1211 or send your email to renu@holisticnetworker.com for a prompt reply.
Select…ArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMontanaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWisconsinWyoming
This solar power program is only available in the following states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Live outside of the service area? Live in an apartment? You can still become a sales associate and earn money by introducing your friends and colleagues to this remarkable solar energy program.
Filed under: Getting By on Less, Going Green; How and Why... | Tags: solar, solar hot water heater
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DIY Solar Thermal – Florida Addition
The tubing is 5/8″ irrigation pipe I bought at Lowe’s. I bought three 100′ sections for $10 each. The concrete under is my cesspool tank cover. The glass is from a sliding door that the salesman at Lowe’s gave me.
The water comes out scalding hot, so I think plastic sheeting could be used instead of glass. The water enters the coil system from my water pump, and returns to the house at any hot water line. The tubing holds about 5 gallons of water, but is so hot that when mixed with cold water at the shower valve I can get a pretty decent shower. I have thought of using a circulating pump and a tank to store up hot water but so far I am just using the coil itself as the holding tank.
I think the payback period for my solar hot water heater is about 2 weeks. After 2 months the pressure in the pipes blew out the plastic connectors between the 100′ sections. So I switched to brass barbed hose repair kits with stainless hose clamps. They cost about $1.50. Don’t use plastic fittings as they will not last.
This entire project cost about $30 not bad considering it is used to offset a significant amount of energy costs and has already paid for itself. Obviously in a colder environment you would need to make the enclosure more insulated, and you would have to worry about freezing, but in warm climates this set up could solve all of your hot water needs.
Here is a more elegant solution (this is what I am building in my backyard, I will posts pics when it is done. This project is from one of my favorite web site’s, check it out- http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/
Here is a site showing a lot of different way to build a solar shower. I live in Florida, so the one I am building is ideal for this climate. In fact, most days the water is WAY too hot in the middle of the day! http://www.byexample.com/articles/topics/solar_hot_water
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Filed under: Getting By on Less, Going Green; How and Why... | Tags: natural cleaning products, non-toxic home
Clean and Green: Natural Cleaning Formulas
Here’s a collection of my favorite natural cleaning formulas . MOST are safe and nontoxic, with a few exceptions which are clearly noted. Use the ingredients listed below when making your own alternative cleaners, most are inexpensive and you probably already have many of them in your kitchen. All can be found at your local supermarket, natural food store or drugstore. Used individually or combined, these cleaners are safe, effective and cost-efficient.
BAKING SODA (sodium bicarbonate): An all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner. Cleans, deodorizes, removes stains and softens fabrics.
BORAX (sodium borate): A natural mineral that kills mold and bacteria. An alternative to bleach, it deodorizes, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap. Please note safety precautions at the bottom of this page.
CASTILE and VEGETABLE OIL BASED SOAPS: Cleans everything
CORNSTARCH: Starches clothes, absorbs oil and grease
LEMON JUICE: Cuts through grease and removes perspiration and other stains from clothing. A bleach alternative. I collect antique clothing, and sometimes they yellow with age. Soak the spot, or the whole piece, in lemon juice then hang in the sunshine for the day. Repeat if needed. The yellowing will be gone. Rinse well. This also works for Lenin, which you cannot use regular bleach on!
SALT (sodium chloride): An abrasive
TOOTHPASTE: A mild abrasive
VINEGAR (acetic acid): Cuts grease, removes stains and is an excellent water softener.
WASHING SODA (sodium carbonate): Cleans clothes, softens water, cuts grease and disinfects. Increases the cleaning power of soap.
Hints:
· To save time and money, make your cleaners in advance and buy the ingredients in bulk for cost savings and to avoid excess packaging..
· Make large batches of the recipes and store them in reusable airtight plastic containers and spray bottles. Using a pretty spray bottle or container makes cleaning days more fun and pleasant.
· Label all of your ingredients and keep them out of reach of children. While most of these all-natural cleaners are not poisonous, some can be harmful or even fatal if swallowed by children or pets. See specific safety precautions at the bottom of this page.
· Add your favorite essential oils or herbs to any of these formulas for fragrance
Disinfectants:
1. Regular cleaning with plain soap and hot water will kill some bacteria.
2. Borax has long been recognized for its disinfectant and deodorizing properties. Mix 1/2 cup Borax into 1 gallon hot water or undiluted vinegar and clean with this solution.
3. Mix a half-cup of borax with 1 gallon hot water. Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary or lavender. Steep for 10 minutes, strain and cool. Or add essential fragrant oils instead of fresh herbs. Store in a plastic spray bottle.
4. 2 tablespoons borax, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 cups hot water. Combine the borax and lemon juice with the water in a spray bottle. Use as you would any commercial all-purpose cleaner.
5. Isopropyl Alcohol is an excellent disinfectant. Sponge on and allow to dry. Use in a well-ventilated area and wear gloves.
Glass Cleaners:
Windows and Mirrors:
If you use a microfiber cloth to clean windows, you will not need any cleaner, just water! You can get them at Target.
· Use undiluted vinegar in a spray bottle or
· Equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle or
· No-Streak Glass Cleaner: 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 quart warm water
· Mix the ingredients and apply with a sponge or pour into spray bottle and spray on. Wipe dry with crumpled newspaper, buff to a shine. (Use crumpled newspaper instead of paper towels for lint-free results.
· Rubbing alcohol is effective in place of glass cleaner.
Scouring Powders:
Use a non-chlorine scouring powder such as Baking Soda or Dry Table Salt. These are mild abrasives and can be used as an alternative to chlorine scouring powders. Simply put either baking soda or salt on a sponge or the surface, scour and rinse.
Non-Abrasive Soft Scrubber:
1/4 cup borax
Vegetable-oil based liquid soap (such as Murphys Oil Soap)
1/2 teaspoon lemon oil
In a bowl, mix the borax with enough soap to form a creamy paste. Add lemon oil and blend well. Scoop a small amount of the mixture onto a sponge, wash the surface, then rinse well.
Bathroom Cleaners:
Toilet Bowl Cleaners:
1. Baking Soda and Vinegar: Sprinkle baking soda into the bowl, then squirt with vinegar and scour with a toilet brush. Cleans and deodorizes.
2. Borax and Lemon Juice. For removing a stubborn stain, like toilet bowl ring, mix enough borax and lemon juice into a paste cover the ring. Flush toilet to wet the sides, then rub on paste. Let sit for 2 hours and scrub thoroughly. For less stubborn toilet bowl rings, sprinkle baking soda around the rim and scrub with a toilet brush.
3. 1 cup borax, 1/2 cup white vinegar. Flush to wet the sides of the bowl. Sprinkle the borax around the toilet bowl, then spray with vinegar. Leave for several hours or overnight before scrubbing with a toilet brush.
4. Denture tablets are an excellent substitute for toilet cleaner. Drop two tablets into the bowl and clean as you would with toilet cleaner.
5. Liquid castile soap and baking soda or Borax, scrub with a toilet brush.
Drain Cleaner:
For slow drains, use this drain cleaner once a week to keep drains fresh and clog-free.
1/2 cup baking soda
1 cup white vinegar
1 gallon boiling water
1/2 a used lemon
Pour baking soda down drain/disposal, followed by vinegar. Allow the mixture to foam for several minutes before flushing the drain with boiling water.
Tub And Tile Cleaners:
1. Baking Soda. Sprinkle baking soda like you would scouring powder. Rub with a damp sponge. Rinse thoroughly.
2. Vinegar and Baking Soda. To remove film buildup on bathtubs, apply vinegar full-strength to a sponge and wipe. Next, use baking soda as you would scouring powder. Rub with a damp sponge and rinse thoroughly with clean water.
3. Vinegar. Vinegar removes most dirt without scrubbing and doesn’t leave a film. Use 1/4 cup (or more) vinegar to 1 gallon water.
4. Baking Soda. To clean grout, put 3 cups baking soda into a medium-sized bowl and add 1 cup warm water. Mix into a smooth paste and scrub into grout with a sponge or toothbrush. Rinse thoroughly and dispose of leftover paste when finished.
5. Rub the area to be cleaned with half a lemon dipped in borax. Rinse well, and dry with soft cloth.
Porcelain Cleaner:
Cream of Tartar. To clean porcelain surfaces, rub with cream of tartar sprinkled on a damp cloth.
Rust Stain and Hard Water Deposit Remover:
Apply full-strength vinegar or lemon juice and let stand until spot disappears, rinse. Repeat if necessary.
Kitchen Cleaners:
Oven Cleaners:
1. The first step is prevention. Put a sheet of aluminum foil on the floor of the oven, underneath but not touching the heating element.
2. Clean up the spill as soon as it occurs.
3. While the oven is still warm, sprinkle salt or baking soda on the spill. If the spill is completely dry, wet the spill lightly before sprinkling on salt. When the oven cools, scrape away the spill and wash the area clean.
4. Baking soda, water; salt; vegetable oil-based liquid soap. Sprinkle water on oven bottom. Cover with baking soda. Let sit overnight. Wipe off and apply liquid soap with scouring pad. Rinse.
5. Retard grease buildup in your oven by dampening your cleaning rag in vinegar and water before wiping out your oven.
6. Sprinkle/spray water followed by a layer of baking soda. Rub gently with a very fine steel wool pad for tough spots. Wipe off scum with dry paper towels or sponge. Rinse well and wipe dry.
7. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil-based liquid soap, 2 tablespoons borax: Mix the soap and borax in a spray bottle. Fill the bottle with hot water and shake well. Spray on oven and leave for 20 minutes. Scrub off.
8. LAST RESORT ONLY: Fill a small glass bowl with 1/2 cup full-strength ammonia, place in oven and close. Let stand overnight, then wipe loosened dirt with paper towels or newspapers. If necessary, rub surfaces with an abrasive, such as fine steel wool, then wash with warm soapy water and rinse. Repeat process if necessary. Provide plenty of fresh air and wear gloves.
Counter Tops/Kitchen Surfaces:
Pots and Pans:
1. Burned, and crusted on foods; Soak or boil a solution of 2 tbs. baking soda per qt of water in each pan. Let stand until particles are loosened, then wash as usual. Use a mild or moderate abrasive if necessary.
2. To clean a greasy pan easily, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of baking soda to the water in which it is soaking.
Copper pan cleaner:
Sprinkle surface of pans with coarse salt. Rub salt into stains with the cut half of a fresh lemon.
No-Stick Cookware:
To remove stains from non-stick surfaces, pour a solution of 1 cup water, 2 tbs. baking soda into a pan, simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Do not allow mixture to boil or to boil over the side of the pan. Wash in hot soapy water, rinse and dry. Apply a light coating of cooking oil. Non-stick pans build up dark spots if you cook in them on heat above the medium setting. Also, if you cook with Pam or other sprays, or vegetable oils, such as olive oil. For your pans sake, but mostly for your health, NEVER cook with vegetable oils, they should never be heated (they are for flavor or dressings and mayonnaises. Use organic butter or coconut oil.
Baking Dishes – Enamel, Ceramic or Glass:
Soak in hot soapy water, then scour with salt or baking soda and rinse thoroughly.
Dishes:
1. I use 7th Generation for dishes.
2. Use liquid or powdered soap instead of detergents – which are petroleum-based. In dishwashers, use equal parts borax and washing soda.
3. Use Baking soda and liquid soap
Drinking Glasses:
1. Occasionally soak drinking glasses in a solution of vinegar and water to really get them clean. Makes them sparkle!
2. When a quick dip for crystal glassware is needed, prepare a solution of baking soda in tepid-cool water (l level teaspoon to a quart) and brush with a soft toothbrush. Very good for glass coffee makers and thermos jugs too.
Silver:
1. Use toothpaste instead of toxic silver cleaner to clean and brighten even your best silver. Use an old soft bristled toothbrush and warm water.
2. Rub with a paste of baking soda and water.
3. To magnetize tarnish away, soak silver in salted water in an aluminum container; then wipe clean.
4. Soak in boiling water, baking soda, salt, and a piece of aluminum foil.
5. When a quick dip for silverware is needed, prepare a solution of baking soda in tepid-cool water (l level teaspoon to a quart) and brush with a soft toothbrush.
Brass:
Mix equal parts salt and flour with a little vinegar, then rub.
Chrome:
Rub with undiluted vinegar.
Copper:
Rub with lemon juice and salt, or hot vinegar and salt.
Stainless Steel:
Rub with a paste of baking soda and water.
Automotive Cleaners and Care:
Windshield Wiper Frost Free Fluid
Mix 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water and coat the car windows with this
solution. This vinegar and water combination will keep windshields ice and frost-free.
Miscellaneous Cleaners:
Candles/Wax:
Sponge with a piece of cotton dipped in rubbing alcohol.
Grease Cutters:
Paint Brushes:
Soften hard paintbrushes in hot vinegar for a few minutes. Then wash paintbrush in soap and warm water and let dry.
Rust Remover:
1. To remove rust from tin-ware, rub with a peeled potato dipped in a mild abrasive such as baking soda or salt.
2. Aluminum Foil. Briskly scrub rust spots on car bumpers with a piece of crumpled aluminum foil, shiny side up.
Stain and Spot Removers:
1. Concrete Grease Spot Remover: To remove grease from concrete flooring sprinkle dry cement over grease. Allow it to absorb the grease, then sweep up.
2. Ink Stains: Use a non-aerosol hair spray to remove ink stains.
Recipe for Making Your Own Laundry Detergent:
1 cup soap flakes *
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax
Mix the soap flakes in a pan with 3 pints of water over medium heat, until it all dissolves, roughly 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the washing soda and Borax. Mix until everything thickens, another 3 minutes or so, then remove from heat. Put 1 quart of hot water in a 2 gallon bucket, then add the soap mixture you just made. Mix well.
Now fill the bucket with the mixture with cold water. Stir until well blended. It will thicken and separate as it cools. Stir or shake well before using. Use 1/2 cup for each load, or more for very dirty items.
Note: washing soda is sodium carbonate and belongs in the same family as baking soda. However it has a pH of 11 and is much more caustic. In concentrated doses washing soda can remove paint and wax! Be sure to wear rubber gloves when using washing soda. Do not use on aluminum or fiberglass. Be sure to follow all manufacturers instructions.
An average gallon of laundry detergent is around $5.00. This recipe is environmentally friendly, and costs about 25 cents per gallon (1/20th the cost!), so you save the green in two ways!
*Soap flakes turned out to be harder to find than either borax or washing soda. Ivory stopped making soap flakes in 1993, the last major manufacturer to do so. Grating any pure soap, such as Castile (e.g. Dr. Bronners) works fine. I used my Microplane grater (available at kitchen specialty stores like Sur La Table or Williams Sonoma) the greatest grater ever made and achieved a very light fluffy soap flake.
Note: Green Home
