It's Easy Being Green

Who knew an activity that sounds so dirty on the surface could be so beneficial, not only for our planet but also for yourself?  This morning a dumpster dive find that required really no diving came in especially helpful.

Jack, our orange tabby cat, decided to projectile vomit all over the beige carpet this morning.  In a feined attempt I tried to catch him and get him to a solid surface instead of puking on the carpet.  Instead I was left cleaning up quite a mess, hoping it wouldn’t add another stain to the already pet stained by the previous owner carpet.

After cleaning up the chunkies, I sprinkled the vomit with Borax (I’ve just discovered in my greeness it can be used for virtually any cleaning task you might have) and let it soak for a couple of hours.  Then I used the nifty carpet steamer we found by the dumpster the other day to suck it up and scrub it down.  We found out the reason it was put by the dumpster is because the hot water container leaks all over the place when you attach it to the steamer.  The simple fix is to just hold the container and squirt the water you need on the spot and then scrub it and suck it out of the carpet.  It may not be as convenient but the machine still works and doesn’t need to clog up our landfills anymore than they already are.

The free carpet cleaner we found sitting by the dumpster. It still works!

Another great dumpster find I made was back in Arizona when we lived in an apartment complex there.  Someone who moved out had left a 32″ TV by the dumpster and a portable, rolling Rediwhip freezer like you’d see in the grocery story.  Both worked so how can you pass up extra freezer space and a bigger TV for free?!

The free Reddi-wip freezer I found next to a dumpster in Arizona. The working items people throw out is sickening!

Have you found any great finds that someone else put out for the trash?  Don’t be ashamed, share your story!

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Home renovations might look more green in due time thanks in part to the latest economic stimulus plan put in motion by President Obama.  The economic rescue package passed by the Bush administration last Fall renewed the IRS Section 25C tax credit, which credited homeowners 10% of the purchase costs of green renovations with a $500 lifetime cap.  Contractors claimed it wasn’t enough to motivate homeowners to sign contracts and pursue green renovations.

Obama’s latest economic stimulus plan sweetened the tax credit though so homeowners will now have more incentive to make their house more energy efficient and environmentally friendly.  The credit has essentially been trippled to 30% of the purchase cost with a lifetime cap of $1,500.  Some renovations that would qualify for the credits include beefing up your insulation, buying new and more efficient furnaces, air conditioners and heat pumps, installing new roofing and energy efficient windows and doors.  Reportedly the list of qualified items is also about to expand so more green renovations may qualify for a credit.  You have until 2010 to apply for the credits.

For more information on the 25C tax credit check out this link.

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As I talked about yesterday, I’m not sure most people heed warnings and prpeare themselves to be without essential services like power and water for extended periods of time.  The devastating ice storm here in Indiana and Kentucky has pushed the idea to the forefront of my mind because I’ve seen firsthand how people have reacted.  It’s always reactionary it seems.  Most people just don’t prepare themselves.

So what should you do in the event of a blackout?  The Red Cross offers up some simple tips that you should remember or jot down in a special disaster book somewhere in your home that you can refer to.

1. They recommend only using flashlights for lighting and not candles because of the fire danger.  Obviously if you take careful precautions, candles can be a good source of light in an emergency so be smart about it.

2.  Turn off electrical equipment you were using when the power went out.

3.  Avoid opening the refrigerator or freezer.  This will help ensure the cold air stays in.  When it comes to packing the items in your freezer, the more densely it’s packed the more cold it will have to keep itself frozen for awhile.

4.  If you have a generator don’t run it inside your home.  Three people died in Louisville last week from carbon monoxide poisoning because they kept the genrator running inside.  Also, unless you have a full-sized backup generator hooked up by an electrician, make sure you don’t wire your generator into your home wiring.  It can send a charge down the line away from your house and actually jolt an electrical worker when they touch the lines.

What about steps you can take before the blackout hits?

5.  Always make sure to have flashlights and fresh batteries for those flashlights on hand.

6.  Buy a battery powered or even better hand crank powered radio to listen for important information.

7.  Keep at least a gallon of drinking water on hand per person.  Even more will help your family last longer if the outage is prolonged and water cannot be pumped in your area.

8.  Have a small supply of food

Have you ever gone through an extended blackout for a day or more?  Share your experience with us and tell us challenges you faced without power and how you got through them.

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I’m glad to say we’re safe and sound following the major ice storm that just ripped through the Midwest this past week.  It’s been a stressful time and that’s why I haven’t popped much up onto the blog in a few days.

We were some of the lucky few that have had power all the way through this event.  The night of the storm, our power went out for a few minutes while transformers and power lines blew all around us.  We laid awake in bed thinking that was the last we’d see of the power for a few days but luckily it came back on a short time later.  People living just around the corner though are a different story and down in Madisonville, KY it looks like a warzone.

This event has proven once again that people need to take steps to prepare themselves for the worst.  It seems like as much as this message is pounded into people’s brains, a majority of them choose to ignore it or believe an event like this will never happen to them.  The lines of people trying to cue up after the storm and get gas for generators, cars and heaters is just proof that people choose to deal with the event after it happens and panic in the process.

I got to thinking that we’re not as prepared as we should be.  We have  large cache of food staples stored in the basement and probably have enough to last us a month or maybe more if we rationed it well.  I have several large 5 or 6 gallon jugs for water but don’t have them filled up at the moment.  While I don’t let my pet’s food supply completely dwindle down before buying more, I probably couldn’t provide for them for an extended period of time if we were stuck somewhere.

I got to thinking about generators too because we don’t have a generator.  But then I remembered about our motorhome.  It has a propane stove, oven and fridge and it has a gas powered generator.  That made me feel better since we basically have a rolling disaster kit should another problem strike.

I know I want to take even more steps to make sure I can provide for myself and my family should luxuries like electricity disappear for a few days or even weeks.  What steps have you taken for yourself and your family?  Please share with us by posting a comment below.

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A creative communications company has developed a new, eco-friendly font that will help you use 20% less printer ink.  SPRANQ, a Dutch design firm, developed Ecofont to inform consumers about the impacts of their use of printer paper and ink.

Designers were convinced that a font could use less while ink while still maintaining a professional look and of course readability.  SPRANQ began testing and ended up choosing a design based on the Vera Sans font.  When Ecofont is printed at around size 9 or 10, you can’t even tell there are holes in the printed letters.  The new font also eliminated the use of dots on certain letters.

An example of what Ecofont looks like close up.

The best part about is that you can download Ecofont for free by clicking the link.  The company is soliciting donations if you feel inclined to support their cause for greener printing.

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It seems like most portions of the midwest and northeast are gripped by Old Man Winter this week.  I know here in Indiana our temeperatures are down to 18 degrees with wind chill right now and we’re supposed to be down to -10 tonight.  That’s cold but not near as cold as our neighbors to the north of us dealing with -40’s in some places.

While it’s cold outside, it can also be cold inside.  You might feel a winter chill moving through the windows of your house or even the walls so what can you do to stay warm yet be energy efficient?  Here are some simple ideas to help out.

For maximum energy efficiency and lower heating costs, it’s recommended that you set your thermostat around 68 degrees and wear extra layers of clothing.  We keep our heater right between 68 and 70 and it feels alright.  For extra warm, we use a heated blanket or a small space heater in the room we’re currently sitting in.

There are some extra steps you can take to maximize the heating efficiency of your house too.  First, as soon as the sun starts hitting some of your windows, open the curtains or blinds to begin reaping the benefits of solar heat gain.  Keep north-facing windows or shaded windows closed though because you’ll just be letting the warm air out.  As soon as the sun starts setting, crank the blinds and curtains closed to keep the warm air in and the cold air out.  If your home has older, single-pane windows you should think about replacing them with newer double-pane and highly insulated windows.  Also, keep the doors shut and the air registers closed in rooms that you don’t typically use throughout the day.

We used to live in a house that had a programmable, electronic thermostat and it was great.  Setting it to turn down the heat at your bed time and then turn it back up again just before your alarm clock goes off is a great way to slash up to 20% of your heating costs.  It’s also helpful if you have a warm, feather down comforter on your bed to retain your warmth and keep the chill out.

Lastly, double check all your entry doors and make sure they have sweeps installed on the bottom of them and that the weatherstripping is in good shape all the way around the door.  If not, head to the hardware store and buy some replacement stripping to keep the cold out.  Also, make sure you furnace is running as efficiently as possible by checking the filter.  Clean it once a month or as needed to keep air moving efficiently.

Are there any steps you’ve taken to make your home warmer this winter and more energy efficient?  Share your experiences, tips or ideas by writing a comment below!

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By now several areas of the country have dealt with a crippling round of ice storms and with salt in short supply, de-icing in some parts of the country has been rather difficult.  If you haven’t been able to find de-icer, you might want to put together this homemade de-icer mix.  You’ll just need access to a couple of chemicals to make it work:

6 cups of rock salt

12 cups of ammonium chloride

6 cups of magnesium sufate

Place all the ingredients into a bucket and mix well.  Sprinkle the mixture on sidewalks and driveways to melt ice and snow.  This mixture will even handle hard-packed snow.  Have you had problems finding de-icer for your home or business?  If so, what have you done to remedy the ice problem?  Stay warm!

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