Let me relate an expensive and frustrating lesson I learned firsthand recently. I am sure you have heard many environmentalists tout the virtues of unplugging your appliances when not in use. Appliances can drain a steady stream of electricity when not in use but left plugged in. While this is a low-level drain, it is still a drain and collectively, it can have a high impact on electrical use. It is called “vampire load” and the name is appropriate.
I have heeded their advice, for the most part. I unplug my cell phone charger, I use surge protectors on many of my outlets and turn them off when I’m not using things. But let me tell you about another way that plugged-in appliances harm the environment and your wallet. Our town had a power outage a few weeks ago and when the power came back on, there was a power surge. It killed my cable box, which wasn’t too big of a deal. But the most devastating loss of the outage was my washing machine. A few years ago, I traded in my old, 1980’s model washer and dryer for a new energy efficient front loading set. I spent a little money on the pair and I have been happy with the purchase since the start. However, a few days after the outage, I went to do a load of laundry but when I hit the start button . . . nothing. I checked the circuit, it had been tripped but resetting it did not fix the problem. I checked the outlet to see if the problem was in the wall but no, the outlet was fine. My relatively new, high efficiency washer was fried!
I had a decision to make. Do I have the machine fixed or do I buy a new one? It is fairly new and works great (except for the no power part). But I am a woman with a budget. Can I afford a complex repair to a computerized machine? I called the local appliance repairman and explained my predicament. They actually had many similar calls after the power outage so they assured me that it would be a relatively simple fix and they gave me a budget of about $200.00. This was doable (but still uncomfortable) but well below the cost of a new washer so I agreed to the repair. It was not as simple as that. Four house calls, four days off work and $500.00 later, my somewhat new washer was good as new again! Do I regret the decision to repair vs. buy a new one? Many have asked but my answer remains the same – no. If I trashed this perfectly good washer, I would have contributed a big hunk of metal to the landfill prematurely. With good care, this machine should last me another 10 years or so.
The lesson here is that repair is a viable option, or at least one we shouldn’t dismiss right away. We sometimes have a tendency to subscribe to a “disposable” mentality. But this adds unnecessary bulk to our landfills. Many people who I spoke with during this ordeal thought they would have bought a new one instead of choosing repair. Sure, I could have bought a new washer for about the same as the repair cost, but why? Of course, each decision on repair vs. replace needs to be made on a case by case basis, taking into consideration the age of the item and the cost for repair. But take some time to think it over and try to reduce waste when possible.
The other lesson, unplug your appliances – including your washing machine! I bought a simple stick-on hook that I attached next to the outlet. I unplug and hang the cord there so I don’t have to climb over the washer to find the cord when I want to use it. It is so easy! Take inventory of your electrical items and see if there are ways that you can make unplugging easy and convenient. Such a simple practice can save you a little on your electricity bill and save you from an unnecessary repair bill. However, I would draw the line at your refrigerator. Leave that one plugged in!
Originally posted on www.greenwala.com on 7/15/2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010
One Great Find at Green Festival - PeopleTowels!
Have you ever been to Green Festival? If you have, you know that it is the annual Mecca for greenies – a giant convention of eco-friendly vendors, services, and products, and tons of new ideas in the world of green. If you haven’t been, you should try to get to one soon. They are so fun!
One of my favorite things about going to Green Festival is finding the thing I wasn’t looking for but can’t live without. This year, I found a couple and I will write about them all eventually. Today I share my experience with and growing love for PeopleTowels. These little 9 inch square, organic cotton personal towels are designed to reduce the need for paper towel use when you wash your hands in a public restroom. Paper towels require a lot of natural resources to produce and create an extreme amount of waste so cutting down on them will help save our environment in a big way.
So PeopleTowels are a fabulous idea, but how do they really work logistically? It’s one thing to tell you about this cool new product but I also want to help you to actually use them since doing so will require a little redesign of how you do things. The key is, you have to take it with you. Each towel has a cloth loop on the backside so that you can easily attach it to your keys or bag with a ring or ribbon or whatever works for you. Maybe you prefer to just simply put it in your pocket. The restroom at my office requires a key to access so I keep my PeopleTowel on a carabineer on my key ring. It is easy to attach and switch out and I always take it with me since I need the key to get in anyway.
After you have mastered carrying your PeopleTowel, just wash your hands and dry them with it, it is that easy! And they dry off fairly quickly for your next use. Don’t despair if it takes you a while to get the hang of it. We are creatures of habit and it took me a few times to remember not to reach for the disposables – even when I had the Peopletowel in my hand!
If there is one drawback to this arrangement, it is this. I got in the habit of using my paper towel to open the door when I leave so that I didn’t transfer other people’s germs from the handle. I don’t want to use the PeopleTowel for this purpose since I would be taking those germs with me on the towel (yuck!). So I chance it each time with opening the door with my bare hand. Sometimes I get lucky though and take advantage of someone else opening the door as I am leaving. If this is a big concern for you, I suggest using the PeopleTowel for drying and using one sheet or a smaller piece of disposable to handle the handle. This still reduces your paper use by most, since you usually have to use a substantial wad of paper to dry your hands well. In fact, using PeopleTowels exclusively is reported to save ¼ of a tree annually, on average (www.peopletowels.com). If four people start using PeopleTowels, that’s a whole tree!
And they are so cute! They have several different designs to choose from. I can’t tell you how many people have commented positively on my personal towels. What a conversation starter! And I feel like I am doing something really good by using them, even if it is a small step. You can find PeopleTowels online, or follow them on Twitter or Facebook to get word of any special deals and see all of their cute designs. Also, look out for them on your friends and neighbors and let them know that you appreciate their efforts to reduce their paper consumption. Give it a try and let me know how it goes. Leave a comment here or email me at Melissa@ecohomeconsults.com. I can’t wait to hear how it works for you!
Originally posted on www.Greenwala.com 7/12/2010
One of my favorite things about going to Green Festival is finding the thing I wasn’t looking for but can’t live without. This year, I found a couple and I will write about them all eventually. Today I share my experience with and growing love for PeopleTowels. These little 9 inch square, organic cotton personal towels are designed to reduce the need for paper towel use when you wash your hands in a public restroom. Paper towels require a lot of natural resources to produce and create an extreme amount of waste so cutting down on them will help save our environment in a big way.
So PeopleTowels are a fabulous idea, but how do they really work logistically? It’s one thing to tell you about this cool new product but I also want to help you to actually use them since doing so will require a little redesign of how you do things. The key is, you have to take it with you. Each towel has a cloth loop on the backside so that you can easily attach it to your keys or bag with a ring or ribbon or whatever works for you. Maybe you prefer to just simply put it in your pocket. The restroom at my office requires a key to access so I keep my PeopleTowel on a carabineer on my key ring. It is easy to attach and switch out and I always take it with me since I need the key to get in anyway.
After you have mastered carrying your PeopleTowel, just wash your hands and dry them with it, it is that easy! And they dry off fairly quickly for your next use. Don’t despair if it takes you a while to get the hang of it. We are creatures of habit and it took me a few times to remember not to reach for the disposables – even when I had the Peopletowel in my hand!
If there is one drawback to this arrangement, it is this. I got in the habit of using my paper towel to open the door when I leave so that I didn’t transfer other people’s germs from the handle. I don’t want to use the PeopleTowel for this purpose since I would be taking those germs with me on the towel (yuck!). So I chance it each time with opening the door with my bare hand. Sometimes I get lucky though and take advantage of someone else opening the door as I am leaving. If this is a big concern for you, I suggest using the PeopleTowel for drying and using one sheet or a smaller piece of disposable to handle the handle. This still reduces your paper use by most, since you usually have to use a substantial wad of paper to dry your hands well. In fact, using PeopleTowels exclusively is reported to save ¼ of a tree annually, on average (www.peopletowels.com). If four people start using PeopleTowels, that’s a whole tree!
And they are so cute! They have several different designs to choose from. I can’t tell you how many people have commented positively on my personal towels. What a conversation starter! And I feel like I am doing something really good by using them, even if it is a small step. You can find PeopleTowels online, or follow them on Twitter or Facebook to get word of any special deals and see all of their cute designs. Also, look out for them on your friends and neighbors and let them know that you appreciate their efforts to reduce their paper consumption. Give it a try and let me know how it goes. Leave a comment here or email me at Melissa@ecohomeconsults.com. I can’t wait to hear how it works for you!
Originally posted on www.Greenwala.com 7/12/2010
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
A little story about lead
I admit, I have never been too concerned about lead. Not that I dispute the health effects of exposure, but because I never thought I had reason to be concerned for myself or my son. We live in a post 1978 condo so I don’t worry about lead paint in our home and that was the only thing that I thought was a concern. Well, lead has been rearing its toxic head in my life in the past couple weeks and I’m taking it as a sign. Let me share . . .
Seems simple enough, I bought a new iron the other day. I don’t iron often but my old iron was leaking. Since I don’t iron much, I bought an economical replacement. I mean, my last one was a hand-me-down and it lasted years. I get the $7.00 iron home and as I’m plugging it in, I notice a tag attached to the cord which said, “The power cord on this product contains lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer, and birth defects or other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.” What! I just bought a product with lead in it! What happens if I don’t wash my hands soon enough?
How could they! I was so angry, at first. But then I thought of all the other things I have bought over the years. How many of those products contained lead? I will never know. Lead has been found in so many things - children’s toys, furniture, electronics, cosmetics, glazed ceramic items, pewter, stained glass, jewelry, to name a few. I thought again of that tag on the iron and I was almost happy that the company had thought it was important to warn me. Most companies don’t disclose this. Usually we are lucky to hear about product recalls for lead content from the nightly news and I’m sure there are more we don’t know about.
Well, what can lead exposure really do to you? Plenty. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, lead exposure in adults can cause high blood pressure, nerve disorders, memory problems, and fertility problems for men and women. Children are more susceptible because they’re smaller and the toxin concentrates in their little bodies. Plus, they put more things in their mouths. As their systems are growing, exposure can cause the following development problems: nervous system and kidney damage, Attention Deficit Disorder, decreased intelligence, speech and behavior disorders, and decreased muscle and bone growth. Pregnant women are at even more risk not just for their health but also their unborn child. Lead passes through the mother’s system straight to the fetus where it has the potential to cause brain damage or death of the child. These are serious consequences that we should all avoid for ourselves and those around us.
My experience with the lead-laced iron follows on the heels of the new EPA Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) regulations. If you don’t know about this yet, this law requires any contractor who works on buildings built before 1978 (when lead paint was officially banned) to be properly trained on abating any lead paint that they disturb. At my 9 to 5 job where I am a property manager, we are busy trying to verify that our contractors have obtained the RRP certification. Many of our contractors are in compliance but some still have not provided certificates. I assume that these businesses are non-compliant and I don’t hire them. But they are still working for someone. Not only does this mean we are all still getting exposed, but the fine for getting caught is $32,500 per instance per day to the contractor. A costly mistake for everyone.
So what are you to do? Fortunately, there are resources that can help with identifying lead hazards. The RRP regulations are discussed in detail on the EPA site but I found a user-friendly guide that gives a good overview at http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/lead/pubs/sbcomplianceguide.pdf. Always ask your contractor for a copy of their lead certification. If they can’t show you a copy, call someone else. Talk to your neighbors who are renovating to make sure they know about the regulations. The Washington Toxics Coalition (http://watoxics.org/) does a lot of work on lead exposure in consumer products and offer many articles on the subject. In the past they have even had events where you can bring your items in for testing. They don’t have an event scheduled at this time but keep checking back. Increasing your awareness of the issue will result in better consumer choices. And if you want more ideas, email me at Melissa@ecohomeconsults.com.
Are you asking yourself what I did with the iron? I took it back and declared the lead issue as the reason for my return. The clerk gave me the crazy eye. My sister gave me her spare iron, which should last me a few years. This one also has a tag on the cord warning me of mercury in the switch mechanism. Oh my.
Seems simple enough, I bought a new iron the other day. I don’t iron often but my old iron was leaking. Since I don’t iron much, I bought an economical replacement. I mean, my last one was a hand-me-down and it lasted years. I get the $7.00 iron home and as I’m plugging it in, I notice a tag attached to the cord which said, “The power cord on this product contains lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer, and birth defects or other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.” What! I just bought a product with lead in it! What happens if I don’t wash my hands soon enough?
How could they! I was so angry, at first. But then I thought of all the other things I have bought over the years. How many of those products contained lead? I will never know. Lead has been found in so many things - children’s toys, furniture, electronics, cosmetics, glazed ceramic items, pewter, stained glass, jewelry, to name a few. I thought again of that tag on the iron and I was almost happy that the company had thought it was important to warn me. Most companies don’t disclose this. Usually we are lucky to hear about product recalls for lead content from the nightly news and I’m sure there are more we don’t know about.
Well, what can lead exposure really do to you? Plenty. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, lead exposure in adults can cause high blood pressure, nerve disorders, memory problems, and fertility problems for men and women. Children are more susceptible because they’re smaller and the toxin concentrates in their little bodies. Plus, they put more things in their mouths. As their systems are growing, exposure can cause the following development problems: nervous system and kidney damage, Attention Deficit Disorder, decreased intelligence, speech and behavior disorders, and decreased muscle and bone growth. Pregnant women are at even more risk not just for their health but also their unborn child. Lead passes through the mother’s system straight to the fetus where it has the potential to cause brain damage or death of the child. These are serious consequences that we should all avoid for ourselves and those around us.
My experience with the lead-laced iron follows on the heels of the new EPA Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) regulations. If you don’t know about this yet, this law requires any contractor who works on buildings built before 1978 (when lead paint was officially banned) to be properly trained on abating any lead paint that they disturb. At my 9 to 5 job where I am a property manager, we are busy trying to verify that our contractors have obtained the RRP certification. Many of our contractors are in compliance but some still have not provided certificates. I assume that these businesses are non-compliant and I don’t hire them. But they are still working for someone. Not only does this mean we are all still getting exposed, but the fine for getting caught is $32,500 per instance per day to the contractor. A costly mistake for everyone.
So what are you to do? Fortunately, there are resources that can help with identifying lead hazards. The RRP regulations are discussed in detail on the EPA site but I found a user-friendly guide that gives a good overview at http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/lead/pubs/sbcomplianceguide.pdf. Always ask your contractor for a copy of their lead certification. If they can’t show you a copy, call someone else. Talk to your neighbors who are renovating to make sure they know about the regulations. The Washington Toxics Coalition (http://watoxics.org/) does a lot of work on lead exposure in consumer products and offer many articles on the subject. In the past they have even had events where you can bring your items in for testing. They don’t have an event scheduled at this time but keep checking back. Increasing your awareness of the issue will result in better consumer choices. And if you want more ideas, email me at Melissa@ecohomeconsults.com.
Are you asking yourself what I did with the iron? I took it back and declared the lead issue as the reason for my return. The clerk gave me the crazy eye. My sister gave me her spare iron, which should last me a few years. This one also has a tag on the cord warning me of mercury in the switch mechanism. Oh my.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Baking Soda Shampoo
I am always looking for ways to cut the toxins out of my house. I’m also a fan of saving money! So when I read an article about using baking soda in the place of my regular shampoo, I was intrigued. But I admit, I was also skeptical that something so simple would work on my challenging locks. I said what the heck though and gave it a try.
Before I tell you how it works, let me tell you why I liked the idea. I have struggled for years to find the “perfect shampoo” and I don’t think it exists. Many of the shampoos that appeal to me smell great and work great too, but I would take them home and look them up on one of my favorite online resources, Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database (www.cosmeticsdatabase.com), and find that they are not the best choice I could make. Even the ones that say ‘natural’ or ‘botanical’ (or any of those buzz words) can often have a poor score because they contain potentially harmful ingredients. Then the ones that have a good score are either too expensive for me to justify or they smell yucky! And then, more times than not, they don’t work the way I would like them to.
I am also very aware of my consumption of plastic items and so I am concerned about the bottle and cap needed to bring the shampoo into my house. Yes, the bottle is recyclable but the cap isn’t and I have seen way too many photos of birds and fish dying from thinking that our plastic is actually tasty seafood. I have tried bar shampoos to try to get away from the packaging issue and the same problems persist with these products – too expensive, don’t work, smell yucky.
So back to baking soda. How harmful can it be? We have been told to switch out our cleaning supplies or brush our teeth with the stuff. It can unclog a drain and make a cake rise. I say it is on the safe side of the toxicity spectrum. I have a giant bag of baking soda from Costco that cost less than $10.00 so I took a tablespoon and mixed it with a cup of water in a plastic squeeze bottle and put it in the shower for my next hair washing.
I have been using baking soda for the past few weeks in the place of shampoo and I have to say I love it! It takes some getting used to but I think my hair feels very clean and I don’t even need conditioner anymore. I think this is because I’m not using the harsh detergents that strip all of the natural oils from my hair. I even think my hair behaves a little better. My sister asked if I had gotten a hair cut because my dead ends were gone! (I’m not sure if that was a compliment or not)
A couple of things you should know, though. You have to use a squeeze bottle because it is the consistency of, well . . . water and you cannot pour it into your hands effectively. Get your hair wet under the shower and then squeeze the bottle over your head. Massage the solution through your hair, paying attention to your scalp and then rinse like normal. It should not be a surprise to anyone but there is no lather so it takes some getting used to not having the bubbles. Also you should know that my hair type is oily so I am not sure how it works with normal or dry hair.
In all, I am very happy with my new found, money-saving, eco-friendly hair solution. I am reusing the same squeeze bottle, reducing my contribution to the global plastics problem. I have enough baking soda to last me years, even if I also use it for housecleaning. And I am reducing the chemical load that I put on my body. Feel like you are ready to give it a try? Go ahead, it can’t hurt! Let me know how it goes either by leaving me a comment here or send me an email to Melissa@ecohomeconsults.com. I’m also open to ideas on new blog topics or just send me a note if you have a question about green living.
Before I tell you how it works, let me tell you why I liked the idea. I have struggled for years to find the “perfect shampoo” and I don’t think it exists. Many of the shampoos that appeal to me smell great and work great too, but I would take them home and look them up on one of my favorite online resources, Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database (www.cosmeticsdatabase.com), and find that they are not the best choice I could make. Even the ones that say ‘natural’ or ‘botanical’ (or any of those buzz words) can often have a poor score because they contain potentially harmful ingredients. Then the ones that have a good score are either too expensive for me to justify or they smell yucky! And then, more times than not, they don’t work the way I would like them to.
I am also very aware of my consumption of plastic items and so I am concerned about the bottle and cap needed to bring the shampoo into my house. Yes, the bottle is recyclable but the cap isn’t and I have seen way too many photos of birds and fish dying from thinking that our plastic is actually tasty seafood. I have tried bar shampoos to try to get away from the packaging issue and the same problems persist with these products – too expensive, don’t work, smell yucky.
So back to baking soda. How harmful can it be? We have been told to switch out our cleaning supplies or brush our teeth with the stuff. It can unclog a drain and make a cake rise. I say it is on the safe side of the toxicity spectrum. I have a giant bag of baking soda from Costco that cost less than $10.00 so I took a tablespoon and mixed it with a cup of water in a plastic squeeze bottle and put it in the shower for my next hair washing.
I have been using baking soda for the past few weeks in the place of shampoo and I have to say I love it! It takes some getting used to but I think my hair feels very clean and I don’t even need conditioner anymore. I think this is because I’m not using the harsh detergents that strip all of the natural oils from my hair. I even think my hair behaves a little better. My sister asked if I had gotten a hair cut because my dead ends were gone! (I’m not sure if that was a compliment or not)
A couple of things you should know, though. You have to use a squeeze bottle because it is the consistency of, well . . . water and you cannot pour it into your hands effectively. Get your hair wet under the shower and then squeeze the bottle over your head. Massage the solution through your hair, paying attention to your scalp and then rinse like normal. It should not be a surprise to anyone but there is no lather so it takes some getting used to not having the bubbles. Also you should know that my hair type is oily so I am not sure how it works with normal or dry hair.
In all, I am very happy with my new found, money-saving, eco-friendly hair solution. I am reusing the same squeeze bottle, reducing my contribution to the global plastics problem. I have enough baking soda to last me years, even if I also use it for housecleaning. And I am reducing the chemical load that I put on my body. Feel like you are ready to give it a try? Go ahead, it can’t hurt! Let me know how it goes either by leaving me a comment here or send me an email to Melissa@ecohomeconsults.com. I’m also open to ideas on new blog topics or just send me a note if you have a question about green living.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Beautiful Day at the Herb Fair!
We had such a great time at Bastyr on Saturday! If you have never been to the Bastyr campus, you should find an excuse to visit. What a beautiful campus! It’s not every day that I get an opportunity to sit amongst a giant herb garden. Just being there makes me feel healthier.
The day of the herb fair, the weather took a pleasant turn from dark, dreary and wet to beautiful, sunny and warm. A great day to be outside! And a great day to be outside launching Eco-Home Consultations! This was my first official public appearance and it was a success. I learned a lot about what people are looking for in green living advice. Motivations for living green run from concern for the environment or health, to saving money, to getting involved in a growing trend. I talked to many people who had never heard of such a service and were skeptical about what I can do for them. But there were lots of people who agreed that green living consultation is a much needed service. It was a great start to what I hope will be a great service to many.
Being at an event that was geared towards natural health issues, I encountered a high percentage of people who already live pretty green. But I’m sure there are some things that I can still help the seasoned greenie with – a fresh set of eyes can usually point out a few things. But I am certain that those who already live fairly green have people in their lives that could use some coaching. Why not give green living as a gift? And if you are thinking that Eco-Home is only for energy efficiency, I will tell you that this is only a small part of what I offer. Let’s look at your consumer practices, your food footprint, or your transportation habits. There are so many things that you can do to lighten your impact on the environment and save money doing it!
Thank you to everyone who stopped by to chat. I hope you enjoyed Bastyr as much as I did. And, I look forward to getting to know you! Remember, if you have a question, blog idea or would like to schedule a service, send me a note at Melissa@ecohomeconsults.com.
Monday, May 31, 2010
What is Eco Home consultations?
The short answer, this is a green living consultation service designed to help people develop greener habits in their home environments or wherever they spend a significant amount of time. I assess how people maneuver through their day through interview and observation, and then I provide a report on how they can be more environmentally friendly in a way that won’t be too overwhelming.
The more complicated answer is that I know that different people have different needs and wants when it comes to green living and so the services I provide are evolving as I speak. This is good though, we all know that what works for one household doesn’t necessarily work for another so customizing the service ensures that each household gets an action plan specifically designed just for them.
From here on out, you can expect to find weekly updates where I will share things I learn or things I try or experiences I have (good or bad) involving green issues. Tune in next week for my report on homemade baking soda shampoo – does it work and is it better for the environment! The goal is for you to come away with a tidbit of knowledge you can take with you through the week and put something into practice, or share with a friend. If you have any ideas for a blog topic, please email me at Melissa@ecohomeconsults.com. You can also write to me if you would like more information on my services, or if you would like to invite me over to assess your home.
If you would like to talk face to face, I have a booth at the Bastyr Herb and Food Fair this Saturday, June 5th from 10 to 5. My sister-in-law Noel will be selling homemade lotions and our massage therapist Becky will be giving free mini-massages. You can get more information on the fair itself at www.bastyr.edu. Hope to see you there!
The more complicated answer is that I know that different people have different needs and wants when it comes to green living and so the services I provide are evolving as I speak. This is good though, we all know that what works for one household doesn’t necessarily work for another so customizing the service ensures that each household gets an action plan specifically designed just for them.
From here on out, you can expect to find weekly updates where I will share things I learn or things I try or experiences I have (good or bad) involving green issues. Tune in next week for my report on homemade baking soda shampoo – does it work and is it better for the environment! The goal is for you to come away with a tidbit of knowledge you can take with you through the week and put something into practice, or share with a friend. If you have any ideas for a blog topic, please email me at Melissa@ecohomeconsults.com. You can also write to me if you would like more information on my services, or if you would like to invite me over to assess your home.
If you would like to talk face to face, I have a booth at the Bastyr Herb and Food Fair this Saturday, June 5th from 10 to 5. My sister-in-law Noel will be selling homemade lotions and our massage therapist Becky will be giving free mini-massages. You can get more information on the fair itself at www.bastyr.edu. Hope to see you there!
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