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
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