lemonade from lemons

Remember my blog on March 31, Water Logged?  Well, we are trying to make lemonade out of the lemons of the flood.  After a small mourning and drying out period, we decided it was time to put things back together and the playroom will be updated and somewhat redesigned to become the rec room.  

So we began to look into different options for replacing the carpet, and were shocked at the eco-options available for carpet.  One brand by Mohawk is made of 100% recycled plastic bottles, and we saw it at Lowes, and it has very nice colors.  

The brand that we went with is available at both Lowes and Home Depot under different names, but it is the same company Beaulieu of America .  We ended up going with Lowes, and the carpet is Coronet, Healthy Home™ carpet.  We chose this company and this carpet because it is made from 100% recycled PET from plastic bottles AND it has Silver Release anti-bacterial protection that inhibits the growth of odor and stain causing bacteria, mold and mildew.  The molecular ions in silver, copper and/or zinc (also used in Silver Release) penetrate the membranes of microbes that come in contact with them when activated by humidity or moisture and destroy them. The process is completely natural and harmless but effective.    http://www.beaulieu-usa.com/pressrelease.cfm?release=66

To make Healthy Home, Beaulieu annually recycles approximately 1.6 billion plastic bottles diverted from landfills to make its P.E.T. continuous filament polyester fiber known as Earthguard Fiber Technology. Healthy Home, as well as all other Bliss carpets, also carries the Green Label certification for indoor air quality, and low emissions by the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) (look for an icon with "CRI" inside a small green house that verifies that the product has been tested).  http://www.carpet-rug.org/commercial-customers/green-building-and-the-environment/green-label-plus/index.cfm  The Green Label program has received approval from the American Lung Association in its Healthy Homes programs.

It Ain't easy being green

So it's been awhile since I've posted.  

Basically, we got stuck in project purgatory, but at least there was green intent behind it! 

Remember "A is for Air Quality"?  http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2010/05/is-for-air-quality.html Well, in an effort to improve the indoor air quality, we embarked on removing the dust mite laden carpet in Tiger Lily's bedroom, and replacing it with bamboo flooring.  

In terms of "green" flooring, bamboo is extremely sustainable because it can grow between 1-2 feet a day.  It does not need to be replanted after harvesting because it has an extensive network of roots, and spouts new shoots continually.  In addition, bamboo perpetually converts greenhouse gases as it grows, filters the air while making oxygen, and doesn't need pesticides or fertilizers to grow at amazing rates.  This is one rugged, useful, rigid, sustainable grass!  Not only was our choice of flooring "green", but it saved us some green too.  Compared to the oak hardwood we'd originally considered to match the first floor, the bamboo cost significantly less, approximately half as much per square foot.  http://alacartegreen.blogspot.com/2010/05/bamboo-or-bambooooozled.html 

As a result of the difference in price, the flooring replacement extended into the hallway, and the next 2 bedrooms.  These areas also desperately needed to be replaced, and by removing the dust laden carpet and padding, and installing the green, clean bamboo flooring we've improved the air quality, as well as increased the value of the house.


To complicate the project, we took the opportunity to remove the horrible, contractor-special, "popcorn" ceiling that is sprayed on quickly and cheaply.  Besides the fact that we hate the look of the popcorn ceiling, it's impossible to clean off spider webs and dust because the "popcorn" flakes off.  So, the unhealthy ceiling needed to be scraped off before the carpet was pulled up.  Talk about labor intensive and messy!  Fortunately, the ceiling dust that didn't make it in the bag while scraping, fell on the carpet, which was rolled up and removed.  

Oh, and lest I forget...after removing the horrible popcorn ceilings, the entire upstairs ceiling had to be primed and then painted (low odor paint).   And just for good measure, we added to project purgatory, and primed and painted the walls in two of the bedrooms. 


Suffice it to say DIY projects, have many bumps along the way, both human (hubby smashed his finger, I wrecked my shoulder, and we both ached for weeks) and projected related.  As we did each room, the kids had to endure being displaced from their rooms, and having their stuff mostly inaccessible in piles and boxes.  In addition, we all put up with tools, project mess, and the inconvenience of it all.  Even with great planning there were extra trips to the store, plenty of snags along the way, and days it felt like it we'd never finish.  

Although it ain't easy being green, and we were in project purgatory for weeks, I can honestly say the rooms look AWESOME, and the pride in greening and beautifying our home is something that can't be measured :) 

A is for Air Quality

A is for Air Quality...

Indoor Air Quality can actually be more polluted than the air outdoors.  Most people have heard about the indoor allergen type pollutants such as mold, dust, and dander.  But smoke from wood-burning stoves and fireplaces, and fragrances from perfume, incense, air fresheners, and candles are often forgotten and overlooked.  Cleaning supplies can also contribute to indoor air pollution. 

According to the EPA, Radon is an odorless, "naturally occurring radioactive gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. Air pressure inside your home is usually lower than pressure in the soil around your home's foundation. Because of this difference in pressure, your home acts like a vacuum, drawing radon in through foundation cracks and other openings."  

Other less obvious indoor air pollutants include "off-gasers" from things we bring into our homes like vinyl shower curtains, furniture, carpet, cabinets, and paints.  Chemicals that off-gas from these items are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and  formaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen.

So what can be done to improve indoor air quality?

To help with mold issues, visit epa.gov/mold for more info.  Tackling the moisture problem that allows mold to grow will be key.  Smaller mold problems can be scrubbed off with a hot water and bleach solution (depending on the surface).  Porous materials will probably need to be thrown out.  

Dust and dander are omnipresent.  Even the act of cleaning -- dusting or vacuuming can lead to the release of particles into the air.  When vacuuming and dusting, wearing a dust mask; de-cluttering and minimizing stuffed animals and excessive chotchkes can also be helpful.  Vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters and air purifiers are also recommended.  To protect against dust mites that live in pillows, mattresses, and bedding, use protective covers, and wash linens weekly in hot water.  

Some love the "fresh aromas" of a candle, room "fresheners", and can't live without their cologne or perfume.  However, fragrances can irritate the nose, eyes, and throats of those with chemical sensitivities or allergies.  So think twice before adding these "fresheners" to your indoor pollutant load.  
For a more information about testing for and remediating radon, check the EPA site http://www.epa.gov/radon/radontest.html. 

Low VOC paints are now available, as well as carpet with silver particles that have anti-bacterial properties, and eco-foam padding. http://peaceloveplanet.blogspot.com/search?q=carpet Material shower curtain liners are also readily available, last longer, and are washable.  

On the bright side, simply opening the windows, and airing out the house can be beneficial.  Easy to make green cleaners or green cleaners such as Greenworks, Ecover, Seventh Generation, and Mrs. Meyers will also help you to green your indoor air quality.  

So make a few green changes to your indoor air quality and breathe a little bit easier :)

B is for bottles

B is for Bottles....                                                                  
Billions of plastic bottles......

• It is estimated that  Americans buy about 25 billion single serve plastic water bottles
• about 22 billion (about 8 out of 10 water bottles) are NOT recycled
• “The United States ranks first among countries in soft drink consumption. The per-capita consumption of soft drinks is in excess of 150 quarts per year, or about three quarts per week.”James A Howenstine M.D.     A Physician’s Guide to Natural Health Products That Work  http://fooddemocracy.wordpress.com/2007/11/09/chew-on-this-us-soda-consumption  (We won't even get going on the health impacts of soda!!!!)    
• Oil is used to produce plastic; it takes 1.5 million barrels of oil to make water bottles for Americans
• Plastic does not biodegrade
• The water, soda, and juice bottle are made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
• Recycling plastic saves twice as much energy as burning it in an incinerator
• Plastic bottles made of PET can be recycled into many useful things including carpet, fleece, bottles, kayaks, school lunch trays, and much more
•  Only ELEVEN states have bottle bills, but no two are alike
• Only THREE states, California, Hawaii and Maine, include plastic water bottles in their laws for deposits on bottles

I would love it if a national "bottle bill" or "producer responsibility bill" were enacted.  Shifting costs from the government and taxpayers to consumers and producers is what the country needs; if only lobbyists could be stifled and politicians would do the right thing and put a national bill in place.  There would be less litter, less resources used, and energy savings.  

The Container Recycling Institute has put together a handy " bottle bill tool kit" to help anyone interested in getting a bottle bill in their state. 39 more states need to take advantage of the tool kit to get a bottle bill in place, and 8 states need to take a look at the tool kit to get water bottles incorporated into their current bottle deposit bills.    http://toolkit.bottlebill.org/

B is for bottles....and BILL....it's time we had a National Bottle Bill/Producer Responsibility Bill!!! 
http://www.bottlebill.org/

Sources:  http://www.container-recycling.org/facts/plastic/     http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5279230/

Read more: How soda bottle is made - manufacture, making, used, parts, procedure, product, Raw Materials, The Manufacturing Process of soda bottle, Quality Control, Recycling http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Soda-Bottle.html#ixzz0pA0NUscJ

Water LOGGED...link to Global Warming?

For the first time in 16 years our basement flooded; our recreation room and multi-use room had over an inch of water, and that was with the 6 of us working for hours to keep it from rising.  We've already ripped out the carpet and felt padding, moved furniture and tried to save what we could.  I worry about what we can't see behind the walls...

There must be a reason for the phenomenal amounts of rain, other natural disasters, and changes in weather patterns being experienced worldwide...and I'd put money on it being Global Warming.  

I hope with pressure from insurance companies, homeowners, scientists, and environmentalist that  the government will finally listen and work to reduce greenhouse gases and global warming.  Considering the US is the largest contributor to the problem, we should also be the front runners in helping to FIX the problem, our Earth and future generations are depending on us!

H is for Home Improvements

Of course I mean green home improvements!  Over the last few months we've been doing some green home improvement projects that are helping us reduce our carbon footprint and save money in the process. One of our favorites comes in the form of a fluuuuuuusshhhh :) 

As Ed Begley, Jr. likes to say, we've been "picking the low lying fruit" and doing simple things that don't cost a lot of money, but in the end are better for the planet and our pocketbook.  Since we began our green journey, we've taken the following home improvement babysteps.  We started with:

• outlet insulation gaskets http://peaceloveplanet.blogspot.com/2010/02/outlet-small-changes-big-results-day-11.html and kept on going, 
• replacing our old showerheads with low flow heads http://peaceloveplanet.blogspot.com/2010/03/water-water-everywhere-day-26.html, 
• replacing bulbs that burn out with either CFLs (please recycle them back to Home Depot or Lowes when they are spent) http://peaceloveplanet.blogspot.com/2010/03/cfls-day-15.html or LEDs, which are more expensive, but result in huge savings in the long run, then, 
• Hubby figured out how to rewire and replaced an electric eye on our front entry lights instead of buying new lights and adding to the landfill http://peaceloveplanet.blogspot.com/2010/04/picking-low-lying-fruit.htm and saving us money by only having the lights on when it is dark.
• Back in the spring, we made "lemonade out of lemons" when our basement rec room was flooded after New England was deluged with rain and we suffered our first flood; when we redid the room we used biodegradable paint trays http://peaceloveplanet.blogspot.com/2010/04/who-wouldve-guess.html, 
• chose carpet made from 100% recycled PET from plastic bottles and chose an eco-pad to go underneath it  http://peaceloveplanet.blogspot.com/2010/04/lemonade-from-lemons.html  
• When it was time to replace the gross matt in the mud room, I was excited to find a green mat...I mean we are talking babysteps here, so each time we step into the house I smile at that green choice, http://peaceloveplanet.blogspot.com/2010/05/ecstatic-over-ecomat.html  
• One of my favorite home improvement projects this year has been the installation of the clothesline.  Not only are we saving energy, but it is kinda therapeutic hanging out the laundry listening to the birds and the crickets...I do have the kids helping me to hang, and take down the laundry, and while they don't like how the towels turn out ("they are crunchy mom!"), they have done a good job of helping with it, and believe it or not, it's good exercise reaching and pulling on the line to move the clothes along!  http://peaceloveplanet.blogspot.com/2010/06/c-is-for.html  We've also saved quite a bit of energy with this home improvement, and I hope I can continue to dry clothes outside well into the fall http://peaceloveplanet.blogspot.com/2010/07/e-is-for-electricity-and-energy.html.  

Our most recent home improvement project that hubby embraced, researched, and installed (I'm soooo lucky to have such a wonderful, handy, guy who is supportive of the green babysteps we've been taking), is a dual-flush system for the toilet!  When he first tried to find it locally he couldn't and when we were on the road recently he found it at Home Depot in NJ (they told him they'd just started carrying it).  It's called HydroRight Smarter Flush Technology by MJSI, Inc.  This system replaces the regular flusher mechanism inside the tank and the outside flusher as well.  The upper button is to "flush liquids and paper with less water", errr or #1, and the lower button is to "flush with more power", err or for #2.  The HydroRight claims it will saves up to 15,000 gallons after one year ("the equivalent of stacking water bottles 45 miles high"....yikes they used disposable water bottles as their example...heaven forbid!) and result in savings of about $100 in water/sewer costs each year.   At $24.98 per dual-flusher, we plan to install two more for even more savings, because with a family of 6 our septic gets a workout and we'd love to trim our water bill even more.   http://www.gomjsi.com/dual-flush-hydroright/?utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=us&utm_term=hydroright%2Bdual%20flush%20converter&utm_campaign=hydrorightdualflush&gclid=CIvU4rXOsaMCFRafnAodkDLuVA

Stay tuned to find out what our next green home improvement project will be! 

N is for non-toxic

Today, there are so many non-toxic choices for cleaning supplies, that it just makes sense to switch to products that are safer, non-toxic, and therefore healthier for humans, pets, and the environment. 

Because we do so much laundry, I began looking for a cost-effective yet eco-friendly alternative for laundry detergent.  One of the first things I tried was, soapnuts from LaundryTree http://www.laundrytree.com/.  The outer shell of the soap"nuts", which are actually the fruit of the Sapindus Mukorossi tree, contains saponin.  Saponins are a natural substance known for its ability to cleanse.  According to LaundryTree the soapnuts are also antiimicrobial and biodegradable.  I was able to use the soapnuts by placing several in a cotton drawstring bag, or by making a liquid laundry detergent from them.  The spent "nuts" were added to our compost and the packaging was much more eco-friendly than commerically available detergent which comes in plastic containers.  I used essential oils to add a pleasant scent the laundry, and as far as I could tell, the laundry was as clean as usual, but I still met with quite a bit of resistance from my family.

LaundryTree's website also suggests soapnuts for non-toxic window cleaner, liquid hand soap, floor cleaner, kitchen and bathroom cleaner, and even as a shampoo!  Although I admit I didn't try the soapnut soak for these other applications, I still may.  It was worth a try as our laundry detergent, however, to keep the peace, I switched to a eco-friendlier laundry detergent than I had been using.  Although I don't think it can be classified as non-toxic, it's still better than what I was using, and sometimes you have to make trade-offs to achieve harmony.   

Now we're using, Natural Elements Ultra Purex linens and lilies laundry detergent as a compromise.  The packaging indicates that the detergent is a naturally sourced cleaning power, made from plant-based surfactants and natural fragrance extracts, that it is a biodegradable formula with no phosphates, safe for the septic, and it's affordable considering all the laundry we do.  The plastic bottle is recyclable, and there is also an EPA stamp, "designed for the environment" www.epa.gov/dfe 

I am working on slowly switching to other non-toxic versions of cleaners such as Green Works Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner, and "natural biodegradable" cleaning wipes with coconut-based cleaners and essential oils (and even though they are disposable I ease my conscience with the fact that they are compostable!).

Recently, after refilling my dishwashing pump with the last of the usual dishwashing liquid, I added it to my grocery list, and made a conscious decision to look for a non-toxic version to try.  I took the opportunity to buy ECOVER's ecological dishwashing liquid with lemon and aloe vera.  I'm very excited to try ECOVER's formula.  There are several reasons I decided to try ECOVER's dishwashing liquid: it's made with plant and mineral ingredients, is biodegradable, safe for septic systems, and made at their eco-friendly factory. http://www.ecover.com/us/en/About/  I'll be sure to let you know about the product once we use up the current dishwashing liquid :)

Besides non-toxic cleaning products available at the store from companies such as Ecover, Greenworks, Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyers, and J.R. Watkins, other options include natural cleaners that can be made with ingredients probably found in your fridge or cabinets: such as apple cider vinegar, white vinegar (a weak form of acetic acid), baking soda (sodium bicarbonate or NaHCO3), and lemons.

There are many recipes to make simple general purpose cleaners:
Mix 2 tbs baking soda + 16oz water in a spray bottle, or 
mix a solution of 1 part water to 1 part vinegar, or
mix ½ c apple cider vinegar with 1c water (clean tiles, disinfecting, windows, microwave, glass, mirrors)

Other cleaners that can be made easily:

Window cleaner:  Mix 1 tsp distilled white vinegar + 16oz

Disinfecting cleaner: Mix 10-20 drops tea tree oil  + 16oz water

Floor cleaner: Mix 16 oz water + ½ tsp liq soap, ½ tsp borax, , splash vinegar or lemon (spray floor, mop)

Furniture polish:  Mix 1 cup olive oil with ½ cup lemon juice

Fabric softener: Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener.

Deodorizer:  baking soda is a natural deodorizer for closets, refrigerator, lockers, shoes, carpet, etc.

Mold and Mildew:  White vinegar or lemon juice full strength, apply with sponge and scrub.

Microwave Cleaner: Mix 2 Tbsp baking soda or lemon juice with 1c water in a microwave-safe bowl until boil.  Wipe down condensation and insides of microwave.  

Bathroom:   Use pure vinegar in the toilet bowl to get rid of rings and eat away soap scum and hard water stains, or use lemon juice to dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits (mix with vinegar or baking soda to make a paste).

Whichever non-toxic product or recipe you choose, you'll feel great knowing you are using products that are healthier for you, your family, and the environment.  Happy Cleaning!

sources:

http://www.armandhammer.com/solutions.aspx

http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/vinegar

http://www.heinzvinegar.com/tips/kitchen-tips

Green This! by Deirdre Imus