Just read about the Biggest Green Comebacks, i.e. "how a focused effort can repair the effects of human-caused pollution…and illustrate just how resilient our Earth can be." (See web page):
http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-life/living-green/staticslideshowgreenchan.aspx?cp-documentid=18995576>1=45002
For my taste, it all doesn't go far enough, but it is noteworthy nonetheless.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
I have started to read the book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver (and Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver).
Ms. Kingsolver is a funny writer and the book is right up my alley with its focus on local and seasonal eating. (I even can use all the wisdom these folks can glean, because they live in VA. In fact, Steven L. Hopp teaches at my sister in law's old college. How cool is that?)
I am very glad that this book is a bestseller. It makes me realize how big this whole thing about living consciously and environmentally friendly is. More and more people are interested. More and more people care.
Ms. Kingsolver is a funny writer and the book is right up my alley with its focus on local and seasonal eating. (I even can use all the wisdom these folks can glean, because they live in VA. In fact, Steven L. Hopp teaches at my sister in law's old college. How cool is that?)
I am very glad that this book is a bestseller. It makes me realize how big this whole thing about living consciously and environmentally friendly is. More and more people are interested. More and more people care.
Homemade laundry detergent
On MSN Money's SmartSpending Moneyblog, they had an article about homemade laundry detergent today.
http://blogs.moneycentral.msn.com/smartspending/archive/2009/04/17/the-lowdown-on-homemade-detergent.aspx
I myself have been making my own laundry detergent according to a recipe I found on this website:
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm
It is a lot cheaper than my regular detergent. For the recipe you basically cook soap, washing soda and borax together and let it gel. It works ok for me. I can't really claim that I notice much of a difference compared to the HE laundry detergent that I used to buy.
I have however changed Crystal's laundry soap recipe, mostly to make sure that it really would deliver. Usually I use a whole bar of soap and I use whatever all natural castille soap I can find cheapest. For my last batch it happened to be Kiss my Face Soap. I doubled the washing soda and the borax. The final detergent actually has a really jelly like consistency.
Since I have a HE machine, I usually dump two scoops of the jelly directly into the drum. The first time I used it I didn't and the jelly actually clogged up the washing machine's dispenser chamber. That was scary. The incoming water kept gushing out of it and onto the floor and I feared to have mucked up our relatively new washing machine. (My dh didn't say anything, but I could tell what he was thinking.) Thankfully it eventually cleared out.
What I also do to make laundry more gentle to the environment is sorting my laundry according what needs to be washed hot (Mostly only kitchen rags and bedsheets, since I am allergic to dust mites.), warm (Stuff with ingrained and greasy stains and underwear. The borax is antibacterial and will render the underwear hygienic enough.) and cold (Everything else. Stuff with superficial stains and stuff that smells worn.), regardless of colors. Greasy stains will get a little pretreatment. I either rub in some detergent or use a stain stick.
Like I said, it works and it is cheaper. And probably much easier on the environment.
Finally, I try to airdry my laundry as often as possible. Out knuckelhead homeowner's association has outlawed clothing lines, but we have a walk up attic and I hang my laundry there. It needs a little bit of planning, to make sure that the hanging laundry has dried before you bring up a new load, but so far it works ok. Last week, I only needed to use the dryer once.
Since I am 30 weeks pregnant, I don't know how long I can keep doing this.
http://blogs.moneycentral.msn.com/smartspending/archive/2009/04/17/the-lowdown-on-homemade-detergent.aspx
I myself have been making my own laundry detergent according to a recipe I found on this website:
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm
It is a lot cheaper than my regular detergent. For the recipe you basically cook soap, washing soda and borax together and let it gel. It works ok for me. I can't really claim that I notice much of a difference compared to the HE laundry detergent that I used to buy.
I have however changed Crystal's laundry soap recipe, mostly to make sure that it really would deliver. Usually I use a whole bar of soap and I use whatever all natural castille soap I can find cheapest. For my last batch it happened to be Kiss my Face Soap. I doubled the washing soda and the borax. The final detergent actually has a really jelly like consistency.
Since I have a HE machine, I usually dump two scoops of the jelly directly into the drum. The first time I used it I didn't and the jelly actually clogged up the washing machine's dispenser chamber. That was scary. The incoming water kept gushing out of it and onto the floor and I feared to have mucked up our relatively new washing machine. (My dh didn't say anything, but I could tell what he was thinking.) Thankfully it eventually cleared out.
What I also do to make laundry more gentle to the environment is sorting my laundry according what needs to be washed hot (Mostly only kitchen rags and bedsheets, since I am allergic to dust mites.), warm (Stuff with ingrained and greasy stains and underwear. The borax is antibacterial and will render the underwear hygienic enough.) and cold (Everything else. Stuff with superficial stains and stuff that smells worn.), regardless of colors. Greasy stains will get a little pretreatment. I either rub in some detergent or use a stain stick.
Like I said, it works and it is cheaper. And probably much easier on the environment.
Finally, I try to airdry my laundry as often as possible. Out knuckelhead homeowner's association has outlawed clothing lines, but we have a walk up attic and I hang my laundry there. It needs a little bit of planning, to make sure that the hanging laundry has dried before you bring up a new load, but so far it works ok. Last week, I only needed to use the dryer once.
Since I am 30 weeks pregnant, I don't know how long I can keep doing this.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Donated Stuff
I like to buy second hand books. Specifically educational material of any sort for my children.
Very often I come across exercise books for math, writing etc. I like those. I like coloring books as well.
Sometimes however, people donate books which are pretty much already totally filled/colored in and I wonder what is going on in those people's heads.
"Oh, there are three pages empty and we used mostly pencil. Maybe somebody can still use it! They could go ahead and just erase all 100 pages and it would be as good as new!"
Greeaat...
I mean, seriously: Who would by a book that is pretty much unusable. OK, maybe they just told their children to get rid of everything they didn't use any more, because Saturday was Goodwill day. But even then they ought to take a look at the goods. You don't do Goodwill any favor by giving them trash. On the contrary.
Very often I come across exercise books for math, writing etc. I like those. I like coloring books as well.
Sometimes however, people donate books which are pretty much already totally filled/colored in and I wonder what is going on in those people's heads.
"Oh, there are three pages empty and we used mostly pencil. Maybe somebody can still use it! They could go ahead and just erase all 100 pages and it would be as good as new!"
Greeaat...
I mean, seriously: Who would by a book that is pretty much unusable. OK, maybe they just told their children to get rid of everything they didn't use any more, because Saturday was Goodwill day. But even then they ought to take a look at the goods. You don't do Goodwill any favor by giving them trash. On the contrary.
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