Green living is more than just shutting off the lights when you leave a room, growing your own garden, and eating organic, locally grown foods. By making small changes to your everyday life, you can help reduce waste, save money and live simpler. One way to incorporate eco-friendly values into you and your family’s life is by taking a green approach to cooking.

When going grocery shopping, try to purchase items that don’t use excessive or flashy packaging. Keep in mind that food should, of course, be packed safely, but also efficiently. Purchasing items sold in bulk can help drastically reduce the waste materials used when food retailers package items. Making a conscious effort to purchase food items in bulk, as well as ones that don’t use excessive wasteful packaging materials can help save you money as well as the planet.

After you are done grocery shopping and it’s time to cook, there are a few things to keep in mind while in the kitchen to save you energy, time, and money. The tools that you use in the kitchen to cook with can have a tremendous impact on how efficiently you cook. For example, if you use a six-inch pan on an eight-inch burner, you are wasting about 40% of the heat that is being produced by the burner. Cooking with glass pans in the oven is also another tip that can help save energy—you can cut cooking temperatures down by 25% and still cook many foods faster when you use a glass pan.

Using the smallest pot or pan that still fits the meal you are cooking is also a good tip. Oversized pots and pans take longer to heat, which wastes more energy and runs up your bills even higher. Deliberately purchasing appliances with “energy-saver” settings can also make a large difference in the amount of energy they use while operating.

Cooking in a more eco-friendly way is not only good for the environment, but for your wallet as well. Try some of these tips during your next grocery store trip or dinner at home!

Turn off Computer. Save energy by shutting down your computers and (unused) electronic gadgets at night. You’ll save an average of $90 of electricity a year.

Matikan Komputer. Hemat energi dengan mematikan komputer dan peralatan elektronik (yang sedang tidak digunakan) pada malam hari. Anda akan menghemat listrik hingga 90 dolar/tahun.

DAILY FACTS ABOUT EARTH HOUR
Day 16: March 16th 2013

What is the criteria for registering city, town or municipality participation in Earth Hour 2013?
For a city, town or municipality to be officially recognised as a participant in Earth Hour 2013 it must meet at least one of the following three criteria: 1. Have the official support of its governing authority (e.g. Governor or Mayor) 2. Have confirmed participation of a significant landmark or icon 3. Have the support of an official Earth Hour ambassador N.B. – to register your city, town or municipality you must be in a position of governing authority to do so. If you are not in a position of authority to register your city, town or municipality we encourage you to get in contact with your local governing authority and ask them to sign up to be officially recognised as an Earth Hour 2013 participating city, town or municipality.

Kriteria apa untuk mendaftarkan suatu kota untuk berpartisipasi dalam Earth Hour 2013?
Bagi sebuah kota, agar secara resmi diakui sebagai peserta dalam Earth Hour tahun 2013, maka harus memenuhi setidaknya salah satu dari tiga kriteria berikut: 10. Memiliki dukungan resmi dari otoritas yang mengatur (misalnya Gubernur atau Walikota) 2). Memperoleh konfirmasi keikutsertaan suatu ikon atau gedung landmark 3). Memperoleh dukungan resmi dari Duta Earth Hour. NB – Untuk mendaftarkan kota Anda, Anda harus sebagai pemegang otoritas (pemerintah kota). Bila tidak, disarankan mengubungi otoritas/pemerintah setempat untuk mengajak mereka mendaftarkan secara resmi sebagai peserta Earth Hour 2013.

• For a unique and beautiful centerpiece for any tabletop in your house, collect various glass bottles of different colors and shapes. These can be old perfume bottles, mustard or jelly jars. Place the different bottles closely together on a tray, and fill some of them at random with small flowers or leaves. If placed on a tabletop that gets a lot of light, your room could be lit with all different colors as the sun hits your one-of-a-kind, eco-friendly, chic centerpiece.
• As button-down shirts starts to get worn out and old, recycle them into cloth napkins. These Oxford napkins are unique and colorful, and the softer and more worn the fabric is, the better. These will reduce your need for paper products, and give you a set of unique napkins at the same time.  Wash the shirts well, and cut the fabric into uniformly 12’’ square pieces. You can either leave the edges frayed for a more rustic look, or sew the edges for a neater hem.
• If you use candles throughout your home, melt down the dregs of ones that have been burned-out into flowerpots for a chic and eco-friendly way to give both items a newly extended life. Directions can be found here!

Day 12: March 12th 2013

Reduce Idling. Every moment you spend idling your car’s engine means needlessly wasting gas. Idling for more than 10 seconds wastes more gas than is needed for startup. Overall, Americans idle away 2.9 billion gallons of gas a year, worth around $78.2 billion. What about Jakarta?

Kurangi Langsam Mesin Motor. Setiap kali Anda menyalakan mesin motor tanpa melaju, berarti buang bensin sia-sia. Membiarkan mesin berputar tanpa laju selama lebih dari 10 detik, berarti membuang energi lebih banyak dari pada yang sebenarnya dibutuhkan saat startup. Di Amerika saja, kebiasaan ini berakibat pada pemborosan 2,9 miliar galon bensin per tahun, atau sepadan dengan 78,2 milyar dolar AS. Bagaimana dengan Jakarta?

DAILY FACTS ABOUT EARTH HOUR

Day 12: March 12th 2013

If everyone turns their lights back on at the same time will there be a power surge?

People celebrate Earth Hour in a variety of ways for different lengths of time, with many continuing to keep their lights off well beyond the designated hour. Therefore, it is highly improbable that everyone will switch their lights back on simultaneously. However, we do work with energy companies and authorities around the world, who assure us that the unlikely scenario of all lights turning back on at the same time will not cause any issues. The load reduction should not be significant enough to disrupt supply post Earth Hour.

Bila semua orang menyalakan kembali lampu secara bersamaan, akankah terjadi lonjakan listrik?

Masyarakat merayakan Earth Hour dalam berbagai cara dan jangka waktu yang berbeda, dan banya kjuga yang mematikan lampu di luar jam yang ditentukan. Oleh karena itu, sangat tidak mungkin setiap orang mematikan lampu kembali secara bersamaan. Namun, Earth Hour bekerjasama dengan perusahaan energi dan pemerintah di seluruh dunia, dan memastikan bahwa menyalakan kembali pada saat yang sama tidak akan menimbulkan masalah. Hal ini sejatinya tidak mengganggu pasokan listrik pasca Earth hour.

Day 11: March 11th 2013

Going e-Green + Going Online. Shift from greeting cards to e-greeting cards, flyer to e-flyer, brochure to e-brochure, newsletter to e-newsletter, posters to tv slides, banner to e-banner, magazines to e-magz, newspaper to online publications.

Going e-Green + Going Online. Beralihlah dari penggunaan  greeting cards menjadi e-greeting cards, flyer menjadi e-flyer, brochure menjadi e-brochure, newsletter menjadi e-newsletter, posters menjadi tv slides, banner mejadi e-banner, magazines menjadi e-magz, koran menjadi terbitan online.

DAILY FACTS ABOUT EARTH HOUR

Day 11: March 11th 2013

Will my city go completely black?

Earth Hour is not a black out. It is a voluntary action by its participants to show their commitment to an act of change that benefits the planet. For many businesses in city skyscrapers or for many government buildings, the lights are turned off at the end of the business day the Friday before Earth Hour. So Earth Hour is more of a fade-out in some ways than a black-out. There is usually no instant dramatic difference, but rather a gradual dimming of lights starting the day prior. Many major icons and neon signs are switched off for the hour and they are extremely noticeable. You may be able to see dramatic changes in large business districts or at iconic landmarks and buildings around the world and in your city.

Akankah kotaku menjadi sepenuhnya gelap total?

Pada malam Earth Hour tidak sepenuhnya gelap gulita. Ini adalah tindakan sukarela setiap relawan untuk menunjukkan komitmen mereka dengan sebuah tindakan untuk melakukan perubahan yang bernilai bagi bumi. Bagi banyak gedung pencakar langit maupun gedung pemerintahan, lampu dimatikan seusai jam kerja pada hari Jumat sebelum hari Earth Hour. Jadi, Earth Hour lebih pada suasana penerangan yang redup ketimbang gelap total. Biasanya tidak ada perubahan yang ekstrim, tetapi hanya meredupkan pencahayaan. Banyak lampu signboard yang dimatikan sehingga nampak sangat kentara. Namun begitu, Anda dapat melihat perbedaan yang besar terjadi pada lampu-lampu di gedung-gedung yang besar di penjuru dunia.

In the meantime, I want to share a few of the  books I’m recommending in the magazine’s media section. Each of these gems is worth a coveted spot on your library shelf (or, better yet, in the queue of your e-reader).

1. “Crazy Sexy Kitchen: 15o Plant-Empowered Recipes to Ignite a Mouthwatering Revolution,” by Kris Carr
Kris makes living a plant-strong lifestyle fun, exciting and incredibly delicious. Try the Chickpea and Root Vegetable Tagine. It’s like a fireworks show for the taste buds.

And check out Kris’s website, too. Her email newsletter is one of the few I subscribe to.

2. “Go Green, Spend Less, Live Better: The Ultimate Guide to Saving the Planet, Saving Money and Protecting Your Health,” by Crissy Trask
Trask shows you how to make saving money and saving the planet a win-win. Some of these tips are new, some of them aren’t, but all of them are useful.

3.” Plastic Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can, Too”, by Beth Terry.
The more I read, the more I’m convinced that plastic has just got to go. But considering how many things we use daily contain it, it’s a really hard thing to give up. Terry’s tips make it a little easier. This one’s endorsed by Jack Johnson and his wife, Kim. A lot of people don’t know it, but one of their foundation’s key missions is helping Hawaii’s people live plastic free. Love them!

Find more tips and inspiration from Beth on her blog.

What books have inspired you to live better?

Day 9: March 9th 2013

Buy local food. Buy food and beverage products from local companies whenever possible. Each pound of local food you purchase prevents a quarter pound of climate change (C02) emissions. Support your area’s Farmer’s Market by purchasing directly from them.

Beli produk makanan lokal. Sebisa mungkin, belilah makanan dan minuman dari perusahaan lokal. Setiap satu pound produk lokal yang dibeli mampu mencegah seperempat pound emisi gas (C02). Dukunglah petani dan pasar lokal dengan selalu membeli langsung dari mereka.

DAILY FACTS ABOUT EARTH HOUR

Day 9: March 9th 2013

What candles should I use for my Earth Hour event?

If you plan on burning candles during Earth Hour, make sure you use 100% beeswax candles or soy candles, which are gentler on our planet – smoke free, non-toxic and non-allergenic. They are also made of natural products, not petroleum-based materials, so they are effectively carbon neutral (the CO2 they emit has already been taken from the atmosphere to produce the wax). If you’re using candles, though, make sure you take care. We suggest you carefully follow these tips: • Candles should only be used under adult supervision • Candles should never be left unattended • Candles should be kept away from children and pets • Extinguish candles before going to sleep • Keep candles away from flammable liquids and gas-combustible materials • Candles should be kept clear of any combustible materials such as paper, curtains and clothing • Candles should not be placed in windows as they can be blown over. Blinds and curtains can also catch alight • Candles should be placed on a stable, dry, heat-resistant surface away from drafts.

Lilin macam apa yang dapat digunakan untuk acara Earth Hour? 

Jika Anda menyalakan lilin selama acara Earth Hour, pastikan Anda menggunakan lilin tipe 100% beeswax (lilin lebah) atau lilin yang terbuat dari kedelai, yang tidak berbahaya untuk bumi- bebas dari asap, bebas racun, dan alergi. Ada juga yang terbuat dari bahan alami, tidak mengandung petroleum (migas), sehingga menjadi karbon netral/alami (Gas CO2 telah diambil dari atmosphere untuk menghasilkan lilin). Jika Anda menyalakan lilin, pastikan bahwa Anda menjaganya. Kami sarankan mengikuti tips berikut –nyala lilin selalu dalam pengawasan orang dewasa –jangan tinggalkan lilin menyala tanpa pengawasan sama sekali –jauhkan dari jangkauan anak-anak dan binatang –padamkan lilin sebelum tidur –jauhkan lilin dari cairan, gas atau bahan yang mudah terbakar –jauhkan dari bahan-bahan seperti kertas, gorden dan pakaian –jangan letakkan di jendela yang dapat tertiup angin -harus diletakkan pada posisi yang datar, tempat kering, permukaan yang tahan api.

Day 8: March 8th 2013

Bike to Work. Schedule at least once a week to reach your office by bike or walk (if walking distance). It reduces gas emission, save your money and gets you healthy.

Gowes ke Kantor. Jadwalkan setidaknya seminggu sekali pergi ke kantor dengan sepeda atau jalan kaki (bila tempat tinggal dekat). Hal ini mengurangi emisi gas, menghemat pengeluaran sekaligus menyehatkan.

DAILY FACTS ABOUT EARTH HOUR

Day 8: March 8th 2013

What lights can be safely switched off?

That is a decision that has to be made individually but usually the overhead lights in rooms (whether it is your house or a business), outdoor lighting that does not impact safety, computers, decorative lights, neon signs for advertising, televisions, desk lamps, the list goes on and on. There are a few lights we can say with certainty that should NOT be turned off, including safety lights in public spaces, lights for aviation guidance, traffic lights, security lights, just to name a few. We ask people to use common sense. Before you turn off any lights for public spaces Earth Hour recommends you check with local officials or community centres. In your own home, use common sense with respect to safety. Keep small night lights on for basic safety especially in halls and on stairs. Make sure you have alternative light sources handy before Earth Hour starts, like torches or flashlights. That way if you need to see, you have a light source close at hand, and you can still respect the spirit of Earth Hour and keep yourself and your family safe.

Lampu seperti apa yang dapat dimatikan?

Pilihan ini tergantung individu masing-masing. Namun biasanya yang dimatikan adalah lampu langit-langit ruangan (baik di rumah ataupun perkantoran), lampu di luar ruangan yang tidak berdampak pada keselamatan/ketertiban, komputer, lampu hias, lampu neon papan iklan, tv, lampu meja, dan sebagainya. Beberapa lampu justru jangan dimatikan, diantaranya lampu penerangan umum, lampu bandara, lampu traffic lights, lampu penerangan jalan, dsb. Sebelum mematikan lampu di ruang publik, Earth Hour menganjurkan Anda untuk mengecek kepada petugas setempat. Di rumah Anda sendiri, gunakan kesadaran rasional demi keamanan. Tetap nyalakan lampu dengan penerangan kecil untuk standar keamanan terutama di aula dan tangga. Sebeum memulai Earth Hour, pastikan lampu alternartif (seperti senter) ada di tangan Anda. Dengan begitu Anda masih dapat melihat sambil tetap mendukung semangat Earth Hour, menjaga diri Anda dan keluarga tetap aman.  

Read the Sustainable Ventura March 2013 Newsletter!

Featured Articles

Ventura Chamber’s Green Task Force “Best Practices Workshop” at Ohana Pet Hospital

Text Marketing:  The “Green” Marketing Tool That Supports Branded Promotions

Clean SAFE with Less Toxic Products

Green Savers

This Month on the Sustainable Ventura TV Series:  Ventura Water’s WaterTake 1.com Online Short Film Contest, the Never Waste Campaign, Free Educational Outreach Programs and Ocean Friendly Gardens

and more!

B.Y.O. Bag 

Bring your own cloth or fabric bags when you shop!

If you grocery shop once a week, in five years you’ll have kept about 250 to 1,000 grocery bags out of our landfills. When one ton of plastic bags is reused or recycled, the energy equivalent of 11 barrels of oil is saved! By bringing your own bag to the grocery store, you can save thousands of plastic bags from ending up in landfills, or even worse in ecosystems where they can harm living creatures.

At least once or twice a week I end up having to explain, discuss, or argue my view on climate change. Often the discussion, (civilised or not so civilised) results in a stand-off. Leaving me thinking that; either some people are just not able to join the climate change dots or I am terrible explaining simple concepts.

Fortunatetly, a friend of mine (thanks, you know who you are) came across an awesome “How To Win Any Climate Change Argument Flow Chart” and sent it through to me. Because we all know that it is all about winning and helping others I thought I would share the awesome flow chart with your guys! So… below you will find the flow chart that was created as part of the Climate Desk collaboration by James West.

Below are a few super-easy tips for conservation in the home that I’ve picked up over the years. Please feel free to share your own!

1. When I’m ready to wash my face or hands, like most people I let the water run to get warm water flowing. I have an old house and small water heater so it takes a while. A great water conservation tip is that I keep a bowl or pitcher next to all my sinks. When running the water, I capture the cold water and use it to fill my water filter, water my pets & plants, or just save it in case I need it later in the day. I’m sure this can add up to conserving dozens of gallons per week.

photo by TeeeJayy via Flickr

2. My blow dryer sucks…tons of energy, that is. Using a little micro-fiber super-absorbent towel to do a quick towel-dry cuts down dramatically on the use of the blow dryer, and works way better than using a bath towel on your hair. In fact, its been over a year since I’ve used a blow dryer at all, and I have very long hair! You can find great micro-fiber towels in the auto section of your local department store, and MOMs carries a good one too, in the household section.

3. Talk about blowing, the clothes dryer also sucks up tons of energy. Over the past year, I’ve experimented with a lot of ways to reduce use of the darn dryer. Obviously a clothesline or an indoor drying rack is a good start, but some fabrics just don’t hang right after drying on the line. For clothing that looks a little ratty after drying on the line (or rack), I’ve found an easy fix: Dilute (50/50) tap water and a nice flower water in a spray bottle, hang your clean, dry clothing on hangers, and spray them evenly. Give them a little shake and let them re-dry. They’ll come out looking 100% better, no ironing needed. [And you can avoid synthetic, formaldehyde-boosting fragrances by using a basic diluted flower water, and it won't damage your clothes. Watch out for silks and fancy fabrics, though, of course.]

Now if I could only come up with a way to put the vacuum in “time out”! That thing also sucks! Please share your little tips and ideas, too, in the Comments.

Alyssa works in multiple MOMs locations.

Day 5: March 5th 2013

Treat Tap Water Wisely. Turn the water faucet off while brushing teeth or washing hands. Never let it flow unnecessarily. It is suggested to install low pressure faucet.

Hemat Air Kran. Tutup kran air Anda saat sedang cuci tangan atau gosok gigi. Jangan biarkan air mengucur sia-sia. Usahakan memasang kran tipe tekanan rendah.

DAILY FACTS ABOUT EARTH HOUR

Day 5: March 5th 2013

Is the campaign more than just lights out?

Earth Hour believes that the symbolism of the hour is incredibly important in bringing people and communities together across the globe. But our aspiration from the beginning was to go far beyond the hour itself. In 2012, Earth Hour launched I Will If You Will, a platform to incentivize and inspire individuals to share their commitment to the planet with their friends, colleagues, leaders and networks. Earth Hour also encourages and promotes many other initiatives around the world, including the Earth Hour City Challenge, the Earth Hour People’s Projects and many national and local actions that take the campaign beyond the hour.

Apakah kampanye ini sekadar mematikan lampu?

Earth Hour menyakini bahwa tindakan simbolis selama satu jam sangatlah penting dalam mengajak masyarakat dunia. Tetapi sejak awal, aspirasinya sebenarnya lebih jauh dari sekadar mematikan lampu itu sendiri. Pada tahun 2012, Earth Hour meluncurkan kampanye I Will If You Will, sebuah program untuk memacu dan menginspirasi tiap individu untuk berbagi komitmen terhadap bumi dengan sahabat mereka, rekan kerja, atasan dan kerabat. Earth Hour juga mendorong dan mempromosikan banyak inspirasi di penjuru dunia, termasuk Earth Hour City Challenge, merupakan program nasional dan aksi lokal yang menjadikan kampanye itu lebih dari sekadar “satu jam mati lampu”.

Text message marketing is an innovative and effective way to  enter a contest, get information or participate in a really cool deal, all through your phone. It’s one of the fasted growing marketing tools there is.

Text messaging is a “green” marketing tool because it instantly reaches a wide audience  in a very cost-efficient and paperless way.

“Americans send more text messages than phone calls,” said Courtney Lindberg, Environmental Specialist for the City of Ventura.  “Text messaging is an “opt-in” marketing format, meaning that the consumer has purposefully signed-up to receive communications and can opt-out at any time.”

“Reports indicate that over 95% of texts are read and by comparison, studies suggest that over 80% of email does not usually get opened,” said Ken Leandro with text messaging company, 805Insider.com. “No other communication medium can boast a read rate close to this!”

Part of the City of Ventura Environmental Sustainability’s mission is to inform the public about environmental issues, programs and initiatives within the Ventura city boarders.  Text messaging is a cost-efficient way to reach a large, interested audience as well as to outreach to a new audience demographic.

“This month through 805Insider.com,” continued Lindberg, “the ES Division has a new ‘Green Tips’ mobile service. To get our green tips, text VENTURA to 39798 (See “Sign Up” Information below).   In addition to green tips, text messages will encompass information about free events, workshops, seminars, new state laws, and giveaways. Text messaging is just a great way to reach a young and more mature audience alike.”

SIGN UP FOR “GREEN TIPS” BY TEXT MESSAGING

To receive a monthly “Green Tip” plus green product giveaways on your phone, simply text the word VENTURA to 39798.  Message & Data Rates May Apply.  Up to 3 msgs/mo. Reply STOP to stop.  Terms & conditions at 805insider.com/terms

-Maryann Ridini Spencer

Did you know that many household cleaning products, while even used “as directed” could be hazardous to your health as well as the environment?

Many household products are toxic and can be hazardous to your health, they can also pose a threat to the environment if they end up getting into our drains and waterways.

On product labels, have you ever read words like flammable, corrosive, reactive or toxic?  If so, in the future, why not consider safer and more eco-friendly alternatives.

Looking for less toxic alternatives isn’t always easy, either. Even when a product is listed as “safe” or “green,” it can be masking as environmentally friendly. This is called greenwashing and can be very confusing to consumers who are trying to make more eco-conscious cleaning product choices.

The best mode of operation is to look for statements that read:  non-toxic, non-petroleum based or free of ammonia, phosphates, dye and perfume, and that read “biodegradable.”

Stay away from products using words such as: DANGER and POISON.  Products labeled CAUTION or WARNING contain the least toxic, but can still cause harm.

Green Cleaning Recipes

How to Make a Non-Toxic Cleaning Kit

Shopping List

• Baking Soda
• Washing Soda
• White Distilled Vinegar
• Natural Liquid Soap or Detergent
• Tea Tree Oil
• 6 Clean Spray Bottles
• 2 Glass Jars

Creamy Soft Scrubber

Pour ½ c. of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough liquid detergent to make a texture-like frosting.  Scoop the mixture onto a sponge, and wash the surface.  This is the perfect recipe for cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn’t leave grit.  Note:  Add 1 tsp. of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store in a sealed glass jar to keep the product moist.  Otherwise, just make as much as you need at a time.

Window Cleaner

• ¼-1/2 tsp. liquid detergent
• 3 T. vinegar
• 2 c. water
• Spray bottle

Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and use as you would a commercial brand.  The soap in this recipe is important.  It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you might have used in the past.

Oven Cleaner

• 1 c. or more baking soda
• Water
• A squirt or two of liquid detergent

Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the grime with enough baking soda that the surface is totally white.  Sprinkle some more water over the top.  Let the mixture set overnight.  You can easily wipe up the grease the next morning because the grime will have loosened.  When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the remaining residue from the oven.

All-Purpose Spray Cleaner

• ½ tsp. washing soda
• A dab of liquid soap
• 2 c. hot tap water
• Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved.  Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.

Furniture Polish

• ½ tsp. oil, such as olive (or jojoba, a liquid wax)
• ¼ c. vinegar or fresh lemon juice
• Mix the ingredients in a glass jar.  Dab a soft rag into the solution and wipe onto wood surfaces.  Cover the glass jar and store indefinitely.

Vinegar Deodorizer

Keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5% vinegar in your kitchen near your cutting board and in your bathroom.  Use them for cleaning.  The smell of vinegar dissipates within a few hours.  Straight vinegar is also great for cleaning the toilet rim. Just spray it on and wipe off.

MOLD KILLERS

Tea Tree Treasure

Nothing natural works for mold and mildew as well as this spray. Tea tree oil is expensive, but a little goes a very long way.  Note that the smell of tea tree oil is very strong, but it will dissipate in a few days.

• 2 tsp. tea tree oil
• 2 c. water

Combine in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and spray on problem areas.  Do not rinse.

Makes two cups.

Vinegar Spray

Straight vinegar reportedly kills 82% of mold.  Pour some white distilled vinegar straight into a spray bottle.  Spray on the moldy area, and let set without rinsing if you can put up with the smell.  Smell will dissipate in a few hours.

Visit:  www.Care2.com

For more information on “clean” and safe cleaning products, “Search” SustainableVentura.TV for “Less Toxic Products” and listen to our SustainableVentura.TV podcasts on less toxic products, CLICK HERE.

-Maryann Ridini Spencer

Chef Cathy Hohmeyer, OTR

Years ago we shined shoes and repaired them. Today, we throw them away and buy a new pair. This equates to more resources, more energy, more utilities, more…..  Yup, too much throw away items on the planet!

OK we know all that and all this “going green stuff” is wonderful.  But geez, doesn’t buying local, buying organic and going green cost more money?

And how do I know that the changes I make will actualy have an impact?

Education and understanding can be key factors in knowing how and where you can make more responsible decisions.

Make it a goal to understand how to change habits or products that keep you at the same level of expenditures or even save you money in the long run, so spending more money does not even have to be an issue.

Here’s a simple goal:  I will learn sustainability to save money and improve my family’s health! Who can argue with that ?  And yes, help save the planet too!

Earning Audubon’s highest eco rating rating for our Lodge On Lake Clear was no small feat, it took a few years and I got  “green fatigue”  pretty quickly.  It took time and effort and yes in some cases more money upfront. I looked at a lot of green hotel practices.

Then I found the Carbon Diet Priorities Chart and the Green Tips Library, a great resource for anyone. The “Library” at http://www.carbondiet.ca breaks it down for you in 5 simple categories. If you are a list maker, write them each on a piece of paper.

*Transportation,

* Heating and cooling,

* Electricity,

* Food and

* Products and Services.

Then ask these questions to determine what you can do in your world to make a change.

Where can I make lifestyle changes:

• What will be a ONE TIME change,
• What will be a change in HABIT and
• What change can affect my HEALTH.

Many “tips” are obvious, but many others are much less so and some can involve a different way of thinking. One of the laziest ways to go is to support “green companies” and “green travel”. In that case you don’t even have to think too much! Or change too much of anything. There – first idea and you didn’t lift a finger – except to find them on the internet!

And I bet most of us can do this one!  Give up disposable coffee cups. If you are a regular coffee junkie and live local I am sure you’ve made friends with the store workers by now. Many have programs that you can refill their logoed cup, or bring your own that matches the size of their disposable ones.

Many of you go to local Farmers Markets.  Not only are you buying good foods – is it supporting your “neighbor” and it supporting your whole community.

But do you know how to prepare those foods to increase and improve the nutrients and enzymes rather than cooking these valuable nutrients away?  Aren’t you buying them for their supposed better nutrient value as well as fresh taste?

Go to my blog at www.curecottagecuisine.com  to find out more.  Join a cooking class – the focus will be on making the absolute most of your local and organic food purchases!  Make food more nutrient dense for your body by learning to save the nutrients in the food you eat – not buy more supplements because you are cooking them away.  This alone offsets the possible food cost in comparison to grocery stores or inferior foods.

And if you are looking for a way to save money on SOL foods (sustainable, organic,local)  there is another option here in the Adirondacks, especially in the winter when you really don’t want to drive anywhere.   Join  Wholeshare.com/join/1007  Watch the video on how it works.  No fees to join, no minimums – Buy online, share cases, enjoy the savings, pick up your box (we have delivery and car pool drop offs too) another Green idea – in more ways than one…

In the case of food – don’t just think green – think all the colors of the rainbow. In a “nutshell”, different nutrients are different colors – so buy the colors of the rainbow and then cook them “nutrient dense”. Reacquaint your family with the 11 time tested principles that kept peoples of the planet healthy for generations.  See more at my blog and plus the cooking class schedule at www.LodgeOnLakeClear.com Some classes are onsite and some are online.

Do you know what your carbon footprint is? Want to know how to reduce your carbon footprint to zero or at least get somewhat close? There is a list right off our homepage website above to tell you all about your carbon footprint, how to calculate it and even how to buy carbon offsets.

With that all said – greening can be very simple.  It can be as wondrous as stopping all that unwanted junk mail, thinking before you push the print button and re-purpose something.

If you are on facebook or know how to search the web – re purposing is becoming quite the art!  Look for images. You will be amazed what people can do with “stuff”!

And oh by the way – one of my mentors used to bring a plant to all of her presentations – always reminding people to think green – but she meant think fresh, think new ideas – a great way to start and end any kind of conversation.

Happy Greening how ever you do it!

BPA, a common chemical found in many plastics, has been the source for a lot of controversy. At one time or another, there have been varying frightening rumors flying around, but what’s the real deal with BPA? Here’s the scoop:

BPA, short for Bisphenol A, can be found in hard plastics with the recycling number “7.” The plastic is often clear, but can be tinted, and common examples include water bottles and coolers, baby bottles, toys and utensils.

Studies at Duke University Medical Center found that exposure in the womb to BPA can cause changes that lead to obesity, cancer, and diabetes, but folic acid was able to lower the effect that BPA had. This study, done on mice, should make consumers pause, because around 95% of human adults test positive for BPA.

Since it’s better to be safe than sorry, especially for pregnant women, you might want to do your best to steer clear of plastic products with BPA. Try to use glass containers for leftovers, baby bottles, water bottles, and check your children’s toys for their recycling number if they are made from plastic.  As awareness of BPA’s harmful effects has grown, so have the available options for BPA-free materials.

In January, myself and LowImpactPapa had a serious look at our food shopping habits. We had had an expensive few months with the move from London and Christmas and were looking at ways to tighten our belt financially. Grocery bills were an obvious area to examine (along with abstaining from eating out for the whole of January and turning our thermostat down a couple of degrees!). We were on a mission to reduce our grocery bill, reduce our waste and eat healthily. So we started meal planning and trying to find some new, simple recipes to approach our usual ingredients in new ways.

And it worked! We’ve significantly cut our grocery bills, we’ve cut our food waste by being more mindful in our eating, we’ve each lost about 9 lbs and we’ve got some new recipes that we are enjoying. Plus the kids are enjoying the new takes on familiar ingredients!

But food waste is a huge issue for the world. The NRDC released a report last year about this  called “Wasted: How America is Losing up to 40% of its food from Farm to Fork”. (see here for more information including a pdf of the report). Here’s a quote from the summary:

Getting food from the farm to our fork eats up 10 percent of the total U.S. energy budget, uses 50 percent of U.S. land, and swallows 80 percent of all freshwater consumed in the United States. Yet, 40 percent of food in the United States today goes uneaten. This not only means that Americans are throwing out the equivalent of $165 billion each year, but also that the uneaten food ends up rotting in landfills as the single largest component of U.S. municipal solid waste where it accounts for a large portion of U.S. methane emissions. Reducing food losses by just 15 percent would be enough food to feed more than 25 million Americans every year at a time when one in six Americans lack a secure supply of food to their tables. Increasing the efficiency of our food system is a triple- bottom-line solution that requires collaborative efforts by businesses, governments and consumers. The U.S. government should conduct a comprehensive study of losses in our food system and set national goals for waste reduction; businesses should seize opportunities to streamline their own operations, reduce food losses and save money; and consumers can waste less food by shopping wisely, knowing when food goes bad, buying produce that is perfectly edible even if it’s less cosmetically attractive, cooking only the amount of food they need, and eating their leftovers. [emphasis in bold added my me]

So this week’s Change the World Wednesday (#CTWW) over at Reduce Footprints really chimes with the current food philosophy here at Chez Lowimpactparenting. This week’s challenge comes via Mrs Green’s Half Term Challenge over at My Zero Waste. It’s about taking stock of what’s in our fridge, planning some meals around it and enjoying them, knowing that we’re saving money and protecting resources. It’s sounds like what we’re trying to do anyway, so how could I not join in . But seriously, we were away visiting the in-laws at the weekend, so we’ve been a bit more lax this week than usual as we didn’t have the time to meal plan as thoroughly as usual so this challenge is helping me to refocus on this.

I hadn’t realised quite how many different leftovers we had lurking until doing this. We have some leftover pizza sauce, some leftover rice, some leftover egg whites (from Pancake Tuesday last night!) as well as some homemade black beans. So for lunch today I think I’ll do some bean quesadillas with rice & beans on the side.

Vegetables-wise, we have some courgettes & leeks that I bought last week so should really use up. So I think it’ll be homemade courgette & leek pesto for dinner tonight (which conveniently gets some veg into my nearly 3 year old who’s going through a fussy food stage…though he’ll eat pesto til the cows come home!).

In the fruit bowl, we have some bananas that are on the turn, quite a few grapefruits and some pears, including one that’s half cut already. Luckily, neither of my kids turn their noses up at brown bananas though sometimes we’ll mash them up and serve them on toast if they’re just too mushy to eat from the skin. So afternoon snack will  be bananas and pear and a grapefruit (my 10 month old loves her citrus fruit so I’ll share it with her as the boy only likes grapefruit in juice form!).

Though I’m hoping to get some messy play aka baking in this afternoon too (since Valentine’s Day tomorrow is the perfect excuse for some heart-shaped baked goods!) so afternoon snack may well end up being derailed by that…

• Building.
• Lifestyle.
• Tips & Articles.
• Social Green Groups.
• Blogs.

NATION  WIDE LINKS.

GREEN BUILD LINKS.

For information on LEED certifications

https://www.usgbc.org/

U.S. Green Building Council’s Home Guide

http://greenhomeguide.com/

Source for Building, Designing Green Homes.

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/

Building Science & Construction Information

http://www.buildingscience.com/

GREEN NEWS & BLOG LINKS.

Huffington Post Green

www.huffingtonpost.com/green

New York Times Green

www.green.blogs.nytimes.com

ENN News environmental headlines

www.enn.com

Yahoo! Green, News, Blog for living Green.

www.green.yahoo.com

The Daily Green.

www.thedailygreen.com

A prominent sustainability website

http://www.treehugger.com/

iPHM international Passive House Magazine

www.the-passive-house-magazine.info

EPA green blog

www.epa.gov/greenbuilding

SOCIAL

GreenDrinks ~ Social environmental network monthly meetings in your community.

www.greendrinks.org

GOVERNMENT LINKS.

Energy Star programs

http://www.energystar.gov/

Energy efficiency and renewable energy

http://www.energysavers.gov/

DoE, for homes tips.

http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/

Federal Tax Credits for Consumer Energy Efficiency

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index

New EPA lead RRP certification, April 22, 2010

http://www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm

USEFUL WEBSITE LINKS.                 

Green News

http://www.green-energy-news.com/

Renewable energy

http://www.green-e.org/

Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy

http://www.dsireusa.org/

Green Mortgages & EEM’s

http://www.mortgageloan.com/environment/

Great Links to Building Science Resources, State Codes, Recycling Info.

http://www.qualifiedhardware.com/articles.html

Green Cleaning Products

http://www.seventhgeneration.com/

.

CONNECTICUT LINKS.

GOVERNMENT LINKS & STATE PROGRAMS .

CCEF – Ct. Clean Energy Fund – Rebates & Programs.

http://www.ctcleanenergy.com/

Connecticut Energy Information website

(energy rebates, programs for home & business)

http://www.ctenergyinfo.com/

Different rates of Electricity Suppliers in Ct.

http://www.ctenergyinfo.com/display_rates.htm

Connecticut Recycling Guide by Item

http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2718&q=325496&depNav_GID=1646

Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home (Pamphlet)

http://www.ctrealtor.com/secure/pdfs/leadpdfE.pdf

Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy

http://www.dsireusa.org/

BLOG LINKS. 

Connecticut Real Estate & Green Build Blog.

http://www.greenboardcoop.com/realestate/pages/greentips

Building Ct. Green ~ Auggie V’s Green Blog

www.buildingctgreen.com

www.buildingctgreen.com/AuggieVGreen/

Snappy Green Blog for green living.

www.ctgreenrealestate.com

Green Eco Services Blog

www.greenecoservices.com

Steve Winter Associates Newsletter

www.swinter.com/news/newsletterswg.php

 GREEN ORGANIZATIONS.

NORTHEAST ENERGY EFFICIENCY COUNCIL

www.neec.org

HOME BUILDERS & REMODELERS ASSOCIATION OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY ~ Green

www.buildfairfieldcounty.com/index.php/green

CONNECTICUT GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL

www.ctgbc.org

SOUTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL

www.ctgbc.org/swctgbc

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David Popoff is a certified “Green” Realtor in lower Fairfield County, Connecticut.

cell 203-228-0646

email DavidPopoffCT@hotmail.com