I'm sorry that there's been a bit of a gap in postings as of late - this past week has brought some surprising news. It turns out that I'll be having a job interview on Thursday, so I've been preoccupied with thoughts of possible re-employment. (I was laid off in 2008 and have applied for many jobs without much success.) Also, I've admittedly been swept up in the hype over Watchmen, which is coming out on Friday. Not that that is any excuse for neglecting the blog, but it is an explanation.
However, once my interview is done and I have superheroes out of my system, my mind will turn to thoughts of spring and gardening. It will also turn to news about a drought in California that could potentially have a nationwide impact on the prices and availability of fresh produce. Obviously, this is hardly an ideal scenario for people who are trying to eat healthy without breaking the bank, but there's no need to panic over the situation. Instead, try to look at it in terms of opportunity. There are ways to eat well, save cash and be good to the earth all at the same time!
With that in mind, I'll be dedicating the next few blog posts on growing crops in containers, composting with red wigglers, the benefits of heirloom crops, supporting your local farmers' market and so on. I'm really excited about sharing the details of my experiences with these topics, but as always, I'd love to hear from others who have stories and/or tips to share. These are challenging times, but I firmly believe that people can get through them by pooling their knowledge and skills. I hope that my posts are able to help in some way, and I can't wait to learn from you. Leave a comment if you'd like to contribute!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Talk Amongst Yourselves: How to Market Energy Efficiency as the Ultimate Home Improvement
Photo by Tyrone Turner. This photo first appeared in the March 2009 issue of National Geographic.The cover story of the March 2009 issue of National Geographic is a first hand account of one household's attempt to go on a "carbon diet" - that is, to maximize energy conservation in an effort to minimize the CO2 emissions brought about through transportation, electricity and natural gas use and even food choices. (As more and more publications document the total carbon cost of a meat-centric diet, many eco-geeks like myself are starting to wonder whether it may be vital for people to switch to a vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian diet1 to further slash our global carbon footprint.) While the article as a whole was tremendously interesting and inspiring, there were a few points that dismayed me - namely, the reasons named for why most Americans don't seek to make their homes more energy efficient, and therefore greener. For example, the owners of office buildings have less of an incentive to "green" their properties because their tenants are the ones paying the utility bills. As for homeowners, author Peter Miller explains their lack of motivation thusly:
"In a 2007 survey of Americans, 60 percent said they didn't have enough savings to pay for energy-related renovations. If given an extra $10,000 to work with, only 24 percent said they would invest in efficiency. What did the rest want? Granite countertops."
I'm not an expert in real estate, but it seems to me that an investment in granite countertops would be for purely aesthetic reasons as opposed to any functional benefits. Stone surfaces are indeed sturdy, but their presence in a home is usually meant to evoke opulence, luxury and sophistication. These qualities are fine - no one wants to live in a tacky or shabby home - but why spend money on such improvements when investments in energy efficiency can lead not only to lower utility bills, but also the possibility of a higher resale value?
Think of it this way - people do want a home that looks nice, but wouldn't they also want a home that could save them money? Imagine touring a home with a realtor and hearing that in addition to the bedrooms and bathrooms, the house has been fitted with geothermal heating and rooftop solar panels that could moderately or even significantly reduce home heating and power bills? While low flow toilets and shower heads are mainstream, what about a house equipped with a tankless water heater that could not only provide nearly immediate hot water but also further slash power consumption and bills? (Conventional water heaters are notorious for the amount of energy they consume.) There are a number of improvements that could streamline a home's power consumption, and it's true that prospective buyers would have to complete the circle with the use of efficient appliances. Still, it's a scenario that has been neglected despite its promise. The question is, how do you convince homeowners that investing in green home improvement will reap benefits during the mid- and long term, as well as when the time comes to sell?
That is the question I would like to pose to my readers. Would my scenario of green home improvements work? As a buyer, would you be more likely to consider a home with eco-friendly attributes that could save you money? As a seller, do you think you could adequately market the value-added aspects of an energy-efficient home in a time when buyers seem more concerned with a visual "wow" factor? Have you made home improvements that have been good for your wallet and your world? What sort of results have you seen for your efforts? I look forward to reading your comments.
1Despite my Midwestern, meat-and-potatoes roots, I've attempted the flexitarian plan in fits and spurts since September 2007, with my first experiment spurred on both by concern about the environmental impact of my lifestyle and an unwitting encounter with poitin, which left me so sickened that the thought of any sort of meat was more than I could, er, stomach. While it isn't easy at first, I have noticed that I generally feel healthier when eating flexitarian, and it's inspired me to seek out more vegetarian, unprocessed and "whole" foods. Even if the environmental impact were minimal, the health benefits are reason enough for me to stick with it.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
DIY: Laundry Soap for Less
Most of us have some sort of laundry schedule, be it weekly, bi-weekly or even daily. (I'm sure that some mothers of infants or young children could contend that their laundry schedule is once every few hours!) Even for those who try to limit the amount of washings they do, that's still a lot of water - and detergent - on a monthly and yearly basis. Do you ever wonder how all that detergent affects your local fresh water sources?
Unfortunately, many of the ingredients commonly found in laundry detergents can have harmful effects on aquatic ecosystems - as this website from the EPA shows, things such as surfacants, bleaches, solvents and brighteners are toxic to fish, frogs and other animals, including humans. Other concerns include the changing of an aquatic ecosystem's pH levels, as well as the possibility of eutrophication, defined by the EPA as, "the process by which a body of water becomes rich in dissolved nutrients, diminishing oxygen levels and a water body's ability to support various forms of aquatic life." Add to this the possibility of these chemicals and byproducts entering your local water supply, and it's quite a big mess for a load of dirty clothes.
I was understandibly concerned about how my laundry days may have been effecting the local environment, so I decided to look into alternatives that were both eco-friendly and easy on my wallet. I ended up discovering that you can make your own laundry detergent for a fairly low cost and with minimal ingredients. After poking around online, I found a great DIY tutorial for laundry soap at Instructables that I tried with a friend. I'll be using the basic formula from the tutorial (since that's where I learned it) and adding my own insights into the process.
You Will Need:
1) Bar Soap
- You can use either laundry bar soap or normal bath/body bar soap, though if you use the latter, I would avoid any that contain creams, lotions, oils or other skin-conditioning additives. (Try Ivory, plain white Dial, Pure and Natural or Kirk's.) When it comes to laundry soaps, there are many people who swear by Fels-Naptha, though I've heard that some of the ingredients may be less than eco-friendly. There's also Lirio and Zote, which come in fun colors in addition to working well and smelling nice.
2) Washing Soda
- This is a detergent booster that's usually found in the laundry detergent aisle. I have heard that it's mildly toxic, though I have no first hand experience or accounts to corroborate that claim. Still, it's probably best to keep it out of reach of children.
3) Borax
- This is usually found in the same places as the washing soda.
The "how to" portion of this is pretty straightforward. Using a cheese/vegetable grater, shave your soap of choice until you have one (1) measured cup. Harder soaps such as Fels and Ivory should flake well; Lirio and Zote are softer and tend to grate more into strings, like a soft cheese. If you want these strings to become flakes, you may want to take the added step of putting the shavings into a food processor. I usually keep the strings intact when working with Lirio and Zote, and I really haven't noticed too much of a difference.
After you make your soap flakes, add 1/2 cup of borax and 1/2 cup of washing soda. Stir this up to make sure the soap flakes are evenly mixed in, and voila - laundry soap! There is a way to make this into a liquid soap, but I've never tried this method. (Those who are interested can check out the Instructables tutorial or this one from The Simple Dollar.) If anyone does give it a shot, be sure to let me know how it goes.
So, will this detergent actually clean your clothes? The main answer is yes, though there are some caveats.
First, you may notice that over time, your clothes have a sort of film or coating on them. I believe this may be from the soap itself, as bar soap doesn't contain chemicals that helps to rinse the soap away. This isn't an altogether bad thing, though - this coating doesn't discolor clothes, and it seems to make them slightly waterproof and slightly stain-resistant. This may be a downside for certain washables, such as cloth diapers, towels, cleaning rags and so on, but it could be an advantage for other types of clothing. As always, make sure that the clothes you put in the washing machine are meant for such treatment - I don't know how this recipe would affect silk or other such fabrics because I've never used it on them.
The next thing to be aware of is while the film left on the clothes doesn't stain them, the soap itself might. I accidentally ruined one of my favorite white cotton shirts that way. The soap, you see, works best when it's allowed to dissolve for a bit as the washing machine is filling. I made the mistake of throwing the shirt directly on top of this detergent as the machine filled up. Though I can't prove it, I think that the dye in the soap transfered onto the fabric, leaving a yellow streak. However, I didn't have any problems when I let the soap dissolve in the wash water first.
Lastly, this detergent may not work as well in high efficiency (HE) washing machines. These machines use less water, so the detergent may not dissolve as well as it would in a conventional machine. (The incident with the ruined shirt took place with an HE machine.) That said, I have heard of people using their homemade detergents with HE washers and having no problems at all. Perhaps they used the liquid version instead of the powdered?
All in all, I'd heartily recommend this detergent for those who are looking to save money and keep their waterways clean. While most conventional detergents call for cap or cupfulls of their product to do the job, this homemade version takes only 1-2 tablespoons to do the same job. (One tablespoon is usually sufficient for normal loads, while two is best for large or heavily soiled ones.) As catalogued by The Simple Dollar, this is quite a cost savings - and that doesn't even take into account the environmental benefits of fewer chemicals and no plastic packaging.
So, have you tried this method? What did you think of the results? Do you have any tips to improve the recipe, or anything you think our readers should know? Leave me a comment or two.
Current Book: The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz
Current Music: Amazing Baby - Pump Your Brakes
Unfortunately, many of the ingredients commonly found in laundry detergents can have harmful effects on aquatic ecosystems - as this website from the EPA shows, things such as surfacants, bleaches, solvents and brighteners are toxic to fish, frogs and other animals, including humans. Other concerns include the changing of an aquatic ecosystem's pH levels, as well as the possibility of eutrophication, defined by the EPA as, "the process by which a body of water becomes rich in dissolved nutrients, diminishing oxygen levels and a water body's ability to support various forms of aquatic life." Add to this the possibility of these chemicals and byproducts entering your local water supply, and it's quite a big mess for a load of dirty clothes.
I was understandibly concerned about how my laundry days may have been effecting the local environment, so I decided to look into alternatives that were both eco-friendly and easy on my wallet. I ended up discovering that you can make your own laundry detergent for a fairly low cost and with minimal ingredients. After poking around online, I found a great DIY tutorial for laundry soap at Instructables that I tried with a friend. I'll be using the basic formula from the tutorial (since that's where I learned it) and adding my own insights into the process.
You Will Need:
1) Bar Soap
- You can use either laundry bar soap or normal bath/body bar soap, though if you use the latter, I would avoid any that contain creams, lotions, oils or other skin-conditioning additives. (Try Ivory, plain white Dial, Pure and Natural or Kirk's.) When it comes to laundry soaps, there are many people who swear by Fels-Naptha, though I've heard that some of the ingredients may be less than eco-friendly. There's also Lirio and Zote, which come in fun colors in addition to working well and smelling nice.
2) Washing Soda
- This is a detergent booster that's usually found in the laundry detergent aisle. I have heard that it's mildly toxic, though I have no first hand experience or accounts to corroborate that claim. Still, it's probably best to keep it out of reach of children.
3) Borax
- This is usually found in the same places as the washing soda.
The "how to" portion of this is pretty straightforward. Using a cheese/vegetable grater, shave your soap of choice until you have one (1) measured cup. Harder soaps such as Fels and Ivory should flake well; Lirio and Zote are softer and tend to grate more into strings, like a soft cheese. If you want these strings to become flakes, you may want to take the added step of putting the shavings into a food processor. I usually keep the strings intact when working with Lirio and Zote, and I really haven't noticed too much of a difference.
After you make your soap flakes, add 1/2 cup of borax and 1/2 cup of washing soda. Stir this up to make sure the soap flakes are evenly mixed in, and voila - laundry soap! There is a way to make this into a liquid soap, but I've never tried this method. (Those who are interested can check out the Instructables tutorial or this one from The Simple Dollar.) If anyone does give it a shot, be sure to let me know how it goes.
So, will this detergent actually clean your clothes? The main answer is yes, though there are some caveats.
First, you may notice that over time, your clothes have a sort of film or coating on them. I believe this may be from the soap itself, as bar soap doesn't contain chemicals that helps to rinse the soap away. This isn't an altogether bad thing, though - this coating doesn't discolor clothes, and it seems to make them slightly waterproof and slightly stain-resistant. This may be a downside for certain washables, such as cloth diapers, towels, cleaning rags and so on, but it could be an advantage for other types of clothing. As always, make sure that the clothes you put in the washing machine are meant for such treatment - I don't know how this recipe would affect silk or other such fabrics because I've never used it on them.
The next thing to be aware of is while the film left on the clothes doesn't stain them, the soap itself might. I accidentally ruined one of my favorite white cotton shirts that way. The soap, you see, works best when it's allowed to dissolve for a bit as the washing machine is filling. I made the mistake of throwing the shirt directly on top of this detergent as the machine filled up. Though I can't prove it, I think that the dye in the soap transfered onto the fabric, leaving a yellow streak. However, I didn't have any problems when I let the soap dissolve in the wash water first.
Lastly, this detergent may not work as well in high efficiency (HE) washing machines. These machines use less water, so the detergent may not dissolve as well as it would in a conventional machine. (The incident with the ruined shirt took place with an HE machine.) That said, I have heard of people using their homemade detergents with HE washers and having no problems at all. Perhaps they used the liquid version instead of the powdered?
All in all, I'd heartily recommend this detergent for those who are looking to save money and keep their waterways clean. While most conventional detergents call for cap or cupfulls of their product to do the job, this homemade version takes only 1-2 tablespoons to do the same job. (One tablespoon is usually sufficient for normal loads, while two is best for large or heavily soiled ones.) As catalogued by The Simple Dollar, this is quite a cost savings - and that doesn't even take into account the environmental benefits of fewer chemicals and no plastic packaging.
So, have you tried this method? What did you think of the results? Do you have any tips to improve the recipe, or anything you think our readers should know? Leave me a comment or two.
Current Book: The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz
Current Music: Amazing Baby - Pump Your Brakes
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Welcome to Green and Growing Assets!
Hey there, dear readers! My name is Katherine Fulton, and I am a professional writer. My work has appeared in a number of publications, including Benjamin Media magazines, Cleveland's own alt-weekly Scene, Alternative Press and All Music Guide.
Green and Growing Assets - The Rest of the "W and H" Questions
You now know who is writing this blog, but I'm sure there's more you'd like to know, such as:
Why did you start this blog?
I've always tried to be as eco-friendly as possible - my parents can attest to this, as they have many "fond" memories of my grade-school-age self badgering them over the need to recycle, save energy and buy "green" products. When I grew up and got a job, I was free to make these decisions for myself - buying CFLs, growing a container garden of veggies, building and using my own compost box/worm bin. It was great.
Then I got laid off.
I may have been forced to move back home, but I wasn't about to give up my green ideals. This time, however, I was forced to approach the problem from an angle of frugality - no more pricey non-toxic cleaners, no more expensive (but so very lovely) organic shampoos, and no more trips to organic grocery stores. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to do it - but I was pleasantly surprised to find that being eco-friendly on a budget is not only easier than expected, but also a whole lot of fun. I decided to start this blog not only to share my ideas and experiences, but also to get feedback from readers who may have tips and tricks to share. Think of this blog as a Lifehacker/The Simple Dollar hybrid that concentrates on sustainable living.
What will I find here?
My vision for the blog is a mix of current environmental events (and their effects on individuals), DIY tips and tricks, opinion/discussion posts and other articles with similar themes. That's not to say that there may not be other subjects that are mentioned at Green and Growing Assets (my background is arts/entertainment, after all!), but I will strive to make sure that the bulk of my posts are informative and based around a theme of budget-friendly, DIY-centric sustainability.
Wait, you're an arts/entertainment journalist? Why should you tell me about green living?
Well, there's no easy answer to that! I'll be upfront - I am not a sustainability consultant or an environmental expert. (I'm also not a DIY expert, though I am always striving to learn new skills. You can thank my boyfriend for introducing me to DIY as a facet of punk rock philosophy that appealed to my inner hippie, but I digress...) That said, I do try to live as sustainably as possible, and my DIY posts will be based on my actual experiences. If something works, I'll praise it - and if not, I'll let you know why it didn't live up to my expectations. When it comes to news, opinion and discussion pieces, I'll offer my input based once again on my observations and experiences. Some of it may be right on, and some may be way off. If you have a complementary idea or wish to offer a suggestion or correction, feel free to comment.
How can I contribute ideas/pass along links?
I'm still trying to decide whether to use my current e-mail address for this blog or to make a new one. Until then, feel free to leave suggestions and contributions in the comments. Once I get the e-mail issue resolved, I'll make a post about my decision and provide the correct e-mail address.
Why do you list your "current book" and "current music" at the end of your entries?
Well, why not? I like to think that such things make me a bit more approachable and remind people that there's a person behind this blog. It's also a great way to introduce people to new (or new to them) authors and musicians, which is something I enjoy doing.
Current Book: The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz
Current Music: Barry McCabe - Rollin'
Green and Growing Assets - The Rest of the "W and H" Questions
You now know who is writing this blog, but I'm sure there's more you'd like to know, such as:
Why did you start this blog?
I've always tried to be as eco-friendly as possible - my parents can attest to this, as they have many "fond" memories of my grade-school-age self badgering them over the need to recycle, save energy and buy "green" products. When I grew up and got a job, I was free to make these decisions for myself - buying CFLs, growing a container garden of veggies, building and using my own compost box/worm bin. It was great.
Then I got laid off.
I may have been forced to move back home, but I wasn't about to give up my green ideals. This time, however, I was forced to approach the problem from an angle of frugality - no more pricey non-toxic cleaners, no more expensive (but so very lovely) organic shampoos, and no more trips to organic grocery stores. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to do it - but I was pleasantly surprised to find that being eco-friendly on a budget is not only easier than expected, but also a whole lot of fun. I decided to start this blog not only to share my ideas and experiences, but also to get feedback from readers who may have tips and tricks to share. Think of this blog as a Lifehacker/The Simple Dollar hybrid that concentrates on sustainable living.
What will I find here?
My vision for the blog is a mix of current environmental events (and their effects on individuals), DIY tips and tricks, opinion/discussion posts and other articles with similar themes. That's not to say that there may not be other subjects that are mentioned at Green and Growing Assets (my background is arts/entertainment, after all!), but I will strive to make sure that the bulk of my posts are informative and based around a theme of budget-friendly, DIY-centric sustainability.
Wait, you're an arts/entertainment journalist? Why should you tell me about green living?
Well, there's no easy answer to that! I'll be upfront - I am not a sustainability consultant or an environmental expert. (I'm also not a DIY expert, though I am always striving to learn new skills. You can thank my boyfriend for introducing me to DIY as a facet of punk rock philosophy that appealed to my inner hippie, but I digress...) That said, I do try to live as sustainably as possible, and my DIY posts will be based on my actual experiences. If something works, I'll praise it - and if not, I'll let you know why it didn't live up to my expectations. When it comes to news, opinion and discussion pieces, I'll offer my input based once again on my observations and experiences. Some of it may be right on, and some may be way off. If you have a complementary idea or wish to offer a suggestion or correction, feel free to comment.
How can I contribute ideas/pass along links?
I'm still trying to decide whether to use my current e-mail address for this blog or to make a new one. Until then, feel free to leave suggestions and contributions in the comments. Once I get the e-mail issue resolved, I'll make a post about my decision and provide the correct e-mail address.
Why do you list your "current book" and "current music" at the end of your entries?
Well, why not? I like to think that such things make me a bit more approachable and remind people that there's a person behind this blog. It's also a great way to introduce people to new (or new to them) authors and musicians, which is something I enjoy doing.
Current Book: The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz
Current Music: Barry McCabe - Rollin'
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