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Archive for the ‘Reusing or recycling tips’ Category

Water requires energy.  Pumping it, transporting it, heating it and treating it consume billions of kilowatt-hours of electricity in the U.S. each year.  Producing power creates carbon dioxide, the equivalent of 4 million cars, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Here are some tips/techniques to reduce water usage.  Collect your old bath water or dishwater which is referred to as gray water.  The gray water can be used to water houseplants or for outdoor irrigation.  If you use this water, make sure you use only natural, biodegradable soap to keep from harming your greenery and to keep chemicals from leaching into the water table.

Then there is the water used by the toilet.  Flushing accounts for approximately 30 percent of water used in an average home, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.  If flushing sparingly is too indelicate for you, try a trick used by a clever woman in California.  Place a 2 liter soda bottle filled with water in her toilet tank to displace some water, reducing the amount used in each flush-refill.  You can also buy a bigger float ball or adjust the existing one so it shuts off the refill valve earlier.

Water monitors such as the ShowerTime from Efergy and the Waterpebble track the amount of water you have used in the shower and set off an alarm when you reach a pre-set limit.  Or install faucet aerators and low-flow shower heads to cut back your water use.

Instead of tossing wrapping paper after it has been used, a clever, decorative use for used wrapping paper is to put it through the shredder or cut it up into thin strips.  These strips can add color to gift bags.  Instead of tissue paper, use the colorful strips in gift bags.

Instead of buying new trick or treat bags for Halloween, here are a few tips to recycle items to serve the purpose:

1. use last year’s trick or treat bags
2. use a pillowcase
3. reuse a shopping bag with handles

other uses for coffee filters:

1. Prevent rust: place a coffee filter inside cast iron skillets or pans to absorb excess moisture when it’s not in use
2. Keep hardware, or other small items, organized: Pile nails, screws, safety pins into separate coffee filters while you are working to keep them from rolling off the table
3. Make an air freshener: place a tablespoon of baking soda in the center of a coffee filter and tie it closed with twine.  stash the packet in the fridge to absorb odors
4. Clean mirrors, windows : spray mirrors and windows with cleaner and wipe.  Filters are lint-free and leave no streaks.
5. Strain solvents: if you have residue floating in paint thinner, strain it through a coffee filter into a clean container and safely dispose of the filter and residue after they’ve dried up
6. Line flower pots: line flower pots and planters with coffee filters to stop soil from leaking throughout the drainage holes at the bottom.
7. Absorb spills on upholstery: use coffee filters to blot  liquids off sofas or fabric car seats.  The filters won’t leave lint behind like paper towels do.
8. Shine shoes: use a coffee filter to buff your favorite pair of loafers (or heels).  For brown shoes, a used filter will work-just let it dry, first
9. Protect your china:  keep your best dishes chip and scratch free by putting one between each piece when stacking
10. Save the wine after you’ve broken the cork:  if you pour the wine through a filter, you’ll catch the lost pieces of cork

I have found an easy way to store fresh fruits and veggies in the original plastic containers that they come in.  I rinse the food to remove pesticides(blueberries, strawberries, grape tomatoes, etc…) and wash the plastic container the food came in.  Once the food is rinsed, I store it in the original cleaned container.  I add a paper towel to absorb the water if the container does not have holes in the bottom.  This makes for easy storage and clean up as I just throw the container away when all the food is eaten.