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A Green Manifesto: On Twenty Years of Recycling
Posted: Jan 6 2008, 03:30 AM
While I’m really glad the general public finally thinks going green is cool, I have to laugh because I’ve been trying to live a green lifestyle ever since I learned about recycling in 1988, when I was 12. I enjoyed Oprah’s Friday episode about things you can do to save the planet. Pretty much everything that she suggested (and some she didn’t), I’ve been doing for a long time now (energy-saving light bulbs, recycling [I never throw away anything that can be recycled or donated; we’re very fortunate to have one of the best and first recycling programs in America. I reuse items as much as possible and eschew disposable items for reusable ones.], low-flow showerheads, energy efficient appliances, carpooling). And there’s this whole bugabaloo about SF banning plastic bags. I’ve been bringing my own bags to the grocery store since I started buying my own groceries ten years ago. I now bring my own bags for all of my shopping. I hear SJ is discussing a similar ban.
The only thing I haven’t completely done get is to stop using toxic cleaners. I guess I just never thought about the cleaners as being toxic. I’ve tried using baking soda, vinegar, and other natural agents (you can do a Google search for “natural home cleaners” to get more ideas) but they don’t seem to work that well. I’m curious what others have tried and what works. Now that everyone’s getting on the green bandwagon, Walgreens is now carrying Seventh Generation cleaning products and Clorox is launching a new green cleaning line. I avoid using paper towels and bought several inexpensive washcloths that I use for cleaning. Here are some suggestions for non-toxic products.
Okay, I lied. Another thing I don’t do is use the Smart Strip and unplug all my appliances after I’m done using them. But I did unplug a couple of items that I was not using (like an extra TV and alarm clock) and I always unplug my toaster oven and coffee maker after I’m done. I also started saving runoff from my showers and hand dishwashing to water the lawn, an idea I got from fellow Social Wavers Larry and Miki in this post. I also take much shorter showers than I used to. Speaking of lawn, we are going to be replacing the water-sucking lawn with native landscaping as soon as financially possible, thanks to Mary's suggestions. Another long term goal is converting to solar power when we purchase our dream home. For those interested, I suggest the NorCal Solar Home Tour, which I attended a few years ago.
Oprah’s guests included a couple who were so impressed with Shaklee’s green cleaning products that they bought the company. The audience received tons of green goodies, including a Shaklee Get Clean™ kit that features 17 non-toxic items for household cleaning. The company is offering a 33% discount on the kit for Oprah viewers (and a 15% discount on all other products) but at $89, I’d rather try something a little more affordable. Plus I think using natural cleaners such as baking soda and vinegar use less energy when produced.
I recently stopped buying bottled water. I never knew it was so bad for the environment. The energy and fuel costs in manufacturing and shipping the bottles, as well as all the water used to produce the bottles, wastes a lot of resources. Fast Company did a rather interesting 10-page article on it a few months ago. I bought my own reusable plastic bottles, like the ones they sell for hikers at REI. I have to say it’s difficult to drink while you’re behind the wheel (stopped, of course) and the bottles are just too big for any cupholder.
I also avoid using plastic bags and plastic wrap and use Tupperware for everything instead. Just when I thought I was safe, this article about the perils of plastic bottles in the NY Times comes out. Glass is a much better alternative for food since plastic can release carcinogens but I just don’t see taking glass containers to work everyday as being practical. You can also buy aluminum water bottles but they start at $16 (I’ve seen them at Whole Foods and REI). One of the great ironies of bottled water is that Fiji Water comes from Fiji, where most residents don’t even have access to clean drinking water. I’ve thought about bringing my own Tupperware to restaurants since I have leftovers 95% of the time (I eat small portions and love being able to parlay a restaurant meal into 2 or 3 meals) but it seems a little strange if I eat at upscale places. At some places, they may not notice if I slip my leftovers into Tupperware at the table when they’re not looking but I feel kind of weird doing it at a place like Manresa.
While we're on the subject of high-end eateries, Chez Panisse in Berkeley pioneered the use of organically grown food in restaurants. Jardiniere in San Francisco is but one of many local restaurants that are committed to being socially responsible, recycling and composting 85% of its waste.
While I think things like Oprah’s show are a great start, I’m a little disappointed that they didn’t spend more time on reducing waste (the best way to save the planet is to not consume so much in the first place – the first tenent in the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” mantra). Singer Sheryl Crow and Laurie David (one of the driving forces behind “An Inconvenient Truth”) are on their \"Stop Global Warming Tour\" with an eco-friendly biodiesel bus and I think it’s really awesome that they are using silverware from a secondhand store.
I bought reusable plates, bowls, cups and silverware for parties. I think the disposable kind are so wasteful, and it's not that difficult to wash and reuse. I also use reusable plates at work since I usually bring my own food.
While I think the movie “An Inconvenient Truth” was a great wake-up call for millions of Americans, I can’t say I learned much from it. I’ve been following global warming (which actually should be referred to as climate change) since the early ‘90s so the only new thing for me was seeing sea levels rise as the climate gets warmer. I read Al Gore’s “Earth In The Balance” when it came out. In 1993, I did an essay in college on how we were supposed to have more fuel-efficient cars by 1995, which was a total joke. Fifteen years later, our president finally just approved a mandate that cars have a minimum of 35 mpg by 2020. According to this CNN article, this is “the first increase in automobile fuel economy in 32 years.” While we’re on the subject of Al Gore, I happened to catch him on a rerun of “The Daily Show,” which I rarely watch (I can probably thank the Writers’ Strike for the rerun.
) He was promoting his latest book, “The Assault on Reason” which is about our broken political environment, not Mother Earth. I just started it and it’s an interesting read.
I’m just kind of shocked at how little people think about environmental issues (VC guru John Doerr didn’t even understand the impact of global warming until he saw Al Gore’s slide show in 2005; Gore just recently became a partner at Doerr’s Kleiner Perkins) but as one of Oprah’s guests, second-grade teacher Kelly Squires, said most people just don’t think about where things go when you throw them away. She takes her kids to a landfill every year so they can learn firsthand where “away” really is. To me, it’s always just been common sense to not be wasteful. I don’t really see any positives when it comes to polluting our environment either.
I also try to buy organic or locally-grown foods. Less pesticides is an obvious plus, and food from 25 miles away or less saves on fuel used in transporting. I have yet to try one of the below Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) sources because it’s more food than our household can go through. I’m good with my biweekly trips to Trader Joe’s. Safeway has started promoting locally grown produce as well.
http://www.localharvest.org/
http://www.mariquita.com/index.html
http://www.eatwiththeseasons.com/index.html
http://www.organicexpress.com
http://www.eatwiththeseasons.com/harvestschedule.html
http://www.planetorganics.com/about/order_minimums.asp
Some good green programs include Channel 20’s “Your Green Life” and “Organic Living With the Hippy Gourmet,” which I didn’t even realize featured all vegetarian recipes until my meat-loving boyfriend watched it with me once and pointed it out.
There are tons more good tips on Oprah’s overview of Friday’s episode. I could go on and on… I sat down thinking I’d just write a paragraph or two…
I guess it's hard to sum up 20 years worth of research in two tidy paragraphs.
Here are some green tips from YourTV 20. I got many of my green tips over the years from environmental groups like the Sierra Club, WWF, and Environmental Defense so they are also good resources. You can search for more environmental groups and rate their effectiveness on Charity Navigator. SJ Water Company and PG&E also have water and energy saving tips on their websites. West Valley has tips on recycling.
This post has been edited by mobyfan on Jan 9 2008, 06:43 PM
The only thing I haven’t completely done get is to stop using toxic cleaners. I guess I just never thought about the cleaners as being toxic. I’ve tried using baking soda, vinegar, and other natural agents (you can do a Google search for “natural home cleaners” to get more ideas) but they don’t seem to work that well. I’m curious what others have tried and what works. Now that everyone’s getting on the green bandwagon, Walgreens is now carrying Seventh Generation cleaning products and Clorox is launching a new green cleaning line. I avoid using paper towels and bought several inexpensive washcloths that I use for cleaning. Here are some suggestions for non-toxic products.
Okay, I lied. Another thing I don’t do is use the Smart Strip and unplug all my appliances after I’m done using them. But I did unplug a couple of items that I was not using (like an extra TV and alarm clock) and I always unplug my toaster oven and coffee maker after I’m done. I also started saving runoff from my showers and hand dishwashing to water the lawn, an idea I got from fellow Social Wavers Larry and Miki in this post. I also take much shorter showers than I used to. Speaking of lawn, we are going to be replacing the water-sucking lawn with native landscaping as soon as financially possible, thanks to Mary's suggestions. Another long term goal is converting to solar power when we purchase our dream home. For those interested, I suggest the NorCal Solar Home Tour, which I attended a few years ago.
Oprah’s guests included a couple who were so impressed with Shaklee’s green cleaning products that they bought the company. The audience received tons of green goodies, including a Shaklee Get Clean™ kit that features 17 non-toxic items for household cleaning. The company is offering a 33% discount on the kit for Oprah viewers (and a 15% discount on all other products) but at $89, I’d rather try something a little more affordable. Plus I think using natural cleaners such as baking soda and vinegar use less energy when produced.
I recently stopped buying bottled water. I never knew it was so bad for the environment. The energy and fuel costs in manufacturing and shipping the bottles, as well as all the water used to produce the bottles, wastes a lot of resources. Fast Company did a rather interesting 10-page article on it a few months ago. I bought my own reusable plastic bottles, like the ones they sell for hikers at REI. I have to say it’s difficult to drink while you’re behind the wheel (stopped, of course) and the bottles are just too big for any cupholder.
I also avoid using plastic bags and plastic wrap and use Tupperware for everything instead. Just when I thought I was safe, this article about the perils of plastic bottles in the NY Times comes out. Glass is a much better alternative for food since plastic can release carcinogens but I just don’t see taking glass containers to work everyday as being practical. You can also buy aluminum water bottles but they start at $16 (I’ve seen them at Whole Foods and REI). One of the great ironies of bottled water is that Fiji Water comes from Fiji, where most residents don’t even have access to clean drinking water. I’ve thought about bringing my own Tupperware to restaurants since I have leftovers 95% of the time (I eat small portions and love being able to parlay a restaurant meal into 2 or 3 meals) but it seems a little strange if I eat at upscale places. At some places, they may not notice if I slip my leftovers into Tupperware at the table when they’re not looking but I feel kind of weird doing it at a place like Manresa.
While we're on the subject of high-end eateries, Chez Panisse in Berkeley pioneered the use of organically grown food in restaurants. Jardiniere in San Francisco is but one of many local restaurants that are committed to being socially responsible, recycling and composting 85% of its waste.
While I think things like Oprah’s show are a great start, I’m a little disappointed that they didn’t spend more time on reducing waste (the best way to save the planet is to not consume so much in the first place – the first tenent in the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” mantra). Singer Sheryl Crow and Laurie David (one of the driving forces behind “An Inconvenient Truth”) are on their \"Stop Global Warming Tour\" with an eco-friendly biodiesel bus and I think it’s really awesome that they are using silverware from a secondhand store.
I bought reusable plates, bowls, cups and silverware for parties. I think the disposable kind are so wasteful, and it's not that difficult to wash and reuse. I also use reusable plates at work since I usually bring my own food.
While I think the movie “An Inconvenient Truth” was a great wake-up call for millions of Americans, I can’t say I learned much from it. I’ve been following global warming (which actually should be referred to as climate change) since the early ‘90s so the only new thing for me was seeing sea levels rise as the climate gets warmer. I read Al Gore’s “Earth In The Balance” when it came out. In 1993, I did an essay in college on how we were supposed to have more fuel-efficient cars by 1995, which was a total joke. Fifteen years later, our president finally just approved a mandate that cars have a minimum of 35 mpg by 2020. According to this CNN article, this is “the first increase in automobile fuel economy in 32 years.” While we’re on the subject of Al Gore, I happened to catch him on a rerun of “The Daily Show,” which I rarely watch (I can probably thank the Writers’ Strike for the rerun.
) He was promoting his latest book, “The Assault on Reason” which is about our broken political environment, not Mother Earth. I just started it and it’s an interesting read.I’m just kind of shocked at how little people think about environmental issues (VC guru John Doerr didn’t even understand the impact of global warming until he saw Al Gore’s slide show in 2005; Gore just recently became a partner at Doerr’s Kleiner Perkins) but as one of Oprah’s guests, second-grade teacher Kelly Squires, said most people just don’t think about where things go when you throw them away. She takes her kids to a landfill every year so they can learn firsthand where “away” really is. To me, it’s always just been common sense to not be wasteful. I don’t really see any positives when it comes to polluting our environment either.
I also try to buy organic or locally-grown foods. Less pesticides is an obvious plus, and food from 25 miles away or less saves on fuel used in transporting. I have yet to try one of the below Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) sources because it’s more food than our household can go through. I’m good with my biweekly trips to Trader Joe’s. Safeway has started promoting locally grown produce as well.
http://www.localharvest.org/
http://www.mariquita.com/index.html
http://www.eatwiththeseasons.com/index.html
http://www.organicexpress.com
http://www.eatwiththeseasons.com/harvestschedule.html
http://www.planetorganics.com/about/order_minimums.asp
Some good green programs include Channel 20’s “Your Green Life” and “Organic Living With the Hippy Gourmet,” which I didn’t even realize featured all vegetarian recipes until my meat-loving boyfriend watched it with me once and pointed it out.
There are tons more good tips on Oprah’s overview of Friday’s episode. I could go on and on… I sat down thinking I’d just write a paragraph or two…
I guess it's hard to sum up 20 years worth of research in two tidy paragraphs.Here are some green tips from YourTV 20. I got many of my green tips over the years from environmental groups like the Sierra Club, WWF, and Environmental Defense so they are also good resources. You can search for more environmental groups and rate their effectiveness on Charity Navigator. SJ Water Company and PG&E also have water and energy saving tips on their websites. West Valley has tips on recycling.
This post has been edited by mobyfan on Jan 9 2008, 06:43 PM
Posted: Jan 6 2008, 09:33 AM
Great links and tips on going green. I enjoy those types of discussions. Here are couple more things:
Lucky's will give you a nickel credit for every bag you bring (can be any type of bag as long as you supply it). I reuse my plastic and paper from other stores rotating to make sure they are new enough for another tour of duty. Old ones I use for trash liners.
CFL's (energy efficient bulbs) must be recycled. I go thru the local hardware store. Don't throw in the garbage or your attempt to be green is NOW VERY TOXIC. Mercury and lead get into the landfill/drinking water. OSH is very good about taking dead CFL's. Home depot is clueless.
Goodwill will give you a $10 off coupon for OSH on their receipt for any donation. OSH is great for gardening, tools and most building materials. Goodwill is also an EWASTE facility at any location and will take any electronics to be recycled. For large EWASTE batches, oversized items, I recommend Earthcare, Steve and family. They come get my ewaste when I have a good amount.
Share your Green Tips.
Lucky's will give you a nickel credit for every bag you bring (can be any type of bag as long as you supply it). I reuse my plastic and paper from other stores rotating to make sure they are new enough for another tour of duty. Old ones I use for trash liners.
CFL's (energy efficient bulbs) must be recycled. I go thru the local hardware store. Don't throw in the garbage or your attempt to be green is NOW VERY TOXIC. Mercury and lead get into the landfill/drinking water. OSH is very good about taking dead CFL's. Home depot is clueless.
Goodwill will give you a $10 off coupon for OSH on their receipt for any donation. OSH is great for gardening, tools and most building materials. Goodwill is also an EWASTE facility at any location and will take any electronics to be recycled. For large EWASTE batches, oversized items, I recommend Earthcare, Steve and family. They come get my ewaste when I have a good amount.
Share your Green Tips.
Posted: Jan 6 2008, 12:32 PM
I forgot one more tip:
Freecycle - yahoo group devoted to reuse and redistribute of items with life left in them. Excellent group to give items away to those who might be able to use them. I have used several times giving and taking. Here is my best example:
my helper lost his phone after two months of new service. He was not eligible for another phone for a year. I posted on freecycle and two people offered their old sprint phones with accessories and manuals for free.
They also have sister groups for bartering/advice/referrals and for sharing coupons (ALL LOCAL):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sanjosefreecycle
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SCC_CAFE
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/southbaycouponswap
This post has been edited by techvbjoe on Jan 13 2008, 08:41 AM
Freecycle - yahoo group devoted to reuse and redistribute of items with life left in them. Excellent group to give items away to those who might be able to use them. I have used several times giving and taking. Here is my best example:
my helper lost his phone after two months of new service. He was not eligible for another phone for a year. I posted on freecycle and two people offered their old sprint phones with accessories and manuals for free.
They also have sister groups for bartering/advice/referrals and for sharing coupons (ALL LOCAL):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sanjosefreecycle
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SCC_CAFE
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/southbaycouponswap
This post has been edited by techvbjoe on Jan 13 2008, 08:41 AM
Posted: Jan 6 2008, 03:39 PM
Thanks for the tips, Joe. I've heard of everything you mentioned, and I'm sure others will find your suggestions helpful. Is it time to add a Green category to Social Wave?
Safeway only gives 3 cents credit, and Trader Joe's give a raffle ticket (which I've never won!) for bringing your own bags but I don't do it for the credit.
I actually got this website, County of Santa Clara Household Hazardous Waste Program from the coupon you mentioned from Goodwill. I mentioned it in this post from last year. I have two old 48” lightbulbs that have been sitting in my garage for two years because I haven’t had a chance to take them to OSH to dispose of. Hazardous waste includes the following so don’t throw it in the trash!
Fluorescent light bulbs
Used motor oil
Oil filters
Antifreeze
Computers & peripherals
TVs
Household batteries – most South Bay recycling programs take these at the curb but you may need a special bag. In Campbell, you can contact Waste Management.
Printer cartridges
My employer was acquired by HP a year ago. I was pleasantly surprised to find that HP is very socially responsible. From product design to end of product life, each piece of a product is now designed to be recycled. We're also able to recycle computer parts, CDs, printer cartridges, batteries, and of course bottles and paper, at work. Some of HP's environmental goals include "Recover (reuse and recycle) 2 billion pounds (900,000 tonnes) of electronic products and supplies by the end of 2010." I was surprised we weren't mentioned in Kiplinger's The Green Issue a couple of months ago.
There are more simple tips on ClimateCrisis.net, the official site for "An Inconvenient Truth."
This post has been edited by mobyfan on Jan 6 2008, 03:40 PM
Safeway only gives 3 cents credit, and Trader Joe's give a raffle ticket (which I've never won!) for bringing your own bags but I don't do it for the credit.
I actually got this website, County of Santa Clara Household Hazardous Waste Program from the coupon you mentioned from Goodwill. I mentioned it in this post from last year. I have two old 48” lightbulbs that have been sitting in my garage for two years because I haven’t had a chance to take them to OSH to dispose of. Hazardous waste includes the following so don’t throw it in the trash!
Fluorescent light bulbs
Used motor oil
Oil filters
Antifreeze
Computers & peripherals
TVs
Household batteries – most South Bay recycling programs take these at the curb but you may need a special bag. In Campbell, you can contact Waste Management.
Printer cartridges
My employer was acquired by HP a year ago. I was pleasantly surprised to find that HP is very socially responsible. From product design to end of product life, each piece of a product is now designed to be recycled. We're also able to recycle computer parts, CDs, printer cartridges, batteries, and of course bottles and paper, at work. Some of HP's environmental goals include "Recover (reuse and recycle) 2 billion pounds (900,000 tonnes) of electronic products and supplies by the end of 2010." I was surprised we weren't mentioned in Kiplinger's The Green Issue a couple of months ago.
There are more simple tips on ClimateCrisis.net, the official site for "An Inconvenient Truth."
This post has been edited by mobyfan on Jan 6 2008, 03:40 PM
Posted: Jan 7 2008, 09:06 AM
If you want more information on the advantages of using fluorescent bulbs, or you're wondering where to buy fluorescent light bulbs for some of the more unusual lamps, etc. in your home, please check out Miki's guide to buying fluorescent bulbs here:
http://www.socialwave.net/topics/3304/
She did a lot of research - it's a great resource.
http://www.socialwave.net/topics/3304/
She did a lot of research - it's a great resource.
Posted: Jan 7 2008, 03:07 PM
I saw the CFL bulbs at Lunardi's (the one next to Sushi Factory on Meridian) for $.99, or maybe it was even 2/$1 several months ago. Not sure if it's still that cheap but I had just purchased a 2 or 4-pack for $8, considerably more. I think PG&E is subsidizing them temporarily to get people to switch. I think OSH may also have them for $.99. I have several extras so I didn't feel the need to buy more, even at such a great price. They're supposed to last 7 years or so. They usually give them away free at art & wine festivals too if there's a utility booth (at the Santa Clara A&W Fest, the local power co. was giving them out to Santa Clara residents.)
Posted: Jan 8 2008, 09:32 AM
My best price for mini cfl's was Lucky 4pk/$1 in 10/$10 area (Redmond Ave store). Next best deal Dollar Tree, OSH and Longs $1/ea individually packed.
I have real bad experiences with CFL's. They last no where near as long as reg bulbs. I am always replacing them and hardly ever replacing my incandescent bulbs. Also they are not for switches that are turned off and on constantly (e.g., hall lights). They are best for room lights that are turned on for extended periods. Fluorescents are required in baths and kitchens. Anyone else have these experiences?
It is real funny because the cheapest thing to run electrically is a light bulb ($4/yr/reg bulb). That is what gets all the focus. Compare to Microwave 800w (vs 75 watts/avg bulb) or electric clothes dryers or hair dryers (1200w) or TV's.
I bet the "stand by" mode on remote control device's (TV,dvrs, vcrs, etc...) use more electricity than a light bulb.
I have real bad experiences with CFL's. They last no where near as long as reg bulbs. I am always replacing them and hardly ever replacing my incandescent bulbs. Also they are not for switches that are turned off and on constantly (e.g., hall lights). They are best for room lights that are turned on for extended periods. Fluorescents are required in baths and kitchens. Anyone else have these experiences?
It is real funny because the cheapest thing to run electrically is a light bulb ($4/yr/reg bulb). That is what gets all the focus. Compare to Microwave 800w (vs 75 watts/avg bulb) or electric clothes dryers or hair dryers (1200w) or TV's.
I bet the "stand by" mode on remote control device's (TV,dvrs, vcrs, etc...) use more electricity than a light bulb.
Posted: Jan 8 2008, 10:56 AM
Joe, given how little you're paying for those CFLs, I'm not surprised that they're blowing out so quickly. Sometimes cheaper is not better - sometimes cheaper is just cheap.
We've always bought ours at Costco, and they've lasted forever and a day. We haven't had any problems using them in areas where we turn them off and on a lot.
We've always bought ours at Costco, and they've lasted forever and a day. We haven't had any problems using them in areas where we turn them off and on a lot.
Posted: Jan 8 2008, 02:39 PM
CFL (those twisted light bulbs) are bad on your eyes. Regular light bulbs are still the best which is why they are still around and sells much better than CFLs.
What is OSH?
What is OSH?
Posted: Jan 8 2008, 03:24 PM
I haven't had any problems with my CFLs. We've had them maybe about a year. I also haven't noticed much energy savings difference on our PG&E bill but I hadn't looked too closely, nor do we keep the lights on for long periods of time when we don't need them. It is very true, you get what you pay for. When things are dirt cheap, someone somewhere else is paying for them (i.e. underpaid workers in China). This is a great article that will[url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/05/business/worldbusiness/05sweatshop.html?_r=1&scp=4&sq=china workers&oref=slogin]give you something to think about[/url] if you want to know how things can be so cheap. It's too bad the environmental costs of items are never taken into consideration when pricing items as well.
This post has been edited by mobyfan on Jan 8 2008, 03:26 PM
This post has been edited by mobyfan on Jan 8 2008, 03:26 PM
Posted: Jan 8 2008, 03:30 PM
OSH is Orchard Supply Hardware - a brand of hardware store we have locally.
I haven't found CFL bulbs to be hard on my eyes. The older ones were terrible (used to make me practically cross-eyed), but the newest ones are great - I can hardly tell the difference between the CFL bulbs and the regular light bulbs now. I think they've really upgraded the technology used to create them.
I haven't found CFL bulbs to be hard on my eyes. The older ones were terrible (used to make me practically cross-eyed), but the newest ones are great - I can hardly tell the difference between the CFL bulbs and the regular light bulbs now. I think they've really upgraded the technology used to create them.
Posted: Jan 10 2008, 08:36 AM
Strangely enough, here's an article in today's New York Times addressing the issue of CFL light quality:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/10/garden/10lighting.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/10/garden/10lighting.html
Posted: Jan 11 2008, 05:26 PM
| QUOTE (ArsNova @ Jan 10 2008, 07:36 AM) |
| Strangely enough, here's an article in today's New York Times addressing the issue of CFL light quality: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/10/garden/10lighting.html |
LOL, I was going to post this myself.
Thanks, Mary!
Posted: Jan 11 2008, 05:42 PM
some of my Green practices:
I try to always wash full loads, and I almost always dry less than full loads: I pull out and hang -- either on hangers or towel racks -- things that can dry with wrinkles like towels, sweat pants, work shirts and such. Often I have just a 1/2 load to dry.
I use old clothes as rags, and wash but not dry them. I use towels multiple times, tend I might use the soiled towel to wipe down the shower, floor or whatever before throwing it into the laundry.
When using the heater or oven I turn off the heat early, a few minutes early for the oven and 15-30 minutes early for the heater works fine and saves money.
Usually buy the simple version of things: regular oatmeal instead of instant, sugar cubes for work instead of the packets.
I try to always wash full loads, and I almost always dry less than full loads: I pull out and hang -- either on hangers or towel racks -- things that can dry with wrinkles like towels, sweat pants, work shirts and such. Often I have just a 1/2 load to dry.
I use old clothes as rags, and wash but not dry them. I use towels multiple times, tend I might use the soiled towel to wipe down the shower, floor or whatever before throwing it into the laundry.
When using the heater or oven I turn off the heat early, a few minutes early for the oven and 15-30 minutes early for the heater works fine and saves money.
Usually buy the simple version of things: regular oatmeal instead of instant, sugar cubes for work instead of the packets.
Posted: Jan 11 2008, 07:51 PM
Stone, don't your towels get all hard and stiff if you don't put them in the dryer? I air dry most of my clothes because they'll shrink and won't fit if I don't. But I don't like wrinkles either. I usually throw the clothes in the dryer for a few minutes to avoid wrinkles.
In plastic bag-banning news, China will also ban plastic bags starting June 1. A countrywide ban of that size should make a tremendous difference.
In plastic bag-banning news, China will also ban plastic bags starting June 1. A countrywide ban of that size should make a tremendous difference.
Posted: Jan 12 2008, 10:20 AM
RE: stiff clothes and towels. I learned that the washer doesn't get all the soap out of your clothes. Before the spin cycle, I run for a second rinse with cold water and my clothes are much better after the air drying on the line. Since I have so many animals, I still run them thru the dryer (air cycle) for a short period to get the pet hair completely off. Love those cats.
RE: CFL's. I am getting the pge subsidized packages that have 7-9 year guarantees on them so I think the bulbs are the best quality (greenliteusa.com). I am still replacing them twice as fast as reg bulbs. And they don't turn on all the time. Really pissing me off. I had better luck with the old bulbs (circular fluorescents that are still working and are over ten years old). Lastly, these CFL's that claim to be 75 - 100 watt replacements don't produce enough light to read with. I had to double them up on my ceiling fan so I can read the paper at night.
RE: CFL's. I am getting the pge subsidized packages that have 7-9 year guarantees on them so I think the bulbs are the best quality (greenliteusa.com). I am still replacing them twice as fast as reg bulbs. And they don't turn on all the time. Really pissing me off. I had better luck with the old bulbs (circular fluorescents that are still working and are over ten years old). Lastly, these CFL's that claim to be 75 - 100 watt replacements don't produce enough light to read with. I had to double them up on my ceiling fan so I can read the paper at night.
Posted: Jan 12 2008, 02:08 PM
Funny thing -- I like the stiff towels!
Let's say that it is invigorating; and also maybe a bit of feedback -- telling me that it is a clean fresh towel!
Let's say that it is invigorating; and also maybe a bit of feedback -- telling me that it is a clean fresh towel!
Posted: Jan 16 2008, 01:15 AM
| QUOTE (techvbjoe @ Jan 12 2008, 09:20 AM) |
| RE: CFL's. I am getting the pge subsidized packages that have 7-9 year guarantees on them so I think the bulbs are the best quality (greenliteusa.com). I am still replacing them twice as fast as reg bulbs. And they don't turn on all the time. Really pissing me off. |
I haven't had a problem with CFL's. I can see how that would be frustating though. It would sure frustrate me.
I think I bought mine at Target and got a couple free. I also have some from Walgreens. I guess I'm not that picky about the lighting because I haven't noticed any difference in color or ambiance. Stone: Ha ha. I prefer soft towels!
Posted: Jan 26 2008, 11:07 PM
Here's another article on CFLs that may explain the problem Joe's been having:
New York Times article, "Seeking a More Flattering Light on, and From, Bulbs"
New York Times article, "Seeking a More Flattering Light on, and From, Bulbs"
Posted: Jan 27 2008, 02:24 PM
| QUOTE (techvbjoe @ Jan 6 2008, 09:33 AM) |
| CFL's (energy efficient bulbs) must be recycled. I go thru the local hardware store. Don't throw in the garbage or your attempt to be green is NOW VERY TOXIC. Mercury and lead get into the landfill/drinking water. OSH is very good about taking dead CFL's. Home depot is clueless. Goodwill will give you a $10 off coupon for OSH on their receipt for any donation. OSH is great for gardening, tools and most building materials. Share your Green Tips. |
I just went to the Redwood City, CA OSH today with some CFLs to recycle. They refused them and said that they don't collect those for recycling anymore. However they did say that they -do- take the large classic style fluorescent tubes.
Posted: Jan 27 2008, 02:53 PM
| QUOTE (techvbjoe @ Jan 8 2008, 09:32 AM) |
| My best price for mini cfl's was Lucky 4pk/$1 in 10/$10 area (Redmond Ave store). Next best deal Dollar Tree, OSH and Longs $1/ea individually packed. I have real bad experiences with CFL's. They last no where near as long as reg bulbs. I am always replacing them and hardly ever replacing my incandescent bulbs. Also they are not for switches that are turned off and on constantly (e.g., hall lights). They are best for room lights that are turned on for extended periods. Fluorescents are required in baths and kitchens. Anyone else have these experiences? It is real funny because the cheapest thing to run electrically is a light bulb ($4/yr/reg bulb). That is what gets all the focus. Compare to Microwave 800w (vs 75 watts/avg bulb) or electric clothes dryers or hair dryers (1200w) or TV's. I bet the "stand by" mode on remote control device's (TV,dvrs, vcrs, etc...) use more electricity than a light bulb. |
The only times I have seen CFLs regularly fail fast is if they are installed on a dimmer switch. Even with the dimmer switch turned on to "full" brightness its still in the way and mucking up the ncie 60hz sine wave of AC power that the lights electronics need. Replace the dimmer with an on/off switch. Dimmable CFLs do exist but the last time I tried (over 5 years ago) them I was not impressed.
Re: high wattage appliances
You don't leave your microwave oven, clothes dryer or hair dryer on for 5 hours at a time every day. measure in kWh per month to make comparisons not in maximum watts drawn when powered on.
An always on device such as a TiVo or other DVR draws 30-60watts constantly for a total of ~22-43 kWh per month. Thats an additional $5-10/month to anyones electric bill just for owning the device.
Re: "stand by" power consumption
Wrong wrong wrong. Go buy a Kill-A-Watt or similar inline electricity usage meter (usually about $25) from Frys or a bazillion places online. Most devices in standby mode continuously draw from 1/2 to 10 watts, typically less than 3 watts. What you want to do it convert that into kWh (the kill-a-watt will happily display accumulated power consumption that way if you wish)
Unplugging unused TVs, coffee pots and such is a waste of time. I'm constantly amused by people who do that thinking that an unplugging an off appliance is worth it.
Posted: Jan 29 2008, 07:55 AM
This was from Mobyfan:
"I’ve been bringing my own bags to the grocery store since I started buying my own groceries ten years ago. I now bring my own bags for all of my shopping. I hear SJ is discussing a similar ban."
In that vein, we thought we should step up to the plate and get our own bags, but noticed that the price in the stores was a bit high. We found an online source, http://1bagatatime.com where you can buy bags in bulk at a very reasonable price. We purchased a set of 12 bags, each bag measures 14" high, 12' wide, and 8" across the bottom. The cost for 12 bags was $19.08 plus $5.23 S&H, and $1.57 tax, for a grand total of $25.88. That comes to $2.16 per bag. They have other packages available, ranging from 5 in the package to 20 and on up. These are very sturdy cloth bags, with a hard bottom that folds up out of the way for storing the bags when not in use. We tried them out the next time we did a little shopping and they work extremely well. And you can actually put more in these than in the plastic or paper offered at the grocery store.
"I’ve been bringing my own bags to the grocery store since I started buying my own groceries ten years ago. I now bring my own bags for all of my shopping. I hear SJ is discussing a similar ban."
In that vein, we thought we should step up to the plate and get our own bags, but noticed that the price in the stores was a bit high. We found an online source, http://1bagatatime.com where you can buy bags in bulk at a very reasonable price. We purchased a set of 12 bags, each bag measures 14" high, 12' wide, and 8" across the bottom. The cost for 12 bags was $19.08 plus $5.23 S&H, and $1.57 tax, for a grand total of $25.88. That comes to $2.16 per bag. They have other packages available, ranging from 5 in the package to 20 and on up. These are very sturdy cloth bags, with a hard bottom that folds up out of the way for storing the bags when not in use. We tried them out the next time we did a little shopping and they work extremely well. And you can actually put more in these than in the plastic or paper offered at the grocery store.
Posted: Jan 29 2008, 09:06 AM
I have to admit that I've never actually paid for a cloth/canvas bag, and I now have about 5 that I use for all my grocery shopping. I've collected almost all of them from former roommates who were having garage sales and who were ready to give them to me for nothing just to get rid of the things.
I recommend checking garage sales for cloth/canvas bags - a lot of high-tech workers get a lot of advertising swag from their companies that they can't always use, including these handy bags.
I recommend checking garage sales for cloth/canvas bags - a lot of high-tech workers get a lot of advertising swag from their companies that they can't always use, including these handy bags.
Posted: Jan 29 2008, 10:42 AM
Right now:
CFL's are $1.88/four at Lucky's (always want to say albertsons).
and $2.88/eight pack at OSH.
CFL's are $1.88/four at Lucky's (always want to say albertsons).
and $2.88/eight pack at OSH.
Posted: Jan 29 2008, 03:40 PM
So much interesting stuff on this thread!
Re: I just bought my first CFL meant for a dimmer switch. Haven't tried it out yet long enough to know.
I haven't had any burn out (some PG&E deal a few years ago gave out free ones) but I've replaced the few lights in the house with them. And I do hope they figure out some way to recycle them before they do- I'll hang on to any that do go before that, no mercury in the trash intentionally for me.
Grab those bags soon! Bags being given away at this year's SJ Convention events so far (just noticing on the street) are some sort of recycleable fabric or- at least too flimsy to be used for groceries. I personally am loving the TJ's totes with the bananas on them! Our next step, bagwise, I think, is to find some biodegradeable bags- we've still got kitchen trash and litter we need bags for.
We went to the tomato festival in Sept- WF was a sponsor, and we had all compostable forks and spoons. I hoped to get them at WF then after- and they don't have them! I hope they will soon, I guess there are/were supply issues with consumer-sized packaging.
I love TJ's eco-cleaner, it works and it smells good. I have switched back to a regular detergent after dismal results with the "eco" ones. I did try the Clorox GreenWorks cleaner- I think that works great too- but its ethanol, so yet another tradeoff. I can't FIND any products that are eco-friendly that are good for cleaning floors yet.
I think you all are right that we aren't doing enough in the REDUCE and REUSE parts of the cycle. I am trying to buy things with less packaging, and do stuff like make oatmeal from scratch. But donating good clothing, finding a way to use cell phones until they actually don't function any more, etc. makes good sense. Freecycling is brilliant, so long as we aren't just freecycling stuff we (or anyone else) should not really have anyway.
One of the best things I do is live on my computer- I'm saving tons of paper daily by doing all of my communicating online!
Re: I just bought my first CFL meant for a dimmer switch. Haven't tried it out yet long enough to know.
I haven't had any burn out (some PG&E deal a few years ago gave out free ones) but I've replaced the few lights in the house with them. And I do hope they figure out some way to recycle them before they do- I'll hang on to any that do go before that, no mercury in the trash intentionally for me.
Grab those bags soon! Bags being given away at this year's SJ Convention events so far (just noticing on the street) are some sort of recycleable fabric or- at least too flimsy to be used for groceries. I personally am loving the TJ's totes with the bananas on them! Our next step, bagwise, I think, is to find some biodegradeable bags- we've still got kitchen trash and litter we need bags for.
We went to the tomato festival in Sept- WF was a sponsor, and we had all compostable forks and spoons. I hoped to get them at WF then after- and they don't have them! I hope they will soon, I guess there are/were supply issues with consumer-sized packaging.
I love TJ's eco-cleaner, it works and it smells good. I have switched back to a regular detergent after dismal results with the "eco" ones. I did try the Clorox GreenWorks cleaner- I think that works great too- but its ethanol, so yet another tradeoff. I can't FIND any products that are eco-friendly that are good for cleaning floors yet.
I think you all are right that we aren't doing enough in the REDUCE and REUSE parts of the cycle. I am trying to buy things with less packaging, and do stuff like make oatmeal from scratch. But donating good clothing, finding a way to use cell phones until they actually don't function any more, etc. makes good sense. Freecycling is brilliant, so long as we aren't just freecycling stuff we (or anyone else) should not really have anyway.
One of the best things I do is live on my computer- I'm saving tons of paper daily by doing all of my communicating online!
Posted: Jan 29 2008, 03:42 PM
| QUOTE (Callmemiki @ Jan 29 2008, 06:55 AM) |
| In that vein, we thought we should step up to the plate and get our own bags, but noticed that the price in the stores was a bit high. We found an online source, http://1bagatatime.com where you can buy bags in bulk at a very reasonable price. We purchased a set of 12 bags, each bag measures 14\\" high, 12' wide, and 8\\" across the bottom. The cost for 12 bags was $19.08 plus $5.23 S&H, and $1.57 tax, for a grand total of $25.88. That comes to $2.16 per bag. They have other packages available, ranging from 5 in the package to 20 and on up. These are very sturdy cloth bags, with a hard bottom that folds up out of the way for storing the bags when not in use. We tried them out the next time we did a little shopping and they work extremely well. And you can actually put more in these than in the plastic or paper offered at the grocery store. |
I have a variety of reusable bags. I'm not sure what stores you were looking at, Miki. The ones I prefer look like the ones at 1bagatatime.com (modeled after paper bags) and are available at Safeway, Whole Foods and Target. However, Target's cost $1.49, which I think is too much. I bought 2 of theirs (I had a 10% off coupon since I have their credit card, so it was a little less than $1.49) and they are already ripping at the corners (all of my other bags seem to be higher quality and are not broken). I need to repair them. The ones at Safeway are only $0.99, and Whole Foods was about $1.29. These are all considerably cheaper than the $2.16 at 1bagatatime.com.
I did splurge and buy 6 bags from Baggu. They were nearly $7 each. I gave some as Christmas gifts and kept a couple for myself. But I rarely fold them and put them back in their pouch. They don't seem totally conducive to grocery shopping, but that's probably because I prefer the stand-up shape of paper bags, not plastic bags. I think they are too nice for groceries but I use them to bring stuff to work. It looks a lot nicer than a plastic bag, so I look less like a bag lady.
(I don’t travel lightly.)My first bags were the canvas ones from the Nature Conservancy, etc. (they were free with a donation) kind of like the one pictured. The baggers never knew what to do with them. They don’t stand up on their own and are more work to fold than the ones modeled after paper bags. The funny thing is that they also tend to overpack them so that I can barely lift them. For the big male baggers, they figure the load is reasonable, but for a small petite female like me, not so much. I say it's funny because when they use plastic bags, they doublebag them and put like 2 items in each bag (and sometimes those items are already boxed and shrink-wrapped so it's like quadruple wasting of excessive packaging.)
This post has been edited by mobyfan on Jan 29 2008, 03:45 PM
