Did you celebrate Earth Day?

I got up on April 22, the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, and began my normal routine. I used the bathroom, practicing "if it is yellow, let it mellow" philosophy and using cloth wipes. I checked some of my favorite internet sites (e.g., my Google account), had some breakfast and took my shower, shutting off the water in between rinsing. I used some of my remaining rain water from Autumn 2009 to water my vegetable seedlings in their repurposed containers, and placed the seedlings in my greenhouse purchased used from craigslist. I brought my lunch with me (leftover dinner from two nights ago) and a treat for my work colleagues (organic corn tortilla chips with homemade taco dip; components were in reused plastic containers).

While I did not explicitly celebrate Earth Day, I continued to practice what aligns with my personal values: reduce, reuse, repurpose, recycle. Yes, I still use cloth handkerchiefs, collect items on a neighbor's curb, get composted horse manure for free from a nearby farm and take care of my car so it runs as long as possible before I need to replace it. All these things I happened to do on Earth Day. The composted horse manure enables me to increase the tilth of my soil so I am better able to grow food on my suburban property. The items I recruited from the curb will go for other household projects including storing chopped leaves in the fall. I took my car in for its semiannual checkup and found there was something to be concerned about but will not immediately affect the use of my car. This enables me to save longer for my next vehicle and broaden my choices when I did need to buy a newer car. All these things I would have done normally but happened to take place on Earth Day.

Everyone has a list of several ways to celebrate Earth Day. I just look at the individual choices I make every day and what more sustainable activities I have incorporated into my life. Green living is more than a day-long event. It is a lifestyle, considered choices in what is purchased, how it is made and what is really needed. If we made just two thoughtful choices a day (no, I don't need a bag; I brought my own and hey, do I really need that overpackaged, processed food?), this would build a foundation to greener and more considerate living for all of us.

What did you do differently on Earth Day?

Enjoying fresh and local fruits and veggies

The weather is really warming in my area, to the point that we may get near the record high temperature (the record is 80 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday with a forecast for 77 degrees that day). If gardening is not your thing and you enjoy locally grown greens, please keep in mind Community-Supported Agriculture or CSAs. This is where you purchase a share of a farmer's future harvest now, and he or she provides you will a box of herbs, fruits and veggies for ten+ weeks. While many popular farms have filled all their orders for the season, there are always a few organic farmers looking for more people to join. And your health insurance may give you a bonus for healthy eating, decreasing the cost of your share. To locate a CSA near you, visit the Local Harvest Web site.

Since I grow my own produce and herbs, I am only looking to supplement what my garden provides. Therefore, I use the farmer's market to add to my diet. I can get fruits, veggies, herbs, meats, cheese and more at the small farmer's market close to my workplace. The main one in the area, one of the largest in the country, has an even wider selection and I know many people choose to do most of their grocery shopping each Saturday at the farmer's market. Whether you are looking for a little or a lot of locally grown food for you to choose from, a farmer's market is a great place to start. Talking with the farmers who grow the food or create the product is an engaging experience. If you are unfamiliar with the location of available farmer's markets, visit the Local Harvest Web site for more information.

Remember, if you cannot grow it yourself, a CSA share and farmer's markets are your next best bet for locally grown and sustainably produced food.

Using greener cleaners

I have written many times about greener living and I have only increased my commitment to doing more as every year passes. Overcoming some of my squeamishness (e.g., worm composting) is never easy but determination counts for much in this area. One area that I am inexorably replacing commercial items with simpler, greener ones is my cleaning products.

Bathroom
I have to say, cleaning the bathroom is merely something I have to do--occasionally--when forced. However, a mix of vinegar and baking soda works for nearly all surfaces in the bathroom: sink, faucet, tub, tub walls, toilet. For the toilet seat and mirror, I use a dilution of vinegar (50% vinegar/50% water by volume) to spray and wipe off with a sponge and newspaper respectively. The vinegar smell dissipates soon after use and does not linger like chemical scents.

For stubborn stains in the toilet bowl, I have found a pumice stone (e.g., Pumie Scouring Stick) works great without a lot of scrubbing. I heard about this from other people looking for alternatives to chemical cleaners and found Pumie brand at my local hardware store.

Kitchen
I use the 50/50 vinegar spray liberally on counters, tabletop and stove top. Vinegar + baking soda is great for the sink and while I have not tried it, should work well in the oven too. Making a paste with the vinegar and baking soda is great where you want more scrubbing action and more vinegar when you need less.

Laundry
I make my own laundry detergent and only use vinegar to soften my laundry. In fact, I find the chemical-embedded dryer sheets have scents too strong for my nose. I gave away the last of my dryer sheets and have not looked back since. I also used oxygen-based bleach if I want some extra cleaning power in the laundry as it is kinder to laundry and the environment than chlorine-based bleaches.

Floors
I prefer to sweep than mop, but when a good floor cleaning is necessary, I use hot water with some vinegar for my laminate and tile floors.

One gallon of vinegar costs me $1.60 and a 4 pound box of baking soda was purchased for $2.70. Both of these items cost less than any all-purpose spray and bathroom cleaner and toilet bowl cleaner and other item thought necessary for cleaning. Being green and frugal has a nice sound to it, yes?

The big environmental hurdles

Despite professing my desire for greener living and lowering my environmental footprint on this planet, there are changes I have not embraced. These include:

My diet
I was raised with meat and potatoes as the staples of my supper. As the daughter of a dairy farmer, I consumed plenty of meat and dairy products except for Fridays because we were Catholic and did not eat meat that day of the week. While I now drink 1% milk rather than raw whole milk, the quantity has not decreased. However, I have decreased my meat consumption but never to zero. I find myself craving a hamburger if I have not had red meat for a while and I desire milk when I have not consumed for as few as two days. Asking me to part with cheese is like asking me to mow 10 acres of lawn--extremely undesirable.

I know that the environmental costs of keeping me in a meat diet are much greater than eating lower on the food chain (i.e., a vegetarian diet). I can mitigate some of the evils of my diet by going local and organic but I have converted little of my diet to grass-fed beef, free-range chicken and sustainably harvested fish. While I might incorporate more of locally grown and harvested food in my diet, I still enjoy eating meat I can easily find at a grocery store.

My car
I live in a suburb in the United States of America. I was raised in a country that has a love affair with cars and thinks little of jumping in one and traveling to wherever his or her heart desires. While I may combine errands, enjoy my occasional telecommute to work and try to park the car at least one day a week, I still use my car at least five times a week. While I may not feel a strong attachment to my car like some, I have few other options to get me to my workplace, the doctor, my family and necessities. Therefore, I consume gasoline, pump out carbon dioxide and otherwise pollute to use the easy transportation of a car. Unfortunately, I see no way around it. Despite looking for a carpooling buddy and knowing people at my workplace drive from the same city, I still drive alone because few seem interested coordinating rides with another person. I could look harder than I have for someone to carpool with but I have had no response when I have made attempts.

Even with a desire to carpool or even park my car for five or more days of the week, I work at a distance greater than I am able to bicycle and there are no mass transit options. Because my desire is leading me to a rural location, I anticipate my future driving needs will stay the same or even increase.

My electrical and natural gas consumption
While I am conscious of my fossil fuel use and what burning it does to the environment, I still use it. I keep my thermostat low in the winter and high in the summer. However, I also have a refrigerator, a chest freezer and in the summer, two dehumidifiers, all keeping my kilowatt hours high. Currently, I have four computers (three laptops and one desktop), an electric toothbrush, electric lawnmower, electric snow thrower, TV, electronics and lights with occasional contributions by my iPod and iPhone when they are recharged. While the use of some of these are optional (e.g., television), I leave them all plugged in when not in use. I also like having warm water at the turn of faucet handle, all heated with my natural gas water heater.

While I try to reduce how much electricity I consume, I am not planning on replacing my refrigerator (~12 years old) or my air conditioning unit (~15 years old) just to reduce my electrical usage. I can think of no good alternative to running two dehumidifiers in my basement and there are too many things like my MacBook Pro and electric toothbrush I just cannot give up without a fight. Nor can I completely abandon use of the air conditioner (temperatures are predicted to be above 90 degrees Fahrenheit with high humidity for the next two days) or my furnace. Therefore, I will continue to use my devices of my modern, convenient life including my natural-gas burning furnace and water heater.

It is not easy to walk away from things that would have the greatest effect on my use of finite resources. I plan to take advantage of the local farmer's market for some of my needs but it does not replace my monthly run to the grocery store. I continue to be conscious of my fossil fuel use but will attend the monthly family dinner that requires me to drive 150 miles round trip. My love affair with my MacBook Pro will not end anytime soon. Therefore, I will continue trimming here and there and hope I can reduce my consumption of nearly five times my share of this planet to a more reasonable two or less. My planned changes get me closer to four so I will continue to seek ways to reduce my environmental footprint.

Trying something new--the shampoo bar

In my quest to reduce my plastic consumption, I have examined my personal care products for ways to improve my environmental footprint. Not only does shampoo, conditioner, body wash and facial cleanser come in plastic bottles, many additives are not great for me or the environment. Down the drain does not mean gone forever as extensive tests and scientific reports have shown.

At the farmers market I visit weekly, one vendor sells homemade soap. While I have the best of intentions to make my own soap with lye, olive oil and a touch of honey, the ingredients are still on my pantry shelves and I remain hopeful I will make it in the future. One item that caught my eye recently at the soap vendor was a shampoo bar. Talk about environmentally friendly packaging and reduced waste! Here was a solid bar for shampooing my hair, the ingredient list was short (and understandable) and the packaging was minimal--just a thin cardboard box.

When I inquired about the item, the seller explained I just had to use on my hair as it lathers up like liquid shampoo and rinse it out. If I felt a residue, more prone to this in hard water than in soft, use some diluted vinegar (~50% solution from what you buy in the grocery store) and spray on my hair to rinse it clean.

I was excited to try my new shampoo bar because it was novel. I wet my hair, easily moved the bar over the hair and lathered well. It felt just like I was using liquid shampoo except I rubbed a bar on my roots. I rinsed it out and while the hair was a bit tackier than normal, it was clean and free of oil and styling products. My hair curled nicely but I did notice the tackiness I felt after shampooing translated to more gunky feeling hair by the end of the second day. Since I wash my hair every two days, this was not awful but I plan on rinsing with some vinegar the next time I use it.

In total, I used the shampoo bar three times and was happy with its performance. The tacky residue was disconcerting but my hair did not seem to act differently than with liquid shampoo. I will definitely keep using the bar and will try the vinegar rinse to see how it affects the tacky feeling and the residue after two days.

While I am happy with the shampoo bar, there are still several bottles of perfectly good shampoo stashed away and even some I really enjoy using. I will not be trading in the plastic bottle for the cardboard box permanently, but as a companion to my current personal care regime. Now if I could only find the perfect facial cleanser for summer and winter...

My frugal way of life

When choosing to live frugally and within my spending plan, I use whatever resources I have to minimize spending. My actions also tend to be more green by keeping my resource use lower.

I buy used items whenever possible.
This includes clothing, gifts, gardening implements, beauty supplies, fabric, canning supplies, furniture, housing and vehicles. I shop the local charity thrift shops and visit garage sales. I save money by not buying new, I reduce my demand on the earth's resources when buying secondhand and my money goes to a family's savings or helps people in need. That seems like a win-win situation to me.

I reuse or repurpose items.
I enjoy yogurt but the curbside recycling will not take plastic that has held dairy other than milk jugs. The yogurt cups are perfect for starting seedlings. Two liter bottles can be used to get water to the roots of plants if holes are poked in the sides and buried into the ground next to tomato plants. I wrote about a few other gardening repurposing ideas in 2008.

I consider whether I need the new item I want.
There are some things I cannot easily find used. For example, paint for the exterior of my house. Other issues include how to get items into my car and to my home. Considering how necessary the item is and what it will do for me ensures that it is something I will use and will not add to the clutter in my household.

I take advantage of scavenging opportunities.
If you put it on the curb and I have an idea how to use it (and it fits in my car), I will take it home with me. My three new raised garden beds were made of scavenged wood. One of my potato plants is tucked inside a wood bushel basket picked up from a neighbor's curb. (I would prefer not to dig far into the ground for the potato harvest.)

These strategies have served me well, and I like finding treasures at the thrift shop, on a curb or at a garage sale. It is fun in a way that going to a large retail store lacks. Do you have a favorite way to save money?

Trepidation about green living choices

When I moved from doing the simpler going-green actions like composting my food waste, using cloth napkins and handkerchiefs and combining my errands to using cloth wipes in the bathroom and bringing my own hand towel to work, I felt a certain bit of trepidation. With the towel, I carry it from my cube to the bathroom and leave it by the sink as I use the toilet. It is not something I can hide. My initial concerns were "what were people going to say?" Honestly, no one has said anything to me. They may be thinking all they want but I have not been confronted with "why are you bringing your own towel?"

If that was not bad enough, I have sewn cloth wipes and reusable menstral pads. With the anonymity of the blog, I feel comfortable enough writing about these facts. However, I do not go around telling other people that I use cloth rather than paper in the bathroom. Line drying these items is a bit nerve wracking. I either hang up other larger pieces of laundry then the wipes or pads behind them, or I hang up the pads and wipes and quickly put larger items up to hide what I am placing on the line. Who knows what the neighbors and people driving by think.

When my family was over recently, I had a choice: do I put the cloth wipes under the sink so no one will see or just leave them out? Despite my concern, I left them out--and no one said anything to me. Either they did not know what they were or did not want to touch the subject at all. The bonus for using cloth wipes: I take months to go through a 12-pack of toilet paper.

It can be scary doing things outside what many people call "normal" but I like the feeling of self-sufficiency and the greener lifestyle. I made these items out of fabric and scraps I had onhand, I freed myself from having to buy disposable items, and I like that I am reducing my consumption and the amount of stuff headed for the landfill. I encourage you to stretch your greener and frugal wings and try something a bit radical. You may find you like it while helping your bottom line and living a bit easier on the planet.

The benefits of buying secondhand

Making the choices I have over the past few years has brought me to a place I like. I take pride in entire outfits including socks that were purchased secondhand, washed in my homemade laundry detergent, softened using vinegar, and dried outside in the sunshine. My secondhand spade made it easier to dig the trench through the sod to plant my asparagus while I amended the soil with free composted horse manure. The metal rods and chicken wire, purchased at the thrift store or free, will help protect my garden. My nieces and nephews have been gifted repeatedly with books, toys and clothing I purchased from garage sales or the thrift store. I smile at the hosta poking through the ground, the tulips blooming and the wildflowers coming up I either dug from another's yard or purchased from someone who dug it right out of her garden for me. I enjoy every loaf of bread I bake in my craigslist-purchased bread machine. Why am I listing the results of my choices?

I can live this way simply as a frugal measure to help me pay less for what I need and save more money toward my financial goals. However, frugality is not my sole motivation. I help out families looking to make some extra money themselves by shopping a garage sale. I find gifts and items I can use and the families get rid of stuff in their house and gain a bit of cash. At the charity thrift shop, I find items I am looking for and they put my money to use in the community, helping out those in need. Finally, I am living a greener life because I am not asking to have raw materials extracted from the environment to make something new, contributing to overproduction. The environmental benefit alone is important to me but the frugal side has its say as well.

This way of living requires patience. It is easy to drive, bike or take mass transit to one of many stores like Target, Wal-mart or Costco, and buy whatever you need--instantly. I discussed making a list of things I need to purchase and hunt for during garage sale season. It took me nearly three months to find jeans in my size to replace the fraying ones I was wearing. Still, I paid half the typical sale price for nearly new jeans. Right now, I am looking for navy and gray pants to replace the one I just ripped, the other is on its last legs. This search may take even longer but I have all summer to replace them.

Shopping secondhand is not about instant gratification. However, if you have patience and search regularly, you will get what you want at a fraction of the price of new. I like the adventure of trying to find what I want. It can be frustrating but I find it more emotionally rewarding when I finally find what I can use.

What are your experiences with purchasing or finding used items?

Hidden treasures in plain sight

I am not new to scavenging on curbside but I have not done it in a while. Frankly, I am somewhat uncomfortable with it especially when doing it alone. If I know the people are not home, I am less self-conscious. However I know if the people wanted the items, they would have figured out what to so with them prior to placing them curbside for garbage day. In the end, I am rescuing usable things so they are not consigned to a landfill. My prize: several aluminum rods that with some trimming of the ends will make nice anchors for the sides of raised garden beds, an old wooden basket that would be great to grow potatoes so I do not have to dig into the ground for the harvest and a piece of fabric that has a use yet to be determined.

However, I am a novice compared to the authors of The Scavengers' Manifesto and the blog Scavenging. One of the entries I read highlighted their recent post on no-cost gardening. It was a fascinating read that made me admire the bloggers ingenuity. In fact, I started exploring the entire Scavenging blog. If gardening is not your interest, the two women have entries on bartering, where free stuff is being offered (e.g., food for teachers and free comic day), how a couple furnished and refinished their Victorian home with curbside treasures, and more.

I recommend visiting the blog and seeing how you can think differently when looking at someone else's trash.

Why "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" is important

There is a reason the earth-friendly mantra is "reduce, reuse, recycle". Having fewer things means less to throw away. Finding a new use for an old item allows you to save money and repurpose something that was just taking up space. Recycle is for those items that you do have and are finding difficult to repurpose. The last thing you want to do is consign the item to the landfill.

One of my coworkers proudly stated that the plasticware and cardboard containers provided by our company's food service is biodegradable. The cardboard is made from recycled paperboard, a positive move, but is coated in plastic so moist food can be added to the container for eating and storing. The cups, utensils and soup bowls are made from plant-based plastic PLA. On one hand, the corn starch-based items are made from a renewable resource. On the other hand, a home compost system is not going to break down PLA.

When I pointed out that unfortunate fact (the compostable plasticware will not break down in a backyard composter, only a commercial one), she informed me that it will biodegrade in a landfill. Unfortunately, that is not true. Most composting happens under aerobic conditions with water, heat and microbes with a nice stir to add oxygen occasionally. A landfill is lined with clay and plastic, items are packed in tightly and the few microbes found are working anaerobically, that is without oxygen. So no sunlight (for photodegradable items like plastic bags), no water and no oxygen means little breakdown is occurring in a landfill.

The truth is once an item is sent to the big hole in the ground, it just sits there. That is why "reduce, reuse and recycle" sends fewer things to the landfill, keeps more money in your pocket and stimulates the imagination (e.g., what can I do with a penny whistle, some old nails and a plastic cup starting to split). For more information on biological activity in landfills, visit the following links:
How Stuff Works (love this site)
Summary of Garbage Breakdown (about.com)
US Composting Council (technical but interesting page)

Consider the downstream effects

Getting rid of unwanted, unused or expired items is not as simple as throwing it in the trash can. While many people do this, there are consequences to this action that affect the quality of our water, our air and our soil. Computer monitors and televisions contain heavy metals which are toxic when consumed. All those plastics do not break down especially in a landfill, and burning garbage just adds more greenhouse gases and unpleasant chemicals to the air.

However, one of the most worrisome trends is all the medications that can be measured in our waters. Hormones, steroids, antibiotics and nonprescription medications can all be detected in our waterways. Unfortunately, the way we have been disposing of old or outdated medication is by flushing it down the toilet. Water treatment facilities are not equipped to handle the drugs and the medication is passed without alteration into the water system. While there is debate about how much those dilute amounts of drugs may affect us, there are more than just humans drinking the water. In fact, there are many organisms that live their entire lives in water and they are being affected, altering their physiology, including their reproductive capability.

My city recently hosted a medication disposal and sharps collection program. All citizens were encouraged to bring unused, old and unwanted medications for proper disposal. I had two pet medications, old topical prescription products and several other expired over-the-counter drugs including Aleve and sleeping pills that I brought to the disposal site. This is one way I ensure old medications are not merely thrown away or flushed down the toilet.

I encourage you to find such a program in your area. If there is not one, talk to your local medical facility about starting one. Taking the time to dispose of medications correctly helps not only yourself and your neighbors but the entire ecology. The fish and frogs thank you.

Greener living, one day at a time

I view the world differently. While my neighbors are firing up their lawnmowers, I am considering how to decrease the amount of lawn and increase my ability to grow more food. To me, a sunny, open expanse of lawn equals a place to grow fruits and vegetables. Collecting rain water is a cause for joy and using my urine in the garden as a nitrogen source just makes sense. I gladly wash my cloth wipes and reusable menstral pads and hang them up on the clothesline outside. I keep track of my water usage and the weight of garbage I dispose of to challenge myself to use or trash less. I clean using vinegar, baking soda and borax.

What is the point of me listing all these activities? I need to remind myself how far I have come. A year ago, I had not conceived of using cloth wipes in the bathroom. Three years ago, I scoffed at using the umbrella clothesline. Two years ago, I shrugged at the amount of water I used and said, what can I do other than collect rain water? Even though I had read about making my own hygiene supplies nearly two years ago, it was only the beginning of this year I actually made some. Last year, urban homesteading was a new and crazy concept to me. I began reusing shopping bags nearly 18 months ago.

Today is Earth Day, a day to celebrate this singular planet with its wonderful bounty. It is also a time to reflect on the legacy we would like to leave. While you can revel in your children, your comfortable home, your friends, your animal companions and your financial situation, none of this would be possible without the resources the Earth holds. On this day, think about that next step to take in your green living path. Whether motivated by frugality, self-sufficiency or lower-impact living, take the time to do something good for the environment. Plant a tree--or three, convert part of your lawn to a garden plot, compost your yard waste and vegetable peelings, or carpool at least once a week. Be kind to the Earth, share your garden bounty with your neighbors, and leave a legacy of lasting natural resources to your children. Make today the first step in your green-living journey.

How to start gardening

My passion for gardening was uncovered during my three years of homeownership. While I have always had indoor plants in my home, I tried edible container gardening once and was dissatisfied with the results. With the ability to shape the landscape around my house and the raised garden bed on the west side of my home, I began to ask "what did I want?" One advantage I had was the landscaping was haphazard. There were some Korean boxwoods along the driveway, a poor choice for something that would always have snow piled on it in the winter, Juniper bushes along the front of the house and some orange daylilies on the southwest side of the foundation. There were two raised garden beds, one 3 feet by 3 feet with a Stella d'Oro daylily planted and a 9 feet by 9 feet bed with some nonproductive strawberries, a white phlox and lots of weeds. The property was topped off by a mature Green Ash tree on the southwest corner of the house.

I started with what I did not like, the juniper bushes, and had them ripped out. My first full winter demonstrated that the Korean boxwoods were ill suited for their location; I gave them away. My second year found me uninterested in the orange invasive daylilies so I gave away all of the roots that people could dig up.

My next step was to plant what I wanted. Summer demonstrated a single tree on the southwest corner was little protection for the east and southeast of the house. So I chose to plant more shade trees on the east, southeast and west sides of the house. I also chose native trees to plant with the exception of the park row tree. I also planted what I thought was pretty like pink phlox, red and purple daylilies and tulips. I make mowing around my mailbox more manageable by surrounding the area with pavers and planting tulips and crocuses. I moved the lone Asiatic lily from a shaded area where it was unable to bloom to full sun where it both bloomed and produced more lilies. I filled in empty areas around the foundation with hostas (and bleeding hearts) because they did well in partial to full shade. The former location of the juniper bushes became a bounty of native bushes and flowers. Other people gave away their landscaping or split off their plants so I could add variety to my own property.

I tried my hand at growing edibles in the large raised garden bed by planting what I liked (corn, onion, rhubarb, lettuce) and had a tiny harvest because I failed to test my soil. The next year, I fought fewer weeds and grew more food because the soil was heavily amended. I experimented with growing new things like cucumbers, beans, peas and carrots. I added a raised bed to grow strawberries and built raised beds to grow more vegetables. All the while I was planting and experimenting, I intended to put in two rain gardens and have not started one.

What is the moral of this story? Just try planting something. Like with my juniper bushes, it can be easier to figure out what you do not like than what you do. Start small, just a 12 inch square patch and toss in some tulip bulbs or set in a daylily. These are plants that are fairly easy to care for and add a lot of color and vibrancy. If you want to eat something, try beans or lettuce or even herbs. Grow for beauty, grow for food or grow for wild life. All are wonderful choices and add much to your life. There is something revitalizing and fascinating about green growing things, and I get excited as they grow and mature and flower.

Whether you start with a small patch of dirt or a large garden spread, the growing venture will reward you in both tangible and intangible ways. I rarely started my gardening knowing exactly what I wanted in a particular spot. I chose what I liked and hopefully was well-adapted to my property. If not, I either fixed the problem (e.g., amending the soil with the right nutrients) or tried again with a different plant.

What are you growing this year?

The power of collective creativity for greener living

Earlier this week, my work day started poorly and did not improve. I was running later than I wanted leave for work and then when I stopped for gas and sat back in my car, my pants ripped in a fashion that was both catastrophic and unable to be disguised. Since I was on my way to work and only a few minutes from home, I called in my wardrobe malfunction and went home to change. My colleagues made me feel better as they shared their own stories but I was still left with a pair of pants that were unusable as pants but still had plenty of life in them. So what could I do with the fabric?

I had a couple ideas that included using it to sew doll clothing or create a rag rug. One of my colleagues suggested cutting the pants up for rags, but that is what I use worn out socks and underwear for. I have been accumulating denim from jeans that I plan to sew a rug using strips of denim. The twill pants could be used for this purpose as well. However, I decided to turn to the Web and see what I could find.

I discovered a cool Web site titled How can I recycle this? When I was looking at uses for ripped pants, I found this entry on torn trousers. Being curious, I explored the site and found a treasure trove of information offered by other people on how to reuse various items including burnt matches, old teddy bears, toothbrushes and empty paint cans. The search function helps you find what you are interested in. Furthermore, there is a link to a Web site that answers the question whether an item is compostable or not for your biodegradable edification.

I am always looking for ways to improve my green living. By finding suggestions for reusing items most people would throw away, I can decrease my footprint. Use the Recycle This Web site to help you figure out what to do with your worn out or seemingly unusable items.

Preparing for garage sale season

With the season now officially labeled as spring and my seedlings breaking soil and presenting cotyledons to the currently meager sunlight, this signals more than green things. It also heralds garage sale season. While I love my local charity thrift shop and the others I stop by occasionally, I really enjoy the variety of items available at garage sales and seeing different areas of my small city. There is one house I have gone to two years in a row and found clothing that I liked and fit me. One purchase in 2008 was a purple chenille sweater I got for only $2. Other items with fond memories: my 5 cent jelly jar, my 25 cent reusable bag with zipper closure and the lovely lotions I picked up for 50 cents a piece. I use all these items regularly and am glad I stopped at each of those three sales.

Garage sales are also my main source of gifts for my nieces and nephews. I have nine to shop for and need all the help I can get buying items for the lot of them. My gift spending account is ready for heavy usage and I am looking forward to finding the next treasures. However, I prefer not go into garage sale season blind. Here are a few ways I get the most of my warm weather weekend entertainment:

Make a list of desired items.
There are things I am interested in finding used before seeking new options. I have already compiled a list of items that want to find. This includes handkerchiefs, kitchen towels, a hoe and a cutting board. I have some specific jelly jars I prefer over others so I will also keep an eye out for these. I will add to this list over the summer season, depending on life circumstances and interests. For the children, I keep an eye out for books in good condition and age appropriate. In fact, I still see toys I purchased at garage sales still being used by the kids and that makes me feel good.

Map out the sales to visit on Saturday.
Even though garage sales are held Thursday, Friday and Saturday, I work during the week so I am limited to garage sales on the weekend only. I prefer to shop on Saturday morning around 8AM and typically visit between 3 and 5 sales, usually for no more than a hour's worth of time. The paper is delivered on Wednesday and I examine the garage sales that are of interest and are held on Saturday. I circle the ones that interest me and give higher priority to the ones that start on Saturday rather than earlier in the week. I then use Google Maps to figure out where the sales are being held and try to create the most sensible route through my city so I am not backtracking. With newspaper ads and maps in hand, I am ready for the road.

Have a variety of bills in my purse.
Having several $1s, a few $5s and some $10s gives me maximum flexibility. I do not need to ask for my $20 to be broken, robbing the seller of his or her change, and I am armed for bargaining. The first point is only polite, but the second gives me an opportunity to save even more. If an item is selling for $5, I can ask if the person will sell it for $4 because I have at least four $1 bills in my wallet. Why would someone agree to $4 and then make change for a $5 bill? Last year, I bargained with a lady to purchase $15 worth of items for $12 because I offered $10 for them and she settled on $12. I agreed because I could pay her in exact bills. I found my collection of smaller bills would disappear quickly during garage sale season so for months, I have been stashing the smaller bills and willingly breaking a $20 just for the change.

Bring my own bags.
As I have written previously, I prefer not to bring home any plastic bags and even refuse bags if I can carry the item in my hands. I keep to this philosophy for garage sales and it benefits both parties. The seller has one less bag he or she has to stash for people who purchase from them and I have fewer stray bits of plastic in my home. Most sellers have been quite happy to put my purchases in the bag I give them and I like the fact that I can carry the bag over my shoulder. In this fashion, I can pick up multiple items without having to juggle them in my hands.

What are your plans for garage sale season?

Shopping with reusable bags

One green living step that is simple but can be challenging to make a habit is shopping with reusable bags. I have been thrilled to see as grocery stores have made reusable bags available, more people have been purchasing and using them. However, many people have good intentions but forget the bags at home so they never get used or reused. Here I discuss some options for reusable bags and how to integrate them with your life.

While it is nice to have a matching set of reusable bags, buying cloth or recycled plastic bags is not a necessity. While I purchased my cotton and hemp bags and really like them, I also have a free bag made of recycled plastic I always keep in my car. This bag was handed out at my favorite farmer's market by a local bank, and I know that free bags can be picked up at tradeshows or as freebies from vendors advertising their business. The easiest reusable bags are to take the plastic or paper bags you have accumulated and use them again. Prior to ordering my reusable cloth bags, this is what I did. The grocery store bagger had no issue with me bringing in my own bags or reusing paper bags from another store.

If you are creative, sew, knit or crochet your own reusable bags. I think this is more creative and more unique than just buying some. One of my friends is knitting her bags using strips of plastic bags. I have lots of fabric so I intend on sewing a few for family members as gift bags. This way you can customize how large or small you want your bags to be.

The best way to make sure you take the bags with you is to keep a few on your person. For example, I keep at least one reusable bag in my car and carry two with me in my over-the-shoulder bag to work. With my once monthly grocery shopping, I keep my main stash of reusable bags in the house and bring them with me for the grocery trip. If you are reusing plastic bags the store gave you, rolling up a couple and stashing it in your purse or jacket pocket will minimize the "I forgot" excuse. I also keep my reusable bags in the front seat of my car to make it easy for me to use them. Hang the bag of bags next to your coat, purse or wallet. Keep the bag or bags by the door so it is easy to grab and carry with you. Most bags fold flat or small enough, it is not a burden to bring them with you.

Learning how to make reusing bags an integral part of your life is not without its challenges. It took me months to get my system in place. While I bought my cotton and hemp bags for grocery shopping, I realized I still stopped by my pharmacy or thrift store where I ended up with another plastic bag. My solution was keeping at least one bag on me and one in my car which helped me keep my vow of nearly eliminating plastic bags from my life. Now the only way I accumulate plastic bags is when someone else gives them to me. I either have a reusable bag to hold my purchases or refuse a bag completely.

Getting my bicycle in gear

Newer readers may not know, but just over a year ago I was on a quest to find a used bicycle. The reasons for this were twofold: 1) reduce the use of my car in my suburban neighborhood and 2) get some exercise. While I was thrilled to finally find a bike in the style I wanted at a modest price, I did incur further expenses for the bicycle. I paid $30 for a new bicycle helmet, $10 for a bicycle rack for my car, 25 cents for a cable with which I could lock my bike and recently, $13 for a folding bike rack to store the bike in my garage. In the scheme of things, paying ~$80 for a bike and accessories is not bad. However, I really only used my bike three times last year and the third time, I lost a gear. Since I only have three gears, this is a problem. Plus my physical condition was less than ideal for going very far on the bicycle.

Well, my bicycle has been sitting in the garage for several months, but I finally took it to the local bike shop. I thought the bicycle I had found was a good deal and the gentleman who looked over it for me confirmed it. He said everything looked good on it, no bent rims, the chain was fine, tires looked good and no issues with brakes or steering. He estimated the tune up damages for the gear shift to be ~$50. I told him the greater adventure was getting the bike rack onto my car, a 15-minute job sorting out direction and straps.

So, in two weeks, I will have my revitalized bike back in my life and no excuse not to use it. Except in rainy weather, worrying about my neighbors staring at me or being too tired to go around the block. One step at a time--a bike in good shape will get me started and eliminate a portion of my excuses. I will give bicycling another shot and see where it gets me. If it does not work out, I can always sell it on craigslist.

How green can you go?

Treading lighter on this singular planet of ours is a personal challenge of mine. While I am doing things that I had never conceived of before (e.g., bringing my own towel to work to dry my hands), I am looking for the next step to take. One of my most problematic areas is petroleum consumption. For me, this is more than just the gasoline in my car and the natural gas heating my home and my water; it includes all the plastic holding and wrapping my food. Learning ways to reduce my consumption is important to me, but this is a difficult thing in our oil-based society. (Challenge: think of one thing not touched by oil or oil-based products. Hint: clothing is not one of them.)

What about if you are just getting started? You would like to live greener, but do not know where to get started. There are many posts out there that give you hints, usually along the lines of:

• Turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth.


• Change your incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescents.


• Wash your laundry in cold water.


• Turn down your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.


• Take showers rather than baths.


• Insulate your water heater and your exterior electrical outlets.

These are easy things, the low-hanging fruit as many people say. However, I am not sure how many people really do these naughty things like let the water run while brushing teeth. This was never advice I had to take because my mom told me run the water only when I needed to wet the toothbrush, rinse the toothbrush and fill the cup to rinse my mouth.

The greatest advice that few people really emphasize is reduce the amount you use. This may be as simple as using a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on your toothbrush rather than the inch suggested by the toothpaste manufacturer or as large as letting your car sit in the garage at least one day a week. If you usually take the car out every day of the week and sometimes multiple times a day to run errands, driving less has a greater effect than changing light bulbs (but CFLs help too).

Generate less garbage by using handkerchiefs, towels and napkins rather than using the disposable paper equivalents. Start composting rather than throwing away food. Think about not only the food but how it is packaged. Buying food with fewer wrappings and boxes means less to throw away or recycle.

Get at your ick factor. I am sure that the "if it's yellow, let it mellow" philosophy would not go down well in some households. Challenge yourself to try it anyway. How about cloth wipes rather than paper? For some people, that is too much, but urine is not dangerous and in fact, makes a great fertilizer. Just use cloth for urine wiping only and see how you like it. If I have offended your sensibilities, purchase toilet paper with the highest post-consumer recycled paper content you can find. Fewer trees will be cut down to wipe your bum.

Go old fashioned. Whether you use a drying rack or a clothesline, hang out your cold-wash-and-rinse laundry. If you mow your lawn, try a reel mower powered by human rather than gasoline or electric engine. I hear it is great exercise and nearly noiseless. Collect rain water and use it to wash your hair (so says my grandmother) or water the new shade trees you planted around the house. Shade is great for keeping the house cool in the summer. Bonus points for planting trees that produce something edible.

Get dirty. Who says you need a lawn? Go native (the naked part is optional) and use plants adapted to the area you are in. Generally, this means lower maintenance and less demand on water. Put in edibles. Be rebellious and put asparagus, beans and rhubarb on your front lawn. Personally, I think okra plants have gorgeous blossoms. Edible does not have to mean ugly. Put in herbs along the sidewalk and people might come from miles around just to walk past your house (and maybe take a sprig or two of basil, oregano and spearmint).

Try a greener item or idea that makes you a bit uncomfortable. You might find you like it. How do you know if you never try it? By extending your reach, you learn what you are capable of accomplishing as well as learning your limits. My colleague may have me beat in petroleum consumption with his constant bicycle usage, but I win in the nondisposable department (go cloth!)

Lest you think I left the frugal part behind--I bet you save money as well. See what trying something new will do for the planet and your bottom line.

Change is in the air and on the ground

Living in the upper Midwest of the United States as I do, winter is a part of life. I may whine and complain, but I do like the change of seasons, the cold and even the snow (as long as I don't have to drive in it or shovel it). This year, I have really been impatient for spring to take over from winter. There have been some days hinting at it, but the true measure are the tulips and crocuses breaking ground around my home. I thought I saw some green in a small raised bed on the south side of my home at the end of February, but last weekend, I took a closer look. Not only were the thin green leaves of crocuses popping up, but the tulips I planted in November 2007 and throughout 2008 were poking up from the ground. I cannot wait to see the plants burst into color and let me know that spring is truly on its way.

Part of my impatience for spring stems from wanting to get out in the garden. I love the smell of freshly turned earth in the early spring, the promise of growing things and the potential that all that gardening space has for growing my own food. My composter is beginning to revive, giving me more space to add to it. I have some tree branches and shrubs to prune and dead vegetation to remove and add to the compost pile. Plus I need to start some seeds so me, my finished compost, collected seedling trays, seed packets and a small, four-shelf greenhouse have an appointment for germination. Hopefully, I can grow my own and not kill them before they are ready for the outdoors.

Furthermore, I am eagerly awaiting my first outdoor clothes drying session of the year. The weather forecast for the weekend calls for 50 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny, great weather to be outside and drying laundry. I will take all the reduction in electricity use I can get. Soon enough, my dehumidifiers and central air conditioning will be increasing my kilowatt hours.

Are you eagerly awaiting the change in seasons?

Teaching an old toilet new tricks

Each time I read or learn more about sustainability, I understand how everything is connected. I am conscious of my water usage--shutting off water in the shower as I soap or shampoo up, flush fewer times (if it's yellow, let it mellow) and use water caught in buckets to flush my toilet. However, I did not think about how that water go to me.

I recently attended a presentation by a local community group involved with sustainability in my county. The focus was on water conservation, specifically discussing rain barrels, but other issues dealing with water usage was introduced during the talk. One of the points the speaker made was how much energy it takes to get the water to the tap. He used the example of carrying water in a five-gallon bucket. "It's heavy and takes some effort to haul," he noted. Then he stunned the audience with this fact: the water utility consumes more electricity than any other municipal department, even more than the streets department that leaves streetlights on all night. This concept just floored me.

Here I thought my efforts at conserving water only did that: conserve water. Turns out like the rest of our society, water is dependent on energy, which means oil, coal and natural gas. By reducing my demand on the water utility, I was reducing my use of energy as well.

Furthermore, I learned about other programs this community group was involved with aside from rain barrels. I was familiar with their water conservation kit (e.g., low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators), but they have a new program where a person can retrofit his or her toilet to be a dual-flush: less water used for liquid waste versus solid waste (see example here). While I practice my own flush conservation, this would be another step to take to keep water usage low. For a modest investment (~$60), I can have my toilet operating more efficiently--assuming the do-it-yourself method really is as easy as the presenter claimed. If DIY is not an option, I can request someone install the retrofit for an additional $70. Either option is cheaper and less wasteful than purchasing a new dual-flush toilet (~$300-$600).

I am seriously considering this dual-flush retrofit of my toilet. Compared to other users, I doubt that I will conserve as much water. However, if I acquire a roommate, a dual-flush toilet is likely to get him or her to comply with using less water than my current method of flushing only for solid waste. And family dinners may not require as much water to flush toilets as well--if the kids decide to only flush one time. Since February is my no-spending month, I have some time to think if I want to retrofit my toilet or not.