Mom Goes Green

Usually I’m here offering suggestions and solutions.  Today, I’m just looking for answers.

First, the backstory:  We are, without doubt, a water conserving family.  We have water efficient appliances, have taught our kids to conserve and have put all of the best water saving tips in place.  Our usual water bill runs between $45-$65 per quarter.  The accompanying sewer usage fee costs us a fairly equal rate per quarter, so for this time of year, I was expecting a bill of just under a hundred dollars.

The bill arrived. (Hold onto your hats:) $260!!!  Did I choke?  Yes… I did.  (And I also swore profusely!)

After 57 minutes(!) of waiting for a City of Cleveland Division of Water customer service representative they put my bill “on hold” and schedule a service appointment.

Yesterday the tech arrived, ran all the tests, said everything was in working order  – no leaks, no problems detected -  and that he would report his findings to the office.  I was advised to call tomorrow for a “decision”.  What EXACTLY does THAT mean?… a “decision”?

The interesting thing is that the tech also assessed our previous 16 months of bills and commented “Wow, your family really IS efficient!” According to him, a family of four typically uses just over 3 MCF units per quarter (this is the measurement of usage in cubic feet per thousand).  He also says, when they are teenagers, it normally raises to 4!  We have been consistently at, or just below, 2… yes, 2!

So what gives? Honest answer… I have no idea.  And what are we supposed to do?  The curious thing… my mother-in-law’s last quarter bill?  $500+!  This quarter?  $1200!  WHAT is going on with the Cleveland Division of Water?  How do you battle what they claim is true when you simply know it cannot be?

Has this ever happened to you?  What is the solution?  Because this time, I have absolutely NO ANSWERS…

Today I’m going to keep it nice and simple…

If you want to “buy” greener, just “concentrate”… buy concentrated formulas of anything and everything, that is.  It helps to eliminate a lot of packaging waste, even if it happens to be recyclable.  As much as I hate math… it’s simple math.  Less volume = less packaging.

Another tip is to buy in bulk.  Sure, you’re buying a bigger package, but it’s still less packaging than what is needed for multiple smaller sized packages versus the one larger size!

Final tip… avoid excess packaging.  Over-wrapping and over-packaging results in excess waste, recyclable or not.

So “concentrate”, “go big” and “keep it as skimpy as possible”… wow, this post has gone someplace else entirely…

Mother Nature has been furious lately. It’s been cold, blustery, snowy and frightful all around the country.  Even southern states canceled school because of a quarter inch of the white stuff!

The downside (aside from the obvious) is that it’s giving all global-warming/climate change naysayers fuel and ammo for saying that “it” doesn’t exist.  I will leave that portion of the conversation out of this post and it will have to suffice to say that climate change creates the EXTREMES!… whether it be sweltering or freezing, blizzards or severe drought… THAT is the effect it creates.

Anyhow, it’s also fairly likely that furnaces are being cranked up all around the country as well. That in turn means extra energy consumption which snowballs into a lot of extra pollution too.

So, keep these tips in mind for keeping warm… while staying green:

• Actually USE storm windows – make the time to install that extra layer of glass and it’s like you have triple panes. It can increase energy efficiency by up to 45%!
• Adjust the thermostat – just one degree lower in the winter can save 3% on your usage.  That adds up!
• Arrange furniture away from heating ducts and exterior walls – it allows for better circulation of heat.
• Check out tax credits to help fund needed improvements.  See what’s available here.
• Close the damper on your fireplace – leaving it open is equivalent to leaving a 48 inch window wide open in your home all winter long!  This can amount to hundreds of dollars in heat loss in a season.  Also consider glass doors on your fireplace as opposed to screens.
• Cover floors – hardwood and ceramic look fantastic but they actually cool a room.  Add area rugs, even if only temporarily.
• Do the “feel test” – feel around windows and doors.  If you feel the cold coming in, the heat is also going out.  Buy some weather stripping and put a rolled towel at the bottom of drafty doors.
• Give your furnace a “check-up” – just like anything else, they sometimes need a little fine-tuning to run most efficiently.
• Give ventilation fans some time off – a kitchen or bathroom vent fan can expel enough warm air to fill a whole house in only ONE hour!
• Heat only the rooms you use – shut the door, close and seal the vent and stop heating vacant rooms.
• Insulate, insulate, insulate – if you can afford one improvement, add insulation.  The heat that escapes due to lacking or improperly installed insulation is outrageous! (This one qualifies for tax credits too!)
• Open blinds and curtains in the daytime and close them at night – the sunlight can help warm our home and covering windows in the evening can help insulate them.
• Properly seal ducts – statistics say that up to 30% of heat can be lost through improperly sealed duct work!
• Replace your air filter and clean vents and ducts – too much build-up prevents the heat from even reaching your rooms.
• Reverse ceiling fans – heat rises, so run them on low in reverse and bring the warm air that rises back down to where it’s needed.
• Turn down the thermostat when you’re away from home for an extended period or during overnight hours – if you have a programmable thermostat, put it to work.

So “fight the freezies” and “battle the brrrr”, but just make sure to “check the checklist” to keep it green. And if all else fails to keep you toasty enough, grab your favorite sweater and snuggle up! (A bottle of nice organic wine does wonders too!)

The next few weeks will be high time for parties! (I love parties! And I mean for any and all occasions!)

And of course, who DOESN’T love a party!?! BUT, they can also become occasions for an abundance of waste and trash making.  Whether you already have a party planned, are helping to host a party or might just throw together an impromptu soiree(!)… here, once again this year, is my standard list for keeping it turned toward the green end of the dial:

• Try evites or create your own electronic invitations instead of mailing the paper store-bought version.  Sure, you might have a few guests who aren’t email users, but where you can minimize… minimize! (Be careful if you mention your party on Facebook… your guests list may grow exponentially!) For guests requiring mailed invitations consider using last year’s holiday cards and turn the front of the card into a postcard.
• Decorate using live plants and maybe even give them to guests at the end of the night.  Toss pine cones or evergreen clippings from your yard (or your neighbors!) into a bunch of beautiful bowls or vases you already own.
• Turn off an excess of lights.  Blaze up the soy candles. It creates great ambiance too!
• Turn down the thermostat. Bodies = heat, so set it to the cooler side!
• Use your real plates, serveware and glassware. Or, if you don’t have enough, consider buying biodegradable and/or compostable tableware.  Eco Products offers a variety of tableware made from corn, sugarcane and paper.  Or check out Verterra for tableware with some real character – made of leaves!  Orrrr, if it’s in your budget, rent real tableware and utensils… not in my budget, but maybe someday!
• Hit a dollar store for linens.  (I bought four-packs of cloth napkins for a dollar last year!)  Skip the poinsettia print.  Pick flat colors so they can be used for many other occasions.
• Consider local beers and wines (if you have local choices) or locate organic choices… not always easy to find, but they are certainly out there!
• Buy organic fruits, veggies and meat-products.  I know that is an expensive proposition, but as many as you can afford is better than none at all (consider the “dirty dozen” and the “clean 15″ if you need help in making the choices too!).
• Set up a receptacle for recycling. Clearly mark it and ask everyone to jump on board.
• If you feel comfortable with the group of guests, ask them to remove their shoes.  Shoes track in some really nasty and unhealthy things, believe me! (Read more here).
• Set up a numbering system where only “every fourth guest” who uses the bathroom flushes.  Haahaa!  Obviously, this one is a joke!  I’m not that crazy!

But sincerely, just do your best! Many of the choices aren’t expensive and can actually be less expensive in the long run when you weigh all of the factors.  And if your prep and set-up has all of the best choices in place, you will be able to “eat, drink and be merry”… and content that your party is a little greener.

And seriously… for the second time!… STOP considering that numbering system… it was a joke…(yea, kinda gross!)

I do NOT buy Ziploc baggies… ever. Okay, one exception:  when I had to buy them to complete our daughter’s list of “required” school supplies.  I wanted to wear dark glasses and a hood because I felt like I was going to be detained and questioned by the “Green Police” at any moment for abandoning my pledge to headquarters!

But I am currently also annoyed by “The Biggest Loser” and the way they keep pimping Ziplocs.  I understand product placements and the sponsorship, but it’s as if you can’t have food without them!  The incessant use of Ziplocs is unnecessary.

There ARE alternatives to Ziplocs and the non-biodegradable trash they create:

• Reusable containers are a green mom’s best friend.  Invest in some!
• For those concerned about the plastic, glass bowls with lids or stainless steel containers do wonders.  They come in all shapes and sizes!
• Aluminum foil is recyclable and is great for wrapping tons of food items.  Buy a roll!
• Salvage some glass jars and turn them into storage.  Reuse those plastic containers from yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. and do the same.
• If you must, must, must use baggies, consider the new Ziploc evolve products.  They are made from a new resin blend using 25% less plastic, manufactured using approximately 50% renewable wind energy and packaged in a 100% recycled paperboard carton, with a minimum of 35% post-consumer content.  A step in the right direction, but if you must use them, wash and REuse them!

(I personally think that the new Ziploc evolve baggies are just a way to suck “greenies” like us back to their storage bags but like I said… “if you MUST…”…)

Bottom line is: there are better ways!  Try it… and let’s “bag the baggie!”

Not long ago I wrote a post about whether or not pizza boxes can be recycled.  I quickly realized that this is only scratching the surface of a topic that often leaves us scratching our heads.

So while we all likely understand the fundamentals of a paper recycling, there is also some uncertainty about the details.  Here are a few things you (may not, but) SHOULD know!

• DO NOT let the paper get wet.  Since recyclers purchase paper by weight, the entire lot may get rejected if they see wet paper.  Check your weather before it goes to the curb unless you are certain the rain won’t get in!
• No food! Dirty paper plates, napkins, paper towels, etc. are, unfortunately, trash… or should go to compost.  But please, not in the recycle bin – they will quickly cross contaminate the other contents.
• Do not worry about little things like small paper clips, plastic envelope windows, staples, labels, metal envelope latches or even notebook spirals.  Unlike food matter, they separate easily in processing and can be removed from the batch.
• Watch the adhesives! Heavily glued (sticky) items can ruin batches of recycled paper.  Don’t toss in those “complimentary” address labels and other stickers.  Post-It Notes are fine but if an envelope has a heavy self-stick flap, tear it off first.
• Allow tape in moderation. Some tape here and there won’t hurt, but if a box is wrapped in yards of shipping tape, remove it as best you can.  Paper tape is A-OK!
• Don’t shred paper unless you must – most recyclers don’t like accepting shredded paper because it’s a challenge to sort.  If you are a “shredder”, contain it in a paper bag first (or it can be composed!).
• Skip the heavy-dye, saturated papers with deep, dark colors or fluorescents.  It’s difficult to bleach them back to a usable form.
• No plastic or wax coated papers (like paper cups), but glossy papers (like magazines) are acceptable.
• Consider dropping your paper at a local paper retriever site (at schools, churches or other non-profits…like this service in my area). You can be assured that your paper is being recycled AND it can benefit an organization by helping them earn money.

Remember, the EPA estimates that 40% of solid waste in the U.S. is paper products… shameful!  But paper can actually be recycled up to seven times, and it is easier and cheaper to make pulp from recycled fibers than from wood… awesome!  And one more tidbit to share:

Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees… and those 17 saved trees can absorb a total of 250 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air each year!

I hope you never look at paper the same way again… paper recycling rules!

As summer seems to be dwindling away, it’s time to put vacations and free time into the memory books.  Sad as it may be, it’s time to get back to business and and start thinking schooltime for the kids.  (Boo, hiss… this means Mom Goes Green will need to get back to plenty of “homework assistance” too!)

One thing I don’t need to brush-up on, however, is how to send our daughter to school and keep her as waste-free as possible.  I’ve talked about all the best ways to keep 67 pounds of trash out of landfills when I send her off with lunch… ideas like a lunchbox, reusable bottles, thermoses and silverware, cloth napkins and plenty of reusable containers.

She is already equipped and ready to go with her “Waste-Free Lunch Kit” from Kids Konserve.  It includes a recycled cotton lunch bag, a stainless steel bottle, two stainless steel food containers, a food cozy (for wrapping foods) and a cloth napkin!

… and it just so happens, I have one to share! Are you interested?  To enter this contest, just leave a comment and tell me who you’d love to win this kit for… (maybe even yourself)! You can also send a Twitter message that includes a reply to @momgoesgreen and a link to this blog or write about this giveaway and link back.

A random winner will be selected one week from today’s post (US residents only, please… sorry!… and as a side note, the kit is exactly like the one pictured in the photo, so it does include lots of pink butterflies!).

So don’t sweat the “litter” stuff, just enter to win! Good luck!

Even the greatest of moms have to occasionally rely on a drive-thru or carry-out to fill the dinner menu! While the nutritional content of the food already has us feeling guilty, a green mom often cringes at the waste and excess that accompanies the food.

Who hasn’t received an order that crushes all of our environmental rules?!

Here are a few simple ways to put at least some of the guilt at bay:

• First, park the car! Truly… idling creates more emissions than actually driving your car! And contrary to belief, stopping and restarting your car does not burn more fuel.
• Skip the plastic utensils and napkins. If your order is going home with you, tell them you don’t need these items (that may only get thrown away).
• Take only what you need/want. Avoid that 16-year old’s full grip on 12 packets of ketchup! Tell them exactly what and how many of the condiments you need instead of accepting those you don’t.
• Say no to beverage holders. If you can manage it, use your car’s cup holders for beverages instead of taking a holder… but if you do take it, recycle it!
• Use your own cup. If your order will include coffee, hand over your travel mug and ask them to use it.
• Take your own bag in with you. Forgo that enormous, rustley, non-recyclable plastic bag that holds your carry-out order and tell them you’ll put your order in your own bag instead.

While these ideas might help satisfy your green side, I can’t guarantee that you won’t feel slow, sluggish or that overall sense of “ick” after your order gets consumed!

I’ve always been a huge advocate of recycling.  It’s one of those practices that I honestly find inexcusable when most communities make it fairly simple to participate at home… not all, but most.

It’s not always as easy when we’re away from home but, 100% of the time, if a recycling option isn’t made available to me, my recycling comes home with me (as proven by last year’s vacation to Myrtle Beach!).  I feel even more committed (and sure that I made the right decision) after I see images like these to put it all into perspective.

If it doesn’t feel like a critical issue, just consider the numbers:

• TWO MILLION – the number of plastic beverage bottles used in the US every 5 minutes.
• 1.14 MILLION – the number of brown paper supermarket bags used in the US every hour.
• 15 MILLION – the number of sheets of office paper used in the US every 5 minutes.
• 106,000 – the number of aluminum cans used in the US every 30 seconds.

It’s shocking to think that, if we DON’T recycle, they all become landfill. What a waste… literally.

Sometimes it’s good to get back to the fundamentals… recycling is certainly fundamental when it comes to “being green”, but its importance is immense.  This month consider helping a non-recycler “get started on the road to recycle-ville” or get a recycling program set-up at work. Every little bit makes a difference.

Take a look.  It’s simple math… the numbers sure add up!

Over the past six days, while I have been spending an unfortunate amount of time at the hospital visiting my stepdad, I have also noticed an extraordinary amount of waste in every practice and every function.

It’s been mind-boggling (albeit nice and distracting too, to occasionally think about something else) but everything from all of the paper and disposable/single-use supplies, to unused but illuminated rooms, to plugged-in equipment with ’no one attached’, to the cafeteria (a haven for Styrofoam) all adds up.  While some of the waste is hazardous and toxic, I was surprised to discover that 85% of the waste that exits hospitals is actually non-infectious waste.  Now, there’s room for improvement …

U.S. Hospitals generate more than 2 million tons of solid waste per year… that’s 15 pounds of waste per patient every day. But I was also surprised to learn that 53% of the waste is actually paper!… now there’s an opportunity!  Additional percentages (between 15-17% each) exist for food and plastics.  Sounds like every hospital needs a big compost pile and a massive recycle bin! If the cafeterias alone would stop stocking Styrofoam and go back to reusable serveware and utensils, that savings alone would be amazing.

I’m sure the other issues are a lot more complicated than I’m making them and someone will take a shot at me for not knowing what I’m talking about, but that’s okay.  Educate me.  Because the way I look at it, there are approximately 6,000 hospitals in the alone and that a whoooole lotta trash…

There aren’t simple ways to select green hospitals (and often, in emergencies, you don’t really care), but if you’re in the healthcare industry, there are so many ways you can begin helping to create greener changes and that will hopefully come soon.

For now, dad’s getting quality care and I’m absolutely at peace with letting them create his 15 pounds per day.