Green Tips of the Week

Draft snakes are a cheap and easy way to reduce drafts from windows and doors and save on your heating bill

2/2/2023

Drafts that enter your house through gaps under doors and windows result in higher energy bills. According to the EPA, “Air leakage accounts for 25 percent to 40 percent of the energy used for heating and cooling and also reduces the effectiveness of other energy-efficiency measures such as increased insulation and high-performance windows.” A quick and easy way to cut down on drafts is to install draft snakes (also called draft dodgers or draft stoppers). There are a variety of types and styles; familyhandyman.com lists a range to choose from. You can also make them yourself out of old clothes, socks, towels, or colorful fabrics and fill them with readily available materials such as rice, dried beans, sand, or wool.

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Give your Valentine a succulent plant rather than cut flowers

1/27/2023

Consider a gift of succulents for Valentine’s Day—they are lower in cost than cut flowers, available in gift boxes, and may be planted in soil up to two weeks after purchase. If shipped, they don’t require refrigeration.

An eye-popping succulent arrangement makes a beautiful gift for Valentine’s Day or other special occasion. Succulents are a popular indoor trend offering endless variations for relatively modest costs and can be purchased at local nurseries or online. They can provide temporary beauty or be planted for long life.

Read more here:

--https://www.treehugger.com/unique-green-alternatives-cut-flowers-4857107?hid=5cca5cc09cf857f7c3ce2406e7447b3b9236437e&did=884127-20221214&utm_campaign=treehugger-daily_newsletter&utm_source=treehugger&utm_medium=email&utm_content=121422&cid=884127&mid=104390502275&lctg=120446448

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Rain boots made with natural rather than synthetic rubber are more resistant to cracking, plastic-free, and recyclable

1/20/2023

A good pair of rain boots is essential for any closet. Many are made from synthetic rubber, which more easily cracks than natural rubber, which comes from trees.

Read more here:

--https://www.treehugger.com/best-eco-friendly-rain-boots-5180293?hid=5cca5cc09cf857f7c3ce2406e7447b3b9236437e&did=865080-20221101&utm_campaign=treehugger-daily_newsletter&utm_source=treehugger&utm_medium=email&utm_content=110122&cid=865080&mid=100885240924

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Walking is climate action

1/13/2023

Increasing the number of local trips we take on foot can greatly contribute to better air quality, less noise pollution, and other long-term benefits for our communities.

Read more here:

--https://www.best.bc.ca/storiesandnews/the-environmental-benefits-of-walking-3-reasons-to-walk-more

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Use clothes longer and reduce purchases of new clothes

1/6/2023

Reducing purchases of new clothes is the single most effective way to reduce fashion's carbon footprint, leading to reductions more than four times greater than the next best solution, which is increasing use time of clothes.

A new report from the Hot or Cool Institute, titled "Unfit, Unfair, Unfashionable: Resizing Fashion for a Fair Consumption Space," analyzes the fashion situation in G20 countries. The report emphasizes practical solutions, starting with the single most effective one: reducing purchases of new clothes.

Read more here:

--https://www.rapidtransition.org/resources/report-unfit-unfair-unfashionable/

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Some electronics still draw power when off: plug them into power strips to turn them off completely when not in use

12/23/2022

A variety of electronics and small household appliances continue to use electricity even when they are turned off. Collectively, these “energy vampires” add to your electric bill. The Department of Energy suggests that “an appliance constantly taking in 1 watt of electrical current is equivalent to 9kWh per year, adding up to $1 in annual costs (basically $1/watt/annual). Considering how many appliances are used in an average household, costs can quickly add up to $100-200 a year.”*

Unplugging electronics when they are not in use reduces this drain. To make the off-switch more convenient, plug electronics into power strips that are easily turned off as needed. Place a power strip by your entertainment center to plug in TVs, DVD players, and game consoles. In the bathroom, use a power strip for electric razors, curling irons, and hair dryers. The drain from kitchen appliances can be reduced by plugging toasters and toaster ovens, coffee makers and grinders, microwave ovens, and kitchen TVs into a power strip and turning it off when not in use.

*Scott Minos. October 31, 2022. “How to Stop Energy Vampires from Attacking Your Home.” https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/articles/how-stop-energy-vampires-attacking-your-home

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Recycle electronics to save resources and keep toxins out of the waste stream

12/16/2022

Recycling old electronics allows for reuse of their component parts for new devices. Reusing these materials reduces the metals and toxins that would otherwise end up in the waste stream and reduces the energy input for manufacturing new plastic and glass. Citing a 2006, U.S. Geological Survey publication, the EPA reports that:

Recycling one million laptops saves the energy equivalent to the electricity used by more than 3,500 U.S. homes in a year.
For every million cell phones we recycle, 35 thousand pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold and 33 pounds of palladium can be recovered.*

If your unwanted electronic device is still functional, consider donating it so it can be reused. Computers may be given new life with a hardware upgrade instead of complete replacement. Best Buy accepts many electronic devices for recycling and offers gift cards to trade-in qualifying devices. Retriever.com will pick up electronics from your doorstep for recycling. Keep an eye out for periodic recycling events in the area. E Force Recycling posts a list of their events on their web page. Check out the aFewSteps Recycling page and search our recycling list for how to handle specific items.

*”Electronics Donation and Recycling.” Last updated on August 23, 2022. https://www.epa.gov/recycle/electronics-donation-and-recycling

Save time and resources by wrapping gifts in reusable cloth bags

12/9/2022

Making your own reusable cloth gift bags is super easy. With a sewing machine and fabric scraps or ends bought on-sale at a fabric store gives you all the material you need to have a fun variety of patterns and sizes for your bags. Once the bags are made, wrapping takes mere seconds: simply drop the gift into the bag and tie with a ribbon. This eliminates all expense and waste from paper and tape. You can even make the bag part of the gift!

To make your own cloth bag, cut two pieces of fabric ½ larger all around than the desired final size. Hem the top edge of both pieces. Line up the two pieces of fabric with right sides facing each other. Sew around the three unhemmed edges and turn right-side out. To include a tie, cut another piece of fabric or a strip of ribbon about 2 feet long. Before sewing the sides of the bag, fold the tie in half and place the folded edge between the two halves of the bag along one edge and about 1 inch down from the hemmed edge. Sew the three sides of the bag as before.

Wrapping gifts in attractive, reusable pieces of cloth, known as furoshiki, is a centuries-old tradition in Japan. Furoshiki are versatile, because they can be used to wrap gifts of varying shapes and sizes. Bandanas, scarves or cloth napkins can serve as ready-made furoshiki, but you can also make your own wrapping cloths out of your favorite fabrics – even larger scraps. Learn more about this technique here.

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Insulate your electric water heater tank to save on home energy costs

12/2/2022

Water heaters, particularly older, electric heaters, lose heat to the surrounding air. Installing an insulating jacket around the heater is an easy and inexpensive way to reduce heat loss, saving energy and money. You can confirm if insulation would be beneficial by checking to see if your heater is warm to the touch. According to Energy.gov, “water heater insulation could reduce standby heat losses by 25%–45% and save you about 7%–16% in water heating costs—and should pay for itself in about a year. You can find pre-cut jackets or blankets available from around $20.”* PECO estimates that you can save up to $35 per year. The Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy offers step by step instructions for installation on their web page.

*”Do-It-Yourself Savings Project: Insulate Water Heater Tank.” Retrieved November 27, 2022. Energy.gov
Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Time children spend in blue spaces, not just green, effects their well-being

11/25/2022

Hours spent in and around “blue spaces”(coasts, rivers, lakes, etc.) —not just green spaces—have a profound effect on children’s well-being that continues into adulthood, according to a 2022 study in the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

These findings matter more than ever in the digital era. In addition, ongoing exposure to nature—and the inevitable attachment that will form—is crucial for raising future defenders of the natural world.

Read more here:

--https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494422001219?via%3Dihub

Photo by Susan O'Donnell, Talapus Lake, WA

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