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To recycle plastic bags, drop them off in the recycling boxes at grocery stores or Target

7/30/2020

With the Covid-19 pandemic has come a surge in use of single-use plastic bags. Grocery deliveries may leave you swimming in bags, and some stores don’t allow customers to use bags brought from home. If you are unable to avoid collecting lots of plastic bags, be sure to recycle them. Most grocery stores have a bin to collect clean, dry plastic bags for recycling. When you feel safe enough to return to in-person shopping, take advantage of this recycling opportunity and drop off your collection of plastic bags.

When shopping at a store that does not allow bags from home, try these alternatives:

Don’t use a bag: especially if you have only a few items, carry them out with no bag.
Bag up outside the store: put your purchased items back into your cart, and once outside, pack them into your own bags.
Load your unbagged, purchased items directly from you cart into your car.

Remember that plastic bags cannot be recycled curbside (see this green tip for more information).

photo by Susan O'Donnell

The safety of talcum powder has come into question by medical professionals but there are safe alternatives, including baking soda, cornstarch, and some commercial products

7/24/2020

Talcum powder has recently been linked to an increased risk of cancer. An article on www.drugwatch.com lists a number of alternatives either that you can make yourself or are commercially available.

Cornstarch and baking soda are easily found in the grocery store and make good substitutes. They also recommend tapioca starch, arrowroot powder, Kaolin clay, rice starch, and oat flour. See the complete list in this article:

Michelle Llamas, March 30, 2021. 7 Alternatives to Talcum Powder that Don't Cause Cancer. https://www.drugwatch.com/news/2018/06/25/7-alternatives-to-talcum-powder-that-dont-cause-cancer/

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Turn off water while soaping

7/16/2020

The latest recommendation is to spend at least 20 seconds scrubbing when you wash your hands. Greenmatters.com author Carly Sitzer points out that a lot of clean water rushes down the drain during those 20 seconds. She reports that "on average, leaving the water running for the full 20 seconds while scrubbing, you may be wasting about a quarter of a gallon (0.2 - 0.3 gallons on average) each time you wash your hands."* Multiply that times the 10 or so times per day that you wash your hands, and that adds up to a lot of water. To reduce water waste, turn off the faucet while you are scrubbing your hands. She also suggests installing a water aerator on faucets with a high flow rate, such as in the kitchen.

*Carly Sitzer, April 1, 2020. Shutting Off the Faucet While Washing Your Hands Could Save Gallons of Water Daily. https://www.greenmatters.com/p/water-conservation-hand-washing

Photos by Susan O'Donnell

Use a targeted instead of broad spray to kill lanternflies

7/10/2020

Be aware that spraying pesticides to control lanternflies and mosquitoes will also kill beneficial insects. Instead, use a targeted spray to kill spotted lanternflies using a 1:1 mixture of dish soap and water or spray undiluted vinegar.

Bugwiz.com* provides recipes for several easily made sprays to target spotted lanternflies. They suggest mixing 1 cup of dish soap with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle. The soap can be rinsed off the plants later with a hose. Undiluted white vinegar works well too.

*Anthony Soon, August 25, 2019, "How to Get Rid of Lanternflies Naturally (Ultimate Tutorial)," https://bugwiz.com/get-rid-of-lanternflies/

To recycle plastic bags, drop them off in the recycling boxes at grocery stores or Target

The safety of talcum powder has come into question by medical professionals but there are safe alternatives, including baking soda, cornstarch, and some commercial products

Turn off water while soaping

Use a targeted instead of broad spray to kill lanternflies

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