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Compost
Composition
It doesn't take much to make
your own mulch and fertilizer and save money, too!
What it is: Simply put, compost
is decaying organic material (plants, animals). It's nature's
fertilizer!
"Green" benefits: Compost is great
for flower beds and the garden Compost is recycling materials
that could otherwise end up in yard-waste recycle bags and
landfills.
Ways to do it: Compost piles, compost bins,
compost containers. Compost
piles are simply organic
"garbage dumps." Compost
bins are open structures often made from
wood, chicken wire, and/or recycled plastic. Compost
containers are closed composters, usually
box shaped or rotating drums.
Pros and cons: Compost
piles area
easiest to make but can be an eyesore (and not to mention
the nose!). Compost bins
easily collect rain water and are easy to add items but can
attract rats, raccoons, bears, bees, flies and can also be
an eyesore (and nose-sore!) Compost
containers rarely attract pests and are
generally inoffensive in appearance but usually require you
to add water and are more difficult to add items. Rotating
drums are easier to mix and unload, while upright containers
may be more difficult to mix and unload.
Before you begin: Don't just start throwing
garbage in a heap somewhere! — Do a Web search for "How
to compost" (or ask your local home center) to find out
what's best for you and all the steps and tools you'll need
to do it right! |
Things
To Recycle
Here are some items you might
not think to recycle each time you're done with them:
¤TV-dinner boxes. Break down,
flatten, and toss the box into your paper recycle bin as soon
as you open it!
¤TV-dinner "plates." Toss the plastic
dinner containers in the dishwasher and then the plastic/glass
recycle bin when clean and dry.
¤Nuts cans. Clean out and then toss those
round cardboard & aluminum nuts containers into the cans
bin. (If you're really into recycling, separate the cardboard
part first and put it in the paper bin!)
¤Aluminum foil. Make sure it's clean! (No
baked on food bits) Then wad it up and toss it into the cans
bin.
¤Wrapping paper. No specialty papers, no
glitter, etc., and remove tape and bows! Press flat and put
in the paper bin.
¤Soap, shampoo, detergent bottles. Check
for a triangled recycle number on the bottoms first; then
rinse thoroughly and toss into the plastics/glass bin.
¤Product boxes. Separate any plastic from
the cardboard and toss the cardboard pieces into the paper
bin!
¤Pour spouts. Take the metal pour spouts
off salt and dishwasher detergent boxes and toss in the cans
bin. (Then break down and clean the boxes for the paper bin!).
¤Coffee grounds. Coffee grounds should not
be wasting space in your garbage bags and later in landfills.
See "Ground
Those Grounds!" in our Recycle section.
Note:You may want to check with
your local recycle-management provider to see whether it accepts
all these items. |
They
Make What from What?!?
Things you didn't know could be made from things
you didn't know could be recycled to make them!—
>Carpet
from plastic bottles: PET designer-quality
carpets and carpet tiles are actually made
from plastic bottles. PET, Polyethylene Terephthalate.
>Floors
from bamboo: No not Exploration Station's
mascot Bamboo, bamboo flooring is generally made by laminating
strips of bamboo into solid blocks and then milling them
into standard floorboards; strand-woven bamboo is made of
compressed it much more dense. Bamboo is a fast-growing,
self-replenishing very "green" product.
>Counter tops from
waste paper and broken glass: Reliable,
durable countertops are now being made from waste products
such as recycled glass and paper.
>Cabinets from wheat:
Cabinets are being made from wheat/straw particle board.
Straw- based particle board is far more resistant to moisture
than regular particle board and is made with a formaldehyde-free
binder, greatly improving indoor air quality.
>Clipboards from juice
cartons. Well, that one's more-or-less self-explanatory!
The manufacturer says they're " stylish, recycled,
strong, durable, unusual" and "your clients’
won’t forget your commitment to environmental sustainability."
Who would have thought it? — Green sells!
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And
so can you!
Green Tips for You for Home,
Work, and Play!
As part of BTPD's "Going Green" program, we'll
be offering you green tips you can use at home, at work, on vacation,
just about everywhere! These pages will be a work in progress, so keep
coming back for more ideas! Or send us your suggestion(s) to nicole@btpd.org
with the subject of 'Green Tips Suggestions!' We'll see if we can use
them on this page!
Water
Conservation
If your water supplier gets its
water from the seemingly ever-flooding Kankakee River, you may
not think much about conserving water; but, if your water comes
from a private or municipal well, remember: wells do dry up over
time! And if nothing else, think of the money you'll save by using
less water each month!
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Install "Low-Flow" Faucets
These faucets force air through the water, so the pressure
is the same or greater than what you're used to, but
less water is used in the process. Low-flow showerheads
can give a 35% water savings over traditional showers;
low-flow faucets, up to a 45% water savings! Or you
may just be able to replace the faucet aerator! Ask
at your plumbing supplies store. |
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Fix Dripping Faucets and Toilets
A dripping faucet or constantly "running"
toilet can waste up to 3 gallons or more of water a
day, a total of 1,095 gallons a year! Compare the cost
of that much water to the cost of replacing a simple
washer or tank float! Your helpful hardware person can
tell you what you need and how to do it if you don't
already know what to do. |
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Waiting for Hot Water
If you have to leave the water running for a period
of time for the hot water to get there, turn it all
the way to hot rather than warm. That will flush the
cooled water out of the hot-water pipe faster and not
waste all the water coming out of the cold-water pipe
at the same time! |
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Install a "Dual Flush" Toilet
Dual flush toilets save water by letting the user decide
how much water is needed, usually pushing button 1 for
liquid waste and 2 (more water used) for solid. If you
have kids (or ever were one yourself!), you'll understand
the significance of the number choice! Making the right
choice (in numbers, as well as toilets) can save an
average household around 2,000 gallons of water (and
what it costs!) a year! |
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Turn Off That Faucet!
Turn off the faucet while you're brushing your teeth,
and teach your kids to do it, too. Turning the water
off while brushing saves up to 3 to 4 gallons of water!
Give your kids this math problem: multiply 3 or 4 gallons
times the number of people in your household and the
number of times they brush daily — and then times
365 days per year!! Maybe they'll turn the water off
then!
When you shower, do you step out of the spray to suds
up and scrub? — Turn off the water during this
time, turning it back on only to rinse off! And don't
leave it running before showering for a steam-room effect,
either! That wastes not only water but paint off the
walls!! |
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Energy
Conservation
Even if you're not that into "being green," conserving
on your gas and electric bills and gasoline purchases is worth
following some of these energy-conservation tips!—
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Turn Off Unused Lights!
We all remember our fathers complaining about all the
lights on all over the house...and maybe we're doing
it to our kids now! But something as simple as flipping
off the light switch as you leave the room can save
plenty of electricity (and $$) over a year's time. |
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Look for the Energy Star Logo
When buying anything from dishwashers to TVs, toasters
to computers and monitors, look for the Energy Star
Logo. This logo guarantees that your new appliance or
electronics is not only cool but cool with energy use,
too! |
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Park and Walk
Take that empty space far from the store entrance but
next to the carts return. Save gasoline, get some exercise
— and have a shorter walk to put away the cart! |
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Install a Tankless Water Heater?
If you have a standard tank water heater, you're wasting
money keeping that huge tank of water hot when no one's
using the water! A new tankless water heater heats the
water only when you need it and can save up to 60% of
your water-heating expense, up to 20% or more of your
energy expenditures. Also, it doesn't’t require
a pilot light, so it emits less carbon dioxide, improves
indoor air quality, and saves even more gas. You may
even be able to get a tax credit for switching to this
energy-saving device.
But do your homework: It will take 10 to 20
seconds longer to get hot water to the faucet (wasting
water); a minimum flow rate is required to turn on the
heater, so letting the water just trickle won't turn
it— and some dishwashers and washing machines won't
produce enough flow to turn it on, either! Ask about
these issues before you buy! |
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Air
and Allergen Pollution Reduction
Here are some things you can do to reduce air pollution and toxins
inside and outside your home:
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Trade in the Power Mower!
According to the EPA, power mowers, along with other
garden-equipment engines, produce up to 5% of the nation's
air pollution — and a lot more in metropolitan
areas!
Consider trading your gasoline-powered push or tractor
mower for an old-fashioned push-powered mower! (Yes,
twenty-somethings, they are old fashioned,
not some new "green" invention!) |
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Make Your Own All-purpose Cleaners
White vinegar and water is all you need to make your
own all-purpose cleaners. For floors, add one cup of
vinegar to a gallon of water; it's safe for the environment
(no toxic fumes; ok to dump), children, and pets.
It can even be used in I-Robot's Scooba (see manual
for proportions). Try adding a bit of lemon juice when
using on windows, counters, etc.; just pour your blend
into a clean spray bottle. |
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Use low VOC Paints
Did you know standard oil and latex paints give off
fumes even after they're dry? Paint departments these
days carry low-VOC and 0-VOC (volatile organic compounds)
paint that is basically fume-free when going on walls,
floor, or deck and after it dries, virtually
removing these toxins from your home! |
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Make Your Own Air/Fabric
Spray!
Air and fabric sprays have chemicals that not only may
pollute the air but can cause allergic reactions in
pets and humans, alike. You can make your own odor-neutralizing
sprays by pouring a quarter cup of baking soda into
clean spray bottle and filling the bottle with warm
water and shake. The baking soda acts as a natural odor
neutralizer, absorbing the odor. You can add a couple
of drops of vanilla extract for a natural fresh scent
if desired. |
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Rethink, Reduce, Reuse,
Recycle
We here this expression a lot these days, but what does it really
mean? — Rethink your priorities and needs and how you can do
and use things to make yourself and the world better! Reduce your
use of unnecessary materials that end up clogging our nation's landfills.
(Do you want a landfill next-door to you or under your newly built
house, perhaps?) Reuse and/or re-purpose items rather than throwing
them out. Purchase items made from recycled products and items that
have the number triangle showing they can be recycled.
Rethink |
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Recycling Saves You Money!
So you're not that keen on being green? Well, think
again: recycling saves you money! — If your waste-management
provider offers you free recycle bags, get them and
use them! You can probably cut down the use of garbage
bags you purchase by a third if you shred all your mail
(for identify-theft protection) and put it and newspapers
and broken-down cardboard boxes into a recycle bag,
with glass, plastic, etc., in another. |
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Don't Touch the Hollow or Fallen Tree
If you have a large property with some of it "in
the wild," think twice before cutting down that
hollow tree or removing the fallen one. As long as they
present no danger to humans or property, leave them
where they are! Hollow trees and fallen limbs are needed
as habitat to a variety animals and insects. Removing
or recycling them may seem like a good idea at first,
but you are also removing the homes and potential homes
of your wildlife helpers! |
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Don't Bag — Compost!
Are you recycling your yard waste
and dragging expensive recycling bags filled with raked
leaves, etc., to the curb? Save money on bags
and mulch by creating a compost area in the corner of
your back yard or behind the shed. See "Compost
Composition" at the top of the column under the
left navigation panel.
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Refill That Water
Bottle
Get a water purifier faucet or pitcher,
and filter your tap water. Then take your empty
designer water bottle and fill it with self-purified
water. Chances are the water will taste as good
and even be purer than purchased water! You're saving
money and the environmental cost of trashing or
recycling the plastic bottles!
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Reduce |
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Buy Bulk
If you have a choice between 12
individually wrapped items and 12 items in one wrapper,
choose the 12-in-1 option if you have the storage
and will use them before any expiration date, of
course. Individually wrapped items may look "cool,"
but they're just more waste in the landfill or recycle
bin!
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Reduce Consumption
Granted, we're a consumer society
and economy; but, nonetheless, one way to reduce
waste materials is not to consume its products in
the first place. Do you really need to buy that
expensive coffee in the soon-to-be trashed cup each
morning? — How about pouring some from your
home coffee maker into a thermos and bringing it
will you? Do you really need all those individually
wrapped and cartoned fast-food items? — How
about making and bringing your breakfast/lunch in
reusable containers?
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Don't Buy Bulk!
If you find yourself throwing away
unused items because they've passed their expiration
date or are no longer wanted, go to the Rethink
mode the next time you're in the store: Do I really
need that many _______? Everything you don't need
and don't buy is less in the trash and recycle bins!
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Check the Packaging
Some companies are becoming more
environmentally friendly by reducing some of their
flashy but unnecessary packaging. Do you need to
buy the item in the cardboard and plastic box with
various pieces wrapped in cellophane? — Or
is there one sitting au natural on the shelf next
to it? Do you have to have the product with 12 individually
wrapped items inside an outer wrapping? — Or
is there a brand packaged with all 12 together in
one container? It may seem like a small difference,
but 100 small differences add up!
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Reuse |
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I Can't Believe It's Not Meatloaf!
Comedians may make fun of their
mothers for reusing plastic food containers for
storage, but those Moms were "green" before
it was "in"! Small plastic dishes *e.g.,
sour cream) make great storage for leftover peas,
for example. Plastic margarine tubs are great for
larger leftovers. (Just label the lids with erasable
markers, and you won't be trying to spread meatloaf
on your biscuits!)
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Be Crafty!
If you're the artsy/crafty type,
chances are you already follow this tip; but go
into Rethink mode before tossing seemingly useless
items in the trash. For example, a jigsaw cut across
a plastic orange-juice cap makes a great base for
a cardboard cut-out game piece figure! Molded plastic
packing in all shapes and sizes can be turned into
great train-set buildings! Round plastic lids from
mixed-nut cans make great wind catchers for wind
chimes! See the link below for more green crafts
ideas!
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Be Creative with Those Containers!
Food storage isn't the only reuse
for plastic food containers (see "I Can't Believe
It's Not Meatloaf!) to the left). Three-pound plastic
bowls from deli salads make great food and water
dishes for your dog! The one-pound ones make great
penny banks! (You could even get really creative
and use the lid with a slot cut in it!) Those new
plastic 39-ounce plastic coffee containers make
great watering "cans" for hanging potted
plants. — Leave them outside (upside down)
by the faucet; they won't rust in the weather! They
also make more convenient paint cans (nice handle!)
than metal coffee the cans we used to use for mixing
paint.
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Use Large Product Bags for Garbage!
Do you purchase dog food in 35-
to 45- pound bags? Sun flower seeds (for bird feeders)
in 50-pound bags? Don't wad up the empty bags to
thrown in the garbage! — Throw the garbage
in the empty bags! This will also save you money
on garbage bags.
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Recycle |
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New Spiral Bulbs Are Hazardous!
As one U.S. senator pointed out, if someone dropped
one of those new spiral energy-saving light bulbs in
the Senate and it broke, the entire room would have
to be evacuated according to hazardous-materials laws.
Check your local hardware stores to find one that will
recycle them for you. |
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Replant Hanging Pots
Don't toss those hanging pots of
dead plants in the trash in the fall. The plants
should go in your compost or yard recycle bags,
the soil can go in your garden or under the bushes,
and the pots can be reused in the spring. A bag
of potting soil and four plastic "six-packs"
of annuals from your plant shop in three of last
year's hanging baskets can give you three
hanging baskets of flowers for a little over the
shop price of one! Use seeds instead of
small plants, and you'll save even more!
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Recycle Plastic Grocery Bags
Check whether your local grocery store recycles plastic
shopping bags; if not, find one that does. Then fill
one of the bags with all the others and bring them to
the store to leave off the next time you shop there.
Of course, you also have the option of purchasing reusable
shopping bags, too! |
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Stop Wasting Grass Clippings
Collecting grass clippings and setting them out in waste-management
lawn bags may seem like a good way of recycling, but
it's probably costing you money for the bags. Lawn experts
say it's better for your lawn to let the clippings "return
to the soil," and the best way to do this is to
invest in mulching blades for your mower! You will be
recycling directly into the lawn and conserving energy,
as well — yours! (No more detaching, lifting, emptying,
reattaching, dragging the bags to the curb!) |
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And don't forget to spread the word! The more people who get involved and work toward conserving energy and resources the more we protect the planet! |
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