You are recycling plastic, paper, and cans at home and that is great! Now, what do you do with the things that you want to recycle but your recycling center won’t take? Here are some ways to recycle those hard to recycle items and reasons why you should.
1. Cell Phones: Cell phones are hazardous waste because they contain Mercury, Lead, Arsenic, and Cadium. If thrown in with your trash, they can cause environmental contamination including combustion and leakage into the ground, water, and soil. Unfortunately, only 2% of cell phones are recycled. Check out Earth911.org to find a local cell phone recycling drop off location or mail them to:
Recycle My Cell Phone/Collective Good 4508 Bibb Blvd Suite B-10 Tucker, GA 30084
3. Plastic Bottle Caps:Â Plastic Bottle Caps are made of a different type of plastic that can’t be easily recycled. You can drop them off at your local Aveda Store.
4. Plastic Bags and Film:Â More and more retailers have in–store bins to collect your film, plastic shopping, produce, and Ziploc bags. To find a local drop off location in your area visit Plastic Bag Recycling
5. Plastic Packing Peanuts: Locate a shipping company in your area that can reuse your plastic packing peanuts at Loose Fill Packaging. Then in the future, try to use companies that use compostable peanuts.
6. Worn out Athletic Shoes: Nike will take your old worn-out athletic shoes and turn them into Nike Grind, a material used in sports surfaces at Nike Reuse A Shoe
7. Rechargeable Batteries: Once your rechargeable batteries are no longer chargeable (after about 1,000 charges) send them to RBRCfor recycling.
Are there items that you need help recycling? Drop me a line, I will be happy to help!
Many people with pets or kids have noticed that many of the ingredients in commercial cleaning products are not only harmful to people and animals but can be fatal. So, it’s no surprise that people are looking to remove these harsh chemicals from their homes and replace them with great, green, healthy alternatives. Fortunately, there are some great, green, affordable substitutes that can be used pretty much anywhere in your home and that you likely already have sitting in the pantry. Read on for my 5 favorite, non-toxic ingredients for DIY cleaners and how to use them in your home.
1. Vinegar Vinegar is my all-time favorite non-toxic cleaner. It removes odors, stains, and grease and can effectively prevent mildew and mold when applied regularly to shower walls, sinks, and toilet bowls. Vinegar neutralizes pet odors like cat urine and will help keep colors from bleeding from a new pair of jeans or a red shirt if you soak the clothing item in vinegar for 30 minutes before washing or dump a cup or so into the washer with the detergent. To remove corrosion and chemical buildup from showerheads, soak the showerhead in vinegar overnight. Plain white vinegar should be used but if the smell offends you, you can add 10-15 drops of essential oil to your cleaning mixture. My favorite all-purpose cleaner, for bathroom, kitchen, and glass, is simply 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water mixed in a spray bottle. That’s it!
2. Baking Soda Baking soda has virus-killing abilities and makes for an effective but gentle scrub for bathtubs, toilets, tile, and porcelain or stainless steel sinks. When I run out of Bon Ami, I pour baking soda in the sink, squeeze in half a lemon or pour in about ¼ cup vinegar, and scrub with a sponge or bristle brush. For a great toilet scrub, pour ½ cup baking soda into the toilet bowl and add 10 drops of tea tree essential oil and ¼ cup vinegar. The mixture will fizz while you scrub and cut through mold and grime while the tea tree oil disinfects. Tea tree oil and thyme oil are both great non-toxic disinfectants to be used in place of bleach. That said, just because they’re non-toxic doesn’t mean that you, your kids, or your pets should consume these products!
3. Castile Soap Castile soaps are made from 100% plant oils so they’re safe and gentle but effective. While traditionally it’s recommended that wood floors be cleaned with pure water, I’ve added a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus castile soap to a warm bucket of water and mopped our wood floors with the mixture to clean and freshen up the room. Our floors aren’t wax-treated, so please ask a pro if yours are before using anything but water on your wood floors. Castile soaps are great all-purpose cleaners, too. Simply mix a tablespoon to a ¼ cup with warm water for washing down counters, tile, windows, or a sink full of dishes. The term “all-purpose” really applies to castile soap!
4. Lemon Lemon juice kills mold and mildew, shines harder surfaces, cuts grease, and deodorizes. A cut lemon can be scrubbed over the surface of a cutting board to sanitize it. Simply rub a halved lemon over the surface, let sit for 10 minutes, and rinse. Lemon juice can be added to vinegar cleaning mixtures to add a fresh scent and aid in cutting grease. Lemon juice is a great bleach substitute for washing laundry, too; just add lemon juice to the rinse cycle.
5. Essential Oils Peppermint, tea tree and thyme oils are my favorite for use in home cleaning products. Peppermint oil eliminates offensive odors and is a natural pest deterrent. I have successfully used peppermint oil to eliminate mice in one of our sheds by placing cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil around the entrances to the shed and places where the mice frequented. Tea tree oil eliminates mold and mildew; a few drops can simply be mixed with water and sprayed onto shower walls (don’t rinse it off) and left to kill mildew and mold. Thyme oil is a powerful, natural disinfectant that has been said to kill and prevent botulism, e. Coli, listeria, and salmonella. Add a few drops to your vinegar all-purpose spray or use in the same way as tea tree oil in the formula above.
YOUR TURN: What are your favorite DIY, green home cleaning products?
Did you know that candles made from paraffin, which is a petroleum by–product, fill the air with carcinogens such as benzene and toluene? These chemicals are as dangerous as breathing second-hand smoke. (I have to admit, I was a little surprised by this.)
Also, candles made outside of the U.S. use lead to make the wicks. LEAD! I know, can you believe it? For these reasons, I have switched to 100% beeswax and soy candles. I am especially fond of the beeswax candles from Big Dipper Wax Works. They smell amazing, are non-toxic, and made using 100% renewable resources. Did you know that beeswax candles release negative ions into the air that eliminate allergens and pollutants?
Big Dipper Wax Works makes the most fabulous hand-poured beeswax candles that are made with the finest beeswax and essential oils. These candles are to die for, you will love them! The smell is amazing and so relaxing. They come in elegant glass containers that are both beautiful and reusable. Also, each candle comes beautifully packaged in either 100% recyclable or compostable packaging and includes a sweet bee matchbook with each candle. My favorite scents are the Clary Sage and Ylang Ylang and the Grapefruit and Fennel.
But, don’t take my word for it, try them for yourself!
If you’re considering selling your home any time soon, you should have sustainability on your mind. Why? Not only do 48% of buyers interested in brand new homes cite “energy-efficiency” as their most desired feature, but investing in some eco-friendly upgrades before putting your home on the market can yield higher appraisals and listing prices. This is definitely an option today’s home sellers should keep in mind: HGTV.com already recommends taking 15% to 20% off what the home is worth when selling your home, but a few mindful and sustainable upgrades can really help your home stand out above the rest in the ever-competitive real estate market. Here are just a few eco-friendly upgrades to consider before putting your home up for sale.
Windows
Installing eco-friendly windows could be the perfect way to spruce up your home’s curb appeal while investing in its long-term energy-efficiency and savings. You’d be surprised just how many homes are long overdue for window replacements. If your home frequently drafty, or your windows are old and outdated, chances are they can be dramatically improved with eco-friendly features.
If you don’t quite have the budget for full window replacements, you can also consider more affordable options that have some of the same effects, such as window tinting. You could save up to 40% on your utility bill by tinting your windows, and they can also keep the glare and harmful UV rays out. Take advantage of this option by tinting the windows in the rooms where people gather and socialize the most.
Thermostat
For bigger homes that cost a lot to heat and cool, consider investing in a smart thermostat system to optimize the temperature in each and every room as opposed to heating the house as a whole. This enables each person to customize their preferred temperatures at various times throughout the day. It also allows homeowners to minimize energy usage by heating or cooling their home only when they are occupying it. You can even set these systems in line with your work schedule, ensuring your home’s heat turns down the moment you leave and turns back up just before you return. When all is said and done, experts say homeowners can save almost $200 a year on home energy costs.
Water Heater
Finally, if you have the budget, replacing your home’s water heater may be an incredibly wise choice. Most experts agree that bathroom additions offer some of the best ROI, but this investment, and those of similar sustainability levels, offer more value than others.
“A new, energy efficient water heater is a great way to save money. They won’t run as often, and homeowners will enjoy the ability to have hot water on command as opposed to having to wait for the water to heat up while they watch several gallons of water go down the drain,” writes Bill Gassett on Massachusetts Real Estate News.
Once you’ve made your upgrades, consider getting an energy audit to legitimize your eco-friendly investments and make sure the measurements are quantifiable and accurate on the listing. Of course, after making all of these eco-friendly improvements, you may not even want to sell your home at all — but who could blame you?
Ultimately, about $1.4 trillion of new mortgages were issued in 2008, and new homes are constantly being mortgaged to eco-conscious consumers. Being aware of the ways you can make your home more appealing to those with similar values is the key to making your real estate transaction as quick and easy as possible.
While you might enjoy staying cool and comfortable in your home during the warmer months of the year, you may also be concerned about cooling your home in a way that’s sustainable and friendly for the environment. Explore a few tips for making your cooling experience eco-friendly and just as effective as traditional methods.
Invest in Quality Insulation and Sealing
Some of the best and most effective cooling methods don’t even involve your air conditioner. Take out some time to have a professional technician who specializes in air conditioning repairs inspect your current insulation to see if it’s doing its job and whether you need to consider investing in an upgrade. Different types of insulation and sealing include thermal envelopes and heat shields.
Boost Your Home’s Ventilation
Making sure air can easily flow through your home is also essential to keeping cool and overall energy efficiency. Specifically, you’ll want to keep your home’s windows, shades and doors closed up until it’s cool out, otherwise, you’ll only have hot air blowing through your home’s interior. Additionally, bear in mind that ceiling fans cool people, not rooms, which means you should only have your fans on when someone is in the room. On a related note, when your fans are on, they should spin counter-clockwise to draw hot air up into the ceiling.
Close Your Shades and Blinds
No matter how great the inside of your home looks while drenched in sunlight, it comes at the cost of heating up your interior, which means your air conditioner is working harder than necessary. To help combat feeling as if you’re living in a sauna, close up your blinds and shades against direct sunlight and the heat waves that come with it. If you’re someone who thrives on sunshine, you can leave your blinds and shades partially closed to direct sunlight.
Cook at Night or in the Early Morning
Operating your oven or stove during the day cranks up the heat in your home, which makes your air conditioner crank up its efforts to keep your home at the same temperature. Rather than feel as if you’re making a sacrifice by not using the oven, you can instead start eating more raw vegetables and fruits, which your body is sure to thank you for. Opt for fruits like a watermelon that contain a lot of water to help you keep cool.
Lower Your Overall Cooling Load
Ways to make the most of passive cooling include:
Add or upgrade the sealing around your home’s windows and doors.
Use low-E glazing to your windows.
Make sure you have proper and sufficient insulation in your attic.
Invest in a whole-house fan, which can decrease your use of your air conditioner as well as your overall energy consumption.
Consider installing a radiant barrier in your attic ducts.
These methods are sure to pay off in the long run.
Sleep With a Buckwheat Pillow
If you’re like most people, you probably like sleeping in a cool room. Blankets and sheets are comfortable while sleeping, but they can raise your body temperature. Rather than crank up the air conditioner, invest in a buckwheat pillow, which is naturally cooler than standard pillows and won’t keep you tossing and turning during the night, which impacts the overall quality of your sleep.
Turn Up Your Unit Temperature
You can still remain comfortable even if your unit is set at a higher temperature. For every degree you set your unit above 72 degrees, you can save anywhere from one to three percent energy. Try it and see if you notice a difference in your comfort levels.
With the right information, you can do your part to save the environment through more efficient cooling methods. Put these tips to good use and see what a difference they make and how good it feels to practice sustainability.
