Trinity Presbyterian Church

Eco-tips and Vegitarian Recipes ___________________________________________________________________________ Eco-Tips for 2010-2011 Eco-Tips for 2010-2011 9/5/10 Back to School - Lunch Time  Send your kids off with: Lunch boxes, not paper bags Re-usable bottles, not throwaways Cloth napkins, not paper Washable utensils, not plastic Local veggies, not long-distance produce Homemade granola, not factory-packaged bars Fresh fruit - in its own wrapping! (As fond at: www.sustainlane.com) 9/12/10 Take a walk without talking. Instead of human conversation spend time noticing beautiful flowers, interesting insects, and fascinating animal behavior or plant life. (Adapted from information in “50 Ways to Help Save the Earth”, by Rebecca Barnes-Davies) 9/19/10 Be careful what you put down the drain: While your local water utility will treat the water you put down the drain, household chemicals, lawn chemicals, and pharmaceuticals can still end up contaminating local water sources. Do not empty unknown chemicals into sinks or toilets. Many municipalities have regular disposal programs for these types of waste. . (Adapted from information in “50 Ways to Help Save the Earth”, by Rebecca Barnes-Davies) 9/26/10 Energy efficient water heaters: -Try turning your water heater down to 110 or 115 Fahrenheit (medium or the center position) (side benefit: safer for children) - Put a hot water heater blanket around your water heater (Adapted from information in “Living with Ed”, by Ed Begley) 10/3/10 Energy Efficient Washing Machines and Dryers: - Washing Machine: avoid doing partial loads wash your clothes in cold water, or if you must, warm water, but try to avoid HOT completely! If possible, buy a new energy efficient washer - Dryer: BEST: don’t use the dryer, hang your clothes up to dry Try and use a machine with a moisture detector so that it automatically turns off when dry. Clean the lint filter before every load (if you don’t it forces the dryer work harder than it needs to. Don’t stuff the dryer with clothes, it will take longer for the clothes to dryer, which means using way more energy! . (Adapted from information in “Living with Ed”, by Ed Begley) 10/10/10 Energy-Efficient Refrigerators: Replacing your refrigerator bought in 1990 with a newer, more energy-efficient on would save enough energy to light the average household for nearly 4 months. However, if replacing it is not an option, there are some simple things you can do to make your current refrigerator more eco-friendly Position your fridge so it is not near a heat source, which makes the fridge work harder to stay cool. Make sure air can circulate around the condenser coils. If your fridge has coils on the back leave a space between the back of the fridge and the kitchen wall or cabinets. Once or twice a yr. unplug your fridge and clean the coils. (Could be in back or under kick plate in front). Use a vacuum attachment or warm soapy water if they’re greasy and grimy. Cleaning those coils enables the fridge to operate more efficiently. (Adapted from information in “Living with Ed”, by Ed Begley) 10/17/10 Energy-Efficient Refrigerators (continued) Simply make sure the door is closed and that the door seal is airtight. If you can feel cold air seeping out of your refrigerator, you’re wasting lots of energy. It is very easy to replace the seals if needed. They can be found in your local hardware store. Adjust the thermostat inside your fridge and inside your freezer. Keep the refrigerator between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit; keep your freezer at zero degrees Fahrenheit And, finally, if you do replace your fridge, make sure to recycle the old one. . (Adapted from information in “Living with Ed”, by Ed Begley) 10/24/10 Energy Efficient Dishwashing: There are now Energy Star dishwashers that get the water to 140 degrees, which does a better job disinfecting your dishes, so it is more sanitary, than washing them by hand. Of course, you need to develop good dish washing habits to maximize the eco-savings make sure the dishwasher is FULL before you run it Don’t use the Heated Dry feature – instead let the dishes air-dry inside the dishwasher Try not rinsing your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher Your dishwasher and the detergents (eco-friendly of course) on the market today are designed to remove whatever remains on the dishes. . (Adapted from information in “Living with Ed”, by Ed Begley) 10/31/10 (Halloween) HALLOWEEN ECO-TIPS Wash pumpkins seeds in water, spread out to dry on a screen or paper-towels, then place outside for animal treats! If you would like a tasty treat too, just sprinkle some seeds with a little oil and seasonings, like salt, onion or chili powder, then bake at 300° until they are toasted! Be sure to let them cool before you snack! Fill old pumpkins with ears of Indian corn, seeds, apples cores and skins - even the cleaned pumpkin seeds - and place outside for all your wild friends to enjoy! Put old jack-o-lanterns into your compost bin (as found at: www.noahsnotes.com) 11/7/10 Did you know that you could recycle: Wine Corks?  If you can’t bear to throw away wine corks and tuck them away in a drawer for some craft project that will never materialize, here’s a tip: send them to Yemm & Hart Green Materials. They’ve started an experimental wine cork-recycling program that processes the old bottle stoppers into lovely, environmentally friendly cork floor and wall tiles. Eventually, they hope to actually pay people for their corks, but for now, do it out of the kindness of your heart. (As found at www.care2.com) 11/14/10 Did you know that you could recycle: Books, DVDs, and CDs? Most people don’t toss their used books, DVDs and CDs in the trash, but buying new consumes unnecessary resources (and a lot of cash), so why not trade your old ones for something that’s new to you? Swaptree.com is a cool Web site that allows you to essentially keep a constantly fresh, rotating selection of reading material, movies, and music for zero dollars. Who doesn’t love free stuff? Just sign up, list your unwanted stuff, and choose the items you’d like to receive. Then, you simply complete the swap through the mail. Easy! (As found at: www.care2.com) 11/21/10 (Thanksgiving) THANKSGIVING: Make it a Spiritual Day The Pilgrims who celebrated the first Thanksgiving fled religious persecution in Europe to seek a better life in America. The Thanksgiving holiday was established to provide a national day of thanksgiving for all Americans. Even if you follow no particular religion, however, Thanksgiving is a good time to count your blessings, beginning with the many ways the natural environment sustains and enriches our lives. As part of your eco-friendly Thanksgiving, make time for prayer, meditation, reflection, or perhaps just a walk in the woods to contemplate and give thanks for the wonders of nature. (As found at: http://environment.about.com) 11/28/10 (Advent) Did you know that you could recycle Carpet?  Whether it was ripped out of a flooded room or just saw more than its fair share of pet stains and baby vomit, old carpet can be pretty gross. Unfortunately, getting rid of unwanted carpet isn’t always easy, but if you’re lucky, you might just have a carpet reclamation company in your area. Check out the map at CarpetRecovery—you could be able to give that shaggy rug new life as composite lumber, roofing shingles, railroad ties, or automotive parts. (As found at: www.care2.com) 12/5/10 (Advent) Lots of packages coming in the mail for Christmas? Did you know that you can recycle: Foam Packing Peanuts:  Nobody with eco-minded tendencies likes receiving a package full of polystyrene packing peanuts. They’re made from petroleum, and aside from that, they’re just plain annoying and hard to get rid of. Instead of sending them back out to be somebody else’s problem, give them to people who actually want them: EPS recyclers. Polystyrene packing peanuts and molded foam cushioning can either be dropped off at a local location if you have one or sent in the mail (as found at: www.care2.com) 12/12/10 (Advent) Decorate a holiday tree outdoors with natural treats for wildlife! Hang carrots and slices of oranges and apples String and hang popcorn and cranberries Make and hang wildlife treats (as found at: www.noahsnotes.com) 12/19/10 (Advent) Did you know that you can recycle: Holiday Lights: You want the green credit—and lower your utility bills— try LED holiday lights, but you just can’t justify buying new ones yet. That’s cool, use what you have, but when those old strands give up the ghost, send them off to HolidayLEDs to be recycled and you’ll get more than just do-gooder satisfaction. They’ll gift you with a 15-percent-off coupon for anything on their site, so you can get the twinkly LED lights of your dreams (As found at: www.care2.com) 12/26/10 (Day after Christmas) Store your lights using Recycled Materials or Make a New Year’s Ball.  If you invested in those energy efficient LED string lights, why not recycle your Christmas lights into a mini Time Square lit-up ball? Just plug the LED string lights together and wrap them into a tight ball and hang from the ceiling. Because LED lights do not get hot, they are safe to wrap onto themselves over and over; plus, since LED lights do not have glass bulbs, they will not shatter if tightly wrapped, too. If you want to store your holiday lights, recycle an empty coffee can into a storage solution by wrapping the lights on the outside of the coffee can. Plus extension cords inside the can so they are all handy and accessible for next year. (As found at: http://www.dailydanny.com) 1/2/11 Recycle a dryer cleaner bag into a wreath storage solution.  Many people have artificial wreaths and need to store them after the holiday season. Since an artificial wreath can get dusty very quickly and can be hard to clean, it’s important to cover them with plastic to keep them protected. Recycle a dry cleaning plastic bag and hanger into a quick and easy storage solution: hang the wreath on the hanger, wrap in the existing plastic, tie a knot and hang on the back of a door or in a hallway closet. (As found at: http://www.dailydanny.com) 1/9/11 Save holiday candles or recycle them away into scented sachets for your closet. Holiday candles can look out of place after Christmas, especially if they are emblazoned with scenes of Rudolph and Christmas trees. To save them for next year, use a ripped nylon hosiery to protect them and pack them in a box with tissue paper. If you enjoy the scent of a holiday candle, but not the look, you can also chip them up with a hammer and fill a tea strainer ball with the fragrant wax. Leave the strainer balls in your dresser drawers or hang it in the closet as an instant room fragrance freshener. (As found at: http://www.dailydanny.com) 1/16/11 If you use a de-icer on your sidewalk or driveway, use products made from magnesium chloride instead of sodium chloride (salt) or calcium chloride. While salt stops working at 15 degrees above zero, magnesium chloride melts ice at temperatures as low as minus 17 degrees and is less damaging to concrete, to your car and to surrounding plants. You might also want to try replacing chemical de-icers with non-toxic alternatives such as clean clay cat litter, sand, or fireplace ash. Chemical de-icers are hazardous to pets, to trees and to shrubs. They can also pollute surface waters and groundwater. (As found at: www.greenertrends.com) 1/23/11 Make snow sports greener. Trail grooming, ski lift operations and snowmaking are extremely energy-intensive and are harmful to natural resources and to wildlife. Try to choose ski resorts that are committed to reducing their effects on the environment – before you go, find out if they adhere to the National Ski Areas Association Sustainable Slopes Environment Charter. Consider cross-country skiing or snowshoeing instead of downhill skiing, as these sports do not require graded slopes and ski lifts, and so have lower environmental impact. (As found at: www.greenertrends.com) 1/30/11 Use a laptop instead of a desktop computer – Laptops use about 80% less energy. Also, try to stay plugged in since energy is lost in the process of charging and recharging a battery. Note: laptops run at higher speeds when plugged in, so to further reduce your energy consumption, adjust the control panel’s power options to energy-saving mode. (As found at: http://ecohearth.com) 2/6/11 Ounce for ounce homemade cleaning formulas cost about one-tenth the price of their commercial counterpart—and that includes costly, but worthwhile essential oils, and concentrated, all-purpose detergents for homemade recipes. Throughout the next few months, you will find Green Greening Recipes. Happy Cleaning! Green Cleaning Tip: VINEGAR SPRAY  Straight vinegar reportedly kills 82 percent of mold. Pour some white distilled vinegar straight into a spray bottle, spray on the moldy area, and let set without rinsing if you can put up with the smell. It will dissipate in a few hours. (As found at: www.care2.com) 2/13/11 Green Cleaning Tip: TEA TREE TREASURE  Nothing natural works for mold and mildew as well as this spray. I’ve used it successfully on a moldy ceiling from a leaking roof, on a musty bureau, a musty rug, and a moldy shower curtain. Tea tree oil is expensive, but a little goes a very long way. Note that the smell of tea tree oil is very strong, but it will dissipate in a few days. 2 teaspoons tea tree oil  2 cups water Combine in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse. Makes two cups. (As found at: www.care2.com)* make sure you test on a small area to make sure it will not cause damage!!! 2/20/11 Green Cleaning Tip: VINEGAR DEODORIZER  Keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5 percent vinegar in your kitchen near your cutting board and in your bathroom and uses them for cleaning. I often spray the vinegar on our cutting board before going to bed at night, and don’t even rinse but let it set overnight. The smell of vinegar dissipates within a few hours. Straight vinegar is also great for cleaning the toilet rim. Just spray it on and wipe off. (As found at: www.care2.com) * make sure you test on a small area to make sure it will not cause damage!!! 2/27/11 Green Cleaning Tip: FURNITURE POLISH 1/2 teaspoon oil, such as olive (or jojoba, a liquid wax) 1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice  Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution and wipe onto wood surfaces. Cover the glass jar and store indefinitely. (As found at: www.care2.com) * make sure you test on a small area to make sure it will not cause damage!!! 3/6/11 Although all the eggs have been steamed, baked, fried, or scrambled, the carton they came in doesn’t have to go right in the trash. And we’re not just talking about egg-carton crocodiles, kids. Here are our top picks: Make seed-starting pots Protect fragile items during a move or when mailing packages Give them to a chicken farmer Give them to your kids for displaying interesting finds and treasures in Store smaller Christmas ornaments Store earrings If you have a foam or plastic carton, fill each compartment with water, freeze it, and then use to keep a cooler cold Slip into an ankle- or knee-high boot to help it retain its shape Use the compartments for sorting change Store golf balls Turn into a bird feeder Reinforce the bottom of a trash bag with an open egg carton (Adapted from: www.planetgreen.discovery.com) 3/13/11 (Lent) Visit a national or state park, or a botanical garden. A big part of living an eco-friendly life is embracing and appreciating nature. In the springtime, there’s so much to see – wildlife is active, flowers are blooming and the weather is mild. Take a pair of binoculars and you might just spot some adorable animal babies. (As found at: http://bestecostuff.com) 3/20/11 (Lent) Dye Eggs Using Natural Colors – Most people color their eggs with egg kits that contain dyes made from petrochemicals, but in times past eggs were colored with plant materials found in nature. To dye eggs with natural coloring put raw, white-shelled eggs in a pan and cover with water and a teaspoon of white vinegar. Add your coloring agent and bring to a boil and then let the eggs simmer for 15 minutes. - Rinse and allow cooling. - You can also hard-boil them first and then fill glass jars with water and the coloring agent, putting the jars in the microwave for 2-3 minutes and then stirring. Then allow the eggs to sit in the jars overnight. - For pink and red colored eggs use cranberry juice, beets, or raspberries. - For yellow eggs use saffron or tumeric - For purple eggs use red wine. - For blue eggs use red cabbage leaves or blueberries. - For brown eggs use grape juice, rosehip tea, or coffee. - For orange eggs use yellow onion skins. (As found at: www.naturemoms.com) 4/3/11 (Lent) An easy way to save water: Use a broom, instead of a hose, to clean your sidewalks and driveway! . (Adapted from information in “Living with Ed”, by Ed Begley) 4/10/11 (Lent) On Earth Day, Plant a Tree If you have the means to plant a tree, start digging. During photosynthesis, trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. They are an integral part of the natural atmospheric exchange cycle here on Earth, but there are too few of them to fully counter the increases in carbon dioxide caused by automobile traffic, manufacturing and other human activities. A single tree will absorb approximately one ton of carbon dioxide during its lifetime. (As found at: http://environment.about.com) 4/17/11 (Palm Sunday) “One suggestion: I would like for people to start seeing the world as a whole system rather then just concentrating on their own backyards. Everything we do affects other people beside ourselves, and if we keep that in mind in our everyday life I think we will be better off as a people and a planet. Think globally, act locally.” David, Founder of The Good Human (as found at: www.modernecohomes.com) 4/24/11 (Easter) Easter is a time when our children learn the meaning of resurrection. Give your child a reusable cloth bag filled with gardening tools and seeds. What a wonderful way for them to learn the idea of rebirth. 5/1/11 Reduce bird strikes The Audubon Society estimates that in the United States and Canada, as many as 1 billion birds die each year due to collisions with windows in homes and modern office buildings that often use insulated and reflective glass. The primary cause of birds colliding with glass is due to reflection. When birds become confused or startled they see escape routes and possible safety zones mirrored in reflective glass and fly unaware into windows. There are many ways to reduce bird strikes at windows: Objects or ornaments hanging in windows will reduce the reflection by breaking it up. Hang ribbons or other material in strips no more than five centimeters apart on the outside of windows for the full width of the glass. Keep houseplants away from windows as they can appear like trees. (As found at: www.fws.gov) 5/8/11 (Mother’s Day) Feed Your Face: 5 Best Foods for Skin (2 of 5 this week, 3 of 5 next week) Want more radiantly healthy-looking skin? Feed it! Research has shown that eating more of these five foods can help us to a beautiful complexion from the inside out, without resorting to costly skincare products or formulas. Find out the top five foods to eat for healthier, more beautiful skin. In general, eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, protein, and whole grains will result in healthier skin, but the nutrients and compounds found in these five foods are particularly helpful: Organic green tea – All teas are rich in skin-loving antioxidants, but anti-inflammatory substances called catechins in green tea are thought to be especially beneficial. A recent study by the director of research in the department of dermatology at Case Western Reserve University, Hasan Mukhtar, agreed that drinking green tea may be helpful for warding off skin cancer and the visible signs of aging. Drink up! Olive oil – Despite all the hype about the supposed benefits of fat-free diets, it turns out that we need essential fatty acids for good health as well as for more elastic, dewy skin. Yes, certain kinds of fats are bad for us, so rather than using saturated or hydrogenated fats for cooking and eating, switch to extra-virgin organic olive oil: it is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats. “Good” fats strengthen our cell membranes, helping our skin to look nourished and radiant. By Cait Johnson, Managing Producer, Care2 Green Living. (As found at:www.care2.com) * make sure you test on a small area to make sure it will not cause damage!!! 5/15/11 Feed Your Face: 5 Best Foods for Skin (continued) Walnuts — The omega-3 oils in walnuts (or in salmon, if you are a fish-eater) are vitally important for flexible, plump, younger-looking skin. Flaxseed oil is another great choice for Omega-3 oils, but be sure not to heat it; try it in salad dressings instead. Berries – Pick a peck of berries to benefit from their powerful antioxidants. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, aecia berries–they’re all delicious, and they give our complexions a healthy boost with photochemical that protect skin cells. Dark leafy greens – The vitamin A found in dark leafy greens like kale and spinach are great for clearing up acne and promoting skin repair. Vitamin-rich veggie alternatives include carrots and broccoli. And here is a sixth “best food:” drinking enough WATER is an all-important key to beautiful skin, since even mild dehydration can result in visible aging and dryness. Drinking alcohol, caffeine, and sodas can be dehydrating, so be sure to get plenty of pure water for healthier skin–not to mention healthier kidneys By Cait Johnson, Managing Producer, Care2 Green Living. (As found at: www.care2.com) * make sure you test on a small area to make sure it will not cause damage!!! 5/22/11 Repel Slugs naturally: Buy beer – When you drink enough beer, you stop caring about the slugs that are eating your garden…alright that is not the reason for the beer. If you put bowls of old beer in areas the slugs love in your garden, the slugs (who happen to love your garden and your beer) will climb into the beer for a drink and never make it out… drowning in the beer. That old beer with the dead slugs will find a great resting place in your compost bin…FYI. (As found at: www.greenlivingguide.org) 5/29/11 (Memorial Day weekend) Repel Mosquitoes naturally: Keep these biters away without toxic pesticides. If you’re using the barbeque, throw a bit of sage or rosemary on the coals to repel mosquitoes (it smells terrific too!) (As found at: www.greenlivingguide.org) 6/5/11 Create an organic ant barrier. Form a natural line of defense against pesky ants using cucumber slices, cayenne pepper, citrus oil (soaked into a piece of string), lemon juice, cinnamon or cloves to create an ant-proof barrier. Or, spray the ants with a bit of soapy water, to safely keep them at bay. (As found at: www.greenlivingguide.org) 6/12/11 Mow less. Americans use 40 million lawn mowers to tame our lawns. Each spews 11 cars’ worth of pollutants per hour. (As found at: www.greenlivingguide.org) 6/19/11 (Father’s Day) Going Green with Dad: I hope all you dads are loving your Father’s Day. So, is this Father’s Day a greener one for you? Hopefully you are spending the day doing what you want, whether it’s time with your kids, golfing, fishing, boating or grilling. In a couple of blogs I wrote about places to find eco-products for Father’s Day, like Reuseit for cool, reusable bottles, travel coffee mugs, reusable bags, or maybe a Built lunch bag. There are also ways to green some of your favorite sports like golf and basketball with recycled content balls and bio-degradable golf tees. Have you ever thought about asking your favorite golf course to really green their greens? Golf typically is a pretty nasty choice when it comes to being eco-friendly; high water usage, high herbicide, pesticide and fertilizer usage, and a lot of air pollution and petroleum usage from all the machinery. Audubon International has a program to help golf courses become eco-friendly. (As found at: www.sustainlane.com) 6/26/11 Going Green with Dad (continued): You can also green your fishing trip by using those reusable instead of disposables and swapping your lead tackle to lead-free tackle. Lead in fishing tackle and lead shot kills many animals each year. Also, make sure you pack all your trash out at the end of your fishing day. If you boat, then make sure your engine is tuned-up and in perfect working condition so it won’t pollute the water, and again, be responsible with what you take out and bring back. Grilling can even be greened by switching from petroleum briquettes to real, natural, hardwood charcoal. Seriously, charcoal briquettes should be called petroquettes. You can also green your grilling day by cooking locally and sustainably produced food. The final step to clean up your grilling act is by NOT choosing disposable paper and plastic plates, disposable plastic silverware, disposable cups and paper napkins. It’s really not that hard to wash up some dishes, especially since most of us have dishwashers. Hope you had a great Father’s Day and made it as green as you can for your children’s future. (As found at: www.sustainlane.com) 7/3/11 (4th of July weekend) Celebrate the 4th of July By Doing Something For the Environment –How about gathering a group of friends to do a beach cleanup? Or a river or lake cleanup? Coming together and helping the environment is a fun and green way to get together with friends, plus you are helping the land that is part of the USA! Even better, put together a street/beach/river cleanup the day after July fourth, sadly there will be a lot more trash out there to pick up and recycle. (As found at: www.greenertrends.com) 7/10/11 Follow marked paths to the beach, rather than walking across sensitive sand dunes and other natural shoreline areas that provide food and shelter for wildlife. The beach is a living ecosystem on which many plants and animals depend. Foot traffic erodes the sand and wears down vegetation that holds sand in place, degrading habitat. (As found at: www.edf.org) 7/17/11 If you have a pool or jacuzzi, get a cover for it, and keep it covered when you’re not using it. Now that it is getting hot all over the country, you can loose inches off of the surface of your pool on a really hot day. Getting a pool cover will let you keep that water from evaporating. (As found at: http://blogs.smarter.com) 7/24/11 “Buy more products in bulk at the grocery store – Not only are you saving money in the long-term (some studies show up to $200 a year in savings), but you’re cutting car emissions and gas use on extra trips to the market and reducing the amount of packaging you throw away. This is most ideal for products with longer shelf lives (condiments, canned food, pasta), but bread, dairy and meat can be frozen to extend their life.”-Trey Granger, Earth911 (as found at: www.modernecohomes.com) 7/31/11 Green Cleaning Tip: WINDOW CLEANER  1/4-1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent  3 tablespoons vinegar 2 cups water  Spray bottle Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and use as you would a commercial brand. The soap in this recipe is important. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you might have used in the past. (As found at: www.care2.com) * make sure you test on a small area to make sure it will not cause damage!!! 8/7/11 Green Cleaning Tip: CREAMY SOFT SCRUBBER  Simply pour about ½ cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough liquid detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge, and wash the surface. This is the perfect recipe for cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn’t leave grit. Note: Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store in a sealed glass jar, to keep the product moist. Otherwise just make as much as you need at a time. (As found at: www.care2.com) * make sure you test on a small area to make sure it will not cause damage!!! 8/14/11 Green Cleaning Tip: ALL-PURPOSE SPRAY CLEANER 1/2 teaspoon washing; soda; A dab of liquid soap;  2 cups hot tap water Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag. (As found at: www.care2.com) * make sure you test on a small area to make sure it will not cause damage!!! 8/21/11 Prevent Storm water Runoff Poor water quality can harm fish, wildlife and their habitat. Many things are known to cause poor water quality, including sedimentation, runoff, erosion and pesticides. Storm water runoff occurs when rainfall flows over the ground. Storm water runoff picks up debris, chemicals, dirt and other pollutants from hard (impervious) surfaces and washes them into storm drains. Anything that enters a storm drains flows often untreated into the rivers and streams that we use for swimming and drinking water. How you can help: All vehicle Fluids are toxic and extremely harmful to the environment. Recycle used oil in a clean, sealed, plastic container. SWEEP! Hosing off pavements washes pollutants into storm drains leading straight to the river. Deliver old paint, pesticides; solvents and batteries to your local hazardous waste drop off facilities. Pouring hazardous substances down a storm drain, onto the ground or into a stream creates a danger to all, as well as the environment. Street litter, such as plastic, and paper can be prevented from blowing into inlets by keeping trash bins covered and by not littering. Yard waste, such as grass clippings, tree trimmings and leaves can be composted and used for fertilizer around the yard (as found at: www.fws.gov) 8/28/11 Green Cleaning tip: OVEN CLEANER 1 cup or more baking soda  Water  A squirt or two of liquid detergent Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the grime with enough baking soda that the surface is totally white. Sprinkle some more water over the top. Let the mixture set overnight. You can easily wipe up the grease the next morning because the grime will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the remaining residue from the oven. If this recipe doesn’t work for you it is probably because you didn’t use enough baking soda and/or water. (As found at: www.care2.com) * make sure you test on a small area to make sure it will not cause damage!!!