Thanks to Ask HR Green.org for these nifty water-minded gift ideas . . .
Holidays often increase water use for meals, laundry, dishes, and bathing which also increases the risk of clogs. If you experience a clogged drain here’s the DIY green tips to try before calling the plumber.
1. Plumber’s snake: A plumber’s snake can be inserted into a clogged pipe to either push or pull through a blockage. Clogs are either pushed or pulled up can then be disposed of safely in the garbage.
2. Vinegar and Baking Soda: Simply sprinkle a little baking soda into the drain, follow with equal parts of vinegar and you will notice it fizzes up, dispersing any fatty deposits. Let sit for 10-15 then follow with a flush of hot water.
3. Plunge it. A change in pressure can often shift a stubborn clog. Create a strong seal round the edge of the plunger. Keep water over the cup of the plunger and move it back and forth a few times. Periodically check to make sure the blockage is coming loose. Then remove and dispose of the clog in the garbage (if it is in a solid lump).
4. Use drain cleaners with chemicals as a last resort. Drain cleaners contain a number of chemicals, including bleaches, lye, caustic soda and sodium silicate. When these substances react with water they can release fumes that cause breathing problems, running eyes or skin irritations. Drain cleaners can also change the pH of water, in turn affecting organisms living in our waterways.
Here’s some ways to save water as you celebrate the holiday . . .
1. The Big Thaw. Thaw the turkey in the refrigerator instead of cold water. Remember, to put it in pan to catch leaking juices.
2. Bathe instead of shower. Wash vegetables in a large bowl of water, instead of under running water. Then use the water to soak the roasting pan or dirty utensils before washing them.
3. Steam instead of boil – not only will you use less water, you’ll also preserve more nutrients and vitamins.
4. Track the glass. Use wine glass charms, ribbon, or different color yarn to keep track of your glass throughout the day instead of reaching for clean one each refill. K
5. Easy reach. Keep one pitcher of cold water on the table for water glass refills. Keep a second to collect the half-full glasses at day’s end for plant or pet water.
6. Scrape dishes into the compost or trash rather than rinsing food scraps down the garbage disposal, which clogs pipes with oil and grease.
7. Thank goodness for dishwashers – ENERGY STAR – rated dishwashers can use as little as three gallons per load. If you have to wash dishes by hand, fill one basin with wash water and the other with rinse water.
To see more of Alison’s creative global environmental accomplishments check out her website below.
https://alisonsadventures.com/
It’s official, microplastics have invaded the world – including the human body. As microplastics travel through our world’s waterways, they reach the remotest of areas – and people. National Geographic details more…
Use these tips for a cleaner more environmentally friendly night.
1. Walk, bike, or carpool your trick-or-treating route.
2. Collect treats in a reusable treat bag.
3. Keep candy wrappers or other trash from littering the sidewalk and gutters as you hop from house to house.
Photo © creativecommonsstockphotos – Dreamstime.com
Antelope Creek, which runs through the heart of Lincoln, has been removed from the national list of impaired waters.
Antelope Creek’s E. coli bacteria levels were more than 25 times the water quality standard when it was added to the Clean Water Act list of impaired waters in 2004.
Fifteen stormwater quality improvement projects, two major flood control projects, rain gardens, and permeable pavers have not only cleaned the creek, but made a viable outdoor recreation area with about eleven miles of bike trail.
Photo: Antelope Creek November 2014, L. Sato
