Green Living Tribe - Part II - Page 30

[AngelBee]

[Slabobbin]

I've tried the "water bottle method" and I can't seem to get it to work for me. My toliet is right beside the tub so I can even refill it easily, if needed. But I just can't seem to get "clean" (I cannot believe I am discussin this online, but what the heck ). Any um....tips?

[Alcyone]

Originally Posted by Slabobbin

I've tried the "water bottle method" and I can't seem to get it to work for me. My toliet is right beside the tub so I can even refill it easily, if needed. But I just can't seem to get "clean" (I cannot believe I am discussin this online, but what the heck ). Any um....tips?

Thanks for saying what at least one other person was thinking.

[ramlita]

:

Also, what do you do about the part where you're still wet? :

[beanma]

back to composting -- there's a compost 101 sticky in "diggin in the earth" and Organic Gardening magazine has a feature on it here -- http://www.organicgardening.com/feat...ews_2007_09_10 .

hth

[loraxc]

Does anyone know if you can recycle construction paper? What about if it has glue on it? DD brings home reams (it seems) of art projects from daycare. (They do do some recycled-stuff art, too.)

Also, what do you use in your automatic dishwasher? I can't seem to give it up but I'd like to use a green detergent. The one I tried didn't work at all, though.

[eco_mama]

Originally Posted by loraxc

Does anyone know if you can recycle construction paper? What about if it has glue on it? DD brings home reams (it seems) of art projects from daycare. (They do do some recycled-stuff art, too.)

Also, what do you use in your automatic dishwasher? I can't seem to give it up but I'd like to use a green detergent. The one I tried didn't work at all, though.

I stopped using mine last year but I recommend Ecover Tablets. They worked the best for me.

[eco_mama]

Originally Posted by flowers

So I am about to purchase some cloth mamapads for pp....(I am 39 weeks!) since all my old ones have bitten the dust. What are everyone's favorites? Whose works the best....most comfy.....decent price.....good wahm to support!

I love my gladrags. I use the organic cotton.

[ramlita]

Originally Posted by loraxc

Also, what do you use in your automatic dishwasher? I can't seem to give it up but I'd like to use a green detergent. The one I tried didn't work at all, though.

I know what you mean!

7th Generation was worse than useless in our dishwasher. It just stuck to everything along with the food and stuff.

We use Ecover (loose powder) now, and it works great
Though... every now and then, a load will come out a little cloudy-looking on the clear glass stuff. This seems to happen when we get close to the bottom of the box. Now we shake up the box to mix it up, and it doesn't seem to happen as much.

I just noticed in my buying club catalog that the BioPac DW powder is a lot cheaper, and comes in larger increments (less packaging )
Has anyone used this brand? I'd hate to buy a ten pound box and find it useless.


As for construction paper:
in our town, all paper gets mixed together. I don't know about glue. Seems like the best thing is to ask someone who works in the system in your area.

[Bex80]

Will check out that sticky and will PM the mama with the plans---as soon as bedtime routine is over. Thanks a ton!!

[ramlita]

Originally Posted by smeisnotapirate

DH and I made our own compost bin out of deck wood with a latch in the top (to keep the squirrels out)

What kind of wood do you mean?
(I wouldn't use pressure treated wood for compost.)

[Thursday Girl]

Originally Posted by loraxc

Does anyone know if you can recycle construction paper? What about if it has glue on it? DD brings home reams (it seems) of art projects from daycare. (They do do some recycled-stuff art, too.)

Also, what do you use in your automatic dishwasher? I can't seem to give it up but I'd like to use a green detergent. The one I tried didn't work at all, though.

what about recycling it yourself? you can rip it up small and what not then make new paper!! it's fun too, well from what i remember as a kid.

[Alcyone]

Originally Posted by loraxc

Also, what do you use in your automatic dishwasher? I can't seem to give it up but I'd like to use a green detergent. The one I tried didn't work at all, though.

I have been collecting "recipes" for natural home and body care, most of them coming from various threads on MDC. Apologies to the OPers but I didn't save who posted any of them. This is what I have for dishwasher:

1) a mix of a 50/50 mix of borax and bs and a vinegar rinse

2) baking soda and white vinegar in the dishwasher. just dump a couple of tablespoons BS right on the door of the dishwasher before I lift it up so it goes right in there and half a cup or a good 'glug' of vinegar in the rinse 'thingy' and my dishes are fine and we haven't gotten sickies from anything yet.

3) mixing baking soda and tea tree oil together, tossing the powder mixture on the bottom of the dishwasher or the soap dispenser, about 3-4 tablespoons work (it depends if your machine has a tendency to cake fine powders or not). We are also putting the white vinegar in the rinse aid dispenser (the one on the door with the screw cap).

That said, I haven't tried any of them because baking soda is hecka expensive here. I use Ecover tablets.

[Jecca]

hmmmmm got me thinking ijust switcher to ecover for my dw but the tablets maybe next time I'll try to powder i think our buyers club uses it, is using the dishwasher really that bad seems like it would use less water then washing dishes tha many times......i could be wrong ive never researched it.

[delfuego]

Originally Posted by jewelysmommy

dh wants to do this, but first we need money to buy a diesal car and then we need money toconvert it, and then get the kit to make bio-diesal. dh is totally into it, and someday soon it will happen.

Actually, if you make (or buy) biodiesel you don't need to convert the car... you can run biodiesel in any diesel engine. If you "convert" the car (i.e. add a heater to your fuel tank and an extra fuel tank in the trunk so you can start it on regular diesel) you can run on straight vegetable oil (SVO) or waste vegetable oil (WVO) like flowers does. None of it is really that big of an expense (except the purchase of the car... and that depends on how new/fancy a car you want... my 1983 Mercedes Benz cost $650 and I run it on straight biodiesel... used to use WVO). You don't have to purchase a "kit" to make biodiesel you can use an electric waterheater for much cheaper, just look up "appleseed processor" online.

There's been extensive conversation about this topic in the thread, do a search on biodiesel... it's quite interesting.

[Alcyone]

Originally Posted by Jecca

is using the dishwasher really that bad seems like it would use less water then washing dishes tha many times......i could be wrong ive never researched it.

It depends both on the dishwasher and the way you use it. If you have a modern, efficient dishwasher, and you only run it when it's full, then yes, it is possible that you're saving water over doing it by hand. If you have an older or inefficient model and/or you run it frequently when it isn't full, then you're wasting water.

Not to be mean, but I had to read your post several times to understand it. If you could use periods at the ends of your sentences, it would aid a lot in others' reading comprehension.

[smeisnotapirate]

Originally Posted by Alcyone

It depends both on the dishwasher and the way you use it. If you have a modern, efficient dishwasher, and you only run it when it's full, then yes, it is possible that you're saving water over doing it by hand.

Dh and I have the Fischer & Paykel Dish Drawer. It's FANTASTIC. Pricey, but I'd recommend it to anyone and we save a TON of water.

[Alcyone]

Originally Posted by LucyRev

Alcyone, i would love to see a picture of your new floor with 7 colors! How fun.

pictures and video of our new floor

[kimberlychapman]

Originally Posted by ramlita

I know what you mean!

7th Generation was worse than useless in our dishwasher. It just stuck to everything along with the food and stuff.

We use Ecover (loose powder) now,

and it works great

Both 7th Gen and Ecover worked like crap for us, mostly because of our severely hard water. Now we use Trader Joe's detergent and it works pretty well. It even rates well in Consumer Reports.

[jtbuko]

Originally Posted by Alcyone

pictures and video of our new floor

I LOVE your design. We are finally living our marmoleum dream too. We put it in this past spring, and love how interesting, low maintenance, and fun it is. I let my hubby do the design since he agreed to do most of the installation while I juggled kiddos. My only input was demanding that he use at least 4 colors