Green Thoughts for the Holidays

 

 

Here’s a collect of green thoughts from a website that no long exists – Green is Sexy and a few of my own:

 

lighten up.

Friends have been telling us about the new LED lights they have purchased for their holiday decorating this year. The biggest question we had? “Do they look like LED lights?” You know, a little more “bright white” than “chestnuts-by-the-fire romantic.” Like cars with the somewhat-blinding purple LED headlamps or the penlight on your keychain. Good news, ladies and gents, they don’t! And what better word to spread, because LED lights use 90 percent less energy than conventional holiday lights and last up to 200,000 hours. And if you like to really light up during the season, you’ll be happy to know you can even save up to $50 on your energy bills during the holiday season. LED lights seem to be available everywhere, including drug stores and major retailers.  (LED lights have come a long way since this was written in 2010)

avoid anaphylaxis.

If you find yourself sending gifts to loved ones in the mail, you’ve inevitably found yourself staring into the cold, dead eyes of the poly-styrene packing peanut. If you’re allergic to peanuts like we are, why not try making your own packing material? Remove the paper from your recycling bin and throw it through a shredder (one of uses the shredder at her office, ahem!). The shredded paper can be stored in a bag and saved for stuffing packages for extra cushion. This free alternative to plastic packing products covers two of the three’s (reduce and reuse). Aren’t you sexy?

trip out.

This holiday, if you’re hosting guests or cooking a big meal, plan your shopping trips ahead of time. Try making a list, checking it twice, and figuring out where to go with the least impacting route in your car (think less miles/kilometers!) before you even leave the house. Want to double your fun? Bring another hosting friend along and split the gas cost! You might even be able to swap some recipe tips. If you forget an item, ask an arriving guest to do a quick stop to pick it up on the way.

shop with reusable bags.

Remember to carry reusable bags everywhere you shop.  I've gotten good about carrying them to the grocery store but often forget when I go to other places.  Many stores have started giving credit when you use a reusable bag. 

seasons greenings.

Has your first holiday card arrived in the mail? It’s great that friends and family are thinking of you, but it’s not so great that they aren’t thinking of those poor trees! Turn your loved ones into unknowing environmentalists by reusing the season’s greetings. Most people write on the inner right of a card, so cut at the fold and voila! You have a seasonal postcard.

burn beeswax candles.

Burning candles during the holidays is a beautiful way to celebrate.  Instead of traditional petroleum-based candles, purchase candles made of biodegradable and renewable materials such as soy or beeswax. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Turn Thrift Store Finds into Christmas Gifts: Thrift Store Christmas Gift Ideas

 

Thrift shopping is a great way to save money year-round. You can get children’s clothing cheaply, housewares, and even furniture. Just about anything you need for your home (besides food of course) can be bought at the thrift store. Did you ever consider doing your Christmas shopping there, though? For most people, giving used gifts is a social no-no; however, if you are crafty or just know where to look, you can get incredible thrift store gifts! Here is your guide to turning thrift store finds into Christmas Gifts

Thrift Store Christmas Gift Ideas

Mason Jars- There really are so many things you can do with these thrift shop staples. You can make cookie and brownie mix in jars and tie them with a pretty ribbon and label. You could make some homemade sugar scrubs and place them in the jars as well. Here are 15 Gift in Jar Ideas.

Old Sweaters- I have seen so many tutorials on how to use old sweaters and turn them into anything from mittens to hats. Many of these projects require very little sewing skill and they are so unique and fun! Teens might enjoy getting a new pair of boot liners like these from Scissortail Silk. Old sweaters can also be stuffed and sewn into pet beds for a great gift for our furry friends. Here are more ways to reuse old sweaters.

Clay pots- Many thrift stores have clay or plastic pots from other people’s gardening time. Clean these up, paint them and plant a houseplant in them for a truly wonderful and long living gift.

Tea cups and sugar bowls- One great use for old tea cups, especially the elegant vintage kind, is to make candles out of them. These make awesome gifts that are truly unique. Check out my tutorial on making Tea Cup Candles for inspiration. Here are directions for making Sugar Bowl Candle.

Old Vintage T-shirts- Make a quilt with them. One of my good friends has a quilt made from old T-shirts from her collage days and still loves it. You can also use them to make infinity scarves.

Old Jeans- High-waisted jeans are coming back into style and luckily the thrift store usually has plenty of them. You can create an awesome gift for a teen by covering the pockets with a fabric scrap with a cool design (think leopard print or something similar). Old jeans are also useful for making many other crafts such as purses, wallets and so on.

Framed prints- These are a thrift store lover’s favorite find. You never know what you will get when you hunt through the frames and paintings section. You can turn these into framed chalkboards, paint them white and decoupage family photos onto one.

Trays- Thrift stores are full of all kinds of trays and platters. These can be made into great things such as chalkboards, jewelry plates for rings and bangles and even bird feeders. Just about anyone on your list can be made something from a tray or platter.

What are some of your favorite ways to use thrift store finds and create new things with them? Have you ever given a re-purposed thrift store find as a gift? I would love to hear your creative ideas!

 

http://premeditatedleftovers.com/naturally-frugal-living/thrift-store-christmas-gift-ideas/

 

 

 

 

Greening Cyber Monday: Eco-friendly Packaging

 

So anyone with children in their lives knows that’s it’s pretty hard to avoid buying at least a few things at this time of year. We’re doing our best to find a few things that our kids will really like while still minimizing our impact on the environment. This year the Nature Conservatory has launched a movement to change “Cyber Monday” into “Green Gift Monday“. They are encouraging people to buy Green products and to minimize their impact on the environment with their holiday purchases.

One way to reduce your impact on the environment is to consider the packaging when purchasing kids toys. Most parents have dealt with layers of plastic containers, wires and strings tying the toys to layers of cardboard and difficult to wrap oddly shaped packages. The children don’t like this packaging any more than the parents do and it’s all headed quickly to the trash. Most of that packaging isn’t recyclable or reusable. But what can you do? If you want the doll or toy you have to put up with the packaging designed to hold it perfectly in place while it is shipped around the world and to the store shelf where you purchase it.

Believe it or not, Amazon.com is starting a movement to revolutionize product packaging. Their movement isn’t new, they started “Frustration-Free Packaging” in 2008. According to their web page:

It’s a multi-year initiative designed to alleviate “wrap rage,” featuring recyclable boxes that are easy to open and free of clamshells and wire ties.

 

Amazon works directly with manufacturers like Fisher-Price and Leapfrog to package products directly into recyclable boxes that can be shipped in their own boxes without an additional shipping box. The item is exactly the same, but when your child opens the box they can immediately pull out their present and use it without waiting for someone to help them free it from its restraints. All the packing materials can be directly recycled in paper recycling or reused.

Vendors are allowed to sell their products in Frustration-Free Packaging in any of their outlets, therefore I encourage you to watch for it wherever you are shopping and purchase these versions. For example, I was shopping directly on LeapFrog’s website yesterday and I had the choice to order a product in either regular or frustration free packaging – I bet you can guess which I chose!

There is even an option for you to help influence this program. If you purchase anything that is shipped through Amazon (usually anything eligible for Super-Saver Shipping), after the product arrives you can go to their Packaging Feedback site (only works if you have recently placed an order) and provide direct feedback of the packaging. Amazon then uses this feedback to work directly with manufacturers to improve the packaging of the products they sell.

As I was doing research for this article, I discovered that Amazon has a huge program to implement environmental and energy initiatives throughout their company around the world. You can read more about their “Earth Kaizens” program directly on their website. I was very impressed by the efforts they are making.

 

You can buy a lot more than just toys packed in Frustration-Free Packaging including electronics, food, household supplies, and even our favorite, toilet paper!

So whether you are going green with your holiday shopping or your regular household purchases, consider the packaging and if you can’t get frustration free packaging, let Amazon know you want it next time!

Happy Greening,
Alicia

http://www.greenlifestylechanges.com/greening-cyber-monday-eco-friendly-packaging/

 

 

 

 

How to Be Green: Make Smarter Purchasing Decisions (or None at All!)

I know it’s the end of March but this article contains advice that’s good for any time of year! – Gene

 

By The Green Divas on January 25, 2015

 

 

It happens every year. You resolve to do something when the calendar turns onto a brand new year. Maybe 2015 can be your greenest year yet—and not just by donating that box in the basement, or your old torn-up clothes…

When we turned the corner in years past, there was a movement called "The Compact", which meant joining this pact to not buy anything new in the new year. Pretty simple, right? Use what you have, or find a way to do without. Well, for most people, this really doesn’t work. It’s an easy idea to get behind—who doesn’t want to spend less?—but we all know that unless you are a super planner and stocked up on every little thing already, there will come a time when you need something.

My resolution is a bit more realistic…

 

Quality matters

For the purchases I will be making, I want them to be the healthiest for my home, and friendliest to the earth. For me, this means splurging on an organic twin mattress (sans flame retardants) for my daughter, even though it costs at least four times as much as a conventional one.

If you truly cannot afford to buy a reasonably good choice for an item, and cannot wait until the time comes that you will, consider buying used—in these days of excess, so many things go barely used, that buying used can be just like buying new, except the item has been aired out a bit. If you need a new sweater, consider paying a bit more for a good quality one, instead of a cheaply made one that isn’t going to hold up past a few washes and wears. When a $50 sweater lasts 8 years without mending, it’s a far better value than having to buy a new $15 sweater every year.

 

Take some time with your trash

Many people donate by filling garbage bags with torn or outdated clothing, knick-knacks they’ve always hated, or chipped dishes. While these things certainly need to be purged from your home, consider a few other things when you want to clear things out: repurposing, rehoming, and recycling.

Repurposing:
If you have an item that works, is good quality, but just doesn’t work for what you wanted it—consider what it might be used for somewhere else. I actually have old tape cartridge storage drawers in my kitchen cabinets to store food cans! Perhaps that old nightstand or entertainment center could be an adorable kitchen for a child in your life, or that knick-knack shelf you took down years ago could be a nice little shoe rack. Broken pots and dishes make cute, whimsical fairy gardens for kids, or a nice new mosaic top for an old table.

Rehoming:
Of course, many of the things we no longer need would serve a much better purpose in another home. This can be achieved by donating, but you may also find a home for things by thinking about them a bit. Perhaps your nephew just moved out for college, and might just love your old futon, or your cousin just lost a ton of weight but might not have a big budget to go shopping for all new right-size-clothing, and she might really appreciate a few gently used items from your closet.

Read more about organic clothing

We all seem to have hesitation when offering people our used things, but you just never know until you ask or offer. When you recognize a specific need that someone may have, the item might be better received than an offer blasted out to all of your friends and family or a plea to take things off your hands. Being a parent, I have tons of children’s clothing and items, and I make a habit of asking around to see if there are friends of a friend who might be in need. I love making care packages with new or gently used clothing, nursing accessories, a cozy blanket and some small toys. Rehoming these things to someone in need certainly makes me feel better than dumping them into a collection box.

Recycling:
I bet most of you already sort your plastics, cardboard and newspapers from your normal trash to recycle them (I surely hope your town offers recycling—but if not, please speak up about it and make it happen!) but did you know that almost everything can be recycled? Baby car seats (which are turned away from donation centers since they cannot verify safety and condition) can be recycled piece by piece, but you do need to work for it. There are recycling centers and companies available for almost everything, from textiles, wood, plastic, foam, metal and glass.

Do you really need a new one? And do you need to buy it?

It’s certainly not a new idea to ask yourself if a purchase is a need or a want, but take it a step further…and think if there is something else you already own, that you can repurpose as in the suggestion above.

Do you really need a new kitchen table, or could you refinish yours, put a tablecloth on it, or maybe even barter with someone for a new one? Do you really need to buy new doll clothes for your daughter’s doll, or could you try to make some with old clothes or scraps of fabric? I made a wrap dress with only two cuts in an old cloth napkin, and about a dozen hand stitches for the strap and closure!

Read more about repurposing and 'upcycling'

I know we discussed buying used above, and I’ll say it again—if you can’t fix it, make it yourself, or make do without, perhaps you can buy it or trade for it with someone else. There are thrift stores just about everywhere (The Salvation Army, Goodwill, Savers, etc) and community yard sale websites like Freecycle, Craigslist, or buy and sell groups/pages on Facebook.

This also goes for food, whether it’s items like produce, which you might just be able to grow yourself, or convenience items like mac and cheese, or other boxed foods. Consider taking a weekend to learn how to make them, and if you happen to have the freezer space—make large batches to make your own convenience items at a much lower cost (not to mention better health.)

How will you make 2015 more green?

 

Written by Green Diva Christine (Christine Zadykovich) for The Green Divas.

 

http://naturallysavvy.com/live/how-to-be-green-make-smarter-purchasing-decisions-or-none-at-all

 

 

 

 

10 ways to give without buying stuff

Thoughtful gifts can be experiences, time or even a special after-holiday treat.

Cuttings from a plant can be a great, no-cost gift. (Photo: Madlen/Shutterstock)

 

Unless you've gotten serious about the Minimalism movement, chances are that you have way more stuff than you are able to use — and so does almost everyone you know. So this time of year can be tough; you want to show your friends and family that you are thinking of them, and it feels good to give, but it's not like anyone needs another tie, decorative box or holiday sweater (ugly or not).

 

So here are some easy ways to give gifts that are unique, interesting, potentially low-cost and most of all, enjoyable. Hopefully with this approach, you won't be anything adding to the landfill or the Goodwill pile. 

 

 

1. Make handmade treats for later.

Think of food that lasts, because nobody wants to eat much over the next couple of weeks. But they certainly will be hungry again come January. Think jellies and jams for brunch-lovers, energy bars for your workout-obsessed buddy, or homemade chocolates for dessert nuts. And then make it yourself, and create some interesting wrapping paper from recycled materials. 

 

2. Check out The Buy Nothing Project.

The organization's premise is that we all have stuff to give and stuff we need. The organization is community-based, and works using Facebook as a hub where people are only allowed to join if they live within the area where the group operates. One family found everything they wanted for a kids' birthday party, so it seems like holiday gifts might be a possibility. But remember, this group is about giving too, so clear out your cupboards and post things you don't need or use.

 

3. Give herbs and plants.

This is an inexpensive way to give a holiday gift that will keep giving, literally, through the winter, spring and beyond as it grows. It's an inexpensive present that will not only add a bit of green for a prettier indoor atmosphere, but will also clean the air as it grows and could provide food or flavor. Too late to grow your own gifts and really strapped for cash? Find any container that can hold soil and simply buy some seeds and plant them and give the gift of life to come. Sunflowers, dill or parsley would all be a welcome midwinter sight, even if its just the promise of green things to come in the spring. 

 

4. Make a mixtape.

I don't actually mean a cassette tape — although some cars still have tape decks, so you could, I suppose. But you could create a Spotify playlist to share with friends, or even better, mix a set of songs just for them. It's fun to make mixes too, so you'd be giving yourself a gift of sorts in the process of creating one for your friends. 

 

5. Clean someone's home.

Ideally, you would do this before or right after the actual holiday, because that's when most people need a hand keeping their places neat and tidy. You could arrange this as a surprise (imagine them coming home to a sparkling clean house and a nice note that says: "Happy holidays! My gift to you this year is a clean and cozy home") or give them a nice card that presents the gift in a written format. 

 

 

6. Offer baby-sitting or pet-sitting.

Like housecleaning, this is a great present that gives the gift of time yet doesn't cost you a thing.

 

7. Make a week's worth of dinners.

Most people don't like to cook, but they want to eat healthfully. And even for those who like to cook, by the end of a long workday, it's just not in the cards. Being tired and hungry while cooking is a tall order. So making a week's worth of dinners — thick hearty soups, chilis, and maybe a frozen entree or two — can mean the difference between a good meal and another night of popcorn and wine. And what a gift that is for a busy person!

 

8. Give the gift of donating money.

There are a number of organizations that facilitate getting money to nonprofits for gift givers, but a great clearinghouse for all sorts of great charities is Just Give. You just choose a gift amount, then the person you donate to can give the money to an organization they love. That way they get to be in on the fun of giving money away without the cost! Cool gift. Just Give will print up and mail the cards for you, or you can hand them out yourself. 

 

9. Buy a pre-paid gas card.

If they drive a car, they're going to need gas, and nobody enjoys spending their money on that. Instead of giving a gift card to a store, give a gas card, which frees that person up to pay off bills, or buy something else with the money they're not spending on gas. 

 

10. Buy a gift certificate to a restaurant, ball game, concert or spa.

Services like these are the ones people cut when they are scrimping and saving, and enjoying an experience, even some months in the future, will make them remember you when they are having a great time. What a great gift to give.   

Read more: http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/responsible-living/blogs/10-ways-to-give-without-buying-stuff#ixzz3MHEEDLky

 

 

 

7 No-Brainer Ways to Stop Wasting Food

And stop wasting money at the supermarket, too.

 

 

A scary fact: Estimates show we throw away a third of the food we buy each week. A THIRD. Want to cut down on your waste? Adopt these easy steps. 

 

1. Write a list!
Plan your meals for a week. Check the ingredients in your fridge and cupboards, then write a shopping list for just the extras you need. While in the store, don't be tempted by offers and definitely don't shop when you're hungry — or you'll come back with more than you need or want. Buy loose fruits and vegetables instead of pre-packed, then you can buy exactly the amount you need. You can also buy meats and cheese from a deli to help you control your portions.

2. Maintain your fridge.
Check that the seals on your fridge are good and check the fridge temperature, too. Perishable food should be stored at 37 degrees Fahrenheit for maximum freshness and longevity (keep your freezer at 0 degrees or just a little lower).

3. Use up everything.
Make any fruit that is just going soft into smoothies or fruit pies rather than toss them. Vegetables that are starting to wilt are perfect for making soup. And instead of scrapping leftovers, use them as ingredients in a new dish tomorrow. A bit of tuna can go into a pasta bake. A tablespoon of cooked vegetables are a good base for a slow-cooker meal.

4. Rotate items on your shelves.
When you buy new food from the store, bring all the older items in your cupboards and fridge to the front. By putting the old stuff in sight, you run less risk of finding something moldy in the back.

5. Serve smaller portions at mealtime.
This is especially helpful for children, who rarely estimate how much they can eat at once. If anyone's still hungry, they can go for seconds. Then, just cool and store leftovers for another day (but again, don't hide them in the back of the fridge where you won't see them!).

6. Freeze food you're not using right away. 
If you only eat a small amount of bread, freeze the loaf when you get home from the store and take out a few slices a couple of hours before you need them. Likewise, prepare and freeze food the weekends, so that you have meals ready for those evenings when you are too tired to cook.

7. Compost your leftovers.
Some food waste is unavoidable, so why not set up a compost bin for fruit and vegetable peelings? In a few months you will end up with rich, valuable fertilizer for your plants. For cooked food waste, try a kitchen composter (bokashi bin). Just feed it your scraps (you can even put in fish and meat), sprinkle over a layer of special microbes and leave to ferment. You can also use its resulting product on houseplants and in the garden.

 

Photo: Peter Dazeley/Getty

 

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/green-living/reduce-food-waste

 

 

 

 

 

Eco-Chic Corkit Flower Pots Are Made From Recycled Wine Corks

by Peter Grisby, 02/24/14

Corkits are eco-friendly pots made from recycled cork and non-toxic materials that put a green twist on the traditional flower pot. Corkits are great for small plants such as herbs, spices, and flowers. The pots’ cork construction makes them antibacterial, extremely durable, reusable, and sustainable. Each Corkit pack ships with seeds, coir soil and a flowerpot with an optional drainage hole.

http://www.bestacork.com/

Read more: Eco-Chic Corkit Flower Pots Are Made From Recycled Wine Corks | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building

When shopping remember, quality trumps quantity.

By now you know that reduce is the most important of the three R’s. One good way to reduce is to invest wisely in quality, long-lasting products. A cheap, hard-to-pronounce bookshelf might seem like the best option to hold up your books, but first consider whether or not you will want that shelf in your home ten years from now. Will it last that long? Spend a little more money on a piece you will love, not replace, a few years down the line. The same goes for clothes. Try spending a little more money on well made shoes and clothes, and reduce the need to replace worn out items after only a few uses. In addition to their long shelf-life, well made pieces have a a better resale value and are usually more apt to be cared for. One of our friends was constantly buying new sunglasses, when her $10 pairs kept getting lost or broken. She finally splurged on an expensive pair of designer shades and has managed to hold on to them for four years so far. With one investment she reduced her consumption by about 20 pairs! Reduce your use and save your money for products you’ll be proud to know for a long time.

reuseit - reusables for every part of your life!

Here’s a great website with a lot of reusable items for that “green” person on your gift list!

http://www.reuseit.com/

10 Easy Tips to Green Your Holidays

By Debbie Levin

Did you know that Americans increase their garbage by 25% from Thanksgiving to New Years?  That’s a lot of garbage — more than 25 million tons of extra waste, according to the EPA.  But the good news is that there are some simple things we can all do to limit our impact and reduce our overall consumption.

Here’s what you need to know to go greener this holiday season:

1. Use Recycled Wrapping Paper – Wrapping paper and shopping bags account for 4 million tons of trash annually in the U.S. Most wrapping paper isn’t recyclable because it’s made out of materials that are dyed and laminated, contains non-paper additives such as gold and silver coloring, and usually is taped.  You can get recycled wrapping paper from companies such as Fish Lips and Earth Love’n Paper.  Or get creative — make fabric gift bags, or visit eartheasy.com for other alternatives.
2. Recycle Your Tree – Over 33 million Christmas
   trees are purchased in North America every year and most of those end up in a landfill or rotting somewhere.  Find out where to recycle your tree by visiting earth911.com. In the top right of the page, enter your location; the site will give you local recycling facilities.
3. Buy Recyclable Christmas Cards – There are 2.65 billion holiday cards sold each year in the U.S. If they are shiny, or contain glitter or other materials, they aren’t recyclable. So buy and send cards that are made from recycled materials. And, after the holiday, recycle the non-shiny cards you received.  Another option: Send out e-cards rather than real ones.
4. Shop Responsibly – There is no definitive answer to whether shopping online or in person is better. Whenever shopping, either online or in person, consolidate your purchases so as to use less packaging and fuel. If you can, shop locally so as to benefit the local economy. Bring reusable bags when shopping; they aren’t just for the grocery store.
5. Green Your Gift Giving – Consider gifts that don’t require lots of packaging or wrap. Concert, theater or movie tickets, art classes and gift certificates are all low impact gifts. Or you can give gifts with an environmental theme or benefit. For stocking stuffers, give reusable coffee mugs, gift cards, etc. Other gifts include nature books, membership in environmental organizations, bikes, trips to eco-resorts, antiques (they’re reused) and items made of organic/reused materials.
6. Manage Your Electronic Waste – Many gifts during the holidays are tech gadgets that replace older, outdated, or unwanted electronics. Make sure that they are properly disposed of through e-waste recycling.
7. Buy Rechargeable Batteries – For tech gift purchases that require batteries, purchase rechargeable batteries rather than disposable. In the long run they will save you money. They also keep hazardous materials out of the landfills and water supplies.
8. Check Toxicity of Toys for Children – If you’re concerned about toxic chemicals in children’s toys, check out “The Consumer Action Guide to Toxic Chemicals in Toys.” Thousands of toys are tested and the results are listed with toys and toy makers which are ranked based on toxicity. They also provide mobile widgets and SMS texting options if you are in a store and want to check the toxicity of a toy.
9. Buy LED Holiday/Christmas Lights – It may be time to look into LED Christmas lights. LED light strands consume 80-90 percent less energy than standard light strands, and unlike normal bulbs, they don’t generate heat. You can find large or small lights at some retailers or they can be found online at sites like: Forever Lights and Mini LED Christmas lights.
10. Cook Healthy Holiday Meals – It’s time to break out the family recipes! Let’s give thanks to nature’s abundance with a conscience. Cooking local and organic meals will not only go perfectly with that eco flatware, but will also benefit your health and the environment. Visit your local farmer’s market for your holiday shopping.  

Debbie Levin is president of the Environmental Media Association (EMA) and is regarded as a true thought-leader, merging environmental awareness with entertainment platforms and people. EMA works to garner attention for pressing environmental issues by leveraging the power and
visibility of television/film and celebrities through various initiatives including greening productions and award shows, supporting organic gardens in public schools, and working with the corporate sector to promote and encourage sustainable lifestyle choices.

http://www.greenisuniversal.com/blog/holidays/10-easy-tips-to-green-your-holidays/

‘Flushable’ personal wipes clog sewer systems, utilities say

Being 'green' and sustainable means using less and less disposable products.  It's amazing the problems City Utilities run into due to the wrong items being disposed of down the toilets.  It looks like from this article, the safest thing to flush is still just old-fashion toilet paper. 

Sewer agencies across the country say the rapidly growing use of moistened "personal" wipes is clogging pipes and jamming pumps.

By Katherine Shaver   (edited by Gene)

The Washington Post

WASHINGTON — Next time you go to toss that "flushable" wipe in the toilet, you might want to consider a request from your sewer utility: Don't.

Sewer agencies across the country say the rapidly growing use of moistened "personal" wipes — used most often by potty-training toddlers and people seeking what's advertised as a more "thorough" cleaning than toilet paper — are clogging pipes and jamming pumps.

Utilities struggling with aging infrastructure have wrestled for years with the problem of "ragging" — when baby wipes, dental floss, paper towels and other items not designed for flushing entangle sewer pumps.

The latest menace, officials say, is that wipes and other products, including pop-off scrubbers on toilet-cleaning wands, are increasingly being marketed as "flushable." Even ever-thickening, super-soft toilet paper is worrisome because it takes longer to disintegrate, some say.

"Just because you can flush it doesn't mean you should," said I.J. Hudson, a spokesman for the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, which handles sewage for 1.8 million Maryland residents in Montgomery and Prince George's counties.

The result: Utility officials say crews needed for sewer maintenance and repairs are being deployed instead to wipes patrol.

The commission has spent more than $1 million to install heavy-duty grinders to shred wipes and other debris before they reach pumps on the way to the treatment plant, Hudson said. Officials with the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority say that more than 500 staff hours have been devoted in the past 12 months to removing stuck wipes and repairing broken equipment.

The wipes also contribute to blockages that cause sewage to overflow into streams and back up into basements.

This summer, a 15-ton glob of wipes and hardened cooking grease the size of a bus — and nicknamed "Fatberg" by the Brits — was discovered in a London sewer pipe after residents complained of toilets that would not flush.

Feds investigating

What constitutes "flushable" might soon get federal oversight. Officials of the wastewater industry and wipe manufacturers say the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently asked for data as part of an investigation into the "flushable" label.

Wipe manufacturers say they are trying to reduce wear and tear on sewer systems and septic tanks. A trade group, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, is forming a technical work group with utility officials to sort through differences over how wipes should be tested for flushability and how quickly they should be required to break apart.

They also suggest making "Do Not Flush" logos — an encircled person and toilet with a slash — more prominent on those that do not pass the tests but are commonly used in bathrooms.

Dave Rousse, president of the fabrics group, said the primary problem lies with people flushing paper towels, baby wipes and other products not advertised — or designed — for toilets.  Rousse said. "We agree we need to label products appropriately and educate the public to flush responsibly — to look for and obey disposal instructions."

Standard in dispute

Utility officials say one of the manufacturers' key tests for wipes marketed as "flushable" does not mimic real-life sewer systems. The "slosh box" test requires that at least one-quarter of a wipe agitated in water be broken into pieces small enough to pass through a small sieve within three hours. However, utility officials say wipes can reach a pump within a couple of minutes. Moreover, many sewer systems move sewage primarily via downhill gravity and are not nearly as hard on the wipes as the agitation test, utility officials say.

Manufacturers disagree, saying their newly streamlined tests ensure that wipes marketed as "flushable" are safe for sewer and septic systems.

Utility officials say they need to resolve the differences soon.

Sales of consumer wipes are predicted to grow by about 6 percent annually for the next five years, he said.

For the whole article - http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2021778688_wipesclogxml.html

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Office of Sustainability

Office - (954) 828-5785  Fax - (954) 828-4745

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov