Hot and bothered: 8 AC-less ways to beat the heat this summer

I’m not so sure about the third one but it would work!  J

Worried about the impact running your AC will have on your utility bills? I certainly am. Check out these low-tech, renter-friendly ways to keep your cool this summer.

June 2010

I don’t know what the weather’s like where you live but here in Brooklyn it’s hot as blazes … only three days into summer and the sauna-like temps have me in a total panic about spikes in my electric bills.

Naturally, this has me thinking about creative ways that I can avoid using my two window-unit air conditioners (as much) over the coming weeks. As a renter living in a fourth-floor walk-up, home improvement projects like installing ceiling fans and replacing windows are out of the question so I thought I’d share some easy, low-tech tactics I plan on trying out to stay cool, keep my fossil fuel usage to a minimum, and, perhaps most importantly, save a few bucks as I sweat it out at home. 

• H 2 the O: I do this all the time anyways — I'm a thirsty kind of guy — but to keep me from having total freak outs when the ConEd bill arrives, I'll be making sure that my Britta pitcher is always full of ice-cold water and my body is naturally hydrated. Adding a sprig of mint to a glass of cold water helps, too. 

• Giving the oven a rest: The past couple of nights I must have been wearing my bad idea jeans (I should have been wearing nothing ... see tip below) because I used the oven to prepare dinner. After eating, I thought I'd pass out. And not because the food was that good ... my apartment felt like an oven. I think I'll be nuking meals in the microwave a bit more and keeping the oven and other heat sources like lamps off as much as possible. 

 • Going au natural: I'm not sure if my roommate or the neighbors across the way are mentally prepared for "free shows" but this blogger will be wearing next to nothing while at home. 

• The blind side: The blinds in my apartment will remain shut and not just because I don't want my neighbors to catch a peek of me shuffling around in my underpants. For an apartment in NYC, my building gets awesome light which is a bit of burden in the summer when the sun is streaming in from all directions. 

• Fan club: Part of the reason I have such great light in my place is because I'm up high (a big drawback during the summer) and have multiple windows on three sides of my unit. As night, I'll be opening windows and using a couple of small fans to get a nice cross-breeze going. 

• Deep freeze: While we're on the topic of fans, here's a trick I've yet to try out: Put a handful of ice cubes or a couple of frozen water bottles in a chilled bowl and place it front of a fan. It's a super-effective way to cool down quick without cranking up the AC. 

• Cold showers and wet sheets: The first part of this tip is self-explanatory but wet sheets? Rumor is that placing a damp sheet in front of an open window or even sleeping with cold, damp sheets or bath towels provides relief. I'm willing to give it a shot. 

• Mr. Misty: It's high time that I invest in a spray bottle and fill it with cool water for instant refreshment. Adding a couple drops of tea tree oil supposedly works wonders. Maybe I'll multi-task and mist myself while my feet are plunged into a bucket of cold water and I suck on Otter Pops with cucumber slices placed over my eyes ( yet another good reason to have my blinds drawn). 

These are just a few easy, little or no-cost ways I plan on keeping my cool and not going broke this summer. Any tips you'd like to share? Also, be sure to check out Lighter Footstep's list of 20 ways for renters to stay cool and save money this summer and MNN advice columnist Chanie's words of wisdom on summertime energy savings. 

Don't trash cfl!

Friday Funny

PC and Pixel by Tak Bui

Don't Dump, Donate

Instead of tossing out those gently used items, why not make sure they find their way to someone in need?

The next time you upgrade something, can no longer stand the sight of something hideous, or simply need to downsize, think "donate" instead of "dump."

America has long been ridiculed around the world for being a throwaway society. On average, each one of us tosses out four and a half pounds of garbage every day, adding up to a whopping total of 245 million tons per year. A lot of that material is perfectly serviceable stuff, and could be readily used by the less fortunate.

Most towns have collection centers for used clothing, books, toys, durable goods and even canned foods. Check with your local government, or stop by a Salvation Army, Goodwill or independent thrift store. Shelters for women and families will often accept almost anything in decent shape.

Many churches and other religious organizations often hold community garage sales, and solicit items from the area for donation. Finally, don't forget the easiest, and greenest, option of all: share with your friends, family and neighbors! That way you won't even have to get in a car or transit to pass something on, and you can share stories as well as goods.

Read more: Donate Used Stuff - Give Things Away - The Daily Green

7 Ways To Improve Indoor Air Quality at Home

There is a common belief that the air outside your front door is much worse to breathe than the air inside your home. But, as studies show, the air inside your home may also come with health implications. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor levels of pollutants may be 2 to 5 times higher than levels outside¹.

How did your indoor air get dirtier than your laundry? Think fumes off-gassed by furniture, paint and building materials, chemicals from household cleaning products and fragrances, combustion devises, dust, bacteria and mold. These are all common culprits of poor home air quality.

When you consider that we spend 90 percent of our time indoors, this is a big problem. But it can be especially debilitating for those who suffer from allergies or asthma. Here are some simple solutions to improve your home air quality—many of which are quick, easy and affordable.

Tip#1: Air it out

Open a window to air out harmful chemicals and let cleaner, healthier air in! Even if it’s for a few minutes a day, it’s one of the simplest (and most affordable) things you can do to improve your home air quality. You can also turn on a ceiling or portable fan while windows are open to recirculate household air and push out stale air².

Tip #2: Use non-toxic household cleaning products

Traditional household cleaning products are one of the leading contributors to poor home air quality. In fact, the average home contains 62 harmful chemicals—more than a chemistry laboratory 100 years ago!³ Your home is not a science experiment.

Rather than spend money on household cleaning products, look no further than your pantry for ingredients that possess natural cleaning prowess. Ingredients such as baking soda, white distilled vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, tea tree oil, hot water, coarse salt, and plain ‘ole castile soap all do a bang-up job without spewing harmful chemicals in your home. (Look for easy-to-do recipes online!)

If you prefer something in a bottle, don’t just trust what they tell you on the label. Do some research before you buy. Look for products that tap into plant-based ingredients for cleaning power without artificial dyes and/or fragrances to better your home air quality. And remember, traditionally, the fewer ingredients on the label, the better.

Tip #3: Invest in healthy houseplants

Believe it or not, there are some plants that act as renegade air filters by sucking up harmful chemicals that rest in your air and pumping out fresh oxygen. Not just any plant will do. A study conducted in part by NASA found that a handful of plants are particularly skilled at eating up some of the more harmful chemicals: formaldehyde, benzene and carbon monoxide to name a few. Here are a few of the top plants that proved to be most effective at removing harmful chemicals⁴:

·         Bamboo Palm

·         English Ivy Hedera Helix

·         Gerbera Daisy Gerbera Jamesonii

·         Janet Craig - Dracaena “Janet Craig”

·         Marginata - Dracaena Marginata

·         Mass cane/Corn Plant - Dracaena Massangeana

·         Mother-in-Law’s Tongue Sansevieria Laurentii

·         Pot Mum – Chrysantheium morifolium

·         Peace Lily - Spathiphyllum

·         Warneckii - Dracaena “Warneckii”

Tip #4: Skip the scent

We are all guilty of associating fresh, aromatic scents with a clean home, but synthetic fragrance found in air fresheners, household cleaning products, detergents and candles infuses your air with harmful chemicals. Since the actual components of a fragrance are considered a “trade secret,” companies are only required to list the catch-all term “fragrance” on the label—but they are not required to disclose what they actually are⁵. In this case, the devil is in the details. A study conducted by Washington University found that nearly 100 volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) were emitted from six popular air fresheners. Of the 100 VOCs emitted, none were listed on the label and five of them released at least one (or more!) cancer-causing chemicals⁶. Many fragrances have not been tested for human safety, and a group of plasticizers known as phthalates are commonly used to make the scent last longer. Phthalates have been linked to hormone disruption⁷, cancer⁸, and reproductive and developmental issues⁹.

To protect your home air quality, look for household cleaning products, detergents and aerosol sprays that are fragrance-free or scented with 100 percent natural ingredients. You can also use essential oils, lemons, or baking soda to freshen up your home.

Tip #5: Buy safer furniture

Your furniture can off-gas VOCs, which can be highly toxic to human health¹⁰. Conventional woods in furniture such as plywood and particleboard are fused with toxic glues that can contain formaldehyde and harmful chemicals, and are finished with paints, lacquers, and varnishes that contain even more harmful chemicals. These chemicals can be detrimental to those with allergies and asthma, while contributing to serious diseases like cancer¹¹. If you can, avoid buying furniture made from woods that have been treated with formaldehyde and look for furniture that was assembled with non-toxic glues and water-based or low to no-VOC finishes¹². Certifications like GREENGUARD also serve as a great guide by identifying products that have lower chemical emissions for better home air quality¹³. Since healthier furniture can be more expensive, you can always buy second-hand—a good indication that the furniture has already done most of its off-gassing. You can also open a window for better air ventilation (See Tip #1).

Tip #6: Be picky about paint

Are you familiar with that funny odor that fills the room after you have freshly painted the walls? It makes you dizzy for a reason. Conventional paints can emit toxic fumes into your home over its life cycle . Look for safer paints that are labeled “Zero VOC or “Low-VOC.” The most ideal option is “Zero VOC, no toxics and no solvents,” which states that canister of wall color does not contain any of the harmful chemicals found in traditional paints¹⁴.

Tip #7: Invest in a HEPA filter vacuum

Carpets and floors can harbor chemicals and commons allergens, which accumulate in household dust. Vacuuming a few times a week is key, but cheap vacuums can just make matters worse. The problem with cheap vacuums is that they suction chemicals in, and then spew them back out in the exhaust to exacerbate poor home air quality. Purchase a vacuum with a true HEPA filter, which is capable of suctioning up dust, dirt and even the smallest irritants¹⁵.

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[1]http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/epareportsa.htm

[2]http://homeguides.sfgate.com/improve-indoor-air-quality-79159.html

[3]http://thepartnersfornaturalhealth.com/environmental-toxins-your-health

[4]http://www.zone10.com/nasa-study-house-plants-clean-air.html

[5]http://www.webmd.com/lung/features/12-ways-to-improve-indoor-air-quality?page=3

[6]http://www.livescience.com/5034-toxic-chemicals-laundry-soaps-air-fresheners.html

[7]http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130227121903.htm

[8]http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/exposure-to-phthalates-higher-breast-cancer-risk

[9]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20183522

[10]http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/text_version/chemicals.php?id=31

[11]http://www.iaqscience.lbl.gov/voc-cancer.html

[12]http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/questions/why-is-my-new-piece-of-furniture-emitting-a-nasty-odor

[13]http://www.greenguard.org

[14]http://www.healthychild.org/healthynurseryebook

[15]http://www.webmd.com/lung/features/12-ways-to-improve-indoor-air-quality

http://www.naturallysavvy.com/naturally-green/7-ways-to-improve-indoor-air-quality-at-home

Gene Dempsey, City Forester

Office of Sustainability

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

GDempsey@fortlauderdale.gov

National Moth Week

I had never heard of National Moth Week until I got a notice of local activities.  National Moth Week is a global celebration of moths and biodiversity, being held on the last week of July, which is July 20-28 this year.  Here’s some information from the National Moth Week website:

Why moths?

• Moths are among the most diverse and successful organisms on earth.
• Scientists estimate there are 150,000 to more than 500,000 moth species.
• Their colors and patterns are either dazzling or so cryptic that they define camouflage. Shapes and sizes span the gamut from as small as a pinhead to as large as an adult’s hand.
• Most moths are nocturnal, and need to be sought at night to be seen – others fly like butterflies during the day.
• Finding moths can be as simple as leaving a porch light on and checking it after dark. Serious moth aficionados use special lights and baits to attract them.

National Moth Week provides a much-needed spotlight on moths and their ecological importance as well as their incredible biodiversity.  National Moth Week offers everyone, everywhere a unique opportunity to become a Citizen Scientist and contribute scientific data about moths. Numerous organizations around the world have partnered with National Moth Week and are supporting the event. Through partnerships with major online biological data depositories, National Moth Week participants can help map moth distribution and provide needed information on other life history aspects around the globe.

http://nationalmothweek.org/

In Broward County, National Moth Week will be celebrated with activities at Long Key Nature Center at 3501 S.W. 130th Avenue in Davie.  Events include:

Moth Day • July 21

12 p.m. to 5 p.m.• All Ages • Free

Presented in cooperation with the Broward Butterfly Chapter and the Miami Blue Chapter of the North

American Butterfly Association.

Moth Night • July 26

8:00 p.m. • All Ages • $5/person

Presented in cooperation with the Broward Butterflies Chapter and the Miami Blue Chapter of the North

American Butterfly Association.

Magical Moths for Kids • July 27 and 28

10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. • Ages 3-12 yrs. • $5/child

For more information go to http://coontie.fnpschapters.org/data/uploads/newsletters/moth-week-flyer.pdf or call the Long Key Nature Center Office at 954.357.8797.

10 Unexpected Natural Cleaners

Around-the-house staples that moonlight as dirt-busting superstars.

By Nicole Sforza

Use white bread to: Dust an oil painting. Gently dab a slice of white bread over the surface to pick up dirt and grime.

Use ketchup to: Remove tarnish from copper and brass cookware. Squeeze ketchup onto a cloth and rub it on pots and pans. They should go back to their coppery color in minutes. Rinse with warm water and dry with a towel.

Use oatmeal to: Scrub very dirty hands. Make a thick paste of oatmeal and water; rinse well.

Use rice to: Clean the inside of a vase or a thin-necked bottle. Fill three quarters of the vessel with warm water and add a tablespoon of uncooked rice. Cup your hand over the opening, shake vigorously, and rinse.

Use tea to: Scour rusty garden tools. Brew a few pots of strong black tea. When cool, pour into a bucket. Soak the tools for a few hours. Wipe each one with a cloth. (Wear rubber gloves or your hands will be stained.)

Use glycerin to: Remove dried wax drippings from candlesticks. Peel off as much wax as possible, then moisten a cotton ball with glycerin and rub until clean.

Use club soda to: Shine up a scuffed stainless-steel sink. Buff with a cloth dampened with club soda, then wipe dry with another clean cloth.

Use hydrogen peroxide to: Disinfect a keyboard. Dip a cotton swab in hydrogen peroxide to get into those nooks and crannies.

Use cornstarch to: Clean grease spills on carpets. Pour cornstarch onto spots and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes before vacuuming.

Use rubbing alcohol to: Erase permanent-marker stains from finished wood floors or solid-surface countertops. Pour rubbing alcohol onto a cotton ball and apply.

http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/more-surprising-natural-cleaners-00000000011572/index.html?xid=rs-hol-07-11-2013