Green at 50

Green post mortem on Christmas morning

After a holiday immersed in consumerism, I like to take a personal assessment and see how I'm doing toward my goal of greener living. Did I purchase less than last year? Did I avoid gifts that were over-packaged and over-wrapped? As usual, there was progress and room for improvement.

Progress

• More items were purchased locally: I tried to give a "Taste of Iowa" this year to relatives far away. I purchased food items and soaps from local sellers to minimize packaging and support the local economy.
• Less wrapping paper: I used much less wrapping paper this year and so did my kids! Imagine my pride when my grown children arrived with recyclable paper bags and cloth wrapping around their gifts. At the end of the day, we had one small bag of paper that was not recyclable to throw away. A big improvement over the extra-super sized bags of trimmings we used to throw away each Christmas.

Areas to improve

• I purchased more on-line this year than ever before, and so came double wrapping with piles of Amazon boxes. In my defense, I always request that they combine the items into one shipment (doesn't always mean that they do:-(
• I used more paper than I wanted to because I couldn't find paper bags big enough. One commenter on the NYTimes blog had an interesting idea that I think I'll adopt next year.

"Wrapping paper is NOT needed! Several years ago my mother and I bought a bunch of holiday fabric and sewed simple bags out of it in many sizes (cut the tops with pinking shears so you don't have to hem.) We use these bags year after year and they always look great (just tie the top with pretty cloth ribbons that you can re use also.) they are also very easy to store compared to paper. I just fold them up and stick them in a gift bag in my closet. Doesn't matter if they get mashed. This cuts down on our holiday trash considerably." Relizabeth from Norfolk, VA. Green blog NYTimes

How did your left-over packaging stack up to last year?

 

Brad Pitt builds green homes in the 9th Ward of New Orleans



Thanks to Brad Pitt and his associates at the Make It Right Foundation for helping to rebuild a devasted portion of New Orleans in a green and sustainable way. Perhaps after this project, he can come to Cedar Rapids to help us rebuild flood ravaged areas of our city.

http://landing.newsinc.com/shared/video.htmlfreewheel=69016&sitesection=ndnsubss&VID=94225

 

There's bugs in the kitchen...no really, it's OK

Sweet success

It's harvest time at the farm. There's the everyday harvesting of fresh eggs (2 extra-large, 1 pullet with 1 pullet egg to go:-) There's the almost everyday harvesting of cucumbers, the seasonal picking of cabbage and the monthly culling of herbs. It is so gratifying to actually see the results of months of planning, seed starts in March and weeding in June.

Microbes in the kitchen

This year I've started to explore the world of pickling and microbes in preserving. My old microbiology professor would be proud. I even pulled out an old crock of my grandmother-in-laws and decided to make sauerkraut. Did you know that the preservative "tang" in sauerkraut is all natural? I didn't and I have a minor in Chemistry. How embarrassing. All it takes to make sauerkraut is to add layers of shredded cabbage and salt into a crock, mash it down to get the action going, but a plate on top with a weight (I'm using a water-filled half-gallon jug) and watch for the moisture level in the crock to rise above the plate. Cover with a towel and wait for 2 weeks. How simple is that?

According to Gritmagazine (no grit in my cabbage, no siree), it's fermentation that gives cabbage that bite, and extra nutrition:

"Sauerkraut (German for “sour cabbage”) is part of a whole family of fermented foods that we enjoy (such as beer, yogurt, bread, wine and cheese). Though “fermented cabbage” may not have an appetizing sound, it has a storied history – enjoyed by the Romans, the Chinese who worked on the Great Wall, the Mongols and, of course, my German ancestors. Eventually, Dutch sailors discovered that serving it shipboard helped prevent scurvy (because of its vitamin C content). Sauerkraut packs a nutritious punch, containing vitamins C, B and K, riboflavin, iron and many others. Cabbage is more nutritious after it’s been fermented than when fresh."

I haven't finished my batch, yet, so I don't know if it's as easy as it sounds. If you want to try a batch with your surplus cabbage, try the Wild Fermentationwebsite by Sandor Ellix Katz who considers himself a "fermentation revivalist." It sounds fun and tasty. Have you ever made sauerkraut? What's your favorite vegetables to add to the mix?

Garden surprises

The garden is full of delightful surprises this summer:

Massive tree lilies blooming in a nature inspired arrangement with sage,

Daddy Hummingbird frolicking in the yard...slurping from the bee balm and splashing a bath in the pond,

Cucumbers growing so fast that I can pick one everyday for an extra crunch at lunch,

Finally! A tiny squash at the end of a 10 foot vine,

Toads belting toad melodies in a raucous serenade by the water's edge,

Tomatoes that continue to grow fuller like an over-filled balloon and yet still stay steadfastly green,

And maybe best of all, a bountiful supply of  basil that not only protects my precious tomatoes from disease, last night it gave me four batches of pesto (I thought my food processor was going to burn up) and three large bunches for drying to remind me of summer on a blustery January night.

Sweet, sweet summertime.

Eating where I live

I was reading an article urbanfarmonline.com about edible landscapes and realized, geez, I have made a lot of progress integrating edibles into my landscape....and it's pretty tricky here. I have lots of wildlife, including herds of deer that like to munch on anything that will stand still long enough to let them. I have a small, privacy-fenced-in courtyard, about 30x30, with my house taking a good size chunk out of it. It's the only space I have that is protected from the bunnies and deer...in it I have my chicken coop, pond, vegetable garden and perennials. It's my annual challenge to use it as productively as possible and still make it beautiful. Lately, I've been pretty happy with the results.

I've always planted 3-4 cucumber plants in a large pot and let the vine spill over the edges of the pot and onto the ground. It's lovely but with the excessive rains we've been having in this part of the country, I've noticed that the cucumbers are more likely to rot on the ground and develop disease. This year, I tried using a tomato cage as a trellis. I bought one in a fashionable shade of sea foam blue and have been winding the cucumber vine around the sides and up toward the top as it has been growing. The vine is looking very healthy and is kept dry because of the trellis. The monarda planted next to the deck keeps plenty of bees around for pollinating so I'm getting some nice fruit coming on....and it's kind of artsy looking in an architectural sort of way :-)

In the bed in front of the new coop (the metal roof is coming this weekend) I planted some red cabbage in among the hosta. It adds a nice blue color to the bed and makes the cabbage worms handy to throw to the chickens. I've planted new grapevines this year to train up the metal arbor and we dug out the fire pit and replaced it with a circular strawberry bed planted with ever-bearing strawberries. I'll know more in a couple of years if this planting plan will be a success with the fruit. The beds are planted on a slight slope which helps with drainage. The strawberry bed is bordered by broken flagstone from the fire pit. I am adding organic acidifier to the strawberries to counteract the limestone which likes to increase the pH. This year I pinched off the strawberry blooms and runners. How painful! Next year, I'm hoping for a bountiful harvest as a reward for my patience.

A hen's worst day...

I've decided to thin the flock (I need to comply with the 6 hen maximum that the city of Cedar Rapids will allow when the ordinance passes later this month. Never mind that I've been illegal for the last 18 months...it's complicated.) So I sent 3 of my pullets and one of my non-laying hens off to live at the farm of a friend and put Lola and Lucy (my laying RI hens) into the new coop with two of the remaining Barred Rock pullets. OMG, the very gates of hell broke loose right in my backyard. Taking on new room mates must rank right up there with 30 degree below temperatures, no food and a fox in the hen house...combined. Lucy refused to go into the coop to lay her egg and proceeded to drop it in the run. In the back, of course, so I had to do a handstand to retrieve it. Lola insisted on laying her egg in the coop, but fussed for an hour because she didn't want to walk past "those" girls. The pullets were petrified by the older aunties and huddled in the corner of the coop (which was more closely related to a hot box) refusing to venture outside for food and water. I thought we were going to have baked chicken in the coop and scrambled eggs in the run. And the noise! I've been telling the city council for months how quiet hens are...augh. If my neighborhood didn't know that I had hens before, they for sure do now.And the drama continues. I've had to put food and water in the coop for the pullets and I'm still picking Lucy's egg out of the pine chips in the run. I am bracing for the drama yet to ensue when I introduce two more pullets in August. I have a Black Copper  Maran and a Blue Americana reserved to spruce up the color selection of my eggs. Now I'm wondering if the fuss will be worth it. It's like having 6 teenage girls in the house...everyday is an adventure here on the farm:-)

No rain, yes Japanese beetles

We have finally received a reprieve from the rain here in Iowa. After 3 years of torrential and steamy Junes I've decided that we'll have to work it into the planting plans for next year...i.e. all transplanting/planting must be done by Memorial Day weekend (at least they'll be no worries about watering), rain barrels must be cleaned and EMPTY and add supports for droopy plants (hydrangeas mostly for me...they are loaded but mostly on the ground.) Phew! The low brick wall around the vegetable garden has worked well preventing the run-off of the soil and the paths in between the beds helps to keep the plants drained of excess moisture. I'm growing tomatoes and pole beans onto 7 ft. supports which seems (crossed fingers) to keep the fungus down so I think I'll add another support next year. I hear there are some varieties of zucchini and spinach that will climb...who knew?

The green Japanese beetles are back. I found a few on the wild grape vines and the pole beans so I dug out the soap bucket. It will be interesting to see if we have fewer bugs since we built the new chicken coop right where most of them were last year. Hopefully, the chicks have eaten most of the grubs so we'll have fewer bugs this year. It's a nice theory, anyway. The chickens don't seem to have any interest in the actual beetle which is a great disappointment.

I was fertilizing my garden yesterday with fish emulsion and picking beetles off the plants thinking...what a different life I have now compared to 5 years ago in corporate America...no high-powered stuffed-suits spewing acronyms here! Just me and the chickens...bawk!

Dates for chicken ordinance readings in Cedar Rapids

Wahoo! We are almost there my little chicks. The city of Cedar Rapids has set dates for the reading of the backyard hen ordinance. First reading is next Tuesday so all you CLUCers be there in your yellow shirts!

I received the following email from Sandi Fowler, the city assistant manager today:

"Here is an update on the timeline for adoption of the Urban Chicken Ordinance.

We will have the first reading of the Ordinance on the June 22, 2010 Council agenda.  It is at the end of (a rather long) agenda.   We will also have a motion setting a public hearing to make the necessary changes to the Zoning Ordinance. 

The public hearing will be held at the next Council meeting on July 13.  Also at that meeting will be the 2^nd and 3^rd readings of the Urban Chicken Ordinance.  Finally, all three readings are set to occur that night for the Zoning Ordinance changes. 

The Zoning changes will also be on the City Planning Commission agenda for June 22. "

Chicken ordinance drafted

We finally received the draft ordinance from the city of Cedar Rapids. We are very happy with the 6 hens, no roosters ordinance. Unfortunately, we will have to wait until zoning changes are made to accommodate chicken coops before we can move forward with approving the ordinance. I received the following in an email from Sandi Fowler, the assistant city manager.

"I am not able to definitely give you the time line for adoption of this ordinance.  Unfortunately, we have concluded that there are specific prohibitions in the Zoning Ordinance which will conflict with this ordinance.  The Zoning Ordinance has specific requirements that the City Planning Commission review any changes, that a public hearing be held prior to changes, and then the three readings (which may be held concurrently) of the ordinance.  Due to these state law requirements, the time line for adoption of the zoning changes will not be able to occur until the July 27 City Council meeting."

So, we are still waiting but are hopeful that the city can rush this through so that folks can still get chicks this summer. Time is running out, however.

Download Urban Chicken Ordinance (June 16 2010)

Download Urban Chicken Ordinance Matrix 06 22 2010

Pimp my coop

Pimp your Coop! Pimp my ride, make way for pimp my coop! Here are some great ideas for fun and innovative coop design. Take these pictures to your next city council meeting! Mine will be pimp-worthy soon, but right now half of it is still in the garage. Augh! Pimping done right takes time.

Cherry picking...or not

It's cherry picking time. The little globes of iridescent red look like light is emitting from the inside out when the sun shines. Unfortunately, the sun hasn't shined much since the first glow of pink turned to brilliant red. I've been able to reach the low fruit but the ground is so soft the standing on a ladder ends up throwing me over the fence as the ladder mires itself in my sandy loam up to the the third rung. Yuck. Of course the shimmering spheres will not go to waste. They are delicacy for every robin, cardinal, blue jay, sparrow, squirrel, chipmunk and anyone else that can maneuver the branches. Maybe this afternoon I can work on getting the left overs...

Summer salads are here

Yesterday was the first pickup for Abbe Hills Farm CSA. We drove out to the farm and parked in the grass. We checked out the new chicken tractor coop, said hi to the hens and gawked at the new ducks. In the shed we loaded up on fresh lettuces, spinach, turnips and some not-so familiar vegis that will stretch my culinary skills this summer...The big pay-off was a dinner last night. Such a tasty salad we had! Can't get flavor like that when it's shipped 1,500 miles. It's gonna be a great summer.

Clothes lines and rain...

It takes 3 loads of laundry to fill up my umbrella style clothesline...that and a little planning and finesse. Proper spacing is required for good air ventilation and the teenager's underwear have to be hung on the inside. We wouldn't want to alarm the neighbors or embarrass ourselves. At least not anymore than hanging everything you wear out on the line. So, today I hung a full 3 loads on the line...all the while thinking about how much more in touch with nature I was. How the early settlers of the plains must of had to live by the weather and how lucky I was to have PinPoint doppler radar and high speed internet access to 24 hour weather. I checked the radar and it was clear...no showers until afternoon. I was so clever...I'd have the clothes dry and off the line before the showers hit. Never mind that mother nature has a mind of her own...completely independent of KCRG news or the weather channel. Not 1/2 hour after I hung up the clothes the thunder began. Then came buckets of rain...for an hour now. I got a dose of settler reality today...whatever...

Join the "Million Gallon Challenge" and help stop flooding in Iowa

State Senator Rob Hogg, Chair of the Senate Rebuild Iowa Committee, and Jean Wiedenheft, Margaret Wolter, and Don Johnson of the Indian Creek Nature Center participated in a press conference yesterday to discuss individual and state actions that can reduce future flood damage. Join the challenge by purchasing a 65 gallon rain barrel from the Indian Creek Nature Center...or two or three! It will help reduce the amount of water going into the water shed this spring and reduce the chances of flooding.
 

 

Other things you can do:  Watch where rain collects on your property during a storm. Anywhere the water pools is an opportunity to decrease runoff.

1. Install a rain barrel

- Rain barrels reduce runoff, reduce pressure on aquifers for watering a garden, and they can reduce a water usage bill or electric usage bill (city or well).

2. Plant a rain garden

- Rain gardens reduce runoff, provide beauty and wildlife, and ensure less lawn area to mow.

3. Install permeable paving (grasspave, gravelpave, concrete, asphalt, pavers)

- Permeable paving depends on a clean rock subbase to retain the water under the pavement, where water can percolate slowly into the surrounding soil.

4. Plant native wildflowers and shrubs

- Native plants have deep roots that decrease watering needs and increase an area’s natural beauty, interest, and wildlife habitat. Plating wildlife also leads to less area to mow and reduced energy usage.

5. Plant low-mow lawns

- Low-mow lawns have deeper root systems that hold water well and therefore require less watering.

Winter Neverland

It's this time of year when I am pretty certain that summer will never come again. It's been gloomy and cloudy for about 2 weeks straight and just when we get the driveway cleared off it snows again. When I'm convinced that I am going to permanently see black and white out of my front window I am rescued by the arrival of the seed and hatchery catalogs! Two sure signs of spring...tomato seedlings on the window sill and baby chicks peeping in the garage. I don't know about you, but it takes every ounce of restraint not to buy at least one of everything from my favorite seed catalog (http://www.seedsavers.org). If only I had more sun and less hill I could make a serious dent in their inventory. But alas, I have only a small vegetable plot strategically positioned to capture the best sunlight my wooded lot can offer...which isn't great. I keep threatening to pot up the driveway since it gets the best sun...Now is the time for plotting and scheming. Which vegetables will do best? Can I rotate through more greens? How can I extend my growing season? How many hens can I have before the city figures it out and hauls them away...and maybe me, too? Best not to think about that. Focus on the warm breezes over the cool earth...it will happen. I think. At least the cardinal outside my window thinks so. He's singing up a storm!

Chicken civil disobedience in Evanston

I'm not the only one that believes that sometimes we have to live in anticipation of laws changing. Laurie Zoloth, a bioethicist at Northwestern University (in other words she's no slouch) is keeping hens in her backyard in defiance of the Evanston, Illinois ordinance banning chickens. She and several others in Chicago, where chickens are legal, show us a day in the life of their backyard hens. It's the best piece I've seen yet that shows what it is like raising chickens in the city. For the whole story, visit Mr. Brown Thumb's post at the Chicago Garden.

Introducing a chicken back into the flock

Raising chickens is fun and rewarding until one gets sick. When I got a sick hen I became obsessed with finding the cause and curing the poor thing. It was stressful. My sick hen  had nasty diarrhea and was lethargic and wouldn't eat. I separated her from the rest of the hens (I use my cat carrier as a "chicken hospital") and she just didn't get any better. She had stopped laying and then I noticed that another hen was laying less, too. I was afraid that I'd lose them all, so I decided to go to a vet. I couldn't locate a veterinarian that had ever treated a chicken in our area. I consulted a friend who has raised chickens for years, and he directed me to a veterinarian that specialized in birds. I took in a dropping sample and he found that my sick hen had a bacterial infection and prescribed medication for the entire flock. $100 later I was giving antibiotic to 4 chickens twice a day by mouth (that's an experience) and also adding some to their water. I was a little nervous when the vet's assistant asked how I told the difference between a hen and a rooster (augh) but the chickens gradually improved with the treatment. Then I noticed that the separated chicken was becoming more lethargic, again. She was droopy and stopped eating. After a couple of days, I realized that she was lonely. Now my dilemma was should I introduce her back into the flock before she was well enough to fend off her healthy sisters or risk her dying of depression.

I did some research on-line and combined some suggestions for reintroducing a hen into the flock. I call it the "greenat50" approach. So original...I hope they can help you.

1. First, I put the confined chicken within view of the other hens so that they could get used to seeing her for a couple of days.
2. Then I allowed the hens to free-range together in an enclosed area of the yard during the day for a few hours at a time - gradually increasing the time over a few days.
3. During this time, I had 3 feeding stations around the yard, all hidden from view of the other so that the weaker hen could always get something to eat.
4. After about a week and a half I let her stay with the other hens full-time. She is still lowest in the pecking order, but she is getting enough to eat and the other hens are not inflicting any injuries.

She still hasn't started to lay again, so I'll keep you posted. She lost a lot of weight and her comb shrunk so that she looked like an adolescent. She keeps getting stronger and her comb is coming back so I am hopeful. Do you have any hints for introducing new or separated chickens into the flock?

A little sun and a gentle breeze

As part of my plan to reduce energy consumption this year, I purchased a clothesline to dry my clothes. Now, personally, I hate the look of a clothesline. I like to keep a neat garden and prefer flower trellises to the huge steel pools that my parent's still have in their backyard. But let's face it, I now have 4 chickens (yes, one died...but that's another story) being hauled around my yard in a chicken tractor so I guess I can compromise some of my views of aesthetics for the sake of the environment and my pocketbook. I purchased an umbrella-style clothesline that sets into a sleeve in the ground. It folds up when not in use and I can pull it out of the sleeve and put it in the shed when company comes.

U.S. Clothes Dryer Usage and Energy Consumption
Did you know that other countries don't rely on the automatic clothes dryer like most of us in the U.S.? In Australia (of course they have a ton of sun there) a 2002 survey by the Australian Ministerial Council on Energy said that only 20% of clothes dryers in Australia were reported as being used at least once a week. In the U.S., 90% of households have a clothes dryer and use it an average of 400 times a year. According to a 2001 report by the Department of Energy, electric dryers account for 5.8 percent of the total electricity usage in U.S. homes – that's more than I thought when you consider that 8.8 percent goes to indoor and outdoor lighting. Cost to you:  $1,500 over the lifetime of the dryer or I've also seen calculations of $252/year.

Effects on the Environment on Clothes Dryers
Environmentally speaking, the energy consumed by a clothes dryer can be anywhere from 1800 to 5000 watts per hour, or 1.8 to 5KwHr. If we assume that 1.5 pounds of carbon emissions per kilowatt hour are generated in the production of electricity by a coal fired power station over a year's time, then a clothes dryer contributes significantly to CO2 emissions.

Benefits of Using the Sun
Believe it or not, hanging your clothes outside has other benefits besides reducing your energy consumption.

• It gets you outside and keeps you moving...get your daily Vitamin D and lose a few pounds
• The sun not only drys your clothes, it also destroys any bacteria that remain after the washing
• The sun gently bleaches your clothes without the use of chemicals
• The outlay for a clothesline is much less than for a clothes dryer. My little umbrella-style clothesline was $45.
• It's easier on your clothes. Clothes dryers create lint and accelerate the deterioration of your clothes. So not only do you save money on electricity, you save money on new clothes!
• And last, but certainly not least, your clothes smell soooo good. No bottle can reproduce that freshness, no matter how hard they try.

The joy of eggs

Who knew how exciting the first eggs from your very own food generating chickens could be? After months of fussing and worrying the small protein packages just appear one day. One of my hens is a real over-achiever and began laying at 16 weeks! I was not prepared and the poor thing laid her first egg on the ground. I felt like I'd let her down not having the nest boxes prepared with carpet bottoms and golf ball decoys. We quickly remedied that and now she regularly lays an egg a day in the nest. Today, another of her sisters caught on and laid an egg of her own. There was rejoicing in the household...we're such geeks. Still, it is a wonder that a 5 pound hen can take my grass, weeds and kitchen scraps and turn things that I would have thrown away into a neat package of perfect food. The yolks are orange and make the most beautiful (and tasty) yellow omelets. And, these eggs are much better for us than the factory farm raised kind. According the Mother Earth News, you can feel good about the nutrient punch that you get from your home raised eggs:

1⁄3 less cholesterol
1⁄4 less saturated fat
2⁄3 more vitamin A
2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
3 times more vitamin E
7 times more beta carotene
4-6 times more vitamin D

I'm surprised that we as an urban society ever gave up on backyard chickens. They require so little from us and the benefits are great. My chickens work hard for me in the garden eating weeds and bug pests. They'll prepare the garden soil for planting by scratching in the dirt in early spring. They provide hours of entertainment for the family (and the cat) and completely fascinate our grandson. In return, they need fresh water, chicken feed and protection from predators. A healthy symbiotic relationship...it's a good life for both of us.

Weeds...the roots of all evil

I have a friend that says that creeping charlie doesn't creep, it sprints! Anyone who has ever had an infestation knows that this is true. We have about an acre surrounded by large trees and wooded areas which seems to make it especially difficult to stay ahead of the weeds. Besides the creeping charlie and garlic mustard I have miniature maple trees everywhere from my neighbor's soft maple airplane seeds. Poison ivy took hold of my woods last year during the wet season and infects my poor sensitive neighbor...now that's a way to foster neighborly love! In the interest of the environment, I've been trying out some ways to reduce the weed population in my yard without harmful herbicides. Here are some of my techniques....

Cultivation
An old fashioned hoe with some back put into it does wonders in the vegetable and flower gardens. If I hoe now I'm pretty much OK until fall. It's not my favorite method...it's hard work! And it's not practical in large areas such as in the woods.

Mulching
Mulching not only helps to keep the weeds down, but it also retains moisture. This year I'm mulching with grass first and then leaves in the vegetable garden. I'm trying to use my "yard waste" as a "yard resource" and not sending so much to the city compost pile. That way I keep my land resources on the land where it was formed.

Plant canopies
This year I planned my vegetable garden without rows. I grouped the plants next to each other with a few stone pathways into the center to have access to the plants there.  The canopy of tomatoes, beans and potatoes is now large enough to choke out the weeds below. It works with the mulching to keep weeding down to a minimum.

Heat
My friend Robyn swears by pouring boiling water on weeds in the spring to kill them by the roots. I've never tried it but it makes sense since organic farms use flame heat to kill weeds in rows of their crops. She says that she can selectively kill even the dreaded creeping charlie in her lawn with this technique. The spring got away from me (I was busy with the chickens, ya know) but I plan to try it next year...how simple is that?

Chicken power
I have large areas in the woods that have been taken over by all sorts of weeds. I want to plant perennials and ground covers in these areas in the fall and next spring...but the thought of digging creeping charlie roots by hand is just overwhelming. Enter my five fabulous hens. The hens not only help to keep the lawn green and lush (provided they are in one spot for only one day), but given a few more days, they will completely devastate a weed infested area...roots and all. I've been moving their chicken tractor around weed infested areas of the woods since the weather got warmer. It keeps them from over fertilizing the lawn and gives them shade on hot days...and they do the work of annihilating the weeds for me!

Off with their heads
Frequent mowing is supposed to help with weed control. Apparently, cutting your lawn is like giving the grass a haircut and cutting off the heads of the weeds (catchy, huh?) Now if someone would just come up with some ideas to motivate the man of the house to mow more frequently. I got nothin' on that.

Last resort
WIth noxious weeds like poison ivy, I admit that I use a little Round-up herbicide. My neighbor is so allergic to poison ivy that if she walks by it she is infected. It's created some tension let me tell ya. I'm not always aware of where it has taken root but she lets me know! I certainly don't blame her! If anyone knows of another way to get rid of this pest, please let me know!

Iowa City and Cedar Rapids chicken lovers unite!

I am pleased to say that Iowa City Friends of Urban Chickens and the Cedar Rapids Chicken Chat groups are both bringing the film "Mad City Chickens" to their respective areas next month. Please mark your calendars and tell your friends. It's important that the council members from both communities see that there is genuine and enthusiastic support for raising hens in our urban gardens.

Mad City Chickensis a sometimes serious, sometimes whimsical look at the people who keep urban chickens in their backyards. From chicken experts and authors to a rescued landfill hen or an inexperienced family that decides to take the poultry plunge—and even a mad scientist and giant hen taking to the streets—it’s a humorous and heartfelt trip through the world of backyard chickendom.

You can view movie trailers and find out more about the film's producers at http://www.tarazod.com/filmsmadchicks.html.

For Iowa City folks:

IC Friends of Urban Chickens and Iowa City Environmental Film Festival presents
Mad City Chickens
Saturday, June 27, 2009
2 p.m screening with film maker Q&A to follow
Robert A Lee Recreation Center
220 S Gilbert St Iowa City (downtown)

www.iowacityurbanchickens.ning.com

For Cedar Rapids folks:

Indian Creek Nature Center presents
Mad City Chickens
Sunday, June 28, 2009
2 p.m. screening with film maker Q&A to follow
Indian Creek Nature Center
6665 Otis Road S.E. 52403
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

To join our little group in Cedar Rapids, email me at greenat50@yahoo.com.

 

Chickens in Cedar Rapids

It has begun. The movement to allow a few laying hens in urban communities has arrived in Cedar Rapids. A few weeks ago, the Indian Creek Nature Center held a class called "Raising Chickens in your Backyard" and a surprising 29 people attended...all interested in raising a few hens for eggs in their backyards. So, the Cedar Rapids ChickenChat group was formed. We had our first meeting Saturday night and we formed an action plan to request an ordinance change from the city council. It is our hope that Cedar Rapids will soon become one of the progressive communities, like New York, Seattle and Madison, WI that allows folks to raise a few hens at home. In these difficult economic times, it's comforting to have some control over our food source and know that it is healthy for our families. We know that raising chickens isn't for everyone, but for those that have the time and desire, it's a matter of personal choice and freedom.

To join our little group to help raise awareness and interest in raising urban chickens, send me an email at rebecca@greenat50.com.

Chicken cha-ching

The chicks are no longer the soft downy cuddle-balls that they were a few weeks ago. At four weeks, I think it is safe to say they are now in full adolescence. They have big feet, squawky voices and the feather/down combination looks like a bad haircut. The weather was nice over the weekend, so they spent quite a bit of time in our courtyard, scratching and pecking away at a whole new world. It was peaceful drinking coffee in the warm afternoon sun while my own little flock explored yet another aspect of what it means to be Chicken.

Of course, raising chickens does cost money...and being the budget conscious one in the family, I try to balance the costs with the benefits of any new project. Some of the benefits of chickens are hard to attach a dollar amount to...like eating more heathfully and being more self-sufficient. Other things are more concrete. Below I've taken a stab at a figuring the cost/benefit of raising chickens at my house:

COSTS: $346 for first year

Chicken tractor:    $140 for wood, hardware and wire (You could do this for much less, or much more. We wanted something that we could move around the yard while still keeping the chickens confined. I also wanted something that looked good in the yard.)

Chickens:             $35 for 5 female Red Star chicks and shipping from Connecticut. (Next time I hope to be able to go in with several folks to buy chicks locally so that we don't have to pay for shipping. Most hatcheries will only sell chicks if you buy a 25 chick minimum.)

Supplies:              $40 for chick and chicken feeders/waterers (This includes the small mason jar screw-on feeder and waterer for the chicks and two-gallon size for the grown chickens.)

Bedding:              $50/year for wood shavings/straw. I am going to try shredded newspaper to save money.

Feed:                   $9/40 lb. bag. According to Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens, a laying hen eats a little under two pounds/week. Multiply that times 5 chickens and subtract about 30% that they'll get from free-ranging and kitchen scraps and that's about 9-40 lb. bags per year or $81/year.

BENEFITS: $338/year

Eggs:                    $208/year of large brown eggs after they begin laying (200 eggs/year/chicken at $2.50/dozen in value - somewhere between the cost of commercially grown and organic brown eggs)

Manure:                $30/year savings over purchasing commercial compost/manure. A laying hen produces about 45 pounds of manure a  year.

Grass care:           $100/year in aeration, fertilizing and pest consumption. We are hoping that they only chemical application we have to make to our grass this summer is some lime and/or gypsum.

After figuring in the 4-5 months that it will take the hens to begin laying, we should break even in about 1-1/2 years...after that the cost of replacement chicks, feed and bedding will be our only expenses. I'm not in this to save money, it's really about having more control over what we eat and creating a more self-sustaining lifestyle. What has your experience with chickens been like? Have you had cost savings that you hadn't considered?

To be or not to be....

The chicks are growing like weeds. I had no idea how quickly they grew and developed, or how independent they are. Chick seems to indistinctly know how to peck, scratch, preen and fly...they amaze and delight me every day. I'm starting to relax with them now. The first few days were nerve wracking. This is a different adventure than I've ever tried before and I was sure they were all going to die. Somehow after 3 weeks they are still alive and we are developing a daily routine. Raising chicks is a lot of fun and a lot of work. I'm glad that I did my research before I started this venture...I would highly recommend it to anyone who thinks that they might like to keep urban chickens. Like anything else, there are pros and cons to raising your own food. Here's the list my husband and I made during the "pre-chicken planning process."

PROS:

1. Fresh, healthy eggs from happy chickens. Not from chickens that are raised in a small cage with processed food and artificial light.
2. Fertilize/aerate the yard in the summer by using a chicken tractor (a chicken tractor is a portable coop/run that is moved around the yard.) The tractor confines the chickens while still allowing them to forage for some of their own food. Good for the yard and good for reducing feed costs.
3. Bug control: chickens love bugs, worms and grubs. We have plenty in our yard.
4. Garden aeration in the spring. The chickens will "fluff up" the soil in the garden before it is planted so we don't have to. We'll have to wait until next spring to see how this works out for us.
5. Kitchen scraps turned into food. When the chicks are older, they will eat a good share of our kitchen scraps, reducing what goes into the garbage and our feed costs.
6. Fertilizer for our garden. We have several beds in the yard for flowers and fresh vegetables. Chicken manure is super rich in nitrogen and excellent for the garden - after it is composted. Chicken manure is so high in nitrogen that it will burn growing plants. Composting not only transforms the nitrogen into a form that can be used by the plants, but it also destroys any bacteria, viruses or parasite eggs that might be present.

CONS:

1. Chickens require daily care. They must be locked in their coops at night to prevent predators from picking off a free meal while the chooks snooze. The chicken tractor will need to be moved to allow for new foraging ground and they'll need to be kept in feed and fresh clean water. I'm lucky that my daughter who lives in town likes the chicks and wants to help take care of them. She will be my "chicken sitter" when my husband and I need a little vacation.
2. Not all cities allow chickens. And, don't rely on your city website for good information. Cedar Rapids doesn't mention chickens at all on the animal ordinances web page, but there is a law prohibiting livestock. I hope to work with others interested in raising chickens to persuade the city to get the ordinance changed as so many cities have done across the country (even New York city allows chickens!) We are fortunate that we are pretty isolated on our acre lot. We have neighbors with several acres on either side of us so only 2 or 3 people will ever even have the opportunity to notice we have chickens. We plan to keep them very clean and have an attractive home for them to minimize the opportunity for neighbor complaints.
3. Chickens are messy. An adult hen will produce about 45 pounds of manure every year...and they don't care where they doo it. The chicks produce an amazing number of droppings and I clean their cage out every day. If you can't handle a little (or a lot) of chicken manure, then better stick to buying eggs from someone who can.
4. Raising chickens costs money. I've found that we've had to be pretty careful during our planning process so that we don't spend more on our chickens than we can ever recover. There are some pretty fancy dancy coops our there for several hundred to over one thousand dollars. We are making our own chicken tractor using new materials because we wanted it to be attractive enough to not irritate our neighbors. To save money, you could build the coop out of recycled wood or purchase something used. We figured that we will recoup our expenses, including the coop and the equipment costs in about 2 years. After that we'll just need to take into consideration the cost of replacement chicks, feed and bedding.

Add more green with backyard chickens

  Keeping chickens in an urban setting isn't a new thing. When I visited the early American settlement in Plymouth a couple of summers ago they had a garden and a chicken house in every yard...OK, that was a while ago...and they didn't have a handy grocery store just around the corner. However, it does demonstrate  that Americans started keeping chickens at home a long time ago.  Fast forward to the late 1990s. The movement to keep chickens in the city was revived in London largely because of an ingenious chicken house design called the eglu that was produced and promoted by the Omlet company. The movement rapidly spread to west coast cities in the U.S. like Seattle and Portland, where keeping chickens in the city was already legal. In the last five years, keeping backyard chickens has continued to become popular across the country...including my backyard here in Iowa. Actually, it's in my garage right now...5 adorable 2-week old chicks that hopefully will grow up to keep my immediate and extended family in eggs for quite a while. We are making our own coop (I can hear my husband drilling as we speak) and plan to have them in the yard in another 4 weeks or so...provided it warms up around here (sounds like snow tomorrow...augh!)  I think that raising pet chickens appeals to me because it makes so much sense from an environmental and health perspective. The chickens will be moved around the yard in a portable coop while fertilizing the yard and eating pesky bugs and grubs. Manure that accumulates during the winter will be composted into the garden to produce as many vegetables that I can produce...ensuring a healthy food supply that is locally grown. And eggs are a superior source of protein...and I like 'em! Now that's a whole lot more than I get from my cat...sorry, Maggie. I'll give you the blow-by-blow as we go through this adventure including the costs/savings involved...happy clucking!

Dialing down the electric bill

We've had our share of natural disasters lately in Eastern Iowa. The winter of 2008 was brutal and ice storms caused massive power outages and damage to power lines and poles. The next spring, record floods invaded the local power plant in Cedar Rapids causing severe damage. It was nasty. To recover their losses, Alliant energy has proposed an 18.1% rate hike...adding insult to injury to consumers trying to recover from these disasters and on top of a struggling economy. I understand it but it still stinks. But take heart, there are still things we can do to lower our energy bills. My family and I have been reducing our energy consumption for nearly a year, now, and the savings are really beginning to show on our electric bill...here's a few things that have helped us:

1. Reduce usage: Use fluorescent bulbs, air dry dishes in your dishwasher, install (and use) power strips on your computers/TVs and radios, turn down your hot water heater, purchase energy efficient appliances, use battery operated clocks, hang out your clothes, unplug chargers when not in use (see more ideas in my Energy Leeches post.)
2. Insulate, insulate, insulate: Stop air leaks and insulate walls, floors and ceilings. Check in your local area for rebates for the purchase of energy efficient window, appliances and insulation for your home.
3. Try "Time of Day" program with your local utility company: Electric companies produce energy to meet their maximum need 24 hours a day...so a lot of that energy is wasted in off-peak times such as nights and weekends. Alliant energy offers a "Time of Day" program that allows customers to purchase night time and weekend electricity for 50% of the regular rate. Of course, the rate during the weekday is 140% of the regular rate - so it does take a little thought. When we went on the program, we monitored our usage for a week to see if the program would work for us. We decided that if we used 70% of our power off-peak that we would save money. So far, we use 82% of our power off-peak and save about 17% a month...and that's with me working from home.
4. Cycle your air conditioning:  Alliant also has an "Appliance Cycling Program." When the demand for energy reaches a critical point for the electric provider, they can activate a cycling of your air conditioner (usually 15 minutes on/15 minutes off) while your fan still runs to circulate the air. They guarantee this will only happen during the week and never on weekends or holidays. The savings is around $7 a month.
5. Results:  We've been very pleased with our electric usage and bill. Electricity usage seems to be easier to impact than natural gas. We have gas heat, hot water heater and stove and an electric dryer. Since last year, we have reduced our usage by 42%. With the Time of Day program, we have further reduced our bill by 17% per month. The end result is we have reduced our total electric bill (including standard monthly fees) in February from $90 per month last year to $50 this last February. We also plan to sign up for the Appliance Cycling Program this summer. We aren't looking forward to the 18% increase, but 18% of $50 is a whole lot less than 18% of $90!

Putting the Green toilet paper debate behind me....

My family thinks I'm getting a little obsessive about using toilet tissue in an eco-friendly way...let's get to the down and dirty of the issue. Americans (and Canadians so I hear) are the only folks on earth that insist on having multi-ply, lotion infused, super bleached paper to wipe their buttocks with...a dirty job I realize, but do we really need next-to-cashmere to get through our day? According to the Guardian, a senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council in the U.K. believes that the Americans' insistence on using luxury toilet papers is causing more ecological devastation than driving Hummers.

"This is a product that we use for less than three seconds and the ecological consequences of manufacturing it from trees is enormous," said Allen Hershkowitz, a senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defence Council.

"Future generations are going to look at the way we make toilet paper as one of the greatest excesses of our age. Making toilet paper from virgin wood is a lot worse than driving Hummers in terms of global warming pollution." Making toilet paper has a significant impact because of chemicals used in pulp manufacture and cutting down forests."

In the U.S. 98% of our toilet tissue is made from trees. And to exacerbate the problem, the sale of luxury brands that are infused with lotions has increased 40% in some markets according to the New York Times. We are definitely not heading in the right direction. I'm not sure why Americans are so addicted to luxury papers, except that perhaps we believe that the only alternative is to use sandpaper. I must admit that some of the papers I've used in Europe were pretty coarse and an ugly brown, but in this country we do have recycled, soft and safely bleached alternatives (see my post on "Eco-friendly budget bargains." I use them and I assure you they are gentle, white and civilized.

In addition to buying recycled toilet tissue, there are also things we can do to reduce the amount that we use. The folks at Current Configuration have put a lot of thought into the over/under debate and have determined that over is better if you want to use less (check out the diagrams - more thought than I would have put into it, but someone has to...)

Planet Green has also put together some tips about how to make your toilet tissue use more earth-friendly. They include buying bulk toilet tissue and purchasing more sheets/per roll to decrease waste, switching to one-ply and recycling your left-over toilet paper tubes.

Eco-friendly budget bargains

Well, as I continue my green journey into territory that is a bit more challenging for my budget, I am finding that there are still a few bargains to be had...who knew?? It takes a lot more digging for things like cleaning products and earth-friendly paper products but it is possible...mostly through the wonders of the Internet and shopping on line. I'm finding that in my neck of the woods I have very little selection (if I can find anything at all) when it comes to those new-fangled (sigh) eco-products...so I don't have a whole lot of choice unless I want to pay a bunch of green..here are a few places where I found some good deals:

Toilet tissue:  Toilet paper is one of those things I don't think I can do without (would be green but not clean...my husband thinks it's funny...) Anyway, the only option that I have around here for eco-friendly toilet tissue is Seventh Generation brand, which is a wonderful product, is 100% recycled paper (80% post-consumer), uses peroxide whitening rather than bleach and is pretty much like what I am using now in terms of softness and durability. The cost, however, is over a dollar a roll and way out my price range. After some searching, I found a great tissue made by Marcal Paper. It has all the qualities of Seventh Generation except that it has only 40% post-consumer paper...and the cost is considerably less. I found a deal at Restockit.com for a case of 48-500 sheet rolls (large rolls) for $34.90 and with a purchase over $45 there is free shipping. That's 72 cents for a large roll and is pretty close to what I pay for Charmin. Of course, I have to store a 6 months supply of toilet paper...we budget hunters do things...

Facial tissue:  Again, Marcal Paper seems to have the best deal on eco-friendly facial tissue. Restockit.com has the best deal again (beating out Amazon.com, Drugstore.com and Shoplet.com) with 30 boxes of 100 tissues for $28.94. That's 96 cents/box which is what I pay for Kleenex on sale. Combine your order with the toilet tissue and you'll have enough for free shipping.

Dishwasher detergent:  I have become frustrated trying to find a homemade recipe for dishwasher detergent that cleans the dishes and doesn't leave a film. I have admitted defeat and turned to Seventh Generation for help. Their product works well for me and is fairly cost effective at $4.00/45 oz. box at my local Hy-Vee. I did find a better deal at Amazon.com for $43.99/8 boxes in the much larger 75 oz. size. That's $5.49/75 oz. box and I get free Super Saver Shipping.

Household cleaners:  Probably the most economical and readily available eco-friendly cleaners are the Clorox Green Works brand cleaners (seems like an oxymoron doesn't it?) These products are made from plant derivatives and are pretty darn eco-friendly (for a more thorough analysis, read more at Treehugger.com.) They are often on sale around here for $3.00 a bottle.

UPDATE:  I found Marcal Paper products in our local Fairway grocery store today! And they are priced better than the usual brands...now I don't have to find storage for a year's worth of toilet paper...thank you Fairway!

Energy leeches: drain on your electric bill

I remember wading through my uncle's creek as a kid and coming out with my legs covered in black, slimy leeches...yuck! My grandmother used to use them for bass bait (little tidbit for those of you that fish) but I can definitely live the rest of my life without seeing anymore leeches. Energy leeches are just as unwelcome in my house. We have reduced our electric bill by about a third from this time last year by picking some low-hanging-fruit. I feel really good about that. But, I'd like to get it down by half if I could, so I've taken a good look around to see what else I can do. I found more little suckers than I thought possible. Here's a few ideas to help you rid your home of as many pests as possible:

• Lurking incandescent bulbs:  I found incandescent bulbs in places that I hadn't thought about before. Places like the garage door opener, closets, nightlights and the bathroom exhaust. I'll be replacing those this weekend with fluorescent bulbs for sure!
• Heat generators:  Anything that generates heat sucks a ton of energy and its usage can usually be reduced by putting a little extra thought into how and when you use it. To help you figure out what to reduce the most, you can  purchase an inexpensive device called a Kill-A-Watt that measures how many volts, amps, watts, volt-amps, power factor, and kilowatt-hours of anything plugged into it.
• Appliances with clocks:  Yes, that includes the extra clock in the guest bedroom. Add to that extra phones, coffee makers and microwaves and there's a lot of energy sapping going on.
• Excessive opening and closing:  Refrigerators require more energy to cool the more that they are opened and closed. Try taking the eggs, milk, cheese and tomato out of the fridge at the same time next time you make an omelet (and them put them back at the same time, too!) The same thing goes for garage doors. I decided to leave my car out after my first trip of the day and pull it into the garage after my last trip. I figure it will extend the life of my garage door opener and reduce the amount of winter grunge that I track into my house...and save a little electricity, too.
• Dirty filters:  It's amazing how many things would work more efficiently if we just were diligent about cleaning. Furnaces, clothes dryers, sweepers and vacuums all have filters that need to be regularly cleaned to maintain efficiency and ensure long life (both green things.) Don't forget to clean the coils of your refrigerator regularly...that's another project for me this weekend.

Green paper products: navigating the maze

Personally, I have tried to eliminate as many paper products as I can from my families daily use. We now use cloth napkins and have stopped buying paper towels. It's a bit tougher for me to find an alternative for toilet tissue at this stage in my 21st century life. So how is a person to know what paper products are high in post-consumer paper products and are processed in a way that is better for the environment? Enter the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC). They have put together an informative and easy-to-read guide to buying paper products like toilet tissue, tissues, napkins and paper towels. They even provide a pdf version so that the list is easily printable (on recycled/reused paper, of course) so that you can take it on your next shopping trip. In addition, the site offers some tips that you can do to help save forests that I'll reprint below.  (PS:  Please use the link below to the large paper manufacturer, Kimberly-Clark, and ask them to please start using more earth-friendly methods of making paper products.)

1. Buy paper products with recycled content -- especially post-consumer fibers.
Look for products that have a high recycled content, including high post-consumer content. Post-consumer fibers are recovered from paper that was previously used by consumers and would otherwise have been dumped into a landfill or an incinerator.

2. Buy paper products made with clean, safe processes.
Paper products are bleached to make them whiter and brighter, but chlorine used in many bleaching processes contributes to the formation of harmful chemicals that wind up in our air and water and are highly toxic to people and fish. Look for products labeled totally chlorine-free (TCF) or processed chlorine-free (PCF). In some cases, elemental chlorine-free (ECF) may be acceptable.

3. Tell tissue manufacturers to stop using virgin wood for throwaway products.
If a brand you buy for your home doesn't have any recycled content, contact the manufacturer (click here to send a message to paper giant Kimberly-Clark). Tell the company to use more recycled fibers, to avoid sourcing from ecologically valuable forests such as those in the Cumberland Plateau and Canadian boreal, and to ensure any virgin fibers used are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Saving forests also helps reduce global warming pollution.

Are compact fluorescent bulbs really safe?

I know that I've advocated using fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) for sometime because they are so much more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs. And still, in the back of my mind, I worry about the effects on the environment of their mercury content. Mercury is quite toxic causing problems with the central nervous system, the intestinal tract and kidneys. It can be inhaled as a vapor, absorbed through the skin or ingested. Therefore, it's important to consider the amount of mercury generated by the production of CFLs as opposed to incandescent lights, and how to protect ourselves if we break a bulb and properly dispose of them.

According to the EPA, the coal-fired factories that generate electricity contribute to 40 percent of the mercury that gets released into the environment, so using a less efficient incandescent bulb causes 2X the mercury to be released into the atmosphere that  is contained in the CFL. And as long as the bulb is properly disposed of, no mercury is released at all. 
IMPORTANT NOTE:  Home Depot, Ikea and True Value recycle CFLs for free.

Well, they didn't teach me how to properly handle mercury back when I was taking Chemistry classes in 1980 so I looked it up. The EPA website has a very detailed and easy to understand description. I'll reprint it here as it is on their website:

Before Clean-up: Air Out the Room

• Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
• Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
• Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.

Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces

• Carefully scoop up glass pieces and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
• Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
• Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
• Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug

• Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
• Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
• If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
• Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.

"Clean-up Steps for Clothing, Bedding and Other Soft Materials

• If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.
• You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken CFL, such as the clothing you are wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
• If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for disposal.

Disposal of Clean-up Materials

• Immediately place all clean-up materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area for the next normal trash pickup.
• Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
• Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states do not allow such trash disposal. Instead, they require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.

Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Air Out the Room During and After Vacuuming

The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window before vacuuming.
Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed."

I think that CFLs are one of the interim solutions that we have to our energy crisis. I believe that more efficient and safe alternatives are yet to be developed. But, if we are smart and aware with CFLs, we can begin to make a difference and safely reduce our energy consumption now.

For more information: "The Lighting Lowdown:  Everything you need to know about Lighting"

Eco-resolutions for a New Year

2008 is finally over (some of us here in the flood zone rightfully feel that way) and alas, a new year with all of the hopes and potential of our baby cardinal friend here is upon us. Ready for each of us to write a new chapter by building on what we have learned and continuing to stretch outside our usual sphere of complacency and make a difference in the world around us.

I think that it helps to take a little time at the first of each year to look back on our accomplishments before we beat ourselves up over the resolutions that we didn't keep in the previous year. Last year, I recorded my resolutions for the year in my calendar and I found that I actually reached many of my goals and made good headway on the rest. Way cool. I also discovered after reviewing the contents of my blog that I've also made some real changes in my lifestyle that have moved me further toward a more healthy and earth-friendly existence. I didn't expect to make as much progress this quickly when I started my journey... The more that I research and learn about the condition of our planet and how my everyday life contributes to the pollution that is causing climate change and species extinction, the more urgency I have to continue to make changes and educate others to do the same. So, I'm making my green resolutions for 2009 and you'll read about them in the coming months as I work to reduce my impact on this neck of the woods. Happiest of New Years to you!

Green Communities...a step in the right direction

It is my sincere belief that the United States must lead the way in developing and implementing green technologies of all types that are affordable. If we do not, the developing countries that are destined to produce the most pollutants, such as China and Russia, will not be economically motivated to follow our lead and we will find our planet in worse shape than ever. Closer to home, I am proud that in our flood devastated area, there is a motivated and smart grass roots effort that is actively working to create green affordable housing to replenish and revitalize our ravaged neighborhoods. Our local organization, Rebuild and Grow, has taken it upon themselves to go to New Orleans and learn from the rebuilding effort there. They have plugged in to a national program, Green Communities, which is the first (and highly successful) organization committed to helping developers, investors, builders and residents make the transition to a greener future for affordable housing. My hat is off to a wonderful group of Cedar Rapidians that not only have real jobs, but also are dealing with flooding issues themselves, and still take the time to organize and motivate folks in this worthy cause. It's the type of work that reflects the values of our community and what will make us better and stronger after the Floods of '08.

More articles about rebuilding after the Floods of '08:
Green cottages for Cedar Rapids?
Building neighborhoods after the flood

Green cottages for Cedar Rapids?

I recently ran across an article on Treehugger.com that features two tiny cottages in Portland that were made from found materials. What struck me about the cottages was that not only are they green in their construction, but the architectural style and materials easily fit into the upper Albina's Mississippi Conservation District neighborhood, which includes many Victorian and Craftsman homes built at the turn of the last century. These two little 364 square foot homes look like something that I would like to see built in our established neighborhoods here in Cedar Rapids as we replace affordable housing lost to the floods of this year. Perhaps a new program being piloted by the Iowa State Historical Preservation folks could help with this effort. They are working to salvage architectural elements that were not damaged by the flood waters from homes that will need to be demolished. These elements would then be recycled by established businesses that already deal with these elements so that homes can be restored (or maybe built new?) with original doors, windows and hardware. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the builders in the Oakhill Jackson district could get together with some artisans/architects in New Bohemia and create some livable, sustainable homes that reflect the artistic heritage of Cedar Rapids? I believe it can happen.

Specifics on green construction and found objects as stated in The Oregonian:

GREEN FEATURES: Small footprint, on-site storm-water management, rainwater collection, natural cooling and ventilation, and a well-insulated building envelope are only the beginning. The ultimate green factor in these houses is the wealth of salvaged materials and found objects reused in such imaginative ways. Even the weathered wood siding and cedar shakes, heavily coated with teak oil, would have most likely ended up in the landfill.

Building Neighborhoods after the Flood

Ix-nay the each-blay

I nearly killed myself last week...or at least I made myself super sick by not listening to my own green instincts. Believe me, there is still at lot to learn after you turn fifty. I have a problem with molds growing on the window sills in my house. We live in the woods so we have a lot of shade and moisture tends to build up on the window sills in the winter...a perfect place for the fuzzy critters to grow and thrive. Wanting to kill the buggers DEAD, I decided to use a bleach solution. I opened all the windows in the room and sprayed away. I killed the mold alright, and I burned every mucous membrane in my sinuses and lungs. I've been coughing for a week and my sinuses and face swelled like a balloon. I've always known I was particularly sensitive to bleach...so now I'm on a mission to remove as much of it from my world as possible. I had no idea that chlorine was hiding in so many places in my home. I've bought a water filter for my drinking water and am looking for a shower filter. Chlorine is easily absorbed through the skin. I also found out that many dishwasher detergents release chlorine into the air of your home during the wash cycle...ya know that hot air that comes out of the dishwasher...well it could be pumping chlorine gas into your kitchen, too! Add to that bleached paper products (like coffee filters...augh!) and toilet paper. It's everywhere!

Well, I've stopped coughing but I'm sure not going to forget this lesson anytime soon. Hopefully, I'll remember that being green is as much about taking care of my health and the health of my family as it is about being kind to the planet. Oh, and the mold? Spray on a solution of Tea Tree Oil and water, wait a few minutes and then wipe clean...no mold and breathing easy.

For more information about removing bleach from your home, check out this article by Annie B Bond.

Recycled housing for the birds...

 No, really...I mean for the birds! I know that some of you still have stacks of political yard signs in your garage left-over from the election. I mean, how can you be an environmentalist and not have a few political opinions? It's OK, I understand. And I found some folks who can help. After the Canadian elections, a group called Les Fourmis (The Ants) created some simple plans for birdhouses made out of campaign signs and cable ties.

Who are Les Fourmis?
Anonymous people, citizens, neighbours and friends who get together to express themselves, share and shake things up a bit. They do it for their city, in their city and in life in general.

Mmm...sounds kinda like me. So get busy, America! Feature that piercing eye or bulbous nose someplace where the birds will amuse you...and do something good for the birds, too!

Apartment Therapy Chicago

Green clothing...can I really get into this?

I'm not sure that I can really get into the "green clothing" thing. I just feel like there are too many unknowns. How can I know from where I sit in Cedar Rapids, Iowa how the fibers are grown and harvested (that is if they are natural fibers) and then how the fabric is treated in order to give it the color and character that I am looking for? How can I know if the manufacturer's claims of organically grown fibers and environmentally friendly dyes are true? So, I've taken my pragmatic, mid-western stab at this topic that I believe will help make a difference until I can get more information to make better choices. Below is my "Green Clothing Clause":

• The clothes that I already own are the greenest clothes around. They already exist, they don't require harvesting, chemicals, dyes or manufacturing. So I've committed to keeping (and wearing!) clothing that is still in good shape and fit me...

• I will keep my creative juices flowing and try to stay in fashion by re-purposing clothing that is out of style for other uses. This can include other household cloth items as well. I've made shopping bags out of pillow shams, purses out of old coats and reused buttons and other accessories. If you are stumped for ideas, try inviting friends over and have them bring the clothes they want to recycle (this works best if your friends are also strapped for cash and a little crafty.) Then you'll have a lot of heads for brainstorming and more fabrics and accessories to work with.

• When it is time to get rid of clothing, I will recycle it...either to a consignment store (if I think I can make a couple of bucks) or a store like Goodwill or Salvation Army. If the clothing is beyond wearing, then I'll recycle it into rags for cleaning in the garage and washing up after gardening.

• I've stopped buying items that need to be dry cleaned. The chemicals are bad for the people at the cleaners, the environment and me...there is simply no upside. The good thing is that many items that require dry cleaning can be hand-washed and laid flat to dry...which leads me to one of my favorite topics, laundry (ugh...not really!)

• The way that we launder has a huge impact on the environment...I try to use only maximum loads and earth-friendly soaps (see my post on green laundry.) The soap that I made to wash my clothes works great, by the way, and the vinegar used in the rinse not only makes the clothes fluffy and soft, but also keeps the inside of my washer a whole lot cleaner than store-purchased fabric softeners.

For more information about greening up your closet, Planet Green has put together a list of website references to help you. Enjoy!

Learning from our neighbors

I was privileged to spend a few days in Europe on vacation last week. In addition to the fabulous architecture, culture and food, I also had the opportunity to observe some of the energy and resource conserving tactics of our European neighbors. The vacation took my husband and I to Vienna, Austria and Prague, Czech Republic. We found some surprising and innovative ways that could easily be adapted in this country to help save both resources and money.

Push-button hair dryers: In addition to being hardwired into the wall (to prevent theft) the hair dryers in the hotels all had buttons that had to be pressed in order to work which prevented the appliance being left on accidentally - and saves electricity.
 
Two-button toilets: The smaller button used less water for those lesser messes (I'm not saying any more about it....)

Guest controlled electricity: In Prague, we had to insert our key card into a reader in order to activate the electricity in the room. It was pretty disconcerting (the lights didn't work!) until it was explained to us, but it prevents the guests from leaving lights on while they are out for the day.

Reusing towels...whether you want to or not:  In Prague we reused our towels for the three days we were there. It didn't matter if they ended up on the floor - they were hung-up by the cleaning staff and we used them again. In Vienna, they were a little more congenial and they gave us the option of getting clean towels.

Fabulous public transportation:  By far the shining star in green living in Europe was the fabulous public transit. It is not only clean and affordable, it is within easy walking distance to most destinations and requires a minimal wait. We were able to experience the subway (U-Bahn) and trams in Austria and the tram system in Czech Republic. The subway is very easy to understand and the stops are displayed on LED signs. On the trams, it's a little trickier because you have to be able to understand the announcer so you get off at the right stop. If you're lucky, you'll get a newer tram with LED signs like the U-Bahn.

A little inspiration...for the ladies

And now for a little midweek inspiration...what? you fresh out? Well, let me introduce you to the Inspiration Lounge. This is a gem of a website jam-packed with links to information targeted to women about how to reach their potential in an eco-friendly way. The site was created by Mitsy Gibbs who has been in online advertising and new media marketing for over 10 years. She is an expert in online entrepreneurship (two start-ups, both to IPOs - wow! - and one acquisition.) She is now committed to helping busy women collaborate, connect and be agents of change. Mitsy has categorized and organized links to websites with valuable information for women that includes everything from Go Green, Get Money Savvy, Be an Eco-Shopper and Parent's Corner. Add this little gem to your to your Favorites list and be inspired!

Building neighborhoods after the flood

I was encouraged when I read in last Sunday's Cedar Rapids Gazette that Wayne Winn, chairman of the Greater Cedar Rapids Area Home Builders Association, says that the homebuilders are thinking about building a different style of neighborhood to replace the flood ravaged neighborhoods along the Cedar River.

"These neighborhoods are going to be different in the future," said Winn. "If the city changes the code to allow for smaller lots, two-or-three bedroom homes for under $100,000 could be developed. But the city will have to make those decisions and then the task force can bring ideas to the table."

I hope that those "ideas" that Wayne is talking about are a bit more out-of-the-norm than the types of homes that are featured in our local "Parade of Homes." Of the 39 homes represented, only 2 were under 1,500 square feet and the majority (22) of them were over 3,000 square feet. I was encouraged to see more emphasis on reusable building materials and energy efficient building, but not a word on how the design and location of the neighborhoods affect the environment or any information on how the community serves the needs of the people who live there. It's time to create communities that are designed around people rather than cars. We in Cedar Rapids have a unique opportunity to do just that as we create new median income housing neighborhoods. I would like to add one idea to the mix for the city council:  New Urbanism. New Urbanism (sometimes referred to as Traditional Neighborhood Design) is a movement spearheaded by the The Congress for the New Urbanism. Its goals are “promoting walkable, neighborhood-based development as an alternative to sprawl. CNU takes a proactive, multi-disciplinary approach to restoring our communities.” The principals of New Urbanism are simple and holistic, but it takes some coordination between the regulators, designers, contractors and builders to create these people-friendly neighborhoods.

Principles of New Urbanism

1. Walkability -Most things within a 10-minute walk of home and work. Pedestrian friendly street design
2. Connectivity -Interconnected street grid network disperses traffic & eases walking
3. Mixed-Use & Diversity -A mix of shops, offices, apartments, and homes on site. Mixed-use within neighborhoods, within blocks, and within buildings. Diversity of people - of ages, income levels, cultures, and races
4. Mixed Housing - A range of types, sizes and prices in closer proximity
5. Quality Architecture & Urban Design - Emphasis on beauty, aesthetics, human comfort, and creating a sense of place
6. Traditional Neighborhood Structure -Transect planning: Highest densities at town center; progressively less dense towards the edge
7. Increased Density -More buildings, residences, shops, and services closer together for ease of walking, to enable a more efficient use of services and resources, and to create a more convenient, enjoyable place to live
8. Smart Transportation -Pedestrian-friendly design that encourages a greater use of bicycles, rollerblades, scooters, and walking as daily transportation
9. Sustainability -Minimal environmental impact of development and its operations. More local production. More walking, less driving
10. Quality of Life - Taken together these add up to a high quality of life well worth living, and create places that enrich, uplift, and inspire the human spirit.

Let's encourage our city leaders to consider this approach, and change building codes accordingly, when rebuilding old and creating new neighborhoods in the aftermath of the Flood of 2008.

See Greenbuildingelements.com to learn more about New Urbanism.

Step 3: green laundry

Back to my little experiment in green laundry...I created some homemade laundry soap from a recipe that I gleaned from Discovery.com that was really simple:

1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
2 cups grated soap

I didn't have any problem finding the ingredients in my local Hy-Vee store and it took me about 8 minutes to grate the soap and measure the powders. I recommend that you use a larger hole in the grater when grating the soap because the small holes get clogged pretty quickly. I found that one 4.5 oz. bar of soap made about 2 cups of shavings, and that the whole mixture needs to be stirred well to prevent the soap from clumping together. The recipe makes enough for 20 loads (2 tablespoons/load) and stores well in a covered container. I  also recommend sprinkling the soap into the washer water before putting in the clothes to begin the dissolving process. I'll have to use the soap for a few weeks before I know if it meets my "clean" standards, but I'm optimistic...and I'll letcha know.

Now...for my savings. I compared prices for a bottle of traditional detergent, a green alternative and my homemade soap. My yearly calculations are for 6 loads/week.

Traditional detergent - .16/load = $50/year
Green alternative - .23/load = $72/year
Homemade soap - .06/load = $19/year

A more earth-friendly alternative for a lot less money and only minor inconvenience...my kind of solution!

Step 2: green laundry

Well, the laundry is done for this week and I must say that I am more impressed than I thought I'd be with the vinegar rinse. I just put about 1/2 cup in the fabric softener dispenser for each load. I noticed that the clothes didn't feel as "greasy" as they feel with fabric softener and the screen in my dryer was much easier to clean. Also, there seemed to be less lint. The clothes had no odor (which is fine with me since I prefer "free" products) but if you want a nice smell a sachet of lavender in the dryer might work. All in all, I'm pretty satisfied and ready for step 3 of my experiment...make my own laundry detergent. The Discovery.com article also lists two recipes for laundry soap:  one for liquid soap and one for dry. I'll try the dry recipe for next week's laundry and keep you posted...

Step 1: green laundry

I was digging around under my kitchen sink this morning and feel that now is the time to get rid of the cleaners, shiners and waxers that nearly gag me every time that I open that drawer. I avoid bug killers and insecticides because I worry about my family's health, and yet I have this cesspool of chemicals right under the kitchen sink. Not only that, but the laundry room is just as loaded with bleach, phosphates and neurotoxins in the dryer sheets! Augh, I've been in denial. So today, I'll start with the laundry...Wednesday is laundry day, anyway.

I found a wonderful article (be sure to flip through all the pages, there's quite a few) in the Planet Green section of Discovery.com, with tips on how to get started. Today, I'll wash in cold water (reduces energy consumption of washing clothes by 90%) and use vinegar instead of dryer sheets (the article recommends ditching the dryer sheets, which can be full of cancer-causing chemicals and neurotoxins such as toluene and styrene. They also break down organic fibers, shortening the life of your fabrics...yuck!) Vinegar's natural acidity neutralizes the soap so that it washes out cleanly and leaves the clothes fluffy and soft (at least so they say...)

I'll letcha know how it goes...they'll be more steps later.

Downsizing...must I?

I usually feel kind of sorry for people that say they are downsizing. It generally signals a loss of some kind like failing health or a broken relationship. In a generation of consumerism where more is better, less has got to be worse…right? I used to think so. I had a big house until I went through a divorce. Negative, huh? It was stressful, and hard to go from 6,000 sq ft to the 1,500 home that I purchased. Now, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Can I say it again? I LOVE MY HOUSE!  I learned that going smaller has tons of advantages (many of them green) and a lot less worry….here’s some tips to make the process easier and provide some incentive:

• Make sure your home has good views:  If it has a lot of windows, make sure that they are good quality to help with energy efficiency. Then purchase insulating window coverings and use them to keep out the extreme cold and hot weather. Your space will seem larger if you extend the views to include the outdoors.

• Make sure your home has good flow:  I looked at a lot of houses with more square footage than mine that seemed smaller and cramped. I like to entertain, so I bought a home with an open floor plan, large doorways, few halls and easy access to the outside for summer parties. I had to really look for this place…don’t give up.

• Only keep the things you love:  ditch the stuff that brings up bad memories or isn’t made to last. Downsizing has cured me from buying trendy…now I buy classic and quality which reduces my landfill contributions, surrounds me with things I adore and saves me money$$$.

• Donate to local charities, put on consignment and recycle as much as you can. Goodwill now takes computer parts in our local area and the landfill takes various appliances and furniture from your curb to recycling for a small fee. Make sure that you properly dispose of all hazardous materials.  Check it out so that there is as little as possible going to the landfill or incinerator.

• BENEFIT: Reduced utility bills: I used to pay up to $800 a month for my gas bill in my 1924 home with a 1950’s boiler. Now, I never get above $150 in January. I also use less electricity because my new home has more windows for ambient light.

• BENEFIT: Reduced maintenance costs: I like to remodel and decorate, and I can’t believe how much cheaper it is in a smaller space. It takes less everything like paint, carpet and draperies. I can sometimes use better materials (like stone and wood) that I couldn’t have afforded before.

• BENEFIT: Less time cleaning: which leaves me more time for whatever…like writing a blog or rotating my compost pile.

* New Green Communities blog entry about "cottage home" developments. Sounds very promising and something I might want to investigate in the future. Read about it at greenbuildingelements.com.

Paper towels, do I really need them?

I ran out of paper towels a couple of weeks ago and wondered…do I really these? Will I have mutiny on the “Bounty” if they were to suddenly go away (sorry about the pun, I couldn’t resist)?  Can I save money and reduce my landfill contributions if I find an alternative. I had to find out (nothing like a good mystery) so I didn’t buy anymore and waited to see what happened. What I found out was that we just started using paper napkins instead…augh. Now I have to replace not only the paper towels, but also the paper napkins. While I’m at it, I want to stop buying those blue sponges that I use to clean the counter tops and use something that is not so disposable. I ran some numbers and developed a plan.

Paper Costs
52 paper towels/year at $1.50 each equals $78/year.
156 sponges (3/week) at $2/3 equal $104/year.
12 packages napkins at $1.75 each equal $21/year.
Grand total is $203/year for our family of 3.

Cloth Option
Package of 25 washcloths that can be bleached is $5 at Kmart.
25 cloth napkins at TJ Max for $1.25/each is $31.25.
Grand total is $36.25/year for our family of 3.

I realize that it’s not a significant dollar savings, but it is a pretty significant percentage reduction in costs. And, if our entire city of 120,000 people would do the same (divided into households of 3 for my very scientific analysis), it could save 2,080,000 rolls of paper towels, 6,240,000 sponges and 1,000,000 large packages of napkins from filling up the local landfill that we lovingly call Mt. Trashmore. Wow.

I know that I haven’t addressed the issue of water usage, but the volume of extra laundry is so small that I don’t believe that it will increase the number of loads that I do each week. I do use bleach for disinfecting, and I’d like to know if there is an environmentally friendly alternative that I can use….please let me know. At any rate, I feel pretty good about my little contribution, both to the family budget and environment.

Low hanging fruit: changing the lightbulbs

I’m all for going for the low hanging fruit when I’m starting something new…especially when I know that it’s going to be a whopping big project. That way, I feel like I’ve made some serious progress and it bolsters my confidence when it’s time to tackle the bigger and more challenging tasks. That’s why I decided to tackle my home energy consumption first….did you know that (according to Good Housekeeping) 15% of the average American electric bill is lighting?

U.S. Government thinks so, too:

"If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.”

That’s cool, but how much will it save me? After all, I’m doing this green thing to save money, too. I found a nifty calculator online that quickly showed me that if I replace 10-60W and 5-100W   bulbs that I use 2-5 hours/day that I would save $112.86 in replacement bulb and electrical costs per year…that sounded worthwhile to me…check out the calculator provided by sdearthtimes.com.

Of course, replacing incandescent bulbs with fluorescent ones is not always an easy swap. Here are some things to watch out for:

• In lamps and smaller fixtures, I had to lower the wattage from 100W to 60W replacements because the more wattage, the larger the bulb.
• Most fluorescents don’t work with dimmers…be sure to buy ones that specifically say that they are dimmable.
• I really hate the blue light that most fluorescents give off. It makes me feel like I’m living underground in a science experiment. To avoid buying bulbs that will make you look like death, go to a store that has the bulbs plugged in and lit in their display so that you’ll know what the light is like before you get it home. I found that the FEIT brand bulbs at my local Menard’s store provide the best light for the best price.
  
• I have several ceiling can lights that are really ugly with the spiral bulbs. Never fear…manufacturers are now making bulbs with a glass covering that mimic the flood lights of old so that you don’t have to look at the curlicues. I haven’t seen decorative chandelier lights, yet…but you never know.

My confession:  I still use incandescent bulbs in the bathroom. I still have a need to know how I’m really going to look to the world when I walk out the door.