DCRecycler 2013 Green Gift Guide: help someone break the plastic habit!

Seems that I hear more and more stories

about the evils of plastic - its negatives impacts on humans, wildlife and the environment. Help a friend take a bit more plastic out of circulation. Glass storage containers are a great and welcome gift....and they're microwaveable. OK, so they have a plastic lid, but that means they don't leak in your backpack or purse!  Buy a set for a friend and help save the world!

DC Recycler 2013 Green Gift Guide: composting service

If you read this blog, you know

I'm a HUGE fan of composting. Composting has reduced my garbage by more than half..o..and coupled with recycling and free cycling, it means I throw out trash (minus dog poop) about once a month.  BUT, what about apartment dwellers?  There are two door to door composting companies here in DC.  Why not buy a composting subscription to one of them?

CompostCab offers doorstep composting in DC for less than $8 per week and a composting start up kit that includes a countertop compost bin, a larger collection bin, compostable liners, a composting guide, a CompostCab tote bag and a one pound bag of worm castings.....all for $49. Meanwhile, while FatWormCompost offers service for about the same price (as low as $30 per month). Get someone else hooked on composting!

DC Recycler 2013 Green Gift Guide: Give a Membership!

Memberships: Gifts that keep on giving!

Another great gift for the person who has everything is a membership to one of their favorite organizations.  Many of these memberships keep on giving! For only $35, Washington Area Bicycle Association (WABA) Membership gets you a 10% discount on purchases at bike shops around town.  THIS ADDS UP!  Meanwhile a $120 membership to WAMU, one of the local NPR stations offers discounts to over 63 yoga studios, museums and eateries (most offer 2 for 1 dining) in DC alone.  Buying a membership is a great way to support these local groups - and provide your friend with a gift that will give throughout the year!

DC Recycler 2013 Gift Guide: What to give someone who has EVERYTHING?!

Update! I love it when I learn about new options from readers!  Check out PaperKarma for unsubscribing from mail. 

We all have those folks on our list who really don't need - or want anything. But you can't just leave them high and dry while others enjoy the day.           

Soooo, what are you going to get them?  Why not give them a huge and precious gift that will make them happy and help save a few trees and a bit of carbon?  

This used to be a tree.

UNSUBSCRIBE THEM

With the "Unsubscribe" gift, you take the time to unsubscribe them from all the junk mail and calls they receive.  This gift is particularly attractive to older folks and young parents who just don't have the time or savvy to do this. It will take some time, put there are a few tools to help make this an easier task.  

• Catalog Choice is a great starting point.  You can create a free account and opt out of most of the catalogs, credit card offers, etc that you receive.
• The National DO NOT CALL Registry is another jewel. While you may have signed up a few years ago, registration expires after 5 years, so you may need to reup. For any other calls that get through, I kindly ask them to remove me from their lists. 
• You can opt out of the YellowPages by going to this website. 
• Then, there are those mailings that are addressed to no one, only to your address.  Click here to opt out of those pesky RedPlum Coupon mailings. Call (202) 334-7730 to stop receiving the Washington Post Shopping Guide.
• As for all that mail you receive from the non profits you love - or have never heard of, I find it best to call them individually.  You can usually find a phone number on their mailing, or look it up.  It's tedious...but you can get rid of the mail.  

Most people will recognize the true value of this gift, and be ever grateful for your efforts!  Happy no junk mail holidays!

2013 DC Recycler Gift Guide: Where to Shop this Weekend? Community Forklift Green Gift Fair

It's going to be rainy and cold and you need to shop for people who already have plenty of things. Community Forklift is a DC Recycler favorite.  You never know what you'll find there...a $3 hammer, a $20 dog gate, a push button phone or literally - a kitchen sink!  For the holidays, they're having a Green Gift Fair.  I was there last weekend. There was live music and some hot cider and snacks.   They had a wide array of upcycled goods and some great lotions and soaps made of beeswax.  As importantly, I also found a used handle for my rake!  And it's a home renovator treasure trove! It's in Hyattsville, MD ...but that's just outside the DC line.  (Who knew?)!

2013 DC Recycler Gift Guide - Bike Lights

So, since it "tis the season", I thought I'd share some of my favorite gift ideas with you for this year.  

If you follow this blog at all, you won't be surprised to see that the top of my list this year...as in other years..is BIKE LIGHTS! But before you move on to another website, consider that  despite the biking craze in DC, many cyclists don't have good lighting on their bikes. Any cyclist will be happy to have one more bright light!
  

My newest favorite bike lights are these ThunderBolts.  They strap on (and off) to almost any part of a bike...and they're rechargeable by just plugging them into a USB port.  There are front and back lights...and they are BRIGHT!!! I bought mine LOCALLY at Capitol Hill Bikes on 8th St SE..but I'm sure other local stores sell them as well.
 
If you REALLY want to go nuts (which I do) check out these (awesome) Cosmic Brightz and Wheel Brightz lights!  I bought the wheel lights..and even the Capitol Police think they're cool! I bought mine at the Container Store in Tennleytown.
 

Recycle Your Old Christmas Lights...and Get a Discount on a String of LED lights

Now, through November 17, bring in your old, broken or used incandescent holiday light strings to be recycled at any Home Depot and receive a discount on a purchase of LED lights.  You can get a discount for each string recycled with a limit of 5 discounts per customer.

 

Winter Prep

With possibilities of snow in the forecast for this week, there's no denying that winter is on its way.  Here are a few things to do to prep your home for winter:

• Drain the rain barrel.  We all know that water expands as it freezes, so ice can destroy a rain barrel.  Drain your barrel...and turn the flow off so that any rain water now goes into the downspout and by passes the barrel.  Just think of all the fun you'll have turning the flow back on in the Spring.
• Change the direction of your ceiling fans so that the downside edge is going forward - clockwise.  This will force warm air that gets caught near the ceiling back down.
• Rinse out your reuseable filters on your forced air heating system.  I do this on the 1st of every month just so I am sure to remember to do it.
• Buy a bike light!!  While you can see cars, you're almost invisible to them ...and other cyclists as the sun starts to set. Don't become another bad DC bike stat!

TO DO: Canoe (or Kayak) the Anacostia!

Dog Days on the Anacostia!

Looking for a great fall outing? I just spent a beautiful early fall Sunday canoeing on the Anacostia River.  Despite all the bad press the Anacostia receives, we didn't see that much trash and the river was wonderfully scenic. We put the canoe in at Bladensburg Waterfront Park which is located just outside the District. There's a public access and free boat ramp at the Park as well as options for renting canoes and kayaks.  There are also pontoon boat tours, as well as bicycle and fishing tackle rental at the Park.  You can explore the sites along the Anacostia Tributary Trail System with a bike or by walking. 
For our excursion, we canoed a mile or so downstream to the Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens. We saw lots of Canada geese and mallards, as well as several egrets and great blue herons. I hope to canoe the Anacostia later in the Fall to catch all the changing colors...and then again in the spring when everything is in bloom.  Next time, I'll plan to take a net and a garbage bag to gather up some of the floating trash I find along the way.

Wanna STOP Receiving the Washington Post Shopping Guide in the Mail????

Save a tree...or at least a part of one!  To stop receiving the Washington Post Shopping Guide that you likely receive in the mail a couple of times a week, call Wanna STOP receiving the Washington Post Shopping Guide? Call 202 334-7730.  Leave your address, apartment number and zip code and you’ll be taken off the Post Plus Mailing List.

Spread the word!

A Cleaning Service that Walks....I mean...Bikes the Talk!

Maid to Clean's Bicycles!

On my bike ride to work this morning, I came across "Maid to Clean's" bike brigade!  They work in neighborhoods across DC and have a long time commitment to greening. The bikes are just one more step in their ongoing efforts to keep their carbon footprint low and use "neutral products like vinegar and water, baking soda, and Bon Ami – all of which contain no chlorine, dye, phosphorus, or fragrance." There's even a cute YouTube video about their biking.  

Homemade Fruit Fly Trap

Got fruit flies?  Here's a quick remedy.  Take a small necked empty glass bottle.  Pour a small amount of cider vinegar in it.  Fashion a funnel out of paper and stick it in the neck of the bottle.  Place this bottle around your fruit.  You may have to move it around a bit to get the flies...or make a couple of these...but it will attract your them.

A Natural Mosquito Control that Works!

A friend of mine posted this "natural" mosquito control recipe on Facebook, so I tried it out.  Guess what?  IT WORKS, and it's VERY easy to make.  Try this:

1. Take a 2 liter plastic soda bottle and cut it in half.
2. Dilute 1/4 cup of brown sugar in 1 cup of hot water.  Pour this into the bottom half of the bottle.
3. Add a tad (less than 1/2 teaspoon) of yeast to the mix.
4. Invert the "neck" half of the bottle into the bottle base (so it acts as a funnel).
5. Tape the two pieces of the bottle together and wrap dark paper or fabric around the bottle. (Mosquitoes are attracted to darker colors). 
6. Place to the bottle a few feet away from the space you want rid of mosquitoes.

You can also use a 1 liter plastic bottle.  Just cut the recipe in half.

I've tried this concoction and have found it to be very effective in controlling mosquitoes.  I've heard that it will work for up to two weeks, but I've been dumping mine out just to see my "catch".  In addition to mosquitoes, I've caught many gnats and some sort of large beetle.  It's so effective that I've decided to only put the bottle out when I'm entertaining as I know insects in general are a vital part of our ecosystem.  But if you're overrun by mosquitoes, try this...and let me know how it works for you!

Rent Reusable Moving Boxes!

Elf Boxes is a local (DC) company that rents reusable plastic moving boxes. They’ll deliver the boxes to your home and pick them up in your new home – so long as it’s in the DC area. You – or someone you hire does the packing and the moving – while Elf Boxes provides the stackable, reusable boxes. An Elf Boxes rental includes 2 full weeks’ use of our industrial-strength plastic boxes, free delivery and pickup, labels, zip ties, and a moving dolly.  You can rent the boxes for an additional length of time as needed.  Each box can hold up to 100lbs.

Elf Boxes crates are reusable and they will save you time. In many ways, they’re even better than reusing old cardboard boxes – as small bugs may be lurking in them. Also, a cardboard box becomes weaker with every use. Elf Boxes cleaned and sanitized prior to every move with an eco-friendly cleaner.  The boxes are stackable and with a fold down lid, they don’t require packing tape.  Check them out at  www.elfboxes.com.

Bad News for DC Residents: Coal Burning at the Capitol Power Plant Can Continue…for now

On Thursday, June 6th, the District Department of Environment (DDOE) issued a permit to the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) allowing the Capitol Power Plant (CPP) to construct a cogeneration system. The permit sets emission caps (notably NOx and SO2) until the facility is completed at 2007-2008 levels — when coal accounted for 50 % and rejects the community's and the Sierra Club's demands for a firm endpoint to coal burning at the plant.

The CPP is already DC’s largest emitter of emissions, but the DDOE permit allows the CPP to burn coal until and 18 months after the co-generation facility is completed. Coal burning flies in the face of Mayor Gray’s recently announced Sustainable DC Initiative which calls for a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2032.  That’s unlikely to happen as long as the CPP burns coal.  In an attempt to pacify residents, the Mayor’s office issued a press release announcing “The Ban on Combustion of Coal Act of 2013” which essentially mirrors the DDOE permit. The press release notes that “The facility’s ability to restrict coal usage … is entirely dependent upon completion of the cogeneration project and achievement of the commercial operation date.”  Now the AOC needs to go to Congress to secure funds for the co-generation plant – a process that could result in DC residents breathing high levels of coal emissions for several more years.

Southwest DC Public Library Sale this Weekend...and Next!

The Friends of the Southwest DC Public Library is holding its Spring Book Sale at the Southwest DC Public Library, 900 Wesley SW (at K & 3rd St SW) on Saturday, June 8th and Saturday, June 15th. All proceeds for the sale go directly to supporting programming and equipment needs of the SW library branch.

 

 Hundreds of Books and Great Prices – Most Books Under $2!

 

General Book Sale FREE and OPEN TO ALL:

Saturday, June 8 from 10am-2pm!

 

Saturday, June 15 from 11am - 2pm.

For more info, email us at friendsofswlibrary@gmail.com

Go to the Book Release of "The Zero Footprint Baby: How to save the planet while raising a healthy baby"

My friend, colleague and fellow DC resident Keya has been a huge inspiration for me as I've sought to go greener in my life.  She and her family really walk the talk when it comes to reducing carbon footprints.  In her "spare" time, she's somehow found time to write a book about raising a child while keeping a low carbon footprint. "The Zero Footprint Baby: How to Save the Planet While Raising a Healthy Baby" shows how to raise a child with little to no carbon footprint and addresses the pressures and preconceptions new parents face as they start a family from pregnancy (what kind of birth has the lowest impact?); what to feed your baby (breastfeed, formula, or both?); childcareand of course, diapering. There's a book launch on Saturday, June 1st at the Greater Washington Breastfeeding Center 2141 K St., NW Suite 3 from 10 am to noon.  Keya will be talking about the book and signing copies.  This book will make the perfect shower gift!  Click here to RSVP.  Hope to see you there!  

If you can't make it to the book launch, you can buy a hard copy or ebook version on Amazon.com.  Remember, Father's Day is coming up on June 17th!

DIY: Making Your Own Cleaning ..and Other Products: Deodorant

This blog has challenged me to explore new areas of recycling/greening that I might not have taken on otherwise.  Since I started using baking soda and vinegar to wash my hair and as cleaning products in my house, I've become more interested in reducing a/o eliminating the chemicals I purchase through various products - toothpaste, dishwasher soap, prewash treatments - a la "spray&wash".  For the next couple of posts, I'm going to document some of the products I've made - and their success or failure and ideas for improvement.

My Homemade Deodorant (next to a small bottle)

A friend of mine asked me how to recycle a deodorant tube.  I think you can just put it in the bin, but then I offered to try to make some deodorant.  He was game, so I started looking through recipes.  I knew that I would need something that wouldn't melt in the container in DC summers - but that would work.

After some research and reading through pros and cons (staining clothes, melting in the container, not working etc), I found this recipe. It uses all natural ingredients - baking powder, beeswax, cocoa butter, etc.  It was easy to make and I was able to refill my friend's tube, and I had this leftover for me.  After a few days of use, he reported that it works fine..though I may have gone a bit overboard on the beeswax (which makes it hard). (Maybe I should use a tad less beeswax in the winter/spring).  Let me know how it works!

Whatcha Gonna Do for Earth Day???

Earth Day is coming up on Monday, April 22nd and there are a host of celebratory activities planned in and around DC both before and after the big day.  Here's a list ...and a link to just some of the events that are planned!

·         From April 1st through April 30ieth, Union Station is hosting Earth Month 2013, a month-long event designed to raise awareness of environmental issues and encourage sustainability.  This event is in lieu of the usual Earth Day event on the National Mall.

·         On Thursday, April 18th from 11am - 6pm and Friday, April 19th from 9 am to - 6pm the EPA will host a National Sustainable Design Expo on the Mall between 13th &14th Streets. College students compete their green innovations for the EPA P3 Award while the EPA will sponsor hands-on activities for all ages including a National Sustainable Design Expo which will showcase efforts to protect the planet.

• On Saturday, April 20ieth from 11am-2pm, check out Earth Day Party for the Planet at the National Zoo! Learn about green design in the the zoo's exhibits and buildings, along with efforts to conserve water and energy, and reduce waste. Bring along a cell phone to be recycled, and learn how to make biodegradable plant pots!
• On Saturday, April 20ieth from 9-12, the Anacostia Watershed Society is organizing a river clean up at various locations along the river. DDOE will be at 575 Oklahoma Ave NE. Entrance from Benning Rd and Oklahome Ave NE, RFK Parking Lot access to Kingman and Heritage Island. There’s a celebration from 12-2pm at  Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg, MD 20710.  The Anacostia needs our help, so plan to join this fun cleanup!
• On Monday, April 22nd from 6h30-8h30, DC will be kicking off the Sustainable DC Initiative at  Luke C. Moore High School, 1001 Monroe St NE, Washington, DC.  There are bikeshare stations located nearby on Monroe St, or you can take the Brookland Metro, or Metrobuses (80, G8, H8). RSVP here to attend the Sustainable DC Implementation Kickoff!
• On Tuesday, April 30ieth from 6-8pm, DDOE is hosting "EnergySmart DC", a Public Information Meeting at the District Architecture Center, 421 7^th St NW.  DDOE is developing a Comprehensive Energy Plan - EnergySmart DC – which will outline energy goals for the next ten years. Five minute speaking slots are available but limited, so reserve yours by April 22 by emailing community@energysmartdc.com.