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.

Flicks to See at this Year's Environmental Film Fest!

The21st Annual DC Environmental Film Festival gets underway this week with films running from March 12th to 24th at over 75 venues across the District.  The films are free and there are some 190 films featured from 50 countries with a wide range of environmental themes. This year's Fest focuses on the role that rivers play in human survival - especially in the face of climate change. The Fest has set up a very user-friendly searchable website for all the films that will be featured.  Of particular interest to DC residents are two short films on the Anacostia River. This film will show on Friday, March 17th at 1h45 pm at the National Museum of American History located at 14th and Constitution NW.  Another film of interest is the 98 minute "Trashed" from the UK that takes you around the world to see what happens with garbage it's disposed of.  This film shows on Sunday, March19th at 7:45 PM at Atlas Performing Arts Center located at 1333 H St NE.  No reservations are required for either of these films.  These are just two of the great films that will be showing during the Fest.  Be sure to check it out!

Cheese's Dirty Secret

Did You Know - if everyone in the U.S. ate no meat or cheese for just one day a week for a year it would be the equivalent of Like taking 7.6 million cars off the road.  There's a great new segment on WAMU about how the food we eat relates to climate change.  Check out: www.wamu.org/programs/the_diet_climate_connection . When it comes to a carbon friendly diet,  check out the cheese you're eating.  While lamb is the most carbon unfriendly protein - followed by beef, according to a Grist article, cheese ranks worse than pork and chicken ounce for ounce, and substantially worse than other dairy products like milk and yogurt.  Why?  On average, it takes10 pounds of milk to produce a pound of hard cheese and according to the article cheeses made from goat or sheep milk are no better than those made from cow's milk. So, what's a non vegan carbon fighter to do? Eat local...and/or go for "lower-fat, less dense cheeses. In general, the lower the fat, the lower the greenhouse-gas emissions. Cottage cheese is just about the lowest-fat option out there, while regular cream cheese is one of the fattiest. Cheddar tends to be a higher-fat cheese, more so even than brie or Camembert. Low-fat options include ricotta and part-skim mozzarella while. High-fat cheeses include mascarpone, stilton, and colby." 

DC Residents Protest Coal Burning at Sustainable DC Event

On Wednesday, February 20ieth, Mayor Vincent Gray released the Sustainable DC Plan.  This plan has been developed over the last 18 months through a participatory process that has involved citizens, businesses and local leaders across DC.  The plan puts forth sustainable actions for the environment, energy, food, nature, transportation, waste, and water to ensure that the District becomes the healthiest, greenest, most livable city in the nation over the next 20 years.

Local residents and activists took advantage of this event to voice their opposition to coal burning at the Capitol Power Plant.  As noted in this blog, the Architect of the Capitol is seeking permission to increase coal burning at the plant.  Increasing coal burning at the plant would decrease DC air quality, and fly in the face of the Mayor's much touted Sustainability Plan.  DC's Department of the Environment will make a decision on the AOC's proposal in the coming weeks. In the meantime, local citizens are continuing to voice opposition to coal burning at the plant.  If you would like a yardsign to post in your yard or window to mark your opposition to coal burning at the Capitol Power Plant, contact the DCRecycler.

Send Your PLS Do This! Send Your No More Coal Comments to DDOE by February 18!

The DC Department of Environment (DDOE) has extended the deadline for comments on the Architect of the Capitol's application that would allow for increased coal emissions from the Capitol Power Plant (CPP).  According to DDOE , comments must be received by 5pm Monday, February 18, 2013 and should be either (1) mailed or hand-delivered to DDOE, Air Quality Division, 1200 First Street, N.E., 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20002, Attention: Stephen S. Ours - Chief, Permitting, or (2) e-mailed to aoc.airpermits@dc.gov. According to the DDOE website comments "must include the person’s name, telephone number, affiliation, if any, mailing address and a statement outlining the air quality issues in dispute and any facts underscoring those air quality issues".

You can find a draft letter here:  https://secure.sierraclub.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=10325&autologin=true&s_src=313Z6300A1&JServSessionIdr004=d9j75yf112.app225a
Several articles on this topic have recently appeared in The Washington Post, Capitol Hill Corner, and WAMU, and his issue has gathered steam over the last couple of weeks with Eleanor Holmes Norton and Tommy Wells chiming in.  When coal is burned at the CPP residue falls out into Capitol Hill, but emissions from the plant reduce air quality across the entire DC metro region. Please send in your comments today!  You can also find more information on this topic at: http://www.dc.sierraclub.org/news/detail.asp?ID=325.

Recycling Paperbacks..and Magazines for a Cause: DC Books to Prison Project!

Wondering what to do with all those great books you have now that you’re reading off of your Kindle? The DC Books to Prisons Project may be your answer! The program provides free books to 150 prisons across the country and develops and supports local prison libraries. Most prisons do not accept hardback books, so paperbacks are preferred. Most needed non-fiction include dictionaries (English, Spanish-English), Spanish Textbooks, atlases and almanacs, drawing or art, science and alternative energy (including science magazines like Discover or Scientific American), how-to (especially woodworking, plumbing, car mechanics, small motor repair), GED preparation, farming and agriculture, personal finance or starting a business, American Indians, Mayans, or Aztecs and African American, Latin American, or classical (Roman,Greek) history. Popular fiction requests include westerns and urban or street lit.

Books can be dropped off on Wednesday evenings (6-9 PM) at Foundry United Methodist Church located at 1500 16th St NW, Washington DC, 20036. A core volunteer is usually there during and can arrange to have people carry the books for you while you stay with your car. If Wednesday evening is not possible, you can call the church at 202.332.4010.

Help Stop Coal Burning at the Capitol! Meeting Jan 24!

The Capitol Power Plant (CPP) continues to periodically burn coal though it has been outfitted to burn natural gas. While coal is a dirty fuel source, height restrictions of CPP stacks due to the plant's proximity to National Airport mean that even higher levels of residue fallout across the DC region - exacerbating asthma and other respiratory issues and flying in the face of DC’s Sustainability goals.

DC Council Member Tommy Wells is convening a meeting to discuss this issue see details below!  PLEASE ATTEND!! Yard signs will be available and small donations to this grass roots cause will be welcome!

See Tommy Wells’s letter for the meeting below:

+++++++++++++++++++++
Dear Capitol Hill residents and other interested community members :

The Architect of the Capitol’s recent permit application for changes to the Capitol Power Plant has been a source the great concern for many of us. I will be hosting a community meeting on Thursday, January 24, 2013, to hear your concerns and to discuss next steps. The District Department of the Environment will present background information about the Power Plant, after which I will moderate a discussion. The meeting will not be limited to concerns about the current permit application. I also want to discuss strategies for addressing broader concerns about the power plant, particularly the ongoing use of coal as a fuel source. See details below:

Community Meeting on the Capitol Power Plant

Thursday, January 24, 6:30pm to 8:00pm

United Methodist Church -- 421 Seward Square SE

I hope to see you there, however, if you are unable to attend, there will be more opportunities to get involved -- this will be an ongoing community discussion.

Tommy

Mayor Gray to Sign Sustainable DC Act!

DC Mayor Vincent Gray is set to sign the Sustainable DC Act of 2012 on Wednesday, January 16^th, 2013 at 10:00 am. The specific location is still being finalized.

The Sustainable DC Act will benefit the District in each of the three legs of sustainability: economy, equity, and environment. The legislation wil help promote energy efficiency and renewable energy, urban agriculture, and will keep dangerous chemicals out of our rivers. Highlights of the Sustainability Act include: 

• Additional funding for two existing DC programs that are key for energy efficiency and renewable energy: the EnergyStar Benchmarking Program and the Renewable Energy Incentive Program;
• Reducing the use of fertilizers by increasing the buffer between fertilized areas and waterways to help clean our rivers and streams;
• Making it easier to keep bees, which is valuable for agriculture and gardens and providing educational opportunities; 
•  Separating the location of children-occupied facilities and drycleaners that use chemicals with dangerous health effects; and 
• Providing assistance to low-income and elderly households to access weatherization services and energy system retrofits to tune-up heating systems and hot water heaters.

Background on the Sustainable DC Act

In July 2011, Mayor Gray announced his intention to make DC the greenest, healthiest, and most livable city in the nation. Through the winter of 2011 and spring of 2012, a group of residents, local businesses and institutions, and local and federal government, developed a plan to make this vision a reality.  For more information on Sustainable DC check out: http://sustainable.dc.gov/