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A daily eco tip thread.

non toxic cleaning natural insect solutions eco laundry solutions

 
42 replies to this topic

#1 Shortpoet-GTD

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Posted 17 July 2013 - 01:42 PM

Feel free to post short tips, so viewers can read through them quickly. :tongue:

My tip of the day- :biggrin:

Dampen a piece of a brown paper sack with vinegar to clean windows.
No steaks, won't leave lint on the glass like paper towels will, and won't blacken your
fingers like newsprint does.

#2 eds

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Posted 17 July 2013 - 02:36 PM

Beat the Heat with trees & fans.
. . . It should be noted that trees don't only cool by shading;
. . . the transpiration of moisture from their leaves absorbs a lot of heat,
. . . a form of evaporative cooling.

Source:  Trees

#3 Shortpoet-GTD

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Posted 17 July 2013 - 06:14 PM

Need more counter space in a hurry when guests or family pop by?
Simply pull out a drawer, and put a cutting board across it.
Quick, temporary fix. :wink:

#4 Shortpoet-GTD

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Posted 18 July 2013 - 03:41 AM

Remove labels from plastic containers easily (for recycling) by generously sponging vinegar on the label. It'll come right off.
(Saves water too)

#5 Shortpoet-GTD

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Posted 18 July 2013 - 03:44 PM

Clean plastic lawn chairs with this simple method. It will make them look brand new; even old weather beaten ones
with ground in grime that has changed their color. (Or any outdoor plastic; toys, forts, planters, etc.)

Use a non-metal scrub cloth dampened with lemon juice. (Bottled or fresh)
Sprinkle a bit of baking soda on the area to be scrubbed ; it won't take much scrubbing.

Viola.

It will clean up to look like a brand new chair (or whatever piece it is).

Rinsing the mixture onto area plants will not damage them, and the lemon juice may reduce the ant population
in the area.
:biggrin:
Works great. :wink:

#6 E3 wise

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Posted 18 July 2013 - 03:46 PM

Want to drop you Air Conditioning bill during summer?  Gently spray water on the outside unit from the 4 sides one at a time.  Washing the dirt and grass out cuts your A/C electric use and doubles the life of the equipment.

#7 E3 wise

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Posted 18 July 2013 - 03:51 PM

Want to make your own Eco fertilizer for flowers and garden plants.  Mix 1/4 cup ammonia, with 1 non diet 8 oz. soda, 1 non diet 8 oz beer and two teaspoons liquid dish soap.  Spray directly on plants or mix in a 50/50 ratio for hose end sprayer.

#8 Shortpoet-GTD

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Posted 19 July 2013 - 04:21 AM

View PostE3 wise, on 18 July 2013 - 03:46 PM, said:

Want to drop you Air Conditioning bill during summer?  Gently spray water on the outside unit from the 4 sides one at a time.  Washing the dirt and grass out cuts your A/C electric use and doubles the life of the equipment.
Shading the unit and/or installing a mister system will also reduce the work load of the a/c.
Saves money and the unit may last longer.

#9 Shortpoet-GTD

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Posted 19 July 2013 - 03:56 PM

Tip for the day-
Mark an ice cube tray (so it won't be confused with a regular one) and fill it will vinegar.

Once a month or so, toss the cubes into the garbage disposal to sharpen the blades, and eliminate odors. :wink:

#10 Shortpoet-GTD

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Posted 20 July 2013 - 06:14 AM

Having houseplants around is good for us. They add oxygen to the air, and can add an element of calm to a space.

Keeping them healthy- :wink:

1- When it's time to water them, wait a day and put several empty egg shells in water and let it sit overnight.
Water the plants with that instead of plain water.

2- If you have leftover beer, pour it into a bucket and let it sit for a day or two. Pour some
on your plants instead of water; the nutrients from the beer will give them a boost.

3- Save the water from fresh cooked veggies, and let cool.
Plants love it; especially water from starchy foods like potatoes. (But not canned veggies-too much salt)
4- Flat club soda works well too.

If you like your larger leaf houseplants to be shiny, gently rub the leaves with the inside of a banana peel.
Or, you can use milk (at room temperature; not cold)  The protein in milk; casein, has a mild cleansing effect
on the plant cell walls.

Planting for the first time, or re-potting?
1- Add a layer of packing peanuts to the bottom. It will add drainage without the weight of rocks, and it will keep
the soil in the pot.
2- Add a layer of tea bags across the bottom.

#11 Shortpoet-GTD

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Posted 23 July 2013 - 12:03 PM

This one is more for the ladies (but hey, who am I to judge?) :laugh:

Easy way to remove static cling from a slinky skirt grabbing onto your pantyhose-

Rub the positive end of a battery over our skirt and hose.
The battery releases positively charged ions that neutralize the negative ones that cause static cling.

Not necessarily green because of the chemicals :unsure: in sprays but-
Spritz a small amount of hair spray on your nylons. Cling is gone.

#12 Shortpoet-GTD

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Posted 30 July 2013 - 11:41 AM

Storage and re-use; what could be better? :tongue:

Crafters- Tic Tac containers are great for storing beads or pins. Empty egg cartons are also great. If it's
for the kiddies, they can paint the carton or apply stickers.

Jack of all trade types- DIYérs-
baby food jars are great for nails, screws, etc.

Use a small screw to attach lid to the underside of a shelf. Fill it with your items, and screw the jar back onto the lid.
No counter-space is wasted, you can see the items in the jar, and you won't lose what you need. B)  
(Don't have babies; just mix the baby food in with a soup or stew-you'll never know the difference.)

For temporary storage (while you're working on something) and don't want to lose the screws or other small
pieces-
attach a magnetic strip in a convenient location, and pile the stuff up there. They won't get lost.

If you need smaller but sturdy boxes, keep the box the laundry detergent came in. Leave the handle intact,
and they can be good storage for kids toys, that they can move around (and put everything into when they're
done playing.) Or for sewing items, yarn, etc.

Hanging shoe organizers can be great in the bathroom too, for all the lotions, hair rollers, etc. that seem to pile up.
Just hang on the inside of the door-out of sight.

Got a ton of artwork from your kids but can't display it all at once? Roll it up and store it in paper towel tubes.
Stays unwrinkled, and you can rotate the artwork on the frig.

Have a valuable item that you don't want to be ripped off, or stuck in a bank somewhere?

Once the mayonnaise jar is empty, wash it out, (leave the label intact)- pour in some white paint and swish it around.
Once it dries, add your precious items, and put the jar back in the frig. B)

More than one daily tip, but what the heck. Enjoy. :biggrin:

#13 Shortpoet-GTD

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Posted 28 August 2013 - 06:11 AM

Love cooking with garlic but hate to peal the cloves?
Microwave them for 10-15 seconds, and the skins will come right off. :biggrin:

#14 eds

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Posted 30 August 2013 - 12:07 AM

Going Solar: Options for Homeowners

Source: Solar Tips

#15 Shortpoet-GTD

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Posted 30 August 2013 - 02:18 PM

View Posteds, on 30 August 2013 - 12:07 AM, said:

Going Solar: Options for Homeowners

Source: Solar Tips
Nice.
It's nice to get input from others; their tips too. :biggrin:

#16 Shortpoet-GTD

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Posted 02 September 2013 - 10:51 AM

This article from Sustainablog has several idea's.
http://sustainablog....ay-cool-summer/

#17 Tyler85

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Posted 18 September 2013 - 04:29 AM

Simple tip for saving energy: Turn down the brightness of every "screen-gadget" you have. Like smartphone, laptop or TV.

#18 Shortpoet-GTD

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Posted 03 January 2014 - 05:28 PM

Granted, many of these tips show products that we do not consider "green" but this link is worth passing
along for it's tips for a variety of things.
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/9qoczQ

#19 Shortpoet-GTD

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Posted 08 January 2014 - 04:52 AM

Biking tips-
http://www.commuteby...e-bike-commute/

#20 Shortpoet-GTD

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Posted 21 January 2014 - 05:31 AM

My "daily" tip's have become too rare- oops
but I found this DIY page. It's geared towards "preppers" but the links in the article can be used by anyone.
http://sustainablog....s-diy-projects/

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