Low Impact Living » 2007

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old chair Do you have a piece of wood furniture that’s seen better days? Or do you have wood floors that need some new life? Before you chuck that chair or have new flooring installed, please consider stripping and refinishing that valuable wood instead. And fortunately there are a lot more products available today that make it easier than ever to redo old furniture and wood floors in an eco-friendly way.

1. Before you begin your project, it’s important to check for lead in paint. Paint used before 1980 often contains lead. You can find an inexpensive kit here, or pick them up at your local hardware stores.

2. Once you know about the lead status, wash your wood with a mild soap solution.

3. Now it’s time to strip the wood. We have a few eco-smart ways to go.

– The safest, most eco-friendly way to remove paint or finish from furniture is the old-fashioned method of sanding! With a little elbow grease, you can avoid chemical strippers completely. (And please wear a mask and goggles to protect yourself from flying particles.)
– Another alternative to chemical strippers is to remove paint and/or finish with a heat gun, although you should never sand or use a heat gun on lead-based paint because toxic fumes can release from softening paint.
– Annie Berthold-Bond offers a recipe for a natural homemade wood stripper as another safe option in her book, Better Basics For The Home. You just combine 1 cup washing soda with enough water to make a thick paste. Spread the paste on surface and let it damp-set for 6 hrs. Then you scrape off paint and rinse with a 1 cup water : 2 cup vinegar wash.
– Or you can use commercial strippers. Most paint strippers contain chemicals that carry health and environmental risks. Methylene chloride is the most commonly used chemical in paint stripper, but it is linked to cancer and other health / environmental problems. There are non-toxic wood strippers availabe– some of which are biodegradable and made from soy and corn derivatives.

+ SoyClean stripper
+ aMaizing corn-based stripers
+ SoyGreen stripper
+ EcoSolve Home Strip
+Citrus Strip, available at most Home Depot’s

4. When you’re ready to finish your piece, there are eco-friendly options available. Many common paints and stains release low level toxic emissions into the air, called VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds). Fortunately there are a variety of water-based natural paints and stains available that include plant oils extracts and simple minerals instead of harmful chemicals.

+ Remember milk paint? It’s one the safest paints available. And it comes in some great colors and finish types.
+ If you’re looking for a stain, AFM makes stains in their Safecoat DuroStain line.
+ Bioshield also has a line of stains called Aqua Resin.
+ Also check out these made from only pure linseed oil, beeswax and natural tree-sap varnish. Tried and True Wood Finish.

5. When it comes time to dispose of your unused paints or stains, please take care and be responsible. Buy only the paint you need and recycle the empty steel cans. If you have paint left over store unused paint in the can upside, down to create a tight seal around the lid. Or if you don’t want to keep it, take unused paints and stains to a local hazardous waste collection program. The earth thanks you!

October 16th, 2007 in Green Living, Recycling | permalink | 3 Comments »

October 14th, 2007

So you want to install solar panels …

by Dan Sharp

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We’d like to introduce you to Dan Sharp, a new member of our Low Down team. Dan is living proof that you can live a normal, comfortable (and relatively inexpensive) life and still be VERY green. He and his wife have made the easy changes – they’ve curtailed their use of paper towels, buy more local produce, and installed compact fluorescent light bulbs. However, they didn’t stop there - Dan makes his own biodiesel at home, and most recently installed his own solar panels. We thought you’d like to hear about that project, as it shows both the ease of going solar and some of the unexpected bumps along the way!

Oh, one more note about Dan – with the assistance of Low Impact Living Director of Design Shayna Prunier, Dan and his wife Maya recently completed an amazing green remodel of their master bedroom. Dan, Maya and Shayna will be featured on the Living With Ed show on HGTV for this project – make sure to tune in Monday October 15 at 10:30 PM to see Dan,Maya and Shayna’s amazing work! (If you subscribe to satellite TV (DirecTV, etc), check your program guide - the show may be on at 10:30 EDT regardless of where you live in the country).

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We decided to install solar panels a few months ago. It was the natural progression after all of the other green changes that we’ve made in our home and lifestyle. I’m already making biodiesel for all of our transportation needs, so why not electricity too?

We started by minimizing our overall electricity usage before sizing the photovoltaic system. We got rid of our freezer, eliminated the “beer fridge” in the garage, became diligent about turning off electrical devices when not in use and installed compact fluorescent bulbs. These measures alone reduced our monthly electrical usage by over 30%, from 600 to 400 kilowatt hours. And, we got rid of some fossilized items in that freezer as well! It’s much less expensive to reduce your usage first and then install a photovoltaic system sized to meet your reduced needs. These simple changes literally cut thousands off of our solar cost. Low Impact Living advocates for this very strongly – the first step in any solar project should be reducing your energy use as much as you can.

The second step in the process was to identify a solar provider. We were able to locate several in our area using the Low Impact Living website. They came to the house, helped us figure out how many panels we needed and where they should be installed.

The next step was to get all of our paperwork into the “system” to reserve the rebate from our power utility. Our solar provider helped out with technical information and system diagrams. Our city also required a building permit, which we got with a quick trip to the permit office.

So far so good. Now I took a slightly unusual approach - to save some cash (and because I have the required skills), I bought the panels and other equipment from the solar installer but did the work myself. I was amazed at how easily the components hooked together. We just needed to run some conduit, hang the inverter on the wall near the sub-panel, and hook up the wires. We flipped the switch and watched our meter spin backwards…success!

That’s when the hard part started. When the inspector from our City came to check out the panels and sign off on the building permit, he found some minor electrical items he wanted changed, so we fixed them and called him back out the next week. Then he decided we needed an electrical permit, but the guy at the counter only issued a building permit. It would have been nice to know that during his first trip to our house, or better yet at the permit office! We also needed to install a sign warning that the electrical panel was hooked up to a photovoltaic system…again, I’m not sure why he didn’t mention that on the first trip. On his third visit – a week later – he finally approved the system installation.

Digital Electric Meter Once I was in the system as being an official solar customer, our power provider replaced the old meter with a new digital meter. I missed being able to see the meter spin backwards, but the new meter promised to be more accurate and give all the required information for the net metering agreement (which allows you to send power out into the grid when you have excess and get it back later. For more info on net metering, click here). The new meter came with a very detailed description of what the different displays meant and instructions about how to determine your power generation and power use in your home. That raised some red flags for me – very detailed instructions often mean a very complicated system!

So I let the system run for a couple weeks, then set off to confirm that everything was working properly. Armed with the detailed instructions, I expected to see the system roughly offsetting our use, but (according to the meter) my electricity use skyrocketed instead, showing that we were using six times our previous consumption!

It turns out that my panels were working well but the meter wasn’t programmed correctly. Diagnosing the problem took numerous phone calls and hours of testing, but all of five minutes for the tech to reprogram.

Now that the meter is fixed, everything has been working perfectly. My utility has assured me that my experience won’t be repeated with future customers, so at least someone will benefit from my pain!

My experience taught me several lessons that might benefit you if you decide to install solar panels.

– Make sure to find a solar installer that has dealt with both your city and your local utility before. As my experience showed, some of your biggest challenges might be with the paperwork!
– Most of you won’t install your own panels, so get a solar installer who provides a “turnkey” system. Make sure that your contract includes not just the installation itself, but also lays out how they will handle all the rebate paperwork, permitting, and post-installation issues.
– Make sure to watch your system closely for the first few weeks after installation – you never know when something strange is going to turn up, and better to deal with it while you’re still in touch with your solar installer and permitting entities.
– For more guidance on evaluating whether solar makes sense for you, read this previous posting on important things to consider.

As panels get cheaper and rebates get better, I hope more of you will join me in using solar power. It may take some patience, but the energy savings and the satisfaction of using renewable clean power from the sun will make it well worth it in the end!

October 14th, 2007 in Energy use, Solar | permalink | 4 Comments »

October 12th, 2007

Green Scene: Green Events Across the US in Oct. & Nov.

by Monica Schenk

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We hope there is an event below to suit every green appetite. If not, there is still nothing better on a beautiful Fall morning than your own community farmers’ market. Go to www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/ to find a market near you.

Atlanta, GA, The Echo Project Green Music Festival - Oct 12-14, 2007

Three-days of entertainment, community building, and environmental awareness spread across three action-packed stages and limitless campgrounds along the Chattahoochee River – all powered by alternative energy sources and innovative programs for power creation and consumption. Each new initiative making sure that the local environment is made better for having us there. For more information and tickets visit www.the-echoproject.com.

Los Angeles, Eco Nouveau – Oct. 13, 2007

EcoNouveau, a co-production spearheaded by Rob Ganger of Pollinator Media Group and Sarah Shewey of Pink Cloud Events, will feature the Spring/Summer í08 collection of the most innovative eco-fashion designers in a non-traditional runway show crafted for an audience of 1,500 international press, buyers and eco-conscious celebrities and influencers. The event premieres on October 13th at restored cathedral Vibiana in Downtown Los Angeles Alternative art and production company BOXeight is the official host of EcoNouveau. For more detail, schedule and ticketing info visit www.econouveau.com.

San Diego, California, Social Venture Network 2007 Fall Conference - Oct. 11-14, 2007

Innovative business owners, social entrepreneurs and civic leaders will join for a dynamic conference that will explore ways to create a more just and sustainable economy. Set at the Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa near San Diego, California, the conference sessions will give the inspiration, tools and connections for participants to take action in their organizations and communities.For more information, contact Heidi Hartman at heidih@svn.org, or 415-561-6501.

New York City, GreenHomeNYC Monthly Green Building Forum - Oct. 17, 2007

The Green Building Forum is held on the third Wednesday of each month (except December) @6:30 PM and features presentations by green building practitioners followed by discussion. The events are always free and open to the general public. Please RSVP by email to: rsvp@GreenHomeNYC.org.

Port St. Lucie, Florida, Treasure Coast Green Conference – Oct. 18, 2007

Sponsored by St. Lucie County, Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce, Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association, Florida Green Building Coalition, Sustainable Treasure Coast, and Treasure Coast Builders Association. For builders, developers, elected officials, planners, landscape architects and realtors to explore the opportunities, challenges, and economic incentives for green development and building.For more information ww.stlucieco.gov/erd/green_conference/index.html.

San Rafael, California, Bioneers 18^th Annual Conference 2007 - Oct. 19-21, 2007

Now in it’s 18th year, Bioneers brings together some of the world’s most renowned and innovative people to present their ideas and experiences. They speak to a well educated, interested, and progressive audience willing to discuss solutions to current environmental and social justice issues.For more information visit www.bioneers.org.

Seattle, WA Green Seattle Partnership Madrona Woods Work Party - Oct. 20, 2007

Join the Friends of Madrona Woods in their restoration efforts every 3rd Saturday of the month. This month, volunteers are needed for installing native plants. Madrona Woods is a 9.2-acre hillside in the city-owned Madrona Park near Lake Washington, due east of downtown Seattle. It is named both for the city neighborhood in which it located and for the Pacific madrona trees which grow on the site. Its eastern boundary is Lake Washington Boulevard and its western boundary is 38th Avenue. It stretches from Spring Street on the north to Columbia Street on the south. People of all ages, talents, and backgrounds volunteer to restore Madrona Woods. Friendly, experienced workers are happy to share their knowledge and discoveries with new volunteers, and working in the woods is an effective way to learn about plants and ecosystems. Visit www.greenseattle.org for more details.

Austin, Texas, From Gray Areas to Green Areas: Developing Sustainable Practices in Preservation Environments – Nov. 1-3, 2007

This three-day symposium will examine sustainable practices in cultural heritage preservation environments. What are the key factors that make integrating sustainable technologies in preservation facilities possible? Who are the people we need to convince? What public policies can create positive change in our practices? For more information visit www.ischool.utexas.edu/kilgarlin/gaga/.

San Francisco Green Festival - Nov. 9-11, 2007

At the Green Festivals, we’re celebrating what’s working in our communities, for people, for businesses and for the environment. Here, green means safe, healthy communities and strong, local economies. Green is the color of hope, of social and economic justice, of ecological balance.What will you find at the Green Festival? Tasty food, great music, and 300 green businesses as well as films, workshops, yoga and other types of movement classes. There is also a packed program of inspiring speakers. For more information visit www.greenfestivals.org.

Los Angeles, California, Opportunity Green Conference 2007 at UCLA – Nov. 11-17-2007

The Opportunity Green Conference 2007 along with UCLA organizations; The GSA Sustainable Resource Center and the UCLA Anderson School of Management’s Net Impact Chapter will bring together entrepreneurs, executives and investors focused on building profitable, socially conscious and sustainable enterprises. Speakers will explore the latest in green consumer trends, viral marketing, and the power of online networks. This event will also include panels on Business Blogging 101, How to SecureFunding in the Green Marketplace, the Greentech/Cleantech Revolution, and more. Official Site: http://www.opportunitygreen.com.

Chicago, WasteCap’s Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling Training and Accreditation – Nov. 9, 2007

The City of Chicago and the US Environmental Protection Agency host WasteCap’s Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling Training And Accreditation. This training will give contractors the skills needed to develop, manage, monitor, document and promote a successful recycling program for construction and demolition debris. Participants become Accredited in Construction Debris Recycling and learn how to obtain LEED points for construction waste management. This full-day course is hosted by the City of Chicago and the US Environmental Protection Agency and taught by WasteCap Wisconsin staff. WasteCap is nationally recognized as a leader in construction and demolition waste recycling and has managed successful construction and demolition waste reuse and recycling on over $2.97 billion in projects. Register at www.wastecapwi.org/training.htm.

Chicago, Illinois, Good and Green, The Green Marketing Conference – Nov. 29-30, 2007

Make sure they’re buying your brand! At Good And Green you’ll learn how to increase your brand’s emotional, cognitive and financial connection in today’s “greening” consumer markets.”For more information, visit: http://goodandgreen.biz.

Washington D.C., ACORE Renewable Energy in America: Phase II Policy Forum - Nov. 28-29, 2007

ACORE’s 6th annual national renewable energy policy forum on Capitol Hill will broaden our perspectives once again, now looking at the global outlook on renewable energy and putting U.S. development in the context of global factors. Countries such as Denmark, Germany, Spain, and India have been early leaders in wind power. Japan, Germany, Spain, India, and lately China are early leaders in solar energy. Europe as a whole has committed to substantial increases in the use of renewables in electricity, transportation and heating. Developing countries are also struggling to put renewables into use, and there are success stories and lessons learned. Overall renewable energy is emerging. We invite you to join us in assessing the outlook. For more information visit www.acore.org.

October 12th, 2007 in Green Living | permalink | 1 Comment »

October 10th, 2007

Get Cozy: Guide to Eco-Smart Fireplace Fires

by Jessica Jensen

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It’s getting to be the time of year when it’s nice and chilly in the evening, and we start to say, “Hey, let’s make a fire in the fireplace!” Well that sounds cozy and lovely, but here at Low Impact Living we naturally have to question the environmental impact of that crackling fire.

We hate to tell you that burning wood is not very eco-friendly. Burning wood not only uses wood that had to be cut down (sometimes unsustainably), but the burning process releases many nasty items. According to the EPA, wood smoke contains hundreds of chemical compounds including nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and some carcinogenic chemicals, and also dangerous particulate matter. These all go right into the outdoor air where they contribute to pollution, but they also go into our lungs as we breathe the air coming out of the fireplace. This smoke can be be harmful to our health, and particularly to children and folks with asthma and other heart & lung conditions. So, sadly, burning wood is not good for our air quality– both indoor and outside. (And please check with your local air quality board as many cities and states have implemented strict regulations on home fires in order to curb pollution.)

Don’t despair!!

First, burning a natural gas fire is much better than a wood fire. It is very clean and produces few toxic byproducts during combustion. Although it is nonrenewable, for now you are nearly guaranteed that your natural gas originates in North America.

You can also get an EPA certified wood or pellet stove. Pellet stoves burn dried wood and sawdust and burn cleaner than cord wood fireplaces. All of these are much safer for your lungs and greatly reduce your pollution contribution. To find certified stoves, visit the EPA’s site here.

If you are going to burn a wood fire, there are several steps you can take to limit the negative impacts. First, get your chimney cleaned annually. Second, only burn the right materials. Use wood that has been dried for at least six months, choose hardwoods over softwoods (the resins in softwood can increase smoke and pollution), and cut wood into smaller pieces. Never burn trash or plastics– the latter are particularly toxic. Never burn plywood or pressure-treated woods which likely contain hazardous chemicals. Third, the way your burn wood will greatly affect efficiency and also the amount of pollution you emit. Start fires with clean newspaper and dry kindling. Reload your wood stove by adding at least three pieces of wood each time (avoiding single logs), on and behind the mound of hot coals, and make sure your flue is adjusted so that the fire burns brightly. For more info on how to burn wood safely and efficiently, the EPA also has great resources you can visit through this link.

Throw on a Java Log

This is a product we’ve recently found and we think it’s a great innovation– the Java Log. These are made from, you guessed, compressed coffee grounds. We can tell you from personal experience that they make a nice crackle and burn great! There is even a faint pleasant coffee smell. Apparently coffee is more efficient than wood: coffee has 25% more energy than wood and 3x the flame per unit of energy. And these little java logs are much better for the environment than standard wood logs: they produce 8 times less creosote and 5 times less particulate matter. They also come in recycled packaging, which is a nice bonus. To find stores that sell Java Logs, click here.

October 10th, 2007 in Green Living, Energy use | permalink | 4 Comments »

October 9th, 2007

How To Tuesday: Eco-friendly Home Pest Control

by Carey Okrand

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exterminator There really are safe ways to rid your house of common pests like roaches, ants, fleas, even termites, without the use of pesticides that can be harmful to your health and to the environment. Here are some natural, non-toxic ways to control these unwanted guests when they wear out their welcome!

Roaches Away!

Roaches are just the worst. How many of us have nearly had a heart attack coming across a 7-foot-long roach in the kitchen some night? ACK. Roaches need food and hiding spaces to thrive– and that’s where we can start to be rid of them. And there are some good non-toxic repellents you can use as well.

– Keep your food well sealed, keep your garbage pail or bag impenetrable, and keep your countertops clean. You should also store your sugar, flour, cereal, and pasta in tightly covered containers.

– As for hiding places, make sure you do minor home repairs like filling in cracks with caulk, sealing openings around pipes, and fixing leaks. Also keep your drains clean.

– Vacuum your home well and often. Sponge mopping floors also helps keep roaches away.

– Roaches can also be killed using boric acid. Boric acid is a natural product, but it is toxic by mouth to children and pets, so you need to put it in out-of-the-way places like the tops of your kitchen cabinets and underneath the sink in the cabinet. The roaches will carry the acid to their nests and it will kill the lot of them.

– Did you know that roaches hate catnip? Catnip is not toxic to humans, but if you leave it in the area where cockroaches show up in your house, they will run away. (Of course your cats may come it nuzzle it, but that’s not the issue.)

– Spraying roaches with soapy water will kill them, so try keeping a spray bottle around for sneak attacks.

– Non-toxic roach traps are also commercially available.

Ants in Your Pants?

It’s no secret that ants are attracted to crumbs and debris on countertops, so keeping your counters clean is your first way to keep ants at bay. Wipe up sticky spots and cover any bottles or dishes that have food debris on them. Then follow these steps to further deter the creepy little critters.

– Like roaches, ants don’t like soapy water. Keep a small spray bottle handy and spray the ants when you find them.

– Boric acid is also good for getting rid of ants. One blogger recommends this mixture to rid your house of ants: 1 cup of warm water with 1/2 cup of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of boric acid. Then you soak the boric acid up with cotton balls and place those cotton balls near any trails the ants have estabilished in your home.
– Ants also apparently do not like cucumber. Place cucumber slices or peel in the kitchen or at the ants’ point of entry.
– Ants are also deterred by mint and cloves. You can leave a few tea bags of mint tea near areas where the ants are most active.
– Block the invasion at the source. Trace the ant line back to where they come into your home, and set any of the following items there, which ants will not cross: baby powder, cayenne pepper, citrus oil, lemon juice, cinnamon or coffee grounds. Heck, mix them all together and you’ve got a powerful anti-ant cocktail!

No More Fleas Please

Fleas can be the scourge of both human and animal alike. Some natural options do work, but they require a bit more work and maintenance than slapping some Frontline or Advantage on the pooch or kitty (but they’ll certainly thank you for the effort!). Here are several tips that can be used to kill the fleas outright - some of them are similar to tips we’ve already mentioned above.

– Boric acid-based products. This substance works by sticking to the fleas and then killing them when they clean themselves. These products are generally sprinkled on flooring or furniture and then vacuumed. The particles are so fine that much of it stays adhered to the carpeting or upholstry fibers after vacuuming - safe for pets but bad news for fleas! Wear a mask, though - those small particles can be a problem if you breathe in too many during application.
– Diatomaceous earth. Dirt in my house you say? No … diatomaceous earth is actually the fossilized remains of diatoms, the microscopic hard-shelled algae that fill our oceans and lakes. It is generally found as a sedimentary rock that is ground up into a fine powder. Why is it bad for fleas? Well, those old diatoms had very sharp little shells - so sharp that, when ingested, they puncture the innards of our flea tormentors. Or, the DE particles stick to flea outer shells and puncture them instead, resulting in termination by dehydration. Not pleasant to think about, but much better than the agony of our furry friends! Application is very similar to that of boric acid above.
– Nontoxic flea traps are available commercially.
– Flea control nematodes can be used in outdoor areas.

These approaches will reduce the flea populations, but you’ll still have to practice good household and animal hygiene. Make sure to vacuum and wash all bedding and linens - that will get rid of the eggs and larvae. Also, give your pet a 5-10 minute bath. Even relatively mild soaps will get rid of most fleas, but don’t do this too often as your pet will begin to scratch from dryness, not fleas! In a bit of time, natural products + good hygiene will rid your house of these alwful critters.

We hope this list will get you started on the road to a healthy, pest-free home! (We will cover termites in a separate post.) If you have any tips that have worked for you, please add them to the comments section.

October 9th, 2007 in Green Living | permalink | 2 Comments »

October 7th, 2007

Eco-friendly Car Rentals, Limos & Taxi Services

by Jessica Jensen