Archive for November, 2007
November 13th, 2007
How-To Tuesday: Graywater Systems
We get many requests here at Low Impact Living about all sorts of green building and living topics. One of the most popular by far is how to install graywater systems. We’ve held off on writing about it, because it’s a pretty tough topic - in many parts of the country, government permitting agencies make it VERY difficult to put one in, so there’s not a huge installed base to review out there. But, the crescendo keeps rising, so we’ll do our best to provide you with some relevant tips!
What is Graywater?
First off, it might be helpful to define what exactly graywater (or greywater, in some circles) is. At its most basic it is any wastewater that comes out of your house that doesn’t contain human or organic wastes. In practice, it is the water that comes from your tubs, showers, non-kitchen sinks and laundry machine. The rest, from your toilets, dishwasher and kitchen sinks, is called black water (no relation to that infamous Iraq contractor!).
A graywater recycling system takes this water, filters it, passes it through a short-term storage tank and then either routes it to irrigate plants in your yard or to the subsurface below your yard where it eventually flows down to the groundwater table. Simple systems are often the DIY projects of industrious homeowners - a separate drain line installed below the house for graywater fixtures connected to a sand filter and on to conduits that convey it to lucky trees or plants (we don’t recommend these due to the permitting issues, but more power to you if you’ve been able to set one up!). Some landscape and engineering firms can build similar versions that have all of the necessary checks and balances, but are obviously more expensive. Perhaps the most exciting developments are the increasing numbers of companies coming out with prepackaged units that make maintenance and installation much easier (more on these later).
What Are The Benefits of Graywater Systems?
The benefits of graywater systems are as follows:
– Reduced use of potable water for irrigation. This can be a critical benefit in drought-prone areas, and can save you a lot of money in areas with high water rates. In most areas of the country, a graywater system could provide all of your outdoor landscaping water and save you $50 - $200 / year in water charges.
– Reduced sewage discharge. This too is a major benefit - less sewage means less demand for treatment plants down the pipe. And in certain areas you can get an allowance for such a system that allows you to pay less in sewage fees each year. Sewage fees are often equivalent to water rates per gallon, so you save double with a graywater system.
– Healthy plants. Graywater is relatively high in nitrogen and phosphorous (from detergents). These are two of the three main components of fertilizers, so for the right kinds of plants graywater can be a major benefit. Citrus trees are a good example. Be careful here, though - some types of plants don’t tolerate high levels of fertilizer and can actually be harmed by graywater discharges. Many Southern California native plants fall into this category. They like acid, dude, and graywater is very alkaline! So, check with your local landscaping contractor or read up on your plants before you dive in.
Graywater Options
There are many possible graywater configurations, but we’ll review two of the main types here.
First are the custom solutions - those designed and installed by either a homeowner or a landscape / engineering design firm. You would typically have the following components in such a system (see diagram at right, courtesy of www.greywater.com):
– A separate waste plumbing system leading from sinks, showers, tubs and clotheswasher.
– A bypass valve, which can be used to reroute graywater into the standard septic or sewage system if necessary.
– A surge tank, which stores water temporarily while it cools, and also acts as a buffer for high flows from clotheswashers and showers.
– A pump, to pump the water into the discharge system.
– A filter, which screens out sediment and particles.
– A check valve that ensure water can’t back up into the system from the irrigation pipes.
– A subsurface drip irrigation or perforated piping system, or a drywell to convey the water underground.
Second are a newer breed of prepackaged systems. These systems combine many of the elements into one piece - you still have to install the drain pipes in the house and the irrigation lines in the yard, but all of the other components come in one unit. One good example of such a system is the ReWater System , made by ReWater Systems in Southern California. They have installed systems throughout the Southwest. Another newer entrant is Perpetual Water, which makes a range of units from a version that treats just your clotheswasher water to a whole-house system. Although new to the US, their systems have been used for several years in Australia. Still another interesting option is the Brac Systems graywater recyling option. It can be installed inside, and the output can be used in toilets or for irrigation (depending on local plumbing codes). One last example is Clivus Multrum Incorporated. They’re located in Massachusetts and have made graywater systems for years (and also make composting toilets if you REALLY want to cut your water use and waste production!).
Important things to consider
We love graywater systems, and hope to install one in our home at some point. However, this is definitely a project that takes planning and perseverence to pull off. Here are some of the challenges you might encounter:
– Permitting. Many local health and safety agencies are very uncomfortable with graywater systems, fearing that they will lead to drinking water contamination and other health hazards. They often make it difficult or impossible to secure the necessary permits, even in areas where it is technically legal (such as Los Angeles!). Before starting your project, make sure you check with the local powers that be. It would be a waste (no pun intended!) if you had to pull out that beautiful new system when you go to sell your house.
– Subsurface discharge. While safer than blackwater, graywater still contains some bacteria and other pollutants. In most places the only legal way to plumb a system is via subsurface pipes or drip irrigation fittings. Some DIYers, though, will lay the pipes on the surface and cover them with mulch - think very carefully about whether this is safe in your yard before you do this!
– Safety Marking. Make sure you mark all pipes, both in the house and yard, with the appropriate caution and graywater labeling.
– Detergents. Use liquid and relatively mild (or biodegradable) detergents. These will ensure that your plants don’t get nourished to death. And, don’t use chlorine bleach.
– Make sure you have an air gap. MAKE SURE you consult a plumber if you are installing a graywater and standard irrigation system in parallel. You need to build in an air gap between the graywater system and any fresh water plumbing, lest a backup / plug force graywater up into your freshwater system. That can be a very bad result indeed. We recommend keeping the two systems completely separate.
For more info on graywater systems, you might want to check out the Oasis Design website. It is truly a treasure trove of information for anyone from the homeowner to the true professional. And here are two documents (Doc A and Doc B) from the State of California that provide helpful information on sizing and locating graywater systems. If you’re really serious, think about investing in one of these great books on graywater systems.
We hope you’ve found this piece useful - please share any of your success stories with us so that we can help other learn from your successes. Send me an email at info@lowimpactliving.com if you have any great projects to report!
November 12th, 2007
Organic Thanksgiving Feasts: Thank Goodness!
One way to give thanks for all the bounty Mother Earth provides is to celebrate with an organic feast – the tradition started without pesticides, antibiotics or preservatives, after all. (Whole Foods wasn’t around in the 1600s, contrary to urban myth.)
Most traditional Thanksgiving dishes can be made with organic ingredients. Although, keeping your recipes simple makes going organic much easier and more affordable. To encourage your organic gastronomy, we put together an entire menu of Thanksgiving recipes that all have a short list of ingredients.
You can make your Turkey Day even greener by finding organic ingredients that are grown or raised locally. The organic.org store finder is a great place to start your search.
If you live in a place where organic foods are less available, all of the ingredients in the following recipes can be ordered online. Diamond Organic delivers fresh organic produce, poultry, dairy, pumpkin puree and bakery items nationwide. Wellness Grocer is a great online resource for organic dry goods such as, flour, sugar, spices, cornbread mix, pie crusts and organic broth or stock. And last, but not least, The Organic Wine Company sells low sulfite wine made from certified organic grapes.
We can’t think of a better occasion to splurge on organic fare than Thanksgiving. For recipe instructions, simply click on the source of each recipe next to each dish title in our list. Have a delicious, healthy, organic Thanksgiving feast!
SIMPLE ROASTED
TURKEY – From The Food Network’s How to Boil Water
1 (8 to 10 pound) turkey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, quartered
1 head garlic, halved
Several sprigs fresh herbs, such as; thyme, parsley, rosemary, and sage
2 bay leaves
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
EASY
TURKEY GRAVY – From Wholefoods Market
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour
4 cups homemade turkey stock, or low salt chicken stock, heated to a simmer
pan drippings from one turkey, with the fat poured off (in the roasting pan)
1/2 cup red or white wine
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
CARMELIZED ONION AND CORNBREAD STUFFING – From Food Network’s Tyler
Florence
2 tablespoons butter
2 onions, chopped
6 large cornmeal muffins, cubed
Handful of fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 egg
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
SWEET POTATO HASH – From Bon Appétit
3 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/4 cup canola oil
3 cups coarsely chopped onions (about 2 large)
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
ORANGE CRANBERRY RELISH – From Cranberry Hill Farm
2 cups of cranberries
1 Orange with peel, cut into pieces
½ cup honey
GREEN BEANS WITH SMOKED BACON – From Chow.com
2 pounds green beans, stems removed
1/2 pound sliced smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
BUTTERMILK MASHED POTATOES - From Chow.com
8 pounds russet potatoes
¾ cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons unsalted better (3/4 stick) cut into small pieces
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
PUMPKIN PIE – From Cooks.com
1 refrigerated pie crust
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten
November 7th, 2007
Green Holiday Gifts Galore!
It’s getting to be that most wonderful time of the year of all…the winter holiday season! Do we have some green gifts and goodies for you? Of course we do. We’ll highlight a number of wonderful items here, but please be sure to check out our entire Green Holiday Gift Guide online. We are adding more gifts every day so please check back.
Before you get to giving the gifts, first you’ll need some holiday lights. See our selection of eco-friendly holiday lighting here. LED lights are incredibly energy efficient and will last for years. You’ll also need some eco-friendly gift wrap. You can always reuse the paper you saved from last year (you did save it didn’t you?) or some good old newspaper. But if you’re looking for something a bit more festive, may we recommend Green Girl Gift Wrap? Green Girl Gift Wrap (pictured above) makes 100% recycled wrapping paper for all occasions. They have beautiful, high-quality, affordable products. We love that their mission is to produce “Guilt Free Gift Wrap.” AND they donate 10% of their profits to environmental protection. Done!
Have some little ones on your list who are eagerly awaiting something great to get their hands on? We have just the answer: the amazing toys from Imagiplay. All Imagiplay toys are “earth friendly, child safe and people kind.” They make their toys from natural rubber, sustainable bamboo, and formaldehyde free fiberboard. They test every material and paint in their products to insure it meets or exceeds US and European standards. And the toys are just plain fun. We love the Monkey Tree pictured here. Check out Imagiplay’s amazing array of wonderful children’s toys.
We think this is such a cool item– check out the Brave Space Designs Coat Range. This functional and eco-cool item is made from scrap Walnut and FSC-certified Maple. It resembles the snow-capped mountain peaks of the Grand Tetons. This is a functional landscape for your home that leaves little impact on the actual frontier. The mountain range’s peaks enable you to hang four or more items. Connect them end to end to extend your range! The surface is treated with a durable non-toxic water based finish. Who wouldn’t love it?
Do you have a prized pooch on your holiday list? Well Earth Dog has the greatest selection of dogy goodies we’ve seen yet. Earth Dog manufactures the finest quality hemp collars, leashes, harnesses, beds and chew toys for dogs. Their eco-friendly dog products are all handmade in the USA.
Everyone loves to get lovely candles. Sunbeam Candles are made of 100% beeswax and they come in a gorgeous array of colors. All of Sunbeam’s candles are hand-poured in small batches and they seek out the purest ingredients available. Everything is from the earth — the wax, wicks, and oils. Better still, they are made by a company that powers their operations with solar energy!
How about getting somebody you care about something they can really use?? Everyone needs a set of durable, stylish, re-usable grocey bags, and Baggu Bags are just the ticket. Using one Baggu for one year replaces 300 to 700 disposable bags. And one Baggu holds the contents of 2 to 3 plastic grocery bags. We particularly like Baggu Bags because they are super durable, lightweight and have a nice big gusset in the bottom so they will sit flat when they are filled. We have tried a lot of bags and these are great. Get a set in fuschia or olive for your friend and send them eco-shopping for years!
Okay, sometimes you can’t give that girl on your list some grocery sacks, no matter how green she is. So you can give her another great eco-bag option: a gorgeous Hau Hauz Bag. Hau Hauz bags are made from 100% linen and each item is hand-block printed with nature-inspired patterns created by Finnish designer Satu Makonnen. They are sustainably made and uber-stylish. This is a sure win with the eco-lady on your list.
Well, happy shopping and happy holidays!
November 6th, 2007
Strawbale Construction: Green Building Naturally
Our friend Andrew Morrison, of Strawbale.com,has written a piece to educate us on this great green builiding technique. Read and learn about Straw bale construction–it’s eco-smart and beautiful, too!
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Straw bale construction is one of the most effective and appealing green building technologies available today. The fact that straw bales are a waste product from the agricultural industry helps to push them to the top of the list for recycled or reusable material. Each year millions of tons of waste straw are burned to remove it from the fields. The smoke from these fires creates a great deal of particulate air pollution. Baling the straw and using it to build houses reduces the amount of straw that is burnt each season and ultimately improves air quality.
From the beginning of the process, straw bales are a healthy alternative to conventional building products. They do not contain any chemical binders or glues and do not off gas. Perhaps the most commonly known attribute of straw bale construction is the high efficiency of the walls once constructed. With an R-Value of upwards of R-40 (R value is the measure of energy efficiency used in the construction industry for walls, floors and ceilings) bale walls provide nearly three times the efficiency of a standard wall assembly. This means considerably lower heating and cooling bills and less fuel required to provide those amenities. This high level of efficiency reduces the owner’s carbon footprint by limiting the amount of heating and cooling necessary for the home. Imagine building with a material that lowers global warming on both ends of its life cycle.
Another large advantage of building with bales is found the moment someone walks into a bale home: the beauty of the building system. The natural curves and soft lines of the bale walls are like no other building system. That natural beauty translates into a calm energy that fills the room and the occupants with a sense of peace. Along with the natural beauty comes a natural sense of quiet. The bales provide effective soundproofing that insulates the home owner from the often loud World outside.
A somewhat surprising statistic for most people is the way bale wall assemblies handle fire. Many people assume they would be at increased risk of fire damage when in fact, a bale home has three times the fire resistance of a conventional home. The extra resistance is in the plaster skins and the density of the bales themselves. Imagine, for example, trying to burn a phone book with a match or lighter. That is not easily done because there is not enough oxygen in between the sheets of paper to sustain the flame. The same is true of bales. They are densely packed and thus cannot support flame spread. Now wrap those densely packed bales in over one inch of plaster on each side of the wall and you have a fire resistant system that out performs standard construction techniques three to one.
The wall color is in the plaster, so repainting is not an issue either. Although the walls can be painted should you decide on a new color palette for your home.
There is a lot of information out there about straw bale construction; however, much of it is outdated. The techniques used to build with bales change rapidly as new ideas and practices come to light. The most up to date information is available at www.StrawBale.com. The site offers a lot of free information which is updated two to three times a week. There are video posts, articles, audio podcasts, photo galleries, an E-Course, and more. In addition, you can find access to instructional DVDs from this site and links to resources all over the World in both straw bale construction and the broader green construction market. If you are interested in building with bales, this is the best place to learn, practice and complete your efforts.
November 5th, 2007
How To Tuesday: Make Your Own Biodiesel
Yes, you really can make biodisesel from used cooking oil in your garage for less than a buck a gallon. It takes a bit of research and determination to set up a processor, but once you’re up and running it becomes another simple task to complete as part of the weekend chores. If you’re interested in the process of making biodiesel, keep reading. Skip to the end if you just want to know about how to buy biodiesel and its environmental benefits.
A huge misconception is that biodiesel is the same as vegetable oil. Making biodiesel is really creating a chemical reaction that changes vegetable oil into biodiesel. Here are the basic steps involved:
1. Get some used vegetable oil. Anywhere that has excess oil that’s liquid at room temperature is a good place to start (although I have a preference for oil from restaurants serving Asian cuisine). There are several sources online that give tips about how to get a good source.
2. Filter out the chunks. Used cooking oil will have leftover tempura, fried chicken, and other surprises depending what was cooked in it. A window screen or paint strainer will remove all the chunks big enough to cause problems in your reaction.
3 . Heat it up. There are several types of processors available to make or buy. Although my tank is made of plastic, it’s best to heat the oil in a metal container. The reaction occurs best between 120F and 130F. If it’s colder, the reaction takes too long. If it’s hotter, you’ll boil off one of the chemicals involved in the reaction.
4. Once the oil is up to 120F, you need to add lye and methanol. Both of these chemicals are dangerous if you don’t take proper precaution, so use common sense and safety procedures. Lye is the main component of powdered drain cleaners, methanol is a poisonous alcohol…don’t let either touch your skin and don’t breathe in the dust or vapors. There’s a specific formula for how to mix the lye and methanol, check out www.biodieselcommunity.org for all the details you could ever want.
5. Drain the glycerin. Glycerin is the byproduct of the biodiesel reaction. It separates from the biodiesel and can be drained off the bottom of the barrel used for the reaction. It can be used to make soap, composted, or put into a methane digester. If you start making biodiesel, check with local regulations before you dispose of it down the drain
6. Wash it. The biodiesel is almost ready, but it has some leftover glycerin in it as well as some soaps that are formed as part of the reaction. These impurities are removed by putting a fine mist of water onto the biodiesel. The tiny water droplets fall through the biodiesel and collect up the leftover glycerin and soaps. You know you’re done when the water is clear.
7. Dry it. There is still some water suspended in the biodiesel. By “drying” the biodiesel, you allow this water to evaporate. Although there are several ways to do this, it’s easiest to just circulate the biodiesel with a pump that sprays it against the side of the tank. Air is blow into the tank with a small fan, which causes the suspended water to evaporate more quickly. After half a day, the biodiesel will no longer be cloudy.
8. Filter it and use it. After a final trip through a filter, the biodiesel is ready for use in any unmodified diesel engine.
Although making biodiesel isn’t that hard, it’s not for everybody. Some people don’t have a spot to put a processor, don’t have time to do it, or just don’t want to deal with it…but there’s still hope. Biodiesel is becoming more and more available at gas stations around the country. There are also some cooperative groups that buy biodiesel in bulk and “sell” it to members of the coop. Follow this link to Biodiesel.org to find biodieself fueling stations near you. You can also try this one from FindBiodiesel.org.
Biodiesel is inherently more environmentally friendly than petroleum-based fuels because of its CO2 cycle. It can theoretically be “carbon neutral” and not contribute addition carbon to the atmosphere. This is because the oil producing plants take carbon from the atmosphere to produce the oil that is used to make biodiesel, rather than taking petroleum that has been “locked up” underground for thousands of years. This is reduced if petroleum fuel is used to transport the biodiesel or any of the components used to make it. As with all biofuels, you should consider the source of the “feedstock” for the fuel. It goes against the environmental benefits of using biodiesel if someone cut down rain forest to plant oil producing crops to make biodiesel…it’s a fair question to ask your suppliers. Biodiesel is obviously also more sustainable because it is made from a renewable resource (plants) while petroleum is a non-renewable, finite resource. To learn more about the environmental impacts of biodiesel, please see our full article on the topic.
Although biodiesel and other biofuels are a step in the right direction, we really need to consider why we use as much fuel as we do. A combination of taking fewer trips, using public transportation, riding bikes, and walking in addition to more efficient vehicles and biofuels is going to be necessary for a long-term sustainable approach to dealing with the world’s fuel consumption issues.
November 4th, 2007
Organic Dining Across America: Chicago
The Windy City…A land famous for Frank Lloyd Wright, Wrigley Field, House music, and Al Capone. The culinary classics of this town still remain the Chicago-style hot dog (with pickle spears, tomatoes, and “sport” peppers) and, of course, Chicago Deep Dish. So where can Low Impact Living possibly begin our search for America’s greatest organic dining in a town better known for pizza pies than biodynamic brussel sprouts?
At the best pizza place in town, of course, for a big bite of…Crust. Yes, Chef Michael Altenburg has found a way to feed Chicagoans pizza that they can actually feel good about. He opened the country’s fourth-ever certified organic restaurant earlier this year to nothing but accolades. Rather than the traditional deep dish style, Altenberg prefers to serve his 95% organic ingredients on piping hot herb-encrusted flatbread. His flatbreads come with everything from the simple Shroom with goat cheese, and spinach, to the wilder Mexicali Blues, topped with wood-fired shrimp, chihuahua cheese, pico de gallo, heirloom peppers, and cilantro. Only because Crust’s ingredients are of such high quality, do I not feel a need to question in greater detail just what exactly is Chihuahua Cheese. The Sweet Basil Salad with its fresh-pulled mozzarella, tomato, red onion, and basil is just perfect if you prefer your pizza without the…you know. 2056 W. Division Street 773.235.5511
Crust isn’t Michael Altenberg’s first organic restaurant venture. He founded one of Chicago’s greatest restaurants, which is actually not quite in Chicago. Just on the outskirts of the city lies Campagnola. Translated loosely as “woman of the countryside,” Campagnola has been lauded as a restaurant that feels so welcoming that walking through the front door feels like walking into a friend’s home. And though Michael Altenberg has now moved on to flatbread heaven, Chef Vincent DiBattista is holding down the reputation of this sophisticated Italian bistro just fine. The Garlic Sausage with Fingerling Potato Salad and the Steamed Mussels in Saffron Fennel Broth make divine starters. You can follow it with a bowl of Linguine with Wood-Fired Prawns, Preserved Lemon & Radicchio or skip the pasta altogether and enjoy the sustainably-raised lamb, chicken or steak. Campagnola is the perfect place to bring vegetarians and carnivores together under one roof to enjoy the bounty of organic, seasonal delicacies the Illinois countryside has to offer. 815 Chicago Avenue 847.475.6100
William Rice of the Chicago Tribune has touted Karyn Calabrese as “the high priestess of raw food.” Priestess or no, she certainly is a pioneer in the Chicago restaurant world, bravely opening this Midwest city’s first completely raw restaurant- Karyn’s Raw Vegan Gourmet Restaurant. Here vegans and raw food junkies feast on seaweed dim-sum, almond pate, and basil “ravioli” filled with macademia whipped creme and sun-dried tomato puree. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the emerging Raw Food trend, this diet does not allow for food to be heated above 110°F and involves a lot of nut purees, thinly sliced vegetables, and dehydrated or sprouted grains.
If all this sounds a wee bit too adventurous for you, head over to Karyn’s Cooked for a big ol’ Slab of Ribs, a barbecued tofu and seitan sandwich served on a torpedo roll. If you’re in the mood for something a bit more elegant, try the grilled polenta layered with wild porcini and shitake mushrooms. And even if you don’t have an appetite, Karyn’s mini empire can help you work one up at her Inner Beauty Center, which provides yoga & pilates classes, detox courses, and bodywork.
Raw: 1901 North Halsted Street 312.255.1590
Cooked: 738 North Wells Street 312.587.1050
Eat hearty and healthy in Chicago, everyone! Next up in our series, Los Angeles, the tasty home of Low Impact Living, Inc. And to find more delicious organic restaurants around the country, please consult our organic dining listings across the US by clicking here.
