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You can upload your stories and images, and see some great green ideas already at work in people’s lives here.
Dear Mr. Green,
We recently put a 2nd floor addition to our home and there is a small gap running along the front of the house under the fascia board. The birds have discovered the gap and have decided to make themselves at home in our home. We’ve tried to seal the gap with foam insulation and they seem to still be able to get in. Is there a natural bird repellent we can use to keep them out?
Sincerely,
Additionally Pestered
Dear Frustrated by Flutter,
Please know that I understand your situation is real and that you’re not on a back lot somewhere with Alfred Hitchcock directing you in “The Birds.” In the event that you’re not familiar with this classic thriller, here’s a quick synopsis:
After purchasing a pet bird, pampered socialite Melanie Daniels (played by actor Tippi Hedren – or for the rest of us, Melanie Griffith’s mother) is followed and hounded by ever-growing gaggles of wild birds. Windows are shattered, children run screaming, townspeople search for safe haven, and the angered birds attack our heroine while she’s taken refuge in a phone booth ruining her Chanel suit and her perfectly coifed hair. It’s man (or woman) against nature and, in this instance…nature is definitely winning.
For millennia there have been countless varieties of species of birds on our planet – all of which are descendents of the dinosaurs. Unfortunately, but in no part due to Mr. Hitchcock, a great number of them have vanished and are now extinct. Particular breeds of crows, cuckoo’s, dodo’s, ducks, falcons, finches, geese, gulls, hawks, herons, hummingbirds, jays, kingfishers, magpies, mockingbirds, owls, parrots, penguins, pigeons, quails, rails, ravens, shorebirds, starlings, swans, and woodpeckers have disappeared. Since the year 1500, over 140 known species have vanished and the rate of bird extinction seems to be increasing. While some variety of birds die because of evolutionary and environmental conditions, others succumbed to extinction because they were simply killed off. While biological extinction has been the natural world’s first line of attack, we humans, unfortunately have hustled Mother Nature along an unfortunate course of action whenever we could be of assistance.
Since you’re hoping to rid yourself and your home of the birds that are nesting behind your fascia boards (the visible flat length of lumber that caps the rafter ends and encloses the overhang along your new roof’s edge), fortunately there are plenty of ways to control your fine feathered friends without eliminating them with toxic chemicals. Bird poisons are frequently restricted in many states because they often kill more than just the birds you’re trying to get rid of. Since you’ve not identified the species of birds that have taken up residence, you might consider some eco- and aviary-friendly options like bird repellents, traps, alarms, and even scarecrows, as suitable, safe and swell alternatives.
Repellent needle strips, those sharp wires often spotted on ledges and rooftops, might be a consideration – they work because who wants to sit on a bed of nails? Audible recordings are another alternative because your visitors might be fooled into thinking its natural predator is nearby. Sometimes visual scare methods work well, too. Many birds dislike reflective surfaces, so you might try hanging shiny aluminum pie tins, installing glittery reflective Mylar tape, setting up a display of sparkly recycled CDs, or dangling strips of shimmering aluminum foil from a tree or ledge nearby. And, unlike jaded city birds, (who I really think laugh when they see them) your country-bumpkin birds might be frightened off if you install believable-looking decoys of birds of prey, owls or even rubber snakes.
But if you’re anything like me, even though they’re indigenous and cute, I don’t want the house that my partner and I live in to be infested with wild birds. To remedy your problem, here are some other things to consider. First, to retain the integrity of your home and neighborhood, I suggest that you ask your neighbors if they, too, are having the same problem, and then call your local bird society or wildlife preservation organization and get their advice on your co-habitation problem. Additionally, have an exterminator come – no – not to destroy the birds but instead to examine why they’re seeking refuge behind your fascia boards in the first place. Birds often take shelter in a specific location because of its proximity to an abundant food source and maybe…just maybe…you might have more than just birds in your belfry.
From re-gifting, re-cycling, to natural cleaning products for your home, Mr. Green has all of your ecotiquette answers. Our Mr. Green (aka. Michael De Jong), is the author of “CLEAN: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing.” He lives in Jersey City with his partner (Richard,) dog (Jack,) and three goldfish (Phil, Jill and Gill) all of which benefit from his natural cleaning techniques. De Jong, who cleaned apartments in New York City while working as a fine artist, began researching and inventing many of the recipes in “CLEAN” and is continually experimenting with safe, effective and eco-friendly alternatives. Raised in the mid-West by an immigrant family that valued the environment and re-cycled before it was fashionable, his quest for non-toxic solutions comes naturally to him. He is currently writing a companion series of “CLEAN” books dealing with such topics as the body, first aid, organization, and food, as well as posting a weekly Blog on www.thedailygreen.com. “CLEAN: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing” can be purchased at Barnes & Noble stores across the country or on-line at www.barnesandnoble.com or www.amazon.com.
Click here to send him a question and he’ll put in the elbow grease to scrub out the answers!
Dr. Mr. Green,
My husband and I have been searching high and low for a water filtration system that doesn’t waste water. All the RO (Reverse Osmosis) systems that we have researched have to waste 4 gallons for 1 gallon of purified water. We find this an unacceptable solution to our water filtration needs. Is there a better system out there that we are unaware of that can filter our tap water and not waste so much in the process?
We hope you can help,
Desperate in Arizona
Dear Water, Water Everywhere,
Fresh, clean potable water is one of our planet’s most precious resources. Only three percent of the water on earth is fresh water; the rest is saltwater. And our fresh drinking water supplies are becoming increasingly scarce. Startlingly, only 20 percent of the world’s population has running water, and more than one billion people have no access to clean water.
So a water wasting filtration system seems almost criminal!
Eco-conscious people have learned to immediately fix dripping faucets, and have pondered the weight of water-pollution, but only recently have we begun to consider the streams, lakes, and oceans-worth of water that gets squandered by the newfangled water-guzzling filtration systems that are installed in many tony homes, out of sight, hidden behind cabinet doors.
RO (Reverse Osmosis) water filters are the most water-inefficient devices you can possibly buy or rent. Besides delivering drinking water that’s often times less pure than they advertise, they’re also the biggest water gobblers in the marketplace. With the non-stop flushing required for most at-home under-sink systems, the average unit wastes 10,000 gallons of water annually. (That’s enough H2O fill a small swimming pool!)
My suggestion is to disconnect the water filtration system that you’re currently using. Either, return it to the company you’re renting it from or, in the event that you’re the proud owner of “said” contraption, the only thing left to do with it is to wrap it in burlap and apply it liberally with cute felt cutouts transforming it into the best eco-door stop you’ve ever had.
But seriously, instead of using the water-waster you’ve become used to, try one of the simpler, but so much more effective, filtered water pitcher models instead. The newer home-use pitchers now have refillable filters so there’s no plastic cartridge to throw away every time the charcoal needs replacing. Sure, it’s more work to manually fill it every day or several times a day (if you drink as much water as I do), but there are different sizes of filtering refrigerator models to choose from to accommodate your drinking needs…and besides, you can use those few minutes it takes to filter your water as a reminder to slow down, calm down, and smell the proverbial roses. (It’s like the old Joan Rivers joke about Elizabeth Taylor standing in front of her microwave screaming, “Hurry up!”)
And if you are on the fence about switching to a filtered pitcher model, you might be more inclined to do so knowing that in many states, water providers are beginning to track water-usage, and will start to levy sizable fines for instances of over consumption.
Now do you really want to pay a fine for filling that small swimming pool you don’t even have!?!?
From re-gifting, re-cycling, to natural cleaning products for your home, Mr. Green has all of your ecotiquette answers. Our Mr. Green (aka. Michael De Jong), is the author of “CLEAN: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing.” He lives in Jersey City with his partner (Richard,) dog (Jack,) and three goldfish (Phil, Jill and Gill) all of which benefit from his natural cleaning techniques. De Jong, who cleaned apartments in New York City while working as a fine artist, began researching and inventing many of the recipes in “CLEAN” and is continually experimenting with safe, effective and eco-friendly alternatives. Raised in the mid-West by an immigrant family that valued the environment and re-cycled before it was fashionable, his quest for non-toxic solutions comes naturally to him. He is currently writing a companion series of “CLEAN” books dealing with such topics as the body, first aid, organization, and food, as well as posting a weekly Blog on www.thedailygreen.com. “CLEAN: The Humble Art of Zen-Cleansing” can be purchased at Barnes & Noble stores across the country or on-line at www.barnesandnoble.com or www.amazon.com.
Click here to send him a question and he’ll put in the elbow grease to scrub out the answers!
By Terry Ruggles, NBC 10 Philadelphia
Philadelphia is trying to make history… again. In the mid 1980′s Philadelphia became the first major city in the United States to start a city wide recycling program. But today even city officials agree it has been a huge flop. Only 7% of Philadelphia households recycle.
Philadelphia’s apathy toward recycling reflects what has been much of the countries apathy toward going green. Too much work, too expensive, and inconvenient are just some of the excuses people use.
But the city of brotherly love seems to be awakening from an “environmental nap” that has lasted a quarter of a century. Some neighborhoods participating in a new recycling initiative have a 70% participation rate. Car sharing programs get bigger every day. People are switching to those energy saving light bulbs. School kids can tell you how trees help clean the air.
There is a new awareness! I’m really not sure why. Maybe it’s Al Gore and his academy award-winning movie. Maybe it’s the price of a barrel of oil and a gallon of gas. Maybe it’s baby boomers feeling guilty about being such a large part of the resource gluttons we have become. Quite frankly, I don’t care the reason. I’m just happy it’s happening and that Philadelphia is jumping in, again, with both feet.
Terry Ruggles
NBC 10 Philadelphia
http://nbc10.com/goinggreen/
By Mary Beth Gonzalez, iVillage.com
Tea, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love tea in every possible way imaginable. I love black tea with cream in the morning, herbal berry tea and green tea throughout the day, chamomile tea with heavy cream at night, iced herbal brewed tea in summer and rich chai tea with cream in winter. I love tea in mugs, in fancy china, served with finger sandwiches and scones, brewed in a single cup and steeped in a wide assortment of teapots. I love tea in whole leaves with silk sachets, loose leaves with herbs and flowers and cut leaves with recyclable, biodegradable paper filters.
There is something special about the simplicity of a few tea leaves and water that provides for a personal transformational experience. Drinking tea can awaken your body and soul. The ritual can expand your mind and transport you to another place where the elements of your tea grow naturally. Easy to make and easy to carry, tea is portable, predictable, perfection. I don’t go anywhere without a few tea bags in my purse, just in case… And with so many organic teas available now from companies committed to environmental responsibility and sustainability, tea is good and green. Filled with antioxidants, tea is a healthy choice anytime of day. Some teas combine with herbal medicinals for health benefits such as good digestion, reducing water retention, supporting kidney function, promoting nighttime relaxation and reducing cramping.
Green tea specifically has received praise among scientists for its rich array of antioxidants that in clinical studies have proven protective against major killers such as cancer and heart disease. Chamomile, long a favorite in the alternative medicine world for its sedative properties, appears to promote restful sleep. Herbalists have long recommended ginger root tea to sooth a troubled stomach, and scientific evidence supports its use to treat nausea and morning sickness. Teas with goldenseal and echinacea help fight the colds and flu and many different teas (green, black and white) have a diuretic effect. Traditional Medicinals markets a whole line of healthful teas with an herbal medicinal theme, with benefits identified on the label. But these teas are wonderful even if you have no complaint, as a soothing beverage to help you enjoy your day.
While I’ve rarely met a tea I didn’t like (Earl Grey – you know who you are) here are a few of my all time favorites:
- Tazi Organic Chai Tea (spicy and smooth, served with a liberal dose of organic cream)
- Harney & Sons Organic Passion Plum Tea (rich and fruity without caffeine)
- Traditional Medicinals Organic Nighty Night Tea (ensures a good nights sleep)
- Yogi Green Tea Energy (perky and balancing, 70% organic)
- Mighty Leaf Organic Hojicha Green Tea (deep, rich and nutty)
- Davidson’s Spiced Raspberry Organic Black Tea (chai tea with cinnamon and cloves)
- Numi Moonlight Orange Spice White Tea (orange, schizandra berries, lime, and spice)
One final point for all you coffee drinkers out there. Though in fairness, coffee does contain some beneficial nutrients, the strong caffeine jolt can raise blood pressure and actually bring on anxiety. Even one cup in the afternoon can disrupt sleep hours later at night. For me the choice is simple, tea wins hands down, for flavor, for variety, and for health. Put aside that cup of java and learn to cherish a robust brew of tea – green, great and good for you!
Mary Beth Gonzalez
iVillage.com
Please join my Going Green group and read my Green Blog
By Mary Beth Gonzalez, iVillage.com
Do you ever try to put a particularly tough day in perspective and calm yourself by saying “hey, it isnt like Im curing cancer”. As if curing cancer is commonly known to be the toughest task in the world and the act of doing so would justify all extraordinary and self-less efforts. What if you could help prevent cancer in you and your family partially through simple green living? What if this seemingly difficult task was made easier by adopting the principles of adopting an organic and eco-friendly lifestyle? What if you could help prevent cancer by changing the choices you make everyday?
Sound too good to be true? I know. I hear it everyday. People are immediately skeptical. My husband, Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez, has been treating cancer patients for over 20 years with his own medical protocol based on personalized diets, nutritional supplements and a non-toxic, green lifestyle. He can best explain his treatment and results so Ill provide a link to his website where you can find case studies, press, testimonials and details on his protocol.
What you wont find on his website is what you can do yourself to create the safest, least toxic environment possible for you and your family.
This is the best protection you have against disease, and you dont need fancy doctors or health insurance. We live in an increasingly toxic world with chemicals in everything from the rugs we walk barefoot on to the home cleaning products we pour on the home surfaces we touch to the personal care products we put on our skin to the food we use to fuel our bodies. When you rid yourself of the toxins around you and your family, you enable your body to focus on healing itself rather than fighting off the chemicals and your body can live in a purer, more natural state.
Here are seven things you can to do today to get started on a path to a greener, healthier lifestyle for you and your family. While going green can be more expensive, Ive noted the best values Ive found in green type below.
1) Toss out all the chemical cleaning products in your home and purchase safe, non-toxic cleaning supplies from companies like Shaklee (my favorite after 8 years of trying various brands)
2) Buy organic food that hasnt been treated with pesticides or chemical preservatives (good for you and tastes better too)
3) Eat dark leafy greens and vegetables (e.g.: broccoli, kale, carrots)
4) Buy lots of house plants (especially spider plants that can remove 96% of carbon monoxide, and 99% of nitric oxide, both noxious gases, after only 24 hours)
5) Drink home purified water (not soda or sugary juices or alcohol) in a safe, re-useable, chemical-free water bottle (no #3, 6 or 7 on the bottom of the water bottle)
6) Use natural, organic, non-toxic personal care products ( I like to use an entire line of products that are developed to work together such as Natures Gate Organics, Pangea Organics, Dr. Hauschka)
7) Sleep on organic bedding and in organic sleepwear (try wonderful and luxurious organic cotton and bamboo products from Under the Canopy and Dreamsacks) and now even Target has organic sheets!
Adopting this green lifestyle alone doesnt cure cancer. Ill leave that tough stuff to my husband. His treatment is more complicated but living a non-toxic lifestyle is an important step in the healing process. I just know that it works and even though Im a biased wife, I think you deserve to know too.
Mary Beth Gonzalez
Please join my Going Green group and read my Green Blog
By Nori R. Takei, mun2
When you think “go green”, you might think of things like recycling, hybrid cars and fluorescent light bulbs- all good things. You might not think about pollution credits, fossil fuel power plants, diesel-fueled truck routes and particulate matter.
The remarkable thing I learned from producing TOXIC CITY: This is Where I Live is that there is a powerful environmental youth movement happening across the country within Latino communities – and it’s growing. Whether it was a focused effort to stop a power plant, aggressive urban tree planting, or cleaning up a Superfund site in a residential neighborhood, each young person I met was taking direct action within his or her own community. Not only demanding the right to a safer environment, these youth are also taking the time and interest to educate themselves, their families, and each other.
One of the youths told me he now understands that living next to a power plant is not something he had ever thought about before, and now, he walks around his neighborhood with his eyes open – and can take action. Young people have an enormous amount of power in this country, both economically and socially, and are proving right now that they can lead the way in making positive environmental change, not only for all of us, but for generations to come.
Nori R. Takei
http://www.holamun2.com/green/
A fun video blog by the sustainability advocacy company The SOAP Group and GoodFocus exploring green tips for living smarter in a consumption crazy culture.
By Erin Walsh, iVillage.com
Is it just me, or has green consumerism gone mainstream? Maybe I’m just more aware of it than most people because it’s my job to be, but since becoming the editor of iVillage’s iGo Green channel, I’ve come across hundreds of different products and services in various shades of green: reusable shopping bags for toting groceries; funky lampshades made from recycled nylon; all-natural lip gloss, perfume and stretch mark cream; mini wind turbines for your roof; energy-saving LED holiday lights for your home; biodegradable doggie “business bags; non-VOC paint; PTFE-free pots and pans; wedding bands made from recycled gold; a lunch box made from recycled foil juice boxes; organic everything.
I could go on. But the point is, while an average jane like myself may not be able to afford a $100,000 electric Tesla Roadster like George Clooney, I can buy a reusable designer “cupcoat” to slip onto my paper coffee cup every morning (to the great amusement of the women at the deli checkout counter, might I add) in place of a cardboard sleeve that will get tossed.
If I sound tongue-in-cheek, I don’t mean to. I truly believe that there are a lot of great eco-friendly products out there and, thanks to the fact that virtually every company either has or is scrambling to develop a green strategy, they are more accessible – and affordable – than ever before. I’m under no delusions that my cupcoat will save the world, and I like to think that most people who buy “green” products know that doing so is just a first step toward making a real difference. I also like to think that if buying organic dog food is what it takes to make someone a little more environmentally aware, then that can only be a good thing.
Still, I can’t help but wonder whether buying is always the best course of action. Last weekend, as I packed away my summer clothes and pulled sweaters and jackets out of boxes, I came across my favorite brown boots, looking a little worse for the wear. The heels were worn down, and the toes were badly scuffed and faded. As much as I loved those boots, I resigned myself to the fact that it was time to let them go. The next day, when I grumbled to my boyfriend that I was going to have to spend money on a new pair of boots, he suggested that I take the old ones to a shoe repair shop nearby. I was a little embarrassed; it may sound like a no-brainer, but the thought literally hadn’t occurred to me. Like a true child of today’s disposable culture, when something breaks or gets worn, I’m so quick to simply discard it and buy a new one. “They’ll be able to fix them up so they look as good as new,” he promised.
Sure enough, with nothing but two new heels and a good polishing – and for a grand total of $7 – the boots that I was ready to throw away will probably make it through at least a few more New York City winters. Hmm, as cool as my cupcoat is, maybe I should skip the paper cups and consider giving that old travel coffee mug in my cupboard another chance…
Erin Walsh
iVillage Inc., Associate Producer, iGo Green
http://www.iVillage.com/green/
By Ludi Hernandez, NBC Universal
A lack of water to meet daily needs is a reality for many people around the world and has serious health consequences. Globally, water scarcity already affects four out of every 10 people. The situation is getting worse due to population growth, urbanization and increased domestic and industrial water use.
The nation consumes about 402 billion gallons of water a year. The average North American consumes 170 gallons per day, more than seven times the per capita average in the rest of the world and nearly triple Europe’s level. Wow! That’s a lot of water!! While we consume more than we should, there are many people, globally, that face the challenge of getting adequate clean water, one of the most valuable resources
essential to the environment and our lives.
Knowing this, I feel it is my responsibility to take action to save water! Here are a few things I do to save water at home (it also helps with reducing the water bill).
At home, there are every day appliances that can be water guzzlers! Following some of these easy steps can help reduce the amount of water we waste:
- Replace your Showerhead with an ultra low-flow version, saving up to 2.5 gallons per minute. This item can save you a couple hundreds of dollars on your water bill.
- Take Shorter Showers
- Turn off tap while shaving, washing your face or brushing your teeth. I usually fill up a cup of water to rinse out my mouth after brushing my teeth.
- Store drinking water in the refrigerator rather than letting the tap run for a cool glass of water.
- To thaw out food, I like to use the microwave instead of running water.
- My Mother taught me to always fill one side of my sink with soapy water to wash them. I then rinse them out with a slow stream of water. Thanks Mom!!!
- Repair leaks
- Wash FULL loads
Take action to save water so that we can all have enough water for ourselves and for generations to come. It’s everyone’s responsibility! I’m doing my part… will you?
Check out the following links for more tips on how to conserve water:
- http://kiplinger.com/magazine/archives/2007/10/water.html
- http://www.greensangha.org/savewater.pdf
- http://earth911.org/water/water-conservation/saving-water-outside/
Ludi Hernandez
Coordinator
