GREEN TIPS
EVERYONE HAS A FAVORITE GREEN TIP. WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT IT AND HOW YOU HAVE PUT IT INTO PRACTICE.
THE WCA MEMBERS ARE A PROUD BUNCH OF ENVIRONMENTALIST. WE BELIEVE IN REDUCING, REUSING, RECYCLING AND RECOVERING.
THE WCA IS INTERESTED IN YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS THAT ARE WITHIN THE WHITESHELL PARK.
Should you have any environmental concerns (within the Whiteshell) and want someone to investigate or address them, then please get in contact with us. The Environmental Committee, of your cottage association, will try to address them, and will respond directly to you. This is one of the many advantages of being a WCA member.
DID YOU KNOW?
Over the past twelve years, Manitobans have recycled over one billion pounds of valuable resources. One billion pounds is roughly 66,690 garbage trucks full. This material, not compacted, would fill a football field, including the end zones, 36 stories high.
So far in 2007 -2008, 45,903,307 kilograms have been recycled.
Surveys have shown that only 30% of our recyclables ends up being recycled, and the other 70% ends up in the land fill or along our highways.
Fact: By recycling one tonne of paper, we save 18 trees, 29,000 litres of water, 1,500 litres of oil, 2.5 cubic meters of landfill space, and enought energy to heat an average size home for six months.
Over $7.8 million paid directly to Manitoba communities to support their local recycling programs.
Largest amount of eligible recycled material was newspapers, magazines, flyers and telephone direcotories. Total amount for year ending 2007 was 34,747,628 kg. This works out to 29.69 kg per Manitoban.
In Manitoba, we recycled 2,567,909 kg of metal cans and only 926,459 kg of aluminum cans.
EcoLogo Program
EcoLogo is North America’s most widely recognized and respected certification of environmental leadership. By setting standards and certifying products in more than 120 categories, EcoLogo helps you identify, trust, buy, and sell environmentally preferable (“green”) goods and services. On this website, you’ll find more than 7,000 EcoLogo-certified products from hundreds of manufacturers.
Launched by the Canadian federal government in 1988, EcoLogo has grown to serve buyers and sellers of green products throughout the United States and Canada, and around the world. In fact, EcoLogo is North America’s oldest environmental standard and certification organization (and the second oldest in the world). It is the only North American standard accredited by the Global Ecolabeling Network as meeting the international ISO 14024 standard for environmental labels.
The EcoLogo program is managed by TerraChoice Environmental Marketing, Inc.
Cleaning Products
On a typical cleaning day in a typical Canadian home, levels of chemicals in the indoor air can be hundreds, even thousands of times higher than the outdoor air in the most polluted of cities. In fact, indoor air pollution levels would be high enough to trigger an inspection by health and safety authorities in any workplace setting. (The Nature of Things, CBC-TV 2002). Many chemicals contained in household cleaning products are the same as those used in industrial settings. Many scientists are now becoming concerned that long-term low-level exposure to chemicals may be just as dangerous as short-term high-dose exposures. They also worry that we do not understand the impact of exposure to the cocktail of chemicals found in household air and dust. Testing for human health effects is normally done on single chemicals. But in the real world, we are all exposed to a variety of chemicals every single day.
Prior to WWII most household cleaning tasks were accomplished using relatively safe ingredients commonly found in most homes. With the proliferation of petroleum-based chemicals after the war, corporations began to manufacture ready-made cleaning products. Today, most people are accustomed to buying a wide range of products custom-designed for the many surfaces, materials and rooms in their homes.
Most cleaning chores can be easily handled without these toxic products. Everyday ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, salt, lemon juice, vegetable oil, soap, borax, hydrogen peroxide and washing soda can do the job as they did in olden days. Consumer demand and recognition of the hazards of many chemical ingredients are leading more companies to manufacture less toxic cleaning products.
The ingredients contained in conventional petrochemical-based cleaning products are not usually listed on labels. Many, but not all, less-toxic products will have ingredients listed on their labels. Following is a list of some of the most common toxic chemicals found in household cleaning products; however there are many others.
Common Hazardous Ingredients in Cleaning Products
Acetone - A neurotoxin, acetone may cause liver and kidney damage, and damage to the developing fetus. It is a skin and eye irritant. Found in spot treatment cleaners, mark and scuff removers, and other products.
Aerosol products- Aerosol propellants may contain propane, formaldehyde, a carcinogen, neurotoxin and central nervous system depressant, methylene chloride, a carcinogen, neurotoxin and reproductive toxin, and nitrous oxide . Products applied with aeresol sprays are broken into minute particles, which can be more deeply inhaled than larger particles, which may increase their toxic effect.
Ammonia - Undiluted, ammonia is a severe eye and respiratory irritant that can cause severe burning pain, and corrosive damage including chemical burns, cataracts and corneal damage. It can also cause kidney and liver damage. Repeated or prolonged exposure to vapours can result in bronchitis and pneumonia. Found in a wide range of cleaning products. Ammonia will react with bleach to form poisonous chlorine gas that can cause burning and watering of eyes, as well as burning of the nose and mouth.
Bleach: see sodium hypochlorite
Diethanolamine (DEA) - Listed as a suspected carcinogen by the State of California, this chemical is a skin and respiratory toxicant and a severe eye irritant. Used in a wide range of household cleaning products.
D-limonene - This chemical is produced by cold-pressing orange peels. The extracted oil is 90% d-limonene. It is a sensitizer, a neurotoxin, a moderate eye and skin irritant, and can trigger respiratory distress when vapours are inhaled by some sensitive individuals. There is some evidence of carcinogenicity. D-limonene is the active ingredient in some insecticides. It is used as a solvent in many all-purpose cleaning products, especially 'citrus' and 'orange' cleaners. Also listed on labels as citrus oil and orange oil.
Ethoxylated nonyl phenol - Nonyl phenols are hormone disruptors and some contain traces of ethylene oxide, a known human carcinogen. They are eye and skin irritants. Used in laundry detergents and other cleaning products.
Formaldehyde - In lab tests, formaldehyde has caused cancer and damaged DNA. Formaldehyde is also a sensitizer, with the potential to cause asthma. Several laboratory studies have shown it to be a central nervous system depressant. Exposure to formaldehyde may cause joint pain, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness and loss of sleep. While formaldehyde naturally occurs in the human body in minute amounts, it is estimated that 20 per cent of people exposed to it will experience an allergic reaction. Used in a wide range of products, including some furniture polishes. Formaldehyde may be released by other chemicals, eg.quaternary 15.
Fragrance - Fragrance on a label can indicate the presence of up to 4,000 separate ingredients, most of which are synthetic. Many compounds in fragrance are human toxins and suspected or proven carcinogens. In 1989, the US National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health evaluated 2,983 fragrance chemicals for health effects. They identified 884 of them as toxic substances. Synthetic fragrances are known to trigger asthma attacks. The US Environmental Protection Agency found that 100% of perfumes contain toluene, which can cause liver, kidney and brain damage as well as damage to a developing fetus. Symptoms reported to the FDA from fragrance exposure have included headaches, dizziness, rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing and vomiting, and allergic skin irritation. Clinical observations by medical doctors have shown that exposure to fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability, inability to cope, and other behavioral changes. Fragrance is a common skin irritant.
Methylene chloride - Methylene chloride is a carcinogen, a neurotoxin and a reproductive toxin. On inhalation, it can cause liver and brain damage, irregular heartbeat, and even heart attack. It is a severe skin and moderate eye irritant. Used in stain removers.
Monoethanolamine - This chemical may cause liver, kidney and reproductive damage, as well as depression of the central nervous system. Inhalation of high concentrations - when cleaning an oven for example - can cause dizziness or even coma. The chemical can also be absorbed through the skin. It is a moderate skin irritant, and a severe eye irritant. Found in many cleaning products, including oven cleaners, tub and tile cleaners, laundry pre-soaks, floor strippers and carpet cleaners.
Morpholine - This corrosive ingredient can severely irritate and burn skin and eyes, and can even cause blindness if splashed in eyes. It can cause liver and kidney damage, and long-term exposure can result in bronchitis. It reacts with nitrites (added as a preservative in some products, or present as a contaminant) to form carcinogenic nitrosomines. Morpholine is a moderate to severe eye, skin and mucous membrane irritant. Used as a solvent in a number of cleaning products, including some furniture polishes and abrasive cleansers.
Naphthalene - This registered pesticide is listed as a suspected carcinogen in California and is most commonly found in mothballs, and some other pest repellants, as well as in deodorizers. As a reproductive toxin, it is transported across the placenta and can cause blood damage. It can cause liver and kidney damage, and corneal damage and cataracts. Skin exposure is especially dangerous to newborns.
Parabens - Parabens are hormone disruptors. Widely used in cleaning products as preservatives, paraben is usually preceded by the prefixes methyl-, ethyl-, butyl-, or propyl. Parabens may cause contact dermatitis in some individuals
Paradichlorobenzene - This highly volatile registered pesticide is in the same chemical class as DDT. It is a suspected carcinogen, and may cause lung, liver and kidney damage. It is used in mothballs and some washroom deodorizers and urinal blocks.
Phosphoric acid - Extremely corrosive, it can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes. Breathing vapours can make the lungs ache, and it may be toxic to the central nervous system. Found in some liquid dishwasher detergents, metal polishes, some disinfectants, and bathroom cleaners, especially those that remove lime and mildew.
Sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate - This corrosive chemical is a severe eye, skin and respiratory irritant. It may cause liver and gastrointestinal damage, and may be toxic to the central nervous system. It will react with bleach to form poisonous chlorine gas that can cause burning and watering of eyes, as well as burning of the nose and mouth. It is found in some toilet bowl cleaners and deodorizers, as well as industrial detergents and some institutional dishwashing detergents.
Sodium hypochlorite (bleach) - A corrosive chemical, sodium hypochlorite is an eye, skin and respiratory irritant, as well as a sensitizer. It is especially hazardous to people with heart conditions or asthma, and can be fatal if swallowed. It may be a neurotoxin and toxic to the liver. Found in a wide range of household cleaners.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate - Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is used as a lathering agent. This chemical is a known skin irritant. It also enhances the allergic response to other toxins and allergens. The U.S. government has warned manufacturers of unacceptable levels of dioxin formation in some products containing this ingredient. SLS can react with other ingredients to form cancer-causing nitrosamines
Toluene - Exposure to toluene may cause liver, kidney and brain damage. It is also a reproductive toxin which can damage a developing fetus.
Turpentine - This chemical can cause allergic sensitization, and kidney, bladder and central nervous system damage. It is an eye irritant. Found in specialty solvent cleaners, furniture polish and shoe products.
Xylene - Xylene has significant neurotoxic effects, including loss of memory. High exposure can lead to loss of consciousness and even death. It may damage liver, kidneys and the developing fetus. It is a severe eye and moderate skin irritant. Used in some spot removers, floor polishes, ironing aids and other products.
Toxic Products
Studies have shown that indoor air can be anywhere from two to 11 times more polluted than outdoor air due to toxic compounds.
For example, many bathroom cleaners and automatic dishwasher detergents contain chlorine bleach, a hazardous air pollutant in its own right, that can react with chemicals in the environment to form dioxin, a hormone disrupter than can build up in our tissues and infect the air.
Ammonia, a common ingredient in household cleaners, is a suspected carcinogen, that stays in the air for up to four hours after being sprayed in the house and can corrode lungs.
Many household cleaners also contain sodium lauryl sulphate, a harsh foaming agent and suspected cancer-causing agent, which was originally used as a garage floor cleaner and is very harsh on the skin.
“The No. 1 toxic product in the home and a potential cancer-causing agent is automatic dishwasher detergent.
It vents into the air and if you can smell it, you are inhaling it and those chemicals are stored in your body.There are non-toxic, phosphate-free products on the market that we can use to improve our health and flush less phosphates and toxic chemicals down our drains.
Phosphates — which are found in automatic dishwasher detergent — have become a cause for concern because of its impact on waterways, such as Lake Winnipeg. While phosphates are a nutrient essential to human, animal and plant life, when too much phosphorus and nitrogen load up in waterways it creates algae blooms which deplete oxygen from the water, killing live organisms.
William Barlow, chair of the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board says that there are many ways phosphorus enters our waterways (lawn fertilizers, inadequate sewer systems, manure from agricultural land, to name a few), but if Manitobans stopped using automatic dishwasher detergent containing phosphates it would be a big step in the right direction.
“If you think of how many dishwashers there are in Winnipeg alone, it adds up,” he explains.
Less-Toxic Household Cleaning Products
Air Freshener, Deodorizer, Odour Remover
Far from freshening air, chemical-based air fresheners and deodorizers add dangerous chemicals to the air we breathe. Air fresheners work by using a nerve-deadening chemical that interferes with our sense of smell, by coating nasal passage with an oily film, by masking an offending odour with a different odour, or by deactivating the odour.
Air fresheners are made from a number of chemicals including formadehyde, a carcinogen and sensitizer, naphthalene, a suspected carcinogen, xylene, a neurotoxin and possible reproductive toxin, butane gas, a neurotoxin, cresol, ethanol, phenol and strong fragrances. Some solid deodorizers include the pesticide paradichlorobenzene, a carcinogen which can also cause liver and kidney damage. Aerosol air fresheners release chemicals as tiny particles which can be inhaled deeply into lungs and transferred into the blood stream. Plug in air fresheners break chemicals into even smaller particles.
The key to freshening air is to remove or dilute the offending odor (by cleaning, ventilation or absorption), not to cover it with another chemical.
Tips
Cleaners may contain ammonia, a strong irritant which can also cause kidney and liver damage, butyl cellusolve which is neurotoxic and rapidly penetrates skin, and ortho phenylphenol which is a severe eye and skin irritant. Many all-purpose cleaners contain DEA and TEA which can react with nitrites (added as undisclosed preservatives or present as contaminants) to form carcinogenic nitrosomines which readily penetrate the skin. Many coloured products are made with carcinogenic coal tar colours. Hormone disrupting parabens may be used as preservatives. Many cleaners also include fragrances and detergents. Alternative brands may contain d-limonene, a sensitizer which can also cause respiratory distress as well as liver, kidney and nervous system damage. D-limonene is a hazardous substance, although it is derived from a natural source. We do not recommend it for frequent use.
Home-made Alternatives
Multipurpose Cleaner
1 tsp. borax
1/2 tsp. washing soda
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. liquid castile soap
2 cups very hot water
Add the first four ingredients to a spray bottle, then slowly add the hot water and shake until dry ingredients are dissolved. Label the bottle.
Vinegar Cleaner
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
Wipe on, or mix in a non-aerosol spray bottle.
Tips
Microfiber cloths are a new addition to the world of cleaning which can significantly reduce use of chemical cleaning agents. These untreated, reusable cloths are made of polyester and polyamide, spun into tiny wedge shaped strands, 100 times finer than a human hair. They can lift off dirt, grease and dust without the need for cleaning chemicals, because they are formulated to penetrate and trap dirt. There are a number of different brands. A good quality cloth can last for several years.
The main ingredient in chlorine bleach is sodium hypochlorite (chlorine added to lye.) Chlorine is toxic as a skin irritant, and by inhalation. Sodium hypochlorite can create poisonous chlorine gas if mixed with ammonia (which may be an unlabeled ingredient in some cleaning products) or with vinegar. Workplace safety data sheets warn that sodium hypochlorite may be a neurotoxin and cause liver damage. People with chemical sensitivies report adverse reactions to minute quantities of chlorine. Sodium hypochlorite readily combines with organic matter to form organochlorines which are highly toxic to aquatic life.
Home-made Alternatives
Tips
It's doubtful whether disinfectants are needed at all for most household uses. Ordinary cleanliness is sufficient to eliminate hazardous bacteria. Soap, water and rubbing (the old "wash your hands" requirement) is the best method to prevent disease. The fad for disinfectants and anti-bacterials is based on a false fear of germs. Homes do not require the same types of cleaning as hospitals, where disease and infection is common.
Besides being a waste of money, some brands of disinfectants use highly caustic chemicals like sodium hydroxide, sodium hypochlorite and phosphoric acid that can burn eyes and skin. Breathing vapours can burn lungs. Disinfectants may also contain phenols which can damage DNA as well as the liver, kidney and nervous systems, cresol, a suspected carcinogen and respiratory toxin, formaldehyde, a carcinogen, sensitizer and suspected central nervous system depressant, chlorine , a lung irritant, and alcohol. There are more than 300 different active ingredients approved for use in anti-microbial products, ingredients classified by the EPA as pesticides, because they kill microbes.
Scientists are also concerned that products containing antibacterial and anti-microbial agents kill beneficial bacteria and contribute to the creation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Not all bacteria will be killed by antibacterial agents. The surviving bacteria are resistant to antibiotics and go on to produce new generations of resistant bacteria. Triclosan, one of the most popular antibacterial agents, creates dioxin, a carcinogen, as a by-product. Triclosan is a derivative of 2,4-D, an herbicide. There is concern that use of antibacterial products may affect human health. A Swedish study found high levels of this bactericide in human breast milk.
Less-toxic Alternatives
Home-made Alternatives
Disinfecting/Deodorizing Cleaner
Add 1/2 cup of borax to 4 litres of warm water.
One hospital used this formulation for cleaning for a year. The monitoring bacteriologist reported that the solution satisfied the hospital’s germicidal requirements.
Disinfectant
Mix 2 teaspoons borax, 4 tablespoons vinegar and 3 cups hot water. For stronger cleaning power add 1/4 teaspoon liquid castile soap. Wipe on with dampened cloth or use non-aerosol spray bottle.
Tea Tree Disinfectant
20 drops tea tree oil (approx. 1/5 tsp. or 1 ml)
20 drops emulsifier
1 cup water or vinegar
Put emulsifier in container. Add oil and blend. Add 1cup water or vinegar.
Cinnamon Disinfectant
12 drops cinnamon oil (approx. 1/8 tsp. or 0.6 ml)
12 drops emulsifier
1 cup water or vinegar
Put emulsifier in container. Add oil and blend. Add 1cup water or vinegar. Shake before using.
Most glass cleaners are made of ammonia, a strong irritant, and coal tar dyes. Some contain butyl cellusolve, a neurotoxin, alchohol, naphtha, and glycol ethers. Some contain wax. Aerosol products create small particles which are more likely to be inhaled or irritate eyes. Consumer Reports found plain water to be more effective than half the glass cleaners on the market.
Less-toxic Alternatives
Home-made Alternatives
Eyeglass Cleaner
A microfibre eyeglass cloth and plain water does an excellent streak-free job and eliminates the need for any chemical cleaners.
Window Cleaner I
1/2 tsp. liquid castile soap
3 Tbsp. vinegar
2 cups water
Add ingredients to non-aerosol spray bottle and mix gently. Label bottle.
Window Cleaner II
A half-and-half mixture of water and vinegar poured into a refillable non-aerosol spray bottle.
Lemon juice can be substituted for vinegar for those who cannot tolerate vinegar.
Some conventional products contain benzene, toluene and xylene, all neurotoxins, as well as formaldehyde, a carcinogen, and chlorine, a sensitizer.
Home-made Alternatives
Stain Remover I
1/2 cup ammonia
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup baking soda
2 Tbsp. liquid castile soap
2 litres water
Mix all ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake well before each use. Spray liquid onto the stain and let sit for a few minutes. Launder as usual.
Stain Remover II
1/4 cup borax
2 cups cold water
Soak clothing in mixture or apply with sponge. Baking soda or washing soda can be added to this mixture for additional power to remove odours, mould and grease.
Grease Stains
Add one can of Coke to washer for severe grease stains.
Some lime removers contain highly caustic sodium hypochlorite and phosphoric acid which are very irritating to lungs and dangerous for people with asthma and heart disease.
Home-made Alternatives
Lime Remover Paste
Add enough water to baking soda to make a paste. Scrub with a hard bristled brush or tooth brush.
Lime and Mineral Deposit Remover
Soak a rag in vinegar. Apply rag to lime deposits around faucet. Leave on for approximately one hour. Deposits will be softened and can be easily removed.
Shower Heads
Clean shower heads clogged with mineral deposits with undiluted white vinegar. Place 1/4 to 1/2 cup vinegar in a plastic bag and secure the bag to the shower head with a rubber band. Let stand from 2 hours to overnight, then rinse and buff the fixture to a shiny finish
Kettle Descaler
Boil one part vinegar with two parts water in kettle for 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly then boil full kettle of water for 15 minutes to remove vinegar residues.
Conventional products may contain contain ethylene glycol, a neurotoxin, reproductive toxin and respiratory irritant, which can cause kidney blood and possibly liver damage and which is absorbed through the skin. They may also contain ammonia, a respiratory irritant,1,1, 1-trichloroethane which is a neurotoxin and eye and skin irritant, and TEA, which can combine with preserving agents to form carcinogenic nitrosomines. Synthetic fragrances may also be an ingredient in these products. Many tried and true recipes for home-made metal cleaners/polishes are available.
Home-made Alternatives
Aluminum Cleaner
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 litre water
To clean aluminum cookware, combine ingredients in cookware. Bring solution to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Wash and dry as usual.
Brass and Copper Polish I
Lemon juice
Baking soda or cream of tartar
Make a paste about the consistency of toothpaste. Rub onto brass or copper with a soft cloth. Rinse with water and dry.
Brass, Copper, and Pewter Cleaner II
Mix equal parts salt and vinegar, then thicken with flour. Polish.
Chrome and Stainless Steel Cleaner
Dip soft cloth in undiluted white vinegar. Wipe surface.
Rust Remover
To remove rust rub with fine steel wool dipped in vegetable oil. The finer the steel wool used, the less noticeable any scratches will be.
Removing Tarnish from Old Copper and Brass
To remove tarnish from copper and brass work, while retaining it's aged charm, lemon and salt can be used. Add a little lemon juice to a small pile of salt, take a cloth and polish the copper or brass. After removing the tarnish, rinse, and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth.
Iron Cleaner
To clean the bottom of an iron, heat it on highest setting. Meanwhile, pour a small amount of salt onto a sheet of wax paper. When the iron is hot, vigorously run it back and forth over the salted wax paper. This will not only clean off melted fabric, etc. from the bottom of the iron, but leave the iron gliding as smoothly as when new.
Silver Polish
Conventional oven cleaners create toxic fumes that can burn eyes, skin and internal organs. Lye and ammonia are often the cleaning agents and they are especially dangerous in aerosols.
Home-made Alternatives
Oven Cleaner I
In a spray bottle, mix 2 tablespoons liquid castile soap, 2 teaspoons borax and warm water to fill bottle. Dissolve completely. Spray on, keeping nozzle close to oven surface. Even though these are natural ingredients, it is best to wear goggles and rubber gloves. Leave solution on for 20 minutes, then scrub with nylon scrub pad and baking soda.
Oven Cleaner II
Scrub with paste of liquid all purpose cleaner and scouring powder.
Make a paste of baking soda and water and spread on oven interior. Leave overnight with oven door closed. Remove with sponge or nylon scrub pad. SOS pad can be used to remove stubborn bits.
Tips
While oven is still warm, sprinkle water on the spill, then sprinkle salt on it. When the oven cools down, scrape the spill away and wash the area.
Most scouring powders contain bleach, a sensitizer, crystalline silica, a carcinogen, and oxalic acid dihydrate, an allergen. All three substances are also strong irritants. Bleach can upset the balance in septic tanks by killing helpful bacteria.
Home-made Alternatives
Homemade Scouring Powder
1 cup baking soda
1 cup borax
1 cup regular salt
Combine ingredients and keep in tightly closed container.
Microfibre cloths can be used in many situations to remove grime without chemicals. They are especially good on tubs, sinks and stoves because they won't scratch the surfaces, but the tiny wedge shaped fibers will cut through dirt.
Sink, tub and tile cleaners can contain ammonia and dimethyl ethylbenzylamonium choride, both strong irritants, ethylene glycol, a neurotoxin and reproductive toxin which may also cause kidney and liver damage, sodium orth-phenylpenol, a carcinogen and irritant, and trisodium nitrilotriacetate, a carcinogen. Some brands use highly caustic chemicals like sodium hydroxide, sodium hypochlorite (bleach) and phosphoric acid that can burn eyes and skin. Breathing vapours can burn lungs.
Home-made Alternatives
Tub and Tile Cleaner
Mix 1/4 cup baking soda with 1/2 cup white vinegar.
Homemade Spray Cleaner
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
Wipe on, or use non-aerosol spray bottle.
For tough bathroom surfaces such as shower walls, increase cleaning power by removing sprayer element and heating the solution in the microwave until barely hot. Spray shower walls and allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes, then scrub and rinse. The heat helps soften stubborn soap scum and loosens hard water deposits.
Tips
Toilet Bowl Cleaner and Deodorizer
Many toilet bowl cleaners are often highly caustic and form toxic gases when mixed with water. They can contain ammonium chloride, a corrosive, 1,4-dichlorobenzine, a carcinogenic pesticide which can cause liver and kidney damage, hydrochloric acid, whose vapours can cause coughing and breathing difficulties, and sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate which is a severe eye, skin and respiratory irritant, which can form carcinogenic chlorine gas. Sulfate-based products containing sodium sulfate or sodium bisulfate may cause asthmatic attacks.
Home-made Alternatives
To remove mineral buildup, put 1-2 denture cleaner tablets in bowl and let sit overnight, then clean .
Pour 1 cup of borax and 1/4 cup vinegar into toilet and let sit overnight before scrubbing.
Pour one can of Coke in toilet.
Use undiluted white vinegar to scrub the inside of the toilet bowl. First dump a bucket of water into the toilet to force water out of the bowl and allow access to the sides. Pour undiluted white vinegar around the bowl and scrub with a toilet brush to remove lime, stains and odor.
What about the ash?
Now that is it bon-fire time, what do you do with the ash in the pit?
Wood ash is a terrific resource that you can use in any season. Mixing small amounts into the garden will add nutrients and improve soil quality. Ash is a natural fertilizer. It will decrease the acidity of your soil.
In summer, sprinkle ash around your garden to deter slugs and fungi. Some cottagers are convinced that it will keep the deer and rabbits from nibbling your garden too.
In the winter ash is an environmentally friendly de-icer. Simply sprinkle the ice with your ash in moderate amounts. The ash will assist the sun in melting the ice! You should carry a small amount of ash in the trunk of your car in the winter, and if you ever get stuck, simple place a shovel full of ash under the drive wheel. Instant traction, and it works far better than sand.
Another use for cooled ash is the compost bin. Ash is high in carbon and is essential for effective composting. Ash also works well to control compost odors.
Ash from hardwood has more nutrients than from softwood. Don’t use the ash from store - bought fire logs or paper. These may contain chemicals that are not appropriate for outdoors. To keep the natural benefits of ash it should be stored in a closed container out of the elements.
I hope these ideas will prevent ashes from finding their way into our lakes, rivers and landfills.
5 WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR WATER USE (AND SAVE YOUR SEPTIC)
Fix the leaky cottage throne: A toilet tank leaking into the bowl adds a lot of water to the septic system. To test for leaks put a few drops of food colouring into the tank. If the colouring appears in the bowl without being flushed, you have a leak.
Flush less A toilet dam or displacement device in the tank reduces the amount of water being flushed. The toilet dam is a simple tool that holds back water from the flapper valve. Displacement devices can be DIY – set a full plastic water bottle in the tank (don’t use a brick; it can disintegrate, ruining the valves).
Install a low- or dual-flush toilet A low-flush toilet use six litres per flush, compared with the 18 to 24 litres typical of old-style models. Dual-flush toilets give you an option of three-litre or six-litre flushes with two buttons (the manufacturers leave it up to you to label them number one and number two).
Install a low-flow showerhead , especially if long-showering teenagers hang out at your cottage. A low-flow aerator can cut the water flow by 50 per cent without lessening the spray.
Practice catch-and-release-elsewhere at the sink When rinsing fruits and veggies, put a basin below the faucet and recycle the captured water for thirsty plants or sluicing off the deck chairs. Brushing your teeth for two minutes with the tap running loses about 11 litres of water down the drain; a mug of water for brushing and rinsing does the job with much less waste.
8 WAYS TO CUT DOWN AND CLEAN UP YOUR RUNOFF
Sniff out a sick septic system There are still cottagers out there with leaking and overloaded septic systems, a major source of contaminated runoff to the lake. Human waste contains phosphorus, a nutrient that algae thrive on; too much of it, and your lake will get algal blooms and decline in water quality. Inspect your septic bed and surrounding area periodically for odours or puddling and, if you detect trouble, call in the professionals. And get the tank pumped out every three to five years. If you’re having a huge crowd to the cottage, say for a wedding, rent a porta-potty instead of stressing the septic system.
Kick the lawn habit About 50 per cent of rainfall rolls right over short manicured grass to the water, carrying with it fertilizers (many are loaded with phosphorus) or pesticides (poisonous to aquatic life). Better to replace a lawn with no-maintenance native plants, such as dogwood and black-eyed Susans, which readily absorb most surface water. If you must be a turfhead, keep the grass more than 30 metres from the shoreline, don’t use fertilizers or pesticides, and mow it no shorter than eight centimetres high.
Refuel away from the water When you need to top up gas tanks, such as chainsaws, generators, pumps, and boat engines, do it well back from shore, preferably over a tray and in a shelter with a hard floor. Use a rag for mopping, to make cleanup easy.
Hook a rainbarrel up to your eavestroughs By catching rainfall before it hits the ground, you can greatly reduce runoff. (For those who only associate runoff with summer rainfall, it also comes in winter and spring, in the form of snowmelt.) Even temporarily storing rain in a barrel until after a storm lets up helps reduce erosion. Newer rainbarrels are designed to keep out mossies so the water won’t become a breeding pool for them.
Replace hard, paved surfaces with more porous ones Instead of asphalt or concrete surfaces for paths and drives, use wood chips, small pebbles, permeable paving stone, or anything else that allows runoff to soak into the soil. You can also plant a small rain garden, a planted depression designed to catch overflow water around paved areas.
Stock up on greener cleaners What goes down the drain and into the septic can still make its way to the lake. Many detergents and soaps on the market contain phosphates, so watch what you buy. As well, avoid using household chemical cleaners, which destroy the beneficial bacteria that break down the waste in the holding tank. There are much less harmful alternatives now, with the proliferation of products with green certifications, such as the federal government’s EcoLogo and the comeback of DIY cleaners, like baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice (for recipes, visit www.lesstoxicguide.ca).
Don’t soap in the lake, ever Even if a soap says it’s phosphate-free and biodegradable, don’t assume it’s safe for the lake. The soap can be harmful to fish and other aquatic animals; all “biodegradable” means is that it’s capable of breaking down (with the help of soil bacteria) into its constituent parts. However, do use this type of soap if bathing on land, and dump the washwater well back from the lake, so it doesn’t filter down as runoff.
Pick up after your pooch Yes, there’s already wildlife poop around the cottage, but modern CSI-style tracking of pollutants has identified dog-doo as a major source of water pollution in many areas, one that carries coliform bacteria that can make people sick. Bury or toss it in the back forty, or flush it down.
9 WAYS TO SHRINK YOUR COTTAGE ENERGY BILL
Retire that old beer fridge It’s been great for your overflow beer stash, but that ancient fridge in the boathouse is sucking more than four times the electricity of a newer, energy-efficient model, and costing you almost $130 a year (or a few two-fours). Be a greener beer drinker and retire the clunker. At the very least, unplug it between visits and definitely over winter. As for the kitchen fridge, another energy hog if it’s 10 or more years old, keep it out of the sun, away from the stove, and in an area that allows air to circulate to improve its efficiency. Also check the door seal: If it isn’t tight enough to hold a piece of paper in place when closed, repair or replace it
Beware the phantom load Some electrical devices that use a remote control, like televisions, DVD players, or stereos, or use an adaptor, such as computers, continue to steal power after they’re turned off. Unplug these or hook them into a power bar with a switch so you can really turn them off when not in use.
Switch the cottage wattage Even the few table lamps and overhead lights that illuminate the corners of your cottage would cost a lot less to you and the environment if you switched from incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs. They last up to 10 times longer and use about one-quarter the electricity. Turn off inside lights and other electrical equipment whenever you leave the cottage.
Don’t be a night polluter Floodlights and other high-wattage outdoor bulbs are not only energy eaters, they are inappropriate at the cottage. They cause light pollution on our lakes, messing up the mating and feeding behaviour of wildlife, reducing boaters’ ability to see navigation lights, and stealing our view of the stars. Replace them with low-wattage lamps; and turn them off unless you really need them
Hold the heat in hot water Wrap your hot water tank in an insulating jacket, available at most hardware stores. When you’re away for the week, turn down the setting from “hot” to “warm” or “low.” Or get rid of the tank entirely for an on-demand system, which heats water only when required.
Put the kettle on Keep a kettle full of water on the woodstove. Even if you don’t use it, water has a high heat capacity and will continue to warm (and humidify) the room after the stove has gone out.
Listen to
Plant a tree or two Green giants are great insulators of the cottage. Plant deciduous trees on the south and west sides of the cottage, to provide shade in summer and let sun inside throughout the winter. Conifers on the north and northwest sides block cold winds in winter with their thick evergreen boughs.
Hang curtains or blinds And keep them closed as much as is practical – they help hold cool or warm air inside (and they’re much better at preventing bird-window collisions than bird silhouettes). In the winter, curtains on south-facing windows should be opened during the day to let the sun in and closed at night to keep the heat in. Insulated curtains, such as window quilts, are an excellent way to increase your heat efficiency.
4 WAYS TO HAVE A HEALTHIER SHORELINERebuild the buffer zone Many cottage waterfronts have been stripped of the native shrubs, trees, grasses, and other plants that usually grow along an undeveloped shoreline. And that’s a big loss because this buffer zone traps harmful runoff in its roots and decomposing leaves, helps to prevent erosion, and is a rich habitat for shore-dwelling species vital to a healthy aquatic ecosystem. One of the best things you can do for your lake is replant the buffer, with species native to your cottage area. Ideally, it should be as wide as your waterfront and as deep as 30 metres, but if that sounds too daunting, start small with a strip that’s a few metres deep and enlarge it over a few years. Even a passive approach – stopping the lawn-cutting and letting native plants regenerate – can work wonders. Home Depot has an Echo Options Products.
Let sleeping logs lie Driftwood and fallen trees at the shoreline provide hiding places, feeding grounds, and spawning areas for lots of aquatic creatures, such as fish, frogs, and salamanders. They can also act as a breakwater to prevent erosion. So leave the “clutter” where it is. Or, if your waterfront is devoid of woody debris, install a log in the water yourself; be sure to anchor it so it doesn’t create a boating hazard and check with your local Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) to see if permits are required.
Get over that waterweed phobia Okay, so the kids squeal when they step in the shallows and feel weedy tentacles. Don’t strip the entire waterfront of its aquatic vegetation, which holds sediment in place and provides critical food and shelter for many water dwellers, from bass to water striders. Instead, designate a small activity area for swimming, preferably less than two metres wide, and contact your local MNR for a work permit before you remove any amount of aquatic vegetation. Easier still, put a ladder at the end of your dock and skip the shallows entirely.
Opt for a low-impact dock If you’re ready for a new dock, choose a floating, pipe, or a cantilever dock, which cause much less disturbance to lakebed habitat and life than the traditional crib dock. Ideally, choose a design that minimizes modifications to the shoreline.
4 WAYS TO RECYCLE OR REUSE COTTAGE STUFFUnload your cap collection You know those beer caps you’ve been saving for decades? Well, you can recycle them at the same place as the bottles: The Beer Store.
Reduce your hoard of old runners Nike will take any brand of used running shoes and grind them up into Nike Grind, a material used for sports tracks. Mail them to
Make your leftover paint last longer Tip cans of unused paint upside down (make sure the lids are on tight) and it will keep for years; the paint creates an inner seal around the lids, so air can’t seep in and dry it up. When you’ve finally used up your latex paint, don’t toss the cans; just leave their lids off, let the paint dry completely, and use them as storage containers in your shed.
Bear-free composting If you’re at your cottage at least every other weekend, you can compost your food scraps indoors, using worms. They create beautiful compost in special “vermicomposting” containers that emit little or no smell, so they aren’t a wildlife attractant. However, the hardworking worms need to be fed a minimum of once every two weeks.
6 WAYS TO SAVE COTTAGE WILDLIFEBe a slow and low-polluting boater When close to shore, always drive at a “no wake” speed (10 km/h within 30 metres of shore) to protect aquatic and shoreline nurseries from wave and prop action, and prevent erosion. Get your engine tested to ensure it meets or exceeds EPA 2007 standards. If you’re in the market for a new engine, four-strokes and direct-injection two-strokes are much cleaner than old-style two-strokes.
Post nesting- and spawning-area signs on your waterfront Give a heads-up to boaters, especially visiting ones, about the critical habitats of birds and fish on your lake.
Get the lead out of the tackle box Too often lead tackle ends up in the gullets of aquatic feeders such as loons; in fact, 25 per cent of loon deaths are caused by lead poisoning. Switch to non-lead sinkers and jigs and protect our cottage-country icon.
Keep the aliens away: Exotic species such as zebra mussels and dragonfish can wreak havoc when they arrive in a new lake environment, often hitchhiking on boat hulls and in live wells and bait buckets. Before you launch in a new lake, drain the bilge water and bait buckets and scrub the hull bottom to avoid transferring these alien species. If you use live bait, always use local species and never dump unused bait into the water.
Leave standing dead trees Not just for woodpeckers, these “snags” are a veritable hotel for a host of other birds, mammals, and insects. Let them stand, unless they pose a safety hazard; if felled, leave them on the ground to decay, providing another source of food and habitat for creatures such as salamanders and chipmunks.
Create a wildlife corridor Many animals and birds won’t cross open areas, needing a corridor of dense vegetation to get from the top of your lot to the water’s edge. Chart a course through the low-traffic areas of your property and fill in gaps with native shrubs, such as dogwood, grasses such as big bluestem or
How to Compost Leaves
Leaves are often referred to as "Gardeners' Gold". Their bright green appearance in the Spring is a harbinger of the beginning of a new life cycle. Their presence in the summer provides much needed shelter from heat and rain for wildlife and humans alike, as well as being the vehicle through which trees produce their own food. Their dramatic beauty in the Fall can be unparalleled. In addition to all of this, properly used as mulch or compost they provide outstanding organic matter and nutrients to the soil.
Unfortunately, to use leaves effectively as mulch and compost they still must be raked or blown from your gardens and lawn so that you have control over where they are used. Leaving a thick layer of leaves on your lawn or garden can create conditions that lead to rotting of the grass or perennials beneath. So, to start with rake the leaves up into a pile.
Once your leaves have been gathered, you have a choice between using them undecomposed, as mulch, or composting them before you put then in your garden. Regardless of how you are going to use them, the first step is to chop or shred your leaves. This will save space if you are placing them in a bin, it will minimize their blowing around and matting if you are placing them in the garden, and it will hasten their eventual decomposition into composted organic matter.
If you do not have a shredder, and do not wish to rent one, you can use your lawn mower to shred the leaves. If the leaves are on your lawn attach a bagger to your lawn mower before you begin cutting. As you cut the lawn, the leaves will be shredded and gathered into the bagger. You may also gather leaves in a pile and run the lawn mower without a bagger through the pile. Direct the discharge shoot in one direction at all times so that the shredded leaves are placed in a pile and not blown all over the place.
Once you have your shredded leaves, you may place them in your garden as mulch immediately, if you wish. However, do not place an excessive layer of mulch directly on the crowns of herbaceous perennial flowers. This is not necessary, and it can lead to root rot. If you are trying to extend the season for winter root vegetables, like rutabagas, carrots, leeks, kale or beets, you may use a heavy layer of shredded leaves to cover them. You may find that you can harvest these vegetables all winter with this added protection from the leaves. If you do use uncomposted shredded leaves as mulch in your garden, you should add some slow release nitrogen fertilizer to the garden in the Spring, as the process of leaf decomposition may rob the soil of nitrogen.
Another alternative for your shredded leaves is to compost them, either alone or with other organic matter. The simplest but longest process is to place the shredded leaves in a wire bin. Leave them there for two years, turning them occasionally, and you will have a really nice product. Leaf mold is a special fungus-rich compost that can retain three to five times its weight in water, rivaling peat moss. The "Leaf-Gro" that is available in most of or local garden centers is leaf compost. The only disadvantage of using leaves alone for composting is you will find that you need a tremendous amount of leaves to produce any quantity of compost.
Leaves can be used more effectively as a component in a compost pile that contains a variety of organic matters. A good balanced compost pile contains materials rich in nitrogen and others rich in carbon. Leaves can provide the carbon component of your pile. Other good carbon components include straw, nonglossy paper, wood and bark chips. Good nitrogenous materials include grass and plant clippings, uncooked fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, and coffee grounds. Use your shredded leaves and other carbon materials to layer between your nitrogenous materials in a bin. Turn the pile occasionally to aerate it, and make sure that it is moist, but not soggy. It is not necessary to add commercial compost starters or fertilizer to a compost pile to start it "cooking" but doing so may hasten the process. The amount of time it will take to produce compost depends upon its size, composition and conditions. The process can take anywhere from three months to one year.
The impact of recreational boating on aquatic ecosystems is significant.
Fish, shellfish, sea birds and other forms of aquatic life require a balance of nutrients, oxygen and clean water to survive. Even small quantities of toxic products in the water can disrupt this balance, with lasting harmful effects.
The volume of hydrocarbon and oil pollution entering North America's waters every year from recreational boating is estimated to be more than 15 times the amount of the Exxon Valdez spill (up to one billion litres per year). An estimated 30 percent of all fuel and oil used in two-stroke engines ends up in the water. We can reduce these threats to the ecosystems by careful attention to routine boat maintenance and use.
Marine-friendly boating tips: | ||||||||
| Buying a new engine? An estimated 30 percent of all fuel and oil used in two-stroke engines ends up in the water. Manufacturers around the world are responding to this concern by developing four-stroke marine engines, lean-burn two-stroke engines, and fuel injection systems which greatly reduce the amount of oil and fuel entering the water and air emissions. A four stroke is also quieter, smoother and easier to use. Since it runs cleaner, there is also less fouling of spark plugs, one of the things that makes engines hard to start. fill portable fuel tanks on shore; never fill them on board. Take them ashore or on a fuel dock where spills are less likely to occur. close the vent - on portable gas tanks when the engine is not in use or when the tank is stored. avoid pumping out the bilge - use absorbent "bilge pillows" which are designed to absorb petroleum products and repel water. Disposable cloths also work for this purpose. Check to see if your marina offers a bilge pump-out service. recycle fluids - ask your marina if they recycle fluids. Use a drain pan to capture used engine or outdrive oil. Do the same when changing the ethylene glycol (toxic) antifreeze in a closed fresh water cooling system. And don’t forget oil filters and batteries are recyclable, too. clean all mud and plant debris from the boat, trailer, propeller, live well, and anchors before leaving the boat launch to prevent the spread of exotic species that cause severe habitat alteration and degradation. avoid pumping out raw sewage - if your boat doesn't have an installed toilet, you should consider using a portable one, commonly referred to as a "port-a-potty". It should be emptied at a pump-out station or proper disposal site. Onboard holding tanks are useful, but they require pump-out facilities ashore. If possible, avoid disinfectants, which usually contain harsh chemicals. don't overfill fuel tanks - fuel expands as it warms, and excess fuel will escape through the vent line. Rough seas can also cause spillage from over-full tanks. When filling a built-in fuel tank, use your hand to check for air escaping from the vent. When the tank is nearly full, you'll feel a distinct increase in air flow. That is the signal to stop filling. Don't trust the automatic shutoff on the gas nozzle; the fuel filling nozzle should be attended at all times.
|
West Nile virus: reduce the risk
Personal prevention is the best defence against mosquito-borne West Nile virus. The most important measure you can take is to remove standing water sources. Change birdbaths, wading pools and pet's water bowl twice a week. Keep your eavestroughs clean and well-draining. Remove yard items that collect water. Add water pumps or fish to ornamental ponds.
Conserving energy used by air conditioners
Air conditioners use up to 43% of the power load in North America during the summer months. Here are a few tips to conserve energy used for air conditioning:
--If you have to wear a sweater in the office or you visit an establishment with its air conditioning running full blast but doors wide open, speak up! Tell the management to turn down the cool and properly close all windows and doors.
--Set your air conditioner's thermostat at 25 degrees or higher. Each half-degree setting below 26 degrees will increase your energy consumption by approximately 8%.
--If your air conditioner is more than ten years old, think about getting a new EnergyStar unit (properly sized to meet your home's needs of course). New units use up to 50% less energy than older ones. - With central air conditioning systems: clean and replace the filter regularly, keep leaves and debris off condensing unit, and brush webs or dust off the condensing coils.
- Consider 'passive' cooling methods that reduce the need for air conditioning.
How to remove ticks the easy way
Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20), the tick will come out on it's own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away. It's that easy.
Mosquitoes.
It is mosquito season again, so we thought that it would be a good time to drop a few suggestions your way to prevent these little pest from bugging you. Use Bounce Fabric Softener Sheets: Rub on your clothing and stick them in your pockets. Do not rub the sheets directly on your bare skin. Bob, a fisherman, takes one vitamin B-1 tablet a day April through October . He said it works. He was right. Hasn't had a mosquito bite in 33 years, so he says. Vitamin B-1( Thiamine Hydrochloride 100 mg.)
This is going to floor you, but one of the best insect repellents someone found (who is in the woods every day), is Vick's Vaporub. Use sparingly.
Plant marigolds around the yard, the flowers give off a smell that bugs do not like, so plant some in that garden also to help ward
off bugs without using insecticides
"Tough guy" Marines who spend a great deal of time "camping out" say that the very best mosquito repellant you can use is
Avon Skin-So-Soft bath oil mixed about half and half with alcohol. Rubbing alcohol is suppose to work.
One of the best natural insect repellant's that I've discovered is made from the clear real vanilla This is the pure Vanilla that is sold in
Mexico. It works great for mosquitoes and ticks, don't know about other insects. Need an excuse to go to Mexico?
If you eat bananas, the mosquitoes like you, - something about the banana oil as your body processes it.
Stop eating bananas for the summer and the mosquitoes will be much less interested.
Take a garlic pill once a day. Mosquitoes will not go near garlic. Am told that if you are on Warfarin for heart problems, do not take garlic pills. If all else fails, move to Victoria. Mrs. Zimmerman hasn't had a mosquito bite since she moved there.
REDUCE GARDEN PEST
1 tsp dish soap
1 tsp vegetable oil
one quart of water
Spray your plants at least three times a week when the bug infestation is the heaviest. Keeps your roses and other plants free from aphids and other sap sucking bugs.
Keeping weeds at bay
Use three or four layers of newspaper around your plants, wet the newspaper and cover lightly with soil or peat moss. Weeds will not poke through, yet newspaper will breath, letting oxygen soak into the ground. Quack grass will grow through black top, yet will not penetrate wet newspaper. Do not use glossy colored phamplets as they may contain metals that could eventually leech into the soil.
TROUBLESOME WEEDS OR FLOWERS
Many plants that were introduced to Manitoba are now troublesome weeds. Some of these weeds, if the conditions are right, can multiply without competition and may aggressively crowd out the native vegetation required by wildlife. If the new plants have no food or cover value, they can cut back on the wildlife production by eliminating habitat.
Purple loosestrife and leafy spurge top the list of troublesome weeds in this category. They were introduced to North America from Europe in the 1860s. Purple loosestrife spread quickly, reaching Manitoba by 1896, with leafy spurge following in 1913. Within the last 3 years purple loosestrife has infested all the majour waterways. Leafy spurge has taken over 47,000 hectares.
CLOTHES DRYER
To keep your clothes dryer working for a very long time and to reduce your electric bill, remove the filter from the dryer, and using an old toothbrush, gently scrub the filter with hot soapy water.
What most of us don't know is that the lint from fabric softener sheets, i.e. Bounce, causes a film to build up over the mesh filter and will eventually cause the heating unit to burn out.
Try this test: Remove the mesh filter from the dryer. Hold it under a tap, run water through it. If there is no build up the water will run through it. If there is the water will puddle on top of the filter.
Rhubarb insecticide
Boil 500 grams of rhubarb leaves in a few pints of water for about 20 minutes, allow to cool, then strain the liquid into a suitable container. Add some dish detergent or soap flakes (not laundry detergent!) and spray on leaves to kill off all kinds of bugs like aphids and spider mites.
* NOTE: Rhubarb leaves contain high amounts of oxalic acid. If ingested, your heart will stop and can prove fatal.
Garlic and soap insecticide
Pulverize in a blender a couple of whole cayenne peppers, a large onion and a whole bulb of garlic with a little water. Cover this mash with a gallon of water, let stand 24 hours and strain. Spray daily on roses, azaleas, and vegetables to kill an infestation of bugs. Don't throw away the mash; bury it among the plants where insects occur.
All-purpose weed killer
Boil a liter of water, add 2 tablespoons of salt and 5 tablespoons of vinegar. Pour directly on weeds on sidewalks, driveways, etc. while still hot." All of the following solutions are easy and should relieve anxiety about possible side effects of the commercial cleaners and more toxic cleaning solutions on your family's health and on the environment, besides money saving. If you ever had an aerosol can blow up in your kitchen and wound up in a burn unit, you too might start looking for alternatives.
Skunk Odours
If your pet is sprayed by a skunk, simply bring it into the kitchen. Take down your smoke detector, because you're going to make smoke. Take an old tin can (wash it clean). Put it on the stove with a couple of teaspoons of sugar in it (not too much - you don't want the sugar to boil over the can). Heat it until the sugar burns and leave it to burn until the smoke fills the room. The smoke should take away the skunk smell (also useful for clothes that have been sprayed).
JUG WATERER
Here's an efficient watering device for any garden plant. Take a plastic gallon jug and remove the cap, cut out the bottom, turn it upside down, and force the neck of the jug into the ground close to the plant. When the plant needs water, just use your garden hose to fill the jug. You may put fertilizer, including compost, into the jug, and the water will carry the fertilizer into the ground, right where the plant can make best use of it.
Fruit Flies
To keep fruit flies out of your house, here are a few tips.
* set out a container filled with one quarter cup vinegar and one drop of liquid soap. Place it in an area away from any open fruit.
* If you do set fruit out openly, place basil in fruit bowls to deter the little bugs. You can also plant pots of basil outside in your flower beds.
* Fill a small bowl with wine or apple cider vinegar. Flies are attracted to this and will drown.
* Do not overwater your house plants. Wet soil is the ideal breeding grounds for these flies.
* To get rid of flies, spider mites and other plant insects, combine a ratio of 10 drops of Lemongrass Essential Oil to 2 ounces of water. Pour into a spray bottle and apply to plants, counters, window boxes.
Make sure you spray both sides of the plant leaves.
Deer repellant:
Open net bags, that onions and oranges come in, full of old dry onion skins will ward off deer from your
garden. Just leave them on the ground or hang them above your garden.
Non-Toxic Home Cleaning
Today's modern home is loaded with toxic and polluting substances designed to make domestic life easier. The cost of these commercial, chemical-based products can be high -- long term health concerns for the family, and environmental pollution caused by their manufacture and disposal. In North America, for example, 1 in 3 people suffer from allergies, asthma, sinusitis or bronchitis (US National Center for Health Statistics). Treatment for these conditions should include reducing synthetic chemicals in the home environment.
For most home-cleaning chores, you can make your own cleaning products using the formulas listed below. A growing number of commercial non-toxic home cleaning products are also available, as healthier and environmentally responsible alternatives.
Homemade Substitutions:
There are many inexpensive, easy-to-use natural alternatives which can safely be used in place of commercial household products. Here is a list of nine ordinary, environmentally safe products which can be used alone or in combination for a wealth of household applications.
* Baking Soda - cleans, deodorizes, softens water, scours.
* Soap - unscented soap in liquid form, flakes, powders or bars is biodegradable and will clean just about anything. Avoid using soaps which contain petroleum distillates.
* Borax - cleans, deodorizes, disinfects, softens water, cleans wallpaper, painted walls and floors.
* White Vinegar - cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax build-up.
* Washing Soda - or SAL Soda is sodium carbonate decahydrate, a mineral. Washing soda cuts grease, removes stains, softens water, cleans wall, tiles, sinks and tubs. Use care, as washing soda can irritate mucous membranes. Do not use on aluminum.
* Isopropyl Alcohol - is an excellent disinfectant. (It has been suggested to replace this with ethanol or 100 proof alcohol in solution with water. There is some indication that isopropyl alcohol buildup contributes to illness in the body. See
Mothballs:
The common mothball is made of paradichlorobenzene, which is harmful to liver and kidneys. Cedar chips in a cheesecloth square, or cedar oil in an absorbant cloth will repel moths. The cedar should be 'aromatic cedar', also referred to as juniper in some areas. Cedar chips are available at many craft supply stores, or make your own using a plane and a block of cedar from the lumberyard.
Homemade moth-repelling sachets can also be made with lavender, rosemary, vetiver and rose petals.
Dried lemon peels are also a natural moth deterrent - simply toss into clothes chest, or tie in cheesecloth and hang in the closet.
Oven Cleaner:
Moisten oven surfaces with sponge and water. Sprinkle several layers of baking soda and let sit set for an hour. Rub gently with fine steel wool for tough spots. Or use Arm & Hammer Oven Cleaner, declared nontoxic by Consumers Union.
Paint Brush Cleaner:
Non-toxic, citrus oil based solvents are now available commercially under several brand names. Citra-Solve is one brand. This works well for cleaning brushes of oil-based paints. Paint brushes and rollers used for an on-going project can be saved overnight, or even up to a week, without cleaning at all. Simply wrap the brush or roller snugly in a plastic bag, such as a used bread or produce bag. Squeeze out air pockets and store away from light. The paint won't dry because air can't get to it. Simply unwrap the brush or roller the next day and continue with the job.
Fresh paint odors can be reduced by placing a small dish of white vinegar in the room.
Permanent Ink Markers:
These markers contain harmful solvents such as toluene, xylene and ethanol. Use water-based markers as a safe substitute.
Scouring Powder:
For top of stove, refrigerator and other such surfaces that should not be scratched, use baking soda. Apply baking soda directly with a damp sponge.
Shoe Polish:
Olive oil with a few drops of lemon juice can be applied to shoes with a thick cotton or terry rag. Leave for a few minutes; wipe and buff with a clean, dry rag.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner:
Mix 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar, pour into basin and let it set for a few minutes. Scrub with brush and rinse. A mixture of borax (2 parts) and lemon juice (one part) will also work. For tough jobs, you can use straight bleach (do not mix with any other substance except water).
Tub and Tile Cleaner:
For simple cleaning, rub in baking soda with a damp sponge and rinse with fresh water. For tougher jobs, wipe surfaces with vinegar first and follow with baking soda as a scouring powder.
Water Rings on Wood:
Water rings on a wooden table or counter are the result of moisture that is trapped under the finish. Try applying toothpaste or mayonnaise to a damp cloth and rub into the ring. Once the ring is removed, buff the entire wood surface.
Window Cleaner:
Mix 2 teaspoons of white vinegar with 1 liter (qt) warm water. Use crumpled newspaper or cotton cloth to clean. Don't clean windows if the sun is on them, or if they are warm, or streaks will show on drying. The All-Purpose Cleaner (above) also works well on windows.
Rubber Erasers:
Rubber erasers can be used to rub light rust away, remove spots and smudges on paint and wallpaper, take black heel marks of floors.
Erasers can clean small electrical contacts such as on the handsets of cordless phones. This list can go on, however, will leave the rest to your imagination.
DID YOU KNOW?
. The amount of landfill space that is taken up by one tonne of newsprint is 3 cubic meters.
. One metric tonne of recycled newspaper saves about 17 trees
. The average person generates 8 pounds of newspaper in a month.
. Each year, Manitobans throw out about 2,700 tonnes of PET (#1) plastic. About 1,100tonnes of PET is recycled. That’s about 40%. Surely we can do better.
. It takes only 5 - 2 litre pop bottles to make enough polyester for an extra large T-shirt.
. Plastic can take up to 400 years to break down in a landfill.
. It takes one million years for a glass bottle to break down in a landfill
. Each year, Manitobans throw out about 1,900 tonnes of aluminum cans. Only about 33% is recycled.
. Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run your television for 3 hours.
. Recycling just one aluminum can uses only 5% of the energy it would take to mae the same can from raw material.
. Aluminum takes about 500 years to break down.
. When scrap iron is used instead of iron ore to make steel, water consumption is reduced
by about 50%.
. Every pound of steel recycled saves enough energy to light a 60 watt bulb for more than a day
. Last year, 226,000 metric tonnes of household waste was recycled in Manitoba
. Driving above the 100 km/hr mark can increase your fuel consumption by 1% for every km/hr.
. Just 10 seconds of idling consumes more fuel than restarting the engine.
. Tire drag due to under inflation increases fuel consumption by 4 to 8%.
. Only 2.7% of the earth’s water is freshwater. 2.2% is locked up in glaciers and polar ice caps, leaving about 0.5% distributed as groundwater, soil moisture, atmospheric water vapour, lakes and rivers.
. Manitoba has 900 trillion litres of surface water which covers approximately 16% of the province.
. At 115 metres, West Hawk Lake is the deepest lake in Manitoba.
. Approximately 24% of the world’s wetlands are found in Canada.
. The Boating Restriction Regulations require a 30 meter band along shorelines where power boats are limited to a maximum speed of 10 km per hour.
. In Manitoba, it is illegal to litter. What did you do with your gum wrapper?
. For every degree you lower the heating level in your home, you’ll save two percent on your heating bill.
. New flat screen LCD monitors uses 70% less energy than curved monitors and contain 95% less lead.
Environmental Quick Quiz
Test your knowledge with these questions below!
1. True or False: each Canadian household throws away 1/2 kg of packaging per day.
2. The average Canadian household throws away this much garbage in one year.
(A) 350 lbs (B) 1000 lbs (C) 2000 lbs
3. A tap dripping once per second wastes about this much water per year
(A) 500 litres (B) 10,000 litres (C) 15,000 litres
1. true
2. 2000 lbs
3 . 10,000 litres
Unbelievable, isn't it!
Use the Lake - Protect the Lake
Everyone who is on or near our lakes should be concerned about protecting our waterways. Much has been covered in past issues about cottage owners from the perspective of changes to shorelines, reducing use of fertilizers and proper handling of waste water from the cottage, etc. It shouldn’t stop with just the cottage facilities. Another important responsibility is for those who use the lake whether from the shoreline, dock or boats. This can include swimmers, fishermen, campers and of course, boaters and many others.
Boats can range from a canoe and small run about and up to larger ones where people can live aboard like sailboats, houseboats, cruising powerboat and even work boats and barges. Anyone who is near the water should understand how their actions and choices of products can impact the water.
Phosphates One fact is known - phosphorus or phosphates, commonly found in cleaners and detergents, cause problems in our water. Phosphate loaded water can cause excessive algae growth. As the algae decomposes, they rob the water of oxygen, causing damage to fish and wildlife. Many of the common soaps and detergents we use at home have a high level of phosphates that should not be used directly in the lake.
A proper sewage system will treat the waste water to reduce the effects. When you use cleaners around the water to wash your boat, your dishes or bath yourself and shampoo your hair; you need to look for ways to eliminate or reduce the impact on our water. Remember on your live-aboard boats, most boats drain sinks and showers (Called grey water) directly into the lake so care should be taken in the choice and use of soaps. Of course waste from toilets (black water) must go into a holding tank and be pumped out at a pump-out station.
Choose Environmentally friendly products. Environmentally friendly soaps and cleaners are widely available from many locations. When purchasing cleaners for use at the lake look for products that indicate they are phosphate free and are biodegradable. New products are constantly being introduced to the market. If your are unsure ask questions about the product. Canada has developed the Environmental Choice Program. The EcoLogo symbol (three doves in a maple leaf) on a label means that product or service is made or designed to significantly reduce the harmful effects to the environment.
Use Elbow Grease Instead Keeping our boats, dock furniture or other items close to the water clean is important to many of us. We can often just use a deck brush and water alone to clean. In some cases where the dirt is more difficult to clean a high pressure washer may remove the dirt. Again, use water alone if at all possible. If you must use a detergent choose one that is environmentally friendly to the lake.
Do Not Spill or Toss Oil & Grease. Take care when filling your boat or anything with fuel. Have several cloths ready to catch any spills. Watch the fill pipe and vent. Don’t distract the person doing the filling so they can watch for over filling. Take portable tanks ashore and away from water.
Don’t forget when we pump our bilges that there may be gas, oil and other dirt there. It is important that we inspect the bilge on a continual basis and try to keep it as dry and clean as possible. Oil in the bilge can be absorbed with paper towels, rags or (bilge buddies) absorbent blocks designed for the purpose.
After changing our engine oil be sure to clean the bilge and dispose of the rags etc. in a environmentally way. Many automobile repair stations may recycle the oil or will dispose of the old oil for you.
Winterize Safely
When winterizing you boat also remember to use environmentally friendly antifreeze in the cooling system of your engine. A low toxic propylene glycol antifreeze specifically designed for the marine industry is widely available from many sources such sports and boating stores or your local marina. You should avoid the use of ethylene glycol antifreeze which will have a very toxic level and may be very harmful to the lakes and waterways.
So anytime you are on or near the water, think about the chemicals you may be introducing to our water and the effect it can have in the future.
Optional Cleaning Products
There are many do it yourself formulas that may be very effective as cleaners for the lake, many of which are environmentally safe and are readily available in many cottages or live aboard boats.
To bleach: Borax or hydrogen peroxide
To polish wood: Three parts olive oil with one part vinegar
To polish chrome or metal: Apple cider to clean, baby oil to polish
To scour: Baking soda
To clean:
Fibreglass stains - a paste of baking soda and salt
Aluminum - Two tablespoons cream of tartar, in one quart of hot water
Brass - Worcestershire sauce, or paste made of equal parts vinegar, salt and water. Rinse
Chrome - Apple cider vinegar to clean, baby oil to polish
Copper- Lemon juice and salt. Spread , wait and rinse
Decks or floors - Cup of vinegar in one gallon of hot water. Scrub, swab, mop. This process will remove any polish
Lexan - Cup of vinegar in a pint of water use soft cloth to wipe. Polish dry
Mildew or mold - Paste using equal parts of either lemon juice and salt , or vinegar and salt.
Shower - Wet area, sprinkle on baking soda, rub with scouring cloth
Refrigerator or cooler - Wipe with wet cloth dipped in baking soda
Toilet - Add baking soda, and brush. A cup of vinegar left overnight in the head will reduce the build up of salts.
Windows - One cup of vinegar in one quart of warm water. Wash, rinse and squeegee dry
To repel rodents from your compost bin: Before adding layers of kitchen waste to your compost bin, sprinkle all the waste (foods) with black pepper. The pungent aroma and taste of the pepper helps repel rodents from your compost pile.
To kill aphids and other bugs on plants: Spray on soapy wash water.
The Safe Instant Kill Insecticide:
The most effective insecticide that kills flying and crawling insects on contact but does no harm to mammals or birds is the dried and crushed flowers of the Pyrethrum Plant. This brown powder will kill or stun the insects the moment it touches them but does no harm to pets when sprinkled on their coats. This member of the daisy family is a beautiful ornamental and will compliment any garden or flowerbed. While very effective, the dried powder only lasts for a few days. You can prolong its use throughout the year by freezing fresh flower heads in zip-lock bags and drying and crushing them as needed.
THE GREAT MOSQUITO REPELLENT
Mosquitoes are very sensitive to certain scents, Chamomile and Citriodora especially. Both are easy to grow and both are used in dry flower arrangements. Citriodora is also used in potpourri. To make The Great Mosquito Repellent, take 1 ounce of green leaves from both plants and boil in a gallon of water. Strain and place in the refrigerator. Before going outside, splash the mixture liberally over your face and exposed parts of your body. You will enjoy the fresh, citrus smell, but the mosquitoes will stay far away.
NATURAL PESTICIDE FOR PLANTS
Tobacco Dust. This dust is ideal for making a great natural pesticide. Mix 1/8 ounce of tobacco dust with 1 tablespoon of black pepper and 1 teaspoon of liquid dish washing detergent. Simply apply as you would a chemical pesticide. This dust is also very effective sprinkled around the base of plants.
Pets: DEWORMING CONCOCTION
This is an old time remedy for deworming dogs and cats. Use full amount on dogs and 1/4 amount on cats:
Mix 1 teaspoon of dried, powdered Rosemary and 1 teaspoon of Wormwood with 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground garlic. Mix well and divide into 4 portions. Give pet a portion mixed in with food or treat pet 4 times a day. Repeat this for 3 days and pet should be completely dewormed.
STAIN REMOVAL
Diesel fuel and oil stains on clothing:
Use Avon cream bubble bath on old grease-stainded and grass-stainded clothing. Rub it in on the stain and wash as normal. Stain and odor disappears like magic. Avon bubble bath is the only bubble bath that seems to work.
Spraying the spot with WD-40, letting it soak for 10 minutes and then working in undiluted liquid dishwashing detergent before machine washing also works.
Try pouring in a can of original Coca-Cola into the washer with your detergent and laundering as usual. Oil stains are washed away.
Washing floors and walls:
Use Avon bubble bath. Put a capful in a four litre pail and wash mirrors, walls, floors with it. You can also put straight bubble bath on a stain on the carpet or your clothes. Rub well, and rinse the carpet with water once the stain is out.
Remove fresh or old wine stains from table cloths.
Mix together Dawn dishwashing liquid soap with hydrogen peroxide. Apply to the stain generously and let pre-soak in your laundry hamper until the next laundry day. The stain will be gone before you launder. This even works on white blouses with grease stains.
Remove Grape Juice Stains:
Spray the stain with hair spray. Wash as usual. If the stain has not disappeared after the first wash, repeat, spray and wash. Works on bloodstains, grass, and other hard to remove stains. The cheap hair spray works as good as the more expensive types.
Vinegar
Vinegar the Miracle Cleaner
Vinegar, because of its mild acetic nature, is useful for many cleaning tasks. It is inexpensive and safe. Use white vinegar, not expensive culinary vinegars.
Carpets: Brushing a carpet with a mixture of 1 cup vinegar to 1 gallon of water will brighten the color.
Stains: While the stain is still fresh, apply a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. Sponge from the center out and blot with a dry cloth. Repeat if necessary.
Fruit stains on hands: Rub hands with vinegar.
Deodorant Stains: Lightly rub stains with vinegar then launder as usual.
Crayon Stains: Moisten a toothbrush with vinegar and rub out the crayon.
Rust from Fabric: Moisten fabric with vinegar then rub in salt. Place in the sun to dry then launder.
Ink Stains: Moisten with vinegar.
Wine and Ketchup Stains from washable cotton polyesters and blends: Sponge with vinegar and let sit 24 hours before washing.
Non-oily Stains such as wine, fruit juice, alcoholic drinks, coffee, tea, soft drinks: for washable clothing, either dab the area with a clean soft cloth dampened in vinegar or soak the garment in mixture of 3 parts vinegar to one part cool water. For upholstery and carpeting, mix 2 tsp. vinegar with 2 tsp. detergent in 2 cups lukewarm water. Apply with a brush. Rinse and blot dry.
Gum: Vinegar will remove chewing gum from a carpet, fabric, and upholstery.
Furniture: Use 3 TBS vinegar to 1 quart water as a polish. Wipe with a soft cloth moistened with the solution. Polish with a soft, dry cloth.
: |