Saving Natural Gas in The Home

http://www.waterloo.il.us/BulletinBoard/HowToSaveNaturalGas.pdf
Heating Your Home
Keep your thermostat low. Each extra degree adds about 4% to 5% to your heating bill. When you leave for the day or over the weekend, lower the setting about 5°. For longer absences, lower the thermostat to 55° (but don’t set it lower because your pipes may freeze).
(if you have a boiler type heating unit, it wastes money and gas to lower the temperature for less than 6-8 hours)
Don’t place furniture in front of heating registers.
Open draperies on sunny days to allow sunlight to help heat your home. Close them at night to help keep out the cold.

Hot Water Heater
A water heater setting of "Normal" or "Low" is usually sufficient. (I do not advocate lowering the temperature below 140 degrees. Food industry preaches that bad things live between the temps of 40 and 140 (F). With the new illnesses such as Valley Fever and Non TB bacterium showing up in shower heads, stay safe, 140)
Wash full loads in dishwashers and washing machines.
Repair leaky faucets; constant dripping adds up to gallons of wasted hot water.

Gas Dryer
Dry a full load each time but avoid overloading.
Clean your lint trap before each load to improve dryer efficiency. (Wash the lint trap! I found it really does make a difference) (use those dryer balls you've seen in the catalogs - they cut our drying time down by at least 15% - yes, I tested it!)

From Alliance To Save Energy
http://www.ase.org/content/article/detail/936
Reducing Winter Heating Bills

Consumers can make their heating systems operate better and longer by having an annual professional “tune up” and by cleaning or replacing filters once a month.
Weather stripping and caulking are great ways to cut heating costs by plugging up energy “leaks.”
Properly insulated attics, walls, floors, basements, and ceilings can prevent loss of up to 20 or 30 percent of your home’s energy. Appropriate insulation will not only reduce your heating bills, but also lower your summer cooling bills. (See North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) consumer web site www.simplyinsulate.com ).
Use foam gaskets to seal leaks around light switches and electrical outlets on exterior walls.
In colder climates with a significant heating season, energy-efficient windows retain more heat, permit less air leakage, and provide warmer window surfaces for improved indoor comfort. Ask your supplier for ENERGY STAR certified windows with double panes and low-emissive coatings so you can star gaze in comfort this winter. For specifics to meet your climate and needs, visit www.efficientwindows.org.
Allow the sun to help heat your home by keeping blinds of sun-exposed windows open in the daytime; close them at night for maximum heat retention.
Consider planting evergreen trees on the north side of your home to block winter winds.
If your home is powered by natural gas, make sure that you have a high-efficiency gas furnace, water heater, and cooking equipment.
Replace continuously burning pilot lights with electronic ignitions to save gas in fireplaces, ovens, ranges, and outdoor lighting systems.
(we replaced our 50+ y.o. gas stove that still worked perfectly with a new one - saved 10% just by getting rid of those 3 pilot lights.)
Additional Resources:

View a consumer natural gas video with even more energy- and money-saving tips from Washington Gas, in collaboration with the Alliance to Save Energy.
Free Alliance to Save Energy resources. Obtain a free booklet, Power$mart: The Power Is in Your Hands, and visit the Consumer Web site.
Free Department of Energy resources. Obtain a free booklet, Energy Savers: Tips on Saving Energy and Money at Home, in English or Spanish by calling 1-877-337-3463 or online and view an animated version at www.energysavers.gov.
Free Environmental Protection Agency resources. Obtain a free copy of Guide to Energy-Efficient Cooling and Heating which is available at www.energystar.gov from the heating and cooling product pages or by calling 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937). Download the ENERGY STAR Action Guide 5 Steps You Can Take to Reduce Air Pollution. .
Free booklet for New Yorkers: It's Right. . . and Right at Home, a brochure with energy-saving tips. Contact 877.NY-SMART (877.697.6278) or residential@nyserda.org. For more tips, visit www.GetEnergySmart.org, the consumer web site of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).

Business' Save on Natural Gas Costs

Prices have more than doubled in the last 5 years and are expected to double again with increased demand. We also saw what happens during a major hurricane, with prices going to unprecedented levels during Katrina and well into January.

http://focusonenergy.com/data/common/dmsFiles/B_BP_TRNG_BUS_10718631.pdf


You can reduce natural gas use at your facility. This Focus on Energy action list will
help you get started. If you do not have the expertise in-house, work with Focus on Energy
and local experts such as contractors and product and service providers to complete energy saving projects.
This fact sheet identifies no-cost, low-cost and moderate cost options to increase your
businesses’ energy efficiency. Each step you take will help you manage rising natural gas
costs now and in years to come.

SIX ACTIONS THAT WILL REDUCE NATURAL GAS USE
1. Install setback thermostats or check settings of existing units
2. Ensure energy management systems are working properly
3. Install boiler system controls
4. Maintain steam systems
5. Optimize hot water systems
6. Install heat recovery units


1. INSTALL SETBACK THERMOSTATS OR CHECK SETTINGS ON EXISTING UNITS (NO / LOW COST ACTIONS)
If you have not installed setback thermostats in your small to medium sized facility, you are
wasting energy and money. Install these inexpensive units now. They ensure that you are
not over-heating buildings during non-operating hours. If setback thermostats are installed,
double check their settings and reset them if necessary to match seasonal operating hours
and temperature requirements. You can reduce natural gas use by one percent for every one
degree Fahrenheit you set back the thermostat.
2. ENSURE THE ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IS WORKING PROPERLY (NO / LOW COST ACTIONS)
If your medium to large facility has an energy management system (EMS), make sure it is set
correctly and operating properly. EMS often are set incorrectly, which wastes energy and money.
If a qualified staff member cannot adjust your system, hire an expert to do it for you. The
savings will be substantial: you can reduce natural gas use by up to 20 percent by using an
EMS correctly.
3. INSTALL BOILER SYSTEM CONTROLS (LOW / MODERATE COST ACTION)
If your building or process uses a boiler, install system controls. These controls, such as
outdoor temperature resets, manage the boiler's operating temperature. They trim
natural gas use during fall, spring and some winter warm spells. The benefits of installing
boiler controls are substantial: you will reduce the boiler's natural gas use by 15 percent to 20
percent for noncondensing boilers and up to 40 percent for condensing boilers.
4. MAINTAIN STEAM SYSTEMS (LOW /MODERATE / HIGH COST ACTIONS)
Many school, commercial, industrial and government buildings operate steam systems and will save energy by taking the following actions. For example, a typical industrial facility can reduce steam system related natural gas use by 20 percent.
1. Reduce steam system leaks. Repair leaks in steam piping, condensate return lines and
fittings. Wasted steam equals wasted energy.
2. Insulate piping and valves. Examine piping and valves and insulate them. If existing
insulation is damaged, replace it immediately. Uninsulated pipes lose heat and cause the boiler to use more natural gas than necessary.
3. Test steam traps, replace defective traps, and maintain existing ones. Malfunctioning
steam traps waste steam and result in higher boiler fuel consumption. You can reduce your
boiler's natural gas use from five percent to ten percent. Simple payback is often one year or less.
4. Tune-up boilers every three to six months. Do not ignore basic maintenance; keep steam systems operating at peak efficiency and you will manage energy costs more effectively. Routine maintenance can reduce facility energy use by two percent.
5. Implement additional, longer term boiler modifications. Several actions will further increase boiler efficiency. These equipment modifications include: 1) adjusting boiler operations by adding stack economizers; 2) maximizing condensate return; 3) automating blowdown and recovering heat from the blowdown stream; 4) recovering flash steam heat; and 5) installing automatic burner controls. These actions will pay for themselves in one to three years.
5. OPTIMIZE HOT WATER SYSTEMS (NO / LOW / MODERATE COST ACTIONS)
You can take several actions to reduce both natural gas and water use.
1. Minimize use. Many businesses can find ways to reduce hot water use. Install low flow, high efficiency pre-rinse sprayers at dishwashing stations in food service operations, replace
full flow showerheads in lodging facilities and locker rooms with low flow units and upgrade laundry systems.
2. Adjust hot water temperatures. Unless high temperature levels are required by code, set water heater temperatures to 120°F. Each 10 degree Fahrenheit reduction in water temperature will generally save three to five percent on water heating costs.
3. Insulate hot water pipes. Add inexpensive insulation to all hot water piping and reduce heat loss.
4. Install more efficient hot water systems. If you are considering a change, make sure you install energy (and water) efficient units.
6. INSTALL HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEMS (MODERATE TO HIGH COST ACTIONS)
Many businesses and farm operations should consider installing heat recovery systems to capture waste heat from refrigeration equipment, boilers, driers, furnaces and other
manufacturing processes. This waste heat can then be used to meet other heating or hot water needs and displace the need for natural gas. If you already have a heat recovery system, make sure it is working properly.

LEARN MORE
Focus on Energy can help you with these steps to take control of your business's natural gas usage. We offer fact sheets, case studies and technical data sheets on many of the energy saving actions and technologies discussed in this action list. We sponsor a variety of training courses and seminars statewide that are open to all business customers. We can answer your energy efficiency questions, provide assistance, make recommendations and connect you with
local contractors who can help. Additionally, we offer financial incentives for many projects on a first come, first served basis. Call 800-762-7077 or visit focusonenergy.com.

And another:
http://www.eere.energy.gov/industry/bestpractices/energymatters/articles.cfm/article_id=47 10 Tips for Saving Natural Gas From the Summer 2003 issue of Energy Matters

Inspect and recalibrate thermocouples in furnaces to obtain more accurate zone temperature measurements and help increase furnace efficiency.

Install removable insulation on uninsulated valves, pipes, and fittings to reduce losses in the process heat distribution system. (Potential energy savings of 2-5%.)

Inspect steam distribution systems for leaks and repair where necessary.(Potential savings of up to 5%.)

Regularly clean strainers upstream of steam traps to prevent particle accumulation. (Potential boiler efficiency gains of 10-15%.)

Measure and manage ventilation in the plant.

Reexamine your gas contract. Consider renegotiating terms to gain lower rates from utilities.

Minimize surplus combustion air by tuning damper settings on boiler draft fans, installing over-fire draft control systems, sealing doors, and so on. (Potential gain in furnace efficiency of 1% when air and oxygen content are reduced by 15% and 1.5%, respectively.)

Lower the water temperature in boilers. (Potential boiler efficiency gains of 1% when the stack gas temperature is decreased by 40°F.)

Prevent scale accumulation by ensuring water treatment systems are operating effectively. (Potential gains in boiler efficiency of 10-12%.)

Rework schedule of processing operations to reduce delays and reheat requirements.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy, Industrial Technologies Program, "10 Tips for Saving Natural Gas."

Why You Insulate

A picture before anything was done.
Spring day, sunny, but the air and soil aren't over 75. Inside temperature with the doors open - 115 at 6' high.

















During insulation process. Walls got about R20, with reflective barrior as well. Ceiling is at about R30, with reflective barrier. Soffit vents, peak vents (pre-existing).





















And after - much darker stain. Windows to let sunlight in for a greenhouse effect. Temperature today, 90, sunny. Open door. Temperature in 94 at 6' high.




To repeat - before, 75 and sunny with doors open - 115 at 6' high. After, 90 and sunny, doors open - 94 at 6' high.

This is why you insulate.


Insulation also prevents the depletion of our natural resources. Today's fiber glass insulation contains more than 25% recycled glass and uses renewable resources such as sand. In fact, according to the Glass Packaging Institute, Fiber glass insulation is the largest secondary market for recycled glass containers.

http://www.naima.org/icf/
http://www.naima.org/pages/benefits/environ/environ.html
http://www.naima.org/pages/benefits/environ/recycled.html - why isn't slag used more?

Reflective insulation in fl construction
http://fifoil.com/pdf/Insulation_Study_%2001.07.pdf - more about reflective barriers

Desertification Theory

Work with me here.... (don't EVER let me do math when I'm tired)

The average human weighs 72.5 kg (old stat, but we'll use it anyway).
70% of the human body is water. That makes each human 50.75 kg of potable water.
1 kg = 1 l so that's 50.75 liters of water.
In 1900, only 1.65 billion people roamed the Earth. That's only 8.1 x 10 to the 11 liters of water.

There are currently 6.6 billion people (rounded down) 6.6 x 10 to the 9
That's 330,000,000,000,000 (or 3.3 x 10 to the 11) liters of potable water.

There are roughly 192,000 people added to the Earth every day. (I rounded down).
That makes the amount of potable water taken up by NEW human bodies 9.7 million liters daily. (9.7 x 10 to the 6)

Add the average daily (world, not US) use of water at 83 liters per person per day and you get another 5.5 x 10 to the 11 that the Earth does not have access to on any given day to create weather.

I'm not even going into the estimated liters trapped in trash heaps, landfills, etc., or in "modern" burial of bodies.


The Great Lakes in the US hold 6 quadrillion (6 x 10 to the 18) gallons (or 2.27 x 10 to the 19 liters) of fresh water; one-fifth of the world's fresh surface water (only the polar ice caps and Lake Baikal in Siberia contain more).

Now - when you look at these HUGE numbers, the amount in human bodies doesn't seem like that much.

But when you look at it in terms of an incredibly delicate balance that IS the Earth, the numbers add up. You can't take this much water out of circulation and expect the Earth to continue raining like before.

Looking at the future - 2050 say - predictions of between 9 and 9.4 billion are being bantered about. So, 9.2 x 10 to the 9 people using, both in their little jars of bodies or in their use, 1.2 x 10 to the 12 liters of water.

Am I advocating that every adult human become sterile for, say, a 10 year period? Not really.

What I am saying is that it shows humans, even without global warming, even without burning rain forests, even without poor crop management, are creating a very direct impact on desertification. Even if we did everything perfectly, irrigation, stop burning rain forests, proper crop management (retaining topsoil), we would still see deserts increase, droughts increase and huge swings in the rain cycle pendulum.

What can we do? I don't know. Strive for perfection in irrigation, crop management, rain forest restoration. That will at least slow the process.

If my math is off, PLEASE correct me. I did this on paper and am rusty with my exponents.

I've gone over it again and fixed the numbers. I'm sure I'll keep looking it over....

At Least 10 Uses for Pill Bottles

For a very short time, pharmacies would reuse your old bottle. But no more. I'm not quite sure why, but such is our disposable society. Here are ideas of how to use those bottles before hitting the recycle bin...

From SeedsofKnowledge.com
I don't put candy or snacks in the pill bottles. Cut pieces of masking tape to place around the bottle or lengthwise and write the contents on this.

Store thumb tacks, paperclips, toothpicks, small nails and picture hangers-basically anything loose that never seems to have a place.

Store spices and dried herbs (remember to keep them away from heat sources like the heater or oven).

Use bottles for mayonnaise, ketchup or mustard for lunches or picnics. Always label the bottles with stickers or self-stick labels.

Great storage for nails, screws, nuts and bolts. The larger pill bottles will fit even larger items. This is a fun surprise for Dad on Father's Day. Have the kids decorate the bottles and sort through all the odds and ends around the garage and house!

Fishing organization: they work great for hooks, lures, bobbers---any of the small loose items.

Craft supplies: sequins, wiggle eyes, needles, tiny ribbon roses, straight pins, safety pins, and beads.

Use them for mixing paint when you need custom colors, and keep it on hand til your sure the project is completed.

Kits: The larger pill bottles work great for little first aid kits or sewing kits.

Camping organization: matches, salt, pepper or another spices you'll need for grilling. Use them for shampoo, conditioner, dish soap etc. (This is the first place mine are going!)

Gardening uses: seed storage, fertilizer stakes, plant markers (the long bottles will hold larger markers)

Shakers (rattle): Fill the bottles with beans or other noisy items. Wrap paper around the bottle and tape well. Let the kid's decorate the bottle (you can even do this before you glue the paper to the bottle). The tops can be painted or you can attach a fun sticker. These were favorites of my kids, and because they were childproof, I didn't have to worry about them taking the shaker apart!

One of our subscribers Mara, also suggests donating them to your pet's vet. "Our vet said this helps him keep costs down as he has to purchase them.", said Mara.

From ThriftyFun.com

Post By Bonnie (Guest Post) (08/13/2007)
I use them for storing q-tips in them, because normally the q-tip box opens then they go all over the floor. this way I just take one out and the others stay in.

Post by matjat (19) (08/13/2007)
Get Well Bottle
Instructions were to take as needed and unlimited re-fills. Then I stuck the label on the bottle and filled it with M&Ms. I did a similiar one for a friend who was having surgery. She is diabetic so instead of M&Ms I filled her pill bottle with sugar free jelly beans

Post by gurth (105) (08/12/2007)
You could use them to keep coins in for parking. I have a Roberson's Spice bottle with R2 coins in the cubby of my car. This means that I always have small change available for parking/newspapers/car guards/whatever.

At least 10 uses for Dryer Lint

I know. We shouldn't be using dryers. However, my mom considers it her one gift from God and she's using it. She's lived through the post-depression era, the WWII scrounging for any bit of metal era and being the first house in her town to have electricity. So, considering how much she conserves in other areas of life, I'll give it to her with no argument.

But what to do with the lint?

My main use is for the birds during nesting season.

I also used it in paper when I went through that phase - gives great character and texture to the paper.

And from here on, I leave it to others' creativity to guide...

Good article on misc uses

From ThriftyFun.com

Hang Dry Instead
Dryer lint is an expensive commodity. It represents the life being worn from your clothes by the action and heat of the dryer. I know that's why I won't dry anything of mine any more. I get it out and hang it up to dry or put it on the line.
By Joe

Stuffing Toys
A great tip I found by accident using dryer lint is stuffing for small dolls and teddybears. I was making my girls small bears and ran out of stuffing. I needed to finish them and it was too late to go to the store so I was searching my laundry room for some extra and came across my bag of "lint". I quickly grabbed it and stuffed away. The bears smell great and are soft and washable.
By Melissa

Nesting Material for Birds
To "help" the birds build a nice warm nest this spring to hatch their babies, toss some lint from your dryer lint screen onto the branches of your trees. They'll sing their gratitude as they use it for nesting material!
By LS from Michigan

Worms Or Compost
Dryer lint can make great food for worms! Toss it into your local friendly worm farm or into a compost heap and it'll be turned into lovely healthy soil for your garden! You can also use it to stuff home-made cushions, or stuffed toys, if your worm farm isn't in existence yet!
By Ricky

Insulation
Since we live in a very old, drafty farmhouse, I noticed there are little nooks and crannies that let cold air in the house. I have been using the lint from the dryer as a "draft dodger". I make sure it is not near anything electrical. It has worked great!
By Michelle

Make Paper
This may sound a little corny but you can use it to make paper. There is a way to do it involving hot water, glue, a screen and a heavy pressing object. It's been awhile since I've done it. Check your local library for a few books on it to get it right. We did something with dandelions in elementary school to do it but I did it at home with dryer lint until my mom got tired of all the places my "paper" was drying dripping on her floor.
By Katzprizim

Dryer Lint Clay
Ingredients
Here's recipes for making clay out of dryer lint.
1 1/2 cups lint from the dryer
1 cup water
1/2 cup flour
2 drops wintergreen mint flavoring
Old newspaper
Paint
Directions
Place the lint in a saucepan and cover it with the water. When the lint is saturated, add the flour and stir until it is smooth. Add the drops of wintergreen oil flavoring. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until it forms peaks and holds together. Pour it onto newspaper to cool. Shape and model figures, or cover a form with it, such as a balloon. Allow to dry for 3 to 5 days, then paint and decorate as required.
By homeschoolin_mum

Dryer Lint Clay a Success
My experimentation with dryer lint clay was a success! I made a wonderful bowl out of it. When I removed the mixture from the stove, I poured it onto an overturned glass bowl that had 2 sheets of tissue paper over it (the big ones, like the ones used in wrapping presents). I then used my batter spatula to spread it around the base of the bowl. It was thick enough that it spread like gooey cake frosting, but it didn't run at all.
It took days to dry, but the texture is wonderful, and since that dryer load must have had something dark in it, the bowl is like a deep denim/ navy gray color with white flecks (although I suspect those are clumps of flour - I can't stress enough to make sure you don't just dump it all in the pot at one time - like I did!) And don't try to use a whisk or you'll be picking strands of fiber (and hair) out of it! Heheheh, What fun! AND depending on what you've been drying, the colors will change!
By Nancy

Artwork
I remember a beautiful picture made from lint at a Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum. I always wanted to try to make a picture after that.
By Sandy

Mix 1/2 cup of flour with 1 cup of Sta-Flo liquid starch, then add to dryer lint as needed to form shapes on a piece of plywood. Continue adding various shapes and colors, mixing with the Sta-Flo recipe as needed for the right texture. Allow to dry thoroughly, spray with sealer.

Sounds corny, but if you use your imagination you can make an impressive piece of art. Others will admire your work and not know what it is made from if you do it right.
By KAREN

Fire Starter
You can put this lint to use if you have a wood stove. The soft batts of lint ignite quickly and help set kindling ablaze.
By joesgirl

The "fluff" in your dryer lint screen makes great fireplace tinder. You can ball it up and use to start fires quickly
By Doggy

A friend showed me how to melt used candles/wax in a coffee can in a pan of simmering water. Stuff the lint into cardboard egg cartons. Carefully, pour the melted wax over the lint. Let dry then use a couple of the "lint/wax eggs" as fire starters in the fireplace. We have used these for 3-4 years .They work just fine.
By Vi

Don't throw away your dryer lint if you have a fireplace or go camping. Fill toilet paper or paper towel tubes with dryer lint and newspaper. Close the ends and you have a great fire starter!
By Melissa Z.

Be careful when you burn dryer lint. How it burns will depend VERY much on what the lint is made out of! Anything manmade will melt, smoke, smell like burning plastic, and put out fumes you don't want to be around. Cotton, wool, or linen dryer lint, on the other hand, is fine. If you have a question, take some outside in your driveway and burn it. If it turns into little hard beads, don't put it in your fireplace.
By Kathy K.

A great spoof!

At Least 10 Uses For Sawdust

Professional Paper Studying Uses For Sawdust

From Thrifty Fun:

Post By A_Wanderer (Guest Post) (08/08/2005)
Find a forum for the "Good Eats"show on food network, or for Alton Brown, the host of the show. He did a show on smoking meat using sawdust to generate smoke. Let people know you've got hardwood sawdust available (not plywood, treated wood, or pine), and you can probably sell it. I bet you could get $0.50 to $1.00 a pound.

Post By Peter Storey (Guest Post) (07/14/2007)
What i do with my left over sawdust is to usually mix it with some mud and use it as a facial. It is great for making your skin fell soft. I recommend it to anyone who has dry and sensitive skin.

Post By walliedwood333 (Guest Post) (08/05/2005)
if you are short on stuffing and plentiful on saw dust you can stuff pillows with it. just make sure the pillow doesn't get wet (*very* flammable)

Sawdust from your latest wood-working project can be mixed into your garden soil and will compost itself.By Linda (This idea isn't as good as it sounds - the sawdust actually robs soil of nitrogen until fully decomposed.)

for areas that get snow..use untreated wood shavings for traction on sidewalks etc. better for the plants than using salt products.

Post By Melissa frm NY (Guest Post) (01/19/2005)
I have a small farm which include chickens. I recently started using cedar chips and found a friend who has a saw mill. he gives me his sawdust and wood chips for my chickens. You have to be careful when using around baby chicks but once old enough to know the difference between food and the shavings...it makes a great smelling pen, plus keeps them toasty warm in this freezing weather.

Post By Barbie (Guest Post) (01/18/2005)
you can fill the wells of an egg carton with sawdust and cover with wax, when wax is set you then cut apart each "egg spot" and use them to help start fires......great homemade gift idea for people who have fireplaces......

Post By Michele (Guest Post) (01/17/2005)
You can use the sawdust to make 'snow'. Mix it with paint and paint it onto ornaments ect. How big are the wood chips? Could you not make them into something? Like maybe decoupage a picture on the smooth part of the wood? Hope this helps.

My husband and I have been generating lots of sawdust and wood chips. I gather it all in the vacuum then empty the vacuum into my planters and the garden. Makes really good mulch and looks great.By Verue

At Least 10 Uses For Milk Jugs

milk jugs and cartons
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/ah_moneysaving_recycle/article/0,1801,HGTV_3131_1384876,00.html
Host Mary Ellen Pinkham offers some clever ways to use milk cartons and jugs around the home.
For those who like to dry clothes on the line outside, here's a handy way to hold the clothespins Cut a hole in a gallon-size plastic milk jug in the side opposite the handle, then cut about a half-inch from the bottom of the handle. Fill the jug with pins and use the handle to hang it on the line.

Make luminaries for a party by cutting off the top of a milk jug, filling the bottom with two inches of sand, then placing a votive candle in the sand. Line a walkway with the lights.

Cut about two inches off the bottom of a milk jug, fill with potting soil and use it to start some seedlings.

Make toy bowling pins out of milk cartons for children to enjoy indoors. Rinse out 20 milk cartons, cut off the tops and let them dry. Push two empty cartons together to make a rectangular-shaped pin. Use a tennis ball or small plastic ball to knock down the pins.

Store uncooked rice in a milk carton and it will be easier to measure out. No more spills around the measuring cup. Be sure to thoroughly clean the carton first.

Make a megaphone by cutting off the bottom of a milk jug.

A gallon milk jug can also be turned into a dustpan. Simply place the jug, handle side up, on a table and cut the bottom off at an angle.

www.rd.com/content/extraordinaryuses/extraordinary-uses-for-milk-cartons/

Keep drinks cold at your next barbecue or party with ice blocks made from empty milk cartons. Just rinse out the old cartons, fill them with water, and put them in the freezer. Peel away the container when you're ready to put the blocks in the cooler or punch bowl.

Here's an easy way to make a delicate, lacy candle. Coat the inside of a milk carton with cooking spray, put a taper candle in the middle, anchoring it with a base of melted wax, then fill it with ice cubes. Pour in hot wax; when the wax cools, peel off the carton. The melting ice will form beautiful, lacy voids in the wax.

Make an indoor bowling alley for the kids with pins made from empty milk and juice cartons. Just rinse the cartons (use whatever sizes you like) and let them dry. Then take two same-sized cartons and slide one upside down into the other, squeezing it a little to make it fit. Once you've made ten, set your pins up at the end of the hall and let the kids use a tennis ball to roll for strikes and spares.

To make an attractive wintertime treat for feathered visitors, combine melted suet and birdseed into an empty milk carton. Suet is beef fat; you can get it from a butcher. To render it, chop or grind the fat and heat it over a low flame until it melts. Then strain it through cheesecloth into the carton. Insert a loop of string into the mixture while it is still melted. After it hardens, tear away the carton and tie your new mass of bird food to a branch. Do this only in cold weather. Once the temperature gets above about 70°F (20°C), the suet will turn rancid and melt.

Milk cartons are the perfect size to use for seed starters. Simply cut off the top half of a carton, punch holes in the bottom, fill with potting mix, and sow the seeds according to instructions on the packet.

Use empty milk cartons to discourage grubs and cut-worms from attacking your young tomato and pepper plants. Just cut off the tops and bottoms of the containers, and when the ground is soft, push them into the ground around the plants when you set them out.

Keep an empty milk carton handy near the kitchen sink and use it to collect food scraps for your compost heap.

If you have a small paint project and you don't want to save the leftover paint (or lug a heavy can), an empty milk carton can help. Just cut off the top of the carton and pour in the amount of paint you need. When the job is finished, throw the carton into the trash, leftover paint and all.

Gardening with plastic milk jugs
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tips/msg1220032923072.html

Great ideas from Japan
http://www.frugaljapan.com/Main/Ency012

At Least 10 Uses For 2 Liter Bottles

From Garden Gate Magazine
Cut top off where curve begins to straighten. Cut V's around edge. Place plant cuttings you are rooting in V's. This way they won't slip into water and rot.

From Make-Stuff.com

Things you can do with plastic pop bottles
Don't throw away your old plastic pop bottles. Try some of these ideas to recycle or re-use them.
No-Bending-Required Door Stop - I cut an old soda bottle in half. I put a hole in the middle of the cap and secured the "stick" from some old blinds in it (a dowel will work), this is the handle. I then weighted (not too heavy, you need to be able to lift it!)the bottom and glued the top back on. The bottle stands up with the "handle" sticking out the top. To decorate it I "wrapped" it in satin and lace and secured it with some decorative cording and roses. The "handle" sticks up to almost door knob level and my husband really likes the fact that he can stop the door open easily (I like the way it looks!) Contributed by Terri Poore

Ice Packs - I use a large pop bottle (2-litre) and fill it with water about 2/3 full then freeze it. That way I always have ice packs on hands. (Bonus: when the ice packs start to melt, I have clean and ice cold water to drink). Using small size pop bottles (250 mL, 300 mL, 350 mL, etc.), I fill them about 1/2 with water and freeze. The next day, I fill with fresh tap water or juice. That way, my son gets cold drinks for the day without having to bring bulky ice packs in his lunch box: one half for the morning recess and the other half for the afternonn recess. Contributed by Lynne

Potpourri Holder - Cut the bottom from the bottle. Fill with pot pourri and cover the open part with curtain lace and glue to the outside of the bottle. Cover the raw edges of the curtain lace with either ribbon or lace. Contributed by Boston, wootton

M&M lolly jar - Cut the middle from the bottle and keep the top and bottom. Rejoin these (with hot glue). Glue lace or ribbon or both to cover the join. Paint the lid or decorate with lace or ribbon. Contributed by Boston, wootton@

Plastic Butterfly - Make a stencil using a piece of cardboard in the shape of a butterfly, about 4x4inch or so. You trace the butterfly out onto the bottle and then you can cut it out. Down the center of the butterfly you can bend it, so it has its arches. You then can paint/design the butterfly in any colour of your choice. To stick them up, you can use putty. Contributed by hali_79@

Ocean in a Bottle - Take 1/2 bottle of oil, half water. Add food coloring and glitter. It is pretty cool, and works well with smaller bottles for babies to play with. Contributed by Starr, jokettes@

Substitue Funnel - Cut off the bottom of the plastic bottle. Turn the bottle upside down and voila! a handy funnel to use for putting oil in your car, or filling jugs, etc.

Substitute for Sand Bags - If you've ever used sand bags for weight in the winter you know they can be very messy when they break or just a plain hassle to move around. Put the sand in 2 liter bottles (must be dry not frozen).These are easily moved and in extreme weather when stuck on a slick spot I just grab a bottle and sprinkle sand under the tires, I'm on my way in seconds. Contributed by Belinda C., Beestir9@

Bathtup Submarine - Cut three lines in a shape like this, _ as a door and put your little action figures in a go for a swim. Contributed by MPicker356

Small thingee holder - Cut the top off 2 litre bottles so they stand 6-8 inches tall. With a small screw and washer, screw them to a 1x4" board. Screw that board onto the wall in your workshop to hold a wide variety of tools. Contributed by Dave Sturby

Slalom Course - Fill up partially with sand, and make a slalom course for your skateboarders, inliners, or for a bike rodeo. Contributed by Dave Sturby, dsturbr@

Spray Pumps - Some bottles can be fitted with a spray pump (ala windex) to spray a dilute latex paint mix. Good for small projects , clean nozzle with clear water and re-use. Contributed by Dave Sturby, dsturbr@

Water balloon filler - Contributed by Dave Sturby

Wind Socks - Cut top and bottom off 2-liter bottle to have a perfect cylinder. Punch 4 holes (with a hole punch) spaced evenly on top. Tie a 12 inch piece of fishing line to each hole. Attach all four to a large swivel snap used in fishing. Sand the bottle and paint with paints any design you wish. When dry, punch holes every inch around the bottom. Tie a 3 foot piece of ribbon in each hole. Vary your colors or make them all the same. Hang up and enjoy. Contributed by Cathy Williams, cathy@

Pop Bottle Snowman - Instructions here..

Yarn Holder - Keep yarn from getting tangled when knitting or crocheting. Cut off bottom of bottle and insert yarn, pulling strand through top opening then tape bottom back on. This will keep your yarn from rolling across the room on you and your cat from playing with it.

Plant / Seed starter - Cut off bottom fill with soil, add seed and water. Reattach the top of the bottle (with the cap on) using tape. Keep in a warm place and wait for seeds to germinate. When your seedlings are tall enough, transplant in a larger pot or in your garden.

Decorative Containers - Cut off the tops of two bottles (keep the bottoms). Paint, decoupage, or cover with fabric. Make a hinge out of ribbon or make a small holes and wire the bottoms of two bottles together. This will give you a container that will open. For a handle, glue on a bead, button, or a piece of ribbon. Fill will small gifts, jewelry, candy, etc.

Make a Bank - Paint or cover with fabric. Cut a small slit in the top so you can drop the coins in. (You'll have to cut the bottle open to remove the coins, unless you want to cut a three-sided doorway in the back or bottom.)

Make a Doorstop - Paint and fill with sand or gravel. Glue strips of narrow wood to the sides so it won't roll away.

Plant Waterer - Remove the cap and the bottom of the bottle. Turn the bottle upside down, and set the spout into the ground or pot. Fill with water and this will allow your plants to be watered when you are going to be away for a few days.

Make plastic shapes - Take a clear bottle and draw the shape of a butterfly or bird, or any small animal. Cut around the shape, sand and paint with acrylic paint.

Make a Mobile - Cut out shapes (see above) and poke a small hole in the top. Poke a piece of string or yarn through the hole and tie a knot. Attach the other end of the string to a hanger and hang from the ceiling or ceiling fan.

Plant Decorations - Cut out shapes (see above) and attach to a piece of dowel with glue. Poke into the soil of your potted plants or in the garden for yard decorations.

Pop Bottle Bird Feeder - Sand and paint the bottle. Poke 4 holes in the top of the bottle, just below the lid. Insert two long pieces of wire - the wires will form a X. Attach the ends of the wire to a plastic lid by poking holes in the rim and twisting the wire through. Poke two more holes in the bottom of the bottle, on opposite sides. String another piece of wire or string through these holes to hang the feeder. Fill the bottle with the seed and hang it from a tree. (NOTE: You might be able to find a kit at K-Mart, Target, or your garden center that contains the adapter to convert bottle to bird feeders. Usually quite cheap!)

Make a Bird House - Turn the bottle on its side. Cut little windows/doors high up on the sides. Paint or cover the bottle with fabric. Hang from tree branches for birds to nest in.

Make a Whirligig - from the Science Museum of Minnesota's Thinking Fountain

From Readers Digest:
http://www.rd.com/extraordinaryuses/openContent.do?contentId=23765
Make a foot warmer
Walking around on harsh winter days can leave you with cold and tired tootsies. But you don't need to shell out your hard-earned money on a heating pad or a hot-water bottle to ease your discomfort. Just fill up a 1- or 2-liter soda bottle with hot water, then sit down and roll it back and forth under your feet.

Use as a boot tree
Want to keep your boot tops from getting wrinkled or folded over when you put them in storage? Insert a clean empty 1-liter soda bottle into each boot. For added tautness, put a couple of old socks on the bottles or wrap them in towels.

Recycle as a chew toy
If Lassie has been chewing on your slippers instead of fetching them, maybe she's in need of some chew toys. A no-cost way to amuse your dog is to let her chew on an empty plastic 1-liter soda bottle. Maybe it's the crunchy sound they make, but dogs love them! Just be sure to remove the label and bottle cap (as well as the loose plastic ring under it). And replace it before it gets too chewed up -- broken pieces of plastic are choke hazards.

Place in toilet tank
Unless your house was built relatively recently, chances are you have an older toilet that uses a lot of water each flush. To save a bit of money on your water bills, fill an empty 1-liter soda bottle with water (remove any labels first) and put it in the toilet tank to cut the amount of water in each flush.

Use for emergency road kit in winter
Don't get stuck in your car the next time a surprise winter storm hits. Keep a couple of clean gallon (3.7-liter) jugs with handles filled with sand or kitty litter in the trunk of your car. Then you'll be prepared to sprinkle the material on the road surface to add traction under your wheels when you need to get moving on a slippery road. The handle makes it easier to pour them.

Feed the birds
Why spend money on a plastic bird feeder when you probably have one in your recycling bin? Take a clean 1/2-gallon (2-liter) juice or milk jug and carve a large hole on its side to remove the handle. (You might even drill a small hole under the large one to insert a sturdy twig or dowel for a perch.) Then poke a hole in the middle of the cap and suspend it from a tree with a piece of strong string or monofilament fishing line. Fill it up to the opening with birdseed, and enjoy the show.

Mark your plants
Want an easy way to make ID badges for all the vegetables, herbs, and flowers in your garden? Cut vertical strips from a couple of clear 1-gallon (3.7-liter) water jugs. Make the strips the same width as your seed packets but double their length. Fold each strip over an empty packet to protect it from the elements, and staple it to a strong stick or chopstick.

Set up a backyard sprayer
When temperatures soar outdoors, keep your kids cool with a homemade backyard sprayer. Just cut three 1-inch (2.5-cen-timeter) vertical slits in one side of a clean 2-liter soda bottle. Or make the slits at different angles so the water will squirt in different directions. Attach the nozzle of the hose to the bottle top with duct tape (make sure it's fastened on tight). Turn on the tap, and let the fun begin!

Great projects!
http://waterrocket.uh-lab.de/other_pet_uses.htm

At Least 10 Uses for Egg Shells

From ThriftyFun.com

Pest Control
I use finely crushed eggshells around seedlings that I transplant into my garden each spring. The shells keep snails, slugs and cut worms away. Apparently, the shells are abrasive to these critters and they won't crawl over them to eat the young plants.
By Readingiggits

Add Calcium To The Soil
I've heard that tomatoes love them, something about the added calcium in the soil. So when I planted mine this year, I crushed up a bunch of eggshells and mixed them in around the plants.
By Beth - MA

Seed Starter
You can also use them to start seedlings in. Then when you transplant, just crack the shell and plant the whole thing. Of course this only works for small seedlings.
By Diwitch

Eggshell Seed-Starting Pots
To make eggshell seed-starting pots: Crack the tips off several eggshells, reserving the eggs for cooking. Fill shells with a light soil mixture and one or two seeds (nasturtiums were used in the book), and prick drainage holes in the bottom of each shell with a pin. Keep moist and warm. When seedlings have reached a suitable size, plant them directly in the ground, crushing the shell so the roots can emerge.
By Mythi

Deer Deterrent
If you have deer eating any of your garden plants, throw the eggshells out there because deer HATE eggs! Otherwise, they are good for your plants, anyway. Just crush and use in your potting soil or mulch.
By Margie

Compost And Mix With Birdseed
I crush them up very fine, and put them in my compost tumbler. On occasion, I dump them on the ground in the area where I feed the birds. The birds need grit in their gizzard to help digest food, so they eat the shells.
By Harlean from Arkansas

Make Sidewalk Chalk
Sidewalk chalk! Here's a great link to making the chalk, however after I washed the shells and let them dry, I ground them up in the blender rather than on a rock - much easier!
http://www.make-stuff.com/kids/eggshell_chalk.html
By Vinnyswoman

Bedtime Tea
Bedtime tea, you wash them, then bake them until brown. Crush and boil as you would tea. Stain and make tea as you normally would. Enjoy a cup before you go to bed, as told me by my grandmother.
By Susanv

Snail Food
Egg shells make good food for pet snails. They need calcium in their diet to maintain their shells.
By Sylvia

What the Egg Industry in GA is trying to do:
http://www.whistle.gatech.edu/archives/05/oct/24/eggwaste.shtml

Here in the NE US, eggshells for songbirds is very important. While much of the NE has worked very hard to reduce acid rain, neighboring states haven't been so diligent. The acid rain leaches calcium out of the soil, making calicum rich insects scarce.
This is just one theory of why the Wood Thrush has declined so severely in the last several years.
Anecdotally, I have been putting out ground eggshells for "my" birds for 3 years. Their populations have grown, the variety has significantly increased - with 3 new species a year showing up in my backyard (do a search on the Great North American Backyard Bird Count). I even have the reclusive Wood Thrush and Pileated Woodpecker coming in for supplementation.

If you want to do more for your soil, your birds and your landfills, consider asking your favorite restaurant to save their eggshells for you to use. You'll need to rinse them thoroughly. I bake them @ 200 for 20 minutes before I grind them up in either the blender or with a mortar/pestle.

I scatter them over my daffodil bulbs all times of year, in my veggie garden and even in my grass. All plant life needs calcium to help it through drought and severe weather changes. They also need it for strong root development.

It's been a long time since I put them in my compost. I just take them straight to the needed areas and let them do their work in place. Believe it or not - earthworms appreciate them as much as any other bird food "on the hoof".

L

At Least 10 Uses for Plastic Grocery Bags

Understand that I would just as soon have them outlawed. But that isn't going to happen any time soon. Therefor, we might as well find ways to use them until they are outlawed.

My own use - donate them to disaster areas. Their distribution centers are always scrambling to find ways to package the donated food stuffs, clothes, cleaning supplies.

Recycle - most stores in my area have bins set up for recycling. We make use of them when we have too many to use or donate...

http://www.betterbudgeting.com/articles/frugality/plasticgrocerybag.htm

Before you discard (or even recycle) another plastic bag, consider trying some of these ideas:

1. Save money by using plastic bags as trash can liners.

2. Don’t buy expensive mailing fillers. Save plastic bags to protect and keep items from moving around.

3. Use plastic bags to protect Christmas decorations while storing.

4. Keep a couple plastic bags in a diaper bag for soiled clothing.

5. When traveling, use plastic bags in your suitcases for dirty underclothes.

6. Place your wet swim suits or other wet clothing inside plastic bags until you arrive home and can launder or hang out to dry.

7. When away from home, put dirty shoes or boots in a bag so you don’t get dirt in your car. (That’s assuming you have other shoes to wear.)

8. Place disposable diapers in a bag before tossing in the diaper pail. It helps diminish odors somewhat. (I'm very much against these as well)

9. Keep several in your car, especially if you have children. If someone gets unexpectedly sick while on the highway and you’re unable to stop, use double bags. You can knot and dispose–better in the bag than all over the car.

10. Use for puzzles or other items which have small parts that may get lost. My elementary-age sons enjoy putting together (and taking apart) 500-piece puzzles. Unfortunately, some of the puzzle boxes have become worn out. I keep the puzzles in the boxes with a rubberband around the box. To prevent pieces from falling out and getting lost, I then place the puzzle inside a bag.

11. Place food inside a plastic bag before packing in a lunch bag. Even "airtight" containers can leak, especially if the lid is not on tightly.

12. Put sippy cups (even "spill-proof" ones) in a bag to prevent accidental spills in the diaper bag.

13. For easy cleanup, place a plastic bag inside a bucket or pot next to your sink when you peel fruits or vegetables. You can quickly dispose of the bag or place peelings in a compost pile.

14. Double line a bucket with plastic bags. When removing the skin and fat (or even bones) from chicken or other meat, place in bags for easy cleanup.

15. Place frozen ice packs in a plastic bags to prevent condensation from "puddling" in your lunch bag. When we travel, we freeze some water in our water bottles before filling them up with cold water. The bottles produce so much condensation, that it looks like a little lake in our cup dispensers. To prevent that, pack water bottles in a plastic bag.

16. Use for organization in a deep freezer. I stock up on frozen vegetables and place like vegetables together in a plastic bag. (Rotate by putting newest vegetables on the bottom of the bag.) I usually place my vegetables in the freezer in alphabetical order. Doing this helps me know exactly where to find certain vegetables. You can also use various colored bags to sort vegetables.

I like using bags to ensure no vegetables get "lost" in the freezer. Plus, I know exactly how many bags I have of each item, and unloading the freezer to defrost and clean is so much easier. Another hint is to list the contents of your deep freezer on a magnetic dry erase board (or keep a paper on top with a magnet). Every time you take out something, delete an item from the list. If you are diligent about this, you will know exactly what needs replacing when you go to the store.

17. When defrosting meats, place a paper towel in a plastic bag and put meats in the bag to prevent messy leaks and cleanups.

18. In the winter, use plastic bags over your children’s snow boots to keep feet drier.

19. Carry a couple bags with you while you walk. You can use it to pick up trash and then dispose.

20. Take bags to the grocery store to reuse instead of getting new ones each time.

21. Donate bags to food pantries, used book stores, libraries, thrift shops, or other organizations. Instead of stuffing all the bags into one bag, flatten the plastic bags, fold them in half, and place in another plastic bag before donating.

22. Fill several bags with food or other items for a needy family. (This is one of the most rewarding ways to use those bags!)

23. Okay, I know I said 22 ideas, but if those bags are still overflowing in your closet, deposit the extras in a recycle bin at your local store.

To keep your plastic bags neat and available, you can purchase special cloth bags for storing them, make your own bag, or use an empty tissue box. I find empty tissue boxes to be the most convenient and economical (as well as environmentally friendly) for me. Keep several in different rooms (pantry, closet, basement, baby room for diapers, etc.) and pull out bags as needed.

Here’s a hint while at the grocery store. Ask the bagger to put your cold items inside a paper bag. (You may want to have them put the frozen items in a plastic bag and then inside the paper bag.) The paper bag helps to keep the items colder longer, and when you arrive home, you’ll know automatically which bags to empty first.

One last caution: Teach your children never to put a plastic bag over their head. If you have young children, keep plastic bags out of their reach to avoid suffocation.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/21700/25_brilliant_uses_for_plastic_grocery.html

Plastic bags also have a use in your clothes closets too! Just cut a slit in the top of one and slip it over a hangerful of clothing. The bag keeps dust off the clothing, especially the shoulder part.

Or, if you have purses stored in your closet- and what women doesn't?- you can help them keep their shape by filling them with crumpled up plastic bags.

I use this type of bag to store small blankets, afghans, and throws in too. You should either add a cedar block or a few moth balls to the inside of the bag before you tie it up. The smell will deter pesky moths and help to make your closet smell fresh. If you want to place pillow shams on your bed, but you have no pillows, just substitute plastic grocery bags instead. If they get flat, you can fluff them back into shape in no time. The same goes for filling puffy window valances. Crumpled up grocery bags make a great filler because they're so light.

You can also use plastic bags in place of sponge paint applicators. They're cheaper, but they work as well! Crumple up a bag, dip it into the paint, and then sponge your walls with it.

People who love to do crafts are always looking for new materials to work with. You can cut plastic bags into strips and make wreaths with them. Or, crochet a unique rug!

make draft stoppers for the exit doors of your house. You can use most any type of scrap material. Sew pieces of scrap material together to make several long tubes. Then, fill the tubes with crumpled up plastic bags. Sew the ends shut and place them in front of exit doors to keep cold air and drafts from entering.

Do you have a cast on an arm or a leg? Or, maybe for some medical reason, you can't get your foot or hand wet. I did this to keep an injured foot dry once. Slip a plastic grocery bag over the area you need to keep dry and tie the top shut. Then, take your bath or shower as usual.

This is one of my favorite uses because it's a fun way to play with the kids. Cut the handles off a bag. Then, poke some holes around its perimeter and tie a piece of string in each hole. Tie the string ends together and tie a large washer or other weight on the end. Now the bag is a toy parachute!

At Least 10 Uses For Newspaper

From RealSimple.com
Use Newspaper to:
1. Deodorize food containers. Stuff a balled-up piece of newspaper into a lunch box or thermos, seal it, and let sit overnight.
2. Ripen tomatoes. Wrap them individually and leave them out at room temperature.
3. Pack delicate items.Wrap frames and figurines with several pieces of newspaper, then crumple the remaining sections to fill extra space in the box.
4. Wipe away tough streaks on glass. Use newspaper with cleaning fluid to clean mirrors and windows.
5. Preserve antique glass. Some older frames have finishes on the glass that can be damaged by cleaning solutions. Remove smudges by rubbing with newspaper dipped in a solution of one part white vinegar and one part warm water. Let air-dry.
6. Dry shoes. Place crumpled paper in them overnight.
7. Wrap gifts. Use the comics to wrap a child’s birthday gift, or try the wedding announcements for an engagement gift.
8. Create a home for slushy snow boots. During the winter, keep a pile of newspaper near the entryway. When your little snowmen and -women come home, they can toss their winter wear onto the newspaper instead of creating puddles on the floor.
9. Prepare a garden. In the fall, mow a patch of lawn to make room for a dedicated bed. Cover it with four layers of newspaper, then a four-inch layer of shredded leaves or bark mulch. Hose it down. Come spring, the compost blanket will have smothered the grass roots, and the bed will be primed for planting.
10. Keep the refrigerator vegetable drawer dry and free of smells. Line the bottom with newspaper.
Written by Rachel Hardage
April 2005

From ThisOldHouse.com
1. Patch a hole. To fix small holes in drywall, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva stuffs wadded newspaper in the breach as a backer for joint compound.

2. Eat odors. Work boots smelly? Stuff 'em with newsprint. The odor disappears.

3. Make animal bedding. It's warm and healthier than sawdust or straw, since it inherently resists bacteria and is nontoxic if eaten.

4. Get rolling. If the car's stuck in mud, sand, or snow, a hefty section of the thick Sunday edition, slipped under the drive wheel, lends enough traction to move you on.

5. Wrap presents. The sports section makes a great gift wrap for that new cordless drill Dad's getting on Father's Day.

6. Make a dry workshop funnel. After sorting through fasteners spilled out on a section, roll it up and let the hardware slide back into your coffee can storage.

7. Sprout something. TOH landscape contractor Roger Cook germinates seeds between two sections of damp newspaper, kept in a warm place.

8. Kindle a fire. Crumpled newspaper works, but rolling sheets diagonally and tying them in a lazy knot works better, suggests John Gulland, of Woodheat.org. The knot concentrates flames in a single area.

9. Enhance compost. Add it to an indoor worm bin to feed them?and the decomposition process. This Old House: All about worm bins

10. Soften a tomato. Ross Siragusa, of the California Tomato Growers Association, wraps slightly underdeveloped tomatoes

Uses For Wood Stove Ashes

The following ideas are from Mothering.com thread re: wood ash:
If you have chickens, toss cold ashes in the pen for dust baths and pest control
Compost away! I wouldn't do a ton all at one time (ashes are alkaline), but they're rich in potassium
You can make lye from them before putting them into the compost also (or make soap directly - L)
Ashes are also useful for slippery sidewalks and stairs in the winter!

From Thriftyfun.com
A fertilizer for the yard and garden. Wood ash contains 10-25% calcium, 1-4% magnesium, 5-15% potassium and 1-3% phosphorus.
As a glass cleaner. Wood ash is a key ingredient in lye soap. It can be mixed with a bit of water (or dabbed on a damp sponge) and used to clean dirty fireplace doors.
As an insect repellant. Sprinkle small amounts around the perimeter of your garden to deter slugs and snails.
As a spot remover on wood furniture. Mix it in with a small amount of water until you create a paste. Rub over rings left by water glasses or hot beverages, and follow up with a furniture polish. Test on a small area first.

From ThisOldHouse.com
De-skunk pets. A handful rubbed on Fido's coat neutralizes the lingering odor.
Hide stains on paving. This Old House technical editor Mark Powers absorbs wet paint spatters on cement by sprinkling ash directly on the spot; it blends in with a scuff of his boot,
Control pond algae. One tablespoon per 1,000 gallons adds enough potassiumm to strengthen other aquatic plants that compete with algae, slowing its growth.
Pump up tomatoes. For the calcium-loving plants, McGrath places 1/4 cup right in the hole when planting,
Shine silver. A paste of ash and water makes a dandy nontoxic metal polisher.

A study on Wood Ash Use In Soil Amendment

For Cement-Based Construction

The State of NH's Use on Wood Ash

Uses For Paper Grocery Bags

An article with 15 uses for paper bags:

For example, have you ever made popcorn in a paper bag? All you have to do, to enjoy a tasty treat, is place a handful of popcorn kernels in a bag. Roll down the top and place the brown bag in a low wattage microwave oven. But make sure the bag does not touch the microwave walls! Microwave the bag for a few minutes and then remove it from the oven. Enjoy!

2. Do you work at night and sleep in the daytime? A second use is to cover up the windows in your bedroom with brown paper bags. The bags will help keep the light out so you can sleep better.

3. Paper bags make great party hats for the kids too! Simply cut a bag into large squares with a pair of scissors. Fold the squares into party hats and glue or tape the sides shut. Then, pass them out at your next kid's party and let them go wild decorating them!

4. How many times have you gone out to the garden to pick some veggies, and found that you don't have enough hands? Take some brown paper grocery bags out to the garden with you and use them as produce totes.

5. Are you a crafty person? If you are, you can cut paper bags into long, slender strips. Then, weave the strips together to make a placemat or basket.

6. If you're like me, you pick large, green tomatoes out of the garden before the birds can peck them up. Then, to ripen them up, place the tomatoes in a paper bag. Roll down the top and place them in a cool, dry area. Check them every couple days. Within a week, the tomatoes will turn bright red and ripe!

7. Before you start to prepare vegetables in the kitchen, lay a brown paper bag on your work area.
Peel and pare your produce on the bag. Then when you're done, you'll have no mess! Just lift up the sides of the bag, crumple them together, and toss the mess away.

8. Do you need a large envelope to send something in the mail? Grab a paper bag and cut the bottom off. Cut the remaining tube of paper open and fold the sides down to the size you need.
Glue or tape the sides together and your new envelope is ready to use.

9. You can also use brown paper grocery bags to wrap up items you're going to send through the mail or via FedEx, UPS, et cetera. Just be sure to use regulation strapping tape to hold the package together

10. Candles can be found in most households nowadays, maybe even yours! Don't worry if a little candle wax drips onto your carpet. Scrape up as much as you can. Next, place a brown paper bag on the wax and run a warm iron over it. The absorbent bag will lift up the melted wax it!

11. If you run out of wrapping paper, you can always use brown paper bags to wrap gifts with. The brown paper is rather boring looking, but you can let the kids decorate the package. You can even cut strips of a bag to make a bow too!

12. Did you know you can make a bowl by using a brown paper bag? Cut a paper bag into thin strips. Fill a round balloon up with air and tie it off. Use a general white glue, such as Elmer's©, to fasten the paper strips onto the balloon. After the glue has dried, cut the top off the balloon. Paint it in whatever colors you like, and you have a decorative bowl!

13. Cut a brown paper grocery bag into sheets by using a pair of scissors. Then, use the sheets to line your cupboards or drawers!

14. Have you ever made luminaries? They look awesome when you use them to line your sidewalk or driveway. To do this, you'll need several brown paper bags. Cut out shapes and designs in the sides of the bags. Then, pour a couple inches of sand in the bottom of each bag. Set a candle into the sand in each bag. Place the bags along your sidewalk or driveway at night Carefully light the candles and you'll have created a gorgeous display of light!

15. Do the kids need covers for their school books? Get out some brown paper bags and let them make their own! They'll need to cut the bottoms off the bags. Then, have them cut the bags down the sides to open them up. They should lay their book on the middle of the bag. Then, pull up the sides, fold the paper around the book, and tape the edges together.

Also for Earth Day

And a book with 500 uses for Paper Grocery Bags

Variable Speed Wind Turbines

8/29 - Wrote a letter to my paper's editor yesterday. I live in a place that used to be called the Valley of Opportunity - Which way EJ? is what immigrants knew to say in English, landing at Ellis Island.
I asked that we become the Valley of Innovation. Take our highways, put up sound barrier walls that included electric infrastructure for the wind turbines, and then also plant prairie grass in the greenways to be bought and harvested by biofuel companies to make ethanol from. We have a company here in the region which would do well by this idea. I doubt anything will come of it, but it's always worth putting the ideas out there.

Along with the accompanying article, I'd like to add a question/theory.
Why can't we take this technology - designed for atop buildings - and use it on our nation's highways? Think about it. If you have ever been on the side of a highway - major or not - you know how much air is moved by passing cars and tractor trailors.

We will never do away with travel. So why not let it offset its impact by generating electricity? Even if it's only enough to power the lights and the signs along the highways, it would be a significant improvement over nothing.

No landscape impact that hasn't already occurred. No "ugly" farms of turbines setting up on hill tops or perpetually windy areas. And most highways I know, already have a wind tunnel effect, even without vehicles passing. Noise pollution? Like there isn't already that associated with highways?

The technology is there. Why not use it?

Rather than build farms of towering wind turbines in rural areas, some companies are designing "micro," or small-scale, turbines that fit on top of buildings. The idea is to generate electricity from wind in urban or suburban settings.
"We want to integrate these small wind turbines on buildings in plain sight," said Paul Glenney, director of energy initiatives at Monrovia, Calif.-based AeroVironment. "We think this can really communicate the generation of clean electricity."
In their pitch for the technology, the companies are going beyond satisfying the growing interest in clean forms of energy. AeroVironment, Aerotecture and a handful of other businesses are marketing their turbines not just as power generators, but also as attractive additions to existing structures.
Right now, giant turbines built by the likes of GE Energy and Siemens are still the norm in the wind power industry, and on-building versions are rare. Newcomers are trying different tacks to break into the market. While some such as Clipper Windpower are producing entire devices, others are focusing on providing specific components of a turbine.
"We're tracking over 20 different emerging wind technology companies in our proprietary deals database, and that list keeps growing," said Robert Day, a partner at Expansion Capital Partners which specializes in clean technologies.
Overall, the wind industry is booming, experts said. The American Wind Energy Association said that last year 2,500 megawatts of new generation equipment were installed in 22 states, valued at $3 billion.
Wind architectureAeroVironment, which is perhaps best known for its unmanned aircraft technologies, has a project under development from its Architectural Wind energy technology division.
The turbines look like large fans in square housings. They are specifically designed for placement on the top of steel-reinforced, flat-roofed commercial buildings such as a warehouse or "big box" retail store like Home Depot, Glenney said.
The turbines can be lined up next to each other to aggregate power generation, and the fans will spin even in a very slow wind of a few miles an hour.
The company has set up a few beta sites to test various factors, including its cost-effectiveness, the amount of noise it generates, and the potential impact on birds and bats (the turbines have a grate on both sides).
AeroVironment has not yet decided whether to commercialize the products. But in presentations with potential customers, the company has gotten a good reception, Glenney said. Business owners and municipalities are eager to find sources of clean electricity for a variety of reasons, including concerns over global warming and dependence on oil from unstable parts of the world.
"Lots of companies just want to reduce the footprint that a business leaves" on the planet, Glenney said. "And they want to educate their stakeholders--their customers, their pupils--on these issues."
Chicago-based Aerotecture is taking a similar "architectural" approach to wind power generation, although with a substantially different design.
Invented by University of Illinois professor Bil Becker, the company's Aeroturbine product uses a helix-shaped turbine placed inside of a cylinder. The turbines, which are 10 feet long, can be placed in many positions and take advantage of variable wind, according to the company.
"It's not fussy about gusty or turbulent winds. It's very amenable. It's the microclimate of the building that you have to look at," said Lesleigh Lippitt, co-founder of Aerotecture.
The company, which is in the process of commercializing the product, is negotiating with Chicago city officials over an installation at the Daley Center, which would set Aeroturbines at the top of the 650-foot building, she said. Other placements are under discussion, including underneath San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, Lippitt said.
Other companies building similar micro wind products for urban or suburban areas include Finland's Windside, and the U.K.'s Windsave and Renewable Devices. There's also a product line called Urban Turbines, from Dutch company Ecofys.
Also on the market are several turbine products, such as Southwest Windpower, designed for remote homes or boats. Mix and matchExpansion Capital's Day said that small-scale wind technologies have a viable role in the bigger picture of power generation.
Placing a 300-foot high turbine in downtown San Francisco is problematic. But distributed, or on-site, electricity generation systems can help customers get around the transmission bottlenecks and reliability problems of the wholesale electricity grid, Day said.
He added that even small-scale turbines are not immune to the challenges that the overall wind industry faces, such as concerns over noise and cost efficiency

Australian Jellyfish

Big Jellyfish Invade Gulf of Mexico

By Robert Roy Britt,
Posted: 2007-08-20 17:18:00
Filed Under: Science News

(Aug. 20) - Australian jellyfish that invaded the Gulf of Mexico seven years ago have made a "vigorous reappearance" this summer and threaten to devour native fish, scientists announced Friday.

And in the Gulf, with plenty to eat, they grow to monster size.

"In their native waters, they tend to be fist-sized," said Monty Graham of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. "Here in the Gulf, they can be a big as dinner plates.”

The creatures can weigh up to 25 pounds.

The Australian spotted jellyfish, Phyllorhiza punctata, are not dangerous to humans. But scientists say the invasion could pose a threat to the fishing and shrimping industries. The jellies foul trawling nets and eat eggs and larvae of other fish.

The invasive jellyfish have been found in the Gulf since 2000 but in small numbers. This year, there are more of them, and their range has extended up to the Mid-Atlantic states.

“Reports from the Panhandle of Florida and North Carolina indicate they’re pretty concentrated elsewhere,” Graham said. “We just started getting reports of Phyllorhiza appearing on the east coast of Florida and as far up as North Carolina this year."

Jellyfish can be carried around the globe when they attach to ships. Other studies have found that species of moon jellyfish are invading seas all over the planet. Another study finds jellyfish are opportunists, moving in and taking over regions of the sea that humans overfish.

Officials encourage jellyfish sightings be reported to the Sea Lab's web site.

(c) 1999-2007 Imaginova Corp. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


2007-08-20 16:20:44

Process Your Own Food

Mother Earth News did an article on this very subject sometime this year - will get the link and post it here. August/September 2007

I was amazed at the numbers I found - first, I didn't think the numbers existed. And for current production, they don't fully. BUT, Household technology has probably outpaced manufacturers, so the numbers are probably even better than what I found.

So, not only are you doing the Earth a favor by buying locally and processing your own foods, you also get MUCH better flavor, the sugar and salt content is controlled by YOU and there's little need for recycling anything such as labels, cans, jars, bottles, plastic wrapping, etc.

This will most likely seem more than a little disjointed, and I may come back to fix it, but if I don't, just follow the links. I think you'll be able to extrapolate the general savings...

Graphs showing current energy used by U.S. ONLY food processing plants.
This does not include transport of food stuff to and from the plants - another major factor for buying locally...

Key paragraphs pulled from article :

Energy requirements for commercial canning of tomatoes, fruits and vegetables in 1974 were calculated at about 1,600, 1,800 and 2,150 Btu per pound of fresh weight, respectively. Vegetables require longer processing than fruit and tomatoes to assure sterilization, and the longer food must be processed, the more energy is required.

However, for canning 7 quarts of tomatoes by the water bath method, 2.43 kWh of electrical energy were estimated by one source to be needed to bring the water bath and jars of food to a boil and to process them for 45 minutes. The energy input for this part of the canning job would amount to about 545 Btu per pound of canned tomatoes

Average energy consumption for food freezer operation per day — disregarding size, type and other factors — is reported to be about 3.3 kWh in cold months and 4.1 kWh in warm months. If a family kept 100 pounds of frozen food in the freezer on the average, the energy cost would amount to about 102 to 130 Btu per day per pound. The longer a package of food is held in the freezer, the higher would be the energy cost for its storage.

A book regarding this subject: Eating Fossil Fuels_, Dale Pfeiffer

Energy consumed in growing foods commercially:
Growing Practices
The biggest culprit of fossil fuel usage in industrial farming is not transporting food or fueling machinery; it’s chemicals. As much as forty percent of energy used in the food system goes towards the production of artificial fertilizers and pesticides. xii Fertilizers are synthesized from atmospheric nitrogen and natural gas, a process that takes a significant amount of energy. Producing and distributing them requires an average of 5.5 gallons of fossil fuels per acre. xiii

Green Appliance Article in WSJ

Jeanine Van Voorhees wanted to do her part for the environment when she bought a $1,000 energy-saving washing machine. But her clothes came out covered in cat hair and her whites were dingy. She resorted to washing some loads twice.

"I curse that machine every time," says Ms. Van Voorhees, a retired nurse practitioner from North Tonawanda, N.Y.

Amid concerns about energy consumption, Americans are increasingly encouraged to buy energy-efficient appliances. But while some of the latest products can offer significant energy and water savings, they can be double the price -- or have kinks that can result in clothes and dishes needing to be washed twice.

Still, water and energy bills are on the rise in many areas, and appliance-makers are increasing their offerings of low energy-use products. A few months ago, Sears Holdings Corp. unveiled a new line of high-efficient appliances, including the Kenmore Elite Ultra Wash dishwasher that promises to use about half the water of a standard one. General Electric Co. this year rolled out several new energy-efficient refrigerators, such as the Profile French Door Bottom Freezer Refrigerator that uses at least 15% less energy. Companies such as Bosch and Siemens Home Appliances Group and LG Group have stepped up their offerings of front-load washing machines, which have doors in the front and can accommodate bigger loads but save on water.

An efficient refrigerator won't command much of a premium, but energy-saving dishwashers and clothes washers can go for double the price of standard models. According to the NPD Group, a market-research firm in Port Washington, N.Y., the demand for Energy Star products has fallen slightly in the past year. Approximately 52% of all dishwashers, refrigerators and washing machines sold in the 12 months ended in May were Energy Star qualified, compared with 54% in the year-earlier period. Energy Star is the government labeling program for products that meet energy-efficient criteria. Sales of major appliances were $22.4 billion in 2006, flat compared with 2005, according to NPD.

But, environmental advocates point out that the biggest energy sucks aren't washing machines and dishwashers. Many consumers don't realize that an energy-guzzling plasma TV can off-set the energy-savings of kitchen appliances. A conventional TV consumes about 130 watts of power per hour, while a 42-inch plasma consumes more than twice as much, or around 350 watts per hour, according to Tom Reddoch, manager of energy use for the Electric Power Research Institute, a Palo Alto, Calif., nonprofit organization that promotes the adoption of energy-efficient practices. And one of the largest energy-savings measures is replacing light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, which use about 75% less energy than standard bulbs. Still, government and local utilities are stepping up incentives to get consumers to shell out more for energy-efficient appliances in an effort to ease the burden on regional grids and water supplies. Pacific Gas & Electric Co., which serves 15 million people in California, this year raised its rebates to $75 for clothes washers and $50 for dishwashers that meet certain efficiency standards. The federal government offers up a $300 tax credit for those who install energy-efficient air conditioning and heating systems.

But before buyers hit the showroom floor, consumer advocates point out there a few things they should consider. While most energy-saving appliances perform well, some can pose problems. For example, many consumers don't know they need to use high-efficiency soap or half the amount of regular detergent with front-loading clothes-washers. These can use as much as 70% less water than top-loaders, but regular detergent creates extra suds in this type of washer, and is tougher to rinse. Also, the machine senses the suds and uses extra water, offsetting savings.

Also, some people who bought front-loaders have complained of drainage problems that cause mold build-up around the edge of the opening and a foul smell. Several years ago, owners of a Maytag front-loader, the Neptune, filed a lawsuit due to issues with the machines, including mold growth and door latch problems. The company settled the suit in 2005 and agreed to cover repair and replacement costs, according Jonathan Shub, a lead counsel on the case.

Whirlpool Corp., which now owns Maytag, and Sears said mold build-up in front-loaders is minor, and urge consumers to take preventive steps, such as cleaning the drum and door seal periodically or leaving the door open when the washer isn't in use.

Front-load machines use less water because they cycle the clothes through water at the bottom, whereas top-load machines fill the entire drum with water. Front-loaders also save energy because they dry clothes better in the spin cycle, so clothes need less time in the dryer.

It isn't just some water-saving front-loaders that have problems. Researchers at Consumer Reports recently found that some traditional, top-loader washers, including the Sears Kenmore 2783[1], the Whirlpool WTW5840S[W], and the Frigidaire Gallery GLWS1339E[C], fail to get clothes clean in the wake of new, government-mandated energy-saving standards for all washers that went into affect in January.

"Consumers can't take it for granted any more that any old washing machine will clean their clothes," says Mark Connelly, senior director of appliance testing for Consumer Reports.

Whirlpool and Sears said the washers were tested on a regular wash cycle, when they should have been run on a heavy-duty cycle. Officials for AB Electrolux's Frigidaire said no one at the company was available to comment.

The Department of Energy says complaints about front-load and low-water washers are limited and said the issues seem to be model-specific rather than a problem with the energy-saving technology.

Water-saving dishwashers, too, can have drawbacks. Energy-efficient dishwashers often don't use hot air to dry the dishes, though they may have a "heat-dry" option. No heat can make the cycle longer or leave glasses spotty, say consumer advocates and retailers. Appliance experts suggest adding a rinse agent, such as Jet Dry, which prevents water from beading and causing marks. This, however, adds another step and additional chemicals to the process.

Owners also shouldn't rinse their dishes before putting them in a water-efficient dishwasher. That is because most of the new products are equipped to handle bits of food and rinsing dishes beforehand can negate the water-savings. But some stubborn foods, like eggs or oatmeal, can still get stuck on dishes. Some of latest dishwasher models, like Sears's Ultra Wash, aim to address that problem by using better water coverage and putting in more finely-tuned sensors to determine dishes' dirtiness and adjust water flow accordingly.

Energy-efficient builders and energy-saving advocates advise that if people want to upgrade to energy efficient appliances, they should focus first on refrigerators, because unlike a dishwasher or clothes washer, they run all the time. Air conditioning units, too, tend to be big energy hogs. Cooling accounts for 11% of total energy use in the average home, and refrigerators and freezers account for 8%, according to government data compiled by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a nonprofit group in Washington, D.C. The energy used doing laundry and dishes combined accounts for just 5%, according to the council. However, in areas where water is a big cost, a water-saving washer or dishwasher may be a preferable investment.

Write to Sara Schaefer Muñoz at sara.schaefer@wsj.com

(within the article:)
Be smart about your home. Consumer Reports offers some advice on these appliances.
Washing Machines
Vacuums
Refrigerators
Ranges
Cordless Phones
Microwaves
Freezers
Dryers
Dishwashers
Air Conditioners