Spring "Greening"

Though it feels like Spring has been with us since the New Year, the official first day of Spring arrived last week on March 20th. One of my favorite things to do to this time of year is Spring Cleaning. I don’t know why I look forward to my annual weekend of dusting, vacuuming, washing, and organizing. Maybe it is because I finally get to keep the windows open and let the sun illuminate all the rooms while the birds chirp, providing me with plenty of background music. I also love the fact that at the end of the day my winter sweaters and scarves are boxed away and tank tops and flip flops replace the room in my closet confirming that I am ready for not only Spring, but Summer as well.

Maybe you don’t look forward to Spring Cleaning as much as I do, but nonetheless, you will clean a room in your house or maybe even wash your car sooner or later. When you do, you can make a difference to your environment and waterways by being a little more “green” as you clean this year. These tips will not only help you conserve, but maybe even put a little more green (the other kind) back in your wallet.

-Soaps: Make sure you are using Phosphate-free soaps whether it is laundry detergent or dishwashing liquid. Phosphorous has been a main ingredient in detergents for decades. Recently, this key cleaning player has become notorious for its harmful effects on rivers, lakes and streams. Phosphorous is one of those elements that is naturally important for plant growth, which in turn, makes it vital for the health of a waterway. However, too much of a good thing is bad. Higher than normal phosphate levels create too much plant growth and lead to harmful algal blooms, which increase the water’s turbidity and decrease its Dissolved Oxygen levels. Fortunately, US legislation became aware of this huge problem and enacted laws and regulations limiting the use of phosphates in laundry detergents. Phosphates have been replaced with alternatives in laundry detergent, but other soaps like dishwashing liquids have not been regulated. Use soaps that will have a less harmful effect on our environment like Seventh Generation (one of our favorites), Method, and Green Works by Clorox.

-Laundry: Now that you know more than you want to about using phosphate-free detergents while laundering, make sure to use cold water when you can and to never wash a load that is not full. After washing, try to dry your clothes outside (weather-permitting, of course). Drying your clothes in an electric dryer isn’t just hard on your clothes; it’s also hard on the environment. Use a line instead of a dryer and you will reduce pollution, cut your energy bill, get more exercise and increase your wardrobe’s lifespan. Plus, they’ll smell like a clean breeze, not a fake “clean breeze scent.”

 

-Clean out your closet: If you are like me, I tend to hang onto clothes I haven’t worn in years…just in case that rare opportunity presents itself for that specific article of clothing I can’t find for anything else. Hey, I am not anywhere near getting my hour on Hoarders, but if it is pretty, I want to keep it. Recently, I have vowed to get rid of anything I haven’t worn within a year (with a few exceptions). I surprisingly had a trash bag full of clothes when I finished de-cluttering my wardrobe. I took them to my local consignment shop and made $30 bucks that next month!  You can give your clothes a second life even if they are torn and stained, by adding them to your rag collection and using them as re-usable paper towels and dusters. This is my favorite thing to do with my old socks that have holes in them, because I can use them as a duster while wearing them over my hands to keep my palms clean!

 

- Vehicles. Taking your car to a nearby Carwash is your best bet to saving water and decreasing stormwater runoff. Washing your car at home leads to soapy runoff entering the nearest storm drain where it discharges right into creaks, streams, and rivers full all of the pollutants from the road it has picked up along the way. Any licensed carwash in the US (and Canada) requires facilities to drain their wastewater into sewer systems, so it gets treated before discharging. Car washes also use controlled systems that minimize water usage and they also recycle and re-use their rinse water to save money! There are ways to still be green while washing your car at home. If you must wash, avoid the drive way.  Use bio-degradable soaps and wash on your lawn so that toxic waste water can be naturally absorbed and filtered in your soil instead of flowing into the storm drain.

 

- Kitchen: While cleaning up after a meal you have just cooked; make sure to not drain fats, oils, or grease (FOGs) down the sink! They solidify and clog drain pipes. Once these pipes have been blocked, sewage oftentimes becomes backed up and can lead to wastewater discharge without treatment, causing water contamination. Instead, wait for the FOGs to solidify; then use a napkin to wipe the grease and discard in the trash. Also, when washing dishes it is more efficient to use the dishwasher (fully loaded) rather than washing the dishes in the sink with the water continuously running.  Make sure to use those phosphate-free soaps!

 

- Food: If you are cleaning out your fridge making more space for those Spring seasonal beers that just came out and you notice your fruits and vegetables are going bad, compost them instead of throwing them out! Fruits, vegetables, coffee grinds, tea bags, egg shells, paper, leaves and yard-trimmings are just some items that can be composted that most people throw out without thinking twice. Not only are you reducing your waste, but you will be producing nutrient-rich soil that will help your gardens grow without having to use harsh fertilizers.

 

-Medicine Cabinet: Does this one sound familiar? It should! After our Operation Medicine Drop that took place this past Saturday (March 24th)¸we have successfully collected almost 175,000 pills and medicines from circulation. These pills have been kept from flushing into our waterways and have been taken out of the hands of abusers.  If your medicine cabinet needs some Spring Cleaning and you missed our Operation Medicine Drop, it is not too late. There is a permanent drug drop-off box located in the JPD lobby. Happy cleaning!

Omd2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

White Oak-New Riverkeeper

White Oak-New Riverkeeper


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