Vinegar - not only does it make for a wicked grade school volcano project but the uses around the home are numerous and less toxic than many other choices. It's also extremely inexpensive.
First - what is vinegar other than a cheap, acidic smelling liquid that makes cucumbers taste delicious? Vinegar is produced by fermenting ethanol, or a chain of alcohol. It is a process that has been around for quite some time - vinegar production can be traced back to 3000 BC.
Here are some ideas for around the home uses that you may have not thought of:
Placing small bowls of vinegar in a freshly painted room will absorb the smell of the paint. Leave out for a few days changing the vinegar every morning.
Vinegar mixed with soap and water placed on the counter is a great way of getting rid of those pesky fruit flies.
Vinegar mixed with warm water will clean your windows with a non-toxic sparkle. Use an old cotton t-shirt or something similar instead of paper towels to wipe down the windows.
Draino is on the Top Ten nasty chemicals list around the home. Instead use a hand full of baking soda, add 1/2 cup of vinegar, and plug the drain. Let it boil, let is simmer, let it clean your plugged drain without the chemical side effects.
Hate that lint on your clothes? Add a 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle of the wash - seriously! It will also brighten your colours - double whammy!
Ever come home from a house party with smoke infused clothing?? Ugh. Running the bathtub with a cup of vinegar added to the water and hanging your ashtray smelling duds in the steam will cure your tobacco woes.
I hope these little tidbits help in adding a few ideas in your Green Tool Kit for around the home.
Vinegar - the newest stocking stuffer perhaps? :-)
Green Realtor Reality Check
xoxo
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Holes, Drafts and Leaks - Oh My!
We've all typically been privy to the little factoid that if you combined all the leaks, air escapes, and holes in your home/apartment that the total size would be of similar size to a garbage can lid. Just imagine all the air escaping out of a 2 foot circular hole in your roof?!? "Yikes" we all think and carry on with our day.
After years of hearing about this illusive "hole" in our home some dwellers will continue on as if there is nothing that can be done to rectify this. To the rescue - Green Realtor and Blogger!
I'm sure a lot of this is going to be common sense and you're going to glaze over reading this like it's a text book in first year University but bare with me. I've done some research and will try and give you some unconventional suggestions in terms of finding drafts, leaks, and sealing them for a cozy Winter.
A trade secret on finding those pesky, tiny, invisible leaks in your dwelling is to wander around with a few incense sticks burning to see where the smoke leaves the home. To do this you need to turn of all exhaust fans in the home and shut all doors and windows. This is much easier, and more cost effective, than hiring an energy efficiency expert to "Blower Test" your home (depressurize and find air leaks).
Windows and doors are obviously large culprits in air leakage and heat loss in Winter months. Another over the counter test to check air seals is to close a piece of paper in a window or door. If you can take that piece of paper out without ripping it you are losing heat from that location.
Winnipeg, being a price conscious city, can sometimes be difficult to motivate in pro-active spending. For this reason the best places to start in helping air seal a home are the easiest and cheapest.
Armed with your incense stick and caulking gun from Home Depot you can spend a short time in an afternoon sealing the overlooked leaks - around vents, windows, doors, electrical/cable/service entrances, light fixtures, bath and kitchen fixtures, and any other draft points you find. Making sure to scrape off old paint and caulking from these areas before you re-caulk.
Here's an even easier suggestion - purchase Outlet Wall Plate Sealers to go underneath your wall outlet plug covers. There is a lot of heat lost in the Winter through every wall outlet in your home - off the top of your head count how many you have in your home. It's a lot I'm sure!! It all adds up to allowing more and more heat to escape. A pack of 6 sells for approximately $4. All it takes is a bit of time and a screwdriver to get started.
Stay tuned for more suggestions on helping cool down those heating costs.
For those who have read my other blogs an update:
Indoor electrical compost is still going strong! After another few weeks I have another complete bucket of compost soil!
Thanks for reading! Keep warm Winnipeg!
Amber van den Broek
Green Realtor Reality Check
xoxo
After years of hearing about this illusive "hole" in our home some dwellers will continue on as if there is nothing that can be done to rectify this. To the rescue - Green Realtor and Blogger!
I'm sure a lot of this is going to be common sense and you're going to glaze over reading this like it's a text book in first year University but bare with me. I've done some research and will try and give you some unconventional suggestions in terms of finding drafts, leaks, and sealing them for a cozy Winter.
A trade secret on finding those pesky, tiny, invisible leaks in your dwelling is to wander around with a few incense sticks burning to see where the smoke leaves the home. To do this you need to turn of all exhaust fans in the home and shut all doors and windows. This is much easier, and more cost effective, than hiring an energy efficiency expert to "Blower Test" your home (depressurize and find air leaks).
Windows and doors are obviously large culprits in air leakage and heat loss in Winter months. Another over the counter test to check air seals is to close a piece of paper in a window or door. If you can take that piece of paper out without ripping it you are losing heat from that location.
Winnipeg, being a price conscious city, can sometimes be difficult to motivate in pro-active spending. For this reason the best places to start in helping air seal a home are the easiest and cheapest.
Armed with your incense stick and caulking gun from Home Depot you can spend a short time in an afternoon sealing the overlooked leaks - around vents, windows, doors, electrical/cable/service entrances, light fixtures, bath and kitchen fixtures, and any other draft points you find. Making sure to scrape off old paint and caulking from these areas before you re-caulk.
Here's an even easier suggestion - purchase Outlet Wall Plate Sealers to go underneath your wall outlet plug covers. There is a lot of heat lost in the Winter through every wall outlet in your home - off the top of your head count how many you have in your home. It's a lot I'm sure!! It all adds up to allowing more and more heat to escape. A pack of 6 sells for approximately $4. All it takes is a bit of time and a screwdriver to get started.
Stay tuned for more suggestions on helping cool down those heating costs.
For those who have read my other blogs an update:
Indoor electrical compost is still going strong! After another few weeks I have another complete bucket of compost soil!
Thanks for reading! Keep warm Winnipeg!
Amber van den Broek
Green Realtor Reality Check
xoxo
Friday, November 19, 2010
The Water Debate
It was a few weeks ago when posting innocently on facebook a little piece of advice on saving water that a complete backlash occurred. Who knew Winnipeg would be so passionate about their showers?
The advice you ask? As you are lathering, shaving, and soaping in the shower it can be slightly wasteful to have the water running as you don't require it until you've soaped, scrubbed and cleaned every nook and cranny.
The distaste for this advice was apparent immediately with comments such as "It takes me 20 minutes to get the temperature where I want it!", "My girlfriend would break up with me for ruining her shower." (which also means someone showers not alone often!!). The comments continued.
Fine. I get it. In the cold climate in Winter-peg, Manitoba nobody wants to be standing in the cold shower trying to find the hot water tap. Soap in the eye . . hopping on one leg . . cursing my name.
Here is the alternative then. Manitoba Hydro offers Water Saving Packages - FOR FREE - to homes and apartments that include low flow shower heads, insulating wrap for hot water pipes, and a few other great FREE items.
The link is here for more information:
http://www.hydro.mb.ca/your_home/water_energy_saver/index.shtml
For those with a distaste for momentary water non-consumption there are other choices out there for you. Rather than waiting for prices to go up and motivate us regarding water consumption let's be proactive for all the right reasons. Hey Winnipeg - did I mention it's FREE?!?
Keep on showering Winnipeg . . . xoxo
Green Realtor Reality Check.
The advice you ask? As you are lathering, shaving, and soaping in the shower it can be slightly wasteful to have the water running as you don't require it until you've soaped, scrubbed and cleaned every nook and cranny.
The distaste for this advice was apparent immediately with comments such as "It takes me 20 minutes to get the temperature where I want it!", "My girlfriend would break up with me for ruining her shower." (which also means someone showers not alone often!!). The comments continued.
Fine. I get it. In the cold climate in Winter-peg, Manitoba nobody wants to be standing in the cold shower trying to find the hot water tap. Soap in the eye . . hopping on one leg . . cursing my name.
Here is the alternative then. Manitoba Hydro offers Water Saving Packages - FOR FREE - to homes and apartments that include low flow shower heads, insulating wrap for hot water pipes, and a few other great FREE items.
The link is here for more information:
http://www.hydro.mb.ca/your_home/water_energy_saver/index.shtml
For those with a distaste for momentary water non-consumption there are other choices out there for you. Rather than waiting for prices to go up and motivate us regarding water consumption let's be proactive for all the right reasons. Hey Winnipeg - did I mention it's FREE?!?
Keep on showering Winnipeg . . . xoxo
Green Realtor Reality Check.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Composting for the Time Crunched
If you're life is like mine sitting down to catch up on TMZ is not on my schedule. Cooking happens once in a while - and by cooking I mean cutting vegetables and throwing them on raw lettuce. Or perhaps a nice brown rice cake smothered in almond butter.
Ok. So I'm not much a cook. BUT I do have a desire to compost those little bits of veggies left over after making salad. Fine, I'll be honest. I have a desire to compost the veggies and fruits that go bad sitting in my fridge while I'm out eating at restaurants.
I live in an apartment without a balcony. I could put a compost outdoors but even the apartment recycle bins get stolen (along with 4 of my bikes since I've been here). Not a wise choice. Churning leaves, and soil, and food, and waiting, and churning, and adding, and . . . well you get the point. It's not on my to do list.
In comes the very convenient, highly efficient, and small compact indoor electrical composts available. I chose to go with NatureMill (available through Fresh Cafe) for the low, low (cough) price of $400 you can be the proud owner of one of the black ones (colours are $25 extra). For the sake of Green research out came my Visa.
As the first week progressed I questioned my sanity on why I would spend $400 on a machine that made my apartment smell like garbage on a hot July day. It was laughably unbearable. I was frantically googling similar situations with the machine and panicking at the stench wafting around my place.
In comes a word of advice - READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! It turns out all you have to do is add sawdust pellets (that come with the compost) EVERY time you put in food. Oops.
Three weeks later I am a proud newbie compost junkie. The apartment doesn't smell like hot garbage, there are no fruit flies, the machine is pretty quiet, I've got a full tray of compost soil, and I've noticed a significant difference in the amount of actual garbage leaving my home. Not bad.
Nature Mill is available at Fresh Cafe and it will compost anything from bread, rice, fruit, veggies, meat, egg shells, . . the list goes on. The whole compost process takes about 3 - 4 weeks which is extremely faster than an outdoor, natural compost bin.
Now, here's the deal. Would I suggest this to everyone? Heck no. The initial expense is hefty and there are the additional costs of continually purchasing Baking Soda and ordering sawdust pellets. Also, the machine does have an "energy efficient" setting but it is always plugged in.
For those who are wanting to compost who live in an apartment or condo this may be a great option for you. If you have any questions please feel free to send them to me.
Carry on and Compost Eco-Curious folk!
Green Realtor Reality Check
xoxo
Ok. So I'm not much a cook. BUT I do have a desire to compost those little bits of veggies left over after making salad. Fine, I'll be honest. I have a desire to compost the veggies and fruits that go bad sitting in my fridge while I'm out eating at restaurants.
I live in an apartment without a balcony. I could put a compost outdoors but even the apartment recycle bins get stolen (along with 4 of my bikes since I've been here). Not a wise choice. Churning leaves, and soil, and food, and waiting, and churning, and adding, and . . . well you get the point. It's not on my to do list.
In comes the very convenient, highly efficient, and small compact indoor electrical composts available. I chose to go with NatureMill (available through Fresh Cafe) for the low, low (cough) price of $400 you can be the proud owner of one of the black ones (colours are $25 extra). For the sake of Green research out came my Visa.
As the first week progressed I questioned my sanity on why I would spend $400 on a machine that made my apartment smell like garbage on a hot July day. It was laughably unbearable. I was frantically googling similar situations with the machine and panicking at the stench wafting around my place.
In comes a word of advice - READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! It turns out all you have to do is add sawdust pellets (that come with the compost) EVERY time you put in food. Oops.
Three weeks later I am a proud newbie compost junkie. The apartment doesn't smell like hot garbage, there are no fruit flies, the machine is pretty quiet, I've got a full tray of compost soil, and I've noticed a significant difference in the amount of actual garbage leaving my home. Not bad.
Nature Mill is available at Fresh Cafe and it will compost anything from bread, rice, fruit, veggies, meat, egg shells, . . the list goes on. The whole compost process takes about 3 - 4 weeks which is extremely faster than an outdoor, natural compost bin.
Now, here's the deal. Would I suggest this to everyone? Heck no. The initial expense is hefty and there are the additional costs of continually purchasing Baking Soda and ordering sawdust pellets. Also, the machine does have an "energy efficient" setting but it is always plugged in.
For those who are wanting to compost who live in an apartment or condo this may be a great option for you. If you have any questions please feel free to send them to me.
Carry on and Compost Eco-Curious folk!
Green Realtor Reality Check
xoxo
Thursday, October 28, 2010
The Start of Something Greener.
Hey,
So most of you may know me from such times as "Hey - You're that girl who hula hoops at dawn on Popes Hill at Folk Fest every year!!!" or . . . "Hey - You're that fire dancer that lit her leg warmer on fire once and got a 3rd degree burn!!!"
It's all true . . very, very true. I have worn many hats in my 29 years on this lovely green/brown/blue planet and am proud of every one of them (for those of you checking my grammar - check it at the door please). I have been fortunate to live a life jam packed full of wonderfulness. I feel I am now at a place/time where I get to savour that life and begin to give back for what I've been given.
The deal is this: I am going to do a weekly/bi-weekly review on some sort of green product, event, real estate complex, seminar, car, bike, book, blog, etc, etc. in hopes that it may inspire someone out there to change a teeny weeny bit for the better of the global community.
There is so much "green" information out there that it can be quite overwhelming to the average ECO-CURIOS consumer. I know that most of you will fall under that category - not quite a hippie, not quite a green-planet saving card holder BUT you care about this world, its future, and how with minimal effort on your part you can try and make a difference (or save a buck - or be more comfortable - or look like a champ).
I am going to try and appeal to every one of those wants, needs, and feelings.
Without making you change your lifestyle, buy new products before you're sure of them, attend lectures, watch movies . . . I WILL HELP YOU BE GREEN WITHOUT THE HOMEWORK!!!
All you gotta do is read.
Directions: Read, let it marinate, enjoy a cup of Green Tea . . and perhaps make little changes along the way. I hope you'll join me for the journey. It's gonna be Green.
xoxo
Amber van den Broek
Green Realtor Reality Check
So most of you may know me from such times as "Hey - You're that girl who hula hoops at dawn on Popes Hill at Folk Fest every year!!!" or . . . "Hey - You're that fire dancer that lit her leg warmer on fire once and got a 3rd degree burn!!!"
It's all true . . very, very true. I have worn many hats in my 29 years on this lovely green/brown/blue planet and am proud of every one of them (for those of you checking my grammar - check it at the door please). I have been fortunate to live a life jam packed full of wonderfulness. I feel I am now at a place/time where I get to savour that life and begin to give back for what I've been given.
The deal is this: I am going to do a weekly/bi-weekly review on some sort of green product, event, real estate complex, seminar, car, bike, book, blog, etc, etc. in hopes that it may inspire someone out there to change a teeny weeny bit for the better of the global community.
There is so much "green" information out there that it can be quite overwhelming to the average ECO-CURIOS consumer. I know that most of you will fall under that category - not quite a hippie, not quite a green-planet saving card holder BUT you care about this world, its future, and how with minimal effort on your part you can try and make a difference (or save a buck - or be more comfortable - or look like a champ).
I am going to try and appeal to every one of those wants, needs, and feelings.
Without making you change your lifestyle, buy new products before you're sure of them, attend lectures, watch movies . . . I WILL HELP YOU BE GREEN WITHOUT THE HOMEWORK!!!
All you gotta do is read.
Directions: Read, let it marinate, enjoy a cup of Green Tea . . and perhaps make little changes along the way. I hope you'll join me for the journey. It's gonna be Green.
xoxo
Amber van den Broek
Green Realtor Reality Check
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