Corn husk or food wrapper?

Tomales!

Why are tomales a green food?  Well, the ones I enjoyed at lunch today had green peppers inside, but that’s beside the point.

It’s the wrapping! Check out the steamed corn husk being used to wrap tomales!  While munching on my tomales today at work (yum!), I found myself admiring the continued use of corn husks to wrap food.

It seems as if this is an age-old practice that has been passed down over time (and has somehow been preserved as common practice) and, well, why not?  The husks are otherwise going to be tossed and this way they get another use before making their way back into nature — with their fully biodegradeable goodness!

We had a whole bag of tomales brought in at work, and while the bag was not biodegradeable (it was plastic) imagine any other fast food — or food from the store — coming in a bag and most likely, it would be wrapped in paper, plastic, foil, or styrofoam — all of which are not nearly

Turn any plastic bottle into a eco-watering can!

We’ve already mentioned the benefits of using a watering can around the house but today, we’ve got a tip for greening this already pretty green activity!

Behold the EcoSpout! The EcoSpout is a small spout kit that can turn almost any small plastic bottle or milk jug into a watering can.  The system will fit most quart and gallon plastic containers.  A new adapter will connect to snap-on and non-standard threaded jugs.  Included are a small spray spout and thin stream pouring spout.

How does the EcoSpout green your plant watering can?

Product Reviewed: Seventh Generation Liquid Natural Laundry Detergent 2X Ultra (Free and Clear)

Place of Purchase: Target (also available at other major Grocers such as Pick N Save, Jewel Osco, etc

Purchase Price: $14.99 for 64 Load (100 Fl Oz)

Available Online: Amazon.com (Pack of 6)

Product replaced: Tide Ultra with Synthetic Bleech

Ingredients: Aqua, sodium laureth sulfate, coconut alcohol ethoxylate and glycerin, sodium citrate, oleic acid and glyceryl oleate, sodium hydroxide, sodium borate, amylase, cellulase and protease, calcium chloride, trace minerals, and preservatives (explained on their site)

Like the powdered version of this product, I was unable to find any problems with the ingredients, which are all clearly listed and explained on the back of the bottle.

Use: Regular, everyday use including colors, whites, bed sheets, blankets, and bath towels

Results: My wife was more skeptical to try this initially than myself, in large part due to both of our misunderstanding that harsh chemicals and fragrances were actually needed to get tough stains and smells out from clothes.

Turns out that’s just not the case!  Seventh Gen did a more than adequate job cleaning all of our whites, darks, towels, and bed sheets.  In fact, from a cleaning standpoint, if you poured a bottle of Seventh Gen into an empty bottle of Tide, you would probably never realize a switch had been made — except for the absence of unnecessary dyes and fragrances!

We even ran it (as directed on the bottle) in cold water and so no noticeable drop off in cleaning ability – effective running in 45°F to 145°F according to the bottle.  And since there are no fragrances, your clothes come out without any smell so you can be confident that they really are clean and not just masked by some fancy perfume!

Best of all: It’s “free and clear” of perfumes and dyes, the 2X Ultra formulation means that 64 loads can be achieved using half the detergent of non-Ultra (100 oz of 2X = 200 oz of regular) which saves packaging and energy, it’s formulated to work well in cold water, and all ingredients are clearly detailed on the packaging (try finding that on a bottle of Tide!).

Why try it? I decided to try this product after reading Wesley’s review of the Seventh Generation Powdered Detergent ;however, I don’t like using powdered detergents in general as they can leave marks on clothing and not fully spread throughout the washing machine.

That being said, you should try it because it just works and works well!  I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised as to how well it actually pulls out smells and stains from clothing and other washables.

The drawback: At $14.99 for 64 loads, it’s a little more pricey than its non-Green competitors which usually run about $11.99 for a comparable size

The Final Thought: What prevents most people from making the switch to a Greener Laundry Detergent?  I would guess one of two things:  1) the belief that because it lacks the fancy (and harsh) chemicals of brands like Tide, it will not clean as well and 2) a premium price tag.

While Seventh Generation Liquid Laundry Detergent still has a slightly higher price than its non-Green counterparts, it clearly does not lack in cleaning ability.  It’s highly effective in cold water, saving you money and energy.  It’s non-toxic, biodegradable , and hypo-allergenic.

If you can spare the extra $3 for every 64 loads of laundry, you won’t be disappointed! Not to mention that as more people hop on board and Seventh Generation sells more, they’ll reach greater production efficiencies and economies of scale resulting (hopefully) in lower prices for all!

EHI There! What green products are you using that you love? What products are you trying to replace? Got an idea for a product you would like to be reviewed? We welcome guest columnists; just contact us!

“Hi, my name’s Randy, and I just really love beer.”

My name is not actually Randy, but I do in fact really love beer.  So much so that my wife surprised me with a variety pack for my birthday, which happened to include an organic amber ale courtesy of the Clipper City Brewing Company out of Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Now, I’ll admit, I’m no beer connoisseur; however, I know what I like and I know what I don’t.  When I drink a beer, I’m looking for full flavor, texture, and a certain “this is new, unique” that you don’t find just anywhere.  This is perhaps how I could best describe my first swig of Oxford Organic Ales – Amber Ale.  Hold the artificial sweeteners, flavors, and additives–give me an all-natural, 4-ingredient organic beer and I’m a happy man.

That’s right 4 ingredients: water, organic barley malt, hops, and yeast.  The way I see it, this is the way God meant beer to be: straight from the earth, simple, and delicious.   The beer is certified organic by the Maryland Department of Agriculture and by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

What does the USDA Organic certification mean?  Getting an organic certification (according to Wikipedia) typically means that a product follows the following standards:

• avoidance of most synthetic chemical inputs (e.g. fertilizer, pesticides, antibiotics, food additives, etc), genetically modified organisms, irradiation, and the use of sewage sludge;
• use of farmland that has been free from chemicals for a number of years (often, three or more);
• keeping detailed written production and sales records (audit trail);
• maintaining strict physical separation of organic products from non-certified products;
• undergoing periodic on-site inspections.

So if you get a chance to get your hands on one of these killer brewskis, don’t pass it up!  Not to mention you might enjoy it that much more knowing that you’re drinking it the way God intended, all natural Organic!

I was happy to see upon visiting my local Home Depot today that they have a table set up just inside the main entrance dedicated to educating customers about various eco-friendly changes they could make to their home, many through products sold in their store. While this isn’t the first thing the Home Depot has done to green its image and customers, I picked up a small pamphlet sitting on the table.  Inside was most of the information found throughout the table including some interesting little “Eco Fun Facts” that I thought I’d share!

1.  Compact flourescents light bulbs (CFLs) consume up to 75% less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

2.  If 1-in-10 homes used ENERGY STAR qualified appliances, the change would be like planting 1.7 million acres of trees.

3.  An average family of four uses 400 gallons of water every day.  If 1-in-10 homes in the US upgraded to water-efficient fixtures, it could save more than 300 billion gallons and nearly $2 billion annually.

Now, I know they have a vested interest to point out things like upgrading your appliances because they want to sell them to you but I think it is worthwhile to consider these points nonetheless.

When we think of the major sources of our energy consumption, its easiest to look at our obvious areas like transportation, but consider your 10 or 15 year old kitchen stove or refrigerator like the old gas guzzler in your garage.  Technology has evolved and these products have seen significant advances since your last purchase too.

Stay tuned for more information on eco-friendly household appliances and just how big of a difference they can make in reducing your carbon footprint! And thanks to Home Depot for stepping up to the plate and pushing forward with green initiatives – you can do more, but we appreciate the start!

A quick news story I thought readers might find interesting focused on ecological, and even, yes democratic design.  A designer who has such feats under his belt as designer the 2-Euro coin is now focusing his efforts on more practical design.

The point of the story that was of most interest to me was mention of a rooftop wind turbine.  No, this is not new, but the price range he’s gearing the item to: between $780 to $1,250 for a wind turbine the designer, Philippe Starck, says can produce up to 80% of a home’s energy (invest in two of the turbines, and presumably, you could produce enough for your home, and about half of one of your neighbor’s homes (or sell the extra power back to the grid, more likely).

Another online source said that the turbine could produce 20% to 60% of a home’s energy needs, which seems more likely, when you see the design and know that it is a miniature wind turbine, it seems as if the 80% (I know, it says, “up to”) seems exaggerated.  Yes, you would need more equipment to use the energy, and it would likely take much more expertise than taking it home and installing in fifteen minutes as the designer says, but have to love this concept.

Two amazing features for the wind turbine is its design, the part anyone might see from a distance or below is clear plastic and its price range!  I mean for less than many (if not most) of us pay for a new computer, you could take care of a significant portion of your home power bills and improve your envirohuman impact!

You could probably see a very significant amount of payback for your investment rather quickly, especially since compared to several thousand you might pay for another turbine, these are cheap!  Made with plastic?  I’m not sure how long these might last or how easy it might be to get replacement plastic (how long is the warranty?), but this seems like one to look into if you’re looking for an inexpensive way to get started on greener energy.

I know, it’s the weekend and several of you will be hitting up the store to pick up a few items that you’re running low on.  It’s time to take what for many is the first step in greening one’s lifestyle: greening your purchases.  Browsing through EnviroHumanImpact, you can find several articles of interest on this subject, especially our product reviews.

But here, I will illuminate for you a few of our best articles regarding greener shopping, ones that you can use to get started:

• Try a Greener Laundry Detergent
• Get a Reusable Water Bottle but Beware of Nalgene Bottles
• Try to Buy More Organic Foods

So after you get started with some greener product options, you’ll likely find more and more ways to improve your envirohuman impact.  Most find it difficult to stop (and this is a good thing) themselves from greening increasingly more products and processes in their lives.

To keep the momentum rolling, consider signing up for RSS Feed or Email Updates using the buttons above a the top of every page here on EnviroHumanImpact, or a the end of each article.  Also, consider following other blogs and news sources.  To get started, try the Energy Big News Page or the Green Living Big News Page both found on the Huffington Post.

Product Reviewed: 365 Organics Organic Cotton Balls

Place of Purchase: Whole Foods Market

Purchase Price: $2.99 for 100 jumbo cotton balls

Product replaced: Non-organic cotton balls

Ingredients: 100% organic cotton

Use: I use them for cosmetic or first-aid uses, such as applying facial toner or alcohol, when needed.

Results: These are great!  They’re affordable and very soft!  The package says that,

Organic farming helps replenish the soil and protect the quality of our water and air.  Cotton grown without the use of harsh chemicals means cotton balls that are naturally free of harmful chemical residue.  Whitened with hydrogen peroxide, our cotton balls are gentle and absorbent, with a velvety, soft texture that feels wonderful on your skin.

I hate to take a manufacturer’s word for what I can expect, because of the obvious fact that they’re trying to sell you the product.  But what they have to say seems all too true, especially how soft the cotton really is, and the fact that the 365 Organics Cotton Balls are so very large — not the case with many other cotton balls.  Sometimes, I tear them in half because it feels wasteful to use so much cotton, and they are still bigger when torn in half than many of their competitors’ are at full size.

Best of all: Mostly, they’re organic, soft, absorbent, and affordable.  Simply put.

Why try it? Because all you have to do is head to a Whole Foods Market near you and pick them up.  If you don’t live near a Whole Foods market, search out your local natural foods and products store for organic cotton balls, and other products. 

The drawback: As noted above, these cotton balls are big, which is great from a utilitarian perspective, but 365 Organics would do well to cut down the size by one half.  That would put them at about an average standard size and would eliminate waste; as is, there is almost too much cotton in each cotton ball.

EHI There! What green products are you using that you love? What products are you trying to replace? Got an idea for a product you would like to be reviewed? We welcome guest columnists; just contact us!

Product Reviewed: President’s Choice Green 2-Ply Toilet Paper

Place of Purchase: Jewel-Osco

Purchase Price: 10 for $10 on sale

Product replaced: Non-green toilet paper, like Charmin, Cottonelle, and Quilted Northern

Ingredients: 100% post-consumer paper.  Clean and sanitary without the addition of chlorine bleach*.  Some of the recycled paper in this product may have been bleached with chlorine when originally manufactured.

Use: For any sensitive area you need to wipe!

Results: It works great!  It isn’t rough.  It didn’t leave dingleberries behind (those are those, uh, crumbs).  This product is as soft as its non-green counterparts, without the use of bleach or other chemicals. I came away from the experience with a clean behind! Yeah, I said “dingleberries,” and, “clean behind”.

Best of all: The product boasts post-consumer product, forming demand for a second-use of this useful fiber product as well as reducing demand for virgin fibers.  It also is a diversion for material that is often slated for landfills.

Why try it? Because it’s far greener than the product you are likely currently using for wiping your behind.  It’s also quite affordable.

The drawback: At 176 sheets per roll, the company would do well to double that amount, in order to get the most from the packaging.  Meaning, more paper would go into less needed plastic packaging.  It would also mean less cardboard used for the inner rolls, because fewer rolls would be used.

EHI There! What green products are you using that you love? What products are you trying to replace? Got an idea for a product you would like to be reviewed? We welcome guest columnists; just contact us!

Ever cook with a gas stove? How about a gas grill?  I have used both, and there is one noticeable difference in the way that these two cooking appliances are lit at the time of ignition of the natural gas that makes me cringe.

So what am I talking about?

Not for all gas stoves and ovens, but for the great majority of them, they are lit by the pilot light, which is just a small flame that remains lit all of the time, burning a small amount of gas at all hours of the day.

I cringe at those lit using a pilot light instead of an electrical spark, because that flame burns gas constantly.

As an aside, if you’re a gas stove user, you know that if your pilot light goes out, you are likely to smell the natural gas in your home.  Furthermore, if you don’t have another pilot light somewhere else to burn off some of that gas, and it is allowed to continue to build up in your home, you might eventually get an explosion like one seen in the Ed Norton character’s apartment in Fight Club. Or at least that’s what we see happen in the movie (see video at the end of this article).

But how much gas is actually burned by a pilot light?  Well, I did not know that particular figure, so I did some research.  I had very little success finding concrete numbers, but that’s mostly because that would vary according to many conditions and by individual appliance.  But to give you an idea, according to Wikipedia:

In domestic heating systems with pilot lights it has been estimated that on average half the total energy usage is from the pilot light, each pilot light using from 240–500 W of gas (8–16 GJ/year).

The Wisconsin Public Service Corporation provides this online calculator to estimate how much gas your  pilot lights are using, as an option among all of the other possible gas burners in your home.  You may be using a great deal of gas up every day, every year, with each passing gas bill, in large part to pilot lights.

So, what can I do about my own situation?

A much better way is to have an electrical ignition, like the ones typically found on most gas grills.  It’s also available on some gas stoves.  Gas is energy-intensive to extract, it releases some carbon dioxide, and it costs you money to burn!  It would be worth one’s while to buy a gas stove with electrical ignition the next time you buy one (or opt for electric!).

Cooking is energy-intensive, but as our economy hopefully makes the move toward renewable electricity sources, electrical appliances will show their worth even more, pilot light aside.  In short, Our pilot lights are just not necessary.

Also, as noted on the Ideal Bite, you can also save by turning off your pilot lights for gas fireplaces or heaters for those months during which you are not using those appliances.

Just be sure to also shut off the gas supply to those appliances for those times, and do some reading or talk to your gas supplier if you have questions or concerns about how to do this safely.  Get informed first, then tend to the problem.  If at any time, you smell gas, you should stop, get of out the house, and call your gas supplier for instruction.

And, just for fun, here’s that scene from Fight Club – I love the fly-through graphics: