Drinkin’ Single

My wife is the only coffee drinker in our house. She enjoys a cup in the morning and feels guilty dumping most of the brewed coffee down the drain, but not guilty enough to splurge at the local coffee shop for her daily cup. We're trying to figure out a way to get her coffee in the morning while minimizing expense and waste.

One option is a fancy single serving model – Senseo and Keurig appear to be good brands. They produce one cup at a time. It would be great to reduce wasted coffee, but I'm concerned that each cup requires a highly packaged “pod” or “k-cup” coffee packet. There are reusable filters that would allow us to use our own ground coffee. Online ratings of the reusable filters are good.

Skipping coffee all together may be the greenest option for residents of the Midwest U.S., but I'm told that isn't an option. Second best may be the fair trade, shade grown, organic, sleep-well-at-night coffee club at my office, but most workplaces don't have a critical mass of do-gooder caffeine addicts, so that one is out too. We'll try out one of the single serving models and see how that works, though my compost pile will miss the coffee grounds. Anyone have experience with one cup coffee makers, good or bad?

-Chris, Green

Forcing Some Amaryllis

We're officially in the holiday season, so what better to celebrate than getting some fresh flowers growing indoors. One of the easiest and most rewarding are the amaryllis. These South African native bulbs are large and produce correspondingly large flowers. Normally they would bloom in spring with other bulbs, such as tulips, but with a little coaxing, they can bloom in winter, for the holidays and beyond.

The simplest way to get some blooms is to buy an amaryllis bulb ready to go from a local garden center. You can get fancy with decorative pots, but really all you need is the bulb, a clay or plastic pot, and some potting soil. Simply pot up the amaryllis leaving the top of the bulb exposed, place it in a sunny, warm room and let it grow. Choose a pot where the amaryllis will have only an inch or two wiggle room. They flower best if crowded. Depending on the bulb, sometimes the leaves emerge first, other times it's the flower stalk. In either case, you should be seeing flowers within 4 to 6 weeks.
 
To extend the bulb bloom time grow a few different varieties of amaryllis. Amaryllis bulbs are categorized by the weeks they take to bloom. Early bloomers, such as 'Apple Blossom' and 'Scarlet Baby', take 5 to 8 weeks to bloom. Mid-season bloomers, such as 'Red Lion' and 'Picotee', take 7 to 10 weeks to bloom. Late season bloomers, such as 'Piquant' and 'Happy Memory', take up to 12 weeks to bloom. By selecting a bulb of each, you'll have amaryllis blooming from January until April!

Depending on the bulb size you may get 1 or even 2 flower stalks with 4 to 6 flowers per stalk. It's quite a show and inspiration for the dark days on winter. When the flower stalk is finished, cut it back to the bulb, but leaf any leaves intact. Grow the bulb like any other houseplant until spring when they can go outdoors. The leaves will feed the bulb for next year's flowers.

-Charlie, Lawn & Garden

“Hohm” Energy Use, Part Two

On Wednesday, we discussed Xcel Energy's partnership with Microsoft on their “Hohm” online home energy management system. I entered my home data and received recommendations on home energy savings.

What was the verdict? I spend the most money on space heating, followed by miscellaneous appliances (e.g., refrigerator, clothes dryer) and water heating. The top recommendations were replacement of my remaining incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents, replacing my furnace with a high-efficiency model, and hiring a professional to seal air leaks. None of these suggestions surprised me. My furnace is quite old and inefficient and we have some leaks to seal.

Hohm provides approximate costs for the recommendations, break-even periods, and some generic instructions on making changes. If you decide to follow the recommendations, Manage My Home can help you with detailed project advice or connect you with home experts to answer questions.

The Hohm system compared my home energy costs to “average homes” in my area. I was shocked to find out I was spending more money annually on energy than the “average home.” We turn off our lights and rarely use our air conditioner. As a eco-guy, I'd be thrilled if the average homeowner was using less energy than me but I wonder if it's really true. I need to look into Mr. Average Home and see what he knows that I don't.

-Chris, Green

Holiday Memories

The sense of smell is so valuable as part of our memory. The delicious smell of holiday cooking is probably one of the strongest imprints in the brain when it comes to holiday memories. However, after all that cooking and eating, the lovely aromas become a bit too much. Many of us turn to romantic candles to add more ambiance.

However, burning conventional candles — made from petroleum — isn't so earth or body friendly. The paraffin-based candles (a finite resource to boot) can easily be replaced by soy candles made from soybeans. Unlike petroleum based candles which create soot when they burn, soy candles burn without generating carbon emissions or leaving anything to clean up. In addition, soy candles burn 30-50% longer than petroleum-based candles making them more cost effective as well.

Another good candle option is candles made from beeswax. Some can burn more than 40 hours with sweet, subtle honey-like fragrance.

If there are too many children around and candles don't seem like the best choice, try other scent removal options that still add a memorable, yet eco friendly, holiday scent. One such idea is warming up cinnamon and cloves with either water (or wine to drink). Another great idea is hanging pine wreaths or other pine decorations.

Lemon always adds a nice clean scent so I rub some lemon around the sink to give it that just cleaned aroma. We also use a NATURAL, fresh smelling soap such as Burt's Bees Peppermint Rosemary bar in the bathroom to remove any odors.

Compared to the chemicals in candles and air fresheners, these natural scents are not only good for the environment, they are healthy for your whole family.

May your holiday be filled with many wonderful memories.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours,
-Phyllis, Green Expert

“Hohm” Energy Use, Part One

My utility, Xcel Energy, recently partnered with Microsoft on their home energy management system, “Hohm.” The goal of the Hohm online system is to collect data on your home and offer suggestions to reduce your energy use. Xcel's Smart Grid City pilot project is in Colorado, and I’m not, so I figured I would take the Hohm system for a spin while I wait for smart grid options in my area.

I set aside an hour to enter all my home data.  Most of the data is pretty easy to track down (especially if you’ve already entered it at ManageMyHome): ages and energy sources for appliances, sizes and materials for windows and doors, programmable thermostat settings.  I guessed on the level of insulation in my walls and attic. 

I also connected the system directly to my electric and gas utility. The system automatically imported my energy usage data over the past year or so. The data informed the recommendations and allowed for nifty bar charts but I was otherwise underwhelmed. If you're just getting started with home energy efficiency projects, the Hohm recommendations will give you a good place to start. I'm ready to move to the next step and receive this data in real time. It may be helpful to see how much money I spent on energy last year, but it would be great to know how much I am spending right now. My wife thinks I’m already insane about turning off lights; imagine if I could see the actual cost on my computer screen.

Later this week: Hohm's personalized energy saving recommendations for me!

-Chris, Green

TVs Gobble Up Too This Holiday Weekend

As you sit there this holiday weekend watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and football games, consider the energy efficiency of the TV you are watching it on.

The California Energy Commission has considered this. They realized that as televisions have grown in size, residential energy consumption attributed to televisions has increased from 3 to 4 percent in the 1990s to 8 to 10 percent in 2008. The commission expected it to reach 18 percent by 2023.

They therefore voted unanimously last week to become the first state to impose energy efficiency standards for televisions. The agency estimates the move will save consumers $1 billion a year in energy costs.

Starting January 2011 the new standards will take effect preventing the sale of energy-guzzling televisions with a screen size 58 inches or smaller, mandating that new models consume 33 percent less electricity by 2011 and 49 percent less electricity by 2013.

They are aiming to curb the trend toward huge, wide screen, high-definition TVs that gobble up electricity. Since California is often the leader in many environmental issues, this could have far-reaching effects around the country. The new rules cover liquid-crystal display and plasma high-definition TVs, old-fashioned cathode ray tube and rear-projection sets, but consumers won't be required to buy new televisions.

California consumers will be saving billions of dollars and conserving energy while preserving their choice to buy any size or type of TV. The commission believes the new law will help avoid the construction of a new power plant and reduce carbon dioxide gas emissions. The proposed standard has no effect on existing televisions. It only applies to TVs sold in California after January 1, 2011.

Some argue that residents will drive outside of the state to buy the TVs they want and therefore the state would loose millions of dollars in sales tax. The commission considered this but states that there are more than 1,000 TV models with no greater cost that are on the market already and meet the 2011 standards.

Tread Lighter with TVs that save money on power bills and the atmosphere from additional CO2 emissions,
-Phyllis, Green Expert

Cook Up Some "Love Soup" for the Holiday

For this Thanksgiving why not warm up the body with some tasty and nutritious soups? If you’re tired of the same few recipes you keep using over and over, try out this new cookbook. From the author of the famous Vegetarian Epicure (considered one of the most influential cookbooks in modern vegetarian cuisine) comes a new vegetarian cookbook exclusively devoted to soups. Love Soup by Anna Thomas (W.W. Norton, 2009) provides 160 vegetarian soup recipes arranged by the seasons. Examples include sorrel soup for spring, smoky eggplant soup for summer, black bean and squash soup for fall, and curried spinach and parsley soup for winter. Looking for something different to cook for this holiday? Why not try a roasted turnip and winter squash soup, green lentil soup with cumin and lemon, or pickle soup! There’s even a whole chapter devoted to unusual broths! Thomas’ soup recipes satisfy, delight, and are nutritious, too. 

There are recipes for soup companions as well. She has recipes for breads, hummus, pesto, and salads, as well as homemade desserts. The beauty of the book is that the recipes are simple and easy to make. Even if you’re not a vegetarian, you’re sure to find plenty of recipes you’ll enjoy.

-Charlie, Lawn & Garden

Book Review: “Farewell, My Subaru”

Several years ago, journalist Doug Fine purchased a New Mexico ranch and moved there to start a new, “green” life. He documented his efforts in a book, “Farewell, My Subaru.” He attempted to reduce his carbon footprint by eating locally and reducing his direct petroleum consumption, all without giving up his laptop or sub-woofers. Fine was not looking to be a green monk, just to reduce his environmental impact.

The author localized his diet by raising goats for milk, chickens for eggs, and vegetables for eating. I don't want to ruin the book for any potential readers, but his obstacles included predators, disease, Mother Nature, and firearms mishaps. Petroleum saving projects included a biofuel truck conversion and solar power installation for hot water heating and electricity.

Fine handled adversity with sarcasm and a good attitude. He has some lessons for the rest of us who cannot or will not pack up our belongings and move to rural America to live off the land. He found his green life “more manual” as he managed his water collection and animal containment on a daily or hourly basis. He found instances of necessary hypocrisy when he used toxic sealant to assemble his solar powered water pump. Overall, he recommended steady progress and regular attention to daily activities if you choose to reduce your carbon footprint. No one can eliminate their environmental impact tomorrow but we can all take steps to progressively get closer.

-Chris, Green

Give Your Home More Curb Appeal... Go Green

Riding my bike through town today I noticed that there are many homes for sale. I started to think about what sells a house these days and how greening-up the home is a definitely a key differentiator.

Prepare your home for sale with some of these environmentally-friendly ideas:

• Since some parts of the country will require an energy audit before one closes on a sale; get one if necessary.
• Install a programmable thermostat.
• Some of us need to de-clutter. Doing so makes a room feel larger so get rid of the junk you have stored. Avoid simply dumping the items and instead look for ways to renew, reuse or recycle them. For example, a friend had many canning jars in her basement that she brought to new life by decorating them with nice old ribbon. She gave the beautiful storage jars away as gifts.
• Other folks need to perk up areas of their home. Instead of buying new things, look for gently used, good quality things to give the room some new life.
• If things are broken, repair or re-cover it vs. buying something new.
• Throw a few new coats of low or no VOC paint on the walls. This will cut down on toxic gases inside the home which is another selling point.
• One of the easiest ways to improve your home's green appearance is to replace all incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). You can re-lamp all lights in your home. Doing so will also be visual reminder to prospective homebuyers of your efforts to incorporate energy savings into your home.
• Replace the showerhead with a water-efficient model and install water-saving aerators on all of your faucets.
• Grab a wrench and fix that leaky faucet.
• If the house is in need of new appliances, look for Energy Star appliances.

After all these efforts, make sure the changes you've made are visually obvious by putting the energy-efficiency upgrades in all listing materials.

Some folks even display their utility bills to show potential buyers how their home has become more efficient.

Tread Lighter adding green marketability to your home,
-Phyllis, Green Expert

The Last Carrot

It's getting cold out there. As night time temperatures dip into the 20Fs, it's time to harvest what you can from the garden. Although the soil is warmer than the air this time of year, soon it will get even too cold for root crops. It's time to act like Bugs Bunny and dig them up.

Carrots, parsnips, beets, and turnips are some of the most common root crops you may still have growing in your garden. When the temperatures dip into the low 20Fs, you have two choices. Either dig up all the remaining roots or protect them. To dig up your carrots and other roots, use an iron fork or shovel. Moisten the soil before digging if it's not already wet. Work around the bed to loosen the soil. Once the soil is loose, the roots will pull out easier. Avoid digging too close to the root crops or you may break them.

Once harvested, clean the roots well and store them in plastic bags in the refrigerator crisper. They will last up to a month in the refrigerator. If you have a root cellar or basement that stays just above freezing, you can store them in wooden boxes filled with slightly moist sawdust or peat moss. Some roots can last for months under proper storage conditions.

If you don't want to dig all the roots at once, mulch them heavily with hay or straw. Bury the bed in a 6- to 8-inch deep pile of mulch. This will prevent the soil from freezing, creating an "in-ground" root cellar where you can harvest roots throughout the winter by digging through the mulch.

-Charlie, Lawn & Garden