Timely tips for a tip-top toilet.

Today’s green tip: don’t flush your money down the toilet!

Check for leaks

Leaks inside your toilet can waste up to 200 gallons per day.  Some leaks are silent, some produce a running water sound, and others may be visible as a small trickle running from the rim to the water in the bowl.

To detect silent leaks, remove toilet tank lid and any colored cleaning agents.  Flush to clear water in the bowl.  Add dye tablets, leak detector fluid, or a few drops of food coloring to the tank.  If the tank is leaking, color will appear in the bowl within 10 to 15 minutes.  Flush as soon as the test is complete.

Fix leaks

If your toilet is leaking, try the following procedures:

• Water level in the tank should be about 1/2 inch below the top of the overflow tube in the middle of the tank.  To adjust the water level, use a screwdriver to adjust the screw on the end of the ballcock float arm or bend the float arm up or down (very gently) until the correct water level is achieved.
• If you need to jiggle the handle to stop the water running after a flush, you should oil, tighten, or replace the flush handle.  To tighten, use an adjustable wrench to tighten the nut attached to the handle on the inside of the tank.
• Check for holes and cracks in the float ball.  If the ball is filled with water or no longer appears to float, it needs to be replaced.  Replace by unscrewing it from its tubing and screwing another on in its place.
• Adjust lift chain so it hangs straight from handle lever with about 1/2 inch slack.
• Check the rubber flapper or flush valve at the bottom of the tank.  If it is worn or corroded, it needs to be cleaned or replaced.
• If the water won’t shut off at all, replace both the flapper and the ballcock.
• If these simple procedures don’t stop the leak, you should call your plumber.

Install low-flow

Since the mid 1990s, all new toilets have been redesigned to conserve water, using 1.6 gallons of water per flush.  Older models use 3 gallons or more per flush.  If your toilet is not a newer water-saving fixture, consider purchasing one.

Source: ”Saving Water Indoors,” Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Make your garbage great.

Today’s green tip: compost your kitchen scraps and yard waste!

A common misconception about plant care is that all plants require fertilizer.  Plants do need nutrients, but they might not need added fertilizer.  That is because as organic matter decomposes, nutrients are released into the soil in a form that plants can utilize.

A great way to supply some of these key nutrients to plants while recycling yard waste is by adding compost, which you can make from yard or kitchen waste.  As compost decomposes in soil, it releases essential nutrients.  Add generous amounts of composted material frequently to soil to help create the perfect medium for sustained plant health.

Adding compost to soil can:

• Improve soil structure, texture, and aeration.
• Increase the water-holding capacity of soil.
• Help loosen compacted soils.
• Promote soil fertility and stimulate root development.
• Create a favorable environment for microorganisms, earthworms, and insects that are nature’s “soil builders.”

Composting can be as simple as placing leaves, grass clippings, and small cuttings behind shrubs or in a hidden corner of the yard and letting nature take its course.  Homemade or manufactured compost bins allow you to really incorporate kitchen waste, such as vegetable and fruit scraps, eggshells, and coffee grounds.  Numerous types of compost bins are commercially available, and many are attractive.  Gardening magazines, catalogs, and garden centers are good sources for composting products.  For more information about composting, visit http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu.

Follow these tips for successful composting:

• Try using a bin.  They’re not necessary, but they help keep piles neat, retain heat and moisture, and prevent complaints from the neighbors.  The minimum recommended size is 1 cubic yard (3 feet square by 3 feet high).
• Decide when you want it.  Composting can take as little as four to six weeks or as long as one to two years, depending on the size and type of material in the pile and the amount of attention you give it.
• Add water as you build the pile.  Proper moisture is necessary for microorganisms to decompose the material.  Covering the pile retains moisture and prevents the decomposing material from getting too soggy when it rains.  You should not be able to squeeze water from the material produced at the bottom of the pile.
• Combine different materials in the pile, such as grass clippings and leaves, to achieve the right proportions of carbon and nitrogen for effective composting.
• Always bury kitchen waste inside the pile to discourage pests and to prevent odor from rotting fruit and vegetables.  Never place meat, animal fat, or dairy products in a compost pile.
• Turn or stir the pile with a pitchfork or shovel on a weekly basis for faster composting.  Stabbing the pile with a length of pipe or rake handle will also help aerate and mix the material.

What to compost

Compost is both an easy way to reduce the a amount of waste you send to the landfill and a cheap way to get nutrients for your garden.  The key is balancing “green,” or nitrogen-rich, materials with “brown,” or carbon-rich, materials (plus some air and moisture).  Here are some items you can compost.  All of them will decompose faster when chopped up.

GREEN
Grass clippings
Weeds
Fruit and vegetable scraps
Eggshells
Plant trimmings
Farm animal manure

BROWN
Fallen leaves
Twigs and fallen branches
Wood chips and sawdust
Tea bags
Coffee grounds and filters
Paper towels
Pine needles
Dryer lint
Cornstalks and corn cobs
Shredded newspaper and cardboard

**Never compost pet waste or animal fats like meat, grease, and cheese.  They can create odor problems and attract pests.

Source: The Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Handbook, University of Florida/IFAS, 2009.

Make laundry day Earth Day.

Today’s green tip: wash, rinse, and help the environment!

How can you make every laundry day Earth Day?  It’s easy!  Here are few tips that can not only help the environment, but save you some money, too.

• Wash with the coldest water possible.  You’ll save energy by not heating up the water.  Fortunately, many detergents are now formulated to perform well in cold water.  Read and follow product package and garment label directions for the most effective water temperature to use.  Switching your temperature setting from hot to warm can cut energy use in half, and using the cold cycle reduces energy use even more.
• Select the right amount of water for each load.  Avoid overfilling your washing machine, and save water and energy.
• Spin your clothes at the highest recommended speed.  The spin cycle removes the water from your clothes.  The faster it spins, the more water gets removed.  The less time your clothes have to spend in the dryer, the more energy (money) you save.
• Use the right amount of detergent for the washer and the load.  Read the instructions for your washer and on the detergent package.
• Speaking of detergent…  If you haven’t already switched to concentrated detergent, you might want to consider doing so.  A concentrated product comes in a much smaller package.  You’ll get the same number of laundry loads out of a smaller bottle, but use much less plastic.  And these smaller bottles take up much less space in a delivery truck, which reduces the energy costs to transport them from the manufacturer to the store.
• Twofers, anyone?  Instead of buying a separate bottle of bleach or fabric softener, consider looking for a 2-in-1 product such as a detergent with a built-in stain remover.  Again, less packaging (which takes energy to produce) and lower shipping costs.
• The best time for laundry.  As we head into warmer weather, deciding when to do your laundry can determine the amount of energy you use.  Running appliances creates heat, so use the washing machine and dryer at night when it’s cooler outside.  This way, you won’t have to use more energy to cool your house during the day.
• Don’t forget to recycle!  Nothing like squeezing out the last drop of detergent to make it go farther.  (Store nearly empty jugs upside down and you may find enough for a whole other load!)  But when you’ve gotten to the end of a bottle, please dispose of it properly.  Rinse and re-cap the empty container to protect pets and young children, and put it in the recycling bin.

Adapted from “Celebrating Earth Day…in the Laundry Room” from Cleaning Matters, March/April 2012.

Be more water wise.

Today’s green tip: slow the flow!

From our friends at the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD), here are a few tips for saving water in your home:

In the bathroom:

• Flush less – remember the toilet is not an ashtray or wastebasket.
• While brushing teeth, shaving, etc. turn off the water.
• When cold water will do, avoid using hot water.  (This also saves energy!)
• Take shorter showers – 5 minutes or less.
• In the shower, wet yourself down, turn the water off, lather up, then turn the water on to rinse off soap.
• Use less water when bathing – close the drain first and fill tub only one-third full.  That initial burst of cold water will be warmed by the hot water as the tub fills.

In the kitchen:

• Operate the dishwasher only when you have a full load.
• Scrape, don’t rinse, your dishes before loading in the dishwasher.
• When purchasing a dishwasher, consider a water (and energy) efficient model.
• Use your garbage disposal sparingly and start composting your kitchen waste.
• Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator or microwave, not under running water.
• Store drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the tap run while you wait for cool water to flow.
• When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water and fill the rinsing sink to one-third or one-half full – avoid letting the water run continuously in the rinsing sink.

Where your gadgets should go when they die.

Today’s green tip: eCycle!

Many of us are on board with recycling plastic, paper, and glass.  But how many of us recycle our electronics?  When those gadgets die, do we just toss them in the trash like so much garbage?  Should we?

The answer to that last question is NO.  Electronic devices may contain harmful substances such as heavy metals (e.g. lead) that can present an environmental hazard when discarded improperly.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  has begun a national campaign to reuse and recycle old computers, TVs, and cell phones called Plug-In to eCycling that partners with retail stores such as Best Buy, Office Depot, and Staples to recycle various electronics.

Other recycling resources include:

Cell Phones - www.gowirelessgogreen.org

Computers - Check with your computer manufacturer.  Some offer recycling programs that give new life to your old machines.  Here are some links: Apple | Dell | HP

Rechargeable batteries - www.call2recycle.org

Phantom energy loss can get a little scary.

Today’s green tip: unplug it!

Leaving things plugged in, even when they’re not in use, can really add to your overall energy use, which can lead to a higher electricity bill.  Small items such as hairdryers, microwaves, lamps, clocks, computers, and even the chargers for all your electronic gadgets can still draw electricity while their plugged in, even if their switches are turned off or you’re not using them.  Larger items such as ovens, washers and dryers, and water heaters also draw energy, but for convenience’s – and safety’s – sake, should be left plugged in.

Some suggestions for reducing phantom energy loss:

• Take inventory.  Are there rooms in your house that aren’t used a lot, yet contain things such as lamps and clocks and TVs that are just sitting there plugged into the wall, drawing energy for no reason?  Take a few moments to do a sweep of your home and determine what can be unplugged.
• Use a power strip.  Plugging your TV and attached devices into a power strip, for instance, makes it easier to unplug these things when not in use, since all you have to do is turn off the power strip itself instead of half a dozen individual items.  The same thing goes for your computer and all its attached devices as well.
• Don’t leave chargers plugged in.  You may think that it’s easier to just leave it plugged in so that it’s ready for your gadget at the end of the day, but that little box – called the transformer – continues to draw energy even when there’s nothing attached to the other end.

Remember, if it has a standby mode, a remote control, or any type of display (e.g. a clock), it’s contributing the most to phantom energy loss.  By being a little more conscientious, you can reduce your energy use and even save a few bucks.

“31 Days of Green” begins…NOW!

In honor of Living Well month, I have decided to embark on a rather ambitious project: 31 Days of Green.  Each day – and I’m talking working days here – I’ll be talking about something green, whether it’s a healthy green food or an energy-saving tip or a way to save some green (money).

So come on, join me in adding a little “color” into your life!

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Today’s green tip combines two green topics: money and the environment.

Do you drink bottled water?  You may be surprised to learn that most bottled water is nothing more than purified tap water – the same stuff that comes out of your faucet.  Don’t be led astray by the mountain on the label.  What’s more, many bottled water producers don’t list their water source on the label, thereby confusing many consumers.

Also consider the cost.  Many bottled waters are pricey, many times the cost of tap water filtered at home.  Part of that price is convenience, part is packaging, and part is prestige.  But remember, every time you twist the cap off a purchased bottle of water, you’re needlessly wasting money AND adding to the tons of discarded plastic in the environment.  Filtering your own tap water – and you may not even have to filter it depending on your taste preferences – and filling up a reusable water bottle will save you a lot of money and save space in the landfills, too.  Tap water is just a fraction of what commercially bottled water costs, even taking into consideration the price of the filter.

And speaking of reusable water bottles, sturdy plastic ones are great, but check the bottom for the number inside the recycle symbol.  If that number is 1, 2, 4, 5, or 6, it is safe, meaning it is very unlikely to contain any of the controversial compound bisphenol, which has been shown to exert weak, but detectable, hormone-like properties, thereby raising concern about its use in consumer products.  Avoid bottles with the number 3 or 7 inside the recycle symbol as these may contain bisphenol.  You may also want to try reusable bottles made from stainless steel, which are both safe and durable and do not contain any bisphenol.

‘Tis the season to be energy efficient.

Ah, the holidays.  They’re a time for food, family, and fun.  But when it comes to energy use, they can also be a time of excess and waste.  All that cooking and baking and oodles of electric decorations – not to mention heating your home against the winter chill – can certainly cause your energy bill to spike.  Here are a few tips to help keep your energy use in check this holiday season:

–When cooking your holiday turkey or ham, don’t preheat the oven.  These foods are slow roasted anyway, so preheating is unnecessary – even when the recipe calls for it.  Don’t open the oven door too often, either.  Every time the door is opened, the temperature inside the oven drops 25 degrees.  This causes the oven to have to work harder to heat itself back to the set temperature.  And cook more than one thing at a time!  This saves time and energy and allows foods to be ready all at once.  Also, look for alternative, more energy-saving ways to cook, such as grilling, microwaving, or slow cooking.  When using the stove top, match the size of the pan with the size of the burner.  Small pans on large burners allows heat to escape around the edges; large pans on small burners means the food has to cook longer, thereby using more energy.

–When heating your home, set the thermostat to around 68 degrees.  This is the most energy efficient temperature for your system.  If you get chilly, build a cozy fire in the fireplace and don that gay apparel!  It’s more cost-efficient to wear a sweater than to turn up the thermostat.  But be careful: make sure the chimney is clear of debris before staring a fire.  And keep your Christmas tree a safe distance from the flames.

–When decorating, discard those old bulbs that burn hot and gobble up energy.  Use LED (light-emitting diode) lights instead.  They are available in all shapes, colors, and designs and they use just a fraction of the electricity that traditional lights use.  Be sure to use the right type of light for the situation, however.  In other words, if the box says “for indoor use only,” don’t hang them on the outside of your house.  Get the lights specified for outdoor use, which are designed to withstand harsh weather conditions.