The Economy Has Boaters Up A Creek

I had watched some newscast about abandoned boats "littering" the seas and our coastlines awhile back and thought I should share the gist of the story. Being that I don't have a boat, it's not something I think about. Apparently though, boat owners who have found that they can no longer afford to take care of their boats, paying dock fees and such, and unable to sell, simply let their boats adrift at sea. I'm not just talking small fishing boats, but some are huge yachts, just rotting at sea.

The owners are actually sanding away the registry numbers in hopes of not being connected to their discards, but more and more laws are being brought forth to try and deter people from doing this.

There are many reasons why these laws are so important. For one thing, these boats carry toxins like lead, chromium, copper, mercury and zinc that are seeping into our waterways. This, of course, affects the wildlife. Secondly, the boats are causing problems with other vessels trying to navigate the seas. Once a vessel becomes a hazard, it has to be removed, which is expensive and guess who has to pay for that...us! We're paying for it in more ways than one.

Navy Showers For One

According to Ed Begley Jr., he does what's called a "navy shower" where he actually turns the water off while he soaps up and then back on to rinse. After hearing this, I thought, I can do that. Then I realized it's winter in Missouri and it's freakin' cold enough with the water running. I don't think I can attempt this one until spring, but props to anyone who can.

Ed, I call him Ed, like we're friends or something. Anyway, Ed has all kinds of great little tips in his book, Living Like Ed. At first I thought this book might be above my commitment level because he's hard core, but it isn't. There's something anyone and everyone can do, many things that is. There will be plenty more posts to come from this book. I only have a minute though so this will have to do for now.

I should mention, this would make a great gift for your green loving friends.

Remove Wallpaper Steam Free

After moving into an older home, in which every room was wallpapered, I consider myself somewhat of an expert on removing it. I just started my last room in the house and thought I should share a very small, but useful tip. You don't need a steamer to remove wallpaper. I know because I bought one in the beginning and used it until I realized a spray bottle, filled with water, does the exact same thing. The water doesn't even have to be hot. Just peel the initial layer of paper off by hand, some is easier than others. Then, use the bottle to remove the back layer of paper that sticks to the wall.

Not using the steamer saves me time because I don't have to wait for it to warm up, but more importantly, it saves energy. And, if you don't want to waste water, this is a great time to use rain water instead of tap water. Then, after you're done, save the bottle for other projects or please, recycle it.

Composting Toilets

Again, Bill Nye turned me on to a new electric flush, water saving composting toilet. After doing some research on-line, I've seen that there are an array of choices depending on how committed you are or perhaps how affordable the toilet may be. Just keep this in mind, the composting toilet only costs around $4,000 compared to a septic tank which was said to run around $20,000 and up.

Now, the way I understand it, most use generators and are waterless, though the one featured on the Bill Nye show used about 1/2 liter compared to 7 or 8 liters we now use. They claim to have less odor due to some built in feature.

Then, it takes your waste and turns into a dry, soil enriching substance that we can use in our gardens. The other good news is that you only have to empty a few times a year.

I know that I would love to get one but will probably wait until I can build my dream green home, so it may be awhile, but hopefully not too long.

Proper Medication Disposal

I know I just posted about Bill Nye's new show, Stuff Happens, on Planet Green, but I just can't say enough about it. It is super informative. As I've said many times before, I may have a blog on going green but I'm learning like everyone else and his show has taught me a lot I didn't know.

For instance, I didn't know that you shouldn't flush medication because it creates mutant bacteria that contaminates the waterway. Instead, I've read elsewhere, you should crush the pills and break capsules to keep children and/or pets from getting ahold of them in the trash. Who knew? Well, maybe you did, but I didn't and I'm sorry to say I've flushed my share of pills in the past...prescription only of course.

Anyway, if you haven't watched this show yet, please keep an eye out. Feel free to share your favorite tips from the show or elsewhere.