On the quest to zero

It has been a bit of a quest for us as a family for a few years to approach zero – zero carbon footprint. Each year, we target one aspect of our life, and see how we can change it to reduce our negative impact on the world around us.
This year, we have joined the war on plastic waste and our aim is to reduce the number of single-use plastics in our life.

I think it is important to make the distinction. There are good uses for plastics, such as longer-term storage (Tupperware, etc), plastic toys (Lego, figurines) and so on. It would be impossible to live in 2019 and not have plastic in your life at all - unless you are lucky enough to live on an island paradise where you can construct everything yourself from the materials around you and grow all your own foods.
Unfortunately, we live an urban life and need to have jobs to sustain those lives, so some sacrifices have to be made. And while we sort our waste and put things into the recycling bin, the big issue with plastic is the overwhelming amount of single-use plastics that do not get recycled (even if you sort your waste) and then end up in all the wrong places.
We realised the bulk of our single-use plastics come from food packaging, and so this is the first thing we are targeting this year.
We found a lovely service that delivers milk and fresh fruit juice in glass bottles right to your front door. They also happen to deliver to one of our neighbours, so it is a single stop for the delivery vehicle, we get farm-fresh milk in glass bottles, and they also have lovely fresh produce that they deliver in card board boxes. This has already made a huge dent in our weekly plastic disposal.
We’ve also realised that a part of this is reducing the number of chemicals we use around the house, especially ones that enter the water system, so we are phasing out store-bought cleaning products for both the home and the body, and replacing them with more natural product – home made as much as possible, but we will also be supporting brands like Lush for the products we cannot make ourselves.
This will be a big focus this year, so I will try and keep track of our progress here. I kind of wish I took a ‘before’ picture of our week’s trash pile of plastic, or at least some way to know what our start state was, but we will keep track of it nonetheless and find ways to measure our progress as we go long.

Building a ship

Sinead recently needed to build a ship for a school project.

We used the diagram from this site as our guideline, scaled it down a little, and helped her with the templates.

She then cut the bits out of cardboard, glued them all together and painted.

And this was the finished product:

She scored full marks for this project :)

Seedlings update #3

Today, I am happy to report that all the seeds planted to date, other than the squash, have sprouted. This includes the tomato seeds, which every one told me would fail.

I planted out the sweetcorn, lettuce (first batch), morogo, pansies and cornflowers this morning.

 

I hope they grow well, and that we have our first harvest soon.

I have re-used the containers of the seedlings I planted out for the same seeds, as I think it is important to keep the cycle going. I have also added planters for some Foxglove, rosemary and other flowers.

Seedlings

Just about a month ago, I posted about the cheap planters. At that time, we had created 6 of these planters, and planted the following seeds:

• Lettuce
• Chamomile
• Pansies
• Cornflower
• Catnip
• Echinacea

Of these, only the Echinacea hasn’t sprouted. I planted some more of these seeds last week-end, so here is hoping it will work this time round. The lettuce is now ready to be transplanted – which I should be doing tomorrow.

  

Last week-end, we created another 10 planters, didn’t even decorate them, and I planted the following seeds:

• Lettuce (yes, more. We have a pet that likes lettuce.)
• Spinach
• Tomato
• Onion
• Sweet corn
• Beans
• Morogo
• Carrots
• Watermelon
• Squash

Of these, the lettuce, spinach and morogo have already sprouted, and I at least the tomato and carrots to sprout in the next couple of days.

I think next up I am going to try some gerberas and some more herbs.

Cheap planters

If garden space is at a premium and you have a window sill that receives a fair amount of sun, these cheap planters are a great way to grow your own herbs or vegetables. We got this idea from a recent NG Kids magazine, and thought we would try it ourselves.

Requirements:

• Plastic 2l soda bottles
• Potting soil
• Decorations: Paint, fabric, glitter, etc
• Seeds

How:

• Cut the soda bottles in half.
• Drill several holes into the lid and fasten again
• Turn the top part of the bottle up side down, and slide into the bottom part. It should fit snugly (you may need to use a little bit of force)
• Fill the top part of the bottle with potting soil and plant the seeds.

Should you overwater, the water will collect in the bottom container, and slowly be  sucked up into the soil again. And, if you decorate it, it brightens up the window sill nicely.

It has been a week (and a cold one at that) and we already have some sprouts:

Going green for good

 

Going green for good
Sunday, June 1st 2008

It’s World Environment Day on 5 June and the United Nations Environment Programme is urging us to kick the carbon habit, for good. Although climate change is a massive global challenge, there’s a lot that ordinary people can do to reduce their carbon footprint. And living a low-carbon lifestyle can save you money too.

Each one of us creates a carbon footprint just by going about our daily lives: driving to work, making a cup of tea, buying a carton of milk at the shop. Your carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly or indirectly support your activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide.

Carbon dioxide is called a greenhouse gas because it causes global warming and climate change.

Measure your footprint

The first step in kicking the carbon habit is to find out just how big a footprint you make. GreaterGood-registered cause, Food & Trees for Africa, urges people to know their carbon footprint so they can take active steps to reduce it by planting trees, for example. Their Carbon Standard Calculator is the first of its kind in South Africa and is a quick and easy way to measure your impact on the planet.

Use less energy

The single biggest way to reduce your carbon footprint is to use less energy. Electricity is made mainly by burning fossil fuels – belching out huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the air. And fossil fuels are not a renewable resource which means that one day soon they are going to run out.

By using less energy, we burn less fossil fuel and reduce the amount of carbon we’re putting into the atmosphere. This will not only make Eskom happy, it will also save you money.

• Use Compact Flourescent Light Bulbs and turn off all unnecessary lights.
• Appliances and electronics pull power even when they are turned off so unplug your computer, TV, DVD, iPod, cell phone charger, kettle, oven, dishwasher, tumble dryer and washing machine when they are not in use.
• Install a solar water heater or put a timer on your geyser.
• Set your washing machine to 30 degrees and use a dishwasher instead of washing dishes by hand.
• Lobby for the use of renewable energy sources, like wind farms.

Stop gas guzzling

Here’s another way to reduce your footprint and save money: use less fuel. Petrol, jet fuel and diesel are fossil fuels and produce carbon when burnt.

• Drive slower, drive less and car pool wherever you can.
• Reduce your air miles. Jet fuel is a big contributor to global warming so try to holiday locally and use conference calls and email instead of business meetings with distant colleagues.
• Buy local. Locally-grown fruit and veg don’t have to be trucked across the country or flown in from far away places. You’ll be supporting local farmers and boosting our economy at the same time.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

The processes used to make plastic, paper and glass all produce carbon emissions. And when these things are thrown away, they sit and fester in dumps or are burned. Yes, you guessed it: this releases carbon into the atmosphere.

• Reduce your paper and plastic usage.
• Pressure local retailers to use less packaging.
• Instead of throwing things away, reuse them or give them to a cause that can use them.
• Recycle everything you can. Find a local recycling centre, like Footprints in Cape Town, and drop your recycling off regularly.

Educate the next generation

Raise your children to be carbon-savvy and help them to understand that how we live our lives today impacts on the kind of world we will have tomorrow.

Support initiatives that educate the youth about the environment. The Lapalala Wilderness School, for example, has enriched the lives of thousands of disadvantaged children by giving them first-hand experience of nature and wildlife.

As Lapalala’s director, Dr Anthony Roberts says: “It is time for us to take responsibility not only for our own actions but those of tomorrow’s leaders, for if we fail to educate today’s children on the importance of conserving our natural environment through sustainable utilization of resources, the biological support systems on which we rely will collapse.”

Sources: Food & Trees for Africa; United Nations Environment Programme

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Recycle It! - Things you can do with old CD's

 

Recycle Those Old CD's

"Scratch Board" - I like taking my unused AOL etc...cd freebies and painting them with either an acrylic or fabric paint. I then lightly draw/trace a design onto the dried surface and proceed to scratch onto the design. This removes the paint and leaves the shiny rainbow part exposed ... voila you have a unique "scratch board" ... ( you can use a thick sewing needle ,pencil or end of a small paintbrush) Contributed by J.snuggles

Drop spindle for spinning wool - You need roughly two cd's (aol's free ones work very well) a dowel about 12 - 16 inches long some rubber tubing and a small metal hook. Place the rubber tubing around the dowel and place in the center of the cd's about four inches from the top. screw metal hook into the top and spin. Contributed by Rachel Lapine, dragonflyeye@home.com

Christmas Light Reflectors - We use them as reflectors for Christmas lights outside....the c-7 size bulbs fit thru the opening and then we put the light string on outdoor stakes and line a sidewalk...looks REALLY cool when it is lightly raining...the clear colored bulbs work best, but the opaque ones will do. Contributed by Cathy Bruce Purdy, cpurdy1@austin.rr.com.

Use as Reflectors - Fasten to a wooden stake by pre-drilling and screwing/nailing it to the wood, shiny side OUT, and use as reflectors along your sidewalk or driveway. Contributed by Lala, wtedward@tusco.net

Candle Display - Use cd's shiny side up to sit small pillar or votive candles on. The reflection off the cd's is great for centerpieces on buffet tables, especially during the holidays. Contributed by pk, starchild@netrax.net

Sun Catcher - The sun's rays reflects all sorts of color off of them. Glue 2 CDs together (label sides to one another) To make holes for hanging, use a large enough needle or a nail. Use a pair of pliers to hold onto needle or nail and hold over an open flame to heat, then push through the two discs when hot enough. Run some decorative cord through the hole(s), decorate both sides, but nothing too large or you'll ruin the effect and the purpose of why you are making. Contributed by LuLu, LuLu5841@aol.com

Christmas wreath. - Instructions here

Christmas ornament ideas - For our company party (we have a small staff), I am using glitter glue to make festive designs on the shiny side of the cd's. We will slide decorate string through the hole of the cd, and tie a knot to make a loop, long enough to hang from a Christmas tree. Then we're taking Polaroid pictures of each couple. We will use fancy edger scissors to cut around the pictures and paste on the center of the decorated cd. If there is a label on the backside of the cd, you could cover with wrapping paper or construction paper and decorate with glitter glue, sequins, beads or whatever! Contributed by tammynak@bigfoot.com

More Christmas ornament ideas - Using a permanent marking pen, Xmas shaped sponges and\or small simple stencils, I traced small stockings, bells, trees, stars and snowman on the shiny side of the cd and then cut them out using a small electric scroll saw. The key was to go slow. Then I used the dremel to smooth the edges and punch the holes to slip cord through to hang them. The finishing touch is to paint the label side with acrylic paint sponged on, or use snow texture paint, or glue and glitter. The commercial cd's show a pretty silvery color and writeable cds a lovely gold color. You can personalize the small ornaments with kids names written with a metallic permanent marker or acrylic paint. Or string a whole bunch together for a wonderful homemade garland. Contributed by Liana, liana@direct.ca

Spinning tops for kids - Adult, take a knife and push through hole in CD making slit each side. Force a penny half way through hole. Spin CD on the edge of the penny. Enhance by gluing dowel to one side of penny to make it easier to spin. Contributed by Steve Holder, shunra@ibm.net

Borders - In a teen's bedroom they make a nice substitute for a wallpaper border (it takes ALOT though). If you don't have that many you could also use them for a window or mirror border. Put them side by side or overlap them. Contributed by Stil

Use CD as template when you need a perfect circle for a project. (Bonus...you have two sizes!!) Contributed by Tracey, Darling89@aol.com

Mosaic - Break into small pieces and use as mosaic tiles.

Make a clock - buy clockworks at your local craft store, the CD has a readymade hole in the center!

Wall decorations - I took an old venetian blinds and cut it up and made f petals. The plastic blinds are easy to cut. I painted the petals, five to each cd's. Then I spray painted the top coat with clear paint. Then lined 5 petal to each cd's and put a button in the middle. Then laced the outer edges. Four disk are lined up on the wall around my computer. It looks great. Another idea is to make angel wings by cutting the cd in half. Paper tape the cut. It will come apart if you don't. Take glue and spread other edge of the disk and put glitter on it to hid the tape. It makes a beautiful wings and shiny too. Contributed by Gloria,

Mobile - Drill holes in the top and string together to make a mobile.

Paint w/ oil paints.

Paint w/ acrylic mixed with multi-purpose sealer.

Paint and decorate w/ material, hang or frame.

Use as coasters - cover w/ felt.

Make a collage - Glue together to make a wall collage.

Garden helper - Run a string through the hole and hang in yard or from trees to keep birds away from garden.

Make bowls - Place in oven on low heat over a metal bowl shape, or heat with a blow dryer. When softened, they can be bent (gently). Glue to small plates or seal hole and use for candy dishes, fountain bowls, etc.

Cautions:
    Any time you break CDs, Saftey glasses or goggles shoud be worn.
    Handeling any broken pieces of CD, caution should be taken, edges are sharp and can cut the skin, like glass does.

Recycle It! - Things you can do with old CD's