Easy Greensy » Shopping Tips

Cook With the Smallest Tool for the Job

Mike — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:25:55 +0000

Are you getting ready to cook a meal? Do you really need to fire up that large oven to prepare a small meal for one or two?

Consider using a toaster oven, or microwave for smaller tasks. By using a smaller device you’ll save yourself loads of time by not have to wait to preheat a large space. You’ll also save loads of energy and money too.

If you don’t have a toaster oven (like myself) consider one of these great affordable options.

Toaster ovens are not yet tested for Energy Star approval, so be sure when shopping to consider the size and energy consumption when you buy one. More power isn’t always the most import thing when buying something new.

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Go Greener with your Dishwasher

Mike — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:44:47 +0000

I know EasyGreensy has been dormant for a while, but I’m determined to get back up and moving with the tips immediately.

My sudden inspiration is a product that I had to share with everyone because I’m amazed at not only how well it performs, but also because it’s manufactured by a company who’s products are designed to be environmentally friendly in every way possible.

So why am I so excited?

For those of you who don’t know, I recently moved into a house that is over 200 years old, and in good need of some renovation work. I’d love to redo the kitchen and replace all of the appliances, but that’s a project that won’t be tackled for a few years at best. Up until last week I barely used the dishwasher because unless I practically washed the dishes before putting them in the machine, running it wasn’t even worth the effort.

How environmentally friendly can I be if I’m washing dishes twice? The general consensus is using a dishwasher is greener than washing by hand since a machine uses a small amount of water per cycle compared to running water right down a drain, but I was always so scared to open the door and end up finding half of the dishes still dirty.

In comes Ecover Automatic Dishwashing Powder my fiancée picked this stuff up a couple of weeks ago when I had run out of one of the big name brand detergents (one of several I tried). She knows that lately I’ve been leaning toward any “eco” version of a product I can find, so she did good just picking this brand. The best part however is how well this powder works! I’ve now cleaned three loads of dishes. Some of them with dried on food that’s almost too embarrassing to mention, and every single dish has come out spotless. I can even do the dishes without filling the extra open cup and everything is clean.

Another problem with our washer is the heating coil (aka Energy Waster) doesn’t work. But since I switched to Ecover the dishes are mostly dry as soon as the rinse cycle is done. Apparently one of the ingredients they proudly display on the package helps the water sheet right off.

I highly recommend this product to everyone out there using a dishwasher. You owe it to yourself and the environment. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

From Ecover’s Website:

Your personal advantages

leaves your dishes sparkling

removes dried on food and tough stains

no chemical residue

plant based fragrance

Environmental advantages

plant and mineral based ingredients

quick and complete biodegradability

(OECD-test 301F, full product)

minimum impact on aquatic life

(OECD-test 201 & 202, full product)

no animal testing

Packaging material

Wrapper is made of polypropylene and is 100% recyclable; carton is made of 95% recycled cardboard.

Visit the Ecover website for more “eco” products, and a list of stores where you can buy their products. Or you can buy it here: Ecover Dishwasher Powder

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Say Goodbye to Paper Towels

Mike — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:31:52 +0000

How many paper towels do you use? Have you ever thought about how many trees are being cut down to make those towels? What happens when you are done with them? Paper towels with food or cleaning products on them aren’t recycled.

Try picking up a few sets of dishtowels to replace your addiction to the paper variety. For a very small investment you can supply your home with enough wiping power to last several years. Make sure you have enough so that when your towel gets dirty you can dump it in the wash and start fresh with another.

You can use a dishtowel to clean up just about any mess in your home. Forget about which paper product picks up quicker, or absorbs more. A cloth towel will always do a better job.

Tips

Consider darker or patterned towels to hide stains.
Dishtowels are great for cleaning stubborn surfaces. They won’t tear and shred.
Use a clean towel on stainless steel and windows. Any grease will leave streaks.
You’ll be amazed at how much one dishtowel can wipe and clean.

I will admit there’s one reason to keep paper towels in your home. If you have pets you my want to consider a roll, but make sure you and your family know that cleaning up “accidents” is the only time they are acceptable. And please make sure the paper towels you keep around the house are made from recycled materials.

By switching to cloth towels you’ll save yourself money, wasted trees, additional landfill usage, and all the energy needed to produce paper.

I’ve even added some affordable, and decorative dishtowels and recycled paper towels to the EasyGreensy Store.Similar Posts:

Simple Tip: Buying Eggs

Mike — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:20:12 +0000

How much thought do you put into purchasing eggs? The most important thing that was ever on my mind when I purchased eggs in a store was how big they were, and if they were all intact.

Next time you are at your local grocery store pick the eggs that come in a cardboard (paper) package. These are often made from recycled material, and can be recycled again. Compared to a Styrofoam container that last many years in a landfill, this is a quick easy option with no negative impact on you.

Want to take it one step further? Reuse those egg containers.

Use containers to start seedlings for your garden.
Sort and organize small hardware (nuts, bolts, screws and nails)
More ideas from the Alberta (Canada) Egg Producers website.

If you are not reusing the container be sure to recycle it.

What ideas do you have for reusing an egg container?

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Easy Greensy » Shopping Tips

Cook With the Smallest Tool for the Job

Go Greener with your Dishwasher

So why am I so excited?

From Ecover’s Website:

Your personal advantages

leaves your dishes sparkling removes dried on food and tough stains no chemical residue plant based fragrance Environmental advantages

Visit the Ecover website for more “eco” products, and a list of stores where you can buy their products. Or you can buy it here: Ecover Dishwasher Powder

Say Goodbye to Paper Towels

Simple Tip: Buying Eggs

leaves your dishes sparkling

removes dried on food and tough stains

no chemical residue

plant based fragrance

Environmental advantages