Gentle Tiger Acupuncture

 Wisconsin is a very progressive and technologically generative state. “Forward On” is a very appropriate state motto. From recombinant DNA experiments, to taking measurements at the South Pole, to creating new chemical compounds, to the controversial subject of stem cell research, Wisconsin leads the way in outside the box thinking. On a social level, Wisconsin is also progressive, the LGBT community has several outlets for their strong voice, the Hispanic community is served by local radio station La Movida and state and private programs encouraging economic growth and prosperity. There are 388 public libraries with 79 branches. The Rosemary Garfoot Library in Cross Plains for example is a LEEDS ”silver” rated green library. The extensive list of recyclable items magnetted to my fridge also speaks to Wisconsin’s progressive attitude toward taking care of all aspects of living and personal accountability. In the spirit of this progressive thinking/living I’m offering you 20 ways to go green/be green/stay green.

1. Re-use/recycle your old ink cartridges. Not all print cartridges are designed to do this, but there are DIY re-inking kits available at local retail stores, such as Shopko, Target, etc. Also Cartridge World will reuse your ink cartridge and sell you a refurbished cartridge at a REALLY good price. I personally was shocked at the low price for my Canon black ink cartridge refill – $10.54 (including tax). If you just want to get rid of your ink cartridge, places like Staples will give a rebate for empty cartridges (except Canon) and Whole Foods collects them (no rebate, but you’re decreasing the landfill and every little bit counts).

2. Start a revolution – Plant a garden! Then you know exactly what you’re eating, where it came from and that it’s the most nutrient dense food that you can get your hands on. I’ve compared the taste of cucumbers that were store bought conventionally grown (with fertilizers, pesticides, etc) with organic (bought at the c0-op) and to cucumbers grown in my yard. Let me tell you the store bought/conventional cucumbers that were “fresh” had a slightly mushy consistency with difficult to see seeds, whereas the organic cucumbers were crisper, cleaner tasting without a hint of bitter in the after taste and the seeds had more delineation throught the center of the cucumber. Now even in comparison to the organic, my own literally garden fresh cucumbers were faaaarrrrr superior. I can’t even compare my garden cukes to the conventional cukes. My garden fresh cukes were JUICY in a very cucumbery sort of way and the seeds were very sharp in contrast. the health and vitality I could taste in the garden fresh cukes made me smile and made up my mind, too. And you’re helping to reduce the volume of food that is semi trailer trucked often THOUSANDS of miles to get to your local grocery store. If you don’t have space for a garden, support your local farmer or CSA (community supported agriculture).

3. Leaks can be expensive! - Do what needs to be done so that none of your faucets leak. Not only can it cause invisible damage (think mold) that may not be found until you decide to remodel or not at all, but a leaky faucet that only drips the occasional 1 drop throughout the day, can lose about 250 gallons of water per month. 

4. Shower vs. bath? Showers with low flow shower heads (inexpensive and located at Menards, Home Depot and places like these) and kept to a minimum of 5-7 minutes will use about 50% less water than a tub full of water for a bath.

5. Too Easy. – Turn off the faucet while you’re brushing your teeth. Hee! You probably already do that. If not, start. It’s EEEEEAAAASSSSYYYYY.

6. We need a pitcher, not a belly itcher! –  If you use a filtration pitcher or container with a spigot, fill it up directly under your kitchen sink faucet, so you know exactly how much to use. If the water container doesn’t fit under the kitchen sink faucet, designate a pitcher used specifically to fill up the container (and keep it nearby. If you have water left over in the pitcher and the reservoir of the filtration pitcher cannot hold anymore, pour it on your indoor and outdoor plants and NOT down the drain.

7. Do you know Al? No? Let me introduce you to Al U. Minum - In a recent article on their website, Aluminum Association President  Steve Larkin said, “In a world increasingly concerned about sustainability, no other package can match aluminum’s 60-day turnaround from used beverage container to new can. No other container can match the energy savings and value that aluminum brings to recycling.” Another couple of interesting facts about aluminum recycling from the Aluminum Assoc. of America…

• Recycling just one aluminum can saves enough energy to power a television set for the three hours that it takes to watch the Super Bowl. 
• Recycling saves 95 percent of the energy required to make aluminum from virgin ore (“virgin ore” is what they call the deposits where a NEW quantity of aluminum comes from).

p.s. Wisconsin also recycles tin cans, too! AND tinfoil is recyclable.

8. When washing your duds, think cold - Wash your clothes in cold water whenever possible. Since 90% of the energy needed for washing is used to heat the water, you’ll reduce your energy bill.

9. UNPLUG! Not only is it recommended that we minimize our time in front of a screen (computer or television) and spend more time reading, playing with our kids, being with our loved ones, families and friends, but that when not in use, we UNPLUG these items. Here’s how it works, turning off your electrical appliance obviously saves money, because you’re not drawing on the electricity to power the source, but on top of that, when you’re not using it, Unplugging it even further saves electricity, because the prongs on the plug draw on the electricity even when the appliance is not on.

10. No account, low down, lying, two-faced print jobs! Okay, the only part that you need consider is the “two-faced” part. When printing, many personal printers come with a two-sided option that allows you to utilize BOTH sides of one sheet, minimizing sheet count, thereby reducing use of paper and minimizing frequency of trips to the office supply store (saving gas) to buy more paper sooner (yes, that means you save the earth and your money at the same time – woo hoo!). And most if not ALL printers have a fast/economy print, meaning less ink is used on your print job and then you can pick black and white over color. To further save you can choose (on some printers – I know HP models offer this) to print in black ink only, which eliminates the gradations (light, dark and medium grays and blacks) and use even LESS ink.

11. Install a clothesline. Nothing smells better than air dried clothes! It saves on energy used by the dryer. I’ve read a few reports – In “This Old House” magazine and “Better Homes and Gardens” magazine that speak to household appliances that need to create heat as part of their functioning; dryers, toasters, space heaters, conventional water heaters, etc. being the biggest culprits of energy usage in the average residential home. Don’t have room for a traditional clothesline? Purchase a little folding clothesline (like the one to your left) and hang your clothes over chairs (jeans, underwear and t-shirts)and towel racks (pants, sweaters).

Well, that’s a good start, Gentle Tiger-ites! I have 9 more green ideas, that I’m going to type up, polish and serve on a 100% recycled format within the next week. Keep your ears perky and whiskers relaxed, because it’s coming your way! thank you – Miguel

p.s. No paper was mangled, folded, burned or shredded in the production of this blog.

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