Date Night The Sustainable Way

     I can imagine that at some point in time a lot of you have journeyed to the far reaches of your imagination in order to come up with an out-of-the-box activity to do on a date.  That may be a mellow-dramatic way of putting it, but I'm sure when anyone takes another on a date they want to impress them or plan something exciting, new or interesting.  Now, I am by no means a professor of dating 101, but I do have some cool ideas about what to do and where to go on a date- with a sustainable twist, of course.
     We are fortunate enough to live in Athens Ohio for at least nine months of the year, so we have access to a ton of great activities that involve sustainability, but who would have thought that all the great stuff going on could be incorporated into a date? There's your typical dinner and a movie, but that can get boring and it's a pretty stationary activity, so why not bike there? Or better yet take a bike ride on the Hockhocking Adena Bike Path to The Eclipse Company Town for dinner at Heaven's Oven (they use a lot of local and organic ingredients in their menu). A sustainable date can be exciting and adventurous, but the coolest part of participating is taking a step back and realizing that you are doing your part in sharing environmentally conscious activities with someone else, and perhaps opening their eyes to sustainable living and its importance.  There's lots to do so I'll break it down into a choose-your-own-adventure/date based on what you may be interested in.

     I hope these are helpful suggestions, and maybe they'll get you thinking about other sustainable things you are interested in doing.  For those of you who are already living relatively sustainably, you could always get together and do something more time intensive such as starting a compost pile or building a garden.  A few weekends ago I made a date to finish building my rain barrel.  It was fairly entertaining trying to figure out how to construct a diverter system, but it was a ton of fun and we felt great about conserving rain water!

     Stay Sustainable,
   
     Becca in Athens


Links you may find useful...
 Heaven's Oven Info and Menu
Eclipse Company Town Info (Along the Bike Path)
Hockhocking Bike Path Info and Maps
Della Zona Restaurant Info and Menu
Village Bakery Infor and Menu
Casa Nueva Restaurant Info and Menu
Athens County Visitors Bureau: Local Activities and Events

The Real Green Clean: Sustainable Substitutes

     You may have noticed in the past year or so that there has been an explosion in the market for new "green" cleaning products.  They are popping up everywhere on store shelves and in commercials on T.V.  These products are great because it shows there is a desire to clean by eco-friendly means and that toxic chemicals in cleaners are becoming a concern to the public.  The chemicals in household cleaners can be harsh on our skin, lungs, and our environment, especially if they are being dumped or rinsed down the drain, hence a new place in the market for "green" cleaning solutions.  Although this is a commendable effort on the part of cleaning product companies, there's a much more sustainable way of cleaning; you can actually make these solutions yourself with common household ingredients.
     It may sound like a crazy idea to whip up your own cleaning solutions, and you may be picturing yourself as a mad scientist in a laboratory conjuring up mixtures that are wacky neon colors or spontaneously combusting, but it's pretty simple and safe.  There are, for the most part, two ingredient heavy-weights that are used for homemade household cleaners: baking soda and vinegar.  Baking soda can be used as an abrasive cleaner (for example, a non-toxic substitute for cleaners like Comet) and as an air freshener (instead of masking bad odors with pungent air fresheners, yuck).  Then there's Vinegar, the miracle liquid in the arena of sustainable cleansers.  Vinegar can be used to remove stains, as a fabric softener, glass cleaner, multipurpose hard-surface cleaner, and much more.  Baking soda and vinegar are the dynamic duo of sustainable cleaning, they get the job done without leaving any chemicals behind.  There's also no need to go out and spend tons of money for a green spring cleaning because these products can be found right in your cupboard (or at the store for a fraction of the cost of commercial cleansers).   
     There may be some concerns with using these substances, namely vinegar.  Will they actually get the job done? I want my home to smell clean, won't they leave behind a weird odor?  With your concerns come answers, and these compounds actually work and don't stink.  If you are concerned about germs, vinegar is acidic and does kill bacteria, such as E. coli.  Vinegar is also a pretty odious liquid, but fear not because there will be no smell left behind, the scent evaporates with the liquid.  So now that you know the basics of DIY cleaning products, here are some recipes (all of which I've used).

Store Bought Product:  Air Freshener vs. Substitute: Baking Soda
It can be icky when you spray an aerosol of chemical air freshener everywhere, instead put a shallow dish of baking soda anywhere that tends to accumulate unpleasant odors like the bathroom or the kitchen.  You can also put some baking soda near or inside your trash can in order to control garbage odors and in your fridge to promote freshness.  Another way of keeping your home fresh without using chemicals is keeping various plants in areas that tend to smell, they produce oxygen and can absorb the stink.

Store Bought Product: Stain Remover vs. Substitute: Club Soda, Baking Soda, or White Vinegar

Just dab any of these directly on the stain.  These substitutes are not going to get out heavy duty stains, but they are good for new stains and work best when applied right away.  Making the baking soda into a paste is the best way to apply it, and if you are brave enough you can mix it with vinegar, wait until it stops fizzing, then apply it to the stain.  

Store Bought Product: Fabric Softener vs. Substitute: White Vinegar
This may sound like something you immediately won't want to try, but it really works well and your clothes won't hold the vinegar scent. Just add 1/2 cup of white vinegar during the rinse cycle of your washing machine, or pour it in the space where liquid softener goes before the cycle.  Your clothing will come out soft and fresh without creating excess waste by using softener sheets or purchasing liquid softener all the time.  This recipe is especially useful for people that have allergies to detergent or softener.

Store Bought Product: Multi-Purpose Cleaner vs. Substitute: Vinegar and Water

Add 1 cup of Vinegar to every cup of water until you fill a spray bottle. Use on any hard surface except wood, and voila, it cleans and doesn't leave a vinegar scent behind.

Store Bought Product: Heavy Duty Bathroom Cleaner vs. Substitute: Baking Soda

Sprinkle on any bathroom surface that is collecting grime or soap scum and scrub it with a sponge or brush.  Your bathroom will sparkle just as much as it would if you used Comet, but you'll feel better that there aren't any chemicals being washed down the drain.

Store Bought Product: Glass Cleaner vs. Substitute: Vinegar, Water, and Isopropyl Alcohol

Mix 1 cup of isopropyl alcohol with 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in a spray bottle and enjoy the clear view.



I hope that you can make use of these recipes and enjoy a chemical-free cleaning experience.

     Stay Sustainable,

     Becca in Athens

Fashionably Sustainable

   Let's face it, fashion is a huge industry, not only in the U.S. but, all over the world.  Milan, Paris, NYC, the list of fashion hubs across the globe goes on and on. So how can the industry of looking hip be sustainable? Easy, by purchasing recycled clothing.
     When I say recycled clothing I don't mean that it's taken somewhere to be broken down and made into something new like aluminum or plastic is when it's recycled.  Recycled clothing can be found and purchased at your local thrift or consignment store.  These may not seem like very appealing places to shop for the latest digs, but if you really spend some time looking you could go home with some pretty trendy stuff, not to mention this kind of shopping spree definitely won't break the bank.
     So, all of these things sound great, but what does it have to do with sustainability? Well, in short, a lot; when you purchase clothing from a thrift store you are buying something that would have otherwise been thrown out and added to the massive collections of garbage we know as landfills.  You are also avoiding mass produced materials that aren't made locally or by fair trade standards.  I'll give you an example; say a girl purchases a shirt from Forever 21 because it's stylish and cheap, which is understandable, but she's not thinking about all of the resources that went into the production and shipment of that item of clothing.
     A lot of inexpensive clothing companies, that are similar to Forever 21, outsource and take advantage of cheap labor in other countries.  This is problematic for many reasons, but the three largest would probably be the pollution created in the production/transportation process, the continuous creation and accumulation of more material "stuff" that eventually turns into waste, and the fact that outsourcing is not supporting the local economy and probably isn't paying workers fair wages.  Purchasing clothes at a thrift store is a better solution because it is extremely inexpensive, prevents excess waste and pollution, and supports the local economy.  An added bonus to thrifting is that many of the thrift stores are actually non-profits, so by shopping there you are supporting a greater cause, instead of supporting a clothing company that wants to maximize profits, pollutes, etc.
     These are all great reasons to shop at thrift or consignment stores, but some people are grossed out by the fact that they don't know where the clothing came from.  This anxiety of not purchasing something brand new can be cured after washing the clothes thoroughly, it's no different than washing the clothes that are in your hamper so you can wear them again.  Thrift stores do sort through the clothing that is donated and dispose of any articles that are unfit for sale explained Allen, an employee at Re Use which is a local Athens thrift store.  From personal experience, I know that whenever I donate clothing to thrift stores my clothing is already clean, and that is the case for most people I know of that donate clothes.
     There are other options for purchasing recycled clothing besides thrifting.  Some stores and websites that sell recycled clothing are much more picky about the items they sell, such as various vintage and consignment stores, but you'll need to know that those stores' prices may not be as reasonable because people usually sell their clothing to the store instead of donating it. Yet another option is visiting a local clothing swap which is an event where many people bring clothes they don't want and trade with others.   You don't necessarily have to bring clothes to trade though, you can just pay a minimal amount of money for any items you want to purchase. Clothing swaps may not happen that often but it's a great idea to look around for them as various organizations put them on from time to time.  The Ohio University Office of Sustainability holds a swap during the month of April as one of our Earth Month activities. 
     Even if you decide that thrifting is not something you want to do, you can always donate or sell old clothing instead of throwing it away.  You can even donate furniture, jewelry, appliances, etc. to most thrift stores.  Re Use even has a convenient pick up operation so you can call them and they will pick up anything you can't take yourself!  It's really important that we understand the many ways we can cut down on waste, and who would've thought it could be such a fashionable concept?

     Stay sustainable,

     Becca in Athens


There are many local thrift stores you can check out in our area, here are a few...

Re Use Thrift Store
100 Columbus Road

(740) 594-5103

Athens Underground
90 N. Court Street
(740) 592-6286

New-To-You
90 Columbus Road
(740) 592-1842

Goodwill Industries
743 E. State Street
(740) 592-4105

The Plastic Epidemic

    Plastic is a very controversial material.  It is a material that has changed the way we live for better and for worse.  Everywhere we go there is plastic; packaging, furniture, utensils, toys, car bumpers, the list goes on and on.  Although this compound seems unavoidable it must be used carefully and sparingly by consumers, meaning you and I.  You may wonder why we need to be conscious of our plastic use, so I'll help you understand that it is not a natural material and will never decompose like newspapers or food scraps, and even though it can be recycled there is no guarantee it won't end up sitting in a landfill for the next 500 years.  Plastic isn't an organic substance so there is no CO2 production which means no decomposition, whereas a banana peel, for example, produces CO2 allowing it to easily decompose in a compost pile. This means that common things like plastic water bottles that aren't recycled become excess unneeded waste that will sit for a very long time.  Although many people recycle their plastic, which is great, there is still a process attached to plastic production and it's not always a clean one. The problem with plastic is that we use it and don't think about what really goes into the mass creation of an inorganic material (i.e. pollution from production, pollution from distributing, etc.). 
    So why does this matter? It matters because we use plastic when we don't need to, and cutting out the unnecessary could do a lot of good.  I am mostly focused on bottled water when it comes to plastic's dark side because there is no reason for only drinking bottled water on a daily basis. When you think about it in numbers, it is recommended that the average person drinks 8 glasses of water a day, and if you are a bottled water drinker that means 8 plastic bottles a day, 56 bottles a week, 240 bottles a month, and 2,920 bottles a year.  If these bottles aren't recycled, I think it's safe to say that is a lot of waste.  Even if those bottles are recycled it still adds to the mass production of unnecessary plastic packaging.  If we buy bottled water we're telling those companies to produce more which means pollute more.
    What can people do to cut down on plastic waste though?  It seems so convenient to just grab a pre-bottled water and walk out the door.  Well, convenience plays a large roll in why bottled water is such a phenomenon, but drinking out of a reusable bottle is just as convenient, all you have to do is take 2 minutes to fill it up and you are on your way.  Buying and using a reusable bottle like a Nalgene or a Sigg is one of the easiest things you can do to promote sustainability and cut down on plastic consumption. You can even DIY and reuse a jar or other glass container as a water bottle if you don't want to purchase one.  It's simple, it's cheap, and you can rest knowing that your plastic bottles won't still be cozied up in a landfill somewhere when your great great great great great grand kids are graduating high school. Using a reusable bottle is without a doubt a sustainable daily practice, and once you've gotten into the habit of it, those plastic bottled waters look pretty silly.  Is it weird to say that my Sigg bottle has become one of my best friends?

          Stay sustainable,

          Becca in Athens

The Consumers Dilemma Solved

     The Athens Farmers Market. If you have ever visited or shopped at this incredible bazaar of fresh and local produce, I encourage you to read on. If you haven't, then I urge you to read on.  Farmers markets can sometimes have this stigma of being an overpriced hassle, as opposed to the rewarding delicious experience it truly is. This is a frustrating idea to myself and others who know all of the benefits of farmers markets.
    To put it into perspective, local farmers bring their goods to a specific place so that they can sell them directly to consumers. On the corporate side, places such as Wal-Mart, purchase produce from a third party across the country then proceed to ship it a few thousand miles, creating the need for preservatives and dyes in order to keep produce pretty after the long trek.  Corporate produce, after being primped for sale, is then purchased by consumers at a low price thousands of miles from where it originated. This may not seem like that big of a deal, but once you start looking into everything that goes into this process (i.e. fuel, pollution, preservatives, pesticides, etc.) it becomes exhausting and worrisome.
     Corporations that sell produce are able to conceal most of the negative ins and outs of their sales process from the public, and conceal they do.  Many consumers already know that they are purchasing veggies grown in California or other far away places, but what they don't realize up front are the negative economical and environmental impacts attached to this process of retail.  Corporations have, in a way, created our society into one that has fallen into a routine of purchase that no longer involves the people who actually produce the goods. We have somehow forgotten the importance of knowing what exactly goes into what we consume and how important the people that actually produce it are, especially those who feed us.  This disconnect has formed over time because we are continually told what we need and where we need to get it.  This has allowed us to forget the responsibility and luxury of choice we have as consumers. We do have a choice though, and we should make sustainable ones whenever and wherever we can.  This can start with the choice that directly effects ourselves and the environment around us; where and why we purchase the food we consume.
     Consumers hold the power in a free market and it seems we have lost hold of this concept and have fallen victim to cheap, mass produced goods without giving their quality or impacts a thought.  We need to buy our food from as close to its source as we can because it stimulates the local economy, and provides consumers with a feeling of ease that their vegetables have not been dyed or injected with anything to feign freshness after a 2,000 mile truck ride.  These are factors consumers must take into account if they are concerned about environmental consequences or want to break free from the headlock corporations have us in.  But usually when discussing grocery shopping, many people, especially college students, are concerned about the economics of it. A large concern of many consumers is that farmers markets are far more expensive than your typical grocery store, or Wal-Mart per se. I would really like to rid farmers markets of this stigma, and if that's what is holding you back from shopping locally, fear no more.

     I did a bit of research and price comparing between the Athens Farmers Market and Wal-mart produce, and what I found even surprised me.  My results concluded that the farmers market is cheaper.  I was expecting their produce to be a tad more expensive considering all of the work local farmers put into their crops, but interestingly enough it's not.  Here is a small chart of the produce I compared.

     Besides the economical and environmental benefits the farmers market has to offer, it is only a stone's throw away from all of the other grocery stores in town, so it isn't exactly a hassle to get there. It seems to me that consumers can't go wrong purchasing directly from our farmers, and we need to understand how lucky we are to have this resource and the ability to shop at a market that is so accessible and inexpensive. There are heaps of other reasons why you should support the farmers market, but I'll let you make your own conclusions about why it's important for you to support this aspect of our community, and maybe further your knowledge on the subject by doing some research of your own.  The bottom line is that the Athens Farmers Market is an invaluable resource that we need to take advantage of, and even if you aren't into living sustainably, humor us sustainability folks and at least shop there because it's less expensive.

           Stay sustainable,

           Becca in Athens