Corporations, Our Health, and a History of Failed Technologies

Those Who Cannot Remember the Past are Condemned to Repeat It

Humanity has been inventing new technologies since before recorded time; however, not all technologies have proven beneficial. Over the years, there have been many breakthroughs in science, breakthroughs that have also come with unexpected consequences.

DDT

Dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane or DDT was first synthesized in 1874, but it wasn’t until 1940 that it came to be used as a pesticide. Paul Muller is the chemist who discovered that DDT was a highly effective insecticide that killed a wide range of insects, including those that spread malaria, plague, thyphus and other diseases. It was inexpensive, persisted in the environment (meaning reapplications were infrequently needed), it was devastating to insect populations, it increased crop yields, and saved lives. It was estimated that in 20 years of use it saved 500 million lives that would have been lost to malaria alone. DDT became a global phenomenon and Muller was awarded the Nobel Prize.

Because of its widespread use, the harmful effects of DDT became impossible to ignore. Although warnings about DDT’s harmful effects came from scientists as early as the 1940s, it wasn’t until Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring, published in the 1960s that the public became concerned about its environmental impact.

DDT works by interfering with the nervous system. Girls exposed to DDT before puberty are five times more likely to develop breast cancer later in life. Workers accidentally exposed to DDT have reported prickling sensations in the mouth, nausea, dizziness, confusion, headache, lethargy, poor coordination, fatigue, vomiting, and uncontrollable tremors. As toxic as DDT is to humans, it is far more devastating to wildlife. It became clear that DDT bio accumulates in the bodies of animals and people, and if it were to be continued to be used in the U.S., many species of birds were headed for extinction, including the bald eagle, America’s national emblem. One of the first acts of the Environmental Protection Agency was to ban the use of DDT in the U.S.

Lead and Leaded Additives

Lead is a malleable, corrosion resistant, inexpensive, and easily obtainable dull colored silver-grey metal. Lead is usually extracted from the mineral galena. Lead has been in use since the days of the Roman Empire. Before we began using it, most of the lead was safely tucked away beneath the Earth’s surface, but industrial activities have resulted in drastic increases in the levels of lead that are found in the environment.

Lead has been used in paint, piping, pewter, pottery, insecticides, hair dyes, and as an anti-knocking additive in gasoline. Lead is still used widely in plumbing, and many cities in the U.S. still have 100% lead pipes. Lead is used in ammunition, batteries, cosmetics, pigments, cable sheathing, weights (for lifting), weight belts for diving, some types of glass, and in materials used to protect against radiation. Lead is also used to store corrosive liquids.

Lead is harmful to nearly all forms of life. It is toxic, teratogenic (disrupts the development of an embryo or fetus), and carcinogenic. Very harmful amounts of lead can still be odorless, tasteless, and invisible. Even small amounts of lead can cause a reduction in IQ, and an increased risk of stroke, heart attack, headaches, nausea, abdominal pain, insomnia, fatigue, and many other health conditions. Most scientists agree there is no such thing as a safe level of lead in the human body.

CFCs

Chlorofluorocarbons, better known as CFCs, were once thought of as a scientific miracle. CFCs are nontoxic (previously utilized refrigerants were very toxic) and nonflammable chemicals comprised of carbon, chlorine, and fluorine. CFCs were widely used as refrigerants for freezers, refrigerators, and air conditioners. They were also used in fire extinguishers and aerosol sprays. At their peak, a million metric tons of CFCs were produced annually, with over a billion dollars in sales.

It took a while for the problem with CFCs to be discovered. They seemed to be perfectly safe, after all, CFCs remain stable and inert until they reach the upper atmosphere or stratosphere. Prof. Rowland and Dr. Molina showed that once UV radiation strikes CFCs, a series of chemical reactions begin. Chlorine is released from CFCs. These chlorine atoms destroy ozone in catalytic reactions. A single chlorine atom can have this effect for decades, destroying thousands upon thousands of ozone molecules.

CFCs have settled in high concentrations over over the South Pole. Their reactivity with ozone is dependent upon exposure to UV radiation, and of course, a high degree of exposure happens every spring and summer (September through February for the Southern hemisphere). This hole in the ozone layer is so large that it extends all the way over Antarctica and southern South America. This affects thousands of people. Antarctica has a research-based community, which varies from 1,000-4,000 inhabitants. The South American cities of Ushaia (pop. 60,000), Punta Arenas (pop. 123,000), and Rio Gallegos (pop. 98,000), and the Falkland Islands are all regularly affected by the reoccurring hole in the ozone layer. At times, the hole widens affecting northern population areas including Rio Gallegos, Puerto Santa Cruz, and Rio Grande which affects an additional 200,000 people. Safely going outside in these areas during times of decreased ozone means wearing extensive protective clothing and goggles, or risking skin cancer, cataracts and damaged DNA. Most inhabitants opt for the extensive protective gear.

PCBs

Polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs are a group of man-made chlorinated organic compounds. They are oily liquids or solids with colors ranging from clear to yellow. PCBs had a number of industrial applications and they were widely used in electrical equipment and as lubricants. Invented by the Swann Chemical Company in 1929, their manufacture was quickly taken over by Monsanto, after Monsanto bought Swann Chemical Company in 1933. Then Monsanto became the sole manufacturer of PCBs until the EPA banned their manufacture in 1979.

PCBs can cause skin lesions that can last years, and it is a probable carcinogen. PCBs can damage the liver, immune system function, and endocrine systems. Internal documents show that Monsanto knew about these harmful effects for decades, but instead of discontinuing their manufacture, Monsanto hired scientists to conduct fraudulent studies. Monsanto doesn’t deny that PCBs have contaminated everyone and everything in the entire planet. Instead they argue that since PCBs are everywhere, there’s nothing to worry about.

Asbestos

Asbestos refers to a group of six naturally occurring silicate minerals: actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, chrysotile, crocidolite, and tremolite. Asbestos is made up of thin fibrous crystals, and these fibers are composed of millions of microscopic fibrils. Asbestos was once in high demand in the Western world due to its remarkable characteristics: Asbestos is an excellent insulator. It doesn’t conduct electricity. It is highly fire resistant. It absorbs sound, is phenomenally durable, flexible, and inexpensive to produce. Asbestos was used in a wide variety of applications from shipbuilding to construction, plastics, textiles, cigarette filters, and many other uses. Despite its known health risks, asbestos is still in high demand in Asia and Africa. Asbestos is banned in 50 countries worldwide, but not in the U.S. and Canada, though both countries now restrict its use. More than two million metric tons of asbestos is produced annually.

Studies have linked more than a dozen different diseases to asbestos exposure including asbestosis and many different types of cancer, especially lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestos-related pleural effusions. According to the World Health Organization, asbestos is still responsible for an estimated 43,000 deaths annually.

Flame-Retardants

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, more than 3,000 Americans died from fires in 2011. There have been many different efforts over the years to reduce the number of deaths by fire in the U.S. Not all of them have been successful.

Substances treated with flame-retardants ignite more slowly than untreated substances, but the difference is minimal. And when these treated substances burn, they produce twice as much smoke, six times as much carbon monoxide, and ninety times more soot. People rarely burn to death in fires. The smoke, soot, and carbon monoxide usually kill them.

The flame retardant chemicals used in furniture, electronics, and textiles are remarkably similar to many pesticides that are used. As a matter of fact, some pesticides and flame-retardants are the exact same chemical. Not all flame-retardants present a serious health risk, but organohalogen and organophosphorous flame-retardants do. DDT is a organohalogen, and like DDT, these chemicals persist in the environment and bio accumulate in the food chain. Flame-retardants have been found in polar bears in the North Pole and in Tasmanian devils in the South Pole. They have been found in animals all over the world. These chemicals have contaminated the entire planet. Unfortunately, they can cause a number of health problems including: cancer, endocrine disruption, hypothyroidism, hyperactivity, reduced IQ, and other neurological impairments. These chemicals are also reproductive toxins in both males and females. Furniture made with these chemicals contains 5% flame-retardants, by weight. Unfortunately they are not bound to treated substances. They off gas as dust in your home and are then ingested through hand to mouth contact. Children and pets are fond to have higher levels of these chemicals in their bodies than adults.

Conclusion

No technology is above reproach. When criticizing technologies new and old, counter arguments are often shrouded in attacks on the individual instead of the critique. All too often we hear accusations like “you’re anti-science!” even when it is the scientific method that has shown these technologies to be flawed. As our technology progresses, so must our understanding of technology. Not all technological advancement is progress. In fact, some technologies cause far more problems than they solve.

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SlingShot – Segway Inventor Dean Kamen is Working to Solve the World’s Water Crisis

“We can empty half of all the beds in all the hospitals in the world by just giving people clean water.” – Dean Camen

It’s hard to believe, but it’s true. Waterborne illnesses are a growing problem, killing more people now than ever before. Waterborne illnesses are now killing 3.4 million people a year, most of them young children. The majority of these deaths could be prevented, just by giving people access to clean water. For the majority of waterborne illnesses, no vaccine is available, and even if they were, vaccines carry with them serious risks of injury, including death. By contrast, there is no risk inherent in drinking clean water; there are only benefits.

On Our “Blue Planet” Clean Water is Getting Harder to Obtain

It is a well-known fact that all life needs water. Though most animals aren’t very fussy about how clean their water is, human beings have no choice but to be choosy. For those who live in the underdeveloped world, water cleanliness can mean the difference between life and death.

In the undeveloped world, the average amount of time per day spent by women looking for water that’s safe for their kids is 4 hours.

And if it didn’t turn out to be the right stuff, they spend the next day or two burying their babies.

That shouldn’t be their choices. They shouldn’t have to go that far. They shouldn’t have to make the choice between drinking the kind of stuff you wouldn’t give to your dog, or not having anything at all

It shouldn’t be this way-Dean Camen

Questionable Priorities

You would think that upon learning this, some of the best-known philanthropists would feel compelled to help people living under such conditions have access to clean, drinkable water. Unfortunately this isn’t the case, instead of clean water, dirty vaccines is what is being given to the underdeveloped world.

It has been a much bigger priority of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to “help” India by giving them vaccines. In India, over $10 billion dollars has been spent vaccinating the population against polio; unsurprisingly, this has caused over 50,000 cases of vaccine-induced paralysis.

There are many diseases that can be transmitted by water, and not all of them are caused by pathogens. Many are from pollution.  It is estimated that groundwater in as much as 1/3 of India’s 600 districts is not fit for human consumption. The most common pollutants are high concentrations of fluoride, iron, salinity and arsenic. Approximately 65 million people in India have been suffering from fluorosis, severe fluoride poisoning. Roughly 5 million Indians are suffering from arsenicosis, arsenic poisoning. Unfortunately the problem seems to be getting worse.

The World Health Organization reported that of the 10 million annual deaths in India, nearly 8 million are due to lack of basic health care amenities like effective sewage systems, a safe drinking water supply, elementary sanitary facilities, and hygienic conditions.

If these basic human needs continue to go unmet, the Pacific Institute estimates that waterborne illnesses could begin claiming over 100 million lives a year by 2020.

Challenges of Bringing Water to the 3rd World

Modern water infrastructure is incredibly expensive to build and maintain. It is unrealistic to expect the 3rd world to solve their water problems the same way the Western world has; they simply do not have the resources. Another solution is needed.

Contaminated water can be purified through filtration or distillation. Unless you know exactly what’s wrong with the water, filtering out all of the contaminants out isn’t feasible. Until recently, the distillation process always required a tremendous amount of energy.

Vapor Compression Distiller

Dean Camen’s company, DEKA Research and Development, has found the solution. They designed a new portable system for water distillation, and they call it the SlingShot.

The SlingShot boils water, condenses it, and then recycles the energy used in the process. By recycling the energy, the amount of power needed to power the machine is greatly reduced-from 25,000 watts, to less power than a handheld hair dryer. Anyone can distill water with this machine as long as they have access to some electricity, some of the time. Despite how underdeveloped the 3rd world is, most of the planet’s inhabitants have at least limited access to electricity.

DEKA Research and Development has reached out to numerous governmental organizations, and they were disappointed to learn that the United Nations, The U.S. government, and other governments had no interest in helping people get access to clean water.

Dean Camen is leading the charge, stepping in to help where the Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization, the United Nations, the U.S. and other organizations have refused to help.

Everybody asks me, “Well, why do we call the box SlingShot?

…I heard the story of David and Goliath. To me the moral of that story was: Technology is cool. And people say to me, “How, how did you get that moral out of it?”

I said well, “There was this really little guy David and he had this really big problem Goliath. But he had this little thing called the slingshot and that little piece of technology took out that really big problem.

Let’s put water machines all over the world. There’s no easier way to wipe out 50% of all human disease. Let’s Just do it. Simple.

…We want to be helping get water to everybody on this planet. It’s the right thing to do. It’s simply the right thing to do. We can do it. Therefore we should do it. So why is it prevention to give people clean water? Call me crazy. We have a Department of Defense and we build the ultimate weapons of mass destruction. But how about if we build weapons of mass construction? And what if we go around the world and give everybody clean water, and it says “US” on it, your friend? Maybe we’ll have a Department of Peace. And maybe we will prevent the wars. And if we can get these water machines into high volume production, I think we put them around the world and there’s a way better shot that a large part of two billion people will be our friends.

To learn more, be sure to watch SlingShot, also available on Netflix and YouTube.

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Herbs With Healing Properties You Can Grow at Home

Growing herbs in your home is not only easy, it is highly recommended. This is especially true if you are growing them for medicinal purposes. Although you can buy herbs, you won’t know how the plants were raised or how the herbs were stored. Nothing beats the quality of homegrown herbs.

It doesn’t really matter if you have expert gardening skills as herbs require nothing but basic knowledge and some free space. If you have a garden in your home, it is wise to reserve some of the available space there for herbal medicines, as they can truly help when you are feeling ill. The best part is that the following are all easy-to-grow and require very little in terms of care.

Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum)

The flavour of this plant is so unique,  that people either hate it or love it. It is used in several Thai and Mexican dishes, but most notably in Indian curry.  You can easily grow it in a moist, cool garden. Cilantro is a digestive aid and it also helps you detox heavy metals.

Callendulla or Marigold

Calendula (Calendula officinalis)

The other name for Calendula is pot marigold. It is a powerful antiseptic and antifungal tool. Use the petals  for wound care and soothing the skin. Numerous cosmetic products use the plant for its properties, which is proof of its quality. This annual blooms throughout the entire season and looks charming in an outdoor garden, where it can receive plenty of sun.

Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)

PeppermintYou are well-aware of the boost of freshness you get from peppermint flavoured toothpaste. Did you know that peppermint is also a very powerful ally against digestive discomfort (peppermint tea) and aching muscles (peppermint liquid/lotion)? You will do well to include this moist-loving plant in your garden. Just keep in mind that the leaves of the plant should be harvested before they flower or they will taste bitter.

 

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

RosemaryThe main benefit of rosemary is its power to bring more oxygen to your brain for better memory. According to expert gardeners, this herb is the equivalent of caffeine. The best part is that the evergreen plant is very drought tolerant and will likely survive any environment.

Lavender (Lavandula)

LavenderAccording to some studies, lavender is not only a perfume plant, it may also be used to benefit the nervous system. Adding some lavender oil to your bath will most certainly reduce tension, stress, and even insomnia. In order to grow lavender, you will need to provide a dry environment that is hot and sunny.

You can benefit a lot from each of these herbs, especially if you have invested time and effort in growing them at home. Do consider all of the benefits, and plant them today. Be sure to check out Handy Gardeners’ Blog for more articles on gardening.

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The Holy Trinity of Modern Day Housing: Environmentally Friendly, Sustainable, and Energy Efficient Houses

We no longer worry about whether our home is keeping up with the Joneses. These days we are more concerned with our impact on the planet and future generations.

The environmentally friendly home that’s sustainable and energy efficient has become the sought after ideal. But finding or creating the “holy trinity” (environmentally friendly, sustainable, and energy efficient) house isn’t a simple matter. This guide will help steer you in the right direction. To give you a kick start of inspiration, I’ve also included a couple of examples of funky and stylish houses that tick the green boxes.

Choose Your Location Wisely

“Location, location, location,” is an apt usage of the phrase when it comes to building an environmentally friendly home. A wrong choice can have catastrophic consequences for your dreams of an environmentally friendly and energy efficient home.

For example, think about whether there will be a place for solar panels to get plenty of sunlight. Consider air drainage and wind currents if you’re thinking about wind turbines and your gardening options. If you plan to have a plot of organic veggies, select a site that will be suitable for growing foods.

Install Solar Panels

Don’t think that just because you’re making your home environmentally friendly you’re going to be losing out financially. These days, you can actually save money by going green.

Solar panels are a perfect example. They used to be prohibitively expensive, but it’s now cheaper to install solar panels than it is to buy the average car. Solar can provide as much as 85% of your home’s energy. It’s a no-brainer for those looking to be a little more eco-friendly.

Focus on the Roof

When it comes to the roof of a green home, most people limit their thoughts to the aforementioned solar panels. But making your roof green goes beyond that. For example, did you know that white roofs are the most energy efficient? This all goes back to the lesson you probably had while in grade school. White is a reflective color, which means the hot sun rays won’t impact your home as much. This in turn keeps down air conditioning costs by keeping your home cooler during the summer.

Insulating Your Home

If you want to get close to net-zero performance, insulation is a key factor. You can keep your bills low by ensuring your home doesn’t lose energy in key places. For example, you can use GreenFiber Cocoon to insulate your home. This eco-friendly solution is made almost entirely from recycled newspapers that have been treated with a natural fire retardant to ensure safety. It’s also super practical for existing homes, as you can simply blow the material into walls through very small holes.

Do You Need the Space?

Many of us dream of large and spacious homes, but this is often in direct contrast of the eco ideal. Small homes are far easier to keep energy efficient and they’re also far more manageable.

A small overall space doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll feel cramped or boxed in. Architects and designers know that people are asking for homes that fit the environmental bill, which means that many seemingly compact homes are actually surprisingly spacious inside.

Use Eco-Friendly Materials and Products

Building a sustainable and environmentally friendly home isn’t always easy, especially when most companies don’t place planet earth at the top of the priority list. But luckily the pot of options is growing increasingly larger.

Paint: When choosing your new home’s paint, always go for a brand that is low in VOCs (volatile organic compounds). These chemicals are incredibly harmful to both you and the environment, but, unfortunately, they are still quite common in your average pot of paint.

Reclaimed & Recycled Materials: Many people hold the misconception that recycled or reclaimed products won’t look as “nice” as their brand new equivalents. These days, however, the recycled trend has given us funky products that end up being excellent talking points over a dinner party. For example, why not use a doormat made of wasted float rope? Or how about a lamp made out of agricultural waste? You can even buy stools made of a mixture of sand, bacteria, and urine!

Steel: Steel is an ideal building material for several reasons. It’s incredibly resilient (It won’t rot or twist. It’s termite resistant). It has an impressive strength to weight ratio. And it is very versatile.

Steel is also an environmentally friendly choice. Its lightweight nature means little of it is required compared to other material. Steel is also 100% recyclable and will go the distance It’s extremely unlikely you’ll ever need to replace or do any structural work to houses built with a steel framework.

Energy Star: When buying electrical products for your home, always look for the Energy Star. This guarantees that your chosen item is energy efficient, which can make a huge difference to the amount of energy your home uses.

Energy Star products are now common. Most are affordable and perform to perfection. In other words, there’s no excuse!

Examples of Awesome, Sustainable Homes

Sustainable homes aren’t yet the norm, but they’re no longer rare futuristic sights or impractical pipe dreams of the eco-friendly. There are countless examples across the globe of homes that aren’t just soft on the environment, but also have the wow-factor and are sustainable to boot.

Waste House in Brighton, UK was Built entirely (well, almost) from discarded waste. This Brighton abode is the seminal example of the sustainable home. It’s amazing what 20,000 toothbrushes and 4,000 DVD cases can do!

Energy Neutral Residence 2.0 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is the perfect weapon to the argument that style and sustainability can go hand in hand. Its insulation is based on a NASA prototype and uses a discarded tree as part of the design. An on-site wind turbine provides the little energy used.

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Reduce Your Dog’s Carbon Poo Print One Flush at a Time

Chances are good that you’ve had the same thought as thousands of eco-savvy dog stewards: “Every day I pick up poop in a plastic bag and throw it in the garbage.  How dumb is that?”

Does it make better sense to simply flush it down the toilet?  If you have an average sized dog — say, a 25-lb. beagle — you dispose of around 274 pounds of dog waste a year.  That might be more than you weigh!  Multiple dogs, of course, up the ante.  Flushing is not a novel idea.

Plans for animal shelters and dog daycares now design flushing systems into the kennel areas so that they can be easily cleaned.  Caretakers simply hose waste directly into built-in drains that flow into the same sanitary sewers servicing human toilets.  So the dog waste winds up at a local treatment facility.  After sanitation, the water can be released or reused and the left-over sludge, might be re-purposed as a soil conditioner.

Flushing has always been a reliable solution for people with small, elderly or disabled dogs that do their business in a controlled indoor area such as a litter box or synthetic grass pan.  In these cases, scoopers or even toilet paper are useful for pick up.   But what if your dog downloads outdoors?  Is it worthwhile bringing the booty home for a flush? If you’re game to try flushing and have a moderate “ick factor” threshold, bear with me.

Flushing loose dog waste is far from convenient.  And you can’t flush dog waste in a regular plastic pick-up bag.  Do you really want to send a bag that will never degrade in a meaningful time frame to your local treatment plant’s garbage patch?

But if flushing dog poo seems like a reasonable approach to you, try thinking outside the standard plastic bag.  Consider using flushable polyvinyl alcohol dog bags that are “hyrdo-biodegradable.”  But before buying in whole hog (dog?), consider the pros and cons.

Flushables cost around 12-20 cents per bag, so they’re more expensive than commercial plastic pick-up bags.  But you can find some real bargains online.  Read the claims and reviews carefully before hitting the “buy” button.  You might want to compare several bags in small quantities before coming to conclusions about their usefulness and purchasing in bulk.

These bags may not stay intact when transporting dog doo long distances, so you might need to use them in combination with a waterproof container or baggie.  There are also many fine-looking leak-proof, washable totes, pouches and clip-on holders on the market that are made for that purpose.

Before using your flushable bag, experiment to see how long the bag will hold up without disintegrating at room temperature.  You can do this by filling the bag with wet food scraps and setting it in the sink.  While you can’t always perfectly time your doggie road trips or control the heat of the day, at least you won’t have any surprises regarding bag performance.  Keep the process green by knotting the top of the flushable.

If your dog has giant paws or you pick up after multiple pets, don’t dispose of a sizable doo dump in a single flush.  The bags may be flushable, but none claim to be miraculous.  The labyrinth of traps, wax rings and closet bends inside residential toilets were never intended to handle mega masses, let alone mega masses compressed in bags.

Newer toilets have larger openings and are less likely to overflow than older models.  You do not want dog waste collecting in your toilet waiting for a plumber to arrive.  You do not want dog waste backing up over your floor.  Be conservative and use common sense when testing your toilet’s capacity for flushables. Use multiple bags with limited contents whenever possible.

Don’t flush dog waste into toilets connected to septic tanks.  Dog waste contains quite a bit of fur and the bacteria in tanks do not readily digest hair.  Hairy residue could obstruct emitters that drain effluent into the soil, requiring the services of your favorite honey dipper.

You’ve probably seen online lessons on how to toilet train your cat.  Bad idea!  Feline poo might contain Toxoplasma gondii, a disease agent affecting marine mammals, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems.  You don’t want to release that stubborn parasite into waterways.

But, if you have a really smart, eager-to-please, dare-I-say saintly dog, you might entice him or her to pot-sit.  Yes, people teach them to do that.  Search “train dog to use toilet” and let me know how it goes.  Be sure to leave him or her the latest edition of the Daily Wag.

Whether you have a single dog, a small pack, or run a pet care facility, a separate outdoor flushing system for pets might work well for you.  Any dedicated septic system for dogs will be pricey.  The least expensive option requires contracting with a reputable plumber to install a direct access line into the sanitary sewer connection on your property.  Doo can simply be dropped or washed into an entry hatch.  Be sure to include a lid or other mechanism to trap sewer odor.

Manufacturers offer some truly inventive systems for dog waste flushing at high-volume facilities.  Products with whimsical names like “Powerloo” and “Whoopsie Away” are easy to find via online searches.  All require professional installation.

At the exit end of the sewer line, flushed dog waste is processed and tested per EPA standards. The resulting biosolids might be buried, landfilled or (best-case scenario) used as a fertilizer.  You can even buy bagged soil amendments made from sewage sludge to top dress your lawn or feed your garden.

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage District, a pioneer in this field, has been producing and distributing Milorganite for 85 years.  These heat-dried biosolid pellets are available at garden centers throughout the country.  Other waste facilities have been following Milwaukee’s lead, turning treated solid waste into natural fertilizer and reducing the need to manufacture chemicals or mine minerals to enrich soil.

If flushing proves to be a practical approach for your household, you’ll dispose of fewer plastic bags, divert organic waste from your local landfill, and recycle your dog’s waste – all gifts to the natural world.

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5 Environmentally Friendly Ways To Increase Your Home’s Value

Who doesn’t love helping the environment?  We no longer want large water heaters or other expensive features. Smart buyers are looking for environmentally friendly choices. Water, specifically, is an area ripe for improvement.

The benefits of going green are twofold. First, it adds appeal and versatility to your home, offering unique value compared to other homes lacking these features. Secondly, of course, is that many of these items add actual financial value, both in terms of property value and savings on bills!

Whether you’re currently looking to sell, simply want to live a greener life, or just want to keep your options open in the future, these solutions offer fantastic benefits for everyone.

Harness The Rain

If you live in an area with plenty of rain, turn this to your advantage. Rain collectors can harness this resource for dish washing and other uses around the home, helping to cut down on water bills. However, this water isn’t entirely clean, so it can’t be used for drinking.

That being said, you can add a filter to purify the water for various home uses. This is often where the real value comes in, as it can then be used to provide free shower and tap water! Once you have an effective system set up, you’ll rarely need to use muniipal water.

Organic Gardens

A well-kept garden can do wonders for a home’s price tag, but an organic one also serves a purpose. Whether it’s a large vegetable patch or a simple raised bed, any garden can introduce organic crops. While these will improve your value, they’ll also provide tasty and healthy veggies in the meantime.

Just remember that a key to understanding property value lies in thinking like a buyer. A ready-to-go organic garden helps ease buyers into a better lifestyle and suggests at how green the wider property already is.

The Water Boiler

Even if you have an effective collection system for rainwater, every home still needs hot water. How you heat your water matters a great deal. Your average boiler uses gas or electricity, both of which are power-heavy, to heat water throughout the home.

An efficient boiler, on the other hand, helps save money and adds to the property’s value both financially and in terms of environmental awareness. It will also help improve your home’s energy efficiency, helping to create another vital selling point.

Natural Water Features

Speaking of the garden, how many homes these days feature a water feature of some sort? Most people may think of pools, but these require a lot of clean water and expensive pumps. Still, some simple landscaping can create features that use natural rain water, reducing your need for maintenance and imported water.

A fountain can recycle rainwater, for instance, while a pond serves as an aesthetically pleasing feature. Tastefully done, adding these add little touches to a well-finished garden, increases the value without added bills or running costs.

Water Usage

While cutting down on how much water you use will help keep bills low, it doesn’t influence your home’s value until you make some physical changes. Taps, pipes, and showers all use water, so determining just how much water they use is key.Eco showers speak for themselves, but what else can you do?

Tap inserts can be fitted in your kitchen and sink to ensure a full spray of water without wasting it at the same time. These little features help cut down on water without changing your lifestyle, making them easier to advertise and display if your home ends up on the market.

Similarly, for the extra passionate homeowners, a bathwater diverter can re-direct or collect used bath water into an outside container for use in the garden. If you combine this with a rainwater system, just think how effective this will be. These physical installations add instant value to your home as new buyers can easily see the savings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up9lgvZ83Ik

Conclusion

So, there you have it – 5 effective ways to help improve your property value and save the environment. How you choose to implement these depends on your home, of course. Not everyone has space for a pond, but even the smallest organic patch will help. Your home should proudly showcase its green lifestyle, making its water-savvy features tempting for anyone looking to buy in the area.

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Natural Cleaning Solutions For Your Home

Cleaning is crucial in any home, but regular cleaners take their toll on the environment. Instead, wouldn’t it be nice if there was a cheap, effective way to do housework without using harmful chemicals? Fortunately, there is! And most of the items you will need are already in your home.

Lemon Deodorizers

When it comes to natural cleaners, the humble lemon is your best friend. Why use expensive lemon scented fragrances when a real lemon does just as good a job? Simply take a lemon, cut it in half and leave one half with the cut side exposed (preferably in a dish). Not only will this hide odors, you’ll get a fresh lemon scent wherever you place it.

Vinegar Spray

Vinegar is highly acidic, which makes it useful for cleaning dirt on a variety of surfaces. More specifically, it’s great for cleaning windows and polishing metal. If you have a spray bottle, you can create a mixture that’s 3 or 4 parts water and 1 part vinegar. Then, simply use the spray as you normally would – you’ll quickly find it’s no trouble at all to remove various tough stains around the home.

Peace Lillies

A plant is just a plant right? Wrong – plants having many uses in the home, often acting as natural filters. Not only will you help oxidize the room, plants can absorb some of the harmful agents in the air, making them a great companion to lemon deodorizers. Better yet, try using a peace lily where possible. Peace lilies are great at preventing mold, and it’s always better to prevent a difficult task where possible!

Boiled Potato Water

The next time you boil potatoes, don’t throw out the leftover water. This water has a combination of a high temperature and the starchy extracts left from the potatoes. As a result, its perfect for cleaning silver, whether its cutlery or ornaments. Just make sure to use it when its hot. ( It can always be reheated, of course.)

Nut Shells

As a more unusual solution, Indian nut shells are great for washing a variety of things. It’s no surprise then, that they’re often called soap nuts in some parts of the world. Crush around 2oz of shells in a 3-5 cups of water. Bring the water to the boiling point to create a simple soap. This can be used to wash glasses, dishes, counters, and the car! You can even use this soap in the dishwasher, or just add a few of the shells in as they are. You can also put the shells in a bag and throw it in with the laundry.

Baking Soda

If you bake, chances are you have a spare bag or box of baking soda. If you’re not planning a cake anytime soon, it makes a great all-purpose cleaner, similar to vinegar. Mix 4 spoons of soda into one warm cup of water for an effective agent, perfect for surfaces and kitchen appliances. As with any cleaning chemical, use it with a cloth or wipe and you’ll have no trouble at all.  It also works well as a scrubbing agent. Shake it on a surface and use a wet rag to scrub.

Ground Coffee

If you are a coffee drinker, you have the makings of a good dish scrubber. Using an elastic band or string, use your cleaning cloth to make a ‘bag’ full of coffee beans. The rough texture, combined with warm water and the natural ingredients inside coffee make for an effective scrubbing assistant – perfect for tough dishes!

As an added bonus, you can sprinkle used coffee grounds outside, around the perimeter of your house to repel ants and other insects and you can put coffee beans in plant pots and other areas where pests might gather.

Natural Oils

Various types of natural oils have additional cleaning applications. For example, peppermint, tea-tree, lavender, and even eucalyptus oils all make effective bacteria killers. This makes them ideal for use in the kitchen. Due to their potency, you need only add a few drops of such an oil to a 50/50 mixture of water and white vinegar. On a similar note, the various plant-based oils used in cooking – such as sunflower or olive oils – are great at removing gritty dirt. Add a few teaspoons of salt to these vegetable oils to great a basic paste. Then, simply rinse with hot water and scrub away!

Salt

Salt is, of course, a natural product, and it’s course nature makes it great for scrubbing or scouring. This is best used for dishes, as the rough nature of salt helps to break away dirt, yet it won’t scratch precious glassware. It also works well on stubborn surfaces, such as wooden counters and the dreaded oven. So don’t be afraid to add a little salt when dealing with difficult stains.

Lemon Scrub

Finally, there’s one more use for lemons! Aside from being a good spray and deodorizer, you can also use it as a simple scrub. Squeeze and rub a lemon onto your cleaning cloth and then use it as you normally would. This acts just like a cleaning agent – thanks to the acidic, citric nature of the fruit – and doesn’t harm the environment.

Conclusion

As you can see there are more than a few ways to keep your house sparkling clean without harming Mother Nature or your family’s health. The next time you’re ready to reach for a cleaning product, take a look in your shelves first. You might just be pleasantly surprised.

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