Copy this link to your browser for the article: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/41994915#
By Barbara Thau
Bottled water? That's so '80s.
The $14.4 billion bottled-water market has come under fire for being environmentally incorrect as those discarded plastic containers keep piling up in landfills.
Meanwhile, decades of marketing that touted costly bottled water as cleaner, healthier and better tasting than tap water turned out to be a lot of hype. Not only is most good-old-fashioned tap water safe and clean, experts say, but swearing off the bottle also saves you a bundle.
Here's how to turn on the tap and let the savings pour in — without sacrificing flavor.
The truth about tap
Before you get swept up by fancy-looking water bottles with fancy slogans ("collected from spring water sources," "filtered naturally through layers of glacial sand") at a cost of $2 a bottle, consider this: More than 90 percent of U.S. water systems meet all regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency.
So you can be pretty confident in the water coming out of your tap, says Celia Kuperszmid-Lehrman, deputy home editor for Consumer Reports.
But bottled water is largely unmonitored. According to Food & Water Watch, a non-profit aimed at providing access to safe and affordable drinking water, the Food and Drug Administration regulates only 30 to 40 percent of the bottled water sold across state lines.
And despite claims from bottled water manufacturers that their product comes from pure mountain springs or groundwater sources, experts say that these days more bottled water comes from a municipal supply, just like tap water. Which raises the question: Why buy the cow if you can drink the milk for (practically) free?
As most of the nation's water supply comes from a municipality, your local water utility is required to issue a water-quality report — which is one way to find out about the quality and safety of the water in your area.
For a comprehensive primer on tap water — including the stuff from the unregulated, private wells that supply about 10 percent of the U.S. population — consult the EPA's guide to drinking tap water on the agency's website, says Kuperszmid-Lehrman. There you also can find a report about the water quality in your area. You can also call the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
Tap savings with tap water
Single-serve portions of bottled water, the most common being the 16-ounce size, accounted for more than 60% of the volume of bottled water sold in 2009, according to Food & Water Watch.
And while consumers' water bills vary, as does the price of bottled water (which ranges from 70 cents to $2), here's a telling contrast: Tap water costs less than 1 cent per gallon, says Kate Fried, a spokesperson for Food & Water Watch. But if you pay $1 per 16-ounce container, bottled water adds up to about $8 per gallon.
Filter out costs
Water taste and quality varies across the country. But no matter where you live, many Americans have grown accustomed to the taste of filtered tap water.
"Most people, when they think of water, they think of water as being relatively tasteless," says Kuperszmid-Lehrman. "That's what they go for." Hence the popularity of filters.
Consumers also use filters to flush out minerals and particles. But even when factoring in the cost of the variety of filtering systems on the market, filtered tap water is far more affordable than bottled water, when you sift through the price comparisons.
Carafe/pitcher filters
Carafes/pitchers, the kind that sit in your refrigerator, have become ubiquitous in U.S. households and are simple to use.
They range in price from about $20 to $40 and their replacement filters cost about $48 a year. So if the average cost of a pitcher is $30, and replacement filters cost $48 annually, that's about $80 for a year's worth of filtered water.
How much bottled water will $80 buy? In single servings it's about 11 gallons, calculates Emily Wurth, director of water policy at Food & Water Watch.
So even if you're a moderate water drinker who downs just one 16-ounce bottle a day, you'll spend about $80 for just a three months' supply, or 11 gallons worth, of bottled water.
Advertise | AdChoicesMeanwhile, that $80 will get you at least a year's worth of filtered tap water. Oops! — make that $80.11 when figuring in the cost of the tap water.
Consumer Reports gave the Clear20 carafe, at about $30, its highest Best Buy rating, and also recommended Brita's small pitcher filter, priced at approximately $32.
Keep in mind that carafe filters can only filter a limited amount of water at a time, so they might not be the optimal choice for a big family that consumes a lot of water.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Recycling Small Appliances
There are several places in town that will pay for metal that we take to them. So, small appliances like toasters can be taken to Wasatch Metal and Metro Recyclers, for example, and they will pay 5 cents per pound for metal they receive.
Metro Recyclers
401 W 900 South, Salt Lake City, UT, 84101
(801) 410-0939
Wasatch Metal Recycling
205 W 3300 South, Salt Lake City, UT, 84115
(801) 803-5806
The Transfer Station in Ogden, 801-399-8358, will take all small appliances, even those that have plastic in them, like coffee pots, but will not pay us for the items. You might call the Transfer Station to make sure they don't charge a fee for accepting your appliances.
A place that seems to accept anything and everything, and will accept most items without charge, is Stone Castle Recycling in Clearfield. Copy their web site to your browser and take a look: http://www.stonecastlerecycling.com/index.php?page=what-we-recycle. Their motto is if it can be made, it can be recycled.
Metro Recyclers
401 W 900 South, Salt Lake City, UT, 84101
(801) 410-0939
Wasatch Metal Recycling
205 W 3300 South, Salt Lake City, UT, 84115
(801) 803-5806
The Transfer Station in Ogden, 801-399-8358, will take all small appliances, even those that have plastic in them, like coffee pots, but will not pay us for the items. You might call the Transfer Station to make sure they don't charge a fee for accepting your appliances.
A place that seems to accept anything and everything, and will accept most items without charge, is Stone Castle Recycling in Clearfield. Copy their web site to your browser and take a look: http://www.stonecastlerecycling.com/index.php?page=what-we-recycle. Their motto is if it can be made, it can be recycled.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Win iPod Touch - Lights Off/Power Down
This month we will focus on "powering down," making sure lights are off when not in use - especially at night, weekends and during holidays; also turning off appliances when not in use, utilizing power strips whenever possible and turning those off when not in use. At the end of this campaign, one State of Utah employee will be the lucky winner of an iPOD Touch.
Remember our goal in State Government is 20% Energy Efficiency Increase by 2015.
Here is your checklist for the end of each day
Turned Off the Lights?
Powered down your computer?
Switched off your power strip?
Unplugged everything you can?
Utah Energy Efficiency Starts with YOU!
Here's how to win an iPOD Touch!
1. “Like” NEF on Facebook at nef1.fbfollow.me
2. Post an energy efficiency tip or behavior from your day on the NEF wall
3. Identify yourself as a state employee
4. You can do this once a day from March 1, 2011 through March 31, 2011
5. Each qualifying post is one entry into a drawing for an iPOD touch
6. The drawing will be held in the first week of April
7. Post everyday to have up to 31 entries in the drawing
Commerce will also hold a prize drawing at the end of March. To qualify for that drawing, each day that you post on NEF's Facebook site, copy the URL link where you posted, and send me and Masuda an email with that link. Just like the NEF iPOD drawing, you can get up to 31 entries into the Department prize drawing.
Your E-Team Co-Captains,
Masuda Medcalf and Carolyn Roll
Remember our goal in State Government is 20% Energy Efficiency Increase by 2015.
Here is your checklist for the end of each day
Turned Off the Lights?
Powered down your computer?
Switched off your power strip?
Unplugged everything you can?
Utah Energy Efficiency Starts with YOU!
Here's how to win an iPOD Touch!
1. “Like” NEF on Facebook at nef1.fbfollow.me
2. Post an energy efficiency tip or behavior from your day on the NEF wall
3. Identify yourself as a state employee
4. You can do this once a day from March 1, 2011 through March 31, 2011
5. Each qualifying post is one entry into a drawing for an iPOD touch
6. The drawing will be held in the first week of April
7. Post everyday to have up to 31 entries in the drawing
Commerce will also hold a prize drawing at the end of March. To qualify for that drawing, each day that you post on NEF's Facebook site, copy the URL link where you posted, and send me and Masuda an email with that link. Just like the NEF iPOD drawing, you can get up to 31 entries into the Department prize drawing.
Your E-Team Co-Captains,
Masuda Medcalf and Carolyn Roll
February Tip and Detergent Alternatives
Keep the cold IN!
With the mercury dropping outside, most of us tend to think about keeping the cold OUT but we would be smart to also think about keeping the cold IN - IN our refrigerators! Here are some quick tips that help cut energy use when it comes to cooling our food:
COVER AND WRAP FOOD - Uncovered foods and liquids release moisture, which makes the fridge work harder.
CHECK THE DOOR SEALS - Close the refrigerator door with a piece of paper that is half in and half out of the fridge. If you can remove the paper easily without opening the door, you may need to adjust the door latch or replace the seals.
CHECK THE TEMPERATURE - Put a thermometer in a glass of water in the center of the refrigerator and another between packages in the freezer. Read them after 24 hours. Your fridge should be between 37-40 degrees F. The freezer should be between 0 - 5 degrees F.
UNPLUG SECOND, OLDER REFRIGERATORS - It can cost between $200 and $300 a year to keep it plugged in. Always remove the door when you unplug an unused refrigerator so that children cannot accidently get caught inside. (Information provided by Project Energy Savers, LLC).
Detergent Alternatives
1. Make your own Laundry Soap and Dishwasher Detergent- Another way to be environmentally friendly and save money is to make your own Laundry Soap and Dishwasher Detergent. The ingredients are easy to find and your cost per load is $.05-.06. Here are the recipes:
Ingredients in Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
Your environmentally friendly dishwasher detergent is going to have four main ingredients.
• Washing Soda—This stuff has been around forever. It is a natural substance, made from salt and limestone. Scientifically it is known as sodium carbonate. It cuts grease on anything and can be used for many (if not most) of the cleaning projects in your home. Arm and Hammer puts it out in the United States. I have found it at Harmon’s $2.99 for 55 ounces and at Ace Hardware.
• Borax—Borax occurs naturally in the environment and can be mined as well as created in a lab. It is toxic in concentrated amounts, and you should keep it out of the reach of children. You can find it by the laundry detergent; Borateem is one brand, $4.69 for 76 ounces.
• Kosher Salt—Kosher salt is a pure salt. It is what my recipe calls for, I am not sure why, but I have made it with regular salt.
• Citric acid—You can buy food grade citric acid like Fruit Fresh but this can be expensive. I have found it at Baker’s Cash and Carry and Orson Gygi, 1 pound for $5.89.
Recipe: 1 cup washing soda
1 cup borax
½ cup salt
½ cup citric acid
Mix together and store tightly covered in a Mason Jar. Use one tablespoon per load.
I have a new dishwasher that recommends using a rinse aid, so I am using that. Some sites say to add white vinegar to the rinse dispenser for the best results, check your appliance instructions before doing this.
I have done the cost calculation and using 1 Tablespoon per load the cost is $.05!
Ingredients in Homemade Laundry Soap
Washing Soda (see above)
Borax (see above)
Laundry Bar Soap – Fels Naptha heavy duty laundry bar soap is recommended. You can find in the laundry aisle (usually top shelf) and the cost is about $1.60 per bar. To grate finely I used a “microplane zester/grater” and the result was about 3 cups of soap, one website said 1 bar was equal to about 1 cup grated, so in your recipe you may want to adjust the amount of grated soap to suit your needs.
Powdered Detergent Recipe: 2 cups finely grated soap
1 cup washing soda
1 cup borax
Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container. Use 2 tablespoons per full load.
I have a High Efficiency washer so the lower concentration of the grated soap works fine. I have done the cost calculation and using 2 Tablespoons per load the cost is $.06!
2. Have you tried Soap Nuts for your laundry?
What are soap nuts and why should they be used for doing the laundry?
Soap Nuts are made from the shells of a special tree grown in Nepal. Soap Nuts have been used for hundreds of years in India as a naturalcleaning option, and can easily be added to your washing machine in a bio-degradable cloth bag. The shells themselves are removed from the fruit and left out to dry in the sun; they're naturally rich in saponins, nature's pure cleaning solution.
When the shells are in contact with water, they release a unique soapy substance. Soap Nuts are free of synthetic chemicals, fragrances, toxins, and most of all, the fillers that are used in commercial detergent today. They're just as powerful as standard detergent. While you won't see big bubbles of suds in the washer, the cleaning solution is pure and will remove all grime and dirt from your laundry in a natural way. The best way to use these is to put a few shells in a cloth bag and add it to your washing machine. Soap Nuts release the soap better in hot water, but you can still use cooler water if you need to run a cold wash-you might just need to use a few more nuts for a deep clean. The shells can be used over and over again.
Not only are you helping to save the environment with Soap Nuts, but you'll save money, too. You can find packaged soap nuts at many organic and natural food stores, and even online.
Below are some great sites that will answer all your questions about soap nuts (copy the URL link to your browser):
http://www.natural-healthy-home-cleaning-tips.com/soap_nuts.htm
http://www.soapnuts.pro/?gclid=CP7gzvubsKcCFQsFbAodUxpfDA
http://stores.greenvirginproducts.com/-strse-3/soap-nuts-250-grams%2Csoapnuts%2Csoapberry%2Csapindus/Detail.bok
Your E-Team Co-Captains,
Masuda Medcalf and Carolyn Roll
With the mercury dropping outside, most of us tend to think about keeping the cold OUT but we would be smart to also think about keeping the cold IN - IN our refrigerators! Here are some quick tips that help cut energy use when it comes to cooling our food:
COVER AND WRAP FOOD - Uncovered foods and liquids release moisture, which makes the fridge work harder.
CHECK THE DOOR SEALS - Close the refrigerator door with a piece of paper that is half in and half out of the fridge. If you can remove the paper easily without opening the door, you may need to adjust the door latch or replace the seals.
CHECK THE TEMPERATURE - Put a thermometer in a glass of water in the center of the refrigerator and another between packages in the freezer. Read them after 24 hours. Your fridge should be between 37-40 degrees F. The freezer should be between 0 - 5 degrees F.
UNPLUG SECOND, OLDER REFRIGERATORS - It can cost between $200 and $300 a year to keep it plugged in. Always remove the door when you unplug an unused refrigerator so that children cannot accidently get caught inside. (Information provided by Project Energy Savers, LLC).
Detergent Alternatives
1. Make your own Laundry Soap and Dishwasher Detergent- Another way to be environmentally friendly and save money is to make your own Laundry Soap and Dishwasher Detergent. The ingredients are easy to find and your cost per load is $.05-.06. Here are the recipes:
Ingredients in Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
Your environmentally friendly dishwasher detergent is going to have four main ingredients.
• Washing Soda—This stuff has been around forever. It is a natural substance, made from salt and limestone. Scientifically it is known as sodium carbonate. It cuts grease on anything and can be used for many (if not most) of the cleaning projects in your home. Arm and Hammer puts it out in the United States. I have found it at Harmon’s $2.99 for 55 ounces and at Ace Hardware.
• Borax—Borax occurs naturally in the environment and can be mined as well as created in a lab. It is toxic in concentrated amounts, and you should keep it out of the reach of children. You can find it by the laundry detergent; Borateem is one brand, $4.69 for 76 ounces.
• Kosher Salt—Kosher salt is a pure salt. It is what my recipe calls for, I am not sure why, but I have made it with regular salt.
• Citric acid—You can buy food grade citric acid like Fruit Fresh but this can be expensive. I have found it at Baker’s Cash and Carry and Orson Gygi, 1 pound for $5.89.
Recipe: 1 cup washing soda
1 cup borax
½ cup salt
½ cup citric acid
Mix together and store tightly covered in a Mason Jar. Use one tablespoon per load.
I have a new dishwasher that recommends using a rinse aid, so I am using that. Some sites say to add white vinegar to the rinse dispenser for the best results, check your appliance instructions before doing this.
I have done the cost calculation and using 1 Tablespoon per load the cost is $.05!
Ingredients in Homemade Laundry Soap
Washing Soda (see above)
Borax (see above)
Laundry Bar Soap – Fels Naptha heavy duty laundry bar soap is recommended. You can find in the laundry aisle (usually top shelf) and the cost is about $1.60 per bar. To grate finely I used a “microplane zester/grater” and the result was about 3 cups of soap, one website said 1 bar was equal to about 1 cup grated, so in your recipe you may want to adjust the amount of grated soap to suit your needs.
Powdered Detergent Recipe: 2 cups finely grated soap
1 cup washing soda
1 cup borax
Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container. Use 2 tablespoons per full load.
I have a High Efficiency washer so the lower concentration of the grated soap works fine. I have done the cost calculation and using 2 Tablespoons per load the cost is $.06!
2. Have you tried Soap Nuts for your laundry?
What are soap nuts and why should they be used for doing the laundry?
Soap Nuts are made from the shells of a special tree grown in Nepal. Soap Nuts have been used for hundreds of years in India as a naturalcleaning option, and can easily be added to your washing machine in a bio-degradable cloth bag. The shells themselves are removed from the fruit and left out to dry in the sun; they're naturally rich in saponins, nature's pure cleaning solution.
When the shells are in contact with water, they release a unique soapy substance. Soap Nuts are free of synthetic chemicals, fragrances, toxins, and most of all, the fillers that are used in commercial detergent today. They're just as powerful as standard detergent. While you won't see big bubbles of suds in the washer, the cleaning solution is pure and will remove all grime and dirt from your laundry in a natural way. The best way to use these is to put a few shells in a cloth bag and add it to your washing machine. Soap Nuts release the soap better in hot water, but you can still use cooler water if you need to run a cold wash-you might just need to use a few more nuts for a deep clean. The shells can be used over and over again.
Not only are you helping to save the environment with Soap Nuts, but you'll save money, too. You can find packaged soap nuts at many organic and natural food stores, and even online.
Below are some great sites that will answer all your questions about soap nuts (copy the URL link to your browser):
http://www.natural-healthy-home-cleaning-tips.com/soap_nuts.htm
http://www.soapnuts.pro/?gclid=CP7gzvubsKcCFQsFbAodUxpfDA
http://stores.greenvirginproducts.com/-strse-3/soap-nuts-250-grams%2Csoapnuts%2Csoapberry%2Csapindus/Detail.bok
Your E-Team Co-Captains,
Masuda Medcalf and Carolyn Roll
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