Thursday, December 6, 2012

Holiday Upcycling Event - Directions and Recipes

Homemade Detergent Recipe:

Each batch yields approximately 32 ounces (between 32-64 loads based on how many Tbsp used per load).
Thoroughly stir together for 5 minutes and enjoy the results! 
Use 1 Tbsp per load (or 2 Tbsp for heavily soiled loads).


Karen's No Streak Window Cleaner Recipe:
-1/2 TEASPOON BLUE LIQ DAWN DETERGENT -A SPRAY BOTTLE FULL OF WATER

Valeri's Winter Fruit Salad

1/4 c white sugar
1/2 c fresh lemon juice
2 t diced onion
1 t Dijon mustard
1/2 t salt
2/3 c vegetable oil
1 T poppy seeds
1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
½ red onion, cut in slivers
4 oz shredded Swiss cheese
1 c roasted pecans
1/4 c dried cranberries
2 apples -- peeled, cored and diced
2 pears --peeled, cored and sliced

In a blender combine sugar, lemon juice, 2 t. onion, mustard and salt. Process until well blended.  With machine still running add oil in a slow, steady stream until mixture is thick and smooth.  Add poppy seeds and process just a few seconds more to mix.

In a large serving bowl, toss together the lettuce, cheese, pecans, cranberries, onions, apples and pears.  Pour dressing over salad just before serving and toss to coat.


Adele's Chicken Tortilla Soup:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut up or shredded
2 cans Rotel (I use one mild and one original) depends on how "hot" you like it!  
    (The one I made for the lunch was 2 milds as I did not know everyones preference!)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
one box (2 envelopes) Lipton noodle soup mix
1/2 chopped onion
1 tsp cumin
5 cups water

Add all ingredients together in pot, stirring occasionally, do not boil, it will thicken as it cooks

Serve topped with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream, avocado, etc.

Freezes great!!!

Allyson's Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

2 cups flour
½ cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter (cold)

2 T sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
¼ cup orange juice

1 pkg. cream cheese (softened)
 ½ cup sugar
1 T flour
 2 eggs (slightly beaten)
1 tsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 350°.  Line 9x13 baking pan with foil, extending over the edges. 

For the crust, in a large bowl, using a pastry blender or knives, combine the 2 cups flour, powdered sugar and butter until well mixed.  The mixture will be crumbly, but press evenly into the bottom of the pan.  Bake for 20 minutes.

In a small saucepan, combine the 2 T sugar, cornstarch, blueberries and orange juice.  Cook on medium-low until thick and bubbly, stirring frequently.

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, ½ cup sugar, and 1 T flour until smooth.  Add the eggs and vanilla.  Pour over the hot crust.  Put the blueberry mixture in “blobs” over the cream cheese mixture.  Using a knife or toothpick, swirl the blueberry mixture through the cream cheese mixture.  Bake an additional 20 minutes or until center is set.

Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.  Chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.


Upcycling Ideas


 






I could not figure out how to download instructions on some of these things, so if you want instructions beyond what you see here on the blog, send me an email (mmedcalf@utah.gov) and I will send the instructions to you be email.

How to make Plastic bag crafts - Instructions on this link:

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

E-Team Undercover Strike Again



E-Team strikes again! This time we discovered Taylor Bradley from Corporations recycling an ink cartridge. Way to Go Taylor and Congrats for your win! 



Keep recycling! You might be the next winner.


Tuesday, September 18, 2012

E-Team Goes Undercover



It pays off to recycle in the office. We are randomly rewarding some Commerce employees who we catch recycling.

Our first lucky winner is Thad Levar from Administration. Congratulations Thad and thanks for recycling!


Please recycle- you could be the next winner! 


Great flashmob recycling video:

 
Mia & the awesome E-Team


Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Winners!


We have winners for our recycling themed contest! Everybody who submitted their word search puzzle won a prize. Thanks for participating.
Here are Amy, Tyler, and Sheila showing off their winnings.

Recycling Reminder


I want to remind everybody about what we can recycle here in Commerce. Each Division should have a paper recycling bin. In addition, there are boxes/bins marked for plastics and cans. The smaller bins are for your convenience and everybody is invited to take part in emptying the bins into the bigger containers that are then collected by Columbus Shredding.

Locations for the blue containers for plastics recycling:
-DOPL break room (4th floor)
-Next to 4th floor vending machines
- Corporations (2nd floor)
-Lunch room (2nd floor)
**Please remove and save coke product lids for the charity program (My Coke Rewards)

Large bins for can recycling:
-Next to 4th floor vending machines
-2nd floor kitchen area by the service elevator
-Corporations (2nd floor)
**Please remove and save tabs for Ronald McDonald House

Cardboard Recycling bins:
-Corporations (2nd floor)
-DOPL (4th floor)
-DPU (4th floor)

There is also a smaller Gray container in Administration for batteries, small electronics, and powerstrips.

Please ask Mia Larson or Masuda Medcalf if you have any questions.

If your Division’s “recycling center” needs new signs, please feel free to use the attached posters and hang them near your bins.

Don’t forget to check out the E-Team blog for some fun videos about recycling:

It is also time for another CONTEST! And you don’t have to be an Olympic qualifier to be able to participate. For a chance to win some cool prizes you can either send me a list of the words you find in the attached word search puzzle or bring me your puzzle and you will be entered into a drawing! We will have the drawing on August 20th.  Also, please feel free to share your ideas of how to make our recycling program better.

Thanks for all of your help making our office GREEN!

Mia & the Commerce E-Team


Friday, August 10, 2012

Recycling

Thank you for your support of our recycling program!




Do you ever wonder what happens to your recyclables after they are picked up?




Recycling Aluminum
Recycling Plastic Bottles
Recycling Plastic Bags





Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Earth Day Contest Answers and Winners


Scroll down for the right answers for the Commerce Earth Day Quiz 2012. Thanks for playing with us. The lucky winners in our drawing were Kathy Archuleta (Real Estate), Van Kagie (Real Estate), and Adele Bancroft (DOPL). Congratulations! All three won Greenlite compact fluorescent bulbs.


Quiz Answers

  1. Since a car uses more gasoline to start the engine than keep it idling, it is better to idle your car and use drive-thru windows to save energy.
FALSE-
Idling your car more than 10 seconds wastes more gas than is needed to start up and it is rougher wear and tear on your vehicle.

  1. It is better to turn off your computer and monitor to save most amount of energy.
TRUE-
Even power-down or sleep mode computers still use approximately 15 Watts per hour of electricity. Monitors also consume between eight to 15 Watts per hour, depending on the mode they are in. If you are going to be away from your desk for 20 minutes or longer, turn off the monitor. For two hours or more, turn off both.

  1. Window replacement is the best investment to save energy at home.
FALSE-
Window replacement may be a good way to reduce chill and drafts in a home, but at today’s energy prices, there is a very long payback. Windows also comprise a small amount of the building envelope, or exterior. It would be better to add ceiling and wall insulation to cut down on high heating and cooling bills.

  1. Keep the temperature set the same at home to save energy, since it takes more energy to bring the house up—or down—to the preferred temperature.
FALSE-
There is no research to support this. The use of a programmable thermostat, which sets varied temperatures throughout the day, will save between one and three percent in monthly energy costs.

  1. Washing clothes in cold water is one of the best ways to save energy in the laundry area.
TRUE-
The highest energy cost (at least 90%) is the energy to heat the water.

  1. A compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) uses about one-third the energy of a comparable incandescent bulb and lasts up to 10 times longer.
TRUE-
If every American home replaced just one light with a CFL bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year and prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year, which is equivalent to the emissions of about 800,000 cars. Check out also a new LED light bulb that should have hit the stores on Earth Day: http://moneyland.time.com/2012/04/18/introducing-the-60-light-bulb/

  1. Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to watch a TV for three hours.
TRUE-
Did you know that a used aluminum can can be recycled and back on the grocery self as a new can in 60 days! Tossing away an aluminum can wastes as much energy as pouring out half of that can’s volume of gasoline. The average employee is said to consume 2.5 beverages a day while at work. Please don’t forget to recycle!

  1. Earth Day is the largest secular modern day holiday celebrated around the world.
TRUE-
Earth Day has been observed since 1970. Today it is observed in at least 175 countries with people from different backgrounds, faith, and nationalities.

  1. What will you do on Earth Day, April 22, to save energy?
Here is what some Commerce employee’s were planning to do on Earth Day:

Walk instead of drive, open blinds instead of turning on lights, stay home, sleep, enjoy the outdoors, plant garden or flowers, limit the use of electronics, work on recycling center, wash laundry in cold water etc.



Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Recycling Fact - How Much Tree Goes Into a Ream of Paper?





Thanks to Jeff Henrie from DOPL for providing us this information. We have often heard that we are saving trees by recycling paper, but what are the actual numbers involved? It depends on the type of paper and on whether the paper is coated (see full article at http://conservatree.org/learn/EnviroIssues/TreeStats.shtml); here are some numbers:

SOME TYPICAL CALCULATIONS

1 ton of uncoated virgin (non-recycled) printing and office paper uses 24 trees

1 ton of 100% virgin (non-recycled) newsprint uses 12 trees

A "pallet" of copier paper (20-lb. sheet weight, or 20#) contains 40 cartons and weighs 1 ton. Therefore,

1 carton (10 reams) of 100% virgin copier paper uses .6 trees

1 tree makes 16.67 reams of copy paper or 8,333.3 sheets

1 ream (500 sheets) uses 6% of a tree (and those add up quickly!)

1 ton of coated, higher-end virgin magazine paper (used for magazines like National Geographic and many others) uses a little more than 15 trees (15.36)

1 ton of coated, lower-end virgin magazine paper (used for newsmagazines and most catalogs) uses nearly 8 trees (7.68)

How do you calculate how many trees are saved by using recycled paper?

(1) Multiply the number of trees needed to make a ton of the kind of paper you're talking about (groundwood or freesheet), then

(2) multiply by the percent recycled content in the paper.

For example,

1 ton (40 cartons) of 30% postconsumer content copier paper saves 7.2 trees

1 ton of 50% postconsumer content copier paper saves 12 trees.


So what about E-readers like iPad and Kindle- are they saving trees? Here are couple of articles about their environmental impact:

Should You Ditch Your Books for an E-reader?
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/the_green_lantern/2010/08/should_you_ditch_your_books_for_an_ereader.html
How Green is My iPad?
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/04/04/opinion/04opchart.html




































Thursday, March 8, 2012

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Our Think! Energy Homemade Laundry Detergent/Potluck event was a huge success! A big thank you to those who came and spent your lunch time with us! We wanted especially to thank Laurie and Elissa from the National Energy Foundation who took time to participate and make some laundry soap with us.


Thank you also for sharing your do-it-yourself recipes for fabric softener/dryer sheets and granite cleaner. All recipes are below.

Carolyn’s Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe:

2 cups finely grated soap (Fels Naphta, Zote, Ivory, Castile)
1 cup washing soda
1 cup Borax

Use 1-2 tablespoons/load


This recipe is safe to use in HD washing machines. You should be able to find all the ingredients at the laundry detergent aisle. Try Walmart, Target, Winco, Axe Hardware, Big Lots etc.

More homemade laundry detergent (both powder and liquid variations) and some tips: http://www.sunflower-soap.com/LSGuide1.pdf

Easy homemade fabric softener and dryer sheets can be found here:
http://www.diynatural.com/homemade-fabric-softener-dryer-sheets/

Granite Cleaner - Can be used for counter tops, appliances and other non-porous surfaces.

½ C Rubbing Alcohol
1 C hot water
10-15 drips Dawn dishwashing soap
Few drops of essential oils (for smell)

Pour all ingredients into a spray bottle and mix.


Congrats to our door prize winners: Ryan Johnson, Chenille Hutto, Kurtis Hughes, Teresa Reinders, Adele Bancroft, Liz Blaylock, Sheila Johnson, Su Chon, Louise McMillian, Eric Orton, and Mark Long.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Next Think! Energy Event- Homemade Laundry Detergent





Please join us for a potluck event on Tuesday March 6th, 11:30 a.m. in room 210. Come and find out how to make your own laundry detergent. It is simple, easy, and will save money. Bring your own airtight container(i.e. canning jar, milk jug, etc.) - we’ll provide all the other supplies! If you forget your container, we’ll have some available for you. This homemade detergent is safe to use in any High Efficiency Front Load Machines (HE).

There are many great reasons to make your own laundry detergent:

Savings- You can save over 95% on the laundry soap cost by making your own detergent. Here are some cost calculations (http://www.dyinatural.com/):


-Arm & Hammer® liquid 100 ounce detergent – $6.79 – 32 loads = $0.21 per load
-Tide® with Bleach powder 267 ounce detergent – $20.32 – 95 loads = $0.21 per load
-Homemade powder 32 ounce detergent – $2.98 – 64 loads = $0.05 per load

An average American family washes nearly 4000 loads of laundry per year so you could be saving hundreds of dollars.

Better for your health- Most commercial detergents leave behind harmful residue that can be absorbed through your skin and cause irritation and even damage your immune system. This can be especially harmful for babies and breast feeding mothers.

Save the Environment – The biggest environmental problem with commercial detergents is that they create toxic waste water that causes unbalanced ecosystems. By making your own detergent you will also cut down waste since you won’t be bringing home big plastic or cardboard containers anymore.

Cleaner Clothes- That is right! You often do not need to pre-treat your stain as the homemade laundry detergent will often work better than commercial soaps.

Fun- making your own detergent is fun and you can be pleased that you have done something good for the environment, your health, and your bank account!

When: Tuesday, March 6th
Time: 11:30 AM
Where: Room 210 (2nd floor)


See you there!


Your E-Team Co-Captains,

Mia Larson
Valeri Stewart