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
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.
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. 
