Do You Realize?

More Green Reviews: Water Conservation Stuff, Part 1

Those of you who spend any time here probably remember that we've recently been having some renovations done to our upstairs. I had reached the point at which I refused to walk barefoot on our carpets, which I was afraid harbored MRSA or possibly a hantavirus (even though I've never seen a rodent upstairs... that's why they're called irrational phobias, people). We'd also been sharing one shower (the five of us) off and on for two three years because we were too  lazy  indecisive  overwhelmed with daily crazy  busy with other things to repair the master shower's multitude of leaky problems. And so, we ripped up the carpet, tore out both showers and bathtubs and toilets and realeased West Nile Virus and black mold spores and replaced it all with new shit (and shitters). Kohler's brand-spanking-new Persuade toilets with Dual-Flush technology, to be precise. These were purchased, along with their also-brand-spanking-new Forte 1.75 gpm handheld shower heads, as part of our attempt to reduce our water usage a little (since we're kind of stuck with that damned money-and-water-sucking pool for now). Oh, and I got a new energy-and-water-efficient washer and dryer, since our old ones were older than our youngest teenager and were randomly and unpredictably leaving holes and rust spots in our clothing and using approximately 300 gallons of water per washload. Even so, we found someone at hubby's work who took them off our hands, so they didn't go to the landfill.

With all of this water conserving doody in our house, I reckon that damned cement pond in our backyard is now truly justified, right?  </sarcasm>

The toilets and showers we had in the upstairs bathrooms were water hogs. In the second bath upstairs, the one we had to share for a couple of a few years, the water diverter on the faucet didn't fully function, and so water poured from both the shower head and the faucet for the duration of one's shower. This would have been ideal if we'd had a small leprechaun needing to bathe each time we stepped in the shower or a sailor bailing water out of the tub as if we were a sinking ship. Alas, we had neither, and so we wasted copious amounts of water in the shower. For a good while, I kept a 3-gallon bucket under the faucet to catch water & then used it to mop floors or water gardens. Unfortunately, I was the only one who would remember to use it, and I already take the shortest showers in the household (except for Youngest, who simply doesn't shower more than once a week, brave water conservationist that he is). As for the toilets, I don't know how to tell how many gallons they used per flush, but if I had to guess, it would be in the neighborhood of thirty-four. Seriously, after seeing these new ones, it seems quite ridiculous.

Since I've blathered on incessantly and not ever gotten to the point here, and this post is already exceeding my pissant-sized attention span, I will cover each of our new water-savvy appliances separately, in separate posts, on separate days.

Dual-flush toilets, it seems, are nothing new in Australia and Europe, where they seem to understand the whole conservation issue a little more intuitively than we wasteful Americans. Here, stateside, however, dual-flush toilets are still "new-fangled." There are two flush options: 1.6 gallons for sizable solids, and 0.8 gallons for liquid or smaller loads. (Or, for those who prefer more directive, one button for pee and one button for poop.) The toilet looks differently, mounts differently, and flushes differently than traditional toilets. I most love that there are no screws and caps on the base around which boy piss accumulates and requires toothbrush scrubbing to clean. It's amazing.

One would think that, given the tiny amount of water in the bowl, that there would be more clogs or would be harder to keep clean than other toilets. I was skeptical myself. However, we've tested both flushing options multiple times by now, and I haven't had any complaints. Apparently, the flushing mechanism for this type of toilet lends itself to less clogs than traditional American toilets.

As a related aside, here's an interesting fact that I found on several plumbing websites. Because of the differences in plumbing technologies in various countries, a European or Asian toilet often has a brush next to it as a matter of course, to take care of "skid marks," which Europeans and Asians find normal and acceptable, but which we North Americans find disgusting. However, North American toilets often have a plunger next to it, which Europeans and Asians find distasteful. When I think about it in those terms, I most definitely would rather take care of a skid mark or two than a toilet boiling over with shit and toilet paper, yo.

Some people have mentioned that the bowls are harder to keep clean, but... how can I put this delicately... this one must be designed by geniuses who conducted many embarrassing experiments based on anatomy, because somehow, even though there are only about three teaspoonfuls of water in the bowl, the poop seems to be attracted to it like a tranny to a shoe sale. When flushed, the water pressure has almost always been enough to wash away any stuck bits. And, if you have to flush a second time, it still doesn't waste as much water as a typical American 3.5 gallon flush. (Admittedly, we haven't gone to eat all-you-can-eat Chinese or the local greaseburgers-with-a-side-of-greasefries joint in a while, so I might change my review a little then.)

Stay tuned for my review of LG's Tromm Steamwasher and matching dryer, as well as Kohler's brand-spanking-new Forte 1.75 gpm handheld shower heads.

Home renovation and insomnia...

... do NOT go together like peanut butter & jelly. I should know. I'm currently experiencing both, enjoying neither.

Recently, the time finally presented itself that we had enough money to tackle some of the renovations we've been so desperately needing. Tops on the list were both upstairs bathrooms & carpeting.

Our carpeting, throughout the upstairs and on the stairs themselves, had reached a state of such squalor I was afraid to walk on it barefoot for fear of catching some rare and exotic bacterial infection. With 4 vomiting cats, 3 food-and-beverage-spilling kids, and 2 occasionally incontinent dogs, beige carpet was quite possibly the worst of all possible floor coverings for this family. It had to go. Somewhere but here. Unfortunately, that somewhere is a landfill.

It's possibly been two years since we've had two fully functioning upstairs bathrooms. First, the kids' bath developed an enormous leak which rather quickly led to a hole in the downstairs ceiling just below. We discontinued shower use in there and shared the master shower with the kids. We did this for a couple of months half a year while life generally got in the way of calling a plumber to check it out. Then our shower developed a leak which rather quickly led to a ginormous water stain on the downstairs ceiling just below. We finally called a plumber (since the kids' toilet had also begun to clog rather quickly and easily), whom we paid generously to tell us there was nothing wrong with the plumbing that would cause these leaks and for whom the toilet refused to clog. Another month or two passed of self-plumbing and sharing a shower amongst five people. A different plumber was summoned, who diagnosed and fixed the toilet problem. (Who, by the way, flushes a damn Popsicle stick, people? Really. Only in this family.) Unfortunately, he confirmed (after enlargening the hole in the downstairs ceiling) that the pipes seemed to be in working order, and that he believed the leaks to be water leaking through holes in the shower grout. So we bought some grout and effectively slapped a band-aid on an arterial bleed. Two showers again. For a very short while. Until the shower head broke behind our shower wall. Needless to say, the bathroom situation has been screaming to be rectified for a little while. Since the house was built in the eighties, when carpet and wallpaper in a bathroom and "garden/jacuzzi tubs" (deep, oval, and ugly with built-in steps) were all considered good ideas, new "stuff" was required of this remodel.

Since we wanted to leave as little environmental impact as possible, we I did a lot of research, which yielded mixed results.

Reclaimed hardwood floors offered neither the look nor the price we desired. Bamboo flooring wasn't sturdy enough for pet toenails and general furniture scraping. Eventually I came up with FSC-certified Brazilian cherry from EcoTimber. Our flooring guy was very helpful in getting this for us. We decided to use the engineered version, as it uses less overall wood. The usual worry with engineered hardwood flooring is that there is such a thin layer of finished hardwood, the floors cannot be refinished. This particular wood, however, has the thickest "working layer" he'd ever seen, though, and should take at least one refinishing, if necessary.

We wanted recycled glass tile to re-tile the showers. Until we discovered it was about $100 per square foot, installed. Even just the tile itself from another distributor was $75-$95. Instead we chose to use tile of non-recycled glass from a company that at least has some good environmental practices, like recycling of its rejected tile, its fly ash, and its water. I think I remember (at 5:14 a.m., after being up since 2:00) it also uses renewable resources for its plant's electricity. This tile was $14 per square foot.

We paid extra for Kohler fixtures, including their brand-newest handheld 1.75 gpm showerheads and sleek European dual-flush toilets. Bowing to the possible demands of any future buyers of the house, we got the BubbleMassage option on the bathtub, though we eschewed ugly jacuzzi-type whirlpool jets. I don't want my bathtub to look like a damn space ship.

That's everything going into this phase (I hope I get to squeeze a painter out of this, too, for walls & cabinets). Next we tackle countertops and sinks. We I want renewable resources used: Paperstone for the kids' bath, Vetrazzo recycled glass countertops in ours. Unfortunately, they, too, are ridiculously expensive. ($2000 freaking dollars for a not-even-five-foot countertop in the kids' bath? Between $2500 & $4000 for ours?) I'm debating waiting until we have the money for that, or going for US-sourced granite (since granite sourced from third world countries is quarried with abominable worker conditions). I know. It's non-renewable. It is one reason I agonize. It's what I do.

In two-and-a-half hours, the contractors are returning to make copious amounts of hideous noise, so that I won't be able to take a nap. I tossed and turned from 2:00-4:00, then got up to take an Ativan and write this. I'm just now getting a little sleepy, I think. Perfect timing, since I need to be up an hour before the contractors get here, don't you think?

Photo Hunt Saturday--Bright

Another week has passed, and I've finally realized what my problem is. Full-time, 24/7 care and supervision of a 13-year-old bipolar, attention-deficit, hyperactive, oppositional defiant, anxiety-riddled boy is truly exhausting. I feel sucked dry of all wit, happiness, empathy and creativity. This is a dangerous thing, I realize, since those are all of my best characteristics. When I get some wit and/or energy back, you can be certain I'll be writing again. I'll post photography to fill in the blank words.

While searching for photos for this week's Photo Hunt theme (Bright), I couldn't decide whether to post a photo of Eldest, who was bright enough to graduate and be accepted to UT Austin a year early,

or a photo of the bright night lights of Austin, Texas,

or a photo of our toothbrushes, made of recycled yogurt cups, which I think is quite a bright idea,

or a photo of a bright morning sun as it first engulfs the branches of a tree,

or a photo of the same bright sun, sinking slowly into the horizon.

Since I couldn't decide, I used 'em all! Which one is your favorite?

Happy Earth Day!

Some of my favorite personal images of Mother Nature:

Great Smoky Mountains, 2007

Texas Highway 289, 2006

Arches National Park, 2006

Do something kind for the Earth today. Even if we can't all agree on the causes of climate change, surely we can all agree that treading lightly on the Earth can only result in good: plant some flowers, pick up some trash, recycle some plastic bags, try some local and/or organic food from farmers near you, make some homemade jelly.

Cleaner Body, Cleaner Products, Cleaner Conscience

It occurred to me in the shower yesterday that our toiletries are a perfect place to start making a difference for the Earth, for our health, and for our consciences. There are so many natural, organic, and cruelty-free products out there, it's not that hard to find one that you like, even at a price that won't necessarily break the bank. I thought I'd give you a rundown on the different products we use and why we like them.

First, let me explain what I'm looking for in products. I want the ingredients to be derived from natural and organic plants, not petroleum and chemicals. I want the products to smell yummy, not artificial and chemical-like. I want to know that the companies are making a difference with their actions outside of the market, not just manufacturing "green" to make more green money for their bottom line. Finally, I want to know that no bunny was harmed in the making of my product. (Read more about the horrors of Draize testing here.) Now, let's get clean!

We seem to like a lot of products by Alba Botanica. Our shower is filled with them, so you'll see their name a lot in this post. They meet all my criteria for a clean body and a clean conscience. Their products can be bought at Whole Foods or directly from their website, if you don't or won't shop Whole Foods. Many of these products can be bought online. One site I like is drugstore dot com.

The first thing I do is wash my face (well, after undressing, adjusting water temperature, and contemplating what that peach-colored slime on the tiles could possibly be). I do this with Kiss My Face Olive & Verbena soap. It smells divine, and I love that the brand new bars are perfectly rectangular; for some reason, that comforts me. It doesn't provide as big a sudsy punch as do other commercial soaps, but that's because it's missing the controversial ingredient sodium lauryl (or laureth) sulfate.

Next up, I shampoo and condition my hair. My current favorite is Alba's Gardenia Hydrating Hair Wash and Conditioner. I love the smell of gardenias, and shampooing my hair with it makes me envision being in the tropics (oh, how I'd like to be in the tropics!). It contains certified organic ingredients like aloe and kelp and kukui nut oil* and awapuhi. It lathers perfectly well, and it does not contain sodium lauryl or laureth sulfates, if you're cutting back on it for health reasons. It's also gentle enough to use every day, and there are other yummy fragrances to try if you don't dig gardenias. (Most dudes would object to smelling all flowery, I suspect.)

I also like Aveda's hair products, although no one else in the family will use them because they smell "gross" (read: natural). Eldest doesn't like minty smells, and a lot of Aveda's stuff has a minty undertone. I happen to love their Color Conserve, Rosemary Mint, and Shampure. Aveda also is one of the most socially and ecologically responsible companies around, from their use of organically farmed ingredients to their use of recycled packaging, from their support of indigenous communities all the way to their frequent buyer cards, which are made of cornstarch rather than plastic.

While my hair is conditioning, I wash my body. We have two different options to choose from, both from Alba. I love, love, LOVE the Honey Mango fragrance, but hubby prefers the Island Citrus. It's a little too citrus-y for my sniffer. It's plenty bubbly, thanks to sodium lauryl sulfoacetate (a safer sudsing agent than the  more sinister SLS, mostly due to the size of their molecules), and there's no icky residue left behind. (As for method of delivery, I gave up my petroleum puff just over a year ago in exchange for a cellulose sponge.)

Then, if I'm wearing shorts or a skirt that day & my legs are looking especially, um, European, I shave them. I use Alba Shaving foam. It takes a bit of getting used to, as it's nothing like traditional shave cream. It's more the consistency of those hand soaps that magically comes out as a foam. I use the Mango Vanilla fragrance, though there are others I haven't tried. The razor I use is from Preserve, who makes fantastic toothbrushes and razors from recycled plastic. (When you're finished, stuff several into one of their mailers and mail the used products back to them for further recycling.) 

Lest you menfolk think I'm neglecting you, fear not! I bring you tidings of great joy. Kenton Athletics makes sexy-smelling plant-based shower gels that can also be used as shampoo. One-stop scrubbing. Their formulas are pretty cool in that each one uses ingredients from the plants of a different region of the world, and they evoke the "correct" olfactory image, too.  Surf contains extracts of plants found in "coastal regions of the world's legendary surfing destinations" and makes you want to go to the beach; Mountain contains extracts of plants "native to rocky, mountainous regions" and makes you want to go camping; and Trail is made from extracts of plants and trees "indigenous to rich North American woodland regions, " making you want to pick up a hiking stick and compass. (The rare times I can convince Youngest that it's in his best interests (as well as the best interests of those in close proximity to him) to shower, he uses Surf.)

After-shower moisturizing comes in the form of Kiss My Face Honey & Calendula lotion or J/A/S/O/N Wild Yam Hand & Body Therapy (made with wild Mexican yams!). Kiss My Face is thinner (a true lotion), comes in a pump, and smells like beeswax, whereas J/A/S/O/N  (that is really freakin' annoying to type!) is more of a cream, dispensed from a squeeze tube.

Well, folks, there you have it. More information than you ever wanted to know about my showering routine. (Plus all the good information about great products that are good for your body and your karma!)

*If you want to see me get all dreamy-eyed and weak-kneed over any one substance (one that's non-alcoholic and non-dairy anyway), mention kukui nut oil. Srsly, I think it is Nectar of the Gods. I discovered it in Hawaii a few years ago when my stupid white self forgot sunscreen and crisped myself miserable. I was pointed in the direction of kukui nut oil rather than aloe for the burn, and, HOLYSHITBATMAN, that burn didn't peel and it didn't hurt anymore and I was IN LOVE. It's magic. I swear. It's great for sensitive skin, for eczema, for psoriasis, for general moisturizing, for breast enlargement. Well, okay, I made up the last one, but I'm willing to bet it might still be true!

Images of Intolerable Beauty

Chris Jordan is my new photographic hero. You absolutely must visit the link and see his work. It is incredibly powerful. His images are scenes depicting the staggering cost of American consumerism. An excerpt, written by the artist, from his website:

"Exploring around our country’s shipping ports and industrial yards, where the accumulated detritus of our consumption is exposed to view like eroded layers in the Grand Canyon, I find evidence of a slow-motion apocalypse in progress. I am appalled by these scenes, and yet also drawn into them with awe and fascination. The immense scale of our consumption can appear desolate, macabre, oddly comical and ironic, and even darkly beautiful; for me its consistent feature is a staggering complexity."

This is an appearance with Stephen Colbert. (Added as a link, because I'm too stupid to figure out what's going wrong when I try to embed this fucker.)

(Thanks, Dad, for the heads up on Chris's site.)

Thirteen Things...

...that I'm thinkin' 'bout on Thursday...

1. ...winners from my Blogiversary Giveaways! Congrats to Jeff at Biking Duluth (Greenies & Pet Promise dog food sample), Caroline in NH at Fiber Arts & Furry Critters (Bush's Last Day keychain), Hootin' Anni (CD of ten of my photographic images), Andree at Meeyau (Feline Greenies & Pet Promise cat food sample), Molly at RedMolly Picayune-Democrat (a copy of Diane MacEachern's book Big Green Purse), and Anonymous Mom at Tenuous at Best (handcrafted journal)! If I don't hear from each of you within 24 hours, I will contact you. I'm asking until next Saturday (hopefully won't need that long) to get everything ready to ship.

2. ...my complete and utter domination at the art of oatmeal. I have mastered my "perfect oats." No extra liquid, but not too dry either. MMMMM.

3. ...philosophical subjects like evil and faith. I've determined that the basis for one's faith in an idea or entity is a positive and memorable event that the person attributes, whether correctly or incorrectly, to that idea or entity. For example, my husband sees, on a regular basis, the healing and saving of lives. He attributes that to the science of medicine; his faith, therefore, lies in the scientific.

4. ...suicide. Not mine, no. The book I'm reading, Jodi Picoult's The Pact, is about a failed teen suicide pact, where the surviving teen is charged with murder.

5. ...how terrible I am at poker. Some friends of ours have bought a table at a local "Casino Night" fundraiser and have graciously asked Hubby & I to go. I know not a damn thing about poker, but I will throw down with the best of them when intoxicated, I'm sure.

6. ...Texas's crazy caucusing. We voted early to avoid voting day crowds, but then had to go out anyway for the caucusing portion of the night.

7. ...how terrifyingly easy it is to imagine Youngest as a drug addict. He has a very addictive personality anyway, and a bipolar individual's risk of addiction to drugs or alcohol is much higher than that of a normally functioning person. At thirteen, his drug of choice is Runescape or the Playstation 3; he will do anything, self-destructive or otherwise, to get his fix. Seeing his desperation while in Austin last weekend with limited Internet availability was truly amazing.

8. ...our freakish weather. It's snowing again. Hard. Remember, I was talking about the weather yesterday?

9. ...how hitting an already-dead, but still fresh, skunk on the highway is very, very bad. Very bad, indeed. I also discovered why so many of them seem to be hit on the road. Nearly impossible to see until the last minute. Poor buggers.

10. ...organ donation. My mom is down in Florida at a post-transplant checkup. She's doing amazingly well!

11. ...photography. I mentioned it's snowing again, right?

12. ...the Project Runway season finale last night. As I fully expected, Christian kicked ass. His clothes, while not designed for the everyday woman, were exquisite concoctions, full of ruffles and feathers. His runway music killed, too (created and arranged by Anonymous Mom's not-so-anonymous talented son). Way to go, Christian! I just want to eat him up like a cookie, he's so freakin' cute.

13. ...how I SO don't want to do the laundry and mop the floors.

Edited to add: I drove for six hours to accomplish what would usually take three.

ELF gives the environmental movement a bad name!

Today's Blogiversary Giveaway is Diane MacEachern's new book, Big Green Purse. Running a website by the same name, MacEachern takes a common sense approach to teaching women the power of their purchasing decisions as the main spenders in a household. I will be reviewing the book later, but I haven't gotten to read as far into it as I'd like yet. So far, I like it, though. As per the rest of the week, you have to comment to win!

Reading the news today that five multi-million-dollar homes in Seattle were torched, presumably by the Earth Liberation Front, with a note left behind signed, "ELF", made me sad and furious at once. Burning buildings (complete with greenhouse gas emissions, particulate matter pollution, and wasted water) under the pretense of saving the environment is akin to killing an abortion doctor to save lives. Actually, it's more ridiculous, since a large part of the environmental damage attributed to the building has already happened.

I want to tell these people to get a grip on themselves and on reality. They are not making a point (at least not the point they want to make).

(On the other hand, the Justice Department calls them "domestic terrorists?" You mean like Timothy McVeigh, who killed 168 and injured 800+ people in Oklahoma City in 1995? Or Ted Kaczynski, who killed three and injured twenty-three? ELF goes to great pains to make certain that no life is taken or physically harmed during their arson attacks. Come on. I hardly think they compare to the aforementioned domestic terrorists.)

Photo Hunt Saturday--Heavy

This week's Photo Hunt theme is: Heavy. This photo was taken at the Rainforest Cafe in San Antonio in November of last year (2007). Saving the rainforest is a heavy burden that we all should feel responsible (and willing) to carry.

Love It/Hate It

Just a post to let you inside the convoluted maelstrom that is my mind this week. It's an abbreviated list of things I'm lovin' or hatin'.

LOVE IT:  Whole Foods is getting rid of plastic bags! Their paper bags are both recyclable and recycled, but their focus is education and trying to convince people to bring their own. They were giving away a free bag with your purchase a couple of days ago. They are the cutest reusable bags ever, and they are roomy, strong, and made from 80% post-consumer waste (recycled water bottles and such).

HATE IT:  My shampoo, which is natural & plant-based, smells like pink SweeTarts. Two of the last four or five bottles of it, though, have developed a funky, soured smell. I don't know if it's the sunlight from the window in the shower or variations in crops or just what it is, but I'm ready to switch. Sad. I like pink SweeTarts.

LOVE IT:  My morning radio show, Lex & Terry, has moved to a new home radio station here in Dallas. I like the new station. They play a widely varying collection of rock and metal from many years and eras. The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Ozzy Osbourne, 80's hair bands, Kid Rock. I like variey; it keeps me from getting bored.

HATE IT:  These seriously psychotic hatemongers. One simply cannot wrap a logically-thinking brain around such poignant tidbits of batshittery. For those who don't follow links, don't read the newspapers, or have somehow missed these lovely citizens, they are the "church" that believes that America is being punished by God for our wicked acceptance of "fags," picketing dead soldiers' funerals with signs that say, "Thank God for dead soldiers" (because the military are "fag-enablers," dontcha know?). (It's a scary situation when radical evangelical Christians say you're crazy.)

LOVE IT:  This season's Project Runway. Go Christian! (Oh, the irony, Fred Phelps! I think my Christian may be a homosexual... he'd better hope he wins the whole damn thing before the apocolypse, because my other faves are also gay, and my first non-condemned choice, Gillian, would be a poor substitute for my fierce little Christian.)

HATE IT:  Being such a Master Procrastinator. There is such an overwhelming list of home repairs/improvements we need to make, and had we fixed them when they actually happened, I would not feel so damned suffocated right now. But, because we suffer from Scarlett O'Hara Syndrome, we figured we'd put it off. Now a dozen little things have become a dozen more problematic things that all seem to be developing a domino-effect relationship and all seem to have their own separate contractor, to boot.

Have a great weekend, all!