World Earth Day

They're showing parts of all the concerts on Bravo.

Ms P

I'm not buying in to 2 earth days so this day will remain the day my dearly departed Auntie Allene was born. COincidentally she is a woman that recycled glass and such many years before it was fashionable to do.

Plant a tree. One that is natural to your area so it won't be needy. Don't buy anything imported from China, especially disposable crap. (or from anywhere completely across the world) Take a trip locally. Stay off jets that suck down the fossil fuels.

Why isn't this big day of AlGore's being done as an internet thing. Sheesh, he invented the internet, he should use it. Be sure you don't use any tips he has for cutting back. From his example he doesn't know how. His son was racing very near by to where most of my family live. Glad the kid didn't hurt or kill anyone. It has me more than a tad irritated though.

I guess using cotton for shelf insulation is ok but Frank has warned up about using it for packing. It isn't good for that for some technical reason I can't remember.

I guess I just am tired of being nagged at about earth day kind of stuff by folks that don't have a clue. The folks around the group here are pretty smart. Hopefully they will have a better attitude about ideas than I can come up with this morning Jen. Taria

jennellh wrote:

It really doesn't matter if you're republican or democrat or whatever...... I think anything that can be done to raise awareness about "the state of the earth" is wonderful, and if today's worldwide events can do that, it's worth it. People tend to think "I can't do anything about it", when, in fact, just the smallest things can have a profound impact on energy reduction and waste management, if done collectively.

As quilters, most of us already "recycle" fabric, etc. We find "goods" at thrift stores, make our own wool felt, save snippets and scraps, and hand things down from generation to generation. It's a beautiful things.

Other things I do personally are: take canvas bags to the grocery store with me, and use them to bag my goods. That way, I never have to face the "paper or plastic" dilemma. I keep them in my car. I also take them when doing other shopping at drug stores, etc.

I don't buy bottled water. I purchased a "one time" water bottle, and fill it from my tap. Did you know that tap water is more strictly regulated than bottled water? I don't remember off the top of my head, how many water bottles go into landfills every year, but it's a ridiculous amount. The energy created from recycling ONE water bottle, is enough to run a TV for 30 mins.... crazy, huh?

I'd love to hear what others do...... Patti in Seattle

You are right about the political folks Patti. I guess Nader might be the exception to all the others that really do live large and give more of a 'do as I say but not as I do' attitude. Jerry Brown probably fits in there too. (or he did until the med fly did him in) I bet we could learn more by talking to folks that lived through the depression. They did the reduce, reuse,recycle long before it became cool.

The tap water depends a lot of where you live. Here we have pretty good municipal well water. In San Diego I swear there is wild life. I got DS a Brita pitcher that seems to do well but you have to wonder about how great the used filters in the landfill are.

I don't know if beating folks over the head really does any good. Maybe it does but I really don't think so. I've been wrong before though.

I'd like to hear what others do also.

Taria

Patti S wrote:

Leave the car at home and bike instead if it's a local errand. Good for you too. Use public transport whenever possible. If you don't have any, make a ruckus at city hall! It's your tax money, so make them spend it on things that are good for the earth, good for health, good for children. Roberta in D

"Patti S" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news: snipped-for-privacy@storefull-3155.bay.webtv.net...

I use my own bags at the grocery store too. They're not canvas, I'm not sure what they are. I got them from an Aunt that lives back east. They have the Giant grocery store logo on them.

We don't use bottled water except for the occasional bottle away from home.

I only run the dishwasher when full.

I have replaced most of the light bulbs with fluorescents.

I combine errand trips and plan my route to be the most efficient. I keep my car's tires properly inflated and drive in ways that help to maximize fuel mileage.

Ms P

Erm, have only 2 children (if any), eat smaller portions (most folks overeat nowadays anyway), try to eat less red meat (it takes a lot of land and grain to sustain a cow) and use public transport/cycle/walk. Those are pretty good aims I think. I'm doing all of the above.

-- Jo in Scotland

I have also replaced a lot of light bulbs with the compact fluorescents. However the dirty little secret is they are full of mercury so you shouldn't throw them away when burned out but take them to a recycling center.

Denny in Fort Wayne

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Hi Taria - there used to be a recycling bin placed in one of the pharmacies where brita filters were sold originally - I haven't seen anything lately so I guess that idea fell through? I don't know if the filters are recyclable or not - I do know that they seem to last much longer (more uses) now - maybe the filter recipe has been altered over the years? I keep a large bottle of filtered water in my fridge for 'really' hot days but otherwise I drink it room temp or from the tap. The tap water is good in Ottawa. jennellh

I had to give up my car and driving years ago because of chemical allergies to exhaust fumes, rubber, petrochemicals, etc. I have an arrangement with my family to shop for groceries and other necessities every Thursday which works well. I have different 'loops' to include the stores that I need to visit each week which does save on gas; I fill up the right side of the trunk while my sister does the left. We both have our own supply of shopping bags that we use for certain items. It reminds me of growing up in England and having the supply of shopping bags ready for trips downtown to the markets, etc. It was the days of food orders being placed with the neighbourhood grocer who would box the items and deliver them without any extra charges. jennellh

Several years ago, my condo replaced all the incandescent light bulbs in all the common elements of the building - the hydro savings have been significant. One experience with the use of fluorescent bulbs purchased from Ikea is that they do burn hot - I realized that the lining of my silk lampshade was disintegrating. The fabric had hardened and was turning to dust - I have cut out the lining completely and now I reserve the Ikea brand for the metal swingarm lamps in my sewing room. The warning is that some brands are a fire hazard from burning too hot near fabric items. jennellh

see www.morsbags .com for easy instructions to make your own shopping bags from any scraps or old bedsheets etc.

Joan in Coventry England

Great question, and a nifty idea to try out.

Some quilters recycle used clothing by cutting out usable parts to make quilt tops, and others use worn looking but still serviceable blankets as batting.

Pieces of batting that were trimmed off one quilt sandwich often get used in another project and many quilt patterns are available to make use of the least little pieces of fabric so little is ever left. What little that is left is sometimes used as filler for stuffed toys, pillows, and such.

Crazy quilters and art quilters use all sorts of embellishments that had previous lives including pieces of broken jewelry, old bits of lace, and other things that most people would throw away.

We don't toss out old sewing machines in the trash. We take them in for a trade-in on a new one or give the old one to someone we know. A few of us have found old workhorse sewing machines sitting beside dumpsters, taken them home, and cleaned and repaired them to give them longer life.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head so now I'll go read everyone else's replies. Debra in VA See my quilts at

Jennellh: Very often the practices that help with our budget are often green practices. One reason I use an iron with automatic cut off is to save energy. (The other is home safety.) I think it is wasteful to keep the iron going through the entire sewing process.

A small (VERY small) economy is to use chain piecing techniques and the little starter/ender squares I mentioned in an earlier post. This means very little thread waste. Also, this uses up those small 2" squares that otherwise might go to the landfill.

Small odd pieces get places in a sack and that is taken to my guild's 'freebie table' for the appliqué makers. I donate some larger pieces for service projects or for quilters who need a little fabric fix. (Don't we all? )

PAT in VA/USA

jennellh wrote: