Re-post...

Sweet article that Milwaukee Magazine ran about me:

Check it out here.

You can't lick this envelope

You might hear an inspector or builder use the term, "house envelope." It refers to the seal of your home from the outside world. Some envelopes are sealed better than others...ever feel a draft from cold air coming through the front door? Ever touch an outer wall in the winter...and notice the wall's surface is really cold?

There are some easy things you can do to help seal your home's envelope. Start with buying some expanding foam, and silicone caulk rated for outside use. Inside, check the basement for leaks, cracks, gaps and any place where two different surfaces come together. Note the piping leaving the home through the floor - gaps!

Outside, seal all windows, door frames, siding gaps, etc. Seal anywhere pipes or wires enter the home. All these things add up to significant savings. Spend $7 today, and save $70 this winter season.

Here's a helpful link.

Take Advantage of the Energy Star Tax Credits

If you've been putting off the purchase of a new fridge, hot water heater or anything that qualifies for the EPA's Energy Star label - NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY.

It's a bit complicated, but essentially, Uncle Sam is giving you an income tax credit of up to $1,500 on the purchase of qualified products. For more information on how it works, talk to your tax advisor. First and foremost - save your receipts, warranty papers, etc. Oh, and you must purchase these items this year.

I just replaced an old fridge - the ice maker was broken, and the thing was just plain old. Old appliances waste a lot of electricity. With this purchase, I should notice an immediate impact on my utility bill.



Up next - my front storm door!

My foray into the "ultra" world

Okay, so I've been reading Born to Run...but you know that. This book has really inspired me to not only run, but love to run! It's fun - and I want to get better, every day.

So, I signed up for this 10K in October. It's on a state trail - no need to run on some man-made pavement track! It's not ECO. Here's a link to the 10K challenge - which is the first step toward an ultra...you know...50 - 100 miles. That seems crazy right now, but who knows???

Anyway - ECO living is healthy living; there's no doubt about that. The point of this post is this: find a way to love being healthy...and healthy becomes easy.

Eco-Friendly Tan

So, the most eco thing you can do is just step outside and soak up a few rays...everybody needs some sun, but too much can be harmful. But, if you want to try something good for you skin, that also will give you some color - try this:

Steep 4 black tea bags in two cups of water...let it steep for 15 minutes or so. Your bod needs to be uber clean, so take a shower. Once you're dry, use a sponge to wipe the tea all over your skin...let it dry, and rub it all over again.

Feel better? Your skin will thank you by glowing for a few days!

Shoe Review

Alright, so a buddy of mine is preaching "Barefoot Running" to me. Not sure if I want to drink his Kool-aid or not, but at the very least, I will read the book Born to Run.

For starters, I'm going to tryout the Nike Free 5.0 v4 shoes...it's supposed to help strengthen the feet.

My question is, has anyone tried these shoes? Are they any good? I'm looking for some insight, and any advice on barefoot running.

As you know, a 10K is in my future...and I want to "kill" this challenge. Shoes or sans shoes!

Too Hot to Trot

So, the weather gods are not on my side...they're calling for near 90-degree heat on Saturday when I run my first official race. Good thing it's only a 5K! Whew!


I'll post an update on Sunday with my time - and a sweet photo of me at the finish line. Any guesses on what my official time will be? I'm hoping for right around 27 mins. It's not grease lightning, but a respectable time.

And, I've got the first round of peppers from my garden - look for a salsa recipe early next week!

The Phoenix Post

Okay...so it's been a while. I get it. What can I say, I lose interest in things quickly.

But I'm back, and this blog will have a more comprehensive focus - because I've come to understand that one cannot live a sustainable life by simply recycling beer cans and buying local produce. It's much more than that. To live a sustainable life, one must sustain his/her own life. You must treat your body like Mother Earth - be good to it, feed it good things, exercise it, clean it...you get the point.

So, from here on out, I will not only tell you about things that are good for the planet, but good for you too.

And here's where I'll start: I'm running in my first-ever official race on Saturday, the Hank Aaron State Trail 5K Run. Not too hard...but if you knew me 3 years ago, you would have laughed at me!

For now, I'm focusing on the run - and putting some good fuel in my system.

More later...live well!

Can't Wait to Try This

Have you heard about Brun-uusto? It's a baked cheese, or bread cheese, as some say. I've heard nothing but great things, and of course - there's a Wisconsin company making some headlines with their version.

So...all of you Wis. readers, check this out:
Check out Brunkow Cheese of Wisconsin. I'm making the call this weekend! Support your local cheese makers. Mmmmm.

Really Cool Radio

Okay, so this is not an eco post by any means...but I really like this thing. Have you run across Pandora yet?

It's only the coolest radio thing on the Web. I just discovered it...a bit late, but check it out. It really is smart radio technology.

ECO mahoney gives it 5 stars. And, it's better to listen via the pc, versus plugging in another gadget. There, I guess it is eco!

Fun Reuse Project

Reduce, reuse and recycle. We’ve all heard it before…but the saying has more relevance today than ever before. And, the order of the three R’s is important as well. They’re in order of priority for your pocketbook and for Mother Nature.

Check out this great Reuse project I recently completed at home. The wood is from my old bed frame – it’s really nice birch and I didn’t want to toss it. I spent a few bucks on some screws to hold it together, and – Walla – I have a great plant box for my fence.

I plan to grow some fresh herbs and peppers to make homemade salsa later this summer. Check back for the recipe!

Earth Day is right around the corner

So, what are you doing for Earth Day? What started out as a simple act of planting trees has evolved into something pretty cool. Now, more than ever, people are uniting around the world to help people live more sustainable lives.

I encourage you to do something next week. Anything. Here's a .gov site to help you get started. But whatever you choose, keep in mind the earth supports you 365 days a year, so just thanking it one time next week just isn't enough.

Plant a tree, pickup some trash, change a few light bulbs, whatever. Tell me what you're doing and help spread the message!

Think local this Easter

Whether you're going out or dining at your digs, think about supporting some local businesses this year for Easter brunch.

If you live in Milwaukee, and need some food to prep for your hungry guests, I suggest Bunzel's Meat market - but they have way more than just meat.

It's important in these turbulent times that we really think about what we're cooking, where we're eating and how everything on our plates got there. And don't tell me it was just Grandma!

Offer to carpool if you are traveling with a lot of family members. There's no sense in having eight cars piled up in the driveway. Also, spread the sustainability message a bit this year, and bring along a "green" gift for the host/hostess. Might I suggest something homemade, or a nice organic wine.

Celebrate your religon's holiday with some pizazz this year...have fun!

Great Guy Plants: can't kill 'em, and they're not pink

These two house plants have myriad of benefits – easy to maintain, clean the air, provide a good amount of oxygen to the room, look nice, and can be placed almost anywhere.


The leafy-looking one with the bamboo shoot is a Pothos Golden, and is great for removing VOCs from your house. It doesn’t need much water or sunlight, and gives you warning signs when it’s being neglected…the leaves turn colors. This is a perfect living room plant. This sucker should grow right up the bamboo shoot. Pretty cool, huh?

The longer-stalk one is a snake, or mother-in-law tongue, and is a must-have for the bedroom. This plant gives off more oxygen than most plants, and does so during the night hours…which helps you sleep better. Again, doesn’t need much light or water, and it can rest on a dresser or night stand by a window.

Many studies have been conducted surrounding these two particular plants, and evidence supports the eco and healthy benefits of these two plants. It’s a great way to spruce up a room, and clean up the air.

You can find these two plants readily at any store…just Google it in your area.

Earth Hour is a Sham...pass it on

I unwillingly provide you a link to Earth Hour, only to prove my point! Earth Hour is a simple marketing ploy with no real teeth, but it is well-orchestrated.

I dare you to find any good information on what else you can do besides turn off your lights for one hour, on one given day this year - March 28. Is that really going to fix the earth's problems? Us living in the dark?

The site's download section is full of screen savers and t-shirts, while all other information explains how to host/plan an event. Like how hard is it to ask folks to turn off their lights?

The other thing that bothers me about this is the fact that going "green" will continue to be a hippie-only thing if it means we have to change our lifestyle. It's not for me, and I suspect it's not for you. Give me a product that I can leave on, but uses less electricity. Give me a product that keeps my house warm in the winter, but won't cause cancer in 15 years. Give me a product that won't break after one use, but is made from recycled or renewable resources. That's the world I want to live in.

I ask you to KEEP YOUR LIGHTS ON in hope that people will think of better ideas to help our ailing planet.

And the Winner is...

Congrats to Jill from Heiste Communications. She posted some easy, non life-threatening ways to save some water at home. Jill is now the proud owner of an eco showerhead that won't sacrifice performance, while she saves thousands of gallons of water.

Thanks to everyone for the ideas surrounding World Water Day. I hope these efforts extend beyond this blog...

Celebrate World Water Day

Sunday marks the 17th annual World Water Day celebration. This year's theme is transboundary waters: share the water. So, I ask how you are saving water this weekend - and hopefully changing your habits for the future.

A few easy things to do around the house include:

1. Check for leaks in any/all plumbing connections, such as the toilet, faucets, showers, laundry tub, outside hose, etc. These small drips add up to thousands of gallons annually.

2. Utilize native plants this season. These types of plants thrive in the local conditions, which means they rarely need to be watered and grow well with the soil's natural mineral content.

3. This Sunday - try and calculate all the water you use that day. How much do you think it is? The average American uses about 170 gallons of water every day! Think about the average Australian who uses about 60 gallons every day.

Now for the giveaway! For the most clever comment on how you are saving water, I will send a water-saving KOHLER showerhead - one that delivers a great experience without any sacrifice. And, it'll save you about 7,000 gallons of water this year.

Good luck!

Green Cleaning in the Bathroom

I received my Shaklee cleaning products in the mail recently, and put the Basic H2 cleaner to the test in the bathroom. H2 is a cleaning concentrate, which you mix with varying amounts of water to get the desired cleaning affect. It's not a large bottle, but according to the instructions, I needed less than a tsp. At this rate, this stuff will last for years in my house!

So I mixed the concoction in an existing spray bottle I had laying around, and went to work. This stuff was up to the challenge. It took off lime, nasty residue and all sorts of that bathroom yucky stuff. What I really liked about it - you can't smell a thing - no nasty odors. I sprayed it all over my hands, and there was no irritation.

I strongly recommend this Shaklee product. I suggest you find a local distributor, if possible - because there's a lot of packaging used to ship the product.

Next I'll write about the wipes...watch out basement...you're next!

Work From Home? How to be Eco...

Kudos to you for not having to drive your car every day like the rest of us. You are already being eco!

However, here are five things you can do at home to help maintain a better and more efficient work space, and be a little more eco:

1. Replace the lights in your home office (and all throughout the house) with energy efficient CFL bulbs. The newer models give off better lighting, and last what seems like forever. Cut costs and you don't have to worry about replacing it for a long time.

2. These days it's not uncommon for laptops to serve desktop duty. But here's the rub: If you leave the battery inside the system 24/7, it'll keep drawing power, even when fully charged. That's not only a waste of energy and money, but also bad news for the battery. Constant charging will reduce its capacity to hold a charge and its overall longevity. Fortunately, there's a fast and simple solution: Pull the battery out.

3. Bills that arrive snail mail are a massive drain on the environment: paper, handling, shipping, etc. Sign up to pay all your bills online - some may charge you but it's so worth it. And, offer incentives to your clients - and start an online bill program. Some are free for small biz owners via the Web.

4. Here's one just for you: get out and take a walk. Staring at a computer or sitting in one position is really bad for you. Go outside and take a walk, or stretch out, even a 15 minute yoga session on the floor can help improve productivity ten-fold. Remember that a healthy you means a healthier environment too.

5. For those looking to renovate a home office or add one on: please be mindful of the materials you use during construction. Low VOC paint, recycled carpeting, sustainable furniture, efficient appliances - all these significantly reduce your impact on the environment and help improve your working space.

What else have you done to be eco in the home office?

I Yearn for Yogurt. You Should Too.

A yogurt a day may not mean fewer doctor visits, but there are plenty of health reasons to make this dairy food a regular in your diet. Besides the calcium, potassium and other vitamins – yogurt has live bacteria that helps keep your system working smooth. Because you’re dealing with bacteria – you should seriously consider a natural or organic kind.

I put several to the test – and found two brands really know their yogurt.

Wallaby Organic yogurt boasts a mere 140 calories per cup and an impressive 7 grams of protein. There are several flavors to choose from, and the ingredient list is all natural. No artificial anything or words I couldn’t pronounce. So, this one is a pretty good choice.

If you’re not a dairy fan – try WholeSoy & Co. brand yogurt. This choice has 0 grams of trans fat, but delivers 6 grams of protein. You can definitely tell it’s a soy product, but it had good flavor and texture. A company spokesperson confirmed the eco factor of this product – from where the company gets its ingredients to how the product is packaged and shipped. I consider this a very eco choice.

When you’re choosing food that is meant to be good for you, please consider all factors – not just flavor and cost. A few extra pennies now could save you from health problems later – not to mention how good you’ll fee if you’re eating right.

Guys: Get Your Mops Out

So, I get asked about eco cleaning products all the time. Honestly, I haven't found a really good overall cleaning system...yet. I recently ordered some product from Shaklee - a company a friend of mine spoke very highly of. Well, check back in a week or so for a full report on how well this stuff really works.

Also, a pretty cool company I saw at TED this year - Seventh Generation cleaning products. The company philosophy is to plan ahead seven generations - and make sure their products won't be harming the planet for generations to come. Pretty cool.

10 Green Uses for Salt

Seriously, who knew? I'll keep this short, check out the quick tips from our friends at Planet Green.

Does anybody else know about some cool eco tips with regular household items? I know you have salt lying around the house - who doesn't? Put it to use.

Detox Diets are for Dummies

I can't believe this fad/trend hasn't gone away. Are people still under the impression that starving yourself, or just drinking liquids is a good way to cleanse the body? Let me be real with all of you for a moment: Detox diets don't work, and are potentially hazardous to your health.

I could point out the many articles from well-respected doctors, dieticians, etc., but just read this from WebMD.

The answer to healthy eating is simple: control your portions, and eat your fruits, veggies, grains and protiens. Seriously, that's it. It's been proven over and over that a healthy lifestyle, notice I didn't say diet, consists of following the major food group guidelines. Splurge once in a while - eat that brownie! It'll make you feel good about yourself, and depraving yourself of treats is sure to fail, or make you miserable. Simply watch your caloric intake, and adjust according to your size, goals and workout routine. Yes, you need to workout.

Imagine your two legs represent your health - one for healthy eating, and one for exercise. Pretty hard to stand on one leg, right? Same thing with your lifestyle - if you eat right, but don't exercise it won't be easy to maintain balance in your life.

Until next time...

A Good Cup of Joe

What makes a cup of coffee great? Flavor, lots of caffeine, a bottomless cup? Maybe all of these things...it's really a subjective question.

But what makes a cup of java eco, or sustainable. First and foremost - I encourage you to buy local. If at all possible, buy local. You should also look for fair trade coffee, as this ensures the farmers were paid fair rates for their labors. Organic labels are important too. Organic, in this case, means the beans were grown with no harsh chemicals or fertilizers. Most likely, organic does not mean the coffee was grown here in the U.S.

My favorite place to grab a hot cup of joe, and just sit for a while is Alterra in Milwaukee. They have a friendly staff, yummy food and of course - great coffee.

What's your favorite place?

I Saved 11,000 Gallons of Water in Two Minutes

On a recent trip to Lowes, I purchased a low-flow aerator for my bathroom faucet. The item cost $3.15 with tax, so it didn’t break the bank. I installed the new aerator in my faucet in less than two minutes - seriously. And depending on whose numbers/equations you use, this single purchase can save around 10,000 to 13,000 gallons of water each year. Or, about $10 to $15 on your water bill each year – not to mention you’ll be heating less water too! That’s a lot of savings for very little investment.

So, how do you know whether or not you need to replace your aerator? Unless your house or faucet is literally brand new, chances are you’re using 2.2 gallons per minute. That’s just too much for brushing your teeth or washing your hands. The aerator I purchased uses a mere 1.5 gpm.

How To
Simply unscrew the end housing on your existing faucet. Grab a rag if you need a bit more grip. Or, you can use pliers. Next, head to the store, and determine what size aerator you need. Bring the old one in…there were lots to choose from!

Use the new housing and aerator, and screw it in tightly. Use the rag to cover the drain in case anything drops. If your new housing won’t fit properly, like mine because my house is way old, just pop out the new aerator and place it in the old housing. Done.

I couldn’t find one at my store, but look for an aerator with the WaterSense label - it will ensure you’re getting a reliable product that saves water.

What are you waiting for???

Better Pizza Delivery Method

Got a pizza last night - which I believe to be a habit for many Americans. Why cook when someone is willing to come right to my door with a hot, tasty pizza pie!

Of course, I buy local. Lalli's is one of my favorite joints in my neighborhood. They use paper to cover the pie while en route. But think of all the cardboard boxes that go to waste?

Estimates put the pizza delivery biz around $5 billion. That could represent about 33 million pizza boxes in landfills.

There has to be a better way...

Be aware of your habits in the gym

Okay, so I workout...I'm no Governator, but I try to take care of myself. However, there are many things that bother me in the gym. For starters, to all those who walk into the locker room and "claim" a shower by turning the water on...and then going to your locker to derobe: STOP IT! You are wasting gallons of precious water, and believe me, it doesn't take that long to get the water warm. You only need to spend a few minutes in the shower to get clean. Really.

But for now, let's focus on some other things you can do to help out your health and well-being, and our Mother Earth...

1. For goodness sake, don't buy the bottled water at the gym. It's a waste. Invest in a good, and I mean good since you'll be using this thing nearly every day, reusable bottle. Try stainless steel, I think they work best, and stay clean with little maintenance. Check out the Klean Kanteen or the multitude of others available.

2. Lots of harsh checmicals from soaps rush down the drain and wreak havoc on the water system. Not to mention your hair and skin. It's a bit more than regular soap, but your skin will thank you - get something organic or natural like John Masters Organics. It's way worth it.

3. Wipe yourself down - in the gym and after your shower - with something free of dyes and chemicals. Your skin is vulnerable during and post workout, so treat it nice. Your tush deserves a soft, clean towel each time...try something like this, which I'm sure you could find in most stores these days.

That's it for now...happy lifting!

A pretty cool Web site - save water

Kohler Co. just launched a site, www.SaveWaterAmerica.com, which helps homeowners discern how much water they can save by installing a few newer plumbing products. And the company is going about it the right way...by donating $1 worth of product to Habitat for Humanity with every login...up to $1 million in products.

It's a simple, easy site to navigate, and gets the message across about the world's looming freshwater crisis. Check it out, let me know what you think.

My first blog

Not much to say here...but stay tuned. I plan to provide my readers with relevant, fun and real information about the world of sustainability. This blog will help those who want to help the environment. Am I an expert on sustainability? No. How am I qualified to tell you what's right and wrong? Maybe I'm not. But I do believe my past experiences and current work have brought me to better understand the world we live in.
I intend to help you better understand the world - and how we can all make simple changes to help make the world, and our lives, a little bit better than they are now.
Until next time,