We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. ~ Native American

Each month WUMC features helpful tips to help "Green" your life and therefore help preserve God's great Earth.

Unusual Uses for Coffee:

• Erase smells on your hands by rubbing a handful of used coffee grounds on your hands and rinsing with warm water.
• Repel ants by sprinkling dry, used coffee grounds in problem areas where you notice ants in your home or yard. To tackle huge ant mounds, pour an entire pot of brewed coffee right on the mound.
• Fertilize your acid-loving plants by sprinkling used coffee grounds around their roots. You can also dilute your leftover coffee (black only please) in your cup and pour it right into your potted plants.
• Secret recipe ingredient in foods like chili, ice cream and chocolate cake. Just a little hint can be the ingredient that becomes your undisclosed “magic touch.” Use a little bit as a marinade for steaks as it will make them unbelievably tender but also provide a hint of deep, smoky flavor.
• Touch up furniture scratches by rubbing in a little bit of instant coffee damped into a paste with hot water. Scratches disappear almost instantly but repeat if necessary until the scratch matches the surrounding wood.
• Pretty vase filler uses stale or dirty coffee beans in vases, caps or jars. Not only are they pretty but they continue to smell good for quite a while.

Many useful items can be made from our everyday trash! The cardboard tubes left over from paper towel and toilet paper can make useful storage containers for our extra extension cords and prevents a tangled mess with the Christmas lights.

Baby jars can become snow globes the kids can make and give as gifts, old Christmas cards can become new hand made cards and a glass or plastic bottle along with some clear oil and food coloring and a few other common household items can become a groovy lava lamp!

The possibilities are endless and instructions can be found in books and on the internet. But if you are going to throw these out, don't just throw them in the trash, RECYCLE!

Here are two very prominent and current environmental disasters:

Seawater washes in and out of the fracture on the starboard side of the 47,230 ton Liberianflagged Rena, about 12 nautical miles from Tauranga, on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, October 20, 2011. The recovery of fuel oil from a stricken container ship grounded off New Zealand resumed on Thursday as salvage teams worked to minimize the damage in the country's worst environmental disaster in decades. Two days of strong winds and high seas had prevented the pumping of oil from the Rena, which has been stuck for more than two weeks on the Astrolabe Reef. A penguin affected by fuel oil from the stricken container ship Rena is rubbed down with cooking oil at a wildlife center in the Bay of Plenty, on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, October 22, 2011.

TVs, fridges and fishing boats: How TWENTY MILLION tons of Japan tsunami debris is closing in on Hawaii. Debris is traveling faster than expected across Pacific. Russian ship's crew spotted debris past Midway Islands. May strike Hawaii in two years and West Coast in three years.

Scientists are warning that the warming of the world’s oceans can cause serious illness and may cost millions of dollars in health care.

• A 200-page paper released online on September 13 says the rising temperature of ocean water is causing a proliferation of the Vibrio genus of bacteria, which can cause food poisoning, serious gastroenteritis, septicemia and cholera. “Climatic conditions are playing an increasingly important role in the transmission of these diseases” states the paper.
• The paper also describes a host of other effects of ocean warming, both documented and forecast, including melting ice, rising sea levels, coastal erosion, increased storm intensity and frequency, along with chemical changes in the sea itself, including acidification and deoxygenation.
• What is striking is the enormous pile of evidence that things are already happening. The biggest surprise is the fact that things are changing in the ocean much more rapidly than thought possible.

Ocean life on the brink of mass extinctions

• Life in the oceans is at imminent risk of the worst spate of extinctions in millions of years due to threats such as climate change and over-fishing. Fish are the main source of protein for a fifth of the world’s population and the seas cycle oxygen and help absorb carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas from human activities.
• The seas face a “deadly trio” of threats: higher temperatures, acidification and lack of oxygen, known as anoxia, that had featured in several past mass extinctions.
• A build-up of carbon dioxide, blamed by on human use of fossil fuels, is heating the planet. Absorbed into the oceans, it causes acidification, while run-off of fertilizers and pollution stokes anoxia.
• Over-fishing is the easiest to reverse — countering global warming means a shift from fossil fuels toward cleaner energies such as wind and solar power.

Ways to reduce your cooling costs:

• Raise the thermostat: If you have central air, raise the temperature to 78-80 degrees during times you are not at home.
• Utilize ceiling fans: Ceiling fans can create a cooling effect that leaves you dry and comfortable so that you can raise the central air thermostat by a couple of degrees while you are at home.
• Keep the air conditioner in the shade: Installing your window air conditioner in the shade will lower the air conditioner’s workload.
• Time the chores: Run your dishwasher, washing machine, or dryer either in the early morning or late evening hours.
• Skip the stove: Consider warming up small-sized portions in your microwave. Your outdoor grill is another great alternative for cooking.

With the price of gasoline currently on the decline, here are some ways to help with fuel efficiency and mileage as we wait for the prices to increase again.

• Avoid short trips: Before you hit the road, make a plan. You will save time and gas by strategically planning your route according to the errands you need to accomplish.
• Drive the speed limit: This may sound obvious, but driving at higher speeds consumes more fuel, as does quick acceleration. Manage the fuel in your gas tank by driving at slower speeds. You will save both energy and money and possibly your life.
• Avoid idling: It is more fuel efficient to turn off your car engine than to let the engine idle (i.e. parking lots.)
• Inflate your tires: Avoid unnecessary fuel consumption by checking the tire pressure regularly.

How about simplifying your life? You can streamline your life and reduce waste in our landfills at the same time!

• Purge your home of all the items you no longer need or want, and recycle, sell, or donate
  them to a worthy cause.
• Post items on line at eBay or craigslist, or advertise in the local newspaper.
• Have a yard sale.
• Contact charitable organizations, schools, friends, and neighbors and ask them if they could use whatever you’ve got.
• Or simply sign up for Freecycle (mentioned in the February 2011 issue of our Circuit Rider) and join the millions of people who are “changing the world one gift at a time.”

Here’s a wonderful “blurb” from Goodwill Industries:

Are you or your organization looking for a way to recycle used computer hardware and accessories, free of charge, in a manner that’s both environmentally friendly and beneficial to the community? Goodwill Industries of Wayne and Holmes Counties, Inc. recently became a member of the Reconnect Program, a partnership between Goodwill Industries International and Dell Corporation. Simply bring your used computer and accessories—ANY brand—to one of the five Goodwill retail stores in Wayne and Holmes counties. Donated equipment is broken down locally and recycled by a certified Dell environmental partner. Dell then reimburses Goodwill, which uses the funds to provide local job training programs, employment placement services, and other programs for people facing challenges to finding employment. For more information, please contact Sherri Clark at 330-264-1300 ext. 255 or sclark@woostergoodwill.org or visit http://www.woostergoodwill.org/donate/donate-goods/dell-reconnect.

OSU Wooster Campus “Scarlet, Gray, and Green Fair”
Tuesday, April 19, 2011 ~ 11:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Fisher Auditorium and surrounding areas on the OARDC campus

Plan to visit and utilize the recycling station! Recycle the accepted items and receive a coupon for the food booths (coupons limited - first come basis) as well as tickets for a chance for door prizes! Enter the drawing at the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Solid Waste Management booth.

RESIDENTIAL RECYCLING ONLY! Items accepted: worn out sneakers; up to two file boxes of sensitive documents to shred, magazines, newsprint and phonebooks; E-waste (computers and computer accessories; cell phones and personal printer ink cartridges; useable household paint (never frozen); expandable polystyrene (Styrofoam like material) includes that used in packaging, packaging peanuts, and clean food containers; prescription and non-prescription drugs for humans and / or pets; fluorescent light tubes and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). Visit the website: www.wcsen.org/WCSGGF for more information.

Did you know that plastic can help your garden grow?

• Plastic cups and egg cartons make great nurseries for seedlings
• Large plastic beverage containers with the bottoms cut off make perfect plant protectors
• Plastic water bottles can be used to make birdfeeders, slug catchers, and even piggy banks
• Plastic lids and Styrofoam packing peanuts can become clever holiday ornaments or children’s crafts
• Glass jars (once washed) can hold everything from pennies to peanut brittle

With thought and creativity, there’s no end to how you can extend the life of your recyclables long before they hit the bin!!

The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,894 groups with 8,226,199 members across the globe. It’s a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own local areas and thus keeping good stuff out of landfills. There are a few rules and you must be approved by the moderators before you start but many items can be "offered" or "wanted" by freecyclers and usually are answered in a matter of days! Help our planet regain it’s dignity.

* Wayne County has a connection at: http://groups.freecycle.org/freecycle_wayne_county/description

• The popular incandescent mini lights we use to decorate our Christmas trees and homes each year consume huge amounts of energy and generate enough heat to pose a fire hazard. In comparison, LEDs require a fraction of the energy and stay cool to the touch. A mini LED light consumes about .04 watt of electricity whereas a typical mini light uses .45 watt.
• LEDs are approximately twice the cost of incandescent lights but last much longer - the equivalent of 10 years of continuous indoor use!

Don’t let your indoor heat go up in smoke!

• Not all fireplaces are created equal, and in fact, many standard fireplaces will send the heat inside your home right up the chimney! In the end, your cozy might by the fireplace may actually increase your energy needs and home heating costs.
• If you‘re looking to lower your overall carbon foot-print, research the most efficient ways to heat your home, and certainly consider options such as wood burning stoves.
• Use your standard fireplace more for ambiance than heat, and be sure you remember to close the flue when you‘re through.

With Christmas and the holidays quickly approaching, here are some alternative ideas:

• Spoil your children with natural, eco-friendly toys! Choose simple, timeless toys made from nontoxic, organic materials like wood and fabric that are stimulating to growing brains and safe enough to nibble. Look for eco-friendly toys made by local artisans: pull toys, puzzles, dolls, games. Buy non-toxic art supplies and recycled paper. Avoid synthetic, mass-produced products that may contain hazardous substances such as lead or PVC. Look for a "PVC-free" label on plastic toys, and beware of products manufactured overseas that may not adhere to U.S. standards.
• Donate your clothes! You will find lots of local charities and non-profit organizations that would welcome your tax-deductible gift. Your own family members, friends, and neighbors might be thrilled to receive your "vintage" hand-me-downs, especially items like winter coats, shoes, and children‘s clothing and who knows? Maybe they‘ll return the favor.
• Revamp your family or friends‘ gift exchange! If you normally exchange names and purchase gifts for the holidays, instead pool the money that you would spend on each other and make a donation to a local charity or food pantry. In these hard economic times it is truly better to give than to receive!

Gather your leaves the old-fashioned way - with a rake!

The once peaceful annual ritual of raking leaves has been reduced to little more than gas-powered noise pollution, thanks to the ever present leaf blower. Homeowners and landscaping crews alike use fossil fuel-powered blowers from dawn until dusk all season, blowing leaves and debris into manageable piles.

Restore peace and quiet to your neighborhood by losing the leaf blower and using human power to clean up your yard.

Know the "Dirty Dozen"

Conventionally grown produce may look succulent and fresh, but it can contain residues from more than 50 different pesticides. Some fruits and vegetables absorb these toxins more readily than others, posing a potential risk to you and your environment.

Support safe farming practices and buy organic produce whenever possible, especially the following twelve pesticide-prone fruits and vegetables: strawberries, raspberries, imported grapes, peaches, nectarines, cherries, pears, apples, spinach, potatoes, bell peppers, and celery.

The sight of unwelcome weeds in flower and vegetable gardens can provoke violent reaction in even the most peaceful of gardeners. We yank weeds up by the roots and whack them into submission, but occasionally, we seek out something stronger.

Fortunately, you can kill weeds kindly using a green thumb and nontoxic remedies.

Pour scalding hot water directly on your weeds, or choose from dozens of all-natural weed management products that do the job without any harsh chemicals. Ordinary white vinegar mixed with a pinch of salt and liquid dish soap, for example, zaps weeds without contaminating the environment, and it’s cheaper!

Keep your grass green and healthy by trimming it the right way:

• Sharpen your mower blades to cut grass without tearing it unevenly and risking damage to the plant. A clean cut keeps grass healthy and green from the roots to the tips, and healthy grass requires less water.
• Taller grass provides more shade to roots and also helps to maintain moisture better than short grass, so set mower blades as high as you can manage.
• And for the greenest of lawns, leave the clippings to decompose and return vital nutrients to the soil.

Clean Your Filters!

The dust, lint, and debris that accumulate on filters inside your household appliances will hinder their performance and make them work twice as hard.

Save energy by cleaning them from the inside out. Remove lint from your dryer filter after each load of laundry. Empty the pool filter regularly. Replace the filters on air-conditioning units and heating systems as needed. Remove lint from the back of electronics equipment, and even your hair dryer.

Think about it: with a clean blow dryer, you’ll not only decrease the amount of time you spend drying your hair, but you’ll also cut your energy use. As a side benefit, your air will be cleaner as well.

Coffee filters .... Who knew! And you can buy 1,000 at the Dollar Tree for almost nothing - even the large ones!

1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.
2. Clean windows, mirrors, and chrome... Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling.
3. Protect China by separating your good dishes with a coffee filter between each dish.
4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.
5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.
6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.
7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.
8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.
9. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.
10. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.
11. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.
12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters.
13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them. It soaks out all the grease.
14. Keep in the bathroom. They make great "razor nick fixers."
15. As a sewing backing. Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or appliqueing soft fabrics.
16. Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors.
17. Use them to strain soup stock and to tie fresh herbs in to put in soups and stews.
18. Use a coffee filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car.
19. Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and clean up small counter spills.
20. Can use to hold dry ingredients when baking or when cutting a piece of fruit or veggies.. Saves on having extra bowls to wash.
21. Use them to wrap Christmas ornaments for storage.
22. Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.
23. Use them to sprout seeds. Simply dampen the coffee filter, place seeds inside, fold it and place it into a plastic baggie until they sprout.
24. Use coffee filters as blotting paper for pressed flowers. Place the flowers between two coffee filters and put the coffee filters in phone book.
25. Use as a disposable "snack bowl" for popcorn, chips, etc.

Whew! That’s a LOT of ideas but see if you and your family can come up with more!! Remember —- Reuse, recycle, reduce!

Is it crazy to chuck broken ceramics? Eccentric as it may seem, those broken pots are totally useful. You can't recycle 'em in most areas, but try donating, fixing, or creating functional goods out of chipped and shattered earthenware. The possibilities are insane. It means getting a little inventive, but by reusing pottery instead of tossing it, you'll help avert waste and might end up with something pretty in the end.

• Less landfill - consider all the ceramic stuff in a typical house: plates, dishes, statues, vases, cookie jars...those items add up when you toss them.
• Make something useful - that cracked plate can frame your favorite photo; you can help out an arts organization by donating it for reuse; and your plants will love you for repurposing it as pot drainage.
• Send old pieces to an artist who can give them a new life. The Broken Plate Pendant Company turns smashed china plates and vases into keepsake jewelry and cuff links ($40 and up). Enter the code IdealBride in the Note to Seller box to get 15% off (it'll send you an adjusted invoice).
• Fix minor fractures with Amazing EcoGlue, a water-based, low-toxic adhesive sold in recycled packaging ($5/2.25 ounces).
• Transform a picture frame, flowerpot, tabletop, or mirror into art with colorful chips, and a little glue or grout. Or, loop silk or hemp string around a smooth-edged piece for a one-of-a-kind necklace.
• Check in with local arts organizations or elementary schools to see if they need ceramic pieces for art projects. Nonprofit builders like Habitat for Humanity sometimes accept gently used ceramic tiles.
• Layer ceramic chunks at the bottom of pots before topping with soil - it enhances drainage for your plants.

Just so you know: In July, archaeologists found what they believe to be Africa's oldest ceramic fragment, dated around 9,400 BC.