Your Water Questions Answered: Final Week
You may recall that in early April we posted a call for your water conservation and efficiency questions. Our friends at Kohler reviewed the questions and chose the most compelling queries to answer. Here are the final two. -Mary
Q: Did Kohler’s water-saving plumbing fixtures contribute to HGTV Green Home’s LEED Platinum certification by earning water-efficiency points? – Show Me The Green
A: Yes. Kohler’s toilets, showerheads and faucets contribute to the water-efficiency credits in the LEED program. – Rob Zimmerman, Senior Staff Engineer for Water Conservation Initiatives at Kohler Co.
Q: Does the HGTV Green Home have a gray-water system? I’ve heard that these systems can be expensive and must be custom-built. Do Kohler or any other companies create products that make it easier to install a gray-water system? – Holly
A: The home doesn’t have a gray-water system. While this is a great technology, it’s not yet fully developed — and there are a lot of existing infrastructure and strict plumbing codes that make implementation difficult. – Rob Zimmerman, Senior Staff Engineer for Water Conservation Initiatives at Kohler Co.
MGTOTD: If you're making fish stock, add a tablespoon of vinegar and a little lime juice. It cuts the fishy smell and adds flavor.
Hey Kat: You might want to try out this site for green tips on how to get yellow stains out of white clothes. I didn't read the whole thing, but maybe you can take out of it what you need to stay 'green'!!
http://www.bellaonline.com/ArticlesP/art1843.asp
Posted: MIA: Coop & Show Me, Pilgrims in Phuket!!
Has anyone seen our shopaholics maybe in PHUKET TOWN while jumping on a beach-bound songthaew, which runs regularly throughout the day from Thanon Ranong in the town centre to all the main beaches?
Places to watch for our MIA's:
Ocean Department Store at Thaweewong Rd., Patong.
Ocean Plaza at Soi Bangla, Patong.
Ocean Shopping Mall at Phuket Town.
Robinsons Tilok at Phuket Town.
Phuket Shopping Center at Rasada Rd., Phuket Town.
Wang Talang at Vichitsongkram Road; or
Central Festival Phuket. in Phuket Town.
They cannot hide too long from us!! Then we might have to enroll them in the Shopaholics Anonymous group in Phuket!!!
Posted: MIA: Coop & Show Me, Pilgrims in Phuket!!
Has anyone seen our shopaholics maybe in PHUKET TOWN while jumping on a beach-bound songthaew, which runs regularly throughout the day from Thanon Ranong in the town centre to all the main beaches?
Places to watch for our MIA's:
Ocean Department Store at Thaweewong Rd., Patong.
Ocean Plaza at Soi Bangla, Patong.
Ocean Shopping Mall at Phuket Town.
Robinsons Tilok at Phuket Town.
Phuket Shopping Center at Rasada Rd., Phuket Town.
Wang Talang at Vichitsongkram Road; or
Central Festival Phuket. in Phuket Town.
They cannot hide too long from us!! Once we find them, we might have to enroll them in the Shopaholics Anonymous group in Phuket!!!
Now that's a great tip! Thanks Marie.
MGTOTD: Car washes are often more efficient than home washing and treat their water rather than letting it straight into the sewer system. But check to make sure that they clean and recycle the water. Better yet, try the waterless car wash.
? IntenseDebate Notification <DIV>You're welcome!!</DIV> <DIV style=”FONT: 10pt arial”>
thanks, guess I'll try the oxiclean. I know they aren't bleach stains since I stay away from the stuff – bad for the environment & my head, I hate those fumes.
? IntenseDebate Notification <DIV>I hate the fumes as well. I remember one time burning my lungs from a firely combo I made with bleach!! It truly was awful!!</DIV> <DIV style=\”FONT: 10pt arial\”>
Where are all the Greamers? Where are my MIA's? I guess while I am awaiting news from far away, like the Phuket Sound (ha), I will fill the column with MGTOTD:
When you peel garlic or onions, don't throw out the skins, instead, save them for the next barbeque and toss them into the fire just before grilling meats or veggies. The flavor is terrrific!!
Hellooooooooooo is there anyone out there???? I thought green was the new trend & trying to overtake the toxic mass-produced big corporate America. But our greamers are fading out, did they all succumb to all those environmental toxins & GMO's?
Even those who fled the country seem lost. Where is our green dream? We were almost a real community. Please come back.
If anyone is reading this, had to let you know of the eat-ins scheduled nationwide next month in support of getting REAL food out to school kids. check out http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/tim…
Just finished watching the Future of Food, that is a MUST -see to know what is in the grocery stores.
Kat – Hi there! I'm here! Thanks so much for the website link! Here is another one I thought you may find interesting…
thegreenparent dot com (It wouldn't allow me to post with the full website address.)
Where are all of the other members of the Green Dream Team?
Living the Dream!
Kat and Lynn…….I'm here……who are the other "lost souls" you are looking for? Calling all Greamers…Show Me is shopping green in Phuket,….. well…maybe trying to keep Coop under control
Marie Miller: That garlic and onion skin tip about tossing them into the fire sounds fantastic. Have you tried it? Does it really work?
Katydid: It does work & it smells fabulous while cooking!! Just try it, you'll love it!!
Kat ( Our nature-loving beachbum with a passion for green living that loves practicing yoga, creating a healthy lifestyle and spoiling her dog)!!! Just love your descriptive profile!! Thank you for the website tip!!
MGTOTD: It's easy to remove gum from clothing. Just brush egg whites onto the gum with a toothbrush, and let it sit for 15 minutes. It should be easy at that point to work out the gum.
P.S. Don't forget to rinse your toothbrush before the next brushing!!!
Okay. I sent one of those airplanes to Phuket to fly overhead with a banner flying from its tail for Coop & Show Me. Hopefully, they will see it & finally post!!! It simply reads, "WE MISS YOU HERE AT HGTV LAND!!"
MGTOTD: How to Go Green: Work from Home!
Working from home can be a great alternative to a desk in a cubicle, but, as many people who try it will tell you, it isn't as easy as slapping your laptop down on the dining room table. And, while wearing pajamas all day might sound nice, it doesn't make the cut for many who work from home. Still, whether you embrace the romantic-sounding ideals of managing a home office or not, one thing remains true: It can be way greener than commuting to an office every day.
From cutting out the commute to scaling back on unnecessary paper or energy use, there are tons of ways that working from home can help make you just as happy, healthy, and successful as you might be working in an office, but it isn't quite as simple as inserting recycled paper in your printer tray. You'll want to take action to insure you create and maintain a healthy home working environment, and do things like schedule sufficient breaks, to help keep your mind and body moving throughout the day.
And, while it's easy to concentrate on the environmental benefits of working from home, the mental and emotional ones are sometimes just as important, which is while it's important to carefully consider a space in which you can comfortably, productively work (and not just an empty closet you don't have anything else to do with). The benefits—environmental, emotional, or otherwise—can be myriad, so if you hate commuting, if you're most productive outside a traditional 9-5 schedule, or if you just got laid off, then working from home might be the answer. And while some of the green changes you'd make by skipping the office are obvious—like cutting your carbon output by not commuting and saving on disposable lunch containers—there are dozens more choices, from desks to chairs to pencils, that you can turn into an opportunity to support eco-friendly products.
I actually thought Kohler would review more than two of our questions and give further answers about water conservation and efficiency questions.
Hi Marie! It is a rainy day here today and I am happy I didn't have an Open House…not many people come out in the pouring rain!
In response to your comment about the Kohler questions…go to the top of this thread where the title is and under the heading where it reads "by Mary in Kohler Water Efficiency, Uncategorized", click on "Kohler Water Efficiency" and it will take you to the other posts by Mary which pertained to Kohler answering bloggers water questions.
Hope this helps!
Living the Dream!
Marie Miller, have you tried this tip? If so, how does this differ from using sauce with these ingredients?
Thanks for the link Kat. Will check it out when I have time to really get into it.
Hey Lynn, I'm back until Thursday. Will be the chef for my niece's bridal shower but will check in periodically just to stay in touch. My brothers will help me cook. Now that's what I call family togetherness!
Marie, read an interesting tip posted in the hotel elevator about how to keep eggs from cracking when boiled. Simply brush with lemon juice and boil. Egg shouldn't crack.
No I haven't tried it. Just thought it was interesting.
Hey LynnCoggin: Thank you for the tip about the Kohler questions! The rain sounds calming!! We have had a bit of morning fog lately, mostly because of the heat in the valley! We had perfect weather yesterday for the Fair Folleys!! We are all a bit sun burnt & tired today, so we will settle for a nice long ride up river for a picnic! I'm not sure it will be stimulating enough for a 12 year old, but I'm sure skipping rocks across the water might interest him! I'm just extremely happy to have him here visiting with us!!!
Okay now Coop, Show Me: It has been way over a week since we've heard from you!! I need a good 'DBCoop fix'!!! How can I continue blogging without the words of my guru, and special mentor? The challenge is lacking stimulation!! Come on, break away from your Phuket Paradise & give us some wisdom!
MGTOTD: The traditional Chinese way to store ginger is to fill a small, lidded clay pot with plain white sand, and bury the giner in it. It will keep for months!
? IntenseDebate Notification <DIV>Thank you for the tip!!!</DIV> <DIV style=\”FONT: 10pt arial\”>
? IntenseDebate Notification <DIV>The smoke created by the peels burning gives a completely different taste to the meat barbequing!!</DIV> <DIV style=\”FONT: 10pt arial\”>
Hi all! Hope you are all having a great summer!
Where did Diana go?
I have got to go to the beach now & get some sand since I have some organic ginger & the last piece I had to throw out because it got moldy in the fridge. Although I don't know if I have a clay pot, think a ceramic lidded container or glass jar will work???
I don't know where lots of our greamers went, but I am glad we've had some activity in the past few days, it was getting lonely here so I haven't been checking as often. Thankfully Marie has great green tips to keep me coming back, but I've been finding so much other fun stuff as I spend less time on the blog & mre looking at other green sites.
If you want to know how green you are: Check out http://planetgreen.discovery.com/games-quizzes/
You can even win green gadgets!!
I was a little concerned this morning when I saw the news in Thailand … heavy rain and storms with a large hotel sliding off in the waterand washed away, reported bldgs being lost in mudslides – up to 90 inches of rain in some places. Don’t know if it is in the area of Phuket – Coop, are you okay??
Marie Coop posted on the dream home site, under the windows are in yesterday. With the guests & weather he probably only squeezes a post out between trips.
Hi Marie, hope your visit with your grandson continues to go well. May both of you be refreshed simply from spending time with one another! Enjoy your picnic.
Thanks for the update about the weather in Thailand, Marilyn. Will definitely pray that Coop and his guests are safe. Will also pray for everyone who were negatively affected by the mudslides.
I also noticed the typhoon headed for China, but didn't know about the mudslides in Thailand. I repeat Marilyn's words. " Coop, are you okay??" Lessie adds her concerns…..are you safe? Please answer us as soon as you can.
Hey Marilyn, after checking weather.com, the hotel that slid into the water was in Taiwan, not Thailand. But I am praying for the people since they received 100 inches of rain in two days. That should be a world record (can't imagine 8 feet of rain).
Good Morning!
Just read about the concerns for Thailand. Hope all is well.
We had a guest this weekend. Because of our guest, I experienced scalding water while showering. She was in a different bathroom, flushed, and My hair rinse became a burn. Is there a way to keep this from happening? Does it take any special product to keep THIS from happening?
I figured THIS would be the place to ask….especially when it comes to being green.
As for being green…..With the temps being the way they are lately, our cooking has been taking place outdoors. It helps keep the heat OUTdoors. Our herbs are easy to reach to add to the grill. It will be sad when the growing season has ended. Did I read correctly there may possibly a green house built for those of us who have green thumbs?
Water efficiency is great, but where are the floorplans?
I did not read about the hotel in Thailand, but I did read about the bomb explosion at the entrance door of Rusa Milae village school in Pattani’s Muang District on Wednesday morning seriously injured two civilians, which sends chills down my back!
Also, read about powerful earthquakes just over 10 minutes apart rattled Japan and India on Tuesday, triggering panic on fears of a tsunami in the Andaman Islands and injuring more than 100 people southwest of Tokyo.
But, I sure would feel better knowing that Coop & Show Me are okay!!
Trish: Scald protection devices are a must in homes with young children, the elderly and physically challenged individuals, but are recommended for every home and may even be code in some areas. While caution is always first and foremost with regards to scald prevention, scald protection devices can help to maintain safer water temperatures.
You need to install a 'Whole House Anti-scald Thermostatic Mixing Valve!'
These units are to be installed in a hot water line and require a cold-water feed. They also requires a swing check valve on the cold water feed line to prevent hot water from entering the cold water system. We also recommend a hot water expansion tank when you install these types pf valves to prevent excessive pressure on the hot water side (due to hot water expansion). These types are best installed right at your water heater.
Restated from my post on the Dream Home site: This will be my last post until after August 18th! We are taking our grandson back home to Santa Rosa & having a bit of a family reunion there! I know you will miss me so! I'm hoping to arrive back home with much to do on this site! By then I will hope that Cope and Show Me have been captured long enough to update us on their shopping spree, aka shopping addiction, in Phuket!!!
MGTOTD: Fresh parsley and cilantro will last for at least a couple of weeks if you store them in a jar. Just clip the stems of the herbs, and place them in a jar with water in it, stems down. Cover loosely with a plastic bag and refrigerate.
? IntenseDebate Notification <DIV>Thank you Lessie! So far, it has been three days of fantastic events and \”Kodac\” Moments!! We are having a wonderful visit, and yesterday was fabulous. We all got to pet a baby Panther!! Our Wild Animal Park just north of Brookings is small, but packed with amazing animals & petting experiences!!!</DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV>
? IntenseDebate Notification <DIV>Thank you Ed, I feel better!!!</DIV> <DIV style=\”FONT: 10pt arial\”>
? IntenseDebate Notification <DIV>They won't breath like a clay pot, but try it!!!</DIV> <DIV style=\”FONT: 10pt arial\”>
Marie Miller: Safe trip, dear friend. We will miss you. Enjoy every minute of your family reunion. We look forward to your return to us on Aug.18th.
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